hearts to Christ, and prepare to follow her to heaven. But I cannot say that the impressions made on my mind by this event were permanent." Changes having taken place at the church at Friar-lane, and in his family, he attended for some months on the ministrations of the late Rev. R. Hall, and "listened with delight to the sermons of that truly eloquent minister." His step-mother was also of use to him in wishing him to read portions of " Baxter's Saints' Rest" to her, and in giving him, on leaving home in 1826, to become an apprentice at Quorndon, his native village, a Bible, with the injunction to seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness. His master was a pious Wesleyan, and in his house, "he says, "I was favoured with the privilege of family worship." He also expected me, in virtue of an agreement made with my father, to attend the Wesleyan Chapel once on the Sabbath. But a difficulty arose in reference to the Sabbath School. For being a baptist of the third generation, on both sides, I could not endure the idea of joining a Wesleyan Sunday School. I attended, but did not feel at home, and well do I remember the joy which I felt when, with my master's consent, I was allowed to join the Baptist School. "Mr. Scott was the minister, and, being a personal friend of my father, he took a lively interest in my spiritual welfare; and I began to feel considerable concern on account of my sins; especially under a sermon which he preached to the young." At this time, however, he had an acquaintance which he deemed objectionable, and the youthful reader will, we trust, observe what follows. "At length," he says, "I opened my mind to him. I told him if he was disposed to commence a religious course, I should be most happy to continue the acquaintance; but that, if not, I had resolved to serve the Lord, cost what it might. To my surprise, he told me, that he had been, for some time, the subject of convictions, and was unwilling to disclose his mind, because he was unconscious of what was passing in mine. I was glad at the discovery, and we resolved at once to open our minds to some member of the church." Mr. Smith conversed with a pious grandmother, and was wisely directed Mr. Scott. A long conversation ensued; an enquirer's meeting was instituted, and ultimately, there was a very interesting revival of religion. But, at present, he was not converted to God. His impressions deepened, and his concern increased; but, he fell into the common error of supposing that, because his feelings were less strong, apparently, than the feelings of some others, they could not be real, and he had not accepted the ministrations of the Gospel. But here, again, we must let him speak for himself. "I was anxious to be right, felt no dependence on my works for salvation, and yet, I could not rely, simply, on the atoning blood of Christ. I wanted to be driven to the cross; God's purpose was to draw me there. I received considerable assistance from a copy of Pike's Persuasives which my master had given me. It was my constant pocket companion, and often, amidst the trees of a neighbouring plantation, did I pray that its contents might be blessed to my salvation. And they were so to a good degree. Still I had to mourn over the hardness of my heart; and I began almost to despair of obtaining mercy. Sabbath, I felt unusually distressed, and prayed, most earnestly, that I might obtain some assurance of God's forgiving mercy before the day closed. Mr. Stocks was preaching that day. I felt much during MEMOIR OF THE REV. H. SMITH. 43 prayer, but when the second hymn was given out—the 201st-and especially the second verse "Pardon to sinners is proclaimed "Tis God beseeches to accept I thought, if God beseeches sinners to accept pardon, there could be no unwillingness, on his part to save me. I ventured to rest on the truth which forms the basis of that hymn. Peace was the immediate result. I now saw the Gospel, in all its lovely simplicity, and wondered I had never seen it in that light before." His baptism took place at Loughborough, in February, 1833. He had removed from Quorndon to complete his time as an apprentice, and he was very happy in the enjoyment of his privileges. His conduct was consistent, and he began to be useful. A desire to be useful was indeed with him, as it is with all true converts, of the same date as his sense of pardoning mercy. But, for some time, his efforts were limited to the Sabbath School, and it was more than a year after his baptism before he engaged in public prayer. A new desire was, however, springing up in his mind. He had even taken, from a youth, a lively interest in our Orissa Mission, and when Mr. Brooks was ordained, "I felt," he says "a strong desire to be similarly employed; and formed the purpose, if I could possibly break through the hitherto apparently insurmountable difficulty of speaking in public, of devoting my life to the Missionary cause." But God willed it otherwise. The difficulty which he felt so much was overcome. His first sermon was made, and preached, "" with much more liberty than he had anticipated;" but having no intention of devoting himself to the ministry at home, and seeing no prospect of realizing the cherished desire of his heart in the mission field, he entered into business, and was, compartively, successful. Two years afterwards he removed to London, and having united with the church in Borough-road, he made himself useful in the Sabbathschool. His former desire for Missionary work revived, and having conferred with his pastor