thee; beseeching him to grant thee much of his presence; to give thee renewed tokens of his love; and frequently to cause thee to hear his glorious voice saying, "Fear not-I am with thee." "When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee." Farewell!-ED.] To the Editor of the Gospel Magazine. Dear Mr. Editor, though UNKNOWN IN THE FLESH, YET WELL KNOWN IN THE SPIRIT, Many months, nay, the last twelve months, have I perused the sweet spirited work, styled the GOSPEL MAGAZINE; and the more I read its contents, the more I am confirmed that it is indited under the influence of the Holy Spirit; and truly thankful do I desire to be, that I ever was led to read, mark, learn, and pray, that I might inwardly digest many encouraging, heart-cheering, soulestablishing truths written therein. I bless my God I have found some whose spirit is not so contaminated and influenced by the contentious, soul-robbing, distressing spirit, which fill so large a portion of the pages sent out, and professing to be, for the edification of the true Church of God in Christ. Yes, I am glad, although unknown in the flesh to my dear Christian friend, whose minds God Almighty have inclined to send forth the GOSPEL MAGAZINE, and whose heart God has opened, to be the Editor of the same, that I find such tenderness of spirit, and the effects of the blessed, benign, bedewing Spirit of Jesus; a beautiful vein of which is recorded in four verses of the 5th chapter of Galatians, which, when I read, and am in my right mind, I take shame and confusion of face, and say, 66 Oh, how I long for these blessed fruits. Alas! frail creature that I am, how prone to all evil!" And did I not find and read how all the dear saints and children of God have likewise been buffetted, tried, and cast down on 'account of sin, and mourned and grieved that they also felt hardness, doubts, and unbelief, I think I, ere this, should have fainted; but, oh, the goodness, lovingkindness, and tender mercy of a covenant-keeping Jehovah. Here I am still, though faint and very weak; yet, bless His dear name, I am kept pursuing, kept hungering and thirsting, longing and panting, after more close union to be felt, and sweeter communion to be kept up, with a precious Jesus. "Oh! what is honour, wealth, or mirth ?" Nothing, this side of Jordan's river, can possibly be compared with a heart-felt union, realized by sweet communion, to be permitted to enter in within the vale, whither Jesus, the blessed orerunner, is for his people entered. Only a few minutes, how sweet it is-it is most sweet-to the spiritual taste. How often has my spirit been warmed, and my soul rejoiced, while reading your pages, to see the dealings of God to my dear brethren and sisters. I have been brought through many deep waters, bereft of one most near and dear; witnessed his redeemed soul's departure, and near seven years left behind, longing to depart, and be released from this body of sin and death; yet would not dictate to my God, only pray that I may be kept, preserved, and directed, day by day. I feel so weak, so silly, so totally insufficient of myself, that, when I awake in the morning, Í know not how to go forward to perform my callings; am led, at times, to gather hope, believe He will not suffer me, his poor child, to go astray. Truly, I never would sin against Him; but, as the holy apostle says, "I find another law in my members warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin, which is in my members;" which gives birth to the cry of "Oh creature that I am." One dear poet says, "Yes, dearest Lord, 'tis my desire, Thy wise appointments to admire, which is the language of my heart. "Let others stretch their arms like seas, Grant me the visits of thy face, I beg pardon, dear Sir, for the intrusion on your valuable time; but, although a poor feeble worm, it has lain on my mind to drop a few lines for the strengthening of the work before you, and for encouragement of the dear friends. We have a long distance to go for the Gospel sound, therefore sincerely hope we may be indulged with the experiences of the Lord's hungering and thirsting family; and I pray the dear Lord to keep you steadfast and immoveable. It is an awful day; I tremble at times; I shake when I look around, and see hardness, bitterness, and a satanic spirit making every effort to attack the Church of the living God, and, as an individual, know I am so very weak, helpless, and insufficient. Oh, may the blessed Lord be my guide, counsellor, and director. Oh, may we, as members of one Head, be very earnest, very jealous, for the honour of God. May we not sleep, but arise and besiege the throne, and cry mightily to our God. That he would arise for his Zion's sake, is the heartfelt desire of one who begs to subscribe herself a friend and constant Reader. M. W. B. Portsmouth, Jan. 