in the judgment of my brethren, and hope I shall be perfectly satisfied with their advice. I do think, however, if they knew how earnestly I pant for the work, it would be impossible for them to withhold their ready acquiescence. O Lord, thou knowest my sincerity, and that if I go not to the work it will not be owing to any reluctance on my part! If I stay in England, I fear I shall be a poor useless drone; or if a sense of duty prompt me to activity, I doubt whether I shall ever know inward peace and joy again. O Lord, I am, thou knowest I am, oppressed; undertake for me! * his life, a singular submissiveness to the will of God; and what is worthy of notice, this disposition was generally most conspicuous when his own will was most counteracted. The justness of this remark is sufficiently apparent from his letter to Mrs. Pearce, of Nov. 13, 1794, after the decision of the committee; and the same spirit was carried into the common concerns of life. Thus, about a month afterwards, when his dear Louisa was ill of a fever, he thus writes from Northampton to Mrs. Pearce:December 13, 1794. "Nov. 5. At times, to-day, I have been reconciled MY DEAR SARAH-"I am just brought on the to the thought of staying if any brethren should so wings of celestial mercy safe to my Sabbath's staadvise; but at other times, I seem to think I could tion. I am well; and my dear friends here seem not. I look at brother Carey's portrait as it hangs healthy and happy: but I feel for you. I long to in my study, I love him in the bowels of Jesus know how our dear Louisa's pulse beats: I fear still Christ, and long to join his labors; every look calls feverish. We must not, however, suffer ourselves up a hundred thoughts, all of which inflame my de- to be infected with a mental fever on this account. sire to be a fellow-laborer with him in the work of Is she ill? It is right. Is she very ill?dying? the Lord. One thing, however, I am resolved up-choristers? It is all right, notwithstanding our It still is right. Is she gone to join the heavenly on, that, the Lord keeping me, if I cannot go abroad, I will do all I can to serve the mission at home. repinings-Repinings! no; we will not repine. "Nov. 7. This is the last day of peculiar devo- It is best she should go. It is best for her. This we tion before the deciding meeting. May I have must allow. It is best for us. Do we expect it? O strength to wrestle with God to-day for his wisdom what poor, ungrateful, short-sighted worms are we to preside in the committee, and by faith to leave Let us submit, my Sarah, till we come to heaven. if we do not then see that it is best, let us then com the issue to their determination. "I did not enjoy much enlargement in prayer today. My mind seems at present incapable of those sensations of joy with which I have lately been much indulged, through its strugglings in relation to my going or staying: yet I have been enabled to commit the issue into the hands of God, as he may direct my brethren, hoping that their advice will be agreeable to his will." The result of the committee meeting has already been related; together with the state of his mind, as far as could be collected from his letters, for some time after it. The termination of these tender and interesting exercises, and of all his other labors, in so speedy a removal from the present scene of action, may teach us not to draw any certain conclusion as to the designs of God concerning our future labors, from the ardor or sincerity of our feelings. He may take it well that "it was in our hearts to build him an house," though he should for wise reasons have determined not to gratify us. Suffice it, that in matters of everlasting moment he has engaged to "perfect that which concerns us." In this he hath condescended to bind himself, as by an oath, for our consolation; here, therefore, we may safely consider our spiritual desires as indicative of his designs: but it is otherwise in various instances with regard to present duty. CHAPTER III. His exercises and labors, from the time of his giving up the idea of There appears throughout the general tenor of plain. But why do I attempt to console? Perhaps S. P." In June, 1795, he attended the Association at Kettering, partly on account of some missionary business there to be transacted. That was a season of great joy to many, especially the last forenoon previous to parting. From thence he wrote to Mrs. Pearce as follows: "From a pew in the house of God, at Kettering, with my cup of joy running over, I address you by the hand of brother Simmons. Had it pleased Divine Providence to have permitted your accompa nying me, my pleasures would have received no small addition; because I should have hoped that you would have been filled with similar consolation, and have received equal edification by the precious means of grace on which I have attended. Indeed, I never remember to have enjoyed a public meeting to such a high degree since I have been in the habit of attending upon them. Oh that I may return to you, and the dear church of God, in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ! I hope, my beloved, that