!

JOHN MARTIN.

HAVING merely hinted at the circumstances of Mr. Martin's removal from Sheepshead to London, the fol lowing particulars may prove pleasing to the reader. To the respectful invitation' to him to settle in town, 6 I,' says Mr. M., wrote an answer, such as, at this day, I am not ashamed to own. The following words in that answer, permit me to quote :

Upon the whole then, I do at present think it my duty to accept your call; at the same time, I assure you, when the six months for which I am invited, are expired, I shall not look upon you in the least obliged to renew your call, unless it shall ' then appear to yourselves, to be your duty to do it, < heartily, and as in the sight of God. On the other 'hand, while I am willing in this, and in all other < things, to preserve your independency inviolate, I C am equally resolved so to preserve it, as not to enslave ' and fetter myself. I think it my duty therefore to < add, that when the six months are expired, I shall

hold myself equally at liberty with you as to any * further engagement.'

"After this, having received fresh assurances, that my return to town was expected and desired, on the 19th of October 1773, I brought up my family to London. We were met on the road, at Whetstone, by more than twenty of our friends, most of whom are now deceased, and were, after partaking of refreshment, conducted by them to lodgings provided for us in Tower Street, Seven Dials; in which we continued only a few weeks, and then removed to Mortimer Street, Cavendish Square.".

"On February 1, 1774, I was received (proceeds Mr. Martin) into full communion with the church in Grafton Street, by a letter of dismission from the church at Sheepshead; and on the fourteenth of that month, the members of the church in Grafton Street gave me a call to accept of the pastoral office among them. This call was signed by a hundred and fourteen persons, to which I returned a written answer. In that answer, after as signing the reasons which had led me to accept their call, the means of my future subsistence among them was stated by me to the following effect: As to "temporalities, I doubt not, but whatsoever is collected, or any other way received for my use, will be faith

fully and cheerfully communicated to me by your ' deacons. If that should at any time be insufficient to • maintain my family with reputation, I hope, on proper notice of it, with evidence of the fact, you will, if it be in your power, make up such deficiency; and if it should at any time exceed what I have mentioned, I hope the Lord will enable me to make it ' manifest, that it is given me with his blessing, and ' that wherein I am successful, I desire to be useful.”

"Your private fortune, sir, (says Mr. M., as he writes to a friend,) has not made it necessary for you to be so careful; but unless preachers, and people in common, clearly understand cach other in these affairs, many contentions are apt to rise, which are seldom settled to mutual satisfaction. What I have now laid be. fore you, met with the approbation of the church in Grafton Street, and, some time afterward, they entered the following note into their church book: Agreed, 'that Mr. Martin may have the liberty to choose from 'time to time, any two of the deacons, to collect, and pay to him, what they may receive for his use.'

66 Every thing being arranged to our general satisfaction, the day in which they were publicly to renew their call, and I in public to accept it, came under our consideration. That period was soon appointed, and

on Thursday, March 31, 1774, in the presence of many witnesses, we assembled for that purpose.

6 Superstitious religionists would have attributed the entire of

this transaction to nothing less than miraculous interposition.' See page 241.

"The church, formerly meeting in Grafton Street, Soho, (relates their pastor,) were long since of opinion, that they wanted a more quiet and extensive place of worship. At different times, certain plans were talked of and proposed, which, upon mature investigation, they rejected. But in the year 1794, Mr. William Ashlin, of Sloane Street, Chelsea, one of the members of this church, brought forward a proposal which they could not reject. In one of their regular church meetings he spake to this effect:

MY FRIENDS,

If you are still of opinion, that a larger and better place of worship is wanting, I will undertake to build one of that description at my own expense. The place I am in treaty about for that purpose, is on the

Duke of Bedford's estate, at the east end of Store 'Street, nearly opposite the back front of the British Museum. When the building is finished, I will say, THERE IT IS. Should it meet with your approbation, you may give me just what you please. None of our 'friends shall be pressed to subscribe a single guinea; ' nor do I wish any collection to be made at the doors "of that meeting on my account. But, I am willing to 6 accept whatever you, or others, may be disposed to 'subscribe.-I have only to add, when I have done my 'best to give you satisfaction, if you then resolve to

remove from this place to THAT, the new meeting 'shall be vested in trustees, chosen by yourselves, in such a manner as you and they shall approve.'

"A proposal, at once so liberal, and so unexpected, pleased and surprised the generality of our friends. It was therefore accepted by them, with due acknowledgements to Mr. Ashlin for his distinguished benevolence.

"The first brick of the new meeting was laid by Mrs. Ashlin, April 29, 1794; and on the 28th of June, 1795, it was opened for public worship.

"The expense of this building and its appurtenances, (which expense is already paid) amounts to more than three thousand four hundred and seventy-five pounds. Toward this sum, the church and congre