Him! I preach enough upon this subject to others to make me ashamed of myself, and, if He were strict to mark what is amiss, to condemn me out of my own mouth. I shall hope to hear from you before long, and then I shall be a letter in your debt. Dinner is coming; business of that importance you know often makes us suddenly shut up our books and lay by our papers; it now constrains me in much haste to subscribe myself,-Dear Sir, your affectionate friend and servant, Olney, October 22, 1778.

JOHN NEWTON.

XX.

MY DEAR FRIEND-When there is a willing mind, the intention I hope will be accepted, if ability should be wanting. The time of my long proposed emigration is at hand; and if the Lord please, we set out for Bedford on Monday morning; from thence we move to Newport on Friday, to Olney on Saturday next. I have a hundred times over annexed to the idea of this journey the pleasing thought of pushing on to Leicester, a thought too pleasing for me to give it up quite; yet it appears, now the time draws near, attended with so many difficulties, as to be almost an uncertainty whether it can take place. My time will be short, and the situation of things at Olney such, as will, in all likelihood, require my stay with the people there, as much as possible. This I ought to have considered, before I too much indulged myself in anticipating the pleasure I proposed in seeing Leicester again. In brief, the purport of this is to tell you, that, if I can come I will; but I suspect it will not be in my power to do it. But I think you shall hear farther from me, when I am at my head quarters.

I have gone on upon the whole comfortably, and am still favoured with m. usual health: Mrs. Newton is sometimes pretty well, and sometimes but poorly If she should be indisposed while abroad, that circumstance alone would be a sufficient embargo; for she is not able to bear much hurrying about, nor could I leave her behind me.

I know not what I write, being in the midst of company, and frequently upon the point of penning down what I am speaking or hearing, which would make a strange medley in a letter to you. This I can and will say, that I love you dearly, and my other friends in Leicester, and do certainly long to see you, whether my longing be gratified or not.

It is a mercy that all our movements are under a superior direction, and that, if we can resign ourselves to be guided by Him, He will so forward or overule our purposes, by the secret influence of His providence, as to be where He, to whom all events and consequences are known, sees it best upon the whole we should be. If He has any thing for me to do or to receive at Leicester, He will open my way

thither; if duty appoints otherwise, I must pray for grace to say, "Not my will

but Thine be done.

There is no doubt, but the first servants and followers of our Lord loved each other dearly, and would have been glad to have spent much of their time together; but His service, which was dearer and more important to them than their own personal gratification, would not admit of it. I suppose, after the apostles went forth upon their public work, they seldom saw each other: they were dispersed East, West, North and South. But He was equally near and with them all. And if they met not upon earth, they soon met in heaven, and have been happy ever since. There we likewise hope to be united with each other; with them and with Him, in a manner unspeakably better than any thing we can form a conception of. I shall try to comfort myself with this thought, if I should be prevented visiting you.

My visit to Bedford cannot be put off, principally because Mrs. Barham is ill of an illness which will undoubtedly terminate in her death. And if we see her not soon, we cannot expect to see her at all in this world. It would add to my trial, if your journey to London should take place while we are abroad: but we still ought to hope and believe, that all things are nigh. But we still ought to hope and believe that all things are right. I must be in London by the end of June; my supplies will be for no longer, and if they could be procured, I ought not to be longer from Mary Woolnoth. With our sincere love to Mrs. Robinson,

I remain, very sincerely, your affectionate friend and servant, Charles Square, Hoxton, June 2, 1781. JOHN NEWTΟΝ,

During the past month, a series of services intended to promote a revival of religion has been held at Surrey Chapel; occasion being taken of the visit to this country of the Rev. E. N. Kirk, of Albany, in the State of New York.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 5.

A Prayer-meeting was held at nine o'clock this morning. Several ministers addressed the assembly-among them the Rev. E. N. Kirk, who explained the principle on which the Revival Meetings in America have been conducted.

In the evening a Missionary Prayer-meeting was held, at which the Rev. E. N. Kirk detailed the origin and success of the efforts, which Christians in America are making for the conversion of the heathen world.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6.

At nine o'clock this morning, a special Prayer-meeting for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit was held. Several ministers delivered addresses; among them the Rev. E. N. Kirk, who spoke on God's controversy with His people.

In the evening the Rev. E. N. Kirk preached to young men, from Amos iii. 3-"How can two walk together except they be agreed?"

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7.

At nine o'clock this morning, the Rev. E. N. Kirk preached on the duty of Christians, to exercise compassion to souls in their immediate neighbourhood. His text was Luke xvi. 26" Between us and you there is a great gulf fixed."

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8.

At noon this day, a meeting to promote revival in the Churches of Christ was held. After prayer by the Rev. Thomas Binney, the Rev. Caleb Morris read and expounded Acts ii-pointing out, that, in all the recorded instances of the outpouring of the Spirit, it had been in answer to prayer. The Rev. J. Stevenson addressed the assembly, and engaged in prayer. The Rev. James Sherman next spoke, observing in his address-" Oh! my dear Christian friends, if I may judge of you by myself, I am sure it is high time to awake, it is high time to have the Gospel in our hearts in its power and its boldness; and I pray you to go away to-day, not with satisfaction from having been here, but with a solemn determination before God, that Jesus Christ shall have your hearts and shall have your lives also. And let us all begin with ourselves. If we can only get the holy fire to burn every one in his own heart, the work is done; but all revivals must be personal, We must not look to our cold brother, or to our deadsister-but to our cold hearts. to our dead selves."

