ST THOMAS'S, SOUTHWARK.-English Presbyterian.

JAMES READ was colleague with Dr. Evans, at Handalley, and assisted his brother once a month at St. Thomas's, till Dr. Evans's death, in 1730, when being chosen to succeed him in the pastoral office, he relinquished the other service.

THOMAS NEWMAN.-This gentleman also assisted Mr. Read once a month for several years, being at the same time assistant to Dr. Wright, at Carter-lane. Upon the Doctor's death, in 1746, he succeeded him in the pastoral office, and resigned his services at St. Thomas's.

In

PHILIP FURNEAUX, D. D.-This learned and eminent Divine received his education under Dr. Jennings, and commenced public preacher as assistant to Mr. Henry Read, at St. Thomas's, about the year 1747. He afterwards became one of the Sunday evening lecturers at Salters'-hall, and became greatly admired for his pulpit talents. 1753 he left St. Thomas's, being chosen to succeed Mr. Lowman, as pastor of the congregation at Clapham, where he laboured for more than twenty-three years; being greatly respected for his extensive erudition, and eminent talents. In 1777, he was attacked by a malady which terminated in a derangement of his mental powers, from which he never recovered. In this melancholy state he died November 27, 1783, in his fifty-seventh year. His "Essay on Toleration," and "Letters to Judge Blackstone," will be read and admired as long as just sentiments shall prevail in the world.

BENJAMIN DAWSON, LL. D.-Upon Dr. Furneaux's removal to Clapham, Mr. Benjamin Dawson was chosen to assist Mr. Read. This gentleman, who we believe is still living, descends from a numerous family of Nonconformists, most of whom deserted that profession, and conformed to the established church. The ancestor of the family was Mr.

ST. THOMAS'S, SOUTHWARK.

-English Presbyterian.

Joseph Dawson, who was ejected in 1662, from Thornton Chapel in Yorkshire, and was afterwards minister of Morley, near Leeds, where he died in 1709. He brought up four sons to the ministry, Abraham, Joseph, Samuel, and Eli. The last had seven sons, of whom six were Dissenting ministers, but they all left that profession. Five of them, Abraham, Samuel, Eli, Joseph, and Benjamin conformed. Thomas practised as a physician at Hackney, and Obadiah became a merchant at Leeds. Of Benjamin, just mentioned, we are now to speak. He pursued his studies for the ministry under Dr. Rotherham, at Kendal, and removed from thence to Glasgow, where he proceeded M. A. His first settlement was at Congleton in Cheshire, where he was only a short time; and removed from thence to St. Thomas's, Southwark, about 1754. In 1759, he left the Dissenters. and conforming to the Church of England, became rector of Burgh of Suffolk, and took the degree of LL. D. In 1761, he published a sermon on the Religious Education of Children, which he dedicated to his mother; and soon after was a "Family Prayer," in the preface to which he offers a very free explanation of the phrase through Christ. In 1764, he preached Lady Moyer's Lectures in Defence of the Trinity, and afterwards published them under the title of " An Illustration of the Logos;" in the preface to which he says the Trinity is indeed defended" in a manner perfectly new." The book, however, is rather an attack on the Arian hypothesis, than a defence of any scheme of the Trinity, upon which point the author's views inclined him to Sabellianism. He afterwards took an active part in the Confessional controversy, against Rotherham, Rutherforth, and others, so as to obtain from Archdeacon Blackburne the character of "an incomparable writer. About 1780, he published a Dialogue on the Question of Liberty and Necessity, under the title of "The Necessitarian." In the preface, he almost goes out of his way to censure the church for her restrictive articles on free will. He also published two Tracts relating

ST. THOMAS'S, SOUTHWARK.—English Presbyterian.

to the doctrine of the Intermediate State, in answer to Mr. Steffe, in which he combatted the common opinion. A few years ago, he published a specimen of an English Dictionary upon a new plan.*

BENJAMIN CORBYN.-Mr. Read's next assistant was Mr. Corbyn, who was born at Eye in Suffolk, and pursued his academical studies under Dr. Jennings and Dr. Savage. His first settlement was at St. Thomas's; but in a few years he gave up the ministry, and procured a place in the Bank of England, in which situation he died many years ago. He published a sermon occasioned by the death of the Duke of Cumberland, preached at St. Thomas's, and at the evening lecture in Hanover-street, Long-acre, Nov. 10, 1765, on 2 Sam. iii. 38.

