UNICORN-YARD.-Particular Baptist. by the Rev. John Tommas, minister of the Pithay meeting in the same city. * (c) WILLIAM NASH CLARKE was born in London, April 21, 1732. From an early age, he was impressed with a deep sense of the importance of religion; but ascribed his effectual conversion to a sermon that he heard from Mr. Whitefield, upon whose ministry he became a frequent attendant, and for whom he ever maintained a strong affection. Upon his making a public profession of religion, he united with the Baptist church in Devonshire-square; but afterwards removed his communion to the church in Wild-street, under the care of Dr. Joseph Stennett. By that church he was called to the work of the ministry, and for the prosecution of preparatory studies, was placed under the tuition of Dr. Thomas Llewellyn, till he declined the academy; and then, for a short time, under the late Dr. Samuel Stennett. In the year 1761, he was invited to preach at Unicorn-yard, with a view to succeed Mr. Josiah Thompson; and on the 14th of October, 1762, was ordained to the pastoral office. The church at this period was in a very low state; but it pleased God by means of his ministry to raise it to a reputa ble condition. Being judged properly qualified to instruct young men in preparing for the ministry, he was appointed by the Particular Baptist fund to superintend their academy. In this situation, he exerted himself with considerable ability, wisdom, and diligence; and furnished the Baptist churches • Dr. Stennett's Sermon on the death of Dr. Evans, p. 25—44. (c) WORKS.-1. Sermons on the Scripture Doctrine of the Son and Holy Spirit. 1766. 12mo.-2. A Collection of Hymns adapted to Public Worship. 1769. 12mo.-3. An Address to the serious and candid Professors of Christianity. 1772. 12mo.-4. Christ Crucified: or, The Scripture Doctrine of the Atonement; in four Discourses upon that Subject. 1789. 12mo.-5. Seventeen occasional Sermous, viz. Funeral Sermons; Sermons at the Ordination of Ministers; on the Fifth of November; and other Public Occasions.-6. Tracts; Association Letters; and other fugitive Pieees. UNICORN-YARD.-Particular Baptist. with several ministers of respectability. After a connexion of twenty-three years with the church in Unicorn-yard, apprehending that his services were less useful than formerly, he resigned the pastoral office in March, 1785. After this, he supplied several destitute churches, till an unexpected providence led him to Exeter, where he laboured with much acceptance and usefulness during the last five or six years of his life. He died in a very happy and resigned manner, on the 29th of July, 1795, in the sixty-fourth year of his age. His remains were interred in the Baptist burial-ground, Parish-street, when Mr. Giles, an Independent minister in the same city, performed the funeral service; and Dr. Ryland, of Bristol, preached his funeral sermon. Mr. Clarke was a man of great piety and probity. He possessed great sensibility of conscience; a singular prudence; and was of a cheerful disposition. His temper was truly amiable, and rendered him easy of access. As Providence had placed him in easy circumstances, he was enabled to do much good. His literary acquirements were considerable. For a long course of years he had habituated himself to close thinking, and was particularly fond of the study of metaphysics. Well instructed in the art of reasoning, he could easily discover the turn of an argument, and place it in a convincing light in the view of his hearers. He possessed good natural abilities, was a sensible, judicious, and useful preacher, and united great catholicism of mind, to a firm attachment to the truth. Although connected with churches formed upon principles of strict communion, he was himself otherwise minded; and always discovered a dislike to bigotry under every shape. For a short time after his entrance upon public work, he was in the habit of preaching by written notes; but these he afterwards threw aside, and without such assistance, was enabled to enlarge upon a subject with great accuracy and judgment. His preaching was practical and searching, under a conviction of the danger and spread of Antinomianism: And his deport GOAT-YARD PASSAGE.-Particular Baptist. ment uniformly exemplified the truth and powerful influence of the doctrines he taught.* (D) DANIEL WILLIAMS.-After the removal of Mr. Clarke, the church in Unicorn-yard was destitute about two years, and served during that time by occasional supplies. Mr. Williams was ordained there February 22, 1787, and continued till March, 1794, when he resigned his charge, and removed to Fairford, in Glocestershire, where he is now pastor of a church. THOMAS HUTCHINS.