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Cozens gave me one-pound; so that with | the other two places, the Lord has enabled me to preach eight times this week, for which he has given me £8 16s.-the whole of which has been sent to brother Channen, towards meeting the next heavy bill, which comes due the 14th of March. The chapel at Sherborne, and brother Minifie's house, were sacred Bethels to me. Never can I forget this week's exercise and labour in Sherborne.

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My soul must pray for Zion still,
While life or breath remains;
There my best friends, my kindred dwell,
There God my Saviour reigns."
In closing, I can only say, if the Lord is
not in all this for good, I am a deceived
mortal indeed,
C. W. BANKS.

(To be Continued in our next.)

Droppings from the Sanctuary.

JACOB was left alone and wrestled with the Lord. It is good to be left alone, to wrestle with the Lord. Whatever be the nature of your enemies, take them all to the throne of grace. Don't do as some do, fight with backbitings and slandering behind each others' back. Much of our prayer is but mere chattering. I love you as brethren; but I do feel that within me that I dare not tell to any of you-but to the Saviour I can freely unbosom myself unto. I knew a good and gracious man, one who occasionally spoke in the name of the Lord in Wiltshire, owed a sum of money, which distressed him much that he was unable to pay it. The person to whom he owed the money was determined to have it. Well, because he could not pay it him, he said, he should go to prison if he did not. This laid heavy upon the good man and he was much in prayer concerning it. The day he was to have gone to prison, he earnestly sought the Lord to prevent it; and so the Lord did; for on that very day his creditor SUDDENLY DIED. The news then spread that Mr.

prayed him to death: but not so; he thought of no such thing, and way of being delivered from him, and prayer so answered. Mr. Moody.-East Lane Prayer Meeting. Feb. 12, 1849.

Signs of Prosperity in Zion.

DUNSTABLE.-Mr. W. Carpenter, late of Mitchell Street, St. Luke's, baptised five persons, Christmas evening, and on the following Lord's day gave the right hand of fellowship to fifteen persons. Truly, the people meeting in the Old Baptist Chapel, may say, 'The Lord is good. For many years past has the hearts of God's people been made sad as to the cause of God in this place; for verily it may be said that 'the city was low in a low place; but the dew and rain of heaven has descended on this part of God's vineyard, so that the wilderness has become a fruitful field.

Influenced by gratitude and love, the people with one accord rise to build a new house for the worship of the triune God. May the Lord of Zion continue his lovingkindness to this people and their beloved pastor; so that whereas the Lord has caused his mercy to begin to flow as a river, in like manner it may continue, yea, overflow; so that their new house may not be able to contain them nor the Lord's mercy, but that it may find its way, even to the dark places round about; thereby making good the promise, 'I will make Jerusalem and the places round about her a blessing.' AN OBSERver.

The Death of Mr. GRAVENER.

ON Lord's-day, February 11, 1849, Mr. Gravener, of Garden Row Chapel, Lambeth, entered into his rest. We gave a brief statement of this old servant of the sanctuary in January No. 1847, p. 20; and there noticed the great darkness which he for some months had been in, and his being laid aside from preaching: this state, with but little alteration, continued to the end, or for more than two years.

The ministry of Mr. Gravener, who for twenty-four years spoke in his Lord's name, was but little known; and in some measure, the Lord's approving blessing was on it, although a cloud of darkness hovered over it. Raised from humble poverty, a domestic in the employ of Wm. Huntington, it is not to be wondered he imbibed a large portion of his style; he quoted largely some of his crude remarks, especially as relating to the providential hand of God in supplying his wants in exigences, in very singular ways towards himself; he would especially supplicate the Lord to keep open the door of his providence towards him. Mr. Gravener was very satirical in his remarks upon other ministers, and gave. way in too much of a condemnatory spirit, which had the effect of very much thinning his congregations, and not at all approved of by his best friends who heard him.

The light of the Lord's countenance being withheld from Mr. G. was painful for others to see, and to hear his groans; especially in the earlier stages of the darkness of his poor sin-distressed soul. He appears lately to have been more quiet in his mind; to have been much in prayer; to long for his departure from the body: yet with no comfortable feelings. does it appear he had that deliverance his wife and friends wished and hoped to have heard of, from the state of mind he generally was in throughout.

Nor

The Lord does nothing wrong; his ways are all right. If my people walk contrary to me, I will walk contrary to them.' The greatest darkness his people are called to go through for their transgression, is but a gentle visitation of his rod, and lighter than our sins.'

Who hath despised the Day of Small Things?

