Rev. John P. F.I. Plunquette.-Rev. Mr. Braithwaite.-Sir Brook Watson.➡ Rev. William Gordon, D. D.

Sept. at Wappenbury, Warwickshire, this office he has gained a high character aged 41, the Rev. John P. F. I. PLUN- for integrity, and is said to have attendQUETTE, fifteen years officiating ed so little to his personal emolument priest to the Catholic congregation of as to have left a very small property bethat place. He was born at Caen in sides his paternal inheritance. As a Normandy, educated in one of the uni- magistrate and a member of parliament versities of his native country, and after he generally appeared rather the dutiful leading a military life for a short time servant of the crown than the zealous was ordained a priest in 1792. He had guardian of the people. This might be a prospect of enjoying an ample fortune expected from his long and intimate contill the Revolution in 1793, when he nexion with the government. His charactook refuge in England, and was appoint- ter has been thus drawn in one of the pubed to the charge of the catholic congre- lic prints: "He was, through life, to his gation at Wappenbury. Mr. P. posses- king and country a constitutional, loyal sed a benevolent heart, an amiable tem- subject; a diligent, zealous, and faithper and agreeable manners. Though ful servant; a firm, upright, and merattached to the doctrines and ceremonies ciful magistrate; to his wife a most afof his church, he indulged none of those fectionate and tender husband; to his principles which have been so unjustly relations a kind and substantial friend; imputed to the modern Catholics because in his friendships constant; in faith a they were professed by their ancestors firm Christian; in deeds a benevolent, in former ages. honest man."

He

Sept. 30, the Rev. Mr. BRAITHOctober 19th, at Ipswich, the Rev. WAITE, minister of Hatton Chapel, WILLIAM GORDON, D. D. London, in the 33d year of his age. On was a native of Hitchin, in HertfordTuesday, Oct. 13, his remains were shire, and had his academical education conveyed from the chapel (where they in London, under Dr. Marryatt. He had lain during the preceding sabbath,) was early settled as pastor of a large in a hearse drawn by four horses and at- independent church at Ipswich, where tended by his friends in twenty-four he continued in good esteem many years, mourning coaches to Blackfriars Church, but removed in consequence of some where they were deposited in a vault, uneasiness, at first occasioned by his adjoining to that of the late Rev. Mr. dissatisfaction with one of his principal Romaine. Mr. B. who was a Calvinist hearers, who employed his work-men on of the Supra-lapsarian or Antinomian government business, on the Lord's day. kind, was one of the most popular On the death of Dr. David Jennings, preachers in London, crowds attending he was chosen to be his successor, in the his ministry. He was distinguished by a bold manner, by a turn for typifying and allegorizing, and by eccentricity and oddity. He might, if his life had been prolonged, have been as important a man, in the religious world, as the wellknown W. Huntington.

Church at Old-Gravel-Lane, Wapping. Here he might have continued much respected, but in 1771, his partiality to America induced him to force himself away in order to settle in that country, where he became pastor of a church at Jamaica-plain, near Boston. There he Oct. 2, at East Sheen, Surry, aged took a very active part in public mea71, SIR BROOK WATSON, Bart. sures during the war with Great BriAlderman of London, and Deputy tain, and was chosen chaplain to the Governor of the Bank. He was descend- provincial Congress. While in that of ed from a family in Yorkshire, and fice he preached and published a fast serborn at Plymouth in 1735. His first mon which strongly expressed his poli destination was for the sea-service, but tical sentiments, on Isaiah i. 26. having his right leg bitten off by a shark He received his diploma from the while bathing at the Havannah, he de- college of New Jersey, from whence he voted himself at the age of fourteen procured one also for his friend Mr. to mercantile pursuits, in which he was Samuel Wilton, then minister at Tooteminent and much respected. He was ing, whose father was a deacon of the also employed by the government du- church in Old Gravel-Lane, and who ring many years as a commissary. In maintained a correspondence with him,

Rev. W. Gardon, D. D.—Mr. Abraham Newland.

himself to read them too slavishly. Dr. Owen was one of his favourite authors.

While he was minister at Ipswich, he published a judicious abridgment of Dr. Jonathan Edwards's Treatise on the Affections: and while in America he wrote the History of the War with this coun try, which was published here by subscription, in 4 large vols. 8vo. Though it is not written with elegance, it is al lowed to have considerable merit, as a faithful narrative of facts, and contains many valuable and authentic copies of original papers. It is said that this work produced him three hundred pounds. He died in the 78th year of his age. His portrait, engraved some years before his death, is a most striking likeness.

