me that I had committed the unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost, and therefore I concluded there was no possibility of my obtaining salvation. This lay very heavy on my mind; my spirits were greatly depressed; and i grew melancholy. This state of mind continued some years, having no minister, or religious friend, to whom I could unbosom myself. As I grew up I came to the desperate resolution to enjoy, without restraint, all the pleasures of life, and make myself as easy and confortable as possible in this world, being persuaded there was no mercy for me in the world to come. When arrived to the age of seventeen, I heard the Gospel preached by Mr. Whitefield and others in connection with him, which opened my eyes, and convinced me that I had not committed the unpardonable sin. This afforded me matter of the highest joy; and I began to seek the Lord with all possible diligence and sincerity of soul. Yet I laboured under strong doubts of my interest in Christ, on account of the many corruptions of my heart; when the Lord, in a most extraordinary manner, deeply impressed on my mind that passage of Scripture, Rom. iv. 18. Who against hope believed in hope. These words led me to think, that if Abraham, the father of the faithful, was enabled against hope to believe in hope, well might I do the same. And such was the effect it produced on all the powers of my mind, and such the joy that I experienced, that with propriety, I may say, it was unspeakable and full of glory. This remained with me for several years." Thus the Lord prepared his servant, first by temptation, and then by consolation, for the great work he had for him to do; and now we find him applying himself in earnest to those means of improvement which were within his reach, and soon after appearing in public life. Of this he gives the following account: My heart being thus filled with love to God, and zeal for his cause, I began to think of devoting myself to the ministry accordingly! applied to study, and to improve my mind, so far as my time and circumstances would admit. After some time I felt it my duty to read the works of pious authors to my friends and neighbours; and at length attempted to deliver my own thoughts on select parts of the word of God. The first time I engaged in this religious exercise in the presence of a few persons, one young man was seriously

and

and deeply impressed, and afterwards became a useful preacher in Mr. Whitefield's connection. This testimony of the divine approbation greatly encouraged me to go on, and it pleased God to add many seals to my poor weak endeavours, to promote the interest of Christ in the salvation of lost sinners."

Here the Lord's hand was visible, and his call to his servant evident. Mr. Mends was now but a youth, and destitute of human accomplishments, yet his first discourse was the mean of converting a sinner, who became afterward a useful minister of Jesus Christ.

About this time Mr. Mends married Miss Ann Twyning, a young lady of a very respectable family in South Wales, by whom he had nine children. Mrs. Mends died suddenly April 20, 1795, aged seventy-one.

After some time employed in preaching, he says, "I thought it my duty to remove to Caermarthen, a town about twenty-five miles distant; at which place there was an academy of long standing, over which the late worthy and pious Mr. Davies then presided as tutor, whose memory I shall ever venerate for his piety, and the kind assistance he afforded me. Having continued with him for some years, he advised me to go to Brinkworth in Wiltshire, to which I consented. Previous to my removal, I passed an examination by my tutor, in the presence of four neighbouring ministers, and preached as a candidate for the stated ministry, on which they gave me the usual testimonials. But prior to my going into Wiltshire, I made a solemn covenant with God, not to be influenced my future settlement by the amount of the salary, but by the prospect of usefulness; resolving to rely on the blessing of God, upon my feeble efforts in the Gospel of Christ. Being arrived at Brinkworth, I found the inte rest of religion very low, and every appearance that presented itself very discouraging. The church consisted of no more than nine members, and divine worship was carried on in a large room. This view of things greatly distressed me, and I knew not what steps to take. At this time I was afflicted with a violent and obstinate ague, which continued nearly twelve weeks; but I considered it as a remarkable instance of the goodness of God, that during this long period, the fits never seized me on the Lord's day, so that I lost not one sabbath; and the Lord

in

crowned

crowned my labours with some success: a few persons were brought under serious impressions, and the audience greatly increased. Here I continued nearly twelve years.

"In the year 1760, I received a call from the church of Christ at Plymouth; and, upon due deliberation, consultation, and prayer, I clearly saw it was my duty to accept the invitation; therefore, having provided a minister for Brinkworth, I removed my family early in the spring of 1761. The church to whom I came were in a divided state; disputes having arisen to such a height, concerning the meeting house, that the matter was referred to the Court of King's Bench. While the suit was pending, the congregation assembled in the church belonging to the French Protestants, who had been established there in the reign of queen Anne. They kindly permitted us to use that place from eight o'clock until ten in the morning, and after four o'clock the remaining part of the evening. At length the contest was closed, and I was estas blished in the meeting house in Batter Street, by a special mandamus from the Court of King's Bench, in the month of January, 1762 *.”

