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 long 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. R- to 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 permitted, to bring us together for the purpose of opening our minds to each other on subjects which required explanation. 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 1 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 six months.

.

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 e 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..... 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 Ohay. 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. 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 feelings and exercises, to which I can add little new. I am kept, but surely it is by the power of God. pougoupévos (1 Pet. i, 3,) is an em

Stand still