PAUL'S-ALLEY.-Sandemanian.

companied thither by two other persons; Mr. James Cargill, and Mr. Andrew Oliphant. They first visited a society at Danbury, and continued there thirty days, preaching the gospel; but perceiving no genuine fruits of their ministry, they quitted that place, after leaving with the people a striking address, which is printed in the third volume of the Liverpool Theological Repository. After this, Mr. . Sandeman visited other parts of America, and erected several churches, particularly in New-England, where his sentiments mostly gained ground. Yet the few years he resided in that country, were not so comfortable to himself as his friends could have wished. The political disputes between America and Great-Britain had become very serious, and Mr. Sandeman being loyal from principle, thought it his duty to exhort the Americans to obedience, which irritated them to such a degree, that when he died, they would scarcely suffer his body to be decently interred. He died at Danbury, April 2, 1771, aged 53 years. Besides his "Letters," before-mentioned, Mr. Sandeman published some other pieces, which will be particularized in the note. (H) The following epitaph was composed for his tomb

stone:

Here lies

Until the Resurrection,

The Body of

ROBERT SANDEMAN;

A native of Perth, North Britain;
Who, in the face of continual opposition,
From all sorts of men,

Long and boldly contended

For the ancient Faith,

That the bare work of Jesus Christ,

Without a deed, or thought on the part of man,

Is sufficient to present

THE CHIEF OF SINNERS

(H) WORKS.-1. Letters on Theron and Aspasio, in reply to Mr. Hervey. 1757. 2 vols. 8vo.-2. An Epistolary Correspondence between S. P. and R. S.—3. Thoughts on Christianity.-4. The Sign of the Prophet Jonah.— 5. The Honour of Marriage, opposed to all Impurities.-6. On Solomon's Song.

PAUL'S-ALLEY.- Sandemanian

Spotless before God.

To prea h this blessed Truth,

He left his country--he left his friends;
And, after mach patient suffering,

Finished his labours

At Danbury,

Second April, 1771,
Aged 53.

The meeting-house in Paul's-alley, since it has come into possession of the Sandemanians, has undergone a considerable alteration. The old pulpit has been removed, and a new one, about twelve feet long, substitued in its room. Here are seated the elders of the church. The access to it is by a flight of stairs from the vestry; and, over the door, opening into the pulpit, is a sounding board. Below this is another low pulpit, or pew, where some of the leading members are seated, and from whence the Lord's-Supper is administered. The inside of the meeting-house presents an appearance of great neatness, and the congregation is large and respectable. They conduct their worship in the following order: After singing a hymn, a member of the church prays; these exercises are repeated three or four times; one of the elders then reads some chapters from the Old and New Testament; this is followed by singing; another elder then prays, and either expounds or preaches for about three quarters of an hour. Singing follows; and the service is concluded with a short prayer and benediction, by one of the elders. In the afternoon the former part of the service is curtailed; but after the sermon, the church is stayed to receive the Lord's-Supper, and contribute to the poor. When this is over, the members of the church are called upon to exercise their gifts by exhortation. The version of the psalms which they sing is nearly literal, and formed on the plan of the Scotch and New-England versions, without any regard to rhyme. The Amen is repeated aloud by the whole congregation.

Theol. Dict. Perth. Art. SANDEMAN.

HARE-COURT.-Independent.

HARE-COURT.

INDEPENDENT.

HARE-COUR

ARE-COURT was formerly part of a messuage, or plot of ground, belonging to Sir Henry Ashurst, Bart. a friend to the Nonconformists, and whose name descends to posterity as the friend and patron of the celebrated Mr. Richard Baxter. Towards the latter end of the reign of James II. Sir Henry leased a part of this ground, for nine hundred and ninety-nine years, to a congregation of Nonconformists of the Independent persuasion. Upon this ground they erected a meeting-house, together with a dwelling-house adjoining, for the use of the minister. The date of the first building may be in a great measure ascertained by the circumstance that it was scarcely completed when the Revolution took place, in 1688. The present meeting-house was erected on the site of the former one, for Mr. Joseph Popplewell, about the year 1772. It is a good, substantial, square building, of rather a small size, and neatly fitted up. It has three galleries; and underneath the meeting-house there is a cellar, which is let out for the benefit of the church. Formerly the meeting-house stood quite open to Aldersgatestreet, which was the only avenue to it; but some years back, another entrance was opened from Paul's-alley, Barbican.

The society was gathered in the reign of Charles II. by the Rev. George Cockayn, who was ejected from St. Pancras, Soper-lane. His congregation was both numerous and respectable; and among the members of his church were several persons of consideration in the army, and in the city. His successor, Mr. Nesbitt, was one of the most

HARE-COURT.-Independent.

popular preachers in his day, till laid aside by illness and infirmities; after which the congregation at Hare-court declined, till Mr. Bruce, a young minister of popular talents, was chosen to succeed Mr. Hurrion. His race, however, was but short; and the congregation continued to decline under his successors. Though it has been somewhat increased under the present minister, it is still in rather a low state. In the doctrinal sentiments maintained by this society there does not appear to have been any variation. It has always ranked with the Independents and Calvinists. For many years a lecture was carried on at this place, on a Lord's-day evening, first by four ministers, and afterwards by the pastor alone; but not succeeding on either of these plans, a new one was adopted, and about twelve ministers selected from the different denominations, were chosen to preach in rotation. In this form it continued for some years, and was well attended; but about a year or two since, the lecture was entirely given up.

Some years ago, the congregation had a dispute with the parish about the payment of taxes. By an act of the 33d. Geo. III. certain trustees therein named, were empowered to raise money to pay such annuitants as had lent money for repairing the church of St. Botolph, Aldersgate, and for building a new work-house for that parish. Amongst other places, the meeting-house in Hare-court was assessed to the rate of twenty-nine pounds, and eleven pounds for the cellar under it, which, in the whole made forty pounds; being three-pence in the pound for the parish church, and twopence in the pound for the poor-house. The society were willing to pay for the cellar, as they received rent for it; but not so for the meeting-house, no profit whatever being made of the same, by letting of pews, or otherwise. In the year 1794, an appeal was made at the sessions at Guildhall, against the whole, as an overcharge. Upon the hearing of the matter, the court gave it as their unanimous opinion, that the meeting-house ought not to have been rated;

HARE-COURT.Independent.

and, therefore, ordered the rate to be assessed at eleven pounds a-year only, being the rent received for the cellar. As this case affected not only the society at Hare-court, but the whole body of Dissenters, it was laid before the society of deputies, who carried the cause through with spirit, though at a considerable expense, occasioned by delays and adjournments, at the instigation of the church-wardens and overseers of the parish. The decision of this case was of great importance to Protestant Dissenters, as it clearly ascertained that meeting-houses belonging to regular Dissenting churches, who are not chargeable with rent, stand exempted from taxation. The case, however, is different with regard to chapels that are inade a source of emolument by the sale of tickets. These coming under the head of commercial speculations, are chargeable equally with other property. The ministers at Hare-court from the origin of the society have been as follows:

GEORGE COCKAYN, the founder of the Independent church at Hare-court, was descended from an ancient family