P. S.-I beg my love to Mr. and Mrs. James, and sister Mary. Kind remembrances to all friends. LXXX. TO THE CHURCH OF CHRIST ASSEMBLING IN BROADMEAD, BRISTOL. ON ACCEPTING THE PASTORAL OFFICE. My dear Brethren, Leicester, Dec. 21, 1825. After long and mature deliberation and earnest prayer, I write these lines to inform you that I accept the invitation you have been pleased to give me, to the pastoral office. That it may become a mutual blessing, and that you and myself may reap the fruit of it, in the glory of God, the spiritual improvement of each other, and the conversion of sinners from the error of their way, will I trust continue to be, as it has already been, the object of your frequent and fervent supplication to the throne of grace. Be assured, I feel deeply my utter inability for the adequate discharge of the weighty duties which devolve upon me, and particularly my unfitness to walk in the steps of your late venerable pastor. My only hope, amidst the discouragement arising from this quarter, is placed in "your prayers, and the supply of the spirit of Christ Jesus." Conscious as I am of innumerable imperfections, I must rely on your candour for a favourable construction of my conduct, and reception of my labours. Permit me, my dear brethren, to conclude, by "recommending you to God, and the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them that are sanctified by the faith of Jesus." I remain, dear Brethren, Your affectionate Friend and Brother, LXXXI. ROBERT HALL. TO THE REV. P. J. SAFFERY, OF SALISBURY. Dear Sir, Leicester, Jan. 16, 1826. I duly received your favour, and cannot be insensible to the honour you have done me, in wishing me to assist at your approaching ordination, by delivering a charge. I am sorry you appear to lay so much stress upon it, because it makes me the more uneasy in putting that negative on your wishes which my judgement and my inclination dictate. As I intend to avoid engagements out of Bristol as much as possible, and very rarely, if ever, to officiate at ordinations, I can by no means consent to begin my career there by an engagement of that nature which would at once, by giving erroneous expectations, be productive of much inconvenience. Nearly all the spare time I can command from my proper station, will, necessarily, be occupied in visiting the connexions among which I have lived, and where I have numerous old and tried friends, who must be ever dear to my heart. As to ordinations, it has long been my opinion, that they are best conducted by the presbyters or elders of the immediate vicinity of the party; and that, to step beyond that circle, is to sacrifice or impair the chief benefit of that practice, which is the putting a wholesome check on the abuse of the popular suffrage, by making it impossible for a minister to establish himself at the head of a congregation, without the approbation and sanction of the circle of pastors with whom he is to act. It is an affair in which the church are chiefly or solely concerned; and though the calling in a stranger on such occasions may attract a greater audience, it is, in my humble opinion, at the expense of more important objects. For these, and other reasons that might be adduced, you must allow me firmly, though most respectfully, to decline the service you have been pleased to assign me; and, to cut off any occasion of [discussion], I must request the favour of [your] accepting this reply as final. I cannot close these lines, however, without expressing the pleasure it affords me to find you are likely to succeed your excellent father. That a double portion of his spirit may rest upon you, is, dear Sir, the sincere desire and prayer of Your sincere Friend and humble Servant, P. S.-I beg to be respectfully remembered to your excellent mother, though personally unknown. LXXXII. TO THE REV. DR. J. P. SMITH, HOMERTON. Rev. and dear Sir, Bristol, Nov. 3, 1826. I have to complain of a good deal of misrepresentation in what is stated in your letter, as having passed in my interview with Dr. Malan. The conversations (for they were two) passed at my house, not at Clifton. He was insisting much on the absolute necessity of the full assurance of our personal salvation, which, as he appeared to carry it to a great extent, led me to remark, that it seemed to me a most desirable attainment, and what every sincere christian ought to seek after with diligence, rather than as essential to the very [existence] of religion. And in the course of conversation, I confessed that I had it not myself. At this he expressed his surprise, and began with emphasis to recite that passage in John's epistle, "He that believeth that Jesus is the Christ, is born of God." His discourse to me on this subject was not satisfactory. Part of it was not very intelligible; and part, as far as I did understand it, was injudicious, and bordering on enthusiasm. I certainly was extremely struck with the indications of exalted piety and love, exhibited by his whole deportment, and particularly his countenance. I must confess there was something in his looks that reminded me more of the ideal picture I have formed of the Saviour, than I ever saw before in any human being: and, as I am too prone to express myself in the style of hyperbole, it is to that part of his character that the expression your letter quoted must be understood to allude. Though I am certain, I never used some of the words imputed to me, particularly those in which I am represented as saying, "All other men were brutes and beasts compared to him." I am equally a stranger to the words and the ideas, you may depend on it. I never acknowledged the little success of my sermons arose from my ministry not being accompanied with the baptism of the Holy Ghost. He observed, that my printed discourses (of these only he spoke) wanted simplicity: nor was I at all concerned or surprised at that; for he found much fault with Maclaurin's, on "Glorying in the Cross of Christ," which he accused of the same defect, observing, that it exhibited the truth, but did not exhibit his Master; a remark which appeared to me (as I observed to him) very unintelligible. I never gave thanks aloud, that Dr. Malan was brought to Bristol; nothing of the kind ever passed from me. I probably did (indeed, I know I did) express myself much gratified in having an opportunity of a personal interview; and I parted from him with much esteem and affection on my part. I thought him, on the whole, a very extraordinary man; though much more to be admired for his ardent piety and lively imagination, than for judgement or profundity. Even on his favourite topic of assurance he seemed sometimes to retract all that he had asserted. I did not hear him [preach]; but I learnt afterwards, that his hearers generally went away with the impression of their having heard very new doctrine. If Dr. Malan has given the statement you have copied, I am heartily sorry for it, because it is extremely inaccurate, and must necessarily diminish the high regard in which I held him. Thus I have given you, my dear Sir, |