hierarchy would have given scope to their zeal, and yet have made it conduce to the support of the church, instead of being exercised to its subversion.

Before we quit this subject, I would observe, that one instance of the usefulness of my father's irregular labors, while he resided in Buckinghamshire, is entitled to particular specification. It was thus announced to him by his old and valued friend the Rev. Dr. Ryland of Bristol, about a month before his last illness. "What led me to write now, was a letter I received from Dr. Carey yesterday, in which he says, 'Pray give my thanks to dear Mr. Scott for his History of the Synod of Dort. I would write to him if I could command time. If there be any thing of the work of God in my soul, I owe much of it to his preaching, when I first set out in the ways of the Lord."" And the following is my father's reply in his last letter to Dr. R., dated Feb. 15, 1821. *I am surprised as well as gratified at your message from Dr. Carey. He heard me preach only a few times, and that, as far as I know, in my rather irregular excursions: though I often conversed and prayed in his presence, and endeavored to answer his sensible and pertinent inquiries, when at Hackleton. But to have suggested even a single useful hint to such a mind as his, may be considered as a high privilege, and matter of gratitude. Send my kindest remembrance to him when you write."

It can hardly he necessary to observe, that the person referred to is the distinguished baptist missionary in Bengal, who is perhaps better entitled than any other individual, to the praise of having given the first impulse to the extraordinary exertions of the present age, for the propagation of Christianity in the world. I well remember the late Rev. Andrew Fuller reporting, at my father's house, in the year 1792, the impression which had been made upon an association-meeting of his own denomination, by Mr. Carey's sermon, on the address to the church, (Isaiah liv, 2,) Lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes; from which he pressed the two propositions that we should expect great things, and attempt great things. Hence originated the Baptist Missionary Society. The London Missionary Society followed; then the Church Missionary Society; then the Bible Society; and in succession, various other institutions, all, we trust, destined to contribute their share to that great and blessed consummation,

"By prophecy's unerring finger mark'd
To faith's strong eye."

"During this term of my life," my father proceeds, "I was called on, in consequence of its being impracticable for the Rev. Henry Venn and the Rev. Thomas Robinson to -perform a service designed for one of them, to preach a funeral sermon at Creaton, in Northamptonshire, for the Rev. Mr. Maddox, who had labored there very usefully for several years. The day was very wet, and I rode twenty miles in a heavy rain to the service, and the same in returning from it: yet during the time of service it was fair. The concourse of people was very great, and the church very small. I ventured to go into the church-yard, where I preached to at least two thousand five hundred persons. The congregation was attentive to a degree seldom witnessed: and for twenty years after, the effects of that sermon were not forgotten, even if they now are. following Sunday, I preached twice in the same churchyard to nearly as large congregations: but I never, on any other occasion preached in the open air.

On the

"In this connexion an incident may be introduced which occurred at an early period, but my part in which only now became known, in one of my excursions into Northamptonshire.

"As far back as the year 1776, the Northampton newspaper, during several successive weeks, contained sharp disputatious papers between two parties of the independent dissenters, belonging to the meeting of which Dr. Doddridge had formerly been minister. I felt much displeased with the spirit manifested in these papers; and I wrote (under what signature I do not now remember,) a letter shewing the bad tendency of such discussions in a public print, and of these mutual criminations of persons professing godliness; concluding with the apostle's words, If ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another." (Gal. v, 15.) The consequence was, that in the next newspaper both parties entreated the writer to come forward, and be the umpire of their differences! Little did they think how incompetent he was for such an arduous office, or suspect his youth and inexperience.-I took no notice of this proposal. The publisher of the paper declared his purpose of inserting no more on the subject; the dispute was so far quashed: and, though many conjectures were formed, the writer of the letter was never known till some time after I had removed to Olney. But, being then at Northampton, where I lectured in a private family, I in

the course of conversation told some of the principal persons that I had written the letter; and had the satisfaction to hear them allow, that it had indeed proved a word in season."

In the summer 1783, while curate of Olney, my father made a visit to Shropshire, in company with his highly esteemed friend the Rev. John Mayor, Vicar of Shawbury, near Shrewsbury; and was there confined with a very dangerous illness of some weeks' continuance. As an extract of a letter from Mr. Mayor, written since my father's death, records this event, so distressing at the time to his absent family, and will also serve as an introduction to some letters which are to follow, I shall here insert it.

