Mr. M'KEE is encouraged by the gradual increase of the church at Easky; though like all his brethren he loses some of his most valued members by emigration. If those who are added to the churches in Ireland from time to time remained in the country, the success of the mission would be much more obvious. PREJUDICE OVERCOME AT LAST. I had the pleasure last Lord's day, Feb. 11, of baptizing a person in the sea, at a spot con venient to the village. His wife was baptized some years ago, by Mr. Sharman, at which his opposition was so great that he offered to meet any baptists in the neighbourhood to a public discussion of the subject. The Lord has, however, removed prejudice from his mind, and led him to see his duty in this matter, LOSS AND GAIN. One of our members, baptized in November last, and a convert from Rome, whose steadiness and piety have endeared her to all in the church, has just emigrated to America. May the great Head of the church bless her wherever she goes. We continue to have several Romanists attending our meetings in various places. Some of these, however, may now be reckoned upon as having been delivered from the bondage of" the man of sin." The following extracts are taken from the journals of the readers under Mr. HAMILTON'S Superintendence, and from his own letters during the month, PRESH OPENINGS. The state of the mission, writes Mr. H., is still encouraging. I baptized an interesting young person, Lord's day, January 14, and I expect to baptize again shortly. At Mullifarry there are seven families who have expressed a strong desire to join us. I preached there last week, and afterwards conversed with about twelve persons, on the concerns of their souls, and of these I have reason to think well. One of them is a deeply pious woman, mother of a large family, who seem to partake of her spirit. They are very anxious to have a school there. The presby terian minister contrived to get our school out of that, and to have a national school in its place, with which the pious part of the people are greatly dissatisfied, as they have not the scriptures taught as in one of our schools. SOMETHING UNCOMMON, Yesterday evening, February 2, I had the pleasure of baptizing the Rev. George M'Namara and his wife. The meeting was very solemn, and I trust that very many enjoyed the divine presence. Mr. M'Namara was formerly Romanist curate of Kilfian Backs, and then of Kilmore Enis. Having been led to renounce popery, he spent some time with Mr. Naugle at Achill, and subsequently was appointed protestant curate of Crossmolina, where he married. wife and her sister had been convinced of Previously to this however, his believers' baptism. His intercourse with them and two members of our church residing there, led him to consider this subject; and hearing of my preaching at M-, he came, and finally decided upon joining our church. Before receiving Mr. M'Namara, I had an interview with the Rev. G. Read, curate of this parish, who expressed a favourable opinion of his piety and qualifications for usefulness. One of our members at C, used occasionally to hear him, and he reports well of his preaching talents, His intimate acquaintance with the habits of the people, and the Irish language, arc most important in this country. For the present Mr. M'Namara will help me here, until the committee determine whether they can employ him as an agent. Is it not distressing, that when the Lord is raising up such persons, ready, and as far as we can judge, most singularly qualified for the work, want of funds should alone render such a proposition inadmissible? Surely this adds additional force to the appeal which has been made for contributions towards the liquidation of the debt. Last Lord's day, February, 4, Mr. M'Namara preached to us twice, and with great acceptance. At the prayer meeting he spoke in the Irish language, and the poor people, converts from popery, were indeed charmed. A YOUNG REPROVER. I was accosted, writes R. MOORE, in the street by a woman saying to me, "I am greatly obliged to you for calling on me and reading the scriptures and explaining them. Do come again as soon as you can. Since my little six year old child heard you reading about the sinfulness of swearing, he watches me, and when I swear, he calls to me saying, 'How soon you forget what was read to us a few days ago; I will never swear mother!'" It is surely very singular and very interesting that a little child should thus watch over a parent, and remind her of what she had heard about this sin. MORE TYRANNY AND LESS DREAD OF IT. Many of the poor people about here, writes JoHN MONAGHAN, are resisting the tyranny under which they have so long groaned. The parish priest has lately made several orations from the altar against reading the scriptures, and scripture readers; telling his flock that those who read that profane book, were brutes and devils, and threatening any who read, or heard it read with his severe displeasure if they persevered. But the people are persevering, and declare they will continue to do so. AS A PROOF That what they say they do, within the last few days, several of whose names he mentioned on these occasions, have repeatedly invited me to come and read in their houses. We need not fear these efforts to stop us; they stimulate inquiry, and inquiry, when properly carried on, will, under the divine blessing, surely terminate in the discovery of the truth, and the truth