Memoir, 1782

ffii Ovdinatioii — Letter of Bishop Yoike — Pint acquaintance with Relijgioiis Peraona — Intvodoctian to the Yenns — Fmt Sermon — Diligence in Parochial about the Doctrine of Election — Letters of Mr. Venn reepectiDg hii leal — Letta of Mr. Simeon upon Mr. J. Venn’s Ordination — Eidnest letter to his Brother on the fabject of Religion — Another on his eldest Brother’s Death, to VLt. J. Venn.

1782.

MEMOIR CONTINUED.

I NOW come to the time of my Ordination.* On May 26th, 1782, (Trinity Sunday,) I was ordained by the Bishop of Ely; and began my ministry in St. Edward’s Church, (in good old Lat; imer’s pulpit,) serving that parish for Mr. Atkinson during the long vacation. The way in which I became acquainted with him was this. I bad endeavored to find out some minister, who preached those truths which 1 loved and delighted in; and I attended at St. Mary’s for a long time to but little purpose. At last I heard Mr. A. at St. Edward’s; and he came nearer to the truth than any one else that I could hear. I therefore, from the time that I became a Fellow of King’s, attended regularly at his church. Being the only gownsman that attended there, I rather wondered that he did not take any notice of me; I thought that if I were a minister, and saw a young gownsman attending as regularly and devoutly as I did, I shoiud invite him to come and see me; and I determined, if he should do so, I Would avail myself of the opportunity to get acquainted with him. I longed exceedingly to know some spiritual person who had the same views and feelings with myself; and I had serious thoughts of putting into the papers, as soon as I should be ordained, an advertisement to the following effect: That a younff Clergyman who felt himself an undone sinner, and looked to the Lord Jesus Christ alone for salvation, and desired to live only to make known that Saviour imto others, was persuaded that there must be some persons in the world whose views and feelings on this subject accorded with his own, though he had now lived three years without finding so much as one; and that if there were any minister of that descrip-

Bisbop Torke writes thus to Mr. Simeon’s fiither on the occasion :~”I understotdhebn I leoeived your letter, thaT your son was.on m list as a candidate fbr Orders ctt Sunday next; I shall be very £lad to see him at that time.. ..I daie say he will approiieknitteif on the occasion a hoperal minister in the church; and as such it will give iti» pIsBBan to oountenance him?’

14 COMMENCEMENT OF HIS MINISTRY. [cHAP. II.

tion he would gladly become his curate, and serve him gratis.’ At last he did invite me to come and drink tea with hi’m; and invited a Mr. D., an artist, to come and meet me. The conversation did not take a useful turn, for Mr. D. was not what I should call a religious jman; and we parted without any profitable communication of our sentiments. In a few days I invited Mr. Atkinson to sup with me, and asked Mr. D. to meet him: it happened that Mr. D. could not come; so that Mr. A. and I were t6te-a-t6te. I soon dropped some expressions which conveyed the idea of my feeling myself a poor, guilty, helpless sinner: and Mr. A was quite surprised, for he had set it down, as a matter of course, that I must be a stanch Pharisee; he had, even for the whole space of time that I had been at college, noticed my solemn and reverent behavior at St. Mary’s, so dirorent from that which is generally observed in that place, and concluded, as three of his pious friends had also done, that I was actuated by a proud Pharisaical spirit; when therefore he found that I was of a very different complexion, he -manifested a union of heart with me, and introduced me the very next day to an excellent man, my dear friend, Mr. John Venn, who, alas I is just now deceasea. (July, 1813.) Here I found a man after my own heart, a man for whom I have retained the most unfeigned love to his last moments, and of whom I ever shall retain the most affectionate remembrance. He, Mr. J. Venn, soon took me over to Yelling,* and introduced me to a man of no ordinary character, his own dear and honored Father. O what an acquisition was this I In this aged minister I found a father, an instructor, and a most bright example: and I shall have reason to adore my God to all eternity for the benefit of his acquaintance. This blessed man had often heard his son speak of this singular gownsman of King’s College, and had advised him to get acquainted with him; but God, no doubt for wise and gracious reasons, had kept far from me all spiritual acquaintance: by which means he made it to appear the more clearly that the work in me was * not of man, or Dy man, but of God alone.’t

* A Tillage about twelve miles from Cambridge.

t 1783, June 1. Extract from the Diary of Mr. J. Venn.)

