both with the love of Jesus and of Himself.

Whenever you can

write to me I shall be thankful to receive a letter. Your dear With many, many thanks for all your love

sister is well.

and affection, and for the wine, which is most excellent,

Believe me, with real affection,

MY DEAR YOUNG FRIEND, AND, I SINCERELY HOPE, SISTER IN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST,-Although I have not written to you, as I have for a long time wished to do, yet I can truly say you have been very often in my thoughts, and not unfrequently in my prayers to a throne of grace on your behalf. Oh, that He in whose hands you are, and on whose heart I believe you are borne, may grant you all the support which you need, and which He alone can impart. Times of sickness are usually times of trial, not joyous but grievous, but they are also to God's dear children usually times of great and peculiar blessing, not always felt to be so at the time, but really so, whether we feel them to be so or not. Then usually is there more and deeper searching of heart; then usually are our thoughts of ourselves the lowest, and our views of Jesus the most close, most touching, most precious; and when, dear young sister, we get nearer views of Jesus, all seems well. The blessed Spirit makes use of such periods for bringing us more acquainted with ourselves, and this is often very humbling, and not pleasant, but always profitable.

I hope that you find this a period of much prayer. Prayer, real prayer, brightens all trouble, because, as the soul really draws nigh to God, it casts the trouble upon Him. What a difference it makes when we can realize that sweet scripture, "Casting all your care upon Him, for He careth for you." And how many proofs, how many thousands of proofs, has He given you of His care, temporally and spiritually; and among the former of these must not be overlooked your having such kind and very affectionate parents, who not only watch for your body, but

care for your soul. Yesterday we were led to pray especially for you in the public worship. This was done particularly in the morning, and not omitted in the evening. This I mention to show you that you were not forgotten by us in your trial. It is pleasant to think of those whom Jesus loves.

"Give all diligence," dear young sister, "to make your calling and election sure." Seek the peculiar sealing of the Spirit; make a serious, sacred duty of real, honest, thorough confession. Be willing to know exactly how things really are between your soul and God. Tell everything to Jesus, and then take it to God as a Father. Remember it is His glory to give and to forgive. Believe me,

Your affectionate Friend in Jesus,

JAMES H. EVANS.

TO HIS SON.-ON PARISH DUTIES.

Hampstead, January, 1813.

MY VERY DEAR J--I snatch a moment just to assure you of my love, and tender sympathy in all that concerns you, now and at all times. The account which you gave me produced a mixed feeling, partly pleasant, partly painful. Your work is in His service who never suffers His true labourers to lose in any way; but the description which you send rather alarms me, and there appears a part of your work that might be spared. In comparing your present position with what I occupied when I began my ministry, I think that I did more, but then I was much stronger than probably you now are. I had the school, with your dear mother, from nine to a quarter past ten, the whole morning service, then dinner, then the whole afternoon service at Hordle, then the school till tea, then the people in the vicarage in a very crowded room, with a very long prayer and sermon. I am not aware that it was injurious to me, but then I was in the full vigour of robust health. So far, indeed, was it from injuring

* Milford and Hordle were then united, and formed one parish, with two churches, in each of which there was service once on the Sunday. They have been since that time divided into distinct parishes, each with its Incumbent.-ED.

me, that I consider much of my present health is, under God, to be attributed to the expansion of lungs which it produced. Still, dearest J, I cannot but feel a little anxious; nor do I like the ten miles' walk on the Monday; half the distance might be of great service. But do, I pray you, remember that, for your own sake as well as my sake, care and prudence must be used, not to urge far higher motives than these. The afternoon school might, I should conceive, be spared. For you to be there till a quarter past three, and begin at half-past three, seems out of all consideration for mind and body. Did you preach unwritten sermons, it would—did I judge of you by myself-be perfectly impossible.

