Page images
PDF
EPUB

he, "near the village of Dauph igny: this would suit me nicely: you know it well, for I have of ten said that I should like to be buried there; and let me beg of you, as you value your old friend, not to suffer any pomp to be used at my funeral; nor any monu.

tion whatsoever, to mark where I am laid: but lay me quietly in the earth, place a sun-dial over my grave, and let me be forgotten." This spot he urged his friend to secure immediately; and when he was informed that it was effected, the intelligence afforded him the highest satisfaction.

About five versts from Cher son, by the road to Nicholaef, the remains of this pious and benevolent man were committed to the earth, in the place he had chosen for his grave.

out delay. This communication, gave instructions about the manit was perceived, had been eight ner of his burial, even with cheerdays in reaching him, and he re-fulness. "There is a spot," said solved to obey its request with the utmost expedition. The rain fell in torrents, and the weather was very cold. A conveyance that was suitable not being ready, and the case being urgent, he journeyed on horseback, exposed to the severities of the elements. He found his patientment, nor monumental inscrip. expiring, which, in addition to the fatigue of the journey, greatly affected him, and produced a fever; or the disease of his patient was communicated to him, which was his own opinion. "Howard returned to Cherson, and the lady died." Admiral Priestman not receiving from the philanthropist his usual daily visit, went to his house, and found him very ill; and, on inquiring respecting his health, Mr. Howard said, "his end was approaching very fast-that he had several things to say to his friend-and thanked him for having called." The dying Christian continued: "Death has no terrors for me: it is an event I always look to with cheerfulness, if not with pleasure; and be assured, the subject of it is to me more grateful than any other. I am well aware that I have but a short time to live; my mode of life has rendered it impossible that I should recover from this fever. I have been accustomed, for years, to exist upon vegetables and water, a little bread, and a little tea. I have no method of lowering my nourishment, and consequently I must die." No doubt this must be understood as respecting the general course of such things; and not to intimate that his restoration was impossible with God. To his funeral he alluded with composure, and

ON MR. FULLER'S Exposition of the Apocalypse.

To the Editors of the Baptist Magazine.

THE letters inserted in your last No. from the late Mr. Fuller to Mr. Birt, of Hull, have been, no doubt, extensively read. I have been thinking that an earlier statement, by his own pen, respecting his interesting work on the Apocalypse, will gratify you, and your readers. It is taken from a letter which he wrote to Dr. Marshman, in 1809; and has been printed at Serampore in the Monthly Circular Letters, &c." Vol. II.

[ocr errors]

"I have been, for the last ten days reading the Revelation; writing a brief sketch of what appeared to me the meaning; then

so we may soon expect the overthrow of at least the temporal power of Popery; that as the seventh seal included the seven trumpets, so the seventh trumpet includes the seven vials, and, consequently, they are all to follow the sounding of the seventh angel, chap. xi. 15, and are none of them yet poured out, except that the first may be begun; and finally, that we shall not have to wait for the Millennium, in order to see glorious days for the church.

"There is a period, I am per

comparing my thoughts with those of Gill, Lowman, and Faber. I think I understand more of it by far than I ever did before, and find in it great ground of encouragement to go on in the work of God. The occasion of my attending to this subject, was an application from Dr. Stuart, of Edinburgh; who, having read a long controversy between Faber and Talib, (that is, your friend Cuninghame,) in the Christian Observer, wanted my thoughts upon it. I am greatly inclined to think, that as chapters xi. xii. xiii. and xiv. contain general de-suaded, in which the gospel is scriptions of the rise, reign, and overthrow of the Papal Antichrist, all in the period of 1260 years, (or a little more, allowing for its rise before that date began,) that the resurrection of the witnesses, in chap. xi.; the victory over the dragon, in chap. xii.; and the Lamb's company, chap. xiv. (which chapter is a continuation of the foregoing;) are all to be understood of the Reformation: that the falling of the tenth part of the city by an earthquake, chap. xi. is the overthrow of the French monarchy, one of the ten horns of the beast; and as the seventh angel was to sound shortly after, chap. xi. 15, that he has sounded since that event; that as the sounding of the seventh angel was to be the signal of the kingdoms of the world becoming those of our Lord, and of his Christ, so, in the 14th chapter, (which synchronizes with the 11th and 12th,) the triumph of the Lamb's company is followed by an angel having the everlasting gospel to preach, verse 6, which, I hope, means the general spirit among Christians of late years; that as Babylon was to fall after the evangelizing angel's appearance, (see chap. xiv. 8,)

destined to make glorious progress, according to chap. xi. 15, and xiv. 6, (which are synchronical,) while yet the vials are pouring out, (as chap. xvii.) and the enemies of Christ opposing it with all their might. The Word of God going forth upon a white horse, (chap. xix.) is before the Millennium; and the opposition made to his progress will bring on what, in chap. xiv. is called the harvest and vintage, and in chap. xix. is described as the last battle prior to the Millennium. Be of good courage, my dear brethren, we -shall overcome through the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of our testimony.

