dropsy, of which he died in the prime of life. As for his eternal state I must leave it, and admire that grace which has made me to differ. The effects of this interview I shall not soon forget. missed her; but who she is, or where she comes from I know not-I suppose she belongs to the flying camp. A few weeks after this I received a note requesting me to visit this person, who was ill in bed. I went, and when I entered her apartment, she lifted up her hands, and said, 'O my dear sir, how glad I am to see you! I was always afraid to speak to you; but now my Lord has come, I can tell you what he has done for my soul; he hath turned my darkness into light; he hath put away my sin, and blessed be his name, I shall shortly be with him! Come,' she said, 'sit down, and I will tell you all about it.' This was a gratification to me, and I begged of her to take her time; for I perceived she was very weak, as she had been some time confined to her bed with a most painful disease. and his life was considered in danger: I was sent for to visit him, and went with one of our managers. When I entered the room I saw in the poor man's countenance the picture of despair. He said, 'You are come to see a dying man, full of anguish As a contrast to the above I will now and pain with one foot in the grave, and give some account of Mrs. C-1. This without any hope in God, and without the woman attended my ministry a few months least desire to have a hope; I am given up only. She was distinguished from the to hardness of heart and impenitence; and rest of my congregation by her wearing a what will appear strange to you, I am in scarlet cloak. She always appeared very no trouble about it, not the least, though I attentive and downcast; she would seldom know that I shall soon be a dead man.' look up all the time I was preaching. At These observations made me tremble, and length this woman was missed from the I paused to think what I should say to chapel; and enquiries were made of me, him; for I had never met with such a case who she was, and what was become of her. before nor since, and the Lord grant II said, I recollected such a person, and had never may again. I thought it might be that he was left to the buffettings of satan, or by some falls had been deserted of God, as a chastisement for his folly. I therefore asked him many questions respecting the beginning of his profession, in order to ascertain the character of the man, and draw something from him that might induce me to speak comfortably to him. He told me he had had convictions that he was a sinner many times, and had had many joys and comforts which he thought came from God at the time; but his convictions, he said, 'were nothing more than men generally had at times; for their own conscience condemned them. And as for my joys and comforts, they were common to hypocrites, and they never came from God: I never truly hated sin, nor ever truly received comfort; thus I have been deceiving myself and others under a cloak of religion; nor am I the least troubled about it.' Many things more the poor man said equally horrifying! I spoke to him, and so did the friend that was with me, some time; but he put away the whole of what we said, which filled me with sorrow and confusion. The friend who was with me said, 'Shall we pray with you?' 'You may if you wish so to do; but I have not the least desire to pray myself, nor for any one to pray for me.' I said to my friend, 'You must pray;' for I am certain if I had attempted to pray should not have been able, and my friend attempted: but he hardly knew what he was talking about, he was in such confusion of mind. Glad I was when he had done. We then departed; and to the best of my recollection the poor man died the next day, in the same state as we left him. When we came down stairs we found the poor man's wife drowned in tears to see her poor husband in that state; she seemed inconsolable on account of his eternal state; she was an hearer of mine. Some two years after the death of her husband she was apprehended for receiving stolen property, and was transported for fourteen years, if not for life to Botany Bay colony! I would observe, that from the enquiries I made about her husband, I found that he had been a very unsteady, drunken man, which brought on him a The substance of her relation I shall here give :- When a young woman I went to hear several preachers, who were considered gospel ministers, with several young persons of my acquaintance; and the preaching took hold of my heart, as I thought, and I used to embrace every opportunity to hear, sometimes walking many miles. I found great love to the ways of God, to his servants, and to his children, and for some time felt as happy as my soul could wish. But after a while my comforts abated, and I became worldly and carnal, and had no relish for religion: I therefore concluded that I knew nothing about religion; for if I had I should not have been in this state of indifference. At this period I became acquainted with a young man, quite a man of the world, who made no profession of religion; and having no religion myself, and a proposition of marriage being made, we were shortly married. I was then wholly taken up with the cares of this life, and had no time to think about religion. Thus I became indifferent to every