according to our ideas of Gospel truth, we know not any other men in that neighbourhood who distinguished themselves with like labours, zeal, and fidelity. Mr. Sellon, whose hand on this occasion was first in the transgression, fired with envy and resentment, that in thus saying and doing they reproached him also, conspired to remove them from their sphere of usefulness. A paper was extensively circulated through the parish, in which Mr. Sellon claimed the privilege of preaching in the chapel whenever he pleased-the right of nominating the chaplains who should officiate there-and formally demanding the sacra mental and all other moneys arising from the sittings and other sources to be paid to him; and, on pain of non-compliance, the ministers and committee were threatened with proceedings in the Ecclesiastical Courts.

These unreasonable claims were resisted with firmness by the proprietors, who circulated the following statement through the parish :

"NORTHAMPTON CHAPEL.

"Whereas the Rev. William Sellon, Curate of the Parish of St. James, Clerkenwell, hath endeavoured to prejudice the inhabitants of the said Parish against the proprietors of Northampton Chapel, by insinuating amongst them that the said proprietors have broken their agreement, forfeited their word, and injured him in his property; therefore the proprietors think it incumbent on them to lay before the parishioners the substance of the Articles proposed and offered by Mr. Sellon, but which, never being signed, could not possibly be agreed to, and we doubt not, but after a fair and candid examination of the following Articles, with the Remarks, every parishioner will discover his intentions."

On July 3, 1777, about twelve o'clock, these Articles were sent to the proprietors of Northampton Chapel with a message, requesting that they should be signed within three hours:

I. That Mr. Sellon and his successors, the Curates of the Parish of St. James, Clerkenwell, shall have the right of nominating the Ministers of the said Chapel, and of appointing a Clerk, who should receive of the proprietors 121. per annum.

REMARK. The last clause of this Article, namely, the appointment of a Clerk, Mr. Sellon consented to withdraw.

II. That Mr. Sellon and his successors shall have full right and liberty, without any let or hindrance, to read prayers, preach, and administer the Sacraments, when and as often as he or they shall think proper.

REMARK.-Had the proprietors agreed to this Article, it is plain it would have been in the power of Mr. Sellon to have shut out the nominated Ministers from preaching at all.

III. That the proprietors shall pay to Mr. Sellon 401. per annum, in consideration of his appointing William Taylor and Herbert Jones to be preachers in the said Chapel during life or their continuance; and if, after the death of either of them, "Mr. Sellon should nominate a successor without the consent of

the proprietors, then Mr. Sellon should receive but 201. per annum from that time.

REMARK. This Article fully declares that Mr. Sellon's consent to admit those whom he contemptuously terms Methodists to preach in his parish, was to be attained by the lure of worldly gain; though now, as he has no emolument from the Chapel, he persecutes them for conscience' sake.

IV. That the proprietors shall pay 81. 8s. per annum to the Clerk of the said parish.

REMARK.This Article was lessened from the first demand, which was 107. 10s. to the Churchwardens, and 5l. 5s. to the Clerk, per annum.

V. That the money collected at the Sacrament shall be received by the Churchwardens of the parish, or by whom they should appoint.

VI. That four sermons in the year, for the benefit of the children of the charity school of the said parish, shall be preached in the chapel.

VII. That no corpse shall be buried in the chapel, or in the ground adjoining thereto.

VIII. That for the due performance of the above Articles, the proprietors shall agree to sign a bond for one thousand pounds.

REMARK. At the time the above Articles were proposed to be signed, the bond was not drawn up, the proprietors, therefore, could not consent to an agreement for signing the Articles till they were acquainted and satisfied with the contents of the bond, which might indeed be drawn much more to the disadvantage of the proprietors than the above Articles specify. We, therefore, leave the parishioners to judge whether the proprietors could in honesty to themselves have consented to be bound in a bond of 1000l. to give away their property and privileges to Mr. Sellon. If Mr. Sellon can dispute the truth of the above Articles, he would oblige the parishioners in general by publishing his own account of the affair.

