THE

HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

OF

DISSENTING CHURCHES,

&c. &c.

SALTERS'-HALL.

ENGLISH PRESBYTERIAN.

SALTERS'-HALL,

long esteemed one of the most celebrated places of worship among the Dissenters, is situated in Salters'-Hall-Court, Cannon-street. It was erected in the former part of the reign of King William III. but before the Revolution, the congregation assembled at Buckinghamhouse, College-hill. The present meeting-house is a large, substantial brick-building, of a square form, with four deep galleries; and capable of seating a considerable congregation. The church was gathered in the reign of Charles. II. but by whom is uncertain. The earliest account that can be obtained, carries us back to the Revolution. in 1688, when the Rev. Richard Mayo, ejected from Kingston-upon Thames, was pastor; and Mr. Nathaniel Taylor, his assist

The congregation was then large and respectable, and continued so many years, making the largest annual collection for the fund of any Presbyterian church in London. The Society, though not equal to its former state, is, at pre

SALTERS'-HALL.- -English Presbyterian.

sent, one of the most considerable of that denomination. From its earliest state, the services of the sabbath have been divided between two ministers, who have either been copastors, or pastor and assistant. But of late years, one of these ministers has been denominated morning-preacher, and has no connexion whatever with the church, but preaches to a different Society. In point of religious sentiment, the ministers of this Society have not, till of late years, deviated materially, from those doctrines which distinguished the preaching and writings of the early nonconformists. The former pastors were strict Calvinists; the latter ones may be denominated Baxterians; and the present one is reckoned an Arian.

The meeting-house at Salters'-Hall, being conveniently situated, has been fixed upon from time to time for several lectures of considerable importance among the Dissenters. The first of these was the Merchants' Lecture, upon a Tuesday morning, established in 1694, upon the division in the Pinners'-Hall Lecture. The occasion of this breach is well known to many of our readers. Disputes had existed for some time among the lecturers upon points of high Calvinism, and the re-publication of Dr. Crisp's works fanned the spark into a flame. The celebrated Dr. Daniel Williams having written against that author, gave such offence, that an attempt was made to exclude him the lecture. This was resisted for some time, but at length, the heats ran so high, that a separation became unavoidable. Dr. Bates, Mr. Howe, Mr. Alsop, and Mr. Williams, four of the old lecturers, went off to a new lecture, set up at Salters'-Hall, at the same hour, and two other ministers were chosen to complete their number. These were Dr. Annesley, and Mr. Mayo. The vacancies that occurred from time to time, were filled up invariably by ministers selected from the Presbyterian denomination. Though the lecture continued for many years to be supported with great respectability, yet the number of attendants gradually declined, till, at length.

SALTERS'-HALL. -English Presbyterian.

it was judged expedient wholly to drop the service. This event took place upwards of twenty years ago. The last lecturers were, Dr. Price, Dr. Kippis, Dr. Rice Harris, Dr. Rees, Mr. Tayler, and Mr. Worthington.

Another lecture at Salters'-Hall, which obtained considerable celebrity, was that on the evening of the Lord'sday. It took its rise in the reign of King William III. and has continued under different modifications to the present day. The first minister who conducted it was the Rev. Robert Bragge, an eminent Divine of the Independent persuasion, who being chosen pastor of a congregation in Lime-street, removed his lecture to that place, about 1698. After a few years the celebrated Mr. Thomas Bradbury undertook the lecture at this place, and supported it with an uncommon share of popularity, for upwards of twenty years. Upon his resignation, in 1725, the Rev. Samuel Baker, afterwards a Presbyterian minister in Southwark, was chosen to fill up the vacancy, and preached at Salters'-Hall several years. Afterwards the lecture assumed a new form, and two ministers were chosen to conduct it. These were the Rev. Roger Pickering, of Silver-street; and Dr. William Prior, of Great Alie-street, Goodman's-fields. Upon the resignation of the former, about the year 1752, the learned and eminent Dr. Philip Furneaux, was chosen to fill up the vacancy, and supported the lecture in conjunction with Dr. Prior, for many years, with great reputation. Dr. Prior dying in 1774, was succeeded by Dr. Abraham Rees; and Dr. Furneaux being incapacitated through a severe affliction, in 1777, made way for the choice of the Rev. Hugh Worthington. Dr. Rees resigning after some years, his place was supplied by two ministers, the Rev. Thomas Morgan, and the Rev. James Lindsay, who preached alternately with Mr. Worthington for several years. After this, the lecture assumed a new form, and was conducted by four ministers, which is its present state. A new list is made out annually, and of late years, the preachers have been frequently changed.

SALTERS-HALL-English Presbyterian.

It is deserving remark, that though this lecture has for many years lain under the odium of heterodoxy, yet the preachers have been selected without regard to religious sentiment. Thus, in some of the lists, we shall find a mixture of Calvinists and Arminians, Arians and Socinians. This lecture is now but indifferently attended, though formerly it was one of the most populous in London.-Besides the lecture on the Lord's-day evening, there is another, during the winter season, on a Wednesday evening. The preachers are the Rev. Hugh Worthington, and the Rev. John Evans, of the General Baptist denomination. This lecture, also, is but indifferently attended.

Another service conducted at this place, was a course of sermons against the principal errors of the Church of Rome. They were preached in the year 1735, a time when the nation was under a considerable alarm concerning the increase of Popery. Some of the most eminent ministers of that day, were selected for the service, and their labours, which gave great satisfaction, were given separately to the public, and afterwards collected into two volumes octavo. The ministers engaged were Mr. John Barker, Dr. Samuel Chandler, Mr. George Smyth, Dr. Samuel Wrigh, Dr. William Harris, Dr. Obadiah Hughes, Dr. Jeremiah Hunt, Mr. Joshua Bayes, Mr. John Newman, Dr. Jabez Earle, Mr. Moses Lowman, Dr. Benjamin Grosvenor, and Mr. Thomas Leavesley, of the Presbyterian denomination; Mr. Joseph Burroughs, of the Anti-pædobaptist persuasion; and Mr. Daniel Neal, an Independent.

Salters'-Hall, besides being fixed upon as a proper placefor carrying on some important lectures, has been set apart for some other concerns of considerable magnitude; and on a particular account, has obtained some celebrity in the ecclesiastical history of former times. Most Dissenters are acquainted with the transactions of the famous synod at Salters'-Hall, in the beginning of the last century. Though a particular account of its proceedings does not fall immedi