Изображения страниц
PDF
EPUB

All

jurisdiction of the parish: that they are the only legitimate successors of the apostles. I ask, should not these true watchmen of our Israel then be always the foremost in every laudable undertaking. Alas! alas! I ask, where have been their zeal and sounding of their bowels for at least twelve or fourteen hundred of the poor lost sheep, long scattered in the wilderness of Warminster Common, for the last twenty, fifty, yea an hundred years; yea, may I not say truly, from the foundation of the world? for, till the present vicar came, the place was always given up to dissenters, or left entirely desolate. We are informed that as soon as the church is completed all our hearers will go there. So be it so it ought to be, if the poor can there be better fed, and be assisted with greater diligence and success to run the important race set before them. Our business herein it appears is, to learn to be nothing that God may be all in all. our public services at present devolve on me; and also all responsibility as to the debt incurred in building the chapel: but I am not afraid of any evil tidings, my heart standeth fast, believing in the Lord. Often when I descend from the pulpit these words assault me, What a poor preacher thou art-what a medley of disjointed things are thy subjects-how weak are the people to listen to thee!' 'True enough,' I reply, 'I do not for a moment contend on this point, I admit all, and more: but then I find there is a war in my members powerfully warring against my mind whenever I think of giving it up, and knowing the terrors of the Lord, as well as I can, I continue to persuade men. O Lord,' I say, 'I am afraid of thy judgments!' And finding also some acceptance among the people, I dare not relinquish the work: I cannot give up the idea that, bad as it is it ought to be thus continued till better help can be obtained. I thus console the people and myself, and they bear with me and I bear with myself: so I live and labor a day at a time. I never thought, verily and truly, that it would have come to what it is. It is all the Lord's doing, not

mine, and it is marvellous in our eyes: some impulse more than human was always felt which could not be resisted by us. Who could have thought that the following words would have been so soon verified, as they certainly were in this transaction to the full,Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name's sake, said, let the Lord be glorified. But he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.' -ISAIAH Ixvi. 5. The very words which God by his blessed Spirit graciously applied to my wounded heart, at the time when I was in tribulation on that account, when I say, I was in great trouble and my spirit was overwhelmed within me."

As part of the services at the Common, for a long period previous to building the new chapel, I used to read Rev. Mr. Jay's, Mr. Wesley's, and Mr. Fletcher's sermons, but never afterwards.

MEDICAL ELECTRICITY.

CASE 23. Aged fifty.-Rheumatism in her arm, very violent for half a year. Cured.

24. Aged twenty-one.-Deafness for six years; great benefit the first time-came a second time; I saw him no more. Imperceptible stream through the ears.

25. Aged nineteen.-Swelling on the back of her hand for four years, which occasionally suppurated; had been refused admission at the infirmary.—it was called the "Evil," and considered to be incurable part of the back of her hand had been already eaten away. Sparks all over the affected part with slight shocks through the hand for a week; it then became apparently much worse, and my despairing patient refused to continue it any longer. I saw her a month afterwards, her hand was healed-it first broke and discharged considerably.

26. A poor boy, aged fourteen.-Tooth-ache and swelled face for a fortnight, so dreadfully bad that he alarmed the neighbourhood in the night with his shrieks.-Sparks, ten minutes; the swelling subsided whilst under the operation, and the toothache was instantly cured. His mother came the next morning, in an ecstacy, stating that the boy had not felt the least pain since, that he had slept all the night, and that she was sure that I had performed a miracle. There were several witnesses present I have known many similar cases.

CHAPTER XI.

NEW CHAPEL OPENED, SACRAMENT FIRST ADMINISTERED IN THE COMMON, AND PROGRESS IN THE SERVICES.

