The feelings and views with which my father contemplated and entered upon this new connexion, are evident from a few remaining letters, which were written by him at this period. One or two extracts follow :

"I have the fullest conviction, unaccompanied with the least shadow of doubt, that our God does all things well; and that if we indeed are the subjects of his grace, and could see into any of his plans, we should do exactly as he does. He has long since, blessed be his name, convinced my understanding of the necessity of dependence and acquiescence, and has taught me, that without these, neither peace nor rest can be obtained; but alas! in my practice, 'wretched man that I am,' how apt am I to deviate, and to 'turn aside like a deceitful bow.' In respect to the subject I have at present in view, he has clearly taught me that I shall never receive a friend, whom I hope to consider as another self, unless I will be content to receive her as a special gift from himself. And while I continue in a kind of trembling suspense respecting the termination of the event before me, I peculiarly feel the force of the lesson; and I desire, nay I hope I am enabled, to say, 'O my gracious God, if thou wilt, when thou wilt, how thou wilt, it is, it shall be well.'"

***May we mutually look to him for his blessing. May we mutually remember each other before the throne of grace! If our God bring us together, may he make us happy and grateful! If he disappoint us, may he give us resignation.

'If smiling mercy crown our days,

Its praises shall be spread;

And we'll adore the justice too

That strikes our comforts dead." "

This state of feeling and anticipation was remarkably appropriate to subsequent events; for the wise man's advice and remark are applicable to every child of Adam :-"In the day of prosperity be joy

ful; but in the day of adversity consider. God also hath set the one over against the other."

My father had for some time contemplated a removal from Tilshead, and shortly after his marriage, a new scene of employment was offered to his notice. He did not, however, leave villages with which he had been ministerially connected for thirteen years, without the sincere regret of his hearers and the greater part of the inhabitants; though there were some who rejoiced at the event. To his new relative, then on a visit for a day or two at Bath, he writes in the autumn of this year :- "(Sunday evening.) On the whole, I have had great reason to be thankful for the day. In the morning I preached from the words, Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God? He hath said in his heart, God will not require it.' In giving notice of the probability of our leaving them, tears were in many eyes. In the afternoon I preached an expository lecture at Edington, on the rich man and Lazarus. Before my return, the ungodly churchwarden rejoiced in supposing he had triumphed over me, by getting the bells rung in my absence.* His aunts were in the meantime waiting for me at the vicarage, and walked to church with me; while their relative, with his thoughtless companions, stood in the churchyard. Two or three of them entered the church, and after some little appearance of levity,

*

My father had long endeavoured to check the Sunday amusement of ringing the bells; and with considerable success, notwithstanding the opposition made by the churchwarden.

hung their heads like bulrushes, while I spoke on the awful words, If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and sinner appear?' On my return home, I trust I felt something of the blessedness which is the effect of the religion of Jesus."

On the 28th of September he addressed a farewell sermon to his congregation at Tilshead, which was afterwards printed, and contains a brief, clear, and affecting statement of the leading doctrines of the gospel. His text on this occasion was, "I beseech you, brethren, suffer the word of exhortation." (Hebrews xiii. 22).

As an instance of the determined hostility of the party, which had so long opposed their minister, it may be mentioned, that no sooner was the sermon concluded than the bells began to ring, and my father, with the congregation, was indecently chimed out of the church.

In October of this year (1800) he left Tilshead, and removed to Botley, a village near Southampton, to the curacy of which he had been introduced by means of the late excellent Walter Taylor, Esq. of Portswood Green. This individual was in early life brought to the knowledge and love of the Saviour, by the ministry of the Rev. T. Jones, the able assistant of Mr. Romaine; and for half a century he employed the talents bestowed on him by an indulgent providence, in the service of his God, and for the benefit of his fellow men. He purchased a house at Botley, which cost him nearly two thousand

pounds, for the purpose of converting it into a chapel of ease; the parochial church being a mile distant from the village. Some unexpected difficulties arose on the part of the bishop, and the patron of the benefice, which prevented Mr. Taylor from accomplishing his design; upon which he gave the house as a residence (rent free) to my father, and bequeathed it to him by will, as long as he should continue in that situation; having previously arranged with the rector, the Rev. Mr. Wallace, that he would pay the curate's salary, provided the clergyman, whom he selected, should be appointed and licensed.

In consequence of the distance of the church from the village, two large rooms, in this house, were thrown into one, capable of containing a hundred and fifty persons, which was furnished with a desk, benches, &c., for the purpose of prayer and expounding the scriptures; and in addition to the usual services at the church, my father twice a week delivered a lecture in this room to such an audience as it was calculated to accommodate. He usually preached also once in the week at Portswood; and to the effect of his ministry in this little village, his friend, Mr. John Taylor, alludes in a letter, dated 1805: :-"The poor people are much delighted to find that there is a probability of hearing your voice again. I assure you they often speak of you very feelingly; and there is good reason to believe that you were made useful to some, if not to most of them."

While at Botley, my father was situated at no great distance from a clergyman, with whom, in after years, he was brought into still nearer connexion and association. This was the Rev. Legh Richmond, who was, in the year 1797, ordained to the curacies of Brading and Yaverland, in the Isle of Wight; and who had commenced a course of ministerial exertion, which might truly be compared to "the shining light, which shineth more and more unto the perfect day." Mild, calm, and brilliant, it attained meridian splendour, and went down while it was yet

noon.

It is well known that diligent and efficient ministers of the church were not then so numerous as at present. Considerable apathy, with respect to religion, had long prevailed among all classes. The two Wesleys and Whitfield, had indeed disturbed the deadly calm; and "the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters." A distinguished individual who has been already mentioned (the Rev. Rowland Hill) followed in their train, devoting the influence derived from his singular talents, eloquence, and family connexion, to the service of the Most High. And, here and there, others were raised up in the church of England, by Him, who, when he gives the word, makes "great the company of them that publish it." But much prejudice was in general entertained against them; although the doctrines they preached were no less in accordance with the principles of the church than with the declarations of scripture. This prejudice has now nearly died away; and the revival of zeal