S. R.

Dr. Gordon soon found America not to be that holy land which he had expected. The war had an unhappy effect on the morals of the people, and some of his hearers borrowed money of him which he could not recover. It was also believed that his warm interference in political matters gave disgust to some of the men in power. So that after the termination of the war, he was glad to return to his native country. He at first spent some months in London, where he had many friends, though some of them received him coolly. At length he got a settlement, but much inferior to either of his former, at St. Neots, in Huntingdonshire, the place where Mr. David Edwards had been minister, who succeeded him at Ipswich. The congregation which was but low, gradually declined, in consequence of his want of MR. ABRAHAM NEWLAND, that popular address they had been used late Chief Cashier at the Bank of to, and the decrease of his mental England, died at his house at Highpowers, which at length was so visible bury, on Saturday morning, Nov. 21. that his friends advised his resignation, and raised a subscription for him. Upon this he returned to Ipswich, where he had some agreeable connexions left. Here he preached a few occasional sermons, but his memory soon failed him to such a degree, as to unfit him for all public service. Though his sight continued so good that he could read without glasses, which he did to the last with great avidity, he appeared to know little, and to retain nothing of what he read. He lost all recollection of his most intimate friends, nor did he remember even the name of Washington, with whom he had been acquainted and had held a correspondence.

Dr. Gordon married the sister of Messrs.Field the bookseller,and the apothecary, both of London, but never had any family. Mrs. Gordon survives but has totally lost her sight. The Dr. was in sentiment a strict Calvinist, but libezal, and of a very sociable disposition. He possessed good natural abilities, and was of a studious turn. Though warm in his temper, he was friendly, and often facetious. Though he was fluent in speech, he was not popular; his sermons were composed with care, but too systematical, and he had accustomed

This respectable character was elected a clerk in the Bank on the 25th February, 1747, and appointed Chief Cashier on the 8th January, 1778. He had entered his 78th year. For some time past his health was visibly on the decline; and finding that his strength would not permit him to execute the functions of his office with his usual celerity and correctness, he resigned his situation a few weeks ago, and was succeeded by Mr. Hase Ever since the period of his resignation he became daily more exhausted, and was thoroughly prepared for his approaching dissolution. He would often say, that before Christmas he would finish his earthly career. His last moments were not attended with the least symptom of pain. Had Mr. Newland survived a little longer, he would have been in possession of the plate assigned him by the Governor and Directors of the Bank of England, as a mark of their esteem for the faithful discharge of his duty. Mr. New land's relations are very distant; and to them, it is presumed, he has left all his property, to the amount of about 7000l. per annum.

Times.

ticular, in the Jewish worship, and as the rights of citizens have been secured to

To the Editor of the Monthly Repository. that sect, it will be provided by wise

SIR,

laws that they shall renounce the old forms which separate them from their fellow citizens.'

A few months ago, I had the pleasure of recommending an exEvery word of this article emanating tract from the Universal Magazine, upon this subject: at present I have from authority, has its weight and meanthat of congratulating you upon a more if it can be allowed to have any serious ing. The phraseology of this article, extensive and magnificent prospect of its dissemination. It is sufficient to observe, that this original, this grand and simple truth is beginning to display itself apon the Continent, under the auspices of the greatest statesman and reformer that ever distinguished the imperial purple, or the regal diadem. In this case indisputable facts and imperishable events, speak more forcibly, than any panegy ric whatever, too often liable to suspicion.

Very few, the bigoted catholics, and some of the high church-politicians of this country excepted, have expressed any regret upon what the Romish superstition has suffered from the French Revolution. But it required men whose ideas were far advanced beyond the common level, and whose minds were depurated from religious prejudice, and the tyranny of custom, to see the necessity of reforming the reformation, and of putting an end to the Protestant, as well as the Popish dragen; for binding the demon of persecution, and drying up the source of religious animosity, by closing the mouth of the abyss or bottein ess pit of pretended mystery; and lastly, by proclaiming with the authority of an angel from Heaven, THAT WHERE MYSTERY BEGINS, RELIGION

ENDS."

66

This it appears is what is now in agitation in France. In an article insert ed in the continental papers dated from the Banks of the Maine, Aug. 21, it is said, Our Journals contain the following

article:

"There is a talk at Paris, of a closer union of the different sects of the Christian religion, agreeably to the doctrines taught by their Great Founder, and such a is requisite for our enlightened age. A great reformation is intended, in par

object, must refer to the removal of that unfathomable source of error and confusion, that overflowing mint of mistake which has hitherto been equally as much and mischief, the Athanasian creed, a stumbling block between Jews and Christians, as between Christians themselves of different denominations. There the plan now agitating in France; for as are many reasons for giving credit to no civil society can exist without religion, and as neither the reformed Ca tholic religion, nor the Trinitarian Protestants, are likely to fill the pulpits, or meet the public ear in regenerated France; these considerations may have excited in that government, a disposition to adopt some other system, as it is expressed, more agreeable to the doctrines taught by the Great Founder of Christianity, and requisite for our enlightened age.

