Memoir of

THE REV. EDWARD PARSONS, MINISTER AT SALEM CHAPEL, LEEDS.

(With a Portrait.)

LITTLE, we believe, is known of the early life and relative connexions of this very respectable and highly esteemed minister of the gospel of Christ. The compiler of a "Dictionary of Living Authors," published some years ago, by Colbourn, informs us, on what authority we know not, that he was in youth a butcher, in Whitechapel, London. Be this as it may, he was, no doubt, one of a number of young men, several of whom have proved eminently useful, who were initiated into the work of the ministry, rather than educated, by the late excellent Countess of Huntington, at Trevecca, in South Wales.

The Rev. John Edwards, who had seceded from the Rev. John Westley, and for whom the Whitechapel in Leeds, had been erected, having become infirm, Mr. PARSONS, at that time not much beyond the age of twenty, in the year 1785, was chosen to assist him. Mr. Edwards soon after died, when Mr. Parsons became sole pastor.

With many who became Dissenters about this time, little attention was paid to what is generally called the Independent mode of church government; and whether it arose from some circumstance of this kind, either on the part of Mr. Parsons, or on the part of some of his leading people, we know not; but certain it is, that the connexion was not of very long continuance. A division took place, and the chapel, mentioned at the head of this paper, was built in the neighbourhood of the old one, a circumstance, we think, to be regretted, as the situation was not good, and it was calculated to keep alive those bickerings, which, especially with little minds, are almost always cherished, after separations of this description.

Salem-chapel was first opened for public worship, towards the close of the summer of 1791; and whatever may have been the unpleasantness attending its 121.-VOL. XI.

[1829.

origin, He who is continually educing good from evil, has, no doubt, for a long series of years, been rendering the occurrence highly conducive to the interests of religion, in the populous and important town of Leeds. Salem chapel has always been well attended, and few ministers, whatever may have been their early advantages, have kept up their popularity, in one place, for so long a period of time as Mr. Parsons has. For many years he has had a large society under his pastoral care, from whence have proceeded nearly twenty young men, who are now labouring in the work of the ministry, in different parts of the vineyard of Christ.

For nearly forty years, till prevented last summer by the infirmities of age, and other causes, Mr. Parsons had been an annual visitor at the Tabernacle and Tottenham-court chapels in this metropolis, where his services were always highly acceptable.

Mr. Parsons has published nothing of his own, that we know of, beyond single sermons, and one pamphlet. The following list contains all with which we are acquainted :

1. "The Sovereignty of Providence ;" a sermon preached at Whitechapel, Leeds, on Sunday the second of January, 1791. The substance of this sermon, we are told in a short preface, was suggested by a then recent family bereavement; alluding, it is probable, to the death of his first wife, to whom, it appears, he was united only a very short time.

2. "The Loss of the Righteous lamented and improved;" a sermon preached August the 10th, 1794, to a congregation of Dissenters, (Particular Baptists,) at Ebenezer chapel, Leeds, on the death of the Rev. William Price, their late pastor.

3. "A Vindication of the Dissenters against the Charge of Democratic Scheming" three letters to the Rev. W. Atkinson, of Bradford, author of A candid Inquiry into the Democratic Schemes of the Dissenters,' &c. The first of these letters appeared in a provincial newspaper, with the signature VINDEX.' The Vindication was enlarged, and repeatedly

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published in a separate form. The third edition, which is dated January 1st, 1802, contains an Appendix, in which the reverend calumniator is made to appear in the character of a felo-de-se. Throughout Mr. Parson's pamphlet, the low scurrility of this candid inquirer is treated with that self-possession, and that dignified sarcasm, which we believe are characteristic, and which must have given him a decided advantage over an opponent so indiscreet and violent.

4. A Sermon, preached May the 20th, 1804, at the Independent chapel, in Blackburn, on the sudden Death of the Rev. James M'Quhae.

5. "The Temper of Jesus towards the Afflicted;" a sermon preached at Salem chapel, Leeds, February 24, 1805.

sermon

6. "The True Patriot;" a preached at Salem chapel, Leeds, on the Fast-day, Wednesday, February 8, 1809.

7. A just Estimate of Man, the Rule of Christian Duty;" a sermon on the much lamented death of Mr. Robert Patterson, at Bongate-gate chapel, Alnwick, Northumberland, January 5, 1812.

8. "The Personal Glory of Believers at the Resurrection;" the substance of a sermon delivered at High-street chapel, Lancaster, occasioned by the death of Mrs. Dawson, who suddenly departed this life on the second of December, 1826.*

The ordination of ministers among the Independents, is, in general, an interesting service. On these occasions, the elders, and more judicious pastors, are mostly selected, to address the people, and to give a word of exhortation to the newly-chosen minister. Mr. Parsons, as might have been expected, has often been engaged in services of this kind; and the following charges to ministers, and sermons, delivered by him, have been published, in company with the compositions of other respectable individuals of the same denomination :

A Charge at the Ordination of the Rev. Samuel Wydown, at York, April 18, 1797.

A Sermon to the church and congregation, at the Ordination of the Rev. Samuel Bradley, at Doncaster, Sept. 17, 1800.

A Charge at the Ordination of the Rev. Edward Parsons, his eldest son, at Halifax. A Charge at the Ordination of the Rev. James Parsons, his second son, at York,† October 24, 1822.

A Sermon to the people at the Ordination

An excellent Memoir of this Lady, had been published under the superintendency of the Rev. W. C. Wilson.

This is a revived interest of great mportance.

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of the Rev. Joseph Fox, at Hull, March 21, 1827.

The following extracts, taken from two of the discourses mentioned above, will convey, we think, a very favourable and very just idea of the faithfulness which distinguishes the public ministrations of Mr. Parsons. The former is addressed to ministers, and the latter to hearers :

"It is an awful fact, that the work of the ministry, as it is sometimes pursued, precludes all due attention to personal religion; and is not unfrequently suffered to interfere with the private and domestic exercises of devotion. The man who is religious only in the pulpit, should never be seen there. For his own sake, he had better choose some other profession or calling, and no longer expose himself to the fearful consequences of preaching an unknown gospel. *****

"Paul preached and wrote under an abiding sense and savour of the grace displayed in his own conversion, and call to the ministry. This inspired the eloquence that made kings tremble on their thrones,the eloquence that flashed with such mighty and irresistible conviction upon the long obdurate conscience,-the eloquence that brought the ineffable glories of atoning love to the view of the self-condemned sinner, the eloquence that carried light, and peace, and consolation, and joy, and triumph, through scenes of darkness, confusion, and woe, and that exclusively terminated in the exaltation and glory of God the Saviour."-Charge at the Ordination of the Rev. J. Parsons, p. 38 and 39.

"In addition to all these particulars, the subjects of grace should seek mutual edification in their social intercourse with one another. The neglect of such intercourse is the subject of general and just com. plaint. There are churches, the members of which have no intercourse but when they assemble at the stated seasons of worship. I, of course, except those who are occasionally brought together by other connexions and circumstances; and, also, the few who may meet in an annual or occasional party;-a party often including the greatest contrariety of sentiment and character the neighbourhood could afford ;—a party, to be distinguished in little or nothing from the gay associations of the world, but by the absence of the cardtable;- -a party, in which it becomes a matter of courtesy to avoid all conversation upon the subject of religion, and the high interests of our church union;—a party, the entertainment of which incurs useless expenditure, and the display of