if

looked at him I thought, I will try your sincerity. I then said, 'What an old sinner you are!' 'Aye' said he ‘I am.' "Why your hairs are grown grey in sin, and your cheeks wrinkled in iniquity.' True, I am the biggest sinner in all the world.' I now saw that he was thoroughly broken down, and that it was time to encourage. I therefore said 'But there is mercy for you' 'Nay none for me.' Why you are not a greater sinner than Saul of Tarsus, he made the disciples to blaspheme and yet he obtained mercy.' 'I'm bigger by half,' he groaned. But you are not greater than Mannasseh; he destroyed the worship of God and filled the streets of Jerusalem with the blood of those who worshipped him; but you have never done that.' 'I'm bigger by half,' he muttered again as the tear stole down his furrowed cheek. 'Well, if you are there is mercy for you, and if all the sins of every individual in the world were heaped on your back, you would believe in Christ he would take them all away for it is written 'Wherefore he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him; and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth from all sin.' I now left him to meditate on what I had said while I spoke to others. about half an hour I went to him again and found that his despair was going away, but that he still needed encouragement. About half an hour after I went again and said to him Now is the accepted time-just now-believe this moment. Now begin to pray and to believe at the same time. I then called all to silence while the old man prayed for himself, and requested all inwardly to lift their hearts to God on his behalf. I then spoke to him encouragingly saying, Now, begin.' He then began in a very simple way, but he had not spoken many words ere he rose from his knees, jumped on the floor, clapped his hands and shouted 'Glory be to God!' till the place echoed. Then he fell on his knees again to thank and praise God for what he had done for his soul. Mr. Logan was beside him at the time,

In

and so did he enter into the joy of the old man, that he like him, jumped on the floor, clapped his hands, and shouted 'Glory be to God! This is a glorious case.' I preached at Stockport the following Sabbath when nine or ten professed to obtain salvation."

CHAPTER III.

MR. WALLER'S APPOINTMENT TO BOSTON-MEETS WITH A COOL THE SPIRIT IN WHICH HE ENTERED UPON HIS

RECEPTION

OF DUTIES-COMMENCEMENT OF OPEN AIR PREACHING MATION OF A MATERNAL ASSOCIATION OBJECTIONS TO HIS MODE OF PREACHING LOCAL PREACHERS AND EXHORTERS

FOR

AT the Conference of 1838, Mr. Waller was appointed to labour in the Boston circuit. His reception was cool, and the aspect of affairs somewhat discouraging. There were but seventy-five members returned, and of these twelve had removed during the interval of Conference. His predecessor, Mr. T. Mills, had held a high place in the affections of the members; and the general regret felt at his removal rendered the position of Mr. Waller the more trying. Yet this fact rightly considered was suggestive of encouragement, for the people who could so affectionately appreciate the excellences and services of one minister, were the more likely soon to give him also a warm place in their hearts, and conspire to promote his comfort and usefulness.

The spirit in which he entered upon his solemn duties

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in this circuit may be seen in the following extracts from his diary. "O Lord give me many souls this year. Let me be guided by thy Spirit in every step I take, and succeeded by his blessing in all my plans and labours." "I feel that, to be useful, I need a greater knowledge of Divine things, and a talent to discourse more readily on them. I need greater zeal in the cause of my Divine master, and more love to his adorable person. I need a more affecting apprehension of the value of souls, a more tender regard for the honour of God, and a more intense sympathy for perishing sinners. I want more of the Holy Spirit to enlighten my understanding, and sanctify my affections. could I always live for eternity, preach for eternity, pray for eternity, and speak for eternity! I want to lose sight of man and see only God."

Mr. Waller being alone in this circuit, was enabled to shape his own course, and being much at liberty from country engagements was enabled to devote his time and concentrate his efforts to the town interest. At an early period he called together the members of the church, and having stated his anxious desire to be useful amongst them, laid before them his plan of operation, and earnestly called upon them to help him by their labours, and their prayers. He minutely specified to the church the hour he intended to rise in the morning and retire to rest at night, and generally how he should employ his time each day in the week, from one Sabbath to another. He frankly stated what as their minister, he should expect from them as members of the church of God. This address occupied about an hour in delivery, and we find an abstract of it in his diary. In it he stated that he should "study hard, and endeavour to preach well, plainly, and affectionately should try to find out and tell them of their faults should preach occasionally in the open air if they would only assist him in singing

that he should spend about one hour each day in praying

for them, and the conversion of sinners that he should visit them, yet not for idle chit-chat, but to know their spiritual state, and ascertain what kind of preaching they required that he should like to see them sometimes alone, that they might open their minds more freely — that he should establish meetings for children, bible classes for young men, &c. stating the work for each day in the week On the other hand, he said he should expect their zealous co-operation — their early and punctual attendance on the

various public and social means of grace that the chapel doors must be opened fifteen minutes before the time of service that each person should aim to bring at least one additional person each quarter to the chapel and to class meeting- that he should expect them to contribute according to their ability for the support of the causehonest and open in all intercourse with him to be consistent in all their deportment—to emulate each other in affection and good works, to strive together in prayer and zealous labour.

to be

This address, as might be expected, was the subject of much conversation among the friends. They saw that their preacher was beginning his work in earnest-that while he expected much from them, he was equally free in imposing arduous duties upon himself. As one immediate result, their expectations of approaching good were excited, and their prayers and energies were called forth for the realization of prosperity. The efforts of Mr. Waller, thus so earnestly commenced, were soon followed by blessed results. Indeed the first Sabbath's labours were attended with proofs of the Divine blessing, and that blessing, in some form, was visibly seen during the whole of his labours in Boston. Mr. Waller remarks, “At first, my preaching was startling, and my movements so strange that they felt shocked and scarcely knew what opinion to form. They could only gaze and wonder. But God set his seal to the first Sabbath's services, and brought one man into the enjoyment of his favour.

"The following Sabbath I commenced preaching in the open air, in the Market Place, at five o'clock in the evening; which place I continued to occupy nearly all winter as well as through the summer months. The effect was soon visible in the improvement of the congregation. I generally commenced with very few, but frequently I have seen as many as one thousand people collected together, of all grades and classes; some without hats and coats, and others richly dressed. But never had I a disorderly congregation, nor was I ever interrupted except by a drunken man or two, who were speedily silenced. Many threatenings were rumoured, but I flinched not. God gave me fine weather, strengthened me for the labour, and made it pleasant and easy to me. Often did he clothe the word with power and renderit effectual.

"The same evening that I commenced preaching in the Market Place I preached a sermon to mothers, as a prelude to the establishment of a maternal association. The impression was deep, and good was done; in short, conviction by the Holy Ghost was implanted in the heart of one woman, which led to her conversion, and I believe she has since died happy. I proposed to form the meeting on the last Monday afternoon of the month, to be held the last Monday of every succeeding month; requested the people to think and talk about it, and invite mothers of any denomination to attend : I wished it to be confined to no party, but to be a blessing to any and all who might think it worth while to attend. A goodly number attended at the time. I suggested various ways of conducting the meetings, and various things which all should be required to perform who became members. All admitted their importance, promised to attend, enrolled their names, engaged to pray for each child once a day, mentioning his name, and to use other means to bring them under the direct influence of Gospel truth and the grace of the Holy Spirit. To some it seemed out of place for a young man to do this; 'But,' I replied, 'you have no right to regard