you are not without the enjoyment of the sweetness and supports of the bless ed gospel. Oh that you may get and keep near to God, and in him find infinitely more than you can possibly lose by your husband's absence! "Mr. Hall preached, last evening, from 1 Pet. i. 8. A most evangelical and experimental season! I was charmed and warmed. Oh that Jesus may go on to reveal himself to him as altogether lovely! I am unable to write more now. To-day, I set off for Northampton, and preach there to-night. The Lord bless you!" In July, 1795, he received a pressing invitation from The General Evangelical Society in Dublin, to pay them a visit, and to assist in diffusing the gos * See page 379. pel of the grace of God in that kingdom. To this invitation he replied in the following letter, address-terest in God's gracious and holy cause! How ed to Dr. McDowal Birmingham, August 3, 1795. "REV. AND DEAR SIR-I received your favor of the 22d ult. and for the interesting reason you assign, transmit a 'speedy answer.' The society, on whose behalf you wrote, I have ever considered with the respect due to the real friends of the best of causes the cause of God and of his Christ: a cause which embraces the most important and durable interests of our fellow-men; and your name, dear sir, I have been taught to hold in more than common esteem by my dear brother and father, Messrs. Birt and Francis. The benevolent institution which you are engaged in supporting, I am persuaded, deserves more than the good wishes or prayers of your brethren in the kingdom and patience of Jesus, on this side the channel; and it will yield me substantial pleasure to afford personal assistance in your pious labors. But, for the present, I am sorry to say, I must decline your proposal: being engaged to spend a month in London this autumn, on the business of our Mission Society, of which you have probably heard. "When I formed my present connections with the church in Birmingham, I proposed an annual freedom for six weeks from my pastoral duties; and should the 'Evangelical Society' express a wish for my services the ensuing year, I am perfectly inclined, God willing, to spend that time beneath their direction, and at what part of the year they conceive a visit would be most serviceable to the good design. I only request, that should this be their desire, I may receive the information as soon as they can conveniently decide, that I may withhold myself from other engagements, which may interfere with the time they may appoint. I entreat you to make my Christian respects acceptable to the gentlemen who compose the society, and assure yourself that I am, dear sir, respectfully and affectionately, Your brother in our Lord Jesus, "S. P." The invitation was repeated, and he complied with their request, engaging to go over in the month of June, 1796. A little before this journey, it occurred to Dr. Ryland, that an itinerating mission into Cornwall might be of use to the cause of true religion, and that two acceptable ministers might be induced to undertake it; and that if executed during the vacation at the Bristol academy, two of the students might supply their place. He communicated his thoughts to Mr. Pearce, who wrote thus in answer: May 30, 1796. "MY VERY DEAR BROTHER-I thank you a thousand times for your last letter. Blessed be God who hath put it into your heart to propose such a plan for increasing the boundaries of Zion. I have read your letter to our wisest friends here, and they heard it with great joy. The plan, the place, the mode, the persons-all, all meet our most affectionate wishes. How did such a scheme never enter our minds before! Alas, we have nothing in our hearts that is worth having, save what God puts, there. Do write to me when at Dublin, and tell me whether it be resolved on; when they set out, &c. I hope ere long to hear, that as many disciples are employed in Great Britain, as the Saviour employed in Judea. When he gives the word, great will be the company of the preachers. "Oh, my dear brother, let us go on still praying, contriving, laboring, defending, until the little leaven leaveneth the whole lump, and the small stone from the mountain fill the whole earth.' Number 13. "What pleasures do those lose who have no inthankful should we be, that we are not strangers to the joy which the friends of Zion feel when the Lord turneth again Zion's captivity. I am beyond expression, "Your affectionate brother in Christ, S. P." On May 31, he set off for Dublin, and "the Lord prospered his way, so that he arrived at the time appointed; and from every account it appears, that he was not only sent in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of peace, but that the Lord himself went with him. His preaching was not only highly acceptable to every class of hearers, but the word came from him with power, and there is abundant reason to believe, that many will, through eternity, praise God for sending his message to them by this dear ambassador of Christ. His memory lives in their hearts, and they join with the other churches of Christ, in deploring the loss they have sustained by his