health being flaken by the flate of anxiety 
he was in, after braving it for fome months, 
he ‘determined upon leaving the place. At 
this juncture Dr. Eaton, the highly refpect- 
able paftor of the congregation of Diffenters 
affembling in the High Pavement nieeting in 
Nottingham, being in a poor ftate of health, 
and his phyfictans advifing ajoutney to Bath, 
‘a temporary fupply was wanted for his place, 
and Mr. Evans was recommended to Dr. 
Haton by the Reverend Mr. Pope, of London. 
Accordingly he left Brentwood in September 
i754, and fettled at Nottingham. ‘hough 
intended on all fides as rather a temporary 
retreat than a fixed fituation, his removal 
proved more permanent than was expected ; 
for Dr. Eaton was now growing into years, 
and notwithftanding ‘his complaints were foe 
far removed as to allow him to refume his 
roinifterial fervices, yetan afliftant was requi- 
fite, and Mr. Evans having given general 
fatisfa€tion, was chofen to that office — 
A profpect of more extenfive . ufefulnefs 
opened upon him toward the clofe of the year 
4758, which induced hin to leave Notting- 
ham, Inthe courle of this year the Dif- 
fenters of the Upper Chapel, in Sheffield, had 
lof both their minifters ; the Reverend Field- 
Sylvefter Wad{worth by refignation, on ac- 
count of declining health, and the Reverend 
Thomas Haynes, by death. The Reverend 
John Dickenfon was chofen fucceifor to Mr. 
Wadf{worth ; and on the 2d of January, 
4759, Mr. Evans received an unanimous in- 
vitation to become his colleague. ‘Nhe Dif- 
fenters of Fullwood, a village in the neigh- 
bourhood of Shefieid, had alfo, in this fatal 
year, loft their paftor by the ftroke of death ; 
and a {cheme being propofed and approved 
of for uniting the two congregations, Mr. 
Dickenfon and Mr. Evans took the joint 
charge, officiating alternately at both places, 
till the demife of the former gentleman in 
1780, when the Reverend Benjamin Naylor 
was chofen his fucceffor.—This removal to 
Sheffield was the moft important ftep in Mr. 
Evans’s life ; for he continued in connection 
with the two congregations for the long pe- 
tTlod of near forty years, fulfilling the duties 
of his unportant ftation with the moft blame- 
Jets integrity, preaching the great practical 
traths of Chriftianity, and enforcing the pre- 
cepts he delivered, by an example uniformly 
bright and corvefpondent. His views of the 
doctrines of Chriftianity were liberal and 
cheerful ; he was a man of peace ; refpected 
good men of every fect and denominatien ; 
and was in his turn cordially refpecéted by 
them. He ftudioufly avoided all party 
fquabbles and difputes ; and though of late 
years it has been very fathionable to calum- 
niate the Diffenters as feditious, difattected, 
perfons; yet he pafled through this period 
with tranquillity, having few, if any, ene- 
mies, and furrounded by a circle of highly 
refpectable friends. It mutt, indeed, with 
pleature be declared, that the inhabitants of 
Account of the late Rev. Fafeph Evans. 
193 
Sheffield are diftinguifhed forthe candid and 
hberal {pirit which the different denomina- 
tiong of Chriftians manifeft towards each 
ether. May this amiable, this Chriftian {pi- 
rit, long remain and increafe !—But thougit’ 
Mr. Evans entered into no parties or dif 
putes, yet he was ever ready, both in his 
private and profeffional capacity, in promot~ 
ing any plan of public utility. The infirma- 
ry, the tunday-fchools, and the girls’ charity- 
fchoel, are indebted to his mfuence and ac- 
tivity fer fome part of their prefent eftablith- 
ment ; and the fame may be faid of many 
other charitable fchemes of a more private 
nature. —That after fo long a period of high 
ref{pectability and utefulnefs, any thing 
thould arife in the congregation, fo much be- 
nefitted by his inftructions, as to give a mo+ 
ment’s uneafinefs to the mind of their vene- 
rable paftor, muft excite wonder and regret; 
and yet more, when it is known that he felz 
himf: If fo wounded by their teeming (theuch 
perhaps unintentional,) neglect, that be de 
termined upon refigning his miniftry. Accord- 
ingly he preached among them for the laft 
time as their fixed paftor on the 4th of No- 
vember, 1798, fince which time he had ne 
congregation under his fpecial care, but was 
ever ready to aflift a neighbouring uinifter 5 
and in atrue {pirit of Chriftian meeknefs, has 
often afflifted in that congregation which he 
could not but think had ufed him ungene- 
roufly.--He was now in the 71ft year of his 
age ; and though by regular habits of tempe- 
rance his delicate conftitution had been pre~ 
ferved, he had begun to fink under the infir- 
mities of declining years. His walks to Wuil- 
wood had begun to be irkfome to him; to 
that had his refignation been brought about 
in a manner mere agreeable to his feelings, 
his friends might rather have rejoiced w it, 
asameans of preferving to them for fome 
time longer, in the {weet intercourfe ef pre 
vate lite, a life fo juftly dear to them. ‘The 
Jaft year had made a cruel mroad upon his 
perfonal enjoyments ; early in it he left a fit 
ter tenderly beloved ; and a very thort time 
after, a near relation,* whem he had long 
regarded as a brother, was taken to his re- 
ward. Thefe afflictions lay heavy upon him; 
and though in fome meafure he could furvey 
them ‘in the calm hight ef mild philofophy,”’ 
they certainly in part occafioned the com- 
plaint which, after many ftruggles, brought 
him to the grave. His dileafe was of an 
afthmatic nature; he was feveral times, dur- 
ing the laft eight months of his life, fuddeniy 
feized with violent opprefions at bis breaf, 
and great difficulty of refpiration: by the. 
ufe of ether he was commouly reftored; and 
though every attack enfeebled himimore and 
more, in the intervals he enjoyed a tolerable 
degree of health and fpirits. Though be 
* The Reverend Radcliife Scholefield, of 
Birmingham, of whom fome memoirs are 
given in a former Number. 
thought, 
