think it possible that he might have passed from death unto life."

Such an experience as this left no doubt in his mind that all the prayers and tears and cries of the awakened sinner, are positively sinful. And his converts also learn the same lesson. Under his teaching they become sensible that "previous to their conversion, their hearts are opposed to all the spiritual duties which God requires. The more they see of God, of themselves, and of the terms of salvation, the more hopeless their condition appears to them; and thus their prospects become darker and darker, until light breaks in from above. They know they have resisted every overture of mercy, and that their feelings and moral actions are sinful, to the very moment when their hearts are renewed by the power of the Holy Spirit."

Ard. How soon does Mr. Meek think it best that new converts should be received into the church?

Exp. "He is cautious in admitting persons into the church. He does not encourage any to make a profession of religion till they give satisfactory evidence of a change of heart." He has sometimes received the thanks of individuals whom he had kept back, but whom others were disposed to admit, without sufficient evidence. On one occasion, while he was in Centre street, he labored in a destitute congregation, and had a revival. "When he first went there, he expected to remain but a short time. This circumstance induced him to hold meetings more frequently than he did in ordinary cases; and he was obliged to close his labors there in about two months from the time the revival began; and as the church was destitute of a pastor, he admitted some of the converts to the church sooner than he was wont to do."

Th. Since Mr. Meek has been so useful, and has rendered such aid to the settled pastors, would it not be well to have an order of men like him, whose stated employment should be to itinerate among the churches, and assist the pastors in times of revival?

Exp. Mr. Meek thinks not. He once had the offer, from an association of his brethren, of receiving a regular appointment, and a stated salary, that he might devote himself to this work. But he not only declined the appointment, but convinced his brethren that the measure would be unsafe.

Th. His example, however, must have pleaded powerfully in favor of the measure. When he had been instrumental of such abounding good, it must have been considered a strong indication that such an appointment would be wise. Exp. He knew the hazard was too great. He had been acquainted, when he first began to preach, with several itinerants,

whose labors, if instrumental in doing some good, were also productive of much evil. He had labored on the ground which had been laid waste by the itinerants of the great revival in the last century. And he had seen young men coming forward every year, with more zeal than knowledge, to enter upon similar labors. "He has often been heard to say, that a few men might be very usefully employed as itinerants, if we could be sure of obtaining men of the right character-men who would co-operate with settled pastors, and aid them in putting down irregularities, and promoting order." But he had no expectation that such a result could be secured. He thought if the door was once opened for the admission of such, numbers of others would rush in, who would do more harm than good; as happened in the days of Davenport and his associates; and is happening now, to an alarming extent.

Th. How came Mr. Meek to have such a deep sense of the importance of the pastoral office, having never been a pastor himself?

Exp. He learned it during his early labors in the ministry. He commenced in a part of Pilgrim street where there had once been flourishing churches, but which had been laid waste in the last century, "by the measures which Davenport and other itinerants of that period had introduced. He became acquainted with some aged people, who gave him an account of the proceedings of that day, and of their results, as they had been developed in the course of half a century. He has often spoken with deep interest, of this period of his labors, and of the use which the information he at this time obtained was to him in after life. He learned that those who labor as itinerants, even if they have the best intentions, are in peculiar danger of mistaking false zeal for true; and of being betrayed into great indiscretions. He learned, also, that the imprudences of one itinerant may produce incalculable evils,-evils which will extend through many generations. While surveying these fields of moral desolation, he became deeply impressed with the importance of a settled ministry. He saw that where there is no settled ministry, the minds of the people become unsettled in regard to religious truth, and they are easily carried about by every wind of doctrine; that errorists of every description come in and occupy the ground, and that when there is any religious excitement among them, it is peculiarly liable to run into the wildest fanaticism. In the midst of a people thus situated, religion and fanaticism become identified. They know of no other kind of religion; and, of course, they seek and expect no other. He found that the churches which had been made desolate by the labors of Davenport and his coadjutors half a cen

tury before, had remained desolate; that there still existed among the people the most violent prejudices against settled pastors, and all regular ecclesiastical organizations. He saw that the same self-righteous and denunciatory spirit, which first rent and scattered the churches, was still prevalent, and that those measures which accompany and promote fanaticism, such as calling persons to the anxious seat, requesting them to rise to be prayed for, or to signify that they had given their hearts to God, encouraging females to exhort and pray in promiscuous assemblies, &c., were still rife among them. These measures were adopted in these waste places," even by those of our denomination.

