L.

TO DR. RYLAND,

Leicester, April 10, 1816. My esteem for your character is such, that it is impossible for me to differ from you in opinion, or decline complying with your wishes without considerable pain. I feel that pain on the present occasion. I am truly concerned to find your purpose is to form an auxiliary society at Bristol, to have public days, &c. &c.; being deeply convinced of the truth of that axiom of our Lord's, that "the kingdom of God cometh not with observation;" or, as Campbell translates it, "is not ushered in with parade." The Baptist Society has prospered abundantly, with the blessing of God, under a different management; and the unobtrusive modesty of its operations has been one of its strongest recommendations. That society has done much, and said little; it has shown itself in its effects, not in its preparations. I am much grieved that it is about to relinquish that praise, and to vie with [others] in the noise and ostentation of its proceedings. It reminds me of the fable of the frog and the ox.

Why should we at last imitate what we have so long condemned? Why should we attempt a competition in a point of view in which we are sure to appear to a disadvantage? The expense of collecting ministers from remote places is not small; and, supposing their expenses to be borne out of the public fund (and the situation of few allows them to travel at their own expense), it will, I fear, more than counterbalance the pecuniary advantages resulting from the efforts at publicity. I have serious apprehensions that the ostentatious spirit which is fast pervading all denominations of Christians, in the present times, in the concerns of religion, will draw down the frown of the Great Head of the church, whose distinguishing characteristic was humility. He did "not strive, nor cry, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street." I am persuaded nothing can be more opposite to your own disposition than such a mode of proceeding, on which account I am the more surprised you should be induced to lend it your sanction. There appears to me a very simple and efficacious mode of supporting the Baptist mission, without noisy appeals to the public. Let every Baptist minister make an annual collection in his congregation, and apply to his more opulent members and hearers besides, for their annual subscriptions; and all the money will be raised which ought to be raised by our denomination. With respect to others, the success of the mission, attested by its periodical reports, will not fail to make the right impression. The best auxiliary societies, in my humble opinion, that can be devised, are already prepared to our hands in regular organized churches, and in the certainty of meeting some hundreds of professing Christians every Sabbath-day. I hope, my VOL. III.-R

dear brother, you will not be offended with the freedom of these remarks. Were I to consult my inclinations, an excursion, in the pleasant month of July, to Bristol and to Wales would be highly gratify. ing; but, from the consideration I have suggested, I must beg leave absolutely to decline your kind invitation. I do extremely deprecate the precedent about to be set at Bristol.

Your advice respecting my intended publication came too late. It was already in the press. I hope it will do no harm, if it does no good. I think the question of very considerable importance, and the abetters of free communion have been too languid in their exertions. I intend, my dear sir, no personal reflection, but mention it as a general remark.

LI.

TO DR. RYLAND.

Leicester, May 27, 1816.

I read the letters of Mr. Fuller on Robinsorianism, with much delight and approbation on the whole; but I think he has, as he was rather prone, carried the matter too far. For my part, I am far from believing the innocence of mental error on the one hand, or the sinfulness of every particular error on the other. I suspect that there are religious mistakes, which result from the circumstances and the imperfections of the present state, for which many good [men] will never be called to account; though I am far from supposing this extends to a denial of the great distinguishing principles of the gospel. On this occasion I am disposed to adopt the old adage, In medio tutissimus ibis. The letters are admirable for their piety, and their masculine vein of reasoning.

With respect to Scotland, I must absolutely decline it. I have been already five weeks absent from my pulpit on account of illness; and it would be extremely injurious to my congregation to incur so long an additional absence. In truth, I am little fitted for distant excursions, on account of my liability to be attacked with such violent pain, which renders me a burden to myself and to all about me.

LII.

TO DR. RYLAND. (EXTRACT.)

June 19, 1816

I sympathize most sincerely in the joy you must feel,

as a parent, from the baptism of your daughter. I hope and pray you will ultimately have the pleasure of seeing all your children walking in the truth. I already begin to feel the spiritual interests of my dear children a frequent source of painful solicitude. Let me beg an interest in your prayers for their conversion.

LIII.

TO THE REV. JAMES PHILLIPS.

My dear Friend Phillips,

Leicester, May 12, 1816. It is long, very long, since I had the pleasure of seeing or hearing from you. For the latter I can account, in some measure, from the displeasure you conceived at my treatment of your servant, who, at your request, called upon me in the way to Harborough. I do freely confess myself to have been much to blame in that particular. My conduct was not such as ought to have been shown to any one; much less to a domestic of yours, who called, at your request, to make friendly inquiries respecting my welfare. I sincerely beg your pardon, and also the pardon of the young woman, for that impropriety. In justice to myself, I must tell you how I was situated. When your servant. called I was engaged in secret prayer, the door made fast. My servant girl made a violent clamour at the door: I kept silence, intending her to understand that it was my wish not to be interrupted at that time. She continued, however, to knock at the door, as though she was determined to break it down. At length, I was under the necessity, fearing some accident, to open it; and being much irritated at the unwelcome interruption, and at the rude carriage of my servant, when I came to understand the errand on which the young woman came, I could not surmount my agitation sufficiently to give her the reception I ought. I was visibly pettish and chagrined. Such is the true state of the case; and I may observe, as some apology for me, that sometimes the incessant interruptions I meet with, by people calling from a distance, is such, especially in summer, as to leave no time at all, sometimes not half an hour a day, that I can call my own. This operating upon a mind fond of retirement to an excess, sometimes almost drives me to distraction. The irritation and agitation it sometimes produces is inconceivable. I do most devoutly wish my friends

