long in the full communion of the church, and I trust they were real Christians; and if so, they have met in heaven, where there is perfect love, but where is "neither marrying nor giving in marriage." Often, and very often, Mr. Editor, since there has been so much said, pro and con, about the ability of a sinner to give his heart to God, have I thought of the case of the young lady, as stated above. It seems to me to be exactly in point. Whether the object be an earthly or a heavenly one-the creature or the Creator-the question is exactly the same.-Can the will change the bias and state of the heart? It seems to me that the question must be answered in the negative; and that this is demonstrated by the narrative I have given, and by a hundred other cases, of a similar kind, that might easily be mentioned. When a sinner is awakened from his carnal security, and becomes convinced of his guilt, he is often brought into a state, closely analogous to that of the young lady I have mentioned. He is intellectually convinced, that the character of God is truly excellent-is altogether worthy of his love; that his happiness would be greatly promoted by giving his heart to God. His understanding is perfectly satisfied of all this, as well as of the awful consequences of withholding his heart from his Maker. But when he consults his feelings, he finds that he does not love God; and when he tries to force his heart to love, he finds it all in vain; its rebellion only becomes more active and sensible. In a word, his reason and judgment powerfully dictate love to God, and yet his heart is all against it-obstinately set against it-filled with aversion, instead of love. Is not this a matter of constant experience with awakened and inquiring sinners? Is it not so undeniably? I think it is. They find, that do as they may, they cannot change their hearts; that they are in themselves absolutely impotent and helpless in this great concern. And is it not commonly the case, that when they are brought to feel this impotence most sensibly; to feel that if God does not interfere and take away the heart of stone and give a heart of flesh, they are undone forever;-is it not then, I say, that help from God is commonly near at hand? He has brought them to see and feel the truth; to see and feel to whom they must be indebted for the whole of their salvation; and now he brings salvation nigh. He exerts his almighty new creating power on their hearts, changes them from aversion to love, and enables and disposes them to commit their souls, most willingly, unreservedly and joyfully, into the hands of the Lord Jesus Christ; who is thus "made of God unto them, wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification and redemption." So I think, so I believe, so I hope I have found in my own experience; and so, therefore, I speak and teach. Allow me to say a few words more on this important subject. Is it not right and proper, when the reason, understanding and judgment of a moral and accountable being, are fully and feelingly convinced that he needs help from God to give him a better heart than he possesses, to ask that help in earnest prayer? Is not this constantly done by every child of God? Does not he pray for a better heart. Surely this is so. Why then may not a convinced, but as yet an unconverted sinner, do the very same thing-earnestly pray that God would give him a better heart; take away his hard and rebellious heart, and give him a soft and obedient heart; a heart of love instead of a heart of aversion and enmity. It is indisputable that awakened sinners do commonly act thus in fact; and I think it is right and reasonable that they should-all dogmatism and metaphysics, to the contrary notwithstanding. One word more, and I shall have done. When unconverted sinners are told that they have only to will it, and they will be true Christians at once; and under this instruction do will it, and in consequence of thus willing to be Christians, believe they are such, rejoice greatly in this belief, and immediately make a profession of religion-is there not great reason to fear that their hearts, in numerous instances, are not changed at all; and that they will either show this by apostacy, or be fatally deceived to the last? Verily, I have no confidence in conversions that are produced in this way, and do greatly fear that many of the revivals of religion that we now hear of, have abundance of chaff mingled with the good grain-if indeed there be in some of them any thing better than chaff. SENEX. THE BENEVOLENT HOWARD. This is the appellation by which the distinguished individual has long been known, of whose servants an account, taken from the April number of the London Evangelical Magazine, is inserted below. We think it proper to give a very brief sketch of the character of this great Christian philanthropist, that what is said of his servants-hired domestics they would be called in this country-may be better understood. JOHN HOWARD was born at Hackney, or Enfield, in 1727, and died on the 20th of January, 1790, about the age of sixty-three. He inherited from his father a very handsome fortune, the whole income of which he devoted to benevolent objects; after defraying his family expenses, which were rendered small by avoiding all splendour of equipage, and using as much frugality as hospitality and a neat country establishment would permit. His father having died in his infancy, his guardians apprenticed him to a grocer; but he bought his indentures, and indulged his curiosity in a tour through France and Italy. On his return he fell into an infirm state of health, from which he gradually recovered, by adopting an abstemious regimen. He lived entirely on vegetable food, unless what he called his luxuries, milk and butter, be considered as an exception. By this system of diet, connected with exercise, he acquired a hardihood of