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CORNELIUS SLIM.

During his brief confinement, his pastor | and ridiculing the gospel he had come visited him, and found him in a sweet, there to preach, was now seen with resigned, and waiting posture of soul, rivetted attention hanging on the looking for that blessed hope, and the speaker's words, and listening to the glorious appearing of his Lord and words of life with all-absorbing interest. Saviour. He felt and expressed a deep He heard for the first time that he was concern at the depressed state of the the slave of satan, the servant of sin, church, and pleaded earnestly with the and that he must expect, sooner or Lord, that he would arise and bless later the wages, which he heard was Zion with a little revival in her bondage. death, eternal death. The scales fell The last sentence that was heard to from his eyes, and he groaned beneath escape from his lips, was, "All is well!" the galling weight of his sins; yet, And on the 3rd. Jan. 1848, his redeemed while on the one hand, he trembled on spirit quitted its trembling house of account of his awful state as a sinner, clay, and winged its flight to glory, on the other a gleam of hope beamed honour, and immortality, in the man- upon his mind from the concluding sions prepared for all the called, chosen, sentence of those truly blessed words. and faithful, aged seventy-eight years. The change produced by this sermon He was interred in the family vault, was altogether remarkable; his comunder the meeting house; and Mr. panions, who had been waiting for him Coleman improved the solemn provi- without, expecting more sport, at the dence to a large number of sorrowing preacher's expence, were surpassingly relatives and friends, from Luke xxiii. astonished at his serious approval of 28, Weep not for me, but weep for what he had been listening to, and at yourselves.'" the decided change it had produced in Sheerness. his conversation and sentiments; his wife, too, was equally surprised, and hardly knew, as he conversed about the sermon during the whole of his way home, whether he was in jest, (as had hitherto been his custom,) or in earnest, but it was soon evident; when they arrived at home he suggested prayer, and begged her to be mouth for him before God, and, upon her declining, he went upon his knees, and poured out his heart to God in earnest supplication for the forgiveness of his manifold sins, and for that eternal life which he had been hearing was a free gift through Jesus Christ. Thus, "he who came to scoff, returned to pray," and, from that hour, became a man of prayer. The next Thursday evening he came again to hear the preacher, but came not empty, for he brought a quantity of candles to light the little place of worship, and in the following week he might have been seen in his workshop making forms for the people to sit on, and, shortly after, a little pulpit for the preacher; his heart was full of love and zeal for his Lord, and he tried to shew it in every possible way.

MR. W. JAMES. Mr. W. James, whose sudden departure was announced in the "Gospel Herald" for January, was born at Little Clacton, in the County of Essex, in the year 1796; he was married at the age of nineteen to her who is now his mourning survivor; when they removed to Great Clacton and entered into business. He lived like most young men, a careless sinner, and what is still more deplorable, a hater of religion, until the year 1817, when, in the providence of God, a cottage adjoining his father's house, at Little Clacton, was opened for preaching. His wife, who had been already taught of God to value the gospel, earnestly intreated him to accompany her there, to hear a plain countryman proclaim the good tidings of mercy to men, but he resolutely refused, and all that he would promise was to fetch her home from the place in the evening; he accordingly came, and, to her surprise, early enough to hear the text announced, which was Rom. vi. 23, "The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ, our Lord." This word, to his soul, was the power of God unto salvation; he, who but a few hours before, had been with several young men jesting about the preacher,

About six months after the circum

stance above related, he was baptized, and joined the church at Thorpe, under the pastoral care of Mr. W. Bolton. It was soon discovered that he had gifts for the ministry, and after exercising them before the church to their appro

val, he became actively engaged in village preaching.

off until after he became their pastor After a few other visits, our brother came in the year 1835 to supply them for two months, at the expiration of which he was unanimously invited to take the pastoral charge of them, but being anxious to see the hand of the Lord more conspicuous, and his way more apparent, he waited (still preach. ing to them) for twelve months longer before he consented to be their pastor.

