, 

 
 OF THE 
 
 REV. MICHAEL C. TAYLOR, 
 
 fl 
 
 WITH 
 
 EXTRACTS FROM HIS CORRESPONDENCE. 
 
 BY 
 
 BENJAMIN HELLIER. 
 
 HontJon: 
 
 WESLEYAN CONFERENCE OFFICE, 
 
 >, CASTLE-9T., CITY-ROAD: 
 SOLD AT 66, PATERNOSTER-ROW. 
 
 1870. 
 
 Iff-
 
 LONDON ; 
 
 PRINTED BY HAYMAN BROTHERS AND LILLY, 
 19, CROSS ST., HATTON GARDEN. E.G.
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 WHEN I was asked to prepare a Memoir of 
 Mr. Taylor, I at once consented, for I felt 
 that a life marked by so uncommon excellence 
 ought not to pass away without some record. 
 
 In the first instance, I prepared a Biographical 
 Sketch which was intended for publication in the 
 " Wesleyan-Methodist Magazine," but in deference 
 to the judgment of some friends by whom this 
 was read, I determined to enlarge it, so that it 
 might form a separate volume. I was fully aware, 
 however, that to accomplish this would not be an 
 easy task. I knew that the life to be recorded had 
 not been marked by striking incidents ; and owing 
 to the fact that my friend was hardly ever the sub- 
 ject of his own narratives, my intimate acquaintance 
 with him had failed to give me full information 
 respecting the details of his own history. 
 
 Shortly after his death, his widow removed to 
 South Africa, and, in consequence of this, it was 
 difficult to obtain access to his papers; and it will 
 be seen that the materials placed at my disposal 
 consisted almost entirely of letters. But even on 
 
 A 2
 
 IV PREFACE. 
 
 account of these letters alone a separate volume 
 seemed desirable. In them the writer is to a 
 considerable extent, and quite undesignedly, self- 
 portrayed ; whilst they possess much intrinsic merit, 
 and some of them especially will prove useful to 
 those who are engaged in the religious training of 
 youth. 
 
 Those who knew Mr. Taylor intimately will 
 probably feel that the following pages do not give 
 an adequate picture of their departed friend. I 
 would remind such readers how difficult it is for any 
 words of a biographer to do full justice to such a 
 life. There are some men whose characters appear 
 to us perfectly lovely not because they are frequently 
 performing noble and generous deeds, for which 
 indeed circumstances may furnish no occasion, but 
 because the multitude of actions which make up 
 their life are all marked by the same character 
 of goodness, and there is absolutely nothing of a 
 contrary kind to be placed on the other side of the 
 account. Such was the case with Mr. Taylor ; and 
 how weak the impression made by the words of 
 another, when compared with the effect produced 
 by his daily conduct on those who were the constant 
 witnesses of it ! 
 
 Other readers who were strangers to the subject 
 of this Memoir may suppose that the portraiture 
 here given is overdrawn ; and that all virtues have 
 been exaggerated, and all faults carefully kept out
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 X'VXXy'XXXXNXXXVXV/ 
 
 of sight. I can only say, in reply to such possible 
 objection, that I am wholly unconscious of having 
 done either the one or the other. It will, perhaps, 
 be said, Were there no faults ? My honest answer 
 is that I did not detect any. I could indeed have 
 made my friend a witness against himself, but I have 
 not thought it right to do so. What a person says 
 to his own disparagement in private records, designed 
 solely for his own use, and in confidential letters, is 
 often true when regarded as an expression of his 
 own feelings ; but it becomes false when accepted 
 by another, and used against him. It is true as 
 exhibiting his sense of the wide distance between his 
 ideal standard of perfection and his own actual 
 attainments; but utterly misleading if regarded as 
 a statement of what he was as judged by the 
 standard of attainment ordinarily reached by other 
 men. The fault, for instance, of which Mr. Taylor 
 most frequently accuses himself, is indolence; and 
 these self-reproaches were written at the very time 
 when his best friends were convinced, and as the 
 issue too plainly proved, that he was constantly 
 working beyond his strength. 
 
 In order that the reader may not have to rely 
 on my own testimony only, I have introduced esti- 
 mates of Mr. Taylor's character given by several 
 friends who knew him well ; and it will be seen 
 that their concurrent evidence speaks of his life as 
 blameless.
 
 VI PREFACE. 
 
 The design of this little work is not to extol 
 human virtue, but to contribute to the glory of 
 God's grace ; and to serve as an encouragement to 
 others to follow this departed servant of God as 
 he followed Christ. 
 
 I take this opportunity of tendering my sincere 
 thanks to all whose communications have aided me 
 in the preparation of this work, and especially to 
 Mrs. Taylor, of Cradock, South Africa ; the Rev. 
 John Dury Geden, of Didsbury ; and Mr. Mansford, 
 of Westminster. 
 
 Headingley, June l^th, 1870.
 
 TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 Chapter L EARLY LIFE. 
 
 Youthful Piety Articled to the Law Residence in London 
 and Leeds Call to the Ministry Letters to Mr. Lyth. 
 
 PAGES i xz. 
 
 Chapter. L STUDENT LIFE. 
 
 Entrance at the Theological Institution, Richmond " Tay- 
 lor's Levee" Pastoral Diligence Theological Discus- 
 sions . . . . . . . PAGES 23 33. 
 
 Chapter EEL CIRCUIT LIFE. 
 
 First Impressions Encouragement in his work Pastoral 
 work a help to preaching Removal to Islington Great 
 Exhibition of 1851 Usefulness to the Young 
 Letters belonging to this period . PAGES 34 70. 
 
 Chapter 8F. LIFE AT WESTMINSTER. 
 
 John Wesley as an Educationist Educational efforts 
 of Wesleyans Opening of the Westminster Training 
 Institution Marriage Changes in Day-School Education
 
 V1H CONTENTS. 
 
 wX>X> k X^X>^XV^XXV>^-^\.XXX-\^^VX^XXX> fc XVX^-'^ t XX> 
 
 Correspondence with Teachers His work at West- 
 minster described by Mr. Sugden and Mr. Mansford 
 Letters to Teachers Other letters belonging to this 
 period .. . ........ PAGES 71 129- 
 
 Chapter H. LAST DAYS. 
 
 Declining health Proposal to appoint a Lay Secretary 
 Cheerfulness in affliction Last sayings Death Cha- 
 racter PAGES 130 175. 
 
 (Chapter F2. CONCLUSION. 
 
 Sketch of Character in a letter from the Rev. J. D. Geden. 
 
 PAGES 176188. 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 The function sustained by the Holy Spirit towards the Lord 
 Jesus during His life on earth . PAGES 189 192.
 
 MEMOIR 
 
 REV. M. C. TAYLOR 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 EARLY LIFE. 
 
 Many disordered lines I saw 
 
 And foul records which thaw 
 
 My kind eyes still, but in 
 
 A fair white page of thin 
 And cv'n smooth lines like the sun's rays 
 Thy name was writ, and all thy days. 
 
 H. VAUGHAN. 
 
 MICHAEL COULSON TAYLOR was born 
 at York, June 36, 1820. His father, Mr. 
 Isaac Taylor, of that city, still survives him. 
 His mother, whose maiden name was Coulson, 
 died in May, 1863, and his only sister, Mrs. Coulson, 
 of Hazlewood, Yorkshire, died in the December 
 following. Mr. John Francis Taylor, now residing 
 in York, was his only brother. 
 
 The future moral character of a man's life is
 
 EARLY LIFE. 
 
 generally determined by the circumstances amidst 
 which its first ten or twelve years are passed ; for, 
 as a rule, what children are morally during" this 
 period, that they remain throughout life. In Mr. 
 Taylor's case, the circumstances of his early life 
 were peculiarly favourable to the formation of a 
 religious character. His parents, who were Wes- 
 leyan Methodists, taught him what was right, and 
 trained him in the practice of it. By a discipline at 
 once firm and loving he was habituated to prompt 
 and unquestioning obedience. He was taught to 
 keep holy the Sabbath-day, to attend diligently on 
 religious services, and to reverence the ministers of 
 religion and all godly people. 
 
 The happy effect of such training was that he 
 was preserved from all open profaneness and vice, 
 and passed, with scarcely a perceptible interval, from 
 the irresponsible condition of childhood into a state 
 of conscious acceptance with God. For his parents he 
 cherished throughout life a dutiful and loving affec- 
 tion ; and it is not surprising that the religion of the 
 Methodists having been commended to him from 
 infancy by the practical exhibition of it which he 
 witnessed in his own home, he never felt any dis- 
 position to forsake the communion of his parents for 
 any other. 
 
 All his early years were spent at York until 
 he was eleven, when he was sent to the school of 
 Mr. Heigham, at Doncaster. Soon after coming
 
 YOUTHFUL PIETY. 
 
 ^XXX 1 \.^NX^-/N^V/^J^vx^^VXVX^X^-^VX 
 
 to this school, through the earnest exhortations of 
 Mr. Heigham, he was led to seek the forgiveness 
 of sins, and ere long obtained a clear and joyous 
 assurance of acceptance with God. 
 
 From a brief record of his conversion which he 
 wrote on "Good Friday, -1832," it appears that he 
 obtained peace with God on the loth of August, 
 1 83 1 . He at once made open profession of his faith 
 in Christ, and joined a Methodist class-meeting. 
 Thenceforward he never ceased to hold a place in 
 the membership of the Church, and never, I believe, 
 lost his assurance of the Divine favour. 
 
 Respecting this period his father says : " Whilst 
 still very young he was very studious, and passion- 
 ately fond of his books. He read during play and 
 leisure hours until he injured his sight. At the 
 vacations, and after he had left school, he attached 
 himself to my class, and gave such clear statements 
 of his conversion and growth in grace, that all were 
 constrained to glorify God in him." 
 
 His youthful piety manifested itself practically by 
 leading him to increased carefulness in attending to 
 all the duties and discipline of the school. He was 
 much attached to his teachers, and felt that to Mr. 
 Heigham he was greatly indebted for leading him. 
 when so young, to full religious decision. The late 
 Professor Boole, then one of the masters, was also a 
 great favourite, and with him he afterwards for a long 
 time maintained an affectionate correspondence. 
 
 B 2
 
 EARLY LIFE. 
 
 'XXN-^V^VXXXXXXX^L^XXXX- 
 
 For a few months at this time he kept a diary, 
 one sentence of which may be quoted as evidence 
 of the thoughtfulness which even now marked his 
 character, and was so remarkable in later life. 
 Under date of February 22 d, 1832, he says: "O! 
 what a difference between His yoke and that of 
 Satan. Truly His yoke is easy and His burden is 
 light! In the service of Satan there is no real 
 pleasure. What little pleasure there is always leaves 
 a sting" behind, but the pleasure of religion no 
 person can describe." It is easy to see how his own 
 experience led him to take great interest in the 
 conversion of young- people. He believed that the 
 piety of a child might be as real as that of an adult. 
 The following- extract from one of his papers of 
 later years gives his views on this subject : " But in 
 Christian lands God wills us to be saved in child- 
 hood. He gives children a peculiar nature ; and the 
 peculiarities of pliancy, docility, and submissiveness, 
 eminently fit them to receive His saving, inward 
 religion. These peculiarities make them the only- 
 class of beings on earth to whom Christ likens His 
 own saints. ' Of such is the Kingdom of Heaven.' 
 Adults are still to be saved in Christian lands, but 
 these are rather to be gathered out of the world. 
 The children of His people should be saved in 
 childhood. But who will read and weigh this 
 purpose of God ? " 
 
 "When about fourteen and a-half years of age,"
 
 ARTICLED TO THE LAW. 
 
 V rvxXX>>'>-''XXXy p VX>M'N^"-^XX>^\>>kXN-/XXN-'*VXN^ 
 
 says his father, " he was articled to Mr. Slater, a 
 Solicitor in York. This gentleman died after 
 Coulson had been with him between three and four 
 years, and Coulson served his time out with his 
 Agent in London.* After passing his examination 
 as a Solicitor, he made an engagement with another 
 house for a year, and after this with a gentleman 
 in Leeds. From the latter he received an offer of 
 partnership in his business, but declined it, owing to 
 his deep conviction that he ought to give up the 
 profession of the law. He had not been long in 
 Leeds before he became a Local Preacher, and was 
 then urged to offer himself as a candidate for the 
 ministry. The conviction of a call to the ministry 
 had long been struggling in his mind, but he had 
 not made it known. He came and consulted with 
 me, and at first I told him he might be useful as a 
 Local Preacher, and still follow his profession ; but 
 he said, ' I must give one of them up.' I said, ' If 
 that be the case, by all means give up the law, if 
 you believe it is the will of God.' " 
 
 Acting in accordance with his father's counsel 
 and his own convictions, he offered himself in the 
 year 1843 as a candidate for the Wesleyan Ministry, 
 and having satisfactorily passed the usual examina- 
 tions, entered the Wesleyan Theological Institution, 
 Richmond, as a student, in September, 1843. 
 
 In a brief diary which he kept at this time, there is the following entry : 
 "June asth, 1839. Articles expired. Entered this day into the employ of a 
 Mr. Wrcntinorc, 19, Lincoln's- Inn- Fields."
 
 EARLY LIFE. 
 
 The foregoing brief statement records the leading 
 events in Mr. Taylor's history up to the age of twenty- 
 three. During this period there were, as far as I can 
 learn, very few striking incidents diversifying the 
 course of his outward life ; but the development of his 
 mental powers and whole character had made such 
 progress that those who knew him intimately at 
 the end of this time, could not but regard him as 
 far advanced beyond most men of his own age in 
 the ripeness of his judgment, and the maturity of 
 his powers. 
 
 Of the period when he was articled to Mr, 
 Slater, and still residing at home, his father says : 
 " He soon gained Mr. Slater's confidence by his 
 attention and exactness in business. He studied 
 hard both law and divinity, and gave himself also to 
 meditation and prayer. His whole conduct was 
 very exemplary. He met in my class, and his 
 growth in grace was very marked. The fruit of the 
 Spirit blossomed, ripened, and matured : genuine 
 humility, 'love, joy, peace, gentleness, goodness, 
 faith, meekness, temperance.' " 
 
 During the time spent in London, in 1838 39, 
 he resided in Bread-street, in the house of Mr. 
 Sigsworth, a native of York, who also met in band 
 with him, and who says that his conduct was most 
 exemplary, and his experience of the sanctifying 
 grace of God clear and full. He constantly attended 
 the City-Road Chapel, and his brief diary contains
 
 RELIGIOUS PROGRESS. 
 
 references to several occasions of great spiritual 
 profit, especially when attending the ministry of 
 Mr. Grindrod and Mr. (now Dr.) Jobson. He oc- 
 casionally heard Mr. Binney, for whose preaching 
 he often in after years expressed great admiration. 
 
 Among others who remember his London life 
 may be mentioned Mr. James Duncan, of Red Hill, 
 who had opportunities for observing him closely, and 
 often admired " the perfect control of his temper, his 
 diligence in attending religious services, and the 
 purity of his whole life." The concurrent evidence 
 of several witnesses testifies to the one great fact, 
 that he was " blameless and harmless," a child of 
 God " without rebuke." 
 
 The following extracts from his diary show his 
 own thoughts respecting his religious progress : 
 
 "January i^th, 1839. I think I have erred in 
 former notings [in the diary] in making too much 
 account of my feelings, my emotions. Religion being 
 man's natural state, that to which he is formed and 
 fitted, affects the whole man, and therefore his active 
 principles, his desires, his will, his whole heart ; and 
 as actions not only evidence their own existence, 
 but are also the best test of the state of the feelings, 
 I think they ought to be regarded as well as, nay, 
 rather than, mere emotions. As to the chief active 
 principle, then, that of faith, 1 possess it ; but O ! 
 how it needs strengthening, increasing. Spirit of
 
 8 
 
 EARLY LIFE. 
 
 faith, inspire me with confidence in the promises 
 of my Father. Would to God Michael Coulson 
 Taylor was what the Lord wishes him to be ! 
 
 "January 2\st, 1839. Yesterday was a Sabbath 
 to my soul. In distributing- the Testaments and 
 Tracts I was enabled to exhort the unawakened 
 sinner to flee from the wrath to come. To-day 
 business has engrossed my mind, and, more than 
 was necessary, my soul also. I want so to live in, 
 to breathe the love of my Saviour as I do the air. 
 Wherever I go I have the air with me ; it fills up, 
 occupies every interstice. O God, impart Thy 
 fulness to me ; yes, me, unworthy me, for the sake 
 of Thy Son ! 
 
 "January 26th. Most excellent and heart- 
 searching address from Mr. Grindrod last night 
 at the Centenary Prayer-meeting; just touched on 
 the point most wanting in myself, a sin-reproving, a 
 sinner-inviting people. Christ have mercy on me ! 
 
 " February $th. Rose at five. Saw the Queen 
 go in state to open Parliament. May I reign with 
 Thee for ever ! " 
 
 Little can be said of the influence which the 
 places in which he lived had upon him. The 
 strong preponderance of the logical faculty over 
 the imagination made him comparatively indifferent 
 to the external circumstances which affect so 
 powerfully men of strong imaginative power. I 
 am not sure whether the peculiar features of his
 
 RESIDENCE IN LONDON. 
 
 XXXX>>^-XVy l XXX>^u^-x^oXN^X>^-^>-'XXXX-% w (^\-XXX 
 
 native city had materially affected his character. I 
 never heard him speak with any enthusiasm of the 
 Minster, or of the remains of venerable antiquity 
 in which the city is so rich. He took a kind 
 interest in showing 1 these to his friends who were 
 strangers to the place; but his attentions on 
 such occasions probably were mixed with a touch 
 of compassion for those who cared so much for the 
 dead past. In London he gave little heed to its 
 famous sights, except the greatest sight of all the 
 masses of its busy population. To ride from West- 
 minster to the Bank on the top of an omnibus, or 
 in a Hansom cab, was always a great treat to him. 
 The varying, hurrying, swaying throng of people 
 never failed to interest him deeply. The other 
 attractions of the great city were the Law Courts, 
 the Houses of Parliament, gatherings to promote 
 religious and philanthropic objects at Exeter Hall 
 and elsewhere, Committees at Westminster and 
 Centenary Hall. Whatever affected the interests 
 of any single human creature, or of society at large, 
 won his ready sympathy. 
 
 Before taking leave of Mr. Taylor in his 
 character of lawyer, it is right to say that he did 
 not give up the profession of the law through any 
 fear that he could not succeed in it. On the con- 
 trary, his prospects were most flattering ; and Mr. 
 Robinson, with whom he was associated in Leeds, 
 and who was anxious to retain him as a partner,
 
 EARLY LIFE. 
 
 could not refrain from expressing both his pity and 
 his wonder at the exchange of callings which he 
 was about to make, an exchange so disadvantageous 
 in respect to the acquisition of worldly wealth. 
 
 That he himself never regretted the course he 
 now took may be affirmed with certainty, and will 
 readily be believed by all his friends. His feelings in 
 reference to the law were of a divided kind. As to its 
 practical working he had conscientious scruples 
 which often troubled him. He had no doubt that it 
 was possible for him as a lawyer to pursue a per- 
 fectly honourable course, but he said that the 
 temptations which beset his path were constant 
 and subtle ; and on this account, when he left the 
 profession, he was glad of his release. For the 
 law, as a science, he had an unbounded admiration. 
 He had been an eager student, and felt himself 
 competent to pass his examination before he was 
 of sufficient age to do so. One incident connected 
 with his examination shows that he was not lacking 
 in ambition. He had finished his papers before 
 any one else in the room, and was writing a fair 
 copy of them, when he saw another candidate give 
 up his papers the moment they were completed. 
 Mr. Taylor, not to appear behind in the race, then 
 gave in his own papers as he had first written them. 
 The rest of the day was spent at Greenwich with 
 some friends, but he used to speak of it as one of 
 the most wretched days of his life; for he was
 
 INTEREST Iff THE LAW. I 1 
 
 tormented with the thought that he had risked his 
 chance of passing through indulging in a little 
 piece of vanity. Happily his fears were ground- 
 less, and he had soon the pleasure of learning that 
 his examination had been successfully passed. 
 
 The interest which he continued to take in the 
 law was often manifest in subsequent years. 
 One of the few recreations in which he ever in- 
 dulged himself was to go with an uninitiated friend 
 to the Law Courts at Westminster, or at Lincoln's 
 Inn. Here he would name the Judges, and the 
 most distinguished members of the Bar, give a 
 brief summary of the previous career of each, 
 criticise the speeches which he heard, and seemed 
 for the time to be only the lawyer transferred, 
 with all his interests and sympathies unabated, to 
 the sphere of his former profession.* 
 
 One of his friends used to say of him, " There 
 were two scenes where you might see Taylor's 
 eye glisten with enthusiasm, one the Courts at 
 Westminster Hall ; the other, a Methodist penitent 
 Prayer-Meeting." 
 
 Of the incidents of his life in Leeds scarcely 
 anything can be gleaned, excepting what has been 
 already stated ; but the letters which follow will show 
 very fully how vigorously his mind worked, and 
 how rapid was the development which his whole 
 
 He greatly admired distinguished lawyers, because they attained their 
 high positions, not through any adventitious advantages, but by talent, high 
 character, and hard work.
 
 12 EARLY LIFE. 
 
 character was then experiencing. We see him here, 
 as in London, the young-, eager, hard-working- 
 lawyer ; his hands full of worldly business ; his heart 
 full of heavenward aspirations, and intense desire for 
 entire holiness of heart and life. Of him it might 
 be truly said that he hungered and thirsted after 
 righteousness. 
 
 His friend, the Rev, John Dury Geden, writes : 
 " I remember to have heard him speak of the ser- 
 vice which he derived during his Leeds life from 
 the conversation and advice of the late Rev. John 
 Bowers. On one occasion, Mr. Bowers strongly 
 recommended him to study the writings of Barrow ; 
 and in after years he used to say, that few pieces 
 of ministerial counsel had ever been of greater 
 intellectual advantage to him." 
 
 The following letters were addressed to one of 
 the friends of his early youth, Mr. John Lyth, a 
 native of York, then living at Hull ; now the Rev. 
 J. Lyth, D.D. I make no apology for the length of 
 the extracts, because they will be found to constitute 
 a real history of this period so far as regards the 
 inner life of the subject of this memoir. 
 
 In the first letter, dated "Leeds, February 7th, 
 1 840," and in which he gives his address as, "Thomas 
 Robinson, Esq., Solicitor, Leeds," he proposes to his 
 friend to commence a correspondence ; but says that 
 his first communication must be brief, "owing to the 
 very little leisure time that the multiplicity of other
 
 LETTERS. 13 
 
 engagements leaves me at this season, when I have 
 just entered on a new situation." He then says : 
 " I have now for a twelvemonth held a most inter- 
 esting correspondence with our mutual friend, 
 Robert Locking,* and I shall be content if our 
 correspondence bears the same character. Its 
 features are an interchange of thought and feeling 
 on the subjects of our attention, philosophical 
 and religious. ... I cannot conclude without 
 expressing my gratitude to the great Head of the 
 Church that we are still His members, united to 
 Him and to His people. What a mercy! How 
 blessed are they who in Jesus abide ! Let our 
 union be closer." 
 
 "February 2gth, 1840. 
 
 With you I feel myself becoming more 
 ignorant every day. What, before long, I shall 
 think of my stock of knowledge, once deemed 
 pretty decent, I do not know. I am pleased to be 
 conscious of the increase of this feeling, for I am 
 sure it is a safe one." After referring to his 
 Hebrew studies, which, he remarks, he has " not aban- 
 doned, but postponed," he says that he is at present 
 
 An entry in his diary under date of October 3d, 1840, contains the fol- 
 lowing reference to the early death of this much-valued friend: "On 
 Thursday, a^th September, died, Robert Locking, young in years, old in 
 wiswlom and grace. The impression naturally produced is powerful. This 
 may serve to aid a lasting spiritual result. May I not hinder by levity, by 
 lukewarmnes*, by carelessness. If I do not now gird up my loins mentally 
 and spiritually, when else, how else? He inherits his reward, I follow 
 after. O to be meet for an abundant entrance ! I pray that I may perceive 
 and fulfil all the design this bereavement indicates for me. '
 
 EARLY LIFE. 
 
 reading "Pearson's Exposition of the Creed," and 
 "Dr. Brown's Lectures on the Philosophy of the 
 Mind." He then adds : " I am anxious that the 
 characteristic of our correspondence should be 
 spiritual. It is only such a feature that will 
 associate it with topics supreme in interest and in 
 value. But I need not stay to dilate on inducements 
 to such a task. I haste to commence it. 
 
 I never esteemed my religion so highly as I do 
 at this present. Providential circumstances have 
 recently led me to examine whether I was in the 
 faith, to see rather what I had been building on 
 the great foundation ; whether wood, hay, stubble, 
 or that which is more in character with the per- 
 manence of the foundation itself. In less figurative 
 language, I have been called upon to inquire 
 whether I had not allowed the incidents of religion 
 to supersede the substance; whether the com- 
 munion of saints had not taken the place of com- 
 munion with God. To remove from the bosom of 
 the society of the pious into a land of strangers 
 and exile, seems well to try of what stuff one is 
 made. Blessed be God! my hope, my trust, my 
 faith, my joy, my salvation are in Christ. I pray 
 for grace to delight myself in the Lord; then I 
 shall have the desires of my heart; I shall meet 
 with friends like those I have left behind, and I 
 shall be led into some way of exercising my 
 wishes for the salvation of others.
 
 SPIRITUAL BREATHINGS. 
 
 Sunday, P.M., March is/. To-day I have 
 been privileged with hearing two spirit-stirring 
 sermons from F. A. West, and also with attending 
 the commemoration of Christ's Passion in the 
 ordinance of the Sacrament. They have, indeed, 
 been means of grace. My want, my prayer, is to 
 be a Christian, to have Christ within as my portion, 
 my all." 
 
 "Leeds, May 1st, 1840. 
 
 The crown of life held out to us as the reward, 
 through grace, of well-doing, is indeed a trans- 
 porting object. Were faith as natural to us as 
 sense, and as easy of exercise, could we always 
 realise so dazzling a prospect, that is, make a 
 reality of it, our hope, our vigour, our courage, 
 our deadness to the world, our faith, (by something 
 more than the mere benefit of exercise.) our love 
 would be mightily altered in their character. 
 What is there to hinder ? Nothing but our slow- 
 ness of heart to believe. Let us 'have faith in 
 God.' It is He who hath promised us our Canaan. 
 Let us have faith enough, that our 'conversation' 
 may be one grand confession that we are strangers 
 and pilgrims on the earth ; for they that do ' such 
 things declare plainly that they seek a country,' they 
 desire a better country, that is, a heavenly.' 
 
 Thank God we have peace through our Lord 
 Jesus Christ. We have each experienced the 
 forbearance and the mercy of Infinite Love. When
 
 i6 
 
 EARLY LIFE. 
 
 I think of what I have received at the hands of the 
 Lord, and then of my treatment of His salvation, I 
 am amazed at the utter want of anything- corre- 
 sponding- in praise for such Divine blessings. How 
 strange to myself that I should not love Him 
 supremely, altogether: 
 
 ' The dearest idol I have known, 
 
 Whate'er that idol be, 
 Help me to tear it from Thy throne, 
 And worship only Thee.' 
 
 Let us resolve to be rebellious no longer, but 
 allow Him to reign whose is the right. Let us be 
 honest, and pay all we owe, if it even be our hearts, 
 to Him who claims His own. This is my desire, 
 my object, my prayer. Holy Spirit, purchased 
 Comforter, vouchsafe to help ! 
 
 God will doubtless direct your steps in so 
 important a matter as the preaching of His Word. 
 You inquire whether I am about to preach. I 
 don't know that I am. I may. It is one of the 
 things possible, nor so very improbable. May I 
 say that if we pray for heavenly directions, we 
 thereby render it, more than before, a duty to watch 
 and follow the leadings of Heaven. 
 
 Todd's manual I have read. Tomlin's I have 
 not. I have just finished the perusal of Dr. 
 Brown's ' Lectures on the Philosophy of the Human 
 Mind.'" 
 
 "June -$Oth, 1840. 
 
 I am glad to find that you are the subject of
 
 THE "DILIGENCE OF FAITH." I/ 
 
 discontent with your present religious attainments, 
 and are restless (happy restlessness!) to be perfect 
 even as our Father in heaven is perfect. I am 
 more glad to read you are sensible of a truth 
 which all will acknowledge, but of which few are 
 sensible, that inactive desires will never obtain for 
 us the things we need and wish, that means are 
 requisite, and that these are not the means. May 
 my anxiety, however, for your spiritual welfare as 
 a fellow-heir of the kingdom, be excused surmising 
 from your phrase of the 'diligent use of the appointed 
 means,' that you are perhaps in danger of practi- 
 cally recognising the insinuation of our pride that 
 for a salvation so glorious some human preparation 
 is needed ? Grace is obtained by diligence indeed : 
 but by the diligence of faith, not of works. This is 
 the only diligence that will serve us here. Diligence 
 of works and diligence of faith differ not only in 
 their subject-matter, but in their own nature, in 
 the very kind of diligence itself. The diligence of 
 works gives us the notion of perscveranc e , of continued 
 effort. The diligence of faith has nothing so 
 tedious about it; it simply means the earnestness, 
 the instant intentness of faith. This is a distinction 
 with a difference. Let us seize on it, realise it for 
 ourselves. Present faith deals in present blessings. 
 This is the keystone, or rather the root, (giving at 
 once both foundation and nutriment,) of the piety 
 of the saints. 
 
 c
 
 18 
 
 EARLY LIFE. 
 
 I feel that I could write on to the end of the 
 sheet; but am restrained by the question, Why 
 sermonise to a preacher ? .... 
 
 I am reading- Edwards's 'History of Redemp- 
 tion,' and vol. i. of 'Natural Philosophy/ by the 
 Useful Knowledge Society." 
 
 " Leeds, March ^th, 1 84 1 . 
 
 I cannot say I like, in scriptural 
 
 exposition, to hear, ' By this we may understand.' 
 
 I always like to know the one thing- we ought to 
 
 understand. Generally there is but one meaning, 
 
 and with that we should be content 
 
 Selection of texts is matter, in a great degree, of 
 taste. I cannot say I should have chosen such a 
 text. One of more directly evangelical import 
 would have suited my feelings better. I some- 
 times think if I began to preach, my first text would 
 be, ' We preach Christ crucified.' Divine message !" 
 
 The following letter recurs to a criticism on the 
 outline of a sermon on Psalm 1. 6, which Mr. Lyth 
 had sent him. 
 
 "Leeds, May $th, 1841. 
 
 . . . . First, as to your using two sig- 
 nifications of the term ' heavens ; ' I still think it 
 would be preferable to exhibit exclusively ' the 
 greater light,' than, for the sake of variety of light, to
 
 CALL TO THE CHRISTIAN MINISTRY. 19 
 
 introduce another smaller light. The sole display 
 of a great light, is more completely and illustriously 
 made than the display of two : a great and a small 
 one. To continue your own illustration, I do not 
 see how, with reference to the context, the term 
 lends any light at all to your minor signification. 
 
 As to the second point, the including the law 
 and the judgment in the exposition of the term 
 ' righteousness,' you must allow me here, also, still 
 to think that the meaning is the righteousness of 
 the judgment. A just law is necessary to a just 
 judgment ; but in the idea of a righteous Judge, 
 (and that appears to be the sentiment of the 
 Psalmist,) the propriety of the law is a remote, if 
 not a subordinate, consideration. 
 
 Understand me, my feeling is not dogmatic, 
 though my style may be. You may have hit the 
 truth ; but I do not think so." 
 
 The next letter refers to widely different topics, the 
 general election of 1841, and providential guidance 
 in reference to a call to the Christian Ministry. 
 
 "July 6th, 1841. 
 