“Druik tea at Atkineon’a with Simeon, an undergraduate Fellow of King’s, a religious man. and Jowett.

June 2nd. (Sunday.) — Drank tea with Jowett, Simeon, (who preached hb fint flenion to-day at St. Edward’s,) and Atkinson.

3fd. — Called on Simeon, and walked with him to Trumpington. Supped with Sioron and Atkinson.

4^h. — Simeon and Atkinson drank tea with toe.

%h, — Called on Simeon, and walked to G^ntchester.”

The next day Mr. Venn left College and went home to Yelling, where he was alone, as his father and family were in London.

* 13th. — Simeon of King’s walked ov from Cambridge to see me; walked on the UtncB with him and in church. Family pra^ers extem|K>re — his engagement.

14. — Rode over with Simeon to Everton to introduce him to Mr. Bemdge.

15th. — Walked with Simeon in the church; he returned afier dinner to Cambridge.**

CBAP. n.] COMMENCEMENT OF HIS MINISTRY. 15

Being now acquainted with Mr. Atkinson, I undertook the care of his church during the long vacation; and I have reason to hope that some good was done there. In the space of a month or six weeks the church became quite crowded; the Lord’s table was attended by three times the usual number of communicants, and a considerable stir was made among the dry bones. I visited all the parish from house to house, without making any difference between Churchmen and Dissenters: and I remember disputing with the Dissenting Minister (in a friendly way) about the doctrine of Election. I could not receive the doctrine of Election, not being able to separate it from that of reprobation: but I was not violent against it, being convinced, as much as I was of my own existence, that, whatever others might do, I myself should no more have loved God if he had not first loved me, or turned to Grod if he had not by his free and sovereign grace turned me, than a cannon-ball would of itself return to the orifice from whence it had been shot out. But I soon learned that I must take the Scriptures with the simplicity of a little child, and be content to receive on God’s testimony, what he has revealed, whether I can unravel all the difficulties that may attend it or not; and from that day to this I have never had a doubt respecting the truth of that doctrine, nor a wish (as far as I know) to be wise above what is written. I feel that I cannot even explain how it is that I move my finger, and therefore I am content to be ignorant of innumerable things which exceed, not only my wisdom, but the wisdom of the most learned men in the universe. For this disposition of mind I have unbounded reason to be thankful to God; for I have not only avoided many perplexities by means of it, but actually learned much’, which I should otherwise have never learned. I was not then aware that this simple exercise of faith is the only way of attaining divine knowledge; but I now see it is so; and in fact, it is the’ true way in which we attain human knowledge also; for the child receives everything first upon the authority of his teacher, and thus learns the very first rudiments of language; he does not say. How do I know that a b, spells ab f or, that this is the nominative case, and that is the verb, and that is the accusative case that is governed by it? No, he calls things as he is taught to call them, and then, in due time, he sees that these things are not the arbitrary dictates of his master, but that they of necessity appertain to language, and exist in the very

July 14, 11183, Mr. S. writes to Mr. J. Venn, desiring to be intrdaced to his &ther:” I propose, with the blessinff of (3od, riding over to Yelling on Tuesday morning next before 8 o’clock, or at farthest a quarter alter. To converse with your father has long been my desire, and that I shall be both pleased and edified by it I have not the least doubt

“Your most affectionate friend in Christ,

“C Simeon.*’

Mr. J. ¥enn has made the following memorandum in his pocket-book:

“Ifth July, VWSL Tuesday. — Mr. Suneon came at 8, and sUyed till past 8 at night.”

’16 COMMENOEMBNT OF HIB MIirnnT. [cHAP. II.

nature of things; and thus in time he comes to see a beauty and propriety in things which were at first no better to him than senseless jargon. This, I am persuaded, is the way in which We should receive instruction from Gqd; and if we will do so, I verily believe, that we shall in due time see a beauty and harmony in many things, which the pertinacious advocates of human systems can never understand,”

The Rev. M. M. Preston, in his Memoranda** of Mr. S., has recorded an incident which may be noticed here: —

“The very first day of his public ministrations was marked by an occurrence of a remarkable character. In returning from the church through the thoroughfare called St. Edward’s Passage, his attention was arrested by the loud wrangling of a man and his wife. The door being open, he entered the house, and earnestly expostulated with them on the sin of absenting themselves unnecessarily from the House of God, and disturbing, by such unseemly conduct, those who had been there. He then knelt down to pray for them; and persons passing by, attracted by the novelty of the scene, gradually collected tnl the room was full. It was not likely that such zeal in a young man of his station should long remain unnoticed.”

