finding it to be the wish of the King THAT THEY SHOULD NOT PETITION for the repeal of the Test Act, dropped the design, on being assured IT SHOULD BE REPEALED AT ANOTHER TIME. In the same year, 1717, the EARL OF STANHOPE brought a bill into the House of Lords, entitled, "An Act for strengthening the Protestant interests in these kingdoms," It proposed a repeal of the law against Occasional Conformity and the Growth of Schism, and some of the clauses in the Test and Corporation Acts. This measure was strongly opposed by DR. WILLIAM WAKE, Archbishop of Canterbury, and other prelates, and as strongly supported by DR. HOADLEY, Bishop of Bangor, and DR. KENNETT, Bishop of Peterborough. After many struggles the friends of the bill agreed to leave out the clauses* which related to THE TEST AND CORPORATION ACTS; and the bill passed, though not without a violent opposition, and received the royal assent February 18, 1719.† The Baptists had, as the Christians in primitive times, administered the ordinance of baptism in pools or rivers. About 1717, a baptistry was provided in London, for the more convenient and decent administration of the same, at Mr. Richard Allen's meeting-house, in Barbican, it being considered a central situation. This "work of public utility" was promoted by Mr. Thomas Hollis, and his brother, Mr. John Hollis, influential members of the church. Upwards of £600 was expended in the construction of the baptistry and the repairs of the meeting-house, the larger portion of that amount being paid by the above-mentioned gentlemen. A certificate was granted to approved ministers, and a regular registry kept of the names of all persons baptized, and by whom ; and the charge for the use of the necessary accommodation, attendance, &c., was two shillings for each person baptized.‡ The following year the ancient baptizing place in Horseliedown was repaired and enlarged "for the more decent administration of the ordinance of baptism," by erecting a meeting-house, with dressing rooms adjoining the building, which was thirty feet by twenty, and there were three vestries of eleven feet square each. Messrs. Foxwell, Stintin, and Wallin, were instrumental in advancing this object, which cost £160—the amount being supplied by subscriptions from the following churches :-BENJAMIN STINTIN, Goat Street, £20; EDWARD *It still provided, that any Mayor, Bailiff, or other Magistrate, who should knowingly ATTEND A CONVENTICLE, in the gown or insignias of office, should, on conviction for such offence, be disabled from holding any office cr employment in a public office whatsoever. † Ivimey, vol. 3, pp. 147, 148. Ivimey, vol. 3, p. 136. WALLIN, Fleur-de-Lis Court, £20; MARK KEY, Devonshire Square The Horseliedown Baptistry was licensed according to the Act of Toleration in the Court of the Bishop of Winchester, and was secured in the hands of trustees, for the use of the churches which had by their subscriptions become proprietors. Ivimey observes (1823) this bap→ tistry was used till about fifty years ago. In the later construction of Baptist meeting-houses a BAPTISTRY* * Interesting accounts are given by early ecclesiastical writers of the existence of public baptistries for the administration of baptism by immersion in Eastern and other countries. Joan Ciampini gives a description of them (a); and Robinson, in his History of Baptism, thus writes :-" By a baptistry, which must not be confounded with a modern font, is to be understood an octagon building, with a cubular roof, resembling the dome of a cathedral, adjacent to a church, but no part of it." All the middle part of this building was one large hall, capable of containing a great multitude of people; the sides were parted off, and divided into rooms. In the middle of the great hall was an octagon bath, which, strictly speaking, was the baptistry, and from which the whole building was denominated. This was called the pool, besides a great number of other names (b) of a figurative nature, taken from the religious benefits which were supposed to be connected with baptismsuch as the laver of regeneration, the luminary, and many more of the same parentage. Some of the baptistries had been natural rivulets before the buildings were erected over them, and the pool was contrived to retain water sufficient for dipping, and to discharge the rest. (c) It was about the middle of the third century baptistries began to be built; but there were none within the churches till the sixth century; and it is remarkable that, though there were many churches in one city, yet (with a few exceptions) there was but one baptistry. In process of time there were baptistries at most of the principal churches at Rome-as those of St. Peter, St. Lawrence, St. Agnes, St. Pancras, and others. (d.) The church of St. Agnes is a small