 The addition of election business to my usual 
 engagements has prevented my observing the 
 appointed day of writing. 
 
 . . . As to your devoting yourself entirely 
 to the work of the ministry, I should say, (if, 
 
 r 2
 
 2O EARLY LIFE. 
 
 indeed, / am competent to form an opinion,) you 
 may, after commending- yourself to the hands of 
 God, safely allow yourself to be guided by the 
 course of events. The new path will present itself, 
 if you are on the look-out for it, at the proper 
 stage of the journey. I will not say that the 
 working's of our own bosom are sufficient alone to 
 indicate, This is the way. But they will certainly 
 oblige us to direct our attention to other circum- 
 stances, to things and sayings without, that we may 
 ascertain if the finger of Providence correspond 
 with our own aspirations. A call implies a voice 
 as much as a listener." 
 
 From the next letter, dated Sept. ist, 1841, it is 
 evident that he was already revolving the question 
 whether his future course in life would be that of 
 a solicitor or of a Christian minister. " By your 
 presuming I shall commence practice, I perceive 
 you do not think of my attempting to preach, as 
 you have sometimes talked about. Did you ever 
 seriously think I ought to preach?" In the same 
 letter there is an affectionate reference to his 
 former schoolmaster, Mr. Heigham, respecting 
 whom he says, " We each owe him what we can 
 never repay." 
 
 In a letter dated Nov. 4th, 1841, he refers to the 
 question of his preaching :
 
 BEGINNING TO PREACH. 21 
 
 " I am obliged to you for your remarks on the 
 call to the holy office of the Christian Ministry. I 
 cannot but agree with you, that he in whom such 
 indications of the Divine will .meet is called of God 
 to preach the Gospel. 
 
 Whether I am such a one or not, is another, 
 and to me, a more important question. Another 
 month may decide it. Pray for me that I may 
 have singleness of eye, and be content to abide in 
 the calling, whatever that may be, secular or 
 spiritual, wherewith I am called with God." 
 
 The question as to whether he should preach 
 or not was, as he anticipated, soon decided. 
 
 " Leeds, January lit A, 1842. 
 
 . . . I think you were very acute in guessing, 
 from what I said, that I was thinking of preaching. 
 You, however, were right. I had tried at the work- 
 house before you wrote. In short, I preached my 
 first sermon last Tuesday night, before Mr. Galland, 
 Mr. Kelk, and several Local Preachers, and am, I 
 believe, to be placed on the plan, on trial. Mr. 
 Heigham prevailed on me first to make the attempt, 
 and hitherto the first occasion has been the most 
 comfortable one of any. I have tried four times, 
 thrice from I. Cor. i. 23 ; and once from Acts v. 33. 
 As for an outline, I will send you one when I have 
 one good enough. I feel an increasing sense of my 
 own need of the quickening, the renewing, the
 
 22 EARLY LIFE. 
 
 burning- influences of the Holy Spirit. I cannot but 
 feel that if I am to be in any way a successful 
 minister of the unsearchable riches of Christ, I 
 must attain to a far different state of grace than 
 that in which I am at present found : 
 
 1 Jesus ! I fain would find 
 
 Thy zeal for God in me. 
 Thy yearning pity for mankind, 
 Thy burning charity. 
 
 ' In me Thy Spirit dwel' ! 
 
 In me Thy bowels move ! 
 So shall the fervour of my zeal 
 Be the pure flame of love." " 
 
 This series of letters appears, after the date of 
 the above, to have been interrupted ; as the next 
 addressed to the same friend, is of the date June 24th, 
 1 843 ; when his life in Leeds, as a solicitor, was 
 about to close, and he was on the point of pro- 
 ceeding- to London to pass his examination as a 
 candidate for the ministry. In this letter, he says : 
 "The experience of a brother candidate at the 
 District Meeting- induced me not to rest until again 
 J embraced the Divine promise of a salvation from 
 nward pollution. 'The blood of Jesus Christ, His 
 Son, cleanseth us from all sin.' My Saviour is 
 Divine, and His salvation is perfect. My dear 
 brother, ' ask, and receive, that your joy may be full.' 
 How weighty are our obligations to seek ! How 
 precious and sure the promises to be apprehended ! "
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 STUDENT LIFE. 
 
 ' ' Crafty men contemn studies ; simple men admire them ; and wise men use 
 them : for they teach not their uwn use ; but that is a wisdom without 
 them and above them, won by observation." BACON. 
 
 MR. TAYLOR, as already stated, became a 
 Student in the Wesleyan Theological Insti- 
 tution, Richmond, in September, 1843. His 
 tutors were the Revs. Thomas Jackson and John 
 Farrar. Of these honoured men, happily still living-, 
 whom it has been my privilege to know, both as 
 tutors and colleagues, it is difficult to speak as my 
 own feelings would prompt me. It must suffice to 
 say that Mr. Taylor, with many others, felt that he 
 owed them, for their instruction and example, a 
 debt of gratitude which it was as pleasant to 
 acknowledge as it was impossible to discharge. In 
 the September of the following year, it was my great 
 happiness to make his acquaintance as a fellow- 
 student ; and from this time until June, 1 846, I had 
 the best possible opportunities for knowing him 
 thoroughly. My study door was not two yards 
 from his ; I often spent a good part of the day in
 
 2 4 STUDENT LIFE. 
 
 his company; I saw him in all varieties of circum- 
 stances ; and I think I could scarcely be mistaken 
 as to his true character. He was distinguished by 
 great originality of thought. Few men, especially 
 at his age, think for themselves, though they gene- 
 rally give themselves credit for doing so. They 
 acquaint themselves with the thoughts of others 
 and then call them their own. But Mr. Taylor 
 exercised an independent judgment on all subjects. 
 He used to say that to think independently on a 
 topic had this advantage, if no other, it gave him a 
 shelf in his mind on which to place the thoughts of other 
 men. Although diligent in study, and maintaining a 
 good position throughout the whole of his residence 
 at the Institution, it was evident that he had no passion 
 for classical or mathematical studies, his great 
 delight being in mental science, and in the study of 
 theology. Howe, Baxter, and Barrow, were his chief 
 favourites, and the writings of Isaac Taylor also 
 much interested him for their suggestiveness. The 
 character of his mind was intensely practical, 
 his favourite and constant study being human 
 nature. When walking in the streets he noted, as far 
 as possible, every countenance he saw, and formed 
 some opinion of the character which it indicated. 
 He said that he could not avoid doing so. 
 
 It resulted from the bent of his studies, com- 
 bined with this constant habit of observation, that his 
 insight into character was keen, one might almost
 
 TAYLOR'S LEVEE." 25 
 
 say, intuitive. One of the great charms of college 
 life with him was the opportunity it afforded for 
 knowing- a large number of men so intimately. The 
 slightest incident which brought out prominently 
 any feature in the character of a fellow student was 
 seized at once as a valuable contribution to his 
 knowledge of mankind. 
 
 It is easy to see that with such a tendency of 
 mind, had he possessed an unkind nature, he would 
 have been a very disagreeable member of our 
 brotherhood. But all who knew him intimately, 
 felt that there was not a particle of unkindness in 
 him. To some of us it was a matter of wonder, 
 not to say envy, that he could see all the weak points 
 in a person's character, and make that person see 
 them himself more clearly than before, and yet 
 respect and love, and even admire him, on account 
 of what he saw good in him. He was indeed more 
 ready to point out and commend good qualities 
 than to mark defects, and his criticisms were never 
 meant to wound, but only to improve. Hence it 
 was remarkable that though every one in turn 
 became subject to his friendly banter, he lost no 
 man's love. Other men had their two or three 
 special friends, but Mr. Taylor was every man's 
 friend. How many will remember the hours spent 
 in "Taylor's study" as some of the very happiest 
 of their lives. Almost every day after dinner, what 
 we used to call "Taylor's levee" was held. A
 
 26 
 
 STUDENT LIFE. 
 
 number of men gathered into his room. Most stood, 
 for his sitting accommodation was limited, and he 
 never thought it advisable to encourage visitors by 
 increasing it. He sat surrounded by a group of 
 talkers, and without assuming to guide the conversa- 
 tion, enjoyed it intensely. Whether what was said 
 gave him information on other subjects or not, it 
 always afforded matter for his favourite study, 
 human nature. Such a gathering seldom occurred 
 but one or other gave occasion for some smart 
 repartee. There was something faulty in the logic, 
 or something inaccurate in the statement of facts, 
 or a little too much self-assertion on the part of the 
 speaker. Then came a hit, a palpable hit, which 
 everybody enjoyed, save perhaps the brother who 
 received it; and even he felt that the blow was so 
 well deserved and so kindly given, that it was to 
 his own discredit if he loved the reprover less than 
 before. If there was a wound it was soon healed. 
 To those with whom he was thus intimately asso- 
 ciated he had abundant opportunities for showing 
 kindness, and these he gladly welcomed. He was 
 our universal counsellor. Anyone who had any- 
 thing in hand which he judged to be of special 
 consequence, went as a matter of course to Taylor, 
 to hear what he would say about it. In such cases 
 we witnessed that remarkable practical wisdom 
 which showed itself in after years. We always 
 anticipated that, should he be spared, he would be
 
 PASTORAL DILIGENCE. 
 
 looked up to as one of the wisest counsellors of the 
 denomination to which he belonged, an anticipation 
 amply justified, so far as the too short period of his 
 public life allowed the trial of it. 
 
 Another thing which impressed us during his 
 Richmond career, was the perfect blamelessness of 
 his daily life. With rare exceptions, we could 
 rejoice in the godly conduct of all our fellow-students. 
 Yet in the case of some, whilst all grave faults were 
 absent, little faults were sometimes seen. Some- 
 times the temper was too warm, sometimes the 
 genial flow of feeling degenerated into levity. But 
 who ever saw these faults in Taylor? Who ever 
 saw him exhibit unchristian anger? We knew him 
 cheerful, pleasant often sportive, never frivolous. 
 He was not then, nor at any after-period of his life, 
 much addicted to talk about hisown religious feelings, 
 but he lived and acted religion all the day long. 
 
 It was at Richmond that he began to practice 
 those habits of pastoral diligence in which he 
 afterwards excelled most men. It is here very 
 pleasant to mention the name of one of his lellow- 
 students whom he always regarded as his teacher 
 in this branch of duty, the Rev. B. Chapman, now 
 labouring in Australia.* Mr. Chapman took him to 
 
 The following , I believe, a complete list of the Wesley an Ministers, 
 now living, who were with Mr. Taylor at Richmond : Adams, Thomas ; 
 Balls, Henry ; Barley, David ; Burgess, Abel ; Chapman. Benjamin, 
 (Australia) ; Close, John W. ; Coley Samuel ; Davis. George H. (Canada) ; 
 Edmunds Frederick F. : Edwards, William ; Eland, Richard ; Fletcher, Joseph 
 H. (Australia) ; Gedcn, John D. ; Giles, Matthew ; Griffiths, David ; Hardy,
 
 28 
 
 STUDENT LIFE. 
 
 see sick people whom he had himself previously 
 visited. At first Mr. Taylor went very reluctantly, and 
 after one or two visits tried to persuade his friend that 
 his awkwardness proved his total unsuitability for 
 work of this kind ; but being- duly encouraged, he 
 soon proved himself an apt scholar, and became 
 the teacher of others in this interesting service. 
 
 Whilst at Richmond, he also took great interest 
 in efforts which were then made to establish 
 Methodist congregations where none previously 
 existed. He laboured especially at Sunbury, and 
 Petersham, and at each place assisted in com- 
 mencing religious services, which were maintained 
 during his residence at Richmond, though after- 
 wards discontinued. It was a source of great joy 
 to him to hear of the formation of congregations, 
 and the building of chapels in these villages, not 
 long before his death. With his friend Chapman 
 he was one of the first who preached at Acton, and 
 the following letter is valuable in giving the his- 
 tory of the formation of what is now a flourishing 
 Society. 
 
 " Richmond, Jan. i$th, 1844. 
 DEAR PARENTS, 
 
 My yesterday's appointment was at 
 
 Richard ; Hart, Frederick ; Hellier, Benjamin : Hill, Thomas H. ; Keet, 
 Henry ; M'Kenny, John ; Moody, John F. ; Morris, Joseph ; Needle, Henry ; 
 Nelson, William T. ; Oram, Joseph, (Australia) ; Pickworth, Felix H. ; 
 Punshon, William, M. ; Roberts, John (A) ; Robinson, Edward J. ; Shaw, 
 William (B) ; Smith, George (B) ; Sutton, Joseph; Taylor, George C. ; 
 Walton, John; Ward, Anthony; Willis, Charles; Wilson, John (B).
 
 USEFULNESS AT ACTON. 
 
 Acton, a place joining- Mr. Farmer's, of which I think 
 I told you. Chapman went with me for a help- 
 mate ; we distributed tracts, visited the people in the 
 afternoon, went to Gunnersbury-House to tea, and 
 then I preached at night. . . . Mr. Farmer 
 and family went to Acton, which rather bothered 
 me, as I took the new text father gave me. The 
 place is a nice 'upper room.' A class is to be 
 commenced next Sunday. About a dozen people 
 promised to go next Sunday, for experiment at 
 least : we stayed with them, and explained as we 
 
 could the nature of Class-meetings 
 
 You would have been pleased with Mr. Far- 
 mer's prayer at the prayer-meeting. The people all 
 stayed, from respect, I dare say, many of them, to 
 Mr. F . 
 
 P.S. I ought not to have forgotten the Cove- 
 nant Service at the Institution last Friday night. It 
 was a most impressive and profitable season." 
 
 I believe that permanent good resulted from 
 Mr. Taylor's labours at Acton at this time, and 
 the late Miss Farmer (who died soon after him) 
 when she heard of his decease, referred to the 
 great benefit which she had derived from his 
 ministry at this period. 
 
 Among the many happy recollections which 
 Mr. Taylor's fellow-students have of their asso-
 
 3 STUDENT LIFE. 
 
 elation with him at Richmond, none are more 
 pleasant than of meetings for mutual edification 
 in religion, and for theological discussion. The 
 band-meetings, which, at one season, were held 
 between five and six a.m., were times of special 
 spiritual influence, as those who took part in them 
 well remember. 
 
 Of our theological discussions, held on Monday 
 afternoons, at the suggestion of Mr. E. J. Robinson, 
 
 1 have preserved the following record: "April 
 
 2 ist, 1845: The subject for discussion was Is a 
 regenerate person meet for Heaven ? " On this 
 question, Mr. Taylor read the following paper: 
 " It is a principle of metaphysics that the thoughts 
 and affections of the mind are the mind itself in 
 different states, and that the faculties of the soul 
 are simply its capabilities of existing in certain 
 conditions. Revelation declares that the destinies 
 of men are sealed at death by the decree : 'He 
 that is unjust let him be unjust, still ; and he that is 
 holy, let him be holy still.' 
 
 " The combination of these truths will illustrate 
 the scriptural statement that every regenerate 
 person is graciously ' meet ' for heaven. The 
 supremacy of Divine love is characteristic of his 
 nature. Sin exists, at most, in proneness. Evil 
 may be at hand in every degree from possibility to 
 likelihood, yet it is disallowed. In the language 
 of science, it is merely a capacity, and no part of the
 
 THEOLOGICAL DISCUSSIONS. 31 
 
 phenomena. The mental state, whether more or 
 less mature, is holiness ; and we learn from the 
 passage quoted that the renewed soul, in passing 
 from probation into eternity, is dealt with, not ac- 
 cording to what might have been, but what is found 
 to be ; not by its capacity, but by its condition. 
 
 "This view will correct some mistakes about 
 indwelling sin which have arisen from the material 
 analogy of the phrase, and shows the unsoundness 
 of a common argument for the attainment of Chris- 
 tian perfection, which can only perplex and alarm, 
 namely, that it must be enjoyed in this life. 
 
 " Yet these remarks do not at all interfere with 
 the glorious doctrine that the fulness of love is 
 attainable here. On the contrary, they may serve 
 to exhibit in clearer light ' the beauty of holiness,' 
 and to explain the great salvation more consistently 
 with the general analogy of faith." 
 
 In support of this view the following passages 
 were adduced Col. i. 9 14: "Here it is to be 
 observed, that the Colossians were still wanting in 
 a perfect knowledge of God's will, and in spiritual 
 understanding ; and enjoyed but partially, at least, 
 those other blessings which the Apostle supplicates 
 for them. Still he gives thanks for them, and for 
 himself and Timothy, that they had been made 
 'meet' for 'the inheritance of the saints in light.' " 
 Rom. viii. 17: " ' If children, then heirs.' As soon 
 as any one is regenerate therefore, he has a title
 
 3 2 STUDENT LIFE. 
 
 to heaven. It is objected: 'A title is not a meet- 
 ness. We often distinguish between the two.' 
 True : a title is not a meetness, but it implies a 
 meetness. Is it conceivable that God would regard 
 any one as having- a title to heaven who was not 
 meet for it ? " John iii. 36 : " ' He that believeth on 
 the Son hath everlasting- life.' Here belief gives 
 title to life. But what are we to understand by 
 indwelling sin ? Is it not something which renders 
 the subject of it unmeet for heaven ? To this the 
 reply is : Sin exists, at most, only in proneness. 
 This proneness is not in itself the subject of God's 
 condemnation, because 'There is no condemnation 
 to them that are in Christ Jesus ; ' it is to be de- 
 plored, and its removal sought, because it subjects 
 us to the perpetual liability to sin. Hence we see 
 how it is that a regenerate person is meet for 
 heaven. In every regenerate mind the love of 
 God is the dominant principle. It is the very cha- 
 racter of the new-born soul to love God. Suppose 
 then, that a person from the first moment of his 
 becoming regenerate is subject to no temptation. 
 In that case he would never sin ; and would have 
 in his heart nothing but love to God. In heaven 
 there will be no temptation. Consequently a 
 person's possession of love to God is a qualification 
 for Heaven." 
 
 In support of the above views the following 
 passages were adduced from Wesley's Works,
 
 PERFECTION. 33 
 
 vol. viii. pp. 275, 298, octavo edition : " Q. i. What 
 is it to be justified? A. To be pardoned and 
 received into God's favour ; into such a state, that, 
 if we continue therein, we shall be finally saved." 
 " Q. 19. Ought we to be anxiously careful about 
 perfection, lest we should' die before we have at- 
 tained ? A. In no wise. We ought to be thus 
 careful for nothing, neither spiritual nor temporal."
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 CIRCUIT LIFE. 
 
 " Christian saw the picture of a very grave person hung up against the 
 wall, and this was the fashion of it : it had eyes lifted up to heaven, the 
 best of books in his hand, the law of truth was written upon his lips, the 
 world was behind his back ; it stood as if it pleaded with men, and a 
 crown of gold did hang over its head." BUNYAN. 
 
 HAVING completed his three years' residence 
 at Richmond, Mr. Taylor was appointed 
 by the Conference of 1846, to the Hastings 
 
 Circuit, as the successor of the Rev. Luke H. 
 
 
 
 Wiseman. Here he resided only one year, being 
 appointed in 1 847 to be the assistant of the Rev. 
 John Scott, then Chairman of the Wesleyan 
 Education Committee and Superintendent of the St. 
 George' s-in-the-East Circuit. His Superintendent at 
 Hastings was the Rev. James Brownell, with whom 
 he laboured in perfect harmony, and for whom he 
 always cherished an affectionate regard. 
 
 The spirit in which he entered upon his work, 
 and in which he continued to prosecute it, will be 
 apparent from the following extracts from his 
 correspondence.
 
 FIRST IMPRESSIONS. 35 
 
 " 33, Mount, York, 
 
 August \2th, 1846. 
 MY DEAR HELLIER, 
 
 You see I am for Hastings. It is awkward 
 for one's self-importance to be Wiseman's successor. 
 May the change do me good in this way. I am 
 wishing the Conference was closed, that I might 
 fix my heart and mind on Hastings. I am thankful 
 for many mercies, and amongst others that I am 
 becoming more ashamed of myself. This is a 
 good thing, you will say. And yet I am ashamed 
 of my want of shame. Blessed be God, Jesu's 
 blood cleanseth us from all sin! I want it to 
 cleanse me continually and fully; and then to show- 
 its cleansing power." 
 
 The following letter to. his friend, the Rev. J. 
 D. Geden, gives his first impressions of his new 
 position. 
 
 " Hastings, Sept. 8M, 1846. 
 MY DEAR GEDEN, 
 
 . . . I have been, with the exception of the 
 first Sunday, very cheerful since I came. With 
 Mr. and Mrs. Brownell I am exceedingly comfort- 
 able. Indeed, I am at home. They are both very 
 kind. My room is a spacious one at the top of the 
 house, having a pleasant country view. My work 
 is light with regard to the number of times I 
 
 D 2
 
 CIRCUIT LIFE. 
 
 '"vxxxv-'-vy'x^xxv/'N-'xxx/xy 
 
 have to preach, only twice in the week as a general 
 rule. But it is not so easy with regard to the 
 number of sermons I have, or shall have, to make ; 
 about seven sermons in a month at Hastings. 
 
 The congregations are very good, but I fear 
 the proportion of members is unusually small. 
 Already we hear of this and the other being a 
 backslider. I need not say the neighbourhood is 
 most charming ; such a house to live in, and such 
 scenery to enjoy, I hardly expect to have again. 
 Your ' old family friend ' is very well. . . . He 
 was telling me last week about your father being 
 in the Circuit, and his great usefulness in the settle- 
 ment of their affairs and the enlargement of the 
 Church. They only stand sixty more in the town 
 this day than when your father left. And then it 
 was delightsome to hear him speak of 'Little 
 Johnny' coming to his counter before he could 
 talk, with a basket to beg and receive the ac- 
 customed bun. I did laugh, and am laughing now. 
 But we are older now, and I ought to be more 
 serious ; but I am looking at what I have written, 
 and am laughing still. I will be more serious 
 when I write again, as I shall be the moment I 
 fold this, and think of my work, my insufficiency, 
 and its magnitude. We will remember each other 
 where memory best serves. 
 
 Yours ever, 
 
 M. C. TAYLOR."
 
 ENCOURAGEMENT IN HIS WORK. 37 
 
 " Hastings, September "jth, 1 846. 
 DFAR PARENTS, 
 
 Your letter was like a spring of water in a 
 dry land. It was very refreshing to receive in the 
 midst of strangers a letter from home. . . . 
 This is here, as elsewhere, a bad season for religion. 
 But few of our own people get to chapel, and 
 visitors don't often come in faith. My Superintendent 
 has evidently the cause at heart, and I am glad I 
 am with him. We generally go out together in 
 the afternoon. With regard to sermonizing, I have 
 not been tried much yet ; but I feel I must walk in 
 the light if I would see light. I trust my work will 
 be a great blessing to my own soul in quickening 
 and strengthening me; and I pray to be useful. 
 Through infinite mercy it is the Gospel I preach, 
 and this is the power of God." 
 
 In another letter to his parents of about the same 
 date he says : 
 
 "Yesterday I felt more of my weakness and 
 emptiness than I had done before, and in the 
 afternoon was led to special supplication. In the 
 evening I was bound, though preaching from an 
 old text; but afterwards, to my unspeakable joy, 
 six freely and publicly sought mercy. It was a 
 refreshing season for my poor faith, and I en- 
 deavour to give the glory to God. Blessed be His
 
 CIRCUIT LIFE. 
 
 mercy and His power. His strength is perfected 
 in weakness. 
 
 In the morning I attempted to preach for the 
 first time directly on the subject of a clean heart, 
 (i John i. 9). Fear or grace prevented my saying 
 more than simply explaining the passage, but I felt 
 the word precious to my own soul. God sealed 
 the truth on my own heart, and I felt Him present 
 to cleanse. Yet nothing but an hourly baptism 
 will suffice. The Lord make me a vessel of grace, 
 filled myself, and overflowing to many, many 
 around. I have got an alarum, and hope to rise 
 regularly, in decent time for a preacher of the 
 Gospel. 
 
 Griffiths and Burrell, mentioned in the " Notices" 
 newspaper for Oct. I5th, were with me at Rich- 
 mond. I have great delight in praying for you> 
 my dear father and mother. My love to John 
 and Annie. 
 
 Yours ever, 
 
 M. C. TAYLOR." 
 
 To his parents. " October 6th, 1 846. 
 
 The afternoons I spend out of doors, and I 
 find the pastoral taste Benjamin Chapman gave 
 me an invaluable help. I have seen nearly all the 
 members of St. Leonard's, and we are obtaining 
 lists of the Hastings classes. In my work I have 
 had more encouragement than, with my unbelief,
 
 PASTORAL WORK A HELP TO PREACHING. 39 
 
 I could expect. I have heard of one conversion ; 
 may it be the earnest of hundreds." 
 
 "Hastings, November i8M, 1846. 
 MY DEAR GEDEN, 
 
 . . . I have found great help in sermonizing 
 from visiting the people. We have got an ar- 
 ranged list made out, and I have got through it 
 once. And the effect I did not anticipate more 
 ease and less fear in preaching. Now that I know 
 them, I don't dread them as I did. . . . Your 
 friend John Scott's rule comprises the most good. 
 When the heart is right, all is comparatively easy. 
 I rejoice there is grace to keep it right. It is best 
 with me when I pray much, and when I set before 
 my own soul and the souls of the people the 
 privilege of being saved from all sin. My faith 
 and enjoyment this week are greater. O the 
 unspeakable mercy of Christ! There have been 
 some additions to the Society, and there are some 
 mourners in Zion, but we want ' the soul-converting 
 power.' " 
 
 " Hastings, December ^th, 1846. 
 MY DEAR HELLIER, 
 
 . . . The Bible is not a Divinity Lecture-book, 
 but a volume of precepts and promises, given here 
 and there, as the scope of the writer, and the cir- 
 cumstances of the people prompted. Some passages 
 are only allusions to subjects on which the Apostles
 
 4 CIRCUIT LIFE. 
 
 had doubtless discoursed at length in preaching 
 face to face. And on glancing- at the whole I see 
 that they taught a ' perfection ' of living without 
 wilful sin, and of loving 1 God with ' all the heart.' 
 . . . If when seeking pardon we had delayed 
 our trust in Christ until we had seen through the 
 metaphysics of faith and peace, of a Divine witness 
 and filial love, we had never trusted. And will it 
 not be so here ? We gain knowledge best when 
 we seek it in the light of the throne. We are 
 soon satisfied on our knees, though we have been 
 long perplexed at our desk. Why do I write thus 
 but to stir up this heart of mine ? 
 
 I am happy that God ' giveth more grace.' I 
 often feel Him, and feel Him now, my utmost 
 Saviour; but I seem to want faith to grasp the 
 treasure I have to take it out of my store-house 
 into my hand, and use it in the service of 
 Christ." 
 
 The Conference of 1847 having appointed Mr. 
 Taylor to be the Assistant of the Rev. John Scott, 
 it was necessary for him to leave Hastings, and to 
 reside at Mr. Scott's house in St. George' s-in-the- 
 East. In reference to his new circumstances, he 
 says in a letter, dated " London, September z^lh, 1847, 
 My home is as comfortable as I could desire ; Mr. 
 Scott is as kind as a man could be, and his family 
 are very agreeable."
 
 REMOVAL TO ISLINGTON. 4' 
 
 One sentence gains special interest viewed in 
 connection with the writer's early removal : 
 
 " It often stirs me up to think my day is short, 
 and that my rest and reward will be eternal. 
 How very soon will these changes come to an end, 
 and we all meet again for ever ! What a mystery 
 of grace that we 'watch a moment to secure an 
 everlasting rest ! ' ' 
 
 At the Conference of 1848, he removed with 
 Mr. Scott to Islington, where he remained during 
 the next three years. His residence here was, in 
 all respects, a very happy and profitable one. He 
 speaks, in one of his letters, of the benefit con- 
 nected with a change of Circuit, and of a blessed 
 revival of religion he had recently shared in. 
 
 "23, Mount, York, February $th, 1849. 
 I write most gratefully that for the last six 
 months the God of all mercy has been bringing 
 me nearer to Himself. In addition to the helps 
 named, there was the great advantage of changing 
 my Circuit, and being led to begin again and 
 afresh, and the sacred feeling kindled by seeing 
 the pleasure of the Lord prospering in my hands. 
 And more recently I have again received blessing 
 from occasional intercourse with that flame of fire, 
 William Arthur.
 
 4 2 CIRCUIT LIFE. 
 
 The last fortnight, special services have been 
 held at Newington and Islington. Those at 
 Islington were owned by a special outpouring of 
 the Spirit. Such general, nay, universal solemnity 
 and spirituality I never saw before. 
 
 Our School-room will not hold more than two 
 hundred, I think, but we had to bless God for 
 having touched the hearts of all who came to hear, 
 and having saved about fifty. It was a day of salva- 
 tion to many of the families of our people. The 
 grace on my own mind will be productive, I trust, 
 of great individual good. I saw the power of God 
 glorifying His word, and honouring His Son. I 
 had to exhort sinners to believe, assuring them 
 they would be saved ; and direct those who were 
 panting after God, to drink of the fulness of life 
 and be satisfied. I felt bound to do as I wished them 
 to do. One Leader came one day and opened her 
 mind with regard to her doubts and difficulties on 
 the subject of a 'clean heart.' I spoke to her as 
 I could, and on going home, she spent the after- 
 noon in prayer, until God spoke to her desire, 
 ' Be thou clean.' This stirred me up to embrace 
 for myself the promise of the covenant, and I felt 
 the all-cleansing virtue of the blood Divine." 
 
 His time of residence at Islington was a very 
 busy one, owing to his many engagements in con- 
 nection with the work of education. His letters at
 
 GREAT EXHIBITION, 1851. 43 
 
 this period frequently refer to great absorption in 
 such business. But in the midst of many passing 
 engagements, his highest interest was in theo- 
 logical questions, and his greatest zest for spiritual 
 duties. 
 
 In 1850 the Conference was held in London. 
 This was a time of anxiety on account of the 
 agitation which prevailed in many places in our 
 community; and in all public questions, Mr. 
 Taylor took the most deep and lively interest. 
 He did not despond, however, respecting the future. 
 He had strong confidence in the soundness of 
 Methodist doctrine, and in the essential principles 
 of the Methodist discipline. He was conservative 
 but not obstructive. He possessed the rare faculty 
 of being able to forecast the issue of untried plans. 
 He would often condemn new schemes, saying that 
 " they would not work ; " and at other times com- 
 mitted himself to a new enterprise when there were 
 but few to favour it, confidently predicting its suc- 
 cess. The result hardly ever proved him mistaken. 
 
 In the summer of 1851, memorable for the 
 holding of the Great Exhibition in Hyde-Park, I 
 had the opportunity of a few days' intercourse with 
 him in London, and I have no recollection of any- 
 thing connected with this Exhibition more vivid 
 than of a conversation I had with him within the 
 building. We sat down together in one of its 
 least frequented parts, and I asked him on what
 
 44 CIRCUIT LIFE. 
 
 text he had last preached. He said, Psalm xlv. 
 16: "Instead of thy fathers shall be thy children, 
 whom thou mayest make princes in all the earth." 
 "Are you satisfied that this Psalm, and that this 
 verse in particular, has relation to the Church ? " 
 "Yes; certainly. It is quite possible that Solo- 
 mon's marriage with Pharaoh's daughter may 
 have been the occasion of writing this Psalm, but it 
 never could have been its subject ; just as this great 
 Exhibition will be the occasion of preaching many 
 sermons, of which it will not be itself the theme." 
 " But what, then, do you mean to show by this text." 
 " That there is a steady and constant improvement 
 going on in the membership of the Church, es- 
 pecially resulting from this fact, that the children 
 of pious parents now, to so large an extent, form 
 its membership." "Then you do not think that 
 children always degenerate from the piety of their 
 fathers." " There may be some instances in which 
 this is the case ; but, as a rule, we may reasonably 
 expect that the children of pious people will be 
 better than their parents ; and experience, I think, 
 proves that this is the case." 
 
