wards of thirty years. He has now devoted himself to the ministry, and we sincerely pray that the Lord may bless the word of his grace by this his servant, and make him a blessing to the surrounding vicinity. We should have felt much pleasure in inserting the whole of Mr. Hanley's statement, which is highly interesting, but our limits forbid; and as it is, we believe, intended to be published, would be unnecessary. REVIEW. Some Account of God's Gracious Dealings with Ebenezer Vinall, with full account of his call to the Ministry, &c. Part 3. 12mo. pp. 36. London: E. Palmer & Son. MUCH has transpired in the personal history of this young minister, since the publication of the second part of his Memoir. Sickness, both bodily and mental, has been the occasion of his entire withdrawment from the ministerial work, and now, after a lapse, which by his enemies has been regarded as a visitation, and by his friends as a trial of the faith both of themselves and of him, he has resumed, simultaneously, his literary and his ministerial career. His second Sermon we announced in our last number. We have now before us the third part of his narrative. We perceive that he has announced his intention of drawing it to a close in the fourth number. There is in the present number less of that digression and extraneous matter which characterized the two preceding parts. The author adheres much more closely to his subject, and what he has to tell, he tells with much more conciseness and clearness than previously. We forbear however entering at large upon the narrative until the whole be completed, when we shall perhaps do so at some length, and then also give our views respecting that which is the chief feature distinguishing Mr. Vinall's We extract the following from the present part, that our readers may be in some measure acquainted with the feelings of the writer's mind : "Within a fortnight of the time the blessed Lord burst my bonds; he was pleased to loose them, and in a measure liberate my poor soul, when my father was speaking on the Sabbath-day, on the character, or more particularly of the exercise of Jephthah; in the first place he was cast out of his father's house; I do not mean to convey that I was cast out, but I left my parent's roof before I was fourteen years of age, and have not lived with the family for any time since, except once, when very ill, I was confined to the house for nearly six months. We read Judges xi. 11, "Jephthah uttered all his words before the Lord in Mizpeh." This part of the subject seemed applicable to my case, as I had uttered all my words many times before the Lord; but the trial was, how it was to come out before the people, as I felt assured the time was drawing very near for me to open my mouth in public. And in part of verse 35, it is said, He was brought very low; so was I brought exceedingly low, sometimes in my feelings, mounting up to the heavens, and then going down again to the deep, my soul melted within me, because of trouble, and I reeled, in my feelings, to and fro, like a drunken man, and was at my wit's end; no power, no wisdom, no strength left in me at times, feeling myself a complete fool, yea, often in my feelings a very beast before the Lord, and did say with the poet :— : "May we all our wills resign, Our dear pastor further observed, for I have opened my mouth unto the Lord, and I cannot go back. This was exactly my position: what he said was marrow and fatness to my poor soul. My dear wife knowing at this time something of my exercise, said to me when we came out of chapel, I should think you got on to-day; I replied, yes, my dear, it has been "a feast of fat things, of wine on the lees well refined." When we got home we sat down, and I kept on blessing and praising the Lord for his goodness and loving-kindnesses conferred upon me a poor worm of the earth; I then told her all my exercise, and kept on talking for full three hours; and she wept nearly all the time, not being able to give me up, could not fall into the hands of the Lord, and submit to his divine sovereignty; knowing if I was called to the work, I should be about my Master's business, and not be so much at home as I had been for six years. Those persons that say, she stuck me up, I would advise them to ask her, for she did all she could to dissuade me from it. "She said, after I had been talk ing for some time, I should think you consider your bonds burst. I replied, They are loosed, the tongue of the stammerer does now speak plainly; but I shall see greater things than these; believing fast-day would be a good day, a day of gladness, a day of the rejoicing of my heart. If I remember right, the previous Friday to this sabbath, our pastor mentioned to the church his expectations respecting going back again for part of the day to Brighton, at the same time telling them if the matter was straight without his interference, he should certainly consider it was the Lord's will he should return to them again, at the same time expressing his sorrow at leaving his Lewes friends. He said, he could do no other than go back again if the way was straight, as he had given his promise to that effect, if the obstacles were removed. My ex "When fast-day came, I seemed between hope and fear, but I must have a knock down blow first. friends that came from Brighton to hear my father, told me the way was made quite clear for his return to them again, and they were going to see him after service to get his consent. I replied, I am glad, yet I am sorry; glad, because his faith is honoured, and the Lord hath ceeded all his expectations; sorry, at the thought of losing his ministry part of the day: particularly now it was more to me than ever it had been before. But my greatest grief and anxiety arose from the impression, that I must go forward and fight manfully under the banner of our Lord Jesus Christ. One very heavy part of my trial was, how it was possible for me to continue in business, and yet preach for months this was the exercise of my mind, and went on for a long time before it was made plain to me. It was in this way: Continue your name and interest in the business for the present, and allow your partner whatever he may think right to recom pense him for the loss of your time and services; which I accordingly did; in finding a young man to fill my place. I received this in answer to prayer, and I