harassings of a wretched, rebellious, disbelieving heart; little suspected perhaps by those around me, or by my friends; but well known to God and my own conscience! This, when I began to deplore the evil of it, was no light burden. Nor could I do as Christian did, drop it off my back at the sight of the cross of Christ; for there rested my unbelief! Having never seen myself as a great sinner, I was unwilling to believe the absolute necessity of his blood to cleanse my guilty soul! And I suffered a considerable time in secret from encouraged me, for his word has been my refuge. I must beg you to excuse this seeming digression from the subject you requested me to enlarge on. At the time when I mentioned to you that I was taken ill, my mind was unusually calm. The prospect of the dissolution of the body gave me no dread. Faith and hope seemed to keep my head quite above water, though I had no rapturous view of an unseen world. When I found that strange alteration seizing my whole frame, I bade my nurse call Mr. S. who attended me. My nephew, P. who had made a hasty journey down on purpose to see me, came to my bedside to tell me he was going; but perceiving me grow quite silent, and immoveable, he was constrained to change his intention, and stood watching by me, with the rest of my dear relatives, expecting soon to observe my last breath. But my thoughts and desires were all raised upward, to the great Father of spirits, and God of all comfort, that he would perplexity and doubt. No uncommon case, I now believe, with those who have had a religious education, and are restrained from the acts of outward immorality. But long since that time, all through the latter years of my life, have I sighed in secret, at the risings up of something of the old leaven. Carnal reason has often put the question forth, How can these things be? and abundance of foolish inquiries; till grace has stept iu, checking the torrent of my thoughts, and co-in mercy grant me a joyful advering me with shame and confusion of face before God. Yet (though it may appear as a contradiction) the Lord knows my heart, I laboured against this unbelief, and hoped I had gained the ascendency, often saying, Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief! Thus have I gone on; and what is rather surprising, through all my illnesses, and years of affliction, I have never suffered distress of soul, or strong fears for the safety of my immor-I waited, prayed, and hoped for tal part. Doubts and fears have alternately risen; but for the most part the Lord has been very gracious to his poor handmaid. When faint, he has given me a cordial; and when low, he has mission into the realms of bliss! I pleaded over the words, “In my Father's house are many mansions; I go to prepare a place for you." While thus employed, I much wished my dear friends to be less watchful of me, for I thought and felt disturbed by it. At length my brother insisted on my sister's trying to get some rest, as he should not leave the room for the night. When all was retired and silent, the moment to arrive. But a. bout midnight I seemed as if all my pleas were beaten back into my own bosom, and repelled by a supreme power, with whom I appeared to be closely engaged I have desired to love thee. Again, I seemed awed with fear, yet not distressed with thoughts of eternal punishment, and felt with true humility of soul, that I was wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked; saying, Lord, cast me not from thy presence, for whither shall I flee? This scrutiny of soul (for I know not what else to term it) closed with the strong application of the in converse, and whose power abstracted my mind from every thing but the quiet recollection of all the spiritual actions of my life. He reproached me for withholding my whole heart from him ;---that unbelief had prevailed in my heart toward him ;that I had lightly esteemed him ;* -that all the devotional actions of my life were so mixed and tinctured with vanity of the heart, wanderings of the eye, and cold-words, I will be merciful to thy ness of the affections, that for unrighteousness, and thy iniquithese things I must experience his displeasure, and partake of a sense of his frowns;-and that for these things I was as a crimi. nal at the bar of his justice, and detained under the arresting hand of death. Here I felt such a strong awe, that my soul shrunk within me! I was as if before the great Judge of all the earth; and as if in a few minutes I should be brought, or should burst into his presence. I prayed I might not receive the sentence which those did who had said, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. Lord, say not to me, Thou hast never known me! Thou knowest I am a sinner before thee; thou knowest my helplessness, and the weakness of my faith, so often deplored before thee; but cast me not from thy presence, for other refuge have I none! Then I began to think the hours precious that were allowed me to plead (for they appeared to go rapidly); yet I could not give up the