ELIZABETH CODNER.

MRS. CODNER is a resident of Weston-super-Mare, Somer setshire, Eng. She "modestly courts obscurity." Consequently but little is known of her history. She has published the little books, called, "The Missionary Ship," and "The Bible in the Kitchen." Her hymn,

"Lord! I hear of showers of blessing," etc.,

appeared in a "Dublin Hymn-Book," and, possibly, was inspired by the tidings of the "showers of blessing" with which Ireland was visited in 1858. The following stanzas are the last three of a companion piece:

MR. COFFIN was born (1676) at Buzancy, near Mézières, in France. He was educated at the College of Plessis, Paris, and early gave evidence of eminent abilities and great attainments. In 1701, at the early age of twenty-five years,

he was chosen Vice-Principal of the College of Beauvais, in the University of Paris, and, in 1712, succeeded the celebrated Charles Rollin (the Historian), as Principal of the College. In 1718, he was advanced, as Rector, to the highest position on the staff of the University, but relinquished it three years later, and returned to the Principalship of his College.

A volume of Latin poems, full of grace and point, from his pen, appeared in 1727. He contributed, also, in 1736, a considerable number of Latin hymns, remarkable for their pure Latinity and Scripturalness, to the Paris Breviary. He sympathized, in doctrine, with the Jansenist school. His decease occurred June 20, 1749, at Paris. His Works, with a glowing eulogy prefixed, appeared in two volumes (1755) at Paris.

HENRY COLLINS.

REV. HENRY COLLINS, the author of the hymn beginning "Jesus, my Lord, my God, my All!"

was educated at Oxford University, and graduated, M. A., in 1854. He was ordained a deacon by the Bishop of Exeter; and, not long after, a priest, at Ripon, Yorkshire. In 1857, he left the Church of England, and was received into the Church of Rome. To justify his course, he published, the same year, a tract with the title,-"Difficulties of a Convert from the Anglican to the Catholic Church."

He was received into the Cistercian Order in 1860, and the next year he published "The Life of the Rev. Father Gentili, Priest of the Order of Charity. Five years later (1866), he published "The Spirit and Mission of the Cistercian Order: comprising the Life of S. Robert of Newminster, and the Life of S. Robert of Knaresborough, with an Account of the Foundation of Fountains Abbey."

He wrote, also, the hymn, of which the first two stanzas follow:

"Jesus, meek and lowly!
Saviour, pure and holy!
On thy love relying,
Hear me humble crying.

"Prince of life and power,
My salvation's tower!
On the cross I view thee,
Calling sinners to thee."

WILLIAM BENGO COLLYER.

1782-1854.

FEW Preachers have so early in life acquired, and for so long a time retained, as great popularity as William Bengo Collyer, D.D., LL.D., F.A.S. He was the only surviving

child of Mr. Thomas Collyer, and was born at Blackheath Hill, Kent, April 14, 1782. At eight years of age, he was sent to the public school at Lewisham, and, in his thirteenth year, to the school of the Rev. John Fell, at Homerton. Even then, having become pious at a very tender age, he exhorted occasionally in small gatherings. Such were his proficiency and promise, that, in his sixteenth year, he was admitted to Homerton College, as a divinity student. In his third year there he enjoyed the instructions of the distinguished Dr. John Pye Smith.

The Presbyterian Church of Peckham, in Surrey, had long been in a declining state, under Arian ministrations. The church had been reduced to ten members, and the congregation to forty or fifty hearers. Mr. Collyer, a lad of eighteen, was invited to supply the pulpit, received a call, and, at the expiration of his theological course of study, was ordained, December 17, 1801, to the pastorate of the church, the congregation having been increased tenfold.

His preaching attracted crowds of people. The gentry and the nobility, as well as "the common people, heard him gladly." The royal Dukes of Sussex and Kent frequented his humble chapel, and sought his friendship.

In 1807, he committed to the press a course of "Lectures on Scripture Facts," delivered, three years before, to his own people, and, the two winters following, to delighted crowds in London. They were republished (1813) in Boston, Mass. At the instance of the Duke of Kent, the University of Edinburgh conferred on him the honorary degree of D.D., in 1808,-when he was only twenty-six years old.

A similar series of Lectures, delivered first from the pulpit, appeared, "On Scripture Prophecy" (1809); another, "On Scripture Miracles" (1812); another, "On Scripture Parables" (1815); another, "On Scripture Doctrines" (1818); another, "On Scripture Duties" (1819); and yet another, "On Scripture Comparisons" (1823);-seven volumes of Scripture truth, full of the marrow of the Gospel. They were republished (1823) with the title,-"Lectures on the Evidences of Divine Revelation, comprising an Examination of its Facts, Prophecies, Miracles, Parables, Doctrines, and Duties; with a Comparison of Christianity."

He had accustomed himself, as in the case of Watts, Doddridge, and others, occasionally to write hymns to accompany his sermons. At length he undertook the compilation of a volume of hymns for general circulation, gathered from a large accumulation of materials, and edited with great care and much labor. The first three thousand copies of the work were destroyed by a conflagration. The book was finally issued in August, 1812, with the title,-"Hymns, Partly Collected, and Partly Original, Designed as a Supplement to Dr. Watts' Psalms and Hymns." It contained 979 hymns of all the standard authors, the hymns of each grouped by themselves, and the last 58 from his own pen.

The next year, October 20, 1813, he married Mary, the daughter and co-heiress of Thomas Hawkes, Esq., of Lutterworth. The only fruit of the marriage was a daughter,

born in 1814, and subsequently the wife of Dr. L. Philips. Mrs. Collyer died December 23, 1827.

The Presbyterian congregation worshipping in the commodious building, Cannon Street, London, widely known as "Salters' Hall,” had, under Arian preaching, been reduced to great feebleness. Dr. Collyer, who had long been regarded as the most popular preacher in or about London, with the consent of his Peckham people, became, January 2, 1814, also the pastor of the Salters' Hall people, and preached to them regularly every Sabbath afternoon, to crowded audiences. He retained this charge until June 19, 1825.

He was an inveterate worker, preaching frequently eight or ten times a week, and never wearying of the demands that were continually made upon him, from all quarters, for counsel, as well as for pulpit-service. The chapel at Peckham was replaced by a much more commodious building, which was dedicated, June 17, 1817, and named Hanover Chapel, in honor of his attached friend, the Duke of Sussex, whom in person he resembled. He was too closely occupied to engage much in authorship, save of his Occasional Sermons, several of which were committed to the press. He prepared, also, and published (1837), “An Abridgement of the Service of the Church of England, to which is added 89 Original Hymns"; and (1848) "Hymns for Israel." In November, 1846, he was associated with a colleague in the pastorate, and was thus, during his last years, considerably relieved from responsibility and care. He died, January 9,

1854.

His popularity as a preacher scarcely waned to the last, except as growing infirmities compelled him to a less forcible delivery. It was altogether unprecedented in the history of Nonconformity. For at least thirty years he had no rival, in any denomination, in the Metropolis. "Few equaled and none surpassed him in gracefulness and fascination of manner, in simple and persuasive application of truth to the conscience, or in the marvellous rapidity with which he collected and arranged his thoughts."