Lord Jesus Christ in this locality, by the General Baptists, we as a church would, with deep humility and grateful emotions, adore the God of Jacob for his preserving care, his watchful eye, and guardian hand over this part of his Israel, during the hundred years which are now passed into eternity; and would in the language of one of old exclaim, "O, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways are past finding out." The introduction of the gospel appears to be then as follows: John Alvey, an inhabitant of Kirkby Woodhouse, accidentally, or rather by Divine Providence, heard Stephen Dixon, of Barton in the Beans, Leicestershire, preach on Lelstone Green, and he felt desirous of knowing more of the doctrine that he taught. When therefore the preacher (Stephen Dixon) came again into that neighbourhood, he determined to go and hear him; and calling on George Allen, his intimate acquaintance, informed him of his design. What, exclaimed his friend, art thou going to hear that fool? John Alvey repeated his resolution, and invited the other to accompany him. Prompted most probably by curiosity, George Allen consented, and they went; and from that time both the friends became warmly attached to the cause. They soon invited the ministers to Kirkby Woodhouse, and George Allen opened his house for the preaching of the gospel in the year 1749. The friends of the cause here experienced their share of the persecution to which its first advocates were exposed. During this year Stephen Dixon, whilst preaching at Moor Green, a small village a few miles from Kirkby Woodhouse, was seized by the mob, dragged to a neighbouring pond, and put under the water. Several of his followers held farms and houses under Lord Melbourne, and through the ill-will of a neighbour who was under-steward to his lordship, were driven from their possessions on account of their religion. The clergyman of Kirkby_parish, being a violent enemy to the Baptists, took every opportunity to harass them. He endeavoured to frighten or persuade the less-informed to take their children to be sprinkled, and probably would have succeeded in some instances, had not their more intelligent friends interfered. This drew down his vengeance upon them, and he threatened to prosecute John Alvey in the Spiritual Court, for teaching school without a license, but was deterred by an appeal, through Mr. Booth, to the deputies appointed to protect the civil rights of dissenters. He refused to sign necessary certificates in their favour, took measures to dispossess them of their tenures, and used every effort to prevent them from administering the ordinance of baptism, according to the dictates of their conscience and the word of God. One summer, having a few candidates for baptism, and being shut out from the place to which they usually re sorted on such occasions, they went several miles upon Sherwood forest, to a fishpond. After some debate, they were driven from this accommodation by the gamekeeper of the gentleman to whom it belonged. dismayed by repeated disappointments, they travelled five miles further, till they found another pool of water, where they administered the sacred ordinance. Un But the most distressing persecution which the disciples of the Lord Jesus suffered from the persevering enmity of this man, was his constant endeavours to entice away their youth, by presents, feasts, and other allurements, by putting some of them to school, and using every effort to prejudice their minds against the religion, and even the persons of their parents. By these means he suc ceeded, in some instances, in totally | two sermons were preached by the estranging the affections of the chil- ministers of the other churches. dren from their disconsolate parents; yet these christians bore all this opposition and affliction with firmness, and many of them bore a dying testimony to the goodness and faithfulness of God. Stephen Dixon, to whom reference has been made, when he left Barton, settled at Annesley Woodhouse, and raised a small congregation; but however he shortly removed from thence, and the infant church applied for ministerial aid to the Barton preachers. These indefatigable men readily engaged to supply them, and their labours were blest to the conversion of souls. In the year 1754 the chapel was built, and dedicated to the service of the Most High. Abraham Booth and his parents appear to have been among the first fruits of the ministry in this place; though then only twenty two years of age, he joined the church, and soon became eminently useful. This church, as we have noticed, formed the fifth section of the original church. Abraham Booth, who had for several years laboured at this place, took the oversight of this society in the year 1760, though he His was never ordained over it. character was highly respected, and the people were much attached to him; but in a few years, probably 1765, he went to reside at Sutton-inAshfield, where he wrote his admirable work, entitled, "The Reign of Grace," and he also became the pastor, if not the founder, of the Particular Baptist church in that place. He afterwards went to London, where he laboured with great acceptance for many years. He died in 1806. The next prominent feature that appears to present itself in the history appears to present itself in the history the New Connexion of General Bapof this church, is that of its joining tists in the year 1773, when John Alvey, who sustained the office of deacon, attended as its representative at the Association. The members then were thirty-one, and had cause to complain of standing in need of a stated ministry. This complaint was continued through a series of years, and the church depended for the preaching