religious state of Olney is materially amended; and that that town, in some degree, exhibits the rare example of a Christian community considerably recovered from a corrupt state, contracted by the abuse of the best principles.—The statement also seems due to the subject of these memoirs, and it will receive confirmation from what is now to follow. Of my father's first proposed removal to Olney, I find only the following brief notice, in a letter to his younger sister, dated Weston, Sept. 28, 1779.-"I have some thoughts of removing from this place to Olney. It will not be a very important advantage in worldly things; but it will bring an additional care upon me of near two thousand souls. But the Lord will provide."

In less than a month after this, the burst of opposition had taken place at Olney, and had produced its effect in disconcerting Mr. Newton's plan, as appears from a letter of his to my father, of the 19th of October, 1779. He says, "I am grieved as often as I think of the strange hasty spirit that discovered itself among my poor people; and which I fear has deprived them of the comfort and benefit I am persuaded they would have received from your ministry..... I could not foresee what happened; my disappointment and concern have been great, but I cannot help it." The mortification of this excellent man was not yet, however, at its height; for the person whom his people actually pitched upon to succeed him was not yet in view, or at least was not known to him: for he forms other plans for them.-He concludes his letter in that strain of pious confidence in God which so much distinguished him. "What a satisfaction it is to know, that all things are at the Lord's disposal, and under his management; and that, in a way beyond our apprehension, he can and will overrule them for good. I can hardly now conjecture how I once lived, when I lived without God in the world. I was then in the situation of a ship at sea, exposed to storms, surrounded with rocks and quicksands, and without either pilot, rudder, or compass. Yet I was so stupid that I apprehended no danger. But surely, with the views I now have of human life, I should be quite miserable, should soon sink under the pressure of care and anxiety, if I were not invited, and in some measure enabled, to commit my ways and concerns to the Lord, who has promised to care for me.-I rejoice in the assurance, that he is and will be your guard and comforter. My heart wishes you much peace and great success in his

service. He is a good master, and his service, though not exempt from trials, is honorable and pleasant. So you find it: may you go on from strength to strength!"

Another letter from the same hand, dated July 27, 1780, implies a return in some of the people of Olney to a better mind. "I am glad you have opportunity of preaching sometimes at Olney. I hear more and more from thence of the concern many feel for the share they had in preventing your living among them. I hope the Lord will sanctify the present growing inconveniences they complain of, to humble and prove them, to shew them what is in their hearts, and to prepare them for a due improvement of a better supply hereafter."

This letter also contains the first allusion that I find to my father's visits to Leicester, where he contracted an intimate friendship with the late Rev. Thomas Robinson, and which town afterwards became to him a favorite place of resort. "I have lately had a visit," Mr. N. says, "from Mr. Ludlam, who brought me a letter from Mr. Robinson: so that I have heard of your visit to Leicester from others, as well as from yourself. I trust the Lord whom you serve is and will be with you statedly and occasionally, abroad and at home."

I persuade myself that I shall meet with ready indulgence for introducing still further extracts from the letters of this justly beloved character, whose epistolary excellence is also generally acknowledged. February 17, 1781, after my father had accepted the curacy of Olney, Mr. N. writes: "Had the curacy of Ravenstone been at my disposal, I should not have given it to Mr. But such is the

Lord's pleasure, and therefore it must be right. We agreed that Mr. had done" (occasioned) "some good at Olney. We shall find he will be useful in the same way at Ravenstone....We are short-sighted, but the Lord sees things in all their consequences, and has views worthy of his wisdom, of which we are not aware. How often should we spoil his perfect plan were we able: but it is our mercy, no less than his right, that he will do ALL his pleasure. Stand still and wait, and you shall at length admire the propriety of his management in all things. What can we desire better than an infallible guidance?....In my Letters to a Nobleman you have descriptions of my heart's feeling and exercises, to which I can add little new. I am kept, but surely it is by the power of God. povgovμévos (1 Pet. i, 3,) is an em

phatical word: it well expresses our situation. We are like a besieged city: the gates of hell, the powers of darkness, encompass us on every side; but we are guarded, garrisoned by the power of God. The name of the besieged city is, The Lord is there. Our defence and our supplies are from on high, and therefore cannot be intercepted. Our enemies may, they will fight, but they cannot prevail. The captain of our salvation knows all their plots, despises all their strength, can disconcert and discomfit them; and, whenever he pleases, compel them to raise the siege in a moment. We have a good promise, Isa. xxviii, 5, 6. So likewise the whole of Psalm xlvi.....I am daily with you in spirit: your comfort and your success are daily near my heart, and I am doubly interested in you, as we are both connected with Olney.... The season of the year, as well as more important reasons, puts Horace's words often into my mouth, O rus, quando te aspiciam? It must not be yet, but I hope the day will come, when we shall resume our walks, and revisit our favorite trees."

