“IN the hey-day of my prosperity,” says the clergyman, and in the success of my sacramental ministrations, while I thought the church (the so-called Church of England, ED.) was the Ark, and no salvation could be had out of the church, except by some uncovenanted mercy, one of my most promising disciples, a regular communicant and zealous churchman, was taken seriously ill, and was pronounced to be in ‘galloping consumption.’ The man was my own servant, a gardener, and one to whom I was much attached; not exactly my spiritual child in the gospel, but my ecclesiastical child in churchmanship, and a strong adherent, Who, with many others, upheld me and encouraged me, in a place abounding with ‘gospel men,’ against Dissenters of various kinds. This man’s heart failed him in the prospect of death. His views and religious practices did not comfort him in the hour of need, or give him assurance. He heard of others who could say their sins were pardoned, and read their title clear to mansions in the skies; whereas with his, as he thought, superior teaching, he was yet afraid to die. He ventured to send for some Dissenter to talk to him, and pray with him, who went to work in a way just the reverse of the priest. Instead of building up and comforting, the man plainly showed him he was a lost sinner, and needed to come to Jesus for salvation and pardon. The man was confident. ‘Pray for yourself,’ said he, and he set before him the finished work of Christ as the sinner’s substitute. The gardener was brought under deep conviction, and eventually found pardon and, peace through the blood of Jesus. This was a great disappointment. Instead of rejoicing with Christ over a lost sheep which He had found, I was angry with the sheep for being found, and deeply mourned over what I considered a fall into schism! Grieved as I was, however, I loved my disciple, and went to see him, though not till after several urgent invitations to go. I endeavored to reclaim him, but the man was too firmly persuaded to be shaken from ‘the truth as it is in Jesus.’ Instead of lying on a bed of suffering, he was walking about the room, praising God in a most joyful state.
“‘Ah, John, you are excited! You have been taking wine.’
“‘No, master,’ said the man; ‘I have not touched a drop of it. No, dear, no; that’s not it, dear master. I know you love me, and I love you. You don’t know this joy and peace. I am sure you don’t, for you would have told me of it. Oh, master, pray the Lord to give it you! I will never rest praying for you. Don’t be angry with me. The Lord bless you and convert your soul. You have been a kind, good friend to me. I cannot forget or leave you. I will pray for you while I live for the Lord to save your soul.’
“I could not stand this pleading, and fled from the house in a tumult of disappointment and confusion.”
A visit to another clergyman deepened his convictions; for he plainly told him, that “if he had been converted he would have rejoiced at that man’s salvation, and praised God with him, and that he would never do any good in his parish till he was converted himself.” So deep became his distress that, when the bell tolled for service on the following Sunday morning, he trembled and feared to preach; but while preaching on the words, “What think ye of Christ?” the Lord showed him so clearly that Christ was the true and only foundation — “the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world” — that his soul was filled with joy — as full of joy as it had been with misery. He now preached “a present salvation,” which caused a general cry for mercy, and many of his parishioners were saved. — An Extract.