and logical reasoning.

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The keen rebuke.

The manner of Mr. J had now shrunk from the use of his

become so solemn, that Gaccustomed weapons, and replied in a tone of seriousness, "I believe that the Spirit of God is given to every man to profit withal, and that it does not come in gusts like the fitful and inconstant wind, but is always present in the same measure.'

9

"Did not Jesus Christ,' responded Mr. J– 'compare the Spirit's influence, by which sinners are born again, to the wind? The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.'

quite

"I understand by that passage,' said Ganother thing. My idea in relation to the Spirit's influence is, that it is diffused like the presence of Jehovah through all space—that it is around us on every side, encompassing us like the atmosphere which we breathe.'

"Never shall I forget the appearance of Mr. J————— at this moment. He was of middling stature, and rather stout in his person. His hair was white, and his whole appearance truly venerable. His countenance at this moment was wrought up into an expression of tender compassion, and evident surprise, and holy horror. His bearing reminded me of what I should suppose might have been the appearance of some of the old prophets of Israel, when the message of the Lord they bore was treated with contempt, and the zeal which they felt for the honour of God burnt like a consuming fire within their bones. Slowly turning his head, and fixing his keen eye upon G with a steadiness of gaze that seemed to pierce him through and through, with a low emphatic tone he said,

"I marvel that one who believes that the Holy Spirit of God encompasses him every moment, like the atmosphere he breathes, should ever trifle-should ever fail to be serious and solemn! I marvel that such an one should not set a watch before his mouth, and keep the door of his

More positive divine influence in a given place at one time than another.

lips. My dear sir, let me ask you plainly, do you not believe that there is more positive divine influence in a given place at some times than at others?'

666

‘No,' said G——— hastily and rather pettishly, for he had felt the rebuke he had just received.

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Instantly Mr. J- elevated his voice to a tone that seemed like thunder, and gave utterance, with a vehemence and impetuosity resembling the mountain torrent, to the emotions that were now roused within him, and were struggling to burst forth,

"A divinely commissioned minister of the Lord Jesus Christ-a man of prayer, and do not believe in the special influence of the Spirit-in any positive divine influence in one place more than another!!! Why does the inspired page say-Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near? Don't believe that God puts forth a stronger divine influence at one time than another! How does the sinner's heart become changed? Let me tell you, you might just as well say that you did not know whether there were any Holy Ghost. (Acts xix. 2.) I should like to know how with your views you can use your own church service. How can you say to the people when about to bow down before the mercy-seat in the solemn act of prayer-" The Lord be with you?" What do you mean by that? And what do the people mean when they respond-"And with thy spirit ?" What do you mean in that solemn invocation that follows-"0 God, make clean our hearts within us ?" Is it not the office of the Holy Spirit to cleanse and purify the heart? And if you do not take solemn words upon a thoughtless tongue, do you not mean to ask God at that very moment, to exert a cleansing act of divine power upon the affections of the soul? And if so, how does this harmonize with your theory? And what interpretation will you put upon the response of the people that immediately follows-"And take not thy Holy Spirit from us?" What do the people in saying this mean? Do they not mean, that it is possible

The doctrine of special divine influence taught in the Prayer Book.

that there may be less divine influence upon their soul than there now is. They who put up this petition understandingly and sincerely certainly must believe in a special divine influence. And is not this one of the doctrines of your church? Why do you pray in these words, O Lord, raise up we pray thee thy power, and come among us? And again, We humbly beseech thee, that as, by thy special grace, preventing (or going before) us, thou dost put into our minds good desires; so by thy continual help, we may bring the same to good effect? I have a Prayer Book which I often read, and it appears to me that your church acknowledges the doctrine of a special divine influence to the full extent; but I am afraid your ministers do not preach it.'

“Mr. J———— having paused for a moment, and Gnot appearing disposed to reply, he thus proceeded:

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'My dear sir, I am an old man-I have had some experience in life, and though you may regard me as an enthusiastic Methodist, if you will but listen to me you may hear some things that will be useful to you. I have heard

a great deal of preaching in my life, and have had the pleasure of listening to some of the first preachers of the age— but never have I seen or heard of any good done where the Spirit of God was not relied upon, as that which alone could impress the truth on the heart. Let me tell you, if you wish to do any good in the world, you must look to God for the special influences of his Spirit every time you attempt to preach. And if you will not be offended with me, I will also add, that in my humble opinion, the neglect of looking directly to God for the special influences of his Holy Spirit in your labours, is the grand reason why you, church ministers, see so few conversions among your people. When you preach, you do not expect that the Spirit of God will come down and convert the people. Your eye is not lifted up to the Eternal Throne in faith for this blessing; and the consequence is that, like Gideon's fleece, your congregations are all dry, while the dew of heaven

Dependence on the Holy Spirit in preaching.

falls everywhere around you. I say not this from any bad or hostile feelings, but in grief. My ancestors were members of the church of England. I love that old church, as she was in the days of her spirituality, when her prayers and homilies were written. O, sir, what a prayer that is which precedes the ten commandments, in the communion service-Almighty God, unto whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid; cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit; that we may perfectly love thee, and worthily magnify thy holy name, through Christ our Lord. This is the kind of recognition of the work of the Spirit, which I very seldom hear from your preachers. If you will only follow the doctrines of your Prayer Book, and preach them, there would be a new state of things in your church.'

"All this was spoken with a manner so earnest, and solemn, and impassioned, that it seemed like a message from the Lord to me. How it affected G- I know not.

But for myself, as I rode along on my way home, I could think of nothing else but this conversation. I was led to ask myself— Have I depended as I ought upon the Holy Spirit to affect the hearts of my hearers. I have often prayed that God would bless my sermons, but have I asked him to send down the Holy Spirit upon the hearts of my hearers, while I was proclaiming to them the message that I bore from Him?' And as I have proceeded in my sermon, have I preached as though I expected God would even then pour out his Holy Spirit upon those to whom I spoke? While I thus interrogated myself, my conscience upbraided me, and I felt that I had been leaning too much upon an arm of flesh-too much upon a well-written sermon-and that even when I asked God to bless my labours I had dishonoured him, by failing to expect the blessing I had asked for. As I rode along I endeavoured to confess my sins to God in relation to this matter, and determined ever after, in all my efforts to save sinners, to look solely

The rehearsal interrupted.

to the influences of the divine Spirit for success—yea, that the very next Sunday, as I stood by the valley of dry bones, and prophesied over them, I would say, with an earnest desire to understand and feel what I said,-Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live."

The rehearsal of my travelling companion was at this moment interrupted by our arrival at the place where we were to dine. He promised to continue the account of this conversation of Rev. Mr. H— after we had again started on our way. The promise was redeemed. sketch then given will be found in the next chapter.

The