"There were at that period some itinerants of our denomination, not unlike some of the present day, who were in the habit of visiting those waste places, and who imbibed and encouraged the spirit just described. Some of these itinerants appeared to be good men; but they were greatly deficient in prudence, and were often impelled by false zeal. They were usually found arrayed against settled pastors, and their influence went to promote the interests of the fanatical sects, with which they were in the habit of co-operating in their religious meetings. These itinerants, and those with whom they associated, perceiving that Mr. Meek was a young man of zeal, took great pains to draw him into their views, and to infuse into his mind prejudices against settled pastors, by insinuating that they were enemies to revivals, and thus secure his co-operation in their radical movements. But he at once perceived that they were actuated by a wrong spirit, and that the course they were pursuing was adapted, not to promote, but to injure the cause of religion. He saw that the whole weight of their influence was employed to increase and perpetuate the prejudices of the people against sound doctrine and ecclesiastical order; and that so far from repairing the wastes of Zion, they were only making them more desolate."

"The knowledge which Mr. Meek obtained while laboring in this region, led him to entertain great respect for the pastoral office. He was convinced that without a settled ministry, there could be no rational prospect of building up churches, or of enjoying genuine revivals of religion; that flocks scattered on the mountains, with no faithful shepherd to watch and feed them, would become the prey of ravening wolves. He became also convinced that a tremendous responsibility rests upon those who labor as itinerants; and that it is their duty not to weaken the hands of settled pastors, but to do all in their power to strengthen them. This lesson was of immense importance to him, in preparing him for that course of labor to

which he has been called; and it is doubtless one reason why he has been enabled to shun those indiscretions into which most itinerants have fallen."

CHAPTER XXXII.

ONE day, while Thoughtful and Ardent were walking out, it happened that they passed through a street a little to the west of Pilgrim street; and as they were walking along, and observing the manner of the people, they saw a man, whom they afterwards found to be Mr. Bold, coming towards them with a hurried step, clothed partly in the habit which Evangelist wore, and partly in the dress of the people of the town. When he came up to them, he addressed them without any of the ordinary forms of salutation, as follows:

Bold. Are you true pilgrims, or only such by profession? Thoughtful. We profess to be pilgrims; and if we are not deceived, we have some real regard for the Prince Immanuel. Bold. Do you pray? Are you engaged in the cause of the Prince? Or are you no better than cold-hearted professors?

Th. We are not probably so ardent in his cause as we ought to be. Yet we think we take some delight in communion with our Lord.

Bold. Do you pray in faith? Or do you only mock the King, by asking things which you do not expect him to grant? Th. We aim, in our petitions, to ask for such things as appear to us desirable; and then leave our petitions with the King, after the example of our Lord, saying, "Not my will, but thine be done."

Bold. Aye; I see that you have no faith. I do not want to hear any one pray so, more than once or twice, to be convinced that he is destitute of faith.

Th. We believe that true faith in the King consists in having confidence in his superior wisdom; and that leads us to make our judgment of what is best, subordinate to his.

Bold. Well, well: I see that you are as cold as ice. But if you wish to get your hearts warmed, come along with me. There is, in a neighboring street, a great and powerful work; and if you will but come and see, you will be filled with wonder and astonishment. Come along.

So Thoughtful and Ardent followed Mr. Bold into a street

called Westerly street, where they soon perceived there was considerable excitement among the people, many of them being gathered in little groups, and talking earnestly among themselves; and from what they heard, it appeared that some were speaking of the great and glorious work which they said was going on, and others were contradictir.g and opposing. Mr. Bold, who led the way, often spoke to passers by, in the same abrupt manner in which he had addressed them, saying to one, "You are an enemy to the King;" to another, "You are as proud as Lucifer;" to another, "You are going right to the pit," and the like, which seemed to be very offensive to those who were thus addressed; and some openly cursed him for his pains.

They soon went into a place of worship, and Mr. Bold commenced the exercises. In his prayer, there seemed to be several things quite unusual. There was a very familiar, talking manner, as if the suppliant had forgotten his station, and was talking with an equal. There seemed also to be little or no confession of sin, in the prayer; but it seemed to be principally filled up with petitions for various individuals whose names were mentioned, and the opportunity seemed to be embraced, to tell all the bad things which the person officiating had known or imagined about them. He then preached a discourse, which contained much truth, but presented in a very singular way. The names and titles of the Divine Being were used with great irreverence; and things were repeatedly said in such a way, as to make the blood of the pilgrims chill in their veins. He attempted to give force to his representation, by the machinery of the theatre. He acted out, in a manner which shocked the feelings of the pilgrims, the case of the sinner, sickening, languishing, dying without hope; going to judgment, and sentenced to the pit. He also represented the final judgment, assumed the chair of the judge, called up sinners of different characters, investigating their several pleas, and pronounced the sentence, depart. In addressing sinners, he used language which seemed stronger than is consistent with truth. "Ö you wretches! you rebels, you desperadoes!" were expressions he used a number of times. And once he seemed to cap the climax, by saying, "there is not a fiend in hell, nor out of hell, so bad as you are.'

The meeting was full, and the people seemed to listen with an expression of great curiosity in their countenances; but I observed at the same time, that there was very little of that appearance of deep and solemn feeling which I had seen under the preaching of Mr. Meek. When the meeting was over,