would never give any commission to strangers to call upon me. The sight of strangers, especially when I cannot leave them when I please, is frequently distressing to me in a very [high] degree. But, though I mention these circumstances as an apology, I am far from meaning to justify myself. I am aware of the extreme impropriety of indulging that irritability of temper, and am truly concerned at the instance of it to which I have adverted. Let me indulge the hope, my dear friend, that this disagreeable circumstance will not put a period to that friendship which I have always so highly esteemed, and which has formed no inconsiderable part of the solace of my life. I have loved you ever since I knew you; and my attachment has increased exactly in proportion to my opportunities of acquainting myself with your char

I hope you will forget and overlook this unpleasant business, and permit me again to class you among my dearest friends.

LIV.

TO DR. GREGORY.

ON THE DEATH OF MR. BOSWELL BRANDON BEDDOME.

My very dear Friend,

Leicester, Nov. 2, 1816.

I have just received your letter, and cannot lose a moment in expressing the deep sympathy I take in the affliction arising from the melancholy tidings it announces. Alas! my dear friend Boswell Beddome! My eyes will see thee no more! The place which once knew thee shall know thee no more! How many delightful hours have I spent in thy society-hours never more to return! That countenance, beaming with benevolence and friendship, will be beheld no more until the resurrection morn, when it will rise to shine radiant with immortal brightness and beauty. How thick and solemn the vicissitudes of death and calamity in that amiable and respectable family, the Beddomes! What awful reverses and catastrophes! Surely their heavenly Father must have destined them to some distinguished station in the eternal edifice, with whom he has taken such pains in hewing, cutting, and polishing. The dealings of God towards our dear Boswell have been at once severe and tender; and never perhaps were the preparations of mercy to be traced more distinctly than in the events which have recently befallen him: the faculties extinguished for a while, to be restored; an antedated resurrection; as though God had determined to recast his whole nature into a crucible, previous to its being poured into the mould of eternity. I have been delighted to hear, from various quarters, and particularly from Mr. Alexander, of the sweet, tranquil, and devotional state of his mind subsequent to his first attack; and had flattered myself with the hope of life being protracted to a distant period. But God's ways are not as our ways; nor his thoughts as

our thoughts. After purifying our dear friend in the furnace of afflic tion, he judged it fit to cut short his work in righteousness. Be assured, my dear sir, I deeply sympathize with you, and dear Mrs. G., both in your sorrow and your joy, on the present occasion. You have to sing of mercy and of judgment. The loss of such a parent must be long and deeply regretted; but there is so much to console and to elevate in this event, taken in all its bearings, that the tears you shed partake of a tender triumph. Our dear friend has reached the goal, and gained the prize, which we are still doomed to pursue with anxiety and toil. May we, my dear friend, be quickened in our progress by this most impressive event, and learn, more effectually than ever, to secure the one thing needful.

Your company at Leicester, and that of Mrs. G., would afford me the most exquisite pleasure: pray let me have it the first opportunity. My health, through mercy, and that of my family, are at present good; though I have during the past year met with awful mementoes of my latter end.

I beg to be most affectionately remembered to Mrs. Gregory, and every branch of the Beddome family, in which Mrs. Hall joins me; and remain, invariably,

Yours most affectionately,

LV.

ROBERT HALL.

TO THE REV. THOMAS LANGDON, LEEDS.

My dear Friend, Leicester, March 12, 1817. I am extremely concerned to hear of the ill state of your health, which I fear, from what I have occasionally heard, has been declining for some time: it is my earnest prayer and hope the Lord may restore it, and spare you many years, for the good of your family and of the church. It is a great mortification to me that I am situated at such a distance as renders it impracticable for me to see you often; but I retain, and ever shall retain, the strongest sentiments of friendship and esteem, and the remembrance of innumerable acts of kindness and attention from you in my early days. Those days are fled, and we are both now far nearer to eternity than then; both I hope nearer to consummate blessedness. For yourself, I feel a full persuasion that your removal (may it be at a distant period!) will be unspeakable gain.

To come to the business of your letter, I believe I am expected this year at Hull, and that it is wished to collect for the mission. As far as I can judge, it will probably be about the time you mention, in August; but this remains to be settled with Mr. Birt, from whom I have not yet heard. When I hear from him, and the time is fixed, I will let you know; and I hope I shall be able to comply with your