CHAPTER IX.

JOINING THE CHURCH.

EVERY ONE resolves when in trouble or sickness to live a better life, if happily he be rid of his present afflictions. The percentage of those who keep their promises we fear is terribly small. Very few indeed are they who with the first returning glow of health, or with the first ray of hope that illumes their darkened horizon, do not forget their vows with the trouble that caused them, and return to live for self as though the world to come had no claim upon them, or was not worth caring for. Ungenerous souls! who never speak to God except for selfish ends, who bargain with heaven and forget to pay, who in smile and sunshine mock the Maker they frantically call upon when none else can aid them. Oh, broken sick-bed promises! well has it been said, "Hell is paved with good intentions." How shall we meet you in the place of doom? for nothing is lost. No prayer sent up to heaven but rises wave upon wave, till its pulsations like the water-rings strike the shores of the eternal; and no broken intentions that if kept would have helped to raise the soul to heaven, shall be missing in those caverns of unavailing regret, but shall join with the mocking fingers of the fiends to taunt us with our loss. Better, oh! far better, to have never resolved to win heaven if we afterwards lose it; than be devoured for ever by the gnawing pang of remorse, amid flames that unite to wreath themselves into the fearful words-Too late!

But the sick-bed lessons were not lost on Henry; and the resolves he had made to live for another life

were to be scrupulously kept. His whole life was changed. He could not conceal from those about him that he was possessed by a new spirit, and animated by new desires. But he said very little, and only God knew how deep down in his heart was the hope that inspired him. He returned to work; and almost his first act, after reaching Wentbridge, was to seek out the minister of the Baptist Chapel, and express his desire of being baptized. The interview was quite satisfactory, though the Rev. Mr. Cranch was a little disappointed at finding Henry did not claim to have been converted under his preaching. He introduced our hero to the families of two of his deacons, the ladies of which were very attentive to Henry's spiritual welfare.

Wentbridge Baptist Chapel is worth a word or two. It was not called by any singular old Testament name, it was much too respectable for that; it was not called after any saint, no saints being recognized there except the minister and flock below and the immersed elect who had gone to glory above, from the various Baptist congregations throughout England and one or two other countries. No, it was simply named after the locality in which it was situated, which happened to be New Road, so every one knew it as New Road Chapel. New Road Chapel was in very low water indeed-not that the Water Company neglected to fill their tank properly, but figuratively their fortunes were at a low ebb. Mr. White, their late minister, Henry was told by a deacon's wife, with a sigh, and a solemn shake of the head, had lately "seen infant sprinkling."

"Indeed," replied our hero; "and was the sight so shocking?"

"Oh no, not that; you don't understand me. His

'views' about the ordinance changed, and with them his ideas of what constituted a 'New Testament Church,' for Satan was permitted so to blind his eyes as to permit him to think babies could be added to the Church."

Henry confessed this was very sad, for he had never taken pains to learn what his religious opponents had to say for themselves on the point; and he asked what became of the unhappy ex-Baptist pastor after he had " seen " infant baptism.

"Oh, Mr. Pattison, he engaged in a long correspondence with the Bishop of London, and ended by being ordained a Church-clergyman, and the poor unfortunate creature is now a curate in some little country place at 90%. a year, and here we were giving him 2007. Ah, sir, vanity and carnal reason did it all. We are a despised sect, you see, Mr. Pattison; but then, did not our Lord say, 'Marvel not if the world hate you?? And the Church parsons are much more looked up to like; and so, what with this, and what with the books he was always a studying, he came to 'see' infant baptism. Poor creature, Satan has blinded his eyes, and a paltry salary he has got for it. They say he is happy; but I don't believe it myself. How can a man be happy, after the freedom of the Baptist faith he enjoyed so many years, with nobody to interfere with the way he managed the church except his deacons? To be sure, my husband had to call him over the coals occasionally, when he thought he hadn't preached sound, or when he attempted to infringe on the deacons' rights; but it soon blew over, and we always made it up when he gave in, which he in general did, and then we raised his salary a bit. Ah, poor fellow; and now he is bound down, and chained to the forms and ceremonies of the Prayer

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Book, and can't move hand nor foot except the bishop lets him, and all for 90l. a year. No; I don't believe he is happy. Well, if the Lord opens his eyes, and makes him see non-conforming principles again, which I hope he soon will, me and Mrs. Rymer declares we will have him back again, if he likes to come; for you know, Mr. Pattison, we must forgive the erring, and restore a fallen brother! We've never done so well since he left. He was a clever preacher, very well read, and very humble. The poor used to like him wonderfully, he went amongst them so-rather more than we liked; for, after doing our best to make the place respectable and looked up to, it warn't nice to see our minister-the minister of New Road!-pottering about after all the low, dirty people, that liked to come to the free seats. I always told John it was low, and my words came true; for, instead of raising himself he has come at last to 90%. a year, and find his own surplice! Some of the people followed his example, and went to church after he left; and somehow or other his leaving hasn't done the cause any good. We were two years on "supplies;" but though no less than sixtyseven brethren occupied the pulpit during that time, the Church couldn't agree on a pastor, and I am sure we ain't a fastidious people; but really, as I often tells John, good ministers is a getting as scarce as good servants. I say, Pay well and you'll get well served; but they get scarcer and scarcer. Why, when I was a girl, Mr. Pattison, we never paid our maids more than 57. or 61. a year; and the minister thought himself well off at 17. a week, with a house and coals and candles; and now they ask 200l. to 350l. It's the colleges as has done it all. They get such notions there, they do. I've often told John we'd better try a less educated man now New Road don't properly fill; but he says it would

never do to have our pulpit worse supplied than the Independents, for they are coming out so in Wentbridge with organs and stained glass, and I don't know what! But, thank the Lord, we are suited now, I think, that we have got Mr. Cranch. You know, Mr. Cranch was formerly Editor of the Free Grace Times. He is very sound, and has had a college education, and, what is a good point in his favour, he ain't married; so he will, I dare say, take a wife out of the congregation, if the Lord prospers his work amongst us. All the girls voted for him when the Church put it to a show of hands; and I really think a single man stands a better chance of raising the cause than anybody else.

"I am glad you have been to see Mr. Cranch; it is a great step seeing the minister. I make no doubt the Church will accept you; we want young men to work amongst us. There is a great work to be done here, Mr. Pattison; and clever young men are much wanted. There is open air preaching, and the village stations have been rather neglected of late amongst us, since the Lord bereaved us. I am glad we shall have you amongst us. I don't think Mr. Cranch will object to baptize you. The pool ain't been opened this four months now, though there are three candidates waiting, and you could be baptized together. It will be quite a little event. I'll tell John, and Mrs. Wood shall tell her husband that they must pass you, for you will be a blessing to us, I know. Oh, never mind, you needn't go before the Church if you are too timid; write your experience down, and direct it to the Church meeting at New Road Chapel, that'll do. We'll make it a little easy for you, for we can't afford to lose such an active young disciple and pilgrim of Zion, as I see you'll turn out to be."

Henry went home and made an application for