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gave way to his old propensity, and once a penitent, rather than live on in brought repeated misery to his family sin. He had often had these penitenand friends, many of whom loved him tial seasons in which his ingratitude dearly, because in his sober moments to God, and the ruin of himself and he was disposed to do good to every family stared him fearfully in the face!! creature within his reach. One dark. He had resolved and re-resolved, her night, being in the neighbourhood of had prayed and wrestled against his Stourbridge, he had been drinking to sin with groanings unutterable. Still excess, and in a state of intoxication after a comparatively brief pause, he wandered out of the house, and his old enemy overcame him,dandat) staggered amongst the coal-pits, which such times his despair was well-nigh are in many places left open and ex-› unfathomable. >To the memorable posed! These he passed in safety, day on which such solemnd inter-d but, the road he took went over a cession was made on this behalf, Mr.” canal; he missed the bridge, and Hall thus, alludes, in the speech! rolled over the brink to the edge of already referred to we change the the water. And here he seemed to third into the first person. Foff Afterd have arrived at the end of his wicked an indulgence in drinking some days, course; but God, who is rich in mercy, having come to my senses, I began to i had caused a stone to lie directly in reason with myself upon my guilt land his path, and thus spared him in this folly, surrounded with blessings, yet!+ the apparently last hour of his mor-› abusing the whole, and in, an angry tal existence one turn more and he and passionate manner, I muttered,! would have sunk into eternal ruin, and oh, it's no use for me to repent; my his disembodied spirit been ushered sins are too great to be forgiven.'I into the presence of the Judge of all. had no sooner uttered these words The Arm of Mercy, however, inter- than a voice seemed to say with strong posed; his senses, returned for a mo- emphasis, If thou wilt forsake thy ment, he saw the water beneath him, sins, they shall be forgiven. I started [ he crawled back again into the road; at what I believed to be a real sound, there he was picked up, and lodged and hastily turning round, but seeing in a public-house for the night." to no one, I said to myself, “Surely.Li. have been drinking till I am going! mad. I stood paralysed, not knowing t what to think, till, relieved by a flood of tears, I exclaimed, Surely this is i the voice of mercy calling me once more to repentance. I fell upon my knees, and, half suffocated by my feelings, I exclaimed God be merciful to me a sinner. I was broken-hearted, and now my besetting sin appeared/ more horrible than ever, but it must be conquered or I must perish. Then commenced a contest, more terrible than that of conflicting armies, thand

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And yet [after a warning thus solemn, though conscience upbraided and friends tenderly entreated, the author of the Simmer's Friend," viewed this deliverance from death as simply a lucky escape, and pursued his career of sin as ardently as before. At length there came a day in which one who loved him better than life, and to her with all his relapses he was ever one of the most tender of husbands, earnestly prayed to God that he whose life and love were dearer than all the world might die at

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Waterloo or all other battles whatever, -the soul was at stake; an impetuous torrent was to be turned into an opposite course." ou talt guides So dreadful was his despair, that at one time he took the razor into his hand to end his wretched life! At length in deepest agony he exclaimed, "what profit is there in my blood when I go down to the pit ? Shall it declare thy truth? Hear, O Lord, and have mercy upon me: Lord, be thou my helper." He sank down ex hausted; he could say no more. That prayer was heard, and a voice from heaven seemed to reply, “I will help thee, I have seen thy struggles, and I will now say to thine enemy, hitherto thou hast come, but no further."Our space will not allow our entering upon the nature of the fearful conflict upon which Hall entered at this time. For this we must refer the reader to the autobiography itself Suffice it to say that he gained a complete victory over his besetting sin, that he remained a total abstainer from all intoxicating drink from the latter end of the year 1816, that though often tempted, and urged at last by physicians to.uses stimulants, he died an abstainer, and grateful that he could do so, in 1860, in his eighty-seventh year. deed odd

It is very pleasant to turn to the second portion of Vine Hall's life, and through his autobiography to glide over the hallowed tract of more than forty years' most unpretending but most fervent zeal in the kingdom of Christ.Asca.converted man, he at once began very earnestly to lay himself out for the good of others. Of course, as was to be expected, the force of his old life followed quickly after him in the new path on which he had entered, the power of his former

