'those many shakinges we have been under in reference to o' present Church state." At any rate for more than three years they had no ordinances administered among them till on November 12, 1656, Mr. Robert Ottee, one of the original members, was "made paster by ye Church;" and directly after this deacons were appointed, the ordinances of the Lord's Supper and Baptism were first administered, and it was then presently "agreed by y° Church that they doe put in practice y ordinance of singinge in y publiq;" and thus step by step this infant Church advanced to maturity.

WATTESFIELD. The Church at this place "at first set down at Weston, the 14th of the seventh month, in the year 1654, in the fellowship of the Gospel after the Congregational way," but its earliest proceedings are not on record. Though there was a succession of preachers here there is no account of any pastor till 1678, in which year Mr. Whincop, who was ejected from Leiston in 1662, was called to that 'office, and he continued in it till his death. These seven Churches all continue to the present day, and to the praise of God's grace be it recorded, that though they have all passed through great vicissitudes not one of them has swerved from the path of Christ.

*

Rendham, to Mr. John Manning; Debenham, to Mr. John King; Needham Market, to Mr. Thomas James and Mr. John Fairfax, M.A.; Clare, to Mr. Francis Crow; Haverhill, to Mr. Stephen Scanderet; Wickhambrook, to Mr. Samuel Cradock, B.D.; and Tacketstreet, Ipswich, to Mr. Benjamin Stoneham.

Notices more or less extended are given of these ministers in "Calamy's Account," and "Palmer's Nonconformists' Memorial."

Seven other Churches came into existence within a few years after “the year of liberty, 1688." These were

Hadleigh, which, however, had no settled pastor till 1713;

East Bergholt, which was at first Presbyterian;

Lowestoft, which had for its first pastor "the learned Mr. Emlyn, who, when he first came to Lowestoft had not adopted those religious principles, which afterwards proved to him a source of the heaviest afflictions;"

Nayland, whose first chapel was Presbyterian, and licensed 1690-1, and whose first pastor was Samuel Porter;

Lavenham, whose first pastor was Thomas Hall;

Long Melford, whose early history is very obscure; and

Bungay, whose first minister was John Biggin. This was not, however, at first a distinct Church, but connected with Denton in Norfolk.

Of the preceding it may suffice to say that it is known that there were congregations there, small and secretly held, shortly after the ejectment; but most of them were not consolidated and firmly established till some years after that event.

Southwold stands by itself, and has a peculiar history.

Though not constituted a distinct

Congregational Church till 1748 it had a series of ministers and a Congregational Society there for a century previously, the communicants connected with it being members at Wrentham. In 1654 the town was destitute, but for many years before that date it had enjoyed the powerful ministry of Mr. Stephen Fen, and, before him, that of Mr. Christopher Yonges, who died in 1626, and of whom it is said on his gravestone:

"A good man fvll of fayth was hce,
Here preacher of God's word;
And manie by his ministrie

Weare added to the Lord.-Acts ii,24." A Mr. Woodward was ejected here in 1662, of whom nothing is known. A curious tradition is current (and recorded in the old history of the town) respecting the state of things here before 1680. "The Independents, by the Church Parson's (Master Sharpen, who had his abode at Soterly) nonresidency, and his preaching but once a month, brought many over to their party. Moreover, his indulgence favoured the Separatists with the liberty and free use of the Church where they resorted weekly, or oftener; and every fourth Sunday both ministers met, and celebrated divine service alternately. He that entered the Church first had the precedency of officiating, the other keeping silence until the congregation received the benediction after

sermon.

Most of the people attended all the while."-Gardner, p. 212.

The Churches before mentioned may all be said to have had their commencement before the end of the seventeenth century; many of them were in retired villages, where they were somewhat shielded from observation,

IV. THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY.

DECLINE.

During this century three Churches only were originated, viz., Stowmarket, Woodbridge (Beaumont Chapel), and Halesworth, and one of these more properly belongs to the seventeenth, whilst

many of those previously formed greatly declined. In several of them Arian and Socinian sentiments obtained a temporary lodgment, whence followed confusion, dissatisfaction, secession, and decay; but, in most cases, the evil was but temporary. Needham Market became Socinian under the preaching of Mr., afterwards Dr., Priestly, and soon died out. A Church at Framlingham, now called Presbyterian, but originally associated with the Congregationalists, continues to be Unitarian. Lowestoft,

which had a series of ministers holding Unitarian sentiments, recovered from their influence after the retirement of the Rev. Michael Maurice, the father of Rev. F. D. Maurice, now of London. The Presbyterian Churches at Ipswich and Bury St. Edmund's are avowedly Unitarian. In 1774 reports were obtained respecting the condition of the Congregational Churches, and from these we learn that one had 700 hearers, another 400; five had 300 each. One was flourishing, one increasing, others stationary, and the rest had less than 200 hearers each. Twenty-five Churches are included in the returns, and, making full allowance for those cases in which definite numbers are not given, we are compelled to conclude that the aggregate number of attendants at the chapels of the denomination in Suffolk was then under 5,000.

