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time of going to rest, or of rising, but his secret exercises at other times were frequent, and generally long; and thus he avoided that barrenness of mind which such attention to grammar-learning tends to produce. The fruits of his labour were very considerable; for, notwithstanding all his disadvantages, he not only attained a pretty correct knowledge of the English language, but he could, with profit, read the Greek Testament, and Latin bodies of divinity, of which Turretine seemed to be a favourite. Mr. Lewis was heard observing that, after he had, the first time, received from his tutor the money allowed for his support, he could not help weeping, from a mixture of gratitude to God for his goodness to such an unworthy creature; and of fear, lest he had sinned in taking what might have been better bestowed on another. "It powerfully struck my mind," said he, "that receiving that money was no better than sacrilege, if I did not improve it to that sacred purpose for which it was intended."O that all students in this kingdom were disposed to make similar reflections; and that all our churches conscientiously studied to recommend none but men of integrity to enjoy these privileges! It may be of use to some learners to know, that it was an invariable rule with our deceased friend not to pass over one sentence in his lesson without understanding it; for, if he could not find out its meaning himself, he would consult others, until it was satifactorily explained to him. Tho' this made him slow in his progress, what he did learn was well learnt. Before the end of the year 1781, the Rev. Dr. Davies resigned his charge at Abergavenny. The Rev. Mr. Williams, of Oswestry (now Dr. Williams, of Rotherham) having been chosen to succeed him as tutor, Mr. Lewis, with some others, removed to Oswestry in the beginning of the year 1782. Thus he was brought near the scene of his future labours, and very soon began to preach occasionally there; for, about this time, the church at Llanfyllin was destitute; their minister, the Rev. J. Griffith, having gone to Carnarvon. Mr. Lewis left Oswestry in 1784; went to reside at Llanfyllin, and was ordained there on Whit-Tuesday, 1785. One can think of no other motive than a sense of duty which he could have for his choice of that situation. The state of the church and neighbourhood presented nothing but discouragements and violent opposition. There were only ten members in the church, and five of them went back again into the world.

The inhabitants in general had the greatest enmity to the gospel; of which Mr. Lewis soon had some awful proofs. At first, it was very difficult to find a person that would venture to take him into his house, for fear either of being forced to quit it, or of having it pulled down.

After he had been there for some time, he had to go one evening a short distance from the town to visit a man and his wife, who were about to join the church. He was observed, and fol

lowed by a furious mob, some of them masked, who surrounded the house, forcibly entered, and cruelly treated the family. Mr. Lewis was dragged by the hair of his head, and unmercifully kicked; and he would, in all probability, have been murdered before the neighbourhood was alarmed, had not the ringleader suddenly relented, and ordered the others to desist *.

The common people secmed firmly persuaded, that such preachers and their hearers were not under the protection of the faw; and that, by abusing them, they might both gratify their own nialice, and please the gentlemen in the neighbourhood, without exposing themselves to any danger; - but their mistake was so effectually corrected, that they have been quiet ever since. We have to rejoice not only that unreasonable men were restrained by fear, but that the spirit of the people was gradually changed, prejudice subsided, the Meeting-house was well attended, and Mr. Lewis, many years before his death, was as generally respected, perhaps, as any minister in the principality. His uniformly prudent conduct for such a number of years, more than silenced the ignorance of foolish men; it gained him a good report from them that are without. Some of them said, when he died, That the chapel-people would not soon find another like him.

Mr. Lewis was certainly a labourer in the Lord's vineyard.