After

As this has something peculiar in it, and very materially affected the rights of the Protestant Dissenters at large, it is judged proper, and may be deemed useful, to relate the circumstances of it, as found in Burn's Ecclesiastical Law:

This meeting house being settled on trustees in trust among other things,

"To suffer the meeting house to be for the public worship of God, by such congregation of Protestant Dissenters, commonly called Presbyterians, as should sit under and attend the ministry of such Presbyterian minister or ministers as should be, by the members in fellowship of the said, or such like congregation or congregations, regularly and fairly chosen, and appointed to be the minister, preacher, or pastor, to preach to the said meeting."

Mr. Mends was duly elected by a majority of the congregation; but the trustees refused to admit him to the use of the meeting, and put a Mr. Hanmer in possession thereof: upon which the counsel for Mr. Meuds, in the month of June, 1761, moved for a mandamus to be directed to the surviving trustees of the meeting house, requiring them to admit Mr. Mends to the use of the pulpit: which was strenuously opposed by the counsel for the trustees: whereupon the court proposed an issue at law, to try" whether Hanmer who was already in possession, was or was not duly elected to the said pastorship:" but the trustees obstinately persisted in refusing a trial, and opposing a mandamus, as they knew the election of Hanmer could not be supported on a trial, and they were unwilling to proceed to a new elec

After having been' settled in this house, Mr. Mends observes, to the glory of God, and honour of his grace, "Such were the extraordinary influences of the Spirit of God on my poor and very imperfect labours, that the reflection has filled my mind with astonishment, that the Lord should thus signally honour one who ever viewed himself as less than the least of all the saints. I kept a list of three hundred, whom I had reason to believe the Lord had made me the instrument of turning from the error of their way to the knowledge of God. But at this time a great depression of spirits, occasioned by severe trials, so far overpowered me, that I did not continue the account for nearly sixteen years! yet since that time very many have been added to the church, and the congregation gradually increasing."

Mr. Mends continued his labours, constantly preaching four times in the week, besides superintending a meeting of a more private nature, both at Plymouth and at the Dock, until 1782, when his strength failing, and fits of the epileptic kind succeeding, he was rendered unequal to the discharge of all the duties which his numerous congregation demanded. Under these circumstances the church assembled, agreed that assistance was necessary, and made choice of his own son, the rev. Herbert Mends, who, after due trial, was unanimously invited to the co-pastorship with his father. He had recently been ordained pastor over, the independent church at Sherborne, in Dorsetshire, but considering it his duty to obey this call, removed, to Plymouh in the December following; where he has con

tion of a minister, as the majority of the congregation were inclined to Mr. Mends.

Whereupon the court perceiving a determined purpose in the trustees to maintain Mr. Hanmer in possession by violence, from their refusal to try the validity of the election, or to proceed to a new election, ordered a mandamus to issue.

The parties concerned having afterwards proceeded to a new election, a peremptory mandamus was by consent on both sides, awarded in January, 1762.

A mandamus is a prerogative writ, which is granted in those cases, where the law has established no specific legal remedy, and where there ought to be one. And the above cited case appears to be one of that description, which could not have been remedied in any other mode than by granting this writ, the trustees having refused either to try the validity of Mr. Hanmer's election by an issue at law, or to proceed to a new election; either of which, the prosecutor of this writ was willing to accede to, tinued,

tinued ever since, literally as a son with the father, serving with him in the Gospel. Some time after this event, Mr. Mends's health was considerably recovered, and he was enabled to go through a greater share of ministerial work than most ministers of his years; by which means his son had the greater opportunity to go into the villages and towns adjacent, to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ nor has this occasional preaching been in vain. Under the united labours of father and son, the Lord abundantly honoured the church with an increase of members, and with great and almost unexampled peace, unanimity, and

affection.

Mr. Mends was a man of great constitutional strength, but it was severely tried by frequent relapses into the distressing complaints to which he was subject in his latter years; and about Midsummer, 1798, began visibly to decline. However, about three months before his death, he was one day so much supported, that, after preaching three times, he came down and said, "O how wonderfully doth the Lord strengthen me! [ could preach three sermons more." The last time he engaged in the public services of the sanctuary was on the second Lord's day in January, 1799, when his strength would only permit him to preach in the morning.

On the Lord's day preceding his dissolution, he continued in close and lively conversation, with two serious friends, members of the church, on the excellency of the divine life, and the glory hereafter to be enjoyed. Among other things relating to the state of glorified saints in heaven, he said, with great animation, "O my friends, I have seen the shining hosts of heaven, with sparkling crowns on their heads, and palms of victory in their hands! Yes, millions and millions of them! And above all, I have seen Jesus at their head! Well, soon I shall be with them. While I was gazing at the glorious sight, I thought one of the blessed inhabitants came unto me, and pointing to the shining ranks of saints, said, 'That is your place." On the Wednesday following he said, "My soul stands waiting at the gate, longing for admission, but this clog of mortality holds me back, and confines me to earth." To his nephew, an officer in the navy, standing near his bed, he said, "I am just entering the harbour, with a calm sea, a gentle breeze, and Jesus for

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my