4, 1842. [Sweet experience, dear Sister, whoever you are. Your sense of weakness-the daily, hourly diminution of fleshly strength and wisdom, makes Jesus and his great salvation so very precious. We know one that was for years living by the week, the month, and the year; consequently his spirit was always failing him; constant depression was his lot; and his inward inquiry was continually, "How shall I surmount that trouble?" " Surely in that day my strength will utterly fail.” But at length the Lord plunged him headlong, not into imaginary, but into real troubles -troubles on every hand; his conclusion was, "Now I shall utterly sink." "Never again shall I rise," "Lord, take away my life, for what am I better than my fathers?" "Wilt thou utterly consume me with terrors? "Shall the enemies of thy truth have to rejoice in the annihilation of one that hath ventured to profess thy name- to espouse thy cause?" and then the cry from his burdened heart would burst forth," Lord, lift up my head above the waters of tribulation." And what think you, dear Sister, has been the result? Has he sunk? has he been overwhelmed? O, no! Blessed be the name of an ever-faithful God, he has brought him by these exercises to a sweet experimental knowledge of that precious passage, "Thou hast known my soul in adversities." And now, though never so weak-never so timid-never so ignorant of what is the right course, it is his happy privilege to come daily to the mercy-seat as a poor free-grace pensioner, telling the Lord day by day, and hour by hour, "Lord, I am very weak-give me the needed strength to pass through the day." "Lord, I am very short-sighted, and know not what is best for me, give me wisdom, and supply me with all that thou seest I need for the day." "Lord, I am all that's vain, sinful, and polluted, in myself; control these inward enemies; by thy Almighty power, keep them in subjection; and let me know what it is to stand and rejoice in thy righteousness and strength." "Lord, I have many outward enemies; restrain their power." Thus, dear Sister, instead of living, as before, by the week, the month, the year - and contemplating trials (many of which he never realized), he now lives by the day-reminding the Lord of his promise," As thy day, so shall thy strength be;" and thus living, he never lived so happy. If this is right living, the Lord grant that many of the readers of this Magazine may thus live!-ED.] CORRESPONDENCE OF THE LATE YOUTHFUL H. A. HARRIS. LETTER VI.-TO MR. J S MY DEAR FRIEND, I am rather inclined to think that, if I were not at so great a distance, and if there was not a contingency whether or not we should be again permitted to meet on this side of heaven, that my most hasty and inexplicable friend would refuse to open my letter. If I have offended you, I ask your forgiveness, and am sure you will not withhold it. Now listen to my tale. Through the kind covenant care of Him "in whose fists are the winds, and in whose hands are the waters of the deep," I have arrived at Ramsgate; and I would desire, with that gratitude of heart which I trust I feel, to raise an Ebenezer to our common Lord. I am unworthy of the most trivial of his great mercies; and he only knows "the heights, and depths, and lengths, and breadths" of that unworthiness which is only surpassed by his unmerited everlasting love. "O for this love let rocks and hills Their lasting silence break; And every blood-bought heart and tongue, The Saviour's praises speak." I seem overwhelmed with my want of love to such a loving Lord. O may the glorious testifier of Christ touch our cold hearts with atoning blood, that we may be more zealous in His cause, who was so zealous in ours. I would write you a long letter, and it should be all of Him, if I had time. The wind on our journey was boisterous, and the waves were rough; I was sick, and so were many; but I had not that pleasure which I should have enjoyed, seeing you were so much opposed to my going. Write to me: do not scold your friend Harry; who, though absent from you in body, is more present in spirit than if he were in your house. Remember me, as I do you, at the mercy-seat. When we arrived at Ramsgate Pier, every one seemed to have a friend but your friend; and I could fain have cried at my own loneliness. However, Christ is at Ramsgate as well as London; and the same ever-present help in time of trouble. And now to Jesus I commend you; and remain yours until eternity, in a bond that cannot be broken, Ramsgate, June 23rd, 1836. H. A. HARRIS. THE EDITOR TO HIS CORRESPONDENTS. TO A "LANCASHIRE TRAVELLER." AH! what got nearly home? Well, what's the prospect, dear brother? Do you feelingly enjoy the Master's presence, and rejoice in the blessed assurance that all is well? You have seen changes, indeed, and doubtless