The work of grace which the Lord had thus begun in our brother was soon put to the test of the furnace: his former associates forsook him in disgust, his employers persecuted him by withdrawing their custom, and his little thriving business as a wheelwright was soon blasted with ruin, so that he was obliged to go to journey-work; but he bore it with cheerfulness and peace, being assured in his conscience that he had made a good exchange, having only parted with his little pearls for the pearl of price unknown. But the Lord turned his captivity in this respect, for, after working as a journeyman three years, he resumed his business, which became thriving and prosperous up to the time of his giving himself entirely to the ministry. While thus engaged in business, a little circumstance may be recorded, which will shew two things, first, how the world will try the christian's principles; and, second, how God will honour them that honour him. His best customer sent to him on a Sabbath morning to repair his gig, which Mr. James conscientiously refused to do; the enraged employer threatened to take away his work, which, for some time, he did, until one day he came and said to our departed brother, "James, I think you an honest fellow, after all; had you consented to come to work that Sunday, I should have thought you an hypocrite, but now I think you sincerely religious, and so you shall have my work again;" and the man became a better custom-their filthy morsel alone it would be of er than ever. No man ever yet lost any thing by obeying God rather than

men.

After itinerating a few years, our brother was led in the providence of God to Hadleigh, in Suffolk, where, after preaching some time to the people, he became their pastor, where he continued about five and a half years; and was eventually settled at Hartley Row, in Hants. He first visited Hartley Row in December, 1833, when collecting for the new chapel, at Hadleigh, which he had been mainly instrumental in erecting. The church at Hartley Row, who were then destitute of a pastor, heard him preach with great pleasure, and some were heard to cry, "arise, anoint him, for this is the man," This impression never wore

The first few years of our brother's pastorate at Hartley Row were both pleasant and profitable, the people were gathered, the word was blessed, and peace and concord reigned. But as the first few years were pleasant and profitable, so were the last few years painful and distressing; there were some few in their little society whose spiritual taste had become vitiated and deranged; they preferred drinking the muddy waters of putrid streams, rather than the living waters from crystal fountains; and as our brother did not deal in such corrupt wares, they became dissatisfied with his ministry; nothing would suit them but a kind of Standard theology, which, setting aside the doctrines of grace, rooted in the heart by the Holy Ghost to be the only true basis of christian experience, insists that the only real christian experience is raking by corrupt feeling in the cesspool of human corruption and awful depravity, as though they felt a keener appetite for such carrion, than for the balmy, blood-flowing love and refreshing righteousness of the Son of God; if such persons could be persuaded to eat

small consequence, but to endeavour to intrude their crude and carnal notions upon others, and to condemn their christian experience, root and branch, who have not their peculiar taste, is a sure way to engender strife, and disturb the peace of the church of God.

It was, however, our brother's trial to have some few such in his church, and the consequence was, a party spirit was formed, and he was made exceedingly uncomfortable; but his kind friends (and he had not a few at Hartley Row) comforted him by their sympathy and support; but the change in the conduct of some toward him who were once heard vociferating, "Hosannah, blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord," but now crying as loud, "Away with him, cru.

cify him," affected his mind deeply, and accelerated, if not caused a disease of the heart; but he kept on preaching in the same way as he had all along, or, at least, the same sentiments, though it was evident to his friends not with the same liberty, how could he?

The uncomfortable state of the church still continuing, he was induced, at the request of his friends, to resign his pastoral office, which he did on the 27th of September, 1846.

Poetry.

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EZEKIEL'S VISION OF THE
CHERUBIMS.

I look'd to heaven, and lo, I saw
A mighty whirlwind come,
A loud and fire enfolding it,

Far brighter than the sun;
And from its midst proceeded, too,
A stream of brilliant amber hue.

The son of Buzi gazed in awe, His priestly vestments shone; The light of heav'n illumin'd his soul, God's work was to be done :"Rise son of man and prophecy, And read my work in yonder sky." Forth from the shining amber came Four living forms of light; Each had four faces and four wings, Like burnished brass, so bright. Each wing to each were join'à in love, As they straight onward moved above.

(To be continued.)

Each bore the likeness of a man,
In form and face complete;
Possessing mind and intellect,
With righteousness replete :
The lion and the ox combin'd,
And eagle, such their soaring mind.

Before them moved a form of light,
Transparent as the air;
Where'er that Spirit glided to,

These glorious beings were;

Then turned with him, and went and came, As holy followers of the same.

And as they wandered to and fro, Like burning lamps they seem'd; Or like a glowing fire from whence Bright lightning flashes gleam'd. I looked and saw four wheels again, Which with these spirits went and came.

A spirit dwelling in these wheels,

Raised them from earth to heaven;
Where'er they went these also were,
With matchless ardor driven.
And the good cherubims to view,
Shone brighter than the crystal's hue.

I heard the wafting of their wings,
Like the great waters sound;
Or when the voice of God begins
To make the heavens resound.
They stood, and lo, I heard above,
The gentle murmur of God's love.

