As a Christian minister, the ex- | Holy Spirit, he never spoke except cellences of his character were to reprobate or lament the phrases, great and varied; and though he of "the Trinity," "the Divine entered upon the ministry without Essence," or the "personality of having enjoyed the advantages of the Holy Spirit." a liberal education, and under circumstances in other respects most unfavourable and inauspicious, there are few men, it is believed, whose loss will be more severely felt by the church of Christ.

as

But it must also be noticed, that this adherence to scriptural statements and expressions, arose much from his distrust of human systems and his frequent variance from them, as from his dislike of their peculiar phraseology. The voice of friendship (and we think it will be responded by many of his most intelligent and pious hearers) whispers that he had borrowed the excellences and discarded the defects of many systems; but be this as it may, his sentiments, and his mode of expressing them too, were peculiarly and emphatically his own. He called no man

A fondness for reading, an ardent thirst for the acquisition of knowledge, countervailed in a great degree the disadvantages arising from a defective education; while a deep sense of the importance of the Christian ministry, combined with an equally strong conviction that its duties were often very inefficiently performed, led him to exert his utmost efforts for the attainment of excellence. Seldom, if ever, indeed, during later years, did he enter the pulpit without being as fully prepared as research and thought (exercised in depend-attachment to party, and to party ence upon divine assistance) could possibly render him.

His sermons were replete with information-plain and practical.

To render this hasty sketch, however, useful to those ministers who did not know him, it may be well to notice a few characteristics of his preaching.

master, and could it have been avoided, would have owned no distinguishing appellation.

In addition to this freedom from

views, there was a completeness in his exhibition of divine truth, arising in a great degree from that very circumstance, and also in no small measure from the plan pursued during more than the last twenty years of his life, of illustrating successively every portion of the New Testament. A harmony of the Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, and all the Epistles, had thus been passed in review, and a course more beneficial to his own mind, or more useful and gratifying to his congregation, could not have been followed.

Its first, and perhaps its best feature, may be found in a decided and conscientious adherence to the statements and expressions of Scripture, in opposition both to the spirit and language of any merely human system of divinity. Even in cases where his views coincided on a Add to this, that his sermons given point with any existing sys-were decidedly practical; that they tem, it was a maxim with Mr. W. were pervaded by much of that to adhere to the language of the warm and generous feeling which Bible upon the subject, to the ut- distinguished the preacher in the most possible exclusion of any intercourse of private life; that his technical definition or explanation appeals were made, not indeed of it. Thus, though a firm believer exclusively, but in a very great in the deity of Christ, and in the degree, to the best feelings, the

gratitude, and love, and hope, in- | his poorer brethren in the minisstead of the fears of man; that he try, and their destitute widows and dwelt in more than an ordinary children; and that from his chameasure on the doctrine of a su- racter and standing in the church, perintending Providence; and ad- he was frequently called upon to dressed the invitations of the gos-compose those differences which pel to all his hearers, not only but too commonly occur in dissentwithout restraint, but with the full ing churches. and decided conviction that all might participate in its benefits; and the reader may form some tolerable idea (and correct, at least as far as it goes,) of the manner in which the deceased discharged his duties as a preacher of the gospel.

In private life, the more intimately he was knowu, the more entirely was he beloved. A stranger would have said there was too much reserve, and perhaps a little pride. He was also occasionally hasty and irritable, and particularly in the latter period of his life, In conducting the devotional ex-it often required a strong effort on ercises of the sanctuary, he was, the part of those who either corif possible, still more felicitous. responded with or visited him, to His prayers were short, appropri- draw forth the resources of his ate, and deeply impressive. They richly-cultivated mind. His antispoke the language of the heart, pathies also were strong, and someand were not only calculated to times indulged without sufficient engage the best affections of the reason. renewed spirit, but to lead others to feel that there was something peculiarly lovely in the religion of Christ.

Of these, some were defects of constitution, while others arose from lessons imbibed in very early youth.

