CHAPTER XX.

FROM THE DEATH OF HIS WIFE TO THE TIME OF HIS BECOMING SUPERNUMERARY. AT THE THEOLOGICAL

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My dear father was now placed in new and trying circumstances. An aged widower;—for the present, without a home of his own, without the regular work of a circuit, a work in which he delighted, and had been uninterruptedly employed for forty-seven years;-his only two surviving children at a distance;—a new and untried situation before him, involving a serious weight of responsibility, and requiring qualifications, in which he thought himself, (though perhaps no one else thought so,) greatly deficient. Two other circumstances must be taken into the account to enable the reader to judge correctly of his position.

First, he had for some time been subject to a painful affliction, which he attributed to over-exertion in walking, &c. This had now become so serious, that he was obliged to consult a medical friend, and eventually to submit to a surgical operation. His complaint was obstinate, and, though it admitted of occasional relief, it never left him to the end of his days. This visitation was indeed "a thorn in the flesh;" and the more so, as its nature was such, that delicacy imposed upon him silence on the subject, and the general ignorance of his infirmity, the existence of which, none who regarded his vigorous appearance, would suspect, often placed him in circumstances of great inconvenience and suffering.

The other circumstance referred to, was, that the establishment of the Theological Institution, had been made the occasion of a mischievous and violent agitation in various parts of the Connexion, by persons who, while they professed great love to Methodism and an ardent desire to promote its purity and efficiency, were doing their

utmost to alienate its friends, and to undermine the very foundations on which it was based. He loved peace. Throughout a long and uniformly consistent public life, he had laboured to promote it; he regarded a contentious spirit as one of the greatest enemies of piety; and he was deeply pained to see the professed subjects of the Prince of Peace most industriously employed in sowing the seeds of discord: he justly characterized their vocation as "miserable employment." He remarks on this subject, "I greatly fear, parties are forming that will affect the prosperity of the work of God amongst us. Religion is love; and whatever operates against love strikes at the very root of religion. The restless spirit of the times is in operation in the church, as well as in the world. Lord preserve me unspotted in so foul a place. Amen.”

Having divided the long interval between the termination of his labours in the Lambeth Circuit, and the completion of the repairs and outfit of the Institution House among his relatives and friends, he took up his residence at the Institution House, Hoxton, on Nov. 19th. Mrs. William Entwisle, his widowed daughter-in-law, having been requested to accept the office of Housekeeper, accompanied him, an intelligent and spiritual companion in whose society he found great solace and relief; while her activity in domestic matters conduced in a high degree to the order and comfort of this large and important establishment.

The premises occupied were those in which the Hoxton Academy had been conducted; but that Institution having been transferred to more commodious and extensive premises at Highgate, those at Hoxton were offered to the Committee of the Institution on favourable terms. The situation was rather low and damp; but the premises were in many respects commodious, and capable of comfortably accommodating thirty students. Mr. E. thus records his entrance upon the Institution House.

"At ten o'clock this morning, I removed to Hoxton as my residence. O may the Lord be with me in this house. Then I may call it Bethel. Thou art with me. O Lord, never leave me. He adds, "I feel quite satisfied that my appointment here is of God. O may I be faithful." -And shortly after, while yet unsettled,- 'I am now in my study, a quiet solitary room, looking into the gar

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den. I deeply feel the loss of my dear Lucy. But the Lord favours me with his gracious presence, and greatly encourages me to expect from him direction and assistance in my responsible situation, where, I trust, I shall have an opportunity for usefulness beyond any thing I have hitherto known. I do believe the Lord will strengthen and help me. He knows, I desire to live for no other purpose than to do his will, and glorify him with my body and spirit which are his. On thee, O Lord, do I depend."

Several of the students were now in London, accommodated in private houses, until their apartments in the Institution House were ready. In the mean time, their studies were commenced, under the direction of the Rev. John Hannah (now D.D.); and my father began to exercise a truly paternal care for their spiritual interests. He thus records the first opportunity he had of meeting them in class. "Dec. 1, at three, class meeting. Eleven young men met. Three of them prayed, and oh! what power with God. Praise the Lord, O my soul. The following week, their apartments being fitted up, the students took up their permanent residence in the house; and the plan laid down was brought more fully into operation. At the close of the week, Mr. Entwisle remarks:-" A blessed week in our family. God is with us of a truth. We have much prayer. The young men are much alive to God, and very diligent in their studies. I trust they will get much good here. * * * * "I am perfectly satisfied that I am here by divine appointment, in the order of Providence. And therefore amidst all the outcries at Oldham street, (where Dr. W., a leading opponent, then resided.) my mind is kept in perfect peace; and I trust all opposition will ultimately work together for good. These are trying times in some parts of the connexion; but I am persuaded that this time of sifting, like others which I have witnessed, will eventually be for good.”

