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SKETCHES
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VXtlfi I£iiIBI!iir ILSIPIB
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NOW A PKBACHER OP THK OOSPKl.,
^ m SEVER JL LETTBRSt ADDRESSED TO niS CIJILDREX.
BY
JOSHUA MAR80EN,
JMitrof l^4mMimenU of a Miuiim, Ifc. 8(i
THIRD EDITION;
GitiMhy mind sea room ; keep if wide of earth,
IJThat jCwk of souls irmiiorliilp^t tliy cord,
"eigh anolmr, upread thv j<^ls ; call wery wind ;
e thy great pole slur/jiuike the loud of life.
YOUNO.
HULL ■;,'^::. ;•-/■■
Printed by WiUiam Rota, BmMhy-Lam;
G.1*unier, in the Market-Ptace; Ramnilt-h, Brvcrle)-; Ki>p. Ca««le<8(MdL
«rpool; 8iiDpkiii A Marsliall.Statiout-ra'.Cnurt.LuiUale-Siretfi; ^
Bainei,auil Bniloo A Son, Patarnosier-Row; aiut
BUd«liafd, Ctt>-lload, London. , .*-,
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FEB 25 1948
THB
IDIE!DI!(Si^VII(DI^
or
A FATHER TO HIS CHILDREN
A FATHER ! that name is a centre i
1 o you, my dear girls, 'tis a home :
A haven you always may enter.
When life is all tempest and foam.
Your names on my heart are engraven •
Time cannot the im&ge remove • '
While black are the plumes of the'raven.
And plaintive the voice of the dove.
Foryou my xvarm prayers have ascended,
1 hey re all on the heavenly file
That each by God's Spirit attended,
M^y walk in the light of his smile.
Expand like a rose-bud unfading,
. And beatity and fragrance impart '^
A beauty, that needs no parading, '
: A fragrance, that gladdens the heart.
^cjowjy and modest and simple,
^ Foy fliese make the fairest more fair •
^ot half 80 bewitching Jane's dimple, *
iNor Fanny's blue eyes and brown hair.
'$
"■'■^s^
1*,
• IV
/''«l'«''"tNfimst|,„|.cHtoi,.ovej
Hut H,n,,„nH ns .ml,i „„ n„. ,„„,„i
An.l soft an the ,Jown of the dove.
All inoi.tal luroiupliHlmiciitH tovot
IJiit i.evfr desire Jo be fine •
Lt^t the belle and the buttcfly love it j
Ii« VBiuty H emblem and 8ign. .
• Move on in the lirtle of duty'
With dignity, wisdom and iraee ;
i l'e«e «,ve the yonn^ fen.alc a beauty
.^urpastiing the prettiest face.
True meekness is H'omatrs chief merit =
io rise any highcrneer aim;
Who shows the bold Amazon spirit—
forgive me~but blazons her shame.
Youth, elegance, gaiety, beauty,
May kindle the flame of desire ■
J 18 sympathy, meekness, and duty
Alone, that can ^cherish the f«u.
But these arc the Spirit's own planting ;
i hey bloom in the garden of grace •
Where er they are withcr'd or LJul
^o charms has the loveliest face.
A danghter,_wife, sister or mother.
Delightful relations we call •
Ihe Christian sheds lustre on all.
A Christian ! sweet appellation •
_ J IS miniature Heaven on earth 1
'p."; ?//'' P'''^«*^n* salvation ;
i^he child of a inystilal bjrth.
f
X
^
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Tlicn chcmh, my ilcnrcst, ficMrs McNbinir,
III spite of tiro rukc and the lieau ;
1 liiiik piety worth your posMcsHing,
'TiH Hcavcn'8 bright jowcl helow !
Hnve faith in the Laml. that was sinSttcn 5
Without It all virtue ia dross ,
In the vylumc of truth it is m littcn
"We're sav'd by the blood of the' cross !' '
Redemption f—dcli^ht in the story '
Vwm writ l)y tlic pencil of love :
I*air charter of liiuitlcss glory ;
The song of the spirits alK)ve.
A refuge! a rock of reliance j
On this you may joyfully build ;
Hid justice and vengeance defiancw.
And boast in the blodd that was spill'd.
Should folly ami fashion assail you
Or vanity's bubble allure,
And no other refuge avail you,
llie Cross is a specilic cure.'
No matter how private your station,
lis love tliat enlarges the mind :
1 hat answers the end of creation.
Which moves in the circle assign 'd.
Wmt is there in classical pages
80 bright and so charming as this >
Irue love is a lusli-e of ages.
The day star of lieavenly bliss !
'Bove vanity, riches and pleasure,
_ 1 his sin-curing Anmlet prize j - .
I he poorest, possessing this treasure,
is rich in eternity's joys.
- ' ._ _ ■ .,/.;^„,.. ^3^ -....■.. ;■.-;.--■.
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▼I
TIm» voyngn of IiTo in lioforo yc,
YoH Nuil uith the Zioii-.|ionri(l fleet -
M«v lovo Haft yoii oiiwiird to jjlory.
And crown you nt Jchub'ii feet !
Your futluT tin's cl.tirt lias coiiHtrnctod.
. Ai one of his heart's wwnicMt pledges •
That y(M., by hid eounacl InHtincted, '
M«y Ijuftl againit urn's dismal ledges.
AccqVt, ray dear daughters, the token,
It tomes from a parent, a sire j
A name that, or written ti spoken.
Should filial affection Inspire.
Adieu ! I to Jesus commend you j
Be pious, 1)0 w ise, be discreet j
^*I,V'*'/"*'' "^y"""* '■'»*''^'" «>cfricnd you,
liU w^ail shall in pwadistj meet.
i
'SP-
■i
I
TO
.•v
vmiB mxAiDaiiri.
'BP-
As the present .8 the third ecHtio,, of thU little nork
tlu,ugh the first that lu.s appcHrcMl i„ K„«la,Hl, it ,,1 bo
«cccH««ry hat the Author HlK,„ld aHHign ho.uo rea "7 1^^
appearing bef,H;c the p»I.Iic.-i„ f„ct, that heHhonld gh.nVi
at he .,Ht<,ry of h.H Sketches of Karly Life. I„ the yci"
1812 he went from the Son.cr« hhUn to Kevv \wk n
order to embark forEnglknd, but « hen he arrived the J ^
that country was upon the eve of a war with (Jreat iJritaln
all her s „pp,„g. This laid l^ia. undorthe necessity of on-
tinumg ,„ that c ty. till fi/mlly the declaration of C
which was n.ado six weeks after Ids arrival, detained hm
J prisoner under the care of the .nar«hal of the d trii?
Having rmw a httle leisure, he published a small vo ume
of Poems, " Amuseuients of a Mission, or Lei ureHo„r"
or tw^nf "^ .•' ^"^ ""^ l^nown, he prefixed a pL
or two of notices respecting his early Ufe. He sent
a copy to John Bristead, Esq. counsellor, and author of
aeveral popula^ works, viz. Resources of the. Brkisi
Empire, of the Russbn Empire, and of the United St^es
From th« gentleman he immediately received the foSg
My dear Sir, > : ,^«' yofi, ^ug^si^^ ^812, ;
• I heartily thank you for your very acceptable nresPfifr
of your Poems, and the r«« W Sl/etche»Vfy^^^^^^^^
^PhelitUe biographical notice of yourseiri
via
J
"'■ t^*
exceedingly J it b/eathes throughout the spirit of a'decn
and fervent J)iety, a sound and manly understandinff. a ten-
der and ^generous heart. It has but one fault.-lit is too
9/iort. I wislied much to have *een more of your CAmtian
e.rpemnce, to have seen how tho Lord Jesus Christ enabled
you, by the rnftuence of his Holy Spirit, to struggle with,
incessantly and successfully, the evU heart of ufbelief-
the rusts of the flesh, which war against the soul: how
j^u have been strengthened into a fit temper and di^posi-
t|on of soul to receive with gratitude whatever your heavenly
Fathergives you j to desire nothing «'hich he withholds ;
to yield up, with all obedience to his will, whatever he
takesawayj_and to dedicate all that heaves, talents
' knowledge, time, opportunity, body, soul and spWt, ^
♦^i S'l /k'"*' ^^'^^'i^^ Redeemer and your God : of
the Holy Ghost, your Comforter, Sanctifier and God-1
<Ar« persons m one Jehovah, your covenant God It is
a cordid to my heart to brood over the accounts* of the
spirmal expenence, the soul-subduing exercises of th!
TT^^i ^'''- ..?''' ? ""^' Bot indulge^on tSHhen^' t
I «1 ha.^ neither time nor room to tell you how much
I admire the flound Sense, the genuine piety, the red
feehng and the command of langu^e which*^ are d splayS
in yourpoetry. That your present work may haSlS
crculatioif which its intrinsic merit richly dese^es, id
that you and yours may prosper, and be blessed wth^l
:sCt;;^r'"^ ^^^^^^^
{ : - Your brother in Clirist,
. - John Bristead.
, This letter from a gentleman of such high character for
¥er^y excellence, induced the Author to turn S w[ .
attention more minutely to his early life, and, uponToire!
ful review, he thought it abounded with incident reS ^
It at least useful to his friends, his childr^rai^ others
IVTiether weU or ,11 written, the execution has be^S
1
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,#>•
■■■■ ■"•'■ : IX ' ■ ■/ ^
to himself, and his reasons for making it pnbllc may be
found in the third page. He hopes they will justify him
in the judgment of the candid/ the liberal and the pious.
In giving, this third^ edition to the world, lie cannot deny
himself the pleasure of subjoining the tcstimonv of a re-
spectable gentleman, a member of the congress of the
United btates, in a letter :vmtten to the Author since Us
arriyal ID England. •
_ . ' Canandatffua, Wh Maff, 1815.
Kev. Sir, «
I am persuaded by the kindness with which you men-
tion me, ih your letter fi*om New York, to my neighbour
and ffiend Mr. Beals, written in August last, that ypu will
not look upon this address as impertinent j and I feel
impelled, by t^e obligations of a grateful affection, to write
to yon. The farewell address wa84 handed me, agreeabb
to yonr request, and the deep interest you there display in
the present and future happiness of your friends in this
country, of whom you are pleasei^ito consider me as one,
awakened much of my mother in my Jietet. Your friend-
. ship, my dear sir, I most corfially reciprocate. Give me
leave to say, that I have never, upon so short acquaintance
with any man, felt myself so powerfully attached ; and the
ties of this attachment I trust will never be broken, for
they were framed in the mid^t of very serious impressions
-T-impressions of a character which I hope will hereafter
be approved in Heaven. Since your left us, I have made
*/»"* m profession of Christianity, and become a member
of Mr. Torrey's society. To this profession, which 1. regard
as the most important act of my life, I think your pray-ers,
your sermons, your conversation and writings have contri-
buted. Sir, I thank' you, and may God ih Heaven be your
reward. At the age of nineteen T had read many infidel
iwoks, and thought it a mark of spirit and genius to be
»a gainsayer of revelation , but 1 desired happiness, and
soon found that infidelity had none in possession, and
. • The firit and second were published in New York.
^
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^;t. Paul, n^kJer.mklmi^f''''''' ^«"-e"ion of
re .«ion. My heart wi S^^^^
evil habits and sometimes nTSfV^"* ? ^^'^ ^^ some
now about six inonth S 7 ^j^l ^?* .^'"» *«»"• I' «
day's duty to read the Bible a„H^' ''" ^^ *^^ «^^^
Renouncing all self-depeadenee ZJ^^'^i'^.^'y^^'^^l
) and imploring grace from above I ""^ """^"^''"^ "^X «'°«
joy and hope.1 I bless God for tJoh "^ .^^^ ^^'»»
1 have experienced in mv W ^t.^ change which I thiqfc
npon Him whose strenXs^ir ''^«°'^?* '^th a reliance
that - as for ^e and "£ housTw^^''^' ^" <>" weakness,
For your bopfe of iSems I ^ T" '""^^ '''« ^^^^d."
nyself have rearf them Si.J*",*' yo'^- % ^vffe a«d
«.e highest pJJXth^t'^J'^^fP^^^^ They deserve
jTOimag5andei^:Sr^°?5^,and hive many
Nity and zeal in the be^ of kn!?^ n'^^^y S'*^* «en«i-
'nll do the most good. Thev ^r\ ®."' y^""" M«^^^^^^
with avidity by moft afthlTu '''"l^^ace, and are read
»ar « o/tL Sonedt Cal , • ^^^ Your
gratifying to yoiir friends a^n/ST'.'" ^ ".anner very
•endyouamoigusaffain^^ J„ ' ij^^^dence shou^
Withgreatjoy!;;:^:^^;^
S^byyo„r^erefHdtaani;be^^^
"Every flfifllrt, . Mybon Hollev.
2j ^4ed in TZ^:Zr^i^'-f- man's bei,;^ .
F^napl^ofself-love^Sris uln?' P'"'""*' ^y that
I*
m
:<-*.■
fea_ f?
in prospeet.---
Conversion of
was convinced
on the side of
left off some
f» tears, it jg
part of every
th niy family,
ssing my sios
coarse with
J'hich I think
ith JK reliance
nr weakness,
he Lord."
f y ^vffe and
'hey deserve
i have many
great isensi-
or Meipoirs
Jeen profit-
nd are read
each. Your
lanner very
ihould (ever
5 welcomed
^t,
lotUsy.
.* /'with
'seof our
u»'s being. •
hy that
iquish its
nnot but
ave been
feventSj, 3
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. - «
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yet he has felt it more important to himself than all other
iZ^^^'% ^t" elapsed periods of life acquire
importance too from the prospect of its continuance. -The
smallest things become respectable when regarded as the
commencement of what^hasadvai^ced, or is advancing, into
magnificence. The little rill, near the source of one of the
great Amenpan nvers, is an interesting object to the tra-
veller, who is appnsed, as he steps across it, or walks
a few miles along ts bank, that this is the striam Xh
TfllS^si '^ndwndi gradually swells into so immense
a flood. So, while I anticipate the endless progresi of life
and wonder through what unknown scenes it is to take its
course, its past years lose that character of vanity which
would ^seem to belong to a train of fleeting, pSbg
moments, and I see them assuming the dignity &"com?
mencing eternity In Ihem I havl 6e^n to he ?hat Zl
ITin'^T ^'"'^ ^ ""^ *" ^« througlvinfinite duratS^^
and I feel a strange emotion of curiosity about this little
hfe in tvhich I am setting ont on such a progress. I can!
not be content without an accurate sketch of the windinirs
TW f «' ^•f7'»^Wch is to bear me on foTever^
The Author indulges the hope, that these letters Jy be
a blessing to others as well as to his own children ^h!
has told a plain simple tale of hiriielf : he E inth!
sincerity of his heari, that all may knoi lowTuch he is
indebted to divine Providence. His early e^riencehi^
been somewhat singular, but still enough witwS the ran^
taown The loving kindness of the Lord (O that he had
sSrtlr'^ to^.his obligations!) has been a constant
Stream following liim through all his past wandering in
by rjd'tn^
SLhrft °i li i^he hath saved >im from the deep • he
SffiLS sT/i. * *V'";»» 'danger, and directed him in
Jitliculties. 80 that, in forty-three years* exnerience nf
name, and a reason for everlasting gratitude, love and
^ __^ ^ . ■'. • - : ^ ^ . ^ ^J
m
i
t
fit"
[ki
■ ■■^. ■■ xii ■ ■
than he had Snts in wh ohr'^'"'"'^^^ "•*»•■« •"««•"««
from thelatrhe L f^^^^^^^ "^ «''''» God or man :
and from the foJ^rbSZ^^^^^ ^-'^^^y^
and render his dL f S "• i "*"" ^^'®^«' bankrupt
rehgion; where tXoSroW^r^^^^ ''•'*' '^«^^^^
his poor veto is unnS^ h« ' *'?""^»>«» "« given,
to s^; that it W?onJ^/w^Y.'''°'**'^*'''*'«'»'»<>^«d
from the! r^JJ set hf? ^''' ■?' ''»>«« t^ken him
people. rf^e^ro^Ln^J^Z\l^'^'^T^ "'^'^'*'«
and toitsparticuWcieTewc^W^^^^^
testimony. He has W„ fn ° f ""* '^ *»«" a grateful
and ocean: he has^iWdP^i T^J ^m^^B, both by land
tj^elled s;>m:tS^S
than tH^enty thousand uponXocin^H^^^^^
m snow storms, knoctednv«rL, ? 1 "« *»a8 been lost
- th^ woods, thrown from hlt""^ ^' '"*' ^""^«»»*«d i»
carriages; he^nif k T^j' overturned in wheel
8un.sTrucfew5thL™T/hrar^'* '"5 '."'^•'* ^^'»' «>W
disorders J in pS ?n f^l' T'^^""^!? r*** ^<>»t««i<»°«
An.riea,UenCt:^:^i:^
with ice J in perils on the Ll-£ T > .^ covered
jhunder storn^, a^dlJS^Sea'S -InT^ ^^"^l''
land, ndingover broken bridZcrosshfJ^i ^ •"'' "" *••*
canoes J but the providence S'r^i^K^'* "''''" ^°^^^
the exposed, a shelter to Z ^ ?^ ^'^^^^^ * «^'«W tl
needy fn his'dJs ff )fatl^J«*''^ " ^^'^^^''^ '« "'«
from the heat when' the S ??? ""* ''^™' "" ^^^^^
a Storm against the wa^l"L.%''"^^^" **"^ " «
God upon these SketrhlV i.'^^y'"*^ *=>»• 'he Messing of
^et.^upoini^:!s:i^-2t^s^ ''^.^-^^
Bm, May tbe Z6tb, 1821,
*■
I
extend only'to
B cannot refrain
period. Thus,
ids than either
i more mercies
ans to improve.
1 God or man :
nd hospitality,
fCver bankrupt
'ith regard to
lies are given,
er, be allowed
has taken him
«ces of God's
ifinite debtor,
)ear a grateful
both by land
ipon the iciB ;
1 sailed more
has been lost
benighted in
ed in wheel
d with cold,
'h contagious
B8 of North
linly covered
>nd, squalls,
lerils on the
rivers in log
a shield to
!ngth to the
Qj a shadow
ones is as
blessing of
he reader's
or sARiiY urs^^
I' ■ - ■■ ■•; ' IN BiSVEBAL .'■
^'■■■■■" ■'■"■<■ . "..■'■-. . ; - ^ i ■ ■ ■ ; :.
■■■■»■-■ .-,'-;
yiddrewd by the jivthor to hit CkUdrin^ "
■'■'.■■ ■,- ■'.'*«■ - '■
« T«rom vitcra .men, teoum obeam llbew."— Ho«4cb Cahmiii 0,
With yoi I dKHOd love to Uve ; with you I would cheerfullf die. '
tETTER FIRST.
Jify dear ChiMren» '
r.»d. .f fif.^*""/?? ^ *" -^«"«»' y^ know but
Ksfr K * r*^ ^f y<»«r affectionate father. What
Ir ^ ?**"' ". ^'^*^ little consequence to the
jour parent This eiroimstance alone, will, he is ner
waded, render it interesting to you. The ■ubj^of tC
Sketches cannot however, flatteryour vanity bi^adngTi J
descent from nch, honourable or illustrious LcS? * Se
? -I^L*'^"^ **•"* ^ '»'^» »»««» the ca«e,^lurtrcre
fleeted from the tombs of the dead can impit onel^v of
moral «ceUence to adorn the characters of the hW You
ZS f ^^*"*''* *?^"*»* *»y «ny imputative worth
derived from his progenitors. In whieve? light his dear
cbldren may view this narrative, he believes Tt will ^
^ 7^t' »ll?*«;f««"«^ The writer^ell rlme.^
bers, when he was but a little hoy, nothing gave him more
pleasure than the recital of inddent. iiLhiSfe?h«^ ^
an^ aneMote, which in long winter nights fwhen thu
Ubours of the Aiy were over) his fetW «L to teU Per!
kHM. his yener*bie parwt, on these occaiiona, maThiiwdf
f
/f
,.■ 2 ■. ■ . V...
■KBTOHEf OF
top prominisnt as the hem Af i.- V ^
a parent, and viewed in th^f JL^T H*' ^' ^ ^^
Jhade of vanity in his nwiirfv^ ;.t "r"*^^" »^^ ««
feed his children, and hiH^' ^''^ "P« of a parent
own life had beJn cheQue^*"lV" *" ^^^o^ce silver.'^ j^s
«• In • nun tbe ».«». M *•"*»
-IthaTT "^^^^^^
?^ther ^y 0^^;,^;^;^.^^^ the learned
Sr ^[^?K ' '^'>''« P'-^i^ f^d tt ""'y •*" ^^^^
w It IS, that no man «.„ k " *"® reason assimiiirf
hil«T?'' P*'*"^« ^'*th thf St S^.'"*^ *«*>*"«» i
jumsdf too prominent ; and h«^ • '"'^"''o*"^ has madi
.elfr^rj^ -«^edZ^ briihfri.'" bold a S
"n- 1^ indents, howei^\^ k ^ **<«<>»"• ^pon him-
^4vert,ngthereader'8iS;^*P^J^^^ :.
they had occasi<,n to re^ijSf ^^
^dejing what they S^W.^S-'^'*"?' *»d o^ thus
•peafangofthem8el^^lfW 5..'"^<**»™i 'i^Mch was h«
-method; n,, ^, .inguIari^ytlSiJr^ Zj^' '
Al .
*^f.} but hi was
children saw no
»«i«p«ofaparent
Jicesilver.*'^ His
vicissitudes ; he
uch of the world,
draw, .1
Jtly diversified }
lightly glance at
ig the learned,
^^i there are
>ay be adduced
•««<»» assigned
the master of
!>nie-wise and
'hisj some in
esting light of
■ experienciBs.
nth egotism j
Bs> has made
*»oW a relief
or lipon him.
oliar method
selves, when
and of thus
In'ch was by
Yourilither,
B«tf of this
hut toreq.
.'>
lARLY UFB.
der what he has bitten less inflated and egotistical. Hit
Sr inTllST,* '^ *»»* "^',fr«' «d unmerited grac^ of
Uod in Christ Jesus, secondly, to enconrage paTents to
continue in prayer for nndntifiil and ungoSy children
_thu-dly to^animate Christian exertion fST tie c«.t«:
«.on of seaf«nng men, fourthly, to gratify and iTt^
wiuui he split. If he had another motive, it was hi*
S:\J^wf '''' "^ ""** n^ive shodd'fTii^
i mirfL K-"^'"''*;' «rn«ariner, of any description
4 . "fy. lead him to reflect upon his wavi • and hi thl
, tnat redeeming love, which has interwoven itself with th,
I history of thewriter of these Sketches. '"^"^^^ *>*
< _In biography, my dear children, it is common to sav
.^hereamaawas bomj who were his parents rwhat^
YonJTh'"' ""^ IS:^ ""»y ye«» he halTlived ii ^i^l^Z
Your father was bom on the 31st of December 1777 .'
on the fast shortest day, ho was forty-three yearJoVi^'
S^vS^'"'^.""!^ >lf«^»«to»> Habere it plSSJdlX;
thert, the property had vanished iway, .o thi yT^
•• Ne'er brifhtea'd plpa|lii|M|w, fa jftin^ ^»
" 4»1 bouad fa ihaUows and fa intaeriei.» /
"» war ne etiate wu sold, tha hmjm paid, and a aam
■ 2" '
V'>?..
V
\i"^
tKercHif 09
/ ■
divided between your father*, .in,.!.. ♦!. - t
>^« kept in a .tild J is nS ' '^.^ "^^
^^yployed in tmde , Tence KU "E: ^V* 2"' »« inl«re.t „oJ
•Uy dlminiahed till the W 1^*"^' '"'''*»• i* gradu-
AtSer h«J . brothe JLd « StS'T.^'^rP*"''****- ^o^r
the former wm ki| J^J ^ Jjf f^^ 'L'*^*V'"« '"""'^f I
retuming^ fh>n, the fiine^l of ^le h- 1 I!. ***'"^ ' *»• ''••
rr^ .„„t.i„,^^^«ne he loved A. you h«r.
mention of her i. unnei«L^*v*** ^'V'»°<*' »ny farther
»>ood. was the .ubiertS 121 T?" »r«°' fr"" h" child-
often reflected uZ^^.'^Tf *?""»"' ^ *^- «fi«»t Snd
He 1 « early JX Sd^efli^lTSr' •"^."*'^*» '"^
Jhat h,. childhood was D«iii^„!^^^^^ «d coawdcring
favourable to earlyXriii."^ „^T*"^ «'**•
bjiddinga were doubtleea^STLii ^^S''^ «^o«
vi«^ng, dioring. ahd stiAZ^UhL H^ !?«» "^ «^
" Light that llghteneth evelf 1 •^* '*^^** "'nd* the
7;»rf<J:" not, i;de,5??hrSht oTni?" cj-eth into' the
We, sent to guide mai. feet1«L fil "'*' H '''« «ght of
to counteract the innSe SdnU ^^"^^^ '•' P««* I -d
Adam's original apos^^SL*,^ ^""^ "^ i'hich
little fostered and promoted hf!S *"P'^wm were not a
of W. mother. CT^L^Jlr''''^ -dmonitions
PIOUS, yet , he -tudied^^TiS^. " "? **"» '"ly
«/ara, ,fce knew itTthe feiTJ??; ^'^^ J** children,
who were oenber. «r»i. if . '*** ^ord : her nareBt.
formsofjreligHm. l^t n^'tJSjTV^'' ^^^
gioD without the love of G^d !nd Jio^fV • ^«"«> of reli-
« the heart. i» nothing betS t^ . l'**^ Power of truth
•*rc> •casket without jewd^T^ T****'°!' ^'^^out tn,..
tme religion, from tKSvJ^!,* ^"^P '^•'*>o»t oU. All
iMt finish of igSS^«w!tr^''*"*'f™«'««' feeling to the
fo«tering, and mSri^'^*P>°'«^''>«Holy'^£^^^
without^ pEf%iwi^S/^ PerfectiJnf^^^^^^^
the garden n^^y be inZ^ LJ '^ ^^^V ^owev^ well
"d briars of fegotted^oS^ U^ ^ *»•« «'o™»
^ ^*™*****^»^ «^ produce neither ^
lo
Ol
fri
nil
hii
^ th
th
%f
chi
Pr>
Bil
> 01
; bla
3 ing
his
; to(
of 1
he
grir
left
the
to t
youi
batl
shot
d,ay«
and
in ai
vivic
thei
Mprl
to ei
mind
or a
alarn
S'
««t of the money
«t to interest nor
irtben, it gradu-
ixpended. Your
er than himself J
^nc : he wa«
t^ Am you hay«
no, any further
it from his child-
bis in&nt mind
ind Heaven and
uid considering
lOMtances littl*
these gracious ■
Spirit of Gbd
idermind, the
meth into the
►ut the light of
it peace I and
tjr with which
nee. ,....»■■
'M were not a
1 admonitions
>t then truly
her children,
her parents,
'^grafted
toe exterior
form of reli-'
►wer of truth
n'thout trea-
wtoU. All
eling to the .
'oly Spirit'*
«tion: and
mevei-well
the thorns
ice neither '
.:^
love, nor joy, nof peace, nor gentleness, nor mteknets.
nor faith : and. however orthodox our notiois may bT wUh-
out these, the temple has „o holy place , the aCC no
fragrant .ncenso. the alabaster boi ha. no spikenwdTaSd
nil that nny people possess, under such ciiSimstrcis. ia
.u«mn dnll.ng. human invention. commwMlmwts of men •
there la nothing i„ the whole economy. thatSn ^ S
the '• plant of Qods r%U hand planting." *^****
' f V, P'i**'™'^ grandfather wai a member of the^church
.of England , so in thii> ^untry all are called, who ^o to
tvtr tl "'* ■®*^"^° *»e would often read in the
fouhitlllt 'r A "^^ ^'^V'''' ""^'S wheTa child!
>ourfathei^ loved because it had cuts anJ was orinted 5n
"f»"''y- When your grandfather/ read in the gospels
his son was often struck with thos^passages whicf Ste
to the destruction of Jerusalem ; 11 texS as the folbw!
ng created ,n bis tender mind mo^painful apprehensions
of the day of judgment, in referlnce to which solcmS
he always understood them. A Two womon «l,»ii k^
{njndingatthemin thepnesl^^ I^^akenrd ttotl^^
eft : two men shall be in theLld. the one shall be tXn
to them thf 'i'"'* woe unto/hemW are with ch^wln?
to them that give suck in tl^e days. But orav ve f h«f
sh^ld l;S"lTP' "'?\^"y* '^^"^^^^^ «»>«rtened there
should no flesh be saved, but for the elect's -sake those
&S?ll'? "^"^T^" ^^" '^"' « child he sT'ddL^l
and started from the prospect of being called to iudirment
m a^^unprepared stat^, allthe terrors^f the 1^^^
tie Sir^T.'** T"" ^' °»"'^ •» dreams and visiWs of
li^^ Hsf* ^'^ ^ ^^'^'^^ with horror in beholding 'the
v>prid pn.fii-p, or in hearing the judge condemn trSd
^tj^JTh ^-r-iVn§u.„ightalp^tffi
orVfllh .f ? 1; "?P^**"T «^ *«"■<«•> a clap of thunder,
H o^ f ^'^*'***'1"«' ^^'^'^'^ »" him the most scrS
alarm, and he was often afraid of going to bed lest the daj
"■/■
..■/
* iKBTCHBf ©»•
Vours affectionately.
LETTER SECOND,
M^ dear CkUdren.
heard the hiirtories of m.?y^Uchea^^ r • ''^* ^
would injudiciously before hJr Jma * ?. 'Tf*' ""**
towers i deadate Ln/wfu^I !j*^^? ^"^ «' ^^^
person. walk^thSrh the^LmV*"*??". ^^ '»»'dered
fh* f^>«n'A^ « "trougn tne gloom of nudn ght. or viaitA<l
tbe i^fied murderer covered with blood P«rK-« r \!^
the dark cIouJs of other ^v^ a. were pictured upon
^ will be little benefittSr by Se c^^'Ttt ^ f^^<
•mon be succeeded bvth^^rJT'-^ T**'*"?*^-
simplicity of tTmucI^'bSSef^ 3'i \1Z^:SV.r '^
feraLle to the pride of infidelitt .nl ♦?:""*** P*"**
ci.m of rejecting^very hiirnof ^eliSif hv ^a^ '"?'^;
reason, or not nroirJd hv m«?L 1- # 1*^ '***«°»*"«»
Men of strong miSK ^J Z^^T^'fr ^•°»«»«raUon.
for wise «,d1Lpi":2Lt"enl^^^
w^r^h th? ^ t^S""""' " '«^'»«' *^« dictrine/*
. .-. . ■• Dr. Wmmo. ■ #■
'■ H
and
moi
r -f '
the
.1
trei
■ «•
and
J
^
sioi
nua
hov
stn
■ ■.■.■}.
caui
"X~
"tial
to 1
blei
whi
i' r-:- ■
enj(
be
■ f .
infa
J-,: '■
off
att<
:.~ C
w
'.,• w
\
8iti<
imn
g«l
infii
deal
yar<
ra I
npo
tnc
ainj^:. Piipcm
'vont.alorined
i'cllous colici-
B book called
iredictinff the
be far o^, as
is fatal itine-
Pectionately.
w in omens,
^d« sbe had
fairies, and
of haiinted
^f pnurdered
^t or visited
whaM, forty
■uDJects of
r light of the
cledge, have
ctured upon
ny children,"
i^e of super-
ity; as the
d-fold pre«
the scepti«
dogmatical
lonstration.
,JthatCfod,
re-i^pear-
>w, with •
I doctrine,"
tradition ib
snuU world
/x
■ARLT LIF»." 7
Mid a divine Proidence. i,t is so far favourable to CliriHtlan
morals; but if it be countenanced by the word of God,
the wiitdom is folly, and the reason abnurd, that would
treat it as a childish superstition, and turn it into ridicule
and contempt.
Stories <rf apparitions and spirfts, made a fearful impres-
sion upon your father's young mind, and kept him conti-
nually alive to a thousand apprehensions. Divine mercy,
however, overruled those terrors, and made tlicra th«
itrong auxiliaries to preventing grace ; to these joint
causes your parent attnbutes that he was kept from many
— .eaj^vites, and taught from an infant, at least par-
tiallyito fear God. Had | his parents been truly devoted
': to religion, ^hese early daWnings might have opened to a
; blessed day of youthful piety } but alas this favour (for
which you have reason to be truly thankful) he did not
enjoy. The blessing of an early pious education can never
, be too highly prized, or too diligently improved; thai
infant mind is often either a garden of thorns, or a garden
of flpwers ; as this youthful culture hu been neglected Or
attended to, to all mothers he would affectionately say
Begin then esply. Bend (he fleiile knee,
Kre atiir rMiitaaee bid* the tinews scom ,
Tile gmture of obeiumoe. Stretch the biiiNli V
'^- > Heavenward, while yet, lubmiMive to your foice, \
;* They riie not in defiance. Teach the tongue ' - \
The chant of angels; teaeh the infant thought,
With it* flnt dawn; the knowledge of iu God.
Vow father, through a restless, playful and active dispd-
flition, was several times, when a little boy, exposed ta
, imimnent peril ; and he desires to record it with lively
gratitude, that a tender Providence watched over his
infknt years, and often rescued lum froi^ the vicinity of
death. Once he had climbed up ahigh wall inclosing a tan
^, when a large mastiff ran furiously towards him, and
m a fright he was precipitated from the top headlong
npon a stone pavement ; by this fall his head was greatly
/fractured, and before it finally healed, several pieces of the
^--1
•\''
^^
8
'iv:-
■KBToiiac oy
IIOUU
from nluL^^Zriu^^^^^ """ P't.
trivial .uatU.?. toXTh ^io yoZcyT^r' "'''"^
••your verj. cvi,t«,.ce in ti,„e ,lS,3 rHm .:!;''"'*""'•
to much irreater .« !^1 f. *'"'.''«'J''«'»<^m. it will riue
uosuch thing „ c Wo In ♦!. ^^"''V^'''^" ' **»«'«"
-not r„„ to thr^^iril-ttr . "i^~ V
>' .^^
;
« Then C«a|inJgfct |»«,,p,,,,j ^ ^"^
round barrci,/--^ii^or«,«/iLl^^ Ji?«?' "^ '*•«
fruit i do men mh39m&^ '^"«^** *»'**» «>^Pt
When the morniJUm^A^'^*''\^ <'fi^tlt$r
but the briijhtness olSHK Ji^i>™"«» "othing
make the afterday pmmm^ fZ.elW^^^^" «"
t«ll ««.. .r .-.-•../ r'^flFlW .fruitfulll^oralistg way
tell you of native inMient^MW, — '""^*'"*"^wwt« may
?^
''•fell tliroutfh
' ttie ariu piti
r» «n»y Appear
•II importiint.
"» Ilia proaer.
»>it A dtiliver-
t'hcn taken in
!•> it will ria«
d at firat to
nee } thcro ii
biMMd Go<i /
« .■ /
/
' ;
%. •
n^ then a
«ted strong
Arst ftiiits
' and the
■th coimpt
' thistlea ?"
ig* nothing
mess" can
alists way
nuumorsj
9 goodness
Me fwjcy
rourtelv^.
notwithat
LA
...^ grcatCat care haa been taken of
|our ehildhooJf that ainful prtfpohattiea, like wceila aiiiotifr
floweri, wUI often apring up and chunk the growth of that
which ia WAutiful and uroniiaing. Human nature, lik«
ateel. may bo polialiod by education, but it haa within
itaolf the tendency to mat, and can only l»e kept bright by
paina and care : (o tbd poiaon of thoae booka which toll^n
of the goodneaa of the human heart, vou have a conatant
antidote in the word of Ood, and the humbling conviction
of the workings of your own hear^i Your father'a corrunt
propenaitiea were increased by maternal indulgence, tha
rod was sometimes applied, but your grandmother's warm /
temper had, like moat warm tempers, too great a re-action )/
the bitterness of correction waa succeeded by too much oi
the honey of indulgence, for even the rod blossomed with
nrttnen, which made it more the precursor of gratification
than the ensign of sedate and temperate authority. Pkrenta
should never frown and flatter; scold and then kiss; correct
and then caress ; this injudicious modemakea achild despise
discipline, and but serves to strengthen thoae propensities
it k intended to subdue. The curb should nev«r be taken
' " jBputh, nor the^reina of discipline slackened, till
fc-" bccfl |ygj^ et^ tractable, and obedient;
, . WendWirbf correction and cordial, oorroiive
iienf, laid the foundation, or more properly (for tha
baaa waa dready laid) erected the superstructure in hia
heart of pride, anger, impatience and sfelf- will.
He had another bad faiilt, he did not love his book r
perh^M it will generally be found true, that boys who ar«
the most indulged are the greatest duncca j Bcdf-will ia aa
Cowerful a barrier in the way of knowledge, aa it is of
appiness. His first preceptress waa an old school mistresa
called Ellen Daniel ) he ia sure she had much trouble wiHi
his wayward teotper j many a terrible penance did he bear
from her^unrelentiiig rod, and many an unconquered sob of
proud grief did he heave under her ordeal of birchen disci-
pline. As fjfu" aa he can recollect, she was just such an
one as Bhe^stone describes in bis interesting poem called
t
■■i :■.
■■/ ■.
10
it :
I ■ J-
ii
*;
•KBTCHBt OF
c
••For uDk«jiipil|.|, „T iT-"* '*■"»»
J*«a-eiit 8ohool» from gS to fii^""*' "'o»ff'» kept 2
- - "^^^ W8t,— this spring
I oontaia « gop4
EARLY LIFE
11
hme,
S
^
t
letters, and
B school of a
»y rude andv
r«8j «o true
'®?s corrupt
Unt exceed*
he wiBs «o
It use these
fi^ Icept at
?' age, his
wg» writing
'itig, which
'f Ms scho-
uiowledgev
iioself was
% that it
d him to
ool in the
^96 solely
"ch J the
5h! ^ith
); seasons
i* spring
13
of human life, m which the best speds of knowled/re
f and piety might have taken root in the tender soil of his
opemng years, llie loss yonr parent sustained should
warn you to improve the morning of your days : few have
attained to eminent excellence whose youth was not culti-
. vated. They who lay up a large stock of wisdom bcmn
young J the susceptibUities of instruction are then in the
highest state; time, precious time, is taken in its younir
dawn. While^the heart is tender, the seal of instruction
makes a vivid impression. Wisdom entereth a willine
guestjnto the opening understanding j hnowledgeis plea-
sant to the soul ; the follies of time find no apSfment in
the mind that is so preoccupied with nobler inmates.
