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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 alehouse, 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 adviseable: a great honour, which I bless God I was relieved from enjoying by the happy turn given to the state of his health. I rejoice in the

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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 Sandford. 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 labours from the press!"

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

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.

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Olney, it will readily be conceived from facts which have already met the reader's eye, notwithstanding its having been favoured with the residence and labours of Mr. Newton during sixteen years, was by no means, when 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 candour 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 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. 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 disappoint