"The period between the sounding of the seventh angel and the Millennium, is like the reign of David, whom the Lord prospered whithersoever he went; but then it was in the face of opposition. The Millennium, on the other hand, will be as the reign of Solomon, who had rest round about given him from all his enemies. Thus Satan will then be bound; and the beast and false prophet gone into perdition. This is em phatically the Messiah's rest, which will be glorious, Isa. xi.

[blocks in formation]

He that has been long in the world, has known some amiable in whom there was nothing to command veneration; and some men of the highest respectability, who would not let you love them. But Mr. Fuller was most affectionately regarded by those who felt towards him every sentiment of profound respect.

more especially with religious men of all denominations, his extensive correspondence, his long standing and large experience in the Christian ministry, added to the native shrewdness of his character, and the power of expressing himself happily and forcibly, would have given him pre-eminent advantages.

I am far from thinking, however, that Mr. Fuller was unqualified to expound the Apocalypse. The grandeur and the boldness of the imagery took hold of his imagination. The acknowledged difficulties of that book were not to him repulsive: they were an invitation. He was accustomed to guide his vessel through boisterous seas, and amidst dangerous rocks. A holy unction rested upon his spirit, and the high-toned morality which he inculcated, he also exemplified. (See p. 4, at the bottom.) The sobriety of his

ticed: for an unbridled fancy is one of the worst things that can belong to an expositor. His deep and intimate acquaintance with the historians of the Old Testa✩ ment, furnished many very happy allusions and illustrations; and, as the classical scholar would have referred to Homer, and Vir

His popularity was no disgrace to him. It was not courted by unworthy compliance, nor gained by unhallowed means. He was a reserved, retired man, who did not open his mouth but when he bad something to say. It is pleas-judgment deserves also to be noing to reflect on the spontaneous homage that was paid to him by all ranks. Men of education and learning, men of distinction in wealth, rank, and office, the poor and the illiterate, Christians in the establishment, and out of it, of all denominations, hung delighted upon his lips. It was not like the Philistines gazing while Sam-gil, son made sport, but it was an exemplification of Solomon's proverb: "The lips of the righte- In many places he reminds me ous feed many," Prov. x. 21. of the adventurous Mungo Park, When his " Expository Dis-in Africa, daring to trace the courses on the Apocalypse" were announced, some were ready to say, "We should have preferred | his Exposition of the Proverbs." And I must confess, I should have valued exceedingly a volume from his pen on that part of the sacred volume. His frequent travelling, his perpetual intercourse with men of all ranks, and

VOL. X.

and Horace, so he, with the same facility, cites Isaiah, Jeremiah, or Ezekiel.

course of the Niger. And he, too, may be said, like the celebrated traveller, to have died upon the Niger! If my infor mation be correct, Mr. Fuller died when he had got to the end of the 18th chapter in his publication. But his writings still live, and the uniform edition of them now printing by his son, under

3 C

[blocks in formation]

and was assisted in the ministry
by John Ballinger and Benjamin
were occasiona
Barnes, who
preachers. Mr. Perks died Sep-
tember 9, 1750, aged sixty-six.

After the death of Mr. Perks the Baptists at Cheltenham were, for some years, supplied by the joint labours of Mr. Flower and Mr. Reynolds, who preached alternately every other Sabbath, until 1758. Mr. Reynolds removed from Bourton-on-theWater to London, where he died in 1790; and Mr. Flower soon after declined coming to Cheltenham: he lived at Cirencester. For some years after this time, the people at Cheltenham had neither a regular minister, nor any constant supplies.

