ertions of a few rare, isolated spirits, who a century since sought to do something towards the spiritual regeneration of their country. The combination of many Congregational churches in the form of a Union for England and Wales a combination which, while it binds them together by intercourse, sympathy, mutual counsel, and common operation, does not in the slightest degree trench on their much-prized independency,―is also a fact which to many will appear a subject of congratulation and a ground of hope. A rudimentary framework is it, which by wise heads, and honest, zealous, loving hearts, might be worked up into a system of fraternal action and aid, whereby the strong might help the weak the rich might help the poor-the city might help the village-and all might mutually help to fulfil their proper and much-needed mission to the whole empire, domestic and colonial, without the exercise or the assumption of any central control over the internal affairs of Christian churches-without, in short, the least violation of the principles of scriptural Congregationalism.

To ascertain precisely the spiritual status of a church at any given period, and to determine its exact relation to a state of things existing at an earlier or a later age, is always difficult, and sometimes impossible. But perhaps it is an approximation to the truth to say, that there is a wider surface of scriptural piety in Congregational churches now than there was a hundred years

*

since, combined certainly with a larger amount of general intelligence. Nor need we fear to say that, if the education of the ministry amongst us, in comparison with the scholarship of the age, be not higher, except in a few instances, than it was then, yet much more of spiritual fervor is generally diffused, and we have a larger number of energetic, influential minds. Intellectual temptations hem round the thoughtful and imaginative of the ministerial class, even as temptations, generally the same, but specifically different, imperilled the studious in the days of Doddridge; but we would hope that there is a sound and manly spirit of positive Christian faith amongst us, that will suffice to repel or throw off the evils of the present rationalistic tendencies in the theological world. These facts, united, are instructive and animating to all evangelical Nonconformists-some of them to us in particular. They suggest certain modes of usefulness we should adopt; they point to forms of associations of which we may take advantage; while, by indicating growth and increasing vigor, they remind us of augmented responsibility, and at the same time. inspire us with courage and hope.

In conclusion, to serve succeeding generations was Doddridge's high distinction; but the privilege of doing so is awarded to but few. To shine as lights whose rays shall dart through centuries-to stand as examples,

* Whether that could be said of us, in comparison with the churches of the earlier Nonconformists, is another question.

to guide remote generations-to speak as oracles, to whose voice unborn millions will listen with reverence is a pre-eminent honor reserved by the Father of Spirits for rarely-gifted minds; but to serve one's own generation-God makes the faculty as universal as the function. And if our work, though humble, be holyif what we do be the expression of what we are—if our activity be the fruit of the Spirit of Christ in us—then, though no memorial of us should remain, and we die. in obscurity, and our names sink into silence, He, the only one whose praise we should supremely covet, will, beyond all doubt, say to us at last, "Because thou hast been precious in my sight, thou hast been honorable, and I have loved thee."

POSTSCRIPT.

THE THREE COLLEGES.

I.

Coward.

THE academy, which for twenty years had been so prosperously conducted at Northampton, was, after Dr. Doddridge's death, removed to Daventry, where Caleb Ashworth, whom he had nominated as his successor, lived in the affections, and labored for the welfare of his flock. The church had been originally gathered in the days of the Puritans, under rather remarkable circumstances; and as the institution whose history we propose to continue, became connected for a while with the Daventry congregation, the story of the manner in which it was commenced, as Dr. Ashworth used to relate it, may here be appropriately introduced. When Charles II. was on the throne, and spiritual religion was much discouraged, it happened that one day a minister, rather advanced in life, was on his way to London, and put up for the night at the town of Daventry, under the

hospitable roof of the old Swan inn. The good man was taken ill, and detained at the place for more than a week, during which period Lindsay the host, and all his family, paid him the kindest attention, and completely won his heart. The house was conducted with a regularity which was singularly remarkable in those times, when the hostelries of England were almost all scenes of unrestricted indulgence and boisterous merriment. The traveller, being restored to health, summoned into his chamber the kind-hearted people of the inn, the night before he resumed his journey, and particularly thanked them all for their great civility and kindness. But after expressing this, as well as his satisfaction with the order established in the house, he added:-"Something leads me to suspect there is not the fear of God among you, and it grieves me to see such honest civility, economy, and decency, and yet religion is wanting, the one thing needful." So, he entered into close and faithful conversation on the importance of inward piety, and closed the interview by telling them that he had in his saddle-bags a little book, lately printed, which he would give them, earnestly requesting that they would read it with attention and care. He then made them a present of Baxter's "Poor Man's Family Book," and went on his way. He did not tell them who he was, nor did they ever fully ascertain his name; but the suspicion on their minds, afterwards, was very strong, that the stranger was no other than Richard Baxter himself;