The school at Nenagh is doing as well as could be expected, or indeed better, considering that it is composed entirely of Roman Catholic children, and is greatly opposed. 108 were present last Wednesday, and 20 of them repeated the two first chapters of the Epistle to the Ephesians, in a satisfactory manner.

Since I last wrote I have visited Cork, Mallows, and Yayhal, and had the pleasure to preach a baptizing sermon for Mr. Briscoe, to a good congregation. Mr. B. is going on very well, and, I trust, a church to the Redeemer's honour will be raised under his ministry. His friends are anxious to do what they can to support the cause, and one of them (Mr. Jones) has exceeded what could have been at all expected; but his heart appears to be greatly set upon having a church of our denomination established there upon gospel principles, and Mr. B. is also anxious to itinerate as much as possible in the neighbourhood, in which I trust he will be encouraged.

I left Mr. Clarke at Clonmel, to supply for me yesterday week, when I was at Thurles; and I expect my son preached yesterday, and must next Sabbath also, as I shall not be able to reach home until that is past. It is a peculiar pleasure to me that he is so acceptable to the congregation, that they now come out as freely in my absence as when I am at home; but the week-evening services are obliged to be discontinued, as he cannot leave his business on such days. I hope he will go to Bristol Academy by and by; but his apprenticeship is not quite expired, and his constitution is so weakly, that I should be afraid for him to devote himself to close study at present; besides which, his labours in my frequent absence will, I hope, be useful to himself as well as to the congregation.

I am glad to be informed, that I am likely to be permitted soon to make the collection in London for our new house. Many have already heard the gospel in it who never attended the former place; and I hope the late public meeting has done good, and will do more in bringing out the people. It is universally approved as a neat erection, and has cost more than £200, which has been paid; and we have contracted for £100 more to complete the concern, when the society will have a good house, and apartments for the minister, who will be required to pay the ground-rent, so that the society will have it entirely free of all charge. I hope arrangements will be speedily made to allow me to collect, for some of the borrowed money is greatly wanted to be repaid, and the contractor cannot go on for want of money. I have obtained more

than £100 subscriptions, and am very anxious to be entirely delivered from the claims of workmen, and from the stones and mortar.

I expect to preach at Roscrea to-morrow, at Templomore the following evening, at the Hills on Friday, and Thurles next Lord's day. 1 Thess. v. 25. I am yours devotedly in best bonds, S. DAVIS.

To the Rev. Mr. Wilson.

REV. SIR,

cess.

Collooney, Nov. 19, 1824.

I have again to inform you, that in despite of the opposition of the priests, I am frequently invited and received into villages and houses, with an interest which I have not words to describe; and it is delightful to mark the effects, which, in many well authenticated cases, are produced by reading the Irish scriptures, and spreading the knowledge of the Saviour, in the way commanded by himself, and employed by his apostles with sucIn the conversion of James Quin, (brother to the school-mistress of Manorhamilton,) the dispensation of divine grace has been prominent, particularly when the visitation is viewed in connexion with his former character. When first I advised him to read and study the holy scriptures, I found him destitute of one correct idea on the subject of religion, and under an influence of enmity against divine truth; but when I visited his place again, and addressed him, I was surprised in perceiving that he was the subject of a marvellous change: his quickness of perception, of the import and sense of the scriptures, occasionally referred to in our conversation, and the deep sense he expressed of the riches of that grace to which he was indebted, for the happy deliverance he had experienced. Upon the whole, I had reason to conclude, that he had been with the Saviour, heard his voice, and that all things had become new. The day following, he accompanied me to Mrs. Golden's school, and told me that the priest sent for him, to know the cause of his leaving the church of his ancestors, or what fault could he find against so ancient an establishment. "I can," said Quin, "but I do not wish to repeat them, lest you should be offended." "I promise you I will not," said the priest. "In that case," said Quin, "I must candidly confess, that I have been reading the Bible, and could not find that ancient religion you mention contained therein; and, moreover, I have been in the habit of confessing to you, and endeavouring to perform the penance you enjoined, which

and greater attention I never experienced, nor seeming more thankful. But there were some of the ladies present that did not understand Irish, and requested I would speak English. I told them they could read the Bible as well as I; that I would speak my mother tongue, which I was most capable of, and that I thought of my dear poor simple Irish neighbours, that never heard the word of life before in English or Irish. This pleased them so well, that at the conclusion they begged I would come often.