death. "He was earnestly solicited by the Evangelical Society to renew his visit to that kingdom in 1798. Ready to embrace every call of duty, he had signified his compliance; and the time was fixed; but the breaking out of the late rebellion prevented him from realizing his intention. This was a painful disappointment to many, who wished once more to see his face, and to have heard the glad tidings from his lips." Such is the brief account of his visit to Dublin, given by Dr. McDowal. The following letter was written to Mrs. Pearce, when he had been there a little more than a week: Dublin, June 31, 1796. "I long to know how you do, and you will be as much concerned to know how I go on at this distance from you. I haste to satisfy your inquiries. "I am in perfect health: am delightfully disappointed with the place and its inhabitants. I am very thankful that I came over. I have found much more religion here already than I expected to meet with during the whole of my stay. The prospect of usefulness is flattering. I have already many more friends (I hope Christian friends) than I can gratify by visits. Many doors are open for preaching the gospel in the city; and my country excursions will probably be few. Thus much for outline. "But you will like to know how I spend my time, &c. Well then: I am at the house of Mr. H. late high sheriff for the city: a gentleman of opu lence, respectability, and evangelical piety. He is of Dr. McDowal's church; has a most amiable wife, by profession a Cavinistic Presbyterian; an elder and four children. I am very thankful for being placed here during my stay. I am quite at home, I mean as to ease and familiarity; for as to style of living, I neither do, nor desire to equal it. Yet in my present situation it is convenient. It would, however, be sickening and dull, had I not a GOD to go to, to converse with, to enjoy, and to call my own. Oh, 'tis this, 'tis this, my dearest Sarah, which gives a point to every enjoyment, and sweetens all the cup of life. The Lord's day, after I wrote to you last, I preached for Dr. McDowal in the morning at half past eleven; heard a Mr. Kilburne at five; and preached again at Plunket street, at seven. On Tuesday evening, I preached at an hospital, and on Thursday evening, at Plunket street again. Yesterday, for the Baptists in the morning, Dr. McDowal at five, and at Plunket street at seven. "The hours of worship will appear singular to you: they depend on the usual meal times. We breakfast at ten; dine between four and five, some times between five and six; take tea from seven to | to God. On June the 20th he wrote to his friend, nine; and sup from ten to twelve. Mr. Summers, as follows: "I thank God that I possess an abiding determination to aim at the consciences of the people in every discourse. I have borne the most positive testimony against the prevailing evils of professors here: as sensuality, gaiety, vain amusements, neglect of the Sabbath, &c. and last night, told an immense crowd of professors of the first rank, that if they made custom and fashion their plea, they were awfully deluding their souls; for it had always been the fashion to insult God, to dissipate time, and to pursue the broad road to hell; but it would not le sen their torments there, that the way to damnation was the fashion.' "I expected my faithfulness would have given them offence; but I am persuaded it was the way to please the Lord, and those whom I expected would be enemies, are not only at peace with me, but even renounce their sensual indulgences to attend on my ministry. I do assuredly believe that God hath sent me hither for good. The five o'clock meetings are miserably attended in general. In a house that will hold 1,500 or 2,000 people, you will hardly see above fifty! Yesterday morning, I preached on the subject of public worship, from Psalm v. 7, and seriously wained them against preferring their bellies to God, and their own houses to his. I was delighted and surprised, at the five o'clock meeting, to see the place nearly full. Surely this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in my eyes. Never, never did I more feel how weak I am in myself-a mere nothing; and how strong I am in the omnipotence of God. I feel a superiority to all fear, and possess a conscious dignity in being the ambassador of God. Oh help me to praise, for it is he alone who teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight; and still pray for me; for if he withdraw for a moment, I become as weak and unprofitable as the briars of the wilderness. "You cannot think how much I am supported by the assurance that I have left a praying people at Birmingham; and I believe, that in answer to their prayers I have hitherto been wonderfully assisted in my public work, as well as enjoyed much in private devotion. "I have formed a most pleasing acquaintance with several serious young men in the university here, and with two of the fellows of the college; most pious gentlemen indeed, who have undergone a world of reproach for Christ and his gospel, and have been forbidden to preach in the churches by the archbishop; but God