have returned with weeping and supplication, while the inquirers are
pressing forward to the kingdom of God. Since my return rather more
than 200 have been baptized; their experiences have delighted me; I
do believe that the Lord has been with them of a truth: full 1000
are now waiting for examination. I shall proceed slowly and
prayerfully with them, and I hope shall receive assistance from
above. Most of those who have been baptized were praying for five
years, during which time, their conduct, as far as we are able to
discover, has been consistent. My plan is this, I examine each one
privately, Mrs. K. talking with the females. The deacons are
appointed to examine into their conduct, and I get them to talk with
them. I then call a church-meeting, read over the names of those
whom I have examined, and of whom I think favourably, and request
any member present to mention any thing they know against any one.
If nothing is said, I receive them for baptism. I speak as plainly
as I can, and I feel that, if they are deceived, I am clear of their
blood.
On February the 14th, the corner-stone of the new chapel was laid,
and a glorious day it was. Being Saturday, the country friends could
be with us, and they came from various distances of ten to fifteen
and twenty miles round. About half-past three the service commenced.
We had erected half our useful tent, and had provided a temporary
platform under it. Brother Hutchins commenced by giving out the
102nd Psalm:
Let Zion and her sons rejoice,
Behold the promised hour;
Her God hath heard her mourning voice,
And comes t' exalt his power.
Brother Burchell read several short and very appropriate portions of
the word of God, and engaged in prayer. Brother Tinson gave a short
address; when he and brother Dendy, with myself, proceeded to lay
the stone, which had previously been prepared, and a cavity made, in
which was placed a bottle containing a short account of the
formation and the history of the church and the laying of the stone,
with the coins of his present Majesty in it. After reading aloud the
inscription, I placed the _medal_ struck in commemoration of the
abolition of Slavery, presented to me on the 7th of August at the
City of London Tavern. When this part of the ceremony was completed,
which excited intense interest, brother Dendy gave a most
appropriate address for about fifteen minutes, and we sang,
Now let the slumbering church awake,
And shine in bright array;
Thy chains, O captive daughter, break,
And cast thy bonds away.
The collection was then made, which amounted, with the one on Lord's
day for the same object, to £104. 10s., of our money. I then
addressed the multitude assembled, urged upon those who were
emancipated an attention to their duties, and having, as I thought,
a fit opportunity, as two or three magistrates were present, assured
them that I was still the foe of slavery, and the friend of the
oppressed; and that, while they acted right, I would defend them,
let the consequences to myself be what they might. Another hymn
being sung, brother Dexter concluded in prayer. Though nearly 3000
persons were crowded together, the utmost order prevailed, while to
me it was truly a happy day.
On the Sabbath-morning (the fifth anniversary of my recognition as
their pastor), the ordinance of baptism was administered to
seventy-two persons. The place selected was the sea, at the point of
a beautiful cove; full 2500 persons were assembled, no unseemly
noise was made, or gazing curiosity manifested. We commenced by
singing and prayer. Brother Burchell administered the ordinance; it
was one of the most solemn seasons I ever had the pleasure to
witness. On returning home numerous were the greetings we received
from our happy friends; the narrow road was lined for nearly half a
mile with them--truly it was a scene I longed that you should
behold. Brother Burchell preached in the morning; I received the new
members by the right hand of fellowship in the afternoon, and
administered the ordinance of the Lord's Supper, which was a solemn
season, and rendered additionally so by its being the anniversary of
my pastorate among them; which brought to their and to our minds our
dear departed brother Mann. At the conclusion I tried to sing the
hymn we sung at his death, but they wept and sobbed aloud. Oh, they
did love him, they still love him, and he was every way worthy of
their love. Brother Tinson preached in the evening; and, rather
fatigued _in_ but not _of_ the exercises of the day, we closed our
fifth anniversary.
The first stroke of the foundation was struck on the 10th of
February, the anniversary of dear Mann's death; it was not done by
design, but was purely accidental. The corner-stone was laid on the
anniversary of my release from prison, being three years from that
period.
HOME PROCEEDINGS.
