But by a precious faith the Lord Jesus Christ, with being able to discover some traces of my own likeness in the several spiritual portraits that are there drawn. It is no uncommon thing for the children of God, when under the rod of chastisement, to have recourse to human and fleshly conclusions; thinking, that by God's severe dispensations, his thoughts towards them are not of peace, but of evil. thanks be unto his eternal name that recorded, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord; for as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah, lv. 8, 9. Every soul that is born of the Spirit of God, is more or less brought into the fulness of trial; and his dealings with his spiritual children are of such severity and diversity of character, that they require more than human nerve to endure them 1 Peter, iv. 12, 13; Heb. xii. 6—10. It is a very easy matter to pray for the teaching of the Holy Spirit to lead into the truth as it is in Jesus, but it is not so easy a matter for flesh and blood to endure the discipline consequent upon such divine teaching. The combined circumstances and their effects, connected with divine teaching, are truly humbling and indispensable; for without humiliating circumstances both of providence and grace, there can be no true humility. But I do not mean that all God's children must be necessarily outwardly poor in a strict literal sense, but they must be brought to know by experience that God is as much the God of providence, and that all supplies come from his liberal bounty, as he is the God of grace, Psalm cxlv. 14, 17. But what I have more particularly in view in writing this epistle is, the description of the third character in the remarks alluded to, as being more coincident with my present case and situation. I have now been upwards of four months exercised by very severe trials in the dispensations of Providence. I am a poor working man, and in regard to human means have nothing in the world to depend upon but the fruits of my own labour, and which I have been deprived of through the events and common circumstances of human life, for the above space of time; and which are all regulated by an unalterable purpose of the Supreme Governor of all things. And my family being rather large (a wife and six children) and not having a sixpence beforehand, my path has truly been both rough and thorny. But, blessed be the eternal God in Christ, I have not been altogether comfortless; but have had some precious visitations from the Comforter, which have spoken of things to my soul which testify of Jesus. I have sometimes prayed for my situation to be continued, fearing that if I were again in better circumstances, I should not have such sweet visitations of Jesus; for I would rather be ingulphed in the deepest abyss of poverty with the love tokens of Jesus, than have my head decorated with an earthly crown without them. I have often had to bless God for the wisdom of the plan of appointing tribulation for my path, knowing by experience, that when sanctified for good, much blessedness is realized. Rom. v. 3-5. Often have I had to adore the matchless love and goodness of God in the appointment of trying seasons, to humble the highmindedness and pride of my wretched heart, and to dethrone the self-righteousness of my carnal nature; to subdue those prevailing passions of natural and fleshly religion, to the religion and righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. In the midst of these trying seasons the Lord has supplied all my needs out of his riches in glory; yet, in Providence, I have had to wait rather longer than has been convenient to nature's feelings, which caused no little suffering, both to body and mind. At other times I had such dreadful fears, that I should have to eat my last morsel, and should surely die with my family. And often have I had great difficulty in making Providence and promises agree in this case I have been open to the attacks of Satan, and have found myself giving way to those burning injections, which are like flashes of lightning darting into the soul, leaving such a dark atmosphere, like midnight darkness, and unbelief rising with such a cloud of witnesses that seemed to darken the counsel of God, even doubting the very being of Deity and the divinity of Scripture; I have never experienced anything that swallows up my religion like this, and no wonder, as it removes its very foundationRom. viii. 7. There are other times, when the very scum of my corrupt nature rises up in rebellion against the sovereignty of God, repining and murmuring, being fretful and peevish, saying, "I do well to be angry." There are also times when human reason sets to work on the ground of my interest in Christ, which Satan is ever ready to assist, telling me, if I were a child of God, he would be at peace with me, and I should not be exercised by such trying evils. But, blessed be the God of all truth, he never leaves me to be devoured by these infernal beasts of prey, but makes a way of escape. 