"Birmingham, August 3, 1795.

"Rev. and dear Sir,

"I RECEIVED your favour of the 22d ult. and for the interesting reason you assign, transmit a speedy answer.' The Society on whose behalf you wrote, I have ever considered with the respect due to the real friends of the best of causes-The cause of God and of his Christ: a cause which embraces the most important and durable interests of our fellow men and your name, dear sir, I have been taught to hold in more than common esteem by my dear brother and father, Messrs. Birt and Francis. The benevolent institution which you are engaged in supporting, I am persuaded, deserves more than the good wishes or prayers of your brethren in the kingdom and patience of Jesus, on this side the channel; and it will yield me substantial pleasure to afford personal assistance in your pious labours. But, for the present, I am sorry to say, I must decline your proposal; being engaged to spend a month in London this autumn, on the business of our Mission Society, of which you have probably heard.

"When I formed my present connexions with the church in Birmingham, I proposed an annual freedom for six weeks, from my pastoral duties; and should the Evangelical Society' express a wish for my services the ensuing year, I am perfectly inclined, God willing, to spend that time beneath their direction, and at what part of the year they conceive a visit would be most serviceable to the good design. I only request, that should this be their desire, I may receive the information as soon as they can conveniently decide, that I may withhold myself from other engagements, which may interfere with the time

they may appoint. I entreat you to make my Christian respects acceptable to the gentleman who compose the Society, and assure yourself that I am, dear sir, respectfully and affectionately,

Your brother, in our Lord Jesus,

00000000000

S. P."

The invitation was repeated, and he complied with their request, engaging to go over in the month of June, 1796.

A little before this journey, it occurred to Dr. Ryland, that an itinerating mission into Cornwall might be of use to the cause of true religion, and that two acceptable ministers might be induced to undertake it; and that if executed during the vacation at the Bristol Academy, two of the students might supply their place. He communicated his thoughts to Mr. Pearce, who wrote dius in answer :

"My very dear Brother,

"May 30, 1796.

your

"I thank you a thousand times for last letter. Blessed be God who hath put it into your heart to propose such a plan for increasing the boundaries of Zion. I have read your letter to our wisest friends, and they heard it with great joy. The plan; the place; the mode; the persons; all, all meet our most affectionate wishes. How did such a scheme never enter our minds before! Alas, we have nothing in our hearts that is worth having, save what God puts there. Do write to me when at Dublin, and tell me whether it be resolved on; when they set out, &c. I hope ere long to hear, that as ma

ny disciples are employed in Great-Britain, as the Saviour employed in Judea. When he gives the word, great will be the company of the preachers.

"Oh, my dear brother, let us go on still praying, contriving, labouring, defending, until the little leaven leaveneth the whole lump, and the small stone from the mountain fill the whole earth.'

"What pleasures do those lose who have no interest in God's gracious and holy cause! How thankful should we be, that we are not strangers to the joy which the friends of Zion feel when the Lord turneth again Zion's captivity.

I am, beyond expression,

Your affectionate brother in Christ,

S. P."

0000000000

On May 31 he set off for Dublin, and "the Lord prospered his way, so that he arrived at the time appointed; and from every account it appears, that he was not only sent in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of peace, but that the Lord himself went with him. His preaching was not only highly acceptable to every class of hearers, but the word came from him with power, and there is abundant reason to believe, that many will through eternity praise God for sending his message to them by this dear ambassador of Christ. His memory lives in their hearts, and they join with the other churches of Christ in deploring the loss they have sustained by his death.

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"He was earnestly solicited by the Evangelical Society to renew his visit to that kingdom in 1798. Ready to embrace every call of duty, he had signified his compliance; and the time was

G

fixed but the breaking out of the late rebellion prevented him from realizing his intention. This was a painful disappointment to many, who wished once more to see his face, and to have heard the glad tidings from his lips."

Such is the brief account of his visit to Dublin, given by Dr. Mc. Dowal. The following letter was written to Mrs. Pearce, when he had been there a little more than a week :—

"Dublin, June 31, 1796.

"I LONG to know how you do, and you will be as much concerned to know how I go on at this distance from you. I haste to satisfy your inquiries.

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"I am in perfect health: am delightfully disappointed with the place, and its inhabitants. I am very thankful that I came over. I have found much more religion here already than I expected to meet with during the whole of my stay. The prospect of usefulness is flattering. I have already many more friends (I hope Christian friends) than I can gratify by visits. Many doors are open for preaching the gospel in the city; and my country excursions will probably be few. Thus inuch for outline,

"But you will like to know how I spend my time, &c. Well then I am at the house of a Mr. H, late High-Sheriff for the city a gentleman of opulence, respectability, and evangelical piety. He is by profession a Calvinistic presbyterian; an elder of Dr. Mc. Dowal's church; has a most amiable wife, and four children. I am very thankful for being placed here during my stay. I am quite at home, I mean as to ease and familiarity; for as to style of living, I neither do, nor desire to equal it. Yet in my present situation it is convenient. It would, however, be sickening and dull, had I

and to call my own.

hot a God to go to, to converse with, to enjoy, Oh, 'tis this, 'tis this, my dearest Sarah, which gives a point to every enjoyment, and sweetens all the cup of life.

"The Lord's day after I wrote to you last, I preached for Dr. Mc. Dowal in the morning at half past eleven; heard a Mr. Kilburne at five; and preached again at Plunket-street at seven. On Tuesday evening I preached at an hospital, and on Thursday evening at Plunket-street again. Yesterday, for the Baptists in the morn. ing, Dr. Mc. Dowal at five, and at Plunket

Street at seven.

"The hours of worship will appear singular to you: they depend on the usual meal times. We breakfast at ten; dine between four and five, sometimes between five and six; take tea from seven to nine; and sup from ten to twelve.

"I thank God that I possess an abiding determination to aim at the consciences of the people in every discourse. I have borne the most positive testimony against the prevailing evils of professors here:-as, sensuality, gaiety, vain amusements, neglect of the Sabbath, &c.; and last night, told an immense crowd of professors of the first rank, that if they made custom and fashion their plea, they were awfully deluding their souls; for it had always been the fashion to insult God, to dissipate time, and to pursue the bread road to hell; but it would not lessen their torments there, that the way to damnation was the fashion.'

"I expected my faithfulness would have given them offence; but I am persuaded it was the way to please the Lord, and those whom I expected would be enemies, are not only at peace with me, but even renounce their sensual indulgencies to attend on my ministry. I do assuredly believe that God hath sent me hither for good.