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habits vexed him night and day, but the longer he lived the further was he getting away from their old tyranny.! To temptations the most flattering that would have alluringly brought him face to face with his old enemy he always gave a firm but courteous refusal; whether the invitation was to join a dinner party of grand jurymen, or a select party in which he was to be chiefly honoured, the answer was the same,"No." To have praised him for this, would in his ears have sounded like blasphemy, and he would have answered, I will praise THEE,

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Lord, for Thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell. His home was made completely happy, and his bodily health, which wasΜq daily burden to him, if we can use, such ang expression with regard to health became superlatively good. For this loving tender care over his children, his interest in all their little wants, and the manner in which he trained them for heaven,in brief, for all that shows him the Christian father and one of the most affectionate of husbands, we must again direct the reader to the autobiography itself, while in the space that remains to us we allude to the steady purpose with which he laboured to mark his sensei of the grace and mercy he had receivedur POLE I

Beginning with those of his own household he manifested a deep interest in the spiritual welfare of his servants and workmen, and for some time was diligent in his efforts to benefit the prisoners confined to Maidstone County gaol. In connexion with the Church of which he was ca deacon, he was his minister's fellow helper, always being in his place at the week evening prayer-meeting and

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leétare. It became a motto with him, God first business next-pleasure last. He was a constant visitor of the poor, and never empty-handed. When he gave tracts to the poor he wrapped up pence in them, and after his death his coat pockets were found stored with this ammunition of love, without which he never went out of the house. Deceived many times in the objects of his generosity, he never theless continued most willing to render service to others until the day of his death. While always courteous, he was instant in season and out of season in speaking to others about their eternal welfare, now in the streets and lanes, now in omnibuses and steam-packets, and again by letters to private individuals, written in the most moving and convincing language. We are told, indeed, that all his letters except those of a merely business character contained some holy counsel, of devout sentiment. In regard to the publication of the Sinner's Friend," artwork which, however unpretending, mast be regarded as the most important of his life when the results attached to it are taken into consideration, the origin of its composition we feel sure will not fails to interest the reader. A favourite book with him was “Bogatzky's Golden Treasury." Reflecting upon the benefit he had himself received from the perusal of this book, he was deeply concerned that books of this nature were not more easily attainable by the poor. After hesitating several days, and searching his own heart that what he might resolve to do should be with a single eye to the glory of God, he fixed upon thirty portions from Bogatzky, writing two portions himselfs by way of introduction, and put

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the whole to press. In the first in stance he had not thought of printing more than five hundred copies, but thinking that he should find the number insufficient for giving away, he went to press with a thousand, and on the 29th May, 1821, his little book d appeared, in a neat blue cover, bearing the title of "THE SINNER'S FRIEND!'”' On the morning of its publication, he set out for the purpose of distributing the tract. He put three dozen in his pocket, and he presented the first copy to an old associate at cards and dissi..! pation.) The next was to a poor. woman, who received the tract with kindliness in her countenance, and who promised to deliver ten copies to her neighbours. He soon got rid of all his stock, and returned home for more, which in the course of the day he dis tributed to advantage. This one day" in Mr. Vine Hall's life is a specimen of many, many such days in a dong life spent in the service of his Master. It was through the instrumentality of his little book that he became in his own circle of influence a most energetic and successful missionary of the truth. It was an appeal that he placed without hesitation in the hands of rich and poor, learned and ignorant. The book was composed, published, distributed, and its advancing circulation witnessed with many can anxiousyet believing prayer. The first edition: was given away, and applications poured in for another edition, which was soon issued. As the tract became { more and more public, gradually its author withdrew the passages from Bogatzky and added portions of his own, until at last, with the exception of a word to the poor," the entire composition could be regarded as this own heart stirring appeal to the dis-i