of the word upon the ministers of surrounding churches. Distance of situation rendered this mode of supply very uncertain, and inade Up to the year 1760 this church continued its alliance with other churches in the General Baptist connexion, to Barton, the mother church, which, though then small amongst the thousands of Judah, was divided into five distinct and independent societies which from the principal places of meeting, were denominated the Barton, Melbourne, Kegworth, Loughborough, and Kirkby Wood-quate to the prosperity of the cause. house churches. Among these congregations the ministers were distributed, with as tender a regard as possible to the feelings of individuals, and the good of the whole. But though thus divided and independent of each other, they still maintained the most friendly intercourse. Month ly meetings of the ministers were held for mutual advice and assistance, and quarterly conferences met at each place in rotation, when one or In the year 1774 twenty-four members constituted the church. In 1775 William Fox, a member of this church, settled at Little Hallam, began to preach there, and in May six persons put on Christ by baptism. They were formed into a church, and he was recognized as their pastor. Their place of meeting was his own house. He afterwards resided in Nottingham, and was instrumental in introducing the General own. Baptist cause into that important | ed to be considerable, and George Hardstaff's ministry became increasingly acceptable, both to friends and strangers. About the year 1780 the cause of Christ here received its ministerial support from the Loughborough branch of the Connexion. But this church still felt the effects of its destitute condition, and gradually declined. At the Association of 1783 they complained of not having more than twenty-one members, and of being in a cold, apathetic, formal state, and of not enjoying any prospect of addition to their number. The church still continued to decline, till in 1787 the members were reduced to seventeen. In the spring of that year Thomas Truman was dismissed from the church at Nottingham, to serve this drooping interest. The labours of this pious devoted man of God were remarkably blést. Before the next Association, eighteen persons were added to the church by baptism, the public means of grace were well-attended, and the members were united and happy. Several were waiting for baptism and fellowship, and others were earnestly asking the way to Zion, with their faces thitherward. During the summer of this year, George Hardstaff, a member of this church, chiefly through the encouragement of Thomas Truman, was called to the ministry, and became very useful in preaching the gospel. They now extended their labours, and introduced themselves into Sutton-in-Ashfield, and occasionally visited Mansfield, most probably about the year 1787. But the progress of this cause soon received a serious check by the removal of Thomas Truman, who at Christmas, 1789, accepted an invitation to become the pastor of the then flourishing society at Loughborough. The disorderly conduct of some of the members increased the effect, and for some years the number decreased. The congregations, however, continu Towards the close of this period, the prospect brightened, and in 1799, besides Kirkby, regular preaching was maintained in four neighbouring places; viz., Sutton in Ashfield, Hucknall Torkard, Brinsley, and Mansfield; at all these places they were well attended, but at the last two the prospects were peculiarly encouraging. The church was united and peaceable, and the interests of the Redeemer evidently on the advance. George Hardstaff thus prospered in his ministerial labours, was called to the pastoral office, to which he was ordained August 14, 1799. On this occasion Robert Smith delivered the introductory discourse, Benjamin Pollard gave the charge to the minister, and Samuel Deacon addressed the church.* In June, 1800, the number of members was sixty-three. But as time glides away, changes come. George Hardstaff still held the pastoral office during the first seventeen years of the 19th century; during that time the cause began to droop under his care, disaffection and disunion perplexed their councils, and weakened their efforts; the hearers diminished, grew cold, and careless. In 1814 these unhappy causes operated still more violently, and the number of members was reduced to thirty-nine. Subsequent years, however, show a little improvement, and in 1817 the number of members had increased to forty-seven, who appear to have enjoyed a comfortable degree of peace and union. In consequence of the Sabbathschool being so large in 1819, and having a considerable number of the scholars residing at Kirkby, the chapel was erected, to serve the double purpose of preaching place and school room. The branch at Kirkby in 1820 assumed rather a cheering aspect, but the distance of the minister's residence from the place rendered his labours inadequate to its wants. Through the instrumentality of this church, preaching was commenced at Portland Row in 1826, and the church on the whole appeared more promising than it had done for a few preceding years. The church in 1831, consisting of forty-five members, was not in a very healthy state, but in 1835 a greater degree of peace and union existed; and again the Great Head of the church smiled upon us. Additions had been made to the church in 1838, which then consisted of fifty-one members, who were in a good state. The Bagthorpe branch, one of the offsprings of this church, was in 1839 formed into an independent church, which then left thirty-six members composing the interest at Kirkby Woodhouse. In 1842 it pleased the Lord to remove