far from her time. All well; all well! She will have a multitude of little ones,-never mind, the Ruler of the universe is rich enough to provide for them.-Dan* is waiting for the accomplishment of fine promises, which probably may never come to pass.-Davy+ is in Surrey, displaying the colours of the cross, like an honest young soldier, and I humbly trust that he will never strike them. He is persecuted, but his Master is able to support him in the field.

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My love over and over again to your dear sister, and to each of her children; and may the good will of him who dwelt in the bush, be their eternal inheritance, and that will be enough for them."

3

What excellent spirit is displayed in these letters; what love to God and man! How does this heavenly disposition manifest itself in actions for the glory of God and the good of mankind. His exertions in the good cause were ceaseless, and his labours indefatigable! He was always going to preach the everlasting gospel to perishing souls, in various dark places and corners. How frequently do these expressions occur in his letters :-" -"I am still on the going order' "and then for a round through "" I intend beginning my campaign again next "-"I hope to commence such a journey again"-naming at the same time counties, towns, villages, he intended visiting; stating work for weeks, all of course for the manifestation of God's glory, and the salvation of souls. What an object! All other journies and travels, however benevolent or magnificent as to their end in a worldly point of view, sink into nothing when compared with those journies of Jones's. The glory, riches, and pleasures connected with these are endless!

His son, who is now dead.

His other son, who is now the rector of Cilgerran. See p. 42.

CHAP. IV.

Jones's labours in Lady Huntingdon's connexion-his letters, and funeral observations.

ANOTHER remarkable circumstance in Jones's life, was his religious acquaintance with Lady Huntingdon. He laboured most successfully in connexion with her Ladyship in England, as well as in the Established church in Wales. The Countess was a most sincere and honourable member of the church of England, and was most anxious for the introduction of useful men into her ministry; and for that purpose had several godly young men prepared for the church. But they, to her great mortification and disappointment, could not be received as candidates for holy orders within the pale of the establishment. She, being full of zeal for the diffusion of christian knowledge through those parts of the country which were hitherto dark and ignorant, sent those young men to preach in places where they were most needed, like the Welch exhorters.-Jones and other clergymen, as Romaine, Venn, Berridge, Glascott, &c., who entertained similar views as her Ladyship as to the necessity of enlightening a dark country, assisted her as much as they could, in her noble exertions in the cause of religion, though not quite regular.

Thus wrote an excellent author on this remarkable step: "Nothing is more evident than that this irregularity was unintended. Zeal indeed was enkindled, but it would have continued to warm the churches, had it not been dislodged by Ecclesiastical power. The fire however was inextinguishable; and being forbidden to burn on the usual altar, it sought every avenue of escape, and visited and blessed other places.-Field preaching succeeded rejection from

the churches; and the Countess of Huntingdon, who thought only of chaplains for her preachers, and of episcopal ordination for her students, was at length compelled, very much against her will, to violate ecclesiastical order.”— Foster's Preface to Lady Huntingdon's Life.

As we are on the subject of the Countess of Huntingdon, and Jones's labours in her connexion, it may be well to give the following extract from the same author respecting her progress in religion :-" We follow her," says he, "in the present history, from the girl of nine years of age, impressed with solemn thoughts and purposes on witnessing a funeral, through a series of changes, till we mark an elevation of spirit truly and sublimély christian,—which rises above the splendour of a court,-which dares to allow zeal to act, first in visiting the poor, then in opening the drawing room for noble hearers of the gospel, then in the employment of laymen, and in opening of chapels for the accommodation of the multitude."

The same writer notices the providence of God in employing the Countess as an instrument for the spiritual benefit of the rich, in the following manner :-" There was indeed a hallowed work in progress among the poor and middle classes in society, but the means of reaching these, which the necessity of the case directed, such as preaching in fields and barns, were not likely to command the attention of the rich and the noble. There needed therefore an instrument to bring the gospel into friendly contact with the highest ranks. This instrument was the Countess. There was an attraction and an influence about her which were felt by many of the great in an extraordinary degree; and not only the courtly Chesterfield, the political Duchess of Marlborough, the gay and frivolous Nash, but the infidel Bolingbroke, paid her marked homage, and listened to the preachers whom she patronized and commended."-Then he adds this remark as to her superior character:-" She was not a whit behind the foremost in affection for souls

and zeal for God; in spirituality of mind and fervour of devotion; in contrivance and energy for the extension of the gospel; in a large and disinterested soul."

Seeing by these extracts the nature and excellency of Lady Huntingdon's character and manner of proceeding, we view Jones's labours in her connexion in a pleasant and interesting light. Being esteemed and employed, as he was, by such a person, reflected no small honour upon him. The Countess had great discernment in the choice of suitable instruments for the Lord's work. She saw Jones's excellency as a minister of Christ, and valued him highly for his usefulness. He was indeed greatly honoured by her from the commencement of his ministry. She was, as has been observed already, the means of his promotion in the church. This kind christian regard subsisted between them till death. The intercourse was of the most spiritual and edifying nature. Many letters on the best subjects passed between them. We regret that only one is now extant, which will soon appear. They travelled frequently together in the exalted spirit of christian charity, in the service of their common Lord, proclaiming and making known the gospel of peace to a sinful lost world. Jones, by her Ladyship's pressing request, paid nearly every year a visit to her chapels in London, Bristol, and other large towns. But it was with the greatest difficulty he was spared in Wales. No minister was more popular than Jones, either in England or Wales, during his day. He was attended by very large and numerous congregations.*-The church prayers were read in most of her Ladyship's chapels : this was very congenial with Jones's disposition and habits. Indeed all the ministers and people in that denomination were very kindly disposed towards the church of England, as to

* Charles of Bala used to say that Jones's arrival in London for the great cause, was welcomed with uncommon pleasure by the religious world, and announced in as public a manner as any of the most popular preachers of the day in visiting London.

her services, liturgy, and articles. The connexion is conducted in the same catholic christian spirit to this day, as it appears in its periodical, called the Evangelical Register.

Lady Huntingdon had a College at Trefecca, in Wales, for training up pious young men for the ministry. It was opened by Whitfield in 1768. It seems Jones attended there sometimes for some important end, and also preaching the gospel. This circumstance is thus noticed in the Countess's Life :-"In 1773 the College was favoured with frequent visits from the Rev. David Jones, rector of Langan, a man of great eminence in his day, and for many years a constant preacher in the chapels of the Countess. The beginning of May her Ladyship wrote to Mr. Jones, by one of the students, who was going to attend the Welch association, requesting him to renew his visits to Trefecca. It was her Ladyship's intention to have been present at the meeting of the association, but she was prevented by indisposition. After the meeting the young man returned to College on trial, and brought the following letter from Mr. Jones."

Wonderful manifestations of the efficacy of the word on the hearers will be seen in the letter.

"Bridgend, May 14th, 1773. "MY LADY,-Your kind letter I received by the young man, for which I heartily thank your Ladyship. We should have been truly glad to have seen you at our association. It was a very solemn day indeed. The Lord Jesus fulfilled his precious promise to his servants, 'I will be with you.' Great power from on high attended the word preached. Many went home rejoicing; and who would not rejoice, when the Captain of our salvation himself appeared in the field of battle, assuring the hearts of his poor people that he would conquer in and for them? I trust there were some also of the careless sort cut to the heart. Mr. Rowlands preached his second sermon in the morning, from