 The Rev. J. D. Geden, in reference to the period 
 of Mr. Taylor's residence in Islington, writes as 
 follows : 
 
 "While he was at Islington, as you know, I
 
 USEFULNESS TO THE YOUNG. 45 
 
 was Assistant-Tutor at Richmond, and often went 
 into London to preach on Sundays. On these 
 occasions we generally arranged to meet some- 
 where, usually at the Mission-House on Monday 
 morning 1 . We rarely parted without prayer. 
 Many a time in an upper back room at the Mission- 
 House he has poured out with me, and for me, 
 that tender, thoughtful, pleading, gracious prayer, 
 which the Spirit of God moving mightily in men, 
 can alone enable them to offer." 
 
 The Rev. Edward Lightwood, one of his col- 
 leagues at Islington, says of the same period: 
 " I knew him intimately, and greatly loved and 
 esteemed him ; no friend more few as much. But 
 those traits of his many-sided and beautiful cha- 
 racter, his self-denial, humility, simplicity of aim ; 
 his thorough consecration to the great Master's 
 work ; his practical wisdom ; his faultless life ; I 
 really never saw any fault in him ; nothing con- 
 trary to the highest ideal I could form of Christian 
 excellence, viewed as entire devotedness to the 
 Lord, all these you well know. 
 
 " What I was particularly struck with as one 
 mode of usefulness which he adopted was this: 
 He would single out of the congregation particular 
 youths and young men, and make their conversion 
 his special object He would give himself to the 
 attainment of this with singular perseverance ; 
 and I believe that in the way of winning souls by
 
 4 6 
 
 CIRCUIT LIFE. 
 
 this earnest, patient labour, he was eminently 
 owned of God." 
 
 The following- letters were addressed to Mr. 
 Henry Beck, of Hastings. Mr. Beck was con- 
 verted to God, and joined the Society, during- the 
 year of Mr. Taylor's residence at Hasting-s, " but 
 after his removal," writes Mrs. W. Beck, " under 
 circumstances which Mr. Taylor never understood, 
 and which Henry could not explain to him, he fell 
 away; always retaining the greatest respect and 
 affection for his friend. After some years of care- 
 lessness he was taken ill. He was in great distress 
 of mind, but would converse with no one [on the 
 subject of religion]. He was, however, willing to 
 see Mr. Taylor, and a relative having informed 
 him of all the circumstances, Mr. Taylor went 
 down a few days to see him. This was his last 
 visit to Hastings. Our brother was then confined 
 to the house, dying of consumption. He came in 
 the morning and spent the whole of that day with 
 Henry, only leaving to get his dinner. My husband, 
 the ' William ' referred to in the letters, said, ' You 
 will allow me to pay your expenses, Sir?' 'O,' 
 he replied, 'you must take none of my pleasure 
 away from me to-day!' Henry was in great peace 
 from then till his death, and greatly did Mr. 
 Taylor rejoice over him." 
 
 Although several of these letters were written
 
 PASTORAL SOLICITUDE. 47 
 
 long after the period to which the present chapter 
 relates, they are given here altogether in order 
 to show how unabated was Mr. Taylor's solicitude 
 during many years on behalf of this wanderer 
 from the fold, whom he had at first won to Christ, 
 and whom, at the last, it was his happiness to 
 restore. 
 
 " Chapel House, St. George's East, London. 
 
 September \\th, 1847. 
 MY DEAR HENRY, 
 
 The bargain was, you would write me first, 
 and I would reply. But how long you may make 
 me wait before I hear of your welfare I don't know. 
 So I write to beg the favour of a line from you to 
 say how you are all getting on, yourself in 
 particular. When last we had any talk, you 
 acknowledged you had been careless, and promised 
 you would set out afresh. I am anxious to know 
 if you have done so. If I knew you had, I might 
 have waited quietly until you had written. But I 
 am in ignorance, and therefore uneasy. 
 
 I remember your walks with me with gratitude 
 and pleasure. And I remember you before God, 
 praying you may be a man of God. To be in 
 earnest is everything. If not, we are at best as a 
 wave of the sea, driven with the wind and tossed ; 
 and very generally soon sunk in the world again. 
 My dear Henry, I feel much on your account, 
 knowing something of your danger and your state.
 
 4-8 CIRCUIT LIFE. 
 
 You are yet young-, and must pass through a thou- 
 sand snares. Grasp firmly the hand of God, be 
 His servant, and His son, and you shall trample on 
 ' every pleasing- bait of ill,' deny yourself, and 
 honour His name. Let your heart be given up to 
 the Holy Spirit, and I picture for you a life of 
 blessedness and usefulness that ang-els might envy. 
 Your home shall be happy. Joseph and William 
 shall be won by your prayers, your mother com- 
 forted, your sister encouraged, and your own soul 
 like a well-watered garden. I beseech you be 
 decided, forsake not your closet for anything, take 
 hold of Divine wisdom and power, and this picture 
 shall be fact. ' Flee also youthful lusts : but follow 
 righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that 
 call on the Lord out of a pure heart.' And so I 
 shall always hear of you with joy. Remember me 
 to Savage, and your class companions. 
 
 Your mother's kindness, indeed the affection of 
 you all, is dear to my memory. Whatever service 
 I can render any of you at any time is yours. If 
 you would know what you can do to promote my 
 chief joy, be very holy, pray for my success, 
 and meet me in heaven. You and Betsey I claim as 
 my crown of rejoicing. Both of you be faith- 
 ful to the Master. My best love to your mother, 
 and sister, yourself, Joseph, and William : also to 
 brother and sister Godden. 
 
 Yours very affectionately, 
 
 M. C. TAYLOR."
 
 LETTERS. 49 
 
 ^ 1 x^^Nx^^^^ l ^xxx^>^>^-l^xx^^^xx^w^-^NXVX^ 
 
 " St. George's East, London. 
 
 October 29! h, 1847. 
 MY DEAR HENRY, 
 
 I gather from your silence that it is not well 
 with you, and I hear from one and another that 
 you are not meeting in class. My feelings will not 
 allow me to know all this, and say nothing. O that 
 a feeble word may bring conviction ! 
 
 I am deeply grieved that there should have 
 been any declension ; but I am unwilling .to think 
 that you will allow this to continue. And when 
 I call to mind the pleasure I have had in your 
 company, and the hopes I have indulged with regard 
 to your future course, I cannot bear the thought that 
 you will go into the world. 
 
 If you would insure trouble and vexation in the 
 world, and gain a hard heart, and meet with the 
 terrors of death, trifle with your soul. Would you 
 be esteemed and comfortable, honourable and 
 useful here, and ready for a brighter, nobler rest, 
 give your heart to God. You have lived long enough 
 to find that resolutions of future amendment are 
 worthless, and that one sin retained keeps sin on 
 the throne. 
 
 With a heavy and weeping heart I beseech 
 you, my dear Henry, that you make a stand, and 
 play the man. Determine to save your soul, and 
 do all that must be done to save it. Will you lose 
 it or prize it ? Do not think to keep it and trifle. 
 
 E
 
 5 CIRCUIT LIFE. 
 
 -s-**s^s~**s***s***s*^s***s**^s*^^ 
 
 God claims your strength and your all. Give them 
 to Him, and He will honour you. Throw them 
 away in the world, and better had it been if you 
 had never been born. Think of your mother, of 
 Joseph, Betsey, and William, of j/0#r,r^ and pray 
 for mercy and victory. I am much obliged for 
 Betsey's letter. I do not forget to pray for you all. 
 My love to all in your house, not forgetting Mr. 
 and Mrs. Godden. 
 
 If you have any wish to please me, write me a 
 line. I want to hear from - j/orji?//' how it is with 
 you. 
 
 Yours very affectionately, 
 
 M. C. TAYLOR." 
 
 " -S 1 /. George's East, London. 
 
 November $d, 1847. 
 MY DEAR HENRY, 
 
 I am very glad you have written. I have not 
 time to write at length. I can only say, I do and 
 will pray for you. But you must pray for yourself, 
 and act for yourself. And as for being ashamed 
 to go to class, you should be ashamed to stop 
 away. And you know well every one there will 
 welcome you with open heart. Then go in the 
 name of Christ. You want happiness. You have 
 tasted a little. Come now, and drink freely, and 
 be strengthened to live for God. You have often 
 been gloomy and wretched lately. Now for light
 
 LETTERS. 5 I 
 
 XXN^XX^X^^X^-V/^XXXV/XXVXVy^XN^^-^NXVX^XNkXVXXX^^- 
 
 and liberty. Arise and shine. I want to see 
 Joseph and William saved. They look at you. 
 Trample on every bait of sin. Save yourself and 
 them. The Holy Spirit rest upon you ! 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 M. C. TAYLOR." 
 
 Mr. Taylor wrote again on October 30^, 1850, 
 after an interview with Mr. Beck. In his letter he 
 says, "O how shall we all rejoice in seeing- you 
 grow up a man like your honoured grandfather ; 
 and how would you rejoice to feel that Christ, and 
 all heaven and earth were smiling upon you ! 
 Come, my dear Henry, get back at once to your 
 right place. Go to the mercy-seat. Join the 
 Church. Honour your God. 
 
 Yours very affectionately and prayerfully, 
 
 M. C. TAYLOR." 
 t 
 
 The next letter, written after an interval of 
 seven years, shows that his interest in his friend's 
 welfare was unabated. 
 
 " Eastbourne, 
 
 Thursday Afternoon, May 28M, 1857. 
 MY DEAR HENRY, 
 
 I longed for an opportunity yesterday of asking 
 you to return to God. I am sure you are not happy 
 as you are, and that you feel you are not in the way 
 
 E 2
 
 5 2 CIRCUIT LIFE. 
 
 ~-s-**s-**s**s > *s r *^ ir: >*s***s^ 
 
 to be happy. What honour you might win for your 
 family ! What good you might do to them and to 
 many ! I do not intend to write a long letter, lest 
 you should forget the one point I wish to put 
 giving your heart again to God. The matter lies 
 in a small compass. Live in the world and in sin, 
 and then there is nothing but wretchedness and 
 ruin before you. Turn to God, give up sin and 
 the world, and your children's children will call 
 you blessed. My heart yearns over you and over 
 them. For your mother's sake, for Bessy's sake, 
 for your family's sake, for the sake of your own 
 body and soul, I pray you return to God, no com- 
 promise, no tampering, no loitering, or the devil 
 will cheat you out of all your good resolutions. 
 Return to God now. 
 
 Praying for you, I am, 
 Yours ever affectionately, 
 
 M. C. TAYLOR." 
 
 "Mount York, August list, 1858. 
 MY DEAR HENRY, 
 
 Being at home for a few days, I have leisure to 
 write you. My wife is now reading a bundle of 
 old Hastings letters which she has found; and I 
 am thrown back on former happy days. 
 
 Some have gone to a better world ; among these 
 the foremost are your dear, gracious, good mother, 
 Joseph, and cousin James. Some have removed
 
 LETTERS. S3 
 
 to other places, uncle James, Cousin Jane, your 
 sister Bessy. . . . Some remain at the old 
 place, and hold on their way, seeking" a city which 
 hath foundations; and some are at St. Leonard's 
 still, but they are not the same. They have given 
 place to temptation, grieved God, fallen into a 
 snare. This is the dark, sad aspect. 
 
 I need not say among these you, my dear 
 Henry, stand first. You ran well; but Satan has 
 hindered. I shall never forget a very pleasant 
 walk we had towards Ninfield a day or two after 
 you obtained peace with God. But you have it not 
 now. And yet I am sure you many times desire 
 that God would restore to you the joy of His 
 salvation. My wish in writing to-day is to beg 
 you to yield to this desire. Any mere outward 
 reform will not save you. It will not last. Nothing 
 but saving grace will restore you. And this is 
 to be had, not by waiting, wishing, and partially 
 correcting this fault and that ; but by praying, 
 coming to God in Christ as at first you came. 
 
 I dread the better feelings being withdrawn, if 
 you do not honour them. You will then be cold 
 and callous indeed. O begin to pray, Henry, 
 whilst serious thoughts are continued. You cannot 
 mend yourself. Only God can. Ask Him, and He 
 will. He delighteth in mercy. Every one that 
 seeketh, findeth. 
 
 I would ask you again to write me. But I will
 
 54 CIRCUIT LIFE. 
 
 not press it. I know your aversion to say anything-, 
 and still more to write. O for the voice of joy 
 and rejoicing to be heard again under your roof, 
 and in that dear old parlour ! When shall it be ? 
 Your affectionate friend, 
 
 M. C. TAYLOR." 
 
 " Westminster, April zd, 1860. 
 MY DEAR HENRY, 
 
 You are not a youth now, but I cannot call you 
 by any other than your old name. I heard to-day 
 from Mrs. Everett, at Portsmouth, that you are 
 very ill, and of course I write you. Mrs. E. desires 
 it, but I should have written at once of my own 
 accord, only sorry that I cannot talk with you in 
 place of writing-. 
 
 And yet what shall I say ? I could give way to 
 my feeling-, and write many words of entreaty. 
 But I could say nothing- new. And I should only 
 write on guess. Will you not send me a word, 
 Henry, to say how you are, what you are ? 
 
 It seemed as though you would not obey the 
 striving-s of the Holy Spirit 'in health, and God is 
 not willing- that you should perish, and so is seeking 
 to bring- you to Himself by sickness. It is a des- 
 perate remedy; but it is a remedy, meant for the 
 salvation of your soul. 
 
 How are these days passing ? Can you feel 
 yourself get weaker and weaker, and not pray for
 
 LETTERS. 55 
 
 S^%XN^NX>^'XXN>'NX^'NXXXXX'^XN^VXNw<'\^XXXXNX"VXNX 1 \^~ 
 
 mercy ? I will not think it, unless you say so. I 
 am just thinking 1 of your walk to meet me on the 
 road from Ninfield, in the spring 1 of 1847. You have 
 not forgotten it, how God blessed you, and saved 
 you. My heart is bowed down when I think of 
 that time, and of your backsliding- since; and yours 
 is too. But this alone will not repair the wrong 
 and ruin. Nothing will but prayer, and the precious 
 blood of Christ. The devil and your own heart 
 would allow you to do anything rather than pray. 
 But you are not ignorant of their evil reasonings. 
 Answer them all by calling on God to help and 
 save you. I will not say more now, hoping you will 
 just tell me how to think of and write to you. 
 
 My love and sympathy to you and your dear 
 wife and children. 
 
 Your old friend, 
 
 M. C. TAYLOR." 
 
 Before the next letter was written Mr. Taylor 
 had again visited Mr. Beck at Hastings. It was 
 his last visit to the place, and it was his great 
 happiness to be able at last to lead back to God 
 the friend whom he had so long and earnestly 
 entreated to return. 
 
 " Westminster, June i8M, 1860. 
 MY DEAR HENRY, 
 
 I have often wished I could spend the moments
 
 CIRCUIT LIFE. 
 
 >^vxxxxxvx\>^^XN-^x/>_^xxxy 
 
 of Saturday again with you. It is only a little you 
 have strength to bear, and I feel I ought to have 
 endeavoured to speak that little as carefully as I 
 could. 
 
 There are just two objects for you to contem- 
 plate : 
 
 1. Yourself. Your own heart. Your own life. 
 Your times of conviction, and prayer, and mercy ; 
 and your times of forgetfulness, unfaithfulness, and 
 striving not to yield to the blessed Spirit. O is 
 there not need of forgiveness, and acceptance, and 
 salvation? Your need is so deep, so great that 
 Christ has died to satisfy it, and the Holy Ghost is 
 given to remove it. 
 
 2. Christ. He is the one other Object for you 
 to look upon : His precious blood, His rising again, 
 and ever living that He might pray for and save 
 you. 
 
 All my desire is met if you rightly study these 
 two things. I can wish you nothing higher than a 
 broken heart, and the healing which flows from 
 His stripes. This you want. O come now, as 
 you read this, in all your weakness and pain, and 
 .with all your unworthiness and -sin, straight and 
 near to Him, and say, 
 
 ' Thy side an open Fountain is.' 
 
 I will not trouble you to read more ; but I can 
 pray for you without taxing your strength. May
 
 LETTERS. 5 7 
 
 your mother's God, and your God, save you, your 
 anxious wife, your dear children. 
 
 Your old friend, 
 
 M. C. TAYLOR." 
 
 The following- was addressed to his friend's 
 widow : 
 
 " Westminster, July gth, 1860. 
 MY DEAR MRS. HENRY, 
 
 I should have written you last week had I 
 not been hindered. 
 
 It was very pleasant to hear that your dear 
 husband was enabled, though worn and weak, to 
 give his heart to God and obtain mercy. 'At 
 eventide it shall be light.' 
 
 By this time you will have laid him in his 
 last home on earth, and begun to feel that, in 
 the house and in the shop, you are alone. But 
 there is One who, if 'inquired of as He says, will 
 be the Husband of the widow, and Father of the 
 fatherless. You will call on Him in your retire- 
 ment, I believe. But prayer will be more blessed 
 if you observe two things. First, that you pray 
 for that sense of the forgiveness and favour of 
 God which alone can give you peace and power. 
 We have all sinned, and must be pardoned or 
 punished. 
 
 Second, that you pray not only for, but with your
 
 CIRCUIT LIFE. 
 
 ^NXNXX-^XXXXXX-^XNXXXXXXX 1 
 
 family. Bring up your dear children for Heaven, 
 and they will be your joy in this world, and will 
 soon reunite with their departed father. Your 
 responsibilities, difficulties, trials, all are great, but 
 grace will make them light. 
 
 May the Almighty God be the Guide of your 
 offspring, and be your own Saviour and Com- 
 forter ! With affectionate regards and sympathy, 
 Yours very sincerely, 
 
 M. C. TAYLOR." 
 
 Belonging to this period are the following 
 letters : 
 
 " Islington, Thursday morning, 
 
 Feb. 1st, 1850. 
 MY DEAR GEDEN, 
 
 You will have heard from Mr. Scott the fact of 
 
 's being found guilty; two for, one neutral, and 
 
 about twenty against. Reason assigned by the 
 two was, That the agitation was created by the 
 Conference. I asked the liberty of saying a word 
 or two, as having, because of youth, a larger interest 
 than many in the Methodism of the future. One 
 point I made I feel strongly. Take it. 
 
 Why do we hear nothing of memorial meetings, 
 etc., amongst Dissenters ? Because there is no place 
 for discussing Church polity with them, where 
 the system is so simple and summary, and each
 
 LETTERS. 59 
 
 member has nothing to do with the affairs of any 
 other church or pastor than his own. 
 
 Why nothing amongst Churchmen? Because, 
 practically, they are without system or discipline, 
 and there is no authority to which they can bring 
 their grievance, the convocation not having met 
 for a century and a half. 
 
 Why, then, do we hear so much on this head 
 amongst ourselves ? Because we are a Connexion, 
 a living system, a working, not obsolete, govern- 
 ment. But is this Connexional feature our distinc- 
 tion and glory as the means of unity and power in 
 all our evangelizing efforts? It should therefore 
 be sedulously guarded against abuse. Yet if any 
 local meeting chose to agitate points of church- 
 order, points of all others to be most cautiously 
 altered, or even discussed, when once laid down 
 and worked for a whole century, its very Metho- 
 distic relation to every other Circuit in the kingdom 
 would entail unspeakable mischief, and the Connexional 
 feature would be our sure and speedy ruin. The 
 Conference of '35 has thus large claims on our 
 gratitude for placing the most stringent regulations 
 on all attempts to meddle with our laws. If we 
 had no law of '35, Methodism, because of its 
 receiving (in contrast with other churches) men 
 of all extremes of politics, would become a 
 scene of strife just from its Connexional character, and 
 in a few years would vanish.
 
 6o 
 
 CIRCUIT LIFE. 
 
 I dare say I may attach more importance to 
 this notion than it deserves, because it struck me : 
 but I do hold it most gravely and solemnly. 
 
 Father writes again this morning- that you are 
 to lay aside work, and put yourself under medical 
 care. 
 
 Tours affectionately, 
 
 M. C. TAYLOR." 
 
 ''Islington, Nov. \$th, 1850. 
 MY DEAR HELLIER, 
 
 Your explanation of the first command is clear 
 and satisfactory, and your thought that hate may 
 love God, exceedingly beautiful, as expressing a 
 triumph of the grace that leads captivity captive. 
 What is that old legal maxim, qui facit per alium 
 facit per se, or something of the kind ? Whether 
 towards the Creator or the creature we may be 
 said to honour or serve with the heart, soul, and 
 mind, though we can only directly give honour by 
 the feeling of esteem or reverence, and can only 
 directly yield service by some contrivance of our 
 thoughts. But besides the solution of all the facul- 
 ties having one common aim and end, though some 
 prosecute their path to the one centre immediately, 
 and others circuitously, there is another solution 
 peculiar to this business of love. Honour and 
 service are results of mental operations; love is a 
 prime mover, and all-pervading impulse. These
 
 LETTERS. 
 
 61 
 
 may appear as \heproduct of the spiritual machinery, 
 and therefore be said to grow out of the whole 
 inner man ; but this is no distinct, isolated product, 
 it is the power, the impelling- motive, animating, 
 directing, quickening- the whole intellectual frame- 
 work. Love is a vitalizing 1 , actuating spirit to the 
 entire body of the faculties ; and therefore there is 
 a peculiar propriety in saying a man may love with 
 his mind. Love makes the mind think think in 
 love ; and so the mind loves. 
 
 If you mean no more than you say about 
 the criterion of a state of perfect love, I think 
 you scarcely go far enough. When I read, 
 ' Must we not apply negative tests rather than 
 positive ones?' I hesitated, for I remember this 
 was a prominent point in the teaching of my 
 old Leader, Theodore Jones, when he began 
 to be heterodox or queer in his views of entire 
 holiness. (He used to refer to i Cor. xiii., alleging 
 there were none but negative features to be found 
 there. But surely you will not say this.) And 
 observing how you worked out your principle, I 
 was confirmed in my notion that your criterion 
 was only 'negatively' good, if good at all. It 
 might serve for ascertaining the existence of love, 
 though I more than question this. Now, when I 
 have written it, I do not think it would. How 
 could the absence of everything contrary prove a 
 positive existence. A man may not hate, may not
 
 62 
 
 CIRCUIT LIFE. 
 
 be indifferent, just because he may not be without 
 feeling's of any kind towards some one of his 
 fellows.** 
 
 The ' negative rule ' will still less serve for ascer- 
 taining" the degree of our love, whether perfect or 
 imperfect. I do not think that perfect love would 
 be evinced merely ' by the absence of all feeling- of 
 dislike, and by the not refusing to prove my love 
 practically on all occasions that offer.' True love 
 would be evinced; but surely perfect love would not. 
 Such evidence would show a man had some love, 
 but how much, how ardent, how self-consuming, how 
 all-possessing, would not appear. Would this be 
 loving with all the heart and soul and mind ? You 
 may fairly ask how your difficulty is to be met, 'Can 
 we exactly mark out the how much in the amount 
 of time or number of acts of mental reference to 
 God ? ' I agree with you, No ! But why, because 
 any positive test is inapplicable? Certainly not; 
 but because our emotions refuse to be defined in 
 words, or to flow in measure of time. There may 
 be a general description, but there can be no 
 mathematical formula or analysis of these sponta- 
 neous, wilful [willing] emotions of ours. 'What test 
 then does Taylor propose ? ' Such positive things as 
 delighting in God, meditating on God, submitting to 
 
 * Mr. Taylor, in a subsequent letter, admitted that there was force in my 
 argument when more explicitly stated. The nature of the case is such with 
 man that evil passions can be expelled by love alone. Therefore the constant 
 absence of these proves the abiding presence of love.
 
 LETTERS. 63 
 
 God. In one word, the state St. John lays down in 
 i John iv. 16, 17, 12; ii. 5; that of self-renunciation, 
 and dwelling in God, will prove its possessor to be 
 ' perfect in love.' Besides this, there is the con- 
 sciousness that satisfies before any test can be 
 applied. The works of the Spirit are all in light. 
 He will, to use the old saying, shine upon His own 
 work ; and having filled a man's heart with love, 
 will fill his mouth with praise. 'We know the 
 things that are freely given to us of God,' ( I John 55. 
 20 27,) seems to refer explicitly to the light of 
 heaven in our own experience of the grace of Christ. 
 ' When may a man be said to love his neigh- 
 bour as himself? ' This is perplexing to one who 
 hitherto has been innocent shall I confess it ? of 
 all thought upon the matter. To say he is to love 
 him ' as truly ' seems unsatisfactory ; it had better 
 been said, 'love his neighbour as he loves his 
 friend; ' it does not equal the words 'as himself.' 
 We have the help of the practical explanations in 
 the truth of God, ' All things whatsoever ye would 
 that men should do to you, do ye even so to them :' 
 and Matthew xix. 19, which refers to the second 
 table of the law as the detail of this summary of 
 Divine Law. I was going to offer as my exegesis, 
 ' as thoroughly': but the more I think of it the more 
 I feel the difficulty of expressing in any one phrase 
 what is here said by our Lord. But is not the 
 meaning this, or something like it? Self-love is
 
 64 CIRCUIT LIFE. 
 
 natural, strong 1 , permanent ; and, because of our 
 wicked nature, always in danger of degenerating 
 into selfishness, which is the seeking our own good 
 at the expense of another's. 
 
 But selfishness is instantly condemned by this 
 law, Love your neighbour as yourself. I think the 
 words can only be honestly rendered as referring 
 to degree of affection, and not to genuineness only. 
 But are we then to love our neighbour as much as 
 we love ourselves ? I think so. Am I wrong ? I 
 confess I am startled by what I have written; but 
 I do not care, for I am groping my way, by your 
 help, into the light, I trust. I see no practical wrong 
 arising from such a requirement. I am not to seek 
 my neighbour's salvation first, because that would 
 be to love him better than myself. But my own 
 interest and happiness I am bound first to secure, 
 not from preference of myself to my neighbour, but 
 from my own responsibility for myself in a sense in 
 which I am responsible for no one else, and from 
 the law (for it is not instinct merely, but a prime 
 law of our Maker) of self-preservation. But having 
 obtained happiness myself, I am then with as much 
 earnestness, and with as much pains to seek the 
 happiness of my neighbour. Self-love is not so 
 much an emotion of which a man is conscious, as a 
 principle inwrought into his whole being on which 
 he acts. And therefore there is the less objection 
 to my interpretation. It is very easy to love any one
 
 LETTERS. 65 
 
 as ardently as we love ourselves, for we are hardly 
 sensible of any love at all towards ourselves, I 
 suppose ; at least I am not. 
 
 The law, of course, has its special enactments and 
 duties. The love we owe to our relatives and 
 friends is a more limited, but not less binding 
 requirement of God, and may be taken as a branch 
 of the second and great commandment. And this 
 thought suggests the wisdom of the Divine words. 
 They are not, 'Love your neighbour as your chil- 
 dren.' This emotion would be unnatural, impossible, 
 too high ; and this practice would be irregular, 
 ever-shifting, and might be much too low ; for some 
 parents would seek their own gain at the cost of 
 their children's good. No; the law of God is natural, 
 practical, universally right, ' Love thy neighbour as 
 thyself.' My notion is this, love thyself first, other- 
 wise no one would know how to fulfil the Divine 
 command ; then, love thy neighbour, not more 
 not less, but next. 
 
 I have experienced a little clarifying of my own 
 notions during this exercise of writing. Do you sift 
 them, and they will be clarified much more. 
 
 ' How are we to obtain the grace necessary to 
 fulfil these great commands ? ' Alas ! that we prize 
 so little the knowledge of this most important part 
 of saving doctrine, for experience would be our best 
 instructor. The command is a promise. The Holy 
 Ghost is our Helper. Faith, the faith of submission 
 
 F
 
 66 
 
 CIRCUIT LIFE. 
 
 and confidence, our means and channel. Words 
 exceeding 1 great and precious are present to my 
 pen, but they are as present to your thoughts, and 
 I need not quote them. Such love must always be 
 emphatically of the inspiration of the Comforter. 
 ' Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.' " 
 
 To Mr. (now Rev.} James D. Tetley.} 
 
 "Islington, March 1st, 1850. 
 MY DEAR FRIEND, 
 
 You mention the 'Examination.' All examina- 
 tions now are framed on the model of the list of 
 questions given in Grindrod's Compendium. Get a 
 memorandum-book, and put one query at the top 
 of each page. Answer as well as you can, with a 
 definition and proofs. You will thus see what you 
 know, and you can amend your answers at leisure. 
 
 You also name a 'course of study.' I don't 
 know whether I have named books before, but 
 Bates' Harmony, Barrow's Sermons, and Howe's 
 Works, rank next to our own Standard Works for 
 your purpose. Use the pen freely in reading ; and 
 mark off your own progress by a Common-Place 
 Book, or by preserving some continuous account of 
 the books you read. What is not worth this pains 
 is worth nothing to you. Taylor's Elements of 
 Thought, Abercrombie, Payne's Elements, and 
 Whately's Rhetoric, will be most serviceable books. 
 
 Let each sermon you make be the best you can
 
 LETTERS. 67 
 
 ^^^-/XJ-s - *^_^^ M /xx^-'>-^^y'^-''X>'^y^^ 
 
 make ; and as you preach for the honour of Christ, 
 you will be guided and strengthened to preach 
 more worthily of Him. 
 
 Yours very affectionately, 
 
 M. C. TAYLOR." 
 
 ( To Miss Daily, of York, long an invalid?) 
 " IO, Si. George' s Terrace, 
 
 Islington, September 6th, 1850. 
 MY DEAR Miss DALBY, 
 
 I read yours with great pleasure, and feel 
 obliged by the opportunity you have given me of 
 reading, and then writing, on the things of Christ. 
 I am only sorry leisure has not earlier served for 
 my reply. 
 
 Thanks be unto God for the perfect peace and 
 love in which He has kept you for years past ! He 
 has given you to glorify Him ' in the fires ;' and 
 you have proved that faith gives the victory. To 
 rejoice in afflictions is ' the Lord's doing ; ' and, when 
 seen month by month, is ' marvellous in our eyes.' 
 
 If you will listen to any one else proposing your 
 own doubts, your answer will be ready and confi- 
 dent. You would say, the suggestion of fear is not 
 mine, it is the enemy's ; and a suggestion felt the 
 more strongly because of the weakness and lassitude 
 of body and mind. As with Job, he tempts the spirit 
 most when the body is brought low. 
 
 Again, if the suggestion be entertained, and 
 
 F 2
 
 68 
 
 CIRCUIT LIFE. 
 
 fears indulged, they are at least religious fears, if 
 not gracious; more like infirmity than sin. But if 
 ever consciously indulged to the disparagement of 
 Divine love and faithfulness, and so assuming the 
 character of sin against Christ, there is ' a fountain 
 opened for sin and for uncleanness.' Coming 
 again to God will at once break the snare. ' These 
 fears may be unacceptable, displeasing to Thee. 
 See if there be any wicked way in me, and lead 
 me in the way everlasting. If not wholly saved 
 before, save me wholly now.' Either such misgivings 
 are inconsistent with perfect love to God or not. If 
 not, I may rejoice and take courage. If they are, 
 ' with Him is plenteous redemption ; ' ' He will 
 perfect that which concerneth me ; ' and I may have 
 a salvation more full than ever I obtained before, 
 and so the temptation shall only issue in 'the 
 furtherance of the Gospel ' in me. Blessed be our 
 God and Saviour ! 
 
 It just occurs to me that Luke i. 74 seems like a 
 charter drawn up for you. May you be strengthened 
 with all might. 
 
 I understand you to ask for some written remarks 
 on John iv. 48. The following is an outline of my 
 sermon on the passage : 
 
 I. As spoken to the bystanders. A reproof to 
 those who ' seek a sign ' only as an excuse for wilful 
 unbelief. The Pharisees. Men of the world. Im- 
 penitent hearers.
 