MY DEARLY BELOVED

BROTHER: -,

Bachelor, and another was the daughter Though miles distant from each other, of our brother Alderson; her sister I

also baptised December 29th, 1839, who has hitherto been helped, through grace given, to walk humbly with her God, and honourably before his church. May they both be kept by Israel's keeper, until called by him to their eternal home.

yet let us unite together in ascribing dominion, and power, and blessing, and honour, and glory unto our God, even the triune Jehovah, who hath loved us, and blessed us, and called us, and saved us, and washed us, and clothed us, yea, supplied us, and sustained us until now; On the last day of the year I preached and given us a good and lively hope that in the morning from Genesis xi. 1, 'And when our race is run, and all our business the whole earth was of one language and here is done, we shall receive the incor- of one speech;' first, noticing the differruptible, and undefiled inheritance, which ence between the language of the whole is reserved for us on high, and not for earth (or the world,) and the language us only, but for all that love and serve of the whole heavens, (or the church,) our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity and the language of the whole earth is, truth. As you have given me so fullDepart from us we desire not the and free an account of the dear Lord's knowledge of thy ways; while the gracious dealings with you both in your language of the whole church is, 'That soul and in your ministry, I feel I can- I may know him and the power of his not refrain from making known to you resurrection;' the language of the wicked some of the merciful dealings of my Lord is, 'We will not have this man to reign with me. over us;' while the language of the On Lord's-day evening, December righteous is, "Thy kingdom come, thy 24th, I spoke from the following words, will be done on earth even as in heaven;' That my name may be declared through- the language of the carnally minded, out all the earth.' Exodus ix. 16. First, being cruel-hearted, is, 'Away with him, shewing that the name of the Lord im- away with him;' while the language of plies the three divine and distinct per- the spiritually minded, being tendersonalities of the ever-blessed, indivisible hearted, is, 'Come, Lord Jesus, come and eternal godhead. Second, that it quickly; the language of the ungodly implies the several perfections and at- is, Crucify him, crucify him;' while the tributes of Deity. Third, it implies the language of the godly is, 'Crown him, manifold offices, relations, and characters crown him Lord of all;' the language of Christ. And fourth, it implies the of the proud is, I am rich, and have power, authority, greatness, and glory need of nothing but the language of of the adorable and incomprehensible the humble is, I am poor and needy.' Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Secondly, we shewed that the one lanSecondly, this name is declared in the guage of the one family, having one doctrines of divine revelation,-in the Father, being taught of one Spirit, and gospel of the grace of God,―in the birth, possessing one and the same mind, is, life, obedience, sufferings, sacrifice and invariably, Abba Father,' and Jesus, salvation of Christ,-in all the precious thou Son of David, King of Israel, and promises of immutable love and immacu- Zion's Deliverer, have mercy upon us. late truth,-in preaching the pure Word Thirdly, we observed the several cha(in purity) as found on the divinely in-racteristics of this peculiar language, spired pages of truth,-in the existence, and powerful speech, as being the lanmaintenance, and preservation of the guage of Canaan, and not of Babel, nor church in its visible, militant, and pil- of Egypt, as a living language in grimage state, and particularly, in the distinction from all dead languages, public and proper administration of God's hence it is not only written and read, but holy and heavenly ordinances. After spoken and heard, and is so universal in having enlarged on these points, I bap-its application and use, as to be the only tised five (I trust) of the Lord's redeemed, language of the living family of God, and regenerated family, one of whom both in heaven and earth. It is further was the son of our deceased brother called a pure language,' as being opVOL. V.-PART LI.-April, 1849.

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WHO HATH DESPISED THE DAY OF SMALL THINGS?

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posed to all profane, polluted and polluting | blood, the word, the will, the grace, the language, and is alone understood by the smile, and the righteousness of Jesus are pure in heart,' whose chief delight is in all-triumphant in the conflicting experithe pure word and ways of God, to rove ence of the lowly, who are continually and run.' Thus, as they have all one exercised unto godliness. language, their speech is but one, and that holy and honest, scriptural and spiritual, sound and savoury, intelligible and instructive, short and simple, plain and powerful; even, yea, yea, and nay, nay: and in all their controversies and appeals their language is, to the law and to the testimony.'

