OUT OF WEAKNESS HE WAS MADE STRONG. 123

ragement of others, and for the glory of the Lord. The time of dissolution must come. For myself, I have not the shadow of a choice, when, how, nor where. I leave it to the Lord. If my Saviour smiles upon upon death. Is not Jesus infinitely wise? Has he not died for us? Why not then trust him to order all for the best?

me, I know I shall smile

'I welcome all thy sovereign will,

For all that will is love;

And when I know not what thou dost,
I wait the light above.'

"Your's in gospel love,

"JOHN STANFORD."

About the commencement of April, Mr. Stanford was seized with a severe affection of the lungs, which induced him to hesitate about preaching the three allotted sermons, and to administer the Lord's supper, on the following Sabbath. Nevertheless he ventured to proceed in the strength of the Lord; and in the evening he was much relieved, and remarked to a friend: It is best to go on, whether the road be rough or smooth."

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Of Mr. Stanford it may unhesitatingly be affirmed, that upon earth he sought not for repose. He had adopted, as his own, the sentiment

"Life is the scene of combat, not of rest,
Man's is laborious happiness at best;

On this side death his labours never cease,
His joys are joys of conquest, not of peace."

In the month of June he attended the Warwick Association, to whom, by appointment, he preached the introductory discourse, from 1 Corinthians xv. 58 "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord,

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MINISTERIAL QUALIFICATIONS.

forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord." Referring to this meeting, he observes: "If seasons of Christian fellowship upon earth are so sweet, O what will be the communion of saints in heaven!" Appended to the notes of the sermon used on this occasion, there are the following important remarks, worthy the attention of every clerical reader: "O how ought the man who undertakes to preach the gospel to others, himself to be deeply impressed with the awful reality of the subject! He should go forth from the presence of the Lord, feeling the weight of the divine messages of truth, possessed of an ardent zeal for the salvation of sinners, and the increase of the visible church of Christ, and at the same time be very conscious of his own extreme unworthiness and responsibility to God.”

In August he took his annual journey to the southward, and visited Burlington, where he preached four times, and enjoyed much satisfaction in once more meeting his old friends. From thence he rode to Philadelphia, and preached on the evening of the 24th, to a numerous congregation, in the Independent tabernacle, at that time the largest and most commodious place of worship in the city. Several larger and equally elegant buildings have since been erected for the accommodation of different denominations, especially the Circular Baptist meeting-house, in Sansom-street, which is ninety feet diameter, and will contain upwards of three thousand persons. During this visit Mr. Stanford preached to the church in Southwark, and in the absence of their pastor, received seven persons into their fellowship by prayer and the laying on of hands, which is still the practice of the churches in the Philadelphia Association. Stanford also visited and preached to the churches in Holmesburg, Southampton, Lower-Dublin, and Trenton; after which he returned to this city; not to rest, but to labour.

Mr.

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October 20, being his birth-day, was spent in humiliation, prayer, and thanksgiving; renewing the dedication of himself to the will and service of that good and gracious God, who had crowned his life with tender mercies.

In the month of November, several ministers in the city agreed to establish a monthly lecture, to be preached alternately in their different places of worship, as a means of promoting brotherly union and affection. Mr. Stanford was requested to deliver the first discourse, which he did in the presence of a large audience, from Psalm cxxxiii. This interesting monthly service continued for several years, not unaccompanied with the blessing of heaven.

The last evening of this year he delivered a discourse in the Moravian church, entitled "The Close of the Year, an Emblem of the Death and Burial of an old Friend," from 2 Corinthians v. 17-"Old things are passed away."

This year was rendered memorable in the life of Mr. Stanford, by the re-publication of an evangelical tract, entitled "The Way of Salvation;" of which, by the aid of a few benevolent gentlemen, he was enabled to publish, and gratuitously to distribute, chiefly with his own hand, another edition, consisting of five thousand copies.

If to stand foremost in the ranks of those who go about doing good, be indeed an honour, then to Mr. Stanford does that honour belong in no ordinary degree. The following communications will show that he was probably the first person in New-York, if not in America, who made a systematic effort for the publication and circulation of religious tracts. this important department, it will appear from the subsequent pages, that he continued to labour with great acceptance until near the close of his useful life.

In

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LETTER TO REV. WILLIAM HALLOCK.

The following communications upon this subject, are inserted in this place without reference to date.

"DEAR SIR,

"Agreeably to your request, I send you the following statement of the origin of tracts in this city. In the year 1794, impressed with the utility of such paper messengers to the ignorant and the miserable, I sought the guidance of the Lord, and was assisted to compose a tract of eight pages, on The Way of Salvation.' I know not, that any Tract Society existed at that time in America, nor that in any private way such papers had been distributed in this city by any person before. One thousand copies of this tract were printed at the joint expense of three private friends and myself, and by us distributed gratuitously. It is believed the Lord blessed this first effort to many.

Shortly after this time (the exact date I did not record,) the Rev. Mr. Peters, of the Moravian Church, three private friends, and myself, associated ourselves for the purpose of forming a society for promoting Christian knowledge and piety among the poor and lower classes of society, by making and distributing tracts, &c.; and it was likewise hoped, we should be able to procure Testaments for the same purpose. The plan was formed--all the ministers in the city, with other pious persons, were invited to co-operate, and the work for a short time went on prosperously; but circumstances soon occured which quashed the whole, and the Tract and Bible Society were left for other hands to form at a future period.

"During the last war I published and distributed two small tracts at my own expense; one on Profane Swearing;' the other, on The Importance of Social Prayer, during the Calamity of War.' Both these were afterwards copied into several of the public papers.

LETTER TO C. G. S.

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"On the establishment of peace, I published a tract on The Lord's Day. By the liberal aid of a few friends, five thousand copies of this tract were printed for gratuitous distribution. "I am, dear Sir, "Your's respectfully,

“ To the Rev. William Hallock.”

"DEAR C. G. S.

"JOHN STANFORD.

“The tract I named to you, on The Way of Salvation,' printed about thirty-three years ago, was probably the first religious tract published in this city for gratuitous distribution. Dr. Peter Wilson, Gerret H. Van Wagenen, Henry Ten Brock, and others, aided the press; and since that time five thousand copies have been printed.

"I enclose two copies of tracts; one on The Lord's Day,' which, at the time, was well received, and a poetic commendation of it was published in the city newspaper by some unknown hand. The other, on Profane Swearing,' differs from the tract in circulation, called The Swearer's Prayer.'

Mine was intended to find its way among the higher classes of society.

"The Directory to the Holy Scriptures,' for the use of prisoners, cost me much labour, and was published chiefly at my own expense. One of the same description, for the use of hospitals and alms-houses, might do good. I have commenced one of the kind, for seamen, but it is not yet finished.

"I have thought of two tracts, for which I have prepared some materials, viz.- The Lord of the Sabbath Day,' and The Self-Destroyer.' Perhaps, if the Lord should help, I may put them together, and send them to your hand some time hence.

"I am now finishing a piece on a subject which probably never entered into any other persons head.