J. Love, Rev. J. Reynolds, Rev. J. Brooksbank, and the Rev. J. Townsend. The principle of the Society was agreed upon, and it was resolved to invite the co-operation of the country ministers and churches, by inserting an outline of its plans in the Evangelical Magazine. It was proposed to have meetings for prayer, and for reading such portions of Scripture as related to the spread of the Gospel; that they might stir up their mutual faith and zeal in the promotion of an undertaking so grand and benevolent.

In the discussions that took place on the nature and extent of its operations, Mr. Townsend wished that France and other countries under the dominion of the Papal See, should partake of the intended benefits. This proposal was overruled, and the Society confined itself to send Missions to the heathen only.

This rising Society meeting with much opposition from both churchmen and dissenters, he remarks, “Time and truth will ultimately raise a suitable and lasting monument, which shall tell the world and the churches of Christ in ages to come, what extended, what wonderful events the great Head of the Church was pleased to accomplish by the instrumentality of this despised, reproached and persecuted Society."

When almost universal consternation spread amongst the friends of missions, by the capture of the ship Duff, Mr. T. proved himself to bẹ one of those, who estimated missionary operations as involving a solemn and imperious duty. The firmness of his mind, and the high tone of his

Christian principles, induced increasing ardour and more determined zeal; he, therefore, immediately preached a sermon, from the words of Jehovah to Moses,-Speak to the children of Israel that they go forward. This produced the desired effect, as it not only gave new courage to the timid and doubtful, but so impressed the minds of those who heard, that large and generous donations were presented to Mr. T., before he left the chapels where he had officiated.

On the first Sabbath in 1797, Mr. Townsend preached three sermons to the old, the middleaged, and the young. The request was universal, that they might be printed; this was complied with, and 1000 copies were sold immediately. In the following year were published the sermons on prayer. A passage selected from the preface will explain the circumstances which gave birth to this volume. "These very plain discourses, upon one of the most important branches of religion, derive their origin from a social conversation which took place upon the subject, at the author's fire-side. Fully to answer the inquiries of some of his family, and, if possible, to aid them in the devotional exercise of prayer, he determined to preach two or three sermons upon the subject. As he proceeded in his design, he perceived it admitted, and was truly worthy, of a more extensive discussion than he at first designed to give it; and he was insensibly led from one branch to another, till he had preached eight sermons; when, fearing that by further enlargement he should rather fatigue and weary, than

edify and instruct, he determined to conclude them with a sermon upon the prevalence of Christ's intercession for his praying people." These discourses were published by subscription, and the many testimonies he received of their usefulness, inspired him with gratitude to that God, who chooses in his sovereignty the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.

In 1799, he engaged in a work, which, though it gave him much anxiety and fatigue, and stole many a midnight hour from sleep, was productive. of much pleasure and improvement, as it constrained him to read the Sacred Volume with a closer attention than formerly, and impressed many of its minuter parts more deeply on his memory; while at the same time it imparted more correct views of its connexion and spirit.

The following statement is given by Mr. Townsend. "Mr. Mason and myself had, from our union in the interests of the Deaf and Dumb Asylum, formed a great intimacy, and frequently visited each other. On one occasion, he told me he had received a proposal from a bookseller to furnish some short notes for a new quarto Bible, to which he had replied that he was too little accustomed to this kind of work to venture upon it by himself; but that he had a friend, who, he thought, might be induced to join in such an undertaking, and that he would cheerfully communicate the proposal to him. I was the friend to whom he referred; and, consenting to write

with him, it was agreed between us that I should select the passage for annotation, compose the outline of thought upon it, and then send it to him for correction, addition, or abridgment, with this proviso, that nothing was ultimately to appear which did not accord with my known sentiments. Before the work actually commenced, the bookseller suggested that it would be best to have but one name; and, as Mr. Mason was a clergyman, his was supposed to have the most weight. I felt at first some scruples about it, but my friend having no objection, I complied. If the notes have nothing to call forth much praise, there is nothing in them injurious. They are plain and scriptural, and some have read them with pleasure-perhaps profit."

It was in May 1799, that at a general meeting of the London Missionary Society, some of its members formed the plan of the Religious Tract Society. Mr. T. had no immediate share in its formation, but he soon fell into the ranks of its supporters, and was introduced into the committee. He assisted in reading and preparing tracts for publication, and several were written by himself, amongst which were the following: 'Scripture Extracts, Parental Duties, Filial Duties, To the Aged, On Late Attendance at Public Worship, Important Questions." Various interesting anecdotes might be given connected with the above tracts, which have been translated into all the European languages; but Mr. Townsend has recorded his gratitude for the astonishing success of " Scripture Extracts." Of this useful tract, four thousand

were circulated in Ireland, and it has been translated into Bengalee, Hindostanee, Sanscrit, &c. &c. It was particularly selected by an English officer in the Spanish service, who had witnessed its utility, and ordered a large number to be sent to Malaga. A minister in the Highlands of Scotland writes, "The Scripture Extracts,' I gave to the children of the Sabbath-schools in this neighbourhood, and a portion of them became their weekly task, so that in about three months every child that received a tract, could repeat the whole of it."

When Mr. Townsend's health gradually declined, and he could no longer attend the committee, he wrote and published the following : "Good and Bad Servants, Good and Bad Masters and Mistresses, A Dialogue between a Manager of a School and the Mother of one of the Scholars, An Admonition to those who live in the habitual neglect of the Lord's Supper, A New Year's Gift, An Address to Lying-in Women." Some of these will be found in the Evangelical Magazine, written in the form of essays or letters: he wrote also an address to the Jews, of which some hundreds were distributed among that people.

In 1800, Mr. Townsend went for six weeks to Edinburgh. The party-spirit that prevailed in Scotland," caused no small regret to a man who was willing to make every lawful sacrifice to prevent unholy contentions and jealousies."

In 1801, Dr. Horsley, the Bishop of Rochester, in a charge to the clergy of his diocese, violently attacked Sunday-schools and itinerant preaching.