ページの画像
PDF
ePub

ENCOURAGING WORDS.-THE REALITY OF THE INVISIBLE WORLD.

[blocks in formation]

MY DEAR M-: Sorry indeed I am to hear of the sore trial you are now in with three dear children so very ill. It is one thing to talk of affliction one side of it, and another thing to be in the furnace; this I know, but do not forget Romans viii. 28. He in whose hand our breath is, and whose are all our ways, can make no mistake. Depend upon it, there is a needs be for this painful trial, or come it could not; and the end will tell

71

'It is good for me that I have been afflicted."

I can, and do sympathise with you in this sore trial; yea, we all participate here. But hear you his voice in this dispensation? Be still and know that I am God.'

Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good.' O, bless him, there's mercy in this as in all his wise and We are ungracious dealings with us. wise, and know not what is really best for us.

You will, therefore, let us know, as soon as convenient, if there are some favourable symptoms appearing. To E-give our best love, and to the dear children. I hope you will obtain that support both of you which so trying a dispensation demands.

Do not despair; but hope even against hope. 'Cast thy burden on the Lord; he will sustain thee.' Always your truly affectionate father, WM. BIDDER.

The Reality of the Invisible World.

THE following interesting account of a Trance, which that dear servant of Christ, William Tennent, really was the subject of, is given from the pen of the worthy pastor who succeeded Mr. Tennent, and will, we are sure, be acceptable and valuable to most

"Our Jesus hath done all things well." Others of the Lord's family are and have been in deeper waters than you now are; therefore listen not to the enemy who may suggest had you an interest in him, matters would not be so and so. Remem- of our readers: ber he was a liar from the beginning. Poor Job lost seven children in one day. And who are these before the throne but those who came out of great tribulation. And afflicted and poor people is the characteristic of the elect of God, who cry unto him in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses; and so he will you. Endeavour to lay the painful matter before him, and wait patiently for him, until he arises and removes the trouble. Your encouragement is here, Call upon me in the day of trouble, I will hear thee, and thou shalt glorify me. Thou shalt call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am.' God all-sufficient a present help in trouble-a God near at hand, and not afar off an High Priest who is touched with the feeling of our infirmities-a Brother born for adversity-a Friend who loveth at all times. O, to him go! Spread your letter of many complaints before him-beg him to inspect minutely every line, who saith, 'What is thy petition, what thy request? Open thy mouth wide, I will fill it. Hitherto, have you asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you shall receive, that your joy may be full. The Lord the Spirit enable you to petition with groanings that cannot be uttered. I have and do remember you in my poor way before his majesty and the dear children. I trust his mighty arm will soon be made bare on your behalf; for it is nothing with him to help; and that in the adjusting of matters you will say,

"Monmouth, New Jersey, Dec. 10. "DEAR SIR-Agreeably to your request, I now send you in writing the remarkable account, which I sometime since gave you verbally, respecting your good friend, my predecessor, the late Rev. William Tennent, of this place. In a very free and feeling conversation on religion, and on the future rest and blessedness of the people of God, (while travelling together from Monmouth to Princeton) I mentioned to Mr. Tennent that I should be highly gratified in hearing, from his own mouth, an account of the Trance which he was said to have been in, unless the relation would be disagreeable to himself. After a short silence, he proceeded, saying, that he had been sick with a fever; that the fever increased, and he by degrees sunk under it. After some time (as his friends informed him) he died, or appeared to die, in the same manner as persons usually do; that in laying him out, one happened to draw his hand under the left arm, and perceived a small tremour in the flesh; that he was laid out, and was cold and stiff. The time for his funeral was appointed, and the people collected: but a young doctor, his particular friend, pleaded with great earnestness that he might not then be buried, as the tremour under the arm continued; that his brother, Gilbert, became impatient with the young gentleman, and

72

SOME ACCOUNT OF MY STEWARDSHIP, ETC. ̈

said to him, 'What! a man not dead who is cold and stiff as a stake?' The importunate young friend, however, prevailed; another day was appointed for the burial, and the people separated. During this interval many means were made use of to discover, if possible, some symptoms of life, but none appeared excepting the tremour. The doctor never left him for three nights and three days. The people again met to bury him, but could not even then obtain the consent of his friend, who pleaded for one hour more; and when that was gone, he pleaded for halfan-hour, and then for a quarter-of-an-hour; when, just at the close of this period, on which hung his last hope, Mr. Tennent opened his eyes. They then prized open his mouth, which was stiff, so as to get a quill into it, through which some liquid was conveyed into the stomach, and he by degrees recovered.

