:

many seemed affected: but, in conversation and religious exercises at the house where I lodged, it was a more affecting season still. They desired me to stay and preach the following evening, and I was not very reluctant, as I saw some impression made a greater number were gathered together, and the word still more blessed. Many, again followed me to my lodgings, where we had another affecting season. I was called upon, next morning, to visit a person that was under great distress, by the word he had heard the night before talking and praying with him greatly affected me, and I left them, with much satisfaction in what I saw."

Thus Mr. Darracott enlarged his sphere, by visiting the adjacent towns and villages, to seek for the sheep of Christ wherever he could find them. He was regarded as the affectionate friend of the souls of men, and all who began to feel solicitous for their salvation, looked to him for counsel and aid. What distinction can be more exalted? But, as the post of honour is the post of labour; it brought upon him a load of engagements, which nothing but love to the work could make pleasant.

That his own peculiar charge had no reason to complain of having but half their pastor's heart, or of suffering injury from the extension of his labours in every direction, the following letter will prove.

"Dec. 24, 1757. "I have lately found more ardent desires to be

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I

useful, and my dear people have been more prayerful, for a blessing. And, I do think, more has been done in a way of awakening, in two or three weeks, than I recollect for this twelvemonth. It is principally, too, among the young women. had more than twenty such with me, last Sabbath evening: they meet and pray together. My dear daughter is one of them, and fills my heart with joy. I cheerfully hope the impressions will not be all like the early dew or morning cloud; though, I must own, I have seen so much of impressions dying away, that I cannot be so sanguine as I have been."

He had now increased the number of his communicants, from twenty-eight, to nearly three hundred. Several hundreds more had been deeply impressed by his preaching, but some of them had been removed by Providence ; and the religion of others proved like the morning cloud or the early dew that hasteth away. The place of worship, though it had been enlarged, was still too small; for numbers stood at the doors. The country around saw, with astonishment, multitudes flock into the town, eager to hear the word which they formerly despised.

But this success was chiefly among the poor; for the greater part of the rich, whether among the original members of his own congregation, the inhabitants of the town, or the residents in the adjacent villages, despised his preaching as mere enthusiasm. He was, however, in the

highest degree a rational preacher; for he carefully sought to ascertain the sentiments of the divine mind, the source of reason, and preached them with the fervour which they should excite in all reasonable minds. The purity of Mr. Darracott's motives, was seen by the satisfaction he felt in his success among the poor, amidst all the contempt of the rich. His own mind

was formed for more elevated society, and his manners procured him a respectful welcome among some select friends of rank and title. But he laboured, like his Master, to preach glad tidings to the poor, and was satisfied with being able, like him, to rejoice and say, "I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and prudent, and revealed them to babes; even so, Father, for so it seemeth good in thy sight."

The time now drew near that this faithful servant should return, to give up his account to him that sent him. He was, therefore, previously tried to see whether he could suffer as nobly as he had laboured for God; and the concluding scene exhibits an example of passive religion, even more eminent than the specimen of active devotion which his life has afforded. If ministers have already been taught how to live, Christians may now come and learn how to die.

CHAPTER IV.

MR. DARRACOTT'S LAST ILLNESS AND DEATH.

THE first attack of the disorder which removed Mr. Darracott from this world, was in the year 1757, but from this he recovered. His head, however, was so severely affected by the complaint, that his labours, the delight of his heart, were much impeded. To such men as Mr. Darracott, nothing is so fatiguing as inaction. Like angels, they enjoy the activity to which their Maker calls them, and only dread the chain that binds their hands, the clay that impedes their wings. It was, therefore, regarded by the pastor of Wellington as a favour, that, when his exertions were diminished, he was soon called home to the more vital existence of the blessed.

In the middle of the following year, the attacks became more violent. Four times, in eight days, alarming manner. The

he was seized in an first time was, on the morning of the Lord's day, which distressed him with the apprehension of

not being able to feed his flock.

He went through

the services of the day, however, with more than ordinary solemnity, if with less than his usual animation. His audience were much affected;

for he told them he felt all the solemn ave of a man about to put off this tabernacle.

There is a calm seriousness more impressive than the most rapturous animation. In this, the celebrated President Edwards, of New England, " excelled. Too feeble to give effect to his compositions by physical means; he supplied every defect by the seriousness of eternity, which reminded his hearers of such scenes of transcendent devotion, as his own memoirs exhibit. This, however, must have been peculiarly impressive to the congregation at Wellington; as they had been accustomed to a manner, which formed a perfect contrast to the stillness of death; for it has been shrewdly observed, that Mr. Darracott looked "like one that lived upon live things."

The last of the repeated attacks which Mr. Darracott suffered, was in the pulpit, on the following Friday, when he was a second time led out of the congregation by some of his afflicted flock. He recovered again so far, as to preach on the following Lord's-day, on the words which afforded him peculiar consolation: “Although my house be not so with God; yet hath he made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and sure: this is all my salvation, and all' my desire, although he make me not to grow."

Under the impression of approaching mortality, he wrote to a friend, with devout submission,