BX 9225 .W235 D36 1837 
 Danforth, Joshua N. 1798- 
 
 1861. 
 Memoir of William C. Walton 
 
MEMOIR 
 
 WILLIAM C. WALTON 
 
rjf J^fh^cG^ 
 
MEMOIR 
 
 WILLIAM C. WALTON, 
 
 LATE TASTOR OF THE 
 
 SECOND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 
 
 IN ALEXANDRIA, D. C. 
 
 THE FREE CHURCH IN HARTFORD, CONN. 
 
 BY 
 
 JOSHUA N.'DANFORTH. 
 
 " I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears. " — Paul. 
 
 "Virginia gave him birth ; Columbia a home ; New England a grave; Heaven 
 
 an everlasting rest." — Monumental inscription. 
 
 HARTFORD. 
 DANIEL BURGESS AND CO 
 
 NEW YORK. 
 
 JOHN S. TAYLOR. 
 1837. 
 
Entered 
 according to Act of Congress, in the year 1837, by 
 
 DANIEL BURGESS AND CO. 
 
 in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Connecticut. 
 
 Printed by 
 CASE, TIFFANY & CO. 
 Hartford, Conn. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Walton's birth— Character of his father— Examples set him— Dancing— Sent 
 to School — Narrow escapes — The old colored woman — Anecdote — Banyan — 
 Attends family prayer for the first time — Sent to school ai Moorefield — An absurd 
 maxim — A singular attack of illness — His rapid Improvement — Interposition of 
 Providenct — Enters on a new scene — In the mil 1st of a host of temptations — Influ- 
 ence of female society — Tiro grace of God preserves him — Hears his first sermon 
 in his sixteenth year— An expedient tor improvement — Leaves Frankfort for Win- 
 chester. 13—34 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 His first convictions — He Btifles them— Guilt and tolly of Dancing— Plays cards 
 on the Sabbatll — Awakened under a sermon by a Methodist preacher — The points 
 
 of that sermon — A description of Ms feelings — nis distress continues — Though 
 
 without submission — Reads different I ks — His self-righteous spirit — Rises at 
 
 night and prays — Anxiety about uniting with the church — Reveals his feelings — 
 Change of views — His faith confirmed — The atonement — Severe temptations — 
 Sources of relief — A characteristic of Pascal— Remark of Robert Hall — His desire 
 for the ministry — Gives up all for it — Providence interposes and meets him — His 
 timidity in early life— His decision and boldness in later life— Personal fidelity — 
 Sent to Hampden Sydney — Anecdote — The misery of diffidence — Overcome by 
 grace — Being dead, he yet spcaketk. 25 — 39 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 His youthful diary— Difficulties and corruptions— Resolutions — Humiliation— 
 Weakness — Desire of sanctification — Impressions produced by an earthquake— 
 Boston's fourfold state— Scott's treatise— Temptation to levity— His sensitiveness 
 —Strong emotions— Fasting— Views at Sacrament— Conflicts— Triumphs— Tries 
 to do good — Labors abroad — Deliverance in answer to prayer — Indulgence of 
 appetite— Varion s emotions — Victory over the flesh — Vanity — Cases of awaken- 
 ing— Perseverance in prayer— Vanity rebuked— Traits of character developed— 
 Summerfield— Narrow escape from death— His reflections on the event— A death- 
 bed scene. 40—58 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Danger of worldly influences— Wickedness of trifling with the feelings of either 
 sex — Confession of a Jesuit— A word to candidates for the sacred office — What a 
 minister should, and should not be — Licensed to preach — Payson's remark — New 
 Year's reflections— First essay at preaching— Character of apostolic preaching- 
 Letter to Dr. Hill— His mind diverted— Letter to a friend in atlliction— Extracts 
 from his diary— Letter to a friend — Letter to his mother— Attack of illness — Its 
 effect— His engagement to Miss Muse— Extract of a letter from a friend— Anec- 
 dote — Work of the ministry. 59 73 
 
VI CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Thoughts of future settlement— Fondness for retirement — Ordination — Installa 
 tion — III -prepared sermons — Purchases ■ bouse in Winchester — Embarrassments 
 
 —Relieved — Another escape— Slckneaa — Founded f in.- bope — Removes to his 
 
 faun — Ruptures a blood vessel — A professor awaken ,1 — Another case — Opening 
 of the year — Invitation to Washington — Depression of spirits — Life of Scott ami 
 Pilgrim's Progress, 79—89 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Invitation from Baltimore — Visits that city — Plate of the ronzregation — Great 
 lOBl Ol property — Prayer answered — Arrives in Baltimore — Subject of baptism — 
 
 Healtb impaired— Advantage of trials— Payson'sdistresa — Biaguhu remark — The 
 daw d of light — Importance of exertion — Effort anions the young — Preaches on 
 the subject Of a revival — Attacked with bleeding atthe lOOgS — Solemn retlections 
 at church — Visit to Virginia— State of mind — Excellent effects of parochial vis- 
 itation — Nothing can be substituted for it — llervey's dying confession — l'lie case 
 of a reprobate — Stubborn sinners — Lost sinnera — Twenty-two families visited — 
 The fugitive — Awakened sinners — Mr. Nettleton's views — Remark of Wbitefield 
 — Walton's Narrative of the revival — Singular case of conviction — Admissions 
 to the church — Description of exercises— Continuation of experience — A ni w way 
 of keeping Christmas — Two interesting cases of conviction — Trials — Threatened 
 with .1 prosecution — Contention of Church members — Remarkable case of an old 
 titan who was converted— The means of bis conversion — A backslider In distress. 
 
 90—117 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Celebration of the New Year — Reflections and resolutions — Difficulties in the 
 congregation — His efforts to restore peace and harmony — Power of conscience — 
 Visit to Winchester— Successful labors there — The case of the hostler — Letter 
 from Dr. B« cher — The claims of God on the -inner — Plan of a manual labor Sem- 
 inary — Threatened with a flogging— Faithful In discipline — Leaves Baltimore — 
 Ani. e iii Cbarlestown, Virginia— Attacked with diseasi — Surgical operation- 
 Conversions— Renewal of covenant— Formation of an Education Society — Sin- 
 gular Instance of the effect of his preaching — Different kinds of preaching — Char- 
 acter of the ministry in the Coiled Slates— Times of trial would develope it— The 
 minister who preached the truth to Gen. Jackson and Mr. Van Buren— Henry 
 Mil. and Hugh Latimer. 118—136 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 Walton in affliction— Oberlin's illustration— Sickness of bis daughter— HeC 
 death— Its effect — Am cdott — Estimate of its influence — How shall ministers com- 
 fort others— Letter— Sketch of Margaret Ann— How she was taught— Hannah, 
 the colored woman — The politician reproved — The closing seme— Addison's 
 remark — Expressions of the dying zirl— Reasonableness of early piety — A soul- 
 Btining thought— The daughter and the sou compared — Installation at Chailcs- 
 town — Power of conscience — Syuodical fast — Various endeavors to do good to 
 himself and others. 137—148 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Benefits of prayer — Growing In grace — Crows la ministerial power — Antidote 
 to mi lain oolv — Solicitude fort! cause of Christ — Conversion of a youth — Jour- 
 ney to thp norm— Memoir of Margaret Ann — Repeated editions of his Narrative — 
 
CONTENTS. Vll 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Oberlin— Elliot— Abundant labors — Wearing nut and re line OUt— The self-sacri- 
 ficing preachers — Delightful views In sickness— Depressed, btfl laborious— Trials 
 from Che wicked— Anecdote of John Howe— Tim Princeton student— Visit to 
 Leeeburg — Importance of a change of location — Call from Alexandria— Reasons 
 for his acceptance of the call — installation at Alexandria— Active labors — Visits 
 and admissions — Sources of encouragement — Expansion of his mind and heart — 
 Revolution in Dr. Ryland's sentiments— Success of his sermons— Doctrines 
 preached — Martin Bos' opinion of what are the best sermons— H is devotion to 
 his work— What degrades a clergyman. 149 — 169 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 Increasing interest in Alexandria — Experience of a young convert — Results of 
 an infidel's proposal — A congregation founded— New cases of conviction — Ser- 
 mon on the Divine Sovereignty — Blessing on various meetings— Attacked with 
 cerebral nervousness — Blessedness ofthe work — Interchange between the congre- 
 gations — Early prayer — A young Catholic — The work extends to Washington — 
 Necessity of a holy influence there — Called to similar meetings in Baltimore — 
 Letter descriptive of his feelings — Letter from a convert — A plan for saving a soul 
 — Result ofthe endeavor. 170 — 18C 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 Bishop Hooper — Remark of Addison — Writes theological treatises — Where at 
 home — Death-bed of a Christian — Work on Divine Sovereignty — Journey to the 
 North — Sickness at Hartford — Visits old Point Comfort — Extracts from corres- 
 pondence — Letter to Dr. Hill — From Dr. Rice — Letter from l)r Speece — From 
 Rev. II. F. Binder — State of religion in England— Letter to his Nephew — Inter- 
 esting scene at Occoquan — His diligent labors— Reminiscences of a revival — The 
 convicted family — The converted family — A hardened sinner arrested. IrfT — 203 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 Walton visits Occoquan — Opposition — Visit to Virginia — Death of his mother- 
 in-law — Answer to prayer — His love for the pulpit — Physical exhaustion — Faint, 
 yet pursuing — Letter to a ministerial brother — The Protestant— Another visit to 
 Occoquan — Second vi>it to Fredericksbunr — Curious dream — New temptations — 
 Employment ofthe clergy — Preaching to the conscience — Appointed delegate to 
 t, ■ Synod ofVirginn -Pi aches before the Synod — Views ofthe Synod — Effects 
 of ins labors — Prate .a: admonitions — A liberal present — Further special efforts — 
 His habits of prayi —Lei < is Nephew — Applications from abroad — Reproof 
 — Misapprehension of the valu< of his own sermons — Feelings of a minister's 
 wife — The simplicity of his ideas nd languagt — Revival in Washington — Invited 
 abroad— Work in Alexandria — Adjustment of texts. -04 — 223 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 A call from the South — His consideration ofil —Revival at Georgetown — Death 
 of young converts — Assists the Methodists — I - unwearied labors, and the great 
 blessing on them — Journey homewards — Hin a on the work of tl. - Spirit — Let- 
 ter from Dr. Burder — Visit to Richmo id— P yerof Faith— His mental anxieties 
 and agonies — Treatise on Intercessory Prayer — Desires another field of labor — 
 Invitation from Hartford — Reflections on it — Reasons for accepting it — Letter to 
 tht Free Church — His relation to his people — Their demeanor \t its dissolution — 
 
Mil CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Letter (a H. P. Border — Protracted meetings — New measure? and old mearara — 
 
 Distinction between human and du me agenc] . 224 — 242 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 Arrival at Hartford— An appalling discovery— Effect of the truth — A protracted 
 meeting — Its solemn effects — Publishes a pamphlet — Accoont of the revival — 
 Reasons for assembling the anxious — Results and characteristics of the work — 
 The power of prayer— Heart searcbings and confessions — Whole families con- 
 verted — incidental remarks — importance of union among ministers — The laal 
 article from his pen — The last funeral sermon — Letter to his Sister — Progress of 
 his disease — Happy state of his church — His last letter — Its conclusion. 243 — 2G2 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 The closing scene — John Janeway— Thomas Halyburton — A sudden crisis in 
 his disease — The first sensations of a christian on entering Heaven — Various 
 dying expressions— Increasing and triumphant exultation — 1 1 is dying views of the 
 ministry — Pear of impatienci — Bongs of praise — His faith in God concerning his 
 family — The shout of victory — Message to his brethren— What it is to die — Prayer 
 for the divine iilory — Asks that his last sermon might be read to him — His last 
 
 prayer answered— lie dies— His burial— His monument — Elegy by Mrs. Sigour- 
 ney — Letters of condolence — From Rev. .1. Parker— From Rev. Daniel Raker. 203 — 231 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 The varieties of the human mind — Distinguishing characteristics — Who are the 
 most useful ministers — What kind of minsters we want in the United States — 
 
 Mental character of Walton — Change in his views — The secrets of hi- SUCCt 
 
 Causing others to work— How Christians should pray— Courteousness of manner 
 and correctness of language — Letter to the Princeton Bociety of Inquiry — 
 Remarks on the tirst revival he witnessed— On the revival in Alexandria — Way 
 of conducting meetings — Importance of concentrated effort — Mode of presenting 
 tie- truth — Necessity of having a direct aim — Effect of anxious seats — Farther 
 
 remarks on them — Protracted met linns — General character of revivals — Charac- 
 ter of the converts — Terms of admission — Letter of Mr. Patterson — Study o* 
 mathematics— Sources of sacred eloquence — Why some great preachers were 
 eloquent — Walton's hospitality— Dying request of Dr. Hyde — Dr. Nevins — Arch- 
 bishop Usher — Cotton Mather's unintelligibles and incurables — Bllence about 
 his trials — The conclusion of a pious and devoted lile — Thomas Halyburton — 
 Concluding remark. 282—313 
 
 Appendix. 311— 31 ( j 
 
PRELIMINARY REMARKS 
 
 When the papers of my revered brother Walton were 
 placed in the hands of the author by his bereaved widow, 
 with the request on her part and on the part of many friends, 
 that a suitable memoir should be prepared, I did not feel at 
 liberty to decline the solicitation, because I have ever main- 
 tained that such examples ought to be preserved, perpetuated 
 and held up, to excite the church and the ministry to nobler 
 attainments in their divine calling. If the celebrated re- 
 mark be true, that he who causes two spires of grass to grow 
 where one grew before, be a public benefactor, what must be 
 the amount of his beneficence, who has been the means of 
 transforming an enemy into a friend of God ! And what 
 the measure of that good which he has done, who has so 
 labored and prayed, as not only to save his own soul, but the 
 souls of hundreds of his fellow creatures ? 
 
 Such a one was the subject of the following sketch. I 
 have not sought a man of mighty genius or brilliant fame 
 with the view to captivate admiring readers. I have gone 
 
10 run, I MIX Alt Y REMARKS. 
 
 higher, and Bhall ask th( reader to ascend with me, where 
 he can contemplate " the highest style of man;" where he 
 may view what dignity can invest the Christian here, and 
 what glory is in reserve for him hereafter; where he may 
 receive another proof of the fact, that greal talents are not 
 Q tial to greal usefulness in the cause of God; but that 
 grace in the heart, in the life, and in the labors of an hum- 
 ble man can achieve triumphs, which shall outlive all earth- 
 ly greatness, and co-exist with the annals of eternity. 
 
 To estimate justly the character of Mr. Walton and the 
 value of his example, a full view of his career must be 
 taken, and especially must the last ten years of his Hie be 
 compared or rather contrasted with its previous portion. 
 Of that portion he might truly say : ' When 1 was a child, 
 I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought 
 as a child; but when I became a man, 1 put away 
 childish things.' It was GRACE that imparted this noble 
 and vigorous manhood, which, as in multitudes of similar 
 cases, In its very meridian ceased its relation to this world. 
 But the good which holy men do expires not with their 
 frail bodies, nor is it " interred " with them in their sepul- 
 chres. It survives and shines; it stimulates and reproves; 
 it speaks with a silent eloquence, that defies the power of 
 time, the sovereignty of death, and the dominion of the 
 
 grave. 
 
 Of the abundant manuscripts of Mr. Walton, a compara- 
 tively sparing use has been made in the following pages, as 
 it does not seem proper to load a book with mere diary, 
 any further than may serve to convey a full and correct 
 apprehension of the main points of the public and private 
 history of the writer. To all the views and sentiments 
 
P R K L I M I IV A R Y REMARKS. 11 
 
 advanced in the extracts] shall not of course; ho considered 
 as necessarily subscribing. I simply seek to convey the 
 truth in regard to him of whom I write. 
 
 The author offers no apology to the public founded on 
 the " pressure of pastoral cares and other avocations," for 
 he does not consider such an apology either respectful to 
 the public or a sufficient excuse for him who offers it. If a 
 man essays to bring a subject or a character before the pub- 
 lic, he should devote to that subject or character, his best 
 hours and his best efforts. More than this the reader should 
 not ask. Less than this the writer should not be satisfied 
 to render. The author's work as a Pastor and a Preacher 
 is indeed laborious, but the preparation of this book has 
 rather aided than obstructed him in the prosecution of 
 those labors. If the study of it shall assist any beloved 
 ministerial brother in 7iis work, or minister consolation 
 in his trials, one object will be attained. 
 
 It only remains to add a simple dedication of this book 
 
 MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION, 
 
 AND TO THE 
 
 CHURCH OF GOD 
 
 Lee, Mass., May, 1837. 
 
CHAPTER I . 
 
 " Read good books," said the meek and pious Matthew 
 Henry, " especially serious, useful history, as that of the 
 lives of holy men." Of the appositeness of the advice, his 
 own life is a beautiful exemplification. 
 
 History and Biography, though intimately related, may 
 be strongly contrasted. If History be philosophy teaching 
 by example, Biography is example teaching the best phi- 
 losophy. 
 
 History may be compared to the ocean, vast in extent, 
 and capacious as the repository of all manner of things. 
 Biography is like the stream, that springing from some 
 obscure origin, gathers breadth and power as it advances, 
 and after fertilizing the region of its passage, flows into and 
 becomes a part of the ocean. So History is but a collection 
 of the individualities of men. It would be nothing without 
 personal living agencies. It is Biography amplified, multi- 
 plied, and set in a thousand lights, the mutual reflection of 
 which serves to instruct the living by the example of the 
 dead. Biography, then, has this advantage — that it selects 
 an individual, and by tracing his single career in all its 
 varieties, assists the mind to receive a more definite and 
 durable impression, than it would receive from contempla- 
 ting a great mass of events, in which a hundred different 
 actors have mingled. To define the course of a river is 
 comparatively easy. To describe the ocean — who will 
 attempt it? 
 
14 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Walton's birth. 
 
 On such a subject the Spirit of truth, who is the Author 
 of the Bible, is our wisest and safest Guide. In that Book, 
 which embraces all that is sublime and impressive in 
 general History, as well as instructive and touching in 
 Biography, there is but One Principal Personage. Around 
 this Illustrious Being all subordinate persons, all things 
 past or prospective, do but gather in their humble places. 
 From Him they derive all the interest they possess. With- 
 out Him, they are nothing. 
 
 Though the Book of Revelation is complete, like that of 
 Nature, and none may add to or take from it, but in peril 
 of the plagues of the second death, the Book of Provi- 
 dence is still unfinished. It has been the pleasant task of 
 the author to copy herewith a chapter for that instructive 
 volume, from the experience and labors of one of God's 
 children, and Christ's ministers; " a good man, and full of 
 the Holy Ghost and of faith," which is the highest encomi- 
 um Inspiration itself can pronounce. 
 
 To receive benefit from such a work, the first requisite is 
 an humble heart. Let the reader, therefore, now lay aside 
 the book for a moment, and pray for this inestimable bles- 
 sing. It will avail him more than the most profound learn- 
 ing, and the most accomplished powers of criticism. 
 
 William Claiborne Walton, was born in Hanover 
 County, Virginia, on the 4th day of Nov. 1793. He was the 
 only child of his father, who married his mother, when a 
 widow with seven children. They resided on a farm about 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 15 
 
 Character of his Father. 
 
 thirty-two miles from the city of Richmond. His father 
 was by profession a blacksmith, and it would seem, added 
 to this profession the occupation of a tavern keeper, a busi- 
 ness by no means favorable either for the education of the 
 mind, the advancement of the morals, or the promotion of 
 the happiness of a beloved child. If the fatal influence 
 produced by this occupation on the habits of the father, did 
 not reach the son, it is to be ascribed to the interposing 
 and restraining grace of that God, who designed him as an 
 instrument of great and lasting good to His Church. 
 Placed, as he was, in the very bud and bloom of life within 
 the circle of the most pernicious influences, a secret, invisi- 
 ble power protected the tender youth from the snares of the 
 destroyer. In consequence of the perplexed state of his 
 affairs, his father in the spring of 1805, removed to Hardy 
 County, near Moorefield, in the same state. William was 
 then a little more than twelve years old. This removal, 
 though it did not improve the condition of the father, seems 
 to have been ordered in Providence for the good of the son. 
 Mr. Walton went down to the grave in about a year, dying 
 at the early age of 38. He is represented to have been a 
 man of uncommon mind, and with slender advantages, to 
 have once gained a very respectable position in society. 
 But the pestilence swept over him, and he was soon a 
 prostrate victim ; his intellect extinguished, his affections 
 blighted, and his hopes clouded for time and eternity. " It 
 is a mournful history," said his pious son, " but it may be 
 salutary to some, who may read it." Thus much was due 
 to strict justice and fidelity. If Walton was not among 
 those who enjoyed the inheritance of faithful instruction 
 and pious example, it renders the grace of God more signal, 
 and his subsequent usefulness more striking. 
 
 Not only parental example, but every other example with 
 which he came in contact, was of the most corrupting 
 character. The common language to which his ear was 
 accustomed was that of profane songs, vulgar jests, and 
 
10 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Examples set him. Dancing. Sent to School. Narrow Lscapes. 
 
 low ribaldry. Nor was the effect of these counteracted 
 cither by precept or example of an opposite character. 
 
 No mother's tender ran: 
 
 Shielded bis Infant Innocence with prayer." 
 
 It is true his father taught him it was a wicked thing to 
 swear, and threatened chastisement, if he heard an oath 
 from his lips, but never found occasion to inflict it, as even 
 this BCanty and wretched instruction seemed to have the 
 desired effect. But the community was vicious and demor- 
 alizing. Barbecues, hunting, dancing, racing, drinking 
 and gambling occupied much of the time of the people, 
 and constituted their chief source of enjoyment. William 
 was taught at six years of age to dance with great agility, 
 and entered fully into the spirit of other amusements. 
 Strange that parents should ever think their children were 
 made to be amused with such follies, at an age when the 
 docile and impressible mind should be instructed and 
 trained for eternity. 
 
 While in Hanover, he was sent to several common 
 schools in succession, where he learned reading, writing, 
 and the principles of Arithmetic. Both at home and abroad 
 he was much caressed, and frequently received little presents 
 from gentlemen, who were attracted by his appearance, and 
 pleased with the sprightliness of his mind. There was 
 something in his conversation above his years, so much so 
 as to make quite an impression on the mind of a boy older 
 than himself, who expressed his surprise that he could " talk 
 so good." 
 
 Like most other children of God, he had reason to 
 record with gratitude the providential preservation of his 
 life in a number of instances. On one occasion, by a very 
 marked interposition of the good Providence of God, at 
 the moment of making a false step near the open door of 
 the second story of a building, instead of falling headlong 
 to the earth, and being instantly killed, or maimed for life, 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 17 
 
 The old colored woman. Anecdote. 
 
 his feet struck the rounds of a ladder, to which, by clinging 
 also with his hands, he was mercifully preserved. On 
 another occasion, he endeavored to provoke that nohle, 
 but sometimes fierce animal, the horse, to make use of his 
 natural weapons of defence, and narrowly escaped a severe 
 if not a fatal kick. And thus he could speak of his child- 
 hood as " in perils oft," but there was One, who had given 
 " His angels charge concerning him, to bear him up, lest 
 at any time he should dash his foot against a stone." 
 
 " The only religious instruction," says Walton in a paper 
 found among his manuscripts, " I received, was from an old 
 negro woman belonging to the family, who professed to be 
 a Christian, but who probably was mistaken ; for she was 
 very inconsistent. I would however hope she was sincere, 
 though extremely ignorant. I remember hearing her, and a 
 little daughter of her's, who nursed me, sometimes talk of 
 Heaven and Hell, and the day of Judgment, and I remem- 
 ber sometimes at the close of the day, while looking towards 
 the west, I have felt very solemn in thinking of the 
 world's coming to an end." How serious and profitable a 
 train of thought may often be originated in the mind by the 
 utterance of words that seem purely accidental ! * How 
 much more reasonable to expect an actual blessing to follow 
 words uttered with the design to awaken the mind or convict 
 the conscience, even if not directly addressed to the person 
 into whose company you have fallen. There is as much 
 practical wisdom as preceptive beauty in the apostolical 
 exhortation, " Let your speech be always with grace, 
 seasoned with salt." 
 
 A young man was once at work in the field, when Mr. 
 , a clergyman, crossing the field, passed near him, 
 
 * Dr. Ryland, of Bristol, when 13 years of age, discovering that his father's scholars 
 met to talk about Jesus Christ, was seriously affected, and thought within himself, 
 " these boys are going to heaven, and I shall be left behind." He began to pray earn- 
 estly, and was soon converted — in his fifteenth year he united with the Church, and 
 at 18 preached. 
 
 2* 
 
18 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Banyan. Attends family prayer for the first tuns. 
 
 and dropped a few words of admonition in his ear. A 
 di> ine influence sent them to his heart, lie was awakened, 
 convicted, converted, and in a few weeks died in the 
 triumphs of the Christian Faith. It was in consequence of 
 the faithfulness of Bunyan's wife, that, in the very hour of 
 his most profound immersion in scenes of consummate 
 profligacy, Conscience would cry out, " Wilt thou leave thy 
 sins and go to Heaven, or have thy sins and go to Hell?" 
 Even the random reproof of a wicked woman, who told 
 him that " by his swearing he would corrupt all the youth 
 of the town, that came into his company," was as a poisoned 
 shaft within him, stinging him with shame and remorse. 
 
 About the time of which we have been speaking, an 
 Uncle of Walton, a professing Christian, residing in Louisa 
 County, Virginia, in journeying to the vicinity of Rich- 
 mond, stopped and spent a night in the family. Before 
 retiring to rest, at his instance, the family were assembled 
 for the purpose of worshipping God. The pious Uncle 
 sano- and prayed. This was the first time William Walton, 
 then seventeen years of age, ever attended family worship. 
 The very novelty of the thing made some impression on his 
 mind, but there is reason to believe that as a holy exercise, 
 recognizing the government of God and the mediation of 
 Jesus Christ, it was by the divine blessing productive of 
 spiritual effects on a mind, nrcdisposed to serious and 
 anxious thought. On the return of this Uncle, a proposal 
 was made that William should accompany him to his home, 
 and spend some time with him, but it was never carried 
 into execution. A casual expression of the old colored 
 woman at that time also affected him ; she suggesting as a 
 reason why he should go, that " he would perhaps become a 
 Christian," not seeming to think it possible such a thing 
 should take place at home. The failure of this visit was a 
 great disappointment to William. 
 
 After the removal of the family to the vicinity of Moore- 
 field, he was sent to a very indifferent school, where he 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 19 
 
 Sent lo School at Moorefleld. An absurd maxim. A singular attack of [linen. 
 
 heard much low, indecent, and profane language. His 
 resolution however being fixed to resist these abominations, 
 and if possible to gain the confidence and the affection of his 
 'Teacher ; he succeeded in both these objects, became a 
 favorite with tbe Instructor, and a standing reproof to the 
 ill mannered and evil minded with whom he was sometimes 
 compelled to associate. It should be recorded to the credit 
 of his moral character, and as a reminiscence of his good 
 moral behavior, in the giddy and dangerous season of child- 
 hood and youth, that neither from parent, teacher, nor any 
 one else did he ever receive corporeal punishment. 
 
 It is far, very far from being the fact, that, as a general 
 result, the " worst boys make the best men." A few striking 
 instances of entire revolution in moral character out of a 
 multitude of the opposite description, seem to have led to 
 this hasty conclusion. The notion, for such only it deserves 
 to be called, resembles that, which in the fashionable world 
 Once grew into a maxim, that " reformed rakes make the 
 best husbands." It is a notion equally at variance with the 
 manifest tenor, and the fundamental principles of the Holy 
 Scriptures. If there be any general principles revealed in 
 the Bible, it is not one of the least of these, that the moral 
 character of an individual is for the most part formed in the 
 early period of his existence. This position is confirmed 
 equally by the analogy of nature and by individual history. 
 
 During the first summer of Walton's residence at this 
 place, he was attacked with a severe illness, from which 
 there was at the time little expectation of his recovery. 
 For some days he lay in a state of insensibility, being 
 nearly unconscious of what was going on around him. 
 Being destitute of the aid of a physician, it seemed as if 
 the hand of God was immediately stretched out to impart 
 efficiency to the unaided efforts of nature to recover the 
 expiring energies of the system. As the process of recovery 
 commenced, it seemed to him like life from the dead. He 
 was raised indeed, but with enfeebled health, and without 
 
20 MEMOIR OP 
 
 Mis m|iiil Improvement. 
 
 the enjoyment of that vigor of body and that elasticity of 
 spirits, which indicate a thorough exemption from disease. 
 
 Again he applied himself to the acquisition of knowledge, 
 and with such steadiness of purpose and correctness of 
 deportment, that his new Teacher became much attached 
 to him, an attachment readily and cordially reciprocated by 
 his pupil. While the scholar was apt to learn, the master 
 was diligent to teach. The partiality resulting from this 
 relation led the teacher to distinguish William in the distri- 
 bution of honors. At the public exhibition, he delivered 
 no less than four speeches, while few of the boys had more 
 than one, and none more than two. It was while he was 
 committing these speeches, that he first discovered the 
 readiness of his memory. They were easily and speedily 
 learned. With this Teacher he continued till he could 
 instruct him no more. Besides the usual English studies, 
 he had gone through a course of mathematics even to 
 some of its higher branches. A taste for vocal music had 
 also been elicited. The teacher gave to each scholar a 
 tune, to be learned, raised and sung by him independently 
 of the rest. When any particular tune pleased the fancy of 
 William, on his passage to and from school he would make 
 the woods and fields re-echo with its notes. 
 
 But these sober pursuits were occasionally diversified by 
 his attendance on a dancing school held in the neighbor- 
 hood, the amusement of which proved an effectual antidote 
 to any pains of conscience, which might remind him that 
 he was a lost sinner. The time had come however, when 
 he must do something. He had reached a point in his life, 
 when a very small circumstance might determine its future 
 character and final issue ; when the decision of the present 
 hour might give a coloring to his whole life. He had no 
 father, either to provide him a situation, or to counsel him 
 in his own plans for obtaining one. His mother was a 
 perfect stranger in a strange community. Who was there 
 to take care of him but the God of the fatherless and the 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON". 21 
 
 Interposition of Providence. Enters on m new scene. 
 
 widow? The finger of the Lord pointed out the path in 
 which lie should walk, as follows : A gentleman from 
 Frankfort, in Hampshire County, having heard that Mrs. 
 Walton desired to dispose of some property, came to see 
 her on that business. To this stranger, young William 
 ventured to show his manuscript books, in which, according 
 to the custom of the schools, he had kept a neat transcript 
 of all that he had done in Arithmetic, and the other 
 branches of study, which had engaged his attention. The 
 stranger was pleased, and being asked whether he knew of 
 any merchant who wanted a clerk, he replied in the affirm- 
 ative. Soon after his return home, Mrs. W. received a 
 
 note from the brother in law of this gentleman, Mr. P , 
 
 of Frankfort, requesting that William might be sent down 
 to him. This request was readily complied with, and in 
 the employment of this gentleman, through many tempta- 
 tions, he continued for two years. He was pleased with 
 his business, attentive to all his duties, and with great 
 promptitude, not only obeyed the directions, but anticipated 
 the wishes of his employer. By the probity of his character 
 and the assiduity of his conduct, he won the entire confi- 
 dence of Mr. P , who at length confided to him the 
 
 most difficult portions of his business, leaving his most 
 intricate accounts to be settled by the young clerk. During 
 the second year, besides the business of the store, William 
 transacted the affairs of the Post Office, his principal having 
 been appointed Post Master. When the year was concluded 
 and the time of separation came, the merchant wept. 
 Perhaps no more affecting tribute to the fidelity of his 
 clerk could be rendered. A more substantial one, however, 
 was rendered in the offer which he made, to take William 
 into partnership with himself, and establish him in business 
 eighteen miles from Frankfort. 
 
 At this point of our narrative, we must pause for a 
 moment to admire the goodness and the grace, which in the 
 midst of powerful temptations and threatening dangers, 
 
22 MEMOIR OP 
 
 In the midst of a host of temptations. Influence of female society. 
 
 guarded the peace and protected the destiny of this dear 
 youth. Speaking of his situation at this time, he says: 
 " There was not a Christian in the place, so far as I knew ; 
 while gambling, drinking, horse racing, fighting, profane 
 swearing and lewdness were so common as to excite no 
 surprise. My employer himself was addicted to all these 
 vices, and they were not considered disreputable. He has 
 had a gambling party in his counting room, where I slept, all 
 night ! Sometimes he would take me as his partner." Of 
 his achievements in still baser and more disgusting scenes 
 of iniquity, he was very communicative to his young and 
 guileless clerk, as also were certain young men of the place, 
 who gloried in their shame. If the reader wonders he did 
 not fall into these snares of the devil, so did Walton. He 
 said he believed they were spread for his ruin, but " the 
 accounts they gave of the effects of their wicked practices 
 upon themselves made me afraid to venture upon that dan- 
 gerous ground." The dread of such consequences — the fear 
 of the impending penalty does not deter thousands of other 
 young men from the commission of secret crime. Why 
 did it deter him? Because a merciful God overruled the 
 motive and made it effectual to his preservation from the 
 paths of the destroyer. From profaneness and intemper- 
 ance, too, he was equally preserved, though blasphemy daily 
 filled his ears, and though he lived in the midst of bottles 
 and barrels. Another circumstance exerted a favorable 
 influence upon him. Much of his leisure time was passed 
 in the society of refined and virtuous females, where 
 decency of manners and purity of morals of course met 
 with an approving smile, and where vice should ever meet 
 the indignant rebuke which its meanness and vileness 
 deserve. When it shall become a standing rule of virtuous 
 and dignified society, to exclude from its privileges and 
 honors the tainted in character, as well as the openly disso- 
 lute and abandoned, till the pressure of public reprobation 
 shall have produced the sorrows of a genuine repentance 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 23 
 
 The grace of God preserves him. Hean bll first sermon in his sixteenth year. 
 
 then a most valuable point will be gained in our progress 
 towards what so many have desired — a perfect community. 
 
 But so long as any class of men use the title of a gentle- 
 man, to cover the vices of a profligate, and the arrogant 
 assumption is conceded by the better portion of society, so 
 long will virtue be grieved, and vice be triumphant ; so long 
 will the dignity of the former be violated, and the assurance 
 of the latter encouraged ; so long will the power of motives 
 to virtuous action be deplorably diminished, and the power 
 of motives to criminal indulgence be fearfully increased. 
 
 With a grateful heart did Walton, in reviewing this peril- 
 ous period of his life, say, after attributing all due influence 
 to the subordinate causes, of which we have been speaking : 
 " The grand cause of my preservation from ruin was the 
 secret, invisible hand of God, which kept me back, when 
 every possible bad influence that the world and the devil could 
 exert, seemed to combine for my destruction." And this is 
 one theme of gratitude, on which the ransomed in Heaven 
 will dwell with ever new delight through all tfieir future 
 happy existence. 
 
 During his residence in Frankfort, he heard one sermon 
 from a Methodist minister. He was now in his sixteenth 
 year, and it was the first sermon he recollected ever to have 
 heard ! One expression in it seized on his memory : " I 
 don't want to see you go to hell." But it did not seem to 
 grapple with his conscience. His mind was taken up with 
 less important things. He resolved on cultivating as well 
 an elegant style of conversation, as a taste for reading. To 
 this end, he kept a little blank book, in which, from time to 
 time he inserted a considerable number of appropriate words 
 and phrases, to be used as the occasion should ariso. This 
 practice must have resulted from an ardent thirst for intel- 
 lectual improvement, for so far from being encouraged in 
 this very laudable work by his young friends and acquaint- 
 ances, he was ridiculed by them, when the object of the 
 
24 MEMOIR OP WALTON. 
 
 An expedient for Improvement. Leaves Frankfort fur Winchester. 
 
 book was ascertained. Little did our young Btudent think 
 that in the method of mental improvement which he adopted, 
 he was repeating the plan which some of the most eminent 
 minds have chosen as suited to their mode of action.* 
 
 The time had now arrived, when a change of place was 
 to open a change of scene to the thoughtful and inquiring 
 mind of the subject of this biography. His mother had 
 removed to the vicinity of Winchester, where a daughter 
 of her's was residing, and on visiting this sister, she 
 expressed her wish that William would come to Winchester 
 and reside. On inquiry, it was ascertained that employ- 
 ment would be found for him in the store of Mr. B , a 
 
 respectable merchant of Winchester, and an elder in the 
 Presbyterian Church. An arrangement to that effect was 
 concluded. He returned to Frankfort — settled all his 
 affairs, and parted from his friends, who gave him up with a 
 reluctance proportioned to the integrity of his character, 
 the amiableness of his deportment, and the uniform dignity 
 with which he had demeaned himself. Mutual tears were 
 shed, mutual regrets were expressed, and with that undeli- 
 nable feeling of sadness, which will cling to the soul, when 
 taking leave of accustomed scenes, to pass even into new 
 and more pleasant ones, he wended his way to the new field, 
 which was opening before him. With what prospects he 
 entered, and with what profit he occupied this field, remains 
 to be seen. 
 
 ♦That distinguished, but corrupt man, Richard Brinsley Sheridan, is said to have 
 manufactured some of his keenest shads of wit in the retirement of his study. 
 
 Moore's Life of Sheridan- 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 His first convictions. He stifles them. 
 
 Mil. Walton, being now in the family of a Presbyterian 
 Elder, went regularly to Church, an event of which he 
 says : " It was something new and strange for me to be at 
 Church; but I never received any solemn impression, until 
 on the evening of the first of January, 1811, Dr. Hill read 
 a discourse of Samuel Davies, on the text, ' This year 
 thou shalt die.' My attention was arrested by the striking 
 considerations contained in that discourse, and several 
 times during the reading of it, I almost resolved to begin 
 immediately to seek salvation. And if at the close of the 
 service, serious persons had been invited to remain for con- 
 versation and prayer, the probability is, that I should that 
 night have been converted. But the assembly was dismissed, 
 and I soon mingled with the society of those, who dissipated 
 all my seriousness. The impression was entirely gone the 
 next day." And so does the sinner dare to trifle with 
 sacred things, resist the heavenly messenger that seeks 
 admission into his heart, and welcome the unhallowed 
 influences that come in from the world to extinguish the 
 first germ of holy resolution. What multitudes from such a 
 fatal moment have dated their final abandonment of God, 
 and the irremediable loss of their deathless souls ! Who 
 3 
 
20 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Guilt and folly of dancing. Play* cards on the Sabbath. 
 
 can magnify the importance of seizing the present moment 
 to secure the interests of eternity? Again the Spirit of 
 God returned to the bosom of the rebel, and whispered, 
 this is the way walk in it, but while he resolved he would be 
 a Christian, the resolution disappeared, like the moining 
 vapor, before the breath of temptation. 
 
 In a few days there was to be a ball. The fascination 
 succeeded. He concluded to defer the consideration of his 
 soul's concern until the ball was over. Here was seen the 
 natural fruits of the dancing school, of which he was so 
 fond, and where he had duly learned the art of spending 
 money, of wasting time, belittling the dignity of human 
 nature, and demoralizing the principles of the soul. But, 
 what was more alarming than all this — his knowledge of 
 this heathenish and contemptible art now thrust itself 
 between his immortal soul and the imperative claims of the 
 Holy Spirit. In reflecting on his conduct at the time, he 
 was constrained to say, " There God might have justly given 
 me up. But blessed be his name, He continued to strive 
 with my obstinate heart." And yet he went on to sin, and 
 to add insult to injury. He secretly played cards on the 
 Sabbath in the counting room of his employer, not, it is 
 true, with a keen and well enjoyed zest, but with slowness 
 of assent before the act, many bitter reproaches of con- 
 science while in the actual commission of it, and still more 
 stinging reflections after the conclusion of it. The whole 
 matter, indeed, cost him very dearly, especially in consider- 
 ation of the expenditure of conscience, and afforded him 
 a thorough illustration of the Bible principle, that " The 
 way of the transgressor is hare/." 
 
 On the evening of that Sabbath, he strolled to the Metho- 
 dist meeting, rather to pass away the evening than to obtain 
 any spiritual benefit. Mr. Wall, an aged, local Methodist 
 Preacher, occupied the pulpit. His venerable appearance, 
 his simplicity of manner — his apparent singleness of pur- 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 27 
 
 Awakened under a sermon liy ;i Methodisl Preacher. The point! of that sermon. 
 
 pose, and intense sincerity and earnestness of soul, while 
 delivering his high message, arrested the attention of 
 Walton. To arrest was to secure it, for he proceeded in a 
 very tender and affecting strain of eloquence to depict the 
 sorrows and the sufferings of the Lamh of God. He dwelt 
 with considerable minuteness on the painful circumstances 
 of that memorable scene, from which Heaven withdrew its 
 cheerful light, at which Earth shook with terror, and Hell 
 itself was moved from beneath amid the general agitation. He 
 adverted to the cruel thorns that crowned that sacred head — 
 to the mock sceptre with which the dignity of the King of 
 Heaven was insulted — the mimic purple, which in derision 
 of his imperial claims, was thrown around his body — to 
 the spear that pierced that noble, generous heart, overflow- 
 ing with love to a dying world ; in short, to the cross — the 
 wondrous cross, where Jesus hung, and bled, and died. 
 Christ crucified was the theme of the veteran's solemn 
 discourse and earnest appeals, and it became the power of 
 God to the soul of at least one hearer. The truth flashed 
 upon his conscience with an electric force and rapidity. 
 His head dropped upon his breast, as if it had been trans- 
 fixed by some mortal shaft. An arrow from the Spirit's 
 bow was indeed quivering in his heart, and he burst forth 
 into supplications for mercy, " Lord, have 7ncrcy upon me, 
 and pardon all that is past, and enable me to do better for 
 the future." 
 
 Fearful that he should lose the awful impressions now 
 concentrating on his mind, he ran from the Church to the 
 counting room for the purpose of seeking solitude. He 
 felt that matters of infinite moment were pending between 
 him and his God — that a loud summons had been runo- in 
 his ear — that the Saviour was knocking at the door of his 
 heart, and the Spirit urging duty on him with a power 
 which to resist, might be to commit suicide on his own 
 eoul. He continued for a long time in a sitting posture, 
 
28 MEMOIR OF 
 
 A description of his feelings. His tl i^t rt- — ; continues. Though without submission. 
 
 pleading with God for mercy. But the ear of Heaven 
 seemed closed against his entreaties. He retired to bed, 
 but not to rest. He now understood the meaning of the 
 ge, "The wicked are like the troubled sea when it 
 cannot rest;" and of that other in juxtaposition, "There 
 is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked." Peace had lied 
 his bosom. The law asserted its claims. He could not 
 satisfy them. The law thundered its penalty. He could 
 not endure it. It demanded a perfect righteousness. He 
 could not, as he supposed, find such a thing in the universe. 
 Conscience loaded him with reproaches. He felt they 
 were just. The innumerable iniquities of his heart and 
 life rose in dark array. His spirits sunk under the terrors 
 of the spectacle. He continued praying on his bed, for he 
 was afraid to go to sleep, lest he should awake in hell ! 
 
 In the morning he entered the store as usual, but with a 
 diseased and restless mind. How could he attend to the 
 small concerns of this world, when eternal interests so 
 imperatively demanded his attention ? He leaned on the 
 counter and prayed. As yet he was not brought to 
 his knees. The pride of his heart scorned to bow thus 
 low for the sake of receiving the gratuity of a pardon, even 
 from Heaven's glorious King ! By the following Sabbath, 
 (after the lapse of a week,) he succeeded, on his return 
 from divine service at night, in bringing his knees to the 
 floor. His friend and companion bad returned with him, 
 and being in the same room, prevented him as usual from 
 praying on the bed. While sitting on it, a violent struggle 
 commenced in his mind. He tried to pray, but was not 
 satisfied with his performance, feeling all the time that it 
 was his duty to go on his knees, and pour out the sorrows 
 of a broken heart at the foot of the cross. But his obsti- 
 nacy prevailed, and well was it, that, like many an awakened 
 sinner, he did not for a morsel then sell himself to the 
 destroyer of souls. The next day Conscience swung its 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 29 
 
 Reads different bonks. 
 
 scorpion lash over his soul, yet irritated and aching with 
 wounds, that had not even begun to heal. "Why," it 
 seemed to cry, " will you be stricken any more? You will 
 revolt more and more. The whole head is sick, and the 
 whole heart is faint. From the sole of the foot even unto 
 the head, there is no soundness in it, but wounds and 
 bruises, and putrifying sores." Was there no balm in 
 Gilead ? Was there no physician there? He besought 
 the Lord to grant him repentance, and to enable him to 
 resolve on a life of holiness and devotedness to his 
 service. He seemed somewhat humbled, and felt a kind 
 of peace, but was sensible that he was not sufficiently peni- 
 tent for his opposition to the government of God. In 
 adverting to his experience at this time, he says : " Among 
 the first books I read, was ' The Garden of the Soul,' a 
 Roman Catholic book, but I did not then know it. I began 
 to read some of the duties of a Christian, which appeared 
 to be opposed to my inclination. I saw, in some measure, 
 the folly of attempting to continue in ignorance of my 
 duty, in the presence of a heart searching God, but was 
 tempted to do so, but do not recollect that I omitted any 
 thing in consequence of this temptation." The next book, 
 which fell in his way, was Hervey's Dialogues between 
 Theron and Aspasio. With this he was much delighted. 
 He became inspired with a kind of false love for some 
 undefinable Being. In contemplating the picture of the 
 love and sufferings of Jesus Christ, as drawn by Hervey's 
 fervid pencil, he was enraptured ; his affections were 
 wrought up to a very intense degree of excitement, and he 
 could pray with a fluency that seemed almost inexhaustible. 
 He could with difficulty, however, begin to pray, until his 
 mind caught the spirit of one of those glowing passages. 
 All this time he was looking for some very striking demon- 
 stration of divine power in his conversion. On reaching 
 that part of the book where Aspasio visits Theron to estab- 
 3* 
 
30 MEMOIR OF 
 
 His silt' righteous spirit. RUps at night and prays. 
 
 Lish him in evangelical religion, he expected to experience 
 an extraordinary change. By the most earnest and impor- 
 tunate supplications, he endeavored to constrain the Lord 
 to convert him. For this purpose he would protract them 
 to a great length, even till he was in danger of fainting from 
 exhaustion. Rolling his eyes towards Heaven, in this 
 expecting attitude he would passively wait for the blessing 
 to descend. He had heard of persons continuing all night 
 in prayer ; he admired such a reach of devotional achieve- 
 ment, and almost determined to imitate it, especially as by 
 so doing, he thought he should accomplish his object, but 
 did not execute any resolution of this sort. About this 
 time, (owing probably to the mental excitement he had 
 undergone,) he was frequently seized in the night with the 
 cramp, a thing to which he was by no means snbject. He 
 fancied it to be a token that he should rise and pray. 
 Accordingly, he obeyed the intimation for a Cew nights, but 
 at length his love of sleep prevailing over this artificial 
 sense of duty, he preferred the pleasures of undisturbed 
 repose to the self denial of those vigils, which conscience, 
 like a hard task-master, was enjoining upon him. The 
 consequence of this first omission was, that the succeeding 
 day was one of remorse and self-reproach. Many of its 
 hours were already spent, before he could satisfy himself 
 that he had repented. Relief came on the adoption of the 
 resolution never again to disobey such a call, but the reso- 
 lution itself had no more firmness than the gossamer 
 thread. He did indeed, several times afterwards, arise in 
 deep night, and spend a season in prayer, but more, as he 
 confessed, to hush the clamors of conscience, than to 
 indulge the overflowings of a devotional heart. 
 
 The season of sacramental communion in the Presbyte- 
 rian Church was now approaching, a circumstance, which 
 served to stimulate him to more diligent self-examination. 
 If, through the grace of God, he was entitled to a seat at 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 31 
 
 Anxiety about uniting with the Church. Reveals his feelings. 
 
 that sacred board, why should he not press forward to the 
 enjoyment of his privilege? If, on the contrary, he was 
 unworthy to be associated with the people of the Lord, the 
 sooner he knew it, the better. He began to read on the 
 subject, was fully convinced of his duty to profess Christ 
 before the world, but for two or three weeks before the 
 event, was variously agitated with alternate doubt, fear and 
 shame. Perhaps, (the thought would occur to him,) he 
 was a self-deceiver. Would it be becoming in so young a 
 person to go forward ? Would it not be better to try him- 
 self a little longer ? Would he be likely to hold out 1 
 What would the world say ? He longed to unbosom his 
 feelings to his Pastor, but was afraid to do it. He resolved 
 he would write to him, but his heart failed him. This 
 omission was wrong. Such fears have often been the most 
 dangerous snares to souls. Let the anxious and convicted 
 sinner, by all means, seek the counsel of the Minister of 
 Christ, or of some pious and judicious Christian, and tell 
 his whole heart. To his mother alone did he at that time 
 communicate his feelings, but from her he received no 
 encouragement to obey the farewell command of his Lord 
 and Master. He endeavored to muster resolution enough 
 
 to submit his condition to his employer, Mr. B , the 
 
 elder, but his tongue would not do its office. Of the rules 
 and regulations of the Church he was ignorant, not even 
 knowing that he must be examined, to receive, (according 
 to the custom of many Presbyterian Churches,) a token 
 of admittance. ' I intended ' said, he ' to go forward as 
 the Episcopalians do.' 
 
 On the Sabbath when the communion was to be celebra- 
 ted, he assisted the Elder in conveying the communion 
 vessels to the sanctuary, and on the way made another 
 unsuccessful attempt to unburthen his mind. On their 
 return, gathering courage from despair, he made a last 
 effort, and the first difficulty being overcome, he stated his 
 
82 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Change of views. His faith confirmed. The atonement. 
 
 exercises freely. They called on the Pastor, who investi- 
 gated the reason of the hope that was in him, and by the 
 proper authorities he was duly admitted to the privileges of 
 the sacrament. Returning home from the examination, he 
 prayed very frequently, and taking the Bible, read and 
 meditated those passages, which dwell on the sufferings of 
 Christ, until, as he thought, by a living faith he discerned 
 Him, who died to save our souls from sin and hell. Still 
 he did not, as he wished and expected, feel his heart warmed 
 with that love, melted with that gratitude, or fdled with that 
 abhorrence of sin, which he thought must accompany right 
 views of the Person and Character of the Son of God. But 
 when, seated at the table of the Lord, he received the 
 pledges of his dying love, a new scene seemed to open 
 before him, while the boundless merits and the resplendent 
 glory of the crucified Saviour were unfolded to his view. 
 
 The energies of the atonement, particularly in its rela- 
 tion to sin, and to the active duties of the believer in Jesus, 
 seemed wonderful. And when and where, if not at the 
 sacramental feast, should we expect with clearness and 
 delight to contemplate the atonement in its sublime and 
 diversified relations — to the perfections of Jehovah — to the 
 works of His creation and providence — to His moral gov- 
 ernment — to His pure and holy law — to the everlasting 
 purposes of God — to the Person and Offices of Christ — to 
 the dispensations past and present — to the Church of God 
 in Heaven, and the children of perdition in Hell — to the 
 Resurrection of the dead, and the final Judgment ? To 
 them all, the atonement has relations of import too momen- 
 tous to be disregarded by beings, whose everlasting interests 
 are intertwined with these relations. 
 
 For a week aft^r his participation in the sacrament of 
 the supper, a pleasant tranquillity pervaded his mind, 
 interrupted only by the anticipation, that, as a fair and 
 cloudless day often precedes the agitation of the elements 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 33 
 
 Severe temptations. BonnsMof relief. 
 
 and the gathering of the storm, so the peace he enjoyed 
 might provoke the adversary to raise a tumult in his soul. 
 If his fears were not realized in all their extent, they proved 
 to be not entirely without foundation. The Tempter 
 would gladly have converted the bread of life into a destruc- 
 tive poison. Seizing, after his manner, on some of the 
 stronger and more recondite truths of revelation, he endeav- 
 ored to make them odious to the tender and susceptive 
 mind of the young convert. Predestination and its cognate 
 truths rather ministered perplexity than satisfaction. All 
 this was perfectly natural, as well as coincident with that 
 portion of his experience already narrated, which cannot 
 fail to convince the thoughtful reader, that " every 
 high thing, which cxalteth itself against the knowledge of 
 God," was not entirely cast down. Of God himself and 
 his holy law, he at times had thoughts, which in the review 
 rilled him with exquisite pain. Such, in the yet inchoate 
 state of his spiritual views, were the temptations which 
 vexed him. Of the ways and means by which he obtained 
 any relief, he himself shall speak : 
 
 " That which gave me the most speedy relief from these 
 thoughts was, reflecting how many great and good men 
 have testified that God's commandments are infinitely holy, 
 just, and good, when at the same time they acknowledged 
 themselves condemned by those laws. I then thought it 
 must be the vileness of my own heart, * which excited these 
 thoughts. It seems to me that I at several times had doubts 
 as to the divine inspiration of the Scriptures, but several 
 causes combined at different times to deliver me from this 
 
 * Edward Payson sometimes called his heart :I a compound of every thing that is 
 bad." In one of his self-abasius views, he compares it to " the bottomless pit: out 
 of it, as soon as the door, with which the Holy Spirit covers it, is opened by his 
 absence, a thick, noisome smoke arises, with a tribe of hellish locusts, that devour the 
 tender plants of grace, and bring on a darkness which maybe felt" Again, if he 
 "attempts to approach the throne of grace, whole floods of evil imaginations carry 
 him away, so that he is tain to have recourse to unthoughl-of methods to get rid o' 
 them." — .Memoir, p. 89. 
 
84 MEMOIR OF 
 
 A characteristic of Pascal. Remark of Ratal Hall. Hlfl desire for the ministry. 
 
 perplexity. And I have reason to praise the Lord, that at 
 many times since, I have received additional and powerful 
 evidences, which have been of much service to me." 
 
 It was ever a trait in Walton's inquisitive mind to be 
 satisfied only with reasons. To resist error with the weap- 
 ons of reason, and temptation with the weapons of grace, 
 was with him a favorite way. Is is said of Pascal, that, 
 " when good reasons were not given him, he would search 
 for better, nor would he ever be satisfied, but by such as 
 appeared to him to be well founded." Reasoning with 
 temptation will not indeed alone avail to its overthrow, for 
 the gentle voice of reason can scarcely be heard amid the 
 storm of passion, but Grace itself will always act with 
 more vigor when Reason is on its side. " All attempts to 
 urge men forward," says the eloquent Robert Hall, " even 
 in the right path, beyond the measure of their light, are 
 impracticable in our situation, if they were lawful, and 
 unlawful, if they were practicable. Augment their light, 
 conciliate their affections, and they will follow of their own 
 accord." 
 
 Almost simultaneously with the commencement of Wal- 
 ton's serious impressions, commenced his thoughts of 
 aspiring to the sacred office and work of the ministry. 
 " Being all my life," he says in his diary, " more acquainted 
 with the Methodists than any other sect of religious people, 
 I did not know that any. person ever received a liberal 
 education for the purpose." He entertained some indefinite 
 notions about combining the preaching of the gospel with 
 secular business, which he had then no intention of relin- 
 quishing. But as his mind became more charmed with 
 spiritual things, his inclination for the mercantile business 
 diminished. He therefore made a frank and honest com- 
 munication of his views to Mr. P , the gentleman with 
 
 whom he had expected to enter into partnership, and 
 assigned, as his reason for declining it, the great change 
 
WILLIAM C.WALTON. 35 
 
 Gives up all for it. Providence interposes and meets him. His timidity in ear y life. 
 
 in his religious sentiments. He expressly wished to be 
 understood as not desiring to hear any more on the subject, 
 and boldly threw himself on the Providence of God, awaiting 
 its developements in unhesitating reliance on its wisdom 
 and power. Nor was that reliance vain. The result of 
 the course he adopted, was a full exemplification of the 
 truth of the divine promises: 'In all thy ways acknowledge 
 the Lord, and he shall direct thy paths.' • Commit thy 
 way unto the Lord. Trust also in him, and he shall bring 
 it to pass.' 
 
 While in this expecting attitude, he was invited by Dr. 
 Hill of Winchester, to his house, and there received from 
 that gentleman a proposal that he should be educated by the 
 Presbytery of Winchester , with a view to the holy ministry ! 
 This was a very agreeable surprise. To this proposal he 
 of course gave his solemn consideration. In the mean time 
 he consulted his mother, who at first opposed, but at 
 length acquiesced in his views. 
 
 But how should he ever summon sufficient resolution to 
 perform public ministerial duties, when oppressed with such 
 diffidence ? Scarcely had he courage to ask a blessing at 
 meals, much less to conduct family worship. On various 
 occasions, when visiting his friends, conscience pressed him 
 sore to " take up his cross," as it is sometimes absurdly 
 expressed ; that is, to pray with them, (surely no cross to 
 the Christian.) Fear too often prevailed against his resolu- 
 tion, until at length, visiting his mother previously to his 
 final departure to the scene of his studies, he felt it unbe 
 coming any longer to yield to a timidity, which would gain 
 strength by indulgence. Night came, and with it great 
 agitation. Should he be ashamed to confess Christ before 
 the mother that bore him ? He went out, and prayed earn- 
 estly that he might know what was his duty, and that he 
 might receive strength to perform it. He returned still 
 undecided, and at length resolved to retire without praying, 
 
30 MEMOIR OP 
 
 His decision and boldness in later lite. Personal fidelity. 
 
 when his sister asked him to lead in family worship ! This 
 removed every difficulty, lie promptly engaged in singing 
 and prayer, and succeeded beyond his expectation. He 
 continued to discharge the duties of family worship while 
 he remained at his mother's house, and the next week took 
 a final leave of her. 
 
 The writer has adverted to these particulars of the diffi- 
 dence of Walton, because that diffidence so strongly con- 
 trasts with the moral courage which he manifested in sub- 
 sequent years, and in scenes of far more severe trial ; 
 because that indecision was afterwards exchanged for great 
 decision of character. While the amiable qualities of his 
 younger, continued to adorn his later years, the more 
 defective traits of his earlier character were, during the 
 progress of grace in his heart, succeeded by their oppo- 
 sites, thus contributing very essentially to his usefulness, 
 as well as to the honors of supcrabounding grace. 
 
 About this time the Presbytery met at Martinsburg, 
 where its sessions were attended by Walton, with all that 
 interest which is felt by one in early life, expecting to 
 engage in the same work with the honored ministers of the 
 cross. He seized the opportunity presented by his sojourn 
 in a respectable family, to converse faithfully and affection- 
 ately with th.e head of it : a duty, alas ! too often neglected 
 by ministers, students in divinity, and Christians, but which, 
 when faithfully performed, not only carries with it its own 
 rich reward, but not seldom eventuates in the conversion of 
 those who are the objects of pious solicitude.* The faith 
 
 *The editor has heard of some memorable cases of salvation, brought to the houses 
 of individuals in Philadelphia, in former dayB, at the sessions of the General Assembly 
 through the fidelity and zeal of tlieir respected guests, members of the Assembly 
 
 A Clergyman not l< >nj; since called at the house of a friend in W Before 
 
 tearing, be proposed prayer. Two young ladies were called down from the chamber. 
 A few words were dropped into the car of each, which were followed by prayer. 
 One of the young ladies was awakened from her dream of sin by the Spirit of God 
 setting home the truth, and brought to rejoice in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Clergy- 
 man did not know the happy results of his admonitions till many months after, as be 
 lived some miles distant. " A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a net work 
 of silver." 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 37 
 
 Sent to Hampden Sydney. 
 
 and fidelity, the abundant prayers and indefatigable zeal of 
 Harlan Page have been embalmed by my early and respected 
 friend Mr. Hallock, in the pages of the American Tract 
 Society. That most efficient principle of action — individ- 
 uality of effort for the salvation of individuals — which 
 was the secret of Page's success, was well illustrated through 
 Walton's life. To this principle he added another — that of 
 exciting others to like aggressive movements upon the ranks 
 of the enemy. Though among the most modest and retiring 
 of men, he did not fear the face of a fellow being, when 
 charged with a message from God to his soul. 
 
 It was determined by the Presbytery that their young 
 candidate should be sent to Hampden Sydney College, at 
 Prince Edward, there to engage in studies suitable to his 
 present advancement in knowledge. Accordingly, in the 
 autumn of 1811, he repaired to that institution, with a firm 
 resolution, as well to cultivate the graces of Christian 
 living, as to seek attainments in human learning. That a 
 successful progress may be made in both ; that the eminence 
 of the scholar, and the pre-eminence of the Christian may 
 be combined in the same individual, was happily illus- 
 trated in such men as Leighton, Baxter, Taylor, Howe, 
 Boerhaave, Halyburton, Edwards, Mather, Martyn, and a 
 host of others, who seemed to love the maxim of Luther, 
 " bene orasse, bene studuisse," * or that of higher authority 
 and deeper import, " The knowledge of the Holy is 
 
 UNDERSTANDING." PrOV. ix. 10. 
 
 Speaking of the state of his mind at Prince Edward, he 
 says : " I have been enabled to pray, (apparently) more 
 devoutly than ever before — have made a very regular 
 attendance on that duty." But change of place did not 
 produce exemption from temptation. He was much troub- 
 led with " proud and rebellious thoughts." Against these 
 
 1 To pray well is to study well." 
 
38 MEMOIR OP 
 
 The misery of diffidence. Overcome by grace. 
 
 he contended, like the Christian Pilgrim with Apollyon, 
 and like him, through grace helping, gained the victory, 
 though in much trihulation. 
 
 Under date of Dec. 24, 1811, he says : " For a few days 
 past I have been considerably relieved ; have prayed heartily 
 to be delivered, and to be enabled to love this blessed 
 Being, against whom my corrupt heart rose ; have been 
 more desirous lately than usual of living spiritually minded, 
 and to be enabled to set my affections supremely on God; 
 have been at several prayer meetings here, at some of which 
 have enjoyed myself a good deal, and am in hopes derived 
 some advantage from them. But I am exceedingly diffi- 
 dent, expecting to be called on every time, keeps me out 
 of order, and prevents my deriving that advantage, which 
 I am persuaded I should otherwise have; but what is most 
 to be regretted of all is, that it renders me unable to pray 
 with fervor and sincerity, as I am so much embarrassed, 
 that it causes me to tremble considerably, and in some meas- 
 ure to lose my recollection." 
 
 Many young Christians have felt this. There is no better 
 remedy than earnest and importunate secret prayer with 
 reference to this difficulty. This has stopped the mouths of 
 lions, and quenched the violence of that fear 'which bring- 
 eth a snare,' and destroys the pleasure of the social prayer 
 meeting. Many a formidable difficulty rises before the 
 mind of the humble aspirant towards the sacred office, but 
 He who called Moses from his retirement in Midian, where 
 he fed his father's flocks, to assume the chief magistracy of 
 his people, ' will be with thy mouth and teach thee what 
 thou shalt say,' Oh trembling brother, if thou art ' not 
 eloquent, but slow of speech and of a slow tongue.' 
 
 Such was William C. Walton by nature, but God made 
 him a very useful man. Heaven has already received some 
 of the jewels of his ministry. Others, we trust, are pre- 
 paring to shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 39 
 
 Being dead, he yet spcaketli. 
 
 Father. Perhaps though dead, he may still speak to the 
 living through the bright example of his holy life, and the 
 tender recollection of his unwearied labors for those, who 
 will see his face and hear his voice no more ! 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 His youthful diary. 
 
 Thus far we have given a consecutive sketch of the 
 prominent features of the early character, and the facts of 
 the early life of Mr. Walton, but to those who love religious 
 biography, it is both pleasant and profitable to enter into 
 the bosom secrets of a mind that is in the daily habit of 
 holding high converse with its Author and Redeemer. We 
 wish to become more intimately acquainted with the thoughts 
 of the pious ; to participate in their exercises ; to rejoice 
 in their joy ; to sympathize with their sorrow ; in fine, to 
 tread with them the path of their pilgrimage, while as our 
 own Christian poet has said, 
 
 " Alternate sunshine, bitter tears" 
 
 illumine or sadden the scene. Into the temple of the soul 
 we desire to enter, and not satisfied with a view of the 
 outer court, we would penetrate into its most holy recess, 
 and there upon the altar of the broken heart, contemplate 
 the sacrifice, which sends its sweet savor up to God. In a 
 private journal kept by Walton at the age of eighteen he 
 thus writes : 
 
 " Sabbath-day , Dec. 29th, 1811. — Upon a review of my 
 past life, I can see nothing but a scene of rebellion and 
 
MEMOIR OF WALTON. 41 
 
 Difficulties and corruptions. 
 
 opposition to God, (sad marks of a depraved and corrupted 
 heart!) being sensible that my remaining corruptions are 
 painful, (though not enoughso,) such as inability to love God 
 and Christ, to meditate on heavenly things with delight, I 
 have not those heart affecting, transforming, and humbling 
 views of Christ that I would wish to have; in fact at times 
 when I am reading of affectionate devotion, my corruptions 
 are excited, in opposition to my rational desire to live a life 
 of holiness. If I know my own heart, I believe that 
 holiness with the rest of the doctrines of Christianity is 
 calculated to make us happy both now and forever. I can- 
 not place my dependence and faith in Christ nor plead for 
 blessings for his sake, as I would wish, although my depend- 
 ence is on free grace and mercy, for I am sensible that I 
 can do nothing which would give me a title to the favor of 
 God. Sometimes I have such views of the difficulties of 
 living a holy life, that they almost discourage me, until I can 
 exercise faith in God, (although it is weak) hoping he will 
 in due time enable me to exercise that faith on Christ which 
 works by love and purifies the heart ; and many other cor- 
 ruptions such as envy, pride, etc. — all of which render me 
 very weak : my resolutions I have hitherto made have 
 proved also very weak. Therefore hoping that God will 
 strengthen me with blessings suited to my wants, and build 
 me up in the most holy faith, I shall enter into some reso- 
 lutions respecting my future conduct, to which, as far as 
 they are agreeable to His will, I trust that He will enable 
 me to conform." 
 
 REMEMBER TO READ THESE RESOLUTIONS OVER ONCE A 
 
 WEEK. 
 
 1. "Let me endeavor to raise my first thoughts in the 
 morning to God and that they may be devout and thankful. 
 
 2. To rise early and pay my morning devotions to God, 
 beg his assistance in the intended business of the day. 
 
 3. To set myself to read the scriptures every morning 
 and evening, and to endeavor to grow in the knowledge of 
 the same ; also every morning to endeavor to meditafe on 
 spiritual things, then and at other times to be examining 
 into the state of my sou], whether I grow in grace and 
 have an interest in Christ or not. 
 
 4* 
 
42 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Resolutions. 
 
 4. After private devotions in the evening, when going to 
 bed, to ask myself wherein I could possibly, in any respect, 
 have done better; how I have improved my time; how 
 innocence lias been secured, and duties discharged. 
 
 5. Never to triile with a book with which I have no 
 present concern. In applying myself to any book, let me 
 first recollect what I may learn by it, and then beg suitable 
 assistance from God, and let me continually endeavor to 
 make all my studies subservient to practical, religious and 
 ministerial usefulness. 
 
 C. To be very careful in the employment of my time, 
 and never to incur unnecessary expenses. 
 
 7. Let me endeavor to render myself agreeable and useful 
 to all about mc, by a tender, compassionate, friendly beha- 
 vior, avoiding all trifling stories, foolish jesting and idle 
 chat, (that is unnecessary,) also to endeavor never to speak 
 ill of any person, unless some particular good call for it. 
 
 8. To be strictly temperate at meals, to endeavor to see 
 the hand of the Lord in all my comforts, and to exercise 
 gratitude for the same. 
 
 9. To endeavor to lift up my heart often to God in the 
 intervals of secret worship, repeating those petitions, which 
 are of the greatest important ■ 
 
 10. To endeavor to guard against pride and vain glory, 
 remembering how unworthy my pasl sins have rendered me 
 of the esteem of any good person, much more of God. 
 
 11. Never to do any thing out of revenge. 
 
 12. Never to speak in narration any thing but the pure 
 and simple verity. 
 
 13. Never to speak any thing that is ridiculous or matter 
 of laughter on the Lord's day. 
 
 14. Never to give over, nor in the least to slacken my 
 firrht with my corruptions, however unsuccessful I may be. 
 
 15. Never to laugh at the faults, follies, and infirmities of 
 others. 
 
 10. To keep a catalogue of the particular mercies I 
 may receive, oi the sins and infirmities into which I may 
 
 fall. 
 
 The above rules, with some alterations, are taken from 
 those of Doddridge and Edwards." 
 
 Let the reader not lightly pass them over, though not 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 43 
 
 Humiliation. \v> .ikness. 
 
 strictly original, but like our departed friend, ponder them, 
 and appropriate them to himself. Reader, are they not 
 suited to thy case? 
 
 The following record seems to have been made on the 
 evening of the same Sabbath : 
 
 " Sabbath-day, Dec. 20th, 1811. — I have cause for deep 
 humiliation before God for the sins of this day, especially 
 while at social prayer, so much vain glory and insincerity ; 
 was considerably affected, but it did not arise from repent- 
 ance and sorrow for sin : in fact I am not confident what 
 was the cause, but it started tears from my eyes. This 
 also was an occasion of sin. I hope to be enabled and shall 
 endeavor in future to pray at social meetings with more 
 sincerity, and be more solicitous to find acceptance with 
 God than to please man, but my diffidence and corruptions 
 are very disagreeable." 
 
 " Monday, Dec. SQth, at night. — This evening prayed in 
 Mr. Hoge's family ; but Oh the coldness, the insincerity of 
 my heart. Oh for a new creation unto holiness, and the 
 shedding abroad of Christ's love in my soul, that I might 
 be enabled to serve him in the beauty of holiness. Gra- 
 cious Lord ! my corruptions are great, but the work is 
 thine. Oh grant that thy grace may be sufficient for me. 
 I think I can discover my need of Divine assistance more 
 plainly than usual." 
 
 " Sabbath evening, Jan. 5th, 1812. — I find that my reso- 
 lutions are as weak as water ; without the assistance of God, 
 I cannot lift up my soul to Him with that gratitude which 
 his mercies deserve ; in fact, I have not a deep sense of the 
 greatness of his mercy. I find it difficult to exercise self- 
 denial. I also discover so much corruption and sinfulness 
 in myself, (though I am not sufficiently sensible of it,) and 
 my faith being weak at best, that it sometimes almost for- 
 sakes me, I cannot view in a proper light that fulness which 
 is in Christ. Our praying society met this evening. I offi- 
 ciated, but my corruptions and diffidence combined to ren- 
 der me unable to pray with that fixedness of devotion that I 
 ought. Oh for the invigorating and renewing influences 
 of the Holy Spirit to enable me to offer to my God a more 
 acceptable service through Jesus Christ. I think I have 
 
44 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Dedre of BanctificaUon. 
 
 discovered more beauty in the Old Testament through the 
 week past than heretofore, and trust that the Lord will 
 enlighten my mind to understand the scriptures, and make 
 them sweet to my soul." 
 
 "Sabbath evening, Jan. 19///. — What account shall I 
 give of myself? When corrupt asl am, I discover so many 
 sins and imperfections, how must I appear in the sight of 
 God, and yet how little humbled! My heart is so insensi- 
 ble, so cold, so ungrateful, notwithstanding the (listi»(ruish- 
 ing goodness of God to me ! Our society met this evening — 
 my endeavoring to prepare for officiating, together with my 
 diffidence put me out of order ; it seems that I cannot 
 humbly rely on the assistance of God. Oh for the influ- 
 ences of the Spirit of grace, to enable me to exercise proper 
 affections towards my God and Redeemer and to worship 
 Him in Spirit and truth — to be enabled sensibly to realize 
 my dependence on Christ and to approach the Father, relying 
 on his merits alone. I was not called on this evening to 
 pray. I think I plainly see that without the sanctifying and 
 invigorating influences of the Holy Spirit, all my reso- 
 lutions and attempts to live a holy life, are vain." 
 
 " Sabbath evening, Jan. 26th. — I think I have a greater 
 desire than usual of being sanctified and enabled to live 
 near the Lord, of being enabled to see the goodness of the 
 Lord to me, and my unworthiness, and to exercise gratitude. 
 Oh my pride, my corruptions and my weakness, how una- 
 ble am I to do any thing meritorious ; even my prayers in 
 the society, and in the family are dreadfully corrupt ; when I 
 have a tolerable flow of words, tins is an occasion of sin. 
 Spiritual pride is excited and my diffidence, inexperience, 
 and want of love and fear of God and warm affections 
 towards him, render me very unable to perform this duty 
 aright." 
 
 " Sabbath evening, Feb. 2d. — No material change has 
 taken place this past week ; still is my heart ungrateful, 
 my affections cold, notwithstanding all the multiplied 
 instances of the goodness of God to me. Oh, how hard it 
 is for me to keep my heart in a proper frame throughout 
 the day ; when engaged at my studies, I am surrounded 
 with temptations, and do sensibly feel that without the 
 grace of God I shall never be enabled to live spiritually 
 minded, without which there is neither life nor real peace. 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 45 
 
 [mpreadmu produced i>y an Earthquake. 
 
 But I trust that I shall not despair, though the Lord may 
 delay long, as it is his free mercy alone which I plead. I think 
 I can discover that my diffidence is wearing off in some meas- 
 ure, as I was not so much intimidated this evening while 
 praying in the society, as commonly — but believe there 
 was not much alteration as it respects my heart's engaged- 
 ness in worship. Oh, when shall I experience the love of 
 Christ shed abroad in my heart." 
 
 " Sabbath evening, Feb. 9th. — On Friday morning last 
 at about 4 o'clock, we experienced the shock of an earth- 
 quake so violent, that the shaking of the house and 
 beds awoke and alarmed me so much that I rose hastily and 
 ran down stairs — looked up to the heavens — the thought 
 of one day seeing my Saviour come in the clouds immedi- 
 ately occurred to me. I scarcely knew my own feelings. 
 I thought that if I should really see Him coming, that the 
 idea of being separated from Him would be insupportable; 
 yet felt and do feel so much unworthiness that it seems 
 impossible for me to apply his promises to myself and rest 
 upon them. I cannot come to God pleading and relying 
 unreservedly on his atoning blood for pardon and accept- 
 ance, though I plead nothing but the free mercy of God, 
 and to be enabled to come in this way. I do not perfectly 
 know my own feelings concerning the matter. I think 
 to-day I felt my inability to believe unreservedly in Christ, 
 and to come in this way more sensibly than ever before, 
 while reading Boston's Four-fold State. I feel my weakness 
 more than my unworthiness. Oh pride, wilt thou never 
 forsake me ? What have I to be proud of? But alas ! my 
 past sins and present imperfections are or should be suffi- 
 cient to humble me ; but my heart seems insensible, so 
 little delighting in devotion, so cold and ungrateful towards 
 my God and Saviour, and so little concerned with the great 
 interests of eternity. But I endeavor to put my trust in 
 the promises of God, and to wait for the assistance of his 
 grace. Dr. Hoge preached an excellent sermon to-day, 
 and this evening in the society made some very edifying 
 and comforting reflections, and I never saw any man pray 
 equal to him. Oh happy man ! he appears to possess the 
 most meekness of any man I ever saw. There was one 
 reflection particularly which appeared to comfort me. It 
 was this : ' If any person really wishes to go to Heaven, 
 
46 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Boston's Fourfold Slate. t»g Treatise. 
 
 and makes use of proper means to get there, we have 
 reason to believe that the mercy of God will be sufficient 
 for him.' " 
 
 " Sabbath evening, Feb. 16th. — I think I have lately had 
 a clearer view of the hardness of my heart and inv inability 
 to do anything to divine acceptance, and of my absolute 
 dependence on grace to sanctify my nature, to give me a 
 tender heart, heavenly affections, and to preserve me from 
 final impenitency, than usual. My heart seems so surpris- 
 ingly insensible and cold towards my Almighty Benefactor, 
 so destitute of heavenly affections, so unable to meditate 
 profitably, to realize eternal things; have not as yet been 
 favored with any uncommon views of the fulness of Christ, 
 and am so unable to apply his merits to myself and place all 
 dependence on them ; in short, I am completely dependent 
 on the free grace of God to make me a Christian indeed." 
 
