I trust you will pardon me. I cannot but thank you for what good, under God, I received by your relating your experience. I hope the Lord enables you to go on more and more; yea, I really trust you are daily fed with the spiritual manna, which cometh down from heaven, and that you have, in an uncommon measure, experienced that the Lord is good.

When I had the pleasure of your company, I could not think of blaming you, seeing you were all the time more zealous than myself, and eying more of the glory of God. However I could not persuade myself as to your holding out I was suspicious of some secret sin. But when I would think of free grace, and of the everlasting love of Christ, I could do no less than check myself for such a suspicion. I trust, my dear sister, this will not offend you. I open my heart; I love you dearly in Christ Jesus my soul is united to you. May the Lord increase this love more and more.

I am suffered to be no longer at Ystradffin! I preached there my farewell sermon from Acts xx. 32. It reached their hearts. I believe such crying out was not heard in any funeral in the memory of man. May the Lord hear their cry, and send them an able and powerful minister, who will dispense to them the word of truth as it is in Jesus. Now I am to settle at Llanddewi-brefi, which is a large church; it will contain several thousands of people. Several of my communicants at Ystradffin will join there, and at Abbergwessin, the end of the next month.

As for the cause of your soul, I hope it is safe; yea, in your own mind. If not, if you see yourself sick, Jesus can heal; he is a Physician. If filthy, he can cleanse. Mal. iii. 2. If comfortless, he can soothe; he has balm. If condemned by the law, Christ can plead; he is an Advocate with the Father. Therefore throw yourself wholly upon his mercy, come life or death. Be often at the throne of grace; and pray think often, yea pray think

of him, who is your very humble and obedient servant, and unworthy brother,

For Mrs. JAMES,

To be left at her house in Abergaveny."

D. ROWLANDS.

Rowlands generally served his own churches on the Sunday, but he used to go on week days to several other places. It is said that he went for several years to each of the following Episcopal chapels once a month :-Ystradffin, Twrgwyn, Wainifor, Abergorlech, and Llanllian. But it appears, from the above letter, that he served Ystradffin more constantly. Some say he served it for seven years.

He used to preach at other places in the neighbouring county, such as Cauo and Llansawsell; many would go from Llangeitho after him, to receive the heavenly manna. They were well satisfied, though tired with long journies, and in want of food.-But it was not only at Llangeitho and the neighbourhood that Rowlands, as we have heard, was so much blessed of the Lord, but throughout the country in general. God was owning his preaching in a remarkable manner to thousands. He would venture to go sometimes, as stated, to North Wales, for the glory of God and. the good of immortal souls, notwithstanding the great fury of persecution.

CHAP. V.

Monthly sacraments at Llangeitho,-amazing attendance,— monthly meetings in other places.

THERE were very notable opportunities in Rowlands' days, of which we can scarcely form an idea at this time. It has been already stated, that he administered the Lord's supper at Llangeitho to thousands of people, some of whom came from a great distance. A preparation meeting was held on the previous Saturday; and four sermons were generally delivered on that day and the following Sunday. Rowlands usually preached on these occasions from one of the church windows; the greatest part of the people being obliged to stand without, several thousands being on the spot. The pouring in of the religious part of the community in Wales, on these occasions, to Llangeitho, was really wonderful. The attraction of the influence was irresistible. It was at Llangeitho the Sun of Righteousness seemed to shine most in its splendour. It was there the master of assemblies did shine in all his excellencies, like Aaron the high-priest, in the temple of the Lord, being filled with the glory of the Most High. The other parts of the country possessed only the synagogues; therefore the tribes of the Lord resorted constantly to this holy mountain, this spiritual Zion, the city of the great King, and the sanctuary of the living God.

Moreover, it was there the father in Israel dwelt; who was a father indeed. For by his instrumentality many of the preachers of the day, as well as thousands of the people, were called! Yea, many a herald appointed by God to call sinners from darkness to light, were converted under him. Happy instrument! Most blessed man!-Though

this account is most surprising, yet it is true. It has been already affirmed, that most of the preachers of that age, especially of the Methodist persuasion, were brought to the knowledge of the truth under his energetic sermons. So many as one hundred of them might be counted. And no one can say how many were converted under the ministry of these preachers and their successors! What a surprising fact! How wonderful, how glorious in all its bearings and results! What incalculable good has been effected by one individual !-These ministers were of course most happy in attending on the powerful ministry of their spiritual father, as often as they could, and greatly delighted were they to be present on the sacrament Sundays, which were indeed heavenly feasts: and greatly honoured did they consider themselves in being present at his private religious meetings the preceding Saturday, where every religious information was afforded, and instruction in righteousness and all important truths were given; and these were administered with such solemnity, spirituality, and life, that they returned home to their different spiritual charges with recruited life, energy, and vigour, rejoicing like those who had found a great spoil. A specimen of such truths as we may imagine he would deliver to his preachers and leaders in those meetings, may be taken from his works, and prove most gratifying to the reader.-How suitable is this,—

"When the Lord shows us mercy, he works a readiness in our wills, which we had not before, to receive mercy. We hear of it with self-application, and are enabled to embrace it with thankfulness. By faith we plunge into the red sea of redeeming blood, with all our maladies, and there we leave them. Our loads drop off, and our guilt is washed away. We are freely pardoned and accepted in the beloved.

"Grace is an active principle, stirring us up to be neither barren nor unfruitful. For instance, from Michael's guarding the body of Moses, we may learn that the service

F

of God is the glory even of the most dignified angel. Some observe that angels are oftener described by their office than by their nature; as if they delighted more in obedience than in existence, or would rather not be than to be unemployed in the service of God. The emperor Theodosius used to reckon this his chief title, "The lowest servant of God." God's service indeed is man's most honourable distinction; nothing else can make him great. Earthly grandeur is the pinnacle of honour among men; but if we could consult the archangel, he would tell us, that to be a servant to and a messenger of Jesus Christ, is the highest dignity that any created being can aspire to. Oh how mean and insignificant is man, though clothed in scarlet, purple, and gold; yea, though his temples be encircled with a crown, if he is not the servant of Jesus Christ! What is he but an impure spirit in clean garments; a devil clad in Samuel's mantle! Preferable, far preferable to such, are the servants of Jesus, even in rags. The lowest of these are pure spirits in mean attire, not yet admitted into the heavenly world.

"We have no old or inherent strength, but are only strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and which is every moment communicated to us, to actuate and keep us in the way of his commandments. I need employ no other argument but my own woeful experience, to make my own vile heart give credit to this truth. If the Lord had left me to myself, after he had called me by his grace and bound up my wounds, I should soon have perverted my renewed strength, to stray again into the wilderness, and to pursue the crooked paths of sin. So kind and condescending is this good Samaritan, that he gives us the new wine of his kingdom to revive and cheer our hearts when we are drooping, and pours upon us the rich oil of his grace, to strengthen us for duty, and to render every cross easy to us."

Encouragement to the preachers." Behold! the world is converted to the faith, not by the magicians of Egypt, but by the outcasts of Judea. Before these the exorcists