BARBICAN-Independent. but after the accession of the present minister, the place was thoroughly repaired, and the back gallery taken down. This was a considerable improvement, and has given the place a larger appearance. The society assembling there, which is of the Independent denomination, originated in a separation from the church in Jewin-street, after the death of Mr. Hart, in 1768. Those who disapproved of the choice of Mr. Hughes for his successor, withdrew, and assembled a short time for public worship, at a private house in Noblestreet, where they chose Mr. Towers for their minister. In 1769, they took a lease of the ancient meeting-house in Bartholomew-Close, and entered upon it at the Midsummer in that year. They continued at that place exactly fifteen years, and at Midsummer 1784, removed into the above meeting-house in Barbican, which they had erected for their own use. At the time of the separation, there were only thirteen members; but Mr. Towers was successful in raising a flourishing church, and left behind him, at his death, upwards of two hundred. From respect to the memory of Mr. Hart, he adopted his hymns in public worship, in conjunction with those of Dr. Watts. This church has been lately taken upon the Independent board. It has had but the two following pastors: JOHN TOWERS.-This excellent and useful minister was born about the year 1747, in the borough of Southwark. In the early part of his life he entered the sea serviee; but at the solicitation of his parents he left it, after making two or three voyages, one to Greenland, the others to the West Indies. He was then apprenticed to a packer, BARBICAN.Independent. in Turnwheel-lane, Cannon-street. Here it was that his extraordinary abilities began to shew themselves; for long before the expiration of his indenture, he discovered a serious regard for religion, and at his vacant hours, employed himself most indefatigably in the study of the Holy Scriptures, both in the original and vulgar tongues. In a short time he became acquainted with the various readings, both Jewish and Christian, and was esteemed a judicious critic of the Hebrew Bible. Mr. Towers began to preach very early in life, we have been told before the expiration of his apprenticeship, which obtained him the appellation of "The London Apprentice.' His piety, zeal, and acquirements attracted the attention of several persons who were members of the Independent church in Jewin-street. Having lost their excellent pastor, Mr. Joseph Hart, who was of the Poedo-Baptist denomination, his brother-in-law, Mr. John Hughes, a worthy minisier among the Baptists, was chosen his successor, which occasioned a division in the society. Those persons who withdrew, invited our young preacher to officiate to them for a few Sundays; and after due consideration, solicited him to undertake the office of pastor. This he accepted, and was ordained at the meeting-house in BartholomewClose, in the year 1769. Mr. Towers' youth, eloquence, and criticism, added to the solemnity of his addresses, drew vast numbers to hear him, and he soon had a flourishing church and congregation. After continuing fifteen years at Bartholomew-Close, his people erected a new meeting-house in Barbican, to which place they removed in the summer of 1784. Here, for the space of twenty years, he continued the faithful and vigilant pastor of a numerous and happy society. Soon after his entrance on the pastoral office, Mr. Towers married his first wife, a worthy and amiable woman; and, that he might not be burthensome to his friends, he opened a day-school, in the vestry-room of his meeting. Here, BARBICAN.Independent. likewise, his diligence and attention to his duty were highly honourable to him, many of his pupils, now respectable tradesmen, are living to bear testimony of his regard to their religion and morals, as well as to fit them for the middle class of society. This useful employment of a Christianschoolmaster, soon after his second marriage, his health preventing him from attending to as he could have wished, upon medical advice, he gave up. Mr. Towers' labours were continued with this society for the long space of thirty-four years, and during that time he was highly esteemed by his people, and his labours rendered eminently successful. He was called home to his reward at by no means an old age; being but fifty-seven when he died. This event, happy for himself, but melancholy for his numerous connexions, took place on the 9th of July, 1804. the 17th of the same month, his corpse was conveyed from his meeting-house in Barbican, attended by a long train of friends, and the carriage of Sir William Staines, late LordMayor of London, who was his firm friend and patron, and decently interred in Bunhill-Fields burial-ground. The Rev. Alexander Waugh delivered a solemn address at the grave, to an immense concourse of persons that attended. It being noticed by a person present, What a great multitude of poor surrounded the grave? it was justly remarked, That this excited no wonder; as there was scarcely a cellar, or a garret, around the neighbourhood, where human misery resided, that he had not visited, relieving the indigent and distressed to the utmost of his power. Mr. Towers had the rare felicity of being followed to his grave by the tears of the poor. His funeral sermon was preached by the Rev. W. F. Platt; but not published. Mr. Towers' character was truly amiable and respectable. Really devoted to the sacred function of a minister of the gospel, he appeared in it with great zeal, diligence, and success. In his views of the doctrines of the gospel, he VOL. III. GG BARBICAN.Independent. must be ranked with the Calvinists; but he was no blind follower of Calvin, nor of any other master in Israel. The scriptures alone, as contained in the Old and New Testaments, were his standard of divine truth; all his doctrines, motives, and exhortations were drawn from thence. Hence his judicious reasonings in casuistical divinity. As a preacher, we have already seen that at his first setting out, he was amazingly popular; and he retained much of his popularity to the last. There was, indeed, a certain awkwardness in his action, and sometimes in his voice, which would give offence to a nice critic on pulpit oratory; but this was abundantly made up to those who pay less regard to those external circumstances, by the zeal and simplicity which characterized his pulpit performances. There was no act of kindness which this worthy man did not embrace, by his attention to the poor and distressed, for miles round the metropolis. In the several hospitals, prisons, and workhouses, within the sphere of his ability, he admonished, comforted, and instructed the poor inhabitants in the great truths contained in the scriptures; and with sedulous concern he watched over the poor children who attended his catechising. Mr. Towers was a firm Protestant Dissenter, and a steady advocate for our civil and religious liberties as settled at the glorious revolution. His love for the Protestant succession in the illustrious House of Brunswick, as centering in our venerable monarch, he manifested upon all occasions; and was of great service to the government when the wild, confused publications of Paine were distributed, in small tracts, among the lower classes. He attacked them with great success; and was the happy instrument of convincing many of the scepticism of these schemes, both as they related to the Christian church, and to the British government. Mr. Towers's publications consist of, An Answer to Mr. Madan's "Thelephora," and a few single sermons. Four of these are upon funeral occasions, and for the following BARBICAN.- -Independent. persons: the Rev. Thomas Chorlton, 1774; Mr. Joseph Jackson, 1792; Mr. John Fonton, 1794; and the Rev. Thomas Markinson Morton, 1801. It should not be forgotten that Mr. Towers was brother to the late learned Dr. Joseph Towers, whose life will, probably, occupy a place in this work.* Upon Mr. Towers' tomb-stone, in Bunhill-Fields, is the following inscription: In Memory of The Rev. JOHN TOWERS, 34 years pastor Of the Independent Congregation In Barbican, Who died July 9th, 1801, JOHN GORE.-Mr. Towers was succeeded, after a lapse of several months, by the Rev. John Gore, who received his education at Hoxton academy, and commenced preacher about the year 1796. He laboured first at Sandwich, in Kent, where, after two years, a society was formed, over which he was ordained pastor, in the old Presbyterian meeting-house, May 16, 1798. There he continued till the beginning of the year 1805, when he removed to London, upon an invitation from the Barbican society. The union took place in February, and he was publicly set apart to the work of a pastor, June 5, 1805. Mr. Buck prayed, and read the scriptures; Mr. Townsend delivered an introductory discourse; Mr. Simpson prayed; Mr. Burder gave the charge; Mr. Boden, of Sheffield, preached to the people; and Mr. George Clayton, concluded the service. • Gent. Mag. for July, 1804,-and Private Information. |