In a letter to Mr. Ivimey, referring to his new meeting-house, Mr. Davis, of Clonmel, says, "I rejoice that I have been permitted to build such a house for God; and, if you had seen our congregations yesterday, especially in the evening, I think you would have rejoiced with us. It was nearly filled, while I preached from our dear Lord's gracious invitation, Come unto me all ye that labour, &c.' My soul was happy while encouraging them all to come to Christ, with their burdens of every description; nor could I refrain my tears while dwelling on the grace of our dear Saviour. O that he would give the people to feel the burden of sin, and bring it to himself for relief."

'From Mr. M'Kaag to Mr. West.

Ballina, Nov. 20, 1824.

Ir once and again occurred to me, after reading the Irish Chronicle, that some would consider me either as indolent or unwilling to communicate all possible information to you and the public, as in my letters no mention was made of the different places where I endeavoured to preach the glorious gospel of the blessed God, from one end of the year to the other, perhaps I was in error. How ever, my apology was, that wherever I preached, and however frequently, I was but about my Father's business, and was only in my element, when I found myself perfectly concealed behind the eross of our Lord Jesus Christ, saying to the people, Behold the Lamb of God! and that it would be time enough to acquaint you when there was something done. Eskey will now be mentioned as one of the places where I often preached, where a wonderful change has lately taken place; there was (I was going to say) a resurrection at Eskey within the last few weeks, and the dead continue to rise out of their graves in that neigh

bourhood.

When brother Wilson introduced me to this place, we preached to thirty or forty careless or indifferent hearers; af

In

ter this, instead of growing attached to me and my preaching, the congregation dwindled away to nine or ten hearers, and four or five of these were readers or school-masters under our Society. this state Eskey remained for at least twelve months, during which it appeared to me, that no man in the parish felt inclined to read the scriptures, except those that were paid for so doing. The priest and the parson were good friends, as they still are, forgiving each other, if ever they had any cause to differ. He, in consequence of the conduct of our few friends in the parish, who made it their business to meet together to read the scriptures, commenced preaching against them in the church, which led some persons to visit their meeting to see what was going on their, and finding that all were met there to read and pray, the question went round the parish, what harm in reading the scriptures and praying to God? As Mr. S.'s sermons seemed to make bad worse, he made an open attack upon the Baptists, and for eight successive Lord's-days dwelt upon the subject of infant baptism. Meanwhile our friends appointed a week-day evening, in addition to their meeting on the Lord's-day. Those persons that lived at the distance of two or three miles from Eskey, complained that their neighbourhood were neglected: since then three other prayer-meetings have been appointed in three different directions from the

town, each about two miles from it. The people of Eskey go to help their neighbours to establish the prayer-meetings around them; and, in return, the people of these little meetings, all of them, come into Eskey to join the large meeting every Lord's day. R. J, Esq. of J. has been pleased to make us a present of a house in Eskey to meet in. It will give you some pleasure to hear, that in all my discourses in this parish, I never once took notice of his railing; nay, I felt myself above it, when Christ and his cross was all my theme, which will always be the case till I see Christ and his glory.

Home Proceedings.

OXFORDSHIRE.

On Thursday, October 7th, the Annual Meeting of the Auxiliary Missionary So: ciety for Oxfordshire,and places adjacent, was held at Chipping Norton. Rev. S. Sutton (late Missionary,) preached in the morning, from Psalm lxxiv. 20; Have respect unto the covenant, for the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty." Rev. T. Morgan, of Birming ham, preached in the even, from Isa. ix. 4; "For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian." The devotional services were conducted by the brethren Page of Worcester; Price, of Alcester; Wright, of Blockley; Jayne, of Campden, and Coles, of Bourton. The Meeting for public business was held in the afternoon, at which Mr. S. Huckvale, Junior,presided,and was rendered deeply interesting by the statement given by our friend and brother Mr. Sutton; and it is hoped the affecting details were not in vain. But, as stated in the Report, how little has yet been done! A few grains of dust removed from the mountain of guilt; a few drops

VOL. XVII.

of water taken from the ocean of depravity; a few souls saved out of a world that lieth in wickedness! By millions upon millions Satan reckons his subjects, and holds them fast bound in the chains iron sceptre reaches from continent to conof ignorance, superstition, and sin; his tinent, from island to island, from sea to sea; his lawless empire comprises the chief part of the population of the worldUnder these circumstances, and amidst for the help of the cause; neutrality these facts, duty calls upon us to arise would be criminal, excuses must not be pleaded, no delay must be permitted, no despondency indulged; rather let us buckle on the whole armour of truth, and go forth to the help of the Lord against the mighty!

