ammunition for the rest of the occupants of our peaceful cottage. My feelings were distressing beyond measure, There was the struggle between one's family-the wife of one's bosom, and one's own flesh and blood, and a company of relentless assassins; and all this without being able to realize the present support or comforts of the Lord. My mind was completely in the dark as to results. In the midst of manifold cogitations, and just at eleven o'clock, in rushed the servant, exclaiming, in a most frantic manner, “They'ré coming-they're coming!" Snatching the babe from the cradle, my dear wife flew up stairs to the other children, followed by our aged friend, whilst I ran to my study for a brace of pistols. Oh, the anguish of that moment! And yet how many of the Lord's own children have encountered such in all its disastrous consequences! Upon how brittle a thread hung life then! No sweet word from the Lord to stay the mind upon; no light shining; no promise with its precious and powerful abiding in and upon the heart; but the soul with its best interests-the heart with its dear kindred ties-suddenly plunged into, as it were, a hurricane; one's little bark driving on upon the breakers, where neither chart, nor compass, nor helm could avail, but solely the wondrous interposition of Him who, holding the winds in his fist, and the waters in the hollow of his hand, could calm the raging billow, or so quickly veer the winds of heaven, as to bear away the vessel from the threatening shore. Dear friends, if the security of salvation depended upon the comfortable apprehension of it, where were our salvation in such critical circumstances as these? Blessed be God it rests upon a surer basis than our feelings (pleasurable or otherwise), or we were for ever undone! But how shall I tell you my relief when that agonizing suspense was broken by the information that the party seen in the distance were police, who had been scouring the country for some ten or twelve miles, and not the expected assassins. Oh, the gratitude that filled one's heart! Oh, the interposing goodness of a gracious God! Oh, the marvellous preservation from the shedding of blood! Never, never shall I forget it. These police perambu-. lated the village and its neighbourhood for about two hours, and about four o'clock we retired to rest, deeply impressed with the language of the Psalmist, "Unless the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain ;" and when the morning once again broke with its peacefulness and quiet, how sweet was the thought, "I will lay me down and sleep, for thon, Lord, only makest me to dwell in safety." We My dear friends, it is only as the Lord, in his mysterious providence, thus breaks in upon the stoical monotony of our poor ungrateful minds, that we can feel and acknowledge our entire and absolute dependance upon himself. We are so cold-so callous. want trial and exercise to make us feel, and with that feeling to exclaim, "It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, either by self-sin-menor devils." How striking has been that thought to me, when faith, as lately, has seemed ready to give up the ghost, "The wrath of man shall praise him; the remainder of wrath he will restrain." If ever I beheld the fulfilment of that truth, it has been within the last eight-and-forty hours; for confident I am, that with the deadly venom that rankles in the breast of Popery, but for Jehovah's restraining power, instigated as its votaries now are by the most daring of men, who set both God and men alike at defiance-it would glut its thirst for blood in most murderous deeds, and think that by so doing it had served Him whose honour it professes to regard. Dear friends, I must conclude. If you think these few hasty particulars will be profitable to the readers of the Magazine, in stirring them to prayer, and to a consideration of the many happy privileges of still favoured England, send them for insertion; if not, throw them aside. The Lord direct and bless you in this and in all things; and that his sweet peace may so reign in your hearts as to enable you to say, "If He giveth peace, who can create trouble?" is the hearty prayer of My letter on the "Signs of the Times," was sent very late in the month, which will, I suppose, account for a few inaccuracies, two of which I wish now to correct. With reference to the oath in France, the development in the three revolutions should have been thus stated:-In the first revolution, whilst discarding the name of God, they still used the form of an oath, each one being allowed to swear by what he pleased; for instance, “I swear by my sword;" "I swear by my head;" and other most ridiculous epithets. In the revolution of 1830, everything was discarded but the simple words, I swear and in the recent revolution, even this headless form has been discarded for no form of oath is to be used. I may, however, further remark, that since writing my former letter, my attention has been called to a proclamation of one of the political clubs in Paris, in which they speak of the Divine right of Republicanism, which they explain by asserting, that the people are their own God. Alas! have we not too many in our own country who practically assert the same by ascribing to man the power of saving himself? 66 'Rise, noble creature! man arise! And make yourself alive! Prepare yourselves to mount the skies, "Deluded seer! but man will lie "Unless Almighty power be moved, There is also an obscurity in that part of the letter in which Edom is referred to as a type of the religious world; but I will endeavour to clear it up. If the words lierty, equality, fraternity, be used with reference to those who belong to the true Church of Christ, there is a glorious truth and beauty in them, since the believer's standing is in Christ, and therefore all such are "heirs with God, and joint heirs with Christ." But when these words were taken as referring to the whole body of the people in their civil relations, they are not only contrary to fact, but also absolutely opposed to the declared purposes of our God, who declare, that "promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south; but it is the Lord that setteth up one, and pulleth down another:" and who has also promised that "the poor shall never cease out of the land." From a general review of the religious world, it would seem that that is about to be fulfilled which is typified or shadowed forth to us in the history of Esau (or Edom), who, having despised his birthright, would afterwards have robbed Jacob of the blessing; and even Isaac, in his carnal affection, was inclined to favour him; but this could not be, for he was a profane person. Not, indeed, that Esau was an irreligious man (as the word is generally understood); for he had the form of godliness whilst he denied the power thereof, and