Still his mind was much pained by the contentious spirit manifested by some of the opponents of the Institution. He feared many persons would be turned out of the way, and that souls might be lost for ever. Referring to the leader of this unhallowed opposition, he remarks, "I would not be in his place for all the world." He felt

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especially grieved that the societies in his native town and in the neighbouring circuits, with which his earliest and most delightful recollections were associated, should be among the principal scenes of this mischievous agitation. It seems almost certain now," he writes toward the close of the year, 'that there will be a division of the societies in Manchester, Liverpool, and Rochdale, and perhaps in some other places; but it is better to have a division than to have endless strife and contention. The Lord reigns.

While, however, others were agitating, true to his principles, he was intent upon getting and doing good. “I perceive," he says, "my business is to live very near to God, to keep my mind calm and quiet, and to endeavour in every possible way to promote the spiritual improvement of the young men committed to my pastoral care. O Lord, guide me with thy counsel; be my teacher and my helper.

Having formerly entertained the opinion that the plan of placing the junior ministers in circuits under the care of experienced and judicious superintendents, competent to direct their studies and to form their ministerial character, might be preferable to that of collecting a number of young men into a collegiate institution, he was naturally led by the circumstances in which he was placed, and by the violent agitation which prevailed, to reconsider the whole subject, while the position he occupied gave him an opportunity of comparing the new plan with the old, the operation of which he had witnessed for near fifty years. A few extracts from his journal and correspondence will put the reader in possession of his views.

“Jan. 3, 1835.-I never entered on a new year in similar circumstances: not employed in the work of a circuit, but placed in this Institution for spiritual purposes. I do most firmly believe the arrangement is providential. My soul prospers. There is much of God in our domestic worship. The family is well ordered: all is regular. The young men are evidently improving in knowledge and in piety; and I trust they will go from hence better fitted for usefulness than they would have been without such a training. I feel deeply my responsibility: much is expected: I am conscious that I am not sufficient of myself. Yet I am not discouraged; my

sufficiency is of God. He employs me, and He will help me."

In a letter to his son, written a few days after, having described his general plan of procedure, he says, "Our family is a family of love: all seem to be comfortable; and our domestic worship is delightful. God is with us. Mr. Hannah's Lectures, which I attend as often as I can, are most instructive and interesting: they are so, beyond any thing I ever heard. They are simple and plain, yet display profound biblical knowledge, and are attended with much divine unction. If those who are afraid lest the Institution should hurt the young men, could see and hear all that passes, they would have different views.

"There are some bad spirits at work. The floods lift up their voice,' but the Lord sitteth above the waterfloods, and remains King for ever.' My mind is quite tranquil. I believe I am here by divine appointment. I am endeavouring incessantly to do good. The young men are deeply pious, and very tractable. My own soul prospers. I think I never enjoyed so much of God. I live NOW. I feel dead to the world. I cease from man. I find in my God and Saviour perfect satisfaction. To Him be glory."

About this time Mr. Entwisle wrote to his venerable friend the Rev. James Wood, of Bristol, who when the subject was under the consideration of the Conference, had opposed the establishment of the Theological Institution, chiefly on the ground that such institutions had not generally tended to promote the piety and zeal of young ministers; and from a fear that the evils which had appeared in other religious communities would arise in our own. Mr. E. knew that Mr. Wood's objections had resulted from the most affectionate and principled regard to the interests of real religion; that they had been temperately and respectfully expressed at the proper time and in the proper place; that when the question was decided, he cheerfully acquiesced in the decision; and that he regarded the subsequent opposition with unqualified disapprobation. He believed that his venerable friend would rejoice to hear that God was with his servants in the new Institution; and that it was likely to result in the deepened piety and superior qualifications