among the ministers and members of the establishment, is apparent in the ardour with which numbers unite in upholding the doctrines delivered by the apostles, and restored to their primitive simplicity and spiritual character by the reformers.

Some time after my father had been resident in the neighbourhood, Mr. Richmond introduced himself to him in the following short letter :—

"REV. SIR,

66

Brading, Isle of Wight, April 6, 1802.

"It has long been my wish, from the character which I have heard of you, to introduce myself to your personal acquaintance, that I might have the pleasure of conversing with you on those subjects which, as brother clergymen, actuated, I trust, by congenial motives in the superintendence of our flocks, will ever be most interesting to our hearts. That opportunity not having yet occurred, I take the liberty, without farther apology, of writing to you, and saying, that it gives me great satisfaction to know that I have a neighbour in the diocese who is anxious to diffuse the genuine principles of the 'truth as it is in Jesus,' and as once happily established by the reformers of the English church. I believe it to be your wish, as well as my own, to revive that excellent system of doctrine, and to be the humble instruments, in God's hands, of thus teaching others to worship both in spirit and in truth. I, herewith, send you a few tracts which have been sent to me, with a view to their dispersion more especially in the parishes and among the pastors where serious religion prevails. If you have not seen them, or wish for more, I can supply you. With every sincere wish for your happiness, and prayer for your usefulness, believe me,

"Your faithful brother in Christ,

"LEGH RICHMOND."

No personal intercourse took place between Mr. Richmond and my father during their residence in Hampshire. They afterwards became intimately

acquainted, and closely united in christian friendship.

The removal of my father from Botley was preceded by many painful and mortifying circumstances. On the sudden death of the rector, he by the advice and with the best wishes of his friends, made application for the living to the Duke of Portland, in whose gift it was supposed to be. A long period of suspense ensued; during which he was called to the exercise of patience and submission under trials of another kind. The loss of his truly excellent friend, Mr. Taylor, was followed by that of his own mother, who had a short time before been his affectionate comforter, and his wife's sympathizing and attentive nurse during a long and severe illness. These bereavements were succeeded by the disappointment of any hopes he might have cherished of succeeding to the living. Some mistake had arisen respecting the patronage, and just as it was about to lapse to the bishop, it was presented by Lord Hervey to the Rev. Mr. Several reasons concurred to render the disappointment a painful one. My father was situated in a beautiful neighbourhood, and surrounded with kind and intelligent friends; he had a number of pupils, whom he could not expect to retain in case of removing to any distance; and he possessed the affections of his people, many of whom he could look upon as his children in the faith and hope of the Saviour, and whom he could not leave without regret. But the newly appointed rector was no sooner presented to the living, than without any assigned reason, and without an hour's notice, he dismissed my father from

the curacy (though he had been licensed to it); and shortly after, he appointed another curate to succeed him. His father-in-law, in reference to these circumstances, writes

"DEAR HENRY,

last.

*

"Coychurch, Aug. 5, 1803.

"I presume that Botley was near lapsing to the Bishop, and strange that the patron should turn out to be Lord Hervey at * Well, fear not, while the good will of Him that dwelt in the bush is with you. 'The Lord will provide,' is Bella's motto, by her mother's side; and mine is, I will look to Christ.' Faithful is he that said, 'Your heavenly father knoweth what things you have need of.' This promise has been applied and verified to me, and I trust it will be to you.

**

'The bud may have a bitter taste,

But sweet will be the flower.'

"I condole with the parishioners on the loss they will sustain. Deep is the mystery of providence in its permission of such events. Mr. was certainly prejudiced against you before he saw you. Perhaps he visited Southampton before his appearance at Botley. Is there one clergyman there friendly to the gospel? Our church would not only totter, but fall, were a fermentation of any kind to spread throughout the nation. Its glory seems to be departed, and its 'Ichabod' approaching.

"I think you do right to continue the Sunday evening family service. There can be no prohibitum est, I presume, to that. May the Lord keep you and direct you! Happy is your dear mother to have safely put into the haven of rest before this decision, and the approach of the kingdom's consternation. I cannot, however, think that Bonaparte, though he has such magic power to alarm all ranks, will venture to land on English shores.

"Mrs. Davies unites with me in love to yourself and dear B., and I remain, your affectionate father,

"EDWARD DAVIES."

My father was earnestly advised by some of his friends to appeal to the bishop. This however he declined doing; and convinced that "the servant is not above his lord," he patiently waited for other employment in his sacred calling. He quitted Botley early in 1804. Not being permitted to address his attached flock from the pulpit of the church, he printed and circulated among them, just before his departure, "A Farewell Address.' It may serve to shew somewhat of the spirit with which these mortifications were met, to lay before the reader the commencement of this address.

My dear brethren, friends, and neighbours, the Lord, who fixes the bounds of our habitation, and chooses the situation in which we shall serve him, has, in his providence, called me to quit my connexion with you, and to labour in a part of his vineyard far distant. After a few days, therefore, you will probably 'see my face no more;' but absent, as well as present, my heart's desire and prayer to God for you will be, that you may be saved.' Impressed with this desire, and actuated by sincere affection towards you, I seize the present opportunity of leaving you a testimony of my good-will, and of making one more attempt to promote your best welfare. With this view, I beg to address you on a subject of the greatest concern that can possibly employ your minds a subject of infinitely greater weight to you, than the most important temporal affairs in the world; for what would it profit you, if you should gain the whole world and lose your souls? Surely,

therefore, it merits and demands your attention. May the Holy Spirit incline you to regard, and influence you to receive, what he may enable me to write agreeably to his will! I shall carefully endeavour to avoid all hard words, and use great plainness of speech; that the poor, as well as the rich, may understand what they read.

6

"You know, my dear friends, that for some time past, I have not been allowed to address you from the pulpit. As to this hindrance, I have desired to submit to it as taking place by the permission of that God, who ordereth all things according to the counsel of his own will,' and who frequently overrules the purposes of his creatures, so as to bring good out of evil. I intend to bring no charge of blame against any of the instruments concerned in this circumstance. Perhaps they may have supposed they were doing God service; and I should rejoice to be convinced that each of them could use language to this purpose: With the tribunal of God in view, and with the testimony of a good conscience, I can say, on this subject I have acted right.' Let me, however, remind you, my friends, that we shall not be justified at the bar of God, in pleading ignorance of what we ought to be acquainted with. The word of truth assures us, that souls 'perish for lack of knowledge.' But this is a topic which I wish, as soon as possible, to dismiss; and probably it would have been passed by altogether unnoticed, if total silence might not have been considered as an acknowledgment of some misconduct on my own part. As the