 "Sabbath evening, Feb. 23d, 181"2. — In reading Boston's 
 Four-fold State I have been led to doubt whether or not I 
 have ever experienced a saving change ; the hardness and 
 ingratitude of my heart, ignorance of God, of the fulness 
 tli at is in Jesus Christ, and of my guilt, all these things 
 serve to disquiet me, (though I seem to be strangely inat- 
 tentive and unimpressed with the vast concerns of eternity.) 
 Though at times the difficulties that lie in the way of 
 becoming a real Christian appear formidable when I feel 
 my inabilitv to do any thing good, yet I endeavor to commit 
 my soul to the Lord, and to wait in the use of appointed 
 means for the accomplishment of his promises to me." 
 
 " Tuesday, March ~2ith. — In reading a treatise of Scott's 
 concerning the nature of repentance, regeneration, &x. my 
 mind was considerably relieved of those disquieting doubts 
 and fears about my spiritual state. The principal cause of 
 my remaining doubts are, the scanty views I have of the 
 odiousness of sin ; little hatred of it and little love of holi- 
 ness ; and I fear that I have not sufficiently seen my need 
 of Christ, nor the excellence of his character, and that he 
 is not sufficiently precious to me, and it seems so difficult for 
 me to rely as entirely as I ought on him for salvation and 
 acceptance. On Sunday evening last I had an awful view 
 of the danger of unconverted sinners, and feel very solici- 
 tous to be guided in the path of salvation, to be preserved 
 from deceiving myself and from being hardened." 
 
WILLI AM C. WALTON. 47 
 
 Temptation to levity. His sensitiveness. 
 
 By thus consulting the simple record of his early experi- 
 ence, we shall he hetter ahle, when brought to the conclusion 
 of his earthly career, to compare the slender attainments of 
 the babe in Christ, with the abundant acquisitions and 
 finished character of him, who has ' come unto the meas- 
 ure of the stature of the fulness of Christ,' and thus proved 
 that ' the path of the just is as the shining light, that 
 shineth more and more unto the perfect day.' 
 
 Sabbath evening, May 31. — Last Wednesday week, I 
 
 went to Mr. L 's. Nearly all the time that I was there, 
 
 they had company. Much levity indeed was in all the con- 
 versation of this company. They were very wealthy. Such 
 company was very unfavorable to me, whose disposition is 
 naturally so proud. It really seemed as if I was more 
 solicitous to make a good appearance before them, (espe- 
 cially to appear smart,) than to please God, or seek pleas- 
 ure in Him. Notwithstanding my aggravated transgres- 
 sions, through the mercy of God I arrived safe home on 
 Thursday last. My affections have been very cold at times 
 since, and I hope that it will teach me in future to keep a 
 strict watch over my heart, go where I may, for it is only 
 acting cruelly to myself to neglect it." 
 
 The resolution of the Psalmist is too little heeded by 
 Christians, ' I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not 
 with my tongue. I will keep my mouth with a bridle, 
 while the wicked is before me.' The precept should never 
 be forgotten to ' walk in wisdom towards them that are 
 without.' 
 
 " Sabbath, June Z8th. — Fruit being plenty, I have several 
 times lately indulged myself too much in eating it, and 
 thereby my mind has been perplexed. I am more and more 
 convinced that my own reason and resolution are altogether 
 insufficient to resist temptation, and without the aid of the 
 Divine Spirit to qualify me for the duties of life, for the 
 ministry, I am undone. I have so many temptations, and I 
 fall into so many sins, that I fear I shall bring injury to the 
 
48 MEMOIItOF 
 
 Strong emotions. Fasting. Yin ■ it Sacrament. 
 
 cause of religion." The time of the Christian pilgrims, 
 sojourn must indeed be ' passed in fear,' and ' whether he 
 eats or drinks, or whatever he doeth, he shall do all to the 
 glory of God.' 
 
 "Sabbath July 19th. — Last Sabbath week, I had not 
 prepared for our praying society, hut while I was praying, 
 my affections became excited to as great a degree as they 
 ever were on a sacramental occasion. At first I gave way 
 to them a little, but they soon became so violent, that when 
 I wished to restrain them, I could not do it. I cannot 
 but hope it was of some advantage tome, although I believe 
 they were not produced by a deep sense of sin, or great 
 love to God, but for some time before, I had been cold and 
 insensible, and that evening had been out at prayer in the 
 woods, and was there somewhat affected by reflecting on 
 my coldness, my sins, and the little degree of vital religion 
 that I seemed to possess, which I hoped stirred me up a 
 little. But notwithstanding the height of my affections 
 while at prayer, my heart was surprisingly disengaged, as is 
 usually the case with me when I pray in public." 
 
 It has doubtless been seen that the experience here record- 
 ed, is that of a young Christian, whose heart needed yet to 
 be ' established with grace,' whose christian character was 
 indeed in the forming state. 
 
 " Snbbath, Aug. 2. — Last Thursday I observed the Fast 
 appointed by the General Assembly. It was the first time I 
 ever fasted on a day appointed by myself or the Church, 
 but I have sometimes denied myself the ordinary meals. 
 However, such is the advantage that I think I derive from 
 these exercises, especially self-examination, that I intend 
 with divine assistance to observe these duties in future, at 
 least once in two months. Rebellious and proud thoughts 
 very seldom arise in my heart now, when I read or think of 
 the humility of Christ, and his character while on earth, 
 but I hope I begin to see more of his excellency, and that 
 my soul has generally been in a better frame for a short 
 time past, than ever before for the same length of time." 
 
 " Sabbath, Aug. 23, 1812. — Last Sabbath I received the 
 sacrament at Briery. I had a comforting view of the free 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 49 
 
 Conflicts. Triumphs. Tries to do pood. 
 
 mercies of God in Christ, and thought at one time I felt the 
 love of Christ constraining me to forsake sin; but have 
 never felt so deep a sense of my guilt, and of the exceeding 
 sinfulness of sin as I wish to feel. I am still surrounded 
 by temptations, and it seems as if my resolutions were of no 
 account whatever." He alludes to the fact of the abund- 
 ance of fruit that year, his own fondness for it, and the 
 danger to which he was exposed of exceeding the bounds of 
 moderation. Upon this subject he seems to have been very 
 sensitive. 
 
 "Nov. 1. — While I was on a visit to my brother's, a 
 considerable part of the time my mind was in an uncom- 
 fortable state ; I was remiss, and temptations assailed me 
 almost continually. My sins and short-comings were 
 numerous, but when the day arrived for the administration 
 of the sacrament at Richmond, I felt in a considerable 
 degree my weakness, unworthiness, and dependence on 
 divine grace, and I trust it was a profitable communion to 
 me, and also that at Goochland. Blessed be God, I trust 
 he has not forsaken me. I feel now somewhat quickened, 
 and enjoy a more comfortable hope of an interest in Christ 
 than ever I have before." 
 
 The preceding extracts will afford the reader some Idea 
 of the general state of our friend's mind in this early period 
 of his religious experience. He seems to have toiled along 
 amid many doubts and fears, yet still resolved to press 
 toward the heavenly mark ; and without much assistance 
 from Christian friends, or much new light poured into his 
 mind, to have been silently preparing for future usefulness. 
 Occasionally too, he endeavored to do good to those around 
 him. Under date Jan. 17, 1813, he speaks of a " society 
 formed for the education of the blacks," at which he exhort- 
 ed, though embarrassed by the presence of the whites. It 
 was very natural for him to take so exalted and impressive a 
 theme, as that in the twenty-seventh chapter of Matthew, 
 in reference to which, he says that he " expatiated on the 
 sufferings of Christ, which was the subject that Jirst roused 
 5 
 
50 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Labors abroad. Deliverance in answer to prayer. 
 
 my attention to religion," adding with solemn emphasis, 
 
 " IT IS DIFFICULT TO FELL THE WORTH OF THE SOUL." 
 
 The following week, in company with two friends, he 
 attended a meeting at Buffalo meeting house, where there was 
 some special attention to religion. Ahout twenty-five had 
 professed to be converted. " All three of us exhorted, but I 
 think I was a little imprudent to attempt it before such a 
 large audience, some well informed even, when I was not 
 prepared. I hope, however, I have been much benefitted 
 by going up. My desires for a revival of religion have 
 considerably increased. I think I exercised faith in prayer 
 for it, if I ever did before." 
 
 " March 23. — Several days ago I was greatly troubled 
 with vain and sinful thoughts, even in lime of wor- 
 ship. This continued about two or three days, until 
 one evening I prayed earnestly to be delivered from them, 
 and to be enabled to meditate to advantage. In a short 
 time, I felt a sensible deliverance and change. My mind 
 became more fixed and composed, and I have since enjoy- 
 ed more liberty in prayer. Since I embraced religion, my 
 mind has been often much harrassed and perplexed about 
 eating. Not long since, this was the case, and my affec- 
 tions appeared to be in too great a degree placed on the 
 enjoyments of the world, but I trust 1 have been in some 
 degree delivered from this evil." * * * 
 
 This thought is worthy of serious consideration. There 
 is, even in the Church, less of this subjugation of the appe- 
 tite than may be supposed. If some good men do not "live 
 to eat," they eat more than is necessary to live in comfort, 
 health and usefulness.* Perhaps the strong expression that 
 
 *The celebrated epigram, composed by Doddridge, and praised by Johnson, will lure 
 occur to the mind of the reader : 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 51 
 
 Indulgence of appetite. Various emotions. 
 
 " most men dig their graves with their teeth," has in it 
 more of truth, and less of hyperbole than is imagined. 
 How many men have clouded their intellect, debilitated 
 their energies, impaired their spirituality, and abridged 
 their usefulness by too free indulgence in the pleasures of 
 the table ! If Walton's temptation arose from this quarter, 
 it was met with promptitude and resisted with success, for 
 during all my acquaintance with him, he seemed peculiarly 
 abstemious, and disliked to be subjected to the inflictions 
 of that politeness, which is continully urging you to "take 
 a little more." * 
 
 " Saturday evening, April 23. — I have this day paid 
 considerable attention to self-examination, during the 
 course of which sometimes, very uncomfortable doubts 
 would arise, which proceeded, I believe, principally from 
 the scantiness of my views of the evil and desert of sin; 
 of the sincerity and depth of my repentance. * * 
 
 I think I do feel a desire to be delivered from all sin, and 
 be devoted unreservedly to Him, who died for me. Just 
 before I commenced writing this, I felt, and do still feel as 
 if I should have taken great pleasure to be with Christ as 
 his Apostles were, and hear him converse, notwithstanding 
 his destitute situation." 
 
 "June 13. — While on my visit to Winchester, I 
 was in an almost continual conflict with temptation. 
 Never, that I know of, had I to struggle so much against 
 pride and vanity. There were many things calculated to 
 excite the emotions in a corrupt heart, and I yielded too 
 much to them. How did the company and the business I 
 had to perform unfit me for devotion, and banish at times the 
 
 " Live while you live," the epicure would Bay, 
 " And seize the pleasures of the present day." 
 "Live while you live," the sacred preacher cries, 
 " And give to God each moment as it flies." 
 " Lord, in my view let both united be, 
 1 live in pleasure, when I live to Thee." 
 
 * A worthy clergyman in the Presbyterian Church, settled for a quarter of a century 
 atnon» a polite and hospitable people, when pressed to partake of the luxuries of the 
 dessert, would always reply, " iVo, I thank you, I have dined." 
 
52 MEMOIR OF 
 
 V ictnry over the flesh. Vanity. 
 
 thoughts of God and religion from my mind ! How astonish- 
 ing is the mercy of God, that he has not entirely left me 
 to perish in my sins! But thanks he to his name, that I 
 have reason to believe He is still with me, for on my return, 
 I was powerfully tempted several times to unchastity,* 
 but he in his infinite mercy enabled me to overcome 
 these temptations, alter discovering to me that had I been 
 left to myself, I should have been overcome." 
 
 "I fear I have lately been making too much provision 
 for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof; that I have not 
 observed that economy, which a person in my situation 
 should do, and that this will make a bad impression on the 
 minds of some of my Christian acquaintances. Alas! I 
 have been too vain of my external appearance ; may God in 
 His 'infinite mercy give me grace to direct me how to act, 
 and a heart to act as becomes a disciple of Jesus Christ." 
 Who would not reiterate this prayer for himself.' 
 
 " July 10. — Not long since, I learned that my first 
 attempt to exhort had been blessed to the awakening of 
 one or two. One has already obtained a good hope, and 
 the other is in a very good way.f They were Mr. D 's 
 
 * More weighty than gold are tile following words of a profound thinker, and a fear- 
 less writer: '• When a temptation of Inst assaults thee, do not ,r>M it by heaping up 
 arguments against it. ami disputing with it, considering its offers and its danger, buxjly 
 from it, that is, think not at all of it, lay aside all consideration concerning it, and turn 
 away from itby any severe and laudable thoughts ol business. St. Bierom very wittily 
 r- proves the Gentili superstition, which pictured the virgin deities aimed with a shield 
 and lance, as if chastity could not be defended without war and direct contention. No, 
 this enemy is to be treated otherwise. If you hear it speak, though but to dispute 
 with it, it ruins you ; ami the very arguments you go about to answer, leave a relish 
 upon the tongue. A man may be burned if he goes near the fire, though but to quench 
 his house; and by handling pitch, though but to draw it from your clothes, you defile 
 your lingers." — Taylor's Jlo/ii Living. 
 
 t This style of speaking in reference to the sinner in a state of conviction was in 
 Walton's inaturer years and more extensive experience, corrected. In the revival at 
 
 Pittslield, in 1821, among n y judicious and Weighty things, Rev. Mr. Netlleton 
 
 said: " Christians often tell sinners to ' wait God's time.' Now what do you mean 
 by this? Do you mean that God is not ready ? What ! would you say this, when 
 God says ' oil things ore ready P If you mean that God is not ready now, then tell 
 me when He will be ready. Tell the sinner, if you undertake to administer consola- 
 tion to him. when Cod's time is, if it Is not ROW, Be careful how you interpose be- 
 tween the Spirit of God and the heart of the sinner. Never tell him to be patient, to 
 wait God's time, unless you can tell when that time is. It will certainly never come, 
 so long as the sinner remains in his sins, and yet you tell him to be patient— to what 1 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 53 
 
 Caaei of aw okenlng. 
 
 daughters, one of whom gave me this account. She said 
 that she had danced part of the way, as she was going to 
 Mr. Baker's, where the society was held, and was as care- 
 less as any person ever was. Oh that 1 could feel thankful 
 to God, for this instance of his goodness to me ! I cer- 
 tainly do not feel as I ought my absolute dependence on 
 the blessing of God to enable me to do any good. The 
 subject on which I spoke was the Bufferings of Christ, 
 which was blessed to the awakening of my poor soul." 
 
 "July 24. — Last Saturday 1 went, up to Blue Stone 
 Meeting House, in Mecklenburg, where there was to be a 
 sacrament on the next day. The evening on which I 
 arrived in the neighborhood, I exhorted ; felt no intimida- 
 tion after commencing, and spoke with considerable free- 
 dom and ease. After I was done, an aged Christian, 91 
 years of age, came to me deeply affected, and blessed me, 
 which seemed to me like a patriarchal blessing. The next 
 morning I was very much engaged in prayer ; shed tears 
 freely; went to the Church. No Minister except Mr. Cur- 
 ry, though Mr. S. D. Hoge was expected ; after rising from 
 the table, Mr. Curry requested me to exhort, and for the 
 first time in my life I ascended the pulpit ! There was a 
 large audience, many of whom were among the most 
 wealthy, respectable, and enlightened people in the county. 
 I felt not the least intimidated, spoke with greater ease 
 than I ever did before in my life, was uncommonly anima- 
 ted, and words and ideas seemed to flow without any diffi- 
 culty. I am persuaded that I received assistance from 
 above, and have endeavored to give the glory to God, and 
 since then I have felt more grateful to God than I believe I 
 ever did before. The people, who before had been talking 
 in a very unbecoming manner, now seemed all attention, 
 my address was very unexpected, and the attention of the 
 people was excited considerably. I hope I did, with the 
 blessing of God, some good, both by speaking, and by my 
 example to the young people, (of whom there were many) 
 
 in his sins f Yes, and he may be patient til! he dies, and God's time will never come, 
 and certainly not in hell. You encourage him in his sins. Sinners are told that 'if 
 God has begun a good work in their souls, he will carry it on.' Now I would ask you 
 how you know this 1 Bow do you know He has begun a good work in the sinner, 
 when he is in a state of impenitence and rebellion against God V And with many 
 other words of wisdom did he exhort the people on that solemn night. 
 
 5* 
 
54 MEMOIR OP 
 
 rrrscveraniT in prayrr. 
 
 for I believe I was the only young person who communed. 
 Both before and afterwards, I received many marks of 
 esteem and friendship from the people, and was requested 
 to go up there again, but could not promise." 
 
 "Sabbath evening, Aug. 30. — For two or three days past 
 I have felt at times very insensible ; have endeavored to 
 pray in this state of mind ; but it would be sometime before 
 I could get engaged ; could find no enlargement, no access 
 to God; but after continuing at prayer for some time, my 
 heart would be touched, and the conclusion would be quite 
 encouraging ; would end in tears. But I have deserved to 
 be abandoned by the Holy Spirit. My prayers in the fam- 
 ily are too formal. I can scarcely ever feel as I ought. I 
 know it is a privilege that I am permitted to pray in the 
 family : but alas ! it still appears to be a cross, though not as 
 much so as formerly. Oh when will God quicken my life- 
 less soul ! " 
 
 " Monday morning, Sept. 14. — Well, the four days' meet- 
 ing is over, and I believe on the whole it has been profitable 
 tome; but should God enter into judgment with me for 
 my sins and short-comings, I must perish. The pride of 
 my heart is great, and I have a great propensity to desire 
 the applause of my fellow creatures. But it affords me sat- 
 isfaction to feel a disposition to resist this pride and vain 
 glory. When I seriously reflect, I see that I am an unwor- 
 thy creature, and that I am indebted to God for all that I 
 am and have. But how violently am I tempted sometimes. 
 
 " I am also troubled very much with spiritual pride — 
 wishing others to think me very pious; often have I tried 
 to shed tears when I was not much affected; partly because 
 it is agreeable to me when I see others affected, and partly 
 that others might see that I was affected ; my corruptions 
 are many and strong, but I think I sincerely desire to be 
 delivered from them, they cause me so much uneasiness." 
 
 " Sept. 23. — When called on to pray in public, I find in 
 me too great a solicitude to make handsome prayers, and 
 not much to have my heart engaged as it ought to be, but 
 reflecting on this afterwards, causes me much pain and sor- 
 row. Nothing but divine grace can deliver me from my 
 pride, vanity, and love of the applause of the world, and 
 enable me to exhort and preach with a single eye, to his 
 glory, and the good of souls." 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 55 
 
 Vanity rebuked. 
 
 Mr. Walton had for some time been visiting in the State 
 of North Carolina, where many of the meetings above 
 mentioned were held, with so much comfort to himself and 
 profit to those who heard him. The influence of the visit 
 upon his mind seems, in some respects, to have been salu- 
 tary, and he resolved on his return to Virginia, to devote 
 himself with a more assiduous zeal to the cause of his 
 Master. But adverse influences affected him. He com- 
 plains of having become more worldly than usual, and of 
 having indulged in levity. On a particular occasion, at 
 Hampden Sydney, after attending family worship, he fancied 
 he had made an excellent prayer, being uncommonly fluent, 
 but afterwards confessed and lamented, that his heart was 
 far from being engaged as it should have been. Dr. H. 
 remarked to him there was something unnatural in his man- 
 ner, and gave him some friendly advice. By this fidelity 
 on the part of his instructor, his spiritual pride, to use his 
 own language, " was truly mortified. It was however, an 
 advantage tome. He also took up the idea, that I thought 
 myself more of a clergyman than I ought, after my return 
 from North Carolina." These things, with others, were 
 mentioned as faults in a letter written by Dr. H. to Mr. H. 
 of Winchester, who with Christian faithfulness showed 
 Walton the letter. "Never," says he, " I believe, was I 
 more mortified ; I look upon it as a just punishment for my 
 intellectual and spiritual pride, which I indulged too much 
 while in North Carolina. But these sinful emotions were a 
 source of much pain to me." To correct some mistakes 
 into which Dr. H. had fallen, Mr. W. says, " I took the 
 liberty of answering his letter in a manner, which will, I 
 hope, regain that esteem, which I had in some degree lost." 
 This occurrence seems to have been the means of develop- 
 ing that simplicity of character, and frankness of disposi- 
 tion, which ever distinguished my lamented friend. He 
 was fully convinced, that the very flattering marks of regard 
 
50 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Traits of character developed. Summertield. 
 
 bestowed on him while in Carolina, by injudicious admirers, 
 did him injury; especially, when among those admirers 
 not the least dangerous were some of the gentler sex; 
 whose natural enthusiasm of character is easily awakened 
 by the spectacle of devoted youthful piety, combined with 
 promising talent, amenity of temper, and activity of zeal. 
 Who that knew the gentle, the lovely, the heavenly minded 
 Si mmkrfield, could wonder at the triumphs of his sacred 
 eloquence over tender and susceptible hearts ? Who, I 
 may add, could cease to wonder at the apparent impervi- 
 ousness of that extraordinary youth to the influence of 
 flattery ! Yet if the eye could have read the private jour- 
 nal of his soul, it might have found there conflicts and 
 confessions, like those of other men, who have lived near 
 to God, and the nearer they lived to Him, the more keenly 
 detected the minutest deficiencies of their hearts. 
 
 Returning from Winchester, Mr. Walton met with an 
 incident, which had nearly deprived him of life. Descend- 
 ing a hill beyond Hand's Ferry, the horse he was driving 
 being suddenly frightened, ran furiously down the descent, 
 and as there was a deep rut on one side of the road, and a 
 clump of trees on the other, his fate seemed suspended, as 
 it were, between this Scylla and Charybdis — instant de- 
 struction on one side or the other seeming certain. With 
 the calmness of a Christian he made up his mind to die. 
 After the carriage had been whirled about a hundred 
 yards, the left wheel was precipitated into the rut, dashing 
 him to the ground, and snapping asunder the axletree, as 
 if it had been of the texture of a tender reed, while the 
 disengaged wheel ran over his back and head, and would 
 have completed the work of destruction, had not those 
 parts of his body providentially escaped the stroke of the 
 axletree, and the fury of the horse's feet. His head was 
 somewhat injured, but his arm was cut in several pla- 
 ces, besides being severely bruised, and some of his ribs 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 57 
 
 Narrow escape from death. His reflection* on tin; event. 
 
 nearly broken. " How I escaped," says he, " I am utterly 
 at a loss to know, without believing that those everlasting 
 arms which uphold the universe, and direct and control 
 all events, protected me. I am astonished that I was not 
 mangled and bruised, yea, killed on the spot. But thanks 
 be to God, who has lengthened out my space for making 
 my calling and election sure. I have since felt sensibly 
 that I am not my own, and been more disposed to devote 
 myself unreservedly to the service of God than ever before. 
 I have seen clearly the vanity of every thing under the sun, 
 the absolute necessity of being always prepared to meet 
 my God in Judgment. May He sanctify this, and all the 
 dispensations of his Providence to me." 
 
 Of his views and feelings in the midst of this danger, 
 and at a moment when thought takes the swiftness of the 
 lightning, we may learn from himself: "I despaired of 
 life ; I felt very little alarmed, and I have a comfortable 
 hope, that had I been killed, I should now have been 
 rejoicing with saints and angels in Heaven. Thanks be to 
 God for what He has done for my poor guilty soul ! " 
 
 Few persons probably are accustomed to remember, and 
 still fewer to remember with gratitude, their numerous and 
 narrow escapes from impending death.* Safety excites no 
 emotion, except when in the vicinity of known danger. 
 
 The next record we have of personal feelings or passing 
 events, is dated 
 
 " Feb. 20, 1814. — Not long since I began to doubt the 
 reality of all my former experience, which gave me con- 
 siderable uneasiness ; but in my most gloomy moments I 
 retained some hope, which afforded me comfort. Yesterday 
 
 evening, after having prayed in Capt. P 's family, I 
 
 walked out. I thought on my insincerity, and had such 
 
 * Bishop Kemp, of Baltimore, was killed in consequence of the overturning of the 
 stage at the only spot between New Castle and Frenchtown, where such a thing could 
 with any probability have happened. The driver was said to be intoxicated. 
 
58 MEMOIR OF WALTON. 
 
 A death-bed scene. 
 
 a sense of guilt, that I really had some apprehension that I 
 should be struck dead ; perhaps it was one of the best 
 worded prayers thai 1 ever pronounced, but I did not feel 
 the force of m\ own requests as I oughl ; it appeared more 
 like mockery than prayer. My only hope is in the mercy 
 of God through Christ." 
 
 "July 10. — Lasl evening I witnessed a scene which has 
 
 made a deep impression on my mind. Mrs. F had 
 
 been in a consumptive way for a long time; she had also 
 been seeking religion for nearly a year, but had not been 
 very earnestly engaged until within a few weeks past. Mr. 
 
 B and I visited her, conversed and prayed with her 
 
 almost every evening ; and I have reason to believe that 
 God blessed these means to her salvation. She was for 
 several days, after I first saw her, in much di-tress. Last 
 Wednesday evening week, she thought she was about to 
 die. She prayed all night, and until the next day about 10 
 o'clock, when she experienced a blessed change. She 
 
 rejoiced with joy unspeakable. She sent for Mr. B and 
 
 myself, and when she saw us, she exclaimed, ' I have found 
 J(.<u.< ! I have found Jesus ! ' She was as happy a creature 
 as I ever saw. She retained her comfort to the last. I 
 went over yesterday evening ; and when I arrived, she 
 appeared to be almost dead. 1 touched her hand : she 
 opened her eyes, looked at me and smiled ! She reached 
 out her arms as if she wished to kiss me. She then said 
 ( bless tht Lord' several times, and indeed I thought she 
 continued to repeat these words alter I could not under- 
 stand what she said. She shortly after feel asleep in Jesus, 
 and I hardly have a doubt but that she now is in Heaven." 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Danger of worldly influences. 
 
 Of the mental experience of Mr. Walton during the pres- 
 ent year, (1814,) it may be said, that by peculiar circumstan- 
 ces, some portion of it was rendered somewhat unprofitable. 
 In years young, lie was exposed to the temptations of youth. 
 In Christian attainments recent, he was not yet established 
 in the strength of spiritual manhood. In the principles of 
 future action still unsettled, he might become the victim of 
 variable influences. With an ardent temperament, indi- 
 genous to the clime in which he was born, and reared, his 
 social affections would naturally seek their appropriate 
 object. And if he did not pray for impenetrability to that 
 tender passion, from which few are exempt, the probability 
 was, that its influence might soon become too powerful to 
 be successfully resisted. 
 
 For several months he was in an uncomfortable frame of 
 mind, in consequence of yielding to a fascination of this 
 kind. Self-complacency, pride, love, a desire of worldly 
 applause, formed a kind of conspiracy to disturb the equa- 
 nimity of his mind, and to divert the energies of his soul 
 from the great objects he had set before himself — personal 
 holiness and personal usefulness. These things, says 
 he, " have all combined to render me very unhappy at times. 
 Oh that I could be completely devoted to the service of my 
 
60 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Wickedness of trifling with the feelings of either sex. 
 
 God, without having any inordinate desires to gain the ap- 
 plause of the world " ! Flattered by the kindness of the fe- 
 male sex, he found his mind too often wandering from that 
 steadiness of purpose in religion, without which, neither past 
 acquisitions can be retained, nor new conquests achieved. 
 Here many a young candidate for the holy ministry has 
 failed. This point cannot be guarded with a too scrupu- 
 lous fidelity, or a too conscientious care. There is a spot 
 in this region, where character has been not only much en- 
 dangered, but permanently injured, and even in some cases 
 irretrievably wrecked. Hopes cruelly blasted on the one 
 side, and engagements impiously violated on the other, have 
 left it doubtful whether more to deplore the desolations 
 wrought in affectionate and confiding bosoms, or to detest 
 the duplicity which could thus trifle with the most solemn 
 vows, and trample on the most tender and sacred emotions. 
 The result has, alas! too often been an early grave, clos- 
 ing over youth, beauty and loveliness, or a lingering exis- 
 tence, passed in silent and uncomplaining grief, embittered 
 by the recollections of the past, and seeking its only solace 
 in the anticipations of the future. Hope beams in beauty 
 to the weeping, wearied eye, and beckons the sufferer to 
 that better land of which the poet sings : 
 
 " There is a home of peaceful rest 
 To mourning wanderers given ; 
 Tbere is a joy for souls distressed, 
 A halm for every wounded breast, 
 'Tis found alone in Heaven !" 
 
 They find one steadfast friend, by whom no trust was ev- 
 er betrayed, no sensibilities ever mocked, no affections ev- 
 er repulsed. The ' altogether lovely ' is the everlastingly 
 faithful, '/will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.' 
 
 This digression has not been indulged, either because 
 there is any evidence Walton ever violated such a pledge, 
 or for the sake of filling a page, but because it is my duty 
 to bear testimony against conduct, which in man or woman 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 61 
 
 Confession ofa Jesuit. 
 
 is highly reprehensible, in a Christian deeply disgraceful, 
 in a Christian minister supremely atrocious. The cases 
 indeed are few compared with those of exemplary fidelity, 
 but far-reaching in their influence, and indelible in their 
 remembrance. Nor let any one class, sex, or profession 
 boast over another. Tales of tragical import might be told, 
 without leaving the territory of truth, to seek that of fic- 
 tion; tales that would bring some, eminent in political life, 
 into close connexion with the anguish of the death bed, the 
 solemnities of the funeral, and the silence of the grave! 
 
 "Sept. 24. — Lately my exercises have been more comfort- 
 able than usual, especially in prayer and meditation. This 
 morning 1 awoke before day,* and had some very agreeable 
 reflections and feelings. I felt willing that my Redeemer 
 should have all the glory of my salvation. I felt like I would 
 submit to martyrdom, rather than voluntarily and deliber- 
 ately violate one of God's commands." 
 
 "Sept. '27. — Yesterday evening Dr. H. observed tome that 
 he had heard 1 was in the habit of speaking in my exhorta- 
 tions in a manner too authoritative, and also advised me 
 never to counterfeit feeling when I did not feel. This, I 
 hope, has been of much service to me, for I have been too 
 much lifted up, and had too high an opinion of my talents. 
 My pride was imperceptibly increasing." 
 
 It is related of a Jesuit, who was employed twenty years 
 in the missions of Canada, that he privately confessed to a 
 friend the fact, that although he did not believe in the be- 
 ing of a God, he had faced death twenty times, for the sake 
 of the religion which he preached to the natives with great 
 success. When reminded of the inconsistency of his zeal, 
 
 * A beautiful precept by one ofthe nervous authors of the 17th century may not be 
 out of place here : "In the morning when you wake, accustom yourself to thin k first 
 upon God, or something in order to his service ; and at night also let him close thine 
 eyes, and let your sleep be necessary and healthful, not idle and expensive of time 
 beyond the needs and conveniences of nature ; and sometimes be curious to see the 
 preparation which the sun makes, when lie is coming forth from his chambers of the 
 East." 
 
 6 
 
62 MEMOIR OF 
 
 A word to candidates for the sacred office. 
 
 "Ah!" replied he, "you have no idea of that pleasure 
 which is felt in commanding the attention of twenty thou- 
 sand people, and in persuading then into the belief of that 
 which we ourselves do not believe !" How much of the un- 
 hallowed fire of ambition is mingled with the pure flame of 
 piety in the bosoms of the ministers of the cross, the day of 
 judgment only will disclose. Let the reader seriously ex- 
 amine whether he has renounced every ' hidden thing of dis- 
 honesty,' every step of craftiness, and every deceitful mode 
 of treating divine truth. 
 
 The time had now arrived, when young Walton was to be 
 licensed to preach the gospel ; a crisis replete with interest 
 to him ; an event linked with the destinies of immortal souls; 
 a period that would cast a train of dread influences into 
 eternity. Let the candidate for this holy work here pause, 
 reflect, anticipate, and pray that the grace of God would 
 fit and furnish him for that work, which an angel might 
 love for its holy pleasures; covet for its distinguished hon- 
 ors and everlasting rewards, and fear for its trials, its respon- 
 sibilities, and, were he human, for the possibility of a failure ! 
 How can you too much magnify the office to which you as- 
 pire? Let it never appear little, nor ever be belittled* by 
 mercenary views or a prayerlcss consecration. ' Seemeth it 
 but a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath sep- 
 arated you from the congregation of Israel to bring you to 
 himself, to do the service of the tabernacle of the Lord, and 
 to stand before the congregation to minister unto them ? 
 And he hath brought thee near to Him ? ' 
 
 If the Church should be ' without spot or wrinkle,' what 
 should the Church's ministers be ? " Nothing," says Au- 
 gustine, " is more laborious, more difficult, or more danger- 
 ous than the office of a bishop, or a priest, or a deacon, but 
 
 •Said Legh Richmond : "The character of a fashionable parson is my aversion ; 
 that of an ignorant or careless one, I see with pity and contempt ; that of a dissipated 
 one with shame ; and that of an unbelieving one with horror ! " 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 63 
 
 What a minister should, and should not be. Licensed to preach. 
 
 nothing is more blessed, if we push the warfare according to 
 the commands of our Captain." A minister should not be 
 like a guide post, showing every one the way, but not walk- 
 ing in it himself; nor like a clock, that keeps time regular- 
 ly for others, but has itself no sense of its value; nor like a 
 bell, that rings all the congregation to church, but takes no 
 interest in the service, and tolls for the dead, but has no 
 solemn feelings about death. Rather should he be like the 
 ancient shepherd, who went before the sheep, and instead 
 of driving them, persuaded them to follow him.* He should 
 be first in every great conception and in every good work. 
 Or like the eagle, quick-sighted, muscular, (in mind) strong 
 of pinion, (Love and Hope are the wings of the soul,) and 
 ever maintaining a lofty flight, as in the neighborhood of 
 Heaven. Like the eagle, t too, he should descend with sweet 
 dignity to the wants of the most humble, and the weakness 
 of the most tender: 
 
 " Should try each art, reprove each dull delay, 
 Allure to brighter worlds, and lead the way." 
 
 On the twenty-second of October, the Presbytery of Win- 
 chester, then sitting at Fredericksburg, examined the can- 
 didate under their care in the languages, in the sciences, 
 and in theology. Being satisfied with his attainments, and 
 his qualifications for the work which he sought, and espe- 
 cially his capabilities of attainment , they proceeded to li- 
 cense him to preach the gospel. He preached his Trial 
 Sermon on this occasion, from Psalm ciii. 1 : Bless the 
 Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy 
 name, and forget not all his benefits. Speaking of this im- 
 portant event he says : " Although I was far from feeling 
 as I ought to have felt on such an occasion, yet my exercises 
 were on the whole comfortable, and I hope profitable. I felt 
 my unworthiness of a place among the ministers of Jesus 
 
 * John x. 4. t Deut. ixxii. 11. 
 
04 MKMOIR OF 
 
 Payson'a remark. 
 
 Christ. I was much afraid that I should disgrace the sa- 
 cred office. I felt sensihly and still feel my incompetency 
 to the discharge of the duties of a minister. I know that 
 nothing hut genuine, fervent piety can make me a good 
 preacher. r J'/ii.< I am resolved to seek. I wish to he com- 
 pletely devoted to my Redeemer." * * "I find it dif- 
 ficult to realize that I am a preacher. I often forget it and 
 imagine myself nothing more than a student. But I feel 
 determined with the assistance of God, (fori feel more sen- 
 sibly than ever before, my dependence on divine assistance,) 
 that I will seek more diligently my own salvation, be more 
 engaged to maintain communion with God and a spiritual 
 frame of mind; for I am convinced that nothing else can 
 make me happy or prepare me for preaching as I ought." 
 
 The beloved Payson, at the time of his license, said that 
 he was " almost discouraged and overwhelmed in view of 
 his unfitness for the ministry," and once he " wished him- 
 self any thing rather than a minister." He could " hardly 
 conceive it possible that one so inconceivably vile should 
 be a child of God, but was nevertheless helped to cast his 
 burden on the Almighty, and to agonize in prayer to be de- 
 livered from this body of death." If the reader will peruse 
 the fifth chapter of the Life of Payson, he will perceive a 
 striking similarity between his exercises, particularly his 
 temptations, and those of our friend, who held in pious and 
 profound veneration that character, which has become the 
 sacred property of the Church. 
 
 " Nov. 30. — This day was appointed by the General As- 
 sembly of the State and the Synod of Virginia, a fast. I 
 often feel a reluctance against engaging in such self-de- 
 nying duties, and against seasons of extraordinary devotion. 
 This I know is wrong. It arises from the carnality of my 
 mind, and I am determined in future, to observe these sea- 
 sons more frequently than I have hitherto done, and to pay 
 more attention to self-examination. This day I have felt 
 the happy effects of fasting, meditation, &ic." " My mind 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 65 
 
 New Year's reflections. 
 
 has been unusually affected by a sense of my obligations to 
 the Saviour ; the idea of dying that I might be with him and 
 sin no more, and that I might love him as he ought to be 
 loved, was uncommonly pleasing." 
 
 Thus was the year 1814 closed, with solemn varieties of 
 experience, with acknowledgments to God for mercies, 
 with many complaints and self-reproaches, but with some 
 advances too. it is believed, in the great object of human 
 
 life THE ATTAINMENT OF LIKENESS TO GOD. • 
 
 As the New Year opened upon him, he naturally took a 
 retrospect of that which had gone before. 
 
 " 'Tis greatly wise to talk with our past honra, 
 And ask them what report Uey've borne to Heaven." 
 
 " Jan.l, 1815. — I have reason to sink in the lowest abase- 
 ment of soul, upon a retrospect of the year that is now past. 
 How numerous have been the sins, short-comings and im- 
 perfections of the past year ! What inconsiderable advan- 
 ces have I made in the christian life! How lukewarm 
 have I been ! How little have I done for that Redeemer 
 who has done so much for me ! How ungrateful have I 
 been ! How have I abused the mercies of God! It is ow- 
 ing to his astonishing goodness and forbearance that I now 
 live, that I am not now in hell." Amen! will be the soul- 
 felt response of every redeemed sinner ! " Many are the 
 mercies which I have received during the past year. I feel 
 determined, with the assistance of God, to be more engaged 
 in religion than I have ever yet been." 
 
 "Jan. 16. — I have this evening been reading Spencer's life. 
 Wonderful youth ! O that God would be mercifully pleased 
 abundantly to bless his example to me ! I never felt so 
 great a desire to be humble, and to be devoted entirely to 
 the service of my Redeemer. I never so ardently longed to 
 be holy; to have the love of God shed abroad in my soul, 
 and to be animated with an ardent zeal for the glory of 
 God and the salvation of sinners, as I have this evening. 
 
 6* 
 
66 MEMOIR OP 
 
 First eany at preaching. 
 
 I hope my pride, my desire of human applause, have receiv- 
 ed a 'deadly blow." 
 
 "Feb. L2. — I have lately been considerably indisposed, and 
 as diseases are now so fatal and rapid in their progress, my 
 attention was a good deal excited to eternal things. I nev- 
 er realized death so near, as I thought it probably might 
 be last Wednesday. I thought much on the troubles, 
 which I might calculate on experiencing in this life, and on 
 the blessedness of Heaven. Such reflections reconciled my 
 mind to death; indeed sometimes I felt it would be a 
 desirable thing to die. But still I felt a desire to promote 
 the interests of the church on earth; a desire to be useful 
 as a preacher before I died, and a desire to live to be a com- 
 fort to my mother. I endeavored, however, to trust the 
 disposal of my fate into the hands of God, and from my 
 present feelings, I am disposed to think it is his design that 
 I shall not die, but live and declare his wonderful works and 
 his loving kindness to the children of men." 
 
 "Feb. 18. — Saturday Evening. — I this day preached at 
 College for the first time. I was not much embarrassed, 
 but felt very much out of the spirit of preaching. I was 
 under the impression, all the time I was preaching, that 
 none of the hearers felt a word that I said. It appeared to 
 me that it only touched, as it were, the surface, and did not 
 go skin deep. I felt much mortified, and doubtful whether 
 I should attempt it again at this place. To my surprise, 
 however, I was told by one of my friends that it was an an- 
 imating sermon, by another that it was — but I will not re- 
 peat his flattering encomium. At fi*rst I thought it too weak 
 to hurt, but it often occurs to me, and sometimes excites my 
 vanity a little! May divine grace deliver me from pride, 
 that abominable thing which God hates, and which I think 
 I hate." 
 
 Payson, after the delivery of his first sermon, writes thus : 
 " Felt thankful it was rainy. There were very few people 
 at meeting, and I just got through without stopping.* 
 
 * Legh Richmond's first attempt to preach titcinpore, to a small comrregation, too, 
 was a total failure. " lie was so ashamed of it," said a friend, " that be declared lio 
 would no! repeal the attempt, and it was only in consequence of the urgent Bolicitar 
 Hone of a friend, Rev. Charles Hoyle, that he was induced to make asecond trial, 
 when he succeeded heyond his hopes, and never afterwards found anydHlu.iilly." 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 67 
 
 Character of apostolic preaching. 
 
 Spoke too fast and too low. Was a good deal depressed af- 
 ter meeting. In the afternoon did a little better, but still 
 bad enough."* And this was the eloquent being, who held 
 captive at his lips the wondering audiences that thronged to 
 hear and be saved ; who by the magic of his sacred ora- 
 tory drew from unwonted eyes the silent tear ; by the maj- 
 esty of the truths which came from his soul, redolent with 
 the baptism of the Holy Ghost, humbled the brow of pride, 
 and called reluctant groans from the depths of broken hearts ! 
 What execution can be done by a polished shaft from the 
 quiver of God ! 
 
 It reminds us of the glowing picture, drawn by the hand 
 of a master, so distinguished for his skill in moral painting, 
 that it is unnecessary to write his name under the portrait 
 He is delineating the grace of God as exemplified in the 
 primitive apostles : " He bestowed upon them the elements 
 of Heaven's heroism, when he took from them the elements 
 of earth's heroism. It was spiritual work they had to do ; 
 therefore he disembodied and spiritualized the men who 
 were to do it. It was faith they had to plant ; therefore he 
 made his missionaries men of faith, that they might plant 
 faith, and faith alone. They had to deliver nations from 
 the idolatry of the gold and the silver; therefore he took 
 care his messengers should have none. They had to deliv- 
 er them from the idolatry of wisdom; therefore he took care 
 they should be foolish. They had to deliver them from the 
 idolatry of power; therefore he took care they should be 
 weak. They had to deliver them from that of fame and 
 reputation ; therefore he took care they should be despised ; 
 from the idolatry of things that are ; therefore he took care 
 that they should be as things that afe not ; making them, in 
 all respects, types and representatives of the ritual they were 
 to establish ; models of the doctrine which they went forth 
 to teach. We are not to take their distinction by the grade 
 
 * Chap. vi. of Life. 
 
63 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Letter to Dr. Hill. 
 
 of intellect or of taste, which compose, even at the best, but a 
 fractionary part of human nature, and may exist in strength, 
 surrounded with the most dwarfish and pestilent forms of 
 the moral, social, and spiritual man." 
 
 So should all preachers go forth, " not feeding the peo- 
 ple with colocynths and gourds, with gay tulips and useless 
 daffodils, but with the bread of life, and medicinal plants, 
 springing from the margin of the fountains of salvation." 
 
 The following letter to Dr. Hill, was written about this 
 time : 
 
 Hampden Sydney, Feb. 24, 1815. 
 
 "Reverend and Dear Sir, — This session is now pretty far 
 advanced, and really I shall rejoice at its termination; for 
 it will, I hope, be the termination of my mathematical stud- 
 ies. Perhaps you will say that this is an unfavorable symp- 
 tom ; that it indicates a want of something which I ought 
 to possess. But I cannot help it. I never had much taste 
 for the mathematics; nor do T feel any ambition to distin- 
 guish myself as a great mathematician. I believe, howev- 
 er, that the study of such abstract sciences gives to the 
 mind a degree of vigor which it could acquire in no other 
 way. It is from this belief that I am willing to attend to 
 them. But still I cannot suppress an anxious desire to get 
 through them, and to be engaged in studies more conge- 
 nial to my taste. Next session I shall attend to Natural Phi- 
 losophy, the second Vol. of Smith's Lectures, Logic, Histo- 
 ry and Chronology. Thin, I shall be at liberty to read 
 what I please, and to write as much as I please; and Oh 
 how delightfully will my time pass away ! I shall enjoy a 
 continual intellectual feast. 
 
 I have lately had some symptoms of the prevailing epi- 
 demic. For several days 1 was constantly expecting that 
 swelling in the throat, which has proved fatal to so many in 
 this country. I never realized death so near as I then 
 thought it was. At first it wore a terrific aspect, and 1 shrunk 
 back from the gloomy prospect. But my fears were soon 
 calmed; my mind became tranquil; and trusting in Him 
 who strengthens the weak, in Hiin whose merits have, I 
 humbly hope, procured my pardon and restored me to the 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 09 
 
 Letter to Dr. Hill. 
 
 favor of my offended Maker, I sometimes felt like I could 
 pass through the dark valley and shadow of death, without 
 fear, nay, with joy and triumph. The idea of being deliv- 
 ered from the numerous trials and afflictions of this life, hut 
 especially of being delivered from the body of sin, and of 
 being admitted into the society of the blessed above, of be- 
 holding that dear Redeemer whose glories, though seen as 
 through a glass darkly, have excited the warmest affections 
 of my soul, was truly animating. But then I thought of 
 my aged mother ; thought of the effect which my death 
 would probably have on her. The thought affected my 
 heart, and I prayed to the Almighty to spare me. I also 
 felt a wish to live, in order that I might be instrumental in 
 promoting the interests of Zion, in advancing the glory of 
 that Saviour who has done so much for me. But I do not 
 know that I felt any degree of anxiety to live for the sake 
 of any earthly enjoyments. I begin to view this world 
 with new eyes. It now appears to me in a very different 
 point of view from what it formerly did. I now see that he 
 who expects from it much happiness, will be most miser- 
 ably disappointed. I am more and more convinced that 
 the only way to enjoy true peace and solid comfort, is to 
 live near to God, in a state of habitual preparation for death 
 and eternity. May God grant that we may enjoy this peace, 
 this comfort, this joy unspeakable! 
 
 Through the unmerited mercies of God, I am now in 
 tolerably good health, and have resumed my studying cap; 
 for I had to lay it aside for two or three days, which to me 
 was a serious affliction. Thanks to the Father of mercies, 
 and to my friends as his instruments, for all that happiness 
 which I have derived from study, and for the delightful pros- 
 pects which now begin to open to my view. Many agreea- 
 ble hours I spend in writing sermons ; and I find increasing 
 pleasure in proclaiming the glorious gospel of the blessed 
 God to poor perishing sinners. Pray for me, my beloved 
 friend and father ; pray that God may give me a mouth and 
 wisdom to confound the enemies of the Cross of Christ, and 
 to speak a word in season to every character whom I may 
 address. Pray that I may be inspired with more zeal, more 
 humility, more fervor of affection in the glorious cause in 
 which I am engaged. 
 
 I have lately felt an unusual concern for the people of 
 
70 MEMOIR OF 
 
 His mind diverted. Letter to a friend ill affliction. 
 
 Winchester. I long to have an opportunity of addressing 
 the youth of that place." 
 
 During the present year, an attachment was formed be- 
 tween Mr. Walton and a young lady, which occupied much 
 of his time and thoughts, and at length, in consequence of 
 parental objections, was dissolved by mutual consent. He 
 was still pursuing his studies at the institution, and in his 
 journal frankly acknowledges the evil effects of cherishing 
 this attachment. "I addressed her, but I am now disposed 
 to think I was wrong in doing so at so early a period. I was 
 too hasty. I did not wait as I ought to have done for the 
 Lord to make the path of duty entirely plain, and I have 
 suffered severely for my precipitancy." Like many other 
 rash engagements of a similar character, it was no doubt 
 broken up by a kind and vigilant Providence. 
 
 He writes in March, " has occupied my affections 
 
 and my thoughts in too great a degree, and thus I have been 
 brought to neglect, more than usual, devout meditation, self 
 examination, &c. I feel now determined, with divine as- 
 sistance, to be more engaged in religion, and to seek those 
 real and lasting enjoyments which flow from the presence 
 of God." He afterwards speaks of this as a " miserable af- 
 fair." 
 
 To a friend in affliction he writes under date, 
 
 " Hampden Sydney, Sept. 11, 1815. 
 
 My Beloved Friend (Did Brother, — I have just received a 
 letter from your mother, containing the melancholy and dis- 
 tressing intelligence of your little son's death. If the sym- 
 pathy of a friend can alleviate your sorrows, let me assure 
 you that I do sympathize with you deeply. I know what it 
 is to have sanguine expectations blasted; and what it is to 
 be deprived of a dear object of our affection. Although not 
 very far advanced in life, I know what affliction is ; I have 
 felt it ; I have groaned under it. But I have reason to re- 
 joice and be thankful that I have found a sovereign rem- 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 71 
 
 Letter to a friend in aflliction. 
 
 edy for all my woes. And it affords me comfort to think 
 that you are not a stranger to this remedy. It was David's 
 comfort in affliction ; and it has heen the support and con- 
 solation of afflicted saints in all ages. "Tie the word of God, 
 our heavenly Father. In this we may find relief when all 
 other sources of comfort fail. Read it, my friend ; medi- 
 tate on its precious promises ; look forward to the bright and 
 glorious prospects which it presents to our view ; and in the 
 midst of all your tribulations rejoice in hope of the glory of 
 God. 
 
 There are a thousand considerations calculated to allevi- 
 ate your afflictions. You know how gracious and merciful 
 God has been to you in times that are past. You know that 
 He does not afflict you willingly, nor grieve the children of 
 men, particularly those who love Him. When He lays His 
 chastising hand upon us, there is always a ' need be ;' He 
 always has some important purpose to be answered by it. 
 Although you may not now be able to comprehend the de- 
 sign of this dispensation, yet the time is coming when it will 
 be fully unfolded to your complete satisfaction. If improved 
 properly, I have no doubt that it will promote your spir- 
 itual advancement. It will teach you more effectually the 
 uncertainty of earthly happiness, and lead you to look more 
 entirely to God for your enjoyment. It is an observation 
 of Dr. Scott, that if we have any beloved Isaacs which seem 
 to rival God in our affections, He often deprives us of them, 
 in order to try the sincerity of our love to Him. Thus he 
 tried Abraham. But this good patriarch was not only re- 
 quired to resign his son to death, but to sacrifice him with 
 his own hands! This was a far more severe trial, my friend, 
 than yours. Think of the conduct of Abraham on this oc- 
 casion, and imitate his example. Bow submissively to the 
 will of that God, whose wisdom never errs, and whose com- 
 passions fail not. Say with Job, ' The Lord gave and the 
 Lord hath taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord.' If 
 your dear little boy had lived, you are not absolutely certain 
 that he would have realized all your expectations concern- 
 ing him; your hopes that he would be a pious man and a 
 minister. But you are not certain that he would have been 
 either. It is possible that he might have lived without God 
 in the world ; and at last, died without hope. But now, 
 sweet babe', he is far beyond the reach of Satan's influence, 
 where he will never be exposed to the temptations and tri- 
 
72 memoir or 
 
 Letter to B Mend in allliciion. Extracts from his diary. 
 
 als of this world, where he will be forever secure in the arms 
 of that condescending and compassionate Saviour, who, 
 when he was (in earth, said, ' Suffer little children to come 
 unto me and forbid them not, foi of such is tin kingdom of 
 heaven. 1 Here is solid comfort ; substantial support. Itis 
 not very long before you will meet with the dear little crea- 
 ture in that happy world, where you will unite with him in 
 singing the praises of your Redeemer. Perhaps he may be 
 employed as a ministering spirit to attend von while you 
 live; and after death, to conduct your soul to the blessed 
 mansions above. Dwell on such consolations as these ; and 
 instead ol sinking down into despondency, be cheerful and 
 resigned, and manifest to the world that there is something 
 in the religion of Christ, that supports the believer under the 
 most distressing bereavements. 
 
 I have also received a letter from Mr. Kennon, which 
 has excited in my mind a good deal of solicitude about the 
 congregation in Charlestown. I am surprised that any of 
 them should be so blinded to their own interests as to choose 
 me in preference to that great and good man, Mr. M. I was 
 pleased at the idea of settling among you when the prospect 
 was first presented to me. But after Mr. II. informed me of 
 Mr. M's. situation, I thought it was your interest and your 
 duty to employ him ; that he could be abundantly more use- 
 ful to you than I could; and that by spending a longer time 
 at College, I could probably do more for the interests of the 
 Church during the whole of my ministry, than if I were 
 now to settle down in a congregation." 
 
 We resume some extracts from his diary : 
 
 "Nov. 27. — Yesterday I once more enjoyed the privilege 
 of sitting at the table of the Lord. At the commencement of 
 the exercises, I felt cold and quite uncomfortable. But to- 
 wards the conclusion, the Spirit of the Lord I think, breathed 
 upon my soul, and I was melted into penitence for my past 
 offences and backslidings. I had also some comfortable 
 views of the mercy of God in Christ. Upon the whole, my 
 mind was refreshed, and I felt more and more desirous of 
 enjoying the comforts of religion; of growing in grace and 
 in the knowledge of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." 
 
 About this time he undertook for a while to teach an 
 
WILLIAM C . WALTON. 73 
 
 Letter to a friend. 
 
 Academy, at Rosemont, in the vicinity of his residence. 
 We find a letter written from this place to a friend in Balti- 
 more. 
 
 "Rosemont, Jan. 1816. 
 
 My Dear Friend, — I suppose you are hy this time in Bal- 
 timore, and you are, no doubt, expecting a letter from me. 
 I fear, however, th.it the pleasure which you say you antici- 
 pate from its reception, will not he realized. 1 am not very 
 well; and both my mind and body are so much exhausted 
 by the labors of the day, that I feel not much disposed 
 either for mental or corporeal exertion. I am frequently 
 tempted to wish that I had never had any thing to do with 
 the Academy. The duties it imposes upon me are some- 
 times really oppressive. My mind is almost incessantly on 
 the stretch. I have very little time to devote either to study 
 or to visiting my friends. These are grievances. But I 
 must bear them, and I am not without hope that some good 
 will result from them in the end. The labors and the duties 
 which my present situation involves, may form me to hab- 
 its which will be of use to me during the whole of life; they 
 will have a tendency to consolidate a firm system of char- 
 acter, which is important to every man; but to none more 
 than to a minister of the Gospel. These and many other 
 considerations tend to reconcile me to my lot. Providence, 
 I have reason to believe, has had an agency in fixing me in 
 this place, and I trust the event will prove it has been for 
 some important purpose. 
 
 Perhaps there are some, nay, it may be many precious 
 souls in this neighborhood to whom the saving grace of the 
 Gospel is to be communicated through my instrumentality. 
 If so, I should have reason to adore the hand that conduct- 
 ed me hither, even if it had imposed upon me duties of 
 much harder performance than those which now engage 
 my attention and employ my time. I hope I can say with 
 truth and sincerity, that I am willing to spend and be spent 
 in the service of Him, who loved me and gave himself for 
 me. 
 
 I frequently look back upon my past life, and review with 
 astonishment and adoring gratitude, the mercies which have 
 marked my progress. I sometimes feel myself under a 
 weight of obligation that is almost overwhelming, and have 
 
"74 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Letter to a (riend. 
 
 often exclaimed, 'what am I, O Lord, or what is my Fath- 
 er's house that thou hast brought me hitherto?' I feel as 
 if I could never he sufficiently thankful, and that I can nev- 
 er do enough for my gracious Benefactor and Redeemer. 
 Would to Heaven that these feelings were uniform and in- 
 variable, and that they could always operate, so as to bear 
 me away in a course of active and zealous and indefatigable 
 exertion in the cause of my divine Master. But alas! 1 fre- 
 quently sink into a state of comparati\e insensibility, forget 
 the many sacred obligations I am under, enjoy the bounties 
 of Providence, and many of the blessings of grace, and 
 like Hczokiah omit to render unto the Lord according to 
 the benefits received. O how wonderful is the mercy and 
 the forbearance of God ! Well for us that His ways are not 
 as our ways, nor His thoughts as our thoughts I Let us, 
 my friend, be often engaged in meditating upon our past in- 
 gratitude and abuse of mercies; upon the numerous follies 
 and sins which have attended our youth and riper years ; 
 that our minds may be brought to that habitual spirit of 
 humility and deep contrition, which it becomes us to cher- 
 ish ; and that we may more sensibly feel our great need of 
 an interest in Him who came into the world to save sinners. 
 We are in a world of temptation. We are surrounded by 
 objects well calculated to divert our attention from the great 
 concerns of souls. The many incentives to pride and van- 
 ity, and worldly-mindedness, which are incessantly in oper- 
 ation, will be sure to have their effect, unless we use every 
 means in our power, and in addition to our own efforts, ob- 
 tain aid from Heaven to counteract their agency. Nothing 
 has a greater tendency to produce that spiritual-mindedness 
 which the Apostle says is life and peace, than habitual 
 meditation. In this way, under the teaching of the Holy 
 Spirit, we become acquainted with ourselves, with God and 
 His Law, with Christ and the plan of redemption ; and our 
 minds become familiarized with these spiritual objects, the 
 contemplation of which corrects our views of the world and 
 its enjoyments, purities the heart, elevates the affections, and 
 fits us for the exalted exercises of the heavenly state." 
 
 "Fib. 20, 181 G. — I have been very much beset with wick- 
 ed thoughts and imaginations, some too abominable to tell, 
 These, together with the pride of my heart, my ignorance 
 of God, and Christ, and heavenly things, and many other 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 75 
 
 Letter to his mother. 
 
 nameless spiritual evils, have combined to render me very 
 uncomfortable — sometimes miserable. I have determined 
 to pay more attention to practical reading, and, with divine 
 assistance, to be more engaged in prayer." 
 
 The following letter to his mother, illustrates the filial 
 affection which honored his bosom : 
 
 " Hampden Sydney, Feb. 20, 1816. 
 
 My Dear Mother, — It would seem that you design to try 
 my patience and my affection too, by your long and unac- 
 countable silence. If this is your object, I think it is ac- 
 complished ; at least I think you have made a sufficient tri- 
 al ; and the result is, that I have become very impatient to 
 hear from you, from which you may infer that my affection 
 has not suffered any diminution. You can hardly imagine 
 how much 1 should be gratified by the reception of a letter 
 from you. 
 
 I hope the time is not very far distant, when I shall be in 
 a condition to accommodate you more comfortably and de- 
 cently than you ever were. The prospect of this affords me 
 much pleasure. It is very gratifying to have it in our pow- 
 er to recompense our benefactors. You I esteem as more 
 than a common benefactor. To you, instrumental!?, I am 
 indebted for ray existence. This consideration, of itself, 
 lays a foundation for my gratitude and love. But this is not 
 all. I am indebted to you for that kind and affectionate pa- 
 rental care which you took of me in the days of my helpless 
 infancy, and for a thousand nameless instances of attention 
 to my happiness, sometimes, perhaps, at the expense of your 
 own. All these things lay me under an obligation — and an 
 agreeable one most truly — of doing every thing in my pow- 
 er to render your latter days as happy as possible. You 
 know it is my intention to take you to live with me when I 
 settle. I cannot now say, with any degree of certainty, when 
 that will be. Probably before next winter. But as there are 
 so many places in the State which now present an inviting 
 prospect, it will take me some time to visit them all, in or- 
 der to judge where I can probably be most useful. This I 
 expect to do during the summer. 
 
 I have been informed more than once that the people in 
 Albemarle and Grange, near Mr. G's. wish me to visit them, 
 
76 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Attack of illness. Itsetlict. 
 
 in order to form, a settlement among them. A situation 
 that promises considerable usefulness might also be very ea- 
 sily obtained on this side of .lames river. These and two 
 or three others, nearer to Winchester, of which I was speak- 
 ing to you, are the places from which I shall probably make 
 a selection. I cannot say that I now feel any particular pre- 
 dilection for one more than another. My chief desire is, 
 laying aside all local partialities and selfish feelings, to set- 
 tle where I can he most useful. This I know you wish me 
 to do ; and I hope you will often pray, as I do, that Provi- 
 dence may direct me where to ' choose my place of rest.' 
 
 You will soon be where it will be out of your power to 
 render any service to poor mortals, and where you can do 
 nothing for the promotion of religion. I hope, therefore, 
 that a sense of obi i (ration for the mercies you have receiv- 
 ed, and a concern for the eternal welfare of immortal souls, 
 will induce you, and me, and every christian to exert all the 
 powers of our bodies and souls in the service of our Re- 
 deemer, while we live. Do you ask how you can do any 
 good ? I answer, you can, on the sabhath day, read the 
 Scriptures or some good pious books to the children and 
 servants. You can instruct them in the first principles of 
 religion, and direct their attention to the ' Lamb of God 
 who taketh away the sin of the world.' I wish you particu- 
 larly to make use of every opportunity of reading some of the 
 
 scriptures to D . Tell him it is my request that he should 
 
 attend to it." 
 
 " The time is fast hastening, and not far distant, when I 
 expect to make choice of a settlement. I think I can truly 
 say that I desire Providence to direct me wherever I can be 
 most useful, no matter where that may be. I shall continue 
 to pray for divine direction, and O may it be granted !" 
 
 July 1. — It has now been a long time since I wrote down any 
 of my religious exercises. During this interval, my experi- 
 ence has been, as usual, fluctuating. While I was in Charles- 
 town, in May last, I had a severe attack of the bilious fe- 
 ver, or, perhaps the epidemic. During my illness, my mind 
 was comfortably exercised ; I had no fear of death. I have 
 much reason to be thankful for that affliction; it proved a 
 great blessing to me in several respects. It was succeeded, 
 
WILLIAM O . WALTON 
 
 77 
 
 His engagement to Miss Muse. Extract of a letter from a friend. Anecdote. 
 
 too, by one of the most interesting and important occuren- 
 ences of my life." 
 
 That occurrence was the ratification, in the month of 
 May, of a matrimonial engagement with Miss Lucinda 
 Muse, who still lives to revere the virtues and cherish the 
 memory of her departed husband. "I view her," says he, 
 " as the dear object that a merciful God has selected for me, 
 to comfort and bless the remnant of my days. May we both 
 be entirely devoted to his service, and be made instrumental 
 in promoting the kingdom of our blessed Redeemer." 
 
 Soon after this event, Mr. Walton received an affection- 
 ate and faithful letter from a fellow student and companion 
 in the ministry, whose labors have, in recent years, been ex- 
 tensively blessed to the revival of religion in the Southern 
 and Western churches, and to the salvation of many sin- 
 ners. A short extract follows: "Remember your faith, 
 your trust, your character, your all is pledged. This pledge 
 cannot be redeemed except at Hymen's altar. * * * 
 Your mother was here the other day. How tenderly she 
 loves you ! It seems her life is wrapped up in yours. If 
 you should die, or disappoint her expectations, I hardly 
 think she would survive the shock. Think of this, my 
 brother, and let it stimulate you to fill up your days with 
 usefulness. * * * My dear brother, let us try to be 
 useful. Let us try, by the grace of God, to outstrip those 
 around us in duty, in zeal, and in heavenly mindedness." 
 
 A interesting anecdote is related in this letter, which is 
 given below.* 
 
 * " You know I went to J last winter, and delivered four discourses. Well, 
 
 as I was on my way there, Saturday before last, I met a black man on the road. He 
 
 asked me if my name was B . On my answering in the affirmative, he most 
 
 needs shake hands, and chat awhile : ' Why," massa, said he, ' yon russtlled the peo- 
 ple when you was here before.' 'Jiussclled ? ' replied I, hoping he would make use 
 of another word ; for I confess I did not know what he meant. ' Fes," continued ho, 
 1 you rasselled the people. You come too close on 'em. You said de besi way to try 
 if de tree be sound, is, take a stick, and knock 'em.' A tree being fortunately at 
 
 7* 
 
78 MEMOIR OF \V A L T O N . 
 
 Work of tin 1 ministry. 
 
 The more Mr. Walton contemplated the work of the min- 
 istry, the more weighty and awful did it appear : " I have 
 within a few days past had an almost overwhelming sense 
 of the responsibility attached to the ministerial character. 
 I sometimes fear that I shall never be able to perform the 
 arduous duties of a pastor. May the grace of God be suf- 
 ficient for me. To Him I would look, and hope I shall not 
 look in vain." 
 
 "Aug. 20. — I have departed too far from the Lord; my 
 heart has become too much estranged from Him. But He 
 seems determined not to give me up. He is now afflicting 
 me, I hope, with a design to promote my spiritual and eter- 
 nal advantage. David prayed to be delivered from the 
 wicked, who he said were the sword of the Lord. I be- 
 lieve he frequently employs them as instruments in chastis- 
 ing his children." 
 
 " May 12. — For about five weeks past, my mind has been 
 in an unsettled state. I have been engaged in one of the 
 most important and interesting transactions of my life. On 
 the 8th day of last month, I was married to the dear object 
 of my love. This was an event to which I had long been 
 looking forward with the most pleasing anticipations." 
 
 hand, he gave me a practical illustration of his meaning. After telling me, 'as for 
 Jlim he loved plain preaching,' we took leave of each other. I began to fear I had of- 
 fended the people here also, and now my usefulness was at an end. But I was soon 
 very agreeably undeceived ; for on reaching the town, although I heard one or two 
 did not like my singing ' fVken I can read my title clear, i$-c.' to a Methodist tune, yet 
 the Lord had blessed my labors, and awakened an unusual attention toreligioiis con- 
 cerns." 
 
CHAPTER V 
 
 Thoughts of future settlement. Fondness for retirement. 
 
 Mr. Walton had now, (our narrative has reached 
 the year 1818,) been preaching, for the most part of the 
 time, to the congregations of Smithfield and Berryville, 
 though neither installed nor actually resident among the 
 people. He therefore felt unsettled, and was not without 
 anxiety as to the place of his future residence, and the field 
 of his future labor. He prayed daily and earnestly for 
 providential guidance. When he says, " I feel willing to 
 go wherever Providence may open a door," those who 
 knew the habitual sincerity of his soul, will believe the as- 
 sertion of his lips. He would not drive Providence, but be 
 led by it. 
 
 " All that I desire is to know the will of that God, whom I 
 desire to serve with sincerity, and with my best energies. 
 * # # ^he i ncrea se of my possessions has added noth- 
 ing to my happiness, and 1 expect happiness from no such 
 source." 
 
 In the Spring of this year, he remarks : "I have secluded 
 myself so much from society this winter, that it is now with 
 extreme reluctance I go into it. I feel an unaccountable 
 aversion to being seen by any but particular friends. I dis- 
 like to walk down the street. In short, I have in my com- 
 position a good deal of the monk." We should indulge 
 solitude only so far as it fits us to be useful in society, and 
 never mingle in society so long or so eagerly as to unfit us 
 
80 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Ordination. Installation. Ill-prepared sermons. 
 
 for solitude. The recluse fails in his duty to the world. 
 The wanderer fails in his duty to himself. 
 
 On the 25th of April, Mr. Walton was ordained by the 
 Presbytery to the work of the gospel ministry, at Martins- 
 burg, and on the Gth of May, was installed Pastor of the 
 Presbyterian Church in Hopewell. 
 
 " It was the most solemn scene that was ever presented 
 to my view. I felt the powers of the world to come. I 
 thought I could almost see the judgment bar before me, and 
 ministers and people advancing to receive their doom. It 
 was an interesting and impressive transaction. May the 
 Lord give me grace to be faithful. I feel that I am noth- 
 ing, and can do nothing to purpose, without his aid. O that 
 his aid may be imparted !" 
 
 " Aug. 27. — I have another instance of God's great mer- 
 cy to record. A few days ago, I was thrown out of my <ng 
 and placed in circumstances of extreme danger ; but through 
 a remarkable interposition of Providence, I sustained but 
 little injury. 
 
 On last Sabbath, the day after my fall, I preached in B. 
 as much to my own satisfaction, as I almost ever did. The 
 congregation was uncommonly large. I was not well pre- 
 pared, and felt my dependence on God ; I looked to Him, 
 and prayed that his strength might be made perfect in my 
 weakness." 
 
 Were my brother living, I should say to him : Dear 
 brother, you mistake. This is not dependence, but pre- 
 sumption. If you had been well prepared, that had been 
 the dependence of faith. Very likely, you preached to your 
 own satisfaction, but whether to the satisfaction of your 
 Master, is another question. This is not the weakness in 
 which the strength of God is perfected. " The foolishness 
 of preaching" says Dr. Boecher, " is not foolish preach- 
 ing." The oil with which the preacher fills the pulpit 
 lamp, must be neither raw nor rancid. Undigested sermons 
 make a lean people. Very old sermons make a sour peo- 
 ple. They will submit to it, perhaps, because their Pastor 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 81 
 
 Purchases a house in VVinchisicr. 
 
 is "such a visitor;" always among them; hut it is only 
 endured. 
 
 Of his exercises during the year 1819, but a partial 
 record is made. He seems, however, to have grown more 
 and more sensible of " the worth of the Saviour's atoning 
 blood and perfect righteousness, and the necessity of pray- 
 ing for daily and hourly supplies of grace." 
 
 Under date, Sept. 3, he writes: " I have had many trials 
 and conflicts, most of which are unknown except to God 
 and myself. Some of them have been exceedingly painful, 
 and have cast me down very low. Sometimes I have been 
 so low that it appeared not very likely that I should ever 
 rise again ; my prospects have been repeatedly so dark, 
 that nothing comfortable in this world presented itself." 
 
 About this time Mr. Walton purchased a house in Win- 
 chester, for a considerable sum, with the view of residing 
 there. This purchase, made on credit, cost him much 
 trouble and anxiety. From the history of the transaction 
 may be deduced this rule, that 3Iinisters of the Gospel should 
 have as little as j)o>siblc to do with secular matters ; that 
 none who enlist for this warfare should ' entangle them- 
 selves with the affairs of this life.' Had not our brother 
 been possessed of ultimate resources beyond the ability of 
 most ministers, he must have sunk under the pressure of 
 debt. Those Christian professors or ministers,* who from 
 want of care, or love of indulgence, or a freak of fancy, 
 involve themselves beyond their means of payment, do 
 great injury to the cause of religion, and die leaving their 
 families an inheritance of penury and pain. " The diffi- 
 culty of the times, and the scarcity of money," says he 
 " are unexampled. But I try to cast my cares and bur- 
 dens on the Lord, believing that he careth for me, and that 
 He will in some way or other enable me to meet the 
 
 * gee the first part of the life of the heavenly-minded Bedell. 
 
82 MEMOIR OP 
 
 Embarrassments. Bettered. Another psc a pp. 
 
 demand." lie made all due exertions to meet his just 
 debts, and we nexl hear of his praises to God for answering 
 his prayers. " Nov. 4. — Blessed be the Lord, my trust, 
 my confidence, my Helper, my Almighty Friend ! He has 
 brought me out of my pecuniary difficulties, and abundantly 
 supplied my wants. He has inclined tlie hearts of those 
 who owed me to make extraordinary exertions to pay me, 
 and although they had repeatedly disappointed me before, 
 yet now in a time of the greatest difficulty they have paid 
 me. I think I cm see the band of Providence in the 
 means by which they were enabled to meet my demands." 
 ' Verily they t!i it seek the Lord shall not want any good 
 thing.' ' He shall deliver thee in six troubles, yea, in 
 seven there shall no evil touch thee.' Job v. 19. 
 
 If any pious, humble Pastor, or Home Missionary is hut 
 scantily supported by his people, let him 'trust in the 
 Lord, and do :>ood ; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and 
 verily thou . halt be fed.' This is better than any promis- 
 sory note or certificates of stock. " I obtained just what 
 was needed, in two or three instances, at the very point of 
 time when it was most necessary, to the amount of three 
 or four hundred dollars. I record these circumstances 
 and could record still more, to impress upon my mind, and 
 to keep alive in my memory the goodness of the Lord, and 
 to encourage me in all future difficulties to trust in Him." 
 
 In October of this year, he removed his family to Win- 
 chester, and took possession of his new house. He records 
 various mercies from time to time. Again he narrowly 
 escaped death by a fall from a horse. A house near his 
 took fire, and had well nigh communicated the destructive 
 flame to his own valuable dwelling. His beloved wife had 
 been brought through great dangers, and he longs for a 
 grateful heart for all these mercies. " It is of the Lord's 
 mercies that we are not consumed," is the record he makes. 
 
 In April 1820, he says, " I feel, and have long felt many 
 
WILLIAM C.WALTON. 83 
 
 Sickness. Foundation of his hope. 
 
 anxieties about my situation, in regard to my ministerial 
 duties. My soul still longs to be among my people, that I 
 might be more useful to them in a variety of ways. But 
 there are many difficulties to prevent the accomplishment 
 of this desire at present. I am hedged in, and my way is 
 dark. May the Lord guide and direct me, and make me 
 useful in some sphere or other while I live ! " 
 
 " Sabbath, July 2. — I have now been prevented from 
 preaching four Sabbaths by indisposition, particularly by a 
 tumor on my neck, which has been there about five months. 
 It has given me a good deal of pain ; but the afHiction is 
 light compared with what I deserve. I feel an earnest 
 desire to be again employed in my work. I have been more 
 affected by a consideration of the destitute state of my 
 people than I ever was before. The idea of being useless 
 in my day and generation is truly distressing. But it 
 affords me relief to think that I am in the hands of Him 
 whom I serve, and who knows what to do with his own." 
 
 " Aug. 31. — This is the day appointed by our General 
 Assembly for humiliation, thanksgiving, and prayer. To 
 these purposes I desire sincerely to devote it. May the 
 Lord give me views and feelings suitable to the occasion ! 
 * * * I feel that every drop of mercy, 
 
 and every degree of grace that is bestowed upon me must 
 come freely, not only without my deserts, but in opposi- 
 tion to them ; and I think I have such a view of the 
 perfection of Christ's work, and of his all-sufficiency as a 
 Saviour, that I can see how God can be just, and yet 
 save me. Here, I am confident, is all my hope. Here, if 
 1 know any thing about the Gospel, is that sure foundation, 
 that God lias laid in Zion ; on this, I think I am resting, 
 and with these views and feelings, I trust I shall be prepared 
 by Divine grace to meet death with peace and joy. I have 
 long been in a very weakly and delicate state of health, 
 such as has often, and for many Sabbaths in succession, 
 prevented me from preaching. I feel this to be a trial, but 
 in the general, I am enabled to acquiesce in the dispensa- 
 tion. I think it has been good for me that I have been 
 afflicted. It has weakened the ties that bind me to this 
 world ; it has directed my views more to spiritual objects 
 and quickened me in prayer." 
 
84 MEMOIR OP 
 
 Removes to his farm. 
 
 " After long, and anxious, and prayerful consideration, I 
 have come to the conclusion, that it will be the best thing 
 I can do in present circumstances, to go to reside on 
 my farm.* There I shall be at much less expense, and 
 shall be more convenient to my place of preaching. I hope 
 also that it will agree better with my health. There I 
 shall be free from the cares of the farm, (having rented it,) 
 and hope to have an opportunity of performing the pastoral 
 duties of my office. I go with full purpose of heart to be 
 devoted to the Lord in the work he has assigned me, and 
 fed that there is nothing in this world in which I take so 
 deep an interest. ' Remember me, Oh my God for good,' 
 and give me grace to know, and love, and serve thee. 
 Remember also my dear wife and children, and other con- 
 nections, and make them all the objects of thy care, and 
 the subjects of thy saving grace ! Amen." 
 
 After removing to his farm, he records the goodness of 
 God in past deliverances, and in reference to worldly per- 
 plexities, says : " I have for several years made these things 
 matters of prayer, and often have I felt a sweet relief in 
 depending upon God, even when I could not see hoic He 
 was to accomplish my desires." Again he had difficulties 
 with the removed tenant of his farm. The man was 
 disposed to be obstinately dishonest. He was advised and 
 urged to institute a suit against him. " I thought at one 
 time," says he, " it would be unavoidable, and the prospect 
 was insupportable to me ; but the more I reflected upon it, 
 the more I felt inclined to run the risk of losing the whole, 
 rather than proceed in a legal way to the attainment of my 
 rights. In this I am confident I acted conscientiously — 
 from the fear of God, a regard to the interests of religion, 
 and compassion for the man." 
 
