DECEMBER, 1859.

THE SPECIAL EFFORT.

THE COMMITTEE have the satisfaction of reporting, that their APPEAL for Funds to enable them to send forth EVANGELISTS to labour for a limited time has been cheerfully and liberally responded to by many of the friends of Evangelical truth. They indulge the confident expectation that others, who have not yet forwarded their contributions, will still take part in the good work. Ministerial brethren have also cheerfully consented to undertake the service to which they have been invited. The Rev. Dr. EVANS, of Scarborough, has spent some time in Belfast, Coleraine, and other places, where his labours have been very acceptable. The Rev. F. WILLS is engaged at Coleraine and Londonderry. The Rev. JOHN LEWIS, of Houghton Regis, is assisting Mr. CARSON in Tubermore and its neighbourhood. Mr. LYND, an Irish convert, is engaged with Mr. ECCLES at Banbridge. Other brethren will soon go forth on the same errand. Reports of their labours will be given, and will, doubtless, be read with interest by the friends of Ireland.

"AN INCIDENT IN THE REVIVALS.”

MY DEAR SIR,-I send you the following sketch of an Incident in the Revivals, which may, perhaps, interest some of the readers of the Chronicle." At an even ing prayer-meeting, in our house of worship at Belfast, it was related by the Rev. Mr. Bowden, of Leeds, as nearly as possible in the words I have given.

Yours truly,

R. M. HENRY.

The Rev. C. J. Middleditch.

On the river the little boat upset, and the crew of thirteen were thrown into the water. Nine of them were drowned, and four saved; he was one of the four. This circumstance made a deep impression on his mind, and he promised to give his spared life to Christ. His Christian relations and friends hoped he was truly changed, but his goodness was like the morning cloud and early dew. He became the companion of fools, and learned their ways; casting off all restraint, he became a habitual drunkard. With two sisters he emigrated An instance of the grace of God, which to America; but a change of country made came before me in the neighbourhood of no change in his conduct, except that perC- whilst visiting there, gave great joy haps he pursued the downward course with to my heart. The subject of it was one more rapidity. His own statement is, "I whom I had known, and of whom I was a stopped at nothing; I fell into all kinds of companion in my boyish days. We had wickedness; I fought against God and my often gone to the same Sabbath school and own conscience; and, though it was to the the same sanctuary in company. Deprived grief of my dear sisters, whom in the midst by death of both his parents in early life, of all I loved dearly, I had no power to he was placed under the care of his oldest stay my course, on, on, headlong to my brother, a member of the Independent church, destruction." His sisters at last requested and a true Christian, whose influence was him to return to his native country, in the used and whose prayers constantly ascended hope that it might be for his good. He for the conversion to God of all his brothers consented, and arrived in the early part of and sisters. The one of whom I speak had this year; but the heart with which he been in early life the subject of a great tem- had left was still unchanged. He soon beporal deliverance. When a boy, with gan his old ways. "I drank," he says, twelve other lads, he went one Lord's day" and fought against God and man. My into a little boat to cross a river which ran brother advised me, and tried all he could near his own house, in order to have a to win me, but I counted him my greatest Sabbath day's pleasure on the other side. enemy."

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62

During all this time he was miserable; his conscience would at times wake up, and speak in language loud as thunder, and so miserable was he under its appeals and forebodings, that at last he resolved to take away his life; and in order to give his Christian brother all the pain he could, determined that he would write, and leave the note for him to find, informing him of the fact, and where his body would be found. He intended to throw himself into the river at the same place from which in early life God had rescued him. He went into C, which is three miles from his brother's, and, in order to prepare himself for the fulfilment of his hellish resolution, he told me he drank whisky all day; but it seemed as if all the whisky in the town would not make him drunk. He left town in the evening, I believe, with the letter for his brother in his pocket. But the Lord had mercy on him.

When a short distance from the town, and alone, his sins, as with a lightning flash, all came up before his mind. He stopped, and in the horrors of his imagination he saw the ground open, and the pit | ready to receive his black and guilty soul. He stepped aside to escape the precipice before him. Hell, in all its horrors, was present to his view. He fell to the ground in despair; reason fled for a season-he knows not how long. By some of the "converts" he was found on the wayside, and taken back again to town. When reason returned, his misery was such as an awakened sinner, or a lost soul, only can understand. But, blessed be God, in his case it was the precursor of mercy. He was not yet in hell, but on the land of hope. His sickness was not unto death. During two days and nights this misery continued, and his case and prospects even grew darker and darker. God seemed to his convicted soul to be laughing at his calamities, and mocking now that his fear had come. He dreaded to pray, and yet could not refrain.