thought and hope, that though I had been so weak in faith, the desires of my heart for holiness, and love to him, had been sincere; and I could say, Thou that knowest all things, knowest Here I felt the force of my former infidelity. ties I will remember no more! Here joy flowed into my soul, as I remember relating to you; and I concluded I should soon be in glory. I made every effort to speak, but could not, though my attendants observed it. About nine in the morning a white froth burst from my lips, and my nurse removed it, saying, Ah! now 'twill soon be over. From this time I felt no more alteration, but lay the whole day, patiently waiting, and hoping, that ere another hour came, I should be released from this clay tabernacle; that death, under whose iron grasp I lay, might receive his commission to set the poor captive free; wondering at the power which yet had sustained me in being here while in such a degree of weakness; yet conscious that the same Being that had upheld me, could continue to do so; (for what was that to his great or marvellous works in providence and grace?)-that I was but one being, and as an atom in the innumerable millions of the creation of God;-that it was but as the hiding of his power;-and that one short hour in the blissful mansions above would amply compensate for all my sufferings here repeating to myself some lines, which are supposed to be the language of a happy spirit just seated at the Redeemer's pointment. Ah, Sir, I own to right hand; "Well! had I languish'd seventy years below; To dwell for ever near my Saviour's face- you, as I did to others, my motives and desires to quit the world were not all pure; I did not long to go, only because I could not love and serve God here as I wished. This I was sensible of at the time. The Lord pardon his poor creature; but there is such a thing as being weary of the clay tenement. For three days after this time, my mind was like a total blank : I was absorbed in the feelings of my poor body. High fever and strong pain occasioned such restlessness that I could think of little else; but afterwards for weeks I have been kept many hours waking, traversing this scene over and over again, nor shall I ever forget it," while life, and thought, and being last." All these hours I never thought of food, or sleep, or medicine. I heard all that passed in my room; knew the voice or whispers of every one who spoke; heard the sighing or steps of my sister, and the others who returned, saying, with surprise, "She breathes still.". O, thought I, if I could but tell you how I have been engaged through the night! what a scene I have passed through! But I never shall. I trust ye are all following me; and when we meet in glory, what shall I relate! I will wait the Lord's time; but it cannot be long before I drop this April 18, 1811. body of sin and pain, and then I shall spring away! Thus the hours passed, until I found, about seven o'clock, that I could move my finger; which I did, when I knew my nephew P. was attentively watching me; and as his ear was quick, and I found motion returning, I said, "Life-is-strongin-me-now." He leaned, and said, "Is it; are you comfortable in mind still?" "Yes." you take something?" "Yes." Then he ran down stairs with astonishment to his mother, saying, "My poor aunt speaks again!" "Will I am, &c. PARTICULAR E. P. BAPTIST CHURCH, MILL BAY, FOLKSTONE. (Extracted from the Church Book. Dated November, 1817.) THE gospel was first introduced here by Christians of the Baptist denomination, in the year 1720, at the house of Mr. John Stace, whose parlour was often converted into a temporary sanctuary, where, as in days of old, the heralds of salvation" ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ." This, Sir, I call a memorable time; I have passed through many illnesses, you know; but never knew any hours equal to these. In 1724 six of these persons I believe I told you how I met were accustomed to travel on the astonished eyes of my rela- Lord's-day to Canterbury, (sixtions in the morning; and that teen miles,) to hear this blessed when they congratulated me on word of truth. It is said, that my return to life, I felt disap-" the heat of summer, and the darkness and cold of winter, did not prevent them; and that they cheerfully submitted to every inconvenience." their dismission. The answer to that application is as follows: "It was this day agreed upon, In 1728, Mr. G. Green, minis- at our church meeting, to answer ter, Messrs. Jenk. Hayne, James the request of our beloved breBoxer, and Henry Bayley, seced-thren meeting together at Folked from a people meeting at Hythe and Folkstone, on account of their denying the Divinity of Christ, his atonement, his imputed righteousness, the efficacy of grace, the perseverance of the saints, &c. Mr. and Mrs. John Stace, and Mr. John Bayley of Folkstone, members of the church at Canterbury, united with the above-mentioned persons in an attempt to establish the interest of Christ. In July, 1729, Mr. S. gave a piece of ground, situated in Mill Bay, upon which these friends, chiefly by their own efforts, erected a place of worship, which was finished by the latter end of the year. During this year, Mr. John Howe, the pastor of a church at Portsmouth, having left the church there, came to reside at Canterbury. He became the pastor of the Particular, or Calvinistic Baptists, resident at Canterbury, in the Isle of Thanet, and at Folkstone. In 1730, Mr. Howe removed from Canterbury to Folkstone, where he continued to reside till his death, which took place A. D. 1750. It is said, "he was an able minister of the New Testament, and great in divine truth."