thing spiritual. I used to spend the Lord's day in pleasure with my husband and friends in general. In this state I continued for about twenty-five years! but not without remorse and occasional checks of conscience. But by-and-by I began to reflect on my former days, and on the life I had been living, without God in the world for so many years, and was much dis tressed on account of my eternal state; | me these things, she was seized with the and went to hear more constantly the most excruciating pain, and begged me to preached word, but chiefly of late I sat assist her out of bed, that she might be reunder Mr. J. B-t, but my distress in-lieved by walking round the room, which creased; though sometimes I met with a I did; and by supporting her by one arm, little encouragement. At length I heard and by the stick she had in one hand, she of you, and from what I heard I felt a de- walked about several minutes, though bent termination to come and hear you. But, double from her painful disease; and when sir, you do not know what I suffered un- her violent pain abated, I assisted her into der your ministry: for you used to ransack bed: then, with a sweet smile on her counmy heart, and point out all my sins, back- tenance, she said, 'What are all these slidings and baseness in such a way, that pains, when compared with my blessed ReI blushed, and could not look up many deemer's? This is but a taste of that bitter times; nor should I ever have spoken to cup that he drank up to the very dregs, you if the Lord had not in mercy visited and all for the redemption of a poor worthme. About three months ago, I was laid less sinner like me!' We prayed, and on this bed of affliction; and I was in the parted with many tears, not of sorrow but greatest agony both of body and mind. I of joy. saw nothing but death before me, and had no evidence of an interest in Christ; so that my soul was overwhelmed with trouble. In this distress of soul I was encouraged, and constrained to call mightily upon the Lord to shew me the light of his countenance, and proclaim my pardon through the blood and righteousness of Jesus Christ. He heard my prayer; and I saw by faith that he had blotted out my sins as a cloud, never more to be remembered, and I know that I shall be with Christ die when I may; I have the evidence in my own soul, and he will be faithful to his word and promise; and he assures me he will never leave me nor forsake me. Having thus been brought into that liberty wherewith Christ makes his people free, I felt anxious to tell you, that we might rejoice together, and that you might be encouraged to tell poor sinners, that they need not despair of mercy, seeing that he saved such a wretch as me!' This, reader, is the substance of what she said at that time. I visited her several times as also did a valuable old friend of mine, now in glory, singing the high praises of God and the Lamb. On one occasion, after I first saw her, her doctor came to visit her. On his entering the room, she said, 'Doctor, sit down; I want to talk a few minutes to you. You are often with the sick and dying, and have opportunities above most others to receive instruction and warning; but I fear that most medical men are tinctured with infidelity. You see me, sir, very near my end; relieve me you may, but cure me you cannot; neither have I a wish to remain here, for I know in whom I have believed,' and I know I shall be with him to behold his glory. The sting of death is taken away; I have no fear of death, but long for the time of my dismissal from the body, that I may see him whom my soul loves. Some day, sir, you will be brought into dying circumstances, as you now see me; and 'you must be born again,' as the Saviour says, or into the kingdom of The spiritual reader may judge, in some heaven you cannot enter. Christ must measure, what my feelings were on this be known by the teaching of the Holy occasion. I poured out my heart in grati- Ghost: there is no duty, no worth, no goodtude and prayer to God before we parted, ness in man, that is acceptable before God. for his great mercy shewn to her; but I No; the blood and righteousness of Christ was filled with remorse at my rashnes, in must be depended on only for our acceptsupposing this woman was 'one of the fly-ance before God. You see, sir, how it is ing camp.' 'O! (I said) she is a daughter of Israel! she is an heir of promise! she is all glorious within; her clothing is of wrought gold!' The pleasure and sweetness I found by her conversation, I cannot express. At the time appointed, I met her again, and found that she had had a severe temptation; that Christ was not equal to the Father-that she had been doing wrong in honoring him as she honoured the Father, which temptation had much shook her already debilitated frame. Under this painful feeling, she hastily called her daughter to read a chapter to her out of John's gospel, which she did; and the Lord broke the snare; and by this trial of her faith, she was still more firmly grounded in that soul-supporting doctrine, Immanuel's eternal divinity and co-equality with the Father, which she related to me in the most sober and judicious manner. But while she was relating to with me; death is no terror, and eternity no dread to me, because I know that I am saved in Jesus with an everlasting