 "I have lately read the lives of Whitefield, Wesley, and 
 Mrs. Cooper, and Mrs. Fletcher, I hope with some profit. 
 They have been the means of exciting within me stronger 
 desires after holiness and usefulness, than lever felt before. 
 
 * His farm was in Bethany. 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 85 
 
 Ruptures a blood vessel. A professor awakern id. 
 
 They have, I think, corrected and extended my views in 
 some measure on experimental religion ; particularly in 
 regard to those attainments after which Christians ought to 
 aspire. I find too that the impression they have left upon 
 my mind gives additional animation to my preaching, and 
 helps me much." 
 
 " About the second week in December I ruptured a blood 
 vessel, probably in my lungs. I could not say with certainty 
 what was the immediate cause. I was sitting still without 
 making any effort when it occurred. It produced some 
 alarm, and made me think very seriously of death. I felt 
 resigned to the will of my Father in Heaven, and blessed 
 be His name, He has now restored my health and strength, 
 which I desire to spend in his service." 
 
 " Nov. 8. — * * * * Since my health has 
 become somewhat established, I have felt at times a desire 
 to be engaged in a more important sphere of labor than 
 that in which I am now occupied. But lately I have felt 
 rather more satisfied to continue where I am, chiefly 
 on account of the opportunities I here enjoy of retirement 
 and study. I now feel as much vigor of resolution to set 
 about a course of systematic study, as I ever did when at 
 College. I know not what may be the design of the Great 
 Head of the Church respecting me. I think I feel willing 
 to labor in an obscure corner, if I can be useful, and if I 
 can be satisfied I am in the path of duty ; but I wish to be 
 qualified for filling any station to which I may ever be 
 called." 
 
 " Nov. 14. — A few days ago I had an interesting interview 
 with Mrs. , who about five years since made a profes- 
 sion of religion in the Episcopal Church. She had arrived 
 at that age when the world generally loses most of its attrac- 
 tions ; she had also met with some severe afflictions. Her 
 mind became more thoughtful, and she felt in some measure 
 the necessity of being religious. She appears to have had an 
 indistinct view of religion as a source of comfort, and as a 
 means of preparation for death and eternity, and made a 
 profession without being truly convinced of the evil of sin, 
 without having any just ideas of the spirituality and extent 
 of the divine law, and of her helpless condition as a sinner. 
 For three years past her health has been declining ; but 
 never until a week or two ago, has she evinced that deep 
 8 
 
86 MEMOIR OF 
 
 AnniluT I'usi-. Opening of the year. 
 
 engagedness, which her pious friends desired to see. God 
 has been graciously pleased to give her eyes to see, and a 
 heart to understand. And the consequence is, that she is 
 now in deep distress, apparently experiencing the bitterness 
 of repentance, undergoing the humbling process, which is 
 to prepare her for receiving salvation on Gospel terms. She 
 says she never knew any thing about religion, that she is a 
 poor ruined, helpless sinner, that she never did any good 
 thing in her life, and that she is awfully afraid there is no 
 mercy for her. I talked with her for a long time, and 
 prayed with her, and left her, rather more composed." 
 
 A similar case occurred in his own congregation. 
 
 "One of the members of my congregation, who made a 
 credible profession of religion about two or three years 
 ago, had declined in his religious feeling and practice, until 
 he was near bringing an open disgrace upon his profession. 
 He did in one instance act very improperly. But about 
 that time he was laid upon a sick bed, and his feelings of 
 shame and of godly sorrow have been deep and pungent 
 indeed. He has been almost overwhelmed with a sense of 
 guilt and unworthiness." 
 
 "Jan. 1, 1822 — At the close of the past, and the begin- 
 ning of the present year, I have endeavored to recollect my 
 sins; to confess and mourn over them. But I find that one 
 of the greatest evils under which I labor is an insensible 
 heart. * * * * I have to confess, too, 
 
 that my feelings are not such as to prompt me to those 
 vigorous and self-denying efforts to advance in personal 
 holiness, which others have so successfully made. 
 * * I do not remember that my heart was 
 
 ever before drawn out in praise and adoration so much as 
 it was last evening. This morning I have had a comfort- 
 able season in prayer. I think I feel thankful for the im- 
 provement of my health : it is vastly better than it was this 
 time last year. I hope too I am thankful for the preserva- 
 tion of the lives and the health of my family ; for our exemp- 
 tion from those judgments which we deserve to suffer ; and 
 for the continuance of our earthly comforts." 
 
 Near the close of the preceding year, Mr. Walton recei- 
 ved an invitation from the Second Presbyterian Society in 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 87 
 
 Invitation to Washington. 
 
 Washington City, then in its infancy, to do ministerial 
 service for them, until they should receive the reply of Rev. 
 
 Mr. li to a call, which had hecn tendered to him. 
 
 His preaching was acceptable to the people ; they showed 
 him many marks of respect and affection, and the evening 
 before he left, a leading member assured him of a very 
 general kind feeling towards him; a feeling, which but for 
 their delicate relation towards his friend and brother, Mr. 
 B. ( (who afterwards settled with them,) would probably 
 have manifested itself in the presentation of a call. He 
 felt at this time, as if some change of situation would be 
 better fitted to awaken in him fresh resolutions, and more 
 vigorous endeavors. " My prospects of usefulness in 
 preaching where I now am, are quite discouraging. I am 
 waiting to see what the Lord will do with me, and it is my 
 constant prayer, that He may guide me in all my ways." 
 * * * " It seems like doing nothing 
 
 to preach to my distant congregations once or twice a 
 month. I am more and more convinced that it is the duty 
 of a minister to be much among his people, and to con- 
 verse personally with them, and attend meetings for prayer 
 and catechising, &c. As it would be attended with great 
 inconvenience for me in my present situation, to discharge 
 these duties, and as it would prevent me from pursuing 
 those studies which are so important to my future useful- 
 ness, I am often ready to conclude that it would be best for 
 me, and for the general interests of the Church, to confine 
 my labors to the neighborhood in which I reside." 
 
 " The Lord has recently brought me very low, and caus- 
 ed me to look death in the face. At first, as the dangerous 
 symptoms were sudden, at least to my apprehension, and as 
 I felt very much like losing my reason, I was considerably 
 agitated. I cried unto the Lord as did Hezekiah, and 
 prayed that he would spare me for my own sake, for the 
 sake of my family, and for the sake of the Church. I 
 desired to live, to be more diligent in seeking the Lord and 
 
88 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Impression of spirits. 
 
 obtaining the assurance of my acceptance; that I might 
 be useful to my children and family, but especially that I 
 might labor more for the salvation of souls in this region." 
 
 The history of Mr. Walton's experience while remaining 
 in Virginia, is a history of alternate hope and fear, of occa- 
 sional elevation, but probably of more frequent depression 
 of mind. Through the summer of 1S22, his health was 
 feeble, his spirits dejected, his energies debilitated. Let 
 not the sceptic sneer, and ask, JV/iere is your God ? Where 
 are the consolations of your boasted religion ? But for 
 these, he might have sunk into a state of irretrievable des- 
 pondency. Nay, had he lived in Paris, he would probably 
 have committed suicide. Had he been 'without God, and 
 without hope,' he might have raised his hand against him- 
 self! But, says he, " Prayer and reading the word of God 
 kept me from despondency. I have never yet, at any period 
 of my Christian experience, neglected private prayer, where 
 I was in circumstances to perform it ; and when I could not 
 be alone, I have almost always prayed mentally, and some- 
 times in this way, very fervently. Generally I have found, 
 and still find, more or less relief and comfort in these exer- 
 cises. At times, my heart is much enlarged, and it is truly 
 refreshing. Lately I have been led to pray particularly for 
 sanctifying and enlightening grace, for perfect submission 
 to, and acquiescence in the will of God ; for my family, that 
 all may be made wise unto salvation, and each have the 
 spirit of his or her station ; more particularly, for my wife 
 and children, also for the people of God every where ; for 
 the afflicted and the dying; and for the success of the gos- 
 pel throughout the world. On these, and other topics, I 
 often feel much freedom in enlarging, when in private 
 prayer." 
 
 "I am waiting to see what the Lord will do with me, 
 and if I should conclude upon satisfactory reasons that it is 
 his will I should remain here, I will, by his grace, go to the 
 work in this neighborhood in good earnest." 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 89 
 
 Ltfeof Scott and Pilgrim's Progrew, 
 
 In the prospect of further pecuniary difficulties and dis- 
 appointments, he says : " I feel in a good degree resigned. 
 I trust I have committed the whole matter to the Lord by 
 prayer, and I am willing he should dispose of it as he 
 pleases." 
 
 " I have lately read the life of Dr. Scott, and I hope it 
 was blessed to me. This morning after family prayers 
 Margaret Ann appeared affected to tears, and said she was 
 very sorry that .she hud sinned so against God. This is 
 not the first encouraging symptom of early piety that she 
 has exhibited. The first wish and prayer of my heart 
 respecting her and my other children, is, that they may be 
 true and exemplary Christians." 
 
 " Dec. 12. — Went with my wife to Charlcstown — labored 
 under great depression of spirits — nothing appeared encour- 
 aging in my prospects — while many things appeared to be 
 against me. I have often no comfort at home or abroad, 
 except what 1 derive from prayer, and the hope of Heaven. 
 I feel greatly defective in every part of Christian character. 
 I groan, being burdened; still my ruling desire is to serve, 
 glorify, and enjoy God as my portion." 
 
 " Dec. 23. — For about a week past, I have been more 
 than usually alive to the concerns of my soul. I attribute 
 this, instrunientally, to reading the Pilgrim's Progress. I 
 have been much engaged in prayer, though I am far from 
 that state of mind in reference to this duty, to which I 
 aspire, and which I hope to attain. I have been particu- 
 larly led to pray for the gift of the Holy Spirit, that I 
 might have ((rarer and more distinct views of the atone- 
 ment and rig/itcous7icss of Christ, and that I might be able 
 to rest here with more comfort and assurance of acceptance ; 
 that Christ might be more precious to me, and that his 
 law might constrain me more than it ever has done." 
 
 " Sab. Eve., Dec. 29. — Preached a funeral sermon at 
 Smithfield — very much exhausted in body when I arrived 
 there, and in a most unfavorable state for preaching. Hav- 
 ing a written preparation I made out to go through with 
 the service, but in a manner very uncomfortable to myself, 
 and I fear not much to the edification of the hearers. 
 8* 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Invitation from Baltimore. 
 
 The thoughtful reader will now he satisfied, that the 
 state of Mr. Walton's mind and feelings was such, as to 
 demand moral stimulus of a certain kind, in order to raise 
 them to such a tone as would fit him either for personal 
 enjoyment or useful effort. His mental idiosyncracy evi- 
 dently required it. The kind Providence of God supplied 
 this desideratum. 
 
 On his return from Smithfield, one of his preaching pla- 
 ces, a letter was in waiting from Baltimore, the object of 
 which, was to obtain his services for the Third Presbyterian 
 Church in that city, then in its infancy. On the reception 
 of this, he remarks: " I felt pleased at the idea that per- 
 haps the Lord was about to open to me a door of greater 
 usefulness. Yet my mind is much impressed with the 
 thought of entering upon such a sphere of temptation and 
 of arduous duty ; I feel less confidence in my ability for 
 such a situation than I did several years ago. I try to pray 
 daily and often, for divine direction. And now I must act 
 according to that view of the case which the Lord may 
 give me. On the whole, I am convinced that it is my duty 
 to visit the congregation in Baltimore, if the Lord should 
 permit me so to do." 
 
MEMOIR OF WALTON. 91 
 
 Visits that city. State of th<: congregation. 
 
 The expectations of Mr. W. had not been at all turned 
 in the direction of Baltimore, and of this invitation, there- 
 fore, he remarks, that it " came unsought, unexpected, from 
 a place that I had not thought of." So serious a proposal 
 was of course made the subject of solemn deliberation and 
 of earnest prayer. He visited Baltimore in the month of 
 January, 1823, preached to the congregation two Sabbaths, 
 and attended three adjunct meetings. Soon after this, he 
 received a regular call to settle as their Pastor. On com- 
 ing among them, he ascertained that things were not in a 
 perfectly pleasant state. Causes of internal dissension had 
 prevailed ; jealouses existed ; different opinions had, as is 
 frequent in cities and larger towns, been formed on the 
 merits of different candidates, and, says Walton, " it seem- 
 ed very difficult to unite them." The appearance and 
 labors of a new minister served for a time to repress rising 
 animosities, and in proportion as attachment drew them 
 towards their minister, it drew them nearer each other. 
 The process of the election was conducted in a very friendly 
 manner, though some votes were given to another candi- 
 date. " When they saw how large a majority there was in 
 my favor, the minority proposed that the call should be 
 unanimous, and cheerfully fell in with the majority." 
 
 Having stated this fact in one place, in another he says : 
 " It is a field of labor into which I shall enter with joy, and 
 I now feel my whole heart given up to it. My anticipations 
 of usefulness and of comfort are far more pleasing than 
 they ever have been before. It is true I have had, and still 
 have some fears and anxieties as to my competency to fill 
 such a station, and I know it will require unremitting dili- 
 gence and strenuous exertion on my part. Yet I trust the 
 Lord, who has guided my way thither, will be with me there, 
 and crown my labors with his blessing, and fill my soul with 
 the joys of his salvation." 
 
 His mind had been for some time so much occupied with 
 
92 MEMOIR OF 
 
 great toM of pro p e rty. Prayer answered. Arrives in Baltimore. 
 
 the prospect of the spiritual work before him, that he had 
 been accustomed to " pray much that the Lord would order 
 all my affairs in such a way, as most to promote his glory 
 and my best interests." This prayer was answered by the 
 loss of between three thousand and four thousand dollars, 
 the consequence of a conflagration. " Yet 1 am not dis- 
 tressed by the event. I feel no disposition to complain." 
 He had indeed lost much of his interest in his temporal 
 concerns, and therefore his mind suffered little. 
 
 But his anxieties on other subjects were at this time so 
 great, as not only to deprive him of rest, but to exhaust his 
 strength, and lay him for a time on a sick bed. Fearing a 
 season of illness, he supplicated the Lord to restore him to 
 health and to his family. This prayer, too, was answered. 
 He soon recovered, and left Baltimore for his residence in 
 Virginia, praising (he Lord, and chiding himself for unbe- 
 lief, "O that I may never henceforth distrust the goodness 
 and the mercy of my Heavenly Father !" 
 
 On the 22d of February, Mr. Walton arrived with his 
 family in Baltimore, to take charge of his new congrega- 
 tion. On the next day, he commenced his labors, though 
 his lungs were in so irritable a state — the consequence of a 
 cold — as almost to prevent him from speaking. In his diary 
 he thus writes : " I feel my need of divine aid more than ever 
 before. I now desire to devote my whole time to the Lord 
 in the work of the ministry. I desire my whole heart and 
 soul to be engaged in it. I desire to be greatly useful here. 
 This desire is so strong and habitual, that I seldom feel 
 and never cherish any other repugnant to it. I long for a 
 revival to my own soul and to the congregation." 
 
 Returning from church that evening, his soul was so full 
 of love for sinners, he poured out his feelings in presence of 
 the Elder's family, with whom he sojourned, until deep 
 solemnity pervaded the whole family, and some were melt- 
 ed to tears. It was one of those seasons, when the servant 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 93 
 
 Subject of baptism. Health impaired. 
 
 of the Lord feels as if he could impart, not the gospel of 
 God only, but his own soul to the objects of his solicitude. 
 
 " Feb. 23. — I have been informed that my preaching, 
 when I was here before, was blessed to a young man who 
 had been addicted to intoxication, and that he now appears 
 to be reformed, and attends meetings regularly. Thank 
 God for this token for good ! " 
 
 " Sabbath evening, March 2. — Went to church this 
 morning, feeble, and with no pleasing anticipations as to 
 the performance. But the Lord gave nae strength in body 
 and soid, and enabled me to preach more to the satisfaction 
 of the people than ever before. I preached for brother Nev- 
 ins this afternoon, but had to exert myself so much to be 
 heard, that it was a painful effort. He preached for me this 
 evening a very good sermon. I trust good has been done 
 this day. May the Lord follow our labors, and the labors 
 of all his servants, with his blessing ! The congregation is 
 increasing. My hopes are rising. But my poor, feeble, 
 feverish body, has suffered much under the excitement and 
 the labors of the day. I feel this to be a critical period in 
 this congregation. It is very important that we make a good 
 beginning, and we have some difficulties and perplexities to 
 encounter." 
 
 Soon after coming to Baltimore, his mind was led, in 
 consequence of its unsettled views, to investigate the subject 
 of the baptism of the children of non-communicants. The 
 result of his inquiries was, that he felt it his duty to adopt 
 the strict plan of baptism. To that sense of duty, as was 
 characteristic of the man, he constantly adhered. He says : 
 " I have had a few applications from others, but I have al- 
 ways, I believe, satisfied them that I was right in declining. 
 In two instances, I have hopes that this measure will have 
 a good effect." 
 
 I find by his journal that some disciples were added at 
 each communion. 
 
 In the month of April, after an absence of some weeks 
 in Virginia, Mr. W. returned to Baltimore, in a state of 
 health little improved by his journey. Having thrown up 
 
94 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Advantage of trials. 
 
 a quantity of blood, " I was a good deal agitated, and it 
 gave rise to very serious, and solemn, and, I hope, profita- 
 ble exercises of mind. I began to wonder what the Lord 
 was about to do with me, and whether I had mistaken all 
 the occurrences, which seemed to say it was my duty to go 
 to Baltimore. I refrained from eating animal food, and eat 
 but little of any thing, until 1 became extremely weak, and 
 shortly before I left Bethany, my strength was so entirely 
 prostrate;!, alter attending to the loading of a wagon, and 
 my fever so very high, that I thought certainly I have all the 
 symptoms of the consumption. Mvdespondency was great. 
 I felt as if it would be impossible for me to get to Baltimore, 
 or to do any more service in the world. * * However, 
 I struggled and prayed against such feelings, and endeav- 
 ored to acquiesce in the divine will. I believe on the whole, 
 these exercises of mind, though very distressing, were pro- 
 fitable, and have left an abiding impression. I now feel and 
 preach more under the realizing apprehension of eternal 
 things than ever before ; and my preaching has recently 
 been attended with unusual tenderness of feeling, freedom, 
 and fervency." 
 
 " May 12. — My health is still very delicate, and I am 
 often very feeble, and weighed down under a load of melan- 
 ancholy. This, however, does not lessen, in any degree, 
 my purpose to lay myself out here, for promoting the cause 
 of Christ to the extent of my power. But when I am so fee- 
 ble, so unable to make much effort of body or of mind, and 
 consider how much is here to be done and /io/r murk depends 
 upon me just at this time, I am often ready to sink. But I 
 struggle against the workings of unbelief, and cry to the 
 Lord for help ; and blessed be His name, He does help me 
 often, in secret and in public. Last Sabbath, I preached 
 twice with much freedom and fervency, and I do not remem- 
 ber ever to have prayed so earnestly for the divine aid and 
 blessing upon myself, and particularly for the people, that 
 they might he abundantly benefitted." 
 
 " June 6. — Administered the sacrament of the Lord's 
 Supper last Sabbath. Received nine or ten new members. 
 
WILLIAM C.WALTON. 95 
 
 Payson's distress. 
 
 There have recently been a number of applications for pews. 
 All this is encouraging, and I desire to praise the Lord for 
 it. Two or three times, lately, I have had a spitting of 
 blood; and such is my state of body at this time, that I am 
 every day expecting a return of it. I have to be very care- 
 ful and uniform in my diet, exercise, the state of my bow- 
 els, &c. This has often produced depression, and I have 
 been advised, by physicians, to give up preaching; and by 
 brother Nevins to leave here for a time, and go to Virginia. 
 But I cannot see my way clear to do either. It would indeed 
 be a great affliction to me to give up preaching." 
 
 "I have been lecturing extempore on Thursday evenings 
 lately. Twice I have gone through tolerably well ; but last 
 night I labored and failed m my own apprehension, and felt 
 deeply mortified. May the Lord sanctify to me such trials, 
 and give me grace to do his work better." 
 
 "June 8. — I have often been strongly impressed with the 
 belief that I shall soon be taken off with the consumption. 
 Reading the life of Pearce, who died with that complaint, 
 has deepened that impression. My bodily weakness and 
 frequent indispositions have, I hope, been in a measure 
 sanctified to me. I feel more serious and thoughtful, more 
 weaned from the world than probably I should otherwise 
 have been. I do not suffer myself to indulge an expecta- 
 tion of living long." 
 
 On the evening of the Sabbath, June 13, he preached for 
 Dr. Glendy, and exerted himself beyond his strength. The 
 next day he writes : " This morning, I am completely pros- 
 trated, and feel almost like giving up the ghost. I long for 
 clearer manifestations of my Saviour's love to my soul, and 
 for a sweet acquiescence in a/l his dialing.-; with me. I feel 
 a strong desire, and constantly pray that my afflictions and 
 trials may be sanctified to me. I have often found of late, 
 that any change in my feelings for the worse, depresses me. 
 The Lord pity my infirmities, and pardon my sins, and give 
 me such views of Himself and of Heaven as will render 
 death desirable ! " Such prayers are often answered. "I 
 have," said Payson, " suffered every conceivable kind of 
 spiritual distress myself, and have seen too much of the 
 
96 MEMOIH OF 
 
 Singular remark. The dawn of light. 
 
 good effects of it, to be much grieved, when I see others 
 suffering the same. I know that Christ is with them in the 
 furnace, and will bring them forth as gold, and therefore, 
 though I sympathize with them, I am rather pleased than 
 sorry to see them distressed. I have long considered a 
 crowing acquaintance with the desperate wickedness and 
 surpassing deceitfulness of the heart, as almost the only 
 mark of a real Christian, which Satan cannot counterfeit." 
 P. 222 of Life. Yet, in another place he says, with char- 
 acteristic strength of thought and peculiarity of manner, 
 after visiting a criminal under sentence of death : " it seemed 
 as if I would willingly have been hanged in his place, rather 
 than feel as I did. I can more easily believe that all other 
 things work together for good, than that melancholy does. 
 It appears to be full of evil, and to be productive of no man- 
 ner of good, either to myself or others." p. 1C3. 
 
 If the natural darkness, which precedes the dawn, is 
 sometimes intense, the same may be said of that mysterious 
 gloom, which, at times, overspreads the mind of a Christian 
 minister, and oppresses his soul. It was the lot of Walton, 
 during this summer, to be greeted with a brighter dawn in 
 his spiritual affairs. Indeed, his mind underwent a revolution, 
 more especially with respect to the doctrine of revivals, of 
 which, previously to this period, he had entertained inade- 
 quate conceptions; a revolution that affected his whole sub- 
 sequent ministry. A conversation held with a brother, who 
 was providentially visiting him, had the effect to awaken in 
 his mind a new train of thought on the important subject of 
 dealing with immortal souls. Much was said on the ways 
 and means of presenting truth to the mind; on the advan- 
 tages of one style of preaching, and the disadvantages of 
 another; on the causes of the different success, so far as 
 human agency is concerned, of different preachers, and on 
 the general mode of conduct in those precious seasons of 
 the outpouring of the Spirit, which have distinguished our 
 American Israel. 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON, 07 
 
 Importance of exertion. Effort i >ng the young. 
 
 Mr. Walton's mind began to awake to the importance of 
 exertion for the salvation of sinners. Could nothing be 
 done? Must not the labors of the pulpit be followed up 
 and sustained by private expostulation? Was it in the 
 nature of mind to be permanently affected by a subject, how- 
 ever sacred and awful, which was presented to it but one 
 day in seven, while subjects of an opposite character en- 
 grossed the remaining six days? And that, too, when from 
 the former the natural heart instinctively revolts, while 
 around the latter it clings with ardent fondness? And 
 when, too, the former subject comes in general terms to a 
 hearer, in common with hundreds of other hearers, while 
 with the latter he enters into immediate and interested con- 
 tact, and is affected as an individual by all around him. 
 Questions and considerations like these occurred to his 
 mind, and be resolved to try the influence of personal effort 
 for the salvation of individuals. His attention was, in the 
 first place, naturally directed to the young. A few of them 
 were assembled at his house, and solemnly addressed on the 
 concerns of eternity, after which, special prayer was offered 
 for their salvation. Much seriousness and feeling pervaded 
 the meeting. On the next Sabbath, Mr. W\, whose heart 
 had been drawn forth in earnest prayer for a divine unction 
 upon his own soul, as well as upon his people, preached 
 with unusual animation on the subject which engrossed his 
 mind — the necessity of the reviving influences of the Spirit. 
 After service, he requested those who desired to unite in 
 supplications and labors for so great a blessing, to remain 
 in the house after the congregation had retired. " A con- 
 siderable number remained. We conversed with them for 
 some time, and proposed that the members of the church 
 should meet, two or three together, every Monday evenincr, 
 to converse and pray for a revival. I believe a number have 
 complied. Last Monday evening, we had another meeting 
 of young people at my house, while others were prayincrfor 
 9 
 
98 MEMOIR OP 
 
 Preaches on the subject of a revival. 
 
 us. This was still more interesting and solemn. Four or 
 five agreed to meet us at the throne of grace, at 10 o'clock, 
 and we promised to pray for them while they were praying 
 for themselves. Monday and Tuesday we visited and con- 
 versed with the people, from house to house. We had some 
 solemn scenes. On Tuesday evening, our prayer meeting 
 was full, and such a meeting I never saw before. Much 
 feelino- was excited. A number of persons, young and old, 
 now appear to be under deep conviction. * * * I feel 
 a deeper sense of my responsibility, and of my need of wis- 
 dom and grace at this time, than I ever did before. I feel 
 like one awaking out of sleep. I lament and am in some 
 measure humbled for my past negligence and unfaithful- 
 ness. It grieves me to think how many opportunities of 
 usefulness I have failed to improve. I earnestly desire and 
 pray for pardon for the past, and that I may know and feel 
 more of the power of God, than I have ever yet known and 
 felt." 
 
 Of the brother already adverted to, Mr. Walton records, 
 that " he has been the means of exciting my mind to think 
 and labor on subjects connected with revivals, and he has 
 given me more clear and impressive views of the manner in 
 which a conviction of sin is to be fastened on the conscience, 
 and of dealing with persons under distress of mind, than I 
 ever had before. It appears to me like a new and grand 
 discovery. I would not exchange it for the world. It 
 seems to me that I never before knew what directions to 
 give to awakened sinners. I fear I have left my former 
 hearers in a state of delusion. I feel awful to think of my 
 past ignorance and unfaithfulness, and am resolved, hence- 
 forth, with the help of God, to be wholly devoted to His 
 work and glory." 
 
 " Friday, June 17. — More than usual attended our meet- 
 ing last night. Some I never saw before. It was solemn ; 
 I felt more than ordinary excitement, but not much of the 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 99 
 
 Attacked with bleeding ;n the lunge. 
 
 presence of God, nor nuich of the spirit of prayer. I hope 
 t.o-(l.iv I feel more of that spirit, an increasing conviction of 
 my guilt ;md unworthiness, and an increasing desire for a 
 revival. I long to feel more of the power of religion, and 
 to he enabled to serve God with pure motives, and with a 
 heart entirely given up to Him. But my mind is in much 
 darkness. 1 feel as if I knew very little ahout God. But I 
 am led to pray, ' O Lord, 1 beseech thee show me thy 
 glory.' " 
 
 "June 29, Sab. — Yesterday evening commenced a Bible 
 Class with an encouraging prospect. To-day preached from 
 J lab. iii. 2: O hard revive thy work, Sfc, with unusual 
 freedom and fervency. Several times during the service, 
 particularly towards the close of it, and in the last prayer, I 
 was much affected. 1 wept, and felt more of the spirit of 
 intercession than I ever did before in public. I trust good 
 was done." 
 
 In the month of July, Mr. W. in taking a journey to 
 Philadelphia, was constrained to ask medical advice in that 
 city. " The journey brought me down almost to the low- 
 est degree of human weakness. I began seriously to think 
 I should soon leave the world. I consulted Dr. Physick on 
 my case, but he gave me little satisfaction. I conversed 
 with Dr. Wilson, who had often bled at the lungs, and from 
 the description he gave me of his feelings, I was confirmed 
 in the belief that the blood I have expectorated did not come 
 from my lungs." 
 
 "July 15. — Have a cold and cough, accompanied yester- 
 day and last night with a good deal of inflammatory action. 
 Was bled last night. Expectoration yesterday a little tinged 
 once with blood. Strongly impressed again with the ap- 
 prehension that I am going into a decline. Darkness and 
 deadness of soul ; no freedom in prayer ; far from feeling 
 as submissive as I ought to God ; could not feel unreserv- 
 edly and cordially willing that He should do with me and 
 mine, as seemeth good in his sight. This morning, also, 
 while thinking of the passage — ' Worthy is the Lamb that 
 was slain,' I felt as if, with my present views of Christ, I 
 could not cordially and humbly unite in that ascription of 
 
100 MEMOIR OP 
 
 Solemn reflections al church. 
 
 praise. It was the result of pride, and defective views of 
 the character of Christ. It made me feel very unhappy, and 
 I could not prav with any comfort or enlargement for myself 
 or others, for I felt as if God would not regard me. It was 
 similar to those exercises of mind that 1 had not long, after 
 1 went to Hampden Sydney- I looked too much at the hu- 
 man nature of Christ. But sometime after, I had a long 
 
 conversation with brother , on divine sovereignty and 
 
 glory, and man's duty, particularly Christian duties and ob- 
 ligations. I then retired to pray — had some freedom and 
 enlargement. I then lay down, and closed my eyes, and 
 meditated on the character and glory of Christ, and had 
 more exalted and comfortable views of Him, and felt a more 
 entire willingness to be in his hands, and a more unreserved 
 submission to Him, though lie should condemn me, than I 
 ever did before. I have had more humiliating views of my 
 own heart, as being totally depraved, and of my past life, 
 as being altogether sinful, inexpressibly defective in right 
 motives, and zealous endeavors, than ever before. I now 
 feel that I ought to make an unreserved surrender of myself 
 and all I have, to God; to be disposed of for His glory, and 
 desire to aim supremely at that object, and to approve my- 
 self a faithful servant the remnant of my days, while I depend 
 entirely on the merits of Christ for my pardon, acceptance, 
 and salvation." 
 
 One remark should not be omitted here, that the reader 
 may ask himself, is it so with me? "I feel much more 
 interested in the Biblr lately than ever, and much less con- 
 cerned about popularity." 
 
 " July 29 ', Monday. — On Saturday evening, I coughed 
 up blood a number of times, twice through the night, and 
 also on the Sabbath morning. I was bled. In a very fee- 
 ble state, I was taken to church. As soon as I was seated 
 in the pulpit and looked around on the people, I was almost 
 overwhelmed with my feelings. This state of feeling contin- 
 ued, with some variation, until the whole service was over. 
 I administered the Lord's supper. I felt as if it might prob- 
 ably be the last time, and I gave the communicants a sol- 
 emn charge to live to the glory of God ; and to sinners, to 
 flee from the wrath to come ; telling them that I would be 
 
WILLIAM C. W A LT ON. 101 
 
 Visit to Virginia. State of mind. 
 
 a witness against them at the judgment Beat, if they did not. 
 The whole service was very solemn, and 1 hope good was 
 done. Spent the greater part of the day in reflection, self- 
 examination and prayer. * * * I have not yet those 
 clear views of the glorious character of God which I ought 
 to have, nor that disinterested concern that his kingdom 
 may be promoted, and His glory displayed, which Brainard 
 speaks of, and which ought to characterize every Christian. 
 This is what I now lahor for. Lord, satisfy this desire of 
 my heart, and do with me as it may seem good in thy sight." 
 
 " Oct. 10. — Last Saturday, we returned from Virginia. 
 We have been afflicted more than ever before. Our chil- 
 dren were all sick ; the youngest has been very low for more 
 than two months. * * * During my absence, in trav- 
 elling and mixing with company, I hecame very cold and 
 insensible; lost the spirit of prayer, and was part of the 
 time in deep melancholy and depression. My distress was 
 unspeakable at times ; but it seemed to partake too much of 
 that sorrow of the world which worketh death. I believe I 
 sinned against the Lord by indulging it. And yet, not- 
 withstanding all my sins, the Lord still exercised His mercy 
 and forbearance towards me ; my health, on the whole, 
 improved very much. 
 
 On returning, I found the congregation considerably 
 increased ; the meetings more numerously attended ; a num- 
 ber rejoicing in hope, and many anxious. My heart was 
 very cold and disconsolate. I could not feel much for others, 
 nor for myself. I felt that I had lost a great deal in my spir- 
 itual interests, and was unfit for any duty. I had, and still 
 have fears that I have never had such views of God and of 
 myself as produce true humility and repentance. I cannot 
 feel and realize the gnat evil of sin, nor the dangerous and 
 deplorable condition of sinners. I don't feel my heart con- 
 strained by the love of Christ as it ought to be. There is 
 much darkness and confusion resting on my mind. I feel 
 that I want power to believe the promises of God, and the 
 necessity and reality of the operations of His Spirit on the 
 mind, to deliver it from darkness and sin. I try constant- 
 ly to believe and to realize these things, and perhaps I do 
 in some low degree. 
 
 As this is the day for examining and receiving new com- 
 municants, we have set it apart for fasting and prayer." 
 
 "Sabbath, Oct. 12. — We this dav administered the Lord's 
 9* 
 
1 02 MEMOIR OP 
 
 Excellent effectsof parochial \ imitation. Nothing can be substituted tor it. 
 
 Supper, — 1G added, — 2 baptized. I preached last Sabbath 
 and to-day, from a skeleton, and without any difficulty. I 
 find it the easiest method of preaching that 1 have yet tried. 
 In addressing sinners after the communion services, I had 
 much liberty and affection. We have had solemn meetings 
 during the last week. Two found rest in my house. We 
 have been much engaged in prayer and visiting." 
 
 These visits were useful on various accounts. They 
 served to render the minister better acquainted with the 
 minds of his people ; to give permanence to the instructions 
 of the Sabbath; to multiply the responsibilities of the hear- 
 er; to set him on a course of practical thinking; to stimu- 
 late and strengthen the Christian ; in fine, to invigorate 
 the graces and awaken the sensibilities of the pastor him- 
 self. It reminds one of th^ indefatigable diligence and 
 thorough work of the man. who, though he had the care of 
 all the churches, ' by the space of three years, ceased not 
 to warn every one night and day with tears.' No pre-em- 
 inence in preaching — no diligence in the use of the author's 
 pen, can make up for the want of discharging that duty — so 
 much neglected — of parochial visitation. The people, if 
 inclined, have no right to absolve their pastor from this ob- 
 ligation. That right is vested only in the Head of the 
 Church, and He, both by example and precept, has inculca- 
 ted the duty. ' Ye have scattered my flock, and have not vis- 
 ited them.' ' Preach the word; be instant in season, out of 
 season, fyc.' 
 
 Mr. Walton after entering in his diary the fact of his 
 having paid twelve visits, remarks that he had "seen much 
 to convince him of the utility of preaching from house to 
 house." If in the midst of active labors and exemplary 
 usefulness, the pious pastor feels this, how will he not 
 appreciate this means of doing good, when from the bed of 
 death he reviews his ministerial life ! ' The life of a min- 
 ister is the life of his ministry.' Said James Hervey on his 
 death-bed to his curate, " How much has Christ done for 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 103 
 
 llervey's dying confession. The cane of a reprobate. 
 
 me, and how little have I done for so loving a Saviour ! If 
 I preached even once a week, it was at last a burden to me. 
 I have not visited the people of my parish, as I ought to 
 have done, and thus have preached, as it were, from house 
 to house. I have not taken every opportunity of speaking 
 for Christ." And a gush of tears attested the sincerity of 
 the dying Rector's emotions. " Do not think," he added, 
 " that I am afraid to die. I assure you I am not. I know 
 what my Saviour hath done for me, and I want to be gone. 
 But I wonder and lament, to think of the love of Christ in 
 doing so much for me, and how little I have done for him." 
 How little, reader, hast thou done for Him ! 
 
 " Oct. 11. — Paid four visits; felt deeply concerned for 
 
 one young woman in great distress. Miss , saw a 
 
 young man who had been under impressions, but who says 
 he has now sold himself to the Devil — that if hell was open 
 before him he would jump right into it! He has pious 
 parents. A young woman died in this city this week, who 
 said, before her death, she felt the scorching of hell-fire, 
 and begged her mother to sprinkle water on her face and 
 breast." 
 
 Cases so fearfully affecting as these, startle the mind, and 
 even produce a sensation of mental pain. Nor is it allevi- 
 ated by the reflection, that they are matters not of imagi- 
 native fiction, but of melancholy fact. The writer was 
 acquainted with a young man, the subject of frequent con- 
 viction, of an enlightened intellect, and a warm heart, who 
 to the habitual resistance of these convictions, added at 
 length the crime of breaking covenant with God, discard- 
 ing his Christian profession, and plunging into open vice. 
 One day, as he was pacing the room with strong emotion, 
 which exhibited itself in the restlessness of his eye, the 
 paleness of his cheek, and the hurry of his step, a friend 
 
 asked him ; " ~\Vhat is the matter with you ?" 
 
 "Matter !" replied he, " I'm a devil incarnate, that is the 
 matter /" 
 
104 MEMOIR OP 
 
 Stubborn sinners. Lost siniiurs. 
 
 Not long after this he descended to the tomb, under cir- 
 cumstances the most affecting,* and even appalling. 
 
 " Tuesday, 14. — Four visits — the most interesting day T 
 
 ever saw. In Mrs. 's family, four persons submitted in 
 
 about an hour. I have remarked that those who have 
 striven most against their convictions, have the most pun- 
 gent and awful distress. Little who, one would 
 
 suppose, would have yielded directly, was the most stub- 
 born of all and did not give up even to the last. At night 
 we had the most interesting, and solemn, and awful meeting 
 in the Session room ; two persons there submitted, and 
 many more in distress. My text was, ' Behold I stand at 
 
 * The Rev. Mr. Baker, the early friend and bosom companion of Walton, from the 
 stores of his recent rich experience, presents us the following painful, but instructive 
 facts : 
 
 " At a meeting in Alabama, which was much blessed, there was a man present one 
 night, who was considerably impressed : he wept abundantly. Upon retiring from 
 the Church, however, and meeting with some of his wicked associates, he was rather 
 BShamed of the feelings which he had manifested. And being asked how he liked the 
 preacher? 'I was fool enough to cry,' said he ' when he preached.' Two days after 
 that, at his usual Work, he dropped dead ! " 
 
 "Mr. R , a young man in strong health, good circumstances, and lately mar- 
 ried, was present during a memorable meeting held at , South Carolina. He 
 
 lodged in the same bouse that I did. When he saw many around him pressing into 
 the kingdom, he was evidently not at rest in his own mind ; but be was not converted. 
 About two days alter the meeting closed, he was taken ill. Perceiving at last that he 
 must die, be sent for a Baptist preacher. The man of God came (it was early in the 
 morning.) and found him in a state of great mental agony. ( Ippresscd with a sense of 
 his guilt, the sick man cried, ' Oh for forgiveness ! ' The minister told him that there 
 was forgiveness with God through a crucified Redeemer. 'No! no!' replied he, 
 • but I don't feel it here' — laving his hand upon bis bosom — ' I don't feel it hire, sir.' 
 What could the man of God do 1 lie mentioned a variety of promises. r>ut none 
 administered any consolation. ' My day of grace is over,' said the dying man. ' My 
 day of grace is over, s ; r. and what is more, I know when it closed. It closed When 
 that meeting dOSi d I am lost ! and it is all owing to my pride.' Here some one inter- 
 rupted the conversation by comii ; In and Inviting the minister to go into another room 
 to breakfast. When he had withdrawn, some one requested Mr. K. to compose him- 
 self »n ii I sleep a little. ' Slei p ! ' said lie, ' Sleep ! 1 have no time to sleep now : I must 
 spend all my time in prayer now ! ' Alas : the angel of death was come ! Hi began 
 to die! Perceiving it, his wife in the paroxysm of grief and affection, threw herself 
 upon the bosom of her expiring husband, and shrieked aloud. This roused him for a 
 moment, and with a certain look of the ey*», never to be forgotten, he exclaimed, 
 ' Lord Jesus ! ' and expired ! Here I am reminded of the words of the Rev. Rowland 
 II hi, when lie was sinking in death : 'Jesus Christ is every tiling to a dying man.' 
 
WILLIAM C.WALTON. 105 
 
 Twenty two families visited. The fugitive. 
 
 t he door,' 6pc. It was while pressing that at Mrs. L 's 
 
 that the work begun there." 
 
 "Wednesday eve., 15. — Visited eight families — awful 
 
 and glorious scenes in two meetings this afternoon and 
 evening. Ten or twelve found peace. One young woman, 
 as soon as she knew her cousin had given herself to the 
 Saviour, was filled with rage. She afterwards found peace. 
 Last night when she heard that two of her cousins had 
 found peace, she was enraged all night, and to-day she tried 
 all she could to prevent them from coming to meeting; yet 
 she came with them, and when her cousin found peace, she 
 
 felt as if she could kill them all ! Miss lost her 
 
 impressions by a visit to the country." 
 
 " Thursday 16. — Visited seven families. P was so 
 
 much enraged when his wife was converted, that he turned 
 pale and trembled, and walked about in such away, that I 
 thought he was going to get a cane, to beat us out of the 
 house — now he is trembling on the verge of hell — in great 
 agony. lie was a Universalis! ; he said he had made up 
 his mind." 
 
 "Friday 17. — Visited seven families. Mrs. P left 
 
 home, and staid out all the morning to avoid our visit, and 
 when she came home in the afternoon, and found us there 
 
 conversing with Mrs. L and family, she walked up 
 
 stairs lightly to avoid us. But when she got up there, she 
 was so unhappy she was constrained to go down, as it were, 
 by resistless power, and there she found the Saviour." * 
 
 "Monday mom., Oct. 29. — Mrs. M 's family came 
 
 * A minister once called to converse with a family on the subject of religion. A 
 gay young lady perceived him from the window, and absconded through the back 
 door to the house of a neighbor, saying as she ran, ' He shall not gel me this time.' 
 The minister came in disappointed, lie bethought himself however of a method of 
 reaching the fugitive, and picking up a Bible turned down a leaf at the passage : ' The 
 wicked flee when no man pursueth, 1 and requested her mother to hand it to her when 
 Bhe should return. She returned in triumphant glee after the preacher bad left the 
 house, joyous in her thoughtlessness, when her mother showed her the passage. She 
 looked at it ; her countenance fell. The thought struck her that she could not fly from 
 God, from whose all searching eye, not the remotest distance, nor the deepest darkness 
 could hide her. Deep convictions succeeded to serious reflections. She now sought 
 the minister, and with weeping eyes, made her apology to him, which was rather an 
 humble confession than an apology. ' Make your confession to God, said the pastor ; 
 'Who am 1? You have done me neither offence nor injury. But you have gieatly 
 
 offended God and injured your Saviour, Miss A , and to Him you must go.' 
 
 Such an anecdote possesses a pleasant interest, and suggests solemn reflections. 
 
1 60 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Awakened sinners. 
 
 from Ireland about throe years ago, and they appear to be 
 very orderly, decent people, but totally ignorant of true 
 religion. They said, when I first conversed with them, 
 that they never had heard of any such a thing in Ireland, as 
 conviction and conversion, &c. For some time they held 
 their old notions tenaciously, and said my doctrines appear- 
 ed very strange to them — they even laughed about our pro- 
 ceedings. 15 11 1 at length one of her daughters was convin- 
 ced of sin, and found peace just in the way that other lost 
 sinners do, and now her mother is in deep distress, com- 
 plaining in anguish that her heart is as hard as a stone." 
 
 "After anxious meeting, Mrs. M and Miss IT 
 
 were in awful distress; while I was talking, Mrs. M. fell 
 on her knees and began to pray. Miss H. and herself 
 remained on their knees I suppose for two hours, and 
 seemed unwilling to go away at last. My soul is oppressed 
 with anxiety for them. But at last I became willing that 
 the Lord should do as He pleased with them — and convert 
 them w hen He pleased." 
 
 " Tuesday 21. — Six visits ; this evening while conversing 
 with Miss H. at my house, almost without hope that I could 
 do her any more good; her heart was softened, her burden 
 left her ; she became willing to rely upon Christ, and to 
 give herself up unreservedly unto Him. She was greatly 
 relieved ; but no animal feeling expressed, still, solemn and 
 not very talkative, afraid that perhaps it might not be con- 
 version." 
 
 " Wednesday, 22. — Two visits ; a young man told me 
 he had been under impressions for several years, more or 
 less, and lately more than ever, but last Monday evening he 
 lost them ; and he believed it was for trifling with them and 
 refusing to submit, and now he says he cannot feel any alarm 
 or concern about the state of his soul." 
 
 " Thursday, 23. — Four visits; Mrs. M. has found peace ! 
 She was much alarmed by hearing the above fact related; 
 was almost in despair for a day or two; this morning, as 
 she awoke, she was enabled to give herself to the Lord, who 
 took away the stony heart, and gave a heart of flesh." 
 
 Allusion has already been made to the very timely and 
 perspicuous exhibition of truth, by Mr. Nettleton during 
 the revival in Pittsfield, in 1821, especially on a certain 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 107 
 
 Mr. Nettleton's views. Remark of Wliitefield. 
 
 evening, when many important ideas were thrown out on 
 the subject of dealing with anxious sinners, which seemed 
 like new discoveries. Many received the truth with joy, 
 but some doubted, and even resisted, what to them appear- 
 ed such new doctrines. The writer noted down one of 
 those sermons at the time, an extract from which is given 
 below.* 
 
 Such has ever been the spirit and style of the preaching 
 of men, who have been eminently blessed in turning sin- 
 ners to God. It is apostolic ; it is scriptural. In a letter t 
 written by George Wliitefield to a friend, dated Savannah, 
 June 25, 1740, that wonderful preacher says: "How can 
 they possibly stand, who were never brought to see, and 
 heartily confess, that after they had done all, God might, 
 notwithstanding, deny them mercy ! It is for preaching in 
 this manner, that I like Messrs. Tennents. They wound 
 
 • " When," said the preacher, " a sinner is in distress for his sins, and goes groaning 
 BDOlH, and asks, What shall I do ? My sins are so great (hey can't be pardoned , 
 What do you tell sinners 7 Why, ' Don't despair, poor mourning souls,'' Now what 
 do yon mean by this 7 Do you mean to encourage the sinner in his sins, and to take 
 his part against God 1 What is this but pleading his cause against God I You are 
 attempting to ease and soothe him, while he is in rebellion against God 7 When the 
 sinner is In this distress, there are two things that press heavily upon him ; a sense of 
 his obligation to repent, and a fearful apprehension that he never shall repent. Now 
 if you tell him not to despair, to wait God's time, and the like, why, you take off this 
 obligation at once. You remove all anxiety, and most probably cause him to sink 
 down into a state of stupidity and indifference on the subject. You take away this 
 apprehension also, and the danger is, that the sinner will either sink down into a state 
 of stupidity, or mistake the relief he feels for a change of heart. Now instead of 
 quieting him in his sins by such language, you should endeavor to increase his distress 
 as much as possible. You should press him down, and tell him he must submit to 
 God, Bad he generally will. I know some have been brought out truly regenerated 
 after all this flattery, but it was not in consequence, but in spite of it. Flattery is too 
 pleasant to the sinner." 
 
 " Again, say you,' look to the promises.' Now there is no promise to the impeni. 
 tent sinner, and how then can you exhort him to look to the promises, while he is in 
 bis sins'? I distinguish between promises and invitations. Men are invited lo repent 
 and believe, but there is no promise to theBB till they do. Promises are founded on 
 Christian graces." 
 
 11 .Now, my Christian friends, be careful how you talk to sinners. I have known 
 cases, where persons in deep distre'ss have become opposeisof religion, by being quieted 
 in their distress. Beware how you cross the strivings of God's Spirit." 
 
 t English edition of his Works in six volumes. 
 
108 MEMOIll OF 
 
 Walton's Narrative of the Revival. 
 
 deep before they heal. They know that there is no prom- 
 ise made but to him that believeth, and therefore, they are 
 careful not to comfort overmuch those that are convicted. 
 I fear I have been to incautious in this respect, and have 
 often given comfort too soon. The Lord pardon me for 
 what is past, and teach me more rightly to divide the Word 
 of truth for the future." 
 
 On this subject, the mind of Mr. Walton received great 
 light, during the progress of this revival, the first he had 
 witnessed. He was led to think profoundly on the general 
 subject, and a portion of the results of these thoughts, 
 besides an account of the revival itself, was embodied in a 
 narrative,* which was published at the time, excited much 
 interest, and passed through several editions. Some of 
 these editions were published in New England, and in New 
 York State, quite remote from the place of the first publi- 
 cation of the pamphlet. But a circumstance still more 
 cheering to the Author, and worthy of grateful remem- 
 brance is this — that his pamphlet was blessed to the revival 
 of religion in other places, where the face of the writer 
 was never seen, nor his voice ever heard. 
 
 It appears from the journal of passing events, which Mr. 
 Walton kept at this time, that he must have performed a 
 great amount of labor, and that, too, of the most exhaust- 
 ing kind. His visits and personal efforts for the salvation 
 of sinners were multitudinous and indefatigable. They 
 have not all been recorded, nor is it necessary to the truth 
 of our sketch ; but the reader will be gratified with the 
 extracts which follow, and with the judicious remarks on 
 the case of the young man, of whom he speaks. 
 
 " Monday, Nov, 3. — Absent a week attending Synod and 
 Presbytery. Yesterday week a young man of high stand- 
 ing and considerable intelligence, cried out in Church. 
 He had been in a good deal of worldly trouble, and per- 
 haps he had expected some distress on account of his sins, 
 
 * See Appendix. 
 
WILMAM C. WALTON. 1 00 
 
 Singular case of conviction. 
 
 but he was very ignorant of t lie nature of (rue religion, 
 
 and of the law of God. As far as f could judge, his strong 
 feelings were produced by a belief that liis exercises of" 
 mind had been the result of divine influence, and although he 
 
 did not seem to think lie had religion pet, he had so strong 
 a hope it would issue in his obtaining it, that it threw 
 liiin into ecstacy. He said he would give the world if he 
 could die then. I visited and conversed with him, and found 
 that he had nothing like faith in Christ, as a Saviour. His 
 mind was in the dark on that subject ; he now thinks be is 
 willing to do any thing to ho saved, and becomes irritable 
 when told be is not willing. 'If I cannot get religion 
 at your Chinch, I'll go somewhere else.' He now thinks 
 be has religion, but 1 fear Ik- is mistaken; be has not that 
 humility and solemnity which would result from true con- 
 viction and repentance." 
 
 "Nov. (>. — Two days ago T closed my 30th year. When 
 I consider what bis been the state of my health for a num- 
 ber of years, the d tngers through which I have passed, and 
 above all, how much 1 have done to provoke a righteous 
 God to cut me off, it seems wonderful that I am still in the 
 land of the living. Last summer every appearance seemed 
 to indicate that I was near my end; now my health is bet- 
 ter than it lias been for six years ! I regard it as a great 
 mercy that I have been brought to this place. The hand of 
 the Lord surely lias done it. Last year, this time, I had no 
 expectation of it. What important changes take place in a 
 short time! How important the consequences that have 
 resulted and yet result from my coming to Baltimore. Be- 
 tween fifty and sixty persons are now entertaining a hope 
 that they have pgissed from death unto life, who but a few 7 
 months ago were ' in the gall of bitterness.' Althouo-h I 
 have not been the immediate instrument in the conversion 
 of all these persons, yet it seems to have resulted from my 
 coming here. And the Lord has done all those things in 
 such a way, as to preclude all boasting, especially from me. 
 I am conscious of so much coldness, indifference, and so 
 many other evils of my heart attending this work, that I 
 know it cannot be ascribed in any measure to my desert. 
 Often has my heart been so barren of every good feeling, 
 that I have much reason to fear I have never experi- 
 enced a saving change. Still I have felt a prevailing, and 
 often a very strong desire to see the good work of God go 
 10 
 
110 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Admissions to the Church. 
 
 on, independently of any selfish considerations. My great- 
 est difficulty lias arisen from inv not J i ;i \ i 1 1 li" such a sense of 
 the great evil of sin, and of my nun sins, as to feel that 
 God mighl justly cast me into liell at any moment, notwith- 
 standing all I have done to escape his wrath. Mv views 
 are not its clear on this subject as I wish them to be; 
 although I know whatever God does will be right, and I 
 think I feel willing to trust myself in his hands, to do with 
 me as it may seem good in his sight." 
 
 "Monday, Nov. 10. — Seven visits: yesterday evening 
 read Pres. Edwards sermon, and afterwards related the fact 
 about a party being carried down the cataract of Niagara. 
 A solemn impression seemed to be made, and one woman 
 this evening said it was the means of awakening her. I find 
 some are becoming very angry with the plain statement of 
 Divine truth. But the congregation is increasing." 
 
 "Nov. 12. — Four visits; a meeting for young men; find 
 great opposition to the doctrine of immediate submission 
 and repentance. They think they must pray first." 
 
 "Nov. 17. — Yesterday evening 1 read a sermon which I 
 had extracted partly from Dr. Emmons. I felt so much 
 difficulty — was fettered, in delivering it in that way, that I 
 came home much mortified, and resolved not to attempt it 
 again, unless it be in extraordinary circumstances. In the 
 morning I had much liberty and clearness in preaching 
 from the history of Simon Magus." 
 
 " Nov. 22. — Yesterday we had a fast, and in the after- 
 noon admitted twenty-seven to the fellowship of the Church. 
 It was a time of refreshing to my soul. I could not but 
 
 bless God for bringing me to Baltimore. .Miss J, , 
 
 (about 13 or 11 years old,) although suriounded by older 
 persons, and by the session, yet spoke of what the Lord had 
 done for her sold without embarrassment, and with so much 
 frankness and unaffected feeling as delighted me." 
 
 " Mrs. T. said while under conviction, she would often 
 rise from her knees, and grate her teeth against Christ for 
 not giving her peace of mind, when she was seeking so 
 earnestly." 
 
 '• P. has lo~t his impressions and become a persecutor." 
 
 " Mrs. I', went home from meeting last Tuesday evening, 
 and felt so wicked and unworthy, that she could not pray for 
 herself, and thought she would be shut out of Heaven ; but 
 she thought ' if I am not to go there myself, I'll pray for 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. Ill 
 
 Description of exercises. 
 
 sinners,' and she immediately found relief. She said with 
 much feeling '1 always feel in debt.' " 
 
 " Nov. 27. — Yesterday and to-day, eleven visits ; five 
 hoping since Sabbath ; one of these has been a sneering 
 atheist; has come to our meetings to ridicule. Last Mon- 
 day evening he disputed with me the existence of God." 
 
 Mr. W. continued steadily to visit his people. Nearly 
 thirty visits were paid by him in three or four days, all of 
 which were strictly religious visits. In every form of duty 
 he was conscientious and faithful. "Lost four communi- 
 cants, by dealing faithfully with their souls. I feel it to be 
 a relief to get clear of them, unless they would give some 
 evidence of piety." 
 
 " Dec. 5. — Last Sabbath had considerable liberty in 
 preaching from these two questions, ' Are there few that 
 be saved?' and 'Who then can be saved?' I have reason 
 to believe solemn impressions were made, and some were 
 awakened. Last Tuesday evening went to the Session 
 room under a most "painful sense of my sinfulness and 
 incompetency, and fearful that the revival would stop; hav- 
 ing scarcely any hope that I should be instrumental in doing 
 any good that night, and behold I was set at liberty, and it 
 was one of the most interesting and useful meetings we 
 have had since the revival commenced. I have often won- 
 dered at my insensibility. I never had less animal feeling 
 than since the revival commenced ; though I know my 
 exercises have been more rational, sanctifying, and humb- 
 ling ; and less mixed with spiritual pride and selfishness, 
 than ever before. I have had more of the fear of God, and 
 have aimed more simply to please Him, and to declare his 
 truth plainly. I never was so much raised above the fear 
 of man. I spoke last Monday evening extempore before 
 four or i\\e ministers at the monthly concert. Nothing 
 could have induced me to do such a thing when I first came 
 to this place. I have often had fears that I never experien- 
 ced a saving conversion ; that I had a saving knowledge of, 
 and faith in Christ, and that I had never experienced those 
 deep and humbling convictions, which true Christians 
 experience. I have, however, a prevailing and comfortable 
 
112 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Continuation of experience. 
 
 hope, and feel an increasing deadness to the world ; my 
 mind is more and more set on promoting the work of God; 
 I feel more sensibly the worth of opportunities of usefulness, 
 and regret that I have suffered bo many to puss without im- 
 provement. I now find it comparatively easy and natural to 
 try to do good wherever I may be. I have Ik sn enabled yes- 
 terday and to-day to pray more intelligently and distinctly in 
 the name and for the sake of Christ, than ever before; and 
 have felt in some measure, the sweetness and the value of the 
 privilege of praying in his name, seeing how glorious it is to 
 God to pardon, and bless, and save sinners in this way; and 
 this evening I see more clearly than ever before, how just it 
 will be eternally to damn every sinner who refuses to be 
 saved in the Gospel. The rejection of Christ appears an 
 enormous sin." 
 
 " Sabbath, Dee. 7. — Preached this morning, with much 
 depression at first — but had tolerable clearness and liberty 
 towards the close. This evening with unusual clearness, 
 and liberty, and self-possession, and superiority to the fear 
 of man. Had some sweet thoughts and feelings this after- 
 noon about the entire devotedness of saints in glory, and 
 with what alacrity and joy they do every thing in their 
 power for the glory of God. Have felt more of this spirit 
 lately than ever before. I desire to feel a constant willing- 
 ness to devote myself and all 1 have to God; to have no 
 other end in view. Went to Methodist meeting-house after 
 our service concluded, where were a number in distress. 
 Heard such prayers and such directions given them as 
 distressed me, and excited a stronger desire to promote the 
 cause of truth." 
 
 "Dee. 12. — Mrs. P. being in bad health, was brought 
 into darkness and distress; in this state she continued for 
 several days ; her feelings appear to have been very painful. 
 On Tuesday, while she was praying for Christians, she 
 said the Saviour seemed, as it were, to open his arms to 
 receive her ! Her joy was great ; she says she sees her 
 darkness was her own fault." 
 
 On the evening of this day, Mr. W. proposed to the com- 
 municants, and the young converts, to spend the time that 
 should intervene between that day and the approaching 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON, 113 
 
 ,\ new w.i\ cii keeping Christmas. 
 
 'Christinas,' in reversing, so far as their example and 
 practice might go, the ordinary customs of the Beason, 
 
 which in the Southern portion of the land, sanction such 
 excess of mirth, and not unfrequently, festivity of the most 
 tumultuous character. What can he more absurd and dis- 
 gusting than the explosion of gunpowder, to hail the eve of 
 the day, when the Prince of peace is said to have been 
 born? What more abhorrent to the pure mind of the Son 
 of God, than the gluttony and drunkenness, that distinguish 
 that season of the year — the holidays ? Ilo/j/days indeed ! 
 The season is one rather of profane diversion, than of holy 
 deration; of brilliant show, rather than of humble worship. 
 " It is a matter of just complaint," says a divine, " that 
 such irregular and extravagant things are at this time com- 
 monly done by many, who call themselves Christians; as 
 if, because the Son of God was at this time made man, it 
 were fit for men to make themselves beasts." It was 
 agreed that the interval should be spent in peculiar absti- 
 nence, and that one day should be devoted to fasting and 
 prayer. " It was the most reviving meeting we have had to 
 Christians, and I entertain strong hopes we shall see much 
 good resulting from the measure." 
 
 "Dec. 13. — My cares and labors of late have been so 
 numerous and pressing, that they have interfered with my 
 self-examination and devout meditation. This I find to be 
 indispensable to distinctness of views and the right exercise 
 of the affections. Without it, prayer is often unmeaning." 
 
 "Dec. 1G. — Visited seven families. One of Mr. 's 
 
 members, who had been persuaded to be baptized and to 
 take the sacrament, to get peace of mind, and who had set- 
 tled down in sin, and become so hard, that yesterday week 
 she said if hell was opened before her, it would not move 
 her ; afterwards went to the anxious meeting, and was awak- 
 ened, and brought to weep; her distress has been increas- 
 ing, and this morninw she s^ent for me." 
 
 "Dec. 17. — Last Sabbath, was more sensible of my incom- 
 petence and unworthiness to be employed in the work of 
 
 10* 
 
114 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Two Interesting casee of conviction. Tii;iis. Threatened with a prosecution. 
 
 the ministry than ever before. After the morning service, 
 I was exceedingly cast down, and could not rest until I 
 resolved to take up the same subject again in the evening. 
 When I commenced praying, 1 felt cold, shut up, unable 
 to pray, as it' 1 had no power; before I concluded, was a 
 good deal enlarged. In the evening, when I commenced 
 preaching, I felt unable to grasp the subject or connect 
 ideas together. 1 felt as if 1 could nut preach. But I was 
 soon set at liberty, and had a comfortable time. I never 
 before felt so willing to sacrifice mv reputation as a preacher 
 with the world. I have been enabled to rise above the fear 
 of man of late, for which I feel truly thankful. It is indeed 
 a great mercy. - ' 
 
 Among the interesting cases recorded in the journal of 
 our departed friend, are those of two persons, with whom 
 
 the editor was personally acquainted. Mrs. thought 
 
 her sins so very few and inconsiderable, that it would be, 
 at any convenient time, an easy matter to obtain their par- 
 don, without being unnecessarily alarmed at impending 
 danger. But when a christian brother went to her house, 
 with the view of conversing with her, as she was descending 
 the stairs, she was seized with a trembling, and she asked 
 within herself, "Why is this ? If I am so much afraid of 
 meeting a man, how can I appear before God?" The 
 thought struck her with such force, as to cause her to burst 
 into tears. 
 
 The other case was that of a young lady, who ascribed 
 her serious and permanent convictions, under God, to the 
 repeated visits made her by brethren, who constantly and 
 affectionately urged on her the importance of securing the 
 salvation of her soul. These impressions she retained, in 
 spite of the active opposition of the family, who ridiculed 
 her religion, reviled her church, and spared no efforts to 
 ruin her soul. But the Lord raised her above all, and filled 
 her with peace, and joy unspeakable and full of glory. 
 
 At such a time as this, Mr. Walton was subjected to some 
 petty vexations, which, to a sensitive mind like his, became 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 115 
 
 Contention oi churcb members. Remarkable caw <>f an >>i<i man who was convi rted. 
 
 sore trials. He was threatened with a prosecution for slan- 
 der by a certain person, because he went to him, and in a pri- 
 vate manner admonished for profane swearing! the charge 
 having heen brought against the offender by a member of 
 the session. "I felt a little agitated and cast down at first, 
 not knowing what consequences might grow out of it. But 
 my confidence in God is a very sensible relief to my mind. 
 I am resolved to put my trust in Him, and engage a few 
 pious friends to unite with me in prayer, that the Lord may 
 overrule it to his glory and the advancement of his cause. 
 I feel conscious that I was acting according to my convic- 
 tion of duty, and I believe the Lord will not let me suffer for 
 so doing." 
 
 Probably his trials affected his spirits, and injured the 
 flow of devotional feeling. He complains of insensibility 
 to the claims of God on his soul, and of not feeling " much 
 concern about any thing. But the exercises of Christmas 
 day appeared to relieve me, and I felt much encouraged by 
 the prospect of the revival going on more powerfully and 
 extensively than it had done. My spirits were cheerful, and 
 I was a good deal drawn out in prayer." 
 
 At the coming of Christ, whenever in any circumstances 
 he makes the influence of His Spirit to be felt, he may be 
 said to ' sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.' " In this 
 revival, about eight or ten old professors have been awak- 
 ened, and nearly all, I hope, have experienced a saving 
 change." 
 
 A very striking case occurred of an aged man, whose 
 intellect was obtuse more by nature than from age; one of 
 those men, in whom little feeling can be awakened on other 
 subjects; but whose hostility, at the mention of the word 
 religion, or any of its terms,, is immediately quickened into 
 a flame. For some time, he absolutely forbid his family 
 from going to church. And when, obeying God rather than 
 man, they did repair to His house to worship Him, he would 
 seek the grog-shop, there to squander his money, and in- 
 
110 m E Mom op 
 
 The means of liis conversion. 
 
 toxicate his brain. The Spirit had entered his family. Some 
 of his daughters were converted, and he was compelled to 
 read the Bible: not so much to find consolation for his own 
 soul, as to refute the arguments with which his pious wife 
 plied his conscience. On a Sabbath day, when his wife 
 expected to be assailed with his accustomed fierceness of 
 manner, the lion manifested signs of being somewhat soft- 
 ened. He was strangely silent on the subject of their going 
 to church. Instead of going himself to the grog-shop, he 
 remained at home and read the Bible. The shaft of divine 
 truth quivered in his heart ! That day he was fully awak- 
 ened to a sense of his guilt and danger. The terrors of 
 conviction rushed in upon his soul, so as to deprive him of 
 all appetite for food and inclination to sleep. His agony 
 was so intense, as to cause the perspiration to stand in drops 
 on his agitated frame. It seemed a case of speedy life or 
 death. But grace prevailed, and he bowed in humble sub- 
 mission to the Being, whom a short time before he had hated 
 with the malice of a devil, and reviled with the fury of a 
 fiend. He was now ' clothed, and in his right mind.' Oh 
 the riches of the superabounding mercy of God! " Is not 
 this a brand plucked out of the fire? " said John Wesley of 
 himself, after he had escaped from his father's house, while 
 yet wrapped in the flames. How much more wonderful the 
 escape from hell's devouring fire! 
 
 In speaking of himself, the old man said he had served 
 Satan long, but added he, "I have now found him out." 
 While in a state of distressing conviction, his wife admin- 
 istered medicine to the body, supposing him to be laboring 
 under an attack of disease. But he told her that medicines 
 would not relieve him of the burden which pressed on his 
 heart. The balmofGilead only was adequate to so des- 
 perate a case. The word of God alone could speak peace 
 to his troubled conscience, and this was that word : ' To 
 open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, 
 and from the power of Satan unto God ; that they may re- 
 
WILLIAM C.WALTON. 117 
 
 A backslider In distress. 
 
 reive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them who 
 are sanctified, hy faith that is in me.' Thus were his eyes 
 opened; he saw the radiant light of the cross ; he believed, 
 and was forgiven ! 
 
 " Dec. 29. — This evening, at anxious meeting, conversed 
 
 with a member of Mr. N 's church, who said she had 
 
 formerly enjoyed the comforts of religion, but had yielded to 
 pride, conformed to the world, and was in great distress — 
 sometimes feared she had committed the sin against the 
 Holy Ghost." 
 
 " E. H. after being driven from many resting places, 
 almost desperate, wrote down a resolution to renounce sin 
 and devote herself to God. Her heart did not feel it, and 
 yet she was depending upon it, when I visited her. I told 
 her that would not do. She felt it to be hard to be drawn 
 from that, for it relieved her mind in some measure." 
 
CHAPTER VII 
 
 Celebration of the New Year. 
 
 Those who have witnessed what may be called the sanc- 
 tification of the opening year, as practiced in some of the 
 evangelical churches in our land, must have been struck 
 with the moral sublimity of the scene. To hear the voice 
 of prayer and the music of praise, as they greet the ear of 
 midnight, and that midnight the solemn line of time, which 
 separates the old from the new, the dying from the rising 
 year, is both affecting and delightful. Thus did Walton and 
 his christian friends commence the year 1824. 
 
 "Jan. 1, 1824. — Last evening we had service in our 
 church, commencing at nine o'clock. I administered the 
 Lord's supper. At twelve o'clock we all kneeled down and 
 spent some time in silent prayer and praise. A considera- 
 ble number then retired to the session room and spent the 
 remainder of the night in sin<ring, conference, &,c. I 
 remained until four o'clock. Was much pleased with the 
 experience of some of our young converts. This is doubt- 
 less a work of God; flesh and blood could not teach them 
 euch things." 
 
 Whose reflections, at the opening of the year, when a 
 faithful and inquisitive eye takes a retrospective glance, 
 would not compare with the following? After speaking of 
 retiring for prayer, he says, " I see that my heart has been 
 
MEMOIR OF WALTON. 119 
 
 Reflections and resolutions. 
 
 evil, and only evil, continually. My pride, ingratitude, 
 neglect, and forgetful ness of God; unfaithfulness, particu- 
 larly in not improving opportunities of usefulness ; my self- 
 importance, self-seeking, devoting my thoughts and time 
 so much to the world, especially while living at Bethany, — 
 all these things, together with the want of those views and 
 feelings which I ought to have had in performing my minis- 
 terial duties, make out a black catalogue indeed, and exhibit 
 my condition and character in a more humiliating and 
 alarming point of view than I have before seen it." 
 
 " I feel resolved, with the help of God, to press on, 
 to follow on to know Him, and to strive to realize all 
 that is to be felt in religion. I ardently desire this 
 blessing, not only for the comfort of it, but to fit me for 
 more usefulness in the ministry. I feel my incompetence 
 to guide immortal souls to Heaven, although I thank God 
 for giving me, lately, more correct views as to directions 
 that ought to be given to sinners. 1 think I see unques- 
 tionable evidence that the Lord has blessed my labors, but 
 that he might do and send me to hell after all. I desire 
 now to submit to Him, and to cast my naked soul upon His 
 sovereign mercy, through Jesus Christ. I desire never 
 more to feel an emotion of pride, but ever more to feel 
 the deepest humility before God. 1 know of no sin that 
 I wish to retain. I think my chief desire is to love and 
 serve Christ, and to promote His cause by every means 
 in my power ; to feel my will swallowed up in His ; to fol- 
 low Him through evil and s;ood report, and to glory in His 
 Cross." 
 
 " Mrs says she has been repenting all her life, and 
 
 yet does not feel that it would be just to send her to hell. 
 She can't love God the Father, but she can love the Sav- 
 iour ! Her sister, after hearing that a christian must eat 
 and drink, and do every thing for the glory of God, exclaimed 
 'Who can be a christian?' An unrenewed heart sees 
 impossibilities in the way, but love God, and all is easy." 
 
 "Jan. 10. — My mind has been a good deal tried, and at 
 times, cast down, lately, by the pecuniary difficulties of the 
 church. I cannot see, at present, howl am to be supported 
 here, and I dread the consequences of giving up the con- 
 
120 MEMOIR OP 
 
 DiiTicullics in the congregation. Mis <ir,iri< to restore peace and harmony. 
 
 gregation, in it- presets weak state. F for!, however, sen- 
 siitlv relieved, l>y trusting thai the Lord will guide me, and 
 
 provide for me, and take care of the concerns of his own 
 church. My faith, however, is too wavering, and does not 
 take so firm a hold of the promises as it ou. 
 
 Vet the Lord was better than his fears, and even than 
 his faith, for he raised np means and agents, to make such 
 provision boih for his personal wants and the wants of the 
 church, as subdued those fears and strengthened that faith. 
 "Thus has the Lord provided for me in this, the time of 
 my necessity. I tried to look to the Lord through the whole 
 process of this business, and I must believe He has made 
 this provision for me at the very time when I most needed 
 it. I was expressing my difficulties and those of the church 
 to Mr. Nevins, and also a probability that I should be 
 obliged to leave here for want of support. He said ' No, 
 you must not think of it. Let your people do their utmost, 
 and then I will head a subscription, and get twenty men 
 who will subscribe at least ten dollars apiece.' So the pros- 
 pect of my continuance here, is brighter than it was. I 
 hope we shall be able to struggle through our difficulties. 
 I pray that they may be sanctified to us all, and that we 
 may learn to depend entirely on the Lord ! " This extract 
 is introduced for the purpose of inviting attention to this 
 example of an infant church, founded in faith, (it was 
 founded by my excellent friend and brother, Nicholas Pat- 
 terson.) and struggling through difficulties to the perman- 
 ent standing and prosperity which it now enjoys. It would 
 be neither necessary nor useful to enter into the particulars 
 of these difficulties, some of which consisted in divisions 
 among the people on ecclesiastical affairs, which have long 
 since been healed, Cut they then affected the prospects 
 and depressed the spirits of Walton. It matters little on 
 what string Satan lays his hand, so that he produces dis- 
 cord. 
 
 Walton, under a heavy pressure of anxiety, preached 
 
WILLIAM C.WALTON. 121 
 
 Power of conscience. 
 
 from Phil. i. 27 : ' That ye stand fast in one spirit, with one 
 mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.' It was 
 a kind effort on the part of the pious and conscientious Pas- 
 tor, conceived in love and executed with fidelity, to produce 
 and perpetuate the spirit of holy peace throughout his 
 charge. His own soul was at I his time filled with the love 
 of God, and he probahly never prayed more fervently for the 
 reviving influences of the Holy Spirit. With respect to the 
 pecuniary wants of the society, Mr. W. volunteered to under- 
 take a soliciting tour, and to relinquish two hundred dol- 
 lars of liis salary, for the purpose of aiding in dissolving the 
 Society's debt. The latter proposal was at once refused, 
 and different means were adopted to effect the object. 
 
 A remarkable instance of the power of conscience in ap- 
 plying the truth, seems to have occurred at the time of the 
 delivery of the sermon mentioned above. It is thus recorded ; 
 
 " Feb. 8. — Last Monday morning, Mr. came to me 
 
 in a state of irritation and said, ' I have come to know why 
 you made that violent attack on me yesterday, when I had 
 no opportunity to defend myself! ' I was astonished. The 
 design of the sermon was to conciliate and harmonize the 
 feelings of all the members of the church, after their troub- 
 les about selling the pews ; and nothing but ignorance or 
 infatuation could have admitted the impression he received. 
 He said I could mean no person but him, and the eyes of 
 all the congregation were upon him. I told him I never had 
 thought of him from the time I chose the text until he came 
 to see me. It made a painful impression for a little while, 
 but it soon wore off. I hope and believe the Lord will 
 cause this storm to blow over without doing any permanent 
 injury. I have heard very little on the subject for the last 
 week." 
 
 " This morning I administered the communion. Admit- 
 ted eighteen. Resolved at the beginning to make the ser- 
 vice short, but it seemed impossible. This evening, while 
 reflecting in my study on the love of Christ, had a view of it 
 that made a deeper impression than any I ever had. I feel 
 that He has a right to me and all I can ever do for His glo- 
 11 
 
122 MEMOIR OP 
 
 Visit 10 Winchester. Successful labors tliere. The case of the hostler. 
 
 iv, and I desire ever to feel myself and all I have, devoted 
 to his service." 
 
 During the latter part of this month, Mr. Walton being 
 called to Winchester on business, was invited by Dr. Hill, 
 the Pastor of the Presbyterian Church, to tarry awhile and 
 hold religious exercises with the people. Religious exercise 
 was held every evening, and the day was in part devoted to vis- 
 iting. On Sabbath evening, after service, notice was given 
 to those who felt anxious about their souls, to assemble at a 
 certain house, when between twenty and thirty accepted 
 the invitation. Appearances were very promising, and 
 when duty called him away, he left with great reluctance ; he 
 said he " never felt so much concerned for any people in 
 his life." On that occasion, our friend is said to have 
 preached with great clearness and power. His heart glowed 
 with heavenly zeal ; his purpose of labor ' in season, out of 
 season,' for the glory of God, was resolute and steadfast. He 
 has been heard to say that he enjoyed religion more during 
 that excursion, than ever before in the same length of time. 
 He prayed daily that God would dispose him to embrace 
 opportunities for doing good, and he did not suffer one to 
 pass without attempting to improve it. 
 
 While taking refreshment at a public house, the hostler 
 came in. He began to converse with him on the concerns 
 of his soul, enforcing his arguments and arts of persuasion 
 with special point and pungency. The man turned and 
 went out, stricken by the Spirit of God ! He was soon 
 overheard on his knees, in the stable, praying for mercy, 
 and before Walton left him, he had the satisfaction of lead- 
 ing him to the cross of the Redeemer, and hearing his ascrip- 
 tions of grateful praise for redeeming love ! Warning him 
 against self-deception, he resumed his journey, and on his 
 return found him still rejoicing in regenerating grace. Oh 
 how much more might ministers do for their Master, if they 
 would seize every opening avenue of usefulness, and occupy 
 it in the name of God ! 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 123 
 
 Letter (torn Dr. Baeeber. 
 