A little tract was put into his hands by his sister-in-law, "Jesus, Justice, and the Sinner." A ray of hope beamed upon his despairing soul; the light increased, and at last he exclaimed, “Jesus, I surrender; do with me as thou wilt. If I perish, I will perish trusting to thy blood." The invitations and assurances of the Scriptures were then clear and plain to him, and he was enabled to rejoice in a sin pardoning God. Emerging like the sun in a tropical clime, from darkness into sudden day, he burst forth in songs of ecstatic joy, such as those only know who have been snatched from the brink of hell, and made subjects of God's great salvation.

Words were insufficient to give full vent to the feelings of his heart. He leaped, he danced for very joy. What happiness to his dear brother, who, year after year, had been praying for him, weeping for him, wrestling with God for him, now to see him saved!

There was a public meeting in a field near his brother's house some two days after his conversion, and among the speakers was seen this man. One of Mrs. —'s relatives was present, and gave me a description of the scene. What a sight! His Christian relations and friends were all bathed in tears, and many were looking on with wonder. During his address, he said, "I am not able to say much, for my head is dizzy. I have not slept a wink since; but I just want to tell you that I have served my master long and faithfully, and that he is a bad master, and gives bad wages. And I want to tell you that I did not wish to leave him-I am no runaway, I am no deserter; no, I had no notion of leaving him, till I was pressed, yes, till I was pressed. The struggle was great; I fell between their hands. O what misery! At the very mouth of the pit; on the very brink of hell. But oh, the blessed Jesus had hold of me, and I got hold of him, and by his grace I will never let him go; and I want you all to pray for me-to pray for

that he may never let me go, and that I may be as faithful a servant to my new Master as I have been to my old one."

This took place some two months before my visit to C. He heard of my being in the place, and came to hear me preach. At the close of the service, he requested an interview with me. Being very anxious to have a little conversation with him, I arranged for a time to meet him, when he gave me the account of his conversion which I have just stated. He had read God's word since that time, and there he had seen that all believers were commanded to be baptized, as a public profession of their faith in Christ; and, believing that sprink ling in infancy is not Christian baptism, he asked me if I would baptize him. On the evidence of his faith, given by his conversation and conduct, I could not refuse him the privilege of that ordinance of Christ; and in the Baptist chapel that evening, be fore a large congregation, he put on Christ by baptism.

It was, indeed, a solemn and, I hope, a profitable service. I addressed him, as he descended the steps of the baptistry, with the words, "Ye were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning." And may the same power that has plucked him out, hold him up, until he shall be presented faultless before the throne with exceeding joy.

Further Contributions in aid of the Special Fund, and those for general
purposes, are unavoidably deferred on account of the Secretary's absence from
London.

The thanks of the Committee are presented to Mrs. Hassell, for a parcel of
children's clothing.

Contributions in behalf of the general purposes of the Baptist Irish Society, or in aid
of the special efforts for RATHMINES and BELFAST, will be thankfully received by the
Treasurer, THOMAS PEWTRESS, Esq.; or the Secretary, the Rev. CHARLES JAMES
MIDDLEDITCH, at the Mission House, 33, Moorgate Street, E.C.; or the London
Collector, Mr. JAMES BROWN, 7, Brunswick Place, Wyndham Road, Camberwell New
Road, S.; and by the Baptist Ministers in any of our principal towns.

Supplemen t.

DECEMBER, 1859.

PRINCIPAL BAPTIST SOCIETIES.

Baptist Missionary Society.

Formed 1792. OBJECT:-"The diffusion of the knowledge of the religion of Jesus Christ throughout the whole world, beyond the British Isles, by the preaching of the gospel, the translation and publication of the Holy Scriptures, and the establishment of schools."

Treasurer, Sir SAMUEL MORTON PETO, Bart.

Secretaries, Rev. FREDERICK TRESTRAIL, EDWARD BEAN UNDERHILL, Esq.
Accountant, Rev. THOMAS SMITH.

Committee.

Honorary Members of Committee.

Auditors, Messrs. STEPHEN GREEN, SAMUEL BLIGH, GILBERT BRIGHT, and

R. P. SPICE.

Baptist Mission House, 33, Moorgate Street, London.