*A more circumstantial account of this affair cannot be given, than is contained in a public concession, which was subscribed by some of the rioters: -"Whereas, on the evening of the 22d of September, 1787, several persons, to the number of eighteen, or upwards, unlawfully and riet ously assembled at the dwelling-house of John Hughes, of the parish of Llanfyllin, in the county of Montgomery, taylor, and broke into the Game (some of them having their faces masked) and afterwards assaulted the said John Hughes and Elizabeth, his wife; and also the Rev. Jenkin Lewis, Protestant Dissenting Minister of Llanfyllin, aforesaid, who was then there on a visit, and dragged them all three out of the house, and then cast the said John Hughes and Mr. Lewis down to the ground; and, having surrounded them, beat and kicked them in a cruel and barbarous manner; and it is probable that, in their rage, they would have committed murder, if the neighbourhood had not been alarmed, and caused them to make off. And whereas a prosecution has been commenced in the Court of Great Sessions for the county of Montgomery, against Us whose names are hereunder written, and others who have fled their country, as parties concerned in the above riot; but, on our proposing to make this public concession for our fault, and binding ourselves for our good behaviour hereafter toward the said John Hughes and Elizabeth his wife, and the said Mr. Lewis (which we have already done) and paying some small sums of money toward the expense incurred in the prosecution, the parties concerned therein have kindly agreed to drop the same as against us. Now we, the undernamed, being all of Llanfyllin aforesaid, do hereby publicly profess our sorrow for having been parties in anywise concerned in the riot; and do sincerely ask pardon of the said John Hughes and Elizabeth his wife, and Mr. Lewis, for the injury we respectively did them thereby; and we do likewise return them our thanks, as we do also the Committee of Dissenters in London, who, we understand, supported the prosecution, for the very lenient terms on which they have dropt the same, as against us respectively,"

He frequently preached on a Lord's Day in three different places, and walked sixteen miles. On week days, also, his labours were abundant, both in preaching and attending private or conferencemeetings; and, for more than eight years, he constantly walked. He was very careful not to disappoint the people that expected him, and was always punctual to the time.

Notwithstanding his aptness to teach, and his diligence in seeking opportunities of doing good in that way, yet his modesty was such, that he never would engage, if he could well avoid it, when other ministers were present; and very few of his brethren could ever persuade him to preach for them in English. As to his person, he was rather below the common size, and of a spare habit, at the time alluded to above: but he afterward became corpulent, which was not a favourable circumstance, as the state of his health was not so good as it was before; and the cause of the change, viz. the dropsy, was, at last, the cause of his death. He was still able to ride, and continued his labours, without interruption, until the year 1799, when he was taken with a very severe illness, as he was returning from South Wales, and was obliged to stay at a friend's house, near Newtown, for five weeks, where the greatest attention was paid him; - and such was the respect of that family for him, that when they thought him capable of bearing the journey, they hired a chaise for him, and attended him all the way to his own house. As a preacher, his sentiments were Calvinistic; but he treated the peculiar doctrines of the gospel in a practical manner. He read, meditated, and prayed much, spending most of his time in the study. His discourses shewed that he closely thought of what he preached: but he seemed never to have studied eloquence as an art. He spake as he felt; and, as his feelings varied, he enjoyed a much greater degree of liherty at one time than another. When in a good frame, he was uncommonly animated, both in prayer and preaching-his whole soul was engaged. He appeared to possess a very deep sense of human depravity, and of the evil of sin. He mightily wrestled with God, as seeing him that is invisible, and persuaded men, as one who knew the terror of the Lord: and his sermons often contained lively descriptions, pointed remarks, and very striking comparisons. But he excelled perhaps in nothing so much as in dealing privately with men about their spiritual concerns. He had a most affectionate way of speaking to young persons, of whom he had several in his congregation, and who now speak of him as of a tender parent, who had given them such advice as they will never forget.

They mention the conference-meetings he had with them as exceedingly profitable, because, while they had an opportunity of freely opening their minds, he was enabled to speak something suitable to each of them at the time, and to adapt his public discourses to their various cases. There is reason to