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tressed and careless. This little missive of mercy, as we have said, he himself would distribute everywhere, and by every available means. He gave them to servants, to coachmen, to soldiers, sailors, to poor old travellers whom he might meet on the road side; he would drop them on the London Road while taking an evening walk; he would have them placed in the hands of constables and convicts; he would present them to the lame and the dumb; he would not omit Rowland Hill himself, to whom he presented twelve copies; neither should Wilberforce be forgotten, who, having received a copy of the tract, shook the author kindly by the hand as a brother in Christ. As edition after edition multiplied, it is extremely interesting to note the humble and devout spirit of the author. "This morning," he writes in his diary, "the eighth edition was published. I laid the first copy before the Lord, pouring out my heart before Him in thankfulness for past mercies, and entreated Him to keep me exceedingly watchful and humble, that I might not be lifted up with pride and self-complacency, and thus forfeit His future protection of my little book, which I had dedicated anew to His tender care. O may His Holy Spirit ever preserve me in a humble, watchful, penitent and believing frame of mind, that I may live unceasingly to His glory."

The prayer we believe was abundantly answered. Translations of his simple words to sinners have been made into nearly thirty languages,languages spoken by millions of people. It has been adopted by both the London Tract Society and the American. It has reached a circulation of nearly two millions of copies.

The number of its readers who can compute? Its usefulness who can tell? During many years its pious author received the most gratifying testimony that the work which had been begun and continued with so many prayers, was directing the distressed and conscience-stricken of many lands to the Sinner's Only Friend. And we doubt not the little book is doing its gracious work still, and will continue to do so in every circle and in every land where its simple message of mercy comes.

When we have alluded to this important work of Mr. Hall's, and pointed out his labours amongst the poor, the criminal, the formal, and self-deluded, day after day, we have indicated the sum and substance of his converted life. We might speak of special efforts and of special instances of good, of intercourse with ministers, noblemen, and church dignitaries; but his whole life after his conversion was simply the life of a Christian man of business, who while diligent in business was fervent in spirit, serving the Lord. For its usefulness and thorough devotedness to the cause of Christ, one day in his life closely resembles another until the tranquil close of all. The autobiography of Vine Hall, while it shows us what the grace of God can do with the weakest will and foulest heart, shews us as clearly what any Christian may hope to be and do, when, forsaking his sins, he gives himself unreservedly to the Saviour. In closing the book, we feel that while we may not be taking leave of a man of brilliant powers and gifts, we are parting company with one far more useful to us than many such,- a good man, full of faith and of the Holy Ghost," with

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much emotion, his office of deacon in
in!
the Independent Church, which he had
held for four and twenty years. On
coming to London he attended his
moto
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son's ministry at Surrey Chapel, and,
san elder of the Church
Church, and
and still in
his old walks of usefulness, the re-
maining years of his life came to a
tranquil, hallowed close. The begin-
ning of the end was an accident he met
with in the month of May, 1860, when
Jingo Jod
on an excursion with
EMOTIV KOSTIMETy and,

We have only to add in conclusion, us in order to make the course of Mr. Hall's life more clear that in the year 1804 he left Maidstone to e to take a business in the city of Worcester; and to this circumstance he w was wont to attribute all the happiness which subsequently fell to his lot. Here he married the lady who was the good angel of his life, and whom he ever regarded with the fondest, even the most chivalrous affection. In April 1814 circumstances were so ordered that he returned to Maidstone and took possession of the business of his old master, the house which he had entered a as an errand boy in the ve 1786. The business being a stationery sw stat al as well as a wine trade, in the course of time he relinquished the latter altogether without making the slight- ed by tho est profit in so doing-and confined himself to the former.

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He was about take his seat in the excursion van, ,་ ་ ། when the horses moved forward just hell foot as his was on the steps, and he was thrown backwards.' He said that he was not much hurt, but although during the ensuing weeks he received every attention, the end had come and on the 22nd September, surroundwhom he so tenderly loved, and upheld by the dear companion of his life, he fell asleep to wake up in

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In the year 1854 he left Maidstone the likeness of his God.

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CHRIST SHOW HIMSELF TO THE MULTITUDE ? Blood olttil í 19

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ATTERBURY,doka in botengwon ful whereas our Saviour manifested Himself only to His friends and followers. He did so; and with very good reason. For

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messenger and His message with
scorn and blasphemy, had resisted the
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evidence of all His miracles, and not-
withstanding the sanctity of his life and
doctrine, had pursued Him to His cross
with such a complication of obstinacy,

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