His character and conduct are described at the time by his revered friend, the Rev. H. Venn, in the following letter to the Rev. J. Stillmgfleet : —

“Octobers, 1782.

“On Trinity Sunday was ordained Mr. Simeon, Fellow of King’s College. Before that day he never was in company with an earnest Christian. Soon after, he was visited by Mr. H. Jowett, and my son, and two or three more. In less than seventeen Sundays, by preaching for Mr. Atkinson in a church at Cambridge, he filled it with hearers — a thing unknown there for near a century. He has been over to see me six times within the last three months. He is calculated for great usefulness, and is full of faith and love. My soul is always the better for his visits. Oh, to flame as he does with zeal, and yet be beautiful with meekness I The day he was a substitute for Mr. Atkinson he bean to visit the parishioners from house to house. Full of philanthropy was his address: ‘I am come to inquire after your welfare. Are you happy V His evident regard for their good disarmed them of their bitterness; and it is amazing what success he has met with.”

In a letter to another friend, the Rev. H. V. writes: —

“September 18, 1788.

This is the young man who was bred at Eton College; so

CBAP. II.] COMMENCEMENT OF HIS MINI8TET. 17

profligate a place, that he told me he should be tempted even to murder his own son (that was his word) sooner than let him see there what he had seen. This is the young man so vain of dress, that he constantly allowed more than £50 a year for his own person. Now he scruples keeping a horse, that the money may help the saints of Christ’’

Mr. Simeon’s feelings respecting his solemn duties as a minister, and the sense he had of his own peculiar dangers, appear from the following letter written to Mr. J. Venn, on the occasion of his Ordination.

King’s Collage, September 33, 1782.

My dearest Friend, —

I ‘most sincerely congratulate you, not on a permission to receive £40 or £50 a year, nor on the title of Reverend, but on your accession to the most valuable, most honorable, most important, and most glorious office in the world — to that of an ambassador of the Lord Jesus Christ. An envoy from the king would not be ashamed or afraid to speak even in the presence of princes, if the interests of his master’s kingdom were attacked, or if any insult or reflection were thrown out against him; they would be accounted no better than traitors if they held down their heads and sealed up their lips. Oh let it not be said of us, as of the prophets of old, * they are light and treacherous persons,’ (Zeph. iii. 4:) but your own observations on your conduct are so iust, that they can derive no weight from any I can add. Your letter, though dated Friday evening, I know not by what means, was not brought to me by the postman till this hour, 11 o’clock, Monday morning. I had been thinking this morning of the degeneracy of the Clergy, and whether the Lord would put it in my power to bear testimony against it. There is a Visitation Sermon preached every month at my own parish church at Reading, which determined me to sit down and make a plan, that if I could only at a very short notice get permission to preach it, I would get up in the pulpit, and speak a word for him who bore so much for me. I had chosen my text, (Acts xx. 28.) had made my plan, and was improving it from a sermon of your father’s at Wakefield. Your letter suggested a thought or two which I immediately inserted. * * *

**I used formerly to think that I had some idea of real friendship, but my acquaintance with you has convinced me that it was a very faint conception rather of what it should be, than of what it is. The Lord Jesus Christ, I trust, has given me to know something more of it now. I feel my heart glow with affection towards you and your dear father; may God increase and cement it more and more, and enable me to prove it in the whole tenor and conduct of my life I Would that it were as strong as St. Paul’s to his brethren the Jews: if it fall short of that here, it will exceed

18 COBfMBNCEMSNT OF HIS MINISTRY. [cHAP. U.

it soon, when renewed in the presence of the Lamb. My weak prayers are daily offered up for you and for your whole family, who are all very highly endeared to me, not so much for the very, very kind reception I have met with at Yellinff, as for their eminent love for Him who died and rose acain for us. You were particularly in my remembrance Saturday and yesterday, that the Lord might enrich you with the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of himself, and that he would strengthen you with might by his Spirit in the outer as well as the inner man. I am so poor, so weak, so ignorant, and yet so vain, that I stand highly in need of your prayers and intercessions for me. Lukewarmness and vanity are Scylla and Charybdis. Oh, may the Lord Jesus Christ enable us both to steer clear of them! * * Present my good wishes and my love to all your family, and believe me,

“Your most affectionate

“Friend and Brother in Christ,

“C. Simeon.”

