At the vacation in June he returned to his father's house at Hertford. During his stay there he preached his first sermon in public. It was at the small village of Collier's End, six miles from Hertford. His auditory consisted of about thirty plain country people-and his text was 1 John i: 7. "The blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanseth us from all sin." Simple and unlettered, however, as his audience might be, they had sufficient penetration to discover the uncommon talents of their youthful preacher; which, together with the novelty and loveliness of his juvenile appearance, excited in that little village an astonishment and admiration, which have since circulated through all the districts of the great metropolis, and almost every town in Great Britain. How beautiful is the progression which marks all the dispensations of nature, providence and grace. From the smallest springs the mightiest rivers rise, to promote the fruitfulness or waft the commerce of the world. From the grain of mustard seed, the kingdom of heaven gradually rises and expands, till it becomes a great tree, beneath whose shade all the nations of the earth repose; and in the history of individuals-from the day of small things, has not unfrequently arisen a career, whose brilliancy has dazzled and surprised the world; and from the remarkable concurrence of circumstances, events the most important to the interest of the individual, and the happiness of

mankind, have sprung. It is for the most part denied to men, who move in a public and extended circle, to witness those early displays of genius, and that gradual development of talents, afterwards so eminent for their usefulness or splendor, upon which the eye of a philosopher would love to dwell. This is usually the privilege of a few obscure individuals in some retired spot. The new fledged bird first tries its pinions in its own sequestered bower ere it soars above its native glen, and courts the admiration of man by the boldness of its flight, or the sweetness of its song. And yet there is such a peculiar interest connected with the early efforts of a mighty mind, and the first stages of an eminent career, that we gather with diligence all that can be gleaned respecting them, and listen with delight to the narration of those who were spectators. But few perhaps who have heard of Spencer, but would gladly be transported to the peaceful village of Collier's End, and mingle with the auditors under his first sermon there. And it requires no uncommon acquaintance with the principles of our nature, and the doctrine of association in the human mind, to predict that the villages of Halfway, Street, and Lewisham, in Kent, will derive some celebrity in the religious world from having been the scenes of ministerial labor, when a youth, to a preacher, who for these twelve years past has held the delighted auditories of the metropolis the willing captives of his

eloquence. And surely such a principle as this, whilst in its gratification it yields an indescribable pleasure, may be cultivated to no small advantage. It banishes from the mind that despair of reaching it, which a contemplation of exalted eminence might inspire, by an assurance, that the object at which he aims is not unattainable, since its present possessor once occupied the same level with himself, and was attended by circumstances as unfavorable to his elevation as those which at present may encompass him.

Our amiable young preacher's first sermon excited a strong desire in his hearers for a repetition of his labors; and his fame rapidly circulating produced an invitation also, from another quarter, for the following Sabbath. To these solicitations, we may suppose without much reluctance, he complied; and he preached again on the morning of July 12th, at a village called Broughin. His text on this oc

casion was Col. iii. 3, "Ye are

dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God." In the afternoon and

evening of the same day, he preached again at Collier's End. In the afternoon from Acts xix. 2, "Have ye received the Holy Ghost ?" In the evening from Phil. iii. 18, "They are the enemies of the cross of Christ." The attendance at Collier's End, was, on this second Sabbath, so much increased, that the room would scarcely contain the people *Doctor Collyer.

who were desirous of hearing, and every one seemed still more deeply affected by the impressive manner, the solemn doctrines, and the surprising powers of this young divine. On the following Thursday he preached again at a place called Brickenden, from John iv. 29, "Come see a man, which told me all things that I ever did; is not this the Christ?" On Sunday, July 19th, he again resumed his labors at Collier's End, and preached in the afternoon from 2 Chron. xxxiii. 12, 13, "And when he was in affliction, he besought the Lord, his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, and prayed unto him, and he was entreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem, and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord he was God." In the evening the multitude that assembled was so great, that to gratify them all, he was under the necessity of preaching out of doors, which he did with great animation and effect, from Romans xiv. 12, "So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God." It appears from the report of one who was present at the delivery of this sermon, that it was remarkably impressive. Although surrounded by so great a crowd, he seemed quite undaunted, and expressed himself with an ease and an energy which produced the most serious impressions upon many, and excited the astonishment of all. To see the old and grey-headed melted into

tears beneath the simple touches and fervent appeals of a youth, but little more than sixteen years of age, proclaiming with the boldness and propriety of an experienced veteran the glorious gospel of the blessed God, must have been truly interesting. And it is also gratifying to know, that by the earliest labors of this excellent youth, happy and saving effects were produced, which remain to this day. On the evening of Thursday, July 23d, he preached at Buntingford, a town about ten miles from Hertford, from John x. 9, " By me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture." On Sunday, July 26th, he preached again, afternoon and evening, at Collier's End. In the afternoon from John vi. 44, "No man can come to me except the Father which sent me draw him : and I will raise him up at the last day." In the evening from 2d Tim. ii. 19, "Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his, and let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity." On the Wednesday eaening following he preached at Hormead, from. Psalm iv. 6, "There be many that say, who will show us ang good? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us." And on the Thursday evening again at Brickenden. At Hormead his congregation amounted to six or seven hundred persons, and the place where they were assembled was a barn. Indeed by this