SION CHAPEL.

Rev. ANDREW REED, D. D., presided. Prayers and addresses by the Rev. Messrs. T. Williams, J. Ely, Leeds; J. Sibree, J. P. Wastell, and E. N. Kirk, Albany, U. S.

SILVER-STREET CHAPEL.

Rev. JAMES BENNETT, D. D., presided. Prayers and addresses by the Rev. Messrs. Muscutt, of Brentford; Pattison of Wem; Howell of Alton; and S. S. Wilson.

YORK-STREET CHAPEL, WAL

WORTH.

Rev. J. J. FREEMAN, presided. Prayers and addresses by the Rev. Messrs. R. T. Hunt, J. Burnet, A. Creak, of Yarmouth, J. Bodington, J. Phillips, and S. A. Dubourg.

CLAREMONT CHAPEL. Rev. JOSEPH FLETCHER, D.D., presided. Prayers and addresses by the Rev. Messrs. J. Alexander, of Norwich; W. H. Stowell, of Rotherham; A. Tidman.

HACKNEY, ST. THOMAS'S-SQUARE.

Rev. H. F. BURDER, D.D., presided. Prayers and addresses by the Rev. Messrs. Wallace, Townley, Gogerly, Cooper, of Dublin, Mather, Christie, and Collison.

PECKHAM, HANOVER CHAPEL. Rev. W. B. COLLYER, D. D., presided. Prayers and addresses by the Rev. Messrs. Timpson, of Lewisham, W. Campbell, Missionary, and the President.

STOCKWELL CHAPEL.
Rev. JOHN WILLIAMS, presided.
Prayers and addresses by the Rev. Messrs.

Richards, of Wandsworth, J. Adey, C. Mead,
R. Knill, and G. Browne.

TOTTENHAM COURT ROAD
CHAPEL.

Rev. JOHN MORISON, D.D., presided. Prayers and addresses by the Rev. Messrs. T. Sharp, J. Woodwark, and Professor Proudfit, U. S.

CRAVEN CHAPEL.

Rev. JOHN LEIFCHILD, presided. Prayers and addresses by the Rev. Messrs. Dobson, Archer, Dr. Steinkopff, and B. Kent, of Barnstaple.

MABERLY CHAPEL. Rev. ROBERT HALLEY, D.D., presided. Prayers and addresses by the Rev. Messrs. Campbell, Jefferson, and Philip.

The Anniversary of the East Lancashire Auxiliary will be held on June 18th, and the following days, when the Revs. Dr.

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d.

178 18 9

38 6 4

1047 15 3

74 10 4

43 0 0

23 1 6

22 3 4

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26 0 0

32 0 0

49 9 4

46 0 0

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17 8 £1633 19 5

Fletcher, J. Campbell, J. Harris, J. Parsons, J. Williams, J. J. Freeman, and W. H. Medhurst, are expected to preach.

ISAAC SLOPER was born at Devizes, in Wiltshire, May 30th, 1779, and was baptised soon after, by the Rev. Rowland Hill. His parents, though not distinguished by rank or riches, were endowed with those honours which come from above, and died in the well-founded hope of the "crown of glory which fadeth not away." He received his early instructions under the Rev. J. L. Fenner, the Presbyterian minister at Devizes, afterwards of Taunton, in Somersetshire, where he died in 1834, greatly advanced in life.

In April, 1794, Mr. Sloper left his father's house, and was placed as a clerk in the office of Mr. Richard Pruen, an attorney at Cheltenham. Of this period of life his private papers contain the following interesting account :

"During my residence at Cheltenham, the serious impressions which I had acquired from the example, instruction, and prayers of my parents, were almost entirely destroyed. Though I verified the assertion of the wise man, 'The way of transgressors is hard,' in process of time my conscience would more easily permit me to neglect prayer and the Scriptures, think lightly of the Sabbath, and prefer the society of the gay and dissipated to that of persons religious and grave. To the brink of ruin was I hurried.... But my destruction was prevented by an omnipotent arm, and sovereign grace. By reflection, and a serious train of thought, I was convinced of my

VOL. XV.

excessive folly and irreligious conduct. I was enabled to betake myself to prayer, and to pay a diligent regard to the other means of grace. At first, my convictions were attended with much dejection of mind, and fears concerning the important matters of my soul, of death, and eternity. But the God of all grace soon permitted me to experience that the ways of true religion are ways of pleasantness,' and that all her paths are peace.'

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"Brought to see the evil of sin, and to feel the importance of true religion for the present life, and for a future state, I possessed a strong desire to devote myself to the solemn and arduous work of the Christian ministry, that I might labour to convince my fellow-creatures of their danger, and invite them to receive the grace of the blessed Redeemer, and seek the honours, riches, and happiness of eternity."