And o'er their heads a throne appear'd,
Formed of one precious stone,
O'er which a bright effulgence fell,

And golden sunbeams shone;
And on it sat a form, whose word
Proclaim'd him Zion's King and God.

Revive thy work, great God, again,

Raise us from earth to heaven; Life to the dead, and to the wheels

Thy Spirit, Lord, be given. And fill our hearts with truth and love, Till we behold thy face above.

JEMIMA.

A REQUEST.
To the Editor of the Gospel Herald.
Dear Sir,

I shall feel obliged if you, or some
of your friends, would favour me with
an opinion upon the latter part of the
48th verse of the 13th chapter of Acts,
"As many as were ordained to eternal
life, believed." Can the word "or-
dained" be construed so as to favour a
"free agency
"view of the passage?
It is no uncommon thing in the pre-
sent day, when arguing in favour of
unconditional election to be met with-
Ah! the translation is incorrect. Now,
sir, if you would oblige me at your
earliest convenience with the required

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Entelligence.

On Lord's day, December 5th, 1847, three persons were baptized at Glemsford Chapel, by our much esteemed pastor, Mr. R. Barnes. He took his text in the 1 Corinthians i. 17, "For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel." Truly the blessed King of Zion was in both the sermons, and the ordinance; felt power and unction attended these respectively! and it is believed conviction was lodged in the minds of some, while many of the Lord's people were prostrated in adoring thankfulness before Divine Majesty, saving, and blessing the saved. Rejoice with us, dear sirs, for though we have some things to cast us down, yet we have others to lift us up. Praises crown the name of Israel's

triune God, is the sentiment which inspires the heart of a poor sinner, saved wholly by grace.

Cavendish.

A. BRABROOK.

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place have made an effort to put this house of their forefathers into good repair.

This chapel was re-opened on Christmas Day, when two sermons were preached by Mr. Nathan Horsley, minister of the place, and collections made after each service, as also on the following Lord's day.

SQUIRRES STREET CHAPEL, BethNAL GREEN ROAD.-On Lord's day evening, December 12th, 1847, three persons were immersed upon a profession of faith in the Lord Jesus, by our pastor, brother Thos. Smither, junr.

SOHO CHAPEL, LONDON. - On the last Lord's day evening in 1847, ten persons were baptized in Soho Chapel, Oxford Street, by the minister of the It was place, Mr. George Wyard. found to be a delightful opportunity, and although the chapel was crowded to excess, all was solemn and still.

On the first Lord's day, in the afternoon, of 1848, supper being ended, between two and three hundred of the Circular Letter, published by the Strict Baptist London Association, were gratuitously distributed among the members then present: the Letter is on the relative duties of church members.

66

The text was from the very significant word of our Lord to his disciples, Watch," Mark xiii. 37. It was looked at in the form of an injunction; its nature, extent, necessity and manner of performance; and as binding upon all the followers of Jesus.

THE

GOSPEL HERALD;

OR,

POOR CHRISTIAN'S MAGAZINE.

MARCH, 1848.

"Holding the mystery of the Faith in a pure conscience," 1 Tim. iii. 9. "One Lord, one Faith, one Baptism," Eph. iv. 5.

Essays.

AFFLICTION.

Were christians invested with the prerogative of choosing their own inheritance, whatever might be said of the wisdom or folly of their choice, certainly they would not choose that wherein is "bread of adversity" and "water of affliction:" the present grievousness of affliction would certainly determine them to reject it, however salutary might be its future issue. But God has chosen their inherit. ance for them; and connected with it here, if not a constituent of it, is affliction. This affliction may be natural or circumstantial, spiritual or for the gospel's sake; it may be an affliction common to all men, or an affliction peculiar to themselves. But while God has chosen for them here an inheritance in which is affliction, it is consoling to know that himself also is the administrator of all their affliction. It may not be disguised that he is such, as the rector of the world, exercising the undoubted rights of a divine sovereignty; but it must also be enforced that he is such as their Parent and Paraclete, exercising also at the same time the merciful authority, gracious wisdom, and unspeakable compassions of a divine paternity, and faithful monitory. His ways indeed are past finding out in the administration of his people's afflictions, yet his providence, though wrapt in impenetrable obscurity, is no less minutely definite than miserably dark; no less devoutly desirable than profoundly deep; no less perfectly good than painfully galling; no less certainly and immensely merciful than inexplicably mysterious. His tender mercies are over all his works in common providence, and, surely, VOL. 16.

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