How charming to see a youthful understandftig highly <ml*t
tivated, and adorned with the beauties of varioui knJS^I^
ledge ! We love the spring for its vernal beauty ; the
opening morn for its new born charms j the virgin rose
for Its sweet apd soft fragrance j but youthful wisdom
unpar^ a sWeeter pleasure than words can express or pen,
_ But the neglect of the cultivating hi* mind was not
the only neglect : your father still lived a stranger to vital
religion ; he had no mentor to teach his young mind the
way to heaven; the seeds of coriupt naturJ we?e every day
KSr"L!? 'T "'«7°'^ P«««onate temper towardi
i?h.r ^ "^d water or m some undulifal conduct to his
rfather or mother. His miwi was, nevertheless, often
deeply impressed with the fear of death , the thoukts of
judgment and eternity would intnide ipon his boyish
SZ'''^'"^^ "^u^*'^™^ "»^"^ roses, would unawSes
pierce and wound his soul. Sometimes he thought he
In n^^^r'^f ?7' ^^'' ^"^« »»« companions kerned
fall of mirth and gladness, he was often pe^ive, and Wa
i^„:? *^'" "^'^ r^ anguish J h^durst nT u >e
^^L !."»* '".T'* l.*^^ ^^*» *•« ^^ done any thing
.to^eh«mother, his heart Wed till the bre4 «S
fce^ed. To «cene»of distrcsai his feelings were trembUngly
-i%>^% Jhe^i:?^ HolyScripeure.
book of Mr. B2njaa.i„ kS ^,2 ,?* w''^ * ^'''^^
time, before his lea,? wa« hatlt^^'r ^J^^"" ^^ «* thi.
want of thi« eSl- Ji^Ju!cm^ 1^1^ of wcreaie , but for
most of his ito3d imSl • ^'^ "*« P«rt of Us parent*
think little how Uuch di>n^A . '^'* ' "»"»y parent*
^ 'J^e budding^ Jf^^«"f/ff in watcW^^
of serious' KSffriili? bejping^ the fi«t unfoldiW
•hoot heavenwSi /^d'^!"^/;« ;be youny ideas how X
>^er the miAd,^ s^h „" r^"''*^ *** ^^'b instructio?
Y^i affecti«ateiyi
^9 ^nir Children,
LETTfIR THIRD.
J?^ed with the^affliSs^.^ ^ !?^y period m„ch
b« mother's, all his Jifi seemed L '^i*''^'?^ P«rti"'larly
bence, he has lain in bed ™anv . a ""? "^ *" ''«' '^^I'^J
»nd sorrowing, whenl^v TJ l^^^¥^ hour, weepW
»ond trials, wdgSd^^*"^"«f « the ^"°"y/orp
ope instance she^was taieT aW ^'' ^^ «' ^°d. in
">»ht. iind was not exn^ J ♦ "^l?«*y "* ™ «be dead of
be sent for. Her IZ^^a ^^^ ''" ^be doctor^uld
JPMion of hermL'dtiot eo^S^^^^^ and'Tll;
bpnr of alarm and danger l^ be described. During this
■■I
BAItLT LIVB.
M
■ I'
I
Jiat he ^mAd spare his helored mother : the Lord wkh-
yprew his/afflictiiig baod from her body, but in a short time
jHsited her soul with as lively convictioos as perhws ever
J^ere tvmted. ,
■:(! A gfat chan^ now took place in the family. Your
grandi^other, who had been alarmed by the tormenting
spasms wluch threatened her life, was further awakened
((to a lively sense of her lost condition by reading that excel-
ilent book, "All|ene*s Alarm to the Unconverted." All
(her feelings were roused to the highest pitch of distress •
jehe was in that state so exactly described by David, in the
.|thirty.eighth Psillm, "thine arrows stick fast in me, and
thy hand presseth me sore. There is no soundness in my
flesh because of thine ang^. Neither isthere any rest in
my bones because of my sin. For mine iniquities are gone
oyer my head ; as an heavy burden they are too heavy for
me. My wounds stink and are o(HTupt because of my
foolishness. I am trouble^, I am bowed down greatly ; I
go mooniing all the day long; I am feeble and sore broken j
i have reared by reason of the disquietness of my heart."
These agitations were not the spectres of a deranged intel-
lect, or a disordered imagination; she was never ^more
fuUy in the exerdse of these at any period. Her intellects,
her reason, her judgment, w?re all clear, but her conscience
was wounded by " the sword of the Lord." Such a state
of things resembles what your father has sometimes seen
in his wanderings ; a tempest at sea, with the sky blue,
clear, and the sun shining in his brightness. Her distress
was at times so great, as to Intermpt the peace and com-
fort oliithe family • but the Lord, itt " the dark and cloudy
day" €f her sorrow, was " walking upon the waves," and
pqMnng her by the storm within, to enter the quiet haven
of his pardoning love ; for
^
WUdom smiles when hambled mortals w«ep.
yben somw -waDiids the breast, as plows the f Idbe,
And brarts obdurate feel ber. softeoing sbower j
H(WjMA«el«Miai,tben glad wisdom sowp;
Her foldea hartvt triumphs in the soil.
: / ■ c : ,
;f
>
/(
u
feKBTCBBS O
/'^
God, my dear children, makes Mc.of diflferent means to
enlighten the mind, and to bring ^ to a true and experi*
I mental knowledge of himself. No person, in these respects,
can he a standard for another ; in his works of grace, as
well as of nature, there is an infinite variety'; he deals
•with men according to the innate peculiarities of their
minds. It is not the weight of the burden, the clearness of
' the conviction, or the depth of the sorrow, that som^ might
deem necessary, but that which works in the soul a true
earnestness for salvation, and brings the penitent sinner
to the feet of Jesus Christ, is all that is required by the
wisdom of God. None should lay too much stress, eithe!r
upon the measure of -^ penitential sorrow, or the particular
means God may think fit to use in brining a soul to him^
selft OiM{ of the most common is the preaching of his
blessed gospel: in all ages this has (when feithfblly
preached) been " the power of God to salvation." " It is
quick and powerful, sharper th'an any two edged sword,
piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul u!d spirit ;
and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the
tVughts^d Intents of the heart." Not a few have been
brought into the way of life by a different order of means.'
Some have been drawn to God by the silent in^uences of
the Holy ^irit gently moving upoa theiiu minds, and
creating a stropg conviction of .their want of happiness and
Salvation. Many have been alarmed to reflection and con-
aideration by the terrific appearances which sometimes
take place in the naturtd world: a comet, a thunder stortn,
adeluge, an earthquake, or a conflagration, may sqlemnize the
mivA and excite to a serious exaibination of the state of the
Boufc When the natural feelings are fineand tender, and the
heart is susceptible of the gentlest friendship, the death of
a beloved relative, the baseness of a husband, the nndnti-
fulness of a child, and not seldom the cruelty or ingratitude
of a friend, have been sanctified by the Lord, as his instru-
mepts, to win the; alienated affections to himself alone.
And as dark clouds contain the richest showers, sometime
his judgments have been a blessing ; a scarcity, a desolating
h-
EARLY U?B.
15
'-^
!nt means to
and experi*
ese respects,
jf grace, as
v'; he deals
les of theilr
clearness of
tsom^ might
soul a tine
iteut sinner
lirecl by the
ress, either
leparticnlar
ioul to him*
hing of hi^^
n feithfoUy
i" » It is
ged sword,
^d spirit ;
rrter of the
V have been
r of means.'
nfluences of
winds, and
ppiness and
m and con-
sometimes
uder stoiln,
lemnizethe
state of the
ler,and the
he death of
ihenndnti-
ingratitode
his instro-
self alone. >
sometimes
desolating
:t
malady, a heavy afl9iction, a reverse in circnmstanceA, nay
probably, a dream or vision, the conversation of a friend,
or the solemnity of a funeral, have made impressions upon
the heart more deep than all the reasonings of philosophy,
and more vivid than the theories of moralists could ever
.effect. While thousands have been brought to God by
reading livmg divinity, such " live coals from the altar" of
a devout Iroart as Baxter's Saint's Rest and Call to
the Unconverted; Alliene's Alajrm to the Unconverted;
Doddridge's Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul;
Ariidt's True Christianity ; Law's Serious Call to a miy
Life, and Wesley's Earnest Appeal to Men of Reason and
Religion. These works are w^rth a thousand tomes of dry-
bone speculative geology ; they are' the stars that have
directed myriads to, the '' Babe of Bethlehem :" sacred
maps, pointing out the road to the paradise above. The
authors learnt tbeir lessons at the '^ oracles of God,"
and "came down from the mountun" with their faces all
splendour, and their hearta all flame, to teach mankind
" the way of salvation."
Surely, if good men, safely landed4n the baven of glory,
can survey the benefits arising from their pions labours,
their pure felicity must be greatly heightened by the recol-
lection, that thdy are at the sam0 time, serving God upon
earth, and glorii^ng hhn in Heaven. Snch writers impart
to manldnd a more lasting benefit than the lahdnrs of a
thousand mere preachers can possibly confer : the useful-
liess of the latter ceases with thdr death, and sometimes "
even before ; the foimer, *' though dead, yet continue to
•peak," and ages after their mortal remains have mixed
with the common dust, their usefulness, like a atr«ain,
wideiis, deepens, and increases as it rolls along the conti-
nent of time, which it fertilizes and beautifies in its course.'
Could a Baxter, a Bunyan, a Fox, an Amdt, or an Alliene,
some of whom wrote amidst the gloom of a prison, could *
they have foreseen the immense good that would 're&ult
from their devout meditations, the prospect wOuM have
sh^ a halo of glory over their afflicted minds ; it would
" . '.; •.. • ^ ■■■ g % -^ ^
■ V^r'
•>
•-4
I r
f'.-
16 "■ * ■"
iKBTCHBl OF
I.r«,| I we think o/ Jn SIh "";? L ^^ ^"^^^"^ «" «"
We ble.. God for V b.^rln ^!u'''^l *"^ veneration.
wiU now^XJnt tCt"b:^^'^^^ »>«
conversion to God. Fw uwhnTfl^ ^'^'T «P-andnK>ther'.
were of the most tMictil^n^lzJu'''^''^''''^ ''•^ »'"<«
jpirits, which .ci«dy\Sed th«? ^J^"" '*" "P^" >>«•
hope. -y^""'*" "•fiMntest niyof dirine
WflMi /etu,, faiwiB J on the ira*
5^*E r^YwS? rSt s^--
hw expressed her feeling }„ n! *'.°®""^"- Dj^vid
desponding heirt f 'V^L'"/^/««°'iness of hirjwn
«<CkneS/irrh;deIS^ Jw'i:?,^^^ WestiTt!
[ow of death comp^MMHi nSJS ?J "^'T**' The sor-
W.VM Md thy biUows «^ *;„e~yer m^^ aoirow, dl thy
toudied her case in the d^ J,^ "*; v •'^»'* '^^^
P-ed out lil. w^eer. C^^t^"?^^-
•; •.
- ^
'3
:f
-M^
.i^--
^X:
■f*»--
the mont bene-
fathera in our
md veneration.
ved from yoor
precious oint-
te;" and your
iter glory than
I !
digression; he
grandmother's
» of her mind
>ot drawn like
fell upon her
»y of dirine
EARLY LIPS*
17
*»ghty rapid
Bspair. The
the reach of
•ors. David
I of his c|wn
i lowest pit,
rd upon me,
. The sor-
W hell gat
w; all thy
lah also has
»^: "The
the depths
il about my
the same
ul words:
"rings We
'i'itnessea
against me, and increasest thine indignatidn upon me:
changes and war are agunst me." Your father well
remembers many of her words; they were like sharp spears
pierckg his very heart. To have calmed the agitations of
her distracted mind, he would have suffered the loss of
every earthly good. She spent whole nights in widking up
and down the house^ wringing her hands ; often stamping
with her feet, and venting her emotions in language gloomy
as the blackness of despair. She had no " messenger of
mercy, no interpreter among a thousand, to tell her that
the Lord would be gradotts, and would save her from going
down to the pit, because he had found a ransom." Many
an hour has your father (then only eleven years old) lain
weeping, waking, trembling and agitated beyond mea-
sure } not, indeed, on account of his own sins, but through
sympathy with the gloomy despairing state of his mother's
mind.
These exercises, or strong religions emotions, are often
called by the world enthusiastn, folly, madness. In the
work you are now reading (Wesley's Life by Southey) the
writer has treated most branches of experimental piety as
delusion and insanity. Did yon believe him, he woiild
steal from the Christian's crown its brightest jewels.
*' Peace and joy in believing" are the cant of hypocrisy ,
the witness of the Spirit is a dotage of enthusiasm ; the
conversion of the soul to God is mere Human drilling ; the
"fruits of the Spirit" are ideal and visionary ; and com-
munion with God U the extatic ardour of a heate^ imagina-
^on. In some such light may the cold moralizer treat the
distress of your grandmother; for the judgment of the
world will neither admit deep sorrow for sin, nor exalted
joy for pardon. AU beyond the sober dictates of rational
ethical unvital morality, is discarded as the high wrought
feelings of visionaries and enthusiasts.
^ Each pure seraphic bim tl|ai warms the saint^
Bliss^bich no human eloquence can paint ;•
.The peace that form» an Hdenjn the soul, '
• When floods ayise and sorrows' billpwg r oll.; '■
c.a
1
i.^-
16
/
■/
•KITCHIS OF
■7
Tto iterid cwnmeree or t loul with Goil
/ J£ ■"'•", ''•'"•«'P«''»'*lUlio lore; '
/ IJ? *•■"' *'^* <*" our folll,» bbW <;«,
An deMQM a .p,i,htly fanct, or at btt.
^ 7*»«of.emo.k«.ofananH;,;«;j;ir
>: > J •po.lolio day., they wHl allow. "^'V
^ Jtir'"*"*' ^^' •»■* <^"'» l*"^ than. BOW-
, . ; Thcw purer atfeaiiM above (heir lerel ri«
Thl,«aBd.rd^too«.hedlbrthK^ '
B«»u« aboto Ihdr *n,e, bigrond their Ilii
It will be 80} the Apostle Paul has said #h.* u *t.
.»«fdr„y'5Sg •« lifer ir.ri;' "'•^"^
^ The piety of the heart is a ricH^pm ;„ *!:- "^i?"***" !«<*■
♦to, 1..M0M. »«t.»^ ■»»'«r "farMwith mZjityTfato
•■I
*'^?^Sr^-"'r1^r*;' . , ■
iif"^
lARlVT LIFB.
■>.i'
10
IV' ;
■ " the natu*
a^Godj they
' them, they
itified id her
ver explored
) mountains,
rivers J they
^h the mists
UB from the
»tttral for a
I piety who
ve may per*
ile the pride
ilatcd price,
let of truth,
an humble
Never, my
• Miy where
ne but the
Oodhead'i
which can
Boce} this
si serve to
Without
ity/isbttt
•
a putrid cnfenJe In a silver coffin j '^ a death's head under
a mask ofj^^nty.'* Scoflers may ridicule thcHO thiiif^n,
but you WtJ^ikhink of the Goths; who hated all learning
because thf^iiseivcs were ignorant. There are Goths in
religion, who would gladly, but barbarously,. deface " what-
soever things arp true, wlintsoovcr things are^ust, whatso-
ever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely,
whatsoever things arc of good report." I^lio blessed God
^ roust " create all things new ;^' the bog may be covered
. Ajwith flowers, and the volcano with vinyards, but without
'^Plprrow for sin, and salvation by grace, through faith, man
is in. the " gall of bitterness and the bond of iniquity."
Yours affectionately.
• LETTER FOURTH.
My dear Children,
Your grandmother continued in a state of great mental
distress for more than twelve months, extracting the poison
of unbelief from those texts, which, in their true meaning,
contun only the balm of' comfort. She had a singular
facility of wresting the scriptures against herself; and
those passages which only forbid the impenitent to hope,
s^e levelled uj^nst her own peace. Because God had stud
** my Spirit shall Hot always strive with man," she judged
that Ood had *' east her away from his presence, and taken,
his Holy Spirit from her." As, in the matter of regaining
the forfeited birth-right, Esau " found no place for repent-
ance, though he sought it carefully with tears," she
erroneously oondvded, that neither tears nor prayers coitld
avul any thing in her case. An imagination covered ^^itli
glo<Hn, saw evetj thing through a dark medium. She had
committed St. John's "sin unto death," and therefore it
was useless to pray for her. It was *' in^ssible to renew .
her again to repentance," from what St. Paul had said to
the Instate Hebrews. There was no pardon for her,
because Jesus Christ had smd, in reference only to the
m
l-i'
V
f
I
•KITCHIf OF
•hall n.,vor he forS. cUhc t S^"** *^ ""'X ^^o-e
re.n«i„,.,, ,,„t „ . ^ « «P^ e<i from her. «,d „^hj
T lndiKnation to devour til* ''»'' "OudRment wd fierf
•t«t« «ho thought re emiS .'"''""•-•^ " *>wd. SpirtJJ
I •« lo«t .. for ever lo,t. ulZ', ' •«• ^t ' I «, lo.t |
of the blc«8cd G^'rvwti. »?'""* ^r*"*"- The u.^cT
•re not „.ore durable ^/fort, 'p^^« ^ *»"• «««. of eternity
H.. nature. '.iM>ro.n sc«; W. IS '"J^"'*'*' ^'^^ «^'«--
l«Ung antidotes to desna^^r *^S. ^/
glM« who ever saw thi .li.^ , ^' *<»^«' •"<! in that
word despair only L '„ ^T.°^ /••* ^'^'^^ ^end ? The
the« it Stands InZl'^J.'*^'' ^° ^^e Bible, and even
,WT.ere the Sun of roghttCi^?.,^ '^' ^!^'°"' «^ -"e^
^'» no part of theZ^T m?J '^ ^j^'^^ ^^d
R^nian poet, we ought n?vT ^i *^""''«'»' "y «
brightest jewel in Jehovi.v!fLr ^^V'^r: mercy la the
";?.'!!i?tf" itb^mt;?,"Se "^".•^'?'''^t in the
^tnbute, his distinguished n^l^^nJ? '' " *•'• <»"Kng.
najesty, as omnipotent as hW^T'/"'* i« « great aa his
|iB immensity. Cmig^t « ^Z''' """^ '^ '^""d^^" «
Jght in the sun, the^t^ "f Jj" *«.""' .^^^ Partide^ of
flu,d lustres of the morn?nJ dew tj"**'*^**"' or the v;
i
1
■ 7-iit
J or the world
^'* mercy ww
wtfi nothing
meat and fiery
rancia 8pira'«
iooiring at the
ir. she would
»fmind, it {«
I I am loat !
gnmdinother
The mercy
own nature |
fectiona. It
« of eternity
h for ever."
«, are cvcr-
•nd in that
end ? The
•/ and even
» of mercy,
tlefttl cloud
»«, says a
ifcy is the
test in the
hia darling
■eataa hia
■indleaa as
u-tielea of
"I, or the
he acts of
reatneas;;
•BARLY LIfl
And whon (Iw iplrlu link, o'«rwlwlin'd with grMT
Bjr HBfofe MW eiiwdiMK, brli^ r«ll«f.
tl
David, the polluted murderer, found mercy. MAoasach, thr
cruel and profligate, waa pardoned. I*et4sr, the uiigrotuful
denier of hia maater, waa again taken into favour. The
relenting Magdalen, the expiring thief, and the hardened
trembling jailor, were forgiven. He pardons crimes com-
mitted againat hia infinitely grarioua Hon, hiH infinitely
patient Spirit, and hia infinitely holy law. The cleareat
light, the warmeat love, and the tenderoat mercy, hafi'^
been abuaed ) but aholl we aay to auch,
Tb«r«fore hPUk« llw*
To Bothinf but detpsirt A^tboulHuid kneaii ' .
Ten IbooMnd yaan tofetbrr, naksd, faitloK,
Vpoo ■ barren mouDtnin, and Rtlll win(«r,
Id itornu perpelnal, coaid not moTe the Lord V
Tokwk that way ibeu wett.
Should we not rather aay, " hope In the Lord ; for wHh
the Lord there ia mercy that he may be feared, and with
Lim there ia plenteous redemption that he may be sought
onto." Would he require his creatures to forgive a repent- .
ing brother 490 times, and will not he forgive seventy
thousand times seven ? His rich, free, boundless grace, is
high as Heaven, deep as hell, wide as the universe, and free
as the circumambient air. We might as well attempt t4>^
tie up the winds, restrain the waves, set bounds to ^pace,
or limits to eternity, as confine the mercv of Ood. Though
a sinner had lived to be as old as Mathuselah, and every
day of his life had been devoted to folly, who shall dare to
say, that the line of his transgressions exceeds the limits
of Almighty mercy ? The whole Bible is a history of
mercy— fthe Gospel is a fountain of mercy— ^the bleeding
Cross is a pledge of mercy— his Throne is a throne of
mercy— his People are vessels 4)f mercy — his Spi waa
an angel of mercy. Trust, my childreq, always trest, in
the mercy of your God, through the infinite merits and
mediation of your adorable Redeemer. Do not disTfonour
\
r
" J*
If
>■
T
>K£TCHE8 OF
'x>«om of it, co^u^oH^tt^ ;J"?i 'r -»«»* on t£
v;oi. to the unfailing and IS ^ ^^ 5"" ^''nmended
i-'aeher. May it be* 3r ^!?' '?*'''^ ^^ »"*« heavenly
^death, andthe burdeKf v^ '**" ^"^^^^^ your glo^H
»-d eternal ages. S^S -* *^W "m^j;
^tT^^"^' wSl^^fff^ mounded
to descnber AW] heTJ JT^*' '' » impossible
^' He dreaded lest ?he S^^'^'«<^« of 4 oJn
m some awful calamitv th«r»???^ *•"?"««* shouldend
,^fort and hop:"^'^^^7ojadbu,yinitsr„ins^ W^
««°«i?>other'8 mahdr^^LZ ^^ ^"""^'^y ^^d^rntood your
4^ection in the S^ W\StL« °" ^"^"^^ «^^« ^^"^Y
Jdvice of a godly minister t S^r^T-^*^''*"* " ^e
»»^W were not aVhand v^ ™f''.^'*"**-^^^^^ these
1»<f read his Bible S W bS*".^ V '''^^^»* *<> o^urch
aw, without understanSts dee^^^^^^^ *? '^« *>"'^'^d
' to minister t<^ a mindlstst ?• K'^ ^'^ "^^ »kin
the " wormwood and the^ir? fc-' ^f ^^ never tasted
mother, beipg broZtunfpl^ t'"''*^' ^^^yonrff^Z
tothMfeth&ir'S^^i^ytc^n, ha^
S*„^,f/o one to " bear^£& **?:'»-«»'« «tood alone-
ter of the chapel she had h«o!f^ i ""**' *« the minis-
'^f aSodniaito^^ at W'l. *"*'»« «"»y of attendiW
• J!j»e/' But Jre sS' sunk l^^ T. " * P^y^^an of n^^
bUlows of despair, the b^d of On^i "^ '"'*•" ""'^C
her deliverance. He hS h i *^ ^"^ stretched forth S
»P; he had wonnSd te h«'" ^'^^^^^ '
Md there was nonlU. \ -'«'•' *»«»!• " Hfe look^
none to deC AZretre hi; ^ ^""^*'-«** '^'^ "he ^^^^ '
>« own Spirit ia^^^^^^^ «•» wrought salvati:;^
igi
,1
I:
'^i;^^!^-*£i
slight it by
ilent on the
8 commended
his heavenly
our glory in
inuQoitality
»Iy wounded
I impodsible
of his own
tshouldend
^uinsallhis •
rstood your
ve her any
We is the
bat these
i to church
le outwiird
ad no skin
ver tasted
►w grand-
prejudice
^od aloner
he minis-
»anof na
5 mighty
forth for
>ald bind
e looked
lere was
'ation;"
1
I
EAULY LIFE. 23
Be Alls whom first hp hath prepttrM, ■§
With him the pprrect grace is (ifen ;
Himself is here their great reward,
Their future and their present heaven.
, . '■- .- ■. ' *.
Your grand iiiother's deliverance was brought about in
the following manner :— After being shut up >n the iron
castle of despair for many months, she had one day been
unusually softened into something ]ike^divin«P> contrition •
she wept and sorrowed (for the angel of mercy was doubt-
less " troubling the water") till, as she sat weeping, she
fell into something like a doze : during thjs abstraction
she heard (as she supposed, and ever after avered) an
audible voice, saying, *' J^e not of a doubtful mind." She
immediately rose from her chidr, believing some one had
spoken to her, but there was no person in the room. .The
darkness had, however, passed away, and she seeitaed in a
world of new light j a new bdm sensation shed its mild
influence over her heart j the storm had subsided, and
" the morning star" of pardoning love, beamed over as
wounded a, spirit as ever felt the arrows of the Almighty.
At first she did not recollect ever having seen the passage,
nor could any of the family, of whom she enquiret),
remember such a text :* its effects were, however, pleasingly
visible j and when a little while after she found it in the
course of her rending, it tended 'tiot a little to confirm the
blessing she had received at the Lord's hand.
But how, my children, shall M^e account for this sndtiejt
dtttnge ? a cl^ange so evident, that one might sfty of ft,
** the storm became a calm j4' the darkness visible waa
made " light in the Lord." 1 1
** She 'woke*; flie daogeipli flam'd witb light''
80 pleasant, that the barrenness of viinteir wiis ira(r->
ceeded by the beauty of spriiilg; so uhe]q)ected, that it
was like the king's messengef brining a pardon to the
cell of the condemned malefactor, upon the eve of execu-
tion. Oh 1 how refreshing was; the return of spriiig aflMfr
a winter of 8n€h storms aad barrenness !y<))nrgraiid^^^
■'■f •
.pr-
Si
SKBTCUCfl OF
ing
A, when n wretch, from thick, poUated «ir
■« HM , ,,„^ il, . <»^^^ Some would My,
eye li«ai not .eon, nor ear hS -„•*?!" " K"ri«en,
«« w^of n«„;,te etop ^rS'fer^ '»«<:
them that love him Bnf r Ji ^ *i^ " nathirepared for
deep things of God. PoV wh^^„ i«. JJ'T' y^' '^e
a Ban, «fe the spirit of mrn^^hSitn^V**" ""'"S' «'
things^of (Sod knoweth no man L ,?'"«. ^^^ «<> 'he
Now Ve have received not thrsniriri- 5* ®P""'' <>^ G«d.
apiritwhich is of God fw3^"^'.''('^^'^<>rfd,bntthe
. '"-at „efreelygiven%of G J" "^^^"^^ ^^
receiveth not tSe tWnirs of th^ S^- ., ,^°t ?e natural mS,
Wshness unto himTneUh Jr^^^^^^ for they^
t%^«piritually^S" tJ^^^^
^saencethenatialm^Sypo^JS; S ?T' '*»™»»«
Jlluaunatlon of that Spirit whicr - ' ' *'*''® "®* **»«
ima^
heai
in tl
of f
.cout
" dl
void
thei
the
carri
sciei
1
i, that reigned
the transition
fir
EARtY LIFE.
25
re
itered
'( the learn
e into m
tation
s wouM say.,
would very
lear/WhaTt an
written,
into
>repared for
lem nnto'us
rs, yea, the
>e thingjs of
5ren so the
it of God.
Id* bat the
the things
atural man
'»• they are ;
I* beoinse
' learning
^e not the
he Spirit
1 as trees
r sdenct
*' dfeamij
voice,'
the M
the wav(
.carri(|t^h
r
that gives him even a clue to the economy of inward sal-
vation. This change could not be an illusion of sleep ;
dreams seldom effect any change, either in t|ie mental or
moral economy. Beyond the momdnt of their duration : it
is not in sleep or mere dreams to purge from the bottom
pf the soul a deep mental distress, and impart to the mind
a " peace that passes all understanding." Could mere
imaginationcliffuse through the heart such a devotional
heaven j such love to God^ such faith in Christ, such joy
in the Holy Ghost > Nay, my children, it was that birth
of €lieS|)irit, which opens the kingdom of Heaven in thq
contrite iieait. It wa$ the voice of him, that speaketh in
and \'i8ion8 of the night," the " still small
iat only whispers love ; the voice that " calmcth
"of the sea} that stilleth the noisc thereof when
'^**^-»* 1 *"^ that, by its own peculiar energy,
. 'ace into the inmost recesses of the troubled con-
science, ahd makes all calm in the a^tated heart. Need
we wond*; teeing the blessed Jesus hks all power over his
tleatures,|that he should begin joian's recovery where his
;riiin commtenced, the human heart j " and in this stron«r
hold'of satkn" display the triumphs of his grace > Christ
does not My take the outwork, he makes a conquest of
-the citadel the life of God must be in the soul of man, or
all our relijiottisJbut the tinsel and the paint, that give
a false beat ty tj/corrtipt nature.
in speak ng'^f tlus change, your grandmother passed^
through, yc ar father does not become the unqualified advo-
cate^of ev^ y impression that may be injudiciously ,c&»ed
bytlnsnamfe. Some maybe mistaken, and suppose the
drawings of the fatho- are sufficient vouchers of a regene-
rated state | but where fruits justify the genuineness of
tlie change, land spring np in moral beauty and abundance,
we may saf«ay. infer the tree of life is plante^ in the heart.
In your venerable relative, these fruits were most app&rent j
her conscience was so tender, that what appear to some
trifles tight as air, and are thought expedient or incitpadi-
ent, accurdmg to the complexion of circumstances, \vere
^ .**
■^-nSfe--
t ■
96
•KETCHES OF '
a
■with Her matters of serious Hprnni^ a .
*he always took the sS cS ' Th"^/'''" '^""^*^"''
daily prayers plainly indicatSZ; *K 1 ^^'"^''^y '^^ »>«••
tion wisiindjed in Ver sou S«l ! ^'^^' *^^ *"^^^^
proofof the tenderness oAtfe^^ »
every one, rich or ixior wC «; J .„• ^'^ reproved
HerLe W W si^^SSr^h^^^^' ^^^"^ »'«^-
•hour every morpinir to re«i shn,^/- *^u 1? a^ «« early
-. the records of eterna? m! Thff •'*•*'*'^*' ^'«*'' «»»« »»««
- '^•"HywasinterwoveiwUhJtrn^^ "^ ^
mother manifest greater ardencv S^^^ ' and^never did a
of her children. Late wd S 1 k''^ '"^'^^^ «"*^^^^^^
laytvith weight^^'b^'S «^::^fK^"*^''^«^^^^
cries and tews 4id^he rlLmi^r i ^ '"*'' T^y ^^«^^^
God. Often has yo^faS^^ ^"^ "'^^y of
hea^d the outS« Sf hi fe^^^^^ *'? -"^W'^g damned,
.hfrchildren,.ffi:Sm;^%^^^^^^
pie we^ hand invalid with niSJr^^ ^^^^i but exam-
tfie priesLs of h«^Si„P'Sf'' ""^ ^*« ^^ not only
they^aW^eUgionir^SSS^ - »>-
She tauijli them ftom her look * ^
ness of filid com^an^' t^T^ "^^'^^^^^^f ^^ the tardi-
energy, change the h«it of a ST?' ^^ ^'? «^W»Jty
turn a chiir^ It is iHwv tE J^ ^? \P,"*"*^ «^»<>'.
joften, melt, and pierce SdOthe^ki "H^^^'y " ^
but such power bdon^^onhM^ g-^*^ p '^ ^*^ '"
patiently <' sow their seSl in S J^^j ' f ^*°'» »tt8t
% witlThold not their h^^^^^ even-
the lord, we may .«ift24 th«^ ^,""1° **°»«'' fro»
patient, ■thprefore!yiLte\JSf;if'P««'^f James, "Be
Behold the'husbaidmrSSte^ f '^1.*^^^^^^ ">« ^^d.
the earth, and hath wSn^ for if fn^T^"" ^^'' ^^
iirly and latter rain." ^Stll- '^' "?''^i* 'e'^^^e the "
P ^ Mur timeg are i«.Gpd's hands/' ^
• ■■'■■'. ■ ■ ' r'-/\'- '■■' ': :'^ -■■ ■•*• : ■ ■■■■ I .■ '
f
v^
.-.,«•■■■
k^ ■/
^hen doubtful,
rvencyof hqr
of true devo-
trutb was a
sUe reproved
d before her,
p at «Q early
igKt she held
jlfare of her
1 never did a
the salvation
f their souls
bany otrong
he mercy of
ing dawned,
ercedJng for
> but exam-
'as not only
^i in her
EARLY LIFE.
«7
nth of her
the tardi-
'? ^!'*'^!}ty
ent (oinnot
ighty "to
ieh«ut J*'
snts must
the even-
>me8from
M/ "Be
the Lord.
I frnit* of
iceive the *
lands,'' ^
I
he that 't bclievcth sljall not make haste :" it ii not for
. parents to command sucbesS upon thehr own endeavours,
and yet they should do all in their |)ower to secure such
a result. The universal history of pious mothers affords
ample encouragement to persevere in effort. The children
of prayers, of tears, of vvarnings, of example, and of pre<*
cept, are seldom lost. .•Joseph,. Moses, Samuel, Hmothy,
were probably -the legatees of many an afTectionate prayer
on the part of their parents ; and their Murly consecration
to the service of God, the high rank they sustainei} in the -
church, and the distinguished piety uid usefulness of their
lives, might in the order, and through the blessing of
Jehovah, jgprow out of parental solicitude and treasured np '
intercessions. ^ That learned and holy father in the church,
St. Angustihe/and that brave eoldier. Colonel Gtodiner,
were both reclaimed by the pra^ert tof pious mothers.
Menti(tn might also be made of Gener^ Dykem, Bums,
&c. but the time would fail to show in how many instances
a parent's intercessions have preva[le4^th theAlmighty.
" No sooner was youT grandmother dKnforted with the " joy
of salvation," thain she sought communion with the church
of God. Providence directed her to unite with the flock
of a faithful, diligent and enlightened minister of the .
church of England., The Rev. James Glazebrooki her
pastor, was minister of St. James* Chapel, Warring^n ;
under his minisj^ry she sat ivith pleasure and profit; As
he had a select weekly meeting at his own house (for the
serious and awakened part of his hearers, for the pu^se
of Christiatt'eommunion, instruction and prayer), she was *
fevoured with the advantage of this superadded ^means ^
of grace. • .• Yours atfectionately.
LETTER FIFTH?
Mtf dear ChUdre»i
It was not long before the piety of ypnr relative was
called to a test, which at once both proved its truth and
c^ledjnto experiknentia operation aU^^ta soul helping
■:.». 2' ■ ■* •■ ■ •■■ '
v::^^-:,-
SKETCHES OP
^^S^^^:^^ the -ck
»vere not moved T^e ^.nZ^r^^'^V^'^ found«tiu,«
of her faith beiij, Wh *^^^^^^^ '? "*« f^^ '> " «.e trial
perisheth, tho^glTt W S f:^"'/''"" **^ ««^^ *»'»»
praise, and honoltVand^L^'^."^^^^^^ ^i «PP?^«^ ""'«
U'M 'inA^^A __v ..*. "7 fc*"*^/' ine surface of li«r a/^,.i
; was indeed ^t^tXVS\ ^^^ f^^ of l.er soul
. calm and peaS. ^ * '^"P*''' >"' 'J^* ^e^^e wa»
^'^iKThS^^ in /-other plac, the
an unfimeinnd tooit ^^Jt^^^'^'' "^'^«^> ^";cut off in
the funeml^fl^Jf^^S^f^^^^
^-*-ly loved, an^r^ S'^ ^^^^ »»« »>«*
Bat death had .wifter wi^g, ihaa wwj
_ She was interred at the viUaira-of^.* ^ i
Chester. In company with sevSnli^J^^^
the village after nS yIii T *? ''f delations, he left
inissed him on the ^td ti toZ^\''''^ ^^' "^"'P^'y
indulge in Solitary g^S^ Th^£ h«! ^I^^ '>«W,rd tj
• to towns, but no Hder Hit IE ^^ *"' ^^"^ rmmedl,
went i^" search 5 Sm : he wrfoLd^^^ ^^*^' «"^
m a meadow, but the vital LS S. ? ^°« "P<*" ^"» ''«»
nwks of viiience were I^ShT ^ ^°' *^** ««^- As no
it«mcj.thaiw^St£Sl^^
the tender cQrds of life ...h^J^kiS^ .,****?'"' cut
ried Um into eteraUy^' ^^^^ "^ broken heart hur-
dealj^^hothastols^^^^^^^
• tte 4use will never be kS tiS f i. ^^^^'^ - ^^^
shall cast full \mhrZl^T-f , '*>«^ccord8 of eternftv
Fat4r,horvSs towdeen\^^^^ '^' ^^
du«t and ashes ;Edb?wJlt^^^^^^^
Vf
^
ce: the rock
foundatigiis
'e branches,
J "the trial
>f goja that'
Jcared unto
of her soul
centre wm
place, the
•;cut offin
ad been at
om he had
aear Man-.
»8> heleft
'■ company
behind to
'returned
ued, and
^ his face
1- As up
Wsbody,
ipirit cut
cart hur«
npoqhig
perlu^
eternity .
Eternal
y ways ! '"■
ore thy
we and
adored, ,
deur of
•^i?'
.^
EAniiT LIFE.
1
S9
^ his power, and the outgoings of his boundless love. /This
' afflictive visitjition was a crucible, -into which the Lord piit
the golden graces of your paternal grandmother, and she
came forth as gold purified : her grief was deep, silent and
touching, but she justified the ways of Providenc6 ; and,
humbled in the dust, acknowledged the chastening lod.
Whate'er thy lot,— whtlie'er thou be^—
Confess thy folIy,—-liiM the rod,
And in thy cbasteniDg sorrows see •
"^ - The hand of God..
;.' A bruised reed be will not break i^ /
• 'Afflictions all his children feel ; —
_ \,V . He wounds them for his mercy's sake, •
' He wounds to beal.
Humbled beneath his mighty Jiand,
* Prostrate his providence adore :
Tis done ! arise 1 he bids thee stand.
To fall no mort^.
