Letters to Mrs.Bevan

exertions unremitting, he yet seemed sensible of great deficiencies. The more he laboured, the more he seemed to himself to come short of what he thought he ought to have done. Hence the frequent mention he makes in these Letters of the need which he felt he had of the prayers of his fellow-Christians; which evidences the primitive character of his religion. He was in this respect like the great Apostle of the Gentiles, who continually and earnestly solicited, in his own behalf, the supplications of those to whom he addressed his epistles. In this deep sense of deficiency and need of increasing help from above, there was no delusion; it arose from no false impressions. It was the result of growing in grace; and this growing in grace was, in a great measure, the result of his labours in the cause of God. The more is grace exercised, the more vigorous it becomes. Spiritual exercise, or activity in doing good, is no less promotive of the health of the soul, than bodily exercise is conducive to the vigour and strength of the body. And the more healthy the soul is, the more food it wants, and the more anxious it becomes of exerting itself in the grand work of glorifying God by promoting the salvation of man. So strongly did Mr. Jones feel at times, as it appears from these Letters, his obligations to divine grace, and so deeply concerned he was for the eternal welfare of man, that he seemed to regret and lament the confined limits of his capacities, both as to mind and body. His conceptions of what was due to his God and Saviour, were, at times, so enlarged and so vivid, and the flames of love within his soul were at times so ardent, that he occasionally felt in no small degree the

inconvenience and incumbrance of his earthly tenement. Alas! with how few of us is this the case. Where are those who exercise their capacities, either as to body or mind, in any degree equal to what they are capable even in their present state of debility and weakness.

But it would be wrong to conclude these remarks without saying something more particularly of the illustrious lady to whom these letters were addressed. She seems to have been a person of no ordinary character; strong and vigorous in mind, as well as warm and affectionate in heart. Her society and correspondence were highly valued by Mr. Jones. Her kindness and bounty to him, as well as her liberality in supporting the cause of religion and in relieving the temporal distresses of the poor, were so great, were so munificent, as sometimes to overwhelm him, and to render it quite a task and labour to him to make any suitable acknowledgments. The rememberance of the immense benefit she received from him in her conversion, and the continued advantages she was deriving from his ministry, conversation and correspondence, wrought so powerfully on her noble mind and generous heart, that there was nothing within her power, within the range of possibility, which she would not have done for him, and for the cause which he had so much at heart. His extensive usefulness was no doubt owing in a great measure to her assistance and influence. It is very probable, that it was through her, that he obtained access to many of those benevolent individuals, who assisted him so liberally in carrying on the schools; not to mention her own contributions which were no doubt very

large, besides the munificent sum she added to what had been collected for their perpetual support.

What amazing good is one zealous individual, of rank and fortune, capable of doing! How soon would ignorance and vice, penury and distress, be banished from this kingdom, were the gentry and nobility, in general, as zealously, actively and liberally engaged, as this eminent lady was, in promoting the cause of true religion, and in removing the distresses and alleviating the wants of the poor. Were they to spend in improving the spiritual and temporal condition of man, what many of them now spend uselessly on themselves, and squander away in vain and foolish pageantry and ostentation, and in the pursuits of vanity and demoralizing amusements, their own comforts would thereby be wonderfully increased, immense good would be done to Society, and the best interest of man would be essentially promoted. May many be induced to tread in the footsteps of this most eminent lady; and then their memory, like hers, shall descend to posterity, distingnished by what is most honourable to their species-love to God and charity to man; and their names also, as her name doubtless is, shall be enrolled high in the annals of heaven. And may these letters which were so highly useful to her, prove as useful to others, and be the happy means of persuading many to follow her bright example.

Książki