On the 20th of June, 1753, the

About the year 1690, some of the members removed from Tewkesbury to Cheltenham, and met for public worship in a malt-members at Cheltenham, twentyhouse. The Rev. Eliezer Her- one in number, were, by the full ring, who was then pastor of the consent of their brethren at church at Tewkesbury, came oc- Tewkesbury, formed into a sepacasionally to preach at Chelten-rate church; but many of them ham. In the year 1689, Mr. continued, for some time, to atHerring, and Edward Canter, one tend at Tewkesbury as often as of the deacons, went to the Ge-they could, especially on the neral Assembly held in London. Mr. Herring departed this life, April 27, 1694, and was succeeded in the pastoral office by the Rev. Joseph Price, who came from Leominster, and was ordained in 1695.

The malt-house being found too small in 1698, ground was purchased in 1700 for the erection of a new meeting-house, which was built soon after, and recorded at the General Quarter-Sessions at Gloucester, in the month of February, 1703. - Mr. Price died at Cheltenham, September 13, 1721, aged sixty years.

In the year 1722, the Rev. Thomas Perks succeeded Mr. Price in the pastoral office at Tewkesbury and Cheltenham,

Sabbath-days, when the Lord's Supper was administered, as they had no minister of their own.

November 9, 1765, the Rev. S. Dunscombe came to Cheltenham, from the Academy at Bristol, and continued to preach as a probationer till May, 1768, when he was called to the pastoral office. On the 27th of September following, he was ordained: the Rev. T. Hillier, of Tewkesbury; B. Morgan, of Kingstanley; H. and C. Evans, of Bristol; and T. Skinner, of Alceston, engaged on the occasion.

In the year 1785, the meetinghouse was repaired, and much improved; being new pewed, ceiled, and galleried in front, with the addition of a new vestry and baptistery. The burying

In the month of February, 1810, Mr. Gibbs, from the academy in Bristol, came to Cheltenham on probation, and was ordained pas

ground was also enlarged at the same time: the whole expense incurred on the occasion was £220. Mr. Dunscombe laboured at Cheltenham for nearly thirty-tor over the church the 12th of two years, with diligence and September following. Mr. Gibbs faithfulness, and with various left Cheltenham in May, 1812. tokens of success. He was conscientious, but liberal in his views. His benevolence was carried to the utmost extent of his means; he continued active in the world, and in the church, till within a very short time of his death. A paralytic stroke terminated his earthly pilgrimage, on Lord's-day, June 28, 1797, in the sixtieth year of his age.*

During three months after Mr. Dunscombe's death, the church was regularly supplied by the neighbouring ministers, but chiefly by the very friendly assistance of Mr. B. Bedford, of Birlingham, near Pershore, who either came himself, or procured others by exchanging with them; and as he took nothing for his labours, the friends at Cheltenham owed him many obligations.

For some time after, the church was supplied by various ministers; afterwards by Mr. Payne, from London, (now of Ipswich); he supplied the month of July, and afterwards from No. vember till April, 1813.

After that period, the students from Bristol came in succession for a considerable time; and one of them, Mr. Jones, from Abergavenny, now of Sheffield, laboured at different times for a number of months.

Mr. Williams supplied during nearly half the year of 1815, until the 13th of October, when Mr. Walton, of Horsforth, near Leeds, recommended by Dr. Steadman, came from Lynn Regis, where he had been supplying the Baptist church for some time. Mr. Walton was ordained at Cheltenham, the 26th of June, 1816, and continues there still, August 5, 1818.

September 30, 1797, the Rev. H. H. Williams, late pastor of the Baptist church at Ebenezer, in Leeds, Yorkshire, came to Chel- The Baptist interest at Cheltentenham, and supplied during the ham has always been small, Winter; and, in April following, though it has existed considerreceived an unanimous invitation ably more than a century. Its to the pastoral office, which he present place of worship is by no accepted. He resigned it the means favourable for a respect4th of June, 1809. During a part able congregation, either as to of that summer, the church was dimensions or appearance. It supplied by the Rev. B. Coxhead, would be very desirable if any from London; during the re- measures could be adopted for maining part, and the autumn, it the revival of the church, espewas supplied by various ministers, cially as Cheltenham is become and sometimes by Mr. Williams, one of the most fashionable watheir late pastor, who resided still tering-places in the kingdom, and at Cheltenham, and who was al- its inhabitants, in consequence ways willing to render the people thereof, most rapidly increasing. all the assistance that he possibly" O Lord, revive thy work in the could. midst of the years!"

• His amiable widow is still surviving, in her 86th year.

Cheltenham,

W. W.

« EelmineJätka »