also more compatible with Satur-day evening parties, which naturally throw matters into a little bustle the next morning. Again, it helps to abridge the service, always a most 'desirable point. It adds to one's consequence, shewing that one is not a mean pitiful nobody, afraid to excite attention by breaking in upon a congregation. It is a kind and neighbourly act to those who arrived early, perhaps mistaking the time, affording them a little relief from overstrained attention. It encourages others who might find it pleasant to come late, but would have

been ashamed but for our example, It shews one is not a Methodist. It indicates a generous, courageous spirit; as though one should say, I neither fear God nor regard man, though I think this inference is rather too violent. I might mention other reasons, but these appear to me as weighty as any I could urge. Those who are not satisfied with them, had better adopt the plan recommended by your correspondent, last Number: those who are, will imitate the example of your humble servant,

BARBARA GADABOUT.

Farewell Sermons, being the Last Six Sermons delivered at Percy Chapel, Pancras, previously to the shutting-up of the Chapel, and the consequent Dispersion of the Congregation in October 1828. By the Rev. J. H. STEWART, M. A. London. 1829. 5s.

THESE discourses have revived in our minds those feelings of affection and respect towards their pious and zealous author, which the perusal of his interesting volume, the title of which appeared in our pages last month, had so recently impressed. Every page of Mr. Stewart's writings is marked by a characteristic simplicity and tenderness, by intense anxiety for the souls of men, by. great plainness and faithfulness in warning the sinner, and by a constant wish to administer the hopes and consolations of the Gospel to the humble and dejected Christian. Many divines appear to tell us of what they have heard, and read, and seen; Mr. Stewart discloses what he has himself felt. It is out of the abundance of his heart that his mouth speaks: his volume is throughout a record of Christian

sympathy; he does not make it his ambition to be deeply intellectual or sublimely eloquent; but, in the emphatic word of Herbert, to be "holy," to be conformed himself to the image of his Divine Exemplar, and to bring the souls entrusted to his charge to the same celestial resemblance. Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace and good will to men, breathe throughout every page of his writings.

The publication now before us owes its origin to the circumstance of the chapel in which the author ministered being closed at the expiration of the lease-one of the many evils of our anomalous proprietary chapel system - and the consequent dispersion of the congregation. Mr. Stewart, however, intimates that there was something more than a merely commercial impediment to the re-union of his flock: he plainly tells us, that it was in consequence of persecution for righteousness' sake; alluding,

as

we have understood, and we know not why we should disguise the fact, to an intimation, that should Mr. Stewart procure any

other chapel in St. Pancras parish, the rector would not allow him to enter the pulpit, or any minister of kindred sentiments to enter in future that of Percy Chapel. It is objected, that Mr. Stewart entertains some peculiarities of opinion; and it is added, that these very sermons exhibit egotism and exaggeration in reference to the extent of the local calamity, the injury to the metropolis at large in the shutting up of Percy Chapel,and in the application of passages of Scripture descriptive of the flood coming upon the earth, or the destruction of Jerusalem, and the persecutions of the primitive Christians. But let these points be as they may, we would still ask any candid man, whether he can discover any thing in Mr. Stewart's writings, which justly places so faithful and devoted a Christian pastor out of the pale of our national communion; and for which, by the arbitrary decision of the rector of a parish, he is to be prevented entering the pulpit of any chapel which himself or his friends may procure for his ministerial labours. But it is not, as we understand, for any alleged peculiarity in Mr. Stewart's sentiments, that he is thus thrown as an outcast upon society; but simply because he is a friend to Bible, Missionary, and other kindred institutions, no abettor of which is in future to be licensed by the rector of St. Pancras to any chapel in that extensive metropolitan parish. We give the statement specifically, because this will allow of its being contradicted if it be incorrect. The charge against Mr. Stewart, we are informed, is not that he entertains Calvinistic sen timents, or that he has published a treatise on the necessity of seeking more abundantly an effusion of the Holy Spirit, or that he has a strong opinion respecting the second advent of our Lord; but that he has identified himself with what are called "the Evangelical Clergy," and the promoters of CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 328.

