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respected and beloved by his friends, in the church and congregation, and by the inhabitants of Newport. If greatness consists in goodness, then was Elder Eddy worthy of the appellation. During his labors of love in the church, he baptized more than five hundred, many of whom have been removed by death, and some remain unto this day. He was assisted one year, by the Rev. J. M Kensie, of Newport

The Rev. Arthur A. Ross was installed March 11th, 1835, and remained with them a few years.

The present pastor is the Rev. S. Adlam, who continues to be popular with his people.

THE SECOND BAPTIST CHURCH.

In 1656, twenty-one members of the First Baptist Church in Newport, withdrew themselves, and formed the Second Baptist Church in this town. These brethren objected to the original church, in her use of psalmody, restraints upon the liberty of prophesying, and holding the laying on of hands a matter of indifference, which they regarded as binding on all believers.

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The grounds for this schism will be looked upon at this day as too trivial to cause a separation. This very church, now, an organ, agreeably to the directions of the sweet singer of Israel," Praise Him upon the organ, and let every thing that hath breath, praise the Lord." It shows the progress which has been made in the science of music, by conforming to the letter and spirit of the Bible. It was viewed by these brethren as sin for any to engage in sacred music but the professed members of the church, and this without the least regard to order. A choir was looked upon as an infringement, and at variance with the teachings of the apostles. The tuning fork, the pitch-pipe, was horrible, and when the big fiddle, as it was then called, was introduced into the sanctuary, it was an innovation, which could not for a moment be tolerated. But, alas! those days of scriptural simplicity have fled, and now the organ is thought to be a necessary appendage, and its absence renders the services far less interesting. It is stated, that when Bishop Berkeley was in this country, he offered an organ to the

Congregational Church, in Berkley, Massachusetts, which they refused to accept. It was then presented to Trinity Church, Newport. How are the times changed! The town of Berkley was named in honor of the prelate.

The first pastor of this Church was the Rev. William Vaughan, who continued with them till his death, in 1677.

The second was the Rev. Thomas Baker, who subsequently settled in North Kingston. He was succeeded by the Rev.

John Harden, who died in 1700.

The fourth pastor was the Rev. James Clarke, nephew of Dr. John Clarke. He was assisted in the discharge of his pastoral duties by the Rev. Daniel Whitman, who succeeded him in that office, in 1704.

In 1729, Mr. John Comer became a member of this church, and as Mr. Whitman was now aged and infirm, the church invited Mr. Comer to assist him in the ministry. Mr. Clarke died in 1736, aged eighty-seven years.

After the death of Mr. Clarke, the church invited Mr. Nicholas Eyers to become the colleague of Mr. Whitman, in which he continued until Mr. Whitman's death, in 1750. Mr. Eyers died in 1759.

He was succeeded by the Rev. Gardiner Thurston, who continued to discharge the duties of a minister of Jesus Christ with great faithfulness and success for more than forty years, when increasing infirmities of age pressed heavily upon him, and he applied to his beloved flock to procure an assistant, to relieve him from some part of his arduous labors. Mr. Thurston was not distinguished for superior talents; but he possessed, in a very eminent degree, what is infinitely more valuable-8 heart deeply imbued with the spirit of his divine Master, which led him to labor untiringly in his service. Under his ministry, the church was united in love, and many were the trophies of redeeming grace, through his instrumentality. He was assisted for a few months by the Rev. Thomas Dunn; after him, by the Rev. William Peckham, a licentiate and member of the church.

In 1799, the Rev. William Collier, of Boston, was invited to labor as the assistant of Mr. Thurston. But in 1801, the venerable servant of God, knowing that the time of his departure was at hand, earnestly entreated his people to procure a pastor,

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and release him from the responsibilities of his charge. Accordingly, in May of that year, he was permitted to witness the settlement of the Rev. Joshua Bradley as his successor in the pastoral office. Mr. Thurston died the following year, aged eighty-two. "The memory of the just is blessed."

In October, 1807, the Rev. Mr. Gibson became their pastor; which office he held till March, 1815, when he requested and received a discharge from the pastoral charge of the church. Mr. Gibson was very successful in building up the cause of Christ, and many will have occasion to rejoice forever, who were made recipients of divine grace through his instrumentality.

The Rev. Samuel Widown was his successor, who continued with the church until 1817, when the Rev. Mr. Elton was invited to become its pastor, and was ordained on the 11th of June, of the same year. During the year 1820, more than one hundred were added by baptism. In 1822, Mr. Elton, having received a call from the Baptist Church in Windsor, Vermont, requested a dismission, which was reluctantly granted by his affectionate people.