At midnight I spoke from Joshua xiv. 10, And now behold the Lord hath kept me alive;' and truly we had a most blessed opportunity; never since I have been at Carmel have I seen such a congregation at midnight, we had two teas, both well attended, and our solemn prayer-meetings were indeed soul-refreshing, and spiritIn the evening I spoke from Exodus xv. reviving seasons from the felt presence of 21. Sing ye unto the Lord, for he hath the Teacher and Hearer of prayer.' From triumphed gloriously.' On which occasion the words of the text, notice first, the grant we noticed more particularly the glorious of life in the covenant; second, the gift of triumphs of the great Captain of our salva- life in Christ Jesus; third the grace of tion; for verily his birth was all-triumphant life in the church, as communicated by -his condescension with John at Jordan God the Holy Ghost, and kept up in the was all-triumphant-his contest with the soul unto the praise, honour, and glory of devil in the wilderness was all-triumphant the Three-One Jehovah. Then notice the -his conduct in the temple and in the application of the text to those whom God synagogues was all-triumphant-his con- in the riches of his grace has made alive futation of the scribes and pharisees was from the dead, and kept alive another year, all-triumphant-his condemnation of the even until now, observing the following scribes and pharisees as hypocrites and train of thought, or chain of ideas;-First, murderers was all-triumphant-his con- the Lord hath kept me alive in his ways, versation with Nicodemus the ruler, with-for his work, by his word. Second, he the messengers of John, with the woman of Samaria, with the rich young man, with the man born blind, and with Simon the pharisee, was all-triumphant-his consoling ministry in pronouncing pardon, preaching peace, and promising power to his disciples over all their enemies was all-triumphant-his curse on the barren fig tree was all-triumphant-his conflict in the garden was all-triumphant-his conduct towards his adversaries, accusers, betrayers, deserters, the officers that arrested him, and the judges that condemned him was ail-triumphant- his confession before Pilate was all-triumphant-his cry upon the cross, 'Father, forgive them,' was all-triumphant-yea, his death, his resurrection from the dead, and his ascension into glory were all-triumphant.

But his glorious triumphs are more fully manifested in that extensive seat of war, a poor rebellious sinner's heart, by blood subdued, by grace renewed, and named 'the Lord is there.' Yes, there life triumphs over death, light triumphs over darkness, love triumphs over enmity slain, divine revelation triumphs over dark reason, truth triumphs over error, grace triumphs over guilt, mercy triumphs over misery, holiness triumphs over sin, knowledge triumphs over ignorance, humility triumphs over pride, kindness triumphs over cruelty, faith triumphs over fears and fleshly feelings, hope triumphs in the day of adversity, prayer triumphs in the hour of temptation, patience triumphs over persecution, meekness triumphs over martyrdom; in a word, heaven triumphs over hell, and makes the hell-deserving sinner triumph in the heaven-secured victory given unto him through the blood of the Lamb, and the word of his testimony. Hence the name, the love, the

has kept me alive in my soul,-according to my supplications, by his supporting smile. Third, he has kept me alive in his temple, at his throne, for his truth. Fourth, he has kept me alive in obedience to him,-under oppression sore,-amidst oppositions strong. Fifth, he has kept me alive with his saints,-by his Spirit,through his Son. Sixth, he has kept me alive in his loving wisdom,-as a living witness,-for a lasting wonder. Considering all these things, my brother, we may well arise at midnight, and in the midst of the great congregation, give thanks unto our God, who hath delivered us for his great name's sake, and defended us for his holy truth sake, yea, he hath dealt mercifully and marvellously with us for his glorious praise sake. Therefore may we well exclaim with humble and adoring gratitude,' Who is a God like unto our God?' Who hath remembered us in our low estate,-hath redeemed us from our lost estate,-hath raised us from our lifeless state, and rejoiceth over us in our living state, resting in his love-determinations to do us good.

At the last administration of the ordinance of the Lord's Supper, I was led to make a few plain remarks on the following words, 'a great altar to see;' Joshua xxiv. 10; noticing first, that the great God, in great love, had made great provision, for great sinners, that they might glorify his great name, for his great grace given them. Second, noticed the great altar prepared by the Father, the great atonement effected by the Son,-and the great appropriation made by the Holy Ghost. Third, noticed the great sacrifice offered by Christ Jesus,-the great satisfaction occasioned to divine justice,-and the great salvation obtained for

