"I hope you will sympathize with, and answer your friend largely. We know not how, nor when a word may be fitly spoken, and O, how good is it! A certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel. A sling and a stone is all the armour that is needful; if the Lord be there, all the Goliah-like plagues and idols of the heart will fall.

"Thanks for Edwards, I always thought him a great man, but now I think him like Saul among the prophets, higher by the head and shoulders. He has been a great genius, and a close thinker. I am reading him with eagerness.

"I think, if it shall please God to give the blessing, we have here more than five small loaves and a few small fishes, but without that, not half so much. But let me not weary you: I would just say to you and this good man (who, may we hope will be our mutual and eternal friend) and to myself, let us go on our way: and only add, Come Lord Jesus, come quickly, Amen.

JÓS. MAGOFFIN." "Cranberry, 18th Decr. 1792. "Joseph Nourse, Esqr.

"Dear Sir, Your much esteemed favour of the 27th Novr. came to hand, together with a guide to prayer, (which I think is well calculated to promote the author's intention, and is very suitable to my present wants,) but, my dear friend, your letter itself produced in me a still more powerful guide; for, before I had done reading, I was obliged to retire and pour out my heart unto the God of all my mercies. Thank you sincerely for your friend's letter, it proved a mean of refreshing my soul; I think he is an Israelite indeed, and if I mistake not, has himself been a stranger in the land of Egypt, seeing he knoweth the heart of a stranger. My dear sir it rejoices my heart to hear from different quarters that there are some who have

felt the power of Christ's resurrection in their souls, and who count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of him. Let this encourage us, my christian friend, to follow on to know the Lord -in due time we shall reap if we faint not-blessed be God that ever I have been favoured with the acquaintance of any such-they are in my esteem the excellent of the earth, they are the only persons whom I desire to know, and with whom I hope to spend a long and happy eternity.

"My dear friend, I often remember with gratitude the kind providence that gave me an opportunity of being acquainted with you, and if it has pleased God to make his dealings with me in any degree profitable to your soul, it is an additional call for thankfulness on my part, and if our acquaintance has been blessed to our mutual advantage, let us mutually ascribe the praise of all to the great source of all our happiness and comfort.

set

"Since I had the pleasure of seeing you I have enjoyed for the most part much peace of mind, and at sometimes it has pleased the Lord to give me a taste of unutterable joy-sometimes I think I can adopt the words of the psalmist, "He brought me up out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and my feet upon a rock-and he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God." But it is not so at all times, and I have had one remarkable season of darkness not long ago, though it continued but two days-then I could say "My "heart is smitten and withered like grass, so that I "forget to eat my bread-I watch and am as a spar66 row alone upon the house top." Indeed I never before so well understood Mr. Bunyan's Doubting Castle and Giant Despair, I think it truly descriptive of the state I was then in. But blessed be God, I have found that although weeping may endure for a night, joy cometh in the morning-that the Lord

will not always chide, neither will he keep his anger forever-blessed forever be the Lord who forgiveth all our iniquities; who healeth all our dis

eases.

"My dear friend I thank you sincerely for my little book. Hope I shall improve by its valuable directions, and not forget to remember my kind friend to whom I stand indebted for so useful and to me so necessary a help. Would be glad to know who this valuable friend of yours is, and if he would condescend to take notice of the least and most unworthy of those who bear the name, and profess to be the followers of Jesus. Would be happy in the prospect of one day being personally acquainted with him.

"I am sorry to hear of Mr. Smith's indisposition, feel my soul engaged in pleading for his recovery, though I believe for him to die would be gain. Yet I would hope and pray (with due submission to the divine will) that his life may be prolonged. Surely he hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also. His words have been in season to my weary soul. My heart is knit with his for his faithfulness in his master's service, and for the sweet refreshment it pleased the Lord to give me through his instrumentality.

"It will give me pleasure to hear from you again. I know sir you are a good deal engaged in worldly business, but I hope and believe the business you most delight in is religion. Therefore if ye have judged me to be faithful, favour me with an account of the Lord's dealings with you-remember the words of your friend "We know not when a word 66 may be fitly spoken-and a bow at a venture hath "sometmes hit the mark." I will consider it my high privilege to write you in my turn.

Ever, ever Yours,

WM. HASLETT."

The following remarks respecting revivals of religion, are, perhaps, too valuable to be omitted: "Philadelphia, March 24th, 1802.

"Joseph Nourse, Esquire,

Dear Sir, It has been my opinion from the first, that even those who cannot get above their prejudices, and see the finger of God in this great work, ought, at least, to take the advice of Gamaliel and let it alone, lest haply they be found to fight even against God." We are strange selfish beings, and are ever ready to limit the Holy One of Israel to such ways and methods of working as our experience can approve. But as well might we deny our existence, as that "His ways are unsearchable and past finding out." If the apostle could rejoice that Christ was preached, even though from motives of envy and strife, shall not every pious soul rejoice to see his kingdom spread, by whatever means the Holy Spirit is pleased to make use of for this end? I have no doubt my dear friend, but in this, as well as all former revivals, Satan is busy sowing his tares; and even amongst those who are savingly wrought upon, may we not look for some things which will be justly considered as imprudence and extravagance, but shall we, on this account, deny that it is the Lord's doings, and marvellous in our eyes? "Tell it not in Gath," for most assuredly the hearts of the uncircumcised will triumph."

In this same letter Mr. Haslett thus expresses his regard for his friend, and his confidence in God:

"My dear friend will perceive with how much freedom I suffer my pen to run when writing to you. Yes, my heart is enlarged, and I feel, even at this distance of time, the powerful influence of our first interview. Your friendship and tenderness on that occasion, more firm in my remembrance stands, than if engraved in brass. Many changes have

But

taken place in my poor, wandering, unstable soul since then, and it well becomes me to adopt the language "Oh that my head were waters, &c. it is our consolation that "our great High Priest is passed into the heavens." "His blood speaketh better things than the blood of Abel." Strange, that were we commanded to do some great thing, we would at once attempt to do it, but discover such a backwardness to "wash and be clean."

In those associations of pious men sometimes held in this city [Philadelphia] for conference on vital religion, Mr. Haslett was always considered an instructive and useful member. He was much in secret meditation, reading and prayer: his closet he considered the place where the surest test of the state of his soul might be found. If all was right here, it was so every where else; and here, the first symptoms of declension and backsliding manifested themselves. But he delighted greatly in public ordinances. The sabbath was to him a delight and honourable; and he was evidently glad when they said unto him, Come, let us go up to the house of the Lord. Many a time has the church proved to him a Bethel; and while the messenger of God displayed the riches of grace, his heart has been filled to overflowing, and he has been ready to exclaim, It is good to be here. One day in thy courts is better than a thousand.

In prosperity it is no difficult thing to say, The Lord gave; but, in adversity to thankfully bless the Lord, who taketh away, is no easy matter; yet, through Christ who strengthened him, Mr. Haslett, like Job blessing God in adversity as well as in prosperity, exemplified by his faith and its fruits, that religion is a sufficient support of the soul in all circumstances. By its hallowing influence, "tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope, and hope maketh not