 " March Hi. — Since I returned home, I have heen revis- 
 ing and improving the Narrative of our Revival, with 
 remarks on it, in order to send it to the Richmond .Maga- 
 zine. While preparing it, the thoughl occurred that I had 
 heller publish it in the form of a pamphlet, and sell it for the 
 benefit of our church. It is now in the press — four thou- 
 sand copies. I have earnestly and repeatedly prayed for a 
 great blessing to attend it. I hope it will be the means of 
 setting man] right on points intimately connected with the 
 revival of true religion." 
 
 About amonth after this date, in the course of correspon- 
 dence on a subject of which his mind was full, he received 
 the following interesting letter from Dr. Beecher, which, 
 as containing some important practical thoughts, may be 
 properly here introduced. 
 
 " Litchfield, April 14, 1824. 
 
 "Dear Brotlu r, — Yours of March Gth, was duly received, 
 
 and I regret that neither myself nor Mr. N , nor any 
 
 other person within my knowledge, could be sent to your 
 aid. 
 
 I was absent three months of the last year at Boston, 
 which, if I am to remain in the capacity of a stated pas- 
 tor, is an absence that cannot be often repeated. If I 
 were now in a single state, and without a* family, I think I 
 would be dismissed, and give my remaining days to the 
 church as an evangelist. But Providence, as things are, 
 indicates that my duty is to stay at home chieflv, and do 
 what good I can with my pen, while taking care of my flock. 
 I am preparing a volume of sermons, long since promised, 
 and long delayed by avocations abroad, but which must 
 now be made ready. 
 
 -Mr. N 's health does not yet allow him to enter the 
 
 field; and besides all this, revivals are multiplying around 
 me, and urgent demands for aid, more than I can comply 
 with, are made almost continually. Indeed, my dear brother, 
 it would seem to be a day of revivals, and instead of send- 
 ing to a distance, every evangelical minister is bound to be 
 semper paratus, and happily every man of God is thoroughly 
 furnished by his bible. He has only to preach to men their 
 depravity, and explain and enforce duty, and apply the sane- 
 
124 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Tin: claims of God on ilic sinner. 
 
 tionsof the law and the gospel. I have admired that agri- 
 culture should be ><> plain, that feeble-minded men may raise 
 a crop, and that the way to preach the gospel should also 
 be as plain as the way to plough and sow. It all consists in 
 explaining tin* claims of law and gospel on the heart; in 
 demanding of men spiritual obedience immediately, as God 
 does, and not easing off the claims for any excuse of the sin- 
 ner whatever ; but pressing it more and more, until the 
 sword of the Spirit go through him and slay him. All pre- 
 scribing of ' means of grace,' instead of urging repentance 
 and faith, is anti-apostolical. All yielding to the sinner's 
 pretence of inability, is giving up the high claims of God 
 and fortifying rebellion with an excuse for procrastination. 
 Indeed, it is affording him a complete justification for his 
 rebellion in all past and all future periods; for real physi- 
 cal inability is a valid excuse now, and always has been, 
 and always will be; but simple unwillingness, however cer- 
 tain its continuance, is no excuse. The certainty that a 
 drunkard will not reform, is no evidence of involuntary 
 necessity — no proof of inability — no mitigation, but an 
 aggravation of his crime. If a man has become such a liar 
 or a thief that he will not reform, and it is certain he will 
 not, never plead his inability, or think of conceding to thieves 
 and liars that they cannot become honest, and must, there- 
 fore, instead of becoming honesl instantly, only use the 
 means of becoming so, and pray as well as they can to God 
 to make them effectual, and wail God's time. Human laws, 
 in this case, will not wait for thieves to use the means of 
 reformation, and wind up their trade by stealing less and 
 less, until God enables them to be honest. If God requires 
 of men. spiritual obedience, we have nothing to do but toes- 
 plain and press his claims. If any should inquire whether 
 I would have sinners use the means, I answer that I would 
 inculcate reading and hearing, as I would inculcate repm- 
 tance and faith as enjoined duties, to be neglected at our 
 peril ; and I would explain prayer and inculcate prayer, as 
 1 would explain repentance and faith. But to the sinner's 
 reply, ' I cannot pray aright,' I would no sooner say, ' I 
 know you cannot ; but you must pray as well as you can,' 
 than I would say, ' I know you cannot repent and believe 
 aright; but you must repent and believe as well as you 
 can.' " 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 125 
 
 Plan of a manual labor Hcminary. 
 
 In the, enlarged views which Mr. Walton took of the 
 wants and prospects of the world, it had for sometime, heen 
 a matter of thought and desire with him, to do something 
 more effectually for the advancement of Christ's kingdom on 
 earth, and if possible, to set causes in motion, which should 
 make their activity felt, when the mind that conceived them 
 was mingling with the spirits of the just made perfect in 
 heaven. Some plan, he was convinced, could he devised 
 for combining mental and manual labor in such a way, as 
 to impart the greatest vigor to the active and intellectual 
 powers, while the heart should be cultivated with an assidu- 
 ity proportioned to its important position in the system. 
 "The plan of my school," says he, " for training young 
 men for the ministry, appears to me more and more import- 
 ant amd practicable. I have now a strong hope it will be 
 realized. In its bearing and results, it appears to me grand 
 and glorious. I feel almost enthusiastic while reflecting 
 upon it. I feel conscious that my desire to promote the 
 cause of truth and righteousness is gaining strength, and 
 giving a habitual direction to my thoughts and feelings. I 
 take more pleasure in preaching now than ever before. My 
 ideas have been more transparent to myself, and my mind 
 takes hold of a subject with more strength and inter- 
 est than ever before. The new views I have received since 
 the commencement of the revival, have given to my mind 
 more acumen and energy than any thing else ever did. And 
 as far as I can judge, I have made more progress in real, 
 solid mental improvement since last October, than I had 
 done before for six or eight years ! I am now in my thirty- 
 first year, and I feel that I ought to have a character, and 
 to act independently in the cause of Christ. I feel less and 
 less regard for the opinions of the world, even of the chris- 
 tian world, so called. I see it overspread with error and 
 sin, and my spirit is stirred within me to do every thing in 
 
 11* 
 
126 
 
 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Threatened with a Bugging. Faithful indiscipline. 
 
 my power to enlighten and to save it. We need a reforma- 
 tion now, almost as much as in the days of Luther." 
 
 Our friend asked counsel in various quarters concerning 
 his school, and while some dissuaded, many advised him to 
 go on with it. A distinguished Doctor said, " It may grow 
 into more importance than you now anticipate." William 
 Wirt remarked, "The plan is admirable, and the object 
 contemplated is one of unrivalled excellence." Little was 
 said to discourage, and much to encourage him. In June 
 of this year, he attended the meeting of the General Assem- 
 bly, at Philadelphia, that he might confer with the fathers 
 and brethren of that body. "Most of the sentiments ex- 
 pressed, tended to strengthen my resolution to go on, while 
 nothing was said of an opposite tendency." 
 
 There was no want either of decided approbation or of 
 sanguine encouragement. But the execution of the plan 
 eventually failed. Of the causes the writer has not sufficient 
 knowledge to give asatisfactory explanation. " 1 cannot con- 
 ceive of any other object that would induce me to leave my 
 present situation, while my health would enable rue to occu- 
 py it. But. my health is so extremely feeble and precarious, 
 and the prospect of its improving, if I remain here, so very 
 discouraging, that this alone might justify my removal." 
 
 "July 17. — On Monday, I received an anonymous letter 
 of abuse, surpassing every thing I ever saw. It threatened 
 me with a pair of artificial green spectacles or black eyes, 
 and one of the elders with a flogging. Instead of intimi- 
 dating me, it nerved me with fresh resolution; it was the 
 most unequivocal testimony to my fidelity that I had received 
 since I have been here." 
 
 "My difficulties and trials lately have been peculiarly 
 great. But my mind is generally supported and often at 
 rest, stayed upon God. The prospect of the good to result 
 from my contemplated school always animates me." 
 
 Some of these trials were the result of the uncompromis- 
 ing, firm, and fearless manner in which, as a minister of 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 127 
 
 Leaves Baltimore. 
 
 Christ and a bishop of souls, he performed his ecclesiasti- 
 cal duties, especially those connected with the painful and 
 thankless work of discipline. In this he most conscien- 
 tiously sought, not to please, but to benefit men, while he 
 studied to show himself approved unto God.* 
 
 " Aug. 8. — I shall rejoice that He ever brought me to thia 
 place. It lias been the means of giving me views and feel- 
 ings which I trust will qualify me for doing, with the divine 
 blessing, some good during my future life, if I should be 
 spared. And when I am praying to be made useful, I do 
 not, from an affected humility, satisfy myself with moderate 
 desires of usefulness, but of late, my desires have been un- 
 bounded." 
 
 " Saturday eve. Sept. 19. — Last Sabbath I administered 
 the Lord's Supper, and never saw so deep and so general 
 an impression in that house. I have heard several say 
 they never experienced such a day. On Wednesday evening 
 we had a conference meeting, and it was the most profita- 
 ble one we have ever had as far as I can judge. H. D. hopes 
 she obtained religion that night." 
 
 This is the last record made by him while at Baltimore. 
 He quietly retired from his labors in that place, and with 
 his family repaired to Virginia. It was at this time the 
 writer first saw him. He remembers distinctly the serious 
 impression made upon his mind by the pale countenance, 
 the sedate air and the spiritual conversation of his revered 
 brother, who seemed to live and act as if, in the language 
 of the holy Lcighton, he " counted the whole world in com- 
 parison of the cause of Christ one grand impertinence." 
 
 After reaching Bethany, his mind still rex erring to the 
 solemn scenes which he had left, in the recollection of them 
 
 * The pious Dr. Herman Boerhaave did not condescend to refute calumny 
 and detraction. He was accustomed to say, " They are sparks, which, if you 
 do not blow them, will go out of themselves. The surest re nedy against scan- 
 dal is, to live it down, by persevering in well doing, and by Graying to God 
 that He would cure the distempered minds of those who traduce and injure 
 
 UB." 
 
128 MEMOIR OP 
 
 A in vis in i 'iKirlesiDwn, Virginia. 
 
 he writes under date Oct. 17, "After the conference meet- 
 ing above recorded, we had another which appeared to be 
 attended with a still greater blessing. I never saw so much 
 evidence of a general and almost universal engagedness in 
 prayer' as there was towards the conclusion of the meeting, 
 and then it was that S. M., who had been one of the first 
 awakened in the revival, and had often been awakened and 
 had as often lost her impressions, constantly fighting against 
 her convictions, and striving against the Holy Spirit ; then 
 it was that she hopes she passed from death unto life. Glory 
 to God for all that I have seen, and heard, and felt of His 
 salvation since I went to Baltimore ; and glory to His name 
 for all the good He has accomplished by my unworthy instru- 
 mentality. Many and great were my trials there, but I trust 
 I shall forever rejoice that I was led to that place." 
 
 " I have a much deeper concern to please and glorify 
 God, and to promote His cause — I have a deeper sense of 
 the value of souls, ami more concern for their salvation — a 
 deeper conviction and clearer discovery of many truths of 
 fundamental importance, which has given a new character 
 to iny preaching — a greater independence of human opin- 
 ion, and less regard to my reputation as a man of learning 
 and abilities — the things of the world occupy less of my 
 attention and regard, my thoughts and feelings being more 
 engrossed by the concerns of the kingdom of Christ — I am 
 more willing to make sacrifices and to spend and be spent 
 for the glory of God." 
 
 " I arrived at Charlestownon Saturday evening, 9th int.; 
 next day preached twice and assisted in administering the 
 sacrament of the Lord's Supper, and enjoyed unusual free- 
 dom and tenderness in all the exercises; was quite over- 
 come by my feelings in preaching. 1 have observed some 
 time, that w hen I go to any meeting, however badly I may 
 feel beforehand, I soon get the spirit of exhortation, and feel 
 as if I could hardly refrain from speaking. In private 
 prayer, I have enjoyed unusual engagedness, particularly in 
 pleading for the kingdom of Christ to come, and that I may 
 have grace to be very useful in my generation. * * * 
 I feel encouraged to labor and pray for the prosperity of 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 129 
 
 Attacked with diBcase. 
 
 Zion in this neighborhood, and in this region generally. 
 Fearing that the improvements about my domestic establish- 
 ment might engross too much of my attention and make me 
 too worldly, I was enabled earnestly to pray against this 
 evil. Last Thursday went to see Dr. Matthews to converse 
 with him about our preliminary arrangements respecting 
 the school. We agreed upon a Constitution for a Society 
 to be called ' The Bethany Education Society.' Our views 
 seemed to accord in every particular." 
 
 In the month of November, the health of our friend was 
 affected by what proved to be a fistula. At first he thought 
 it might be something less threatening. " Whether," says 
 he, " it should prove to be a fistula or not, the impression 
 is so strong upon my mind that it is one, that it has led me 
 to those exercises of mind which are appropriate to the 
 anticipation of so heavy an affliction. I feel that it has been 
 blest to me. It has led me to reflect on my r-iii-, winch 
 have deserved the judgments of God, and on His mercy, 
 which has averted those judgments so long. The effect 
 has been humbling, and, I hope, sanctifying. Dreading 
 the bitterness of that suffering which would result from a 
 surgical operation, I have more than once prayed that this 
 cup might pass from me, adding, I trust from the heart, ' not 
 my will but thine be done.' In two instances, these pray- 
 ers were presented in the exercise of faith and other kindred 
 feelings, surpassing anything I ever before experienced. I 
 confessed my sins unto the Lord, which have deserved His 
 chastisement, and prayed that He would pardon them, and 
 not visit me in wrath, neither chastise me in His sore dis- 
 pleasure. I now commit the event to Him. He has often 
 been better to me than my fear, and it may be so in this 
 instance." 
 
 Speaking of his having submitted to a surgical operation, 
 he says, " Painful, but salutary was the chastisement. My 
 exercises of mind, in the anticipation of this operation and 
 while confined in town, were more profitable and comfort- 
 
130 MEMOIR OP 
 
 Surgical operation. Conversions. 
 
 ing than any I ever had had hefore. They were the means 
 of exciting me to greater frequency and engagedness in 
 prayer than I had ever felt ; and I found my seasons of 
 secret devotion peculiarly strengthening. I was much 
 drawn out in praying for a revival of religion, particu- 
 larly in Charleston n. Indeed I have, ever since I return- 
 ed from Virginia, felt a confidence in God that we should 
 see a revival in that place." 
 
 " While I considered how my flesh recoiled from suffering, 
 I had a view of the Saviour's love and compassion in vol- 
 untarily submitting to His suffering and death, which made 
 a deep impression upon my mind; which impression I felt 
 to he so important to my spiritual interest, that I would have 
 been resigned to all my sufferings, if that had heen the only 
 advantage I received from them. Indeed, I have often sin- 
 cerely praised the Lord for this and all my afllictions, view- 
 iagtfeea &fi evidences of His care and love to my soul, and 
 feeling how much I needed such discipline. I tremble to 
 think what I should have been without it. For several 
 weeks past, I have been able to attend meetings in town. 
 The young men kept them up during my confinement, and 
 the Lord has begun to bless our poor labors. A number of 
 young people have experienced a hopeful change, and more 
 
 are anxious. Dr. L , in much anxiety about his state, 
 
 addressed to me a long letter, which led to an intimacy 
 between him and myself, which I hope has been blessed to 
 his soul." 
 
 " The excitement among us has excited our Methodist 
 brethren, and they have had many warm meetings, and some 
 professed conversions." 
 
 " Dr. Matthews having transferred his labors from Charles- 
 town to Martinsburg, the congregation of the former place 
 have given me an invitation to preach to them, which I have 
 accepted, and commenced last Sabbath. I have received 
 several cautions not to handle them too roughly, lest they 
 should not bear it. Cut the Lord being my helper, I will be 
 faithful to them, as I have tried to be to others, and leave con- 
 sequences with Him. I continually pray for wisdom and 
 grace sufficient for me. The situation is exceedingly diffi- 
 cult on many accounts. But the Lord can remove every 
 obstacle, and cause mountains to flow down at His presence." 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 131 
 
 Renewal of covenant. Formation of an Education Society. 
 
 In the year 1825, he still seems to have been active in 
 whatever sphere placed, and anxious to promote the work 
 of the Lord. 
 
 " Monday, Feb. 21. — Yesterday week I administered the 
 communion at Charlestown. On Saturday preceding, I 
 proposed to the members of the church the propriety of 
 renewing their covenant with God, confessing their sins as 
 a church, &-c. Feeling the importance of success in this 
 measure, we at Bethany had made it a particular subject 
 of prayer, and now we saw the fruits of it — all but one or 
 two expressed their approbation of the measure. On Sab- 
 bath there were some present who were not there on Satur- 
 day, and three or four kept their seats, while all the rest rose. 
 I read several passages of scripture to the point and made 
 some remarks showing the propriety and importance of the 
 measure, and then read the document I had prepared, con- 
 taining confessions, and promises, &lc. The persons who 
 had been examined, were then called up by name and entered 
 into covenant. There were seven, besides others who could 
 not attend, and who would have joined the church if they 
 had been there." 
 
 " May 15. — Goodness and mercy still follow me in unin- 
 terrupted streams, and it pleases the Lord still to exercise 
 me by trials. I obtained help sufficient to raise the new 
 building, and it was accomplished without the occurrence 
 of any disaster. On the evening of the day of raising, I 
 went to town much fatigued, and very unfit for preaching ; 
 expecting brother T to fulfil an appointment for a ser- 
 mon preparatory to the communion. But he did not come 
 before Saturday evening, so I was constrained to preach 
 twice under those circumstances, when I had not expected 
 to preach at all. But I was assisted, and I trust good was 
 done. Seven more were added to the church, and since 
 that time some little boys hope they have experienced a 
 change." 
 
 " On the Monday following the communion, we had a 
 meeting for the formation of our Education Society. There 
 were more present than I expected. The addresses were 
 good, and made, I think, an impression favorable to the 
 object. More was subscribed than I expected. The insti- 
 tution is thus established on such a footing as gives every 
 encouragement to hope and believe it will go on. Indeed 
 
132 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Singular instance of the effect nt'iiis preaching. 
 
 it appears very evident to me that the Lord smiles upon it, 
 and when I consider how much has been gained in a few 
 months, in its resources, and in the public estimation, I am 
 led to say, ' it is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in 
 our eves.' " 
 
 Having paid a visit to Baltimore this spring, he thus 
 speaks of it: "I have just returned from Baltimore, where 
 I attended the Presbytery, and took my dismission to join the 
 Presbytery of Winchester. I was pleased to find those who 
 were brought into the church in our revival, generally walk- 
 ing in the truth, and bringing forth the fruits of righteous- 
 ness. Some whom I left under impressions have since ex- 
 perienced a hopeful change, and one has died in triumph, 
 and another is on her death bed in a sweet and triumphant 
 state of mind. I was much encouraged by her conversa- 
 tion. She reminded me of what I had said to her, which 
 she thinks was the means of her conversion. I had been 
 conversing with her, and having reason to believe she was 
 a stranger to experimental religion, although she had long 
 
 been a professor, I said to her, ' Mrs. B , forget all that 
 
 you have done in religion — let it go for nothing, aiid come 
 to Christ as a lost sinner.' She shortly afterwards obtained 
 'joy and peace in believing,' as also her son and daughter, 
 who had been professors, and they have sustained an exem- 
 plary christian character ever since, particularly the mother 
 and daughter." 
 
 As it was ever the study and prayer of Mr. Walton to 
 present the truth with as much point and power as possible, 
 60 various instances occurred of his success in the things so 
 much desired. During the above visit, a gentleman went to 
 hear him preach, and on returning home, so powerful was his 
 conviction of the truth, that he shut himself up for several 
 hours, and on emerging from his solitude, vainly endeav- 
 ored to conceal the fact, apparent in his eye and on his 
 countenance, that there was an inward struggle, relief from 
 which had been sought in tears. But the stubborn heart 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 1 33 
 
 Different kinds of preachings 
 
 resisted the truth il feared. lie could with the utmost dif- 
 ficulty be persuaded to go and hear again so troublesome a 
 preacher. " I can hear other men preach," said he, " with- 
 out much uneasiness, but Walton troubles me so much, 1 
 cannot bear to hear him ! " Yet he was not an orator. 
 He was not endowed with the graces of a captivating elo- 
 quence. Still less did lie wreathe the sword of the Spirit 
 with gay and beautiful garlands. In the language of an able 
 writer " he knew that the more an orator is intent upon 
 gaining admiration, the less those who hear him are disposed 
 to grant it, and that this ambition is the rock on which so 
 many preachers have split, who being entrusted, if one may 
 dare thus express it, with the interests of the Godhead, wish 
 to mingle with them the insignificant interests of their own 
 vanity." 
 
 There is a preaching which pleases the imagination, but 
 never pains the heart ; which informs the understanding, 
 but moves not the soul ; which, like the electric fluid, in its 
 diffused and harmless state, plays round the intellect, but 
 gives no shock to the conscience. On the other hand, 
 there is that which, while it kindles the imagination, melts 
 the heart; while it pours light into the understanding, stirs 
 up the soul to high duties and to moral deeds that cast their 
 influence beyond the limits of time. " It agitates without 
 convulsing; alarms without appalling; penetrates without 
 rending the heart." Of Massilon it is said, that Louis XIV. 
 while he could hear others, and admire the preacher, never 
 left his sermons without being dissatisfied with himself. 
 
 How do they mistake their high commission, and suffer 
 themselves to be deceived by their own hearts, who would 
 dismiss a hearer, rather delighted with their pulpit abilities, 
 than distressed with the state of his own heart, or won over 
 to the cause of Jesus Christ. This is not hiding behind 
 your Master, so that " so much as your little finger cannot 
 be seen." As a general fact, it must be admitted, that the 
 
 12 
 
134 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Character of the ministry in the United States. Times of trial would develope it. 
 
 evangelical ministry of the United States is a faithful min- 
 istry ; faithful at least, so far as the intrepid announcement 
 of the plain truth is concerned ; whatever deficiencies there 
 may he in the work of pastoral visitation. This fact, 
 taken in connection with the consideration, that most of 
 the pastors depend on their congregations for the support 
 of themselves and their families, is highly creditable to 
 them. 
 
 We have heard of the plain speaking of such men as 
 Latimer, Baxter, and Bradford before kings, prelates, and 
 judges, in times of deep trouble and of fiery trial, but who 
 shall say that in our own country — if, unhappily, her civil 
 foundations should ever be overthrown, her fundamental 
 doctrines of religious liberty reversed, and the powers that 
 now protect, should be converted into powers to oppress 
 and persecute ; who shall say, that such an emergency would 
 not call forth from their peaceful retirement heroic men, 
 who with unflinching nerve would boldly rebuke the wick- 
 edness enthroned in high places? 
 
 As a specimen of ministerial fidelity, I might quote the 
 example of one of our distinguished preachers, mature in 
 age, but still vigorous in intellect, who to the energies of 
 natural genius, adds the treasures of a rich and varied 
 experience. The occasion was that of a protracted meet- 
 ing in the Fourth Presbyterian Church, Washington, of 
 which the author was then (1831) pastor. The time was 
 Sabbath morning — the audience large, and in the midst sat 
 the present and the late President of the United States, 
 undistinguished in dress, attendance, or elevation of seat, 
 from their fellow sinners, that composed the rest of the 
 assembly. Among the subjects of prayer, the President 
 and the (then) Secretary of State were mentioned. To the 
 sermon they listened with attention. As the feelings of 
 the preacher rose in view of the moral grandeur of the sub- 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 1 35 
 
 The minister who preached the truth to Gen. Jackson and Mr. Van Bnren. 
 
 ject, he fixed his eye in solemn tenderness on the two 
 eminent men before him, and spoke thus : 
 
 " Where," he asked, addressing himself to those dignita- 
 ries, "are the political men of our country? What are 
 they doing? Are you qualifying yourselves for the king- 
 dom of Heaven 1 If not, you must be undone forever. I 
 know your excuses, but they will all be swept away. Who 
 studied with greater humility than King David the govern- 
 ment of God ? It is my practice to study the Word of 
 God every morning. I should long ago have lost my soul, 
 if I had not done it ; so full of cares is life, so drunken are 
 we with cares. Gentlemen, turn into your study every 
 morning the first thing, with the Bible, and don't let any 
 one interrupt you, till you have finished this duty. How 
 great will be your anguish, if you neglect this ! God can't 
 help your misspent life, when once it is lost. Away with 
 your reputation. How can ye love God, who seek honor 
 one of another ? Gentlemen, your misery will be greater 
 than that of ignorant men. Let me be plain, for I hold an 
 office higher than any earthly office. I hold my commission 
 from the King of Heaven. I would plead, and beg, and pray, 
 and lay myself at your feet. In the name of my God ! come, 
 come, don't make light of it ! if you do, you must lie down 
 in hell forever !" 
 
 Deep seriousness pervaded the whole assembly. No 
 heart there but seemed to pay homage to the dignity of 
 truth, the sublimity of the Gospel, the elevated office of its 
 messenger, and the imperative claims of God upon the con- 
 science. Smaller men would have cavilled. The chief 
 magistrate and his friend, it was understood, duly estimated, 
 if they were not savingly affected by the plain dealings of 
 the Lord's ambassador. It reminds one of the interview 
 of Latimer with Henry VIII.* The anecdote is given 
 
 * It is related of Latimer, that when he once preached before that tyrant Henry 
 VIII. he took a plain, straightforward text, and in his sermon assailed those very 
 sins for which the monarch was notorious, and he was stung to the quick, for truth 
 always finds a response in the worst man's conscience. He would not bend beneath 
 the authority of his God, and he therefore sent for Latimer, and said, ' Your life is 
 
1 3() M E M O I It O F W A L T O N . 
 
 iinirj VIII. and lliifili Latimer. 
 
 below, simply to illustrate the boldness of that celebrated 
 prelate, who closed a long and useful life with a violent, 
 though blessed death ai the stake, at the age of 85! 
 
 irdy, if you do not recant nil you Baid to-day when you prcaoh next Bun 
 day.' The trimming courtiers were all anxious to know the consequence of tliis, 
 ami the chapel was crowd< d. rhet enerable man took ins text, and, after a pause, 
 begun with a soliloquy, thus : -.New. Hugh Latimer, bethink thee, thou art in the 
 presence of thy earthly monarch; tby life is in his bauds, and if thou dost nol suit 
 thyself to his fancies, be will bring down thy graj hairs with blood to the grave but, 
 Hugh Latimer, bethink thee thou art in the presence of the King of kings and Lord of 
 lords, who hath told thee, ' feat not thi m thai kill the bi dy, and then can do no more; 
 but rather fear Bim who can kill both body and soul and cast thi e into bell forever ! ' 
 Tea, I say, Hugh Latimer, fear Him.' He then went on, and nol only repeated what 
 he had before advanced, but, if po sible, enforced it with greater emphasis. What 
 was the i Henry sent for him, and said, 'How dura) thou insult thy 
 
 monarch >o ? ' Latimer replied, ' 1 thought if! were unfaithful to my Chid, it would 
 be impossible to be loyal to my Kinf;. ' The king embraced the good old bishop, 
 exclaiming, ' And is there yet one man left, who Is bold and honest enough to tell me 
 the truth ! ' 
 
CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 Walton In affliction. 
 
 We have now to present the character and experience of 
 our friend in circumstances somewhat new. We are to 
 contemplate him in the school of affliction, where God trains 
 so many of His children for usefulness here, and glory 
 hereafter. " Affliction," says Matthew Henry, " is the dis- 
 cipline of God's school, wherehy his children are trained 
 up in the way in which they should go. And it is necessa- 
 ry ; as needful as weeding is to the garden ; as pruning to 
 the vine ; as physic to the body. Do not expect to find it 
 all carpet-way to Heaven. Stormy weather makes the har- 
 bor desirable." Or if we take the beautiful illustration of 
 Oberlin : " I have before me two stones, which are an imi- 
 tation of precious stones. They are both perfectly alike in 
 color ; they are of the same water, clear, pure, and clean,' 
 yet there is a marked difference between them as to their 
 lustre and brilliancy. One has a dazzling brightness, 
 while the other is dull, so that the eye passes over it, and 
 derives no pleasure from the sight. What can be the reason 
 of this difference ? It is this. The one is cut in but a few 
 facets. The other has ten times as many. These facets 
 are produced by a very violent operation. It is requisite to 
 cut, to smooth, and to polish. Could the stones feel the 
 12* 
 
138 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Oberlln'a Illustration Bicknenof his daughter. 
 
 operation, the one which had received eighty facets, would 
 have thought itself very unhappy, and would have envied 
 the fate of the other, which, having received but eight, 
 endured but a tenth part of its sufferings. Nevertheless, 
 the operation being over, it is done forever. The differ- 
 ence between the two stones always remains strongly mark- 
 ed. That which has suffered but little, is entirely eclipsed 
 by the other, which alone is held in estimation, and attracts 
 attention. May not this serve to explain the saying of our 
 Saviour, whose words always have reference to eternity, 
 ' "Blessed un they that mourn, for they shall be comforted?' 
 Blessed, whether we contemplate them apart, or in com- 
 parison with those, who have not passed through so many 
 trials." 
 
 There are probably (e\v parents, who will not be interest- 
 ed in the following record : 
 
 "Bethany, Oct. 8. — During the last four weeks, we have 
 had more family afflictions than we ever had before, I be- 
 lieve, since we have been a family. My sister and M 
 
 exhausted by fatigue and loss of rest in waiting upon my 
 mother day and night, were first attacked. Their cases 
 were extremely critical and obstinate; but through mercy, 
 both are recovering. On Saturday night, Sept. 14th, our 
 dear little daughter Margaret Ann, was taken, although 
 we did not think the attack violent. On Sunday morning 
 early, we gave her medicine, which seemed to have a good 
 effect, and in the afternoon she was so much better, that 
 her mother and I left her to go to Wickliffe, where I had 
 an appointment to preach. On our return we found her 
 rather worse. On Monday her head became very much 
 
 affected. Dr. S was sent for, who employed the most 
 
 active and efficient remedies. But the hand of the Lord 
 was heavy upon her. Her delirium increased to a most 
 distressing height : so that she required and received the 
 most unremitting and painful attention day and night, for 
 nineteen days and nights in succession. During the greater 
 part of this time her sufferings appeared to be most intense. 
 The pain of blisters, of which she had in all twelve ; the 
 suffering arising from the most agonizing sickness at the 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 1.30 
 
 ller death, lis Hint. Anecdote 
 
 stomach, causing her to cry out almost continually, (I think 
 she must have said, ' Oh (liar ' nearly 10,1100 times! ) from 
 lifting her in and out of the warm bath, which operation was 
 
 repeated, some days and nights, about ten times; from 
 taking medicine, bleeding, &c, all amounted to more posi- 
 tive anguish than 1 ever witnessed in any person, for so 
 many days in succession. Often were our hopes raised, 
 and as often sunk again ; every instance of which had its 
 appropriate effect on my mind, in driving me to the throne 
 of grace in prayer and in praise. Never did any child feel 
 the effect of the rod* more sensibly than T felt this, and 
 nothing over had such an effect in quickening me to call 
 upon God. I feel that I needed just such an affliction, and 
 my alternate hopes and fears during this whole season of 
 trial were most salutary. I often enjoyed a greater freedom 
 and comfort in prayer than 1 ever had done before. 1 low- 
 often did I entreat the Lord to take away my iniquities and 
 cause his anger against me to cease; to raise the dear little 
 creature to health, if it could be consistent with his wise 
 and holy purposes; if not, to prepare her for a seat at his 
 right hand, and to give us the evidence of it before he 
 removed her, for our comfort! Well, He did not restore 
 her to health, but He answered my prayer — blessed be his 
 Name ! He gave us more evidence than I could have 
 expected in the nature of the case, that He had made her 
 a subject of his grace. This tilled my heart with joy, and 
 my mouth with praise. Although I never before felt my 
 affection for her so sensibly, yet I never was so happy in 
 all my life, as I was this morning after she died, during 
 some religious exercises we had. It was a feast of feeling 
 
 * Not long since, a lady of the author's acquaintance, a professing Christian, who 
 had drank deep ofthe cup of maternal affliction — having in early life buried two chil- 
 dren, as she saw the tli g infant son— in > i to won- 
 der, to doubt, perhaps even to murmur at such reiterated strokes. "Why am I," 
 thought she, " treated with such severity 1 What have] done to deserve it ?" While 
 thoughts like these were permitted to disturb the tranquility of Christian submission, 
 Intelligence was brought her that another sun. beloved of his pan nts, had fallen into a 
 vessel ofb dling water, and was probably scalded to death! It was enough. She bowed 
 in sweet submission to the double stroke, ejaculated my Fatherl banded over her 
 infant to die in the amis of a friend, and prepared to do all she could for the comfort 
 of her agonized hoy, till God should call him to follow his little brother to the tomb '. 
 But the child, though almost mortally injured, through the goodness of God survived, 
 and the mother has learned to say, Thy Kill be done ! 
 
1 40 MEMOIR OP 
 
 Estimate <>f its influence. 
 
 — it continues to this moment, when I dwell upon the same 
 considerations. I was almost overwhelmed with a sense of 
 obligation for Divine favors. Never did I praise the Lord 
 in such a manner before. Never did He seem so near. 
 Never did the Gospel appear so precious. Never did 1 feel 
 desires so strong and unmingled, to be holy, and live entire- 
 ly to the glory of God. Oh may He in infinite mercy hear 
 the main/ prayers that have been offered up, that these 
 afflictions might be abundantly sanctified to us all ! and 
 that they may prepare us for more usefulness, and prepare 
 the people to receive the Gospel message. During the same 
 time, about twenty members of my family have been sick! 
 What a mercy, that though often much indisposed and 
 obliged to take medicine, yet my dear wife and myself 
 have been enabled to attend upon the sick continually ! 
 For twenty nights I never had my clothps off but once. 
 We experienced much kindness from friends during the 
 whole of our affliction, and they were brought to our assist- 
 ance so seasonably, that the hand of the Lord was evidently 
 in it. Nothing else probably would have impressed so 
 deeply upon our minds the importance of praying and 
 laboring more intensely for the conversion of our children, 
 and so convinced us that the Lord ran, out of the mouths 
 of babes and sucklings, perfect his praise. This is a great 
 mercy to us and to our children. She is also taken from 
 temptations innumerable, which might have been fatal and 
 destructive to her soul ; and now she is, I have abundant 
 reason to believe, secure and happy in the arms of that 
 Redeemer in whom she trusted, and who though unseen, 
 appeared to be so precious to her soul ! Wheu 1 consider 
 these things, and all the good which the Lord designed to 
 do to me and mine, by this dispensation, my soul is filled 
 with wonder, love, and praise. He might have taught us 
 some of the same things by snatching our child away sud- 
 denly without hope ; but in teaching us lessons of the 
 greatest practical importance, He has conferred infinite 
 mercy upon a dear child ! Indeed 1 see so much more 
 mercy than severity in our afflictions, great as to some 
 they may appear, that there is an unspeakable sweetness in 
 them. It seems that I have tasted no bitterness at all. 
 Although the dear little creature had suffered more than 
 language can describe during the greater part of her illness, 
 yet a short time before she died, she appeared to be perfectly 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 141 
 
 Hon shall ministers comfort others '. Letter. 
 
 easy, and like one sinking into a sweet and tranquil sleep. 
 I never saw any human being die so easily. Her soul look 
 its Bight at 10 o'clock, this morning. Glory to God, the 
 
 Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. .Amen!" 
 
 " Tuesday, Nov. I">. — My dear child still feels as pre- 
 cious to me as ever, and I feel her loss more sensibly than 
 I did at first; but I have the same views of the kindness 
 and mercy of God in our afflictions. I never felt so much 
 as il'the heart of stone was taken away and a heart of flesh 
 was given me, as 1 have since the death of my child. Never 
 for the same length of time did 1 enjoy so uniformly free- 
 dom and comfort in prayer.'' 
 
 Ministers must be taught by very painful and practical 
 lessons, how to draw comfort from the heavenly fountain; 
 how to submit to the discipline and bless the dealings of 
 the ' Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort, who 
 comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to 
 comfort them, who are in any trouble, by the comfort, 
 wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.' How can 
 gold be tried, if it be not cast into the furnace? Let the 
 reader ponder that passage. 1 Peter i. 6 — 8. 
 
 In a letter to some female friends, the inmates of the 
 same family, dated at Bethany, he thus writes : 
 
 " Bethany, Nov. 10, 1835. 
 " Dear Sisters, 
 
 * * * Nothing ever affected me so deeply as 
 this. It would be insupportable, but for those consolations 
 which the Gospel imparts. These consolations are abund- 
 ant in the present case. I shall ever look back, upon this 
 season of affliction, as peculiarly precious and profitable to 
 me ; for never before did I taste and see and feel so much 
 of the goodness and mercy of God. May I never lose the 
 impressions which this dispensation has made upon my 
 mind ! And may you, my dear sisters, find the Lord to be 
 ' a present, a very present help, in every time of need.' Oh 
 what a privilege it is to be in his hands, and under his dis- 
 cipline ! My obligations are greatly enhanced by the grace 
 given to my dear wife in this season of trial. I never saw 
 Christian resignation in greater perfection than I have seen 
 
142 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Sketch of Margaret Ann. How she was taught. 
 
 it in her. You would wonder at it the more, if you knew 
 what a. precious child we have lost, and how much we loved 
 her, and love her still. Lost ! I retract — that word does 
 not express what we feel to he the fact. We do not feel as 
 if she were lost. No ! We have a joyful hope that we shall 
 soon see her and embrace her. Oh how changed and exalt- 
 ed ! — in that happy world to which she has gone, never to 
 part again." 
 
 " These glorious hopes we owe 
 To Jesus' dying love, 
 We would adore his grace below, 
 And sing his power above." 
 
 " .Mrs. Walton is in Charlestown at present, or she would 
 unite with me in love to you all, to dear brother Wilson, 
 and to all other friends in Fredericksburg. 
 Very affectionately, 
 
 W. C. Walton." 
 
 A very interesting sketch of the character of this little 
 daughter was written and published by her father, entitled, 
 "Juvenile Piety and Intelligence, illustrated in the Life and 
 Death of Margaret Ann Walton — to which is added, Re- 
 marks on the religious education of Children, addressed to 
 Christian Parents." This book has reached a second edi- 
 tion. The " Remarks " are acute and instructive. Marga- 
 ret Ann was a lovely, intelligent, and pious child. But 
 there was nothing miraculous, if any thing extraordinary in 
 her history. I mean that the early fruits of holy living and 
 dying, which she brought forth, naturally resulted from the 
 assiduous moral culture bestowed on her heart by her 
 parents, which brouo;ht her within the promised blessing 
 of the Spirit.* That indeed was probably extraordinary. 
 
 *The learned Ahrrcrombie in his book, "Inquiries concerning the Intellectual 
 Powers," speaking of the principle of association, says ; " The stern lessons of moral- 
 ity, and even tin- suliliine truths of religion, may be rigidly impresssd on the minds 
 of the young, and may in after life recur from time to time, as a mere matter of 
 remembrance ; but many must have experienced how different the impression, when 
 they recur in close association with a father's affection, ami a mother's tenderness — 
 with the lively recollection of a home, where the kindest sympathies of the human 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 143 
 
 Hannah, the colored woman. The politician reproved. 
 
 During her whole life, it is believed they never passed a 
 day without praying for that child. Great pains were taken 
 to impress her with the truth that merely saying the words 
 of a prayer was not praying, that it was the heart that 
 prayed, and that God always looked at the heart. Often 
 was her mind intensely excited in the view of holy truth, 
 presented to it in the form of the simple hymn and the 
 instructive catechism. 
 
 When at her grandmother's in Charlestown, (she was then 
 between six and seven years old,) at the close of a prayer 
 meeting, she retired to the next room, where was a colored 
 woman, and began to address her with the simplicity and 
 enthusiasm of a child, heightened by her emotion as a Christ- 
 ian. She expressed tender pity for her condition, reminded 
 her of the awful place to which she was going, and illus- 
 trated its terrors by an allusion to the flames of the fire then 
 burning in the room. " Hannah," said the little preacher, 
 " have you given you heart to the Lord ?" " No," replied 
 her auditor, surprised at the importunity of the child. " J 
 have," said Margaret Ann, " and now I will pray that you 
 may do so too." They dropped on their knees before God, 
 and while the child prayed, the heart of the woman melted. 
 Hannah soon became a convert to the faith of Jesus, and a 
 member of the Christian Church ! 
 
 Leaning one day on the knee of a gentleman, a political 
 aspirant, who was visiting the house of her uncle, after a 
 pause in the conversation, which being on politics, had 
 flowed fast and fiercely, Margaret Ann looked up in the face 
 of the visitor in a very serious and artless manner, and 
 said, "Haitian was hanged!" 
 
 The closing scene was melancholy but beautiful. It 
 exhibited the lights and shades of that picture so often wit- 
 heart shed around the domestic circle all that is lovely in life, while a mild and con- 
 sistent piety habitually pointed the way to a life which is to come." — Part III. Sec. I. 
 On Memory. 
 
144 MEMOIR OP 
 
 The closing scene. Addison's remark. Expressions of the dying girl. 
 
 nessed, but so soon forgotten, in which Dentil is the prin- 
 cipal figure, though shorn of his tenors; Sin, the discom- 
 fitted Tyrant : and Religion, the 8 weet and holy (renins, that 
 sheds her cheerful light and joyful hope over the scene, 
 kindling the raptures of heaven at the very gates of the grave ! 
 What Addison has said * of the triumphant death of the 
 eminent in life, may he repeated of the huinhle child: 
 "There is nothing in history, which is so improving to the 
 reader, as those accounts which we meet with of the death 
 of eminent persons, and of their behavior in that dreadful 
 season. 1 may also add, that there are do parts of history, 
 which affect and please the reader in so sensible a manner. 
 The reason 1 rake to be this, because there can be no other 
 singular circumstance in the history of any single person, 
 which can possibly be the case of every one who reads it." 
 A higher reason exists in the case of the dying Christian, 
 even if the lower be true. 
 
 When Margaret Ann was writhing in her last pains, she 
 would say, "Read to me about the sufferings of Jesus." As 
 she approached eternity, she prayed, " () Jesus, love me." 
 She was asked, " Will you sit down in a corner of heaven 
 with that little girl, of whom you have read, and sing halle- 
 lujah with her?" She replied, "Oh ! there is room enough 
 in heaven, without sitting down in a corner." While tears 
 flowed freely from the eyes of those who surrounded her 
 bed, she was asked by her father: " Whom do you expect 
 to see when you get to heaven ? " " .) bstjs," was her reply. 
 "And will you praise Him?" " Yes," said she. "And 
 lor what will you praise Him ? " " For His loving kind- 
 ness," was the firm, sweet, distinct, ardent reply of the dying 
 Margaret Ann. An angel might, if he could, have envied 
 the triumphant emotions of that heart. 
 
 It was in such a frame that her gentle spirit took its flight 
 to heaven. Said her afflicted fathi r, " The tears which were 
 
 : Spectator, No. 289. 
 
WILLIAM C . 
 
 WALTON. 145 
 
 Reasonableness of early piety. 
 
 A soul stirring thought. 
 
 shed over her, were tears of gratitude, of affection, and of 
 joy, and not of sorrow." Now let the atheist mock — the 
 infidel sneer — the sceptic doubt — the philosopher disbelieve 
 — the physiologist explain — the unbeliever smile, and even 
 the professor of religion hesitate, but let the angels of heaven 
 and the friends of God on earth, rejoice at the triumphs of 
 faith in the humblest candidate for glory. ' Take heed 
 that ye despise not one of these little ones, for I say unto 
 you that in heaven their angels do always behold the face 
 of my Father.' 
 
 Who can tell at how young an age the blessed Spirit may 
 begin to shed His sacred influence upon the immortal mind 
 which Himself has made? Does not the dew-drop from 
 heaven fall upon the tender bud ? Does it not lodge there ? 
 Why ? That the creative, quickening energy of Divine 
 Power may, through this appointed means, unfold the attri- 
 butes of Life. If God so cares for vegetable life, will He 
 not teach, train and ripen an infant soul for glory ? " Oh!" 
 said an eloquent friend, once addressing me on this subject, 
 and alluding to the morning of the resurrection, " among 
 the varied extacy of that extatic hour, will not the meeting 
 of mothers with their dead babes, dead then no more, pre- 
 sent one of the most moving of all the heart-melting spec- 
 tacles of that day of wonders ? Then let us lift up ourselves 
 from the ashes of the dead, and raise our eyes on high." 
 
 " Beyond the confines of the tomb 
 Appears the dawn of Heaven." 
 
 To the unthinking mind, it may seem a heavier calamity 
 to a parent to bury a manly and blooming son, than the more 
 retiring daughter, from whom less of public achievement is 
 expected, but let not this be believed. The daughter — and 
 the author has advanced the idea elsewhere — clings, like the 
 rose leaf around the stem, to the parent home and the par- 
 ent heart. She watches the approving smile, and depre- 
 cates the slightest shade on the brow ; she wanders not on 
 13 
 
146 MEMOIR OF 
 
 The daughter and the son compared. Installation at Charlestown. 
 
 forbidden pleasure grounds ; wrings not the hearts at home 
 with her doubtful midnight absence, nor wrecks the fond 
 hopes which she has concentrated upon herself. Wherever 
 the son may wander in search of fortune or pleasure, there 
 is the daughter within the sacred temple of home, the vestal 
 virgin of its innermost sanctuary, keeping alive the flame of 
 domestic affection, and blessing that existence, of which she 
 is herself a part ! When to charms like these are added 
 the graces of an ardent and consistent piety, the fond par- 
 ents may even here antedate the bliss of heaven and the com- 
 panionship of angels ! 
 
 As the time drew near for the installation of Mr. Walton 
 over the church in Charlestown, to which he had been invit- 
 ed, he set apart the day previous to the work of fasting and 
 prayer,* " to seek," says he, " the blessing of God, upon 
 this new connection. I also recommended the same to the 
 members of the congregation, not as a public, but a private 
 thing ; that every one who feels the importance of the con- 
 nexion, and desires the blessing of God upon His ordinances, 
 and to see the cause of religion among them revived, should 
 unite with me in this private exercise." 
 
 A few days after, he came near being killed in the shock 
 occasioned by a horse attached to a water car, which, rush- 
 ino- from a cross street, dashed furiously against the animal 
 he was driving, but only to show that a kind Providence 
 still preserved him to write as follows : " On Wednesday, 
 lfith inst, I was installed Pastor of the congregation in 
 Charlestown. 1 felt no more on that day than I have done 
 for some time, in view of this transaction. I feel as if I had 
 
 * That eminent christian minister, Cotton Mather, says to ministers : " That 
 you may be good men, and be mightily inspired, and assisted from heaven to 
 do good, it is needful that you should be men of prayer. It appears very neces- 
 sary that you should occasionally set apart whole days for secret prayer and 
 fasting, and thus perfume your studies with extraordinary devotions. Such 
 exercises may be also properly accompanied with the giving of alms, to go up 
 as a memorial before the Lord." — Essays to do good. 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 147 
 
 Power "f niMM-.inir.o. Synodical fast. 
 
 more work now to do than I ever had in any other situation. 
 But I fed wcouraged in the Lord my God." 
 
 "Nov. 26. — My trials, instead of being removed, appear 
 to be increasing. But I think I see the wisdom and the 
 goodness which appoints them. I know that I need them, 
 and, in general, I have, for a long time past, felt a disposi- 
 tion to praise the Lord for such dispensations." 
 
 Among these trials was one from a singular source. A 
 gentleman took great offence at being singled out, as he 
 supposed, by the searching discourse of a brother who 
 preached in Mr. W's. pulpit, and accused Mr. W. of com- 
 municating to him a knowledge of the circumstances of 
 himself and family. Mr. W. had some difficulty in convin- 
 cing him that he had not uttered a word to the preacher on 
 the subject, and that he never employed another person to 
 make remarks, which he himself feared to make. The fact 
 illustrated the acuteness of the preacher, and the power of 
 conscience in the hearer. 
 
 "Dec. 17. — We lately observed a day of fasting &,c, 
 agreeably to a recommendation of the Synod. The exer- 
 cises were, I trust, profitable to my soul. I lectured from 
 Is. lviii. In studying that chapter, I obtained clearer views 
 than I had ever had before, of the manner in which a fast 
 day should be observed. I endeavored to comply literally 
 with the requirements of that chapter, and then I had confi- 
 dence in enforcing the same duties upon my people. It led 
 me to search into my heart, and into my past and present 
 transactions with my fellow men ; and I have since felt more 
 tenderly conscientious in regard to my dealings ; willino- to 
 rectify any thing that I may have done amiss, although it 
 could not be legally demanded of me ; and such a dread of 
 every thing like injustice and oppression, that I have felt 
 afraid of having any thing to do with the world, lest I should, 
 without intending it, do my fellow men an injury. I feel 
 that what God has spoken on these subjects has a decisive 
 and strong influence upon me. I fear God ; I desire 
 above all things to do those things that are pleasing in His 
 sight." 
 
148 MEMOIR OF WALTON. 
 
 Various rudcavors to do good to himself and others. 
 
 " I have lately been reading Massillon's charges to the 
 clergy of his Diocese. They have given me more correct 
 views of the exulted character 1 ought to sustain as a min- 
 ister of the gospel, than I had before, and determined me to 
 keep the world at as great a distance as possible." 
 
 "Bethany, Dec. 25. — 1 have spent a pari of this morning 
 in reviewing the Lord's dealings with me. It is a profitable 
 exercise; it is humbling! '* ' s comforting; it is strength- 
 ening; it gives me a distinct and impressive conviction of 
 mv infinite obligations; it excites some feelings of grati- 
 tude, though, alas! very inadequate, and determines ine to 
 live, not to myself, but unto Him who died for me. I feel 
 that my great object is to glorify God and to do the great- 
 est amount of good that can be accomplished with the talents 
 He has given me." 
 
 "I have lately prayed more with my children, than I had 
 done before, and they seem deeply interested in the exer- 
 cise, and sometimes they ask me to pray with them and for 
 them." 
 
 " I have had several opportunities lately of combat! ing 
 certain antinomian errors that many christians hold, and 1 
 hope good has been done. Some with whom I conversed, 
 appeared to be deeply impressed with the importance of my 
 views on those subjects, which were evidently entirely new 
 to them, and they expressed a wish that these views might 
 be extensively made known." 
 
CHAPTER IX 
 
 Benefits of prayer. Growing in grace. 
 
 " When one who holds communion with the skies, 
 lias filled his urn where those pure waters rise, 
 And once more mingles with us meaner things, 
 "i'is e'en as if an angel shook his wings ; 
 Immortal fragrance lills the circuit wide, 
 That tells us whence his treasures are supplied." 
 
 " I love prayer," said one who practised it much. " It 
 is that which buckles on all the Christian's armor. What 
 incomes of grace, and peace, and glory, yea, and outward 
 good things, as far as they are indeed good for us, have we 
 by our access to God in Christ ! Such a companion ready 
 in all their solitudes; a counsellor in all their doubts: a 
 comforter in all their sorrows ; a supply in all their wants ; 
 a support underneath their burthens ; a shelter in all their 
 dangers ; strength for all their performances ; and salvation 
 insured by a sweet and undeceiving earnest. What is 
 heaven, but an everlasting access to God ? and present access 
 is a pledge of it." 
 
 In the review of the year 1S25, Mr. "Walton found that he 
 had obtained clearer views of truth. Divine truth was more 
 precious than ever. The plan of salvation was continually 
 revealing new beauties. Affliction had drawn him near to 
 God, and it was evident he had grown both in knowledge 
 and in grace. lie had tried the power of prayer, and it 
 13* 
 
1 50 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Grow* in ministerial power. Antidote to melancholy. 
 
 abided the test. His preaching was marked with more per- 
 spicuity, pungency, and strength. His sensibilities as a 
 minister seemed to prevail over liis sensibilities as a man ; 
 his anxiety for souls to absorb the inferior anxiety, so often 
 exacted by the ordinary concerns of this life. 
 
 "Jan. 5, 18*20. — My trials and cares have been greater 
 than in any former year. But I never enjoyed so much 
 consolation — never was so uniformly cheerful. 1 have sel- 
 dom felt, even for an hour, any thing like those sinking 
 spells which formerly embittered my life; and I can bear my 
 testimony to this truth, that nothing is so effectual an anti- 
 dote against melancholy, as to be fully and actively engaged 
 in doing what we know God approves, with a view to His 
 glory." 
 
 "During the past year, a number of souls in Charlestown 
 have, I trust, been born again. Some as the fruits of our 
 labors in the neighborhood. Also, I have heard of good 
 done by means of my pamphlet,* and of one who is now in 
 the ministry among the Methodists, who was converted, as 
 he thinks, under my ministry in Charlestown years ago." 
 
 " I must not fail to record that I feel more weaned from 
 the world, and less under the influence of certain tempta- 
 tions, which formerly often prevailed over me. I feel a 
 more disinterested concern to glorify God and to advance 
 His cause. I have more satisfactory views of Christ, and 
 more of His love than I formerly had ; and I trust also, a 
 deeper sense of the evil of sin and of my vileness as a sin- 
 ner. I feel convinced that I should be under infinite obli- 
 gations to thank and love God forwhttt lit has already dune 
 for me, and for our guilty world, it' He should now cut me 
 off, and send me to hell for my sins. He has indeed done 
 great, unspeakably great things for my soul, for which I 
 know I must be forever indebted to Him." 
 
 " I find a considerable difference in myself from what I 
 formerly was in these respects : that 1 am not so easily irrit- 
 ated, and I have more command over my words, and am less 
 apt to utter any thing rashly when irritated. I feel also 
 more tenderly conscientious in regard to the manner in 
 
 On the Revival in Baltimore. 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 151 
 
 Solicitude for tbe cause of Christ. Conversion of a youth. 
 
 which I speak to all the members of tny family, and to all 
 with whom I have to do. Oh! that the Lord may forgive 
 all my past sins — perfect what is lacking in me, and cher- 
 ish my soul with His grace." 
 
 "Jan. 11. — I visited, conversed and prayed with a little 
 
 boy at W. H 's, who is near his end in a consumption, 
 
 and felt inclined to pray for him and for the family after 
 returning home." 
 
 " I took my little son to the grave of his sister." 
 
 "I have lately felt an increasing concern that the Lord 
 may preserve me from evtrij thing that might lessen my 
 influence among my neighbors, or give any an unfavorable 
 opinion of religion.'' 
 
 " I have also several times felt a strong impression upon 
 my mind that the Lord will enable me to die in joy and tri- 
 umph. The thoughts of death have lately been more pleas- 
 ing than ever. But still I feel a strong desire to do a great 
 deal for the advancement of the cause of Christ while I live." 
 
 " Feb. 12. — Last night while viewing the heavens, which 
 declare the glory of God, I had a more exalted view of His 
 character than I ever had, and was unusually affected by 
 the consideration of the Saviour's voluntary humiliation, 
 suffering, and death. I never read the bible with so much 
 interest. I had thought of reading another book, but I felt 
 as if I could take no interest in it." 
 
 Speaking of a young man who owed his salvation, under 
 God, to his faithfulness, and who desired to take part in 
 the same ministry, he records under date 
 
 " Feb. '20. — On Saturday evening I had a conversation 
 with him, in which I received much satisfaction. He 
 ascribes his conversion to my ministry : is strongly attached 
 to our Church, and greatly prefers obtaining an education 
 with us. He appears to be a youth of superior talents and 
 of great promise. I made him an offer of a place in our 
 institution, which he readily accepted. For this event I 
 desire to be unfeignedly thankful. There are several 
 things peculiarly encouraging to me, and if I am spared, I 
 shall take great pleasure in cultivating the mind of one, who 
 promises to be so very useful in the Church of Christ." 
 
 " April 15. — I have reason to entertain the hope that my 
 
152 
 
 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Journey to the Natch. Memoir of Margaret Ann. 
 
 labors in preaching, and in conversation while at Gerrards- 
 town were useful, particularly in imparting righl views of 
 some important truths to two young brethren in the minis- 
 try, and one who is preparing for it. This is a method of 
 doing good which 1 regard as vastly important." 
 
 "Sabbath eve., April '.24. — Administered the sacrament 
 
 of the Lord's Supper to-day. Brother preached, and 
 
 preached much too long so as to leave but little time for the 
 other exercises ; and 1 always feel very unpleasantly to be 
 pressed for time, when such duties are to be performed. 
 On the whole, it was by no means a comfortable day to me. 
 I was not well and felt uncommonly stupid. But since I 
 returned home, have had a sweet season of enlargement at 
 the throne of grace, while trying to humble myself before 
 God, and to seek his blessing. My mind lias of late been 
 often impressed with a sense of the greatness of God's 
 mercy and forbearance towards me, considering how great, 
 and how numerous, and how provoking my sins have 
 been." 
 
 In June of this year, Mr. Walton with a part of his 
 family, visited Washington, Baltimore, and Philadelphia. 
 He speaks of the kindness and hospitality manifested to 
 them, by " many friends," which was repaid, as might have 
 been expected from such an one, in ' spiritual things.' 
 Wherever he was, it was never in his heart to trifle, but 
 always to be useful. He " naturally cared lor the state" 
 of every soul with whom he came in contact. Of this visit 
 he says: 
 
 " I hope T u as made instrumental in doing some rrood ; par- 
 ticularly in Washington City, where, before we left it, there 
 was a prospect, and to all appearance the beginning of a revi- 
 val. I was enabled to accomplish my main object — the publi- 
 cation of my little hook — on as (rood terms, and quite as much 
 to my satisfaction as 1 expected. It has already been very 
 favorably noticed in the Philadelphian — audi was informed 
 of a little girl in Baltimore now hopefully pious, who was 
 awakened by hearing the obituary of my dear little daugh- 
 ter read. Blessed be God for this mercy ! I have also 
 received the pleasing intelligence that my pamphlet, besides 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 1 53 
 
 Repeated editions ol bis Narrative. Oberlin. Elliot. 
 
 being re-published in the Utic;i Repository, is now going 
 through the third edition in Utica. There are and have 
 been many revivals in thai region. But what influen 
 pamphlet has had, 1 know* not. When I sent it forth to the 
 
 world, il w;is with many prayers for a Divine blessing to 
 attend it, and make it extensively useful ; and now I think 1 
 can see, in some measure, an answer to these prayers. In 
 the same manner have I sent forth my little book — the 
 monument of my dear child's piety and intelligence, and 
 the record of God's merciful dealings with her." 
 
 "I have lately met with two more opportunities of ex- 
 plaining some important points of doctrine, not generally 
 understood, to young ministers. Their minds appeared 
 to he open to conviction. The result is with the Lord. 1 
 trust He is increasing my influence among my brethren in 
 the ministry, and that He will enable me to improve it to 
 his glory and the advancement of his cause." 
 
 " We have had a long and very extensive drought, during 
 which time I was much impressed with the duty of praying 
 for rain, and publicly acknowledging God as the Giver of this 
 blessing. At length our earth has been thoroughly wetted 
 by the showers of Heaven, and we have the prospect of a 
 plenty of corn and vegetables. Since yesterday I have 
 labored under great depression of spirits. May the Lord 
 support me in these seasons of trial, and preserve me from 
 sinning against Him." 
 
 This year was spent in the usual routine of pastoral 
 duties, and in nursing his institution, which still maintained 
 a feeble existence. But it was impossible for him not to be 
 active in some way. And with such a spirit, a man must 
 be useful. Oberlin chose the most desolate field that pre- 
 sented itself to the eye, and converted it into a moral gar- 
 den, thus verifying the declaration of John Elliot, that 
 " prayer and pains-taking, with faith in God will accom- 
 plish every thing." Some men, without this spirit of heav- 
 en-born benevolence, would convert a garden into a desert. 
 Such is the energy of vital piety. It is the most powerful 
 principle in the world, and is destined under God, with 
 
164 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Abundant labors. 
 
 whom are ' the times and the seasons,' to accomplish the 
 conversion of the world. 
 
 Walton went forth and attended B scries of meetings at 
 Shepherdstown in the month of November, which were 
 crowned with the divine blessing. Under date Nov. 12, be 
 writes : 
 
 "At the meeting above referred to, there is reason 
 to hope much good was done. On Sabbath evening, at 
 the closing service, the people would hardly leave the 
 Church at nearly 11 o'clock. Three professed to submit; 
 and I have since heard of ten in all who appeared to be 
 awakened. About the last of August and first part of the 
 month of September, we had another meeting of four days 
 continuance at Bloomery mills — I was left alone from Satur- 
 day morning. On Sabbath the sacrament of the Lord's 
 supper was administered; a larger collection of people than 
 were ever seen at the place before — service out of doors — 
 great order and stillness observed ; much attention and con- 
 siderable weeping. One man obtained a hope — a very 
 remarkable conversion — the narrative of which is deeply 
 interesting. I then went up to Romney and Moorefield 
 and Petersburg, at all of which places I preached with 
 much freedom and enlargement of soul. At Moorefield 
 one young woman professed to submit; — at Petersburg, 
 three; — in the neighborhood of Vanmeters, two." 
 
 " On my return from Romney, I began to feel the effects 
 of my exertions; having preached sixteen times, and 
 administered the Lord's supper twice, in about ten days ; 
 when I arrived at home, I found my children sick — one had 
 been very ill ; I rested but little ; tarried only one day at 
 home — having an appointment at Smithfield for a two days' 
 meeting. Preached twice at Smithfield in much weakness 
 on Saturday, and that night was taken with a bilious colic 
 — was sent to Charlestown next day, where I was confined 
 for a week." Was there ever any maxim more pernicious 
 than that, which has been so current among the best of 
 people, "it is better to wear out than to rust out?" It is 
 
WILLIAM C . 
 
 WALTON. 155 
 
 Weiring out iinil rust i n;j out. 
 
 The Belf-Mcriflclng preachers. 
 
 indeed true, when rightly understood and judiciously appli- 
 ed, but unhappily it has been perverted to sanction the 
 most rash and unjustifiable expenditure of constitutional 
 vigor and of human life, till Humanity and Christianity 
 have blended their tears over the costly sacrifices made on 
 this altar. As if a devoted Christian minister or missionary 
 was not bound to obey the laws and the calls of nature ! 
 In proportion to his piety and zeal, is to be the run on his 
 constitution, till — its powers exhausted — he sinks from the 
 midst of usefulness into a premature grave, and gains the 
 honors of a martyr, when he has actually hastened his own 
 end ! "* 
 
 Let Swartz and Carey be praised for husbanding their 
 inestimable lives, as well as Brainerd and Martyn, (blessed 
 be their memory,) for toasting their's. Let Mcllvaine and 
 Nevins receive the meed of commendation for watching 
 over their health, and perpetuating their usefulness, long 
 after their friends Lamed and Summerfield had sacrificed 
 their lives to their enthusiasm for preaching the gospel. t 
 The last text of Lamed, one of the most eloquent preachers 
 this country ever produced, was this: ' For me to live is 
 Christ, and to die is gain.' That same week, the precious 
 youth, with whom the writer passed the days of his boy- 
 hood, died at the age of twenty-four. Every leaf in his 
 well-earned chaplet was as green as when it was first wound 
 around his brow. 
 
 * The author of the Life ofLegh Richmond, who was another victim of over-strain- 
 ed effort, remarks, that such conduct " is little better than moral suicide. Good men 
 should submit to the rein for conscience' sake." 
 
 t Said one of these self immolated ministers once to a Divinity student, " A merci- 
 ful man regardeth the life of his beast, and you must be merciful to your beast, or as 
 Mr. M. would say. to your ' animal.' Remember that it is your Master's property, 
 and he will no more thank you for driving it to death, than an earthly master would 
 thank a servant for riding a valuable horse to death, under pretence of zeal for his 
 interest. The truth is, 1 am afraid Satan has jumped into the saddle, and when he is 
 there, in the guise of an angel of light, he whips and spurs at a most unmerciful rate 
 as every joint in my poor broken-winded animal can testily, from woful experience! 
 He has temptations for the conscience, as Mr. Newton well observes ; and when other 
 temptations fail, he makes great use of them.'' 
 
156 MEMOIR OP 
 
 Delightful views in rickneaa 
 
 To return. Afosi of Mr. Walton's family were laid low 
 with sickness, yet without such immediate danger as to pre- 
 vent him from attending the meeting of the Presbytery. 
 
 " I ventured to go to Gerranlstown, where it was sitting, 
 on Saturday morning. The ride was too much for me. I 
 was thrown into a fever, which continued with some inter- 
 mission all the time I was there. I however attended in 
 great weakness. On Tuesday I rode to Charlestown, and 
 had not been there more than an hour, before I was laid 
 upon a sick bed, from which I did not rise for four weeks; 
 my confinement lasted five weeks. During this time, more 
 of my family were sick, and my mother died ! Thus it 
 pleases the Lord to keep me under the rod ; but blessed be 
 His name, He has made this and other like seasons of 
 affliction, occasions for richer displays of mercy than ordi- 
 nary circumstances would even allow. The spiritual good 
 which I trust He has imparted to me by means of these 
 trials, is such as greatly to overbalance any sufferings I 
 have experienced, and I have been enabled to praise Him 
 for these substantial tokens of his care and mercy to my 
 soul, and to the souls of my family. During my illness, I 
 was often inclined to think 1 should not recover ; this im- 
 pression was very strong on the Saturday which was the 
 anniversary of my dear little daughter's death. On that 
 day, after some severe conflicts, T had some of the most 
 delightful views and feelings that 1 ever hid. I could 
 hardly restrain my feelings from such a degree of excite- 
 ment, as would probably have been unfavorable to my recov- 
 ery. They commenced with the thought of my Saviour's 
 sufferings for me. Oh, it was indeed a time of sweet 
 refreshing to my soul.'' 
 
 " Dec. 14. — Last Sabbath preached and administered the 
 Lord's Supper at Bloomery mills in Hampshire. The people 
 of that congregation expressed so strong a desire for my ser- 
 vices, that the Presbytery passed an order that I should sup- 
 ply them at discretion. They receive me with almost as 
 much affection as the Galatians received the Apostle Paul, 
 and my ministry appears to have been blessed to them. 
 Christians professed to be strengthened and edified, and I 
 hear of some careless persons awakened and affected — two 
 united in communion last Sabbath — one of whom was 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 1 i)7 
 
 Deprawed, but labor) j. Trials from the wicked. 
 
 brought Milder conviction and obtained a hope in September 
 last, when I administered the sacrament of the Lord's 
 Supper at that place. His experience appears to be as 
 genuine and as remarkable as that of any person I have 
 ever known." 
 
 "Sabbath day, Dec. 24. — The uncertainty I have felt as 
 to the prospects of the Institution, and as to the course 
 which J ought to pursue, has preyed of late more upon 
 my spirit s than it ought to have done. I have often been 
 considerably depressed. 1 feel that this world is not my 
 rest. There is very little in it that affords me any enjoy- 
 ment." 
 
 "I often feel the want of some judicious, warm-hearted 
 brother of right views to consult with, and to encourage 
 me, and strengthen my hands. But alas ! I have not one, 
 to whom I can freely un'nosom myself. I want one at 
 least, whom I can love as Jonathan loved David, and who 
 will love me as David loved Jonathan. May the Lord raise 
 me up such a brother! And in the meantime draw me 
 nearer to Himself! " 
 
 With the opening of the year 1827, the pleasures of 
 health began to return to Mr. Walton. For two years he 
 had not been so well, but still felt depressed in spirits, " on 
 account of my unfaithfulness, and by seeing how little I 
 am doing for the advancement of Christ's kingdom." 
 
 He was still, however, laboring in the surrounding region, 
 through storms and cold, and many obstacles, to win sinners 
 to Christ. Having to transact some business with a man, 
 not distinguished either for sweetness of temper, or amenity 
 of manners, he encountered in his rude and savage conduct 
 the severest trial of the kind, which ever fell to his lot. 
 With many oaths and threats he ordered this mildest of men 
 out of his house. All these indignities he received with 
 the meekness of a lamb, and the forgiving spirit of a ser- 
 vant of Him, who ' when he was reviled, reviled not again, 
 when he suffered, he threatened not, but committed himself 
 to Him that judgeth righteously.' ' The servant of the 
 Lord must not strive, but be gentle unto all men.' When 
 14 
 
158 
 
 MEMOIR 
 
 O F 
 
 
 Anecdote of John Howe. 
 
 
 
 The Princeton student. 
 
 the eminent and pious John Howe heard a nobleman 
 swear profanely in St. James 1 Park, he faithfully reproved 
 him: "My Lord, the greal Rider of the world among 
 other things, has declared that He will make a difference 
 between him that Bweareth and him that feareth an oath." 
 " Sir," replied the nobleman, " 1 thank you* for your free- 
 dom, and take your meaning, and shall endeavor to make a 
 good use of it." " My Lord," rejoined the kind-hearted 
 divine, " I have a great deal more reason to thank your 
 lordship for saving me the most difficult part of a discourse, 
 which is the application." 
 
 " I came home deeply affected by the occurrence, and 
 layed my complaint before the Lord, and prayed that He 
 would have mercy on that man and turn his heart. I feel 
 entirely confident that I did not use any improper language 
 — or in an irritating manner; indeed I was silent nearly all 
 the time while he was raving as he did. When I look 
 back upon it, it appears a matter of surprise that his hands 
 were 1 ept olf me. I believe it was in his heart to beat me 
 to almost any extent. I am not, however, conscious of any 
 feelings of resentment." 
 
 "It is one of the most torturing trials I have ever expe- 
 rienced. I pray and earnestly desire that it may be sancti- 
 fied to me. I have lately been praying that the Lord would 
 employ any means which lie might see best to carry on his 
 work of grace in my soul, and to lit me for usefulness, and 
 perhaps this is an answer to that prayer. I desire still to 
 be in the hands of the Lord, and can say, ' though He slay 
 mc, yet will I trust in Him.' I am now sick of dealing with 
 the world. If it were the will of the Lord, I should rejoice 
 to have nothing to do with it, but to labor for its salvation." 
 
 " These things, together with the discouraging state of 
 things in most of the neighboring Churches, and the many 
 trials and discouragements arising from all my attempts to 
 do good — especially for the Institution, have weaned me 
 
 * A Theological student in travelling from Princeton to Albany, having resolved 
 laitbiully to reprove every man whom be should hear Bwear, by the time he reached 
 the latter place, had rcprovrd twenty-five individuals, all of whom with one exception 
 received the reproofs respectfully, some in silence, and some with tears. 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 159 
 
 Visit to Leuslmrg. 
 
 from the world to a surprising degree. I see almost noth- 
 ing in any direction, that appears pleasing and encouraging, 
 
 or calculated to create a desire to live in this world." 
 
 In the spring of this year Mr. Walton visited Leeshurg, 
 where he had been before, and as usual found something to 
 do for his Lord and Master. It was a luxury with him, 
 always, if possible, to ' impart some spiritual gift;' and 'not 
 the Gospel of God only, but his own soul ' has he often 
 seemed ready to impart to the immortal beings, of whom he 
 was ' affectionately desirous.' 
 
 " March G. — While at Leesburg, I labored a good deal and 
 with much encouragement. I saw much reason to believe 
 that my labors, when 1 was last at that place, had been blest, 
 particularly in exciting a spirit of prayer among Christians ; 
 the older members had received a fresh impulse, and the 
 young ones had commenced another prayer meeting. 
 Although 1 was assisted in an unusual degree, yet I never 
 was more sensible of the sinful imperfections attending my 
 services. I was much annoyed by temptations to pride and 
 self-importance. I believe, however, that I did not yield so 
 far as to make it visible to the eye of man." 
 
 " April 1. — A few days ago I received a letter from Lees- 
 burg, earnestly requesting me to go down, stating that a con- 
 siderable excitement had followed our last monthly meeting, 
 and that now the Methodist brethren were reaping the 
 fruits, as there was no regular Presbyterian preaching at that 
 place. My engagements, however, are such as to prevent 
 me from going down immediately. The news is encour- 
 aging, and if all who were then awakened become Christ- 
 ians, and many more besides join the Methodist Church, I 
 rejoice, yea, and will rejoice. I was also much encouraged 
 by my last visit to Bloomery mills. The people turn out 
 uncommonly well, particularly at night. Our extra exerci- 
 ses, after the regular routine is over, and the people are 
 dismissed, appear to be attended with the greatest blessing ; 
 that is, more appears to be done in this way than in any 
 other. It has the effect of awakening sinners, much more 
 than preaching in the usual way. It is preaching, that is, 
 exhorting sinners to save themselves from this untoward gen- 
 
ICO MEMOIR OF 
 
 Importance of a change of location. Call from Alexandria. 
 
 eration, — but it is so much out of the common course of 
 things, that it awakens attention, when in all probability no 
 such effect would be produced by proceeding in the old 
 beaten track. Whatever is the instrumental cause, how- 
 ever, I am fully sensible that the work is the Lord's, and to 
 Him belongs all the glory of it. If I have a heart to labor 
 with more earnestness than I formerly did, to Him 1 am 
 indebted for it, and so far from having any cause of boast- 
 ing, I am laid under additional obligations to employ all my 
 time and talents to his honor and glory." 
 
 The question of a change of location is at all times a 
 very serious one with a conscientious minister of Christ. 
 How diligent a student, how skilful an interpreter of the 
 will of Divine Providence does he need to be ! On the 
 one hand, it becomes him to guard against the rashness of 
 1 running before he is sent ; ' on the other, against too obsti- 
 nate a reluctance to leave those scenes and associations, 
 which have been endeared to him by the events of a delight- 
 ful and successful ministry, for the purpose of laboring in 
 a new field, to which duty seems to call. 
 
 In the month of March, Mr. Walton received a request 
 from the Second Presbyterian Church, in Alexandria, D. C. 
 to visit them with a view to the contingency of a mutual 
 union. His remark on receiving this request is characteris- 
 tic : 
 
 " Although a removal to any other situation would be 
 attended with great trouble, and perhaps some temporal 
 sacrifices : yet I feel prepared to go wherever the path of 
 duty may be made plain, and wherever the Lord may point 
 out the sphere of my future operations." 
 
 " Friday, April 5. — Last night I proposed to my family 
 to set apart this day as a fast, that we might seek the Divine 
 guidance in reference to the change which it seems necessa- 
 ry to make in our situation, and the Divine blessing upon 
 our souls, our family, our Institution, and our Church. I 
 trust I have been assisted in calling upon the Lord this 
 morning. And I feel confident that if we trust and fear 
 
WILLIAM C.WALTON. 101 
 
 Reasons for his acceptance of the call. 
 
 Him, He will ' guide us with his eye.' I have n deep sense 
 of the responsibility under which 1 am acting, and of the 
 importance of coming to the right decision in the great 
 question, soon to be decided — respecting a removal from 
 Bethany. I feel my utter incompetency to direct my own 
 steps, and desire to put myself into the hands of God to be 
 directed by Him. I feel sensibly encouraged and comforted 
 by his promises in reference to this subject." 
 
 At length after solemn deliberation, consultation, and 
 prayer, he determined, in view of all the circumstances, to 
 accept the call. On the eleventh of May, 1827, he arrived in 
 Alexandria, for the purpose of entering on his new charge. 
 
 Under date May 25, he says, " There was much to induce 
 me to come to this place — a unanimous call of the Church 
 — the strong desire of brother Andrews that I should suc- 
 ceed him, expressing to the congregation his entire confi- 
 dence in me, and how much relief his mind felt in the pros- 
 pect of my taking charge of his people ; a hope almost 
 amounting to confidence, that if I came to this place, and 
 was enabled to labor in the right way, we should be blest 
 with a revival which would build up a congregation that 
 had been long in a declining state, while it might exert a 
 salutary influence upon the interests of the Church, per- 
 haps throughout the whole district. Brother Post and 
 Baker expressed a strong desire that I should cast in my 
 lot among them. Seeing no possibility of getting along 
 with the Institution, and the way being open for me honor- 
 ably to relinquish it ; having gone to the ne plus ultra of the 
 enterprise; and finally, the prospect of enjoying better 
 health than we had enjoyed for the last two years — these, 
 with other subordinate considerations, determined me to 
 come to this place. When I first thought of giving up the 
 Institution, it appeared like burying a member of my family ; 
 but the sickness we had all experienced at Bethany, occa- 
 sioning so much distress in the family, and so much inter- 
 ruption to the studies of the young men ; and withal^ 
 14* 
 
1G2 
 
 MEMOIR OF 
 
 
 installation at Alexandria. 
 
