to; but I know my soul would receive a blessing under your roof, as it has done again and again. I am now a living witness of the truth you so strenuously maintain, and of the necessity of that truth in our miserable condition here below. Did I not know the Lord to be mine; were I not certain his heart feels even more love for me than I am able to conceive; were not this evident to me, not by deduction and argument, but by consciousness, by his own light shining in my soul, as the sun's doth upon my bodily eyes, into what a deplorable situation should I have been now cast! I have lost all that I could wish myself to have been, in the partner of my cares and joys, and lost her when her industry, and ingenuity, and tender love, and care of her children, were all just beginning to be perceived by the two eldest girls, and to strike them with a sense of the excellency of such qualities. I have lost her when her soul was as a watered garden, when her mouth was opened to speak for God, and he was blessing the testimony she bore to a free, full, and everlasting pardon in the blood of Jesus. Nevertheless, I can say, all is well. Hallelujah! for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. At all times, and in every thing pertaining to me, let him do what seemeth Him good. Were there no Holy Ghost now to strengthen me mightily; were there nothing more than a dependance on the word of promise, without an Almighty power and agent to explain, impress, and apply it, how would my hands hang down, and my knees be so feeble that I should faint and fall under the pressure of my cross! But on the contrary, I abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost given unto me. I rejoice in tribulation, from the experience I now have, more than I possibly could in a less severe trial, that the man of sorrows is as rivers of water in a dry place, and giveth songs in the night. My blessed Lord sent to me two preachers immediately after my loss. The one was a poor and most afflicted widow-sick, very sick in body, with two helpless children, destitute of raiment almost; and upon my asking her how she did Oh, Sir! since you have been gone, (she answered) I cannot tell you how much my Saviour has done for me. Though I have utterly lost the sight of one eye since you went, I have got better light than the sun can give me. I feel myself so sinful, and Him so full of love to me, that I am happy, and only beg of you that I may not be carried into the workhouse, to be amongst so many people, because I feel by being alone as I am, I can enjoy the love and presence of the Lord more abundantly. But, if you think it proper that I should go, I can go still in faith and cheerfulness.' The weighty manner in which she spoke this, and the air of her countenance was, indeed, such as I think I never saw. It was as if she saw her Lord, and he was attending to every word that came out of her mouth. This was a sermon to my heart, and as seasonable as the rain upon the mown grass.

"The other preacher was a double-minded professor, with whom I have often discoursed. She told me that now she would believe all I said of the love of God. 'Before, I used always to say of you, you had no trials. You might, indeed, give your advice to persons in trouble, but you knew nothing of their feelings. But since you have

lost Mrs. Venn, and can be thankful, I now confess you may call upon us, with much justice, to seek after God, and declare the knowledge of him to be indeed a help in every time of need.' So necessary do I now myself see it that ministers should be touched in the most sensible part, that knowing the hearts of God's people, and the comforts he imparts to them, we may be able to comfort them with the very same comforts wherewith we have been ourselves comforted of God.

"I have been enabled to remember your Ladyship in your sickness, and cannot but hope you will yet be spared, and many more seals be added to your labours of love before you rest above. I shall be much obliged for a letter, when health and leisure will permit. And, returning you my most heart-felt thanks for your prayers, your example, your invitation, and a thousand instances of kindness to such a sinful man, I remain your servant in the bonds of Jesus,

"H. VENN."

Mrs. Venn was a daughter of the Rev. Thomas Bishop, D.D., minister of the Tower church in Ipswich, a gentleman of high eminence as a scholar and a divine. In this lady Mr. Venn found a mind congenial with his own,-the most sincere and exalted piety, directed by a sound judgment, and enriched by a sweetness of disposition and animation which rendered her particularly interesting as a companion and friend. Lady Huntingdon's acquaintance commenced shortly after her marriage, when Mr. Venn was curate of Clapham. Between them was formed a friendship of the strictest kind, which continued till Mrs. Venn's death. In Mr. Venn's letter to Miss Wheeler, the following passage occurs relative to the supports which he experienced under his severe bereavement, and corroborative of the sentiment at the close of his letter to Lady Huntingdon :

"Since the moment she left me, I can compare my sense of her being with the Lord to nothing but a vision; it is so clear, so constant, so delightful! At the same time the Lord gives me to see his own infinite beauty, and to feel more and more his preciousness, as a fountain of living waters, to those who are bereft of earthly joys. And well it is that I am so supported! For his own cause, I cannot but conclude the Lord does it: since, immediately upon my unspeakable loss, the opposers cried out, Oh! now you will see what will become of his vauntings of the power of faith and the name of Jesus! They knew our great happiness, and they said, You will see your vicar just like any one of us in the same situation! But my God heard and answered; so that when I was mightily helped by Him to preach the very Sabbath after her death, and not many hours after her interment, their mouths were stopped, and the little flock of Jesus, who had been praying for me with all fervour and affection, say they have not had so great a blessing since I have been among them."