DEPARTURE OF MISSIONARIES.
Mr. and Mrs. Quant embarked for Nassau, in the Little Catharine, Captain
Kopp, on Monday, May 11th; and Mr. and Mrs. Shotton, for Jamaica, in the
Witton Castle, April 28th.
LIST OF FOREIGN LETTERS LATELY RECEIVED.
=East Indies= Rev. W. H. Pearce Calcutta Dec. 8.
---- G. Henderson Berhampore Dec. 9.
---- G. Pearce Seebpore Jan. 7.
---- Ebenezer Daniel Colombo Dec. 27.
=West Indies= ---- H. C. Taylor Old Harbour March 6.
---- J. Clarke Jericho March 21.
---- W. Knibb Falmouth March 17 & 24.
---- T. Burchell Montego Bay Feb. 23, &
March 17 & 24.
---- F. Gardner Kingston March 30.
---- B. B. Dexter Montego Bay March 16.
---- J. Coultart Sydenham March 11.
---- J. M. Phillippo Spanish Town March 26.
---- Joseph Bourn Belize Feb. 7.
---- Edward Baylis Port Maria Feb. 10 &
Mar. 13
---- Knibb, Abbott,
& Dendy Falmouth Feb. 7.
* * * * *
_Contributions received on account of the Baptist Missionary
Society, from April 20, 1835, to May 20, 1835, not including
individual subscriptions._
_Collected in Scotland by_ Messrs. =Groser= _and_ =Flood=.
Dunfermline:
Collection at Baptist Chapel 5 0 0
Mr. Dewar 2 0 0
-------- 7 0 0
Capar:
Collection at Mr. Watson's 3 0 0
Collected by Mrs. Sturrock 3 11 2
Bible Class 0 10 6
Collected at the Secession Church, Aug. 1,
(for Negro Education) 3 0 0
-------- 10 1 8
Kirkaldy
Coll. at the Baptist Church 8 0 0
John Fergus, Esq. 2 0 0
David Landale, Esq. 1 1 0
-------- 11 1 0
Anstruther:
Auxiliary Baptist Society 1 3 0
Baptist Church 2 15 0
Collection 1 1 6
Missionary Box 0 10 6
-------- 5 10 0
St. Andrews:
Collection 2 2 6
Miss Wilson 1 0 0
-------- 3 2 6
Auchtermuchty:
Collection at Dr. Taylor's 1 10 0
Perth:
Coll. at Mr. Newland's Church 5 6 6
Do. at Mr. Thompson's 5 8 0
Do. at the Independent do. 3 6 1
Perthshire Bible Society (T) 3 15 9
-------- 17 16 4
Dundee:
Aux. Society, by Mr. A. Low 10 0 0
Baptist Meeting, Seagate 6 0 0
Baptist Meeting, Baltic-street 4 0 0
Chapel Shade Penny-a-week Society, by Alex. Doeg 2 0 0
Cards, by Mr. James Low 0 14 0
Collection at the Public Meeting at the
Rev. Dr. Russell's 13 13 8
-------- 36 7 8
Forfar:
Friends at Kerrimuir 0 7 6
Public Meeting 1 17 2
-------- 2 4 8
Brechin:
Society for Missions, Tracts, &c. 3 0 0
Collection at Mr. Blackader's Church W.I.F. 3 9 0
-------- 6 9 0
Montrose:
Secession Church 7 12 0
Monthly Prayer-meeting 1 1 0
Penny Society, by Mr. Mudie 5 0 0
A Thank Offering 2 0 0
-------- 15 13 0
Arbroath:
Collection at Mr. Ramsay's 3 3 6
Aberdeen:
Collection at South Silver-st 6 10 2
Do. at John-street, including £2. 10s.
