he was put apprentice to a cow-farrier, in which occupation he is said to have excelled, on account of his activity, and great bodily strength. Relly was a wild ungovernable youth, and addicted to bad company. The occasion of his reformation is said to have been as follows. On a certain Sunday, he agreed with some other lads of his own stamp, to go and hear Mr. Whitefield preach, that he might have an opportunity of laughing at the Methodists. They commenced their sport by making a noise, and ridiculing the preacher, to the disturbance of the congregation. At length, Mr. Whitefield's discourse, which was delivered with his usual energy, so rivetted the attention of young Relly, that, when his companions wished him to retire, he resolved to stay behind, and from that time became serious. He now had many conflicts with himself, on his past life and future expectations.

Mr. Relly having formed an acquaintance with Mr. Whitefield, became one of his most strenuous supporters; and, in a little time, commenced preacher. His first stated ministeral charge was at Ridllangiregg, near Nasboth, in South-Wales, where he continued to preach some years. During his residence at this place, he took frequent journies to Bristol; and, on his way, would often stop at Kingswood, and other places, to discourse with the colliers. At this period he was extremely popular; but a separation taking place between him and Mr. Whitefield, gave a new turn to his connexions. This breach has been attributed by Mr. Relly's followers, to jealousy on the part of Mr. Whitefield; but the character of that great man was formed upon principles of too noble and disinterested a nature, to admit of so degrading an idea. It was probably occasioned by an alteration in Mr. Relly's sentiments.

After this affair, Mr. Relly came to London, where he soon united himself with the Universalists. His first preaching-place, as far as we are acquainted, was Coach-Makers' Hall, where he had a numerous congregation. Notwith

CROSBY-SQUARE-Rellyanists.

standing the size of the place, which was far from being small, the court-yard was often filled with hearers; and his voice was so powerful, as well as impressive, that it was capable of being heard at a great distance. At this time, he wrote several of his books; and his preaching and writings created no small stir in the religious world. A variety of persons attacked his peculiar sentiments, which they considered to be direct Antinomianism; and the founder of the sect was charged with many scandalous practices. The term Antinomian is said to have been first applied to him by Mr. John Wesley, and it has been fixed upon his followers ever since. The odium attached to his opinions, on account of the immoral tendency which they were represented to have, produced a great influence upon his followers, who gradually deserted him till he had but few left. In process of time, he took the meeting-house, in Bartholomew-Close,where he continued till the expiration of the lease, at Midsummer, 1769; soon after which he removed into the old meetinghouse in Crosby-Square, where he continued to preach till his death, which took place on the 25th of April, 1778, in the 58th year of his age. His remains were interred in the Baptist burial-ground, Maze-Pond, Southwark, where a neat monument is erected to his memory. There were two elegies written upon his death; one by the late Mr. Barrow-the other by Mrs. Mary Burton. He left a widow and one daughter, who is still living, and the mother of a numerous family.

James Relly was a man of plain rough manners, but of strong natural abilities, and of a generous disposition. Concerning the nature and tendency of his principles, it is probable that most of our readers have formed their opinions. He believed that Christ as a Mediator was so united, to mankind, that his actions was theirs, his obedience and sufferings theirs; and, consequently, that he has as fully restored the whole human race to the Divine favour, as if all had obeyed or suffered in their own persons; and, upon this persuasion, he preached a finished salvation, called by

CROSBY-SQUARE. Rellyanists.

the apostle Jude, The common Salvation. By this, Relly understood the final restitution of all fallen intelligences. He published a variety of pieces in defence of his peculiar sentiments, of which a complete catalogue shall be inserted in the note below. (P) There are two portraits of him; one engraved by June the other by Sylvester Harding.

We shall close this account of Mr. Relly, with the inscription upon his tomb-stone in Maze-Pond burialground:

Beneath this Stone are deposited the Remains of
Mr. JAMES RELLY,

Who departed this life, April 25th, 1778,
Aged 56 years.