Mr. Elton was succeeded in the pastoral office by the late lamented Gammell, December 10, 1823. Mr. Gammell's career was short, but brilliant; on the 31st of May, 1827, he suddenly expired, in the full hope of a glorious immortality. Mr. Gammell was no ordinary man; what was wanting in classical education, was more than made up in native talent. That stiffness and formality which is often the result of an imperfect training, was not witnessed in his case. There was an independence of character displayed in his public efforts, which showed that he felt his accountability to his God, and not to His death was not only deeply afflicting to his family and the church of God, but lamented by thousands who had with pleasure hung upon his lips, as the ambassador of Heaven, and listened to the impassioned eloquence of his soul.

man.

On the 27th of September following, the Rev. J. O. Choules was inducted into the pastoral office. On the 3d of January, 1833, Mr. Choules tendered his resignation as pastor of the church, which was accepted on the 25th of the same month.

In December, 1833, Rev. John Dowling was called to the pastoral charge, which call he accepted. On the 27th of March following, he was publicly recognized as their pastor. On the

20th of July, 1836, Mr. Dowling tendered his resignation, which was accepted.

The Rev. Timothy G. Freeman was invited to become pastor of this church, on the 15th of January, 1837, which invitation. he accepted, and was set apart to that office on the 16th of March following.

There is a ministerial fund of $8,000, left by the late Judge Taber, as also $1,000 for a poor fund, for the benefit of the church.

SOCIETY OF FRIENDS, OR QUAKERS.

The exact time when the Society of Friends or Quakers formed themselves into a body for church government, cannot now be actually stated. When William Leddra and Marmaduke Stephenson came to Newport, in the year 1658 or '59, they found their brethren here; and Daniel Gould, the first minister they have any account of in Newport, went to Boston with them, where the two first named were hanged, and Gould severely whipped at the carriage of a great gun, as appears by his account, written by himself, and published in 1700. The first records of the monthly meeting commenced in the year 1676.

But it is evident that they were formed into a society previous to that time, as John Burnyeat, a minister here from England, speaks in his journal of attending a yearly meeting in Newport, as early as 1671; and George Fox the following year, 1672, which was held at the house of William Coddington. In early times, the society was very large. About onehalf the population, in 1700, were of that persuasion, and in that year they built the meeting house in which they now worship.

There have been many ministers, and other conspicuous members of that society, who lived in Newport and its vicinity. The most distinguished ministers who appeared among them, were Daniel Gould, John Hewlett, Ebenezer Slocum, Thomas Cornell, Samuel Freeborn, William Anthony, Gov. John Wanton, Joseph Wanton, Dr. Clarke Rodman, John Casey, Christopher Townsend, Joseph Michel, Isaac Lawton, David Buffum, Jacob Mott, and many others. The Mott family have ever been

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highly respectable; the property has continued in the family from the early settlement of the Island, and the sixth Jacob now occupies the homestead. General Nathaniel Greene's mother was Mary, the daughter of Jacob Mott, of Portsmouth, R. I. Like Mary, the mother of Washington, she gave an impress to his character, which rendered him highly distinguished. He was brought up in the religious principles of the Society of Friends, of which his father was a preacher. He early became fond of a military life, and was most active in forming the military company known as the Kentish Guards. General Greene's abilities soon attracted notice, and he was particularly distinguished by George Washington, who deservedly placed great confidence in his talents and judgment. When the army was formed, he was appointed Major-General. Gen. Greene was born at Potowamet, in the township of Warwick, R. I., on the 22d of May, 1742. The estate is still in possession of his family. He died at Savannah, Geo., aged forty-seven years.

Since the Revolutionary war, the Society has decreased in Newport, and on the Island. There are, however, a respectable number, who meet, both at Newport and at Portsmouth, and hold regular meetings in the middle of the week, on Thursdays and Sundays.

Previous to the war of the Revolution, their meeting house was well filled, above and below; but at that time many of its most wealthy members removed to other places, and never returned-and it is now remarked that there are but few settlements of Friends in the State of New York, or in Vermont, where the seed of Rhode Island is not to be found. And it is now easily shown, that within forty years, more of this Society have removed from the Island, than now dwell upon it.

This Society, at one period of the settlement, say from 1660 to 1760, was very influential in the government of the Colony. A large proportion of its Governors and other officers, were of that denomination. Among whom may be enumerated Wm. Coddington, Nicholas Easton, John Easton, Walter Clarke, and Henry Bull, who died the last of the first settlers; and John Wanton, Gideon Wanton, and Governor Hopkins, were all members of the Society.