 
 Active labors. 
 
 having so little assistance in prosecuting the arduous under- 
 taking, it appeared to be my duty to give it up ; — God only 
 knows with how much anxiety to know the path of duty, 
 and with how much fear and trembling lest I should take 
 a wrong step. I trust it will appear in the great day, that I 
 have pursued the right course in this instance, and that all 
 these things have fallen out to the furtherance of the Gos- 
 pel." 
 
 On his way to Alexandria, he was again delivered from 
 threatening danger, and praised the Lord for preserving 
 mercy. 
 
 He had been in delicate health, but was now somewhat 
 recovering: — "A few weeks ago," he writes, "I had a 
 return of my hemorrhage, which continued for about ten 
 days with some intermission, i. c. during that time I fre- 
 quently threw up blood. But it has now ceased, without 
 my suspending my accustomed operations in the pulpit. I 
 have had many and great cares upon my mind in winding 
 up the institution, providing for the young men, giving up 
 the congregation in Charlestown, and arranging all my tem- 
 poral matters so as to enable me to remove without leaving 
 any unsettled. But I looked daily to the Lord, and tried to 
 cast my cares and burdens upon Him, and verily I believe 
 he has heard my prayers and granted me the desire of my 
 heart. I have been supported, and 1 hope directed in the 
 way in which He would have me to go." 
 
 On the third of July, 1827, Mr. Walton was installed 
 Pastor of the Second Presbyterian Church in Alexandria, 
 vacant by the resignation of Rev. Mr. Andrews. It may 
 be worthy of notice here, that previously to this event, he 
 had gone to work earnestly for his Master, with his usual 
 zeal and directness of aggressive movement, and I may add, 
 with the usual blessing accompanying his efforts. Begin- 
 ning with a " Monday, eight visits ; Tuesday, three visits; 
 Wednesday, seven; Thursday, two; Friday, four;" he 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 168 
 
 Visits and admissions. 
 
 concludes with a meeting on Friday night, to seal up these 
 efforts, at which "five professed to be willing to give up all 
 for Christ. Well might the Lord's laborious servant add, 
 " Much encouraged and strengthened." These visits were 
 strictly religious, that is, made with the intention to save 
 souls, and not to pass compliments. 
 
 On the 4th of July he records, " Last night I was installed 
 pastor of this church. I felt in some measure solemn ; but 
 my views of eternal things were not so clear as they have 
 been, and my heart was and has been lately more insensible 
 than usual to the great motives of the gospel. I know I 
 lament this, and desire earnestly to be revived. How far 
 this state of feeling may result from indisposition and weak- 
 ness of body, I am not prepared to say. I think, however, 
 there is some connexion. I have now a great charge upon 
 me — a congregation in difficulties — a family, and two young 
 men preparing for the gospel ministry, besides my temporal 
 matters. I shall try to divest my mind as much as possible 
 of all care and anxiety about my affairs in Virginia, and 
 about my temporal support, and give myself wholly to the 
 great work of the ministry. May the Lord be with me, 
 and bless me, and help me, and make me, unworthy as I 
 feel myself to be, an instrument of great and extensive good 
 to this part of His vineyard." The day after his installa- 
 tion he paid seven pastoral visits. 
 
 " On Sabbath, I5i.li July, admitted four on examination, 
 three on certificate. Session agreed unanimously to admit 
 members in the form of a public covenant. Yesterday after- 
 noon had a conference meeting of the men hers of the 
 church at my house. Several spoke, and no opposition has 
 yet been made to any of my plans for reviving a spirit of 
 piety in the congregation." 
 
 "Monday, July 16. — Two visits — Tuesday, five — Thurs- 
 day, five — Friday, one — Saturday, three. Sabbath, 22d 
 July, a number at church more than usually attend, an., the 
 number at the Friday evening meeting also increased. This 
 evening more than usual, and some much affected. The 
 word appeared to take effect." 
 
164 
 
 MEMOIR OP 
 
 Sources of uucourageiiieui. 
 
 Kx| ansion 01 lis in i tic! and heart. 
 
 "Saturday, July 28, — About six visits this week." 
 " Aug. 22. — Soon after coming to this place, I was ena- 
 bled to cast off my Virginia cures and anxieties, and found 
 my thoughts and feelings surprisingly flowing in anew chan- 
 nel. I Boon fell at home. Have been laboring, though 
 with many lamented infirmities and sins, for a definite 
 object — a revival of religion. All my sirmnns and exhorta- 
 tions., inpublic and in "private, have been dint ted to this ob- 
 ject. Five persons have professed to experience a change, 
 and more ire impressed : some members of the church 
 have been aroused to feelings and views and exercises 
 new to them ; but still my experience thus far has impressed 
 me more than ever before with the conviction of this truth — 
 that God must do the work. I have mare some of my best 
 efforts, but have not yet witnessed a revival. I am now 
 looking to the Lord with more earnestness of faith for the 
 outpouring of His Spirit, than I ever did before. I find my 
 desires increasing. 1 am encouraged — I. By an increase 
 of hearers. 'I. By the partial awakening of the church. 
 3. By the awakenings and conversions that have taken 
 place. 4. By the numbers that attend our prayer meetings, 
 and 5. By my male and female Bible Classes. One of 
 my male Bible Class, who was under serious impressions, 
 went to Camp Meeting and there professed to give up his 
 heart to the Lord. It is a matter of great thankfulness that 
 my health is so good. I go through all my labors without 
 much fatigue." 
 
 The spirits of Walton, too, rose with the supervenient 
 emergency, and he manifested an elasticity of thought and 
 effort, which, with the divine blessing, promised good suc- 
 cess. His intellect and heart seemed enlarged in public 
 and in private. " The Lord gives me an interest and a 
 concern in exhibiting His truth, and a desire to promote 
 His cause, which prevents me from feeling my labors to be 
 a task and a burden. I feel generally a heart to the work, 
 blessed be God for it. It is what I had not for many years; 
 and I can seldom look back upon those years without a 
 mixture of sorrow and rejoicing; sorrow that I should have 
 been so unprofitable a laborer, so unfit for the Master's use; 
 
WILLIAM C.WALTON. 1G5 
 
 Revolution in Dr. Ryland's sentiments. 
 
 and joy that the Lord has done so much for my poor guilty 
 soul, in producing that change in my feelings and views of 
 which I am conscious, and for which I can never be suffi- 
 ciently thankful." * 
 
 "Sabbath, Aug. 20. — A very rainy day. Preached twice 
 entirely extempore. The audience being small, I reserved 
 the discourses I had prepared for more hearers. I have 
 not had much of the spirit and unction of preaching to- 
 day, but a deeper sense of my leanness, barrenness, and 
 shallow attainments. I feel thai I greatly need to be taught 
 of God and qualified by His Spirit for the right discharge 
 of my duties. I greatly need a season of refreshing in my 
 own soul. The Life of Fletcher, which I have just read, 
 has been much blessed to me." 
 
 "Sept. 28. — We have lately urged much the necessity of 
 increased engagedness in prayer, and labored to impress it 
 upon the minds of Christians that all our efforts will be in 
 vain until the Lord begins to work. We have recommended 
 it to all to set apart some time every day between the hours 
 of one and three o'clock, to pray especially for the outpour- 
 ing of the Holy Spirit. This agreement has been acted 
 
 * By t lie change in Walton's views, one is reminded of similar changes in the senti- 
 ments of men, who have b een eminently useful, as Scott, Richmond, Ryland, Bedell, 
 &c. Dr. Ryland once held, with Dr. Gill, the celebrated commentator, that it i- unlaw- 
 ful to urge the dutiesof faitfi and repentance on men in general. This indeed is an 
 error, which we should suppose, would be destroyed by the consideration, that "it 
 would have annihilated at once the apostolic commission, by rendering it impossible 
 to ' preach the gospel ' in nun ' creature,' since there were in the Gentile world none to 
 whom on this principle it could be "ddressed." 
 
 Dr. Ryland was embarrassed by the intrinsic improbability and the extrinsic perni- 
 CiOUSness of such a sentiment. It cut the very sinews of effort 'Or the salvation of 
 sinners. lie felt that he was shackled. Three things helped to dissolve his chains ; 
 1. His acquaint nee with the puritan writers, who were distinguished for their fear- 
 less and cogent appeals to the conscience. '2. His intimacy with Andrew Fuller, the 
 most clear and candid of reasoners. most unostentatious of writers, and most modest 
 of men. Of the Christian minister I need not speak. 3. And chiefly, his study of 
 our own Edwards on the Will, a book which has poured its beneficent light on so 
 many humble and exalted intellects ever since the period of its gift to the world. — Set 
 Pastoral Memorials. 
 
 The chancre in Legit Richmond, it is well known, was not only doctrinal but highly 
 practical and entire, and was effected through the agency of Wilberforce's Practical 
 View of Christianity, which affected so many lofty minds in England, in conjunction 
 with Hannah More's intellectual and spiritual efforts. — See Grimshaw's Life of 
 Richmond, Chapter III. 
 
166 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Suci ess of bis sermons 
 
 upon since last Sabbath. It has already produced a good 
 elfect upon Christians, and last night we bad more at our 
 
 inquiry meeting than usual. Mr. appears to be a 
 
 changed man — regarded as a miracle of grace — has been 
 very wild and intemperate. Other appearances also encour- 
 aging." 
 
 "Dec. 18. — Last Sabbath two weeks, while preaching on 
 
 the subject of justification by faith, Mr. was awakened. 
 
 The truth flashed in upon his mind with such power that 
 he saw his errors, immediately renounced them, and went 
 home ami engaged in family prayer! The same sermon 
 blessed to his wifi — they both appear now to be new crea- 
 tures; the 1 , had professed before. But he was a sceptic — 
 a universalist, who appeared to be in the most hopeless 
 condition. His wife thinks her views and feelings now are 
 essentially different from what they ever were before. The 
 change is marvellous ! " 
 
 Truth from the lips of our brother seemed wonderfully 
 blessed at this time, not only to the elevation of the general 
 tone of piety and pious endeavor, but to the conviction and 
 salvation of individuals. A man who was notorious for 
 profaneness in language and profligacy of habits, was awak- 
 ened under a sermon from the text, ' My heart is fixed. 1 
 lie became a decided christian. Another gentleman and 
 his wife " professed to give themselves to the Lord. Since 
 last Sabbath evening, he has been in great anxiety and dis- 
 tress. I went to his house, conversed and prayed with 
 them, and before I left them, both appeared to take a decid- 
 ed stand, and to submit to the terms of salvation. After I 
 left him, lie opened the bible and every thing appeared new ; 
 his views became clearer, and he has since been rejoicing." 
 Another gentleman was, as he trusted, converted by means 
 of a sermon preached on a Sabbath morning, from 1 1 am 
 thine, save me. 1 
 
 Let it not be forgotten, that during this season of success- 
 ful preaching, which continued from month to month, the 
 subject of this biography, who was foremost among those 
 that urge ability, duty and obligation on sinners, was fre- 
 
WILLIAM C.WALTON. 107 
 
 Doctrines preached. 
 
 qucnt and fervent in setting forth the doctrine of the agency 
 of the Holy Spirit, as indispensable to any right action or 
 successful issue. It was a subject which he had studied pro- 
 foundly, on which he preached frequently, conversed and 
 wrote much, and on which he gave a small volume to the 
 press. He even wenj ; ' s far ;is John Howard Hinton, of 
 England, with whom he corresponded, and who sent him 
 his work on the Spirit, the idea of which was suggested by 
 reading an article of Walton republished in England. 
 
 " The spirit of prayer appears to increase, and also a 
 conviction of our absolute dependence upon the Holy Spirit 
 for a revival of religion, the doctrine often and explicitly 
 recognized in speaking and in prayer. I have lately expe- 
 rienced more assistance in preaching than ever before. I 
 have seemed to have a clearness of conception, a strength 
 of mind, and energy of feeling, that I never had before. A 
 number of infidels have been lately seen at our church, and 
 
 the congregation increase's. Mrs. D , awakened under 
 
 1 Behold notO the accepted time,' Sfc, since obtained a hope." 
 
 "Dec. 21, Friday <vc. — Number increased, both male 
 and female. Some, I hope, submitted. Several in deep 
 distress — all solemn, and scarcely any would go away, until 
 I told them it was time to retire. I feel more and more a 
 revival influence — solemn, anxious, almost trembling, hop- 
 inn, believing, convinced that God alone can do the work." 
 
 " Dec. 25. — Mr. , after being anxious for some time, 
 
 was asked at the close of a sermon by his friend, ' What do 
 you think of this?' 'Oh,' said he, 'I cannot think of 
 bringing disgrace upon me by making a profession, for I 
 know 1 should not act consistently.' (This declaration was 
 predicated on his continuing in the same state of mind in 
 which he was at that time; but sinners ought not to draw- 
 any conclusions on that ground. The question is, if I give 
 my heart to the Lord, lay hold upon His covenant, will He 
 enable me to be faithful ?) Last Sabbath night week, he 
 
 got a deep and most agonizing impression. Mr. M 
 
 could get nothing from him after the work was over — he 
 went home in deep thought. On Thursday, after I had left 
 him, he took the bible, and as he was reading, he stopped 
 and turned round to his wife, saying, ' My clear, I am on 
 
1 68 MEMOIR OF 
 
 iM:irtin Bos' opinion of what are t lit* hrsl senium-. Ili< dOVOtl >n to Ills work. 
 
 the Lord's side now.' Immediately light and joy broke into 
 his soul, and he experienced the truth of that promise, ' The 
 work of righteousness shall he peace, and the effect of 
 righteousness quietness and assurance forever.' " 
 
 In labors and successes like these closed the year 1827, 
 awakening in the retrospect many delightful recollections, 
 and presenting prospectively a pledge that other sweet and 
 refreshing seasons would yet gladden the heart of the 
 devoted Pastor. Precious were the laurels he gathered to 
 compose the crown of his rejoicing. Invaluable the gems 
 for " the royal diadem in the hand " of his Lord and King. 
 As Sailer, a pupil of Martin Bos, said of his teacher, he 
 was in his sphere more and more " learning how to peo- 
 ple earth and heaven with the children of God." And 
 what Bos himself, who accomplished his greatest results by 
 preaching, said, Walton seemed to feel and exemplify : 
 " We must dig very deeply to discover the treasure, and it 
 is when we feel our weakness and misery most, that we dig 
 the best ; for those are not the best sermons which we have 
 labored over with difficulty, but those which we have, as it 
 were, supplicated from the Lord toith tears and prayers." 
 Such were the sermons which God blessed, and which He 
 ever will bless, if followed up, as in the case of our friend, 
 with patient personal instruction and admonition to those 
 whose attention has been arrested. 
 
 Another thought should not be omitted. Walton was 
 now "giving himself wholly " to the work of the ministry. 
 Not even the business of teaching diverted his attention. 
 His employment was completely ' fitted to his person and 
 calling.' Ail his powers were devoted to a minister's grand 
 business — saving SOULS. 
 
 "Some then- are," says a quaint author of another age, 
 that employ their time in affairs infinitely below the dignity 
 of their person, and being called of God or by the republic 
 to help bear great burthens, and to judge a people, enfeeble 
 their understandings and disable their persons by sordid 
 
WILLIAM C . WALTON. 169 
 
 Wiiai degrade clergyman. 
 
 and brutish business. Thus Nero went up and down Greece 
 and challenged the fiddlers at their trade. .Kropiis, a 
 Macedonian king, made lanterns. Ilarcatius, the Parthian 
 king, was a mole-catcher; and Biantes, the Lydian, tiled 
 needles. 
 
 "He that is appointed to minister in holy things, must 
 not suffer secular affairs and sordid arts to eat up great por- 
 tions of his employment. A clergyman must not keep a 
 tavern, nor a judge be an innkeeper, and it was a great 
 idleness in Theophylact, the Patriarch of C. P. to spend 
 his time in his stable of horses, when he should have been 
 in his study or in the pulpit, or saying his holy offices. Such 
 employments are diseases of labor and the rust of time, 
 which it contracts, not by lying still, but by dirty employ- 
 ment." 
 
 15 
 
CHAPTER X. 
 
 I iu-ri-n.r-iiiL r interest in Alexandria. 
 
 In reviewing the events of the life and ministry of Mr. 
 Walton in the city of Alexandria, as recorded in the pre- 
 ceding pages, it will be evident to the most cursory observer, 
 that his position was one of profound interest to himself, 
 and of great importance to the cause of Christ. The pros- 
 pects for a general revival of religion wore evidently bright- 
 ening. As a kind of first fruits, there had occurred some 
 of the most remarkable conversions within the experience 
 of the pastor. He had firmly intrenched himself in the 
 confidence and affections of the people. And this point 
 had been gained, not by any ingenious arts of management, 
 but by straight forward labors for the good of souls. De- 
 termining to know nothing among them but ' Christ, and 
 Him crucified,' he availed himself of the great advantages 
 of that powerful moral position, to carry on the high spirit- 
 ual warfare in which he was engaged. He has been known 
 to say, that he received at that time more convincing testi- 
 monies of the blessing of God on his pulpit labors than ever 
 before cheered his heart. The spirit of inquiry increased. 
 The grace of God superabounded in reclaiming from the 
 regions of profligacy some of the most abandoned charac- 
 ters. The minds of the people, guided by the Spirit, entered 
 without much difficulty into the views of the Pastor, and 
 
MEMOIR OF WALTON. 171 
 
 Experience of a young convert. 
 
 harmonized with his plans of usefulness, lie was gather- 
 ing round him ;i devoted band of praying Christians, who 
 exemplified the bible truth, that 'there is no restraint to 
 the Lord, to save by ninny or by few.' Some of the fruits 
 of his pastoral care and culture he began to bring into the 
 church : " Feb. :'», 1^*2*. — This day two weeks, w*e received 
 16 new members, and the work is going on. The pros- 
 pects now arc as favorable as they ever have been." 
 
 "Feb. 8. — I have for some time been praying that the 
 Lord would take me into His hands as an instrument^ and 
 influence me as lie pleases, to accomplish His own pur- 
 poses by me. And I have seen the most striking proofs 
 that He has directed me in the choice of subjects suited to 
 the state of persons whom lie lias brought to the knowledge 
 of the truth. Last night, after 1 had done preaching, I 
 
 went to M iss , a thing which I had not done before, and 
 
 that alarmed her and deepened the impression. She went 
 home and obtained relief in a short time. She had told me 
 that she had done every thing she could do, and did not 
 now know what more to do. But she found out the secret 
 last night. This day I have been much encouraged by 
 hearing of her conversion and other favorable appearances. 
 I feel a strong desire to know and feel more of the love of 
 Christ. For a few days I have found benefit in reflecting 
 upon this passage — ; It pleased the Father that in Him 
 should all fullness dwell.' I feel an increased confidence 
 in applying to Him that I may receive from this fullness 
 grace upon grace."' 
 
 " I had been doing nothing right," said she, " all wrong, 
 (and yet she had been praying, reading, &c. in the deepest 
 distress.) I felt that I must do something that I never had 
 done. 1 went to my room ; I tried to pray ; I rose and felt 
 that the Saviour was able and willing to save me, a lost sin- 
 ner, and I could trust in Him and surrender myself entirely 
 
 to Him. I am as happy as I can be." threw her arms 
 
 around my neck. After she had experienced the change, she 
 thought she had lost her impressions, but felt that she 
 could love the Saviour. She told me yesterday that she had 
 felt until she was past feeling. The subject last night was, 
 ' Who have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before 
 us.' 
 
1 72 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Results of an Infidel's proposal. 
 
 "March 4. — A few weeks ago, a man of sceptical senti- 
 ments was boasting that he could never get any minister to 
 preach from a text which he wished to hear explained, 
 plainly indicating that he thought it so absurd, as not to 
 admit of any satisfactory explanation. 1 felt it my duty to 
 take from him this occasion of triumph, and engaged to 
 preach from it. He promised to come and bring as many 
 more persons of his way of thinking as he could. The fact 
 was privately circulated, and we had a crowded congrega- 
 tion, (last Sabbath evening week.) When 1 went in, 1 was 
 told that all the infidels in town were there. Such a num- 
 ber of them, 1 suppose, was hardly ever collected in a 
 church before. A methodist present said when he looked 
 around and saw the character of my audience and the diffi- 
 culty of my situation, he prayed for me, and never prayed 
 so for any person in his life. We had had a special prayer 
 meeting that afternoon. Not only infidels, but catholics, 
 quakers, «Scc. were there to hear what could be made of 
 the difficult text — 'Jacob have 1 loved, Esau have I hated.' 
 So far as I have heard, the impression was decidedly good. 
 The persons mainly concerned, were generally more than 
 pleased ; some have commenced reading the bible ; one, 
 an atheist, bad been at church twice since, and talks as if 
 he intended to continue. The sceptic himself had not 
 been to church for twenty years before, except to hear a 
 woman. Last Sabbath evening I took up another difficulty 
 in the same chapter — 'Therefore hath lie mercy on whom 
 He will,' &/C. A full house again, although it was raining 
 and blowing. The impression seems to he still better. 
 Several infidels have thus been led to an acquaintance with 
 me, and 1 have visited them. The present prospect is that 
 under the divine blessing, much good will grow out of this 
 singular affair." 
 
 These circumstances served very severely to task the 
 meekness and prudence, as well as the intellectual and the- 
 ological abilities of Mr. Walton, and he passed the ordeal 
 with a success, that proved the Divine aid imparted to him 
 in this emergency. The doctrines of the gospel were mag- 
 nified — his own character was elevated — souls were con- 
 verted — God was slorified. 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 173 
 
 A congregation founded. 
 
 Two men, who had spent years in the cheerless gloom 
 of scepticism, received impressions which shortly afterwards 
 issued in their conversion, and the conversion of nine or 
 ten of their connexions. One of these men, after making 
 a profession of religion, removed with his family to a small 
 village, bearing the aboriginal name of Occoquan, sixteen 
 miles from Alexandria, very destitute of religious influence; 
 he commenced a Sabbath School in his own house. From 
 twelve the number increased to near fifty scholars, and in 
 a few weeks, some of nearly adult age began to evince con- 
 cern for the salvation of their souls. The spirit of inquiry 
 and anxiety increased and spread itself, and the result was 
 the happy conversion of a goodly number of individuals, 
 and the formation of a congregation ! 
 
 " I am still going on with a series of discourses adapted 
 to the present state of things. My hands have been so full 
 of late, that although I have not omitted any of my private 
 duties yet I have not been as much engaged in them as 
 usual. There has been a great want of spirituality, and sim- 
 plicity, and disinterestedness — sometimes hardness of heart. 
 I have had so many excitements, and so long continued, 
 that I sometimes feel as if I could feel no more. Since 
 last Sabbath evening I have been more humble and solemn, 
 and this day, which has been set apart as a day of humili- 
 ation, thanksgiving and prayer, will, I trust, prove a bles- 
 sing to my soul." 
 
 Of another individual instance he records, " The first 
 evening I returned, (after a few days absence,) I went down 
 
 to see . She looked much distressed. I commenced 
 
 talking, with very little hope at first, but I was led on with 
 increasing interest. At length I repeated part of the 116th 
 Psalm — " My life which thou hast made thy care, Lord I 
 devote to thee ! " She told me since, she then felt that 
 she could adopt that language. I asked her if she could 
 say that she would from that moment devote herself to the 
 Lord, whatever might become of her ? She said she was 
 so resolved. Thus she experienced some relief. I left her. 
 She was afraid of being deceived, and would not go to 
 meeting Friday evening, that she might have an opportu- 
 
 15* 
 
174 MEMOIR or 
 
 New cases of conviction. 
 
 nity of examining herself. She soon obtained entire relief 
 
 and great joy. She related her experience to , when 
 
 he returned home, and his mind, which had been shaken 
 before, was now convinced thai he had been resting upon 
 a false hope, (he had been very moral and he thought retig- 
 iuus,) that be had experienced religion so gradually that it 
 wob not perceptible. But now he fell that he hid no reli- 
 gion. Ever since that time he has been distressed, and last 
 night he obtained comfort, and now regards it as an infinite 
 mercy that he was not given up to final delusion." 
 
 "April 14. — Mr. was an old, hardened, profane man. 
 
 He says he cared nothing about religion, and said he, ' If 
 you bad talked to me or read the bible tome, it would have 
 made no more impression than if you had spoken to a horse.' 
 He was walking near our church one Thursday evening 
 about five weeks ago, and he.. ' Mie bell begin to ring. It 
 was strongly impressed upon his mind that he ought to go. 
 
 He went to 's. The family advised him to go to the 
 
 Episcopal Church ; but he was inclined to come to ours, 
 and there he received his first convictions. They were in- 
 creased until he became very wretched, and last Sabbath 
 afternoon at prayer meeting, be obtained relief — went home 
 happy. 1 saw him this morning. J J is heart appeared to 
 be overflowing with bumble gratitude. When 1 spoke of 
 his obligations, and how he ought now to strive to do good 
 to others, he remarked, 'Oh the debt is so great!' intim- 
 ating that he could never pay it; then weeping, ' I weep,' 
 says he, ' not because I am unhappy, but,' with strong feel- 
 ing, ' but I am so pleased with Him,' i. e. God. ' O what a 
 friend he is to me ! ' " 
 
 " Last Sabbath week admitted nineteen. Appearances 
 this morning very encouraging. Had a thorough and sol- 
 emn talk with several persons who appear to be very thought- 
 ful." 
 
 " Mr. says Ids minister had given him wrong direc- 
 tions, and he bad gone to work at the means, and he was 
 losing his impressions. He became alarmed — went to the 
 minister and asked him in deep anxiety, ' Whatskall'l do? ' 
 ' Repent,' says he. It irritated him, but it went to his 
 heart. Nothing ever distressed him so much. He soon 
 submitted. While he was praying, &c. he thought he 
 could do something, and bis case was not desperate." 
 
 " I asked Mr. at the prayer meeting, if he desired to 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 175 
 
 Sermon on the Divine Sovereignty. 
 
 be a Christian. Yes. lie thought he did. Are you wil- 
 ling to become one now on the spot? lie had a painful 
 conflict. It showed him the evil of his heart; he said ho 
 was not. But it made him so uneasy that he could had 
 no rest until lie came to the Saviour." 
 
 "May 17. — I have seen much reason to believe that the 
 event by winch I was led to commence a series of doctrinal 
 discussions, was ordered by the Lord for the advancement 
 of His cause. It has led me to clearer and more satisfac- 
 tory views of doctrinal points than I ever had before, and 
 I have a strong hope that others have been savingly bene- 
 fitted. The congregation has been increased, and its 
 interests in every way appear to have been promoted. 
 There have always been some inquirers. At our last com- 
 munion nineteen more were added; making forty-nine in 
 all, since I was installed. The work is still going on, but 
 not with as much energy and life as marked its progress 
 some weeks ago. I have been more occupied in writing, 
 preparing some things for the press, &c. This has pre- 
 vented me from visiting as much as I did. 
 
 His sermon preached i'< Washington on the doctrine of 
 the Divine Sovereignty, the substai e of which was after- 
 wards amplified and published in a little volume : was pro- 
 nounced by a lay gentleman of distinguished theological 
 knowledge " the clearest discussion of that subject he had 
 ever heard." Some of his positions seemed startlin o to 
 some brethren in the ministry, but they were the result of 
 the most candid investigation on his part, and were firmly 
 believed by him — one of the most conscientious of men. 
 
 " Monday morning-, Mat/ 19. — Yesterday I was much 
 indisposed; in bed nearly all the morning ; had not even a 
 skeleton of my discourse fully made out; went to the 
 Church in great weakness; the congregation unusually 
 large, and blessed be God I had unusual liberty ; and I was 
 strengthened to go through all the services of the day 
 comfortably. 1 find that Divine truth is constantly opening 
 to my view. I receive new and more satisfactorv views of 
 some parts of the great system almost every week. I find 
 too a heart to desire and to pray for the extension of Christ's 
 
1 76 MEMOIR OP 
 
 Blessing on various ni« lings. 
 
 kingdom — tor t ho salvation of sinners, and in praying for 
 this object, 1 have had lately more distinct views of its 
 nature and importance than before. It appears to me to 
 be unspeakably desirable thai rebels Bhould submit to the 
 authority of God; that those who are now at enmity with 
 Him, should love Him. When 1 am languid, nothing ani- 
 mates me so soon as praying for a revival of true reli- 
 gion." 
 
 " June 9. — This morning I set off for Jefferson. I have 
 had an increasing depression of spirits for the last week. 
 Yesterday I felt extremely dissatisfied with my perform- 
 ances; I feel so still. Surely if any good comes of them, 
 it must he the work of God, and 1 believe that he can make 
 them instrumental in accomplishing any purposes that lie 
 may please. Yesterday and to-day I bare fell the working 
 of evil in my heart at times, in an unusual degree. It was 
 a strong temptation, but the Lord did not give me up to the 
 will of my enemies. I feel my dependence upon sovereign 
 gracr, and upon the fulness of my Saviour more sensibly 
 than I ever did before. I am conscious tint I do unreserv- 
 edly renounce all dependence upon myself or my works, 
 and rely exclusively upon the merits and the grace of 
 Christ."' 
 
 " Jti.li/ 29. — This evening a very encoura ring meeting; 
 two young females professed to submit ; many attended ; 
 much solemn feeling till 10 o'clock." 
 
 " Jul)/ 39. — This morning the two young females who 
 professed to submit last nighl appear to be firm, and to 
 enjoy religion ; had a meeting with them at A. Douglas' ; 
 others attended ; two or three more appeared willing to sub- 
 mit. The prospect has been more encouraging for two or 
 three weeks past." 
 
 " Scj)t. 12. — I was led to appoint two meetings on the 
 same evening, (Wednesday) in different parts of the town, 
 for the purpose of collecting a few persons together, and 
 talking, and praying with them. The first evening at Mr. 
 
 C 's we had a solemn, weeping time, and so it continued, 
 
 until nearly all who attended there were indulging a hope. 
 The effect upon the Church was visible; all the meetings 
 became more solemn and more interesting, and so it con- 
 tinues to this hour ; and now we have the prospect of a 
 considerable addition to our Church. Our communion 
 will be on next Sabbath week, and in connexion with it we 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 177 
 
 Attacked with cerebral Dervoiunew, 
 
 wish to have a four days' meeting, if we can get sullicicnt 
 help. Brother Post and myself have agreed to set apart 
 this day tor fasting and prayer in order to seek the Divine 
 Messing upon that occasion, and to get our own hearts 
 prepared for it. May the Lord help us! " 
 
 Speaking of a nervous affection of the head, which 
 caused him very great mental suffering, such as apprehen- 
 sion of danger, fear of insanity, &c. he says that he " walk- 
 ed into the woods and prayed, and wandered ahout, trying 
 to divert my thoughts for sometime." * * "I helieve, 
 too, that Satan had an agency in suggesting and magnifying 
 unpleasant things to my mind. My experience during the 
 continuance of this affection satisfied me, that I could set 
 no bounds to the misery which the great Author of the 
 human frame could inflict upon us, through the medium of 
 the nervous system alone. When it is excited to a morbid 
 sensibility, and the imagination is set to work under the 
 influence of Satan, it may produce a hell upon earth. Bles- 
 sed be the Lord my God, for He hath heard my supplication 
 and delivered me from all my fears." "Nature," said Pay- 
 son, " cannot long hold out under what I endure : and I 
 trust that ere many years I shall be safe in the grave, where 
 ' the wicked cease from troubling and the weary are at rest.' 
 If, meanwhile, I may be preserved from insanity, and from 
 wounding the cause of Christ, by falling into open wicked- 
 ness, it is all I ask for, and perhaps more than I have any 
 reason to expect." 
 
 " Mr. an inveterate moralist, or rather pharisee, 
 
 could not bear the idea that he must be saved in the same 
 way, and as really needed a change of heart, as gross sin- 
 ners. After he was convicted, he quit cavilling on this sub- 
 ject, and about the heathen, and confessed that he was an 
 old sinner, a great sinner, &,c, and appeared as humble as 
 a little clrild, and desired to be instructed in the first prin- 
 ciples of his duty. His language was ' Lord what wilt thou 
 have me to do,' " 
 
 " Miss a Catholic, had thought she was a sinner, 
 
178 MEMOIR OF 
 
 1 i lie work. 
 
 and had been under impressions for many months; hut last 
 Sabbath evening, while Bitting oh the anxious seat, she 
 suddenly had such a \ iew of her sins that, to u-e her own 
 expression, she was ' left without hope, without faith, with- 
 out any thing, and fell as it' sinking into hell.' Her coun- 
 tenance and manner indicated this : she said ' ( Mi pray for 
 in". Oh !>■ j for me.' in a icw moments she cast herself 
 upon Christ, and found rest and peace to her soul. She 
 was thou convinced tint she had never been willing to come 
 to Christ before. She had been praying, &c. so long that 
 si..' began to conclude there was no reality in religion, or 
 she would have found it." 
 
 " Oct. •">. — In answer to prayer, the Lord sent us brothers 
 Patterson, and Danforth, and Post, to assist at our four 
 days' meeting. There was much praying, and incessant 
 activity among Ministers and Christians to bring souls to 
 Christ: and verily the Lord did not suffer us to labor in 
 vain. Thirty persons were added to the communion of 
 this Church, and five v ir thirty-two more ; the for- 
 
 mer had been awakened, and nearly all hopefully converted 
 before the meeting commenced ; but the litter were generally 
 awakened and many hopefully converted during the meeting, 
 and the following week. For some weeks we had occasion- 
 ally invited anxious persons to come forward to a seat appro- 
 priated to them, and we continued this practice through 
 tins meeting with the best effect." 
 
 The writer can testify to the power* and majesty of this 
 work, as he had the pleasure of participating in the holy 
 solemnities, and witnessing the spiritual triumphs of that 
 occasion. It was a great and good work. Its remem- 
 brance will not only be sweet in life, but cheering in death, 
 and grateful to the soul, as from its high employment in 
 Heaven, it takes a a retrospective glance to what on earth 
 assisted it in preparing for its peaceful and blessed home. 
 An interesting general sketch of this four days' meeting 
 
 * Some of the keepers of the taverns complained bitterly of this revival, as diminish- 
 ing the amount of their receipts for liquor. One tavern-keeper said his custom had 
 sustained a loss of about $1K), such a rage was there for temperance ! Another said, 
 " we must drive Walton out of town, or tee shall lose our custom" 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 170 
 
 Interchange between the Congregation*, 
 
 was published in the New York Ob server of Nov. 1, 1828, 
 in the form of a letter from ;m intelligent layman, provi- 
 dentially in the place at the time, who had never witnessed 
 a similar scene.* It was the first meeting of the kind the 
 writer knows of in the Atlantic churches. 
 
 On one occasion, Mr. Walton, the pastor, and many of his 
 communicants went over, after their own service, and com- 
 muned at the Lord's table with their brethren of the First 
 Church. There was mutual satisfaction ; it was a heavenly 
 scene, and many shed tears of gratitude and joy. The 
 pastors preached, each in the church of the other, on Sat- 
 urday and Sabbath. 
 
 " Oct. 12. — Brother says that after he obtained 
 
 relief by submission to Christ, he lost bis peace, and was 
 much troubled for several days — he was conscious of being 
 unwilling to pray in his family — it was a cross — it burdened 
 his conscience, grieved the Holy Spirit. Just at that time 
 I preached — doubtless directed by the Divine influence — 
 from these words, ' / am with you saitk the Lord.' It 
 suited his case exactly; he now had courage to begin, and 
 has enjoyed increasing pleasure in religion ever since; has 
 had some most happy seasons." 
 
 " Friday, Oct. 24. — This evening twenty-six persons met 
 at my bouse and related what the Lord had done for their 
 souls. Their exercises were peculiarly clear and satisfac- 
 tory ; nearly all trace back their convictions or their deci- 
 sive impressions to the four days' meeting; and a consider- 
 able number spoke of the happy effect, which going for- 
 ward to the anxious se::ts had upon them." 
 
 " Tuesday, Get. 28. — I find that Christians enjoyed last 
 Sabbath evening to a high degree; some say they never had 
 such feelings and views before; some say they feel as if 
 they were just beginning to live. I hear of new proofs of 
 the engagedness of the members — going out to the high- 
 ways and hedges, &x. ; some went up to the West end. 
 The Wednesday night meetings have been already blest. 
 Some of the young female members have lately agreed to 
 meet alone and pray for their fathers and for others, and last 
 
 * See Appendix. 
 
180 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Early i rayer. A young Catholic. 
 
 Monday evening they had a most interesting meeting. 
 Since Sabbath we hive ascertained that about half a dozen 
 have made up their minds to serve the Lord and have hope 
 — some are rejoicing — others are under much concern." 
 
 "Nor. 11. — Rose at 1 (/clock and had a pleasant season 
 in prayer; feel my soul humbled and strengthened by com- 
 munion with God, and more devoted to Him and to his 
 cause than 1 ever was before. This feeling has been 
 increasing for some time past. I was led to pray this morn- 
 ing lor our country in all her interests — especially that the 
 Lord would direct those events which have a bearing upon 
 the presidential election, and overrule all so as to promote 
 his own glory and the cause of religion; also that He 
 would raise up many ministers of the right spirit, and with 
 suitable qualifications to preach the Gospel to every crea- 
 ture. I have felt desires lately, more than ever, that the 
 Lord would break down those walls which separate the 
 Churches of Christ, especially in this town, and give to 
 them a spirit of co-operation." 
 
 " Nov. 1!). — Miss P was awakened by a few words 
 
 I spoke to her alter the lecture on the preceding Thursday 
 evening. 1 did not know her at the time, and had totally 
 forgotten the circumstance." 
 
 " Yesterday evening a youth came to my house, and 
 in a very earnest and frank manner said, ' Mr. Walton, 
 I have come to receive your instructions. I have been 
 a Catholic — was confirmed about a week or two ago, 
 but I have been reading the history of Andrew Dunn, and 
 it has led me to see that T am all wrong. The example of 
 
 Mr. with whom I live, has made a strong impression 
 
 upon my mind — I see he is a good man — 1 see no such 
 religion among the Catholics — I believe I am as wood as 
 
 to a o 
 
 most of them, and I know I am very wicked, but 1 want to 
 be good ; and to understand the scriptures,' — and a good 
 deal more he said." 
 
 " This afternoon conversed with a Mrs. who appears 
 
 to have experienced a change. For nine years she never 
 entered a Church, and at length she says, she hated the 
 very name of Church. But within the last five weeks she 
 has experienced a happy change. She has long had to 
 struggle with heavy trials; to support a drunken, deranged 
 husband, and she thought that as her sins had not been 
 great, her sufferings and trials here would be a sufficient 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 181 
 
 The work extends to Washington. Necessitj <.i ;i liolj Influence there. 
 
 punishment; bul she was not entirely easy. Now she says 
 site would rather be in her situation with the hope of the 
 gospel, than to have the wealth of Croesus, or the whole 
 world, and be as she was five weeks ago." 
 
 Is there a spectacle on earth, which for moral beauty 
 can be compared with that of which a sketch is given in 
 the following extract ? 
 
 " Nov. '2'2. — Airs. R , in consequence of the pecu- 
 liar blessings bestowed upon her family, set apart this day 
 for thanksgiving and prayer, and called together her neigh- 
 bors and friends, saying, * rejoice with me for I have found 
 my children who were lost. They were all called upon to 
 relate what the Lord had done for their souls. We then had 
 three prayers. This evening the company was enlarged. 
 We bad quite a room full and spent the time very pleasantly. 
 All were members of the Church except two or three little 
 children, and all appeared to be happy in religion." 
 
 In consequence of the revival of religion and the multi- 
 plication of converts in Alexandria, similar efforts were 
 made in Washington, with happy results. Among these 
 results, was the formation of the Fourth Presbyterian 
 Church in that city, where many, many souls have been 
 born into the kingdom of Christ. The influence of the 
 revivals of that winter was felt to the very seats of power, 
 and it was believed among Christians, that important 
 restraints were thrown by the Spirit of God around public 
 men, at a time when party spirit ran high, and almost threat- 
 ened the destruction of the government. Congress is a 
 kind of great political gulf that almost swallows up every 
 thing good, spiritual, and holy, and hence the formidable 
 difficulties with which Christians and Christian ministers 
 have to contend in that region. The prayers of all Ameri- 
 can Christians should continually ascend on their behalf. 
 
 Mr. Walton was called to assist in protracted meetings 
 both at Washington and in Baltimore. " Brother Nevins 
 16 
 
182 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Called in similar meetings in Baltimore. 
 
 and Brcckenridgo were present," he saya at the mooting in 
 Baltimore. " Some interesting cases of conversion, occur- 
 red — upwards of sixty appeared determined to seek salva- 
 tion, and the Church were much awakened. 
 
 During this visit, Mr. Walton, with a kind of parental 
 liberality, subscribed $300 towards extinguishing the 
 Church debt of his former society, and obtained from a 
 Christian friend $50 more, besides a promise from him 
 to render them additional aid by way of exertion. 
 
 "Dec. 26. — This day most of oar members have set 
 apart for fasting and prayer. It is the beginning of our 
 communion season." At this communion nine were ad- 
 mitted to the Church. Thus closed the year — a ' year of 
 the right hand of the Most High;' lal orious, lint delightful 
 for the pastor, who had been continually engaged in gather- 
 ing in Christ's lambs, and preparing many crowns of rejoi- 
 cing for the great day of the Lord. 
 
 " Oh that each in t ho day 
 
 Of his coming may say, 
 
 I have fought my way through ; 
 
 I have finished the work thou did'st give me to do. 
 
 Oh that each from his Lord, 
 
 May rm |ve the glad word, 
 
 ' Well and faithfully done ! 
 
 Enter into my joy, and ail down on my throne ! ' '' 
 
 It may be proper here to subjoin one or two letters 
 written by our departed friend during the year 1828, so 
 distinguished for ministerial success, and cheerful, happy 
 obedience to the commands of his Lord and Master. The 
 last in the series is from a gentleman of original mind, who 
 was a subject of the revival in Alexandria. It contains 
 valuable hints for the use of those, who would do good. 
 
 " Alexandria, Aug. 23, 1828. 
 " Dear Brother, 
 
 " I acknowledge that I am now indebted to you a long 
 letter, but at present you must accept of a short one. I 
 need not tell you my hands are full. My engagements are 
 
WILLIAM C.WALTON. 183 
 
 Letter descriptive '>i bli E 
 
 indeed very numerous and pressing, so much so that I have 
 lately been seriously affected by my incessant exertion. 
 My nervous system rec< ived a violent shock — or perhaps it 
 W8£ the natural effect of loner continued excitement. It 
 was overstrained. 1 suffered unspeakably, and yet so inter- 
 esting was the state of the congregation at the time, that I 
 did not neglecl one meeting, although every effort appeared 
 to be risking all that is precious in the faculties of the 
 mind. It seemed as if reason \v:;s sometimes tottering 
 upon its throne. My experience was such, that I am now 
 fully convinced that we can set no hounds to the misery 
 which God could inflict upon a human being through the 
 medium of the nervous system alone. Sometimes I thought 
 it would be absolutely necessary to leave town and wander 
 away at random any where, no difference where, provided 
 my mind could enjoy a state of entire relaxation. I was 
 urged to take a voyage. But such was the state of things 
 in the congregation that I could not leave them. The 
 result has been more favorable than any one acquainted with 
 my case could have anticipated. My nerves have hecome 
 comparatively steady in the midst of labor and excitement, 
 and my health in other respects is about as good as usual. 
 It would be scepticism not to acknowledge the good hand 
 of God in all this. And blessed be His Name, this is not 
 the only mercy. He is pouring out His Spirit upon my 
 people, and blessing my poor labors to the salvation of souls. 
 I could fill two or three sheets with details ; but my nephew 
 can give you all the information you want." 
 
 Alexandria, Sept. 30, 1828. 
 " My dear Sister, 
 
 Although it is now nearly midnight, I will take a few 
 moments to write to you ; not doubting, but that it will 
 give you joy to hear what the Lord is doing among us. 
 Last Sabbath week we admitted thirty to our communion. 
 It was the most solemn time we have ever had. Since 
 then, about thirty more have experienced a happy change, 
 and are now rejoicing in God their Saviour, and I presume 
 there are between thirty and fifty who are anxious; twenty 
 one came out and took the anxious seat this evening at a 
 prayer meeting — one was blest — two or three were blest 
 last night, and four on last Sabbath evening. The Lord is 
 
184 M e m o in of 
 
 Letter rram ■ convert. 
 
 indeed appearing in His glory to build up Zion here, and 
 we think the work is bnlj begun. Our four days' meeting 
 was greatly blest. Brother Patterson and Danforth from 
 Philadelphia, and brother Posl from Washington were with 
 us. We commenced on last Thursday evening week, and 
 we have bad meetings everj evening since thai time, and 
 more praying than we have ever bad before in the same 
 lenjxth of time. Small circles of male- and females get 
 together, each separately, and pray frequently. To mor- 
 row night we have appointed five meetings in different parts 
 of the town. We call upon those who are determined to 
 seek salvation, to come forward to a seat appropriated for 
 them, when we converse and pray with them. This meas- 
 ure has been attended with the happiest effect. The work 
 is spreading — a number of Christians from Washington 
 came over to attend our late meeting, and have returned 
 with such feelings as have kindled a fire in that cold city ; 
 there is already the beginning of a revival in brother P's 
 congregation." 
 
 Washington, Nov. 7, 1828. 
 " Dear Sir, 
 
 I need not assure you that our late interviews have left a 
 most pleasing recollection upon my mind. I have associa- 
 ted your image with its best and holiest exercises. I trust 
 that our good Master has made you to me a messenger of 
 peace and an instrument of blessing; and you well know 
 what sort of affection that ever produces in a renewed 
 heart. I write now to tell you of a little plan I have adopt- 
 ed for my own use, and to suggest the inquiry whether it 
 might not be advantageous to others. I am persuaded that 
 many of our prayers fail of receiving such an answer as 
 we could desire, from our own neglect to expect and wait 
 for an answer. We make the prayer, and that is the end 
 of the matter; we even forget what we asked — how then can 
 we say with David ' I will wait and look up'? Now I 
 have thought that one help toward preventing this, would 
 be to keep a memorandum of things prayed for. This 
 would have an influence in rendering our prayers more defi- 
 nite — in fixing them more deeply on- our memory and feel- 
 ings, and hence rendering us more anxious and importu- 
 nate, and prompting us the more to accompany our prayers 
 with corresponding efforts, without which they partake of the 
 
WILLIAM C . WALTON 
 
 185 
 
 A plail for >:i\ in;; ii BOUl, 
 
 character of blasphemy. Willi ;i view to these ends 1 have 
 made myself what I denominate a Record of Prayer. It 
 consists of three parts : I. A memorandum of the date of 
 tin- prayers. 2. A record of i In- exertions accompanying 
 them; and ^5. Of the result in Providence. Fur example: 
 I set my heart on the conversion of a certain individual. 
 His name is then inserted on the top of one of the pages 
 of my record, like an account in a leger. la the left hand 
 columns I note my prayers for that object, minuting the 
 place and time. In the next column, a memorandum fol- 
 lows of conversations, (riving of Tracts, invitations to 
 meeting, prayers with him, and little schemes to entrap las 
 soul for truth and heaven. Then comes the most interest- 
 ing and solemn part of the record in the apparent conse- 
 quences. Would not such a record, if in the hands of every 
 praying man, incite him to duty, and make him a watcher 
 of Providence i " 
 
 FOR PETER CARELESS 
 
 Prayers. 
 
 Efforts. 
 
 Oct. 6. — Alone. 
 
 Oct. 8. — In prayer 
 
 meeeting. 
 Oct. 9.— Alone. 
 
 Oct. 12.— Inch'ch. 
 
 Oct. 14. — Alone ; 
 with much lib- 
 erty. 
 
 Oct. 15. — Alone ; 
 and also in fami- 
 ly worship. 
 
 1G* 
 
 Talked to him 
 with caution. 
 
 Gave him Tract 
 No. G. 
 
 Inquired of his 
 brother George as 
 to the effect. 
 
 Find he doubts 
 the truth of eternal 
 punishment ; 
 him Tract No. 1-3. 
 
 Called on him 
 and had a close 
 conversation. 
 
 Called again and 
 prayed with him. 
 
 Engaged A. B. 
 and C. D. to pray 
 for him. 
 
 He was civil, but 
 cold. 
 
 He shuns me. 
 
 He looks unhap- 
 py- 
 Disputed warmly 
 i-t God's jus- 
 tice to sinners. 
 
 He begins to 
 read. 
 
 He attends the 
 anxious meeting. 
 
 He is under deep 
 concern. 
 
1H0 
 
 
 MEMOIR OF WALTON. 
 
 
 
 Result of the endeavor. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Prayers. 
 
 Efforts. 1 
 
 Results. 
 
 
 October 20.— In 
 prayer meeting. 
 
 Oct. 21.— Alone, 
 twice this day. 
 
 Lent him Dod 
 dridge's Rise and 
 Progress. 
 
 Helped him to 
 begin family wor- 
 ship. 
 
 Explained the 
 nature of church 
 membership. 
 
 Yours, &c 
 
 He is in great 
 doubts. 
 
 He has obtained 
 full relief and re- 
 joices. Sets out in 
 a Christian course. 
 
 Peter Careless 
 admitted to the 
 church this day. 
 
 W. C. Walton." 
 
CHAPTER XI. 
 
 Bishop Hooper. Kcmarkof Addison. 
 
 "Let me abound in good works," said Melancthon, 
 " and I care not who abounds in riches." Whatever con- 
 tributed to the advancement or the retardation of the 
 Redeemer's kingdom, either in his own heart or in the 
 hearts of others, could nut fail to attract the attention of 
 William C. Walton. Of Hooper it was said, that '" he had 
 a sound judgment and a good conscience, was sparing 
 of his diet and his words, but still more so of his time, yet 
 was hospitable and liberal." The description is exact 
 when applied to our beloved brother. Whether he eat or 
 drank, or whatever he did, it seemed to be for the glory of 
 God. He was no jester. He was a serious man. " It must 
 indeed be confessed, that levity of temper takes a man off 
 his guard, and opens a pass to his soul for any temptation 
 that assails it. It favors all the approaches of vice, and 
 weakens all the resistance of virtue. For which reason, a 
 renowned statesman in Queen Elizabeth's days, after having 
 retired from court and public business, in order to give 
 himself up to the duties of religion, when any of his old 
 friends used to visit him, had still this word of advice in 
 his mouth, ' Be serious.' * * * A man should 
 
188 MEMOIR OF 
 
 
 Writes Theological Treatises. 
 
 Where at home. 
 
 not live as if there wera n<> God in the world, nor at the 
 same time, as if" then' were no men ill it."* 
 
 The subject ofthis memoir lived and labored for eternity. 
 Each revolving pear was diligently improved, and whether 
 with greater or less apparent success, still he was contri- 
 ving ways of doing something to promote holiness, destroy 
 sin, and glorify God, and that in the midst of severe, if not 
 peculiar 'rials. 
 
 "March 29, 1829.— Yesterday, (Sabbath,) I was carried 
 through the duties of the sanctuary in a manner quite 
 beyond my expectations. I had much liberty and feeling, 
 and others felt along with me. At nig it 1 retired much 
 exhausted, and found that I had not recovered from that 
 nervous affection which almost killed me last fall. J feel it 
 most sensibly when weakened by excitement, and when I 
 hear of any disaster happening to others.'' 
 
 " I have durin r the last week been emploj ed in preparing 
 one of a series of theological discussions which I design to 
 publish, if I am spared to finish them. Although 1 hive 
 very little time, and that little much int< rrupted, yet I am 
 determined to go on with tliis undertaking, and to do as 
 much as 1 can every week." 
 
 " April 13. — Yesterday, (Sabbath.) we administered the 
 
 sacrament of the Lord's Supper. Brother 1) preiched. 
 
 It was a good time. I tru^t the <■ profit- 
 
 able. Last Friday I attended the Annivi tfthe Bible 
 
 Society of this place, and made a 
 
 attended the Anniversary of the Sunday School Union, and 
 read the report. I still feel out of my element when called 
 to act in such meetings, as I always do in Ecclesiastical 
 bodies. I never feel so much at home as when I am in the 
 pulpit, or in a prayer meeting, or in conversation with sin- 
 ners about the concerns of their souls." 
 
 "The number admitted to the communion of this Church 
 since I came here is now 140. 'Who h th >tten me 
 
 these?' Verily it is the Lord's doing ; and i suae be 
 
 the glory!" 
 
 " April 20. — Yesterday I performed the funeral service 
 
 * Addison. 
 
WILLIAM C . WALTON. 1 80 
 
 Death bed of a < Christian. Work on Divine Sovereignty. 
 
 of our aged and beloved brother Capt. W. II. He retained 
 the entire possession of his faculties to the last. 1 was 
 frequently with him during his illness, and I saw him die. 
 The scene has been a very instructive one to me; and it 
 encourages me in the work in which I am engaged, to see 
 those who have been benefitted by my ministry dying so 
 happily. During the late revival he was deeply interested. 
 His mind was brought more entirely under the influence of 
 the Gospel than ever before. His piety bad appeared to be 
 doubtful, and he was once disciplined by the Church. But 
 since the revival commenced, he has evinced much enga- 
 gedness and much spirituality of mind. He observed to 
 his < hildren, thai since he had received my views of doc- 
 trine, the Scriptures appeared more intelligible to him than 
 ever before, and bis religious character was greatly impro- 
 ved. During his illness his mind was calm, and apparently 
 never obscured by a cloud. He spoke of death with evi- 
 dent satisfaction — sometimes with a smile. He blessed all 
 his children and grand-children, and sent messages to those 
 that were absent ; giving to each admonitions suited to their 
 respective characters. In the evening I preached from 
 these words, ' Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose 
 mind is stayed on thee.' 
 
 " Hearing of the excitement now existing in England 
 among the Dissenters on the subject of revivals, I wrote a 
 long communication which I have sent to-day to the Editor 
 of the London Evangelical Magazine, together with a num- 
 ber of my pamphlets and some other documents, praying 
 that the blessing of God may accompany them." 
 
 This communication was published in the Evangelical 
 Magazine. 
 
 " May 10. — I have been enabled to complete my manu- 
 script on the Doctrine of Divine Sovereignty, &c. just in 
 time to take it on with me to the North; and I trust I do 
 feel sincerely thankful for the light which God has given 
 me on that subject, and for the help obtained from Him in 
 preparing that little volume. When I read it over, it appears 
 to be something beyond my strength ; and I have strong 
 hope of its being, under the Divine blessing, extensively 
 useful. I have often examined my motives in writing it, 
 
190 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Journey to the North. Sickness at Hartford. 
 
 and I feel satisfied thai the greal ruling motive is to 
 
 advance the cause of truth and righteousness. Oilier mo- 
 tives have at times been suggested as I have passed along, 
 but they have uol gained the ascendency; nor do 1 think 
 they have much influence over my habitual feelings. My 
 great desire is i<> be, and to conduct myself among my 
 brethren, as an humble, devoted servant of Jesus Christ. 
 1 have earnestly implored his pre-, rt< e with me during my 
 absence from home, and praj d that He would not leave 
 me to myself, to indulge those motives and feelings which 
 would offend -Him and bring guill upon my own soul. I 
 have often, and this morning < r ! distinctly, and. I hope, 
 unreservedly give up my child eh, and especially my son 
 Willian i am about to take to a school in Massachu- 
 
 setts, to I: rid devote them to His glory — desiring 
 
 nothing for them in comparison of his favor, and that they 
 may know, and love, and serve Him. I have ajso commit- 
 ted my dear wife and family, and church to the care and 
 mercy of God, imploring upon them all every blessing that 
 Infinite Wisdom may see best for them." 
 
 "June 12. — I have lately returned from my journey to 
 the North. It has be. n a trying time to me. I was taken 
 sick in Hartford, Conn, and confined for a week : had sev- 
 eral slight i n travellin torated blood several 
 times, often in a state of extreme weakness and nervous 
 agitation, I suffered unsj bad little prospect of 
 recovery; my mind was constantly — while the fever lasted 
 — disposed to dwell upon the dark side; to think of cases 
 which 1 had known, or which I had heard of, that had ter- 
 minated fatally, and to fancy that mine was likely to termi- 
 nate in the same way. When such an idea would strike 
 me — and this was very often — it agitated my whole system. 
 My reason was not impaired — but it had not strength to 
 resist these suggestions, and I had many sore conflicts of 
 this nature. Sometimes I could do nothing but pray, or 
 repeat a passage of Scripture, and hang upon that. The 
 one which 1 repeated most frequently was, ' Sufficient unto 
 the day is the evil thereof.' Such a state of the nervous 
 system gives Satan a great advantage over the mind, and he 
 can, if permitted, torture and worry a Christian most awfully. 
 I know enough of the physical constitution of man, to know 
 that the imagination may sometimes produce the very dis- 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 191 
 
 V isilH Old I'.iinl < 'uinliirt. 
 
 cares which arc. painfully apprehended, and this increaei d 
 my danger. I was aware of it, and it agitated me still 
 more. 1 have often felt this at other times ; and very little 
 can be done hy reasoning against it. Nothing but an 
 Omnipotent arm can support the individual who is thus 
 mult r the power of nervous excitement. I cried unto the 
 Lord, ae.d I believe he heard me, and delivered me from all 
 my fears. In travelling 1 had frequenl returns of great 
 weakness, and sometimes of fever. This would generally 
 affect my nervous system in the same way. 1 felt as if a 
 very little more would crush me. Hut the Lord has brought 
 me home, and preserved and blest my family in my absence. 
 And here with humble gratitude 1 would erect my Ebene- 
 zer, saying, Hitherto hath the Lord helped me." 
 
 During this journey, he was rejoiced to hear from differ- 
 ent ministers, that his pamphlet on revivals had been blest 
 as a means of three or four revivals within their knowledge. 
 'In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold 
 not thy hand, for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, 
 either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike 
 good.' 
 
 In the month of July, he visited Old Point Comfort, to 
 recruit, if possible, his exhausted powers, by means of the 
 sea-air and sea-bathing, With the usual imprudence of 
 zealous and devoted men in matters of bodily health, he 
 preached on both Sabbaths during his absence, and thus 
 counteracted whatever salubrious influences were improving 
 his health. To relieve his health and spirits, he commen- 
 ced writing a small book, called Dialogues on the Ten 
 Commandments, which he completed and sent to the press 
 after his return. 
 
 " I have a hope," says he, " that this little work will, by 
 the blessing of God, be made very useful to the rising gene- 
 ration." 
 
 " July 25. — I have lately had strong desires to be exten- 
 sively useful, and under a deep sense of my un worthiness, 
 
102 HEMOIR OF 
 
 • 1 1 < >ui correspond ince. 
 
 to be employed as an instrument of good. I have entreated 
 the Lord to Bpare rnej and forgive my man] sins, and make 
 use of me as an instrument of accomplishing great good. 
 I had this exercise in an unusual degree while residing in 
 Washington City. I believe that He is able to restore me 
 to health, and to im igorate both body and mind, and to open 
 fields of usefulness before me, and to enable me to cultivate 
 them to I li< glorj ." 
 
 "■July 31. — Li>t Sabbath I forgot myself and preached 
 one hour and a quarter : perspired very profusely — lost my 
 appetite — and was very near having a chill after dinner. 
 Attended a funeral at half-past three, and a prayer meeting 
 at four o'clock, and preached at night with unusual lib- 
 erty." 
 
 A remark made by our brother in reference to one of the 
 bodily attacks to which he was exposed/ ought not perhaps 
 to be here omitted : "I experienced just now what I had 
 often experienced before, much benefit to my body, as well 
 as to my soul, from the exercise of irrcstling in prayer." 
 
 Some extracts from the correspondence of Mr. Walton 
 with eminent ministers at home and abroad, may here be 
 appropriately introduced. 
 
 To Dr. mil of Winchester. 
 
 Alexandria, Aug. 5, 1829. 
 " Rev. and Dear Sir, 
 
 Since my return from the North, at the request of Mr. 
 Bacon, who was here establishing an Infant School, I have 
 written another little work for Infant and Sabbath Schools 
 in dialogues. It is, I presume, published by this time, but 
 I have not yet received any copies of it. Thus you see, 
 that although I have given up the practice of writing ser- 
 mons, I still retain my fondness for the pen. It has often 
 been my earnest prayer, that the Lord would teach me in 
 what way I may do most for the advancement of his cause, 
 and I think I have been led in this way ; and I find that so 
 far from lessening the usefulness of my preaching, by wri- 
 ting other things instead of sermons, my preaching has 
 never before been so much blessed. The revival has pro- 
 
WIT, IjIAM C.WALTON. 103 
 
 Letter to Dr. Hill. From Dr. Rico. 
 
 grossed among us until nearly all who attend our Church 
 have hecoine professors of religion ; at least, the proportion 
 of non-communicants is so small, that if they were to leave 
 the church, they would not be much missed. We want, as 
 Mr. N. expresses it, a new crop. By the way, J saw 
 Mr. N. when I was at Hartford. J was confined there l>y 
 sickness for a week, during which time he visited me dairy ; 
 and although I could only get out to hear him preach once, 
 I heard much of his interesting conversation. There was a 
 revival in Hartford, and he expected to remain there some 
 time. I took my little son to the Mount Pleasant Gymnas- 
 tic Institution, with which I was highly pleased. It is loca- 
 ted at Amherst, in Massachusetts. I was much interested 
 with almost every thing that characterizes New England, 
 and I could fraternize delightfully with their evangelical 
 clergy. * * * 
 
 We arc surrounded with comforts ; not the least of them 
 is the sight of so many monuments of Divine grace, saved 
 by our unworthy instrumentality. Nearly 150 members 
 have been added to our church since I came here ; and 
 there are still some inquirers. 
 
 Yours affectionately, 
 
 W. C. Walton." 
 
 From Dr. J. H. Rice. 
 
 Union Seminary, Aug. 21, 1829. 
 " My Brother Walton, 
 
 * * * In regard to the matter of bringing for- 
 ward men in an irregular way, on which you consulted me, 
 my opinion is this, that the Presbyteries ought continually 
 to hold up before the young sons of the church, a high 
 standard of intellectual attainment ; and let them feel that 
 they must come up to it. Yet as our book allows the exer- 
 cise of a discretionary power in extraordinary cases, I think 
 that Presbyteries, using proper precautions, ought to feel 
 themselves at liberty to act in conformity to this provision. 
 The harvest is great, but the laborers are few. If then, 
 men of a very high standard of piety, of good minds, of 
 prudence and respectable attainments, giving evidence too 
 of a strong desire of improvement, seek the ministry, I am 
 of opinion that Presbyteries ought to encourage them to 
 17 
 
194 MEMOIR or 
 
 Letter from Dr Speece. 
 
 come forward ; take the direction of them ; and nfter keep- 
 ing them on trial long enough to make thorough proof of 
 their aptness to teach, if they be not wanting in the impor- 
 tant qualifications of a minister, to license them to preach. 
 And this, although they cannot go to the Seminary and 
 take a regular course. 
 
 In general, however, we wish those who come to us, to 
 come resolved to stay three years. Lads are very anxious 
 to get out, and try their hand in preaching; and often they 
 do so, before they are ready. After a while, they wish to 
 come back and study longer. But their successors do not 
 often profit by their experience. * * * 
 Your's most affectionately, 
 
 J. II. Rice." 
 
 From Rev. Conrad Sj 
 
 Augusta, Va., Sept. 30, 1829. 
 " Dear Brother, 
 
 About a week ago, on my way to a meeting of our Pres- 
 bytery, I received your letter of the 15th inst., and the vol- 
 ume which accompanied it. Until I <, rf) t home, it was out 
 of my power to read the book, small as it is; but 1 have 
 now read it, and sit down to give you some account of the 
 impression which it made upon my mind. 
 
 The composition is perspicuous, neat, and spirited; and 
 I do not see how any one could, in so narrow a compass, 
 have given a more comprehensive view of the subjects 
 which you have discussed. As to the sentiments, they 
 are completely mine, and have been so for at least five and 
 twenty years. 1 acquired them from a good deal of reading, 
 combined with some thinking; and especially, as I believe, 
 from the writings of the excellent Andrew Fuller. These 
 principles I take to be very generally held and inculcated 
 by our ministers in Virginia; at the risk of being branded, 
 by certain of our Northern brethren, as Ilopkinsians; 
 which, however, is a trifle lighter than air, provided we 
 have truth on our side. For my part, I have no conception 
 how the gospel of Christ can be either preached or received 
 with consistency and advantage, where materially different 
 apprehensions are cherished of the sovereignty of God, and 
 the moral responsibility of man. * * * 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 195 
 
 Prom Rev. H. F. Burden 
 
 Will you allow me without giving you pain, to ask 
 whether you do not overrate the ignorance of our preach- 
 ers, for whom you seem mainly to have written, hy the 
 implication that they are not already substantially acquaint- 
 ed with the doctrines and arguments which you have advan- 
 ced? Be this as it may, I wish that thousands of the peo- 
 ple would read your treatise, with their considering caps 
 well fastened ahout their heads. 
 
 I rejoice to learn that God has so largely hlessed your 
 labors in his cause. In this valley, with no exception, so 
 far as I know, we are involved in a long, dreary spiritual 
 winter. There is much preaching; and the truth is 
 preached faithfully. Perhaps we are deficient in our con- 
 versational ministrations. Deeply deficient we must be in 
 the great duty of fervent, persevering prayer for the effusion 
 of the life giving Spirit of God. * * * 
 Your's in all brotherly affection, 
 
 Conrad Speece." 
 
 From Rev. II. F. Burder, of Iligliburg College, England. 
 
 Hackney, Nov. 4, 1829. 
 " Rev. and Dear Sir, 
 
 Accept my grateful acknowledgments for your very 
 friendly and interesting letter, and for the valuable little 
 volume by which it was : ccompanied. In the general 
 strain of your remarks I perfectly and cordially coincide, 
 and cannot but attach great importance to the views on 
 which you justly lay so muc ! stress. I think it is of the 
 utmost importance to urge i pon the unbeliever his direct 
 and awful responsibility, and am in the habit of endeavor- 
 ing to do this constantly in the discharge of my ministry. 
 * * * May the Spirit of God render your book 
 extensively useful. I have been much interested in reading 
 some discourses of your countryman, Dr. Griffin, who 
 maintains the same views and with great strength of argu- 
 ment. 
 
 I had the pleasure of receiving, a year ago I think, your 
 Narrative of a Revival. 1 was very much struck and im- 
 pressi 1 with it, and inserted an extract from it in the Evan- 
 gelical Magazine. No subject interests me more deeply. 
 We are longing and praying for similar effusions of the 
 Holy Spirit. Perhaps, among us, the indications of a gen- 
 
190 MEMOIR OF 
 
 State of 1 4-liiiion in England. 
 
 uine Revival would not be precisely of the same character. 
 Perhaps there would be varieties, growing out of differences 
 in our national character, and the peculiar state of society 
 among us. Already not a lew of our ministers and church- 
 es perceive symptoms which are highly encouraging — an 
 increased attendance on Divine ordinances — more fixed and 
 serious attention — more of the spirit of prayer — a greater 
 number of instances of true conversion, and a more prom- 
 ising state of feeling among the young. About a hundred 
 have been added to our church here in the last two years, 
 and we have between two and three hundred young per- 
 sons in the Bible classes. Pray for us, my dear sir, that 
 the Spirit may be poured out upon us from on high ! It 
 will give us peculiar pleasure to be favored with your cor- 
 respondence on these interesting subjects, although my pas- 
 toral engagements, added to those at Highbury College, 
 leave me but little time for writing. Wishing you the best 
 of all spiritual blessings, and hoping again to hear from you, 
 I am, my dear brother in the Lord 
 Your's very cordially, 
 
 II. F. BlJRDKR." 
 
 We return to some extracts from the diary : 
 
 "Aug. 12. — Still much indisposed and very feeble — know 
 not what to do, but feel as if I could not live long. The 
 prospect at least appears very unfavorable. I am trying to 
 get into that state of mind, in which my comfort shall not 
 depend upon the prospect of my continuing in this world. 
 I know that I ought to hud my happiness in doing and in 
 submitting to the will of God. I know that He will spare 
 me until I shall have accomplished what lie has for me to 
 do, and when that is done, I ought to rejoice in giving 
 place to others, who may do a great deal more for the cause 
 of Christ than 1 can ever do; and I ought to have a desire 
 to depart and to be with Christ, which is far better than any 
 situation in which I can be placed in this world. This I 
 sometimes feel in a small degree, and I think I feel more 
 and more drawn towards Heaven, as the delightful home of 
 my soul. Lord ! make me cheerful under my afflictions, and 
 help me to glorify thee both living and dying. Amen ! " 
 
 "One night last week, I had a dreadful conflict. If at 
 such times the Lord were to forsake me and let the devil 
 
WILLIAM C.WALTON. 107 
 
 Letter to his nephew. 
 
 loose upon ine, I think I could not survive long. There is 
 nothing on this side of hell which 1 deprecate so much. 
 But thanks be to God, He does not forsake me; but ena- 
 bles me to stay myself upon Him, which keeps me firm, like 
 one holding hy an immoveable rock in the midst of a whirl- 
 wind. During the whole of my indisposition, I have gen- 
 erally enjoyed more of the spirit of prayer than I think I 
 had ever enjoyed before. I seldom retire in the morning, 
 at noon, or in the evening, without becoming somewhat 
 engaged and interested in the duty so as to enjoy it. At 
 noon I generally pray more particularly for our church and 
 for the salvation of sinners." 
 
 " Wednesday, Nov. 3. — Our four days' meeting last month 
 has been followed by good results. The prospect is bright- 
 ening. Some souls have experienced a change, and others 
 are inquiring. Christians, too, appear to be awake, and 
 to feel much for the salvation of souls. I trust the Lod has 
 more people in this city." 
 
 " Alexandria, Nov. 25, 1829. 
 
 " My Dear Nephew, 
 
 * * * By the blessing of God, our family are all well. 
 For some weeks, i. e. since our last four days' meeting, I 
 have had an inflammation in my throat, which obstructed my 
 speaking so much, that I began to think my labors in the 
 ministry had come nearly to a close. During that time, I 
 received two or three letters from brother P. and brother 
 L. of Philadelphia, urging me to come to that city and to 
 edit the Philadelphian and another little periodical con- 
 nected with it; or at least, to take some part in the busi- 
 ness. At length I concluded to go on and to look at the 
 thing, and to see what were the prospects, &ic. However, 
 
 just before I left home, brother R. and Mr. returned 
 
 from Occoquan, a village sixteen miles from here, where 
 brother M. resides, and gave me such an account of the 
 state of things at that place, that when I got to Baltimore 
 and saw Mr. L. there, I concluded to return and visit 
 Occoquan. I believe it was of the Lord. I found a num- 
 ber of people anxious to hear, and somewhat concerned 
 about their spiritual condition. They crowded our meet- 
 ings, and at the close of the last, which was last Sabbath, I 
 IT* 
 
198 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Interesting scene at Occoquan. 
 
 proposed that all who were determined immediately to seek 
 salvation, should express that determination by going down 
 upon their knees. Instantly there was a sinking to the 
 floor all around to the number of twenty-five or thirtj per- 
 sons! Since that time I understand that six or seven have 
 obtained a hope ; others have been laughed out of their 
 concern. But still the work is going on, and, I hop,', will 
 goon ; though it meets with violent opposition. A minis- 
 ter there, by a little imprudence, might soon bring upon 
 himself something like the fate of Stephen. * * Brother 
 M. has a Sabbath School there of upwards of forty schol- 
 ars. In this school the excitement commenced." * * 
 
 The brother thus useful at Occoquan, the place of his 
 abode, was once an infidel, and through the agency of Wal- 
 ton was snatched from the grasp of the enemy, and by the 
 Spirit of the Lord transformed into u brave soldier of the 
 cross. He was awakened under the celebrated sermon, an 
 account of which is given in the preceding chapter. The 
 man who was the agent in procuring that sermon to be 
 preached, has gone to his dread account! 'I will have 
 mercy on whom 1 will have mercy.' 
 
 "Nov. 20. — I feci spiritually benefitted by reading Dick's 
 Christian Philosopher. It has given me a more exalted 
 conception of the Supreme Being than 1 had before. In 
 comparing the present with the past, I find that I am more 
 habitually under the influence of religion; I have more of 
 that faith which realizes things invisible, and which takes 
 the word of God for just what it says and what it means." 
 
 " Dec. 14. Yesterday evening, (Sabbath,) I was unwell, 
 and never, that I remember, labored under more difficulty 
 in preaching. I was cramped and fettered. I had no 
 clearness of conception no command of language, and what 
 made it worse, I was u:>der the impression while preaching, 
 that every body thought it was a very mean discourse. I 
 was ashamed to come out of the pulpit, and have been 
 ashamed to see people in the street to-day. This is my 
 infirmity. And I am conscious that there is much sin 
 mingled with it, for which I have tried to humble myself 
 before God. This painful experience has, I trust, been in 
 a measure sanctified to me." 
 
WILLIAM C . WALTON. 1 9t) 
 
 die diligent labors. 
 
 lie closed the year in labors abundant, with special exer- 
 tions for the salvation of sinners, in connexion with Rev. 
 Mr. Wilson, of Fredericksburg. Speaking of his visit to 
 that place, he says, " The meeting was on the whole a pleas- 
 ant, and I hope a profitable one. I was strengthened in 
 body, and much assisted in preaching and exhortation, for 
 which 1 felt truly grateful to the 'Giver of every good and 
 perfect gift.' My preaching and exhortation together would 
 amount to at least ten sermons, from Friday until Monday, 
 besides a great deal of conversation." This excessive labor 
 bore hard upon his health ; but the reader is by this time 
 satisfied that Mr. Walton looked upon himself as a " livinu 
 sacrifice," whoso highest honor and purest pleasure con- 
 sisted in being " holy, acceptable to God." To the next 
 important duty of taking care of his own health and perpet- 
 uating his valuable life, he seems to have been insensible. 
 
 This chapter cannot be more usefully closed, than by 
 presenting to the reader the following graphic sketch, by 
 the hand of our lamented friend, of occurrences which took 
 place under his eye, and in which he was deeply engaged : 
 Let it be called 
 
 REMINISCENCES OF A REVIVAL. 
 
 " In one family, all the children, consisting of five daugh- 
 ters, became in succession hopeful subjects of divine grace. 
 The youngest v. is about twelve years of age, and was awak- 
 ened to a sense of her lost condition by being left alone, 
 while her mother and sisters were ail at the Communion 
 Table. It looked like the separation at the judgment seat 
 of Christ. Let others who may be in a similar condition 
 take the hint, and fly to the Saviour in time to make Him 
 their friend. Then, when the door shall be shut, they will 
 be found among those who are ready, and who will partake 
 of the marriage supper of the Lamb. Matth. xxv. 1 — 12. 
 The first of the w bo was brought out of darkness 
 
 into light, and who is still shining among the children of 
 light, heard much about the reason assigned by our Lord, 
 why sinners do not believe in Him. John v. 40. At length 
 
200 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Ki'iiiiiiist'i'iices nl' a rc\ iv;il. 
 
 she reluctantly yielded her assent to the truth, that mnril- 
 Uxkgness on her part was the only obstacle. She admitted) 
 too, that she was guilty in cherishing that state of mind, 
 but there she stuck. How she was to be made willing, was 
 the next question to be solved, and which to her involved 
 a greater difficulty than she had ever before encountered. 
 No words can express the agitations of her mind, while she 
 contemplated the only alternative before her — voluntary 
 submission — or everlasting RUIN. And now came the 
 crisis. The opposition of her heart to the requirements of 
 the gospel, led her to the clear conviction that she was lost 
 and must die without hope, unless God should have mercy 
 upon her and subdue her to Himself. She could no longer 
 object to the doctrine of divine sovereignty in the salvation 
 of sinners, for it was now her only ground of hope. The 
 arm of the Lord was revealed — her opposition gave way — 
 she ventured upon the Saviour, and in so doing found such 
 a change in her feelings, that she could love Him, and trust 
 in Him, and rejoice in His holy Government. 
 
