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MEMOIRS

OF THE LATE

REV. CORNELIUS WINTER.

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PART II.

CHAPTER I.

HIS LIFE CONTINUED.

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T has been seen by the date of the preceding letters, that Mr. Winter's account of himself, leaves near nine years of his life unnoticed. He was often urged to carry on the relation; he intended it but it was delayed till the purposes of his heart were broken off. It remains therefore for the Editor to take up the narrative, and bring-it down to the closing scene; and this can be done much more easily than the recovery of any earlier periods of his history. Indeed, the events that require particular notice are not numerous.

In November, 1800, he met with a very painful affliction, which confined him for a long time from his public work, but gave him an opportu nity to glorify God in the fires; and proved how graciously qualified he was to suffer all the good pleasure of his will. He thus describes it in a

letter to a friend. "The accident happened just after I had left a venerable dying woman, whom I had been to visit. After proper conversation, in which I found much heavenly refreshment, we prepared for prayer, by reading the 12th chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews. Every word was precious; but the 9th, 10th, and lith verses came with such light and energy to my soul, that I could have immediately preached from them. The matter of my prayer far exceeded the sick woman's case. I prayed that God would prepare us for whatsoever he had prepared for us, and made a particular resignation of myself into the Lord's hand. It was a very heavy, rainy, night. I was at the bottom of a declivity, upon the plainest ground. I never walked more cautiously: but my foot slipped, and the master-bone of my leg was broken in two places.'

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The fracture appeared extremely remarkable, as he did not strike his foot against a stone; nor bend his leg under him; but fell upon his back. He was near a mile from his house; and as the only chaise in the town was absent, he was conveyed home in the best vehicle that could be procured. Many followed the cart with tears, to his cottage. He was taken out, and laid upon the bed—but before he would allow the surgeon to proceed, he begged that all might be permitted to come up into his chamber.-He then offered up a prayer with such composure, and with such particularity, entering into all the cases which he commonly noticed in family devotion, that it will never be forgotten by any who heard it.

What the state of his mind was, will appear

from the following extract of a letter to the Editor, which he dictated a very short time after."I need not tell you that the consequence is confinement upon the bed, in one posture, and very acute pain. But through the goodness of God, I have an experience to relate that redounds much to his glory; and if I was not disaffected to the egotism, I should use it much upon the present occasion. Shall I venture to tell you, that I am a stranger to murmuring and impatience; that I am in a state of entire resignation; that I have given myself quite up to God and to the surgeon; that though I may groan in the dead of the night, it is merely to sooth the pain; and that I can sooth it better by prayer and praise, and reciting the word of God, than by groaning! I have dismissed all anxiety from my mind. I, who am naturally impatient of suffering, had as much happiness as I was capable of containing the night af ter the accident, and ever since have known no sorrow. The reason is that, through grace, I am the heir of promise; and as is the promise, such is the veracity of him that hath made it. His promises are apposite to our excrcises, and when the trial comes, then comes the fulfilment, at least to such a degree as the exigency renders necessary. As I am overwhelmed with a sense of the goodness and mercy of God, so I am with the sympa thy and kindness of my neighbours in general, and my friends in particular. There is much mercy in the dispensation that I cannot exemplify нроn this paper. I believe it is the prevention of some great evil, and that it will be productive of some great good. But, though I have thus expressed

myself, I remember I am yet in the body, and not out of the reach of the enemies' temptations, which may put dimness upon the pure gold, Jand cause me to be the very reverse of what I describe. While I think I stand, I hope for grace to take heed lest I fall; and as our continuing constant in prayer is instrumental of security, so to be aided by the prayers of others, I esteem a very great blessing. Pray for me then, my dearest friend, as I do for you. The petition of the present moment is-Lord, keep all his bones, that not one of them may be broken.”

He continued to feel and display the same spirit through all the months of his confinement. Faith and patience had their perfect work. All who were witnesses of the affliction, were powerfully impressed by this passive preaching; and the surgeon who attended him, more than once made a remark to this effect" Till I visited this man I thought religion was only a mere opinion, or something to talk about; but if I am not happily possessed of it myself, I am now convinced that there is a reality and excellency in it."

At length, by the use of his crutch and his staff, he was enabled to reach town, and by sitting in the pulpit, discharged again all the three services of the day. Enervated by his affliction, preaching at this time appeared to him very formidable, and he often thought he must resign it. But it was rendered a blessing, and the congregation was enlarged.

Owing to the increase of hearers, and also the decayed state of the place, it was deemed desirable and necessary, to rebuild the meeting on a

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