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PLASTERERS';HALL.— Independent. Extmet.

There he continued to preach to them till his death, which took place February the 7th, 1690, at the age of 57.* His funeral sermon was preached by Mr. John Quick, from Zech. i. 5. and afterwards published. It contains a short account of his character, but no biographical particulars of his life.

Mr. Faldo was of the congregational judgment; but of a peaceable spirit, and in the latter part of his life, noted for moderation. He had a leading hand in healing those breaches which, for above forty years, had divided the two bodies of Presbyterians and Independents, but which he lived to see happily united. He was a zealous assertor of primitive Christianity, both in doctrine and worship, and contended earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints. His polemical writings, particularly against the Quakers, discover him to be a man of considerable learning; and his practical and devotional labours, were the offspring of a zealous concern for the eternal interests of mankind. "Such a pastor as Mr. Faldo (observes Mr. Quick) is forty years a making." He was a constant and painful labourer in the Lord's vineyard, and the first that entered upon it publicly before the last indulgence granted by King James II. His Master found him in his work; and removed him to heaven by means of that painful disorder the stone. (U)

Mr. Faldo lies buried in Bunhill-Fields, where the following Latin inscription was placed upon his tomb

stone:

• Calamy's Account, p. 838.-Contin. p. 965.

(u) There are three pieces of Mr. Faldo's in print one entitled, “Quakerism no Christianity;"-a second, "The Gospel of Peace ;"-and the third, "A Dialogue with a Minister about the Lord's-Supper;" usually bound with Dyke on the Sacrament.

PLASTERERS'-HALL.- -Independent, Extinct.

Mortale quod habuit, hic deposuit
JOANNES FALDO,

Vir ille Dei qui Evangelium Christi voce, scriptis,
Vita exornavit;

Vixerit ne sanctius an concionatus sit
Incertum est;

Paterna Christi gregem cura pavit;
Concordiam Fratrum, propagationem Evangelii
Assidua labore feliciter procuravit :

Qui zelo in Terris arsit,

Seraphico refulget nunc adscriptus Choro Angelorum.

Obiit vii Idus Februar.

Anno salutis MDCXC.

Etatis suæ Lvii.

Translation.

Here lies all that was mortal

Of the Rev. Mr. JOHN FALDO,

A man of God, who adorned the gospel
By his ministry, publications, and life.
It is hard to say

Whether he shone most divinely conspicuous
In his preaching or practice.

He with a true pastoral care fed the flock of Christ,
And with unremitting labours

Happily promoted

The love of the brethren,

And the triumphs of the gospel.

He, who glowed with a sacred zeal
While upon carth,

Now burns with a seraphic flame

Among the choirs of Angels.

He died on the seventh of February,
In the year 1692,
Aged 57.

THOMAS CHARLTON.-We have not been able to discover the name of Mr. Faldo's successor, but after a considerable interval from the time of his death, the pastor of this church was Mr. Thomas Charlton. Concerning this gen

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tleman but little information can be procured. He was educated, most probably, at the Independent academy in London, under Dr. Ridgley. His name is in the list of licensed, or ordained preachers at the Salters'-Hall synod, in 1719. In that assembly he took part with the subscribing ministers. In a list of London ministers, in the year 1727, now before us, the name of Mr. Charlton occurs as pastor of a church in Aldermanbury. His congregation dissolved many years before his death, and he retired into the country, preaching occasionally. He was a sensible and worthy man; but, it is apprehended, not popular as a preacher. The writer of this recollects hearing his name mentioned by an aged minister, in terms of particular respect. Mr. Charlton died at Thatcham, in Berkshire, on the 1st of May, 1755.*

After the dissolution of Mr. Charlton's congregation, Plasterers'-Hall was taken by the society in London for training young men to the ministry among the Independents. This institution, which is still in existence, is co-eval with the Revolution, being supported partly by the Independent fund, and partly by what is called the King's Head Society, from their meeting in a room over the King's Head Tavern, in the Poultry. One of the earliest tutors upon record, was Dr. Isaac Chauncey, who dying in 1712, was succeeded by those learned and celebrated persons, Dr. Thomas Ridgley, and Mr. John Eames. Upon the institution of the King's Head Society, in 1730, two new tutors were added; Dr. Abraham Tayler, to give lectures in divinity; and Mr. Samuel Parsons, to teach the classics. Mr. Parsons removing into the country, in 1735, the learned Dr. John Walker succeeded him in the classical department, and boarded the students at Plasterers'-Hall, which was

• Private Information.

PLASTERERS'-HALL.-Independent, Extinct.

fitted up by the society for that purpose. In 1740, Mr. John Hubbard, of Stepney, succeeded Dr. Taylor, as theological tutor; and was himself followed in 1743, by the learned Dr. Zephaniah Marryat. He dying in 1754, the academy was removed to Mile-End, and the students boarded by Dr. John Conder, the new divinity tutor. Another tutor was likewise then added. This was the late Dr. Thomas Gibbons, whose province it was to teach the belles lettres. Dr. Walker dying in 1770, the academy was transferred to Homerton, and the new classical tutor was the late Dr. Daniel Fisher, who, upon the death of Dr. Conder, in 1781, was raised to the divinity chair; and Dr. Benjamin Davies, of Abergavenny, chosen classical tutor. Dr. Gibbons dying in 1785, was succeeded in his department by Dr. Henry Mayo; as was Dr. Davies, by the late learned Mr. John Fell. The latter was followed by Mr. John Berry, who resigning after about four years, was succeeded by Mr. John Pye Smith, since created D. D. Dr. Fisher resigning in 1803, Mr. James Knight undertook, for a few months, the divinity department; but he resigning, Dr. Smith was chosen to succeed him, and is the present divinity tutor. The classical department is filled by Mr. Thomas Hill. The foregoing is a brief historical account of the Independent academy at Homerton, the oldest in existence among the Dissenters.

ALDERMANBURY POSTERN. -Independent.

ALDERMANBURY POSTERN.

INDEPENDENT.

ALDERMANBURY POSTERN, a short, well-built street,

is so called from its opening without a gate through London Wall, over against Aldermanbury. The meeting-house, which stands at the corner of the street, was erected for the congregation formerly assembling in Rope-makers'-alley, Moorfields. That society was gathered in the early part of the reign of Charles the Second, by Mr. Edward West, who was ejected for nonconformity from Little Whittenham, in Berkshire, and for whom the meeting-house in Rope-makers'-alley was built about the time of King Charles's Indulgence, in 1672. The congregation continued to assemble in that place under his successors, till 1765, when the present meeting-house was built for the late Mr. Towle. About three years before their removal, a Mr. Dorset bequeathed the sum of a thousand pounds to this church, the annual interest of which was to be equally divided between minister and people. He also left the like sum to eight other churches.

The meeting-house in Aldermanbury Postern, is a small, neat brick-building, of the square form, with three deep galleries. The church and congregation, it is apprehended, were never very numerous; but during the latter part of Mr. Towle's life they declined considerably. In the year 1797, Mr. Towle's church received a considerable accession by an union with the congregation meeting at Founders'-Hall, under the pastoral care of the Rev. Joseph Barber. From this time, these two venerable ministers divided the work, one preaching in the morning, the other in the afternoon

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