{LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. $ # # [SMITHSONIAN DEPOSIT.] | -2. # J UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. J WGRAW0 Br TJ3. WEZGff-,tem&!ER/2KAIlA£aE?iKEaZZEE SrUFfflf ifoJA M IS ©A0JC3.IH] [T \ Tin: TRIUM 1* II OF TRUTH, AM) Continental feiks anb Skttjjft, FROM THE JOURNAL, LETTERS, AND SERMONS OF THE REV. JAMES CAUGHEY, AS ILLUSTRATED IN TWO GREAT REVIVALS IX NOTTINGHAM AND LINCOLN, ENGLAND; CONTAINING COPIOUS EXTRACTS FROM MR. CAUGHEY'S JOURNAL AND LETTERS— SEVERAL OF HIS AWAKENING DISCOURSES— SERMONS ON SANCTIFICATION— LETTERS ON A CALL TO PREACH— CALL DEFINED— ENCOU- RAGED— CONSEQUENCES IF RESISTED— DIRECTIONS TO PATHS OF USEFULNESS— OBSERVATIONS ON THE CONTINENT OF EUROPE, &c. WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY Rev. JOS. CASTLE, A. M. PHILADELPHIA: HIGGINS & PERKINPINE. NEW YORK : CARLTON k PORTER. CINCINNATI, OHIO .* SWORMSTEDT Jb POE. — NA8HVILLE, TENN. : STEVENSON A OWEN. — BOSTON, MASS. : JAMES P. MAQEE. 1857. Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1857, by HIGGINS & PERKINPINE, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States, in and for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. MEARS & DUSENBERY, 8TERE0TYPERS AND ELECTROTYPER& SMITH & PETERS, PRINTERS. INTRODUCTION. God's workmen die, but his work lives, and will live, until all his great purposes of mercy respecting our race are fully accomplished. Promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south, but God is the judge : he putteth down one and setteth up another. Infinitely wise and infinitely good, he chooses his workmen according to the demands of the work to be accomplished. He has ever done so, and we suppose that he ever will ; and it is vain to look for sameness in one department of his work while we find boundless variety in every other. The little spirits of earth may find fault with this, and talk as though they were wiser than their Maker ; but their wisdom is their folly, and their glory is their shame. It will be found worse than useless to attempt making the bed of the famous robber of Attica anything more than a poetical fiction. God's workmen are not to be lengthened, (3) IV INTRODUCTION. or shortened, or chiselled after any favourite model ; but must be left as God makes them, and work as God directs them. The great leading spirits, who have done so much to reform, refine, and exalt our race, were not made after the model of any school on earth ; but the work was done, and well done, maugre the objections of the schools or the learned doctors who directed them. The Church has been blest with great and holy men, differing greatly in gifts, and perhaps in graces ; but they have fulfilled their mission on earth and have gone to their reward in Heaven. John was not like Peter, and Peter was not like Paul ; and it is not probable that Paul taught as Gamaliel instructed him. He had a better teacher. It is now, as it was in former times, and probably will be until the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. It would have taken many Francis Asburys or William McKendrees, to have made one of the master minds who have reigned in philosophy and letters, or in many depart- ments of the Church ; but it would have taken quite as many of them to have made one Asbury or McKendree ; and who shall say one was not as much the workmanship of God as the other ? They have all had their work to UVTR0D1 OTION. V do, and God has been glorified, and the world has been improved by their labours. In our ignorance and foolish- no>s we may have condemned men and measures simply because they did not quadrate with our opinions, as though our opinions must be right, and all who differ with us must be wrong. The days of other years required men of various gifts for the accomplishment of God's work and God's glory ; and have the times so changed that all may and all ought to be cast into the same mould, and come out as coin from the mint of the same form and the same value ? This is neither desired nor expected. Devoted as we are, and have been from our youth to our present form and order, and believing as we d© the regular itinerant ministry the most efficient instrumentality on earth to save men from sin and hell, we cannot look with favour on any eccentric movements, even with the avowed object of doing good, unless there be manifest indications of Providence, and the abundant fruits of the Spirit, seal- ing the work, and thus proving it to be of God and not of man. In such cases we cannot wrap ourselves in our real or fancied dignity, and, like the Scribe and Pharisee, pass on the other side ; but must give the right hand of fellow- ship, and say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. Our prejudices may be wounded by it, but our piety will be improved — for it requires no small amount VI INTRODUCTION. of prayer and self-denial to see ourselves eclipsed and be willing to have it so, that God's will may be done. Priestly authority, dogmatical assertion, and angry declamation, may seem very lordly and very formidable; but, if examined, as thank God they may be in this free land, they will often be found little more than mere painted ordnance, about as likely to convert sinners unto God, as the munitions of war, represented on canvass, would be to take the Sebastopols of the world. It is not by might or by power that men are to be saved, and certainly not by mere pretence, but By my Spirit, saith the Lord ; and if the Spirit see good to work in one direc- tion rather than another, or by one instrumentality rather than another, let it be so — let the work be done — let the will of the Lord be done, and let all good people say, Amen! For near twenty years, the Rev. James Caughey, both in Europe and in America, has moved in an orbit outside of the regular itinerant ministry, and yet in close and holy fellowship with it, forming no party, causing no division, giving rise to no secession, but labouring night and day with tears to aid the regular ministry in their holy work of building up the Church of God. The fields of his labours could not have been thought of by himself or the venerable men with whom he was associated— Hedding, i.\ i i;M»l CTION. vu Spioer, (Mark, ami others — when the Troy Annual Con- ference, held at Burlington, Vermont, granted him per- mission to travel for two years in Europe. God chose his work for him ; and he has proved himself a workman indeed, that needeth not to be ashamed in the presence of his brethren : rightly dividing the word of truth, and giving to saint and sinner his portion of meat in due season. The pride of man has been humbled, but the glory of God has been promoted in the pardon and purity of many thousands in two continents, who, we doubt not, feel their deep in- debtedness to God for the man and his earnest labours, and in the last day will arise and call him blessed. It is not easy to account for the remarkable success which has crowned the labours of Mr. Caughey. There is nothing in the man or the man's manners, so far as we have seen, that can explain it. He is plain in appearance, simple in manner, straightforward in action — never presum- ing and never out of place. He is not, as far as we have learned, as eloquent as was John N. Maffit, and he does not attract greater crowds ; but he is vastly more success- ful in getting sinners converted, and in pressing believers on to entire consecration. He has not the wonderful power of thought, or the majestic march of language of Henry B. Bascom, who died a bishop in the M. E. Church, South, and yet he can count his thousands where that Vlll INTRODUCTION. great and noble-minded man could not count hundreds. No voice probably was ever more sweet — no tones ever more silvery — no tongue ever more fluent — no action ever more graceful — no life ever more devoted — no ministry ever more attractive — no man ever drew greater crowds or exercised a more masterly, spell-bound influence over them than the accomplished and sainted John Summer- field ; but we have no record of such multitudes converted from the error of their ways under his ministry. Without doubt Mr. C. is eminently pious ; wholly devoted to the work his Master has given him to do, and lives in the constant sunlight of God's favour : but so ] ave been many ministers of religion whose success was not remarkable, and is not remarkable at this day in any of the Evangelical Churches of which we have knowledge. It is, indeed, rare for a minister in this respect to be like Saul, head and shoulders above his brethren. We have known far greater men, and men we think quite as good, but we know no man whose success in the ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ equals his, if report is to be relied on, and we sup- pose it is. The explanation for this we cannot give, unless it be this : God wills it. He can thrash the mountains with a worm, and grind the solid granite to an impalpable powder with the breath of his nostrils, and raise the weakest of his servants above the princes of his people. IXTR0D1 01 [ON. :\- We IkkI hoard for years of the triumphs of mercy and the triumphs of truth by the ministry of Mr. Gaughey in England, when Borne twenty thousand professed faith in Christ, and ten thousand a new and heavenly baptism, sanctifying them wholly to God, soul, body, and spirit ; and oi' his labours in Canada, where five thousand were pardoned and fifteen hundred received the blessing of purity ; and of some one thousand who were happily con- verted in the New England States ; but as distance lends enchantment to the view, some may have thought distance exaggerates, and these stories may be too highly coloured. We confess to have indulged in some scepticism ourselves; but we have seen with our eyes, and heard with our ears ; and we are unbelievers no longer in the remarkable powers and the remarkable success of this gifted and humble servant of our Lord Jesus. The pow r er that God has given him to move the hearts and minds of vast multitudes, and bring many of them in loving subjection to the obedience of Christ, we can no longer doubt. If great achievements constitute a great man, then there can be no question that God has patented the nobility of James Caughey among the peers of his realm. About five years since Mr. C. was cordially invited to visit and labour some time in Philadelphia, but his mind was not then in this direction ; but in October last, it X INTRODUCTION. seemed to liim as if the Lord, in his providence and by his good spirit, said, "Arise and go toward the South." At this juncture, and while pondering upon it, a letter was received from the Rev. G. Dixon Bowen, pastor of Salem M. E. Church, Philadelphia, inviting him to visit that charge. Struck with the coincidence, he gathered that he was called, and accordingly set out ; but was intercepted at Newark, N. J., where he laboured six w^eeks with the Rev. William Tunison, and God gave them scores of souls for their hire. On the 17th of January, 1857, Mr. C. reached Phila- delphia, and on the 18th begun his work in Salem M. E. Church. This was a day long to be remembered for the intensity of the cold and the severity of the snow-storm, as well as the manifestations of God^ power in the place of prayer. ■ The church was well filled ; and as an earnest of what God intended to do, and as an encouragement to the hearts of his servants, a singular incident occurred ; a young lady, who was powerfully awakened, and whose spirit was stirred up to prayer, on her way home, in the midst of the bitter cold and the driving storm, by faith took hold on God's precious promises, and was happily converted, and went on her way rejoicing. Such a begin- ning promised well for the success of the meeting, and the promise was fully redeemed. The pastor writes : " Not- rKTRODUCTION. xi withstanding the great snow-storm and intense cold, the church was full of attentive hearers, and night after night feke altar is crowded with mourners. Last Sabbath was a Jay never to be forgotten by the members and congrega- tion of Salem Church. Morning, afternoon, and night, the sobs of penitents, the rejoicings of new born souls, were mingled with the shouts of God's people. At night the church was so packed, that at the close of the sermon, we had to open the lecture room and commence a prayer meeting below. AVe charged the enemy up stairs and down stairs, right and left. The slain of the Lord were many. The work of God goes forward with increasing power." Subsequently he writes: " The gracious revival still con- tinues in progress, and appears to be advancing with increasing power. Hundreds have been awakened and converted, and many believers have been sanctified. Mr. Caughey is still preaching at this point with great success, and the altar is still crowded by earnest inquirers after salvation." The result we have heard put down at five hundred, beside several hundred who professed to be renewed in the spirit and temper of their mind. On the Oth of February, at the instance of the Rev. Dr. Hodgson, he began afternoon services in the M. E. Union Church, and continued them in several of the churches, and in every church crowded congregations, solemn, prayerful Xll INTRODUCTION. attention, and deep religious emotions, proclaimed the presence and the power of God to save. Perfect harmony prevailed between Mr. C. and the pastors of the different churches, giving a most beautiful illustration of that beautiful Psalm : " Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.' ' This great work of God is largely attributable to Mr. C. — but honour to whom honour is due— he was ably supported and nobly sustained by both pastors and people — especially is this true of the pastor and people of Salem Church. Mr. Caughey's published works are as remarkable and successful as his preaching. They are eminently readable books; and what is better, they are worth being read; and what is better still, they are read by many thousands. They are always sparkling — full of incident, and some- times quaint humour — always entertaining, instructive, and suggestive. They have had an unprecedented popularity among religious publications ; and the present work, we think, will not fall behind its fellows. His sermons on Sanetification are just the words needed for the times. They are Scriptural and MethocKstic, and ought to be read and known of all men : and his remarks to his lady com- panions, on their trip to Castle Donington, on dress, are admirable. The extremes are happily avoided, and no Christian lady, thoroughly in earnest to be conformed to I.\ rBODl I i ! xin the Word and Spirit of Christ, can road them without profit ; and no Christian lawyer, and there are many such, eui read his letter to a member of Lincoln's Inn, London, without doing him good. The " Triumph of Truth and Continental Letters" must be interesting, and more than interesting. The man stands out in his work ; and may Heaven bless the man and his work in the conversion of many thousands more. Joseph Castle. Philadelphia, May 6, 1857. CONTENTS. THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION. Programme of the volume — Nottingham Review — a critique, on Mr. C.'s style, Ac Page 25 CHAPTER II. OPENING HIS COMMISSION IN NOTTINGHAM. A successful Sabbath — Morning prayer, cream of the day — The ornamental parts of religion — Spare end of the chains of darkness — Fire round the links — Stultifying the preacher — Parallel lines in a revival — Question- able anchorage — A nice point — The gossamer sail and broidered work of Egypt — " Not so, Lord" — Wind out of the sail — Lordly conceptions — Sinners in chains — Sharper weapons — Wesley's first visit to Notting- ham — A week of victory, 30 CHAPTER III. NOTES OF THE REVIVAL IN NOTTINGHAM. Pentecostal Sabbath — Conscience — A frightened preacher — Reliability of faith — Remarks of a German preacher — Necessity of the atonement — Intellect on fire — The helmsman — Shining without burning — Raising the devil — John the Baptist's style — Prayer defined by Fenelon — Hin- drances of sanctification, 37 CHAPTER IV. MORE NOTES OF THE REVIVAL IN NOTTINGHAM. Turn or die — Saying of Luther — Finding the kernel — A surgical princi- ple — Wisdom needed — The Spirit paraphrasing his own work — Satan's opportunity — Words of light, but playthings — Slap-dash preaching — Baxter's idea of preaching — A humbling time — Sincerity — The fabulous stone — Chasing a thought too far — Forbearance of the Spirit — A great promise — Fletcher on believing — An amazing work of God, . . .42 (15) XVI CONTENTS. CHAPTER V. PROGRESS OF THE REVIVAL IN NOTTINGHAM. The revival, notice of, in a newspaper — Saying of Mr. Everett — A great day in Nottingham, 49 CHAPTER VI. METHOD OF PREACHING DURING A REVIVAL. Plans not stereotyped — Guidance of the Spirit — A mean — nobody style — A doubter — An enduring law — Half conversions, . . . .50 CHAPTER VII. MANNER OF DEALING WITH THE CHURCH. Accusing the brethren — Credit and censure — An exalted example — Asiatic churches, how addressed — Whipping the church asleep — The grave- yard tree- — Virgil's Dares, 54 CHAPTER VIII. THE CONDITION OF LOST SOULS INCOMPREHENSIBLE. A SERMON. Existence in eternity, — comparative ignorance of — Two inquiries — Hell, existence and torment in, incomprehensible — The most terrible picture in the Bible — Sin, a terrible evil — Saying of an Italian lady — Baxter's idea — The undying worm — Outer darkness — Last sentence — "Depart," — how it affects a child of God — "Honour's grip" — Eternal damnation, inconceivably terrible — Shadowed forth in our impressions, . . .59 CHAPTER IX. PULPIT FAITHFULNESS. A SERMON. Apology defined — The spirit of the world in the church — Truth against the world — Gospel teachings, effects of — The liberal Emperor — Charity — Chain of perils — False charity — The world's anathema, preferred, ' . 71 CHAPTER X. SIN— ITS TENDENCIES AND CONSEQUENCES. A SERMON. Hell the end, or drift of every sin — Satan's proposal, — his advantage — Little sins — Fallacious comparisons — Sin of a spreading nature, — ter- minates happiness — A fearful choice — Holiness in order to happiness — Little sins, — an experience — Tempting Satan — A sad cry — Conversion or condemnation — A criterion on holiness, . . . . .74 CONTENTS. xvu CHATTER XL lAjiUTlflGATION, — IBBONEOT78 vn:ws CORRECTED. A SERMON. Indifference to holiness — Saying of a Calvinistic divine — Running down juotijuatioit, impropriety of, — did not escape the notico of Wesley — An old error revived — Absolute perfection, not a doctrine of Method- ism — Initial sanetitieation — Not entirely sanctified, when justified — Wesley's teaching — Scripture intimations and inferences, . . .84 CHATTER XII. SANCTIFICATION, — WRONG VIEWS CORRECTED. A SERMON. Gradual or instantaneous — Time — A parody — Latitude of opinion — Rea- son, its inferences, and conclusions — Wesley's view — Experience of jus- tified persons — The vampire — An erroneous motto — Believing, thoughts on — Negative sanctification — Exhortation, .95 CHATTER XIII. THE WITNESS OF, AND PROFESSION OF SANCTIFICATION. A SERMON. The witness — Limiting the Holy Spirit — Offices of the Spirit — Purified and filled with love — Exceptions to a general rule — Not advantageous to after experience — Joy, a variable grace — Purity, stability of — An extreme view — Satanic advantages — Absolute rules for professing it, unsafe — Honesty of profession — Wesley's opinion — Benefits of profess- ing it — Satan's snare, 105 CHAPTER XIV. INDWELLING SIN. A SERMON. The disturbing star — Searching questions — Eagle and firebrand — Treache- rous friend — Indwelling sin, illustrated — Satan's ally — Increases tho power of outward evil — Plague of the heart — Betrays to the enemy — Prudent counsel — Saying of an Italian Christian, .... 117 CHAPTER XV. THE ENEMY WITHIN. A SERMON. Sin defined — Inbred sin, negative and positive character of — Contrary principles — How signalized — Perilous — Expostulation — Opulence, an- cient definition of — A volcano covered with snow — Heart, elements of destruction, in — Illustrated — Madame Guyon's experience — Sentiment of a French divine, 124 2* XV111 CONTENTS. CHAPTER XVI. A VISIT TO CASTLE DONINGTON. Preaches in a field — Great success — An excursion — Lecture on dress — Things forbidden — Nearest Gospel fashion — A safe rule — Primitive style — Innocent conformity — A single eye — God-prized ornaments — Returns to Nottingham, 137 CHAPTER XVII. SUDDEN DEATHS, Letters from a Birmingham leader — Sudden death after conversion — Awfully sudden, of two sinners — Reflections, 144 CHAPTER XVIII. PROGRESS OF THE REVIVAL AT NOTTINGHAM. Calvary, a power — Arrows losing point — John Nelson and the Notting- ham mob — Charter for believing — The Highlander's "doot" — Faith defined — Remark of a German — Heavier ordnance — Note from a Greek scholar, on believing — Extent of the revival, 147 CHAPTER XIX. FARTHER VIEW OF THE WORK IN NOTTINGHAM. A newspaper correspondent, — his impressions, ..... 154 CHAPTER XX. CLOSING LABOURS IN NOTTINGHAM. Heart lodged in the tree of life — "Meditative thankfulness" — Joy de- fined — Test of an effective sermon — Exercise — Plato's idea — Letter to a lawyer — Desires the sails of the mind — A cry in the ships — Closing reflections, 156 CHAPTER XXL OFFICIAL STATISTICS OF THE REVIVAL IN NOTTINGHAM. 162 CHAPTER XXII. GATHERING UP THE FRAGMENTS — LETTERS. Comments upon the revival — Ministers — Leaders — People — New converts — Wesley's affection for Nottingham — A visit to Newstead Abbey — Lord Byron — The famous skull — The poet's tomb — Money loaned and lost — A gracious visitation — Manna and the mills — Soul, ship-like — The tiny sail — Goods of the footstool and the throne — Footing above the world — The shattered oak, . . . . , . . . .169 PONTES xix CHAFTBB xxn i. ai:uivi:s in UKOOLH. Amazing results of 1 Sabbath's labour — Journal continued — An effectual door opened of the Lord — Aristotle's opinion of felicity -Meditation — "Felicities running into felicities" — Lincoln cathedral — War in the. gates — Crowning our petitions — A great work in Lincoln — Newspaper reporters — Annoyances — Character of — " Climbing thoughts" — Moro about the reporters — The Claudian litter — Light — Life and love, use of in preaching, 176 CHAPTER XXIV. ADVANTAGES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF ENGLISH METHODISM. Progress of the work — A host of praying men — Capabilities — Peril, if misused — A warning, 182 CHAPTER XXV. PREPARING TO LEAVE LINCOLN. Sanctification by faith — Prudence in enforcing — Extent of the revival — Cheering letter from Nottingham, 184 CHAPTER XXVI. TO ONE IMPRESSED WITH A CALL TO PREACH. Sympathy — Responsibility and peril of the calling — Calamity of a soul damned — Sentiments of Hall, Hume, and Doddridge — Saying of an American Bishop — A glorious privilege — The crisis — A painful incubus — Effects of upon business life, 187 CHAPTER XXVII. TO THE SAME. — A CALL TO PREACH DEFINED A revelation from God — "Wrong motives — A remarkable instance — The direct and indirect call — Solitary idea — Samson in the camp of Dan — Visitations of the Spirit — The imperative call — Fire shut up in the bones — Willing obedience — Simplicity in action — The indirect call, . 196 CHAPTER XXVIII. TO THE SAME. — THE DISCOURAGED ENCOURAGED. An inquiry answered — A capacity for knowledge — Elements of the future man in the child — Moses — Humility, benefits of — Improve and have, . 205 XX CONTENTS. CHAPTER XXIX. TO THE SAME. — THE CALL RESISTED, — CONSEQUENCES. Door of usefulness closed — Call remains — A sore trial — Unwilling to obey — The leprous hand — Jonah — Necessary discipline, when tried as by fire — Moses driven into the wilderness — Joseph's discipline and trial — Seneca's apple — Virgil's exile, 208 CHAPTER XXX. TO THE SAME. — PATHS TO USEFULNESS. TVesleyan ministry in England — Married men not admitted as candidates for — Reasons assigned — Not an obstacle in American Methodism — Regular path to its ministry described — Evils of not observing the path — Ambro8e f singular case of — Advice, on supposition of being called of God, 213 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. LETTER I. Sails for Holland — Sea sickness — Dutch beggars — The Dutch pilot runs the steamer aground — Passengers are set ashore — Dutch ladies — Arrives at Rotterdam — View from a tower — Dutch linguists and steam- boats, .....*. 225 LETTER II. Rotterdam, description of — Erasmus, statue of — Sketch of his character — His epitaph — Visits Delft — Tomb of Grotius — Anecdote of — Music — A scene on the streets of Delft — Monuments — Proceeds to the Hague — Barneveldt, death of — Anecdote of his widow — Wood of the Hague — A Dutch congregation, 229 LETTER III. Remarks on the character of his observations as a traveller — DepSt of a Dutch railway — Arrives at Leyden — A terrible accident — A visit to the University — Arminius, character of — Episcopius — His writings — Synod of Dort — Truth — Botanical garden — Boerhave, character of — "John of Leyden," account of — The siege of Leyden — An evening scene on the banks of the Rhine- — Arrives at Haarlem — Female pre- sence of minjl — Town hall — Costar, the inventor of printing, statue of — Reflections — Popery and the press — Anecdote — The Haarlem organ, music of described — The sea of Haarlem and the Ai, precautions against — Arrives at Amsterdam — A scene in the streets— Reflections, . . 244 n:\T>. xxi LETTER IV. nd thought," remarks on — Anecdote — Van- Hopper and the Pope — The royal palace of Amsterdam — Lessons In senlpture — View from tho cupola of the palace — Dutch ingenuity and industry — Amsterdam, re- marks on — Attire o( the ladies - Leaves Amsterdam for Utrecht — Dutch houses — An illusion — Arrives at Utrecht — View from an old tower, . 267 LETTER V. Leaves Utrecht for Ximeguen — Annoyed with tobacco smoke — Thoughts on the use of tobacco — Anecdote — An inveterate smoker — A class- leader and his conscience in reference to the use of tobacco — Gardens of Holland — Tobacco plantations — A "flying bridge" — Arrives at Ni- meguen — Proceeds up the Rhine — Reflections on the Rhine — Thoughts upon eternity — Arrives at Cologne, 277 LETTER VI. A Sabbath at Cologne — A Romish chapel aud worship — Popery and Sabbath desecration — Visits the cathedral; high mass — Cathedral, description of — Original poetry — Cologne, present state of — Leaves Cologne for Coblentz — Rhine scenery — Singular manner of propelling a small boat — Arrives at Coblentz, 290 LETTER VII. Coblenta and its neighbouring scenery — The fortress of Ehrenbreitstein, description of — History of the fortress strikingly illustrative of the fall and recovery of a backslider — Proceeds up the Rhine to Mayence — Rhine scenery — Anecdote — The repeating mountain — Tremendous echoes after the discharge of cannon — Reflections upon the feudal towers on the banks of the Rhine, and the state of society in the middle ages — Intellect and moral character, talent and temperament, thoughts upon — A departed friend, character of — Providence and affliction, reflec- tions upon, 300 LETTER VIII. Arrives at Manheim — A short description of the city and its environs — Mayence, present appearance of, its public buildings, &c. — The art of printing improved at Mayence — A bridge of boats — Mill-boats on the Rhine — Frankfort, its cathedral, gardens, &c. — Reflections upon a scene on the bridge of Mayence, 311 LETTER IX. Leaves Germany for France — Altered appearance of the Rhine — Visits the cathedral of Strasburgh — Popish worship there, reflections upon — An idolatrous painting — Purgatory and indulgences, an advertisement XX11 CONTENTS. concerning — Spire of the cathodral, beauty of — Ancient architects and church spires — Perilous ascent — General aspect of Strasburgh, . . 319 LETTER X. Leaves France and proceeds into Switzerland — Plains of Alsacia, battles fought there — Reflections on war — United States, revivals of religion in, preservatives from war — Horrible fruits of war — Arrives at Bale — Death and eternity, reflections upon — A beautiful verse repeated by a Sabbath-school scholar — A walk through Bale — Christian institutions of the city — A missionary society, singular cause of the formation of one at Bale — Samuel Wesley's Hebrew Bible — Tomb of Erasmus — Calvin and Castalio — A fine view from the cathedral tower — The Rhine, 327 LETTER XL Leaves Bale for Zurich — Swiss scenery — Degrading character of Popery — Swiss coachmen — A wise dog — Thoughts on prayer — Departure of a dense fog — Magnificent scenery — The Alps — Thoughts on providence — Enjoys a sail on the lake of Zurich — A splendid view of the Alps — Zwingle's pulpit and tomb — An evening scene — Lord Byron's journal; unhappy feelings of that nobleman amidst the grandeur of nature — Remarks upon some public builidings in Zurich, 340 LETTER XII. Leaves Switzerland for France — Sabbath desecration — A French ceme- tery — Luther at Worms — A remarkable prayer of Luther — His eloquent and courageous defence, before Charles V., in the diet of Worms, . 354 LETTER XIII. Rhine scenery, original poetry upon — Shomberg castle — Anecdote — Visits Aix-la-Chapelle — The mineral waters, qualities of — The city, observa- tions upon — A handsome fountain — Visits the cathedral — Tomb of Charlemagne — His throne — Anecdote — A Popish legend — Relics, . 365 LETTER XIV. Leaves Rhenish Prussia for Belgium — Revenue officers — Arrives at Brus- sels — General aspect of the city — Town hall, architecture of — The park — Departs from Brussels for the plains of Waterloo — Stirring incidents on the way — Visits the field of Waterloo — Horrible scenes after the battle, described by the guide— Interesting localities — Appalling events during the battle— -Lord Byron, remarks upon — Napoleon, different positions of, during the battle — Poetry — The Mound — Wellington and Blucher, sudden meeting of, at the close of the battle, contrasted with the meeting of Christian heroes in heaven — A night scene on the plains of Waterloo — Reflections — Napoleon, reflections upon his character — A touching story connected with the battle, 380 OONTBfl I 8. xxm LETT BR XV. Spends a Sabbath at Brussels — Royal chapel — A German preacher — A singular pulpit In a Catholic church — Divine service celebrated In glish — Character of the sermon — Reflections upon continental preaching — Arrives at Antwerp — Cathedral, description of — Two paint- ings by Rubens — Visits the Museum of ancient and modern paintings — A short criticism on tho modern paintings — Rubens, his wonderful talent and general style — Anecdote of an American minister — Sails for England — A precaution against sea-sicknoss successful — A torrific storm — Tho author's experience — Arrives at London and proceeds to Hull, 401 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. CHAPTER I. In a volume entitled " Showers of Blessing from Clouds of Mercy" from the pen of Mr. Caughey, and published by Rev. R. W. Allen, of Boston, there is an account of an extraordinary work of God in Birmingham, England, under the ministry of Mr. C, where he laboured about five months, — from early in December till the beginning of May, 1846. On the 9th of May, he left Birmingham for Notting- ham, by railway, where he arrived on the evening of the same day. The next day [Sabbath] he commenced a series of meetings in Wesley chapel, a large commodious edifice, where he preached several weeks with very great success ; after which he visited the city of Lincoln, and spent a short time, and many sinners were saved ; an account of which will be found in this volume. The following programme, or order of the subjects em- braced in this work, is due to the reader, as it is so mis- cellaneous in character. First, a few extracts from Mr. Caughey s Journal, by which the reader is at once introduced to the scenes of the revival, which commenced immediately ; and which pre- pares the way, Second, for a few of his characteristic dis- 3 (25) 26 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. courses and addresses. Third, his Journal continued, which shows the progress of the work of God, with various observations upon preaching, and truth and its effects. Fourth, his " Continental Letters," containing his observa- tions during a tour through parts of Holland, Prussia, Germany, France, Switzerland, and Belgium; all of which will, we trust, be entertaining and profitable. Let us now return to the commencement of his labours in Nottingham. The following well-written and candid critique appeared in " The Nottingham Review," May 15, only five days after his arrival in Nottingham. It will amuse the reader, while it shows the sort of impression produced by Mr. C.'s first ar)pearance and labours in that populous town, from the stand-point occupied by one of the editors of the Review. It will answer the purpose of an Introduction better than anything we could write at present. " Wesley Chapel. — The deferred anniversary services in connexion with this place of worship, were concluded on Sunday last with two sermons preached by the Rev. James Caughey, the American revivalist minister, who had arrived in town the previous evening. To insure a good hearing to the members of the congregation, they were admitted half an hour before service time on showing their regular seat tickets, as great numbers of visitors from the villages in the neighbourhood, w^ere attracted by the report of the reverend gentleman's abilities. The sum of £53 towards liquidating the debt on the chapel, was realized on the occasion, but no collection has been made during the week-night services, though one has been held every evening except Monday. The preaching of Mr. Caughey creates a very great sensation in the town ; the chapel is crowded even in the aisles during every service, and at its conclusion numbers of penitents make their way to the communion-rails, near the pulpit, to -seek, under the terrors KKV1VAL IN N0TTI5GD \M. 27 of guilty consciences, benefit there. It was announced on Wednesday evening, that two hundred persons had given in their names, as having received conversion under Mr. Caughey's ministry since he came to Nottingham, and we believe his visit will not soon be forgotten. There is nothing in the manner in which the reverend gentleman commences the service to lead the reader to expect what is to follow. He gives out the hymn in a calm, easy, un- appreciating style, and in a tone so conversational, that persons sitting in a distant part of the chapel, find it im- possible to gather the purport of his words. It is more with the air and tone of a man reading a paragraph from a newspaper to a select party, than of a preacher proclaim- ing an important message to a large congregation. In his prayer, too, very few indications are given of the aston- ishing power he possesses over the mind ; though it is not without its peculiarities. He lifts his hands towards heaven, and keeps them in that posture during the whole of his supplication, like Moses when Israel fought in Rephidim ; and once or twice, perhaps, at some point of deeper feeling, clasps his palms together, and then re- elevates them into the same poetic attitude. But, generally speaking, his prayers have rather the tone of calm disqui- sition, than address to the Deity ; and nothing at all in them expressive of power, except when a gush of deep affectionate feeling makes its way through the mild tran- quillity, or at rarer intervals flashes out for an instant the lightning which has been so calmly folded in its mantle of quiet cloud. His reading of Scripture betrays even less of power than his prayer ; it is not performed without a certain subdued feeling ; but there is a peculiar off-hand style with it, and a certain tone of dramatic appreciation, without any great apparent solemnity or reverence in the delivery. It is not till he prepares to name his text, that *ny extraordinary power is manifested ; he generally pre- 28 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. faces it with some observation on what he has felt during the day, or since he entered the pulpit ; or with an appeal to a certain character whom he prophesies to be in the congregation. Then, indeed, it becomes plain, however the prejudiced visitor may have doubted it before, that the man is in earnest — terribly in earnest; and that every word he says he both feels and believes. On Tuesday night, when the preliminary parts of the service had been gone through, and the Bible lay open before him, instead of taking his text, as it was natural to expect he w^ould, he startled the congregation by a searching appeal to some backslider, whom he individualized as present among them ; and in his manner of doing this showed great knowledge of human nature, and an intimate acquaintance with the subtleties of the mind. Such a character, if present in the place, unless his heart were triple brass, must have been struck as with a thunderbolt. Of the heart indeed his dissections are masterly ; he is evidently well versed in its anatomy. As he represented a certain character, a backslider, perhaps, or a defrauder, or a profane person, many eyes seemed fraught with the anxious inquiry, < Is it IT until at length, as the lineaments of the portrait become clearer and more distinctly defined, the shrinking look and trembling frame declared in unmistakeable language ' It is IT In his manner of looking at a text, there is something original ; ingenious and unexpected terms are given to the different parts of it ; and as each is illustrated, it tells with surprising power upon the con- gregation. This effect is heightened by a certain abrupt- ness of delivery, which, scorning all preface and apology, rushes instantly to its point, and takes possession of his hearers by storm. His eloquence, too, is not an even un- interrupted flow of words, but his speech is forced out in jets of great intensity, with an interval between each burst. It must be allowed that his style is highly poetical ; not REVIVAL IN &OTTINGIIAM, 29 that lie indulges in fine unusual words and strings of epithets; there is no attempt a1 display of this kind; iple and plain, his style is yel remarkable For its po< ctiveness ; and to this he owes a considerable! portion of the influence he exerts over his hearers. On Tuesday night, the force with which he imaged a fold of slice]', to illustrate the conduct of the newly converted mind, was _ular ; it was not only quite evident that every word lie said, he saw visibly before him, but he made his hearers see it too ; the swine prowling about the fold and leering at the flock, manifesting no desire to be numbered among the sheep, was forcibly contrasted with the lamb which went bleating around to spy an entrance, and at last, when the door was opened by the shepherd, darted in. The effect of such passages as these was very much increased by the minister's appropriate attitudes and gestures ; not his mouth only, but his eyes and hands, and his whole person, combining to give utterance to his eloquent thought. Every scene he drew was visibly before the eyes of the congregation ; where he pointed with his hand, they looked ; and the vacant air in front of the pulpit which he chose as the canvass on which to paint his vivid designs, was evidently no longer a vacancy to his hearers, as was quite manifest from the fixed stare with which they gazed into it. When he spoke of angels as hovering over the people, and occupying the ring enclosed by the gallery of the chapel, and invented conversations, which he said they might be then holding with respect to certain indivi- duals in the place, the silence that prevailed among the people was profound ; they scarcely dared to breathe ; and seemed as if they really were hearing the rustling and flapping of the invisible wings. But as this picture was allowed to fade away, and an appeal to the feelings of the people followed ; and when the solicitude of the souls of the departed after the eternal welfare of their friends 3* 30 the triumph of truth. below was dwelt upon, a universal sob burst from the assembly, and even the faces of rugged and weather-beaten men were illuminated by the reflection of the lamps in the water upon their cheeks. At times this emotion assumed a more frantic character ; shouts, groans, and all manner of pious ejaculations rising from all parts of the house, until the preacher's voice became inaudible, and the whole place resounded with waitings and cries. The arrange- ments were extremely well ordered and efficient ; during the prayer-meeting which succeeded the service, numbers of persons were observed in all parts of the chapel, who had been appointed to lead up to the communion rails those who were desirous of being publicly prayed for ; and as they obtained assurance of what they sought, led them out orderly at the vestry door. We believe Mr. Caughey will stay in the town some days yet ; and it is intended to hold services not only next Sunday, but also every night during the ensuing week, except Monday and Saturday." CHAPTER II. OPENING OF HIS COMMISSION IN NOTTINGHAM. Nottingham, May 11, 1846, Monday morning. — On Saturday morning, 9th inst., I bade farewell to my dear friend at Sparkbrook House, Birmingham, and parted with numerous other friends, who were very dear to my heart, — more than words could express, and came on by rail- way, pensively, and arrived in Nottingham about sundown ; — was conducted to the mansion of Mr. Sansom, where I received a cordial welcome ; — felt perfectly at home. " Peace be to this house" 0, but I did feel " the Son of peace" was there, and here he remains. BEING 09 His COMMISSION in NOTTINGHAM. -\{ ) nterdajf, I opened my commission in Wesley ehapel, a fine, targe, commodious edifice, capable of accommodating between two and three thousand people, and it was full. The Lord began an outpouring <>t" his spirit immediately; and during the day and night, one hundred and thirty-six souls were saved ; of whom sixty-two mere from the ivorhl. These we*e appropriated to classes, receiving each a note to that effect. Fifty-two of those from the v:orld, belonged to Nottingham. The remainder of the saved, were marked by the secretary, in the Register, thus : Tiventy-one he- longed to the Society in Wesley chapel. Ten to "Halifax chapel, south side of the town. Nineteen were claimed by other denominations ; and eighteen were from a distance. They do up Revival matters here, in a very business- like manner ; — resolving not to work in the dark, — and to prevent exaggerated reports, — to know the character and extent of the work ; — for they have "faith in God" for a great work. Truly I have come among a people prepared of the Lord ! May 12. — Realized the benefit of that advice given by one a long time ago ; — that as the morning is the cream of the day, there is no better way than to let God have it ; — for it is with the mind, in the morning, as with 7C00I in the first dye, — that is the best, and it keeps it the longest, — good to have the mind tinged and tinctured with holiness, for that is apt to abide upon it all the day ! The heart, he added, if ve\\-pe?fumed with heavenly thoughts, and precious grace, in the morning, the fragrance thereof will remain all the day long ! — that, the heart, with ail its affections, like a clock, if wound up well in morning devo- tion, is sure to run all day ! And besides, it is with the ynind in the morning, as with guests arriving at a hotel, — the thoughts which are the first to arrive in the morning, obtain the best rooms of the heart, and are apt to retain them, in spite of other thoughts which arrive later, seek- 32 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. ing to eject them ! There is a great spiritual fact in these simple illustrations. This has not been the first day of my life to realize its truthfulness. Hallelujah ! A great prayer meeting last night, — the kingdom of heaven "seized with violent hands !" Forty-seven souls saved ; of whom fourteen were from the world. May 13. — That text, " Rejoice evermore," &c, 1 Thess. 5 : 17, 18, opens up well ; one can defend Christian experi- ence by it, in a great number of ways ; — in showing the why and the wherefore of it ! " The grave cannot praise thee ; death cannot celebrate thee," said King Hezekiah, after his recovery. " The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into silence ;" says the Psalmist. The same may be said of every unconverted soul, in the church, and out of it, with regard to Rejoice evermore, praying without ceasing, and thanking Grodfor everything ! No, nor can those rejoice and give thanks, whose ways please not the Lord, and who break w T ith him regarding seeking holiness. That was a shrewd remark of one, and worthy of note, that, foul hands must not w r ork in damask, or flowered satin, as they would soil and mar the beauty of it ; so he thought, praise and thanksgiving are the ornamental parts of our beautiful religion ; — the damask, and flowered satin of our exalted Christianity,— which an impure heart, or an unholy life, is sure to sully. Was enabled to press hard upon these things, and illustrations came to my help in troops. We had victory over the works of the devil. Twenty -two saved ; thirteen of whom were from the world. May 14. — Death reigns in some, I perceive. To be dead and not to knoiv it, is but the spare end of " the chains of darkness," with which the devils are bound, 2 Peter 2 : 4, and which, doubtless, they quietly coil around stupid professors and sinners. This chain must be broken, or dissolved, if there is power OPENING OF BIS COMMISSION ( \ NOTTINGHAM. 89 ami fire enough in the Gospel to do it. Amen. ^ To be unacquainted witjh a state of death) when you are in it, doth fasten your chains, and hinder your recovery," said B '.rtt r to one. Tried to make them sensible of this, and struck hard at some of the links of the chain, and then, finding them too cold, put^re around them ! Some, how- ever were severed, and others melted down, and there was a great cry. But of others, Satan seemed to grin, "you will need heavier blotvs or sharper tools, or an intenser jlame, ere these break, or melt, stranger!" Ay! likely enough ! Many left with their chains on as before. But twenty-Jive were saved, of whom ten were from the world. Mr. Wesley visited Nottingham, June 11, 1741, I perceive by his journal, nearly one hundred and five years ago, and remarked, " I could not but observe, 1st. That the room was not half full, which used, till very lately, to be crowded within and without. 2d. That not one person who came in used any prayer at all ; but every one imme- diately sat down, and began either talking to his neighbour, or looking about to see who was there. 3d. When I began to pray, there appeared a general surprise, none once offer- ing to kneel down, and those who stood, choosing the most easy, indolent posture which they conveniently could." This appears to have been Mr. Wesley's first visit. What a change since then in Nottingham Methodism! Mr. Wesley tells us that he expounded with a heavy heart. He preached twice, from two mild texts ; but in three days he returned again, and cried in the market-place to a multi- tude, " The dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God ; and they that hear shall live." May 15. — How it helps to quickness of apprehension in the pulpit, when one's hearers seem to possess the same faculty ! But when people are dull and stupid, and seem to hear as if they would not hear, or wished not to hear, how it stultifies the preacher ! — makes him preach, as if he 34 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. would rather not preach; — unless there is life and fire in himself, independent of them; — then he will kindle and burn, and flash, and his words fall upon them like fire from Heaven, to quicken, or move, or madden ! There were twenty -five saved last night, eight of whom were from the world. The work of entire sanctification, — the church's great toant, has taken up its parallel line with that of justification ; and they are running along beautifully together, by the power of the same spirit. Several of the twenty-five were made perfect in love. May 16th, Saturday morning. — Holiness last night. It is well to remove hinderances, by replying to objections. Must go through the gates, prepare the way of the people, — cast up, cast up a highway, gather out the stones, and then lift up a standard for the people. Isaiah 62 : 10. But it requires much skill and prudence, to say just enough, and no more, so as to prevent gaps for other out-of-the way objections ; — and so to manage one's time, as not to infringe upon the sermon. Thus, on the subject of be- lieving ; that I meant only what everybody believes, that man has a believing faculty — that to this I make free to appeal. If exercised in the lightest, why not in the weight- iest matters ? — that some call it natural faith ; — let them call it what they like, — it is a faculty of the mind, by which we believe or disbelieve anything, when sufficient or insuffi- cient evidence is afforded ; — that it is called into action in every science with which we have to do ; and God has been pleased to ordain, that it shall be called into action in the science of experimental salvation. Again: as to " unsuccessful faith and "unfulfilled de- sires for purity ;" — it is true, desires are the sails of the mind, and faith the grand instrumentality of salvation ; but, although the sails may be unfurled, and spread, and faith in action, these are ineffectual, unless all sinful at- tachments are severed; otherwise Ave would resemble a OPENING OF HIS COMMISSION IN NOTTINGHAM. 35 captain ordering all sail get to a fine breeze, while, like Paul's Bhip in the Adriatic, there arc "four anchors out of the stern !" which have not been taken up ! In spiritual firs, as well as nautical, it is well to weigh anchor, before hoisting sail, and if that cannot be done, and the ssitt/ is great, why slip or cut cable and clear away before the swelling gale ! — a good figure, when carried out, and lays hold of the difficulties of not a few seekers of full salvation ; — one can point out certain cables and anchors out on questionable bottoms, which neutralize the best suit of sails ever hoisted to the gales of grace ; neutralize the strongest desires after holiness — a powerful point just there. Better management and feiver words will be necessary, should I ever return to that other nice point, as a reply ; — desires after purity may have been imperfect ; — a ship may carry a deficiency of sail, through slothfulness, or indiffer- ence, at the option of the captain and crew, when the top and topgallants should be up ! And thus it may be with the soul and the sails of its desires! Again : some are so nice 1 in their order and manner of seeking full salvation, and obtaining it ; — desires are the sails of their mind, but so flimsy and gossamer-like, that they are easily rent in twain, under the heavenly breeze, and the soul,- like a helpless ship, is left alone in the midst of a rolling sea of trouble, out of which others, w T ith stout and well bent sails, escape into the haven of perfect love ! Besides, the sails of others are narroiv as well as frail, and when they are spread upon the soul, they catch an insufficiency of the glorious breeze, — it is like seeking to waft a ship w T ith a pocket handkerchief spread in the rig- ging, and then wonder why the vessel does not move along and keep up with others ! Again : others have cumbered and weakened the sails of their minds, by a superfluity of « the broidered work of 36 THE TRitJMPH OF TRUTH. Egypt" — too much worldly wisdom, and too many ivatch- ivords aboard, of " Not so, Lord !" as Peter of old. If the Lord will purify them, it must be done in perfect accord- ance with certain rules which their taste and education have planned ; such as their refined sensibilities and high order of reason demand. And not only so, but others also must be made to receive the blessing in accordance with the same rules, or they are in confusion and dis- approbation, poor things ! for up come some ten or twenty, borne along by the breezes from Calvary, all sail set, and some of them flapping and straining considerably ; who take the wind quite out of their tiny and embroidered sails — drown the whisper of their watchword, "Not so, Lord!" and risk their being capsized or swamped midst the surges of salvation! — violating all their ideas of spiritual seamanship! And others, to use an idea of Mr. Fletcher, are so full of their lordly conceptions, that nothing will do but they must come into this mystical Jerusalem in a triumphal chariot, or upon a prancing horse, instead of following their meek and lowly Lord, who entered Jerusalem sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass ; — they will not believe and enter into the blessing of entire sancti- fication, unless borne into it in a state of exceeding joy and perfect ecstasy ; — when their Lord would have them believe and enter into that blessed state in poverty of spirit, emptiness, entire nothingness, and in the deepest humilia- tion ! It was not my intention to write so much when I took up my pen — have been tempted to tear these leaves out, and reserve them for my Notes on Revival Warfare — which would be a better department for such reminiscences, I think — and thus enable myself to journalize with less prolixity. Sometimes when I take up my pen after preaching, or at the close of a week's hard conflict, I know NOTES ov Tin; REVIVAL IN NOTTINGHAM. : »» pot where to stop, until I write out all that ia in my tteart, which displeases me when done, as it looks more like vnonisring or essay izing — if I may be allowed the word — than journalizing or diarizing. Afternoon of Saturday, May 10. — This has been a week of victory. The Secretary reports two hundred and ninety saved (pardon and purity), of whom one hundred and nineteen were from the world. All glory be to God in Christ ! He doeth the w T orks ! But how long is it to continue thus ? While there are vessels to receive the heavenly oil ! 2 Kings 4 : 6. CHAPTER III. NOTES OF THE REVIVAL IN NOTTINGHAM. May 18, Monday morning. — A great power from Heaven rested upon the people yesterday. The Secretaries report one hundred and eighty-jive souls saved in both blessings, a large number from the world, and over seventy of the saved from the distance of several miles around, and many from other denominations. how long, and how bitterly, did some plead for mercy ! What an unmerciful and unappeasable thing is an aroused and angry conscience I And how singularly treacherous, so to speak ! — for in some it hardly speaks above a whisper for years, and much of the time dormant in others ; but how it roars and rends the soul at a time like this ! It seems to turn judge, jury, and executioner, at the same hour ! It is like a devil let loose in some, and as vengeful — as if it had put itself in God's stead to take vengeance for past insults. And may we not in this way infer the 4 38 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. nature of eternal punishment ? How terrible must be its operations in bell where there are no hopes of mercy ! how such scenes do melt and move my soul ! And, were I not absolutely sure that the results of faith are sure, I am not sure but, like Mr. Fletcher on a certain occasion, I should be tempted to "take to my heels !" It was shortly after his arrival in Madely ; and he had begun to preach the Gospel in the parish church, with the Holy Ghost sent down fr.om Heaven, fearless of consequences — though he did get frightened very soon. Writing to Rev. Charles Wesley, April 27, 1761, he says : " A young per- son, the daughter of one of my rich parishioners, has been thrown into despair; so that everybody thought her insane, and indeed I thought so too. . Judge how our adversaries rejoiced ; and, for my part, I was tempted to forsake my ministry and take to my heels : I never suffered such afflic- tion. Last Saturday I humbled myself before the Lord, on her account, by fasting and prayer ; and I hope that the Lord has heard my prayer. She found herself well enough to come to church yesterday." had I not seen such scenes before, I should have been tempted to suspect that hundreds of people had at once lost their senses, never to find them again ; and if for shame I had not taken to my heels, it would certainly have frightened me ever after from letting loose the true artillery of the Gospel, among sinful men. But the confidence that no law in nature is surer in its results than the law of faith, preserved my heart from trouble ; and, truly, the salvation of one hundred and eighty -five souls, verified the fact. halle- lujah to God and the Lamb ! Praise Him, ye sons of the morning ! Bless thou the Lord, my soul ! May 19. — Many of the unsaved of last night, forward for prayer to night, with consciences still unappeased. I did not preach, being Monday, That preacher among the hills of Germany well understood such exhibitions of con- ROTES 01 THE REVIVAL IX NOTTINGHAM. o ( J Bcience, when he exclaimed, "Jacob robbed of his sons; Job on the smoking ashes of his happiness ; Jeremiah on Jerusalem's ruins ; llezckiah on his couch, mourning like a crane ; — what are these when compared with the mise- ries of an awakened conscience!" Ay! and how awfully convincing are such miseries of the necessity of just such a sacrifice for sin as was exhibited on Calvary ! ! what could we have done last night, had we not had a Saviour — an atonement — a pardon through faith in a Saviour's blood to offer those distressed sinners. Many of them returned to their homes happy I May 20. — Power in preaching; — intellect and tongue on fire ! Enabled to fix my eye, now on Jesus, next upon the Spirit for aid, and lastly, upon the people for effects ; — as I have seen the helmsman fixing his eye upon a star, then upon the chart, and next upon the compass, then up upon the well-spread and swelling sails aloft, and so we sped our way across the ocean; — so I was enabled to keep on preaching, ivatehing, believing, — watching for effects, and the proper moment for closing and for beginning the prayer meeting. A season of power and victory. May 21. — Some freedom ; — shining, without burning, is a sort of treason to the Gospel. A successful preacher must resemble John the Baptist, in two respects — shining and burning ; — shining, — with intellectual wealth, — power, — brilliancy ; burning, — heart on fire — affections in a blaze — words like jealousy, as coals of fire which have a most vehement flame, as Solomon speaks. Jesus said John the Baptist " was a burning and a shining light;" and I observe, "burning" stands first! That suits me ! for, somehow, when I visit a place, I burn rather than shine, and that either raises the devil among the people in opposition ; or makes them retire displeased, "he is no preacher," and resolve upon neutrality or in- difference. Then comes the tug of war, in either case ; but 40 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. opposition is preferable to indifference. After burning awhile, some think I begin to shine a little, and before long I somehow emerge from the clouds ! Would like to burn and shine at once, in the beginning of a conflict ; but then " the offence of the cross might cease" as the Apostle hints ; and I might please men, without converting them, and risk more trouble of mind than opposition ever gave me, or indifference either ; — a suspicion of what St. Paul deprecated, " Do I seek to please men f for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ" Gal. 1 : 10. It is hard to shine, without some desire to please men ; to burn as well as shine is an antidote. The Baptist burned and shined at once, I suppose, and soon gathered all Judea about him. However, Jesus hinted to some of John's hearers, " And ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light" — "for a season," — only for a season ; — which John recognised before he lost his head, " I must decrease." Now, it is better, perhaps, to burn at first, without shining, and increase ; than to burn and shine in the start, and then decrease ! There is some philosophy in this view, and it may do me good in humiliating times hereafter. Amen. However, let me be prepared to say, " Amen," to my Lord's will, whichever way he may be pleased to order my beginnings ! May 22. — The work spreads on every hand ; — as if it would carry everything before it. adorable Jesus, ride on, till all are subdued ! May 23. — Saturday. That is a grand text for holi- ness, Mark 11 : 24, " What things soever ye desire ivhen ye pray, believe, frc" This makes prayer heart-worJc, and therefore sincere, as Fenelon observes, I remember: " The true prayer is that of the heart, and the heart only prays for what it desires." To pray, then, is to desire; but to desire what God would have us desire. He who asks what he does not from the bottom of his heart desire, is mistaken CHI REVIVAL l\ NOTTINGHAM. 41 in thinking that he prays. Let him spend days in reciting prayers, in meditation, or inciting bimself to pious exer- cises, be prays not once truly, if lu i really desire not the things he pretends to ask. Oh! how few there are who pray!" A valuable hint! It may explain why some seekers of full salvation fail in obtaining it. Though they pray for it, yet, if from the bottom of their heart they do not dtsirt it, they pray in vain: "God is not mocked" Bays St. Paul; that is, he will not permit himself to be mocked; — he will rebuke those who attempt it thus, by leaving them to themselves. A stirring point, this ! To pray for what is not really desired, must be classed among some other enigmas so prevalent among professors of religion. But there is a cause; — an unwillingness, as Fenelon somewhere remarks, to embrace the ivhole will of God, in crosses, — external and internal humiliation, — re- nouncement of our ow T n wills, — the death of self and the establishment of God's throne upon the ruins of self love — not to desire these, is not to pray — to desire thern seri- ously, soberly, constantly, and with reference to all the details of life, this is true prayer ; not to desire them, and yet to suppose w T e pray, is an illusion like that of the wretched who dream themselves happy ! How necessary, my soul ! to be plain and home w T ith all these ima- ginary desires after perfection. These are the causes — the voluntary causes, which prevent the true prayer of the heart, and which render so many prayers fruitless. Lord help me to be round and home with my hearers upon these points ; — ay, and with myself also ! Amen. 4* 42 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. CHAPTER IV. MORE NOTES OF THE REVIVAL IN NOTTINGIJAM. May 25. — Monday. Yesterday was a day of power. Turn or Die. Preached in the full spirit thereof; — two terrible words these ; — so repulsive, and yet so true, — "the undoubted truth of God," as one exclaimed. Turn or Burn, equally true ; equally repulsive and unwelcome. And many wisely thought with one, " It is easier to hear of this burning in Hell, than to feel it!" To be sure it is ! and better be a flaming brand plucked out of the fire here, than, finally, become one of the firebrands of Hell hereafter ! Some think I am mad, others say it ; others, " He is an awful man,— driving the people mad." Others, " harsh, hard, and unbearable." Ay ! thinking of Luther s apo- logy for himself, " The shell may be hard, but the kernel is soft and tender /" Physical aspect and language hard enough for sore consciences ; but, and blessed be God for it ! my heart is soft and tender, and that is the reason why the multitudes are not repelled by the hard shell, but drawn towards it ; — -the kernel, — the soft and tender and loving and sympathetic heart draws them strangely in spite of them ! The shell hits fearfully hard ; but the sermon, like the preacher, has a kernel in the heart of it ! A blow from the shell [the sermon] stuns some and wounds others, and they fly ; others remain and break the shell that hits them, and find the kernel of salvation in it ! Afternoon. Must keep on. The surgeon minds not the patient's plaints, murmurs, exclamations, and impatience under the knife ; life must be preserved at any cost ;— it must be done ; — he means his patient no harm, but good ; — MORI ffOTKS OF Tin: kt.vival ix HTOTTINQIIAM. tt yet the patient thinks him a ford!, cruel man ; — the but- d bears it, knowing that if he Bave his life, he will think and feel otherwise by-and-by! A lesson for thee, my soul ! But, how much courage and resolution are needed ! Surely yes ! I can well understand why some ministers shrink from doing this ; — and, as a consequence, leave their hearers as they found them ! Evening. How much wisdom is needed in dealing with troubled consciences ! How much wisdom and tenderness with New Converts! — with those who have evidently re- ceived grace, but who have been set a doubting by Satan's siftings. Luke 22 : 31. Or from the fact that the title of their adoption has been dimly written at the first upon their hearts ; or the characters thereof in letters so small that the weak eyes of the conscience cannot read it clearly. what trouble then ! Less reasoning and more believing is a good advice ; or twenty looks at Jesus for one look at self; or look in- wardly less and upivard more ; or pray for a clearer wit- ness of the Spirit. Rom. 8 : 16. " The beams of the sun are paraphrases upon his own essence" says an old writer. And are they not paraphrases also upon his own produc- tions in the scenery around us ? and as so many paraphrases upon the solid and more unmanageable features of the landscape ; — the beams of the sun reveal them, — show them to advantage, — their positions, — magnitudes, — colours. But the beams of the Spirit are not only as so many paraphrases upon his own essence or nature, but upon his own ivork in the new convert's heart. The title of adop- tion appears clear and satisfactory under his shining ! — the characters in which it has been written on the tablet of the heart brighten and enlarge wonderfully under his shining ; and his light too is so healing to the weak eyes of a relapsing conscience ! Daylight is pleasant, but pleasanter still with sunshine. 44 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. There may be the daylight of religion in the soul without the sunshine of religion ; — and, like the air at daybreak, it is cold, and the aspect of things dreary and uncertain ; — the beams of the Holy Spirit are wanting. Satan is a thief and a murderer, and darkness suits him best. The Spirit of God gives light and sunshine, and the treacher- ous designs of the adversary are detected. However, the New Converts are, generally, very clear and triumphant. There is great strength in Zion, and the children born of her are strong and lively ; — soon able to help themselves, and to help others also ! May 26. — What is speedily taken up, is often speedily throivn down. I notice this in some. The Gospel may come in word only, but not in power ; — words of light and not words of fire. With "words of light,'" people can play and amuse themselves. They are taken up readily and gladly, — as in the case of Herod, who heard John the Baptist gladly, and did many things. Mark 6 : 20. John must have been shining then, to have such a sinner as Herod hearkening to him " gladly ;" but he soon began to burn as well as shine, and then off went John's head! Words of light are pleasant things, — " like apples of gold in pictures of silver," and people fall in love with them. But when they turn into words of fire, and begin to burn and melt, such people become of another mind, drop them hastily as they took them up, and stand aloof. But, as it usually happens, I cannot lighten without shooting bolts, — why, matters are soon brought to a crisis of life or death— fall or fly — one or the other. 0, my Lord, "who is sufficient for these things?" That was PauVs exclamation, and it may well be mine. May 27. Wednesday. — 0, dear me ! what a hurley- burley, topsy-turvey, slap-dash, sort of time that was in preaching ! Plenty of material for critics and fault-finders, I'll warrant you ! Never mind ! sinners and deceived pro- MORI NOTES 01 Tin: REVIVAL rx NOTTINGHAM. 4£ feasors were tin-own into tribulation, and many Baved! I like that idea of Baxter, that if you send a man u jour/ui/ y you would like him none the better for standing and ques- tioning, and scrupling every step lie goes whether he set the right foot before? or whether he should go in the foot- path, or in the road? or rather that he w T ould cheerfully go on, not thinking which foot went foremost; and rather have him step a little beside the path, and in again, than t>> stand scrupling, when he should be going on ? Or, if you send reapers into the harvest, which would you like better, he asked, him that w r ould stand scrupling how many straws he should cut down at once, and at what heiglit ; and with fears of cutting them too high, or too low, too many at once, or too few, and, after all, accomplish little or nothing in reaping down the harvest ? Or, whether you would not rather like him who does the work cheerfully as well as he can ? — Ay ! Baxter understood it ! Well, although I know, verily, that I did not go wrong in doctrine, not once ; — but really, I did get off the beaten track, of what is called sermonizing, pretty often, and off my ow T n intended track as many times as a squirrel upon a tree ! Nevertheless, truth kept on the track to the sinner's conscience ; and, in the prayer-meeting, men and women fell like Baxter's straw before the reapers ! — some high, some loiv — some one way, some another ; — but dow T n they came ! and with such a cry, that betokened they were cut to the heart ! May 28. — Ah me! How humbling and weakening to one's faith is a hard time in preaching! What one said of prayer without faith, may be said of preaching without faith ; — it is like a gun discharged without bullet ; — rather should he not have said, like a bullet rolling out of a gun without the compulsion of gunpowder I Well, blessed be God for sincerity ! Had I been void 46 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. of that, as of power, I should have felt myself a contempti- ble creature. This has often been a comfort to me. It is with a preacher, as with a precious stone we read of — that it lost its virtue, if not incased in gold ; — he loses his virtue, or unction, if he ever had it, when he loses his sincerity. The former may be fable — this is fact ; — his heart, — zeal, — efforts, — all must be cased in the gold of sin- cerity, in order to be acceptable to God. Indeed, without it, there can be neither beginning nor progress in a reli- gious life, to say nothing of the work of the ministry. But sincerity has not always the company of fire and energy ; and fire and energy are not always in alliance with sincerity ; — when united, they make a successful preacher ; — when disjoined, we have inefficiency or hypo- crisy. Both are to be deprecated ; but I would rather have inefficiency than hypocrisy. But God preserve me from both. Amen ! May 29. — Grold may be bought too dear ! — a single thought may carry one too far in the pulpit. It may be gold, and yet cost one too much ; — may be pursued far- ther than it pays; — " What good?" — -this is the English of the Latin proverb ; for, " what good ?" was the favourite interrogatory of the old Latinists, with regard to any- thing of questionable benefit ! Be careful, my soul, lest in pursuing what appears to be a golden thought, the angels of God detect thee chasing butterflies, or hunting feathers ; — innocent and harmless in themselves, they may be, as the Psalmist's dove, whose wings were covered with sil- ver, and her feathers of yellow gold ! Ps. 68 : 13. But thereby to miss an opportunity of winning souls to Christ, which may be lost to Heaven or to thee for ever, it ceases to be innocent and harmless; — it is criminal, and may bring a blight on thy ministry for months to come. but it is an easy thing to grieve the Holy Spirit ! but the consequences are not easy ! MORI ROTES OF THE REVIVAL l\ NOTTINGHAM. 47 Bat hon good and forbearing is the Holy Spirit! — tk f<>r if we sin wilfully " saya the Apostle. Ay ! thai is it I In the heat of pulpit ardour, the honest soul, — like an impe- tuous officer in a battle, may pursue an enemy too far, and jeopard his troops, — thinking all the while, he is only doing his duty, till, to his sorrow, and when too late, per- haps, he perceives his error. "But there is forgiveness with thee, that thoumayest be feared" — thou knowest even a minister s frame, that it is but dust, and that he has this treasure of the gospel in an earthen vessel. And what a proof of the forbearance of the Spirit, in allowing no diminution of powers or success in the prayer meeting ! But this is not the first victory that has been won, more by the valour of officers and troops, than by the tvisdom, and foresight, and good generalship of the Com m a nder-in - Chief ! ! May 30. — Saturday. Purity last night. And after preaching it, what a heavenly and holy tincture and unut- terable sweetness does it leave upon the mind ! — one of the reivards of preaching it ! That promise in Mark 11 : 24, seldom fails, as an ap- plication. When a conviction for purity has been awak- ened, and a desire ; no time should be lost in telling them how to obtain it. But such a promise is the readiest and surest in the New Testament for that purpose. It pos- sesses an amazing power, if handled by a sure, steady, obstinate, ardent, and undeniable faith and confidence in the veracity of Jesus ; but vehemently guarding them against that nonsensical sentiment, " Believe that yon have it, and you have it," — a rock upon which many split in the days of Mr. Wesley ; and which, for a short time, quite took the gales of grace out of the sails of the Methodist ship. Even Fletcher himself was perplexed. Writing to Charles Wesley, Sept. 20, 1762, he remarked on the troubles in Methodism upon this subject, thus : 48 THE TllIUMni OF TRUTH. "The < Crede quod hales et habes,'* is not very different from those words of Christ, ' What things soever ye desire when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.' The humble reason of the believer, and the irra- tional presumption of the enthusiast, draw this doctrine to the right hand or to the left. But to split the hair, — here lies the difficulty. I have told you that I am no party man : I am neither for nor against the witness for Christian Perfection, without examination. I complain of those who deceive themselves ; I honour those who do honour to their profession ; and I wish we could find out the right way of reconciling the most profound humility with the most lively hopes of grace. I think you insist on the one, and M on the other ; and I believe you both sincere in your views. God bless you both, and, if either of you go too far, may the Lord bring him back." Loving, blessed Fletcher ! Well, the results last night were glorious, indeed ! and many scores have been saved this week. Glory be to God! Saturday Afternoon, May 30. — This is indeed an as- tonishing outpouring of the Holy Spirit, such as has never been known in Nottingham in so short a time. Since the 10th inst., nineteen days, over eight hundred persons have professed to obtain pardoning mercy and purity of heart. Of these six hundred are trophies of divine forgiveness ; about three hundred joined the Wes- ley ans in town ; other denominations have claimed a share, and the neighbouring circuits are reaping a harvest. All the glory is due to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen. * Believe that you have it, and you have it. MLO0R£8fl Oi 'nil' WCfM in NOTTINGHAM, 40 CHAPTER V. PROGRESS OF THE WORK IN NOTTINGHAM. The following notice of this great revival in Notting- ham appeared in a religious newspaper, about this time. » Nottingham North Circuit. — The labours of Mr. j Caughey in Nottingham continue to be crowned w T ith great success. lie has, indeed, found in Nottingham a people prepared by the Lord. His coming up amongst us has been somewhat like the tumbling of the barley- cake into the camp of the Midianites. Judges 7: 13. That highly esteemed minister of Jesus Christ, the Rev. James Everett, who attended one of our meetings a few weeks ago, after passing a high eulogium upon the cha- racter and abilities of Mr. Caughey, remarked, ' James Caughey is a man who has thrown all hell into a state of astonishment, and put the devil on the look out, wonder- ing what to expect next.' The crowds that flock to the house of God, every service, prove, not only that great interest has been excited, but that the Spirit of God is at work on the minds of the people. His style of preaching is at once pleasing and impressive ; perfectly free from affectation, there is no theatrical display ; his action itself is eloquence — 'the eloquence of nature.' There is an evident attempt to conceal his abilities ; yet, despite of himself, the attributes of his mind will ' speak out.' There are occasional flashes of oratory worthy of Demosthenes. When denouncing the < deep, damning sins of the people,' he comes down with an impetuosity which takes the con- gregation by storm. His is the eloquence of feeling — the true eloquence of the heart — sometimes distilling as the refreshing dew of the summer's eve, at others resembling the headlong dash of the mountain torrent or 5 50 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. " The live thunder, Which leaps from cliff to cliff." But 'the best of all is, God is with him.' He is em- phatically a man of one business ; he feels that he has come on an awful mission, and his mind bends humbly beneath the responsibility. Over his audience he wields a solemn and tremendous power. There is an unction attending his ministry which demonstrates, not only that he preaches, but that he lives for souls. He stands before his audience like another Isaiah, fresh from the visions of the Lord. Last Sabbath was a day long to be remembered in Nottingham ; it was, indeed, the day of the Lord's power, in which the people offered themselves willingly. Nearly two hundred came forward and gave their names, professing to have received some special good. Many cases of an interesting character might be enumerated. We hope that the reverend gentleman's stay in the town will be protracted, and that thousands may be brought to God as seals to his ministry. Amen.' , CHAPTER VI. In our programme of this volume, we promised a few of Mr. Caughey's characteristic sermons and addresses. The reader has just been perusing what may be termed life in private during soul-saving effort ; in the following pages he has life in public developed in bringing sinners to God. In one we behold the servant of God humbling himself, and judging himself before God ; — in the other, — these se- lections from his "pulpit life" we behold him, before men, ORDBB Of PREACHING IN A REVIVAL. 51 bold and uncompromising. These discourses touch upon Borne great principles. Our space is limited) or more of such discourses would have been inserted. ORDER OF PREACHING IN THE BEGINNING OF A REVIVAL EFFORT. I am in the habit of replying to inquiries, or objections, before text; therefore let those concerned listen. 1. As to which class of hearers to be " dealt with" first, in the beginning of such an effort as this, — Church mem- bers, or sinners of the ivorld, I have no particular rule, — nothing stereotyped. My aim is to attend closely to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and to follow that whereso- ever it may lead, with a guileless faith, boldly and coura- geously, neither courting smiles, nor fearing froums. 2. It is written, indeed, that "Judgment must begin at the house of God ;" and as a general thing it is well to begin with the church. There are places and times, how- ever, when it is well to begin at once with sinners. The Spirit will decide as to that, when the preacher is simple of heart, having only one desire and one aim, to do the greatest possible amount of good in the shortest time. 3. It is well to be round and plain with the church ; — not merely as regards her character as developed in the general membership ; — there is a great deal of this gene- ral sort of preaching, which means nobody in particular. Effective preaching takes fast hold of individual members. Take a case in hand : — one who entertains " strong hopes of Heaven," but whose doubts that he has ever been born of the Spirit, are just as strong. Now there may be more of like character, therefore, it may not be amiss to deal faithfully with this one case. We have information from the throne of God in Heaven, that no unregenerate soul has any place there. That a law has been passed, enduring as that throne, that unless 52 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. we are lorn from above, we shall never enter there. And most impressively, and convincingly, has the awful fact been made known to us ; — more so indeed, than, if as many angels, and disembodied spirits, as there are faces now present, should appear at once, and declare it to us. But how, in such a case, could we doubt ? Would we not become alarmed, and begin to look about us, lest we should be shut out of Heaven for ever ? Hearken ! Jesus Christ has declared unto us the awful fact, John 3 : 3, " Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he can- not see the kingdom of Grod" Is not that more impressive and convincing, than if as many spirits had announced it in our ears as there are people in this town ? Lord, awaken us to the tremendous fact. 4. Again : another is present, whose hopes are founded upon a kind of half-repentance, and half-conversion, and that the duplicate or counterpart will arrive in time, or be wrought out, before death works in; — a most dangerous deception. But, as there may be more, who, like Goldsmith, have "a knack at hoping' ' after this sort, I think it not unpro- fitable to allow such an one a pretty large investment in my discourse ; — crying in his ears the startling warning of good old Richard Baxter: "half -conversions are the undoing of many souls/ ' If you are but like Agrippa, Acts 26 : 28, " Almost thou persuadest me to be a Chris- tian," you will be but almost saved. Many thousands of those who are now past help, have had the word come near them, and cast them into fear, and made some trouble in their souls, awakening their purposes — consciences — promises, — and affecting some half-reformations. * * * * But where is the promise in the Scriptures, that you shall be pardoned if you almost repent and believe ? But, on the contrary, you are told that you must be plainly re- solved to turn or die, though you almost turn ; and repent oi;iu:k Of PREACHING in A REVIVAL. 