+ In 1750, the friends at Folkstone applied to Canterbury for worship under the same roof, of whom stone, as a branch of this church of Christ, of believers baptized on a profession of faith, late under the care of our much honoured and beloved brother, Mr. Joha Howe, deceased, holding the doctrine of personal election and fiual perseverance. Know all men whom it may concern, that our Folkstone brethren have, for good and weighty reasons, requested and desired that they might be congregated into a body and church state, separate from us; not from any difference in judg ment and affection; but, considering the great distance of our meeting from each other, many inconveniences thus attend our continuing in one church. And for the reasons they have given, we do believe it may be more for the glory of God, and for their comfort and edification. W'e, therefore, being this day met to gether at Canterbury, after putting up our most solemn prayer to Almighty God, do in love agree to dismiss and discharge them from us, and to commend them to God, and to the word of his grace, who alone is able to build them up, to give them every needful supply, and to strengthen, stablish, and settle them, as a church, in gospel order. And we pray, that the good will of Him that dwelt in the bush,' may go with them; that they may be kept by the power of God, and The descendents of Mr. Stace still one has long sustained the office of aby him be enabled to prosper Deacon, and others are members of the both in numbers and in grace, to church, and appear to be walking in the hold the mystery of faith in a steps of their pious ancestors. pure conscience, and to keep the ordinances and doctrines of the + Some of Mr. Howe's descendents are also still living at Folkstone. gospel pure and entire, until the church wrote to the Stepney Acacoming of the Lord Jesus. demical Institution, the President of which recommended Mr. John Clark to their attention. Signed by us, at our church meeting, Canterbury, and the Isle of Thanet, August 16, 1750. "John Illden, From this period the church was, for many years, without a settled pastor. Mr. Thomas Wantwall, however, appears to have laboured in it for many years. In the year 1758, or 9, Mr. W. was invited to the pastoral office, but was never ordained. He was assisted in his ministry by Messrs. G. Green and I. Burch. From the year 1759 to 1762, the church was supplied chiefly by Mr. John Davies, late of Waltham Abbey. He also was requested to accept the pastoral office, but no account is given of his ordination. In the year 1773, Mr. White head, who succeeded Mr. Davies, and who had been the pastor for some years, was withdrawn from, on account of immoral conduct. From this date till 1776, the church was supplied by Messrs. Blacket, Philips, Shaw, Giles, Dawson, and Espenett. In 1776, Mr. Daniel * Gelband accepted the pastoral office, which he resigned in 1783. In 1784, Mr. William Atwood accepted the pastoral office, which he sustained till 1816. At the close of this year (1816), the Mr. G. afterwards became the pastor of a seceding church, which has for many years been supplied by ministers in Lady Huntingdon's connexion, but which has now for its minister Mr. Maitland, from Hackney Academy. In January, 1817, Mr. C. began his probationary labours, which ended in his ordination, November 27 of the same year. Messrs. Atwood, Read, Bourdergham, Burton, Goff, Welch, and Pope, have been sent out into the ministry from the church since the year 1783. The first of these resides at Farningham; the second at Canterbury. Messrs. Bourdergham, (who was the pastor of the church at Smarden,) and Burton, (who was the pastor of the church at Southill,) have entered into the rest which remains for the people of God. Mr. Goff is at Westbury Leigh; Mr. Welch at Newbury; and Mr. Pope at Collingham, near Newark. The church at Canterbury, of which this at Folkstone was a branch, appears to be decayed; but there are two other branches, originally planted at Shallows, which are neither destitute of foliage nor fruit, at St. Peter's, and at Margate in the Isle of Thanet, and which have for many years been blessed with the ministry of Messrs. Cramp and Atkinson. J. C. BAPTIST CHURCHES IN MONMOUTHSHIRE. THIS Sketch was inserted in the present month, in the Seren Gomer, a Welsh magazine, published by the Rev. J. Harries of Swansea. The particulars were collected in June last, If a friend |