the Rev. W. Turner , Jun. , MA., Lives of the eminent Unitarians

[172] a small Presbyterian congregation, not consisting at that time of more than twenty or thirty persons. Here, in consequence of reading Dr. Gale's Treatise on Infant Baptism, he was induced to give up that practice, and to acknowledge his belief that the baptism of adults by immersion is the true scriptural rite;—in conformity with which conviction he was soon afterwards baptized cacording to that mode in London. Whatever may be our opinion as to the correctness of his conclusion on this controverted point, it cannot be doubted that by thus avowing and publicly acting on his conviction, he gave a strong proof of that integrity and disinterested attachment to what he conceived to be the truth, which he had already evinced, and which continued throughout life to be a leading feature of his character. For his public adoption of this opinion and practice must, of necessity, have materially narrowed the field in which he might reasonably hope for an invitation to labour as a Christian minister. Most of the congregations which at that period adopted more liberal principles, and, consequently, deviated from Calvinism, were of the Presbyterian denomination, among whom it was reasonable to presume that his rejecting the practice of infant baptism would be a material, if not an insuperable obstacle; while the number of Baptist congregations, with whom his heretical opinions would not be a decisive objection, was at that time exceedingly small.

With his little flock at Trowbridge, the change did not operate to his disadvantage; but still the sphere was so very limited, and the support they were able to afford him so very scanty, that he