58 orpemi, thoogb yon almost repent; — that you shall not enter into the Kingdom <>f Heaven, without convenion and a )u w birth, though you come vwr so Hear It ! * * * * * * * As you love your own soul, therefore, do not stand dodging and halving with God; — a katfmnsound convert will aa certainly perish as a drunkard or a whore- Wronger, though his torments may not be so great. * * ***** If you have a wound or a sore, and you tam- per with salves not agreeable to it, or badly applied, or but skinned over, and not searched to the bottom: — it mibt be opened again, and cost double pain and trouble. ******* If a broken bone, or joint out, happens to I at first, what torments must be endured to have it re-stretehed. and re-set ; — which might have been spared, had it been thoroughly done at first." The appli- cation i> easy ; and it is after such a manner I frequently address such deceived and miserable professors ; — and such considerations I would commend to the parties concerned in this congregation. 5. As I said at the beginning, I have no rule as to the time of taking such professors in hand ; — only as I become acquainted with particular cases by personal intercourse ; or when they are mysteriously laid upon my heart by the Holy Spirit; — then I draw the boiv at a venture; and if directed aright there is sure to be a cry, and the sold is forthcoming, in whom the arrow of the Lord is found sticking and rankling. 6. It is plain also that such a course is beneficial to the New Converts. I did intend to say more, but must reserve it for another time. If I have not as yet been so pointed with professors in N., it is because I have not found my mind so led. But you may have enough of it before I bid you farewell. The case of poor sinners living in the ranks of sin, has quite absorbed all my energies. The results 5* 54 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. you now behold all around you. Bless thou the Lord, my soul ! CHAPTER VII. MANNER OF DEALING WITH THE CHURCH. Your attention just here for a few moments ; and let those concerned therein hearken especially. 1. I am no "flatterer ;" I abhor it; and equally so to be " an accuser of the brethren;" that is devilish, Rev. 12 : 10. And, like the Arch-accuser, I should expect soon to be " cast doivn" as all are, from soul-saving power and success, who allow themselves in the accursed prac- tice. 2. But may not a preacher give credit to a deserving church, without being subject to the charge of flattery? Credit where credit is due, is equal to the injunction " Honor to whom honor is due" It is the delight of my heart to honor a faithful church, — and just such a church worships in Wesley chapel, in N. ! 3. But you have not been present every night, perhaps. Those w T ho have know how searching has been the w T ord, — searching the inmost of the soul ; and probing to the depths the flaws both in the outward and inward character. Credit to whom credit was due. Censure to whom censure was duo. 4. Never better example than that in our Lord's mes- sages to the seven Asiatic churches. How ingeniously does he give them credit for every good quality which they possessed, before he charged home upon them their respective offences and delinquencies ! 5. Of one church, — the church at Ephesus, — he speaks of knowing their works, — labor, — patience, — hatred of evil,— MANNER OF DEALING WITH THE CHURCH. ■ >■> ■itual discernment, and persevera n ce in wM^Mnp ; — ami even doubles upon their patience and unfainting hihuiir, as two of their most predominant virtues, But next came that ominous " Nevertheless," and a charge, — of having forsaken their first lore, — that in this respect they were a fallen church; — urging them to re- member from ivhence they had fallen, and to repent and do their first works ; accompanied by an awful learning, that in case of neglect, the severest penalties should be visited upon them. But, lest they should sink into despondency, he noticed another of their virtues, that they hated the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which he also hated. 6. To another church, — that at Pergamos, — he gave credit for general good works, though located where Satan had his seat ; and of faithfulness midst scenes of martyr- dom for the faith of Jesus. Then came the charge of, " JT have a few things against thee" which were named, — and that, unless they repented, he would certainly fight against them with the sword of his month. 7. The church at Thyatira is next addressed, and credit given for their ivorks, — charity, — service, — faith, — patience, — works, — works are mentioned twice, — with a note of intimation, that so far from slackening in these virtues, they were more actively engaged in them than ever. Oh ! who could anticipate a charge against such a working faithful church ? But it followed immediately ; and must have greatly humbled them ; — a charge of neglect of discipline, in allowing an unholy ivoman and other impure persons to remain among them ; — tribulation is threatened. But, Jesus, how tenderly considerate thou art ! how careful to prevent discouragement ! for thou didst send a sweet message to thy chosen ones, who had not known the depths of Satan in their conversation; — that thou wouldest put upon them no other burden, than 5(5 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. that they had already, to hold fast until thou earnest to take them home to glory ! " Jesus, lover of mankind, Who would not his soul and mind, With all his strength to thee unite !" 8. The church at Sardis is next addressed ; and the charge is, of having a name to live, and was dead. Here the charge comes before credit was given for any good remaining therein. But how instantly that follows, and how difficult to be expressed, it was so little ! — some things which needed strengthening, and which were ready to die ; — and works, which were far from being perfect before God, but which gave them a reputation among men for being alive in religion, because they performed after a sort the activities of a living church. These commenda- ble qualities they were exhorted to holdfast, and at the same time to repent of their bachslidings, and to watch, that his coming to call them to death and to judgment, might not find them unprepared. how carefully ! how minutely does our Lord appear to have searched for some good thing, however small, to pass to the credit of that fallen church! — and not alto- gether without success. The picture is a melancholy one ; but enlivened by the recognition of a few names even in Sardis, which had not defiled their garments ; — to whom he sent a cheering promise, that they should one day walk with him in white, for they ivere worthy ; — a great com- fort must this have been to that faithful few. Blessed be the name of Jesus ! 9. There are three other churches of the seven, yet un- noticed. Two of these were found entirely faithful ; — the church at Smyrna, and the church in Philadelphia. The last and the worst, was the church of the Laodiceans, to whose credit not one good trait is set down, or acknow- MWNKi; OF DEALING WITH TtfB CHURCH. 6f ledged; — the most wretchedly backslidden of them oil, — the wealthiest and wickedest of all the seven. 0, with what /vV// they deserved to be reproved ; and reproved they were, — and yet in fcnte, — " As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten : be zealous therefore and repent. 71 Jesus, how eouldest thou bear any love for such a fallen people ! But thou didst love them still ! and as a proof, thou didst lavish upon them richer promises than upon all the rest, on condition of their repentance and thorough reforma- tion. blessed be thy name, Jesus, for ever and ever ! for thy name deserves to be above every name ! Amen. 10. It was not my intention to have dwelt so long upon this subject ; but if any present desire to prolong the mclitation, you can. Read when you retire to night the second and third chapters of Revelation. May it bring you to your knees in grateful joy, or in deep humiliation and repentance. 11. But here let me add, never w T as there a better sam- pler for a preacher to pattern after, when he sets out for a faithful effort to reform, raise, elevate and revive a backslidden church ; — the not observing of which, is the cause of much evil, and deeper death, even under a faith- ful and searching ministry ; — that was not a bad idea of one, that a church, like a top, may be lashed asleep ! — ay ! and a church, like a tree, may be trimmed or pruned to death ! When stationed in Plattsburg, N. Y., a few years ago, and taking a turn or two through the graveyard, I noticed near to the fence a tall tree, trimmed to the top, like a broom. It looked pitiful, sickly, and dying. I in- quired of a boy why they had so treated the poor tree ? " Because, sir, it shaded and injured the crop in the field,' ' was the reply. Ay ! but by lessening its shadow you have killed the tree, — pruning and killing have been made to go together in this case ! I walked away reflecting that 58 THE TRIUxMPH OF TRUTH. thus and thus may a weak and discouraged church be cor- rected to death. 12. And now a word of caution. Let no one misunder- stand me. The church needs to have plain dealing, — plain, searching preaching ; — must have it, or the Devil would soon convert it into a " synagogue of Satan V* All I plead for is, that in so doing, it may be modelled, much as possible, after our Lord's message to the seven Asiatic churches. 13. One remark more. Many days may not pass, be^ fore this church may be made to pass under the severest ordeal of Truth. Jesus, our great Pattern, was very con- siderate, when he said to his disciples, "J have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now." So also was St. Paul to the church at Corinth — " I have fed you with milk, and not with meat : for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able." Well, then, give me time, and judge nothing before the time. Covet not random strokes, which may fall upon the inno- cent instead of the guilty. Let me first see the wrong, before I strike at it. I have no wish to imitate Virgil's towering Dares, who " Stalk'd high, and laid his brawny shoulders bare, And dealt his whistling blows in empty air /" Wait a little till I see more, and know more. Perhaps, in- stead of judging me worthy of the title of "Flatterer " because I do not strike at what you see and I cannot see, you may stigmatize me ere long, especially if I touch your own foibles or follies, as an unamiable Censurer, or a trou- blesome Cynic! THE CONDITION OF LOSI SOULS [NC0MPRF.HBN8IBLR 50 CIIArTER VIII. THE CONDITION OF LOST SOULS INCOMPREHENSIBLE. A SERMON. "For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect U come, then that u-hich is in part shall be done away." 1 Cor. 13: 9, 10. 1. The words of my text may apply to our mode of existence in Heaven, or to the mode of existence in Hell; 05 both : prophesy, — that is foretell, or if it please you better, teach of the mode and manner, — the happiness and ynisery of both states of existence. But, observe, only in part, — not in full; — not as angels, and disembodied spirits, good or bad, could, had they permission. No ; we must die to know the whole, ere we cease to know in part and to prophesy in part. When we shall have entered upon the eternal state of Heaven above, or Hell beneath, "then that which is in part shall be done away." We shall then know of one or other state, "even as also we are known," by spirits human, angelic or infernal ; and shall knoiv even as they know. This is enough for the present ; — till then we must continue to know but in part, and to prophesy but in part. And may God help us by his grace to live as well as we know how, that we may escape being damned at last, we know not hoiv, — nor how deep, — nor how ter- ribly. Amen'. 2. You have discovered already, that a promise of much that is new on the subject, has been withheld, you will not think the less of me for this ; for you know that, " Clouds, alas ! and darkness" rest upon either state of weal or woe; and we poor mortals cannot penetrate them, only 60 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. so far as we are assisted by the tvord of God, and by the Spirit of God. We may say of the state of woe in Hell, what Dr. Adam Clarke did of the heavenly state, — that the sublimest pro- phets have been able to say but little of it ; and that the best preachers have left the Spirit of God much to sup- ply ; — and that had we no more religious knowledge than we can derive from men and books ; and had we no far- ther instruction in the knowledge of God and ourselves, than we derive from preaching, our religious experience would be low indeed. Yet, he added, it is our duty to acquire all the knowledge we possibly can : and, as preach- ing is the ordinary means by which God is pleased \o instruct and convert the soul, we should diligently and thankfully use it. For we have neither reason nor Scrip- ture to suppose that God will give us that immediately from himself, which he has promised to convey only by the use of means ; — but, that after all, his Spirit supplies much that man cannot teach. may the Holy Spirit this hour assist ! 3. It is not my intention to-night, whatever I may do in future, to carry your minds into the unseen glories of the upper world, but rather in the direction of those dole- ful regions of the lost. And as we all believe with Bax- ter, that "it is more easy to hear of Hell than to feel it," you will follow me patiently; for, perhaps the hearing about it, may prevent us from ever feeling it. God grant it ; amen ! 4. Preachers differ in their treatment of texts : not so much in doctrine, often, as in manner. Circumstances de- cide the manner ; — those which call or force the mind to the text, will influence it in all the discussion. So it has been with me frequently ; and so it may be on the present occasion. 5. Let certain " inquiring minds" listen. But allow Tin: CONDITION Of LOST GKJl LB fNCOMPIlEIIENSIBLE. 61 me to say, I have as little time to spare f<>r speculation m theology, as for controversy. In neither of which L indulge, especially in my soul-saving efforts. The practical is my delight. It is the most profitable. My success is in pro- portion as I keep to this. No success is equal to that Which follows sinner-awakening, and soul-converting, and soiil-sanetifying truth ! One inquires, " Is it wrong to be less influenced by the terrors and agonies of Hell, in prospect, than by the loss t ,f the joys of Heaven ?" To this I reply, No. But if you will examine yourself, you would find a mixture of both in your anticipations of pe rd it ion. Think of that. I may have something more to say on the subject, before I con- clude. Another inquires, " Hell is a terrible idea, — an awful situation ; but I try in vain to realize it, — that is, to fix the idea before my mind, so as to be able to express or conceive of it satisfactorily to myself : can you help me to a definite idea of it ?" To this I candidly reply, No ! Our Lord calls it " eternal damnation," Mark 3: 29. A soul- terrifying phrase ! But who among the living can com- prehend the full meaning of it ? Or even St. John's defi- nition of Hell, " the fierceness and wrath of Almighty Crod." Rev. 19 : 15. He and he alone who in Hell experiences it, can comprehend or express it. But none of the damned are allowed to syllable it to human ears, or to human un- derstandings. The only instance that came nearest doing this, is deve- loped in that conversation which Jesus Christ allowed us to hear, between the rich man in Hell, and Abraham in Heaven. The gulf between them was wide, and the con- versation was therefore loud enough to be heard through the lips of our Saviour. The lost soul attempted to define it, but he could get no farther than "torment," or "cool my tongue ; for I am tormented in this flame." Abraham 6 62 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. himself, with all the knowledge, language, and eloquence of Heaven at command, could come no nearer to it than, " thou art tormented.' 1 Luke 16 : 19-31. The angel which John heard proclaiming with a loud voice the torments of the damned, could approach a definition of them no nearer than to say that they consisted of drinking of the wine of the wrath of Grod, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; — that fire and brimstone are the terrible instruments thereof; and as to the effects, he could express them in no other words than " the smoke of their torment ascendeth." And as to the duration thereof, the language of eternity could only furnish him with these words, "for ever and ever" — awomj tw aicovuv, — "for ever and ever!" And the Judge, in these tor- ments, is Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, attended by his holy angels,— " In the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb." Locate this Hell where you please, but in all the Scriptures of our God, where shall we find a threatening of it more terrible than that in Rev. 14 : 9, 11 ? 6. What think you of such a glimpse of the torments of the damned ? But can you realize the dreadful scene ? Can you express to yourself or others your realization of it ? No, no ! words are powerless here. Language has no colours, though aided by the most vivid imagination, to paint or set forth the terrible imagery impressed upon the soul ; — you can only realize what a terrible evil sin is, which exposes the soul to such a Hell; — you can only exclaim with a pious lady in Italy ; " If a man could only understand the unspeakable heinousness of sin, even of one sin, he would sooner plunge into a fiery furnace than commit it. If the sea were made of fire, he would seek the companionship of its burning waves, and dwell in the midst of them, rather than endure the pang, the hidden torment, which sooner or later must develop itself from THE CONDITION 01 LOST BdULS HTCOMHlEHENSIBLE. 89 every transgression !" But what must it be when Btretched out into an endless eternity! thou great and terrible, yet most merciful (J oil, preserve me and my hearers from Buch a terrible Hell ! 7. Baxter's idea is worth repeating. "Hell, though only one ward, yet it signifies divers punishments ; and Christ, who knows what they are, says, 'Shall be beaten with many stripes;' and plainly tells us that it will be easier, or more tolerable for Sodom in the day of judg- ment, than for those who reject the Gospel.'' Matt. 10: 14, 15; 11: 23, 24. And yet there are some who deny a Bay of Judgment and a Hell in eternity ! what then did our Lord mean by, "It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment," than for those of whom he spoke ! Sodom and Gomorrah had passed through their day of judgment, and a terrible one it was ! And 3^et a child would perceive that they are to be impli- cated or involved in a judgment yet to come ; and that their punishment then will be easier to bear than that of those who reject the Gospel ! And even allowing sophistry its claim, what does it gain ? Can any punishment upon earth be severer than a death midst fire and brimstone ? Where, but in the Hell that follows the Judgment of the Great Day, can anything be found to exceed it ? Who of us can ever forget that soul-horrifying expres- sion of Jesus? — "Where their WORM dieth not, and the fire is not quenched," — repeated no less than three times in the same conversation. Ah ! who can imagine the full meaning of this ? Dr. Clarke, in his Commentary, tried and failed ; — could only say of their worm that diet h not, it is " The bitter reflection, < I might have avoided sin, but I did not: I might have been saved, but I would not,' must be equal to ten thousand tormenters. What intole- rable anguish must this produce in a damned soul !" And 64 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. of the fire that never shall be quenched, he says, " The state of punishment is continual ; there is no respite, alle- viation, nor end!" But ah! that worm that never dies leaves something more behind that will haunt the imagi- nation and conscience in spite of us ! Could any other words have been selected more calculated to do so ? What think my hearers ? 8. Nor can any of you have forgotten, I am sure, that « Outer darkness" of which our Lord also speaks, where he says, there is weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth. And who that has ever read that dreadful sentence of his, prepared for the last day, and which he uttered in the ears of men as a timely warning, " Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels." Matt. 25 : 41. Stinging, wounding, killing, ter- rible words ! " Separation from God is the principal part of damnation" exclaimed one. It was that word "De- part," in the last sentence, which riveted that conviction on his heart, and he never lost the impression till he went into Eternity. Consider that word, " Depart" The greatest curse comes first ; and all the rest, — fire, — the devil and his an- gels, and that awful word everlasting, — all follow as a con- sequence. Alas ! alas ! these comprise all that the soul of man has to deprecate in time or in eternity. 9. Again I solicit consideration : — " Depart from me," — as if he expected them to say, " If we must depart, do but accompany us, or send us away with thy blessing." But no: " Depart from me, — ye cursed ;" or, as if he antici- pated them pleading for a short period of separation, — or to be sent away into a pleasant place, — where, if there was no reward, there might be no punishment ; — and into agreeable company ; — but no, — Depart — ye cursed, — into everlasting — fire, — prepared for the devil and his angels ; — Tin: CONDITION Of LOST BtftXLS [NCOMPREHEN8IBLB. $0 these shall u r «» away into everlasting punishment." And yet, Burner, we prophesy but in petti! How terrible then must the whole be, — when that which is perfect is come, — even the audible utterance of this dreadful sen- tence, in the hearing of an assembled universe! 1". All! well might one who is now in eternity, ex- claim. " Lord, deliver me at the great day from that soul-killing word, 'Depart ;' " and another who is no more seen among men, remarked before he died, that the sen- tence to be pronounced by Jesus Christ, at the last day, breathes out nothing but fire and brimstone, and terror and woe; — that the depart from me, — the begone from my presence, and let me see your faces no more, with the curse, — and the consignment, — the companionship of Hell, — and its penal fires ; — altogether, it seemed to him the most tormenting and amazing, — the most killing and damning, — the most stinging and wounding of anything found between the lids of the Bible ! And, I think, there is none present who will not agree with him. could that man speak out of eternity now, with how much greater intensity and emphasis would he re-utter the same sentiments ! 11. But why did he not comment upon the sentence of blessedness, or ivelcome to the delights of Heaven, to be pronounced upon the righteous on that day ? " Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." Ah ! the loss of the soul, — the loss of Christ, — of Heaven, — of angelical soci- ety, — of the pleasures that are at God's right hand ; — to say nothing of the sure immersion in the torments of the damned, affect the soul more seriously while in the body, than the anticipation of an escape from the horrors of Hell ; — at least so I have thought, sometimes. A mer- chant in London lost a fine ship, but many valuable things went down with her; — his mourning for the loss G* 00 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. of that ship, far exceeded his joy over his other vessels which returned to port in safety. 12. Indeed this is the great and influential idea of the children of God. " Hell is an eternal separation from God." The "depart" from the lips of their Lord, affects the children of God more by anticipation, than the incar- ceration in everlasting fire with the Devil and his angels. The words — "shall be punished with everlasting destruc- tion" uttered by St. Paul in 2 Thess. 1 : 9, 10, affects a child of God much less, than what follows, — "from the PRESENCE OF THE LORD, and FROM THE GLORY OF HIS power ; when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe" The idea is to him intolerable ; after which he sees little in the hor- rors of hell-fire to excite any greater dread or terror. 13. A writer of the seventeenth century remarked, that the most vivid description of Hell he had ever heard, never blanched his cheek ; and for this reason, his con- templations of Heaven always quite absorbed the idea of Hell ; — that a fear of losing the joys of the one, rendered him quite indifferent to the miseries to be endured in the other. He thought the loss of Heaven would be misery enough. 14. This, however, is a higher species of sentimental- ism, than the generality of men attain unto : for with many, the idea of HelVs torments quite absorbs the idea of the loss of the joys of Heaven. For my part, I con- fess to no surprise, that it is so, seeing that the descrip- tions of Hell are so terrific in the Scriptures. 15. There are others, it is true, who take a broader view of the subject; — who confess that the loss of the favour of God, — of communion with him, — and the loss of the soul, and all its enjoyments, and capacities for plea- sure, — and loss of self-respect, with the perpetual stings of an angry and avenging conscience, — are to them more Till: condition Of lost Sol Lfi incum pkkii kns I i:u-:. W terrible ideas, than all the horrors of the lake thai burnetii with tire and brimstone. Rev< '20: 15. 1& Burns, the poet, had, it would seem, a glimpse of the subject, somewhat similar. He would have " Honour 8 grip," give a more influential could inspire. But hear him : " The fear of Hell's a hangman's whip To haud the wretch in order; But when you feel your honour grip, Let that be aye your border. Its slightest touches, instant pause — Debar a' side pretences ; And resolutely keep its laws, Uncaring consequences." 17. Now this is all very well ; — and honour s grip, in some men, may seem quite sufficient, without the inspiration of fear from a life to come ; — a sense of obligation, — friend- ship, — the rules of honour, — education, — self-respect, — self- interest, have a powerful influence upon some minds, at one time or other of their history. But it is not so with the great mass of mankind. Before ever honour gives a single grip, the fear of a Hell to come, deny it who can, gives the grip to honour itself; — renders the grip of honour doubly influential, — certainly more stable and reliable. 18. To the private experiences of all present, I appeal ; — even to that of those who most profess to yield the strictest allegiance to the grip of honour ; — whether, in nine cases out of ten, that grip has not its pulsations quick- ened, and its hold strengthened, by the thought of a life to come? True, the inspiration, in some instances, may be but as an unconscious influence, but the undercurrent is there, and the candid mind " oivns up" to it afterward. All properly regulated principle, is never, in fact, entirely without its companionship in any man or woman living. 19. It is admitted, then, that the dread of such losses 68 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. as we have just contemplated, forms a very controlling idea in some ; and, separate from the other horrors of per- dition, affords a very dismal idea of Hell. And I am not sure that Jesus Christ does not refer to it in that awful question of loss, with regard to the soul. " For what is a man profited, if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul." Matt. 16: 26. Loss, is the prevailing idea. However, it would require but little talent for argument to prove that "the other idea," — of pangs from penal fires, as set forth in the Scriptures, as the very Hell of the damned, is always more or less associated with the anticipation of such a loss, or such losses. 20. But to the second inquirer, I am free to confess, that I have never yet been able to have a fixed, definite, — permanent impression of what it is to be eternally damned; — not at any one time in my mental cogitations. That any human being, inhabiting a house of clay, has, I greatly question. Let any one try, and he shall find it so. 21. An eternity that never had a beginning, bewilder- ing as it is to contemplate, is easier grasped, and compre- hended by my mind, than an eternity that is never to have an end; — and that eternity filled up with perpetual misery. Let any one among us try to throw his mind thus backward and forward into the two eternities, if I may use the phrase, and tell us the results in his experi- ence. that dreadful future ! how suddenly, and shadowy, does it pass before and over the shuddering imagination, — like the shadow of a fleeting cloud over the fields, but too transitory to allow you time for measurement ; — it is gone, and leaves no trace behind, save in the recollection of the beholder, — till another shadow from the same family of flying clouds startle him again into observation. It is thus the shadows of the miseries of an eternal future, pass Til K CONDITIO* 01 L08I BOTES tKOOMPBBHENSIBLB, I'M and repass over the human mind, and luumt it to the last moment of its connexion with the body. 'I'l. All through life they come and L r <> — they form our 7 in spite of us ; — they come involuntarily ; — and, like the shadows too from the flying clouds above us, more in some dags than others, — in proportion to perils incurred by temptations ; — they pass away involuntarily ; — they leave a recollection, — an ill-defined impression, but suffi- cient to sober and control the ordinary emotions of the soul. They come and go again, and with & rapidity which the soul is too sloiv to follow, — too dull to investigate ; — she needs the materials and experiences of Eternity. "No man at any given time/' says a Scottish writer, " can call up and fix before his soul the overwhelming idea of eternal damnation. It passes sometimes involuntarily through his heart, but its permanent expression is beyond the control or colour of words." But from whence come those fleet- ing shadows of a miserable future is within the bounds of an awful possibility ? and what do they indicate ? They come from Eternity. They come from God. They indi- cate the path of duty, — of wisdom, — of safety. They indi- cate a substance, — a reality, as all shadows do. The reality, — an eternal perdition to come, thus represents itself; — thus interposes itself, and its terrible shadows, between us and the light that shines from Calvary. It follows or attends upon the doctrines of Calvary, and imparts to them a terrible significancy. 23. They indicate a period when they shall vanish away ; — when the shadows shall give place to the substance ; — when an eternal perdition shall be seen, — felt, perhaps, — under- stood, — endured ! They indicate the possibility of better things ; of eternal blessedness in Heaven ; — and our duty to move in that direction. They indicate a period when this prophesying in part shall be done away ; — when this hearing and knowing but in part shall have an end ; — when wo 70 TIIE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. shall knoiv of Heaven, and know of Hell, as certainly and as surely, as God and angels know us. God, prepare us for such knowledge as this ! — when we shall see the Heaven we have lost or won ; or the Hell we have escaped, or into which we have been plunged. 24. Those of you who desire clearer ideas upon this subject, I would advise to study the Holy Scriptures, and the writings of those great minds, who have thought more deeply upon the subject than your speaker. Above all, pray earnestly to " the Father of lights" who, by his illu- mination, can give you a clearer insight into this dreadful theme than mortal tongue can convey. In the mean time, let us all be wise. Let us, with an unquestioning faith, be wise. I mean, let us resign our- selves to the ivisdom which those shadowy visitants from that yet undiscovered future would indicate. They serve as our guardian angels. Let us beware of rejecting their controlling influence. 25. Woe, woe be unto him who, in the face of such warnings, persists in ill-doing ! Woe unto him who ne- glects a decision which imparts an emphasis of the most terrible importance to such visitations ; — even to that dread decision of Jesus Christ, " Verily ', verily I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." John 3 : 3. And I hereby notify you all, that a mistake in this change, — a failure here, involves the soul in all the horrors of a Hell hereafter. The loss of Heaven implies a Hell, as sure as a loss of eyesight includes dark- ness. believe Jesus, — believe in Jesus, — trust in him and be saved. Amen. PULPIT FAITHFULNESS. 71 CHAPTER IX. TULriT FAITHFULNESS. A SERMON. 11 J speak as to wise men ; judge ye ichat I say." 1 Cor. 10 : 15. 1. What I am about to say may look like an apology for what I did say in a discourse which will soon be fresh in your memories. Nevertheless, I mean it not as an Apo- logy in the modern sense ; although I have no objection to the application of the word in the sense the old Theolo- gians formerly used it, — "An apology for the Bible" — not an excuse for the Bible, but a Defence ! 2. Well, hearken, and judge ye ! There is much in the spirit and sentiment of the world and the church in the present day, that would do all that Mr. Macartney said it would do ; — would draw a veil over sin ; — would break down the barrier between right and wrong ; — would call evil good, and good evil ; — would allow every one his own way, — Satan a wide way through all, even the dominion of the world ; — would break down the distinction between the church and the world ; — would bring men to Heaven, in the midst of sin and unbelief; — and this they call " Cha- rity ," even the "mild spirit of Christ. " But is it so? or is this the Spirit of the Gospel ? Does it harmonize with one of its most unchanging and uncompromising of its principles, "Be not conformed to this world: hut be ye transformed by the renewing of your minds, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of &od." Rom. 12 : 2. « The mild spirit of Christ," is it ? " Charity," is it ? Nay, but Deviltry, rather ! 3. What is the spirit of Christ ? What is the spirit of the Gospel ? It is to hold up truth, though all the world should say it is a lie, with a voice of thunder ! It is the 72 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. setting one great truth forward, and in bold open-day re- lief, in opposition to the thousand and one lies of the world and carnal professors ! 4. What do the spirit of Christ and the Gospel pro- claim ? To make use of Mr. Macartney's idea, " They proclaim that God is righteous, and that the world is un- righteous ; — they proclaim not only that one way is right, but that every other way is wrong.' ' The Gospel is indeed peace, but it brings a sword. And how does it bring a sword ? Just because it declares, not only that one way is right, but that every other way is wrong ; and, besides, makes an eternal Heaven and an eternal Hell, revolve around the tremendous sentiment ! 5. It was this that awakened the sword of persecution against the church, in ancient times, and filled the world w r ith martyrdom. It was this uncompromising principle, that led the ancient Christians to seal, cheerfully seal, their testimony with their blood. It is the same principle, fully carried out, that rouses the devil, in and out of the church, at the present day. Do you understand me ? Can you make the application ? 6. But I have wandered from my quotation ; says the excellent man, whom I set out to quote, " when the whole truth is stated, all the messengers of Satan are against it. There is a certain portion of truth that Satan will en- dure. One of the Roman Emperors would have added Jesus Christ to the number of the gods, and worshipped him among them ; but he bitterly persecuted those who maintained that he was the only Gfod, and that God one. Wherever, therefore, truth is fully proclaimed, there Satan will bring the sword against it. He can argue against half the truth, — can pervert it to his own purposes, — can allure men by pleasure, and profit, if not to give it up, to forget it ; but against the whole truth he has but one argu- ment," — ay !>and that is persecution in one form or other. PULPIT FAITIllTl.N i 7'i 0, but those are mighty fact*! Who that has ever preached the whole truth for an undisguised end, has not found the Devil's one argument always ready, in some spirit and form, suitable to the spirit of the place! 7. Hearken, and judge ye ! I am called to be charita- ble. Very good ! I like the word. It is like an angeVs watchword to me. It is the brightest, — the loveliest gem in that chain of pearls, I once found in 1 Cor., 13th chap- ter : — a chain, 0, would to God I might wear it more con- stantly, and evidently around my neck, when in the pulpit ; and around and under my breastplate ; which, blessed be God ! I do wear this day, and He who searches the heart, knows it very well. 0, but I do say this in the deepest humility ! 8. Charity is a stveet ivord to my heart ; but were it allowed to shoulder out faithfulness from my pulpit efforts, it would soon turn into wormivood. Charity is my favour- ite companion ; but were it to interfere with plain dealing in preaching, I would show it its place, as I would a med- dling wife, if I had one ! 9. The charity that would cry " peace, peace," when there is no peace ; — that would heal the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly ; — that would daub with untempered mortar ; — that would call darkness light, and light dark- ness, — evil good, and good evil, — bitter sweet, and sweet bitter ; — that would allow, sin, unbelief and pride, fashion, vanity error and the devil, as wide a berth as pulpit de- cency could allow, is not the charity for me. It might win me many an acclamation here, but a crashing condem- nation hereafter, and perdition w T ith a thunder, from the Judge who shall judge the judges. " I speak as unto wise men; judge ye ivhat I say." And may our God help us all to understand and judge righteous judgment. 10. my Lord and my God ! weak as I am, — unworthy as I am, — unfaithful as I have been, grant me this, 74 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. even this, — the thunders of the world's anathema, a thou- sand times over, than thine in the world to come. Give me, give me, the secret acclamations of my own con- science, to support, or drown into silence, the denuncia- tions of the Devil, and his confederations. So now from henceforth, for the truth, — the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Amen. CHAPTER X. SIN, ITS TENDENCIES AND CONSEQUENCES — TO SINNERS IN ZI0N. A SEEMON. " I speak as to wise men ; judge ye what I say." 1 Cor. 10 : 15. 1. Such was St: PauVs method of address to the Church of God at Corinth; and it is my selected motto in your behalf, for the present occasion. St. Paul had been speak- ing of sin in general, but now began to speak of sin in particular, — the sin of idolatry ; and sought to gain their attention by these winning words, " I speak as to wise men, judge ye what I say." For a similar reason I salute your ears with the same words. 2. The apostle addressed the entire church. That is my intention, — all indeed, saint and sinner present : yet there are two characters among you whose attention I par- ticularly solicit ; — the reasons for which, the audience will gather as I proceed. 3. Were I to assert, Hell is the end of every sin ; that is, the scope, drift, or intended landing-place of sin, none of you, I presume, would be disposed to question the sin, [Tfl UNDENOIES and 00N8BQ1 i:.\< : Tfl ■rtion. Nor ifl it likely Baxter % idea would meet with an \ less favour, especially from the Berious portion of this audience, — that every temptation to Bin, in its naked, proper sense, comes from the Devil and tends to the damnation of the tempted; — that it is, as if the Devil was toying, -Take this for. thy salvation: sell for this thy God, ami thy everlasting hopes; commit this sin, that thou mayest fall under the judgment of God, and be tor- mented with me for ever. Do this to please the flesh, that thou mayest displease thy God, and grieve thy Saviour. I cannot draw thee to Hell, without drawing thee to sin ; and I cannot make thee to sin against thy will ; nor undo thee but by thy own consent and doing; therefore, I pray thee, consent and Jo it thyself, and let me have thy com- pany in torments." Ah! Baxter, were Satan so candid with those he tempts, as all that, there might be some safety or chance of escape for poor sinners ! But, no, he conceals his purpose, while he courts their appetite ; — makes it out as clearly for their good ; — or rather never allows himself to be suspected at all ! Thus, while they suppose themselves obeying the impulses of their ow r n free will, — or as one observed, sailing down the stream of their own free volitions, Satan's hand is all the w T hile at the helm ! Terrible thought ! We can neither see him, nor hear his voice, no more than we can the torments or groans of the lost in Hell ; but the intent of Satan in every temptation, is unquestionable. 3. Were I to classify sins under the title of great and little : there is little doubt that the idea w T ould fall in w T ith the self-congratulating notions of some. But, if I should say, there is no such thing in the universe of God, as a little sin, properly speaking, perhaps you would judge it "harsh and unreasonable!" Very well: I deny not, when sins are compared with sins, that one sin is greater than another. But when all degrees of sin are compared 76 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. with consequences in eternity, not one of them can be called small. That objection of one, uttered a long while ago, is mine also : — that, before I would allow any one to convince me there is such a thing as a little sin, I w T ould have him prove [1] there is such a being as a little God to sin against ; [2] that any man has a little soul to lose ; [3] that there are such things as a little Hell and a little damnation ! 4. There is something soothing, but exceedingly falla- cious, in this method of comparing " small sins' w^ith great sins ; — inivard sins with outward, — heart sins with life sins, — secret faults with presumptuous follies, that is, pre- sumptuous si?is ; — Gospel sins with Jail sins. Let us only consider the great Q-od against whom all sin is commit- ted ; — the value of the soul, which every sin perils ; — and the terrible and inconceivable damnation to which every sin inevitably leads, and what are we to think ? — to what conclusion are we to come ? — alas ! that the smallest sin, in view of these facts, swells to the magnitude of a Groli- ath, before which every sensible man should fly, as did the Israelites from its namesake in the vale of Elah ! 5. Oh ! if w T e could but see the evil and misery to which the smallest sin, humanly speaking, leads, we would rend the heavens with the cry of one of old, "Who can under- stand his errors ? Cleanse thou me from secret faults. Keep bach thy servant also from presumptuous sins/' Ps. 19 : 12, 13. Lord help us to fly from every sin, as from the mouth of a serpent. Whatever may have been our habits in times past, may St. Johns interdiction ever be sounding in our ears, for it is better and safer than all such degrees of comparison as I have been assailing : " My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye SIN NOT." 1 John 2:1. This is the voice of Grod to us in BIN, ITS TENDENCIES AND C0N8EQ1 BNCE8. 77 all parts of Scripture, and in every department of grace and providence, (I. It is the voice of God in every phase of our experi- ence ^ — whether conscience^ like the bee, gives us its honey or its sting : — whether our faith is "sublimed to ecstasy," or is consigned to agony ; — whether the soul is cheered by breezes from Calvary ', or is chilled by blasts from Sinai ; — whether comforted by zephyrs from fields of Heaven, -where good men walk," or from "bowers wherein they test," or we are dejected or tormented by storms from re- gions where fiends for ever fight, and where lost spirits never rest : — whether the soul is "blest with a soft spring day of holy, mild, delicious pensiveness, with tender fan- cies brightened," — with present pardon blest, — and with the peace which passeth all understanding, endowed; or " rolling and tossing, sick and weary, upon the billow T s of its own guilt and fears," — or suffering "the pinching dis- tress of him who kept the Philippian jail, — forcing him to cry out, " Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" " Sin not" Lord, make every conscience vocal with the pro- hibition ! 7. Need I say more? "Sin not" is the voice of God in all I have mentioned ; and in every thrill of joy, — in every throb of conscience, — in every accident or death, — in sickness or in health, — in sickness, where a sense of pardon takes away the sense of pain, — or where a sense of unpardoned sin gives greater pain than the sickness ; — in health and prosperity, rendered doubly sweet by a re- collection and a feeling that all is right regarding another world ; or embittered by the thought that the soul is in danger of Hell-fire ; — in adversity, lightened by the conso- lation that it is not on account of unpardoned sin, and brightened by the prospect of a world that shall end it for ever ; — or, alas ! an adversity blackened and increased ten- fold, by the suspicion that it is only the beginning of 78 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. troubles upon which the grave can never close, nor eter- nity ever pronounce an end. 8. what shall I say? « Si?i not!" There is not a single administration of the Holy Spirit, that is not full of the spirit of those words ! — Sin not; — Lord God of our fathers, write them on my heart, and upon the hearts of all present, as in letters of flame, never to be removed, till the heart has given the last stroke, and " the animal flame" is extinguished for ever. Amen ! 9. Well, I have been speaking of small sins, — that they cannot be so, seeing they all lead to no small Hell. But I might have spoken of them as an old author did, who compared them to the needle that makes way for the thread, — they may draw the thread of temptation to larger sins ; — that small sins are like the small bones in fish, which endanger the eater more than the larger bones that are easier detected ! They are like small boys who creep through a small aperture, to open the door to larger thieves ; — they open the door of the soul to larger sins. To which one may add, small sins, like young serpents, grow to large ones ; or like " Small habits, well pursued betimes, May reach the dignity cf crimes !" 10. Sin is of a spreading nature ; and great sins spring out of what the world calls small sins, — hidden heart sins ; — -just as the leprosy which disfigured the whole man, broke out of the boil; Lev. 13: 20; or out of "a bright spot, white, and somewhat reddish." Small sins spread into great ones ; — like the cloud observed by the servant of Elijah, from the top of Carmel, little as a human hand, rising ott of the sea, but which soon spread over all the sky, and brought a storm : — such is the spreading nature of what you call a small sin. And, until you can prove that this is not the nature and tendency of every one of BIN, ITfl TENDENCIES AKD I 7'.< them, we most beg leave to call it a mi$nom r .' — a -in with a wrong title, — destructive a- it i> deceptive Yuii have not forgotten the remark with which I started) — that JL 7/ is the end, or drift, or terminus rf every sin* Now judge ye of another remark. 11. Sin puts an end to all true happen i->\s. This is ju.-t as true, as Hell is the end of every sin; though, thank I ! as one remarked, Hell is not the end of every sin- ner ! No, indeed ! Or we should have all been in Hell long ago ! But I will tell you a truth that needs no argu- ment : that sin puts an end to happiness in many a pro- »or of religion! Nor need I go far for illustrations! They are all around me ! 12. Sin! it is a deceitful worker! It will lead the soul to the "burning boundaries of Hell" in search of gratification, and all the "while it is destroying happiness, and the possibility of happiness. 13. What was it but this, which made one exclaim, that there was nothing in the world he feared more than Sin ? It had destroyed his happiness, and created him a hell upon earth, — such a hell as he thought exceeded the Hell of Eternity. But he found mercy. Blessed be God ! he found mercy ! And he was heard to say, count it extrava- gant if you please, but he felt all he said ; — that if the horrors of sin were on the one hand, and the pains of Hell were on the other, and he must choose, he declared he would rather leap into Hell, than fall into sin ; — that in view of all the bitterness of the past, he had rather be torn in pieces by wild horses, than commit a known sin with deliberation again ! 14. Alas ! alas for the damned ! If such were the feel- ings of a saved sinner upon earth, how terribly multiplied, and intensified, must such feelings and perceptions be in Hell ! But I am saying what I intended not to say. I only meant to lay the basis for an argument, that sin, — 80 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. indwelling SIN is the death of happiness ; — that if you want to be happy you must end sin ; — you must be holy, which you cannot be, nor happy neither, till the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses you from all sin. u I speak as to wise men, judge ye what I say" that the Spirit of God may accompany my words, else they will be but as feathers falling among rocks, or as snow flakes in the river ! 15. Hearken, every professor of religion among you ! Away with all this nonsense about little sins, and great sins ; or else let us cease our suspicions of Roman Catholic distinctions, between venial and mortal sins ! Most of us, I should think, have lived long enough to know that it is an evil thing and a bitter, to sin against God in any way ; — long enough to know, that it is " the small foxes that spoil the vines,' 1 — small sins that have produced sad havoc upon our peace, and joy, and confidence ; — or, if we have not closely marked their effects upon ourselves, — listen to the testimony of one in Scotland, — who exclaimed: "How often have I fallen by little — apparently very little sins I These very little sins have bound my soul in affliction and iron ; they have grown up often into awful bulk before the eye of conscience, and covered all the coming eternity with their shadow of death." Judge ye of another remark. 16. You see, — you feel, not only the necessity of the pardon of sin, but the destruction of indwelling sin. If you have not the first, your case is deplorable ; if you have not the second, it is perilous. And now let me ask a question or two, and judge ye. 17. Is it wise in you who are unpardoned to remain so? Is it wise in you who are unsanctified to remain so ? " / speak as to wise men, judge ye what I say.''' Know you not that Satan sees you ? — that as one wisely six, lis PENDENCIES am> l BNCE8. 81 remarked, your delay keeps him both is //» art and fopj / — that you are just giving him time to Strengthen your prison, and to multiply your fetters, — internal and ex- ternal ? — that you arc tempting him to invent new trials — new temptations to ruin you ~ — that you, hy your haliimj, are provoking him to fresh assaults, — to set you, in fact, as a mark for his displeasure and revenge ? Know you not, that delay is but giving sin time to take deeper root in your nature, and in your habits? — like the tree, the longer it is suffered to grow, the deeper and wider are the roots extended. Know you not, that sin in the soul, is like poison in the stomach, the longer it is there, the harder it is to be got out, and the more unlikely is an escape from death ? be persuaded to take the remedy now. Behold the Lamb of God. how ready is he to take thy sins away, sinner in Zion ! Behold his crimson blood, — " for you the purple current flowed," justified believer ! — to w T ash away all thy heart impurities, and to fill thy soul with a new life. defeat not the purposes of God ! Know you not, both of you, that sin, outivard or inward, cannot make you happy ? It never has ; — never will ; — never can. It may, indeed, as one well observed, kindle your affections for a little, on straws and briars, soon to go out after a flash or two, leaving you in cold and darkness. But the pardon, — the grace, — the purity, — the perfect love to which you are invited, are " the everlasting Good," which warm the heart, — which enkindle the affections, — which inflame and happify the soul, and bear it thus aw T ay through life, to eternal life. make haste ! Christ is ready. His blood is ready, and the Spirit to apply it, — "to wash and seal the sons of God." Why linger, then? Have you any too much time? Has God allotted you more than is necessary ? Who dare say so ? Who so foolish as to think so ? Eternity will prove in terrible 82 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. accents, that the Almighty gave us time enough to make ready for our full reward, and not a year, nor a day too much. Lord Jesus, impress this upon all our hearts. Know you not the value of time t Is it wise to estimate it lightly, till it is gone for ever ? Know you not the worth of a present Saviour ? — of offered mercy ? — of a glorious Heaven ? Is it the part of a wise man to refuse such an estimate, until they are gone past recall ? — to be left to cry out with one at last, « Oh woe ! woe ! woe! — woe to him that must stand before the bar of God, without a part in the blood of Christ, and must answer there without an Advocate !" Are you prepared to risk a woe like this? Are you resolved to risk it ? hearken ! hearken ! hearken ! Know and believe how terrible a thing it is to be damned, before you know and feel by experience the terribleness of it ! Believe what I say, or else believe what one said to another like your- self many years ago. Hearken to him : " Conversion and condemnation are both awakening things ; and one of them will make you feel ere long. I can foretell it as truly, as if I saw it with my eyes, that either grace or Hell will shortly bring these matters to the quick, and make you say, < what have I done ! what a foolish course have I taken !' ' Ah, these are soul-piercing words! But if they affect you not, perhaps those intensely earnest words of God may, " Oh do not this abominable thing that I hate." Jer. 44 : 4. Ay ! sin is that abominable thing which God hates, — outward sin, — inward sin, — and which both of you should hate. Ay, both ! And how it affects my heart to associate one who professes justification, and who is un- willing to be entirely sanctified, with the unwilling sinner in Zion ! But I have been compelled to do it, with a bleeding heart, and not for the first time neither. Hear me, both of you. Know ye not that the tide of sal- vation is now in your favour ? — that sailors say, it is easy sailing with the wind and tide? — that you may never have them more in your favour tlian now? — never, perhaps, equally favourable. believe my testimony ! Nay, be- lieve God himself. Hearken to what lie Bays: "Behold xow is the accepted time. Behold now is the day of salva- tion." then, " the tide serves," the breezes of grace blow from Calvary. Now is the time for you to be saved, — saved to the uttermost. Know ye not, how terrible it will be at the last, should the Judge of all, first address one, and then the other, and say, -Foolish man." Alas! alas for you then! what will avail, then, that capacity you have now for judg- ing wisely ? What will it avail then, if you now act against the truth you know, — the truth you approve ? Of what avail ? Alas, nothing ! only that with more superior sense than the common damned, you can judge how justly you have been sentenced to eternal damnation. 18. In conclusion, let me entreat you, turn away your ear from hearing anything against holiness. Neither hear, nor read anything against holiness. What leads to holi- ness is from God ; and what leads from holiness is from the Devil ; — never sounder criterion than that ! May the Holy Spirit impress it upon all your minds. It is well to be careful and weigh well, all that is said in favour of holiness ; — for error may mingle even with that. But that which would render holiness hopeless to you, or would prejudice your mind against it, you may set it down as from the source of evil, assuredly. And let me impress upon you those sentiments uttered by one a long time ago, " Remember that sin dwells in Hell, and holiness in Heaven ;— that every temptation is from the Devil, to make you like himself; and every holy motion is from Christ, to make you like himself. Remem- ber, when you sin, you are learning and imitating the Devil, and so far like him. And the end of all, that you 84 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. may feci his pains. If hell-fire be not good, then sin is not good. Think not of sin, < What do men say of it ?' but what do men in Hell say of it? What do men at death say of it ? What do converted or awakened con- sciences say of it." Think of these things, my hear- ers ! "I speak as to wise men, judge ye what I say" Judge rightly, and well, and act in accordance with your judgment, so shall you have confidence and joy, when you shall stand before the Judge of all. I did intend to say much more here, with regard to holiness ; but time forbids it. The subject can be resumed at another time. may a blessing from above attend what has been said, for Christ's sake. Amen. CHAPTER XL SANCTIFICATION — ERRONEOUS VIEWS CORRECTED. A SERMON. " I speak as unto wise men ; judge ye what I say. 11 1 Cor. 10 : 15. 1. Not a few, but many of you who hear me this even- ing, are intelligent, well-read and well-instructed Metho- dists. And, perhaps, like those Corinthian Christians to whom my text was addressed, you are far from under- rating your wisdom in divine things. 2. It is well. A favourable hearing is thereby war- ranted me, and a just decision as to the truthfulness of my remarks. But should any sentiment of mine, happen to cross some favourite theory of your own, please be not offended. Repel it not, without a close, and careful, and -anti 11 [CATION. candid examination. And may the Head of the Church grant us his presence and his blessing. I propose to reply to a series of important questions in connexion with the doctrine of entire sanctification. I. " Is it consistent to profess to be in a justified state, and yet he indifferent to holiness oil sanctification?" I think not. It is very inconsistent. It is not suitable. It agrees not with the essential elements of justification ; which imply a change of nature, as well as forgiveness ; and a change from the love of evil to the love of good, — from a love of sin, to the love of holiness. It is there- fore a contradiction. Was it not precisely on the same principle St. John penned that decision, "And every man that hath this hope in him, purifietii himself even as he is pure?''' 1 John, 3: 3. He designed it as the grand criterion of our state, — of the genuineness of our hope ; — that we use all the means within our reach to get purity, and equally so to keep it ; — that this is the true, habitual characteristic of every one who is born of God ? — of every one who is not deceived in his conversion ? It is also a notable evidence of his sincerity ; as an excellent Calvin- istic divine remarked : " He is not sincere who desires not to be perfect ; and he desires not sincerely who is not ivilling to be at the labour and cost necessary to the obtaining of the thing desired." That is speaking right up to the mark of truth and consistency. But let us proceed to another question. II. " Is it proper, or correct, in those who profess to enjoy entire sanctification, to run down, or despise justifi- cation ?" It is very improper. A man might as well despise the foundation upon which his house is built ! For, without justification, there can be no sanctification, nor glorifica- tion, neither. None of these, properly speaking, is great in an isolated state. Their greatness stands in their con- 8 86 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. nexion. We are wrong when we consider them alone. The one leads to the other, — prepares for the other, with- out which that other, whether sanctification or glorification, cannot exist. If we keep this fact in view, we cannot despise justification. Those who do so, betray either spiritual pride, or culpable ignorance. If pride, they are themselves farther off from holiness than those they affect to despise ; and are therefore to be pitied and prayed for. But if from ignorance, certainly they should be better instructed. Such a sentiment should always meet with rebuke or correction. It is an error, and does much harm. It grieves the Holy Spirit ; sets back and discourages the weak, and creates much prejudice. Away with it from our teachings ! There is a more excellent way to advance Sanctification. The early Methodists were annoyed by it ; and the evil did not escape the notice of Mr. Wesley. In " The Minutes of Conversations," which he held with his Preachers, I happened the other day upon the following questions and answers. " Do we ordinarily represent a justified state so great and happy as it is?* Perhaps not. A believer walking in the light, is inexpressibly great and happy. Should we not have a care of depreciating justification, in order to exalt the state of full sanctification ? Undoubt- edly we should beware of this ; for one may insensibly slide into it. How shall we effectually avoid it ? When we are going to speak of entire sanctification, let us first describe the blessing of a justified state as strongly as possible." Allow me then, most affectionately, dear brethren, to commend these hints to your faithful memory, and also to all whom you receive as assistants in the prayer meetings. Despise justification ! The passenger might as well despise the ship in which he sails ! Despise those who en j°y justification ! Better go into the school and fall to / SANcriL'iCATION. *7 despising the child that has just mastered his tUphabety or the boy who has just become victorious over the diiliculties of grammar. As well go and despise a neighbour who has duff the foundation of his intended house to the rock, and who has commenced, though slowly and cautiously, to build thereupon ! let us away with such nonsense. And rather encou- rage and assist all such to sing, 44 Me in my blood thy love pass'd by, And stopp'd my ruin to retrieve ; Wept o'er my soul thy pitying eye, Thy bowels yearn'd, and sounded, * Live !' Dying I heard the welcome sound, Aud pardon in thy mercy found. Honour, and might, and thanks, and praise, I render to my pardoning God ; Extol the riches of thy grace, And spread thy saving name abroad ; That only Name to sinners given, "Which lifts poor dying worms to heaven." But this need not prevent you from exhorting them to go on unto perfection. You may exhort them in the plainest and most searching manner possible, orily recog- nise their justification ; — urge, if need be, the warmest gratitude and loudest thanksgiving to God, for this foun- dation mercy ; then say what else you will. But I conjure you all to cease that other reprehensible method of advanc- ing sanctification. You will sooner, by that means, ad- vance spiritual pride in yourselves, than holiness in those whose state you despise. These remarks will apply equally to that other notion, revived by some of late, " that he is not a believer who has any sin remaining in him." I say revived, — for it was this that divided the Methodists from the G-ermans in the days of Mr. Wesley, more than a cen- tury ago. And, depend upon it, it cannot creep in among the Methodists again, without being marked and resisted. 88 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. He cannot be a believer, I grant, in whom sin reigns ; but sin may exist in the heart, without being allowed to reign. And he who is thus a conqueror, is a believer ; — in a lower sense, indeed, than is his privilege ; yet a be- liever he is, or he could not be a conqueror. Nevertheless he should not stop there. He should be exhorted to go on unto perfection. Heb. 6 : 1. III. "Is absolute perfection a doctrine of Method- ism?" It is ; but as it regards God alone, not Christians. With respect to them, it is neither a doctrine of Method- ism nor Scripture. Absolute perfection belongs neither to men nor angels, but to God only. Am I understood ? to God only does it belong. Observe what I am going to say : we preach no perfec- tion for believers, which admits not of higher degrees ; — none from which it is impossible to fall. You see clearly that to God alone such perfection belongs, and not to man. Nor does it belong to angels : for they are advancing continually to higher degrees of holiness, love and knowledge. So are " the spirits of just men made perfect." Angels, — those who sinned, and kept not their first estate, were destined to the same eternal progression unto higher heights of perfection, had they been faithful. The same may be said of Adam. But they fell, and Adam fell. If so, we may fall. What then becomes of absolute perfec- tion ? It is a nonentity ; — a figment of the imagination ; — belongs to the list of things imaginary. There let it abide. But away with it from our teaching. Amen. " I speak as to wise men ; judge ye what I say." IV. Is it correct to teach that justification may exist Without SANCTIFICATION ? To this I reply, Yes ; that is if entire sanctification be meant. But if initial, or incipient sanctification, — that is sanctii K\vTI<>\. 8 ( J sanctification in its commencement^ — in its firet $tagee % — then I would say, N6 } emphatically. We have no such teaching among us; unless some have intruded themselves into the prayer meetings, as teachers, who should not. They might as well teach that a child has not within it the elements of the future man ; or that the dawn has none of the light of day mingled therein ; for we all know that the future man is in every part of the child, and that there is no portion of the open atmosphere without the mingling of the light of day throughout it ! But it is just so with justification and sanctification. They might as well teach that morning, w T ith its usual sunshine, is dis- connected with noonday ; or that it has none of the ele- ments of glorious noon. What would you think of him who would so teach ? But justification is as the day-dawn ; — sanctification mingles with every part of it. Properly speaking, justifi- cation is like a beautiful summer morning to the soul, with the cloudless sky ; — the sun mounting the eastern heavens and filling the region around with sunshine ; — the voice of birds, the fragrance of flowers, and light and sunshine are all sweetly diffused ; — conscience, singing like a bird of Paradise, and the fragrance of Heaven throughout the heart ; for the Sun of Righteousness, according to pro- mise, hath arisen upon the soul with healing in his wings I and pray, what portion of this morning of justification is it that has none of the essential elements of the noon of perfect love ? Why then suppose that initial sanctification does not co-exist with justification ? To alter the figure again : As the healthy blossom on the apple tree has always beneath it the germ of the future perfect apple : so the blossom of a sound justification has always attached to it the germ of sanctification. They are, in fact, inseparable. But then I would not assert that the germ is equal to 8* 90 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. the perfectly formed and ripe apple ; or that day-dawn, or morning, has the heat or brilliancy of perfect noon. More upon this head by-and-by. V. "Is it correct to teach that we are entirely sanc- tified, THE MOMENT WE ARE JUSTIFIED ?" To this I answer, No. It is just in the opposite extreme from that proposed in the last question. Mr. Wesley calls it a mischievous opinion. He admits, of course, that " We are then delivered from the dominion of outward sin ; and, at the same time, the power of inward sin is so broken, that we need not follow, or be led by it : but it is by no means true, that inward sin is then totally destroyed ; that the root of pride, self-will, anger, love of the world, is then taken out of the heart ; or that the carnal mind, and the heart bent to backsliding, are entirely extirpated/' And now mark well what follows: " To suppose the contrary, is not, as some may think, an innocent, harmless mistake. No: it does immense harm: it entirely blocks up the way to any farther change: for it is manifest, ' They that are whole do not need a physician, but they that are sick.' If, therefore, we think we are quite made whole already, there is no room to seek any farther healing. On this supposition it is absurd to expect a farther deliverance from sin, whether gradual or instan- taneous. " On the contrary, a deep conviction that we are not yet whole, that our hearts are not fully purified/ ' adds Mr. Wesley, — " that there is yet in us a ' carnal mind,' which is still in its nature < enmity against God ;' that a whole body of sin remains in our heart, weakened indeed, but not destroyed ; shows, beyond all possibility of doubt, the absolute necessity of a farther change. We allow, that at the very moment of justification, we are lorn again : in that instant we experience that inward change, from ' darkness into marvellous light ; from the image of lANCTIFICATlON. i»l. the brute and the devil, into the image of d; from the earthly, sensual, devilish mind, to the mind which was in Christ Jesus. But are we then entirely changed t Arc we wholly transformed into the image of him that created us? Far from it: we still retain a depth of sin: and it is the consciousness of this, which constrains us to groan for a full deliverance to him that is mighty to save. Hence it is, that those believers who are not convinced of the deep corruption of their hearts, or but slightly, and as it were nationally convinced, have little concern about entire sanctif cation. They may possibly hold the opinion, that sueh a thing is to be, either at death, or some time, they know not when, before it. But they have no great unea- siness for the want of it, and no great hunger or thirst after it. They cannot, until they know themselves better, — until God unveils the inbred monster s face, and shows them the real state of their souls. Then only, when they feel the burden, will they groan for deliverance from it. Then, and not till then, will they cry out in the agony of their soul, ' Break off the yoke of inbred sin, And fully set my spirit free ! I cannot rest, till pure within, Till I am wholly lost in thee.* " These sentiments of Mr. Wesley set the matter in a very clear and convincing light. I have used his language in preference to my own, for it is better than anything I could say. But in giving you his views, I have but ex- pressed "the sum and substance" of our teaching upon this department of experimental religion. How far it is in harmony with the past or present experience of my hearers, I must leave you to judge. "JF speak as to wise men, judge ye what I say." In view of what has been said upon this and the previ- 92 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. cms question, allow me to add : inward sanctification begins when we are justified ; — in the same moment. Keep this in mind. It is a fruit of justification and always included in it ; — just as the germ of the perfect apple is included in or beneath the blossom. But we would not call it a perfect apple. It is perfect, doubtless, so far as it is formed, but not so perfect as it will be. It is the apple in its initial state, — in its commencement; but like this sanctification , the apple must have time to grow, and then to ripen. Do you understand me ? Justification j without this initial sanctification, would be as worthless, as an apple blossom, without "the young apple' ' beneath it. Sanctification, then, always commences with real justification ; — is included in it, and inseparable from it ; — as the light of day from the dawn ; — as the germ of the future apple from the healthy blossom ; or, as green from a healthy leaf, — colour from the rose, — warmth from the sunbeam, — or light from the sunbeam, — or heat from fire. Remember this. For this is w r hat we mean by initial, or incipient sanctification. But, observe : would it not be a folly to insist that day- dawn has in it as much light and heat, as the brilliancy of noon-day ? or that the germ under the blossom, is as per- fectly an apple as it will be months hence, if nothing happens to it ? But, with equal propriety do some assert, that we are entirely sanctified in the moment of justifica- sion ! Now we found these remarks, we confess, more on the nature of things, and upon common sense, and the ex- perience of believers, than upon Scripture declarations. But should advantage be taken of that, we have a ready offset to it : there is no Scripture directly against it : Whereas we could quote several texts which seem to favour it con- siderably, and considerably convincing. That in 1 Cor* 3:1,3: " And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes BANOTIFICATIOir N ix Christ. — For ye art cauxal: for whereas tkmre is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men'l" Such were those "bales in Christ," but who would insist that they were entirely sanctified ' Hearken to St. Peter, 1 Peter, 2: 1, 2: "Wherefore laying aside all malice and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, as new-born babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby." But could they " lay aside' what they did not possr And yet they were " netv-born babes." But who would say they enjoyed entire sanctifieation t That they had grace, is a just inference ; that they were not cleansed from all sin, is an inference equally just. And if so then, may it not be so now? question or inference, as you like, it is easily deducible 1 One text more : 1 Thess. 5 : 23 : " And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly : and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also ivill do it" He had just exhorted these persons to " Rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing, and in everything give thanks." He had just called them "the children of light." And yet, he prayed to God to sanctify them "wholly." The plain inference then is, they were but sanctified in part ; and so we make bold to say, it may be thus with new converts in the nineteenth century. For, observe : the church to whom he wrote this epistle, was not more than a few months old. This seems as near as we can come to it, with the Scrip- tures for our guide. But if we appeal to the general ex- perience of new converts, and more advanced Christians, •there is a very striking corroboration. Besides, ask some of those who oppose these sentiments, whether they them- selves have entire holiness, associated with their justifica- 94 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. tion, and they will honestly tell you, "No." Nor are they prepared to combat the inference, that it might have been just so with them in the moment of their justification. And thus, their whole argument for a universal applica- tion of their theory, falls to the ground. I say, a universal application of the theory ; for ob- serve : we do not affirm that none are entirely sanctified in the moment of justification ; indeed we have known such, we think ; and the cases may be more numerous than we are aware. At any rate, it is not wise to " limit the Holy One of Israel" We only speak of what we do know, — the intimations of Scripture, and the general ex- perience of justified believers. There are several other questions which I propose to answer at a convenient time. In the mean time, let us all be aware of our wants, and begin now to cry mightily unto God to have them supplied. Let us prostrate our- selves before Him who is mighty to save. Let us say with ' Jacob, "i" will not let thee go, except thou bless me ;" or with Charles Wesley, " Heavenly Adam, life divine, Change my nature into thine ; Move and spread throughout my soul, Actuate and fill the whole. that I now, from sin releas'd, Thy word might to the utmost prove, Enter into thy promised rest ; The Canaan of thy perfect love. Come, Lord, be manifested here, And all the devil's works destroy ; Now, without sin in me appear, And fill with everlasting joy : Thy beatific face display ; Thy presence in the perfect day." Amen. SANCTIl LCATION. Of) CHATTER XII. SAXCTIFICATIOX — WRONG VIEWS CORRECTED. A SERMON. M I speak as to icise men ; judge ye ichat 1 say. 1 Cor. 10: 15. I closed my last discourse, with a reply to the question, " Is it correct to teach that we are entirely sanctified the moment we are justified?" A few questions remained unanswered. Let us proceed with them. I. " Is it proper to insist upon the gradual sanctifica- tion of believers, to the exclusion of the instantaneous?'' 1. To this I answer, it is not proper. And for this good reason, the gradual implies the instantaneous some time or other, whether in the moment of death, or years before. There must, in the nature of the case, be a last moment when sin exists in the soul, and a first moment when it does not exist ; — that is, if we are cleansed from all sin in this life, fix the period when or where you please, — only not in eternity. For a minute after death would be too late, on New Testament and Protestant principles. 2. As to Time, what matters it ! It is the same on our death-bed, as when fleeting past us in health. Time grows not old, nor sickens "when we sicken. Time grows not old,— "Nor knows the weight of sleep or weariness; On, still on it rushes, and for ever." 3. We may say of Time what that Erench writer Cha- teaubriand says of the sun, that is, if I may be allowed to ] arody his sentiments: We behold Time with the dying, sinking under the arches of the west, while another be- holder, in boyhood's marvelling hour, observes him spring- ing from the regions of the morning. By what inconceiv- i)b THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. able magic is it, that this ancient luminary, or companion of the human race, that reposes burning and fatigued in the dust of the evening of life's day, is the same youthful planet that awakens, humid with the dew, underneath the whitening curtains of the dawn ; — at every moment he is rising in the zenith, or setting in some portion of the world — Ay ! such is Time in its relations to human life, whether in its evening or its morning, — in its ending or beginning ; — ever fresh, and ever young. Time in sick- ness, and Time in health, is unchangeable ; — in death as in life ; — in our last hour, as in our hour of prime, — the same. 8. Suppose not that I lay much stress upon this little parody ; — that is, in thus turning the strikingly beautiful sentiment of the French traveller, in a direction he thought not of. It has turned your attention fully to the subject on hand, and that was what I wanted, in order to enforce, with the more effect, two or three simple ideas. 1st. That Time, in itself, has no power either to retard or advance, to hinder or to help our purification. It is the blood of Jesus Christ alone that cleanseth us from all sin. Although it may be admitted, that when Death severs us from Time, if we are found unpurified then, we must remain unpurified for ever. 2d. That if the blood of Christ is sufficient to cleanse us a moment or two before death, why not an hour or two, a week or two, or a year or two ? Because, as Protestants, we are bound to ascribe our salvation and purification exclusively to the blood of Christ, without any regard to the intervention of either Time or Death. 9. And are not such sentiments fully borne out by St. John, where he declares, " The blood of Jesus Christ his son, cleanseth us from all sin!" — not, shall cleanse, some time or other, but "cleanseth," — now, in the present tense, without any regard to the conjunction of Time and Death. BANC! ll l» \ ITON, 97 The 8d idea, 1 had almost forgotten: thai if our purt- fication in the Inst hour of life be instantaneous, why do! in Mt8 hour.' For, mark this : instantaneous it nniM bfe, whatever time it may occur! — a last moment and a first, is an idea of common sense, fix the time where we nny, on this side Eternity; — a last moment when we arc not cleansed, and a first moment when we are. To think the contrary, is to think nonsense! 1<>. However, considerable latitude of opinion should be allowed upon this point. And for this reason: we do not find any text bearing precisely upon it ; — at least I do not remember any ; neither do I recollect any text clearly against it. Let these two facts stand side by side as wor- thy companions ! The silence of Scripture, just here, seems to indicate this great fact, that what reason can suggest in this matter, the Holy Spirit leaves it to suggest. Reason tells us that a beginning implies an end; — a commencement bespeaks a completion ; & gradual work includes the instanta- neous. And farther : Reason insists, if we are cleansed from all sin before death, it must be in an instant, for an instant comes when we are dead ; — therefore salvation from sin on the death-bed, must be instantaneous. There- fore, having this data to guide us, Reason finds no difficulty in carrying an inference as far back in life, as our state in justification would warrant us to expect full salvation ; — that is, that we may be as truly cleansed by the blood of Christ 7ioiv, as in the fevered moment of our dissolution. Therefore it must be instantaneous in this case also. Nor would it be an easy matter to overturn such an inference, or conclusion, except by a " Thus saith the Lord," and that, for this case, would be as hard a matter, quite. 