'I have nothing more to say of this country, which though much blessed of the Lord, has great need of faithful labourers; otherwise indifference, and the fear of the world, often disguised under the cloke of wisdom and moderation, will gain the ascendancy. Dear brethren, pray for this country.'

CHAPTER III.

Mission to Grenoble.

AFTER having, as we have seen, traversed the western part of Switzerland, Neff turned his thoughts to France, and the following is a letter he wrote to a friend at Grenoble on the subject. * * *

The military expressions it contains are easily accounted for, by the circumstance of his having formerly followed the profession of arms.

For the information of foreigners, I would remark, that when M. Neff speaks of 'recruits having learnt to know their right hand from their left;' he alludes to an expression current among the inhabitants of the town, in ridicule of the countrymen of some of the cantons. In order to illustrate the extreme simplicity of those people, it was commonly asserted, that the greatest ingenuity was necessary in order to make them understand the most simple word of command; for instance, instead of saying 'turn to your right,' or 'left,' they were obliged to say, 'turn towards such a place,' &c.

The following is the letter in question:

"Geneva, August 20, 1821.

DEAR FRIEND AND BROTHER,

You have taken so little pains to remind us of

you, that you will perhaps be surprised to find that we still remember you. However, though we hear but little of you, we hope that you and all your family are alive and well. We also hope that you are happy; as much so at least, as one can be here, amidst cares on one hand, and temptations on the other. We often think of you, and trust that in like manner your thoughts are sometimes directed towards us; but that is not enough, we want to hear from you, both concerning yourself, and state of affairs at Grenoble. * * * Tell us of the labours of Cook,* not the great discoverer of islands, but the discoverer of the spiritually dead.

'But to come at once to the more immediate object of this letter. Would a visit from sergeant Neff give you any pleasure? or rather would it be likely to be of use to the good cause?

Is there any prospect of making any recruits; or are there any who have yet learned to know their right hand from their left?'

Three weeks after this we find Neff at Grenoble, as the following letter shows. The pastor of that place, whose large and scattered flock might have been divided into two or three parishes, greatly needed such an assistant.

'I can well imagine your astonishment had you seen me just now preparing to ascend the steps of the pulpit.

'I began on Friday to make a few notes on 2 Corinthians v. 20-22. I endeavoured to show that by nature, man is attached to the things of the world, and is therefore at enmity with God, to whom he ought to be reconciled; and then pointed out the

* A Wesleyan Missionary.

way in which this reconciliation is to be effected. I was graciously supported, and enabled to speak with boldness, making a strict and personal application to my audience of all I said, and warmly appealing to their own consciences. When reminding them of the parable of the Marriage Supper, I did not conceal from them my fears that in all probability, many of them would refuse the invitation, returning ‘one to his farm, and another to his merchandize."

To friends who had blamed him for want of discretion. "Grenoble, Sept. 26, 1821.

'I have just read your letter of the 22nd. It would be contrary to truth to say it gave me pleasure; indeed, I think you can hardly expect such an assertion. I expected to meet with some degree of encouragement, but your letter has given me great pain.

'Do not however imagine that I am in any way offended by your candour; on the contrary, I thank you for it sincerely; but with those who have suggested such opinions to you, I am displeased; and with myself too in some respects. I have frequently heard those very observations, and from the lips too of those from whom you have imbibed them; and I think I can discover three motives for these reproaches; cowardice, an overweening attachment to the National Church, and a leaning to mysticism. I by no means entirely agree with those who think that I have by my own fault closed against myself many open doors; and that if with some persons I have but ill succeeded, the blame is still to be attached to me. The Saviour himself was not received every where. It does not require much knowledge of human nature, to be well aware that the principal obstacle is in the heart of man, and that it is the Gospel, rather than the evangelist, which offends them. I have known workers in the vineyard, who

by their mildness, and suavity, have been in high estimation among the lukewarm and indifferent, and who nevertheless, have done no good to these persons, but have rather made them still more averse to the Gospel; for as soon as any one attempts to tell them the truth, they immediately cry out against their want of charity. No, no, I repeat it, one cannot build a house, by merely breaking stones for the purpose; and the true Gospel, plainly and unflinchingly set forth, will ever be, as the Scriptures declare,

a savour of death unto death," to those that perish. I was ill prepared for being blamed for want of caution, having often reproached myself during my labours in Switzerland with having too much yielded to a worldly and timid prudence. Had you had an opportunity of judging for yourselves, you would perhaps have understood the necessity which often compelled me to combat with severity, principles of lukewarmness and cowardice. Perhaps, if I had endeavoured to please all tastes, I might have been considered more amiable, but truth would have been injured, and you yourselves would with reason have been the first to blame me. God grant, that as long as I am in his service, I may never yield to temporising measures; for the mere experience I have, the more I read the word of God, and reflect upon it, the more confirmed I am in my resolution to be active and vigorous in his service.

'With regard to your observations on the sternness or asperity of my character, or any other personal fault, I acknowledge they are but too true, and that I deserve more than has been said. This indeed is a source of much discouragement to me; for if my imperfections merely existed in the opinion of men, I should care but little; but when I consider on one side, the timid spirit by which so many Christians are influenced; and reflect on the other, on my numerous imperfections, my weakness of faith, my