The progress that your work is mak. ing in the noble task of elevating and improving the human race, affords fresh proof that a very great portion of moral depravity in society, has arisen from our misconceptions of the character and nity of persons that have been worshipattributes of God. The imaginary Triped among the Protestants has conjointly tended to perplex the divine testimony, and deprave man who is the subject of it. In the Trinitarian systems, man is often put for God, and God for man. Hence offices have been applied to Christ tering in the end, but idolatrous in their absolutely foreign to his character, flatobject. Thus for instance the opinion of his judging the world, which is so justly controverted against the notion of an Arian writer in page 461 of your number tending to the fact that whatever is spokfor Sept. has originally arisen from not aten of Christ, in a doctrinal sense, is als

ways more applicable to his gospel, than tion" that Christ will not himself, his person. It is therefore the gospel, personally, bear any part in the final and the spirit of Christ, by which men judgment." The application of this are to be judged, whether in himself, or principle may be extended to other in his members. It is in this sense alone, offices and circumstances; that of an that Paul can speak of men being judged earthly Messiah for instance, may also by kis gospel, Rom. xi. 16. The term be executed by a delegate. There is no judgment, though condemnation gene- necessity to repeat the panegyric you rally attends it, does not necessarily have admitted upon a very exalted per imply any more than decision. As for sonage, in pages 502, 503 of your Mag. the saints being said to judge angels as nor do I wish here to enlarge upon the well as the world, 1 Cor. vi. 2, 3, can propriety of them; but in answer to the that mean any thing more than superiors quotation, in which it is said, "Withas well as inferiors are subjected to the out endeavouring to find the hero in judgment or decision of the gospel, of ancient prophecies as some have done, which the saints are both the deposito- and we will not say they have done it ries and the organs. Does it not in- injudiciously; without implicitly relying ply that the Angels of the Church as on those who assure us that he is the well as the Church itself, and the world man on the white clouds in the Revelaare all subjected to this judgment? And tions, with a golden crown on his head, are not temporal rulers though ficquently without committing ourselves to declare called God's mesengers or representa that he is the angel of God, commissiontives on earth, subject to the same law ed for high and important purposes, of condemnation or acquittal? The deci- though it is to be noted that the moral sion or judgment pronounced by the gos- qualities of the agent do not prevent pel, is no respecter of persons. Hence that epithet, being applied to him, &c. Felix rembled Hence Pilate the re- &c." I reply that though some of my presentative or Angel of the Roman own publications are evidently alluded government, calling for water, declared to in these indirect charges, I do not his innocence of the blood of that right- wish to enter into any dispute upon the cous man. In fact the administration subject, but only to acknowledge openly of the last or final judgment by Christ and without reserve that I do sincerely in person, must be given up entirely, believe that every one of the e sublime to understand the doctrinal scriptures qualifications, do actually and bona fide, aright; but to enter into the prophetical apply to the potentate in question; for parts of the New and Old Testaments, as the act of judging the world is evialmost all that is said of the day of judg- dently not confined to the person of ment, resurrection &c. in them, must be Christ, surely the inferior office of being understood as spoken of the nations, of his delegate on earth, to chastise the which such circumstances are predicted. offending nations, to prepare the way of This is peculiar to the book of the Re- the Lord, and make the paths straight, velations. These national judgments may be intrusted to his harbinger-to are always attended by such calamities one endued with the spirit of Elijah, as wars, or revolutions. Then in the who among sovereigns, has done more prophetic dialect, God may be said to than all his predecessors, towards" turnhave a controversy with the nations, ing the hearts of the fathers to the childto plead with them, &c. While treat- ren, and the hearts of the children to the ing on the subject, I am happy to find fathers;" by taking the reproach from your learned correspondent in p. 463, the Jews, and in a declaration to his admit that the Revelations relative to Protestant Dissenter, becoming the first the two witnesses, Chap. xi. 16, may sovereign upon earth, who has acknowbe quoted as scripture. i look upon the ledged that for religious toleration his reasoning powers of Mr. T. Belsham, subjects owed him no obligation: that on this or any other controverted point, he did not wish men to think themselves as outweighing the critical objections of indebted to him because he had been half a dozen Michaelises. But even merely just; and that CONSCIENCE IS Bishop Hurd, when treating of the pro- NOT WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF phecies had, as far as concerned them HUMAN LAWS!" Now if this potentate only, pretty clearly established the posi- had no other qualification to recommend 4 t

VOL. 14,