"Here

the Grand Turk." Vivat Rex closed the advertisement.1 Not confining themselves to the quiet distribution of tracts, the friends of morality who visited the Fair in 1702 were bent upon executing the law. Informers, constables, and magistrates were busy at their work, apprehending the worst offenders, and no doubt plenty they found to do, for it is stated by a contemporary that young people, by the temptation they met with here, committed much sin, and fell into much disorder. they spent their time and money in drunkenness, fornication, gaming, and lewdness, whereby were occasioned oftentimes quarrels, tumults, and shedding of blood." 2 The consequence of the excitement produced by the reformers was, that a set of ruffians, including a number of soldiers, swore at the constables, drew swords, made an assault, killed one, and wounded several. The man who slew the constable was hanged.

At the close of the year 1698 an organization more important than any of the preceding took its rise. Dr. Bray and four distinguished friends, consisting of Lord Guildford, Sir Humphrey Mackworth, Mr. Justice Hook, and Colonel Maynard Colchester, met, and drew up a document, by which they agreed as often as conveniently, to consult together how they might be able, by due and lawful methods, to promote Christian knowledge. The last words pointed to the general object contemplated, and gave a distinctive name to the institution arising out of these circumstances, The Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. As the purpose was comprehensive, and the means remained to be arranged, a principle of selectness appeared essential to success; and, accordingly, the possession of "noted humility, condescension, and charity,"

'Streets of London, 8.

2

Strype's Stowe, ii. 578.

was laid down as essential to membership. It was determined to have a chairman to preserve order, and the members were urged, first, to "prevent heats and to allay such as may arise," and then "to exercise discretion in talking of their affairs." Prayers were to be offered upon commencing business. Members were to be carefully elected, no payment of money or possession of office being recognized as a qualification. A candidate was proposed at two meetings before admission, and in the minutes for June, 1699, it is recorded on the 27th, that the Lord Bishop of Gloucester was proposed for the first time, and on the 29th that he was proposed a second time. Eminent persons, including Prelates, Presbyters, and Laymen, soon joined the new association. Amongst the Prelates were Patrick, Fowler, Williams, Kidder, Lloyd, and Burnet. Amongst Presbyters were Shute, Manningham, Wheeler, and Mapletoft, the latter two being clergymen of Nonjuring principles, and their association with such men as Fowler and Burnet in this kind of work is very remarkable. Amongst the Laymen were Richard Blackmore, William Melmoth, and Robert Nelson; the last, who joined in 1699, whilst still a Jacobite, and a non-communicant with the Established Church, further illustrates the toleration of political and ecclesiastical differences. Besides members in London, who could meet for personal conference, there were corresponding associates. John Strype, at Low Leyton, turned aside from his ancient rolls and faded manuscripts to unite in this movement, and Samuel Wesley formed a branch at Epworth.

Manifold were the methods adopted at the beginning, and various schemes being from time to time discussed, the Society pursued diversified forms of action, according to circumstances. It was primarily a Book and Tract

Society. The establishment of parochial libraries in America to aid the work of the Clergy, and of lending catechetical libraries in market towns of this kingdom, together with the distribution of good books, as the Society should direct, are amongst the decisions mentioned in the minutes. At an early period we find in its list of publications, Bradford on Regeneration, Scougal's Life of God in the Soul of Man, Melmoth's Great Importance of a Religious Life, and Bull's Corruptions of the Church of Rome. Thirty thousand copies of The Soldier's Monitor were sent to the army in Holland. Admiral Benbow and Sir George Rooke caused similar tracts to be circulated throughout the fleet; and Cautions to Watermen were sent down to the West for distribution amongst people employed on rivers and canals. It was also a School Society upon Church principles. Catechetical schools in and about London received attention; and before the end of the year 1699 it was reported that in Whitechapel, Poplar, St. Martin's, Cripplegate, Shadwell, Shoreditch, and Bishopsgate, they had been set up through the Society's operations. Other similar efforts were made, as appears from a report by Lord Guildford, as to teaching paupers in workhouses and instructing them in the Catechism; and further, it may be stated that resolutions were passed to induce the parents of scholars to attend catechetical lectures. It is also worth noticing, as a curiosity, that Mr. Symons, schoolmaster at Cripplegate, discovered a secret, by which he could teach twenty or thirty boys the alphabet in a day. Allusions occur, in the months of July and August, 1699, to efforts at instruction in the parish of St. George's, Southwark, being "much obstructed," when it was ordered that the agents should immediately treat with a schoolmaster, the Society to ensure him one half-year's

pay; but the measure was postponed in hopes of an agreement with the parish officers, who seemed to have thrown difficulties in the way.

Whilst the promotion of Christian knowledge, by means of publications and schools, formed the main object of the Society, other purposes were incidentally contemplated, and we find these good men anticipating the labours of John Howard by seeking to improve the state of prisons, and the modern condemnation of duelling, by giving thanks to Sir John Phillips for his noble Christian example in refusing a challenge. Numerous references occur in the earliest proceedings to efforts for the conversion of Quakers, and, as they are so singular, they claim notice and require explanation.

There was a man named George Keith, a native of Aberdeen, and a fellow-student with Gilbert Burnet at the University of that city. He went over to America, and there pursued a distinguished course as a preacher amongst the Quakers; but disputes arose between him and the Pennsylvanian Friends, which ended in their disowning him, and in his resisting them. They could not retain a person who openly declared that he "trampled their judgments under his feet as dirt;" who charged those who opposed him, with apostacy from Quakers' principles; and who established a separate meeting for such as sympathized in his views. Strange to say, after protesting against American Friends as untrue to the doctrine of their Society, this energetic person became a member of the Church of England, and, on his return to this country, entered into holy orders. He now became a zealous opponent of the people with whom he had been identified, and being brought into intimate connection with Dr. Bray, that gentleman considered him a suitable agent for the new Society. Whether the Society

originally designed him for the purpose or not, certainly Keith deemed it his vocation to do all in his power to bring Quakers within the pale of the English Church, and the records of the Society endorse his efforts in this respect. They "report about the Quakers, and give a satisfactory account of Keith's designs," bestowing upon him a certificate or recommendation, to protect him in his travels and procure him encouragement from the justices of the peace, at the same time resolving to circulate his narrative and catechism. A little later a resolu tion was adopted "respecting Keith's progress into the country to convert the Quakers," and the sum of £10 128. was voted for the purchase of publications, which he was to distribute in his tour. Reports were sent in by him stating the result of his mission in Bristol and elsewhere; and it seems that, as the Quakers at an earlier period had been in the habit of entering parish churches, to bear witness there against what they considered a departure from the spirit of the Gospel, SO now their former friend, George Keith, carried on his labours against them in a strictly retaliative form.

It is stated in the Society's minutes, that the Quakers opposed his attempts to preach in their meeting-houses; and one is surprised to find, after the Act of Toleration had passed, the following entry :-" Resolved, that Mr, Keith attempts again, and, if opposed, that he pursue his remedy according to law."

Quakers are not the only persons whose conversion was specially contemplated; particular attention was paid to Roman Catholics, and it was agreed that the members of the Society should endeavour to inform themselves of the practices of priests to pervert His Majesty's subjects. I do not find any mention made of special endeavours to