Irritated by the resistance offered by the proprietors of Northampton Chapel, Mr. Sellon instituted a suit in the Consistorial Court of the Bishop of London,-a remnant of Popish and tyrannical power. To that Spiritual Court, for such is its title, Mr. Jones and Mr. Taylor were cited, to answer for their irregularity in preaching in a place not episcopally consecrated, and for carrying on Divine worship there, contrary to the wish of the minister of the parish. Verdicts were obtained against them, and they were suspended from preaching there. Thus this persecuting man prevailed, and had the momentary gratification of closing the chapel, and dispersing the numerous congregation that had been collected.

Encouraged by Mr. Berridge, Lady Huntingdon lost no time in repairing to London to prosecute a plan which she had long entertained, and for the completion of which she so ardently longed. Lord Dartmouth was then in London, and, with the late John Thornton, Esq., was very active in furthering her wishes. At the Tabernacle-house there was a long conference on the subject between Mr. Keene, Lord Dartmouth, Mr. Thornton, the Rev. Anthony Crole, and her Ladyship; and it was finally agreed that she should become the proprietor of Northampton Chapel :

:

"Blessed be God (says her Ladyship) for the ability and strength

which has been given me in the prosecution of this affair. Opposition is to be expected from that unhappy man; but the Lord, whose we are, and whom we serve, will make us more than courageous, and cause his name and the unsearchable riches of his grace to triumph over all the malice and vain opposition of his enemies. O, pray that His presence may be with us at the dedication, and the power of his arm revealed in the conversion of sinners to himself! My eye is directed to this ultimate and only end of all my labours."

Lord Dartmouth and Mr. Thornton accompanied her Ladyship to Northampton Chapel, with a view to suggest improvements and alterations. The place is of a circular form, with a neatly ornamented dome, and two galleries, one above the other, supported by small columns, capable of accommodating a very numerous congregation. The name was changed to that of "Spafields Chapel," and was re-opened in the connexion of the Countess of Huntingdon on the 28th of March, 1779, by one of her Ladyship's chaplains, the Rev. Dr. Haweis, rector of All Saints, Aldwincle, Northamptonshire, who preached a powerful and impressive sermon to an overflowing congregation, from 1 Cor. i. 23, 24, "We preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling-block, and unto the Greeks foolishness; but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God."

This was a formidable undertaking for Lady Huntingdon, whose private fortune was already fully engaged in meeting the various expenses attendant on the extensive exertions then making for the diffusion of the Gospel of Christ. The times were peculiar. The favourite aphorism of the devoted Carey, of more recent days, seems to have been ever before the eyes of the devoted foundress of the connexion-EXPECT Great things, AND ATTEMPT GREAT THINGS. Depending on the Lord for aid, the Gospel standard was here unfurled; the result need not be stated it has been glorious.

As a peeress of the realm, the Countess supposed she had a right to employ her own chaplains at any time and place in the most public manner. In this, however, she was soon undeceived; for Mr. Sellon, who most justly merited the appellation of Sanballat, renewed his attack, not against the place, but against every clergyman whom her Ladyship engaged to preach there. On this question being agitated in the Ecclesiastical Courts, it was decided against her Ladyship, and Dr. Haweis and Mr. Glascott, being ministers of the Church of England, were obliged to discontinue their services. Harassed and tormented by this unreasonable opposition, Lady Huntingdon sought the

highest legal advice, and forwarded the following queries, to be submitted to the judgment of Mr. Serjeant Glynn :

"Is the domestic chapel of a peer of this realm exempt from ecclesiastical jurisdiction, and licensed?

"What constitutes such domestic chapel? Is it sufficient that it be contiguous with the house or usual residence of such peer, and that divine service be performed, according to the Church of England, by a regularly ordained minister?

"May such chapel be open to any besides his immediate domestics, if such peer pleases to admit them?

"Must the clergyman, so officiating, necessarily be registered in the Commons; or is an appointment under such peer's hand and seal, with or without a pecuniary appointment for his services, necessary to constitute him legally qualified for such ministry?

