To Readers and Correspondents. We regret that we are obliged to omit noticing several Missionary Societies in this Number; particularly, the communication signed "Silas," giving an account of the "Annual meeting of the Society for Norfolk County and vicinity." We hope our friends will excuse this unintentional delay. Other communications have been received, and are under consideration. Several pieces of Poetry are on our files; few of which possess sufficient mer. it to entitle them to insertion. Communications for the Magazine, free of expense, will be gratefully received and duly attended to. We have been requested by a Correspondent, to mention that the Females of the Baptist society in Mechanicville, in the state of New-York, have presented their Pastor, the Rev. JOHN ELLIS, with the sum necessary to constitute him a member of the American Bible Society for life. WE have received a letter from the Rev. DAVID BENEDICT, of Pawtucket, R. I. complaining of the Strictures on ROBINSON'S History of Baptism, contained in our two last numbers, and requesting that a "few pages may be reserved in our next for the insertion of some remarks intended to vindicate the character of Mr. ROBINSON as a very learned and authentic historian, and to exhibit some of the excellencies of his justly celebrated production, which we have passed over in silence." As we never doubted the learning of Mr. Robinson, nor the authenticity of his history, except on the single point named in the review, and especially as we repeatedly expressed our high approbation of the work so far as the main subject was concerned, we can surely feel no objection to inserting any remarks in vindication of the history, calculated to establish the antiquity and validity of believ ers' baptism; and as Mr. Benedict asserts that "he does not seek a controversy on the subject," we sincerely hope that his communication will be of such a nature as to require no further reply on our part. We can assure Mr. BENEDICT, that our Strictures upon the socinianism of Mr. ROBINSON were not made with a view to implicate him or his fellow-publishers as desirous of "propagating this dangerous and prevailing error." Our only object was to guard the readers of the history against receiving too implicitly, its sly insinuations against the peculiar doctrines of Christianity. Of the propriety of this, we have been more fully satisfied by observing, in a recent Socinian publication, a reference to the very passage in the history on which we commented, and in support of the same opinion which we exposed, and disprov. ed. We hope Mr. Benedict will therefore justify us, and consider himself exonerated, if we give in this place, his own words in relation to this subject.-"I am free to declare, that I did not engage in the publication of Robinson for the sake of propagating socinianism; neither have I any inclination to embrace this cold and comfortless theology, whose principal aim has ever been to persuade other Christians to its belief, rather than to convert sinners to God." We state for the information of those who have recently subscribed for the Magazine, that the 55th Number is now reprinting, and will be ready for delivery with Number 58. While we are gratified with the large number of our subscribers, now amounting to more than Ten Thousand, we are persuaded there is still room for that number to be greatly increased. And when our friends consider that the circulation of the Magazine is designed to promote the prosperity of Missions, and the interests of the churches in general; and espe cially that no work of eqnal magnitude in the United States is afforded so cheap by nearly one half, we hope they will neither delay to forward the amount of their own subscriptions, nor to use their influence to obtain additional subscribers in their respective neighbourhoods. Ir may be gratifying to our readers, to learn that the ship Independ ence of Boston, on board of which were our missionaries to Burmah, Messrs. COLEMAN and WHEELOCK, with their wives, was spoken off the Cape of Good Hope, on the 25th of January, on her way to Calcutta, where we hope she has arrived in safety. MR. BATCHELDER was born in Boston, of respectable parents, March 25, 1768. During the early part of his life, he was under the government of his parents, who watched over him, and took care of his education and morals. But at the age of 13, they were both taken from him in the short space of about three months. The family being thus broken up, he went to reside with his grand parents at Kingston, New Hampshire, where he continued for several years. He At the age of about 16, some impressions of a religious nature appear to have been on his mind. Such a visible alteration took place in his outward deportment, that many were led to suppose he had become a real Christian. He seems also at that time to have had the same opinion of himself. has since, however, supposed that those impressions were not genuine. Still uneasy and perplexed, he was led to read whatever afforded the slightest encouragement of escaping the punishment threatened to unbelievers. He accordingly read the writings of Relley, Winchester, Chauncy, and others in favour of Universal Salvation. But on carefully examining the various arguments advanced by them Vol. I. 45 in support of the doctrine, they did not appear to him to be conclusive. Whilst in this unsettled state of mind, he was induced to examine what Socinians superciliously style, rational religion. He accordingly read the works of Priestly, Lindsay, and others; and even Swedenborg's visionary theory did not escape him. Perceiving his thirst for knowledge, some of his friends proposed to assist him in obtaining an education, with a view to the ministry in the Congregational church. With a design to this, he