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position and Delivery of a Sermon, and ten on Prayer. These lectures, although never printed, have had during the last thirty years a considerable circulation through MS. copies amongst students of theology. They abound in judicious observations, in references, the fruit of an extensive perusal of English divines and critics, and in illustrations of excellencies and defects in sermon-writing, taken from the works of writers of eminence. The introductory remarks may serve as a specimen: "In preaching, as in praying, there is an art, the knowledge and practice of which will greatly assist a preacher, making his duty more easy to himself and more profitable to his hearers."

"The first inquiry for a candidate for the pulpit is, What is the end of preaching and the final object of his profession? The end and object is the promotion of truth and virtue, and this is to be attained by instruction and persuasion.

"There are two abilities requisite (says Bishop Wilkins†) in every one that will teach and instruct another, a right understanding of sound doctrine, and an ability to propound, confirm and apply it unto the edification of others. And the first may be without the other: as a man may be a good lawyer and not a good pleader, so he may be a good divine and yet not a good preacher.' "Every man who pretends to instruct others owes it to his own character, and to the respect to which every other man is entitled, to fit himself for the work which he undertakes. And as there are many ways of doing the same thing, it behoves him to seek out the best and to observe it diligently.

"Much more is this the duty of a preacher, who is to be an example no less than a teacher of excellence, who is under a more peculiar responsibility to God Almighty, and whose employment is of such great importance, having reference to the souls of men and the solemn realities of eternity.

"No man ever excelled in a profession who did not estimate it highly and entertain a love of it. The best preachers have been also the most pious men, and the most shining examples of theological learning. Perhaps, too, it will be found that they who have written the best sermons were habitual readers of the sermons of others, and zealous admirers of the greatest masters in this department of letters.

"In a preacher, success will depend much upon his mind and character. What a learned foreign divine said of the English preaching may be said of all, Plus est in artifice quam in arte; so much of moment is there in the professors of any thing to depress or raise the profession.‡

"The knowledge of theology is the first qualification of a preacher, but every species of knowledge will be found serviceable to him. History will supply him with examples of moral truths, and attestations to the truths of religion; science will furnish him with proofs and illustrations of the Being and Providence of God; and even works of fancy will enkindle his genius, and enable him to enlighten and enliven the subjects of which he treats, and to clothe the plainest ideas with the beauties of imagination. Livy has a striking passage of the utility of all sorts of knowledge to a Greek warrior, Philopamen ;§ and a fine writer of our own remarks that Plutarch made use of all other authors, and mixed them up in his own style, which has thus a peculiar excellence,— like the Corinthian brass, which had in it various metals, and yet was a species by itself. In like manner, the divine may amass and amalgamate in his mind

Wilkins' Ecclesiastes, p. 1. 8vo, 1704.

+ Ut sup., p. 2.

The divine alluded to is Gaspar Streso. See South's Sermons, I. 158. § Erat autem Philopamen, &c. Liv., 1. 35, § 28.

|| Dryden, in Life of Plutarch prefixed to Plutarch's Lives, 8vo, I. 46. Sir Joshua Reynolds (who read amongst his earliest books this work of Dryden's; see Malone's Life of him, prefixed to his Works, 8vo, I. 7) uses very happily this same simile of the Corinthian brass to illustrate the necessity of an artist's stu

all sorts of knowledge, and appropriate and hallow every thought by consecrating it to the service of the sanctuary.

"There is a connection between knowledge in general and virtue; the connection is more close and obvious with regard to moral and theological knowledge. The motto of a learned and eminently pious and eloquent divine, Dr. Henry More, should be the motto of every preacher and student, Amor Dei, Lux Animæ.

"It is a remark of Lord Bacon's, that the sermons of our English divines contain a complete body of moral truth and practical wisdom. We may add, that they exhibit also a history of our language and even of our manners, and that they abound in examples of every kind of beauty of style. The study of them is of the first importance to a preacher, for let his original talents be what they may, it is only by setting before himself the best models that he can expect to avoid faults and to attain to excellence."

The following is a list of the young men who entered the Unitarian Academy, as students in theology, during its continuance under Mr. Aspland's roof:

When entered. 1812. Oct. 29.

Afterwards settled, &c.

John Hancock (Evesham).. did not pursue his studies more than one session.

Thos. Cooper (Framling-.. Moreton Hampstead, Jamaica,

ham)

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Hanley, Dorchester.

(Fails-..died, at Montauban, July 23,

1818, aged 25.

left the Academy November 11. Nantwich, Park Lane.

(Fails-..Moreton Hampstead.

Thomas Walker Horsfield.. Lewes, Taunton, Chowbent; died

(Sheffield)

G. Fletcher

August 26, 1837, aged 45.

Joseph Webb (Framling-did not pursue their studies long.

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1817.

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Frederick Horsfield (Shef-..continued his studies under Dr.
Morell. Cirencester.

field ......

Neil Walker (Dundee) .... Wisbeach.