1 Cor. x. 13. These and many others are the daily conflicts of my soul, which keep me very solemn in my feelings, constantly looking to Jesus for help and deliverance; and occasionally triumphing by power of divine faith, beholding the sufferings of Jesus, and feeling a fellowship with them, that causes me to leave those things which are behind-with my soul humbled in the dust, looking to those that are before; and were it not for these blessed seasons I verily believe my reason and senses would fail me. As it regards the preservation and maintenance of myself and family, space will not allow me to enter upon; only to say, that the means are very wonderful and can be directed by no other hand, than He who sent the ravens to Elijah by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan, and directed Elijah to the widow woman at Zarephath; and my store is very often even lower than hers, for almost at every meal I know not from whence the next is to come. But thanks be to God, it has hitherto come, and, I verily believe, will come, as long as I remain at Zarephath. If this feeble statement of facts, Messrs. Editors, are worthy of a place in your vehicle of truth, they are at your service. Perhaps they may give a little encouragement to some poor tried soul, who is seeking a better country. And may the Lord God bless you, and your labour of love to the hearts of his dear family in Christ, is the prayer of Yours, for Christ's sake, Barnsley, Yorkshire. A POOR TRIED PILGRIM. [Ah! poor soul! He will never disappoint thee; the belief thou hast that one meal will succeed another, as long as thou "remainest at Zarephath," is his own gift, and he will surely honour the faith he gives. Thou nor thy family will never die of starvation, poor soul, while there is a God in heaven. The Elijahs are not all dead yet; nor has the God of Elijah ceased to supply, in the same wonder-working way as he did that blessed prophet. Thou art called now to live by faith-to walk by faith; and blessed living it is, though at times very trying to flesh and blood. But thou art learning some sweet lessons while traversing the wilderness; so that when thou gettest home, thou wilt not sit as a poor dumb spectacle for others to gaze upon (so to speak), but thou wilt have a song to sing as well as the rest of the heavenly company. Thou wilt be able to tell of the wondrous acts of a God of providence and grace, as well as those by whom thou wilt ere long be surrounded. But there is one thought that strikes us, poor soul! There are moments in thine experience, when thou art deeply led out in prayer for the eternal welfare of thy children. Now, it may be, that the Lord is even now in a secret, yet effectual way, teaching thine offspring such sweet and powerful lessons as they will never forget, but which he will make the means, by and by, of leading their poor souls out to crave for themselves a spiritual as well as a temporal blessing at the hands of the God of their father. Oh! cease not to assemble them around the throne, amid all thy trying exercises; thou knowest not the benefit of so doing, and, perhaps, never will, until time shall be no more; when it may be, that "that which thou knowest not but shalt know hereafter," shall testify, that the deep and trying exercises which thou art now called to endure, were made the very means, in the hands of God the eternal Spirit, of bringing thy children to a knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus. And should this be the case, dost thou not think thou wilt then bless him for thy present trials? The Lord be with thee, poor soul!-ED.] DEAR SIR, To the Editor of the Gospel Magazine. In unison with many of your correspondents, I cannot but rejoice that the GOSPEL MAGAZINE has passed from the hands of its late Editors, who would have directed it in a course utterly at variance with the design of its original proprietors, and calculated to cause disunion and confusion in the church of God; and I cannot but implore the Divine blessing upon you, that you may be enabled, as an under-pilot, to direct the vessel safely amid the rocks and quicksands of error on every hand, and to open up the path experimentally of the living family of God, that many dejected, feeble, cast-down souls may be lifted upmany fearful ones encouraged and many fettered souls be sweetly brought into the liberty of the Gospel, through your editorial instrumentality. I hope I can say that I have been "helped with a little help" through the first piece in the August No. "Take up the stum bling-blocks, &c.," and am glad to find that others have been refreshed by different portions. May you go on, dear sir, filling your pages with experimental truth, which has been learned in the school of trial, and wrought in the soul by the Holy Ghost, and may it prove to be food for those who are hungering and thirsting after righteousness. One great advantage of the new series, I think consists in the por traits of Gospel ministers; so that though I decidedly disapprove of it as at first edited, I think I should have continued it for the sake of the portraits, which I consider to be desiderata at the present time; but, believe me, I felt keenly disappointed with the last of that dear old veteran, Watts Wilkinson. Now, sir, I do not blame you; the reasons given on the cover, quite exculpate you; but permit me to suggest, what I believe would meet with the approbation of the majority of your subscribers, that instead of giving us, one such every month, you would give one occasionally-say three or four in the year of a superior kind, the expense of which may be about equivalent; or even one to two annually of good steel engravings, would, I think, be preferable to twelve wood engravings, and give more satisfaction to those who feel interested with them. Hoping you will give the suggestion a little consideration, Wolverhampton, Sept. 7th, 1840. W. F. [Our correspondent will perceive a reference to the above subject on the cover of the present Number.