sought to reconcile the service of God with worldly pursuits and worldly connections. * We have in the present day a large class of such Esaus who claim relationship to the children of God; but in their life they actually despise that birthright or privilege spoken of in John i. 12, 13, "To as many as received him, to them gave he the privilege to become the sons of God, which were born not of blood, nor of the will of man, nor of the will of the flesh, but of God." These profane professors will never receive THE blessing, although they may, like Esau, have a blessing. Whilst Esau had a temporal prosperity he was yet to be a servant to his brother Jacob, until the time, when having the dominion himself, he should break the yoke from off his neck. For a long time the yoke of Christ has been sitting most uneasily on the necks of the religious world. However, as soon as they get the dominion, which will be the case when fashion and custom cease to bind men to a form of religion, then these mere professors will entirely cast away the yoke of religion, and will then become actually what they have long been in heart, very professed infidels. I cannot close this letter without referring to the remarkable deliver • Marginal reading. ance the Lord wrought for this country on the 10th of April. Men's hearts were everywhere failing them for fear; but He who "stilleth the raging of the sea and the tumults of the people," spake the words, "Peace, be still," and there was a great calm. It is our God that wrought this deliverance, and may we trust in Him that He will yet deliver, and also cause us ever to realize what is spoken in Psalm xlvi. Storms also, and tempests at times, arise in our own hearts; but who can quell them, save He who holdeth the winds in his fists, and giveth to the sea its appointed limits, saying, "Hitherto shalt thou come, and no further, and here shalt thy proud waves be stayed." Cups of sorrow and affliction we must have to drink; but blessed is it for us, when seeing that they are appointed by our Father, we can say, "The cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?" That you and your readers may be kept in perfect peace whilst trusting in Him at all times, is the earnest desire and hope of Yours faithfully to command in the gospel of Christ, April 20, 1848. J. W. GOWRING. To the Readers of the Gospel Magazine. MY DEAR FELLOW STRANGERS AND PILGRIMS, The last three numbers of our favourite Magazine were anxiously waited for by "GERSHOM" in this strange land. February and March filled him with hope, but April Number has shown him that his plan to furnish 500 Hawker's Portions, at one shilling each, is forgotten; or does not find favour with the majority of those who read the Gospel Magazine. I confess that I am disappointed and grieved. Am I in error? Is it possible that "Hawker's Morning and Evening Portions" are not approved of by the subscribers to the Gospel Magazine? In that case, why not oppose my plan, and show in what the "Portions " are not desirable? Or am I to suppose that you are indifferent to this means of doing good to your fellow-brethren? or must I infer that you all have your copies of that excellent little book? I do not see how I can avoid coming to one of the above conclusions. If the first be true, then it is unkind not to point out that which is so objectionable. If no objection exist, then you ought to come forward and carry the plan into execution. "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest" (Eccles. ix. 10). I do not think you are at liberty to be neuter in the matter. If there be objections, I would rather have to encounter opposition than to meet with silence from such a large portion of my fellowreaders. I should then see that it was not indifference to the good which the plan aimed to accomplish. There are three or four congregations in and about London with whom I have worshipped in past days, who alone could purchase not only one, but three or four thousand copies. Where are they, and what are they doing? Brethren, we are reproached with not caring for others, and with doing little for spreading the gospel beyond our respective congregations. We have no Bible, Tract, or Missionary Societies; nor do we in general take part in those which exist. This I would not blame if you think them working in a wrong spirit; but I do believe that we are guilty, when we make no effort to "go into all the world and preach the GOSPEL to every creature." This is a reproach to be wiped away from our body. I hail with delight our dear Editor's proposal in the last Magazine to publish a series of Tracts, which we may circulate freely without fear of a yea-and-nay gospel being mixed up with them. I trust next month will tell us that the arrangements are completed, and state how the Tracts may be procured. I will ensure subscriptions for 1. per annum towards the fund, and hope to get more. It was my intention, had I succeeded with the publication of "Hawker's Portions," to have published an edition of "The Glories of Christ," by Goodwin, of which work I cannot procure a copy. I sincerely thank all those friends who have so kindly sent me their moneys and subscribed for copies of the "Portions." I feel deeply indebted to them. The plan is now become theirs as much as mine, and I plead as much in their names as in my own. I have received 221. free; this, with the exception of 3., is sufficient to enable me to give 500 copies at 1s. per copy, provided I could also sell 500 more at cost price (2s, each); but I have only subscribers for 100 copies at 2s., and 78 copies at Is. each. In case, then, the 1000 copies are demanded, I have the means of supplying them. I do not think that such a thing in the history of bookselling has ever been heard of. Five hundred "Hawker's Morning and Evening Portions," well printed, and bound in cloth, for 18. each, and only 78 buyers to be found! How has the gold become dim! How has the most fine gold changed! I would desire to wait with patience on the Lord's good pleasure, and to follow His leadings. If it please him to try my faith, I would say, "Thy will be done.' If He see fit to refuse me the privilege I have besought at his hand-a privilege I highly value, that of beidg a helper of my brethren-I would submit, and still say, "Not my will, heavenly Father, but thine, be done." I purpose therefore, before I abandon the scheme, to wait, D.V., until the July Magazine shall be published; by that time I hope we shall have news from those friends in America who "will like to forward Gershom's views and plans," and you, dear readers, will have clearly indicated what are your intentions in the matter. Peace be with you. April 11, 1848. Your affectionate brother, GERSHOM. P.S." A Pensioner of the King of kings," will find a letter addressed as requested, if not already received. |