ing the affairs of the denomination in general; in regulating the practice of the churches, touching their ecclesiastical fellowship; in settling questions of discipline, &c. &c. Councils were frequent, and the pastor, deacons, and more prominent members, were frequently called away; still, during all this period, strict discipline was evidently maintained, and the church lived in peace and harmony. The office of deacon at this time was filled by Mr. Allen Breed. He was probably among the earliest members of the church, and perhaps was chosen to the office at its organization. From all that can be gathered concerning him, he seems to have been a good man, and to have filled the office of a deacon well. Oct. 6, 1784, Nathan Randall, was chosen deacon, and on the 8th of December following, was publicly ordained. In August, 1785, Reuben Palmer was set apart to the work of an evangelist. From this date to 1788, nothing occurs of special interest. A few scattered notices of baptisms, together with the ordinary cases of discipline, is all that appears on the *See Appendix, letter E. records. From the published minutes of the association, we learn that in 1789, the church numbered one hundred and two. The year 1790 brings us towards the close of Mr. Brown's ministry. He had scattered long the seed of truth, and as yet had gathered but little fruit; but the promise of God cannot fail; His word cannot return to him void. It had been faithfully preached, and must accomplish the thing whereunto it is sent. The seed had been sown and could not be lost; bread had been scattered upon the waters, and after many days, it must be found. Accordingly, in the year 1791, Mr. Brown began to witness the fulfilment of these promises. We may well suppose that he was often discouraged, and left to exclaim, in the language of the prophet, Who hath believed our report?' His ministry is drawing to a close, and the good man almost concludes, that he must be gathered to his fathers, without beholding the salvation of God. But not so; at this advanced period of his life, the faithful minister receives the commission, 'Thrust *See Appendix, letter F. in thy sickle and reap, for the harvest is fully ripe.' This year, 1791, they enjoyed a little refreshing; the Lord began to set them free. The year following, the heavens dropped down fatness; the clouds had long been gathering, and now poured down a ‘plentiful rain, whereby God's inheritance was confirmed when weary.' In this revival, the church received an accession of fifty-two, making its whole number, one hundred and fifty-two. This revival, in its steady progress, was evidently in harmony, with the age in which it occurred. Society then was not made up of tinder, steam, and vapor, but of solid granite, and consequently, was not easily moved. But when taken by grace from the quarry of nature, and placed in the great spiritual temple, it lay perhaps the more firmly upon the foundation. It had at least sufficient weight of character, to settle and ground it in the truth. If the temple did not gather to itself so many lively stones, they were perhaps more massive, better polished and fitted, by a long preparatory course of labor, for the place they were to оссиру. Men did not then understand the process of reducing solid rock to gas, and of blowing it off in vapor; but the present age, in its advanced light and knowledge, understands all this. The mighty agencies of nature are brought under its control; and why not a corresponding improvement, in controlling the agencies of grace? Why not bring so much spiritual light, and heat, and power, to bear upon the world, as to melt away at once its flinty hardness and icy coldness? Such is the philosophy of some men. But the voice of inspiration is, ' Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord.' Doubtless religious revivals will be in some measure conformable to the peculiarities of the period, in which they occur. But we hold it to be a great and fundamental truth, that, in whatever age or under whatever possible circumstances occurring, pure revivals are always produced by the sovereign, independent, uncontrolled power of the Holy Ghost. Such was the faith of the fathers of the Baptist church; and the revivals which occurred under their ministry, were instrumentally developed by preaching based upon this foundation, and moulded into this peculiar form of doctrine. October 25, 1792, Peleg Randall was ordain ed an evangelist. He was baptized November 19th, 1784. On this occasion, the pastor of this church with much propriety gave the charge. Thus the mantle of Elijah, falls upon Elisha. The old pastor, worn with long labor, is about to be taken up to his reward; but ere he departs he must pour the sacred oil upon the head of his succesor. He must call him from following the plough to assist him in the duties of his infirm and declining age, and thus prepare him, when he shall have departed, 'to feed the flock of God, and take the oversight thereof.' This was the old way of teaching divinity to the rising ministry, and it was surely an excellent, if not the more excellent way. In April, 1794, Nathan Chapman was ordained deacon. This year, also, the association held its twenty-second anniversary with this church. On the last day of the session, Abel Brown, a member of this church, was ordained to the work of the ministry. The right hand of fellowship was given by the aged pastor. among the last acts of his life. These were God was deal him gently and ing with him in mercy, leading pleasantly down to the tomb. He had seen the salvation of God; laid his hands upon the |