BAPTIST CHURCHES IN NORFOLK.

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We will now close this chapter with a brief list of the other Baptist churches in the county.

Frequent Visits to Cossey-Mechanical Amusements there-Movements in Norwich for the Repeal of the Test and Corporation ActsUnanimous Invitation to take the Pastoral Office-His Dismission from Tuthill Stairs, Newcastle-His Ordination-Confession of Faith.

WITH Mr. Kinghorn's return to Norwich, in July, 1789, from his visit to the north, commences the long career of his ministry at St. Mary's, although the invitation to the pastorate was not received till some months afterwards. We learn his studies and amusements from his correspondence with his father, to which we now revert.

DEAR FATHER AND MOTHER,

Norwich, August 3rd, 1789.

I was much pleased to find I had been useful in public at Bishop Burton. To see a little good done is pleasing and encouraging, and I wish we all had more of that patience which is so useful to the Christian character.

So it seems you are going on in the same plan, or rather connection, which I began from Eph. ii. For my part I have got into a plan which I believe I shall not get through these three months; and yet I rather stumbled upon it. Yesterday week I preached from these words, "Never man spake like this man." I pointed out the general excellency of Christ's doctrine as he delivered it, which at the time carried such convincing force with it. I thought afterwards, the subject not complete, because our Lord did not in his sermons teach fully his own gospel, but left many things to be more clearly taught by the Holy Spirit. This made me think over the subject, and choose a text to it, John xiv, 25, 26, in considering which I confined myself to these two inquiries, What the Holy Ghost taught the disciples which was not particularly taught by our

MECHANICAL AMUSEMENTS.

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Lord himself; and, Why he taught them by his Spirit rather than by his own mouth. And as I have now two broad foundation stones laid, I think I shall build away, and point out next the peculiar evidences of Christianity, then its leading doctrines, &c.; and how long my plan may be I cannot tell, but I don't think I shall get through in a hurry. It will make me much labour, but I hope there will be profit attending it.

I have spent a day or two at Cossey, with Wm. Wilkin, and think I shall go over again soon. I am about reviving my little knowledge of the Hebrew, and have Kennicott's Hebrew Bible now lying on the table; and I expect much information and entertainment from his criticisms on the state of the Hebrew text, and the different copies which he collated, which, taking the whole Bible and the copies that only had parts of it, amounted to 694!

Our farmers here are rather under apprehensions about their corn; yesterday was the only day without rain for some weeks; to-day the sky is clear and fine. I hope we may expect good weather. As the harvest is begun in France, it is a check on the rising price of corn, much being smuggled over.

I rejoice in my very heart at the destruction of that most infamous place, the Bastile, which the populace are regularly demolishing without any interruption from government, who evidently dare not meddle with them.

J. K.

Norwich, November 2nd, 1789.

The last ten days I have spent with Mr. W. Wilkin, at Cossey, except Sunday and Wednesday, when I came to preach. The week before last I went with him from Norwich, and stayed two or three days, and we got to talking of mechanics, and among other things, of a perambulator or wheel for measuring roads; he took the hint, he wanted a thing of the kind; he never let it rest, but would at all events have me go last week and set to work with him to make one, for he keeps tools and every convenience. In this matter I had to be principal engineer, as he was ignorant of the nature and necessary calculations of the machine. We worked hard and lived well, got our wheel completed last Friday night, tried it on Saturday morning, and found it answer pretty well. I found this job very useful to me, my health and spirits both rose, and I do not at all regret spending the week over it.

Mr. Wilkin has but lately commenced mechanic, and he and I are very likely to work together frequently; we are seriously talking of

making an orrery, two feet diameter; the plan and calculations must lie on me, the execution we are to attend to together at his house, where he has his bench and tools in a very convenient room, where we have a fire, and every convenience for a winter workshop. This, you may suppose, took up a good deal of my attention last week, and with preparation for yesterday, quite filled me with business, and I could not get off it, Mr. Wilkin being quite in earnest.

I have now two or three days' business of a very different kind. We have had two meetings of the Dissenters of the three denominations respecting concurring with the London Committee in endeavouring to obtain a repeal of the Corporation and Test Acts; one of them was held last Thursday forenoon, (I attended it as I did the former and went to Cossey after dinner,) and it was resolved to acquaint the different congregations in Norfolk that we were of opinion it was right to use proper means to obtain a repeal of those Acts, desiring to know their opinion, and inviting them to a general meeting, to be held for the purpose on the 25th of this month. This information was to be communicated by the newspapers and circular letters. Three ministers were desired to acquaint the different congregations of their several connections;-Dr. Enfield, the Presbyterians; Mr. Newton, the Independents; I, the Baptists; this will occasion. me a good deal of writing, though I cannot find there are more than ten Baptist churches in the county, except what are here in the city.

Our last meeting was very respectable, we had an Alderman* in the chair, several gentlemen, and nine Dissenting ministers, all of the city. We agreed in the main things, and had a very pleasant meeting. For my part I am not sanguine in the matter, but think it right to do what we can, for the sake of posterity.

My people here are attentive and quiet. I thank you for your prayers. May God answer all our requests for each other, that we may be kept from evil and led by his Spirit!

Mr. Kinghorn and Mr. Wilkin were assisted in their mechanical pursuits by Mr. John Spaul, of Cossey, a locksmith, &c., and an artist of remarkable skill, taste, and ingenuity, whose works abound in the magnificent seat of Lord Stafford, at that village. Mr. Spaul is still living, in 1854, at the age of 87, and remembers with interest these long-past circumstances.

* Elias Norgate, Esq.

TEST AND CORPORATION ACTS.

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DEAR FATHER AND MOTHER,

Norwich, December 1st, 1789.

Yours came safe, and I was glad to find you were better and my mother pretty well. I am tolerable, and have been so some time; Mr. Wilkin and I go on with our work, and are in tolerable forwardness. Ferguson's plan is far too complex for us, as our machinery is wood, and we are on a simple plan; I am much obliged to you for offering to send the other, but we have it to refer to. We expect about the new year to be so far forward as to get the principal parts in a working state. This frequently occasions my being at Cossey part of the week, and I find the advantage in health and spirits, and some of my people tell me working does not seem to spoil preaching.

Pray what do you think of mixed communion? is baptism a term of communion? Ought we to refuse those the table of the Lord here whom we confess we think fit for his kingdom above? Have we any right to judge the consciences of those who think they have attended to baptism? I acknowledge myself oftentimes puzzled with objections of this kind, particularly the two last; however, the people here are, I believe, quite opposed to a mixed communion. I remain, yours, &c.,

DEAR FATHER AND MOTHER,

J. K.

Cossey, at Mr. Wilkin's, Dec. 22nd, 1789.

I thank you for your observations on mixed communion; for my part, as to myself, I have no doubt either as to the mode or subjects of baptism. The one I think plainly is immersion, the other believers only (or those who personally profess faith in Christ and attachment to him). But I am very willing to allow others to doubt, on the very same principle that I wish to inquire myself concerning those things others may think attended with equal evidence. If the friends of strict communion fail of proving baptism a term of communion, the debate is over on every principle but expediency; and really there is little to be said for that, as it is a matter of experience; and experience has, in many instances, proved it to be the way of bringing over Independents to become Baptists; such influence has the advice of Paul-"in meekness instructing them that oppose themselves." However, notwithstanding all this, I have not entirely a decided mind. I do not yet appear as the advocate for mixed communion, nor am I likely to be called to it.

As to our orrery, it goes on tolerably, but we do not expect to