XXXIII.

TO JOSEPH GUTTERIDGE, ESQ.,

IN REPLY TO THE PRECEDING.

My dear Sir, Leicester, Feb. 29, 1812. I have taken into my most serious consideration the proposition laid before me in your last letter, and have sought the advice of those friends whose opinion I judged most fit to be relied upon. Some of them are decided in favour of my compliance, others leave the matter in suspense. My people at Leicester have given their cheerful consent, on a supposition of its appearing to me to be the path of duty. Upon making it frequent matter of prayer, I am inclined to think it may be my duty to fall in with the ideas entertained by you and others upon this point, provided my health admit. The difficulties and discouragements attending the affair appear to me so formidable, that nothing could induce me for a moment to think of encountering them but an apprehension that I might, by yielding to them, be going against the will of God. I am habitually alarmed at the thought of my having already too much hid my little talent in a napkin, and should conse quently rather risk the most unpleasant imputations than increase that score of guilt. It ought to be (alas! how weak my heart!) "a small thing with me to be judged by man's judgment: there is one that judgeth, even the Lord." The business, however prudently conducted, will expose me to the censure of pride and presumption on the part of many; and my deficiencies will disappoint, I am certain, the expectation of my partial friends. Nevertheless, supposing it possible some good may result, I am inclined to say, "I will go in the strength of the Lord my God." An impediment lies in the way, however, at present, which must be removed before I can think of it; that is, the state of my health. My old complaint has grown upon me so much of late, that it is with great difficulty I can go on with my stated work. I have been for some time under the necessity of taking fifty, and sometimes a hundred drops of laudanum every night, in order to procure any rest. The pain has been both violent and very nearly constant. It is quite out of the question to think of a journey to London unless I am better. So situated, whatever arrangements are made connected with the proposal you mention, must be conditional; and I shall, if you judge it fit to give it any further consideration, inform you previously whether I can come or not. It seems to me there are some objections to the place of preaching being alternate: will not this interfere with its being well known? The same objection seems to apply to the appointment of different places. These, however, and all other points, I wish to submit to the decision of friends. Mrs. H. will, I believe, not be able to accompany me. She desires to be most

respectfully remembered to you and Mrs. G. Please to present my best respects to Mrs. G. and Miss G., and believe me to be, with great esteem,

Dear Sir, yours affectionately,

ROBERT HALL.

XXXIV.

TO JOSEPH GUTTERIDGE, ESQ.

ON THE SAME SUBJECT.

My dear Sir, Leicester, March 29, 1812. I delayed writing to you as long as I could, that I might the better ascertain the state of my health at the time when it was proposed I should undertake my journey to London. I now feel myself under a necessity of informing you and my other friends, that my health is such as renders it impossible for me to think of engaging in such a matter. It is with the utmost difficulty that I can go through my stated duties. I am ready to suspect that the complaint under which I have so long laboured is intended to "weaken my strength by the way," and, at no great distance, to bring me to "the house appointed for all living." The pain is almost incessant, and often so violent as to put my patience to its utmost exercise.* I have now for many weeks been under the necessity of taking seventy or eighty drops of laudanum every night, and am often obliged to rise and repeat the draught before I can procure any rest. It appears to me preposterous to think of coming to London in such a situation. I can scarce ever sit up an hour together; lying down is my constant position. I consulted some judicious friends on the subject of your proposal, and, above all, made it my business to seek direction from the Fountain of wisdom The result was, that I came to a determination to suspend the affair upon the state of my health about the time my engagements, in the event of compliance, were to commence. Providence, by having placed me in my present circumstances, appears to have decided the affair; and in that decision I perfectly acquiesce. My mind is, to say the truth, relieved from a considerable weight; for nothing but a fear of neglecting a possible opportunity of doing some little good could have reconciled me for a moment to the proposal you, I am persuaded with the best intentions, were pleased to make. The appearance of vanity and self-consequence attached to it, always presented itself as a most formidable obstacle; but this I had made up my mind to surmount, reposing, in the midst of much sinister [interpretation,] on the rectitude of my intentions, and my conscious desire of complying with the leadings of Providence. You, my dear sir, have been actuated, I doubt not, in this affair, by a solicitude to promote the interest of reli

*See p. 155, 156 of this volume.-ED.

gion, as well as by motives of the truest friendship, as far as concerns myself; and you will not fail to [reap] the satisfaction which arises from the possession of such sentiments. For the trouble you have been at in making the necessary arrangements, you will be so good as to accept my sincere acknowledgments.

With truest affection and esteem,

I remain, dear Sir,

Yours constantly,

ROBERT HALL.

XXXV.

TO THE REV. JAMES PHILLIPS.

