THEIR AUTHORS AND ORIGIN. 197
For hymn 792
" Lord, dismiss us with Thy blessing," vide under " Hon. and Kev. Walter Shirley," page 193.
��SAMUEL STENNETT, D.D.
17271795.
IN the Baptist denomination Stennett is an honoured name. The most illustrious memher of the family was the subject of this sketch. He was born at Exeter, where his father, Dr. Joseph Stennett, was pastor of the Baptist Church. In 1737 his father became pastor of the Baptist Church in Little Wild Street, London. Into this fellowship the poet was received while still young, and subsequently he became his father s assistant, and, at length, in 1758, his successor. Of this church he continued to be the pastor till his death. He was eminent as a scholar, and received his diploma of Doctor of Divinity from King s College, Aberdeen, in the year 1763. His style of writing was at once Addisonian and forcible, and his style of speaking accurate and classical. He enjoyed the friendship of his sovereign, George III., for whom he is said to have done some literary work ; but, faithful to his convictions, he refused the preferment offered to him ; and as a true friend of freedom, he used his utmost efforts to assist in the good work of getting the Test and Corporation Acts repealed, a work subsequently accomplished in 1828. Dr. Stennett felt severely the death of his wife, which happened in the year of his own death ; but having strength to acquiesce in the Divine will, he patiently awaited his own departure. He died, with joyful confidence in Christ, August 24th, 1795.
John Howard, the eminent philanthropist, was an admiring hearer of Dr. Samuel Stennett, and wrote from Smyrna, August llth, 1786, expressing the pleasure he had experienced in re viewing the notes of his sermons which he had with him.
Dr. Samuel Stennett was the author of a work, entitled " Re-
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