"Spencer was particularly happy in his choice of texts for particular occasions; 'I feel great difficulty,' said he, in preaching at Hertford, where I have to address many who walked with God before I was born. To-morrow will be the first Sabbath that I have regularly supplied there. I have chosen for my subject, Romans xvi, 7.' In which he shewed what it was to be in Christ; and the duties which aged Christians owe to younger ones-faithful reproof and exhortation—prayer for them, &c. For his sermon on regeneration, he chose James i, 18, which as he said, comprised the whole subject;the efficient cause-The will of God;' the grand means used 'the word of truth;' the great end in view that believers should be-'First fruits of His creatures.' A gentleman, who possesses a fine mind, said to me, 'I had heard so much of Spencer, that when I went to hear him, I expected to be disappointed; but I found the reverse to be the case. When he gave out his text it was with an emphasis which so forcibly laid, open the apostles argument, that my attention was rivetted, and I was perfectly astonished."

'He loved to improve the festivals of the church, such as Christmas and Easter, 'because,' said he, 'people expect then to hear upon the subject, and I think we ought to meet every appearance of preparation of mind with suitable instruction. The passage of scripture which led my mind to the ministry, and which satisfies me as to the proprie ty of my engaging in it, is that promise of God to the Gentile church, Isaiah Ixix, 21.-Oh! that text is very precious to me; while the death of Miss at Brighten, and Miss tends to

at

convince me that I am right.' Those ladies died in the Lord, and were called under Spencer's ministry."

"I used,' said he, 'to feel very much in preaching before certain characters. My difficulty is now removed by considering, that, let them be as learned or as pious as they may, it is probable that they have not turned their attention to the individual point before me so closely as I have, and therefore it is likely that my sermon may afford some in. struction even to them, and this thought gives me courage."

"Mr. Spencer's simplicity in dress was well known. He avoided in that respect the very appearance of evil, that his ministry might not be blamed. One Sabbath morning, when he called for me, he had a new coat on, which I told him I thought was more fashionable than he would approve. I'did not know it,' said he, and on the next Sabbath morning, he asked me if I thought it more becoming then: he had had it altered."

"I was desired by several medical gentlemen to inform him, that unless he slackened his exertions, he could not live to see five and twenty. When I mentioned it, he said, 'that it certainly must be attended to, for that his hope was to live a long and useful life.' He therefore determined to alter the length of his sermons from an hour or sixty-five minutes to forty-five."

"I am going,' said he, 'to preach at Vauxhall tomorrow, where you may come with a very safe conscience. You need not be afraid of a large congre

gation there, You do not like large congregations for me; but don't you remember how much more encouragement and satisfaction the man has who fishes in a pond which is full of fish, than he who fishes in a place where he knows there are but two or three."

"Before S. left the academy, a gentleman, whose judgment, or piety, few are disposed to dispute, said to me 'if it were not for the sound of his voice, with my eyes shut, I could suppose him a man of seventy. He is ripening fast for heaven-I can fancy him an angel, come down into the pulpit, soon to return."

"Another gentleman, possessed of undeniable critical skill, and difficult to please, after he had heard him, said, 'I stood the whole service-and I could have stood till midnight. I felt as under the influence of a charm Icould not resist, and was rivetted to the spot, intent only upon the fascinating object I saw before me.”

"It was with sincere pity that he saw any young minister descend from the holy dignity of his station, by attention, as soon as the service was concluded, to the advance of females, who, had they really received the benefit they professed, would have shewn it in a very different way."*

*This is to Spencer's honor.

Those who are accustomed to attend the vestries in London, after the sermons of popular preachers, will enter into the meaning of this observation. It would be well, if some whom it may concern would also take the hint it affords.

Mr. Spencer was appointed by the committee to spend the midsummer vacation in this year at Newington chapel, Liverpool, then destitute of a pastor, by the death of the Rev. David Bruce. The report of his extraordinary talents and amazing popularity had already, from various quarters, reached that place. And the congregation amongst whom he was, for a few weeks to labor, had some pleasing expectations, that they might find in him a future pastor, every way qualified for the important sphere of usefulness, which so large and populous a town presented. But on the mind of Mr. Spencer far other impressions had been unhappily produced.

From whatever sources he had drawn his information of the state of religion and manners in this place, it was certainly most incorrect-and such as led him to anticipate his visit with feelings of considerable uneasiness and reluctance. Nor did he seem at all anxious to conceal the fact, that his coming was the consequence of a necessity, to which he was compelled to bow. So deep was his prejudice against Liv. erpool, that it seems to have caused the only excep tion to that uniform submission with which he yielded to the arrangements made by his constituents for his labors. But on this occasion, he did not hesitate frankly to assure a gentleman, who meeting him in London, expressed a hope, that they should soon have the pleasure of seeing him in Liverpool, that “it was not his wish to see Liverpool-and that although the committee had appointed him to go, he should do all in his power to prevail upon them to send some other student."

But a visit upon which so much depended, and whence such amazing consequences were to flow, could not be abandoned by a superintending Provi

dence, to the obstacles of his prejudices, or the in fluence of his feelings. His destination was fixedIt was the voice of duty, and he obeyed. He arrived in Liverpool on Saturday, the 30th of June, 1810, and commenced his public labors on the following Sabbath.

Mr. Spencer selected for the subject of his first discourse, Luke xxiv, 32, “And they said one to another, did not our hearts burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures." In the afternoon he preached from Heb. xii, 24, "And to the blood of sprinkling, which speaketh better things than the blood of Abel." And in the evening from 1 Cor. xv, 25, "For he must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet.

The impression produced by the labors of this Sabbath will be long remembered. The emotion then awakened has not subsided to this day. Every sermon that he preached tended to deepen the conviction of his piety and talents-and to endear him to the people. His lively, affectionate manner, and the simple but elegant style of his discourses, capti-* vated all who heard him. Every sermon produced accessions to the congregation of such as, drawn by the report of his extraordinary powers, pressed to witness their display. The chapel soon became crowded to excess-and not alone the thoughtless and the gay, whom the charms of a persuasive eloquence and an engaging manner might attract, but pious and experienced Christians sat at his feet with deep attention and delight. There seemed to be in-deed a shaking amongst the dry bones. A divine unction evidently attended his ministry, and such

* See Appendix, No. III.