I remark that you wish me to send you some of my early sermons. This, if you desire it, I will do. Yet, were you to take my advice, I would be exceeding sparing in my use of such helps. As you have only one sermon in the week to prepare, I should invariably prepare that one. Your present position being easy as to sermonizing, you will probably never again have so much time for this branch of your work. Therefore make use of it. Pay great attention to your style. The general style of preaching is, I cannot but think, too much of the tractatio, and too little of the concio. The being within walls has a tendency to produce this effect. Were we out of doors, addressing a multitude, we could not give them an essay. A book which I should like you to study, at the least for these half-dozen years, and read at least a hundred times, is "Cecil's Remains." Above all, my beloved J——, read your Bible, not ministerially, but as a poor sinner, with much and fervent prayer. To read the Scriptures ex cathedrá is one of the devil's masterpieces of cunning to mar all our usefulness. Spirituality of mind is the best preparation for the pulpit, which some forgetting have been as dry and unctionless as the merest preacher of baptismal regeneration. By the bye, what think you of the Bishop of

's Charge? "O quantum mutatus" was all that I could think as I read it. How it makes me mourn for the diocese, and how it makes me admire and thank God for the higher grade of intellect and spirituality in such a man as the Bishop of

Chester, his meekness, courage, and true wisdom! May you be preserved from the first approaches towards this pestilent heresy! did not see their extreme danger.-Ever believe me, Your affectionate father and friend,

Poor S

J. H. EVANS.

TO HIS WIFE.

Hampstead, February 10, 1843.. MY-Yesterday was a fatiguing day, or I should have written. In addition to this, I suffered a little from my head. The pain was not acute, but it continued nearly all the day, and I was fearful of doing anything that might increase it. But it is now, I thank God, quite well. I am happy to say that Wednesday evening, solemn as the occasion was, most solemn, went off in a way which I humbly expect will prove a blessing to the Church. All was awful and silent. Not a word was spoken, except by O, and G-, who proposed and seconded his being cut off. I addressed the meeting by introducing the distressing subject, and concluded by a few words of solemn admonition. It was deeply affecting.

Yesterday I called on the D- -s, and sat some time with them. I also called on Mrs. P, Mrs. L, and SN——. Had a long conversation with M——— and Miss

on her situation as governess. My class in the evening was a good one, the most numerous I have had. So much for my movements. May the blessed Spirit condescend to bless them, weak and unworthy as I am!

I find those two truths a stay to my soul,—the efficacy of the atonement, and the stability of the promise. Just now this seems my all, and enables me to look up to God as my Father, although I am His sorrowing child; for as I think of my sins and sinfulness, it almost seems as if I must sorrow even in the land where sorrow shall be known no more. I know this is a contradiction in terms, but I can scarcely banish the idea.

My visits yesterday were, on the whole, refreshing; with SN particularly so; and I had a happy, though rather wearying day.

Time is short, and our long eternity at hand. Oh, to be ready, daily, hourly, momentarily!

Your's, &c.,

JAMES H. EVANS.

TO HIS DAUGHTER IN INDIA.

Salisbury, March 29, 1843.

MANY thanks for your last letter. It was such a comfort to me, you seemed so peaceful and happy in the midst of all your disagreeables. Ah, my dear girl, of how little importance is it where we are if we have but His presence, which is better than life. If we have but the clear witness of the Spirit with our spirits that we are the children of God, it is a balm for every wound, a cordial in all our faintings. Ever seek this continually, my own precious child, and be very careful to maintain it when you have it. It is easily lost, and slowly regained. The stone soon descends, and with difficulty ascends. I know of nothing that so seems bound up with all that is vital in our happiness as this. Deep searchings of heart, quick repentance, and real return to God through the precious blood of sprinkling, in the way of thorough humiliation for the sin, and the renewings of a Father's love and a Father's forgiveness, is the grand secret for solid peace.

I shall be thankful, if so it seem good to Him who is the All-wise that it should be so, when I hear of some new appointment for your dear James. I much fear that Nowgong is not a very healthy place. The accounts which you gave me of the deaths of Mr. Grange and Mr. Shuter, a good deal affected me. But you are in God's hands, and His are the best. It gave me great joy that you should take so much delight in Owen. He is my decided favourite of all my authors, and next to the Bible itself. I will send you out one or two of his other works, and I hope you will be equally pleased with them. There is a depth, a richness, an unction, which I do not find elsewhere. It requires a calm, composed, reflecting, as well as prayerful state of mind to read them with profit; then they are invaluable.

My paper leads me to a conclusion. I have been suffering a

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