11. If you allow a first moment, anywhere in time, when the soul is cleansed from all sin, Reason will be sure to fix upon the moment previous when it was not cleansed. 98 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. Between these two important moments it plants the instan- taneous salvation. Nor can you move enlightened Reason from its position by all you may choose to say about " the article of death," and such things. It will have nothing to do with Death in this business, but with Christ ; — not to Death, but to the blood of Christ will it aw T ard the cre- dit. It fixes itself upon Time, as distinguished from Eter- nity, and the efficacious blood of the Lamb, as revealed in the New Testament, and draws its conclusions accordingly. 12. If St. Paul exhorted, " Likeivise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through' Jesus Christ our Lord," it sounds to Reason with the force of a declaration, that in life and in health we may begin to reckon ourselves dead unto sin ; — that it would be unreasonable to think otherwise, so long as it is written, and by the same apostle, that " Whatsoever things were written aforetime loere written for OUR learn- ing, that we through patience and comfort of the Scrip- tures might have hope." Thus, also, those who insinuate that we discard Reason from such subjects, libel us. We do not discard it, but rather regard it with much deference, in all matters where the Scriptures do seem to commit us to the guidance of that noble faculty. These are cer- tainly facts, in the operations and decisions of enlightened Protestant Reason, when pressed to take sides in these matters. It admits of a gradual approach to, and an instantaneous reception of full salvation ; — that is, if you will allow it any data to reason from anywhere on this side Eternity ! 13. Nevertheless, such a Reason will meet you with a smile, stack its reasonings, as soldiers "stack arms" for refreshment, and will bow itself down in reverential awe, and silence, if you will but deign to address it in some such language as I met the other day, in the writings of Mr. Wesley: " God is sovereign, in sanctifying as well as - WClIi h'ATlM\. 9Q justifying. He will ad when as well as how he pleases, and none can Bay unto him. What doesl thou? God usu- ally gives a considerable time for men to receive 1 i lt 1 1 1 to grow in grace, to do and suffer his will, before they are either justified or sanctified; but he does not invariably adhere to this; sometimes he "cuts short his tcurh :' lie does the work of many years in a few weeks ; perhaps in a week, a day, an hour. He justifies or sanctifies both those who have done or suffered nothing, and who have not had time for a gradual growth either in light or grace. And 'may he not do what he will tditli his own? Is thine eye evil, because he is good?' « It need not, therefore, be affirmed over and over, proved by forty texts of Scripture, either that most men are perfected in love at last, that there is a gradual tvork of God in the soul, or that, generally speaking, it is a long time, even many years, before sin is destroyed. All this we know : but we know likewise, that God may, with man's good leave, < cut short his tvorJc,' in wdiatever degree he pleases, and do the usual work of many years in a moment. He does so in many instances ; and yet there is a gradual work, both before and after that moment : so that one may affirm the w r ork is gradual, another, it is instantaneous, without any manner of contradiction." This is the true light in which to view the subject. Rea- son is not apt to be unreasonable ; and it never shows more of reason in choosing its ground, than w T hen it refuses to " limit the Holy One of Israel," and freely assents that " All things are possible to him that believeth" II. " Is it truthful to say that all JUSTIFIED PERSONS are unfaithful, — straitened, — loeakened V I answer, 1. Not entirely so, perhaps. A soul neivly bom of God, has not had time to be or to feel, may be, one or the other ; but is exceedingly happy, and approved of God. But he is a justified person. 100 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. 2. Nor would it be wise to deny, that some persons, who, though not entirely sanctified, do feel much of what such a new convert feels. They live so near the borders of this Canaan, as to enjoy something of its salubrious atmosphere, and refreshing breezes. 8. When the sentiment is taught by those, whose folly it is to underrate and run down justification, it may be .- truthfully uttered, though with an improper intent. It is well to discriminate here, and rebuke the intention, while we admit the fact, and urge it as an argument why such should press after entire sanctification. 4. Observe farther : a justified person, may feel the motions of pride, and evil desire, — of envy — jealousy, and evil surmising ; — of resentment, or of inordinate affection ; — of self-tvill, or self-love, or love of the world, which is idolatry and covetousness, — double idolatry, — making an idol of self, and an idol of the world. But, observe : these may remain, though they do not reign in his life nor heart. But they straiten and weaken him in many ways, notwithstanding. Nor can we deny, that in most, alas ! such corruptions too frequently obtain the victory. But allowing faithfulness, in the sense of the subduing these evil inclinations, so that they do not reign : are they not unfaithful to the call of God ? " Be ye holy, for I the Lord your G-od am holy," and reiterated by St. Peter, " But as he which hath called is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation ; because it is ivritten, Be ye holy ; for I am holy." In this sense, we think all such dilatory or tardy persons, are unfaithful. 5. Observe again : it is the very nature of indwelling sin to embarrass and weaken the soul. Agur says, " The horse-leech hath two daughters, crying, Grive, give." Prov. 30 : 15. Such is indivelling sin. Like the horse-leech and its brood, it is a blood-sucker, and a strength-weakener. It sucks the life-blood out of our religion, — joy, for in- I LNOTIPIOATION. I<>1 stance. kk The joy of the Lord is your strength" NVh. 8: 1 () . '/<'//< the second grace, or iVuit of the Spirit, it siu-ks dead; then love, peace, faith, meekness. tell da not of the fabled Vampire, that sucked the blood of tli< 4 living when asleep Here is Sbfaet, — a Vampire th&t sucks the life-blood out of our religion, asleep or awake; — leav- ing the soul strengthless as the body when the blood is pone. May the Lord east out and destroy this Vamjrire from every heart, and give us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ ! 6. Observe yet farther : He who is thus weakened knows it, — feels it, — deplores it, and with David of old, com- plains, " I am this day weak, though anointed king" Others perceive it, perhaps, and are ready to inquire with Jnnodab, " Wiry art thou, being the Kings so?i, lean from day to day ?" Or, he himself may say of his inbred plague, as Jeptha did to his daughter, " Alas ! — thou hast brought me very low." Ah! we have many among us, who thus mournfully complain, whose voices are never heard on our spiritual streets. Jesus once said, "I have a baptism to be baptized with, and hoiu am I straitened till it be accomplished /" But in a far different sense may one of these say the same, — or with the poet, "An inward baptism of pure fire, Wherewith to be baptiz'd I have ; 'Tis all my longing soul's desire; This, only this my soul can save. Straiten'd I am till this be done ; Kindle in me the living flame; Father, in me reveal thy Son, Baptize me into Jesus' name." III. " Is it correct teaching, to urge the seeker of full 102 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. salvation, thus: < Believe that you have it, and you HAVE IT?' " 1. Correct ! no ! It is most incorrect. It is folly. I beg of you discountenance, — nay, contradict and rebuke all such teaching in the prayer meetings: The word of God teaches nothing of the sort. Nay, it is contrary to the Scriptures, and common sense. 2. That the wants of the soul, in this respect, are not to be relieved by merely desiring and praying, is evident from Matt. 21 : 22, and Mark 11 : 24. In the first, Jesus shows us that we must add "believing" to praying; and in the second, that to desire and pray for the blessing is not sufficient; we must " Believe that ive receive" — " believe that ye receive" is the condition. 3. Now mark what I am going to say : There is a great distinction between, " Believe that ye receive, and ye shall have;" and, "Believe that you have it, and you have it." The one is in harmony with sense and reason ; the other is at war with both. 4. An eminent divine, I am aware, seemed at one time to see but little difference between them ; but it was only for a season, — in a time of perplexing and irritating con- troversy upon the subject, — when he desired to reconcile the contending parties, by bringing them as near together as possible ; — but in vain. He saw in clearer light after- wards ; and now with greater ardour, pressed, " Believe that ye reeeive," upon the hearts of believers. hearken! Shun this deceptive rock upon which so many have split. Abide by the plain w T ords of our Saviour: " Believe that ye receive, and ye shall have." There it is. Believe that you do receive, now, what you desire, and what you pray for ; — I mean with regard to purity of heart, and pure love. 6. When you have a proper conviction of your need of the blessing; — when your consecration is entire;— when BAN* i UK a HON, 108 *. eVWy sin inward and outward, is hated and renounced ; — when you have desired and prayed for it : — when yon have offered the Mood of Jesus, as the full price, demanded in the Gospel ; — and when the language of your heart is th.it which Jacob used, when he wrestled with the angel) " / will not let thee go, except thou bless me;" — then, as Mi-. Wesley says, there is only one point remaining, Believe coid be saved. Believe his promises, that he will save you from sin, and fill you ivith holiness ; — believe that he is able and willing to save you now, and to the uttermost, — nou\ excluding every other period of time, but now ; — whether a year hence, or to-morroiv, or at the close of the discourse, — the serpent lurks in all such futures, and un- belief lies entrenched in the unappropriated present ; — away with them, and believe now, that you do receive, and salvation shall be yours, in that instant. 7. The teachings of the old Methodists, in the days of Mr. Wesley, was, "Believe that he doeth it" But that is just the same as to say, "Believe that ye receive." let us abide by the ancient landmarks ! They are better than the new; — as much more as "Thus saith the Lord," is better than " Thus saith a man." 8. Allow me to urge this point a little farther. When St. Paul was preaching at Lystra, he saw among his hearers a cripple, — a man who had been a cripple from his birth, md xoho had never ivalked ; and perceiving that the man had faith to be healed, St. Paul, looking at him, said with a loud voice, " Stand upjright on thy feet," and the man " walked and leaped !" He not only ivalked, but leaped, to show that he was perfectly healed ! Hear me, thou hitherto spiritual cripple ! This is the day of salvation ! Behold, this is the accepted time ! Believe and be saved. Thou hast faith to be healed. It is springing up in thy heart ! Thou believest that thou mayest be healed now. And why not, if this is the accepted time ? And who dare 104 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. deny it ? TJiou wilt not, — thou canst not. Now is the time ! Hallelujah ! " Believe that ye do receive /" Ay ! and you do receive, and were the angels of God allowed to be visible, they w T ould fill this house of God with accla- mations I 9. Let another hearken. Jesus Christ is just as ready and willing to save you now. Why not? Who w r ould deny that? Well, then, "Believe and he saved," also! Believe now, — where you are, and as you are ; — wait not to be either better or worse, softer or harder ; — but now, resolutely "believe that he doeth it," — that he doeth it now. Falter not, because of a hard heart, or poverty of grace or feeling, or from weakness of faith. I say, Believe now, and God will work as he can, and as he will, but save you he will. I believe it ! Hallelujah ! 10. To another. Let another hearken. You have be- lieved ; but you are not satisfied. What is to be done ? Rest as you are? Nay, God forbid! "Negative salva- tion' is next to no salvation! The Lord save us from a mere negative sanctification ; — that that is unaccompanied by a conscious deliverance from all sin; — « I believe, be- cause I will believe." Nay! but if you believe as you ought, you shall be saved as you should, and as you would, with a full salvation. 11. However, be not discouraged. Stop not where you are. Try again ! Wait neither for more grace, or more feeling. Make your way to Jesus, as fast as you can, by Believing. That is it ! — by believing. You touch him when you believe. Your arm is long enough to reach him, — at least to touch the hem of his garment, — his pro- mise, — "And all things whatsoever ye desire when ye pray, believe that ye receive, and ye shall have." There it is ! Can you not touch it ? reach out that withered hand ! You do ! and healing saving virtue cometh forth from your glorious Saviour ! WITNESS AND PROFESSION OF SANCTIFICATION, I".", IS. Salvation! lie blesses you alre.-idy I lY.iise him, Jt saints and angels ! Waver not, only keep on drsiring, praying, and believing* Repeat the act of believing, till you feel Jesus reigns within your heart, the Lord of every motion ! let me shout in the oar of jour faith, that caution, or direction of the seraphic Fletcher, and may its echoes accompany thee and it to the Gates of Glory ! Hearken I Beware of looking for any grace previous to believing ; and let this be uppermost in your mind ; — believe, till you are drawn above yourself and earth, — till your flaming soul mounts and loses itself in the Sun of Righteousness ! Amen, and Amen. Jesus, ride on ! Ride on, Jesus, in the chariot of thy truth, and save the people unto the uttermost. Amen ! CHAPTER XIII. THE WITNESS AND PROFESSION OF SANCTIFICATION. A SERMON. u 1 speak as to wise men; judge ye what Isay" 1 Cor. 10 : 15. 1. Be not weary, my brethren, of this modest or unpre- tending motto. It wins attention ; that is one benefit. It gains upon your affections and self-esteem, without flat- tery ; — credits you with a capability of judging wisely ; — assumes that you are tvise men, or that you ought to be, considering your advantages and opportunities for acquir- ing spiritual knowledge. 2. Allow me, therefore, to use it as a motto still ; hold- ing in reserve other texts, if need be, to prove or illustrate the sentiments of which you are to be the judges. It is not necessary to refresh your memories with the questions 106 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. already discussed or answered. You have already formed an opinion concerning each of them ; and I trust it is the right one. To a few other questions your attention is now solicited. Those who are more particularly interested will hearken especially, and weigh carefully and wisely my replies. Join with me in praying that we all may have the assistance of the Holy Spirit, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. I. Is it in harmony with the Holy Scriptures, and our teachings, to say that there is no witness OF THE SPIRIT in sanctification V 1. To this I reply, No ; nor is it in harmony with the general experience of those who enjoy this blessing. 2. Those who oppose such a witness, object to it on the ground that it is used in this sense in Scripture, only with regard to our being the children of God, Rom. 8 : 16 ; and that the fruits of entire sanctification are a sufficient witness. 3. Now, I would not be a stickler for a mere word ; but I do not like this limiting of the Holy Spirit; — that he does this much, and no more, — and that it is not necessary he should do more. It is hardly proper to set man thus so much above the need of divine assistance. It is safer to say with St. Paul, " I know nothing by myself." 1 Cor. 4 : 4. The wisdom and modesty of such arbitrary deci- sions may well be questioned. However, let such allow that the Spirit assists the purified believer to ascertain that he is so, and that he confirms him in the possession of it ; — comforts and supports and enlightens and delivers such an one in times of trial and temptation : then let the word " witness" go; we have all that we contend for ! 4. It is well, however, to remind such, that the Holy Spirit sustains various offices in the salvation of believers. The Scriptures represent him as our Comforter ;— as our Guide into all truth ; — as the helper of our infirmities ; — WITNESS AND PROFESSION OF BAKCTI1 i< ATION, 107 as he who searchefn the heart : — as making intercession within its, with groaning* which cannot be uttered, — God himself reading therein the mind of the Spirit, John 14 : 16, and 16: 13, and Romans S: 26, 27. And add 1 (V. 2 : 12, which is, if possible, stronger in favour of it than any of the others. Hearken: "Now we have received y yot the spirit of thejvorld, but the SPIRIT which is of God ; THAT WE MIGHT KNOW THE THINGS WHICH ARE FREELY given TO us OF God." This is clearly to the point ; unless such teachers can make it plain that the blessings of purity and perfect love, are not among the things which freely given to us of God! Is it wise, then, in the face of such Scriptures as these, to exclude the testimony, or evidence, or witness of the Spirit from entire sanctifica- tion ? 5. How very insignificant do such expressions as the following appear, before such Scriptures ! " Sanctification is a reed change, not a relative change, like justification, therefore what need is there for the witness of the Spirit therein." — " Inward holiness shines by its own light, and where this is sufficient, what need is there for the light of the Spirit ?" Ay ! " where this is sufficient !" But some- times it is quite insufficient; — " In the hour of tempta- tion," as Mr. Wesley remarks, when " Satan clouds the work of God, and injects various doubts and reasonings, especially in those who have very weak or very strong understandings. At such times there is absolute need of that witness, without which the work of sanctification not only could not be discerned, but could no longer subsist. Were it not for this, the soul could not then abide in the love of God ; much less could it rejoice evermore, and in everything give thanks. In these circumstances, there- fore, a direct testimony that we are sanctified is necessary in the highest degree." Do you wonder, then, that I objected to the teaching suggested in the question, as anti- 108 THE TRIUMPH OB TRUTH. scriptural, and opposed to Methodist teaching on this subject ? 6. How much better, and safer, and more honourable to the Holy Spirit, to say at once with Mr. Wesley, " We knozo [we are sanctified] by the witness and fruit of the Spirit. As when we were justified, the Spirit bore witness with our spirit, that our sins were forgiven ; so when w T e were sanctified, he bore the witness that they were taken away ;" — « and in general, the latter testimony of the Spirit is both as clear and steady as the former." And should we find one [which we never yet have] who would say, " But I have no witness that I am saved from sin. And yet I have no doubt of it," we would reply to him, as Mr. Wesley did, " Very well : as long as you have no doubt, it is enough ; when you have, you will need that witness." Let us then, my brethren, discountenance such teaching as we have been combating. Let us honour the Spirit of God. We cannot do this too much ; nor can we ascribe unto him more credit and praise than are his due, that we stand where we do in this great salvation. The next question : II. " Is it proper to teach, that all who are purified, are FILLED WITH JOY AND LOVE AT THE SAME MOMENT ?" 1. I think not. We have not, indeed, any text bearing expressly upon the subject, that I can remember at this moment. But the sentiment is contrary to the general experience of those who have come into the possession of the blessing ; — an empty but a pure heart, was their testi- mony ; or a degree of love in a pure heart, — with the deepest humility, and self-abasement; — and, for a considerable time, in some, held as with a trembling hand ; — in others, with more confidence, and for a shorter period, when they were filled with love, and enabled to rejoice with joy un- speakable, and full of glory. WITNESS AND PI ft OF SANCTIFICATION. 109 2. It is a> the Lord pkawth, in this matter. Although much may depend upon the strength or weakness /- age, whom God has made free; or that we tempt not Satan to lay a snare for such, by daring them to profess it, on pain of losing it. what evils have arisen from this already, in some places ! And how distasteful it has made the doctrine of sanctification to some, and fright ful, as to its train of duties and consequences, to those who would fain seek its enjoyment. CHAPTER XIV. INDWELLING SIN. A SERMON. " I speak as to wise men ; judge ye what I say." 1 Cor. 10 : 15. 1. The same text once more ! — and my theme ? the same ! — holiness, — the necessity of holiness; — but another line of argument ; — something about outward character, but more regarding the inward character ; — your yet im- perfectly developed character. 2. Are you aware that astronomers have noticed for several years past, an unaccountable disturbance among some of the "planets? and that at length they concluded that it must arise from the attractions of some yet undis- covered orb, which as yet had no place in the zodiacal 118 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. chart? — that is, I suppose, a chart of that circle in the heavens, which contains the twelve signs through which the sun passes in his annual course. They observed cer- tain planets to gain or lose time in their orbits, and guessed at the cause, — some yet undiscovered orb or other ; and began to lay down certain rules to aid them in finding it ; thus : when a planet lagged behind, the retarding cause must be sought in the rear of the dilatory planet ; but when the motions of a planet were observed to be in advance of true time, then the accelerating cause must be ahead of it, and sought for in that part of the sky ! Guided by such suppositions, they began to traverse the sky with powerful telescopes. Year succeeded to year, but the disturber of the planetary motions remained undis- covered ; — until the present year, 1846, when, lo it was found, a short distance in advance of the Moon ! and thus the suspicions of astronomers were confirmed. Already has it taken its name on the zodiacal chart, under the title of Neptune ! 3. But what has all this to do with us ? I answer, it may serve as an illustration of the religious eccentricities of some present! It may put us on the track of that which has disturbed your soul so often in her orbit ; — the attracting cause, which has retarded your soul from good, or quickened its motions to evil. Now do you understand me ? — INDWELLING SIN ! 4. What is it, I ask, that has so frequently made you dilatory in going to secret prayer ? — to class meeting ? — to prayer meeting ? — to hear the word preached? Indwell- ing sin. What is it that has held you back so often from family prayer ? — from asking a blessing at your table ? — from reading the Scriptures? — from the Lord's table? or w r hich rendered the duty so dragging and so lifeless ? What but INDWELLING SIN. INDWELLING BIN, 119 f>. What is it that has bo often retarded you from self" denial? from bearing your cross? — from acts of benevo- lence? — from growing in grace? — from pressing sincerely after holiness, and from obtaining the blessing ? What but indwelling sin f 6. What is that which has impelled your soul so swiftly towards evil? — in thinking tvrong ? — in speaking wrong? — in acting wrong? What but indwelling sin? 7. What is it, that has imparted to your nature such a fearful velocity towards your easily besetting sin ? — which has drawn you away by so sensible and so fatal an attrac- tion, from all that was pure, lovely, holy, just and good ? Oh what, but the sad cause of all your melancholy depar- tures from God ? Indwelling sin ! 8. What is it, that has been often so fatal to your peace? — to your communion ivith God? — to your self- respect ? Indwelling sin. 9. What, or for what, has God had so frequently to chastise you, in your soul, — or body,— or estate, — or do- mestic affairs, — or in business ? for what, but for yielding to the retarding influences, attractions, or impulses of indwelling sin ? 10. And what is it, that is likely to bring a stain upon your character ? — a reproach upon the cause of God ; — causing his enemies to blaspheme the worthy name hy which you are called ? What, but your dangerous foe, indwelling sin ? 11. What is that, which may warm the breast like sun- shine, but which is but the kindling of an evil flame, which many waters may not quench ? — may resemble the fire- brand [in the fable] which an eagle carried off from a sacrifice, and placed in the side of her nest, and which warmed her and her young, like sunshine from heaven, but which set the nest on fire, and burned them out ? 1-0 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. he that hath ears to hear, let him hear, — it is indwelling Sin I 12. And what is that, which may palm itself off upon a man, as his bosom friend — may walk with him through a good part of life under that deceitful mask ; — and, sud- denly, at last, precipitate him into sin and ruin, — perhaps into Hell ? Indwelling sin. 13. my God, interfere, and deliver us all from this treacherous bosom foe. And seeing, as the Apostle de- clares, we are compassed about with so great a cloud of ivitnesses ; — enable us to lay aside every weight, and this body of indwelling sin, which doth so easily beset ; — cast it out and destroy it, most gracious God ! that we may run with patience, alacrity, and joy, the race that thou hast set before us : looking unto Jesus. Heb. 12 : 1,2. 14. But to return to the newly-discovered planet. The astronomers of Europe and America could do nothing more with it, than to name it, and place it upon their astronomical charts ; — no more. They could not remove it from the sky ; but have left it there to go on with its " disturbances," and perhaps frustrate their calculations of the motions of the other planets. It is not so with the ministers of Jesus Christ. We have been taught in what part of compound man, to seek for the disturber of his peace, and the cause of his sinful eccentricities ; — in his heart ; and we have named it, In- dwelling Sin. But we are not necessitated to leave it there, after describing its nature and woful influences. No! but we can point out the only and true method for its removal. 15. Observe again : that hitherto unknown planet was the work of an Almighty hand ; and although man by the intervention of his instruments, and the power of his tele- scope, has detected the planetary disturbance, and the INDWELLING BIN. 121 disturber: doubtless it is working ou1 some important and useful results in the economy of the universe. But indwelling sin, is the work of the Devil ; — that disturber of your peace, — that retarder of your heavenward progression ; — that impeller to evil, is the work of the Devil. It is on this, and other accounts, God seeks its destruction. For this the Son of God was manifested in the flesh, — to destroy the ivories of the Devil, 1 John 3 : 8. 16. It is not likely the orb in question, has ever, or shall ever injure the planets it so particularly influences. They may need just such a compensating power ', to make up for the loss or gain in their motions, as they sweep around other portions of their orbit. I speak as a child. What ice know not noiv, ice shall know hereafter I That is ti comfort even with regard to the mysteries of astronomy ! 17. We cannot say this of indwelling sin. Alas ! no ! the injuries it inflicts upon our race are too notorious. But as to the full extent of the injury, we must die to know ; — we must live through Eternity to know : for Eternity will still be the chronicler of its terrible history. 18. This we do know now, that its influences are evil, and only evil, and that continually ; — some it retards from good, — stains and corrupts, and enfeebles them ; — others it draws quite out of their orbit, so that they are no more seen among the constellations of the church, or in the paths of usefulness ; — alas ! they have been drawn quite out of their orbit, by its infernal attractions, and they shine no more, — unless it be to enlighten the path to Hell, — adrift and on fire, in fact, shedding malignant in- fluences all around, — till they go blazing into perdition. 19. And, now, " I speak as to wise men, judge ye what I say !" Let each of you call to remembrance your short- comings, and your misdoings ; — consider the tardiness of your movements in soul affairs, and in pleasing God ; — consider also your impulsiveness in doing what you should 11 122 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. not ; — and, what more can I say, just here ? What better than this ? as the astronomers sought diligently for that disturbing orb, until they found it : so do you, my brethren, until you clearly discover the position and nature of the disturber of your peace, &c. ; and then seek its entire destruction. 20. Doubt not that such a foe is entrenched in your na- ture, if you have not been entirely sanctified. It is there. Doubt it not, I beseech you. Examine yourselves closely. No rest, — no peace be unto you, nor safety, until the enemy is detected, his citadel taken, and he cast out and destroyed ! Satan is against all this ; you cannot doubt that. be resolute and courageous, and Christ Jesus will give you the victory ! 21. Indwelling sin is the Devil's most faithful ally, and the hope of devils. What David's enemies said of him, fiends may say of you, if indwelling sin still cleaves to your nature : " An evil disease, say they, cleaveth fast unto him: and now that, he lieth, he shall rise no more." Ps. 41 : 8. That " evil disease" was their hope ; and indwell- ing sin is the hope of devils ! And, as David said in his heart, on another occasion, U I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul ;" alas, how truthfully, God only can tell, might some of us say the same concerning indwelling sin, unless it is dethroned and destroyed. Hear me, my brother, hast thou no such feelings ? no such fears ? St. Peter declares that "fleshly lusts war against the soul," and urges us, as strangers and pilgrims, to abstain from them ; — to cease from sin, 1 Peter 4:1; and St. Paul urges "the putting off the body of the sins of the flesh," Cor. 2 : 11 ; and again, " that the BODY of sin might be destroyed," Rom. 6 : 6 ; — not a limb or two of sin, but its entire body is to be destroyed, — as truly dead as the human body, when the soul has departed. im>\vi:i.i.im; sin. 128 22. Indwelling >ix increase* the power tff outward SIX. It is the plague of the hearty says Solomon, i Kings 8: 88, It betrays the soul into the hand of the enemy, in the evil day, What the lords of the Philistines Feared concerning David, indwelling sin frequently illustrates: « Let liini not go down with us to the battle, lest in the battle lie be an adversary to us: for wherewith should he reconeile himself unto his master, should it not be with the heads of these men ? He WILL r all to his master Sail, to the jeopardy of our heads." Who could blame them for so reasoning? "Let him not go down tvith as to the batth\" was the dictate of prudence. But the same may- be said of indwelling sin. "Would to God Ave had the prudence of these lords of the Philistines ! — we would not stir another step until this traitor has been expelled from our hearts ! 23. Hearken unto me, all ye who fear God ! Deliver up this foe j — this Agag, that it may be hewn in pieces be- fore the Lord. Be it dear and necessary to your comfort, as a right hand and eye, or a foot, as Jesus hints, Matt. 5 : 29, 30. cut it off, and cast it from you ; — hate it and disoivn it for ever. Was it not upon this principle that a pious lady in Italy declared, that if she could sup- pose any part of her being opposed to the ivill of God, she should desire its utter destruction ; — that it might be cast away from her, like driven dust before the winds! And is not indiuelling sin opposed to the will of God ? Has it not become, so to speak, a part of your very being ? and, 0, can you desire anything less or more than its utter destruction ? Can you doubt that God desires the same? Is it not one of the works of the Devil, — his chief work, in fact, which he came to destroy ? 1 John 124 THE TRIUMPn OF TRUTH. CHAPTER XV. THE ENEMY WITHIN. A SERMON. " I speak as to wise men ; judge ye what I say." 1 Cor. 10: 15. 1. The same text again ! It suits my mode of address- ing you ; as I desire to pay but little attention to what is called " sermonizing ;" but just to tell you all that is in my heart ; — all I hope, and all that I fear concerning you. But it is not likely I shall take the text any more here. 2. In my last discourse I spoke largely of indwelling sin; nor do I wonder it has excited "various queries." It is not easy, at all times, to give to abstract subjects " a body and a form ;" but as regards indwelling sin, we think there is not "much difficulty." Follow me closely. 3. Theologians define sin, strictly speaking, to be a voluntary transgression of a known law of God ; — that was St. John's idea, "sin is the transgression of the law." Now, though we may not actually sin, yet we may be tempted to sin. The temptation may be from an outward or an inward source ;- — from things seen without, or felt within. It may be extraneous, that is, from things which are not of us, — as the world, and the Devil ; — may pro- ceed from human or infernal beings ; or it may be inter- nal, or within ourselves, and from ourselves ; — that is from indwelling sin. 4. Indivelling sin may be called the sinning principle of our nature. It may be negative, or positive ; — nega- tive, — that is, in an apparently dormant, or do-nothing state. I say apparently, — not really, for indwelling sin, like air or water, is, perhaps, never entirely at rest! But Tin: i:\imy WITHIN. 125 in this state, it diffuses an evil, or enervating malaria^ by which the bouI is indisposed to Btir ap the gifl of God thai is within it: — to watch unto prayer, — press after holiness, or to bear the cross in well-doing. This is its negative state, — because it disposes to a negative or do-nothing religion; — bo that a man's religion, if he have any, may all run in uots; — he is not this, and not that, but he L8 a good-for-nothing in the cause of God ! But indwelling tin may be positive ; — that is directly active ; — strongly inclining the soul to wickedness, in thought or word, in temper, deed or desire. Now do you understand me ? But let us proceed a little farther. 5. Mr. Wesley, I remember, remarking upon this inter- nal tempter, observes, " There are in every person, even after he is justified, two contrary principles, nature and grace, termed by St. Paul, the flesh and the Spirit, Gal. 5: 17; and these two are plainly contrary to each other, 'the flesh lusting against the Spirit; nature opposing grace." Ah! who of us have never felt this? — never mourned over this conflict within. 6. Indwelling sin signalizes itself variously in the soul ; — in a proneness of heart to evil ; — to depart from the living God ; — to cleave to earth, and sin ; — a sensibly felt inclination to pride, — to anger, — self-will, — vanity, — im- purity, — and unbelief ; — operates in whatever the soul engages itself in ; — even, as Mr. Wesley observes, in its lest actions, and holiest duties ; — temptations return and sin revives ; — to the sorrow and shame of the soul, it re- vives, — the remains of the old man, — tainted with much of the former tempers and affections. Alas ! alas ! w T ho of us can deny that thus and thus has it been in our ex- perience ! The usurper in our heart, but not on the throne ; thank God for that victory ! It was permitted to remain, but not to reign ; — it warred, but conquered not : — thrust hard at us, that we might fall ; but we did 126 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. not, for the Lord was our helper. But have we always had this victory ? Ah ! let every one of us look back, and we shall see much that should humble and alarm. But more of this by and by. 7. Those who are groaning for deliverance, — who are near to full salvation : what is their state ? I reply : " the old man is being crucified ;" — is nailed to the cross, — dying, but not dead, — " bleeding to death, drop by drop," to use a strong expression of Madame Gruyon, — " bleeding to death, drop by drop ;" but not dead ; reviv- ing, alas ! again and again ; yet so long as it neither reigns nor conquers, the soul doubts not of the favour of God, and often rejoices. 8. The peril from this inbred foe is often imminent. But so long as the soul watches unto prayer, and looks unto Jesus, it is preserved ; but not to the binding or de- struction of free will, — that too frequently is on the point of yielding to the clamours of self and passion, — " the body of sin;" — look back! Consider! how often have you yielded, and fallen into secret sin and condemnation ! — Ay ! so as to force from your sad and unhappy soul, the melancholy, and too frequent confession, — •' Here I repent and sin again ; Now I revive, and now am slain ; Slain by the same unhappy dart, Which, ! so often wounds my heart." 9. Indwelling sin, has proved to many of you a thief and a swindler. It has stolen away your heart from God. It has swindled you out of much precious time ; — and out of your peace and your principles ; — out of the light of God's countenance, and the life of God in your soul, — love, confidence, — joy ; — out of your self-respect, — and character, perhaps. Its depredations have been constant, wasting and weakening, in some, and ruinous in others. tin; i:m:mv witkiv. [27 li^ workings are " the depths of Satan," and would corrupt all the fountains of feeling in the soul ; — ( ) that ( lod would show, — "Show you ns your soul can boar All the depth of inbred sin : All the unbelief declare, The pride that lurks within. 10. And now, after all this, is it not too bad that yon are indisposed to deliver up this inward foe, to be slain by the sword of the Spirit ? that you are unwilling to unite with " the God of Jeshurun," to have this enemy thrust <>ut* and destroyed ? Nay, that you will patronize or keep company with such an enemy ? Who would desire, — what honest man or woman, would desire the companionship of the thieves and swindlers of this town ? Would you ? Would not that honest principle which God has implanted in your bosom, recoil from such associates ? But suppose you had a considerable amount of money about your person : that would be a second and strong reason for rejecting their company. I have told you what inward sin, with its gang, has accomplished in some or most of those here present, at one time, way or other, in their past experience ; — how it has swindled them of what money could not purchase, because so much more valuable than money — infinitely more valuable, be the sum ever so great. But by this you may surmise what it pro- poses to do ; or what Satan intends to accomplish against you by it ; — to rob you of all the wealth of grace in your soul. For no matter how much grace may be bestowed upon you, it is never safe, — cannot be while inivard sin has possession of your heart. Lord, open the young mans eyes, that he may see, was the cry of the prophet Elisha. My cry is the same, and ought to be more piercing and prevailing, because the danger is more im- minent. 128 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. 11. The ancient philosophers used to utter many " spicy things,' ' and often have I been amused at their shrewd say- ings. I do not remember, however, to have met with any- thing richer than the following. An old philosopher was once asked for a definition of the word Opulence. " Opu- lence" said he, " Opulence ? I will tell you what opulence is : — it is that w^hich gives a rascal the advantage of an honest man!" Well, if you were to ask me, "What is indwelling sin?" I would reply, It is that which gives a rascally temptation the advantage of an hitherto honest soul ! — that is just what it is. " I speak as to ivise men ; judge ye what I say" But, 0, not only judge, but give judgment of death against this inbred foe, and our Lord Jesus Christ will soon order it forth for execution. 12. Need anything more be said to procure judgment ? How often, since God converted your soul, has this bosom abomination got the advantage of you ! How often has temptation gained the victory, by this treacherous adver- sary ; — in things, too, which you once shuddered to think of; — which you thought impossible! How many broken vows and resolutions has it caused to be charged against you ! Alas ! alas ! my brother ! it may one day prevail fearfully and fatally. 13. Hearken. Be humbled to the dust for the past. Awake to your peril for the future ; — as you would were you walking amidst flying sparks, and your pockets full of exposed gunpowder ! Suppose it were so, and you were necessitated to walk there : how soon you would fly from the spot, and empty your pockets of the perilous material ! — especially if ex- plosions were taking place around you from a similar cause ; and persons, — maimed persons, appearing here and there in the community, disfigured in by-gone years, from the same cause. W^ould you not fly, and discharge your pockets ? To be sure you would ! Who would tempt Tin: i:\k.my within. [28 Proyidence thus? Who hut a fool, «r he who desired self-destruction ? 14. Now, hear me, and mark well what I am going bo say : Indwelling sin is as perilous to your thoraeter^ to your peace, ami to your soul, as gunpowder would be to your garments, and to your person. The sparks of temp' tation are flying thick and fast around you everywhere you go ; and explosions from this gunpoivder of our nature are constantly occurring. Every person you meet has been injured more or less from the same cause. The town is full of backsliders, — poor, lacerated and maimed back- sliders ; and this has been the cause. And you know not, my brother, but your turn may come next ! — that you, yourself, may be the next example as a warning to others. 15. There is no safety but in heart purity. Are you pure in heart? Examine yourself well. As pious Bax- ter advises, "If no danger appear, turn up all the cover- ings, and search and see that none be hidden. The Devil has his gunpowder plots and mines, which may blow you up before you are aware ;" and, as Dr. Adam Clarke ob- serves, a temptation may be as successful as it is sudden ; and the labour of a life may be lost by the folly of an hour ! 16. A fair outside character is no proof of your safety. I climbed Mount Vesuvius some time since amidst the most luxuriant vineyards, loaded with the finest grapes that ever eyes beheld. But these could not persuade us that there was no volcano beneath, wdiich might not break forth at any hour, and destroy all ; — as, indeed, it had done several times before! Thus it may be with some present. may the Holy Spirit arouse you to a sense of your danger ! 17. Some of you may remember what D 'Lambert, a French nobleman, said of Caritat, in the time of the French Revolution, — that he was a volcano covered with 130 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. snow ; and that at a fit time the match was set, and there was an eruption, and he perished in his own explosions by hunger or poison. Ah ! there are many such concealed volcanoes among professors of religion ! The numerous and fearful cases of unexpected backsliding s, and disgraceful as unexpected, are proofs, but too fearfully convincing. There may be some such listening to me this hour. As in slumbering volcanoes, the elements of destruction are within their own bosoms. The Devil is on the look-out for a fit time to set the match ; when, alas ! there may be eruptions and explosions, fatal to character, as those were to the life of Caritat ; — fatal to the fruits of righteous- ness, and to the city of Mansoul, [to use a phrase of Bunyan in his Holy War], as an eruption of Vesuvius, was fatal to the vineyards on its bosom, and to the city of Torre del Grreco at its base, the latter part of the last century ; — or as to its Herculaneum and Pompeii in the first century ! Hearken unto me, my sincere brother ! You know not, and may you never know, what & feeble resistance you may offer to such a spiritual eruption when it occurs. I was informed, that in the last eruption of Vesuvius, vines took fire, and trees exploded with heat, some time before the lava reached them ; and that fences and barns and mansions, so far from offering a barrier, melted down and dissolved before the heat of that intense river of fire, which soon overwhelmed all in one common ruin. But such is an eruption of inbred sin, frequently ; — every barrier raised by virtue or religion, dissolves before it ! Ah ! my brother, the elements of your destruction are within your own bosom, if you are not cleansed from all sin. And you know not, and I pray again you may never know, what a leaf in the blast of temptation will be your poor soul ; — a blast, which but too frequently comes Tin: i:m:mv w mux. L8] "from the mouth of eldest //«///' through an > vUheari unhclit'f. Peter Utile thought, till it came, what % feather he would become in such a blast. thou mo*1 graeioui Gor>, search me, prove me, and see, and search and prove us all, and see whether there is any wickedness, or evil way within us, — or any sueh elements ready for the match of the Devil! cleanse thou us, and lead us all in the way of purity, and life everlasting ! 18. The time of trial is certainly coming, w T hich is to try every unsanctified soul. Had I a prophet's vision, I might see it all, perhaps, in shadowy outline, — approaching as a cloud ; — might tell you of things to be developed in your future history, which would make you shudder, and cry out, " Impossible ! Could I ever become so fallen, or so vile, as to do this, and that !" Yea, my brother, I might say, for the Lord hath shown it unto me, that thus, and thus, and thus, shall be thy temptations, and positions, and circumstances ! 19. I was reading to-day in the eighth chapter of the second book of Kings, how that Benhadad, King of Syria, lay sick ; and hearing that the prophet Elisha had arrived at Damascus, he sent a messenger to him, named Hazael, to inquire whether he would recover from his illness ? Elisha replied, " Go say unto him, Thou mayest certainly recover: howheit the Lord hath showed me that he shall surely die." The latter words, it struck me, were designed by the prophet mainly for the ear of Hazael alone : " Hoivbeit the Lord hath showed me he shall surely die ;" — implying that God had not determined his death, but that he should be foully assassinated by the hand of an- other, and that other was Hazael. The prophet then settled his countenance steadfastly upon the man, until he felt ashamed, and then Elisha burst into tears. Hazael recovering himself from the look of Elisha, inquired, " Why weepethmy lord?" The prophet 132 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. replied, "Because I know the evil that thou wilt do unto the children of Israel:" and then gave him a list of his future crimes and cruelties, enough to make a devil tremble. Hazael exclaimed, " But what! is thy servant a dog, that he should do this great thing V The elements there- of were in HazaeVs heart, although, it would appear, he knew it not. That is a great point, and I wish to link it with what I am about to say. Ah ! my friend ! could I take you aside by yourself alone, and tell you with pro- phetical clearness and certainty, that which you shall be guilty of doing in the future, unless you are cleansed from all sin in the present : you also would recoil and exclaim with Hazael, " But what ! is thy servant a dog, that he should do this great thing ?" Mark that I— "this great thing V — not these great crimes, — these great cruelties, — or these great sins ! — no ! but " this great thing." He did not recoil from the thought of them, — from the bare possibility of perpetrating them ; — a pretty sure indication that the elements were within him, which would one day excite him to the commission of the foulest deeds. 20. And now let me ask you, in the presence of God, what mean those fancies, — those images which come up so frequently before your soul ? or those impulses to anger, or to impatience, or to envy, jealousy, or revenge, or lust ? Why is it that you do not recoil from them ? Why do they receive, as it were, a half-welcome ? Ah ! my brother ! think as you like at times, and glory in your strength, and principle, much as you may, — these are indications that there are kindred elements in your heart, which may yet impel you to commit crimes not to be named. Every man has his hour ; and he knows not what he is, or what he shall feel, or say, or do, or how weak he is, till the hour of trial comes ! When the match is set, and the mine is sprung, then soldiers find out what terrible elements were beneath Tin; i:m;.my within. [83 the boil, over which they walked so carelessly, because so ignorantly. 21. Ilazad had got a glhnpse of a crown. The thought of a crown obtained hj foul means, did not enter his mind for the first time, when JSlisha said, "The Lord hath showed me that thou shalt be king over Syria" And, let me tell you, few of the sins by which Christians fall, are entire strangers to the heart until the fatal hour of temptation ; — they make frequent visits to the soul, and strengthen the- corruptions, which eventuate in ruin. 22. Had I time, I would appeal more at large to the experience both of you who stand, and those of you who have fallen. But the hint may be sufficient to awaken humbling, but profitable recollections. 29 •). Alas ! sins, the thought of which once made that man sitting over yonder exclaim, " What ! am la dog that I should ever do that?" he does them now, with little or no remorse. And could I see the future of some of you, who enjoy religion now, I might point you to that man, and zveep as freely as did JElisha over Hazael ; — might say, such will be John, or James, or William, or Robert, or Martha, or Mary, or Louisa, or Caroline ; unless Acts 15 : 9 becomes the experience of the heart, before the hour of temptation comes; — "purifying their hearts by faith.' 1 Help, thou blessed Spirit, help, and save the souls against whom Satan and his host are plotting ! 24. Some poet says, " It is the heart that gives colour to our destiny." Indeed it is ! There is no truer senti- ment than that. Who can doubt it, that has ever observed his own heart closely, how it has coloured his thoughts, and words, and works ; — nor fail to say of it as Luther did, — that he feared his own heart more than the Pope, or all the cardinals in the world ? 25. And who that reflects upon the power for good or evil, that is invested in the human heart, can wonder that 12 134 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. it is mentioned a thousand times in the Scriptures ? or that God says, "My son, give me thine heart?" or that Jesus says, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God?" Or that Jesus should declare, that it is from tvithin, out of the heart of man, proceed those things which defile them ; and to prove it, identified no less than thirteen corrupt streams which flow direct from the heart, as from an evil fountain ; as we may see in Mark 7 : 21, 22. And, in view of this, need we wonder, that purity of heart is so distinctly mentioned as the work of Q-od, in Acts 15 : 9, ^nd faith as the God-appointed instrumentality? 26. The human heart is the great magazine, so to speak, where all the iveapons of righteousness or unrighteousness are deposited. Ay ! and the vilest weapons of ungodliness may be there, without the owner knowing it, till occasion calls them forth into action. 27. This was very forcibly pressed upon my mind the other day, when reading the tenth chapter of Isaiah. The instrument wherewith God threatened to chastise his back- slidden Israel is there pointed out ; — the King of Assyria ; — that he had chosen him to be the rod of his anger, and the staff of his indignation, — to spoil them, and to tread them down as the mire of the streets. But it was the Seventh verse of the chapter that struck me, which reads thus: " Row be it, he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so ; but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few" The Assyrian King was not himself aware that such principles, or purposes of extermination, were in his heart. They lay dormant there until occasion, or the acquisition of power, called them into action ! And thus it may be with thy heart, my brother ! may our Lord Jesus Christ preserve thee and me, and all who hear me this night, from the evils of an unsanctified heart ! May he deliver us from so perilous a thing, henceforth and for ever! Tin: KNK.MV within. 185 28, Again, and in conclusion, lei me reiterate the wan** ing in the ears oi' every one of you, there is no * w Testament, what one might venture to denominate an exact Gospel standard of fashion, either as to texture, material, cut, form, or colour ; only, ladies, that the wear- ing of gold, pearls, and costly array are strictly forbidden, as you may find in 1 Timothy, 2 : 9, and in 1 Peter, 3 : 3. — Superfluous, or needless ornaments, and costly or extra- vagant apparel. Besides this, there is, you will perceive, in those Scriptures an allusion to certain fantastical em- broidery of the hair, — that is, bedecking it with gold, pearls, or jewelry; though some say, it means crisping and curling and plaiting the hair, in a variegated and complex manner, which I cannot very well describe ; but quite contrary, doubtless, to the order of God in that beautiful covering or veil, with which he has adorned her, and which St. Paul declares elsewhere to be her glory. 1 Cor. 11 : 15. 2. These things, ladies, are prohibited in the New Tes- tament, and for wise reasons doubtless. But as to the exact sum, and no more, which we are to pay for a neces- sary article of dress, it is nowhere stated; and the omis- 140 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. sion was very proper ; because the value of such things varies so much in different ages and countries : thus, what was costly apparel in those days, might not be considered such in ours ; and what is costly in our times, would not, perhaps, have been so estimated in Apostolic times. All that is contemplated, probably, is, that Christians are conscientiously to avoid extravagance in dress, in all cases, places, ages, and countries, wherever they may reside. 3. The material of our dress, is not so much guarded against, likely, as the expenditure of large sums in work- manship thereon, and in a profusion of needless and expensive ornaments, — the demands, for the most part, of pride or vanity, or something worse, — as you may per- ceive hinted at in the injunction, — " that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety," 1 Tim. 2: 9: — indicating, as St. Peter observes, " the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price." 1 Peter, 3: 4. "That women adorn themselves" — and, ladies, what woman worthy of the name, would not mark that little word adorn, with peculiar favour; — "that women adorn themselves, " — not disfigure themselves, either by the extreme of finery, or of the niggardly in apparel. 4. They are to adorn themselves, then. But how is it to be done? — " in modest apparel," — the nearest to some- thing like a Gospel fashion, ladies, of anything I know of in all the Scriptures ; — so that to adorn the person, is not prohibited in the Scriptures, but enjoined, that is, if done in a proper spirit, and as directed, " adorn themselves in modest apparel;" — such an apparel he considered as really adorning to her person ; — that it so becomes her most, as to adorn her most. Indeed, ladies, one of the ancients, Cartes, of Greece, though a native of such a showy nation, visrr Tn OABTfcl DONINGTON. 1 II expressed ■ similar opinion, when he defined ornament to be that which really adorn*} — that the proper ornament of a woman is that which becomes her best; but that no one should eonsider it to consist in gold, pearls, or in war- let, but rather in those things which are evident proofs of gravity, regularity, and modesty. I like the idea of an- other, who desired rather to create a solicitude to dress the wind than the body ; — to polish the jewel rather than to varnish the casket ; — those were his words, ladies ; — he would have the dress of a well-improved mind ; and not an ambition to vie with flowers, the meanest of which out- shines the most beautiful compositions of man ; but their highest ambition to have the mind decked with divine virtues, and dressed after the amiable pattern of the Redeemer 8 holiness. I forget now how he would have your outward persons attired, for he spoke of that, of course : but he could not have been far astray, ladies, if he thought pro- per to leave such outward matters to be controlled and directed by what an old writer calls the Queen of the Affections, — that Holiness which reigns within, in a sanc- tified heart ; — just as the holy general church of Christ may one day, perhaps, control the fashions of the world ; — as the world, now, alas ! too much controls the fashions of the church ! 5. My own opinion, ladies, has long been, that the lady who has the taste and judgment to dress, so as not to make herself conspicuous or remarkable, either by splendour or parsimony in her apparel, is really the true woman, an honour, in this respect at least, to the religion of Jesus, and worthy of honour, and I hereby honour her ! 6. To dress thus, ladies, might require in some a con- siderable degree of self-denial, I am aware, but certainly not more than the spirit of Christianity requires, nor above what the grace of God would enable them to sustain. 7. This standard of a lady's dress may pass for what it 142 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. is worth. But it does seem to be the most unexceptionable rule one can think of, seeing we have no divinely authorized pattern, and so few articles of dress and ornament, are expressly prohibited in the New Testament. 8. Fashions, ladies, change amazingly from generation to generation ; — some for the better, and some for the worse ; nor are they wise altogether, who ascribe all the fashions to human pride and vanity, aided by Satan; for some of them are highly beneficial, and therefore praiseworthy. 9. Primitive Christians varied, doubtless, in their man- ner of dressing. Few, in our times, perhaps, would advo- cate a return to primitive costume ; — to say nothing of the uncertainty as to the particular time when it was most per- fect, or of its unadaptedness to our climate. And may we not see a reason in this fact, why the New Testament is silerrt as to the fashion of our dress ? A few things only are prohibited, and others enjoined, which are applicable to all ages, countries, and climates. The spirit of the Gos- pel does not forbid our conformity to the costume of the country where we live, — not in its extravagance, but in all that is suitable and decent, according to our age and gene- ral custom. 10. We are not at liberty, in matters of dress, as Chris- tians, to disrespect, through whim or caprice, or any other feeling or motive, public taste and propriety ; — especially when there is nothing therein contrary to the modest spirit of the Grospel; — when nothing is required of lis but what is essential to decency and comfort, personal and social. Courtesy may have its claim allowed, without any injury to piety or humility. Here both reason and religion unite in one plea, that custom may be our law, without any in- fringement upon our loyalty to God. 11. We are hardly at liberty, I think, to disfigure our persons, by an affected singularity, that we may reach the widest extreme from the world. We may follow the world i:i;i i i;\ ro vn iv;il\m. I (3 with a good conscience, so far and bo 1 < • t i lt as it tht, departing from it when it is evidently wrong* 1-. It is very difficult, you perceive, ladies, to lay down any positive rules upon the subject. The Christian lady who possesses a good taste, sound judgment, and an enlight- ened mind, and above all, a single eye, — that is a single in- tention to please and glorify God in the matter of dress, as in all other things, will seldom fail in her selection of a proper medium between such extremes as we have been contemplating; — especially if she has that of which the apostle speaks so highly, " the ornament of a meek and, quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price" what hath the world of fashion to equal this ! " Than gold or pearl more precious far, And brighter than the morning star." Ladies, religion may be injured by either of those ex- tremes at which we have been glancing, — not offensively, 1 trust, nor disrespectfully. The conversation quietly dropped, or rather changed to other subjects, and we had really a most agreeable excur- sion. On my return to Nottingham, stopped at Borrowash, and spent a happy day at the mansion of Mr. Tozvle, — a retired, sweet spot on the banks of the river Derwent ; — a most agreeable family ; — weather charming ; — felt the invigorating influence, but hastened on to the great battle- field of souls, — Nottingham. It is best to work while the day lasts, — intimations are afloat, that some uneasiness exists in the Wesleyan Conference, as to where all my movements are likely to end, in its effects upon the peace and unity of the Wesleyan body ; — ivhy, I cannot tell ; — why the conversion of scores and hundreds of sinners should endanger such things, I cannot divine ; — unless it happen to create feelings that ought not to exist, in the bosom of the priesthood itself. We shall see. 144 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. CHAPTER XVII. SUDDEN DEATHS. Nottingham, June 3. — The following letters are worthy a place in my Journal. The first is from an excellent leader in Birmingham ; — one who took a deep interest in the late revival there, and laboured heartily for Christ and souls. « Birmingham, May 25, 1846. Rev. James Caughey. My dear Friend : I rejoice to hear that the Lord is giving you the desire of your heart in Nottingham ; we continue to remember you at the throne of grace in Birmingham, and our desire is that your bodily health may be continued, as well as your spiritual prosperity. Delighted as I am to communicate with you either in person, or by letter, yet from a sense of propriety, I should deny myself that pleasure, had I not a fact to communicate in connexion w T ith your labours, which I am sure will gladden your heart, and add one more to the thousand proofs you already have, that the God w T hom you love and serve, will not leave himself without a witness, nor his servants without souls for their hire. Yesterday, Mr. Lawton met my class for tickets, and the deep tone of piety was felt by all. After Mr. L. had spoken to several members, he came to brother R. W., who arose, and bursting into tears, apologized for his absence from class the previous Sabbath, in consequence of a sud- den death in his family. Allow me however to premise, that this R. W. was convinced under your preaching, the second Sabbath of your services in Belmont Bow, and joined my class ; and before the close of thai week, the Lord spoke peace to his soul; Bince which period he never missed a class, till the Sabbath referred to. lie lias ventured to pray in class openly, in very expressive and impressive Bentences. Well, under the influence of that religion of which he had BO lately become the possessor, he has been instru- mental in bringing his wife and son into church fellowship ; his wife is happy in the love of God. He has commenced j family prayer, and reading the Scriptures upon his knees; and most blessed of all, he was the means of bringing his wife 8 mother, to hear your last two sermons at Belmont Raw; and though she had lived to sixty-five years in almost heathen darkness, as regarded spiritual religion, yet light broke in upon her mind; she went home a wretched sinner, and on the second night was led to the only hope of the sinner, and thus united with her daughter and son-in-law, in praising a sin-pardoning God. She lived most consistently one month, and on Saturday was in the act of offering up the sacrifice of morning prayer, when she suddenly fell back, was carried up to bed, and expired, only once repeating the name of Jesus ! He related the event to the class, stating that actually she seemed to depart pronouncing the name of Jesus. The effect upon the class was powerful, and caused a silence of several moments. With the liveliest sentiments of Christian love, I am, Rev. and dear sir, yours gratefully, R. F. Sturges." * 1* »T» "R »f* '£ « Snienton, May 30, 184G. Dear Sir : I write to inform you that Mr. D. of B.,* an un- * Xame and place are given in full, which I suppress, as this note may be printed with my Journal. J. C. 13 146 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTII. godly man, heard you preach last Tuesday week. He went home on Wednesday, and after a few hours' illness expired. He intended coming to hear you again to-mor- row week, but alas ! he is gone, and I am sorry to add, as he lived he died. Yours affectionately, T. H ." Another note gives the melancholy intelligence of the sudden death of another of my hearers. The writer says : " I have received a letter this afternoon from a friend at M., from which I take the liberty of making the following extract : < Last Sunday a gentleman from M. went to hear Mr. Caughey's morning sermon, and this morning was found dead in bed.' Whether he was a changed character, my informant does not state ; but he had borne a dreadful character for some time. Pardon this intrusion, and allow me to remain your most obedient servant, J. M." Such sad events nerve my soul anew for the effort of sinner-awakening, and soul-converting preaching ! how many has Death snatched away thus from under my min- istry ! — teaching me, as by a voice from eternity, to be faith- ful and pointed as possible, in every sermon, seeing that some may be hearing their last sermon, or I may be preaching my last sermon. Ah ! how little do critics and formalists and fault-finders know what tremendous events are pending, during an alarming delivery of the Gospel message ! However, when I feel the power of God, and hear the sound of my Master s feet behind me, I am Usually very regardless of the opinions of man ! PROGRESS OF THE REVIVAL IN NOTTINGHAM. 117 CHAPTER XVIII. PROGRESS 01 THE REVIVAL IX NOTTINGHAM, Junk 4. — The work of God, in Nottingham, has broken out afresh ; so here I am to remain several days yet. Calvary ! Calvary ! How that word thrills an audience, and calls up the crucifixion scenes! Calvary ! Oh, a ser- mon without it, or that which it represents, is like a sky without the sun, cloudy, — dreary, — dark. Calvary ! it is to us, at this time, what the pillar of cloud and fire was to the Israelites in the wilderness ; — a cheering guide by day and by night; — a divine intimation to go forward, or to stand still and see the salvation of our God ; — a Wes- leyan minister speaks of it thus : — "0 Calvary ! on thy memorable height, Extremes were press'd to their extremity ; Zion and Sinai now in thee unite ! The arms of God and of his enemy On thy embattled top claim victory. On thy brief round, the characters of things And fates of this vast universe, we see In truth's clear hues ; " To hearken to the thunder of God's law and threaten- ing a rolling from Sinai to Calvary ; — w T e all around Cal- vary ; — and to see the bolts of divine justice flying towards us, but strongly bent on approaching Calvary, and all lodged in the rent and torn heart of the expiring Son of God! To behold the river of human guilt, rising in the garden of Eden ; — but unlike the river which watered and beau- tified Eden, it has never disappeared, nor been lost, Gen. 2 : 10, but has rolled on visibly through all ages and dis- pensations, Patriarchal, Mosaical, Prophetical, and Pa- 148 the triumph of truth. gan; — to behold it, rolling onward to Sinai, and from thence to Calvary, accumulating, like other rivers, till it pours down in one tremendous cataract upon the innocent head of the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world ! — Oh, but the effect upon an audience is indescriba- ble ! Ah ! but it might w T ell make us tremble, while we rejoiced in the triumph of redeeming love ! " Oh, how he loves /" w T as the language of many a broken heart, and weeping eye ; — and the long-draivn breath, and heavy sob, telling plainly enough, " If thou hadst bid thy thunders roll, And lightnings flash to blast my soul, I still had stubborn been : But mercy has my heart subdued, A bleeding Saviour I have view'd, And now I hate my sin !" June 5. — It is possible to be a very inoffensive preacher, neither damaging the interests of the Devil, nor Carnality, nor one's own interests with the worldly wise. Ah me ! — must have more power. Beware, my soul, of the smiles of the world ! — or they will soon melt the point off thy sharpest arrows ; — the edge off thy keenest weapons. my God, have mercy upon me, and save me from this ! Back ! my soul ! back to secret prayer, and point and temper thy arrows and weapons of war, afresh in the word and mind and will of God ! But mark, the sharpest arrows of truth effect nothing, if misdirected, or not directed at all, or without energy, or from a slack string, — a slack soul. Then what was once said of a harm- less wit, may be said of J. C, the harmless preacher, — " His arrows were placed with the point downward, — at- trading all, and wounding nobody ;" — a rare and valuable accomplishment that, in a wit, I confess, but a ruinous ac- quirement for me, and high treason against the royalty of truth ; — better be in my coffin. PROGRESS OF THE REVIVAL l\ NOTTINGHAM. I 19 Tin' famous John Nelson visited this town about one hundred jests &go. Poor John! The world had do smiles for him ! Two nights of his style of preaching Burrounded him with a raging mob, who threatened to pull the house to the ground ! He was seized by a constable for raising a riot, when it was the ungodly themselves who did it ; — hurried him away to a justice of the peace, followed by a shouting, cursing, huzzaing mob ; — John all the while preaching to all around him ; — his soul a holy flame of fire ; and they were glad to let him go ! I must walk close with God, and my spiritual weapons sharp-edged, or God may have to temper them for me in some such fire as encompassed Nelson ; — he will, in that or some other fire, if I ever allow the warm smiles of the world to melt off the edge from the tveapons of my warfare. Be alarmed, my soul! thy namesake James declares, " The friendship of the ivorld is enmity with Grod," James 4: 4 — enough to make one tremble before God ! June 6. Saturday morning. — Text last night, Mark 11 : 24. This is the great key that opens the treasury of Heaven. It is also a charter that lays all the promises of God under contribution. "Therefore I say unto you, what things soever ye desire ivhen ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them." This is really to bind Himself to fulfil the askings of faith ; — it is, as Dr. Harris observes, "to resign voluntarily the sceptre into the hand of faith ; — even at the tremendous risk of seeing us erase from our creed the doctrine of his absolute liberty ; — irre- vocably binding himself to fulfil the requests of faith with- out the possibility of a refusal ; — He throws up the high prerogative, and brings himself under obligation." Many realized the truth of the sentiment. There w T as a fine opportunity to attack unbelief in one of its entrenchments, — Presumption ; — " It would be pre- sumption in me to believe in the absence of the evidence 13* 150 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. of feeling." Presumption to do what Jesus bids you! " Believe that ye receive," — not feel that ye receive. Be- lieve that ye receive, first, and then ye shall feel, is evi- dently Christ's order. But what is Presumption ? "It is confidence without jround." Very well. But has confidence no ground for relieving that it does receive, in the absence of feeling t Does not this promise afford the necessary ground ? Can chere be any lack of ground of confidence, when one does just what Jesus has expressly commanded ? Here, I think, is the very strongest ground imaginable ; — and never ground better defined. It is only to trust the veracity of Jesus, firmly — unwaveringly — obstinately : — like Abraham of old, " strong in faith, giving glory to Grod ; — staggering not at the promise, through unbelief." It was great pre- sumption in Peter, was it not, to step out of the boat and attempt to run upon the surface of the water to meet Jesus ? Unbelief would have said so. But Jesus had said, " Come" That was enough for Peter. He surrendered his under- standing to the will of his Lord. His understanding told him, that at the first step upon the surface of that sea, he would go down. But Jesus had said " Come ;" and that was enough. He could trust that, if he could not trust the fickle and yielding and devouring element upon w T hich he was about to tread ; — so out he went ; — ay ! and, says one, " down he went," with a cry, « Lord save me ;" ay ! and that saved him, for Jesus was by his side in a moment, and, stretching forth his hand, caught him, and said, "0 thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt ?" Not wherefore didst thou do it, — as I once understood it when a boy, when hearing a man from the Highlands of Scot- land read it, in family devotion. " thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doot ?" — his way of pronouncing "doubt ;" and I got the idea Peter was being chided for doing it, for attempting to walk upon the water, — " why PROGRESS 01 Tin: kkviv.u, in NOTTINGHAM. 1 T> I didst thou do it .'" and most likely I thoughl he deserved vuch a rebuke for hie presumption : but it was « wherefore lidst thou doubt?" It waa the Highlander's badpronim' outturn that set me all wrong! Oh ! many felt that true faith is nothing more nor le - than a surrender of the understanding to the decision of God ! That though, like Peter, we may look at the waves and motion of the winds, and find them too much for our faith ; — yet looking unto Jesus, praying and believing, we find We have his Come, in his command, "Believe that ye receive" for as sure a ground of confidence as ever Peter had ; and, as a German divine remarked, " though the PROMISE may appear like the broken moonbeams upon the surface of a stormy ocean, though in itself solid as marble ; — but venturing out upon it, we shall find it even so, — solid as marble, and sure as the veracity of Christ can make it." what a move ! — what an entire venturing upon the vera- city of Jesus among the people ; and not in vain ; for he saved many of them to the uttermost. I did not think of writing so much ; but I hardly know where to stop, when I begin to write upon the faithfulness of my Lord, and the triumphs of faith. June 8. — Mounted some heavy ordnance on our spiritual batteries last night, and the execution was terrible. Many a poor sinner, like the Jailor of Philippi, begged for quarter, with the cry, " What shall I do to be saved?" It is wonderful, as a Revival advances, how the power to diffuse light and heat by the Gospel, increases in one's soul ! This is my experience. There is much in that hint of Jesus, " To him that hath shall be given ;" — that is, to him who improves upon what he has, — uses the gifts of God to the uttermost, more shall be given ; so that if he use all to the glory of God, there need be no fear of a decrease of power. There is another matter of marvel : how much both of 152 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. light and heat, can "stated hearers' bear, without being much affected by it. However, the truth affects and burns all classes now. Hallelujah ! Received the following note from an excellent Greek scholar: — " Rev. and Dear Sir : Your remarks upon the tenses of your last night's text, [Mark 11 : 24] led me to consult the original this morn- ing, when it struck me that the verb 'desire' would have more accurately represented the original, if rendered 'ash. 1 The verb attsw certainly signifies to ash, or to ask for ; and seems as if it could bear the sense to desire by implication only, except where the verb to desire is used synonymously with to ash, as is frequently the case, and as was intended, most probably, by our translators in so rendering it in the text. If I mistake not, the verb in question occurs under one or other of its inflections sixty-four times in the New Tes- tament. It is once rendered 'called for,' evidently in the authoritative sense of < ashed; [Acts 16: 29.] It is twice rendered 'to require.' [Luke 23 : 53, and 1 Cor. 1 : 22.] Twice it is rendered 'begged,' [Matt. 27: 58, and Luke 23 : 52.] It is represented by our verb to desire, seventeen times ; and by to ash, forty-two times. Of the seventeen instances in which it is rendered by our verb to desire, there is only one in which it seems to be applied to the operations of the mind, and where indeed it may not improbably have a reference to prayer about the subject named. [Acts 7 : 46.] I think, therefore, the literal read- ing of the text is thus, " On this account I say unto you, all things whatsoever ye may ash [subjunctive mood] praying, believe that ye receive: and they shall be to you.' The asking is contingent, therefore future, the promise must of necessity be future also ; else the promise would PROGRESS <»r ii;r i;i:vival i\ NOTTINGHAM. L68 have to take effect before the performance of the contin- gent condition; — when ye pray then believe: — pray in faith: and while ye pray and believe what yon ask ii given* the things asked for are yours. Ballelujah! I believe it ! This accords with your exposition. And the several distinctions you drew perfectly accord with my own experience. I should be sorry for my remarks on the verb «*«« to damage the ships on their voyage homeward. And I don't think they need, for you may waft the full-rigged vessel along by an implicatory wind, which will only be a varia- tion in the points from which it blows, and will make no difference in its effects. Will you forgive the liberty I have taken ? I don't think I should have ventured it, had I not been rather closely studying Greek for several years, which makes me feel a much greater interest in anything philological than I otherwise should. I wish I could induce you to come and take tea and spend an hour with me and my family, either on Monday, or some other day next w T eek. With the heartiest feeling, I am, Rev. and dear sir, affectionately, yours, William B. Carter. Nottingham, June 6, 1846." I forgot when remarking upon last Friday night's ser- mon, to notice, that I had been somewhat critical on the Greek tenses ; — things I seldom trouble an audience with ; but upon a subject of so much importance as believing be- fore receiving, I felt justified. And if no other benefit accrued, the calling forth of the above valuable letter from Mr. Carter, is sufficient. The work is advancing with astonishing rapidity ; — over fifteen hundred souls saved, in Pardon and Purity, within the last month ! Praise the Lord, my soul ! 154 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. CHAPTER XIX. FARTHER VIEW OF THE WORK OF GOD IN NOTTINGHAM. From the closing remarks of Mr. C. in the last chapter, it will be perceived, that this great work of God in N. increased in momentum as it advanced. The following from a Religious Journal [London], affords a farther view of the work : — " Nottingham, North Circuit. — The good work of the Lord continues to go on amongst us in this town with unparalleled vigour and power. The interest excited by the labours of Mr. Caughey, so far from diminishing, increases daily. Those delightful records of Apostolic labour and success found in the Acts of the Apostles, are peculiarly applicable to us at this time : < Multitudes are being added to the Church daily' — « believers are the more established in the faith.' The sinners in Zion no longer lie in the unbroken, undisturbed torpor of spiritual death ; fearfulness and trembling have seized them. Last Sab- bath was < a day of the Son of Man with power ;' upwards of two hundred and fifty gave their names as receiving some special good. The preaching of Mr. Caughey re- minds us of that of John the Baptist, whose deep tones rang through the wilderness of Judea, and fell upon the ears of the astonished multitudes — < Repent ye, for the kingdom of God is at hand/ As in his day, to rouse to a spiritual concern, no ordinary style was required — as it has been said of John, so it may be said with propriety of Mr. Caughey : < The spirit of Elias burns in his breast, his power thunders in his voice.' That there should be occasionally something of what the world would designate confusion, must be expected ; but it is a confusion which riRTHSB Vli:w or tin: WOBE in NOTTINGHAM. 