GRAFTON-STREET.-Particular Baptist.

rity is an acquisition of very uncertain tenure, and though it continued with him till the last, it was no criterion either of the excellency of his preaching, or of the judgment of his hearers. A teacher of christianity, if a good man, although destitute of the embellishments of a liberal education, may be very usefully employed in a variety of situations, and is deserving of honour; but it is expected of a public teacher that he should be endowed with a decent portion of common sense, and not be ignorant of the usual forms of language. No pretensions to spirituality can be a sufficient counterbalance to the effusions of nonsense. It is no uncommon thing for people to over-rate their own talents; but when they are forced incautiously upon the public, society suffers. Religious dispositions are absolutely necessary to the formation of a Christian But every religious man is not called to be a public instructor; nor should he assume that office when destitute of those qualifications that command respect and attention. Mr. Burnham possessed a very large portion of zeal, and if we add an equal degree of familiarity, they constituted his principal attainments as a preacher. These, however, were sufficient to attract a numerous congregation, who looked upon him as possessing extraordinary endowments. Of the preacher's private character we shall say nothing, because we do not choose to make our work a vehicle for scandal. The writer of his funeral sermon recounts a conflict which he had with the enemy of souls in his last moments, but says, that he died in peace. This event took place October 30, 1810, in the sixtysecond year of his age, Mr. Burnham was interred in the burial-ground adjoining to Tottenham-court chapel, where may be seen the following inscription upon his grave

stone.

GRAFTON-STREET-Particular Baptist.

Beneath this stone

Are deposited the Remains of

Mr. RICHARD BURNHAM, .
near 30 years

Pastor of the Baptist Church,

Now meeting in Grafton Street, Soho;

Endow'd with an ardent zeal for the Redeemer's interest,

an acute penetration

and

Vigour of mind, seldom equall'd;
His Ministry

was remarkably owned

To the Conversion of many

Who will be his crown of rejoicing in the Great Day;
His Humility

and Sympathetic tenderness

to the afflicted,

Endeared him to all who knew him bes;

The Truths he had preached
Were his support in his illness;

With steady confidence

And serene peace

He hail'd the approach of death,

and calmly enter'd into the joy of his Lord,
October 30th, 1810,

in the 62nd year of his age.

But now no more the honour'd man of God

Appears below to sound the Saviour's blood,

He's dead but lives! and shines and reigns on high
In worlds of light where praises never die.

JOHN STEVENS.-After a short interval, Mr. Burnham was succeeded by the present minister, Mr. Stevens, who came last from Boston in Lincolnshire. He is very popular, and has a large congregation. Since his settlement here, he has published a work in favour of the pre-existence of Christ's human soul, for which hypothesis he is a warm advocate. The title of his book is, "A Scriptural Display of the TRIUNE GOD, and the early existence of Jesus' human Soul." An engraved portrait of Mr. Stevens has also been lately published.

* By what figure of speech can blood be said to be sounded? Query!

EDWARD-STREET, SOHO.

PARTICULAR BAPTIST.

THIS was originally a large room, and converted into a

place of worship about thirty years ago, by Mr. RICHARD BURNHAM, who gave it the name of Elim Chapel. Here he collected a number of followers, in addition to those who still adhered to him and came from his former place. Having preached to them here a few years, they removed in 1795 to the meeting-house in Grafton-street, as related in the preceding article.

After Mr. Burnham's removal, the place in Edwardstreet was occupied by various adventurers, till the year 1805, when a new society of the Particular Baptist persuasion was formed there; over which Mr. JOHN P. BATEMAN was ordained pastor on the 28th of February, in that year. This young man was a follower of Mr. Burnham, and sent into the ministry by the church in Grafton-street, when he was only eighteen years of age. His youth and other qualities soon attracted attention, and rendered him popular; so that in a short time he collected a congregation, of which he became pastor as above-mentioned. The ministers who attended at his separation were Messrs. Ivimey, Keeble, Coxhead, Burnham, Shenston, and Sylvester. Mr. Bateman went on very successfully for about a year and a half, when he was seized with a disorder which put a period to his life, October 3, 1806, when he was only 22 years of age. Mr. Burnham preached his funeral sermon at Graftonstreet, from Zech. xiv. 6. and pronounced a warm eulogium upon the deceased.

Mr. Bateman was succeeded in the same year by a Mr. WILLIAM WILLMOT, who is advanced in years, and keeps a school at the meeting-house for his support.

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CHAPEL-STREET, SOHO.

INDEPENDENT.

THIS

HIS was originally a French Protestant Chapel, built for the use of the Refugees, in the reign of Charles II. and relinquished by them many years ago in consequence of the diminution of their numbers. It was occupied for some time by the Methodists, and a Mr. James preached here. In 1796, a lease of the place was taken by a part of Dr. Trotter's congregation, who separated from Swallow-street in consequence of a dispute between the Doctor and his assistant, Mr. THOMAS STOLLERIE, who formed the malcontents into a separate church upon the independent plan of discipline. Mr. Stollerie was at that time very popular, and is said to have taken away the largest half of the people. He was a student at Hoxton academy, under Mr. (now Dr.) Simpson, who gave the charge at his ordination in Chapelstreet, Nov. 2, 1796. The other ministers who officiated upon that occasion were Messrs. Slatterie, Townsend, Crole, Brooksbank, and Bryson. Some years after his settlement here an unhappy affair happened, which oc casioned a breach in the society. Mr. Stollerie, in consequence, went into the country, but returned after a short interval, and his congregation is now consider able.

PETER-STREET, SOHO.

SCOTCH PRESBYTERIAN.

THIS place was erected in the year 1755, for the late Dr.

Patrick. The church originated in a separation from the Scots congregation in Swallow-street, about the year 1734. The first minister was Dr. James Anderson, who had been many years pastor at that place, but left it in consequence of a difference with his people, and removed with a part of them to another meeting-house in Lisle-street, Leicestersquare, close to the back of the late Prince of Wales's house. The lease of that place expiring in 1755, the congregation was desirous of renewing it; but the landlord being a zealous son of the church, would not for any consideration allow the Dissenters any longer the use of the place. The important personage, who manifested so much spite against persons of whose principles he was completely ignorant, was no other than a poulterer in Newport-market, one Mr. Horne, better known as the father of the late celebrated Mr. John Horne Tooke. In consequence of this chivalrous spirit in the landlord, the congregation in Lisle-street was obliged to look out for another place of worship, and meeting with two houses adjoining to each other in Peter-street, they quickly pulled them down, and erected the present meeting-house upon the site. It is a small neat building, with three galleries, and is conveniently fitted up with pews. It is apprehended that the interest was never very large in this place, and the congregation is now but small. The pastors have been as follows: