1810.] 
1782, he voluntarily undertook an even- 
ing service or lecture, which soon began 
tor be very numerously attended, and 
which he regul: rly continued cvery sab-= 
bath evening’ in the winter season, ull 
the declining state of his -health, im .con- 
Junction with the circumstance of his 
‘having the whole regular d: ity of the-con- 
gregation devolved upor him, through 
the indisposition of his colleague, induced 
his friends, about the «middle of last 
winter, to insist upon his veither decli- 
ning the lecture, or having assistance 
procured for him in the other parts of 
the daty, in which circumstances he chose 
the foimer alternative, thinking at the 
more expedient ine asure, upon the whole, 
though the eventug feethie was his Be 
vourite service, and that which he thought 
more useful than any other which he per- 
formed. It has, for several years past, 
been attended hy an audience : amounting 
to upwards of 2006 in number, consisting 
chiefly of respectable, serious, and atten- 
tive hearers, of different denominations 
of religious professors, ‘fn the beginning 
of the year 1784, the subject of this me- 
moir had the dévree of D. D..conferred 
upon him'by the University of Edinburgh, 
upon the voluntary, and, on his part, 
unsought recommendation of friends, 
who were well able to appreciate his lite- 
rary attainments, and whose testimonial 
to them conse quently reflected pe hem 
great honour. Of this measure the late 
Dy. Percivai was the principal promoter. 
Not long after this, the Rev. Dr. Barnes 
was tiduced, by the solicitations of his 
friends, to tindertake, in conjunction with 
his collesgue in the pastoral office, the 
Rev. Ralph Harrison, the important 
charge of an academical institution in 
Manchester, upon which he entered in 
the summer of the year 1786, and over 
which he presided, as principal, with 
great credit to himself and utility to the 
public, till the year 1798, when he dee 
termined to resign it, in consequence of 
the difficulty which he .had for soine 
time experienced 10/ maintaining in so 
darge a town as Manchester, where there 
are so many temptations to dissipation, 
that regular and strict discipline eae 
he wished to support. Elis active i! 
Ps however, was always ready to embrac 
every opportuni: 
his retivement from the : AANA he ‘be- 
gan to take a lively interest in the con- 
cerns of thi iaehutfe ster Intrmary, 
which continued to be a very favourite 
Memoirs of the late Rev. Joseph Barnes. 
-coimptied. 
‘of his | 
punctuality imthe observance’ 
-y of usefulness; ane Mace : 
18 
object of his attention to the time of his - 
death, and in the conduct’ of which his 
assistance has been generaily considered 
and acknowledged to be of vreat USGe. 
The Rev. Dr. Barnes and: subtedly pose 
‘sessed bath natural abilines and acquired 
attainments, which quaiilied him to have 
‘distinguisved hinselfin the literary world, 
and he had a considerable taste for those 
Studies. and pursuits which might bave- 
led to thus result; 19 proof of which it 
niey be mentioned that he was one of the 
first promoters of the Manchester Lite- 
rary and Philosophica! Society; and that 
for several years, he took an active part 
in 1ts proccedings, aad wrote several 
papers, which were published in the early 
volumes of itsmmemors, which his friend, 
Dr. Pereival, who was certainly a come. 
petent judge “of their merit, considered 
to -be so far creditable to his literary ree 
putation, that he repeatedly urged him _ 
to revise and eularge them, : and: to pubs - 
lish them in a separate volume; but with ~ 
this recommendation, though it caine ~ 
from so respectable a quarter, he never 
Some circumstances after- 
wards arose, which, tovether with the mul- 
tipiicity of bis other engagements, indus | 
ced him to discontinue his attendance ef 
the meetings of he society just mentioned, | 
and since that time he has not takes any 
further part in its proceedings. He was 
a good classical scholar, reaa and studied 
the New Testament in ‘partieular in the 
oreital Greek, with great care and mi." 
nute critical attentions was whle to read 
the Hebrew Serpteres. of the Old ‘Fesra- 
mest with considerable ease, and had a 
very general kuowledge of what 1s called 
polite literature ; un he did not ee 
much attention, at least in the laiter pal 
ife, to philosophical subjects s ae! 
it wasa matter of principle with hina to. 
make all lis studies subservient to the 
oreat object of ministerial usefulness: 
and amidst all his other engagements and 
avocallous, he always discharged the’ 
duties of his sacred office with uncom- 
mon zest, fidelity, and diligence. He 
was Very remar kable for the revular dise 
tribution of bis ome, for the strict appli- 
cation of if to the several duties ae ene 
gagements to which it was allotted, for 
of all his 
appoiwtinents, and for nevlecting no sins 
gie person or object to Watch his atten- 
tion was due, He had an wc commonly - 
fertile mind, great quickn ess of cuncep- 
tion as Wwe iy as readiness of expression, 
and 
