than with my own beloved church and friends in poor dark and dismal Crosby-row. Fifthly-Because I have been preserved from many sharp temptations-and held up in many sore trials, since I have been called to preach the gospel unto you, and those trials have really been made useful to me, and a blessing unto many souls among whom I have laboured. SixthlyThis confidence is strengthened by the fact that although my labours, as printer, and editor, preacher and pastor have been immense; yet never has the Lord forsaken Ime in the work. I have sometimes been blessedly indulged with sacred and solemn meditation on the word before preaching: at other times, I have been so dark, dead, empty, and barren, that I could see nothing, feel nothing, nor obtain anything; but, in the moment of extremity, the Lord has opened my heart to receive, and loosened my tongue to declare his truth; and he has | blessed the same to his saints. And, lastly, I may add, he has given me such a strong attachment to the work; and at times, such strong desires to be useful the remnant of my days, that I cannot but believe I shall yet continue with you for your furtherance and joy in the faith. I must now come to give you some brief account of my journey into Yorkshire; and of my labours among the people there. After preaching at Mile-end, on Friday evening, June 30th, I hastened home, and very soon after this a cab drove up to our door, with Brother GEORGE KELLAWAY, who had come up from Yeovil, to preach for me during my absence. I found him a plain, honest, sincere, man of God, and most heartily did I pray that the great Head of the church would bless his labours to your souls. to think they had looked for too much from me. Why it was, I could not tell but poverty of soul, and darkness of mind prevailed to such an extent, that I seriously wished I had never come. In the evening of the day, the fire kindled in my soul a little, and then I made such a noise that some could not hear what I said; others were obliged to go out for fear their heads would be split; and so altogether, you may depend upon it, I felt not a little distressed by the way. On the following morning I took a solitary walk by myself, for indeed I seemed to be here all alone. I found Hull to be a very extensive, a very busy town. It lays on the borders of the river Humber, which wide stream of water separates the two large counties of Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. A very fine pier is here erected on which you may walk, see the shipping, steam vessels, the opposite shores of New Holland, and many other things of an interesting character. The Wesleyans have here got six immensely large chapels; besides Primitives, Ranters, Presbyterians, General Baptists, Quakers, Churches, and other places of worship. Hull is by no means deficient of forms of worship, but how much real salt it contains, the Lord only knows. That it does contain some precious souls I am fully persuaded, although it was not my lot to find many of them. On the Monday evening I was announced to preach again in Bethesda Chapel, and with a sore pain in my head, and much coldness in my heart, I went into the pulpit. Something seemed to say to me' They have had enough of you in Hull, you had better have stayed at home.' Yes,' I said, 'I feel so: but who can tell what the Lord may have to do?' I tried to make the best of it: but I felt that preaching with my usual liberty was out of the question; however I made a noise for above an hour; and I know some solemn truths were spoken, but the comfort of them appeared to be left behind. The next day (Tuesday) we held a public tea Meeting in the Wilberforce Rooms. There is a very noble monument erected on one of the bridges here, in commemoration of Wilberforce's Abolition of Slavery.] This meeting was well attended. The provisions were truly characteristic of Yorkshire-rich in quality, profuse in variety, and abundant in quantity. It was to me a pleasing sight. Some of the speaking was edifying. The next day we went to Hessel, where I spoke to the people in a large club room, and told them that' Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it.' There was a good party came out from Hull, but the well was deep; I had nothing to draw with; and so On Lord's-day morning and evening, II was compelled abruptly to sit down. preached in Bethesda Chapel. In the morn- Surely never was I more mortified in my ing I was sorely tried; my mind so ham-life in the matter of preaching. The next pered and distressed, that how to proceed, or how to leave off, I did not know. Before I arrived here, Mr. Lane wrote me word that "the Yorkshire people were all cock-ahoop at my coming." Alas! I am inclined I was told, it was absolutely necessary, in order to get to Hull on Saturday, that I leave London by the six o'clock train. Well, at exactly twenty-five minutes to five o'clock on Saturday Morning the Lord awoke me. I found all in the house in a profound sleep: and felt persuaded I should not be able to reach Euston-square by six o'clock. While, however, I was meditating upon what was now to be done, my sons were up and gone for a conveyance, and having besought the Lord's presence and blessing, I was quickly on the road towards the rail; found a corner in a Hull carriage, and by the good hand of God upon me, I arrived safely in this town at six o'clock in the evening, and was, by my friend Mr. Lane comfortably quartered at Brother Wass's, in Carlisle-street; whose extreme kindness towards me, (in my very poor state of health here,) I hope ever to remember with much gratitude and esteem. day, (Thursday) I was to preach in the ancient town of Beverley. I must and will mention one circumstance here. As I was returning from Hessel on Wednesday evening, a friend said, 'I saw Mr. Wilson · was hearing you on Monday night.' I said, 'Who is Mr. Wilson ?' "A Baptist minister: Is he a man of truth?' I asked. 