the confidence you have placed in me, and shall be very glad to be your servant in this good work. I have the happiness of being acquainted with many who love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity; many of whom are very poor. I have more than once taken my great coat off my back to cover their naked limbs in the colds of winter, and gone to Mrs. C. for another. I shall meet with no difficulties in laying out your very liberal donation according to your wishes. And I believe you may depend on my faithfulness and disinterestedness in the work according to the best of my knowledge.

"It is not a small privilege to be employed in serving those whom our Lord loves, whether it be in their temporal or spiritual concerns. He hath loved them, redeemed them, and washed them in his own blood; and takes it kind of us that we love and serve one another. Our love is but as nothing at best; but his love has all immensities, and every perfection in it. The more we know, believe and contemplate it in all its fulness, immensity and eternity, the more we shall love bim and one another. It is an all-conquering love. It overcoines enemies and makes them friends forever. A cold, stubborn, hard, misgiving and suspicious heart cannot stand before it. Sometimes I wonder that it is possible for me to think of any thing else. And I do rejoice that the period is hastening when I shall be altogether filled with its wonders. The divine perfections are all wonderful and infinitely glorious. But if God had not loved us, they would have been all against us; and we deserved justly they should. But love has inade all ours, and set them all at work in all their infinite greatness in our behalf. The great point was to love: but divine love surmounted all difficulties, arising from

our unworthiness, deformity and guilt, and embraced us in the midst of our vileness, and withheld nothing necessary to qualify us for the full and eternal enjoyment of himself.

"I do not trouble myself about his love to me in particular. I know he has loved sinners; and I am one of them. This consideration endears him to me; so that I cannot help loving and praising him, and cleaving to him without any great doubt or hesitation. Every thing in Jesus seems to suit me. I know that all his blessings were intended for such as I am. Who else could make use of them? And why not for me? He is altogether lovely-altogether such an one as I could wish him to be; and I see every thing that I want in him. Where else can I go, or should I go? I see so little holiness in me, that I can hardly persuade myself, that I am a saint. But I know that I am a sinner; and as such I seldom fail of having a free access and a favourable audience. I wonder at him, and wonder at myself too. I wonder he admits me into his presence; and I wonder how I can venture, being so vile and unworthy. But when I look towards the throne, every thing seems to favour me-a throne of grace-a great High-priest, touched with the feeling of our infirmities -mercy and grace to be obtained and received; the very things I want, and which alone can help me. What blessings! All smiling on a poor worm, and giving him a cordial welcome-all the wonders of love to a poor sinner!I thank you very sincerely, my dear friend, for putting it in my power to relieve those who love our common Lord, and lare loved by him. It is a gratification, I assure you. Their hearts, as well as mine, will bless the Lord on your behalf, and pray for your soul's prosperity."

A a 3

CHAP. IV.

FROM 1804 to MR. C.'S DEATH IN 1814.

SECT. I.-From 1804 to 1807.

As Mr. Charles was the principal, though not the only instrument in originating the Bible Society, it is deemed right to detail briefly though minutely, the part he acted in the business.-The exciting or moving cause of this noble institution was the want of bibles, especially in North Wales. This worked on the sympathy of Mr. C. and some of his friends. They exerted themselves; and failed in their first efforts. The urgent want which prevailed allowed them no rest. Their invention was called into exercise; they planned, contrived and fervently prayed. The Lord heard, and directed them eventually in a course which led to sufficient means of relief. This want was created by the success of the gospel. Many in different parts of the country had been awakened into a sense of religion by the powerful preaching of Mr. Rowland and his coadjutors, before Mr. C. went into Wales. When the people were made sensible of the value of eternal things, they wanted to peruse for themselves the words of eternal life. When quickened into life, they became hungry and felt the need of spiritual food. This hunger for the bread of life had been in a degree satisfied in South Wales and partially in the North, by the laudable efforts of the Rev. Peter Williams, who published about the middle

of the last century or a little later, an edition of the bible, accompanied with notes after every chapter. This was printed at Carmarthen. Nearly at the same time an edition of Cann's bible came out in octavo; and also a pocket edition of it, with the marginal references and a few notes at the bottom of the page. South Wales enjoyed also the benefit of the editions of the bible procured through the influence of the Rev. G. Jones, of Llanddowror, in the former part of the last century and this excellent clergyman was the origin of all the good, afterwards carried on and enlarged by Rowland and Charles: it was he that began that revival of religion, which has become so extensive and so beneficial to the country. The advantages of the forementioned editions of the bible reached North Wales but very partially. Hence when Mr. C. went to that part of the country, he found the inhabitants generally destitute of the word of life, "It is well known to many," says his Welsh biographer, " that Mr. C. very soon after he joined the Calvinistic Methodists in Wales, felt much concerned, that so few of the people, especially of the poor, could read, and that so few bibles were to be found among them in general.”

This state of things induced Mr. C. to establish circulating schools; which after four years were followed by Sunday schools. When the capacity of reading became more general, and a serious impression made on the minds of the young people, bibles were wanted. And we find that Mr. C. as early as the year 1787, two years after the commencement of the circulating schools, was corresponding with the late Rev. T. Scott, then in London, about procuring Welsh bibles for supplying the wants of his countrymen. Mr. S. tried all means

in his power but eventually failed. The Sunday schools greatly increased the want. So urgent and general it became, that the Rev. T. Jones, of Creaton, Northamptonshire, when "on a visit to that country in the year 1791, observed it with great concern and sorrow. It made such impressions on his mind, that he could not rest without trying all means to have it removed. Part of his correspondence with Mr. C. from this time till the establishment of the Bible Society may be seen in Mr. Owen's admirable history of that institution. This want of bibles was still farther increased by the extraordinary revival which took place in North Wales in the years 1791, 1792 and 1793. Its greatness and urgency may be judged of, by the incessant and strenuous efforts made by Mr. Jones to relieve it, which were no doubt instigated by the affecting representations and importunate solicitations of Mr. C.

The first attempt was made in the beginning of the year 1792. An application was made by Mr. Joues to the Society for promoting Christian knowledge to print an edition of 10,000 copies of Welsh bibles. The Society was reluctant. To induce it, Mr. J. offered a security to pay for 5000 as soon as printed. This offer was in July 1792 accepted; but in April 1793 there was a demur on the ground of an opinion entertained by the Society that such an edition was not wanted. Having failed in this way in his object, Mr. J. had recourse to the kindness of his Diocesan, Dr. Madan, the bishop of Peterborough. The good bishop most readily promised to exert his influence to forward what he had in view. The bishop's influence succeeded. A resolutiton to print the number required passed the board in 1796; and the edition came out in 1799. But it was