Rees being pastor at Limehouse,) rodger was born in Dublin, where that he (Mr. Machin) might take his father was a clergyman, but the pastoral charge at Bridling-was brought to England, and into ton. He was ordained June 5, 1737, and died October 30, 1743. Mr. Braithwaite published two funeral sermons, and two small treatises; and Mr. Machin two sermons. After Mr. Machin's decease, a very valuable young man came from the church at Rawdon, to labour here: a Mr. John Mitchell. He came to Bridlington in 1746; but in 1748, retired to his native place, and died of a consumption, April 14, in the same year, aged twenty-seven. 1752. The Rev. John Oulton, M.A. had an invitation to settle at Bridlington. But though his visit to Bridlington was protracted to some years, yet Mr. Oulton was never ordained here, but ultimately settled at Rawdon, where he died in 1804. His father, Mr. John Oulton, senior, was long the pastor of the Baptist churches at Leominster and Liverpool. He removed from the former to the latter in 1748. He left Liverpool, in a superannuated state, in 1765, and died at his son's house at Rawdon. 1761, October 8, the Rev. Thomas Wilbraham was ordained pastor over the Baptist church at Bridlington; the Rev. William Crabtree of Bradford assisting in that service. Mr. Wilbraham, although at this time quite blind, yet was a very acceptable preacher. After a little while, however, he embraced the peculiarities of Robert Sandeman, renounced the work of the ministry entirely, became a schoolmaster, and died, a few years ago, at Halifax. 1767. During this year, the Rev. Joseph Gawkrodger was settled at Bridlington. Mr. Gawk the parish of Bradford, when very young. About 1750, he was baptized at Rawdon, by the Rev. Jonathan Brown. In 1752 he was called out by the church at Rawdon to preach; and by his labours the Baptist church at Shipley, nearBradford, was raised, over which he was ordained, but from which he departed to Bridlington in 1767. At Bridlington Mr. Gawkrodger laboured, with great acceptance, for nearly twenty-seven years; but in November, 1794, he resigned his pastoral charge, and died November 23, 1798. July, 1795, the Rev. Robert Hamies, a member of the Baptist church, Salthouse-lane, Hull, was ordained pastor over the church at Bridlington, and continues the pastor of the church there to | this time, (December, 1820.) 1817. May 15, seven members of the church at Bridlington were united with others, and formed into a church at Hunmanby, a village eight miles north of Bridlington. The Rev. John Hithersay is the pastor, and their state is prosperous. Ministers sent out by the church at Bridlington : W. Hague, baptized by the Rev. Joseph Gawkrodger Aug. 2, 1767. On December 12, 1770, he, and seven other persons, were dismissed to Scarborough, a church formed there, over which Mr. Hague has presided nearly half a century. He is still alive; but Mr. Sykes, from Dr. Steadman's Academy, Bradford, has been pastor at Scarborough from December 4, 1816, Mr. Hague having resigned. I. Mann; baptized June 6, 1802, by the Rev. Robert Ha mies; called to the ministry | tleman, knowing that Tetzel was "ONE Tetzel, a Dominican, and a retailer of indulgences, had picked up a large sum at Leipsic. A gentleman of that city, who had no veneration for such su perstitions, went to Tetzel, and asked him, if he could sell him an indulgence before hand, for a certain crime, which he would not specify, and which he intended to commit. Tetzel said, Yes; provided they could agree upon the price.' The bargain was struck, the money paid, and the absolution delivered in due form. Soon after this, the gen going from Leipsic, well loaded with cash, way-laid him, robbed him, and cudgelled him; and told him at parting, that this was the crime for which he had purchased an absolution. George, Duke of Saxony, a zealous friend to the Court of Rome, hearing of this robbery, at first was very angry, but being informed of the whole story, he laughed heartily, and forgave the criminal." "The Emperor Maximilian, ed at the wickedness and impubeing at Inspruck, was so offenddence of this Tetzel, who had been convicted of adultery, that he intended to have him seized and put in a bag, and flung into a river; and would have done it, if he had not been hindered by the solicitations of Fre-deric, Elector of Saxony, who happened to be there, very opportunely for Tetzel." Villers's Essay on the Reforma- the more serious, to suspect, and most justly, of infernal rather than heavenly origin. Extremes are dangerous. Succeeding popes had pushed their plans too far; and Satan, their grand patron, had outstepped the bounds of his own policy. This state of the public mind was materially accelerated by the memorable labours of the great reformer already named; a glance at whose bistory is most applicable to our present subject. He was a native of Yorkshire, and finished his education at the University of Oxford. His early pursuits afford an example worthy the attention of our youthful