something. On Tuesday, to the study of science, history, composition, &c. On Wednesday I preach a lecture, and have been for more than twelve months on the book of Revelation. On Thursday I visit my friends. Friday and Saturday are spent in preparing for the Lord's-day; and the Lord's-day, in preaching the word of God. Once a fortnight I preach three times at home; and once a fortnight I go to a neighbouring village in the evening. Once a month I go to another village on the Tuesday evening. My school begins at nine o'clock in the morning, and continues till four o'clock in winter, and five in summer. I have acted for this twelvemonth as secretary to the committee of dissenters; and am now to be regularly appointed to that office, with a salary. Add to this, occasional journeys, ministers' meetings, &c.; and you will rather wonder that I have any time, than that I have so little.

'I am not my own, nor would I choose for myself. Let God employ me where he thinks fit, and give me patience and discretion to fill up my station to his honour and glory.

Polly complains much. All I can say to her is this: A sinner on this side hell will have reason to despond, when the blood of Christ has lost its efficacy; when the nature of God is changed, and he ceases to be good and gracious; or when the gospel is repealed, and all its glorious declarations obliterated. Then, and not till then, may my dear sister have reason to despair. Abhor herself she ought; and ought to be sensible in the most exquisite manner of her rebellion and depra

vity: but till her sins are greater than God can forgive, or surpass the value of her Saviour's blood, she may hope. Nay, if she herself had chosen on what terms God should have expressed his willingness to save, she could not have chosen language more explicit, or declarations more unlimited. There is a ground of hope; and here all is 'solid rock.'

'I trust I have some pleasing enjoyments, though to my shame I live very far below my privileges. On the one hand I am filled with shame and horror; on the other, with the greatest hopes and expectations. 'I am your dutiful Son,

'WM. CAREY.'

'MY DEAR FATHER,

'Leicester, May 5th, 1791.

Se

'God is, I trust, reviving his work among us. veral young people appear under concern of soul; and at a village about three miles off, an amazing alteration has taken place; and hence I opened a lecture there about nine months since: several have been converted, in all probability. Mr. Wesley's congregation before that, at preaching, was from twelve to twenty; now, about three weeks ago, one hundred and nine were counted out of a prayer-meeting.

'I expect to baptize six persons in about a fortnight. The time of my ordination is fixed for the 24th instant. Your dutiful Son,

"WM. CAREY.'

Though the church at Leicester was comparatively

small, and in much derangement when he succeeded to the pastorate, he nevertheless restored it to order, and much increased the communicants and the attendants upon his ministry. His consistency of deportment both as a christian and a public character became generally known, and speedily advanced him in the estimation of the inhabitants, as well as that of his immediate religious connections. He enjoyed the intimate friendship of Mr. Robinson, an eminently successful minister in the establishment, the author of 'Scripture Characters,' whom he frequently accompanied in his pastoral visits, from whom he always spoke of himself as deriving much benefit.

But nothing in his present labours, or in the cheering success with which they were crowned, could divert his mind from the design of a mission to the heathen. By degrees, he succeeded also in exciting the attention of his brother ministers to the same object. By frequent discussion, free interchange of thoughts, accompanied with united importunate prayer, their sentiments assimilated, and their zeal and benevolence were soon provoked into some external demonstration. So early as 1784, a few of these devout servants of God met in association at Nottingham, resolved to set apart an hour on the first Monday evening in every month 'for extraordinary prayer for the revival of religion, and for the extending of Christ's kingdom in the world.' Thus commenced the united missionary prayer-meetings, now prevalent through every part of Christendom. No one can calculate the ultimate good to which a single attempt,

justly principled, and wisely directed, may lead. Within half a century, some of the most potent and comprehensive agencies that ever influenced the moral world, have originated in the devotions and unpretending efforts of a few individuals, or of a single mind. Thus the design, simple as it was devout, of circulating the volume of inspired truth, entire and without human accompaniment, within a very few years, has multiplied its copies as the 'sands of the seashore,' rendered it available to every nation on earth, and placed it within reach of almost every soul of mankind. The projection of the monitorial commonsense method of instruction by Joseph Lancaster, has antiquated the stupidities of former ages, and laid open the blessings of a sound elementary education to the whole globe. The pious, and at first almost unaided, labours of Mr. Raikes, to rescue from profaneness the juvenile poor, to imbue them with scriptural knowledge, and train them to the habits of religious life, have created in every town in Great Britain and America, a fruitful nursery for the church of Christ, and sent forth a living supply of efficient labourers to disseminate the gospel both at home and abroad. The humble attempt of the subject of this memoir, to excite the zeal of his immediate brethren, was not only effectual for the purpose and to the degree he primarily meditated; it was an impulse destined to move, ere long, the whole christian world, and to diffuse an influence which the extremities of the earth should feel, to be perpetuated to the end of time, and the final results of which, the light of eternity must

develope. The sympathies of every community were shortly awakened, their energies were provoked, and, from the period now under review to the present, faithful brethren have been sent forth, charged on errands of mercy, to every region whither the commercial enterprise of this mighty empire has adventured her sails. The simple proposition for devoting a single hour in one evening of every month in prayer for a specific object, has united the aspirations of pious men by myriads through every section of the universal church, and, if maintained with vigour and unaffected unity of spirit, may yet prove the ordained means of bringing down from the 'Father of lights,' and the Father of mercies,' those final effusions of his renewing spirit, the grand burden of prophetic and eyangelical promise, unspeakably transcendent of any thing yet experienced among men, by which, the wilderness shall be converted into a fruitful field;' and that which before was deemed fruitful, shall be esteemed a forest. It cannot be too deeply regretted that these special occasions of devotion are frequently, and in many places, very ill attended. Denominational prejudice and local collision are allowed to interrupt the harmony for the promotion of which they were at first instituted; and in some instances to suspend, and altogether to dissolve it. Nor need it be disguised, that the improvement derivable from these catholic exercises is often prevented, and the comfort of them marred, by the monotony with which they are conducted, and the wearisome length to which every part of them is carried. The petitions and the