'O yes; he is A SOUND MAN;' said my friend. The next morning I was introduced to him; a very kind christian man I found him to be; and truly I must say it warmed my heart (not a little) to find that even the poor despised Baptists, (holding the doctrines of grace in heart and life,) were not without a living witness even in Hull. I pray God to bless his labours in the midst of the many thousands of souls which swarm by shoals in this densely populated part of our native land. At three o'clock we set sail for Beverley; a clean, pretty, quiet town: having a noble cathedral or Minster Church, called 'Beverley Minster,' a parish church, and some neat looking chapels. We went into the Minster; and a very handsome house it is, which has evidently stood for many centuries; and it seemed to say to me (as it lifted up its tall towers towards the heavens, and spread its mighty cloisters east and west,) Your noise about THE CHURCH IS IN DANGER, does not move me.' Well, well, Mr. Minster, (said I) I have no desire to move you. You are in the hands of Israel's God; he has made use of you; and may do so again; and when he has done with you he will sink you in oblivion; for much as we admire your lofty spires, and elegantly scarlet coloured stalls and pews, and ancient monuments, still, you are not THAT CHURCH WHICH CHRIST HAS BUILT UPON THE ROCK; against which the gates of hell never can prevail. While silently musing in one corner of the Minster, friend Lane gave me a thump, and said, Come along.' So off we went; and after giving me a good Yorkshire cup of tea, they took me into the Temperance Hall. There they stuck me up in a kind of gallery, (for a pulpit,) and a few people lent me their ears for a short time. Bless the Lord, my labours in Yorkshire are over! And now (Friday Morning,) I am passing over rivers, through dismal tunnels, and some few fields of corn and hay, on my way to Leicester, where I expect to preach this evening if the Lord permit. I may just say in conclusion, that, on getting into friend Garrard's pulpit, the fact of sister Walker's being taken home to glory pressed heavily on my spirit; and, I really there enjoyed a little of the Lord's presence; and greatly rejoiced am I to say that on my return home I have found my loving Master is with me. Thus in hope of eternal life, I am yours to serve in the gospel. C. W. BANKS. A Good Day. MY BELOVED BROTHER ROBERT.-As I am now shut up in an Eastern Counties Railway Carriage, on my way to Spalding, in Lincolnshire, where I hope to blow the Gospel trumpet, I feel a determination to employ my time in writing a line to you, and then send it up to the Earthen Vessel. And I will call upon you to join with me in bless ing and praising the God of all my mercies for his continued kindness towards me. I am (at times) greatly burdened in my mind, on account of time and temporal things-but, as regards the Gospel, I can say I love it, delight in it, and I believe, I preach and feel it more than ever I did before in all my life. I went yesterday to Knowl Hill Anniversary. It is near Maidenhead, in Berkshire. There is a couple of good, sound, clean experimental men of God at Knowĺ Hill, who preach the unsearchable riches of Christ; one is, dear old Benjamin Mason, whose labours God has owned to the bringing some poor sinners to a knowledge of the truth. I forget the name of the other dear Brother, but they are like Paul and Barnabas, united together in spreading abroad the fame and wonders of Jesu's finished work. It is very remarkable to notice, as I go about the land, that the real friends to sterling truth are very few, and generally poor. In the town of Maidenhead, they can scarcely keep the truth alive at all. There is one good man there by the name of Neeve, who opens part of his house for a little handful to meet in; and sometimes Brother Hunt, of Hemley, goes and preaches among them. Now, Messrs. Independents and company, have some fine chapels in that town, but God's truth, must be shut up in a little room. Well, it was so in Master's time, therefore let us not be grumbling. As regards Knowl Hill Anniversary, it was a good day; all the dear souls seemed as happy as they could be: The "little man from London" preached morning and evening, and Brother Miller (the pastor of the Baptist Church, at Penn) in the afternoon. He took for his text Christ's own words Upon this rock will I build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” I must tell you, Robert, it is but seldom I can hear a sermon with much profit, but this sermon I did hear with real pleasure. My heart was rejoiced to find the Lord had raised up a man, who, in a plain, honest, spiritual and experimental manner de clared the whole counsel of God. It was as clean and as comfortable a Gospel Sermon as I ever heard. Brother Evans (from High Wycombe,) and some of his friends were there; Benja min Flory, and some Reading folks, so that altogether there was a good muster; and a sweet, and solemn time it was. I was told that the High Wycombe cause is being raised up to more peace and prosperity under our Brother Evans. It is the firm conviction of my mind that the Lord will make use of that man. He is calculated to be useful: but, I can drop you a hint, Robert. These causes, and ministers, in poor circumstances should be visited and assisted by