readers; for while he attended with diligence to his studies in general, his chief delight was his Bible: a study the more remarkable in those days of darkness. The neglect of this sacred book is in any case inexcusable; but how much more so in our age, when to possess it is so common, and to circulate it so fashionable! Wickliffe's acquaintance with the holy scriptures, admirably prepared him for the interesting labours in which he afterwards engaged, and doubtless suggested to him the simple means, under the divine blessing, of enlightening the minds of his fellow-countrymen -the translation and circulation of the Bible. His first opposition to the clerical impositions of the day, was a defence of the university against the mendicant friars, who were in the habit of enticing the young students to their convents; and, as success generally increases zeal, his triumph over this practice encouraged him to attack the order itself, in several tracts, exposing the shameful pretence of imitating Christ and his disciples, by living an indolent but luxurious life, on the bounty of their deluded friends: His scriptural productions made a deep impression, and he received, not only the acknowledgments of the university, but obtained the mastership of Baliol College in 1361, and the living of Fillingham, in Lincolnshire; and, subsequently, the appointment of Warden of Canterbury Hall. A new archbishop however, not under the influence of christian principles, caused his removal from the last-mentioned station; and Wickliffe inconsistently, but unsuccessfully, applied to the pope for his kind interference. But he had exerted himself already too much against popery to expect a pope's favour; nor should he have sought it, seeing that one of the positions for which he contended was, that the Court of Rome had no jurisdiction over the universal church, and, consequently, that it ought to have no influence in England;-a position too, which monarchs, actuated by mere policy, could maintain, when it suited their purpose. We have seen that the oppressions of the clergy had prepared the minds of men for receiving the doctrines of Protestantism. Wickliffe's partisans, therefore, daily increased. The most distinguished characters read hisworks attentively, andthought with him: nor did they conceal their sentiments. The monks became alarmed for their orders: they drew up nineteen articles from his writings, and made their complaints to their master. His Holiness, who could not have been an indifferent spectator of this great man's exertions, embraced so favourable an opportunity of resentment, issued his bulls against the reformer, and directed that he should be tried. The indignation of the clergy was increased by his decision in favour of the king, on the question submitted to him by Richard and the Parliament, whether the pecuniary impositions of the Court of Rome might be lawfully resisted or disregarded; and the meeting at St. Paul's, for his trial, followed. Wickliffe, accompanied by the Duke of Lancaster and Earl Percy, attended. An angry conversation between these nobles and the Bishop of London, in the presence of an immense assemblage of people, was all that occurred at this time; and, on a second occasion, at Lambeth, no better success attended his encmies. The converts to his opinious, or Wickliffites as they were called, assembled in crowds, and their me naces, added to the order of Sir Lewis Clifford, who entered the meeting to prevent the proceedings, caused the disappointment of his expected judges; and the dispersion of the multitude, after an admonition to discontinue the propagation of his pernicious opinions, was all that | ensued. This vain admonition served no other purpose than to gloss over the defeat of his adversaries, giving them a little pretext for calling the meeting: that it had no effect on the noble mind of the reformer is manifest from his work on the truth of the sacred scriptures, which he published soon after. In 1380 Wickliffe completed his imbued with the fear of Him, who has power to cast both body and soul into hell; and now he was doubtless in the enjoyment of that life and bliss which imagination cannot picture, nor the utmost rancour affect. His life was a life of unwearied and successful labour. More than two hundred volumes attest his diligence, and his conduct exemplified the happy tendency of his sentiments. The review of his history, and that of the period in which he memorable undertaking, the transla-lived, is full of instruction, and tion of the holy scriptures into the English language, which was speedily copied by many of his friends; and although it has been contended that this work had been previously performed by some of his predecessors, it is more generally believed that the honour belongs to this distinguished man; and it is certain that his translation was in general use until the invention of printing. He pursued his valuable labours, and proceeded to expose the ridiculous doctrine of transubstantiation. should