 Another sister, who was very gay, became extremely irri- 
 table under conviction. On a certain occasion, she was 
 much vexed — it was a feeling of proud indignation — at the 
 speaker, for aiming, as she supposed, at her. When the 
 meeting was dismissed, she rushed out of the room as soon 
 as possible, in order to avoid being spoken to, and returned 
 home in a state ofthe most painful excitement. This served 
 to deepen her conviction of the wickedness of her heart. 
 As a man in the consumption feels unwilling to admil that 
 he has that fatal disease, until he expectorates something 
 which settles the question, and decides that he is in a dying 
 condition, so this fair daughter of folly and fashion was 
 extremely reluctant to admit that her heart was desperately 
 wicked, and never would have received that conviction, if 
 God had not in mercy taken off the covering, and exhibited 
 to her view the horrible corruption within. Her distress 
 was intense. She said she felt, until she thought she could 
 feel no more. After doing many things to obtain relief, 
 she said to the Pastor, ' If there is anything else that 1 can 
 do to obtain religion, I do not know what it is. It seems 
 to me that I have done every thing, and yet I cannot get 
 relief.' After preaching one evening, the Pastor went to 
 the pew where she was standing, in order to inquire into 
 her state of mind. That was the critical moment. She 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 201 
 
 Tin 1 convicted ftunlly. 
 
 saw in his countenance an expression of unusual anxiety. 
 She concluded that he was alarmed at her case. She felt 
 that there was just cause for alarm, and trembled so (hat 
 she could scarcely stand. Slie went home — shut herself up 
 in her room — threw herself upon her knees, and there felt 
 for the first time that she was a lost sinner. 'I felt,' said 
 she, ' thai I had been sinning against God, trampling upon 
 His laws, .ind that I was unwilling to submit to Him. I 
 saw that although I bad been praying, reading, and attend- 
 ing meetings in the greatest distress, yet / had done noth- 
 ing right — all was wrong. I was convinced that I must 
 do something tiiat I HAD NEVER vet done. I bad never 
 submitted with all my heart to the Lord. I now made the 
 effort to submit — I tried to pray. When I rose I felt a per- 
 suasion that although 1 was lost, Christ was able and wil- 
 ling to save me. 1 could now trust in Him and surrender 
 myself entirely to Him. Ever since that moment, I have 
 been as happy as 1 can be. After I had experienced this 
 change, I thought I had lost my impressions, but I felt that 
 I could love the Saviour.' " 
 
 " A married sister of the same family had been so much 
 devoted to her children, and cared so little about God or her 
 own soul, that she seldom could be induced to go to church. 
 The change experienced by two of her sisters, however, 
 began to make her uneasy. After considerable distress, she 
 thought she had experienced a change. The reason why 
 she thought so was, that she felt much oppressed with a 
 sense of her ingratitude, which she mistook for repentance ; 
 and besides, she thought she was now willing to change 
 her mode of life and do better. On these accounts she 
 thought the Lord would receive her to favor. During this 
 time she thought she had given up every thing that was sin- 
 ful, and that she was willing to do every thing required. It 
 was not long before she got into darkness and lost all her 
 comfort and all her hope, and now the pride and rebellion 
 of her heart were excited in such a degree as to convince 
 her that she had not submitted to God. Her pious friends, 
 and especially her sisters felt deeply concerned for her, and 
 used every possible means to induce her to attend the meet- 
 ings; but she was unwilling to go, because she said what 
 she heard only hardened her heart, and she thought she 
 knew all that any body could tell her on the subject. Still 
 her friends persevered ; she became irritable, felt that she 
 
202 MEMOIR OP 
 
 Tin- converted family. 
 
 was karrassed and persecuted. One evening at prayer meet- 
 ing, her pride and anger were both excited in a high de- 
 gree. She felt herself degraded by being in such a prayer 
 meeting, and manifesting so much concern on the subject 
 of religion, and was so angry with herself and others, that 
 she would have risen up abruptly and left the house, if she 
 had not been unwilling to take her husband away from the 
 meeting." 
 
 " At length the Pastor, in conversation at her own house, 
 repeated the following words from Dr. Watts' version of the 
 cxvith. Psalm : 
 
 Bow nappy all thy servants an- ! 
 How Rreai thy grace to me! 
 My life, which thou hast made tliy care, 
 Lord I il ivote to iliee ! 
 
 lie asked her if she could say that she would, from that 
 moment, devote herselfto the Lord, whatever might become 
 of her. She said she was resolved to do so. Shefeltsome 
 relief at that time ; but as she had deceived herself once 
 before, she was afraid to trust her feelings. She retired 
 for self-examination and prayer, and soon obtained entire 
 relief, and experienced much joy and peace in believing. 
 
 When her husband returned home, she related her expe- 
 rience to him; and his mind, which bad been shaken before 
 from its resting place, was now convinced that he had alto- 
 gether mistaken the true nature of religion, He had receiv- 
 ed a religious education — was exceedingly moral in his 
 deportment, and thought he had experienced all that was 
 implied in a change of heart. lie thought the change was 
 so gradual in him that it was imperceptible, and thus he 
 quieted his mind, while he regarded every thing beyond the 
 cold, formal routine of external duty, as extravagance or 
 enthusiasm. But now he was convinced that be had no 
 religion. From that time, he became so much distressed 
 that he could scarcely pay any attention to his business. 
 His situation appeared to himself to be peculiarly discour- 
 aging, lie had been so long under the power of delusion, 
 that he thought it had settled him down in a state of feel- 
 ing which could never be changed. But he has found that 
 with God all things are possible. The mountain has been 
 removed I y faith, and by faith he now stands, a wonder to 
 himself, that he was not left under his chosen delusions to 
 perish with a lie in his right hand." 
 
William c . walton. 203 
 
 A hardened itnnei arrested. 
 
 "J. ('. was a hardened -inner, whose very looks seemed 
 to proclaim defiance to Heaven and earth. He had grown 
 old in the service of Satan. He never visited the house of 
 God; hut often spent the Sabbath at work. His temper 
 was irascible in the highest degree, and his language was 
 the dialect of hell, lie cursed his tools, his children, any 
 tiling and every thing that came in his way, when he was 
 angry. One evening as he was passing near the church, 
 the bell began to ring. A strange feeling came over him — 
 ' I must go to church.' Yes, he fell as if something like 
 necessity was laid upon him: he must go. But he resisted the 
 impression and went some distance beyond the church, 
 called tosee a friend and talked awhile; hut he could not 
 get clear of the conviction that he oucrht to go to church, 
 and he was drawn back as by an invisible hand to the house 
 of God, which became the gate of Heaven to his soul. 
 There he began to feel Bolemn, and believe that there is a 
 reality in religion. He came again and again, and soon 
 he was found to be in great distress. This continued a 
 week or two, during which time he was softened down to 
 the meekness and humility of a child. Having obtained a 
 hope in Christ, he could scarcely ever speak of the change 
 which had taken place witiiout weeping. His wife soon 
 experienced a similar change. 
 
 After they became members of the church, a meeting 
 was commenced at their house. The first night the room 
 was full, and so it continued week after week until nearly 
 every individual that attended was indulging a hope ; * so 
 mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.' 
 
CHAPTER XII 
 
 Wnlton visits Occoqiian Opposition. 
 
 In January, 1830, Mr. Walton visited Occoquan, preached 
 to the little church, addressed them on the subject of tem- 
 perance, and purchased a lot for the building contemplated 
 for the use of the Sabbath School, and for public worship. 
 The prospects in that field continued encouraging, not the 
 least evidence of which was the fact, that he was saluted 
 with a howl or two from the foul fiend of darkness. A 
 reward, very appropriate in its character, was offered to 
 any one who would inflict a flagellation on the servant of 
 the Lord. But such threats were neither new nor rare. 
 They remind the author of the case of a certain man whom 
 he knew, advanced too, in years, who, becoming enraged 
 at the truth as it came from the lips of a clergyman, when 
 he saw him passing near his house, ' took up stones,' 
 and hurled them, not, gentle reader, at the innocent man 
 of God, but at the fence! 
 
 Other trials, more sharp, because more directly from his 
 Heavenly Father, such as family sickness, the death of near 
 relations, and his own constitutional sufferings, of which 
 he wrote in parts of his Diary already quoted, these urged 
 him to the unfailing source of light and consolation, to 
 which he had never in vain repaired; making good the dec- 
 laration, 'He shall deliver thee in six troubles; yea, in 
 seven there shall no evil touch thee.' 
 
MEMOIR OF WALTON. 205 
 
 Visit to Virginia. Death of bit mother to taw- 
 
 " March 29, 1830. — In my beat moments i feel thankfu] 
 for them, and the many other afflictive dispensations ofProv- 
 idence, which \ am conscious have been blessings of ines- 
 timable value to my soul. ! have felt, for some time past, 
 in a great measure weaned from this world, and I trust my 
 affections are proportionably set on things above. Although 
 1 am conscious of many lamented infirmities, and sin min- 
 gles wit li all I do, yet I can thank God for the victory lie 
 has given me over sin. W I am not deceived, I can say 
 consistently with the above acknowledgment, that no ini- 
 quity lias dominion over me. My besetting sins have been 
 so far subdued that I can now say — 
 
 'The deare , known, 
 
 hat idol be, 
 Help me to tear it from thy throne, 
 And worship unhj : , 
 
 '•The management of my farm is still a source of diffi- 
 culty when 1 go up to that neighborhood, although while 1 
 am absent from it and at my proper work, I seldom think 
 of it. I am more and more convinced that profi ssional men 
 ought to have nothing to do with farms, but to sell them as 
 soon as possible." 
 
 "June 12. — During my long detention (in Virginia, 
 where he was necessarily called to spend some weeks,) I 
 have been every day exposed to the company of irreligious 
 men. I have daily sought divine grace to enable me to 
 conduct myself with christian and ministerial propriety, 
 and I think the Lord has been with me and kept me from 
 dishonoring His en use, as far as I know. Indeed, I have 
 seen evidence of increasing respect both to myself and to 
 religion. For this I feel thankful, though conscious of 
 many sins, which, without the atoning blood of my Saviour, 
 would sink me to ruin. While in the country, I preached 
 every Sabbath excepting one. One Sabbath I preached 
 twice to the colored people." 
 
 "June27. — On this day week, (Sabbath 20th,) our dear 
 mother * laid down her earthly tabernable, to enter, we trust, 
 into the joys of her Lord. She had suffered apparently all 
 that her constitution could bear; and she sunk, worn out 
 with disease and pain, after an illness of nearly nine weeks. 
 Her mind was clear and collected to the last, and she de- 
 
 * Mrs. Muse. 
 
 18 
 
20(> MEMOIR OF 
 
 Answer to prayer. His love for the pulpit. 
 
 sired to depart and to be with Christ. She was supported 
 l>v His presence and the consolations of His Spirit, and 
 her hope and confidence never failed. I closed her eyes, 
 and blessed the Lord for His goodness and mercy to her, 
 and was enabled to bear my testimony to the excellence of 
 her character, at her funeral. - ' 
 
 Accustomed as our friend was, to watch with a most vig- 
 ilant eye the events of Providence, and to find frequent 
 occasions for the exercise of the most ardent gratitude, the 
 following circumstance must have deeply affected him : 
 
 " Another signal mercy. On our return, our woman who 
 nurses our youngest child, was taken extremely ill at the 
 first stage of our journey. She fainted, and for some time 
 I thought she would die. She recovered so far as to go 
 about five miles further, and there appeared to be so ill, 
 that we had no reason to hope, without something like a 
 miracle, that she would be able to travel any further. If 
 we had left her, it would have been very expensive, and 
 what is more, the child would have suffered, and the mother 
 was so extremely feeble, that she was not able to undergo 
 the fatigue of taking care of it at night. I cried unto the 
 Lord again. I felt that help could come alone from Him. 
 I exercised faith while I repeated the words of the centu- 
 rion — ' Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldst come under 
 my roof, but speak the word oidy and my servant shall be 
 healed.' To my surprise, she was able to come home the 
 next day, and has been improving ever since!" 
 
 But whether in sickness or affliction, in weakness or 
 weariness, his heart was as infallibly drawn towards his 
 pulpit, as the needle to the pole. About the middle of July, 
 he was attacked with a violent fever and agonizing pains 
 to such a degree, as to extort from him involuntary groans, 
 and yet on the following Sabbath, as if in defiance of the 
 disease, he found his way to his beloved pulpit! "It re- 
 mained doubtful whether I should be able to preach until 
 nearly eleven o'clock, as I had taken medicine and was ex- 
 tremely weak. However, I attempted it, although the doc- 
 tor had left positive orders to the contrary, which I did not 
 hear in time. I called on my elders to pray. I preached 
 
W IF, M A M C . WALTON. 207 
 
 Pbyaical exbauation. Faint, yetpuiroing 
 
 about forty-five minutes with increasing strength and feel- 
 ing; but in \ sigh! was so affected, that I could see nothing 
 distinctly a short distance off. I was much assisted in 
 preaching on these words : ' And we know that all things 
 work together for good to them who love God.' I trust it 
 was a word in season to many of my poor afflicted people; 
 and I believe that it is for their sake as well as my own, that 
 the Lord is thus often afflicting me, to teach me how to sym- 
 pathize with them and how to preach to them." 
 
 " I think my many trials have heen blessed to me in this 
 respect, at least, thai the] have led me to look to God con- 
 tinual! v in (>very emergency — to trust in Him for every 
 thing I need, and I now am generally enabled to find relief 
 in so doing. Being thrown so often upon the exercise of 
 faith, has strengthened that grace, and 1 now habitually find 
 the exercise of faith to be a source not of imaginary, but of 
 real comfort. Thus patience workcth experience, and ex- 
 perience hope." 
 
 Sabbath, Aug. 22. — Was much fatigued by preaching 
 this morning. Came home exhausted, without appetite, 
 and have had more or less fever ever since. Attended a 
 meeting this afternoon for sailors — much exhausted; felt 
 as if I could hardly walk home. Have been very much 
 cast down — feel as if I were good for nothing — have no 
 strength of mind or memory to take hold of or to retain any 
 thing, and yet I am now going to attempt to preach from a 
 meagre skeleton, with but a few thoughts collected, and 
 they poorly arranged. May the Lord make His strength 
 perfect in my weakness, and work for His own glory." 
 
 That ' meagre skeleton' was well filled out, and invested 
 with the rich substance of divine truth, so that a number 
 were blest under the sermon. 
 
 "Aug. 30. — Yesterday (Sabbath) I preached from these 
 words — ' Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation.' After- 
 wards had a meeting of the male members of the church 
 for conference and prayer. I found that it was a general 
 impression that the members of the church needed to be 
 revived, and those who were present expressed a willing- 
 
208 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Leltei to b ministerial brother. 
 
 ness to observe a concert of prayer for that purpose, (i. e. 
 renewing our former engagement, which had been forgot- 
 ten or was attended to formally,) and to have a day of fast- 
 ing and prayer." 
 
 Tbe following letter, written to a ministerial brother in 
 
 Virginia, may be here introduced: 
 
 Alexandria, Feb. 24, 1830. 
 
 " Dear Brother, 
 
 I beg you to excuse me for delaying so lon£r to answer 
 your friendly letter of the 3d inst. A part of the time I 
 have been indisposed; and when 1 was able to do anything, 
 was obliged to attend to other pressing engagements. I 
 assure you, it was highly gratifying to receive such a com- 
 munication, and not the less soon account of the strictures 
 it contains on parts of my little volume. For these strict- 
 ures i thank you, and if a second edition should ever be 
 called for, I shall try to profit by them. You are not mis- 
 taken in supposing that I still feel a deep interest in the 
 moral condition of Virginia. I mourn, and have long 
 mourned, over the unpromising condition of many of her 
 churches, and over the many obstacles which exist in her 
 wide domain to the progress of truth and godliness. And 
 1 rejoice at every event that indicates a change for the bet- 
 ter; and among other things, I rejoice ;t your success in 
 Hampshire. May the Lord slil! he with you and bless your 
 labors still more abundantly ! The field yon occupy is 
 wide and important, and you have much rugged work to 
 perform, but 1 trust you will have strength given you equal 
 to the task. It is cheering indeed to see the Lord putting 
 His seal to our unworthy labors, and giving ua from time to 
 time tokens of His gracious acceptance. For my own part, 
 while I feel unfeignedly thankful for the little which I have 
 been enabled to accomplish, I have reason daily to deplore my 
 past negligence, and the many imperfections and sins which 
 still dene to me. The motives to diligence in improving 
 present opportunities and privileges appear to me to be 
 increasing daily. There are many tilings in the events 
 which have recently occurred and which are now passing 
 before our eyes, to admonish us to be instant, in season and 
 out of season, and that the time may soon come when the 
 people will not bear sound doctrine, but after their own 
 
WILLIAM C . WALTON. 20!) 
 
 T1n Protestant. Another visit to ( Iccoqnan. 
 
 lusts shall heap in themselves teachers, such as Frances 
 Wright, having itching ears for something which will not 
 trouble their consciences. Many of our citizens seem to be 
 given up to infatuation. The enemy is coming in from 
 differenl quarters like a Hood: and it' the Lord does not lift 
 up a standard against him, it ma) not he long hefore the 
 churches in tins country may be called to pass through the 
 lire of an infidel or a catholic persecution. 
 
 Have you seen the Protestant? The editor appears to be 
 as well qualified lor contending with the Pope or the devil, 
 as Mr. Hewitt is lor the contest in which he is so success- 
 fully engaged with " king Ruin.'' Do try to get it circu- 
 lated in your region. Its developments of popery are 
 enough to make this whole nation tremble. 
 
 1 understand Dr. Matthews has determined to accept the 
 invitation he has received from Indiana. 1 regret to think 
 that I may probably see his face in this world no more; but 
 I cheerfully part with him for the sake of the greater good, 
 which I trust he will he the, instrument of doing in the vast 
 and increasing held which is opening at the west. 
 
 Brother Wilson informs me that there has been an unu- 
 sual attention to religion in his congregation ever since our 
 four days' meeting there in December last. About twenty 
 persons had attended the inquiry meetings. * * * 
 Yours truly and fraternally, 
 
 W. C. Waltox." 
 
 " Sept. 0. — Yesterday, according to appointment, I went 
 to Occoquan, and last night, preached in our new building 
 for the first time. It was full, and the people were very 
 attentive ; some wept. I had unusual liberty. I desired 
 it and repeatedly and earnestly prayed for it. After pray- 
 ing for some time at brother M 's, I came down stairs 
 
 and I read what our Lord says respecting importunity in 
 prayer. It was almost time to set off to the church, but I 
 felt disposed to retire aorain, and did so. I hope the result 
 will prove that the Lord was with us. I did not feel dis- 
 p i., leave the little church. I lingered behind. I feel 
 
 a sort of parental fondness for the building. I exceedingly 
 rejoice in the accomplishment of such an object. The 
 Lord has built the house, and therefore we have not labored 
 in vain." 
 
 18* 
 
210 MEMOIR 
 
 OF 
 
 Second visit to Fredericksburs. Curious dream. New temptations. 
 
 During this month, he was again calk to attend a series 
 of meetings at Fredericksburg, and unde. listressing views 
 of his own heart, preached to the people ot nnfrequently 
 on sucli texts as, ' Restore unto me the y of thy salva- 
 tion, and uphold ine with thy free Spirit/ lie felt that his 
 personal interest was so great in the subject, he was on that 
 account better prepared to preach on it. Acting from a 
 sense of duty, more than from impulses, he soon found a 
 path of light and walked therein with great joy. His ' light 
 sprang forth speedily,' and the truth of the lviiith. chapter 
 of Isaiah was vividly demonstrated to him. Again a few 
 days after, he held a series of meetings at his favorite Occo- 
 quan, taking with him, as assistants in the work, a number 
 of his church members, and worshipping in the woods, 
 because no house could contain the people. The Lord's 
 Supper was administered, and there he delighted ' to spend 
 and be spent for Christ,' for when the labors were over, he 
 was indeed much exhausted. 
 
 "Oct. 10. — I lay down to sleep, and dreamed of discus- 
 sing a theological point with some minister. My earnest- 
 ness agitated me so that I awoke. I saw my way clear — 
 had got my brother into an inextricable difficulty, and the 
 subject suggested a train of thought which I immediately 
 embodied into a skeleton and preached with much liberty." 
 
 He had been doubting, on account of ill health, whether 
 to attempt the duty of lecturing that evening. 
 
 " I have been harrassed by some temptations that I do 
 not not remember to have had uefore. I have found my 
 heart several times quarreling with parts of the divine gov- 
 ernment, e.g. multiplying t'i< v families of the earth to such 
 an extent, when He knew that so many of them would be 
 lost ; also suspending the salvation of sinners on the prayers 
 and fidelity of Christians, who are so much inclined to neg- 
 lect their duty. I find that my heart is more wicked than 
 I ever conceived it to be before, and I deeply feel my need 
 of the sovereign grace of God to sanctify and fit me for His 
 service." 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 211 
 
 Employment <>r i in- ( 'lergy. Preaching to the conscience. 
 
 The following letter, dated Oct. 16, 1KJ0, from the editor 
 of an important periodical, who has now gone to his rest, 
 was sent to Mr. Walton. It deserves consideration. 
 
 " Brother Walton, 
 
 * * * * I wish exceedingly to get 
 
 you to write some letters to the Clergy on the subject 
 of their great business, viz. the salvation of sinners. Our 
 clergymen in the United States are generally men ca- 
 pable of effecting great things for the kingdom of Christ. 
 But instead of laboring directly for revivals, some are labor- 
 ing to sustain the character of scholars; others- to procure 
 a D. D.; others, who have won the D. D., to show the pub- 
 lic that thev deserved it ; others are trying to effect a per- 
 manent settlement ; others to build up society ; others to be 
 prudent even to excess, &c. Now, dear brother, how shall 
 we make our ministers more practical, simple, docile, and 
 affectionate ? Please look at the first article under the Min- 
 ister's department in our paper of this date. We will not 
 ask for long letters ; in this respect suit your own conven- 
 ience. * * * I am more and more convinced that the 
 clergy of the American church are capable of bringing 
 about an entire new state of things throughout the world." 
 
 The reader doubtless recollects the case of a certain 
 hearer of a certain preacher, who, strongly convicted by 
 conscience ; surprised and agitated by new and unwonted 
 feelings, hastened to he: friends with the request, ' Come, 
 see a man who told me all things that ever 1 did.' When 
 this great Master teaches his servants how to preach, 
 then do they reach the very springs of the heart. They 
 uncover the fountain of human action. They dissect the 
 body of sin. Much of Walton's preaching was of this 
 character. To mention an instance. 
 
 " Oct. 18. — On Monday morning a man sent for me, and 
 requested me to answer five or six questions which he had 
 
 written down. ' Has told you of a conversation I 
 
 had with him I ' No. ' Has told you of a certain 
 
 transaction in which I was concerned?' &c. &c. &c. I 
 
212 MEMOIR OP 
 
 Appiiiiitctl ili-li'snttMo tlit 1 Sy in hi hi VirL' in in. Preaches before the Svnod. 
 
 had not heard a syllable of either of the occurrences to 
 which hr alluded, and bad do reference to him in either of 
 my discourses, and yet he thought 1 had been preaching at 
 him all day! especially that 1 intended him by the barren 
 
 fig tree to which I referred, as an illustration of one whom 
 God had forsaken. I told him he ought to regard it as a 
 message sent from God, for I certainly had no particular 
 reference to him. He felt the force of the admonition, and 
 said he was resolved that he would be more attentive to las 
 duties in future."* 
 
 " Oct. 19. — Written two letters to England — one to J. 
 McB. who was formerly a member of my church, and the 
 other to Dr. Burder, who has requested a continuance of 
 our correspondence. I availed myself of this opportunity 
 to suggest to him some hints respecting the best measures 
 for promoting revivals." 
 
 In the month of November, Mr. Walton was deputed by 
 the Presbytery of the District of Columbiato attend the annu- 
 al meeting of the Synod of Virginia at Winchester, with a 
 view to consult on the expediency and practicability of form- 
 ing a new Synod. The respect entertained for his character 
 as a preacher and as a man, as well as deference to him as 
 the representative of a respectable ecclesiastical body, mani- 
 fested itself in solicitations to preach. The temptation 
 before an audience so highly intellectual and critical, was 
 of course to meet the emergency with something, if possi- 
 ble, equally intellectual. But Walton looked higher. He 
 did not allow himself to swerve from the fixed principle he 
 had adopted, to do good to souls in preference to gaining 
 credit for himself. He preached one of his most efficient 
 6ermons, On Conviction, in which the truth gleamed and 
 
 * A fashionable young lady of the Author's acquaintance, once went to heara 
 famous preacher, and after looking at him a while, "Mercy l n said she with her 
 accustomed li ( i y of manner and language, " what great eyes ."' The preacher had 
 not proceeded far in his discnurse, when, as If those eyes had penetrated t li»- thoughts 
 of his young hearer, in enumerating foolish objections to ministers, he said, "some 
 sinners will even carry their prejudices so far as to find fault with the ryes of the 
 preacher, as If that helped their cause any ! " It is unnecessary to add that the 
 astonished girl was, after this, silent. 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 213 
 
 Views of Hi'- Synod. 
 
 gored like ;i two-edged sword, though in the hand of the 
 Shepherd David. Such effects were the more remarkable, 
 as he received no aid from a striking personal presence, 
 splendid coruscations of intellect, or a powerful sweep of 
 oratory. After service, one of the eminent Divines of Vir- 
 ginia, now no more, walked up to him, and shaking him 
 cordially by the hand, said: "/ will endorse every word." 
 Some time after, the same brother pleasantly asked, " Have 
 you to fight your way, on the ground you were upon this 
 morning, with any person called a minister?" He was 
 answered in the affirmative. " Then come to Virginia, and 
 we will protect von," was the rejoinder of his friend. But 
 Walton was among those who ask for themselves no other 
 earthly protection on questions of high import to men, than 
 a clear conscience, and liberty of free discussion. This is 
 better than throned power, or armed hosts, or ecclesiastical 
 1 at. -tarts. 
 
 The following views were by various clergymen presented 
 and entertained at this meeting of the Synod, as recorded 
 by our friend : " 1. That the causes which obstruct the ope- 
 rations of the. Holy Spirit in the Churches at present are 
 wrong views with regard to the use of means ; also with 
 regard to the doctrine of Divine sovereignty — worldly 
 mindedness — producing a state of feeling uncongenial with 
 revivals, and incapacitating for holy action — not expecting 
 a great and present blessing — not setting the gift of the 
 Holy Spirit before us as a distinct object to be sought after 
 — great sermons, (great evils) — not preaching the truth 
 clearly, and applying it faithfully , and with feelings such 
 as ought to be excited by a view of the sinner's actual con- 
 dition, &.c. 2. That where there are no revivals, the 
 Churches are to blame. This was embodied in their 
 report on the state of religion." That meeting was blessed 
 by an outpouring of the Spirit, as not unfrequently has 
 been the fact when the Virginia ecclesiastical bodies have 
 assembled. It was truly refreshing to the soul of our 
 
214 m e M o r n of 
 
 Effected in: labora 
 
 brother. He learned, too, of the " steadfastness and growth 
 in grace of some of his spiritual children." 
 
 •' Nov. 5. — Yesterday was niy birth-day. 1 am now 
 thirty-seven years old. I spent the day chiefly in medita- 
 ting on the way bv which the Lord had led me — reviewing 
 all his dealings with me ill every period of my life — and in 
 prayer and praise, while riding alone on my journey. It 
 was a profitable day, and at night I had an opportunity of 
 lecturing a few immortal souls who seldom hear the gos- 
 pel." 
 
 " Nov. 26. — Last night I returned from Richmond, where 
 I attended a four days' meeting in conjunction with brother 
 Wilson, Breckinridge, and the brethren Armstrong and 
 Taylor of Richmond. My health was preserved ; my mind 
 was kept clear, and my feelings unusually tender and com- 
 fortable during almost the whole time. More of the labor 
 devolved upon me than upon either of the other brethren, 
 and never had I more liberty than during that occasion, 
 especially on Monday morning. My heart was overflowing 
 with tender emotions." 
 
 These labors were blessed both to ministers and people. 
 They took sweet counsel together. They manifested not 
 only regard for the abilities, but admiration of the graces, 
 and affection for the person of Walton. These visits con- 
 tributed much to the elevation of his character, and the 
 extension of his influence in the region of his nativity. 
 
 " Nov. 28. — Last night after returning from the meeting 
 of our Session, I was taken with a chill which was followed 
 by high lever. In the night I awoke with the fever raging, 
 and Satan attacked me furiously, trying to fill me with fear 
 and to make me think that this was my summons to the 
 world of spirits. He led my mind into a train of thought 
 respecting my wife and children, the provision I should 
 make for them, &c, which he tried to make me believe was 
 a presentiment of my death." 
 
 About this time he was engaged in writing a series of 
 papers for the New York Evangelist, entitled " Fraternal 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 215 
 
 Fraternal admonitions! A liberal present. Further special efforts. 
 
 Admonitions," the object of which, as usual, was, to make 
 good preachers better, Christiana more Christians, and in 
 tliiit way to bring sinners into the kingdom of Cbrist. 
 They arc written in his usual simple, lucid, and practical 
 style, and well deserve re-publication. 
 
 The following pleasant incident closed the year. One of 
 Mr. Walton's members called to see him on one of tbe 
 days of tbe last week in the year, and presented him with 
 £.">(), as a token of personal regard to one, whose house 
 was ever the seat of hospitality, and the home of the ser- 
 vants of the Lord. It will not probably be known who this 
 was, when I state, that this brother had that year given to 
 the cause of benevolence one-third of a liberal income. 
 
 The motive which led him to be thus generous to his 
 minister was this passage : ' Let him that is taught in the 
 word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good 
 things.'' 
 
 ■" That man may last, but never lives, 
 Who much receives but nothing gives, 
 Whom none can love, whom none can thank, 
 Creation's blot — creation's blank." 
 
 In the month of January, 1831, further special efforts 
 were made in the Second Presbyterian Church to promote 
 religion and to save souls. A snow storm, unusually severe 
 for that climate, blocked up the streets and created serious 
 hindrances to locomotion, but Christian energy and perse- 
 verance triumphed over all, and the work of tbe Lord pros- 
 pered. " The Spirit of the Lord seemed to rest upon our 
 dear brother A. and he preached with great power. Our 
 views exactly harmonize on all subjects of importance con- 
 nected with the advancement of Christ's kingdom, and we 
 took sweet counsel together. On Sabbath night after pub- 
 lic worship, we proposed retiring to the Session Room. It 
 was crowded, and we could hardly persuade them to go 
 home. On Monday evening, after brother A. left us, we 
 had a meeting for inquirers exclusively, at half past six 
 
216 M I'.MOIK OF 
 
 His li;ihit> of prayer. 
 
 o'clock, and for all who chose to come, at half past seven. 
 The room was again crowded, and a much larger number 
 of inquirers than 1 expected." 
 
 " It appears quite evident that the Lord is among ns. I 
 feel unusually solemn and an unusual sense of responsibil- 
 ity and of my need of divine assistance. I am looking for 
 the Lord to work wonders among us. My faith never before 
 could grasp so much." 
 
 "Jan. 28. — Friday set apart for fasting and prayer. Had 
 a profitable season alone; some enlargement and earnest- 
 ness in prayer. Feel a strong desire for purity of heart and 
 conformity to the will of God — to have clear and trans- 
 forming, and delightful views of his character, and never 
 more have a thought, or feeling, or motive inconsistent 
 with His will." 
 
 There seemed danger of a suspension of the divine influ- 
 ence. " I was strongly reminded of the fact respecting the 
 reduction of Gideon's army, before the Lord would give 
 them the victory. The church had been humbled, and ii 
 was now plain that the work was at an end, unless the Lord 
 should undertake and carry it on. On the Sabbath and 
 Monday night I was encouraged, but on Tuesday night five 
 new cases of awakening were presented and the prospect 
 was very cheering." 
 
 "One of the persons who then came forward had been a 
 Catholic; a i'ew hours before we had gone to see her, but 
 she hid herself and would not he seen. This evening, Feb. 
 3d, she talks like a converted woman, and her husband has 
 become anxious about the salvation of his soul." 
 
 "If I am not mistaken, I now have more of those views 
 and feelings which prepare one for laboring in a revival 
 than I ever had before: but I never felt my deficiencies and 
 my need of divine communications so sensibly." And how 
 did he obtain them ! By prayer ; frequent, fervent, impor- 
 tunate prayer. It was the habit of this godly man, through 
 such labors, to retire for secret prayer four or five times a 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 217 
 
 Letter to In - nephew. 
 
 day, and thus to obtain supplies for those lavish spiritual 
 expenditures, which he counted not dear to him, so that he 
 might win Christ to his soul and souls to Christ. To these 
 were added the many prayers which accompanied his visits, 
 and enlivened the social meetings so happily conducted by 
 him. Occasionally, too, he would find time for writing 
 useful letters. Such a one was that, an extract from which 
 follows : 
 
 Alexandria, Feb. 4, 1831. 
 " My Dear Nephew, 
 
 * * * I do not wish you to be a drone, neither do I 
 wish you to go to heaven quite so soon as the devil would 
 have you to go, if he cannot persuade you to go along with 
 him. He wishes to put zealous ministers out of the way 
 as speedily as possible — they are a great annoyance to him, 
 and if he cannot accomplish this object in any other way, 
 he will drive them on to the commission of a species of sui- 
 cide, by laboring for the salvation of souls. When I think 
 of my inexperience, at my first entrance upon the work of 
 the ministry, and how much I did that was directly calcu- 
 lated to destroy me, it seems to be little less than a miracle 
 that I am yet alive. I know two most valuable ministers at 
 this time in a consumption from having done the very thing 
 that I have often done, namely, persisting in speaking and 
 in public labors when I was hoarse. If you do not take 
 care, you will have a consumptive cough Ji.red upon you 
 before you are aware of your danger. Thus Summerfield 
 was hurried to an untimely grave. But enough on this sub- 
 ject. I rejoice much in all the good which the Lord is 
 doing by your instrumentality. Continue to be humble and 
 to seek his glory in simplicity and godly sincerity, and He 
 will continue to honor you. We have been looking for 
 your arrival among us with much anxiety for some time. 
 The field around us is now white to the harvest. We have 
 had a four days' meeting, and it has been much blessed. 
 Some Christians are more engaged than I have ever seen 
 them, and the Lord is carrying on a good work amono- us. 
 There have been a considerable number of very speedy 
 conversions of late, and so far every thing looks promising 
 for the continuance of the work. Your aid at this time 
 would be most seasonable, and I hope you will hasten on." 
 19 
 
218 MEMOIR OP 
 
 Applications from abroad. Reproof. 
 
 Such a goodly name and praise had lie acquired in the 
 churches, that he received frequent applications from min- 
 isters near and remote, to assist them in protracted meet- 
 ings, to an extent altogether beyond his power of compli- 
 ance. 
 
 "Saturday, Feb. ;">, 1831. — Received a letter from Dr. 
 
 H requesting and even demanding my assistance at 
 
 a four days' meeting the last week in this month; also by 
 the same mail one from Mr. K. of Harrisonburg containing 
 a similar request. How much might be done at this time 
 among the churches in Virginia by the labors of an evan- 
 gelist ! The held is white to the harvest, but my presence 
 is most imperiously demanded among my own people." 
 
 " I hear of wonders achieved in the cities of Troy and of 
 New York, and in other places by means of four days' meet- 
 ings. I rejoice, and would remember with gratitude that 
 the first of these meetings east of the Allegany mountains 
 was in our church, and it was, so far as 1 know, the first 
 experiment of the kind ever made in a city. I still think 
 that it will constitute an era in the history of the churches 
 of this region." 
 
 " Sabbath en., Fib. (i. — I have been engaged in public 
 duties to-day more than five hours, nearly the whole of 
 which my voice was exerted in speaking or singing. It was 
 weak in the morning, but this evening it was strong and 
 clear. I have had liberty in speaking morning and evening 
 of the kingdom and the glory of Christ, the triumphs of His 
 gospel, and the duty of all to receive Him as God's unspeak- 
 able gift." 
 
 If there be a painful task, if there be a neglected duty in 
 the church of God, it is that of reproof. To Walton's gen- 
 tle spirit it could never be pleasant. But he ' took up the 
 cross.' 
 
 "Feb. 8. — This morning after seeking the direction and 
 blessing of God, undertook to admonish two brethren than 
 whom perhaps none could be found more difficult to deal 
 with. But both took it kindly, and one promised that he 
 would desist entirely from the sin about which I admonished 
 him. He seemed to be affected with a sense of obligation 
 for my kindness, and thanked me feelingly." 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 219 
 
 Misapprehension of the value of his own Bern B, Peelings Of a minister's wile. 
 
 "Feb. 9. — Came home last night (Tuesday) groanrig 
 along the street in the anguish of my spirit on account of 
 my coldness and insensibility, and on account of the appar- 
 ent suspension of divine influences." 
 
 "Tuesday. — 1 met a man yesterday morning expressing 
 much joy, who said he had received a great blessing under 
 my morning discourse on Sabbath." 
 
 "Feb. 19. — Oil Thursday evening about fifteen made 
 application for admittance to the privileges of our church. 
 Another lady who came to our church last Sabbath morn- 
 ing for the first time, was convicted and on Wednesday 
 obtained a hope. She staled that she never had been in a 
 Presbyterian Church before. Another instance of good 
 done by that discourse over which I grieved so much." 
 
 The text of that discourse may be found in Ezek. xviii. 
 HO, 31. Many Christians felt it was the most satisfactory 
 discussion of the subject they had ever heard. Another ser- 
 mon which he preached soon after on the text, ' The way 
 of transgressors is hard,'' seemed to many to surpass any 
 thing they had ever heard from him. Yet on reaching his 
 home, so dissatisfied was he with his performance, that he 
 asked Mrs. Walton whether she was not ashamed of it? 
 
 A minister's wife indeed has an intense and sometimes an 
 excruciating sympathy for her husband, standing as he 
 does, the representative between God and men ; but the 
 hour of most intense anxiety and humiliation with him may 
 be to her an hour of unaffected joy and silent gratitude for 
 the grace bestowed on him in the time of his most urgent 
 need. 
 
 " Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth," said God 
 to the hesitating prophet, who complained, " Behold I can- 
 not speak, for I am a child." 
 
 The simplicity of mind and singleness of purpose with 
 which our friend was accustomed to enter the pulpit, nat- 
 urally led him to great simplicity in the construction of 
 language as a channel of his thoughts. Had the same in- 
 struction been given to him which was given to Legh Rich- 
 
220 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Tlit; simplicity of his ideas and language. 
 
 mond by his College Tutor, he could scarcely have more 
 accurately observed it : " Don't use terms of science. The 
 people have no abstract ideas. They cannot understand 
 comparisons and allusions remote from all their habits. 
 Take words of Saxon derivation, and not Mich as are 
 derived from Latin and Greek. Talk of riches, not ajjlu- 
 ence; of trust, not confidence. Present the same idea in a 
 varied form, and take care you understand the subject your- 
 self. If you be intelligent, you will be intelligible" Wal- 
 ton, like Richmond, was not satisfied till be bad explained 
 an idea in every possible variety and point of view, and for 
 the sake of the humbli intellect of some portion of bis audi- 
 ence, did not, with R chmond, fear to expose himself to 
 the remark, "An excellent sermon, but with too many vari- 
 ous readings." He possessed not, indeed, the line pencil 
 of that eminent moral painter, who, amid the raptures of 
 his deep communion with the scenes of nature, caught a 
 spirit that made the canvass glow, as it were, with the very 
 coloring of Heaven. You might imagine that an angel 
 would feel an emotion of added delight, could he read some 
 of those eloquent descriptions of the works of God! But 
 the subject of this memoir did excel in laying open to the 
 view the attributes of God — His eternal and unchangeable 
 Law — the windings of the human heart, and the worth of 
 the undying soul ! Truth for the conscience requires no 
 painting. 
 
 "March 2. — Have just returned from Winchester. And 
 what shall I render to the Lord for His mercy ? It was a 
 difficult and dangerous journey. I never saw such roads, 
 and I was stopped nearly two days by high water. Travel- 
 led all night last night. Have slept very little for three 
 days. I was blest ami to some extent, I trust, made a bles- 
 sing in W. I had much liberty and enjoyment in preach- 
 ing." 
 
 " On my return found a letter from brother D of 
 
 Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, requesting my assistance at a 
 four days' meeting. This is the fifth application now on 
 
WILLIAM C.WALTON. 22 1 
 
 Revival In Washington. 
 
 hand, besides (hose which have been attended. It looks 
 as if the Lord was about to call me away from the work of 
 a Pastor to engage in something of a different nature. 
 Well, if He v.ili only be with me and give me a fitness for 
 His work, I desire to say, ' Here am I, Lord, send me.' " 
 
 " My nervous feelings, which sonic time ago were so dis- 
 tressing, occasionally trouble me now. Sometimes I find a 
 great difficulty in reading the lines of a hymn which con- 
 tain a warning of sudden death. It occurs very forcibly — 
 suppose I were to die while reading these lines, what an 
 impression would be made upon the minds of the people. 
 It is onlv by a vigorous effort of trust in God that I am able 
 to proceed." 
 
 "March 20. — Commenced last night a weekly Lecture 
 on Scripture Characters. I did not enjoy the first. I have 
 an impression that my people do not take much interest in 
 such subjects. They do not care as much as they ought 
 about enlarging the scope of their biblical knowledge." 
 
 "April 21. — Lasl Friday week a four days' meeting was 
 commenced in Br. Danforth's church, at Washington City. 
 I spent nearly a week there with brother Patterson, labor- 
 ing in the two chin; lies which united in the meeting, and a 
 glorious revival is now going on there." 
 
 " This afternoon 1 had a comfortable time at the funeral 
 of dear sister E. W., one of my spiritual children, who died 
 in the triumphs of faith. She told me she blessed God 
 that she ever saw me — that 1 bad been the instrument of 
 her salvation. She bad no doubts or fears — desired to 
 depart and to be with Christ — said death had no sting for 
 her. She had been raised a Catholic ! This has been a 
 comforting event to me." 
 
 " I rejoice much in the glorious work now going on in 
 Washington City and in many other parts of our land. 
 Even - Lord Jesus ! come quickly and set up thy 
 
 kingdom in all the earth." 
 
 "Mai/ 12. — This day commences our joint four days' 
 meeting. It is set apart for fasting and special prayer. 
 This morning I felt more engagedness in prayer, and more 
 confidence in God than I have had for along time. I have 
 occasionally for a long time past been troubled with unbe- 
 lief and hard thoughts of God, in view of the myriads who 
 have perished and who are now perishing. It has been a 
 great difficulty with me, why this should be suffered to take 
 19* 
 
222 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Invited abroad. Work in Alexandria. 
 
 place in consequence of the criminal neglect of Christians. 
 Yet so it is. I see there is provision made, and believe that 
 if Christians would do their duty, the progress of these awful 
 events might be stopped." 
 
 Applications continued to be poured in for the services 
 of IMr. Walton from Middleburg, Carlisle, Baltimore, Vir- 
 ginia, Slc, which it was impossible to meet, and do justice 
 to his well-arranged plans of usefulness nearer home. He 
 had just spent eight or ten days at different times in co-op- 
 eration with us at Washington, and was contemplating fur- 
 ther efforts among his own people. 
 
 "May 21. — This has truly been one of the days of the 
 Son of man. Our church was more crowded than I ever 
 saw it. Brother P. preached his last sermon. At the close 
 there was a pressing forward to request an interest in the 
 prayers of christians, such as I never witnessed before. 
 The Lord has far exceeded our expectations. He has 
 indeed smiled upon our joint meetings. O for more of 
 His sanctifying grace to fit us for the great work which is 
 now before us. In prayer this evening I felt an unusual 
 desire for more holiness, more right feeling. I thought I 
 could say that I hungered and thirsted for righteousness." 
 
 "During these meetings my children have been much 
 affected, and I have a hope that they are under the saving 
 influence of the Holy Spirit." 
 
 No more solemn meetings were ever held in that church 
 than those at this period. It would not be proper to quote 
 the description which Walton gave of the preaching or the 
 preachers, for they still live, but in depicting the overpow- 
 ering eloquence of the principal speaker, after alluding to 
 a torrent of feeling which burst from his heart and flowed 
 over the great assembly, he says, "One of his tremendous 
 stamps broke the shade of the pulpit lamp, and it fell and 
 made a great noise, but did not disconcert him at all. He 
 went on in the same powerfid strain, and I do not know but 
 the breaking of the lamp heightened the effect of the dis- 
 course." 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 223 
 
 Adjustment of texts. 
 
 Of the skillful arrangement and just adaptation of truth 
 which Walton made his study, we have an exemplification 
 at this time, when on a Sabbath in this month he preached 
 three times on these texts : 
 
 Morning, Luke xiii. 23 : Lord arc there few that be saved ? 
 
 Afternoon, Luke xviii. 26 : Who then can be saved? 
 
 Evening, Acts xvi. 30 : What must I do to be saved? 
 At the conclusion of the last sermon, he invited all who 
 would now begin to seek salvation to come forward, that he 
 might instruct and pray with them, when it appeared that 
 from thirty to forty were in an anxious state of mind, and 
 accepted the invitation. 
 
CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 A call from the South. 
 
 On the 25th of May, Mr. Walton received a communi- 
 cation from Rev. W. J. Armstrong, then of Richmond, as 
 the organ of the East and West Hanover Prcshyteries, 
 informing him that he had heen unanimously chosen Mis- 
 sionary Agent, and Evangelist for those Presbyteries, to have 
 the general superintendence of their missionary concerns, 
 and to aid the cause of revivals within their bounds by every 
 means in bis power. An ample support was guaranteed. 
 
 " They offer you," says the letter'' aplenty of work, afield 
 white to the harvest, and their affectionate co-operation in the 
 service of the Lord. They believe that you would make sala- 
 ry an object only, so far as that was requisite to enable you to 
 provide things honest in the sight of all men. If you incline 
 to regard the appointment as a call from your Master to 
 enlcr into this work, they wish to hear from you, what you 
 think will be requisite for your support, and they will then 
 stand ready to pledge themselves to you for it. Never was 
 there a time when the labors of an Evangelist with an 
 unction from on high, would be productive of much 
 greater good, than the present. On every side missionaries 
 are calling for aid to hold lour days' meetings, and the peo- 
 ple are crying for some to break to them the bread of life." 
 
MEMOIR OF WALTON. 225 
 
 His consideration of it. Revival at Georgetown. 
 
 " The subject appears to mo," writes Mr. W. in his 
 tliarv, "to be immensely important, and it is one to which 
 my thoughts have been turned for nearly two years past. 
 It would be a wide field of usefulness, especially as it 
 includes Hampden Sydney College, and the Union Theo- 
 logical Seminary. But it requires intellectual and moral 
 qualifications to which I feel that I have no jusl pretensions. 
 The responsibility of such a station would be tremendous. 
 The influence which such an agent might exert upon the 
 Churches would be great, one way or the other. If the 
 Lord should he with me, and give me wisdom and grace to 
 fit me for such a work, I might do more to promote his 
 cause in five years, than perhaps I should do in ten or twenty 
 in any other capacity. It is, however, a question of great 
 importance, whether if I were to accept, I would not take 
 the place of some brother, who would be far better qualified 
 than 1 am to be the servant of those Churches; and as it 
 is the first attempt of the kind, if the experiment should 
 fail, it might discourage other Presbyteries from adopting a 
 similar measure." 
 
 " After reading brother A 's letter, I retired to seek 
 
 Divine direction, and opened the Bible at the words in 
 Dan. ii : 17 — 19. It relates to Daniel requesting his three 
 pious friends to unite with him in seeking mercy of the 
 God of Heaven, in relation to a secret which it was highly 
 important he should understand. Then was the stint 
 revealed unto Daniel. So may my way be made plain by 
 the God of Daniel." 
 
 " May 31. — Within a few days have received invitations 
 to attend four days' meetings from two places in Fauqier 
 county ; also from Baltimore, where I expect to be the last 
 of this week. Have just returned from Georgetown, where 
 we have held a four days' meeting, which commenced last 
 Thursday evening. The Lord was evidently with us from 
 the beginning, and last night from eighty to one hundred 
 persons came forward to request an interest in the prayers 
 of the Church. Many of them have already begun to indulge 
 hope." 
 
 " June 1. — I have just been praying, and I hope sincerely, 
 that the Lord would make my way plain, and influence my 
 mind to come to that decision in relation to my proposed 
 removal, which shall be pleasing in His sight and most for 
 my usefulness and his glory." 
 
226 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Death of young converts. Assists the Methodists. 
 
 "Jtuir 19. — Another of our young converts has died 
 triumphantly. The Lord manifested himself to him the 
 night before his death in a most glorious manner. I feel 
 thankful lor such a blessing, and much encouraged by this 
 and several other similar deaths among our young converts. 
 E. W. and J. C, precious fruits of my ministry here, are 
 now gone before to welcome me I trust at my departure. 
 Oh that I may be as signally blessed in my last hours as 
 they were; and have grace to leave a triumphant testimony 
 to the reality of the religion I profess and preach, and to the 
 faithfulness of my Saviour." 
 
 " Lasl Sabbath we admitted twenty persons to our com- 
 munion; I was quite sick in the morning; hat; all the 
 symptoms of a bilious lever, and could not sit up in the 
 bed, and when I got up could hardly walk, until after 
 breakfast: T was, however, enabled to go through the ser- 
 vice alone, and preached again at night with my usual 
 liberty." 
 
 "July 16. — At the request of the brethren Davis and 
 Wilson of the Methodist Church, I have been with them 
 during their four days' meeting, when I could; exhorted 
 anil prayed with them." 
 
 " July 22. — Am now engaged in assisting the Protestant 
 Methodist brethren at a four days' meeting. Preached last 
 night and exhorted to-day, and have been engaged every 
 night this week. Received three letters yesterday solici- 
 ting aid at four days' meetings, and where the Lord is 
 pouring out his Spirit ; an< one to-day to attend at Mar- 
 tinsburg, third Sabbath in August." 
 
 " July ~ : >. — Another request to attend a four days' 
 meeting." 
 
 "July 28. — Two more invitations to attend four days' 
 meetings. The voice oftheChurch seems to be calling for 
 a wider diffusion of my labors, while it seems as if I could 
 do but little here. May the Lord make my way plain. I 
 am very feeble, and the weather is exceedingly oppressive. 
 Still I am enabled to get through all my labors without 
 entire and distressing exhaustion." 
 
 " Aug. 30. — Returned on Saturday night last from my 
 trip to the Southern parts of Virginia. I was absent nearly 
 four weeks, the whole of -which was a time of great mercy. 
 No disaster occurred, but sickness occasioned by incessant 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 227 
 
 His unwearied labors, and the greal blessing on them. 
 
 labor and excitement, and that was of short duration. I 
 had much liberty in preaching, and many opportunities of 
 doing good, which, though with many imperfections, I 
 endeavored to improve. The meeting which I attended in 
 
 conjunction with others, resulted in the hopeful conversion 
 of nearly two hundred souls, so far as facts are known. In 
 all probability some hundreds more were impressed with 
 the importance of seeking salvation, and instructed how to 
 obtain it, with a degree of plainness to which many of them 
 had not been accustomed." 
 
 Such were the incessant labors of one, whose feeble 
 body was utterly inadequate to the task of co-operating 
 with the desires of his soul. Had he possessed a hundred 
 such souls, they would all have spent their fires in this 
 exalted and delightful employment, and as so many angels 
 of mercy, would have urged the salvation of the gospel on 
 dying men. But he had only one! And that one was 
 allowed only a brief space in which to do its work for eter- 
 nity ! Every sermon was — not one more — but one less. 
 Every hour of pregnant time carried him nearer to his 
 account. Every exertion of his frail body weakened the 
 power and wearied the strength of the wheels of life. In 
 proportion to the vigor and rapidity of the pulsations of 
 his soul, would be the propinquity of the hour, when its 
 mysterious connection with the body would terminate, and 
 its connection with the world of spirits begin. He seemed 
 to labor as if he felt the truth, " That life is long which 
 answers life's great end." After his services at Lynchburg, 
 a Christian friend said to him, " You have lived a whole 
 ministerial life in eight days." Among the subjects of this 
 work were men of high standing in society, professional 
 men and political men. To a relative whom he had not 
 seen since her childhood, he was made the instrument of 
 salvation ; also to an infidel acquaintance, who renounced 
 his pernicious sentiments, and avowed his conversion to 
 Christianity. 
 
228 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Journey homewards. 
 
 Returning from Lynchburg, he says : 
 
 " On the way T met with an infidel in the stage, with 
 whom I held an argument for three or four hours. I hope 
 with some good effect to him — but it injured me — when I 
 arrived at the place I was sick. I attended a meeting, 
 assisted in conducting it, and then had to take my bed for 
 two or three days. I preached on Monday and Tuesday in 
 great weakness. On Wednesday went on to Mr. Kirkpat- 
 rick's in Cumberland; preached for his people on Thurs- 
 day, and was strongly solicited to attend a four days' meet- 
 ing which he had appointed to begin on Friday ; but I was 
 completely worn down by constant fever, &c; and my ner- 
 vous system becoming so disordered that at times I could 
 hardly control my feelings. Tliis brought me to the con- 
 clusion that it was not my duty to undertake the missionary 
 agency to which I had been appointed by the Missionary 
 Board of the two Hanover Presbyteries. I felt satisfied that 
 I had not strength of constitution to perform the duties 
 which it would devolve upon me. I accordingly wrote to 
 brother Armstrong, declining to accept the appointment, 
 and instead of going by Richmond as I had intended, I set 
 my face towards home in such a state of weakness and dis- 
 ease, that I did not know how far J should be able to prose- 
 cute my journey. I was often hardly able to sit up, and felt 
 as if it would be impossible for me to travel much farther ; 
 but by the good hand of my God upon me, I was brought 
 safely home in about thirty hours after leaving Cumberland 
 county, a distance of about 180 miles. I was able to 
 preach on the next day, (Sabbath) with a good deal of lib- 
 erty and comfort, and without extreme exhaustion. I found 
 my family in better health than when I left them, and my 
 people ready to welcome me home again, rejoicing that I 
 had determined not to leave them for the present. Surely 
 goodness and mercy have followed me all the days of my 
 life." 
 
 " Oct. 14. — I have now on hand a little work to be enti- 
 tled, A Manual for awakened sinners, but my time for wri- 
 ting is very much broken in upon by other engagements. *' 
 
 At the close of this month, he attended the annual meet- 
 ing of the Synod of Philadelphia at Baltimore. His spirit 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 229 
 
 Million mi the work of the Spirit. 
 
 was grieved with the ecclesiastical contentions for which 
 thai Synod has been so celebrated, more especially as they 
 presented so striking a contrast with the peaceful, spir- 
 itual meetings of* the Synod of Virginia. 
 
 "While in Baltimore, Mr. F. (the Baptist preacher) 
 
 showed me B book, just from the London press, on the 
 work of the Holy Spirit in conversion, by a Mr. Ilinton; 
 in the introduction of which, is a pretty long extract from a 
 letter of mine written to Dr. Binder in 1829, and by him 
 published in the London Evangelical Magazine; the state- 
 ments of which appear to have suggested to Mr. Ilinton 
 the subject of his book. When I wrote the letter, it was 
 my object to suggest such thoughts as would lead all who 
 might read it, to view some doctrines and modes of preach- 
 ing in a light in which I had reason to believe they were 
 not viewed by most of the English clergy ; and I rejoice 
 that my labor has not been in vain. I received another let- 
 ter from Dr. Burder a few days ago in which he says 
 that he is inexpressibly interested by the accounts he has 
 received from me and others of the revivals with which 
 our country was blessed." 
 
 The following is the letter alluded to : 
 
 Hackney, June 22, 1831. 
 " My dear Brother, 
 
 I was very deeply interested in your kind letter of Octo- 
 ber, which I either answered long ago, or designed to 
 answer, and certainly ought to have answered much before 
 this time. Part of it I took the liberty to transcribe for 
 our Evangelical Magazine, having read it at several meet- 
 ings of ministers, and having found that it impressed the 
 minds of many. I was particularly struck with the correct- 
 ness and importance of your remarks respecting the defective 
 and spiritless manner in which prayer meetings are too often 
 conducted. Yesterday I had the pleasure of receiving your 
 letters which bear the dates of Feb. and of May 3; and as I am 
 about to be absent from home for a month, I sit down instantly 
 to reply. I am inexpressibly interested in the accounts you 
 give, and in those which I have received also from Dr. S. 
 and Mr. P., of the astonishing and glorious revivals of 
 20 
 
230 MEMOIR OP 
 
 Letter from Or. Burder. 
 
 religion, at this time going forward in your favored coun- 
 try. What hath God wrought! Howl should rejoice if 
 one or two of those ministers, who have hecn the most use- 
 ful instruments of producing such effects, were to visit this 
 country. It would he much easier for them than for us 
 to make the attempt to hold meetings hearing some resem- 
 blance to your four days' meetings. At present it would 
 be very difficult for any of us to induce a sufficient number 
 of persons to enter on such an arrangement. In Hackney, 
 three of our churches, and a fourth in the vicinity, unite in 
 a half yearly meeting for special prayer. To-morrow will 
 he the return of the day. We meet in our separate 
 churches in the morning at 7, and we assemble all together 
 in the evening. We wish all who have it in their power 
 to spend a considerable part of the day in retired devotion. 
 But, my dear brother, we see around us nothing approaching 
 to that state of deep and anxious feeling, or that spiritual 
 ardor and importunity in prayer for the Holy Spirit, which 
 you have the happiness of witnessing! Oh that a better 
 and brighter day might dawn upon us! You refer to the 
 admirable Whitefield. I think with you that a good life of 
 this burning and shining light is a desideratum. A friend 
 and neighbor of mine told me some time ago that he had 
 collected ample materials for this purpose, and was at work 
 upon it. I will take the first opportunity of asking him 
 whether the work is in progress. 
 
 I am not aware that your excellent little work on the 
 Divine Sovereignty as connected with man's responsibility, 
 is printed in this country. I will again take it up, and with 
 the view to further consideration and inquiry. I have 
 now relinquished my office as one of the Tutors at Highbury 
 College, in consequence of finding my pastoral duties quite 
 sufficient to absorb my time and strength, in connection 
 with some little share of agency in the London Missionary 
 Society, and some kindred institutions. Our May meet- 
 ings were, as usual, well attended, and the reports of most 
 of the great societies, were upon the whole encouraging. 
 Many of the meetings were held in a new and very splendid 
 room called Exeter Hall. The dimensions are 130 feet by 
 70. But it is badly constructed for the voice. May our 
 country be blessed, as yours is, with the glorious effusion of 
 influence from above. Pray for us. Be assured that your 
 
WILLIAM 
 
 C . 
 
 WALTON. 
 
 
 
 231 
 
 Visit to Richmond. 
 
 
 
 Praye 
 
 tot 
 
 Faith) 
 
 letters interest me deeply, especially on the subject of revi- 
 vals, and thai I am, my dear brother, 
 
 Most cordially your's in our Lord, 
 
 H. F. BlJRDER." 
 
 " Dcr 2. — A week aero I returned from Richmond, where 
 I attended a very interesting meeting protracted for six 
 days. There were from twenty-five to thirty hopeful con- 
 versions — and others, I know not how many, were awakened 
 to a serious concern about their eternal interests. The 
 two Clenches appeared to be much excited, and to have 
 received some views of duty and of their personal respon- 
 sibility, which they had not entertained before. A very 
 pleasanl healthful, and vigorous tone of pious feeling 
 appeared to be left by the meeting. One of our travelling 
 companions — a young lady from Mass. — of highly cultiva- 
 ted mind, who had passed through seven revivals, was the 
 subject of a happy change, and returned, we hope, with a 
 new heart." 
 
 " Dec. 9. — Received a letter from brother A of 
 
 Richmond, informing me that the good work progresses. 
 Those who were anxious at the close of the meeting when 
 I came away, have obtained a hope, and others are inquir- 
 
 in s-" . 
 
 " Since I returned home I discussed the subject of " the 
 Prayer of Faith," to which my attention was turned during 
 the meeting at Richmond ; the night following I was wake- 
 ful, and my thoughts turned to the same subject on which 
 I had been speaking at the meeting, and in my bed I took 
 a view of it, and formed a plan of a discourse or treatise 
 more satisfactory than any I have ever seen. Brother 
 A writes to me to publish it." 
 
 " In some of my private exercises lately, I have felt more 
 like getting the victory over my besetting sin — a thirst for 
 fame, than ever before. I am conscious that by indulgence 
 it has gained a strength with a great power of annoyance ; 
 but I trust through grace to gain the victory ere long. The 
 temptations of this feeling have been the occasion of manv 
 an inward conflict. But I begin to feel that self is of less 
 importance than I have been accustomed to think he was, 
 or than he would make himself to be." 
 
 Mr. Walton continued faithfully preaching the truth 
 
232 MEMOIR OP 
 
 Ills menial anxieties and agonies. 
 
 through the winter, still intent on the one great business of 
 his life, and with orach anxious labor endeavoring to pre- 
 pare his people for a great blessing from the Lord. He 
 insisted much on the Bible principle, 'The Lord is with 
 you, while you be with him, and if ye seek him, he will be 
 found of you, but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you* 
 He reproved, rebuked, exhorted, entreated. His anxiety 
 for the success of the gospel among those entrusted to his 
 care was such, that when he saw his plans disappointed, his 
 heart sunk ; he was overwhelmed ; he became sick — almost 
 unto death. " I recollected the minister, who from dejec- 
 tion occasioned by surveying the ruins of London, after the 
 fire in 1CG5, went home and was taken sick and died ! My 
 nerves were much and painfully affected. * * * I 
 never passed through such a trial before, and I was going 
 to say, I hoped I never should again, but the Lord knows 
 what means to employ, to prepare us for his blessings." 
 With the ardent Paul might Walton then say, ' My little 
 children, of whom I travail in birth again, until Christ be 
 formed in you.' These anxieties were not in vain. This 
 " continual heaviness and sorrow of heart " preceded the 
 dawn of light and the birth of souls. The next day after 
 some of these agonizing throes, he found some twenty indi- 
 viduals inquiring the way of salvation. But the meetings 
 which he held at this time though solemn, useful, and inter- 
 esting, did not satisfy his burning desires. 
 
 " March 5, 1832. — The Church seems to be stupid and 
 asleep. I talked and sung until my throat felt as if it were 
 excoriated. Came home discouraged, and this morning 
 feel so still." 
 
 " April 9. — The exercises of my mind for three weeks 
 or more were such as to create the necessity to take medi- 
 cine frequently, or I should probably have been confined to 
 a sick bed. I have reason to believe a similar cause brought 
 on an illness to my wife from which she has just recovered. 
 About two weeks ago I visited Jefferson and it was so 
 ordered that I arrived just in time to assist brother T. at 
 
WILLIAM C . WALTON. 233 
 
 Treatise on Intercessory Prayer. 
 
 his communion season. He had no prospect of assistance 
 until I arrived. I preached on Friday night ; attended lour 
 meetings on Saturday and three on the Sabbath, besides 
 the communion service. On Tuesday evening preached at 
 Leesburg; much exhausted and Celt scarcely able to ride 
 home. On Thursday T spit a little blood ; and ever since 
 have been much indisposed with a severe cold. In the 
 midst of these discouragements and difficulties, I hive been 
 enabled to complete my treatise on- Intercessory prayer, 
 which T have, this evening sent off to New Haven for publi- 
 cation in the Christian Spectator." 
 
 This article, which was pronounced by an eminent The- 
 ological Professor " an admirable view of the subject and 
 calculated to do much good," was twice re-published in 
 New England. The main point in question is thus stated 
 by the author : " What kind of prayer does the Bible teach 
 us to believe will be successful? Or, by what qualities 
 must our prayers be characterized, in order to avail much ? 
 Or, with what conditions are the promises in relation to 
 prayer to be understood ? The solution of this question in 
 any of these forms, will be an answer to the question, 
 which has so often been discussed, What is the prayer of 
 faith ? No matter by what name we distinguish it, the 
 great object is to ascertain hoiv to pray, so as to obtain the 
 blessings promised." 
 
 Many anxious days and nights did our friend spend in the 
 theoretical and practical consideration of this subject. 
 When his ability as an author had thus become known, he 
 received requests from the editors of various important 
 periodicals to contribute to their pages. 
 
 I have lately been perplexed again with applications to 
 baptize the children of persons who are not professors of reli- 
 gion ; and by declining, especially in the case of Mrs. M., I 
 have brought upon myself obloquy aiid slander. The thing is 
 now grossly misrepresented. A catholic woman was pres- 
 ent while I was talking to Mrs. M., and on my referring to 
 a superstitious notion of the Catholics on the subject of 
 20* 
 
234 MEMOIR OP 
 
 I)i *iroM another field Of labor. Invitation from Hartford. 
 
 baptism — not knowing tliat she was of that communion — 
 she broke out upon me in a rude and insulting manner, and 
 would not allow me to explain my views to Mrs. M. How- 
 ever, this does not affect me much. I am resolved while I 
 retain my present opinions, never to comply with such 
 requests. 1 regard it as a prostitution of the sacred ordi- 
 nance of baptism." 
 
 " May 13. — My mind is still unsettled. My field of 
 labor here is now so confined, and I meet with so little 
 opposition of late, thai 1 have not the same stimulus to 
 action as 1 had sometime ago. I have but few in my con- 
 gregation, who are not members, and I find my desires often 
 leading me away to some new field of more promise." 
 
 " June 4. — 1 set apart one forenoon last week for special 
 prayer and found some freedom in the exercise. It is good 
 for me to draw near to God. I do know this from experi- 
 ence — but alas! I continually fail in the cultivation of a 
 devotional spirit. There is now a strong- probability that I 
 shall not continue here much longer. Other fields of use- 
 fulness are opening before me ; but in what direction I 
 shall go I know not." 
 
 Such was the record he made in June. In August fol- 
 lowing, he received an invitation from a Church, which, he 
 remarks, " I did not then know to be in existence — a new 
 Church in Hartford." In view of this invitation he resolved 
 to visit that city. Under date, Aug. 27, he says: 
 
 " I expect to set off to-morrow, if the Lord will, to visit 
 them. 1 think 1 have sincerely and earnestly sought Divine 
 direction in this matter, and daily do I implore his guidance. 
 I feel that vast interests are depending upon my decision, 
 not only of the Church hut of my own family. The differ- 
 ence between a continuance here and removing to such a 
 place as Hartford, must he very great. God only knows 
 which would he most favorable to my usefulness and to the 
 interests of my family ; and my only comfort in reflecting 
 on the subject is, that to Him I have committed the affair, 
 and I feci a persuasion that He can and will influence my 
 mind to the right derision.'' * * * " .My consti- 
 tution is so much enfeebled, and my nervous system is so 
 easily excited by a little fever or by exhaustion, that I shall 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 235 
 
 Reflection! oa it. 
 
 greatly need the continual presence and help of God for 
 my protection and comfort. This I have often sought, and 
 shall continue to seek as my only security. 
 
 I trust that in taking this journey, I am not seeking my 
 own. If I know my own heart, my supreme ohject is the 
 glory of my Redeemer — my usefulness in the Gospel. If 
 I were convinced that this ohject would be most promoted 
 by my continuance in Alexandria, I would with cordial 
 acquiescence remain, however discouraging may be my 
 present prospects. But every view I can take of the subject 
 leads me to the conclusion that a new field of labor is desi- 
 rable, both for myself and for the Church of which I am 
 now pastor. "Whether it will appear to be the will of the 
 Lord that I should remove to New England, I know not 
 and cannot be prepared to judge without visiting the Church 
 that has invited me. This view of the subject satisfies my 
 mind that I am in the path of duty in going, and with this 
 confidence, I shall endeavor cheerfully to trust my life and 
 health and family in the hands of Him, whose I am and 
 whom I serve. May his mercy pardon all my sin, and may 
 his Spirit sanctify and preserve me unto his heavenly king- 
 dom, and to his name shall be the praise." 
 
 " Tuesday, Sept. 18. — I returned this morning, having 
 been absent just three weeks. Truly it has been a time of 
 mercy both to me and to my family. I have been preserv- 
 ed from the pestilence in passing through places where it 
 prevailed, and from the dangers incident to travelling. I 
 enjoyed much peace and confidence in God, and he has 
 been with me in my labors. Some visible success appeared 
 during the short period I spent in Hartford — one or two 
 conversions." 
 
 The members of the congregation to which he preached 
 were so favorably impressed with the piety, ability, and 
 adaptedness of their candidate to their wants, that they gave 
 him a unanimous call to settle with them in the gospel 
 ministry. 
 
 In speaking of the manner in which he was received by 
 the members of the Free Church and others, he says : "I 
 experienced much kindness and good feeling from them, 
 and left them with a very favorable impression and a deep 
 interest in their new and important enterprise. I have not 
 
236 MEMOIR OP 
 
 Beuoni ftw accepting ii. 
 
 yet absolutely decided to go. My heart still clings to Vir- 
 ginia, my own, my native State, and if I could see it to be 
 the will of the Lord that I should remain in this region, I 
 would not go abroad. To-morrow I have requested a meet- 
 ing of the Session to lay the matter before them. The pas- 
 tors and churches in Hartford appear to desire me to come 
 and labor among them, as far as I could ascertain their 
 feelings. Brother Ilawes, Spring, and Linsley all express a 
 strong desire on the subject. Two of thein expressed their 
 feelings to me; brother Hawes had not the opportunity, 
 but brother Spring informed me that such was his feeling. 
 They had been afraid the new church would get some man 
 with whom they could not harmonize, and who would do 
 mischief among them by disturbing the peace and order of 
 the churches. They seem to have no such fears respecting 
 me, but on the contrary the fullest confidence. So far as 
 relates to the state of things in Hartford, the way appears 
 perfectly plain ; there is nothing to create a moment's 
 doubt or hesitation. The only thing which still troubles 
 me is — ought I to leave the South? — Virginia?" 
 
 After mucli deliberation and prayer, he came to the con- 
 clusion that it was his duty to remove to New England. 
 The following is his reply to the invitation sent him : 
 
 Alexandria, Sept. '25, 1832. 
 
 "Since I received your letter inviting me to undertake 
 the pastoral charge of the Free Church, I need hardly say 
 that it has been my constant prayer that God would direct 
 me in my decision and make the path of duty plain. As 
 to the importance of your enterprize I have no doubt; and 
 as to the correctness of the principles which form the basis 
 of your association, I am equally clear. With the chris- 
 tian spirit that seems to pervade the members of your 
 church I was peculiarly gratified; and it would be alto- 
 gether congenial to my feelings to labor in the midst of 
 such a people. Still there are weighty considerations which 
 have excited in niy mind much solicitude, and which have 
 
WILLIAM C.WALTON. 237 
 
 Litter to the Free Church. 
 
 caused me to hesitate in taking a step to be followed by 
 consequences of so much importance to all the parties con- 
 cerned. These, however, I need not now detail, since they 
 have been overbalanced by other considerations which 
 have at length satisfied me that it is my duty to accept your 
 invitation. I am willing at least to make the experiment, 
 relying on your zealous and faithful co-operation and trust- 
 ing in God for success. 
 
 Although I have been engaged in the work of the minis- 
 try about eighteen years, and have been successively the 
 pastor of several churches, I cannot enter upon such a new 
 field of labor, without a deep conviction of my insufficiency 
 for the work which will there devolve upon me. 1 am aware 
 that much will be expected of any man who may become 
 your pastor; and that a great deal of hard work must lie 
 performed in order to the success of your enterprize. But 
 I know who has said, ' My grace is sufficient lor thee;' and 
 I confidently believe that the resources upon which I depend, 
 will be as accessible in New England as I have found them 
 in other situations. With this belief, I feel encouraged to 
 trim my lamp and to gird up the loins of my mind; and to 
 say, in reference to this call of Providence, 'Here am I, 
 Lord, send me ! ' I shall rely, dear brethren, much upon 
 your counsels and prayers, and hope that every member of 
 your church will be prepared to stand in his lot and to ren- 
 der those services, without which the labors of your minister 
 can accomplish but little. 
 
 I must now prepare to sunder the lies which bind me to 
 the people of my present charge, among whom I have labored 
 so pleasantly for the last five years. This I already feel, 
 by anticipation, to be the most painful part of the whole 
 bu- ess : nor will it be less trying to them, as might be 
 pre- med from the fact that nearly all have been gathered 
 into the fold of Christ by my ministry, and that the most 
 entire harmony and mutual confidence exist among us. I 
 trust, however, that good will result to them, as well as to 
 yo i and myself from the contemplated change. As to my- 
 self, I feel that 1 need the excitement which a new field of 
 labor will furnish; while it may be reserved for another to 
 accomplish what, in the iiature of the thing, I could not 
 reasonably expect to do, were I to continue in my present 
 sphere. 
 
238 MEMOIR OP 
 
 His relation i'> bb people. 
 
 And now, dear brethren, I have only to add in language 
 which you will perfectly understand, " prepare me a lodg- 
 ing, for I trust through your prayers I shalJ be given to you " 
 about the first of November next. 
 
 You will of course regard this communication as addres- 
 sed to all the members of the Committee, to whom with 
 the Church I desire you to present my cordial and fraternal 
 salutations. 
 
 W. C. Walton." 
 
 I lis Alexandria congregation presented the unusual spec- 
 tacle of an assembly, most of whom were in covenant with 
 God and credible professors of Christianity; having been 
 converted through the blessing of God on the agency of their 
 pastor, and consequently feeling the confidence and affec- 
 tion of children towards their spiritual father. 
 
 Next to the ties of nature, there is not on earth a more 
 tender relation than that between a devoted pastor and an 
 affectionate people. He had come to them when they were 
 few and feeble — he had speedily conceived a most profound 
 interest for their eternal welfare — he had visited them from 
 house to house — participated in their joys and sympathized 
 in their sorrows — he had led them in prayer to the throne 
 of their common Father — he had watched beside the bed 
 of the sick and dying — he had committed the precious dust 
 of the dear departed to its final resting place below, and 
 'wept with those that wept:' above all, he had frequent- 
 ly mingled in scenes so morally beautiful and sublime, that 
 earth cannot furnish their superior, heaven could scarcely 
 wish to look upon brighter ! I mean the scenes of a revi- 
 val ; these were renewed year after year, like the beauty of 
 spring and the joyousness of summer, and under their 
 kindly influence many were ripened for heaven. If indeed 
 the faithful minister of Christ will wear a diadem that shall 
 sparkle with the jewels rescued from the dust and ruins of 
 this world, and polished by the hand of the Redeemer; if 
 ' the joy and crown of his rejoicing ' are to be souls saved, 
 
W I I, L I A M C. WALTON. 239 
 
 Tin ii demeanor at its dissolution. 
 
 well may he labor and toil while the day lasts, ere the sun 
 of his life shall set, and his Master shall call him home to 
 his reward. It was thus that Walton was cheered on to the 
 last. Indeed the sentiment that animated his bosom can- 
 not better be expressed than by the sweet stanza, which in 
 his dying moments he requested should be sung : 
 
 " In hope of tliat Immortal crown, 
 i now the cross sustain, 
 And gladly wander up and down, 
 And smile at toil and pain.'' 
 
 The Presbytery of the District of Columbia convened for 
 the purpose of considering the subject of his removal. 
 
 ''Oct. 0, 183-2. — This day the Presbytery having met in 
 our church, dissolved the pastoral relation between myself 
 and this church. The commissioners appointed by the 
 church weie instructed to make no opposition to the grant- 
 ing of my request, but to refer the whole matter to the Pres- 
 bytery. They evinced an excellent spirit on the occasion. 
 I hear no petulant complaints — no censures — no uncharita- 
 ble ascription of bad motives. But an affectionate, tender 
 regard for me — distress at the idea of a separation, yet wil- 
 ling to hope and believe that it may be for the best. We 
 had a meeting last night to explain the matter to them and 
 to take the sense of the congregation for the direction of 
 the commissioners. I spoke to them at some length, and 
 have reason to believe that the feeling I have manifested 
 toward them has produced a happy effect. I had a meeting 
 of the church two Sabbaths ago to give them some frater- 
 nal and pastoral admonitions in reference to their situation 
 and prospects. I have reason to believe these have also 
 done good. Much tender and solemn feeling has of late 
 been expressed in our meetings, particularly this evening. 
 There seemed to be an unusual degree of spirituality in 
 the exercises, and I think I can clearly see already that my 
 anticipated removal is blessed to them in this respect, that 
 it humbles and makes them feel more deeply their depen- 
 dence upon God." 
 