My dear Phillips,

Leicester, April 16, 1812. I was extremely gratified to hear once from you again; and if you knew how much pleasure it yields me to receive a letter from you, I flatter myself you would indulge me oftener. I have little to communicate that will be interesting to you, but could not let so affectionate an epistle lie by long unanswered. My state of health, I need not tell you, has long been extremely ill it appears to me as if my constitution was breaking up; and I have little doubt, unless my malady takes a favourable turn, it will, ere it be long, reduce me to the dust. I am not better than my fathers: I am deeply conscious I am corrected less, yea, infinitely less, than my iniquities deserve. I hope I am more anxious to see my heavy affliction sanctified than removed. Whether it would be best for it to be removed may well be doubted: of the admirable benefits arising from sanctification, both in time and eternity, there can be no doubt. I presume the Lord sees I require more hammering and hewing than almost any other stone that was ever selected for his spiritual building, and that is the secret reason of his dealings with me. Let me be broken into a thousand pieces, if I may but be made up again, and formed by his hand for purposes of his mercy. I see more and more of the unspeakable blessedness of being made like God, and of becoming partaker of his holiness. I see it, I say, but I do not attain; or, at least, in so unspeakably small a degree, that I have every moment reason to be abased, and "repent in dust and ashes." My ministry continues, through mercy, to be considerably blessed in awakening sinners. I cannot but hope the church and congregation are in a very promising state. We are in perfect harmony, and we have frequent additions. Last Lord's-day se'nnight I baptized thirteen, and others stand ready. Blessed be the Lord! My strain of preaching is considerably altered; much less elegant, but more intended for conviction, for awakening the conscience, and carrying home truths with power to the heart. Our congregation is plain and serious, with a sprinkling of genteel people; but none in the church: and, indeed, if

any saving fruit has been reaped from my ministry, it has been almost entirely among the middling and lower classes.

Yesterday we had our second jubilee anniversary of the Bible Society for Leicestershire, a happy harmonious meeting, with one little exception; on the church side, several clergymen spoke; but no dissenter. I augur the most glorious and important consequences from the Bible Society. I have just finished the perusal of Mr. Scott's answer to Bishop Tomline. He has demolished the bishop entirely. I find but little in Mr. Scott's views against which I can object. It is somewhat loosely written, but full of argument, instruction, and piety. There is a trait of egotism in the good man which had better been avoided. He quotes almost entirely from his own works. It is well for the bishop his rank excuses him from replying to it. He would make a miserable figure. I thank you for your favourable opinion of my discourse. It is flat; but if it be in the least adapted to do good, I ought to rest satisfied. I am much rejoiced to hear of your intention of visiting Leicester. You must spend a Sabbath with me. I heard Mr. twice, [as he passed] through Leicester: he is a young man of some talents, of a good deal of brilliancy, but miserably defective in simplicity. I am afraid a vicious taste is gaining ground, both among preachers and hearers: all glare and point, little to the understanding, and nothing to the heart. But my paper admonishes me to close, with my best respects to Mrs. Phillips, Miss W, Mr. and Mrs. Beddome, &c., in which Mrs. H. joins me.

I remain, my dear Sir,

Your affectionate and constant Friend,

XXXVI.

ROBERT HALL

EXTRACT OF A LETTER TO MRS. ANGAS, NEWCASTLE

Dear Madam,

UPON-TYNE.

Leicester, May 8, 1812. Though I have nothing particular to communicate, I knew not how to let Mrs. O. proceed to Newcastle without dropping a line to acknowledge your kind letter, and present my gratitude for the interest you are pleased to take in my welfare. The esteem of the pious and excellent of the earth I always consider as a very distinguished privilege; though the possession of it is not unmingled with mortification at the consideration of my deserving it so little, and my perfect conviction, that did they know me more they would esteem me less. It ought to humble most persons to reflect, that for a large portion of the respect in which they are held, they are indebted to ignorance; to the necessary unacquaintance with each other's hearts. The Great Supreme is the only being from whom nothing is to be feared on this head; the only

one who may be safely trusted with the worst secrets of our hearts. "His mercy endureth for ever." He also is able, and only he, to cor rect the obliquities he discovers. The Leicester news you probably hear from other quarters. I go so little into society, that the report must be strong and loud which reaches me.

XXXVII.

TO MR. NEWTON BOSWORTH, CAMBRIDGE. My dear Sir, Leicester, April 23, 1813. I am ashamed of not having earlier answered the kind letter I received from Mrs. B., for which I beg you will present my hearty acknowledgments. I must also thank you for your book on the Accidents of Life. It is a most entertaining production, and will, I hope, be extensively useful in preventing or remedying a large portion of human calamity. It is plainly dictated by the same spirit that breathed in a Howard and a Hanway, and will entitle you to a portion of their reward.

As I hope to see Cambridge in the course of this summer, you will not expect from me a very long letter. I recollect, with fervent gratitude, the kindness I there met with; mixed with much shame, to think it should have been lavished on such an undeserving object. When I recollect the course of my ministry at Cambridge, I feel continual matter of condemnation. "Do you preach better now, then?" you will perhaps say. In one respect I do not preach half so well :-I do not bestow near so much attention on my composition: but I trust I do insist on more interesting and evangelical topics. A greater savour of Jesus Christ does, I trust, breathe through my ministry, in which it was formerly greatly deficient.

But why do I speak so much of myself?-We last Monday held our annual [meeting of the] Bible Society. It was more numerously attended than ever, and delightful to see clergymen and dissenting ministers sit on the same seat, and ardently engaged in promoting the same object, with perfect unanimity. We cannot say of the past times that they were better than the present. I think the age is greatly improving it must improve in proportion as the grand catholicon is more universally applied.

It would have given me great pleasure to have seen you this summer at Leicester: I am sorry your letter indicates no intention of that sort.

I am much delighted with reading a new translation of Mosheim's Commentaries on the Affairs of the Christians before Constantine. It appears to me one of the most instructive theological publications that