inspire with zeal in so good a cause; for it is the same cause in which every Christian is engaged― the destruction of the kingdom of Satan, and the promotion of the kingdom of Christ. To be circumstanced as Wickliffe could not fall to the lot of many mortals, but to be favoured with the means of doing good, to have opportunities of exposing crror and defending truth, and to assist in the circulation of the sacred scriptures, especially since the formation of Bible Associations, is within the ability of the humblest and the youngest Christian, and should be accounted his privilege, his duty, and delight! and O that, while the same awful superstition exerts and aims to increase its influence, even in our own favoured land, the same feeling may actuate Protestants, and a double portion of the Spirit be poured out upon the members of the church of God, that the prosperity of Antichristian prin Two years after the publication of his Bible, he was summoned before the pope, to answer for his heretical doings, when he replied in the true style of a reformer, that Christ taught him rather to obey God than man. Infirmities now increasing upon him, he retired to close his valuable life at the rectory of Lutterworth, where he died of an attack of the palsy in 1384. The Council of Constance, in 1428, in the true spirit of popery, had his body disinterred,ciples may never be viewed with inand burnt, and its ashes cast into the Swift. Vain and infernal malice! Whilst he was living, he was actuated by that spirit that careth not for those who can kill the body, but after that have no more that they can do, and was deeply difference, but pure and undefiled religion widely extend its benign and lasting influence through their peaceful, but powerful, instrumentality! H. S. A. Obituary. MRS. CONWAY. ON Saturday, December 9, 1820, Mrs. Conway, senior, the wife of Mr. George Conway, of Pontnewydd Tin-plate Works, departed this life, in the sixty-sixth year of her age. She had been a constant member of a Baptist church for the space of nearly fifty years, during the greater part of which time, she was exercised with severe bodily affliction, which she was enabled to support with truly christian fortitude, and entire resignation to the divine will. Of her it may be truly said, that she rejoiced in hope, was patient in tribulation, and continued instant in prayer. She gave abundant evidence of her entire dependence on Christ, and that she quietly waited for the salvation of the Lord. She was buried at Pontrhydyrun Meeting-house, on Thursday, the 14th, when the Rev. M. Thomas of Abergavenny preached in English, at her particular request, from Prov. xviii. 10: "The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runneth into it, and is safe;" which words at all times afforded her strong consolation and support, and which she mentioned for upwards of thirty years before her death, as being the text upon which her funeral discourse should be founded. Mr. James, minister of the place, afterwards preached in Welsh, from Psalm xc. 12: "So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom." She had eleven children arrived at maturity, all of whom surrounded her dying bed, and now enjoy the great satisfaction of having contributed all in their power to alleviate the pains of expiring nature. The funeral was numerously and very respectably attended, and above sixty of her near relations were seen in the procession, who were anxious to pay their last tribute of respect to her remains. MR. JOHN ATKINSON. MAY 18, 1820, died, at Hull, aged seventy-three, Mr. John Atkinson, who, for upwards of forty years, had been enabled, through grace, to maintain a steady, uniform, and honourable profession of the religion of our Lord Jesus Christ. His first impressions were received under the ministry of a Mr. Pickles, at the Independent Chapel at Beverley. The Lord was pleased to deal very gently with him; his convictions of guilt were not so keen, nor his distress of mind so great, as some have experienced; but, as he expressed himself to me but a few days before his departure, "he drew him to himself with the cords of love, as with the bands of a man." He soon after removed to Hull, and became a hearer of the late highly-respected Mr. Lambert, of that town, and united with the church under his pastoral care. How long he continued with that society I cannot say; but in January, 1789, Mr. Atkinson was baptized upon a profession of faith, and was received a member of the church in Salthouselane, Hull, then under the pastoral care of Mr. Beatson. As to his doctrinal views, Mr. Atkinson was a Calvinist. The perfection of the obedience of Jesus Christ, the vicarious nature of his sacrifice, and the perpetuity and prevalency of his intercession, were the truths upon which he meditated with pleasure, and conversed with delight. He had a deep sense of his personal unworthiness, and well knew, that all he enjoyed, or hoped to receive, proceeded from the riches of divine grace. At the same |