The following is characteristic of the writer, and at the same time conveys the information, which my father's narrative has not given, that, on his resignation of the curacy of Ravenstone, unsuccessful attempts were made to deprive him of that of Weston also.

"March 31, 1781. My dear friend, I had written to you and my letter was going off, when your's came, and made mine unnecessary, by what you yourself said of the subjects I had in view. I then thought I would wait till I could congratulate you and Mrs. Scott and myself on your removal to Olney, which I hope I may now do. May the good, the great Shepherd dwell with you, (be your glory and defence) in your heart, house, and assemblies! I have been much with you in spirit of late. My love to you, if you were in another place, and to the people of Olney, if they had another minister, would singly excite my attention and best wishes: At present these motives are united, and strengthen each other.

"Methinks I see you sitting in my old corner in the study. I will warn you of one thing. That room (do not start,) used to be haunted. I cannot say I ever saw or heard any thing with my bodily organs, but I have been sure there were evil spirits in it, and very near me: A spirit of folly, a spirit of indolence, a spirit of unbelief, and many others-indeed their name is Legion. But why

should I say they are in your study, when they followed me to London, and still pester me here? I shall be glad, however, if your house be fairly rid of them. I am sure they .were there once. I hope, likewise, you will have better company when you are there alone, more frequently than I had. I hope the Lord has sometimes favored it with his gracious presence. I hope, if the walls have been witnesses of my complaints and shame, they have been likewise to my attempts to praise him, and to many prayers which I have offered up for my successor, long before I knew who he was to be. May all, and more than all that I ever besought him for myself, be vouchsafed to you, and the blessings I have entreated for the people be afforded to them under your ministry!

"I understand the designs of those who would have deprived you of Weston have been defeated. It is therefore the Lord's pleasure you should keep it for the present. In this view I ought to be, and am glad of it, as I know it was much upon your heart. Yet, had he appointed otherwise, I should not have been so sorry, as you would probably have been at the first However expedient and apparently necessary your serving Weston may seem, it may, perhaps, be the chief cause of inconvenience to you at Olney. When you are absent from home, the people will be under a continual temptation of mixing with those, who will do all in their power to prejudice them against you, at least against the church. Such a spirit I know is very prevalent.....It is possible likewise that the Weston people may not always be content with one service a day. But I know your views and motives are such as the Lord will bless. To day is our's: what is matter of future duty, He will make known in his time. I cannot doubt but your labors at Olney will be welcome and acceptable to the best of his people, and I cannot but hope He will raise you up a new people there, and cause you to rejoice in some over whom I have often mourned. You desired to follow his leading, and I cannot believe he would have led you where you are, if he had not something important for you to do. Be of good courage, wait patiently his leisure, and he will give you the desire of your heart.

"My mouth waters to come to you: but it cannot be till some time (I know not how long) after Easter......But all these things are in the Lord's hand. When I see the cloud taken up from the tabernacle, I shall be glad to move,

otherwise I dare not. I am so blind to consequences that I tremble at the thoughts of forming a plan for myself.Your prayers will be among the means to help me forward.....A thousand ifs may be suggested, but they are all in the Lord's hands; and therefore, if it be his will that I should visit you, nothing shall prevent it. If he sees it not expedient or proper, he will not send an angel to tell me so, but he will tell me by his providence. If he wills me to stay here, why should I wish to be somewhere else? If we were not prone to prefer our own will to his, we should never complain of a disappointment. This is the lesson I want to learn. I am so much at teaching it to others, that it might be supposed I had acquired it myself. But the Lord and my own heart know how far I am from having attained.

"My love to your new people: I have not room to particularize names, but I love them all. Believe me, your affectionate friend, JOHN NEWTON."

I have one more letter of Mr. Newton's to insert, and I shall introduce it here, though rather by anticipation. It is dated March 15, 1782. I think no reader would wish it omitted.

"This morning I have hope of indulging myself in half an hour's pen-chat, with my dear friend Mr. Scott; a pleasure I could not have sooner, though the receipt of your's made me desirous of writing. I thought I had reserved time last Saturday, but unexpected company came in and ran away with it: and this is often the case.

"I should have liked to have been with you at Leicester. I love the place, the sheep, and the shepherd of that fold, and I love the friends and ministers you met there. I am glad you had pleasure and profit in your excursion. I can guess that the contrast you felt on your return was painful: for I likewise have been at Olney, and have preached once and again, when the congregation has reminded me of the scattered ships* of Eneas which survived the storm,

-rari nantes in gurgite vasto.

I likewise have preached at Leicester and Olney in the same week, and been conscious of the difference both in numbers and attention. I can assure you, that, though I put the best face upon things, and was upon the whole com

* The classical reader will excuse a slight inaccuracy here.