Before we return to the narrative, we must introduce a letter, written during this summer by Mr. Simeon to one of his brothers. It is the earliest composition of his which has been preserved; and strikingly exhibits his earnest and faithful efforts for the spiritual welfare of his family. We will first extract a few sentences from his brother’s letter, to which it is an answer.

“Dear Charles, —

“To argue with you upon the effects of over zeal in desiring to serve a good cause, I am fully sensible will but confirm you in your plan of reformation, and by that very means prevent a reform in our family, if it is so necessary amongst us as you seem to apprehend. I will therefore tell you exactly what effect your well-meant letter had upon me and Ned, (who are the two heretics in the family you will say,) and leave you to judge, whether you would not do well to adopt a different mode of advising; and even to confine yourself to the duties of your of&ce, within the bounds which the best men have prescribed to themselves. We laughed and looked serious alternately, under the apprehension that you should lose that valuable ffift called common sense, in endeavoring to furnish your mind with ideas of one sort only. * * I should add, that Dick, though left to his own observations on the subject, and not in the enjoyment of that pride of health which makes us all so thoughtless, (though [ have the pleasure of telling you that he is much mended since his return to Reading,) only smiled. * * * It is natural for young people to be zealous in anything new; and therefore I trust that in the common course of things your zeal will slacken a little, being well assured that you will have full enough to serve

J oar Master with efficacy, after a considerable abatement In opes therefore of seeing this period, which I consider much more favorable to the cause you mean to serve, than the enthusiasm by which you at present seem to be influenced,

“I remain yours very affectionately,

**J. Simeon.**

To this Mr. S. replies: —

“I thank you most sincerely, my dear brother, for your kind admonitions, lthich seem to proceed from a clear conviction of the rectitude of your opinion, and an affectionate regard for my welfare. You speak so openly, and so ingenuously, that I shall ever esteem myself peculiarly happy in the advice of so sincere a friend; and be not only ready but desirous to adopt it, whenever my own opinion shall be proved erroneous. Nor will I obstinately persevere in any prejudices that I may have acqu’red, but will, according to the Apostle’s advice,* prove all things, and hold fast that which is good.’ I hope you will have not only the patience to read through, but the candor thoroughly to weigh and consider my arguments, taking this into consideration, that we are not only men, but have also by baptism become Christians, and professed to follow the precepts of our Lord and Master Christ. As my arguments are in support of what I imagine to be the Gospel doctrine, they will be drawn entirely from the Gospel; and it I should be so happy as to prove to you the necessity of * remembering our Creator in the days of our youth,’ you, I hope, will reject the shallow, sophisticated excuses of worldlings, and conform yourself to the dictates of reason and religion.” * * * (He then proceeds to quote at large and comment upon St Paul’s exhortation to the Eph. v. 1 — 7, and 11 — 20; adding, ‘One would think that ninety-nine young men out of an hundred had never heard these verses.’) “Should I quote to you St. James’s words, you might perhaps, though without the least reason, think me bigoted: * Whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend (wilfully) in one point, he is guilty of all:’ and he then proceeds to give the reason ‘of this: *For,’ says he, ‘He that said, Do not commit adultery, said also. Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.’ By this time, without my troubling you with any more quotations, you cannot but see that the positive injunctions of the Gospel clearly prove it our duty to live continually as in the sight of God; and so far from allowing ourselves in the fashionable vices, we are not to grieve the Holy Ghost, whose temple our body is,’ by impure actions, words, or thoughts. Is the practice of mankind conformable to this doctrine? If not, would you wish me to involve myself in the common error; nay, in the common ruin too, rather than walk in the straight path? Will not you, my dear Jack, rather follow the Gospel, * whose ways