constitution, and a capacity for bearing fatigue and exposure to all kinds of weather, which perhaps was greater than any other man of his time possessed. In one of his journeys of benevolence, on the continent of Europe, he rode in his carriage for twenty successive days and nights, without taking off his clothes, or going into a house longer than while the horses were changed at the post-houses;-he slept in his carriage. He was twice married, but outlived his last wife several years. He had only one child, a son, who early became insane, and we believe never recovered his reason. Mr. Howard was taken prisoner by a French privateer, on his first going to the continent, and suffered greatly by his confinement. This, and his afterwards performing the duties of the sheriff's office, which he held for some time, brought him acquainted with the sufferings of prisoners, and the wretched state of prisons-their bad arrangements, and the abuses of those who kept and directed them. What he had experienced and witnessed, determined him to attempt a reform; and his attempt was successful. He repeatedly visited all the prisons in England, Ireland, and Scotland. He then, in pursuit of the same obCh. Adv.-VOL. XII. 2 K ject, travelled through almost every country of Continental Europe, and examined all the prisons and hospitals to which he could gain access; and he was seldom refused admission to any-for his fame as a philanthropist had given him a character which rendered infamous the man or the corporation who refused his requests. Princes stood in awe of him. His charities in relieving prisoners, his kindness in conversing and sympathising with them, and his personal exposure to infectious diseases, in hospitals and places of confinement, demonstrated the purity of his views, and the ardour of his benevolence. The results of his explorations were published in England, and he obtained the repeated interference of the British Parliament, and the passing of laws and ordinances for the better regulation of prisons throughout the kingdom. He may be regarded as the original projector and great patron of that improved state of prison discipline, which has been going forward for about forty years past. One of the most splendid bursts of eloquence that ever broke from the lips of the celebrated Edmund Burke, was in an eulogy on Mr. Howard. In a speech, at Bristol, previous to the election of 1780, Mr. Burke said, after mentioning the name of Mr. Howard, "I cannot name this gentleman, without remarking, that his labours and writings have done much to open the hearts and eyes of mankind. He has visited all Europe-not to survey the sumptuousness of palaces, or the stateliness of temples; not to make accurate measurements of the remains of ancient grandeur, nor to form a scale of the curiosity of modern art;-not to collect medals, or collate manuscripts;-but to dive into the depth of dungeons; to plunge into the infection of hospitals; to survey the mansions of sorrow and pain; to take the gage and dimensions of misery, depression and contempt; to remember the forgotten, to attend to the neglected, to visit the forsaken, and to compare and collate the distresses of all men in all countries. His plan is original; and it is as full of genius as it is of humanity. It was a voyage of discovery-a circumnavigation of charity. Already the benefit of his labour is felt more or less in every country; I hope he will anticipate his final reward, by seeing all its effects fully realized in his own. He will receive not by retail, but in gross, the reward of those who visit the prisoner; and he has so forestalled and monopolized this branch of charity, that there will be, I trust, little room to merit by such acts of benevolence hereafter." But although Howard received the eulogies and admiration of his countrymen, the obtaining of fame formed no part of the motives by which he was influenced. He sincerely sought to avoid human applause. While he was travelling on the continent, in prosecution of his benevolent designs, measures were taken in Britain, and a subscription opened, to rear a monument to his virtues and his memory. As soon as he heard of it, he opposed it most strenuously; and finding that those who had engaged in the enterprise were unwilling to relinquish it, he let them know that if they did not abandon their designs, he would abandon his plans and exertions. This was effectual-the contemplated public honours were withheld till he died. He would not even sit for his picture; and all the likenesses of him that were ever taken, were from transient views of him by portrait painters. No-the motive of all his exertions, and sacrifices, and perils, was deep-seated practical piety-the love of God and man pervading his whole soul, and consecrating him and all that he had, or could do, to the service of his Creator and Redeemer. He was a moderate Calvin ist in his doctrinal creed, and belonged to the Baptist denomination; but would readily join in communion with other orthodox dissenters, and perhaps (but of this we are not sure) with the established church. He held true fellowship with all who appeared to love the Saviour, of whatever name. He was eminently devout. He habitually lived near to God, and this raised him above every fear. His last expedition, and that in which he died, was undertaken with a view to discover the cause, and if possible to find out a remedy, or a preventive for the plague; and for this purpose he expected to visit Egypt, and other places where the plague had the most frequent and extensive prevalence. From this expedition his friends endeavoured to dissuade him; but he refused to yield." The way to heaven is as short from Grand Cairo as it is from London," was his reply to those who urged him to give up his undertaking. He died at Cherson, a Russian settlement, on the borders of the Black Sea, attended only