our richer friends; this would strengthen and encourage their poor hearts. Why, my Brother Mason told me, that neither he nor his fellow labourer never had a penny for their labours. May the good Lord appear for them, and for you, and comfort you, prays your loving brother, July 12th, 1848. C. W. BANKS. Dr. Hawker's Dying Pillow. IN our last, we gave a brief notice of a new work which has recently been sent forth by Mr. SHUTTE, (the present rector of the united parishes of St. Augustine and St. Faith, London.) The work is entitled The Dying Pillow made Easy for a Death Bed. A Posthumous Work of Robert Hawker, D.D." It is published by Collins, 22, Paternoster Row: and will, no doubt, be considered an interesting little manual by many true believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. As we are now engaged in speaking in our master's name at Hull, in Yorkshire. (where a temporary affliction in the head has again overtaken us,) we have neither time nor powers of mind very closely to peruse the work: but, it was written by Dr. Hawker just before his death. Let that suffice: it needs no further recommendation. We remember that we promised to make an extract from it, however: and this we will do. The following quotation is the Doctor's LAST AFFECTIONATE ADDRESS to the church of Christ principally upon the glory that is about to be opened, when death has done its office." And a very precious consideration is this for such poor tempest-tossed, sin-afflicted, body diseased worms as we feel ourselves to be. How often do our poor souls breathe out 66 "Oh, may I live to reach that place, But now for our extract. It is as follows:- 66 Believers in our precious Lord and Saviour, it would be well with them to be more and more acquainted with Jesus. Neither death, nor the state which will follow thereon, will make any alteration in our dear Lord, nor in any one article of the everlasting gospel. We are not going to glory without Christ; we shall need him, and to our latest moments. All we want in death is such views of him in a way of believing and spiritual apprehension, as may carry us above ourselves to rest on him alone. will most readily grant, none of us at present know what dying is; nor do we know what it is to be separated from our bodies. It may be, some of our brethren know as much of the apprehensions of being in a dying state, as we possibly can without the act of dying. If so, how were we at such seasons sustained? Was it not from real scriptural and spiritual apprehensions that our everlasting all depended wholly and alone upon our being in Christ? Were we not led then to see, if we were in Christ it must be by eternal election, and that this was the fruit of divine sovereignty, wholly the act of Jehovah's will towards us. From hence we are led to see, that all our consolation and comfort in the very article of death, and our admission into heaven, is all from the good pleasure of God's will. Let these thoughts take us off from all creature dependence on ourselves. Though we must pass through the dark valley, for the decree for your death and mine is past, and cannot be reversed-'Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return;' still our dear Lord he will be with us, and make death very easy to us, and fill our minds with joy unspeakable and full of glory. "As believers in Jesus we need not fear the execution of the sentence on us, for our dear Lord has said, ' Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth my word, and believeth on Him that sent me, hath everlasting life; and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, if a man keep my saying, he shall never see death. I am the Resurrection and the Life; he that believeth on me, though he were dead, yet shall he live; and whosoever liveth and believeth on me shall never die.' In my Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you: I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be also.' It well becomes us to receive in our minds these glorious Scriptures; and when we are enabled to mix faith with them, we have communion with him, and are thereby saved from all slavish fears of death. To be in Christ is the greatest of all blessings; to die in Christ, is true blessedness; to be found in him, is the very essence of all blessedness and perfection. It is our misery to look at death, and an entrance on an unseen state, without looking at these in Christ. He hath conquered death, he hath destroyed it, he hath abolished it; he hath consecrated it as the passage to life everlasting; he knows all contained in it, what is felt when the separation stroke is given, and what will take place on our entrance into eternity. Himself was separated in his body and soul by death; therefore, as he has himself passed this way, he knows how to feel for his people in the article of death; how to guide them safely through, and comfort them when heart and flesh fail. As to eternity, we need not trouble ourselves therewith-we are only going home to our Father's house; and the state we shall then enter upon, will be the state of glory; which will suit our disembodied minds, and be as truly acceptable to us as it is for us now to enjoy the Lord's presence, and communion with him in any of his holy ordinances. As respects the body, we can exist without it for a season. And let us stop a moment to consider, that, when all nature sinks, and all the springs of natural life cease with us, our Christ, who makes Ꮓ in his word, without any sensible comfort added to it. I conceive it very blessed to be enabled to say, as the apostle Paul