salvation, and I shall have boldness in the day of judgment; while those who die in their sins will be speechless on that awful day. May the Lord teach you, and make you to understand these things. I have given a mere outline of her observations to the doctor, for I believe her discourse lasted more than a quarter of an hour. When she had done her discourse on spiritual matters, she said, 'Now sir, you may proceed to business.' He did so, and retired; without any remark to her on the subject of religion. As he passed down stairs he met the husband of his patient, and said to him, 'Mr. C., you must not allow your wife to take spirits on any account; it has had the most unhappy effect on her, she is not rational; and it has been produced by ardent spirits.' Mr. C--1 was quite alarmed; and called his daughter to reprimand her for giving her mother spirits; but the daughter, who waited constantly on her mother protested that she had not given her mother one drop of spirits; but the father would not believe her, but rather the doctor. Mr. C-1 hastened to his wife, and in the most affectionate manner said to her, 'My dear, pray don't take any spirits; I am afraid it has hurt your mind. She said, 'What has the doctor been telling you that I have been taking spirits? I am surprised that you should believe him. I have taken none; and your daughter knows I have not. Poor soul! (she said) you are as dark in your understanding as the colour of your waistcoat, and the doctor also. No! it was not the use of spirits, but the good wine of the kingdom that constrained me to speak of Christ and his salvation to the doctor. But how can a man receive these things, unless the Lord teach him?' Mrs. C-1 continued some days after this, and had sweet joy and peace in believing up to her last moment. A good and gracious woman visited her frequently, and witnessed her last struggle. She was blessedly comforted, and her comforts increased as the moments flew. Having the free use of her speech, and knowing that her departure was at hand, she said to her friend, 'Find me that precious hymn that has been made such a blessing to me; and do read it over and over, until I leave the body: I shall not be long here; the messenger is come, and I am all ready to go.' The friend found the hymn as requested. To the best of my recollection, it was the hymn in my first volume of Original Hymns,' which begins thus : Come hither ye, by sin distress'd, This friend had not read long, before the Saviour said to this precious child of his that was longing to depart,' Come away!' What a contrast this to the former character! But before I leave this article, I would observe, the Lord is a sovereign, and his dealings with his saints are various; his judgments also are a mighty deep, and his ways are unsearchable. Perhaps there are but few out of the many whose hope is fixed on Christ alone, that are so favoured as Mrs. C--1. How often have we expected to find the most rapturous enjoyments in some of our more steady and spiritualbrethren in their closing scene: but how often have we been disappointed! -while the timorous and halting, nay, and even those whose life has been marked by many blots, have left a most satisfactory proof that they are gone to glory. This is puzzling to our reason. But we should remember that it is much easier for God to pardon the greatest offences against him, than it is for us to pardon the least offence against us by one of our brethren. 'My thoughts are not as your thoughts, neither are my ways as your ways, saith the Lord.' (To be Continued THE SAFETY OF The Church in Troublous Times. What Christian can behold the strange events which are now transpiring, and not be concerned respecting the church of Christ; but as Jesus foretold these events, we cannot do better than be on the watch tower; and to enter into the chamber, and unto the Lord for direction and preservation in this shut the door, and in prayer and supplication look time of trouble. And in my thinking and meditating respecting passing events, my mind was led to compose a few verses on the occasion, which, if you think them worth a place in your valuable Vessel,' are at your service. The judgments of God are abroad in the earth, Till peace, truth, and justice shall reign; But God has an angel which bears an ink horn, [flood, Yes, pray'r is the sign (like the Passover blood) Midst dangers, and troubles they're blest; And nothing his love can erase; Now thanks to the Father, the Spirit, the Son, By grace on this rock the whole church will abide, Through life and through death, they each storm shall outride, And gloriously triumph at last.-THOMAS HALL. Limehouse. The Security of the Church in Christ. Shelter'd beneath thy mighty wings, Beneath the shade of Calvary's tree, And leaning on Jehovah's arm, And 'neath the shade of Calvary's tree, SUSANNA. Letter to a Wesleyan. Extract of a Letter from a Brother to his Sister. and as standing on the brink of eternity, I take God to witness, that it is a fear lest fleshly and soul destroying systems should have more influence over your mind than not but be faithful to the grace given me, the solemn realities of God's word. I dare whilst I pray that you may receive it as it is intended, in heartfelt affection. And if you can show me to be in error, or can prove with me, I'demand it of you, as you will anme wrong, deal as faithfully as you please have mercy on us, and give us eyes to see, swer at the judgment seat of Christ. God and hearts to receive the truth. I appeal to the law and to the testimony, to Moses, the prophets, and the apostles; and if you hear not them, neither would you believe though one rose from the dead." Marylebone. A Solemn Circumstance. W. H. MY DEAR SISTER.