the religious societies before mentioned. And does the rector of St. Pancras, or does any other private clergyman, or ecclesiastical dignitary, suppose for a moment that his arm can impede the progress of those invaluable Christian institutions? If they do, we can only say, their policy is as shortsighted as it is exceptionable; for whatever difference of opinion there may be in reference to the sentiments or the proceedings of any individual, there will be but one feeling throughout the kingdom if individuals are to be "persecuted' for what they hold in common with so many of the best and wisest members of our church and of our common faith. The rector of St. Pancras has but to state that he banishes Mr. Stewart, or any other clergyman, from every pulpit in his overgrown parish, on account of their attachment to Bible and Missionary societies, and he will inevitably give those societies a popularity in his parish which they have not hitherto enjoyed; and this not merely by the natural feelings of the human mind, which revolt at every species of oppression, but by exciting a spirit of serious inquiry, which, wherever it arises, must of necessity be favourable to the progress of any cause grounded on true benevolence and scriptural sanction.

We can most honourably allow for much of the alleged egotism and exaggeration of these discourses, in the deep mutual affection and sympathy which evidently existed between the pastor and his now scattered flock. Το a stranger taking up the volume, many passages may appear overcharged, which were but in strict keeping to the deep regrets and intensely excited feelings of the parties immediately concerned. To them the disruption of pastoral and fraternal ties was no light matter: it was felt to be a severe calamity, "a gracious chastisement," says Mr. Stewart, "from 2 I

our heavenly Father to his people in this metropolis, and more especially to ourselves." And whether shall we say that what is objected to in this language, arises from an exclusive spirit, and an overstrained estimation of the sacredness and endearments of the union between a minister and his flock, or that the objection itself arises from the very defective ideas currently entertained of that sacred relation? We will only say, that if Mr. Stewart is to be tried by the language and spirit of St. Paul or St. John, he will certainly meet with a far more lenient sentence than if by the modern ideas of ministerial affection and responsibility. And, with regard to what he intimates of the shutting up of Percy Chapel being a calamity to the parish, and even to the metropolis, though it might have been in better taste to have expressed these matters a little differently, we quite feel that as the addition of every new church or chapel, under the care of a faithful and efficient minister of Christ, is a public benefit, the abstraction of any one so circumstanced, is a public loss; and the long list of charities recorded by Mr. Stewart, not, we are sure, with "vain boasting," but in simplicity of spirit, and with gratitude to God, and his esteemed flock, shews that in the case of Percy Chapel, this loss has not been small. Whatever may in some quarters be thought of the general class of doctrines entertained by our respected author-for we have not entered upon any points of peculiarity-this catalogue of charities shews that they are the farthest possible from latitudinarian indifference, or antinomian aversion to good works. If Mr. Stewart is to be prohibited from purchasing any other chapel in St. Pancras parish, by a refusal to grant him a licence to preach in it when he has made it his own, those who issue the prohibition will find it no easy task to reimburse the poor, the sick, the ignorant, the afflicted of the

parish for their loss. During the last year more than 750l. Mr. Stewart states, were collected at Percy chapel after charity sermons for objects of piety and benevolence, many of them of a local kind. The list of general contributions within a few years amounts to more than ten thousand pounds; a most honourable exhibition of a Christian and selfdenying munificence; by which 1800 children have been educated in a Sunday school, and 400 in a daily school; 1400 poor married women visited and assisted in their confinement; 3600 families visited and assisted in affliction; not to mention the more public religious charities, of which the Church Missionary Society alone has received 4650l. Such deeds, performed, as we cannot doubt these have been, as the fruits of faith and labours of love, will not lose their reward.

The following passage will shew the characteristic feelings of Christian affection which prevail throughout these addresses. The alleged egotism which has been objected to was, we doubt not, amply forgiven in the interchange of mutual sympathy between the beloved pastor and his flock.

