solemn, and places things in a different light from what we ever saw them in before. You seem, and it is with much pleasure I per ceive it, fully aware, thoroughly apprized of the true improvement to be made of this heavy blow, which is undoubtedly intended to quicken your preparation for a future world. It loudly says to you, and to all," Be ye also ready; for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of man cometh." God grant it may be eminently sanctified by weaning you more completely from this world, and "setting your affections" more entirely and habitually "on the things that are above." You will then, in the midst of that deep regret such a loss has necessarily inspired, have cause to bless God that you were afflicted.

We have been for some time in expectation of a visit from you. I hope you will not disappoint us, nor delay it long, as my dear wife expects in a very few months to be confined. We shall rejoice to see you, and shall be happy to contribute in some measure to your solace and relief. My wife, whose health is extremely delicate at best, and very often interrupted, desires to be most respectfully and affectionately remembered to you. Please to present my kindest and most sympathizing regards to your daughter, and love to inquiring friends. I remain, dear sir, with best wishes and prayers,

Your affectionate and sympathizing Friend and Brother,

ROBERT HALL.

XXX.

TO R. FOSTER, JUN. ESQ., CAMBRIDGE.

My dear Sir, Leicester, July 12, 1811. I thank you for your favour, enclosing a draught for 751. 2s. 9d., and am highly gratified with the genuine sentiments of piety contained in your letter. It has been a peculiar satisfaction to me, for a long time past, to hear of your decided attachment to the cause of God; and it is my earnest prayer that the life of God, which his grace has commenced, may flourish more, till it issues, as it infallibly will, in the fruit of eternal life. Go on, my dear sir, in the course you have begun; dare to be singularly good, and to follow Jesus "out of the camp, bearing his reproach"-a reproach that will be found "greater riches than all the treasures of Egypt." You are already the joy of good men, and a shining hope of the church, and it is impossible to calculate the eminent advantage you may be of to the interests of religion in the sphere where Providence has placed you.

Your admonitions I take in good part. I am not without a consciousness of my not having exerted my small abilities to the extent I ought in the cause of religion; but I find strange and seemingly insurmountable obstacles, arising in part from a certain fastidiousness of taste which renders me dissatisfied, and even disgusted, with all my

performances. My extreme ill state of health must also be taken into the account. I am seldom free from pain, which is often very severe.

I remain, my dear Sir,

Yours most affectionately,

ROBERT HALL.

XXXI.

TO JOSEPH GUTTERIDGE, ESQ., DENMARK HILL,

My dear Sir,

CAMBERWELL.

Leicester, September 16, 1811. I have not relinquished my intention of publishing the substance of the sermon delivered at Prescott-street, though I think it will be most proper to print it in the form of a charge, in which it was first delivered. You may rest satisfied I shall not omit making mention of the occasion on which it was preached at Prescott-street, and embracing the opportunity of recommending, as far as lies in my power, the new institution to the attention and patronage of the religious public. The reason of the sermon not appearing sooner has been, principally, an almost uninterrupted struggle of painful discouragement arising from its appearing so contemptible under my hand. The truth is, I am tormented with the desire of writing better than I can, and as this is an obstacle not easily overcome, I am afraid it will never be in my power to write much.

XXXII.

FROM MR. GUTTERIDGE TO MR. HALL.

PROPOSING THAT HE SHOULD PREACH A SERIES OF LECTURES IN LONDON.

Dear Sir,

I am now about to address you on the subject of our conversation when last at Denmark Hill. I then suggested to you the wishes of many friends that you would consent to visit London the following spring, and make arrangements for spending a longer time with us. Several persons have been inquiring if there were a probability of such an event being realized; but I did not wish to trouble you further on the subject till it became needful to do so.

*The sermon here referred to is that on the Discouragements and Supports of the Christian Minister.-ED.

My idea has been, that if you would spend six weeks at least with us, a course of lectures might be established, to be preached by you, that, under a Divine blessing, without which all our efforts are vain, might be productive of much good at the present season. A course of lectures, say you;-on what subject? I reply, on any subjects that have a tendency to counteract the impiety and irreligion of the world in which we live and surely you will admit this is latitude sufficient. I am aware that some objections will arise in your own mind. You will perhaps indignantly ask, "Does he think I will go to London to preach for money?" You may rely upon it, I have too much regard for you to wish you to do any thing that might even be interpreted to your discredit. But is it dishonourable in a man who has a family that have claims upon him to do that which may promote their comfort? Is the fair and honourable exercise of talent to be deprived of a suitable remuneration? Is not "the labourer worthy of his hire?" And although he who is called to preach the gospel is not to be actuated by motives of "filthy lucre," yet he is nowhere called to despise the cup of blessings that Providence may put into his hands, "who giveth us all things richly to enjoy." All this I am saying upon a presumption that your friends will cheerfully raise a subscription, of which you will know nothing, save the contents.

