ii s. m. JUNE IT, 1911. j NOTES AND QUERIES.
479
0n
Transactions of the Baptist Historical Society.
Vol. II. No. 3, with Supplement. (Baptist
Union Publication Department.)
WE are glad to receive another issue of the Transactions of this useful Society specially useful because it delves into byways of history likely to be overlooked by the general historian. The papers in this, as in previous numbers, are full of suggestions.
The first, by Mr. Champlin Burrage, gives an account from original records of Dr. Peter Ch&mberlen's First Day Church. These afford full details as to its management ; its members seem at times to have been a source of considerable trouble to their pastor.
Mr. Farrer contributes an article on c The Fifth Monarchy Movement.' One of the most eminent preachers of the Fifth Monarchists was John Rogers. His programme was embodied in his numerous manifestoes to Cromwell : " To choose the men that must goverrf this Commonwealth. 2. Either a Synhedrin, Parliament, Council of Seventy, or else one of a (each) county. But if the present junction of affairs requires a quicker despatch, that in the interim twelve worthies may be chosen as present governors like to Israel's twelve judges. 3. They must be men fearing God, lovers of truth and justice, hating bribes and covetousness, which corrupt justice, not respecters of persons, wise (though not politic), and understanding in the times and seasons (Scripture reference? for each quality). They must govern as the servants of Jesus Christ, but not as Lords over Christ." Rogers urges the Protector to " consult with the saints, and send to all discerning and spirited men for their proposals." Rogers's proposals, save as regards the numbers, substantially coincided with the plans that were actually adopted.
Another article, ' Thomas Tryon, 1634-1703,' is by Mr. J. 0. Foster, who in his introduction to this brief memoir refers to the fact that " Baptists are sometimes charged with claiming on the slightest pretext any considerable person as an adherent," and mentions " the broad assertion that Milton was a Baptist." This, apart from some qualifying epithet, may be too inclusive, " for the full confessions of Faith, the genius and temper of the Anabaptists of the seventeenth century in England, cast no spell upon him. It was our practice with regard to baptism by immersion 1 e approved ; t'-.e integrity of our mode, when traced to primitive precedents, he endorsed."
Mr. Foster shows that Tryon held no ambiguous relation to the Baptists at one period of his life : " This he makes abundantly clear in his memoirs."
Of very 'humble parentage, Tryon was born at Bibury (Mr. Foster here correct a i-lip made in the new edition of ' The Encyclopaedia Bri- tannica,' which give Bilbury) on the 6th of September, 1634. At the age of 23 he " received his vision and call to his prophet-like service," and " never was man more devoted to his ' ideal.' " He enforced so earnestly, by both
speech and writing, what he himself practised f
that he induced many disciples to follow with him
what he called " a Pythagorian life." The
dietary included vegetarianism, and spare at that ;
light clothing, cleanliness, self-denial, abstinence-
He was indeed a radical reformer, far in advance-
of his times, and his call was for an austerity
so noble that only heroic spirits could bid
for it.
A bibliography of the books he published i supplied, and Mr. Foster gives the epitaph which appears in the last page of the memoirs. It is- so quaint that we quote it :
Here lies his Dust, whose Heavenly Mind
Moy'd like Angelick Nature unconfin'd ;
Which lest his Body shou'd control,
He almost work't it up to Soul :
What some by reading, and hard Study wrought
He did compendiously by thought :
Such refin'd notions to the world he gave,
As Men with Angels Entercourse might hav* 1 :
Shewed how to live on cleanest Food,
To abstain from Flesh, and Fish, and Blood :.
Harmless his Life was, as his Food,
Both Patriarchal, Primitively good.
His Works will Eternize his Fame,
And his best Epitaph's his name :
In short, here doth Entombed lie
All of Great Tryon that could die.
The Supplement to the Transactions contains- Principal Gould's Tercentary paper on ' The- Origins of the Modern Baptist Denomination.' In the space of twenty pages he gives a succinct account, derived from the great stores of know- ledge he has on the subject.
BOOKSELLERS' CATALOGUES. JUNE.
MESSRS. BOWES & BOWES of Cambridge devote their Catalogue 350 to the Works of Greek and Latin authors and Commentaries thereon, and Works on Ancient History, Anti- quities, and Philosophy from the Library of the late Prof. Mayor. All have his book-plate inside, and several contain manuscript notes by him ; for instance, in Liddell and Scott there are up- wards of 40. There are in all over thirteen hundred items. At the end of the Catalogue is a list of bound volumes of pamphlets and papers, the subjects including Ancient Authors, Ancient History and Antiquities, Philology and History,. Latin Authors, Latin Poets, &c.
Mr. L. C. Braun's Catalogue 70 contains- Chappell's ' Ballad Literature,' 2 vols., 11. 5s. ; ' Versailles,' by B. Cole, 1725, 31. ; and Mark- ham's 'Pewter Marks,' 12s. Qd. There is a list under Classics. Under English Literature will be found Singer's ' Shakespeare,' the original Chiswick Press edition, 10 vols., half-calf, 1826, 37. 10s. ; Swift, 5 vols., 16mo, morocco, 1823, 21. ; and Smollett's ' Miscellaneous Works,' with Life by Anderson, 6 vols., calf, 1800, 17. 15s. There are works under French Literature, also under Historical and Biographical. Under Old and Curious is a collection of tracts on Navigation, mostly in black-letter. In the Addenda are Pickering's beautiful edition of the ' Decameron, 3 vols., calf, 1825, 17. 10s. ; and Stockdale's edition of Gay's ' Fables,' 2 vols., calf, 1793, 37.
