FLOWER-DE-LUCE COURT. -Particular Baptist.

JOHN RIPPON, D. D.-After a considerable interval, Dr. Gill was succeeded by Mr. John Rippon, a native of Tiverton, in Devonshire, and member of the Baptist society in that town. He pursued his studies for the ministry at the Bristol Academy, under Messrs. Hugh and Caleb Evans, and after preaching about a twelvemonth upon trial, was ordained at Carter-lane, Nov. 11, 1773. It is remarkable that during ninety-four years that this society has existed, there have been but two pastors, and the second is still living.

FLOWER-DE-LUCE COURT.

PARTICULAR BAPTIST.

FLOWER-DE

LOWER-DE-LUCE COURT is a narrow passage on the southerly side of Tooley-street. In the reign of King William III. a meeting-house was erected in this place for a society of Particular Baptists, who separated from Mr. Benjamin Keach's church, and had a Mr. Samuel Mee for their pastor. In the time of his successor, Mr. Edward Wallin, a new meeting-house was erected at the Maze Pond, where the church still assembles. This place appears in a list of Baptist churches in 1738; so that it must have been occupied as a meeting-house after the departure of Mr. Wallin, though we possess no particulars respecting it.

THREE CRANES, TOOLEY-STREET.-Particular Baptist, Extinct.

THREE CRANES, TOOLEY-STREET.

PARTICULAR BAPTIST.-EXTINCT.

THE meeting-house here intended was situated in Three Cranes Alley, Tooley-street. It was a small wooden building, and occupied by a society of Particular Baptists. The pastor of the church before the Revolution was Mr. THOMAS WILCOX, of whom we shall present the reader with a brief account. It does not appear who was his successor, nor, indeed, what became of the church after his decease. It is probable, however, that his people shifted their place of worship to some other of the numerous meetinghouses in this quarter, hereafter to be noticed.

THOMAS WILCOX was born in the month of August, 1622, at Linden, in the county of Rutland. We have no information respecting the early part of his life, but it is probable that he received a liberal education. He appears to have been a respectable man, of moderate principles, and to have been well beloved by all denominations. It is said that he preached frequently amongst the Presbyterians and Independents, which shews him to have possessed great liberality. Before the time of the plague, his people met at his house in Cannon-street, but afterwards at the Three Cranes, in the Borough of Southwark. He was imprisoned in Newgate two or three times, and suffered much for the sake of Nonconformity. His name is principally known by a popular little tract, entitled, "A Drop of Honey from the Rock Christ," which he wrote before the fire of London. This piece was very well received, has been often re-printed, aud is said to have done much good. Mr. Wilcox died May

DEAN-STREET.-Particular Baptist.

17, 1687, in the sixty-fourth year of his age. He left a widow and three children.*

DEAN-STREET.

PARTICULAR BAPTIST.

DEAN-STREF

EAN-STREET is a modern well-built street, situated on the south side of Tooley-street. The meeting-house was erected in the year 1774, for a branch of the people that separated from Carter-lane, upon the choice of Mr. Rippon to succeed Dr. Gill. The division is said to have been an amicable one, though it consisted of such persons as disapproved of the above choice. For a short period, this people met at Maze-Pond, where they were formed into a church, January 13, 1774. The ministers engaged in that service were Dr. Stennett, Mr. Wallin, and Mr. Rippon. Shortly afterwards, Mr. WILLIAM BUTTON, was chosen pastor. He was born at Peasmarsh in Sussex, March 5, 1754, and studied under Mr. Clarke at Dockhead. On the 6th of July, 1774, he was ordained over this church, and is the present minister. This is a Particular Baptist church, and contributes towards the fund for the relief of poor ministers of the same denomination. The Horsleydown lecture was removed to this place soon after it was built, and was transferred a few years ago to Union-street.

{ • Crosby's Hist. of the Baptists, vol. iii. p. 101,

UNICORN-YARD.-Presbyterian, Extinct.

UNICORN-YARD.

PRESBYTERIAN.-EXTINCT.

UNICORN-YARD, is situated on the north side of Tooleystreet, near Stoney-lane. In the early days of nonconformity, there was a meeting-house here in the occupation of a society of Presbyterians. It was a wooden building, of considerable size, and attended by a numerous congregation. At this distance of time, it is extremely difficult to obtain accurate information of our early churches, and it is peculiarly so with regard to the present place. We have notices of several Presbyterian ministers in the reign of Christian II. who had congregations in Southwark; but whether any of them preached here we cannot be certain. Amongst these we may reckon Mr. Christopher Fowler, who was ejected from Reading, in Berkshire, and died in 1676. Also Mr. John Luff, ejected from Aylesbury, Bucks. The pastor here at the time of the Revolution was Mr. Richard Fincher, in whose time a considerable addition was made to the church, from a division in a neighbouring congregation. On account of some difference which Mr. Nathaniel Vincent had with his people in 1692, about sixty of his members left him, and joined with Mr. Fincher. This gentleman, it is apprehended, was succeeded by a Mr. Slaughter, after whose death in 1706, the church dissolved. The meetinghouse was then shut up for some years, and in 1715, was taken by the managers of the Horsleydown charity-school, then newly established, and converted into a dwelling-house for the master, and a school for the boys. Of the first institution of this charity-school, Crosby has preserved a particular account.

Hist. of the Baptists, vol. iv. p. 114, &c.

UNICORN-YARD. Presbyterian, Extinct.

RICHARD FINCHER.-At the Restoration, Mr. Fincher had the living of St. Nicholas, Worcester, but lost it by the Bartholomew Act, in 1662. He afterwards taught school for his support, till he removed to London, and became pastor of this congregation. He died Feb. 10, 1692-3. His funeral sermon was preached by Mr. Slater, from whence we have made the following extract. "He was a very gra cious and holy man, an Israelite indeed, greatly set for the interest and honour of God, and much in communion with him. In all my conversation with him, I found him to be of a sweet, affable, and loving temper, by means whereof his grace was the more taking. He had good natural parts, which were cultivated and improved by acquired learning. He had found mercy to be faithful, having been so all along to his great Lord and Master, his cause and interest, standing his ground like a rock unshaken in the days of sorest and nfost violent temptation; nor would he touch those things which his conscience told him would prove defiling to himself, or snares and stumbling-blocks unto others. Yet was he a man of peace, and would follow it with all men, so far as he could go without forsaking of truth and holiness. He was a very modest person, clothed with humility, as his upper garment. He was an industrious and painful labourer in God's vineyard; and as he laboured, so he longed for the life, salvation and spiritual progress of his hearers. He was a workman that needed not to be ashamed. His pulpit was a witness to his pains, and his chamber to his prayers; in the former he wrestled with his people, and in the latter with God for them. And as he preached, so he walked, recommending his doctrine by his practice. In his conversation he was a singular ornament to the gospel, and an excellent pattern to those that knew him. Having finished his work he was carried to his everlasting home, where he hath received that crown of righteousness which was laid up for him."

* Mr. Slater's Sermon on the death of Mr. Fincher, p. 26, 27.