will make them free. POSTSCRIPT. By the recent deaths of Mrs. Page of Trowbridge, and Mrs. Burls of Edmonton, the Society has lost two steady and liberal friends, who were always ready, according to their ability, not only to afford regular pecuniary support, but extra help in times of peculiar difficulty. In addition to her usual contributions, Mrs. Burls sent every year one or more large parcels of useful clothing for the poor children in our schools, and invariably accompanied these gifts with a handsome donation in money, to be applied according to the discretion of the missionary. May those who inherit their property, and we trust also their virtues, continue to help the Society in the same way, and even to a greater extent. We have received the first quarter's accounts of the Ballina Relief Farm. They are eminently satisfactory. The seed has been sowed in very favourable weather, and the expenditure hitherto has been below the estimate which the Secretary laid before the Committee when the matter was first under consideration. The contributions towards the debt come in slowly, but we think, on the whole, encouragingly. Still we may say again, speedy help is the most efficient help. Subscriptions and Donations thankfully received by the Treasurer, JOSEPH TRITTON, Esq. Lombard Street; and by the Secretary, Mr. FREDERICK TRESTRAIL, and Rev. JOSEPH ANGUS, at the Mission House, Moorgate Street; and by the pastors of the churches throughout the Kingdom. COLLECTOR FOR LONDON, REV. C. WOOLLACOTT, 4, COMPTON STREET EAST, BRUNSWICK SQUARE. J. HADDON, PRINTER, CASTLE STREET, FINSBURY. THE BAPTIST MAGAZINE. APRIL, 1849. MEMOIR OF THE REV. JAMES NORMANTON. BY THE REV. BENJAMIN EVANS. Or the early life of Mr. Normanton the writer knows but very little, whilst the limited sphere of his labours, the native modesty of his character, and the retiring habits of his life, as well as certain constitutional tendencies which augmented in power as he advanced in age, render his life much less marked with those incidents frequently the only charm of biography, which men of inferior minds and less moral excellency unfold, and to some, therefore, it may possess but little attraction. He was far more fitted to diffuse a genial and healthful moral influence over the retirements of life, than to attract the multitude by the splendour of his talents upon a more public theatre. Our departed friend was born at Backisland, in Rippondon, not far from Halifax, in 1791; the locality of Fawcett, Sutcliff, and Foster. His parents were of the humble class of society, poor but industrious, and respectable in the sphere in which they moved. VOL. XII.—FOURTH SERIES. His education was exceedingly scanty, and his mind, though naturally strong, was very undisciplined. Nor were his prospects improved by the removal of his father. Himself and several other children were left dependent upon his mother, of whom he ever afterwards spoke with the most affectionate feelings, and for whose increased comfort he contributed freely from his small income of £50 per annum, when settled as a pastor. His youth unfolded much of the thoughtlessness which generally distinguishes this period of life. Not that it is known that he ever indulged in profanity, or exhibited any of the grosser vices which so frequently mark the class to which he belonged; still the locality inwhich he resided and the habits and social tendencies of the people, preclude the hope that he would be entirely exempt from them. Few portions of society, we apprehend, within the last half century and upwards, have felt more of the elevating influence of 2 D every the truth and the diffusion of knowledge than that to which our friend belonged at this period of his life. As he grew up his love of hunting was enthusiastic, and he embraced opportunity of gratifying his favourite passion. This is mentioned on account of an incident which afterwards occurred in connexion with it, and in which his future destiny was involved. When in his 21st year some one invited him to attend a religious service at the baptist chapel, Rippondon. I have no means of ascertaining the name of the preacher on the occasion, nor is it now of any moment. The text selected for the discourse was the following, "I know you, that you have not the love of God in you.". Our friend heard with new attention, and before the servant of God had finished his work, the truth entered his heart. Light dawned upon his mind, and revealed to him a condition which alarmed him his convictions were deep; his spirit was wounded, and his distress for a time was intense. Just at this crisis, whilst conflicting with hope and fear, one morning the sound of the horn caught his ear; his ruling passion asserted its ascendency, and he broke through all restraint, starting with unsubdued earnestness in the chase. But the conflict within grew stronger and stronger; conscience spoke in her loudest and severest tones, and truth struggled for the mastery. At this moment he approached a wall which he had to clear, and he paused; it was the crisis of his fate. Our friend felt it so, and he said to himself, "I must either give up the world or religion. I cannot serve God and mammon." Near to the spot stood an old building, probably one of those sheds which farmers build for the shelter of their cattle, or their own convenience in visiting them; it was some distance from any habitation. Thither he turned his