on the subject, an arrangement was made for a little testing work in one of the Tract Districts. The result was satisfactory. His services were acceptable, and he was encouraged to offer himself to the Missionary Society. He did so, and the offer was declined. But again he applied, and, after preaching at Derby and Nottingham, "with great fear and trembling," he was pleasingly disappointed at being received as a candidate. A short time was spent at Derby in receiving, from the late secretary of the Mission, some necessary instructions, and he thus speaks of him, and of the result:- -"By his kind and assiduous attention, I became much more qualified to preach acceptably the glorious gospel, and longed for the period when I should proclaim its glorious truths to the benighted heathen. But this desire was not to be granted. The health of my beloved partner, ever very delicate, visibly declined during the winter we were at Derby, and the committee come, at length, to the conclusion that it would not be prudent to send her to India." After this painful decision, for some time, he was at a loss what to do. But an opening presented itself at Measham, and, after spending some little time in preparatory training in London, he entered upon the duties of schoolmaster, and assistant preacher, in connection with the church there. In January, 1846, he received an invitation to serve the church at Hugglescote, and to take charge of a day-school at Coalville. But that invitation he declined, from the feeling that he should not be equal to the duties and responsibilities of the situation. Eventually, however, he was induced to undertake them, and removed to Coalville, in April, 1846. The year following, on the 18th June, 1847, he lost his wife. She had been long declining, and their course had been a chequered one; but they were ever patient, and submissive to the will of God, and they ever found that his grace was sufficient for them. His second marriage took place at Barton, on the 13th July, 1848 ; and was in every way a happy one. But, notwithstanding his remark at his ordination, at Hugglescote, on the 22nd October, 1850, that, "During an interval of more than four years, more than two of which he had been alone in the ministry, he had never had reason to think that he had come to a wrong conclusion in accepting the invitation of the Church," the fact was, that, at the time, his onerous duties had undermined his naturally vigorous constitution, and laid the foundation for years of suffering, and a premature grave. The labour required was great in ordinary circumstances, when there was another one besides himself; as the friends were widely scattered, and there were five chapels to supply. But for more than two years he was "alone in the ministry," preaching, generally six times a week, visiting the sick, attending prayer, and church meetings, funerals, and weddings, and we grieve to write it-teaching school five days of the week in addition. "The hireling fleeth, because he is a hireling, and careth not for the sheep." But, verily, we have no hireling here. We have a selfsacrificing man, largely imbued with the spirit of his Master. And we rejoice in it. But when, O God, shall we see self-sacrificing churches as well as ministers! And when will they believe that, Thou hast ordained, that, they who preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel! The removal of our friend and brother, from Coalville, and Hugglescote, became, in time, a necessity. He loved the friends, and his labours were acceptable and useful; but his sufferings from over-work, from which there seemed no prospect of deliverance, were frequently most excruciating; and, in looking over his papers, we meet with remarks of this kind, "Suffered much from severe pain in the head, which continues with little abatement. Oh, for patience, to bear aright this long affliction." The usual means were resorted to, but with no other than a temporary relief; and, at length, in 1853, he had to cease from labour altogether, and says, "Forbidden by my doctor to preach. Feel it a great privation, but I must submit. I know not what awaits me in the future, but my God does, and I am in His hand. Oh for patience, resignation, and faith then all will be well." The graces were given and exercised; but the only result of rest and change was a little temporary relief; and, having in the meantime, received MEMOIR OF THE REV. H. SMITH. 45 an invitation from the church at Tarporley, he felt it is duty to accept it, and entered on his labours there in June, 1854. In every respect the change was a suitable, and happy one, and followed only with happy results. And we cannot but regard it as an instance of the care of God for His servant, that he opened his way, at such a time, to such a sphere. The labour was as light as it well could be, the friends able, intelligent, and kind, and the neighbourhood pleasant and healthy. A pleasing change also took place in the cause. It prospered. And it was a high gratification to him that the church, over which God had placed him, was so thoroughly hearty in the Foreign Mission. He rejoiced exceedingly in that circumstance, and ever spoke of it with the most grateful pleasure. The old disease, however, still clung to him; and in April, 1858, after being in bad health through the winter, he became seriously ill. Severe pain in the head, and increasing drowsiness, succeeded each other, and, though medical aid was resorted to, it was of little avail. The first Sabbath in May, there was a baptism, and