We would not measure Scheffer by any narrow sectarian rules; in the widest and most Catholic sense, we would put our enquiry, but we come back from the study of his life and the contemplation of his works, and the truth forces itself upon us, that in neither is there anything inconsistent with Christianity, and yet in neither is there a warrant for our calling him a Christian in the holiest acceptation of the word. He admired and appreciated the beauty of Christ's character; but when making ideal pictures of His sorrows, Scheffer did not seem to understand that those sorrows were borne for him, that through Christ's self-denial, and Christ's perfect sacrifice and fulfilling of the law alone he must look for satisfaction and peace of conscience. He had painted Christ as the Consoler, surrounded by the sick; the dying, the bereaved, the enslaved, and the neglected, and yet we do not find the painter carrying his own burdens to this Comforter, as if Christ's work was finished when he died on Calvary. With all the gifts that nature lavished on this painter, he is but another instance of the insufficiency of any other power than religion to bring real happiness. What Scheffer's genius might have achieved had he been inspired by faith in Christ as his Saviour, and not simply by admiration for Him as his example, we cannot say. It is but too common an error of this day to rest content with a mere sentimental worship of the beautiful, both of sight and sound. The life of Christ must be viewed as something more than an abstract subject, from which to draw attractive scenes or weave into melodious verse, nor is He merely to be the pattern of our outward conduct-Jesus must dwell in us; He must be our joy, our solace, our everpresent helper and friend, and our everlasting hope. CONGREGATIONALISM IN THE TOWN OF NORTHAMPTON. By the Reb. Thomas Coleman, Ulberstone. IF we were to attempt to give to the readers of the "Christian Witness" a full account of what has been done and suffered in the town of Northampton in the cause of Christian truth and liberty in days gone by, in opposition to the power of civil rulers in things sacred, we could set before them a number of instances, in the times of Wycliffe and the Lollards, in which the conflict was maintained and much suffering was endured. A high place should be assigned to John of Northampton among the decided adherents to the political and religious creed of Wycliffe. He became an opulent citizen of London, and is described by Walsingham as a Lollard. Becoming Mayor of London, in 1382, he braved the displeasure of the clergy by invading the province of their spiritual court. He not only complained of neglect on the part of the clergy, considered as the appointed guardians of public morals, but accused them of a covetousness which had frequently led them to compound with the most notorious offenders. The bishop and his dependents stormed at this intrusion on the sphere of their acknowledged jurisdiction, but their wrath was fruitless. The following year Northampton was re-elected, and through both periods of office failed not to render himself the terror of the licentious in a licentious age. There were also other men of influence in this town who encouraged the preaching of the Lollards. In the reign of Elizabeth and her immediate successors, several celebrated Puritan ministers were connected with the town of Northampton, some of them being silenced, fined, and imprisoned, because they could not conform to many papal superstitions retained in the Protestant Church as by law established. In the year 1579 the Puritans held their association meetings in Northampton; here they practised their religious exercises for the interpretation of Scripture, which they called prophesyings. In a confession of faith, to which they here agreed, they stated, "That they believed the Word of God, contained in the Old and New Testaments, to be a perfect rule of faith and manners, that it ought to be read and known by all people, and that the authority of it exceeds all authority, not of the Pope only, but of the Church also, and of councils, fathers, men, and angels." Thus they laid down the grand principle that includes all that Independents plead for, though they did not see at that time to what extent it might be applied. In this town and neighbourhood it was that John Penry, one of the noble martyrs for Independency, for a time found shelter, though he was, at length, executed as a felon, being hanged at Tyburn, May 29th, 1593, only for the principles he maintained, as opposed to the Queen's supremacy over the Churches of Christ. An account of the Puritan ministers that were connected with the town of Northampton was given in a paper on the "Early History of Nonconformity in Northamptonshire," inserted in the Christian Witness" for 1862, p. 301. We at once, therefore, proceed to notice the origin, and some of the principal facts, in the history of the Congregational Churches to the present time, * Dr. Vaughan's "Life of Wycliffe." according to the order in which they were formed. The oldest of these Churches assembled in what was for many years denominated the Meeting House, at Castle Hill. But there are certain places of worship which attain considerable notoriety from some celebrated individual who has been connected with them. This is the case here; the old Meeting House has recently been considerably enlarged and improved, and now it bears the name of Doddridge Chapel. Long has it been regarded, with deep interest, as the place in which Doddridge spent the greater part of his public life as a minister of Christ and pastor of the Church. Many, in looking upon it have thought, in that place Doddridge laboured; in that pulpit he preached the Word of Life; at that table he presented, from a full and affectionate heart, the memorials of a Saviour's love; in that vestry, to which he oft retired, he watched, he prayed, he prevailed. No certain record can be found of the original formation of the Church, but it probably owed