There is, my children, a living, SQnl-snpporting principle"
■ in true grace ; " it is born for adversity." Founded upon
tliis rock, the. winds may blow, the Tuns descend, and the
floods rise, btit the fabric faHs not: the rock bears the
surging waves, the pure gold the keen fires, the laurel
the wibtry cold, and the deep rooted oak the fierce blast.
Fiety> with her anchor c»st within thp yul,<rides out the
terrible tempest ; the bush buriiii, but is not consumed.
If ^ithin the saared Ark, the saint is safe, though a second
delnge v^ere to overwhelm the globe. The "joy of the
' iior^" is the Christie's strength ; hence, hie encaimpe in
the wildernesi and is hot ,afrsud ; he finds manna in tite
deswt, honey in the lion's carciee, a Jesus walldng on the
waves, «nd an angel in the burning fiery fiarnacfi;. Thus
, he can sweetlv^^siipeg, • .
' ^rt,.- ' -^'^Wwatery deep 1 pass, ' » ^
" y With Jesus in my »iev> ; ' . - ~^
|ind thronghtbe howling wilderness, . «>
Jfly way pursue.
^
( '«
D.3
'i ..
/
hiv/
•KETCHES op
90
Hng with God. A^tre *"i*Tf''«««"4«dvvre«t.
grace and nature strove fi^S 1^/ ''"'^'1 "•« ^en felt.
Her aon, who Xyns^l iffljTi'f ^ I '''"»' '*"«« ^ime
death and his moTheAl^f tS'^ '"^'^ ^"^ ''f? '^'^^''er's
the departed spirit, a^dlS^^^^^^^
of one passedinto eternky llV I. '' ^.^'^ "«'^'**''>'>
that her-fervent pleadtls' wTre' for^^?'' ^^ Wived
jupport her under the iniffhtTtll ^'^'"[^ ''^^'^tance to
bowed down to rt.e ea2 uLcT L'^^^
h>8 arm was sufficient -for h^r o "'^^ ^^''""ty* 8»«e found
«one ; ^he flood of Jer ^e(^^J?^J'' '^'^^^ '^^ «hed
ivAPti.-n^. «_. ., J5"^*"a8 toodeen trt h«i.KU -._ ...
4'"'«''^'i^^rci3^
«nd she took refuire in them . »« « j Fo^wcs were open,
.«he was deeply hurt w/l. ^ ^''*"«^''**'' ^^^ods people
h the good P^hS<5 utrit^^^^ °f GHead was'applU
ofcomfori sprang upJnth! Si ""?• ^^ fouitains
the dark „ig|;toAe?^ief«„^^^ npo„
;nd„ though the - clouds olSn! ? J5'?« ^''^ «^ pe«» ;
^ the "Sun ofRigSZtlJ^n^^.u''^'''^^^ ««««• thp rain,"
Jealing4n his wingf rrnrtho^^^^^^^^ ^^ "^
her strong affection and ^;&** '^^ conflict between
waj" often^enewed" vT £^kT «^ "»^ divine will
^ Amalek, the hciy S^ £^^ between Jsr^,
«.ig»«l t, ,K^^,'*',f » '„^ «."id little, b„. .S
I
V
**■' -;■''? r r , ■ p- "^*y ■
M 8pnt j6nr
"(ucd wrest-
|"then felt j
j Jong time.
jH brother's
/praying for
^ salvatioti
J perceived
Jsistance to
08 she was
I she fonnd
• she shed
bble up in
the day."
5hc fainted >
vere open,
•d's people
as'applied
fountains
and upon
of peace;
thp rain,"
Mwrtwith
between
vine will
ienlsrkel
notftUy
it, moral,
chorch,
arm, but
k- His
'prayed
seemed
' things
atience.
%
<.
/
eault urr.:^
31
In the early part of his life he had been of a roving, cxtni-
vngant And unsettled dispobition," but for scveralyfarH
before his death he had become Hcikiitc, tegubr and in-
offensive ; he seemed h> die iaj>cacc. O ! that we niay:^
at last meet him in «' Immanttcl's ' land y" and th«n wo"
sltall know that ^ * V
A friend when deml U bqt renu^ from sigjit.
Hid iri the Itiflfe of etfrnnl li^. '"^^
Your father- was now an ocfihau, left to the care of
a poor widqvvcd mother, in nartow circumstances j he had
lost his'earthly, but did not seek to his heavenly Father :
the world was all bcfoi;e him, but h^ bad no interest in it;
vet he was light-hearted and felt no care ; he had not then
begun to look with eager and suspicious fears into futurity,
or to call up from the ' vasty deep' of Providence spectres
of want, affliction or troufcle. When he looks back upon
life,, he is astonished at (he miraculous stream of goodness
and mercy which has foUowejl him in all his wandering
> through this wilderness wolrld ; be had neither reason to
believe, nor right to espeJit, that D^^^cr he should b6 called
to fill a station so truly honourable in the sight of (iod as
that of a miftister orChrfat. The ri«h grace and goodness
of God took him from tlie dust to sit among the princes of
his people. Nothing in his early life afforded any promise
of sucK a designation j grapeS we^e as likely- to grow on
t^oriip> and ligs on thistles. He cannot, without the
deepest wonder, survey the wondrous, dealings of Provi-
dence. All he is, merc;^faas made liim; his present life
seems not connected .by even a remote link with his early
' a8io((iations and prospects. • \
.While itiany a gem of pumt ray serene/
The dark iltifathom'd caves of ocean bear; : ';
While map^ a row is born (o blush unseen> »
. And waste its sweetnns'on the desart air;
he, whd was bnly^a'. thorn in the wilderness, has been
planted in the courts of the Lord's house, and grafted into
the living vine, to partake of the fat and nourishment of
the root;
■^
■'.Ky
r' ■■ ■■■*4
, ■ ;* ' ■■ ." •■ '.', ■.-■*-■
./-
■^4 ^'^ ^^ '
Si
flKETCH£g O?
■/
Of (o frare bow great A deluor.
«f I?**" ^S ^'*"'"*"' ^'^^'"'''^ "vcr the intermediate nccne*
ofl fc. «nd cotinocts the link of liia boyhood with the link
of hi8 mnnhmHl, he i, led with gratitude to «ay. m this i. |
the Ix,rd 8 doing, nnd it is nianellous in his eyes." "No
fnond to take him by thej.^nd I uo father toVi^c hij
you h J n9 nro,,erty to prooirfe him the friendship of the
world 5 no leiirmng to fit hitt;tor the honourable walks of
life ; cast upon the wide Wofta, the Lurd took him iin lis
unseen |.and led hita on , and through the hidden daT^et
tods a«d deaths of many coloured life, it gently cleared hi^
way. O my children ! this is mercy too great to be ex-
pressed, too es^mable to be undervalued, and too evfd^nt
tobe denied. Heaven knows the feeUngs of your fatS
heart m reviewing past events, « ywir lauier m
For how Rbnlt words with equal warmtb/
. The grRthude declare, .
That glows within his ravjfh'd heart.
But Gud can read it there I
■\
If every future moment of his life were devotion, everV
ev^ feS^'anT^ff.!:- "^ prai^e, ev?ry abt faith, anJ
every feeling and affectioa love and humility, still the
retum^ would be small, the tribute would be imperfect!
you w,U help htm to raise a monument of eternd Stude
io the glory ofCJod with this inscription on the oiKde!
I'i JM WILL BX A FATHKB TO *HB PATHE»LK88 ^^N
uid upon the Other sidv ' : . V , \
I' Let *hy widows trust in God."
" I WILL BE A«V8BANO TO THE WIDOW/' *
BahJlJn^"* *^* "T'^ ^^ y*»" ^"^^^'^ narrative, yon will
painfally perceive how unworthy he was of that merrv
whicl^ was '. the guide of his youth," tlie gJardSm S S
hfe, and the author of all his blessiigs. T^r^fat^e^
"tt^ *"" f «".**iv« ^'^U be a blessing, a^^SS^t
he has been pleasingly surprised at the ^eama^f^d?e!
i^
yXf
■\^-/:^wfm'.'
rtc flecnes
li the link
'' this is I
C8." -No
|?uiflo bis
liip of the
walks of
tn tip.^is
dangers,
eared hiit
to be ex- ,
) evident
' father'ji
», every
ith, and
itill the
lerfect ;
ratitude
sidej
on wilt
mercy
of hlB
t least,
iting it
fid re>
■AlltY tIPB
i
collection of past events, all traces of whicli lind vanished
from his memory prior to his beginning to write j fwr, um
In his youthful days he never gave to th«8o airy n^tliings
a local hnlntation and a name, they had. puHsed away as
things that had never been, or like the talcs of other tiuiesj
they were forgotten and buried In the c»Ytt of /oblivion.
For your sakes, however, he ha« Called the shapes of foruiir
things Into existence, and although, in ItMnking b-.uk,
he doubted whether dry bones so long into%od could live
again, he now finds that the Valley of vision^ has not only
» political and moral meaning, but even a mental or inteU
lectnal one J as a vast army of past ideas has started into
life since he began to write these pages. May God enable
him, in looking at the wreck of early life, not to glean the
refuse and the rubbish, bat that upon which God himself
may pronounce his paid* probo, and from which you, his
children, and others, if so the Lord pleiL!^, may gather
^struetion and pleasure.
But ail it iu bit lund wImm praise I teek |
, Wiioke fr0«i>a can ditsppoint tbe proudest itrain,
WiKMe approbation prosper evwi miof.
At school, your father neglected improvement} at nome^
the former tendernesk of his mother had made him a spoiled
child ; among his companions he was playful, giddy and
forward. The aiQictions of the family (as his mother was
iSpared on whom he doated) made little impression npon
his mind beyond the grief of the moment. When his father
died he had not sense enough to feel his loss, nor hlial
affection iiiifficient to be deeply &£9icted by |t : .^
A few Datural tears be sbed, but wipi'd tbmh soon.
Boys have little forethought, and the wOunds of grirfjBOon
close as the ripling wave after the parting keel : t^epi^-
sent moment is all that en^osses them ; lasting feeling Is
the legacy of ripei- years. iTliey have little nobleness of
mind or gratitude ; the selfish principle is the master pas-
sion of. tiie soul, and often, like Pliaroah's lean kine.
* ■ -
■ ■/ ;■
. 'i
f-
\
^
./
V\W'
51
•KETCIIRt or
M«, ...g » . i.riii?oV, .x:?",' ™tr '•""-«-•"''«»
Sf"*^ IWM I, ia mjr cbwrftal mor. of life
them on to happine", Th£ ?. .' ^"?' '*"•' '^^-'d leinl
the c«e with jour fothe? "ftet C? ^' ^^^ ■^««'*»' '^-
hejt of to atfectiormte .iotheJ wt^
t^t but pointed repS: ;hic^he nt"!? .T V"*?^ '«'"*^'
• •orcne«s of feelinff it i^ n^/^ uf ^•^ **"'»^ ^^ "'•thout
■hade ! if thou «X I ? P*""**** *« describe. Dear
child, belTi „r hoTr^r \'7 ^ ''»'^'»«-
•ver planted one So« T« thr^H 15%*^** »'»^^ »».
w%ht he hope ^ Hfidowed heart , wd o|» f
Colli-n. P'^^" "«•''■ «<««1 farm.
bat he did not Te^d irCnl S^'^T^u *'^*^'- •»» »>«««*
e«thIyparent,/anT^lefS^^^^ behaved of an'
and mwery. he sought not tHi^ M "*" » *'»«»*'-e of 8i„
affectionaMfy.
:\
CAILT LIPR.
35
W^ .
t^
LETTER sixnr.r
Mg dear ChlMren,
From an infnnt, your father had been arciDitomcd to aay
his privyera at leaitt every uight, the Ijord'a Prayer and th€
Apoatles' Creed ; the last of niiich, though yiot itiiettY
a prayer, if hardly no preposterous oi the oraiHon your
youugpst aistor'a nurse UMcd to teach her UttU; folks.
()ue night as your father and mother visited her Uttl«
cottage, she was in the act of putting her children to bed,
laud must ^cvputly teaching them the fulluwiog prayer ;
Four oorneri (o my brd :.' / ., /•
. FiHir SDKeU fcaard my k^ad:
MntlbeWf'Mark, Lukff aoil Jubn :
God blvM tbo bed lliut I lay on.
Your father's prayers were a, degree higher than th^it
tftc scale of propriety. O that he had never discontinu,.
them ! for, though only more childish scraps of (kvotion,
they were not without moral effect upon bis coOMiiact ; ha
jdurst not tell a lie, he was afraid to use a proEaue word> ■
and of sinning in general : hi* conscicneo was a little
tender, and he had the rude outlines of the fear of God ;
this, if early cultivated, might have issued in infant piety, '
but it had been neglected, and, through the influence and
' example of bad boys, he was become more hardened, bo
that by little and little be left off to pray altogether, and
then gently be^n to elide down tbe declivity of vice,
without any thing to stop him but the admonitions of hit
mother, and the checks of a still unquiet coitfcience, for
he wae still much haunted with the dread pf going |o '
hell. A passage in the Plroverbs often stung him like' a \^
scorpion, " be that, being often reproved, bardeneth Tii|^*^
neckl ehall suddenly be destroyed, and that without
remecy." Frequently that text made bim very uneasy,
'1 the eye that mocketb his father, and despiseth to ''obey
the voice of bis mother, the ravens of the valley shall
pluck it out, and the young eagles shall eat it." Fears of
coming to an untimely death x greatly distressed him ; he
1
/"
SG
■>
SKETcne« op
ttmrlo vows affainst sin, nnd vet ainnpH ««;.'«.♦ 1
for, instead of ffoinir to church on fh. 2 ^\u\ ^"' "^"^"i
rambled in thc^eldl roS^^^ Vfc ^u^^f^ '^''y-^^ ""^
So„.etime8baS.inrandfrem^ birds of their nests,
company of o^^^S^^ bST '^t S^'j?^^'^ ""* *1f
: often scoffed at the yoke ofUiZlf'T^ him away and
>ame pla^S worship herce^ir'°"'^''\*"««^^ ^'^
T t4»at he had foi^ot^ tSe t^:nS ifo^t^^
^ homeland by a ready He oreviS* l^ ' a»d then ran
after eorrec^on. ^ Prevented a aevere reproof or an
con„uon in th. S^^s^nefe L^l':;^''* "^"^
ment, either a ihere aHoi^ foTSn!.- ^ '^ ^ *"•"'*"
,to commit moral suicSeS^ «, idleness, or ah expedient
. fashionable foS ^^ ^J,^ ♦^'■'"^"l *^'""- ^^ ^W«
here it is - good for 1^800! 1 1 -?',!?' Y"^"^' ^^'
As he was ardent L^w* ^ '*"*'^"' knowledge."
frivoIouspJaSlrhStS'nS^' **" ""'"^^ «-
ftaying^ii at night flS'^SSj;?^^^
would countcnancrthdrTI-f'^'-^S'''''^'^^* ^"°P»e
time tliese amS qL iHl^r ' > ^ 'T ' ^^ *>««
mind of your father tlVT Jf^ ^o, '"'atmited the giddy
to many L"uZ^^^^^^ "otW-g el^f anJ
«.<mey to waste in tSS^^Ja^^ "sorted to procure
which arc so manr^™i /^^ ^""^^ many of the crimes
"death leadS U^s^iJt '"W""'!.^"' •^"«'"'"y
^ ^ . '^ ' Cards produce a habit <i
-A
,
X
his vows J
ay, he now
their ne9t8/
um but the
away and
tocliurch,
fre(|uently
>m of his
8, inotter,
\^here was
ng deceit-.
inded the
} from his
retendiug
then ran
otof or an
"8 pious .
> though
f. amuse-
xpedient
Of this
ant, for
vledge."
»d, this
ticiilarly
id girls,
•se folly
ixample
At one
. giddy
se, and '
)rocure
mcs of
crimes
ominy
(bit of
£ARLY LIFB.
»r
\
{naming; they tend to idleness of body and frivolity ot
mind ; they spoil the temper, alienate from useful studies
and latidable occupations ; they make the heart a hot-bed
for chicane, artifice and deceit, and yet thousands are
pleased and fascinated with this amusement. For the
pleasures of- the card table, 'they give up the company of
their friends, the cultivation of their mindb, the rational :
soJnce of religion, and the proper duties of their station : :
yea, they sacrifice to the card table with an ardency of
dcvotiim, that, in the pursuit of religion. Mould be branded
by the world as the maddest enthusiasm. If tl^e great rule
of a Christian's actions should be the word/ and. the end
the glory of God, wluit arguments can support an amus^
ment, where neither rational improvement nor moral profit
is to be expected ? You will pardon this digression, and. ^
allow an affectionate father to intreat you on no considera-
tion whatever to learn this futile practice.
There is aniutimateconitection in the whole family of folly,
and an intimacy \t4th one introduces you to an acquaintance
viXiAi all. . Cards and company led your father to t]m adop-
tion of another youthful vanity : an old profligate tianciiig
master had the art to allurt^ many. boys and girls to liis
house ; the Mritcr was drawn into the snare without tile
knowledge of his pious mother. Under the tuition of this
hoary veteran in profligacy, hisi mind became daily more
and more pois6ued, and his conscience so sleepy, that he
dften told the most glaring falsehoods respecting where
and how he had spent the night. Oh! what a fearful
descent is there in the path of vice ! at first the mind starts
< and trembldls at the brink of temptation j the conscience is
alarmed, the soul shudders and revolts from the commission
of great sins. By little and little 'it slides into smaller ; .
the moral sense is blunted, fear subsides, the sinner tak^i
courage ; a tempter, sly and insidious, urges him forward ;
he Qonquer^ his repugnance; by repeating his offence ; he
now lososth^ pawer of resisting, temptation finds hini
^ a willing prey, and at length he is " led captive by the
devil at his will," and feels less remorse in the habit tbaa
X
^
^ •KETCHES OP
hedidat first in the solitary act. Alearned pl-elate speakt
!2riSftr'li,^V^''*'*- " ^'"^ " fi"' P»«"ing } then
iiyJJr' '^•"-'^"^.'*'* *»»«» »«bitualj then confined,
then th6 man is impemtentj then he is obstinate; then
he resolves jjever to repent ; and then he is damned."*
So also in Mr. Pope's Moral Essays • »»«"•««.
Vtce is a monster of so frjghtftil mleB, ' »
That to be Iiated needs but to be seen ; «
But If we grow familiar with ber face. /
We pity first, next hug, and then embrace.
Your deluded father, though only fourteen years of a^e
was now becoming familiar A?ith the first stageloTa^SJ'
tha* bid air to end in a course of ,hacS vTce '^^^^
pirture only waifted a few shades to make it dark inde«l
•till however, the curb of preventing grace checkS him'
.ndjie was often strangely prevented frpm goSleS
lengths in sin by an overruling Providence, Tdoubt^n
answer to a pious parent's ferv-ent prayers? T?,^e inter"
cessions his mother ueverintermitteS. Often hThehmd
her pleading wih Strong cries and tears, for her unduS'
JS minS fnl^rf^ '^o'^W not unfrequently rushtto
wwT *• **"** fJ^** P'.»ye>-s would greatly agaravate
both his sin and his punishment. Thu? he oftenSlrf
h« >»othernot to prayVfor him, and yerhed^^^^^^
abandoned by the Spirit of God, and bLomr„g:,eS&
^spef Sst^ ^^occasionally sittiug undfr a sSg
gospel ministry} to him, however, it was as "water
apUled upon the ground j" the seed was sown Z the^h
wayside, and, although heieveral weeks artendUpriJSe
cjtechetjcal eWation, to prepare him for confiraatSrat
l^wS "'y ^^"''"r'J^*'"^ impression was madeTon
»i8 heart. Perhaps he had so grieved the Holv SnirS* *w
«ny. Heh Mpftc teardhU pious aiotlier,J.gihVfoU«wr
• Jer^aaiali Taylor's Sermon, p 260,
I
•.". * ■'
■^ . '■■'■:-■ V''- ■'•■■■
- ■ ' . -;".-■-_
4
^ t _ __
. - i
Iw
■.>-M-; ;•:..-.■!.
tta
;^"^- ,•■-:-■-
-
'.''■: . ■ :' _ ;■■■■ ." ; /• ■' .■-
. "■/.■' .'
*
•
■PBi
HPHKHHIBl
■■■■
■■ ^
slate speak*
Ming; then
confirmed ;
Date; then
damned."*
A
arsof afc,
►f a career,
vice: the
k indeed ;
eked him>
ig certain
doubt in
lese inter-
s he heard
undutifiil'
rush into
aggravate
en wished
iedJbeing
eprdbate.
searching
"water
the high
id private
nation at
ot recol-
ule upon
Ht/that,
»ofit by
ifoUowt ..
EARLY Liri. 89
iog hymn, which perhaps contains as tnie «^qtiire of hit
state at this time as could be drawn : ^ . ^
Tbtt rocks can rend, the rooiwtains thaki, '
Tbe Mft can roar, ,the earth van quake ;
" Of f«f hg all ttiinga shew aooMi liiii
But this aufediog heart of mine. ,:,.•'
^^^^ T To hear the'sorrowk thda hast felt,
Dear IiOrd,an adamant wtiold.melt;
But I can read each mOriw line.
And Dotbipg Ittaelt iJiis h^i^ofaiii
X.
Truly it must have been a hard heart ^Hpip that could
prompt insulting replies to the mild jr^mdhstrinceB of a
pious and affectionate parent ; but Qftent would his proud
will resent, and his angry feelings dictate, such language
when he received a just rebuke. For, although her just ,,
and severe admonitions f^nd advocates in his guilty and
unquiet conscience, yet the infatuation of sin hardened
him aj^nst her most resuonable and pious advice. Some-
times he esteemed it a misfortune to have a pious parent>
and regretted that he was not left like other boys whpUy
without restraint. Never did the pure unmixeiji enmity of
a buman heart more explicitly discover itself than in his
case: he looks back with , horror at the bitterness he felt
against all that was of God. If, on the Socinian •plQn,
Unman nature is good, his was a decided^exception to the
principle, and a standing evidence of the truth of a divine
revelation, " that the carnal mind is eqijaiity against God.'*
liie pious strictness of his parent was a curb that chafed
him exceedingly, so that between the strong convictions
and gnawing remorse of hisown consdence, fold the solemn
reproofs of a mother, he wte the victim of internal anguish.
andvfttr, that made the heathen fable of Prometheus no
fiction. His feelings were a/' troubled^ sett/' but they
oiify cast up " mire and dirt; "for he wish^ to think relir
^ous people were all hypocrites, that he might haye greater
reason for neglecting piety ; ^nd eagerly did he listen to
any reports uitfavourable to professing Christians ; yea, htf
liatched the conduct of an affectionate parent with the
• $ 3
i
40
•KEtcit% 69
V
Bke thvself infiSo 1.. u « finite worm, but mercy was
tT w«ri T *''* P**^" '^^^^ i* ?o«W : he was ripe foj
for «« the m.i.oVu 7tgXl,iK M™"""^*;: ""^
^
^.
■,)
r\
-^
^^ '
I
■\
I sometliiog^
It rciuen to
iti$wy,\ett
testbw, the.
» thy grace*
mercy was
y, thine of
vsa ripe for '
ioner, and;
HI foiip^ com-fi
I tnore the
pots of his
i." Adored
fwuralicl ill
refused to
9 was the
rent : the
mercy was
brimstone
►r destruc-
lovej hh
lidst save
lood, but
en he was
isom, and^
•urning tp
his heart
1 through
on to thy
13 Christ,
^us the
I, greatly
r parents
iraselves,
cy sec no
i^ ,_
'% ■ y
'~\u
^,)
"\
traits of mortil excellence, no judicion« parental anthority,
• ftb sellT-eommand and affectionate dignity? Piwrents gene- ^
rally stfunp their own character upon their' offspring ;
' thiMisapds of children owe tltSir infamy and rqiii to, their
parents ) and thousands of others are (Corrupted by them.
Always,^ my children, be select in .your compiany | choose
the discreet,< the prudent, the wise, .and> if possible, the
pious andf thje refined. Our manners are genertdly fdrmed,
bvjjie models exhibited in our companions j the near and
^Constant contemplation of excellence, leaves miuch of its
own lovefines? upo|» the mind by reflection j so the came-
leon receives much of his hu^from'theijerdant earth pr the
contigiious object. Excellence and merit, ia our associate
fire the soul vwii;h genecous emiilatioq f whil0 tKc poisonous
atmosphere of vice ta'iuts M-lrtitever is ;helilthy;n morals or
amiable iin conduct, as the fabled poison tree of JaT« is
said to corrupt thf! afmosphere, and spread. desolatio|i,
barrenness and death. Y|;ur father has dimply to lameiit .
that he ci^ly came in cont'^t with the moral pest* of sinful
associations: being, though but a boy^ tall, comely, x)pen '
and unsuspecting, he easily fell into the snares of tempters:
At an early period of life, lus natural vanity \y{is 'fostered
by the attention of others; hence* he 'fancied himself a man
M'hen only a child in years and an inl^nt . in,expertence ;
hence, as the men in the shop, where he' was learning his .
business made him a companion, he strove by a fprccd >
growth, to imitate them to whatever leiiKths they nju in
levity, facetiousuess and folly. Tlius h^ became a kind of '
a chaimpion a)id lcader.,td others, and was «knovvn by
most of the wicked, rude and forward^ boys of the town.
Few plans of mischief or roguery wQre contrived by these
varlets but he had a hand in them. He often rambled all
night in the streets w ith' ojijier wicked boys and young men.
He also Went to horse, races, wakes, dances^ fairs; attended
the play-house, nay, so far had he forsaken the fear of his
Maker and the counsel of his mother, that he sevei'al times
y got intoxicated with liquor. He was an adept in sin^ng
/ profane songs, cracking jokes, and making risible and
'■\ \ k ., ■ E 3 \ -V
•'.\
I, -iA
I.
'}
■ r
tf
^v^.
■ *• :.. ■■
tt RRETCHES pF ' fc.
ludicrous remarks on anything that came under .his notice.
Of singing songs he was immoderately fond, and so tena-
' . cious was his meitaory, that he has sometimes catchfed both
the air and words of any new ballad by hearing it once
repeated ; but, as he shall ftot become *he disciple of the
-^ infamous Rosseau,* many of his sins mtist lie under the veil
^ of oblivion. Yourt affectionately.
LETTER SEVENTH.
My dear Children, ' ;: :^r': :■■■'■■ ■'■:^r- ■^- •■■-■:' ■''•■
V. Your father hopes that his being so minute will not on
the one hand be disgusting, nor on tlie other tedious; he
■*»r .does not intend these pages as the lure to catch applause,
but as a beacon to gua^d you and others j and as an hum-*
' Wing memorial to himself of a portion of his life lost to
God, to society, to himself, and to useful purpose : he
wishes to show the different shades of character under-
which a youthful mind may pass who is governed by no
J; fixed principle of truth and grace. The vane does not
more readily shift with every wind that blows, than such aii
one to. every impulse of temptation. A youngs flexible and.
pliant mind is wax to every criminal impression. His
levity wWps the stream of instruction into froth, and makers
him a mere pupchinello to tha* evil spirit who moves the
springs, white the corruptions of his heart, like the rank
weeds in an uncultivated garden, choak every good see*.
Headstrong and unruly, he wishes to have his own way,
yet he is sure to go wrong. The prolific elements of his
nature generate a thousand half formed vices, and, did not
' Prmidence often interpose, every viper egg of temptation ',
would produce a cockatrice. His companipns, are the
stream and he is ^he bubble that floats along with the cur^
rent. His vision is strong to behold all the prismatic
colours of vanity j he is wicked for fear of being singular,
and has the impious vanity of wishing to be thod|ht more .
f See bis ConfeaiODf . *-^
i
s. wick
^Ni^nw
Ifean
the c
5ow<
ash
aboy
the <
reefs
' yout
peri<
"S
. ' alon
then
^
"V
A
* »
lAStT UFB.
43
^ wicked than he really is, Eveiry object th«t captivates his '
^••^nses has seveir-ibld charms, though it is the robe of
^eauty covering the* rottenness of vice. Already v^ithin
the current of the vortex of desthiction, nothing bu't the
Sower of Ood can prevent him from being drawn down and
ashed to pieces. - Your father struck upon the, rm'kA
above mentioned, and saved nothing from^ the wreck but
the experience of his lo<<s and the knowledge where the
reefs lie ; he wishes, therefore, to cons^ct a chart to save ^
'youthful mariners from the! same dangers. During this <
period, he had several remarkable wwninjts and deliver- *
' '^ces, but they made no ifnpreMon ujibn his hc^t. Going*
with some other boys to Newton races, as tlicy walked .
, ' along tp banks of the canal the fineness of tlic day allured
them intothe Water. Your father, whq could not swim,,
was dnra^n beyond his depth by some Iwys who were
buoying themselves up as though they touphed the ground. %
He sunk to ihe bottom ; a red dark appeftrance sectutod to
swim befoire his eyes j in this perilous state onepf his 'com-
panions lai^ hold of hishairi iind Providence jpi^deeugied him
from a watery d^ath. At another'time he sprang into a river,
and a^ broken boltlib neurly severed one of his toes from the
foot ; he bled prdfuSely, but stopped the gaping wound with
>8and and mud, and vnUked or sather limped home. * Still he'
remained insensible both of the rod that corrected, and the
hand that saved. His disobedience increased witli hi»i years.
/ Little, adorable and (^mpassionate Redeemer, did he think,
that he was rejecting thee in spurning the counsel of a kind
^nd affectionai|ie mother! O! wy chil4ren, Iiinv vast is
that |»tience which waits the tet'urn'ici^ a prodigal son, us
though it were not insnlted, abused and trilled with !
God is indeed "long suffering and Slo|v*to anger:" ^While
his m^cy 6ies like "the swift winged wrows of light" to
the sinner's relief, the sword of wi-a|h is long suspended,
, till the rebel's final bbstitiacy wears, aWay the thread «f
divine patience, aiid invitesHhe stroke that cuts him down.
Your father feels the keenest regret in looking back upon
a conduct so hateful to God, and so &filicting to tlie miud
s. ;i
1., *.
■M
n,..-..-4-.-a'y >,-..
-d*'
44
SRBTOHBS OP
/
(;■
» ■ . - •
' of a^dear parent. O! thou compassionate " Father, w)ti|^
/art in Heaven/* let thy |nercy accept hia repcntiiucOf
^aifd save him from the rod of a retaliating Piovidcnce.
And tmi» forgive hU lin^ confemM, deiilorM, *
r- .'/ ' : ;■ -^-AgalMt thine Imaite in thy iwipt, O Lord t — ' ■ ' . ■ '':';_ .
. Your dear grandmother would rea8on> plead, remonstrate
and warn, but her updutiful son had neither ears to hear,
eves to ftee, por tenderness of spirit to profit by her admo-
, nitions. Hi^ moral feelinj?a were so drugged with the opiate
of sin,- that: he was alike inseflBfible both to the voice of
(jodjandth^jtears of his pious parVnt. She would often
w^ep,^ but His stony heart did uol relent : the stream of
, her grief ranjin many a bitter tear, and, had not the ground
on which it fell been rbck, thV harvest of rcpcntaucd might
have|_ succeeded: Sometimes ini secret he was deeply grieved
^t his' base Ct)nduet } thp horrors of remorse, like a black
cloud, fell upon his spirits, and the fear of "going dow^v
to" the pit" prciyed upuhishearti and alarmed him exceedb-
^JugTy. He ^ftieii thought of thdde words which had some'-
— - got a place in his memor^ r )■ ■
Now I repent, and sin ngnio ;.'; .
Now I revive, aiad now Qtn tUtin— > *
iSlain with tiie tame anfaa^py dnrt,
Which oh ! too bftefr wbor U iny heart !
He fe^ed^going to heJl, and yet, by akind of arithni^tical'
•''""*"''• ^'-..would' calculfite upon beii^ig lost. He wais in
jand thought he must inevitably, perish,
; .as well go on in §iri, for as he must
j|tIon,.,<it was no matter whether for few
JVl&tbn'^ saltan, he was ready io say^i
So farewell hope, and with it farewell fear; , V «'
^ . . . f'arewell ireii^orse, all gtiod t» me is loiti
Nevertheless,' every ne^ Step in wickedness was a kind of
Violence offered to his conscience, which ever ain^^non
rang sucha laruminthe ears of his soulis made him,if possi-
ble/ m(u-e miserable than he^ad made liimself vile/ Surely
^'
- 4
y
i
t;
■.A;
tAnr.Y Lin
45
bhin^tical'
[e wais in
y. perish,
he must
r for few
to say.
tkin,d of
n(| {^non
ifpossi-
Surely
tther, wh(||>
1 -
ipcntauce^
\ •
BHCe.
■ ." p ...
*■ . '
"■
monstrate
'
8 to hear^
f *"
ler admo-
the opiate
" i ^ -■■■'_
e voice of
uld often
stream of
•
le Kround
ICC might
y grieved
', ■
e a black
iug dow^v
■ .» ■
a exceedj-
--'■ 1 ' « '
ad some*
^!
:t
ttieie ^forking* of your father's unhappy mind mnnt have
iMMin influenced by that sataiiic Hon, " who gocth iihout ;
■ueking whom he may devour}" and who, either .W a*. I
" angel of light" or a daemon of darkness, a drogon or ^
ft syren, tries every art, and lays hold upon every feeUpg^
of the soul, to dlure it into crime or plunge it into despair, r
Thus he assumes a thousand forms to cheat our soul's int«-|
,everla«ting»ruin.^ -.■■■;.;•■■■- /-•v ■■ ;• -;; v^; % ^ ' ■■'''■■■.■•'.'■
\_ NiMf l»B appfsw almort HWloe, 1^ ,; ■ V
Lrke innocence ami love, i ^ i 5:
Bal the old wrpent larks wUbia ■ j
Wbfn- be aMmnn tbe doT9. pi.;''
He (e«l« oar hopet with airy dreanw, •• r *?
Or k Hit with ilBVldi fear }>^ ^
' . And hoidf oi itlU in wide eitienlev
Preurrptlon or despair* •
' Now he penaadet bow easy 'th
To walk tht road to H«afe»; .'1*
Anon he swpHs ow slnt, lind crioa, * ,
,. MThejrlcanuofbefiorglwB.'* . .
' okl my children what a drudgery is tKb practice of
sin; It is a base and low ^tiiication, purchased at the,
expense of the peace, harmony and purity of Mtie soul. The
means, are formidable (rebellion agianst God), Ihe end i»
nothing, a bubble, a straw, an animal ebullition. Such
a means to accomplish such an end
Resembles ocean Into tentpeit wrovght, ■ .^
To waft a feather, or to drown a fly.
Sinners sell their immortal « birth-right for a mess of pot-
tage !" their crown of glory for the crunibs of worldly lust
that fall firom the table of flense. Like the Hebrews in
the desert they lust after gratification, though the fiery
, serpent has begun to fasten upon them. They, boast of
liberty, though they are tied and bound down by the phain
of their sins. Alas 1 they "sow the wind and reap the
whirlwind."^ The siilner spends the noblest kres^ure" of
the soul for tlwt wbitrh is i^ot bread} he feedeth .j»p<«u
-^f-.
■ ».
i
- tL
\-
%
;■' -W-- \ ■■■.■', iKETCHBt OF .'-■.,.. , '* .^11"
Mhc« J he lycth down in lorrotv, and he U inJeopardT
every hour. Who hath woe ? Who hath sorrow J Who
httth contentious ? Who hath wounds without cause ? Al»9 ?
Ihe tinner who feedeth iwine, yet cannot fill his belly with
^ the husks j who seereth his own conscience that he may
more securely sleep in the arms of the devil j who " trea-
sureth up wrath," though hia hoard will be his hell.
" Destruction and misery are in his path :" his " steps
lead down to death, and his ways take hold on hell." Tnily
might the wise man say, " the way of transgressors is hard.*^
It IS to be questioned whether a guilty conscience, with all
Its appendages of fears, remorse, glooms, stings, qualms,
reproofs, re-actions, forebodings, anticipated judgments and
•minature hel^,- be not harder to bear, and bitterer in the
bearing, than all tfie congregate* evils of a pious life. The
crosses, the trials, the thorns in the flesh, the conflicts, the
contradictions, the persecutions, the reproaches, the fight-
ings, the fears, the dlfficnlties, the afilictions, of a good man,
-are the thorns in the wilderness through which he is tr^-
jrelling to glory ; the gales that waft him to Heaven ^ the
UboiOT that make rest aweot ; the crucible that purifies
bis fcith ; the winter that kilh the vermin in the soil of
corrupt nature, that would otherwise destroy the hopes of
the husbandman.- But the miseries of the wickedxare an
earnest of the perdition which terminates the path 6t4ce.
^' The pleasures of sin are at best but for a seaspk"
Meanwhite there is a sting in the honey, a fthorn i/th»
rose, a poison in the bowl, a sword suspended over the
feast, a snake in the grass, a volcano beneath (the flo'wei^
patb,«nd an horrible tempest lurking in the debeitful calm
The paradise of fools is in the suburbs of hell j ^he-flowery
paths of vice take hold of destruction, and " thp wages of
sin 18 death." On the contrary, the pleasures of piety pay
no tax to after-thought , remorse, never elbows those who
walkm the narrow way , the sweetness of «elf-dehial has no
-counterbalance in stings of conscience j guilt neVer knocks
at the door of pious pleasure; no black thynderstorid of
(undemnation ever rolls over. the calm and sun-ifluuiinated
\-
',4*' ' ■ .■
EARLY Lirl.
vale of inward peace. Purity and truth give a silent,
hotno-fclty rational delight, pure an the silver moon bt'am».
and calm as the heavens of #hich it is an emanation ) but
the horror of remorse liv'fes when the criminal pleasure i^
paHt, and i^ven in this world takes ample vengeance on the
victim of guilty passions and ungodly deeds. The following
remark is the sentiment of one of our bent poets ; you will'
ever find it to be an echo of the true feelings of your heart,
as your father has foilnd it in unison with his :
To be Kood if to bfl happy ; angels
Are ^Hpiiinr than men befnuiie tbnjrVe b<>Uer«
Guilt is tb« MUiirce of mrrow ; 'ii» the flend', : , '
Th' avenKing flvnd^ ibnt folh>w8 ns behind , *^
,Witb whips and stings : the bltsst'd know O^ne of (hb,
But rest in everlnstinK peace df mind,
And ftnd the height of 1^1 their Heaven is goodnew.
iut a much greater anthority than the noblest- poet li'poh
tarth has Hnidjr" Come unto mc bll ye that labour and are
leavy laden, and I will give you rest : take iny,yoke upon
/on, and learn of me y for I ani meek and lowly in heart \
and ye shall find 'rest to your souls." The Christian mav
count the cost of every enjoyment, and look forward v^th
composure and peace to the result of all his actions. Hia
pleasures do not blossom upon the stock of sinful gratifies- •
tiouj, they are found in the friendship of his Redeemer,
the love of hisiGod, and the rugged but peaceful paths of
self-denial. He goes upon" no - fool's errand to the mid-
night revel, the alluring Delilah, the enti^in^ theatre, the
guilt illuminated ball-room, or the fashionable promenade.