At this meeting the Rev. E. N. Kirk next addressed the assembly on the desire, ableness of the coming of the Holy Ghost. In speaking of the effect of the descent of the Spirit in making the Word of God all-powerful, and especially in giving weight to single sentences often heard carelessly before, he narrated the case of a young man in a country settlement in America, whose father and mother and two sisters went to chapel, leaving him at home as he had refused to accompany them, for he had a great contempt for religion. "He tried to amuse himself for sometime in the house, but felt a dreadful vacancy Whilst he was going listlessly about, "there came this passage upon his mind- Come now and let us reason together.' He said it was just as if his Maker had stooped to him, and said, 'Poor guilty worm! come-if you have any excuse to plead, come-come now and let us reason together! is it little reasonable, that you bow before Jesus Christ? is it little reasonable, that you give up sin? come now and let us reason together?' It occurred to him wherever he went about the house; every where there was this secret whispering to his soul-Come, young man! come; stop in your thoughtless career; come now and let us reason together; come, debate with your Maker; you will stand before Him at the judgment-seat, you had better begin now, come let us reason together.' He says it so weighed upon his mind, that at last he rushed into fell room, his knees, and cried ont, My God! I have no reason! I am upon an unreasonable sinner.' And he hastened to the meeting, after his father and mother and sisters, and he found his Saviour there. My brethren, a great many such things would occur in London, if the Spirit of God came down." The service was concluded with prayer.

his

FRIDAY, NOVEmber 9.

At eleven o'clock, the Rev. E. N. Kirk preached on the nature and influence of Maternal Societies. This Sermon will be found in The Pulpit, No. 849. After it, he ordinance of baptism was administered to the infant child of the Rev. James Sherman, and to several other children; a full report of this interesting part of the service is in our possession, but we are compelled to postpone it.

VICTORIA, QUEEN OF BRITAIN; or, a
little child over a great nation. A
Sermon by B. S. HOLLIS, Minister of
St. John's Chapel, Edmonton. pp. 32.

Baynes, 28, Paternoster row; and Painter,
342, Strand.

quisite to say whose it shall be! O! that the sincerity of the claimants may be detected, and equity bring in the verdict ! But who, in such a case, would envy the proud distinction of a crown and a throne? What feeling, what Christian mind will not, in the antici

Ir may be doubted whether the mi-pation of such a crisis, whatever its own parnisters of religion have sufficiently called ticular views, implore for our youthful attention to the circumstances of our the same discerning, impartial and correct Queen, that she, like Solomon, may discover youthful Sovereign, and the Christian judgment? Who will not pray-"O give duty of especial prayer on her behalf. thy servant an understanding heart." It is represented in Scripture as one of God's judgments upon a nation, that the In the passage we next quote, a disruler shall be a child. The sermon be-tinction is properly made, which some fore us enumerates six kings of Israel, parliamentary opposers of the Lord's who ascended the throne when they were Day Bill wouid do well to consider. It between the ages of twelve and twenty- is singular that intelllgent men should five years; five of them "did evil in the think it decisive of the fate of that sight of the Lord," and one-only one Bill, to cry out on its annual presenta"walked in the ways of David his tion to them, "Oh! you cannot make father." It would be no unrewarded men religious by Act of Parliament." work, if the ministers of Christ would No one pretends to do so; but an Act of not now content themselves with the Parliament can keep men from a particustomary prayer for the monarch, but cular open sin-the public profanation would lay before their people the pecu- of the Sabbath-at least in a vast multiculiar duty cast on them by the elevation tude of instances; and the simple quesof one to the throne, in the season of tion is, whether, as that can be done, thoughtlessness and levity. Christians it ought to be done. Mr. Hollis says :are not to occupy themselves solely with their individual advance in the ways of God and the interests of His church, but to make supplication "for those in authority over them."

66

"And knowing, as we do, the difference of opinion which is entertained upon the manner in which any Ruler should interfere in the promotion of Religion, we forbear to We are glad to see Mr. Hollis betak-say much. It were enough for our purpose ing himself to this part of his work; to say, that a Ruler, with "an understandand we think he has touched judiciously ing heart," will ever be concerned chiefly for the glory of God, and the best interests upon several interesting topics. But of " pure and undefiled religion"-will we shall let the reader judge for himself. give to the cause of God prayer, example, Having cited, in proof of his having and prudent influence. There is no religion an understanding heart" when he was in compulsion.-Neither is there in indifferbut a stripling, Solomon's judgment on ence. Every protection should, surely, be the claim of the two mothers to the liv given to Religious Liberty; and every faing child, Mr Hollis remarks ;— cility to Religious Improvement. We may not attempt to bind conscience; but neither "And now, though the office of govern- ought we to neglect the provision of means, ment differs so materially from that in which by which it may be enlightened. We cannot Solomon was placed-now are there cases, force a man to observe the Sabbath acceptwhen the same promptness, discernment, ably to God; but if, by well-digested laws, a and impartiality, are required; and particu- government such as ours, can remove the larly so at the present time. Strong party-various hindrances which now exist to its obfeeling, on various subjects, now discovers servance, by those who would gladly leave itself; each faction, as in the case of these their worldly callings, and attend the house women, imagines itself to possess the strongest of prayer, were it not that by so doing they claim. Both want the living child! And must lose employment altogether-surely, so strong and even may the opposition run, every Christian mind will rejoice in the that monarchical discretion only may be re- attempt."

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