 LETTERS. 69 
 
 X%X>^XXNXN^N>^XVr^\ - ^N^S^NXNXNXXXN^ l ^XNrf^\X\^-^^xx l ^X 
 
 II. As spoken to the father. A reproof to those 
 who sincerely, but foolishly, require signs and 
 wonders before they will believe in the word of 
 Christ. Contrast with centurion 'Trouble not 
 Thyself; speak the word only,' The nobleman, 
 'Sir, come down.' And so sincerity of many 
 becomes sincere distrust ; must have certain con- 
 ditions of their own devising fulfilled before they con- 
 fide in the sprinkled blood. Theywatf for, I. More 
 perfect knowledge; 2. Greater feeling; 3. Some 
 special revelation of Christ; (i) in impression on 
 outward senses: Thomas; or, (2) in assurance to 
 their hearts. 4. Some favourite means; ( i) Inwardly, 
 through dazzling brightness; (2) Outwardly, 
 through this ordinance or that. 
 
 [We are] taught here: i. Value of prayer. 
 The father did not at first comprehend the reproof, 
 reiterates the cry, mixed up with the same error, 
 ' Come down.' Our Lord's answer shows that 
 mistaken prayer is better than enlightened indiffer- 
 ence. Feeling after Him, He will bring the blind 
 by a way they know not. 
 
 2. Value of faith. Though resolved to honour 
 the persevering suppliant, would only bless through 
 faith. ' Go thy way.' The man cured of his un- 
 believing condition, ' believed the word,' and ' went his 
 way' alone, never desiring now that Christ should go 
 down with him. 
 
 He will not save without faith. He will save
 
 7 CIRCUIT LIFE. 
 
 through faith. Signs and wonders are only to 
 persuade that the message is the Word of God. 
 (i Cor. xiv. 22.) Their whole office ends there; 
 and ten thousand more cannot make the Word more 
 sure or precious. Do you believe this Book to be 
 His Word ? Go thy way, ' He that hath the Son hath 
 Life/ 
 
 Nothing will give me greater pleasure than 
 being at any time the helper of your joy. Remember 
 me very kindly to your family. 
 
 Yours affectionately, 
 
 M. C. TAYLOR."
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 LIFE AT WESTMINSTER. 
 
 " The end, then, of learning is to repair the ruins of our first parents by 
 regaining to know God aright, and out of that knowledge to love Him, to 
 imitate Him, to be like Him, as we may the nearest by possessing our souls 
 of true virtue, which, being united to the heavenly grace of faith, makes up 
 the highest perfection." MILTON. 
 
 AS the rest of Mr. Taylor's public life was spent 
 in connection with the Wesleyan Normal 
 College at Westminster, and the work of the Wes- 
 leyan Education Committee, it will not be out of 
 place to give here a brief history of the efforts 
 put forth by the Wesleyan body in promoting the 
 great work of national education. 
 
 How earnestly John Wesley himself desired the 
 religious education of the poor, will be manifest 
 from a paper drawn up by Mr. Taylor, and read 
 at the first Annual Meeting held on behalf of 
 Wesleyan Education, at the Centenary Hall, 
 May 3d, 1855 : 
 
 "John Wesley's first building was a school for 
 the poor. He may be said to have commenced his 
 public life in this country in 1739; and his Journals
 
 7 2 LIFE AT WESTMINSTER. 
 
 mention incidentally that, in June of that year he 
 had 'begun to build a school in the middle of 
 Kingswood,' for the children of the colliers. In 
 1743, he published 'Instructions to Children/ and 
 in 1746, 'Lessons for Children.' These were 
 educational hand-books, designed for the use, not 
 merely of parents, but of his preachers, who were 
 expected to labour systematically in training the 
 minds of the children of their congregations. In 
 1748, writing an account of what had been done in 
 connection with the Foundery, he says, 'Another 
 thing which had given me frequent concern was 
 the case of abundance of children. Some their 
 parents could not afford to put to school ; so they 
 remained like a wild ass's colt. Others were 
 sent to school, and learned, at least, to read and 
 write, but they learned all kinds of vice at the 
 same time ; so that it had been better for them to 
 have been without their knowledge, than to have 
 bought it at so dear a price. At length, I deter- 
 mined to have them taught in my own house, that 
 they might have an opportunity of learning to read, 
 write, and cast accounts, (if no more,) without being 
 under almost a necessity of learning heathenism at 
 the same time. 
 
 " ' After several unsuccessful trials, I found two 
 such schoolmasters as I wanted; men of honesty 
 and of sufficient knowledge, who had talents for, 
 and their hearts in the work. They have now
 
 JOHN WESLEY AS AN EDUCATIONIST. 73 
 
 under their care near sixty children : the parents 
 of some pay for their schooling; but the greater 
 part, being very poor, do not ; so that, the expense 
 is chiefly defrayed by voluntary contributions.' 
 And subsequently he remarks, 'A happy change 
 was soon observed in the children, both with regard 
 to their tempers and behaviour. They learned 
 reading, writing, and arithmetic swiftly; and at 
 the same time they were diligently instructed in the 
 sound principles of religion.' He shortly after- 
 wards founded a similar institution at Newcastle, 
 called the Orphan-House. It was also in the same 
 early period of his labours that he established at 
 Kingswood, what he designed to be an Improved 
 Grammar School, for educating the children of the 
 middle classes, 'according,' he writes, 'to the 
 accuracy of the Christian model.' The following 
 extracts from the Minutes of his early Conferences, 
 drawn up by himself, is a specimen of the manner 
 in which he pressed on others attention to the same 
 subject. 
 
 " ' What shall we do for the rising generation ? 
 Unless we take care of these, the present revival 
 will be res unius alatis ; it will last only the age of 
 man. Who will labour herein ? Let him that 
 is zealous for God and the souls of men begin now. 
 PreaCh expressly on education. "But I have no 
 gift for this." Gift or no gift you are to do it; else 
 you are not called to be a Methodist Preacher. Do it
 
 74 LIFE AT WESTMINSTER. 
 
 as you can till you can do it as you would. Pray 
 earnestlyfor theg-ift, anduse the means forit. Particu- 
 larly study Instructions and Lessons for Children.' 
 
 "When Raikes published the account of his 
 attempt to gather together on the Lord's Day 
 neglected children in Gloucester, and instruct them 
 in religious truth, Mr. Wesley reprinted the narra- 
 tive in the next monthly number of the Arminian 
 Magazine, and earnestly commended the adoption 
 of the plan to his Societies. Three years after- 
 wards he records his pleasure in meeting with 
 nearly one thousand children in a Sabbath-school 
 at Bolton-le-Moors." 
 
 The Wesleyan community from this time forward 
 exerted itself earnestly in promoting Sunday-schools, 
 and when the educational census was taken in 1851, 
 the returns of Mr. Horace Mann showed that the 
 Wesleyan Methodists then had 4,216 Sunday- 
 schools; 81,181 Teachers; and 429,727 Scholars. 
 Corresponding efforts, however, had not been made 
 by the Denomination for the promotion of Christian 
 Week-day schools. But at the Conference of 
 1836, the importance of this work was recognised, 
 and the late Rev. Samuel Jackson, I believe, 
 especially pressed its claims on the attention of the 
 Conference and the Connexion. A small com- 
 mittee was appointed, to collect information and 
 report to the Conference of 1837. (Minutes of
 
 EDUCATIONAL EFFORTS OF WESLErANS. /5 
 
 Conference, vol. viii., p. 90.) In 1837, a larger 
 committee was appointed, and the importance of the 
 work was dwelt on in the Annual Address to the 
 Societies. (Minutes of Conference, vol. viii. pp. 
 222, 223, 233.) This Committee, reappointed from 
 year to year, had under its consideration the best 
 methods for establishing- schools, and training 
 Teachers: and in 1839, the Conference gave its 
 approval to the Committee's " Plan for the Pro- 
 motion of Religious Education in connection with 
 the Wesleyan Body." In 1840, the Conference 
 resolved that the interest of the sum voted from the 
 Centenary Fund for Educational purposes should 
 be expended chiefly in the training of Teachers. 
 
 "The action of the Wesleyan Committee of 
 Education may be regarded as commencing with 
 the year 1 840, [or a little before]. Many Wesleyan 
 schools had been established previously at various 
 dates, but no uniform or systematic effort had been 
 made to extend Day-school Education till about 
 this time. . . . The number of Wesleyan schools 
 established prior to 1841, was 101, with about 8,193 
 scholars. By far the greater part of these schools 
 were upon the British system. Some time pre- 
 viously the Missionary Committee had determined 
 upon the establishment of a number of schools 
 in the West Indies, to meet the wants of the 
 negroes recently freed from their slavery and
 
 LIFE AT WESTMINSTER. 
 
 subsequent apprenticeship. Mr. H. Armstrong- had 
 been commissioned by them to investigate the 
 working- of the chief Educational systems in 
 Britain, and upon the strength of his report mainly, 
 it was decided to adopt Mr. Stow's system. The 
 success which attended the experiment in the West 
 Indies, was such as to lead the Education Com- 
 mittee to base their home operations on the same 
 principles. 
 
 "From the Centenary Fund, raised in 1839, 
 5,000 was set apart for Educational purposes, and 
 the Committee very judiciously resolved to invest 
 the money for a time, and to apply the interest to 
 the training- of Teachers at the Glasgow Normal 
 Seminary. In 1843, after the excitement which 
 ensued on the introduction of a bill for Factory 
 Education, by Sir James Graham, the sum of 
 20,000 was raised, and invested for a time, and 
 half the proceeds of the Chapel Fund Collection 
 were assigned to the Committee for seven years. 
 They pressed the work with renewed vigour by 
 largely increasing the number of Teachers under 
 training-, and by encouraging the opening of schools, 
 by advice, and by pecuniary assistance. Up to 185 1, 
 they had trained 448 students at Glasgow, and the 
 number of schools had increased to 363. In that 
 year the Training Institution at Westminster was 
 opened, having been erected at a cost of nearly 
 40,000.
 
 WESTMINSTER TRAINING INSTITUTION. 77 
 
 "After anxious deliberation, and many con- 
 sultations with Sir J. P. Kay-Shuttleworth, then 
 Secretary of the Committee of Council on Educa- 
 tion, and David Stow, Esq., of Glasgow, and other 
 gentlemen, the plans prepared by J. Wilson, Esq., 
 F.S.A., of Bath, were adopted, and on the 27th of 
 September, 1849, the foundation-stone was publicly 
 laid by Thomas Farmer, Esq. 
 
 "In July, 1850, the Model School was opened 
 for the reception of children, and shortly after- 
 wards the Junior School was opened under the 
 care of Mr. West, and the Infant School under the 
 care of Mr. Langler and Miss Goble. The Senior 
 School was opened July I4th, 1851, and was put 
 under the care of Mr. Kinton about the close of 
 185 1, and the Girls' School was opened on the 6th 
 of October, 1851. This was the date of the first 
 admission of students to the Institution, eight male 
 students, and two female students, having entered 
 on that day. On the day following the rules of the 
 Institution were first read, and an opening address 
 made by the late Rev. John Beecham, D.D." * 
 
 At the Conference of 1851, Mr. Taylor was 
 appointed Secretary of the Education Committee, 
 and, in connection with Mr. Scott as Principal, had 
 to take the oversight of the Normal College at 
 Westminster, which was at this time opened. 
 
 From MS. Lectures by W. Sugden. Esq., B.A., Head-Master of the 
 Normal College, Westminster, kindly lent for the purpose of this Memoir.
 
 LIFE AT WESTMINSTER. 
 
 Referring to this prospective appointment he says : 
 " (July 29th, 1851) : I am not sorry about West- 
 minster. If I am vigilant and industrious, I may 
 acquire more, and dispense more than in most 
 Circuits." In a letter, dated Normal Institution, 
 Westminster, Oct. 2ist, 1851, he thus speaks of the 
 opening : 
 
 " Soon after Conference I began to attend here 
 every day, living at the Green (Stoke Newington). 
 The time passed busily, but pleasantly, the plot 
 thickening, as Mr. Scott was obliged to leave 
 town, and the time for opening drew on. Then on 
 6th of October we opened, I, of course, being 
 obliged to live here. Ten students was our number 
 the first week, and last Tuesday we received 
 eleven more; making seventeen young men, and 
 four young women. I soon found I had got into a 
 very anxious berth. I had to be Principal, Secre- 
 tary, Clerk of the Works, Committee, and every 
 thing.* I had no idea that the ordering of all 
 sorts of things had been delayed, and in some 
 instances overlooked; and my time has been 
 hitherto absorbed with a cloud of occupations, 
 
 dignified and undignified I rise with 
 
 the students at a quarter to six, but more than 
 
 * In this statement the writer refers, of course, to his responsibility in 
 securing the completion of all the domestic arrangements of the College. In 
 devising the arrangements for the course of instruction to be pursued he had, 
 I believe, little or no share, this being devolved on others, and especially on 
 the Head-Master, Mr. Sugden, then resident at the College.
 
 MARRIAGE. 79 
 
 once twelve P.M. has struck before my day's work 
 was done. Now that every day finds us nearer 
 completion, my cares and employments will, I 
 hope, diminish. They ought; for reading 1 and 
 
 study have been out of reach I ought 
 
 to say that the very cheering promise the students 
 give of future usefulness has made me very happy 
 in the midst of care. They are very orderly and 
 tractable, and earnestly spiritual. Our Class - 
 meetings and family worship are a great treat to 
 me. ... I generally contrive to have a little 
 textual discussion at table, which the men seem to 
 
 enjoy In spite of all the bustle, I have 
 
 felt supernaturally sustained. It has often occurred 
 to me, when I have hardly had time to pray during 
 the day, and yet have felt so strong for my duties, 
 ' Surely my friends are praying for me.' Yet, 
 after all, there is nothing like praying for one's 
 self. . . . The love of my friends is one of 
 life's most precious jewels, and there are moments 
 of anxiety and depression when I feel it vividly." 
 
 On November igth of this year he married 
 Miss Mary Chubb, of Stoke Newington, with whom 
 he became acquainted during his residence in 
 Islington. The married life then commenced was 
 an exceedingly happy one. I believe it may be 
 said, with confidence, that its happiness was never 
 marred by one word of unkindness, or one moment
 
 8o 
 
 LIFE AT WESTMINSTER. 
 
 of distrust. Writing- to a friend about a year after, 
 and referring 1 to his own married life, he says, "I 
 often wonder at the goodness of God in His gift to 
 me. If you are as suitably and richly blest, you 
 may be content and grateful. I doubt not you will 
 be, from all I hear." 
 
 If I were to follow my own inclination I should 
 say much more respecting the happiness of Mr. 
 Taylor's married life, and of that entire devotion 
 by which his last days were soothed and cheered 
 by his excellent wife. But I am restrained from 
 saying more by injunctions laid upon me which I 
 feel obliged, however reluctantly, to obey. At first 
 he lived at 91, Tachbrook- Street ; but in 1852 
 removed to Lansdowne-Road North, South Lam- 
 beth, where he continued to reside till his death. 
 
 The fifteen years during which he held the 
 office of Secretary, 1 85 1 to 1 866, were undoubtedly 
 the most important, as they were the most laborious 
 portion of his life. His duties under any circum- 
 stances would have been onerous, but they were 
 made especially so by several concurrent circum- 
 stances of this period. As we have already seen, 
 a new college had to be opened, and all its 
 operations organized. In addition to this, several 
 changes were made in the educational system of 
 the national government. These years witnessed 
 the discussions relative to the Revised Code, and 
 saw its first practical trial. Such changes could not
 
 CHANGES IN DAY-SCHOOL EDUCATION. 
 
 8l 
 
 take place without involving- much anxious thought, 
 and much labour on the part of those who had the 
 conduct of Wesleyan Day-school affairs. Every 
 new proposal of government, every accomplished 
 change, had to be watched; and, when it was 
 carried into effect, its influence on Wesleyan Edu- 
 cation had to be considered, in order that, if it 
 appeared likely to act injuriously, the means of 
 remedying the evil might be sought for and applied. 
 Whilst such important matters occupied the anxious 
 attention of all connected with the training College 
 and the Committee, a very heavy care devolved on 
 the Secretary. 
 
 Those who have the most perfect acquaintance 
 with the history of Wesleyan Day-school Education 
 at this period will acknowledge that, great as was 
 the extra labour thus thrown on Mr. Taylor, he 
 proved himself equal to the demand made upon him. 
 Every proposal brought before Parliament, likely to 
 affect the interests of education generally, and espe- 
 cially of Wesleyan education, had his immediate 
 attention ; and when information was required by 
 the General or Local Committees, respecting such 
 proposals, and application was made to him, he was 
 ever ready to give the information sought. 
 
 There is good reason to believe that he won 
 the high esteem of all connected with the govern- 
 ment department of Education with whom he was 
 brought into intimate connection. One testimony
 
 82 
 
 LIFE AT WESTMINSTER. 
 
 may be here introduced which may serve instead 
 of many, and is the more valuable because of its 
 purely spontaneous character. M. Arnold, Esq., 
 thus writes in his Report for the year 1865 : 
 
 "I cannot conclude this Report without express- 
 ing my sorrow at the continued illness of Mr. 
 Taylor, the Secretary of the Wesleyan Education 
 Committee. He filled his important but difficult 
 post with tact, temper, industry, clearness of head 
 and devotion of heart, which made his services 
 invaluable; and if, as I fear, these services must 
 now be lost, I am sure that hearty regret will be 
 felt, not only by the Wesleyan Committee, but also 
 by every officer of your Lordships who has done 
 business with Mr. Taylor." 
 
 A most important part of Mr. Taylor's duty as 
 Secretary was to correspond with the Local Com- 
 mittees of the various Wesleyan Day-schools 
 established throughout the country. In conducting 
 this correspondence he was prompt in reply, making 
 it a rule that all letters on the business of his office 
 should, if possible, be answered on the day they 
 were received. When it is remembered that these 
 letters were very numerous, that often they required 
 careful thought before an answer could be given, 
 such answer sometimes determining the question of 
 the closing of a school or the change of a Teacher, it 
 will be seen that this work alone made his office one 
 of constant labour and care. In fact this part of his
 
 CORRESPONDENCE WITH TEACHERS. 83 
 
 work was incessant. If he left home his letters 
 followed him, and from the first day of the year to 
 the last, he was never secure from the demands 
 which his official correspondence made upon his 
 time and solicitous thought. 
 
 Another branch of his correspondence was with 
 the Teachers. This also was very extensive. His 
 well-known character as a wise counsellor and 
 obliging friend gave encouragement to all Teachers, 
 who were anxious about their schools or their own 
 position, to write to him; and it is not surprising if a 
 Teacher who received a prompt and kind reply felt 
 encouraged to write again. Of course, this involved 
 great additional labour, but it was always readily 
 and ungrudgingly given. 
 
 The value of Mr. Taylor's labours in the College 
 itself is well represented in the following sketches 
 by Mr. Sugden, and Mr. Mansford. Mr. Sugden 
 writes : " In his office as Secretary to the Wesleyan 
 Education Committee, Mr. Taylor, by common 
 consent, manifested rare ability. He had in a high 
 degree, the essential qualifications for conducting an 
 extensive correspondence, punctuality, diligence, 
 and prompt attention. He possessed, likewise, 
 great aptitude in carrying out the arrangements of 
 an undertaking in such a way that all worked 
 harmoniously and without jar. The very perfection 
 with which he did his work, often served to conceal 
 the extent of his regulating effort. Everything was 
 
 G 2
 
 84 LIFE AT WESTMINSTER. 
 
 foreseen, prepared, and fitted to its end ; and hence 
 there never was a man of whom it could be more 
 fitly said, that he was ' very busy without bustle.' 
 But he had much higher qualities than these. He 
 possessed a very considerable acquaintance with 
 legal and general business which often proved of 
 great value. Called to direct a large portion of the 
 work of ingrafting a comparatively new department 
 into the old stock of Methodism, this was no mean 
 advantage ; while his intimate knowledge of all the 
 discipline of our Church, enabled him to act with 
 greater judgment than most lawyers could by pos- 
 sibility do. His ready apprehension of the probable 
 working of different projects was often called into 
 play by the various education-schemes which were, 
 from time to time, embodied in the Government 
 Minutes. He had acquired a complete familarity 
 with the various codes, old and new ; and many a 
 perplexed correspondent found in him a safe and 
 willing guide through their intricacies. Hepossessed 
 an unusually calm and equable temper; and rarely, 
 if ever, did he allow his judgment to be warped or 
 blinded by it in the consideration of regulations or 
 proceedings, however opposed to his own views : 
 and hence, as rarely had he to repent of precipitate 
 courses of action or rash opinions. The genuine 
 and unassuming modesty which he exhibited in all 
 that he did, lent additional value to his great 
 abilities and services."
 
 .IK. MAffSFORD-S SKETCH. 8$ 
 
 The following 1 is from the pen of Mr. Mansford, 
 B. A., Resident-Master at Westminster: "Mr. 
 Taylor's influence over the students in College was 
 very marked and salutary. His own experience of 
 student life, his keen and practised observation and 
 his intimate knowledge of character, eminently 
 qualified him to detect when, and where, a student 
 was at fault ; while his admirable tact, his genuine 
 goodness of heart and love for souls, enabled him 
 effectually to ' restore such an one in the spirit of 
 meekness.' Moreover, he was ever on the watch for 
 occurrences which revealed a student's disposition, 
 and which gave him an opportunity of speaking a 
 word in season. In such good offices he displayed 
 at once remarkable gentleness and skill. He re- 
 proved without wounding ; and his praise, though 
 discriminating, was always generously bestowed. 
 But while he was uniformly considerate and gentle, 
 he was intolerant of wrong, and knew how to 
 rebuke sharply, whenever he thought the occasion 
 demanded it. Such was the influence produced by 
 his acknowledged penetration, and uprightness of 
 character, that it permeated every department of 
 College life, and continued to act as a check against 
 unfaithfulness even in his absence. Every one who 
 was conscious of doing right knew that he would 
 receive Mr. Taylor's support and approval ; but if 
 any one was tempted to enter on a wrong course, 
 he knew full well from what quarter he might
 
 86 
 
 LIFE AT WESTMINSTER. 
 
 confidently expect both detection and rebuke. His 
 deep concern for the spiritual welfare of the students 
 was strikingly manifested in the weekly Class- 
 meetings. He combined such rare practical wisdom 
 with such an intimate acquaintance with the things 
 of God, as could not fail to make these meetings 
 highly instructive and quickening. They were often, 
 too, crowned with a ' holy influence/ and many of 
 the old students still remember them with feelings 
 of gratitude and delight. Nor were they forgotten 
 by Mr. Taylor himself. Often in his illness did he 
 revert to them, and never ceased to manifest an 
 anxious interest in them to the close of his life. 
 
 " Much more ought to be said concerning Mr. 
 Taylor's influence in College; but it is very difficult 
 to estimate either its extent or its strength. That 
 it was deep, pervading, and hallowing, is known to 
 all who came under its power ; while the pleasantry 
 which enlivened his daily intercourse with the 
 students, gave to that influence a charm peculiarly 
 its own. A man of loving spirit, having great 
 sympathy with human nature, guided by clearness 
 of head and singleness of heart no wonder that 
 his influence over the students was great, and that 
 it was exercised in such a way as to make him 
 greatly beloved. 
 
 " By the staff of teachers in the College, with 
 most of whom he had been associated for nearly 
 twenty years, Mr. Taylor was highly valued and
 
 MR. MANSFORD'S SKETCH. 87 
 
 esteemed. His uniform courtesy, coupled with his 
 lively humour, made their daily intercourse with 
 him most attractive ; and the remembrance of his 
 many acts of kindness, and of love, will never cease 
 to endear his memory to them. 
 
 "In his correspondence with the Teachers of 
 schools, Mr. Taylor took a very lively interest, and 
 he entered into this department of his labour with 
 all the zeal of hii self-denying and generous nature. 
 Owing to the number of his correspondents, his 
 replies were, for the most part, necessarily short ; 
 but they were always appropriate and sufficient, 
 and never failed to show personal sympathy for the 
 worker, and an intimate acquaintance with the 
 difficulties of his work. But he did not confine 
 himself to the bare requirements of an official 
 routine. To those who were in circumstances of 
 special difficulty or discouragement he was wont to 
 address Ignger letters, sparing neither time nor 
 strength that he might speak ' a word in season to 
 him that was weary.' In such letters he delighted 
 to dwell on the best methods to be adopted for the 
 conversion and Christian training of young chil- 
 dren, a work on which his heart was set, and the 
 obstacles and encouragements to which he so well 
 knew. These letters were very highly valued. 
 To many they were like wells of water, and not a 
 few still continue to draw from them renewed 
 comfort and strength.
 
 LIFE AT WESTMINSTER. 
 
 X^v^^^^-^N^^^XXVy^-^VXVXXy^^XXXN^^N^^S-*^^^^^ 
 
 "The estimate which the teachers themselves 
 put upon Mr. Taylor's labours was clearly shown 
 when, to their surprise and grief, his health gave 
 way, and he was compelled to resign his office. In 
 the course of a few weeks they raised a very 
 liberal fund for the express purpose of placing in 
 the College a marble bust as a permanent memorial 
 of him, expressive of their gratitude for his services, 
 and of their love to himself. The bust was very 
 successfully executed by Mr. Adams, of Rome, and 
 it now stands in the Normal College, Westminster, 
 beside that of the much-lamented Principal, with 
 whom he had so long and so harmoniously laboured. 
 The pedestal bears the inscription, ' M. C. Taylor. 
 The gift of Teachers and former Students, 1867.' * 
 The very numerous and liberal contributions to the 
 above fund, as also the letters which were addressed 
 to the Treasurer, showed how highly the Teachers 
 valued Mr. Taylor's labours, and how deeply they 
 grieved over his loss. Every one felt that in losing 
 him he was losing a wise counsellor, a faithful 
 pastor, and a true friend." 
 
 Mr. Taylor's long and intimate association with 
 the late Principal of the Normal College was a very 
 happy one, and was characterised by most hearty 
 mutual affection and esteem. Probably no one 
 valued more highly than did his most intimate 
 
 * The engraving prefixed to the present volume is taken from this bust.
 
 LETTERS TO TEACHERS. 9 
 
 colleague, Mr. Scott's profound practical wisdom, 
 his great kindness of heart, and his genuine, 
 unaffected piety ; whilst Mr. Scott confided entirely 
 in Mr. Taylor, and entrusted to him the most 
 weighty affairs, frequently and generously acknow- 
 ledging the advantage which he derived from the 
 wise counsels, and unflagging diligence of his friend. 
 They were lovely and pleasant in their lives, 
 and in death they were not long divided. And 
 now, almost side by side, their mortal parts repose 
 in the same quiet resting-place at Norwood, 
 awaiting the sound of that Voice which shall unite 
 them for ever in the presence of the Master whom 
 they both loved so well. 
 
 The following letters, addressed to Teachers 
 of Schools, are here inserted to show the interest 
 which the writer took in their work ; and with the 
 hope that they may prove of service to other 
 Teachers, who may be placed in circumstances 
 similar to those to which they owe their origin. 
 
 To Mr. Joseph Moult on, of Castle-Donington. 
 
 " Westminster, September itfh, 1852. 
 MY DEAR SIR, 
 
 I should have answered yours before had it not 
 been for the delicacy and difficulty of your subject. 
 
 My views coincide with what I believe is the 
 doctrine of the Glasgow system, that the way to
 
 9 LIFE AT WESTMINSTER. 
 
 deal with refractory scholars is not to expel, but 
 cure them. I would not say a child should in no 
 case be expelled ; but that seldom or never will a 
 child need this extreme measure if proper methods 
 are employed to govern and subdue. 
 
 The chief methods are these : the public 
 sentiment of the school being- turned against the 
 misconduct, on a trial by jury, and private 
 exhortation and prayer. The only incident of 
 the kind here that has come under notice is the 
 following : 
 
 One of our masters came to me and the Head- 
 Master a short time ago, saying one of his boys 
 must be expelled for playing truant almost con- 
 stantly, and for general offences ; urging a 
 message from the mother of two other children 
 that her boys should be taken away if this lad 
 was not. 
 
 Mr. Sugden said : ' If you expel, you admit 
 that your system has failed, can do no good in 
 this instance.' The master reluctantly consented 
 that the boy should remain for a time, and we 
 promised to see him. We each took him aside, 
 and prayed with him, I believe. And from that 
 day he has been punctual, orderly, and diligent. 
 I should have said that one awkward peculiarity of 
 the case was, that the boy's snare and stumbling- 
 block was an abandoned, drunken mother. 
 
 The conclusion with me is, that if pains be taken,
 
 LETTERS TO TEACHERS. 
 
 suitable pains, your topic would become a point 
 rather of speculation than practice. 
 
 I am, yours affectionately, 
 
 M. C. TAYLOR." 
 
 " Mount, York, August 2Qth, 1858. 
 W. F. M. had no numbers at the July examina- 
 tion lower than the highest, a rank in which he 
 stood alone. . . . Your nephew's modesty 
 appears equal to his ability." 
 
 "Mount, York, August 23^ 1864. 
 I congratulate you on the fame your name is 
 acquiring in the hands of so many of your nephews 
 and cousins, Moultons and Fiddians." 
 
 Letters to Mr. Watts. 
 
 " Westminster, October &th, 1863. 
 . . . Give these praying children plenty to 
 do and think about. Expect them to do arithmetic 
 better than the others. A child quickly loses or 
 gains religion. The more practical, devout, and 
 intelligent their religion can be made, the more 
 likely to be permanent." 
 
 " Westminster, April 21 st, 1864. 
 I am not surprised, though sorry, to hear of 
 your health being in danger. Please learn that 
 without health you are without power; and that
 
 9 2 LIFE AT WESTMINSTER. 
 
 when health is sacrificed it is rarely that the self- 
 immolation is appreciated." 
 
 " February iQth, 1864. 
 
 What do you think the want of Sunday-schools 
 is ? I think it is, Religious Select Classes, without 
 regard to age." 
 
 To Mr. B . 
 
 " October \qth, 1858. 
 
 . . . Are you in earnest when you ask advice 
 about marrying? If you are, I would say, make 
 true religious principle and good sense indispensable 
 requisites. Love is a poor thing without confidence 
 and respect. God's favour in this matter is favour 
 indeed. We shall be most glad to hear that you 
 do well for yourself when you marry." 
 
 "July 8M, 1857. 
 
 Always beg pardon for delay in writing, but 
 never for writing long." 
 
 " February tfh, 1861. 
 MY DEAR SIR, 
 
 We heartily congratulate you on all Downing- 
 Street honours conferred on you and J. Garbutt. 
 You deserve them, and may therefore rightfully 
 enjoy them. 
 
 But, with you, we are still more pleased with 
 these tokens of the working of the Lord the Spirit. 
 The comfort of seeing and feeling that we have an
 
 LETTERS TO TEACHERS. 93 
 
 Almighty Co- Worker is unspeakable. Then, these 
 things are to whet your desire, and to train you for 
 greater things. 
 
 Yours very truly, 
 
 M. C. TAYLOR." 
 
 Letter to Mr. Dallon, Salford. 
 
 " Training College, June S/A, 1861. 
 MY DEAR SIR, 
 
 You do good when you tell of God's mercy, as 
 well as when you are a co-worker with it. 
 
 ' My few country appointments : ' I had forgotten 
 you preached. Unless you think of the Ministry 
 are you not doing too much, as to the kinds of work ? 
 Is it not time you played a little of the general ? It 
 is a good thing for a soldier to fight all day for his 
 country ; but it is better to direct the fighting of ten 
 or twenty soldiers, especially if they learn from us, 
 and live to fight when we have passed away. May 
 God enrich you with lowly, fervent, love, and endow 
 you with wisdom and power. 
 
