THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES OF DISSENTING CHURCHES, &c. &c. CROWN-COURT. SCOTS PRESBYTERIAN. CROWN-COURT, COVENT-GARDEN, is a spacious paved thoroughfare, leading from Bow-street into Russelstreet, the entrance at each end opening upon the two new theatres. The meeting-house was erected about the year 1718, for the Scots Presbyterian Church, under the pastoral care of the Rev. Patrick Russel. A lease of the ground had been previously granted to the elders by the then Duke of Bedford. Mr. Russel, by the interest he made with the nobility, and other persons, connected with Scotland, soon raised a sufficient sum to discharge the debt of the building. It is a large square structure, with three capacious galleries of an irregular form, and is built in a substantial manner. The vestry is taken out of one corner of the meeting, and rather disfigures the interior appearance; otherwise the place is neat and commodious. The congregation was gathered about the commencement of the eighteenth century, by Mr. Russel above-mentioned, CROWN-COURT.Scots Presbyterian. and met for a few years in a court in St. Martin's-lane, probably St. Peter's-court, in the building now occupied by the Quakers, which was originally a Presbyterian meeting-house. Mr. Russel's people consisted in a great measure of the remains of an older congregation that met in the place just mentioned, and which became extinct about the year 1710. To these were joined a number of other persons, chiefly of the Scots nation, who settled in London, and united upon the principles of discipline and church government practised in the Church of Scotland. Prior to the settlement of the present minister, who is an independent, the pastors of this society were members of the Scotch Kirk. Besides the usual services here on the Lord's-day, there is a lecture in the evening, and another on Wednesday evenings, the latter altered from the morning, which was the season at its first establishment, about six years ago. Both the lectures are preached by a variety of ministers, chiefly of the Independent and Baptist persuasions. In the vestry are portraits of two former ministers of the church, Mr. Freeland, and Mr. Oswald. 1 The Pastors of this Society have been as follows: PATRICK RUSSEL.-The founder of the church in Crown Court, as already noticed, was Mr. Patrick Russel, a Scotsman by birth, and born about the year 1676. Of his CROWN COURT-Scots Presbyterian. early life we have no particulars; and indeed but few facts relating to his history are upon record. It is probable that he was educated for the ministry in one of the universities of North Britain, and being licenced to preach the gospel, laboured a few years in his native country. He afterwards went to London, and gathered a congregation chiefly of his own countrymen, of which he became the first pastor in the year 1710. His people met first in a large room in St. Martin's Lane; and a manuscript of London Churches, to which we have often referred, says, that they were the remains of a congregation which had met for many years in that place, aud dissolved in 1714. If this date be correct, Mr. Russel must have gathered his church four years previous to that event, as he was a pastor in London thirty-six years, and died in 1746. This carries us back to 1710, when he first collected his congregation. It is very probable that the date in the London Manuscript is wrong. Mr. Russel was a serious judicious preacher, and instrumental of much good in his day. He died suddenly, Nov. 27, 1746, in the 70th year of his age, and was interred in Bunhill-fields burial ground. The inscription upon his tomb-stone describes merely his name, age, and the time of his death. His funeral sermon was preached by the Rev. John Mitchell, from Zech. i. 5. Your fathers where ure. they? And the prophets do they live for ever? This discourse, which was published, is extremely barren of biographical information. We may learn from it, that Mr. Russel was a person of good ministerial gifts and graces, unwearied in his work, and that he enforced with serious earnestness the uncorrupted doctrine of the gospel. He was a fervent and affectionate preacher, and continued in his work to the close of life, preaching but the Sunday preceding his death, from the apostolical exhortation, to "run with patience the race that is set before us." His private character was ornamental to his public one, being pious, humble, and sincere. He possessed an affable deportment, was accounted a good CROWN COURT.-Scots Presbyterian. tempered man, and was much respected in his day. During the disputes concerning the Trinity in 1719, he divided with the subscribing ministers. It does not appear that Mr. Russel ever published any thing. He was succeeded in the pastoral office by Mr. Freeland. JOHN FREELAND.-This gentleman was a native of Scotland, where he received a suitable education, and spent the early years of his ministry. About 1740, he arrived into England, to take charge of a society at Bromsgrove in Worcestershire. The Presbyterian congregation in that town, on the removal of Mr. Spilsbury (A) to Worcester, divided upon the choice of another minister; and Mr. Freeland was invited to preside over the new interest. But his superior talents and piety, after a few years, procured him an invitation to settle with the Scots church in Crown Court, London, which, from a prospect of more extended usefulness he was induced to accept July the 6th 1747; and on the second of September following, was set apart to the pastoral care of that society. Before he left Bromsgrove, Mr. Freeland had been so impressed with the good sense and unaffected seriousness of Miss Green, a younger daughter of Mr. Nathaniel Green of that town, that he had made proposals of marriage to her; but God had otherwise appointed. Mr. Freeland's health when in London soon began to decline, and going down to Bromsgrove to try the effect of the country air, he died in a short time amongst his former charge. This was in the year 1751. Under this severe stroke, the excellent Mr. Joseph Williams of Kidderminster, wrote to his niece Miss Green, a very suitable and consolatory letter, dated December 14, 1751. It may be seen in his printed diary.* This lady afterwards married Mr. Henry Dowler of Bromsgrove, a gentleman of considerable property; and after his death in 1762, she married again to Mr. Benjamin Humphries of (A) The late Rev. Francis Spilsbury of Salter's Hall. CROWN COURT.-Scots Presbyterian. the same place, and father to the Rev. John Humphries of London. This connexion was also dissolved in 1789, and Mrs. Humphries continued a widow till her death Dec. 7, 1802, in her 87th year. Mr. Freeland, we believe, never appeared in print. He was succeeded in the pastoral office at Crown Court by Mr. Oswald. THOMAS OSWALD, M. A.-This gentleman was born on the 22nd of July 1722, at Dryburg, parish of Denny, Stirlingshire, North Britain. He was the second son of James Oswald, and descended from a very old and respectable family, who had been proprietors of Dryburg ever since the year 1747. Mr. Oswald received the early part of his education at the parish school of Denny, and pursued his studies for the ministry in the university of Glasgow. He received his licence to preach the gospel, on the 9th of June 1748, from the Presbytery of Abertarpt. Soon after this, he was chosen assistant to the late worthy Principal Tullidaff, of the College of St. Andrew's. During his continuance in this situation he gave general satisfaction. Upon the death of Mr. Freeland, which happened at the latter end of the year 1751, he received a call from the Scots congregation in Crown Court, which he accepted, and was ordained by the Presbytery in London, on the 8th of April, 1752. Mr. Oswald continued in London about twenty years; and during that time united himself in marriage with a lady of considerable fortune. Having a strong desire to spend the remainder of his days in his native country, he resigned his charge at Crown Court, in the year 1772, and returned to Scotland. About that time, his eldest brother, having no children, sold to him the estate at Dryburg, where he took up his residence, and was made a justice of the peace; which office he discharged with credit to himself and advan |