 This chapter may properly be closed by the following 
 letter : 
 
240 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Letter t<> H. F. Uurdcr. 
 
 To Ri'v. II. F. Hinder, Loudon. 
 
 Alexandria, Sept. 25, 1832. 
 " Rfy Dear Brother, 
 
 I have jusl heard of an opportunity of making a commu- 
 nication to you and gladly embrace it, hoping that it will 
 be the means of drawing from you a reply as interesting as 
 your last. You have doubtless seen in the religious peri- 
 odicals frequenl accounts of the great things which the 
 Lord is doing for our American Zion. During the last year 
 it is thought that at least one hundred thousand souls were 
 brought into the kingdom of Christ among the different 
 denominations in our land. It was a year of unexampled 
 prosperity to t he Presbyterian and Congregational churches. 
 An unusually large number of talented and influential men 
 have been brought under the influence of divine truth, and 
 are now its bold and decided advocates. Gentlemen of the 
 highest stand ig a1 the bar, and not a k\v of the Honorable 
 Judges in our Civil Courts, have given themselves and con- 
 secrated their talent and influence to Christ and His cause. 
 Mr. Wirt, late Attorney General of United States and now 
 one of the candidates for the Presidency, is among the num- 
 ber. He was for many years an infidel, but he now ac- 
 knowledges that he was never satisfied with the principles 
 of infidelity, and never felt that it was safe ground to rest 
 upon. At length by some means he was led to take up the 
 question of Christianity as he would a question of Law, and 
 after giving it the most thorough investigation, he came to 
 the conclusion that it was divinely authenticated. His 
 luminous mind could not resist the overpowering evidence 
 by which it w is supported, and lie renounced his infidelity 
 forever. He did not, however, at that time follow up his 
 convictions. It was not until last year that he made an 
 open profession of religion and united with the Presbyterian 
 church. I received this account from an intimate friend 
 of his, to whom he related the exercises of his mind on 
 the subject of religion. This and some similar facts which 
 have come under my own observation, have reminded me of 
 the predictions contained in Ix. chapter of Isaiah : — ' The 
 sons of stran rers shall build up thy walls and their kings 
 shall minister unto thee. The sons also of them that 
 afflicted thee sh ill come bending unto thee, and all they 
 that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 24 1 
 
 Protracted meetti New measures and old mea 
 
 ofthy feet, ami they shall call thee the city of the Lord, the 
 Zion of the Holy < >ne of Israel.' 
 
 The work of God has, doubtless, been greatly promoted 
 by what we call protracted n 1 1 tings. These bring the power 
 of truth to bear upon the consciences of, men for several 
 davs in succession, while ministers and Christians who co- 
 operate,* LABOR \\l» PRAY FOR AND EXPECT IMMEDIATE 
 
 resi i.is. i>.o well conducted meeting of this description, 
 so far as my knowledge extends, has passed away without 
 being productive of visible good, and often scores and some- 
 times hundreds are thus brought into the kingdom of 
 Christ. Like all other means, however, they may be abused 
 by injudicious and extravagant men. The general subject 
 lias been much discussed, and 1 hope that our ministers are 
 now pretty well enlightened both as to the good to be ex- 
 pected, and the evils to be guarded against. The subject 
 of intercessory prayer has engaged more attention than 
 formerly. Three discussions on that subject appeared 
 about the same time, one of which, being my own, I send 
 with this communication to a friend in Liverpool with a 
 request to have it forwarded to you. It would be gratifying 
 to me to have your views with respect to some parts of it, 
 especially as to what I have advanced under the head of 
 co» fid one in prayer. 
 
 It was lately stated to me by a clerical friend that he had 
 seen in some English work, he thought a production of 
 yours, a notice of an edition of my little volume on the 
 Doctrine of Divine Sovereignty viewed m connexion with 
 man's responsibility, published in London. Will you please 
 to inform me whether this information be correct? 
 
 The peace of the churches has been much disturbed for 
 several years past by a controversy respecting ability and 
 inability — new measures and old measures. There are 
 those among us who are afraid of detracting somewhat from 
 the honor of sovereign grace, by insisting upon the immedi- 
 ate performance of all the duties which the bible enjoins 
 upon both believers and unbelievers ; — I mean in the same 
 way that the Bible does, without stopping to tell them in 
 the same breath that they have no ability to perform these 
 
 * The duty of praying for a special and present blessing while ministers are preach- 
 ing, is much insisted upon. 
 
 21 
 
242 MEMOIR OF WALTON. 
 
 Distinction between human and divine agency. 
 
 duties. They stop to qualify their statements on these sub- 
 jects, and to give such explanations respecting the sinner's 
 dependence on divine grace, as serve to ease off the pressure 
 of obligation and to quiet the conscience, while submis- 
 sively waiting for divine grace to do every thing for him. 
 Meanwhile very little is said about the guilt of rebelling 
 against God and persisting in that rebellion after duty is 
 known. Ministers of this class appear to have given but 
 little attention to the great principles of the moral govern- 
 ment of God, the foundation of moral obligation, and the 
 manner in which God deals with creatures who still pos- 
 sess, though ever inclined to pervert, the powers of moral 
 agency. They seem to make no distinction between that 
 kind of operation which is necessary to transform an idiot 
 into a rational creature, and that which is required to a 
 change of disposition in a voluntary transgressor. Espe- 
 cially do they appear to overlook the fact that the change 
 necessarily implies the art of the sinner himself; that while 
 the divine efficiency is acknowledged, the nature of the 
 case requires the voluntary agency of the sinner in turning 
 away from sin and submitting to God. Overlooking this 
 point, they fail to urge upon sinners the doing of that which 
 is as essential to their conversion as the divine agency itself. 
 These brethren moreover seem to think there are compara- 
 tively no evils to be guarded against, excepting those of 
 extravagance and innovation." 
 
CHAPTER XIV 
 
 Arrival at Hartford. 
 
 On the 31st of October, Mr. Walton with his family 
 arrived safely in Hartford, the field of his future labor and 
 the place of his final rest. " On our journey my eyes were 
 ever toward the Lord, trusting in Him for protection and 
 for all things necessary for us ; and I enjoyed such a meas- 
 ure of peace as leads me to believe my mind was stayed 
 upon Him. As we approached this city, thinking of the 
 new and important field of labor upon which I was about 
 to enter, and how much depended upon the success of the 
 experiment, very peculiar emotions were excited in my 
 mind ; but I did not sink in despondency. I was and still 
 am supported by a hope approaching to confidence, that God 
 will be with me and prosper my labors here." 
 
 "Dec. 11. — Before leaving Alexandria, we received so 
 many and such substantial proofs of affection from our dear 
 people there, that I felt, in the possession of their affections 
 and in the many spontaneous expressions of good will and 
 of regret at my leaving the place from others, richer than if 
 the wealth of the town had been made my own. I never 
 had before known how much my labors were appreciated, 
 nor what a hold I had upon their affections ; and truly I 
 can say the same with regard to my feelings towards them. 
 They will ever be dear to my heart ; and Alexandria will 
 
2 1 1 M E MOIR OP 
 
 An appalling discovery. 
 
 ever be a name associated with the most delightful recol- 
 lections." 
 
 While memory, moved by feeling, thus embraced the 
 past in its fond endearments, judgment suggested that 
 the present must be improved and the future anticipated. 
 In good earnest, therefore, he commenced his labors among 
 his new people. At one meeting, " some two or three were 
 considerably impressed," and indications of good things 
 from the Spirit of God cheered his labors. 
 
 A singular occurence in the pulpit on a Sabbath after- 
 noon at first much disconcerted him, but finally proved that 
 there is a source to which faithful ministers in desperate 
 extremities can confidently repair. 
 
 "In the afternoon, while they were singing the second 
 hymn, I made the appalling discovery that I had left my 
 notes in my study! It was a new train of thought which 
 I had not made familiar, and I feared I might not be able 
 to collect it. What could I do ? I thought of taking 
 another subject, but none ocenrred. The only resource left 
 was to look to the Lord for help ; and blessed he I lis name 
 He did help me. I was enabled to colled nearly the whole, 
 although there were ten or eleven distinct items. I felt 
 that it was the more embarrassing, because there were a 
 considerable number of intelligent men present, who had 
 not been to hear me before. I was very near asking the 
 church to pray for me, without mentioning the cause, but 
 Baying there was a special cause. However, I concluded 
 not to do so, as it might operate unfavorably. O for a heait 
 to be thankful lor tins special mercy ! " 
 
 "Dec. 23. — The congregation increases, and there lis 
 much that appears encouraging. Last Sabbath evening I 
 appointed an inquiry meeting — a few attended. Last eve- 
 ning, (Saturday) quite a large number of young people 
 attended our meeting, and I had unusual liberty, and there 
 was much solemnity." 
 
 Again he expresses his conviction, that "there is a wide 
 field of usefulness here for me ; it seems to be opening every 
 week." 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 245 
 
 Ffffect Of the truth. A protracted meeting. 
 
 "Jan. 1, 1883. — Was much assisted and encouraged 
 last Sabbath. In the evening some remained after the 
 congregation was dismissed. A new case of awakening 
 under the discourse, the notes of which I had mislaid — ' Is 
 there not a cause ? ' * * * "I think my own mind 
 becomes more solemn, and my interest in the church and 
 in the salvation of sinners here increases." * * * "Two 
 interesting young men came to me this morning. It seems 
 they have set apart this day for fasting and prayer. They 
 have been much aroused. One stated that he had given 
 up his hope. He has seen that he has mistaken the nature 
 of religion. Under the discourse from the words, ' Restore 
 unto me the joy of thy salvation,' he thinks he surrendered 
 his heart to the Lord. Others have experienced similar 
 exercises — some, as I am informed, from other churches." 
 
 Having witnessed the happy results of protracted meet- 
 ings in the sphere of his former labors, he resolved in con- 
 nection and in concurrence with the brethren, to set apart 
 days for a holy convocation, at which the great interests of 
 eternity should be urged on immortal minds, and fervent 
 prayers offered for the salvation of sinners. This meeting 
 commenced on the 8th of January, the day previous to his 
 installation. Speaking of this meeting under date Jan. 25, 
 he says : " Truly it has been a time of deep interest ; prob- 
 ablv among the most important events connected with my 
 life and labors. Brothers Lansing and Norton assisted me 
 for one week ; then brother N. alone for another week ; 
 now brother Kirk is laboring with us. The church has 
 been greatly blessed. The hearts of professors have been 
 thoroughly searched ; many have been humbled, confessed 
 their sins, and rectified evils which had been covered up 
 and more or loss darkening their prospects and burdening 
 their consciences for a long time." 
 
 " On Friday after the commencement of the meeting, 
 
 the church were called up to renew their covenant. The 
 
 ministers followed, and one of the brethren prayed for us. 
 
 This was a time of deep solemnity and deep feeling. I 
 
 21* 
 
246 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Its solemn effects. 
 
 was almost overpowered by my feelings, and the exercises 
 of this day seemed to give the most decisive impulse to the 
 work of God." * * * " This (Saturday) evening I 
 believe more conviction was produced than has been pro- 
 duced any evening since the meeting commenced. Our 
 church have kept two days of Fasting and prayer, and exhibit 
 every appearance of increased engagedness, and the work is 
 now in a more encouraging state than it has been at any 
 former period. I have been sick for three days, though not 
 confined to my bed, taking medicine, yet still attending to 
 my public duties." 
 
 "Jan. 31. — The interest increased until the last evening 
 that brother Kirk continued with us. Multitudes went 
 away who could not get into the house. Last night the 
 house was full again, and I preached. The number of in- 
 quirers appeared to be quite as great at the close, though 
 not so many people attended. 
 
 "Feb. 8. — This evening had an interesting and profitable 
 meeting of young men at my house. To see so many who 
 had recently given their hearts to the Lord together, and to 
 hear them pray and tell what God had done for their souls 
 was indeed delightful. I have just enjoyed a sweet season 
 of prayer, and had more decisive evidence of right /tiling 
 in that prayer than 1 have had before for a long time. I 
 feel that I do desire to see the Redeemer honored by the 
 conversion of sinners, and my faith is stronger and more 
 intelligent than ever before." 
 
 "I have been confined almost entirely to my bouse by a 
 heavy cold for the last few days. I never desired health, 
 and strength and ability, to labor a great deal for the Lord, 
 so much as 1 do now. 1 feel as if 1 never had so great 
 a work to do; and yet I sometimes feel as if my best ener- 
 gies had been expended in Alexandria, so that I can never 
 labor again as I did then. But the Lord knows, and he can 
 and will give me grace sufficient for me." 
 
 About this time he published a pamphlet, entitled " Prep- 
 aration for Special Efforts to promote the work of God," a 
 discourse founded on Judges v. 23. ' Curse ye Meroz, 
 curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof, because they came 
 not to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against 
 the mighty.' In the preface he says, that in attending pro- 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 247 
 
 Publish. d B pamphlet. 
 
 traded meetings, he has "often had occasion to lament 
 the necessity of* occupying so much of the time in preach- 
 ing to Christians, in order to prepare their minds for taking 
 hold of the work ; time and labor, which, if they were in 
 the right state of mind, might be devoted to the impenitent. 
 Conversions might then be expected to take place from the 
 first, instead of waiting till the meeting is far advanced, to 
 see the salvation of God. It has therefore occurred to him 
 that a Tract, adapted to arouse the minds of Christians to the 
 right state of feeling, and to explain the connection between 
 the right employment of well adapted means, and the con- 
 version of sinners, and giving to Christians clear views of 
 the responsibility resting upon them in relation to this mat- 
 ter, guarding at the same time against an unscriptural reli- 
 ance on the use of means, might, under the blessing of God, 
 be extensively useful.' Of this pamphlet two hundred 
 copies were sold in two days. It is -marked by the usual 
 good sense, fervent piety, and accurate discrimination of 
 the author. It was read by various ministers to their 
 people." 
 
 " March 16. — I have been in doubt about the propriety 
 of publishing a narrative of our protracted meeting ; my 
 judicious friends advise it strongly, and I am now prepar- 
 ing it." 
 
 This narrative was first published in the New York Evan- 
 gelist, and as it presents a much better view of the orio-in 
 and progress of the revival than it is possible for the writer 
 to give, large extracts follow : 
 
 Hartford, June 8, 1S33. 
 " Dear Brother — A more particular account than has yet 
 been given of the protracted meeting held in the Free 
 Church in this city, has long been expected. For various 
 reasons, however it has been del lyed. But inquiries which 
 have recently been made by friends from different quar- 
 
248 MEMOIR OP 
 
 Account nl till' revival 
 
 ters, have convinced me that it should be withheld no 
 longer. * * * 
 
 The meeting commenced with the services connected 
 with my installation. These were appropriate and impres- 
 sive. On the following day the preaching was addressed 
 chiefly to the ( 'hurch. The tone of feeling was much rais- 
 ed, and expectation was high. Nothing however was done 
 to ascertain the extent of this feeling, until, on the third 
 day, the indications were such, at the close of the after- 
 noon discourse, as to make it manifestly proper to call upon 
 Christians present, to renew their covenant with God, and 
 bind themselves to more fidelity in his service ; especially 
 to do more than they had ever done to save the souls of 
 perishing men. It was an hour of deep solemnity. It 
 seemed to have a real and most intimate connection with 
 the scenes of a coming eternity. My own responsibilities 
 pressed upon me with an unusual weight. I had just then 
 assumed the charge of a new Church, the character of 
 which was to be formed, in a great degree, under my influ- 
 ence, and the success of which depended much upon my 
 fidelity. I felt my need of Divine assistance. I felt too 
 that it would be a privilege to have an interest in the 
 prayers of so numerous an assembly of Christians. And 
 as we (ministers) had been offering up our prayers on 
 behalf of those who had renewed their covenant, there 
 seemed to be a propriety in our saying to them in return — 
 ' Brethren pray for us.' This was accordingly done, and 
 thus the services of that occasion closed. * '* * 
 
 On a subsequent occasion, the state of feeling appeared to 
 justify a call to those whose minds were affected by Divine 
 truth to come out, and by taking appropriate seats, to 
 express their feelings and intentions. A considerable 
 number promptly complied with the invitation; and it was 
 done with no more confusion than is generally witnessed 
 in Presbyterian Churches on sacramental occasions, where 
 the custom is for those who confess Christ before men, to 
 separate themselves from the rest of the congregation, and 
 to take their seats at the communion table. Such scenes 
 are often exceedingly impressive, and have been the occa- 
 sion of the conversion of many. After the service closed, 
 those persons were requested to remain a short time for 
 special instruction and prayer. A new impulse was thus 
 given to the feelings and the prayers of Christians, and 
 
W ILLUM C . W ALTON. 240 
 
 Reasons for assembling the anxious. 
 
 some impenitent persons were more solemnly impressed by 
 
 seeing others take this step, than by any thing they had ever 
 witnessed or heard before. It seems to have had the effect 
 of bringing the question of their own duty more clearly 
 and impressively before their minds, and of enforcing an 
 immediate compliance. Some when thus pressed on the 
 duty of coming out on the Lord's side, were made sensible 
 of the opposition of their hearts to this duty, and to God ; 
 a feeling which had never before been so clearly elicited. 
 Some who felt it to be a trial to take this step publicly, 
 reflected that if they ever became Christians they must, 
 sooner or later, come out from the world and break through 
 the obstacle which had held them back from this duty ; that 
 as they had sinned publicly, it was but reasonable that they 
 should confess it publicly ; and furthermore they reflected 
 that any feeling of pride which would prevent them from 
 professing before men their concern on the subject of reli- 
 gion, would oppose their submission to God under any cir- 
 cumstances. They saw that the feeling itself was wrong, 
 and that the sooner it was overcome the better. In some 
 instances when this victory was gained and the person came 
 forward, every other opposing feeling seemed to give way 
 and instant relief was felt. And there ar some who are 
 persuaded that, however this measure may affect others, it 
 was so far as they can judge, the only thing that was adapt- 
 ed to bring their irresolute minds to a decision. They had 
 often been impressed before ; but having resisted their feel- 
 ings and silenced their convictions by delay, they had 
 almost given up the last hope of ever coming to a different 
 state of mind. And it appeared to them very certain that 
 if they did not act out their feelings on this occasion, their 
 case would be a desperate one. By coming out and taking 
 their seats with the anxious, they felt themselves committed 
 to go forward ; and they rejoiced in having done so. But 
 most commonly the house was too much crowded to admit 
 of any such separation. When this was the case, the anx- 
 ious were requested at the close of the service, to retire to 
 the Lecture Room in the basement story, while Christians 
 remained in the church to pray ; and it was deeply solemn 
 and interesting to hear, faintly, the voice of singing and 
 prayer above, while surrounded with scores, and sometimes 
 hundreds, who professed to be more or less concerned about 
 
250 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Results and characteristics ol" the work. 
 
 the salvation of their souls. Such were our circumstances 
 night after night for about two weeks, while a considerable 
 Dumber every day were emerging nut of darkness into the 
 glorious light and liberty of the gospel. 
 
 The meeting was continued about three weeks, part ot 
 which time there were three public services each day, 
 besides prayer meetings, and meetings for inquirers. Du- 
 ring the last week or ten days, there were only two public 
 meetings a day — in the afternoon and evening. Everyday 
 strangers cam;' in from the country; not a few of whom 
 returned home with a new song in their mouths, with a 
 resolution to spend their remaining daya in the service of 
 God. One has already been instrumental in promoting a 
 revival in the neighborhood where he resides. Others have 
 commenced prayer meetings and other efforts to do good. 
 Some of the converts are from other states ; a number from 
 the adjacent towns, and many from other congregations in 
 this city. The number cannot be accurately estimated. 
 Where many are daily beginning to indulge hopes, for two 
 or three weeks successively, often in the midst of a crowd, 
 and where no opportunity is given to take their names, and 
 most of them strangers, it is exceedingly difficult to make 
 such an estimate. I have before expressed the opinion, and 
 still believe thai there were between two and three hundred 
 cases of hopeful conversion, besides many children whose 
 names were not taken. But on this subject I would not 
 express confidence. The Lord knoweth them that are 
 his. * * * 
 
 CHARACTERISTICS OF THE WORK. 
 
 1. It was remarkably free from animal excitement. 
 There was indeed strong feeling, but it was produced by 
 clear and forcible exhibitions of truth. There were no 
 outcries nor bodily agitations. Eyes indeed. wept that had 
 never wept before on account of sin ; and Christians whose 
 hearts had long been cold and insensible were warmed into 
 life and tenderness, and could say 'Rivers of water run 
 down my eyes because men keep not thy law.' The gospel 
 was preached with the Holy Ghost sent down from Heaven, 
 and the results were such, though on a comparatively small 
 scale, as was witnessed by the apostles. Hearts were 
 ' opened ' to receive the truth — ' not as the word of man, 
 
WILLIAM C . WALTON. 251 
 
 'I'lic power "I' prayer. 
 
 but as it is indeed the word of Cod, and it effectually 
 wrought in them that believed, turning them from idols to 
 serve the living and true God.' And the change has been 
 thus far, with a few exceptions, a permanent one. 
 
 •2 It was characterized by an unusual spirit of prayer. 
 Much pains had been taken before the commencement of 
 the meeting, to impress upon the minds of Christians the 
 Utter inefficiency of all human means, and at the same 
 time to explain the connection which God had established 
 between human instrumentality rightly employed, and the 
 conversion of sinners. And during the progress of the 
 meeting they were often reminded of the 'curse' pronoun- 
 ced upon those ' who trust in man and whose hearts 
 depart from the Lord.' And as the ancient Parthians, 
 when contending with an enemy, surrounded by walls 
 which they could neither scale nor demolish, shot their 
 arrows towards Heaven, so that in their descent they might 
 take the enemy unawares, and at a disadvantage for resist- 
 ance; so Christians were engaged during our meeting. 
 While ministers were dispensing the truth, many were send- 
 ing up their prayers to Heaven unseen and unheard by men, 
 but efficacious in bringing down a divine influence, to 
 which all the saving effects of the meeting are, and ought 
 to be, ascribed. The occasion was preceded by a day of 
 fasting and prayer ; and during the progress of the meet- 
 ing, two days were set apart for the same purposes. Small 
 circles were almost continually engaged in prayer during 
 the intervals of public worship ; and two or three whole 
 nights were by private agreement spent in the same way, 
 by some of the brethren and sisters apart. When the 
 church could not contain the people who assembled, Christ- 
 ians were requested to make room for others by retiring to 
 the Lecture room for prayer ; and it could be wished that 
 those who, standing at a distance, and judging from reports, 
 think that the doctrine of the Holy Spirit's influence was 
 not sufficiently felt and recognized, had been present on 
 some of these occasions, when by ' continuing instant in 
 prayer, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and 
 supplication,' there was such a sense of the Divine pres- 
 ence, that every mind was filled with solemnity and awe. 
 The distance between heaven and earth seemed to be almost 
 annihilated, and the things of the spiritual world seemed 
 
2 52 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Hear) marchings and confessions. 
 
 to be rendered almost visible and tangible. Prayers were a 
 few times requested for individuals, by friends who felt 
 deeply for their salvation, and some of these persons were 
 hopefully Converted ; while not an instance is known to 
 me, of any had effects produced on the minds of those indi- 
 viduals who were thus alluded to — 1 say alluded to, for they 
 were not named; and this was done only in the prayer meet- 
 ings. * * * 
 
 3. It was distinguished, above all the meetings I ever 
 attended, by its searching effects upon the experience and 
 the hopes of professing Christians. Many gave up their 
 hopes, and appeared among the anxious ; some acknowl- 
 edging that they had all the feelings of enmity against God, 
 which are ordinarily experienced by convicted sinners. 
 One of these was the most remarkable instance of hard 
 hearted, intelligent, and obstinate rebellion I have ever wit- 
 nessed. Some made confession of sins long covered up, 
 and almost forgotten. Some men of business, in looking 
 over their past transactions, although they could see noth- 
 ing that was not sanctioned by the maxims and practices 
 of commercial men, yet saw some things, which to an 
 enlightened and tender conscience created uneasiness. 
 These things were rectified, and their consciences disbur- 
 dened. Some — not professors of religion — made restitu- 
 tion for unjust gain. By one man *•">;> was restored — 
 another went into the country some distance, to settle an 
 affair which exceedingly embarrassed his mind, and troub- 
 led his conscience. Some restored small sums of money, 
 and articles which they had clandestinely taken. Some 
 under conviction were kept in distress several days, 
 unwilling to make confession of sins they had committed; 
 but as soon as that was done, they obtained peace of mind 
 and peace with God. An individual who had taken an 
 album from a store without leaving an equivalent, was con- 
 strained by mental disquietude, to confess the sin to the 
 person from whom it had been taken, and to pay for it. 
 The act was so extraordinary, and evinced so clearly the 
 powerful operation of religious principle, that it was made 
 the means of the young man's conversion. Two other 
 cases, equally striking, 1 forbear to record ; but they will 
 long be remembered as proof that this work was of God, 
 and not of man, nor of Satan. 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 253 
 
 Whole funiilie." roiiw-tlerl. 
 
 4. It has had the effect of elevating the standard of 
 Christian experience and of Christian effort. I mean that 
 many Christians have obtained clearer views of what the, 
 Bible inculcates in regard to these matters than they ever 
 had before. They can no longer be satisfied merely to 
 have their Dames on the church register, to attend public 
 worship, to partake of the communion, and to contribute a 
 little to the support of religious institutions and the spread 
 of the gospel. They are now convinced that all this may 
 be done while their hearts and personal services are withheld 
 from God; and that it is all consistent with living to them- 
 selves and for this world. They are convinced that in 
 order to have a scriptural foundation for their hopes, they 
 must make the service of God their chief and daily busi- 
 ness. They will no longer be ashamed of Christ, nor 
 afraid to speak, on suitable occasions, to their fellow men 
 in reference to the concerns of their souls : and they will 
 seek for opportunities of advancing the great object for 
 which they live, and not try to shun the cross, and to turn 
 away their eyes from beholding the temporal and spiritual 
 wretchedness of their fellow men. * * * 
 
 5. It has resulted in the hopeful conversion of some 
 whole families; family altars have been erected, the friends 
 of temperance multiplied, many young men have been 
 reclaimed from courses of folly and wickedness ; many 
 parents have had their hearts gladdened and their mouths 
 filled with praise, by the happy change witnessed in chil- 
 dren for whose spiritual birth they had travailed and ago- 
 nized. The Female Seminary partook largely of the bles- 
 sing, as did also another school in the neighborhood, in 
 which there were nearly twenty hopeful conversions among 
 the larger pupils. 
 
 (i. A considerable number of young men, subjects of 
 the work, have been in the habit of meeting every evening 
 after closing their business, generally at 9 o'clock, for con- 
 ference and prayer. 
 
 For some weeks, special meetings were held for the 
 instruction of the young converts. They have been taught 
 that religion is something more than going forward to the 
 inquirers' seat ; that having in this, or some other way, 
 expressed their determination to serve God, they must now 
 serve him, and carry their religious principles into the 
 02 
 
254 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Incidental remarks. 
 
 whole business of life. That their fidelity and constancy 
 must not depend upon the excitement of a protracted meet- 
 ing ; but that they must have such a religion as can be sus- 
 tained by the word of God and prayer — by closet devotion 
 — by the ordinary exercises of the sanctuary, and by those 
 personal efforts to do good, which are as essential to spirit- 
 ual prosperity and advancement in holiness, as exercise is 
 to the health and vigor of the body or the mind. * * * 
 
 The salutary effects of this meeting have, as before inti- 
 mated, extended beyond the limits of our church. 'They 
 are scattered,' said a member of another church, ' all over 
 the city.' And the individual who made this remark had 
 an opportunity of knowing; for she was a tract distributor, 
 and had then recently attended a monthly meeting of her 
 associates, at which it was reported that since their previ- 
 ous meeting, conversions had taken place in every ward, 
 and in some, as many as twelve. 
 
 I have now only to remark in reference to these things, 
 that if others can produce such effects, without ' Christ 
 and the Holy Spirit forming any part of their system,' WE 
 cannot; we have no pretension to such powers; and if oth- 
 ers think we have, they magnify us far more than we are 
 willing to ' magnify ourselves.' I presume there is not one 
 whom we have recognized as a convert, who would not say, 
 1 Christ is my only hope — my salvation is of the Lord, and 
 to his name alone be the praise.' I do not feel concerned 
 to vindicate this work any farther than a faithful statement 
 of facts will furnish such vindication. That it was attended 
 with imperfection, none will deny. Was there ever a revi- 
 val conducted by human beings with perfect wisdom and 
 propriety? Or are we to refrain from all efforts to do good, 
 until we are perfect ? Then we shall do none, until we get 
 to Heaven ; and acting upon that principle, it may be ques- 
 tionable whether we ever get there. It is not fair, however, 
 to attribute all the imperfection to neto measures, unless it 
 could be shown that there was none in the old. If God 
 blesses both, why may we not employ both, especially as 
 the Bible contains no specific directions on the subject? 
 Our principle is to vary measures according to circumstan- 
 ces, ' if by any means we may save some.' This matter is, 
 we think, left to the discretion of ministers, each one being 
 bound to adopt that course which he thinks will, under his 
 
WILLIAM C . WALTON. 255 
 
 Importance of union among mlniatsra. 
 
 ministry, be most efficient for the salvation of souls. This, 
 in our opinion, is responsibility enough for us to assume, 
 without interfering with others who have the same respon- 
 sibility and who ought, therefore, to have the same liberty 
 of judging for themselves which v/e claim for ourselves. If 
 they can practically show us ' a more excellent way ' than 
 we have yet discovered, we shall thank them; but at all 
 events, we will not contend with them about such matters. 
 If ministers would have confidence in each other, 'love as 
 brethren,' and 'strive together for the faith of the Groepel,' 
 and not strive about measures, there might be in the latter, 
 a diversity somewhat like that which is seen in all the 
 works of God ; a diversity which continually excites fresh 
 interest, and which is consistent with the beauty and har- 
 mony of the whole. If the Head of the church confined 
 his blessing to the use of old measures, we should feel our- 
 selves bound to employ no others; and if they were abused 
 by some eccentric and extravagant men, and made a sub- 
 ject of ridicule by profane men, we should not deem that a 
 sufficient reason for giving them up. Any thing may be abused 
 and turned into ridicule — old or new measures — the gospel 
 itself has been abused and vilified : but still it remains the 
 power and the wisdom of God unto salvation. We believe 
 that while wisdom is profitable to direct in all our efforts to 
 save souls, an extreme of caution is itself an evil, and may 
 prevent great good : and that while we ought not to con- 
 demn conscientious fears indulged by brethren in regard to 
 tire tendency of things to which they have not been accus- 
 tomed, we ought also to fear lest the blood of souls be found 
 in our skirts, if we are pursuing a course which does not, 
 in fact, result in their salvation. Our fears ought, it seems 
 to us, to be more excited by the actual evils of that state of 
 things in which sinners are going heedless, and as by com- 
 mon consent, to destruction, than by any deviation from it, 
 which results in the salvation of some. May grace, mercy, 
 and peace be multiplied to all the ministers and to all the 
 churches of our Lord Jesus Christ, and may the whole 
 earth be filled with his glory. Amen and amen ! 
 
 W. C. Walton." 
 
 " May 15. — I have just returned from New York, where 
 I had the privilege of attending the anniversaries, of hearing 
 some preaching — much interesting conversation, and of 
 
256 MEMOIR OF 
 
 The last article Irons U\< pen. 
 
 preaching the Gospel to a very large assembly in Chatham 
 Street Chapel, and also in brother Norton's church. On 
 my arrival Found all my family well, and a very interesting 
 
 and Boothing letter from a .Miss C , who was led 
 
 by the blessing of God upon a sermon of mine in Rich- 
 mond, to the knowledge of the truth. 1 desire now to do 
 more than I have ever done for the conversion of sinners. 
 May God help me." 
 
 "July 12. — Reading a review of the memoirs of James 
 Taylor, has made me feel more sensibly my great deficiency 
 as it respects personal holiness, and entire consecration to 
 the work of the Lord. 1 feel resolved to seek alter more 
 intimate communion with God, and higher enjoyment of his 
 love; but I am aware that more self-denying obedience is 
 necessary in order to these attainments." 
 
 In the month of October, he writes : " For some time 
 past I have been preparing an article to appear in the next 
 number of the Christian Spectator, on the Views and feel- 
 ings which have characterized successful ministers. It has 
 been a work of much labor and research ; but inv hopes of 
 its being very useful are strong." 
 
 This article excited much interest. It was the last effort 
 of his pen, and well deserves that distinction. No consci- 
 entious minister can read it without desiring to be a better, 
 holier, and more useful man. Its aim, as .-fated by himself, 
 is to present " an analysis of the views and feelings, which 
 have bun found by experience t<> be connected with success in 
 preaching the gospel." "I have had much pleasure and 
 some profit to my own soul in writing it, and have a strong 
 hope that it will be more useful than any of my publica- 
 tions have been." 
 
 " Oct. 28. — Spent last week at Waterbury attending a 
 protracted meeting; preached Tuesday evening; three 
 times Wednesday ; twice Thursday, and three times Fri- 
 day. Church awakened, and about thirty inquirers — some 
 hoping. I had much assistance in preaching." 
 
 "Nov. 1. — Yesterday was the anniversary of our arrival 
 in this city. How time flies, and how many important 
 
WILLIAM C . WALTON. ii;>7 
 
 The lust funeral sermon. 
 
 events have occurred within the past year! Still I see ao 
 reason to think I did wrong in leaving Alexandria for this 
 new field of labor. But 1 feel dissatisfied, and 1 hope in 
 some degree humbled, to think that I have done so little 
 here." * * * " In general I have had so many 
 engagements to prevent me from visiting from house to 
 hou.se, that I have done less of that labor than usual. A 
 part of the time 1 was preparing my sermon for the press; 
 then revising the Treatise on Intercessory Prayer for a new 
 edition ami also preparing the materials lor the volume 
 which 1 had promised to the public. More recently I 
 have been occupied with a long article for the December 
 number of the Christian Spectator. Three weeks 1 was 
 absent during the summer at Albany and New York, help- 
 ing brother Kirk ami exchanging with brother Parker. 
 All these things are reasons why I have done but little 
 among my o\\ u people, except to keep things under way, 
 and to forward the building of our new house. This, to 
 our surprise, is now nearly finished, and will soon enlarge 
 our sphere of duly and responsibility." 
 
 " Sabbath evening, Nor. :$. — Was able to preach brother 
 Smith's funeral discourse this morning, although in extreme 
 weakness. Sometimes during the morning I felt as if it 
 would be impossible ; and when I commenced, my voice 
 was so tremulous and weak that I could hardly be hear/d. 
 I administered the communion in the afternoon with much 
 less difficulty. Mr. H. assisted me, and made some very 
 judicious and striking remarks. I now feel feverish, as I 
 have done for a number of evenings. I was assisted in 
 my public duties ; but my heart is far from being in that 
 state, after which 1 hope I am seeking. Oh for intelligent 
 submission, humility, love, and victory over all selfish feel- 
 ings. May the Lord fill me with his Spirit." 
 
 " Nov. 0. — Have been worse since the Sabbath, and now 
 can hardly say with confidence that my disease is subdued. 
 Am some better to-day, and have come to my study, where 
 I have just had one of the most profitable seasons of medi- 
 tation and prayer that I have had for a long time. My 
 mind was particularly affected in recounting the Lord's 
 dealings with me during the forty years which I have now 
 spent in the wilderness. My birth-day was Monday last. 
 I have had some humbling views of my sinfulness and a 
 
258 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Letter to Ma Sister. 
 
 freedom and peace in casting my guilty soul upon the mer- 
 cy of God through Christ, and in appealing to h\a fatherly 
 compassions. I think 1 am strengthened against ray beset- 
 ting sins, and 1 feel strong desires to he filled with the 
 Spirit of Christ, and to lie employed, it* he will condescend 
 to employ me, in doing much for the advancement of his 
 kingdom." * * * "Last evening being ' sick,' I 
 ' sent for the Elders of the church,' who prayed with me, 
 and I trust the Lord is, in answer to prayer and for his own 
 glory, going to raise me up again." 
 
 " Saturday eve. Nov. 9. — Yesterday morning while read- 
 ing the experience of Win. Cowper, I had some of the most 
 heart affecting and profitable views of Christ and his work, 
 that I ever had in my life. I do not remember ever to 
 have had any so satisfactory. My mind was led to dwell 
 upon the train of thought for a length of time. Every 
 part of his character appeared perfectly amiable, but 1 was 
 most struck with his condescension, and with the grandeur 
 of his design in coming from Heaven to save a lost world !" 
 
 To his Sifter. 
 
 Hartford, Nov. 20, 1833. 
 " My dear Sister, 
 
 Your letter found me in a sick bed. I am still confined 
 to my room, although so far convalescent as to be able to 
 eat tolerably well, and to walk frequently across the room. 
 
 * * * But whatever be the cause, the hand of the 
 Lord is in it, and I feel that it is the hand of a wise and 
 good Father, who will not carry the affliction beyond the 
 necessary point. You may judge how low I have been, 
 from the fact that one evening the effort of pulling off my 
 clothes and getting into bed nearly produced fainting. * * 
 
 Nov. 21. — I commenced this letter intending to write a 
 few lines at a time, without the least mental or bodily exer- 
 tion which might be injurious. 1 shall just set down my 
 scattered thoughts as they occur, without any regard to 
 order or connection. This morning I feel decidedly better. 
 Had a tolerably good night. Cough, which has been dis- 
 tressing, is much lessened, and my feelings are in all re- 
 spects more natural and comfortable. At one time there 
 was such an obstruction in my windpipe, that I felt like 
 suffocation. My throat was blistered, and it is much 
 
WILLIAM C . WALTON. 2. r )0 
 
 Progreu <>t' hli disease. 
 
 relieved. I now sit up nearly all day and ea1 pretty heart- 
 ily. Our people are remarkably kind, and scud me every 
 thing I want. I trust this affliction will be greatly sancti- 
 fied to mo. 1 feel that I needed it. I think 1 have views 
 of the world, of myself, of Christ and His salvation, which I 
 had not before, and which will prepare me for preaching, 
 if I should be allowed that privilege again. 
 
 About the commencement of my sickness, I completed 
 my fortieth year, and it sometimes occurred to me that per- 
 haps the Lord did not design to continue me in the wilder- 
 ness any longer. I believe I never felt better prepared to 
 die ; but with such a family as I have, I felt that it was very 
 desirable that I should continue with them, if it might be 
 consistent with the divine will. I felt, too, a desire to do 
 something more for the cause of Christ. I felt as if I had 
 done so little, so very little, and that so mingled with sin ! 
 I feared the sins of my ministry were so great, that the Lord 
 would lay me aside as an unworthy instrument, in whom He 
 takes no pleasure. But I felt great confidence in casting 
 myself upon His mercy in Jesus Christ, and in appealing to 
 his Fatherly com passion. 
 
 W. C. Walton." 
 
 "Nov. 24. — This is now the third Sabbath that I have 
 been confined by sickness, unable to preach and generally 
 unable to leave my room. My disease, after progressing for 
 some time, assumed a nervous character, and since that 
 time I have suffered much more than before. I have been 
 reduced to such a state of weakness, that the effort to get 
 into bed almost produced fainting. Often I have to stop 
 after each single effort to get breath. In addition to this, 
 I have had at night a cough which has been alarming in its 
 character. Sometimes my lungs have appeared, for many 
 hours at a time, especially in the evening and at night, in 
 such a state that the vital air could not come into contact 
 with them. My case has for some time appeared a very 
 critical one, and of course it has led me to think much 
 about dying and the preparation for it. My exercises have 
 been I believe truly profitable. I have been assisted in 
 remembering my evil ways and my doings which were not 
 good, and have been led to loathe myself for my iniquities 
 and my abominations. I have been enabled to ascribe 
 righteousness to the Lord, and to see that in all my multi- 
 
260 MEMOIR OF 
 
 li;iji|py <t:ilc of lii» elm r< ii. 
 
 plied trials lie his bem dealing with me in faithfulness and 
 mercy. I felt much freedom in easting myself upon the 
 mercy of God in Christ, and in appealing to His fatherly 
 
 compassions. Sometimes I have labored under great de- 
 pression and been sorely tempted. But the Lord is enabling 
 me to rise above all these things, and this morning 1 had a 
 sweet season of devotion at the dawn of day." 
 
 "Monday, Die. lb\ — Yesterday was the sixth Sabbath 
 since I preached and administered the communion ; and the 
 first public act I was able to perform was to administer bap- 
 tism to an adopted child of .Mr. and Mrs. S . It was 
 
 with great difficulty 1 spoke at all, I was so weak and agit- 
 ated ! But I got through the service and prayed." 
 
 " God ha sfor some wise purpose laid me aside, and is 
 using a young man, not yet licensed to preach, as an instru- 
 ment of a glorious work among my people. In this I do 
 rejoice, yea, and will rejoice. Let the church be purified 
 and my Saviour honored, and sinners converted, and it 
 matters but little who is the instrument. I am willing that 
 God should work in His own way and by whomsoever He 
 pleases." 
 
 " The meetings are increasingly full and interesting, and 
 the number of hopeful converts is very considerable. The 
 church is in a better state than it has ever been since I have 
 been here. May the Lord take it into his own hands, 
 direct every thing, and glorify Himself through Jesus Christ. 
 Amen." 
 
 Among the last books which he read were the Autobiog- 
 raphy of Dr. Clark and Baxter on Conversion. The fol- 
 lowing is the last entry in his diary: 
 
 "I have also written several skeletons of sermons, and 
 revised parts of several little volumes which I expect shortly 
 to publish. I have also written the narrative of the events 
 of my earl} life, amounting to seventeen pages." 
 
 His last, like his first letter, was to his early and venerated 
 friend, Dr. Hill, now his successor at Alexandria. 
 
 Hartford, Dec. 19, 1833. 
 
 " Reverend and dear Brother, 
 
 I have written to you several times without receiving any 
 answer ; and I am sometimes tempted to think you have 
 
AV ILIUM C . WALTON. 201 
 
 His i:ist letter. 
 
 almost ceased to care for me, and thai I may as well not 
 
 write any more. But perhaps in this 1 am wrong. At all 
 events, 1 will relieve my feelings by writing once more, and 
 pethaps this letter may bring an answer. 
 
 I am now just recovering from a long illness, brought on 
 by excessive labor at a protracted meeting in one of the 
 neighboring towns. At first it was not alarming, hut ;it 
 length it turned to a nervous fever, and prostrated my 
 Strength almost entirely. Although I have been convales- 
 cent for three or four weeks, I am not yet able to preach, 
 and go out but very little. Still 1 have the prospect of 
 returning health, and my strength is gradually increas- 
 ing. I trust the affliction has been greatly blessed both to 
 myself and to my people. Never before have I had such 
 exercises of mind as during my illness and since my partial 
 recovery. I felt that the sting of death was taken away; 
 and I now feel a confidence in God and a heart to rejoice 
 in His government and in Him, as the boundless ocean of 
 blessedness. I feel a desire to spend my spared life to His 
 glory ; to live simply and entirely to Him and not to myself. 
 May I never lose a sense of my unspeakable obligations ! 
 
 Just before my illness, we lost one of our deacons on 
 whom our church depended so much at its commencement, 
 that without him the enterprize would not have been com- 
 menced. You may have seen his death noticed in connec- 
 tion with bis munificent legacies to the great and small 
 religious societies. This event produced a solemn im- 
 pression upon the minds of our people, and that impres- 
 sion was deepened by my illness. They felt that the Lord 
 was dealing with them, and that it behoved them to 
 inquire wherefore He conttnded with than] One after 
 another was humbled and melted down in repentance for 
 past sin ; and one after another, by taking a more decided 
 stand and resolving to do their whole duty, has come in to 
 the light and liberty of the gospel. The spirit of prayer 
 appears greatly to have increased, and the style and char- 
 acter of their prayers much improved ; tbey ask for just 
 what they want, and stop when they are done. They have 
 also become more faithful in conversing with the impeni- 
 tent. Our men of business make it a rule to perform this 
 duty in relation to every person with whom they have inter- 
 course, when circumstances will admit. The consequence 
 you may anticipate. There has been for four weeks past 
 
262 MEMOIR OF WALTON. 
 
 its conclusion. 
 
 what we may now with confidence call a revival. It is 
 increasing — meetings are crowded — sometimes there have 
 been about a dozen hopeful conversions at one meeting. 
 
 * * * One of the most effectual means of bringing 
 the brethren to a right state of feeling, was the appointment 
 of a day of fasting and prayer, at which time they all made 
 confession of their sins one to another. It was a melting 
 and profitable time. * * * 
 
 Verv affectionately, 
 
 W. C. Walton." 
 
CHAPTER XV. 
 
 The closing scene. 
 
 The heir of Heaven ! henceforth I fear not death, 
 In Christ I live, in Clirisl I draw the breath 
 Of the true life. Let then earth, and sea, and sky 
 Make war against me. <>a thy heart I show 
 Their mighty Master's seal. In vain they try 
 To end my life ; that can but end its woe. 
 Is that a death-bed where a Christian lies 1 
 Yes, — but not Iiis ; — 'tis death itself there dies ! 
 
 Coleridge. 
 
 Having presented to my readers the history of William 
 C. Walton, as a living man and a minister of Christ, it now 
 remains that I introduce them into the dying chamber, that 
 there they may see the end of a life of faith, the fruits of 
 holy living, the sweet prelibation of Heaven's joys, even 
 before the soul has passed tlie valley of death and entered 
 the gates of eternal life. 
 
 In speaking of the triumphant death of John Jane- 
 way, Robert Hall says : " I am aware that some will 
 object to the strain of devout ecstacy which characterizes 
 the sentiments and language of Mr. Janeway in his dying 
 moments ; but I am persuaded they will meet with nothing, 
 however ecstatic and elevated, but what corresponds to the 
 dictates of Scripture and the analogy of faith. He who 
 recollects that the Scripture speaks of a ' peace which pas- 
 seth understanding,' of a ' joy unspeakable and full of glory,' 
 
264 MEMOIR OP 
 
 John JaneWfty. Thomas llalyburton. 
 
 will not be offended at the lively expressions of those con- 
 tained in this narrative. He will be more disposed to 
 lament the low state of his own religious feeling, than to 
 suspect the propriety of sentiments, the most rational and 
 scriptural, merely because they rise to a pitch he has never 
 reached. The sacred oracles afford no countenance to the 
 supposition, that devotional feelings are to be condemned 
 as visionary and enthusiastic, merely on account of their 
 intenseness and elevation ; provided they arc of the right 
 kind, and spring from legitimate sources, they never teach 
 us to suspect they can be carried too far." 
 
 If in the distant view of death, remarks so just and true 
 could fall from the lips of a good man, with what force do 
 kindred sentiments flow from the lips of one who has already 
 commenced the struggle with the 'last enemy,' but who 
 feels the confidence of a conqueror, whose victory is to be 
 achieved ' through our Lord Jesus Christ ! ' 
 
 " I know," said the pious Halyburton on his death-bed, 
 " that a great deal of what is said by a dying man will 
 pass for canting and raving ; but I bless God He hath so 
 preserved the little judgment I had, that I have been able 
 to reflect with composure on His dealings with me. I am 
 sober and composed] if ever I was sober. And whether 
 men will hear or forbear, this is a testimony. Am not I a 
 man wonderfully upheld of God, under affliction and death ? 
 The death of the saints is made a derision in our day. 
 When such people shall come to my pass, they will not 
 dare to laugh. I will rejoice in the Lord and joy in the 
 God of my salvation. I want death to complete my happi- 
 ness. Oh blessed be God that I ever was born !" And in 
 such a strain of gratitude and praise did he breathe out his 
 soul to God. 
 
 But not to him and such as him alone, have angels whis- 
 pered the music of Heaven in the still and holy twilight of 
 their mortal existence. Our beloved brother, whose trials 
 and sorrows were many, forgot them all amid the sustaining 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 2f>5 
 
 A sudden crisis iii iiis disease. 
 
 consolations of the final scene; amid those brilliant visions, 
 which in his passage across the river of death, continually 
 greeted and gladdened his view, till earth was no more! 
 
 "On Friday, the 20th," says Mrs. Walton, "my dear 
 husband rose early and walked down to the market. It 
 was unusually cold, and he was chilled by exposure to the 
 keen morning air. At worship, whilst he was praying, he 
 felt an unusual sensation in his breast, and called on our 
 son William to continue the devotions : he however ate his 
 breakfast, rode out, and thought he was refreshed, and as 
 well as he had ordinarily been. After dinner I went up to 
 my room ; had been there but a short time when he entered 
 it hastily, saying, as he came to the fire-place, ' my dear, get 
 me some salt.' I was alarmed, ran down stairs, and hav- 
 ing procured it, took it to him. We sent immediately 
 for his attending physician ; in the mean time he spit up 
 two or three mouthfuls of blood. In a little time we had 
 three physicians. Dr. D. having arrived first, proceeded 
 directly to take some blood from his arm. This step was 
 approved by Drs. B. and N. who came in shortly after. 
 They then removed him to a more retired room. He sat 
 up until nearly night, when he was put to bed, from which 
 he was not suffered to rise for several weeks. He contin- 
 ued to raise blood occasionally for two or three weeks. 
 After his hemorrhage ceased, he was allowed to eat rather 
 more, and seemed to be gaining a little strength. Feeling 
 anxious to remove to a room which looked more comforta- 
 ble and cheerful, we had him brought down to the second 
 story. This was the only time he was out of his room from 
 the 20th Dec. until he was taken to the rest that remains 
 for the people of God. He suffered a great deal during the 
 first of this confinement from those nervous affections of 
 which he so often complains in his diary. The adver- 
 sary was not, however, allowed to take away his confidence 
 in God, or his trust in a crucified Redeemer. His conflicts 
 were frequent, though of short duration, until one morning 
 he was greatly agitated by fear of some impending though 
 uncertain evil ; when he thought, well, be it so, let it come, 
 i" will trust in the Lord, and from that time he seemed to 
 think Satan had less power over him, and he had few, if 
 any more such conflicts. From the first of his hemorrhage, 
 he prepared, as though he were sure he should not recover." 
 23 
 
266 MEMOIR OF 
 
 The first sensations of a Christian oil entering Heaven. 
 
 Not long after this, a Christian friend entering the room, 
 
 he said to her, " M , you remember Hurlgate, near 
 
 New York, where ships have been so often injured. Wellj 
 I have felt just like a vessel there in a heavy gale, making 
 no headway, but trembling in all her timbers, expecting 
 every moment to be dashed in pieces, but unexpectedly the 
 scene changes and she gets into smooth sailing." 
 
 The night previous to his hemorrhage, he bad such views 
 of the character of God as he never bad before., "He 
 seemed," said he, " to be preparing me for this, and I feel 
 a sweet peace in leaving myself in His hands, and I never 
 have been able to look at death and the grave with so much 
 composure. The grave-yard looks like a quiet resting 
 place for this poor body, while my spirit will be with Jesus." 
 
 He gradually declined from day to day, occasionally 
 walking across the room, until Tuesday, Feb. 1], when it 
 was determined to try the efficacy of bleeding. This 
 afforded only temporary relief. The afternoon of that day 
 brought increased difficulty of breathing and general weak- 
 ness. At night, he retired earlier than usual, laying aside 
 for the last time his earthly robes. 
 
 Addressing himself to the member of his family above 
 referred to, he asked her, " What are the first sensations 
 of a Christian on reaching Heaven ? " "Delight in seeing 
 Jesus," was the reply. " Yes," said he, " this is it. I won- 
 der why we fix our eyes on these low grounds." His diffi- 
 culty of breathing having for a time subsided, it was sug- 
 gested that perhaps it was a token for good. " I hope so ;" 
 he replied, " the Lord tempers His rough wind in the day 
 of His east wind." He committed to memory that hymn 
 which much refreshed and animated him : 
 
 'When languor and disease Invade,' 
 
 and when a friend rehearsed to him the lines : 
 
 1 Sweet to lie passive in His hands 
 And know no will but thine,' 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 207 
 
 Various dying expressions. 
 
 he s;ii<l : " Father, if this cup m;iy not pass from me, except 
 I drink it, thy will be done," and his countenance became 
 radiant with peace and joy, as he discoursed of the good- 
 ness of G'od. In the deep serenity of conscious triumph, 
 
 " You must hive," said he to M , " some appropriate 
 
 passages to read or quote to me when I begin my last strug- 
 gle." " I hope my dear," said Mrs. W., " you will have a 
 
 better prompter than M ." "Oh yes," he rejoined, 
 
 " the Holy Spirit. Then pray for the Holy Spirit." Sat- 
 urday night was passed in pain and restlessness, but in 
 great mental enjoyment. He declared that he " never had 
 such sensible communion with Christ. He condescends 
 to come down into my room and speak face to face, even 
 as a man speaketh with his friend." He repeated with 
 great apparent pleasure, 
 
 1 But speak, my Lord, and calm my fear, 
 Am 1 not sale beneath iliy shade 7 
 Thy justice will not strike me here 
 Nor Satan dare my soul invade.' 
 
 To his wife he said, as if anticipating the heavy load both 
 of grief and responsibility which her Heavenly Father was 
 about to impose on her, " My love, the Lord will not lay 
 upon us more than He will enable us to bear. He will 
 temper His rough wind." " One reason," he remarked at 
 another time, " why Christians have so little sensible com- 
 munion with Christ is, they do not stir themselves up to 
 take hold on God." 
 
 On Sabbath morning after a distressing night, he said, 
 while convulsed with spasms : " I am in the river, but the 
 water is not deep." He took his children one by one, laid 
 his hands on them, and blessed them with a father's bles- 
 sing ! He pressed the infant to his bosom with all the 
 ardor of parental affection — in such circumstances, too ! 
 while standing in Jordan. Oh the sacredness of faith in 
 such an hour ! So did Jacob ' by faith,' when dying, bless 
 the children of his heart. " It is almost over," he contin- 
 
208 MEMOIR OF 
 
 increasing and triumphant exultation. 
 
 ued, " don't weep for me. I am going to Jesus. Precious 
 Saviour ! Precious Saviour ! " To brother O. " You have 
 just returned in time to see me die. Be faithful. You do not 
 know how soon you will have to follow me. Do not he 
 afraid to die." Shaking hands with a ministerial brother, 
 he said, " I am almost gone. My vital powers are fast 
 decaying. I am going to see Jesus. What a thought ! 
 Going to see Jesus! I shall praise Him for what He has 
 done forme. You must be faithful." 
 
 When surrounding friends supposed him to be in a gen- 
 tle sleep, he began : " How many times I have failed in 
 revivals of religion ! Blessed Jesus, forgive me ! " Again, 
 as if re-invigorated by some kind and cheering manifesta- 
 tion of divine love. " I am now ready to be offered up, and 
 the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good 
 fight. I have finished my course." 
 
 After the Bible was read, " I do love it," said he. " Oh 
 Jesus ! take and raise me above these afflictions. Oh Jesus, 
 dear Saviour ! take this spirit of mine. * * * It is 
 sweet to think that Jesus suffered, died, was buried, and 
 rose again." * * * " Give my dearest love to your 
 cousin J. and brother J — n. Tell them I earnestly desir- 
 ed to see them, that I love them most dearly. Again I can 
 give my testimony to the religion of Jesus. Oh what pros- 
 pects are before me ! What scenes ! New scenes, new 
 visions are before me ! " He then desired that the >~>~>~ th 
 of the Village Hymns should be read : 
 
 'And let this feeble body fail, 
 
 And let it faint and dio.' 
 
 Seeming to be sinking, he asked, "is this dying? it is 
 easy, very easy. Sometimes when I pray that 1 may have 
 ease from my sufferings, I think I hear my Saviour say, 
 • This is the xoay I take to draw you to myself.' I shall 
 have his image stamped upon me. He loves me. Oh what 
 glory! This is easy. I can't say but it is pleasant" And 
 this was said with a slight smile of ineffable sweetness, 
 
WILLIAM C . WALTON. 200 
 
 Bis dying views of the ministry. 
 
 which beautifully lighted up his pale and solemn counte- 
 nance, as if, like Stephen, he saw the glories of Heaven 
 unveiled, ere the spirit went to how before the eternal 
 throne! " This," said one of those present, " is what we 
 have been praying for." " Precious hrethren," he replied, 
 " I thank you. I love you. Peace ! My peace flows like 
 a river. Calm ! heavenly calm. Oh who could give me 
 such sweet peace, but Jesus, my Saviour? Oil that there 
 should be such glory in reserve for mortals !" 
 
 When asked by Dr. Hawes on Sabbath afternoon, " how 
 he felt?" "This," he answered, " has been on the whole 
 the happiest day of my life. The joy I have felt is unspeak- 
 able. My peace flows like a river. Dear brother Hawes, 
 be faithful, be faithful, and God will bless you." Being 
 asked how the ministry appeared to him, he said with em- 
 phasis, " important, all important. I should preach the 
 gospel very differently were I spared. I have clearer views 
 of truth. The Saviour appears glorious, most glorious." 
 And when he bid his brother farewell, taking both his hands 
 he said, " I hope to meet you in Heaven, — farewell, dear 
 brother, be faithful, be faithful unto death." * * * 
 " Go prav for me," said he to another clerical brother, " that 
 Jesus will manifest His Spirit unto me. Thou knowest, dear 
 Jesus, what it is to die. Dear Jesus, thou art a present 
 help in every time of trouble. Thou knowest how much 
 this body suffers. Thou that hearest prayer, do hear me, 
 receive my departing spirit." 
 
 About 7 o'clock in the evening, he asked for Clarke on the 
 Promises. " Do read me something to help me over this 
 Jordan of death." He appeared refreshed by the passages 
 read. His sufferings being now intense, he prayed earnestly, 
 " If it please thee, oh precious Redeemer, come quickly ! Oh 
 Jesus, come quickly. I have glorified Thee on the earth in 
 some measure. I have finished the work thou gavest me to 
 do. Dear Saviour, do come quickly, and take thy unwor- 
 thy servant home. But I would not dictate to Thee, but 
 23* 
 
270 
 
 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Fear of Impatience Son»s of praisi'. 
 
 do come quickly, oh come. What a dreadful thing sin is ! 
 This is the process we must all go through." Observing 
 that Mrs. Walton was much affected by his Bufferings, he 
 said to her, " M y dear, you cannot help inc. None but 
 Jesus; none but Jesus. These friends will do all they can 
 for me. You had better retire." When asked if he would 
 take some medicine, he said, " No, I want every thing 
 done to hasten the result." When recollecting himself, 
 and that he might be too impatient to be gone, he appeared 
 struck with horror lest he should violate the sixth command- 
 ment, and began to pray thus : " Thou alone art compe- 
 tent to decide in this case. Dear Saviour, preserve me 
 from this sin," and then with another of those radiant 
 changes of countenance that reflected the joyful emotions 
 of his soul, he exclaimed : " My will shall be thine. Father, 
 Thy will be done." From that moment his will seemed 
 swallowed up in the will of God. 
 
 The beautiful commentary on the passage, ' He shall sit 
 as a refiner's fire,' &,c, conveying the idea that Jesus takes 
 His seat by the furnace, and will not suffer it to get too hot, 
 was read to him. " Thai is a happy thought," he remarked. 
 " I have gained some important points to-night by my suf- 
 ferings. Where is Eliza? (his daughter) I want her and 
 her sister to sing 'Come, sound His praise abroad, and Come, 
 toe that lore the Lord.'" At about eleven o'clock he said, 
 " I am convinced my end is near. Glory ! Glory ! Honor, 
 praise, and thanksgiving be to Him that sitteth upon the 
 throne, and to the Lamb forever ! He has said, ' My grace 
 shall be sufficient for thee,' and He has verified it to me." 
 
 Being aaked if he was willing to suffer yet sharper pains, 
 that the soul might escape, he replied, "I am willing to 
 suffer all my Saviour shall see necessary to lay upon me." 
 
 ' How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord ' 
 
 was then e ung to him. It produced a glow of sacred feel- 
 ing in his heart. He was enthusiastically fond of sacred 
 music, and was accustomed io sing at family worship, but 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 271 
 
 Mis faith in God concerning liis family. 
 
 his friends did not dare, in this last sickness, to indulge his 
 wishes except to a limited extent, so much did the rush of 
 sacred emotion, thus excited, overpower his feeble frame. 
 When his daughter sung, 'Rise my soul, and stretch thy 
 wings,' a flood of tears hurst from him, and he hegged them 
 to desist, observing that if he were to hear that music in 
 the chapel, it would take away his life. 
 
 To the visitors who surrounded his bed, he addressed 
 these words : " It is a solemn thing to die. While you have 
 health and are active, settle this great matter. I have given 
 myself to Christ, and have no perplexity or doubt." He 
 now began to pray fervently for his Church ; that his death 
 might be sanctified to its members, and prove a greater bles- 
 sing to them than his life and labors could. His family was 
 mentioned to him, for a wife and seven children were about 
 to be bereaved of their natural protector — for whom no 
 earthly substitute can be found. With a tone and manner 
 indicative of unshaken confidence, he said, "That matter is 
 settled. God has pledged Himself. I have given them up 
 to the Saviour with a distinct reliance on His promise. Oh 
 what cause for thankfulness, that in my last moments, in- 
 stead of leaving me to darkness and gloom, he should give 
 me such peace. Said Hume on his death-bed, the present 
 is here — the past is gone, and all beyond is clothed in im- 
 penetrable darkness." " Is it so with you ? " he was asked. 
 " Oh no. 'Tis glory, and beauty, and richness, and bliss 
 beyond the power of utterance. My imagination was never 
 more vivid. I am constitutionally timid in the extreme, 
 and I have often thought that in order to die in peace, I 
 should require an uncommon degree of grace. I now feel 
 entirely free from fear or alarm, and have not the slightest 
 degree of trepidation. I feel that I have the victory over 
 death. Its sting is gone, and it is through my precious 
 Redeemer. It now seems to me, if I could live again my 
 life, I would serve Him with a cheerfulness, which never 
 characterized my former services." 
 
272 MEMOIR OF 
 
 The shout of victory. A message to his brethren. 
 
 About 2 o'clock he asked, " what keeps me here? Oh 
 Saviour ! receive my departing spirit. Do ask the Lord 
 to take his poor suffering servant home now." At 3 o'clock 
 he was thought to be dying. He lay lor sonic time in a 
 state of apparent insensibility, but presently reviving, said, 
 " I thought I was just entering the gates of the celestial 
 city, but the Lord has put me back again !" 
 
 To a Christian brother he said : " You know the peculiar 
 trials and difficulties I have had since I came here, and 
 more recently my extreme state of suffering. Still I do 
 not regret coming to this place. I regret that I have not 
 been able to labor more with the church." He then prayed 
 fervently : " Come Heaven, and fdl my large desires." 
 " Satan," said he, " could not give me such peace. Oh 
 no ! such views of God, such increasing views of his glory, 
 until every earthly object is eclipsed, and myself appear 
 " like a mote floating in the sunbeam." My fears are 
 gone. I am not afraid. He is my strength, and has 
 become my salvation. Victory! A glorious victory! 
 Oh Saviour ! Fill my soul with thy love ! And now I 
 bring my dear family, and my dear Church. Take care of 
 them ! I come as a sinner saved by the blood of Christ — 
 saved by grace." 
 
 When asked if he had any thing to say to those brethren 
 who had been laboring with him in the cause of revi- 
 vals, he replied : " Oh I want to have them less censori- 
 ous. I believe the cause in* which we are engaged is the 
 cause of God, and will prevail, but I fear there is a dispo- 
 sition in some young men to indulge in hard feelings 
 towards those who do not look at things in the same light; 
 to speak of existing evils in the spirit of evil. There are 
 some of our brethren who are too reckless of the feelings 
 and impressions which are made upon the minds of some 
 by our peculiar manner of preaching." Whether living or 
 dying, our dear friend, it was known to all who knew him, 
 
WILLIAM V. . WALTON. 273 
 
 Wlint it is to die. 
 
 ever cherished and exemplified a spirit of lamb-like meek- 
 ness even to those who might entertain different views of 
 doctrines and measures. 
 
 " The Bible," he observed, " has been a great source of 
 comfort to me in my affliction, especially the Psalms." 
 
 Shortly after, a bright smile diffused itself over his coun- 
 tenance, indicative of the heavenly tranquility that reigned 
 within ; his eye, yet undiinmed in its lustre, sparkling with 
 joy, and his whole manner bespeaking a consciousness of 
 holy triumph over the King of Terrors; " Brother A," said 
 he, " after all, it is a pleasant thing to die. 
 
 ' Sweet on his faithfulness to rest, 
 And trust his firm decrees.' " 
 
 In the midst of his groans — the struggles of expiring 
 nature — he remarked : " lam as happy as I can well be. My 
 soul is in perfect peace." " Angels will hover round your 
 bed," observed a friend, " and take your spirit home." 
 " 'Tis sweet," he replied, " but far sweeter to think that 
 Jesus will Jje there to receive me." After some severe 
 struggles, that shook his frail tabernacle almost to dissolu- 
 tion, respiration became easier, and he said : " Truly after 
 the raging of the storm, there has come a calm, as when the 
 Saviour rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a 
 great calm. This is in direct answer to prayer. I can now 
 rejoice in all parts of the Divine character. Nor height, 
 nor depth, nor any other creature can separate me from the 
 love of God. It is a far greater thing to die than I had 
 supposed." And in the greatness and in the joy of that 
 thought he burst forth in unison with a song of praise from 
 the lips of Christians around that happy bed, 
 
 " The voice of free grace cries, escape to the mountain." 
 
 While they were singing the chorus, 
 
 " We'll praise him again when we pass over Jordan," 
 
274 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Prayer ibr the Divine glory. 
 
 " Yes," he exclaimed, in the raptures of unmingled tri- 
 umph, " ['11 praise him in it, and while passing through it." 
 
 So perfect was the work of the Holy Ghost on that heart 
 which had experienced its full share of trials and sorrows 
 in this vale ol tears. 
 
 He requested that the 599th of the Village Hymns might 
 he read : 
 
 " Vo angels who stand round the throne, 
 
 Anil view my Inimanin Ts face." 
 
 That hymn, he said, re-echoed the sentiments of his 
 soul. " The Church has heen praying diligently, Lord, 
 with thy servant, and how gently the Lord's hand is upon 
 me." He then prayed that Jesus would give to him and to 
 all around such manifestations of his glory as they had 
 never seen, when he came to take his departing spirit 
 home. 
 
 At 7 o'clock on Tuesday morning, he was supposed to 
 be dying. With another seraphic smile, he exclaimed : " I 
 see him ! I see him ! Oh glorious Saviour ! Oh death, 
 where is thy sting ! Oh grave, where is thy victory ! Both 
 are gone." Then sinking into a kind of sleep, and again 
 reviving, lie opened his eyes, and asked. " Is it possible? 
 Am I here yet 1 Let me not be too anxious. The Lord 
 is with me. Well, I am in his hands. Let him do with 
 me as seemeth Him good. 
 
 " Sweet to lie passive in bis bands, 
 And know no will but his!" 
 
 " You see what He can do. He sits as a refiner's fire, to 
 purify the faith of his people." Those only who have had 
 personal experience can fully appreciate the grief and anxi- 
 ety of that heart, which in such circumstances, is to become 
 desolate in its widowhood ; to bear the double cares and 
 responsibilities, which, while the husband yet lived, were 
 divided by him — the affectionate father of seven children. 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 275 
 
 \-l>- tliat liis last xermon might bo read to him. 
 
 On those little ones lie looked with a lather's fondness, and 
 addressing his wife : " You see, my dear, what the Lord 
 can do. lie can bring his children through. Take cour- 
 age. I feel it is good to be in his hands. I will wait 
 patiently for the Lord. How little true holiness was there 
 in me! I have learned to kiss the rod." As he felt the 
 approach of another bodily agony, he begged them to min- 
 ister spiritual strength, that he might endure it. A friend 
 spread before him a cluster of Divine promises. He grasp- 
 ed them with eagerness, and was immediately elevated 
 above his distress. The thought was suggested of the 
 " exceeding and eternal weight of glory " in reserve for the 
 faithful. It seemed to kindle a glow of joy in his bosom. 
 
 He asked that one of his sermons might be read to him. 
 It was the last he ever preached. It was a funeral sermon, 
 delivered on the occasion of the death of one of his par- 
 ishioners, Mr. Norm and Smith, a pious and munificent 
 member of the Free Church in Hartford. The text was, 
 • For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.' As it was 
 read to him, he commented upon it with lively interest. 
 What a scene! There was the dying Pastor in the midst 
 of an affectionate people, who crowded the chamber where 
 he lay. He had not long before preached the blessed truths 
 of God over the remains of a devoted Christian, and those 
 same truths he would now have preached to himself and his 
 people, while he was actually dying in their presence, as if 
 to show in a most striking manner, that he drew salvation 
 from the same fountain for himself and his people. When 
 his visitors became numerous, he would ask them to go 
 below and pray. He manifested great sensitiveness lest the 
 medicine he took should affect his head, and seemed to 
 dread the least obscuration of that clear and full mental 
 light which he had hitherto enjoyed. He abhorred opiates 
 for a dying man, and considered them flagrantly sinful, for 
 the simple reason that a clear view of truth is infinitely 
 more important than any temporary alleviation of pain; 
 
27G MEMOIR OF 
 
 His last prayer answered. He dies. 
 
 especially when purchased at the expense of intoxication or 
 stupefaction of the brain. To go into the presence of God 
 in such a condition ! What impious presumption ! 
 A stanza of a hymn he loved to sing was repeated : 
 
 " The waves of woe 
 
 Can ne'er o'crflow 
 
 The rock of thy salvation." 
 
 "No!" said he, with another indescribable expression 
 of countenance, " No, and I am on it." Various promi- 
 ses were reiterated to him. " They are precious," he 
 observed, " but what good would they do me, if I were not 
 a Christian ? None. No ; they are all made to obedient 
 faith. The Bible is a book of realities." This idea was 
 prominent in his mind throughout this sickness — that the 
 Bible is a book of realities. All its truths seemed emi- 
 nently real. 
 
 His voice now became quite hoarse and thick. The 
 physician entered and felt his pulse. "How long?" he 
 asked. " I think it will soon be over," was the reply. 
 " That is good news ; good news," he rejoined. Soon 
 after, he was heard to utter this prayer : " Dear Saviour, 
 do come and consummate the desire of thy servant, and 
 arrant that my last struggle may be an easy one, and take 
 me to thyself for thine own name's sake." That prayer 
 was heard in Heaven and immediately answered, for as he 
 littered these words, he folded his hands on his breast, and 
 expired ! 
 
 Thus closed the mortal career of a humble and faithful 
 minister of Christ, on the 18th of February, 1834, aged 
 41 years. On the 21st, his remains were conveyed in sol- 
 emn procession to the Free Church, then recently finished, 
 where, to a crowded assembly, a funeral discourse was 
 preached by Rev. Mr. Boyle, from Acts xiii. 36 : 'For 
 David, after he held served his own generation by the will 
 of God, fell asleep.' 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 277 
 
 His burial. His monument. 
 
 Tliencc the body was taken to the distant burial ground, 
 where not far from the grave of Cornelius, and of others — 
 the pious dead — it was entrust!';! in the earth, to " sleep the 
 years away," till the Son of man shall come to claim its 
 redemption and raise it in glory. ' Blessed are the dead 
 who die in the Lord, yea, saith the Spirit, that they may 
 rest from their Labors, and their works do follow them.' 
 
 A monument of plain while marble was erected by the 
 Church; on one side of which, is the inscription of his 
 name, age, &,c. with the passage, When Christ, who is 
 
 OUR LIFE, SHALL APPEAR, THEN SHALL YE ALSO APPEAR 
 
 with him in glorv. On the other : 
 
 WALTON WAS A DEVOTED SERVANT OF GOD, 
 
 AND PREACHER OF THE GOSPEL. 
 
 THE HISTORY OF HIS MINISTRY WAS A HISTORY 
 
 OF SOULS SAVED AND GOD GLORIFIED. 
 
 THE TESTIMONIALS OF HIS WORTH, 
 
 MOURNFUL, BUT MOVING, ARE THE WIDOW'S ANGUISH, 
 
 THE GRIEF OF CHILDREN* AND THE LOVE OF ALL. 
 
 VIRGINIA GAVE HIM BIRTH, 
 
 COLUMBIA A HOME, 
 
 NEW ENGLAND A GRAVE, 
 
 HEAVEN AN EVERLASTING REST. 
 
 The following lines were written on the occasion of his 
 death, by Mrs. Sigourney, who proved herself a kind neio-h- 
 bor, and a sympathizing friend to the family in affliction. 
 
 ON THE DEATH OF THE REV. W[LLIAM C. WALTON. 
 So from the field of labor thou art gone 
 To thy reward ; like o\\z who pullcth off 
 His outer garments at the noontide hour, 
 
 * He left two daughters and five sons, William, Edward Payson, Henry Martyn, 
 Jeremiah Evarts, and Robert Hall, a catalogue which shows whom he loved, and 
 whom he would have his children imitate. 
 
 24 
 
278 MEMOIK OF 
 
 Elegy by Mrs. Sigoumey. 
 
 To take a quiet sleep. Thy zeal hath run 
 Its course unresting — and thy quickened love 
 Where'er thy Master pointed, joyed to go. 
 Amid thy faithful toil, 1 lis summons came, 
 Warning thee home, ami thou didst loose thy heart 
 From thy fond Bock, ami from affection's bonds, 
 And from thy blessed childn n'.s warm embrace, 
 With smiles and songs of praise. 
 
 Death smote thee sore, 
 And plunged his keen shaft in the quivering nerve, 
 Making the breath that stirred life's broken valve, 
 A torturing gasp; but with thy martyrdom 
 Were smiles and songs ofpraist . 
 
 And thou didst rise 
 Above the pealing of these Sabbath bells, 
 Up to that glorious and unspotted Church, 
 Whose worship is eternal. 
 
 Would that all, 
 Who love our Lord, might with thy welcome, look 
 On the last foe ; not as a spoiler sent 
 To wreck their treasures and to blast their joys, 
 But as a friend who wraps the weary clay 
 With earth, its mother — and doth raise the soul 
 To that blest consummation, which its prayers 
 Unceasingly besought; — its brightest hopes 
 Eut faintly shadowed forth. 
 
 So, though we hear 
 Thy voice on earth no more — the holy hymn, 
 With which thou down to Jordan's bank didst pass, 
 To take thy last cold baptism — still shall waft, 
 As from some cloud, its echoed sweetness back 
 To teach us of the melody of Heaven ! 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 279 
 
 Letters of condolence. From Rev. J. Parker. 
 
 A mono- various letters received by the bereaved widow 
 on the occasion of the demise of her beloved husband, we 
 extract from two : 
 
 From Rev. Joel Parker. 
 
 " Dear Friend, 
 
 I have long waited and hesitated on the subject of 
 addressing a letter to you. I feel myself so incompetent 
 to administer consolation to one so deeply afflicted as your- 
 self, that my resolution fails when I think of it, and I com- 
 mended you to God and deferred speaking, till he who knows 
 how to bind up the broken heart has allayed the first par- 
 oxysms of distressing bereavment. I trust you have found 
 support in trusting in that kind Father, who caused your dear 
 husband to triumph in the hour of dissolution. No death 
 has occurred within my knowledge since that of brother 
 Bissell, which has so deeply wounded my heart as that of 
 your beloved husband. Oh he was so sweet and heavenly, 
 so tender and so meek, so like the Saviour whom he served, 
 that I cannot think of him now, even with all my coldness 
 and want of emotion, without weeping. Yet my acquaint- 
 ance with him personally was very brief. I ask myself, then, 
 how must his wife — the companion of his youth and the moth- 
 er of his children, feel this stroke ? I cannot conceive of all 
 the endearing recollections that must spring up and come 
 thronging along back and knocking at the heart of one 
 thus situated — but I know God can make his grace suffi- 
 cient for his children in any circumstances, and I pray that 
 you may be fully sustained under your affliction. 
 Your friend and brother, 
 
 Joel Parker." 
 