♦' He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most' High,"
has an internal shrine, where the Spirit of truth, and peace
and love resides— a well, of water veithin sprii^ng up to
everlasting life } hence^ ho "^^ drinli's witters out of his pivn
cistern, and running wajfers out of his own well," and ia
blcssea with quiet of conscience, peace of, lAind, harmony
of passion, solace of reflection, the Calmness of contentment
and the meekness of resignation. The pleasures of piety are
rational } reason approYcs them, reaaon is La them. They arg
'M,.
:( '
a'
\
IK ITCHES OF
not ft>tckiMrfiQ>in the temple of impure delight, culled from
the pinnt of Be^»c, or dug w ith diumondN from the fluming
mine. They are neither twined with the Heductivc UuroU
of the poet, nor reujied in iron harveutH upon the held of
hattlc, MfhfUr*! the pnco ta vatour, and the purdhase blood.
N«, my children, happiocnn docn not dwell w ith tl^ne things^
how much soever the false glare of worldly opinion haa'
•bed a halo of glory around th«m ; and how much loevcr
m«n fly from themselves to these refiiges of lies. That
happiness, of which you and all others are capable, is
serene and calm j it does n6t sufluse the cheek with the
blush of shame. It does not waste the vital oil of health,
and cause the lamp of life to burn dim with premature dis-
ease and decline. Here there is nothing to blast the rcpu-
tation, or shipwreck the estate. In the inventory of pious
happiness, there are pleasures of hope, plcwjures of read-
ing, pleasures of metUtation, pleasures of prayer, when the
pious, the devout heart, ia rais^ to converse with God,
and Heaven lets down a strciam of its own beautifying
glory upon the soul ^hat comes into the presence
chamber 6f its Maker: and to crown the Christian's
enjoyment, thcfe is the fine ol<l fashioned pleasure of doing
good } which, like the famous Rhine, has only one source,
yet has many channels through which to communicate its
waters. How satisfactory, my dear children, are the things
of God, in the world's enjoyments " disappointment often
laughs at the career of fond hope 3" and, in the fruition of
it» object^ "the heart distrusting asks, can this be joy>"
But a pious man is satisfied from himself j the fountain
within yields constant supplies j the mine is rich. He
who \m these treasures of his own^ these riches of sweet
and estimable consolation.
i'
....: MAy leave a palacr or'a throne,
J; >f>y quit die world and dwalUloae,
._i__^=^^ — - WiUiiD hli ipacloai mlad. =7--~^-tt^^^
While the men of the world are letting down lea^ bockoU
into empty well<, «ad drawing up oply disappointment, he
\.
y
\
.^M.
-7/1
ullcd from
tie flmning
ivc Uuroli
ifl field of
Me blfKKl.
me things,
inion hua
It'll aoevcr
M. That
ipubie, in
with the
>{ health,^
utiirc dJH*
the rcpii'
f of pious
I of read-
wbeD the
vith God.
iautifying
presence
hristian's
) of doing
le source,
licate its
he things
eiit often
ruition of
^e joy?"
fonntaiu
ich He
of sweet
' bnckots
pent, he
f
)
Wiwn
■ f
CAtiLY Lire.
■>¥ from the wells
49
salvation." "Ho
rallt his «iith, it comes { he culls another, that arrives,"
Th9 hIcQsiiiKs.that iiinko him linnpy arc Hot like the i>hilo-
sopher's ston* undiscovered. They dn not resemble the
raiiilmMT upon the liill, the bnhhio upon the ocean, or the
meteor in the sky. A poet has stud, " man never is but
nlwkys to be blest," but this^ is not ti^e j in Christian
exnericnce he hii a sober Vcrtainty of waking bliss.
" Heaven owns her child on thiH Hide an hereafter." The
bliis of eternity often begins below in the peac^ and joy
of faith } and to give to a (/hriHtiiin'H happiness the highest
lustre, it is lasting, it is perinaricnt. Uachcrs beauty was
a transitory flowpr which quickly fwlcMJ from the human
face divine; Joni^'s gourd sprang up in a night, and
withered in a morning ; iSoloinon'H glory was soon beclouded ;
and Hauinn's exaltation was but a Htep to the gallows :
but the Christian's peace is like Melchizcdck, it has no
end of years. The spring of his bliss shall Hourish through
eternity ; the sun of his conifort shall never go down ;
the fountain of his peace shall never be dry, nor shall the
stream ever cease ; it shall be full above measure, and '^
lasting beyond liounds. The " light shines brighter and
brighter to the perfect day." Thus, my children, the
happiness of piety is the only permanent thing in the
world. Moths may fret the garment, rust may corrode
gold, envy may blast the fairest fame, and sickness may
fade the loveliest face upon earth, but inward peace is not
subject to time and chance and the elements. If riches
fly away, and 8)iow their fickleness by their flighty this is
constant. If our friends forsake us, this sticketh closer
than a brother ; if our life decays, this is a life in de<ith.
Time, which corrodes all things, but renders this more lovely ;
it is pure as the mountain siiow, constant as the morning
light, full as the ocean's wave, sweeter tlian the virgin
rose, free as the circumambient air, firm as the hoary rock,
and durable as the throne of Immanuel. My children will
pardon this innocent digression. Your father reluctantly
br e aka th o thread of hia narrati v e } but he wishes to maka'
/
CS)
■>
-#■
y
ID
«|t KETCHES- OF
■ t->.
you sensible of the truth, purity and sweetness of viptuous
pleasures, that you may not be drawn aside by the rainbow
bubbles of worldly vauities, or Hie gaudy colours which
V, often coverthefascmatingpaths of vice. You will remember
tie^history of Moses, who nobly rejected the numientarv
thHewarr' ""' " ^^"'"'B ^ ^yo to the recompense of
•' •,^""*^"*'»« joy <'»"tP>wpeMiB vice objnl^^^^
' Tis but what virtue flies from nwl disd«i0s. .
.As happiness is the end and aim of ourbeinir, seek yours
y . "» God, your heavenly Father, in communion by prayer,
ineditation and' reading, with the Savour of sin,,ers,and
> ^»n tner consofetions of that Spirit, who sheds renovated
* #" I; i""''"^'' ^"^'•'^ soul, and makes his temple in "the
^.pnjht heart and pure;" You wiflthcn cnR* into all the
i-ichftfiss^of the following sentiment of the poet, to„Mhich
»ay,theUod of your father direct you for his n\ime 8ak« :
Where's thy true treasure? Gold savs. "not in me,"
An* "not in me," the di'mond. Gold is poor ;
India's insolvent ; seek it in thjsplf,
Seek in thy naked self, nnd find it there :
In bejng so descended, form'd, cmlow'd ;
Sky-born, sicj-guided, &ky-re'tiiroing ruce!
-Erect, immortal, rational, divine !
?ur8 affectiQuatety.
1.-:
'4:
■... <
'*■;
^' . LETTE%ilGHTk
My dear Children,. ' l
the recollection of which hlls him with the liveliest regret
? fJf 1 /ii""?i 'l^"^ "^ ^ ''^''^''"' ^'"''^st the shoals of
youthful folly and suffering on which he run, to warn every
undutiful child and disobedient boy of the error of their
ways 1^061 the time his mother became truly VeriouT
her desire for the salvation of her children grew more and
wore urgent, and Ux soUcitations more importunate Her
\
EARLY LIFE.
51
of vitttiinun
he mi n bow
mrs M'hich
[remember
!iu>uientary
tuipense o(
seek yours
fiy prayer,
iiiers, and
renovated
e in "the
to all tlie
to .which
le sake ;
(^natel^y.
s history
St regret
shoals of
rn every
•of their
serious,
lore and
K Her
, prAvers for tlicir salvation were fervent, and often breathed
forth with strong cries and tears. None knows but God.
the searcher of hearts, how earnestly truly pious parents
pray for disobedient children. At a throne of grace only
the wounded spirit of a tender mother gathers consolation
and hope. " God," says she, " can turn the heart of n»y
child ; he is in the hands of God } I cannot give Inm up,
undutifuly disobedient and rebellious as he is. Who knows
but he mav become a child of 'God> and repay me for all
I have suffered on his account. Should that be the case,
and the prodigal ever return, roy tears of sorrow will give
place to tears of gratitude, and my twice-born child will
be doubly dear tp tlie heart of his affectionate mother.
These, probably,* had been the reasonings of your grand-
mother in continuing to pray fir an ungrateful and hard
hearted child. She continued, however, to reprove him as
well as intercede for him, but what was duty in her was
bitterness to her soli", who, weary of reproof, and Wcoming
more wicked as his mother became more pious, forsook her
affectionate care ; and, with a cruelty both unnatural and.
desperate, left home and went w ith some other of his wild t
companions and entered on board a ship of war. How
regaidless, my deai- children, are wicked boys of the tender
feelings and bleeding hearts of their aflTectionate parents.
ITiey rashly plunge a thousand daggersjn a tender mother's
breast ; ,that mother, whose whole life and maternal soli-
citude have been devoted to their comfort j. who hafr fed
them with the milk of her breast ; fostered them with the
'warmth of her body ; who has watched them with the
most lively solicitude, nursed them with the tenderest care ;
whose feeling heart has bled over their infant pans, and
, from whose moist eye a thousand mother's tears have fallen
in sympathy with their soirows. this tender parent, who
has known no joy separate from their welfare, and who has.
felt no pains so keen as those suffered by her children,
whose life is bound up in the life of her offspring, this
affectionate, afflicted and broken-hearted mothei, is put to,
nameless tortures, by the disobedience and the hard heart-
F 2
«
I \
fit
Ife
8KBTCH£« O^
.i.
tenderness, and hmassed S ''?'-J«:i^'^«»«* "-epulscd her
hduse. her Tht h? *^' '?'"'^' ''"""^ ^»e« from her
iinduUfol indtt «f.H K P'^^^^^^^ '^ <>« punished for
rwffi2fl. *°*" **^ ^'*''»'^«' M the ferocity of
't^-
L..
#■
T«>u art not 10 unkind,
I ^""MV Ingratitude:
Thy tooth i« not so keen, -«
BecBose thoa art not seen,
Ahhoagb tb; breodr be rode.
Freese, fte«e, thoq bitter ,ky.
Thou dost not tile TO nith,.
As pareois' tears forgot .
Though ibpa tb« waters waro.
Thy sting is not So sharp,
-'As love renietnber'd opt.
\
might ive^ hLt^^SXS^- Prf ^^
Afritat, or his ffrave mShrhavi k a *?^ "^''^^ «''*»'^««'<^
become too gallinir and wSE!? I £!T "'^'''«* »"«*
rovihgdisposSoiLn^wTtt?''**"*^^'"** «»*»*» »"<*
hm inleprool. or S^Ih l^^?d"S'''"Af ^t"
Mitl
' Avai
is(
mid
of ^
whi
,-i
>X
/■■
y
So 4
|iai)(
«¥
infli
or t
hut
flesi
hor£
He,
mot
•a pa
fallc
iron
was
sorr
reta
:«■■
EARLir LIFE.
53
id her with
pulsc(J[ her
9 fruiu her
Jished for
oldnesH ul'
erpcity:of.
be would
» thefoir*^
ve trade,
ur&thef
>hores,d'
ofsomo
■her had.,
ind and
mi visit
I to sea J
lad seen
greater
JQ^ had
is cruel
hetftill
ii^nded
as! he
deeply
cspoud
M-ith his enslaved desires and depraved capacitie8---h«
wanted a wider range, a larger field. Ah ! how patient
is (lot! , not to cut down such young trangressors in the
midst of their career. The subject of these lines had cast
of godly fear, and had plunged into a vaiiety of evils over
which silence must cast avail.
— r-^"r-7- ■-.■:' - He never then bis God addreM'dv— - -ir - -
: . ' . In Khiteful praise, or liuiiible prayer,
' . And if Go<i's word wns not n jesti
„' Dread tboaghl, it never wnshiM^care. ^
however, the liour arrived when he wa«
At length
punished for his wickedness, and beaten with his o\\n rod,
^Whoever considers tl«e regulations on board ships of war,
\vill readily admit that such a school was well calculated
^^oojiucify the vanity and curb the rashness of a head-strong
^^K^ This was as suitable a discipline/ as the re-acting
pj^dence of God could have brought upon a rebellious
.andanulutifulson; it seemed also to grow out of his sin.
The Lord is jaW, and of our ploRSBDt vicflB
Makes in^ruuients to si-obrge lu
Bo that, in tlie midst of his difficulties, he might read tlu;
Jiayd writing upon the wall as a fate he had both "deserved
i^ brought um)n himsplf. Not a kick nor a cuff was
inflicted upon hira by the tyranny of a boatswain's mate,
or the haughty insolence of a ten years' old midshipman;
hut operated as a caifstic to burn the ^humours and ])roud'
flesh of a spoiled child. It was, in fact, "a whigfiTor the
horse, a bridle /or tire ass, and a rod >for the fool's' back."
He, who had been the beloved idol of a tender pious
mother; who had never known a single hardship, or felt,
•apajik but what excited her kindest sympathy, had now
fallen into the hatids of straugers> whose rule was a rod- of
iron; s[ih1 whose tender mercies were neglect or frowns.
" The mad bull had got iiito the net," the wild ass's gplt
was curbed by the strong hand of naval tyranny j and the
sorrows he had inflicted ujfon a pious 'parent were now
retaliated ineasure for measure upou himself. Here he saw
«K*
H
IRfeTCHES OF
P
profaneness In all its diabolical features, and severity
mall its forbidding forms. Tyranny ^id not ask leave
of the law when or how often it should $trik«i its
victim ; 86 that from the petty midshipman to the high,
mighty and choleric captain, (whose ensigns of despotical
power w^re the grating, the gangway, and tliecat-o* -nine,
tails, with the articles 6f war to salvo the cruel measures,)
all were cruel. Start him, give him a rope's-ending, tic
him to the gangway, and pipe all hands upon deck, were
the order of the day. Hence, though but a boy, he had
to mix with men rude as t«i rock and boisterous as the
storm. Doctor Johnson was in some degree just in his
remark, respecting the degrading thraldom of a ship of
3var, and his preference of a prison as the least disagreeable
of the two. There are several points in which the two
subjects will admit a close parallel. A prison introduces
within Its walls a'mixed multitude, some unfortunate, some
imprudent, and othergdesperat^ly wicked j but all, in
general, destitute of tffie relfgion, and sinking deepei" into
the abyss-^f vice by being grouped toget^r. A prison I'i
a state.of close confinement, and sometimes hard, labour •
the most 8evere.discipline is uSed to- keep the pri^puers in
•awe J the jailors are in sorte instances tyifnts, and the
penalties crueir Men AviU, on every occtsibn, run from
a prison, nay they sometimes er^ rise upon their keepers.
A prison separates you from the^st of iflSnkind/ and hin-
ders you from conversing with anP»ut the unhappy inmates'
of your confinement. In allthes^ points the subject may
be applied to a ship of war ; but jierhaps the writer is too
severe. During the last twentyXsix years many happy
changes have taken place in the navy, the captains are now
moral, tlie men less profane ; th^ officers have become
humane, the midshipmen are not so insolent, and the dis-
apline is more mild. Doiibtless tiere are some good ships
Md exceUent commanders. That* fine institution the Bible
»>ciety, has " cast its bread upon the waters."- A noble
admiral, has by his example made piety less odious to naVal
•commaa^era. The British and foreign Bethel Seamatt>
\±::lM
I
I
I
r
* *
1 , ■■ ■ - V ■ . ■
:. ■ - '■■:'--,.' ■■ ■■:
— ~-^— * 7— ■
'"-■■ ■■ ■■^■■/^ ■.'
, \ ■ ■■
~- \- -v^
■^ V.
\ .
_ '.V. ■ , ■■■ ""."■■.
■•. .. ' .\' : ■
- - \
:■/'■■■ •[
H
■ h ■*
^^^y
;.',"■ ■ -."'■:;■■ «.^
-'■'■. .."'■'■
/. " ■ ' '■
I
'^
EARLY UFE
'fv.
% 55
Union/an4 the general interest excited f<^ tlic welfare of
seamen by all classes df pious people. Mill grndiuilly ope-
rate a'moral change both in merchant vessels and ships of
war. But alas! the odds are so^nuch on t^hc other side,
as still to (rive the subject in general a veryit^loomy, and
9 a pions mind afflicting aspect, >/
KYour father was some time on Soard the Nassau, of 64
ffuns ; bnt prcvioush' to the voyage, i^ which shaiwas lottt
tn the NortliScar^-wlth part of her crew, he was drafted
with someyilUiers on board of the beautiful frigate Amethyst,
then fitting out in Portsmouth harbour. " Thus a kind
Provideitee interposed for him, perhaps jn answer to the
intercessions of a praying motlfer; for, had he continued
in that ship, as he wished to do, the sea might have been
his grave, and a more dismal gulf his eternal portion. (>'r,
had he gone in the Ssilne ships with^wo of his early roui-
panions (one of wh<]pin was dnvftcd on boiufd iflie Jkhou
frigate, which foundered at sea, and the otlier^fterwurds
QM board La Trifmue, which sunk in thgireatnuicc of
Halifax harbour,- when all her ill-fated crew, but seven,
shared a watery grave,) his life would have paid the forfeit
of his disobedience. Lpving SaA'iour, how shall a ^or
sinner praise thee !
. WLere shnll bis'tromlerinp; sool bopfln?
How'shall he all to beuven Hspiref *Sf°
A sliive retleemM frhm death and sin,
• , A brand plackM frond eternal fife:
;, How ih^ll he equal honoar's raitt? , - ' ' •'^
. Or sing his great Ueliverer's,i)rtti/(^? :.
Oh the depth ! his eaily companipns, w^re lo*st, he was
saved. How mysterious fire t^e ways of God ! \,Here;
Indeed, his *^ footsteps are in the^e&t deep,-^and hlsF^ath
in the mighty ^Erai^s ;" '^clouds and darkness are round
abO}it him, and his ways ar^e past finding but/' No)iuman
, reason can be assigned ivhy he did not share a similai* fate ;
it was not chance, but Providence that ordered it Qth&wiae.
M
«
\ .-
W'
$
CSod moves in a .mj'sterioos way,
His wonders to perform ;
/
r
y
■ i ■*
«
-
1
,
*
7
.
-V.
\
\
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^#..,X_J1
1 '\ ;-.''. ■ ■■
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■ \ .-■ ■ -
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■, \''
'
-" ' . -".
'
■. , - .
t
S'.'
•Mi!
4
Bulb* do i»j* toi
be f^ from risluu
icktd 5 .
int«yjf ** whatever tli||
||W!«;f ^«Bf(i ■ til _
noi^ kre we
liciis}hle''to
l'»ve:a;
[f^r^ (^e, whatsoevcjT things
[^ areli8fc,;\vhaesoev<;r tUiiigs <
I lpvcl|/ V His p^le aW
l<ive liHn becaus^ tliey arc
rci^ "by irtilU 'iiv ^^«^$ (Jhristi
w^fukiiysjcries; tjiti are tocj^o tri^^ ;
.-_^ fcttcc^ ftoiu it>i^Ofc fiy^n^e* (o.
love Wintit^My justvicvsofthe'^ectitftde-jvradopi,
. nruth and etef«ia!!fifl^uity of the great* (Jod. 1:^0 lis. well
^'^ ;awart that :irtcid«in{s,0f this ki»id Imvp ]A ma^ J^j^gooA
I ^en; i^^sftgd apote yfc^s oC tliel)|-ine
^^... w — ..v*. v« j-wM. j.yi^ini, uvM« "" nus una mncr occasions,
^ Whilp others pwisfted^ is on<3 ofthose enigmas that iriust
' l^idaced fqwnJI^ Iil?t4)f an iiic«plieaUle IVoridence. By
^M bf the w hol«|j»rum€ m i^l be explainpd, and ProVidenpfe
-^ »^^»^* W*'**^'^^^? a°d revehijion in its i]frofi)und doctrine8>
wdlsi^etlyJiarraonlze. Me;un^hilc, you w ill subscrjW to
X the , truth oif some lines Avrittcli by your father upon the
premtlul-e and melatidwlH Heath «f a- ijHlr and amiable
*^ ^Wtunatn, iiith herthrefelovely diikUcy, wJMfc-ished In tHe
'.^ . iJay of Fuiidy :'■>;: ', , .^ ; '■''{'■ y~- 'W^'-'-' -V:^^-
^^^i^,^ 1.-' V E<P^na^^ro¥idence^'No nofiiil pyt>s > *• ' :,'.,:
-^J ^ ' 1 ^''" pifKW ihe i^Poms^^icU TOuiidjlijr templeiise ; ^^ ■
■■'>
i' '■%
LIFB
lonff the
hsible^to
c have a
et: things
l!r thiiigs >.
pie aloiie
they arc
? Christ,
ij'isdopi,
oy«aoodr '
e Divine
)r|ted,by
h 6yery
id book,,
1. ;rhe^
casioits,
at iiiust
?e. %
videnpe '
t'trinesi
crjbe to
|)on the
unliable
I in the ' .
47
|bod Hrt,<i>en to ride, . h
IWHtt'it liiixlity' tide, i'
irk, that bHlf conoQjiU
of .tbjr chariot wbeeMj'
. trtfeielfetbadt defles an angel's kso,'v ' .
(For herein angels flymbolitewitb men;) "'/ ■'- '■
And.otily ligbt proi^tic can illame ■'':.''';>.-■■ -
!lrb«t ftwfdi .region oTiiDperviQiugiooin. : .
' . father said that he was drafted on boar4 the
lyst frigate) this vessel had been recently taken from
'Snch, and was ° then preparing to cruise against' her
Sters, la the crew^ consisting of about 300 souls,
;^t contemplate a complete assemblage of youthful
r— r,^rw|i'» all Hs varieties. FVom the captain to the cabin
^i»oy,ltidd not recollect that there was one person on board
Tv)»<»f^*»er truly "few-ed God, his maker, or at all cared
j^thflffT»&T his own soul or the souls of those around him.
j They were finei young mien fit for any service, but alas !
wi^^ed, daring tmd thoughtless . There was not so much
as the shadow of jb chaplain, nor yet any reli^ous servica
«Mf^|the^ Lord's day; >!The Sabbath was^otfly BUrfcl^iy
wb|lto| ^rpwsers. than usual, and whilriiTharbour'a parthjl
r^pi|||4rom.someof the^4^^ of the ship's dutyM
H^^jyhfcre is theji'^AJie^that profoneness, undealiness* <
artt|i!M|jDin^ss and gamlHing were carried to an uncommon.
excent : and not even the mentioq'jpf religion to'ch'itek'the
tbirient of iuiquity ? If itimcA. a random oj- h^l;y ej
to .isayi that. 8uc|i a naan of war is a**—- -•-— •^-»
;>re8a
not a Vin||)it behind many of .
lonal rcnection w^uli^trud
trayers, Che-intrcaties of a "*
1 their gracious, authority. ...
, he wa«^ taken notice of by some of the officers ;
allowed >'occasionaUu||p go on shore j in 4liort he
to like a seafaring lifi^j^r t^u^k be sometimes got ^
t" of a rattan from the l^atswiun, or a cuff from a.
idshipman in ^e boat, which he durst npt resent, '
ilence of his self-will hajdr settlld iaJMtoi txacntties.
the care, flinlTOi?;^'*"^
._ mother ^had not*^*^'"
As he waS ttitall ^ : .
IT"
4
J^'
TT
'■*
#•3
\ ;:->^
'. f ■
V
.58
SKBTCflBS OF
!(
x^uv with Ilis lot, and his religiouB impreiaions had mogt
ol Uiem vanished away. Removed froAi all means of grace,
fiom all religious iustructioii, and froiuT^evcry thing save
the Mileiit workings of conscience that could recal piety to
his nni.d, fie gr«w fond of the aea, and used to Entertain hi«
cooipanions during the midnight watch, by /telling long
stories, spun out of his Imagination, not haVing even tha
semblance of truth, but like Milton's Pandeinonium, con-
sjsting of all prodigious tilings, which he tWd together
^for the amusement of a group of young mkriners, who Sat
rdnnd him listening with eager attention.
Youv^ affectionately.
LETTER NINTH.;
My dear Childtent
Our station was to cruise off the coast of Fran<;6, pUep
into thcir^harbours, and annoy their trade as much as pos-
sible. In this career the Amethyst /continued till Decem-
ber, 1794. when she put' into TorbAv for w.iod and water
>he sailed on the '28th of the same liionth. in company with
the Leandcr, 50gun ship, and anotl/er frigate, to resume her
station along the iVench coast, aiid then to proceed on a
cruise off the western islands. The following evening she
WBSovertrtlten with a severe gal/s of wind, which continued
mfftt^ the whole of as dark aiid dismal a night as ever
Vas e*)ei-ienced. During the first watch, a part of the
\ crew >*a8 allowed to be below in their hammocks. Your
father lay down and fell into a sleep, from which he was
isoon roused by a terrific dream that the ship had struck
vpon arock; he felt the dismal crash, the thundering and
gnuding of the vessel, tnd awoke with the terror of the
impi-ession. At midnight he took his,,sjtation upon dock ;
the darkness was horrible, and the galc'furioiis : the ship
with her courses close reefed, rolled on witli tremendous
majesty before the dark billows crested with foam At
tlu-ee Q clock in the morning, the prfeentiment in his dreau
'■i'
n
US:
■■•i
■U
./>
'. f ■
wtely.
■ r
''•v..,J
EAntY LIFB.
09
M'ns realised ; the ship urh then going before the wind,
^' ¥ . wh'u;h still continued fuiiotiH, with a thtt-lc and rniny itky \
the waves r^jued, Iwit tlie gnlljint Amethyst gashed rapidly^
if'. . thi'ongh thel boiling foam. A giinuncriiig light was seen
''\i »t some distunce, whivh was snppos^ryto j>c a light from
the coini|iodore, but alaa ! it must have been the light of'
a walch-tower or light-house,** for iu'a few minutes, as thfe
6hip descended a tiea, she struck w ith a BQst dreadful
crash upon a reef of rocks. Ah ! what a moment of terror
M'as tliis'; the grinding aud crashing of the ship was horri-
ble^ thojiurrbunding breakers were tremendous. Instantly
all was confusion, dismay and despair. All hands and
iniflicers crowded upon deck'; some half dressed, and others
hurrying to and fro, perhaps in the diu'kncss and confusion,
iusensibl^ what they did. ,Ile was partieulurly atruck
with the dismal .outcry.'of the profane imatsvvain, running
along the gang^vay c$:claiming, " Lord, have mercy upori
us ; lior(U^»!»ve mercy upon us ;, Lord, have mercy upon us !
1^ we arc aff lost !" ' The darkness and white roaring breakers,
f^ with which we Ttere surrounded, formed a sublime and
tenific contrast ^-and with our gallant ship gtinding uj)on
the roctis, presented a scene of sublime and terrible distress,
wild enough for the muse of av)'^alcoucr, or the pencil of
a Salvator Ilosa. . 'f \ '
Not/n soal
Bat Mt a fever of tlie nmd, aiui plny'4
Sonle tricks of desperutif
a change was this j a fcyi- days preceding had
of mirth, riot and* reyiil^; the ship's crew
had been pmd a little time before >6ine bounty, and others
wages ; JLhe banner of wickedness^ had been ^fitj^up, and
all enlist(9d tbetnselves in the ca^tsc of 8in£iMlBugh the
coanivandHi'fof the ^fliccrs the broadest vtlMV showepl^
its nnblip^ag front, aiid ccy9i|Kt-ed the ill-futM Amethyst
into '« ' ' "g^ . ftat alas ! the picture is dark enougl! already.
Now dcat^tared lis in the face, and coward guilt stood
«entiael upon every countcnaiice ; nothing j,^y childrep,
/ / • Probably the Casket Ligbtf.
Ah! what
been day:
1
-v.
%PL
■\, ■
^
■/ -■■'^' ' '
■■■p.
m
1
\:':'
w
it
k
■?<.
60
IKlfoitES Of
■"•^^-«
hilt blooH-M'MJiPrl ihn(^|liMfl ran rominnnfi with death.
\'iro nmy liluHtcr for a iJ||W>iit in the iibaence of dangu/,
but n peep into the *'terrti»lm;orM nmkcn the heart pal|>itate.
lind the hiind treniblelJB»(^y fresh erasjh made the crew of
the poor Amethyst triPlfnc to their centre ; ftnd some im-
prisoned j^roan bespotce the hearts of many but ill at ease.
The swapgcr, the caper and the stmt were for the moment
forgotten ; and thofce who neve^>rayed but for the male-
dictions of Heaven, would now Imve gladly, put themaelvfii
under its protection, -Hovt" rinttiral is it in the time of
danger to seek rcfiig6 and aHylum > in the bosom of an
almighty mercy ! fotwho is thw'n}. in tlic fury of a storm,
the devastation of arPflprtlHpiake, Or jthe desolating ravagca
of a conflagration, U>at can help iifi|i{but God Almighty ?
Adversity, like a tempest at sea, drives U8>y a kind of
hard necessity into the haven of his ifterey.*^- He Iwg grn-
dously said, " call up<^n nie in the time of trfiJ>1%and
I will deliver thee." Cod will bo acknowledged b^ hwi
creatures/ either in the way of gratq||dalove^jr perihpS
fear : for even mj^riners, who arc oftlSPJhe pJfWanest i^
I
acknowledged b
'" " ^
mm
most thoughtless of mcii, will in dajigef call upon God,
and thus ncki^wledge his power 6<cr t_Utt_clcments, his
omnipresence and hi^|^ providence. It^PHIbn that th#
grandeur of his perft*tiou» illuminos thC("^ark cloudii of ''^
despair with a ra^of hope ; his name becomes a ♦' 8trong_^j||^.
tower," and his iflfflyidcncc a *' hiding place frOlh theVi"«|F°
and a refuge from ths storm." " '?J||fc> '
The ofiicers assembled upon the quartef-deck; in9p»si
countenances might iie 8«f»(| the most rflari^cd sotj^ndc.
The master advi sj^ letting go an anchor, and the leablea
were accordingl|pPiged along fore an J'nft j but, when wc
had reason t^uj^r that, in coi^sequcnce of her dreadful
crashes, our gali|nt Amethyst would go to pieces, a most
tremendous surge lifted us .over the ledge, and we once
more rolled upon the yielding waves. This, however,
seeined only a momentary respite, a small consolation, aa
we were in.ajjnking ship, upon a stormy sea ; and, what
added to oorrW)rfors^ we were surrounded with darkaesa
r*-
and bi
the si
board,
-COIIV8I
of the
to 8CH
hurdh
has I)
about
punipi
minat
^-
1
" '^ • , * ''I '
I
Ih death,
f danger,
pal|>itate,
ic crew of
some im-
II at ease,
e moment
the male-
icmHclvffl
9 time of
>m of an
faHtorm.
g ravagcR
ilniifflity }
at kind of
y iMg gra-
iU>i%and
id by^ hia
■ perikuiii
anest and
[>on (iod,
lents, hia
that thj^
" stron
the
it
ol^ndc.
lie ioBblcA
when wc
' drCadfnl
, a most^
we once
however,
ation, as
ind, what
darkaesf
EAnlr.lQilUilFG. 61
and hreaUcrs ; and the writer verily believes, «0 badly hid
the i»hi4>'« courHe been nmnngcd, that not an officer on
board, kiu'w her cxart Mitnation, or ever dreamed that the
c«>iivs(', wc were steering would bring us among tlic breaker*
of the Hannowny rocks. When llj| hml fairly got her head
to Hoa, the carpenter sounded the well, and liia report waa
huriUv lesN (li»niiil than the death warrant of a criminal who
has been hourly expe(ti»lg a reprieve. We had, I believe,
about ten Sf^ water in thefhold. The chain and hand
puuips>crtiSflnvncd with an nHlMty thai indicated a deter-
minatibn wc Should not go t<^^iM)ttoni |i lalMitir could
prevent it. But, owing to,th'^^|||50 holes uirongh which
ftfe water poured in upon us, every ^ort to^ain iy)on the
leak was unavailing. Sails were Ictwwn under the bows,
if possible to cover the fractured pnrtTm the bottom. The
gun:*, anchors uml some of the boats were ttHMrn overboard,
and this greatly Tightencil us, but still th^pik prevailed,
and the ship appeared to be sinking very fast, as tile water
from the hold was now nearly level with the coombings of
the hatchway. Some of the men, in a kind of sullen
despair/ left the pumps and lashed themseH'cs up in their
.^Miumocks, unwilling to make any exertion. Several put
Ml thetf bcft cloflies, either hoping to escape or die as
deccnlllf'i'as pjH^siblS. At this time the officers, perhaps to
inspirit tli^tiicn, gave out that the leaks did not gain ;
fresh vigdhur rou.sed every one to exertion ; some employed
themselves in biuling the water from tlie^.jy[||chways ; but
th« moments appeared as hours, and disnm anxiety was
depicted npon every countenance. '«, >,
Your father gave up all for lost ; and, while liot employed
in pumping, leaned his head upon the carriage of a gun.
The horrors of his situation fell upon his spirits like a black
cloud ; his heart was a prey to the liveliest anguish and
remorse. He could not pray ; tluc heavens appeared like
brass, the earth as iron, and his hopes sunk like lead in the'
troubled waters of his soul; the ghosts of his past sins
Stalked^ before him in ghastly forms, and a recollection of
hi s 4< <' P^ * dieace a nd folly s tung h i m to the quick . A l l
#'■
f
#■
Gi
lKBtClietN»f ^
.-Ti
hope of mercy, in cnne tlic ahip wont down, mve up
th« ghonr. Ilu could not realize that he had a pioiix
mother then intertudiiitf for him, (it was about her unual
time of prayer, Ax o'dovU in the iiioruinx) . Ah ! he wowhl
have given uorlds, had he po»»He»«Mvl them, to have had one
ghmnicr of mercy, one more opportunity of repentance, one
^ more interview with timt afni.ted parent, whone »dinoni.
tions he had rejeetcd w ith worn. Litjio did !<he then think
that her cruel, diMobcdieiit and undutiful Hon \vm within
a itep of everlasting death; trembling with h.uror upon
the verge both of the watery and the fiery gulph • and
looking forward, with fcveiiih anxiety, to the fatal moment
when a lurch of the half sunk ship would plunge him eter-
nally beyond ho,)C ! The proHi)e.t drank up all hi» iipiritH :
the thust of death burned his boily , hk „ „« petrified to
•tone, and bad scarcely any feeling Ui of the deepest
misery, In this state of mind he continued till the appear-
ance of light. O welcome light ! never did a t.irpid (ireen-
Under Salute thee with more gratitude ; never did a Mexi(»n
hail thee with greater pleasure, or a Persian bless thee
with more rapture of heart, than did the poor forlorn
crew of the sinking Amethyst on that long wished for
morning. Reader, if ever thou hast been in a sinking
•hip, surrounded with darkness, and on a stormy sea.
One wide vnter all nroubd thee,
All abore tbee one black •ky,
then thou mayest realize thp feelings of the desponding
crew of our shattered ship. "
J^he morning at length dawned, bnt no land was seen,
while the dropsical frigate rolled heavily through the mighty
biUowSi her hull nearly buried in the salt waves. All now
•unk into gloomier sadhess and suUeo ^despair j pale, silent
,#nxipu8 cares sat upon the faces of the officers, who appeared
-to give up all for lo.st. It was not supposed that the ship
could swun more than ah hour or two longer. Eveiy hdnr
brought her deeper into the water, and every wave seemed
the one commac i Q n ed to Ingidf us itt th e d ee p, when, to
A
■1H".
-^4teW.
*^p
>--
J.'
RAni.Y LIFE.
C3
1, j(»ve tip
Kut a pioim
It her uhiihI
i! liewoul4
avehad ona
ntnnce, oiiu
HO Mliiioni.
} then think
wiia within
oiTOr upon
rulph ; and
tal uiomcnt
e him cter-
his spiritH ;
pftrified to
lie deepest
tlic nppeAr<
pid(ir«cn-
I n Mexican
bless thee
)or forlorn
wished for
a sinking
Y sea.
tosponding
was seen,
:he mighty
All now
»le, silent,
» appeared
t the ship
very htiiir
'e seemed
wh e n, to >
('
n
f
I
our inoxprcssihle satisfaction, the man aloft saw the Island
of AhU-riu-y . luid tlu* Froiuh toM«t <»f NiUniandy i rocky
pliucs, iHdcc<l, but there wan a gliniiiierilijt pn»»pcrt we
might Rtrike upon some of the rt'cfi* aiicl have at least
ii ftirhirn ho|)c of saving our live«, On acrotint of the
French war, it was imlgd "i"»t prmliMit to make for
Alderney, which, tlMnigli siirrcHiiided with dniigerouH ledges,
an escape from the sea would not be a rush into the juwH
of a prison. The Amethyst's head was turned towards
the ihlaiAwitJi the desperate intention of running her
upon th™ertrest reef, let the risk of going to pieces be
never so great. It was hiurdly so terrible as the idea of nil*
going down t«»gether in the sinking ship. Hapiiy for us,
the gale was in our, favour, and we neared the land very
fast. Hope and fear, by turns, agitated every breast,
whether, when she struck, she would go to.pjeces, or stick
fast among the roaring breakers. Our pilot,- knowing the
island, carried the sinking Amethyst as clear of the rockt
as possible till we were w ithin half a mile of the shore,
when the ridge of a mighty billow plung«:d us with tcrriWt
UBpetnosity upon a hidden reeF:
The axes were prfparM, -^
For BOW lh» andacioos mm ImuU the yard ;
AloDK th« ship tbny throw • horrid shade,
And o'er her bunt in lerribla oascnde. '^
Vplified on (he surxe to Heaven ihe fliei,
Heriiliutler'd top half buried in the ikies ;
V . Then hemllonK pl«nginj(, thunders on the ground ;
iKnrih urown* ! air trembles! and the deeps re&ouod !
