themselves a little out of the way to provide the preachers' lodging. For the sake of a number of poor people in the neighbourhood, I have promised them a sermon once a fortnight at noon. I called at another place today, which is in the plan once a fortnight; but they cannot receive us more than once a month. At this place, (Rimmington) I am received very kindly by a pious widow and her son. While wandering in the hills, and with difficulty finding my way to the places, at a great distance from my dear wife, who is near her confinement, and my dear little boy, who is just beginning of the small pox, I have frequently found a gloom beginning to overspread my mind; but have been enabled to cast my burden upon the Lord, and he has sustained me. I feel the vast importance of my new station and office near eleven hundred souls are committed to my care. Important charge. Who is sufficient for these things? O my God, give me much heavenly wisdom, much zeal for thy glory, much love to precious souls, much success in my poor labours, and above all, much communion with thyself. 66 66 Sat. 23.-The congregation at Colne last night was double the number it was the week before. The power of the Lord seemed to rest on all present, and my own soul was exceedingly refreshed. I feel the good effects of it still. My heart pants after the living God. Sun. 24.-Set out early this morning from Colne to Burnley. Preached three times at Burnley with considerable freedom and warmth; and, I hope, with profit to the people. It is a populous little market town. The chapel is large and elegant; but few of the town's people will attend preaching. My congregations,-being a stranger, were nearly double the usual number. But still the chapel was not one-third filled. Felt strong, ardent desires all that day that God would revive his work in the midst of the years. After preaching in the evening, several of our friends prayed, and the power of the Lord was felt by many. "Sat. 30, Todmorden.-Hitherto hath the Lord helped me. This has been a week of many mercies and of some trials. My dear wife has been very much indisposed, and my dear little boy is in the small pox. I felt much in leaving home for nine days in such circum stances; but it is the Lord's work in which I am engaged; and as this part of the circuit has been much neglected during the time of Conference, it would be wrong to neglect the places. I therefore leave my little afflicted family in the hands of my God. O Lord, support and comfort my dearest partner, and bring the lad safely through. O let him live before thee. “I found my heart drawn this evening into an unusually solemn frame, while walking out and meditating on divine things. This rocky, mountainous country is very favourable to solemn contemplation. My mind was much affected with contemplating the poet's words : 'Before the hills in order stood, : On this eternal, unchangeable Being may all my hopes and all my affections fix and remain. "Sept. 1.-My soul was exceedingly drawn out in desires after God this morning. My mind was impressed as it never was before with this truth,-popularity, and even usefulness will be no advantage to me, unless my heart be right with God. O Lord, make me holy. Let me be whatever else thou pleasest, only let me be wholly consecrated to thee. 66 "Mon. Sept. 15, Paddiham.-The last fortnight has been a time of great trial, and yet a season of great good to me. My dear child has been so very much afflicted in the small pox, that for several days his life was despaired of. But the Lord had mercy on us, lest we should have sorrow upon sorrow. My dearest partner has been greatly fatigued with too much work, loss of sleep, &c. and I have been obliged to be almost constantly from home or neglect my circuit. But the Lord has supported and comforted me and my dear wife. My soul has been kept in peace; but my studies have been interrupted by frequent long rides to see my dear little family, which I thought my duty. Now, blessed be God, the bitterness of death is past. My dear John is recovering, and will, I hope, soon be as healthy as ever. O Lord, we will lend him unto thee all his days. Accept our offering, and make him thine for ever. "Blessed be the Lord, my soul tends towards Him as its proper centre, and He is my all in all. Our My dearest wife also is drinking into the same spirit. We both think God has brought us into this wilderness circuit to do us good. We have enjoyed every outward comfort before. The last two years we have been in the most agreeable circumstances that could be wished. Surrounded with friends and relations, and all worldly enjoyments, we have had more than heart could desire. Now we are deprived of many outward comforts. situation is quite the opposite of what it has been. it has already been sanctified to us; and we hope it will be so more and more. O Lord, favour us with constant communion with thyself, and we shall have all and abound. Oh! what a heaven I enjoy in my heart, while I am writing these memoranda of the Lord's gracious dealings with me and mine. While I live, I will praise the Lord; while I have any being, I will give thanks to him. But "Sun. 21.-A glorious day indeed. I preached three times at Colne with much freedom: in the evening especially my soul was brim full. Glory be to God, I have seldom enjoyed such nearness to the Lord, or felt so much of the power of his Spirit in preaching. 