has raised another house for them here, where they preach with much success, and have begun a meeting in the college, which promises fresh prosperity to the cause of Jesus." "MY DEAR FRIEND-If you mean to abide by my opinion, I say, come to Dublin, and come directly! I have been most delightfully disappointed. I expected darkness, and behold light: sorrow, and I I came hither, and hope that many as well as myhave had cause for abundant joy. I thank God that self, will have cause to praise him. Never have I been more deeply taught my own nothingness; never hath the power of God more evidently rested upon me. The harvest here is great indeed; and the Lord of the harvest hath enabled me to labor in it with delight. I praise him for all that is past, I trust him for all that 's to come.' "The Lord hath of late been doing great things for Dublin. Several of the young men in the college have been awakened; and two of the fellows of a spirit serene as the summer evening, and sweet are sweet evangelical preachers. One of them is them, and have spent several mornings in college as the breath of May. I am already intimate with with various students, who bid fair to be faithful watchmen on Jerusalem's walls. But I hope you will come; and then you will see for yourself. If not, I will give you some pleasant details when we meet in England. S. P." Mr. Summers complied with this invitation; and of the last seven or eight days of Mr. Pearce's continuance at Dublin, he himself thus writes: 'Monday, July 4. At three in the afternoon, I went with my friend, Mr. Summers, to Mr. K's. Spent a very agreeable day. Miss A. Kremarked two wonders in Dublin; a praying society composed of students at college, and another of lawyers. The family were called together. We sung: I read, and expounded the xii. of Isaiah and prayed. At seven we went to a prayer meeting at Plunket street: very large attendance. Mr. Rand Mr. Sprayed, and I spoke from Rom. 1. 12, 13. There is no difference between the Jew and the Greek; for the same Lord over all is rich unto all who call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved.'Many seemed affected. After I had closed the opportunity, I told them some of my own experience, and requested, that if any present wished for conversation, they would come to me, either that evening, or on Thursday evening in the vestry. Five persons came in:--one had been long impressed with religion, but could never summons courage enough to open her heart before. Another, a Miss W——, attributed her first impression, under God, to my ministry; and told me that her father had regularly attended of late, and that her mother was so much alarmed as to be almost in despair. Poor girl! she seemed truly in earnest about her own soul, and as much concerned for her parents. The next had possessed a serious concern for some time, At his first arrival, the congregations were but and of late had been much revived. One young thinly attended, and the Baptist congregation in lady, a Miss H-, staid in the meeting house, exparticular, amongst whom he delivered several dis- ceedingly affec ed indeed. Mr. K-spoke to her courses. It much affected him to see the whole city-she said, she would speak with me on Thursday. given to sensuality and worldly conformity; and especially to find those of his own denomination amongst the lowest, and least affected with their condition. But the longer he continued, the more the congregations increased, and every opportunity became increasingly interesting, both to him and them. His faithful remonstrances, and earnest recommendations of prayer meetings to his Baptist friends, though at first apparently ill received, were well taken in the end; and he had the happiness to see in them some hopeful appearances of a return The following particulars, in addition to the above, are taken partly from some notes in his own hand-writing, and partly from the account given by his friend, Mr. Summers, who accompanied him during the latter part of his visits. Tuesday, 5th. Went to Leislip. At seven, preached to a large and affected auditory. "Wednesday, 6th. Mr. H—— and myself went to Mrs. McG, to inquire about the young lady who was so much affected at the meeting. Mrs. McG—— said, her mother and sister were pious; that she had been very giddy; but that last Lord's day she was seriously awakened to a sense of sin; had expressed her delight in religion, and fled for refuge to the blood of Jesus. Her sister was introduced to me; a sweetly pious lady. I agreed to 46 MEMOIRS OF REV. The young lady some months after wrote to Mr. SAMUEL PEARCE. 