HIS CONGREGATION DISPERSED. 83 received from its inhabitants. In the mean time, the destruction of his place of worship, led to the dispersion of the church and congregation, and most of the members considered it to be their duty to unite with the other Baptist churches in the city. Thus by the will of God, his many years labour and anxiety in relation to the church, vanished in an hour, and he was called in Providence to appropriate the language of David—“ Thou hast showed me hard things: thou hast made me to drink the wine of astonishment." As a pastor he had for many years laboured, and watched, and prayed for the souls of his beloved people, and perhaps he had fondly hoped that the evening of his life would be passed in the bosom of an affectionate church; but heaven had otherwise determined. Other, though not less important objects were to be accomplished by the servant of the Lord. He must "glorify God in the fires," and then spend the remainder of his days, as the herald of liberty through Christ, to the captive in the dungeon; and as the messenger of mercy to the poor. This dispensation placed him in a very trying situaHe was like a person beginning the world tion. anew. Nevertheless, he appears to have possessed his soul in patience. His diary about this time bears the marks of a heart oppressed indeed with the afflic tions of life, but sweetly resting on the promise of a Covenant God. His letters, his preaching, and such parts of his conversation as have been cherished in the memory of his friends, all conspired to prove that→ 84 THOUGHTS ON THE THIRTY-THIRD PSALM. "Affliction is the good man's shining scene; Prosperity conceals his brightest ray: As night to stars, wo lustre gives to man." The remainder of this year was not attended with any thing particularly requiring our attention. Mr. Stanford occasionally preached in the different pulpits in the city, and especially in Greenwich, where, until that time, the sound of the gospel was seldom heard. His academy continued to flourish, and the health of his family was mercifully preserved. The following simple and beautiful thoughts on Psalm xxiii. 1. are found in his diary for the last day of this year:-"The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.' How great is the provision which the Shepherd of Israel hath provided for his flock! They can never want the supplies of his providence, so far at least as may consist with their need. They can never want a sufficiency of his pardoning, comforting, and supporting grace, so long as their Shepherd is Almighty. This I do most confidently believe, and do therefore fervently pray, that I may never want faith to trust my Shepherd's care, under the darkest providences, nor want a heart to love and serve him to the end of my days." As a traveller who has passed through a dreary wilderness, when he arrives at the summit of a hill, looks back to contemplate the difficulties and dangers of the way to return thanks for deliverance, and to dedicate himself to the service of his almighty Protector; so did Mr. Stanford commence the year 1802, by reviewing the events of the past, and again committing his body and soul, his family and his ministry, to the merciful direction of heaven. "Why should I doubt his love at last, Who sav'd me in the troubles past, LETTER TO DR. B. Will save, 'till at my latest hour, 85 The following letter to Dr. B******, on the death of his eldest son, is expressive of his pious sympathy for the afflicted. "MY DEAR FRIEND, August 10, 1802. "You are too advanced in life not to have experienced the truth of the remark, that Man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward.' Not, that an infinitely wise and good Being can delight in planting thorns in the paths of his creatures; no, it is our transgressions that have produced the multiplicity of evils which attend us. "Under all the calamities of life it well becomes us to feel for others wo, and aid their trembling steps along the rugged road. Can I then, my dear Sir, forbear to offer my condolence under your great domestic sorrow? I write not to open the wound wider, or make it bleed more profusely, by enumerating the attendant circumstances of your affliction, but to repeat the salutary sentiment of a well known penFor us they sicken, and for us they die.' Events like this are well calculated to teach us, that we cannot grasp the full blown rose without feeling its piercing thorn; and that our very 'comforts may become killing. Soon, we also must retire to the shades of death; therefore to enjoy the smiles of Immanuel, can alone constitute our true felicity. But why need I repeat to you lessons which your age and Christian experience must have taught you, long ere this. My earnest prayer to God for you is, that the loss of the creature may be amply compensated by the enjoyment of the Creator, and that your future days may, with greater ardour, be employed in the service of the Lord. May your happiness increase as you aproximate the bliss of immortality. "Your's sincerely, "JOHN STANFORD.” The following remarks, evince the feelings of his heart with respect to evangelical Christians, and ministers of other denominations. "The exercises of my occasional ministry have been most frequently in the Independent church in Warren-street, and which will, I hope, not be in vain in the Lord. When not engaged in preaching on the Lord's day morning, I generally attend the ministry of my friend, Dr. Livingston, of the Dutch Church, whose word it has pleased God frequently to accompany with power to my heart. 66 April 28. This morning, under a sermon by the Doctor, on the parable of the sower, I was favoured with such views of the glory of God, as I never had before, nor have I since experienced. Well, Peter, James, and John, were but once on the mount with their Saviour, and I am thankful, if but once in my life, the Lord is pleased to grant a peculiar discovery of himself, to me who am the least deserving of the children of men." It is said of the immortal Luther, that "he was innocently witty," and the memoir of Mr. Stanford would be very incomplete, if we should omit to record, at least some of those laconisms in which his colloquial and epistolary style so much abounded. To enable the reader to form an accurate opinion with respect to this peculiar feature of his mind, and also for the purpose of narrating the incidents which he sometimes describes with great felicity, we shall occasionally introduce letters, written to some of his most intimate friends. From the Rev. Mr. Stanford to Captain W*****. "DEAR SIR, LETTER TO CAPTAIN W. 87 "January 16, 1802. Thou hast And so in Accept my sincere thanks for your acceptable present of an excellent cheese. This appears to have been a valuable domestic article many ages since. Little David was sent by Jesse, his father, to carry ten cheeses for the use of his brethren, and the captain of their company. 1 Samuel xvii. 18. When David, the king, was in distress in the wilderness, Barzillai sent a cheese for David; and I doubt not, it was gratefully received, and acceptable to him in his time of need, as was yours to me. Your kind present had also a tendency to remind me of my past afflictions from the hand of the Lord. curdled me like cheese,' said Job, (x. 10.) deed, have I been! Here we may remark, that if there had been no curd, there would have been no cheese, and it is just so in regard to the souls of men. No cross, no crown; no furnace, no pure gold. If we are without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are we bastards and not sons.' I should as soon expect a cheese without curd, as to find a Christian without affliction. How careful is the farmer in curdling the milk? Upon great care in this part of the process, materially depends, the flavour of the cheese. This reminds me of the wisdom of God, whose hand has conducted all my troubles, and enabled me to sing of mercy and loving-kindness, as well as of judgment. I fear I shall have tired you with my remarks, and therefore beg you will accept the grateful thanks of, "Your's sincerely, "JOHN STANFORD." On a particular occasion, Mr. Stanford preached a sermon from the words-" Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits." After he had, in a very interesting manner, described a beautiful |