66 Frid. 26.-A day set apart by my dear wife and myself for earnest prayer and supplication on the occasion of the approaching trial. I trust God will graciously interpose. Our "Mon. 29.-Our Quarterly Meeting at Colne. We had great peace in settling the temporal business. lovefeast in the afternoon was a blessed time. The watchnight was a peculiarly refreshing season; the power of the Lord was present to wound sinners. We have a prospect of a glorious revival in this circuit, and in the neighbourhood of Colne. May the Lord hasten it. "Sat. Oct. 4.-Let every thing which has breath, praise the Lord. He has once more interposed in our favour. This day my dear wife has presented me with another fine boy. Glory be to God! Let this mercy be remembered by us and by our children for ever. 'Let us in life, in death Thy steadfast truth declare; And publish with our latest breath, “Frid. 24.—A memorable day. My dear wife and I having previously designed to renew our covenant engagements, into which we entered with the Lord on our marriage day, we retired for that purpose. We kneeled down before the Lord; and while I was praying, my heart was so overpowered with a sense of the goodness of God, that I could pray no more: I could only say, Glory, glory be to God. Then, upon our knees, we read over that covenant which we signed and sealed on the day that God made us one. We found much of the spirit of prayer for our little ones; and as we had solemnly offered John to our covenant God, soon after he was born, so we offered this son also, whom we mean to name after his pious grandfather, Marmaduke. O Lord, be our God, and the God of our seed; and let our children and children's children be thy devoted and covenant servants. Give our little ones thy saving grace; and then deal with them, in other respects, as seemeth good in thy sight. "Wed. 29.-My studies have been considerably interrupted, and of consequence, my improvement in useful knowledge impeded, by suffering those thieves of time,talkative friends, to intrude upon me. An itinerant preacher must be resolute and punctual, or he cannot proceed steadily in a course of reading and improvement. I must begin anew to redeem the time, both to get and to do good. Lord, help me. 66 Frid. 31.—A day of much communion with God, and some improvement in useful knowledge. Much comforted in my solitary study to-day, which was the furthest corner of a large upper room. I sat above some parts of the roof, and there was no light in the room, but what was admitted through a little window at my elbow. Glory be to God, this place was made like a paradise by his presence." In the beginning of November, Mr. Entwisle received the following letter from his friend and late Superintendent, the Rev. Thomas Hanby, who, it will be remembered, had been elected President of the last Conference. It is quite characteristic, and contains interesting references to the various societies in the Leeds Circuit, which had been so graciously visited during the past year; as well as to the controversy about the Sacraments which at that time grievously agitated the Connexion. "MY DEAR BROTHER, 66 Seacroft, Nov. 1, 1794. 'I AM glad to hear from Thorner that you are well, and doing well, and also that your good wife has recovered from her confinement. You are happy upon the peaceable mountains. We are at war in the valley. The spirit of opposition runs high among us; more so a great deal, than when you were here. I think they mean, if possible, to make a division; and, I hear, are secretly canvassing among the leaders. We certainly prosper, though in troublous times, both in town and country; notwithstanding that very many of our noisy converts have fallen off, and walk no more with us; yet more rational ones fill up their place in a good measure. Our sacramental opportunities are much blessed and owned; but bigotry rages so much the more. Mrs. thinks it her duty to forward a division for conscience' sake of the Old Plan.' We think it our duty to hold by the old plan-Do this in remembrance of me.' Which is oldest? I have a little patience; thank God for that: but sometimes am cast down, but not forsaken. I am looking forward to the day of emancipation, and the year of release, when the trumpet shall sound to the Conference. 66 now The Height or Old Barn has sunk much, but the ruins remain, and George still pursues his prey upon his knees. Bramham is become a Bethel; Mr. Thom joined fourteen. Clifford sings as in the days of old, near thirty. Thorp is swallowed up in K- -'s whirlpool. Ribstone outbraves ecclesiastical tyranny; but honest James Peat has received a discharge, and is to leave his farm because he prayed. Forge is hedged up with bigotry; we cannot scale her walls, although her garrison is much reduced in number. Rothwell is a fruitful vine, by a well, whose branches run over the wall; there we have had the wine-press. Bramley,fair, but fruitless. Hunslet,-like a rose, but prickles under her leaves. Woodhouse,-briars and thorns grow among her stately oaks; and many of her immaculate ones have been in the mire, and, swine-like, love it. Thorner is our pleasant place, the house of our banquet; A pious collier who used to go about in the prayer-meetings on his knees, praying with those who were under awakenings. |