had not courage to face the ill-treatment of her master, and the ridicule of her friends. Such instances should be made known among christians, that they may take heed to themselves, remembering that the friendship of the world is enmity with God.'

CHAPTER V.

Neff goes to England for ordination-Returns to Mens -Quits that place for the High Alps.

We are now arrived at that period when Neff judged it necessary to seek without more delay, that ordination which opens so wide a door to the man of God, and removes so many obstacles out of his path. Never having studied regularly, he could not be ordained in France; he therefore applied himself to a respectable body of pastors of the Independent congregations in England, who could appreciate the proofs Neff had already given of his fitness for the ministry, without requiring from him a degree of learning, which in his case was quite unnecessary.

*

* The translator once more avails herself of a few passages from the pen of Dr. Gilly, by way of illustration and explanation :-" Neff had now made sufficient proof of his inclination and powers. He had discharged the duties of a probationer and catechist, for more than four years, and in the course of his ministry, first in his own country, and next in one of the provinces of France; he found, by happy experience, that God had given him both strength and willingness to do His work. He therefore took his departure from Mens in April 1823, with the intention of seeking for the imposition of hands, and of devoting himself to the service of the Church, by a solemn act of consecration. He believed himself to be called, and tried; and he humbly hoped that he possessed such qualities as were requisite for the responsible station he was desirous to fill.

'The great difficulty however was this,-by whom was he to be or

The following letter to Miss Richards was written at this period.

'May 9, 1823. 'MADAME AND DEAR SISTER IN JESUS CHRIST. 'Allow me to address this letter to you, and to request you to communicate its contents to all who. interest themselves in the kingdom of our God, and of his Christ, for to them also I write.

'Having left Paris on Wednesday morning, I arrived here yesterday evening, intending to sail this morning for England in the French packet, but I

dained? By the authorities of the National Church at Geneva, the land of his birth? But these had avowed principles from which his soul shrank; and he felt a strong reluctance to derive authority to preach the gospel from those, who in his opinion had betrayed the gospel, by ceasing to uphold the Divinity of Christ, and the essential doctrines of the book of life. Should he present himself before those seceding pastors of Geneva, who had separated from the National Church, and who declared themselves members of a new Church? A reference to Neff's letter on the subject of national establishments, will shew that he was likely to feel scruples here, and that he was unwilling to take any step which could be regarded as inconsistent with his declared opinions on the subject of disorganization. He could not wish, by any act of his, to be impairing the maintenance of that Church in which he himself had been baptized; which had once been the instrument of much good, and might again, by a reformation within itself, become as illustrious for its orthodoxy, as it then was for its learning.

'Neff's eyes, in his reluctance to be ordained by clergy holding doubtful opinions, would next be turned to the Protestant Church of France, and as he had been a humble Levite in her temples, and hoped yet to serve before her altars, it must have been his devout wish to receive orders under her sanction. But he was a foreigner, and without the process of naturalization, it was not then easy, perhaps not practicable, to be admitted into her bosom.

'One door only seemed to be open to him. To go to England, where his name and merits had been made known, through the means originally of the Continental Society, I believe, and of Mr. Cook and Mr. Wilks, two eminent dissenting ministers; and to ask for a public recognition, as a devoted servant of God, in one of those Independent Congregations, whose ministers are received in the Protestant Churches of France, as duly authorized to preach the word of God, and fulfil the duties of the pastor's office.'

reckoned without my host. The west wind, by which we were choked with dust the previous day, had become stronger during the night, and the sea was this morning so boisterous, that the vessel, though charged with dispatches, could not sail. I am then stationed here for the night, and perhaps longer. I have therefore plenty of time for writing; and I cannot employ myself more agreeably than in addressing you.

'On Sunday I passed a short time with the two female domestics of our friend M. Wilder; they are going with him to the United States; and are both very interesting young people. Persecuted in their own country, the Pays de Vaud, and deprived of the instructions of their faithful pastor, they preferred, though rich, to go into service, and seek for peace and improvement in a pious family; for this purpose they came to Paris, and are now going to America, without regretting their native country, because they are both the children of God. We conversed seriously together for some time. The sad sight of this large town given up to the idolatry of the things of this world, and whose numerous inhabitants, vain, frivolous, and proud, are occupied with every thing except the one thing needful, made me feel in a peculiarly lively manner, the inestimable value of the salvation which is in Christ Jesus; and the wonderful goodness of God in giving us, together with light and truth, eyes to see, and ears to hear it while millions of our fellow-creatures, equally miserable with ourselves, though not more guilty, are destitute of this blessing.

'In the evening Wilder took me to the house where the Sunday evening meetings are held; M. Monod the younger was there; and he invited me to conduct the service.

On Monday I was again called upon to officiate. You know that within the last few months, a society has been formed at Paris for foreign missions. The

timidity of some of the members has prevented the Society from becoming sufficiently public, and has cramped its powers of usefulness; however, on the first Monday in every month, the accounts of different missions are read at a public meeting, together with some portion of Scripture, after which, an exhortation is addressed to the assembly. At this meeting, I was requested by Monod to preside.

I quite forgot that yesterday was Ascension-day; and when the conductor of the diligence happened accidentally to mention it, the recollection of my Catechumens came instantly into my head. I thought that at that very time they were assembled in the temple, listening to the exhortations of their pastor, and preparing to take upon themselves, in the face of God and the Church, the sacred and solemn engagement of renouncing the world, the flesh, and sin, and of consecrating the rest of their life to the service of their God and Saviour. This thought roused me from the state of coldness and indifference into which I too often fall during a journey; I felt myself excited to pray for them, and I entreated the God of all grace to confirm' them truly in the covenant of his mercy, making them feel the solemnity of their engagements, and giving them strength to continue faithful to them. Alas! how few of them know what they are doing, and among those who do know, how few are really determined to live for the Saviour. How many among them will have taken a false, or at least a rash oath; promising the great God, who knows their hearts, that which they have no intention or wish to perform. In the midst of these melancholy reflections, I was cheered by the thought that in all probability your mind, and those of our other friends, are occupied by the same subject, and that you are offering up prayers to God for these dear children, as you had been requested; entreating that his blessing and grace might be shed on those young hearts,