circumstances which I resolved should never move me, when I first gave myself to God and His Christ! "Truly believing then that I am acting under the direction of an all wise Jehovah, and humbly asking that this may be made manifest in after days, I accept the invitation you have given me to exercise over you the pastoral office.-I comply with your unanimous request, and shall from this day consider myself as solemnly bound to you, if you see it right to allow me the following requisitions: "That I preach among you regularly but twice on the Sabbath, viz. morning and evening. I mention this, because I know that my constitution will not admit of three services in the day, and I am sure it is not consistent with your wishes, that I should prevent myself from future exertions by presuming on too much at first; and the plan I propose will I am persuaded after trial prove beneficial rather than injurious to the cause at Newington. To preaching to you twice on the Sabbath and once in the week, I shall never feel the least objection. My other wish is- "That I may have in the spring of the year six weeks annually to myself, to visit my friends, and occasionally see other parts of the Lord's vineyard. "I do not leave Hoxton academy till after Christmas, and perhaps may not be with you so early as you wish.--It is my intention, however, to commence my labours among you, if convenient to your selves, on the first Sabbath in February, 181 Your sentiments on the subjects I have mentioned, you will be pleased to communicate to me as early as possible. "And now just allow me, my respected friends, to request you not to form too sanguine expectations in reference to the pleasure you expect to enjoy when I become your pastor. You will doubtless find in me much to pity and to blame; yet it is my earnest prayer that you may never have to charge me with neglect in watching over you in the Lord; finally, I request your supplications for me at the throne of the heavenly Majesty, that a door of utterance may be opened unto me, that on me the communications of divine grace may ever be bestowed, that Christ may be magnified by my preaching and my life, that I may be preserved faithful unto death, and then receive a crown of life. 66 Accept my cordial wishes for the prosperity of your own souls, of your families, but especially of your Christian society and of the cause of Zion amongst you. Cease not to pray solemnly, fervently, and without intermission, for me, and believe me your's in our glorious Lord, "THOMAS SPENCER." Hoxton, Sept. 26, 1810. This official communication to the church was accompanied by a private letter to the friend, under whose roof he had resided during his occasional visit, and to whose care the preceding document was addressed. MY DEAR SIR, No. 30. Hoxton College, Sept. 19. "If you wish immediately to know the purport of my enclosed answer to the respectful and pressing invitation I have received from Newington, turn to the 22d verse of the Epistle to Philemon. "I hope you will forgive me for the long, the doubtful suspense, in which I have been obliged to detain you; in my own view I have acted rightly, and I have no doubt but you will say that it was all proper, when you come to hear my statement. It is astonishing what I have had to meet with through the kindness of my London friends--kindness you will think improperly manifested, when I tell you, that they, with very few exceptions, entreat, beg, and request, that I would not settle at Liverpool. I can only tell them, that in this affair, 'I hear a voice they cannot hear; And have the leadings of Providence lost their importance? or the direction of Heaven become merely matter of idle talk? I have not written individually to any person in Liverpool besides yourself: I should have found a difficulty in speaking of the business before I had made known my determination. By the first Sabbath in February next year, I shall (God willing) be again in Liverpool, when I hope the presence of my covenant God will ac company me, and his Spirit grant me wide success. The prospect of leaving my friends and connexions for so distant a place as Liverpool, and especially as many of them oppose the plan, sometimes fill me with melancholy gloom; but thy will be done' is a petition that well becomes me in my situation; may I have grace given me to use it with a sincere and believing heart. ** * ** "I trust it will appear, that the general good of the church of Christ, and of the inhabitants of Liverpool, is the object to which I have directed my warm and unremitting exertions. Farewell. "I remain sincerely your's, "THOMAS SPENCER.” To this may be added an extract from a letter, dated September 1st, 1810. "My mind still inclines to Liverpool, and that for the most substantial reasons. If I accept this invitation, I shall be obliged to make some sacrifices ; but ought I not to make them cheerfully, when the honour of God, and the happiness of immortal souls require them? especially as I am bound not to count even my life dear unto me, so that I may finish my course with joy. The sacrifices, to which I allude are chiefly, perhaps altogether, occasioned by absence from my friends and connexions, and a removal from those interesting scenes of exertion which have witnessed my first efforts to disseminate divine truth, and in which I have been favoured with some success." Thus happily was a point of so much importance to the interests of religion in Liverpool determined. A consideration of the issue of this affair, together with many others perpetually occurring, should teach us to suspend our judgments of persons and places we have never seen-and should tend to weaken those unjust and injurious prejudices against them which we too hastily form-too tenaciously cherish. Often we picture to ourselves the most enchanting scenes, the most delightful associations, in connexion with a spot we are about to visit, and are disappointed—and as often we find those charming scenes, and happy associations, in regions which our prejudices had invested with every thing gloomy and repulsive. Had Spencer yielded to the impulse of his feelings, he had never become pastor of a church in Liverpool. And although the memory of his lamented fate may induce, from feelings generally regarded as honourable to humanity, a wish that he had not-yet the Christian sees in this the hand of God—and, contemplating the mighty work which in his short ministry he was honoured to perform, rejoices that, however mysterious the decree, it was ordered so. It is not for us to calculate whether he would have been more useful, or less useful, or as useful elsewhere he was eminently useful in Liverpool —and though all must weep that he should be so soon, so suddenly removed-yet none who witness the extraordinary impression which his labours produced in so large and populous a town, but must rejoice in their success, and adore the Providence which brought him there. |