HARE-COURT.-Independent. qualified; and was very useful, not only in the exercise of the pastoral office, but in forming the minds of youth for usefulness here, and happiness hereafter. Many persons had their education under his tuition. Here, also, he had repeated offers of preferment in the established church; but he was a Protestant Dissenter upon principle, and could not conscientiously fall in with the terms of conformity. In his judgment, as to church discipline, he was congregational, and had a great regard for that denomination; but he was at the same time a friend to all good men, who appeared to bear the image of their Lord and Master. In the year 1740, Mr. King removed to London, and on the 14th of February, was settled pastor of the Independent church in Hare-court, as successor to Mr. Samuel Bruce. It was before this, as it is apprehended, that he received, from one of the universities of North Britain, a diploma, creating him Doctor of Divinity. In the year 1746, the Doctor lost his mother, a Christian of great experience, who, after a season of darkness, enjoyed remarkable light and comfort in her last moments. About ten years afterwards his father died. On the 14th of January, 1748, he was chosen into the Merchants' lecture, at Pinners'-Hall, in the room of Mr. Peter Goodwin. On the 24th of January, 1769, he delivered his last sermon in that place, having preached a hundred and ninety-two times at that ancient lecture. He had just finished a set of discourses on Psa. xxvii. 13. I had farled unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. He was also engaged many years in the Lord's-day evening lecture, at Silver-street, which was afterwards removed to Monkwell-street; and likewise in that at Lime-street, which was removed to Little St. Helen's. During the last four years and upwards of his life, Dr. King laboured under violent pain from the dreadful disorder of the stone in the bladder. This affliction he endured with uncommon patience and cheerfulness, often expressing his HARE-COURT.-Independent The first attack of this thankfulness that it was no worse. disorder, of which he was sensible, was on the 13th of January, 1765; and he was exercised, at intervals, with sharp returns of the same disorder till his death. On the 26th of February, 1769, being the Lord's-day immediately preceding his death, he preached his last sermon at Harecourt, upon the word Now, being a part of the twenty-fifth verse of the epistle of Jude: To the only wise God our Saviour be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and for ever, Amen; upon which verse he had preached several discourses. Had his life been spared, he intended to have preached another sermon upon the word Ever, but before the next sabbath he was removed to glory. On Monday the 27th of February, about ten o'clock at night, he gave some particular directions, whereby it appeared that he was apprehensive of the near approach of death. About two o'clock on the next morning, his difficulty of breathing returned; having been afflicted with that complaint, at intervals, for several weeks. However, he continued expressing his joy and hope of glory, till about five o'clock, when his speech failed, by means of a paralytic stroke which affected his right side; and he continued speechless, though sensible, until about seven o'clock on Saturday morning, March the 4th, when he finished his course, in the 68th year of his age. The stone which was found in his body after his death, measured seven inches round one way, and five the other. It weighed three ounces and a quarter; and there were besides this, two smaller ones." Dr. King possessed a respectable share of learning, and was a cheerful, as well as serious Christian. As a preacher he was not popular, nor did he ever distinguish himself as an author. There is a large painting of him preserved in the vestry at Hare-court, from which we have copied the engraving in this work. His funeral sermon was preached by Dr. James Watson, from Isa. Ix. 19. Thy God thy glory. * . Dr. Watson's Sermon on the death of Dr. King, p. 31-89. HARE-COURT.-Independent. Dr. King lies buried in Bunhill-Fields, where the following inscription may be seen upon his tomb-stone: Near this stone Are deposited the Remains Of that faithful servant of Jesus Christ, The Rev. WILLIAM KING, D. D. Not more eminent for his extensive learning, Diligent and constant unto death In the duties of his ministerial character, Blessed is that servant whom his Lord when he cometh, He was born in the county of Wilts, June 9th, 1701, In the 68th year of his age. JOSEPH POPPLEWELL.-After a vacancy of about twelve months, the Rev. Joseph Popplewell was chosen to the pastoral office at Hare-court. This gentleman was a native of Yorkshire, and trained to the ministry in a Dissenting academy at Heckmondwicke, in that county, under the superintendance of the venerable Mr. James Scott. He entered upon the ministry, in the Independent congregation at Nottingham, as assistant to a respectable minister, Mr. James Sloss. Upon the death of Dr. King, he received an invitation to become his successor at Hare-court, and was ordained to the pastoral office in the year 1770. Not long after his settlement the present meeting-house was built. In this connexion he continued about two years and a half; at the end of which time, some exception being taken to his moral character, he was dismissed from his relation to this society, and retired into Yorkshire He finished his course several years ago, at Beverley, in that county, RED-CROSS-STREET.-Particular Baptist. JOSHUA WEBB, the present minister at Hare-court, is a native of Tadly, in Hampshire, and entered the academy at Mile-End, under Doctors Conder, Walker, and Gibbons, in the year 1768. In that seminary he continued about six years, when he was invited to preach as a probationer at Hare-court. He delivered his first sermon in that place, on the second Lord's-day in May, having then been destitute about a year. 1774; the church After preaching several months upon trial, he received an invitation to the pastoral office, and was ordained on the 15th of February, 1775: Mr. Barber gave the charge; Dr. Conder preached to the people; and Dr. Gibbons, Mr. Richard Winter, Mr. Brewer, and Mr. James Webb, engaged in other parts of the service. RED-CROSS-STREET. PARTICULAR BAPTIST. THE meeting-house in Red-Cross-street, Cripplegate, was built rather more than half a century ago, by a Mrs. Masters, a worthy lady, of considerable property, but who had the misfortune to become deranged. She, at first, procured occasional supplies for this place; but about the year 1760, granted a lease for twenty-one years, to Mr. John Stevens, who had been lately excluded from the Baptist church in Devonshire-square. Upon Mr. Stevens's death, in 1778, his church broke up. Some of the surviving members of his congregation, with some other persons of the same RED-CROSS-STREET-Particular Baptist. denomination, continued to assemble at Red-Cross-street, but without any stated minister, till the year 1781, when they chose Mr. Thomas Mabbott, who continued to preach there for about ten years, and in 1791, removed to Hoddesdon, in Hertfordshire. After this, his church broke up. The meeting-house was then let to Mr. Watts, a bookseller, in Tabernacle-walk, who occupied the place that was formerly Mr. Towle's, in Rope-makers'-alley. At this time a Mr. Kirkman preached a lecture in Red-Cross-street. Upon the death of Mr. Watts, which happened in 1793, the meeting-house was let to the Swedenborgians, or New Jerusalem church, which assembled there till the month of February, 1800. The meeting-house was then let to the Particular Baptist church, meeting in Curriers'-Hall, Cripplegate, then under the pastoral care of Mr. John Wilson, and formerly of Mr. Brine. About the same time Mr. Burnsides' congregation that assembled at the same place on the seventh day, removed to Red-Cross-street. Mr. Wilson being dismissed by his congregation in 1807, and the remaining members unable to support a pastor, they let the meeting-house to a newly raised society of the Baptist denoinination, of which a Mr. Franklyn is pastor; and they have since attended his ministry. Mr. Franklyn's church formerly met in a small wooden building in Chapel-street, MileEnd New-Town, and consisted of several persons who broke off from Mr. Shenston's church, in Little Alie-street, Goodman's-fields. These persons are of the supra-lapsarian cast, and separated from Mr. Shenston, because he did not preach the gospel; that is, was not sufficiently enlightened upon some of those high points, which they could digest as easily as common food. Having obtained a pastor to their own taste, he is very popular, has a large church, and the meeting is well filled. Of Mr. Stevens, and Mr. Mabbott above-mentioned, we will here present the reader with a brief account. |