 Yours very truly, 
 
 M. C. TAYLOR." 
 
 To Mr. Slack. 
 " Wesley an Training College, West minster, 
 
 November 2$th, 1861. 
 MY DEAR SIR, 
 
 This is great kindness to give us such good news.
 
 94 LIFE A T WESTMINS TER . 
 
 I dare say I should have done as you did, had I 
 been with you. Yet, at a distance, I am cooler, if 
 not wiser. I query whether if the school-routine had 
 been insisted on for duty's sake you would not have 
 found the gracious feeling- had been deepened and 
 confirmed by the apparent delay. To teach the 
 children to look up for God's blessing- whilst doing 
 His will in learning- their lessons, and then pour 
 out their hearts in direct prayer during- their own 
 time, the play hour, would have some advantages 
 in relation to parents, the world, and the children 
 themselves. 
 
 Forgive this remark, and take it for what it is 
 worth. 
 
 As to the future : 
 
 1 . Form at once a Select Class. Adults need the 
 ' class ; ' much more do children, and yet they also 
 need a little variety and elasticity as to mode. 
 Constant questions as to experience simply, are not 
 wise or profitable at that immature age. Variations 
 are suggested in the following remarks. 
 
 2. Fresh feeling is to be created and fostered by 
 fresh truth. In the class, and out of it, let them 
 frequently hear new and farther views of the things 
 of God. This will promote the right kind of feeling, 
 and will keep all feeling right. 
 
 3. And not least. Direct all knowledge and 
 emotion into the channel of holy living. This is 
 the gracious design in both these previous gifts.
 
 LETTERS TO TEACHERS. 95 
 
 Excitement will be safe, healthy, and most valuable 
 when turned into this course. Get a frivolous child 
 to be attentive; an impulsive boy to be patient; an 
 irascible youth to be gentle ; a selfish soul to be 
 generous, for Christ's sake ; let arithmetic and gram- 
 mar be better done,/0r conscience sake ; and you will 
 lay your foundations so deep that they will last for 
 a life. 
 
 And unless means of this kind are used, the 
 religion of children is often as readily lost as it is 
 gained. Antinomianism is as strong a natural 
 tendency in them as in adults ; and added to this is 
 the thoughtlessness which is peculiar to the period 
 of early life. 
 
 Yours very truly, 
 
 M. C. TAYLOR." 
 
 Letter to Miss L , New- Wortley. 
 
 " Westminster, September 2$th t 1 86 1. 
 
 DEAR Miss L , 
 
 Yours was delivered yesterday. I hope your 
 own views of your health will be realized. No 
 greater help to this can be had than that quiet 
 cheerfulness and ease which the assurance that we 
 are Christ's gives. There is much grace for you. 
 O, seek the whole of it ! and aim at being very holy. 
 Then our heavenly Lord will take care of our 
 comfort, and make us very happy. 
 
 Yours affectionately, 
 
 M. C. TAYLOR."
 
 LIFE AT WESTMINSTER. 
 
 To Miss E- 
 
 " Westminster, April $th, 1858. 
 You will be able now to look on a goodly number 
 of your former charge who have grown up to 
 youth's estate at least. We hope the survey in many 
 cases is a very gratifying one. The seed may often 
 be wasted ; but, when some springs up, it proves the 
 sowing. A teacher may not be responsible for 
 failure, and yet be entitled to the satisfaction of all 
 
 the success." 
 
 "May igth, 1860. 
 
 We have special joy in the spiritual power of 
 our old students, because their health is the life of 
 
 many." 
 
 "September 24! h, 1862. 
 
 Your last sentence shows to me that you hide 
 
 your light under a bushel at . I suspect you 
 
 are little known, because you will not make your- 
 self known. Is all the fault on the part of the 
 
 friends ? Imagine yourself enriched with 
 
 much more grace! Would not this overcome 
 some of your natural and reasonable scruples, 
 showing a more excellent way than even nature 
 and reason would suggest? " 
 
 To Mr. Mackrell, Tebworth, Leighton-Buzzard. 
 
 "Westminster, S. W., July iqth, 1864. 
 MY DEAR SIR, 
 
 We are most glad to hear of your welfare from 
 yourself, and also from others.
 
 LETTERS TO TEACHERS. 97 
 
 Tebworth and the school are not large, but 
 try to make them as ' a city set on a hill.' Your 
 position places you in some respects at the head 
 of the work of God in the village. Have you sat 
 down to count hmv much you can do in quickening 
 and saving the people ? . 
 
 Yours very truly, 
 
 M. C. TAYLOR." 
 
 "Westminster, September \oth, 1864. 
 MY DEAR SIR, 
 
 In visiting, "a word of prayer," when prac- 
 ticable, will be better remembered than anything 
 else. In conducting Bible-Classes, the more the 
 pupils can be induced to do for themselves, the 
 better. 
 
 Yours very truly, 
 
 M. C. TAYLOR." 
 
 Letters addressed to Miss M- . 
 
 " Westminster, May 26th, 1862. 
 
 DEAR Miss , 
 
 I rely on your good sense and good feeling to 
 read this to your profit. 
 
 1 . Miss has brought great scandal on us 
 
 and her Local Committee by her altercations with 
 Miss - . This makes her Committee properly 
 sensitive about the disposition of the next Teacher. 
 
 2. Having nothing to judge from but your
 
 LIFE AT WESTMINSTER. 
 
 letters, they are alarmed lest Miss M should 
 
 prove a Miss . I cannot blame them. The 
 
 style of your first letter was not agreeable. The 
 same thing- might have been put pleasantly. As it 
 was, it read, highty-tighty. The writing (a second 
 time) in the third person, was, too, unfortunate under 
 the circumstances. This is the distant style. 
 
 3. I have assured them, however, you have simply 
 done your true temper injustice by these things ; and 
 Mr. F will probably call on you to-morrow. 
 
 How does ' self-conquest ' get on ? 
 Yours affectionately, 
 
 M. C. TAYLOR." 
 
 " Committee, Thursday Afternoon. 
 MY DEAR Miss , 
 
 I am not surprised at your sensible dealing with 
 my remarks ; yet I am gratified and thankful. 
 
 Now, never again do yourself injustice by 
 saying- what first comes upon the surface. The 
 cream of your utterances does not lie at the top. It 
 is unwise ever to presume on the charity of those 
 who don't know us, or even on the charity of some 
 who do know us. We should write, not merely 
 what may be understood as we wish, but what 
 cannot be understood otherwise. 
 
 Now for a happy, merry, successful course 
 
 at . 
 
 Yours very truly, 
 
 M. C. TAYLOR."
 
 LETTERS TO TEACHERS. 99 
 
 " Westminst'.r, January l$th, 1863. 
 
 DKAR Miss , 
 
 . . . Monotony is a good thing- to provoke 
 observation as well as thought. When we fix our 
 eyes on the monotonous life of a village, a new 
 world of human nature, and external scenery opens 
 before us. 
 
 With kind regards, 
 
 Yours very truly, 
 
 M. C. TAYLOR." 
 
 "April $oth, 1863. 
 
 I have not a word to say against village gossip. 
 Gossip is a vital element for this mortal state; and 
 to me a very pleasant one. But you began your 
 letter by proposing to ignore it ; and it was this that 
 struck me when I saw how you were driven to 
 descend from so celestial a height. 
 
 ' Isolation. 1 I hope this does not mean that you 
 cultivate no intercourse outside your own house. 
 Yet I fear it may mean this. If it does, you are 
 graciously reproved by this self-inflicted sense of 
 loneliness. Surely there is some one whom you 
 might be benefiting every week. ' Willing to com- 
 municate ' is a Christian style of character, to be 
 cultivated if necessary." 
 
 " October 2S/A, 1863. 
 
 Do you mean you were expecting to hear of 
 
 H 2
 
 IOO LIFE AT WESTMINSTER. 
 
 your appointment ? If so, you are wrong- in our 
 almanack by a month. 
 
 To do these things by piecemeal would worry 
 the flesh off our bones. At the same time I see 
 nothing to object to your K . . . wish." 
 
 "November \6th, 1863. 
 
 I put the query I did, because I supposed an old 
 (D -- ) acquaintance was maintained. Was it 
 your will, too, that broke that ? You worship this 
 will of yours very heroically." 
 
 '- "January i^th, 1864. 
 
 Why should you speak of Mr. - being- 
 ' gracious ? ' You still keep all the world at arm's 
 length I fear ; or, at least, you are not perfect." 
 
 "April iyh, 1864. 
 
 There is power in circumstances, but not such 
 as to overpower man, and not such as to match 
 the power of his own will. Circumstances were 
 designed to be our servants. What relation they 
 actually hold servants, equals, or masters 
 depends on ourselves, and therefore indicate our 
 character. 
 
 Besides one-half our circumstances perhaps 
 nine-tenths are literally and truly our own creation. 
 A certain Miss M -- has shaped her own course, 
 and will do so still."
 
 LETTERS. IOI 
 
 The letters which next follow are taken from 
 Mr. Taylor's correspondence with various friends 
 during- his association with the College at West- 
 minster : 
 
 " The Green, [Stoke Newington} 
 
 Saturday, 6.30 a.m., 
 
 September i$/h, 1851. 
 MY DEA GEDEN, 
 
 Hoping you may receive this to-night, I will try 
 to satisfy my desire to write you. I have often 
 thought how tempted you might be to say I did not 
 sympathise in your new anxieties as I did not write. 
 But I have sympathised often and deeply; and 
 should have written much sooner, had I not each day 
 looked for more leisure to-morrow. 
 
 I felt very pleased that you wrote twice, and 
 that your last was so long and letter-like. If we 
 cannot talk let us write, and Newcastle will not be 
 so outlandish. Your letters, unfortunately, are at 
 the 'Normal Institution, Westminster,' (which, 
 if you please, will be my address) . But I remember 
 how you spoke of your feelings of trembling and 
 desire for the future. The one sermon a week will 
 be easily managed. I found it best usually to settle 
 the text and outline on Sunday night when unable to 
 sleep, jot it down on Monday morning, revolve 
 round and round it during the week, and then a 
 whole Friday sufficed. When suffered to encroach
 
 IO2 LIFE AT WESTMINSTER. 
 
 on a late hour of Saturday night, it was a heavy 
 mental and spiritual incubus. 
 
 One great advantage of a pastoral charge is 
 that some particular want of your flock will always 
 be yearning within you for a supply of truth and 
 grace. It is of little use, however, saying what will 
 spontaneously occur to you. The following may 
 
 not. says he has found it necessary for vigour 
 
 and comfort to observe a seventh day as one of rest. 
 I wish devoutly I had heard this counsel at Hastings. 
 You hear it in time. It is invaluable, as the neglect 
 of it will soon make you feel. 
 
 I am settling down after some days of confusion 
 and excitement. Already I am well occupied from 
 10 to 4, and could easily fill up two or three hours 
 more every day if I chose. But the six are quite 
 sufficient. Indeed, I have not yet got hold of a sure 
 way of counteraction to the influence of pen and ink 
 pursuits. I feel this morning very much beneath the 
 spirit of Sabbath preparation. I must seize more 
 resolutely the ' vacant hours/ and fill them up to 
 greater profit, or the M. C. T. of the next three 
 years will be the M. C. T. of the past three." 
 
 " Mom 'alto Cottage, Vent nor, 
 Thursday, p.m., 
 
 November 2 Jth, 1 85 1 . 
 MY DEAR GEDEN, 
 
 I know of nothing which has arisen to becloud
 
 LETTERS. IO3 
 
 our sky but the impression or suspicion that you 
 are still laid aside by illness. ... A line to set 
 the matter at rest will be most welcome. 
 
 Our cards would acquaint you with our marriage 
 on the i Qth. We stayed at Winchester that night, 
 partly for the sake of the Cathedral, and came 
 here this day week. You would have been written 
 to long before to-day, but the remarkably fine 
 weather has given us such busy employment that I 
 have had no leisure before this evening. 
 
 Having attained the end of worldly wishes, I 
 seem cast the more directly on things of Heaven. 
 There is nothing now to come between my hope 
 and that crown. But though desire is in this sense 
 unfettered, it is not necessarily elevated. I^one but 
 the Divine Spirit can raise this mortal heart. O how 
 I want-His quickening impulse ! 
 
 Father, Mother, and John, were at our wedding, 
 which passed off very quietly and agreeably. From 
 them I learned you had been very poorly, and this 
 has been a burden I have carried with me to this 
 place. Relieve me, pray." 
 
 " Westminster, January \$th, 1852. 
 MY DEAR GEDEN, 
 
 I am very pleased you have begun a Bible-Class. 
 I offer you a remark volunteered also to Hellier. 
 There should be a class, easy, attractive enough 
 to win the many of your young people into the good
 
 1 04 LIFE A T WES TMINS TER . 
 
 and right way. Bibilical study should be the 
 primary aim of one class, but there needs to be 
 another, whose ' final cause ' shall be beguiling and 
 saving our precious youth. 
 
 You know I prepared very little ; and so I was 
 tempted, I suppose, to encourage conversation. I 
 had no difficulty in repressing vagrancies; and 
 always felt when a good conversation was attainable 
 and was going on, that this was one of the best 
 modes of conducting such a class. Congratulate 
 yourself much if you have any who will think, and 
 then talk. . . . Mary was very anxious I should 
 -write in December, and arrange for you to stay with 
 us on your way to Maidstone, but I felt sure you 
 would not come this way just yet. Our home, however, 
 is yours whenever you come. That is a settled fact. 
 
 . . . It is a consolation to look on our forty 
 students in the class-room and at table, and feel 
 myself blessed with the opportunity of doing good 
 to thousands through these forty. I would not 
 hastily exchange places with any one. How I should 
 like to talk over Dr. Chalmers' life, and Isaac 
 Taylor's strange book, with you. The latter 
 especially. We have been wont to speculate freely 
 about Methodism, and here is a book outstripping 
 our wanderings far. It will be an instructive 
 book if we are willing to make it so; though con- 
 taining most unpardonable errors, most false and 
 mischievous statements."
 
 LETTERS. IO5 
 
 rxxv*%-^VX- 
 
 " South Lambeth, 
 
 Monday, p.m., 
 
 February 'jth, 1853. 
 MY DEAR GEDEN, 
 
 Your goodness is irresistible. If you had not 
 written I should have yielded to the call of arrears 
 of education scribbling-; but all must give way now. 
 I cannot withstand such an appeal. Perhaps you 
 would think worse of me than you do, if you knew 
 the urgencies of Mary night by night for some 
 weeks past. But I could not help it. That at least 
 is my belief. 
 
 I have little recollection of December, except the 
 Examination by Morell, our breaking up, and 
 the admission of twenty-three new students. It was 
 an exciting, busy month. 
 
 In January I re-wrote John i. 40; read Uncle Tom 
 (at last); Trench on the 'Study of Words,' a very 
 suggestive book on a topic new to me; a volume of 
 Arnold's Sermons, not over evangelical, but beauti- 
 fully simple, and attractively exhibiting his own 
 manly practical religion ; with articles in Reviews, 
 including a good historical one on Inspiration in 
 the ' North British. ' 
 
 I am very glad that I have now the prospect of 
 systematic exercises with the students. When Mr. 
 Scott is absent, I and Mr. Hirst (alternately) meet 
 them on Sabbath mornings ; Mr. Hirst's topic being 
 our Lord's parables; mine His miracles; and on
 
 io6 
 
 LIFE AT WESTMINSTER. 
 
 Monday mornings, from nine to a quarter past ten, 
 I am expected always to take Mr. Scott's place. 
 [Mr. Scott was then President of the Conference.] 
 I have chosen for this latter time " Bible Interpre- 
 tation," intending" to dwell on the principle and 
 general rules, and then on the special rules for 
 certain portions, after the plan, in the main, of 
 Hartwell Home ; though I cannot help trying to 
 make his order more logical than he has left it. 
 (Did you never think him very heavy for this 
 reason?) When seventy students are waiting on 
 your lips, it makes even me feel, and I wish I could 
 do them more good. Forgive this preference of 
 personal topics. To your letters. 
 
 February Ajh. ' Isaac Taylor ' makes one glisten. 
 Geden reading I. T. ! Pray what ? I wish you had 
 said a little about your Lecture on Language. 
 . . . . Will you believe that I have lately 
 bought some books ? G. Herbert's Poems, Morell's 
 History of Philosophy, and Upham's Interior Life. 
 
 This last at H 's urgent entreaty. Have just 
 
 finished it. Am disappointed with his exposition of 
 the process of Entire Holiness; style too dogmatic 
 and Finney-like, and substance not a little un- 
 sound in my notion, more Morisonian than 
 scriptural. But in the development of entire holi- 
 ness he becomes interesting, and this part of his 
 book is valuable."
 
 LETTERS. IO7 
 
 XXXXXXX^XXX^XVXXXVXVXN 
 
 " Lansdow n-Road, North, 
 
 Monday Morning, June l$/A, 1853. 
 Mr DEAR GEDEN, 
 
 I hardly know what I have been doing- for the 
 past two or three months, except that I have been 
 constantly employed. Our Government Inspection 
 at this season, and Mr. Scott's frequent, almost 
 continuous, absence, an admission of twenty students, 
 etc., have occurred as extra occupations. Only one 
 portion of the employment seems to have been for 
 myself, the Sabbath and Monday morning 1 exercise 
 with the students. With eighty or ninety embryo 
 teachers before me I have felt at length stirred up 
 to work. The work is to read Watson, and 
 Jackson's Lectures, and then throw one doctrine into 
 one lecture if possible. The Lecture is read at the 
 end of the hour and-a-quarter allotted, occupying 
 from fifteen to twenty minutes, the earlier portion 
 of time being occupied with 'revising' the topic ot 
 the previous week, endeavouring, by questioning, 
 to ascertain and secure that all understand as we 
 proceed. The task is a very refreshing one. (A 
 cloud of some forty letters has just come in, 
 and I must hasten on.) 
 
 Our May Meeting was to me remarkable, because 
 two of the chief speakers were your Richmond 
 contemporaries. I did not get to speak to Punshon 
 or Robinson. 
 
 I feel the damage of this constant occupation,
 
 io8 
 
 LIFE AT WESTMINSTER. 
 
 mentally and spiritually. I have read little or 
 nothing- save ' Minutes of Council/ and as to religious 
 exercises, they have been very much confined to the 
 Sabbath and the Class-room. I do hope when Mr. S. 
 becomes Ex-P. I shall have more leisure. I question 
 deeply at times whether I ought not to seek a 
 Circuit ? What do you think on this head ? " 
 
 " South Lambeth, Ociober ijth, 1853. 
 MY DEAR GEDEN, 
 
 . . . Of Manchester I know very little, and shall 
 be glad to have your generalising when I can see 
 you, and can chat it all over. I should like to see you 
 in Oxford-Road pulpit. . . . Now for a first-rate 
 Bible-Class ! Mr. Osborn and Mr. Barrett had them, 
 andyou would succeed very well this winter. 
 
 Do you have any leisure ? Can you read at all ? 
 What has become of Bopp ? 
 
 .... I have been thinking lately I am 
 very cold in things sacred. I appear to preach 
 and pray so unworthily. And yet I have a deeper 
 sense of what I owe to our students at least. I 
 am either hindering or helping them whenever I 
 meet with them. What a mystery I am, to believe 
 so much and do so little." 
 
 "Home, Friday, p.m. 
 
 December gth, 1853. 
 MY DEAR GEDEN, 
 
 It is the last of the days you allow, and I must
 
 LETTERS. IO9 
 
 write. You may perhaps have gathered from Mr. 
 
 A . that I have been very "poorly; " but I am 
 
 better. It is the trouble and excitement of providing 
 for forty schools and forty teachers at this season 
 that fidgets me. 
 
 For some time I have not been able to do any- 
 thing else but business of this kind. Happy Geden ! 
 who can read ' scholarly and vigorous exposition.' 
 But I am happy too, for so long as I am here 
 this is my work; allotted, I trust, by the same 
 Master. But do I go through it for Him ? I have 
 asked this lately, and wondered at the amount of 
 Christian service I have sometimes done with so 
 little of the Christian motive. 'I do it for Thee] 
 would make any life lovely and glorious ; would 
 make my life much happier and holier. I have 
 prayed for this as a continual exercise. 
 
 How very refreshing and stirring to witness 
 the operation of the Almighty Spirit on your 
 congregations! One conversion, when we stand 
 by and see it, watch it for days afterwards, and 
 ste whenever we meet the subject, is worth, for 
 solid satisfaction of one's reason, a score volumes 
 of man's works on 'Evidences.' We are in con- 
 tact with a direct creation of God, and the spectacle 
 fills us with faith and love." 
 
 "Pavement, Fork, January \\th, 1855. 
 MY DEAR GEDEN, 
 
 About a fortnight ago, I had a very slight attack
 
 HO LIFE AT WESTMINSTER. 
 
 of scarlatina ; but it was sufficient to make me an 
 invalid for a week, which, under the circumstances, 
 I found a very pleasant sort of thing. It gave me 
 such an agreeable taste of home, that I think I shall 
 see it my duty in future to leave early in the after- 
 noon. I commit the manners of the students to H. 
 French, Esq., B.A., of Taunton, one of our new 
 Masters. The perception of this duty was very 
 much clarified whenever Mary had to go out and 
 
 leave me alone : it was very wearisome 
 
 Really, if I ever study again, (you will smile at 
 the 'again,') in my way, I mean, it must be 
 Education ; I think I seem committed to it, I 
 ought to know all about it, I know very little, and 
 I don't see why I should not give myself to it as 
 much as you to Hermeneutics. By Education, I 
 intend, i. The course of study pursued by our 
 students; 2. Public Education and Church Educa- 
 tion, in their principles and modes. What do you 
 say ? By dint of sticking at it every night for some 
 months, I have no arrears, and I don't intend to 
 have any in future. If I effect this, I shall often, I 
 hope, have evenings for reading. 
 
 What a difference between my life, and yours 
 and Hellier's ! And yet I enjoy it, and am content 
 with it." 
 
 " Westminster, August 2%th, 1855. 
 MY DEAR GEDEN, 
 
 . . . We greatly enjoyed our visit to your happy
 
 LETTERS. 1 I I 
 
 ^\XVXX/^XVXVXN,^NXN^NXXX^X>^^XXXXXN^N.XN^XXXXXX^X^- 
 
 home, and shall talk of it for a long- time to come. 
 I think I intimated that as I grew older my heart 
 seems to grow softer. I feel more than I used to 
 do, feel more obligation to others, more love for 
 others, meaning you and a few more. And so the 
 pain of parting is greater. 
 
 Well, I do intend, as Mary enjoins, that I will 
 show more friendliness by writing oftener. If I 
 write briefly and gossipingly accept the fact of 
 writing as a pledge of sympathy. Having seen 
 you, I shall notice what you say about your health. 
 I am a little concerned, though I look to the August 
 of 1856 [when Mr. Geden became Classical Tutor 
 at Didsbury] as the inauguration of a long and 
 happy relief, if not of rest. 
 
 The only drawback on our visit was that it was 
 too short. I had a world to say, and it has been 
 left unsaid. One thing I wished to have discussed, 
 the supreme importance of an effective ministry ; 
 that which actually adds to the faith, joy, and 
 obedience of many. I feel this life is a very vain 
 thing; and that things which abide are the only 
 things worth caring for. Men pass away so 
 quickly that hardly any other office than that of 
 saving them into eternal life appears important 
 enough to be attended to. And all this makes me 
 ashamed of hastily-prepared, carelessly-delivered 
 messages on sacred things. This has been my 
 mood of late."
 
 I 1 2 LIFE A T WES TMINS TER . 
 
 " Westminster , June 2d, 1856. 
 MY DEAR GEDEN, 
 
 . . . Every one thinks you are fitted for 
 Didsbury. Hellier and I certainly do. You will 
 be happy there and useful, too, in many ways. 
 I hope to see you duly installed by vote at Bristol. 
 . . / . I want, too, to make you listen to my 
 Home-^lission hobby. As you may influence 
 others, I will'give you the substance of this. Have 
 a lay organization for collecting, I believe this 
 is the reason why we get 119,000 for Foreign- 
 Missions, instead of 19,000, and that lay agency 
 and sympathy are the reasons why Lancashire 
 raises such enormous sums for Sunday-schools. I 
 believe the want of this is the reason why we have 
 such small contributions to everything else. I be- 
 lieve further that the adoption or omission of this 
 mode of working will decide whether we shall 
 raise for Home-Missions, 50,000 or 15,000. 
 Public Meetings, without lay organization, will fail, 
 as they have done at Leeds; the first being the 
 best, the next, second best, the last, poor. A 
 Public Meeting that belongs to everybody, belongs 
 to nobody; and will always be looked upon as 
 interfering with 'my meeting' of the Trustee, 
 Tract Distributor, School Teacher, etc., etc. 
 Private Subscriptions, if devolved on the Minister, 
 will be confined to single guineas, and to the single- 
 guinea class. If the Minister have to get in the
 
 LETTERS. I I 3 
 
 ^XNXNX%X^kXNX>^NXNXXXXXVy^SXN^VXN>XX\X\XXX\./^X%XN^ 
 
 moneys, no layman will ever think of asking another for 
 a subscription. This must be a wrong 1 state of things. 
 Are you converted ? If so, convert P. and J. 
 H. If not; give your objections or difficulties. 
 I feel very strongly on the matter ; the more, per- 
 haps, as I see how other educating- bodies are 
 profiting by the adoption of a principle which we 
 overlook to our loss. The principle may be put in 
 two words ; it grows out of one thing, but that a 
 strong, uniform, universal thing, human nature." 
 
 Letters to Mrs. T. W. Stead (formerly of Egremont, 
 now of Southport.) 
 " Mount, York, August ijth, 1857. 
 MY DEAR MRS. STEAD, 
 
 . . . Yesterday and to-day, I have again 
 and again discovered myself at Church-Street, 
 Egremont. Harry, and Sarah, and baby, and 
 others I see frequently, and hope to do for some 
 time to come. I think I could live over again the 
 events of each day I was there, without much effort 
 of memory." 
 
 "Westminster, February 2Oth, 1862. 
 MY DEAR MRS. STEAD, 
 
 I cannot say how sad I was to see that an- 
 nouncement in the 'Watchman' of your great grief. 
 This envelope I addressed a few days afterwards, 
 and I have waited in vain for a little leisure to 
 give expression to my sympathy. Of course, I 
 
 i
 
 LIFE AT WESTMINSTER. 
 
 know nothing- of preceding- circumstances, and can 
 only hope that your distress was not increased by 
 the sickness being very sudden or very painful. I 
 cannot help feeling that you must have been well- 
 nigh heart-broken, hardly in a state to listen to 
 any thoughts other than your own. Even then, 
 however, God has access to our spirits; He 'de- 
 lighteth in mercy.' His consolations are as vast 
 as His greatness, for He is the God of all comfort, 
 and exercises His Kingly sway equally in telling 
 ' the number of the stars,' and ' healing the broken 
 in heart.' (Psalm cxlvii.) 
 
 I will trust, then, that you have had special help 
 in this hour of bereavement, and have proved that 
 it is even good to be afflicted. 
 
 And when I turn to the future the sky brightens, 
 and there is the clear shining of the sun after rain. 
 In coming years you, and therefore, yours, will be 
 great gainers by this fiery trial. Some striking 
 advantage, some precious gift, some abounding 
 grace, is surely treasured up in such an affliction. 
 The more heavily you have been smitten, the more 
 confidently may you rely on soon recognising in 
 this stroke both the wisdom and love of our Father 
 who is in Heaven. 
 
 My wife unites with me in affectionate and 
 sorrowing regard, 
 
 Yours very sincerely, 
 
 M. C. TAYLOR."
 
 LETTERS. 
 
 " Westminster, February 1st, 1859. 
 MY DEAR GEDFN, 
 
 . . . The general thought and feeling- of 
 late weeks has been, the rapid rate at which my 
 life is passing. People are parents who were not 
 born when I was grown up ; and when as many 
 years shall -have flown by from this time, as have 
 fled since our Richmond days, (of yesterday,) I 
 shall have turned fifty. Yes,yf/7y; and I shall be 
 retiring from the field before I have begun to 
 occupy it, unless I am in earnest soon. You have 
 nothing to do with this disagreeable sequence ; but 
 do you know anything of the premises ? 
 
 'Another fact of the same class Students come 
 to us now in numbers, who have been wholly 
 trained (for the Pupil-Teacher term) by those 
 who were students here a few. years ago ! This 
 makes me feel there is good to be done here on an 
 indefinitely multiplying scale. 
 
 . . . Now for a little mosaic of bits suggested 
 by your three prized letters. Yours of December 
 made me feel you were no wiser yet. I was angry 
 that you were working so hard. There is this 
 motive to prudence : I believe we get no thanks 
 for excessive industry and pains. 
 
 Yours of January 10: 'Sore chest' served right. 
 You do wrong to tax yourself as you do. Gradua- 
 ting would be a good, I think; and I believe 
 John Wesley would soon have ruled that it was." 
 
 I 2
 
 Il6 LIFE AT WESTMINSTER. 
 
 "March 2<^h, 1859. 
 
 MY DEAR GEDEN, 
 
 We spent last Friday with Hellier. He and 
 Moulton are busy about the matriculation affair. 
 The fathers shrink, but had they been students at an 
 Institution, they would have better understood the 
 moral power of hard work, even at Cicero or Chem- 
 istry. I fervently hope the project will be carried. 
 With what grace he writes about ' hard work ! ' 
 
 Going through Matthew with our students I have 
 been led, by the conclusion of chapter iii. and the 
 opening' of chapter iv., to ask, What the Holy 
 Spirit did for the Lord Christ? The more I 
 inquire, the more forcibly does the answer appear 
 to come from many Scriptures, everything- for 
 His human nature, during His public life at least ; 
 and that our Lord did not call in aid His own 
 Divine prerogative and resources. The birth, 
 teaching, miracles, death, resurrection of the Son 
 of man are all ascribed by the Book to the Holy 
 Spirit. I should very much like to talk over the 
 subject with you. I can see no objection but 
 novelty, which I confess is rather grave. But it 
 may not be novel. At all events, I think the view 
 is as old as the times of Isaiah and Paul. If it be 
 so, our Lord's whole work on earth becomes more 
 real, more human, more intelligible; and the 
 Father and the Holy Spirit appear as actual agents 
 in the one great work of redemption in a way
 
 LETTERS. 117 
 
 which is inadmissible on the supposition that our 
 Lord fell back on His own Divine nature for all 
 supernatural service."* 
 
 " Westminster, June 24, 1859. 
 MY DEAR GEDEN, 
 
 . . . I have sent for Rigg's book to-day. 
 The idea of a book in common to discuss is a very 
 agreeable one. ... I was at the Geological 
 Society's Meeting on Tuesday for three hours. 
 Won't this make you laugh, and do your swollen 
 face good ?" 
 
 Westminster, October 30/4 1859. 
 MY DEAR GEDEN, 
 
 The great revival is gathering o'er 'all the 
 thirsty land' is it not? Good tidings reach us 
 from several schools and many Circuits. But 
 Mrs. Palmer! well, her theme is the fault of us 
 all ; her addresses are hitting the nail (a more 
 classical phrase does not occur). If any person 
 or company can be persuaded to exercise them- 
 selves in ' entire consecration,' a great revival has 
 been already wrought, and the power of a great 
 revival is carried about in daily life. It is the 
 most philosophic, comprehensive, lasting basis of a 
 revival that we can conceive. 
 
 This topic is dbcued more fully in a paper given as an Appendix to 
 this Volume.
 
 n8 
 
 LIFE AT WESTMINSTER. 
 
 It has been a great happiness to witness some 
 prelusive drops of the shower in some recent 
 services." 
 