steps, and, prostrate upon the cold floor, he poured out his spirit before God: his confession was deep, and he rose from his knees a new man. Often was he heard to say, "If I ever prayed in spirit and in truth, it was at that time, and in that place." He returned humbled, calm, happy. Old things had passed away, all things had become new. The surrender of his heart to Christ was immediately followed by his union with the church at Rippondon. His zeal for his divine Master was speedily manifested, and he sought to diffuse the truth amongst his fellow men. The church invited him to exercise his gifts, and on Christmas day, 1813, he preached his first sermon from Isaiah ix. 6. For some time he was frequently employed with others in preaching the gospel in the district around. About 1813, Mr. Wrightson, pastor of a small church at Driffield, resigned his charge, and our brother was invited to visit them for six weeks. He did so, was liked by the people, and ultimately invited to take the oversight of them in the Lord. The visit of Mr. Normanton to Driffield excited the attention of the church at Rushworth, which he had supplied for some time, and I have before me several letters urging, by every consideration, their prior claim, and unanimously requesting him to settle with them as their pastor. In these circumstances, our respected friend had recourse to prayer, and, after much thought, decided to remove to Driffield. His ordination took place in June, 1814, and was attended by Messrs. Arbon of Hull, Pilling of Goodshaw, Harness of Burlington, and Bury now of Haworth. The sphere of his labour was by no means large; the members of the church were few, and the interest, from some cause or other, was very feeble. The chapel was small, and the population of the town by no means great, so that there were no following from a note to his beloved parent, as illustrating his anxiety for her spiritual prosperity. "I can assure you I feel much interested in your real welfare, and for this cause, when I bow my knees to my Father who is in heaven, I am enabled oftentimes to remember you there, that he would give you to partake of the blessings of his salvation. Nothing would so much gladden the heart of your unworthy son as to hear that both you and my sister were children of God by faith in our Lord Christ." All his discover the same earnest anxiety for her eternal welfare, combined with equal care for her temporal comfort. Nobly did he minister to her wants from his own small pittance, and denied himself the soothing influence of domestic life powerful elements of excitement to rouse the mental activity, or stimulate to great exertions. Still our brother entered upon his labours with great zeal and earnestness, and his efforts were not in vain in the Lord. The congregation speedily assumed a more encouraging aspect, and additions were made from time to time to the church. In the letters addressed to his friends at this period he speaks frequently of his cheering and improved prospects, and unfolds the elements of his future character. With earnestness he set about the cultivation of his mind, and labour-letters to his mother which we have seen, ed with great diligence to remove those defects which the want of early training too frequently discovered. To aid him in this, he availed himself of the assistance of others, and sat with docility at their feet, whilst he drank with greediness the instructions they imparted. in order that he might have no impediThe habits he acquired by this course augment in doing it. She ultimately remented in their power as he advanced in moved to Driffield to reside with him, life, and were of the highest use to him where she finished her course. in his subsequent career. In a small agricultural town, and surrounded with a scattered population, only now and then an event occurred to break upon the monotony of existence. From year to year the labours of brethren placed there present an almost unbroken aspect. It was so with our departed friend. His efforts from year to year were much the same. With some of his brethren he sought to extend the influence of the gospel into the villages in the locality; and during the period of his ministry several new churches were formed, and chapels opened; but his attention was mainly given to the flock over which the Lord had made him overseer. In his correspondence at this period there are pleasing indications of holy solicitude for the prosperity of the church, and deep and earnest piety. From some of his letters we could select many examples of this kind. We give the On the 4th of January, 1831, he married Miss Leyburn of Driffield, a lady every way suited to him, and, who greatly contributed to his happiness. She still survives him, after evincing the utmost solicitude for his comfort under a long and trying affliction. This began somewhere about 1846, and though by no means advanced in life, or feeble in constitution, yet indications of decline manifested themselves so fully as to awaken the alarm of his friends. Every effort which affection could make to alleviate the symptoms, was put forth. The same year he spent some weeks with old and attached friends at Scarborough. The change of air, freedom from pastoral anxiety, and intercourse with many for whom he cherished a very high regard, was very beneficial. He felt exhilarated, and hope was cherished that he would speedily resume his ministry again. He |