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believe, that he seldom neglected any opportunity of conversing with young persons about their spiritual state; and that he did much good in that way. One remarkable instance is given by a valuable minister in the same county :- "The first time he came to my father's house, a young brother, then about nine years of age, was sent to shew him the road. In going, Mr. Lewis put some pertinent questions to him; and was so pleased with his answers, that, whenever he called at the house again, he would immediately ask for his young fellow-traveller, and talk to him about the conceras of his soul. My brother, when about fourteen, left home, and associating with some vain young people, soon learnt their evil ways, and became almost their ringleader in wickedness; in which alarming state he con◄ tinued for about two years. When Mr. Lewis heard of it, he was much grieved, and wished for an opportunity of seeing him once more; which he had, by accidentally meeting him on the road. As soon as my brother knew him, he was seized with horror; yet he had no more ability to run away than he had courage to face him. Mr. Lewis no sooner recognized him, than he alighted, ran to him, and embraced him with the tenderness of a parent, and with many tears, said, in Welch, "Ow, fy machgen! Ow, fy machgen! pa fodd y diengaist ?" Oh, my lad, my lad! how camest thou to desert?' -There is reason to believe, that what he said to him then, made a lasting impressien; for he soon after gave the church a satisfactory account of a work of grace on his soul; was received as a member, and has been enabled ever since to adorn his profession." The same minister adds, "I had once the happiness of accompanying him through most of the counties of South Wales; and trust that his example was much blessed to me. He talked to the young people in the families of his acquaintance with so much love and tenderness, as seldom failed to produce tears; and I do think that he was often very useful in this way."-When he was dying, a youth was observed weeping; and when asked the cause of it, he replied, "It is not so much that Mr. Lewis is dying, as that I am destitute of religion: for he used to say, that he hoped to see me become religious before he died." It is hoped that this young man sought and obtained what he saw the need of; for he has since joined the church. From what has been said of this good man, it evidently appears that he naturally possessed very strong passions: and it is readily confessed that, as he warmly expressed his love to persons, he would sometimes very plainly shew his disapprobation of things which he thought to be wrong. This frequently subjected him to the charge of being irritable and hasty. He spake as he felt, out of the pulpit, as well as in it; for he no sooner felt than he made known his feelings by words, except circumstances prevented; and even then they might be read in his countenance by any one that knew him. This is the only fault in his outward conduct that I ever

heard mentioned; and I do not think it often, if ever, offended his friends; for they were generally obliged to acknowledge that what he reproved was an impropriety; they knew his honest bluntness; that he retained no anger, and that the appearance of it in his manner, was a cause of greater grief to himself than to others.

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He never attempted to sing; and yet no man enjoyed that part of divine worship more than he did; especially when people seemed to sing with the Spirit. He used sometimes to say, "I cannot sing myself now, but I shall sing yet as loud as any of you. He was married in the year 1793; but never had any children. Mrs. Lewis was a member of the Independent Church at Bala, proved a help-meet to her husband, and survives to lament his loss. There is not much more to be said respecting Mr. Lewis's last illness than that, as he was drawing nearer the end of life, he was evidently ripening for glory. He was particularly desirous of two things; viz. That he might be kept from bringing any dishonour on the cause of Christ; and that his life and usefulness might end together: and these two requests were granted him. A fortnight before his death, he made an exchange with a neighbouring minister; preached twice, and each time in both languages; administered the Lord's Supper, and baptized a child. Some of the people observed that, though he seemed feeble when out of the pulpit, he was, while in it, as strong and lively as ever; and that all he said savoured of Heaven. On the last Lord's Day but one, he preached in the country from 2 Thes. ii. 16; but his illness was then increased. On the Friday following, there was a meeting of the members at his own house; when he read, expounded, and prayed; and, from his frame of mind, the people concluded that he would soon leave them. In prayer, he committed them all to the care of the great Shepherd; earnestly intreating him to send them a faithful pastor, according to his own heart and theirs.

Lord's Day, Nov. 21, 1805, was the last day he spent on earth. That evening he sat in his chair, and conversed with the people in rather an unusually cheerful frame; but, sometime in the night, he became very ill, and continued so till a little after midnight, when he departed this life to enjoy an eternal Sabbath. His remains were attended to the grave, in the parish churchyard, on the Wednesday following, by a mourning people, and a few neighbouring ministers. The company went from the grave into the Meeting-house, where a discourse was delivered by his namesake, of Wrexham, from 1 Cor. xv. 50. in the even ing, Rev. J. Roberts, of Llanbrynmair, and Rev. G. Lewis, of Llanuwebllyn preached; the latter, by desire, from Mat. xxv. 21," Well done, thou good and faithful servant," &c. - May the example of this good servant provoke many ministers to diligence! and may all Christians pray that the Lord of the har

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