from us by death our respected pastor, who through affliction and increasing infirmities had not for some time past been able regularly to fulfil his pastoral duties, but who had attained to a good old age. Doubtless our loss would be his gain. The church was now chiefly indebted to our Nottingham friends for its ministerial support; and though bereft of the shepherd, additions are being made to the flock; and the church in 1843, which had increased to fifty-seven members, was in a tolerably healthy state. In 1844 the church, numbering sixty-seven members, gave Mr. Elam Stenson an unanimous invitation to be their pastor, and was united and peaceable. In 1846 eighty-two members constituted this church, and it was evident that our pastor did not labour in vain. But changes again arrive; our pastor leaves us in 1846, and again we had to have recourse to our Nottingham friends and a few others. Since the removal of Mr. Stenson, no particular incident has occurred in the history of our church; the Word of Life is still faithfully administered unto us, mainly by our Nottingham friends, for which we feel very thankful, and as a church we would express our gratitude, and solicit a continuance of their favours. On this our Centenary year, sixtysix members compose our church, and are tolerably united and peaceable; but the work of conversion moves but slowly. We want individually a greater anxiety for the prosperity of Zion, and the advancement of the Redeemer's kingdom; a deeper toned piety, a higher state of practical godliness, a revival of pure and undefiled religion. When we con As a church, we would humble ourselves before Almighty God, when we review his tender mercies to us ward, and our little devotedness to his cause in return. sider how little has been done, in comparison with what might have been done, since the standard of the cross was first erected in this locality. Surely we may say, 'this is a lamentation, and shall be for a lamentation,' but by whom shall Jacob arise, for he is small?' O Lord, we pray thee, revive thy work amongst us. Send forth more labourers that the harvest, which is truly great, may be gathered in. In behalf of the church, Kirkby Woodhouse and Kirkby, A. BRITTAIN." LETTER TO THE FREE WILL BAPTIST CONNEXION IN THE UNITED STATES. To the Free Will Baptist brethren in North America, the eighty-fifth annu. al Association of the New Connexion of General Baptists in England sendeth christian greeting. all DEAR BRETHREN.-Your letter was read at our annual meeting at Leeds, and I was requested by the associated brethren respectfully to acknowledge it on their behalf, and to forward a suitable and affectionate reply. We heartily wish you abundant success in your efforts to further the kingdom of our common Lord; and we all greatly honour you for your firm and unflinching opposition to the monster evil of slavery. Go on, brethren, boldly and fearlessly in the consistent course which on this subject you have long pursued, and be assured, that whatever obloquy be poured upon you, your efforts will be approved by our Father in heaven, and will accelerate the coming of that day when the fetters of the slave shall be broken, and the jubilee of the world shall be kept. On the subject of total abstinence, many amongst us cannot see eye to eye with you; but we can agree to differ, applying the apostolic maxim, "Let every one be fully persuaded in his own mind." It is right to state that the churches of Christ amongst us have from the beginning brought cases of drunkenness under discipline, and when the offender has not humbled himself, and brought forth fruits meet for repentance, he has been cut off from the fellowship of the church; and those who are not identified with the total abstinence movement maintain as earnestly as those who are, that "the grace of God, which bringeth salvation," teaches all who are brought under its influence to "live soberly." Let us remember that the "kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost," and that no mere moral reformation will avail as a substitute for a saving change of heart. Happy they who, if they abstain, do it to the Lord; or if they use what they deem their christian liberty, use it to the Lord, remembering that "none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself." The information communicated in your fraternal epistle respecting your last general conference was very interesting to our brethren. We rejoice to hear that you are increasing in zealous efforts for the spread of the Gospel; and are pleased to learn that you depend less on special revivals, and more on the general and ordinary operations of divine grace, through the stated ministry of the word, and the holy walk of the disciples of Christ. In your Theological School, and in the vigorous efforts you are making to raise the standard of denominational literature, we cannot but feel a lively interest. May the Lord prosper these and all the efforts you put forth for the advancement of his blessed cause. At our recent annual meeting, various important matters engaged our serious attention. Our Home Missionary operations occupied much of our time, and the importance of doing more for the unconverted masses of our fellow-countrymen was strongly felt by many. The report of the College Committee, and of the Examiners, classical and theological, was fitted to deepen the interest of the churches in its welfare, and to strengthen their conviction of its vital importance to the connexion. The report of our Foreign Missionary operations was deeply interesting. The Lord continues to smile on the labours of. our brethren and sisters in that distant field; but they have to sing of judgment as well as mercy, for during |