its existence to the passing of the Act of Uniformity, in 1662. The Rev. Jeremiah Lewis, rector of St. Giles's, gave up his living on the passing of that Act; this might lead to a number of members coming out with their minister and forming themselves into a separate society. A Mr. Blower, who was one of the two thousand confessors, being ejected from Woodstock, in Oxfordshire, is the first whose name is given as pastor of this Church. He was a man of eminent piety and great usefulness, but no account has been preserved of the events connected with his ministry, so that the incidents of these trying times respecting this Church are lost in obscurity. The following heading is given at the commencement of the records :-" Acts and Memoirs of the particular Church of Christ at Northampton, of which Mr. Samuel Blower was pastor." Then we have the following statement, accompanied with a very concise Church covenant" In the year 1695 this Church did, upon the departure of the Rev. Mr. Blower, their pastor, give their unanimous call to Thomas Shepherd, to succeed him in the pastoral office, who, thereupon accepting the call, did succeed him in the office aforesaid." The successor of Mr. Blower did not remain long over this people. He had engaged to walk with them as a pastor with his people, so long as they could walk comfortably together in the ways and ordinances of the Lord. But, under date of September 11th, 1696, it is stated, "that at a Church meeting then holden, it was publicly owned by this Church, that Thomas Shepherd, their present pastor, was not under obligation to a continuance with them by virtue of any conditional consent or promise made upon sitting down. The conditions not being observed by this people, my engagements to them thereupon must needs cease." About a year and a half from this time, Mr. John Hunt was chosen Pastor of the Church. His father, Mr. William Hunt, was one of the ejected ministers, and two of his sons became devoted ministers among the Dissenters. Mr. Hunt laboured with ability and success at Northampton until 1709, when he became minister of the Independent Church at Newport Pagnel. Mr. Hunt's removal was an exchange with the minister at Newport; for Mr. Thomas Tingey, previously pastor there, succeeded Mr. Hunt at Northampton, and was solemnly ordained as their pastor, February 22nd, 1709. Mr. Tingey, like his predecessors, was an evangelical and able minister; he very zealously exerted himself, even beyond his strength, to preach the Gospel in destitute towns and villages around. His ministry was continued here for about twenty years, when he became pastor of an Independent Church in Fetter-lane, but died a few weeks after his settlement there. After this, the choice of the people was directed to Dr. Doddridge, then residing at Market Harborough, engaged as assistant to the eminent David Some. The first invitation to the pastoral office was given to him September 28th, 1729. He takes some ten weeks before he arrives at a decision, so as to send an answer accepting their call; they were weeks of much serious and anxious thought, attended with much fluctuation of feeling on his own part, and on the part of his ministerial counsellors and Christian friends. He was strongly urged to decline it, by some in whom he put most confidence; and he went to Northampton with a design to lay them down as gently as he could; with this view he preached to them from "When he could not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done." But it was during this visit that events transpired that convinced him that it was not the will of the Lord that he should lay them down or give them up. The people manifested such a spirit, and God appeared so to assist and bless him in his ministrations to them, as completely changed his purpose. His devoted friend, David Some, went also to Northampton expressly to turn the people from their design; but he found the hearts of the people bent altogether, as the trees of a wood when bent by the wind; that his name diffused life and spirit through the whole body, and nothing was to be heard of but Mr. Doddridge, so that the same spirit which was in the people began to seize him also. All opposition at length gave way; he accepted their invitation, and entered on his work as their pastor at the commencement of the year 1730. Surely, here was the finger of God, for the twenty years that succeeded were days of remarkable devotedness, activity, holy zeal, and usefulness. Very few pastors have accomplished so much in so short a period. As a pastor he was attentive to the state of the flock, and watched for their souls; as a tutor he trained a large number of young men for the Christian ministry, and many for other situations in life. He prepared and published a large number of useful works, which, when collected, fill ten considerable octavo volumes, several of which have been extensively useful, and are read with deep interest to this day. He carried on a voluminous correspondence, copying in shorthand every letter he sent. He visited many places in the county for preaching, beside journeys for the benefit of congregations in other parts of the country. He strove to promote the vigour and efficiency of ministerial associations; he was frequently engaged in Ordination Services, and often solicited to preach on other special occasions. See his sermon "On the Evil and Danger of Neglecting the Souls of Men," preached at a meeting of the Association held at Kettering, in 1741, with the rules he drew up for the conduct of these associations. Amidst all these engagements it was found desirable, about the middle part of his ministry, to appoint some persons to assist the pastor in his work. In a letter written to his friend, the Rev. B. Fawcett, December 30th, 1742, with touching simplicity and beauty he says; The truth of the matter is, I am a poor, weak, sinful creature, but one who sincerely believes the Gospel, and who desires to spread the savour of it, were it possible, all over the world, and