quainted with its contents, Whoever called at his abode, would be sure to find good Mr. Jones engaged, either with his book or with his God. Never was any man more highly favoured in a matrimonial connection than himself. Mrs. Jones was a woman of eminent piety, and possessed of strong intellectual powers. In the apostolic age, when poverty was no reproach, she would have been esteemed a Christian of the most exalted character. They were married when young, and their affection increased with their years. To her he was a kind husband; to him she was a prudent wife. They lived long together in conjugal affection, comforting and establishing each other in the ways of God, and mutually building themselves up in their most holy faith. What the good old man felt at the loss of such a wife, it is impossible for words to describe. Though she died about twenty years before him, he scarcely ever mentioned her name but tears involuntarily flowed from his eyes. When contemplating the joys of heaven, he frequently anticipated the pleasing interview with (as he continued to call her) his " dearly beloved spouse."-"I would not," said he, "for half a heaven but find her there.” The beauty of the marriage state was so conspicuous in this happy pair, and made so powerful an impression on the nind of the late Mr. Whitefield, when on a visit at their house, that he immediately determined upon changing his condition, and soon after paid his addresses to a lady in that neighbourhood; but he had not the good fortune to find a Mrs. Jones in the object of his choice. To those who are acquainted with the depression to which ministers. are subject upon the least appearance of being slighted or neglected by those for whose good they are continually labouring, the following instance of her wisdom and tenderness in encouraging her dejected husband, will not be unacceptable. It happened that a popular preacher, who occasionally visited that neighbourhood, preached at some little distance from Mr. Jones's meeting house on a Sunday afternoon. The people, without intimating their attention to Mr. Jones, had the curiosity to follow the stranger. He and his wife went, as usual, to the meeting; and the time being elapsed, and no one attending, his mind was filled with a thousand fearful apprehensions. At length, with a heavy heart, he exclaimed, "What shall I do ?" the good woman replied, with cheerfulness, "It is clear what you

should

should do. We are within the promise; let us go on, and worship God." They then began, and regularly went through the service of the place, singing, praying, and preaching; and he declared he never enjoyed so much of God, in any public engagement, as he did then; assigning, in his usual pleasant manner, this reason for it, "because," said he, "my whole congregation prayed for me." No character, eminent for religion, knew him, by whom he was not highly respected. Among his very intimate friends must be reckoned that Mother in Israel, the late Countess of Huntingdon. With her he maintained a constant correspondence, and whenever she went into Wales, the good old Prophet (for such was the name he bore) spent some time with her at her College in Trevecka. His memory is still dear to many of the students of that seminary, who were witnesses of his undissembled seriousness. He generally preached once a day during his visit. Indeed, it was his grand object, wherever he came, to diffuse a savour of divine and eternal things. Whoever was favoured with his company, was always the better for it. He lived at the gates of heaven himself, and thither also he constantly endeavoured to bring all his friends. His manner of conversation with young persons was very affecting. How pleasing were the means he adopted to win their souls to God! Frequently, when walking in the garden or fields, would he stop and pluck a flower, descant upon its nature, apply it to the state of youth, "how beauteous! but how fading!" then point out the necessity of that divine grace, which alone can insure immortal beauty and eternal youth; and thus strive to lead them

"From nature up to nature's God."

Sometimes he would weep over the depravity of mankind, and use the most powerful methods to awaken the mind to a sense of everlasting things. So tender, so engaging was his conversation with his young friends, that he was always beloved and admired by them. Indeed, his whole deportment was so graceful and so pious, that he exemplified, wherever he came, the beauty of holiness. He never visited a family but his stay was very short, if he had not an opportunity afforded him of doing something for God. "It is time for me to be gone," he would say,

