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lum one; Debtor's-Prison one; Bridewell one; Penitentiary two; Lunatic-Asylum one; Maniac-Hospital one. Total eighteen.

During the past year Mr. Stanford delivered five hundred and forty-seven sermons, and during the present year, down to the 28th of November, he has exceeded that number.

Although the above statement very far exceeds the labours of ministers in general, yet even this was frequently transcended by this indefatigable man. That the above was not selected as a rare and uncommon instance of his laborious zeal for the salvation of men, will be made to appear in the subsequent pages. His pulpit labours were very abundant, besides the ever varying scene of toil to which he was called, in catechetical classes, funerals, parochial visitations, &c. &c.

During the month of August, Mr. Stanford again visited Mount-Pleasant, and the places adjacent, frequently preaching to large and attentive congregations.

On the 20th, he assisted in the ordination of Mr. Frederick Smith, in the church at Stamford, in Connecticut, and preached the sermon, from Jeremiah iii. 15, and made the ordaining prayer. After preaching the gospel in several other places in the state, he returned home, and entered again, with renewed vigour, upon the discharge of his duties as the servant of Christ. About the same time Mr. Stanford was solicited by the Welsh church in Mott-street, to deliver a lecture on the evening of the first Sabbath in every month, for the benefit of those who understood the English language. This service he performed gratuitously, and without interruption, for more than two years. That the uneducated Welsh who attended, might not be entirely deprived of the benefit of the lecture, the following order was adopted. The services were introduced by a hymn, and prayer in Eng

HIS LABOURS IN THE STATE-PRISON.

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lish; then followed a hymn in Welsh; after the text was announced, the pastor of the church repeated it in Welsh; and when the lecture was closed, the pastor prayed in Welsh, and the services were concluded by singing an anthem in the same language.

In the month of October he received a special invitation to preach in the chapel of the State-Prison. His sermon on this occasion was from Isaiah xlviii. 10-" I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction." Soon after this, Nicholas Roome, Esq. the head keeper of the prison, solicited him statedly to devote a portion of his services to the benefit of that institution, especially on the first Lord's day in every month. This was the commencement of his useful and long continued labours within the walls of the New-York State-Prison, where, for more than twenty years, he had the immediate charge of the spiritual concerns of its inmates.

A few months after Mr. Stanford commenced his stated labours in this abode of human wo, the following affecting case of conversion occurred.

"The case of JR, aged 20.

"I found this young man very low, and fast hastening to the grave; of which he himself appeared to be sensible. On asking him the state of his mind, he replied, 'O, Sir, I am at a very great distance from God; nor have I any expectation of being brought nigh unto him. I have indeed been praying, but after all, I do not think that I know the right end of prayer from the beginning. If I could only say, Christ died for me, that is all I wish-I should then be willing to quit this sinful world. My parents, who live in Vermont, gave me a good education; but I now want some better knowledge, to lead me to God. I have just been talking to my companions on these subjects, yet nothing seems to relieve my case.' I then took some pains to instruct and to comfort him, by showing from

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CONVERSION OF J. R.

the scriptures, that distant sinners may be made nigh by the blood of Christ,' and that it was the office of the Holy Spirit to give him precious faith in the promises of the gospel, and to lead him to Jesus Christ as a Saviour. During this conversation he looked upon me with great earnestness, while tears stood trembling in his eyes. I was about to leave him, when he earnestly requested me to remember him in my prayers. With this request I immediately complied, and prayer was offered at the side of his bed. I hope I shall have occasion to rejoice for ever in the Lord, concerning this poor young man.

66

July 29th. Impressed with a concern for his soul, I hired a carriage on purpose to visit him. He was much worse, and could speak but little. My mind, said he, is much relieved, and I am looking to the Lord Jesus for the manifestation of his mercy.' I handed him a tract, which I printed some time ago, on' The Way of Salvation,' and requested one of his fellow prisoners to read it to him.

"August 1st. Lord's day. After sermon this morning in the chapel, I again visited this sick young man. With a peculiarly cheerful smile, he assured me that his mind was much more established by reading the tract; than which he said nothing could better have suited his case, and that he could now pray in faith, and hoped God would give him assurance of salvation.

"Friday, 6th. About midnight JR

died, "The following is the account of his last moments. related by the person who attended him :—

"Rknew that his end was near-he desired that his thanks be made to Mr. Roome, the physician, and yourself, for the kindness he had received. He then spoke very seriously to all the prisoners in the room. I asked him how he felt himself? He replied, I am quite composed-I have no fear of deathGod has made me a happy man in Christ.' He then

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told me to take care of myself, and be prepared for death. Directly after this he expired, rejoicing in Christ. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ."

On a review of the past year, Mr. Stanford says:"I have every reason to be thankful for the bounties of Providence to me and mine. Especially for the riches of the Lord's mercy, and the kind supports I have enjoyed in the performance of many new and unexpected services as a minister of the blessed gospel. Truly the Lord has been my God, my guide, and my support to this day. O that my gratitude and obedience were proportionate to my obligations. May my future life be more truly humble, and devoted to the cause of the Lord. Amen.”

CHAPTER VII.

COMMENCES THE YEAR WITH A PIOUS RESOLUTION TO DEVOTE ALL HIS TIME TO THE SERVICE OF GOD-PUBLISHES TWO TRACTS-EXTENSIVE LABOURS.

His diary for 1808, commences with the following pious and solemn remarks:-"January 1st, another year commenced! O how fast my time flies; how little has been done for the honour of my Lord, or for the benefit of my fellow-creatures. The prayer of the afflicted female, Lord help me,' well suits my case and my desires.

"What portion of this year I may live, is known only to God, may it all be devoted to his glory."

New-Year's morning he preached to the Moravian church, and in the evening at a chapel in Greenwichstreet. The reader may have perceived that it was the pious custom of Mr. Stanford, with the opening of each year, to pray to God to be directed to some passage of scripture, as a means of guiding and supporting his mind, if it should please the Lord to spare him until its close. On this occasion his mind seems to have been particularly directed to Hebrews xii. 2 -"Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith," &c. Upon which he remarks:-"Why should I look to myself, where all is dark and wild? Why should I not look to the exalted Saviour, who first gave me faith, and who alone can secure its completion? May this be my practice, as it is my privilege, until in glory I shall see him face to face."

In his diary for the last day of January, the following praise-worthy note is found:

"I sensibly feel the want of time, for the prayerful and deliberate discharge of my duty to the souls of