^ jpBer giiint built (lie dreud concession feeis,
,. ' And, qiiiviiring with the wound, in torment reels.
;.*' T Aguiii she plunges ! llnrk! a second shock
' Tears lier ilrong bottom on the marble loek !
J[)own o'er the vulw of death, with dismal cries,
^'^iie ftw» struck uttilors shuddering roll their eyes
vtn wild de.<.pnir ; while yet another stroke, ,^
"With deep convulsion renJs th«,solid oak. :w^"t^
This was the critical moment of our gallant ship.
' CO our last anchor, and her bow iustantly came rpund to
- — ■ . .j._..i . we
■y-.
We let
tly s e a. — The thr ee masts w ere imm e di a tely c ut a w a y
o 2
«■'.
* S^El
^
"■!».,-■. i***»r»'» W
64
tKBTCHES OP
'^,.
>
vered away, the cable, and another mighty billow carrlwl
us- still further upou the dismal ledge. She was m.w
awfully raked hy the trtomendous breakers that, thundering
over her bow^j, covered us with the spray and foam of the
ocean. Yqur father was upon the main deck, when a tre-
.mendous wave, rushing dowuf upon us over the forecastle,
had nearly 8walU)wed iiim up; he, however, made a despe-
- rate spring, and got hbld of some booms and spar? that
were lashed fast, and thus, by the mwcy of God, he was
Mved from a probable death. ' , ^
: Repeated signal* of distress were made to* the inhabi-
^ tants, who were now cbUectibg upon the beach, but the
«urf was so dangerous and the gale so high that no boat
durst jenture to our relief:* the ouly one we had left (the
yolly-boat) was Y^red away astern in hopes she might
reach the shore, but a terrible breaker struck her, and she
jas dashed to shivers in an instant. Thus our forlorn
hope was nearly destroyed, for our situation, which was
; truly deplorable, admitted of only this relief, that Provi-
' ^ dence could preserve us, and that the hull of ofir once
-^gallant frigate, bemg new. might possibly, weather the
mighty breakers that dashed agaihst it till tte storm
subsided, and thq tide, which was high flood, woufd on its
ebb leave her faster upon the reef. « Judge,, my children,
of our situation ;, half a mile from the shore j surrounded
- a«d almost overwhelmed with furious waves ; the wreck
^ of our three masts hanging over the side ! Had the ship
«one to pieces in this crisis, perhaps not one-twentieth
• part of thp crew wohldRave been saved J but mercy, rich '
" J5o»»«'ess mercy, pitied our misery, and repricvtftl us from
, the horrors of a premature grave. In recollection of this
instauceoC'thc divUie m'ercy, may your father's life be a
. memorial of never dyinjr gratitude to the caie of l^rovidcJice.
God of my hf.*, wliose gruciOiis power
* ' Through Various .Je.iiJjs my Joul hUth led,- '
^•i . ' OrturnM aside- the fhtnl hour, ' ..
' " ' "/ '''«»J lip n^ Hnkine head ; " . *.
The life-boui, which btis siaoe been so u^ful, was uot tUeo inwoted.
WSvt
>
. It
■.1
-,,1. .
I) ..
f'
•
K
'i.
• >
1 m .
j«*
^
'■'■%
f
, •
> ■
•
'■K:
•
••
•\:
■■•*■:
EARLY
\ilFE.
as
)»' caitifd
was now
thundering
am of the
hen a tre-
foiQcastle^
e a dcape-
spar^ that
}d, he was
le inhabi-
:h, but the
it no boat
d left (the
ihc luigh't
', and she
ar forlorn
ivhich was
liat Provi-
' oiir once
athcr the
:l^ storm
uTd on its
children,
jrrounded
the wreck ■
1 the shin
twentietn
;rcy^ 'rich '
ri us from
n of this
5 life be a
ovidpjice.
a inTcoted. . ''^ ''^\i
>
lb ftU my wnys thy hnn(l I own.
Tliy nilinE proviJenoe I see ; ,
^ Assist nie.utiU my course to run, - "',
And still direct my paths to ibee.
Oft htith the sea ^onfpssM thy power,
And givert me back at thy command :
It could not, Lord, my life devour, _ . \^
Snfo in the hollow of thine hand, , ^ '
Oft from the margin of the gravej
Thou, T,prd, hiist lified up my head :
S^jaden 1 found thee near to save;
:<>■:■ The^fever own'd thy touch, and fled* /
As a grcftt part of tlie vessel was under watei^, the crewC^^
was htuiled together upon tlic tpiarter deck and poop,-often
covered with spray, but not without hope of finally escaping
from the wieck. At this juntjture a large boat, with eight
.stout seamen, ventured to leave the pier and come to our
relief; but alas J before they had rowed half way to th6 .
frigate, a furious breaker, rushing forward with fatal iinpe-
tuosity, and rolled over both boat and mpn, some of whom «r
aunk to rise no more, the rest were carried by the same
wave far upon the beach, and the people on shore joining
hands, and wadiiig among, the breakers'np to their chin,
rescued th€n^frW the refluent tide. In this situatioh wc
remained shivCTing upon the wreck from nine" in the
morning till' three o'clock in the afternoon, when' the sea
falling and'the tide having ebbetl, a few boats came from
the shore to our assistance ; and coming under the lee of
> the sterh, we gaveTthem a hawser and "other ropes to make
fast romid the rocks on shore ; for, as night was shuttiiig ' .
in fast upon, us, we had little prospect, providing the WTCck
held together, of surviving till the next morning, wet,
hungry, cold and 'exhausted with pumping and other
exercises the preceding nigjit, and tliRmgh the ij^hole ot
that long tedious day of chilling feats arid but glimmering
Wies. Some ventured upori the ropes, but^ bs this was at
best fetfi^difiicilit' and dangers the greatest part
^j§(jgsS||a.{^tt:Md # had 80 far subsided that
:>^--'",.d
■V
/
k^ \
SKETCHES OP
more boats from the shore Ventured under the lee of the
.tern .vhere the breakers had lo8» jwver, and ive dropped
riS Tp '"•^" **'""' *•" '»yt»'e blessing of a divine Ll
d^S^/rn'"''"^'"'"'/"" "" ^'^^' "" «»">•"«' Thus, my
W«r? Z-^"" '""^ *^*^ P^<^' has put iuto the mouth of
J ro!>pcro to Miranda :
^1- . , JJ?P« ♦''on tUine eyes, hnve comfori.
The direful spectacle of the wreck, which toach'd
; - *«! very virtue of oompWion in thee,
t have with such provision in mini; art
So safely onler'd, that (here Is no noul—
No, not so much- perdition as nn hair, ..' . • , ;. '_■■•- -
X 3e(id to any preature in the v!esi«el.
Or he may alter ^nother passage in the same writer, wbich
^'"eqiially^apply to his merciful preservation:
j; f'*"" , Our hint oF woe
\ I* common } every day some sailor's wife,
J*^ "»ns<ert o^ some merA^Bl, and the jnerchiint,
.-. ' . ^ * \ f*"'«i''*iouKhemc of woe -but fcr the miracle,
\ - I mean our preservation, few in millions
'^ '. " „- Can speak "like ui. ^
';' ' , \ ■ ; . ' , Yours affectiouately
if
. LETTER TENTH.
' Afy rfc<n! Children, >
Aftersuch, a wonderful escape, yoU will reasonably
•wpposo. that your father's miad, young as he was. would
-^ $o penetrated and iifed with gratitude "for. the mercy of
' If ^r^ ^, '^e^^^" ^""^"^y *''*'®'" ""f^iect in the-ardour of his
thanks. A;la8 f notbmg of tjiis fiind 4:^ok place, so true
^>5e the wojds of the prophet,"" that In the land of npriirht-
ncss tl^ypcked will not l^rn righteousness, or behold the
l^wjesty m Gpd. True gcatitude, the incense of the heart ^
w on m^piration of Fkavenj'it is the sister of humility
• arfd thydaiighler of divine love. These, the subje/t of
» . •• . ■■■ ■ . •
■ ■„''';";''■/■ .."*^.-
.j«»
■ '■■*■.,
■ .'■».
4
"-;■■ .•■■■' ■■;: •-.;;*' ^J- v- -■■ .■:
,.-■■-■ ■-,■ -,y ..
1-.:
;_ ■ :, . -' ..--.--
^_,... ..;^;,^..,f . . ;.-,:..
, 1
■('
J lee of the
«"€ dropped
divine and
Thus, my
he voice of
c mouth ot
'i
'■ ■
iter, vfhkh
.1
*
i
'•* ^
'^' s
■■• ■
ttouatel}:^
reasonably
'as, would
3 mercy of
lour of his
B, 80 tru(^
f upright-
behold the
the heart,"
f humility
iubjeci of
\
EARLY LIFE.
67
these lines was not acquainted with. Ittstcad of prayer,
thanksgiving and gratitude, the night that succeeded the
WMck of the Amethyst, was spent m (ifthcing, riot and
drunkenness. Thus did the pojjr wicked crew of that lost
frigate abuse the goodness of God, trifle with the patience
tliat snareid tlicir lives, and return the gifts of mercy cither
with th&«gall of l)itter ingratitJudfe, or the levity of sinful
'revelling. Never did inereJSftlamity, or delivcrnncc froui
it, aff^t the oUdurate hcartf- Maii^ till toucbcji hy divine
gracci is adamaflt.to all human impressions."'' Misfortunes
nfay oycrwhpjm, poverty may frown, sickness may blast ,_
I^•o^'^dence may lour, and calamities multiply^ hut the
impregnable fortrcst of <:orrupt fallen nature is too strong
forv such artillery. If God be in the firc^ the tempest,
the carthqdake, «he desokition, they may speak' to the
heart, but nothing less than tlics mighty energies of the
' Hofy Spirit. can mJikc ai>y lasting impression upon the
human citadel. - If tlic wilderness blossoms, God must raiu
upon it ; if the. dungeon flames with light, his presence
must illume it j if the rock yields a stream of penitence,
and the den of thieves becomes a house of prayer, .leliovaU
must strike in Ihe one»case and purge his satietusu-y in the
other. - He alone can unloose the sevfen seals with wliich
ignorance, pride, unbelief/ enmity^ .^el^wili, lust -and
covetoiisness bind the sinner's 'heart. In a feHv days the
poor Amethyst went t6 pieces, and thus there was an end
of 6ne of the finest frigates in his Majesty's navy.
The crew remained upon the island, yvlmh at this time
was in a deplorable condition for want of supplies, and
. with the addition of three hundred young men to its family
its smill stock of provisions was lyielyto vanish like snow
• before the sun. Even the little garrison of invalids were
in asuffOTing state, I»nt in a few^a^s the frigate. Diamond
appeared in the oflfrhg, artd paA of the crew were shipped
' on board cff her ; the, younger aii4 B^ore inexpericuced
were left to^look put for tlismsclves. -Your father got
acquainttjd ^ith the nfaster of a smuggling vessel, w hd»
;with the generosity Of a worjtj^y seatoan, offered gratuitous! j
-^ . '. .'
t
.r,\v :■:-.■
..■^•^
,|-;-
;;'T«?r,fr^
^/X"
'■lifc#:
III ':'",f.j«*^-
■j^'^s^ijV"-*
''■^-•wfe
vf^ft^'
':il
68 ' 'VJT-: »KETCHE8 OF
v.- ■. " ■« .■'..
to'Cariy Inmt»Lyntu;, in Dorsetshire
■j.-
d^
■ ■;, it
■■■;■ r
II
. ,., , . ' — Ort this link of V011P
.^entH life fiecmcd to depend ai; the future comple'xioa
'J!,. **P^^",«^ through which the Arinighty has led l.ini.
. l\m apjji^art^to ha^^bcen the Waster kev that was to open
• .^IT''*'^? thro.igli"a Variety of pro\ ideiaial dispensations ;
. . ^ • *^"*' -^^ ^"^ ^^^ hinAlong tlie mazes of a labyrinth
4 ^^ JO intneate, that htiifiate prudence and wisdom would never
have found their way. Vttthe^istanee of twenty-six years
'•' ♦^ . from tile event* ftHiide^ to, r?»>tooks back with ustouish-
ment, and jpau only ext;laiin,"0 the depth!'* •
^ ^ Wh/it am 1, thoi^ glorious God ! ,; 2_^ ^_,__„^
'^«4ndwhnt my father's bbui*^ /■ :
That tlioo sacb ine'roy''l^ast b'slow'd -
;..).. On nw, the vilest reptile nie? ■■^\ ■.
I tiike tlh» blessing from above,
. And wonder at tby boundlets lore;. >
'•■a
yr.
Hadypu, my d.ear children, seen your father at this time,
a^poor shipwrecked sailor boy, wandering' upon the iieatli
«f the island of Alderney, forlorn and alone, pensive and
friendless; all his clothes, a jacket and trowsers : all his
property,^ few French crowns ; all his prospects— but
aJas ! he had no prospects J the world was all before him,
V . out what part he should act on the-stage of life appeared
• . not. An orphan, he seemed like " a sparrow yxmti the
house toji,^ unprotected and far from home, a rebel against "
Aliniglity Jove ; but he had « praying "mother, and on this
circumstance alone, he-believes, through the mercy of God
: depended all the sunshine, all the happiness/ all th^
. blessings of In^ future life. . O! n^ children, never
lightly esteem the providence of having praying parents;
who have spent many an hour in commending you tb Gpii- '
' s It 18 your father's comfort that he can say with thfe amiable
, and gentle Cowpcr, L
My boast is not that I dedaee my birth
From loins enihron'd and rulers of the enjub y
But higher far my proud pretfr><!ions rise,
Th«,8on of j^arents piis&'d into the si(ii». '
'MS'
j
\» 4>
.-k-f,';-..'^
■^^^■^■^■■5S!■!W5^555I«.•^■IUf ;•'''«'•-•:■- •. ■■ ■ •";*--,'v*;*>r;',
',.-\,\ \.-
i
EAIILV LIFE
69
ink of your
;omplexioii
s led liiiii.^
as to opon
ensHtioiiH;
I labyrinth
)uld never
'Si\ years
ustouiah-
this time>
tiie iieacti
asive and
I ; all his
jcts— but
fore him, ,
appeared
upom" thci
;1 against
d on this
f of God,
all the .
n, never
parents^
tbGoil.*;
I amiably
J
He mentioned above, that the master of a smnggler
irenerously offered him u passage to U^ghinAi /«[. '^^J "^
?emained^upon the island he >;?"l'li7 ^^^f 'Kes'S
drafted on board sOmc other ship, aiid thas 1\« ^JesUny
might have been fixed, and stcru aeees'sity might have
chSned him to the sea. till perhapjiii grape >*»»«*. a Imrding
pike or a fall from the yard arm might have hmshed hw
Kortd career. Some may blame ^im for this step as wrong
altogether $ it wfts doul?tless an wrata and^P'^/^J^y it ir
no extenuiion of his fault to say. that he did fot^fJ^J^*
Aip nor the Lervicehutjinder circumstances that^a partua .
ne^ssity seemed to justify. Thecaptajn "J^ "J^^^*^ "
officers had sailed for England J he and many others were
kft to shift for tlieinselves./ Giddy boys do not reason
«p«n nice distinctions of ^^n^ and right v he wa^ .bouu^
bV no oaths /none had>fer been exacted from him ; th<
clmp^ct in his view^emed d««olved. ^ He wou^^ey^ .
have thought of le^ing his ship, for he had been tempted^
to do this at PofSmoStV when a fleet 9/ West Indn^men
w,^nted handsi^nd a boatswain's mate, with whom heya*
«hore upon Uberty. swallowed^he bait and went «B^bol^
of one orthem. Bat now his^ship had left him, and ^e
was at Uberty, in hi^s then view, ^ to follow the leadings ^<rf
Providence, which "seemed to chalk out his path, and » lea
the blind by a way he had not known. . Here he wiU
innocently alter the lines of a great poet : ;
Thoresjs a ti^e in the affairs of meti,
Wfiieh takeir at tlm Hood leails on toblessing:
>' 6niitied,aU tbeviJ) age of theyt lives /..;
This was W father's tide, and he believes the uttscto .
hand of Providence ovorrulcd every step, " from seeming
evil still educing ^'ood," and made his errors and his wan-
derings lead to the means tl«t -finally bron^ght about hi.
salvation. , In the nigl^t, the master,, mentioned above,
' ''came and conducted him on board lus vessel, where, ter
, fear of discovery, he was obliged to be stowed awJiy ift
' ' ^ ' - , - 1. f '•' ' ' ■'
^\
.'-*•,
' i
\ '
t >\
M
-9^-
7
M
Wfi^Tcktt OF
r i
\
^n
'\ ,
dark hMiiSaSP scvefal tiuies a day introduced into hiv
^^^^1^ '•;: ^^""-"•tt and gladly
» revfenue iSBr T u "? *'""* "''® ^^s chased by
of • vessel thai tfSto Wal«l *''^Pf ? Y^'f ^^ <>« board
time, however, Ws foolish 1.eart neXlSd to w tK^ •!!'
of ffratitude • indpori h<. k.<i i . "«»'ec/ea to pay the mite
among his aciuZta^ ?D ^^''" % ^«^ft>nn.
were hence we iS?; I''^ '"'Pressions of Ik <aMldhood
Cod in ^^".ff*'S"t "'^V f ^ liter^ly without .
thiathebeing^lJku:^,^^ ^-^
of the heart of man Ik a IT^^a 7 *''® gooflness
pretty tinsel H Z\:,el 'oftZf'"'' !' «»^>' ^^^
. WlJir" oorre.i,onding misse* fill tbe roam
i
if* ■ , ... « .!
^I# '
earlV mfe.
71
i continued
le mate and
L'ed intp his
lie harbour,
and gladly
•ggler, she
chased by
ter baring
o/tbesea^
but he had
nearly 250
he slender
1 no other,
less press-
I o( Lyme,
roh boavd
believes,
lents, that
At tlUs
r the mite
rion, both
e months
traiuts of
it, by the
)rfl|^erv6d
plunged.
ll*,2eaious .
gkt huve
?st form,
Jyidliood
without •
lists r is- '
;oodnes4
ly (uake
' alw^ ! that any should boast ofthc .Up Vvty, the moral
ciu-e, of human nature. Th^ wholr la«tory of man,
- in all accft, is a tiHsue of depravity. The tcbtunony of
scripture iiiu this particular, confirmed by the witness of
heathen «^rs ; moralists, poets, philosophers, luituralists
and orltors. all spcalt the same consentaneous language.
e fine, the purity and innate excellency of human nature
the puff of pride, the child of ignoiauc«, the- «*»[5;a •
^uneartldy nonentity of a brain-sick Sociiujiu. Ihe J»iWe
eay8> "all flesh has corrupted its ways. '
ir
/
. " '• Inordinate deVires,
And upstart pnsslons tnuL the government
, from reason, nnd RJ serf imJe reduce
/: .Tbeir prostrute ef^uture niun, 1
Yotir father has cause to \\e thankful thai during
and dismal vacalion of divine inrtueiice, Jiis miud
poisoned by dtism, or wiit\M aside by the lufid
of the dav» He never sat in the seaf of the.
turned iu'to'icst the word or wOrks of /God.
lis dark
as never
writings
lorner, or
!e held the
'1
trjJth in unrij^hteousness, but prcvH'ng Sf*^ "^^^^
sAred him to call it " a cunningly devisefl fable."--
Accnrding to the best of his bad notions, he shll beheved
in the holy scriptures ; he had no doubt butteligion was
true, but, with regard to himself, it was truth unfelt,
unloved, unobeved. At this distance of time^fie but faintly
recollects all the workings of his heart j b^thecanwcll
remember, that he never wished the truth to be false,
although it condemned his conduct. Wheny^nting to hi4
pious mother, a respect for her feelings aiid sentiments
would induce him to sprinkle his letters with acknowledg-
ments of error, professions of rcpentahwJ, and promises of
amendment. Perhaps in this he- resembled many others, ,
. who have religion at the end 6f their pens and hymning
. of their letters, but who, alas ! have it no wlierc elscj><
However even this is infinitely prefbrable to bpld^faced
infidelity, and supercilious contempt of the word of G9d.
The man who glories ia being m infidel, takes ^th« tioX ol
Ml
■1 '' r '
-.1
'■■:'! . ■
- - ■ V
t *
4
tt
:■ ##'
•
/ .V
• T
-> '»**r «.- >„■. .,.
^ .T ■■^^•_i''^, *■' If piW^*|W|Jr^
■\' •
:^-**N:?
■.'\.
\ RKRtCIIRK op
rcpmlmtlon o«f of the hand of(iod and atampi. It with
dcspcrnte iii.%uity upon hiR own Hoiil
>l„.L*';r "'•^\«/«''"\«'' your father rnntinncd cowting
Hnrnsf tho sp,-,,,^^ and 8„mmcr of the vonr ITys.and noJ
faring l.fc Oh ! thou ^Tanous Redcch.or. he had no
tli),glor) ! I he fica is (h!nc,,;vti all its tcinDestB and
^"ZtC'/'" ':;' '^ ^^""'''"^ he ch^^e n^C^h
Wi i K r '"""' *'"*'.• '*'"'" V'''' ««* Wall luHthoughtW.
^ ^^,'4/7»-«t''o»»ff passions, re Mess des^«. and the vidft
f 3r J*?" "^ '^'""«'"» /'"» pleasure/ « hh hi, p^
pmi«f>ted his conduct. Oil the miirhtV ocean he did „«/
n<^.lc%ethy^.,,.d;on«l«rehcffi^
ficat on of annual appetite. With oti.er vonni sailors he
ttuMs of vice. « her^e finares of d^h were laid to catch
the Venous sou. O ,ny children^; what a miracle that
jnoh avictimofsiu should b6co,»e/a preacher of Svation I
Sovereign ^acc,M hat canst thou/not perform ? iL^^ \
part of thy temple arc seen 0ie captiv^ bannersof lin l «
here the crcat^^f pride is laidat thy fe4 j the purple ens in.
of ambition, the red streamers of war, and thTAvX^W
wrils. Thou hast taught the proudest fence to boM^ the
oftiest looks thou hast humbled. Hearts, cold m he M«^
ICC and flin y«8 arock, thou hast thawed, Amnl^nd
^nAT^'^^T'^^ '^y' «^«'« into a temple of
fo.th and love. All the beautiAil creations and tran^mu-
,>rton« of the prophet Isaiah are reali;«;d in thy domSs •
^'''^^^''''^^^^^omHrY place are ^m«teS:
the desert blossoms a« the rose ; in the wildernBsrwatf»
break out and streams in the desert ; the pS grot"
becomes a pool j and the thirsty lal^d springs T( S
the wilderness ^becomes a fruitful field, and the Sjfiil
field 18 jounted for a forest- instead ^f he thorn «
come np the bx tree, «»d instead of the briar AiS^mbtS
A v";.-; A •:'-•■
■\'.:
:\ ■;■■
)^^:::,-^-
'. ■'■■ ' .-. ■■'^"■"■
A
■■>':''^
";' ' '. ■ ''■■■■ >
,, -^ . • • «■
■•■- '!■ ■
"
■■
■'■■--■*
. ' -I'
Hj^^^^HHJI
■MHHi
■ ■'
KARI.Y
MS' . ■
Lire.
73
tlie myvtlc troc, the fir tree, the pine tr«e and the box
toueMuT, to beautify Hie jilnce of (Jod's sanctuary," m the
hcurt regenerated by thy iMJliienco. Mighty in thy |K»wer.
great is thy goodness, lovely is thy beauty and lasting be
thy praise ! Help mo, my children, to ai|ig»
O to urnw b«»V» great a debtor f
Diiil} I'm coMtraln'rf to b« ;
Let tltnt urnop, Lord, llkn n fetter, „?
fiiod my pandering licurt to thee.
." . •; r\"' '. ■.. ■ ■ / ' — Yours affectionately,-^
\-'.
•\
■ "*. . ■■■■■■■- , ■-"■ • . ■ ^. ■■■ ...v ■
LETTER ELEVENTH.
Jify dear Children,
In the course of these letters you have doubtlesi
oliservod, that your father has not closely followed the
thread of his narrative. Had he only told his own simple
tide, some might have liked these Shctchcs better ; he has,,
however, a higher object in view than the mere gratifica-
tion of curiosity. If " the prop\;r study of mankind is
man," you will allow him to mix his own reflections with
the different sections of his narrative as they pass in order
under his observation. In telUng his own story lie lias a
right to make his own coiiUhcnts, cspeciiity when tlve
. object he has in view is ydUr instruction j hence, lie has
sometimes let fall the mifinishcd tale, "^
/ - ., y^od rev's for fruit ;
.V ,BoV'd far,\nnd gntber'dhiuch : Bome hursb, Hiii true, .
r * Piek'd from the tliornsnnd briurs of reproof,
, But vbolesomc, welMlgestod ; grRtefiil ROftMj *
Topaltttps that CHD^tnst* immortal truth; ^>.
insipid else, and fine to be despis'd,
It is your father's desire ^ that his Sketches may be useful
also to that class of men among whom he spent some of
th6 early years t^f his life, and for whom to the prfsent
ioomcftt(a8 l/ving ^«ow» tlie heart of a sailor) he (pela
■" /,. • - / - ■• • n ■ :\. . - ■.. .V
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(AM$I and OO ri$T CMAHl No. 2)
1UJ Cast Main SIrMt
(718) 4B2 - 0300 - Phon* ™
(716) 286-SSM-raM , / ' *.
74
iKBTCHBI OP 0.
u
a rordlal rc«p«ct, n sinccfo «y,„|MiHiv. ' TV nmriMor*H life i,
''''• *»o"'wn> Mn»», the ihntterM rim.l ;
. Tl*. break „j;,pou.,,h,.Ma«g(ve out.
Tbfl boilioK «tr«igl,t, tlie monster', .hook,
are among thoir difficulties. Thcv are lu nnrSi. t
consolation ? wUy ' ^ ''" ^''''"*'' '» ."'C'^
That « .weflt little cherub, that .It's u,> aloft, . •
Keep, wtttoh for tho life of poor Jack •
J ng dart. Its z,g.,,s «»..«, under hi, &caL l\^JZt
|^'S'<:!ix:srrt::i;?t^is
lie makes (he sleeping billows roll,
The rolling billows sleey.
I
irinor'H life in
I" " j«fo|>nrfly
li«)pe fa.stenc»'l
HM trnHt from
HllptTBtJtioilH
n'liolrliii^'^tlio
^et noiuj arc
r. Tlicdan-
)w hardened,
penis from
ire, in perllH
I perils from
leae, is their
conftdlng
and directs
w ell as the
)crfect obe..
his chariot,
•rkcd light-
thc dread*
preserves,
hurricane,
is omnipo-
is gieat in
e embraces
8/ all: the
inisters pf
PARLY Lire.
75
I
till In imvn of dnngcr rnn h'ulc himself
I vill May of the IamA, Ii»' i«
llnppy \n iUe man. «
ill the folluuili;; pioiyixcH - , . . ,»
ii.v rofiiKe nti-l inv fortrcsM, in him will I tniHt ; tliou »halt
iHit he afriiia ft.r the trrr'or by ni^ltl, imr for thenar row
that flieth by duv, nor for the pentilence that wnlketh in
darkn«HH, nor f<»'r the deHtruction that wanteth at nooii
dav : because thou ha-st I'uade the Lord which is my refuge,
even the moHt High thy habitation.^'
Perhaps David never waa at sea, bnt the prophet Jonab
waH ; and it muv be Infeirwl from both their accounts, that
ncamen wei>e mo're noted for fearing «od in those days than
at present, David, who has in the I07th Psalm iiupres-
sjvcly dcNnibcd a Htorm, speaks of the inarinerH crying to
the bu-d ill thcii- trouble ;- and that, in answer to iirayer,
(Jod makcth 'Mhc Ktonii a calm, ho that the waves thoreof
be still ; then tliey are glad becatis'e they arc quiet, so In;
: bringeth them into the desired haven." But this is Bcldoni
the case among sailors novv ; alas ! but seldom ! Your
father has l)eei» at hcu in the most terrible gales, squalls,
thunder storms and dangerous lee-shores, but he does not
recollect any praying. There was no praying on board the
sinking Aiuethyst, They aroglad when deliverance comes,
but how i* this manifested ? First, by singing songs j vtdn,
foolish and often profane^themes : , second, by drinking
pog }• for some sailors seem to thiiflc that this is a virtue {
third, by dancing and capering, merriment and romery ;
a\l striving who shall be the most frantic, foolish and
joculw. Thus theyj who, of all others are the most
exposed to danger, evince little or no sense of the peril to
which they are exposed, or the moral obligation laid upon
%hein to fear God. A laugh, a catch or a joke are the order
of the day ; while God, Heaven, the^ soul and religion arc
- often treated with banter, levity an^ ridicule. Surely it
cannot be that the sea harden? men more than the land.
Perhaps the neglect of the Sabbath and the want of religious
ordinances may account for it ; or, is it owing to the officers
of most ships being profane and ungodly | Even in many
of his Majesty's ships is there a shadow of religion ? Were
n ^
76
IRBTrifKf OF
M
1'.
I ■
/
r*
\
V.
the cop .,in« HoutcnnntH nn.l tJ.c atUvr ofTuerH (Jo.l-fmlni,
pnr O.M.,, K.noro«H heart,.! ...c, nonhl In. 1 1 y Ts
nnuiKii,^ that tht-y could not reform on lurouut of thdr
officers, who where unfriendly to rclidon „d tht r
hlc^iZ'^ -T- ^^ '«"Kt'.. however. throuKh thJ
to r« hgio . 18 taking piMc among «eamen ; and he hooes
n fiurth. over)- crew n congregation in the Spirit, everv
ha, bath Hpcnt nt ^ea a .h.y of marine rent. 'd'e'lnV-^
«tl"Kht. J hen Hhall the l.illowN m tho< rt)!! an<^v^
lo isJuiid, and from shore to shore. ,V
«" ihiiU ihe ml crass tmnner wave mhUim
• .'[•««"'•» In'lin<iu.lf.iu-bioutli..rncllmo;^
•OVr every ,,euoefia »M tm\ ocean wide, ^
Whm.RuU„nt»liij,s and .Mtolynavie* ride t '
AloDK ,.ucb .s|,iv'y i,l«, or |)nlro crowD'd .liori.,
^ hero commerce .prend. Iier «,».„ pli„ her ^a^
_ Salvation', joyful Uding.,lmli prevail,- '
And seamcq'B prnisa-i sound in everv ithIp ■
On ninny » moving chiirt'li, la ln„,f, „'
The peaceful Bttlulflag aloft .ball float,
After your father had made n few trips to VValea in his
new employ, an event took place which Cod ovmiT ed to
Ki. ' T^" "'T'.' '"f.^T" *« ^'"^ Win to the. a
In wTa ^^? ''*''''^* '" ^'"^''» ^'^ ««»ed had been at Tenby
» Wales and was returning to Bridport, in Dorsetshire'
One n,ght. a httle after da.k. having pised the Zid's end
i» she wa* steermg up Channel, sheVas hailed and brouS
too by a fngate ; which, after detaining her for" ome ?fme
i» a luaiute exannnution, suflered her to^iroce.d but thj
i
*,
V
ror tlio iiiuht
liiglilv UllH-
n. Irio hiiH
wlu> frrrntly
id tin; iKivy,
nit of thi'lf
and their
dcoiiirndcN,
lirough the
favournldo
I lie ho[H'n
kill btcouiu
>irit, ovc/y
mid cvcrj
svotion *q
» »n<H,i|^
fvmti iMkiiuF
.V
int.
ilea in his
err(ll«d to
the sea
at Tenby,
•rsetshire.
nd's end,
1 brought
ome time
but tli9
i
EAIILY LIPB.
H
flood ticlr rolling in from the Hoiith we«t hnd net her in Rhore^
much more thiui the mate, who hnd the watth upon deck,
hnd caUudatcd. Hence, after the vesHel hiwl run about
■even houm, she Btruck upon n rock with prodigion* force.
Your father, who wan in the mate'H watch, thought for Boinc
time prcviouN that he Haw breakern upon the leo-liow, but,
nB the night wan dark, ho fouhl not be certain ; he
mentioned it^ liowever, to the mate, who treated it with
ridicule, m he computed we were nine or ten miles outHide
of'al I breakers J he, nevertheless, prepared to wear ship,
»mt before this could bo clTected, »he struck with a violent
criuih u|M»n a re<'f, ami continucil to touch and run, as tlie
Bailors phrase it,*-till finally «hc stuck fast upon the ledge. ,
The captain^ who was part owner, ran H^on deck in \m
Bhirt, and behaved like a frantic person, crying nloud,
" 1 4iw ruined, I uin ruined! my vessel's on shore! my
. poor vessel is ashore!" abusing and upbraiding the mate
as the cause of tfto calamity. Your father, who waS luore
intent about saving his life than ab(»ut the vessel, cut the
lashings of the lM»at j and, having made fast the painter or
tow rope, with the help of auothi-r hand Iwincht^d her
overb«.ard. The vessel on the roll of each sea thumped
dismally, and had there been much wind iijust inevitablyi
have gone to pieces, as she was deeply hulcn. Your parent
felt much lesa im this tlmn on the former occasion. Perhaps
the oft exposure to peril tends to harden the heart, and
destroys that.senslliility of the soul' that is alive to the
sense of danger. Some by a misnomer cull this courage
and fortitude, but pride is n<(t more distant from true •
dignity than this fool-hardy, stoical iri('.ifferei«;e is to true
courage. We got the sails, oars, a compass i^id some
biscuits into the boat ; Imt^ upon the earnest entreaties of
the captain, we all «gree<l not to leave the vessel till day-
light, which was then approacliing. Meantime the mate
and writer of this letter took the biiat and roned some
distance from the vessel, if possible to find out her Hituation,
and we found her completely einbaye<l among rocks, some
• Upon some rocki near ibe Bolt Tail, sonic dislanee fr-iii llie land.
«s;.
t •
78
•KITCHCI or
J
■ hi ■
f.*;
n
of wtiicli ro«<> ftlwvc iIm*
tint.
■f
' wtitrr
«iul flun M..U off Mhorc. .uitl.cr iUc breaker, nor .well
wercfurmMlHble. A* M.e iitriKk during the ebb tide, there
««, jome h.>,K. of her rt<mti„„ by morning, in the hone of
wiMch he eHrncd out a ke.iKo anchor beyond the r»nK«
o the breaker, to wnrp hor out. A« tic tidv h.nc nUc
thumped «or Hou.e time nml junt m light returned ihe began
ll J .u ' '"*"?' *''*''''^ ""*' «"' »'««■ •"^•"l round to the
KCtt and then cut the cable, but to our blank n,n.i/ernent
a hebn « «« gone , the r<»ck« had eut it off level with the
^witer edge. ,Uc hUumI out toHea. but the situation of the
p<»or cutt.r and hei crew wan very little better than when
..pmi the rocIcK for Me f.u.n,l that .he made water fa8t ,
ho wind, whieli had sot inoffHhore. wna attended with
. haze and fog. ho that i„ tt4ittle tiu.c the land shut in «r
.«»ppeare«l. whil^niio vcel in a half Hinking HtUe was
driving out to 8,rt; and 'wo wero .con nine or ten mile,
from the land.
In tlii. situation wc rori|inned till tile afternoon, making
•everal u.elcH. sul».tit«teH for an helm, none of which
woul.1 answ-er. Finding the leak gained upon n., while
one part of the. «rc^. «pelled the pump the other. wcr«
employed in throwing the cargo overboard. Owing to the
haze, we had seen no vessel during the whole day. and tho
opi>roach of night in finch a state was in prospect most
deplorable The cutteT wa. in a sinking condition, and
left us httle to hope but that, as s^,, as the night came
on. she would inevitably go down. ,The evening was
drawing near, and we were worn down by exertion in
pu inping.wlulc despondency andfoarpreyed upon our minds •
It 18 true, we had a boat, and hoped to save our lives should
the vessel ultimately oink. We continued at intervals
hnng, as a signal of distress, to let any vessel that might
pjiss in the fug know our situation. Sometimes we were
upon the point^of leaving her to her fate, and taking to the
boat as a forlorh hope of saving our lives j but the poor
(apt^iu, n lui«c existence secKied bound up in his property
enticatid ii!j not to leavchim. Toliim the loss of property
":■$••
<'W-
\. ■■', ■!»■"
t
•
*.*■
BAttl.V Livr.
79
id liaii fnllrn
ra nor •Hi-li
I) tiilo, there
Ui« ho|K> of
I th« raiif;u
ft\i\w, liVf^n
round to the
I ninii/cmont
vel with the
iiition of the
thnn uhcii
wiitcr fust )
tondcrl with
d Hhut ill or
\ff Htittu was
r ten miles
>on, mnking
e of which
1 08, while
thers were
wing to the
lay, and tho
aspect most
dition, and
night came
'cning was
exertion in
our minds;
Ives should
t intervals,
that might
t we were
cing to the
' the poor
1 property,
•f property
nniHnr.d nmly M do|»lornhU' as thr lo^>« of life it!«.;1f. !!«
moreover hoj*'d thiit Horort vchm.I would Iwarc in sight aiul
come to our uHnistnuce i an.l jimt at dunk a hnhi-rniiui, iMmntI
to Cawsnnd Bay, heard our guns ami mwle for us. Wlwii
he had rome ahuiK'^ido. he told iis he would take lb« veM«l
into harliour for hve guimitH, but wlu-u we inforUK'd him
that our rudder was gone, the nuui seemed puuu- struck.
The cnptiiln. however, told him thut if lie would go luquest
of some vessel, and give them iuformiitiou of our Hinkiiig
state, he would give him tho stipulatcl smu. In u hhort
time he met a revenue cutter, whuli he apprised of our
situation, and the aiptain, with the hilmuiuty .)l a Uiitii^li
sailor, came to <.ur iwHiHtuiice. At first he sent a uiiiulier
of his fresh men on board to spell the piimpH, as we were
spent with exertion ami. fatigue ; li4 then sent a hawser or
thick rope and made fiwt to uh, by which meuns he first
towed us intoCawsand Hay,'a«d then finally iutoi;«twat,er,
ucui- Plymouth > and now might your father say of the sea,
■I K
Ocenn ! iboii ilremlfiil nml tiimiilttioti* bouio
Of ilunx<*ri*, i»t etfifiml war wlih iiin,n I
Deiiilw Cnplwt, wli«re.nHMl li« tlomJnwf*,
Willi (ill hid chvmin Wtror* (rywnmK miiii.l,
(Thtuiteh Itiiely feniletl lilnluit AlbionVcost)
Wide oiwnittg, und loud rouriug ttllU for iM"r«!