rotund; and it is said a baptistry adjacent was erected for the baptism of Constantia, sister of the Emperor Constantine. (e.) Some think the church itself was the baptistry. The most ancient is that of St. John Lateran. (f.) Such baptistries were erected separate from the churches in all the principal cities in Italy. In the History of Ancient Baptistries that of St. Sophia, at Constantinople, deserves notice. It was an appendage of the spacious palace erected by the Emperor (a.) Vet Mon. cap. xxv. (b.) Paciaudius, Durant, &c. (c.) Paciaudius. (d.) Johan Mabillon. Iter Ital. tom 1, cap. xxviii. (e.) Ciampini, Vet Mon. cap. xxvi. (f.) Giovanni Villani Storia Fiorenza, 1587. Lib. 1, cap. lx. is considered an indispensable requisite; although at the present time in many parts of the country baptism by immersion is now adminis tered in rivers, or pools. It may be observed that, early in the eighteenth century, the more distinctive or separate character of the Baptists in the recognition of their principles upon the question of Protestantism and religious freedom was MERGED by their co-operation with other Protestant dissenters, so that THE PARTICULAR ACTS of the Baptists cannot be so specially noted. The year 1722 afforded an opportunity for THE PROTESTANT DISSENTERS to give A FURTHER PROOF of their adherence to those principles which they so highly prized; and in the maintenance of which they considered were involved the security of the throne, the peace of the kingdom, and the enjoyment of their own religious privileges. It was on the degradation of Dr. Atterbury, Bishop of Rochester, who was accused of having entered into a dangerous conspiracy against the King, that an occasion was presented for his Majesty receiving expressions of attachment from the friends of civil and religious liberty-an address in which were embodied sentiments SO THOROUGHLY PROTESTANT, that they may not be uninteresting at the present time, when such BOLD ATTEMPTS are being made to sap the very foundation of the Protestant institutions of the country, not only by avowed enemies to Protestantism, but also by those WHO PROFESS the very principles they are endeavouring insidiously to subvert. Constantine, and was something in the style of a convocation room in a cathedral, In the middle was the bath, in which baptism was administered, and there were outer rooms for all concerned in the baptism by immersion, the only baptism of the place. Everything in the church of St. Sophia goes to prove that baptism was administered by trine immersion, and only to instructed persons, as also by the canon laws, the officers, the established rituals, the Lent sermons of the prelates, and the baptism of the archbishops themselves. At what time the canon law was made, and by whom it was first called an apostolic canon, is uncertain; but it was early received for law by the Greek Church. It was in full force when the cathedral of St. Sophia was built, and no person durst baptize any other way in the Sophian Baptistry than by three dippings, or trine immersion. (a.) Tertullian writes-The candidates for baptism made a profession of their faith twice, once in the church, (that is, before the congregation, in the place where they assembled for worship,) and then again when they came to the water; and it was quite indifferent whether it were the sea, or a pool, a lake, a river, or a bath. (b.) Robinson, in his History of Baptism, has furnished a lengthened account of various baptistries, the mode of, and subjects of baptism, as adopted in the early ages of the church from numerous high authorities. (a.) Tertullian De Baptisme, cap. 4. (b.) Robinson's History, p. 58. "TO THE KING'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY. "The humble Address of the Protestant Dissenting Ministers, in and about the cities of London and Westminster. "MAY IT PLEase your MaJESTY, "We have so often returned thanks to Almighty God, for your Majesty's peaceable settlement upon the British throne, and so heartily prayed for the continuance of your happy government, that we must of all people have been inconsistent with ourselves, if we had not been very sensibly affected with the kindness of Divine Providence, in discovering the evil designs of those who, in defiance of all, even the most sacred engagements, have been, and still are fighting against their own happiness, and striving to make themselves and the whole nation miserable. "It grieves us that our native country should produce such monsters of ingrati. tude and perfidiousness. We are at a loss to express how much we abhor their practices; and as for the principles which lead into them, we cannot but account them as foolish as they are impious. "To imagine that a Protestant kingdom should flourish under the influence of Popish counsels, or