ton, Stansfield, Cockfield, Falkenham, Thurlow, Alderton, Sudbury, Haverhill, Cavendish, Stonham, Haughley, and Mendlesham), and since then four others (Saxmundham, Hundon, Leiston, and Hartest) have been formed. Of these, fifteen have been more or less aided especially in their infancy, by the County Union; and some of them have been assisted during the whole period of their existence. Since the beginning of this century almost all the chapels in our large towns and villages have been either rebuilt or considerably enlarged and improved, at a vast expense for so poor a county. Seventy chapels at least, larger and smaller, have thus been either originated or restored. And at the present time another, entirely new, is contemplated in one of the destitute parts of Ipswich.

THE PRESENT POSITION OF THE DENOMINATION.

When it is considered that the whole population of Suffolk is less than that of the single City of Manchester-being only 337,070, and that this population is scattered over an area of fifteen hundred square miles; that there are only fifteen towns having each above 2,000 inhabitants, and that nineteen of our Churches are established in them; that thirteen of our Churches are in towns or villages having between 1,000 and 2,000 inhabitants, and thirteen others in villages having less than 1,000 inhabitants; that the population, especially of the smaller towns and villages, is almost entirely agricultural, and, to a great extent, proverbially poor and illierate, and on every side diminishing in numbers; that the influence of the clergy and aristocracy is almost universally adverse, and often bitterly so, and that systematically farms are refused by some landowners to tenants who are known to be Nonconformists;-it may excite astonishment, and call for great thankfulness, that during the last ninety years the Churches have more than

doubled in number, and that the communicants now are more numerous than the hearers previously.

There were in 1863, in connexion with the Congregationalists in Suffolk, fortyfive Churches; 5,018 members; 100 preachers, beside the pastors; 750 Sunday-school teachers, and 6,623 children; and sittings provided for 24,560 persons; and, in addition, these Churches had forty-two village chapels, and thirtyfour rooms, providing seats for 7,380 persons.

In

Thus it will be seen that Congregationalists alone provide accommodation for nearly one-tenth of the whole population, whilst the Baptists, and various branches of the Methodist bodies, have not been behindhand in their efforts. No recent statistics are at hand of the strength of other denominations. 1829 there were in Suffolk 486 church livings and 127 chapels connected with the various denominations, viz., four Roman Catholic, two Presbyterian, thirtythree Independent, thirty-five Particular Baptist, two General Baptist, ten Friends', forty Wesleyan, and one Calvinistic Methodist. Since that time the aggregate number has largely increased, and the relative proportions have been somewhat modified, but to what precise extent we cannot say.

In 1829 then there must have been at least 613 places of worship to accommodate a population, all told, of 280,000, that is to say, there was one building for every 450 persons, young and old, The population is larger now than it was then, but the last census revealed the fact that between 1851 and 1861 the population of the whole county had actually decreased. In five towns only was there an aggregate increase of 10,818, and this increase was more than counterbalanced by the decrease in all other parts of the county. Still the number of places of worship has increased.

We cannot tell to what extent the population avail themselves of the means

of religious instruction thus provided for them, nor are we able to give the number of the clergy who profess to be evangelical; but, notwithstanding all that has been done, we know that there are yet large districts of the county, at a distauce from our centres, where gross darkness still covers the people. Efforts have been made to carry the light of the Gospel to them. Open-air services have been held in the summer months, and evangelists have been employed to preach the Gospel.

VI. THE COUNTY UNION.

Early in the last century the ministers of Walpole, Wrentham, and Southwold, held friendly meetings at stated times, and by degrees invited others to attend. The Association grew till about 1740, when a considerable number were united. On the 30th June, 1741, Dr. Doddridge preached to the Associated Ministers of Norfolk and Suffolk, at Denton, at which service sixteen were present. This Society held together till 1787, when "it was urged that the Association should either be dissolved or its objects more vigorously pursued."

