summons to one of the two remotest preaching stations. On March 28th he arrives at Ravenstonedale in Westmoreland -a small agricultural village, half embosomed amid bleak and barren mountains with here and there a pretty glen. As it regards both climate and society it was one of the last places in England he would then have chosen for a month's residence. But he went neither as a tourist nor a mere student, but in the true spirit of an evangelist. He soon elicits information relative to the moral condition of the population, and ere he retires to rest his Journal receives this entry: "The prospect here is not encouraging. Prejudice and insensibility to spiritual things appear to be the prominent moral features of this place. The people with whom I lodge appear to be simple and pious.”— Little did he imagine, as he penned these lines, that on this barren and unpromising soil he would spend his last and best energies; and that by the blessing of God upon his labours, the desert would rejoice and blossom as the rose. Yet so it was. In little more than two years Providence very unexpectedly directed him to that place, and he laboured for more than twelve months with signal success.

He proceeds: "My mind has often been occupied with spiritual things to-day, yet I have not experienced that enjoyment in the closet I have sometimes done. Oh, how important to be continually applying afresh at the throne of grace. I find, in this respect, I must be a beggar all my life. There is no treasuring up spiritual supplies so as to acquire an independency.

"In looking upon the beauties of nature I was led to regard them as the production of the spirit of God-the varied forms of beauty they assumed as the impress of the Infinite mind. If mere matter beneath His operation can assume such magnificence and beauty, to what a height of moral grandeur will the mind be raised which has experienced His quickening influence! This renders the pros

ÆTAT. 20]

BIAS REMOVED.

33

pect of a future state unspeakably delightful."-How many of those whose eyes had gazed on those scenes had entertained similar thoughts and experienced similar emotions? How truly as well as beautifully does Coleridge say :

"We receive but what we give,

And in our life alone does nature live:

Ours is her wedding-garment, ours her shroud !
And would we aught behold, of higher worth
Than that inanimate cold world allowed
To the poor, loveless, ever-anxious crowd,

Ah! from the soul itself must issue forth
A light, a glory, a fair luminous cloud,
Enveloping the Earth-

And from the soul itself must there be sent

A sweet and potent voice of its own birth,
Of all sweet sounds the life and element ! "

Though accustomed to attend the Wesleyan ministry when a youth at home, he was too young to have any intelligent opinion relative to either the system or its founder. From that period he had not only been entirely withdrawn from Methodism, but had mingled occasionally with those who thought it more worthy of condemnation than of eulogy. The uncharitable utterances of those presumed to be wellinformed had their usual effect upon an uninformed and unsuspecting mind. While at Ravenstonedale he met with Watson's Life of Wesley and read it. His judgment of the book reveals the nobleness of his heart. 31st. "I have been much pleased with the Life of Wesley. I think many of the Dissenters have not done him justice. O that we had more of his spirit! Very few men have been so useful. I dare not sneer at one whom God has so signally honoured. I feel ashamed at the prejudice by which I have long been influenced, for undoubtedly he was one of the excellent of the earth."

April 18th, Sat. "I think I never felt such a desire to devote myself to the cause of God as at present. I have

been wrestling with God to pour out a blessing to-morrow. Great God, hast Thou not promised? Let my future life be a satisfactory answer to the following inquiries: What can I do in the College? In the church? In the world?” 22nd. "Remember never to neglect prayer when I do not feel myself in a right state of mind. This is a baneful practice. If my mind is not in a right frame there is so much more necessity for prayer. Sometimes I have given way to the temptation, and almost invariably the day has been unhappy; when I have persevered I have often found that peculiarly a time of refreshing from the presence of the Lord.' There are various ways in which this spiritual apathy may be removed. 1. Seize upon some solemn passage of Scripture and make a close application of it to the heart. 2. Write down my sins, wants, mercies, &c., in my Diary, and contemplate them until my heart is affected. 3. Read over a portion of my Diary, that past negligence and past mercy may incite to present duty."-There is true philosophy in the course he here prescribes for concentrating the attention and impressing the heart. Whenever you wish to experience any particular emotion, brood over the fact or sentiment fitted to evoke it. Thought is the parent of emotion.