our civil and religious liberties be best secured by sacrificing them to the avowed enemies of both, are absurdities too gross to be digested by any that know the value of either. "We assure your Majesty that we, as ministers of the gospel of peace, are fully determined always to recommend loyalty and fidelity to your government. And it is no small satisfaction to us, that we are engaged with a people so well disposed in this respect as the Protestant dissenters; of whom we can with safety declare, that in all parts of the kingdom they adhere inviolably to your Majesty as their only rightful and lawful Sovereign, and are very sensible of the many blessings of your auspicious reign, which is not only just and equal at home, bu glorious abroad, through the tender concern which your Majesty, upon all occasions, is pleased to discover for the liberties of Europe, and for our Protestant brethren in foreign parts. "And we please ourselves with the hopes, that the restless attempts of a disappointed party, to make the country a scene of blood, by bringing in upon us a Popish Pretender, will contribute to fixing your Majesty the firmer, if possible, upon the throne, and will endear you the more to all your people, and the better secure to them and their posterity the happy establishment of the Protestant succession. "Inclination, great Sir, as well as duty, will lead us to continue our ardent prayers, that your Majesty's invaluable life may be long preserved; that your councils may be prospered, to the full detection of the traitorous designs of your enemies, and the strengthening of our common security; and that the crown may flourish, in your Majesty's name, in all succeeding ages.” HIS MAJESTY'S MOST GRACIOUS ANSWER. YOUR STEADY "I THANK YOU FOR THIS LOYAL AND DUTIFUL ADDRESS. AND CONSTANT ADHERENCE AND AFFECTION TO MY PERSON AND GOVERNMENT GIVE YOU A MOST JUST TITLE TO MY PROTECTION, ON WHICH YOU MAY ALWAYS DEPEND." It was not long after this (1722) that the REGIUM DONUM originated, and as its bestowment and application has in these later times led to considerable discussion, a prominence may be allowed to be given to the question, there being those among the Dissenting body who advocate its continuance as a Parliamentary grant, as there are also those who consider the receiving of that grant as a COMPROMISE of the principles of dissent. It may be well calmly to look at the question, to examine ITS ORIGIN and ITS APPLICATION. Dr. Calamy, who was a contemporary of its benevolent founder, AND ONE OF THE FIRST APPOINTED TRUSTEES, writes as follows:-* "About this time his Majesty (George I.) was pleased, in a private way, to give the Dissenters a considerable taste of his royal bounty, and kind regard to them, by an annual allowance. The first motion for it was made by Mr. DANIEL BURGESS, who had for some time been Secretary to the Princess of Wales. He, of his own head, and out of good will to those among whom he had had his education, moved for something of that kind to the Lord Viscount TOWNSEND, who readily fell in with it, and afterwards discoursed his brother WALPOLE about it, who also concurred. Upon its being mentioned to the King he was very free to it, and soon ordered £500 to be paid out of the Treasury for the use and behoof OF THE POOR WIDOWS OF DISSENTING MINISTERS. And some time after £500 was, upon application made on that behalf, ordered to be paid each half year for the assisting EITHER MINISTERS OR THEIR WIDOWS, that wanted help, or to be applied to any such uses as the Distributors thought to be most for their interest."+ From the statement here given, that when the grant was first made it was one of PURE CHARITY, intended for the relief of poor widows of Dissenting ministers, "the same compassionate feeling which dictated the royal act of royal beneficence, prompted shortly afterwards the augmentation of the grant and extension of its benefits to poor Dissenting ministers." In the brief account given by the Distributors in 1834, it is observed, "There is NOT TO BE DISCOVERED in this transaction THE SLIGHTEST TRACE OF ANY POLITICAL FEELING OR PURPOSE. NO CONDITIONS WERE IMPOSED upon the part of the crown when the money was paid, nor were any stipulations entered into by the trustees and the recipients which virtually pledged them to the support of the political principles and measures of the existing administration. The prime * Memoirs of the Life and Times of Calamy, vol. 2, pp. 465, 467. + It is not certain whether the antecedent to the words "their interests" be the "Ministers" and "Widows" of Dissenting Ministers, or "the Distributors ;" if the latter, it is unquestionable that Dr. Calamy intended "their interests" only in the sense of their being REPRESENTATIVES of, and AGENTS for, necessitous Ministers or their Widows." |