believe from the Lord himself, although many have been offended at me for my conduct; but they know not my motives, nor can they read my heart, nor do they know what has passed between the Lord and my soul. What I find fault with them for, is, setting up their frail judgment in opposition to the will of God, when he has said to me," Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all things needful for this life shall be added unto you." And hath also given me the promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come; also saying unto me, "The labourer is worthy of his hire;" and again, "Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat: freely ye have received, freely give." So I would ever go on in my Master's work, believing if he opens the heart to receive the truth, through me as a feeble instrument, he will open the hand of those who love and enjoy it, to communicate to my necessities. "To return, I went to chapel fastday in the morning, much cast down. The subject our pastor was upon was the lviiith chapter of Isaiah, speaking of the fast in the prophet's time. There was nothing particular said to my case. I heard with approbation, but not with application; I left the house of prayer with my burden still upon my mind. After I had dined, I strolled out by myself being unfit for any company, feeling so very wretched and miserable, being held fast in rebellion and hard bondage, and not knowing what to make of the Lord's dealings and dispensations with me, and also very unwell in my body. Oh, cruel bondage, as I had thought that this day was to be a good day with me; but quite the reverse was felt, until I was walking on the road that leads to Ringmer, when my chain was loosed. The snare was broken, and my soul, like a bird escaped out of the snare of the fowler, and love, joy and peace succeeded, so that I returned home as light as a hart, feeling I had a good day, if I did not find any more, so that I went on my way rejoicing and blessing a prayer-hearing and answering God. When I arrived at home, the inquiry was, How is it now? I replied, I have had the best of company, my precious Jesus has communed with me by the way, and opened to me the scriptures, so that on the road I wept for joy. In the evening I went to chapel big with expectation, longing for another feast, for I find the more of Christ I have, the more I want, and lament I have not more room for him, that the poor vessel is so contracted, pleasing myself oftentimes with the anticipation that when I get home, I shall be able to praise him as I ought, being fashioned like to his glorious body, "according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself." The Sicilian Vespers, recalled to memory by the revolutions of Modern Europe. By the Rev. C. Smyth, Vicar of Alfriston, Sussex, 12mo, pp. 76. London: Palmers. The massacre of their French invaders by the inhabitants of Palermo, known in history under this appellation, is in this very neatly printed little volume, graphically told; being introduced by a preliminary chapter explanatory of the conduct and character, manifested by the chief actors in the wars of those times, and accompanied by observations, tending to awaken profitable reflection in the mind of every serious observer of the present strange events on the Continent. 8 And faint a traveller reaches Jacob's well, Weary with lengthened journey. Glad he sits, As if appreciating rest, the while Bringing the daily pitcher for supply. She sees the stranger, and with look askant, Noting his Hebrew garb and countenance, A Jew entreating a Samaritan! man, Tells her of living water, which of him She should have asked, that she might thirst no more. Well might Samaria's daughter, all amazed, Survey the wond'rous stranger, who abrupt Lifting the veil of her past history, Exposed delinquencies she thought none knew. Conviction did its work: Messiah's fame Had reached Samaria, and Samaria's child, Saw and acknowledged in the toil-worn man, The Christ, the Lord's Anointed. Met me while busied with the busy world? soul, Revealed a history I had deemed unknown, Thoughts, feelings, hopes, ambitions all concealed? Hast thou not told me of the living stream, Likened to which all other streams are dry? Yea more, hast thou not given an appe tite, Eliciting from me the self-same cry, "Let my son go, that he may serve me.' A captive, Lord, In mental Mizraim, Egypt spiritual, And the taskmaster's bondage! Let the sigh, Pressed from a bosom overfilled with cares, A woman from the neighbouring city Let the groan ascending from the prison Do thou command the tyrant, who so long Hath made me do his drudgery, that now He liberate thy son, to serve alone Thyself, my only, rightful, sovereign Lord. Alas, alas, my Lord, while in my chains, Worse than thine Israel, I 've contracted guilt, Disease and debt, which compass me around, And ask thee, Lord, to pardon and forgive. Bring me from Egypt, Lord, my soul shall praise : Conduct me through the separating stream, Lead in the wilderness, I lean on thee; Let Sinai thunder, thou art all my hope; Let Amalek invade, I trust thy power: In every circumstance and every state, Fain would I love thee, fain would praise WHEN God the Holy Spirit sends A new creation he intends, In spite of him that reigns within, By grace to Christ the man he 'll bring, Of darling sins, and wicked men, But now made free, sweet pleasure have, Maintains the work of grace begun, Prepares the soul for joys to come, E. T. A HYMN. WHAT mean the angry frowns of men? The idols of the world must fall, If gospel grace comes to a place, If devils should be dispossessed, And souls from them set free, When they grow poor they rage the more, As we by Scripture see. But Jesus as a Lion strong, Will turn those lions round; Though they appear, we will not fear, We stand on Zion's ground. T. E. R. ON THE LORD'S SUPPER. His friends with heavenly bread, and wine His body pierced with numerous wounds, Did as a Victim bleed; That we might drink his sacred blood, And on his flesh might feed. Wormwood and gall was once his meat, His cup with terror filled; That we might taste the heavenly sweet, We feed on Christ, and sup with him, As ruler of the feast, his share While he love's banner here displays O'er our triumphant heads, Nor are our pleasures bounded here, Then of new wine shall we partake Throughout a long eternity T. E. E. |