Oh! what a joyful meeting there, White are the robes we then shall wear, Haste, Lord, and bring us to the day When we shall dwell at home, Come, O Redeemer, come away; O Jesus quickly come." On Sunday, 3d of February, 1811, Mr. Spencer commenced his stated, pastoral labours at Newington chapel, Liverpool. He was then just twenty years of age-possessed of every endowment that could render him eminent as a minister-and every amiable disposition that could endear him as a friend. The people of his charge, together with numbers who participated with them in their joy, hailed his entrance on his sacred duties with delight. From him they fondly anticipated a long series of varied and useful instructions-on him they gazed with admiration, as affording them no mean example of a holy and devoted life-and to him they looked with pleasure as their children's friend. That he was prepared to meet these high expectations, none who have contemplated the superior endowments of his mind can, for a moment, doubt-his literary attainments, though not splendid, were respectable-his theological knowledge was considerable-his acquaintance with mankind indeed was scanty; he had only moved amongst the excellent of the earth; but this, while it might expose him to certain inconveniences, gave him this advantage-that he appeared in all the native ingenuousness of unsuspecting youth. His love of study was great, which in sured a constant supply of interesting materials for his public ministry-whilst he possessed a facility, an ease, au elegance, in the communication of his thoughts, displayed by few. To all these, he added the graces of the Spirit in no common degree-the glorious attributes of a soul eminently devoted to God a solemn awe of his sacred office-an habitual reference to the final account he should be called to render and an ardent zeal for the Redeemer's glory!-Such was Spencer when he entered on the duties of his stated ministry! But I shall justify this sketch of his character by some extracts from his letters. In one dated Brighton, January the 9th, 1811, hẻ says "I dread the termination of the happiness I now enjoy. It will be the commencement of a long and agonizing separation. Oh! that henceforth I may live more devotedly to God than I have ever yet done. I can truly say this is my desire; for to be a preacher of the gospel, and not to feel its due abiding influence on the heart, is awful indeed. Since I have been here I have trembled for myself, when I have recollected the numerous follies of the four years I have spent at Hoxton. The Lord pardon me, and teach me to be more holy. Pray for me. Affectionately your's,” Mr. Spencer is certainly a striking example of what some persons are unwilling to admit the possibility of a close and humble walk with God, even amid the snares and temptations of an academy. That in colleges, even the best regulated, tempta tions to levity exist, cannot be denied. Where many young men, of a lively turn of mind, are associated, it must be so. But although such a spirit may be partially, and at intervals encouraged—yet where there is true piety, the mind will be elevated above their habitual influence, and occasional instances of failure will excite to diligence for the future, whilst they awaken deep regret and poignant sorrow for the past. If to this there was a natural tendency in Spencer's constitution, how sweetly is the influence of better principles displayed in the humility with which he confesses and deplores his error. If upon this page the eye of a cold, phlegmatic, stern professor should dwell, let it not be averted in disgust, when it beholds this amiable youth's confession of an error, of a temptation to which he is incapable-and to others, if such there be, who happy to discover in such a character, any thing like the shadow of a fault, should be preparing to pronounce a censorious and malignant judgment, I would say -Let him that is without sin cast the first stone.' The following letter was written the day after his arrival in Liverpool. No. 32. TO MR. JOHN HADDON. 66 MY DEAR FRIEND, Liverpool, February 2d, 1811. "I am safely arrived at the scene of my future labours. My journey, though long, was far less irksome than any one I have before undertaken. The roads were bad; this made us late in our arrival at Liverpool. We did not reach it till a quarter before twelve last night. The short time that I have yet spent here has been quite pleasant-it has been happy. The serious people of the congregation have already paid me many kind and Christian attentions. With the blessing of the Master whom I serve, I expect to-morrow to spend a very delightful Sabbath. My best feelings for the glory of our Lord, and the increase of his kingdom, will I hope be more strongly excited than ever they have yet been. I cannot but think that the Head of the Church has some great work to accomplish in Liverpool, and the desire of my heart is that I may be the instrument employed to effect it. Oh! for a large measure of the influence of the blessed Spirit to render me ardently pious, and to keep me zealous in my endeavours to do good to souls. I know here are numbers who pray earnestly for me, and whilst these pious people besiege the throne of grace on my behalf, I will not fear that my God will desert me. -To be holy and to be useful at this moment, appears to be the first wish of my heart. Do you say, indulgent God, let it be accomplished !' "I am tired with my journey and pressed for Believe me, in the bonds of Christian af time. feetion, "Sincerely your's, "THOMAS SPENCER." According to his anticipation, he did enjoy on the Sabbath a happy day, although in the morning he was considerably agitated by the peculiarly solemn circumstances of his new and most responsible situàtion. In the morning his text was admirably adap. ted to the occasion.--Gen. xxviii. 22—' And Jacob rowed a vow, saying, if God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I go, and will give mo bread to eat and raiment to put on, so that I come again to my father's house in peace: then shall the Lord be my God, and this stone which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God's house, and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.". In the evening he preached from 1 Cor. xv. 49,And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.' In the course of the ensuing week, he wrote as follows : No. 33. Liverpool, Feb. 7, 1811. "Oh! what a memorable day to me was the first Sabbath I spent in this place; every cireumstance that took place appeared worthy of attention and big with events; never before had I entered a pulpit, with those awful, solemn feelings with which I was impressed that morning. The idea of appearing in a new character, of entering on a station which I have no view of relinquishing till the day of my death; the weight of responsibility which attaches to the ministerial character the dread lest I should act in any way unworthy of my sacred office; all these things would naturally impart an unusual solemnity to the mind. ON THAT DAY heaven is my witness of the holy resolution. I |