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TO THE EDITOR OF THE CON- cerning this useful and very

NECTICUT MAGAZINE.

REV. SIR,

AS you propose annexing an engraved likeness of my late valuable uncle to the Magazine of this month, I should be gratified to have it accompanied with the following biographical sketch, for which I am under obligation to the Rev. Joshua Bradley.

Your obedient servant,
J. R.

Hartford, Nov. 1, 1808.

Memoirs of Rev. Gardner Thurs

ton.

COMMUNICATED IN A LETTER.

Dear and much esteemed Friend, S you have requested me to give you a sketch of the life of your venerable uncle, the Rev. Gardner Thurston, pastor of the second Baptist church, Newport, (R. I.) I'most cheerfully inform you of what hath some within my knowledge conVol. I. NO. 11.

much beloved man of God.

He was the son of Edward and Elizabeth Thurston, and was born in Newport, (R. I.) Nov. 14th, 1721. When he was but a small lad, some of his relatives in the country obtained him to tarry with them for a season, where the aged and religious were highly pleased to learn, that their little visitant had such a taste for devotion, that he was known to exhort his young associates to remember their Creator, and implore his aid whenever they formed any plan for enjoyment, and wished to be successful. To press his exhortation powerfully upon their hearts, and satisfy his own conscience, he was seen in their little circles praying to God. The pious kept these things in their minds, believing it highly probable that infinite wisdom had designed him to be an instrument of great good among mankind.

After he returned to Newport, and had been some time under

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the ministry of the Rev. Mr. Whitman, and his colleague, Rev. Nicholas Eyers, he wrote them the following letter:

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the gospel of the Son of God
are still sounding in my ears;
yet great threatenings are out
against sinners. The wrath of
God is revealed from heaven
against all ungodliness and un-

"Dearly beloved Fathers in Christ,
"Through the wonderful mer-righteousness of men.
cy of God, I am brought to see
myself in a lost condition, and
his word and my conscience tes-
tify that in such a state of nature,
I am a child of wrath.

"The impenitent unbeliever shall perish the wicked be turned into hell, and all the nations who forget God. Considering the way God hath "Sirs, I consider that the gos- pleased to reveal himself to men, pel requires a positive change even by the messengers of in all who will be admitted into Christ, who are appointed of the kingdom of God; and that him to instruct us in his will; this change is new-forming the and knowing the certainty of heart, and subjecting the whole death and judgment; I think it man to the service of Christ; my indispensable duty, dear that he may be transplanted out Sirs, to come to you for guidance of the kingdom of darkness, in- in the things of God, that I may to the kingdom of God's dear know and do the will of my Son. Knowing my own weak-heavenly Father, while the blesness and inability to deliver my-sed Jesus is calling, and before self, I find that I cannot do any the season is over and the harvest thing pleasing to God of myself; ended; wherefore I beg an inI cannot come to that true and terest in your prayers, that God saving faith in Jesus Christ, with would be pleased to deliver me which remission of sins is con- from all hardness of heart, and nected; neither can I make implant in me a living principle satisfaction for the least of my of faith, that I might be brought transgressions; therefore, O savingly to know the only true Sirs! I desire to depend wholly God and Jesus Christ whom he and alone upon the free grace of hath sent. God, in Jesus Christ, for wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption. I am sensible that none but God alone can form Christ in me the hope of glory. Though I have been Soon after he wrote to these awakened to a sense of these ministers who were over him in in things, yet Oh! how have I the Lord, he obtained peace risen up in opposition to his Spi- believing, and joy in the Holy rit, from time to time, and gone Ghost: but did not make a pubon in a daily course of sin and lic profession of his faith in God, disobedience! By his rich grace, till April 4th, 1741. When this he is giving me time and oppor-day came, his mind was covered tunity to hear calls and warn- with darkness, and filled with ings, from one day and time to distressing thoughts that he had enother. Blessed invitations of rested short of the Rock of ages

"Thus, Rev. Fathers, I close, and remain your unworthy child, "GARDNER THURSTON."

He was highly esteemed in the church as a pious and promising youth, and took an active part in their conference meetings, till God was pleased to call him to declare more publicly the glad tidings of salvation.

He had many solemn and deep impressions upon his mind, that God had called him to preach, which he could not relinquish; believing that this opinion was agreeable to the scriptures, and corresponded with the experience of all the true ministers of Jesus.