155 perfectly harmonizes with the feelings of thai man who can 'Wrestle for the ruinM nice, I>y sin eternally undone.' W« arc looking upon the work itself, not as final, but as the foundation of a yet more extensive revival. The pro- found awakening, the manifest quickening into spiritual life, by the piety and faith of God's people, will, we doubt not, be sustained and advanced. The amount of good already effected by the labours of this extraordinary man, will never be fully ascertained until the full lights of eter- nity shall reveal it. That partially neglected doctrine, ' sanetification,' the glory and bulwark of Methodism, has been prominently held forth, and many have risen and testified that < the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin.' The labours of Mr. Caughey are about to ter- minate here. Next Friday evening he takes his leave of us. His unobtrusive piety, his manifest sincerity, his zeal for his God, his love for the souls of men, his labours, his goings in and out amongst us, have endeared him to the hearts of the people ; and, although there are a few who have stood aloof from the work, and have felt in their hearts something of what some of the disciples of our Lord felt, < Master, we saw a man casting out devils in thy name, and we forbad him/ yet he will go away from Nottingham with many a benediction upon his head. We know not whether the sphere of his devoted labours will, for a time, be circumscribed within the limits of our < sea- girt isle,' or whether the wave of the < deep Atlantic' is about to bear him away ; but his name in Nottingham will be < as ointment poured forth,' and many, < in the day of the Lord, will be the crown of his rejoicing.' Then human character and conduct will be duly appreciated ; while from the lips of the < great God and our Saviour' is heard 156 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. the emphatic and sublime announcement: — < They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars, for ever and ever.' " CHAPTER XX. CLOSING SCENES IN NOTTINGHAM. June 9. — Thinking upon Prov. 15 : 24, " The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from Hell be- neath" He lives above the world, though in it. His heart is lodged in the tree of life, while his feet are fixed to the earth. His thoughts are in the altitudes, while his body is in this vale here below ; and, to use an idea of one, while others are creeping upon the earth, and almost buried in it ; — he is soaring, as on the wings of Isaiah's eagle,— or runs without being weary, or tvalks without being faint. 5JC !fC 5fC 5JC Have enjoyed a sweet walk. How sweet to feel the pulse of the soul still beating after God ! Had something of what a saint of old called, " the sweet balm that falls from a Christian heart;"- — that was his idea of the effects of "meditative thankfulness." And how sweet it is ! it would be about as easy to tell how sweet honey is ! It is not exactly Peter's "joy unspeakable, and full of glory ;" but is, after all, much akin to the definition of joy, given by a divine in Sivitzerland ; — a vivid perception of one's happy condition ! June 10. — It is a good knife that cuts easy and well ; and a good scythe that mows down the most grass, with the least fatigue to the mower ; and it is a good sermon that does most execution among sinners, whether the world CLOSING BOBNBfl IN NOTTINGHAM. 1 ~»7 thinks so Of DOt ! 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N) 2 o A a "S I CO o a BB DO a> a m pq H ^o "S o to o a as 92 a 3 hi h& hjhi c5 a c a t- a | c ■ -1 > t a 1 i i 1 5 ^ a a 7: BE 1 > > k5 1 | q ? p a or i ■i l ;* 1 O O 3 i 1 .2 o O "^ ^ "* i- N WO eo ^ ^h oo bC bC *■ •^ .« o3 1 Meet obtain Mond Leaders way of d every M o o pq a a of t bet e is § CO KO-° 'ia .t; h » ,s fH^^q w •S« a 99 « ^ >H CD i— . C3 G J3 r» (D 0) have t d. He he Circ OQ CD should gistere er. T CO o ^5 M o> ^ P3 < CD pi CS co o a 9 H-l 4, j w rsons a g each « Ph h5 a < 73 a 73 K •73 cd a a o d an he p seei C3 O e ♦* e*. rt <» •— • th in h mes of ersonal 3- ^5 a a o d a qualified b time the n ular than a 3 ^ S g P*o CD Si O co ■h '3 ry shoul Classes a e above o -u cc a 00 s CO C3 a CD «;^3 CD 73 | o~ -a 9 a> a -^ bJO^q W-S co a CO The app swer a S CO 3 o a o -*- c3 CD GATHERING I P HIE FRAG MBS ; 169 CHAPTER XXII. GATHERING IT THE FRAGMENTS, [Saturday morning.] Nottingham, June 13, 1846. 1 have much to write, my friend; — so much, and so little time, before I leave for Lincoln, that a selection is difficult. 1. Well, my work in Nottingham is ended for the pre- sent. Preached my farewell last night ; — a tender, moving time it was. Nearly tivo thousand souls have been saved, in bvtli blessings, the last five weeks. It has been a great and mighty work of God ; — it burst forth as aflame, instantly, without any of those laborious efforts which have characterized my revival movements elsewhere. The heavens were bowed at once, and the great and mighty God poured out his Spirit from on high ! — Surely it was the Lord's doings, and marvellous in our eyes. The word of the Lord, to use an idea of Luther, became at once a sword, — a war, — a destruction to the works of the Devil ; — and the people were willing to have it so ; — it fell upon the children of Ephraim, — sinners in Zion, and out of Zion, as a lion out of the forests ! Immediately signs and wonders followed ; — reminding one of that re- mark of Mr. Wesley, concerning Nottingham, in his Jour- nal, March 23, 1766, " There seems to be now [what never was before] a general call to the town " 2. I have had a most agreeable home in *ke pleasar mansion of Mr. Sansom. He and Mrs. S., and their lovely family, vied with each other in their affectionate attentions. I hope to welcome them into everlasting habi- tations, as they welcomed me into their happy habitation here below. God bless them ! 15 170 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. 3. The Rev. Bernard Slater, Superintendent, and the Rev. John Vine, his colleague, showed me much kind- ness, — allowed me perfect liberty to carry out my plans, and threw their own energies into the work ; and so did the Leaders, — a glorious band of talented and zealous men. The membership also took a delighted interest in the work. The people generally acknowledged " the fin- ger of Giod" directing the amazing scenes, and bowed themselves at length under the mighty power of his hand. God bless Nottingham and her people, for ever and ever ! Amen. Mr. Wesley had ever a very strong affection for the people of Nottingham ; — equal, one would think, to Paul's love to the church at Philippi, or to the church at Thes- saloniea, — two of his model churches. In his Journal of June 18, 1777, he says, " I preached at Nottingham to a serious, loving congregation. There is something in the people of this town which I cannot but much approve of; although most of our society are of the lower class, chiefly employed in the stocking manufacture, yet there is gene- rally an uncommon gentleness and siveetness in their tem- per, and something of elegance in their behaviour, which, when added to solid, vital religion, make them an orna- ment to' their profession." A few years after, in parting with them, he records his feelings thus : " Farewell, ye loving, lovely followers of the Lamb ! May ye still adorn the doctrine of God your Saviour!'' Indeed, his opinion of them had not changed late as 1786, nor did it ever change, I believe. July 6, of that year, he writes, "I love this people : there is something wonderfully pleasing, both in their spirit and their behaviour." And now, in 1846, they seem to be much about the same ! If Mr. Wesley were alive now, and here, he would find as much to love and admire among them as ever ! G \i 111:111x0 I i' THB FRAGMENTS. 171 4. The New Converts — how tender, — how Intense, — how boundless seems to be their affection ! If faithful, these affections will be permanent; but if unfaithful, they may possibly go to the other extreme; — the Qalatian converts, for an example. St. Paul, once their spiritual father, bore them record, that such was their affection for him at a certain time, that if it had been possible, they would have plucked out their own eyes, and have given them to him. But alas ! many of them backslid in heart, in life, and in doctrine ; and poor broken- hearted sorrowing Paul was forced to inquire of them mournfully. " Where is then the blessedness ye spake off — am I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth ?" Gal. 4 : 15, 16. Ay ! and the possibility of such an event following a revival in our day, ought to be quite sufficient to prevent pride from spreading its feathers ; and to make us rejoice with trembling, and, as one observed, sound our trumpets of victory in the valley of humility I 3fC 2f* JjC 5jC 5jC ?)C pf. Jf+ Nottingham, June 13, 1846. In company with a select party of Nottingham friends, I visited the other day Newstead Abbey, once the seat of the Byron family, and for a number of years the residence of the poet Byron. The day was beautiful, and I enjoyed the ride and visit much. The mansion stands in what was once the very heart of old " Shemvood Forest" once the haunt of a notorious gang of outlaws, commanded by the famous Ro- bin Hood. It was originally a Priory, inhabited by monks, and built some six hundred years ago; — built by Henry II., to expiate, it is said, the crime of the murder of Tho- mas a Becket. When the monasteries were dissolved, by Henry YIII., Sir John Byron received a royal grant of it. 172 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. This Sir John figures largely in the ghost stories and tradi- tions of the abbey, — as " Sir John Byron, the little man with the great beard.' ' About the middle of last century, he who was called " The wicked Lord Byron," came into the possession of it. He was the grand-uncle of the poet, — once committed to the Tower in London for the murder of a kinsman in a duel, was tried, — died in 1798, at which time the abbey passed into the hands of the poet, then a boy of eleven years of age. The poet was greatly attached to the place, and used to say, " Come what will, Newstead and I must stand or fall together;" but Newstead fell be- fore him, — that is, fell into other hands by sale. Colonel Wildman, the present proprietor^ was the purchaser. He is a great admirer of Byron the poet, and carefully pre- serves every monument and memorial of him and the Byron family. We were kindly admitted to walk where we pleased through the house ; — the haunted room, of course, where the headless monk is often seen, as is asserted ; and the poet's bedroom, — as he left it ; and the celebrated skull, which was present at many a carousal, and upon which the poet wrote those famous lines : — " Remove you skull from out the scatter' d heaps: Is that a temple where a god may dwell? Why, ev'n the worm at last disdaius her shatter' d cell ! Look on its broken arch, its ruin'd wall, Its chambers desolate, and portals foul : Yes. this was once ambition's airy hall, The dome of thought, the palace of the soul ; Behold through each lacklustre, eyeless hole The gay recess of wisdom and of wit, And passion's port, that never brook'd control ; Can all saint, sage, or sophist ever writ, People this lonely tower, this tenement refit?" We enjoyed a pleasant ramble around the lake in front of the Abbey,— a small sheet of water, formed, it is said, 8 \ 1 hi.kim; i i- Tin: n; \<;.\n:\ i 9. 178 by the monks damming up the course of a small river. UpOD this lake the poet took recreation, in Bailing, swim- ming, ami poetizing. His own description of it forms a pretty picture : — " Before the mansion lay a placid lake Broad as transparent, deep and freshly fed By ■ river, which its softened way did take In currents through the calmer water spread Around. The wild-fowl nestled in the brake And sedges, brooding in their liquid bed : The woods sloped downward to its brink, and stood With their green faces fixed upon the flood. " We lingered awhile at the poet's tomb., in the neighbour- ing church; — how suggestive of serious reflections! and then hastened back to Nottingham. Nottingham, June 13, 1846. Yes ! I suffered a loss of about £200 sterling. It was borrowed from me while in Cork, Ireland, a few months after my arrival from America, by a prominent Methodist, who seemed to be well to do in the world. I had been entertained a few weeks in his house; and had all confi- dence in his integrity ; — suspecting nothing, I lent him a large portion of my funds which I had to defray my trav- elling expenses. But all is lost; he has failed in many thousand pounds sterling ; and not a copper to meet it. I was thoroughly deceived, that is all. The loss does not embarrass me at all ; I am in no want; nor likely to be ; but it was calculated to affect one somewhat disagreeably. I received the evil tidings a week or ten days ago ; and walked out to meditate and pray. St. Paul says, we have this treasure in earthen vessels ; — the Gospel treasure, and the call to preach it. I felt it was good to have a treasure 15* 174 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. within, which could not be much affected by a loss without. An eartlien vessel, if set upon a hot fire, and empty, would be apt to crack ; but if full of water, it can bear a good heat without much danger of cracking ! And thus it is with the heart, if filled with "the water of life" it receives no harm from receiving a heating from some fiery trial, or other ! This, however, which might have occasioned me some unhappiness, or uneasiness, was, through Divine goodness, made the means of a large income of grace to my soul. After receiving the intelligence, I walked to reconsider my affairs. In a few moments I was so happy I shouted for joy ! — like the cripple of old, who was healed at the Beautiful gate of the temple, it set me a " walking, and leaping, and praising Grodl" Acts 3: 8. What a visitation from on high, it was, surely ! Was this anything of what the ancient saints enjoyed, when they took joyfully the spoiling of their goods, knowing in themselves that they had in heaven a better and an enduring substance?" Heb. 10: 34. The Scriptures tell us, that the sun melted and wasted the manna, sent down from Heaven to the Israelites in the wilderness. Not so fire, — it would not melt it, but they had to go about to grind it in mills ! Exod. 16th chapter, and Numbers 11th chapter. Curious ! Did the Lord design to teach the lesson, that the manna of grace, might be melted and wasted and destroyed in the sunshine of prosperity ; but not- in the fires of sanctified afflictions ? The fire of adversity gives great solidity audi firmness to one's religion; so that like the manna of old, it will bear a considerable pounding and grinding, and, somehow, be all the better and sweeter for it. A shrewd brother once observed, Our souls should re- semble the build of ship, — little and narrow downwards, but wide and broad upwards ; — that our affections should G LTHHRIN6 I P Tin: I rs. ITT) Ik- vitv narrow earthward, but large and broad heaven- •■«/, for the reception of heavenly things! Blessed be G "1 I it was thus with my soul on the day in question ! Well, tins is one of those wudden blasts, which, when upon a larger scale, ruin many, and which it is not ea-y to provide against. This blast would hardly have affected some of larger means, and heavier transactions. It is like a small craft encountering and trembling under that which the larger vessel would contemn. A small squall will peril a ting sail, as readily as a gale would the heavy and gallant ship ! I like that sentiment of one, — that the Christian has two growing kinds of goods ; — the goods of the throne, and the goods of the foot stool ; and that they might be termed the immovables and the movables ! A good idea! Well, if some of the goods of the footstool are gone, — the mova- bles : the goods of the throne remain, — the immovables, and they are increasing more and more every day, and never faster than of late ! I do realize the truth of that pleasing observation of a good German divine, that, « It is possi- ble, even in this world, to gain a footing above it." Yes, thank God ! Thus I felt, and thus I feel. Phil. 3 : 20, 21. Like yonder oak on the heights, rudely visited by the storm, a few of its sheltering leaves and ornamental branches blown off, while its rooting remains firm, — quite beyond the reach and power of the tempest ! If matters Went hard with the top, the tree stands upright and nobly, — grasping some great rock, perchance, which the roots have discovered, and which the vulgar eye never beheld. There are sunshine, shower and breeze in plenty above and around for the tree ! ay ! and for my soul too, and the refreshing shade of the presence of him, who hath said, " Lo, I am ivith you alway !" Blessed be God ! And now I must hasten away to the city of Lincoln, for a short time.; thence to Boston, a neighbouring town be- 176 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. low, on the banks of the same little river, and near to the sea. CHAPTER XXIII. ARRIVAL IN LINCOLN. Mr. C. left Nottingham for the city of Lincoln, on the 13th of June, and spent the Sabbath there, and the two following weeks. The first Sabbath he spent in Lincoln, was thus noticed in a religious periodical : — " Lincoln. — For some time the people of God have been praying day and night that his Church might be made very holy and useful ; and of late prayer has been specially offered up that the great Head of the Church would pour out abundantly of his Spirit upon the congre- gations when the Rev. James Caughey visited our ancient city. Yesterday, June 14, that devoted man of God opened his mission among us by preaching two sermons in Wesley Chapel, morning and evening. Perhaps there never was so great a movement upon the minds of men generally in Lincoln before. Thousands during both ser- vices heard, with undivided attention, words whereby they may be saved. How delightful to see the truth producing its intended effects on the human mind, manifested in the falling tear, in the heaving sigh, and in the penitential prayer, < God be merciful to me a sinner !' At the close of the day, 113 persons gave in their names as having re- ceived good ; and out of that number some were brought from the world to obtain pardoning mercy ; others who had fallen from grace were reclaimed, and between fifty and sixty professed to experience the sanctifying influence of the Holy Ghost in cleansing them from all sin. The cold and carnal may see nothing of importance in all this ; yea, ARRIVAL IX LINCOLN. 177 they may eaU bur meetings Bcenea of confusion ; but what of that! Where is the man filled with the spirit of the •t Master, that will not rejoice to see souls, ruined and undone by sin, made happy through faith in Christ? The angels in heaven see no disorder in a score or more of precious souls earnestly seeking salvation: the reverse is the fact. May the work commenced here be but the pre- lude to a more glorious outpouring of the Holy Ghost!" Mr. Caughey speaks of his first Sabbath as follows, in his journal : — Lincoln. — June loth, Monday morning. — Yesterday I opened my commission here, with good effect ; — a great door and an effectual seemed to be opened to me of the Lord, and at once. Many were saved. " Lord, when thou wentest out of Seir, when thou marchedst out of the field of LJdom, the earth trembled, and the heaven dropped, the clouds dropped water. The mountains melted from before the Lord, even that Sinai from before the Lord God of Israel," — or as the margin has it, " The mountains flowed from before the Lord." Judges 5: 4, 5. Oh, but it was so in a gracious degree yesterday. I am %ntertained at the mansion of Mr. Cullingham, and surrounded with comforts. Bless thou the Lord, my soul ! The Rev. Alexander Strachan is the superin- tendent ; — a congenial spirit. Afternoon. — The yoke of thought seldom sits easy on Monday. Enjoyed a sweet walk ; — much of Aristotle s opinion, that true felicity consists in the right contempla- tion of the mind ; for one's happiness much depends upon the direction taken by the thoughts. There is sound philosophy in sending them God-ivard. It is thus God and the soul are speedily brought together ; and by this means all the fruits of the Spirit are sweetly invigorated. I like the idea of him, who considered meditation as the 178 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. friend of all the graces, and the grand helper in watering all the plantation ! I had many sweet thoughts, none of which were from a joyless region ; and none were allowed any vagrancy in that direction. This is good policy for Mondays, when body and mind are enfeebled after the labour of the Sabbath. June 17. — That is a sweet text, " Rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing, and in everything give thanks" My materials thereon are capable of great expansion. That idea has a pleasing effect, — " felicities running into felicities," as drops of water, run into drops by assimila- tion, till they form a rivulet, a brook, a river, a lake, an ocean ; — drop after drop of spiritual comfort, assimilating, until the soul bathes herself in a sea of happiness ! And notes of music, running into notes, until all the air is melody : — notes of thanksgiving, running into kindred notes, till all the heart is harmony. To this add, sun- beams, assimilating with sunbeams, until all the atmosphere is sunshine ; — till all. the atmosphere of the soul is full of heavenly sunshine ! Then we rejoice evermore, and in everything give thanks I Many here are having their affections all turned into harmony by the assimilating pro- cesses of sanctifying grace ; and all the heart a hemisphere of gladdening sunshine ! Enjoyed an agreeable walk through the Old Cathedral ; — a venerable structure, frowning from " its sovereign hill." The great bell reminds of Wordsworth's lines : — " And he had been where Lincoln bell Flings o'er the fen its pondrous knell, Its far-renojm'd alarum." June 18. — " There ivas war in the gates," sang Deborah, the heroine of Israel. And why, because the people had sinned in choosing new gods ; — that brought war I Judges ARRIVAL rx LINCOLN, 170 5: S. And o how evident the jealous Gf-od has come down into Lincoln^ to turn and overturn! The flinty hearts gave way with unbelief, and tears fur- rowed hard faces ; — but here and there, 4 * One who waa Buffering tumult in bis soul, Yet failed to Beek the sure relief in prayer." The work of God kindles upon sinners here, as fire anions d rv stubble. Surely this is going to be a great work. Jesus, ride on ! June 19. — The frost-work of unbelief, and mental re- bellion, is melting down with amazing rapidity. How the living /raters flow ! I love to preach from Luke 15: 10, " Likewise I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God, over one sinner that repent ethy It fires my soul, and makes it revival all over ! I never preach from it without sucking fire out of it, and a right royal ambition to glad- den Heaven ! My soul gathers a soul-stirring divinity from the joy of angels over the repenting sinner. But how soon I am made to feel how intensely earnest is Satan in preventing the cause of this angelic delight; — showing his inextin- guishable envy and hatred not only towards man, but to- wards his former associates in glory, who, unlike him, kept their first estates ! Satan is utterly hopeless, doubtless, of ever making one among the loyal and triumphant multi- tudes of glory ! June 20. — A great move on holiness last night-; — resolved to have the two revivals go on together, — Justification and Sanctification, without which a great and permanent work of God is not to be expected. The church must keep pace with the revival, or reaction is sure to follow ; — she keeps pace with it, when trophies of sanctifying grace are as numerous as the trophies of justifying grace ! That idea 180 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. of crowning our petition by believing that we do receive, when praying for purity and perfect love, has a good effect. Solomon says, " A virtuous woman is a crown to her hus- band ;" ay ! and believing is the crown of prayer. Mark 11 : 24. Those who do not crown their prayer by believ- ing, must expect to be deficient in receiving. When we believe that we do receive that blessing for which we have prayed, this is to crown our petition ; and " crowned heads," we know, are always received with distinguished honour ! When we thus crown our petitions, God crowns them with returning blessings! So far as we can ascertain, and a strict account has been kept, about two hundred and eighty souls have been saved here since last Sabbath morning ; of w r hom one hundred and thirty are from the world, &n& fifty sanctified. It ap- pears, then, that the revival of sanctification is not keeping pace with that of justification. Afternoon. — There is great trouble among the ungodly ; — relieved somewhat by the abuse and low wit of the news- paper reporters, who seem to consider me "free game,'" quite beyond the protection of "the game laws!" — to be "shot at," or "run down" at pleasure. They belong to " the penny-a-liner" tribe; — or as one named them, "Fac- tions jaded minions, by the page paid for abuse, and oft- repeated lies." Well, poor fellows, they must live, and if my movements bring them a few more pence, to keep soul and body together, why, I must not grumble. But their talent seems to be of a low currish order, — snarling and barking at everything that is too high for them, without effecting anything ! — like the great dog Rattler at Sparkbrook House, Birmingham, who barked long and loud at a piece of wood I flung up into a tree, and which stuck fast ; — all poor Rattler could do was to bark at it, but it would not come down after all his bark- ing, and he gave it up, at length ! ARRIVAL m 1.1 V'<* N. 1 51 Evening* — A Bweet walk, pacing fco and fr<>, in a soli- tary place. I gather Strength alone, and deeper views of the deetm within. Had what Rowland 1 1 ill called u cKlttih ■ thoughts ; — climbing after God !" There are pulsations of the Spirit, which arouse to prayer instead of medita- tion Monday morning, June 22. — M The King of Glory" was with us yesterday, — " the Lord mighty in battle" Ps. 24 : S. " There fell down many slain, because the war was of God" 1 Chron. 5: 22. Of the sinners slain by " the sword of the Lord" about seventy were made alive, healed, and saved, lived and praised the wondrous Name of him who was dead and is alive again, and liveth for evermore. But some got frightened, and fled ; — as if to illustrate that precaution of our God, Exod. 13: 17, "For God said, Lest peradventure the people repent tvhen they see war, and they return to Egypt" However, they received impressions they will never forget in time or in eternity. June 23. — The ivar is " sore against the Philistines," in these days of the Son of God, when he has evidently arisen to save his Lsrael out of the hand of all their enemies. But " the Reporters for the Press" are active as wasps. — Their reports are full of misrepresentations, exclamations and protests. However, there is nothing new in all this. My first impressions of them are fully sustained; — "with- out are dogs," said the angel to John; — ay, and dogs always bark at what they cannot understand. But I have always noticed that the small cur breed are the most in- veterate and unreasonable barkers, and the hardest to be pacified, and frequently are the means of setting the larger dogs on ! — reminding one of that stanza in " The Lays of Ancient Home," — "But the vile CletuMan Utter, Raging with currish spite, Still yelp nml snap at those who run, Still run from those who smite!" 16 182 the •triumph OF TRUTn. The Psalmist exclaimed, "Dogs have compassed me." Ps. 22: 16. " Give not that which is holy unto dogs" says our Lord, they will only bark at it ! St. Paul says, "Beware of dogs" an appellation he gave to the Jews, and which the Jews had always given to the Gentiles, but which he thought the Jews had fairly merited by their continual barking at Christians ! An old writer defines the nature of such human animals thus: " They are continually returning like the snarling, ill-natured dog, to their predominant sins, barking at and tearing the characters of others, by evil speaking, back- biting and slandering !" However, this is a tax which I suppose most preachers have to pay who are successful. June 24. — Had what Baxter calls heart-searching and heart-breaking truths; and brought home in a searching, awakening, a breaking-down manner ! Surely this is a great and mighty work of God. June 25. — Light, life, love ! Armed with these in the pulpit, how suddenly are sinners moved ! Like begets like, — light, life and love spread on every side. Whereas, without these a preacher does little or nothing. But light convinces, — life awakens and secures attention ; and love melts and moves, refines and elevates. Hallelujah! CHAPTER XXIV. ADVANTAGES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF ENGLISH ME- THODISM. A LETTER. Lincoln, June 24, 1846. A great work of God in this little city of Lincolnshire ! As in Nottingham, it burst forth as an irrepressible flame, ADVANTAGES 01 1 NCLlsn M1TH0DI8M, 1 v; > ami Bpreads on every hand ! No one can doubt the pre- sence of the mighty God of Jacob. My boh! trembles and adon And could you sec the host of praying men with which 1 am Surrounded : — sturdy, cultivated, large-soulcd English talent ! What a "gathering" of them to the standard of Emmanuel, from all the plains and hills around ! To such a host, God seems as if evidently saying, " Thou art my battle axe and weapons of war. 11 Jer. 51 : 20. Wesleyan Methodism has a tremendous responsibility regarding them ; and so have Wesleyan Ministers. Such a host of talented and zealous men should always have plenty of work to do for God. They are ready for the battle of soul-saving always, and only want some one to whom they may look up, — to lead them forth to the battle- field for souls, and they would shake the trembling gates of Hell. The same may be said of " the Lord's host" in Nottingham, Birmingham, Sheffield, Huddersfield, York, kc. Woe be unto the Wesleyan Conference, should these " trained soldiers 11 [evidently trained by some faithful Abrahams, whose names are, doubtless, in the books of the Chronicles of Wesleyan Methodism, Gen. 14 : 14] have their energies turned against it, instead of against the kingdom of darkness I The Palladium of Methodism in Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Warwickshire, Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, and other shires I have visited in this kingdom, is the strenuous and determined perpetuation of that great Revival begun under the preaching of the Wesleys, and carried forward by their successors ; — and for which, it evidently appears, God has raised up such a surprising mass of sanctified talent in the laity, — Leaders and Local Preachers, and prayer leaders, especially. They are eminently fitted for the mighty work. But, alas ! should their attention be turned to other 184 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. things, through mismanagement and indifference to Revi- vals ; — should trial and temptations assail them, and these giant intellects be turned and exerted to pull down what they should build up, then woe to the Wesleyan Conference ! for they may become battle axes and weapons of war, perilous to "the ornamental glory of Methodism," as the hammers of the sturdy Dutch Protestants to the carved imagery of Popery, in and around the old Cathedral of Utrecht, in the terrible hour of retribution ; — the effects of their hammers I saw with my own eyes ; — effects from which neither Popery nor her images have ever recovered in Holland. for a voice like a trumpet to sound this warning in the ears of every member of the English Wesleyan Con- ference !— Give these men plenty to do ! Lead them forth to battle and to victory. Keep them in the field, by lead- ing them forth in a perpetual effort in soul-saving. Other- wise, and it needs no prophet's vision to foresee it, their rusty weapons, fretting and chafing in the sheath, for want of something better to do, may be turned against your- selves ! You may do something that will cause it ; which may God forbid ! But my voice cannot reach them all, and if it could, its warnings might not be appreciated. CHAPTER XXV. PREPARING TO LEAVE LINCOLN. June 26. — The greatest prudence is needed, and dis- crimination, in pressing believers to expect full salvation now, by simple faith ; — that is by believing that they do receive ; — that it may not be a dry assent ; — a believing without previous consecration, and an entire renunciation PRBPAMNG TO LBAVH LINCOLN. 185 of every tinful way : — or a believing without consequent fruit, — that is, " belie VB that you have it, and you have it," which is consummate folly and nonsense. Nay, but that you do receive it, and you shall have it" is the true Gospel direction, as a condition ; — and if you do not feel that you receive it in the moment of believing, there is either something wrong or deficient in previous preparation, or present faith. In that case, they are not to be discouraged, but re-examine themselves, and try 'in ! — and, as Mr. Fletcher directs, they are to struggle until they touch Jesus, and feel healing, comforting virtue proceeding from him; — and having found their way to Christ, they must repeat the touch, till they find that he lives in them, by the powerful operation of his loving spi- rit. Then they will say with Paul, « I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me, and the life that I noiv live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me" Saturday morning, June 27. — About to fold up my papers, and be off to Boston, a town in this county, some thirty or forty miles from here. This has been a great work for so short a time, such as Lincoln has never before witnessed. Over seventy back- sliders have been reclaimed ; more than two hundred believers have enrolled their names, to the honour of the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ, 1 John 1:7; and over three hundred sinners have been converted from the world ; — all this within the short space of two weeks ! It is, indeed, the Lord's doings, and marvellous in our eyes. A large proportion of those from the world, have joined the Wesley an Church in the city. Other denominations, doubtless, will receive some ; and the neighbouring circuits, a share of the trophies of grace. My heart says, All glory be given to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost ! Glory in the highest ! 10* 186 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. I have had a pleasant home at the mansion of Mr. Cidlingham. Rev. Mr. Strachan, the superintendent, did all in his power, to make my labours pleasant, and that the ivord of the Lord might have free course, run and be glorified. The Leaders are flames of fire. Hallelujah to G-od and the Lamb ! But the pilgrim habit is on me, and I must hasten away, — away ! ;jc ^: $: %. ^c % Cheered by a sweet letter from Nottingham, — from brother Day, a local preacher. He says. " You will be glad to learn that the good work is going on amongst u&. Had you been present to see the crowded state of our vestries and class rooms, the last several nights, and heard the experience of the 'Fathers in Israel, 1 and the 'babes in Christ,' you would have blessed God that the cloud pointed your way to Nottingham; — as one remarked, ' The Lord has not only added hundreds of new ones, but he has made the old ones all over again! 9 The last week we added to our classes thirty persons, who had found mercy during the Revival, but whose names had not been registered ; so you see we have gone beyond the two thousand. Praise the Lord ! But there are a few of the same temperament as the Old Carmelite, "looking out for facts," and resisting noonday demonstration, with a ' Well, we shall see in a feiv weeks,' — but the Lord is diminishing the number of such, — they are positively getting ashamed of the < stale expression;' others of them are confessing, si;r> with .\ CALI, to preach. 191 th< wicked man, thou ehaU ewety die'; if thou ik to warn the wicked from hie way, that wicked man shail die in /n'x iniquity ; hut hie blood will I require at thine hand* Nevertheleee, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it ; if he do not turn from his way he 1 die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul. 11 Kzek. oo : 7—9. But this is the voice of God to every man, who is sent forth to call sinners to repentance. Nor should it less affect him, than did the appearance of a spirit the alarmed friend of Job, in the midnight hour, when fear came upon him, and trembling, which made all his bones to shake ; and the hair of his flesh stood up ! Job 4 : 13-15. He whose heart has never been thus impressed with the jeopardy of a world of sinners, and whose inmost soul has never trembled under such a dread impression as the apostle felt, when he said, " A dispensation of the Gospel is com- mitted unto me ; for necessity is laid upon me ; yea, woe is unto me if I preach not the Gospel," should seriously ques- tion his call to the Christian ministry. He who has en- tered the ministry with motives which originated from other principles than the above, and whose heart continues to be unimpressed with these deep and painful convictions, has, I fear, greatly mistaken his calling ; and, should he continue to usurp the sacred office, no matter from what human source he has derived his authority, he places his own eternal salvation in fearful hazard. My mind was greatly moved, some years ago, by that awful sentiment of the Rev. Robert Hall. I have not his works at hand, but it differs little from the following : " Could we realize the calamity of a soul damned, in all its extent ; would it suffice to cover the ocean with mourn- ing, and the heavens with sackcloth? or, were the whole fabric of nature to become animated and vocal, would it be possible for her to utter a groan too deep, or a cry too piercing, to express the magnitude and extent of such a 192 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. calamity?" It was a vivid perception of the same fact, which led David Hume, the celebrated infidel, to exclaim, " The damnation of one man, is an infinitely greater evil in the universe, than the subversion of a thousand millions of kingdoms I" Dr. Doddridge, much about the same time as Hall's sentiments affected me, carried away my mind in an opposite and more pleasing direction : " The eternal salvation of one soul, is of greater importance than the temporal salvation of a whole kingdom, though it were for the space of ten thousand ages ; because there will come up a point, an instant in eternity, when that one soul shall have existed as long as the united ages of all the inhabitants of that kingdom, ranged in succession for ten thousand ages !" Another man of God entertained similar views, when he said, "For the conversion of one soul, it were worth a minister's while to have come into the world, to have lived, to have laboured, and to have died!" I remember an anecdote which is related of one of the aged bishops of the church with which I stand connected in America. On his return from one of his Episcopal visita- tions, which, at that time, reached over a vast extent of the Continent, he was informed that he had been'made the instrument in the conversion of a poor old woman who had heard him preach ; the venerable man, though worn dow^n by age, hard labour, and many infirmities, was heard to exclaim, " Glory be to God ; I will take courage and go round the Continent again!" Consider, also, the reward of the faithful and successful preacher, "Beyond conception great;" for it has been truly said of private Christians : — "How sweet the joys, the crown how bright, Of those who to thy love aspire !" How glorious, then, must the recompense be of him whj has been instrumental in turning many to righteousness ! TO ONE IMPRESSED WITH A CALL TO PREACII. 193 In every case where one sinner Is turned from the error of his ways, a soul is saved from death, and a multitude Bins are hidden. Every minister should aim at this. If I lias called him to the work, he will not be put off with ; he will pray and weep away his life, but he will pre- vail with Christ to assist him in turning "many to righte- ousness." " Many !" Many scores ! hundreds ! thousands ! ••There, is one glory of the sun,'' says St. Paul, "and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars ; for one star diftereth from another star in glory, so also is the resurrection of the dead." The same apostle, when exhorting his Thessalonian converts to faithfulness, ex- presses those remarkable sentiments: " For ivliat is our h<>pe, or joy, or crown of rejoicing ? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? For ye are our glory and joy" An eminent and success- ful minister of the gospel, in America, in the State of Maine, when lying on his death-bed, was so full of joy, that he could scarcely contain himself, and said to a bro- ther clergyman, "Oh! if ministers only knew the incon- ceivable glory that is before them, and the preciousness of Christ, they would not be able to refrain from going about, leaping, and clapping their hands for joy, and ex- claiming, " I'm a minister of Christ ! I'm a minister of Christ !" You will perceive, then, dear Sir, that, notwithstanding all the trials to which you will be exposed, if God has in- deed called you to the work of the ministry, you should be rather congratulated than pitied. If, however, the impression be only a temptation, it should rather be considered as a serious misfortune. Whe- ther it is a reality or a delusion, the consequences have already been most painful. You tell me that, in 1836, God, for the sake of Christ, pardoned your sins, and made you happy in his love ; that about six months after that 17 194 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. joyful event, you received into your heart a deep convic- tion that God had called you to preach the Gospel ; and that, much as you had suffered previous to your conversion, it was as nothing, when compared with the struggles which then took place within your heart, " Between a sense of duty and the fear of man ;" together with your own " con- scious unworthiness, as well as unfitness for that sacred employment." It is to be regretted, when you did attempt to call sin- ners to repentance, you had not continued to do so, until you felt your mind fully satisfied upon the subject. I re- member, very well, a period in my past history ; one, indeed, which I must ever look back upon with the deepest interest. For some time, these words were almost conti- nually upon my heart and tongue : " / am essaying to go forth." Julius Caesar, on the banks of the Rubicon, ex- claimed, " Shall I proceed or not?" He crossed the Ru- bicon, and in an incredibly short time, one million of his foes were within his grasp, and fell beneath the arm of his power. I crossed the Rubicon, and thousands fell beneath the two-edged sword of the Gospel ! You gave over too soon. If commissioned from on high, your fitness or unfitness would have been no hinderance to the putting forth of the mighty power of God. "Fear not, thou worm Jacob, thou shalt thresh the mountains" (Isaiah 41 : 14, 15,) said the Lord God to the prophet Isaiah. Could you think of a more unlikely instrument for such a purpose than a worm ? Ay, but he has pro- mised, in the context, to transform that worm into a new thrashing instrument, having teeth ; and that by it he would thrash the mountains, and beat them small, and make the hills as chaff! Let the arm of Omnipotence wield the feeblest instrument, and who dare set limits to its power ? Young Samson, single-handed and alone, with the new jaw-bone of an ass, slew one thousand Philistines, who had ■ m: [MPBE88ED WITH a CALL TO PREACH. L96 entered the field against him. One against a thousand I Hut the battle was the Lord's. When the field was won, ison Bhouted, » With the jaw-bone of an ass, h n heaps, with the jaw-bone of an ass have I slain a thousand men." 1 repeat it, you gave over too soon. From the time you past away the Gospel sword, you date, I perceive, your de- cline in religion ; you then gradually lost the life of God out of your soul, until, at length, you had totally back- slidden. I am still fearful, should the old impression, which lias again returned, abide, similar results will follow. There is, therefore, no other way for you to save your soul alive, than to obey the call, or obtain power from God (if it be a delusion) to dismiss it from your thoughts for ever. I feel for you. Seldom have I known any person succeed well, either in religion or business, with such an incubus (if I may use the phrase) resting upon the heart. It em- barrasses the operations of the mind in everything. The consequences attendant upon the non-fulfilment of such a call, both to the individual himself, and to others, are too tremendous, to suffer him to feel happy and contented, to look up to God with confidence and joy, or to pursue any calling with alacrity and delight, in direct disobedience to this secret conviction on the mind. I regret you have written with so much reserve. Have you told me all that is in your heart ? You subscribe your- self my "son in the Gospel." Why not then write more freely to your spiritual father ? It is not possible for you to write to a more deeply interested -friend in England. Let this long letter, written amidst a pressure of other imperative engagements, bear witness to my concern for your welfare. The seals to my ministry are ever dear to my heart ; they are my glory and joy, and the expected crown of my rejoicing in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. Everything that concerns them, takes a deep hold of my 190 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. heart. Please to favour me with a fuller account of your experience. If I can afford you any light as to the nature of a call from God to preach the Gospel, I shall be most happy to do so in my next. What you do must be done quickly, as I am uncertain as to the length of my stay in this town. Affectionately in Jesus, your brother, J. C. CHAPTER XXVII. TO THE SAME — A CALL TO PREACH DEFINED. Hull, March, 1844. My dear Brother : I would have answered your letter sooner had it not been for the crowd of engagements which, for some time, have pressed me on every side. I read your communica- tion w^ith close attention and deep interest. Strong as is my desire you should go forth into the vineyard of your Lord, I still feel unwilling to give judgment in the matter. Perhaps a few thoughts on what I conceive to be a " call" to preach the Gospel, may assist you. A call to the work of the ministry is a direct revelation from Heaven. This, and this only, is an indispensable requisite. A deficiency in this respect involves conse- quences the most ruinous. To enter the work of the mi- nistry with any conviction short of this, is a usurpation and direct desecration of the sacred office. That solemn declaration of St. Paul is to the point : " And no man taketh this honour unto himself but he that is called of God, as ivas Aaron." Heb. 5: 4. We read of some, in 1 Sam. 2 : 36, who asked for the priest's office, as the means of obtaining a piece of bread. When it is desired a c ILL TO PRE \'H DEI im:i>. 197 in order to obtain a "good living,* 1 it amounts to the Bame thing. Tin 4 principle is the Bame, when it is sought in prospect of ease, honour, or leisure for literary pursuits, or because the candidate has become weary of a gay and fashionable life, and sighs for solitude and seclusion from the world. Such persons are generally aware of their mo- tives at Buch a critical period in their history. They are usually conscious too, throughout their career in the minis- try, that other pursuits are better adapted to their "talent Bad feeling" than that sacred work in which they are en- jed : that, were it not for the rules of ministerial deco- rum, they would cheerfully divide their energies between those worldly pursuits and the church ; or, at once, gladly exchange their spiritual employments for any other pro- fession holding out equal or superior secular advantages. I have read of a young man who, after receiving a good education, began to think about some suitable profession. Finally, nothing seemed to be more laudable and honoura- ble than to be a minister of the Gospel. Theological studies were consequently attended to, and ecclesiastical sanctions obtained in due order. He began to preach ; but, after the novelty of his new employment had passed away, it became irksome, and he sighed for something else more congenial to his principles and habits. He then turned his attention to the study of medicine, and in due time be- came a physician. But this, too, lost its charms, and, like divinity, was thrown aside for the study of law ; in short, he was admitted to the bar, in which profession he con- tinued during the remainder of life. A friend taking oc- casion one day to ask him for an explanation of the singu- lar instability which had marked his career, he replied : " When I chose divinity, I did it because I thought the soul of more importance than the body ; but I soon found that men were more concerned about their bodies than their souls. This discovery induced me to become a phy- 198 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. sician. Continuing to make ray observations, it was not long before I learned, that whatever importance might be attached either to soul or body, people were more intent upon the gratification of their wicked tempers, than upon providing for either. This consideration led me to prefer my last occupation, that of a lawyer. And I can assure you, Sir, that so far from being deceived in my calcula- tions, I do not think I shall ever change my present pro- fession.' ' It is not difficult to discover the source from whence this gentleman derived his "call," nor the motives by which he was actuated. A man commissioned by Christ Jesus for the work of the ministry, could no more have acted thus, other things being equal, than he could have committed suicide. Had his congregation been so concerned about their souls, as to crown the messenger of the Lord with many honours ; increasing, at the same time, his income, to the utmost extent of their means ; it is probable he would have continued to manifest a concern for their souls. But, sur- mising that people generally regarded the health of their bodies more than that of their better part, he naturally concluded the calling of a physician to be at once more lucrative and honourable. Perceiving his mistake, and observing the prevalence of bad passions, and the univer- sal disposition to yield to them, the career of a lawyer presented the most likely path for the accomplishment of his purposes. The proper business of the man when a minister, was to labour day and night to awaken in the people a concern for their eternal interests. He had the means at hand to do so ; but he had no heart for the work. I question whether the gentleman had ever entertained a thought of the kind. It was not, " Woe is me, if I preaclt not the Gospel ;" but, " Woe is me, if I cannot make out to live as well by it as by any other profession." From such men, may the good Lord deliver his church ! Amen. A call TO PBBACH hi:i [NED. 199 When i man is Bet apart by the Holy Ghost to the work <>f the ministry, lie receives generally two call- ; r,/n/ call* The inward call, I would define to : — 1. Direct. 2. Indirect. 1. Direct; that is, from God himself, by the Holy Ghost. Hence the propriety of that question which is usually put to a candidate for ordination : " Do you think you are moved by the Holy Ghost to take upon you this office and ministry ?" 2. Indirect, or inferential ; that is, gracious qualifica- tions. The outward call, I would define to be : 1. Provi- dential interpositions. 2. Positive usefulness. In order that you may have clearer light upon this awfully important subject, it is necessary I should enlarge ; but it must be briefly, as the bounds of a letter, even if I had time to spare, will not allow of much amplification. 1. The inward and direct calk I define this to be, a deep and abiding impression made upon a man's heart by the Holy Ghost that he is called of God to preach the Gospel. Ordinarily, this is associated with a satisfactory consciousness that his sins are forgiven, and that he is re- conciled to God through the blood of the Lamb. This impression is sometimes imparted to the mind about the period of conversion ; more frequently, months or years afterwards. Many have felt it long before their regenera- tion. There have been instances, not a few, where indi- viduals have postponed their conversion on that single laccount. The cases are not rare, in which the call remains upon the conscience, even in a backsliding state. The " why and wherefore 1 connected with such peculiar periods of this manifestation of the Spirit is not for man to know ; as "it is not for" us "to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in his own power." Acts 1 : 7. Much may depend upon the temperament of the individual ; 200 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. the constitution of Ids mind ; his age ; education ; in which I include, not literary acquirements merely, but self-know- ledge, and a proper degree of acquaintance with spiritual things ; the work to which he is called in the church ; pecu- liar talents; the temptations to which he is or may be exposed ; the willingness or disinclination he may feel to obey the call ; to which, perhaps, we may add, the deter- mined length of his mortal existence. In some, the call is little more than a solitary idea in th£ mind ; it abides there, and seems, in fact, to form a part of the mind itself, or thinking faculty ; but without creating any serious trouble or uneasiness. To such, it is rather pleasing than otherwise. The mind remains quiet and passive, because there stands associated with the idea, another impression, — the time is not yet, — " Tarry ye in Jerusalem until ye be endued with power from on high." This seems to be the voice of the Spirit. It is not uncom- mon for such persons to be startled at finding themselves in the act of dividing and subdividing a text ; nor unu- sual to feel a glowing zeal enkindle within the heart, along with an accession of new ideas, which rush in troops into the mind ; nor to imagine that they see before them a large and deeply attentive congregation, moved, broken, melted down under the power of truth. This is a visita- tion of the Spirit ; it is a vision of glory ; but, like the fitful gleams of lightning upon an evening sky, such mani- festations appear, and as quickly disappear, leaving the mind sombre, thoughtful, melancholy. Nor is it unusual for such persons to dream they are in the act of preaching the Gospel ; nor to be awakened by a powerful excitement, either from a sense of being straitened in the delivery of the message, or from the presence of a very large or small congregation ; by finding an audience hard, or greatly aifected ; leaving the house displeased ; or, by hearing many sinners ciying aloud for mercy. The loss of a text A <\\u. XO PBBAOXl DEFINED. 201 from the memory, or the no1 being able to find it, or eyen the Bound of his own voice, has awakened the dreamer; when, behold! it was only a dream ! It is with such indi- viduals, not unfrequently, in the public assembly, in the n^eeting set apart for exhortation and prayer, as with young Samson, -When the Spirit of Gf-od began to move hint at times in the camp of Dan between Zorah and Esh- tool." Judff. 13 : 25. " He who is called to instruct souls,'' says one of the old divines, " is called of God, and not by his own ambition ; and what is this call, but an inward incentive of love, soliciting us to be zealous for the salva- tion of our brethren ? So often as he who i.s engaged in preaching the word, shall feel his inward man to be excited with divine affections, so often let him assure himself that 1 is there, and that he is invited by him to seek the good of souls." In others, however, the call is imperative and imme- diate. The mind is arrested and commanded by a power that is invisible. Hell, with its horrors ; heaven, with its glories ; the soul, with its impending destinies ; sin, and its penalties ; Jesus Christ, and his bloody agonies ; the law of God, with its dreadful sanctions ; redemption, with its involving responsibilities ; and poor lost sinners, with all their appalling jeopardies ; — all — all these things are spread before the mind daily, accompanied with one all- absorbing conviction, " A dispensation of the Grospel is com- mitted unto me; woe is unto me if I preach not the Gospel" 1 Cor. 9 : 16, 17. To such, the word of the Lord is often made a reproach ; many deride their testimony; many defame: " Report," say they, "and we will report it." There is fear and trouble on every side. So it was with Jeremiah the prophet ; and should any such say with him, "Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name ;" alas! he will soon feel, that the burning, or agony 202 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. within, will soon become more intolerable than all the per- secutions which devils and men could raise against him ; — "but," said Jeremiah, " his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones , and I was weary wit ft forbearing, and I could not stay," Jerem. 20: 8 — 10. Let him proceed in the face of all opposition, — in the streets, fields, hedges, lanes, and highways, delivering his message, and soon, very soon, he shall be able joyfully to declare with the same prophet, "But the Lord is with me as a mighty, terrible one; therefore my persecutors shall stumble, and. they shall not prevail: they shall be greatly ashamed; for they shall not prosper : their everlasting con- fusion shall not be forgotten." The inward call, in another mind, may resolve itself into a willing, cheerful, active, obedient principle. The mind is habitually in the mood subjunctive : — " If the Lord has called me to work for him, I am willing to go to the ends of the earth; let him only open my way." This is the constant language of .the heart. In the mean time, the person is active for God now ; nor does he idly wait for some great door to be opened, that he might accomplish some wonderful achievement in the conversion of many thousands of sinners ; nor does he desire to pass, by a single step, from being a private member, to the position of a regularly ordained minister. He begins immediately, and, at every proper opportunity, exhorts his fellow-sinners to turn to God. It matters not with him, whether the next company he shall meet may amount to two, a dozen, a score, or a hundred; he determines they shall hear the truth, if by any means he may save some. He has begun to do the work of his Master ; uncertain, it may be, as to what station he is called to occupy in the church, — whether as a local preacher, or as an ordained minister. Nor does he allow this to trouble him. He concerns not himself one moment whether he is to be a hewer of wood or a A CALL To IMILACII DEFINED. 203 drawer of Water; whether hifl Lord hafl ordained 1 1 i 111 to be a reesel ^( gold, or of silver, or of earth. He aims at holiness to the Lord in everything; knowing well that if lie obtain and retain this, lie shall be a vessel unto honour, and meet for his Master's use, prepared unto every good wnrk. 2 Tim. 2: 19—21, His heart is filled with right- eousness and overflowing love. Perishing sinners engross his tenderest compassion. He would do any tiling, within the circle of his power, to save them. But love gives speed to his ehariot wheels; — or, rather, he is borne upward and along on the wings of faith and love, restlessly desiring and rigorously pursuing the salvation of all around him. 2d. But, you will inquire, " What do you mean by the indirect call?" I mean, it is inferential ; and is evidenced by certain qualifications. These are of a three-fold nature ; — gracious, — natural, — acquired. 1. Gracious qualifica- tions ; remission of sins, through faith in Christ ; the direct witness of the Spirit to his adoption ; (Rom. 8 : 16 ;) the possession of purity of heart, or a hungering and thirsting of soul after that blessing ; deadness to the world ; strong desires for the salvation of sinners ; and entire devoted- ness to God. 2. Natural qualifications ; — a sound judgment, or good common sense ; a retentive memory ; ready utterance ; lively sensibilities ; a good voice ; distinct enunciation ; absence of any disgusting deformity of body ; a mind un- embarrassed by erroneous and anti-scriptural opinions ; a thirst for knowledge ; and a quenchless desire for the con- version of sinners. 3. Acquired qualifications ; — a cultivated mind ; if skilled in the dead languages, the better ; but well educated in the Holy Scriptures, and stored with the wealth of English literature ; not a novice in the things of God, or of human nature, but possessed of an accurate know ledge of both ; an intimate acquaintance with real life, — not merely with 204 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. the characters and employments, &c, of literary men, but with the peculiarities connected with the every-day life of the masses of the population. 3d. By the outward call to the work of the ministry, I mean, 1. Providential interpositions ; such as an open door for usefulness ; a call from that portion of the church of which he is a member, the confidence and affection of the people of God, freedom from those embarrassments which would prevent attendance to the "call;" such as, 1st, being in debt without ability to pay ; 2d, the encum- brance of weighty responsibilities in business ; 3d, a wife and family. The first would involve the credit of religion ; the second would tend greatly to unfit the mind for habits of close thinking, and much prayer ; both of which are essential to success in preaching the Gospel ; the third would disqualify him, at least, from entering the regular ministry among the Wesleyan Methodists. 2. Positive usefulness is a mark of the outward call. Has he been instrumental in the awakening and conversion of sinners, or in the reclaiming of backsliders? Have his labours been rendered a blessing to the souls of God's people ? These, dear Sir, are my views, as it regards the inward and outward call to preach the Gospel. I would enlarge, but other engagements prevent. If the above remarks assist you, in any degree, in arriving at a correct conclusion, I shall feel truly happy. I remain, in Jesus Christ, your sincere friend, J. C. Tin; DISCOURAGED RNCOl [I AG ED. 2)5 CHAPTER XXVIII. TO TllK SAME. — THE DISCOURAGED ENCOURAGED. Hull, March, 1844. Pear Brother : I am not surprised that your tender conscience has taken the alarm, nor that you have been led to exclaim, - Who is sufficient for these things?" To this I reply: « He tcho is called of God, as ivas Aaron" to him will be given every necessary qualification. Whom Christ ordains, he qualifies ; nor will there be any injurious delay in the acquisition of such a preparation when the Holy Ghost has become his tutor. Let the individual be a co-worker with God ; let him maintain a single eye and a willing mind, and that mighty hand, which upholds and guides the luminaries of heaven in their courses, will not only qualify him to be a "burning luminary ,, to chase away "the gloom of hellish night," but, if faithful, "his path- way along the sky" of the church, shall be steady as the ascending sun, as he advances to the meridian of his glory and usefulness. It was not my intention in my last letter, to " discour- age' you, or to throw any obstacles in your way. You desired a plain and faithful statement of what I considered " a call to preach the Gospel" to be ; together with "quah- fi<' originate from other causes than cither a closed r the absence of positive usefulness. There may be an unwillingness to obey the inward call. Jesus Christ may have turned this rod of God, wherewith lie may yet perform mighty signs and wonders among Egyptian sin- ners, into a serpent; and as he is fleeing before it like Moses, God may compel him to take it by the tail. Exod. 4 : 4. lie may have a hand as ready to wield the axe or the hammer, the pen or the pencil, as that of Moses to sway the shepherd's crook, while he is unwilling to wield the rod of God's power, for the deliverance of redeemed lis from a bondage worse than that endured by the Israelites under the Egyptian tyrant. Like Moses, too, he may be commanded to put that hand into his bosom, having nothing for it to do, and when he would do some- what in the way of business, he finds, on drawing it from the place of idleness and disobedience, it is " leprous as snow .'" Active he would be, but not in God's way; therefore, his customers are elsewhere ; no one will em- ploy his offered hand ; or, if employed, it is soinehow T good for nothing: " Leprous as snow." Exod. 4 : 6. If he attempt, like Jonah, to fly into a strange country from the presence of the Lord, he may well adopt, on set- ting out, the language of one of old: "If I, like Jonah, dd run from thy presence, as unwilling to deliver thy ■. I must expect a storm to follow me, and either the waves to swallow me up, or the whale to swallow me down.*' He will soon find himself in a sea of troubles , out of which human help will be powerless to extricate him. ;i cases, Sir, are by no means rare; they are awfully numerous. I am persuaded, from many facts, which I cannot now enumerate, that the grand secret of the misfortunes of a large number of persons lies here. 18* 210 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. This, however, can only be determined by the individual himself. "For" says the apostle, "what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him?''' The secret lies concealed in his own bosom, and unfolds itself in a conviction of duty, which cannot be dis- missed nor overlooked. St. Paul might well announce the "woe' that awaited him, if he preached not the gospel : " Yea, woe is unto me if I preach not the Gospel!" Ah! the congregation are little aware, when they see a man stand up in the pulpit to declare the message of God, how many tears he has shed, how many painful struggles he has endured, before his pale face dared to appear in a place so awful and so sacred ! Such trials as I have alluded to, do not, however, always arise from a disinclination to obey the call. There may be a willingness without a w r ay ; he may, for a long period., be hedged in on every side, while he is all the while dis- tressed with many and sore temptations ; — tried as by fire. But all this may be only a part of that moral discipline, which his Lord and Master judges expedient that he should endure. It is painful, but essentially necessary, perhaps, to future usefulness. God designated Moses, and set him apart to accomplish that wonderful achievement, the eman- cipation of the Israelites from a long and degrading slavery. He made the attempt at an early period of his history, but it was premature, and failed. He was, at that time, it is most probable, lacking both in coinage, self-knowledge, and humility. Pusillanimity, ignorance, or pride, might possibly have ruined him and his cause, had the Lord em- ployed him then. But he allowed him to be hurried out of Egypt, and away into a waste howling wilderness. In the capacity of an humble shepherd, feeding sheep, not his own ; surrounded, perhaps, with many perils which nerved his soul with courage. There he was tried, and Till] CALL KLSISTKD. 211 nunililoi. Forty years long was the Almighty engaged in training this remarkable person for the mighty and im- portant work to which he was called. When Hilly pre- pared, and not one hour sooner, God commissioned him from a bush inflames, yet unconsumed, and sent him forth to endure hardness, as a good soldier of his God, to meet the scowl of Pharaoh and his host, with a courage un- daunted by all the terrors of his power. You know the Bequel ; courageous in the greatest perils, faithful amidst the fiercest and most alluring temptations, humble when crowned with the highest honours ever conferred upon man, he liberated an entire nation of people from the grasp of their oppressors, led them forth through that very ivilder- ness which he himself had long ago traversed as a lonely shepherd, and brought them to the borders of the promised land. Like that bush which he saw unconsumed in flames, he still retained his youthful vigour, though at the ad- vanced age of one hundred and tw T enty years ; his eye had not waxed dim, nor had his natural strength abated, wdien God " kissed his raptured soul away," from Pisgah's lofti- est summit. At an earlier period in our world's history, we discover a youthful Joseph. How repeated and striking w T ere the intimations given him from Heaven, that he was called to perform some important work ! But his God allowed him to be let down into the horrible pit and miry clay, even by his own brethren. Rescued from thence, he was sold by them into Egypt. The future saviour of Egypt, of the world, in a temporal sense a slave ! Behold him, by the false testimony of a lewd and lying woman, cast into a gloomy prison. When well humbled, trained, and tried of the Lord, the Lord of Hosts brought him forth by a way of his own choosing, and exalted him to a station in Egypt, only second to that of the kin . 218 that he himself hath Buffered?) being tempted, he U able alto nr tin in that are tempted.*' llel>. 2; 17, 18. The same apostle, it appears, assigned to the various tribula- tions lie had endured, his own ability to sympathize with those who were in any trouble : " Blessed be God, even the \tker of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; who comforteth us in all our tribu* latioti, that ice may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God." 2 Cor. 1: 3, 4. It it likely a poet refers to the same, where he says, — M Among my list of blessings infinite, L'jt this stand foremost, that my heart has bled." A heathen poet, too, was not backward to acknowledge the good effects arising from his own personal distresses : — 11 For I myself, like you, have been distress'd, Till heaven afforded me this place of rest ; Like you, an alien in a land unknown, I learn to pity woes so like my own." In great haste, I am yours in Christ, J. C. CHAPTER XXX. TO THE SAME. — PATHS TO USEFULNESS. Hull, April, 1844. Dear Brother, You have not informed me whether you are married. If so, that debars you from entering the ministry in the Wes- leyan Connexion ; as they receive none but single men as candidates for ordination. The reasons are, I believe, chiefly of a financial character. 1st. As a safeguard to 214 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. Conference funds. This is considered a matter of justice to old ministers ; as those who have borne the burden and heat of the day, should have the first claim to these funds. 2d. In order to render the support of the more youthful part of the ministry as light as possible to the church. Justice to the church, is the argument for this ; as a young man is not usually so well qualified to do the church that service, which a minister of waturer talents is capable of performing ; therefore, the expenses should be rendered as light as the nature of the case will admit of, during the first few years of his ministry. 3d. Justice to the candi- date himself, both as it regards his studies and his talents ; both may be improved to far greater advantage, when the individual is unmarried, than when embarrassed with the cares of a family. After " travelling'' a certain number of years, he may marry. There have been some excep- tions, in particular cases, but it is seldom the Wesleyan authorities deviate from their general rule. On the pro- priety of this rule, or whether it does not deprive the church of talents which would repay her for any additional expense she might incur, were there a little more latitude al- lowed in the reception of married men, it is not for me to decide. I only state the plain facts of the case, for your information and guidance. If you are married, or "engaged" to be married, there are three other doors, either of which may open. 1st. You can turn your attention to the ministry of another church. 2d. If you cannot conscientiously do this ; you may offer yourself as a local preacher in the Wesleyan church. 3d. If this seems against the order of God, emigrate, with your wife, to America, where a door may possibly open for you to enter the ministry of the Methodist Episcopal Church. I say not, for a certainty, that you will be received there ; but, other things being equal, and your family not too large, your being married will not be an insurmountable PATHS TO I SE] i i-M 58. "21T) obstacle. A- I have already hinted, I shall not insure your reception^ or whether it would be immediate, Much would depend upon the nature of your talent$ : education, and usefulness. Besides, your age, and the state of your health, would be a consideration ; and whether it would be likely your constitution would bear the effects of the American climate. Were you to become an acceptable local preacher in England, it would be an additional recommend- ation in America, while it would afford you an advantageous introduction to the pulpits of our church in that country. Whatever may be your future destiny in Methodism, vnii must remember, our ministry is not to be approached hut by a certain path; — it is not to be arrived at but by certain steps. I shall say nothing here of literary and other qualifications ; but, the steps are, 1st. Member- ship ; — a man must become a member of a church, before he can be considered one of her regular ministers. 2d. An exhorter. He who will become a good preacher, must understand first, how to move men by exhortation. It is one of the first marks of a call to preach, — this sort of out-bursting of the burdened heart, in exhorting lost sin- ners to flee from the wrath to come. He who never felt anything of this before his ordination, should, unless a wonderful change has come over the feelings of the man, question greatly whether God ever called him to the work of the ministry. 3d. A local preacher. Sometimes the office of a class-leader is a providential step, either between being a private member, and an exhorter, or between that of an exhorter and a local preacher. This is not, how- ever, absolutely necessary. A local preacher has no claim to any salary from the church. It is understood, he may pursue any lawful calling through the w T eek, and preach the Gospel on the Sabbath, or any time in the week, where the preacher in charge, or Superintendent, may direct. Xor should he, or the people to whom he ministers, con- 216 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. sider this circumstance any disqualification ; as an apostle, for a considerable time, earned his bread at a certain law- ful trade, and preached the Gospel without charge. 4th. A preacher on trial, under the direction of Conference. 5th. An ordained minister. Now, it is for want of properly observing these import- ant steps, or gradations into our ministry, that many allow themselves to be long and sorely buffeted by Satan. I have found numbers who were distressed beyond measure, that they could not be allowed to enter the ministry by a single step. Again and again they have made efforts, and have been repulsed ; and, after wearing out the patience of others, as well as their own, they have either backslidden from God altogether, or have left the church, or mourned and wept, and brooded over the matter in secret places, till health has been ruined, and consequently unfitted for the great work to which God may have possibly called them. Poor souls ! I have compared them to a man standing at the bottom of a ladder, with an eye of despair intently fixed upon the topmost round ; exclaiming, as he gazes upon the desirable position : " It is absolutely neces- sary, for the accomplishment of the work I have to do, I should ascend ; but to step from the foot of tins ladder, to the top, is utterly impossible ; therefore, I may as well abandon the idea altogether. My master requires a hard thing." He may well be discouraged, so long as he con- templates to go up by one step. But, let him take one step at a time, beginning with the first round, then the second, and the third, and so he will find the task quite agreeable and easy. Allow me, then, to give you the same advice I have offered to others under similar circum- stances. Whether you are called of God or not, to preach the Gospel, I cannot determine. This is a matter that lies between God and your own conscience. If he has called you to the work, his mighty arm will make a way PATHS TO O&EFULNESS. 217 for you to enter into it. Expect not, hbwever, some miraculous interposition, by which your way will be opened by a single step; — I mean, to pass at once, from the posi- ; of a private member to that of a minister. The history of the church, is, indeed, not without instances of this sort. Ambrose, if 1 remember aright, was elected bishop by the authorities of Milan, before he had entered any pulpit, or preached a single sermon. He became, not only a bishop, but a laborious and successful minister of our Lord Jesus Christ. We do not hear of any similar instance now T , nor is it desirable we should; — I speak with reverence of pro- vidential dispensations; but had not the church of Milan been in a - wrangling state" at that time, the Lord would have, no doubt, called Ambrose into the ministry by other and regular steps. You must first exercise your gifts in exhorting sinners to repentance. The next step is, that of a regular local preacher ; thence to the itinerancy. Beware of misunderstanding your call. There are many, I verily believe, who enter the ranks as local preachers, who never should have left the ranks of exhorters ; others there are who step into the work of the regular ministry, who were never called of God to go higher than the local ranks. At the same time, I believe it equally true, that many remain exhorters, who should be local preachers, and not a few T continue local, who should itinerate. Now r these, I consider, are great evils, and should be avoided by every man who expects to save his soul alive. In either ease, the injustice done to the church, as well as to the individual himself, is of a most serious character. He inflicts an injury on the body of Christ, and upon his own soul, with which the Holy Ghost cannot but be grieved. My advice, then, is, ponder every step well. If the Spirit of God move you, and your heart burns for the salvation of sinners, begin immediately. Confer not with flesh and blood. Exhort all around you to turn to God. 19 218 THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH. Fast) pray, weep, and agonize ; wield the sword of the Spirit, as God gives ability. Embrace every proper oppor- tunity to do all the good you can, both to the bodies and souls of men. Go not to this and the other friend, sounding your own trumpet, and declaring yourself called to preach. Let them find that out. Make full proof of your call to the ministry, " By deeds of noble daring." Be careful for nothing. Aim at the conversion of sinners. Grapple with their consciences by the might of Heaven. If your call be from God, sinners will fall before you. Expect all manner of evil to be said of you, both by lukewarm, and even prudent and good men, and by a wicked world. Be patient, humble, holy, loving, kind, and happy. A year may pass away thus ; perhaps two ; if longer, why should you care, seeing that God himself is blessing your labours ? Perhaps you can do far more good now, than w T hen the time shall arrive when you are burdened by the cares and anxieties of a pastor. Value your privileges and improve them. Your brethren may be slow to believe. It may be some time before they will say, " Come up higher." You may even meet with opposition from quar- ters you do not expect. Your motives may be questioned, and your zeal censured. Regard it not. Press forward. Let your heart be filled w r ith pure love. Beware of fret- fulness, and of a censorious spirit. Be teachable. Re- ceive advice ; weigh it well, let it come from whom it may. Let conscience and judgment speak ; watch effects ; prove all things ; holdfast that which is good. If honour come, receive it as from God, and be humbled. Honour shall come ; for " they that honour me, shall be honoured," is the decision of God himself. And again : " He that wait- eth upon his Master, shall be honoured." Pant not after popularity, or after any kind of notoriety whatever. If it come, let it come ; but let it not be of your own seek- ing ; do not run after it. Let it rather arise out of cir- PATHS T(. ISLFl'LXESS. 218 evmst&neefl ove* which you have no control ; from tlie character and stifle of your preaching and movements, which yon feel you cannot conscientiously alter; and from the mighty power of God displayed in the conversion of sinners. 1 say again, expect persecution. Meet it all in the spirit of love; but abate not, in the least, your zeal and efforts for God. Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that God's house may be filled. In due time the authorities of your church will acknowledge you, and honour the grace of God in you. They will take you by the hand, and place you by divine direction, in that position in the church to which you are called ; if not, that God, whose you are, and whom you serve, will open your way, though, in doing it, he may lay opposers in the dust. If you approve of these remarks, receive and act upon them, and God, even your own God, will bless you; That he may bless, keep, and guide you into all his will, is the prayer of one who was once but a private member of the church ; then, a fiery exhorter, without license or autho- rity ; then a licensed exhorter ; next, a local preacher ; then, a preacher on trial, subject to the will of Conference ; and lastly, an ordained minister of the Methodist Episco- pal Church of America. James Caughey. CONTINENTAL LETTERS. Rev. JAMES CAUGHEY. 