Christ,-it may appear strange, and perhaps scarcely credible, that so many persons, variously instructed and informed, and often long groaning under spiritual bondage, should find the joy of salvation, on their being introduced into his presence but a few minutes only the sorrowful soul being brought out of darkness into marvellous light, simply by the use of two or three right words. In some degree to account for this, it should be borne in mind, 1. That, on these occasions, his words came from a heart which felt the power of the Lord was present to heal. His falling tears, his lifted hands, his affecting emphasis, and every lineament of his countenance, declared THAT to the sorrowful spirit whom he addressed, and powerfully enforced the truth contained in his burning words. 2. His faith, no doubt, brought a degree of gracious aid to the helpless soul. In what extent our own faith may be regarded while we seek the salvation of others, we have no means of ascertaining; but that it sometimes has an important bearing on the subject, is evident from the case of the man who was brought to Christ, sick of the palsy. Of the man's own faith, we hear nothing; but of his four benevolent friends, who used such extraordinary exertions to bring him to Jesus Christ, it is written, "When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins are forgiven thee." Now, when a broken-hearted penitent was introduced to my father, and he heard him inquire, amidst the flowing

of humble, contrite tears, "What must I do to be saved?" he unhesitatingly pointed him to the Lamb of God; confidently believing that he could and would save the soul that lay thirsting for salvation at the footstool of the mercy-seat. And is not "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever?" 3. On the first exercise or act of faith by which the sinner comes to Christ, it is well known that the subject of this Memoir was "apt to teach." He was most fruitful in expedients and illustrations, to help the understanding and the confidence of the seeking soul. A young man, a member of our society, one of much intelligence, and more than ordinary strength of mind, who has since died in the faith, observed to me one day in his affliction, "Until I saw your excellent father, it seemed to me I never met with any one whose exposition of faith came within the reach of my understanding; but his remarks on the nature of that important grace were clear and forcible in an extraordinary degree, commending themselves to my reason, as well as to my heart and conscience: and," he added, "suffer me to say, if his papers fall into your hands, you will be guilty of an act of injustice to the world, if you do not give them to the public."

His illustrations, which told so remarkably, were commonly of the most simple kind. He would seize on any thing open to the senses, and in one way or other render it subservient to his great object, the bringing of the soul to Jesus: and his deeply spi

ritual mind, clear conceptions of the subject, and great simplicity of soul, rendered this mode of instruction highly interesting and profitable. Entering one morning into the house of a poor man, known to him to be deeply and sorrowfully concerned for the salvation of his soul, he found him blowing the fire, to assist in preparing the ordinary meal. My father said to him, "John, if you had half as much faith in Jesus Christ as you have in those bellows, you would be set at liberty in a moment." This at once brought the subject of faith in Christ within the man's reach; in an instant he saw-he felt-he believed, and was saved from all his sins and sor

rows.

He would often put the person who was eagerly inquiring after Christ, to read an appropriate scripture, or verse of a hymn; telling him, that he must try to read for himself. If, at the first reading, his heart did not take hold of the truth, he would be required to read over the portion more carefully, again and again. In this way he has helped many a poor mourner over the bar of unbelief. Closely connected with this method of instruction, he had another, which was equally successful at some apposite turn of expression, he would stop short the sorrowful and heavy-laden reader, look him in the face, with the feelings of a devoutly melting heart visible in his eyes, show him what was contained in, and his right to, what his lips had uttered; and then, in the most persuasive and affectionate man

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ner, inquire if he did not perceive the meaning, and believe the gracious truth, contained in the words which had now dropped from his own lips. Thus many, ere they were aware, felt themselves gently borne from the fearful precipice of unbelief, and set down amidst the ocean of redeeming love. Of this I have an instance before me, detailed in a letter from one of my father's correspondents: the writer says of him, "He went with me to see an old couple, whom I was in the habit of visiting once a week. While we were there, a woman, who was a near neighbour, came in your dear father, who was always ready for such work, asked her, I think, if she loved God. She said, Yes; but there is something I still want.' He said, 'Come and sit down by me, and I will tell you all about it.' She sat down accordingly; and he soon discovered she did not know her sins were pardoned. He told her, 'You may receive this blessing now.' He then took our Hymn-Book, opened to the thirty-sixth hymn, and put her to read the fourth verse. When she had read, 'Thy debt is paid,' he put his thumb on the words which followed, looked her in the face, and inquired, if she thought it was paid? She burst into a flood of tears, and was made happy from that moment. This is many years ago; but his dear name is as precious to her as ever; and, I may add, she is still a consistent member of the society."

There is another way in which he was sometimes mide a very great blessing to the sincere seekers of

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Gospel salvation; it was by clearly and familiarly pointing out to them the error into which they occasionally fell, of undervaluing and overlooking the good work which God had already wrought in them; and thus, by a voluntary humility, adding to their own difficulties in the work of faith. Another extract from the letter above referred to will afford an interesting and profitable illustration of this remark after detailing the unsuccessful pains which he, and certain of his friends, had taken to obtain the blessing of perfect love, the writer proceeds to state, "About this time your father had visited some neighbouring places, but I had not seen him. But, one day, brother B. called on me, and, in his quaint manner, said, 'Brother T., yoụ will not be with him five minutes, before you will be hot all over.' My expectations were raised; and at last he arrived, and took up his abode under my roof. One memorable night, my friends being present with me, he was conversing with us on the blessing of perfect love. He, like a wise masterbuilder, having examined our spiritual attainments, discovered that we were in possession of the essential properties of that happy state, but without the joyful witness thereof. Therefore, he no longer held up the thing in prospect before us, but declared us in possession of it; and charged us with the error of asking for what God had already given. 'Now,' said he, it is rather your business to give thanks

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