and thus realized good to his soul, and served the Lord in his daily occupation. How refreshing to think of a tailor's board hallowed by such an exercise! Would that it were so in them all. Alas! how much impiety and vice are often found there! How many young men have traced their infidelity and debauchery to the conversation and example in a tailor's shop! But as the gospel elevated and sanctified Cranfield, so can it bless others, for "godliness is profitable unto all things." In 1791, Thomas Cranfield opened a Sabbath school at his own house, and soon had sixty scholars. He had remarkable fitness for this work, and laboured in it upwards of fifty years. He established schools in the most necessitous districts of London: and though he endured the opposition of many he went to benefit, he persevered in his philanthropy till the school was formed, then he surrendered it to others whom he had enlisted in the good work, and began to break ground in another as unpromising soil. Between the years 1797 and 1806, schools at Rotherhithe, Tottenham, Kent Street, Southwark, the Mint, Garden Row, St. George's, Rosemary Lane, and Kennington, were established, and hundreds brought under the influence of the gospel of Christ. Thus he sought to bless his generation; and many testimonies did he receive of the value of his efforts at meetings of old scholars, which were held annually. Sabbath-school teaching was not then, nor is it yet, easy work in a great city like London. The young had been long neglected; their parents had themselves grown up in ignorance, and cared not for their children's souls. Every obstacle was in the way of Cranfield's zeal; but the love of Christ burned in his bosom, and "many waters could not quench it, neither could the floods drown it." He visited the sick, and poured the consolations of the gospel on many afflicted hearts. He distributed large quantities of tracts, many of which were seed that yielded increase. He visited the prisons, and was owned of God in the conversion and reformation of some of the most hardened. He got chapels erected for the preaching of the gospel; and, in order to secure this, visited the necessitous districts, house by house, that he might have unanswerable arguments in asking aid. In the Mint, where were 1040 houses, occupied by 2973 families, he found 4232 children without instruction. He got schools instituted, and a lodging-house licensed for public worship, where he secured the occasional services of the Rev. Rowland Hill. He founded benefit societies, which aided much to improve the habits of the people among whom he laboured. When he was in his seventy-third year, he opened and taught an infant school on the Sabbath at the Mint, and by his efforts among the young, got the gospel carried to many of their parents. As he advanced in years, and was unable for the active labours which had engaged him formerly, he wrote short, pithy sentences on slips of paper, calculated to arouse and edify souls. He always carried a considerable number with him in his pocket-book, and allowed people to draw one from them for their meditation. Here is one, drawn by a cabman, who had attended one of his prayer-meetings: "Friend, you are invited to come in the chariot of love with Jesus. He will manifest his power and wealth, and will convey you to the heavenly country. He will conquer all that oppose. His promises are faithful and unchangeable. You are safe. There is no fear of your falling out of his conveyance. In this chariot, how sweetly, how safely, how quickly I ride to glory! Hasten the time, dear Lord!" The following is a page from his diary, written when he was eighty years old: : 'Sunday, 17th June 1838.-I arose this morning at three o'clock. Feeling myself ill, retired to bed again. Arose at five, and after communion with my Protector, on behalf of myself, family, and friends, proceeded at seven o'clock to Surrey Chapel, in the spirit of prayer-partook of the ordinance of the Lord's supper. I found the presence of the Lord,-my soul more refreshed than at any season for many years: Mr. Sherman administered the ordinance. Returned home, and at breakfast had a profitable conversation. Read the seventh chapter of the book of Chronicles,-had a good time in prayer. Went to the Borough School,-met with Messrs. Heward, Churchill, and others. Mr. Churchill brought to my mind Boaz visiting the reapers. I then proceeded to the Mint School,-met Mr. Smith, and had some conversation on the genealogies in the book of Chronicles. Then, in the spirit of prayer, went to Union Street Chapel,-heard a stranger, a most solemn sermon,-' What shall a man give in exchange for his soul?' 66 As On my way home I passed through Red Cross Street,— met an aged woman with two of her grandchildren. She asked me how I did. I replied, in good health, and that I had heard a solemn sermon about the value of the soul. Her children were old scholars, they attend on the means. to herself, she appeared indifferent about her soul. I left her with a word of exhortation. After this, I saw one of the parents standing at the shop-door exposing her goods for sale. This woman has had twenty children, who have all received their education at the Mint School. I reproved her conduct, and told her that it would be an awful thing if her children should enter the kingdom of heaven and she herself should be shut out. I then called upon a good woman-not seeing her at chapel-found her poorly, and spoke to her about her soul. After dinner, went to the lodging-house. On my road, met a man and his wife going to a prayermeeting. Asked them of the welfare of their souls,—found them full of complaints. Came to the Mint School,—found things going on well. Arrived at the lodging-house,—had a good sermon from Mr. Forsyth, from Jer. i. 5. Went to the Mint School, and addressed the children on the threefold office of Christ. Took tea at the Borough Road School,there were about fifty present. Mr. Heward and self addressed the company about the soul. Returned home,— conversed with my son upon the priestly office of Christ,catechised my grandchildren; and closed the day with singing and prayer. This was a good day, and profitable.” Age did not chill his zeal or hinder his usefulness. Ever dwelling beside the living well, he was like the palm in the desert, green and fruitful even to old age. The righteous shall flourish like the palm-tree; he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing." This man of God died in 1838, full of years and of good works, having laboured fifty-five years for Christ and the good of souls. His death was an unspeakable loss to the poor. More than six hundred of them came to take a last look at his body. "I was hungry,” said one, "and he fed me." "Ah!" repeated a second, "I shall never forget him. I invited him to spend an hour at my house, and he turned • his visit into a meeting for prayer, which has been continued ever since." “I was in prison," said a third," and he visited me." His funeral was accompanied by the teachers and scholars of eleven Sabbath-schools, "and the lamentations of the poor," as his biographer says, were as the mourning of the Egyptians at the burial of the patriarch Jacob." The D Rev. Mr. Sherman preached his funeral sermon from this very appropriate text, "Poor, yet making many rich." Here is truly an edifying example of Christian usefulness in one of the humblest. Thomas Cranfield was but a working man, often harassed with the world, severely afflicted in his family, yet behold how much he did! Reader, you may be labouring for your daily bread, and stand related to many by your business. Have you done anything to hallow that relation by letting your light shine before men? Are you a Sabbath-school teacher, or a tract distributor, or a visitor of the sick, or the conductor of a prayer-meeting? Why not? Thomas Cranfield was all these, while he supported his family by his labour. The Lord hath need of thee. Thou hast a talent. Do not hide it or bury it. As you have opportunity, lay it out, and live to be a useful Christian. Can you love Christ, and feel no compassion for souls? It cannot be. Can you pity the perishing, and not endeavour to pluck them as brands from the burning? It cannot be. Can you believe the word of God, and not obey it? Nay, reader, you surely cannot. "Go, labour on,-while it is day; The long dark night is hastening on: |