. Yours aflcttioiiutely.
' IXTTER TWEIJTH. y .
My dear Children, /
As this was the second time your undutiful father wa«
saved from a watery grave, saved as it were by the skiu of
his teeth, yon will be ready to ask whether this deliverance
did not send him to his knees in heart-felt thanksgiving j
whether tears of gratitude did not flow from his eyes, witli
such another proof before him of God's tender care. Alas!
he recollects no such feelings ; for this mercy he paid hi»
great Deliverer no tribute of thauka j tu Ueuvcn he felt no
80
•KITCHIf or
I
i
I* *
n
)
u
••in uiAi lire Hlinll Ik^ ilovoted to (JimI Mm!.!. . — -. i
^^ni ...nnnor. .h., hnn.l ..f |C • i:,,^' T ' :?; ^lIT
X tS. Ti';" '■"'"," '•■"'; ' 'pi.'™rc."n;
rnrciy niiiihi,, iii«l«I«»in rendu, nri' iiovcr iir»^l ti: vt t
.n jeopardy every l.o„r. m..l yc ,u LXt" »l. ''" ^1
. H.„Kcr. «„.! .Icon., it an uJm to ho SlUr it ^r^
til, Inrj .Icily C,™ f V, fX'^^.W" to l«> tlicir
.«. iK,i„, ,,„. „„H„ .1,0 i;:,z„r Tt .'ir'"?"
.K»i..»f ..-U.S :ii,,;t::T„;,.^n''::;j'Cr
ami n Hoi.u-nthicHt ! lie labo.us iikn n i f '"'"
r-'^ f'is .noney like tl.o me c t pnL", '"•;«'«"'« yet
tiineH the vietim of tvnmf- „♦ - 1"^' <"««•• He {r Bonic-
wi.;i. «n.i ..;:;":ri"r ' " h^";;" ,v r;' '"""■•
IwHhfnl and often tiniiil u-h^^ « ♦ • " *^»"K<^r. yet
Tell hi.n of an ol ccH d1 tl- T," '' '" '^^^ «''^"'*'"*-
bICedH at the tie oc I L .' "" '"" fn«ron8 heart
hurry hi.n off to sea iirai,, vL f »h " *"". ""^'^^''itica
Mii.o^iM,.«„.„e,.^;i„2:eLri;:vi-"^^^^^
■AILY Lift
HI
t. (im\ wiHi
\mttn (tvUt\f(
rh • •rromi
•'»K. in iii>in«
iHy chiMrrn.
Pro in Jiimilig
■t hn li>nrnM
h triii» hfi is
"I |ir«»fniic ,
iifM'rstifiMUd
■ Uvart (|)<T-
»»iiro. Ht)
the Idcii of
nr» It. IIo
noglw-t of
tin* tnll of
I'Hin'H <nll ,
laii^hiii|Kly
J to llnvy'a
n lipnr nny
to l»« their
» hopes ho
* he jokcn
I'liich do
the heart
il-henthcn
and yet
is sonic-
•f knnvcs,
"'K«r, yet
clement.
HIS honrt
wts, flies
Bccssitict
l»y Lrcnt.
ch soino
Mtmrn on boord. who hwl l>r«n ail»ki"« and corou'.lnir.
on« of Ihrm wm ,mrtiail«rly miIUii »n.l »»yu\\m« to l.m«KO.
11ie offltcr Im<1 hold on hiiu iintl lorcctl him tnlo th« Ih.«1 ,
ui)on which he t.H.k -cvrrftl inilncns from hu prnkft nni
threw th«nt Into the •«. «nd then out down iw Ul)tlic rmH
<rny »•• ii l«rk. When on Inmrd Hliip. where they ittnnot
.uJnd it. they .et m. v.du« u|H.n proprty : they wdl h..x..ra
A watch, • gtd.l brimth or ii pair of nUver hmkle«, on tlio
tiirti of a eard or the .ant ..f « dice, on freely •» rt button.
'I'lum niuny of thene u«efid^gfnerou», hut .rflen immoral
men. trifle on till a fall frj»m the yard, anustofwlnd.
a fatal hulUt, a velhiw fever, a dismal nhipwrcek or a
tremeiid.MiH wavo'hurriea Ihem into eternity. Who can
help dropplnir the tear of pity over no mnny nnfortunatu
mfii! Hiiroly the Uenevolenco of the Mriti^h nntion hoa t<K)
hMiir Hlumhere.! oxer the iuelaiieh«.ly fate of lur brave tara.
Who haH n.red for their w.nli. ? Alaa ! whili' the relipiona
publie has I.een «live to tliO impulse of Christian nympatliv,
few have, till lately, thought any thing alKmt rn«tmg th«ir
bread uimhi the waters. May the cause of amlora engage
the energies of Chriatlan aseal, till the billows of the ocean
shall become vmal with the praines of the Redeemer .
Your parent waa fast verging to all the manners, the
habitH and peculiarities of a sailor j and, though but •
■tripling of eighteen, had aiquired mont of the sea lingo M>
common on board a ship. C'ouhl y<m have neen him at this
time running up the shrouds with his bare feet •, turning
into his berth with his jacket and trowsers drcm h,;d with
rain or spray, or pitching at the jib-lHM)m end, a prophetic
record would hardly have i/uluced you to lielieve, that at
some futuse period his tar-staincA hands would bo lifted
up in prayer and premhing ; thttUj/S dialect of Neptune
should be exehangeil for the laiigudB of the prophets and
apostles i and that he who, with yKlue jacket and oftivass
trowsen», leaned over the yard; «fould one day leim over
I pulpit to invite sinners to a pardoning (iod. Such y
/ tVansfitrmatioii would have appeared more unlikely thaif
that AuioH should Icuvc his herds to b« a proi.het ; I util
I
I
1
K9
•KKrniRi or
pidll* Rllfl (mI/is |„ i„,
IwrUI, , lU*. K«v. Mr. |^« ui*
•louuence) Bt I^Mt c lit ^
them from bcintf th.. . 1. . '»''«^'|»»«'«« pf«ve..t«
th« spirit «f wiH Io„. * " '^'"^'' rr !»"•"• "P"" H'«m
• -Mful aiid VosLuhi. f ? «•«•"•«•« tion with .uih
r- all h...T.L.Xe^ t A^i^ i "'r *'?'y i"'Pr"hable.
preserver. VviuS.AlJ "?' ■«'«''"wl«%« (i.„J, |.i,
hi. owner an-l . "^^ I. * '"?'''!"' "7' " »'*• "» ^noweth
"".1 c^n? „.';;«' ';:,';»''"""i'"* *••»«• * «•"' *••« t». ne
ocAth.He;:i:;:u::;;s',t!!ir;£/^^
• Dr. Adtm Clarkt.
Sir. lA'e Iii4
h. CWy hii
• l<»uiii to Ini
*•««! i-Rniiot
>r hit |M>Mrfr
iiiiravi'l, or
HIM«'lloruit<',
T tliril HMN,
ttMMHIj; tint
•H'VI'I ««»».
ihy ill thU
l<A« Kiiiil, ill
•*'rw iiluiur,
« tioi'trittv,
live lint uml
t'r» 1 kiiotv ,
••K Imt t»Kt
« prevent »
tliii IhikI."
■p«>n theiii
ialc» thfiii
be Hfriiiil
y«n more
vith such
iprohable.
krioweth
s Htork ill
lie turtle,
of tlieir
• incrciei
ntx pMMa
1 not Muy
s I Ainu I
rARLY i.irt.
m
7
he WW M wrrttli mijjmlr^il fti»«l Hiulc«n ! » vile rrlK-i,
llmuKh HriirK^uM from lUnlh i rnwully iiwcimil.le to llm
awwtneiiK of Jvliie love, the imrll) of gmwl prei r|it«, the
||riuioa« (IrnwlnK* of the liol) Hpirit. mihI the liciMaiee of
reliRi«»n. Anlibt rhungve, W* lu-nrl rcmnlnwl uiirhmiirwl j
umUUt (Uri((eiii. uiitnoveil \ luuMnt culninitie^ nml iiiercie*.
unrrf<irinr«l. 'Itie voire of <J«mI ii|»oke, hut he wiut m the
cieef iiihler | the hiinil of the l.«nl rurlietl, but he wm liku
the wihl mw'n colt \ the giMMlneiit of (J«mI watered, but he
WM iitill a iMirrcn fig trre. He dl«l not prny, though he
Imrf ten thontnnil remtoni \ he (U*l not pmive, thongh hin
life iilMMinflcil with nu'nie« j he ili«l not re|>«nt, thoiit<|»
l«l»«n with Hin > nor fwar ilivinr wrath, though cxpoted tir
it every moment. Well might the r<>yNl INalmilt exdniui,
•• L»r«l whiit in man !" what i« tjeoime of the moral iK'tmty,
tho iligiiitv, the rectitude, the excellence of hin natnr« J
Aliui ! he (« a nuirnl niln : "In ami mlnerv have laid their
liandu up«in him, and have flcujKdU'd hint of all hin innocenrc.
The freuhni'Hi* of Ib-nven'a Idmim in all «db«-rnil uiid iled \
"the fine gold ih li«Tomc dim ," the iiovcr«M||| linage ia
BO longer seen » the onec lovely pUiit l» l^if»t>ed of Ita"
|inrndiNi(-id verdure, and Irt'unty ia chunged info n'«lie«. lie
that was created in the image of the l»k'«»Hed (lod, i» trana-
formed by sin Intoa WMMister of ingratitude—* akvc of vile
affectionH— a victim of aelf-created mincry — a dnpo of R»lly
— a tool o/ natun, and an enemy to hia (iud. ^
„0 Ihou m«»t nv^fiil Mnjj, himI Himt %nio!
Tby wlit how frnll I bow KloriniM in ihy |io\%er t
TIkimkIi Hn'Mit (•(orniiy Im* M>wn hnr M<iHla
Of hlUii nixl wee In iliy ilf«|Hiiii< bri>ii«t ; >
TIumikIi l|iMiM>n iumI hrti ili*pi'nil upon itiy rbotrei
A biilterlly oiini«*» 'itum, nixi ImiIi nri« llMd I
Tliough the diiTieultica and diingcra, to tVhich he had
already l>ccn cx|)otii'd, hcgnn to nuiko a soafiuring life
extremely irkhome, yet your father waa «o situated, that
he did not well know how to leiive the vcHael. rcrhnpa it
was providential that he did not let^ive her ; on board he
waa daily in danger of bein{( preaKcd, and hud hq furoakcn
t
i
I
11
I
HI
•ttftrt'iiei or
Imw IM etottl MiMltl bftt0 Imwh Imitilabb, llm* ht> Mktn
Iii« Mft-t}, likr i*iittt'» nHH{»«tnion«, roftAUtnl in •io|iiNni(
IM t)M»a|ii|i. UHttn »lt« niM ri«|Miir«il. h<< itMiif! MtHiihrr trip
III WiUm. Thb WM Imrill) \tm tUmgfnuu* lh«it lb* lonMf i
|tNr, M««>lin(f A Kain of winil »(( the tiuiir* rmi, iillrn«trii Hilft,
'■ iM^ty •U*ta «rii^«)tr i>|trMnf| hcf lMmaprit. aiilit iha itwin-
Mill, MM «Hb (M>m«t iliOunllv, tftcr fiXthig • pitiHi. mai{«
lti« Imrltoiir rtf Hi. Iim. Aftrr wij Irft iMa, wt got
«mtiuiMU;i| Hilh Um CtirmMrthKii Mndit ) Mt\. m IIm Vr*t«l
did niiC aliiy w«tl, und in tAOM iHm wonld hii»dty wfiir,
ttti iiurroMrJy rMniMMi, in • \vry dwli niiflil, rvmtiiifr utMtn
•«»ni€! dttnuvrnua •h«Mtl«. Ncnnr h« Ii«U(!vm. for th« tift tinM
•iiicr ha hwl hrrn •! Mm, Ka kn««lrd dawn |o |iriiy | il wm
hi* wiilrit to look out ••h<tad I Ihn niKht wm diirk, IIm apray
dnahcd over hini. and. txitilvin^ h« tt\nU\ luiithrr \w arrn
nor hoard f«»r^ th« noi!n» of thci wind and •<•«. \w UdvA ui»
hia heart to CM, and ItfUgnl to b« bronght aafo to land,
and iniikinf( a proinliKY nt thu aamr fitnn, In hia |KM>r atain*
uivrinK wiiy, tliat if tiiwl v>ould h«ar hi»-iiravnr, aud grant
bis rG(|ttoii;Ahcn he would l«*|fin to aerva liim.
But, my (fear childrrn, althongh )our father offered up
• feeble prlition, and auhjoined to it a renolvc to acrva (J(mI,
lie had no (loar knowledge of that in which the aerviee of
****** V(I»|tI|E|*9 I ullHwftlflvllB taOIB ^8* nr ftH^ WTmi vflQ ^Hyii^ff vO^ '
churrh, were, in hia poor vTe'wa, the oaaantbd parta of religion.
Ilioae. connected with living a decent, ordt^ly, moral life,
he conaidered the utmoat length to which any on« could
poNNlhly go. And herein ho wiw |i«rlinpN not much darker
tliMU ttiuny otiiura. Have not some grave diunea placed
th«te M the pillara of llerculua ? Uyond which it were
wnaafe for any apirituni nnvigator to aait. Who then can
wonder that airaw aailor hoy nhould he miatakcn in hia
reckoning and «>ut of hia courao, when oven aome reverend
pHota havo miaacd their way, and been out of the true
meridian of tho kingdom by aome thouaand Icaguen. In
abort, my children, ho did not know that we are Ijy nature
fallen, ainful, depraved and livl|)lcHa creatures, without
cither thu wiBdoui to direct, tho will to move, or the power
4,
1
IAII.Y kiri.
•5
i
btta Hit h«li«tit
I in •l(»|>|ilnK
|« MMtlhvr Itip
M IIm hwwttk
RllriHlril i*it||
|illt llm inaiii'-
• pilot, IIIM(i«
till*, W9 got
M lh« VrsMi
rttnitliiK unnn
r th«i t\ft tium
pmy I it WM
Mtk, iIm iiiray
tiitiirr li«^ ««rn
I, iifl llAoii uii i|
IIM floor ■tam*
nr, Mid grant
I.
tier offfirr*! un
to Mcrva dm,
h« nervire of
rtsof rcliguin.
y, innml life,
my on« mulil
iiiiirh dnrkiv
i\ineii |>larfld
ihich it were
'V'ho then can
itnkcn in bin
iHiio reverend
It of the tra«
Icn^ucH. In
trc iiy nnturc
ren, uithoot
or the \ioWDt
a
r
t<» H«lp iMiriMlrM. II* WM Mt airtr*, iKal «nl«in wKli
(Mai hy MtN, and 1I10 nrw rr<>aliir<t. ar« nnraaary !••
gi«« a IriM tlMriim t«> dftoCWHt, aMd an iM|M4U« and Ufa I0
trwf pUrtiy. Tbat w« arn aair^d |»y grihc*, IhrmiKli fa4lli la*
%h» atlMicfiMnI and n><>tila of ('Mat, mm a dortriM aa liltki
linown In Ilim aa lh« Iranamigration of amtta. lie w«i
««|ualty dai4 In ait that rvialaa to iIm r«nr«»al of man'*-
natnra by 'Hia Holy Oboal, la lila varioaa opvrallona and
aanrtifyinif induenraa, Of tlia bUxid of Jfati«, and |l*
inftnite rifit-aiv, he waa aa igti<»riihi aa an lii'lian, Nor
had he a ainjrie Jaat Idaa In what way a ilnnef It hrfNi|(M ,
to rc|M>nt, Iwlieve, and roine to (iimI for {larfioii and aalva*
lion. In a word, |nirity, xeal, inUienre, <-oiufott, iiirekneiK,
•ccMa to lb« Father and haaventyinindrdfieaa, wiAre thinifii
of whii'h hr had no ionrr|itioii. And la It not thua tliat
vital, internal, exneritaental religion, la overlookrd hy
tlwniaanda who profeaa the name of Jeaua. who lite dfrent,
rrKular liveiij are honeat. tthmr, tein|>«rato, diligent and
|Hin<'tual ) hnt who are devoid of the ffriu'vn of the Holy
Mpirit and the power of nvangeliral giMllinuai ? T0 autU
wt might aay, in the touching Inngimge of |io«Cry»
Ak '. «rlw^« ihm biimbln, Mll>ahN«tn|| m^a4«
WMb Ikal t-unnaiai ipiril, thall wn dntl, . .
Thai tmh flw iiaa^t ^ain i«|>«<ai«m'«i l»fln|a( - ^~
I)«>|M*(i<in'i mifrnw* ami coairlilun'n aimK* ;
Awl llifii IIm lNt|Mi ibm H<nm*$>n Hktme Krl«<f« approft)
And I««ll7 J07 that aprlngt fnim pard*iii«( lava t
The vraael arrived at Trnhy the next «lay, and, aa your
fatlier had made up hia mind to ipiit the *va for ever, liu
hi'^an to think in what mntiiior he ahould beat Mt-ouipliHh
hia deaigna. He wa* afraid of tlio captain ) ho waa far
from home » waa unAiquainte*! with fh« <«>untry, and in
danger of lieing nreita<;d ; all those things poflHcd tjirougli
hia mind, but atill hii reaolution waa Axed, and he might
have laid with IVoapcro,
nrouKb< to thlatbarti <|*'-r
I (lad my ai>ollh iloib ilnpitod upoD
A OKMt auniiioloua itnr ; wbone iDfliifticv
f^
T
JS
V
I;
i
86
IKBTCHBI OF
m
f$
,1
/■.
J
M
If nolr I court not, but omit, my foiluae
Will «ver after droop.
This auspicious star was the providence that was directing
your father and opening tlf^ way ; for, altliough he was as
ignorant of such opening as Cyrus (of whom you have
lately betn reading) was of the designation of the Almighty,
he is now, thank God, sensible, that
There's a dirinlty that tbapei our epdt,
■ '''.^' Rough bew them how we wiU< '
As soott^as the vess^ was got inside the pier, and the
captainland mate were both gone ashore, he silently packed
up some of his things, and waited impatiently for the
approach of night. Most of the hands had gone to their
berths, and he was left to carry the boat on shore when
the captain should come and hail the vessel. This was the
moment ; all was silent save the ripling of the tide : the
night was calm. He put on a long coat, he had bought
under the impression he might need it for such an occasion,
and stole silently into the boat and sculled ashore. After
making her fast he took his Uttle bundle, and,. with nimble
haste, got out <^ the town as quick as possible. He took
the first road that presented itself, making the greatest
possible despatch to get as far from the town as he could
before morning ; he finally, however, lost his way, but,
seeing a light at some' distance, he made towards it, and
found it to proceed from the cottage of a poor family, who.
allowed, him to stay till moming. As soon as the light
dawned he hasted forward, hiEKVihg got direction to Narbarth,
a town in which, the old man told him, he would get jlur-
iher direction in the way to Chester, for he had the whole
length of South and North Wales to travel, with only a few
shilfings in his pocket. How light and happy did he feel
on being once more on shore ! if he had but little money,
he had health and spirits ; hence, neither the length of the
way, nor the loftiness of the Welsh mountmns, depressed
his mind ; he felt like a bird loosed from a cage, and he
cheerfully pursued his journey homeward.
' Yours afiectiopately.
EARtiY LIFE.
87
/
LETTER THIRTEENTll.
Mtj dear Children, ■ - .,. >
As your father is about to leave the «ea» at lenst w a
mnriner, lie will by your leave devote a page or two t6 thiv
ftcrvice of his old friends and conipanionB. The (Jirismn r
TirogiCHS to glory has been often compared to ,n V|gj;c ;
thus an ami.d>le poet lias said of the departe^ JfigliWrous ,
and the blessed-haven of eternal glory, '
There nil the ihili'd company meet,
Who ttiil'd Willi their Saviour beneath i
With •houtlBg each other they, greet,
Anil triumph o'er trouble and death. '
. The voj-age of llfeVnt an end,
• The mortal affliction l« pait ;
• l.Th" "ge that in Heaven they ipend
» For ever and ever thaiU l»t« -.
Life IB the ocean across which W^ have to sail to the port oi
glory and the continent of eternity. This ocean abounds with
•torms and calms, with rocks and shoals, with currents and
eddies. Sometimes the storms of adversity blow y ease,
honour and prosperity, are the dang*r«|^M and much to be
dreaded calms. Here are currents of corrupt nature j
there eddies of evil ex»mpl6 whirl round, and attract within
their fatal circle thousands of deluded souls. The roclw
are the errors against Which many split j and the shoals
and the quick-sands ar^ the insidious, unseen and ever
ahilting temptations of the devil and hid angels. In sailing
to a distant portj especi^ly over a stormy sea, every mariner
should be cautious in w^at ship he embarks. Some have
sailed in their own bottoms, in a ship called the Legality,
of the port of Spiritual Pride, but alas ! she was so rotten,
that before half of thehroyage was performed they had to
put several patches upjon her bottom, and finally^ the leak
was so increased^ that she foundered off Cope /Vy-oipay,
which she mistook for the holy land. The good ship Sal-
vation by Grace, of Redemption Haven, is the only one
tluit has always been famous for making good voyages j
.:.-•■ : ■ ■ , vi.. •" i i
»^ ^ww * t fWfc ^m
/
M
^l:
88
TyCII
8KET/1IE8 OF
and M^the port w Paradise, a harbour on the continent of
Eternity, we should take care that ne enter on board the
right ship. The cargo we may put on biard as a venture
are repentance, faith, love, and evangelical piety ; and
every separate bale must have marked upon the docket,
L'"? .\T"»^' '" ^'"■"'•" As soon aa all hands are on
bttard, the boatswain, Mr. Active, pipes to get under weigh
and man the capstan bars of prayer; others set the sails
of pure affection to catch the breezes of divine love, blow-
ing rigl'tastern from Cape JUspirito Hancto, or the Holy
J»pint. With hard tugging, the anchor of false hope is lifted
from the deep muddy bottom of carnal security. Luff!
fuff ! ray bpy, a point or two more> and we are clear of
tapefVrttth, Now let all the ship's company sing.
When panrng thro' the wat'ry deep,
I ask iD fuitli his promig'd aid ;
The wnves nnawfuj distance keep.
And <briok from my devoted liead :
Fearless their violence I d^rre ;
They cannot harm, for God is there!
To avoid making shipwreck, a brother sailor would irivo
the worthy crew of the good ship Grace the followin«
advice Keep a go6d look out a-head ; many have been
dashed upon rocks by inattention. Often mark by the
chart of truth, the distance and bearing of the rocks of
presumption, the ledges of error, and the shores of sin •
«r® ??^ Berth to the vortex of despair. Keep the qnadrant
of faith m good order, and get a daily sight of the ront
this 18 indispensably necessary, as sailing long without this,
some have run ashore, and others have got out of their right
course. ^ When the gusts of temptation blow, or flaws from
the high land of Pride, alias, tape Mow ine down * have
•^« The above names of places, though all are intended to have
'h?^"™!!!'* """"°''' "™ nevwtbeless real places in different parts of
^'"i'T *• *""' " Wgh promontary in the basin of Alinas, in
British North America, » "
/■'
#
continent of
•n board the
18 a venture,
piety ; and
the docket,
lands are on
under weiffh
let the sails
love, blow-
or the Holy
lope is lifted
rity. Luff!
are clear of
sing.
would give
e following
have been
ark by the
he rocks of
)r^n of sin :
tie quadrant
f the son ;
ithout this,
their right
flaws from
}wn,* have
fxted to have
«nt pnru of
of iUinas, Iq
n1
EARLY LIFE.
89
two Steady hands at the helm, Vigilance and Prayer ; stand
bv the tacks and sheets of humility and fear, mind your
helm, bear away, let go your top-gallant halyard j clew up,
clew up, my boys j there ehe rights, all safe, hard down
vour helm, the giAt is over. Take in top-gallant roast*,
imd see that the ballast is well stowed. Humihty should
be captain of the hold, and self-abasement captain of the
fore and main^top. Except in the open sea, with a fair
wind and dear sky, keep the deep lead line ©f self-exami-
nation going. Should she get near the breakers of Spiritual
Pride, stand by to let go the anchor j take in all your
studding sails, and keep her head to the sea. Kec;p a good
light, a lamp of truth, in the binnacle of reason } and, should
Cape Fttlte, neat the Cape of QootI Hope
Cape$ Discord Hiid DetolatUm, const of qreeoland
I'ravidmce Ittand, one of the Bahamas
Point Danger, coust of New HollunA :
Cape Tribulation, diito
Cape Crai», West coast of America <
C^fte Ditappoinlment, America
Mftloralion Point, Ailto
Cape Fear, United States
Dead Mant Itland, Quit of St. Laurence
Cape Deipair^ ditto
Cape GradoM a Diat, South America
Conversion Point, We«t coitst of America
Cape Deception, Pacific tJcean i:_ ^- ^ ,
DeviCe Hill Bay^ coast ot AtncA
Cap* Ciwn/orl, Davis's SueiRhts
Jlope Saundi Davis's Streights
Ejpfci/o Sando, South America
GWtf Com/, Africa j
€a/»n Loli/iMtef, near the trade wind*
if onto CArlsltf, Sardinia ,
Trade winds, near and within the tropics
Cape of Good Hope, South Africa
Bintmie, wliere the compass is Ijeiit
Cbpe JKro/*, coast of Scotland
Jlum iatend, ditto
I 3
m
irf*'
,_^ . am.. •«»?#>!«, >..r»J.,"f7,'.**£?i-'^*P*;-Hl^
'^
i.
50 SKETCHES OP
the compass of conacicnc^ihow much variation, ascertain
its maccnracy by a gotfd azimuth of the sun. To keep
down the offensive bilge water of corrupt nature, keep the
hand pumps of constant prayer going ; and, that no moral
malady may prevail on board, let the decks,, and between
decks, be daily washed by the buckets of faith dipt in the
fountain of atoning love. Keep a good calculation of the
lee-way, on the log book of daily expwicncej and make
a minute of the cause, \vhethdr owing to a lee current, bad
steering or head winds. Hard down with the helm, put
about ship, to fetch up her lee-way. In order to keep a
good reckoning, calculate your progress by the logarithmetic
tables, found in the gospels and epistles ; they are all
calculated to a fraction, so that you exactly ascertain your
distance ^and departure from the shores of Sin, the city of
Destruction/ and the Cape of False Hope. Strive to keep
clear of Point Danger and Hum Island, and guard agjunst
the squally latitude of Cape Discord mxACnpe Fear. You
may tMieh at Providence Island for supplies ; and should
you not be able to Weather Cape TViMation, pnt into
Jf ope Sound. Steer as clear as possibly you can of 6^«pe
Deception, for, though the sea in the neighbourhood is calm
and smooth, some dangerous ledges lurk beneath the waves.
If, in passing Cape Disappointment, you meet with foul
weather, luff qp to Restoration Point, and come to anchor
under the lee of Cape Cross. Should you come in contact
with any strange sail in yotfr passage, always keep your
read cross jack at the main, that all may know you belong
toCapeEmmanueirimd are bound for the continent of Glory.
To guard you against some of the rocks and shoals upon
which other mariners have split, have daily recourse to the
fliart of truth, constructed by Captun Inspiration and his
lieutenants under his direction^ there you will find them
accurately laid down. Some hive a light-house built upon
them, some a beacon, anid others a buoy. David was drawn
by the Syrens upon the dangerous shoals. Adultery Reef and
Murder Ledge, and would hat^e suffered shipwreck if a
Jlood-tide of divine mercy had not set in 'and lifted him over
BABI
XIVB.
91
i, ascertain
1. To keep
e, keep the
at no moral
nd between
I dipt in the
lation of the
)i and make
current, bad
a helm, put
er to keep a
>garithmctic
hey are all
L'ertain your
, the city of
rive to keep
lard aguinst
Fear. You
and should
», put into
can of Cape
lood is calm
(i the waves,
t with foul
e to anchor
e in contact
keep your
you belong
Bnt of Glory,
shoals upon
ourse to the
tion and his
1 find them
i built upon
was drawn
;ry Reef and
[Wreck if a
ed kim over
them. Peter carried too mnch sail, and struck upon the
dangerous reef of False Confidence, but a gale setting in
from Cape Gtaciaa a lOtu, blew him round Convertion Point ,
or he would have been lost upon the rocks ofCape J>eiipair.
Demas, in making a trip or two to the Gold Coast, got to
the leew ard of Cape Comfort, and struck upon the reefs of
Cape Desolation. The Laodiceans, in sailing too near the
tropics, got becalmed in the calm /rt«i/«</e*, and*W»e
carried by the currents into Devifs Hill Bay, and « hat
became of them aftJerward no one ever heard. To ayoid
these dangers, keep as much as pwsiblc near Monto Chmtu j
get into the trade winds of simple faith, working your com«c
by love; these winds blow in a direct course for the pro-
mised land; ahd, as soon as you slmll have doubletl the
Cape of Good Hope and passed Dead Mann Isldnd, you
will enter Port Paradise, where the seas are for evjr calm,
and the skies for ever bright; and now you aip safely
moored in Eden Harbour, may you swejitly sing,
Now I the haven gnining
or Zioli'a sacred hill,
« Shall ever oense eQi;!i>plulniDj|
Of my corrupted ^111 :
No more by tempest d^iveki.
My soul shall glndly |raast,
And hail the King of iHeavea
'-■ ' ■ ' On the celestial codlst. .
Ho^* different, my children, is thie issue of the celestial
mariner's voyage from that of the men of the world ! they
too embark on the ocean of life, but alas ! they aie
Toss'd with hopes nn«l fenrs.
In calmest skies ; obnoxious all to storm !
And stormy the most geniRl blast of life,
. All bound for happiness, but few provide ;|
/ The chart of knowledge, pointing where it lies : ' y
Or virtue's helm, to shape the course design'd.
Some steer aright, but the bluck blast blows bnrd,
And puffs them wide of hope : with hearts of proof
Full against wind and tide, som« win tlieir way ;
And wh(sn strong effort has deserv'd the port, .
, And tugg'd it into view, 'lis won! 'tis lost ^
They strike, and while they triutnpli, they expire.
"MVSf.
.--j»P3,v.,.
1%
92
•KBTCHEf or
Your father pused through Penibrofce»hir«, CardigRn-
shire, Merionethshire and Denbyshire. The romantic
mrenery of Wales, made a deep impression upon his youth-
ful mind. Its ruined castles, high mountains and pittu-
reHque prospects, almost made him forget bis frequent
hnnger, fatigue and solitary situation. As he walked the
uhole way with a few shilllnM, you mayjndge that he
both fared and travelled hard. His manner was to stop
once in the day, and get a little bread and cheese and a
dobbin, or aXwut a gill of Welsh ale. He walked between
twenty and thirty miles each day, though sometimes, as he
lost hi8 way, he had to retrace his steps back again ; fur
not understanding the Welsh language, he could not always
get directed. He often thinks of this jonrney, of nearly
200 miles, performed in about eight days, with but- Kttle
food or nourishment, as a proof both of the inTisiblc
help of Providence and the vigour of a youthful constleution.
Surely fJod was with him, though he did not know it.
'iliough a poor forlonx sailor boy, the Welsh treated him
with kindness and hospitality ; doubtless it was the Lord
that put it in their hearts, and to his name shall be rendered
the tribute of praise. Hallelujah, amen. ?
When your father arrived in the city of Chester, he
narrowly escaped the fangs of a press-giiwg. At this time
pressing seamen into the king's service was ve^ common ;
for, eve» in inland towos^ parties of marines, or sta
soldiers, were often stationed for tlw purpose of intercept-
ing sailors. What a mockery is tl»e name of liberty, where
such a gross violatwm of human rights prevails ! People
may talk of our well framed constitution, our Magna
Charta, our Habeas Corpus Act, &c. which are the politi-
cal, glory of all Englishmen (and well may they be proud
of them), but surely these noble immunities cannot be
reconciled to a press-gang. Were evils of this k^id to
prevail to any extent, freedom would be a mockery, liberty
a dream ; and, the pillars of our lovelf constitution under-
mined by this palpable infraction ol the rights of man,
would in the end fall, and bury the whole nation beneatii
the ruins of liberty^ justice and equal laws.
years
since
«uad(
the. I
can
safet
mate
oOmf
pati<
hour
case,
Thci
whei
ener
the!
ovei
a
tftm
grat
TiWrn- ■»*i.f'^'
X
EARLY LIFE
83
re, Cardigan -
rho romantic
oti his youth*
B and pictu-
hts frequent
le walked the
u\ge that he
was to stop
cheese and a
Iked between
etimes, as he
k ^tan ; fur
Id not alway-H
y, of nearly
th but-Nttle
the inrisible
constihition.
ot know it.
treated him
va9 the Lord
be rendered
Chester, he
At this time
ty common ;
nes, or sta
»f intercept -
lerty, where
8 ! People
our Magna
the politi-
jy he proud
caniiot be
lis k^id to
ety, liberty
tion under-
ts of man,
on beneiitli
As \w had an utter avernion to going again to sea, thtro
is hardly an evil ho would not rather have endured than
that of being pressed. He had seen enough of the sen to
make him tired of it ; and, after much reflection »nd many
years experience } after sailing on different occasions,
since that time, nearly twenty thounand miles, he is per-
suaded that unless a man is called to this mode of life in
the way of necessity j unless he have the fear of Goll, and
can happily believe that the path of duty is the way of
safety } unless he have a pious captain and serious ship-
mates, a sea-faring life is of all others perhaps the least
comfortable. It requires the exercise of constant fortitude,
Eatience and self-denial j their lives are in jeopardy every
our, unles* indeed, which he fears is but seldom the
case, that
Whaterer wind* arlie or billows roU,^
They've intmeat in the Matter of tbe storm.
Then, indeed, may the pious sailor rejoice in God ; and,
whether wearibg away the vigour of bis life underneath the
enervating line, or watching night and day to keep clear of
the ices of the polar seas, the blessing of God shall watch
over him. r^
Having finally left the sea, yon WiU fdlow your affec^
tibnate father to offer a simple and nnstncUed effusion of
grateful praise to God, his kind and adored preserver :
Take thiiiinitf of gratitude.
Take it. Lord, of land and oceaa 1
Take it from « worm endued
With a spaik of tro* dewtiott.
On the earth and waters wild,
Merey his divine sheet anchor ; .
Whether nature frown'd or smil'd, .,
Providence was still his bunlcer. •
When the yawning billows roar'd.
And the sky and ocean blended,
TiemWed every heart on board
As tbewbite-wing'd squall descended.-
\
IP'.-
■■jit„..
Oi
•\
. IKCTCflBI OP
In ihU Ail God helit (bf blMt^
And (be wii|«r» in ilw b«ill«»w 5
Hi'iKV, iho' t«iti|ti'»(.<4.ipruuK ••»* •"••t,
Fruwding billuwi could not swdUiw.
I>anit'roiu rtMsf* bnn«*nlh (he lm>,
Dnntf 'rou« rwr*. ih« nhip M brolcM l
MnnU prrMtrv'd, do «)« oould »«e
Till doliverKDcs wan liw lokea I
When upon (h« ahntter'd wreck,
iioi a nioilMr'i pruyrrt mihwuNi ;
' Aod* (bough breakan iwfpi ibH deck«
' lllill the rabal Vm proicvtad.
Rockiajc 60 thfl lofiy jrard,
Or upoo the mnin-iop reeling,
When Iba ahip wm pitcbing bnrd
And to lUr or larboard beeling ;
Loire, almigbty lore, wm nigh,
And averted every danger !
Though tbtf, giddy tailor boy
Waj to love and Ood a atranger.
Oft the forked flamee play'd o'er «•.
Blni'd along the ship and put her i
Death in terror iiood before us,
But the thunder own'd • muter. 1
Take thit mite of gratitude.
Take It, God of earth and ocean I
Take It, though the verae be rude,
—; ^i« a thankful betrt'a emotion. ^ "
Youn afftM^tionatcl^.
LETTER iPOURTEENTH.
Mil dear Children,
Your father'8 int«rvlew with his truly pioas and affcc
tionatc mother, was you may be sure, interaating and
J V"?", f"^ gave lier unworthy son her bleseing, and
kuecied before the God , of all, mercy to thank him for h«r
EAaLY LIFE.
0S
ctionatdy.
I and afTcc^
aating and
e88iii)(, aud
uua for bur
,on-» mAny dcliverancci and •afe return. Bui even tW»
•„,y was imxod with trembling. There were marines in the
town, who, understanrling tlmt a young man ha<l returned
from sea. he w»* privately informed by a friend that they
iutonded the ftrat good opportunity to get lura into tbeif
clutches and lifess fiim. The lure of half a guinea would
induce such mjircepary wretches as them to entrap their
own father. He had a rich uncle, sixteen miles distant,
who had been kind to him after hi» Mhcr's death, but, not
knowing how he might now be disposed, your n.»rent did not
try his generoHity. but was directed by IVovidence to go td
the house of a former friend, who lived near ManchestCT.
On his way to thiS house of his friend, he overtook on the
rood an elderly female, with whom entering into convcr-
SHtion, she recollected in the young sailor the son of an
old acquaintance i whence she Invited him to accompany
her to her house, nt the tillage of Ratdiffe Rridgc. near
Manchester. Your father found, by the conversation of
this good woman, tlmt she was a member of the Methodist
society } for, without any ceremony, she asked hiiu to go
the same evening and *hear a preacher of that persuasion.
This invitation he did not decline, although lie felt a deep
consciousness that he was not a proper associate, for
reliinous persons. As he mentioned above; be had made
a promise that if the Lord would deliver him from the oea
then he would scjrve him j but alas ! he had, after his
arrival at home, mixed with iome of hw giddy, foolish
former companions, and all the traces of his lea resolution
had vanished from his mind. God, however, m answer to
the prayers of a pious parent, had thoughts of mercy
towards him, and, if the word be not improperly applied,
the «et time to favour him was come.
He attended his aged female friend to the preaching,
without wishing or supposing that any good would result
from it, but God's thoughts were not aa man's thoughts ;
for that evenings sermon was made the first link in a chain
of happy consequences, which, he trusts, will extend through
eternal jigea. He had often, previonsly to his going to sea.
