His engagement to Miss Muse.

Extract of a letter from a friend. Anecdote.

too, by one of the most interesting and important occurenences of my life."

That occurrence was the ratification, in the month of May, of a matrimonial engagement with Miss Lucinda Muse, who still lives to revere the virtues and cherish the memory of her departed husband. "I view her," says he, as the dear object that a merciful God has selected for me, to comfort and bless the remnant of my days. May we both be entirely devoted to his service, and be made instrumental in promoting the kingdom of our blessed Redeemer."

Soon after this event, Mr. Walton received an affectionate and faithful letter from a fellow student and companion in the ministry, whose labors have, in recent years, been extensively blessed to the revival of religion in the Southern and Western churches, and to the salvation of many sinners. A short extract follows: "Remember your faith, your trust, your character, your all is pledged. This pledge cannot be redeemed except at Hymen's altar. Your mother was here the other day. How tenderly she loves you! It seems her life is wrapped up in yours. If you should die, or disappoint her expectations, I hardly think she would survive the shock. Think of this, my brother, and let it stimulate you to fill up your days with usefulness. * * My dear brother, let us try to be useful. Let us try, by the grace of God, to outstrip those around us in duty, in zeal, and in heavenly mindedness." A interesting anecdote is related in this letter, which is given below.*

*

*"You know I went to J last winter, and delivered four discourses. Well, as I was on my way there, Saturday before last, I met a black man on the road. He asked me if my name was B——. On my answering in the affirmative, he must needs shake hands, and chat awhile: 'Why,' massa, said he, 'you russelled the people when you was here before.' 'Russelled?' replied I, hoping he would make use of another word; for I confess I did not know what he meant. 'Yes,' continued he, ' you russelled the people. You come too close on 'em. You said de best way to try if de tree be sound, is, take a stick, and knock 'em.' A tree being fortunately at

Work of the ministry.

The more Mr. Walton contemplated the work of the ministry, the more weighty and awful did it appear: “I have within a few days past had an almost overwhelming sense of the responsibility attached to the ministerial character. I sometimes fear that I shall never be able to perform the arduous duties of a pastor. May the grace of God be sufficient for me. To Him I would look, and hope I shall not look in vain."

“Aug. 20.—I have departed too far from the Lord; my heart has become too much estranged from Him. But He seems determined not to give me up. He is now afflicting me, I hope, with a design to promote my spiritual and eternal advantage. David prayed to be delivered from the wicked, who he said were the sword of the Lord. I believe he frequently employs them as instruments in chastising his children."

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'May 12.—For about five weeks past, my mind has been in an unsettled state. I have been engaged in one of the most important and interesting transactions of my life. On the 8th day of last month, I was married to the dear object of my love. This was an event to which I had long been looking forward with the most pleasing anticipations."

hand, he gave me a practical illustration of his meaning. After telling me, 'as for him he loved plain preaching,' we took leave of each other. I began to fear I had offended the people here also, and now my usefulness was at an end. But I was soon very agreeably undeceived; for on reaching the town, although I heard one or two did not like my singing When I can read my title clear, &c.' to a Methodist tune, yet the Lord had blessed my labors, and awakened an unusual attention to religious coneerns."

CHAPTER V.

Thoughts of future settlement.

Fondness for retirement.

MR. WALTON had now, (our narrative has reached the year 1818,) been preaching, for the most part of the time, to the congregations of Smithfield and Berryville, though neither installed nor actually resident among the people. He therefore felt unsettled, and was not without anxiety as to the place of his future residence, and the field of his future labor. He prayed daily and earnestly for providential guidance. When he says, "I feel willing to go wherever Providence may open a door," those who knew the habitual sincerity of his soul, will believe the assertion of his lips. He would not drive Providence, but be led by it.

"All that I desire is to know the will of that God, whom I desire to serve with sincerity, and with my best energies. * The increase of my possessions has added nothing to my happiness, and I expect happiness from no such

source.

In the Spring of this year, he remarks: "I have secluded myself so much from society this winter, that it is now with extreme reluctance I go into it. I feel an unaccountable aversion to being seen by any but particular friends. I dislike to walk down the street. In short, I have in my composition a good deal of the monk." We should indulge solitude only so far as it fits us to be useful in society, and never mingle in society so long or so eagerly as to unfit us

Ordination.

Installation.

Ill-prepared sermons.

for solitude. The recluse fails in his duty to the world. The wanderer fails in his duty to himself.

On the 25th of April, Mr. Walton was ordained by the Presbytery to the work of the gospel ministry, at Martinsburg, and on the 6th of May, was installed Pastor of the Presbyterian Church in Hopewell.

It

"It was the most solemn scene that was ever presented to my view. I felt the powers of the world to come. I thought I could almost see the judgment bar before me, and ministers and people advancing to receive their doom. was an interesting and impressive transaction. May the Lord give me grace to be faithful. I feel that I am nothing, and can do nothing to purpose, without his aid. O that his aid may be imparted!"

Aug. 27.-I have another instance of God's great mercy to record. A few days ago, I was thrown out of my gig and placed in circumstances of extreme danger; but through a remarkable interposition of Providence, I sustained but little injury.

The

On last Sabbath, the day after my fall, I preached in B. as much to my own satisfaction, as I almost ever did. congregation was uncommonly large. I was not well prepared, and felt my dependence on God; I looked to Him, and prayed that his strength might be made perfect in my weakness."

Were my brother living, I should say to him: Dear brother, you mistake. This is not dependence, but presumption. If you had been well prepared, that had been the dependence of faith. Very likely, you preached to your own satisfaction, but whether to the satisfaction of your Master, is another question. This is not the weakness in which the strength of God is perfected. "The foolishness of preaching," says Dr. Beecher, "is not foolish preaching." The oil with which the preacher fills the pulpit lamp, must be neither raw nor rancid. Undigested sermons make a lean people. Very old sermons make a sour people. They will submit to it, perhaps, because their Pastor

Purchases a house in Winchester.

is "such a visitor;" always among them; but it is only endured.

Of his exercises during the year 1819, but a partial record is made. He seems, however, to have grown more and more sensible of "the worth of the Saviour's atoning blood and perfect righteousness, and the necessity of praying for daily and hourly supplies of grace."

Under date, Sept. 3, he writes: "I have had many trials and conflicts, most of which are unknown except to God and myself. Some of them have been exceedingly painful, and have cast me down very low. Sometimes I have been so low that it appeared not very likely that I should ever rise again; my prospects have been repeatedly so dark, that nothing comfortable in this world presented itself."

About this time Mr. Walton purchased a house in Winchester, for a considerable sum, with the view of residing there. This purchase, made on credit, cost him much trouble and anxiety. From the history of the transaction may be deduced this rule, that Ministers of the Gospel should have as little as possible to do with secular matters; that none who enlist for this warfare should entangle themselves with the affairs of this life.' Had not our brother been possessed of ultimate resources beyond the ability of most ministers, he must have sunk under the pressure of debt. Those Christian professors or ministers, who from want of care, or love of indulgence, or a freak of fancy, involve themselves beyond their means of payment, do great injury to the cause of religion, and die leaving their families an inheritance of penury and pain. "The difficulty of the times, and the scarcity of money," says he

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are unexampled. But I try to cast my cares and burdens on the Lord, believing that he careth for me, and that He will in some way or other enable me to meet the

* See the first part of the life of the heavenly-minded Bedell,