"To the Independent Church and Congregation, who meet for Worship at Milton, Kent.

"Grace be to you, and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ!1

"My dearly beloved,

"I cannot be insensible of the affection you have expressed towards me, in the unanimous invitation you have given me to become your Pastor, under Christ; and your uniform kindness during the Sabbaths that I have visited you, will be always gratefully remembered by me. After having diligently, seriously, and attentively considered the invitation you have given me, to become your resident Pastor, I am constrained to decline accepting the oversight of you in the Lord.

"At present, the cloud rests at Chatham; and duty and inclination admonish me to abide by it.

"That he who sits in the midst of the golden candlesticks, and holds the stars in his righthand, may direct you in all your endeavours to 1 Ephes. i. 2.

promote his glory, and, in proper time, send you a suitable Pastor, is the fervent prayer of

"Your obliged Servant in Christ,

"Chatham, August 5, 1813."

"ALEXANDER MILLS."

The grief occasioned by this negative is expressed in many letters, addressed to him by several individuals, to whom his ministry had been very useful, and who separately used their endeavours to persuade him to remain.

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The invitation was afterwards varied; and it was proposed that he should accept the pastoral office for a twelvemonth, which he also declined in the following manner:

"To the Church of Christ, assembling for Worship in Paradise Chapel, Milton.

"Grace and peace be multiplied to you, through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

"Dearly Beloved,

"I am sorry my answer to your first letter

2 2 Pet. i. 2.

was not sufficiently decisive, to preclude the necessity of another on the same subject. It is true, you have varied the shape and form of the invitation; but in its present modified state, or in any other, I cannot see it prudent or adviseable to accept. I feel truly grateful for all your expressions of kindness, and for your attention to the word of life, delivered by me. If my feeble efforts have been beneficial to any, you must never forget, that the excellency of the power is of God, and not of man. Till you are comfortably settled with a minister, I will render you all the assistance my other avocations will admit of, and hope that, ere long, you will be directed to the choice of one, to go in and out before you, far more useful and acceptable than,

"Dearly beloved,

"Your faithful and affectionate friend,

"ALEXANDer Mills."

"Chatham, Nov. 18, 1813."

Alexander was exceedingly modest and diffident of his own powers; although he had no

3 2 Cor. iv. 7.

objection to be regarded as an occasional supply, yet to take upon him the office of Pastor, appeared so formidable, and his own qualifications so inadequate, that he ever persevered in his determination to decline. But such was the estimate which the people had formed of his truly valuable services, and of their importance, as connected with the prosperity of religion, at Milton, that they again varied the form of their address, and invited him to preside over them for six months, which he at last accepted in the following manner :

"To the Church and Congregation, assembling for Worship in Paradise Chapel, Milton, ! Kent.

"Grace be with you, mercy and peace from God the Father, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

"My dearly beloved Friends,

"After your repeated and very pressing invitations, I am encouraged to hope, that the great Head of the Church has crowned my feeble labours among you with success. The affection you have always manifested towards one, who

is less than the least of all saints, and the unanimity and love that prevail among yourselves, I look upon as a prelude to greater things than these.5

6

"Under this impression, I accept, with fear and trembling, your invitation for six months; and humbly hope, that your earnest prayers on my behalf, will daily ascend before the mercyseat, that I may be strengthened to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ then may we expect the windows of heaven to be opened, and blessings poured down in such abundance, that there shall not be room enough to receive them. "In anticipation of these glorious days, "I remain,

་

"My dearly beloved brethren and sisters,
"Your affectionate Friend

"And servant for Jesus' sake,

"Chatham, January 1, 1814."

"ALEXANDER MILLS."

After his acceptance of the invitation, to continue his highly valued services for six months, 6 Eph. iii. 8.

4 Eph. iii. 8.

5 John i. 50.