20 COMIIEHCEVENT OF HI8 MIHISTftT. [cHAP. IL.

are pleasantness and peace, than the * world, which is at enmity with God V You seem to think that we are too young as yet to dedicate ourselves to the service of God, and that it would be better if deferred to a more advanced period of life: but will any one. insure us the possession of our lives and senses till that time f Fix when that time shall be; that being fixed, are we sure that our minds, which have not yet lost the facility of receiving new impressions, will be able to throw off the yoke of sin, after having so long submitted to its baneful influence? Cicero, I think, tells us ’ in veterascunt vitia;’ and who is tKere that has not found it so t Who, at the first commission of a criminal act, hath not trembled T — hath not felt the poignant checks of conscience? Yet by use he will not only commit the same crimes without fear, but even with boasting and ostentation. Hence it is evident that conversion to a religious life becomes more diflicult, in proportion to the time it has been deferred; and that a habit, settled by time and practice, can scarcely ever be eradicated. The truth of this, I think, you cannot doubt But suppose death should lay his cold hand upon us unexpectedly, and call us to the Bridegroom, will he let us in when the door is shut against us? It will be in vain then to knock, for it shall not be opened unto us. Let us therefore take the advice of the prophet Isaiah.” Seek ye the Lord while He may be found, call ye upon him while He is near.’ * * I need not say much to prove that * the wisdom of the world is foolishness with God.* Hume, Voltaire, and many others, were men of deep learning, and what has that profited them, in their scriptural researches? They trusted to their own sagacity too much, instead of looking up to God to enlighten their minds, as every diligent inquirer after truth should do. The knowledge of the Scriptures has been ’ withheld from the wise and prudent, and revealed unto babes and sucklings.’ I do not mean by this to decry the study of polite literature, because I am sensible that we cannot enter into any critical investigations without having laid a good foundation: but surely we may know them sufficiently without the aid of mathematics ;* because the Holy Spirit will lead us into all truth;’ so that I am under not the least apprehension of not understanding all the parts which are necessary, either for the guidance of myself, or the instruction of others. If we would read the Testament on that day which has been set apart from the beginning of the world for the cultivation of spiritual knowledge, with an earnest desire of finding out our duty, and practising it — if also we neglect not to seek God’s enlightening

* Mr. S. was by no meani indifferent to the acquisition of human leaEning, and was always a diligent student. He has recorded “the peculiar delight” he found in studjftng Pearson On the Creed, and Arivtotle’s Ethics on which lectures were given in ius eollege, “for the clearness with which they convfyed religious and moral truth to his mind” Mathematics were not at that time subjects of lecture or examination at King’s College.

race by fervent prayer — we shall not long remain ignorant of it And for want of this the cleverest men are often filled with the most absurd ideas of religion: and indeed I think that not ooiy on that day, but on every other, we may, amidst the multiplicity of worldly business, pay some attention to the * one thing needful;’

“Which done, the poorest can no wants endure.
And which not done, the richest must be poor. ’

“We may, and should always look forward to, and have, as the scope of all our actions, that crown of glory, which Christ has purchased for us by his blood — that inheritance in heaven, which is dqSadg not perishable, but lasting as eternity; d/«i»vid(, not tarnished, but free from every circumstance of alloy; d/iaQaiuydg, not fading, but always in the fullest bloom of perfection, glory, and joy.

You seem to be apprehensive of my becoming a bigot to my religion, and that I should not follow it too far, you quote me a heathen author, which I hope you will not put in competition with sacred writ. But I agree with you entirely in that point. If any one will point out to me a better religion than that whith I now profess, even if it is Mahqmetanism, I will upon being convinced embrace it, and am determined always to give up my own opinions when bettei* are suggested. We need not be afraid of pursuing virtue too far, if we keep entirely to the precepts of the Gospel. I will allow you that there is such a thing as Enthusiasm, but not amongst those who have a deep sense of their own unworthiness, and a clear conviction that they can never be saved by their works, even if they lived to the utmost extent of human perfection; because we are all abominable in the sight of God, we are all dead in the law, and can only be raised to life eternal by the all-sufficient sacrifice of our Redeemer. * As in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive.’ But you think that a strict and early Attention to religion would be pernicious to one’s character, and that the thinking and sensible part of mankind would look upon one as a zealot pr a hypocrite. Pray, brother, let this never discourage us. Our blessed Saviour foreknew that this would be the consequence of following his commandments, and hath strongly guarded us against it: ‘Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute, and say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake: rejoice, and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven.* So far from being diverted from what is right by the censures or even the persecutions of mankind, they become stimulatives and encouragements to our perseverance; they are, you see, to excite joy, exceeding great joy, not grief, disappointment, and melancholy. But will the world iodge us at the last day? No: the same Saviour who took upon himself our infirmities, He who suflTered for us, shall also judge

S8 COMMBNOEMBNT OF HIS MINISTRY. [cHAP. U.