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guilty sinners, vile and base as we. Fourth, the grace-distinguished prophet, trembling noticed the great priest that died to redeem alive to see his unclean and undone state us, the great price he paid to release us, and condition, crying,' Woe is me! for I and the great claim he has to receive us. am undone; because I am a man of unclean Fifth, noticed the great wisdom of our God, lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people in fore-ordaining the great work of Christ, of unclean lips, for mine eyes have seen the to be the great way of grace to glory ever- King, the LORD of hosts,'-the weeping lasting. And lastly, noticed, that great prophet, acknowledging 'I am a child,'praise will unceasingly be given to the un- the deeply-humbled Apostle, confessing divided Three in One, for the great peace himself to be less than the least of all procured by the great High Priest,-pro- saints,' but the 'chief of sinners,'-the claimed by the great exalted Prince, and centurion, who exclaimed, 'I am not worpreached by the great and faithful Prophet thy that thou shouldest come under my of our profession,-even ours, who know, as roof, &c.' Fifth, the dayof small expectations, by the Holy Spirit taught, the exceeding as Jacob expected not to see his son Joseph greatness of his power, not only to pardon again, but divine providence ordered that sin, but both to purge away the deep stains he should see both him and his children,of sin from the soul, and to purify the Hezekiah in the time of his sickness,conscience from all its defilements. O! Zaccheus, climbing the sycamore tree, exhow great and glorious a subject is this, my pecting only to gratify his carnal curiosity, beloved brother, when experimentally re--the lame man at the beautiful gate of the alised in the renewed soul. Blessed be God, for a deep felt acquaintance with that delightful testimony of the divinely inspired apostle contained in his heart-humbling, and soul-strengthening epistle di- Secondly.-For enquiry, who hath desrected to the saints at Ephesus; To the pised the day of small things?' we answer, praise of the glory of his grace, wherein the wicked one, who puffeth at the righteous he hath made us accepted in the beloved; in the day of their adversity and distress, in whom we have redemption through his-the worldly-wise, who with the raging blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; wherein he hath abounded toward us, in all wisdom and prudence; having made known unto us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself.

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temple,-but be it remembered, that the Holy Ghost, by David, saith, the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever.' Psalm ix. 18.

maelites, Pharaohs, Sanballats, Tobias, and Amalekites who wickedly seek to crush the tender bad of small beginnings, seen either in the worm Jacob, or in the walls of Jerusalem.

heathen imagine vain things against the Lord's anointed, the worthless proud, who despise the humble, and contemn the Most High,-the carnal, cruel, and cursed pharisees, who justify and magnify themselves in their own imaginary righteousness, (which before God is as filthy rags and I have recently preached on behalf of the rottenness,) and condemn such as cry conAged Pilgrim's Society,' at Mr. Moody's, tinually, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner,' East Street, Walworth; text on the occa- -the boasting Goliaths, the blaspheming sion, For who hath despised the day of Zennacheribs, the base Shimeis, the bloodsmall things?' Zechariah iv. 10: which thirsty Hamans, the brutal Herods, and words supply abundant and appropriate blinded Sauls, whose hearts satan hath matter for examination,-for enquiry, and filled with enmity, fired with envy, and fed for encouragement. In the first place, for with evil designs against the remnant of examination as to the day of small things, the seed royal-and the mocking, and perwe may particularize five instances illus-secuting, slandering, and malicious Ishtrative of; or senses in which the words might be taken;-first the day of small appearances, as in the case of Joseph,-in the circumstances of Gideon, Esther, and, at the birth of and call of Moses, in the time of Elijah. Second, the day of small beginnings, as in the case of Jacob,-in the circumstances of Manoah,-the time of the restoration of Jerusalem and rebuilding of the temple;-also in the case of the blind man whose eyes Christ opened, spiritually considered, and third, the day of small circumstances, as the widow of Sarepta, the widow with two mites, Lazarus at the gate of Dives,-Peter and John without silver and gold,-the son of God while tabernacling among the sons of men, ministered unto by godly women, and even unable to pay the money without working a miracle, &c. Fourth, the day of small degrees as Hannah, David, Mary, the breast-smiting publican,-the self-abhorring Job,-the pleading patriarch, professing himself to be 'but dust and ashes,'

Thirdly. For encouragement,-let it be remembered that the God of glory hath never despised the day of small things, surely, we are his witnesses, for he hath had respect to our groanings, sighings, weepings, wrestlings, yea, to our weakness and wretchedness, and not only made us prove the sweetness of his constant love, but hath taught us that the bruised reed, he will not break, nor quench the smoking flax, but have condescending regard to 'little faith, though it be small as a grain of mustard seed. The prophet enquires, seeing 'Jacob is small, by whom shall he arise?" Verily, by the God of Jacob, who will appear unto him, when he is little in his own eyes, and say unto him, 'Arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.' David, when he danced before

80

CONSOLATION FOR THE WATCHMAN.