-"I have thought often, and thought seriously and prayerfully on one caution you gave me, when we last met. "Don't be a bigot, brother." How often that term is applied to those who do not think as we do. But when is it rightly applied? I think, when persons sternly adhere to opinions which they have learned from man, but which have no foundation in the word of God. Now, if I or any man hold opinions for which we can produce a "thus saith the Lord," then to us the term is misapplied. When it pleased God to reveal to me, that the Bible was his word, and that all it contained was truth; I was then constrained to examine its doctrines, and compare them with what man had said and written concerning them, and to beg earnestly and continually that I might have the guidance of his Spirit to lead me into all To the Editor of the Earthen Vessel. truth. I was thus led to believe as I do, and have been made daily to prove the truth SIR,-It is now about eight years since I of the doctrines, in my own soul's experience, was very intimate with a Mr., a man enand in the Lord's way of dealing with others. dowed with strong intellect,amiable temper, Then comes the question, am I right; or, fond of conversation, agreeable, particularly am I, and all that believe as I do, given up fond of discussing theology; but unfortuto strong delusion, to believe a lie? If I am, nately for him he was of that class of men I richly deserve it, for a more base and vile who deny the deity of the Son of God; besinner than myself I know not. And most lieving him to be only a divinely inspired of my fellow believers confess the same. man sent of God for man's redemption, but But they who are given up to these, are said strongly denying his Godhead. In this he to "have pleasure in unrighteousness." always appeared delighted, whenever he Now my constant cry is to be kept from un- had an opportunity, to bring it forward for righteousness. My heart is deceitful, and I argument, which was not unfrequent, espedare not trust it; but as far as I know my- cially with the writer, whom he used to visit, self, my desire is to live to the glory of God I believe, for no other purpose than to silence alone, and to show forth in life and conver-me. But as far as the Lord the Spirit enasation the praises of him who certainly hath wrought a great change in me, making me to differ wonderfully from what I was. Then again, if I am taught by the Spirit of God; who are they taught by who deny the truths which I believe? The Spirit of God does not teach opposite doctrines. And what am I to think of those who say, "that God has revealed doctrines in his word which are not proper to preach to every one?" But who affirm, that some of them must be kept back, or they will do injury to the cause of God. Have those who thus say and do, any scripture warrant for their practice? I think not; but vain man would be wiser than his maker, and in effect, is telling him that such (to them) obnoxious truths had better have been unrevealed. The carnal mind will never receive the truths of God, but with the Spirit of judgment and burning they must be cut and burnt in. These truths are in no way pleasing to flesh and blood; and flesh and blood shall not inherit the kingdom of God. I do not contend for the sake of contention. God forbid. But zeal for the truth and honour of God constrains me thus to write. God is judge between us, and he alone. I know not but every time I write it may be the last; bled, the word of God was used to pull down his strong holds; shewing, that unless Christ was God as well as man the scripture testimony of him could not be true. The last time I met this poor deluded man, which was in the evening of the day, our arguments were long and powerful on both sides. He got up to go home, when I addressed him as follows: and while I did so, there was a solemn awe resting on me, not easily forgot. My remarks to him were: "I tell you Mr., the time is near, how near or how far off I cannot tell you, but the time is coming when you will need the Saviour whom you now despise." I repeated this under a very solemn impression; poor man, he went home, had a sleepless night, and the following morning, early, came to friend M., me much agitated, and said, you and I will never more dispute on a subject such as last night;" and shook me by the hand; then I said, "never more in my presence meddle with the honors of the Son of God;" and we parted for ever. This poor man went home, and before the sun set, he was a corpse! "No enemy shall dare to stand CRABSTICK. Journeying Mercies. A FEW WORDS ADDRESSED TO THE CHURCH OF CHRIST AT CROSBY ROW, DEAR BRETHEN AND SISTERS IN THE LORD, I am now pent up in one corner of a railway carriage, having this Saturday, July 1st, 1848, to travel above 260 miles; in the anticipation of preaching several times in Yorkshire, before I meet you again. And as I was this morning