 " Westminster, January 3U/, 1860. 
 MY DEAR GEDEN, 
 
 . . . 1 think of the services you describe 
 with pleasure. My pleasure is qualified by recol- 
 lecting- the unfortunate notions on this subject 
 which are current among our people, and which 
 will soon hinder or harass those whose hearts are 
 filled with love, the notions, I mean, which sever 
 sanctification from all former religious life, and 
 tempt these persons to think they have received a 
 new nature, are other and higher beings than they 
 ever were before. The first rude shock of temptation 
 or difficulty undeceives them; and then is the danger. 
 They too often lapse into scepticism about the ' ful- 
 ness of blessing;' or, what is worse, for shame's 
 sake adhere to the profession whilst condemned by 
 misgiving about the truth of what they say. 
 
 Mortal pen cannot describe how much we gained 
 by John Wesley's definiteness of thought. But 
 just as human nature abuses St. Paul's doctrine of 
 grace, so it perverts the logical, sharp outlines of 
 the uninspired man. It disjoints, isolates, turns 
 into stiff petrifactions, the orderly collocations and 
 connections of spiritual things. The justified man, 
 many hold, is under no obligation to live without 
 sin, and is not meet for heaven ! Who shall rebuke
 
 LETTERS. I 19 
 
 these libels on our Founder ? The damage to our 
 people is, enormous. How I wish I could talk 
 with you ! The subject brings John Hunt to mind. 
 It was a means of grace, indeed, to read that 
 book. Its publication is a mercy to the Connexion. 
 Preaching often, of late, from 2 Cor. vii. i, and 
 thinking of Hunt, and looking at what is required 
 of us in these revival days, I have come Do you 
 know? to Mrs. Palmer's great point, so far as I 
 remember her book; the duty of offering myself 
 constantly, immediately, fully to God. It is a simple, 
 practical point; but I feel there is great saving 
 wisdom in it. ... 
 
 We have one hundred and twenty-six students : 
 reopened last week, and I began ' Romans ' with 
 them this morning. I wish I could tell you, face to 
 face, all the odd things I venture to pronounce before 
 the students. Your conservativism would be taxed. 
 This morning I got them into a good talk, for an 
 hour, on these questions: Relation of Epistles to 
 Gospels ; Why the revelations of the Epistles with- 
 held until after Pentecost ; equality of Epistles with 
 Gospels in authority ; Why Paul made an Apostle 
 rather than an Evangelist, like Titus. Anything 
 that will freshen their interest and lead them to 
 think. On the last point I said I. To hide pride 
 from the twelve; 2. To show God's independence 
 of externalism, and any set order ; 3, and mainly, To 
 give an Apostle to the world, as He had given twelve
 
 I2O LIFE AT WESTMINSTER. 
 
 to His ancient Church. No doubt all I announce, 
 so far as it is true, might be found in Stuart, or 
 some simpler book. But it is pleasant to eschew 
 books when one has no time to read them, and go 
 and talk out one's own notions." 
 
 " Westminster, April $th, 1860. 
 MY DEAR GEDEN, 
 
 . . . Spurgeon I heard for the first time on 
 Sunday morning, to my great delight. A mass of 
 three thousand, hearing a stirring, earnest, devout, 
 impassioned, simple, gospel sermon. He gave a 
 strong impression of being moved by true zeal for 
 the souls of men. 
 
 Gladstone and Disraeli I heard too for the first 
 time, last week. It was a memorable gratification, 
 the thoughtful, practical, persuasive strain of the 
 first; and the burning, taunting, passionate strain 
 of the second." 
 
 Extract of letter addressed to John Lidgett, Esq.* 
 on the death of his father. 
 
 "June, 1 86 1. 
 
 How sorry I am to learn that personal illness 
 to some extent is, in your case, now added to your 
 heavy family affliction. Yet it is so instinctive to 
 believe in the rallying power of manhood in its 
 prime that I am all the while thinking that you 
 
 * Since deceased.
 
 LETTERS. 121 
 
 rfVXV/"^x^x^^ ( '^^V'*^-^^XXVx^kX^-*^'Ny%^vx^_<^^^"^^^ 
 
 cannot be ' very ill,' or at least that you will soon 
 throw off the attack, and forget it. 
 
 Not so, however, as to the sorrow that will 
 make this day memorable. That will remain ; the 
 recollection of ail its scenes of pain, of patience, of 
 the shadow of death, and of light at eventide, being 
 sharply cut within. All that others can say seems 
 vain when such a burden presses, and yet friends 
 cannot resist saying something, though it be as 
 nothing. It was surely gracious towards you that 
 sickness was continued until you all became desirous 
 that death should not be delayed. Providence 
 alone could so have overcome nature in you ; and 
 it did, quickly and quietly. 
 
 Then these expressions of peace and joy in 
 believing are precious, and will be fresh and 
 fragrant years hence. And now there is the 
 general, the wide-spread regret for a common loss, 
 sympathy with you and yours, and no slight ad- 
 miration of the virtues of him whose passing away 
 many mourn to-day. 
 
 M. C. T." 
 
 To the Rev. Theophilus Chubb, BA. 
 " Hazlewood, Yorkshire, 
 
 August 2 1st, 1 86 1. 
 MY DEAR BROTHER, 
 
 I am not willing the post should go out without 
 a line on the great subject your letter introduces.
 
 122 L IFE A T WES TMINS TER . 
 
 Surprised I am not. It is what I have long and 
 often thought. But interested, pleased, grateful to 
 God, I am. You have done right in unburdening 
 your conscience to Mr. Vasey, and giving your im- 
 pression a fair trial and test. You would have done 
 wrong if, under the circumstances, you had not done 
 as you have. You will soon have light to see the 
 next step, whatever that may be. 
 
 As to Tuesday, it will be a good preparation, 
 
 1. To think not so much of preaching, as of 
 instructing, edifying, benefitting the people ; not so 
 much of the means as of the end. This will promote 
 self-possession. 
 
 2. See that you are master of your sermon, its 
 course and parts, just as of the demonstration of a 
 problem. You will then be less careful about words ; 
 and being less careful, be more likely to command 
 the words you wish. 
 
 We will pray in Scarbro' when you are at 
 Leyton. I think you have heard me say that my 
 first essay at preaching was a very buoyant, joyous, 
 lengthened exercise, just because I was a captive 
 let out of prison. 
 
 With our warmest sympathy and love, 
 Your affectionate Brother, 
 
 , COULSON." 
 
 To the same. 
 
 " Westminster, November zfyh, 1862. 
 MY DEAR THEO. 
 
 has left us to day. Her coming has done
 
 LETTERS. 123 
 
 her good many ways. The last week or so she has 
 been quite natural and cheerful, and has almost 
 unlearned her odd ways. But her coming has made 
 a clear and strong impression on me. I am satisfied 
 her ailment is not physical or mental, except so far 
 as the mental is governed by what I name next. 
 The disease is purely moral, and it is that old, 
 hereditary, universal plague of us all, pride. She 
 loves to think herself different from others, because 
 of her questioning spirit ; and is willing even to be 
 thought, and to think herself morbid, if this only 
 means, strong peculiarity. The gravest feature of 
 the pride is the notion of her great conscientiousness 
 that she is scrupulous where ' good people ' rush 
 on without thought. My feeling is confirmed by her 
 virtual assent to its correctness. The last few days 
 I have told her what I thought very plainly, and 
 have declined on principle to discuss her curious 
 questions, sometimes ridiculing, and sometimes 
 rebuking them ; and pointing out, 
 
 1 . How our Lord and St. Paul dealt with such 
 ' disputations.' 
 
 2. How it was an obvious device of Satan to 
 divert her from undoubted, prime duties. Of course, 
 in words, she denied all fault, or rather alleged it 
 to be a rare excellence. But I felt she was convinced 
 by her own consciousness that pride was the secret 
 of her strange habits. The two things I tried to 
 urge were, coming to Christ so as to receive Him
 
 124 \L IFE A T WES TMINS TER . 
 
 and rejoice in Him, and caring for others, both at 
 home and without. 
 
 Yours ever, 
 
 COULSON." 
 
 Letters to his sister, Mrs. Coulson : 
 
 " Westminster, February l^th, 1863. 
 MY DEAR SISTER, 
 
 . . . Whether well or ill, the Word grows more 
 golden and sterling, the older we get. Other books 
 seem trifling unless they discuss this. One reason 
 probably is, that our eyes are opened, and we see 
 new beauty and blessedness not in one chapter, but 
 in all chapters." 
 
 " Westminster, March \2th, 1863. 
 MY DEAR SISTER, 
 
 Last Sunday I was at Brixton, and did not 
 preach any better because of the sight on Saturday. 
 Then, Mary and I had good seats at Mr. Ingle's, 
 and saw everything well. The Princess looks 
 better than the photographs a very lively, sharp, 
 sensible-looking girl. 
 
 On Tuesday afternoon I took Mary to see 
 London Bridge. But the crush at times was great. 
 At night we took our new servant with us, walked 
 some six miles, and saw the illuminations very well. 
 The majority of our friends Scotts and others 
 took vans or cabs, and saw nothing. Some got out
 
 LETTERS. 125 
 
 and went home. Some could not move until two or 
 three in the morning, and then the lights were put 
 out ! So ends another of this world's shows. 
 
 I am glad Mr. Stokoe took the subject he did. 
 There is temptation often in these anticipations of 
 death. We are not intended to ponder future duties 
 or trials ; and the true assurance that we shall have 
 grace for them springs from the feeling that we 
 have grace for such trials or duties as press upon 
 us now. What we shall need then we cannot 
 understand. It is a satisfaction to know that what 
 we need at present and do understand is always 
 given us. The temptation is common, because the 
 adversary sees it is seasonable when we are cast 
 down by pain and weakness. But there is comfort 
 even in that; it is common, has been resisted and 
 scattered by tens of thousands. 
 
 I am at my Report, from which task I hope to 
 be free when I write next, if spared. 
 
 With our love to you and Brother, 
 
 Yours ever, 
 
 COULSON. ' 
 
 " Westminster, February "jth, 1863. 
 MY DEAR SISTER, 
 
 We were very glad to receive yours this morning, 
 wondering how you were, and whether you would 
 write this week or not. 
 
 On the whole your account is not so dark as we
 
 126 
 
 LIFE AT WESTMINSTER. 
 
 feared it might be. The pain has been great, but 
 as compared with the whole week, not of long 
 continuance. 
 
 Yet it is this exhaustion, this depression, which 
 follows that is the most difficult thing, I imagine, to 
 bear. Nature turns against us, and grace has to 
 do the whole work of fortitude and patience alone. 
 
 Among our students we hear of no little family 
 trial and sorrow. And I begin to think that God 
 has long turned away from us what has long 
 fallen on others. 
 
 Our dinner at Mr. Scott's was a pleasant affair ; 
 old Mr. Jackson was there. ... I hope you 
 may still get to hear Mr. Rattenbury. . . . 
 Mary is having the Dorcas Meeting on Tuesday. 
 We unite in love to you both, 
 
 Your affectionate brother, 
 
 COULSON." 
 
 " Stockwett, August 2%th, 1863. 
 MY DEAR GEDEN, 
 
 . . . I had a bright Conference [at Sheffield], 
 mainly because of a very comfortable home at Mr. 
 W. Cockayne's. Mary joined me the last week." 
 
 To a former female student. Dated June Jth, 1864. 
 
 " Who would ever become a Leader ; who would 
 ever learn to pray 'easily,' on your theory, or rather, 
 according to your practice ? I suppose Mr. W
 
 LETTERS. 127 
 
 f**s^***s**s*>*s>>s**S**s^**s***r**^^ 
 
 means that if you cultivated Martha's class of 
 virtues, you would then be perfect. Perhaps you 
 are content with your natural half of perfection." 
 
 To the same ; dated October $ls/, 1864. 
 "Who shall foster, nourish, protect, train, these 
 newly-converted children ? All have not praying 
 homes. All have juvenile volatility to fight with 
 and master. I am sure you will yearn over them 
 and do anything- you can for them ; that is, get 
 them together, and talk with them. Such a service 
 is so simple, natural, unpretending, that I imagine 
 you must like it even at sight." 
 
 Letter to Miss S . 
 
 "3, Royal-Terrace Folkestone, 
 
 Sunday Evening, December, I \th, 1864. 
 MY DEAR M 
 
 This address and date explain my long silence, 
 and (if necessary) the brevity of this note. 
 
 I have been dragging on against nature, until 
 I was fairly stopped. Came here a fortnight ago, 
 unable to do anything, but make my wife a slave 
 by nursing and writing letters. Mr. Mansford, 
 however, came on Tuesday to help. They are 
 both at chapel ; and I feel I cannot do better than 
 write you, if I only knew how. 
 
 Thinking of writing you now for several Sun- 
 days, (for on week days I have more letters than
 
 128 
 
 LIFE AT WESTMINSTER. 
 
 are good for me,) I have fallen into a desponding 
 mood about you, possibly the result, in part, of 
 my want of health ; but of that you must judge. I 
 see you are going on, for another year at least, in 
 
 the old [way] ; you will not go to Mr. C 's 
 
 class, your mother's, or any other; and what goes 
 along with all this, though in one sense more 
 important, you are not seeking God with all your 
 heart. I do not say you have declined one iota ; 
 you have, I believe, as much good feeling as you 
 have had for many months. I could point to more 
 than one proof. Take an example. The ' good ' 
 part of your last two letters has consisted of 
 interesting accounts of the sermons you have 
 heard. Grace is upon you, or you would neither 
 listen to such things, or write about them. Still 
 these outlines of sermons you make, as you know, 
 the substitute for answering some plain and close 
 (but I hope right and suitable) questions about 
 yourself. You consciously and studiously shrink 
 from looking these questions in the face. What 
 impression does this feature of your two last 
 letters make ? Looking at your history, thinking 
 of you as the daughter of a Methodist Preacher, 
 and him glorified in Heaven, I feel you are 
 resisting much conviction, and schooling your 
 mind to a habit of spiritual content, which, apart 
 from the salvation of God, is one of the most per- 
 nicious and awful habits a human being can acquire.
 
 LETTERS. 129 
 
 Am I right? May God save you with the pub- 
 lican's brokenness of heart. (I have written as 
 much as I ought to-night)." 
 
 " Tuesday Morning, December I ^th, 1 864. 
 . . . The doctor says my ailment is 
 valvular obstruction, inducing congestion of the 
 lungs, etc. This is my third week. I am much 
 better, for when I came, I was good for nothing ; 
 and, as men always are [when ill], very depressed. 
 Yours affectionately, 
 
 M. C. TAYLOR."
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 LAST DAYS. 
 
 ' ' How do Thy mercies close me round ! 
 
 For ever be Thy Name adored ; 
 I blush in all things to abound ; 
 The servant is above his Lord ! 
 
 " Me for Thine own Thou lov'st to take, 
 
 In time and in eternity : 
 Thou never, never wilt forsake 
 A helpless worm that trusts in Thee." 
 
 A LTHOUGH Mr. Taylor never enjoyed very 
 ./jL robust health, he continued uninterruptedly in 
 the work of his office until near the end of the year 
 1864. Then for the first time the disease which 
 ultimately proved fatal, developed alarming" symp- 
 toms. A careful medical examination produced the 
 conviction that although his life might be prolonged 
 for two or three years, permanent recovery was not 
 to be hoped for. 
 
 In December, 1 864, he went for a few days to 
 Folkestone, returning before the end of the year. 
 
 The early part of 1865, from March till the end 
 of June, was spent at Torquay. He was at this 
 time unequal to much physical effort, but his mind 
 retained all its wonted activity ; he still took a deep
 
 RETIREMENT FROM OFFICE OF SECRETARY. I 3 ' 
 
 interest in educational affairs, and was able to 
 afford valuable counsel in reference to the business 
 of the Normal College. Mr. Scott and the other 
 members of the Education Committee could not 
 qu te relinquish the hope that he might return to his 
 duties, and at the Conference of 1865, he was con- 
 tinued in his office as Secretary, an arrangement 
 being made for the conduct of the necessary corres- 
 pondence by his friend Mr. Bailey of the Normal 
 College. 
 
 His friends, the Messrs. Lidgett, very kindly 
 made him the offer of a voyage in one of their 
 vessels, either to the Mediterranean or the East ; 
 but, acting on the advice of his physician, Dr. 
 Peacock, he felt obliged to decline it. The period 
 from September 1865 to May 1866, was spent at 
 Ventnor, whence he returned to his own house 
 at South Lambeth, to leave it no more. At the 
 Conference of 1866, all hope of his return to his 
 duties now being abandoned, his name was placed 
 on the list of Supernumeraries, and the Rev. G. W. 
 Olver, B.A., was appointed his successor. 
 
 Some of the remarks made in the Education 
 Committee of Review at the Conference of this year, 
 gave him great trouble. Some members of the 
 Committee raised the question whether it was not 
 expedient to appoint a lay Secretary in Mr. Taylor's 
 place. This suggestion caused him more pain than 
 anything that had occurred during the whole period 
 
 K 2
 
 J3 2 LAST DAYS. 
 
 of his connection with the College, because it made 
 him feel how little the fact was recognised by 
 others that his work at Westminster was above all 
 things else a "cure of souls." 
 
 In a letter dated, Tuesday Evening, July 
 24th, 1866, He says : " A lay Secretary ! This 'fly 
 in the ointment ' this morning did not tease me, 
 
 because I had got used to its appearance. Mr. 
 
 urged the same thing at our last Committee, on 7th 
 July. Have I spent my days, and I may say, my 
 health, in secular work ? I think if these gentlemen 
 knew what the work was, they would freely ac- 
 knowledge it was spiritual and pastoral, worthy 
 the energies of any minister of Christ. The work 
 is the oversight of this branch of the cause of God, 
 religious education throughout the Connexion. , . 
 The theory of our schools is, that they exist on 
 religious grounds, fir^t and last; and a minister 
 may, I imagine, well devote his life to an attempt, 
 at least, to realise such a theory. Peter would have 
 remained a fisherman, a layman, I suppose, if the 
 commission " Feed My sheep, . . My lambs," had 
 not raised him into something else. At least, most 
 persons think these words elevated him above all 
 things secular." 
 
 How fully the pastoral character of Mr. Taylor's 
 labours was appreciated by all resident at the 
 College, is sufficiently shown in the sketch furnished 
 by Mr. Mansford. Others, at a distance, judged of
 
 DECL IK1\G HE A L TH. I 3 3 
 
 his office by those acts only which came within the 
 scope of their own observation. 
 
 The remainder of this record is the history of 
 an invalid constantly growing- weaker, and rapidly 
 hastening to life's close. One hardly knows whether 
 to speak of this period as sad or not. To his 
 affectionate and devoted wife, and the many friends 
 who so dearly loved him, the thought that his useful 
 life was so soon to end was unspeakably distressing 1 . 
 But the sufferer himself was constantly cheerful. 
 
 "The intelligence," says Mrs. Taylor, " that he 
 was seriously ill was a shock as well as a surprise 
 to him, though taken very quietly. He had a great 
 deal of zest in life, in spite of the longing for a 
 little rest and relaxation which he sometimes felt ; 
 and he had many plans for the future. Life was by 
 no means a 'howling wilderness' to him, though he 
 had many trials during the last few years. At 
 Torquay we were reading the Psalms at family 
 prayer, and he chose a verse to think of during the 
 day. One night I said, ' You forgot your verse this 
 morning.' ' No, I took this, " O my God, take me 
 not away in the midst of my days ! Thy years are 
 throughout all generations." ' But if there was a 
 struggle it was soon over, and he could truly say, 
 ' I am not careful about the event.' " 
 
 In a letter dated Torquay, May 6th, 1865, he 
 says : " It is good to be afflicted. So far as my
 
 134 LAST DATS. 
 
 personal interests are concerned, the truer sense of 
 dependence on God which I now enjoy is worth 
 more than all the inconvenience and danger of this 
 illness." 
 
 "I think," Mrs. Taylor writes, "he almost enjoyed 
 the rest of his illness at first. As he was forbidden 
 to leave the house, he was not aware of the extent 
 of his weakness, and he seemed to improve rapidly. 
 . . . Sometimes when resting- on the sofa after 
 dinner he would say, ' How strange to be doing this 
 with a good conscience.' " 
 
 Through all the vicissitudes of consumption his 
 animation and cheerfulness scarcely ever flagged. 
 Even when so weak as to be unable to walk a few 
 yards, he would still enter with much interest into 
 books, politics, the affairs of his friends and the 
 Institution; and when wheeled into the sitting-room, 
 and laid on the couch, would talk for a few moments 
 like his old self, noting quietly, however, the gradual 
 increase of difficulty in breathing. 
 
 For the last eight weeks his distress on the least 
 excitement was so great that he could not see his 
 most intimate friends ; yet still he read the leaders 
 in the "Times," and glanced at them the very last 
 morning, and was especially eager to read the 
 bulletin respecting the Princess of Wales, whose 
 state of health just at that time caused general 
 anxiety. 
 
 "Surely," says Mrs. Taylor, "no one ever went
 
 CHEERFULNESS IN AFFLICTION. I 35 
 
 down the long descent to the extremity of weakness 
 with more cheerful dignity, lovely patience, stead- 
 fast faith in the Atonement, yet profound humilia- 
 tion. Even his playfulness did not forsake him. I 
 remember in particular being compelled to laugh 
 at one of his sallies, when my heart was almost 
 breaking, during one of those long nights of 
 incessant coughing, which no opiates would quiet. 
 
 "It was difficult to get him to allow that he 
 suffered. He would persist in telling the doctor 
 that he had had good nights, if he got two or three 
 naps of little more than half an hour each. If he 
 thought a symptom could be relieved, he would 
 mention it, but not otherwise. He could not deny 
 bis bodily distress during the last eight or ten 
 weeks, but he was always discovering some 
 alleviation. 
 
 "Three weeks, or nearly so, before the end, 
 his reserve about his own religious experience 
 vanished, which was a great comfort to those who 
 were watching the decay of the material part ; not 
 that they doubted of his happiness for one moment, 
 but it seemed to make the heaven to which the 
 spiritual part was so soon to remove, more real ; 
 so that one could think of his departure as only a 
 journey into a far, far country indeed. No doubt 
 of his acceptance with God seemed to cross his 
 mind, yet his sorrow for sin was often intense. 
 When unable to conduct family worship himself,
 
 1 3 6 
 
 LAST DAYS. 
 
 he often had the confession in the Communion 
 Service read to him, and joined in it with fervour. 
 At such times it was affecting- to observe that his 
 memory could not supply him with the mention of 
 any but what most people would call very trifling 
 matters. 
 
 " The most distressing- symptom of the last few 
 months was sleeplessness : accidentally I discovered 
 that reading- the Psalms aloud was the most effectual 
 method of procuring- sleep I could use; but he 
 would not allow me to do it, saying-, ' I would not 
 employ the Word of God to put me to sleep."' 
 
 Among his last sayings, carefully noted by Mrs. 
 Taylor and his brother-in-law, the Rev. Theophilus 
 Chubb, B. A., are the following : 
 
 Feb. $ih. Popular fallacies: "That churches 
 or persons have 'missions' other than to publish 
 the whole truth, and do all the good of every 
 kind they can, is ' bosh.' Take the Quakers, or 
 Methodists, or Luther, or Robertson, or Irving. 
 Portions of the truth, or classes of the community, 
 cannot be overlooked without injury; and this 
 retribution is great in proportion to the degree in 
 which exclusiveness has prevailed." 
 
 Feb. \\th. " Dean Alford writing on Christ as 
 the Alpha and Omega reminds us that the Father 
 is also eternal and unchangeable, and asks, ' What 
 is that to us?' This is too strong. The Father 
 may not have fellow-feeling as the Son has ; but He
 
 LAST SAYINGS. 137 
 
 '^XNXXXVi*^^XXXXXXVXXXXXX*'>-i^XX%XXXXXN-^V^VXXXXXKXXXXX' 
 
 ' so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten 
 Son ; ' and the prophets always made His very 
 eternity and unchangeableness the ground of their 
 appeal for the faith and joy of His people." 
 
 " Two classes disparage creeds. Some dislike 
 being- bound by anything- but their own will, any 
 objective moral truth is disagreeable. Others, as 
 the modern Calvinists, are troubled by contradic- 
 tions created merely by their own system ; and so 
 are driven to conclude that any attempt to make a 
 creed is vain, and even opposed to the g-enius of 
 Scripture. They attribute to all creeds the faults 
 which they have discovered in their own." 
 
 Feb. \%th. He said to Mrs. Taylor, knowing 
 that she was writing- to his father, " Tell my father 
 I am always at peace." 
 
 Feb. 2$th. He said, "My times are in Thy 
 hand ; " and spoke of suffering being " a merciful 
 dispensation to make friends acquiesce in the pass- 
 ing away." 
 
 Feb. 26/A. He felt great prostration all day, 
 and said, "This is suffering. What an animal life 
 this is ! I can't think. Merciful release, whenever 
 it comes." 
 
 Feb. 2-jth. "If I were to preach again, I would 
 preach more about Christ and His work, if even for 
 my own sake. My sermons have mostly been on 
 practical, collateral subjects." The same day he 
 was heard whispering "mercy," and when asked
 
 138 LAST DATS. 
 
 .-^^-'\>'xx%-'^^xxxxx^^'VX^^^->'x^^^x>'v^Nx^^x^ 
 
 what it was that was a "mercy," replied, "Every- 
 thing-." He said this several times during- the last 
 week of his life, and frequently repeated the words, 
 " How do Thy mercies close me round ! " saying 
 that he had never so felt the force of these words 
 before. 
 
 March isl, he said, being- distressingly feeble at 
 the time, "I used to think that prayer in the 
 Burial Service unworthy, 'Suffer us not for any 
 pains of death to fall from Thee.' I don't know 
 that it is so now." 
 
 Sunday, March $d. "The great attraction of 
 heaven to me is that I shall still serve Him, (Christ.) 
 To cease to do that would be a deprivation 
 indeed." 
 
 Monday, ^th. " I wish I had strength to write 
 to my father once more, to tell him how great a 
 love I have always had for him." 
 
 Wednesday, 6th. When Mrs. Taylor was about 
 to choose hymns to read to him, he said, " Let them 
 be from the section 'for believers rejoicing-.'" 
 
 Thursday, *]th, in . the evening-, Mrs. Taylor 
 said, "This has been a hard day." "Yes, they will 
 all be hard days now, Polly." Mrs. Taylor adds, 
 "We little thought it was the last." The last 
 hymn repeated to him was the one beginning, 
 
 " To the hills I lift mine eyes.' 
 
 Between twelve and two .on the morning of
 
 HIS DEA Tff. I 39 
 
 March 8th, Mr. Chubb read to him the sixty-eighth 
 Psalm. This was the last portion of Scripture to 
 which he listened. " I have always thought," says 
 Mrs. Taylor, "his choice of the sixty-eighth Psalm, 
 when so near death, very remarkable. It is true 
 he did not know how near death was, at least, we 
 suppose not. God mercifully spared him the pain- 
 ful consciousness of the actual parting, which, I have 
 reason to believe, he much dreaded. But he knew 
 it must be soon. He did not in his affliction choose 
 the words of comfort and solace which abound 
 in the Divine Word ; but as in life, so in death, the 
 march of his Redeemer's kingdom filled his 
 thoughts." 
 
 Early on the morning of March 8th, 1867, he 
 departed, to be " for ever with the Lord." 
 
 From the foregoing narrative, and the letters 
 accompanying it, the reader will be able to form 
 for himself a tolerably complete estimate of Mr. 
 Taylor's character; but some aspects of that 
 character not hitherto dwelt on, require a more 
 particular notice. He combined in a very unusual 
 manner, true modesty and courtesy towards others 
 with independence of thought, and tenacity in 
 maintaining his own views. In arguing he never 
 lost his temper nor forgot good manners ; and his 
 opponents were sometimes surprised to find that 
 he could treat them with the utmost urbanity, and
 
 14 LAST DAYS. 
 
 at the same time demolish their arguments with 
 the severity of a ruthless criticism. 
 
 The following may serve as an illustration. 
 The business of his office required him to call on a 
 Clergyman of the Established Church who held a 
 high official position. After the business which 
 occasioned the call had been settled, the following 
 dialogue took place : 
 
 C. Mr. Taylor, if you have a few minutes to 
 spare, I should be glad to have a little further 
 conversation with you. 
 
 T. I shall be most happy. 
 
 C. You know there has been much talk of late 
 respecting a union of the Wesleyans with the 
 Church ; and you are probably aware that a Com- 
 mittee has met to consider the subject (referring 
 to a Meeting just before held at Chelsea). 
 
 T. Yes; and I was surprised to find that 
 a number of gentlemen should meet together, 
 seriously to discuss such a matter, when the event 
 showed that they were destitute of information 
 respecting it. 
 
 C. Well ; that is very severe, but it is quite 
 true. Still, do you not think it would be a good 
 thing to bring about such a union ? 
 
 T. Under present circumstances the thing is 
 impracticable. 
 
 C. Why so ? 
 
 T. The Methodist people are a very practical
 
 SEL F-DEPRECIA TION. 1 4 ' 
 
 people. They have very definite religious views. 
 They know precisely what they believe, and why 
 they believe it. If I could suppose that any of us 
 Ministers should propose a union to any of our 
 people, the first question they would ask would be 
 this, " Which set of opinions in the Church of England 
 are we expected to join ? " Because, you know, 
 Sir, there are many different sets of opinion in 
 your Church. Which would you recommend us to 
 join, if we joined any? 
 
 After Mr. Taylor's statement of the matter, 
 the clergyman acknowledged that there were 
 difficulties in the way which he had not thought of, 
 and the conversation soon terminated. 
 
 He seldom spoke of his own doings except to 
 his most intimate friends, and then it was com- 
 monly in the way of self-depreciation ; whilst those 
 who knew him best, admired his untiring industry, 
 and wondered how, without the slightest appear- 
 ance of hurry or confusion, he accomplished so 
 much. He would often say to Mrs. Taylor, " I 
 have lived forty years and done nothing." 
 "Several years before his illness," writes Mrs. 
 Taylor, " he was reading I Cor. xii. 28 to me, and 
 said rather sadly, ' I have none of these gifts. 
 Perhaps, though, I have a little talent for govern- 
 ment, but see how low down in the list Paul puts 
 that.' " 
 
 He was, perhaps, as far removed as could well
 
 I4 2 LAST DAYS. 
 
 be from the character of a mere sentimentalist. 
 He used very few words in expressing- sentiments 
 of aifection, but more than compensated for this by 
 the practical exhibition of the overflowing' kindness 
 of his heart. The friend who had the best oppor- 
 tunity for judging him says : 
 
 " It was not natural to him to put his deepest 
 feeling's into words ; and as perfect obedience, and 
 devotion of all his powers to God and man, be- 
 ginning in him so early, became inwrought into his 
 life, he seems to have dwelt little on feeling'. I never 
 knew one who so completely lived in the life of 
 others. He did not, I think, of set purpose deny 
 himself; he never made any profession of self- 
 sacrifice, and greatly disliked all high-flown 
 language on the subject. He merely forgot his own 
 interests in caring for those in any way dependent 
 on him. At the beginning of his illness, he was 
 now and then troubled by the idea that he had 
 not sufficiently cultivated religion for its own sake ; 
 saying that, ' even his prayers and efforts for 
 growth in the divine life had reference to his 
 work among the students.' Perhaps the greatest 
 sacrifice of personal feeling of which he was con- 
 scious, was that involved in breaking through his 
 strong constitutional reserve when he dealt with 
 people, individually, on the subject of personal 
 religion." 
 
 "I have noticed," says Mrs. Taylor, "that most
 
 GENEROUS CARE FOR OTHERS. 143 
 
 people can sacrifice everything- but their tastes in 
 the service of God. They will do good in the way 
 most congenial to them. But nothing of this kind 
 ever hindered Mr. Taylor from doing what he 
 thought expedient. It never ceased to be a painful 
 effort to him to speak to any one at a prayer- 
 meeting. Indeed, his shyness made all religious 
 conversation difficult, particularly if he had to 
 begin it. But I believe he seldom, if ever, had a 
 favourable opportunity for preaching Christ with- 
 out using it." 
 