To the younger members of his On the other hand, there was a congregation he was particularly rectitude and independence of chaattentive. He enjoyed much of racter which never stooped to an their confidence, and in addition | unjust, and which scorned a mean to that affectionate esteem with which they regarded him, and by which his public labours were always animated, it was often his enviable lot to introduce them into the church. To all, indeed, his ministry was peculiarly blessed. During the twenty-five years that he was stationed at Shortwood, `five hundred and forty-two persons were added to that Christian society.

action; a decided and manly attachment to those sentiments and practices which he believed to be correct, without regard to personal consequences; a desire for information, cherished and increasing to the last hour of his mortal existence; a generous, an hospitable, and a friendly disposition; a husband and a father's solicitude and love, displayed in their best forms, and characterizing every feature of To this sketch of Mr. W.'s mi- his intercourse with his beloved nisterial character, it may be pro- family; and, to crown the whole, per to add, that he was at all times an entire consecration of his powers the willing assistant, the friend and to the service of his Redeemer. adviser of Christian ministers and His abilities may be differently missionaries of every religious de-estimated, though, considering the nomination; that he was the con-extent and variety of the informastant and disinterested advocate of tion which he had acquired on

his smile had so often blessed-his memory will be long and affectionately cherished: and who, if he looked even to this world only, would not most willingly exchange the all of fame and power it ever lavished upon its most favoured votaries, for the tears of affection, and the hallowed remembrances of those whose best interests have been promoted by him to whom those remembrances are consecrated?

almost every possible subject, the few prejudices which clouded his understanding, or perverted his judgment; and the happy manner in which he rendered his varied acquirements subservient to the more satisfactory discharge of his ministerial duties; the general standard of his mental character cannot, perhaps, be too highly rated. The language of the late Chief Justice Gibbs, when defending him nearly forty years since, that "Mr. Winterbotham was a man of considerable talents, and of a very good understanding, who by an unwearied, though late attention to his studies, had attained to a very high degree of knowledge, not only in the pursuits pertaining to his profession, but in the laws of his country, and its civil and political rights, and was a man of as P. S. The communication of any well informed and enlightened a letters of the deceased, tending to mind, as most of those of his age, illustrate his opinions or feelings, who had enjoyed much greater addressed to Mr. Winterbotham, advantages"—if even then war-Solicitor, Cheltenham, would conranted, was still more fully appli- fer an obligation on the family. cable in the later seasons of a life distinguished by unwearied and

For him whose feeble pen has thus attempted to trace the outlines of a father's character, it only remains to add, in the emphatic language of Dr. Johnson, "The life which made my own life pleasant is at an end, and the gates of death are shut upon my prospects."

unremitting exertions for the at- INTRODUCTION TO THE PARABLE OF tainment of knowledge.

In respect to his political opinions, some (though they are a decreasing number) will yet differ from him; but there are few, it is presumed, even of these, who will not admire the sincerity, the candour, and consistency, which marked the whole of his public conduct.

But in whatever else survivors may differ, there will, in respect to the excellency of his character as a private individual, and as a minister of the gospel, be but one decided sentiment. He has left us: but in those Christian societies where he was a frequent and a welcome visitant-in that sanctuary where he had so long ministered around those hearths which

THE TEN VIRGINS.

But

To the Saviour, who created all
things, it would have been easy to
have astounded the wise men of
the age with eloquence, drawn
from the stores of the boundless
universe. He could have referred
to sublime facts since discovered,
and to mysterious facts that still
baffle all human sagacity.
the dear Redeemer's object was
the spiritual edification of mankind,
and not the applause bestowed on
philosophers. He therefore avail-
ed himself of things known, to teach
things unknown. In this procedure
too, he often secured still greater
simplicity, by taking illustrative
facts simply as his hearers were
accustomed to witness them, or to
conceive of them; so that if the

train of ideas the Saviour had to communicate was more than commensurate with one train of facts, he added a second parable, to include what was not taught in the first.

spirits of just men made perfect" rejoice with Christ in the contemplation of a sinner being saved.

Not only, however, does our Lord say, "There is joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth," as we read after the parable of the lost sheep; but after the parable of the lost piece of money, Jesus further says, "There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth." Luke Thus Jesus represents

found his lost sheep, or like a woman that has found her lost piece of money.