19 » (221) We noticed these letters in our Introduction to the pre- sent volume. Mr. Caughey made two extensive tours through various countries in Europe. His observations during his first tour are embraced in the following Letters ; which the reader will find entertaining and instructive. (223) CONTINENTAL LETTERS. LETTER I. TO A FRIEND IN ENGLAND. Rotterdam, September 15, 1843. Dear Sir : According to promise, I snatch a few moments to inform you of my safe arrival in Holland. On the evening of the day I bade you farewell at Leeds, my friend, the Rev. Israel Holgate, and I sailed from Hull in the steamer Emerald Isle, for this port. We walked the deck till nearly midnight, and many and varied were our emotions when losing sight of old England. A heavy swell setting into the mouth of the Humber, sent us to our berths, to avoid further trouble. There we lay, during eighteen hours, sick enough. The weather was fine, with a light breeze ahead, but the swell was exceedingly annoying. A- usual, 1 was forced to acknowledge the power of my old enemies outside ; at last they bankrupted me com- pletely, having nothing wherewith to pay the demand which came upon me so unmercifully. " Misery loves company,'' says the old proverb. I wonder whether the wise head that invented it, was ever aboard a reeling vessel, himself sick, and twenty or thirty (225) 226 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. mouths, as wide open as his own, declaring most vocifer- ously, and with floods (not of tears), that they neither could nor would "stomach such affronts/ ' We had not, I am thankful to say, so many companions in misery ; but one poor fellow, who had just obtained a breathing spell, inquired, " Steward, how long before we reach the coast of Holland ?" " In about six hours, Sir." " Ah !" he for- lornly exclaimed to himself, " have we yet six hours to suffer !" Sea sickness is a severe affair. This morning, when we came on deck, we found ourselves in the entrance of the river Maze or Meuse. Soon after, our steamer entered a large ship canal, eight miles long. The wheels were kept in easy motion, lest the agitated waters should wear away the banks ; but a rope from the mast, attached to six horses, gave us the speed allowed by the authorities. We saw little to interest us along this canal, except the singular constructions for the defence of the banks, espe- cially near the locks. These are faggots, instead of hewn stone, laid one upon another, bound together by withy twigs, and the whole finished off with a rope of the same material. Little Dutch beggars kept pace with the vessel, pleading zealously, in a singing tone, and in their own language, for an alms. If their heavy wooden clogs entangled them in running for pennies thrown ashore, none cared to throw them off, even though a mortifying tumble allowed a more fortunate neighbour to seize the prize. Our pilot was a Dutchman, and more sociable than we generally find "the man at the helm." In language part Dutch and part English, he proceeded to lay before me things which it was proper I should know about Holland, and among the rest, her pilots ; but then, of all that craft, most of the talent was condensed in himself; that he was remarkable as a steersman, and preferred always to grasp the helm himself, rather than give orders ; adding, that it 1*0 a PftUEKD in i..\< i.\M). 227 uas n q uncommon thing to run the vessel into the bank, but that no accident had ever occurred to him vet. In due time we emerged out of the canal into another branch of the Maze. The steamer ran up the river nobly, till within six miles of Rotterdam, when, alas for our pilot I lie ran the vessel on a sand-bank. Poor man, he uas sadly humbled, though none heard our conversation but myself. His face reddened to a coal, and in the midst of the excitement, he tried all his ingenuity to get her off, but in vain. He scarcely knew what to do with himself, till one or two pilot-boats came alongside, and we had a full Dutch concert, which ended, I believe, in a greater harmony of opinion, than when it began ; — in full accordance with the decision of Quintilian : — " A pilot cannot be denied his lawful plea, dum clavum rectum teneam ; though the ship be cast away and drowned, he is not to make satisfaction, so long as he held the stern right, and guided it by the compass." Captain and passengers were overpowered into a sullen silence by the men of sci- ence outside, who decided unanimously in favour of their brother pilot, and against the prevalence of easterly w T inds, which had run the river down with the tide, unusually low ; no vessel having in the memory of man gone aground in the same place. It was then agreed we should be set a>hore in the small boats, and our pilot, relieved from his embarrassment, resolved to see us ashore, and show us at least his skill among the reeds and rushes of a winding creek. In a short time, headed by the captain, we were footing it along one of the lofty dykes towards Rotterdam. We met a company of Dutch ladies, who eyed our party very closely, and removing to a prudent distance, they raised a hearty laugh at our expense. Some of the com- pany returned the compliment, considering their clumsy and grotesque appearance in far greater contrast with English ladies, than ours could possibly be with Dutchmen. 228 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. Our walk was delightful ; never have I breathed so sweet or balmy an atmosphere. At Schiedam we took the dili- gence, and arrived at Rotterdam about one o'clock, p. M., just forty-two hours from Hull. After dinner, we visited the old Cathedral, or Church of St. Lawrence. It was once a Romish church, but is now devoted to the services of the reformed religion, and of course all the fripperies of popery have happily disap- peared. From the summit of the tower, a large square mass, with bold projections, and an unfinished and ruin- ous top, w^e had a most commanding view. Standing as we were in the centre of South Holland, our eye, the day being very clear, swept an amazing circle ; nearly the whole of South Holland. The cities of Dort, Delft, The Hague, and numerous villages, lay around us, with exten- sive canals, and winding rivers, of various sizes. Rotterdam in its glory lay beneath, in the form of a triangle. Its canals, like arteries running through the centre of great streets, bordered with lofty trees ; — oaks, elms, and lime-trees, all clothed in the greenest foliage, and most of the shipping interspersed in every direction through the city ; these, with the smaller canals, which we compared to veins, and the draw-bridges, white and ele- vated, gave to the town an effect beautifully picturesque. The interior of the Cathedral is plain to excess, but noble in design, with a "vaulted roof that seemed another sky." The organ is a powerful and rich-toned instrument, and the largest I have ever seen; intended, it is said, to rival that of Haarlem, but it is considered* in that respect, a failure. The pulpit is a pretty structure, with a sounding board, in the centre of which are two lamps ; the light streaming down through a circular transparency upon the Bible, must have a very fine effect at night. This evening, we walked down to the quay, in expecta- tion of the arrival of our steamer, with the baggage. These ro I ii;h:m' in kME&lOA. 229 i&boatfl have not been more perplexing to the Dutch pilots, by the rapidity of their motions, than the oddity of the name to Duteh linguists. The men of otlier nations hailed the "self-moving wonder" with delight, and in- .rtively named it "steamboat;" the Hollanders were in a plight with their language, finding no adjective therein, for so noble a noun, but ruik or damp; and were com- pelled to coin a word, aided by a side glance at the Eng- lish, and called it a stoom boat. The Germans were more independent, and launched out a Dampfschiff! The stoom ' at last came up, and we had our luggage conveyed to the hotel. My bouI enjoys great peace and rest in the love of God. Affectionately vour brother in Jesus Christ our Lord, J. C. LETTER II. TO A FRIEXD IN AMERICA. The Hague, Holland, (Saturday night,) September 18, 1843. Dear Sir, My last was dated in Leeds, in which I informed you of my intention to visit Holland, and a few other nations the Continent of Europe; which you will perceive was put into Bpeedy execution, as I left the shores of England before that letter started for America. Providence kindly favoured me with the company of the Rev. Israel Holgate, a Wesleyan minister, who is travel- ling for the benefit of his health. I think it proper to mention this now, as the word we r may occur very often in this communication. It is a very 20 230 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. significant little pronoun, and when unexplained, rather a suspicious one, when found in the descriptive peregrina- tions of a bachelor cosmopolite ! We sailed from Hull by a steamer, on the 13th instant, and arrived at Rotterdam yesterday. Rotterdam is situated on the right bank of the softly flowing river Maze. The city is built in the form of a triangle, the base being the grand Quay, extending nearly a mile. This Quay is called Boomtjes, or "the little trees ;" — not little now, as they are the growth of centuries ; — fine rows of lofty elms, which shade the entire extent. We only spent about twenty hours in Rotterdam ; but, with the ex- ception of a short time in sleep, we were on our feet, per- ambulating the streets in all directions, inspecting every- thing that was new and interesting. The streets are neatly paved, and are perfectly clean ; but the side-walks are irk- some to a stranger. They are made of thin brick, called clinkers, set edgeways ; this is well enough, but they are narrow, and on a level with the street, and no defence for the foot passenger, against the encroachment of carriage w T heels, which are whirling past a few inches from his un- protected feet. Rotterdam contains a population of seventy-five thou- sand souls, is considered only second to Amsterdam, and the most important place in all the northern Netherlands. There is the appearance of wealth, both in the size and finish of the buildings. The streets are generally w T ide and elegant, but nearly all divided into two, by a large canal, bordered with luxuriant trees, and crowded with shipping ; along them is an incessant bustle. The houses are mostly modern ; many of them quaint and singular in architecture ; not a few are Spanish in style. They are principally of brick, and the perpetual washings they receive daily, with mopping and scrubbing, have imparted to them a dark polish, which looks on the I'm a FRIEND !X AMERICA. 231 trbole rather pretty. A gentleman mi^lit well remark, - The houses «>f these Dutchmen are as neat, externally, lint and water can make them." It is Baid they are AOt in the interior. We were informed, that such is th«' polish given to the floors, by continual scrubbing, that a stranger cannot walk upon them without danger of an upset. We ran, however, no risk of that kind, as there was nothing of the sort very remarkable in our hotel. Rotterdam is certainly the cleanest place I have ever visited, and presents a wonderful contrast to the stagnant canals of this Hague. The effluvium is sometimes almost unbearable. There are several circumstances which secure to Rotter- dam constant purity of atmosphere. 1st, The Maze spreads through the city several creeks ; these communicate w r ith smaller canals, which intersect the town. 2d, The ebbing and flowing of the tide, which keeps all these arteries and veins clear and pure. 3d, The little river Rotte insists upon a passage through the very heart of the city. The Hague is destitute of such physic, and nothing but trie providence of God can preserve the inhabitants from an annual epidemic. Almost every house in Rotterdam is accommodated with single or double looking-glass reflec- tors, placed outside the first floor window, by which the good ladies inside may have a full view of the entire street, and every object which honours it with a visit. You are aware that Rotterdam is the native city of Erasmus. Near the Cathedral is the house in which he resided. In a niche between two windows, in* the upper tier, is a small statue of him, under which is the following inscription, Hcec est parva domus magnus qud natus Eras- mus. Strange as it may appear, this house is now a petty tavern. From our rooms in the hotel, we noticed another fine bronze statue of this eminent man. It is ten feet high, 232 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. and stands upon a pedestal encompassed with an iron bal- ustrade. What the motive could be which led them to place this grave divine on the centre of a bridge, amid the bustle of the great market-place, we did not learn ; per- haps to stimulate the traders to honesty and religion, by a remembrance of his virtues and piety. The Reformer is represented in a flowing ecclesiastical costume, his head covered with a three-cornered hat, and eyes intently fixed upon a large open volume, spread across his hands, as a representative, we were informed, of the ten folios he had written. Two hundred and twenty-one years have passed away since this monument was erected to his memory ; and cast, as it was, from a model taken during the conflict of the Reformation, it may be considered a good likeness. Approaching the statue, and looking upon those fine expressive features, we revered the memory of one, to whose talents, learning, and zeal, after all that has been said of his w T avering timidity, our Protestantism is so greatly indebted. He w T as Luther's forerunner, and broached those great principles which afterwards animated that illustrious Re- former. Boldly, by the eloquence of pen and tongue, did he attack the errors and superstitions of the Church of Rome, and even the tyranny, ambition, avarice, impious frauds, and excesses of the Roman clergy, before Luther had dared to throw down the gauntlet of defiance against Pope and Popery. Hence the homely, but very old adage, " Luther hatched the egg which Erasmus had laid." When the former began his career, Erasmus applauded his conduct, defended his character, and insisted that his writings should be combated by Scripture and solid argu- ment, instead of suppression by a fierce ^authority. His position, however, between the bitter Papists on the one hand, and ardent Reformers on the other, was most em- barrassing. With the latter he had sentiments perfectly PO \ PRIEND in \m!t;«\ 288 Bimilar; but shrank from their violent hostilities against the Church of Rome. When urged to espouse fcheir cause, he candidly confessed his want of courage to die a martyr ; and when hotly pressed to wield his pen against the here- l, he replied, « Nothing is more easy than to call Luther a blockhead ; nothing less easy than to prove him one ; at least so it Beems to me." Being naturally cautious and timid, the very opposite of Luther's impetuous and undaunted temperament, fearing persecution, and hoping, at the same time, for a reforma- tion by gentler methods, he graduated from recommenda- tions to moderation, into an opposition which excited the alarm of even Luther himself. "We saw," says Luther, in a spirited letter to Erasmus, at this juncture, — "We saw the Lord had not conferred on you the discern v. • out and resolution to join us, and openly expose those mon- sters ; therefore dared not exact from you what greatly surpassed your strength and capacity. We have even borne with your weakness, and honoured that portion of the gift of God that is in you.— On the other hand, my dear Erasmus, if you duly reflect on your own imbecility, you will abstain from these sharp and spiteful figures of rhetoric ; and if you cannot, or will not defend our senti- ments, you will let them alone, and treat of subjects which suit you better." Erasmus had his frailties in the above respects ; but his extensive and profound learning, the benefits accruing to sound literature by his writings, his love of rational liberty and free inquiry, enmity to persecution, ignorance, and bigotry, which he opposed during the greater part of his eventful life, and his decided piety, elevate him among the principal ornaments of the age in which he lived, while he is justly regarded as the glory of his native city. About one hundred and fifty years ago, this statue, in a time of general anarchy in Holland, was well nigh de- 20* 234 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. struction. The costume, resembling that of a Romish priest, exasperated the ignorant insurgents, who had it taken to the town -hall for the purpose of being broken in pieces, where it was with difficulty purchased by the city authorities. It was then replaced on the present pedestal, where it has since remained. Some have imagined an indication of a spirit of raillery, in a slight turn up of the nose. Close study and intense thought have left their impress upon his manly counte- nance ; his mouth and eyes, though cast down, and his general features, are such as would lead one easily to con- ceive how genius, eloquence, and wit might " hold high revelry" there: — " Like shade and sunshine o'er a field, Ripe in harvest breezes waving." The good Dutch ladies exercised their scrubbing and polishing propensities upon this statue during many years. Nothing would do, but his face must shine like the sun. At last the magistrates got alarmed, fearing such perpe- tual washings might injure the likeness, and put a stop to them. The squares of the pedestal have several Latin inscrip- tions, but the southern one in Dutch, is by far the most touching : — " Here rose the great star, which set at Bale, Let the imperial town honour the saint in his tomb, The town which gave him his birth, gives him his second life, But the torch of language, the acme of manners, — the brilliant wonder, Of which charity, peace, and holy erudition, are the ornament, Are not satisfied with the honours of a mausoleum or of a statue, The sacred dome alone is a covering worthy of Erasmus, No more limited space can serve him as a temple." We are as yet uncertain whether we shall visit Switzer- land, but should we do so, and the pilgrimage be not too TO A mZBHB ix 4MBRICA. 285 Eur, we shall certainly see his tomb in the Cathedra) of Btte. We left Rotterdam by diligence this morning, and rode eight miles to the ancient town of Delft, famous for its manufacture of earthenware, called " Delft ware," and noted as the birth-place of Hugo Grotius. There is an air of uncommon quiet in this town, which surprised us, as it contains 15,000 inhabitants. Like all the towns in Holland, it is intersected by canals, and the streets and side-walks are as clean as brooms and water can make them. The trees are so numerous, the people seem to reside in a pleasant grove. We spent a couple of hours in the churches. The first of importance to us, was that which contained the ashes of Grotius. There is a handsome monument raised over his tomb, of white marble. The sculpture is executed in good taste. A medallion, representing the head of this great man, the Holy Bible, and a manuscript, occupy one side ; a child appears on the other, leaning upon an urn, and in the act of extinguishing an inverted torch; beneath the whole, an elegant Latin inscription. The remains of Grotius were brought from Rostock, where he expired, immediately after his return from the court of Christina, Queen of Sweden, in 1645. I re- member reading, some years ago, an amusing account of his escape from the castle of Louvestein. His wife, Maria Van Reygersbergen, a lady of great learning and accom- plishments, and most tenderly attached to her husband, was the instrument. After he had been there two years, this discerning woman, observing negligence on the part of the guard, with respect to the great chest filled with linen and books for Gorcum, allowing it to pass frequently without being opened, advised her husband to place him- self within it, and trust in Providence, and her good man- agement, for deliverance. Having ingratiated herself in .236 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. a more than ordinary manner with the Governor's wife, she obtained permission, during his absence one day, to have removed from her husband's apartment, a quantity of books, which he had borrowed from a friend in Gorcum. Grotius entered into the scheme of his wife, placed him- self in the box, she having made holes with a wimble in the part above his face to allow him to breathe. This was a critical period in his history ; as much so perhaps as that of St. Paul, when he was let down from a window in a basket, and escaped from the hands of his persecutors. The box was safely and in daylight conveyed out of the castle, not without imminent danger of his being drilled through the body, in consequence of the porters who car- ried him down stairs, suspecting the box held a more valu- able treasure than it was said to contain. Having obtained liberty, he passed through Holland in the garb of a stone mason, with a rule in his hand ; his wife in the mean time managing the matter most ingeni- ously, till sure he was out of all danger, and then inform- ing the guards that the bird was flown. She then found herself a lonely prisoner indeed, as nothing was thought of but perpetual confinement for the daring wife; but her enemies became ashamed, and she was set free with honour instead of blame. Think me not romantic, if I send you the following lines ; for I am sure the heroine of my story deserves them : — " Oh ! woman's heart is like the rose, That glows beneath the tropics' flame, That blooms as sweet 'mid northern snows, For ever lovely and the same. Whate'er her rank, whate'er her lot, Where'er her gentle influence ranges, The art to bless is ne'er forgot, The will to comfort never changes." Grotius fled into France, where, as afterwards in other TO a PRIKND IN AMERICA. 287 countries of Europe, he was patronized and honour* d. His countrymen, who neglected him in exile, hearing of his death, and aroused by the voice of nations in his praise, claimed the honour of his birth. A medal was ordered to he struck to his memory, on which he was styled, "The Oracle of Delft — the Phoenix of his Country." After taking a turn through the edifice, " Where words like ancient chronicles, lie scattered o'er the walls," we returned to the tomb of Grotius ; and while engaged in transcribing the epitaph, peals from the solemn organ fell upon our ears with powerful effect. Imagine to yourself two solitary strangers standing by the tomb of a great and good man, alone, within the im- mense area of a cathedral, surrounded wdth the monuments of the mighty dead. A benevolent, but viewless one, sud- denly touches a powerful instrument, and " arch and aisle re-echo with celestial melody." The tones descending from what has somewhere been called the "thunder chime," gliding away faintly, but soft and thrillingly sweet : — " Low as the sound when gentle pity pleads, Or lone remembrance mourns the cherish'd past." A pause — and the music is here again, and comes down upon the ear, soothing the inmost of the soul, elevating the mind to loftier views of God and religion. Again, borne on " the organ's living breath," the melodies diffuse themselves throughout the house of God, sweeping the awful aisles and stately columns, and warbling into far away echoes ; — the thoughts of the strangers are carried homew T ard and heavenward. Reproved by " the flight of time," they bade adieu to the ashes of Grotius, and retired amid the closing strains, and with sentiments not unlike those of your own poet : — 238 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. " From the boundless realms of viewless space, These choral symphonies arise, From the thousand spheres of the starry world, To the Maker of earth and skies. " When we came out, two boys were in waiting to conduct us to another church, the name I forget, but Protestant also. Had you been witness to our ragged escort, their violent gestures, and the clangour of their Dutch vocabu- lary, keeping time with the rattling of their clogs along the pavement, it would have been quite enough for your gravity. Mr. H. insisted they should leave us. This was attended with another volley of Dutch, and a fresh uproar of clogs, which broke on the death-like silence of the streets, like a row ; their arms in the mean time flinging about most violently, indicating that the good gentlemen must not leave their native town without seeing everything of importance, and that they were well qualified, and cheap withal. " Cheap ! Why, you will have the whole popula- tion of the street around us !" Again they were peremp- torily ordered away, and received money to that effect, which they seemed to understand better than our language ; but it was of no use, guides we should and must have. It is not unlikely I was the cause of prolonging the affair, as it was utterly impossible to " keep the risibilities in order," from which they inferred, " One of the party at least, is willing," and their whole artillery of persuasion was level- led at my friend. At last, Mr. H. succeeded in raising his English quite as high as their Dutch, and, after ex- changing glances, signifying, " You may depend upon it he is in earnest ;" they retreated to a convenient distance, and then followed us with the full chorus of their clogs. By the time we had reached the church, the solemnities of our late musical sympathies were well nigh merged in the comic. The second religious edifice we visited was a fine old to a ruir.NP ix AMERICA. 239 building of the thirteenth century, decorated frith many monuments, Borne to the memory of eminent men. We were particularly struck with thai of Admiral Van Tromp, The hero reposes in marble, with all his glories ground him — laurels, composed of sea-shells, and naval ►rations exquisitely arranged. The whole is an effect of sculpture truly surprising, and being a national expres- D of gratitude, shows how highly his country estimated his services. He was the victorious hero, it seems, of thirty-two naval combats; and the victor in the famous battle of the Downs, in 1652. It is recorded of him, that he traversed the British Channel with a broom at his mast- head, signifying that lie had swept the English from the seas ; but, alas ! for him, the English were still afloat, and brushed him into eternity some time after in a dreadful sea fight, near the shores of Holland. Another, to the memory of Vice-Admiral Peit Hein ; he who captured San Salvador, with eleven millions of Spanish money, and who was afterwards killed near Dun- kirk. This is likewise a superb monument of white marble. Ili^ statue, armour, pillow r , and mat upon which he lies, are of the same material, and are astonishing triumphs of the chisel. His mother was living at the time of his death. A deputation from the States of Holland waited upon her to express their condolence. The good woman, still re- taining the simplicity of her character, notwithstanding the many honours conferred upon her son, replied, " I always predicted that he would die like a rascal." There is a touching incident in the records of the town, which is not unworthy of notice. From time immemorial, storks have annually visited Delft, and during their sum- mer stay built their nests in turrets and chimneys. About three hundred years ago, a terrible fire broke out, which consumed many buildings. While the conflagration was in its fury, several storks were observed making efforts to 240 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. save their young from the general destruction ; but some, unable to bear them across the burning gulf, dropped down with their precious burden into the flames. This affecting circumstance formed a fine theme for the Dutch poets. After dinner we rode forward to the Hague, three miles, beneath the shade of luxuriant trees. To the right, we had handsome villas, gardens, and green meadows ; on the left, a large canal, the " great thoroughfare to the capital," and some pretty views on the opposite side. On our arrival here this afternoon, we hired a guide, who, in his anxiety to get a few r stivers, gave us to under- stand, he could "make quite free with English," which was indeed a fact: " A ridiculous collection," said one, " of the heads, legs, wings, and tails of English words, mingled together with all the confusion of a giblet pie." Next to a heavy purse, every traveller should be w r ell stocked with patience ; by drawing largely upon which, we extracted from the gibberish of our commissionaire suffi- cient to render our walk through the city tolerably agree- able. The Hague, for the magnificence of its palaces, squares, and streets, together with the pleasantness of its situation, has long been ranked among the most handsome cities of Europe. The soil on which it stands is drier and more elevated than that of most other towns in Holland, and would have a purer and healthier atmosphere, but for its stagnant canals, the dirtiest I have yet seen. They are covered with a green scum, and where the sun ranges fully upon them, the stench is almost intolerable. We w T ere very desirous to see the place where the vene- rable Barneveldt w r as beheaded. This able statesman was the warm friend of Arminius, and sided with the Armi- nians against the Calvinists, in those furious religious dis- putes, which distracted Holland in the beginning of the seventeenth century. The Calvinists were extremely in- in \ FRIEND l\ AMERICA. rant, and had great political power, which fchey wielded ally ; i lt ■ i i 1 1 ^ t Barneveldt. Soon after the celebrated nod of Dort, 1618, the signal was given for vengeance. Charges were brought against him which never could have I, had not the court been almost entirely composed of his enemies ; and lie was capitally condemned. He received his sentence with great firmness, and behaved in the interval like a true Christian. Prince Maurice ex- pected his family would sue for pardon, but this they pised, as that would imply guilt. He walked to the place of execution, leaning upon his staff. When arrived at the fatal block, nature started back, but, raising his 3 to heaven, he cried, "0 God, what is man!" He then joined in prayer with a minister, and arose with the etest tranquillity upon his countenance, desired the executioner to do his duty. His head was severed with one blow; and thus perished, in the seventy-second year of his age, a firm and eloquent advocate of religious free- dom and moderation. When the States of Holland regis- tered his death, they added these words : « He was a man of great conduct, industry, memory, and prudence ; yes, jular in all. Let him who standeth take heed lest he fall. God be merciful to his soul ! Amen." I have read a touching anecdote of the admirable conduct of his widow. After their father's death, his two sons, Reinier and Wil- liam, entered into a conspiracy to avenge his death, by attempting the life of Prince Maurice. The plot was dis- ered, William fled the country, but Reinier was taken, and sentenced to the death of his father. His mother threw herself at the feet of the prince, and begged his life. "It appears strange," said Maurice, "that you do that for your son, which you refused to do for your hus- band." To which she nobly replied, "I did not ask par- don for my husband, because he was innocent ; I ask it for my son, because he is guilty." The steps where the 21 242 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. scaffold stood, lead into a large Gothic room, where the States-General formerly legislated for the United Prov- inces. It is a fine hall, one hundred and twenty-five feet long, sixty wide, and sixty-six high, but is no more used for that purpose. The ceiling or roof is of cedar, unsup- ported by any cross beams. The wood has the singular property of repulsing insects, and no cobwebs have ever been seen upon it. The hall has a lonely and deserted aspect ; as if the voice of a brother's blood continued to ascend from its desolate walls. From thence we walked to the famous " Wood of the Hague;" it is considered by some as unequalled in Europe, and some say the world, but having rambled through American woods, I demur. At any rate, the Hollanders insist it is the eighth wonder of the world. It is nearly two English miles long, and about a mile in breadth, the whole laid out in walks, and other adorn- ments ; such as basins of water, reposing in . the deepest solitudes ; and canals, crossed by rustic bridges, which do some credit to the taste of the citizens. It is a delicious retreat, and free for all who wish to enjoy its quiet. It is entered by a lofty and beautiful avenue of trees. At the extremity of the wood is a handsome pavilion, occasionally the residence of the King of Holland. This wood, at a time of great public necessity, in 1576, was doomed to fall, but the moment the citizens heard of the decree, they rushed into the Hall of Assembly, and demanded why their "sacred grove" should be destroyed. When they learned that money to assist the republic was the object, the required sum was raised immediately. The wood has flourished unhurt amid all the revolutions of Holland, though hostile armies have marched through it. It is recorded to the honour of Philip II., that during the great war with Spain, he. issued a mandate to his army for its preservation. TO a FRIEND i LICA. ^1 : j i may wish to know how I enjoyed my first Sabbath in Holland. Of course we could not preach, as we could llnd none who understood our language. In the forenoon Elded divine service in the Protestant church, and .d a very energetic preacher in Dutch, which of course \w did not understand. The congregation was large and attentive, and there appeared evidently an unction attend- ing the word. We felt surprised and annoyed to see the majority of the audience sitting with their hats on during the sermon, but the moment the minister had closed and knelt in prayer, all were uncovered. After prayer, he gave out a psalm. The tune w r as com- menced by a fine organ, and immediately the whole con- cation united with one universal voice ; — all sang, men, wometi, and children, back to the very door where we stood. Poor, ignorant looking men, seemed to feel per- fectly at home, and raised their voices on high. We were quite unprepared for such a burst of melody, and felt it good to be there. At the close of the service we stood at the gate, and were delighted to see young and old w r ith a Bible in their hand. Such a display of Bibles we had never before seen. Popery can never again prevail in Holland, so long as its inhabitants retain an attachment, such as this, to the Holy Scriptures. After a short period, we returned to the same church, and heard another minister preach to the troops, but he seemed a feeble man, with much less zeal and unction than the former minister. Affectionately your brother in Christ Jesus our Lord, J. C. 244 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. LETTER III. TO A FRIEND IN AMERICA. Amsterdam, Sept. 19, 1843. Ever dear Friend, A poet, with whose writings you are well acquainted, has left us his practical experience in the following lines : — "Eye nature's walks, shoot folly as it flies, And catch the living manners as they rise, Laugh where you may, be candid where you can, But vindicate the ways of God to man." I fear, however, my observations upon human character will of necessity be very lean during this tour ; for two reasons : first, our inability to converse with the inhabitants in their own language ; and second, the hasty manner in which we are compelled to fly from place to place. By the former, we are excluded from the minds of the people ; consequently, we can know just nothing of their views on moral and religious subjects ; and by the latter, we are prohibited from making those correct observations upon their manners and customs, which a longer stay would afford. I have other and better work to do than to waste time in learning Dutch ; and the salvation of poor sinners, where they understand my tongue, would be more certain than any good resulting from time spent in such specula- tions. You are aware, I have retreated from England for a short relaxation from severe labour; nevertheless, I will endeavour to fulfil your desire, by furnishing "a short description of cities and scenery, together with all that may strike you as interesting in architecture, sculpture, painting, &c." This I shall attempt, but dare not pursue it so as to cause exhaustion, lest I defeat the purpose of my tour. You and my friends in * * * must read my TO A FRIEND IN AMERICA. 245 superficial descriptions, more as the amusements of a rest* lees mind, to which inaction IS unhappiness, rather than an anxious attempt to appear as a literary character. ■umstaneed as I have related, with regard to inter- wit h the inhabitants, we have more time to devote to what is curious in the works of man, and to notice more closely the sublime or beautiful in those of God. 1 assure you we have had an eye upon " nature's walks," and although we have had but a few shots at u folly as it flies," we have taken " pencil-aim" at every object within the circle of our vision, and shall now transmit to you the game, such as it is. I fear you will think some of my descriptions are rather overstrained; and I confess, had I anything more to do than copy my j^encillinffs, now T that the scenes of the past few days have partially faded from my imagination, some of the descriptions would, it is most likely, be of a different character. You must therefore receive my hotel, street, diligence, railway, and steamboat pencillings as they are ; I have no time to amend them, or write anything better. On Monday, 18th, we left the Hague, by diligence, for Leyden, and after riding over several miles of uninterest- ing country, we arrived at a railway depot, lonely as a cottage in a wilderness. Here we had our baggage (a car- pet-bag and small trunk) weighed, ticketed, and paid for. It is a pitiful sight to see so many men spending their time in such a paltry manner, weighing a travelling bag, band- box, or bundle, with the same gravity they would a ton of merchandise, demanding the cent too for the extra pound, and with a business-like face, as if the freightage had been a dozen of guilders. One man weighed my carpet-bag, another sang the number of pounds, a gentleman penned all neatly down in an office book, another clever man sent forth a ticket to be carefully pasted on the bag, and a similar one was handed to me for safe-keeping. And I 21* 246 CONTINENTAL LETTERS, i paid my stiver (a penny), while two able-bodied men con- ducted it to its destination, weight about 601bs. From thence we had to thread our way to a separate office to pay personal fare. " Make haste, the horn is sounding for a start !" It is enough to make one nervous, but there is no necessity for it ; nobody else seems in a hurry, and why should we ? These locomotive-steeds and steamboats, which have made Englishmen and Americans as nimble as bees, have no effect whatever on the motions of a Dutchman. He smokes his pipe, and moves about with easy sublimity, enveloped in " fragrant perfume." It is not till he is fairly under weigh, leaving a stripe of steam and tobacco smoke behind him, that one inclines to believe the old story of the "Flying Dutchman" is " founded on fact." We paid our bill, a few stivers, and in five or six minutes were at our destination, outside the walls of Leyden. A short ride in an omnibus brought us to an hotel, and, after arranging matters, we sallied out on a visit to the University. On our way there, we walked over an open space in the heart of the city, called The Ruin, once thickly covered with houses. We were informed, that about thirty-six years ago, a vessel, on its passage from Amsterdam to Delft, containing forty thousand pounds of gunpowder, paused a few moments in the canal, and blew up like a volcano. One hundred and fifty persons lost their lives, among whom were two professors of the University. The cause remains, to the present day, a mystery ; and since the catastrophe none will build there. The area, about three acres in extent, is now partly covered with thriving trees, and affords a pleasant but solemn promenade for the inhabitants. The University, to which we had ready admittance, has nothing imposing about it, either as to architecture, or in- ternal arrangements. The Theological Hall was an object of interest. In this place Arminius examined the students TO A FRIEND l.\ AMERICA. 247 in theology. Upon the table are two large volume®, — a i Greek Testament, dated L588j and a Latin Bible* ln'l^: the former, most likely, the identical one from Which he called forth his proofs, in support of that power- ful battery he had erected against Calvinism: " That the merits of Christ extend to all mankind, and that the grace of God, which is necessary to salvation, is attainable by all." Here, in this very Hall, did he deliver his lectures, in the hearing of clergy, students, and the public; while anathemas were being hurled against him from all the Cal- vinistic ramparts of Holland. Close by the first battery, he planted another, in oppo- sition to the spirit of the times : " Christians are account- able to God alone, for their religious sentiments ; nor has any magistrate a just right to punish any individual for his religious opinions, so long as he refrains from disturbing the peace and order of civil society. " His enemies were almost as violent against the latter as the former. Supported by the grace of God, and his motto, Bona conscientia paradisus, " A good conscience is a paradise," he maintained his positions nobly; and, at a period, too, when persecution was carried " unto the th." Many of the clergy, and a vast number of the laity, received the truth, and espoused it with becoming ardour. Here, also, Episcopius, who had embraced the opinions of Arminius, taught theology. This learned and eloquent man systematized the opinions of that eminent professor. He set them forth, at the same time, with an elegance so charming, defended by an array of Scripture so convinc- ing and powerful, that they aroused the fury of his ene- mies, while they fastened conviction upon the minds of those who were willing to be convinced. At length the storm from which Arminius had escaped to Heaven, in 1609, burst upon the head of Episcopius. 248 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. He was one of the small party of ministers, who appeared amidst a host of Calvinistic professors, from the seven United Provinces, in the famous Synod of Dort. The mi- nority, who had come to coyifer with the majority, were informed that the latter, instead of discussion, demanded " implicit submission to their decisions. " It was in vain that Episcopius, in an able and temperate address, laid open the great principles involved in the subjects of de- bate ; stating that he and his brethren were ready to dis- cuss, fairly and fully, the points in which they differed from the Synod. The reply was, that the Arminians could not be permitted to defend or explain their opinions, ex- cept so far as the Synod thought proper, — that debate was disallowed in that assembly, — and that they must consider themselves in the character of criminals, rather than judges. Against these shameful measures, Episcopius and his brethren protested. This was what their enemies desired, and they were expelled from the Synod. Having banished their able opponents without a fair hearing, the Synod pro- ceeded, in their absence, to try their cause, when a sen- tence of condemnation was speedily pronounced, — " Guilty of pestilential errors, and corruptions of the true reli- gion. " The storm was now felt, in all its fury, by the Arminians. They were driven from all posts of honour ; subjected to fines and imprisonments, with the entire sup- pression of all their religious assemblies. Episcopius, and many others, made their escape, and found an asylum under another government. On this subject, I know not where to stop. The great principles of the Arminians, as opposed to those of the Calvinists, I have already stated. With the sequel of that persecution you are doubtless w T ell acquainted. May it not be summed up in the language of that verse, which has lately rested upon my mind with much weight? — TO V FRIEND IN AMERICA. 249 "Truth, crushM to earth, shall rise again, The eternal yean of God arc hers, Bat error, wounded, writhes in pain, And dies amid hor worshippers." l:i the gallery of paintings, we were shown the portraits of all the professors who had died since the establishment 0? fche University; from Scaliger, down to ***** *, who died in 1840. Total, one hundred and six persons. They nearly cover the entire walls. The theological pro- occupy a space by themselves, Scaliger being first ; the fifth, I think, is Arminius ; and next to him, Episco- pius. The last professor of divinity who died, was Borgen, in 1820. Leaving the University, we walked into the garden of the Institution (Botanic). It contains seven acres ; and for the variety of its plants, the singular precision with which they are classified, the taste displayed in the walks, and in the arrangement of the shrubberies, it is considered, I believe, unsurpassed in Europe. Two date trees were pointed out, one hundred and twenty years old. A weeping beech, and a pear tree, with willow leaves, were curious. Few persons visit this Botanical garden, without think- ing of Boerlmve, whose plans and toils are still percepti- ble, and which have rendered it so illustrious. Haller, when speaking of these gardens, says Soepe vidimus ante Auroram, optimum senem ligneis ealceis per hortum re- "'in; ut cominus et cultum herbarum persjneeret, et flu res fruetusque specularetur, &c. " We have often seen the good old man, before the morning dawn, crawling about the garden in his wooden slippers, that he might immediately superintend the culture of plants, and specu- late on their flowers and fruits." Students, from all parts of Europe, were attracted to Leyden, in consequence of his consummate knowledge in 250 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. physic. I have read, that a mandarin, in China, hearing of his fame, wrote him a letter, superscribed thus : " To the illustrious Boerhave, physician, in Europe,' ' which reached him with celerity at Leyden. During many years he was Professor of Chemistry and Botany in this University. It is recorded, that when Peter the Great was in Holland in 1715, studying maritime affairs, he regularly attended the lectures of Boerhave. tie always rose at a very early hour, and made it a point of conscience to spend one hour in prayer, and in the reading of the Scriptures. " He often told his friends,'' says a writer, "when they asked him how it w^as possible for him to go through so much fatigue, that it was the strength he derived in morning prayer which gave him spirit and vigour in the business of the day. This he, therefore, recommended as the best rule he could give: 'For nothing,' he said, < could tend more to the health of the body, than the tranquillity of the mind ;' and that be knew nothing could support himself and his fellow creatures, amidst the various distresses of human life, but a well-grounded confidence in the Supreme Being, founded on the principles of Christianity." This eminent man, and great physician, was born at Woerhout, near Leyden, in 1668. Although, at the age of fifteen, he found himself without parents, property, or protection, yet, when he died, he left a princely fortune behind him. Dr. Johnson sets forth his character in a very pleasing light. "A man formed by nature for great designs, and guided by religion in the exertion of his abilities ; deter- mined to lose none of his hours, when he attained one science, he attempted another ; he added physic to divinity ; chemistry to the mathematics ; and anatomy to botany. He recommended truth by his elegance, and embellished the philosopher with polite literature ; yet his knowledge, TO A FRIEND IX AMKKK'A. 261 however uncommon, holds in his character bn1 a second place ; for his virtue was more uncommon than his lrarn- He ascribed all his abilities to the bounty, and all 38 to the grace of God. May those who study his writings imitate his life ; and those who endeavour after boa knowledge, aspire likewise to his piety!" Two of his choice sayings are worthy to be held in re- membrance. " The poor are my best patients ; God will be their paymaster. n The second related to calumny and detraction: "They are sparks," he would say, "which, if you do not blow, will go out of themselves. The surest remedy against a scandal is to live it down, by a perseve- rance in well-doing, and by praying to God that he would cure the distempered minds of those who would traduce and injure us." It is said in Leyden, that he carried out this principle, never having been known to trouble himself in confuting false reports put in circulation against him ; but lived them down, to the confusion of the wicked. Sensible I am, my dear friend, how 7 very defective are these brief outlines of the character of Boerhave, and other great men ; but circumstanced as I am, you can expect little more than imperfect miniatures. But why inquire after such a monster as John of Ley- den ? His memory is even execrated in his birthplace ; nor did we trouble ourselves to walk a few steps to see his residence or relics. Those who have furnished accounts of him, — and they have not been few, — represent him as an ambitious, enter- prising, and aspiring monster. The sum and substance of all that has been written is the following : His father's name was Bucola, a tailor by trade, to which John was trained ; but taking a fancy to be a king, by cultivating a taste for royalty on the boards of a strolling company of comedians (for John then acted the part of a prince with good grace, and some applause), he resolved in 'very deed 252 CONTINENTAL LETTKR& to become a king; though aware that to seize a crown was quite as difficult as prendre la lune avee les dents, " to lay- hold of the moon with his teeth." Finding, at Amster- dam, a baker, who carried his fanaticism so far as to call himself God's vicegerent upon earth, and the illuminator of the world, John considered the act of uniting with this madman the first step to regal power. In a short time a large number of Germans joined them ; the faction spread w r ith amazing rapidity. Their religious frenzy had for its object the destruction of most of the doctrines of Luther. At length, the Elector of Saxony, the Landgrave of Hesse, and the Duke of Brunswick, resolved to draw the sword against these furious bigots. After a few desperate engagements, the Amsterdam fanatic was made prisoner, and beheaded. John considered this event to be the Rubicon of his fortunes, caused him- self to be proclaimed king, and informed his followers, sword in hand, that he would, like other monarchs, fight his way to a throne, and be crowned somewhere. This was the signal for the most horrible outrages that ever disgraced the soil of Holland. He battered down churches, and, in many places, blotted out all religious services, except such as he himself proposed ; commanded polygamy, and kept a seraglio of sixteen wives, one of whom attempted to assassinate a bishop, but the prelate seized the poignard from her hand, and plunged it into her bosom. His appearance in the streets of those towns he entered, struck terror to the hearts of the inhabitants. He wore a crown, carried a sword in one hand, and the New Testament in the other. The citizens were ordered out of their houses, and commanded to prostrate them- selves on the side-walks as he passed by, and none to re- main uncovered in his presence on pain of death. John, however, found that it was no easy thing to wear a crown, when procured. His capital was laid siege to by TQ \ ii;ii.M> l\ AMERICA. 258 the Minister, and the place reduced tc such a • by famine, thai the living Fed apon the dead; yet, the moment any man intimated a #ish to surrender, he put to death. At length the town was taken ; John and his bloody companions were dragged before the prelate, charged him with his heinous crimes. John heard Bishop's speech unconcerned, and replied, "The pos- rion of my person lias cost you much money, and much >d ; my death will be a loss to you ; my life may become profit ; put me in an iron cage, set a price upon the exhibition of me, and send me through Europe ; thus will you, in the end, be a gainer by me." Ambitious to the end, if he could not enjoy a throne, aspired to the notoriety of an iron cage. His scheme did not succeed; the wretched man was condemned to a 5t horrible death. Two executioners tore his flesh slowly from his body, with red-hot pincers ; and after his con- querors had feasted their eyes and ears, with his agonies and screams, his heart was pierced with a javelin, and his mangled body thrown into an iron cage, and suspended m the steeple of one of the churches, to be devoured by the birds of prey. Leyden has some stirring incidents in its history. In the year 1574:, it stood a four months' siege by a Spanish army. The famine was so great, that men, w T omen, and children came to the market-place, and threw themselves at the feet of the burgomaster, some asking bread, others entreating him to surrender the town; but drawing his sword with one hand, and baring his breast with the other, he said, "Bread I have none, but if my death will please you, cut me to pieces." Deliverance came in a way quite unexpected. A benevo- lent man, aware of the deplorable state of Leyden, pro- led to the States of Holland, a startling method of relief ; to mal^c a breach in the dykes of the rivers Yssel and 254 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. Mouse, and inundate sixty miles of the country. Not- withstanding the risk of such a measure, they assented. The dykes were cut away, the waters rushed in, aided by a north-west wind, and flooded the country. Soon after, a very high tide, with a south-west wind, drove the waters directly toward Leyden. A flotilla, of two hundred flat- bottomed boats, left Rotterdam, with eight hundred sailors, and one hundred cannon ; favoured by a fair wind, they bore away over gardens and meadows, for Leyden, with the motto, " Turks rather than Papists," emblazoned upon their banners. The Spaniards, finding themselves likely to be swept away by the inundation, or destroyed by the approaching navy, raised the siege and fled. The flotilla arrived just in time to save the town, but six thousand persons had already perished by disease and hunger. When an exemption from taxes, or the establishment of a Univer- sity, w T as offered them by the Prince of Orange, as a reward for their noble defence, and fidelity during the siege, they did themselves additional honour by choosing a University. We spent the night in Leyden. After sunset, we enjoyed a delightful ramble along the banks of the Rhine, outside the walls. Our walk lay beneath the shade of an avenue of lofty trees, which accompanied the river in its meander- ings around the city. The evening was calm and cloud- less, with the sweetest solitude all around ;— the deep and smoothly gliding Rhine, now watering the walls of Leyden, and again sweeping past verdant banks, mirroring the trees, shrubs, and tangling creepers, in its peaceful bosom ; — we thought it scarcely possible, we should ever look upon a scene more lovely. "Now nature sinks in soft repose, A living semblance of the grave, The dew steals noiseless on the rose, The boughs have almost ceased to wave ; TO A PRIBNO IN AMERICA. 255 ffhe silent iky, the Bleeping earth, The trees, the Rhine, Ike graft*? tod. All tell from whom they bed their birth, And cry. 'Behold a GodP M We continued our walk till the outlines of various ob- jects began to lose themselves in each other, as the deep- ening twilight was gradually fading into night. This morning we left Leyden by railway, and took breakfast at Haarlem; a clean, well built town on the river Spaarn, with a population of 25,000 souls. Its ex- istence dates from the fifth century, and it has had many vicissitudes in its history.* The streets of Haarlem are broad and regular, with the usual variety of canals, trees, and bridges, peculiar to the cities of Holland. There is a touching instance of female affection and presence of mind recorded in the annals of Haarlem, and which the citizens cherish with something like national pride. A spot is pointed out where a castle once stood. In consequence of some offence given by its lord, the bur- gers of the city laid siege to it. When reduced to the last extremity, and just on the point of a surrender (which would have resulted in the death of its ow T ner, as his life had been forfeited, and w^ould have been instantly irificed), his lady appeared on the ramparts, and offered to open the gates on certain conditions, namely ; that she Blight be permitted to bring out as much of her most valua- ble goods as site could carry upon her bach. The stipula- tion- were so reasonable that the burgers, not altogether void of a little gallantry, could not w T ell refuse such a rea- sonable offer ; so receiving the most honourable and bind- ing assurances, she appeared at the gates with her husband * The original letter contains several very interesting descriptions, vhch must be omitted here, for the reasons assigned a few pages hack. Huddersfield, Dec. 18, 1844. J. C. 256 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. upon her shoulders, and marched through an infuriated soldiery with her precious charge unmolested. The castle was lost, but the husband was saved. The Stadthouse (Town House) is a magnificent building, singularly curious in its architecture and decorations. As we could not get admittance without much trouble, we contented ourselves with viewing the exterior. It con- tains, we were informed, some fine paintings by the Haar- lem artist, Frank Hals, long famed for the beauty of his colouring and pencilling. I remember reading a pleasant anecdote of this painter, and the celebrated Vandyke. The latter having a high opinion of Hals as an artist, con- cluded to pay him a visit. Vandyke introduced himself to Hals, who was enjoying his bottle at the tavern (a place of which he was unhappily too fond), and told him he was a gentleman on his travels, having just two hours to spare, and wished in that time to have his portrait painted. Hals sprang from his glass and companions, and with the utmost celerity proceeded with the task. At a certain stage of the work, Vandyke desired to look at his progress, and with great pleasantry in his countenance, remarked that the work seemed very easy, and that he could do the same ; upon which he took up the pallette and pencils, requested Hals to sit for his likeness, and in one quarter of an hour presented a striking portrait. The moment Hals saw it, he exclaimed, " No one but Vandyke could have achieved such a wonder.' ' The two artists mutually embraced each other, highly delighted with the adventure. The Haarlem Church is said to be, in magnitude, be- yond any in Holland. We waited a couple of hours to obtain a sight and hearing of one of its principal orna- ments, the organ, supposed to be the largest in the world. Whether this be a fact, I cannot say, but the dimensions may speak for themselves : height, one hundred and eight ro a ri;n:\i> in AMEBIC \. 257 feet : its breadth occupies the entire irest end of die nave : number of pipes, eight thousand, the greatest of which is thirty-tvo Feet in length, and sixteen inches in diameter. In the language of an organist, it has sixty stops or voices, four separations, two shakes, two couplings, and twelve bellows. The instrument is played two days in the week the entertainment of the public, an hour each day ; and this happened to be one of the days, we promised our- selves a treat. Haying an hour to spare before the opening of the church, we paid a visit to the statue of Laurence Costar, inventor of the art of printing. He was a native of Haar- lem, and this monument was erected by his townsmen for the perpetuation of their own, as well as Costar's honour. The statue holds in one hand a triangle, marked with the letter A. and in the other a book. Upon one side of the pedestal is sculptured Costar standing by a tree, applying an instrument to the bark, indicating the manner in which the art was discovered. Costar, it seems, was one day walking in a grove, and began to amuse himself by carving the letters of his name on the bark of a beech tree, and while the sap was fresh in the wound, carefully pressed a .-lip of paper upon the characters, and obtained a legible c<>py. Being a man of judgment and ingenuity, he car- ried out the idea soon after by engraving letters in wood. In a short time, he printed several small works, some of which are still in existence ; but the typography is extremely rude and inelegant. The lines are uneven, without punctuation, or divisions at the end ; nor are the pages numbered, or all of one shape or size. The first book he printed bears date 1440. Title : " Speculum Humance Salcationis, " The Mirror of our Salvation." The opposite side of the pedestal represents a printing press in operation, and the remaining squares contain Latin inscriptions, which we had not time to copy. 22* 258 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. The house in which he lived is still standing, nearly opposite his statue, and occupied. It bears his name and portrait, singularly done in old oak, with the date 1420. We had a variety of emotions when standing before this monument. We thought of the Bible, — the precious Bible, — its cheapness, and extensive circulation ; — of other books, theological, historical, and scientific; their variety and perpetuity. We contemplated Luther and the Re- formation, and how the art of printing prepared the way, and hastened its advancement. How rapidly did the works of Erasmus, Luther, Arminius, &c, spread over Germany, Switzerland, and other nations of Europe, by this divine discovery ! Pardon the digression, but I lighted upon a page the other day belonging to some pamphlet, which came from the press nearly two centuries ago, relative to the art of printing. It is seldom I have seen so much telling irony in so short a space ; and as I am desirous of making this letter "full w T eight," I shall send you a copy of it. " The press (that villanous engine), invented much about the same time w T ith the Reformation, hath done more mischief to the discipline of our church, than the doctrine can make amends for. It was a happy time when all learning was in manuscript, and some little officer did keep the keys of the library, like our author ; when the clergy needed no more knowledge than to read the liturgy, and the laity no more clerkship than to save them from hang- ing. But now, since printing came into the world, such is the mischief, that a man cannot write a book but pre- sently he is answered. Could the press but at once be conjured to obey only an imprimatur, our author might not disdain, perhaps, to be one of its most zealous patrons. There have been ways found out to banish ministers, to find not only the people, but even the grounds and fields Avhere they assembled in conventicles ; but no art yet could ro a ruuro w anrarcA. 259 pent these Beditioua meetings of letters* Two or three brawn; fellows in a corner, with mere ink and elbow grease, do more harm than a hundred systematic divines with their aty preaching. And, what is a strange tiling, the very Bpunges which one would think should rather deface and blot out the whole book, and were anciently used for that purpose, are become now the instruments to make them legible. Their ugly printing letters look but like so many rotten tooth drawers ; and yet these rascally operators of the press have got a trick to fasten them again in a few minutes, that they grow 7 as firm a set, and as biting and talkative as ever. 0, printing ! how hast thou disturbed the peace of mankind! — that lead when moulded into bullets, is not so mortal as when formed into letters. There was a mistake sure in the story of Cadmus; and the serpents' teeth which he sowed were nothing else but the letters which he invented. The first essay that was made towards this art was in single characters upon iron, wherewith, of old, they stigmatized slaves and remarkable offenders; and it was of good use sometimes to brand a schismatic ; but a bulky Dutchman diverted it quite from its first insti- tution, and contriving those innumerable syntagmes of alphabets, hath pestered the w T orld ever since with the 36 bodies of German divinity. One w T ould have thought in reason, that a Dutchman might have been contented w T ith the winepress." Popery received a fatal blow by the Reformation, from which it has not recovered, nor ever shall recover. The wound was icide and deep; but had it not been for the press, it is not likely it would have penetrated so near the vitals. The gashes made by these " teeth," of which the writer complains, are hard to heal; — impossible, while still Mbiting." The rapid circulation of the Holy Scriptures contributed more to uproot the errors of Romanism, than -the writings of the Reformers The latter, indeed, may 260 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. have prepared the way, as the morning star heralds the approaching sun, or as the preaching of John the Baptist directed the eyes of many thousands to the Saviour of the world. The Scriptures are the bane of Popery ; and had they but free course through the mass of men which is under its influence, they would overthrow the system. I have read an impressive circumstance illustrative of this sentiment, which occurred in Hull, the town in which I intend to spend a few weeks, in order to promote a re- vival, on my return to England. In the year 1534, Tindal and other Reformers printed and sent over to many of the towns in England several books, which exposed the cor- ruptions and superstitions of the Church of Rome. These books proved the folly of pilgrimages, and of the worship of images, saints, and relics, which the Papists termed good works; and taught justification by faith only, but insisted upon true evangelical obedience, as being absolutely ne- cessary to eternal salvation. Aware that the doctrines contained in these publications, needed the witness of the Holy Scriptures, a copious supply of Tindal's Translation of the New Testament was intermixed in the packages. This book, notwithstanding the severe prohibitions against it, was circulated through the length and breadth of the land, and was eagerly sought after by multitudes, that they might know the truth and certainty of that upon which depended the salvation of their souls. In due time the books and the Scriptures reached Hull, w T here Popery was enjoying a calm before a storm. A certain Popish vicar read them, and became a convert. He immediately felt bound, in conscience, to espouse the cause of the Reformation, and also to expose the errors of Romanism ; which he did in a sermon, preached in the Church of Holy Trinity. He soon found, poor man, that he had taken a lion by the mane. He w^as accused, con- TO A rRUND IX 4MSBICA. 2G1 ted, uid compelled to make t public recantation; after which he was sentenced to the following penance : u To walk, on a Sunday, round the Church of Holy Trinity, hare-footed and bare-legged, in his shirt, carrying a large in his hand, to denote the punishment he was thought to have deserved; and to do the same the next market-day, around the market place." The unhappy man submitted, and thus escaped the martyrdom so nobly endured, a few years after, by the Protestants of that country. This, so far from intimidating the people of Hull, stimu- lated them to procure the Scriptures at any price, and read for themselves. Romanism could not bear the light and sunshine of revelation; the iron yoke speedily melted away from the necks of the population, and a new era dawned upon the history of that interesting town. The last reflection which occupied our minds, when standing before the monument of Costar, was, how much pure and undefiled religion is indebted, under God, to this divine discovery. We seemed chained to the spot, and finally had to tear ourselves away. The hour of music came, and as we entered the church, a burst of melody, as if from a thousand instruments, fell upon our astonished senses ; and, 0, the thundering peals, — the trumpet tones, long, loud, and overpowering ; — such rolling, rattling, drum-like sounds (pardon the phra- seology, for it is not musical) ; but then there was an under current of soft, sweet strains, which seemed to gush into one's very soul. Again came the roar of cannon, and quick reports of musketry, as if regiments were discharg- ing in quick succession. But this, it seems, was a grand military piece. The uproar and desperation of the battle being ended, with notes of victory running up to the highest note of a musical climax, there was a "pause, suc- ceeded by several fine pieces, which brought out the power 262 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. of the instrument in a surprising manner. Nothing could equal the majesty of what, I think, is called " The Pasto- ral and Tempest," composed, I have been informed, ex- pressly for the Haarlem organ ; the full compass of which is never heard but in this piece. It begins in a low, sweet, warbling strain, not unlike a distant bird, joined soon by some others, when other sounds mingle, resembling a shepherd's lute or reed. After this, two or three more unite. The air is filled with tender melody, with singular breaks, disjointed notes, or silvery drops, which fall upon the heart, and circulate through the soul, till existence is a harmony. There is no difficulty now for the imagination to perceive nature in her loveli- ness ; hill and dale, the peaceful lake or river, gliding through verdant meadows ; — all that is peculiar to the beauty of a rural landscape, with flocks reposing beneath shady trees. Nor is it easy to forget heaven and its many seraphic voices, raising the high celestial song, the new song, in " the house not made with hands ;" nor yet " the sweet fields beyond the swelling flood." Hearken ! there is a hoarsely murmuring sound, as if the winds were out among the trees ; a clap or two of thunder startles us. What a swell ! what an ascent, from the softest to the sublimest sound ! The breezy rumour increases every moment, till the sweet notes of the shepherds are lost in the roar of the storm. Fancy, however, gives way to the awful thunder tones, when the massy building seems to tremble through all its aisles. A sense of security prompts the mind to imagine, in this "tempest" of music, trees shattered and uprooted, shep- herds collecting their flocks into shelter, from the rage of the storm. At length, as if the hurricane had expended its fury, or trembling nature were in a state of exhaustion, it gradually dies away, and the glad notes of the shepherds speak of the safety of their flocks ; and assure one, that TO a ii:;im> in LMEBICA. 263 the lai is once more* lighted up with " jmiles of I sunshine." I little thought, on entering thia church, that a couple of pages should be filled with such imaginings ; but, you know, I love music ; and *' a Btrange way," you will , M you have of describing it. 1 ' You know, also, that I hue poetry. There is music in poetry; they belong, in fact, to the same family; they differ only in their medium <>f access to the human mind; — music for the ear, and try for the eye, both of which are calculated to bring the liveliest images before the imagination. Music fosters poetry, and poetry wooes music; is it any wonder, then, that I should revel in the sweet sounds of the Haarlem n, and expatiate on them in the language of poesy? I confess, however, were the above to be w r ritten, now that I am in the sober city of Amsterdam, the impressions made at the time having partly faded away, it would not be attempted. More than once I have been inclined to draw my pen through the whole, as an exaggeration ; but having just now been favoured with the sentiments of one who is a much better judge of music than myself, they shall be united to my own. Suppress them altogether, if you please, when they reach your shores. " Some of the notes of the organ are so delicate as scarcely to exceed the warblings of a small singing bird, and others so loud as to shake the massy pile in which it stands. For power and variety of tone, it stands unequalled ; — like an elephant, that, with his proboscis, can either pluck a violet, or raise a tree from its roots. When the whole strength of the organ is exerted, never did I hear, or could conceive, sounds more God-like. The swelling majesty of each gigantic note, seems of more than mortal birth, and the slightest sounds enchant the ear. Solemnity, grandeur, delicacy, and harmony, are the characteristics of this noble instru- ment." "Why, sir," says another, "I have read, that Handel, 264 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. the eminent composer, compelled his music to force the imagination to feel, what reason would demand to see, ere submission could be accorded to an impression. The hop- ping of frogs, the buzzing of flies, the falling of hail, the flashing of lightning, the flowing of streams, the roaring of lions, the crawling of worms ; a shipwreck, with the shrieks and cries of tortured souls in hell, were all attempted by this great master. Even the sun standing still in the days of Joshua, was imitated by a note of uncommon du- ration." The tones of the Haarlem organ are said to be more powerful now than in its earlier days. It is recorded that Handel, many years ago, paid a visit to Haarlem, and played on the organ ; and that the poor organist, never having before heard the full power of the instrument, was so amazed, that he exclaimed, " He is either an angel or a devil." This afternoon, we left Haarlem by railway for Amster- dam ; but saw nothing interesting till we came within four miles of the city. Here we noticed the singular position of those two large sheets of water, divided by a narrow artificial isthmus ; the lake, or sea of Haarlem on the right, thirty-three miles in circumference, and that of Y or Ai, often called the Zuyder-Zee (for it has various names), on the left. The isthmus, between those two bodies of water, is of vast importance, as the safety of a considerable part of Holland depends upon it. These two lakes are the two grand interior enemies of Holland, and are as much dreaded as the brawling ocean on the outside. Two centuries and a half ago, this Haarlem sea was quite insignificant; but several other smaller lakes in its vicinity, dotted with villages along their margin, uniting in a con- spiracy with the sea of Haarlem, suddenly became one, overwhelming the villages within the whole range of their territory. CO a PRUNE in AMERICA. 266 lunus, with its sluices, ami its nicely marked 5, is watched by night and by day; the latter ling like bo many sentinels, to watch the motion of these treacherous foes. The levels are frequently taken, and closely observed, and any rise in either of the two lakes, is noticed with no inconsiderable anxiety. We were rnied that the safety, not only of Amsterdam, but of the country eighteen miles around, is dependent upon vigilance bestowed upon these locks. "Amsterdam, like many other parts of Holland," says a writer, "owes tence only to the courage and unceasing labours of inhabitants ; were they even for a few moments to neg- the dykes and locks, the town, and even the whole province, which is almost everywhere below the level of the sea, would soon be under water." He adds, "the expenses incurred by these works, together with the repairs of the canals, bridges, &c, amount daily to several millions of florins to the town of Amsterdam alone;" — a sum one would scarcely think credible but for the respectability of the author. It was startling, when riding between these lakes, to behold the rigging of the vessels, sailing so far above us, on the bosom of the Ai. We entered Amsterdam by the Haarlem gate, and soon found ourselves comfortably accommodated in the pleasant rooms of the Hotel des Pays-has, or "Netherland Hotel." When preparing for dinner, w^e heard a singular noise in the street, not unlike the clogs of the Delft boys men- tioned in my letter from the Hague, but accompanied by sweet strains of music. Throwing aside the Venitian blinds, we beheld two young men exalted upon lofty stilts, fantas- tically dressed, and in the full glee of a dance. They certainly exhibited no small degree both of tact and talent. They whirled about, sprang up from the pavement, joined hand.-, went off in a zig-zag direction like lightning, re- 23 266 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. turned to the same spot, interlaced their stilts, twirled around like wheels within wheels ; their stilts, in the mean time, beating on the rough pavement like drum sticks, but in perfect time w T ith the music. How they avoided break- ing their necks was a wonder ; but the main question was, how a Dutchmap. could be put into action so tremendous, and that on such a very hot day, without even the inspi- ration of his pipe. Nor had they the usual excitement from an approving crowd, — such as would be accorded in an English or American town. The street was as still as any you have beheld on a Sabbath day, and the few spec- tators almost as solemn as if listening to a sermon. Our speculations were put to an end when we learned they were two Swiss mountaineers, who had come down to show the Dutch what could be done by a long pair of wooden legs. I do not recollect receiving a more impressive lesson on the trifling and worthless direction given by the devil to human talent. Here are two fine young men, we reflected, with capabilities of no ordinary character. But, as far as regards them, the point is not now to be settled w T hether God or the devil shall claim the hidden treasure of the soul, or "wake the sleepless energy of thought;" — no! there is little doubt that it has been with these, as with multitudes of others, the grand adversary has reaped the fruits of mind from the gradual ray of boyhood, up to "tin bright and burning noon of intellectual day." One of the greatest men of the age in which he lived, in giving an account of the application of his talents while Satan had him under his control, said, " I was expert at follies, acute in trifles, and ingenious about nonsense." Such was the degrading use which the enemy of man made of his great powers. Had eternity been out of the ques- tion, — could we have believed that God will treat these young men in the other w r orld, for the misapplication of TO a ir.l! M> i'n \ M i RH a 207 their talents, as Alexander the Great treated the pea- thrower, the scene would have been amusing enough. The person referred to appeared before Alexander, boasting that he could throw a pea through a little hole at •rtain distance, expecting a great reward. The thing Was done to the admiration of many, but the king consider- ing what reward was suitable for such " diligent negligence" or " busy idleness," ordered him a bushel of peas for a recompense. Ah! the awards of eternity for prostituted talents, so far from being the same in kind, shall be a deep and a dreadful punishment. I shall give you some account of Amsterdam in my next. Farewell. J. C. LETTER IV. TO A FRIEND IN AMERICA. Utrecht, Holland, Sept. 20, 1843. My dear Sir, You will see, no doubt, my letter to * * *, dated at Amsterdam, in which I gave a sketch of the incidents of my tour from the Hague to that city; I shall refrain, there- fore, from a retrospect of the last few days. I penned a variety of notes while in Amsterdam, but had no time to form them into a letter ; so meagre have they appeared to be that I have several times been tempted to burn them. If they afford you any pleasure, you may thank a " second thought," which, in the opinion of some, is generally the best; though a friend of mine in England is of a quite contrary opinion. "When you reject the first thought," I have heard him say, " never rest in the second, this is always wrong, go on to the third, — the third is generally 268 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. right, and seldom fails to harmonize with the first." But this was a choice sentiment of his when addressing awakened, but undecided sinners ; it was proposed thus : " You are convinced of your wretched state as a sinner ; the first thought is, ' I am in danger of dropping into hell; — I must seek God to-night/ If you proceed to the second thought, it is sure to land you in procrastination, or rejection of the truth; never stop here, pass on to the third, and that will always be, < I must not any longer run the risk of losing my soul ; salvation should be sought now.' Stick to that ; it corresponds with the first, and leads to God." A little before I left England, he told me the argument had lately been very successful ; that a few nights after his last appeal, a young woman rose in class, and said, " Sir, I thank God I heard you at * * *." She then repeated his exhortation. " I was then," she added, " an awakened sinner. The first thought was, ' I must seek the salvation of my soul now;' — a second came, of trees." This may account for the d of another wit: "Why is Amsterdam like Venice? mse both have wooden legs!" The principal pediment of the Royal Palace rises out of a noble entablature. The sculptural ornaments in the Liment, arc in fine marble; and having an abundance Space, as the base is more than eighty feet, and nearly Dty to the highest point of the angle, the effect is royal and imposing. Amsterdam is represented under the figure <>f a woman, seated upon a throne, supported by two lions ; — upon her head an imperial crown, and holding in her right hand, an olive branch. The city arms are por- trayed upon an escutcheon on her left ; to the right, she is attended by Neptune, arfned with his trident, sitting in a car, and drawn by sea-monsters. Several Naiads and Tritons surround her, proclaiming her renown with their conch shells, and some presenting crowns of palm and laurel, while others offer her fruit. Upon the angles of this pediment, are three colossal figures in bronze, — Peace, Prudence, and Justice. The back front has another in- ious pediment, with sculpture in equally good taste. Commerce, in the form of a young girl, is seen resting her feet on a globe ; the Y and the Amstel are below T her, while the inhabitants of the four quarters of the globe are trading with her. An Atlas, bearing a prodigious globe, stands upon the angle ; but he is grievously shorn of his honours, by two or three massive bars of iron lend- ing their aid to strengthen his back, and that in view of the entire public ! He has very honourable company, however ; a statue of Temperance on one hand, and Vigi- lance on the other. Thirty pilasters, of the composite order, each thirty-six feet high, ranged along the second 272 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. story of the principal Fagade, relieve the eye ; as also a second range of the Corinthian order, which distinguishes the third story. The latter colonnade supports the main entablature of the pediment already alluded to. We looked in vain for the grand entrance ; instead of which, we had our choice of seven small porticoes, representing the seven provinces of Holland. But why was there not a main entrance ? " There is caution here, Sir," said our guide, " and foresight of our old burgomasters. Suppose an insurrection, Sir ; behold the difficulty of a mob rush- ing in, Sir. A grand entrance would be a grand inlet. It was forethought, Sir." The first story of the interior presented little else than long halls and arches, with here and there large stoves, in the form of great chests, covered with square pieces of white tile, and hooped with bands of polished brass. Arriv- ing on the next floor, we were taken by surprise. The rooms are fitted up in a kingly style, lined with white marble, and loaded with exquisite sculpture, of the same material, principally classic, with a profusion of statues and pictures. Everywhere there is a strange amalgama- tion of legal and business-like insignia, with the superb devices of royal grandeur, presenting a singular incon- gruity to the eye of a stranger, if he have not been in- formed that the old Stadt-house, or Town Hall, has been metamorphosed into a Royal Palace. The entire suite of rooms appropriated to the king and queen, are very handsome, with many exquisite paintings. We observed two in fresco, over a couple of doors, singu- larly deceptive ; as if sculptured in bas-relief, the figures seemed standing out two or three inches from the wall, but the illusion vanished when we stood directly under- neath, — it was a plain surface. No one can walk through the Hall, designed for the town offices, without receiving many impressive lessons, if TO A FKH.M> IN IMIHICA. 