Being honoured with a divine commission

To Preach the Glad Tidings of the Great Salvation
To all People,

He made full proof of his ministry,
By endeavouring to rejoice the minds of mea
With Heavenly Truth,

Knowing, with the Apostle, what it was
To be an Ambassador of Christ,
By Honour and Dishonour,
By evil Report and good Report,
As Deceivers and yet True,
As Unknown, yet Well Known,
As dying and behold we live,

As chastened yet not killed,

As sorrowful yet always rejoicing,
As poor yet making many rich,

As having nothing, and yet possessing all things,

2 Cor. vi. 8-10.

(c) 1. Remarks on a pamphlet, entitled, "A Dialogue between a True Methodist and an Erroneous Methodist." 1751.-2. Christ the Covenant of the People. 1753.-3. The Trial of Spirits. 1756.-4. A Collection of Hymns.-5. Union; or, a Treatise on the Consanguinity and Affinity between Christ and his Church. 1759.-The Cherubimical Mystery.7. Anti-Christ resisted. 1761.-8. Christ the Christian's Life: a Sermon January 30, 1762.-9. The Sadducee detected and refuted. 1764.-10. The Eunuch for the Kingdom of Heaven's Sake.-11. The Salt of Sacrifice, or, the One Baptism.-12. An Elegy on the Death of the Rev. George Whitefield. 1770.-13. Christian Liberty. 1775.-14. Epistles: or, the Great Salvation contemplated. 1776.He also left in Manuscript the following: 1. A Discourse on the Lord's-Supper.-2. The History of Prince Llewellyn, in 4 Parts; divided into Scenes, and adapted for the Stage.-3. The Ministry of the New-Testament: or, the Substance of a Discourse on that Subject.

GREAT ST. HELEN'S.

PARTICULAR BAPTIST.

THE Church of St. Helen, which gives name to the surrounding buildings, was founded in the reign of Henry II. by one Ranulph, who granted it to the dean and chapter of St. Paul's. It received its name from St. Helena, the mother of Constantine the Great, to whom it was dedicated. In the vicinity of this church stood formerly a meetinghouse, used for that purpose in the time of the Long-parliament, by the famous Mr. Hansard Knollys. The only account we have of it is that related by Crosby:* "When Mr. Knollys found that his preaching in the churches, though but occasionally, gave so much offence, and brought so much trouble on himself, he set up a separate meeting in Great St. Helen's, London, where the people flocked to hear him, and he had commonly a thousand auditors. But this was rather a greater offence to his Presbyterian brethren, than his former method. Now they complained that hewas too near the church, and that he kept his meetings at the same times that they had their public worship. And first they prevailed upon his landlord to warn him out of that place; next, he was summoned to appear before a committee of Divines at Westminster, who commanded him to preach no more." What became of the meetinghouse after Mr. Knollys quitted it, we no where learn: but of this eminent man, and of the church he collected, we shall have occasion to make particular mention hereafter.

* History of the English Baptists, vol. i. p. 229, 230.

LITTLE ST. HELEN'S.

PRESBYTERIAN.-EXTINCT.

LITTLE ITTLE ST. HELEN'S, immediately adjoining to Great St. Helen's, on the east side of Bishopsgate-street, stood on the site of the Priory of St. Helena, founded in the year 1212, by William Fitzwilliam, a goldsmith, for the order of Benedictine Nuns. At the dissolution of the monasteries, it was granted by Henry VIII. to Sir Richard Cromwell, alias Williams, great grandfather of Oliver Cromwell. In the reign of Queen Elizabeth, it was purchased by the Leathersellers' company, who, with part of the materials, erected on the site their beautful hall, the largest and most elegant at that time in London. This hall, together with the adjoining buildings, was lately taken down, to make way for the handsome range of new buildings, called St. Helen's Place.*

The meeting-house in Little St. Helen's, was erected about the time of King Charles's Indulgence in 1672. It was a moderate-size building, with three good galleries, and being conveniently situated, was often made use of for lectures, and other public services among the Dissenters. The first public ordination held by the Nonconformists, after the Bartholomew Act, was performed at this place, June 22, 1694. Of this extraordinary service, which was conducted with peculiar solemnity, and lasted from ten o'clock in the morning till six in the evening, we shall present the reader with a particular account hereafter. The Friday morning lecture founded by Mr. Coward, in 1726, was carried on at this place till the demolition of the meeting-house; when it was removed to Camomile-street. There was also a lecture

Strype, Maitland and Pennant's Histories of London.