"I can do no good here; and why should I stop when I cannot do good?" At the houses of his friends he expounded the Scriptures every morning, and evening; and, where circumstances would permit, he was very fond of, what he called, sanctifying our food by the word of God and prayer; that is, by expounding for half an hour after dinner, and concluding with brief and earnest supplication. So devoted was he to God, that nothing was congenial to his mind but holy things. He was not only a wise instructor, but a powerful intercessor, Many experienced the benefit of his prayers. "As a prince, he had power with God and with man, and prevailed." A young minister, who had engaged to preach at his meeting, called at his house the preceding night, and found him sitting at his fireside in deep meditation. As soon as Mr. Jones saw him, he said, "you are to preach at our meeting to-morrow; and I have been intreating God, with weeping and supplication, for a blessing upon your labours." The minister looking down on the floor, where he had been kneeling, perceived that it was wet with tears; and the unusual liberty and comfort he felt in preaching, the next day, convinced him, "that the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous, man availeth much." One night his sleep was interrupted by some painful apprehensions respecting the safety of a neighbouring minister, which caused him to leave his bed and betake himself to prayer. Having wrestled much in his behalf, he returned to his bed. He soon wrote an account of this to the minister's wife, her husband being then on a journey. The letter being shown him, upon his return, he confessed that at that very time he was in great danger, from which he was providentially and unexpectedly delivered. Unhackneyed in the ways of men, he never made gain of godliness. He felt something of the spirit of the surprizing Luther, who, when a considerable present in money was sent him, together with the offer of a Cardinal's hat, if he would desist from the work of the Reformation, rejected them with disdain, saying, No, my God, I am not to be put off with such trash as these." The soul of Mr. Jones was too heavenly to be satisfied with a portion in this life. His regular income seldom, if ever, exceeded ten pounds per annum. His distant friends, together with a few kind neighbours, contributed occasionally towards his support. But, from a source so precarious, it is not to be wondered

wondered at, that he frequently wanted the comforts, and sometimes even the necessaries of life.

Our readers will probably he surprised to hear that libe rality should be a prominent feature in the character of a man whose circumstances were so circumscribed. But, strange as it may appear, few persons felt more than he did for the distressed, or were more ready to relieve them. Affluence is not necessary to the exercise of generosity. The poor widow, who had but two mites, in the sight of God, put into the treasury more than the aggregate sum of all those "who cast in of their abundance." Upon his set tling at Trevathin, perceiving that God was blessing his labours, and that it was necessary to erect a meeting to accommodate his poor hearers, who could contribute but little towards it; though he possessed only forty pounds in the world, and had then no settled income, he retained ten for his own private use, and most nobly subscribed thirty. Mrs. Jones was a kindred spirit, and equally happy in embracing every opportunity that offered, of doing good to the poor and needy. Among other instances of their kind ness which might be adduced, the following is well attested: Mr. Jones being on a visit, when his finances were very low, had a sum of money given to him by a friend, at whose house he was, with a view to enable him to purchase malt, that he might make some beer for his family against the winter. Returning home, he happened to pass through a village where there were several poor families, some of which were sick, and others in very necessitous circumstances. Hearing of their distresses, he went into their houses, in order to address some serious advice to them. But his heart was so much affected with the miseries he beheld, that he distributed among them what his friends had given him to supply his own wants. When he reached his home, he soon acquainted his wife with what he had done; and she, with her usual spirit of complacency in every act of humanity, applauded his conduct, and pointing behind the door, showed him that very quantity of malt which might have been been procured for the sum of money he had given away; at the same time telling him, that God had already repaid his kindness, by inclining the heartof a neighbouring farmer to make them a present of as much as they wanted. On another occasion, as he was returning home over the mountains, from the places where

he

he had been to dispense the word of life, he accidently me a poor creature almost naked and perishing with cold. Such an object could not fail to work upon the tender sympathies of his heart. Having no money, he stripped him self to his shirt, and what other clothes he could spare, and gave them to him; and after conversing with him about the state of his soul, and commending the miserable object to God in prayer, he pursued his journey. As soon as he entered his house, Mrs. Jones was alarmed at his extraordinary appearance, and hastily enquired if any thing dis astrous had befallen him. The good man soon quieted her fears, by reciting the particulars of what had occurred. "You did well my dear," said she; "you have other clothes to put on; let us be thankful to God that we are not in the poor man's circumstances."

The same measure that "he meted to others, was measured to him again. Though he had nothing, yet he possessed all things." He that clothes the lilies of the fields, and feeds the young ravens when they cry; though, for wise reasons, he permitted this good and faithful servant to be sometimes perplexed, yet he never suffered him to sink into despair. As often as his wants recurred he was favoured with a seasonable supply. So visible was the hand of God in raising up friends to communicate relief to him, that even temporal blessings, received in a peculiar way, re freshed his mind as well as his body, being signal proofs of the special care which Divine Providence took of him. During the administration of the Duke of Newcastle, a large sum was given to one of the members for Monmouthshire, to be distributed annually among the dissenting ministers in that county. Mr. Jones was one who partook of the bounty. But upon the fall of that administration, the money was, withheld, which reduced him to considerable straits. This was a great trial, as it deprived him of no small part of his subsistence. It pleased God, however, soon to supply this deficiency. A pious minister who lived at some distance, without receiving the least account of Mr. Jones's circumstances, felt an unaccountable anxiety concerning him; and, fearing that he was in distress, spoke to some liberal friends, who enabled him to make such a remittance as soon dissipated those gloomy apprehensions which so severe a providence must necessarily

occasion.

Sweetness