the ark with all his might, Michal despised
him;
and in Psalm cxix. 14, he saith,
'I am small and despsed, yet do I not for-
get thy precepts;' and in Psalm li. 17,
with deeply humbled and truly hallowed
feelings, he exclaims, 'a broken and a con-
trite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise ;'
-The elect angels despise not the day of
small things, for they joy exceedingly over
one repenting sinner returning unto God
and to his ways;-the ministers of Christ,
(raised up and sent forth by Him,) despise
not the day of small things, for they are
taught of God to receive his little ones, his
bruised ones, his mourning ones, his fear-
ful ones, his feeble ones, his tender ones,
his trembling ones, his weeping ones, and
his weak and wounded ones, as belonging
to Christ, and not only to receive them, but
to esteem them in love, for the work of
grace wrought in their hearts, knowing
that he that hath begun the good work in
them, will perfect it, by performing all that
relateth thereto;-and lastly, the men of
grace, or quickened souls, despise not the
day of small things, but rather rejoice in
the smallest indications or signs, and
tokens of the divine favour attending them,
knowing and feeling themselves to be
utterly unworthy of the least of all the
mercies and the truth which the Lord hath
shewed them. My spirit has oft been re-
freshed while either reading, singing, or
thinking of those sweet verses of Burn-
ham's ;-

Jesus, my kind, and gracious friend,
Simply I look to thee;

Now in the bowels of thy love,

Dear Lord, remember me,

Howe'er forsaken, or despised.
Howe'er oppressed I be;
Howe'er forgotten here on earth,
Do thou remember me.

And now, my beloved brother, having given you this outline of the Lord's recent dealings with me, I would say unto you, O, come let us magnify the Lord, for his manifested mercy, and let us exalt his name together, in acknowledging He hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad. Your's most affectionately in the Lord, Chelsea, Feb. 7, 1849. JOHN STENSON.

Consolation for the Watchman.

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All hail! dear Watchman of the night!

You seem fatigu'd and in a fright;
Why so alarm'd and out of breath,
Like one that's hunted unto death?

You have been in a sad affray,
Of which I heard the other day,

The Vessel' brought the news to light,
Of your sore conflict in the night.

'A fight! a fight!' soon caught my sight, I read the lines with much delight;

I did my own experience trace,
And magnified the God of grace.

I truly with you sympathis'd,
Though cannot say I'm much surpris'd;
I've been engag'd in these warfares
Now more than three-and-thirty years!
Ah! 'tis hard fighting in the dark,
And dreadful when we miss our mark;
Ere we're aware, we feel our wounds,
And satan's music is our groans.

Various forms the foe assumes,
The fire of hell his mind illumes;
He sees us when we can't see him,
And wounds us when our eyes are dim.
O! 'tis a cloudy dark black night,
When Christ our Lord is out of sight;
No sun, no moon, no stars appear,
Nor one bright ray our souls to cheer.
When helmet, shoes, and shield seem gone,
And nothing left to lean upon;

With arm too weak the sword to wield,
Gasping for breath, yet dare not yield.

I've often been in this sad plight,
And robb'd and spoil'd by thieves of night;
Wounded and weak with trembling sighs,
My soul for help to Jesus cries.

When bruis'd, and press'd, and mangl'd sore,
We thus our helpless state deplore,
Thus halt and lame we're captive led,
O! 'tis a mercy we're not dead!
But though you fall, you shall arise,
And triumph o'er your enemies ;
Your life in Christ all hell defy,
While Jesus lives you cannot die.
Though you through tribulation go,
And devils aim your overthrow;
May this a cordial be for thee-
That as thy days thy strength shall be.'
Now, hear a promise firm and strong,
Spoken by God, through Moses' tongue-
When call'd thro' floods and flames to pass,
'Then shall your shoes be iron and brass.'

Though now your flickering light beams low.
Christ is the light of life, you know;
'Tis in his light, we light shall see,
He will arise and shine on thee.

say,

Christ is your strength, your life, and light,
He'll give you skill and power to fight;
And when you're weak, and cannot stand,
He'll hold you with his powerful hand.
Thus you from strength to strength shall go,
And press thro' all you meet below;
Hoping for that you cannot see,
Still from this flesh he'll set you free.
And now, dear Watchman, shall I
My pen had almost run away?
Indeed, I've been quite in a muse,
And hope my freedom you'll excuse.
That such an ignorant worm as me
Should here attempt to write to thee,
I would I had this scrawl withheld,
But sure, to write I was compelled.
I never did the like before,
Perhaps shall do the like no more;
Forgive the weakness here you see,
The Lord do greater things for thee.
Jehovah-jireh will appear,
Thy drooping spirit he will cheer;
And put thy wrangling foes to flight,
And turn thy darkness into light.

Jehovah Nissi is thy friend,
He'll guide and guard thee to the end;
He'll be thy shield and helper too,
Without him you can nothimg do.

A BRUISED REED,

Leicester, Jan. 22, 1849.

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