to enthrone its power in every bosom, that all hearts might grow humble, benevolent, and upright; and who heartily wishes that everything opposite to its spirit may fall, not by violence, nor human power, but by the gentle ministrations of the Divine influence." . . "Mr. Brown acts as an elder in our Church, in conjunction with Messrs. Ashworth and Evans, and I never saw a congregation in a more thriving or promising state. I believe we shall open the New Year by 66 the addition of five or six to our communion; and, though twenty-six have been added to the Church last year, I have great hope, that if God continue His presence in the manner in which He seems to encourage us to expect it, the increase will be greater during the next." In the year 1748 he speaks of having admitted 299 to the Church, 78 of whom, he says, have been my pupils. This gives an average of about 16 admissions in a year. To his Northamptonshire brethren the attachment of Doddridge was strong and tender. 66 Long," said he to them, have we beheld, and, blessed be God, long have we felt how good and how pleasant a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. Long has the odour of this precious ointment filled our little tabernacles with its perfume." Some of Harborough, and Norris of Welford, were cherished names in the long list of his endeared companions and fellow-labourers in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ. He had strong faith in the power of prayer. How he agonized for others as for himself, interceding for flock, pupils, and children by name. In the little vestry of Castle Hill Meeting did he spend many of those seasons which he marks particularly in his Spiritual Calendar. Again and again does he speak of "my asylum," the vestry, thus crowding that spot with hallowed memories. He had great enjoyment also in sacramental seasons, as appears in the meditations he has recorded. The morning of one of his sacramental days he mentions in particular, as a period when God was pleased to meet him in his secret retirement, and to pour into his soul such a flood of consolation, in the exercise of faith and love, as he was scarcely able to sustain. It would have been a relief to him to have been able to utter strong cries of joy. After he had been conversing one evening with his friend Dr. Clarke, of St. Alban's, on the state of the soul after death, in the night he dreams of heaven, and he composes, after that delightful dream, his beautiful hymn on desiring to depart and to be with Christ, beginning "While on the verge of life I stand," &c. At length, when in his fiftieth year, a serious cold was taken, health began to fail, consumptive symptoms appeared, nor could all the skill that was called into exercise, nor all the means that were employed, nor all the prayers and anxieties of friends, arrest the progress of the disease. He died, as is well known, at Lisbon, in the year 1751. The hymns that were published after his death were composed to be sung after he had been preaching from the texts prefixed to them. They number 374, and many of them are to be found in most of our collections for public worship. It must be interesting to Nonconformists to know that, though Doddridge had offers of entering the Establishment, though he could number bishops and clergy among his correspondents, yet he stated when near the close of life, I bless God that I have the powerful supports of Christianity, nor is it any grief of heart to me, but on the contrary an unspeakable pleasure, that I have spent my life among the Protestant Dissenters; and sacrificed to honour, liberty, and conscience, those considerations which persons devoted to avarice and ambition think great and irresistible." Our space prevents us from giving particular accounts of the succeeding pastors of the Church. We must rapidly pass over those periods of its history, during which nothing very observable was done, that we may notice more fully recent efforts and improvements by the congregation assembling in the place which bears the name of him who to this day is beloved and honoured by the people. After the death of Doddridge the Church did not long remain in a united The academy was or prosperous state. removed from Northampton to Daventry, to be placed under the care of Dr. Caleb Ashworth, whom Doddridge had recommended as his successor. The Rev. Robert Gilbert was chosen as pastor of the Church, who entered upon his charge at Lady-day, 1753, but he died in the year 1760. He was succeeded by the Rev. William Hextal, who had been a member of the Church at Kettering, a student under Dr. Doddridge, a pastor first at Creaton, then at Sudbury, from whence he came to Northampton. But after a short ministry here he was dismissed from his charge by a majority of eighteen members, which led to a separation, and the erection of a second Independent chapel, which we shall further notice. The next pastor was the Rev. John Horsey, whose ministry in this place extended to the lengthened period of fifty years, commencing in 1777, and closing in 1827. After Mr. Horsey had closed his course the Rev. C. Hyatt, son of the Rev. Charles Hyatt, was invited to take the pastoral charge, and was ordained September 25th, 1827. After this settlement some of the people separated themselves from this Church and congregation, and commenced a Unitarian interest in the town. Mr. Hyatt laboured here successfully for six years and three months, when he removed to become co-pastor with his father at Ebenezer Chapel, Shadwell. In June, 1833, Mr. John Bennett became pastor of the Church. During Mr. Bennett's ministry the number of communicants was about 160, and there were 300 children in the Sabbath school. Four young men were sent out into the regular ministry, and three members of the Church were almost constantly engaged in village preaching. Commodious school-rooms were built for the Sabbath-school in the year 1825, at a cost of about £500. Alterations and improvements were made in the chapel on two occasions while Mr. |