'The Lord grant unto him that he Monday, 11th. Met the dear Christian friends, Some time after, writing to his friend who accom- We ed on me in his way from Bath to Holyhead. During his labors in Dublin, he was strongly solicited to settle in a very flattering situation in the neighborhood;* and a very liberal salary was offered him. On his positively declining it, mention was made of only six months of the year. When that was declined, three months were proposed; and when he was about to answer this in the negative, the party refused to receive his answer, desiring him to take time to consider of it. He did so; and though he entertained a very grateful sense of the kindness and generosity expressed by the proposal, yet, after the maturest deliberation, he thought it his duty to decline it. Mr. Pearce's modesty prevented his talking on such a subject; but it was known at the time by his friend who accompanied him, and since his death, has been frequently mentioned as an instance of his disinterested spirit. His friends at Birmingham were ready to think it hard that he should be so willing to leave them to go on a mission among the heathen; but they could not well complain, and much less think ill of him, when they saw that such a willingness was more than could be effected by the most flattering prospects of a worldly nature, accompanied too with About a month after his return from Dublin, Mr. promising appearances of religious usefulness. Pearce addressed a letter to Mr. Carey, in which he gives some farther account of Ireland, as well as of some other interesting matters: Birmingham, Aug. 12, 1796. "Oh, my dear brother, did you but know with what feelings I resume my pen, freely to correspond with you after receiving your very affectionate letter to myself, and perusing that which you sent by the same conveyance to the society, I am sure you would persuade yourself that I have no common friendship for you, and that your regards are at least returned with equal ardor. "I fear (I had almost said) that I shall never see your face in the flesh; but if any thing can add to perfect conformity to him, will afford in heaven, the joy which the presence of Christ, and conformity, Lord's-day, 10. (The last Sabbath.) Preached surely the certain prospect of meeting with my dear in the morning at Mary's abbey, from Job xxxiii. brother Carey there, is one of (if not) the greatest. 27, 28. 'He looketh upon men, and if any say I Thrice happy should I be, if the providence of God have sinned, and perverteth that which was right, would open a way for my partaking of your labors, and it profited me not; he will deliver his soul from your sufferings, and your pleasures on this side the going into the pit, and his life shall see the light.'-eternal world: but all my brethren here are of a A happy season. In the afternoon, having dined with Mr. W. he took me to Swift's alley, the Baptist place of worship, where I gave an exhortation on brotherly love, and administered the Lord's -'s motion, the church resupper. At Mr. Wquested me to look out a suitable minister for them. mind, that I shall be more useful at home than abroad; and I, though reluctantly, submit. Yet I am truly with you in spirit. My heart is at Mudna * At the Black Rock, the residence of some of the most genteel families in the vicinity of Dublin. Datty, and at times I even hope to find my body there: but with the Lord I leave it; he knows my wishes, my motives, my regret: he knows all my soul; and, depraved as it is, I feel an inexpressible satisfaction that he does know it. However, it is an humbling thought to me, that he sees I am unfit for such a station, and unworthy such an honor as to bear his name among the heathen. But I must be thankful still, that though he appoints me not to a post in foreign service, he will allow me to stand sentinel at home. In this situation may I have grace to be faithful unto death! "I hardly wonder at your being pained on account of the effects produced on the minds of your European friends, by the news of your engagement in the indigo business, because I imagine you are ignorant of the process of that matter amongst us. When I received the news, I glorified God in sincerity, on account of it, and gave most hearty thanks to him for his most gracious appearance on your behalf: but at the same time I feared, lest through that undertaking, the work of the mission might in some way or other be impeded. The same impression was made on the minds of many others: yet no blame was attached, in our view, to you. Our minds were only alarmed for the future; not disposed to censure for the past. Had you seen a faithful copy of the prayers, the praises, and the conversation of the day in which your letters were read, I know you would not have entertained one unkind thought of the society towards you. Oh no, my dear brother, far be it from us to lay an atom upon your spirits of a painful nature. Need I say, we do love, we do respect you, we do confide too much in you to design the smallest occasion of distress to your heart. But I close this subject. In future we will atone for an expression that might bear a harsh construction. We will strengthen, we will support, we will comfort, we will encourage you in your arduous work, all, all shall be love and kindness; glory to God and good will to men. If I have done aught that is wrong, as an individual, pardon me: if we have said aught amiss, as a society, pardon us. Let us forbear one another in love, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven us. "By the time this reaches you, I hope you will have received Nos. I. and II. of Periodical Accounts. Should you find