25th. "Have lately felt the importance of studying the Bible in a different way. I think that by selecting topics, and collecting all the scriptural information upon them I can find, I may learn more of the Bible than in any other way. Nothing will supersede the necessity of being thoroughly acquainted with the Scriptures."

Few persons appreciated genius or talent more fervently. It is instructive therefore to mark the impression made by the simple-minded but eminently devoted Richard Knill, who visited the College the day after Mr. Hessel's return from Ravenstonedale. "Mr. Knill was here in the afternoon, and spoke with the students. In the evening we went

ÆTAT. 20] REV. RICHARD KNILL.

35

to hear him preach. A genuine Christian! Before him the blaze of genius and the flash of oratory dwindle into a twinkling taper.”—This excellent man has recently passed away from us. Though literature enrols not his name among her sons, few Ministers of the Gospel have better served their generation. "His usefulness in the way of conversion of souls to God," says a competent judge, the now sainted J. A. James, "was perhaps greater, all things taken into account, than that of any other man of his day in this kingdom." "The instances are too numerous to admit of record," says his admirable biographer, "in which his words spoken in fitting circumstances, and at a critical moment came with electric power on individual hearts. It is said, that as many as a hundred ministers now preaching the gospel at home and abroad, trace their first purpose to give their souls to Christ, or their lives to the public service of his church, to his quickening appeals." His history triumphantly shows that it is not great talent so much as great devotedness that secures the grand purposes of Christianity. "He was no rhetorician," says Mr. James, "nor, if eloquence consist of great and original conceptions clothed with glowing imagery and splendid diction, could he pretend to this: his eloquence was that of the heart, gushing out in streams of impassioned feeling, which carried away his hearers on the tide of his own emotion—the eloquence of a man on fire with zeal for God, and melted into compassion for souls hovering on the verge of the bottomless pit-the eloquence of faith and love."

May 2nd. "Have not been happy is I did not begin the day with God. wisdom."

to-day. The reason When shall I learn

Booth, a beautiful

On the 3rd he had to preach at romantic village in the neighbourhood of Halifax. Before quitting his bed-room on the Sunday morning he records some of the thoughts which fill his soul. "A beautiful

morning! Everything around is loveliness and magnificence. Showers have fallen during the night and refreshed the earth. Oh that showers of grace would descend upon our Zion. I have just been praying for this. I wish to preach this day so that I may be able to affirm: 'I am clear from the blood of all men; I have not shunned to declare the whole counsel of God.'”

6th. "It would be highly beneficial to write occasionally in my own language the most interesting parts of Sacred Writ."

"My mind often wanders in prayer. To remedy this I will put down my wants in my Diary, and thus concentrate my attention. At present I want, 1. A more vivid impression of the grandeur and importance of spiritual things. 2. A more conscious enjoyment of the favour of God; the removal of fears and doubts; more affecting apprehensions of the Divine character. 3. A deliverance from my besetting sins; especially pride of intellect, attainment, and all its attendant evils; arrogance, contempt, anger, &c., which destroy my peace, injure others, obstruct my usefulness, and are odious in the sight of God. 4. A revival in the College; more seriousness and prayerfulness of spirit; study of God's word; brotherly love."

7th. "Another day has come to a close. The sun has just sunk behind the western hills, and the clouds tinged with his rays are gradually assuming a fainter hue. A prospect of mingled beauty and magnificence lies before me. The fields are dressed in richest green, the landscape is adorned with woods, and the distant blue hills rising in towering majesty occupy the background. A solemn stillness reigns. It seems as tho' nature were offering her evening devotions to her great Creator. Let my heart sympathize with her. Let my thanksgivings be mingled with her. praise."

An occurrence now transpired which I am reluctant