He frequently observed in the time of my acquaintance with him, that he could not assist in the ordination of any, unless they had been born again, were clear in doctrine, and had a deep and satisfactory sense of being called of God, to preach his ev

as the foundation of his hope; and that he should inevitably be an hypocrite if he joined the church. In this trying period of his life, he endeavored to make God his refuge; and prayed for the light of his countenance that he might be led understandingly, to know and to do his will. The time arrived, in which he was to be examined as a candidate for baptism. But his fears concerning himself still continued, and multiplied to such an host against him, that when he came to the meeting house door, he dared not enter, but turned and walked into a small burying ground, and sat down upon a rock. This place, by the kind hand of God upon him. was made, like the resting place which Jacob found, as he journeyed from Beersheba to Padanaram. About sixty years after-erlasting gospel, and that it was ward, walking in the same burying ground, Mr. Thurston stopped, putting his staff upon the rock, said, "There I sat down, overwhelmed with distress, while the church were waiting for me to come in, to give them an account of the dealings of God with my soul. Soon after I sat down, I was enabled through rich grace to give up myself, and all I had, into the hands of my blessed Jesus, who immediately dissipated the darkness which covered me,-removed mydistress,-filled me with peace and consolation, and gave me strength to declare what he had done for my soul."

their indispensable duty to obey God, and give themselves to the work of the ministry, that their profiting appear to all, and they be workmen needing not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. Though he did not believe that they were called in this age of the world by miraculous evidence as the apostles were; yet that they were designed by the Almighty for the work of the ministry, and therefore a foundation was laid in their temper and talents for this important work, which would be manifested to others when the Lord's time was come to put them into his vineyard, as workers with and for him.

He was received by the church, and baptized by their pastor, the The gifts of nature, he conRev. Nicholas Eyers, and enjoy-sidered, with many who have ed great peace of mind, and written well upon the subject, to establishment in the doctrine of be "a sound judgment, a clear Christ. understanding, a retentive me

mory and an aptness to teach." preached part of the Lord's day Should any enter the ministry before. As Mr. Thurston was evidently deficient in these, we born, educated, experienced the may not expect much instruc- efficacy of rich grace, joined tion from them, although they this church, was licensed by may have experienced a change them, preached among theni, of heart, and travelled through and by their united voice, all the customary courses of a ordained their pastor; he was classical and a liberal education. not ignorant of their expectations from him as their minister in Christ.

Also he held it as a great absurdity in any, to take encouragement from the promises made to the apostles, when they have no satisfactory evidence of being moved by the same spirit, to preach and administer ordinances. For no nian taketh this honor to himself, but he that is called of God.

He therefore determined to give himself wholly to the all important work of preaching the glorious gospel of Christ, and to finish his course with joy. Consequently he left his for mer business, which was lucra tive, closed his accounts, and entered into the vineyard of the Lord with all his heart; pleading the sweet promise which flowed from the Saviour's lips;

The church were well satisfied, after hearing his experience of the operations of the spirit upon his mind, concerning the work of the ministry, and" Lo, I am with you always even listening with pleasing atten- to the end of the world." tion a number of times to hear him declare the great truths of the Christian system. They licensed him to preach in 1748, and requested him to be an assistant to their pastor, the Rev. Nicholas Eyers.

Mr. Thurston had to preach generally once on Lord's day, and one lecture every week. His taste for information especially in divinity was considerable, and he had an opportunity above many, to gratify this taste: for the Rev. Nicholas Eyers, with whom he was so intimately connected, was a man of good talents and learning. The church were so well satisfied with Mr. Thurston, that they were unwilling he should leave them; and on April 29, 1759, he was ordained their pastor, for Mr. Eyers departed this life on the 15th Feb,1759, suddenly, having

Mr. T. was endowed with an excellent disposition, and possessed a good natural constitution, with a quick and brilliant imagination. He was mild, religious, studious and amiable in his family; lively and enga ging in all the social circles of real friendship; tender, melting, solemn and devotional among the sons and daughters of affliction; easy and graceful in all his public movements. His voice was strong and melodious, and his heart all alive in the great and arduous work of the ministry of reconciliation.

He generally, wrote the heads of his sermons, the quotations from scripture, and some of the most interesting ideas which he thought necessary for the clear illustration of his subjectThese, he commonly committed to memory, and but seldom had

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