 How freely he devoted time and strength to the 
 interests of the Westminster students, and of his 
 other friends, was known only to a few, and by 
 most of his acquaintance was probably but little 
 suspected. The heavy correspondence and other 
 duties of his office sometimes made it necessary 
 for him to continue writing till after midnight; 
 and even then it has occurred that having finished 
 all the letters absolutely necessary, he has written 
 others to console students who had failed in their 
 examination, or were on other accounts in trouble. 
 He disposed of his money as ungrudgingly as of 
 his time. He had never more than a very moderate 
 income; but out of what he had he gave most 
 cheerfully and freely. His hospitalities, though 
 unostentatious, were constant ; and students whose 
 health was failing, and many others, found in 
 his house the welcome of a warm-hearted friend,
 
 144 LAST DAYS. 
 
 and the refined pleasure which his conversation 
 ever afforded. 
 
 His spirit was moved by the impulses of a uni- 
 versal philanthrophy. It has before been mentioned 
 that human nature was his study ; but our view of 
 his character would be incomplete, were it not added 
 that he had sympathy with human nature wherever 
 it came within the scope of his observation. And 
 as with his friends, so with comparative strangers, 
 he rejoiced to admire in them what was excellent 
 when not able to regard them with complete and 
 undiscriminating satisfaction. Differences of rank 
 and of creed formed no barrier to his interest or 
 kind regard. When the Princess of Wales suffered 
 so severely, during the last days of his life, he 
 sympathised with her sufferings as if she had been 
 his own sister. One of the last books that he read, 
 or had read to him, was the life of Robertson, of 
 Brighton. No one could express himself in terms 
 of stronger condemnation than he did on what he 
 judged to be the pernicious effects of several parts 
 of Robertson's teaching; but he admired the noble 
 features of character which he saw in the man, and 
 read passages in his sermons with great satisfaction. 
 Though an uncompromising Arminian he heard 
 Calvinists preach, and read their works with delight. 
 M c Cheyne was for many years a great favourite 
 with him. 
 
 "There are defects," writes Mrs. Taylor, " in the
 
 MR. TAYLOR AS A PREACHER. 145 
 
 fairest souls ; yet with every intention to be candid 
 it is not easy to point out what they were in this 
 case. Perhaps his excessive reserve in matters 
 where he felt strongly, amounted to a failing. It 
 caused him to be misunderstood ; and he whose 
 heart was glowing with tenderness and pity, was 
 occasionally thought cold and careless till his 
 manner was understood. In a letter from a very 
 sober man who knew him only a few months, he 
 is called ' altogether lovely.' " 
 
 As a preacher, Mr. Taylor never obtained popu- 
 larity. A principal cause of this was great weakness 
 in the organs of speech, which prevented his being 
 well heard in large audiences. But it must be 
 acknowledged that the want of success was partly 
 due to style. As he was never content to take 
 surface views of things himself, it was a natural 
 result that he presented thoughts to his hearers 
 with which they were not familiar ; but through 
 some deficiency in the imaginative faculty, or 
 through want of bringing it into play, he seemed 
 not to be fully aware how remote the stand-point of 
 his hearers was from his own ; so that he did not 
 lead them from the point of knowledge at which he 
 found them, by easy stages to that which he had 
 himself reached. He studied condensation when 
 he should have aimed at expansion. Whilst 
 fidelity requires these observations in order that the 
 case, as between preacher and hearers, may be fairly
 
 146 
 
 LAST D AYS. 
 
 stated, it is only just to add that there were many 
 appreciative hearers who found his sermons instruc- 
 tive and very profitable. The productions of such 
 a mind could not fail to be full of sound thought and 
 faithful exposition of Scripture; whilst all were 
 animated by an earnest desire to promote the 
 spiritual welfare of the people. 
 
 In the conduct of prayer-meetings after the 
 Sunday-evening services he showed great tact, and 
 was successful in a remarkable degree in leading 
 penitent seekers of salvation to immediate decision, 
 and faith in Christ. Very many owe their entrance 
 on the Christian course to his affectionate entreaties 
 and wise counsel. 
 
 As a Methodist Minister he was warmly attached 
 to his own denomination. He had great love for 
 his ministerial brethren, and felt interest in the 
 work of every one of them. It was often a matter 
 of surprise how he had obtained so large an 
 acquaintance with them. Many he knew personally, 
 others by correspondence with them ; and there 
 were few of whom he did not know something. 
 One of the great pleasures of the Conference to 
 him was that it enabled him to know more of " the 
 brethren." 
 
 To such a general lover of mankind the heavenly 
 state must afford great joy, not only because, as he 
 said, he "still serves Christ," but because of the 
 blessed and glorious company who are there
 
 '.LETTER FROM DR. RIGG. 147 
 
 associated in the kingdom and glory of God. 
 May we who are still toiling in the field which 
 he has left be found faithful, come to the same 
 joyous service, and to that high and holy fellowship 
 of saints. 
 
 Those who were strangers to the subject of this 
 Memoir may be ready to suppose that the character 
 here given is to be attributed to the partial judgment 
 of a friend ; but it will be seen that the impressions 
 of the writer were shared by many others ; and the 
 testimony already given is corroborated by the 
 following communications from persons who had 
 the opportunity of observing Mr. Taylor's conduct 
 in widely differing circumstances. 
 
 The first communication is from the Rev. J. H. 
 Rigg, D.D., the present Principal of the Normal 
 College at Westminster. 
 
 " Westminster, January qth, 1869. 
 Mv DEAR MR. HELLIER, 
 
 I was an occasional, and, at times, a frequent 
 correspondent of Mr. Taylor's; and greatly ad- 
 mired the acuteness, promptitude, practical sagacity, 
 and unfailing patience with which he met every 
 inquiry, and addressed himself to every difficulty. 
 I had also seen a good deal of him in private, and 
 found him always the same, clear and firm in his 
 views, very wise in his judgment, sagacious and 
 
 L 2
 
 LAST DAI'S. 
 
 kindly in his estimate of men and their motives, 
 and remarkable for the combination in his charac- 
 ter of modesty and self-reliance. Such a man 
 could not but be honoured, trusted, and loved. 
 
 But I had not seen much continuously of Mr. 
 Taylor until after his illness had begun. In 
 December, 1864, he came to Folkestone, where he 
 remained two or three weeks. ... I need not 
 tell you what he was whilst there ; all himself but 
 himself at comparative leisure ; gentle, playful, 
 shrewd, wise, godly ; but withal languid, and with a 
 weary sense of the heavy weight which had fallen 
 on his vital powers. I never more enjoyed the 
 conversation, nor admired the temper of any man. 
 . . . In the spring of 1866, I saw our dear 
 friend at Ventnor. Although his disease had then 
 gained greatly upon his constitution, he was as 
 clear, earnest, practical as ever; retaining still a 
 great concern for that Educational Department to 
 which he had devoted his energies, and, indeed, 
 sacrificed his life. But it was evident that a settled 
 feeling of the nearing of the eternal had filled 
 the atmosphere in which he lived with the light of 
 the world of faith, and a deep tone of religious 
 tenderness and earnestness tinged all he said. I 
 cherish his memory as that of one of the friends I 
 most entirely honoured, one of the most single- 
 minded, self-sacrificing, and noble of men ; patient, 
 manly, wise and gentle; a Christian indeed, a
 
 LETTER FROM MRS. WEBB. '49 
 
 Christian nobleman ; affording- a model of what a 
 Christian administrator, and servant of the Church, 
 should be." 
 
 Extract from a Utter of Mrs. E. D. Webb, Alderhy 
 Edge, formerly a student at Westminster. 
 
 "To appreciate Mr. Taylor it was necessary to 
 be in daily intercourse with him, to listen to his 
 counsels and prayers in the class and fellowship 
 meetings. The recollection of thosB seasons makes 
 my heart glow as they recur with the freshness of 
 yesterday. I may be charged with partiality, but 
 he appeared to me the embodiment of all that was 
 excellent. At first I felt a little afraid of him ; he 
 seemed to penetrate one so with that steady look 
 of his; and, besides, I fancied that he was very 
 reserved. It was not long, however, before that 
 feeling was quite removed, and that of perfect ease 
 and confidence was inspired. He was a great 
 student of character, and I have often been sur- 
 prised and amused at the correct opinions he 
 formed of our characters, sometimes after a very 
 short acquaintance. 
 
 He appeared to be particularly fond of 'fel- 
 lowship meetings,' and always regarded them as 
 sacred privileges to be enjoyed only by believers. 
 Perhaps the following incident may account for 
 this view. He told me that before his conversion,
 
 ! 5 LAST DAYS. 
 
 having- heard that a meeting- was being- held in a 
 certain chapel, he thoug-ht he would go and see 
 what it was; but on reaching- the chapel door, 
 he was met by a steward, and was told that it 
 was a ' fellowship meeting/ intended for believers 
 only. He was not allowed to go in, and this 
 circumstance, he said, first led him to think 
 seriously about devoting himself to the service of 
 God. 
 
 It was the custom during my residence at the 
 college, for Mr. Taylor to give us Lectures on the 
 New Testament; and it was our own fault if we 
 did not understand and love the sacred Word better 
 after every lecture. His manner was lucid, terse, 
 and interesting. ' The Word ' was his favourite 
 name for the sacred Book, and there was always 
 such a volume of power and meaning in the term, 
 that its force, as used by him, has never been 
 effaced from my mind. 
 
 He himself appeared to me to be always the 
 same; grave, yet cheerful, with a quiet vein of 
 humour running through his conversation; acute in 
 observation, taking note of the most trivial circum- 
 stances, and using them to the best advantage. 
 
 He was eminently a man of God, as was 
 manifest in his daily life, uniform piety, his gentle- 
 ness, patience, and evenness of temper, which was, 
 doubtless, often tried ; and yet, with all honesty, I 
 must confess never to have seen anything in Mr.
 
 LETTERS FROM TEACHERS. 1 5 ! 
 
 Taylor, or heard anything from him, but what was 
 perfectly kind and Christian." 
 
 A Teacher, Mr. Mackrell, says of his corres- 
 pondence : " My own experience fully accords 
 with that portion of the Conference Obituary, in 
 which it is stated that ' his letters to the Teachers 
 were felt by them to be a power constantly directing 1 , 
 sustaining, and cheering them in their arduous toil.' 
 By means of these epistles, association with him 
 was felt to be more of a religious benefit even than 
 when we were residing in the College." 
 
 Mr. Binns, of Derby, says, "In looking over 
 these letters, [forwarded for use in preparing the 
 Memoir,] I cannot avoid a feeling of regret that I 
 should have so often troubled him for information ; 
 but I can see now, after a lapse of years, what a 
 tower of strength I had in his confidence and 
 regard." 
 
 The Rev. Dr. Lyth, who was a school-fellow of 
 Mr. Taylor's, says of him : " He was just as quiet, 
 thoughtful, and studious as a boy, as he afterwards 
 was as a man ; one of those characters that are 
 strongly defined in early life, and seem never to 
 change, except that they expand and grow." 
 
 The reader will be glad to have laid before him
 
 I5 2 LAST DAYS. 
 
 the following additional extracts from Mr. Taylor's 
 correspondence. 
 
 "Mount, York, August iStti, 1864. 
 MY DEAR HELLIER, 
 
 . . . I can feel with you and Mrs. Hellier 
 [he refers to the death of Mrs. Hellier's mother], 
 But the wonder rather is that we live. How many 
 Bradford Conferences shall we see ? My own 
 circle is changing so rapidly that I feel borne along 
 by a rushing tide, and soon earth and time will 
 be a shadow of yesterday. The greatest wonder 
 is how I can so little think and feel as an heir of 
 heaven, heaven near and abiding. 
 
 I hope - did me good. It stirred me up to 
 covet grace and power, if only for the sake of 
 others. I left sad and depressed that so many were 
 not ' yielding themselves ' to Christ. 
 
 Yours ever, 
 
 M. C. T." 
 
 "3, Royal-Terrace, Folkestone, 
 
 December 'jih, 1864. 
 MY DEAR GEDEN, 
 
 I should have written many times since August, 
 especially to thank you for the valued numbers 
 of the "Athenaeum," [containing an account by 
 Mr. Geden of MSS. inspected in the convent on 
 Mount Sinai,] but for the reason which accounts for
 
 LETTER TO y. BLACKBURN. ESQ. 153 
 
 my being- here. My father was seriously ill when 
 I was at York, and required constant nursing. I 
 unwisely took no other holiday, and attempted to 
 get through the year. But cough and langour 
 increased so much that I broke down, and came 
 here on the 26th ult. I have only been out once, 
 but am greatly better ; indeed all but well. 
 
 The doctor says work has brought on valvular 
 obstruction, leading to congestion of liver and 
 lungs. Now I write this for your sake. You are 
 living many times more fast than I ; and I expect 
 your breaking down as a certain and near event. 
 Do rein in." 
 
 To John Blackburn, Esq., Horsforth. 
 " 9, Lansdowne-Road North, South Lambeth, 
 
 February 2oM, 1865. 
 MY DEAR SIR, 
 
 I could not be surprised, but I was saddened 
 when I read of your mother's falling asleep in 
 Christ. I felt you would be greatly grieved and 
 distressed, and for your sake I was sorry. Yet 
 strange as it seems, your pain will soon be lessened, 
 nay, in the course of years, will be turned into joy. 
 God mercifully ordains that we shall gradually 
 learn to think little of the bitter hour of bereave- 
 ment, and much of the present and unspeakable 
 blessedness of those whom He has received to 
 Himself.
 
 154 LAST DAYS. 
 
 -V/VXXXXXX^N-^X^^^^^XXXXN^^v^^^XX^^x-^Vy^j^^^^X^ 
 
 You and yours ought now to be congratulated 
 on the perfecting of your inheritance. The memory 
 of your sainted parents is complete. Both are 'for 
 ever with the Lord.' Both have finished their course, 
 and left you the precious legacy of ' a good name.' 
 I cannot to-day write more. Accept for yourself 
 and your brother my affectionate sympathy. 
 Yours very sincerely, 
 
 M. C. TAYLOR." 
 
 "$, Higher -Terr ace, Torquay, 
 March 26th, 1 865 . Sunday Evening. 
 MY DEAR HELLIER, 
 
 After thanking you warmly, first for your 
 delightful ' ventilator,' and next for your Hebrew 
 Psalter, which I do with all my heart, I cannot 
 employ a few minutes better than in pondering 
 your very suggestive question, 'What is the gift 
 of the Spirit ? ' 
 
 i. Is it certain that those Ephesians were re- 
 generated before Paul's visit? In what sense 
 had Christ been preached ? The answer will 
 determine the sense in which they had received 
 Christ. Was it not that Christ was at hand, and 
 would baptize with the Spirit, and save men when 
 He came ? Paul (Acts xix. 4) recognised their 
 previous baptism as one ' of repentance.' Were 
 they not just what the Baptist's disciples were? 
 But do you suppose they answered the description
 
 LETTER Off THE GIFT OF THE SPIRIT. 1$5 
 
 of John i. 12? Were they not expectants rather 
 than recipients ? (You see I dare not dogmatise to 
 you. I cannot go further than putting questions.) 
 
 2. Do not the 'Acts' give a general impression 
 that both in the doctrine, and according to the ob- 
 servation of the Apostles, the gift of the Spirit was 
 usually marked by miraculous power being be- 
 stowed on some f Is not this the teaching of Acts ii. ? 
 Is it not the exclusive sense of the phrase in Acts 
 viii. 1 7 ? or, if not, evidently part of the sense ? 
 'The gift' in the house of Cornelius (Acts x. 45) 
 is another instance. And is it unfair to refer to 
 Heb. ii. 4 (last clause) as a parallel passage ? Is not 
 the expression there 'gifts of the Holy Ghost' 
 part of a generalisation of the effects of Apostolic 
 preaching ? 
 
 3. But what is the gift to us who preach the 
 Word? Many thanks for such an item of catechising? 
 
 According to i Tim. iv. 12 16, 'the gift' was 
 one of authority, zeal, intelligence, and might be 
 lost or enlarged. 
 
 So again, and plainly, in 2 Tim. i. 6, 7. One 
 of the best comments on this boldness or authority 
 which I have seen is a chapter by Isaac Taylor on 
 the ' power of rebuke.' 
 
 4. And is not 'the gift' for every believer 
 intellectual as well as moral? Reasoning from 
 our constitution, one might look for informa- 
 tion, light, inspiration of thought, if the office of
 
 LAST DAYS. 
 
 the Spirit be to reprove of sin, righteousness, and 
 judgment, to take of the things of Christ and show, 
 avayyeXXw, them unto us. And did not Paul asso- 
 ciate the idea of wondrous accessions of knowledge 
 with the possession of the Spirit ? (Eph. i. 1 7 23 ; 
 Col. i. 9, 10.) 
 
 Yours affectionately, 
 
 M. C. T." 
 
 To the Rev. John Scott. 
 
 " Torquay, May $th, 1865. 
 
 Really my Folkestone and Torquay doctors 
 have been gifts of Providence ; so painstaking, so 
 intelligent, and so well practised, especially Mr. 
 Pollard, in my kind of disease." 
 
 " Ventnor, October 2Oth, 1865. 
 [In reference to Dr. Rigg's kindness at Folke- 
 stone :] We are disposed to envy you Dr. Rigg's 
 visits. . . He was so truly kind and brotherly 
 that we enjoyed his society greatly, and we owe 
 him much for his solicitude and attention." 
 
 " Ventnor, October 31 st, 1865. 
 
 MY DEAR Miss , 
 
 You would have heard from me oftener the last 
 seven months had not writing become a rare 
 luxury. I cannot bear the stooping which has 
 become habitual. This envelope was written last
 
 LETTER TO THE REV. J. D. GEDEN. 157 
 
 April at Torquay, and to it belongs a half-penned 
 letter which I cannot find. 
 
 We shall be with you when the Inspector comes, 
 the Queen's servant, whom former children in 
 your school so truly described to their parents as 
 the ' Sea Serpent.' 
 
 I often think of you at ; and see how, when 
 
 you muse on by-gone days, the brightest and most 
 frequently-recurring periods will be your Monday 
 evenings with your little class, and odd half-hours 
 given to needy students. This has been the flower 
 and joy of your position, as it is of every Teacher 
 wise enough to see the advantage of his calling. 
 
 I hope you are having a very good year with 
 the Students, good times in the Day-Room, in No. 
 3, and most of all in your own little sanctuary. 
 May your closing weeks be your happiest." 
 
 " Wcstbourne Cottage, Ventnor, 
 
 December 6th, 1865. 
 MY DEAR GEDEN, 
 
 I have been waiting in hope that I might write 
 you a little at length ; but I find I may wait too 
 long. I cannot write yet more than a short note, 
 and a note that shall ask no thought. 
 
 It was only last week that I was able to get the 
 October Magazine. Mary read me your sermon. 
 Many thanks for this contribution to my good. It 
 revived in me the wish that I could preach, and the
 
 LAST DAYS. 
 
 purpose, if ever I could, to preach with all my 
 might. 
 
 I hope you are tolerably well. You know I 
 have the feeling that you are living too fast. The 
 feeling does not diminish. 
 
 The best sign, perhaps, in my case is that I 
 have had no relapse since I came here, and the 
 expectoration and cough have become insignificant. 
 The inconvenient sign is palpitation. I cannot 
 stoop, or stand long, without feeling the heart is 
 disturbed. Human nature is an odd, perverse 
 thing. I take all my present circumstances so 
 quietly, carelessly. I could not have believed I 
 should find it such an effort to think seriously and 
 pray earnestly. 
 
 Our love to your dear children and yourself. 
 Yours ever, 
 
 M. C. TAYLOR." 
 
 Letter to Mr. Mansford, Training College, 
 Westminster, written in what he called, after one 
 of his friends, a "ventilator;" i.e. one or two sheets 
 of note paper cut and sewed so as to be convenient 
 for occasional jottings. He calls it on the first 
 small page, "Experiment at ventilating for the 
 sake of seeing if I can write sitting up. I fear I 
 can write more easily than you can read." 
 
 "February 24! h, 1866. 
 [The first remarks are in reply to Mr. Mans-
 
 LETTER TO MR. MANSFORD. 1 59 
 
 ford's questions respecting- a Bible-Class which he 
 was then conducting 1 .] 
 
 . . . . St. John. You put the case now a 
 little differently. You said in the Ventilator your 
 difficulty was the disproportionate amount of 
 exhortation. You now say it is, the inconvenience, 
 cleverness, and celerity of the girls in getting 
 through the exposition. The latter no doubt 
 appears to necessitate the former. 
 
 1. I should never be anxious about exhortation. 
 If we can only make the Truth manifest, this will 
 commend itself to the conscience. (2 Cor. iv. 2.) 
 And I need not say that the more natural and 
 brief the exhortation the better. If words are 
 multiplied, what should be a goad will become a 
 crowbar. 
 
 2. Where, as in John's Gospel, one design 
 runs through the whole, it is desirable the girls 
 should be made themselves to keep hold of and 
 handle this thread, that by it they may unravel the 
 several parts. Of course, the more they can be 
 got out of the rut of merely verbal explanation 
 and made to drink in the inner meaning the better, 
 i Please harmonise the metaphors for me. ' Crust ' 
 should take the place of ' rut ') 
 
 3. Your preparation will demand time and 
 pains. But you personally will, in great part, lose 
 the fruit of your labour unless you note it down. 
 My note-books on the shelf will show the primitive
 
 i6o 
 
 LAST DAYS. 
 
 plan which I used and found answered well. A 
 note-book of thoughts, information, and questions ; 
 the right hand page far the verses in detail, thus, 
 
 i. 
 
 2. 
 
 3. and so on; 
 
 and the left hand page for more discursive and 
 general remarks. And now, have I met your point ? 
 I can scarcely think I have, because you under- 
 stand the whole business better than I do. 
 
 . . . First vol. of ' Macaulay' obtained yester- 
 day. He says, Popery has been more useful in 
 some cases than a purer Christianity would have 
 been. Bosh ! " 
 
 "Mr. Mansford, B.A.,fromM. C. T., 
 
 March ^d, 1866. 
 
 . . . Good article in ' Saturday Review ' of 
 2yth February, on Mill. An article also on 'Good 
 Words,' professedly on its tales; and so far 
 perhaps just, though I am no judge, really, how- 
 ever, on the serial as a whole. [Periodical I should 
 have said, but there was no room in that line.] 
 Said to be a Broad-Church scheme and movement. 
 Truth in this as to actual results, but no truth, 
 possibly or probably, as to motive. Haste in 
 attributing motive should have been left to the 
 ' Record ' and the vulgar sectaries by His Serene 
 Highness the ' Saturday Review.'
 
 LETTER TO MR. MANSFORD. l6l 
 
 ' Macmillan ' for March. Article on Newman's 
 answer to Pusey; sequel to a former article on 
 Dr. P's. book. From the Broad-Church stand-point 
 in the better sense. Confirms my notion of the 
 Apologia, and therefore, perhaps, it seems worth 
 reading-. Says, Newman's search was never for 
 truth, but for the best ecclesiastical system. The 
 chief article, however, and this you should read, is 
 Whewell's on Comte, contemptuously playful, a 
 big Tom-Toe, playing with a mouse. Often asserts 
 that positivism is a system of negations. Can this 
 be so ? If so, what a parody of language ! Fervent 
 defence of 'final causes' as a part of science. 
 
 Would do Mr. good. 
 
 . . . Tuesday, 4.50. p.m. Had Mr. Brash to 
 dinner. Very pleasant talk about special services. 
 
 My brother took the chair at the Primitive 
 Missionary Meeting in York last week. Reports a 
 new definition of faith. In the potato disease year. 
 a man was asked how his crop had turned up, ' O ! 
 better than I expected, but I always said it would.' 
 I suppose this is retrospective faith, or else double 
 faith. 
 
 Wednesday, 5 p.m. , After tea last night my 
 wife read Macaulay, and the sentences were so 
 smooth and sonorous that I was soon fast asleep. 
 But about 6.30. I was woke up by the postman. 
 The news was at first ludicrous, then disagreeable. 
 Mr. Bailey's letter had been posted too late, and so
 
 1 62 
 
 LAST DAYS. 
 
 the Code had lain on the side-board all* day, I sat 
 dreaming- of this awful list inside. Could not sleep 
 until near two." 
 
 " Ventilator " to Mr. Mansford. ( Without date.} 
 . . . "John iii. i 21. I have just looked at 
 this portion, and though all I can say is what occurs 
 at the moment, it is pleasant to write on such a 
 subject, and not wholly unpleasing to you, I trust, 
 to read. 
 
 Generally, 
 
 I. The two aims of the Gospel are well illustrated, 
 Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. Faith is the 
 
 condition of life ; but faith turns on the temper 
 of the heart; a man must repent, or he cannot 
 believe. 
 
 II. A minor feature distinguishing this Gospel is, 
 the large proportion of Christ's private intercourse 
 with individuals, whilst in the other Gospels we have 
 scarcely any. (Have we any?) 
 
 III. The supreme importance to every man of a 
 new heart. Nicodemus wished to know more about 
 Christ. But he was first to know himself. (See 
 close of chapter ii.) This was the only way to 
 know Christ aright. Thus He led the Samaritan 
 woman to know Him, and thus He leads all nations, 
 (xvi. 8. etc.) Still, the abrupt, reproving style of the 
 third verse suggests more. Nicodemus was himself 
 a teacher, (verse 10,) and ought to have known the
 
 LETTER TO MR. MANSFORD ON JOHN iii. i-ai. 163 
 
 necessity of a change of heart His fathers had 
 entered heaven by this way without knowing Christ ; 
 and he, long 1 before he had heard that the Christ 
 had come, ought to have sought renewing- grace. 
 This should have been hisyf/v/ business, and so was 
 he taught. 
 
 The knowledge of Christ is only valuable as it 
 leads to this end. (Ezekiel xxxVi. 26, 27, and 
 parallels.) [Ministers and teachers may well see 
 here both the order and the aim of Christian 
 instruction.] 
 
 Details verse I : $t not translated A Pharisee. 
 Verse 2 : ' Signs' some would not see, (ii. 18). A 
 brief allusion to miracles nowhere detailed. How 
 many He must have wrought ! Verse 3 : A law 
 absolute. Verse 4 : Spiritual ideas had perished. 
 Night on those times. Verse 5 : Repeated and 
 enlarged. ' Water ' probably analogous to ' fire ' 
 in other places. Baptism not then enjoined. If it 
 refer to baptism, however, the whole paragraph 
 shows in what sense, (i. 26). Verse 6: Answer to 
 verse 4. Verse 7 : Reason in verse 8. The process 
 invisible ; do not wonder you have never seen it. 
 Verse 1 1 : Reason for faith. Similar appeals to our 
 understanding common in Scripture. Verse 12 : 
 ' Heavenly things.' Such as probably Nicodemus 
 came to hear about, ( 1 3 2 1 ) . A question as to the 
 authorship ; is there not ? If Christ's, shows how 
 
 M 2
 
 164 
 
 LAST DAYS. 
 
 ready He was to lay aside parable and teach plainly 
 when there was an ear to listen. 
 
 Marvellous concentration of the truth. 
 Five p.m. Fine afternoon. 
 
 Yours, 
 
 M. C. T." 
 
 " Odds and Ends for Mr. Mans/ord, from M. C. T. 
 
 March 12th, 1866. 
 
 . . . Tuesday Morning-. On Sunday, my wife 
 being in all day, read Bunyan and Alford. My 
 admiration for Bunyan's g-enius increases. As I sit 
 and listen, I feel my knowledge of Scripture and 
 human nature continually called up and revived. 
 These personal circumstances suggest that I would 
 deal with a class in the same way, have only a 
 single copy produced ; make one read ; and when 
 an incident was complete make the rest cite further 
 illustration from the Bible and from observation. 
 This talk would be the most instructive part of the 
 process. 
 
 Alford. ('Sunday Magazine' for March.) 
 Portrays with great power the important part which 
 family life at meals might be made to play. It 
 includes seven hundred hours in a year, and affords 
 occasion for all graces and virtues. 
 
 . . . Amused with the report of the Annual 
 Meeting of the Reformation Society for the Conti- 
 nent. An old organization of the High-Church
 
 LETTER TO MR. O. CHUBB. 1 6$ 
 
 party for the circulation of the Prayer-Book mainly, 
 it would seem. But some now think not of ' pro- 
 testing' but fraternising-. The dilemma was felt 
 and dealt with after a sort. Bishop of Ely (Harold 
 Browne?) said their Church was the Catholic Church 
 for England, and could only recognise as Catholic 
 those foreign Churches which rested on the two 
 essential foundations, supremacy of the Word, and 
 the authority of the Primitive Church. Now what 
 does the latter mean if the former be held ? What 
 is the difference between supremacy and authority 
 in such questions ? 
 
 . . . Noticed yesterday that Bunyan makes 
 Ignorance say he would rather go on his pilgrimage 
 alone." 
 
 To Mr. Osborn Chubb [his brother-in-law]. 
 
 "March 12th, 1866. 
 
 Please forgive this pencil. I can only write 
 with comfort as I lean on the sofa. 
 
 I am greatly interested in your being at St. 
 Leonard's. When I first left home to go to a Cir- 
 cuit in August 1846, Hastings was my appointment. 
 . . , . I lived with my Superintendent at Hast- 
 ings, but St. Leonard's was my parish, and has 
 always been regarded as belonging to the ' Young 
 Minister.' The year I spent there was a very happy 
 one. One of the things most pleasant was a 
 Young Men's Improvement Class. I think it has
 
 i66 
 
 LAST DAYS. 
 
 been kept up. You will get and do good by joining. 
 . . . I am anxious you should do another thing, 
 connect yourself at once with the professing people 
 of God. You owe this to others. You cannot 
 render a Sunday scholar, or any one, the service 
 you would wish, until your own position is right. 
 
 You owe it to yourself. We all, sooner or later, 
 suffer greatly in our own spiritual life, if we make 
 the unscriptural experiment of going to heaven 
 alone. None of us can afford to dispense with 
 sympathy and counsel. 
 
 You owe it to Christ. There is no distinction 
 which the world more quickly appreciates than 
 that between 'hearers' and 'members'. Christ's 
 cause is weakened when any one for a course of 
 years allows himself to be counted by men (how- 
 ever unfairly) as a neutral. Do, Osborn, give me 
 this joy. 
 
 I shall have now a special pleasure in your 
 letters, knowing all the neighbourhood so well. 
 The people whom I know have, many of them, 
 passed away. Of those who remain I shall be 
 thankful to hear. 
 
 I cough more, but we look with hope to spring 
 weather. 
 
 Your affectionate Brother, 
 
 COULSON."
 
 LETTER TO THE REV. B. HELLIER. 167 
 
 [/ ptnal.~\ " Ventnor, Saturday Noon, 
 
 March 24! h, 1866. 
 MY DEAR HELLIER, 
 
 I am trying to learn to write holding the paper 
 on a book in my hand. This explains my using 
 pencil for a time. 
 
 Why have I not written for so long ? I have 
 been telling my wife I would write myself, when 
 she has offered to write, and I have intended and 
 intended, but never begun. Forgive me. My time 
 or humour for writing is a brief part of the day, 
 and has been usually occupied in dictating notes to 
 Westminster, or writing them to York. 
 
 Many thanks for your kindness in sending the 
 MS. sermon. It was a message for me. I have 
 thought of it again and again this week, after 
 reading the Fast-day sermons in the "Times." 
 ' Faith views the object as already granted,' in the 
 opening summary, bothered me a little, but nothing 
 in the sermon what I took to be the meaning of the 
 phrase. So I blame myself for a hasty mistake. I 
 saw you meant ' granted' in the covenant, made 
 ours by right. 
 