■I
' 4
■ 'i
^
y-
m
I
V' x"
"^ tKITCIIII 09
I»ut. diu f »»«^t«t«. M wall M th« diiienter,,
" He that rmroteth his "L .U.i ♦ ^''''"''' »*^'''- > '•
arnhnnvth ii«d folk, tltl ." n ^'^'^'^ ' *«* *»•««'»
- .»t an artful manner or^o , "eh.at' l\- ""' '"
•iicnce, and carry "a li« i „ ♦ i • -J t'cr "wn con-
respect n« unlawZl „«!„. '^ *''«•^/'«^'t hand/' ,«,„c
«ndthcf«|«eho;d«tter^^^^^^ ""o
assuming the appearance of fHn.ri'^ ^r*"!'® *'^*' <>*''«fJ
to varnish ovorr«lriT "'"''• ''"^^^^^
seducing anZu nL^ "^ i'*"'''^"*' "^ '*"'«i'^i«« •«"
'cnale. ' hI S'C^y Z[ ^^^fj confidinglonng
people assuirte to'covnr JL:! " * ^'fewnt anpearancoa
i^rought in hiscoi^sSce^^L f?.lt ^•""* "'.«"^*=*'«" '">'
the good woman, wiHi^'iSvit^ hJuITT''" ".'''°"«'»
other, informed the nrm-ler « »» '• ^' ■'*'"® *»«^ <»r
«
I
■©, ■
BABLY LIff*
07
fttinUsncM of his llf«. r«rrlmni. wh*n a Wthfnl prwrhff
goiM deep into the win«llrtK« of the heart, m nentimeiit of thi*
kiiid often iwevKlU : •• Come nee • nmn whi. h told we nil
thing! tlint ever I did." And thiii is one of those heart
touches, which gives a warm off-baud speaker a derulad
advantage over the iiniinpiiinioned rcA^ler of n mere wiitf en
essay. He speaks nm amnre from tJie almndnncc of his
own heart, and rsrely fails to give some one prcsout l»ack
the insoge of his own hrenst.
The light that burst, or rather entered by a small aper-
ture into your fathers mind, did not at once illumlnnte the
whole temple*, nltlioiigh it served to discover the " nlMnni-
nationn tlfat maketU desolate." The moral eye was only so
far opeiu|d that he "saw men as trees walking." 1h«
following lines will illustrate the dawn of light, of reviving
and discovering light upon his mind, much better than any
description he cau give at present :
Like a imall itar, tbe iky-dlreoted hesm
ThriWKh ihe d«»p glciom enilu « twinkling gleam,
And »Mi* R twilight liwlrB on the lbo«i|che,
But the felt dnrkneM romprebendi It not.
Till lol th« iiMifning; brenkii, lh« »h«dow» fade,
The voiil'i IWiiniiii'd aud (Im> •IiKm di<i|iliiy'd ;
And an more rnjri the linK«>rlnK »lindi'»i diin»el.
Each lin leemt black aa oight and bnite n* hell.
Good, however, was the dawa of spiritual day } he saw
himself exposed to the displeasure of Almighty God, and
- be^n to break off his sins, at least his outward sins, in
good earnest, and lictook himself to secret prayer. Still
he was but half awakened, and his early buds had nearly
suffered a Idight by.gctting entangled with young company.
This had always been his besetment, nor did he overcome
it without many a struggle. lie now began a practice,
which he has more or less continued evef since, of reading
the word of God upon his knees with mtich prayer. This
method soon brought him to an intimate ac(|uaintance with
the spiritual wickedness of his own heart ; he saw in that
faithful mirror, that he^waa " far gone from original righte-
■' *Ji
06
•KITpnif OF
"^i.''
■V,
• p««ri In A troubled ■««. or a ranM^ •« - / : »i .
AlK,«t tl.l« ti.„e. 1,0 '« hU^^I V . r "'^ "" •
• company of piou, fc.,,«ic. ifJTl ^ y""»K nmt. into
• m»nnw ho cannot oxiire.. Al „ "P«" U min<l in
tlurdlv know .1.... . """ P«rf«e«ly novtl. for
^. II.. interview. .MfoKtl "°,Z SLt"'""^
WJto^jnd Bur^ndy, «o Intcrcsttd herself on
w . liSfel^ '^'•' •** /conversion."*
ihl \ W^""^ '*''""■" *» ^heir head.
of some a^cien't Xrs a„Tthis'h "t"' ''! u*''" ^*"""'
art sprinkled ^pon ^he't I'e '^.^.t'r '*^^^^^^^^
•ccustomed to ecplate .o ^^1 ' .H^^^Ti
'W
li Ilii mitery
' li^ht liMt att
•miird, into
livmumgiii;^,
Uir wililor-
Uo hr^nn to
' irt iilio4-kt>rl
Ui thff very
1*1 night of
U tvnM Uko
illg ROIli.
tg ninti into
" fwl aiicii
wolfnrc, u
n nlwut lii«
>rd ) Joined
f and zimI,
lis mind in
novel, for
inn in thu
bpnvfitted
tjltapt
)i not'
nd a
>U8 fl
» we shall
Bertha,
ntrodaccd
iinchaute,
lerscif on
to God,
eraion."*
eir head,
>e venoiQ
malignant
ich men,
•ugb the
tkmht Liri.
00
l>f ini»rrt)rfa«ntat(<Hi and M«lM>m«Un opinion*,
have^iirrttMJL ifiq^ " rvrry woman \n at heart a rakt."
Hut hUtory, theTMitliful mirror of human t harortffr, prra«nta
to our view an infinite numh«r of moat worthy, pioua and
dignified fiMiutlrai, a« rmin<^nt for tnlvnt and learning aa tli«y
were exrmpUry for religion and parity of manners.
.{tUTie talrnta of w«»incn," ^aya an eminent writer,*
" began only in the reign of Quecu Elizabeth to be held in
a proper degree of consideration . Al Women, they wtrn
wbnired and niiyted. but they scarcely coti Id be naid to
partiiipatfl in the Hmiuty of mun ; in faitt, the manners of
vur forefathers, before thiit reign, were too rough fur them.
In Wales, wives were sold to tlirir huabanda) in Hcotland,
women could not appear as evidence in a court of justice.
In the time of Henry VIII. an act was passed prohibiting
women and apprentices firom reading the New Testament
In the English language. Among the polished f2reeks they
were held in little estimation. Homer degrad<{a #11 hit
femalea ) he makes the CJrccian princesses weave the wtb,
spin and do all the drudgery of m«Mlern washerwomen, and
rarely allows them any share of social intercourae with the
other sex. Yet the very foundation, on which h« baa con-
BtnictjBd hii^jttin matrhlcNH poems, are women.
i|P|l(icars from all the drumatic writers of ancjleut CreecC,
whotc aim was " to hold as it were the mirror lip to natare,
to show the very age an^ bo4y of the time, its form and
pressure," that, notwithBtaitdisig their extrenle delicacy of
taste and rapid progrcsvH in the hne arts, their manners
were low and coarse, and tliat they were entire strangers
to any other grntifinition ar»«jnj( from the society of women
than the in<lulgciicc of seiifiiiil appctito. Even the grave
Herodotus mentions, in the highest terms of approbation,
the custom of Babylon, in selling by auction, on a certain
fixed day, all the young women who had any preteiisiona
to beauty, in order to raise a sum of money for portioning
the rest of. the females, to whom nature had been less
liberal in bestowing her gills, and who were knocked
, ; , - • Barrow's Trayeli>
.' , /■ . , »«■■'■■
■^
/ ! t* j4!sWJ»_i
P. f
m
v; ^- I,
4r
VI
,ipn
i X^'ifiv ^»'
(. 1
^7
100
tKETCHES OW
A.
n
\
down to. those who were satisfied to take thfefn wkli'thc
least money, /
The degradation of women woald seem to be aslmpolitic
as It IS extraordinary, since under their guidance the earliest
and sometimes the most indelible (I believe I nihy safely
add, the best and most amiable), impressions are stamped
OB the youthful mind. In infancy their protection is Indis-
pensably necessary, and in sickness or in old age they
unjiuestionably afford the best and kindest relief, or a«
al-rench author has neatly observed. Sans les femmea, les
deux extreinites de la vie seraient sans secours, et le
|^llIeu sans plaisirs. *' Without women the two extremes
of life would be helpless, and the middl? of it joyless." •
" XV ^*'"*"'*' «*y* Mr! Ledyard, "I never addressed
myself m the languaga of decency and friendship, without
receiving a decent and friendly answer. If I were hungry
or thirsty, wet or sick, they did not hesitate like men/ to
perform a generous action. In so free and Miltf a manner
did they contribute to my relief, that if I were dry I drank
the sweetest draught, and if hungry I ate the coarsest
morsel with a double relish."
Place the white man 6n AfricV ciMst,
Whose Dwartby sons in blood delight ;
Who of their scorn to Europe boast,
'" And paint their very demons white.
There, while the sterner tez-dlsdain*
To soothe the woes they Cannot fee) t
Woman will strive to heal his pains,
And weep for .those she caanot heal;
Herls n warm pity^ sacred glodr,
From all her stores she bears a part ; j
And bids the iprin;^ of hope reflow,
That languisb'd in the fainting heart.
Thus in extremes of cold and hea^
Where wand 'ring man may trace his kind j
Wherever grief and want retreat, :
In woman they compassion find. -?~'' -- -— * - -
^w
EARLY LIFE. lOl
Man mny the sterner virtues kno^,
Det«rminM justice, truth severe ;
. But femnle hearth with pity glow, . ;
And woman holds affliction dear.
To womnn's gentle hand we owe
What comforts and delights tis here ;
They its gay hopes on youth bestow,
And care they soothe, and age they cheer.
To these tostimonies^ so honourable to your sex, your
father could add many from his own observation. When
his lot was cast in the cold solitary woods of North America,
their Idndness has often made "the wilderness blossom as
the rose." WTien TProvidence placed him in a more genial
clime, the poor black females of the Somers Islands, have
oft beguiled the fervours d|' a burning sun and a languid
frame with cooling bevefageandi refreshing sub-acid fruit.
But the time would fail to state how often they have given
more than a cup of cold water to one who was not worthy
of the name of a prophet. To add the greatest possible
honour to the female character, they were employed in the
first propagation of the gospel. Paul says, "help-tihose
women that laboured with me in the gospel." Pha;be;U'as
a deaconess. Priscilla was an helper of her husband, ^-|nd
is first mentioned in the courteous greeting of the apoltle.
Mary, Dorcas, Lydia — and the beloved Kuria, mentioned
by St. John ; to whom some would add the devoted Theclc|a,
were all distinguished females. The ever blessed Jesjus
himself, received many pledges from devout women ; but
the time would fail to mention many tvhose piety, if not •
labours, has been an omametit to religion, an j^our/to
society, and a blessing to the world. That you/ my dtear
children, may follow such illustrious examples, is the
earnest prayer of . /* Yours affectionately.
LETTER FIFTEENTH.
3fff dear Children,
After the inteipview with the pious females, mentioned
above J your father lost no opportunity of hearing the word
1 «
102
SKJ^HES OF
of God, Which began more and more to influence, iniiminate
and impress his mind. His memory was so tenaci.ius, that
he genei^ally recollected most of the subjects he heard from
the^pulpit; as it was his custom to hear as for eternity,
•eldom taking his eye off the preacher, and adopting
apraclic0of his revered mother to go from his knees to the
house of God, and return from it in the same manner. He
now found the benefit of having had so much pains bestowed
iipon his spiritual welfare; his mother's advice, the hymns
he had h6ard her sing, the scriptures she was in the habit
of citing, the whole history of her Conversion to God,
through Its different stages, were vividly recalled to his
mind ; and he seemed by this gracious resurrection of fornjer
thing8,^to have graduated higher on the scale ofdinne
^knowledge than his time and opportunities would admit of.
[I his should be an encouragement to parents to prosecute
Ibe work of^ filial instruction, even though no present fruit
ihould crown their labours j the seed may spring up, the
rod may bud; the venture may return j the rock by frequent
drops will wear j the water that appeared spilled upon the
^ound will refresh it i the petition shall be taken from the
tile, and the jiarent, who has gone " forth weeping, bearing
irecious seed^ shall doubtless come again rejoicing bringing
lis sheaves with him." Think not, parents, because the
cess of moral vegetation is slow, that no harvest will
fli^cceed ! God will sooner or lafer grant your requests :
Then mothers join
' To prudent precept, and example jfood,
O t join the potent energy of prater !
Kneel in your closets, kneel and crave of Heaven, v
That h« would melt your son, your dnaghter's heart,
.. And make their bliss an ailswer to your plea.
Scarcely were your father's views directed to divine
things, when it pleased the Lord to afilict him with a cor-*
rective rod. God had taken him into his school, aiid
discipline was necessary as a part of his education. He wa&
attacked with a complaint in his throat, which sometimes
tlireatened immediate suffocation ; and yet, though he
,^. ».
EARLr LIFE.
105
e, iliiiininate
naciouH, that
e heard from
for eternity,
fid adopting
knees to the
lanner. He
ins bestowed
!j^ the hymnfi
in the habit
ion to God,
called to his
on of foriqer
le of dinne
Id admit of.
lo prosecute
)rescnt fruit
ring up, the
by frequent
ed upon the
:en from the
ing, bearing
ng bringing
because the
larvest will
equesta :
ID,-.
Bart,
to divine
with a cor-
chool, aiid
I. He iva&
sometimea
though he
applied to medical skill, it was a long time before We, had
this "thorn in the flesh" extracted; and then the same
band that afflicted appHed the remedy: to use a mere
human expression, it came of itself and went away of itself.
He hii^frpm his childhood been bkst with a good state of
nience this affliction was like a hand from the cloud
fe could not see, or a writing upon the wall which
jd' not read. It made the impressions of divine things
w.*,,«M received raorfi deep ; it alarmed him to a more lively
and anxious concern for his eternal salvation j it sent him
often weeping and broken-hearted to a throne of grace j
it madfe him deeply anxious to know the right way j like
a powerful caustic it consumed and burned up sensual
desires ; and, drawing a vail over the vanities of the world,
it showed the awfulness of dying without an interest in
Christ : in a word, it was like a Pharoah driving him out
of Fvgypt to take refuge in the mercy and love of God hie
Saviour. O ! how his soul, during this affliction, breathed
and struggled for vital hope amd diviiU^Ksace !
The same friend, mentioned above, invited Wm to a class
meeting, which he attended with trembling anxiety, for he
had not yet joined himself to the body of Christians whom
God had made the means of turning his feet into the way
of peace. This meeting was made/a singular blessing to
his soul; it was just what he wanted, both in point of
instruction and encouragement. From the moment lie
• entered the room, his heart was melted into a child-like
weeping frame ; he felt God was there of a truth. Tears
trickled down his cheeks like rivulets j he looked with
siDgular veneration upon the leader ; but, when asked the
state of his mind, was much confused and abashed. From
that time he joined the society, and to the present momeiil
he feels grateful to God and man for such a truly salutary
and profitable means of spiritual improvement; for he is
persuaded that these select meetings, though not minutely
described in sacred story, are igUrertheless, among the
most useful and vitally reffeshinl means of spiritual im-
provement ever instituted by the wisdom of man. .
V I
w:
^^ SKETCHES OF
Where unity is found, the sweet aDoiDtinj; srace
Extend* to all around, and consecrates the place s
To every wuiting tout it comes.
And Alls it with diTine perfumes.
In Jesus when xye join, and follow after peace,
1 he fellowship divine he promises to bless :
His ohiefwt graces to bestow,
1.. Where two or three are met below.
In England, British North America, the United States
and among the blacks and coloured people of the Somm
Islands, yoar father has heard thousands testify the beS
they had received from class meetings, and he iustlv
considers them both as the promotert ^nd ;,«^«irof
Wesleyan, Methodism. They tend greatly to instruct
Wort quicken and encouragi in the way to^H«tven tS
who attend them They introduce Christians to a moJe
near and profitable acquaintance with each other 3
ifiirmsh ^a cont nual new spur t« hoKness and SeSl
They place all the varieties of Christian experience fnth«
young beginner's view. They also bring forw^d and S,^^
gifts for extempdraneous prayer. They presIrTe ChristK
t'helr'^LT''"" '^'."' '''P^^'^' dJrLou^lb^'^Z^
their peculiar exercises within their own breasts S
likewise furnish a good school to improve th^Talentslf
piQU8^and4>romising young men, who IT^ crJledTo thf
ministry as they unfold%ne of the most vSt o/i?
experience. Ihis will make him more usefwlly wise than
a tho.isqHdtnmes of idle speculation. Here he Jll be S
into all the exercises of gracious souls, theLviews tri^^
mauuestat ons, victories, coldnesses, wanderinirs bespt!
mens, dclivei;ances, helps, liopes, answers to pSr, ]^:
pS^r'^^f ^ '''^ ^iu thrif s^ S:
iiood, m the divine life. In graduating for the ministry.
EARLY LIFE
105
r
if
lited States
the Somers
the benefit
he justly
alladittm of
) instruct,
aven those
i to a more
)ther,. and
diligence,
snce in the
1 and ripen
Christians
by hiding
ts. They
talents of
led to the
able of all
Christian
wise than
^'ill be let
vs, trials,
leaviness,
5, beset-> ,
er, inter«|
spiritual
:over the
uring the
id father-
nainistry^
your father took his first degree in class meetings ; his
second as a leader of prayer meetings, and his third_ftH a
teacher and a conductor of a Sunday school. Jn the first.
Tie was taught Christian experience, the soul of sound .
, divinity j in the second, he learned to pray in public, and
had his heart warmed with love to the souls of men ; ui
the third, the wings of his unfl«dged eloquence began to
flutter a little in short exhortations to children, These,
my children, were the colleges where your father learned
his theology, and here he graduated and received his
diploma as a preacher of the gospel. He mentions these
things for the encouragement of other young men similarly
circumstanced, and also to show, that mere human learning
is not the nine qua non, or absolute, indispensable condition,
of the Christian ministry .*
In addition to class meetings, he attended all the mean*
of grace i these often afforded him sweet glimpses of the
glory to be revealed, and increased in him the divine
drawings t>f the Holy Spirit. One of his besetments was
despondency, which often brought him into dryness and
heaviness, when he was ready to give up all for lost, and
conclude that either his day of gra^je was past, oir he was
a reprobate for whom no provisioh of mercy had been made.
These temptations would occur after he had given way to
some sin j and they were placed by the enemy as stumbling
-blocks or hinderances in the way by which he came to
a throne of grace. His experience at this time was a literW
• The writer of these lines would not be understood as pleading for
an Ignorant or iUiterate ininistrj ; he merely siiggeste above, what gaw
the first iitipulses to his own mind, and what hU ministry was in ii»
incipient stat«J, as the first budding of fuCure usefulness. For, althouga
be brieves the knowledge of God, of man, and of religion* as rewaiefl
In tiie scriptures, constitute the elements Ot a Christian ministry, hew
neTertheless sensible, that an accomplished preacher should posseai
general knowledge. He should cultivate and be acquainted with
grammar, logic, rhetoric, history, chronology, geography, astropomy,
cbeioistryi Ac. (dkOi
106
*,{
X
SKETQHBS Of
transcript 9f St. Pauls l/gal penitent, described iii the
seventh chapter pf^tho Ro/bans. His daily complaint was,
I'm li¥e a belplels eaptive sold ' I -
Under the po#er of lin:
I cannot do the i:ood I would.
Nor keef ttaVconscieace clean.
~r^ ^ T ^ My God, I cry with eyery breathy ^^ ^ ^^
For some Mind power to save, • !
To break the/yoke or sin and death.
And thus iWrnm the slave. ^
He found by sad experience that what he wished, and
longed, and desired to do, he could not, by reason of the
strong conruptioo of his nature, prohibited by the law,
S ■*""T'«*' »gi/ated and wrought up to an ungovem-
aWeftiry by the st/ong temptations of the devil. Thelaw
Of God appeared/ beautiful; the Uberty of Christii^s
*PP^^,»>f«'>f"»^theJoveline8sof religion, as exhibited
to his intellectual view, was desirable j he longed for pjj-
don, power, peace, victory and Salvation, and sometime^
appeared to be within grasp of them, at the<very mouth of
the qmet haven, when, alas ! some gust of ^rupt nature
blew ham out to sea, when, like the lord's %iples, he
seemed to labour in vain, for the seawrouf
tempestuous. Often was the following verse
of his sorrowfia and deeply^dejected heart :
Most wretched of all the 1<^ race,
My burthen unable to bear,
I yield to ndy utter disgrace/ .-
I plunjre in the gulf of despair :
Oh ! who from ibis intimate hell,
Tbis body of sin,sbnll set free ?
My fulness of evil <ixpel,
And save such a sinnef as me !
ighl
, and was
language
All
sin
%.
iis tihie he strove, withr all his power, to overcome
1 - -J ®"^®''^'^ l"fo several covtenants with God, which
be^wr^te dovyn with great strictness and formdity in
thes^he always promised greater watchfulness, self-denial,
^nd aevotedness to his service. To crucify the flesh, he
4
EARLY LIFE.
107
use<fl very little food, Jind that of the plainest kind j eating
his bread without l>uttcr, and drinking no sugar in his. tea;
•yet, in spite of all, he was Bometiincs borne away by the
violence and iuipctj^osity of temptation, which j)lungcd
him into great distress of soul, and brought upon liim
all the anguish of a broken spirit. After being overtaken
with sin h6 wdnld redouble his prayers, and, when not
visited for several days with the temptation, he congratulated
himself on having obtained the victory. A temporary peace
returned, and a reviving hope occasiqially gladdened his
heart. Sometimes the fear of dyinf in an unpardoned
State greatly agitated his mind, and often prevented his
falling asleep for fear ^f awaking in the eternal world.
Hour after hour has he lain weeping and waking, till,
unawares, " tired nature's sweet restorer, balmy sleep,"
has dropped her quietus upon the sorrows of his heart.
His greatest desire w\a to be more humble, more contrite,
morQ dead to the worfd. He was much j^j^ressed on
.account of the hardness 6f his heart, wandering thoughts
and occasional gusts of leVity, a sin to vrhich he' had been
much addicted from his infancy. AlaT ! he wanted to be
sanctified before he had any knowledge of the forgiveness
of sin. Owing to this capital mistake, which he is cotajjit
dent prevents thousands from coming to the Lord .f esud
Christ in the simplicity of htfmble reliance, h6 wandered
from the point, seldom praying directly for faith,jbut chiefly
for contrition, sometimes for love, and not unfir(?quently for
all the graces of the Holy Spirit. He had some latent
thoughts that his mind must be prepared in this manner
before he could Obtdn a sense of divine reconciliation ; he
had not aS yet learned all the divinity in those two lines :
«A11 the fitness he requireth, «*,-
■ Is to feel our need of him.
Perhaps this wm cowing to a refined principle of self*
righteousness, secretly wishing to do something in order to
merit salvation at the hands of God. This is a branch of
the pride of the cariial mind, which would rather buy salva-
1 ■ ' if
■9f"
108
SKBTcniBS oy
(J- :
I. . '
I ■
tlon at an impossible price than feceive it as the free gift
of (iod, throitffh the infinite merits of the bleeding Recon-
41or. This Hebrew, this Popish doctrine of huniau merit,
the Apostle Paul has minutely described and ably refuted
in his epistle to the Romans. Alas ! by how many plau-
Hible means does the grand adversary strive to lessen the
glory of the bleeding cross ! tarnish the lustre of a free,
full and present salvation, and divert the soul from the
gimplicity of the gospel, and the true path of life and peace !
Oh I my children, how much of the Pharisee is there in
every human heart ; in some the pride of reason, in others
the pride of virtue, is an insuperable barrier to the great
doctrine, " By grace are ye saved, through faith, and that
not of yourselves, it is the gift of God : not of works, lest
any man should boast." God, however, before he can
justify us freely, through the redemption that is in Christ
Jesus, must wither our gourd, blast the flower of proud
hope, take away the prop of self-dependance, strip us of
the gaudy covering of christless righteousness, stop the
boastingofpharasaical self-sufficiency, and bring the guilty,
abased, ashamed, blushing, self-despuring sinner, to the
foot of the cross, till he can say,
I owed thousands, aiid much more :
I did believe thnt I did Dothiog own, '^
-And liv'd occorilingly ; my creditor ^.
Believes so too, and lets me go. " ^ -
Your father, though long kept in bondage by the power
of unbelief, knew that he could behaved no other way than
by Christ alone, as a poor miserable sinner, guilty, help*
less and undone} he was hot, however, clear in the subject
of a present salvation, — ^this day, this honr, this nOw, this
ittoment. Sometimes he would kneel dowh to pray, under
the impression he should now get the blessing, but, after
waiting upon his knees a few minutes, something would
suggest, *' not now,** you aire not enough engaged, .defer it
till to-morrow, and then you may possibly obtain it. On
other occasions he has gone out into the fields ahd woods.
.r
BABLY LlfE,
109
;./
thinkinp^ that he should not be intemiptcd, mid iiii},'ht
there wrestle with God till he obtained the blcssliij.' ; hut
anon, a rustling among the bushes or trees umdc liiiu think
some person was near* and that he was ovcrheaid. Often
has he set apart particular nights for rciwling the word of
God and prayer, hoping before morning to have his soul
refreshed with a sense of pardon, hut growing drowsy upon
his knees he would desist, thiukiug that his prayers could
not be acceptable to God.
Yours affectionately.
LETTER SIXTEENTH.
3ftf dear Children,
There is no true religion, without " repentance towards
God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ." These are
usually preceded by such exercises of mind as your father
was now called to pass tlu-Ough. In short, without a deep
and full conviction of our lost and sinful state, we shall
never apply in good earnest to the God of Heaveu for
mercy. It is the sick alone who feels his wanlof a physi-
cian ; none but the lost will embrace a Saviour, The
condemned crimiuid longs for pardon, and the miserable
captive sighs for a jubilee ; Imt whenever did the careless,
the secure, the lukewarm, or the quiet mdralist apply to
Jesus ? " Save, Lord, or I perish," comes only from the
heiut smitten by the finger of God.
Heaven's bnlm alone by broken hearts « felt;
if etal is never moulded till it melt : !^
: ' The wax is soften'd ere the seal impre«s ;
True joy's precursor ever was distress :
Men sow the fruilfal seed, in soften'd ground.
And ere the balsam flowsj the tree tjiey wound :
The gospel cannot charnij the Spirit drawi
Till man has felt the lashes of the law.
God was leadingyour father by a way he had not known,
but it was a right way. He was teaching liiu by the briars
■M
■■«■■'
^ f
\
■,»-■'■
no
IRBtCHES 2*
and thorns of the wtlderneBi, that he mi^t be ible to com-
fort others by the comfoH wherewith he wu comforted of
God. Sometimes an unaccountable darkness and heaviness;^
would fall upon his spirits, and for a time he seemed to hot
8|kut up with Ginnt Despair in Doubting Castle. He dared
not look up to God for mercy.'-Hdl his prospects appeared
like a waste howlintf wilderness, over -which a dark sky
hung low and lowering, while the dismal whistling Want
thrilled with terror through his desponding mind*, Ht5 had
in this^tate no consolation left but tbla roflectron; that if bo
were sent to hell he would justify God in tKAiftjcp abyss
of everlasting woe. Undet these glooms he^^t many
sorrowful hours, and often at night feared to shut hf» eyes
le«t he should awake in everlasting torment. Ah ! if all
the deep exercises of his heart had been written during thin
restlew period, they would form a shady picture of lamen-
tation, mourning and woe. Fears, toa, that he had com-
mitted the unpardonable sin, would often deepen theglQOm
that surrounded his soul. These horrors were increased by
the natural workings of corrupt aifections and the powerful
teflsptations of the enemy. Often did the devil throw him
cfown and tare him : he stood like a lion in the w*, and
pursued his prey like an avenger of blood. Sometimes it
appeared as though the fiend was let loose on purpose to
tetppt him. O ! hoW was he buffctted during this dark and
on the waves of distress j
cloudy d
He
wept.
No voice diTioe the storm allay'd,
No ligbt propitious shone.
- ^ ti*Sve, he dreaded the tempter, he abhorred
himself, and would roll npon the < ground in an agony of
distress, making bitter lamentation^ynd half arraigning the
LoW. Athiestical thoughts would often rush into liis mind,
and suggest, " What if there be no God ! if religion be
a fible, and the Bible a romance !" But these were seldom
of jongcontinuance}. the Jjord mitigated the severity of the
temptations, and hope would revive ; and in the end he was
often melted into gracious tears. The language of his heart
^•a?. : ^ ^ '
•11
M
.#
Bf^;-' /.^ ■»;'■> ^- ■
i'.'v>;..
J,
EAALT ;.IFB.
Ill
}e able to eom-
8 comforted of
I and heavinaia;^
B seenked to bot
le. He dared
)ects appeared
ub a dark sky
irhistlinff blant
nindt, Ho had
th)nj that if bo
K^^idSl^p abyfln
ie„^^>ht many
• shut bfs- eyes
it. Ah! if all
ten during thin
:tare of lamen-
it he had com-
epen the glQOm
re increased by
d the powerful
evil thro,w hiin
[ the w|ir, and
Sometimes it
on purpose to
i{ this dark and
T, be abliorred
H an agony of
arraigning the
I into his mind,
if religion be
ic were seldom
severity of the
;he end he was
geof his heart
» "
Fatbrr, I BOW mjr lin roDfeti,
Tbe ontiM of all my tad diiirea
romiM^IIM at liiit to know :
*, '; HpoilM of my cnmn by itn I am } '
It tiirna my flory lato ihame,
_' ' - And evarlattlDg «oc^ ^ ^ -_ — ^
I fed ilw mpaninc of thi< paia*
To thru Agninvt niyp^lf complaio, /
My own dniiroyer I : '■
UnlnM thou tnke my lin awajTi
yulPM my bosom fo« tbou lUjf
1 faint, det«|)»ir, and die. ,
He still continued to attend all the means of grace, and ,
was on some occasions greatly comforted, but be Huldnm
beard the exercises of penitents dwelt upon with suthcient
minuteness ; and perhaps this is a fault in many preachersj
they are afraid of harping upon first principles j hence
they deal too much in generals. I^eaching on general
aubjects may have its particular uses, but certainly it is not
the best way ; a sermon of this kind may be all true, all
scriptural, all good, and yet not suit the case of a single
individuafi|i the congregation. Sermons should be striking
portraits of character taken from the life. The other is
the easiest way of preaching ; it requires little study, less
knowledge, and may be delivered without any experience
at all ; but who has any interest in it ? The believer looks ^
up ; bo has no share ; ^ it ^contains no portrait of the inward
life, no workings of the heart, no struggles, no actings of
faith, no leadings through Uie mazes bf dark dis][)ensation8 {
no accounts of fiery trial, and succour in the sinking
moment. The penitent has no share'; he is not pressed to
believe for a present salvation ; the nature of justifying
faith is not laid open; the' salvation by grace is not
insisted upon ; neither is the manner pointed out in which
God justifies the ungodly. The relapsed, the weak, the
; tempted, the desponding, the drooping, the per])lexed, are
often overlooked in such discourses. The sermon exhibits
a group of figures like nobody in the congregation ; the
mirror of truth is lifted up) but no one can see his moral
— — ^ — ^^— — La — — - — — — — —
"i-;.
)
I
112
■ KBTCIIBN or
fare in it. Notliing cun tic more (tiiicriininntiii|i( nn<l explicit
tliiiii th« Hcriptiire ; iiotlurig iimro vn^u and aiuhiguuua
than n tiling of thitt kind^ nillat n Hcrtiion.
SoirictiiiicH lie liunrd HiiiiicrH tuldrcNiicd, and at other
timCH MututH, hut he thimted tu hcur the uuturc of juHtify-
ing fuith cxplitincd, luid the litK-trino of a present iiiMi|>lo
rcliaiKC upon (Mirittt for inNtantaneoutt reniiHHiv)n of mm
unfolded. He read nil tho boukn he could got u|H)n the
Rulijcct, but few uflfordcd him such clear light and dawning
hopcH UH Mr. WcHley's First .(oiirnni, Mr. Fletcher's Appen-
dix to Matter of Fact, or his Knj-nest Address to Seekers
of Salvation. Mr. Wesley's Sermon on Justification by
Faitk Alone gave him great encouragement; it was from
reading this, he learned the absolute necessity of prayl^ng
continually for faith, until it should please (mxI to bestow
it for Christ's sake. The lives of Mr. Haliburtoii, of
Thomas Walsh, and John Nelson, vt^ero of great use to
liiin ; m also the lives of the early preachers inserted in
the Methodist Magazine ; and ho cannot but regret that
his fathers and brethren in the ministry have discontinued
furnishing for that valuable work a brief memoir of their
religious progress. In Christian life nothing is like detail \
the most minute things in the experience of God's people
arc interesting ;_ they lead uq into the arcana of hol^ living,
and form the 'hoc lights and shades oftlie believer's portrait,
on which wc love to dwell. jOn Wliitsunday, 1796, vour
father went to Manchester, to attend a love feast, w hero
he had an opportufiity of hearing that venerable man of God
Mr. Mftther, who is now in his Master's joy. Hc jpreached
from these words— '.' Do ye now believer* The sermon
was ^ndered a blessing to his Boal,' for his treatment of
the subject opened the history and mystery of faith more
fully to your parent's view than he hud be^re heard. ^ Ho
observed, in addressing himself to seekers of salvation by
faith, that the promise was sure and htcd^ast j that every
true penitent must necessarily sooner or later jfind the
blessing of pardon ; that wliatevcr fears he might feel of
dying in an unfotgiven state they were needless i- as God
^
r
y
y
■_/■*«• ■■ •«■-
\>., ■■
S.^:.
dlcss i. as God
■AILT Llfl.
lis
wonld cfrtiiinly givi them the dc>ir« of their hewt in the
mlvfttion of thi'ir soul. Your father felt graciou|ily^re«olyed
to seek till he found, although it sliould be till hw dying
inoineiit i' hia heart laid—
I'll wait, perhapl wy tOrd will coMMt; —"^ -^
in turn back, Ml U my doom :
^ If I wW flnil tlw ii«cr*l r<md, ,
I'll perUh crying oui for Uoit. '•"■*
J J But iurt-ly, LortI, It cannot b»», ^ ,
V A «oul «hoii)d iirrUhiet-klnic thaef a^
Whoever seek* nhVll iiurely ftitd ' -' '
The Friend awl Suvlotir of nmnklnd. '
In the afternoon of the name day. Mr. George Marsden,
who was on a viHit at Manchester, preached from—
" And who then is uilliug to consecrate his service
this day t<) the liord ?" This last sermon was no Icsi
.|»rofitalilc than the other j it gra«'iouHly fjirincd the
Hame of desire, and was truly a " word spoken in season."
After the service there was a love feast, at which many
spoke of the dealings of Ood with their souls, and testified
that Jehovah had blotted out their transgressions for.W8
dear Son's sake. But, alas ! your father's heart seemed " as
hard as the nether millstone }" hU darkness, inability and
dcspondjency increased ; it appeared as though he could,
ncitherj'epcnt, believe, nor come to Jesus. Nevertheless,
'^4n hope believing against hope," he determined never to
leavfe the chapel till mercy spoke his sins forgiven. The
meeting at length concluded, but he remained steady to his
puri>o8e, and continued in the gallery with a yoinig man,
his companion and class-rtiate. The time of dcliveraycfe
was now at hand } for, although the enemy raged and
rolled upon him like a flood/yet the " Spirit of the I.ortI
lifted up his standard against him," yonr father kneeled
down in the bottom of the pew, and, in an agony of soul,
began to wresUe witli God. Sttiic of the leaders, with
some pious females, «am)e into Ihc galleiy, and united in
interceding for him at a throne of grace : th? jnoie they
nayed. the more his distress and burthen iroiHscd. tiU
*•'-■
»<'■
''*!^
M
• 9
/ I
tl^
wm
\
• ./
t
114
SKBtCHES OP
finally he was nearly spentl} the sweat rah j[>ff him, his
bodily strength was exhausted, and he lay onthe floor of
the pew with little power td move. This, however, was
the moment of deliverence, arid God was intreated for him.
He heard no voice, he ^aw Nothing, but he f(;lt what no
tongue can ever describe ; a something seemed to rest upon
him like the presence of Ood that went through his
whole frame ; he sprang on hib feet, and felt he could lay
hold upon Christ by faith. \
From that blest jnoment a^ll emotions ee8«e»
'v / His troubled spirit found ai sudden peace } /
. ' As by a calm, t^e waves of grief gubsidei.
Impetuous 'passijoDs stop tbeir headlong tide.
The dark clouds of unjjelief vanished from his mind ; his
burthen fell oiBT, arid even his Wy body fejt the divine
influence. Then were his lips filled with pnises, and his
eyes with tears of grateful love, for he could jjow say—
; 'Tis love ! 'Ili love ! thou Wedst for me i
" I hear thy whispers In my heart :
The momitig breaks, the shadows flee,
- Pure universal love thou art :
To me, to all. thy bowels mq
* Thy nature and thy name is tove.
The scripture that made the deepest impression upon his
heart was, " Thy sins, which are niaiiy, are ill forgiven
thee." The friendb ' around lum united i|i the lLa»» £>eo,
and he returned home with a light Wart aridla eheerful
countenance. " His peace now flowed^ a rivei j " he had
delightful access toa throne of grace } Indeed | ^
Prayer hU divine employment \fas,
And all Bis pleasure praise.
As he was master of his own time, it ^as cus;omary for
him to pray in secret sixteen or eighteen times every day 5
drawing near to God was the element in\ wltich his soul
breathed. For some time the enemy wto as '^ still as
a stone," and when h^ presented a temptatibn, your father
instantly looked to the Lord Jesus, and tlie inare was
l\.
■ ■ if
EARLY LIPB.
115
brolceft. He had poAver over all sin } liis conscience was
80 tender, that be often feared to speak in company | ho
could hardly attend to lawful things without some nusgiviugs.