Of these gentlemen, several are now performing their ministerial duties, and some are engaged in the education of the young, and the position occupied by most of them is honourable to themselves and to their Alma Mater. Of two of Mr. Aspland's pupils at the Academy, more especial mention may be indulged in, their death having done away in their case with that necessity for reserve which delicacy and sincerity impose on the biographer when alluding to the living.

Benjamin Goodier was the son of John Goodier and Sarah Taylor, his wife, who followed the occupation of weavers at Hollinwood, between Manchester and Oldham. He was the second of four children, and was born April 25, 1793. His father was a man of good sense

dying and incorporating all the styles of painting. Six Discourses on Painting, Works. I. 173. For the real history of the Corinthian brass, consult Dr. Jennings's little tract, entitled, An Introduction to the Study of Medals, p. 21.

and some literary cultivation.* For a time John Goodier conducted a day-school, but was compelled to give it up in consequence of the delicate health of his wife, who was unable to bear the noise of the children. At a very early period, Benjamin developed a sweet and gentle disposition, together with great talents for the acquisition of knowledge. His parents were members of the ancient Presbyterian chapel at Dob Lane, connected with which was a library, containing many books suitable for the young, which had been established in 1790 by Mr. Darbishire. Of this library young Benjamin Goodier made use before he was six years old; and so decided was his taste for literature, and so early matured his character, that he was in his twelfth year appointed librarian. He followed his father's trade of weaving, and notwithstanding scanty resources, often made still more scanty by sickness in the family, he found means to buy books, and to exercise habitual charity to the poor around him. Just as he was entering on manhood, an unfortunate accident, by which he was precipitated overhead in a mill-pond and narrowly escaped with life, brought on a severe attack of rheumatic fever, and probably gave a shock to his health from which his constitution never entirely recovered. Feeble as his frame was, his mind was zealous and strong in devising plans of usefulness and improvement. He established the Sunday-school at Dob Lane, and insti tuted in the same place a meeting for the improvement of the young, similar to that which he afterwards recommended for general adoption in the Christian Reformer, Vol. I. p. 307. His father thus describes the circumstances which led to his joining the Academy at Hackney:

"In 1812, he was very successfully engaged in conference meetings in the Woodhouses with the Methodists on doctrinal subjects, and afterwards with the preachers belonging to the New Jerusalem church at the same place; but in August the same year he was invited by them to their meeting in Manchester, at which he acquitted himself so much to the satisfaction of the Unitarian gentlemen who attended that meeting, that a subscription was entered into to send him to the Academy at Hackney."

During the months that intervened before this plan was carried into execution, he was enabled, by the kind assistance of the Rev. D. Jones, minister of Dob Lane, to conquer the elements of the Latin language. His residence at Hackney is remembered by the members of Mr. Aspland's family with deep and affectionate interest. The worth and loveliness of his character was instantly felt by his new associates. His progress in his studies was both rapid and sure. at this time frequent opportunities not only of observing, but also of assisting his progress, has thus described him:

One who had

"He was a rare example of great rapidity of mind united to indefatigable industry. Such was his progress in every study he entered upon, that all his tutors derived the highest gratification from instructing him. Whilst devoting his hours to the acquirement of science and of languages, the moral ends of these studies were never absent from his mind; nor did he content himself with gaining stores of knowledge, but already began to perform the duties of a Christian minister; he occasionally filled the pulpit, in various places, in a very acceptable manner, and many of our readers must recollect with pleasure the good sense, piety and acquaintance with the Holy Scriptures, apparent in

Of this the writer has before him most satisfactory evidence in a memoir (MS.) drawn up by him of his gifted and amiable son.

the speeches he made at the religious conferences carried on in the lectureroom of the Gravel-Pit meeting. His conversation in private society was not less interesting and instructive; he seemed to think every moment lost that was not employed on some useful subject; yet he had none of the harshness or pedantry which sometimes belongs to the hard student; he was constantly amusing as well as intellectual. He was equally admirable as a learner or a teacher: in company with persons whose judgment he revered, he would easily and unobtrusively lead to topics on which he hoped to gain information: when conversing with young children, of whom he was particularly fond, and who eagerly sought his society, he divested instruction of dulness; and even when listening to the silly arguments of a weak-minded disputant, he failed not to treat him with the patience and consideration due to every fellow-creature; for if the ludicrous absurdity of some remark forced a smile into his countenance, that smile was so full of candour and benignity, that it could scarcely hurt the feelings of him who had caused it. With all this gentleness and modesty, he possessed that manly independence of thought essential to the pursuit of truth: the writer of this article does not remember, on any other occasion, to have seen him look so indignant as in repeating a conversation in which it had been taken for granted, from the attachment he had expressed for his theological tutor, that he had adopted some religious opinion because it was believed by that gentleman.”