doth, ‘I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.' Blessed be the Lord, all the Lord's people our cases his own, and promises never to fail nor forsake us, will be then to us all we need. If the Lord would give me the desire of my heart, I should prefer dying with Christ's eye on me, and mine on him, and in the exercise of my spiritual senses and faculties on his person, love, salvation, worth, fulness, and glory, than in the en-are equally secure in Christ. Death canjoyment of spiritual consolation; because, hereby a way would be opened to consider the glory that is about to be revealed, as soon as death has done its office, and the mind is disengaged from the body. "It is generally found the children of God live as they die, and die as they live. Such as have been led from the Word, and by the Holy Ghost, to receive the knowledge and mysteries contained in the person of Christ, the love and salvation of the immaculate Lamb, and have had real fellowship with him in a way of believing, and centre in him for life everlasting, expecting to find and enjoy in him all the blessings of life everlasting; when such come on the confines of eternity, they generally are found so wrapt up in Christ, as to utter to their fellow-saints, who may be about them, how they are sustained in their own minds, and what prospects are now before them, of the glories of Christ, which will break in upon their souls when they shall be admitted into his immediate presence in heaven. Many a saint, grown to spiritual maturity, has found a death-bed most blessed, as being favoured with such spiritual views of Christ, his dignity and person as God and man. It has been given to them to see that all the glory of God will for ever shine unto them, and upon them, in the sight and vision of him, the image of the invisible God, in whom dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead. It is a part of glory let down in the mind of such, when they are led to consider Christ as the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, the first and the last, as the first-born of all God's purposes. It is a fit subject for a dying moment to consider Christ in his love to them. To look back into eternity, and hear him saying, I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was; my delights were with the sons of men.' To review all this realized in his open incarnation, to consider how it hath been fully ratified by his obedience, sufferings, sacrifice, and death-this is strong support to the child of God in the prospect of dissolution. "And some of his people are filled with the consolations of the Holy Ghost, and fall asleep in death without a sigh or the least struggle. Not that this is always the case. For it is in a sovereign way the Lord acts to his dying saints, as well as towards his living ones. Some who know but very little of Christ, are filled with more comfort on their death-beds than those who know far more of him; these are the lambs our dear Lord carries in his bosom. Some shall die upon the truth of what the Holy Ghost has revealed of Christ, and spoken to them not take off the heart of Christ from them, nor can it separate them one moment from him. Let what particular frame of mind they may be in at the article of death, or the circumstances which may attend their departure out of the world be what they may, this can make no alteration in their state in Christ. A believer cannot close his life better than in the exercise of faith on Christ. He cannot express himself better, when the cold clammy hand of death is upon him, than by saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.' He cannot set a greater crown upon the head of Christ in his last moments than by calling on his name, and giving up his soul to him, and committing it to his care and charge. Millions of his saints have acted thus. Millions more will. And oh, that it may be your exercise and mine when the Lord shall call us into such a state; may we call upon Jesus to receive us, and admit us into such a view of him in his eternal glory, that our souls may be swallowed up wholly in him. "It is a pleasing thought, let death come when it may, it will soon be past, and the Lord will be with us. It is only the death of the body; it can do no injury to the mind. When past, it is past for ever. Jesus will take his hand and hold it forth, and hold us by the right hand, saying, Fear not, I will help thee; and this is all we shall need in a dying moment. Let us, therefore, be of good courage; we have his own word for it,' Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord.' You and I, my dear rea der, need not make so much of death; it is only the sinkings of nature. When the shock is felt, and the whole of our animal life for ever expires, we have Jesus Christ to receive our souls; we need no more; we can say no more to suit us, than LORD JESUS, RECEIVE MY SPIRIT.' A FEW BLESSED WORDS OUT OF MANY SPOKEN BY Mrs. Webb, in her Dying Moments. ALL through her illness she was the subject of many fears, and clung to life, saying she could not give her dear husband up. Her mother told her one day, she believed she would be able when the time came: this she doubted. Her husband read that passage where it is said, 'Hethat calleth on the name of the Lord shall be delivered.' She said, 'Is that right, dear? I thought it read shall be saved: this is not that passage, for I well remember the one you mean: if ever I felt the word applied, it was that word. Oh,' she said, that is what troubles me. I fear I had not a right beginning: that I took up 6 religion, and that it never took up me, this is my trouble.' When she was taken