from a Friend 6 10 0
Do. at Mr. Penman's 2 2 0
Do. at Mr. Spence's 2 10 0
Do. at Mr. Stirling's 3 13 4
Do. at Mr. Thompson's, Sermon and Public Meeting 7 7 0
Donation from Missionary Society in
Mr. Angus's Congregation 2 0 0
From Female Servant Society 2 2 0
From Rev. Mr. Biggs' Church, Fraserburgh 3 0 0
Friends at Fogyloan W.I.F. 1 0 0
Friends, per G. Laing W.I.F. 1 0 0
-------- 37 14 6
Elgin:
Coll. at Mr. Pringle's Chapel 3 0 6
Baptist Meeting 5 0 0
-------- 8 0 6
Banff:
Coll. at Mr. Murker's Chapel 2 16 6
United Prayer-meeting 1 10 0
-------- 4 6 6
Pitgair:
Friends, by Mr. J. Farrier W.I.F. 1 0 0
Mill Seat:
Collection at Mr. Morison's Chapel 2 0 0
Glasgow:
Coll. at Rev. Dr. Heugh's 10 0 0
Rev. Mr. Thompson's, Hutcheson Town 7 18 0
Public Meeting 2 8 2
Rev. Mr. Paterson's 5 0 0
Wesleyan Methodist Chapel 1 11 6
Rev. Mr. Anderson's, Relief 4 19 0
---- Mr. Macleod's 11 14 0
---- Dr. Wardlaw's 4 2 10
---- Dr. Beattie's 2 17 0
---- Mr. Oris, Female Assoc. 4 0 0
Subscriptions, by Mr. Swan 14 6 9
Do. do. for T. 2 4 0
Do. do. for S. 1 19 0
Do. for _Jamaica School_ 1 1 0
-------- 74 1 3
Huntley:
Collection at Rev. Mr. Hill's 11 0 0
Missionary Society 3 0 0
Youth's ditto 1 0 0
-------- 15 0 0
Paisley:
East Relief Church, Dr. Thompson's 9 13 4
Baptist Church, by Mr. Watson 3 0 0
Mrs. Dunn W.I.F. 1 0 0
Collection at Dr. Ferrier's 2 6 1
Do. at Independent Church 2 12 8
-------- 18 12 1
Insch:
Collection at Rev. Mr. Campbell's 3 3 0
Greenock:
Collection at Baptist Chapel 7 7 6
Do. Union-st., Secession Church 3 3 2
South Parish Church 2 6 6
-------- 12 17 2
Edinburgh:
Collection at Elder-st. Chapel 14 6 4
Do. at the Tabernacle 14 7 4
Do. at Mr. Johnston's Chapel, Nicholsons-street 5 0 0
Do. at Dr. Brown's, Broughton Place 10 0 0
Do. at Mr. Cleghorn's, North College-street 6 0 0
Do. at Mr. M'Gilchrist's, Rose-street 11 11 5
Do. ditto. Public Meeting 7 6 8
Do. at Mr. French's, South College-street 2 14 6
Do. at Mr. Wilkes, Albany-st 4 15 8
Do. at the Baptist Church, Pleasance 6 7 10
Do. at Elder-street Baptist Church
Missionary Society 3 3 0
-------- 91 2 9
Remitted by Mr. H. D. Dickie, Edinburgh:
St. Andrews Missionary Society 4 0 0
Ditto Second donation 2 0 0
-------- 6 0 0
Leith:
Leith Auxiliary Missionary Society 5 10 0
Lochee Society for Propagating Christianity at
Home and Abroad 3 0 0
Dumfries and Maxwelton Penny-a-week Society 3 0 0
Friends in Edinburgh and Leith 15 11 4
Ditto ditto T 0 10 6
John Turnbull Hawick, Esq., for Chapels 1 1 0
Friends in Aberdeen, viz.:
Dr. J. Walker, Lynturk 0 10 0
Mrs. J. Wright, Echt 0 10 0
Ditto for Chapels in Jamaica 0 13 0
-------- 1 13 0
Collected by James Dick 0 8 8
----------
£424 11 7
To the above list we subjoin the following note from Mr. Groser to the
Editor:
My dear Brother,
When you publish the recent contributions from Scotland, I will
thank you to acknowledge the kindness which Mr. Flood and myself
experienced throughout our tour. At Edinburgh, at Glasgow, at
Dunfermline, at Kirkaldy, at St. Andrews, at Dundee, at Perth, at
Aberdeen, and at many other places; in short, every where that we
went, we were received with the greatest cordiality. More pulpits
were open to us than we had time or strength to occupy, and we were
compelled to pass unvisited some towns and villages where we had
reason to believe we should have found a hearty welcome. The thanks
of the Committee are especially due to the ministers of the
Seceding, Independent, and Relief denominations, for the readiness
with which they admitted us to preach and collect in their
congregations. Among those churches also which are known
technically as Scotch Baptists, we found much to admire and esteem;
and nothing but more frequent intercourse with each other appears
necessary to create between us and many of their ministers, entire
communion an fraternal confidence.