by his faithful servant. At the earnest request of a young lady, who was dangerously ill of a malignant fever, he paid her a visit, and gave her some medical advice. But from her he took the fatal disease, which carried him off in a few days. A modest monumental erection marks his grave, not far distant from the place where he died; but a splendid monument is erected to his memory in St. Paul's Church, in London. To a man like Howard, pious domestics would be those only whom he would employ, if he could obtain them. And it appears by the following narrative, that he did obtain them, and that his example influenced them to the last. It was not wonderful that he should make some provision for their comfort in their declining years; for he did this even for his brute animals. The horses that had been in his service till their vigour was exhausted, he would never sell, nor suffer to be killed, however past their labour; but provided for them the most proper, easily taken, and nutritious food, till they died a natural death. Such was the benevolent Howard; and such he was made by the influence of true evangelical piety. MEMORIALS OF FOUR OF HOWARD'S SERVANTS. To the Editor of the Evangelical Magazine. DEAR SIR,-I hope you will afford a place in the pages of your Ma gazine for a brief record of four pious servants of the late eminent philanthropist John Howard, Esq., of Cardington, Bedfordshire. The first of these individuals, Mr. John Prole, finished his course about the close of the last century or the beginning of the present. He had travelled many miles over various parts of England with his excellent master, on his tours of benevolence in favour of the outcasts of society; and it would have warmed the coldest heart to have witnessed the sparkling of his eye, and the natural eloquence of his lips, when John Howard was the subject of his discourse. There was but one theme that animated him more-the love of his God and Saviour. I remember standing by his bed-side when he was just ready to depart, and to have seen the glow that covered his cheek and gave brilliancy to his eye while he repeated from Watts the beautiful stanza, "God is my all-sufficient good, My portion, and my choice; Soon after his departure, his family found an epistle addressed to them, which was printed for circulation among their friends in 1801. In this epistle he recites some of the leadings of Divine Providence, and deliverances from imminent dangers. He particularly mentions being directed to that "worthy, benevolent, and good man, Mr. Howard." Addressing himself to his children, he says, "I would wish and pray you to make it your study to copy the example of my much-esteemed and worthy master, Mr. Howard, especially his diligence and activity in promoting the honour and glory of God, and the real good of all his fellow-creatures. What an example has he left! No time was lost with him, but improved to the most valuable purposes; no parade of equipage, nor outward show; no superfluities, nor indulgence in eating, but the strictest abstinence from every thing that could be a let or hindrance to him in performing what he well knew was his incumbent duty as a rational and immortal being. Acquaint yourselves now with God, and Christ, and the eternal world to which you are all going as fast as the wings of time can carry you. Let not the world tire your strength, nor exhaust your spirits, but keep them for the best thingsthose things that belong to your everlasting peace and comfort. Be not too solicitous to know what God is doing, or will do, in the world, but see that the work he has appointed you be well done. Be contented with your present condition, and avoid the detestable character given of some who were murmurers and complainers, or persons who find fault with that which a wise and good God has given them. To prevent this, reflect on your prospects as Christians, and hope and quietly wait for the salvation of God. A pious minister, when he was just departing, being told he was going to receive his reward, said, 'Brother, I am going to receive mercy.' Yes, my dear children, when our journey through life is finished, and we are on the verge of immortalitywhen we are just launching into the invisible world, and all before us is vast eternity-oh! may we then be enabled to look to the ever-blessed and adorable Jesus, and see, each of us for ourselves, by a strong and lively faith, the Lord Jesus as the only way to everlasting mansions, and the only door to eternal life and happiness! Oh, blessed be God for the precious and glorious Mediator of his own appointment, without whom I dare not pray, I cannot hope, I dread to die! My dear children, as I think my time here with you cannot be long, let me, as a good man did to the church with whom he laboured for many years, put these questions to you:-Are you begotten again to a lively hope of that inheritance which is incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away? What do your thoughts mostly dwell upon, the things that are seen, or those that are not seen? On what are your morning and evening thoughts employed? Do you converse much together about the promised inheritance, and a meetness for it? What is the object of your wishes, desires, and prayers? Does the hope of heaven purify your hearts, excite you to cleanse your hands, and mortify your corrupt affections? Do you endeavour to follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord? Finally, are you engaged with all your hearts in seeking the pearl of great price? Oh, let me beg of you to study the certainty, the excellency, and the glory of what you have in view, till your hearts are ravished with the prospect! Surely he who lives in expectation of all this will not be slothful, formal, dull, and negligent;' surely he will run with eagerness and steady perseverance the race set before him, and hope to the end for |