- A procedure of this kind may be seen in the 15th of Luke. In that chapter, we behold some who had obviously wandered from God's fold, listening to the words of eternal life that fell from the Saviour's lips; whilst others, who, xv. 10. like Paul before his conversion, himself as calling together his could boast of a blameless exte- friends and neighbours to rejoice rior according to the letter of the with him, like a shepherd that has law, did not need the same exterior changé. Nor did our Lord disregard a life like that of the young man, who could say con- But neither the parable of the cerning the commandments, "All lost sheep, nor that of the lost these have I observed from my piece of money, was adapted to youth up" for it is immediately exhibit the unlovely character of added, "Then Jesus beholding those Jews who, in their proud, him, loved him." Mark x. 21. Ne- self-righteous spirit, "murmured, vertheless, if irreproachable con- saying, This man receiveth sinners, duct in society is not accompanied and eateth with them." Lu. xv. 2. by that faith which "overcometh the world,"* such conduct is only amiable as far as this world is concerned. But as the change wrought by abounding grace on notorious sinners made them amiable for both worlds, it was with good reason that Christ looked on them with far greater regard, especially as the world to come, being of infinite duration, must infinitely transcend the present state. Thus Jesus, amidst all his sorrows, rejoiced like a shepherd returning with a lost sheep. Nor did the Saviour rejoice alone, for the divine Father himself rejoiced with him; and if, when Abraham was on earth, Jehovah said, "Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do?" it is not likely that God will hide his marvellous works from Abraham now. On this principle, "the

* See 1 John v. 4, 5.

Thus it became necessary to introduce another parable, in which the object not lost should" murmur" at the attention paid to the object lost. In an elder brother, therefore, that malignant disposition is manifested which would have been out of character in the ninety-nine sheep that did not stray, and out of the question in the nine pieces of money that were not lost. The murmuring Scribes and Pharisees, therefore, were shewn their own character for the first time, by the parable of the prodigal son, as that son was descriptive of those reclaimed outcasts whom Jesus had already represented by the lost sheep and by the lost piece of money, whilst the elder brother was descriptive of those Jews, who " going about to establish their own righteousness," treated such persons as Matthew the publican and Mary Magdalene with

ineffable contempt, and looked on any favour shewn to such persons with as much envy and displeasure as Cain manifested when Jehovah accepted Abel and his offering.

Thus by two parables, all that appertains to professors between death and the resurrection is included; the parable of the two servants shewing their widely different state in the world of spirits, and the parable of the ten virgins shewing the perfect similarity of their state when they are brought "to death, and to the house appointed for all living." "How dieth the wise man? As the fool." Eccl. ii. 16.

The parable of the prodigal son, therefore, is supplementary to those of the lost sheep and the lost piece of money; and, on the same principle, the parable of the ten virgins is supplementary to that of the two servants placed over a household.* In each of these successive parables, a state of probation is intro- If the "slumbering and sleepduced. ་ But when the time of ing" of the wise virgius meant any probation ceases, every professor accession of lukewarmness in their of the gospel occupies two places, religious profession, such a deone in the grave, and the other crease of piety must, according to with separate spirits of the same the parable, be in the closing pekind with himself. But as ser-riod of their probation; and thus vants placed over a household, or the last days of the righteous virgins invited to accompany a would be their worst days. But bridegroom, can never be in two so far from this being the case, the places at once, only one side of the order of Christian experience is descriptive medal can be presented first to be children, then young to our view at one time. As, there- men, and lastly, fathers in Christ; fore, the two kinds of servants and any apparent deviation from placed over a household are traced this order must be regarded as an from this world to the paradise affecting exception, and not as the which our Lord promised the dying established rule. But there seems thief, or to the spirits in prison to be no reason for supposing that who were disobedient in the days our Lord meant thus to represent of Noah," that side of the medal the wise virgins as on a level with which remained to be shewn, was the five foolish ones; nor does it that which represented the dead as appear that he meant, in any way, slumbering in their subterraneous to represent his faithful people to abode, unconscious of the joy or a disadvantage. The "slumbersorrow felt by the immortal spiriting and sleeping" of the teu virin distant regions. Thus the ten virgins are viewed in that state in which " one event happeneth to them all," Eccl. ii. 14. So that whether we advert to the five wise virgins, or to the five foolish ones, we perceive no difference. For of the whole ten it is said, " they all slumbered and slept." Mat. xxv. 5.

gins, therefore, must be that state to which the bodies of professors are consigned when death closes their earthly career.

There is, however, one class of persons, who do not appear to be included either in the parable of the two servants set over a household, or in that of the ten virgins. For those professors who shall be living at the end of the world, will not enter the state of separate spirits, or slumber for ages in the

grave.

Another parable, there