US, and we know that his judgment is true. Let us therefore so purify our hearts that we may become acceptable in his sight, and then we shall have little reason to regard the praise or censure of the world. I am very sensible that we must strike first at the great vices, and proceed gradatim et pedetentim,’ if we are really desirous to take ih6 best method of bringing people to a sense of their duty: but surely you will not call that advice, which recommends even to the most obdurate sinner abstinence from fleshly lusts and constancy in prayer, you will not call this, I say, a caustic. Here are none of the refined duties of Christianity; none which the most ignorant and unenlightened may not easily practise. But you will not think any one a Christian for advancing thus far, unless he endeavors to proceed to those sublimer duties of loving God with all his soul, and his neighbor as himself. Will you not allow that a clergyman is to be an example to the best as well as the worst in his parish?. How then is this to be, if he does not endeavor to live * perfect even as the Father is perfect? Would not a compliance with the vices and follies of the world be an absurd way of drawing others from them? Would not the example rather induce others to persist in them? To * do as they do at Rome,’ is a verv pretty saying in the mouth of a debauchee, but can never be the real opinion of a sensible man, who has an eye to the next world as well as this. That I may persuade you to consider the importance of living like a true disciple of Christ, and of making your calling and election sure, I shall not point out the judgments threatened, and anathemas denounced against impenitent sinners, for this is more calculated to frighten than reform. But contemplate the goodness, mercy, and love of God! Picture to yourself the Son of God himself mocked, set at nought, scourged! Behold his temples streaming with the purple tide, his hands and feet and sides transfixed with iron, his soul oppressed with bitterest agony! that innocent head bearing the whole weight of Divine vengeance, and suffering that punishment which was due to you, to me, and to the whole world; — think of this, dear brother, and obey him through gratitude; calmly meditate on this, and I am convinced, that so far from condemning, you will acquiesce in and adopt the sentiments of

«C. S.”

These earnest and affectionate efforts, though for a season inffectual, were eventually crowned with success. Mr. S. has made the following memorandum on the subject: —

“My eldest brother was taken ill, and I was going to him; but my two other brothers strove to keep me away, lest I should disturb his mind. Blessed be God, both these brothers lived to embrace and honor that Saviour whom I had commended to them,”

CHAF. II.] COMMBirCEMENT OF HIS MIlTIBTBr. 3S

In October his brother Richard died: upon which he addressed the following letter to the Rev. J. Venn: —

“Reading, Oct 13,1788.

••My dear Friend, —

••The sad catastrophe, which I have for some time expected, bias at last taken place — about 5 o’clock on Friday morning. The best of sons, the most affectionate of brothers, is irrevocably gone — gone, I trust, to the incorruptible inheritance reserved for all who truly love the Lord Jesus Christ. It is painful to separate from our friends, however we may be persuaded that it was rather a disirable event; but the afOiction of the whole family is greatly mitigated by the resignation and composure of my father. Though his sensibility was unfortunately excessive, and rendered him almost inconsolable during my brothers illness, he is now quite reconciled to the will of God. *

I have some incidents to communicate to you relative to the reception I have met with at home, and my acquaintance with Mrs. Talbot and Mr. Cadogan; but these I shall defer till I have the pleasure of seeins you in town. My stay at Cambridge will not be above a month; let us therefore hold a little communion there with our friends, and with the Lord Jesus Christ Do not let any one detain you too long in town; for it may very probably be the last time of my coming to Cambridge. I have offered to live with my dear and aged father, who has hitherto declined it; whether he may alter his wishes I cannot tell; most certainly if he does, I shall think it both my duty and my happiness to render his few remaming years as comfortable as I can. I hope, my dear friend, that the Lord continues to strengthen you by his Spirit with might, both in the inner and outer man, and that He will set you up for a burning and a shining light; the former, I trust, you are, the other is to come. Oh, that we may be faithful unto the end, and then — I am at present rather busy, and must therefore conclude with an assurance of my hearty prayers being ofiered up for the welfare of you and vours, and a request that you will Dear in remembrance at the Throne of Grace

Your most affectionate Friend,

C. SlMBON.”