-ED.] ANECDOTES. THE BAKER'S BILL. [WE thank our unknown correspondent for the sweet account with which he has favoured us. It has warmed our hearts in the perusal. We therefore insert it to the glory of a covenant God and Father, and for the encouragement of his poor doubting ones. What have they to fear whose God is the God of salvation; whose are the cattle upon a thousand hills, and the gold and the silver likewise? Even "the very hairs of their head are numbered," and "not a sparrow falleth to the ground without his knowledge." Surely His people will want nothing short of an eternity, and the tongue of an archangel, to praise him as a God of providence as well as a God of grace.-ED.] DEAR SIRS, To the Editors of the Gospel Magazine. It was my happiness to be one of a number of friends who were convened together as a social party, to hear from the lips of a dear servant of Christ the following account of God's dealing with a poor woman from whom the minister stated he had received the narrative himself, and who thought that in relating it, it might prove interesting, and establishing to the faith of the Lord's people assembled, as well as glorify that God who is emphatically called our Heavenly Father, and which, I humbly conceive, should be the object of all such meetings. How often was this the case, would they prove a little Heaven below; that this is the case sometimes, my own experience testifies; but yet how frequently are they occasions for indulging in that kind of desultory conversation which is seldom profitable, and mostly productive of little or no glory to God, because Heaven or Heavenly things form no part of Christian intercourse; though there are, sometimes, communications between saint and saint at those meetings, which savour of their blessed Master, and are signally attended with his presence and blessing, so as to be seldom if ever forgotten. An instance of this fact occurred some time since, when spending the evening with a few of the Lord's dear children. A female present, quite a stranger to myself, conversed with me about Jesus and his glorious salvation (and if my memory is faithful) also in reference to the providential dealings of God with his people. It is but a few months since that I heard she frequently referred to that conversation as being blest to her; she always inquired after my welfare when an opportunity offered, and though I am told she much wished to see me when in her last illness, yet not knowing it, I never had the privilege of meeting her again in the flesh. But, oh, may I not hope to meet her above the sky, where the communion of saints will be without alloy? How often since then have I thought of the passage, "Let your conversation be as becometh the Gospel." The account of the poor woman was as follows :— A few years since a family lived at the East end of the Metropolis, consisting of a man and wife, and four small children, who, from the dissipated habits of the husband, were reduced to the greatest extremity of want and suffering; and when the calamities of this family were at its greatest height, the man took his flight no one knew whither, leaving his poor wife and her almost helpless babes to do the best they could. It appears that this poor woman was a godly character, and was enabled in the midst of her deep distress to lift up her heart to God and exclaim, upon a review of her afflicting circumstances, "Lord, help me;" "Lord, undertake for me ;" and so on. She was directed to try a small school, for imparting elementary instruction; but found this insufficient to meet her expenses, although they were of the most frugal character. She was then induced to take in washing, to add a little to her income: while, from the fatigues of the school and her own children, she had but little time or strength for this additional employment; however, with all her exertions, she could not keep out of debt, and found it quite impossible to reduce the amount of her baker's bill-four pounds-which was a great grief to her; and although the baker never pressed for payment, but called every day with the bread as usual, it became at last so great a burden to her, that she would say to herself, "How can I take in the man's bread and not pay him for it?" And when the account reached the enormous amount of six pounds, she could endure it no longer, but made up her mind to tell him she could not think of taking in any more bread, as she could not pay for it; which she did when he next called to leave the bread. "What!" exclaimed the baker, "are you going to live without bread, then?" "No," said the poor woman, in tears, "I cannot do that, but I am unable to pay you for what I have had." "Here, come, take your bread-you'll pay me some day, I dare say;" and leaving the bread, went his way. She was astonished at the man, but this was not the first time she had to wonder at the conduct of those who gave her credit; for often had she to acknowledge their kindness, and feel surprised that they should trust her in her reduced circumstances. Doubtless she found a solution of the mystery in that blessed promise, "Thy bread shall be given thee, and thy water shall be sure." Through the kindness of a friend she had obtained the promise of a gratuity of 41. per year, from a lady proverbial for her alms-deeds, &c., and who had directed this friend to pay it quarterly to the poor woman; and it was at the time when her mind was so exercised in reference to the baker's bill, that one quarter became due; and sitting one evening reflecting that she had saved up il., and being somewhat cast down in mind at the thought of 51. still remaining, she all at once thought of the quarter's money being due, and, bounding from her seat, said, "Ah, as Mrs. is to pay me, I do not mind asking ner for it; and that pound with the other will be better worth while paying Mr. away she repaired to her friend, who lived about three miles distant; but (so So |