66

I should propose to obtain places of worship well adapted for evening lectures, probably one in the city and one on the other side Temple Bar; and that on the Lord's-day evening, and also one evening in the week, you might alternately preach there. This plan would leave your Sabbath mornings at liberty to oblige particular friends, or to supply destitute congregations; and in this respect I would propose to fix you to Prescott-street, if I dare. The time that appears to me most suited for the purpose would be the beginning of April; and then you would be in town through the missionary, meetings. There is also, in the beginning of May, a most important service to be performed for the Orphan School," the only school among Protestant dissenters where the children are maintained as well as educated, and which has been upon the decline, but is now, we hope, reviving. I should rejoice to see you become the advocate of so extensive and valuable an object; and if you fall in with my design, you will, I hope, undertake it. I hope Mrs. Hall and the children will come with you; you have friends who will be glad to take them in; but if you would prefer a lodging, we can, I doubt not, manage that to your satisfaction. Thus have I given you the outlines of a plan which is subject to any alterations you may propose. Let me beg you to take it into your serious consideration, and to send me soon a favourable answer. I am, dear Sir, affectionately yours,

JOSEPH GUT TERIDGE.

VOL. III.-Q

XXXIII.

TO JOSEPH GUTTERIDGE, ESQ.,

IN REPLY TO THE PRECEDING.

My dear Sir, Leicester, Feb. 29, 1812. . I have taken into my most serious consideration the proposition laid before me in your last letter, and have sought the advice of those friends whose opinion I judged most fit to be relied upon. Some of them are decided in favour of my compliance, others leave the matter in suspense. My people at Leicester have given their cheerful consent, on a supposition of its appearing to me to be the path of duty. Upon making it frequent matter of prayer, I am inclined to think it may be my duty to fall in with the ideas entertained by you and others upon this point, provided my health admit. The difficulties and discouragements attending the affair appear to me so formidable, that nothing could induce me for a moment to think of encountering them but an apprehension that I might, by yielding to them, be going against the will of God. I am habitually alarmed at the thought of my having already too much hid my little talent in a napkin, and should consequently rather risk the most unpleasant imputations than increase that score of guilt. It ought to be (alas! how weak my heart!) "a small thing with me to be judged by man's judgment: there is one that judgeth, even the Lord." The business, however prudently conducted, will expose me to the censure of pride and presumption on the part of many; and my deficiencies will disappoint, I am certain, the expectation of my partial friends. Nevertheless, supposing it possible some good may result, I am inclined to say, "I will go in the strength of the Lord my God." An impediment lies in the way, however, at present, which must be removed before I can think of it; that is, the state of my health. My old complaint has grown upon me so much of late, that it is with great difficulty I can go on with my stated work. I have been for some time under the necessity of taking fifty, and sometimes a hundred drops of laudanum every night, in order to procure any rest. The pain has been both violent and very nearly constant. It is quite out of the question to think of a journey to London unless I am better. So situated, whatever arrangements are made connected with the proposal you mention, must be conditional; and I shall, if you judge it fit to give it any further consideration, inform you - previously whether I can come or not. It seems to me there are some objections to the place of preaching being alternate: will not this interfere with its being well known? The same objection seems to apply to the appointment of different places. These, however, and all other points, I wish to submit to the decision of friends. Mrs. H. will, I believe, not be able to accompany me. She desires to be most

respectfully remembered to you and Mrs. G. Please to present my best respects to Mrs. G. and Miss G., and believe me to be, with great esteem,

Dear Sir, yours affectionately,

ROBERT HALL.

XXXIV.

TO JOSEPH GUTTERIDGE, ESQ.

ON THE SAME SUBJECT.

My dear Sir, Leicester, March 29, 1812. I delayed writing to you as long as I could, that I might the better ascertain the state of my health at the time when it was proposed I should undertake my journey to London. I now feel myself under a necessity of informing you and my other friends, that my health is such as renders it impossible for me to think of engaging in such a matter. It is with the utmost difficulty that I can go through my stated duties. I am ready to suspect that the complaint under which I have so long laboured is intended to "weaken my strength by the way," and, at no great distance, to bring me to "the house appointed for all living." The pain is almost incessant, and often. so violent as to put my patience to its utmost exercise.* I have now for many weeks been under the necessity of taking seventy or eighty drops of laudanum every night, and am often obliged to rise and repeat the draught before I can procure any rest. It appears to me preposterous to think of coming to London in such a situation. I can scarce ever sit up an hour together; lying down is my constant position. I consulted some judicious friends on the subject of your proposal, and, above all, made it my business to seek direction from the Fountain of wisdom. The result was, that I came to a determination to suspend the affair upon the state of my health about the time my engagements, in the event of compliance, were to commence. Providence, by having placed me in my present circumstances, appears to have decided the affair; and in that decision I perfectly acquiesce. My mind is, to say the truth, relieved from a considerable weight; for nothing but a fear of neglecting a possible opportunity of doing some little good could have reconciled me for a moment to the proposal you, I am persuaded with the best intentions, were pleased to make. The appearance of vanity and self-consequence attached to it, always presented itself as a most formidable obstacle; but this I had made up my mind to surmount, reposing, in the midst of much sinister [interpretation,] on the rectitude of my intentions, and my conscious desire of complying with the leadings of Providence. You, my dear sir, have been actuated, I doubt not, in this affair, by a solicitude to promote the interest of reli

* See p. 155, 156 of this volume.-ED.