136 TRACT ON THE LORD'S DAY. choly. Who ought to be more innocently cheerful, than those who are redeemed by Christ, and have a hope of eternal bliss? If, at any time, your old intimates converse with you on your change of life, let your answers be firm, but chastened by humility and gratitude; and forget not to honour the grace which hath produced it. Some may probably try to irritate your temper, but I hope you will be upon your guard. Like David, Set the Lord alway before you, he will be at your right hand, and you shall not be moved.' He who hath taken you out of the miry clay, and set your feet upon a rock, will most certainly establish your goings. "Like the king of Israel, you may derive strong encouragement to trust for future supplies. Thy vows are upon me, O God, for thou hast delivered my soul from death: wilt thou not deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living? Thus may God help you to enjoy the comforts and the honour of religion. Deeply impressed with a sense of the divine presence, may you ever keep your garments unspotted from the world, and let your light shine before men. Live upon Christ, and the brightness of his glory shall be your portion for ever. "July 24th, 1810." "Your affectionate friend, "JOHN STANFORD. On the 16th of December, Mr. Stanford finished a tract on "The Observance of the Lord's Day," one thousand copies of which were afterwards printed for gratuitous distribution. The flagrant profanation of the holy Sabbath in this city, at the time when this tract made its appearance, stamped it with an importance, the amount of which it would be difficult to compute. By all who lamented the desecration of the day of rest, it was welcomed, as the warning voice 6 of God to the erring multitude; and it is believed that this opportune production exerted a salutary and restraining influence over the minds of many. Mr. Stanford continued his assiduous labours for the moral improvement of the unhappy inmates of the State-Prison, and generally visited the sick in the prison hospital on Wednesday afternoon of each week. These services were eminently blessed of the Lord to the conversion of souls. This proposition will receive further elucidation from the history of JH. "This young person," says Mr. Stanford, "was very ill of the typhus fever, and little expectation was entertained of his recovery. He was sensible of his situation, and with much anguish lamented the errors of his life. The recollection of his pious parents, who doated upon him, added keenness to his sorrow. I endeavoured to impress his mind with a sense of his depravity and guilt, in the sight of his offended God; and at the same time explained to him the necessity of an interest in the atoning sacrifice and intercession of the Lord Jesus. He sighed, and expressed great apprehension that his case was too desperate to admit of relief. At his request I prayed for him. Oh,' said he, I wish I had read my Bible; my conscience accuses me, and I am more wretched in mind than in body. Oh! how have I neglected to profit by my early education, and how distracted would my parents be if they knew I was about to die in my sins!' I directed him to Jesus, the friend of sinners, who is able to save both body and soul. He replied, I know that Christ is the way, the truth, and the life;' but then he is not such to me, and I fear he never will be my Saviour.' This gave me the opportunity of further explaining to him the tender mercy and compassion of the blessed Jesus, and I assured him that there never had been an instance, or ever would be, that Christ would in any wise cast out the penitent sinner who came unto him. I further instructed him concerning the office of the Holy Spirit, to give him faith, and ability to come to Jesus for the enjoyment of pardon and peace; and that this work of the Spirit was as necessary to be produced in him, as the work of Christ was, to atone for our sins. To encourage his prayer for this blessing, I assured him that God had promised to give his Spirit to them that ask him. Then,' said he, I will pray for the Holy Spirit, and I hope you will also pray for me.' "Lord's day, December 23d. After morning service in the chapel, this young person sent for me in haste. On entering his room he said, 'O, Sir, the physician has informed me that, at most, I cannot live more than two or three days. This I received as my death warrant; the shock however continued but a short time. God has visited me in mercy, and I really feel in my heart, that peace, through the blood of my Saviour, which I would not exchange for all the gold in the world! I now want to tell you a little of my short life. 66 My parents are pious, and possess a great deal of property. I am their only son, and they brought me up religiously, and gave me a good education. When I was about twenty, they set me up in business, and I was foolish enough to take a man as a partner, who deceived me, and wasted my property. I was afraid to tell my parents, and at a trying moment, I committed that offence which brought me to this place of misery. After weeping abundantly, he then proceeded: At the sad time of my sentence, my mother came to see me. The sight of my misery overcame her-she fainted and fell upon my chains. Under the recollection of these troubles, if I die, do let my parents know that I ask their forgivenes, and that I depart from this world in possession of pardon and peace in my blessed Saviour. The fear of death is gone; his terrors do not make me afraid.' Perceiv ing this exertion too much for him, I offered prayer and retired, not expecting to see him again in this vale of tears. was "December 26th. Inquiring if J— H— dead, was happy in being informed that his fever, contrary to all expectation, had taken a favourable turn. He stretched out his hand for me to embrace it. 'I feel,' said he, like a new man in a new world; I attribute this relief to God only, for the physicians had given me over. O that my life may be devoted to my Saviour! When my dear parents hear of this, it will be a balm to their troubled hearts. I am now almost covered with sores, so that I can hardly turn in my bed: but O! what are these when compared to my sins, and to the great mercy of my God. Now, Sir, let me once more thank you for your attention to me, and do once more pray for me and my parents.' "The health of this young man was happily restored. I afterwards conversed with him frequently, and he maintained a lively hope in the Lord Jesus. His conduct was so exemplary, that in a few months he received his pardon, and returned to the embraces of his affectionate parents." CHAPTER VIII. MR. STANFORD INVITED TO SETTLE IN SAVANNAH-VISITS THE STATE-PRISONS IN NEW-JERSEY AND PENNSYLVANIA, BY SPECIAL REQUEST OF THE COMMON COUNCIL-HE RECEIVES AN APPOINTMENT AS CHAPLAIN TO THE PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS IN NEW-YORK-RELINQUISHES ALL HIS PREVIOUS ENGAGEMENTS. WITH the commencement of the year 1811, Mr. Stanford, as had long been his practice, made a special request of the Lord, to grant him some particular text of Scripture to direct and animate him through the year. Upon this subject he remarks: "The word of the Lord, impressed upon my mind as a directory for this new year, is Psalm lxxi. 16—' I will go in the strength of the Lord God: I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only.' And, in what strength else can I go in the midst of temptations and sorrows, but in that of the Lord my God; and what else shall be the subject of my preaching, but the righteousness of God by faith in Christ Jesus the Lord? In his strength therefore may I persevere, and in his righteousness may I be found living, preaching, dying, and at the judgment seat of the Lord Jesus." Like the pious Dr. Young, he could say, Christ is "My theme, my inspiration, and my crown, My soul's ambition-pleasure-wealth-my world My light in darkness-life in death My boast in time-bliss through eternity My sacrifice-my God!" On the first Sabbath he preached twice in the StatePrison chapel, after which he visited a dying female |