arrived at the water-side; the solemn service | senior, offered up a very solemn and soulcommenced by singing, "How great-how solemn is the work O God, to thee we pray." Mr. Doel (a deacon of Southwick, and a good gospel preacher, too) very solemnly implored the Divine blessing Mr. Pearce, of Hilperton Marsh, then gave a suitable address to the audience from the question, "What mean ye by this ordinance?" After singing, Mr. Huntley, of Limpley Stoke, descending into the water, solemnly addressed the spectators on the occasion, and then baptised four females and two males, in the name of the sacred Three-Father, Son and Holy Ghost. In the morning, at chapel, Mr. Pearse preached from Acts viii. 12-"But when they believed," &c. The preacher gave us an excellent sermon. cheering supplication to the Majesty of heaven, through the merits and mediation of our glorious Advocate, the Lord Jesus Christ; and then preached from 1 Phil. 6-" Being confident of this very thing," &c. He noticed five particulars : I. The work-viz., Grace. II. Notice the quality of it-A good work. V. The day of Jesus Christ. Mr. Huntley's discourse was appropriate and truly useful; and we may say this was a high and holy day with the Lord's spiritual Israel at Ebenezer Chapel, Widcombe, Bath. J. G. BENNET. Baptist Chapel, Bedmont, Abbot's Langly, HERTS. [We thank brother Bennet for the reports of the sermons, but could not find room for them. It must be cheering indeed to see the fruits of Mr. Cromwell's ministry springing up after his departure. We believe his labors In the afternoon, brother Doel implored the have been more signally useful than was Divine blessing and presence; and after sing-known in his day. We hope the church will ing, Mr. Huntley said, "The circumstances hold on in peace and comfortable union; and under which we are met this afternoon that the dear Lord will send them another are solemn and important, when we con- powerful preacher of the gospel of Jesus sider that our lives are but as a thread; Christ.-ED.] it is soon snapped asunder; and when the end comes, it is either endless life or woe. I now fill the place of one (our late beloved pastor, Mr. W Cromwell) who is passed away into that world where nothing can hurt him; he is now enjoying an eternal repast. He used to say, when he got to heaven, "That loudest of the crowd he'd sing, While heaven's resounding mansions ring With shouts of sovereign grace." Sovereign grace was the theme of his soul. Were it possible for him to behold us met this afternoon on this solemn occasion, and us to hear him tell out the feelings of his happy spirit, methinks we should hear him praising and exalting Jehovah in the utmost. He adddressed the candidates, and then to the members he said, "I have found it good to meet with you. Jesus still lives. I know you feel the loss of your pastor deeply. Jesus lives. The Lord has done great things for you, whereof we are glad. We are willing to help." [I wish this was the feeling of all ministers toward us, instead of trying to crush us; but "the Lord knoweth them that are his; and no good thing shall he withhold from them that walk uprightly."-J. G. Bennett.] "Let your conduct be as becometh the gospel of Christ; it will strengthen you. The Lord is faithful; he has owned his word by bringing in souls from the rubbish of the fall, as seals to your late pastor's ministry-there are others that will come in the Lord's time. Bear with each others' infirmity: dwell in peace and the God of peace will strengthen you." After the usual questions to candidates, they received the right hand of fellowship, with solemn admonitions; partook with us the emblems of the body and blood of Christ; and after they had sung a hymn, went out. The evening serving service commenced by singing, "On Jordan's," &c. Mr. Huntley,' DEAR BROTHER in covenant love, grace to you We 300 GARNER, CLAPHAM-HORSHAM. steps to Clapham, and to Garner, where she was set at liberty under the ministry of brother Elven. She lost her burden-was enabled to trust in the merits of Jesus, and to rejoice in his great salvation. are baptists in principle but not in practice; | May, 1853, when Providence directed her and I think these are the worst sort of baptists, for they never can hear comfortably. Notwithstanding our seasons of prosperity, we have our seasons of trials; for some that used to be hearers with us have since discontinned their attendance; this used to try me at times, and the enemy used to tell me it was my insufficiency as a preacher and my inability for the work; but, bless the dear name of the Lord, when I have been under these exercises of mind and just making up my mind to leave off, the Lord has brought in one or two as seals to my ministry, and so he has kept encouraging me from time to time. Nov. 20th, 1854. H. HUTCHINSON. The other had been hovering round the watery grave, ever since new Garner was built; she was convinced of her sinfulness under the ministry of Mr. Burrows, in the establishment; she became the subject of very deep convictions, and greatly harassed by Satan so much so, that those who neither knew her disease, nor a remedy for it, thought she was out of her mind, and treated her accordingly. But God, who is sovereign and gracious, who wounds, heals, GARNER BAPTIST CHAPEL, CLAPHAM. and understands every case, in his own ON Wednesday evening, Nov. 1st, 1854, three believers in Jesus followed their Redeemer through the watery grave; being (by brother Elven,) buried with him by baptism, (Rom. vi. 4,) and believing that they were dead," (verses 7, 8) they were considered proper subjects for burial. And they could sing 66 "With thee into the watery tomb, Lord, 'tis our glory to descend; One of the three was the first fruits of Mr. Elven's ministry at Clapham; and one of the first grains of wheat gathered into the Garner by regenerating grace. And a more striking proof of the new birth seldom comes before our churches. If there is joy in heaven among the angels of God, over one sinner that repenteth, there was connected with her repentance and conversion. Her testimony was cheering and encouraging, especially to the founder, under God, as well as those connected with Garner, because God seemed to honour the very name of Garner, by causing that portion of scripture, from whence its name was taken, to be the means of her being brought to know the Lord. On Lord's-day evening, March 21, 1852, Mr. Elven preached from Matthew iii. 12:"Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into his garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." From that time and from that text, she dates her regeneration and it is evident that by the will of God she was born here-"not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible; by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever." The second one was a daughter of Mr. Banks's Bermondsey Pilgrim, (Styles,) who, one Lord's-day morning, being deprived of going to the house of God, took her Bible, and read Rom. viii.; verse 5 convinced her of her lost state as a sinner before God. She remained under deep convictions till time, applied the "balm of Gilead," cured and put her into gospel liberty. She had her sin-wounded soul, broke her bonds, been greatly blessed under the word at Garner, which caused her soul to magnify the Lord, and her spirit to rejoice in God, her Saviour. mands, there is great reward. These three, They found that in keeping Christ's comand three from other churches, were added to the grains of wheat in Garner, Lord'sday evening, November 5, 1854; making twenty added since the formation of the church, August 14, 1853 Thus "God will work; and who shall let or hinder?" But where God works, Satan will roar and oppose, and employ his agents throwing his fiery darts in the front of the his fiery darts; he is chained. God will battle; but the shield of faith will quench his own intentions complete; and we pray that his will may be done, and sing with Denham, the following, which may be encouraging to some reader of the VESSEL: "No foe can annoy, or friend give a smile, Tho' Satan may tempt, and false brethren Unless he permit, or constrain; revile, Since God is my refuge, I must persevere, False charges against me, tho' painful to bear, But since they afford me fresh matter for In truth may be boldly withstood; prayer, I know they are working for good." W.O. HORSHAM.-Peace and prosperity is still found at Rehoboth Chapel, Horsham, Sussex. Our pastor Mr. E. Mote baptised seven believers in Jesus on the 29th of October last, who all gave a satisfactory statement that the Lord has begun a work of grace upon their souls: They were all added to the church the Lord's-day following. The Lord is blessing the labours of our dear pastor amongst us whose subject and object is Christ all and in all in matters of redemption and salvation. THOMAS HILL. OTHE B |