Gospel, which is the work of God's mind, infidels should first try their hands on the work of God's fingers. He imagined a number of infidels assembling in the Vale of Towy in the month of May, and doing their utmost to prevent the growth of the grass; the grass would grow notwithstanding their efforts, the sun would shine manifesting God, and the clouds would drop rain, every drop saying in effect to unbelieving man, Do not deny my Father.""

"I recollect Hugh Roberts once repeating to me," said John, "what Mr. Evans, of Llwynffortun, said in this chapel many years ago. He was speaking about those who doubted whether Christians would ever attain unto perfection, and pointing to this very field in which the green corn was just appearing above the ground, he said: -'As well might you entertain doubts as to whether that field of wheat will ever become fit for the sickle. I know that it will have to encounter bleak winter, with its nipping frosts, its howling tempests, and deluging rains. I know that the unfriendly east wind will blow harshly over it, but despite all this I dare promise there will be a glorious crop. For did I not hear the earth, the sun, and the clouds enter into a solemn league and covenant that they would take charge of it until it was fit for the reaper? 'I will nestle it in my bosom,' said the earth; and I,' said the mist-cloud, will spread a counterpane of white driven snow over it to keep it warm;' 'and I,' said the sun, 'when the 'balmy spring' shall set in, will visit it with my fructifying beams;' and we,' said the clouds, will water it with showers;' and thus, through the joint agencies of earth, sun, and shower, that field of wheat, which has now only just sprouted, shall become a waving, goldeneared crop, gladdening the heart of the hard-working husbandman. Equally sure is it, my precious souls, that the Christians will be made ripe for heaven; for heard I

not all things' on earth solemnly engage 'to work together for their good?' and heard I not the Keeper of Israel, who neither slumbereth nor sleepeth,' swear by His unchangeableness, I will never leave them, I will never forsake them?' and heard I not the Sun of Righteousness' say 'I will visit them with my beams?' and heard I not the Holy Spirit promise, 'I will be to them as the early and latter rain,' and 'as the dew?' and thus, through the united influences of earth and heaven, Christians shall be made white unto harvest,' and shall be gathered in amidst the triumphant shoutings of gladsome reapers.'”

Soon the harvesters entered heartily upon their work. As the day advanced the sun beat down with concentrated heat upon them, and scarcely a breeze passed into the narrow glen, yet they seldom paused save when they withdrew for refreshments. During these intervals John and Shadrach resumed the talk about the preachers they had heard in the chapel at the foot of the hill.

"Many a time, John, have we heard old Mr. David Evans preach there," said Shadrach. "Ah, he was one of the wittiest men that ever lived. He made people laugh and cry the same minute. That was an extraordinary sermon of his on Jonah, wasn't it?"

"Yes," said John, "and that on The Deluge,† when he talked about the different creatures going to the ark."

The two old friends continued cross-questioning each other:-"Do you remember Mr. Ambrose, of Portmadoc, preaching that wonderful sermon about The Women standing by the Cross, or Mathetes' on The Dead Flies, or Dr. Ellis Evans on the Man of Macedonia ?"

"Ah, John," said Shadrach, "there's a danger of becoming too familiar with sacred things. I shall never forget a story I heard Mr. Benjamin Thomas, the Methodist * Rev. David Evans, of Ffynonhenry. + See Appendix.

minister, give about a blacksmith's dog. He said that the dog used to spend most of his time in the smithy, and that he got used to the fire. Other dogs came, and the moment the sparks flew they ran away in terror, but the smith's dog would sleep in the midst of all undisturbed. He would scarcely leave the smithy, but used to stay in it all night. One night the smithy caught fire, and the dog lost his life in the conflagration. How many of you hearers,' asked the preacher, have got too familiar with the warnings of the Gospel? Many others have taken warning, but you sleep amid the sparks.""

The sun was drawing near its setting. Its slanting rays brought into relief the deep furrows on the brow of the opposite hill which looked with lofty disdain upon the humble toilers below. A gentle breeze arose, which, shepherd-like, drove before it a flock of fleecy clouds. Then there was a lull, and the clouds seemed to pause and congregate in the far west round the setting sun. There was a holy calm as the evening drew on and the shadows gathered. The weary harvesters left the field for their evening repast in the homely farm-house. John looked at the towering hill as in the peaceful hush he passed out of the field, and said to Shadrach, "The mountains shall bring peace to the people.' How true that is! And again. The mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord, that hath mercy on thee.' Ah, there's a great deal of Gospel, Shadrach, written on these old mountains and hills."

What the old friends further said on that and many subsequent evenings must now be left untold. If what has been repeated receive a kindly hearing that will be an encouragement to tell more at some future time.

APPENDATORY.

The following selections are appended in order to illustrate more fully than could be done in the preceding pages some of the leading characteristics of the Welsh pulpit.

Characteristics of Welsh Preaching.

By the REV. J. R. KILSBY JONES, Llanwrtyd Wells.

HE influence of the pulpit in Wales, in telling beneficially upon the masses. of the people, originated unquestionably with the founders of Calvinistic Methodism; and properly dates from the time when they laboured, which was the middle of the last century. Most of these excellent and energetic men, "of whom the world was not worthy," were originally attached to the Church of England, at whose altar they ministered for a season, and would probably have continued to serve, had not its secularized spirit and morbid dread of innovation denied them range for their enterprising measures. The few dissenting ministers that were to be found at that time were in general formal and dry, and stood much in need of the fire and zeal of such men as Howell Harris, Daniel Rowland, and other kindred spirits. And they caught to a considerable extent the contagion of their holy and

NOTE.-The above essay, which appeared twenty-one years ago in The Homilist, has been placed at my disposal with characteristic heartiness by its gifted writer. I accept it gratefully as by far the ablest contribution I have seen on the subject, and as strikingly corroborative of much that is contained in the preceding pages.-D. D.

W