W.G.

Yorkshire West Riding Assistant Bap

tist Missionary Society.

On the 23rd and 24th of November, the second Anniversary of this Auxilia was celebrated in Leeds. In the evening of the 23rd, and the afternoon of the 24th, the Rev. S. Sutton, lately returned from Moorshedabad, preached, on the latter occasion, in the Rev. R. W. Hamilton's

E

chapel, (Independent) kindly lent for the purpose. On the morning of the 24th, the Rev. Dr. Steadman, of Bradford, preached; and in the evening, the Public Meeting was held. Owing to the lateness of the season, and the unusual humidity of the atmosphere, the previous services were but thinly attended. The last, however, was numerously frequented, and from the lateness to which it was protracted, without any appearance of impatience, weariness, or inattention, in the auditory, was confessedly interesting. The different resolutions were moved and seconded by the Rev. B. Godwin, of Bradford, and B. Goodman, Esq. of Leeds; Rev. Dr. Steadman, of Bradford, and Rev. J. Foster, of Farsley; Rev. R. W. Hamilton, (Independent) of Leeds, and Rev. W. Scarlett, of Gildersome; Rev. T. Scales (Independent), of Leeds, and Rev. W. Bottomley, of Bingley; Rev. S. Sutton, and Rev. M. Saunders, of Haworth; Rev. W. Trickett, of Bramley, Mr. G. Wilson, of Leeds, and Rev. James Acworth, M. A. Ditto. As it is intended to hold the next Anniversary earlier than this, which a variety of circumstances, particularly the decease of the Rev. Thomas Langdon, late co-pastor of the Baptist Church, Leeds, unavoidably postponed beyond the regular period, it is expected that the attendance will be much better.

Income of the Society, during the past year, including a legacy by Mr. D. Sutcliff, late of Hebden Bridge, £790 11s. 8d.

J. A.

DEATH OF MR. GODDEN.

MR. Godden, who returned from his station at Spanish Town, in Jamaica, on account of ill health, about a twelvemonth ago, and who has been gradually declining ever since, expired at Law rence Hill, near Bristol, on Tuesday, No. vember 23. We have received no particulars as to his last hours, but understand that throughout his affliction, his mind appears to have been calm and happy, neither expecting life, nor dreading death. Mrs. Godden, it will be recollected, died in Jamaica; one orphan is left behind, a little boy about five years of age.

Departure of Mr. Wm. Knibb.

EARLY in November, sailed, by the Ocean, Captain Whittle, Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Knibb, for Kingston, in Jamaica.

Mr. K. is gone to occupy the post in the free-school belonging to Mr. Coultart's congregation, which had become vacant by the lamented decease of his brother, Mr. Thomas Knibb. They had not cleared the Channel, when the late destructive gales came on, and narrowly escaped going ashore on the rocks near Beachy Head; but when every effort to escape seemed unavailing, the wind suddenly veered round, and wafted them from the scene of danger. This seasonable deliverance seems to have made a suitable impression on their minds, and calls on the friends of the Society to offer thanksgivings to God on their behalf.

The last time I wrote you, we were in Table Bay, in front of Cape Town, from which we sailed for Madras on the 16th of February, 1824, and arrived there on the 17th of April. We had often been informed, before we arrived at the Cape, that the sea off that place was the most stormy in the world, and so we found it. About a week after we set sail, the gales commenced, and we had two of three days and three nights' continuance each. Although all the horrors we endured on our first leaving England were renewed, yet being at open sea, we were not in so much danger; and, by the goodness of God, we were safely carried through. AtMadras we were received into the house of Mr. Crisp, a relative of your dear Mr. Crisp, and one of the London Missionaries, by whom, and his excellent wife, we were entertained with the greatest hospitality. We had now arrived in India, and to us it had a