to which he was appointed. It would have been impossible to find a station that was more exactly suited to his state and character. He possessed talents of a high order; but they were not fully called forth; nor was he aware of the improvement of which they were capable. But his mind was generous, and ready to surrender itself to the beneficial influences which were now brought to bear upon it. His superintendent was the Rev. Joseph Sutcliffe, a man of real genius, of admirable simplicity, of great mental activity, of a most kindly disposition, of literary habits, and thoroughly devoted to his work as a Methodist preacher. It was impossible that a person of Mr. Newton's character should be brought into direct and official intercourse with such a minister without deriving from him great intellectual and spiritual benefit.

The Howden Circuit at that time was of wide extent, embracing in its range a large number of country villages; in many of which chapels of various dimensions were erected, not remarkable in every instance for their architectural beauty; but they were neat and convenient, and the religious services which were held in them were of inestimable benefit to multitudes of people, who would otherwise have lived and died in a comparatively heathen state. In these villages there were many families of high respectability, who not only attended the Methodist ministry, but belonged to the societies; and, what is still more important, they enjoyed the salvation which that ministry is intended to expound, and were the subjects of that spiritual religion which the Methodist discipline is designed to conserve and foster. The heads of these families were wealthy farmers; and not a few of them were energetic and effective local preachers, who were accustomed, on the morning of the Lord's day, to take their horses, visit two or three villages or hamlets, preach the truth of God in strains which it "was a privilege to hear," and return in

the evening gladdened by the gospel which they had delivered, and by the heavenly influence which rested upon them.

These men were well acquainted with the Holy Scriptures, were somewhat extensively read in divinity, and therefore competent judges of good preaching, both as to matter and manner; so that to meet their just expectations required constant effort. Of this Mr. Newton was aware; and while their approval of his ministry was to him a source of encouragement, it was no less a powerful stimulus to diligence in his pulpit-preparations, and to a godly fervor and earnestness in his public labors. The generous hospitality of the wealthy friends in the circuit was to him no snare. His moderation was known unto all men; he grew in grace; his pious zeal knew no languor; and perhaps no man ever made a more marked and sensible improvement in theological knowledge, and in the power of expounding the great principles of revealed truth, so as to instruct and impress his congregations, than he did at this period of his life. His preaching retained. an undiminished freshness and popularity. He proposed to himself a high standard of Christian and ministerial excellence, and spared no pains to realize all that his heart desired. As if he had foreknown that the time was hastening on when almost every day would be occupied in public service, he was, in these earlier years of his ministry, indefatigable in his application to study, especially with a direct reference to the duties of the pulpit, in which he was most anxious to excel. He was "diligent in prayers, and in reading of the Holy Scriptures, and in such studies as help to the knowledge of the same, laying aside the study of the world and the flesh."

During his residence in the Howden Circuit, he entered upon the study of the French language; in the knowledge of which his superintendent had attained to a proficiency, and was then engaged in translating into English,

Professor Ostervald's treatise on the "Exercise of the Christian Ministry." Mr. Newton doubtless hoped to form an acquaintance with the published sermons of the most distinguished of the French preachers, whose fame at that time was loudly proclaimed by the English press.*

* Among the French Protestant preachers, Saurin takes the lead. His sermons are orthodox, eloquent, argumentative, and contain many faithful and awful warnings addressed to the consciences of ungodly men; but they present very defective views of the office and work of the Holy Spirit under the evangelical economy: they fail to point out, with clearness and force, the manner in which the benefits of Christ's redemption are to be sought and obtained by those who feel their guilt and sin; and, at the same time, they are often offensively pompous in their manner.

