What could be more particular than Particular Baptism?  Certain followers of a man belonging the great Smith family constituted the first congregation of English Baptists.  These were of the General type.  The Particular Baptists trace their origin to a coterie of men and women who had an idea that their grace was of a special type, and who met in London as far back as 1616.  The doctrines of the Particular Baptists are of the Calvinistic hue.  They believe in eternal election, free justification, ultimate glorification; they have a firm notion that they are a special people, known before all time; that not one of them will be lost; and they differ from the General Baptists, so far as discipline is concerned, in this—­they reject “open communion,” will allow no membership prior to dipping; or,—­to quote the exact words of one of them, who wrote to us the other day on the subject, and who paled our ineffectual fire very considerably with his definition—­“All who enter our pail must be baptised.”  If there is any water in the “pail” they will; if not, it will be a simple question of dryness.

The chapel used by the Particular-Baptists, in Vauxhall-road, Preston, has a curious history.  It beats Plato’s theory of transmigration; and is a modern edition of Ovid’s Metamorphoses.  The building was erected by Mr. George Smith (father of the late Alderman G. Smith, of this town), and he preached to it for a short time.  Afterwards it was occupied by a section of Methodists connected with the “Round Preachers.”  Then it was purchased by a gentleman of the General Baptist persuasion, who let it to the late Mr. Moses Holden—­a pious, astronomical person, who held forth in it for a season with characteristic force.  Subsequently it was taken possession of by the Episcopalians, the Rev. Mr. Pearson, late of Tockholes, being the minister.  He, along with some of his flock, was in the habit of holding prayer meetings, &c., in different parts of the town; the Vauxhall-road building being their central depot.  But when the Rev. Carus Wilson was appointed Vicar of Preston an end was put to both their praying and preaching.  When the Episcopalians made their exit, a section of religious people called the Fieldingites obtained the building.  They drove a moderately thriving business at the place until permission was unwittingly given for a Mormon preacher to occupy the pulpit just once—­a circumstance which resulted in a thorough break-up; many of the body liking neither Joe Smith nor his polygamising followers.  After the Mormon fiasco and the evaporation of the Fieldingites, another denomination took it.  The Particular Baptists—­some people call them Gadsbyites—­were at this period working the virtues of their creed in a small room towards the bottom of Cannon-street; and on hearing that Vauxhall-road Chapel was on sale, they smiled, made a bid at it, and bought it.  Their first minister, after the removal, was a certain Mr. Mc.Kenzie, who stimulated the elect with many good things, and eventually died.  The question as to who should be his successor next presented itself; “supplies” were tried; various men from various parts were invited into the pulpit, looked at, and listened to; the object being to get “the right man in the right place.”