being hurled through the air by steam in safety, these words came to me-" In all thy ways acknowledge the Lord, and he shall direct your steps." And with these words, a desire sprang up in my soul to set up an Ebenezer of gratitude and praise unto the God of all my mercies; for surely no poor sinner did ever more certainly see the good hand of God towards him, than I have done since he called me to preach the gospel in London; and, therefore, the Editors of Spiritual Magazines, and others may do their utmost to throw contempt upon me, but seeing the Lord goes on to appear for me, I do desire increasingly to live to his honour and glory; and to spend and be spent in his service. The first thing in which I do desire to acknowledge the good hand of my God towards me, is, his appearance for me in providential matters. In consequence of the very heavy losses which I have sustained through the publication of this and some other works, I found myself in the spring of this year, fast going behind; and how I was to meet the claims that would be made upon me, I knew not. From two or three particular sources, I fully expected eighty pounds; which sum was required to pay a stationer's bill. But nearly all of these particular expectancies failed, and it did appear as though a thick cloud was gathering, which would burst upon me with great violence. Many attempts to work deliverance for me were made, but in vain. In the midst of this time of trial, Mr. James Osbourn sent for me, and he gave me an order to print for him a new edition of THE BUILDING OF MERCY;" and as it was a heavy undertaking he paid me down forty sovereigns to commence it with and before the time came to make my payment, another appearance of the Lord's hand was seen, so that I can say in this case God towards me in the ministry of the word. As many of you were not present on the Thursday evening, when I spoke for the last time in Crosby Row, previous to my leaving for Hull-I will briefly recapitulate what I was led that evening to advance. I had been very much engaged that day in despatching the VESSELS to their several destinations-(which is now a very long and arduous task)-and I felt quite worn down in my frame, weary in my mind, and not a little afflicted at the thought of having so long a journey to take. I sat down in the table pew; brother Blake was giving out a hymn. I asked our brother Aaron Miller to read a chapter; for really I felt I could neither stand up nor open my mouth. Well, he read the 55th of Isaiah, and when he came to the words " YE SHALL GO OUT WITH JOY, AND BE LED FORTH WITH PEACE." They fell into my soul with power, and I felt as though the Lord spoke them to my heart. While brother Packer was in prayer, the words of Paul to the Philippians came to my mind you, Only let your conversation be as becometh the gospel of Christ, that whether I come and see you, or else be absent from stand fast in one spirit,' &c. I may hear of your affairs, that ye Upon the coming in of this word, when Brother P. had done prayer, I took up the Bible, and turned to the epistle to the Philippians, and was deeply impressed with the words of Paul (Phil. i. 25, 26)— And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide, and continue with you all, for your furtherance, and joy of faith.' These words seemed really to be put into my very heart and mouth; they were like unto a brilliant torch, that, in an instant, threw a light back upon all the path which I had been led; and did so bring up a sense of the great goodness of God unto my soul, that I felt I really did possess this confidence; and I arose and spoke to the dear people present; and told them upon what my confidence appeared to be based. First, from the deep and awful pit out of which God had raised me--the pardoning mercy, and amazing grace he had shown unto me in entirely removing, pardoning, and delivering me from my sins. Secondfrom the mysterious providence displayed in bringing me up into the ministry again; not by my working and seeking; but by the means of his own dear people, who sought Where I have seen surprising grace. me out, and brought me forward. Thirdly We are now busily engaged in printing the -from the great acceptance he has given BUILDING OF MERCY; and I have a hope me to find among all his saints, not only in that the Lord will abundantly honor and London, but in all parts of the kingdom own the publication of that work in Eng- where I have been sent for to preach the land, and constrain the Lord's people to gospel of his rich grace. Fourthly-this spread it far and wide, so that our esteem- confidence is grounded in the love and real ed and aged brother may be no loser; and heartfelt union which I feel to the church whoever examines its bulk, and considers at Crosby Row. God only knoweth how it price, (with all the draw-backs connected near and dear they lay upon my heartwith the publishing of works,) will be as- and how I do long for their peace and prossured that no temporary gain, of any perity in the things of God. I have in amount can possibly accrue to any party. many parts and places found kind friends But from this I pass away; and come-but I have never yet seen the people with secondly, to acknowledge the good hand of whom I would more desire to live and die The mount of danger is the place, |