As to the sermons of the principal French preachers belonging to the papal communion, they are finished specimens of what genius and art can produce. In their matter and substance, they are moral essays, in which the vanity of worldly pleasure, and the evil of particular vices, are exposed, and religious duty is enforced by the solemnities of death and judgment. But they do not embody the truths of THE GOSPEL which our Saviour sent His apostles to preach. It is reported of Massillon, one of the most distinguished of this class of orators, that he once gave in the pulpit such a graphic description of the day of judgment, that his hearers all rose from their seats, imagining that the judgment had already begun. This feat has often been referred to as the triumph of pulpit eloquence; but was it not rather the triumph of histrionic art? The true end of preaching is the salvation of the people. The Parisians, who were so affected under the oratory of Massillon, only rose from their seats to sit down again. They were not shown the way to Christ as their Saviour, that they might be prepared to meet Him as their Judga, and stand before Him with boldness and joy. Nothing but THE GOSPEL, the complete GosPEL, meets the wants of fallen men; and the sermons which do not contain this, whether delivered from the pulpit or the press, are of comparatively little value as to the great design of preaching. Of this fact no man had a deeper conviction than Robert Newton, when age, experience, observation, and prayer had matured his judgment.

Of his preaching and personal appearance at this time, the Rev. Barnabas Shaw, now an aged missionary in South Africa, gives the following account, in a private letter, which bears the date of July 10th, 1854, and was addressed to Dr. Beecham :-"When I was about thirteen years of age, I heard Mr. Newton preach a funeral sermon in the old Presbyterian chapel, South Cave, which was perhaps never so well warmed either before or since. South Cave, and Elloughton, my native place, were then in the Howden Circuit. Though a mere boy, I felt proud of the preacher, and thought him one of the finest-looking men I ever saw. His voice charmed me exceedingly. He preached also, I remember, in the barn of Mr. Thompson, of Armin, who at that time was a gay and thoughtless man; but heard as for eternity, and became a man of decided piety. He soon ranked with the first-rate local preachers in that circuit,-the Bells of Portington, the Simpsons of Spaldington, the Clarksons of Holme, the Lavaracks of Swinefleet, and others. Mr. Thompson was one of the best Christians I ever knew; one of the kindest men in the universe; and one of the most useful in his local sphere of labor. He would ride in the depths of winter, through rain, and hail, and snow, to attend his appointment at any small village, with the greatest delight; and his labors were not in vain." Mr. Shaw might have mentioned many other honored names of parties who were at that time connected with Methodism in the Howden Circuit, especially the Blanshards of CavilHall, and the Woods of North Cave.

Some further notice of a man so distinguished as Mr. Thompson is requisite in this place. He was, in respect of piety and usefulness, all that Mr. Shaw has described him; but Mr. Newton was not the only instrument of his conversion. Two ladies in the Howden Circuit, who had been turned to God by means of Mr. Newton's preaching, were

deeply concerned for the people of Armin, whose spiritual interests were greatly neglected. They requested Mr. Newton to preach there, and obtained the promise of a barn to be used on the occasion; but when the appointed time arrived, the barn was refused. The case was stated to Mr. Thompson, who was then an ungodly and thoughtless young man; and he instantly offered the use of his barn for the service, and directed his men to prepare it with all haste. Mr. Newton preached. Mr. Thompson attended, heard the truth, and was deeply impressed by it, but did not at once receive Christ as his Saviour. When Mr. Newton left the circuit, he was succeeded by the Rev. John Brown, a young man of extraordinary zeal and energy, who introduced regular preaching into Armin, formed a society there, and was a means of leading Mr. Thompson to Christ, by whose grace the man of worldliness and gayety was made a new creature, and an active agent in the Christian cause. Mr. Brown was likely to become a man of leading influence in the Methodist connection; but, by a mysterious providence, he died at an early period of his public labors, so that his brilliant career was of short duration. A friendship, tender and permanent, was formed between Mr. Thompson and Mr. Newton, who was accustomed to visit Armin from year to year, and witness in that small village such liberality in the cause of missions as was scarcely ever surpassed.

Mr. Newton's ministry and character were so highly appreciated in the Howden Circuit, as well as those of his esteemed superintendent, that the Conference was induced to appoint them both to that station a third year. Mr. Wesley had made provision for triennial appointments, in the powers which he conferred upon the Conference; yet they were then regarded with jealousy, so that they but seldom took place. The appointment of so young a man to remain a third in

year