"My first acquaintance with your father was, when Mr. Charles of Bala and I were undergraduates, and spent our Jong vacation at Olney, soon after Mr. Newton's acquaintance commenced with him. I paid my first visit to him the beginning of September, 1782, when greatly disturbed with scruples about baptizing the children of the openly profane. His integrity in declining preferment some years before, from scruples respecting the Athanasian Creed, induced me to take a journey of a hundred miles to consult him, when travelling was very painful to me.-Before I could open my distress on account of baptizing, I was led by the assertions of Mr. Rto say somewhat on the mistakes which many in my neighborhood, called Calvinists, ran into, respecting points supposed to be Calvin's doctrine, which were attended with the worst effects on their tempers and conduct. Sin was considered by them as a pitiable infirmity, rather than as deserving wrath and condemnation. The character of God was clouded; and the glory of redemption, and the dispensation we are under by the gospel, not acknowledged to the comfort of returning sinners. This led into many discussions afterwards, which made your father say, that he thought my scruples about baptism were per mitted, to bring us together for the purpose of opening our minds to each other on subjects which required explan ation. I had my scruples removed by a single sentence Your father said, 'the right of children to baptism is not their parents' faith, but the profession of it, so far as to bring them to the ordinance.' Archbishop Leighton was of the same mind.-Mr. Scott returned with me, after a second visit to Olney, in the summer of 1783. He was not well soon after we left Olney; and, before we reached Shiffnal,

he was obliged to lie down at a little ale-house, while I sent for a chaise, and thus conveyed him to Shiffnal, and thence to Shawbury. His life was despaired of: but it pleased God to bless the physician's prescriptions, and, after almost a month's illness, he rapidly acquired strength, and preached for me the last Sunday twice, if not three times. I drove him back in my gig to Olney, recovering strength every step of his journey. He had given me directions to make his will, and intended to leave me executor, to print such of his papers as I should think advisable: a great honor, which I bless God I was relieved from enjoying by the happy turn given to the state of his health. I rejoice in the many useful years he since spent upon earth, to the edification of his own, and, I trust, of future generations. I paid him several other visits at Olney, in one of which I buried, at Weston, an infant child of his, a few months old. I missed hardly any opportunity of paying my respects to him at London, and at Aston Sanford. I always highly respected his understanding, as of the first order: his humility in searching for, and readiness in receiving truth from such as were far inferior to him in every thing: his great sincerity, prudence, and uniform zeal for the glory of God, and the salvation of souls. He was cheerful, with gravity: and never seemed to lose sight of the great business of life, to glorify God, and edify his brethren, and all about him."

At Olney my father published a Thanksgiving Sermon on the close of the American war, preached July 29, 1784; and, about nine months afterwards, his Discourse on Repentance. Of the latter he thus speaks in his narrative.

"The Discourse on Repentance was first preached as a sermon to a very small congregation at Olney, and afterwards to a very large congregation (irregularly) at Paulerspury, in Northamptonshire, where it produced permanent effects in several instances. I then wrote and enlarged it for the press, commonly with a child on my knee, or rocking the cradle, and my wife working by me: for a study and a separate fire were more than my purse would allow. I augured much usefulness from this work, as did my wife also, far more than from the 'Force of Truth:' yet, having printed seven hundred and fifty copies, and given away at least a hundred, I do not think the rest of the impression would ever have been sold, had I continued at Olney. Even of the 'Force of Truth,' ten years elapsed before the first edition, consisting of a thousand copies, was disposed of

though now nearly that number is usually sold in a year.* But several persons, who expressed much approbation of that work, decidedly opposed the Discourse on Repentance. -So discouraging a beginning had my labors from the press!"

CHAPTER VIII.

CORRESPONDENCE DURING THE PERIOD OF THE PRECEDING CHAPTER.

SUCH is the narrative which my father has left of the principal occurrences during his residence at Olney. I shall now present extracts of his correspondence which may illustrate the course of events, or the progress of his mind, at that period.

Olney, it will readily be conceived from facts which have already met the reader's eye, notwithstanding its having been favored with the residence and labors of Mr. Newton during sixteen years, was by no means, when my father removed to it, a very inviting scene of ministerial service. Indeed the temper manifested, when a successor was to be appointed to Mr. N., cannot fail to surprise and offend us; and ought certainly, as my father intimates, to be borne in mind when his ministry there is under consideration. Olney, at that period, was a much divided place: the people were full of religious notions-of that "knowledge which puffeth up," while the "love that edifieth" was comparatively rare. There were, no doubt, many excellent Christian characters among them; but, in general the religion of the place was far from being of a sufficiently practical character: and it cannot be doubted, that the exquisite candor and tenderness of Mr. N.'s temper had failed of adequately counteracting the existing tendency of things. Many indeed were nursed up to a morbid delicacy of feeling, which could not bear the faithful application of scriptural admonitions, even by his gentle hand, without expostulation and complaint.

There is the less need to scruple this statement, because I trust, and it was my father's hope and belief, that the

*Six thousand copies of a cheap edition have been sold within the last months.