[ocr errors]

standing the extreme feebleness of his situa-
tion, his recollections of what he saw and
heard while in heaven, as he supposed, and
the sense of divine things, which he there
obtained, continued all the time in their full
strength, so that he was continually in some-
thing like an ecstacy of mind.
And,' said
he, for three years, the sense of divine
things continued so great, and every thing
else appeared so completely vain, when com-
pared to heaven, that could I have had the
world for stooping down for it, I believe I
should not have thought of doing it.'"
Some Account of my Stewardship;

AND OF THE HAND OF

MY GOD WHICH WAS GOOD UPON ME.

(Continued from p. 52.)

FRIDAY, JANUARY 26.- I am now returning "This account, as intimated before, Mr. from Manchester to Wolverhampton. I left Tennent said he had received from his Wolverhampton for Manchester last Wednesfriends. I said to him, 'Sir, you seem to be day morning; and although the wind was one indeed raised from the dead, and may blowing tremendous gales, so as powerfully tell us what it is to die, and what your were to shake the carriages, yet, through the presensible of while in that state.' He replied serving power of the Lord, I was safely conin the following words: As to dying-1 veyed to that big and busy town, and was (in found my fever increase, and I became a most cordial and warm-hearted manner) weaker and weaker, until, all at once, I found received and entertained by brother Corbitt myself in heaven, as I thought. I saw no and his much-loved spouse. At the appointshape as to the Deity, but glory all unutter-ed time we walked to the Chapel in Oldham able!' Here he paused, as though unable to find words to express his views, let his bridle fall, and lifting up his hands, proceeded, I can say as St. Paul did, I heard and I saw things all unutterable! I saw a great multitude before his glory, apparently in the height of bliss, singing most melodiously. I was transported with my own situation, viewing all my troubles ended and my rest and glory begun, and was about to join the great and happy multitude, when one came to me, looked me full in the face, laid his hand upon my shoulder, and said, You must go back. These words went through me; nothing could have shocked me more: I cried out, Lord, must I go back! With this shock I opened my eyes in this world. When I saw I was in the world I fainted, then came to, and fainted for several times, as one probably would naturally have done in so weak a situation.'

"Mr. Tennent further informed me, that he had so entirely lost the recollection of his past life, and the benefit of his former studies, that he could neither understand what was spoken to him, nor write, nor read his own name. That he had to begin all anew, and did not recollect that he had ever read before, until he had again learned his letters, and was able to pronounce the monosyllables, such as thee and thou. But, that as his strength returned, which was very slowly, his memory also returned. Yet, notwith

Street (and a very spacious and beautiful one it is). I felt as though I was going to have a good time; there was an exceeding good congregation; and after singing, reading, and prayer, I stood up, and I said, 'I feel my ground is good, my work is good, my motive is good, and that my soul is in a good state,' and I can really say that I felt these things were so; but I had no sooner commenced the opening of my text, than a kind of cramp in my soul seized me: I had liberty of speech: and some zeal and confidence in my subject; but bondage, death, coldness, and narrowness, worked so deeply and dreadfully in my feelings that I really feared I must have sat down before I was half-way through my discourse. However, I was enabled to finish, and, ashamed of myself, and with sorrow of heart, I sat down. To my surprise, many declared it had been a profitable and refreshing time; four pounds were collected on behalf of the Earthen Vessel; and a most affectionate spirit of sympathy was manifested by the friends. I do sincerely pray that true gospel peace, and abundant prosperity may attend them; that for them, (as a church and people) the crooked may be made straight and the rough places plain.

The next evening, a party of friends met me at Brother Corbitt's residence; the doctrine, evidences, and effects of Justification were briefly considered; and a very pleasant and wholesome time I found it to be. My

SOME ACCOUNT OF MY STEWARDSHIP, ETC.

health has improved in Manchester; and I have seen and heard such things as lead me to feel persuaded that the Lord will extensively bless the labours of our Brother Corbitt. His trials have been severe; God grant his spring-time of prosperity may be near; his summer of usefulness long; and his autumn of ingathering and reward abundant. Dear Gadsby's name, labours, and memory is much revered by numbers here; and many generations will pass away before it can be forgotten. 'The memory of the just is blessed.'

