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and agreeable manner in which you received and entertained us; and we are not wholly without thoughts of coming and paying you a short visit in the summer, if the Lord will and we live. For my dear friends and brethren, one and all, I long to see you, that I may endeavor to minister unto you with the gifts that God hath given me for edification. The gospel of Christ is exceedingly precious, worthy to be proclaimed, believed and obeyed.

"I still remain the same, and in the same mind as when I was with you; and the more I read and attend to the letter and the spirit, or the meaning of the scripture, the more I am confirmed in the ideas I held forth when I was in Providence and this I say, lest any should endeavor to persuade you that the preacher did not believe himself, what he taught to you. But as you are pretty well acquainted with me, I need not enlarge upon this subject. But I most earnestly wish you to remember those things which I endeavored to inculcate. Revere God, keep his commandments, trust in Christ, love his gospel, love one another, live in the exercise of humility, meekness, resignation to the will of God, and [of] universal benevolence. Do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God. Remember that the grace of God, even salvation to all men, hath appeared, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world; looking for that glorious and blessed hope, the glorious, the majestic appearance of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might purify us from all iniquity, and make us zealous of good works. There is a glorious crown, a heavenly prize set before us, and directions given how we may obtain it. It is well worth seeking after. Let us then run the

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race that is set before us, 'looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is now set down at the right hand of the throne of God :' and in order to give us the greatest encouragement to follow his bright example, he hath said, 'To him that overcometh, will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father in his chrone.' Let us therefore consider Christ as our example, as well as our Redeemer; for he suffered for us, leaving us an example, that we should follow his steps, who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth; who when he was reviled, reviled not again; and when he suffered, threatened not,' &c. Now, my brethren, be of one mind, and dwell in love. Regard not the reproaches of men; be not afraid of their revilings. Live in peace among yourselves, and live peaceably if it be possible at least as much as lieth in you with all men and the God of peace shall be with you. Farewell.

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"I must now close my letter by assuring you that I am, sir, with particular respect, your sincere friend. ELHANAN WINCHESTER.'

The pleasing hope was indulged by Mr. Winchester's friends in Providence, that he would repeat his visit the succeeding summer, and in anticipation of such an event the gentleman to whom the foregoing was addressed, wrote him, and gave him a pressing invitation to make his house his home. He acknowledged the invitation in the following

note :

"To Col. Zephaniah Andrews.

"Philadelphia, July 7, 1787.

"DEAR SIR.-This acknowledges the receipt of a very kind letter from you by the way of New York, in which you give us an invitation to make your house our home in case we come to pay you a visit this summer. This we should be glad to do were it convenient for us: for we often think of you with pleasure, and of the pleasant conversations we had together.

But those seasons are
Life is uncertain, and

past, perhaps no more to return. how God may dispose of us during this short period of our existence, we cannot tell, nor ought we to be anxious. But to be well prepared for a better state, to be useful to ourselves and others while here, and to glorify God our Creator, Preserver and Redeemer, should be our great concern. This is as brief an epitome of religion as I am able to write.

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"Mrs. Winchester remembers her kind love to Mrs. Andrews and the family. . . . She would have written, but is much indisposed at present with a disorder similar to that she had at Providence. . . . . I desire you to present my regards to the friends of universal benevolence where you live, among whom I reckon yourself. And pray forget not, ELHANAN WINCHESTER."

Of Mr. Winchester's friend, Dr. De Benneville, we have gathered the following particulars. He was probably the first public preacher of the Restoration in the United States, though not a regularly ordained minister. He was of French descent, and was born in London, July 26th, 1703. His parents were of the highest respectability, and enjoyed the personal esteem of King William and Queen

Anne. By the former, his father was invited to England, during the persecution, and honorably employed at Court. On the decease of his mother, which occurred at his birth, the latter provided him a nurse, and took upon herself the guardianship of his juvenile years. At the age of twelve he went a voyage to the coast of Africa. On his return his mind became deeply depressed with a conviction that he was beyond the reach of divine mercy. He continued in this frame during a period of fifteen months, when having, in a trance, as he believed, obtained assurance of salvation from Christ, his soul was filled with joy. Impressed with the belief that he was now called to proclaim the gospel in France, he at the age of seventeen crossed from Dover to Calais, and commenced preaching in the Marketplace. He was arrested and thrown into prison, from which he was released at the expiration of eight days, with the assurance that another attempt would jeopardize his life. From Calais he passed into Normandy, where he proclaimed his message. He was finally seized by the civil authorities, in company with a clergyman by the name of Durant, and after a month's imprisonment, both were condemned to be executed. His companion suffered the cruel penalty; and died rejoicing in Christ. But for him, Providence had yet a work to perform. A reprieve from the King arrived while the executioner was securing his hands. He was re-conducted to prison, and afterwards, at the intercession of the Queen, set at liberty. Having thus regained his freedom, he went into Germany and Holland, where he resided about eighteen years. Here he was taken sick, and brought to the verge of the grave. To the view of all around him he died, "and lay in that situation forty one hours, and when he appeared again to live, he

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found himself in his coffin, and the people assembled to his funeral." Such a suspension of the functions of life is by no means new in Medical History. We have read several accounts of persons buried for dead, the subsequent examination of whose bodies afforded conclusive evidence that they had been entombed alive. A case of this description occurred in Canada a few years since. During this trance, Dr. B. heard the heavenly host shouting with one voice, an eternal deliverance! an eternal restoration ! an everlasting restitution of all things!" This statement het made to Mr. Winchester, who wrote an account of his life. During his residence in Germany and Holland, he continued to preach, and became acquainted with many of the nobility. In 1741, he emigrated to America, and settled in Germantown, and engaged in the practice of physic. He also continued to preach as opportunity offered. As a physician he became very celebrated, people not unfrequently going sixty or seventy miles to obtain his advice. He lived respected by all who knew him, and died of apoplexy, March, 1793, at the advanced age of 90 years.

CHAPTER VI.

Mr. Winchester visits England-forms an acquaintance with a number of distinguished clergymen-Presumptive evidence that Mr. Wesley is a Restorationist.

46 My native land, Farewell."

For a number of years Mr. Winchester had been impressed that it was his duty to preach the gospel in England. Time strengthened the impression, and he finally resolved to cross the Atlantic. A few weeks subsequent to the date of the last of the preceding letters, he announced

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