 From Rev. Daniel Baker. 
 
 Frankfort, Ky., Aug. 14, 1835. 
 " My dear Madam, 
 
 * * * I ought to have written to you in the 
 hour of your deep affliction. It is true, I was at that time 
 particularly occupied as an Evangelist, and could not very 
 well have written such a letter, as the case demanded ; but 
 I will not justify myself. I ought to have written to the 
 widowed companion of my early friend, my long loved and 
 
280 MEMOIR OF 
 
 From Rev. Daniel Baker. 
 
 much beloved friend. His name is still pleasant to my 
 ear. His memory is blest, and long will it be ;is ointment 
 poured forth. I loved him as a brother. At Hampden 
 Sydney College wo first became acquainted with each other. 
 We were class mates, room mates, confidential companions, 
 bosom friends. We loved the same Sa\ lour, and our views, 
 our aims were one, to go forth in due time, and preach 
 Christ to a dying world. Verily we took sweet counsel 
 together, and were wont to go to the house of God in 
 company. All the associations of those by-gone days, are 
 still fresh to my mind, and are yet, like " the music of 
 Caryl, pleasant and mournful to the soul." When, in the 
 Providence of God, we subsequently were separated from 
 each other, an epistolary correspondence was maintained 
 for many a long year, indeed, I may say, even to the period 
 of his death, for he wrote a letter to me only a few weeks 
 before his last sickness, and I think my reply must have 
 reached him but a ^c-xv days before his departure. Your 
 husband, my dear sister, was truly a most excellent * tan. 
 He possessed great sweetness and simplicity of character ; 
 was emphatically without guile ; and 1 never knew one, I 
 think, whose piety was more ardent, and whose zeal was 
 more quenchless and untiring. His talents and his time — 
 his influence, and all thai he called his own. he mosl sacred- 
 ly and conscientiously devoted to the service of his Master, 
 and the good of souls. Oh how brighl is the crown which 
 he now wears! Oh how many will, in the resurrection 
 morn, rise up and call him blessed ! Dear Friend of my 
 youth ! you now see the Saviour whom you loved on earth, 
 and in whose cause you were so unwearied! Oh my much 
 beloved Walton, shall I meet you in glory .' Yes, the tide 
 of time is rolling me on, and the day is not far distant, 
 when, I trust, we shall in Heaven revive a friendship, form- 
 ed on earth, to be perpetuated through all eternity ! Most 
 devoutly do I wish that all who minister at the altar — all 
 who preach the Gospel, had the spirit of Walton — had his 
 stamp of character — how much more useful would they be. 
 And here I will mention a circumstance which 1 had almost 
 forgotten. In the very last letter, I think which I ever 
 wrote to him, I urged him to write a tract on the subject of 
 ministerial responsibility; a premium of $50 had been 
 offered for the best tract that should be written upon the 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 281 
 
 From Rev. Daniel Baker. 
 
 subject, and I knew no one that would be more likely to do 
 justice to the theme than himself. But alas ! his days 
 were already numbered, and he was soon to leave earth for 
 Heaven, and exchange the Church militant, for the Church 
 triumphant ! 
 
 Your's sincerely, 
 
 Daniel Baker." 
 
 24* 
 
CHAPTER XVI 
 
 Til varieties Ol thp human mind. 
 
 It can scarcely be necessary, after the full development 
 in the preceding pages, to dwell at much length on the 
 character of him, with whose thoughts, views, labors, and 
 latter end the reader has now become acquainted. But a 
 due respect to the memory of a beloved brother, and a faith- 
 ful minister, demands, in the conclusion of our memoir, a 
 separate tribute, the impartiality of which, the writer 
 would venture to hope, will be equal to its sincerity. 
 
 In contemplating the constitution of the human mind, 
 we are struck with the Divine wisdom manifested in the 
 distribution of its various departments. If all men were 
 imaginative, we should exist in a kind of unreal world, 
 where theories would take the place of facts, dreams that of 
 realities, and intellectual vagaries that of common sense. 
 If all were philosophers, the common affairs of life would 
 be neglected. If all were cool mathematical reasoners, 
 the progress of these affairs would be slow, as they depend 
 chiefly on probabilities. If all were contemplative, who 
 would be active ? If the sanguine were not corrected 
 by the phlegmatic, how would the happy medium, so much 
 praised, be secured ? If in the search after truth, the same 
 
MEMOIR OF WALTON. 283 
 
 Distinguishing characteristics. 
 
 proposition should be seen alike by every mind, there would 
 be an end of all discussion, and of course no new light 
 would be struck out. Taking men in the mass, there is 
 such a wise and wonderful distribution of mental character, 
 as at once preserves the balance of society, promotes its 
 order, and advances its happiness. In practical life, as in 
 the intellectual world, the same principle of distribution is 
 developed. And in the great work of regenerating the 
 world, though the same sublime and omnipotent Spirit 
 sways his high and mysterious influence, what a diversity 
 of gifts are employed ! 
 
 In one character is exhibited an irresistible and inextin- 
 guishable ardor ; in another, a serene, steady, and most 
 impressive amiableness ; in a third, the deep imprint of 
 never failing good sense; in a fourth, unconquerable perse- 
 verance; in a fifth, the habitual love of systematic effort in 
 study or in the pastoral field. In all these I have not spo- 
 ken of genius or brilliant talent, a thing which the world is 
 apt to admire ; often useful, but often destructive to him 
 who possesses, and him who encounters it. It may be set 
 down as a great fact in the history of redemption, that God 
 has more glorified himself in making use of good men, 
 than of great men to execute his high purposes.* Great 
 men, especially if unsanctified, have been the greatest ene- 
 mies of their race. 
 
 But when powerful natural genius has been trained and 
 tempered by the Holy Spirit, as in the case of Paul, then it 
 stands ready to conceive and execute great things for God. 
 The patient labor of the gospel vineyard is, however, to be 
 accomplished by thousands of hands, whose chief distinc- 
 
 *The Rev. Mr. Jerrara, in delineating the character of that distinguished physician 
 and Christian, Dr. John Mason Good, remarks chat his life and death teach the insig- 
 nificance of the highest intellectual endowments and a most • ttei ive erudition, 
 when compared with Christian character and an experimental knowledge of our 
 Lord and Saviour, Jesus Chris! ; that the greatest attainment of man is a conformity 
 to the Divine image, and his highest destiny is to be partaker of the inheritance of the 
 saints in light. 
 
284 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Who are the mart useAil ministers ? 
 
 tion shall be their holy industry, stimulated and sustained 
 by the cheering voice of the Great Head of the Church. 
 On the subject of useful preaching, the London Evangeli- 
 cal Magazine has the following just remarks, by a corres- 
 pondent : 
 
 "As a layman, I have sometimes reflected on the unde- 
 niable fact, that among the most eminently useful min- 
 isters — those whose labors have more especially been 
 rendered effectual to the great purpose of conversion — there 
 have been many who were not distinguished by high attain- 
 ments in systematic theology, and whose discourses were 
 far removed from the general standard of pulpit excellence; 
 but having entered the ministry under circumstances which 
 precluded a very extensive range of theological reading, 
 and seeing before them ' fields already white for the har- 
 vest,' with few laborers ready for the work, they have com- 
 menced their arduous duties under a deep impression of 
 ' the powers of the world to come ; ' of the short period of 
 labor before them ; of the multitudes perishing for lack of 
 knowledge ; and accompanied by a lively recollection of 
 their own feelings and desires when hearing the word. 
 Hence there has been a solemnity, an ardor, a simplicity 
 and directness of address, a glowing affection in exhibiting 
 the Almighty and compassionate Saviour, and a pungency 
 of application, which, under the Divine benediction, has 
 aroused, and interested, and affected, and saved their 
 hearers." 
 
 " Far be it from the writer to depreciate the advantages 
 of an enlarged and well grounded acquaintance with The- 
 ology. Many instructive examples, among the living as 
 well as among thus , who, though dead, yet speak, might 
 be adduced of the bappy concentration of high and accu- 
 rate attainments in this Divine science, to the important 
 object of pulpit instruction. These truly great men have 
 still remembered that the excellency of the power was in 
 God, and not in them ; consequently their addresses were 
 
WILLIAM C . WALTON. 285 
 
 What kiml of ministers we want in tbe United Btates. 
 
 characterized by ;i beautiful simplicity of plan and of dic- 
 tion, and a frequent reference to their entire dependence on 
 the grace of the Holy Spirit, while bringing out of their 
 abundant treasuries ' things new and old.' It may, howev- 
 er, be worthy of inquiry, whether preachers of ordinary 
 education and ability, might not derive some useful lessons 
 by reflecting on the efficacy of that simple, direct, pointed, 
 and serious mode of address, (not to the neglect of dili- 
 gent preparation for the pulpit) which some, even with very 
 inferior advantages in Theology, have been enabled to 
 attain." 
 
 Were it proper here to enter into such a disquisition, it 
 might be shown at large, that the circumstances of our 
 own country eminently demand a practical ministry, for 
 we are a practical nation. Good natural abilities, a sound 
 physical constitution, plain good sense, a thorough knowl- 
 edge of the Bible, and a deep and devoted piety are the 
 main qualifications. They are fundamental and permanent. 
 They are not, like German Philosophy and Theology, to be 
 doomed to a series of interminable permutations, but they 
 will form the staple of the human agency, which is to do its 
 part in the conversion of the world. If I mistake not, 
 these are among the qualifications which have given such 
 strength to the character, and such high esteem to the 
 names of our foreign missionaries, who now stand first in 
 that exalted sphere of spiritual action. 
 
 To select an individual case of usefulness, it is said of 
 John Frederick Oberlin, that in preaching " he studied a 
 colloquial plainness, interspersing his discourses with fig- 
 ures and allusions, which might sometimes have been 
 deemed below the dignity of the pulpit, had they been 
 addressed to a polite audience; he would frequently intro- 
 duce biographical anecdotes of persons distinguished for 
 their piety, and all the operations of nature furnished him 
 with illustrations of spiritual things. But the Bible itself 
 was the grand source, from which he drew the matter of 
 
286 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Mental i ba acter of Walton. 
 
 his instructions. It formed the study of his life, and he 
 was in the habit of citing very largely from the Scriptures, 
 as best adapted to feed ti • flock."* The learned Salmasius, 
 when dying, said, "Oh! I have lost a world of time : 
 time, the most precious thing in the world; whereof had I 
 but one year more, it should be spent in David's Psalms 
 and Paul's Epistles." 
 
 In any analysis of the mind and habits of Walton, we 
 should find similar traits Although imagination was not the 
 predominant faculty of his mind — I mean that species of 
 
 r in at ion, which rises to the elevated region of poetry — 
 in the art of illustration he was peculiarly felicitous. Nor 
 id i his power seem to spring up from his mind so much a 
 thing of natural growth, as to be engrafted on it, and assid- 
 uously cultivated under an intense desire to make the truth 
 plain to the most obtuse and unlettered hearer, and rivet an 
 impression on the heart of the thoughtless sinner. He 
 was far from indulging in irregular and extravagant bursts 
 of feeling; his soul was too heavily laden with the habitual 
 
 e of the incomprehensible value of eternal things, 
 to allow of this. But he would patiently reason the matter 
 with the sinner; listen to his cavils; reply to his objec- 
 tions; and with tender and tearful earnestness press upon 
 his conscience the claims of God. He ever spoke in pub- 
 lic and in private under a weighty conviction of the truth. 
 The year 1824 was an era in Mr. Walton's life. It 
 has been seen that a change then took place in his views, 
 surpassed in importance only by that of his original con- 
 version. The Spirit of revivals wrought it. A flood of 
 light was poured into his mind. A new impulse was im- 
 parted to his affections, his prayers and his labors, and even 
 to his understanding. Turin was in a peculiar manner 
 the object of his ardent pursuit. Not that he ' worshipped' 
 it, as has been extravagantly said of some keen and enthu- 
 siastic minds. He worshipped only the God of truth. But 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 287 
 
 Change in his view*. 
 
 he knew that Divine truth is the basis of every Christian 
 effort — that it is adapted to the active powers of man — that 
 it is the mirror of the attributes of God, the interpretation 
 of the Divine will, the joy of the heavenly hosts, and the 
 terror of apostate spirits in hell ; that it is the only true 
 source of consolation to the Christian, living and dying, 
 and the only means of the salvation of sinners; finally, 
 that this treasure so inestimable and incomparable, is en- 
 trusted to the ministers of God, and to God they must ren- 
 der an account of their stewardship. From the time that 
 he saw the truth in its new positions, its unwonted rela- 
 tions, its sublime consequences, especially as manifested in 
 revivals of religion, he made it a constant aim, so far as 
 human agency could go, to multiply its victories. There 
 could not have been a greater change in kind, in the views 
 of Peter, after the vision at Joppa; of Apollos, after his 
 interview with Aquila; or of Luther, after he had studied 
 his Bible. In all these instances, the new views received 
 led to new and vigorous action. In the case of my friend, 
 hundreds of souls will bless God for the vital change in his 
 views. They gave a color to all his subsequent life. They 
 were the subject of gratitude to his latest breath. 
 
 They will form a theme of loud exultation through all 
 his heavenly career. Nor shall his labors cease there, if 
 there be truth and reality in the words of Baxter. " There 
 are good works in Heaven, and far more and better than 
 on earth. There will be more life and power for action ; 
 more love to God and one another to excite to action ; 
 more likeness to God and Christ in doing good, as well as 
 being good ; more union with the beneficent Jesus, to 
 make us also beneficent ; and more communion, by each 
 contributing to the welfare of the whole, and sharing in 
 their common returns to God." 
 
 " Perhaps," * says one who attended his ministry in 
 
 * A portion of this sketch was published by the Author in the New York Observer. 
 
288 MEMOIR OF 
 
 The secrets of his success. 
 
 Alexandria, " he never preached with more unction than in 
 Alexandria. He seemed frequently, when preaching, to 
 grasp his whole BUbject, and present it so clearly and im- 
 pressively, that on one occasion, it appeared to me almost 
 like a stream of light. The subject I have forgotten, but 
 the impression remains." 
 
 Among the secrets of his success in this field of labor, if 
 secrets they should be called, are the following: 
 
 I. A settled determination to leave no lawful means 
 untried for promoting the salvation of sinners. How much 
 precious time is wasted by ministers, for the want of resolu- 
 tion to move straight forward in the line of duty, using such 
 means as arc adapted to produce the end at which they 
 aim. A little show of opposition makes them afraid. The 
 judicious and prayerful manner in which Mr. Walton adapt- 
 ed all his plans for " catching men," won for his efforts a 
 success, which might perhaps have been denied to a less 
 skillful workman. He saw at the commencement of his 
 labors that a complete revolution was to be effected in 
 opinion, in prejudice* in feeling, in the mode of Christian 
 action. But it was done. " I found the houses in Rome 
 of wood. I left them of brick." With what pleasure has 
 the writer heard a venerable older in that church speak of 
 the prejudices he had given up against certain modes of 
 doing good ; prejudices interwoven with his habits of thought 
 for years, but iin worthy to be cherished, when a "better 
 way" could be expounded to him, and surrendered with 
 gratitude and joy when the cause demanded it. 
 
 II. Our departed friend studied definitcness in his ser- 
 mons. His peculiar care in this respect probably arose 
 from the opposite deficiency which marked the former part 
 of his ministry. Having discharged his arrows in other 
 fields so much at random, he was now studious to take 
 deliberate aim. Perhaps he thought of Paul, who in his 
 long but weighty sermon to the Romans, presses three 
 great points — the sinfulness and misery of men, the 
 
WILLIAM C. WA1TOX. 289 
 
 ( laming othen to work. 
 
 mercy of god, and the way of that mercy. He would 
 pay a visit to a family, and perhaps from a conversation 
 with an individual, gather up materials which would sug- 
 gest precisely the kind of sermon it was his duty to prepare. 
 One case, he often found, would answer for many. The 
 excuse of one for impenitence was the excuse of many. 
 
 III. He set every one to work. " My friends," he would 
 say, " we must all do something. What are we worth to 
 the world, if we henefit nobody ? Let every one ask him- 
 self, how can 1 be useful to-day? " Then, turning to one 
 of the active elders, "Will you hold a prayer meeting to- 
 night in street? It may serve to rouse those insen- 
 sible beings in that quarter, whom I have not seen at church 
 since I came here." To a young convert, he would say, 
 " What will you do for your Master ? How many careless 
 sinners can you persuade to church to-morrow night?" 
 The intimation would be joyfully obeyed, and the results 
 
 soon seen. " Sister D , here is a bundle of tracts, the 
 
 title of which is ' the Bible and Sinner.' It is short, and 
 well adapted to its object. Will you and two or three 
 friends distribute them as soon as convenient ? " He would 
 thus avail himself of the judgment and ability of his elders, 
 of the zeal of the young convert, of the devotedness and 
 moral courage of the female members of the church, of 
 something in all. He would even make the infidel scoffer 
 tributary to his great ends. His spirit and labors in vary- 
 ing the week were kindred to those of Cotton Mather, when 
 on the Sabbath he asked, " What shall I do as a pastor for 
 the good of the flock under my care ? " 
 
 Monday morning : " What good shall I do for my own 
 family?" 
 
 Tuesday morning : " What good shall I do for my rela- 
 tions abroad ? or to my enemies ? How shall I overcome 
 evil with good ? " 
 
 Wednesday morning: " What shall I do for the churches 
 oe; 
 
290 MEMOIR OF 
 
 How Christiana should pray. 
 
 of the Lord, and the more general interests of religion in 
 the world ! " 
 
 Thursday morning: " What good may I do in the sev- 
 eral societies to which I belong? " 
 
 Friday morning: "What special subjects of affliction 
 and objects of compassion may I take under my particular 
 care? and what shall 1 do lor them?" 
 
 Saturday morning : "What more have I to do for the 
 interest of God in my own heart and life I " 
 
 IV. As working without praying would produce only 
 spurious results, he prayed much himself, strenuously urged 
 secret devotion on Christians, caused them to pray apart, 
 simultaneously, and assisted them to pray to advantage in 
 social meetings. Instead of those long petitions, whose 
 destitution of a devotional spirit is sometimes in direct pro- 
 portion to their wearisome prolongation, he insisted on short 
 prayers. Then they must, like preaching, he definite. 
 They must embrace some absorbing subject. If the mind 
 be not fixed on any thing in particular, how can it be inter- 
 ested ? and if not interested, how can it ask any thing 
 in' earnest? and if not in earnest, how can it be effec- 
 tive — how pray suitably to the value of the blessing to be 
 sought ? A feeble and random prayer deserves a feeble and 
 random answer. He would have man} prayers in quick 
 succession, because, 1. Many minds, hearts and lips 
 would be brought into action. 2. Responsibility would 
 rest upon a greater number. 3. The practice of praying 
 in the session-room strengthened the brethren for the work 
 of leading elsewhere, in destitute neighborhoods, when all 
 the services might devolve on them. 4. Variety is essen- 
 tial to sustaining an interest in the minds of beirgs consti- 
 tuted like us. 5. Scripture prayers arc generally short, 
 very special occasions excepted, as the dedication of the 
 temple, &c. The history of my friend's ministry was a 
 luminous commentary on the efficacy of prayer. 
 
 V. He was much attached to that mode of doing good, 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 291 
 
 Courti.'ouniH.'sis of manner and correctness of language. 
 
 which concentrates the prayers and labors of ministerial 
 brethren in protracted meetings. They have been held in 
 every part of the country by ministers of various shades of 
 doctrinal belief, to the salvation of thousands. 
 
 Brother Walton never thought there was much good 
 sense in condemning a measure simply because it was new, 
 provided it was scriptural, appropriate, or well suited to the 
 great end of converting sinners. But he never, to my knowl- 
 edge, denounced others for not thinking and acting with 
 him. He was plain, pointed, and earnest, but not rough in 
 his public ministrations. He was a. gentleman every where, 
 and did not lay the gentleman aside when dealing with 
 immortal souls. He seemed as truly, as habitually to obey 
 the precept, 'Be courteous,' as the precept, 'Be faithful.' 
 His spirit was as gentle as it was firm. 
 
 VI. His dependence upon the Divine Spirit was of the 
 most simple, fervent and unwavering kind. He waited for 
 His coming, but, like the anxious Psalmist, ' watching for 
 the morning.' It was a dependence full of hope, of expecta- 
 tion, of activity. He was of the opinion that we should be 
 careful of our phraseology. He did not so well like the 
 petition, " Folloio these exercises with thy blessing," as 
 "Accompany these exercises with thy blessing." The bles- 
 sing might follow at a distance, if not urgently sought. 
 
 His views on various subjects connected with revivals 
 may best be learned by presenting the following letter, 
 which was written in reply to one received from a Commit- 
 tee of the Society of Inquiry in the Theological Seminary 
 at Princeton, and published in the New York Evangelist. 
 
 Alexandria, Jan 10, 1S32. 
 " Dear Brother, 
 
 Your letter has been received and read with much inter- 
 est. I fear it will not be in my power to give you a par- 
 ticular answer to all your inquiries. It would require a 
 volume to do this ; but I will do the best I can, and per- 
 
292 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Letter to the Princeton Society of Inquiry. 
 
 haps may be able to suggest sonic things which may be 
 useful. 
 
 I agree with you in thinking the appointment of a 
 committee on the general subject of revivals, of great im- 
 portance to your Seminary. Few things could be more 
 important to those who are preparing to preach the gospel, 
 than a knowledge of the leading facts connected with the 
 history of Revivals. As your success in the ministry will 
 depend upon the accompanying influences of the Holy 
 Spirit, it certainly behooves you to inquire, with the greatest 
 care, how he operates, and hoir liis presence and blessing 
 may be secured. For the want of information on this 
 subject, several years of my ministry were comparatively 
 useless ; and I am now convinced that it would have been 
 well worth my while to have travelled across this continent, 
 to have spent some time with a judicious pastor or evange- 
 list, laboring in a Revival, in order to see how he conducted 
 the business ; how he preached, and conversed ; what 
 truths, and what modes of presenting them, were most 
 blessed to the conviction and conversion of sinners. These 
 are things which cannot so well be learnt in theory, or by 
 the hearing of the ear ; — our eyes must sec them. And 
 thanks to the Great Head of the church, revivals are so 
 numerous at the present day that almost all students of 
 divinity and young ministers who desire it, may witness 
 these wonderful works of God. The first revival in which 
 I was concerned was that which occurred in Baltimore 
 about ten years ago. I was then entirely inexperienced, 
 and felt that I had every thing to learn. I knew not how 
 to preach to the consciences of sinners — I was equally 
 unskillful in conversing with them. 1 did not understand 
 the responsibility of churches in relation to revivals, and 
 my views upon some other important points were far from 
 being clear. Thus unfurnished for the work, it would 
 have been strange if I had not fallen into some practical 
 errors. These errors, however, as usual, were much ex- 
 aggerated. But that is now a small matter. One thing 
 I know, that I acted conscientiously and earnestly sought 
 divine direction, and that I have been endeavoring ever 
 since, to profit by the experience which I then acquired. 
 The means chiefly blessed in that revival were the follow- 
 ing : Visiting from house to house, holding small neigh- 
 borhood meetings, a weekly inquiry meeting, preaching on 
 
WILLIAM C . WALTON. 203 
 
 Remarks on the first re\ i\ :cl h<: witnessid. 
 
 one part of the Sabbath, upon Bubjecta having a direct 
 bearing lipon revivals, addressed mainly to the church : and 
 
 on the other part of the day, preaching awakening discour- 
 ses to the impenitent, explaining the way of salvation, 
 enforcing the, obligation to an immediate compliance with 
 the terms of the gospel, taking away their excuses, &c. 
 
 The fruits of that revival have not appeared ;is great as tiny 
 would have been had circumstances been favorable. About 
 one hundred were brought into the church — but my health 
 failed; the church being deeply in debt, was not able to 
 support me, and I fell it to be my duty to leave them. Be- 
 in ir without a pastor for a long lime, and struggling with 
 great difficulties, many of them were scattered — some, but 
 I think comparatively few, have renounced their profession ; 
 some have united with other churches, and some have died 
 in the faith, and none in triumph to heaven. Causes of 
 decline — circumstances above referred to — especially my 
 ill health, the pecuniary embarrassments of the church, 
 which made it necessary for me to leave home for six 
 weeks, soliciting aid; unwatchfulness and negligence on 
 the part of the members, who gradually became weary in 
 well doing ; — and perhaps 1 ought to notice another : In 
 preaching, I sometimes took too much pains to vindicate 
 our measures, and the general character of the work — em- 
 ploying time in refuting captious and foolish objections, 
 which had been far better employed in preaching directly to 
 the consciences and hearts of sinners. My present views 
 would lead me to disregard such things, and to take no 
 public notice of them whatever. 
 
 Some of the fri/its of the Revival : — Twelve or fifteen 
 of the Sabbath School Teachers, and some of the scholars 
 made a profession of religion ; the character of the school 
 was greatly improved, and its numbers increased. The 
 young converts also established an adult free school which 
 was continued for a number of years, and probably ten or 
 fifteen of the pupils made a profession of religion. It 
 deserves also to be remarked that these active efforts to do 
 good tended greatly to improve the religious characters of 
 the individuals who were thus employed. The last, but 
 not the least of these fruits, was the publication of the 
 narrative of that revival, with remarks on subjects connect- 
 ed with revivals. That little work to my grateful astonish- 
 25* 
 
291 MEMOIR OF 
 
 On tlit* revival in Alexandria. 
 
 ment has been published by several periodicals, and has 
 gone through about four editions in pamphlet form in this 
 country ; parts of it have also been published by Dr. Bur- 
 dcr, in the London Evangelical Magazine, and a gentleman 
 of Scotland wrote to a member of my church for permis- 
 sion to publish it there. I was informed by a minister from 
 the western part of the state of New York, that it had been 
 the means of producing" several revivals to his knowledge — 
 and that it was extensively useful in that section of the 
 country during the Revivals which occurred there a few 
 years ago. 
 
 The first revival which occurred after I came to this 
 place, lasted about two years, during which time nearly all 
 the non-professors attending our church, and many others, 
 amounting to about two hundred, became hopeful subjects 
 of divine grace. The same general system of nit-mis was 
 employed as had been most blest to the revival in Baltimore, 
 omitting and guarding against such things as I had found 
 to be of injurious tendency. At our prayer meetings I often 
 read interesting and well written accounts of Revivals. In 
 my preaching and weekly addresses to the church, I aimed 
 to impress the minds of Christians with their responsibility 
 in relation to the conversion of sinners, to lead them to 
 mourn over past deficiencies, to engage in the work of 
 God with all their hearts, to believe the promises, to expect 
 and to attempt great things — ! tried also to show them that 
 God had established a connection between the prayers of 
 the church and the out-pouring of the Spirit , and with a 
 view to secure a greater amount of prayer, it was recom- 
 mended that each member of the Church set apart some 
 time every day between the hours of one and three o'clock 
 to be employed in special prayer for a Revival of religion. 
 We also had, occasionally, seasons of lasting and prayer, 
 and meetings of the members alone, for religious conference- 
 At these meetings the brethren related the exercises of 
 their minds, and they were uniformly interesting and profit- 
 able. Our meetings were never kept into a late hour. I 
 often expressed to them my conviction that in order to the 
 permanency of the work, we must not employ any means 
 which could not in the nature of things be sustained. It 
 was a great object with me to make the prui/rr meetings 
 interesting. In order to this, our brethren who led in 
 
WILLIAM C, WALTON. 295 
 
 Way of concluding meetings. 
 
 prayer, were exhorted to pray short ami to the point. I 
 also labored, by secret prayer, before going to the meet- 
 ings, to get my heart into the spirit of the business; but 
 generally made no other preparation. My addresses were 
 divested of all formality, short — sometimes one, generally 
 two, during a meeting ; never aiming to say every thing 
 that mighl be said upon any subject, and making it a point 
 to be silent, unless I had something to say. The interest 
 of these meetings was much heightened by selecting appro- 
 priate hymns and animating tunes, and singing one, two, 
 and seldom more than three stanzas at a time. We found 
 it very important that no part of the exercises should appear 
 to flag. 1 tried to throw my heart and soul into them, so 
 far as 1 was concerned, as much as in preaching a regular 
 discourse, and generally was more successful. l>y the bles- 
 sing of God upon these and other means, there wis a gradual 
 increase of attention and feeling, of convictions and con- 
 versions, so that at the close of the first year, the number of 
 communicants in the church was just doubled. During 
 the next six months, the increase was more rapid. Our 
 meetings became much crowded, and there were generally 
 fifteen or twenty anxious, while conversions were takino- 
 place every week. When dismissed with an intimation 
 that any who desired personal conversation might remain, 
 very few, and sometimes none at all would retire : so that 
 in order to have conversation with the anxious, I was under 
 the necessity of requesting them to come out from the 
 crowd. This was the beginning of the use of ' anxious 
 seats,' as they are now called — but I did not then dream 
 that it would grow into a system. However we continued 
 the measure until the first four days' meeting, and thus it 
 became associated with those meetings. 
 
 In the autumn of 1828, we resolved upon holding a four 
 days' meeting, and inviting ministers from a distance to aid 
 us. We had heard of Presbyterian camp meetings at the 
 south and west. But we were afraid to try the experiment 
 of such meetings ; and yet we wanted something to answer 
 a similar purpose ; some plan which could be so modified 
 as to suit city congregations as well as those in the country. 
 The plan was at length arranged, the time appointed, and 
 ministerial aid secured. Brother Post and myself agreed 
 
296 MEMOIR OP 
 
 Importance of ooneentrnted effort. 
 
 to observe a dny of fasting and prayer to seek the divine 
 blessing upon the occasion, besides that which was observ- 
 ed bv the church ; for we felt that much depended upon the 
 result of the experiment. 
 
 For three weeks before the meeting, we tried to prepare 
 the church for it, by urging the necessity of faith and 
 prayer, and putting away the evil of their doings ; especial- 
 ly did we try to impress the conviction upon their minds, 
 that the most gifted ministers in the land, if we could 
 assemble them all on that occasion, would not be able to 
 convert one soul without the Spirit of God, which accord- 
 ing to the divine arrangement was to be obtained by prayer. 
 Nor was it in vain. They received that impression — they 
 felt the truth; and so much of the spirit of prayer I had 
 never seen ; nor so much actual praying in the same length 
 of time. The ministers prayed often together, both before 
 and after public service. We literally gave ourselves to 
 prayer, and to the ministry of the word. In about a week 
 there were thirty hopeful conversions. But here we fell 
 into an error, wnic'h I mention that others may guard 
 against a similar one. The brethren who had come from a 
 distance went over to Washington city and commenced ope- 
 rations there. The attention of our people was now much 
 directed to that place, and we felt so anxious for a revival 
 there, and prayed so much for that object, that we seemed 
 to forget that there were any more sinners in Alexandria to 
 be converted. Indeed we saw very few remaining among 
 us to whom we cotdd have access. For several weeks after 
 that period 1 was occasionally absent, attending other meet- 
 ings of the same kind, and thus the work at home declined. 
 These narratives furnish answers to several of your inqui- 
 ries. I shall now express my opinion with regard toothers 
 in a different way. 
 
 1. In addition to what I have said with regard to ' the 
 means most signally blest ' in promoting revivals, I can state 
 that in a select male prayer meeting, individuals to the num- 
 ber of twenty were mentioned as subjects of special prayer, 
 and nearly all these have been added to the church. As to 
 the character of the preaching — it has been a clear and 
 forcible exhibition of truth, bringing to view the great 
 principles of the divine government, asserting the high 
 claims of God, showing that those claims are not to be 
 evaded by any pretence of inability ; that the sinner pos- 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 297 
 
 Mode of presenting the truth. 
 
 sesses all the faculties requisite to an immediate compli- 
 ance with the terms of the gospel, and pressing the obliga- 
 tion harder and harder until the sword of the Spirit goes 
 through hi 11 and slays him. Much pains have been taken 
 to show to the awakened that no favorable change takes 
 place in their character and condition until, with a cordial 
 renunciation of all sin, they believe in Christ and surrender 
 themselves to God, unreservedly to do and submit to His 
 will ; that until they do this, they retain the character of 
 rebels, increasing their guilt and hardening their hearts ; 
 that this act is the first and the only thing that brings them 
 within the scope of the divine promises, and secures to 
 them the saving benefits of the atonement, and those influ- 
 ences of the Holy Spirit, by which alone they can overcome 
 the world, the flesh, and the devil ; also to explain the 
 nature of repentance and faith, as the grand conditions of 
 salvation; that they are not arbitrary conditions, but in 
 the nature of things, indispensable; the glorious character 
 of God as the object of supreme love and admiration, and 
 the foundation of His law; especially to exhibit the love 
 or the benevolence of God towards His creatures, and to 
 show how it is consistent with the threatenings of the bible, 
 and with the future punishment of the wicked ; the fullness 
 of grace and truth in Jesus Christ ; His willingness and 
 His ability to save the most guilty, now, at any moment, if 
 they will trust in Him, and submit to Him ; also — to explain 
 in the most intelligible manner, how the impenitent sinner 
 is to begin to be a Christian — what the first step is; his 
 obligation to take that step immediately; the importance of 
 his making the effort without waiting for a. previous process 
 or operation of the Holy Spirit, by which he may be enabled 
 to do his duty, as he would wait for a surgeon to set a 
 broken bone or to, restore a dislocated limb before he could 
 walk, seeing that the scripture doctrine of divine agency 
 in conversion, was never intended to suspend for one mo- 
 ment the obligation, to cease to do evil and learn to do well ; 
 and farther that these must in the nature of the case, be 
 voluntary acts of the sinner himself. If they are not his acts, 
 why, he is not converted — no change for the better has 
 taken place in his character. So far as my experience and 
 observation go, I can say these views appear to give a pecul- 
 iar pungency and power to preaching. I would moreover 
 observe, that the most weighty and important doctrines of 
 
298 MEMOIR OF 
 
 - IV ol ha\ tag a direct aim. 
 
 the gospel have been continually discussed in the plainest 
 and most simple manner, so that all may understand them 
 and see their reasonableness. Religion has been divested 
 of that mysticism which has often obscured its true charac- 
 ter, and it has been made to appear a plain, common sense 
 business. Those discourses which have been mosl blessed 
 have been delivered from skeletons, sometimes from very 
 scanty note-, oi none at all — but the subject was well stud- 
 ied in its bearings and applications, and the heart was so 
 full of it, that the elegancies of style could not be thought 
 of for a moment. These discourses have been of such a 
 character, that it was quite a common thing for individuals 
 to think they were pointed out by the preacher. The rea- 
 son of this was that he had drawn many of his materials 
 from conversations had with persons of different characters, 
 and took pains to exhibit the sentiments they had expressed 
 — often in their own words — in the light of scripture. I 
 would here remark that a great deal has appeared to depend 
 upon the aim of the preacher while delivering his message. 
 It is possible to be very much interested, and to appear 
 very zealous in discussing an important truth, when the aim 
 goes no farther than the discussion, the mere elucidation 
 of the truth; whereas this ought to be always subordinate 
 to tin glory of (lotl and the conversion of sinners — or the 
 edification of the saints. A man generally accomplishes 
 what he aims at. If he is laboring for the conviction and 
 conversion of sinners, he will no doubt be blessed with a 
 measure of success. If it be otherwise, a result will be 
 realized generally corresponding with his aim. To con- 
 clude what I have to say on this subject, I have observed 
 that any truth or doctrine has appeared to be blessed when 
 the minister preaches with a heart longing for the salvation 
 of sinners, and yearning over them in the bowels of Jesus 
 Christ ; and when Christians are truly engaged in prayer.* 
 2. When the state of things will justify the appointment 
 of an anxious or inquiry meeting, it will be found a power- 
 ful instrument of promoting a revival. Intelligent men 
 who attended our meetings of this description remarked, that 
 
 * Small neighborhood meetings conducted hy the brethren in different parts of the 
 town have been uniformly blessed. The sisters have sometimes co-operated by vis- 
 iting ia those neighborhoods, and exciting attention to the meetings. 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 299 
 
 Effect of anxious soats. 
 
 they obtained clearer and more simple views of truth and 
 duty there, than at any other meetings. 
 
 :}. With regard to the propriety of using such technical 
 terras and phrases, as anxious seats, anxious meetings, &c, 
 I think it best to avoid them, if the same idea can be well 
 expressed in a form that would be less liable to objection. 
 
 4. "Praying with individuals and for them." The Bible 
 says, " Confess your sins one to another, and pray one for 
 another," &c. I see no reason why it should be proper to 
 pray for a Christian who confesses his sins, and not for one 
 who professes a desire to become a Christian, and cither 
 by words, or any significant act, as by coming to the anx- 
 ious scat, confesses his sins. With regard to another part 
 of your inquiry, I would state, thatl have seen a good effect 
 produced, when, in prayer meetings, a minister has given 
 an opportunity to any who desired it, to request the prayers 
 of Christians in behalf of their impenitent relatives. Such 
 things of course ought to be well timed. 
 
 5. ' Anxious seats,' &,c. I have already related the man- 
 ner in which we were drawn into this measure. The effect 
 was so obviously good at our first four days' meeting, that it 
 was employed at nearly all the protracted meetings which 
 followed in this section of the country. In Georgetown 
 and Washington city, in Fredericksburg, in Richmond, 
 and so far as I have heard, in various parts of Virginia, it 
 has been attended with the happiest effect. It has been the 
 means of bringing to an immediate decision multitudes 
 who had been for years lingering and irresolute. Some of 
 the most intelligent professional men I have seen, have 
 come forward to those seats, and have expressed their full 
 conviction of their great utility. It has a happy effect upon 
 christians and upon ministers — when the anxious come for- 
 ward, they see that they have not been praying and labor- 
 ing in vain. I believe it has been the means of leading 
 Christians and ministers in their prayers and preaching to 
 aim at, and to expect present results, more than they 
 ever did before. If so, its importance cannot be too highly 
 estimated. It also increases the uneasiness of others who, 
 do not feel willing as yet to come out on the Lord's side 
 All the objections which sinners make to this measure, so 
 far as I can judge, originate in pride, and an unwillingness 
 to do their duty now : and it vexes them to be made to feel 
 
300 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Farther remarks on them. 
 
 this, as they often do feel it, where the measure is judiciously 
 and successfully employed. But why should it he objected 
 to? If a man means ever to become 11 Christian, he must 
 confess Christ before his fellow men ; and why not do it in 
 this iniji as soon as possible after he has made up his mind? 
 And surely every one ought to make up his mind to be a 
 Christian as soon as the offer of the gospel is made to him. 
 If a man has been doing very wrong in any other way, 
 when convinced of his error, it is right that he should con- 
 fess it, and protest against it, and make his confession and 
 protest as public as his crime had been. If I have sinned 
 against God in the sight of heaven and earth, it is right 
 that I should make a public confession in some way, that 
 all may see that I condemn the part I have acted, and that 
 I may give glory to God ; and the sooner I make it the bet- 
 ter. Moreover it erects a barrier to prevent a return of the 
 sinner to his former courses, and cuts him off from the 
 society and influence of wicked associates. But however 
 these things may be, it is a fact that a great majority, I 
 think three-fourths of those who have come forward to the 
 anxious seats, not only in this place, but in the Presbyterian 
 churches in this section of the country, have become mem- 
 bers of our churches, and give evidence of piety ; while 
 not a solitary case has come to my knowledge of any one 
 becoming a Christian, who, when this measure was employ- 
 ed, persisted in refusing to come to the anxious seat. Part 
 of your inquiry relates to the practice of urging and en- 
 treating sinners to come forward to the anxious seat. We 
 certainly cannot be too urgent with them to take a decided 
 stand. God is urgent on this subject ; far more so than 
 we are, and every thing in the nature of the case requires 
 urgency and haste. But it certainly is wrong to speak of 
 the act of coming forward as the main thing we are aiming 
 at, or as a step which in itself will certainly secure their 
 salvation. As to calling upon them to rise from their seats, 
 it may possibly under some circumstances be expedient; 
 but I have very seldom seen it tried. Any of these meas- 
 ures if not well-timed and managed judiciously, may do 
 much harm. I would not think it advisable under any cir- 
 cumstances to invite sinners to come forward to the anx- 
 ious seits, unless it were pretty certain that some would 
 come. If upon conversing with professors in a church, at 
 a four days' meeting, for example, I found that some had 
 
W ILLI&H C. WALTON. 301 
 
 Protracted nicctinps 
 
 given up their hopes, and had reason to believe that othen 
 ought to <l<> the same, 1 would, if there was much feeling 
 ;it the close of the meeting, call upon such to come for- 
 ward, expressing repentance for their past inconsistencies, 
 and a determination to live to God, and to walk with him 
 in future. If a church has declined so that many evils 
 prevail among them to the dishonor of religion, I should 
 think it expedient for such a church to confess their sins 
 publicly and to renew their covenant. I tried this measure 
 once with a good result. 
 
 6. ' Protracted meetings.' I have already given you the 
 history of the first meeting of this description. 1 call it 
 the first, because, although Presbyterians at the west and 
 south had held what they called four days' meetings, they 
 were, if I have been correctly informed, camp meetings. 
 No experiment had been tried in any of the cities ; nor 
 had the plan been so modified as to suit city congregations. 
 In estimating the effects of our first meeting, we are to 
 consider that a revival had been in progress for nearly 
 eighteen months, and that most of the non-professors who 
 attended our church had become subjects of that work. 
 Under these circumstances, thirty conversions in about a 
 week, were very considerable. But the good did not end 
 here. Some of our professors set out from that time in a 
 new career of usefulness. We are reaping the fruits to 
 this day ; and I have no doubt they will continue to multi- 
 ply. It was truly a season of refreshing to Christians, and 
 it left an impression so delightful, as to create a strong 
 desire for another occasion of a similar kind. Many Christ- 
 ians from Washington city, especially from the first Pres- 
 byterian church, attended the meeting, who returned home 
 with views and feelings such as they had never had before. 
 Thus they were prepared for a similar meeting in that city, 
 which took place in a few weeks afterwards. That also 
 was attended with very happy results. This led to the 
 appointment of one in the Third Presbyterian church, Balti- 
 more, which also resulted in a number of conversions. 
 Since that period, I have attended many in different places, 
 most of which were in cities ; and never have I seen one 
 pass off without manifest good; and the amount of good 
 has always appeared to correspond with the degree of 
 preparation on the part of the church, for such a meeting, 
 26 
 
302 MEMOIR OF 
 
 General character of rc\ ivals. 
 
 and to the character of the instruments employed. Some- 
 times the ministers have not hern as wise and judicious as 
 they might have been, and have not made the most that 
 might have been made of such occasions. And sometimes 
 churches are not prepared to co-operote — they do not feel 
 their responsibility, and will not wake up, and come to the 
 help of tlio Lord against the mighty. In such cases not 
 much can be expected from the use of any means whatever. 
 In estimating the effects of these first meetings, we are to 
 consider the impulse and direction which has been given 
 by them to public sentiment and feeling on the subject, 
 throughout the land. In this view, t he first meeting in 
 Alexandria may be regarded as constituting an era in the 
 history of the American churches. With regard to the 
 frequency of such meetings, 1 am entirely of Dr. Woods' 
 opinion, that they ought not to be held so often as to divest, 
 them of the character of extraordinary means. 
 
 7. 'General character of revivals.' Those which I have 
 witnessed have been conducted with order and propriety, 
 with a few exceptions. For reasons already stated, the one 
 in Baltimore was more faulty in this respect than any other, 
 in which I have been concerned. I did not then know 
 how to control excitements, and I was afraid to interpose, 
 less I should do wrong. My judgment, however, is now 
 established on the subject, and whenever animal feeling 
 rises to such a pitch in any meeting as to produce confu- 
 sion, or to unlit the minds of the anxious for receiving the 
 triif/i and feeling its force, I have no hesitation in checking 
 it, and the plan which I have never found to fail, is ten- 
 derly to admonish them that truth is the. only instrument of 
 conviction and conversion, and that animal feeling is useful 
 only so far as it can be made subservient to the impression 
 of truth. With such remarks as these, I call upon them to 
 engage in silent prayer. This I believe is a sovereign rem- 
 edy for the evil. The general character of our meetings 
 has been still and often, deeply solemn. Convictions have 
 been clear, but not generally in the highest decree distres- 
 sing. In some instances they have been followed with 
 much joy ; but most commonly they have been succeeded 
 by a calm repose — a sweet peace connected with a full 
 determination to renounce all sin, and to do the will of 
 God without reserve, trusting in his abundant mercy through 
 Jesus Christ. Recently, convictions have been of shorter 
 
WILLIAM C . WALTON. 303 
 
 Character of the convert . 
 
 continuance than formerly. The duty of immediately rm- 
 bracing the gospel offer, is more clearly understood by 
 Christiana and ministers; and it is more insisted upon ; and 
 greal pains arc taken to show that there is no reason why 
 the sinner should wait a moment in bis impenitence. Min- 
 isters dim at immediate conversions in their preaching, and 
 Christians aim at the same object in their prayers. 
 
 8. 'Effects of revivals.' One has been an increase of 
 liberality. The pecuniary resources of the church have 
 been measurably increased; but the contributions to be- 
 nevolent objects have increased in a much greater propor- 
 tion. All our Sabbath school teachers have become hope- 
 fully pious. We have also an adult female free school. I 
 mention as another effect, that Christians have found that 
 entering heartily and disinterestedly into the work of the 
 Lord, is one of the best means of growing in grace, and in 
 the knowledge of Christ; and of securing those consola- 
 tions which are so abundantly promised in the gospel ; but 
 which are realized in so small a degree by many Christians 
 of modern times. With gratitude to the God of all grace, 
 I can state, that we have instances among us of Christians 
 whose joys are often unspeakable, and whose hearts are 
 habitually lifted up in the ways of the Lord, as the heart of 
 Jehoshaphat was. 
 
 9. ' Character of the converts,' &x. A majority — I was 
 going to say of course — have been females; but a larger 
 proportion than usual have been of the other sex, respecta- 
 ble and intelligent men, who now add greatly to the strength 
 and mora! power of the church. They are ready to engage 
 in every good work, and undeniably exert a happy influence 
 upon all the best interests of our community. In one instance 
 this influence has been extended to a neighboring village, 
 where a Revival of religion, the organization of a new 
 Presbyterian church, and the erection of a new house of 
 worship, mainly at our expense, have been the results. 
 
 10. ' Admitting to the privileges of the church.' We 
 have been very cautious on this subject — some would think 
 too much so. It is however a fact, in the history of our 
 church, that those individuals whom we have put upon the 
 longest trial, have turned out badly — whereas others who 
 were received shortly after they professed conversion, have 
 not disappointed our expectations. I see no reason why 
 
304 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Terms »( admission. 
 
 we should not come back to the apostolic practice on this 
 subject — unless vye do, what rule have we to guide us? 
 
 The only additional remark 1 would offer on this subject 
 is, that the church now, as in the Apostolic times, should 
 demand credible evidence of piety. Tins may be furnished 
 in a longer ox shorter time, according to the circumstances 
 and character of the converts ; but when it is given, ' the 
 gates of Zion' should be 'open' to receive them. The 
 time is predicted when these ' gates shall be open contin- 
 ually,' doubtless with reference to the accession of those 
 converts who are spoken of as being so numerous that they 
 are compared to ' a cloud,' and to ' a flowing stream. 9 
 
 Thus, dear brother, 1 have thrown together my thoughts 
 on a variety of, subjects to which your inquires relate with- 
 out observing much order, and without those scripture proofs 
 and illustrations, which if I had time 1 would have added. 
 I have not gone through the list of your interrogatories, 
 but perhaps I have already written more than all of your 
 committee will have patience to read. If it should be 
 desired, I may at some future day, if I am spared, express 
 to you my views on other topics embraced in your commu- 
 nication. With fraternal regards to the brethren of the 
 Seminary, and especially to those of your committee, I 
 remain yours, in the service of our common Lord, 
 
 W. C. Walton." 
 
 In a letter from the Rev. James Patterson of Philadel- 
 to the author, he says of the subject of this memoir : 
 
 * * * "I esteemed him one of the most valuable 
 ministerial correspondents I had. In the fall of 1828, he 
 wrote me a letter on protracted meetings; and wished to 
 know if I would assist him, if he would hold one in his 
 church, in Alexandria, D. C, where he then lived. The 
 subject was not entirely new to me. I had read of the 
 protracted meetings in Kentucky and other Western States, 
 and had been deeply interested in them ; but had never 
 witnessed one, and knew not how they were conducted, or 
 ought to be conducted. * * *• 
 
 Brother Walton was one of the most prudent, humble, 
 sincere revival men I ever knew. He was far from any 
 thing like fanaticism or wildness, both in his physical con- 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 305 
 
 Lettei ni Mr. Patterson. 
 
 stitution ;iikI in his ministerial practice. I have labored 
 in protracted meetings and revivals with a great many min- 
 isters in this country both of the old and new school; hut. 
 never with one, I think, that was so humble, teachable and 
 child-like ill his disposition as brother Walton. Jji all this 
 be was indeed a lovely man. * * * 
 
 There were a number of cases of hopeful conversion, and 
 the church was very considerably quickened and waked up, 
 as you well recollect, dear brother; for if] remember right, 
 you were there. And you recollect with what fear, and 
 prayer and trembling we entered on the work. * * * 
 I had never seen a protracted meeting conducted. But I 
 tried to look to God, as I believe we all did, for direction. 
 And I believe the master directed us. This thought 
 occurred to me, and I announced it to the congregation: 
 When I was impenitent, sometimes after hearing an awak- 
 ening sermon, I felt as though 1 would be glad to have some 
 person converse with me about my soul ere I left the church. 
 And now, said I, there may be tome here who feel as I used 
 to do, and at this moment feel as though they would be 
 glad to be conversed with about their soul's salvation. And 
 if there be any of that class, if they will remain behind a 
 little after the benediction is pronounced, we will converse 
 with them. And after the benediction was pronounced, 
 the whole congregation remained. Nor shall I forget the 
 solemn situation in which we ministers appeared. * * * 
 
 Thus was introduced the first protracted meeting, for we 
 called it such at the close, that was held east of the Alle- 
 ghany mountains. A few weeks after, we held, by request, 
 another protracted meeting in Washington City, D. C, 
 which also was attended with happy fruits both to the 
 church and in gathering in sinners. Brother Walton was 
 a principal agent in all these meetings. He was a good 
 man, and God used him for great g >od to the church on 
 earth. He has labored with me in my church in this city, 
 and I have labored with him in his church in Baltimore, 
 when he was a settled pastor there, and I have labored with 
 him frequently at Alexandria while there, and with his 
 church at Hartford, Conn., while he was there ; and I have 
 never labored with a more lowly, humble, devoted man. 
 And I never before felt so severely the loss, by death, of a 
 beloved laborer in the ministry as I did his. But he has 
 26* 
 
300 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Study of mathematics. 
 
 gone to his rest, and we must not murmur nor repine, but 
 rather be thankful that God spared him so long to the 
 church. 
 
 The happy days J have spent with thai man in ministerial 
 labors in Washington, Alexandria, Baltimore, and Hartford, 
 I shall never forget while memory holds a place in my 
 being. And I doubt not but they will form a happy theme 
 for our mutual converse in heaven, if 1 ever shall reach 
 that place. Never before in the death of any other minister 
 did I feel such a vacancy. I felt for a while as though 
 something was wanting to fill up my ministerial happiness 
 here on earth. I know no brother in the ministry to whom 
 I could so freely open all my mind. J had learned much 
 through that brother of the worth of prayer, humble, peni- 
 tent, believing, persevering prayer. This alone, if nothing 
 else, was worth an acquaintance with him." * * * 
 
 In one of his letters in the former part of this volume, he 
 speaks of his dislike for mathematical studies.* Like many 
 other men of similar distaste, his mind, so far from being 
 
 * "The study of Mathematics," says a distinguished German metaphysician, 
 "unless special precaution be taken, is ratlin a hindrance than an aid. For in so 
 far as the mathematician, accustomed to Ids own mode of thinking, and Ignorantof 
 any other, ap] lies or does not apply it to the supersensible, what must follow 1 In 
 the former case, the supersensible world Is denied, mas ;h as it cannot be mathe- 
 matically demonstrated ; and in the latter, affirmed only on the ground of feeling and 
 Imagination." 
 
 The study of Mathematics, :I if pursued in moderation, and efficiently counteracted, 
 may be beneficial in the correction ofa certain vice, and in the formation of its cor- 
 responding virtue. The vice is the habit of mental distraction ; the virtue, the habit 
 of continuous attention. This is the single benefit to which the study of Mathemat- 
 ics can justly pretend, in the cultivation of Ibe mind ; and il is the only one accorded 
 to it by the most intelligent philosophers. Baci n, who in his earlier writings, had 
 rashly admitted the utility of Mathematics in sharpening the intellect, significantly 
 recalled this opinion in his maturer works ; and instead of .Mathematics, recommended 
 a study of the school philosophy as the discipline of subtlety and discrimination." — 
 Ed. Review, JVo. 136. 
 
 The rigidity of this kind of demonstration is in its nature fitted to shade the mind 
 with doubt as to the nature ol what is called inferior demonstration. Hut in truth, 
 the great plans of human life, the business of the world, the determining choice of 
 moral agents, and even the basis of the reception of Divine Revelation, are all la'd in 
 moral, not mathematical evidence. Sufficient attention to this branch of science has 
 not, till recently, been given in our American Colleges. The rise and progress of the 
 science of political economy have much elevated the science of moral demonstration. 
 
WILLIAM C. AVAL TON. 307 
 
 Sourcea of sacred eloquence. 
 
 loose, was logical, an<l for success in preaching and in pri- 
 vate expostulation, he relied more, so far as means were 
 concerned, on the power of cool moral demonstration than 
 on that of impassioned feeling. But he fill, deeply felt, 
 and often in prayer has his soul been in an agony for the 
 souls of his fellow men. It was not in vain. Hundreds 
 will bless God that he was born into the world and that he 
 was honored with the ministry of reconciliation. And this, 
 though his early education was defective and his means of 
 improvement scanty. No theological Seminaries then ex- 
 isted — no extensive divinity libraries — no attrition of intel- 
 lectual energies contributed to polish and brighten his fac- 
 ulties. They were scarcely waked up till he had for some 
 years been preaching. Nor was he at any time distinguished 
 for pulpit oratory. On the general subject I may here be 
 indulged in a few remarks. It is not to be denied, that 
 independently of extraneous circumstances, there are sour- 
 ces of sacred eloquence, deep, pure, and inexhaustible. The 
 character of God, viewed not only in itself, but as calling 
 forth from innumerable intelligent creatures the most sub- 
 lime devotion — the works of God — His amazing love — the 
 work of redemption, including the character, actions, and 
 sufferings of the Redeemer — the destiny of man — the Chris- 
 tian conflict — the progress of the Church — her bloodless 
 triumphs — her dignity in suffering — Death and the Resur- 
 rection — the happiness of the saints for eternity, these are 
 among the high themes on which the Ambassador of God 
 is called to d 'scant. He would not foro-et the astonishino- 
 character which the i'ounder of Christianity impressed on 
 His twelve immediate followers and the apostle " born out 
 of due time." Their labors, dangers, and sufferings — their 
 heroic devotedness — their unblenching steadiness of pur- 
 pose — the pure benevolence of their character, practicing 
 self-denial for the good of the world, and of their enemies — 
 calmly meeting the frowns and enduring the reproaches 
 of their countrymen — breasting with holy intrepidity the 
 
308 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Why Boinegreal preachers were eloquent 
 
 shock of every convulsion, which was sure to follow the 
 dissemination of their sentiments, bul never disobeying the 
 laws of the land, and all on the simple principle of Faith, 
 and at last the manner of their dying — these would enter 
 into the consideration of him who is called to labor in the 
 same cause, and to hold forth the word of life from that 
 consecrated eminence to which none may aspire except 
 those that are 'called of God.' The delineations of .history 
 and the descriptions of prophecy, as contained in the books 
 of the Old Testament, furnish the most abundant materials 
 for the exercise of genius in selecting and combining such 
 thoughts, images, sentiments, and truths, as are befitting the 
 high occasion on which the minister of Jesus addresses his 
 fellow-men. 
 
 Why was Apollos an eloquent man ? Because he was 
 mighty in the Scriptures. What did not the mind of Paul 
 achieve, imbued as it was from his youth with the divine 
 classics? The eloquence of Cyprian and Chrysostom, of 
 Claude and Fenelon, where was it fed but at the fountain 
 'fast by the Oracle of God?' Never had the spiritual tri- 
 umphs of Baxter and Whitefield been recorded on earth and 
 in heaven but for the days and nights they spent at the 
 ' wells of salvation.' 'With joy' did Summerricld ' draw 
 water' thence, and with skill did he supply those who were 
 thirsty in Zion. It was after his own soul was refreshed 
 by the word of God that he was able to renovate the strength 
 of the faint and languishing. And he might be said some- 
 times to lead the Christian soul an eagle flight toward 
 heaven, where he could gaze on the glories of God and 
 rejoice in the beams of infinite mercy and love. The Bible 
 was his constant companion. With him it was the book of 
 books, and it would not be hyperbolical to say that he 
 could not preach a sermon without discovering the intimacy 
 between that volume and his soul. Whoever has read the 
 sermons of Jay has observed the enviable art and facility 
 with which that useful and instructive writer interweaves 
 
WILLIAM C . WALTON. 309 
 
 Walton's hospitality. Dj lug request of Dr. Hyde. 
 
 scripture passages with the thread of his discourse. Less 
 sought by Summerfield, they seemed to present themselves 
 to him just at the time and place in his extemporaneous 
 discourse where they were the most Deeded, and the most 
 appropriate, instructive*, and pleasing. It was a second lan- 
 guage to him, and he spoke it with fluency, propriety, and 
 effect. 
 
 Walton entered deeply into the spirit of the Scriptures, 
 though the words were not extensively engrafted on his 
 memory. His unaffected simplicity and undisguised sin- 
 cerity were apparent to all. He has furnished another 
 instance, to be contemplated by the church and the world, 
 of how much good may be done by the energetic and untir- 
 ing activity of one who is possessed of respectable talents, 
 a warm heart and a steady consistent piety. 
 
 His house, as has before been hinted, was the seat of 
 hospitality. The stranger that came to his dwelling was 
 received, not with cold civility ; not with an air that seemed 
 to say, / am now going to condescend to confer a favor, or 
 / will reluctantly i ntcrtain you ; but with a ' warmhearted ' 
 welcome ; such as Paul enjoined on the ministers of Christ, 
 and such as he commended in every hospitable Christian. 
 There is something in treatment like this, which with equal 
 promptitude wins its way to the heart of a stranger, and 
 enlarges the influence of his host over him. Dr. Hyde, of 
 Lee, was such a man, and the beautiful trait was so inter- 
 woven with his character — the feeling of kindness towards 
 his brethren in the ministry was so habitual, that when 
 dying, he charged his son : " This house has been a house 
 of prayer for forty years. Let it be a house of prayer still. 
 You will have many calls. Let it be a house of Christian 
 hospitality. Be a friend to Christ and his people. This 
 is the counsel of your dying father." A brother, who had 
 often been welcomed by his benevolent smile, and had 
 shared his cheerful bounty, giving vent to his feelings in a 
 
310 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Archbishop Usher. 
 
 strain of elegiac poetry, said : 
 
 '• Mis bouse, 111*' home 
 
 Of Zion's i'i ii nils ;iml mine, thrice hallowed place ! 
 Full many an anxious care has Bed this heart, 
 
 T set, at thai dear threshold, smiles oflove, 
 
 That voice of salutation kind. Full well 
 1 loved t<> >haic a place amid the band 
 Domestic, at the hour of prayer and praise, 
 A sacred noui of reverence, peace and love ! " 
 
 Brother Nevins, for so has the author had the privilege 
 of calling him for many years, was so situated in the very 
 centre of Baltimore, as to he exposed to many calls. In 
 the earlier part of his ministry, he suffered himself some- 
 times to he annoyed by them. But more than eight y r IM 
 ago, he said to me : "Brother Dan forth, I hare a opted 
 in full the maxim of that gorily minister who said, ' The man 
 that wants me is the man that J want.' " He could then 
 hear his parlor bell ring with an unruffled mind. 
 
 It is said of Archbishop Usher, that when wrecked on a 
 desolate coast, and reduced to a pitiable condition, he 
 applied to a clergyman of a cold and inhospitable mind for 
 shelter and relief, stating his sacred profession. The cler- 
 gyman rudely questioned the fact, and peevishly replied that 
 he doubted whether lie even knew the number of the com- 
 mandments. "Indeed I do," replied Usher mildly ; " there 
 are eleven." " Eleven ! " rejoined the catechist, " tell me 
 the eleventh, and 1 will assist you." " Obey the eleventh," 
 said Usher, " and you certainly will assist me. Anew com- 
 mandment I give you, that ye love one another." 
 
 In every situation in life, Walton diligently endeavored 
 and ardently delighted to obey the eleventh commandment. 
 Nor would he wait for ministerial brethren to come to his 
 house. If he knew or suspected any of them to be in the 
 city of his residence, he would seek them out and find them 
 for his Master's sake. 
 
 Though a man of great apparent mental tranquility, he 
 was keenly sensitive to any injury, or a trial of any kind. 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 311 
 
 Cotton Mather's itnintolligibles and incurables. Silence about Mistrials. 
 
 Amid the inevitable vexations to which ministers are liable, 
 and of which a full share fell to his lot, he needed often to 
 consider the advice of Cotton Mather to his son : " It may 
 not be amiss for you to have two heaps ; a heap of unintel- 
 ligible*, and a heap of incurables. Every now and then 
 you will meet with something or other, that may pretty 
 much disturb your thoughts; but the shortest way with the 
 vexatious will be to throw them into the heap they belong 
 to, and be no more distressed about them. You will meet 
 with some unaccountable and incomprehensible things, 
 particularly in the conduct of many people. Throw these 
 into the heap of unintelligibles. Leave them there. Trouble 
 your mind no further. Hope the best, or think no more 
 about them. You will meet with some unpersuadable peo- 
 ple. No counsel, no reason will do any thing upon the 
 obstinate, especially as to the making of due submission 
 upon offences. Throw them into the heap of incurables. 
 Let not the crooked things that cannot be made straight 
 incumber you." 
 
 But Walton talked little of his trials. He must hare 
 borne them in silent submission, for though intimate with 
 him, the writer knew absolutely nothing of some of the 
 most severe of them, till the pages of his private journal 
 were unveiled to his eye. Those trials, however, are past. 
 He shall sin no more. He shall suffer no more. They 
 were a part of the necessary moral discipline instituted by 
 his heavenly Father, to train his beloved child for useful- 
 ness here and glory hereafter. 
 
 It is indeed a great thing for a fallen creature to become 
 holy. " I must tell you," said the dying Usher to a friend, 
 "we do not well understand what sanctification and the 
 new creature are. It is no less than for a man to be brought 
 to an entire resignation of his own to the will of God, and 
 to live in the offering up of his soul continually in the flames 
 of love, as a whole burnt offering to Christ. And oh ! how 
 
312 MEMOIR OF 
 
 The conclusion of a pious mid devoted life. Thomas Ilalyburton. 
 
 many, who profess Christianity, are unacquainted experi- 
 mentally with this great work upon their souls! " 
 
 The reader of this narrative has observed the gradual 
 development of the mind and the Christian character of 
 William C. Walton. From a small and treble beginning, 
 he went on by a progressive movement both in knowledge 
 and piety, until he attained to the sublime triumph of that 
 death-bed which has already been described, and which is 
 seldom surpassed. When such a scene closes a life of 
 ardent and consistent piety, it is more worthy to be com- 
 memorated than those fitful transports, which sometimes 
 break out on dying beds, that have been preceded by a life 
 of sin. The one is like an evening of gorgeous splendor, 
 closing a day of clear and steady sunshine. The other 
 may be compared to the same evening suddenly illuminated 
 with electric fires, after a day darkened by clouds and op- 
 pressed with winds. 
 
 The de ith-bed of Thomas II ilyburton has been cele- 
 brated as one of the most illustrious recorded instances of 
 victorious grace. But he was ever a giant in conflict with 
 opposing principalities and powers. His soul burned within 
 him for the welfare of Zion, when he said with his falter- 
 ing lips, "Oh to have God returning to his church and his 
 work goin^i" forward in the world! If all the drops of my 
 blood, all the particles of my body, all the hairs of my head, 
 were men, they should for this all go to the fire. I could 
 not have believed that I should bear, and bear cheerfully 
 this rod, which has lain on me so long. This is a miracle. 
 Pain without pain ! Oh ! blessed be God that ever I was 
 born! I have a father, a mother, and ten brethren and sis- 
 ters in heaven, and 1 shall be the eleventh. It is the Spirit 
 of God that supports me. What cannot grace do? What 
 a demonstration hath God given to you and myself of the 
 immortality of the soul, by the vigor of my intellect, and 
 the lively efforts of my spirit toward God and the things of 
 God, now when my body is so low and pained ! When I 
 
WILLIAM C. WALTON. 313 
 
 Cnnrtiirling remark. 
 
 shall be so weakened as not to be able to speak, I will give 
 you, if I can, a sign of triumph when I am near to glory." 
 That sign was given after he had ceased to speak, and he 
 soon ceased to breathe ! It is well when the leaders in the 
 spiritual army close the mighty contest on their part in so 
 glorious a manner. 
 
 So closed the life of our beloved friend. Though dead, 
 he still lives; though silent he speaks; and may this me- 
 morial cheer some pious heart, when the hand that has pre- 
 pared it is mouldering in the dust ! 
 
 {KT " W. C. Walton " is erroneously signed to the letter on page 186. 
 
 27 
 
APPENDIX 
 
 The letter which follows is referred to in page 179 of this 
 volume. 
 
 Washington, Oct. 15, 1828. 
 " Dear Sir, 
 
 I lately enjoyed the pleasure of spending a couple of 
 days at Alexandria, and take thcliherty of giving you some 
 account of them, that you may share in the satisfaction 
 which such scenes must ever convey to a Christian mind. 
 I went, in consequence of an affectionate invitation extend- 
 ed by the Rev. Mr. Walton, and the church under his care, 
 to their brethren in Washington, to attend the approaching 
 communion in that Church. There had existed* at Alex- 
 andria a gentle religious excitement for some months past. 
 It had been gradually increasing, until, under the expecta- 
 tion of adding between twenty and thirty persons to that 
 church at the next celebration of the Lord's Supper, it was 
 resolved to have, on that occasion, a continuance of public 
 service for four successive days, commencing on Friday, 
 and closing on the Monday following. This practice has 
 been adopted elsewhere; and though ridiculed by some, 
 as a sort of Presbyterian camp-meeting, it has been found 
 productive of such happy effects, that those who have once 
 made the experiment, will, I believe, be inclined to repeat 
 it. I could not get there before Sabbath morning ; but the 
 sweet enjoyment I then experienced made me regret that I 
 
APPENDIX. 315 
 
 had lost the preceding days. I had frequently road of the 
 communion seasons in Scotland, where Christiana assemble 
 from several adjacent or neighboring congregations, and 
 spend four days in the services preparatory and subsequent 
 to what is there called "the action sermon;" hut 1 had 
 never, till now, witnessed any thing of the kind. 
 
 The morning was fine, and the appearance of all things 
 around hore that aspect of serenity and peace which is so 
 finely described in the poem of the Sabbath. My friend 
 and I rose early that we might enjoy the luxury of a 
 leisurely and solitary walk, while Nature breathes her sweet- 
 est incense, and oilers in silent but impressive worship, her 
 tribute of praise. Our hearts were in unison with the 
 scene, and felt the perfect harmony which ever exists 
 between the voice of nature and that of revelation. We 
 entered Alexandria about breakfast time, and soon after 
 repaired to Mr. Walton's church. It is a large building of 
 considerable depth in proportion to its width ; the pulpit is 
 at the end, but the preacher may be heard without difficulty 
 even at the opposite extremity. Though it was some time 
 before the stated hour of worship, the pews were filling fast, 
 and an aspect of general interest and solemnity appeared 
 on the countenances of most of those who were present. 
 This early attendance is a very common feature attending 
 religious revivals. The place of worship is associated with 
 so many sweet and solemn recollections, that the people 
 seem reluctant to leave it. They approach with willing 
 feet, and every step by which they leave it, seems a step 
 downward toward the world. It is at such seasons that we 
 can enter into the feelings of the disciples when they pro- 
 posed to build tabernacles on the mount of transfiguration. 
 While tasting the sweetness and sublime joy of true wor- 
 ship, the soul finds itself in possession of its satisfying good, 
 and cannot entertain the thought of relinquishing it but 
 with pain. 
 
 The Rev. Mr. P and the Rev. Mr. D , from 
 
 Philadelphia, were present, having come on by request of 
 Mr. Walton, for the express purpose of assisting on this 
 solemn occasion, the one preaching in the morning, the 
 other in the evening of each day. If you never heard Mr. 
 P. you can form but an imperfect idea of the force and 
 originality of his style and manner, and its effect in impres- 
 
316 APPENDIX. 
 
 sing an audience. Regardless of the niceties of rhetoric, 
 his elocution is bold, ardent, solemn, full of the conviction 
 that it handles a matter of life and death, and resolutely set 
 on carrying that same conviction to the heart and conscience 
 of every hearer. In this it effectually succeeds. Whatever 
 men may think of the message, none can doubt that the 
 preacher believes and feels it to be a message from God. 
 His voice is full of depth and power ; tears flow abundantly, 
 without interrupting its effect ; and though his gesture is 
 without grace, it is full of the impassioned earnestness of 
 the man. His illustrations are of the most familiar kind, 
 but all striking and apposite, calculated for the level of the 
 commonest capacity, and yet such as to be heard with 
 pleasure by the strongest mind. I take him to be much 
 such a preacher as Rowland Hill, judging from the des- 
 criptions I have received from the latter. His subject was 
 the Marriage Supper ; and by adapting the parable to the 
 circumstances of our own country, he gave it double inter- 
 est. He compared it to a marriage published by the Presi- 
 dent, to honor his son, and ran out all the circumstances 
 in a manner calculated to rivet it forever on the memory. 
 
 The exercises at the Table were, as they should ever be, 
 short and simple. It is a feast for the heart ; and the lan- 
 guage of the heart is always simple and direct. The num- 
 ber of communicants, resident and attending from else- 
 where, was large, and filled nearly one-third of the build- 
 ing, though very closely seated. The time occupied in dis- 
 tributing the elements was therefore very considerable, but 
 to me it was the most eloquent and impressive portion of 
 the hour. Many a bosom heaved with emotion — many, 
 very many, tears were shed, and now and then a deep-fetch- 
 ed sigh broke on the solemn stillness of the assembly; but 
 all was order and chastened sobriety ; nor could the most 
 fastidious have discovered aught of the dreaded confusion 
 of revivals. It was a scene for angels to contemplate, and 
 I doubt not they were there. The services of the remaining 
 parts of the day were of the same general character. 
 
 The only departure from what I have been accustomed 
 to see, took place after the close of the evening sermon. 
 The pastor then descended, and placing himself in the 
 clerk's desk, briefly addressed the audience ; and after a few 
 moments of solemn exhortation, invited those of his hear- 
 
APPENDIX. 317 
 
 ers who felt their minds seriously impressed with what had 
 been delivered, and who desired the prayers of Christians 
 in their behalf, or wished to be conversed with on the con- 
 cerns of their souls, to manifest it by coming forward and 
 taking their seats near the pulpit during the singing of a 
 few verses of a hymn. And now commenced a scene 
 which was full of interest, whether contemplated by a Christ- 
 ian, a philosopher, or a physiognomist. Many in the con- 
 gregation were under deep concern of mind ; and as the 
 eye glanced over the assembly, they could readily be recog- 
 nized. Some were drowned in tears; others drew sighs of 
 the bitterest anguish; others were wrestling down the 
 expression of their feelings, but discovered their agitation 
 by a feverish restlessness ; others changed color, and the 
 expression of their countenances passed through a quick 
 succession of the most striking alterations. A few tried to 
 smile, or to sneer, but the tear that trembled in their eye 
 betrayed the heart, and mocked their efforts. When it 
 was discovered that all had presented themselves who pur- 
 posed to do so, the ministers went round from seat to seat 
 and conversed, in a low tone of voice, with each for a few 
 minutes, after which they engaged in very earnest and affec- 
 tionate prayer. 
 
 In all this I see nothing which can justly be censured. 
 To call it fanaticism, and Methodism, and delusion, is but 
 the cant of men who hate all earnestness in religion, and 
 comfort themselves over their own indifference by laughing 
 at others. When the Apostles preached, those who embra- 
 ced their message ' companied with them,' — manifested 
 openly on what side they wished to be considered : and 
 why should those who now wish to follow their Master ob- 
 ject to avowing it before all men ? Did not Paul himself 
 earnestly entreat an interest in the prayers of the churches? 
 and where there v ^re many opposers, is it not written that 
 he 'separated the disciples V I had been, I confess, great- 
 ly prejudiced against this proceeding from some descrip- 
 tions I had received of it ; but as soon as I had witnessed 
 the scene, I was constrained to own that its effect was emi- 
 nently, irresistibly, and, as I am persuaded, profitably im- 
 pressive. 
 
 The next morning a prayer-meeting was held at sunrise. 
 I attended early, but found that others had anticipated me, 
 
318 APPENDIX. 
 
 and were already in their seats, waiting in profound silence, 
 and the most of them in tears. The prayers were offered 
 by members of the church, two of them praying in imme- 
 diate, succession, without rising : the exercises were alter- 
 nated by sinking, and then by short, pungent exhortations 
 from the ministers who attended. 
 
 At 10 o'clock a sermon was preached, at which females 
 were specially invited : and their duty, as the guardians of 
 society while in infancy, was stated and urged in a manner 
 which produced the deepest effect. Entire families attend- 
 ed, and I saw many a well dressed and polite lady, sur- 
 rounded by her children, bowing her head in deep apparent 
 contrition, under the conscious neglect of this most sacred 
 of duties. This was ' the last day of the feast ; ' (and a feast 
 the occasion might justly be called :) and after a repetition of 
 the scene of the last evening, by inviting such as felt con- 
 vinced of neglect and resolved to seek grace to be more 
 faithful, to come forth and avow their determination and 
 receive the prayers of the church, the exercises were closed 
 with solemn prayer and thanksgiving." * * * 
 
 P. 108. The following are the concluding remarks of 
 his Narrative : 
 
 " My object in writing this piece, has not been chiefly 
 to give a narrative of a revival ; but to promote the spirit 
 of revival ; to excite my fellow christians to a more faithful 
 discharge of their duties ; and to offer such suggestions as 
 may assist those who are conscious of having neglected 
 their duty, in determining what they ought now to do. 
 
 Another object I have had in view, is to furnish a tract, 
 which may with advantage be distributed in a congregation 
 during the progress of a revival, especially where incor- 
 rect views are entertained respecting some points here dis- 
 cussed. At such times, it is very important that all should 
 " speak the same thing." Even pious persons may unin- 
 tentionally do injury, by giving to inquirers, injudicious 
 directions. It is presumed, that such persons will thank- 
 fully receive any instructions that may assist them in per- 
 forming this momentous duty. Besides — it may often hap- 
 pen in revivals, that so many will be in an anxious state of 
 mind, that the minister cannot pay the necessary attention 
 to all. It might, therefore, be a relief to his mind, and an 
 
APPENDIX. 319 
 
 advantage to his people, to put into their hands such a 
 pamphlet as this, containing the same general views of 
 doctrine, and the same directions which he would give 
 them, if he could converse with each separately. They 
 who hold opinions different from those here maintained, 
 will, of course, pursue a different plan. If any of my 
 young brethren in the ministry, think my censures fall too 
 heavily upon them, I can only say, my aim is to do them 
 good, and to promote the cause of my Saviour. I censure 
 none so severely as I censure myself. I mourn hefore God, 
 to think of my past unfaithfulness; while I bless His name 
 for the desire I now feel to live henceforth to his glory ; 
 and I shall rejoice, if what I have said should, under the 
 Divine blessing, which I earnestly implore, be the means 
 of guarding any against that negligent, indifferent, heart- 
 less manner of performing the momentous duties of the 
 ministry, which has caused me so many painful feelings of 
 regret and sell-dissatisfaction. 
 Baltimore, March 1834. 
 
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