OXENDON-STREET.-Scotch Seceders.

the prison fees; her expences in the whole of this affair amounting to about twenty pounds. Mr. Baxter finding that through the wickedness of the times, there was no prospect of his being suffered to preach in the above place, offered it to Dr. Lloyd, minister of St. Martin's in the Fields, who agreed to take it, and to pay the ground-rent, but gave him nothing for the building. By this transaction Mr. Baxter lost more than four hundred pounds.* The next stage of the good man's earthly pilgrimage was Swallowstreet, as already noticed in that article.

Oxendon Chapel now became a chapel of ease to the parish of St. Martin's, and continued so for considerably more than a century. The course of events, however, occasioned it again to pass into the hands of Dissenters. The Scotch Presbyterian congregation in Great St. Thomas the Apostle, under the care of the Rev. Geoge Jerment, had been for a considerable time looking out for a more convenient place of worship; and the chapel in Oxendon-street becoming vacant, they entered into an engagement for a lease of that place, to which they removed about the year 1807. It is a good square building with three galleries, and neatly fitted up.

This congregation belongs to the denomination of Seceders from the Church of Scotland, of the Anti-Burgher class; of which distinctions we have given some account under a former article. It is the oldest society of Seceders in London, and was formed soon after the breach took place in Scotland. The first pastor, it is apprehended, was Mr. JOHN POTTS, who had been an active member of his denomination in the North. He had not been long settled in London before the division took place amongst the Seceders in Scotland, respecting the burgess oath. Mr. Potts united himself with the Burghers, left his congregation, and soon

* Clark's Lives of Sundry Persons in this latter age, p. 188.
+ See MILES'S LANE.

afterwards returned to Scotland. Some years after this, he removed again to London, and became pastor of a congregation in Crispin-street, Spitalfields.

About the middle of the last century, Mr. DAVID WilSON, a Scotsman, became the pastor of this society, but whether he was Mr. Potts's immediate successor we cannot determine. He was a Divine of considerable abilities, an excellent scholar, and a good logician. During the controversy that arose out of Mr. Hervey's celebrated work, "Theron and Aspasio," Mr. Wilson appeared as an advocate for that performance in a work entitled, "Palemon's Creed," 2 vols. 12mo. He also published several single sermons. He was considered a judicious preacher; but his voice was feeble, and notwithstanding his long residence in London, he retained the Scotch tone and accent in full perfection till the last. In consequence of his declining age, the Rev. GEORGE JERMENT was ordained co-pastor with him, in 1783, and upon his death succeeded to the whole charge. He is the present pastor; and the congregation is but small.

YORK-STREET.

SWEDENBORGIANS.

THIS is a large handsome square building, and may be

considered the principal place belonging to this sect in London. It was erected for the use of the congregation that formerly assembled in Cross-street, Hatton-garden, and opened for public worship upon the plan of the Swedenborgians, in the year 1800. Their principal minister is a Mr.

MARKET-STREET, MAY-FAIR.-Independent.

Joseph Proud, who formerly preached in connection with the Particular Baptists. Having already given an account of this sect, and its founder, under a former article,* it will be unnecessary to enlarge upon it in this place.

MARKET-STREET, MAY-FAIR.

INDEPENDENT.

PRIOR

It

RIOR to the formation of the present society, perhaps few parts of the metropolis of so extensive a circuit as MayFair, were so entirely destitute of the blessings of a gospel ministry, few that were likely to manifest a more inveterate opposition to the introduction of pure and undefiled religion. The purlieus of a court have never been overburdened with the means of religious instruction, nor have there been many LATIMERS to counteract the baneful influence of those downy preachers, who, in the language of the prophet, too commonly sew pillows under the arm-holes of courtiers. is not surprising, therefore, that a society of religious persons should find some difficulty in establishing itself in this neighbourhood. Nearly twenty years ago, a few young men of this description engaged a room in a private house, from whence, after a short time, they were turned adrift. Not dismayed, however, at this rebuff, they quickly engaged other apartments in the same neighbourhood, which they duly licensed according to law. There they continued for space of five years, and were favoured with the assistance of various ministers, who had the satisfaction of seeing their labours attended with success. During this time, they re

the

See Vol. ii. p. 165–171.

PALACE-STREET, PIMLICO.-Independent.

ceived some accession from Mr. Gwennap's congregation in Piccadilly, which had dissolved. They were, at length, directed to their present place of worship, which was opened January 2, 1801, under the name of EBENEZER CHAPEL; the Rev. Rowland Hill, and the late Rev. James Moody, of Warwick, preached upon the occasion. The number of worshippers now began to increase, and feeling the importance of church-fellowship, they were formed into a church on the congregational plan, April 27, 1802, and in January following, the union was publicly recognized. Two sermons were preached upon the occasion, by Mr. Moody, before-mentioned, and Mr. Ford of Stepney. The church still continued to be supplied by various ministers; but contemplating the advantages of a stated ministry, they directed their attention in May, 1805, to their present pastor, the Rev. SAMUEL HACKETT, who was then assistant to Mr. Miller, of High-Wycombe, Bucks. Mr. Hackett visited the people in Shepherd's Market, in September following, and receiving an unanimous invitation to the pastoral office, was ordained over them June 12, 1806. Since then, the church and congregation have considerably increased, and the place has been twice enlarged.*

PALACE-STREET, PIMLICO.

INDEPENDENT.

THIS is a large substantial building, and used to pass by

the name of BUCKINGHAM CHAPEL, which is still inscribed on the front. It was many years in the occupation

• From the information of Mr. HACKETT.

PRINCES-STREET, WESTMINSTER.English Presbyterian.

of the Methodists, and Mr. Obadiah Bennett preached there a considerable time under that denomination, but left it in the year 1800. In the beginning of 1801, a regular independent church was formed here, and deacons ordained in the presence of the following ministers, viz. Messrs. Brooksbank, Stollerie, Duncan, Wall, and Maurice, the last of whom preached upon the occasion. In a short time, the Rev. E. A. Dunn, who had been educated at Hoxton academy, was invited to settle here, and is the present pastor.

PRINCES-STREET, WESTMINSTER.

ENGLISH PRESBYTERIAN.

IN

N the early stages of nonconformity, when talent and re spectability characterised its leaders, and an attachment to principle the people, this was one of the most flourishing societies amongst the English Presbyterians. It was first collected in the reign of Charles II. not long after the act of Uniformity, by the learned Mr. Thomas Cawton, one of the ministers ejected by that infamous statute. His congregation met first at a place in Tothill-street, and continued to assemble there till the time of Dr. Calamy, in the early part of whose ministry a larger and more commodious meetinghouse was erected at a place then called Long Ditch, but now Princes-street, a short distance from Westminster Abbey. In this building, which contained three capacious galleries, the congregation continued to meet till the time of Dr. Kippis, when the present place was erected upon a much more contracted scale, in consequence of the diminution of the society. It is a very neat and elegant building, of the VOL. IV.