leave to those who can use them. It will be their endeavour that this Magazine, in its language and spirit, shall be acceptable to the intelligent, edify the pious, and neither offend against good taste nor Christian decorum. The Editors hope, in the ensuing year, to furnish their friends with many important communications, historical and theological. And while they promise to exert themselves to the utmost for the improvement of the work, they beg leave respectfully to solicit the aid of their brethren in the ministry, and of all who feel disposed to promote the great object they have in view. Their pages are open to free and temperate discussion; and inquiries and essays relative to those points of faith and practice, in regard to which difference of opinion exists in the Denomination, will be readily inserted, in order to elicit thought and assist in the investigation of truth. The friends of the Magazine are again reminded, that the profits are devoted to the widows of Baptist Ministers. For their sakes, therefore, the patronage of the Denomination is earnestly solicited, that by realizing a more extensive sale, the benevolent design of the work may be more fully accomplished. The sum of one hundred and nine pounds was voted at the last halfyearly distribution, making a total of TWO THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED AND TWO POUNDS since the year 1813. Well-executed Portraits and other embellishments will be given from time to time, and no exertion will be spared to render the work increasingly interesting and valuable. Dec. 1826. BAPTIST MAGAZINE. JANUARY, 1826. MEMOIR OF THE LATE REV. JOHN RYLAND, D. D. Baptist Church at Alcester, now under the pastoral care of the Rev. Joseph Price. His son, Joseph Ryland, resided near Stow on the Wold, Gloucestershire, and married Freelove Collett, a most excellent woman, whose family were highly esteemed among the Dissenters in that part of the kingdom. Their son, John (the father of the Doc IT has often been remarked that the lives of men who have been principally occupied in the study and the pulpit furnish but scanty materials for the biographer, and supply very little to awaken interest or gratify curiosity. While the truth of this remark must gene-tor) was born in 1723. His earlier rally be admitted, it would prove that we little understood the most valuable ends of biography, if, on this account, eminent and holy men were suffered to descend to the grave without some tribute to their memory- some grateful record to the honour of that grace which made them what they were. In the case of the venerable saint whose likeness appears in our present number, this duty has in part been discharged, as our readers are aware, in the admirable discourse delivered on the occasion of his decease, by the Rev. Robert Hall; and we shall now proceed to relate such farther particulars, respecting our deceased friend, as have come to our knowledge, fully persuaded, that however defective the account may be, it will be perused with affectionate interest by many to whom, for his great Master's sake, the subject of our narrative was justly dear. The late Dr. Ryland had the honour of descending from a family, who, through several generations, were eminent for piety. His greatgrandfather, John Ryland, lived at Hinton on the Green, Warwickshire, and was a member of the VOL. I. 3d Series. days were spent in folly and sin, year B Soon after Mr. Ryland's ordina-through a long succession of years, tion at Warwick, he married Eliza- a source of so much pleasure to beth, the only child of Mr. Samuel himself and instruction to others. Frith, of that town. They had It may, however, be reasonably five children, one of whom died questioned, whether such close apyoung: the rest were all spared plication to study at so tender an to reach the decline of life, though age did not materially repress that one only now survives the Hon. natural vigour and buoyancy of Herman Witsius Ryland, who went spirits, a portion of which, in to Canada many years since as youth, seems essential to the deveSecretary to the Governor, Lord lopment of decision and fortitude Dartmouth, and is now a Member in after-life. of the Upper House of Legislature in that province.* While Mr. Ryland was witnessing with pleasure the rapid progress Of this family, John was the of his son in the various branches eldest. He was born January 29th, of a liberal education, he was fa1753, in the parsonage-house, be- voured to observe in him, that longing to the great Church in which would fill his heart with far Warwick, which his father had greater delight-the symptoms of taken of the rector, Dr. Tate. † genuine piety. About his thirBefore he could speak, he had been teenth year he became deeply imtaught to distinguish all the letters pressed with religious concern, and of the alphabet, by the assiduity on the 13th September, 1767, was of his nurse, who used to take him baptized, on a profession of faith, into the church-yard, and point by his father, in the river Nen. them out on the tomb-stones; and Mr. Joseph Dent, afterwards his from his earliest childhood, he brother-in-law, and Mr. William preferred reading to play. This Button, then a pupil of Mr. Rydisposition was so promptly and land's, and subsequently pastor of successfully cultivated by his father the Baptist Church in Dean Street, that, when only five years old, he Southwark, were baptized at the read the 23d Psalm in Hebrew to same time. The latter of these the celebrated Hervey; and, be- good men finished his course a few sides making considerable progress years since; but Mr. Dent remains in Latin and French, had gone an honourable member and esthrough the Greek Testament be- teemed deacon of the Church at fore he completed his ninth year. Northampton to this day. Thus early did he lay the foundation of that familiar and critical acquaintance with the originals of the Sacred Volume, which was, * Of Mrs. Elizabeth Dent, Dr. R.'s sister, a short account appeared in the Baptist Magazine for May, 1821. Mr. James Ryland, the other brother, had died some little time before. It is said that some of the parishioners reflected on the Dr., a candid, moderate man, for letting the house to an anabaptist preacher, and that he jocosely replied, "What would you have me do? I have brought the man as near the church as I can, but I cannot force him into it." Soon after his baptism, young Mr. Ryland was induced to address his father's pupils on the momentous truths of religion; and after he had continued this practice for some time, it led, by a natural and easy gradation, to the exercise of his ministerial gifts in a more public His first probationary way. sermon before the Church was delivered May 3, 1770, from Jeremiah xxxi. 9. From this period he continued for several years, assisting his father in the pulpit as well as in the school-room, and zealously engaged in proclaiming the justly celebrated Jonathan Edwards, and others of that class, with which he became acquainted about the year 1775. It is generally known that a thorough congeniality of sentiment on these topics did much towards cementing that cordial union which subsisted so long between Ryland, Sutcliff, and Fuller; and which led them, after several years of intimacy, to combine in founding the 'Particnlar Baptist Society for propagating the Gospel among the Heathen'an enterprize which will ever shed an imperishable glory upon their names. the Gospel in the villages round Northampton, where his labours are still remembered with grateful respect. In 1781, he was called to the office of co-pastor, and on the removal of his father, five years after, to the neighbourhood of the metropolis, the entire care of that large church and congregation devolved upon him. In this important station he continued, till the voice of Providence summoned him to a sphere of still greater usefulness, in which he was destined long to continue, a blessing of no small value to the churches, and to the world. As to the manner in William Carey, of whom we are which he conducted himself during now naturally reminded, had been his residence at Northampton, baptized by Mr. Ryland, in the many yet living car testify how river Nen, in the year 1783, soon holily and justly, and unblameably after the latter had become the he behaved himself among them. colleague of his father. This young Few men, entering so early into man, then 21 years of age, was at the ministry, have exemplified more that time labouring to procure a fally the parental admonition of the scanty livelihood as a journeyman Apostle to his beloved Timothy, shoemaker. About four years afLet no man despise thy youth; but terwards, he was chosen pastor of be thou an example of the believers the Church at Moulton, near Northin word, in conversation, in cha- ampton, where his zealous labours rity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. so enlarged the congregation, that At the commencement of his it became necessary to erect a religious course, Mr. Ryland was more commodious place of wormuch attached to the writings of ship. As his people could raise John Brine, who had been the per- their pastor only £10 or £11 per sonal friend of his father, and he annum, it was requisite to collect adopted the views of that eminent for their meeting elsewhere; and man on what was currently styled while at Birmingham on this erthe Modern Question; but, several rand, Mr. Carey could not refrain years before he assumed the pasto- from conversing on the state of the ral office, he saw reason to alter heathen, and the importance and his sentiments on this much-con-practicability of sending them the troverted point, and ever after Gospel. A generous friend in that maintained, with the fullest convic- town, who is yet living, struck tion of their Scriptural authority, with the information Mr. Carey had those views on that subject, so acquired, and the ardour he disclearly laid down in the works of played on the subject, urged him his revered friend Andrew Fuller. to prepare his thoughts for publiFor the light which had enabled cation, accompanying the request him to explore this province of with an offer of Ten Pounds totheological truth, he was indebted, wards the expense. On his return instrumentally, to the writings of home, Mr. Carey met his three 66 venerable friend in the very place where, more than thirty years before, he had solemnly implored the divine benediction on the commencement of his labours. friends, Fuller, Sutcliff, and Ryland | has been called, on a similar occaat Northampton, and communi- sion, to endure, between long checated to them what had passed. rished attachments and a sense of He importuned one of them to duty, he yielded to their unanimous undertake the publication in his invitation, and removed, with his stead; but as they severally de- family, to Bristol, in December clined it, he fulfilled the task him- 1793. A public service, recognizself soon after by sending his ing his union with the Church at Enquiry" to the press; which Broadmead, was held on the 15th being followed up by the sermons of May following, in which Messrs. of Sutcliff and Fuller at Clipston, Francis of Horsley, Kingdon of in April 1791, and the Circular Frome, Clarke of Exeter, and TomLetter to the Northamptonshire mas of the Pithay - men all venerAssociation, ' on Godly Zeal,' by able and beloved in their day, but Mr. Ryland, in the succeeding long since gathered to their fathers, year, issued in the formation of the took part. One minister only sursociety at Kettering, Oct. 2, 1792. vives, who united in that service, Scarcely had Mr. (now Dr. *) and for him it was reserved to Ryland assisted in laying the foun-attend the funeral solemnity of his dation of the Baptist Mission, ere he was called to a distant part of the kingdom, and fixed, for the remainder of his life, in the precise spot where he could most effectually serve the Society: not merely by exerting his influence through a wide and most respectable circle, but by infusing a portion of his own spirit into the rising generation of our ministers, and thus provid-contained was so cheering, that he ing, in the surest manner, for its longed to communicate it as widely perpetuity and extension. as possible. The Rev. David Dr. Caleb Evans, the amiable Bogue of Gosport, and Steven, and excellent pastor of the Church then of London, being at that time in the Broadmead, Bristol, and supplying at the Tabernacle, were President of the Baptist Academy invited to meet a few friends at the in that city, had been removed by Doctor's house on this interesting death in August 1791, and the at- occasion; and when, after uniting tention of his bereaved friends was in prayer and praise, these worthy soon directed towards Northamp-ministers returned to their lodgings, ton for a successor. In com- they mutually expressed their depliance with their solicitations, Dr. Ryland paid them a visit for a month at Christmas 1792, and after a painful struggle, such as many a conscientious and honourable mind The diploma of D.D. was conferred upon him in September, 1792, by the University in Rhode Island, U. S. The same learned body had constituted him M. A. in 1773. A few months after Dr. Ryland fixed his residence at Bristol, he received the first letters which had arrived from Carey and Thomas in Bengal, and the intelligence they sires to set on foot a Missionary Society among their connexions likewise. About the same time, Dr. Edward Williams, then of Birmingham, and other pædobaptist ministers of that district, were imresult of these concurrent trains of bibing a similar spirit; and the |