SATURDAY, FEB. 3.--On Monday evening last, I was enabled to finish my engagement at Wolverhampton, by a discourse from some of John's words, 'Look to yourselves, that ye lose not those things which ye have wrought; but that ye receive a full reward.' I felt a sacred liberty in my own soul, and felt an increasing union to the friends I were about to leave. Wolverhampton has been favoured with the occasional ministrations of some eminent ministers of Christ-such as Gadsby, Warburton, Kershaw, Denham, Foreman, and many others. Our Brother Hatton is statedly labouring at Temple Street, and not without some hope that the Lord is with him; but upon the whole, the cause of truth is at a low ebb. I was nine days at Wolverhampton; preached eight times; and it will be seen from my subscription list that the friends were exceedingly kind to me.

On Tuesday, I went to the Coppice,' Mr. Bridge's Chapel, which stands almost in the midst of burning furnaces, coal pits, iron works, &c., and the scene of a night is awfully grand; almost as far as you can see you discover large blazing fires, literally lighting up the very heavens. The chapel was pretty full; the organ played, and many and loud, and in good harmony were the choristers. Mr. Bridge has preached the gospel there for above thirty years; and his labours have been honoured of God to the conversion of many sinners, and the comforting of the saints. He received me very kindly; and I went into the pulpit expecting to have a good time; but my soul was feelingly bound, and I had hard work to get through.

The next day (Wednesday) I travelled to Birmingham, and preached that evening in Mr. Jay's Tabernacle; there was a good congregation; and I think I stood that evening in some power, and did feel the weight of the things I advanced.

On Thursday evening, I spoke in Thorpe Street Chapel, Birmingham, (where Mr. C. Walters now ministers); I was not happy in the work, although I was enabled to get through my work. No one can tell what heavy, dark, and painful seasons I have had since I have been out; nevertheless, I have at times been favoured and helped to rejoice.

[blocks in formation]

On Friday morning I thanked my Brother Russel for his kindness in giving me a bed and meat while in Birmingham; he helped me to tell up the money which had been contributed on the two previous evenings, and finding it amounted to nearly two pounds, I bid him adieu, and set sail for Studley. In the afternoon, the friends met together, in the New Baptist Meeting, where brother John Freeman read and prayed, and I spoke in the name of the Lord. There was a crowded house full to tea, and in the evening brother Freeman and myself addressed them. For a wonder, I felt very happy, and quite at home. I hope this was the beginning of better things in Studley. Now I am on my way to London, having this morning received a letter from brother Packer which greatly distresses my mind. All things must work together for good, but they look painful at present.

READING, FEB. 5.-My soul seems this morning stayed upon God. I will briefly review the dealings of the Lord towards me since that which precedes this. I reached home on Saturday evening safe, but sorely exercised in my mind, finding that many evil reports had been raised about me. Some said, I had left London for good, and was not coming back again; others said, I owed seven hundred pounds, and dared not shew my face; another report went to declare that there was a friend of mine in the Queen's Bench; and I was the cause of his being there. Now, blacker falsehoods could not be invented against any one than these are; that God, whose I trust I am, and whom I desire to serve, knoweth that none of these things are true. May He have mercy on the the inventors. After I had seen some of my friends on Saturday evening, I felt dejected, and deeply wounded in my soul: so I retired to my bed-room, and there I turned to the Word of God, not in the least expecting to receive any good therefrom, for I really had not asked for it; I was so low I could not pray; but, to my astonishment, the very first words which met my eye on opening the book, were these-'FEAR THOU NOT; FOR I AM WITH THEE: be not dismayed, for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee: yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish.' (Isaiah xii. 10, 11.) Those words stayed, relieved and comforted my spirit; I felt they were from the Lord; with them I retired to bed; with them I came to Reading, and from them I preached, and I am certain they were made a blessing to some of the dear children of God. After the Lord's Supper, a friend came into the vestry and gave me £1 6s. which she had collected for

74

SOME ACCOUNT OF MY STEWARDSHIP,

ETC.