any thing in them, which you think had better be omitted, pray be free in mentioning it, and in future your instructions shall be fully attended to. We have taken all the pains, and used all the caution in our power to render them unexceptionable; but you can better judge in some respects than we. If you should not approve of all (though we are not conscious of any thing that you will disapprove) you will not be offended, but believe we have done our best, and with your remarks, hope to do better still. "With pleasure, approaching to rapture, I read the last accounts you sent us. I never expected immediate success: the prospect is truly greater than my most sanguine hopes. The kingdom of heaven is like to a little leaven hid in three measures of meal, till the whole is leavened.' Blessed be God! the leaven is in the meal, and its influence is already discoverable. A great God is doing great things by you. Go on, my dearest brother, go on: God will do greater things than these. Jesus is worthy of a world of praise and shall Hindostan not praise him? Surely he shall see of the travail of his soul there, and the sower and the reaper shall rejoice together. Already the empire of darkness totters, and soon it shall doubtless fall. Blessed be the laborers in this important work; and blessed be He who giveth them hearts and strength to labor, and promises that they shall not labor in vain! 66 Do not fear the want of money. God is for us, and the silver and the gold are his; and so are the hearts of those who possess the most of it. I will travel from the Land's end to the Orkneys but we will get money enough for all the demands of the mission. I have never had a fear on that head: a little exertion will do wonders; and past experience justifies every confidence. Men we only want; and God shall find them for us in due time. "Is brother Fountain arrived? We hope he will be an acceptable remittance, and, viva voce, compensate for the lack of epistolary communications. "I rejoice in contemplating a church of our Lord Jesus Christ in Bengal, formed upon his own plan. Why do not the Hindoo converts join it? Lord, help their unbelief! But perhaps the drop is now withheld, that you may by and by have the shower, and lift up your eyes, and say, These, whence came they? They fly as clouds, and as doves to their windows.' For three years, we read of few baptized by the first disciples of our Lord; but on the fourth, three thousand, and five thousand openly avowed him. The Lord send you such another Pentecost! "I intend to write my dear brother a long letter. It will prove my desire to gratify him, if it do no more. I wish that I knew in what communications your other correspondents will be most deficient: then I would try to supply their omissions. "I will begin with myself: but I have nothing good to say. I think I am the most vile ungrateful servant that ever Jesus Christ employed in his church. At some times, I question whether I ever knew the grace of God in truth; and at others, I hesitate on the most important points of Christian faith. I have lately had peculiar struggles of this kind with my own heart, and have often half concluded to speak no more in the name of the Lord. When I am preparing for the pulpit, I fear I am going to avow fables for facts, and doctrines of men for the truths of God. In conversation I am obliged to be silent, lest my tongue should belie my heart. In prayer I know not what to say, and at times think prayer altogether useless. Yet I cannot wholly surrender my hope, or my profession. Three things I find, above all others, tend to my preservation :First, A recollection of a time, when, at once. I was brought to abandon the practice of sins, which the fear of damnation could never bring me to relinquish before. Surely, I say, this must be the finger of God, according to the scripture doctrine of rege neration Secondly, I feel such a consciousness of guilt, that nothing but the gospel scheme can satisfy my mind respecting the hope of salvation:and Thirdly, I see that what true devotion does appear in the world, seems only to be found among those to whom Christ is precious. "But I frequently find a backwardness to secret prayer, and much deadness in it; and it puzzles me to see how this can be consistent with a life of grace. However, I resolve, that let what will become of me, I will do all I can for God while I live, and leave the rest to him; and this I usually experience to be the best way to be at peace. "I believe, that if I were more fully given up to God, I should be free from these distressing workings of mind; and then I long to be a missionary where I should have temptations to nothing but to abound in the work of the Lord, and lav myself entirely ont for him. In such a situation, I think pride would have but little food, and faith more occasion for exercise; so that the spiritual life, and inward religion would thrive better than they do now. "At times, indeed, I do feel, I trust, genuine contrition, and sincerely lament my short-comings before God. Oh the sweets that accompany true repentance! Yes, I love to be abased before God. |