273 himself "to look aloft/ 1 Over the door of ! i room, are emblems executed in good sculpture, indi* • f the business transacted within; some of which I one of the French proverb, Qui bon Vachete bon le \ which may be rendered by (lie English proverb, "As ; brew bo you must drink ;" and the Italian motto, Die t'aiutera, " Help yourself and God will help Borne were cautionary, as if illustrative of a Spani.-h maxim I have seen somewhere, Quien te cubre, te descubre, >• That which covers thee, discovers thee ;" but all harmo- nizing with the proposition of a neighbouring nation : Pena i n Vanirna del buon governo, "Rewards and punishments are the basis of good government." The bankrupts' room has over its door a variety of coffers, and as many rats pilfering their contents. There i< a moral in this, but you must find it out yourself. Flowers with their heads drooping, give their silent lec- ture upon the transitory character of honour and worldly -perity, if not properly taken care of; being easily blighted and destroyed by the untimely blasts of adversity. •letons of fishes, fowls, and animals, are sculptured upon the door posts, as if to remind the bankrupt of the evils of high living, or taunt him with the French motto, Les fous font des festins, et les sages les mangent, " Fools make -. and wise men eat them." Upon the floors of a large hall, are delineated the celestial and terrestrial hemispheres, ingeniously done in jasper and brass, upon a ground of variegated marble. The whole is included in three circles, of not less than twenty-two feet in diameter, and sixty-nine in circumference. The two outer circles represent the two hemispheres of the earth ; and the cen- tral, the planisphere of the heavens. From the cupola, we enjoyed a prospect, rich, varied, and thrilling ; such as probably no other nation under the sun could afford. Amsterdam lay beneath, in the form of 274 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. a crescent, presenting a surface equal to nine miles in cir- cumference, checkered by canals into more than ninety islands, united by three times that number of draw-bridges ; — the harbour and shipping, the sea of Haarlem and Zuy- der-Zee, the ocean, and vast embankments to keep it out, and the numerous dykes of defence against enemies of the same element, entrenched within. It is here one may learn the true etymology of Holland, that is, the " hollow- land. ,, The city is entered by eight gates ; but the ancient ramparts have disappeared ; their outlines, however, are still indicated by windmills, whirling about like so many "things of life" on the twenty-six old bastions, which formerly surmounted the fortifications. These mills, like others throughout Holland, are not only used for grinding corn, sawing wood, marble, and stone, making oil, and preparing tobacco, but also for dislodging invading water, by means of their pumping engines. Water is the great enemy of the Dutchman, and against it he has been contending for centuries ; and successfully, too, notwithstanding the ridicule heaped upon him by those who should have honoured the triumphs of his industry, under such natural disadvantages. Instead of flying before his foes, he raises a mutiny among them ; arms element against element, sets the wind to fight the water, by his windmills and pumps; checks its advance, controls its wild uproar, drives it out of its entrenchments, pursues it from ditch to ditch, and gives it no rest till he throws it back again in the face of the sea. Thus he keeps possession of a territory to which the ocean has never yet abandoned its claim. It is no longer since than the year 1825, that the sea rose twenty-four feet above the level of the province, and but for the stability of the dykes, the whole country would have been laid under water to that depth. TO A FRIEND IX AMERICA. 275 When traversing the city in various directions, we passed eh noble Btreets, some of them nearly one hundred and fifty feet wide, adorned with houses of princely splen- dour; but the canals are almost as intolerable as those of the Hague. The shops correspond with the title accorded to Amsterdam : " The great warehouse of the world." The druggists 1 shops have asign sufficient to frighten any sensible invalid from their precincts; namely, a huge carved head, with a monstrous mouth, wide open, above the door or window, called Dc gaaper. This clumsy and ludicrous sign prevails in ruost of the cities of Holland. Now for another peculiarity : le, who are those little men that have passed us in il of the streets, with black gown, a band, a low cocked hat with a crape pending behind, and a sheet of paper in hand, so clerical looking, but their quick and busi- ness-like step puzzles us?" " Aanspreckers, Sir." "Well, we are just as wise as ever." " Public functionaries ; death messengers, Sir. When a death occurs, they hasten to acquaint the circle of the friends and acquaintances of the Jeceas " Well, they seem to have full employment." - Yes, Sir." The dress of the ladies differs little from that of the daughters, and servants of respectable tradesmen in America, only with much less frippery. The head-dress should be an exception, but it would require a milliner to inscribe the various orders of its architecture ! The fore- lieads of some whom we met were covered almost as low as the eyes with thin plates ; some, doubtless, of gold and silver, but most of baser metal. These ornaments, how- ever, are not in general use now — perhaps from the fact :hat foreigners have expressed a doubt as to the soundness A the skulls and brains of such ladies. " She is trepanned," s enough to frighten any daughter of Eve out of the most Deloved fashion ! There are few wheeled carriages in Amsterdam ; but they 276 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. are far M ahead" of Americans in their sleigh conveniences, as they run them summer and winter. The body of a coach is fixed on a wooden sledge, drawn by a single horse ; it accommodates four persons, and travels at the rate of three miles an hour ; but the driver, or an additional man, must walk by the side to prevent an upset. The population of Amsterdam is above two hundred thousand. The time w r e had designed for the city being now nearly expended, we waited upon the proper consuls for passports and signatures, which we obtained with much difficulty, and some expense ; and set out by diligence for Utrecht, w T here we arrived in about three hours and a half, and put up at an elegant hotel. The ride through an avenue of large trees, extending almost to Utrecht, in double rows, was extremely pleasant. To the right and left, the road was enlivened with handsome houses, prettily situated, with the never-failing accompaniment of a pleasure house at the corner of the garden, bestriding a ditch of stagnant w T ater. Each residence has no other defence than a deep ditch filled with w T ater, which surrounds it on every side ; over this is a draw T -bridge, which is lifted at night, and thus the Dutchman is secure in his ow T n citadel. Thus he converts his enemy into a friendly watchman, and can trust to his faithfulness in night's darkest hours. Towards evening, the meadows, which extend as far as eye can reach, were suddenly covered to the depth of three feet by a dense vapour, which rose from their surface. As we rode on, they appeared to be transformed into a vast sea, and we amused ourselves by comparing the windmills in the distance to vessels bearing down upon us in full sail; but a man w r alking on this sea, or cattle straying upon its bosom, frequently upset our speculations, or destroyed the illusion. Utrecht, the capital of a province of the same name, has a pleasant site at the confluence of the Rhine and the Vecht. The taste for trees is quite as prevalent here as TO A FRIEND IN AMERICA. 277 in any city in Holland. When walking through the town, we noticed a variety of small squares, neatly planted, rding a cool shade for the inhabitants. The tower of a the oil Cathedral is an object of curiosity. It stands alone. A tremendous hurricane, two hundred years ago, swept over the town, and separated the steeple from the church by destroying a wing of the building, which has never been rebuilt. We ascended the solitary tower, seve- ral hundred feet, and what a prospect ! It is said, the view extends nearly over the whole province of Holland, part of Guilderland, and Northern Brabant; a surface including in its ample space seventy large towns. We distinctly the huge pyramid of earth raised at Zeyst by the French army, on the occasion of Napoleon being created emperor. This mound is said to be one hundred and fifty feet high. The monument remains, but where is Napoleon ? We can point toward Paris, where a little heap of dry bones is deposited. And is this all which is left of that strange being, who, as one of his own countrymen has said, " almost shook the equilibrium of the globe ?" Napoleon yet lives ; his soul has neither lost its exist- ence nor identity ; but where, we must die to know. To-morrow we set out for Cologne. Farewell. J. C. LETTER V. Cologne, Prussia, September, 18-43. Dear Sir : We left Utrecht on the afternoon of the 21st inst. by diligence, enveloped in clouds of tobacco smoke. An aged man, accompanied by a youth, sat opposite, puffing in my face with all imaginable gravity ; they seemed, in fact, to 278 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. have no idea that it could be offensive to any one. Find- ing that wry faces, and other demonstrations of internal emotion, were unintelligible to the smoky brains of " the men of the pipes," the philosophy of patience, or an exit, became subjects of serious consideration. We chose the former, and invited as many allies as would join us ; such as the admission of as much pure air as could be enticed into such a crater, and as many fresh thoughts as might be induced to wait upon the uncomfortable soliloquy, — were it not for the filthiness of the habit, no man should attempt travelling in Holland before he has learned to smoke ! " Mr. * * * *, have you seen, in the course of your reading, the < Emblems of Francis Quarle,' an old poet, who flourished in the beginning of the seventeenth cen- tury ? Well, sir, among his many hieroglyphics, he has one which represents a human being seated upon a globe like our own, chained by the leg, to indicate, no doubt, the inveteracy of the habit of smoking, for he has a pipe between his teeth ; not, indeed, like the Dutch bowls, but resembling the polite clay pipe of England. There is a little poem beneath the picture, which I cannot quote at length, but the following will not be unacceptable : — * Come burst your spleen with laughter to behold, A new-found vanity, which days of old Ne'er knew ; a vanity that has beset The world, and made more slaves than Mahomet ; That has condemned us to the servile yoke Of slavery, and made us slaves to smoke.' " Yes, but you remember another poet, Spenser, who, in his poem entitled, " The Faery Queen, " designates it " Divine tobacco !" The poet, however, was suspected of complimenting his patron, Sir Walter Raleigh, who was a profound smoker. But when James I. ascended the throne, TO A FRIEND IN AMBRIGA. 279 he did not think the filthy habit beneath his royal notice. His ' rlUist to Tobacco acted upon thai and similar poetic fabrications, as a pair of powerful bellows upon cobwebs; or as a whiff of wind upon these self-same dense tobacco clouds. I can give you a quotation from the royal production ; would that it might operate upon these revolt- ing exhalations : " Smoking is a custom loathsome to the eye. hateful to the nose, hurtful to the brain, dangerous to the lungs, and, in the black, stinking fume, the nearest resemblance to the horrible Stygian smoke of the bottom- Lees pit. It is not only a sin, in wasting what might be better bestowed, and a great vanity, but a great contempt of God's good gifts, that the sweetness of man's breath, being a good gift of God, should be wilfully corrupted by this stinking smoke." One of the sayings of this monarch was, " That if he were to invite the devil to dinner, he should have three dishes, the third of which was a pipe of tobacco." I have been informed that this " Counterblast" had such an effect upon the mind of a gentleman in Der- byshire, that in making his will, and bequeathing much to his eldest son, he had it inserted in the same will, that, if any of his brothers or sisters should at any time find him smoking, he or she should be entitled to the said goods, or their value in money. It is remarkable that a practice, which only commenced about two hundred and sixty years ago, should have become so universally prevalent. The habit, I have been informed, is an acquired one, and not attained without considerable difficulty. The natural caste is opposed to it. I never could acquire the habit ; and those who have, generally allow that in the prat instance it was repulsive. I have been told, that it was used in the form of snuff, previous to the art of smoking ; that instead of puffiing it out at the mouth like these Dutchmen, the smoke made its exit through the nostrils, which must have had a sublime effect. About a 280 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. century after it was introduced into Europe from America, the habit was declared sinful by divines, and injurious to the system by physicians ; even sovereigns, as has been intimated, opposed it, as being of serious hinderance to the prosperity of the commonwealth. Smoking was decreed a capital punishment among the Turks, and forbidden in Russia, under pain of having the nose cut off. I can well believe this, as I remember reading an article, written in the year 1628, of which the following is the substance: Forty camels, loaded with tobacco, entered a town of Persia, from India. The drivers, being ignorant of the prohibition, were seized, and had their ears cropped, and their noses snipped. A great hole was then dug, in the form of a pipe, and filled with the weed, and set fire to. The black vapour spread itself through the town during the space of two whole days and nights ; and thus, those who loved it, were regaled, while others were annoyed with the sickening incense. Well, really, I know not which the people of Holland would most deprecate, if they were put to the choice,— the cropping and snipping of their ears and noses, or thus to have all their tobacco consumed, unless the pit were to burn for ever, and a restraint were laid upon the four winds of heaven, so as to allow the hollow-land [Holland] the privilege of being wrapped in a perpetual fog. "Really, this does not look much like patience ; but you have some philosophy about you. Only look at that old man, and the clouds of fume issuing from his mouth. Is he the Dutchman, I wonder, of whom it was said some years ago, that he only took three smokes in the day; one from breakfast to dinner, another from dinner to supper, and again from supper till he went to bed?" Perhaps you may not have learned from a late English or Scotch writer, I am not certain which — and it is no matter — the probability that smoking will soon go out of TO A Fi;l!M> i\ IMEftlOA. 281 fashion. I was amused with the manner in which he dep- Mcated it: "To be sure, it is a shocking thing, blowing ftnoke out of our mouths into other people's mouths, eyed, ami noses, and having the same done to us. Yet I cannot aerouut why a thing which requires so little exertion, and yet preserves the mind from total vacuity, should go out." There is a spice of sarcasm in this, perhaps irony, I know not which. One thing I wish to say, Holland would be the last nation in Christendom I should visit, in hope of witnessing tne extinction of the practice. But I am mistaken in the supposition. See ! the old man and youngster have both extinguished their fires, and the aromatic ashes have gone out of the coach window. I am glad of it ; but I wish conscience, instead of necessity, had forced them to it. One day, before I left England, I was conversing with an old Methodist class-leader. He told me, that one evening, near the completion of his sev- entieth year, he was sitting smoking his pipe, as usual, when his attention was suddenly arrested by a voice within, and the following dialogue ensued : " John, how much time dost thou spend over this pipe in the week ?" " Not less than hours." "And how much money does the tobacco cost thee?"* "So much, my Lord." <*WelJ, John, dost thou not know several of thy members who cannot pay their penny a week to support the Gospel?" wit is so, Lord." "Suppose, then, that thou shouldst deny thyself burning tobacco, and pray for them ? Again, John, some of thy members do not attend their class; is it so ?" " Yes, Lord, it is so." " And there are frequently * A friend of mine told me, the other day, that in the year 1843, £8,100,449 Is. 4d. was spent by the people of England, alone, in tobacco. A tolerably roand sum to end in smoke. And that if the weed had been worked \mo pig-tail, rather more than half an inch thick, it would have formed a line 99,470 miles long; long enough to go nearly five times round the world. J. C. 24* 282 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. sick persons to be visited, which are neglected; and see how much time thou wastest over this pipe !" " I see it, my Lord." "Wilt thou, then, abandon the practice from this hour ?" " Ay, that I will, my Lord." And, looking at me with a cheerful countenance, he said, " Sir, I have never touched it since." Dr. Clarke, in his " Dissertation on the Use and Abuse of Tobacco," appeals to the slave of this pernicious habit, thus: "There is one argument, which is addressed to good-breeding and benevolence, which, for the sake of politeness and humanity, should prevail. Consider how disagreeable your custom is to those who do not follow it. An atmosphere of tobacco effluvia surrounds you whithersoever you go. Every article about you smells of it ; your apartments, your clothes, and even your breath. Nor is there a smell in nature more disagreeable than that of stale tobacco, arising in warm exhalations from the human body, rendered still more offen- sive by passing through the pores, and becoming strongly impregnated with that noxious matter which was before insensibly perspired." " Consider, too, what pain your friends may be put to in standing near you, in order to consult you on some im- portant business, or to be improved by your conversation. Will you oblige them to pay so heavy a tax for the benefit of your advice, when it would have been more honourable to yourself, and comfortable to them, to have had that gratifi- cation in a less expensive way ? I cannot help saying, that I have often suffered a very painful nausea from the cause above assigned, and on which I will dilate no farther." Pardon this digression. I cannot, however, drop the subject without remarking, that smoking and chewing tobacco is the prevailing sin of America, as well as of Hol- land, to my wanderings in which latter place I return. The atmosphere still proving offensive, the driver kindly I FRIEND IN 1MBBI0A. 283 provided as witb seats outside; and as the day was very line, the remaining part of it passed most agreeably. The ground rises on leaving Utrecht, and swells into something like an attempt at little hills; but the road itself is perfectly level, with a slight curve in the centre, ami paved with a species of brick called clinkers. The wheels run almost as smooth as if on a railway. Rows of healthy trees, beech, elm, and linden, adorn each side of the highway for many miles, affording a refreshing shade. The houses are generally pretty, and usually approached by a nice avenue of stately trees. You desire some information respecting the style of landscape-gardening in Holland. The gardens of Holland appear to be on too small a scale; this, and the tameness of the country, preclude, in a great degree, the possibility of introducing that kind of picturesque gardening so pre- valent in England. The following remarks will apply very generally to the gardens of this singular country : "Little alteration seems to have taken place in the principles of gardening, in Holland, since the reign of William III. The best specimens are on the banks of tfte Vecht Canal, between Amsterdam and Utrecht. They consist of a suc- cession of small enclosures, wdiich every proprietor arranges according to his own fancy ; some w T ith clipped arcades of lime-trees or chestnuts, with a painting at the end, to con- tinue a long line of perspective ; others, with mazes of various forms, and hedges of yew, linden, or horn-beam ; sometimes there are straight lines of trees, or close arbours and berceaux, with banqueting-rooms or summer-houses, of six feet square, by the side of a canal, w T ith many- coloured doors and windows, and leaden pine-apples with green leaves and golden fruit ; parterres of various shapes, with neatly cut box borders, diversified with shells, flints, coals, brick-dust, and pieces of glass ; row T s of auriculas in pots, and beds of anemones, hyacinths, and high-priced 284 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. tulips, with painted figures of the gardener and his assist- ant. These gardens are separated from each other by a canal or a fish-pond ; they resemble those of the French in symmetrical arrangement, and those of the Italian in profusion of ornament. They are, however, on a smaller scale, and more compact, full of gewgaws and childish devices, and intersected by the stagnant canals or lazy rivers, which characterize Holland." Continuing our journey from Utrecht, we passed through several neat towns, the principal of which was Rhenen, watered by a rapid branch of the Rhine. Here we en- tered the tobacco plantations, which cover many hundreds of acres, miles on each side of the road. The tobacco is planted in small squares of, say half a rood, sheltered by rows of French beans, the vines of which are supported by poles, to the height of five or six feet ; the whole im- parting a singular and, were it not for associations, a beau- tiful aspect to the landscape. Here and there we noticed large drying-houses, filled with the leaf, suspended upon poles. Our route lay now through a sandy country, sup- posed by somefb have been the ancient bed of the Rhine. Some of the hills to the left seemed to be nothing but great heaps of sand, covered with a species of heath and fern. Beyond Rhenen we crossed a branch of the Rhine, by what is here called & flying -bridge ; the first of the kind we had ever seen. The principle upon which the passage is effected, is the same as that adopted at the Ferry, on the Onion River, below Essex, Vermont. That, however, is accomplished by suspending a cable of rope across the river, a few feet above the water, to which the boat is attached ; and shoving the vessel out with the head one or two points to the current, the boat oscillates with a slow and uniform motion to the opposite side. The flying-bridge is more complex. It consists of five small boats stationed up stream, about fifteen yards apart, nearly TO A FIMKM) IX AMKIUCA. 285 in the centre of the river. The upper boat is at anchor, and from it prooeedfl a chain which passes over a small tnast in each boat, two or three yards high, extending to the how of the main ferry-boat, which is composed of two Of three bargee bound together, over which is a platform for passengers, carriages, &c. The chain which passes over all the little boats, is capable of describing a segment of a circle ; or sufficient to swing the boat to the opposite Bide of the river. When we got our horses and carriage on board, the ferry-boat was set adrift, w T ith the head a point of the compass to the stream, the current sheered u> across with considerable rapidity; the boats up the suvam oscillating and changing points all the time most gracefully. It is amusing to hear the travellers of differ- ent nations name this construction. A German, for in- stance, exclaims, Fliegende schiffe-brilcJce, the flying bridge of boats ; a Dutchman, geer-burg, the bridge in shackles ; a Frenchman, le pont volant, the flying bridge ; while an Englishman says soberly, "A ferry-boat, get it over as you please, and as soon as you please.' ' The remainder of our route lay through a very fertile country ; and we arrived at Nimeguen about dark, and put up at a very in- different inn. During a great part of the night there was a constant clatter of dishes, shoe-brushing, and high Dutch, " high life," not indeed " below stairs," as it regarded our location, for we were all on the same story. The servants were evidently discussing matters of great importance ; the business of the next day, if not the affairs of the entire province, in tones of noisy eloquence, with occasional interruptions from some prompter or de- murrer. Sleep bade me farewell, and, as the old maxim runs, ''Misery loves company," I awoke Mr. II., in the opposite bed, out of a sound sleep, to be an attentive auditor to the Dutch orators. At length, as if weary of the matter, or out of matter, or falling suddenly under 286 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. tlie dominion of Morpheus, all were hushed into silence. Next morning we enjoyed a pleasant walk through the city. This being the last town in Holland^ and within a few miles of the Prussian frontier, it is strongly fortified. It has stood several sieges ; some with considerable honour, and others with disgrace. The effects of the cannonading are still visible upon the walls. The mounds and entrench- ments outside the walls cover more than three hundred acres. We perambulated the entire walls, and obtained some fine views of the Rhine, the surrounding country and villages. The cathedral, once in the possession of the Papists, together with old buildings close by, formerly in- habited by the monks, appear to have been profusely adorned with images, but in some of the popular commo- tions of past centuries, were broken to pieces, or unmer- cifully mutilated. About half past five P. M., we went on board a steamer, and sailed for Emmerich, where we cast anchor at dusk. It is the first frontier town of Prussia ; and here we delivered our passports and went ashore. After a good night's rest, in a comfortable inn, we pro- ceeded up the river early in the morning. The Rhine is a noble body of water here, but the shores are flat and uninteresting. ^ The only cities of importance which we passed, were Diisseldorf and Neuss ; the latter stands on the right bank, about two miles from the river. "We were informed that the Rhine washed its walls in ancient times ; if so, a remarkable change must have taken place in its channel. It was here the allied armies effected their first passage across the Rhine. The evening was beautiful as we were passing Neuss ; and at the gradual approach of twilight, we felt our heart3 sweetly drawn out in prayer. As we were pacing the deck, I remarked to Mr. Holgate, on leaving Diisseldorf, and beholding the mighty mass of water sweeping past the walls of that ancient city, how w T onderful the process of ro .\ friend ix ami rtca« 287 Mtare was which had supplied, during thonsahdd of this "exulting ami abounding river," with a never ceasing volume of ever onward waters. "This/' replied Mr. II.. "is one of the great arteries of nature; it rolls on to the ocean, and from thence ascends to the clouds, and bo descending again in showers, over an extensive continent, forms itself into rills and streams, and so pro- ceeds till it is once more the mighty river. "While gazing/ 9 he continued, "at this noble sheet of water, gliding silently past our steamer, my mind rested with peculiar ss upon that beautiful passage in the prophecies of Isaiah, *0! that thou hadst hearkened to my com- mandments, then had thy peace been like a river, and thy righteousness like the waves of the sea.' Behold it flow- ing on, deep, wide, noiseless, unruffled, and smooth as oil. This is just like the peace of God's people. Its depth and quantity preserve its smoothness. The steamer, how- ever, gives it some trouble. It makes a little noise, but it soon regains its quiet, like the peace of the saints of the Lord. Broad shallow streams are always troubled in the centre ; but this is smooth in every part, notwithstanding the jumble of the steamer, because it is all over deep." See, it resembles a river of oil ! 11 The air around is breathing balm ; The aspen scarcely seems to sway ; And, as a sleeping infant, calm, The river streams away ; Devious as error, deep as love, And blue and bright as heaven above." "What mind, Mr. H., could compute the number of tons of water which has gone down this river during the last two thousand years ? " The number is not infinite, but it is beyond the grasp of the human mind." Suppose the number of drops were required? "And yet the whole number of drops of water, during two thousand years. 288 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. would bear no more proportion to that eternity to which the wicked are tending, and which they are to spend in ' hell-fire' (Matt. 25: 46), than one drop would bear to all the drops contained in the required sum." " Suppose/' continued Mr. H., " a sinner were to remain in perdition one year for each drop which has rolled down this river during two thousand years ; one drop only being absorbed in a year ; yet a period would come round in eternity when that wretched soul would be liberated ; but the miseries of the damned have no such termination." That is an expressive line of Addison : — "Eternity, thou pleasing, dreadful thought!" The anticipation of spending an eternity of happiness in heaven, is a pleasing thought indeed ; but the prospect of a similar duration in hell, is unutterably dreadful : Kou © xartvos toy fiaaavitijjLov avtcov ava6aivsv si$ otuopa? cuco^coj/. " And the smoke of their torment aScendeth up for ever and ever." Rev. 14: 11. An old divine might well say, "No labour is hard, no time long, when the glory of eternity is the mark we level at." That, too, is a judicious remark of another writer of the last century, " Human nature cannot look into eternity without a religious awe. Our thoughts are lost in the endless view, and return to us weary and unsatisfied, without finding bounds or place to fix upon." Writers have been wont to compare the onward flow of rivers, to the ceaseless progression of time. I consider that a pretty thought of an elegant writer, " Time, like the resistless torrent of a mighty river, sweeps along and pours its full tide into eternity." A poet has laid hold of the same thought with considerable energy, thus : — " The lapse of time and rivers is the same, Both speed their journey with a restless stream ; The silent pace with which they steal away, No wealth can bribe, no prayer persuade to stay ; TO A ikh;m) ix ami;i;ha. Alike irrevocable both whan past. And a wide ocean swallow both at last." A moralizer says, - Time and river* resemble each other, but there is this difference : streams do not flow in vain, they water, refresh, and beautify; but time to mul- titudes glides along unimproved. " This, it would seem, assisted the poet to another verse: — 11 Though each resemble each in every part, A difference strikes at length the musing heart: Streams never flow in vain where streams abound; Sow laughs the land with every plenty crown'd ; But Time, which should enrich the nobler mind, Neglected, leaves a dreary waste behind." "But see! what an array of lights are ahead; they seem, in fact, to cross the entire river. That must be Cologne." So it was; and we landed about ten o'clock at night, and wended our way to an inn, to which we had been recommended by a ivaiter on board the steamer ; but everything in the interior looked so offensive, we left the house and sought another hotel. It was Saturday night, and we desired to have a comfortable home, where we might spend the Sabbath agreeably. We found one quite to our mind, and learned a lesson, which we should have done before; for this was the second time we had been imposed upon by such functionaries, who, it would appear, are frequently employed by low taverns, to procure them lodgers. The thought has just been suggested, that you would be disappointed were I to close this letter without mentioning something about the goodness of God to my soul. " If thou writest," said one of the Fathers, "it doth not relish with me unless I read Jesus there ; if thou disputest or conferrest, it doth not relish with me unless Jesus sound there." I can say, then, Jesus is very precious; he is 25 290 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. my delight and the joy of my heart. Please present my love to Mrs. * * * *. I often think of you both ; some- times in connexion with those fine lines : — " And when at last you close your gentle eyes, Blameless as they were blessed, may you fall Into the grave as softly as the leaves Of two sweet roses on an autumn eve, Beneath the small sighs of the western wind, Drop to the earth together." I remain, dear sir, your ever affectionate brother in Jesus Christ our Lord, J. C. LETTER VI. Coblentz, Prussia, Sept., 1843. Dear Sir : We arrived here by steamer, last night, from Cologne, after a pleasant run of nine hours. The scenery was grand, beyond anything we could have anticipated. Before I attempt a description, allow me to give you a short his- tory of our stay at Cologne. On Sabbath morning we walked out in quest of a place of worship, and entered a Roman Catholic Church. There were about two hundred persons present. The priest was busily engaged in paying his devotions to a few images ; kneeling first to one, and then to another, but evidently adoring all; now kissing a book, and again swinging a censer and raising a smoke ; somewhat more agreeable, however, than the kind complained of in my last. Having gone through these ceremonies, he began sprinkling the faithful few with "holy water," but managed not to allow a drop to reach us, taking us, no doubt, for heretics. The C&NTIfl i:m' \i. 1.1:1 in:-. -'.'1 poor people, principally women, appeared very serious; Itut their countenances were Bingularly vacant of anything like that intelligent expression so prevalent in a Protest- ant congregation. Some were counting their heads, others muttering prayers and crossing themselves, but most were listlessly observing the graceful motions of the priest. AVe felt Badly out of our clement, and withdrew. A few yards from this church we passed through a large market, in full operation. Proceeding through the city to the cathedral, we were shocked to see all the shops open, and engaged in business, as on any other day of the week. They did not appear to have any idea that it was Sabbath, or that they were under any obligation to keep the day holy. But this is a Roman Catholic city, and these arc the God-dishonouring workings of the abomina- ble system. How corrupted may Christianity become ! The plain Scriptures of Truth, from which these Papists have derived some of their most essential doctrines, and which they hold in common with other churches in Christ- endom, are totally neglected. The commandments of men, professing to be Christians, are substituted for the express laws of God ; and the word of God is made of none effect by their miserable traditions. Popery appears to be left to itself in Cologne, without anything to neutralize its horrible influence. The congregation was large at the cathedral. But how different the scene here, from what we beheld on the Sabbath we spent at the Hague ! There the Protestant minister was unfolding the rich treasures of gospel truth, before a deeply attentive and intelligent audience ; and when they began to sing, it was the employment of all, and "like the sound of many waters," and with a melody that took dominion of the soul ; and when they were dis- missed, each, young and old, carried away a copy of the Holy Scriptures. But here we beheld a company of priests 292 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. parading the high altar, and dressed in* a style most the- atrical ; now kissing the altar, next a crucifix, then the bishop's hand, and again presenting a crucifix to his em- brace, waving hands, bowing to images, crossing, swinging censers. At length, as if wearied with their exercises, they sat down, and a few persons accompanied the organ, with a piece more becoming a military parade than the sanctuary of God. When this was concluded, the priests were again in motion, enveloped in clouds of smoke from the censers which they were heaving in the air with no small degree of dexterity. A company of little boys, gaudily dressed, were employed all the time in pursuing the steps of the priests, imitating their motions, and, at intervals, tinkling bells. With the exception of a few, some of whom were intent upon the movements of the priests, and others, earnestly engaged before some image, as if resolved not to leave it until it had been propitious, the greater part of the concourse were in motion, peram- bulating the vast area of the cathedral, as if in a fair, and we could not but remark the same vacant stupidity of fea- ture which we had noticed in the last congregation ; indi- cative of a mind unemployed, or " starving through lack of knowledge.' ' There were some, I allow, who did not come under this censure ; but such was the general aspect of the mass attending Mass. The altars, pictures, and shrines of various saints are numerous in this cathedral. Some are evidently very ancient. The famous shrine, for instance, of the three kings, or magi, who came to worship the infant Redeemer, was brought from Milan to this city, in the year 1170. The pretended skulls of these three men are still darkly seen within the tomb. It is stated that they were adorned with crowns of gold and precious stones when the " infidel French" carried them away; and when compelled to return the skulls in 1804, they did not appear to consider the CONTIfl i:.\ i \l : 298 crowns and jewels included in tlu 1 demand, and therefore the heads were minus of these valuable ornaments, which have never since been seen. The ** faithful/ 1 at Cologne, consider these the identical bones of the three wise men. Previously to the French Revolution, this tomb was con- sidered the most rich and superb monument in all Europe. The cathedral of Cologne is in an unfinished state, and is likely so to continue. It was intended to be the most splendid specimen of the florid gothic in Europe ; and is rarely rivalled as it is. Such a profusion of ornamental sculpture : such an array of turrets, pinnacles, and towers, clustered upon one building, we had never before beheld. The main tower, though not completed, harmonizes with the magnificence of the edifice, and rises to the height of two hundred feet. The crane by which the stones were raised to their present position is yet on its summit. When the masons were ordered to desist, and the scaffold- ing was torn away from the unfinished tow T er, it was left there, either through forgetfulness or design ; and there it has remained upwards of three centuries. The Roman Catholics consider the standing crane as a pledge from heaven that it shall yet be completed, and would not have it removed on any account. Apart from Popery, it is a mournful spectacle, to see weeds and shrubs growing out of the exquisite sculpture of this tower ; and the crane, as if in solemn mockery at the work of decay going on below, announcing the building to be only in progress of erection, while, in fact, the whole is rapidly tending to dilapidation and final ruin. The tower, which stands at a distance from that part of the edifice having something of the appearance of a finish, struck us at first as not be- loncririfr to the cathedral, till a closer view removed the or. This, and another tower, twenty-five feet high, e intended to be carried to the height of five hundred . The dim e interior are en a large scale, 294 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. and the effects upon the mind most imposing. The pre- dominant feeling is a sense of one's own littleness, and of the majesty of God. As we glided along from column to column, of which there are not less than one hundred ; some of them more than thirty feet in circumference, as- cending to the height of one hundred and fifty feet, sup- porting "the vaulted roof, which seemed another sky;" and as we hearkened to the solemn tones of a powerful organ, echo multiplying upon echo, answering each other along the far extended aisles, and losing themselves in the far away recesses of some altar or chapel ; notwithstand- ing our prejudices against Popery, we were not, I confess, prepared to reject the sentiment uttered by one, " How fit a place is this for man to walk and talk with his Maker !" Perhaps the following imperfect lines may not be unac- ceptable. They were written after our return from the cathedral to our hotel : — I will not frown upon thee, noble pile ! Though one upon thy brow there is; — a deep Dread frown upon thy hundred pinnacles ; The same on cluster' d columns, thy solemn Aisles within ; a frown, like that which lower'd On Babel's rising walls, has come on thee. 'Tas fit, ere God came down in Luther's day, To purge his church, to drive from off her walls The Babel throng, and look displeasure on Their work for aye, that thou, of power and pride The offspring, should'st be a sign to nations round. By stretching over thee confusion's line, And stones of emptiness,* He doomed thee A monument of fall'n greatness, and Truth's Triumphant era, Arrested thus, in midway pomp, and near A period so mem'rable withal ! marked * Isaiah 34: 11. CONTINENTAL LETTERS, ZW With awe the elimai of Catholicism, And most emphatically, a descent, Panselesa and lasting aa eternity ! Full twice three centuries have pass'd away, And so have drifted down duration's tide, Since thy foundation stone was firmly laid. In florid gothic, and in sculpture rich, Uprose the pile, magnificently fair. Century to century succeeded, And generation after generation ; — And workmen still were busied on thy wall ; — None inattentive to the vast design ; Till suddenly, at length, the builders ceased, And left the half-completed tower ; but none Have since essay'd to add a single stone ;* Nor scaffold, nor aught appears, save that lone crane. Whose iron arm extending from the top, Entreating, lo ! these seventeen score of years, The architect's completing hand, in vain, For, "No!" from Higher Source, is sternly said: And weeds, rank midst mould'ring sculpture waving, Impressively say, "No!" and, "No!" seems traced On hoary arch and crumbling pinnacle, As by the finger of Almighty God ! Cologne was once one of the most flourishing cities of Germany. It extends about two miles along the bank of the Rhine, and verges in form to a crescent. Many of the houses are lofty ; and if one may judge from their remaining decorations, they have been at one time beau- tiful ; but their present appearance is gloomy and ruinous. The streets are covered with filth, as if they had not been swept for years ; and the stench is intolerable. Think of this, ye Americans, when enjoying the fragrance of the Eau de Cologne! That I am not alone in this remark, is evident from the following sentiments of an intelligent * This relates to the tower. Some efforts are being made, I believe, to finish the great nave. J. C. 296 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. visitor : " Cologne, once the holy city, now the dirty focus of decaying Catholicism, loses all its grandeur, and much of its interest, on a nearer survey ; it is, beyond question, the dirtiest and most gloomy city of its size in Europe. It runs along the Rhine about a league from one wall to the other ; its depth is about half a league ; but its streets are all shabby narrow lanes, and its places irregular open spaces, overgrown with weeds, whose dreary chasms and mouldering tenements are only now and then varied by a solitary spacious mansion, a gloomy vestige of old-fashioned splendour. The people you meet are as motley and miser- able as the buildings. It is difficult to give you an idea of its -squalid wretchedness, of the savage-looking, bust- ling crowds, who flew upon us when we landed on the quay." The population of Cologne is variously stated; it amounts, probably, to about sixty-five thousand. When the French took possession of the place, fully one-third of the population obtained their living by begging ; each person having his appropriate station, which passed as an inheritance from father . to son. There were also at that time, it is stated, two thousand five hundred priests, be- sides a large assembly of nuns. Cologne is said to be the birth-place of Agrippina, the mother of Nero. After her marriage with Claudius, she remembered her native place, and conferred upon it sub- stantial favours. Latin writers, after this period, speak of the city under the name of Colonia Agrippinensis. Rubens, the celebrated painter, was also born here. On Sabbath afternoon, I passed through one of the gates, and walked to a shady spot on the banks of the Rhine, above the city, where my soul was favoured by a gracious visitation from on high. My heart was full, and my eyes overflowed, when reflecting upon all the way the Lord my God had led me, these many years, in the wilderness. Ll. CONTINENTAL LETTERS. 297 t day we left Cologne, by steamer, and proceeded up the river to this city (Coble II tx). The transition from the beautiful to the truly sublime in BOeuarj, was rapid, after leaving Cologne. The seven mountains, terminating in as many rugged peaks, the loftiest, "The castled crag of Drachcnfels," crowned, at the height of eighteen hundred feet, with the ruins of a castle, and the mountain of Rolandseck, on the opposite bank, present an imposing portal to the gloomy grandeur of the ravine, which w r e were about to enter, and through which this exulting river forces the mighty volume of its waters. One of these mountains, as if " in defiance of its neighbour" on the other side, advances close to the river's brink, but receding suddenly, and joining with the other six, they form themselves into a noble crescent, rising in front of the Rhine, like a spacious amphitheatre. A poet has well described this entrance, and the beau- tiful scenery in the vicinity, thus : — " The castled crag of Drachenfels Frowns o'er the wide and winding Rhine, Whose breast of waters proudly swells, Between the banks that bear the vine, And hills all rich with blossom'd trees, And fields that promise corn and wine, And scatter'd cities crowning these, Whose far white walls along them shine. Above, the frequent feudal towers, Through green leaves lift their walls of gray, And many a rock which steeply towers, And noble arch in proud decay. The river richly foams and flows, The charm of this enchanted ground, And all its thousand turns disclose Some fresher beauty varying round. The highest breast its wish might bound, Through life to dwell delighted here; Nor could a spot on earth be found, To nature and to me so dear." 298 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. The river, now compressed within narrow limits, became very impetuous, sometimes almost a match for our steamer ; but its sudden expansion into what may be termed a suc- cession of small lakes, imprisoned amidst the mountains, relieved the vessel, and prepared her for an encounter with the next rush of the torrent. We noticed a certain point where the current was run- ning with a tumultuous and accelerated velocity, and were informed the boatmen of the Rhine name it, Gotteshiilfe, that is, God's help. Poor fellows, this is much needed here, especially when the Rhine is on the throne of his power, and the roar of his majesty is heard among the mountains. " The boatmen of the Rhine, in fact, require help," says a writer, " even where there is little or no danger. They are the most clumsy and inexpert watermen, in the manage- ment of small craft, that can well be imagined. In a com- mon boat there are generally two men ; one at the head with a wooden rake, shaped like those which our scaven- gers use to rake the mud in the streets ; with this the man pulls the water towards him ; the other on the stern, either with a similar rake or flat paddle, pushes the water from him ; so that, with pushing and pulling, they contrive to move the boat, clumsily and slowly enough, through the water. The larger boats are towed generally along the right bank by as many horses as may be necessary. It is not uncommon to observe eight of them tracking one of the larger kind against the stream. In descending, they have only to take care that the head be kept down the stream, and the current does the rest of the work for them." Castles in ruins, on either hand, are numerous. Their varied forms and positions, on mountain peak, rugged cliffs, and amidst tangled thickets, have an effect exceedingly beautiful and fTicturesque. The mountains, « composed CONTINENTAL LETTERS. 2!>9 Chiefly of Mack basalt and argillaceous slate," rise boldly from the water's edge, BOme Of them ragged and bare, and Others covered With vinos; terrace rising above terrace, loaded with luxuriant grapes, extending along jutting cliffs and frowning precipices, and ascending over the gray and barren ribs of the mountains, almost to their summits: — 11 Mountains that show Inscribed, as with the silence of a thought, Upon their bleak ami visionary sides, The history of many a winter storm, Or obscure records of the path of fire." The inhabitants, taking advantage of the many wind- ings of the river, have planted their cities and towns on the angles; and "man's inhumanity to man," in past ages, has compelled them to raise around them walls and ramparts. The church spire, overtopping trees and war- like towers, assures the thoughtful voyager that the citi- zens look for a better country, that is, an heavenly ; and for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Heb. 11 : 10, 14. It is, dear Sir, impossible, in the short space of a letter to describe all the interesting objects which drew forth our admiration during this one day's journey. Had I at- tempted even the names of towns, villages, castles, &c, my epistle would have swollen into a dry and tedious catalogue. The scenery was to me of an entirely new order, compared with anything I had before seen. We arrived in this city a little past seven o'clock the same day, and put up at the Giant Hotel, a princely establishment, where we are at present most agreeably accommodated. Farewell. J. C. 300 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. LETTER VII. Mayence, Germany, Sept., 1843. Dear Sir : Our stay at Coblentz was short. On the morning of our departure, we crossed the Rhine on a compact bridge of boats, and ascended to the heights, contiguous to the celebrated fortress of Ehrenbreitstein, where we enjoyed a most beautiful and extensive prospect. Coblentz, in its glory, lay beneath, on the opposite side of the river. The city stands upon a tongue of land, in the form of a perfect triangle ; one side of which extends along the river Mo- selle, and the other is watered by the Rhine ; the third side occupies the entire breadth between the two rivers inland. The city has its name from its situation, at the confluence of the Rhine and the Moselle, — Confluentia, or Coblentz. The Rhine with its islands, Coblentz with its walls and numerous spires, and a rich and extensive land- scape, dotted with many towns and villages, lay beneath our eye ; a combination, in fact, of as beautiful and mag- nificent scenery as, perhaps, our world affords. At our feet reposed the little town of Thai ; and, on our right, the frowning ramparts of Ehrenbreitstein, that is, " Rock of Honour." The fortress has an aspect peculiarly com- manding and warlike ; such an array of bastions, ramparts, battlements, and round towers, I have never before be- held ; at least, in such a giddy and fearful situation. The entire summit of a perpendicular rock, rising eight hundred feet above the level of the Rhine, is covered with them. Here and there, upon every jutting crag, is to be seen a bristling battery or threatening tower, " which, but to look at," said one, "is enough to make a peaceable man trem- ble." This rock has long been appropriated to the purposes of war, having been first fortified by the Romans. " There CONTINBM CAL LET! I 801 was b castle here,' 1 says the historian, -iii the time of the Emperor Julian." The fortress, during the Swedish war, Was attacked on the south side by an army of forty thou- sand meil, and on the north, at the same time, by the French army ; yet their united power could not reduce it, and it was abandoned as impregnable. The truce of Leoben proved its ruin. It was then in the possession of the French, who, doubting whether they could retain it, dismantled the works and blew them up. The rock was terribly shaken by the concussion, and masses of it came down with a tremendous crash. A celebrated poet has thus immortalized it, in its season of desolation : — " Here, Ehrenbreitstein, with her shattered wall, Black with the miner's blast, upon her height, Yet shows of what she was, when shell and ball Rebounding idly on her strength, did light ; A tower of victory ! from whence the flight Of baffled foes was watched along the plain ; But peace destroyed what man could never blight, And laid those proud roofs bare to summer's rain, On which the iron showers for years had pour'd in vain." Thus perished what was considered one of the strongest fortresses in Europe ; and " peace destroyed what man could never blight." And thus, we said, it has been with many a real Christian. Founded upon the Rock of Ages, and built up on his most holy faith, — "Strong in his strength, as stood a tower, Impregnable to earth and hell." But, alas ! he who passed unharmed through the fiery ordeal of persecution and sore temptation, repelling victo- riously every attack of the enemy, continuing all the while a burning and shining light, has, on the cessation of hostili- ties, — during a truce, offered by the enemies of his Lord, — 26 802 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. fallen from his own steadfastness. How many such have we known, thus standing up for God, in the glory of a high and holy calling, surprised in an unguarded and un- suspected moment, stripped of their defensive armour, and shorn of their strength like Samson ! — by some sudden gust of temptation, their religious profession and hopes of heaven have been blown to atoms, like the ancient for- tress of Ehrenbreitstein; thus, — " Peace destroyed what man can never blight." Another poet w r ell expressed our feelings : — 11 Far more the treach'rous calm I dread, Than tempests breaking o'er my head." His Prussian Majesty has caused the blackened frag- ments of the ruined fortress to disappear. The torn gran- ite ribs of the old rock have been united again by piles of solid masonry. "Walls above w T alls have arisen ; and, " Like a sculptured Cybele," as one has somewhere ex- pressed it, with a coronet of towers, turrets, and battle- ments, that rock has once more reared its crested head for the defence of Germany. And thus has God upraised many a wretched backslider, under my ministry, since my arrival on this side of the Atlantic. Hallelujah ! Brought back again, within the dominions of Emmanuel, having his iniquities pardoned, his soul cleansed, and being once more reinstated in the divine favour ; — I have seen the backslider armed a second time in the panoply of heaven, adorned with a coronet of the choicest blessings of his God, and enabled again to lift his head with confidence for the defence of the religion of his Saviour. Excuse me, my dear Sir, but I begin to feel as if out of my element, although my health is all the better for this relaxation. I have seen much of the beautiful and CONTINENTAL LRTTS&8, 803 tlif grand sine.' I left England, btil nothing equal to the interesting scenes peculiar t<> a revival of religion: — " More grateful to Religion's eye, than spring, With her unnumbered tints of ever changing huts, To oatare's own. — the poet, — is the sight Which grace exhibits, in its wond'rous work, When souls from death are quicken'd into life, Or churches, Phamix-like, from ashes spring, All clad in beauty, rich as angels wear." We recrossed the river, and departed by steamer for Mayence. Shortly after leaving Coblentz, we entered a deep ravine, which continued twenty-five or thirty miles. The river, contracted between mountains, which rise in many places on either side, like huge black walls, rushes most impetuously ; but the succession of little lakes, singu- larly scooped out of the mountains, is an admirable arrange- ment of Providence ; the fury of the torrent of waters being thereby greatly lessened. Having passed through a series of these lakes, our admiration at the ingenious manner in which the crew had managed to conduct the vessel thus far, was succeeded by the query, " How is it possible for them to extricate her out of the labyrinth which lies before us, for we are enclosed by mountains which interlace each other in every direction?" But, not unlike the interventions of Providence, in our spiritual or temporal affairs, when we are at our "wit's end," and an outlet from our difficulties seems next to impossible, just then the Lord interposes, and we are compelled to ex- claim, — " Almighty Providence ! exceeding thought, Where none appears, can make itself a way !" So, following the river, which threaded its way through "mountain difficulties," our passage gradually opened before us; indicated, generally, by the defying aspect of two or more mountains, which seemed to have but just 304 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. sufficient courtesy to let us pass, ere they came together with a crash. How illustrative this of that fine sentiriient of an elegant writer: " There are few difficulties that hold out against real attacks ; they fly, like the visible horizon, before those who advance. A passionate desire, and an unwearied will, can perform impossibilities, or what seem to be such to the cold and feeble. If we do but go on, some unseen path will open among the hills." It is no easy matter, I find, to convey to you a proper idea of the many sublime scenes which met our view at every turn of this beautiful river. The mountains, covered with hanging vineyards, rise from the water's edge in bold and rugged grandeur, crowned with crumbling castles, or shattered fortresses, " Tenantless, save to the crannying wind, or holding dark communion with the cloud." Pretty towns, with "rampired walls" and shining spires, repose in sweet seclusion at almost every angle of the river: — " And all its thousand turns disclose, Some fresher beauty varying round ; A blending of all beauties ; streams and dells, Fruit, foliage, crag, wood, corn-field, mountains, vines. And cheerless castles, breathing sad farewells, From gray but leafy walls, where ruin greenly dwells. " It was quite a sacrifice to leave the deck for dinner ; but some of us were up and down a dozen times during the meal, to the no small amusement of one who considered that " everything should have its season," but who could admit of no degrees of comparison between the luscious exhibition upon the table, and those " nice things" upon the shore ; fit only for the eye, which never can be satisfied with seeing. We retorted that the old maxim was not true in all cases, " There is no accounting for taste," as we could readily account for his. An hour or two afterwards, the same gentleman was sitting on deck, quietly enjoying his pipe, when a large mass of rock came away from the brow CONTINENTAL LETTERS. 80S of the mountain! roaring like a piece of artillery. He was on his feet in a moment) beckoning us, with violent tores, to Come and see. We were 1 by his side in time to sct^ the landing-place of the descending fragments; but the opportunity for complimenting his " enthusiastic develop- ments," when unembarrassed by table associations, was not overlooked by a few of the witty passengers. As we approached a very gloomy part of the ravine, three small cannon were drawn out upon the forward deck, and charged. " The first object that attracts the notice of the passenger is a naked mass of black rock, singularly curious, whose strata appear to have been thrown up and disrupted, and the great basaltic tablets and columns piled on each other in hideous disorder. " This is the famous Lurleyherg, or Wisperthal, that is, the repeating mountain ; so called, from an echo multiplying itself several times in the vicinity. When close under the overhanging rocks, the sharp notes of two or three muskets, from the opposite shore, were echoed and re-echoed, and carried along the crags and deep ravines, as upon so many keys, till they died away in some secret dell, or distant cavern. But this was only a prelude to the three cannon tune ; one discharge after another, succeeded in quick succession. The echoes were tremendous ; as if the whole neighbourhood of moun- tains were uniting in the chorus. The waters around the base of the Lurleyberg were very turbulent. There is an old legend current among the boatmen of the Rhine, that a water-nymph has her resi- dence here. It seems, many of their brethren have been charmed into security by the voice of the syren, — w r hich may have been nothing more than alcohol, the mocker, Prov. 20: 1, — and then dashing them against the rocks, has cast them within the circle of the vortex to their de- struction. Some of the towns, on the banks of the Rhine, have a mean and poverty-stricken appearance, and abound 26* 306 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. in shattered towers and crumbling walls ; but they har- monize so well with the grim majesty of mountain, rock, and ruin, as not to offend the eye ; and, joined with their picturesque situation, impart a pleasing interest to the scene. The manner in which the little sheets of the Rhine are imprisoned and sheltered by the mountains, secures for them a smooth and glassy surface, which serves as a mirror for the ruins above ; reminding one of that fine verse by an Irish poet : — "On Lough Neagh's banks as the fisherman strays, When the clear cold eve is declining; He sees the round towers of other days, In the wave beneath him shining." We arrived at Mayence about dark, and put up at the Hotel d'Angleterre, The grand panorama, composed of the first order of things, which has passed before us these two days, has left an indelible impression upon our mind ; and has furnished us with a series of beautiful images, to which we shall ever recur with delight. I think it is Mil- ton, who says, " It were an injury and sullenness against nature, not to go out and see her riches, and partake in her rejoicings with heaven and earth. " Sullen indeed, must that spirit be, that would not be delighted with the scenery of the Rhine ; for who could gaze upon it, with- out having awakened within him, apprehensions the most lively, of the majesty of God, and the grandeur of his works ? And such is the power of association, that the works of man, mingling with those of his Creator, — the mossy battlements and ivied towers, sublimely mouldering on jagged projections, of cliff and precipice, — so far from lessening the feeling, increase it. So much for the Rhine as it is ; but the Rhine as it was, — as it was in the twelfth, thirteenth, fourteenth, and sixteenth centuries, recalls other associations. Let the mind only throw itself back OONTINKVTAL LETTERS, 307 in contemplation upon those eventful times; the scenes of treachery and bloodshed, to which these mountain orags, ami frowning ruins, have been the mute witnesses ; the circumstances which rendered the erection of these Strongholds necessary ; the superstitious monks and law- less brigands which occupied them ; the sufferings endured by many wretched victims incarcerated in the dark damp cell: the deeds of tyranny and murder perpetrated within their gloomy chambers ; such stern and disgusting recol- lections, go far to correct that romantic admiration which many travellers entertain of the chivalry of past ages. Reminiscences like these, damp the pleasurable sensation, in a religious mind, and impart a tinge of mournfulness, when luxuriating amidst the majesty of Rhine scenery. A certain poet, who never was over nice about such mat- ters, seems to have been affected somewhat by the same feeling, when he here composed the following lines : — "Beneath these battlements, within those walls, Power dwelt amidst her passions, in proud state, Each robber chief upheld his armed halls, Doing his evil will, nor less elate Than mightier heroes of a longer date. In their baronial feuds and single fields, AVhat deeds of prowess unrecorded died ! And love, which lent a blazon to their shields, With emblems well devised by amorous pride, Through all the mail of iron hearts would glide ; But still their flame was fierceness, and drew on Keen contest and destruction, near allied, . And many a tower for some fair mischief won, Saw the discolour'd Rhine beneath its ruin run. A thousand battles have assailed thy banks, But these and half their fame have pass'd away, And slaughter heap'd on high his weltering ranks, Their very graves are gone, and where are they ?" 308 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. * Such views, however, need not deter the Christian tra- veller from being thankful to God, that he lives in the present enlightened age. Honour, and what is this but honesty and good faith? — is no longer subjected to "the fantastic touchstone of chivalry,'' but is now the product of wise and just laws, to which the powerful and the weak are alike amenable, and supported by the truths of our holy religion. " The middle ages," says a writer, "were too fertile in oppression, and in misery, to be regarded with anything like regret, that their character and spirit have not been stamped upon the times in which we are living." The length to which I have extended this letter, pro- hibits me, even were I not straitened for time, to say much upon the subjects to which you have referred. "It is," says a good man, " unfortunate when a man's intellectual and moral character are not suited to each other. The horses in a carriage should go the same pace, and draw in the same direction, or the motion will be neither pleasant nor safe." And the remark is equally true, that "the want of harmony between the talents and the temperament is often found in private life ; and wherever found, it is the fruitful source of faults and sufferings." The latter circumstance may be one of those balances which God not unfrequently permits to accompany great talents, to neu- tralize the occasions of pride, " To humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart." Deut. 8 : 2. It is most disagreeable, nevertheless, to those who may be necessitated to associate w r ith such a person, although it may be greatly overruled for the good of the individual himself. I feel, however, disposed to treat the case as charitably as I can, unless there is more concealed than you have expressed. Every year only shows me, that whatever may be the weight of my little talent, it is more thtm balanced by numerous infirmities, which lay me daily mvriNKNTAL LETTKKff. 309 in the dust, crying, "Eveify moment, Lord, I need the merit of thy death/ 1 And our mutual friend, * * * *, has gone liome to heaven. " Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace." It was only this morn- ing, I was meditating upon his amiable and admirable character, aided by the following lines, which are true to the life :— " Holy learning, snored arts, Gifts of nature, strength of parts ; Fluent grace, an humble mind, Worth reform'd, and wit refined ; Sweetness both in tongue and pen, Insight both in books and men ; Hopes in woe, and fears in weal, Humble knowledge, sprightly zeal, A liberal heart, and free from gall, Close to friend, and true to all." May my " last end," and thine, be like his! Amen. I remember reading a passage in the " experience" of Luther, which may illustrate, in some degree, those pro- vidential difficulties which oppress Mr. * * * *. " Upon some affair of great consequence, w r hich had occurred in some providential dispensations, he was very importunate at the throne of grace, to know the mind of God in it ; and it seemed to him as if he heard God speak to his heart thus, 'I am not to be traced.' " If he is not to be traced, he may be trusted ; and that religion is of little value which will not enable a man to trust God where he can neither trace nor see him. But there is a time for every- thing beneath the sun, and the Almighty has his " times and seasons." It has been frequently with my hopes and desires, in regard to providence, as with my watch and the 3un, which has often been ahead of true time ; — I have gone faster than providence, and have been forced to stand still and wait, or I have been set back painfully. That 310 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. was a fine sentiment of Flavel, " Some providences, like Hebrew letters, must be read backwards." Everything is beautiful in its season ; providential bless- ings have their season; they come as flowers do, some earlier and others later; but if we refuse to enjoy thank- fully one class of favours, till we have, along with them, others that are desirable, we may place ourselves in a position to be illustrated by a figure adopted by a great writer : " It is, as if one would undertake to gather at the same time primroses and violets, and roses and gillyflowers, to make a nosegay, when some of these are withered ere the others be budded." That providences do occur, the reasons for which are profoundly secret, I admit, but none of them are unjust. It will require another world to explain all the mysteries peculiar to this. The Lord deals very roughly sometimes with some of his servants, because lie has tried them, and knows they may be trusted: "For I know him," said the God of Abraham, " that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment ; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him." But the same servant of God "was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing whither he went." By such persons the Lord gives some of the noblest exhibitions of the power of grace, and triumphs of faith. I have noticed at what a tremendous speed they drive the locomotive, when upon those parts of the road where they have perfect confidence in the rail. An old divine compares a perfect Christian to a die, which, however it be thrown, always falls upon a square ; — cast him where you will, he will always fall " sure and square" for honesty and holiness. I met with a remark, when reading, the other day, which I think may be of use to our friend • it was this: The CONTINENTAL LEI n:i:.-. 81 I Athenians, when they won- in the greatest danger at sea, always east out the great anchor, called, "The Holy Anchor/ 1 So let him commit the keeping of his soul to (io,l in well-doing, as unto a Faithful Creator. Let him cast anchor on Christ, and hold fast by that faithful promise, i« 1 will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." As for poor afflicted Mrs. * * * *'s case, that she is frequently "cast down," is not to be wondered at; I should wonder more, considering the nature of her disease, were it otherwise with her ; nor should she, on that account, write bitter things against herself, though the devil may tempt her to do so. u Ah ! Lord," said a good man in affliction, when he saw a bird trying to fly, but weighed down by a stone hanging at its leg, "Ah ! Lord, thus it fares with the soul of thy servant ! Fain would I serve, glorify, and enjoy thee ; but a distempered body will not let me. However, it is reviving to think, that though I am now forced to crawl like a worm in the discharge of my duties, I shall shortly fly like a seraph in the execution of thy will. Cheer up, my soul, the time is at hand when thou shalt be made more willing than thou art, and thy flesh not weak as now." I remain, ever dear Sir, in strong affection to you and Mrs. * * * *, as ever in Jesus Christ, J. C. LETTER VIII. Manheim, Sept., 1843. Dear Sir, We arrived here to-day from Mayence, and intend to sail, about ten o'clock to-night, for Strasburgh, France. Manheim has long been considered one of the finest 312 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. cities of Germany. It is situated at the conflux of the Neckar and the Rhine. No city that I have hitherto vis- ited, has reminded me so much of Philadelphia, U. S , not so much in form, for Manheim is oval, nor yet in size, as it is much smaller; but, like Philadelphia, it is laid off into squares, with the regularity of a chess-board ; the streets crossing each other at right angles. The houses are tastefully constructed, and the public buildings have an aspect quite imposing. There are numerous fountains in all parts of the city, which are elegantly decorated ; these, and the healthy trees, abounding in the streets, must diffuse an agreeable atmosphere during the summer months. The sight of running water in warm weather, frequently communicates a refreshing sense of coolness. The pleasure grounds, which nearly encompass the city, are laid out in handsome walks, bordered with flowers, and clumped with trees and shrubs, and are free both to citi- zens and strangers. The hour we spent in walking over these grounds, this afternoon, has been the most agreeable since we left England ; although they encircle a busy and populous city, there is in them a kind of wilderness soli- tude. The plants, flowers, and shrubberies, are well man- aged, as to arrangement ; and the walks are in perfect order, shaded in all directions with luxuriant trees. Manheim suffered severely from the bombardment in 1795, but it appears to have quite recovered itself, with the exception of the Royal Palace, which is of great mag- nitude, but a melancholy ruin. As we are completely tired with the excursions of the day, and have a couple of hours to spare, before the arri- val of the steamer, I shall employ them in giving you some particulars, connected with our visit to Mayence and Frankfort. Mayence is an old city of Germany, and describes some- thing like a semicircle. It stands upon the left bank of .1, LETT! 318 the Rhine, below its junction with the river Maine. Al- though it belong* t«> a Gtarman prince, Austria and Pro rison ir. This arose from the decision of the Congr< 3fi held at Vienna, Owing to the importance of the place, and the inability of the prince to furnish a sufficient garrison. The fortifications arc strong and extensive, and require, in time of war, 80,000 men. The streets are narrow, crooked, and gloomy, and we saw hut few buildings worthy of par- , ticular notice. The cathedral, built of red sandstone, looked well, with its fine old Gothic tower, of the same material, and adorned with fretwork and pinnacles. The interior was greatly injured by the French, who wreaked their fury upon every building devoted to the worship of God. The ancient Electoral Palace, with its two immense wings, is a striking object, standing as it does, close to the Rhine. Its fluted pilasters, and pretty capitals, richly adorned, make a good appearance; but why they amalga- mated their own strange and fanciful designs, while aim- ing at some of the majestic lineaments of Grecian archi- tecture, we could not determine : Cftaque pays a sa guise, — every country has its fancy. In our walks through the city, we met with a fountain, in a small square, of ingenious workmanship. The Rhine and the river Maine are represented by the well-executed figures of two old men. A couple of lions are employed in spouting water, and a handsomely sculptured obelisk stands in the centre of the circular basin. " Symmetrical, but deck'd with carvings quaint, Strange faces like to men in masquerade, And here perhaps a monster, there a saint : The spring gush'd through grim mouths of granite made, And sparkled into basins, where it spent Its little torrent in a thousand bubbles, Like man's vain glory, and his vainer troubles." 27 314 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. The country around Mayence is considered the most fertile in all Germany. The city contains about 36,000 inhabitants, and 12,000 Prussian and Austrian soldiers. Mayence contests with Haarlem the honour of having invented the art of printing, and to prove their preten- sions to a demonstration, the citizens erected a bronze statue of Guttemburg, in 1837. The matter, however, was thoroughly investigated by the learned, some years ago, and the glory unanimously conceded in favour of Haarlem. . It was admitted, that the art received important im- provements at Mayence, by the invention of cut metal types ; Costar having only used wx>oden types. Mayence, it seems, would have had as little pretence for such a claim, as the other cities on the Rhine, but for the knavery of Geiyisfleisch, Costar's servant. While his master and family were at the Haarlem Church, on a Christmas eve, he stole the types and necessary apparatus, absconded, and settled at Mayence, where he printed his first book in the year of our Lord 1442, twelve years after Costar had issued his " Mirror of Human Salvation." Geinsfleisch was soon afterward joined by Guttemburg, who assisted him in the invention of cut metal types. The new types were first employed in printing an edition of the Bible. Such was the infancy of the art, that it required eight years for its execution ; and it appeared in 1450. In the "year 1462, a second edition of the Bible issued from the press at Mayence, but much more beauti- ful and expensively printed. One of the firm sold it in Paris, as manuscript, at a very high price ; as the Parisians regarded such an extraordinary number of copies as the product of nothing short of magic. Thus, so late in the fifteenth century, so totally ignorant of the art of print- ing were the learned men of the great metropolis of France. CON n\ i.