worse the last time, she said to me, weeping, "Oh! death is such a great monster, I can never meet him.' I answered, 'Yes, you will; remember as thy day is, so shall thy strength be; you see no stock in hand.' She said, 'I know he is a conquered enemy to God's people. I want to know I am one of them; I feel as if I want to see the Saviour with my personal eyes, and hear him speak to me. Oh, that the Lord would cut me to atoms, rather than I should deceive, or be deceived. May I but just get within the gate to sit at the precious Saviour's feet.' When death first struck her, she said to her mother, Do you think this is death?' Her mother said 'I do think it is, dear.' Oh,' said she, 'but I thought he would have come like a great lion; if this is death, I don't mind dying.' When I first went to her, I found her still doubting, expressing many fears about her safe arrival in glory. Some one remarked, You are going over the bridge. She looked earnestly at the person, and said, 'I hope it don't stand slanting, so that it will slip from under me. Could I but know my safety.' Her breathing being distressing beyond description, and fearing patience would not hold out, and that she should be left to murmur, she cried out, 'Do give me patience, dear Lord, to bear all thy will;' and asked, 'Do you think the dear Lord will give me patience? do pray for me;' and in answer the Lord gave her her desire. As I sat watching her, I saw such a sweet and HEAVENLY expression come over her countenance, and all was peace within, and she exclaimed, Now I know what fulness of faith means; who would have thought that such a poor thing as I should know and feel it-not one doubt-not one fear-all are gone. Christ is precious-all in all to me. I shall see him for myself.' And turning to me, said, When I heard that you said I should have a happy death, that the Lord would appear for me, I could not believe it, but now I feel it. In saying something, she made use of the word if. Her dear father said, 'What if still-can't you get beyond if? She answered, Oh, yes; but I have been so used to say if and but so long, I forget myself.' When the pain of breathing came on worse, she would say, 'Not one painnot one struggle too much-I deserve it all, and much more.' She often said, 'Do you think it will be long before my heavenly Father takes me home. I can give you all up-my dear husband, I can give him up also. I look upon nothing in this world as belonging to me. I long to go to that place where sin and sorrow never enter. My dear father, I shall be at home first, the Lord is taking the branch before the root; but we shall meet above.' An aged saint coming in to see her, she reached out her hand to her, saying, 'I shall be at home first, I am going home.' The last time I spake to her, I said, 'How is it now? still happy?" She looking, said, 'Oh, yes; firmly fixed upon the Rock;' and repeating it, 'firmly fixed upon the Rock.' Another thing she said, "The dear Lord has heard my prayer that was that he would grant me my senses to the last, and this he did.' The text she wished to be spoken from was Phillipians i. 23rd verse, I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart and to be with Christ, which is far better,' which text was given to her when first taken ill; but she said to her dear husband, I can never have it spoken from, for I shall never be able to say feelingly every word of it;' but after the dear Lord made it her own, she said, I can now adopt every word of it, and should like it to be spoken from, for the encouragement of some other poor doubting soul. Her end was peace. Our brother Skelton preached her funeral sermon. Mrs. Webb was for many years a faithful servant to Mrs. Studd, of Hazelwood, who has furnished this account. Is not the Glory Departed? I HAVE been led to fear that we have many more ministers than our God either requires, or is making use of; and that on the walls of many of our chapels might be written those solemn words-" The glory is departed." These thoughts are occupying my mind while returning from Spalding, in Lincolnshire. I had engaged to preach two sermons there (the Lord permitting) on Thursday, July 13th. The desired object was, to endeavour to bring about (under God) a revival of the cause of Gospel truth in that town, and to render some assistance to our friend Nicholas, who has for some months been preaching in Ebenezer chapel, Spalding. After returning from Knowl Hill anniversary, I set out for Peterborough, where I was expected to speak on Wednesday evening; but when I reached that place I found friend Nicholas waiting with a horse and gig ready to drive me on to Spalding at once; and he insisted upon it that we must leave Peterborough without delay. I did not feel nicely about that; no more did some of the Peterborough friends. However, I just had a little refreshment at Mr. Heads, (that good friend to the cause of truth; saw our venerable brother, John Carter, whom I am happy to say is better, and is again preaching the gospel with his wonted zeal and faithfulness,) and then set forward for Spalding. After passing through James Deeping, (where Mr. Tryon resides) we reached our journey's end. The next morning I went to the chapel: it is rather an ancient building, being erected in 1700, and enlarged somewhere about 1786. It is endowed and quite free. There is a tablet to the memory of " JOHN CRAPS," who it seems for twenty years, was a zealous preacher, and faithful pastor in this place. Since his time, the pulpit has been occupied by very many, among them, I may notice-Cattell, John Stevens, George Murrell, Felton, Marjarum, |