it to say, that his labors were unremitting; that he visited several congregations in the country-particularly those at Hertford, Reading, Henly, and Brighton.

He was appointed one of the three students who should deliver the public orations at the coming anniversary-held at midsummer. This preyed with considerable anxiety on his mind, and although one should have imagined that by this time he had become familiar with large auditories and critical hearers-yet we find him shinking from the task, and expressing many fears respecting it. The subject allotted to him was, "THE INFLUENCE OF THE GOSPEL ON THE SPIRIT AND TEMPER." His colleagues in that trying service were, Messrs. John Burder and Stenner; and to these gentlemen were given as topics of discussion, "THE DOCTRINE OF THE ATONEMENT," and "THE INFLUENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.” The day before that on which the discourses were to be delivered, he expressed his feelings thus:

TO MR. JOHN HADDON.

HOXTON, June 19, 1810.

"MY DEAR FRIEND-Consonant with your request, I here transmit to you the notes of the sermon on Eutychus: if you can, let me have them again before I go into Lancashire. You mention to-morrow, and oh! what anxiety do I feel in the prospect of it; already it has cost me some tears, it may cost me many more. Would to God that I may experience the assisting grace of Him who has before proved himself able to do for me exceeding abundantly above all that I could ask or think. If the light of his countenance shine upon me, then

I shall shine in the sight of heaven, and in the eyes of his saints, who know and can recognize the reflections of the Saviour's glory. From what I can anticipate of the congregation, it will be terrific; but does not the promise, 'I am with you always,' extend to particular occasions? Most certainly it does; then it takes in this trying service. May I have faith and trust in it, and be favored with an experimental confirmation of its truth. Believing that you do sincerely and constantly commend me to the kind care of your Father and my Father, of your God and my God, I remain

"Affectionately yours,

"THOMAS SPENCER."

CHAPTER V.

His first visit to Liverpool-Preaches at Newington Chapel. His popularity as a Preacher-Correspondence-Return to the Academy-Invited by the Congregation of Newington to become their Pastor-Calls from other Congregations-Acceptance of the call from Liverpool-Last Sermon at Hoxton.

We now arrive at the period of Mr. Spencer's first visit to Liverpool. Before we pass on with

it may

be

him to that new and interesting scene,
well to pause, and take such a general view of his
mode of thinking and acting, while a student, as
the following characteristic sketches from the hand
of his most intimate friend, will furnish. I shall
present them in a miscellaneous way just as they
occur. Thus the reader will converse with him—
hear his own sentiments, expressed in his own lan-
guage, and imperceptibly become familir with the

man.

"That passage,' said he, 'is much upon my mind'-' Let no man despise thy youth.' I understand the apostle thus :Let your walk and condnct be such, that no man can despise thy youth. And such shall be my own.'

"He was favored with peculiar facility in composition. 'Many a sermon,' said he, 'have I composed between Hoxton and your house.' His ideas flowed faster than he could write

them, and when alone our conversation has met with frequent interruptions from his stopping to commit to paper, before they escaped him, the ideas crossing his mind. Turning to me privately, as I sat by his side one evening at the tea-table of a friend, 'Look at that,' said he, 'will it do? It was the sketch of a sermon, which he had composed during the conversation. 'I don't know,' said he, (and those who suppose my friend was boasting, did not know him) 'I don't know,' said he, 'that for a long time I have had time enough for any one sermon: I was crampt in every head for want of time.' His sermons at that time were sixty-five to seventy-five minutes in preaching; though his hearers were not aware of it.

"In composing, he used to fold a sheet of foolscap paper in eight leaves, leaving the last side for the heads of application. However long the sermon might be, he never wrote more of it, and in preaching, varied the sermon every time he preached it. 'How do you obtain your texts?' 'I keep a little book in which I enter every text of Scripture which comes into my mind with power and sweetness. Were I to dream of a passage of Scripture, I should enter it; and when I sit down to compose, I look over the book, and have never found myself at a loss for a subject.'

"His memory was remarkably tenacious; he could regularly repeat every service in which he had ever engaged, with the chapter which he had read, and those of his acquaintances who were present. Returning from Halloway, after preaching, said he, 'Did you perceive any thing particular in me this morning?' 'No.' 'I was very ill in the pulpit; my memory totally forsook me; I could not recollect my subject, but having my notes in my pocket, I took them out and read them.' 'I am glad of it; I give you joy; you can no longer condemn assistance to an imperfect memory.' 'O no, I boast no more; from henceforth, I am silent upon that subject.'

"The young man that has just passed my study door,' said he, 'is fearful that he shall not keep up variety in his sermons.

The best way that I find to attain variety is continually to ask myself What is there in the circumstances before me, that will benefit my sermon on Sabbath morning?' for a minister should turn every thing into gold. And by keeping my eye continually upon that point, I am seldom at a loss for variety.'

"Few persons have held pulpit eloquence in higher estimation than Spencer did, or in more contempt when it stood in competition with the interests of souls. I remember asking his opinion of an eloquent sermon which he had been hearing'Why,' said he, 'I could have wept over it-I could have wept to hear immortals so treated.'

"Your morning sermon yesterday was approved, but not that in the afternoon.' 'No, I suppose not, and I will give you the reason. In the morning, when I preached on privileges, they were pleased; but when in the afternoon, I came to duties, they remembered their treatment of their late venerable pastor. I particularly respect aged ministers, and love to assist them, and generally add a trifle to the collection, when I have been preaching in behalf of a church which has an aged minister.'

"He was much tried by the envy of some little minds. Mr. S. said to him, 'You was very late, I hear at Walworth.' 'Yes, sir, and there you may see your own error; you know you say I am too eager for the pulpit, now you see your mistake.' At another time, 'Spencer,' said a person whose name shall be secret, 'Popularity is a dangerous thing.' 'It is.' 'No one is popular long.' 'Very true.' 'You are popular now, but you will not be so long.' 'That I certainly shall not, sir, if your wishes are accomplished; but I fully believe, that my popularity hurts you more than it does me.' The bell soon after summoned him to read (in his turn) a sermon for general criticism. The first person called upon said, that its merits were such, that he had nothing to say of its defects. That sentiment was universal. And,' said he to me afterwards, 'when I considered what had passed, I felt that that was a moment of gratification.'

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