entered Phillips's Academy at Andover; but how long he continued there is not stated. After this, he put himself under the tuition of a respectable Congregational minister in the state of New-Hampshire. He occasionally kept school and studied under different instructers, until he had acquired such knowledge of the languages, that he thought of offering himself for examination at Cambridge. He attended Commencement, for this purpose, probably in 1790; but saw some things in the conduct of one of the young graduates, who was intending shortly to enter upon the ministry, which disgusted him to such a degree, that he resolved not, to proceed. Conscious that his own heart was not sufficiently established in religion to qualify him for the office of a teacher in the church of God, he was struck with the impropriety of obtaining an education solely for the sake of becoming a minister of the gospel; and as that was the condition on which he was to receive the patronage of his friends, he could not conscientiously go forward, while ignorant of the nature and unsettled as to the reality of religion himself. He therefore returned without offer ing himself for examination. Not long after, while in this agitated, undetermined state of mind, he happened to spend an evening in company with a number of gentlemen of deistical sentiments. Some of them observing his tone of feeling, that he was not fixed in his religious sentiments, advised him to read Hume's Essays. He accordingly read them; and being charmed with the elegance of the style, he almost imperceptibly drank in the poison of skepticism. Guided by this new light, he proceeded to read Voltaire, Volney, Gibbon, Bollingbroke, Shaftsbury, and, to complete his course of deistical reading, Paine's Age of Reason. Although at times he was greatly shaken with these different and contradictory sentiments, yet truth had taken too firm a hold of his understanding, to be dislodged by the sophistical reasoning of infidelity. He at length came to this resolution, "I am determined, said he, to keep on searching, until I find some solid foundation to rest upon." Urged by his conscience, he was at last driven back to his Bible. This precious Bible, which had been long neglected, "a book, (to use his own language,) which had lived through ages, and had borne the severest scrutiny of its enemies," was blessed to his conviction. He was led to view his own character as exceedingly sinful. He clearly perceived, that the requirements of the holy law of God, far exceed all the efforts and dispo sitions of a depraved heart. He was brought unreservedly to ac-knowledge the righteousness of the divine law, although it condemned him as a transgressor. These overwhelming convictions continued for several weeks, until he was almost unfit for any kind of business. After passing a distressing night, in which he seems to have been almost afraid to close his eyes lest he should awake in hell; he rose in the morning, and was deeply affected with a sense of the divine goodness, that had preserved him through the night. He retired into an orchard, and so great was his distress, that he thought he must sit down and die. He accordingly seated himself upon a rock, and concluded that he was irrecoverably lost! Solemn thought! But while thus sinking in desponding agony, he was brought to acquiesce in that justice which condemned him. His mind was almost instantly raised to heaven, and he was enabled by an eye of faith to discern the way of salvation by Jesus Christ. A delightful calmness ensued, attended with those contrite views which led him to bow with reverence before the glorious Deity. He was indulged with a sweet assurance, that "with God there is forgiveness, that he may be feared." The horrors arising from a sense of guilt were entirely dissipated, and his soul filled with love and resignation to the will and government of God. After experiencing those vicissitudes of feeling common to young Christians, he appears to have arrived to the enjoyment of a well grounded hope, resting alone upon the doctrine of grace, reigning through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ. With a view to an open profession, he was led to examine the doctrine and practice of the primitive church, and after much study and research, he became settled in the belief of the Baptist sentiments. He was accordingly baptized upos, a profession of faith in June, 1792, by the Rev. John Peak, then of Deerfield, (N. H.) and became a member of that church, where he soon after commenced his ministry. After being approbated, Mr. Batchelder travelled and preached for several years. During which time he was applied to by different churches to settle among them. After much prayerful deliberation, he concluded to settle with the church in Berwick (District of Maine.) He accordingly accepted their call for that purpose, and was ordained Novem. 29, 1796. His labours were greatly blessed in this place, so that in the space of two or three years, about 150 members were added to the church. For two years together,he preached upon an average, nearly once a day! The adjacent town of York was also favoured with his labours. The word preached was blessed to the conversion of many; and not far from 70 were baptized on a profession of faith.