He felt un idle thought ns ndmiVwickminess,
Ami Kroan'd for the niinulest fniilt in exquisite di$tress>
to obviate the cavils of sceptics, sophists, and the incre-
dulous moralist, with regard to the change he felt, ^
(for by many this, as well as other branohes of spi-
ritual religion, has been called delusion and cnthusiasim)*
In the divine influence that opemted upojn his soul,
he heard no voice : a voice spoken to the ear docs
not always cuter the heait. Man speaks to the ear,
God has reserved to himself the prerogative of speaking
to the heart} and, when he does, " th0 still small
voice" is always felt within. He saw no similitude,
his eyes were shut, but the " light of life" slwnC upon his
heart; the "eyes of his understanding were! enlightened,
to know the hope of his calling, and what the-riches of the
. glory of Christ's inheritance in tha saints " ; The change
that took place was a spiritual, a divine agencyi acting upon
the powers of the soul, in a way iieculiar to it$elf. It was
real and sensible ; no flash, or mere impression upon the
fan6y. It was not a vibration of the nerves, no illusion of
the imaginatiQU, but a calin> sensible, internal feeling of the
peace, favour and approbation of Jehovah ; Jesus, now
become his covenant God and Saviour. It was super-
natural ; rising far above the level of mere reason and
animal sensation, and producing efl'ccts as dilTetent, as the
difference between spiritual and hunian agents. It was
heavenly : a birth from above ; a flame kindled at the
heavenly altar ; a stream of " the river which gladdens the
city of God." The new creation w'as manifested by new
moral beauties— love, joy, hope, peace, filial fear, delight in
Jesus, tender confidence, desire after closer commumon,
aAd fttller conformity ; and the language of the soul was—
AVbat now is my object and aim?
\yha| ijow is my Ixipe niii! desire ?
' ■ ' ~ : ifjj follow the heavenly Lamb,
/ And after his linage aspire.
,j^
-^xiik^-
00m
' .iK^Ji
116
BR ETCHES OP
'
»,<
;C-^i
A new kingdom of righteousness was planted in the heart ;
and Jesus, by the sceptre of love, and the law of truth and
reason, governed in his ^ew dominion. The renewedh^art
had a new mode of acting upon the life. God's love becartje
the ruling principle, his word the standard, and his glory
the end of each action. Your father would ask, is any
religion, that does not produce tltese fruits, wbrthy of the
gospel or its divine Author"? Can a religion, that does
not change the mind, heart and life, be acceptable to a heart
searching God? Moreover, is it not rational to belieye,
that the Almighty has as much power over his moral creation
as he hath over the ercmcntis ? , Cannot he, who biddeth
the winds to blow, refresh, with the gentle gales of his
Holy Spirit, the human heart ? He -who fills the spring
with vernal beauty, can fertilize and adorn man's moral
nature, and embellish it with the beauties of holiness. ^The
light of the sun is pleasant, but cannot "he, who com-
mandeth the light to shine out of darkness," illuminate the
benighted rnind ? If the roaring thunder and tenific
lightning^obey his voice, has he no power to awaken
man's guilty conscience ? How easily can he say to the
stormy ocean, "Peace, be still !" And is it harder to allay
the storm within.? He makes the earth fruitful,. he sendeth
genial showers, he pours upon it the solar fire ; and
cannot he sow the 8e(ids of eternal life in the barren soil
of man's heart j water them with " the dew of his bles-
sing," and bid the " Sun of Righteousness arise with
Jlealing in his wings ?" In a word, to deny God's power
over the hnman soul, is atliiestical j to suppose this power
unnecessary, argues ignorance and pride ; to deny the
necessity of a chahge of heart, gives the lie to God's holy
word } and to imagine the power mentioned above is never
applied for the purposes of effecting ^his change, is the
summit of ph^isaic blindness and self-sufficiency. But to
"the law and to the testimony"— " except ye be born
again ye can in n<^isc enter the kingdom of (5Jod," " Old
things must be done away, and all things become new."
A new creation ciust take place in the soul ; a passing
it
^•■$
\
,
"
• '
1
'
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t
1
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~t- "~."-;.v.
.J"
EAttLY LIFE.
117
ill the heart ;
r of truth and
enewed- heart
} love becartiie
and his glory
I ask, is any
krbrthy of the
)n, that does
ible to a heart
il to believe,
iioral creation
who biddeth
gales of his
Is the spring
man's moral
loliness. /I'he
le, who com-
Uuminate the
and tenific
' to awaken
le say to the
larder to allay
il,.he sendeth
ar Are ; and
c barren soil
r of his bles-
8 arise with
God's power
se this power
to deny the
;o God's holy
ibove is never
hange, is the
ncy. But to
t ye be born
God " "Old
iecomc new.'*
1 5 a passing
from darkness to illumination, from ^P'"t'«^\.ff ^^'^^^^^
spiritual life. We must be " translatcd^frmn Jj^ POWcr
of satan tt^4he kingdom and image of God s Je'^^«";
and from the bondage of sin to the frcedo"i of salvo^.oiu
And this change (although -"^^ f omes to his Makcr^n the
exercise of repentance, prayer and faith) can only be accom-
^^^ by the mighty energyoftl^^
, ,T-
LETTER SEVENTEENTH.
My dear ChUdreri, «
In order to shorten these letters, yf^r^er will t)M8^
over the experience of nearly two years, ^^ ^^^^'J"^ '^ *»®
drc|«nstances that first called him «/« * J« «?f «J^'*i"
ministry. From the earliest period of his t™gj^^«f;
he was impressed with a tender love and real concern tor
the souls if his fellow.creature8,.and his mind was often
drawn out in an inexpressible manner to plead with God
For poor sinners, insoLch that, while^heanng Bermo^> be
would often pray all the time that the Lord would b ess the
word, and render it effectual to the salvation of souls. At
rbSime, however, he had no distinct desire or im^--
upon his mind, either that he w^ then oj ^^5^,r^^^\^5
calledtoso arduous and honourable a vvork. Religion had
Smased his taste for reading, and his thirst for knowledge
keot pace with his piety, but this arose more from a mental
paTli:MtinLlt^atinghismind.than^
to ministerial preparation. It was his ^^^^'^^.f J^^^^J*
four o'clock in the morning to read, a«^> f ^^? .^^TJ
was tenacious, he seldom read in Vain He loved to intro-
Ze himself into the company of tl^ Fe^^J^s^ohear
their conversation, arid to catch a^»"^/^;5»^„*^\3^
pursue in the improvement of hij ^^'^^^^J^'S^J^^^^^^
deems it no small privilege that he lived at the house that
received them. Their communi^tions w.ere greatly bene. •
■f"
.'•II
118
8RETCIIG8 or
r;-
fieial to Ills mind, as he saw in their piety what Christian
ministers should iexhibit, an^ heard in their conversation
a pleasing mixture of the entertaining and instructive.
Messrs, Rhodes, Allen, PercivBl, and M'Donald were all
pleftsed^to take hint by the hand, 'and, with much con-
descension and kindness, promoted both his moral and
mental iniproveojcnt. At this lime, in coi^unction with
several other young men, he instituted a Sunday school in
the vilkge where hc^ resided, and, as he has mentioned
above, devoted himself tojthe instniction of the children ;
and this was Uie first germination of that minii^try,
..wjiich he hopes ha« not been unfruitful injthe Lord's
vtneyard. He alsp visited the surrounding villages
on a Sabbath evening to hold prayer meetings j in these
', exercises God blessed him in a peculiar manner. Some-
times he was constrained to give a word of exhortation to
-the simple country people, and ofien has God superadded
his blessing to the first lisping and l[)r0ken sentences of
• a feeble child. Sometimes the thought would steal into his
^ mind, " What> if the Lord should call you to preach the
everlasting gospel !" The idea would raise a painfully
pleasing sensation in his breast, as he. both feared and
desired that sufch an event might take place. He was
conscious of great unfitness for sudi a work^ and yet com-
forted with the desire he felt for the salvation of others.
From the first time that almighty mercy revealed himself
to his souij he was constrained to reprove sin in every
shaped I he also delighted to recommend that reli^on froni
which he himself derived So much happiness. He ofteq
wished for capacities equal to his will, and opportunities
correspondent io an ardent zeal for the glory of ^ the
Redeemer. He thought the whole World might be con -
•verted to God; fiay, it appeared to him but to speak, and
the pqwef of truth would affect thc'r hearts. His futh
Overlooked the obstacles in the way, and his, simplicity and
•ignorance did not allow him to enter, into all tlmt deceiv-^
ableness of unrightcoushess by which satan keeps posses-
sion of the human heart. Hence^ be wondered that the
eauly life>
J19
hat ChristiftR
conversation
1 instructive,
nald vvere all
li inuch con-
8 moral and
unction with
day school in
lis mentioned
the children ;
at minii^try,
1 Jthe Lord's
ling viliages
igs J in- these
luer. Soiiie-
xhortation to
I superadded
sentences of
steal iiito his
o preach the
B a painfully
ii feared ana
:e. He was
mdyet com-
}n of others.
;aled himself
sin in every
reli^on from
I. He oflteq
)ppk>rtunities
;lory of > the
ight be' con-
speak, aqd
i. HisjflBdth
mplicity and
tlmt deceiv-*
eeps posses-
ed that the
■
ministers and people of God had not more faith and zeal j
and, though he qften met with rebuffs when in the simplicity
of his heart he vCished to persuade a refractory sinner, yet he
had not then learned how difficult it is to convert a sinner
fromthe error of his way : that a " Paul may plant and ApoUos
water, bpt God giveththe increase." Sometimes he thought
God had a design to employ him in preaching the everlast-
ing gospel, and this impression was always the naost vivid
when he felt any livriy inanifestatiotis of divine love.
Perhaps other pious young men Jeel the saipft emotions of
mindi but they can only be considered as divine intimations
of a call to the ministry, when they are found in fellowship
with true piety, useful talents, the general consent of the >
people of God, nnd^ above all, such openings of divine
Providence as make the waypRun to that line of duty.
How far ypttr father fvas tight ip thinking himself Called
to this office, (Others Wl judge, and the day of judgment
will determine, ja^ was not thjust but j he did not go
against his owi^Tllr So fijr was this from being the c^se,
that every'facul* of his soul was predisposed to the work,
and day and night the idea was present to his mind. If he
walked in the fields, by the river Side, or along the banks
olf a cand, all his thoughts were taken up with preaching.
; Id these solitai7 walks, where no one could see or. hear
him, he would choose his text, arrange his ideas; select his
^ . proofs/and divide his subject. Here, too, he would walk
and preach without 'one single auditor, but th6 beauty or
the wildness of nature, the rocks, the trees, and the sur-
rounding scenery. Your father had few books upon the
pas,toral office ; nor was hip indebted to any human drilling
to te!\ch hiln the ministerial exercise. He read the wdrd of
God, aiid hid its preciou| truths in his hewt. His predo-
rninant desire was Iwliuess, and the prospect of .this shed
• ahalp of sacred glory, round the ministry j of aU things it
': appeared the most desirable, jm intimately connected with
devotedoess to God j And this was one of the principle
motives that actuated the ihind of your parent, aind not
^* ** but me into the miaistry that I might eat a. morsel of
"v
■•If
'■r
:'■'■'':< ^/'''::: "'■
■■■>•'
u
;;■;;:•■•, ..
1.
....—m'^ ■% H
SKETCHES
<t.
OF
brc^d/' He (|c8ircd it as a holy cmpljoyment j he should
be ahvays serving God. "Blessed arc they that 'dwell in
tliy house, tltey will be still praising ttwue. One thing
have I desired! of the Jjord, that<wiU lecek after, that I
may dwell in the house of tlMB Lord all the days of my life,
to behold the ^beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his
tenfplc." 2. As a delightful cinpioyinent ; " how amiable
are thy tabernacles, O Lord of Hosts, ft)ir a day spent in
thyctmrts is better than a thousand ; 1 had rather be
a door-keqier in the house of uiy God, than to dwell in the '
tents of wickedness." 3. As an honourable employment ;
'' unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this
grace given, to^ueach unto i^he Gentiles the uuscardiable
riches of CJhrist." 4. As a useful province t serving his
geiteratiou, and going about doing good, in his then frame
of miud, seemed the o^ly things worth living for. ;
N^D the toml» we pine to dwell, .,
ONWI^ ihe darl^ moDttstic cell,
/ ' Bjv'vows ami |rratek confin'd ; , . ,
■'':. Freely to all ourselves we give, ■"
Constrained by Jesiis' love to live
The Mlrvants of mankind. , ' '
5/' As a means of acquiring knowledgCfend improving hid
jintellectual powecg,- He had. already llegtifn to taste the
/sweetness of know'ledge, and found that Inreligion the trefe
of lifg and knowledge grow near each other, but he had only ■
got a n^orsel; and this made, him lon^ after more; He
wanted to prove what Cd^d Bacon ha8;80 ju^ observed,
that "reding maketh a\ full man, iconferattce a ready
man, and writing an ex;act lUn. llistories mal^ men wi^e^
poets, wftty J the mathematics, subtle; natural philosophy,
iJeep J moral, gr^ve j logic &nd rhetoric, able t6«c6Btend.
Abeunt ttudia in mores. Nsiy, there is no stand or impe- •
dimciit in'the wit, but may be wrought out by fU studies."
The ministry appeared more congenial than any thing else
ill the whole world ; he wished to enjdy greater opporti^^
nities of study, reading and improvement. Moreover that
lie should jt^e favoured with the conversation of the "wise
i
/■
• / '
nt ; he should
1
lARLY LIPE.
121
■nd good, and be more abstracted from thlf nrprld than
he could possibly be in any of her situation. The ministers
of Christ appeared to him as the excellent of the earth ; as
men of another sphere. ■ He believed that they were always
happy who were thus sweetly engaged in the service of
God; that they rarely felt temptation; that, as they
were officially, so they must necessarily be hdly j and ,
hence were delivered from the fatal liability of going ^tray ;
and, being so hedged about with grace and duty, tlief Could
not easily deviate from their Christian course. He could
not then %!ven imagine that a true preacher of the goG^el
could become formal in duty, or that the constant service
of God migliti without, much watchfulness, prayer and
vitality, be rendered trite, uninteresting, and sometimes
even irksome to him ■ that God might give hiin help9 as
a minister, for the good of his church, distinct from his
piety, and which he ought by no means to plac6 to the-
account of liis personal graces. He did not for a- moment
believe,' that a messenger of trui;^ might, from^various
causes connected with the discharge of his duty, become
the victim of dejection and melancholy ; and that, fron^ the
irritability of his nek-vQus system, occasioned by study, the '
most morbid depression might prey upon hissiriiits ; much
less did he imagine, that he would rhave to pi/each icom-
, fprt to others, and yet fed little himself ; I encourage
others, while (Kscouraged in ms bwii mind ; pfciach gainst
all kinds of sin and enforce all Ol)fistian dimities, under
% consciousness of great personal defection ; ijkiculcate the
necessity of fervency, zeal, and liveliness in reli^on,vwhile
lie himself were lamenting his own coldness, formality and'
barrenness.' These thing;; your father has 8in<ie learned by
punful experience; for, had he been as sensible of their
operation then as he is at present; lie would probably have .'
declined all thoughts relative to pi-eaching the ^vermsting[
gospel. ^ How wisely Icihd is the Lord to ^eep our, trials
out of sight tiir we are fitted to bear them, and to-hMe our
difficulti'es, lest they should deter us firom our duty;!
, ^ As opportunity' offered^ yonr fatlie^^^uently extiorted^ •
^ ■..■■.' . ■ ■■* . xf* .. r ■ ■ . ■ h
r
; . ./ ■
' A
■•-■,»• . . ■ *
f:
in
I I
'ii
■t
!'
11
».\'
.1-
SKETCHES OF
proved Id public, ftnd held prayer meetings. These prcfM^-
ratory m^ans have made more faithful preachers of the
gospel than all the dry or luscious heathen books ever yet
read. The minister of Christ should be a man of God, well
read in the Holy Scriptures, of good common sense (for
what will uncommon avair among common" people ?) he
shoidd be apt to teach* and diligent to learn ; -
^
For 'til not whetb^r he can logic cuu|>.
Define a broom, pbilotophiie A mop ;
* The sweetest' eupbMiy, the ■mootbest styltft
* That eVr wm po^ft'd by the critic's file,
Csniiey revive the heart, supply tbe need,
IVben ^e have binds and labourers to feed.
Science is cbarming with religion join'd ;
/ It brightens talent^ beaiiti&es tbe ittind.
Apart from that, 'tis a jack-lantern guide.
The moth of lowliness, the Burse of pride.
., Can famish'd sinners t««d on latin scrnps ?
21|7bo catches aoub, must better bait his triips. .
Tie man who edifies uh hungry flock,
> Should find a richer field than Me lute ^oc
Will an encyclopaedia in his head
Convert a soul to faith and morals dead ?
Are spheres and anglte, cubes and squares hkin
', Ta faith and hope, and love, and rest from sin ?
At science, learning, study, none should sneer ; \ , ' . *"
-, But sore they're not tll>9 one thing needful here. • *
Your father had none of them, and yet it pleased theLord
to bless his simple epdeayonrs, and to make him tl^e feeble "
instrument of awakening severaA persons to a conviction of
their lost estate, which finally encoiu^ed hini to proceed ,
still further,' as the Lord made the path plain. ' Several pioua
aged females had often said that he would be a preacher ;
and, though nothing was more unlikely, as far as mere
human probaWUty was concerned, yet the hindenmces were
gradually removed outof his way, and a growing conviction^
impressed his mind that something of this kind was his duty.
He dare not, indeed, as candidates for holy orders in the
cii-cU of the venerable establishment say, " That te vvas
iu
:'!ir"-
!*'
^a..
These prepay-
eachoTS of the
books ever yet
aaof God, well
fxon sense (for
1° people ?) -he
fd. —
\
9.
iriips. >
?
>8 nkin
Dm sid ?
sneer ; \ ,
ul here.
pleased tKeLord
[e him the feeble'
o a conviction of
hini to proceed ,
iv Several pioaii
L be a preacher ;
as far as mere
liniierances '^^^^
oviring contictiou ^
jnd was his daty.
[>ly orders in the
," That he was
"V, ,■
■■/■■)'
JSAniiY tIFE.
I
/
■'■,v
■, V.
' •■ 'v.;
^
moV^d by the Holy Ghost to ^ake upon him this ofl&ce.** ^:
This is, iudeed, a m<>8t bold and apostolic avowal and none ; ,
should presume to malce it unless his credentials are very ^
clear, and his chll to the ministry as satisftictory as the
nature of the subject will admit ; for what our great poet
apj»lies t^the magisterial office, will, lyith equal weight,
bear upon the miimterial : .
He ^^ the sword of heaven Mrould bear, ,^
SjijyiU be ai hoiy OS seveiO ; . \^,
. ^tem In himself to know, '
Ornce to sittnd nnd virtue go I
jviore or less to others piiyiog^
. Than by self-offencek weighing. ' '
Shame to him whose cruel striking; .
KiilA fbr faults of his own liking! '
'Twere treble shame in Aogelo, I ' , ,•
* (l To weed my vicCf and let his grcte !
• J Q, what may man within him bide»
Though angel' on the outward side! /
The ihinister of Jesus should make his call to this great work
.evident,, by pureiMJM, by knowledge, by kindness,' by the
Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, by the power of^od, by ♦
the^ armour of righteousness on the right hand aira on tile
left. When your father first entered the pulpit/ it was
tlurough the artifice of a local preacher, whpina'Certain
degree forced Iduj intQ the necessity of be^nning this desi=-
rable work perhaps sooner than would otherwise have been
the case. His text was hq/a Numbers xxiT; 38, " The
. word that God puttcth ip my mouth that shall I sp^. ' ■
TWa! first essay was with fear and/'tretnbling, and was one
of the greatest exercises of bis fortitude and firmness
he was ever before called to jmbs through. He trembled ,
BO much that* he had to hold feat by the ynlpit, Ind, =
although he w^ not by any means .confounded, yet the ;
trial was so great,- that he resolved fro^ that time to ;
preach no more. The word of God was, howeyer, a^fire
in his bones, .and it was n6t long before he agun ventured -,_^^
to make another trial. H8 spenlf much time, previous to ; //
the service, in wrestling with God for his blessing and /
'':>...-. .^ -.vm % \ . ..' ': ■■;■■:■ --■,
l\r
I
"*.r
Mi
. I
:/^i-
>*'
t
n
1S4 SKETCIIEfl 0»
divine Msistanco on this occaniph. He had to npeak
before many mne, aged and deeply experienced Christiani,
and, bleeaed be the ni)ine of the Lord, he hm powcrfally
assisted to prcncih Clirist as man's " wisdom, righteous-
ness, sanctifi€)iti4in and redemption." If ever he spoke
with the Holy Ghost sent down from above, it waa on tills
occasion. There was an uncommon movement and scarcely
a dry eye in the chapel. Though not yet admitted among
his brethren, he had now invitatiirns to many places, and
the work of God was his study and, delight. He gav6 .
Iiimself more and ntoi-Q to reading and meditation, aiKdtltei
language of his heart Was— /
Furniib'd ont of tbjr treaiiiry,.
.' O may we nlwnyii lyady MniW!,
To help the TOuls redeem'd by tbee,
• In whut their varioiMi »tni«i d^^mand ;
To teacbf convince, coritoi, repjrove.
Aim) build tbem up in holiest love.
Of books or jCommentaries on the ■ Scripture he had very
few ;/ his BiW^ waa indeed a library. This and his con-
cordance Vl'ere his secret companions in writing and pre-
Earing' the outlines of what he committed to. memory in
it. preparatory studies for the pulpit, where prayer and
experience were his only mentors, and the good of others
(and not elegant criticism or fine speeches) his only object.
He sooa, however, found, that preaching the gospel is one
of the most arduous and difi&tult things in the world j for,
although human leaniitiig cannot teach Christian experience j
nor supply 7eal and gracious feeling, it nevertheless is of
infinite service to a Gliristiaw ministry. Ignorance and
simplicity are poor expositors of the word of God, as th6
following anecdote will attest. A worthy brother in the
United States of America, of what "denomination your
father will be silent, would nefeds become the apologist for
an ignoifant and illiterate ministry, and, in the progress of
his discourse observed, that eyen Paul himself was a very
illiterate man, for, l»ying beeii brought up at the feet of
fiAfnatiel, a very highm^ntaitth Judea, he had possessed
but few meaj i is of info r mation ! /' — Your - s off c ctioqat c ly. —
■/:"
*"•
/ ■ ■ ■■■ ■/:. ■
EARLY LIFE.
LETTER EIGHTEENTH.
m
My dear Children, /
/■ Tlie ago in which we now live is perhaps as ranch too
critical and nice as our forefathers* were too plain and
homely ; many people have no mercy upon the Blips and
palpit blunders of a mosMsnger of God. Each word is
sifted J each sentence is wire-drawn ; each foible is mag-
nified. With many, tnsfc, eloquence and oratory are
become the order of the tflay. We mast not only have
good things, but they must be well garnished. With these,
it is not simplicity and zeal that will Bufflce j they must
have flowers* beauties, criticisms.
/Ask them to beoT nn hoDwt worthy man,
/■■ LIkB N«lson, weddeil to, the gotpel plan ;
Plain, simple, unndorn'd, or rudo Jn H>e«h ; ^
■ / ■ He preach the gosp^ I No, he canQot preach,"
So vulKar, coarse, inelegant and rough ;
/ Would any mrtn of sens? go hear such stuflfl
B"^ g's «weet chastity and classic en«e.
Or N— — n'» rare rhetoric power* may please, ';
Or W—-wD't lofty elegance may cbarm.
Or B—- — n*« Are, wern be alive, might warm.
But truth must borrow flowers' to make it fine,
. ' Aud Paul in tuUy'a classic toga shim. \
Your father would not plead for either an illiterat^, blun-
dering or incompetent ministry, but where good gWel is
delivered with good sense, though the language may IrtMim-
ple, rough and sometimes inelegant, the manner unpolished, .
and the mode of delivery awkward and nnpleasing, we should
neither undervalue nor despist^ such • a minister. God's,
altars were formerly built of rough stbue") his power dis-
played by the sound of rams' horns, and the richest
treasure deposited in earthen ve^s^s^
Although what your father lias swd ^ove applies to many
critical persons, both among us and others, he would in
justice^ however, to the Methodist congregations and
societies say, that they are more solicitous^out piety
than great and splendid abilities j and mpbterisd /cal.
/
:/■ ■:
■'■'\
'0-
!
it
I
ill
r
11
126
IKBTCilEI Of
faithfulncAfl and (UliKoncc arc more prized by most of them
than ciirioim litl'rury HttaiiiiiicntH. 1 hoy love tlicir iniiUHters
to l>ti mTulile, men of i(ood Nound Hcnftc/nfTectionato and Hiia-
ple : of plain, easy manners^ and deeply licvoted to tlic work
of uod, A flanhv. ipniM, finical preacher qoes not plcaso
them ^ om who Ml more Hoticitnus to hIiow^J hi^ fine parts
and pretty Hiiiiilies than to urge needful truthn upon tl{0
conHciences of liiit hearers. A political minister does not
please them. For the twenty-five years your father lia»
been actpiainted with Methodism, ho never knew or
heard of one of this kind that did not loose Ixtth his own
popularity and the people's confidence j neither do they
admire any thing about their pastors that is fine, quaint or
faHliionahle
Having made thcic few remarks, your father will proceed
to the subject of these letters. The preachers upon the
circuit greatly encouraged him in the work of (Jod, and took
him by the hand, giving mm such advice as was judiciously
applicable to hi» case ; ami he cannot, without aflcctionatu
gratitude, reflect upon their great coadcaccusio/n and fatherly
car«. A less R(rccti(»itite coudnct on their pmirt might have
nipped in the bud his eofly ministry, and might have utterly
destroyed the promise of future usefulness. He had a few
qualifications and many deficiencies ; he hail an ardent loVe
for souls ; he was hiqipy in the favour of God ; he had
a constant thirst after knowledge ; he felt in his heart thft
power of vital religion, in tender contrition, faith in J^sus,
power over sin, humility and patience, watchfulness anif '
prayei', and the evening practice of self-examination ha to
how he had spent the day. He had no idle moments ;
vitMlting tbe sick, reading his Bible, attending the means of
^acOj ocmpted all his spare time. To counterbalaijce
these, he was considerably ignorant of the world and /of
men j he was but young in the ways of God, and un^-
quainted with the great controversies in the church. Of
Latin, Gieek and Hebrew he knew nottiing. Hence yoti
will be ready to ask, what were his materials and qualifi-
cations for the ministry } The following is an inventor^^
.^.
lAllLY I.IFB.
127
cthtn hdiaH (itock in Kimd : Ik; IiimI a niitiiriil clonition, iiml
could cxprcsH liiiiiHelf Vciwlily ii|M>n any Hiijytut In- imdcr^
•tomi } lie Imd also anjuircd cou»i<Ural>lii kiH)\vIcdjj;c of tire
Holy ScriiitiircM j thi>v were lii« comfort l»y day and Iiih song
ill tbe Mght \ fw, nltlioiiKlv lio went seven or ei{<l»t ycarH to
Bcliool, lie had hcnrly loHt all the advniltiif^o of that prj-imi,
by not continuing to cultivate wliftt lie tlien learned. Tlius
his bank of knowledge containcfl bnt a Blender Ktock, but
(ioddid not dcMpise the /lay of Hinall tliingH, Had yo«r
father spent hcvcii or eight veftrH at one of tlio iiuiverHities )
had he stored lii» mind with all the elegancies of the heathen
poets J had he nndcrHtood the most profound the<MoiiiH in
the inBthciiiatics ; had ho learned to chop lo||ic with tlto
greatest posHiblc sniitlcty, then he mij(h||«^e coafid forth— i
what ? An able minister of the New Tcstaineiit ? Ahw !
his vain mind might have been puffer! up fco make a noiiriHli
and a pwfldc of his airy attainmenta, Imt without »olid piety
wouhl he have been a Hingle i(»ta aiore comi>etent to preach
the everhisting ggspeU lie kiew by htti»i»y experience
VVImt KOipp bWM)iis sniiy not '.(pow,
" TImt nerii' lure i*i flw'^ only cun" for woe.
He was ac»piainte«l with the doctrines of tlie gospel, in their
noblest resijUa of renewing the heart and regulating the life.
He was awpiainted with the doctrine of human depravity,
^r he felt himself to be a poor |)oUuted creature. Hence
lie had not to take a book from the shelf and lenrn, that
man, though possessed of nn iminortul inteHcet, is a poor,
blind, fallen, wretched, inisernble and (w ithoiit divine
grace) helpless sinner. The new covenant nnfbhlcd to hini
the great scheme of redemption in all itft^ bearings 'up<m
a lost race ; by happy experience lie \»^it8 tanght God's
method of saving sinnprs by faith in the atonement of his
Son a faith wrought by the power df his Spirit, operating
in the way of self^-renunciation, a^id humble and cordial
^ reliance upoii the Lamb of God. He knew the nature pf
repentance, for he had. forsaken siin, and hated its very
»pi>earauce. That wp are Justified by dimple faith he w<iU
■*•■>
'-M
'/
/•"
12a
iKETCHES OF
knewj for he had the inward evidence, id peace with God,
power over sin, and delightful access to a throne of grace.
' The doctrine of regeneration had its voucherls both in his
heart atid life ; old things i^ere done away ; old sin, igno-
rance, dai'kness, enmity, misery and guilt were fled, and
: / ' new light, life, love and sweetness were diffused through
his soul. In a word, if the love of God be the essence of
rcligioni, that was ahed abroad in his he»rt. Thus he had
-substajbitially a tiody of divinity' in his own experience, and
;, could si»y, " what our hands have handled of the good word-^
L— ^:C-., ■-/ of life, that declare M'e unto you." He had not to exclaim
with the poet-r-^ \ •
How 8binll\ I teach the world tby (craref
,jT'r /•" / Uncbttni^'d my benrt, unloos'd my tongue |
/' Givn me to prove tbe power of fnitb,
/ . V And Jesus sbnil be nil my soDg^.
Your father was^ however, well aware; that though wis- •
dom is the soul of the ministry, yet knowledge is also
useful in teaching what others have said and written. To
this end h^ read, in addition to his Bible, tlie'workfof
- several pious divines, such as Baxter, Wesley, Fletcher
and Watts } from these he received daily augmentations of
knowledge. A thirst after information, induced liim to dip .
into every thing within his reach, hence he acquired a
general knowledge of grammar, history, geography, trigo-
nometry, geoiSetry, astronomy and the Bellea Lettre|ii^
' \ Having a good memory, he stored it with a number of
passages and texts from the Holy Scriptures; upon select
subjects also, with various pieces from Young, Milton,
Cttnper, Watts, Wesley and other, poets. He sometimes
wrote down short outlines of sermons, and often treasured
up the heads of those he heard in his memory. He also
accustomed himself to repeat large parts of the discourses
he heard from the best preachers he iattended/ Some may
say, all this was mere hutnan preparation. Was not you
,'u^,'' thrust out, and compelled to go and call sinners to rcpcn-
i tance? To this your father Would reply, th.it he never
' was a convert to the doctrine, that man is a mere machine
-.-»
^"
eauly life.
129
eithef in his Christian or ministerial call He does not
believe, that the parallel will hold good betvi ecn a minister
of the gospel now a days and the prophets Moses or
Jeremiah. They had both of them very peculiar reasons
for wishing to decline. The one had to tell a proud and
impious king the most unpleasant things, and the other to
prophesy, in the ear of a wicked and hardened people, the
destruction of their favourite city and temple. Jonah -had
also sufficient reasons in flying from NineVah, but itjs
hardly fair to cite the*e as cases in point. Our venerable
father lays down no such standard as tliat a roan must, nay
ought to be thrust out agamst his will. There have no
doubt been instances in which men of ^trong minds have
suffered much from opposing a powerful impulse. ,1 he
burden of the Lord has been laid upon them, and, m
struKgUni? to disengage themselves from it, they nave
pierced themselves through with •many sonows. But
more generally those called of God to this blessed work,
follow the openings of Providence ; and as Uie love of
Christ constrains, opportunity flfers, judgment prompts,
and abilities qualify, first, reprove ; secondly, extract j
thirdly, preach ] and fourthly, give themselves up to the
work of the ministry. I^ they be good men and aim^ at
the honour of God, he wiU attend his word with a bl»Mnff
. toothers} but in all this ther^ is no «>mpuls«on. ^ 1 he
Almighty constrains no man /iotir veribu^J \vith all his
might. Ilence some of those bWthren, who have written
and spoken upon this subject, have not sufficiently qualified
their observations with regard to themselves. It might
• appear that they were compelled, but their own experience
shSuld never be laid down as a standard, lest others who
have not this thrusting out, compelling call, ^should be
disLraged. Dut to return, he now felt an ardent de ire
^d«vot^ himself more fully to the work of the^nims^ry
and also a wish that the Lord might open the way o
caiTy the gospel into foreign parts. He, however, told no
one^is iuteiition. but pondered the matter over in >is
heart, and made it a matter of constant prayer. IImj
■^
ISO
flk ETCHES OP
■ ' *
DD^i^ious were at that time only in their infancy : like
a plant in the desert they stood alone. One angel of
mercy alone was indefatigable in their behalf. He carefully
nursed and watched over the sickly infant,when>nnpfotected
and an orphan, it most needed support. Tlw conference
had then only two missions under its patrdnage, the West
Indies and British North America. In the last, although
a country of vast extent and importance, \ve had only four
missionaries, a circumstanc6 which induced Mr. William
Black, to come over to England, and solicit from the con-
ference, and their zealous agent, the Rev. Dr. Coke, afresh
supply. Your father hearing of this circumstance, without
^conferring with flesh, and blood, wrote to Mr. Black, wid
offered himself to go with him to British America ; and
this he deliberately preferred to any other line of service
in the Lord's vineyaid. -
He had passed the March quarter-day as elij^Ie to
travel in England, should the conference need young men.
God, however, inclined his heart towai-ds, missionary work,
which, Mthongh, for fourteen years spent abroad, it sub-
jected him to many dangers, hardships and privations, yet
it ever was th6 delight o{ his heart. It is true he Was but
young and inexperienced for such' a vast and arduous
•phere of labours, but he knew \rficre his help lay, and
that the Lord of the harvest could'supply him with vi isdoin,
courage, prudence, patience and fortitude for the great
work; and, as his sufiiciency was of the Lord, he was
confident Jie would prtipare the bark for the storm and the
soldier for tlie battle. His ardent desire was to be useful,
and he wished for a field in ii'liich his abilities'might be
hoth well employed and fully employed. His great object,
was} neither honour, case nor riches, but the. .salvation of
perishing men, and those in foreign pwts seemed to have
the greatest title to his compassion. He knew that many
would always be ready to supply the homework, who
niiglit not feel' disponed to go abroad. «Me thought that
.amission rcfjvired fewer nihilities, mul might be supplied .
with a uKui of less talents than the work at-home dem-:uded.
tfjEincy: like
ne angel of
He carefally
unprotected
3 conference
B, the West
it, dthongb
id only four
VIr. William
am the con -
!oke, afresh
tee, without
Black, uid
lerica; and
B of service
elij^le to
young men.
)nary work,
>ad, it sub-
vations, yet
he Was but
ad arduous
Ip lay, and
ith M iiidoin,
r the greal"
rd, he was
rm and the
> be useful,
!s' might be
jreat object,
salvation of
3d to have
' that many
work, who
idught tlml
l>e supjilied .
dem';iided.
BABLII MPE. ' iSl
In this last supposition he was in an error; he is now
fiiHy persuaded that able nifissionaries are the only persons
who should be sent abroad. Had they nothing to dojbnt
address, a few illiterate blacks, the case would be wiany
different ; though even then, it is ddubtfid whether it d^
not require some* skill t9 come down to thoir level, and
some considerable abiUtji^tb deal with the most peculiar
people in the ivorld.- ,,J|y^inissionary has frequently to
preach liefQre^rs6ns^HB^i^iiig> talents and respect-
ability, with whom th^Htflllllso sometimes to converse,
to answer their qucstibnsy obtiafte their objections and ,
refute their arguments. A missionary t6 a %eign land '
requires a competent knewledg^ of the world a^ mankind,
"not as seen through the medium of books, but actual
observation ^4ind exp^ence. Many people abroad, till
they ai^ better informed, think the Methodists mete Goths
in knowledge, an4 downright enthusiasts with regard to
religion J and why should we wonder, seeing that only
a few years ago the same opinions prevailed in England.
A missionary has to -mix, on different occasions, with men
who have travelled, who are possessed^of various informa-
tion, some learning, and frequently great acuteness. To
such, an uniiiformed missiontffy woujd be a laughing stock,
a discredit to his sacred office, and a disgrace to the body
who sent him abroad. He would be as often nonplussed _
as a Tcspectable doc^r your father knew in the Somers
Islands, who, when s^ed by two ladies at a house where
he visited, what was the meaning of the sun entering
Aries J putting on a very grave countenance and pausing
for a few seconds, rralied, " that he • supposed Aries was
some cross plinet of Venus." But, to return, your father
was appointed by the inference of 1800 to ^o out as «:
missionary to JCorth America, after taking a Memnand
affectionate leave of his friends, and partical8)ny of his,
widowed mother, who, in the excess of her grief, said she
would rather follow him to the grave. Alas ! he never
. more saw that affectionate parent whom he was then, by
a strong sense of duty to God and conscience, obliged to
f> 4
** -\'
w wy i I U i» «» l''
».
I.:
•-^^
132
8KSTCIIES, ETC.
disobey > f6rwthp86 words jKj^re strongly iqipressc^d upon,
)iis jpind ; " he that lovethlather c^ riiother more than uie^
is silt worthy of mc."-^ Ah ! it was a time to try, his soul,
30 bitter was his grief atpalting, ibr he was an only^lon-;
ttilt he bad counted th^ cost ; and, though the" trial over-
whelmed him wftk distress, and brought a glopm and con-
tinual, heaviness upon his spirits, he did not sink, but < ,
ttastea to Liverpool to makis ready F(ir his departure,
#he1ace he sailed on the ^4tfa of August, 1800^ forj^fax, *
in North America^^Tlms having brought his Sketches
down to the f 2d. year of his tge, h4, bids you adieu for .
the present, an$ remains ^ '
Your wrer, affectionate father.
*. f
JOSHUA aIaRSDEX.
Wlf^LIAM ROSS, PRINTER,
Bou'lallay-Ijtnt, Hull,
T
4
,>
ijj'
\*
u.
iS^i'
ppressQi) upon,
more than iiie^
to try, his soul,
18 an onIy'V>n-; .
the trial over-
[loom and con-
not sink, but < ,
his departure,
K), forjMitax, '
his Sketches -
I you adieu for
'athcr,
aIarsdex.
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