CHAPTER IX.

HE COMMENCES HIS CHAPLAINCY IN THE CITY-HOSPITALLABOURS IN THE UNITED STATES MILITARY-HOSPITALPUBLISHES A CATECHISM-VARIOUS SERVICES TO THE END OF 1814.

JULY 1st. Lord's day. At eight o'clock this morning, Mr. Stanford preached his first sermon, as the regularly appointed chaplain, in the City-Hospital, from Psalm xli. 3-" The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing: thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness." Blind George, from the Alms-House, conducted the singing with his accustomed animation.

On the morning of the Tuesday following, he visited the institution, conversing and praying with the patients in twelve of the wards, as their cases appeared to require. After returning home, he made this note in his diary:-"O my Heavenly Father, how great the tenderness, compassion, and faithfulness, which will be required to perform such visits with propriety and success: all my hope is in the Lord!"

The following quotation from his diary, presents another instance of the laborious services of Mr. Stanford as a minister of the gospel, worthy of that good cause to which he had devoted the energies of his useful life. It is due to his memory to say, that this is not selected as an uncommon instance of his untiring zeal, but rather as a specimen of what frequently occurred in the discharge of his ministerial duties.

"Lord's day. Morning, at half past eight, preached in the City-Hospital, and afterwards prayed with a sick patient. Preached in the State-Prison chapel at

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ten o'clock, and visited the sick in the prison hospital at noon. Preached again to the prisoners in the afternoon, and immediately walked to the MagdalenHouse, and preached another sermon, and in the evening preached in the Alms-House. The Lord graciously assisted me this day in these five sermons, and other duties; and as the heat was at eighty-seven, I am the more thankful for his aid, and hope a blessing will succeed my feeble efforts."

On the following Thursday, after performing an equal amount of ministerial labour, he walked to the United States Military-Hospital, about half a mile from the prison, where he was kindly received by Mr. Jones, the superintendent, and spent some time in conversing and praying with the sick and dying. Mr. Jones informed him that no minister had ever visited the patients before, and earnestly entreated him to become their spiritual guide. With this request he promised to comply as far as practicable. After leaving the Military Hospital, he closed the day by performing divine service in the Magdalen-House.

Friday, the 12th of July, Mr. Stanford again visited the City-Hospital, where he found a poor sufferer who had been shot through the body, and had several pieces of his ribs extracted through the orifice of the wound. His mind, however, was very tranquil, and looking for the mercy of the Lord Jesus. In another ward lay a man who had fallen from the top of a main-mast to the deck; his arms were both broken, and his eye and jaw most dreadfully injured. With this man, Mr. Stanford had an interesting conversation, as also with two of his shipmates then present, who had witnessed the accident, and recited to him. the attending circumstances. While he was speaking to the patient of the sparing mercy of God to him, and showing how great was that love which prevented his being dashed into an awful eternity, his companions appeared much affected, even unto tears.

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GRATEFUL SAILORS.

There is perhaps no other spectacle upon the earth more interesting than to see the hardy sons of the ocean melting and weeping under the sound of a preached gospel. They have heard, unmoved, the foaming billows roar, and the maddening battle thunder has failed to alarm them. But the voice of mercy possesses an energy, which mere human bravery has no ability to resist. To these men, as well as to the sick, Mr. Stanford stated the necessity of an interest in the pardoning blood, and renewing grace of the Lord Jesus, to prepare them for death and eternity. When it was proposed to return thanks to God for preserving the life of their friend, they expressed their approbation in a singularly pleasing manner; after which, with all the frankness of warm-hearted sailors, they gave him a hearty shake of the hand, and returned him their thanks.

After this interview, he accompanied the matron, for the first time, to the ward appropriated for unfortunate females. One young woman was in a very deplorable situation, and it was with great difficulty he could understand what she said, as her criminal course had nearly destroyed the power of speech. During the conversation, in which Mr. Stanford faithfully described the dreadful condition of her soul, he discovered the names of her parents, and knew them to be people of great respectability. This unhappy young woman had been seduced into the paths of vice, by one of those monsters in human shape, who, under the guise of affection and flattering promises, too frequently, alas! in an unguarded moment, succeed in destroying for ever the virtue and the peace of their unsuspecting and too confiding female victim.

Thursday, the 18th, Mr. Stanford visited eleven wards in the Alms-House, and conversed with a number of very sick and aged people. Nearly all of them were desirous to have worship performed in their respective rooms. As far as possible to gratify this

A MAGDALEN RECLAIMED.

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wish of the aged and infirm, he made arrangements to continue the Lord's day evening lectures, alternately in the two lower wards, adjoining the hall; and on Tuesday evening to perform divine service in the upper rooms. It may not be improper to say, that at these services, especially on the Sabbath evening, a number of respectable citizens frequently attended. Blind George always conducted the singing; for which Mr. Stanford allowed him a small compensation.

Inscrutable are the ways of God-his judgments are unsearchable. Mr. Stanford had no sooner returned from the Alms-House, and sat down to dinner, than he was seized with a violent fever, which confined him to his chamber for many days, and left but little hope of his recovery, nevertheless, the Lord delivered him from death. As soon as he became convalescent, he accepted the affectionate invitation of his tried friend, Divie Bethune, Esq. to spend a few days at his country-seat. This desirable change of air proved highly beneficial, and in a short time he was again enabled to visit the sick in the State-Prison hospital. This he was the more anxious to do, that he might converse with J. R-, who had recently become much distressed about the concerns of his soul.

On the following day, though with great difficulty, he walked to the Magdalen-House, and conversed with one of the unfortunate young women, who was in great distress of mind. This individual was, it is hoped, subsequently restored by-the Lord to the paths of virtue and godliness. If so, O how great the satisfaction which such an event must afford those benevolent individuals who originated the institution!

Monday, the 2d of August, he thus remarks:"The public institutions not requiring the whole of my attention to-day, I visited several, what I call, out-door patients. One was the widow of the late Captain Dobson, who was blown up with the vessel

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HAPPY DEATH OF J. R.

I found her, as ex

called "The Little Teazer." pected, almost overwhelmed with grief; but she received my instructions with cordiality, and earnestly requested a repetition of my visits."

Thursday, the 5th. In the morning he performed divine service in the Magdalen-House, and in the afternoon, attended the sick in the State-Prison. J. R, the penitent prisoner was very low, and could just say, so as to be heard, "My heart is happy, trusting in my God." Mr. Stanford prayed with him for the last time-he died that afternoon, rejoicing in the hope of eternal life.

While in the City-Hospital, on the 12th of August, Mr. S. was requested to visit a young man, who was supposed to be dying. An aged person, said to be his father, was sitting by his side, and when Mr. Stanford inquired of the patient the state of his mind, the old man interrupted him by saying, My son does not To this Mr. S.

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want any one to speak to him." replied, that he came to discharge his duty to the sick in the hospital. After a few minutes of silence, the father very abruptly replied, "I do not believe that God made any of his creatures to damn them." My friend," said Mr. S. "I do not mean to enter into controversy with you, but I am fully persuaded that we all have sin enough to condemn us." At this the sick young man twisted the corner of his blanket round his head, and refused to hear any more upon the subject. It was afterwards ascertained that the father and son were both confirmed deists. In another ward he found a young man approaching death, who was very sensible of his sins, and implored the mercy of God. So true is it, that God hath mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth," by leaving them to follow their own delusions.

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The following Sabbath he preached in the morning at eight o'clock in the City-Hospital, and at half past