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MEMOIR OF THE LATE REV. JOHN RYLAND, D. D.

IT has often been remarked that || perused with affectionate interest the lives of men who have been by many to whom, for his great principally occupied in the study Master's sake, the subject of our and the pulpit, furnish but scanty narrative was justly dear. materials for the biographer, and The late Dr. Ryland had the supply very little to awaken in-honour of descending from a famiterest or gratify curiosity. While ly, who, through several generathe truth of this remark must gen- tions, were eminent for piety. His erally be admitted, it would prove great-grandfather, John Ryland, that we little understood the most lived at Hinton on the Green, valuable ends of biography, if, on Warwickshire, and was a member this account, eminent and holy of the Baptist Church at Alcester, men were suffered to descend to now under the pastoral care of the the grave without some tribute to Rev. Joseph Price. His son Jotheir memory-some grateful rec-seph Ryland, resided near Stow ord to the honour of that grace on the Wold, Gloucestershire, and which made them what they were. married Freelove Collett, a most In the case of the venerable saint excellent woman, whose family whose likeness appears in our pre-were highly esteemed among the sent number, this duty has in part Dissenters in that part of the been discharged, as our readers kingdom. Their son, John (the are aware, in the admirable discourse delivered on the occasion of his decease, by the Rev. Robert Hall; and we shall now proceed to relate such farther particulars, respecting our deceased friend, as have come to our knowledge, fully persuaded, that however defective the account may be, it will be AUGUST, 1826.

father of the Doctor) was born in 1723. His earlier days were spent in folly and sin, but he became the subject of a saving change about the eighteenth year of his age, and joined the church at Bourton on the water, of which the venerable Benjamin Beddome was then pastor. As it was soon dis

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covered that he possessed talents || successfully cultivated by his fathfor public usefulness, he was plac-er, that, when only five years old, ed under the tuition of the rever- he read the 23d Psalm in Hebrew end and learned Bernard Foskett, to the celebrated Hervey; and, at that time President of the besides making considerable proacademy at Bristol, and pursued gress in Latin and French, had his studies there with great dili-gone through the Greek Testament gence and success. On leaving before he completed his ninth year. the academy, he supplied the Thus early did he lay the foundachurch at Warwick, then desti- tion of that familiar and critical tute, and after preaching to them acquaintance with the originals of for about four years, was ordained the Sacred Volume, which was, their pastor on the 26th of July, through a long succession of years, 1750. From thence, he removed a source of so much pleasure to to Northampton, October, 1759, himself and instruction to other. where he was very useful, for many It may, however, be reasonably years, as a pastor and instructer of questioned, whether such close apyouth; till, in the year 1786, he plication to study at so tender an resigned to his son, who had for age did not materially repress that some time been associated with natural vigour and buoyancy of him, in the pastoral office, the spirits, a portion of which, in whole care of the church, and re- youth, seems essential to the detired to Enfield, near London, velopement of decision and fortiwhere he expired, rejoicing in his tude in after-life. Saviour, July 24th, 1792, in the 69th of his age. year

Soon after Mr. Ryland's ordination at Warwick, he married Elizabeth, the only child of Mr. Sam uel Frith, of that town. They had five children, one of whom died young the rest were all spared to reach the decline of life, though one only now survives-the Hon. Herman Witsius Ryland, who went to Canada many years since as Secretary to the Governor, Lord Dartmouth, and is now a Member of the Upper House of Legislature in that province.

Of this family, John was the eldest. He was born January 29th, 1753, in the parsonage-house, belonging to the great Church in Warwick, which his father had taken of the rector, Dr. Tate. Before he could speak, he had been taught to distinguish all the letters of the alphabet, by the assiduity of his nurse, who used to take him into the church-yard, and point them out on the tomb-stones; and from his earliest childhood, he preferred reading to play. This disposition was so promptly and

While Mr. Ryland was witnessing with pleasure the rapid progress of his son in the various branches of a liberal education, he was favoured to observe in him, that which would fill his heart with far greater delight-the symptoms of genuine piety. About his thirteenth year he became deeply impressed with religious concern, and on the 13th September, 1767, was baptized on a profession of faith, by his father, in the river Nen. Mr. Joseph Dent, afterwards his brother-in-law, and Mr. William Button, then a pupil of Mr. Ryland's, and subsequently pastor of the Baptist Church in Dean Street, Southwark, were baptized at the same time. The latter of these good men finished his course a few years since; but Mr. Dent remains an honourable member and esteemed deacon of the Church at Northampton to this day.