have had much to encounter ; you have trod in the footsteps of many of the excellent of the earth, and your privilege has been great in visiting the localities where they took up their earthly sojourn ;* * Our esteemed correspondent, in a private letter, says, "I have been in all the counties in England, with the exception of four-Hampshire, Dorsetshire, Cornwall, and Herefordshire. I have been a traveller since 1805. Manchester was my home about twenty years. I have been at Houghton Spring, where Romaine went to school; at Everton, where Berridge was born; Elston, where Bunyan was born; Brinkworth, where Tobias Crisp was born; Broad Hembury, where Toplady lived; at Plymouth, I had an interview with Dr. Hawker. He was Editor of the Gospel Tract Society. I have sold 25,000 of their tracts, and 8000 of his Village Sermons." The same correspondent adds the following information, which, we doubt not, will be read with interest by most of our readers : "William Gurney was Editor of the GOSPEL MAGAZINE for two years; William Mason, Esq., two years; Augustus Montague Toplady, one year and a-half; Erasmus Middleton (Rector of Turvey, Beds.), four years; Walter Row, forty-three years. He adds the names of the following correspondents who have departed this life :--"A Weakling."-John Hisson, Baptist Minister, Sinthwaite, near Huddersfield. "A Cottager."-John Waite Turner, ditto "A Minister of Christ's Gospel," ditto Thornton Rust, near Askrigg, Yorkshire. ditto. "A Disciple."--Samuel Bennard, Independent Minister, Hull, afterwards Sheffield. "Jacobus."--James Jacks, ditto Nottingham. "Minimus."-Samuel Rowles, Baptist Minister, Colnbrook, Bucks. Crispin." -Walter Row. [This, we presume, is an error. Several, we are given to understand, supposed our friend "The Cobbler," was the Editor.] "H. F."-Henry Fowler, Independent Minister, London. "Omicron."-Rev. John Newton, Olney. but, dear brother, what a blessed meeting awaits you. We do we candidly acknowledge it quite envy you the near approach of the consummation of your joy. May the dear Lord vouchsafe his presence in the vale; it is but the shadow of death, remember. The sting is taken away-it was deposited in the heart's blood of our adorable Redeemer; your life is securely hid with Christ in God. "Yet a season, and you know Happy entrance shall be giv'n; And earth exchang'd for heav'n." We should love to meet you, brother, according to your desire, in the flesh; but, by the post-mark, it appears we are far remote. By and by the fleshly fetters will be knocked off; the clay tabernacle will be undermined and fall; and then-on the other side of the river-we shall meet where sighing, sin, and sorrow, are felt and feared no more. The night is gloomy, brother; but the day, to the eye of faith, even now breaketh; the road is rugged, but, blessed be God, we find the promise stand good, 'our shoes are iron and brass," many and mighty are our enemies, but "stronger is He that is for us, than all they that are against us." Cheer up, brother, cheer up; 66 " all is well. TO "W. H.," ILFRACOMBE. Ir's a rough and thorny road, brother. We meet trouble where we least expect it; and where we anticipate it, we are agreeably disappointed. If the Lord calls thee to suffer for the truth's sake, he will not forget to pay thee thy wages. "The friendship of the world is enmity with God," if he blasts thy substance and withers thy gourds; if disappointment attend thee on the right hand, and vexation on the left; it is all to make thee sick of the creature-sick of self-and sick of all but him. And when, by degrees, he has brought thee to place no confidence in man-to look to, and rest solely upon, him, then he will open rivers in dry places, and send streams in the desert; rivers of divine consolation, and streams of providential supply. He will astonish thee with his gracious acts, causing his goodness daily to pass before thee; and bringing thy at present wondering, affrighted, tempest-tossed soul to admire his kindly dealings, and praise him for every painful affliction wherewith he now sees fit to exercise thee.-If anything presents itself, we will not forget thee. Aspatio."-Rev. James Hervey, Weston Favel. "G. S. W."-George Savage White, Tunbridge Wells. "W. T."-William Tucker, layman, Chard. "Zion's Pilgrim."-Rev. Robert Hawker, Plymouth. "A Devonshire Minister."-Nicholas Newcomb, Independent Minister, late of Oakhampton, Devon. "A Dwarf."-Thomas Upcraft, Baptist Minister, Manchester. "S. E. P."-Samuel Eyles Pierce, ditto London. "Sir Richard Hill."-M.P., Hawkstown, near Wem. Susanna."