the Vessel; brother H- gave me a sove- there is much real salt-many precious reign from an unknown friend; after the souls in this land of ours; but there is one evening service, brother R-- took me thing often wounds me: the fact is this; the home to supper, and he gave me another people that come to hear me in country sovereign; so that I do declare my heart was places have heard that I have been an awful filled with gratitude and praise, for, sure I backslider; and they come expecting to see am, that neither William Huntington, John and hear a man that hardly dares to lift up Warburton, nor any other of the Lord's his head, or to open his mouth; instead of servants did ever more clearly see the good-this, if the Lord is pleased to give me felt ness of God to pass before them, than I have-liberty-I speak with freedom, boldness, here witnessed. The collection at Reading amounted to £2 18s. 6d. which together with £2 11s. brother Martin paid me for Vessels, and 4s. he gave me, put me in the receipt of £8 19s. 6d. in this one town. My soul desires increasingly to bless the Lord, and to live to his honour and glory.

and confidence; and then some of them go away and declare I am a presumptuous man. Well, God knoweth my heart, and the way I take; he knows how deep in darkness and sorrow I often sink; and how powerfully he raises me up, and makes me to rejoice; but alas! there are but few that know either TRIBULATION or TRIUMPH. The thirty

help to me-how suited are the two last verses. But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord; he is their strength in the time of trouble. And the Lord shall help them, and deliver them from the wicked, and save them because they trust in him.' The Lord be praised; I can say to angels, men, and devils, 'this, my soul knoweth right well.' I am now going on to Hawkesbury-Upton if the Lord permit.

CRUDWELL, WILTS., FEB. 7.-I spoke with good liberty in London-street, Read-seventh Psalm has this morning been a little ing, on Monday evening, and came away on Tuesday morning to this place, where I arrived yesterday afternoon about 3 o'clock; and took up my abode in the beautiful little cottage which for sometime has been the residence of our brother John Wigmore. I find that the parsons in these parts are secret enemies to both John and myself: they carry on a system of back-biting, which is neither honorable, honest, nor Christ-like. Nevertheless, we have each our work to do; and by us (according to the Lord's appointment) it must be done. Before preaching yesterday afternoon, I had the company of two ministers in these parts, and I found their conversation and spirit to be good. The chapel was crowded full of people, and a very kind feeling they manifested. I had also a little of the dew of heaven; and was enabled to speak of things I had handled and tasted of the good word of God-and I do pray that some good seed was sown. I feel this morning happy in the Lord, and fully believe that

"Behind a frowning providence

He hides a smiling face."

CHIPPENHAM, WILTS, FRIDAY-MORNING, FEBRUARY, 9.-It has this moment occurred to me that this is what is called " my Birthday." Forty-three years has the Lord given me a being and existence in this lower world. In looking back upon the years of my pilgrimage, I feel grateful to that wonder-working God who has made me such a monument of his providential goodness,-such a miracle of his saving grace, and in some humble measure a witness for his truth. The language of my soul (as I rode on in Mr. Gaulter's chaise from Hawkesbury-Upton) this morning was, 'I will bless the Lord at all times, his praise shall continually be in my mouth.' I know that satan often shoots his fiery darts at me; the flesh often darkens and distresses me; many of my heavenly Father's elder sons are very angry with me; they say that if I am in Father's house at all, I ought to be quiet and sit down in the dust, and never open my mouth again. But, in the fear of God I write this, and I do declare that there is one Scripture I certainly have had fulfilled in my soul's experience, which says, 'He shutteth, and no man open

Most assuredly the good hand of God is with me-and unto his dear name, I desire to ascribe all the praise. After service last evening I spent an hour with Thomas Wigmore he is a hard-working and faithful minister of Christ; and a very especial monument of distinguishing grace: but his afflictions and trials are heavy; I have never yet met with a man more in need, or more deserving of help from the Poor Ministers' Society. I trust they will not be so back-eth; he openeth, and no man shutteth.' ward in helping, as I find he is in seeking. God be praised, there are yet some such witnesses for divine truth in our land.

THURSDAY FEB. 8.-I am now in the town of Tetbury, in Gloucestershire, weak in my poor head, and somewhat dark in my mind; but the Lord helped me to speak here evening with a little softness of heart, ompany of his dear children. I find

When I sinned against him he shut me up in darkness, bondage, horror and deep distress; and I dared not, nor could not open my mouth; but when he gave me repentance and remission; then, he opened the hearts of some of his people to desire to hear me; he opened doors for me, and sent me forth with this word in my soul,' He sent a word into Jacob, and it hath lighted upon Israel :'

SOME ACCOUNT OF MY STEWARDSHIP, ETC.

and now, for between five and six years he has held me up, and kept me incessantly preaching his blessed gospel, not only in London, but in above fifty different parts of England: surely, then, I cannot hold my peace; for if I get weak and worn down, dark and shut up, as I often do, then he sends another live coal into my heart, and I shout again from the tops of the mountains. But I forbear. Last evening I preached in the chapel at Hawkesbury-Upton; and although it had been raining hard, there was a good congregation, I felt something of the presence of the Lord, and my soul was really happy. The friends were as kind to me as though they had known me for years; they collected nearly £2 10s.; brother Bourne brought ten shillings from Grittleton; so that altogether I seemed to want a larger heart to contain, and a tongue to express the gratitude I felt. I am now on my way to London, where I expect to preach to-night, if the Lord spare me, and where (no doubt) I shall get wounded again; but the Lord knoweth what is best.