Soon after his baptism, young Mr. Ryland was induced to address his father's pupils on the momentous truths of religion; and after he had continued this practice for some time, it led, by a

natural and easy gradation, to the conviction of their scriptural auexercise of his ministerial gifts in thority, those views on that suba more public way. His first pro-ject, so clearly laid down in the bationary sermon before the church works of his reverend friend Anwas delivered May 3, 1770, from drew Fuller. For the light which Jeremiah xxxi. 9. From this pe- had enabled him to explore this riod he continued for several province of theological truth, he years, assisting his father in the was indebted, instrumentally, to pulpit as well as in the school-the writings of the justly celebratroom, and zealously engaged in proclaiming the gospel in the villages round Northampton, where his labours are still remembered

with grateful respect In 1781,

ed Jonathan Edwards, and others of that class, with which he became acquainted about the year 1775. It is generally known that a thorough congeniality of sentiment on these topics did much towards cementing that cordial union which subsisted so long be

ler; and which led them, after several years of intimacy, to combine in founding the "Particular Baptist Society for propagating the Gospel among the Heathen"an enterprize which will ever shed an imperishable glory upon their names.

he was called to the office of copastor; and on the removal of his father, five years after, to the neighbourhood of the metropolis,tween Ryland, Sutcliff, and Fulthe entire care of that large church and congregation devolved upon him. In this important station he continued, till the voice of Providence summoned him to a sphere of still greater usefulness, in which he was destined long to continue, a blessing of no small value to the churches, and to the William Carey, of whom we are world. As to the manner in now naturally reminded, had been which he conducted himself during baptized by Mr. Ryland, in the his residence at Northampton, river Nen, in the year 1783, soon many yet living can testify how after the latter had become the holily and justly, and unblameably colleague of his father. This he behaved himself among them. young man, then 21 years of age, Few men, entering so early into was at that time labouring to prothe ministry, have exemplified more cure a scanty livelihood as a jourfully the parental admonition of neyman shoemaker. About four the apostle to his beloved Timo-years afterwards, he was chosen thy, Let no man despise thy pastor of the church at Moulton, youth: but be thou an example of near Northampton, where his zealthe believers in word, in conous labours so enlarged the congreversation, in charity, in spirit, in gation, that it became necessafaith, in purity. ry to erect a more commodious At the commencement of his place of worship. As his people religious course, Mr. Ryland was could raise their pastor only £10 much attached to the writings of or £11 per annum, it was reJohn Brine, who had been the quisite to collect for their meeting personal friend of his father, and elsewhere; and while at Birminghe adopted the views of that emi- ham on this errand, Mr. Carey nent man on what was currently could not refrain from conversing styled the Modern Question; but on the state of the heathen, and several years before he assumed the importance and practicability the pastoral office, he saw reason of sending them the gospel. to alter his sentiments on this generous friend in that town, who much-controverted point, and ever is yet living, struck with the inafter maintained, with the fullest formation Mr. Carey had acquir

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ed, and the ardour he displayed sion. o endure, between long cheron the subject, urged him to pre-ished attachments and a sense of pare his thoughts for publication, duty, he yielded to their unanimous accompanying the request with an invitation, and removed, with his offer of ten pounds towards the family, to Bristol, in December, expense. On his return home, 1793. A public service, recognizMr. Carey met his three friends, ing his union with the church at Fuller, Sutcliff, and Ryland at Broadmead, was held on the 15th Northampton, and communicated of May following, in which Messrs. to them what had passed. He im- Francis of Horsley, Kingdon of portuned one of them to under- Frome, Clarke of Exeter, and take the publication in his stead; Tommas of the Pithay-men all but as they severally declined it, venerable and beloved in their day, he fulfilled the task himself soon but long since gathered to their after by sending his "Enquiry" fathers, took part. One minister to the press; which being follow-only survives, (Rev. J. Hughes M. ed up by the sermons of Sutcliff and Fuller at Clipston, in April 1791, and the Circular Letter to the Northamptonshire Association, on Godly Zeal,' by Mr. Ryland, in the succeeding year, issued in the formation of the society at Kettering, Oct. 2, 1792.

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A. of Battersea,) who united in that service, and for him it was reserved to attend the funeral solemnity of his venerable friend in the place where, more than thirty years before, he had solemnly implored the divine benediction on the commencement of his labours.

A few months after Dr. Ryland fixed his residence at Bristol, he received the first letters which had arrived from Carey and Thomas in Bengal, and the intelligence they contained was so cheering, that he longed to communicate it as widely as possible. The Rev. David Bogue of Gosport, and-Ste

Scarcely had Mr. (now Dr.) Ryland assisted in laying the foundation of the Baptist Mission, ere he was called to a distant part of the kingdom, and fixed, for the remainder of his life, in the precise spot where he could most effectually serve the Society: not merely by exerting his influence through a wide and most respecta-ven, then of London, being at that ble circle, but by infusing a portion of his own spirit into the rising generation of our ministers, and thus providing, in the surest manner, for its perpetuity and

extension.

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time supplying at the Tabernacle, were invited to meet a few friends at the Doctor's house on this interesting occasion; and when, after uniting in prayer and praise, these worthy ministers returned to Dr. Caleb Evans, the amiable their lodgings, they mutually exand excellent pastor of the church pressed their desires to set in the Broadmead, Bristol, and foot a Missionary Society among President of the Baptist academy their connexions likewise. About in that city, had been removed by the same time, Dr. Edward Wildeath in August, 1791, and the at-liams, then of Birmingham, and tention of his bereaved friends was other pædobaptist ministers of soon directed towards Northamp- that district, were imbibing a simton for a successor. In comilar spirit; and the result of these pliance with their solicitations, Dr. concurrent trains of thought and Ryland paid them a visit for a feeling was one in which ages unmonth at Christmas, 1792, and after born will have to rejoice-the esa painful struggle, such as many a tablishment of the London Misconscientious and honourable mind sionary Society in September, has been called, on a similar occa- 1795.

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