6

Several members of Sir Rowland Hill's family now began to

attract public notice from their open and avowed attachment to the cause of God and truth. Of Miss Hill, Lady Glenorchy had often spoken in terms of high commendation; and with Mr., afterwards so well known as Sir Richard Hill, Lady Huntingdon had long been acquainted. The report of Mr. Rowland Hill's piety and zeal soon reached the ears of her Ladyship, who eagerly sought his acquaintance. He was then a student at Cambridge, and had preached in many places with great acceptance and success. Not only were all the energies of his own mind at this period directed to the object of preaching Christ, but he had been the means also of communicating to some of his fellow-students and others a portion of his ardent zeal. They had formed a little society, of which he was the leader; and he urged them on in pursuit of the one end they had in view, through every possible barrier that was cast before them. He was assailed on all sides. His father and mother were decidedly opposed to his career, and his superiors in the University condemned, in the strongest terms, his infringements of discipline. Hints of a refusal of his testimonials, and even of his degree, were held out as the probable result of these irregularities; but in vain. To preach Christ he was resolved; and it was not his natural disposition to yield to any intimidating menaces, nor could he see that, by his present departure from the regulations of the University, he was throwing any obstacle in the way of his future usefulness. The stigmas and censures cast on him he considered as honours of the highest order; and expulsion, or refusal of any University privilege, would only have driven him at once to other scenes of labour, and not to desponding silence and obscure repose. Besides the inclination of his own zealous and fervent disposition, he was under the influence of a master spirit of no ordinary mould: he was encouraged in his course, whenever difficulties appeared before him, by the stirring letters of Mr. Whitefield.

Mr. Whitefield and Mr. Berridge, both of whom had considerable influence in directing his newly awakened mind, had repeatedly mentioned him to Lady Huntingdon. Mr. Hill's acute sensibility to the opposition of his parents, and the hindrances which were cast in the way of his exertions, seem very much to have weakened the spring of his elastic mind. The opposition he experienced at Cambridge now becoming very serious and decided, he wrote to consult Mr. Whitefield, whose advice, so much in unison with his own desires, was quite sufficient to determine him to defy all resistance from whatever quarter :

"Go on, therefore, (says he) my dear man, go on; old Berridge, I

believe, would give you the same advice: you are honoured in sharing his reproach and name. God bless and direct and support you-he will, he will! Good Lady Huntingdon is in town; she will rejoice to hear that you are under the cross: you will not want her prayers, or the poor prayers of, my dear young honest friend, yours, &c. &c., in an all-conquering Jesus."

Through the instrumentality of Mr. Whitefield it was at length determined that Mr. Hill should pay a visit to Lady Huntingdon, who was then at Bath. On the 21st of October he left Hawkstone for the University, having first commended to God in prayer those of whom he was now about to take leave. This is noticed in a letter of his sister to her friend, Lady Glenorchy, dated October 20, 1767, in which she says

come,

"We have just had a parting prayer with my dear brother Rowland, who leaves us to-morrow. He proposes to see good Lady Huntingdon, in his way to Cambridge, which I trust will be blessed to him, and that he will ever stand faithful in the cause of his crucified Master, whether he be admitted as a minister of the Gospel to preach in his name or not; but, alas! my dear friend, to such a deplorable apostacy is the world that young men who are stedfastly attached to the Church, and live exemplary lives, can hardly get their testimonials signed for orders." On his arrival at Bath he was soon received by Lady Huntingdon, as she herself expresses it, "with open arms." He preached in her chapel, and expounded in her house, ❝with much comfort." He also preached at the residence of Mrs. Layton, a lady at that time very conspicuous in the religious circles at Bath, and who was the friend and correspondent of Mr. Berridge, Mr. Toplady, and others. There were a great number of persons of distinction, and Mr. Hill was "rather dashed at the audience," and observes, "I do not love to speak to fine people." As he was under the frowns of his family, and sometimes exposed to such treatment as called forth the interference of others, he felt fully sensible of the marked attentions of the Countess. Her Ladyship's maternal kindness to him, in a season of distress and perplexity, proved the sincerity of the friendship she professed for her young friend :