On the 5th November, 1794, the Independent Ministers of Suffolk held a meeting at Ipswich for the purpose of consulting each other upon the propriety of forming themselves into an Association for their mutual encouragement and the better edification of their respective charges.

In July, 1798, their objects were extended, and they resolved "that to preach the Gospel in villages and other places where there is an opportunity of conveying religious instruction, is an object desirable and important," and "earnestly recommended it to the Dissenting ministers in the county, and their respective congregations, to exert themselves in endeavouring to carry the preceding resolution into effect." This was no doubt the beginning of the revival of which we have previously spoken.

There was a Home Missionary So

ciety in existence prior to 1836, in which year its officers state that "it is the solemn duty of every Church to consider itself in its collective capacity a Missionary Society, responsible for the diffusion of the knowledge of the Redeemer and the conversion of perishing souls; particularly considering that the destitute parishes within five, six, or seven miles, have a direct and urgent claim upon it for Gospel instruction."

The "Suffolk Congregational Union" was formed at Bury St. Edmund's, Oct. 21st, 1847, its declared object being "the promotion of spiritual religion in the county in connection with the principles of Independency." It was soon felt that some practical measures should be adopted for the more complete evangelization of the county.

In 1853 the Open-air Mission was organized, and the following report was given of the work of 1864, that though all the schedules had not been returned the Committee had received information concerning 290 services, held in more than 200 places, and conducted by fortyseven preachers, thirty-two of whom were settled ministers. At these 290 services 63,927 persons attended, and nearly 50,000 tracts were distributed.

In 1858 various modifications were introduced, and from that time the Society has continued to labour uninterruptedly.

Ten years ago the income of the County Union amounted to about £70 per annum; in 1859-60 it approached £200, and then only four Stations were maintained or aided. In 1863-4 special efforts were made to stir up the county more efficiently to do the work of evangelization:-Mr. Samuel Morley promised £50 per annum for three years, on condition that a sum of £500 was otherwise raised for county work. During these three years the Committee have had about £600 per annum at their disposal, and have not only made grants to the Stations before-mentioned,

but have originated or sustained Missionary work in eleven other districts.

There are now fifteen agents or beneficiaries looking to the Committee for entire or partial support, and the prospect for the future is hopeful.

Ignorance and irreligion exist to a

fearful extent, and ritualism has obtained a strong hold upon several districts of the county. Against these adversaries we have taken the field; in the name of our God we have set up our banners; to Him and to His service we consecrate ourselves, and by His aid we shall prevail.

RARELY, if ever, have the affairs of Ireland occupied so prominent a place in the thoughts and deliberations of British statesmen and philanthropists as at the present moment. And, never were the probable issues of legislative discussion invested with more that is hopeful, as regards the future of that too-long distracted country. For what thoughtful Christian can doubt that the changes now so imminently impending there will be fraught with benefits both numerous and valuable ? Amongst these, assuredly, not the least precious will be the increased facilities afforded for the diffusion of the pure gospel of salvation, by the removal of those causes of offence and prejudice, which the ecclesiastical anomalies of the land have heretofore perpetuated. How evident, therefore, is the fact that the new era about, in the marvellous providence of God, to dawn upon the sister island, will impose upon all the friends of her evangelization new and special responsibilities!

The Committee of the Irish Evangelical Society are anxiously desirous that, by the Congregational and other free Churches of Great Britain, this fact should be recognized, and these responsibilities accepted. If supplied with the additional means demanded for the occupancy of fresh openings, the Committee are prepared to extend their work, by strengthening the operations

VOL. IV.-NEW SERIES.

already conducted and by employing new efforts to reach the masses of the Roman Catholic population of Ireland. They respectfully beseech the friends of evangelical truth and New Testament Protestantism, to help them in these larger labours for Ireland's highest good.

MISSION STATIONS.

As illustrative of the work being done, and the prosperity enjoyed by some of our Mission pastors, the reports following, which have been recently received, will be read with pleasure.

One esteemed minister writes thus:

"In commencing to write a report of my labours for the past year I am reminded of the rapid flight of time. Another year is gone! and I feel it to be my duty to record my thanks for all the benefits bestowed by my gracious God on myself and family and the dear people among whom I labour. We have indeed had many tokens of the Divine presence to cheer and encourage

us.

"My work though heavy has been very pleasant.

"The Church I regard as in a very healthy state. We have received a considerable number of new members, and notwithstanding that by death and removals we have sustained an unusual loss, yet we have had an increase during the year, and I am happy to be able