"JANUARY 1st, 1828. This morning at six o'clock we opened the new chapel at Warminster Common, with a prayer-meeting, and although it was dark and wet, we had all the body of the chapel filled. Our dear old father and friend, James Bond, (eighty-two years of age), an Israelite indeed in whom there is no guile, gave out the first hymn; he richly deserved that honor, his hoary head is truly a crown of glory to him and to us. We had a most gracious influence resting on all our hearts. No other service was held on that day. 'O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever.' 'Grasshoppers in their sight-so we were in our own sight.' No worldly, no religious patronage have we-entirely kept to ourselves; yet, upheld by Thy right hand, I say, we go forward, deeply sensible how much we shall need continual help from above in the important work, and what prayer and what watching thereunto must be kept up, or all will fail.'

[ocr errors]

"Sunday, Jan. 6th, 1828. This day we took full possession of the new chapel. A prayer-meeting at seven in the morning; at half-past ten I expounded the lessons of the day. [A remarkable coincidence was noticed by us, which we never contemplated, nor was it discovered till the lesson was sought for in the church calendar, to be read. It was Epiphany Sunday: being the festival which is kept by the church of England to commemorate the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles. The first lesson (ISAIAH lx.)

'Arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.' How exceedingly appropriate!] In the afternoon I addressed the people from 2 CHRON. vii. 12-22. In the evening, from HAGGAI ii. 9, The glory of the latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of Hosts and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of Hosts." I had sweet liberty throughout the services. -the place was well filled-the collection amounted to four pounds.

6

;

But it might here be asked, perhaps, 'Why did not you get some ministerial assistance, as is usual at the opening of chapels?' Answer, plainly, 'Because we could not! no preacher would assist us. Know ye not, I say again, that we were still nobody in the religious world-that we were the outcasts of the people. We sent twice in the most humble and pressing manner, requesting that one of the Frome Wesleyan travelling-preachers would come and help us: we offered to pay his expenses and also to pay for his services. But No! it was contrary to our rules.' But it was not, 'contrary to our rules' to assist a few weeks after in the opening of a new Baptist chapel at. So, I say, trusting alone in Him who was our only refuge, we opened it ourselves. We thereby saved all expenses of hiring assistance, the people were satisfied, and the whole of the collection obtained went to help the defraying of our chapel debt. Furthermore (and what was of some value afterwards) we were hereby kept perfectly independent of all future obligations to any helpers of any sect or denomination: though hard indeed did we take it to be refused in this our time of need; and refused too by men calling themselves humble and devoted ministers of Christ, when they knew well that ours was wholly a home-missionary work, and an effort of the purest charity, manifestly intended only to help the long-neglected and perishing poor for whom Christ died. So in the short space of nine months our chapel is completed and our coast greatly

6

enlarged,'-Thanks be to God who giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ!

The following advertisement was drawn up and sent to the publishers of the Salisbury newspaper, but (for what reason I know not) they refused to insert it; notwithstanding, at that time they occupied whole columns of their paper with the account of all kinds of vice, of murders committed, balls and assemblies, with full particulars of a recent disgraceful and disgusting prize-fight' shocking to read. I am quite sure that they received the communication from me, for a friend afterwards called at their office purposely to enquire, and they informed him they did receive it. The account however found its way into the Bath, the Devizes, a Devonshire, and several other papers. 'On Sunday last a new Methodist chapel was opened at Warminster Common. This populous village is certainly in a state of progressive moral improvement through the instrumentality of the bible association, an active tract society, vigorous Sunday schools, and the religious instruction afforded by the different denominations; it bids fair to be soon as remarkable for its good order and sobriety, as it once was for its vice and immorality. The chapel alluded to is centrally situate; it stands on an eminence visible to all the inhabitants, and no expence has been spared to render it healthy, neat and commodious. It stands on an area of nearly one thousand feet, four-fifths of which are appropriated to free sittings. It is the largest Methodist chapel in the circuit." Shortly after this, the principal Wesleyan preacher in this circuit called at my house, to reprimand me for inserting the last clause of the above advertisement, stating that it was not true.' I recommended him to reply to it, by publishing that the said chapel was built by those whom they had expelled from their society."

"January 22nd, 1828. The new chapel is well filled. As proof that such accommodation was wanted, the Sunday afternoon congregation, which heretofore assembled in the cottage, and consisted of forty or

« ПредыдущаяПродолжить »