"He was as my own son-received into my house, and preached in my pulpits. I have again written to Lady Hill in his behalf, my former application to Sir Rowland having met with no redress. But they obstinately refuse to answer any letter I write to entreat for him. There is no hope then from that quarter. But blessed be God, we have a strong-hold, a never-failing source of comfort and support to look to under every trial. That God whose he is, and whom he desires to serve, will uphold him, and carry him through all the storms of persecution, and all the opposition, rage, and malice of men and devils, and make him a triumphant conqueror over all. I have a confidence, a firm persuasion, that he will triumph; for he is on the Lord's side, and

Jesus, the King of Zion, will enable him to overcome every obstacle intended to retard the progress of his truth, in preventing his entrance into orders. If the Lord omnipotent will send, who shall stay his power? What arm of flesh shall resist the power of Jehovah? He has preached frequently, and great crowds attended at the chapel and at my house. His word fell with great power, and some were pierced to the heart. Dear Mr. Brown* was much delighted, and poured

Mr. Brown, afterwards vicar of Kingston, and Mr. Furley, rector of Roche, were supplying her Ladyship's chapel at this period. Mr. Romaine was also preaching at Bath for Lady Huntingdon, and did not return to London till the middle of October. It was on this occasion that Mr. Hill and Mr. Brown met for the first time, when a friendship commenced which only ended when the latter was taken to his eternal reward. It should be remembered, that it was this good man who furnished Mr. Hill with his title to orders; and that Rowland preached his first sermon at his curacy at Kingston, on Sunday the 20th of June, 1773, from-"I am determined to know nothing among you save Jesus Christ, and him crucified." Mr. Brown was at that period minister of a large parish, situated in a delightful country in the neighbourhood of Taunton. He was an elegant scholar, and a warm-hearted and generous friend. His sentiments were refined by the sincerest piety, and his conversation was replete with true politeness, diversified and interesting. "He is, in many respects, (says Lady Huntingdon,) an extraordinary man. His classical knowledge, I am told, exceeds that of most men of his age and standing. His information is extensive, accurate, and correct. His knowledge diversified and profound. But what I admire most is his zeal and devotedness of heart to God. His preaching is much admired, and is owned by the great Master of assemblies. It is now about twelve years since he was called of God to the knowledge of his truth. My excellent friend, Mr. Joseph Williams of Kidderminster, was the honoured instrument of his conversion, the particulars of which are very interesting and extraordinary."

The mention of Joseph Williams induces us to extend this long note.—This devout tradesman was the son of a pious clothier, deacon of a dissenting church at Kidderminster. He very early became acquainted with the leaders of the Methodist connexion, by whom, as well as Lady Huntingdon, he was highly esteemed. His occasional labours in the Tabernacle connexion afforded Mr. Whitefield much satisfaction. Eminent for the exercise of personal religion, he was signally successful in diffusing piety among all whom Providence had placed within the sphere of his influence. In one of his numerous journeys, happening to visit his friend, Mr. Chapman, the vicar of Bradford, Wilts, he was introduced to Mr. Brown, the vicar's curate. Mr. Williams saluted him, and asked with an air of solemnity and confidence-Sir, how does your soul prosper? "This (says Mr. Williams) it pleased God to make the arrow of his conviction. He seemed a little disconcerted, and replied in a languid manner. I saw him no more that night. Next morning he sent for me just as I was going to take horse, and told me, that our conversation the preceding evening had given him a great deal of concern; that it had put him upon considering the state of his soul more than ever before. I talked with him a good while as the Lord enabled me, and then said-Come, do not let us part without prayer. Mr. Hart, a pious curate from Warmington, happened to come in, and they both desired me to pray, so we kneeled down all three together, and the Lord poured out the spirit of grace and supplications. When we rose, he appeared bathed in tears, thanked me most heartily, begged the continuance of my prayers, and that I would write to him." The impression proved permanent and effectual; Mr. Brown became a faithful preacher of the Gospel; and Mr. Williams, who lived but a few years after, maintained from that time an affectionate correspondence with him: delighted, as he said, with the honour of being a winner of such as are winners of souls.