 . . . For six or seven weeks my cough and 
 expectoration (which had all but ceased) have 
 increased. Dr. Peacock says the weather is the 
 cause. I shall be thankful if warm days set me 
 right again. 
 
 But great hope would be unwise. I can tell
 
 i68 
 
 LAST DAYS. 
 
 little until I am examined on my return. If the 
 result be that I must ' sit down/ [become a Super- 
 numerary Minister,] I shall not be surprised. It is 
 what I am trying- to make a familiar idea. 
 
 Brother Brash, of Keighley, is here, a good, 
 genial brother. ... I am in danger of being 
 ' puffed up ' with learning-. I read short articles in 
 the 'Sunday Magazine.' I try to understand the 
 leaders in the ' Watchman ;' and, above all, my wife 
 reads to me between tea and supper. I am con- 
 scious of becoming very wise, knowing the names 
 of books, and so on, for all which I have long had 
 no leisure ; and I fear, when we meet again, I shall 
 soon be felt as a sort of literary bore. I am just 
 now deep in that ' Historical Romance,' Macaulay's 
 England. 
 
 You are all well, I hope. My wife joins me in 
 love to Mrs. Hellier and yourself. Again praying 
 pardon for my long neglect. 
 
 Yours ever, 
 
 M. C. TAYLOR." 
 
 " Ventilator" addressed to Mr. Mans ford. 
 
 " Sunday, April is/, 7 p.m. 
 
 My wife at chapel. On Good Friday morning 
 I tried to find out and answer the difficulty about 
 the narrative of Gethsemane. I imagined it must 
 be in some verbal discrepancy, though I did not 
 discover it. So I framed (in thought) a long story
 
 LETTER TO HR. MAffSFORD. 
 
 about my liking morbid, possibly for the whole 
 class of verbal diversities, and apparent contradic- 
 tions. At twelve [years of age], I eagerly read 
 Paley's Evidences. At fourteen or fifteen, I was 
 charged with Butler's argument. From fourteen to 
 twenty-three, daily business was impressing me with 
 the suspiciousness of stories agreeing too nicely, and 
 the great weight of a certain degree of divergence 
 among witnesses. Primed with this feeling I went 
 to Richmond at twenty-three, and for the first time 
 so uncritical, you see, had been my reading heard 
 of these questions. As you might guess from my 
 bringing-up, they were a great comfort to me, and 
 I was ahvays pleased when they crossed my path. 
 Each new difficulty gave a deeper impression of the 
 honesty of the Evangelists, and if they were honest 
 my religion was true. They recorded what they 
 had severally heard or seen for themselves, and 
 their consciousness of being truthful made them 
 careless of seeming to contradict. 'These are 
 witnesses,' I felt, ' of the right stamp. They would 
 satisfy any jury; and they satisfy me.' 
 
 But my castle tumbled down when I asked my 
 wife, on coming in, what could this difficulty of Mr. 
 Mansford's be ? and got the answer, ' O, it is the 
 notion that our Lord for the moment shrank from 
 the cup, and even prayed to be excused, if it were 
 possible ! ' Well, this made me more perverse than 
 before. The passage does give this impression, and
 
 LAST DAYS. 
 
 I glory in it. The words, on account of this impres- 
 sion, are to me one of the most vital and precious 
 portions in all Scripture. They are more than gold ; 
 they strikingly proclaim two things on which all 
 faith turns : 
 
 1. The reality of our Lord's suffering for sin. 
 What the Jews did was only husk and shell ; here is 
 core. God alone could lay on His Son our burden, 
 and glorious mercy! He has condescended to show 
 us when He did this. And as we listen to our Lord's 
 cry, we feel, this was a cup of unspeakable sorrow. 
 
 ' It pleased Jehovah to bruise Him.' ' Thou shall 
 make His soul an offering for sin.' Our Lord's 
 starting aside shall we call it ? for the moment, 
 or even the hour, puts a depth of meaning into these 
 words of prophecy which we could not otherwise 
 have conceived. 
 
 2. And equally blessed is this stay for our faith, 
 the reality of Christ's humanity. In former years 
 nothing (Monday Morning^ April 2nd) troubled me 
 more than the transcendental character given to 
 Christ's life, and especially the scenes of the passion, 
 by a vague idea of our Lord's manhood being 
 upheld by His Godhead, pervaded by it, inspired 
 with it. This, I say, ' troubled me,' because it pre- 
 vented any adequate (Tuesday, after dinner) idea 
 being held of the intensity of Christ's sufferings as 
 our Substitute. 
 
 This thrice-urged prayer in the garden awakens
 
 LETTER TO THE REV. J. D. CEDEff. 17 l 
 
 us up to the fact that this Christ, so made a curse 
 for us, was a true man, man, however allied to a 
 higher nature, not sustained by it, 'He emptied 
 Himself.' (Philippians ii. 7 ) To man, no foresight 
 could realise such a cup. If man, our Lord could 
 but shrink when that cup first met His lips. This is 
 nothing- mystical then. The cup was real, and one 
 of my flesh and blood (Hebrews ii.) presented Him- 
 self to drink it in my stead. He declares His 
 fixedness of pttrpose, but prays conditionally for 
 some relief. How is this cry regarded in heaven ? 
 True there is no permission to fall back on super- 
 human resources. Still an angel strengthening is 
 the answer. I will turn to something else, as I 
 don't feel very clear." 
 
 " Vintnor, April 26th, 1 866. [ Written in pencil.'] 
 MY DEAR GEDEX, 
 
 . . . The prospect of my resuming work of 
 any kind is so slender that I am making up my 
 mind to be a ' Supernumerary.' I thank God ' for 
 the unspeakable gift.' I never needed a perfect 
 Saviour more. But He able to save me to the 
 uttermost. ' Other refuge have I none.' Mary 
 joins me in love. Do keep and nurse the health 
 you have. 
 
 Yours ever, 
 
 M. C. TAYLOR."
 
 I7 2 LAST DAYS. 
 
 -S~^s~*^* J r^s^jr^ J r^ J r**_s-*^S^/-***^^ 
 
 Recollections of Hastings in his illness. 
 Letter addressed to Mrs. Everett on the death of Mr. 
 
 Everett, formerly of Hastings. 
 " 9, Lansdowne-Road North, South Lambeth, 
 
 October \6th, 1866. 
 MY DEAR MRS. EVERETT, 
 
 It is only little that I can write, but I cannot 
 refrain from assuring you, in your hour of sorrow, 
 of my sympathy. And the tidings in the paper 
 would tell on many as they told on me. Several are 
 scattered up and down the world who would go 
 back at once to old and pleasant times in Russell- 
 Street and George- Street, and grieve with you now 
 the more deeply as they thought of the kindness 
 they received years ago from families there, which 
 have long ago been broken up. 
 
 You prove, I trust, that God strengthens and com- 
 forts the heart even when it turns away from all other 
 consolations as poor and vain. He will neverleave you. 
 
 I often ' travel ' the old Circuit in spirit ; and 
 some day I may write ' little Bessie,' (or Miss Beck 
 of East-Ascent) and ask twenty questions or more 
 about as many well-remembered faces. 
 
 Last winter and spring we spent at Ventnor ; 
 but the journey home in May did me harm. Through 
 mercy I have rallied ; but we do not think of going 
 away for the coming winter. 
 
 My wife unites with me in affectionate regard. 
 Yours sincerely, 
 
 M. C. TAYLOR."
 
 LETTER TO MR. INGRAM. I 73 
 
 To Mr. Ingram, a Wesieyan Local Preacher at 
 Ventnor, ivith whom, during his stay there, he had 
 enjoyed much pleasant intercourse. 
 
 "9, Lansdownt-Road, North, South Lambeth. 
 
 August 12th, 1866. 
 MY DEAR SIR, 
 
 I have wished to write you ever since we 
 returned, but have foolishly waited until I could 
 write, as I would, a tolerably long- letter. I will 
 write all I can, a little. 
 
 We did not leave for ten days after you bade us 
 good-bye, the wind being- easterly. The journey 
 proved very exhausting-, and I have not yet 
 though, through mercy, a great deal better got 
 back to the degree of strength which I had. Out- 
 door exercise I have not ventured upon. The 
 doctor says the heart is better but the lungs are 
 worse. I cannot be too thankful for the abounding 
 grace which makes me not careful about the 
 event. The truth of God satisfies every desire ot 
 the mind ; and the peace of God subdues all mis- 
 giving or care of the heart. Still I cannot help 
 seeing how, in days of health, I should have 
 served my generation far better had I prayed more, 
 and, therefore, been more copiously baptized with 
 the Holy Spirit 
 
 And now for this is what impels me to write 
 let me say with what pleasure and grateful feeling 
 I think often of you and your family, but specially
 
 174 LAST D AYS 
 
 of the kindness you showed me last winter and 
 spring. And your kindness to me is not of yester- 
 day. It began twenty-four years ago, when words 
 of encouragement after early and anxious attempts 
 at preaching were more precious than gold. You 
 did these things for the Master's sake. May you 
 long feel in a hundred ways that He regards them 
 as done to Himself. One link between us is our 
 common endowment and inheritance, a praying 
 ancestry. May the entail of happy godliness in 
 your house never be cut off ! 
 
 You see I have taken nearly a fortnight to 
 finish these few lines. This is an infirmity of 
 invalids. My wife joins me in kind regards to all 
 your family, 
 
 Yours affectionately, 
 
 M. C. TAYLOR." 
 
 " Tuesday evening, November 2Qth, 1 866. 
 
 MY DEAR 
 
 Your continuing so long in such weakness and 
 frequent pain has made me, for some time, wish to 
 send you a line. Even apart from direct assaults 
 of the tempter, your exhaustion will often make 
 it impossible for you to think or pray. But God 
 remembers that is, as we should say, bears it 
 always in mind ' that we are dust.' ' He will 
 fulfil the desire of them that fear Him : He also 
 will hear their cry, and will save them,' a passage
 
 LETTER. 175 
 
 r\^\S^S^S*t*****'***S~**S*<*S~^**sr*tS^S f <^^ 
 
 first pointed out to me by a sick man who, in 
 spite of great bodily suffering", had just believed on 
 these words to the joy of his soul. We can desire 
 and cry when we cannot think a sentence. 
 
 Mary has just been reading 1 to me the story of 
 the Syro- Phoenician woman. Surely there was a 
 design of all-seeing love for me and you in this 
 narrative, and that of the Centurion, ' which is like 
 unto it.' These ' who were not a people ' were 
 accepted, and the lower they sank in the depths of 
 their own unfitness, the higher were they raised in 
 joy and honour. ' It is not of him that willeth, nor of 
 him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy.' 
 We may well glory in Him at all times ! "
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 AMOR onus non sentit, labores non reputat, plus affectat quam valet, quia 
 cuncta sibi posse et licere arbitratur. DE IMITATIONS CHRISTI, iii., 5, 4. 
 
 I HAVE purposely reserved for this place the 
 following- letter, written with a view to publi- 
 cation in this Memoir, and addressed to myself. 
 Though it touches upon several points which have 
 been already noticed, the reader will be glad to 
 see a full-length portrait of Mr. Taylor from the 
 hand of the friend, his and mine, to whom reference 
 has so often been made in the preceding pages. 
 
 " Wesley an Theological Institution, 
 
 Didsbury, near Manchester, 
 
 April 21 st, 1870. 
 MY DEAR HELLIER, 
 
 I thank you for the opportunity of paying some 
 small tribute to the beloved and sacred memory of 
 our common friend, Michael Coulson Taylor. 
 
 As you know, I first made Mr. Taylor's ac- 
 quaintance in the year 1844, when I became a 
 Student in the Richmond Branch of our Theolo-
 
 LETTER OF THE REV. J. D. GEDEN. 1 77 
 
 gical Institution. I loved him at sight. I loved 
 him ever after. And it has been one of the great 
 joys and blessings of my life, that he loved me in 
 return. 
 
 He took the lead of all his contemporaries at 
 Richmond. Some of them had more book-learn- 
 ing than he had ; the literary tastes of some were 
 probably stronger ; and many excelled him in 
 wealth of imagination, in readiness of utterance, 
 or in graces of style as a writer and speaker ; but 
 for combined strength of mind and character, he 
 was superior to all. Without a touch of self-com- 
 placency or self-assertion, modest, quiet, gentle, 
 serious, yet full withal of pleasantry, as though a 
 spell wrought by him, he commanded universal 
 deference and homage. His intellectual acuteness, 
 his precocious judgment, his force of will, his moral 
 firmness and courage, his manly sympathy, his un- 
 affected but most impressive devoutness of spirit, 
 and his perfect consecration to his work as a can- 
 didate for the Christian and Methodist Ministry, 
 gave him a charm and power which were quite 
 unique among us. He was a thinker both by 
 nature and habit. Again and again his brethren 
 found him at the centre of a subject, while they 
 were groping darkly at the doorway. No man 
 could state a point more clearly, or argue it 
 with greater vigour and propriety of language. 
 Theology, Church History, and Political and Social
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 Economy were his favourite studies; and he had 
 views on them all which were worth hearing-. He 
 was singularly generous in his estimate of others. 
 Not blind to defect or fault, still less indifferent to 
 it, he put the best construction on appearances, 
 and credited every one with his full value. He 
 never courted respect ; he always won it. He was 
 the general referee on questions of difficulty, 
 whether belonging to study or action. No step 
 was taken by the students at large without his 
 counsel. His influence penetrated the entire social 
 life of the Institution, and ennobled and beautified 
 it. How his prayers used to awe and melt us, 
 will be remembered by all who knew him at 
 Richmond. And with what yearning he cared for 
 the religious good of the inhabitants of his tract 
 districts, and of the younger members, in particular, 
 of several families of the neighbourhood, can never 
 be forgotten by those who enjoyed his friendship. 
 There are persons living not now religiously what 
 they then were who, I doubt not, have been 
 haunted for long years past, to their unutterable 
 shame and misery, by the recollection of Mr. Tay- 
 lor's concern for their spiritual welfare. I have 
 reason to believe, that in not a few cases, his loving, 
 wise, and faithful labours as an evangelist were 
 crowned at this, as at every after period of his life, 
 with marked and permanent success. Even now, 
 the thrill of feeling returns upon me, of which I
 
 LETTER OF THE REV. J. D. GEDEff. I 79 
 
 was often sensible in those blessed days, as I 
 looked upon him after he had been talking- and 
 praying in his study with some one who had come 
 to him for spiritual help, or as he made his way 
 home, jaded in body and burdened at heart, yet 
 bright with Christian sunshine, from Petersham or 
 some other village adjacent, where his conscience 
 and heart had given him the cure of souls. 
 
 On leaving Richmond, Mr. Taylor was ap- 
 pointed to the Hastings Circuit. During his minis- 
 try there, I saw little of him except on a single 
 occasion, when I visited him for a day or two. I 
 found him, as I expected, fulfilling the promise of 
 his Institution course. There were the same 
 humility, the same prayerfulness, the same yearning 
 for souls, I use this last expression advisedly; I 
 know no other to answer the truth, the same self- 
 denial, the same boundless faith in the Gospel and 
 in Christ. It was affecting to observe his solicitude 
 for the conversion and religious stability of the 
 youthful members of his flock : how he bore the 
 burden of their several cases about with him, and 
 with what tenderness, wisdom, and patience he 
 watched and guided them as one that should give 
 account. Alike in the pulpit and out of it, he 
 seemed to me the very ideal of a young and faith- 
 ful Minister of Christ. 
 
 Mr. Taylor's removal from Hastings, first to 
 St. Georg-e's-in-the-East, London, and then to 
 
 X 2
 
 i8o 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 Islington, brought us once more into frequent 
 communication. At this time I often preached on 
 the Sunday in or about London ; and it was our 
 practice to meet on the Monday mornings, mostly 
 at the Mission-House in Bishopsgate-Street, and 
 to spend some hours together before I went back 
 to Richmond. Very memorable to me is the 
 intercourse which we had on such occasions. 
 Sometimes we visited the British Museum, or some 
 other public Institution. More commonly we went 
 up the river, and spent an hour or two in the Law 
 Courts at Westminster Hall, or heard the Appeal 
 Cases in the House of' Lords or in the Committee 
 of Privy Council. But, however occupied, I never 
 failed to remark that one idea ruled the mind and 
 heart of my friend. The glory of God in his own 
 religious progress and mine, and in our common 
 fidelity to our ministerial calling this was the 
 master sentiment. And I cannot picture in lan- 
 guage the simplicity, the lowliness of mind, the 
 strong practical sense, the undemonstrative but 
 burning brotherly sympathy, and the concern for 
 the salvation of men, especially the young, which 
 he used to show in all his conversation and spirit 
 on these occasions. Still less can I describe how 
 moved and humbled I was from time to time by 
 those most reverent, gracious, and loving prayers 
 which he was accustomed to offer for himself 
 and for me, as we knelt down together alone,
 
 LETTER OF THE REV. J. D. GEDEN. 
 
 according 1 to our custom, in one of the little upstair 
 rooms of the Mission-House. 
 
 In 1851, I removed from Richmond to New- 
 castle-on-Tyne ; and from this time forward my 
 personal communication with Mr. Taylor was 
 limited, for the most part, to occasional visits of a 
 day or two when I was in London on public 
 business. Through most of this period of fifteen 
 or sixteen years, Mr. Taylor held the office of 
 Secretary to the Wesleyan Committee of Educa- 
 tion, and took an active part only too active, alas ! 
 in the administration of the Training College at 
 Westminster. 
 
 I will not attempt to describe his Westminster 
 life and labours : you do this in your volume. I 
 will only say that, so far as they fell under my 
 eye, they presented one of the most remarkable 
 instances of ministerial excellence and success which 
 I have ever seen or heard of. The oneness of 
 purpose with which he pursued his work; the 
 conscientiousness and judgment with which he 
 graduated for himself the scale of duty ; his 
 singular aptness in combining attention to detail 
 with the discharge of functions which often made 
 the swiftest and heaviest demands upon his dis- 
 cretion and feeling; the more than fraternal 
 solicitude with which he performed the part of a 
 teacher and shepherd of souls towards the young 
 men and women belonging to the College, and
 
 1 82 
 
 CONCL US ION. 
 
 the amazing- power which he wielded among- them ; 
 last, not least, his ardent devotion to the service 
 of the pulpit as the crown and heig-ht of his voca- 
 tion, and his great religious usefulness as a 
 preacher, formed together a i complex of Divine 
 endowments and graces, such as men more com- 
 monly see in dreams than in the reality of Chris- 
 tian life. 
 
 Speaking- of preaching one of the last con- 
 versations which I remember to have had with 
 him, not long- before his fatal illness, turned on 
 this subject. I had accompanied him, one Sunday 
 evening-, to a village appointment near London ; 
 and as we were crossing- Clapham Common on 
 our way home, the troops of people whom we met 
 many of them plainly reg-ardless alike of re- 
 ligion and morals led him to speak of the Gospel 
 and the duties of the ministry. 'I often feel,' he 
 said, 'as though, if I were true to my principles 
 and to Christ, I could hardly help taking- my stand 
 on my own doorstep and beseeching the passers-by 
 to be reconciled to God.' This was said with a 
 passion of utterance such as he seldom showed, for 
 his ordinary manner was calm and still, and he was 
 incapable of an approach to anything like grotes- 
 queness in any part of his public conduct. 
 
 Among- my personal recollections of this 
 period of his history, few are more sacred than the 
 early morning- visits which he used to pay me when
 
 LETTER OF THE REV. f. D. GEDEff. 
 
 I stayed from time to time at his house in South 
 Lambeth. As sure as the morning- arrived, a little 
 before breakfast a gentle tap at my bed-room door 
 announced his coming 1 to renew the talk and prayer 
 of by-gone years. And with what self-oblivion, 
 what fidelity, what love, what reverence before God 
 he bore himself on these occasions, I recall with 
 ever-growing admiration and thankfulness. 
 
 I had only rare opportunities of seeing Mr. 
 Taylor during his long, last illness. The message 
 of love which he sent to me just before he died, 
 remains with me as the most cherished memory of 
 a friendship which death does not destroy, and 
 which, I trust, will be renewed ere long, where all 
 ' live unto God.' 
 
 Even now I cannot conclude without a few 
 further observations on Mr. Taylor's character and 
 habit of life, though I may seem at one or two points 
 to have anticipated myself. 
 
 Mr. Taylor was a man of remarkable penetra- 
 tion and practical sagacity. He saw into character 
 as by an instinct. It was wonderful to note how 
 masks and disguises fell off under the vivid touch of 
 his perceptions; particularly how no coating of 
 ignorance, awkwardness, or reserve, could hide 
 from him real power and worth. And it was with 
 things as with men. He could sift, grasp, and 
 generalise with surprising rapidity and precision. 
 No shuffles or windings of a fallacy seemed to baffle
 
 1 84 CONCL US ION. 
 
 him. The significance and bearing- of an event or 
 a policy revealed themselves to him with a quick- 
 ness and certainty which were quite incompre- 
 hensible to feebler or more sluggish minds. 
 
 His judgment was as finely balanced as his 
 intellectual sight was clear and commanding. He 
 was a man to go to in embarrassment and trouble. 
 I have known able and strong-minded men not 
 one or two merely who were never surer of them- 
 selves than when they followed his suggestions and 
 advice. The discretion which he showed in dealing 
 with the grave and difficult questions perpetually 
 arising in connection with his official duties at 
 Westminster, was not only matter of observation 
 throughout the Educational province of Methodism, 
 but called forth strong eulogium from persons 
 holding high position in the Department of Educa- 
 tion under Her Majesty's Government. In Com- 
 mittees and Public Meetings, likewise, whether 
 educational or ecclesiastical, Mr. Taylor was often 
 an invisible but most serviceable power behind the 
 chair, giving impulse and direction to counsels that 
 might otherwise have been wavering, vagrant, 
 inconclusive, or even mischievous. 
 
 The generosity of his nature has been already 
 adverted to. So far as selfishness went, the stroke 
 of the curse might have missed him. There were 
 no cobwebbed corners or murky passages in his 
 spirit, the haunts of moral unsightliness and venom.
 
 LETTER OF 7 HE REV. J. D. GEDEN. 
 
 Suspicion, jealousy, conceit, censoriousness, were all 
 strangers to him. He never disparaged any one. 
 He never sought to raise himself by planting his foot 
 on the prostrate reputation of his fellow. He was 
 willing that others should be exalted and himself 
 abased. The joy of his friend was his own greater 
 joy. It was beautiful to see I have seen it a hundred 
 times with what quiet enthusiasm of self-forgetful 
 love he would talk of the talents, the attainments, or 
 the pulpit power of his brethren in the Ministry. 
 
 He was not lavish of the language of affection. 
 Superficial observers might think him cold and 
 indifferent. His heart was in fact a deep well of 
 human and Christian sympathy. What words did 
 not utter, either by mouth or pen, found affluent 
 expression in acts of self-denial, of delicate kindness, 
 and of large and various charity. 
 
 Mr. Taylor did not read many books. He 
 thought too closely and led too busy a life to cover 
 a wide area of reading. Besides, he had seen some 
 marked instances in which multifarious reading had 
 choked or crippled the intellect, and he abstained 
 from it as matter of choice. The books which he 
 did read were all of the highest order; and 
 he assimilated them thoroughly into his mental 
 substance. Butler, Howe, and Barrow, were his 
 favourite divines. He often spoke of his obligation 
 to the late Rev. John Bowers, who first called his 
 attention to the merits of Barrow.
 
 1 86 
 
 CONCL US ION. 
 
 His theological opinions were pronounced and 
 definite, without being- narrow. He was impatient of 
 theological haze and equivoque. He had a profound 
 faith in what are commonly known as the orthodox 
 doctrines of sin and the Atonement. He recoiled 
 with unspeakable dread from the theosophy which 
 translates ' the love of God ' as an infinite good- 
 nature, and which juggles the death of Christ into a 
 mere appendag'e and accident of His career on 
 earth. His study of Scripture and his personal 
 experience alike told him that this was a mischievous 
 travesty of the Gospel ; and he clutched with the 
 full force of his intelligence and heart those great, 
 central truths of Christianity which have their 
 immortal exposition in the writings of St. Paul and 
 St. John. 
 
 As a preacher, Mr. Taylor was never popular. 
 His utterance was thick and muffled. He had no 
 power of projecting his voice upon a congregation, 
 or of making himself ubiquitous by look and 
 gesture. His extreme modesty gave a certain 
 dulness and heaviness to his manner. His style 
 of thought was too massive for the multitude, and 
 his language wanted the freedom and variety of 
 effective public speaking. Above all, he carried 
 to the pulpit a sense of religious responsibility 
 which unduly fettered and weighed him down. I 
 am satisfied that this, more than any other force, 
 contributed to produce that appearance of con-
 
 LETTER OF THE REV. J. D. CEDEN. 
 
 187 
 
 straint and oppression under which his preaching 
 laboured. To hearers whose intelligence and 
 right feeling made little of form in comparison 
 with substance, Mr. Taylor's sermons were always 
 acceptable; and he never failed to win the at- 
 tention of the religiously-anxious members of his 
 congregations. But for the many he was not 
 attractive ; and though he was aware of this, and 
 felt it, and strove to get the better of himself, he 
 was never so successful as to take his legitimate 
 rank among the preachers of his day. At the 
 same time, as we have stated already, his ministry 
 was a singularly successful one. He seldom 
 preached without witnessing direct spiritual results 
 such as those of which we read in the Acts of the 
 Apostles. Apart from his wise discourse and fer- 
 vent prayers, there was a religious power about 
 him which was all but irresistible. His aspect, his 
 bearing, his entire tone and spirit bespoke a nian 
 of God, whom God had sent on His errands. I 
 have reason to know that scores, if not hundreds, 
 of persons were converted to God through his 
 preaching and other evangelistic labours. 
 
 I need not dwell upon the secret of all this: 
 Mr. Taylor believed what he believed. His whole 
 being was given up to Christ. He had felt the 
 anguish of repentance. He had found mercy in 
 the Cross. He had received a Divine commission 
 to preach salvation to others. This one thing he
 
 1 88 
 
 CONCL US ION. 
 
 did ; and everything- else to him was impertinence 
 and vanity. 
 
 When Michael Coulson Taylor died, he left few 
 equals of his own standing 1 in Methodism behind 
 him : perhaps none surpassed him in breadth of 
 view, in strength of judgment, and in knowledge 
 and mastery of public affairs. Unquestionably, 
 had he lived, he would have exerted a powerful 
 and happy influence upon the Methodism of the next 
 twenty or thirty years to come. He has not lived. 
 He is gone from us. And the universal Church of 
 Christ might very well sit her down by his early 
 grave, and bemoan herself, were it not that Christ's 
 dead ones never die, and that the end of all things 
 is at hand. In one view his removal is no mystery. 
 He could not spare himself; and Methodism would 
 not spare him. But it is God who did it. And no 
 friend of Mr. Taylor can do otherwise than say, 
 His will be done ! 
 
 In the love of our triple friendship, thus broken, 
 yet not broken, 
 
 Believe me, my dear Hellier, 
 Yours very truly, 
 
 JOHN DURY GEDEN."
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 The paper following affords an example of Mr. 
 Taylor" s power to discuss difficult Theological questions, 
 
 WHAT function did the Holy Spirit sustain 
 towards the Lord Jesus during- His life on earth ? 
 
 This is purely a question on revealed truth ; and 
 as such must be solved. The Scriptures, then, teach, 
 
 1. The Holy Spirit (not the Son of God) 
 created our Lord's human nature. (Luke i. 35.) 
 
 2. The only expressions with regard to His youth 
 intimate, at least, that our Lord's human mind was 
 not informed by His Divine nature, but was gradually 
 developed under the special care and aid of the 
 Lord God. (Luke ii. 40 50.) 
 
 3. Both the Old and New Testaments ascribe 
 our Lord's wisdom and power as the Great Teacher 
 to the unction of the Holy One. (Psalm xlv. 2 ; 
 Isaiah xi. and Ixi. ; Luke iv. 17 22: specially, 
 John iii. 34.) Why spake He the words of God ? 
 Because He was God, as well as man ? No ; is the 
 inspired answer.
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 4. Our Lord not merely ascribed His miracles to 
 the power of the indwelling Spirit, but so ascribed 
 them as to make the proof the most awful reality 
 in this world. (Matthew xii. 32.) 
 
 And so taug-ht the Apostles. (Acts ii. 22; x. 38.) 
 
 5. Our Lord's fidelity as man to the work of 
 redemption is ascribed to the Lord the Spirit. 
 (Isaiah xlii. ; specially verse 6 ; Matthew iv. I ; 
 Hebrews ix. 14.) 
 
 6. Our Lord's resurrection is ascribed to the 
 Holy Spirit. (Romans i. 4; viii. 11.) 
 
 7. To these details may be added " the analogy 
 of faith," which teaches that redemption was 
 wrought out by the Son of God for us, as " the 
 Lord's Christ" 
 
 The immediate sequences of this view appear as 
 presumptive arguments at least. 
 
 1. The work of atonement and salvation is felt 
 to be more tangibly and intelligibly the combined 
 work of the Triune God, and not exclusively the 
 work of the Son. The latter notion may be said to 
 be one which our Lord took pains to refute. Is it 
 too strong to say, it seems to have been abhorrent 
 to Him ? John's Gospel, everywhere. 
 
 2. The whole life of Christ on earth becomes 
 more real to our thoughts. Just so far as the 
 Divine nature is supposed to have succoured the 
 human, what our Lord said and did ceases to be an 
 example to us, and loses the necessary and precious
 
 APPENDIX. I 9 l 
 
 features of humiliation and suffering-. Any kind of 
 fusion of the two natures throws an ethereal character 
 over the whole life. If the Divine interposed, the 
 human must have been overborne, virtually 
 absorbed. 
 Objections. 
 
 Arbitrary, unscriptural, dangerous. The middle 
 point involves the others; and is answered by the 
 seven particulars given. But John ii. 24 is referred 
 to. Isaiah xi. 3, would appear to be the ex- 
 planation ; at least, it may be ; and that is sufficient 
 to rebut the objection. 
 
 But, for instruction's sake, I retort the objection. 
 Where is the Scriptural evidence that our Lord's 
 human nature was affected save in rank by its 
 ineffable and glorious union with the Divine? 
 And is not the common notion very much like the 
 old Eutychian heresy ? 
 
 "Passivity" was part of the humiliation. Only 
 passivity, which sounds so disparaging, is hardly 
 strong enough for Paul's language. (Phil. ii. 7; 
 
 "But do you not favour Socinianism ? " No; 
 the Socinian is pointed to the Scripture proof of 
 the Divinity of the Lord Christ, (i Tim. iii. 16; 
 M'IMIIWHI; tv rivew^an.) His Divine nature was vin- 
 dicated by the attestation of His doctrine which 
 the Spirit of God bore through His " mighty signs 
 and deeds." On the other hand, the fused notion
 
 I9 2 APPENDIX. 
 
 does seem to throw a needless obstacle in the way 
 of a sincere inquirer after truth. 
 
 Since writing- the above, I have read the Article 
 on Ullmann, in the " London Review." How does 
 the above notion bear on that question ? I would 
 say that, whilst our Lord's work, and our Lord's 
 Divine nature, both required a sinless humanity, 
 were the reason for it, still, solely on Scripture 
 grounds, I would rather say the Holy Spirit was 
 the efficient cause of the sinlessness, than that the 
 Divine nature was. If the Divine nature was so 
 far latent or passive as to leave our Lord's human 
 nature to the operation of gradual development, 
 why not latent or passive in this point too ? But, 
 speculation apart, the Scriptures are silent, so far 
 as I remember, on the one side ; and most explicit, 
 minute, and full on the other. When the Book 
 speaks of supernatural aid being given to our 
 Lord's humanity, it also speaks of this aid being- 
 given by the Holy Spirit. 
 
 M. C. T.
 
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