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liarly interesting, and also trying, position; and thus we became early partners in the toils of the spiritual vineyard, and “companions in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ."

A good congregation soon gathered, as John and his father, with a few others specially engaged" on the spur of the moment," raised their "tuneful voices" in a court of considerable extent, and near to which, scores of persons were passing and repassing, especially at that period of the day. The first hymn over, we prostrated ourselves in prayer before Him, who himself had so often " taught in the streets" of Jerusalem, and elsewhere, and has ever shown that His presence is not "confined either to time or place," and especially, that He "dwelleth not," (exclusively)" in temples made with hands;" but that, as "Heaven is (His) throne," so " EARTH," (yea, every plot and inch of it) "is (His) footstool!" (Acts vii, 48.)

The text selected was (Isaiah xlv, 9,) "Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherds strive with the potsherds of the earth!"

Brief was the introduction: for the people could scarcely be said to have been then fixed; business or caprice, inducing a somewhat trying movement, ever and anon, at the outskirts, like the rustling of drapery upon a walking figure, or the action of wind upon the front trees of a plantation. Here we

may suggest, for the benefit of our juniors, that lengthy introductions have been recently (?) discovered to be a bore, even on Sabbath mornings, and when addressed to the most quiet and studious auditories. Modern pulpit orators are complained of for constructing their discourses on too artificial a plan! It may be so: but "the plans" of almost any "architect," (of public buildings especially) might teach even that "ladies' preacher," (the author of much well-known and spirited poetry) that, whilst his Muse is more long winded than is quite admired, the introductions to some of his occasional sermons, are perfectly unendurable! We happen to know, that when he preached in M

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years ago, several parties went out at the close of his introduction, which extended over an hour! We ask what tyro in "plans or designs" of any kind, would have been guilty of such a vile disproportioning of parts to each other; unless, indeed,

*The titles of some of this celebrated writer's effusions have been complained of by persons of taste, as being infelicitously antagonised. Instance, "The Omnipresence of the Deity; a Poem :" and "Satan! a Poem!!!" which are his two principal performances. The latter earned him the unjustifiable, and not godly cognomen of "Satan M- -y," under which he was more than half-wickedly lampooned, in a certain regular depôt for the nation's laughter, which we do not recommend either our pious young friends, or lukewarm middle-aged ones, to take. The above piece of impiety, and irreparable injustice to a fellow man, helped to decide us, more than two years ago, to have little, if any thing, to say, about a thing that must make "hits," be they good, bad, or indifferent.

The latter part of this note is emphatically intended as a "United Contribution to the pastorate and their charge."-Vide our title page.

the sermon itself was to be spun out for at least six hours? It might be owing to a (not unnatural) phobia of the same, that the preface proved so moving! We are reminded of the candid admission of a late pulpit oddity, living at the antipodes of all

"Gentle theologues!”

who, when he once happened to be drawn out too far in his introduction, exclaimed,-" Bless me! I have made the porch bigger than the house." Dictum sapienti (non nunc)! sat est.*

But to our INCIDENT. We had barely secured attention to a few plain, heart-fetched, warnings to every unequal and miserable competitor of THE ALMIGHTY, and were hoping to follow our earlier blows with others yet more sure; when, behold! there appeared upon the field, or rather the pavement, (what will the elegant reader think?)- -a rat! with a terrier in full pursuit! Ignoble pair! We bit our lips in grief, and felt a passing suspicion, that "the Prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience," (Eph. ii, 2) might have sent the vermin, as a decoy to the "unthinking part" of our hearers. Another instant; and this was strengthened by the simultaneous rush of twenty or thirty (male) persons, of

* A word to the wise is (not at the present day) sufficient, on this subject.

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different ages, from "under the word," and their joining in the chase!

Were we to be discomfited? Were John's labours in "the vineyard" within the very "hour" in which he had been "hired," (Matt. xx, 2.) to be at once blighted, and " a kind of first fruits" thus snatched from his hand and trampled in the mire of sin and folly? Yet more ;—were the attentive, and grieved, part of the congregation, to be cut short of the spiritual meat, for which they had willingly sacrificed part of their" dinner hour," and, certain of them, the dinner itself? Not so. Higher rose the preacher's voice in the air, and forth went a loud, (perhaps harsh) appeal, to the better principles of the fickle part of his hearers, who had so "vilely cast away their shields," in the very hour of battle, and were in full retreat before him. "Come back!" he shouted ;-you see how little a thing will draw away the B- -y people from the Word of God! A rat cannot run across the street, but they must follow it; although they thereby leave a sermon behind! "Woe to the man that (thus) striveth with his Maker!"

It was successful: nearly the whole returned at once, overcome by shame, conscience, and last (not least) by a kind of amor patriæ.*

A love (or respect for the character) of their (own) country!

The discourse now went on without further interruption; and evidently favoured by the silent, yet forceful, law of re-action. Circumscribed, however, as by the laws of nature herself, we were not long in effecting a close; nor, under the circumstances of an open air service at so peculiar an hour, was the sermon less appropriate, or worse arranged for usefulness, because it happened to consist almost entirely of "application." Of course, our young convert was pleased: and so were the rest of the family, to have had one of the Itinerant Ministers to preach at their own door; and more than that, to look upon the altered appearance of their beloved relative since "A change came o'er him:"

and he had been "brought out of darkness," and began to emerge "into marvellous light!" The charm of Charles Wesley's lyre was yet potent in his soul," which, or ever he was aware, made him like the chariots of Amminadib!" (Cant. vi, 12.)

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Wandering again (or rather, meandering) from our INCIDENT, we are carried down the stream half a century below the date of the above humble service," to "a grand charge" made by our heroic founder upon the enemy," who was then deeply entrenched in the strong hold of the nation's heart and ways. One morning, (we have reason to believe on Tuesday, July 13th, 1784), Mr.

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