kindly amongst them, quite alone, and expostulate with them in the most humble manner, endeavouring to persuade them not to go on in such a wicked course of life. As I found a few of them could read, I moreover carried in my pocket a number of printed hymns and distributed them, and I promised that if any of them would learn the said hymns, and come there on the next sabbath and say them to me, I would give them two pence. [N.B.-My pocket was picked while I addressed them the first time.] This plan succeeded to my utmost wishes; and every sabbath, sitting on the said stile, I had the satisfaction of hearing some religious subject repeated aloud, in the presence of perhaps ten to twenty of the very lowest of the degraded poor, on the spot where nothing but cursing, swearing, ridiculing religious people, &c. had hitherto abounded. This practice was continued till the inclemency of the season prevented, and then these poor outcasts, who never had entered a place of worship in all their lives, and never had been spoken to about their precious souls, actually offered to provide me with a place of shelter to meet them in on a week day evening, if I would attend and instruct them. [I could not, however, accept this their proposal,-the place selected by them for their winter evenings instruction, had neither door, window, nor fire-place in it.] From what I have witnessed I am sure that there are no cases of vice, ignorance, or spiritual darkness, however bad, but could be successfully met, if suitable persons could be found to instruct them and proper means adopted. I then invited them to attend at the chapel on Sunday mornings, where I would meet them as before, but very few of them came. But numerous children, unasked, gladly attended, and said hymns, chapters, and pieces, which greatly astonished us; and this was the commencement of all that subsequent important religious teaching of children, which always so much strengthened and blessed our cause. Additional good now appeared to be going on at the Common, and we thanked God and took courage. The steady and constant workings of the chapel services also, soon drove away that abominable nuisance herein before complained of, the house of ill fame, situate only two doors distant. 66 August, 1820. Sometime ago I visited an old woman who was very sick. On enquiring the state of her mind, she mournfully replied, 'O I am very low, I am afraid that I am not one of God's children.' 'Why are you afraid of this?' I asked. 'She replied, 'because I never had a call!' 'Never had a call,' said I, 'and upwards of eighty years of age? What place of worship have you attended?" 'O I have attended meeting for forty years, and have been all the while waiting for a call: one and another have been called there, but I have been always left out, and now I am afraid that I shall never be called.' In my deeply-distressed and humbled heart I said 'O Lord, what is now to be done for this poor deluded, dying creature,' The next day, however, she was truly and finally called; her day of gracious visitation for ever ended: 'Earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust,' was soon read on her account, and unchangeable eternity was her portion. O ye gospel ministers, so called, was this fatal delusion the fruits of your boasted ministry? and will not her soul be required at your hands?" MEDICAL ELECTRICITY. 10. Violent pain in his foot and ancle which rendered him unable to walk; perfectly cured by shocks, once administered. 11. Aged fifty-one.-Great debility of the whole system, every joint swollen and remarkably distorted for seven years; great benefit. Shocks through every part; had been endeavouring for years to procure perspiration, without effect-on the first administration of electricity, sweated profusely. 12. A little boy, aged five years.-Remarkably weak and debilitated in one of his legs, supposed to have been born so; it was much smaller than the other, and always cold. Shocks and sparks a few evenings; great benefit-increased in strength daily. CHAPTER VII. REPORT OF BIBLE ASSOCIATION COMMITTEE, WITH ANECDOTES AND EXTRACTS. "REPORT of the Warminster Common Bible Association, 2nd January, 1821. Mr. Chairman, Another year has passed away, with all its joys and sorrows; a new year presents itself, and, as it is an undisputed fact, that he that would build well, must first lay a good foundation; we believe that there can be no better mode adopted for ensuring a happy termination to this year, than that of early meeting again to encourage the circulation of that inexhaustible source of all good-the Bible. Many times, Mr. Chairman, has this place been filled with friends attached to this excellent Institution; they never were disappointed in their expectations. The great and glorious Author of the Bible has always smiled on the work-has at once confessed His faithful servants; and under His sacred influence, we have ever departed from the meeting, joyfully exclaiming, 'Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servants depart in peace, for our eyes have seen Thy sal vation,' And while we have shared in the blessing of giving, others have alike shared in the blessing of receiving. Numbers of our poor destitute fellow-creatures, are now rejoicing in possession of that treasure, which, without the aid of a Bible Association, they must have for ever despaired of obtaining. You have thus fed them with the bread which endureth to everlasting life; you have done what you could, ye true philanthropists: look at your exceeding great rewardHe that turneth many to righteousness, shall shine as the stars for ever and ever.' 'Let him know, that he that converteth a soul from the error of his way, shall save a soul from death.' And you who, by free subscriptions, have contributed your aid to this blessed work, we humbly ask, have you lost any thing thereby? has no extra blessing been imparted?-no evil averted? Cannot you bear a clear and joyful testimony to that Truth, 'God is not unrighteous to forget your labor of love?' has not a smiling providence, we ask, more than compensated? and are there not new blessings in reserve for you? As it is impossible to find a better way of doing good and glorifying God, we feel it our duty, this evening, in His great name, to stir up ourselves afresh, and begin again in this blessed work. One of the glories of this undertaking is, all religious parties can safely co-operate. As in the natural world, light dissected shews diversity of color, but when united, is only one pure transparent ray; so it is in Bible Associations. Here the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace, is strikingly exhibited; here truly it may be said, 'Names and sects, and parties fall.' Here also we find that unity is strength; and called in one hope of our calling, we give proof to the world, that the Bible is capable of making the Church on earth, a happy emblem of the Church above. O how infinitely surpassing all worldly entertainments, are such meetings as these; how consistent with the pure spirit of the blessed Gospel, and the high and holy character of beings born for eternity! They leave no sting behind: they greatly strengthen, and prepare for coming trials. 'When the storm blackens, and the thunder rolls, But we must hasten to lay before this meeting, au account of the last year's proceedings. The distribution of the scriptures has been, of necessity, comparatively small; owing to the ample previous supply. The poor, generally, are well supplied but we have it in contemplation, shortly to make another general investigation. Total number of copies distributed since the commencement of the Institution, .... 1677. 'Not unto us--not unto us-but unto Thy name, O Lord! be all the glory."" "1821, March 25th. An awful judgment fell on the head of an old profane swearer, an inmate of the workhouse, whom I reproved a fortnight ago for sabbath-breaking. He had several times sworn that he would rather the devil would fetch him, than that he should die in the workhouse. In the morning, he walked out of the house, in perfect health: in half-an-hour's time he was found dead in a lane, about half-a-mile off. Another, a gentleman, (I had the melancholy information from his own deeply-affected son,) who was at home, reading the newspaper, on a Sunday morning during divine service, and was going out to a dinnerparty in an hour or two, fell, in a moment, out of his chair, and never spoke afterwards. He was the object of admiration and envy to all his neighbours, on account of his uninterrupted health, and great strength. 'Death's dread commission, runs thus- who Early this year, my late master, Mr. — was a contractor with government for shipping timber, the proprietor and occupier of house, in this town, as also of much other property, died. On the approach of "the last enemy," he was so frightened that he actually leaped out of his bed, and died before he could be got back again. Before his interment, I had the following dream. I thought that I was again |