--Mr. Williams was succeeded by the Rev. Thomas Hutchins, who had been pastor of a Podo-baptist church in Essex, but left it on account of a change in his sentiments. He was set apart in Unicoruyard July 23, 1795, and is the present pastor. GOAT-YARD PASSAGE. PARTICULAR BAPTIST. GOAT-YARD PASSAGE was a thoroughfare in Goat street, near the Maze, upon Horsleydown. The meeting situated there was a wooden building, erected about the timo of King Charles's Indulgence, in 1672, for the congregation ⚫ Bap. Reg. vol. i p. 276–280. Evang. Mag. for June 1796. (D) WORKS.-1. A Funeral Oration at the interment of the Rev. Samuel Burford. 1768.-2. An Introductory Service at the Ordination of Mr. Booth. 1769.-3. A Sermon at Maze Pond, at the Ordination of Mr. Dore. 1784.-4. Address to the Church at Broadmead, Bristol, at the Settlement of Dr. Ryland, GOAT-YARD PASSAGE.-Particular Baptist. under the pastoral care of the famous Benjamin Keach. Before that time, they assembled in private houses. The church was first formed in 1652, having originated in a separation from another society. Crosby gives the following account of this affair: "This people had formerly belonged to one of the most ancient congregations of the Baptists in London, but separated from them in the year 1652, for some practices which they judged disorderly, and kept together from that time as a distinct body, meeting weekly for public worship from house to house; the evil of those times obliging them so to do. They had for their elder Mr. William Rider, who published a small tract, in vindication of the practice of laying on of hands on baptized believers; which practice has continued in the church to the present day. Though they were but few in number, yet they had the reputation of being a people of solid judgment, and substantial religion, and some of them in very good circumstances, as to the possessions of this world. Their pastor having been dead for some time, they unanimously chose Mr. Keach to be their elder, and he was solemnly ordained, with prayer, and laying on of hands, in the year 1663. When he first settled with them, they usually met together at a private house in Tooley-street, the better to conceal themselves from those that persecuted them; but in a few years after King Charles II. granting an indulgence to Protestant Dissenters, they erected a meeting-house upon Horsleydown, and God was pleased to give such success to his ministry, that he (they) quickly increased to a credible (incredible) umher; and they had frequent occasion to enlarge the place of their assembling, so that, at length, it became a place large enough for the accommodation of near a thousand people."* This is said to have been the first church amongst the Baptists that practised singing in public worship. Mr. Keach met with great opposition at its introduction, and a division Crosby's English Baptists, vol. iv. p. 272, 3. GOAT-YARD PASSAGE.-Particular Baptist. in his church was the consequence. In process of time, however, the custom became general, even in those churches that had discovered the most inveterate opposition. After the death of Mr. Stinton, Mr. Keach's successor, another division took place in the society, which gave rise to the churches in Carter-lane and Unicorn-yard, as related under those articles. In 1757, that part of the church which was under the care of Dr. Gill, and then occupied the place, removed from thence to a new meeting-house in Carter-lane, after which this place was shut up, and it was afterwards taken down. The ministers who served the church in the capacity of pastors, were as follows: WILLIAM RIDER.-We know nothing further respecting this person than what we have already quoted from Crosby. BENJAMIN KEACH.-This celebrated Divine was born on the 29th of February, 1640, at Stokehaman, in Buckinghamshire. His parents were persons of integrity and piety, but not sufficiently affluent to provide him with at learned education. He was, therefore, designed for trade, to which he applied for a short time; but relinquished it at an early period for the ministerial profession. By studying the scriptures in younger life, he attained to an early acquaintance with religious things, and beginning to suspect the validity of infant baptism, which he had himself received, he was baptized by immersion in the fifteenth year of his age, by Mr. John Russel, and joined himself to a congre |