are better not employed? Oh my dear sister, I am constrain'd to say, Lord, why I? and see no other answer can be return'd, but, O Lord, because it seems good in thy sight. To him be all the glory. But I have now wrote so much of these things, I have left scarce room to say any thing else. Let me just tell you we are all well as yet, but the small pox is come into town, and we are daily expecting to be tried with it. All our's is the Lord's, and let him do as he pleases. We join in most affectionate respects to you and brother. The Lord be with you in the needful hour, and in every other hour, and be better than all your fears. Trust him with your all, with whom you have trusted your soul. Farewell; in the Lord, yours,

"Risdon Darracott."

A similar account sent to Dr. Doddridge, drew from him the following reply.

"Northampton, March 30, 1747.

"My very dear friend,

"I thank you, and above all I thank God for the charming contents of your letter, which I have this evening received, and which was a most reviving cordial for me, after I came out of the pulpit, where I have been ending my sermons on 'the parables for this year, concluding this night those on the prodigal son, which I hope I have not been prosecuting without much blessing from

that gracious Saviour by whom it was uttered. I have been bowing my knees to the Father of all mercy to return him my most unfeigned thanks for the signal honour he is pleased to confer upon you, and for the, I think, almost unparalelled encouragement he is giving to your ministry, very far beyond what I can pretend to. But when I consider how very little I deserve, I rather wonder that I am not left totally destitute of all success, than that all my wishes are not answered. I rejoice to observe the humility with which you express yourself in the midst of all. 'Tis by the grace of God you are what you are, both with respect to ability, zeal, and success. "Tis my hearty prayer that all the gifts, graces, and blessings, of God's holy Spirit may more and more be made to abound towards you.

"I am particularly pleased with the account you give me of writing letters to some of your people with such good success. Perhaps it may put me upon doing the like. God has made use of your letters to quicken as well as to comfort me, and will by it, I doubt not quicken my prayers for you. Let your's for me, I beseech you, be continued."

Mr. Darracott could say, as Dr. Doddridge did in this letter, that his pecuniary embarrassments increased with his prosperity in the work of the Lord. For in the year 1748, the hospitality

which his generous soul practiced as a pastoral duty, was so far beyond his income, that it became necessary to provide some remedy. The relief was instantly afforded. He said with pious gratitude, "Never have I seen so much of the kindness of Providence. He has raised up friends unsought, and indeed unheard of, especially a French merchant at Plymouth. The heads of my people came generously forward to consult, and offer their help to raise my salary. They have already, this last quarter, raised it considerably, and laid such a scheme to be pursued for the future, as will be much for its augmentation. The young people, both men and women, have made a handsome subscription." Who would not regret to see such a heart as Mr. Darracott possessed, distressed and withdrawn from his nobler pursuits by worldly cares?

At this period of his life he undertook the task of travelling to collect money, in order to defray the expenses of enlarging the place of worship in which he preached. The task, however, was rendered less odious to him than it has proved to many, by the general prepossession in his favour which the extraordinary success of his ministry had produced.

He wrote thus to his friends at home: "God has wonderfully succeeded me. You will be surprised to hear what God has wrought! What

may we not expect when the Lord is on our side! In Bristol, cases are so frequent, that it was thought I should get little: but the enlargement of a house by reason of so many coming from the established church, is a thing so peculiar at this time, especially when the dissenting interest in most places is sinking, that many give to it who had resolved to give no more. Indeed the case perhaps has not its like in the nation: about two hundred come to the place more than when I first came, and nearly one hundred and twenty communicants are added to it in seven years."

Early in the year 1750 he received a visit from the apostolic Whitefield, who was then on his way to embark for America. In a letter to lady Huntingdon, Whitefield says, " at Wellington I lay at the house of Mr. Darracott, a flaming successful preacher of the gospel, and who, I think, may justly be stiled the Star in the West. He hath suffered much reproach, the common lot of all that are owned in the Lord's vineyard, and in the space of three months he hath lost three lovely children; two of them died the Saturday evening before the sacrament was to be administered. But weeping did not hinder sowing, he preached the next day, and administered as usual: our Lord strengthened him, and for his three children hath given him above thirty spiritual ones, and he is in a likely way of

many more. He hath ventured his all for Christ, and last week a saint died, who left him and his heirs two hundred pounds in land. Did ever any one trust in the Lord, and was forsaken? At his place I began to take the field for the spring. At a very short warning a multitude of souls assembled, and the bread of life, that cometh down from heaven, was dispensed amongst them."

Of this visit Mr. Darracott sent the following narrative to his kind friends at Poundsford Park, near Taunton.

"Wellington, Nov. 7.

"Dear and much-esteemed Madam,

"I send this to you, assured that to your spirit and temper nothing is so grateful as to hear of the prosperity of our dear Lord's kingdom; and of this I bless God I can now write you, in the remarkable entrance the Lord was pleased to give to his eminent servant, the Rev. Mr. Whitefield, lately amongst us. He came hither last Saturday was fortnight, with a design of going on to Exeter that day. But we entreated him to stay; at length he inclined too, on which I immediately gave notice that he would preach in the evening, at six o'clock in my meetinghouse; and though it was a very rainy day, and the notice but short, the house was so crowded, even at the doors and windows, as at the lowest