as possible, though at the time, perhaps regarded by the hearers as highly improbable, was but too surely realized!

Mr. Spencer was now fully invested with that sacred office, which from his infancy he had desired; and he set himself diligently to the discharge of its momentous duties. That he felt its importance, was evident to all. His habitual conduct and conversation proved it. To his most intimate friends he freely expressed his anxieties respecting it; and earnestly did he implore an interest in the prayers of his people and his brethren in the ministry. In the assurance that he labored amongst a praying people, he felt confidence: and no consideration is more adapted to relieve the mind of a faithful minister than this-while it pours unseen a thousand blessings on his head, it secures to his labors an affectionate attention, and an earnest desire rightly to appreciate and improve them. That which persons make the subject of earnest prayer, they will usually value; and it is hardly possible but that good must be uniformly the result, when both minister and people come from their closets, which have witnessed their fervent intercessions for each other, to the house of God. The apostle knew how to estimate the prayers even of the meanest Christians who enjoyed his labors. 'Brethren pray for us."*-It is true that a people will for the most part take the cast of their religious character from that of their minister: if he be much alive to God, and zealous in the discharge of his ministry, he will communicate the sacred flame

* See an admirable sermon upon this subject by the Rev. William Jay, of Bath, preached at the settlement of the Rev. Henry Forster Burder, A. M. at Hackney. Every pious minister, who knows its worth, must wish to see this excellent discourse in the hands of his people.

to all around him, and cause his people to reflect on every side the light his preaching and his example shed. But on the other hand, are there no instances in which the reverse of this has been the case; the minister has been gradually disheartened and dispirited by a cold, supine, and worldly-minded people, who have continually thwarted him in his generous designs-counteracted his benevolent efforts and quenched, by indifference and neglect, the ardor of his zeal. Instead of assisting him in his glorious work, they have hung like weights about his garments; and instead of acting as pioneers to prepare the paths of Christian benevolence for his willing feet to tread, they have clogged up the avenues with obstacles, and lined the way with insuperable difficulties. The spirit of the man has been broken by perpetual disappointment-vexation has gradually enervated his mind-and by slow and imperceptible degrees he has sunk into torpor and indifference-and the languor of the pastor has at length presented an unhappy counterpart to the supineness of the people. And even where neither the cause nor the consequences obtain to so alarming and fatal degree, still it is to be.deplored that any approach to them should be suffered to exist. Here the stated attendants on a gospel ministry may often find a reason for that want of pleasure and improvement which sometimes they deplore, though most unjustly, at the preacher's cost. If prayer, special and fervent, for a blessing on their pastor's labors, has been neglected, the mystery is at once developed. For they have no right whatever to expect a blessing without prayer; and as they have no right to expect it without prayer, neither are they in a suitable frame to receive it; and thus it often happens, that where

the prayerless soul departs empty away, the humble and earnest petitioner obtains a rich and suitable supply from the same table and of the sa.ne food. It is light bread to the one, but it is life-giving and substantial provision to the other. Ask and ye shall receive.'

The

On the first Sabbath in July Mr. Spencer dispensed, for the first time, the solemn ordinance of the Lord's supper. It was a time of love-a season of refreshing from the presence of the Lord. sweet impression of that happy day still remains, and its memory is yet dear to many. On the followin Monday, at the social prayer meeting in the evening, o in the bosom of his people, he again solemnly dedicated himself to God, and renewed his vows to consecrate all his powers to their service in the work of the ministry. Indeed, all he wrote, or said, or did, indicated the holy fervor of his soul. Tenderly alive to the sacred delicacy of his character, he was anxious to sustain it well, that the cause of Jesus might not suffer by any spots it might contract. Conscien tiously awake to every call of duty which his most. responsible station might involve, he was ready to obey them all-that the ministry might not be blamed! The following letter is from his correspondence about this time, and may be numbered with the last he ever wrote. The expressions which I have copied, are mingled with others sacred to the privacy of friendship. They promise pleasures never realized-unfold prospects suddenly destroyed-and record arrangements he was not permitted to fulfill

No 42.

TO MR. HADDON.

MY DEAR FRIEND,

Liverpool, July 8, 1911.

"The ordination has for the last fortnight, occupied almost the whole of my attention, and the impression, the solemn, the holy impression of which I trust I shall never forget. Yesterday, for the first time in my life, I administered the ordinance of the Lord's supper, and found it to be indeed 'a time of refreshing from the presence of the Lord. My du. ties are more and more important and pressing. Conversations upon religious experience with candidates for admission into our church, the baptism of children, and the calls of the sick and dying must necessarily engage much of my attention. But I can sincerely bless God, that amidst all the depres sion of mind I have suffered, my work has been my delight. The duties of the ministry have often refreshed, instead of oppressing me. The pleasure of the Lord has prospered in my hands. I love the service of the Head of the Church better than ever I did: when I am watering others, I find that Jehovah the Spirit waters my own soul too! Oh! is not this ap encouraging token for good?

"In great haste,

"I am ever your affectionate friend,

"THOMAS SPENCER."

In the mean time, Mr. Spencer was not confined to his own pulpit. He gave his brethren in the min

istry tokens of his affectionate regard, by officiating for them in their respective places: and he also made several excursions into the country. Mr. Spencer did, not encourage the idea, that as he had become by voluntary consecration the minister of a particular church, the church in general had now lost every claim upon his kind attention. Nor were the people amongst whom he labored of a disposition so selfish and narrow, as to wish to confine his exertions exclusively to the spot they occupied. That the first and constant regards of a pastor are due to the people of his charge, none can dispute; but with the work of the pastor, to a certain extent, may with the greatest propriety be added that of an evangelist. There are surrounding districts that will often cry to him for help, which he is bound to render-there are destitute societies to whom he must minister consolation and instruction, in token of his brotherly love-and there are interchanges of friendship, which promote union, which relieve the mind, and which will ever be found beneficial to the churches by whom they are encouraged. Intercourse with society informs the judgment-corrects the views, and expands the mind. Long labor in one appointed sphere, however important and delightful the duties it involves, and especially where all the powers of the mind are ever on the stretch, must produce at length weariness, sameness, monotony. A visit to another scene-intercourse with other connexions-refreshes and revives the wasted spirits and the weary frame. And the church, however they may value their pastor's ministry and regret his absence, will not eventually be losers by the temporary privation they may suffer. But we must, however reluctant, pass on to the closing scenes of Mr. Spencer's life. As his death