-Susanna Pearson, Bildeston. [The present Editor cannot close the list, without making a remark upon the brevity of lifethe certainty of death. A few years since-within the last three-quarters of a century-these, our brethren and sisters in Christ Jesus, lived; they, as we now are, were acting their part on the stage of life. Yes, as the poet sweetly sings, "Once they were mourning here below, And wet their couch with tears; With sins, and doubts, and fears." But they are gone; the tongues of each and all are silenced in the tomb; each hand has thrown down its pen. Yet a few years-a very few; perhaps months, and we too shall be added to the number. Our cares shall have ceased; our sorrows have come to an end; and the tears that now frequently burst from the eye-to relieve an overcharged heart-shall every one be wiped away by his dear hand, whom then we shall be beholding with adoring wonder. Beloved, it will soon be. How vain, then, is over-anxious care! How timely the admonitions of the wise man. How just the conclusions to which he arrived, after "considering everything under the sun." (Eccle. ii. 24-26; iii. 12-~22.). Oh, that the Lord the eternal Spirit would deeply impress the minds of our readers, and our own, with a sense of these things; that he would lead us to a less consideration of personal comfort and convenience, in an ardent desire to be found living to and upon the Lord.] TO "S.," HELMSLEY, NEAR YORK. THINE epistle was timely; but its insertion would lead to strife; "See that ye fall not out by the way, for ye are brethren." In our editorial capacity, we generally find one thing sent to counterbalance another: the same post frequently brings one letter of abuse and another of encouragement; so that between the two we just retain our equilibrium. To old Adam-nature reproach is anything but pleasant; but when the Master smiles, and condescends to give efficacy to the word of his grace, the soul sinks into sweetest nothingness at his dear feet; and esteems it an exalted privilege to be regarded by such "a high and lofty One." TO MODERATUS, OF COSSEY. His suggestion in reference to a recent notice would not in, all cases, be judicious. If a correspondent gives his name and address (as every correspondent, at least in a private letter to the Editor, ought to do), we should be exceedingly unwilling to publish the why and the wherefore of our rejection of his articles, presuming the defect were not in the paper forwarded for insertion, but in the life and conduct of the writer. Of this in all cases we cannot be aware, but when such lamentable information reaches us from undoubted authority, we deem it prudent to withhold such a man's productions, and, rather than give his name to the world, bury it in oblivion. The position in which an Editor stands with regard to his correspondents is anything but desirable; in their earlier communications, especially, he is obliged to cast himself upon the guidance of the Holy Spirit. If He seals home the epistle with comforting power on the heart, in a simple reliance upon his ministrations, we give insertion to the piece forwarded; if that inward witness is wanting, we usually for a time lay aside the paper, hoping that upon a second reading-under perhaps a different frame of mind-the power we seek may be applied; but, if prior or subsequently to the receipt of any communication, we hear that there is in the individual so writing, a total want of "the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory of God the Father," we at once-without the least hesitation-discard such an epistle. The propriety of which, MODERATUS, and every thinking reader, will readily discover. TO A "FEEBLE ONE," OF SWAFFHAM. FEEBLE in thyself, but "strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might." Thine hand was guided by the blessed Spirit, and its product met a pleasing welcome. Such epistles are generally very opportune. "It is a warfare," said a dear old lady now in glory, just as we were "buckling on the harness ;" "but the Lord hath promised complete victory through the blood of the Lamb.” TO "S.," OF DEVON. We thank our kind correspondent for the motto she has sent us for the new year: "THE LORD IS MY PORTION." May she, as well as our readers, with ourselves, if the Lord will, enjoy its preciousness during the year upon which we have entered. He is a portion indeed to his family; a portion in life-in death-and to all eternity. A sweet portion we feel him to be when he smilingly says, "I am thine, and thou art mine; " nor is he less a sure portion when we see or hear him not—when "Trouble like a gloomy cloud, Does gather thick, and thunder loud." 66 arm, com He is a precious portion, when his bride is permitted to lean upon his ing up out of the wilderness;" and not less a safe portion, when for a season he hath withdrawn himself-left her to feel the plague of the heart, and to encounter the attacks of the enemy, which is "as a storm against the wall." "The Lord our portion is, We shall be well supplied; D. A. DOUDNEY, CITY PRESS, 1, LONG LANE. |