My beloved Christian friends, you who are indeed a part of the flock of Christ, which he has purchased with his own blood, when I think of your personal joy, of the joy of the angels, and of the joy of our Lord; when I see the readiness with which the choir of heaven will hail you, and hear from his own lips your cordial welcome, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; and when I think that the Lord has honoured us, the pastors of this church, as instruments to convert or edify you; that in that day we may, without presumption, regard you as our joy and crown;' as those that we are to present to our Divine when these thoughts are, by Divine grace, Lord as proofs of our love to his Name; brought to the mind, then indeed there is no space for sorrow: the eye glistens, and the heart enlarges, and the soul cries out, Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but to thy Name give glory, for thy mercy and thy truth's sake."" pp. 99, 100.

Memoir of the late H. W. Temple, of the Middle Temple, Barrister at Law. 2s. 6d. London. 1829.

THE amiable and pious subject of this memoir was born at Leeds, in the year 1800, and was educated at the grammar-school of that town. Being intended for the legal profession, he was articled to a solicitor of that place; and at the expiration of his clerkship repaired to London, pursued his professional studies with much success, and was called to the bar in the spring of 1828. The writer of the little narrative before us describes as follows his character and pursuits at the period when he arrived amidst the dangerous snares of the metropolis.

"Down to the year 1824 his religious views had undergone no material change, and were entirely and decidedly opposed to those which he afterwards so ardently embraced. Like most young men, whose ideas of religion fall short of the faith of the Gospel, he had no inclination to refuse conformity to the world; but following its course, joined the convivial meetings of his young compeers, and frequented the theatres of the metropolis.

"But the goodness of God, hitherto manifested in bestowing that restraining grace, which had preserved him from running into the excess of riot, in which he must have seen thousands around him re

velling, began about this period the work of conversion in his soul.

"He had just entered on the great the atre of the world; the consciousness of his own powers and attainments inspired him with high expectations of rising to eminence in his profession; and these were in no inconsiderable degree fostered by the flattering notice taken of him by those whose encouragement, he could not but know, proceeded from the high opinion they entertained of his abilities and acquirements." pp. 6-8.

But it pleased God to shew him the vanity of mere worldly prosperity, and the infinite importance of true religion, and the salvation of the soul; and to lead him eventu. ally to account all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge

of Christ Jesus the Lord.

"He had about this time been visited

with a severe attack of inflammation, which was no doubt instrumental in bringing him to the state of mind which has been just described. For, upon a near relative visiting him after the extreme danger was

"In the month of January 1824, he thus wrote to his mother:

"I intend to cut with a good many of my acquaintance, who are of a gay turn, and shall strive to increase my acquaintance among those who are otherwise inclined. For, God be thanked, I have been pressed with the sense of the one thing for some time past more than usually imneedful.' My views on this subject are very different from what they were; and pray God that he would give me, and all my friends, especially those I love best, grace to desire that which he doth promise. For one thing I must tell you, that I am quite convinced of the truth of the Evangelical doctrine, which is so much contemned; and moreover that we have no authority for supposing that there is any other way of salvation than what the holders of these tenets and the Bible offer for our acceptance. In this I set apart the doctrines of election, assurance, and perseverance, not because I disbelieve them, but because they do not fall among the list of absolutely necessary doctrines: but among the necessary doctrines are some which are derided by the falsely-named orthodox of the day, and most awful is the consideration. So much as to doctrine : but the great thing is experience and practice, which is a personal concern. God give us to apply it. I could write much upon these subjects, and intend that they shall always occupy a portion of my letters, for I believe you think of them as I do. But I shall be happy to hear your sentiments on religion, for we must remember that it is said, They who feared the Lord, spake often one to another.' But I am assured, that if it please God to bring me out of darkness into light, it will be the effect of his blessing on your prayers for me, which I know have been offered up for me in sincerity and truth, and the and truly Christian instructions. fruits, though late fruits, of your parental God bless you for them an hundred-fold.'

pp. 9-12.

His growth in grace and in the knowledge of his God and Saviour, and in every work of Christian obedience and charity, became increasingly visible in his whole conduct. His memorialist remarks:

"From the time of his illness before alluded to, or shortly afterwards, the Bible became his constant companion. For