\ i al i.i. ii i : »1 5 The next improvement in printing, was thai of having the letters cast } instead of being cut. And so important Mas this discovery of casting types considered, and bo fearful were tlu' proprietors of the press at Mayence, of its becoming known in Europe, that an oath of secrecy was administered to all the workmen. God, it would seem, frowned upon the covetous and monopolizing scheme. After the second edition of the Bible had been put into circulation, Mayence was taken and sacked by a powerful enemy. The workmen connected with the press, fled from the city, and were scattered over Europe ; as the first Christians were dispersed from Jerusalem, that they might go everywhere preaching the truth as it is in Jesus. These men let the secret out, and in an incredibly short time every principal city in Europe had its press, according to the most improved plan at Mayence. It is remarkable, that the printing-press which was invented at an early period of the art, and probably in Holland also, continued in its original form till within sixty or seventy years ago. I should like to note down other information connected' with the progress of printing in this country, but the steamer will be alongside soon, and this letter must be finished. Mayence is deservedly famous, on account of the first edition of the printed Bible coming out from its press. Having gratified our curiosity at Mayence, we crossed the Rhine on a bridge of boats, for Frankfort. This bridge is different from the fhying-bridgc, described in a former letter. The river, opposite Mayence, is seven or eight hundred yards wide. The bridge is composed of fifty-two pontoons or barges, stationed a few^ yards apart, but united to each other by planks, and each is attached to the bottom of the river by a strong chain cable and anchor. Vessels passing up and down the river, are accommodated with a passage by dropping one or two barges down the stream, which are replaced again in a few 31(> CONTINENTAL LETTERS. moments, by means of machinery. The steamboat wharfs along the Rhine, are constructed upon two or more of these barges ; and unlike those upon the rivers and lakes of America, which are frequently covered with water to the depth of several feet, or, in times of drought, stand so far above the steamer, as to make the descent difficult and sometimes dangerous ; these rise and fall with the river, and are always on a convenient level with the deck of the vessel. We were amused when crossing this bridge, by another advantage taken of the river, by the people of Mayence. Below the bridge, at anchor, are another set of boats, twelve or fourteen in number, extending nearly to the centre of the river. On board of each, is the entire apparatus of a flour-mill. Each boat is accommodated with a wheel on each side, resembling those of a steam- boat, which are turned by the current, at the rate of, say, five or six revolutions per minute, and propel the machi- nery within. The construction of the machinery is on the accelerating scale, proportioned to the revolutions of the wheels; the internal motion of which is rapid and powerful. The dip of the wheel is at the command of the miller, as the draught of the boat must vary according to the amount of grain on board. These mills run day and night. Leaving the bridge, we were conducted to the railway depot, and were in Frankfort in one hour and a half. Frankfort is a free city of Germany, and decidedly the most splendid we have seen since leaving England. The city stands upon the banks of the river Maine, thirty-five miles eastward from Mayence, and has been well named, "A city of palaces." The opulence of the merchants, and the numerous plenipotentiaries of the German states, who attend the diet, have originated not a few of those princely mansions which meet the eye in various direc- tions. Frankfort was anciently the residence of the fTINENTAL LETT] 81 . Frankish monarchs. Some of the hotels were form* the palaces of German princes, which may accounl for their magnitude and magnificence. These royal edifi have determined, no doubt, the architecture of tli< i inferior hotels ; and this may have given rise to the sentiment, that no town in Germany, nor even in Europe, is more cele- brated for excellent inns. Frankfort is one of the princi- pal commercial towns of Germany; and the route to most of the chief roads of that country, lying in the direction of Frankfort, and an extensive region to the south, which is dependent on her for necessary commodities ; and as, besides, many of the literary characters of Germany, and men versed in every branch of the arts and sciences, reside here, a vast concourse of people is annually attracted to the city. Everything in and around Frankfort, wears the appearance of wealth and prosperity. The architecture of the public buildings displays great taste and beauty of design.* We were amazed on reaching the suburbs, at the extent of the public gardens, open to all the world. The ancient ramparts, redoubts and glacis, have been levelled, and con- verted into serpentine walks, which run through crowded groves, shrubberies, and banks of flowers, which nearly encompass the city. After a refreshing walk through these enchanting grounds, we re-entered the city, and visited the cathedral. From the summit of the tower, we enjoyed an extensive and beautiful prospect; but, on visit- ing the interior, and looking around at the array of pic- tures and images, with devotees kneeling before them, and gazing on them with expressions of the most profound adoration, our hearts recoiled at the scene, and with mournful spirits we hastened away from what appeared to * Other important matter, designed for this volume, will not allow me to insert the architectural details. J. C. 318 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. us, idolatry the most degrading. We did not learn the number of inhabitants ; but I believe the Jews are not fewer than 10,000. Protestantism (Lutheran) is the esta- blished religion ; but the Roman Catholics are very nume- rous, and still hold possession of the Cathedral alluded to, — a gothic structure, very ancient, erected, it is said, by Pepin of France, and greatly enriched by Charlemagne. We tarried only one night in Frankfort, and returned next day to Mayence, and went on board a steamer which was about to sail for this city (Mannheim). While standing on deck, and noticing a number of persons collected on the floating bridge, during the passage of a boat through it, and the crowd continually increasing from the opposite shore, I heard a serious gentleman observe to another : " How much, Sir, do those people collected upon the frag- ment of that bridge, remind one of the multitude assem- bling daily on the brink of the Jordan of death, from all parts of the world ; some waiting to cross over to the hea- venly city, and others to a worse destination !" " Faith builds a bridge across the gulf of death, To break the shock blind nature cannot shun, And lands thought smoothly on the farther shore !" The barges came back to their stations, the gulf closed, and the accumulated mass passed over, while stragglers were yet scattered here and there on various parts of the moving bridge. I must now close this hasty scrawl. I have noted down, lean as they are, the only observations of interest which came in our way. You may, on the whole, observe, we have been disposed to be pleased ; an accomplishment this, of no small im- portance to travellers. As I do not intend to return to England before the latter part of next month, you may expect several additional letters from various parts of this CuNTINK.NiAl, LKTILK.-. 819 ttinent. My health, I have reason to thank God, is much recruited ; and I hope to return prepared to enter opon my beloved work with renewed vigour* Time will not allow me to lengthen this letter. With much love to you ami JTOUTS, 1 remain, your brother in Jesus Christ, J. C. LETTER IX. Strasburg, France, Oct., 1843. Dear Sir, My last was dated at Mannheim ; on the same night our little steamer proceeded up the Rhine for this city. We had no other accommodation during the night, than the narrow seats of the cabin ; but, wrapped in our cloaks, with a portmanteau for a pillow, we contrived to get some sleep. The next day found us still pressing upward against the current. The weather was cold and rainy, the shores low, and covered with reeds and rushes. A range of mountains was in sight many hours ; but they seemed as shy of the Rhine, as if none of their kindred had ever honoured it with a place on its majestic banks. The noble river is quite emaciated and dishonoured in this region, not only by far-extended and intrusive swamps, but by schism also ; it is divided and subdivided, in many places, till there was scarcely channel sufficient for the small dimensions of our small steamer. When wearied with reading below, we amused ourselves by observing the ingenuity of our helmsman, in turning the sharp angles of the river, which he accomplished most dexterously. Another little steamer, bound for the same port, and belonging to another company, bristled along- side, as if daring us to a race. The glances of the helms- 820 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. men did not indicate that " there was much love lost be- tween them l" Both did their utmost, and sometimes we apprehended they would run foul of each other, with a crash. The crews of both were silent, but some of them, especially the men at the helm, looked defiance with a vengeance. At length our cunning antagonist, taking advantage of certain windings of the stream, which our prudent captain thought proper to avoid, puffed away through a succession, of what we landsmen termed, near cuts, and so left us far behind. When within a couple of miles of Strasburg, we were locked into a canal, and steamed it up to the city, where we arrived about dark. We were surprised to find that the French officers did not demand our passports, which was perhaps well, as we had not taken the precaution to obtain the signature of a French consul. But the rain came down in torrents, and darkness along with it, which made the officers glad, I believe, to get clear of us. I should not wonder if these steamboats and railways put down eventually, the petty passport system, which prevails upon this continent. Steam, and passport motions, as the latter are transacted in this country, are incongruous ; they will neutralize each other ; but steam will obtain the victory, and will not stop for them. To this I can heartily say, " Amen !" A coach was in readiness, and we were conducted to L' Hotel de la Fleur [Saturday night]. Monday. — Yesterday, we visited the cathedral. A Ro- mish priest was holding forth in French, most vociferously, on the attributes of a good Catholic. The congregation was very small, and formed a half -circle in front of the pulpit. The women, among whom were several nuns, were seated on chairs, but the men were generally standing, and looked as if they were listening to something in which they had very little interest, and would about as soon go as COH riNBNTAL J. 821 Btay; and yet, they lingered till the close of the service* The women seemed more interested and devotional. The group, clustered as they were in the centre of an imihense and BeatleSS area, capable of containing five or six thou- sand people, had a lonely and desolate appearance. As we proceeded along the side chapels, we found many engaged before pictures and images, while numbers were promenading the cathedral at pleasure ; some criticising the paintings, and others reading inscriptions ; and all this during the sermon ! The Roman Catholics appear, in all the churches we have visited, to have no regard for anything like joint worship ; each shrine has its own devo- tees; here they offer their devotions, paying no attention to each other whatever. The priest gave himself no con- cern about those in other parts of the edifice, whether they should draw near to hear, or amuse themselves at a dis- tance, but seemed as if all intent to finish his task. " Faith cometh by hearing" saith the Word of God; but the Papists, it would seem, consider it must come by seeing. The pulpit was without Bible, or book of any kind ; but the priest was there ; — quite an appropriate exhibition this, of Popery. The astronomical clock in this cathedral is a surprising piece of mechanism. The computations of time, connected with the movements of the heavenly bodies throughout the year, are laid down with curious precision. Our globe, with its proper inclination, occupies a position upon the end of a large cylinder, and performs rigidly its revolutions. Several years w r ere employed in the construction of this clock ; and from an inscription near it, we learned that it was put in motion for the first time, when The Scientific Association of France held its sittings in this city a short time ago. In one of the side chapels, which, if we may judge by the number of worshippers, is a favourite ; we noticed a CONTINENTAL LETTERS. picture of the Virgin, seated at the right hand of Christ. Her left arm enfolds the cross, and her right is extended for the encouragement of a group of penitents below ; and at the bottom of the painting, is the following prayer, which I had the curiosity to copy : — Marie, puissante Reine du del et de la terre, d 'im- mortelles louanges et actions de grace vous soient vendues ! Cest par votre intercession que le Tres Haut a exauce nos prieres. Which may be translated thus : " Mary, powerful Queen of Heaven and earth; immortal praises and thanksgiving be rendered thee ! It is through thy intercession that the Most High has heard our prayers." Upon one of the columns in the nave, over a font of •' holy water." we read a written advertisement, which con- cluded thus : II y a Indulgence de sept ans et d'autant de quarantaines pour tous les membres de V association qui con- fessent et communient et qui visiteront ladite chapelle et y prierontauxfins ordinaires selon V intention de sa Saintete ; o.ette indulgence est aussi applicable aux dmes du purga- toire. The following is a translation : " There is an indul- gence of seven years and as many forty days, for all the members of the association, who, having confessed their sins, and communicated, shall visit the said chapel, and shall there pray, according to the intention of His Holiness the Pope. This indulgence is also applicable to the souls in purgatory." How anti-scriptural and soul-destroying are the doctrines put forth in the above documents ! But this is Popery, and it is the same all the world over ! This day [Monday] has been devoted to city scenes. As the cathedral is the principal object of attraction to all strangers, we made it a second visit. It is considered one of the finest specimens of the architecture of the middle ages. It consists of a nave and choir, without a transept. The entire length of the interior is three hundred and fifty- o>ntim:.\ r.\L LKTTKR8. five fort, and the breadth of the nave, one hundred and thirty-two feet; height, seventy-two feet, A screen sepa- rated the choir from the nave. Two r0W8 of massive pil- lar.-, nine on eaeli side, divide the nave from the side ai>lrs. The windows are filled with stained glass. A rose window, forty-eight feet in diameter, adorns the east end, and is exquisitely beautiful. The walls of the choir are the most ancient, as they were built about the middle of the eighth century ; the other parts, with the spire, are the work- manship of the eleventh, twelfth, thirteenth, and fourteenth centuries. From the year 1015 to 1028, it is stated, on historical authority, that upwards of one hundred thousand men were employed upon its walls, numbers of whom were foreigners ; and that the wages of many of them were paid in pardons and indulgences. St. Peter's at Rome, it would seem from hence, was not the only church built by such means, and that the nefarious trade in indulgences had been practised by the Popish priesthood, long before Luther was raised up to grapple with the horrible imposition. When the Romans subdued this country, tradition says, a tree stood upon the site occupied by this cathedral, under the shade of which the Celts worshipped their god, Esus. The Romans cut the tree down, and built a temple to one of their fabled deities. The rapid progress of Christianity in the fifth century resulted in the overthrow of the Roman temple, and hastened the erection of a Christian church upon the same site ; but the edifice had scarcely stood a century when it was destroyed by Attila and his Huns. The entire town was then desolated by the devastations of these barbarians ; and continued so till the sixth century, when Clovis, King of the Franks, renewed the place, re- built the church, and allowed the town to be called Stras- burg, which signifies the town of a street. This church, being of wood, perished ; and, during the eighth century, 324 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. as I have before remarked, the present edifice was com- menced. Attractive as is the cathedral for the richness of its sculpture, its crowning ornament is the splendid spire, the elevation of which is, I believe, unsurpassed, as its beauty- is unrivalled. It rises in a succession of truncated columns and pinnacles, exhibiting the openness of lace-work, and resting upon arches ; tier growing out of tier, and spring- ing and tapering upward, with a support so fragile as to destroy the idea of solidity. Strength, however, it must have, or it could not have weathered the storms of so many centuries ; but it is so admirably constructed, and yet so combined with a certain airy lightness, that, in some points of view, when its open work is distinctly seen, it looks, as one has somewhere expressed it, " more like a filmy paint- ing upon the sky, than a solid edifice." When the entire outline of this far ascending column is embraced by the eye, it has all the charm of a picture of faultless beauty. I met, the other day, with a few excellent remarks, by a French writer, on the perfection to which the ancients carried the architecture of spires ; and as his critique is applied to that of this cathedral, I hope you will not con- sider the extract out of place. " The ancient architects excelled in the construction of spires. They seized in a marvellous manner the spirit of that sort of work, and carried to the utmost length the artifices upon which it depends. They possessed the secret of uniting in their erections lightness and delicacy of workmanship to ele- gance of form ; and, avoiding equally the over-attenuated and the over-massive, they attained the precise point in which consists the true beauty of this description of build- ing. Nothing of this kind is to be compared to the cathe- dral of Strasburg. This superb pyramid is a master-piece of skill, ravishing our senses at once by its prodigious elevation, the exactness of its gradual dimensions ; its pleas- . PINBNTAL LETTERS. B25 i ti lt shape, the justness of its proportions, and the exqui- Gnish of its workmanship. 1 do nol believe that any other architect ever produced a work so boldly imagined, felicitously conceived, and so admirably executed. There is more art and genius in this one performance than in all else that we have most wonderful in architecture. " The height of this famous spire has been variously esti- mated, and by some extravagantly. The measurement allowed to be most accurate, makes it four hundred and ninety-four feet high, being thirty feet higher than the largest pyramid of Egypt, fourteen feet beyond that of St. Paul's, London, and exceeding the dome of St. Peter's, Rome, by about seven feet. It is ascended by a stair of six hundred and thirty-five steps. After ascending two hundred and fifty feet, we were introduced into a succession of truncated turrets, which rise tier above tier, and were told to " monter" with a sig- nificant elevation of the finger. Proceeding upward, it was really alarming to recognise our position ; poised be- tween heaven and earth, at such a fearful height, supported by slender stones put together five hundred years ago, and so slight the tracery between us and the thin atmosphere, that the whole appeared little better than " a bird-cage suspended in the air." We felt constantly annoyed with the idea that the spring of our footsteps would deprive the frail fabric of its perpendicular, and then away we should have gone to the pavement, where men appeared as if re- duced to the size of children.* Our courage, however, increased as we mounted, and after ascending a few score of additional feet, and finding * I see a notice, in one of the late papers, that this beautiful spire, the highest in the world, has lately given way six feet from the perpendicular, and that its immediate fall is anticipated. J. C. Huddersfield, Jan. 11, 1815. 28 326 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. a convenient position to look around, we paused. Several foreigners were already there making their observations ; and when we w T ere all chattering away in our different lan- guages, we thought of the tower of Babel (Gen. 11 : 1, 9), and quite seriously about a descent ; not at all agree- ing with the Italian proverb, E meglio sdrucciolar co' piedi die colla lingua, " It is better one's foot make a slip than one's tongue." The view from the spire was very fine : — the city and its extensive fortifications ; the various and far-away wind- ings of the Rhine ; together with an extensive sweep of country, embracing parts of Germany, and most of the province of Alsacia, with the Vosges Mountains. Strasburg, you are aware, is a fortified city of France, and the strongest fortress of that country, on the German frontiers. Some of the streets are regular and spacious, but like most walled towns, the streets are generally nar- row, and not at all cleanly. The houses are high and massy, and show their German origin in their architecture. They are built principally of a kind of red stone, dug from the quarries along the Rhine. The fortifications of the town are after the manner of a regular pentagon, as a military man would express it, composed of five bastions and as many half-moons. The citadel lies towards the east ; and, with its outworks, covers a vast extent of ground. It is at present garrisoned by six thousand troops. The city contains, we were informed, a population of sixty-two thousand souls. I have just time to say, farewell. J. C. CONTINENTAL LETTERS. 327 LETTER X. Bfile, Switzerland, Oct., 1843. Ever dear Sir : HAVING gratified our curiosity at Strasburg, we left by railway for this city, and arrived here about dark, ninety miles from Strasburg. We had a very pleasant ride up the plains of.Alsacia, — considered one of the most pic- turesque provinces of France. Here armies, large as Europe could muster, have met in mortal conflict. These plains are said to have been the scene of thirty great bat- tles, besides many skirmishes and sieges. The railway runs along the east side of the Vosges Mountains. Old castles, some of them of considerable magnitude, frown down from many of their craggy peaks, and recall centu- ries gone by, when those strongholds held these fertile plains in terror ; but they are now T harmless as the dust of those who once occupied them. They are there as a part of the mountains themselves, and seem as imperisha- ble ; — as if preserved by Providence to bear their mourn- ful testimony against by-gone ages, when — " Man's inhumanity to man, Made countless thousands mourn !" And, we reflected, if those dark and stormy spirits who built, or provoked others to build them, were only permit- ted to revisit the shattered battlements and towers, and from thence to scan these lovely plains, sprinkled with pretty villages, inhabited by a quiet and contented popu- lation, and enlivened with fruitful fields and smiling vine- yards ; and were they to look out upon the triumphant march of science, displayed upon this long line of road, — an immense train of cars, loaded with passengers and costly merchandise, flying along, at the rate of thirty miles 328 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. an hour, and drawn by a metal steed, or, as the Indians call it, " A fire horse, " " A fleshless steed, whose pulses leap with floods of living fire," — with what remorse and horror would they reflect upon the infatuation, and acts of infernal cruelty, perpetrated by themselves and their antagonists, w T hen, — " With hail of iron and rain of blood, They swept and scathed these vales !" But, have they ceased to exist ? Is the past, to them, lost in oblivion ? Nay ! The death-struggle no more annihilated such mortal remembrances, than it did their immortality. And may not a recollection of the part they performed in such bloody scenes, if they died unfor- given, impart a keener anguish to the inflictions of a re- tributive justice ? May they not be more intimately acquainted than we are aw T are, with the rapid march of the moral and religious improvements of our times ? — per- haps with that of science, agriculture, and commerce? If they do know anything of what is going on amidst the scenes of their former exploits, and have with this know- ledge, a conviction, that, had their conduct been of a dif- ferent character, similar blessings might have crowned the millions who groaned and bled beneath their oppressions ; is it not highly probable, that such reflections may now be adding sharper torments to the fires of an enkindled hell ? " There is no war among men," says Plutarch, "but what arises from some vice ; either from immoderate lust, or from covetousness, or from ambition, or immoderate love of glory." " And," says the learned Jortin, "wars are the desolation of populous and flourishing regions, the loss of trade, the increase of taxes and debts, poverty, both public and private, the destruction of thousands, and the ruin of almost as many families, besides the sicknesses, the famines, the iniquities and cruelties, which always CONTINBN PAL LBTTBfeS. 829 accompany a Btate df hostility, and follow the camp." w It would have proved a Striking part of a vision pre- sented tO Adam after the death of Abel/- says a writer, - to have brought hefore liis cyv^, half a million of men, wded together in the space of a square mile. Wheto the fust father had exhausted his wonder on the multitude of his offspring, he would naturally inquire of his angelic instructor j for what purpose so vast a multitude had been assembled. What is the common end? Alas! to murder h other ; all Cains, and yet no Abels /" Perhaps the above sentiments may tend to cool the ardour, and check the enthusiasm of * * * * and * * * * *, for "the grandeur of military exploits," whether for national advantage or individual glory. Such a spirit is utterly inconsistent with the religion of the Son of God. The point to which the Gospel is continually tending, is the total banishment of war from every part of our planet. " So soon as Christianity shall gain a full ascendency in the world, from that moment war is to disappear. In the days of perfect righteousness, there will be no more war. So soon as the character of man has had the last finish of Christian principle thrown over it, from that moment all the instruments of war will be thrown aside, and all its lessons will be forgotten. < And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people ; and they shall beat their swords into plough-shares, and their spears into pruning-hooks ; nation shall not lift up sw r ord against nation, neither shall they learn w r ar any more/ " Isaiah 2: 4. I cannot deny myself the privilege wdiich the present opportunity affords, of sending you a few remarks from the pen of one who thought and felt deeply upon the mis- eries of war. Would to God, that his sentiments might be imbibed by every citizen of the United States, that hence- forth, they may turn away with instinctive horror, from 28* 330 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. any and every proposition that would tend to embroii the nation in war. The spirit engendered by past successes in the fearful game of war, has a frightful tendency to impel a young, prosperous, and ambitious nation to hazard another, which may not be attended by such flattering results ; especially, if undertaken through the impulse of pride, ambition, revenge, or an avarice which grasps for riches and dominion, though obtained at the expense of many thousands of lives. That old proverb is far from being true, when applied to the United States : " War is pleasant to none, but to those who have never tried it." Herein lies her danger. By war, has the providence of God permitted her to be elevated to a name and place among the nations of the earth. As' rivers are traced to their source, so multitudes, forgetful of their God, refer to war as to the fountain-head of all the rights and privileges which they enjoy, and in which they glory as American citizens. I repeat it ; herein lies her danger, and the germs of her downfall, unless counteracted by the grace of God. And much as many of the great and wise have ridiculed the revivals of religion, which, during the last thirty or forty years, have extended over the length and breadth of the United States, and which have resulted in the conver- sion of many hundreds of thousands to God, I consider such eifusions of the Holy Spirit, the palladium of the nation's safety. Nothing else, in my opinion, can preserve the tranquillity of that highly-favoured country. I rejoice greatly in the fact, and take it as a pledge of good, not- withstanding the warlike swagger of some, that millions of the American people compose the congregations of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and one million of the popu- lation are enrolled members within her pale ; who meet in class, and from week to week rejoice in the God of their salvation; while they declare they enjoy the love of God shed abroad in their heart by the Holy Ghost given to CONTINBNIAI LRTBB8. 881 them : — a Feeling, this, as totally opposed to war, as light is to darkness. Well, I oan assure you, when I lifted my pen, r had not the least intention of Writing BO much upon this subject. Perhaps the above remarks may be overruled for some good end, as also the following sentiments to which I re- ferred in the last page: "How dreadful to hold every- thing at the mercy of an enemy, and to receive life itself a> a hoon, dependent on the sword ! How boundless the fears which such a situation must inspire ; where the issues of life and death are determined by no known laws, prin- ciples, or customs ; and no conjecture can be formed of our destiny, except as far as it is dimly deciphered in characters of blood, in the dictates of revenge, and the caprices of power ! Conceive, but for a moment, the con- sternation which the approach of an invading army would impress on the peaceful villages in this neighbourhood ! When you have placed yourselves for an instant in that situation, you will learn to sympathize with those unhappy countries which have sustained the ravages of arms. But how is it possible to give you an idea of these horrors? Here you behold rich harvests, the bounty of Heaven, and the reward of industry, consumed in a moment, or tram- pled under foot ; while famine and pestilence follow the steps of desolation. There, the cottages of the peasants given up to flames, mothers expiring through fear, not for themselves, but their infants ; the inhabitants flying with their helpless babes, in all directions, miserable fugitives on their native soil. In another part you witness opulent cities taken by storm ; the streets, where no sounds were heard but those of peaceful industry, filled on a sudden with slaughter and blood, resounding with the cries of the pursuing and the pursued ; the palaces of nobles demol- ished; the houses of the rich pillaged; the chastity of 332 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. virgins and of matrons violated ; and every age, sex, rank, mingled in promiscuous massacre and ruin. The injury which the morals of a people sustain from an invading army is prodigious. The agitation and suspense universally prevalent, are incompatible with everything which requires calm thought and serious reflection. In such a situation, is it any wonder the duties of piety should fall into neglect, the sanctuary of God should be forsaken, and the gates of Zion should mourn and be desolate ? Familiarized to the sight of rapine and slaughter, the people must acquire a hard and unfeeling character. The precarious tenure by w^hich everything is held during the absence of laws, must impair confidence ; the sudden revo- lutions of fortune must be infinitely favourable to fraud and injustice. He who reflects on these consequences, will not think it too much to affirm, that the injury the virtue of a people sustains from invasion, is greater than that which affects their prosperity or their lives. He will perceive that by such a calamity, the seeds of order, virtue, and piety, which it is the first care of education to implant and mature, are swept away, as by a hurricane. The morality of peaceful times is directly opposite to the maxims of war. The fundamental rule of the first is to do good ; of the latter, to inflict injuries. The former commands us to succour the oppressed ; the latter, to over- whelm the defenceless. The former teaches men to love their enemies ; the latter, to make themselves terrible, even to strangers. The rules of morality will not suffer us to promote the dearest interest by falsehood ; the maxims of war applaud it, when employed in the destruction of others. That a familiarity with such maxims must tend to harden the heart, as well as to pervert the moral sentiments, is too obvious to need illustration. " But to return to the plains of Alsacia : there is an air of deep tranquillity thrown around the numerous towns and villages, as they appear CONTINENTAL LETTERS. 333 DO the railway ; BOme repose in the lap of the mountains, more advanced in the vale. On a summer morning, CD' irradiated by the ascending sun, they must have a charming Aspect. Our route lay through luxuriant vineyards, loaded with grapes. Arriving at Bale, we put up at The Hotel of the Three Kings. On retiring to our room, I remarked : We are now in a strange city, — the entire place was shrouded in darkness when we entered it, and night has spread a still darker pall over slumbering Bale. All is silent as the grave, or far-off sky. How ignorant we are of the appearance of the city, or surrounding landscape ! But when the morning arrives, those dim outlines, which we have but obscurely seen through the gloom of night, v.\!l then be perceived w r ith clearness and certainty ; till then we must have faith in our geographical and historical knowledge. And thus it is, I have been thinking, with dying persons. Though quite on the verge of eternal scenes, yet the things revealed in the Bible, as belonging to eternity, can only be realized by faith : " Clouds, alas ! and darkness rest" upon them. But as the morning light shall make us familiar with this fine old city, the windings of the Rhine, and the appearance of Swiss scenery, which now encompasses us on every side, so with one departing this life, — the night of death is succeeded by the daylight of eternity, when all those realities, which were but mat- ters of faith, are clearly revealed to the astonished soul ! That is an admirable verse of Mrs. Hemans, the reply of a mother to her inquiring child : — M Eye hath not seen it, my gentle boy, Ear hath not heard its deep songs of joy, Dreams cannot picture a world so fair, — Sorrow and death may not enter there ; Time doth not breathe on its fadeless bloom, Far beyond clouds, and beyond the tomb ; It i.s there, it is there, my child!" 334 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. Some years ago, during a Sabbath-School anniversary in the city of New York, a child came forward on the plat- form, and repeated, with a deep, clear voice, the following lines. The thrilling effect upon the thousands present, will never be forgotten : — "Tell uie, my secret soul, ! tell me, Hope and Faith, Is there no resting-place From sorrow, sin, and death ? Is there no happy spot, "Where mortals may be blest, Where grief may find a balm, And weariness a rest ? Faith, hope, and love, best boons to mortals given, Waved their bright wings, and whisper'd, 'Yes! in Heaven.' " Next morning we enjoyed a long walk through the city. The houses are generally of stone, very neat and comfort- able ; some, indeed, are elegant, and the greater part of them impress a stranger with the idea that the inhabitants are in easy and independent circumstances. We passed through several streets, very narrow and very crooked ; the houses betraying great age ; but there are many streets and squares, spacious and noble ; and cleanliness, quite the opposite of Cologne, everywhere prevails. The num- ber of fountains is extraordinary ; some have their source within the town, and others are supplied from the river Birs, which falls into the Rhine, above the city. The Rhine divides the town into two parts, larger and smaller Rale, or Rasle, or Basil, for it has several names, and is connected by a bridge, six hundred feet in length. Bale is considered the wealthiest city in Switzerland, and enjoys an extensive trade with Germany, France, and the Italian states ; as also with the interior of Switzerland. It embarked very early in the Reformation, and still con- tinues a Protestant city. tonti m:\t.\l LETTERS. 885 B&le has its society « For Promoting Christian Know- ledge and Practical Piety/ 1 which baa accomplished, ire have been informed, greal good in various parts of Switz- erland, Germany, Prussia, Holland, and Denmark. The formation 4, WHS hailed with great pleasure at Bale ; and a kin- dred association, in connexion with it, was immediately formed, which lias been well supported by the clergy and laity. Upwards of one hundred thousand copies of the Holy Scriptures have been printed and circulated by this Bociety, among Christians and Jews, Protestants and Ro- man Catholics; in Hebrew,* German, French, Italian, Romanese, and various other languages. * The following, as a note, was written by a friend of mine, in this city, who read with interest the MS. letter of my account of Bale, and handed it to me with permission to insert it. "Bale has been famed from almost the infancy of the typographical art, for beautiful editions of the sacred text. The Rev. James Everett has in his library, York, the Hebrew Bible, printed at Bale, by Sebastian Munster, in the year of our Lord 1546. I transcribe a note from his Life of the learned Dr. Clarke, entitled, 'Adam Clarke Portrayed ;' which, besides its information, will prove a matter of curiosity to all interested in the history of the ' Wesley Family :' ■ The Hebrew Bible, used by the Rector of Epworth, was a copy of the second edition of Sebastian Mun- ster ; printed at Basil, 1546, folio; and the fact (stated by Dr. Clarke) of diligent reading, is confirmed by the rector himself, both at the begin- ning and end of the Pentateuch, in his own handwriting. The first volume, containing the Pentateuch, is now in the possession of the bio- grapher. The collation, says Dr. Clarke, which was done at Wroot, exists in the margin, and is one of the most curious specimens of care- ful, laborious, and accurate criticism I have ever seen. The volume itself appears to be the only surviving wreck of the Rector's collection for his projected Polyglott; and what became of his other preparations for the work, Dr. Clarke was never able to ascertain.' M Mr. Everett, as you will perceive, refers to the literary pursuits of the Rev. J. Wesley's father, with which the text stands connected. You are, no doubt, aware, too, that Munster was born in Ingelheim, was educated at Heidelberg, entered into the order of the Cordeliers, but left 336 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. During the continental war, Bale was often in imminent peril, especially in the year 1815, when God wonderfully interposed in behalf of the place. The inhabitants recog- nised the hand of the Almighty in their deliverance ; and in the fullness of their gratitude, inquired, « What shall we render unto the Lord for all his benefits?'' A transi- tion of their thoughts from late perils, to those to which a world of sinners are exposed, was easy and natural. The salvation vouchsafed to their city, reminded them of the "great salvation. " The Gospel, too, had been their support, when threatened with destruction ; and how could they express their gratitude better, than by sending that Gospel to those who had it not ? A Missionary Society, therefore, appeared to be the most appropriate monument they could raise ; this, and the establishment of a Mission- ary Seminary, for the education of pious young men, as missionaries to the heathen and Mahomedan tribes, were the blessed results. Each has been in extensive operation now nearly thirty years ; one hundred missionaries have gone forth from that institution, some of whom have plant- ed the standard of the cross among a variety of Mahome- dan tribes, in the Russian, Turkish, and Persian empires ; and others have devoted themselves to the reviving of the ancient churches in Europe, Asia, and Africa ; such as the Greek, Armenian, Coptic, Syrian, and Abyssinian churches ; and it is said, they have been the means of re- kindling, in many places, the flame of Christian love and faith. Nor have the Jews been overlooked by this benevo- lent society at Bale ; efforts have been made for the con- them to join Luther, and settled at Basil, where he succeeded Pelicanus in the Hebrew professorship, where he died, 1552, about six years after he published this second edition of his Latin Version of the Bible, with Notes. I may add, Mr. E. has also an entire copy of the same edition, in fine preservation." I had great pleasure, a few days ago, in seeing the volume referred to. J. C. York, Sept. 10, 1845. I iNTLNENTAL LKTTERS. 837 version of the descendants ef Abraham, — those, espe- cially, who are dispersed through the cities of Algiers, Tu- nis, and Tripoli. The largest number of their missionaries appeal to be in the East Indies, and in Western Africa. The cathedral is a venerable pile, of the eleventh cen- tury. There was a church upon the same spot in the ninth century, which was destroyed by an earthquake. The sex- ton, a very intelligent old man, pointed out some of its fragments, which had been incorporated into the present church. Another earthquake, in the fifteenth century, injured the town severely, but the cathedral was spared. The tomb of Erasmus was, to us, the principal object of attraction. He died here, July 4, 1536, aged seventy y< in* Here, also, died that eminent servant of Christ, Cas- talio, who offended Calvin on the point of absolute pre- destination, and brought upon himself the vengeance of that singular man. Calvin is allowed by the most unpre- judiced writers, to have been most intolerant in his reli- gious opinions. He was a persecutor, both in principle and practice. Indeed, he WTote a Treatise on the neces- sity of violent measures for the defence of the faith, and contended that it w r as law T ful to put heretics to death ; certainly he gave the most convincing proof, as to how he interpreted the word "heretic," as well as of his sincerity in the propositions laid down in the Treatise referred to, when he condemned poor Servetus to the flames, — an act which has left an indelible stain upon his memory, and which, I do not recollect that any of his followers have ever attempted to vindicate or justify. Historians agree, that the conduct of Calvin towards the learned Castalio was harsh and severe ; and that the language he used towards him was scarcely fit to appear upon paper. Among the many methods he adopted to blacken Castalio's character, was a charge of "stealing 29 338 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. wood to warm himself withal; cursed gain," he added, " at another's expense and damage." This charge arose out of the following circumstances : Castalio, in conse- quence of Calvin's persecution, was reduced to great poverty ; and as he dwelt upon the banks of the Rhine, he employed his leisure hours in drawing pieces of wood to shore, by means of a hook. This wood was no private property, but every man's that could ,catch it. Castalio took it in the middle of the day, amongst a great many fishermen, and several of his acquaintances ; and was some- times paid money for it, by a decree of the senate. This the charitable Calvin mystified into a theft, and published it to the world. Castalio 's letter to Calvin, on this occa- sion, was touching: " Being totally occupied with my translation of the Scriptures, and resolved rather to beg than to quit it, as I dw^elt on the banks of the Rhine, I employed myself at leisure hours in catching with a hook the floating wood which it carries down in its inundations, that I might warm my family." And, after calling upon the inhabitants of Bale, to witness the truth of his state- ments, he added, " I could not have thought that you, who knew me so well, could have credited such a charge ; and that you should have published it to the whole world, and transmitted it to posterity, is what, although I know you, I could not easily have believed." Other accusations, brought forward by Calvin, were quite as groundless. Castalio had an excellent moral character. But Calvin could not rest satisfied ; he endeavoured to excite the civil magistrates against him, with a view to have him put to death ; and prohibited his writings from being circulated ; holding him up as " impious, a base corrupter of the sacred writings, a crooked-minded vagabond, and a heretic." And all this, for choosing to think for himself; but great allow- ance, perhaps, should be made for the spirit of the age, as religious toleration was then but little understood. Castalio DOB ri.\ ENT M. LET! 889 died in this city, is the year 1568, at the early age of forty- eight, universally respected. His Latin translation of the Bible is considered the most elegant and classical version which has yet appeared in that language. He also trans- lated the Bible into French, and printed it at Rale, in 1555. We had a noble view from the spire of the cathe- dral. The mountains arc not sufficiently stupendous, to impress the mind with images of grandeur; but the cres- cent-like form, and the graceful manner in which they rise above and beyond each other, in long and continued out- line, together with the breadth of light and shadow, and the soft tone of colouring with which they were invested, presented to the eye a pleasing and beautiful picture. We counted more than thirty villages in the area between the mountains and the city. After dinner, we crossed over the Rhine to " Smaller Bale;" a stream of water, clear as crystal, is divided and subdivided, so as to run down the sides of several streets, in this part of the city, constantly, to the no small com- fort and convenience of the inhabitants. We continued our stroll up the banks of the Rhine several miles. The afternoon was sunny and delightful, and the air exceed- ingly pure. On either hand were fenceless vineyards, with abundance of grapes ; both sides of the river, in fact, resembled a continuous garden, and all nature seemed to rejoice under the smiles of a benevolent God. My friend and myself were happy in his love, and rejoiced in pros- pect of seeing that better land, where — "Everlasting spring abides, And never withering flowers." We returned to our hotel about dark. And now I must close this very long letter ; and if it weary you as it has me, I sympathize with you. Love to * * *. As ever, in Jesus Christ, J. C. 340 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. LETTER XI. Zurich, Switzerland, Oct., 1843. Dear Sir : Yesterday morning we left Bale, by diligence, for this city, where we arrived about nine o'clock at night. Hav- ing secured seats outside with the conducteur and his com- pagnon, the man of the whip, we had a fine view of the country. The day was bright and beautiful, and the country to the right and left resembled a great park ; not a fence did we see for twenty miles together, and the meadows and uplands were tufted with trees ; many of them loaded with ripe fruit. No cattle were to be seen grazing upon the excellent pasturage. This is seldom commenced in these parts till the farmers have gathered in their crops. They supply their stock, we were informed, by the scythe, which may perhaps account for the evenness of the soil and verdure. We passed through numerous towns and villages, inha- bited chiefly by Roman Catholics, if we might judge by the many crosses elevated along the highway, with an effigy of our Saviour and other badges of Popery attached. However charming the scenery which environed these towns and villages, in proportion to the number of these emblems of Popery, we found, upon entering within their precincts, wretched houses, filthy streets, and a ragged and poverty-stricken population ; and I do not remember a single exception to the rule. It is worthy of remark, that in all places visited in my travels, wherever Romanism has been the prevailing religion, I have observed filth, and moral and physical degradation everywhere predominant. The thing is undeniable, nor can it escape the most inat- tentive traveller ; even Papists themselves have been com- pelled into the acknowledgment. The cross, with its CONTIHINTAL LKTTER3, 8 ! 1 ores, or a statue of the Virgin (if ^ r except, perhaps, e of the very Large cities of Europe, where there are other causes, which I cannot take; time to enumerate, but which go far to neutralize the tendency of the system), are the never-failing ])reludes to all I have mentioned ; but the contrary is exhibited wherever Protestantism prevails. Let any unprejudiced person visit any town where Papists and Protestants occupy something like distinct localities, and the contrast will be most convincing. I speak now of the lower classes of both denominations. But why is this ? Why should two systems, both claiming Christianity for i aim, produce effects so widely different ? Why should em of teaching prove so unfavourable to cleanliness, .Tort, industry, economy, and general prosperity, — to nothing of morality, among the labouring classes ; while that of the other, its enemies themselves being judges, tends directly to the very opposite ? Since penning the above, I have been struck with the observations of a late intelligent traveller upon the same subject. Speaking of a town he had visited on the banks of the Rhine [St. Goar], he says : " That the part of the town we saw was inhabited by Catholics, Ave could have little doubt, from their evi- dent state of filth and degradation ; but a Protestant church, of considerable size, was pointed out to us ; and a ragged fellow, who had literally but half a pair of breeches, and a torn shirt, seeing us attempt to enter it, called out, 'Protestant, no good, — no go there.' Without being in- fluenced by any illiberal feelings towards the Catholics as a body, it is impossible to shut one's eyes against the per- nicious effects which this religion evidently has among its votaries of the lower classes. It is well known to all who have visited those parts of Europe, where there is a mixed population of Protestants and Catholics, that the followers of each among the common people, who have to labour for their subsistence, are not difficult to be pointed out by the 342 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. appearance of their dress and their dwellings. The fact is unquestionably so ; and the conclusion is, that there must be something, connected with their religious duties, or with the influence which the priesthood is known to ex- ercise over their minds, or both, to produce effects so unfavourable to industrious habits, cleanliness, and com- fort." The road became hilly as w r e approached Zurich ; and in one place inclined somewhat to the mountainous. The ascent cost us a long walk for the relief of the horses, but we were well recompensed by the view from the summit. A landscape of undulating hills, extending far and wide, was terminated by the lofty and brilliant glaciers of the Alps ; beneath, lay a deep and richly cultivated vale, enlivened by a busy river, and several villages. At the end of each stage, we had not only fresh horses, but a new driver, w r ho never omitted, by a peculiar crack- ing of the whip, to convince those who had ears to hear, that her understood his business to perfection. These Swiss "cockers," are the most expert whipmen I have seen. During the whole journey from Bale to Zurich, we had an almost perpetual roar of whip artillery ; each crack resembled the report of a pistol, and on entering a town, we had a succession of batteries which w r ere really astound- ing. At first we pitied the poor horses, but we learned it was a part of Swiss whipmanship, to frighten the animals by the startling crack, without even touching a hair of their hide. A clever result of science this, and a benevo- lence which the majority of your American drivers have yet to learn. We were escorted the entire journey by a large dog, of the greyhound breed ; and, certainly, he seemed to con- sider himself quite as important a personage as our con- ducteur. Arriving at the foot of a hill, where it was necessary the passengers should alight, he stood by the CONTINENTAL u;tti:i;s. 843 door of the diligence, bub if demanding the expected Bel of* charity for the horses ; ami planting his feet upon the b, he Looked narrowly into die vehicle, Beemingly to satisfy himself whether all had dismounted. Finding all right, he resumed his station ahead, and when he had time from other duties, he paid his respects to cats and chiek- ens, in no very complimentary manner. Many a poor grimalkin had to fly in desperation, and nothing but a rapid ascent up the nearest tree, saved her from death, or broken bones. Water was always a luxury, and he never let the opportunity slip of cooling his feet in the stream ; sometimes, when greatly in need of refreshment, he treated himself to a bath in the watering-trough, at the tavern, and then proceeded at his usual rate. "It is not easy," said a gentleman to me, after admiring the motions of this dog, "it is not easy, at all times, to draw the line be- tween instinct and reason ; the higher marks of instinct often go so far beyond the lower marks of reason, that it is frequently difficult to determine the distinction." To-day, in our walks through the city, we met the same dog in one of the squares, not weary, apparently, with his journey, but just taking a stroll, and with the easy carelessness of one that had come from no arduous duty, but like one enjoying a holiday. This morning we left our rooms in full expectation ot having our eyes feasted with the sublime and beautiful scenery for which Zurich is famed; after which we intended to return to Bale ; but to our disappointment a dense fog rested upon the entire scene. The indication of anything like its speedy re- moval was most unfavourable ; and, at the best, we could but expect a hazy day. Our arrangements would not permit us to tarry till the next day, so the end of our journey was likely to be defeated. St. Austin says : « He that carrieth his own temple about him, may go to prayer when he pleaseth." "How 344 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. quickly," says another, "thought can fly, — many thou- sands of miles in a minute ; prayer can travel as rapidly as thought toward Heaven." An old divine compares prayer to the ring* which Queen Elizabeth gave the Earl of Essex, bidding him, if he were in any distresses, to send that ring to her, and she would help him ; and God hath given us a ring, Ps. 50: 15. "The Bible,'' said a good man, some years ago, " is God's letter, wherein he opens his mind to man ; and prayer is man's letter, where- in he opens his mind to God." An excellent remark ; and had it not been for that part of my Lord's letter to me, " Be careful for nothing ; but in everything , by prayer and supplication, let your request be made known unto God," Phil. 4: 6, it is likely I should not have ventured with suflicient faith to have put in my plea for the removal of the fog. The Christian may say of his faith, as Archi- medes of the engine he had constructed : " Could I find where to fasten it, I would not doubt but to remove the whole earth by it." Surely, I thought, if faith can re- move a mountain, according to the declaration of Christ, can it not have an influence upon this mist ? But I must have a place whereon to plant my faith. I have found it. " Therefore, I say unto you, what things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them." Mark 11 : 24. After spending a short time in private prayer, we ascended to the promenade on the top of the hotel. The fog was so thick we could only see a few yards before us. Our conversation turned upon that beautiful passage, " The Lord God is a sun and shield ; he will give grace and glory ; and no good thing will he withhold from them * A friend has suggested, that the story of this ring has been disputed by intelligent historians; the thought itself, however, is sanctified by the writer in qutwlloa, and so improved. J. C. CONTINENTAL LETT! : '- 15 that walk uprightly," Pb. 84: 11, which led to some phi- losophical reflections upon the natural sun; his influence upon the various objects of nature, not forgetting "f<> clouds, and vapours. " The luminary of day occupies, doubtless, his proper position in the heavens; and could he only shower down his rays upon this damp mist, unem- barrassed by dense clouds in the higher regions of the atmosphere, the annoyance would soon be removed, and the mist absorbed, and the magnificent scenery underneath would be revealed to our admiring vision. It is thus with the tempted believer, when the Sun of Righteousness arises upon his soul, with healing on his wings ; then it is that all the clouds which obscured his spiritual vision dis- appear, and the heavenly land is unfolded to the eye of realizing faith, in all the grandeur that such a divine me- dium can afford. From this, the conversation led to the nature and power of prayer: "No good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly." " God has not promised/' said Mr. H., " to give us everything ; only those things which are good; and what are really good, w« must leave him to decide, who knows better than we do." A poet, I replied, has laid down our duty very scripturally in the following verse : — M Still raise to God the supplicating voice, And leave to Heaven the measure and the choice ; Implore his aid, in his decisions rest, Secure whate'er he gives, — he gives the best." " Another poet," rejoined Mr. H., "has well expressed our sentiments : — * With patient mind, thy course of duty run ; God nothing does, nor suffers to be done, But thou wouldst do thyself, if thou couldst see The end of all events, as well as He." 346 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. Just then I happened to look over my left shoulder, and saw a bright spot, the sun's rays acting on the fog ; it seemed like a place worn into a thin transparent veil ; but toward the earth it was as dense as ever. We had not an opportunity of judging how close an alliance obscurity has to grandeur ; as is sometimes the case, when surround- ing objects, and those especially in the distance, assume an unreal magnitude, as seen through the medium of a thin, misty veil. The fog had indeed become white as the driven snow, and exquisitely soft and delicate ; but so dense, and so impervious was it to the powers of vision, that curiosity, however intense, could obtain no satis- faction. The sun's rays at length burst through the thin part already referred to, and the vapours bestirred themselves. In about ten minutes, they began to move off, and objects, of whose existence we had no knowledge a moment or two before, were unfolded to our view. But it was not the gradual defining of outlines, and the variety of parts, that we sometimes observe in American mists. Here the retir- ing fog rolled itself up like a shrivelled parchment, leaving the landscape glowing with light, and with a freshness of colouring, calculated to remind one how lively creation was in its youthful prime. The scene became enchantingly beautiful ; and the pro- gressive unfolding of the whole afforded us no small amusement. Exclamation succeeded to exclamation, as the city, with its streets and temples, gardens, waters, verdant slopes, and mountain sides, part after part, was given to our view ; the fog in the mean time furling itself upward, till it had spread like table cloths along the ribs of the mountains. There was scarcely a breath stirring, and yet the vapours, as if afraid of the rays of the sun, hurried away. Pieces of the mountains, in some places, as if hanging in mid-air, peeped through the white mists OONTIMBS rAL u:ri BBS. 347 which surrounded them, and looked like parts of another landscape in the heavens. At length the lasl slued of the Veil disappeared from the highest Alpine peak, and a scene ifras spread before us, so fascinating, and so richly diversi- fied with beauty, as rarely falls to the lot of the pictur- esque traveller to behold; an assemblage, in fact, of all those fine objects of nature, allowed to be the best adapted to delight the eye and excite the imagination; and which were highly calculated to impress the mind with a series of images, to which one may afterward recur with plea- surable sensations. Twelve o'clock had just passed away, and our souls re- joiced in a prayer-answering God. •• An elegant poet," says a writer, " lays it down as an unquestionable maxim, — * The Universal Cause Acts not by partial, but by general laws,' — plainly meaning, that he never deviates from those general laws, in favour of any particular person ; and it is upon this supposition, the same poet adds these beautiful lines in full triumph, as having now clearly gained the point : — Shall burning Etna, if a sage requires, Forget to thunder and recall her fires? On air or sea new motions be imprest, blameless Bethel ! to relieve thy breast ! When the loose mountain trembles from on high, Shall gravitation cease, if you go by ? Or some old temple, nodding to its fall, For Chartres' head reserve the hanging Wall?'" So then, according to this poet, God is not at liberty, when he pleases, "To deviate from those general laws," even to save the life of one of his servants ; a doctrine this, in manifest contradiction to the plain word of God. To assert that God acts, not by partial but general laws, 348 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. is to admit a general providence, but deny a particular ; which, Mr. Wesley has somewhere termed, " Stark-staring nonsense, which every man of sense should be utterly ashamed of. And what is a general, of whatever kind it be, that includes no particulars? Is not every general necessarily made up of its several particulars ? Can you instance any general that is not ? What, I pray, is a whole that contains no parts ? Mere nonsense and con- tradiction !" Perhaps Pope would have condescended to allow a power to the "prayer of faith," in the removal of "misty vapours," although too feeble to arrest the tendencies of those stupendous objects in nature upon which he has ex- patiated so eloquently. But poets are not always the best theologians. I question whether the poet referred to, ever read that remarkable declaration of Jesus Christ: " Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea ; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith." Mark 11: 22, 23. I wish, my dear Sir, I could convey to you an idea of the magnificent scene which spread itself around us. Sup- pose yourself standing upon the platform of a roof, four stories high, in the midst of a fine city, but not so large as to confuse your vision w T ith too much variety, nor to cause the outlines of architectural gems to be lost in " the indistinct confusion of brick and mortar ;" but of sufficient magnitude to impress your mind with an idea of the wealth and prosperity of a busy population. Yonder is the cathedral, with its two spires, pointing "like silent fingers into heaven," — the building in which the Reformation began its triumphant march in Switzer- land, under Zwingle. There, he thundered against Popery, CONTINENTAL LETTERS. 849 and defied the Pope. Within those venerable tolls, that bold Reformer denounced the mass; and one Sabbath day i 1525), he hurled out of it, the images and mummeries of Ptopery, and administered to the faithful, in the Protestant form, the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, in the presence of a deeply affected and crowded congregation. His pulpit is there yet ; and beneath it repose his honourable remains. He fell in the battle-field of Cappel, in the year 1531, when the rapists and Protestants were engaged in deadly fight. He was there to administer the consolations of religion to the wounded and the dying. That spire with the clock, is the church of which the celebrated Lavater was for many years the pastor. He was shot at his own door, when Zurich was stormed by the troops of Massena, in the autumn of 1799. Ministers should pray for the peace of Jerusalem, and for that of the land in which they live, as, not unfrequently, such have been heavy sufferers in civil wars, and also, amidst the tumult and vefageance of an invading army. Lavater, by his works on Physiognomy, has acquired a name which stands high throughout literary Europe and America. " High mountains,'' says a poet, " are a feeling.'' How ampitheatre-like they arise round Zurich ! — an arrange- ment, to which, it would seem, the supreme Creator was much disposed, when moulding our beautiful planet. Their sides are covered with gardens and vineyards, gemmed with pretty houses, white as show. Although the summits are generally unblessed with verdure, and left bald by the storms of many centuries, it is right to say that they enter- tain the eye with a variety of forms pleasingly combined. To the east lies the lake of Zurich, clear as crystal ; a mirror for the guardian mountains, and for the lights of heaven. In the rear of the lake, is a chain of the Alps, piled like a mighty wall into the sky, and covered with snow and ice. After dinner, a party of us hired a small 30 350 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. boat, and enjoyed a sail on the lake. The afternoon was one of the loveliest decreed to our world ; not a speck of cloud marred the blue firmament, nor a breath of wind stirred, and the temperature was equal to summer. The lake was as smooth as glass ; and at the entrance, blue to a depth of tint, which was quite new to me, and so per- fectly lucid that the smallest objects could be distinguished fathoms beneath. As we advanced upon its bosom, the Alps opened out more fully to view, and became, if possible, more grand. The indentations of " icy halls,' ' and shades from projecting crags, were strikingly contrasted by the rays of the de- scending sun, glancing upon glaciers and "snowy scalps/ ' and contributed to throw those mighty barriers of nature into bolder relief from the blue sky, and lower parts of the landscape. The banks of the lake, for several miles, are adorned with handsome houses, white as snow, enlivened with green window-blinds ; besides a sprinkling of villages. From these, the hills and mountains — not the Alps alluded to, as they stand off by themselves, as if proudly disdaining re- lationship — rise hundreds of feet, and with a considerable dash of grandeur. Having been informed that a view of the setting sun, from Zurich, is allowed to be of a sublime character, we hastened ashore, and ascended one of the towers of Zwingle's church, in order to enjoy it. It was very fine. The cathedral is quite destitute of architectural beauties, but venerable for its age, having been built in the eleventh century ; and also on account of historical associations, connected with the Reformation already alluded to. We stood in Zwingle's pulpit. A plain slab covers his dust beneath ; but so many persons have made pilgrimages to it, during the last two centuries, that the centre of tli3 stone is worn away considerably from the level, by the OOKTHtEHTAI LBTTHBfi* 861 friendly footsteps of visitors like ourselves, who, I suppose^ desired to have to smv, on returning to their country, kw \\o ><1 upon the tomb of Zwingle.* 1 Of course, an attempt to decipher t lie inscription was vain; so the lines of the poet apply to the tombs of the great and learned, as well as to those of the rustic dead : — ■ " The flat smooth stone that bears a name, The chisel's slender help to fame ; Which, ere our set of friends decay, Their frequent steps may wear away." But Zwingle's epitaph is inscribed upon the more en- during pages of "The Reformation;" and Protestantism must sink into oblivion ere the millions of his friends shall have ceased to revere his memory. The eternal destiny of myriads of our race was involved in the part which, in common with other Reformers, Zwingle took in that tre- mendous conflict. After tea, we ascended a pretty eminence on the banks of the lake, close to the city. It has the appearance of an artificial mound, and is laid out handsomely in w T alks, furnished with seats, and shaded by large and luxuriant trees. The view from this spot was exceedingly beautiful. As day was gradually departing, twilight began to spread a delicious charm over surrounding objects. Dark shadows invested the mountain tops, and a gradual indistinctness pervaded all things, except the glassy surface of the lake, which brightened as the night advanced ; and the snowy Alps, still more majestic in the evening shades, the peaks of which seemed as if bidding defiance to invading dark- ness. One peak, especially, stood out in bold relief; its rosy hues proclaiming that the sun and itself had not ceased to hold communion together. This we considered as a fine illustration of the enjoyments of a holy believer, when contrasted, generally, w T ith the state of those who do not enjoy the blessing of entire sanctification. Had we % 6o2 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. observed the same peak in the morning, we should doubt- less have found it was the first illuminated by the rising sun. How favourable such an hour for prayer and holy con- templation ! How many tender recollections steal over the soul, noiseless as the falling dew ; and the heart assimi- lates itself with that soft repose which has spread over the face of nature ! "I love thee, twilight — as thy shadows roll, The calm of evening steals upon the soul ; Sublimely tender — solemnly serene, — Still as the hour — enchanting as the scene — Twilight ! I love thee — let thy gloom increase, Till every feeling, every pulse is peace." I have often had occasion to remark, in the course of my troubles, how well the mind is prepared to enjoy the beauties of nature, when assured of the favour of Heaven. " The mind that feels no smart, Enlivens all its sees." Scenery the most enchanting can impart but little plea- sure to a mind smarting under a sense of the disapproba- tion of God. A consciousness of insecurity with regard to the threatening aspect of eternity, is a very bad travel- ling companion. When all is right respecting another world, we are equally prepared to take pleasure in the picturesque and beautiful, as to sustain the ills peculiar to this changeable and transitory world, and still be happy. Lord Byron, when making the tour of Switzerland, kept a journal for the amusement of his sister. I met the other day with a mournful passage, extracted, it was said, from that document. " In the weather, for this tour of thirteen days, I have been very fortunate, — fortunate in a companion (Mr. Hobhouse), — fortunate in our pros- pects, and exempt from even the little petty accidents and CONTINENTAL u-:tti-:i;>. 358 delays which often render journeys, to a lees wiM country, disappointing. 1 was disposed to be pleased. I am a lover of nature, and an admirer of beauty. I can bear fatigue, and welcome privation, and have seen some of the noblest views in the world. But in all this the recollec- tion of bitterness, and more especially of recent and more home desolation, which must accompany me through life, has preyed upon me here ; and neither the music of the shepherd, the crashing of the avalanche, nor the torrent, the mountain, the glacier, the forest, nor the cloud, have for one moment lightened the weight upon my heart, nor enabled me to lose my own wretched identity, in the ma- jesty, and the power, and the glory around, above, and beneath me." The lake of Zurich is about thirty miles long, and its greatest breadth only five miles. The river Limmat, which divides the city into two parts, discharges itself into the lake at Zurich. As I have occupied so much of this letter in the description of scenery, there is little left for that of the public buildings. The Maison des Orphelins looks well ; its back and front are similar in form, graced with six Ionic pilasters, and a pediment. The Meiser is a neat edifice, three sto- ries high, fronted by six Ionic columns. The Maison de ville is the same in height, and displays more elegance and taste than we generally observe in buildings of a mixed architecture. The Greek and the Gothic are ingeniously blended in this building. Each of the windows in front is surmounted alternately by a semicircular and triangular pediment. The pediments above the windows of the first story are occupied by the statues of eminent men, princi- pally Swiss. The front is enlivened by Tuscan, Ionic, and Corinthian pilasters, each in their appropriate stories. As to the features, complexion, dress, and behaviour of the inhabitants, I saw little different from what you have had so minutely described in the various books of travels 30* 354 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. now in circulation in America. The population of the city is chiefly of the Calvinistic persuasion. We leave for Bale to-morrow ; thence to Strasburg, and so down the Rhine, and across Prussia into Belgium. As ever, in Jesus, • J. C. LETTER XII. Mayence, Germany, Oct., 1843. My very dear Sir : We had a pleasant ride back to Bale, and thence to Strasburg, where we spent last Sabbath. It rained most of the day, and my mind partook of the general gloom ; and had many buffetings from the great adversary. About half-past four in the afternoon, it cleared up, and I wandered out beyond the fortifications, into some plea- sant walks " fit for meditation sweet." But, ah ! w T e need not visit pagan lands to realize those mournful lines of Bishop Heber: — " What though the spicy breezes Blow soft o'er Ceylon's isle ; Though every prospect pleases, And only man is vile. In vain, with lavish kindness, The gifts of God are strewn, The heathen, in his blindness, Bows down to wood and stone." I arrived at a cluster of houses, devoted to what the French call pleasure ; some have named them " The helh of France." Clusters of men were sitting outside, drink- ing, smoking, and gaming ; while the interiors were crowded by men and women, some drinking, and others dancing to the sound of a variety of instruments. These houses are OOKTINBNTAL LBTTBR& 355 fitted up, if ono might judge by the exterior, — for I did not enter any of them, — in such a manner as to make vice fascinating, and the iray to hell pleasant and respectable. Could 1 have spoken in French, with the readiness I can read that language, these Sabbath-breakers should have heard the truth, for once in their lives, whatever might have been the result ; but I was glad to take refuge in a cemetery close by. The evening was calm, and the air refreshingly sweet. The sentiment of Tholuck, the Ger- man poet, would recur to any one who had read it, on entering the precincts of this deep and delicious soli- tude : — " How still is the grave, How cool is the air about it ! If the body sleeps so gently, How blessed must be the spirit!" What a contrast, I murmured, between the silence that rests upon the sleeping dead, and the shouts and uproar of the sons and daughters of folly over yonder ! The cemetery is of considerable extent, and tastefully planted with luxuriant trees and shrubbery; and " funeral foliage" shades the monuments of the dead. " Methinks the monster Death Wears not such visage here, so grim and gaunt With terror, as he shows in other lands : Robing himself in sentiment, he warps His dreary trophies in a maze of flowers !" An hour was spent very agreeably among the tombs, reading inscriptions, and forming a hasty estimate as to the proportion (which is very large) of the citizens who had been consigned to the grave in " early youth." I counted nearly thirty broken columns, indicating that those to whose memory they were erected, had been cut down in the prime of life ; that their hopes and purposes were suddenly broken off by death, as the column is shattered by the 356 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. lightning-stroke, or overturned and severed by the throes of an earthquake. Ah ! if one could say of such, " The less of this cold world, the more of heaven !" it would be a relief; but how could such a hope exist, when the voice of music and revelry again fell upon my ear, and called forth the reflection, " Perhaps most of these unconscious ones joined in the same excess of riot, on the Lord's day." Again the noise of music and dancing intruded upon the solitude of the dead, and I prepared to flee from the sound, as from a hell, exclaiming, " No wonder, if the red lightnings were to shoot forth in sudden vengeance against these French sinners, as a retribution for the desecration of the holy Sabbath." On my return to the entrance, I noticed here and there a soli- tary mourner, leaning over a grave, disconsolate. This was a pleasing contrast to the thoughtlessness without ; but on arriving at a huge cross, upon which was suspended a gigantic effigy of our Saviour, and beholding a number of people kneeling around it, and adoring their wooden god, I retreated in sorrow from the place. Idolatry, Sab- bath-breaking, and Popery, are synonymous. The Lord blessed me abundantly on returning to the city. My soul was so caught up into communion with God, that instead of passing through one of the gates, I turned to the right, and by the side of some fortifications, I received another and larger manifestation of the love of God. My heart was filled to overflowing, as " the Lord passed by," and recalled to my view a train of mercies, which grateful memory recognised as having been all mine, through a long succession of years. I wondered, admired, and adored ! After tea, Mr. Holgate and I spent a short time in social prayer, and retired to rest. Next morning we left Strasburg, by steamer, for this city ; the day turned out rainy, but it cleared off in the afternoon. CONTINENTAL LETTERS. 357 A few miles below Manbeim, we obtained a view of the ancient city of Worms, to the right. The old cathedral, with its imposing towers, is a fine object from the river. Worms was frequently the residence of Charlemagne; and during the middle ages the diet of the Germanic body was often held within its Avails. Two hundred states were comprised in that memorable constitution ; and for nearly one thousand years it withstood many shocks of aggres- sion, and wielded a tremendous influence over the other nations of Europe ; but fell to pieces, and was annihilated by the concussions which accompanied the French Revo- lution. But Worms has been immortalized by the famous diet which was held there in the months of February, March, and April, of 1521 ; the first assembly of that kind which occurred after the election of Charles V. to the imperial dignity. Popery had then arrived at the climax of its vices, and of its tyranny ; and already had the Almighty set the machinery in motion, destined to humble the " man of sin," and break his yoke from off the necks of millions. It is not, my dear Sir, necessary that I should enter into a detail of particulars connected with the Reforma- tion, w T ith which, the fine works that grace your library have long since made you familiar. But when gazing at Worms, we could not avoid some stirring reminiscences relative to the doings of that celebrated diet. It is perhaps questionable, whether its equal had ever been held in Ger- many, or in any other part of the world, — if we except that bloody Sanhedrim, to which Judas gave his promise to betray his Lord and Master. All Europe was agitated. The writings of Martin Luther, aided by the invention of printing, had " set the kingdoms in a blaze." By a bull of Leo X., they had all been condemned to the flames the year previous ; and the author, whenever found, was to be put to death. 358 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. About this time Luther, when writing to a friend, says : " For me the die is cast, — jacta est alea, — the papal wrath and papal favour are alike despised by me ; I will never be reconciled to them, nor communicate with them more. Let them burn my writings, I, unless I am unable to get a little fire, will condemn and publicly burn the whole pontifical code. As they have excommunicated me in defence of their sacrilegious heresy, so do I excommuni- cate them on behalf of the holy truth of God ; and let Christ, our judge, decide w T hether of the two excommuni- cators has the greater weight with him." Luther, ere the end of the same year, returned the Pope's compliment, and made a bonfire of the bull, and of other Papist books, out- side the walls of the city of Wirtemburg, in the presence of the University, and vast multitudes of the citizens. Hence, Charles V. found it absolutely necessary, for the peace and safety of his empire, to convene the diet re- ferred to, and to cite the author of all this disturbance to appear and answer for his conduct. There were present, at this diet, not less than sixty-six persons, of the dignity of sovereign princes, and their sons and brothers ; one hundred counts, sixty deputies of free imperial cities, and numerous barons, knights, doctors of divinity, doctors of law, and one representative from America, — the first ever seen in Europe. Before this large assembly, with Charles V. at its head, Luther was cited to appear within twenty- one days. " When I arrived at Erfurt," says Luther, " a message was brought me, that I was already condemned at Worms. The same report was publicly declared in all the tow r ns, so that the herald himself (Caspar Sturm, the imperial officer, who had served the citation) asked me whether I still thought of going to Worms. Though I feared and trembled, yet I answered him, and said, " Thither will I go, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, if even as many CONTINENTAL LKTTBBS. BS9 devils were in the place as tiles upon the roofs!" Some years afterwards, Lather Baid to a friend, referring to his feelings in that critical hour, "I was free from terror; I feared nothing. So bold can God make one. I know not whether 1 should now have so much bravery/' I met the other day with a prayer, composed by Luther, preparatory to his appearance at Worms ; probably when in that city. I have been informed it is inserted in the works of Luther, though I do not remember to have seen it before. It was, therefore, new to me, and may be interesting to you. •• Almighty and eternal God, how is all the world sub- dued ! How do they shut men's mouths! How small and poor is their confidence in God ! How tender and weak is the flesh, and the devil so powerful and active by his emissaries and the wise men of the world ! How soon do men draw back their hand, and whirl away, and run the common road and the wide way to hell, the proper place of the ungodly! And how do they gaze only at what is magnificent and mighty, great and powerful ! When I turn my eyes thitherwards, the bell," to toll my death, " is already cast, and the sentence is pronounced. God, God, my God, my God, stand thou by me, against the reason and wisdom of all the world ! Do thou it ; thou must do it ; thou alone. It is not my cause, but thine. On my own account, I have nothing to do in this place, and w T ith these great lords of the world. 