* From a variety of circumstances, Mr. Batchelder was led after this, to think he might be more useful in some other part of the Lord's vineyard, than where he was now stationed. He accordingly made his mind known to his brethren; who, though with much reluctance, consented to part with him. The church at Portland, being vacant, was desirous of obtaining his labours. But while the matter was in suspense, our late venerable friend, Dr. Smith of Haverhill, was called from his labours to receive his reward. By the advice of judicious friends, this church applied to Mr.Batchelder to visit and preach to them. After labouring with them a sufficient time, he received an unanimous call to settle with them; and was installed December 4, 1805, in the pastoral office. During the first two or three years his labours were greatly blessed, * See an interesting account of this work in the 1st Vol, old Series, p. 137. and large accessions were made to the church,which indeed continued to enjoy a great degree of prosperity during the whole of his ministry. Mr. B. baptized 208, who united with this church, besides many in the adjacent towns. Besides his numerous parochial duties, which he ever discharged with unimpeachable uprightness, he laboured abundantly in most of the adjacent towns, and not unfrequently in places considerably remote. For several weeks before his last sickness, he travelled in the District of Maine, by the appointment of the Trustees of "the Maine Literary and Theological Seminary," for the purpose of obtaining subscriptions and donations for that institution. It is highly probable that his uncommon exertions and fatigues during this tedious journey, performed in the depth of winter, laid the foundation for that fatal sickness which termipated his earthly course. He spent the last Lord's day on his way home, at Exeter (N.H.) and his last sermons were delivered in that place, from John xiv. 2. In my Father's house, &c. He arrived at Haverhill on Monday, and the Tuesday night following, the inhabitants of the town were alarmed by the freshet in the Merrimack. Batchelder with others, was called out of his bed, and probably took cold, which brought on a complication of disorders which baffled medical skill, and in a few weeks crushed his feeble frame. Mr. In the first part of his sickness, he seemed confident that he should never recover, and appeared remarkably animated with the prospect of soon meeting the God whom he had served, and the saints who had gone before him, many of whom he had seen die. After he had been sick nearly two weeks, he expressed some anxiety to live, on account of his family, and par ticularly on account of the cause of Christ in the world; "but," said he, "it is God's work, and he to be heard in the rooms below, and said, "There I shall wear a starry crown." will continue to carry it on." If, when racked by pain, or languid by faintness, he breathed a sigh to expected dissolution; it would be soon followed by some expression of strong confidence in God. He was frequently heard to say, "Though he slay me, yet will Iily to hand him the slate. He at trust in him." When asked how he was, he said, "This body fails, but my soul remains firm on that everlasting rock, against which the gates of death and hell cannot prevail; I am in good hands, and it is no matter whether I live or die." Seeing a young convert approach his bed, he said, "I can't preach to you now, but you see me here dying firm, and rejoicing in the faith I have preached to you." On seeing one weep by his bed, who gave no evidence of being a Christian, he said, "If you would go to heaven, if you would meet me where I trust I shall go, you must be born again." He exhorted all to seek the Lord, and said, he "would not exchange his interest in Christ for all the kingdoms of the earth, and a perfect restoration to health." One afternoon, after being exercised with severe pain, he became calm, and remained with his eyes fixed on the wall for about twenty minutes, and appeared to be in prayer, but so low, that but few words could be heard distinctly. He then shut his eyes, and fell into a sweet sleep; on being awaked to receive his medicine, he asked, "Did you hear the conversation just now?" Being answered no, he said, "I have been conversing with Heaven; you might have heard." To a person who came in, he said, "I have seen a vision; things not to be uttered." For five days before his death, he was able only to whisper, except once, when in a feeble manner he was heard to say, "I am just on the borders of eternity." His weeping partner answered, she hoped not: when, making an unusual effort, he raised his voice so loud as When actually dying, and unable to speak, he made signs to his fam tempted to write, but his hand was chilled by death, and the lines run into each other, so that nothing could be distinguished, except the last two words, which were, 66 NO TERROR !"" Thus died, on the 8th of April last, in the midst of life and of usefulness, having just completed his fiftieth year, this faithful, laborious servant of the Lord Jesus, leaving behind an amiable widow and eight children to mourn the loss of a faithful counsellor and guide. "Those who were well acquainted with Mr. Batchelder," says one who has been intimate with him for years, "could not but esteem him; for he possessed a very amiable and inoffensive disposition; united to manners at once dignified and conciliating. His deportment was correct and elevated, for his heart was the seat of manly and generous feelings, chastened and refined by the precepts of Christianity.Himself incapable of an unworthy action, he could look with silent disdain on the attacks of meanness and malevolence. Though rarely enjoying a full flow of health, he possessed great cheerfulness and equanimity of temper. His conversation was always agreeable and instructive; for he had read much, and his memory was in a high degree re, tentive and ready; scarce a subject could be suggested on which he could not throw some pleasing light, or impart some useful information. He was well acquainted with human nature, and possessed an uncommon share of prudence, so that he was never betrayed into a hasty action, or an inconsiderate expression of his feelings. kind solicitude and tender affection which governed his conduct as a |