Under these impressions, Mr. Sloper turned his thoughts towards one who was ever the willing, affectionate, and judicious adviser of pious youth; the truly Rev. Cornelius Winter, of Painswick. While he was expressing, in a letter to this excellent man, his views and inclinations, Mr. Winter went to Cheltenham on a visit to Sir Richard Hill. He favoured Mr. Sloper with several interviews; and at one of them introduced, in the course of conversation, the very subject which was uppermost in the mind of his young friend. When informed of the purport of the letter which Mr.

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Sloper had partly written to him, he was struck with the singularity of the circumstance, and proposed corresponding on the subject in question. Several letters were exchanged. The value of the advice which Mr. Sloper had secured, and its probable influence upon his future character, conduct, and circumstances, will be best estimated from the following letter:

"MY EVER DEAR ISAAC,-If you had not been peculiarly near to me, I could not have spared a moment for you to-day. Your desire has more weight with me than a command would have from many of your superiors. I therefore drop you a hasty line, to exhort you to give yourself unto prayer; to watch and wait for the openings of Providence; and to be fully satisfied, upon the strictest and narrowest examination, that you stand prepared for all the difficulties of the Gospel ministry, as well as to be disposed to promise yourself all the comforts it affords, in conjunction with the improvement preparatory to it. I am truly glad you can lay yourself unreservedly open to Him who seeth and knoweth all things, even the secret recesses of the soul, and the spring and motive of every action.

"I see you will find some difficulty to gei disengaged from Mr. P. I need not say, behave handsomely upon the occasion; and while you are firm in your resolution, be prudent. You remind me of the great difficulty I was under when a young man; how sanguine, and, consequently, how restless to carry my point. Though, in fact, it was God's point, I could not move in my own time, nor in my own way." Your line is drawn, and you will be that which God would have you. Maintain communion with him, and when he hides his face, beg him to show you the cause, that your humiliation may be in proportion to the sin he means to resent. Remember, my dear fellow, that there are seasons wherein faith must be called into exercise, that when you talk of faith, you may talk by experience. At all times look unto Jesus; and when you cannot look immediately to him, look after him. Resist that enemy, stedfast in the faith, who is permitted to buffet you; and every blow he gives you will recoil upon himself.

"You may be sure I will keep the object

Those who are acquainted with Mr. Jay's "Life of Winter," will understand this reference to his cruel treatment with regard to the ordination he desired to obtain in the Church of England; treat. ment, however, which was so overruled by Providence, that he possessed, as Mr. Whitfield predicted, "the greatest preferment under heaven-to be an able, painful, successful, suffering, cast-out minister of the New Testament."

"I can add no more than a heart full of good wishes, and my constant prayers. You are interested in these, because I am, my ever dear Isaac, yours very affectionately, in our dear Lord Jesus,

"CORNELIUS WINTER. "Painswick, Jan. 21, 1797."

It was at length determined that Mr. Sloper should apply for admittance into the academy at Homerton; and in Oct., 1797, he was received into that institution. There were then fourteen students, and the tutors were Dr. Fisher and the Rev. John Berry.

Early in the summer of 1798, Mr. Sloper was admitted a member of the church at Stepney, under the pastoral care of the Rev. George Ford, whose ministry proved truly beneficial to him.

Towards the close of the year 1799, Mr. Berry resigned his office as resident tutor, and was succeeded by Mr. (now Dr.) John Pye Smith, to whose invaluable instructions and uniform friendship Mr. Sloper felt himself under the greatest obligations.

His conduct as a student was truly exemplary, and, as may generally be observed, laid a foundation for that high respectability of character which he manifested in his future life.

At the close of his preparatory studies, he was requested, through the Rev. Samuel Newton of Norwich, to spend a few probationary weeks with the Independent Church at Beccles, then lately bereaved of their pastor, the Rev. Joseph Heptinstall, who had laboured among them for twenty-nine years with fidelity and success. Accordingly, Nov. 5th, 1802, Mr. Sloper left London for that and purpose, delivered his first sermon at Beccles on Sunday, Nov. 7th. After preaching to the people six Sabbath days, he was requested to return to them for a longer season, with a view to becoming their stated minister. . In the month of Feb., 1803, he consequently came again to Beccles, and in the following April an invitation from the church was presented to him to become their pastor, which was accepted by Mr. Sloper on Sunday, the 8th of May, and was followed on the 7th of July by his public and solemn ordination.

On that occasion, Mr. Sheppard of Wrentham, commenced the service with prayer and reading of the Scriptures. Mr. Walford of Yarmouth, delivered an