ABRAHAM REES, D. D.-Of this learned and respectable minister we have already spoken under a former article. He succeeded Mr. Corbyn as assistant to Mr. Read, and upon the death of that gentleman, succeeded to the pastoral office. In 1784, he removed to the Old Jewry, to which place the reader is referred for further particulars.

THOMAS JERVIS.Dr. Rees was succeeded in the pastoral office at St. Thomas's, by Mr. Thomas Jervis. This gentleman is the son of a minister of the same name who was settled over the Presbyterian congregation at Ipswich, in Suffolk, where he died after a short illness, March 21, 1797, at the age of seventy-two. Mr. Jervis commenced his academical studies under Dr. Jennings, and finished them under Dr. Savage. His first settlement was at Lymington, near Exeter. About the year 1770, he succeeded Mr. Turner as a tutor, in the newly-formed academy in Exeter. Whilst in this situation, he was recommended by Dr. Price

• Nou, Mem. vol. iii, p. 453.-Monthly Repos, vol, v. p. 524-5.

ST. THOMAS'S, SOUTHWARK-English Presbyterian.

to Lord Shelburne, as a proper person to superintend the

education of his lordship's two sons. After a mutual agreement upon terms, he entered upon this honourable employment, and continued it till Lord Wickham, the late Marquis of Lansdown, went to the university of Oxford. During the time that Mr. Jervis resided in this noble family, the late Dr. Priestley occupied the post of librarian to the same noble lord. About the year 1785, Mr. Jervis settled at St. Thomas's, and continued pastor there till 1796, when he removed to Princes-street, Westminster, to succeed Dr. Kippis. There he continued twelve years; but in 1808 accepted a call from the congregation at Mill-hill, Leeds, to succeed their late pastor Mr. Wood. Mr. Jervis has published several single sermons, as one on the death of Mrs. Elizabeth Kippis, 1796; and another on the acceptance of the pastoral office at Leeds, October 20, 1808; a sermon for the benefit of the Generel Infirmary at Leeds, Nov. 19, 1809; and a volume of sermons, 1811.

JAMES TAYLER.-Mr. Jervis was succeeded by Mr. James Tayler, who had been a member of Dr. Kippis's church, from whom he received some assistance in his education, which was of a private nature. He settled at St. Thomas's in 1796, and published "Dominion over the Faith of Christians discountenanced," in a sermon preached on Sunday July 3, 1796, being the first sermon after the acceptance of the pastoral office. He afterwards removed to the High Pavement meeting, Nottingham, and since his residence there has published a funeral sermon for the late Mr. George Walker.

JOHN COATES.-Mr. Tayler was succeeded by Mr. Coates, who is a native of Bristol. He commenced his studies at Warrington, and in 1781 removed to Mr. Coward's seminary at Hoxton, under the direction of Doctors Savage, Rees, and Kippis. He first settled as assistant, and after

CHAPEL-COURT.Methodist.

wards as co-pastor, with Mr. Scholfield at Birmingham, from whence he removed to St. Thomas's, and is the present pastor.

THOMAS KENTISH.-He is a native of St. Alban's, and received his education partly at Daventry, and partly at the New College, Hackney. His first settlement was at Plymouth. He afterwards removed to London, and became afternoon preacher at St. Thomas's, till the end of 1802, when he removed to Birmingham, to be co-pastor with Dr. Toulmin.

CHAPEL-COURT.

METHODIST.

THIS

a

HIS place was erected about the year 1775, by Mr. JAMES THWAITES, who built the whole court, where it is situated. It is a good brick-building of a moderate size, with three galleries, and has a burial-ground adjoining. Mr. Thwaites was originally a glazier, but marrying a lady of considerable property, he engaged in the shipping business, and resided at Enfield. He commenced his career as preacher in Mr. Wesley's connexion, but becoming congregational in his sentiments, he left it and built the present place. After preaching here about twenty years, he relinquished the ministry, and attended Mr. Wesley's chapel in Snow's-fields, till his death, which happened in 1801. He was buried in the ground adjoining the meeting-house. His successor was Mr. JAMES DOWNES, a potter by trade, and