doubtless brought to their minds by the Spirit of truth, as to whether the line of conduct they had adopted had been sufficiently decided, and likely, therefore, to effect that which had been their aim,-the glorifying of God and bringing souls to Christ.

As Mr. Evans rode over the wide commons to the distant hamlets of his parish, he would weep at the thought of the souls that were perishing, as he conceived, through his own want of faithfulness.

During this season of trouble his attention was directed to a volume of sermons, by the Rev. John Hill. It has since been republished, but the book at that time was very scarce, and was given him by a Christian parishioner in humble life, who saw and felt for his distress. He read it; and, as he studied it, the Spirit of God poured in a flood of light upon his mind, and he was led to see the glorious doctrines of grace for the first time. His soul was quieted, comforted, and strengthened; he embraced these truths with a delight which could only be felt by one who had gone through his previous exercises of mind. No sooner did he receive them than he began to preach them; and this change in the character of his ministry was not long in producing a marked effect. An awakening in the parish commenced, which, though small in its beginning, was the precursor of a large blessing.

A young man who was sinking of consumption was converted, and, after giving good evidence to his minister and the neighbours around, of the sincerity of his profession, died in peace. Shortly after this a number of persons were aroused at nearly the same time to a sense of their danger, and Mr. Evans and his wife found themselves surrounded by inquirers thirsting for instruc

tion in the way of life. The church was crowded with eager listeners, and the evening lectures at the vicarage were thronged by those who were earnestly asking what they must do to be saved. The visiting among the people became an arduous, though a delightful employment, to which Mr. and Mrs. Evans devoted a large portion of their time; and on the days when they were so engaged their arrival was anxiously anticipated, and the cottagers might be seen watching their approach and coming out from their humble dwellings to welcome them in. No time was wasted in conversing on other subjects than the all-engrossing one,-the salvation of their souls; the Bible was brought out, the neighbours assembled, and exposition and prayer followed. The Sunday-school partook of the blessing, and many of the children were decidedly converted.

The conversions, though not entirely confined to the poor, were principally among this class; and their simplicity, life, and fervour, were most instructive. The Sunday was scrupulously set apart as a day of sacred rest, and pleasant it was to see the happy worshippers pursuing their way through the fields and lanes to hear the Word of life. In harvest time the Bible was carried into the field with the daily provision of the family, and, while resting during the heat of noon, one would read it aloud to the rest. The rapid growth of these new converts was surprising, as was also their peace and joy in believing; like the early Christians, walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, they were multiplied. That all this was not mere excitement the years that have since elapsed have abundantly proved.

We cannot forbear introducing here, some extracts

from a letter, written by one of Mr. Evans's early ministerial friends, which sets forth his character at this time more fully than we can present it to the reader in any other way:

"My most intimate acquaintance and most spiritual intercourse with him, was enjoyed in the years 1814 and 1815. I first met him, I think, at Mr. H.'s at F—, and our acquaintance soon ripened into the most confidential and intimate friendship. I visited him frequently at Milford, and he used to visit me at Winterbourne Stoke. I have never, either before or since, been acquainted with any man whose ministry was more blessed than his was at that time, or whose mind was more filled with the glory of Christ, and a desire to bring others to know Him, and to comfort and build up those who had already believed. He was at that time living in a remarkable separation from the world, feeling it extremely oppressive to him to have any fellowship with men who had no fellowship with God. I have sometimes questioned whether he was right in this, as a disciple of Him of whom it was said, “this man receiveth sinners and eateth with them." But no man could more tenderly and powerfully appeal to the unconverted from the pulpit than he did, and few have, I believe, been more blessed in their appeals. His great delight was, whether in his pastoral visits or his public ministry, to comfort believers and to build them up in the faith, and to enlarge upon the Godhead, and the humanity, and the grace and love of Christ Jesus his Lord. So entirely was his mind occupied and filled with the glory of Christ, that it seemed to have no room for anything else, any conversation on any other subject seemed to him irksome and impertinent,

and I remember his once telling me with the greatest grief that he had met a mutual friend of ours, twice or three times for a quarter of an hour each time, and that he had not so much as mentioned the name of Christ once. Our whole time during the visits I made to him, was either occupied in prayer, or reading the Scriptures, or conversing on spiritual subjects, or in visiting those, very many in number, who had been brought through him to the knowledge of the Lord, and these we generally found walking in the light of God's countenance, and rejoicing with joy unspeakable in the salvation that had been revealed to them. I do not recollect any inconsistency at all during the years in which I was most intimate with him. He was a man of extraordinary susceptibility, and when any whom he loved differed from him, he was heavily afflicted and oppressed, but I never remember anything like heat, or anger, or acrimony. During the time in which I saw him most, which was at Milford, his care of his family, and of each servant in the house, was intense, and his labours with his flock engaged all his time, except what was occupied in his study or in spiritual conversation. He did not like much society at that time, but rather shrunk from it, even with persons whom he thought believers in Christ, if they were not in his estimation very spiritually minded."

We make no apology for bringing this before the reader, as the testimony of one so well qualified in every way to give, it, must be valuable. During the time that this evident work of the Spirit of God was going on at Milford, the clergyman of Sopley, a village about twelve miles distant, wished to leave home for a short time, and Mr. Evans hearing that he had not.

succeeded in obtaining a temporary curate during his absence, wrote to him offering to preach gratuitously on the Sunday evenings. His services were thankfully accepted, and for about six weeks or two months Mr. Evans, after his two services, drove over and preached: and the blessing of God followed him there also in the conversion of many souls. In one family alone seven were turned from darkness to light at this place, through his instrumentality.

We cannot be surprised, however, that Satan was alarmed at all these results of the preaching of the cross, and he soon stirred up at Milford a bitter spirit of opposition to Mr. Evans personally, and also to those who had received the gospel which he declared. The former was manifested by some of the principal gentry leaving the church as soon as the prayers were over, before the commencement of the sermon, or by ceasing altogether to attend, and placing a padlock on the pew they had occupied; and the latter by some of the farmers refusing to employ the labourers who went to the services at the vicarage, while servants were discharged for the same cause. In the principal family of the parish, nine servants were turned off in one day for their religion's sake. It ought to be borne in mind, however, that there was not at this time the effort to conciliate, or the humble and loving spirit, for which in after-life Mr. Evans was so remarkable. He was then young and ardent, and his unflinching and uncompromising spirit in the cause of truth led him forward, and induced errors which he afterwards saw and regretted.

This awakening in the parish of Milford began after a time to excite some attention in the religious world.