I am yours truly,
=W. Grosef=.
Boxmoor, Friends, by Miss Church, (Sunday-school £1) 5 15 0
Reading, Auxiliary Society, on account, by Mr. Williams 38 0 0
Miss Cadby's Missionary Box 1 5 5
Oakingham, collection and subscriptions, by Rev. J. Coles 21 7 2
Otley, (Suffolk), by Rev. J. Sprigg 1 15 7
Hitchin, Missionary Association, by Miss Palmer 17 17 0
Poole, subscriptions, by Rev. S. Bulgin 2 1 0
Coate and Bampton, by Mr. Huckvale, (for Jamaica) 4 0 0
Ridgmount, Friends, by Miss Cuttriss 1 18 6
Great Shelford, subscriptions, by Miss Nutter 6 0 0
Suffolk, Society in Aid of Missions, by Shepherd Ray, Esq. 25 7 6
Bewdley, collection, &c., by Rev. G. Brookes 3 0 0
Missionary Box at Mr. Day's, Commercial-road 1 6 6
Exeter, balance of contributions, by Mr. Commins 44 17 7
Harlow, small subscriptions, by Miss Barnard 3 16 6
Hemel Hempsted, collection, &c., by Mr. Ford 21 12 2
Bath, subscriptions, by Rev. O. Clarke 8 1 0
Sway, contributions, by Rev. W. Mursell 6 0 0
St. Alban's, collection and subscriptions, by Rev. W. Upton 31 6 9
Harpenden, do. do. 3 18 6
Kent, Auxiliary Society, on account, by Rev. W. Groser 25 0 0
Dunstable, collection and subscriptions, by
Mr. Gutteridge, jun. 50 3 6
Lymington, &c., by Rev. J Millard 12 0 0
Canterbury, Subscriptions by Mr. Christian 8 12 10
Collected by Miss Philpot and Mrs. West 19 5 0
-------- 27 17 10
DONATIONS.
Edward Giles, Esq., _Clapham Common_ 50 0 0
Mrs. Giles, _Do._ 50 0 0
John Baylis, Esq., _Ponder's End_ 30 0 0
B. L. Ward, Esq., _Stanground_ 21 0 0
Mr. Dunnicliff, _Clifton_, near _Ashbourne_,
by Rev. W. Hawkins 5 0 0
_Widow and Orphans' Fund._
Lady, by Rev. John Neave, _Portsea_ 2 0 0
* * * * *
TO CORRESPONDENTS.
The thanks of the Committee are returned to Mr. B. L. Ward, for
twenty-four of his pamphlets "On the Importance of Missionary Effort."
To Mr. J. E. Mogridge, Birmingham, for a parcel of books and pamphlets.
To Miss Dafforne, Camberwell, for magazines, and a parcel of small books
and lesson boards. To Mrs. Risdon, and Friends, Pershore, for work bags,
pincushions, needle-books, &c. To Mrs. Jacobs, of Wingham, for a similar
parcel. To Friends, by Rev. J. Pilkington, for ditto. To a Young Friend,
by Rev. J. M. Cramp, for pincushions, &c., prepared during long
confinement in a sick chamber; and to Ladies belonging to the Baptist
Chapel at Canterbury, for a box of useful and fancy articles for the
schools in Jamaica.
J. HADDON, PRINTER, CASTLE STREET, FINSBURY.