he preached once. The same week he went to Matlock, and placed himself under the care of a distinguished Hydropathist, but no real advantage resulted from it, and, early in June, he returned home. The Sabbath after, June 13th, he preached, and administered the Lord's supper; and was much affected. He had done so for the first time, as the pastor of the church, four years before, and that circumstance, in connection with the state of his health, and his prospects, made it a very interesting and solemn season. He had been very happy with the people, and he told them so. But his work was done. He sank rapidly afterwards, and excepting seasons of severe suffering, he slept day and night. His memory, too, failed. "But if," says his widow, "I commenced a verse of scripture, or hymn, he would finish it. His mind was calm and peaceful, and when I asked him if he could still think-He doeth all things well-he looked at me, and said, 'I can, be sure."" One of the friends, who visited him frequently, says" His faith never failed, though so severely tried. He still, through grace, was enabled to overcome the last enemy, and to say, 'Victory, victory, through the blood of the Lamb." His death took place on the 6th July, 1858, at the early age of 44. On the 10th he was buried, by Brother Yates, his former colleague at Hugglescote, in the ground, adjoining the chapel, at Tarporley; and on the 18th July, Mr. Yates-who was over on a visit, that had been arranged between him and Mr. Smith a little time before-preached his funeral sermon. A few weeks previously, the writer had a communication from his friend, thus taken away, respecting a provision for the future. He had not been able to make any at an earlier period, and the project was frustrated by the affliction which almost immediately followed. But should not this subject engage he serious attention of both ministers and churches? Is it more a duty to preach the Gospel to every creature than it is to provide for those by whom it is preached? Shall we for ever be covered with shame, when we are asked, about the provision which we make for our ministers and their families in the event of permanent incapacity, or age, or death? The most prominent characteristics of our friend and brother, were simplicity and sincerity, unaffected goodness and unselfish zeal. He was a good man, and a good minister of Jesus Christ, uniformly consistent, and kind, and disinterested. The remuneration which he received for his services in the ministry, at the time at which he was "in labours more abundant," and literally "counting not his life dear unto him," was much less than was given to the labourers on the neighbouring farms. And, yet, he did not only labour abundantly, but cheerfully, and gratefully. The law of his life was the law of love. And doing what he did heartily, as unto the Lord and not unto men, he has of the Lord received the reward of the inheritance. The faithful Saviour has recompensed, and more than recompensed, his faithful servant. And our prayer is that his widow may trust in Him, and not be afraid; and that the friends at Tarporley may be blessed, as we are sure they will be, for their kindness to her in the cloudy and dark day. J. C. H. ASPECTS OF EVANGELICAL RELIGION IN ENGLAND. To every one who loves his country and his kind, who loves God and is interested in the advancement of the spiritual kingdom of Christ, the question, Whether or not the religion of the New Testament is advancing or retrograding in his father-land, is of vital importance. As he daily prays "thy kingdom come," and is prepared to use his humble efforts for the promotion and extension of that kingdom, he cannot but look around him and mark any and every indication of progress or of defeat that may occur to his notice. Perhaps on looking into the particular church or denomination to which from choice he belongs, he may see some marks of prosperity, and beyond that pale he may observe or expect but little to interest him. Or it may be otherwise. He may see something encouraging at home, while abroad, notwithstanding great diversities of form or profession, he may discover facts which will awaken his gratitude and brighten his hopes. Perhaps the latter is the result to which good men of every communion would be led at the present time. No one denomination appears to be advancing alone, but, it may be, that in the aggregate there is a greater amount of vital godliness, and of the true Christian activity than at any former period in the history of the Church in this land. Should this prove to be the fact, where is the Christian whose heart will not glow with holy delight at its discovery? Who will not feel that, however justly he prefers the doctrine and polity of his own denomination, as being most in accordance with the teachings of inspiration and the apostolic model, his allegiance to Christ calls on him to "thank God and take courage?' That there is enough of vice, of ignorance, and of open irreligion among the masses of our countrymen to sadden the heart of a good man, we all painfully know. That there is an amount of formality, of semipopery, and mere "will-worship," especially in the national establishment, which is alarming, we all most truly believe. But that there is both within the pale of the Established Church, and among the various tribes of those who are not found in her assemblies, a refreshing degree of vitality as to teaching and belief, and of benevolent and useful activity as to practice, is, we apprehend, a truth which cannot be gainsaid. This |