0, might 1 but spend my days in quietness, far from this worry and confusion! But thine, Lord, is the cause, which is righteous and eternal! Stand thou by me; thou, the faithful and everlasting God ! In no man do I put my trust. It" (human aid) "is worthless, and in vain ; all is lame and limping that is fleshly and savours of the flesh. God, God ! hearest thou not, my God ? Art thou dead ? No ; thou canst not die, thou only hidest thyself. 360 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. Hast thou chosen me for this work ? I ask thee, for cer- tainly do I know it. Yea, it is God that rules the whole ; for I, all my life long, should never have had a thought of opposing such great lords, had it not been appointed for me. Yea, God, thus stand by me, in the name of thine own son, Jesus Christ, who is my shelter and defence, yea, my strong tower, through the power and strengthening of thy Holy Spirit. Lord, where tarriest thou ? Thou, my God, where art thou ? Come ; come ; I am ready for this cause to yield my life, patient as a little lamb. For the cause is righteous, and it is thine : and never to eternity will I be separated from thee. Be this concluded in thy name. The world shall never force me against my conscience ; even if it were still fuller of devils, and if this body of mine, which is but the creature of thy hands, should, for thy cause, be crushed to the ground, yea, shivered to atoms. Therefore, thy word and thy Spirit are good to me. And all this trouble and danger is only about the frail body ; my soul is thine, to thee it belongs, and with thee it shall dwell for ever. Amen. God help me ! Amen." All the city was moved as Luther approached. Every eye was fixed upon the man who had set the Pope at defiance. Multitudes of exasperated Papists were ready to gnash upon him with their teeth, and would have torn him to pieces, but for the strong guard decreed him by the Emperor. Some persons told him plainly, he would be burned to ashes, as Huss was at Constance ; to whom Luther replied : " If they should make a fire to reach from Wirtemburg to Worms, and its flame mount up to heaven, I would here appear in the name of the Lord, and go into the mouth of Behemoth betwixt his mighty teeth, and there confess Christ, leaving to him all consequences/ ' Through much difficulty, he arrived at the palace, where he was accosted by an old warrior, the knight Freunds- I "\ iim;n pal 1-1 .11 ERS, 361 berg: "Monk, thou art venturing upon ,-i course more dangerous than I have over known in the hottest field of battle; hut God, who has preserved me in many a hard fight, will, by his grace, be thy protection. " It was on the 16th of April Luther entered Worms; and the next day, he was arraigned before the Emperor and his august assembly ; where it was demanded, first, whether he acknowledged certain books, the catalogue of whieh was read, to be his. Secondly, whether he would defend them. Luther desired time to consider, and one day was granted him. As he returned to the castle, under an escort, some of his friends, the noblemen, said to him : " Be bold and play the man ; fear not those who can kill the body, and after that have no more which they can do." " Some of the German clergy," says a writer, "even high dignitaries, were inclined to moderate measures. But Alexander, the Pope's legate, violently declared that in- quiry and examination had no place in the matter ; that all were bound by the Pope's judgment, and it was their only duty to carry it into effect ; and that the heresies of Luther were enough to deserve the burning of a hundred thousand men." Providence or policy, however, dictated a different course to the Emperor and his cabinet, and Luther was allowed the privilege to answer for himself. Accordingly, the next day, Luther appeared before the assembly ; and the following was his reply in substance : 1. That all those books, the catalogue of which had been read the day previous, were his, both written and pub- lished. 2. He desired that it might be observed, they were of three kinds ; some of them treating simply and plainly concerning faith and good works ; so that his ad- versaries themselves admitted they were harmless, nay useful, to all Christians ; that he could not retract these without manifest impiety ; that others were written against the Papists, as having, both by their doctrines and lives, 31 362 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. laid waste the Christian church ; if, therefore, he should retract these, it would tend to strengthen their tyranny, and to open a wide door for more corruptions than ever ; that he had written a third kind of books, against private men, who defended the tyranny and doctrines of the pope : " And in these," he continued, "I confess, I have used more sharpness than became my religion, or profession. And yet, neither can I retract these, because, were I to do this, that tyranny and impiety would reign, and rage more against the people of God than ever it did before." To what had been objected, concerning the dissensions and disturbances, which his doctrines had originated, and which they continued to foster, he replied : " I suppose it is plain, from what I have already observed, that I have sufficiently weighed the parties and dissensions, which my doctrines have occasioned in the world; of which I was yesterday admonished. Truly, it is a most comfortable thing to me, to see parties and dissensions occasioned by the word of God. That is, and must be, the consequence of it. For our Lord says, - e of our own The park is encompassed with noble buildings, among which, in a conspicuous situation, is the king's palace. As the time for our return to England was drawing near, we Bet out for the plains of Waterloo, distant ten or twelve miles, seated on the top front of an old shattered diligence. " Directly in front" sat the driver, aged nearly three-score and ten ; and if he " was na fou, he just had plenty ;" and within the same box with ourselves, underneath a shabby cover, fronted with glass, sat our guard, — a finished specimen of an old sot ; and his breath ! an atmo- sphere of rottenness. The two horses, — of all living crea- tures we had ever seen yoked to carriage, cart, or sledge, — were perfectly unique. One, a skeleton, covered with a badly used hide ; and the other, though reduced to skin and bone, a furious demon in his w T ay ; performing his part in a sort of kicking and flinging pace, and he usually came out of his paroxysms and the traces at the same moment. Eight or ten jerks were generally succeeded by a sharp crack from some part of the harness, or vehicle, giving way, and a scene followed of fretting, foaming, chattering, and tinkering, by the conducteur and his compagnon, such as I shall not attempt to describe ; our cheval, in the mean time, turning tail to Waterloo, having "faced about," as if to learn what we thought of his evolutions. When all was " put to rights," a start w T as again effected, and the horn sounded as if we w T ere travelling at the rate of seven or eight miles an hour, warning all men and beasts to keep on their own side of the highway, while we were barely able to discern that our motion was towards Waterloo. About half-way, we arrived at a tavern, when our heroes dismounted, called for " something to keep their courage up," and in the fulness of their benevolence, sent 384 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. out two loaves of rye bread for our horses, which they de- voured immediately. Before leaving Brussels, we obtained a sketch of the battle, and amused ourselves in reading it by the way : a thing I had done before in my quiet library, secure from the hazards and perils of the bloody battle-field, so vividly described by the historian ; but here we knew not the moment when the elements of danger above or beneath, might lay us on the ground in our glory. The afternoon was one of the most delightful w T ith which our world is favoured ; and when near the village of Wa- terloo, we enjoyed the beauty of a rich Belgian sunset. Shortly after, we saw in the distance, the conical mound raised on the plains to commemorate the battle, having quite the resemblance of one of the pyramids of Egypt. We spent the night in an uncomfortable tavern in Wa- terloo, but it was the best in the place ; and Mr. Holgate moralized on the matter thus : "It must be with us here, as in passing through this world ; we can put up with many inconveniences with cheerful patience, when we know this is not our home ; we are only here for a night, and then farewell to it for ever." In the bar-room, we found an old woman of nearly fourscore playing at cards for money, with two young men. Next morning, we walked over the battle-field, " Amidst the quiet simplicity of whose scenery is excited a moral interest, deeper and more potent even than that which is produced by gazing upon the sublimest efforts of nature in her most romantic recesses.' ' Our guide, a sensible, in- telligent man, was servant on the neighbouring farm of Mont St. Jean, at the time of the battle, and assisted in taking care of the wounded and the dying during the dreadful conflict. He was also employed, with many others, several days in burying and burning the dead. They were compelled, he said, to resort to the latter method, in consequence of not being able to dig pits, CONTINENTAL LETT] 385 before the stench from the limps of slain beeime intoler- able. It was no small matter, to dispose of 30,000 dead bodies! He pointed out a spot where they burned 900 corpses, and such was the vitiated state of the atmosphere, lie was thrown, poor fellow, into a long and severe fever. A ^ commissioner" attended the process, whose business it was to strip the dead of money, watches, and other val- uables ; hut they were forced at last to cast them into pits on the plains, with their clothes on. You are acquainted with the many plans, in wdiich are laid down the respective positions of the hostile armies, together with the details of that dreadful battle which de- cided the fate of Europe. Immediately after leaving the village of Mont St. Jean, we were introduced to a gently swelling ridge of land, which was occupied by the army under Wellington, consisting of sixty-five thousand men. A shallow valley, of not more than three-quarters of a mile in extent, separates it from the heights, where Napo- leon's army, of eighty thousand men, w T ere drawn up in battle array, about ten o'clock in the forenoon of the 18th of June, 1815. Wellington's plan, it would appear, w^as to keep posses- sion of this ridge, and necessitate the French to undergo the exhaustion and responsibility of aggressive movements, which afforded him, no doubt, considerable advantage. There were several places, which we felt a mournful in- terest in visiting : — 1st. The farm-house and yard, La Haie Sainte, where the troops composing the German Legion under Welling- ton were cut to pieces. It stood in front of the British centre, and was desperately assaulted ; nor was it taken, till every man of them had ceased to breathe. 2d. The country house, named Hougomont, which cov- ered the centre of the right wing of the British army. In less than half an hour, fifteen hundred men perished in a 386 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. small orchard close to this mansion. In no part of the field of Waterloo, are there so many marks of the horrible doings of Avar, as here. The trees are disfigured with scars and blotches, and a little brick wall, behind which an English regiment defended itself victoriously, had its brick pounded into powder, by the enemy's artillery, along the entire side fronting the French. We thought of those lines, — "Wild storms have torn this ancient wood; But a wilder is at hand, With hail of iron, and rain of blood, To sweep and scathe the land," So bravely was Hougoumont defended, that it withstood the repeated charges of a large portion of the French army. But the artillery of the contending armies set the mansion-house on fire, which was burned to the ground ; and the flames extended to the barn yard, where the wound- ed of both parties were heaped together indiscriminately, bleeding and dying among the straw. Poor fellows ! they were soon wrapped in smoke and flames, and being weak through loss of blood, were unable to help themselves, otherwise than by agonizing cries ; but the furious com- batants were too hotly engaged to attend to them ; thus many of them died a death, far more horrible than if they had been slaughtered on the field. Four or five, however, had strength sufficient to crawl into the family chapel, where the fire pursued them, and strangely stopped, — just charring the bottom of a large cross, which stood over the door in the interior ; and, though nearly suffocated with smoke, they were preserved; a subject or "miracle" this, which has, doubtless, been the theme of many a Romish priest. The chapel is a ruin, but retains part of its roof, and a few images. Our guide, pointing to a hole in the wall of the chapel, where a brick was wanting, said he was pre- CONTINENTAL L 887 tent when Lord Byron carved bis name on the brick, bnt that a French gentleman cut it onl a few years ago, and carried it off It is difficult to account for the circumstance, that this English nobleman took Mich slight notice of this great battle, in his justly-celebrated poem of Cliilde Harold; unless we suppose that he was not one of Wellington's admirers, or that his love of country had, even at that early period of his career, been almost or altogether ex- tinguished. One would think, considering the talents, principles, and temperament of this great poet, that his enthusiasm must have kindled into a blaze at the sight of Waterloo, walking over it, as he did, a little after the dreadful conflict. There is, however, uncommon energy and feeling displayed in those fine verses, in which he de- scribes the breaking up of a ball, at Brussels, a few hours before the battle; — a most unfit place, "by the way," from whence to proceed to the field of blood and death ; and thence, to the judgment bar of God. I have only an extract at hand, but I believe it contains the entire verses to which I allude: — " There was a sound of revelry by night, And Belgium's capital had gather'd then Her Beauty and her Chivalry, and bright The lamps shone o'er fair women and brave men ; A thousand hearts beat happily ; and when Music arose with its voluptuous swell, Soft eyes look'd love to eyes which spake again, And all went merry as a marriage-bell ; But hush ! hark ! a deep sound strikes like a rising knell ! Did ye not hear it? — No : 'twas but the wind, Or the car rattling o'er the stony street ; On with the dance ! let joy be unconfined ; No sleep till morn, when Youth and Pleasure meet To chase the glowing hours with flying feet — But, hark! — that heavy sound breaks in once more, 388 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. As if the clouds its echo would repeat ; And nearer, clearer, deadlier than before ! Arm ! Arm ! it is — it is — the cannon's opening roar! Within a window'd niche of that high hall Sate Brunswick's fated chieftain ; he did hear That sound the first amidst the festival, And caught its tone with Death's prophetic ear ; And when they smiled because he deem'd it near, His heart more truly knew that peal too well Which stretch'd his father on a bloody bier, And roused the vengeance blood alone could quell : He rush'd into the field, and, foremost fighting, fell. Ah ! then and there was hurrying to and fro, And gathering tears, and tremblings of distress, And cheeks all pale, which but an hour ago Blush'd at the praise of their own loveliness ; And there were sudden partings, such as press * The life from out young hearts, and choking sighs Which ne'er might be repeated ; who could guess If ever more should meet those mutual eyes, Since upon night so sweet such awful morn could rise ! And there was mounting in hot haste : the steed, The mustering squadron, and the clattering car, Went pouring forward with impetuous speed, And swiftly forming in the ranks of war ; And the deep thunder peal on peal afar ; And near, the beat of the alarming drum Roused up the soldier ere the morning star ; While throng' d the citizens with terror dumb, Or whispering, with white lips — " The foe ! They come ! they come !" And wild and high the " Cameron's gathering" rose ! The war-note of Lochiel, which Albyn's hills Have heard, and heard, too, have her Saxon foes: — How in the noon of night that pibroch thrills, Savage and shrill ! But with the breath which fills Their mountain-pipe, so fill the mountaineers With the fierce native daring which instils The stirring memory of a thousand years, And Evan's, Donald's fame rings in each clansman's ears. 001 i l\ i:vi \l LETT! KB. 389 And Ardennes vrmTea ibore them her green leaves, Dewj >\itli nature's tear-drops, m they | Grieving, Ifanghi inanimate e'er grieYes, Over the nnreturning brave, — alas! Ere evening to be trodden like the grass Which now beneath them, but above shall grow In its next verdure, when this fiery mass Of living valour, rolling on the foe, And burning with high hopes, shall moulder cold and low. Last noon beheld them full of lusty life, Last eve in Beauty's circle proudly gay, The midnight brought the signal-sound of strife, The morn the marshalling in arms, — the day Battle's magnificently-stern array ! The thunder-clouds close o'er it, which when rent The earth is cover'd thick with other clay, Which her own clay shall cover, heap'd and pent, Rider and horse, — friend, foe, — in one red burial blent. We were shown, 3d, The position occupied by the ninety-second regiment (English), to the left of the British centre, which was reduced by the galling fire of the French to about two hundred ; and yet that handful of men sustained the shock of a column, composed of two thousand Frenchmen ; and, taking advantage of the wa- vering motions of their enemies, rushed upon them like a whirlwind, shouting, " Scotland for ever!" and were vic- torious. Near this spot occurred one of the most appalling con- cussions of cavalry, known in modern warfare. The " Scotch Grays/' and a brigade of heavy dragoons grap- pled in murderous conflict with a column of French cavalry, headed by a body of Cuirasseurs. It was said by those who had witnessed it, to be past description dreadful. 4th. The place near the centre of the British line, where Sir Alexander Gordon was killed, in the moment of remonstrating with Wellington, for exposing his valua- ble life to the same hazard as any private soldier. 390 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. 5th. The closing scene of the battle, where Welling- ton's Guards, obedient to his laconic command, " Up, Guards, and at them!" fell upon the veteran guards of Napoleon, — the chosen troops of France ; whose battalions had long been the terror of Europe. Here hung the fate of the battle, and of Europe ; you know the result. When walking over the lately-ploughed soil, upon which this terrific encounter took place, I picked a musket-ball out of a furrow ; the late rain had just washed it visible ; probably it was the messenger of death to some poor wretch, by which he was hurried unprepared into the eternal world. Thus far the British part of the field. On the French side we were shown : 1st. Napoleon's place of observation ; from which he had a full view of the position of both armies ; his own presenting a front of two miles, and that of the British one mile and a half. Here he exultingly exclaimed, at the dawning of the day of battle, upon seeing the English still in their positions : " Ah ! I have them ! — these English !" He had suspected, it seems, they would fly during the storm of the previous night. Here, in the beginning of the battle, he coolly remarked, on the motions of his enemy's troops, " How steadily those troops take their ground ! How beautifully those cavalry form ! Observe those gray horses (the Scotch Grays), are they not noble troops ? Yet, in half an hour, I shall cut them to pieces !" Here, during the battle, he declaimed against the obstinacy of the English ; taking snuff incessantly from his waistcoat pocket, and casting half of it away with an extended arm, and muttering, " These English are devils, — will they never be beaten ? I shall beat them y$t ; but it is a pity to destroy such brave troops." At every intelligence of repulse or reverse, he sent forth his stern command, " Forward ! Forward !" When a gene- ral sent the information that his men were almost cut to OONTINBNTAL LBTTEBS. 391 pieces, and that he could maintain hie position do longer, inquiring what he Bhould do, Napoleon turned his back on the messenger, saying, •* Lei him carry the battery." 2d. The hollow part of the road, between the farm- house of Belle-Alliance and La Sainte Ilaie, fronting the British centre, where Napoleon harangued his Guard of fifteen hundred men, — the hitherto unconquerable war- riors of France ; and consigned them to Marshal Ney, who led them to be butchered by British bayonets. And in the closing struggle, upon a small ridge to the left, he walked, as he contemplated the frightful butchery, and closing drama of Waterloo. Perceiving the battle lost, he exclaimed, "It is finished !" and with his suite fled from the field. " I looked on the field where the battle was spread, When thousands stood forth in their glancing array, And the beam from the steel of the valiant was shed Through the dim rolling clouds, that o'ershadow'd the fray. I saw the dark forest of lances appear, — As the ears of the harvest, unnumber'd they stood ; I heard the stern shout, as the foe-men drew near Like the storm, that lays low the proud pines of the wood. Afar the harsh notes of the war-drum were rolled, Uprousing the wolf from the depths of his lair ; On high to the gust stream'd the banner's red fold, O'er the death-close of Hate, and the scowl of Despair. I look'd on the field of contention again, When the sabre was sheathed, and the tempest had past, The wild weed and thistle grew rank on the plain, And the fern softly sighed in the low wailing blast. But where swept the ranks of that dark frowning host — As the ocean in might — as the storm-cloud in speed ! Where now were the thunders of Victory's boast, — The slayer's dread wrath, and the strength of his steed ! 392 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. Not a time-wasted cross, not a mouldering stone, To mark the lone scene of their shame or their pride ;* One grass-covered mound tells the traveller alone, Where thousands lay down in their anguish and died ! Oh ! glory ! — behold thy famed guerdon's extent, For this, toil thy slaves through their earth-wasting lot, — A name like the mist, when night's beacons are spent, — A grave, with its tenants unwept and forgot ?" The conical mound, already referred to, is an object of mournful interest. It is about one-third of a mile in cir- cumference, and above two hundred feet high, surmounted by a colossal bronze lion. The pedestal upon which the lion stands, bears the simple inscription, "June 18, 1815." " The mound and the lion have equally been the subject of ill-natured remark," says an intelligent traveller, who visited the field some years ago, "but the one containing the bones of friends and foes who fell in that dreadful day, and the other composed of cannon taken from the enemy, would appear to be aptly enough appropriated, as being at once, a memorial, a trophy, and a tomb." From its summit we had a fine view of the plains. The place was pointed out where Blucher, with his Prussians, emerged from the woods, in the awful crisis, and assisted in turning the tide of battle. " Man must soar," — otherwise climb; and, by the aid of a ladder, stationed there for those " who heave at some- thing high," we ascended the pedestal, and stood beside * There are a few monuments on the ground, besides the Mound ; that to the honour of the German Legion, and one or two others, to the memory of distinguished officers. These, however, are on the British side ; on the ground occupied by the French, there is nothing left, as a a record of their shame or pride. We noticed, also, numerous monu- ments, in the church of the village of Waterloo, in memory of distin- guished persons who fell on that day. J. C. CONTINENTAL u:tti:i:>. the lion. It weighs forty-eight thousand pounds. I barely encircled one of the fore legs with both arms. The French who aided in the last Belgian revolution, when passing over the plains, vented their spleen by a few vollies at the lion, by which it was injured a little. Silly revenge I From thence we walked over to the farm-house, La Belle Alliance ; which stood in the centre of the French army, and where Napoleon stood part of the time during the battle, and sent forth his commands. Here Welling- ton and Blucher met, a few minutes after Napoleon had left the field ; and with feelings of indescribable emotion, embraced each other as united conquerors. The spot where they met is pointed out to the traveller, and the event is commemorated by a slab, inserted in the wall, with a suitable inscription : a thrilling circumstance this, we reflected, but not to be compared with the sudden and unexpected meeting of warriors in heaven. St. Paul, as an apostle and messenger of the " Prince of Peace," has no congeniality of soul, we are sure, with such scenes of bloodshed and slaughter ; yet many of his most impressive and stirring illustrations are military. In the sixth chapter of Ephesians, he spiritualizes the entire armour, defensive and offensive, of a Grecian soldier. Wellington and Blucher met on soil saturated with blood, where, only a few minutes previously, human beings had conflicted with more than infernal cruelty ; where, with hearts as hard as the bullets which ploughed these plains, an infuriated soldiery rolled onward the tornado of destruction, where, — "With gleaming steel % contending squadrons closed, And war's red terrors marr'd the face of spring." Their meeting was accidental, at twilight, and sur- 3^4 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. rounded by the dead and the dying ; the groans of the latter rending the heavens. How very different the meeting of Christian heroes in heaven ! No dead nor dying will be seen there ; nor con- fused noise of battle will occur ; nor garments rolled in blood. (Isaiah 9: 5.) Sudden and unexpected, indeed, may be their meeting above ; but " there is no night there, for the Lord God and the Lamb are the light thereof ;" — they meet, but it is where, — " The rivers of pleasure roll o'er the glad plains ; And the noontide of glory eternally reigns !" It is recorded in the English Metliodut Magazine, that many years ago, a Methodist preacher, of the name of Greenwood, a holy and devoted man of God, was called unexpectedly, though not unpreparedly, to die, at War- rington. The last night of his life, he preached and prayed the whole time, till day-light appeared in the morn- ing. He then said,. " Another sun shall arise ; Christ, the Sun of Righteousness, with healing in his wings;" and immediately fell asleep in the Lord. " It is something remarkable," says his biographer, "that his aged mother, a most excellent Christian, died happy in the love of God, at Keighly, in Yorkshire, the same morning. What a joyful surprise, when those two kindred spirits met together at the gates of heaven !" The heroes of Waterloo hailed each other at the close of one of the most important battles of modern times. But how many lives had been sacrificed ! How many wives made widows, and children fatherless, and parents childless ! What a host of souls went down to perdition from the battle-field of Waterloo ! Christian conquerors meet in heaven. Their victory, however, has been a bloodless one ; and yet they over- came by the blood of the Lamb ! No widows nor father- CONTINENTAL LETTERS. 395 lesd children are left weeping, nor souls sent to hell by their conquests! And li<>w many and important have born their battles and victories We cannot tell, but must die to know. "Believers have I silent field to fight, And their exploits are veil'd from human sight; They, in some nook, where little known they dwell, Kneel, pray in faith, and rout the hosts of hell." Wellington and Blucber had escaped death, honoured the banners of their respective nations, and won the day ; but one of them has long since fallen beneath the arm of the conqueror of conquerors ; and very soon he will cast his unerring weapon at the other. When victorious saints meet in glory, they shall die no more ; death hath no more dominion over them. The heroes already mentioned, escaped a temporal death, which might have lasted but for a moment ; one of Wel- lington's officers, Sir T. Picton, received a musket ball in the temple, and in the twinkling of an eye he was in eternity. But the soldiers of Emmanuel have been saved into heaven, and from eternal death ; while others of their acquaintances may have suddenly plunged into an endless hell. The Waterloo heroes met amid the congratulations of admiring officers and soldiers ; and this was but a prelude to that honour which awaited them, from the united voices of king and country. What acclamations of joy from grateful millions ! How brilliant their triumphant en- trances into their respective countries ! How imposing the glories with which they were afterwards encompassed ! But when the heroes of the cross make their entrv by the "triumphant way" into heaven, and meet around the throne, the transports of joy, at the recognition of those who have landed safely in the Paradise of God, are but 396 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. preludes to the acclamations of innumerable legions. Eter- nity alone can unfold the extent of that glory, honour, and immortality, expressed in Romans 2 : 7. The heroes of Waterloo had a joy from what may be termed mutual recollections. There was a period when Wellington's mind was a prey to the most anxious suspense, and when victory appeared more than doubtful ; when he knew, should another hour elapse, and Blucher not appear, the battle must be lost inevitably. A short time previous to Blucher's appearance, Wellington's Aid-de-Camp came with information, that the Fifth Division was almost anni- hilated, and that it was utterly impossible it could any longer maintain its ground ; the general replied, " I can- not help it; they must keep their ground with myself to the last man.* * * Would to God that night or Blucher were come !" But at that awful crisis Blucher and his Prussians came in sight ; Wellington's countenance bright- ened, and he exclaimed, " There goes old Blucher at last ! We shall beat them, yet !" Blucher, on the other hand, enjoyed the delightful consciousness, that he had arrived in time to turn the tide of battle, although his friend had had the superior honour of fighting through the long and hazardous -day ! How many such grateful recollections will animate many of the saints, on their meeting in glory, we shall not know till our arrival there. There are, no doubt, innumerable multitudes in heaven, who recognise each other, with a gratitude that is to be eternal, for timely aid received at the crisis of many a spiritual conflict, or temporal embar- rassment. "And I say unto you, make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness ; that when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations." Luke 16 : 9. Laurels of victory, by the universal consent of all Eu- rope, soon adorned the brows of the embracing heroes at CONTINENTAL LETTERS. 897 Waterloo. But hundreds of hands may ye1 be raified to pluck away those hard-won laurels! I perceive by one of the continental papers, that very lately, at a public meed* inn, the name of Wellington has heen held up to the con- tempt of a hooting multitude ; and that not far from the the spot where a proud monument of his victories adorns the park of the metropolis of Ireland ! l>ut no hand shall ever be uplifted in heaven to tear away a single laurel from the brow of the glorified w r arriors of Emmanuel ; no tongue shall there be moved to detract from the glory of their past victories. They overcame all their spiritual foes, and put to flight the army of the aliens, by means of their faith, and of the weapons which they wielded by it; and that faith was often tried as gold in the furnace of fire ; but there it shall be " found unto praise, and honour, and glory, at the appearing of Jesus Christ.'' 1 Peter, 1 : 7. " Laurels may flourish round the conqueror's tomb, But happiest they who win a life to come ; Eternal triumphs crown their toil divine, And all these triumphs, Christian, shall be thine !" "See!" said our guide, "yonder is the house of De- costor! Napoleon had him seized, placed on horseback, and tied to the saddle, and compelled him to act as a guide in some arrangements in the field at the beginning of the battle. It was hard in Napoleon to reprimand the poor man for flinching to avoid the shot that was flying around him, and cold comfort was administered to him: 'Do not stir, my friend/ said Napoleon, ' a ball will kill you equally in the back as in the front, and wound you more disgrace- fully !' " Bonaparte could be witty when he pleased. It is scarcely possible to walk over these plains, or to read an account of the closing scenes of the battle, without feeling a chilling horror creeping over the soul ; especially when contemplating the events of the dreadful night which 34 898 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. succeeded the battle. The Prussians, undeterred by the shades of night, pursued the flying French. The terrors of death fell upon the fugitives, and the panic was uni- versal. The moon rose in solemn and peaceful majesty, but her mild beams served to light the pursuing Prussians to deeds of slaughter. " In the town of Genappe alone, six miles from the battle-field," it is said, "eight hundred lay dead, who had suffered themselves to be cut down like cattle." In the mean-time, on the same night, Wellington led his deeply-affected troops over the field ; all was still as death, " Save the moans of the wounded, and the agonizing shrieks of the dying, which at intervals broke upon the ear, — the moon shedding her pale rays upon the dead, piled one upon another, as far as the eye could reach, — it was too much for Wellington ; he burst into tears. — "O'erspread with shatter' d arms the ground appears, With broken bucklers, and with shiver' d spears : Here swords are stuck in hapless warriors kill'd, And useless, there, are scatter'd o'er the field. Here on their face, the breathless bodies lie ; There, turn their ghastly features to the sky. Beside his lord the courser press' d the plain ; Beside his slaughter'd friend the friend was slain; Foe near to foe, and on the vanquish'd spread The victor lies ; the living on the dead ! An undistinguish'd din is heard around, Mix'd is the murmur, and confused the sound ; The threats of anger, and the soldiers' cry, The groans of those that fall and those that die." But could the veil of eternity, on that night, have been drawn aside, and could the eye of Wellington, and those alive with him on that bloody field, but have discerned the souls of the dead of both armies ; what scenes of unutter- able horror would have been unfolded to their view ! Ah ! who can imagine, much less describe, the wailings and CONTINENTAL LETTERS. 808 shrieks of vast numbers hurled into perdition the last few hours, burning like a hell, with anger, malice, revenge, and each reeking with the blood of his brother? There is an express command, enforced by a most weighty motive, in that striking passage of the word of God: " Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord." Ileb. 12: 14. But the battle-field would be the most unlikely place to find either; and the conclusion is too dreadful to dwell upon, did it not contain a solemn warning to the living. Although Napoleon survived the scenes of Waterloo, it was there his career of blood terminated ; and there was an awful necessity for this : the civilized world stood aghast ; Europe was clothed " in sackcloth and mourning," and drenched in tears and blood. It has been calculated that Caesar slaughtered two millions of our race during his wars ; and to Alexander has been assigned an equal portion ; but double that number, that is, four millions of human beings are supposed to have been slaughtered in the wars of Napoleon. That Providence intended his overthrow, and the chastisement of his licentious and in- fidel troops on the plains of Waterloo ; that the Lord God of Hosts raised up, and called forth the British army, to check and destroy his power ; and by these means, to put an end to a bloody and unjust war, and to give peace to long-afflicted Europe, I dare not doubt, — I never have doubted. But that peace, which lasts to the present day, (and may it long continue !) was indeed purchased at a tre- mendous sacrifice of human life. The following senti- ments, on the battle of Waterloo, by one who, it is evident, has thought deeply upon the subject, you will not, I hope, consider out of place. The language is happy and beau- tiful, and the views as just as they are original. " To those who may, like myself, incline to think that a more glorious age is about to rise upon the world, and that Waterloo was 400 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. the thunderstorm which was to give the last clearing to the air before that perfect vision, it assumes a loftier cha- racter than its mortal triumph. It seems to bear the features of a grand immediate interposition of Superior Power. The final overthrow of the French empire, which was atheistic, Jacobin, and revolutionary, to its latest hour, and the utter disgrace of Napoleon (the concentrated spirit of the revolution), were at least the results of the battle of Waterloo. They may appear to have been its provi- dential objects. Had human judgments been previously consulted, they would probably have drawn a different plan of the battle. The Prussians would have at once joined the British, and swept the enemy before them ; or the British would have been in force enough to have driven in the. French early in the day ; or Napoleon would have fallen, or been taken prisoner. But the battle was not to be so fought, to be most fatal to the atheistic power. If the French had been beaten in the broad day, they might have rallied, or retired before superior force ; or, in the last event, have been made prisoners in masses. But the conflict held on, bloody and disastrous, till the moment when they could neither escape nor conquer. Retreating, an hour before nightfall, they might have been saved ; fight- ing an hour after it, they might have had the night for retreat. But they broke on the edge of darkness. The Prussians came up, retarded during the day, to be unfa- tigued by battle, and fresh for pursuit. The night was made for remediless slaughter. ' Thou moon, in the valley of Ajalon V The distribution of the triumph was judicial. England had seen in France only an envenomed enemy. Prussia had felt in her a remorseless oppressor. England had suffered no serious infliction. Prussia had been steeped to the lips in suffering; and to England, on this memo- rable day, was given the glory, and to Prussia, the re- venge. CONTINENTAL LETTERS. 401 " For the first time since the accession of Napoleon, their force was exclusively French; and it was trampled like a mire of blood. There has been no instance for these thou- sand years, of such a total destruction of an army. The flower of France, and the leading strength of the rebellion, was the Imperial Guard. It was reserved for the last and most complete sacrifice of the day." 14 The heavens were sick of crime — dread was the strife "Where black ambition flung its stake of life. The trial came, — the keen and jealous steel, Raged, through their quivering ranks; — with faithful zeal, The sacrifice was done ! — and on its wing The earth sent up the shout of thanksgiving !" With the interesting results of this memorable battle, you, my dear Sir, have been long familiar ; as also, with the exile, and the particulars connected with the death of this unhappy man. "Never," says one, "never did meta- phor approach so nearly to description as the comparison of Bonaparte to a meteor — generated in obscurity, kind- ling to almost instantaneous splendour ; shooting to an astonishing height ; dazzling the world by its brilliancy ; 'shaking from its horrid hair pestilence and war' — then, as suddenly declining, and, with a rapidity not equalled even by its 'upward flight,' losing itself again in the ob- scurity from which it sprung. The career of such a man is an object, even with those who abhorred him, of natu- ral curiosity, and of no unphilosophical wonder. Hence it is, that through his whole course, he attracted, in an extraordinary degree, the attention of all classes of man- kind." And now T , although on the point of an apology, for the length of this letter ; for when I sat down to write you I had not the most distant idea of spinning it out to such an extent ; yet I cannot help sending you the following, which I do not remember having before seen in any ac- 34* 402 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. count of the battle of Waterloo. The melancholy tale, it is said, was communicated by an old soldier who had resided in the family of Colonel G. for many years, and who had followed him to the field of Waterloo, but was accidentally separated from his youthful master, at the awful moment of his death : " Thank God, 'tis over !" exclaimed a young officer, as he galloped along the road from Brussels to Waterloo. " My Lucy ! we are sepa- rated, and perhaps for ever ! Should I not survive this my first effort for glory, oh ! thou Almighty Father, pro- tect my wife !" " The battle rages in all its fury ; the enemy press on and surround one part of the English army, where a young officer, with a tremendous shout of 'Death or victory!' urged his impetuous steed forward, followed by his gallant troops ; made a desperate attack upon his assailants, and compelled them to retreat. The fiery Edward was borne along by the tide of conflict, into the very midst of his foes. His noble mien attracted the notice of a French officer, who, calling on him to defend himself, galloped forward with ungovernable furv. Dreadful was the con- flict that ensued. For some time victory seemed doubtful — at length the French officer made a desperate lounge at Edward, which the latter parried with the greatest ad- dress, and returning it with more skill and better success, pierced his adversary's left side, who, uttering a heart- rending groan, immediately fell from his horse. Edward, through an unaccountable instinct, seldom manifested on the field of battle, instantly dismounted to assist his fallen foe, and, unfastening the clasps of his helmet, discovered a face pale through loss of blood, and fixed in the agonies of death. The dying man raised his heavy eyes to his generous conqueror, and, with a frenzied shriek, exclaimed, ' Can this be Edward G., my long-forsaken brother?' The ii\i:m al LHTTBR8. 408 blood forsook Edward's cheeks, as he replied, 'Charles* is it thus we meet?' The dying brother faintly articulated, ^ [ndeed we meet — but only to part/ The life-blood gushed fast from his mortal wound — his brother gazed intently on his marble features — his breath had ceased. At this interesting moment of reunion, and final separa- tion, a French soldier, influenced by revenge, approached the wretched Edward, who, stupified with grief and sur- prise, no longer* offered any resistance. In one moment the direful work was done, the spirit of Edward followed that of his brother into the regions of immortality. " On the evening of the ever-memorable 18th of June, I visited the plains of Waterloo. What an awful sight ! So many of my countrymen lying exposed to the inclemency of the weather, and extended on the bare ground, with- out one friend to soothe or relieve their sufferings. " A slight rustling sound made me turn my head, and I beheld a fair and fragile form, stooping and examining the features of the surrounding dead. At last she knelt down by the body of a young officer, and lifting the raven curls that clouded his alabaster forehead, uttered one dreadful shriek, and fell lifeless to the ground. I approached, but all animation was gone — the angelic spirit of the beauti- ful Lucy had fled to be united with that of her Edward !" The old soldier here paused, torrents of tears streaming down his sunburnt visage ! Circumstances compel me to close abruptly. Farewell. J. C. 404 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. LETTER XV. Hull, England, Nov., 1843. Ever dear Sir : As the steamer is within a few hours of leaving Liver- pool for America, I cannot let the opportunity pass without informing you of my safe arrival in England, in excellent health. Thanks be unto the God of all my mercies ! We spent a Sabbath in Brussels, after our return from Water- loo ; and walked out about nine o'clock in the morning in quest of a Protestant place of worship. A stranger di- rected us to the Royal Chapel, where we found a young clergyman, in robes, holding forth in German. The con- gregation was small, and the preacher anything but ani- mated. But there seemed a singular effort to make up for a want of unction and fervour, by gestures, highly studied, and a peculiar rolling of the eyes upwards ; as if every movement of the hand, motion of the eye, and position of the body was the result of a fixed purpose to abide by certain rules previously laid down, as the proper accom- paniments of the various parts of the sermon. This regu- lated even the use of the pocket mouchoir ; se moucher devenant neeessaire ; which happened at regular intervals ; but was never done in the "vulgar gaze," but de bonne grace, becomingly turning his back upon the congrega- tion, as if going to weep over their hardness and impeni- tency ; the matter thus adjusted, his proper station and discourse were resumed very gracefully. We sighed for the fate of poor Protestantism, as we departed, but cheered ourselves with the hope of better things from an English clergyman, who was to preach in the same place, that afternoon. Returning to our hotel, we walked into the Roman CONTINENTAL LETTERS. 405 Catholic church, — a cathedral-looking Gothic structure. The congregation was large, but as the services were similar to those which I have described, as exhibited in other Popish churches, a repetition is unnecessary. The pulpit, in the above church, is considered the best specimen of carving in oak, which this country affords. It is designed to represent the banishment of Adam and Kve from the Garden of Eden. Within an opening of the Tree of Knowledge, stands the pulpit, supported by the figures of our first parents, as large as life. An angel, with a flaming sword, is in the act of driving out the fallen pair. The figures, with the Tree and adornments, are all done in carved oak. The attitude of Adam, with his face partly concealed by his two hands and his disordered hair, are well adapted for the expression of passion ; the efforts of the artist to exhibit, in this figure, shame, desponding grief, and contrite submission, have succeeded admirably. Eve has one arm raised, as if to ward off a blow. There is a spirit thrown into her features, w 7 hich one could scarcely expect to see in wood ; Guilt, Sorrow, and some- thing akin to Remonstrance, are there ; as if she w T ould venture an appeal to her offended God, whether the angel was not overstepping in severity the bounds of his com- mission. The predominating feeling, in her " pitiful face," is far from the mournful acquiescence which appears in the countenance of Adam ; but rather indicates the utterance of the complaining sentiment : " Our punishment is greater than our sin deserves !" The Tree of Knowledge, embowers the pulpit ; and, with the assistance of a couple of angels, supports the canopy above the preacher. The serpent is in the act of stealing aw T ay from the wretched pair, partly concealed beneath foliage and fruit, till its head reaches the top of the canopy, where are figures of the Virgin and Child, — the infant Jesus standing upon the head of the serpent, 406 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. and bruising it with his Cross. Upon the Tree are a variety of birds and quadrupeds ; among the latter, we noticed a fox and a monkey, each helping himself to the fruit that decoyed Eve. On Eve's side of the tree, are the peacock, the parrot, the squirrel, and the monkey. It was hinted to us before leaving Brussels, that the artist, who, it would appear, was not an admirer of the fair sex, " Contemplated a little satire by this arrangement of the chatterers. " The character of the birds, animals, &c, which were placed on Adam's side, would go to substan- tiate the unfavourable design of the artist against the daughters of Eve ; but we did not learn that the good ladies of Brussels had ever resented the compliment. Near to Eve stands a figure far more significant and affecting ; — Death, the offspring of sin. This is the most imposing group of carving I have ever seen, and is worthy of the Netherlands, which has sur- passed, hitherto, every other continental nation, in this fine art. The feathery appearance of the birds is exqui- site, and the foliage and fruit beautifully disposed, and admirably executed. I never before imagined, that these productions of nature could be so closely imitated in this material ; worked in fact out of one piece of wood ; chained together so wonderfully, and in a disorder so natural and free, and with a lightness so loose and airy. The subject, at the same time, reads a moral lesson to the heart. The spectator sees, that it is an evil thing and a bitter to sin against God, whilst he is forcibly reminded of that fearful act which introduced into this world sin, and death, and all our woe ; and above all, is confirmed in the recognition of the necessity for, as well as the counter- working nature of, the redeeming plan. Altogether it im- pressed us as not an inappropriate subject for a pulpit, and drew our admiration, malgre our deep-rooted opposi- tion to the errors of Popery. CONTINENTAL LETTERS. 407 We returned to the Chape] Royal is the afternoon, and had the happiness of attending the first public service in the English language Bince we left England. It Bounded somewhat singular to hear the minister pray for "Our rightful Sovereign, Queen Victoria," within the territories of his Belgic Majesty ; in his capital, and within his royal chapel. The congregation, however, was composed chiefly of English residents; but at a proper period of the ser- vice, they did not fail to pray for his Majesty, King Leo- pold ; but the Queen of England had the first place in their supplications, as, doubtless, she occupied such a posi- tion in their affections. We thought of the captive Jews, who sang when assembled by the cold streams of Babylon, " If I forget thee, Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning. If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth ; if I prefer not Jerusa- lem above my chief joy." The prayers w T ere similar to those used in the Church of England ; the same as are read in the Episcopalian Church in America ; and, to our hungry souls, they were "a feast of fat things." The congregation, unlike the exiled Jews, sang the songs of Zion, in a strange land, very sweetly. Our hearts chimed in well, both with the sentiments and the music, and the soft and soothing tones of a few verses, served to recall those bursts of living melody, so overwhelming and so frequent in our chapels at home: " Like the memory of joys that are past, pleasant and mournful to the soul !" The minister at length announced his text : " He went about doing good;" and I am sure we were in a state of mind to appreciate and enjoy a sermon ; but it proved to be as lean and soul-starving an affair as could be "got up" in the English language. The discourse lasted about twenty-five minutes, and amounted to this : The greater part of our comforts are derived from the community among whom we reside ; and it is our duty to contribute 408 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. our part to the common stock, for the comfort and happi- ness of others. And certainly, the preacher himself ap- peared to have shared very largely in "table comforts," at least. Whether he had contributed his quota to the general fund of enjoyment, was a question we could not determine ; but he seemed bloated to the very brink of apoplexy. " Alas !" we exclaimed, on our return, « it is no wonder Popery is rampant in Brussels, with its usual accompani- ment of Sabbath-breaking, and all manner of wickedness, if this be the kind of cold, heartless, defective preaching with which Protestantism is cursed." The Roman priest- hood raise their standard of morality weekly, and insist strongly upon the properties in the character of a " good Catholic;" the Protestant ministers have their standard, and declaim upon the character of a good Protestant ; and this, with a few honourable exceptions, is the sum and substance of continental preaching. Yet the laws of God are violated unblushingly ; his holy Sabbaths are dese- crated on all sides, without restraint. Infidelity holds up its head fearlessly, and sways its direful influence over the minds of vast masses of the population. It is in Brussels, as in every other part of the world, where " Christ crucified" is not fully and faithfully preached to the people, and remission of sins through faith in his blood ; there is a manifest failure in the morality so much insisted upon. Corrupt human nature will ever bid defiance to the attempted restraints of the pulpit, when the regeneration of the soul, by faith alone, is not clearly and vigorously pressed home upon the conscience. No minister has ever yet succeeded in bringing his hearers to the practice of a perfect Gospel morality, till he has effect- ually won them over to a real Gospel conversion, through faith in the blood of the Lamb. We left Brussels the next day by railway for Antwerp ; I ;\i:\ PAL 1.1.1 I E and a dangerous affair they have made it. Hon the maintained their position on the rail, nobody could our carriage waddled like a duck ; and thankfdl tore were when we reached the old city in safety.* Ant- werp is a well-built and strongly fortified city of Belgium* It is situated on the right bank of the Scheldt, and, if we reckon by the many windings of the river, about sixty miles from the German Ocean. The style of its architecture resembles that which most prevails in the cities of Holland; the gable ends of the houses being principally toward the street, and of various fancies, both in shapes and ornaments, broken by steps on 'i side of the gable, contracting as they ascend, till they terminate in a slender point. It is remarkable that some of the very old houses in the city of Albany, N. Y., are similarly constructed ; so the next time you visit that city you may gratifj T your curiosity, and think of Antwerp. From the time that Napoleon Bonaparte meditated the overthrow of England, Antwerp was to him a place of the highest importance. His avowed design was to make it the great naval arsenal of Europe. He projected many splendid improvements, some of which were completed, but his sudden downfall put an end to them, and, in the opi- nion of some, to the prosperity of Antwerp also. The cathedral is the glory of Antwerp ; a beautiful Gothic structure, surmounted by an elegant spire, little inferior to that at Strasburg, and only a few feet lower. The spire rises out of a massive and richly ornamented tower, and stretches towards the heavens in a succession of pretty galleries, each diminishing in size as they as- cend, — elaborately carved, and in such nice proportions as perfectly to satisfy the eye. * A very bad accident occurred shortly after ; several were killed, and many wounded. J. C. 35 410 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. The interior of the cathedral is exceedingly imposing. There are no pews to interrupt the footsteps, as in Ame- rican churches. An immense area, covered with smooth flags, presents itself at once to the view, lengthening and widening with the vision, to an extent of five hundred feet, by two hundred and thirty. The bold and majestic cha- racter of the architecture unfolds itself to the stranger as he advances. To the right and left he beholds a magnifi- cent avenue of gigantic columns, and, though inferior, in classic beauty to those of York Minster, their colossal size and amazing altitude are sublimely impressive. The dimensions given of this building by some travellers have been most extravagant. Our hand-book stated the height of the ceiling to be more than three hundred feet, which we pronounced an exaggeration. There is, through- out the whole interior, an admirable unity of proportions, with vastness of design. There are many fine pieces of sculpture in marble, dis- tributed around the -walls, and paintings of no ordinary merit ; but the presence of two original paintings, by Ru- bens, would seem to affect them as the sun does the stars. The first, which is generally considered the chef-d'oeuvre of this great master, is the celebrated Descent from the Cross. Sir Joshua Reynolds considered " The Christ one of the finest figures that ever was invented," adding, that "the hanging of the head on his shoulders, and the falling of the body on one side, gave such an appearance of the heaviness of death, that nothing can exceed it." A care- less observer would not perceive, that much of the soft radiance which falls upon various parts of the painting, proceeds from the white sheet in which the body is being lowered ; an effect of genius worthy the talents of this noble artist. Some of the females around the cross are invested with a purity and dignity, a pathetic modesty and grace, uncommon in Rubens, and not unworthy the pencil CONTIA l.N r LL LETTERS. 1 1 1 of a Raphael. A person "1' considerable taste and dis- oernmenl has remarked, "That female, on whose Bhoulder the loot of Christ appears t<» be resting, is p d of one of the Bweetesi and most heavenly countenances thai ever was produced by the pencil of a man ; and the young woman by her side, who is looking up to Christ with such intense anxiety, is not much inferior." This was Baying a great deal ; an encomium, in fact, seldom accorded to the female heroines of this artist. Few understood less than Rubens in what female beauty consisted ; but none knew better how to express what one has somewhere termed •• a meretricious air, a sort of reckless defiance of modesty and feminine diffidence." It is pleasing to see that he had the good sense, in such an awful subject as is developed in this painting, to forego his "beau ideal" of female excellence. The second painting referred to, is the Elevation of the Cross; a splendid painting also. The great stir around Calvary, is what one would expect ; but it is difficult to conceive the necessity for such contortions of the muscles in so many able-bodied men, when making the effort to bring the cross to its perpendicular. It afforded the artist, however, a desirable opportunity for the display of his inimitable talent for colouring, and anatomical delineations. One of the ablest judges of the last century decided this to be " one of the best and most animated compositions" of Rubens. The pulpit in this cathedral is an ingenious piece of carving in wood. It is supported by four figures, as large as life, and covered with birds of various kinds ; but it did not strike us as being equal to that in the church at Brus- sels, described in this letter. There is in all the continental Romish churches, a pro- fusion of confessional-boxes ; but, in this respect, the cathe- dral of Antwerp surpasses them all. 412 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. We enjoyed an extensive prospect from the top of the spire. Leaving the cathedral, we walked over to the Museum of Paintings ; but we had the precaution to walk through the galleries in which are exhibited the productions of living artists, before we entered those appropriated to the works of the Old Masters. The collection of modern paintings was very large at this time, and of a very creditable cha- racter ; a proof, certainly, that this fine art is well encour- aged in Antwerp. Many of the paintings were exquisitely beautiful and true to nature ; most were distinguished for a full and brilliant tone of colouring, approaching to a " flaring brilliancy," which the softening and mellowing hand of time may possibly remove. I am not, you must be aware, sufficiently acquainted with all that constitutes excellence in painting, to venture upon the criticism you desire ; nor could I attempt anything like an opinion of the respective merits of the productions of each artist, without turning the remainder of my letter into something like a catalogue. But I may say of them generally (with a few exceptions), in regard to subject, composition, colouring, pathos, poetic feeling, and mind, they were superior to any similar collection I had hitherto seen, and gave us an ex- alted idea of the Netherland artists. Many of the landscape paintings were of a very high order. Rugged mountains ; far-extended valleys ; " woody offscapes ;" fresh and smiling meadows, tufted with trees, and enlivened with flocks and pieces of water, were the characteristics of some. In others, were cultivated fields, fringed with wood-land, and cheered with a sparkling stream, a busy town, or splendid city. The varied appearance of water ; the rapid or gently flowing river ; the mighty cata- ract, " coming down like an eternity ;" the spreading lake ; the dark pool, overshaded with trees ; or the ocean in a calm or storm, with vessels in the distance, or more danger- ous proximity to the shore, were the subjects of others. CONTINENT it LBT1 I 413 The sky has been termed, the key-note, which regulates the harmony of a picture; and it scums to have been well studied by those artists, in all its varieties of the grave, the cheerful, the brilliant, the gloomy, and the terrific; whether canopied in'clouds, or presenting an expanse of liquid transparency. Its effects upon the landscape, in those combined niceties and intricacies of colour (you know what I mean), and those delicate interchanges and imperceptible gradations of tint, which none but cl observers of nature could perceive, a few have imitated exquisitely. Trees are no unimportant features in a landscape paint- ing. Trees have their anatomy as well as the human figure, and require a far closer study than many would imagine ; but, unlike the human form, each has its distinct anatomy. The idea, you are aware, is not original; but, when borne in mind, it adds greatly to one's satisfaction while viewing a picture, in which trees are the most prominent and inter- esting objects. Trees are supposed to have, what some have termed their character. Under this head, if I mistake not, are classified positions, dispositions, and massing, besides the tendency of stem, whether directed naturally, or by some disaster, or by the pressure of the prevailing wind. And there is the proper balance of the branches, and their clothing, or drapery if you please ; in reference to which we may observe, that all the fashions from the days of Solomon, in all his glory, down to our day of glitter and show, of which we may say, — " With varying vanities from every part, They shift the moving toy-shop of the heart !" — cannot be brought into comparison with the beautiful and endless variety displayed in the foliage of trees. And it is but doing justice to the artists of Antwerp, to say, that while the trees in their landscapes would bear criticism according to the above rule3, the other objects in the painting are equally creditable ; at least so they appeared to 35* 414 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. us, and every man has a right to his own opinion. Every object satisfied and pleased the eye and judgment, — was at home with a weaning ; add to this, a nice attention to pro- portions, and an absence of that mannerism of which, in some American paintings, you have frequently complained. Do you recollect how glaringly defective M*****'s paint- ing was, on the principles of perspective ? But a correct perspective, lineal and aerial ; that is, if I mistake not, clearness of outline, and diminution of objects by distance, in regard to size, colour, and distinctness, is, perhaps, at once the most difficult and most important part of land- scape painting. There are optical illusions besides, with which landscape painters have frequently to grapple, and which, I have heard remarked, depend not so much on distance as on a hazy state of the atmosphere. Some con- sider such illusions the most fascinating part of landscape painting ; and limit success, in this department, only to the few who have sufficient cleverness to take that nice advan- tage of the fog, by giving to the objects the appearance of great distance, preserving at the same time, unaltered, their real lineal perspective. Of all the places in the world, Antwerp seemed, to us, the most unfitted by Providence for the study of the pic- turesque in nature, if we except the privilege of learning the comparative bulk of objects through the medium of a Dutch fog ! What one has said of « the fenny borders of Dutch canals, the uninteresting flats of neighbouring Flanders, and the sand-hills of distant Holland/ ' may be well applied to all that presents itself to the artist, whether he sketches from the ramparts of the pentagon- like citadel, or from the "tip-top" gallery of the spire of Notre Dame ! It is not unlikely that the paintings of the Old Mas- ters, in the adjoining rooms, may have had more powerful attractions for the eye of those modern artists, than the picturesque scenery of more favoured lands, CONTINENTAL LSTTE tl5 It is proper to obeerre, thai there were paintings in the exhibition upon which 1 have been remarking, which merited no praise. Several of the portraits were ex- tremely immodest ; and others, as to Bubject, design, and composition, were scarcely passable, in the estimation of some of our party. But I have been writing of the general impression made upon my own mind, by the best in the collection, and they were not a few. We wished to be pleased, and when we approached a disagreeable pic- ture, it was easy to pass on to another of a more pleasing and instructive character. From the galleries of modern paintings, we passed into those devoted to the works of the Old Masters. Here are assembled some of the finest original paintings of the most celebrated artists of past centuries ; many of which once adorned the walls of several churches and convents of Antwerp. Rubens is here in his glory. The identity of the paint- ings of this master cannot easily be mistaken. How pro- lific was his pencil ! His works are to be found in most of the picture galleries of Europe. How exuberant was his fancy ! How varied the subjects that occupied his genius! "His subjects," says a writer of taste, " are familiar, and remarkably attractive, by the playful and bold composition, striking effect of light and shade, luxu- riance of the richest colouring and general air, and bloom- ing profusion of everything calculated to catch the eye.'* And, says the great Reynolds : « Indeed, the facility with which he invented, the richness of his composition, the luxuriant harmony and brilliancy of his colouring, so dazzle the eye, that, whilst his works continue before us, we can- not help thinking all his deficiencies are fully supplied." The great talents of this master were often wasted upon worthless subjects ; but there are many of an opposite character, such as those we noticed in the cathedral of 416 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. Antwerp, and others in these rooms : Christ showing his wounds to Thomas; St. Ann teaching the Virgin to read; Christ crucified between two thieves, &c, which have secured him a name, likely to be perpetuated during a great many centuries to come.* The steamer Wilberforce being in readiness to sail for London, we went on board, and proceeded down the river. Our vessel occupied the Scheldt during five or six hours, and about dark we were amidst "the gentle pitchings and luxuriant heavings" of the North Sea! I had taken the precaution before leaving Antwerp, of tying a belt tightly round me, a little above my stomach, as a preventive against sea-sickness, which had never failed to attack me when within the territories of Neptune. Having little confidence in the measure, prudence dictated that the mat- ter should be kept secret from some acquaintances on board, lest the internal sea should become as unruly as the "apoplectic brine of merry waves," when the gentle- men might possibly have laughed at me, as some have * Here my humble and imperfect criticisms must close abruptly. My notes on this fine art extended over three or four additional pages ; but an act of carelessness has rendered their insertion impossible. The manuscript got mixed with loose leaves already transcribed ; and when clearing them away from my study table, which, I confess, is often very untidy, they were with a mass of other papers accidentally committed to the flames. This circumstance brings to my remembrance a minister, with whom I was acquainted, in America, who unfortunately had his house burned to the ground. His written sermons, though never remarkable for anima- tion or unction, sharing the same fate with his library, he considered a most heart-rending affair. Being in company with a number of minis- ters, some time after the fire, and lamenting the loss of his manuscript sermons; a coloured minister, a shrewd man, who knew him well, re- joined : " But, brother, is it not likely they made a greater blaze at the time of the fire than they ever did in the pulpit?" Perhaps, then, the grate was the very best depository which the notes alluded to could have found ; and to write anything better is out of the question, in my present circumstances. OOHTIKEN ial LETTERS. 417 done at poor Xerxes, who attempted to bind with fettert the waves of the Hellespont. We retired to rest early, and about five o'clock in the aborning were awakened out of a sound Bleep by a singular rocking motion of our steamer, as if the masts wore touch- ing the water, first on one side, and then on the other. What rendered it more exciting was, that the machinery had nearly, or altogether, come to a pause. We hastened on deck, and the scene was truly awful. The wind had risen to a hurricane, and the waves — but let a poet speak : — " Huge and black the waves career'd, And oft the giant surge appear'd, The master of the mast." "Huge and black," only for a moment or two; the next minute they were white as wreaths of snow, boiling, and foaming, and running together like infuriated armies; and when attempting to "master the mast," the storm blew thousands of their heads off in a twinkling, and spread them along helpless as the Assyrian army beneath the stroke of the destroying angel. Unlike that host, however, they rallied again in vengeance. Ocean howled to the hurricane, and the hurricane spoke back again to the rebellious ocean, with a voice louder than your Niagara. All was uproar and confusion ; our vessel tossing to and fro in the midst of the belligerents. As we approached the wide mouth of the Thames, the gale was, if possible, more terrific. Two fine ships were driven ashore, one of which was freighted with passengers bound for a foreign land. The elements thundered no to our struggling vessel, to which she replied yes, faintly, and staggered onward, gaining a little, and puffing hot steam in the face of her enemies, — "Climbing the billow's hoary brow, Or cleaving the raging heap " It was a fair battle, in fact, ' etween steam and storm. 418 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. What a wonderful creature, I thought, is man ! Unable, of hirnself, to contend successfully with the combined fury of the elements, he has succeeded by the energies and resources of his own genius to decoy them into a mutiny ; and, having formed an alliance with the disaffected, he has "set them a fighting' ' with each other; element against element ; fire and water against wind and water in fury, — a hot hurricane against a cold one ; while he himself stands in the midst of the furious and dangerous combat- ants, unconcerned and unarmed, riding on the whirlwind and commanding the Battle of the Storms ; coming off more than conqueror in ninety-and-nine such contests out of a hundred. But what was far more wonderful to me than all, I was not sick ! There was patient and perfect submission within, to bonds of good behaviour ; nor was the peace once broken during the voyage. For once in my life, whether the thing may ever occur again may be a question, I en- joyed some such pleasure as an old sailor so well ex- pressed : — "Oh! who can tell the brave delight, To see the hissing wave in might, Come rampant like a snake ! To leap his horrid crest, and feast One's eyes upon the briny beast, Left couchant in the wake !" My soul, during the storm, rested sweetly upon the goodness and mercy of God. I had no fear whatever. How secure and happy the soul can be amidst tempest and peril, that — " Feels the joys of pardon' d sin ! Should storms of wrath shake earth and sea, That mind has heaven and peace within." And thus it was, I believe, with the Rev. Israel Hol- gate, the companion of my travels. Heathens themselves had an exalted idea of the secu- CONTIKBNTAL LETTEB8. 410 rity and blessedness of such a Btate of mind. Perhaps you have not Been what is considered a spirited transla- tion of the celebrated lines of Horace. I cannot remem- ber more than two or three verses: — "The man whose nerve stern virtue strings, Firm by his lofty purpose clings, Quails not beneath the scowl of kings, And braves the rude democracy. That lordly soul nor sees with dread The gale lash Adria's billowy bed, Nor, hissing from his right hand red, The bolt of heaven's high Thunderer! Be earth's big orb asunder riven, Crash to the azure roof of heaven, Down on his head the wreck be driven, 'Twill smite him, smiling, panicless." There is a bold and rugged grandeur in the above lines, but they are far inferior to a passage in the forty-sixth Psalm, both in sublimity, and in that reverential tone of expression which should ever characterize sinful and de- pendent man, when beholding the elements in a motion so tremendous, and so indicative of the majesty and dreadful power of a present all-pervading God : God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble; Therefore will not toe fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea. Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake ivith the swelling thereof. Selah. The Lord, of Hosts is with us ; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.'" Our steamer finally succeeded in gaining the peaceful Thames, and we proceeded rapidly up to London. The Thames is a fine river, but the meadows on either side are marshy and uninteresting, till within a few miles of Lon- don ; when the evidences that the stranger is approaching the metropolis of a great and powerful nation, begin to multiply upon his attention. That part of the river, how- 420 CONTINENTAL LETTERS. ever, which we did not see, but which is most distinguished for "romantic scenery, and picturesque beauty," lies above London. We landed at Blackwall, and after an examination of baggage at the Custom House, which was a tedious affair, we were permitted to enter the city. Next morning we left London by railway ; and when within a few miles of Leeds I parted with my excellent friend, Mr. Holgate, and arrived here (Hull) about ten o'clock at night, and received a cordial welcome to the hospitable house of Mr. William Field, grocer, Market- place. Having been frequently invited to visit this large and populous town, by the superintendent of the Hull East Circuit, the Rev. Robert Thompson, I have concluded to spend a few weeks for the purpose of assisting him and his colleagues, the Rev. William Illingworth, and the Rev. John Vine, to promote a revival of the work of God. I have preached a few times, but not with my usual liberty. for a fresh baptism of the Holy Ghost ! After retracing the scenes through which I have passed, during the tour of which you have an imperfect and hasty account, I cannot express my feelings better than in the words of the Rev. John Wesley. About the close of the eightieth year of his life, in the year 1783, he visited Holland, and some parts of Germany, and concluded the journal of his tour thus: "I can by no means regret either the trouble or expense which attended this little journey. It opened my way into a new world, where the land, the buildings, the people, the customs, were all such as I had never seen before.' ' Please present my love to * * * * and to all inquiring friends. J. C. THE END. l 7 J Methodift Book Store. 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The style is chaste, perspicuous, and com- prehensive, and the volume replete with original thoughts and pertinent quota- tions from the first biblical and scientific authors, to support the Divine authority of the Scriptures and refute the objection! of sceptics. The Ixok contains in a nut- shell most of the points of difference be 3 HIGGINS & PERKINPINE'S PUBLICATIONS. tween infidels and Christians, and should be read by all who experience any diffi- culty in reconciling those texts of Scrip- ture that are in apparent conflict, but which accord in beautiful harmony when %xplained by their contexts, and other subjects to which they relate. We take pleasure in commending it to those read- ers who have not the time to investigate heavier works, as a book that will amply repay a careful perusal. Lectures on the Doctrine of Election, By the Rev. A. C Rutherford, of Greenock, Scotland. Price, 50 cts. NOTICES. From the National Magazine. — These Lectures are remarkable for logical acute- ness and sagacity, and a comprehensive knowledge of the subject. There is a strong spice of Scottish acerbity, too, in their style. Arminian polemics will re- ceive this volume as among the ablest vindication of their views produced in modern times. From Rev. Bishop Scott. — I have care- fully read through your late publication, entitled " Lectures on the Doctrine of Election, by Alexander C. Rutherford, of Scotland," which you were kind enough to put into my hands. I am very much pleased with it. It is an admirable book. It refutes the Calvinistic theories on this subject with, I must think, unanswerable force of argument, and unfolds and exhi- bits the true Bible theory with clearness and power. And, unlike many controver- sial works, it is a very readable book. The author's style is so clear, so natural, so easy and flowing, and withal so ani- mated and forcible, and his manner and illustrations so interesting and striking, that one is led on from page to page, and from chapter to chapter, not only without weariness, but with increasing interest. The spirit of the book, too, I think, is excellent, independent, frank, candid, affectionate, exhibiting a profound regard for the unadulterated teachings of the Bible, and a yearning love for souls. The author, indeed, sometimes uses harsh words, but almost only of theories and systems and dogmas — seldom, indeed, of persons. He treats his opponents with Christian courtesy, occasionally only re- buking them sharply, while he deals with a fearless and unsparing hand with their false and soul-destroying errors. This book ought to be sown broadcast over the land. I could wish that a copy of it should go into every family ; especially at this time, when there seems a disposition in certain quarters to force on us again this wretched Calvinistic controversy. From Zion's Herald. — The author of this work is a Scotch clergyman, who was formerly a Calvinist, but who, by honestly seeking the truth as revealed in God's * Word, was led to embrace the more Scrip- tural tenets of the Arminian school. Hav- ing first spread his views before the reli- gious public at Greenock and Glasgow, in a series of lectures delivered in 1847, he afterwards gave them to the world in form of a book, which is now, for the first time, reprinted in America. Bating some few inferior points of doctrine, we think the work to be a sound, strong, and vigorous expose of the Calvinistic theory. It is finely adapted for popular circulation; could it be scattered broadcast, it would doubtless aid in extirpating the stubborn errors of that theory from such portioc of the community as are still afflicted b its presence. The Sunday School Speaker; Or, Exercises for Anniversaries and Celebrations : Consisting of Addressei. Dialogues, Recitations, Bible Class Lessons, Hymns, &c. Adapted to the various subjects to which Sabbath School Efforts are directed. By Rev. John Kennaday, D. D. Price, 38 cts. HIGGINS & PERKINPINE'8 PUBLICATIONS. The Minftrcl of Zion. A Book of Religious Bongs, accompanied with Appropriate Ifaftftj Chiefly Original. By Rev. William Hunter and Rev. Samuel Wakefield. Price, 38 cts. Sele6l Melodies. Comprising the Best Hymns and Spiritual Songs in common use, and not generally found in standard Church Hymn Books; as also a numher of Original Pieces, and Translations from the German. By Rev. Wm, Hunter. Price, 40 cts. A Short Poem, Containing a Descant on the Universal Plan. By John Peck. Multum in Parvo. To which is added Univerfalifm a very Ancient Doctrine; With some Account of its Author. By Lemuel IIayhes, A. M. Price, 6 cts. The Calvinistic Doctrine of Predesti- nation Examined and Refuted; Being the substance of a series of Discourses delivered in St. George'i Methodist Episcopal Church, Philadelphia, by Francis Hodgson, D. D. Price, 35 cts. Prophecy and the Times ; Or, England and Armageddon : an Application of the Predictions of Daniel and St. John to Current Events. By Rev. Joseph F. Berg, D. D Abaddon and Mahanaim ; Or, Daemons and Guardian Angels. By Rev. Joseph F. Berg, D. D. A liberal discount made to wholesale purchasers. 6 $ Wta& mb %mt *§wfa IN EVERT DEPARTMENT OF USEFUL KNOWLEDGE. 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