"If he is cited into the Commons for such exercise of his ministry, can he refuse to appear? Will his plea, as domestic chaplain to such peer, be sufficient bar to further proceedings? Can the cause be carried into the King's Bench or House of Lords?

"Is it necessary that such chapel should be registered in the Bishop's Court?"

These queries were returned to Lady Huntingdon with the legal opinion of John Glynn, Esq., Serjeant at Law, afterwards Recorder of London, a leading man at that time at the English bar. His letter to her Ladyship will be read with much interest at the present day, as strikingly prophetic of much that has occurred in our times:

"Madam,-I duly appreciate the honour you have conferred upon me, by selecting me for your legal adviser. Permit me to sympathize with you on the unjust and ungracious treatment you have received from the Rev. Mr. Sellon. That a man, wearing the sacred garb-a minister, whose office it is to preach peace and good-will to mankind'-should be guilty of such unreasonable conduct, such determined avariciousness, and such detestable tyranny, is lamentable and disgustingly revolting. In the notes to the queries which your Ladyship did me the honour to transmit to me for my inspection, you will perceive there are great difficulties in your way. Ecclesiastical law, such as it now stands, is against you in some points-points which would not be insurmountable, were our Bishops differently minded; but I regret to say, the spirit and temper of too many of our ecclesiastical rulers is very unfavourable to any liberal or tolerant system; so that nothing can be expected from a set of men in whom the desire for gain is so deeply rooted, and who seem so determined on all occasions to crush the spirit of inquiry, free opinion, and liberty of conscience. I anxiously look for reformation in some matters connected with the Established Church, to which I am conscientiously attached; and though I may not live to see any great change, yet I am persuaded the time is not far distant when Bishops will deeply lament the

obstinate, headstrong tyranny, which has driven so many from the Church, and that persecuting spirit so prominent in their characters, in too many instances more in accordance with the dark, intolerant spirit of the Romish Church, than with the enlightened principles of the Protestant faith.

"Your Ladyship's benevolent conduct must command the respect and veneration of every liberal-minded man. I shall be most happy at all times in giving my humble aid to the furtherance of your most excellent designs for the good of mankind, and the improvement of the ignorant multitude. My professional services are ever at your Ladyship's command. I have the honour to be, Madam, your much obliged, humble servant, "JOHN GLYNN."

CHAPTER XLIV.

Ecclesiastical Courts-Letters from Lady Huntingdon--Secession of Mr. Wills and Mr. Taylor-Mr. Romaine's advice to Dr. Haweis-Letters from Lady Huntingdon-Mr. Rowland Hill Lady Huntingdon's difference with Mr. Hill-Welsh Association Letters to Lady Huntingdon-Letter from her Ladyship-Surrey Chapel-Lady Huntingdon's liberality-Mr. Piercy-Mr. Venn Sir Richard Hill-Mr. Scott-Sion Chapel-Letter to the Committee of Spafields Chapel—Remarkable Conversions-Missionary Ordination.

BILLS having been found against Dr. Haweis and the Rev. Cradock Glascott in the Ecclesiastical Courts, actions were carried on and verdicts obtained, by which they were prohibited from officiating at the Spafields chapel. A citation was also procured against Mr. Wills, who had resigned the curacy of St. Agnes, near Truro, and had entered the Connexion of the Countess of Huntingdon; but he left London on the very day on which it was to have been served. To Mr. Wills succeeded Mr. Taylor, but his ministry was of short duration, owing to the former inhibition. These repeated persecutions induced Lady Huntingdon to devise a plan whereby a stop might be put to the malicious measures of Mr. Sellon :

-

"This cruel and bitter enemy of mine (says her Ladyship, in a letter to Mr. Piercy, dated December 23, 1781,) is suffered to go great lengths of oppression; but herein also I must see life arise through death. Should further citations come, I am not able to support the dispute, however unjustly determined by a court that has no legal authority. This I must patiently endure while power conquers right.