to hear the biographer say, " Dr Doddridge was so deeply affected with the friendship expressed in this letter, and the divine consolations it administered, that there was reason to fear that his tender frame would have sunken under the emotions of his gratitude and joy."

From an affliction rendered pleasant by the consolations of God, and the friendship of the just, Mr. Darracott came forth like a giant refreshed with wine. It is not, indeed, surprising that such consolations as he enjoyed should feed the flames of his zeal, and suggest new modes of improving life to the utmost. To the ordinary addresses from the pulpit he added letters written to those whom his sermons had failed to impress, or whose impressions were but recent. Sometimes instead of sending, he would read them to those for whom they were intended; thus he gave a more solemn address than ordinary conversation allows, while yet he avoided the appearance of formal preaching. A letter written to a friend at this time developes the heart of a faithful pastor. "When I wrote last I think I told you I had buried a young convert God gave me, who died lately: that I preached his funeral sermon, and was desired to preach it again the Sabbath following. I did so, with renewed prayers that God would give us another to fill up the room of the deceased; and God

gave me great freedom to speak to young persons on the happiness of being in Christ. A young lady I saw was much affected. When I came home I found myself much impressed to pray for her in particular, and the next morning to write to her on the subject. I accordingly did, and in the evening having taken her up into my study, I read my letter to her, at which she wept much; I asked her whether she had not been impressed, and she told me, she had. This appeared remarkable to us both; for 'till this. time I had little thought of her, seeing her quite gay and unconcerned; and she owned, that 'till lately she had never been affected. Just upon this, even that very week, it pleased God, in order to establish and confirm the work, to bring dear Miss Baker to take up her abode at my house. I immediately acquainted her with it, and she was much surprised and delighted. The week after, a society was formed of females for private prayer."

"While I was writing this, I was called down to speak with Miss Norman, and to my great surprize found that she was come to talk with me about her soul, and wished particularly to be taken into communion. I find she has been under concern a long time, and blesses God she ever heard me: this is the more surprising, as D 3

the whole family has been very strange to us and is still."

It is not to be supposed that he laboured without opposition, or enjoyed success without affliction. The fruits of his labours were sometimes snatched from his hands by those who differed from him in some points, not however essential to a Christian's hopes: but what most grieved the affectionate soul of Darracott, was to see that those who had not won the converts from the world, could estrange their hearts from him who had.

Opposition of another kind too, tried whether his patience would keep pace with his zeal. He had been for some time in the habit of preaching at Langford, a village about two miles from Wellington. On one occasion, when accompanied by a number of his friends from the town, the congregation became so numerous, that he was obliged to stand at the door to afford to the whole company the benefit of the worship. Just before he began to preach, a neighbouring gen tleman came up at the head of a mob armed with clubs, swearing and threatening to fall upon him if he attempted to preach. Though Mr. Darracott assured this gentleman ricter that the house was registered, and that he was under the protection of the law, it only drew forth the

heroic declaration of not caring for the law. Mr. Darracott deemed it prudent, lest mischief should ensue, to desist from preaching at that time. He drew up an account of the affair, and threatened to prosecute, which intention he afterwards abandoned. This mode of opposition was not resorted to again. Those who in the heat of wine, at the head of a band of rioters, bid defiance to law and government, have usually too much tenderness for their persons, property, and honour coolly to risk a fine or a jail for the sake of venting their hatred to the preaching of the gospel. The reader will not be surprised to learn, that it was such a gentleman as opposed him on this occasion, who, on seeing Mr. Darracott pass by, pronounced this eulogium on him, "there goes a man who serves God as if the devil were in him." Thus the demons themselves were compelled to publish the Saviour's praise: "we know thee who thou art, the holy one of God." Indeed the praises which impiety has bestowed upon religion, would, if collected, form a volume of no small size or interest.

In the year 1745, Mr. Darracott felt, in common with most who were deeply interested in the welfare of religion, the most distressing alarms from the rebellion in the north. The progress of the Pretender brought to the view of the nonconformists the days when their fathers were

hunted into holes and corners, or immured in prisons. Their children were filled with horror at the prospect of the return of the Stuarts, whom they regarded as the sworn foes of liberty of conscience and pure religion.

This storm, however, which threatened to blast all his prospects of usefulness was soon blown over, and left Mr. Darracott to exchange the cry of danger, the prayer of faith, for the song of praise, and the grateful inquiry" what shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits?". The dread of speedy termination to his labours, taught him, indeed, to work while it was day, and his zeal was abundantly rewarded by seeing such crowds flock around his pulpit, as made it absolutely necessary to enlarge the place of worship, The sum which they proposed to expend was only a hundred pounds, but as this was one fourth of what the whole place had cost about twenty years before, it was also more than the slender finances of his congregation could afford; so that it became necessary for him to undertake the disagreeable task of travelling to collect among other societies. That they built, not merely to accommodate casual hearers, will be seen from an account of the increase of the church which he wrote about this time. It is dated "Nov. 11, 1747, the sixth anniversary of my ordination." He kept this as a day of fasting and prayer, a