DORCHESTER, SATURDAY, FEB. 17.Being now on my way from Sherborne to Portsmouth, I will here endeavour to give some account of one of the most solemn weeks I have passed through for the last five years.

75

Bible, the two last verses of the 37th Psalm brought peace and quietness into my mind, and the next morning I preached from them, and the blessing of the Lord was and must believe, if ever I knew the Lord there. I preached three times that day, to be unto me a present help in the time of trouble, I found Him so on Sunday evening in a very special manner.

The next day (Monday) I was taken to Yeovil, and preached in the pulpit where Y our brother Bidder laboured so many years. I had a good time, and after I had done one friend gave me ten-shillings; another gave me one-shilling, and the managers of the place gave me fifteen-shillings: thus, I was blessed in my soul, helped in my But the next morning darkness and disdifficulties, and rewarded for my labours. tress, with unbelief and slavish fear, arising from a sense of my past transgression; and from a temptation that the Lord was going to make me manifest as a base hypocrite; and to dash all my ministry down to the ground. I had such a load of downright misery that I knew not what to do. In the afternoon, these words came to me, Rejoice not against me, O, mine enemy, though I fall, I shall arise; and from those words I went to the chapel and preached; but how I got through I cannot tell. That Tuesday night I shall never forget; I laid in the bed, and went back above twenty years to look at and examine my experience I prayed, I groaned, I wept, I arose and tried to get the matter settled in my conscience, but I could not. At length these lines were dropped softly into my mind, "Determined to save,

[ocr errors]

After preaching at Mile End on Friday evening, Feb. 9th, I met some of my friends; they fully convinced me that my circumstances were much worse than I thought they were; and they also faithfully declared unto me their most decided opinion that the best thing I could do was to give up He watched o'er my path, business, 'Vessel' and all, and fling myself When satan's blind slave, entirely upon the providence of God. I I sported with death." looked at this painful proposition. If II had a little relief; and preached again acted upon it, I saw clearly my usefulness that evening at Sherborne. in the 'Vessel' must be sacrificed; my faith

respecting it would be dashed to the winds; all my former labours would be lost; and I feared that my creditors could not be fully paid. On the other hand, I could not forget that the 'Vessel' had for a long time been greatly on the increase; a vast number of friends had already cheerfully contributed towards its support; and at the bottom of my heart there was still a hope that the Lord had begun this work, and that

With Christ in the 'Vessel'

The next day (Thursday) our brother

Minifie drove me to Street, near Glaston-S bury, (a long journey) and I preached that night in the Baptist Chapel, where one Mr. Little is pastor. I found here a little handful of living grain; there is one Jacob Blake and another brother Wesley both preachers of Gospel grace, as I am told, and I am sure their kindness to me a poor Levite was astonishing; for they gathered me £1 7s.; and wanted me to tarry with them all night; and I should have done so, but my tender-hearted brother Samuel Cozens was there, and we had agreed to go home with him to Long Load, a distance of nine miles, and to Long Load we went, and very kind entertainment we received. The The next morning I left London for next morning, as I was in friend Cozens's Sherborne, and after travelling from eight garden, these words came to me 'Lay aside in the morning until eight in the evening, every weight, and the sin that doth so I was permitted to sit down safely in easily beset you.' With those words in my brother Minifie's arm chair. It had been heart, brother Minifie and I returned to a day of dark soul trouble to me. It seem-Sherborne, and I preached from them in ed a question whether I ever knew anything of Christ or the Holy Ghost savingly. After I had sat a little while, I opened my

I might be freed from the storm. In this state of agitation and conflict I went home, and a good part of the night was spent in groaning out my grief.

the evening with solemn liberty. A collection was then made for me; altogether the Sherborne friends gave me £6 3s. Samuel

« 前へ次へ »