John? Newman? From an original Painting InD'Williams's Library Red Cross Street. Publish March, 11809 by Marwell & Wilson Skinner Street SALTERS-HALL.English Presbyterian. JOHN NEWMAN.-This worthy minister was a native of Oxfordshire, and born about the year 1676. He received his grammar-learning under the Rev. Samuel Chapman, a worthy nonconformist minister, who had been ejected from Yoxford, in Suffolk. In his youth, he discovered a deep sense of religion, was remarkable for his grave deportment, and frequently called his school-fellows together for private prayer, and religious instruction. At a proper age, he was placed under the care of the Rev. John Woodhouse, at Sheriff-hales, in Leicestershire, under whom he pursued a course of studies for the ministry, among Protestant Dis senters. At about nineteen years of age, he came up to London, and preached a short time as assistant to the Rev. Joseph Read, at a meeting-house in Bloomsbury, where he was soon noticed as a very promising young minister. Upon the death of the Rev. Richard Mayo, he was chosen assistant to the Rev. Nathaniel Taylor, about 1696; being introduced to the congregation at Salters'-Hall, to whom he was an entire stranger, by Mr. Alderman Dolins, and after preaching a short time with general approbation, he was chosen with little or no opposition. On the 20th of October, 1697, he was ordained to the ministerial office, to which he gave himself up with great cheerfulness and devo Ministers, of whom Mr. Tong was one. 1719-8. A Sermon, preached at Little St. Helen's, to the Society attending the Lord's-Day Morning Lecture, on the 28th of May, 1722, being the Birth-day of King George I.Also several Funeral Sermons, as 1. For the Rev. Thomas Shewell, M. A. Matt. xxiv. 46. 1693.-2. Rev. Samuel Slater, 2 Kings, ii. 9, 10. 1704.— 9. Rev. S. Slaughter, 1706.-4. Rev. Francis Glascock, Dan. xii. 13. 1706.-5. Mrs. Ann Warner, late Wife of Mr. John Warner, and Daughter of the Rev. John Shower, Psa. lxxiii. 26. 1707—6. Rev. Matthew Henry. John xiii. 36. 1714.-7. Rev. John Shower, 2 Tim. iv. 7, 8. 1715.-8. Rev. Thomas Freke, 2 Cor. iv. 7. 1716.-9. Mrs. Elizabeth Bury, Wife of the Rev. Samuel Bury, 2 Tim. i. 12. 1720. Mr. Tong, also, wrote several recommendatory Prefaces to the Writings of others. VOL. II. SALTERS-HALL-English Presbyterian. tion. Upon the death of Mr. Taylor, and the choice of Mr. Tong, to fill the pastoral office, Mr. Newman continued for some years to assist the last worthy minister, who always heard him with great attention and satisfaction, and from a just regard to his real worth, and long and diligent services proposed that he should be united with him in the pastoral office. This proposal met with acceptance from the church, and Mr. Newman was accordingly chosen about the year 1716. At his first appearance in public, he was a very popular preacher, and for many years together, delivered long and front laboured sermons to a crouded audience, without any notes to assist his memory. Wherever he preached, he attracted a large congregation, and was esteemed one of the most celebrated preachers about London. This procured him to be chosen into several lectures of repute. In the beginning of the eighteenth century, when a course of sermons was delivered on a Friday evening, at the Weigh-house meeting, in Little Eastcheap, on psalmody, and some other subjects, Mr. Newman was one of the six ministers chosen to conduct this service. He was also chosen into the Merchants' lecture on a Tuesday morning, at Salters'-Hall, in the room of Mr. Robinson, in 1724. Towards the latter end of his life, his popularity is said to have declined; but when we consider the fickleness of mankind, this is not at all surprising, and was no diminution of his real worth. On the contrary, as he advanced in years, and his congregation decreased, he is said to have preached better sermons. During the long period of forty-five years that he filled the pulpit at Salters'-Hall, he supported the ministerial character with reputation to himself, and usefulness to his people. Mr. Newman's removal from our world was not preceded by a tedious confinement, nor by any wasting sickness; but his passage out of it was easy; and he was dead before many of his friends heard so much as of his sickness. The SALTERS'-HALL.-English Presbyterian. Lord's-day preceding his decease, he was in the pulpit, and in his usual health; but a severe disease seizing him with great violence, carried him off in a few days, on the 25th of July, 1741, in the 65th year of his age. The celebrated Dr. Doddridge, who was then in London, and his intimate friend, delivered the address at his interment in Bunhillfields, July 31; and on the following Lord's-day, August 2, the Rev. John Barker, preached his funeral sermon, at Salters'-Hall, from John xviii. 11. The cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it. Mr. Newman was a Divine of considerable attainments, well skilled in polemical divinity, and a smart disputant. He was an excellent, judicious, practical preacher; his sermons well composed and digested; full of good matter; and adapted to instruct, establish, and comfort his hearers. He had an admirable method of reaching the conscience, and exposing the secret devices of the human heart. In visiting the sick he was frequent, tender, and affectionate. It was remarked as a great excellency in the character of this good man, that he not only fed his flock with wholesome food, but was often at their houses, and by the side of their sick-beds, giving wise advice, and praying with them on such occasions; " which service (says Mr. Barker) I myself remember with pleasure and gratitude, in a dangerous illness, he performed for me with remarkable seriousness and affection, and with peculiar and distinguishing propriety and enlargement." His own behaviour under affliction was decent and exemplary. When exercised with severe trials, he uttered no intemperate complaint, but patiently submitted to the rod of his heavenly Father. He was not without his fears, temptations, and hours of darkness; but in the midst of them displayed the temper of a regular and eminent Christian. His concern for the truth and importance of the peculiar and distinguishing doctrines of our religion, excited the utmost grief, when he observed the gospel of the grace of God so much depreciated and |