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entrance. The vast congregation was left in a very venly frame, enjoying the light of the Lord's countenance, and magnifying his holy name with all the powers of their souls, and all this in such a manner as it is impossible to

describe on paper.

"There was some difference between Rowlands and that wonderful man of God, George Whitfield.-When Whitfield's voice and words were of the sweetest and most attractive description, he was declining in the force of his matter. Whereas Rowlands was borne on high by his subject, which was most glorious and sublime when his voice was most exalted and high. (See Charles's Life, p. 260.)

"Wonderful things came to pass in the revival of religion, under the ministry of Rowlands, and Harris, chiefly.The reading even of the text would at times strike the minds of the people, like lightning from heaven, and the sound of a commotion from the vast congregation, resembled the sound of a great thunder.

"I cannot think of Rowlands and his coadjutors but with the greatest respect. His companions in this great work were H. Harris, W. Williams, P. Williams, H. Davies ; and latterly Jones of Langan and Charles of Bala. Another race of preachers came forth out of this school, who were partakers of some share of their spirit, and had some part of their mantle; such as D. Morris, W. Lloyd of Cauo, D. Jones of Pont-y-pool, a Baptist preacher, and many more. Other great and useful men proceeded from the same school, such as R. Roberts of Clynog, E. Morris, E. Richards of Carnarvon, T. Jones of Denbigh, D. Davies of Mynydd bach, an Independent preacher, and the following clergymen, Hughes of Sychbant, Davies of Cynwyl, Williams of Lledrod, and Griffiths of Nevern.-It is with great respect I look upon every preacher that is adorned in some measure, in his ministry, with the grand doctrine of free grace, which Rowlands so powerfully and effectually preached, and also that is endued with a degree of his fiery

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and heavenly spirit, whether he preaches in the Established Church or among the Dissenters; and I pray that God may speed and prosper him greatly.

"I recollect but few of Rowlands' compact and sententious expressions. He once said, with a view to thwart and prevent a discipline too pointed and severe, as follows:The discipline of the gospel is like a golden hayrake, that gathers and draws all to it for succour and protection, and not like a fork, that throws away and scatters.'

"To prevent the ferret-like spirit that is in the churches, searching for faults to make them publicly known, (not to hide them as love is disposed,) he would address himself to such a person, by saying, 'Thou art a ferret, I knew thy brother, his name was Ham, he would not hide the nakedness of his father! What, consequently, had the vile exposer ? A curse. Take care lest the same evil come upon thee.-Rather imitate those persons that would conceal a matter, and who are mentioned in sacred history; their names are Shem and Japhet. What did those men therefore receive for concealing? A blessing. Go and do thou likewise, and you shall inherit a blessing.'

66 When a conceited man was examined as a candidate for admittance into the church, Rowlands said to the person that was conversing with him,-In order to know whether he is a dog or a sheep, take hold of his tail; if he is one of the sheep, he will not turn upon you, but if he is a dog, he will.'-'Where do you meet with that in scripture, Mr. Rowlands ?’said the vain man. Dog, dog, see he bites,' replied Rowlands.

Rowlands was a star of the greatest magnitude, that appeared the last century in the principality, and perhaps there has not been his like in Wales since the days of the apostles.

Carnarvon, October 20th, 1835.

CHRISTMAS EVANS."

Thus did this liberal and excellent minister draw the picture of one he greatly admired.-He has some time now seen him in a much more flaming manner, in the heavenly world and there they will be, with innumerable myriads of glorified spirits, praising God throughout all the ages of eternity, for his great salvation.

Evans's allusion to the trade of a blacksmith, in his description of Rowlands as a preacher, is very striking, useful, and instructive, especially to ministers; showing they should feel the matter themselves." The man does not beat the iron," as he observed on another occasion, "in order to heat it; for had it not been well tempered in the fire first of all, it would have been in vain to beat it. Equally useless it is for ministers to use the art of elocution, and force of vehemency, in preaching, unless the matter is duly and suitably felt and enjoyed in their own hearts.-Suppose the blacksmith were to put the iron in the fire, and scarcely suffer it, through inattention and haste, to become warm, but run with it to the anvil, and there attempt to beat and form it with hammers, when it is not tempered for such a purpose; how miserable!—The fire in the meantime goes out, and the smoke and ashes fill the eyes of all. But the horse shoe, plough-shares, and coulters, are not made.Alas, how often are ministers found in this foolish and unsuccessful way, when preaching! Heavenly unction should fill their souls, and holy fire should burn in their hearts, as they expatiate on their subjects. They should earnestly look for this warmth from the influence of the Spirit."

CHAP. XI.

The means of Rowlands' success, under God's blessing.

His own natural talents, brought under the influence of divine grace, were productive of much good.

His understanding, as it has been already observed, must have been of the first order. It was very comprehensive, quick, and penetrating. His mental eye, under God's blessing, was so strong and quick, that he could penetrate into the deep and glorious things of God in the scriptures, with great energy and swiftness. Yea, those divine things were then as clearly perceived by his mind, as natural objects are by the bodily vision.-Such was Rowlands' knowledge of divine things, and so great the treasures of the gospel he possessed, that he seemed well acquainted with them when speaking of them in the pulpit or elsewhere.* He was compared by his friends, to show his great knowledge of the glorious riches in the house of his Lord, to a noble

"One of the few survivors who have heard Rowlands preach, is the venerable T. Jones of Creaton, who characterizes Rowlands' preaching as distinguished for depth and fervour. The following description of his sermons may remind some of our readers of another native of Wales, the late Mr. Howels, whose lot was to labour in London. He was at times,' says Jones, like those birds which dive under water for their prey, and having caught it, suddenly emerge again. I often thought of such birds while hearing him; for he sometimes went, as it were, out of sight, so that we could not exactly see or know what he was aiming at; and then he brought suddenly to view what he had been diving for, and set it forth in a few concise and expressive words, to the great astonishment and delight of his hearers. But as to its fervour, it far exceeded every thing that I have ever observed in any other.'"-Record Newspaper.

man's servant exhibiting his master's house to a company of strangers, politely conducting them from one splendid room to another, and so directing their attention to every thing worthy of notice as at once to delight and astonish them all. He had knowledge both to perceive the deep things of God clearly and quickly, and also to make them plain to the most dull. He saw the point that must be gained in order to win and save the sinner; and he also perceived the particular incidents that might be subservient to that end. Indeed every feature and view in all the scenery around, every peculiar circumstance in the state and condition of the auditory, and every passing event there and in the country, were well employed by him in his sermons. How like his blessed Master, who frequently made use of objects that were near, to illustrate his subject.

Though Rowlands' congregation was immense, yet so particular was he in his address, that every one thought he was speaking to him, as the object of his love and solicitude. This required no small skill. He used his finger to aid his expressions in the work of remonstrating and convincing. The eyes of every individual were turned on himself at the tribunal of conscience, feeling the hand of the preacher searching and showing where to class himself. "The

preacher who aims at doing good," says R. Hall, "will endeavour above all things to insulate his hearers, to place each of them apart, and render it impossible for him to escape by losing himself in the crowd. At the day of judgment the attention excited by the surrounding scene, the strange aspect of nature, the dissolution of the elements, and the last trump, will have no other effect than to cause the reflections of the sinner to return with a more overwhelming tide on his own character, his sentence, and his unchanging destiny; and, amid the innumerable millions who surround him, he will mourn apart."

Rowlands would not always make a reply when his opinion was asked in course of conversation on some difficult