channel down either cheek, presenting the only points of native hue. "We had a sad tue (work) with him," said Crister; "we laboured with him about an hour; but he got the blessing at last ;—and there was no need for him to tell us, for we saw it beaming through his black face."

He was not only a "nursing father" to the "babe in Christ," and manifested a general concern for the salvation of sinners, but he directed his attention to particular persons, and made one appeal after another, till they bowed before his importunities and his prayers. Mr. R. having received a female into his service, who was a stranger to vital religion, obliged her to conform to the Christian usages of the family. She made her boast that she would never become a Methodist. Crister soon found her out, and having been subjected to a few of his appeals, she at length fled from the kitchen to an out-house, on his approach. But before three weeks had elapsed, she yielded to the force of conviction, like the tree to the storm, and entered the class which met in the house, in order to secure that repose of which she had so long lived in a state of destitution.

While thus pursuing sinners by his exhortations and prayers, he once remarked with great tenderness," Aye, if they only knew, poor things, the happiness we enjoy, they would be good too;" adding, with greater ardour, "Why, I would lend them mine;" and then subjoining with his usual acuteness,-"But then, I should never get it back again :" thus showing his

distrust of human nature, and the high value he fixed upon his religious enjoyments-considering it enough only to taste the happiness of Heaven, in order to induce a person to maintain his hold of the cup of blessing, and sedulously to seek after an increase of the grace of God.

In the midst of a revival of the work of God, he was rarely otherwise than in his glorymoving about with the briskness and pleasurable feeling of a person prospering in business. On seeing a number of persons, both old and young, brought under a serious concern for the salvation of their souls at Carville, he wept, he prayed, he rejoiced, and felt something of the struggling spirit of an Apostle, when he said, "My little children, of whom I travail in birth, until Christ be formed in you." The whole valley, which had been filled for some time with little else but "dry bones," began at length to heave with life. This vision was apparently present with Crister one night, while engaged in a prayermeeting; and labouring to give expression to the conceptions of his mind on the subject, he became bankrupt in words; to preserve the feeling, however, he rebounded, and caught hold of the circumstances of the times,-praising God for the glorious work he was carrying on, saying, "It was like calling in the old coins, and sending out new;"-the coinage of the realm undergoing an actual change at the period, and occasioning general gladness, as is usual, among all ranks in society-every one trying to obtain a sight, and to keep possession of a piece of the first issue.

CHAPTER IV.

Lovefeast-Addresses-Enlargement of Soul-Caution in Reference to Lovefeasts-Preparation for Heaven, under the Similitude of Waiting for a Stage Coach-His Use of Scripture Narrative-Occasional Conduct in Lovefeasts and Fellowship-meetings-The Recognition of Saints in Heaven—Is a Publisher of Glad-tidings-A characteristic Stroke on PreachingHis Love of Christian Ministers-Imposes Silence on false Reasoning—Wild-fire-the Superiority of Deeds to Words-Encouragement to ExpectantsLife, a Journey-Sudden Illumination-The ready Reception of a Blessing-Comprehensive Views_ Perseverance and Malignity of Satan―The Destruction of Sin, necessary to religious Prosperity-Power over the Devil.

SOME of his Love-feast addresses are interspersed throughout the other pages of the work; but a few of them demand greater prominency. It was not long after his conversion to God, before he became distinguished on those festal occasions, and among some of his earlier essays, when attending one at North Shields about 1815, at which Mr. R. Wilson, of Newcastle, was present, he observed, "I was up this morning at 4 o'clock, praying to God for a good love-feast to-day; and aye, friends, he filled me so full of love, that I could scarcely contain myself. A thought struck me-Why, when religion prospers among a people, they immediately set to work to raise a chapel ; and,

on finding the good cause on the increase, the next thing they do is, to erect a gallery for the accommodation of the hearers. O, I thought, while God was blessing me this morning, what a still greater blessing it would be, if he were not only to enlarge my heart, but build a gallery in it, for the accommodation of himself for still greater degrees of divine love." Religious characters may not unfrequently have been thrown in the way of that phrase "Lord, withhold thy hand, or enlarge the vessel!" but this is perhaps the first instance of a "gallery" being presented to their observation. And yet, at first sight,-a mere conceit as it may seem, it is in perfect keeping with the language of inspiration, where the apostle asks "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the spirit of God dwelleth in you?" stating elsewhere," Ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people." It was not a "vessel"—such as might be taken in the hand, that could at all comport with the enlarged conceptions of this child of the mine, whose thoughts-while his hands were engaged with the coal, were as frequently and closely employed in mining among the gold and the diamonds of every thing excellent in nature and religion ;-no, he reposed on something more capacious ;-he proceeded to the magnificent temple-not only galleried at the end, but from side to side-pew added to pew, and seat rising beyond seat-towering, ample, and full

-affording at once a fit emblem of the capabilities of the human soul, in its endless progress in knowledge, holiness, and happiness, and of the infinite goodness of God, from whose "fulness" the christian receives "6 grace for grace," or, in other words, grace after grace -blessing added to blessing-one blessing upon another. On one occasion, he was so completely overpowered with the joys of religion, that he exclaimed, "Withhold thy hand, Lord, or the vessel will burst." "You should have prayed for an enlargement of the vessel," said the late Mr. Bramwell, who was standing by at the time.

It is not surprising, that his presence should be courted on such occasions; and accordingly, we find him sent for from Edmondbyers, Hexham, Morpeth, and other places,-a practice, by the way, which is not to be recommended. In ninety cases out of every hundred, it might not only be injurious in its effects, to the individual himself, but would be sure to destroy the influence of God upon the meeting-leading to certain preparations and exhibitions, which would terminate in self-inflation, embarrassment, or something worse. A love-feast is chiefly for the society in the place; and the speaking there should be the spontaneous overflowings of the soul: hence it is, that almost every society has its love-feast; and finer strokes of native eloquence have been heard in those meetings, than are frequently found to grace the pulpit. In Crister's case-if allowed at all, it must be admitted as an exception; and no