Memorials of the Independent Churches in Northamptonshire: with biographical notices of their pastors, and some account of the puritan ministers who laboured in the county.Coleman, Thomas
History
Memorials of the Independent Churches in Northamptonshire: with biographical notices of their pastors, and some account of the puritan ministers who laboured in the county.
Coleman, Thomas
Clergy -- England -- Northamptonshire; Independent churches -- England -- Northamptonshire; Puritans -- England -- Northamptonshire
There were 221 members added to the Church during the course of Mr.
Toller's ministry. These members, we have no doubt, might have been
greatly increased, had the methods adopted in some places for bringing
forward candidates for the communion of the Church prevailed under the
ministry of Mr. Toller. We should like to convey some idea to the mind
of the reader of the nature of that ministry with which the congregation
at Kettering were now favoured. It was in his stated services amongst
his own people that the peculiar excellencies of Mr. Toller were
developed. It was our privilege in early life to sit under that
ministry, but we think we shall fail to present a correct view of the
impression we have on our mind as to the distinguishing features, the
peculiar beauties, of that ministry; and if we were to do this, the
general reader would think it too highly coloured, as our first
impressions of sacred things, our deepest and most lively emotions of a
religious nature, in connexion with all that we may since have known or
attained, appear to us to have been derived, under God, from the
ministry of Mr. Toller. His person was above the middle stature; his
appearance in the pulpit venerable and commanding; his voice deep and
powerful; his manner all his own, and of such a character as to chain
the attention of the audience--always earnest, sometimes most fervent
and impressive, rising to a high degree of impassioned eloquence when
his assemblies were crowded, as on the afternoon of the Sabbath. His
language was always clear, forcible, and plain, suited to the manner of
his preaching; his sentiments most decidedly scriptural, evangelical,
and practical, with a considerable portion of experimental piety. His
ministry presented a full exhibition of the Christian temper. His
discourses were distinguished by great conciseness yet fulness of
matter, presenting often the most familiar but beautiful illustrations.
Some of his most impressive sermons were formed entirely on the
applicatory plan--some of them founded on Scripture inquiries, such as,
"What think ye of Christ?" "Dost thou believe on the Son of God?" &c.
During a very large portion of his ministry he delivered expository
discourses on the morning of the Sabbath, which were distinguished by
great beauty, variety, and richness of improving remarks. The afternoon
sermon generally rose out of the morning exposition; not so frequently
from a text taken from the paragraph expounded as a passage suggested by
the main subject of exposition. But the prayers he offered in the stated
services of the sanctuary were perhaps the most remarkable of the
whole--the manner was so solemn; the tone so devotional; the adorations
so sublime; the confessions so abasing; the petitions so full, fervent,
and appropriate; the thanksgiving so expressive and exalted; the
surrender so complete and unreserved; the whole placing us so much in
the presence of God, leading us to feel what we were before him, what we
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