One or two extracts from his familiar letters will help, better than any formal description, to portray his life at Durham House. Writing soon after his arrival (May 8, 1813), he says,

"From what I have said, you may be sure that I find my situation as comfortable as I could expect. I have indeed a goodly heritage, but not so comfortable as home: politeness and civility reign in this family, but these are not so sweet to me as the openness and unceremonious friendship I have enjoyed at home. The chapel is a new and elegant building, with seats for about 700 persons. Last Sunday I received the Lord's Supper there: about a hundred persons stayed, which I am told is fewer than usual."

In June 1813, he thus writes:

"Before I came here, I sometimes heard the Academy called 'a hot-bed.' As a proof that this name is very applicable, I need only tell you, that on Sunday, 30th of May, I preached for the great man' (as he styles himself), Mr. Vidler, who was at that time making the greatest efforts to disseminate Unitarianism at Chatham. His chapel is in Parliament Court, Bishopsgate Street; the same in which the annual meetings of the Fund are held: it is a neat building, with galleries on three sides, capable of holding five hundred persons. On the opposite side to the pulpit is a small organ. The congregation was raised by Elhanan Winchester, the great Universalist preacher. Think what were my sensations when I stood up in that pulpit! For a raw, inexperienced country lad, who had scarcely been six weeks from home, to enter a London pulpit and address a congregation in which some powdered heads were assembled, was rather a bold undertaking. To stand in a pulpit which is regularly filled by such a man as Mr. Vidler, and which has been filled by such men as Aspland, Grundy, Wright, Winchester, &c., was an arduous undertaking; it made me tremble. My text was, 'What must I do to be saved?' Mr. A. sent my fellow-students with me to criticise a little, or rather, I should say, to see how I acquitted myself, and report to him accordingly. Their report was very favourable to me; I was not, however, contented with it; I wished to know what faults I had committed, or what blunders I had made, and was urgent with Mr. Cooper to tell me," &c.t

Mon. Repos., XIV. 70.

† See Mrs. Hornblower's interesting Memoir of Rev. B. Goodier, pp. 20, 21.

His first vacation he spent in missionary labours in the villages of Cambridgeshire, in supplying at Wisbeach for Mr. Wright, and in a missionary journey in company with that excellent man.

In the early part of the summer of 1814, there appeared some alarming symptoms of pectoral disease. By the earnest advice of Dr. Pett, he felt constrained to relax in his studies, and shortly after to leave the Academy. He found consolation in this distressing trial by devoting himself to the promotion of Unitarian worship at Oldham. He visited a number of towns and solicited subscriptions with such success, that a chapel was built at the cost of about £600, and was opened for public worship Jan. 4, 1816.

Indulging in the hope that his health would improve, he consented to accept the office of minister to this little congregation, so dear to him. He resided for some time in the family of a kind relative at Dukinfield, whose family he instructed. In the summer of 1816, he visited the Isle of Wight, intending to pass only a few months there, preaching to the congregation at Newport, and benefitting his health by the mildness of the climate. But he suffered a severe relapse, and was henceforth entirely disabled from public services. He spent portions of the following year with friends in Shropshire, Liverpool and Chester, who watched his declining strength with affectionate solicitude. From the house of Mr. Freme, of Liverpool, one of the kindest of his friends, he thus wrote, in the autumn of 1817, to Mrs. Mary Hughes:

"My good doctor (well he deserves the name) was too sanguine. I continue at present in much the same state as when Mr. Aspland was here, which was better than he seemed to expect to find me; had he stayed, I almost believe I should have been better still, for, as you say, his conversation is exhilarating in a very high degree. I could not but regret his very short stay with us,much too short, I think, for the importance of the place, where he is very little known, and where he needs only to be known to be admired and loved. After his departure, I was more and more disposed to lament the shortness of his visit, and to envy you the pleasure of his company. I had hoped to have some religious conversation with him; and, like another Boswell, had formed a plan of registering his almost every word, thinking that it might prove the last interview I should ever have with him. He talks so delightfully, and at the same time so rationally, on the character of God, the proofs of his essential and universal goodness, and on the Christian's hope in death, that his conversation on these subjects is valuable to all, but especially valuable to me, struggling very likely myself with a disease that generally proves fatal. To be deprived of so good an opportunity for improvement in heavenly-mindedness was indeed a serious disappointment; however, I hope that my loss was a gain to him, and that his excursion in North Wales tended to establish him in that health which was so necessary for the discharge of his important duties.”

The deep-seated disease which had deprived him of his strength was still making fatal progress. Before the close of 1817, he was ordered by his medical advisers to proceed to the South of France. He found a temporary home at Bordeaux, and thence proceeded to Montauban. Here he lived long enough to create in the minds of many persons who had the privilege of his acquaintance, a deep interest; but died, after enduring sufferings of the severest kind with the sweetest patience, on July 23, 1818. Such was the respect and affection which his gentle virtues and Christian piety had created, that his remains were followed to the grave, not only by all the resident English of the place, but by all the Professors of the College, by the students, and by the Protestant

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