Part 11 (1/2)

My soul was so happy, I expected every moment to be cut down and sent into His presence; but not a shot touched me! I had not even a scratch; and here I be, safe and sound, all through mercy!”

Thus, these three men, who ree, turned out well, after all

Since then, on several occasions, I have felt as discouraged in preaching as I was that day; and though again and again I have said that I will not heed it, I have nevertheless found it difficult to be unmoved under this mysterious influence I write this for the comfort and consolation of others who are afflicted under similar circus

3 Mount Hawke

The next occasion was very different, and quite a contrast in results I was invited to a neighbouring parish, which formerly used to be united with Perran at the tie of it Here, on the appointed Saturday afternoon, I found not fewer than three thousand people assembled on the com, to shelter me from the wind, which always bloith

There I stood and beheld this concourse of people, evidently full of large expectation I gave out the hyreat Redee; and after prayer for a blessing, I announced my text, and spoke from the fact, that Christ Jesus ca this as worthy of all acceptation, I pressed the thought, that the Lord Jesus cao, and that is present still, and able to work greater than He wrought then; for indeed He only began then to do and to teach what He is doing and teaching continuously now

A hty power of the Spirit of the Lord came on the people, and several hundreds fell upon their knees sian to cry aloud for e part was, that the power of the Lord appeared to pass diagonally through the crowd, so that there was a lane of people on their knees six or eight feet deep, banked up on either side by others standing It extended froht-hand corner in the distance

It was quite iave out a hy ”the slain of the Lord” After about an hour, soo to the school-rooyman of the parish was on horseback in the lane close by, watching proceedings I asked him if we could have the use of the school-roo”

He seehtened Theand praying as they went When I reached the place, I found it i standing at the door I was taken to aat last, and getting in through that, I stood on the schoolainst the wall the men had, in miners' fashi+on, set up with clay so to bend over with the heat of the room

The place was densely packed, and the noise of the people praying for mercy was excessive I could do no more than speak to those ere near me round the table As they found peace one by one and were able to praise God, we asked the went on till ten o'clock, when I left; and it continued to go on all night and all the next day without cessation It will scarcely be credited, but that saed by successive persons without any interhth day after it began This kind of thing was not unusual in Cornwall, for we had the sahts; but eight days is the longest period of which I have any personal knowledge

I went again and again to see how they were going on; but the people were too absorbed to heed ers to me, and had not been present at the service on the previous Saturday

CHAPTER 15

Drawing-Roos, 1852-53

From that time I did not confine myself so much to my own church, but frequently went out to preach in other places, as opportunities occurred; and these were, for the ht-for incidents

One Sunday a lady and gentle towns; they were professors of religion, andwas upon wheat and chaff--the forarner, the latter burned with fire unquenchable I said that ere all either one or the other--to be gathered or burned They went away very angry, and complained one to another of ood care to let the people know that I was not ast the chaff which was to be burned The arrows of the Lord had evidently found them, and had pierced the joints in their harness They could not sleep all night for anger and distress In the entlealloped over eightfault, but instead of this he burst into tears, and told reatest of sinners

He was in sore distress, which increased all the s I could not help rejoicing, and told him that God had wounded him, but that He only wounds to heal, and kills to ht of comfort I have had; it is like balm to my soul”

We knelt down and prayed; then I had the privilege of leading hiave him some breakfast, and after that rode back with hireat trouble ofto witness theones, when they discovered that they were now united in the Lord

She told us, that after her husband's departure she was in such terrible trouble that she got up to pray, and that while she was on her knees she saw a vision on the bed-cover Before her was printed, in large visible letters, ”Thy sins be forgiven thee;” she could scarcely believe her eyes, but with her own finger she traced the letters, and was sure they were there Taking thee from Christ, she rose and thanked Him, and now felt quite sure she was saved I could not help telling her not to believe in her eyes or her visions, but in Jesus, and the fact that He had died for her Having thanked God together, they next began to think of their servants; so we sent for them, and both master and mistress told them what the Lord had done for their souls; and while ere praying, they all three cried aloud for ood work in that town by drawing-roost the number was theat his house As soon as I was able to fix the day, he invited his friends, but on finding that so many more desired to co would be held at the Town Hall Great interest was excited, and it was soon evident that even this building would not be large enough, so it ended in the Te about it, wrote to protest, and askedHe said it was bad enough for me to come to his parish to private houses, but to coe one, was quite out of the question

I endeavoured to show hiive was not an official or ested that there was no law against it He, begging my pardon, said ”The 'Conventicle Act' had not been repealed yet, and that no one could lawfully hold aof more than twenty persons”

”But surely,” I replied, ”that is virtually repealed by the 'Toleration Act' A clergyland than a layman, or more restricted Anybody else can come and preach the Gospel in your parish, and you cannot hinder it Do not hinder me It will do you no harm”

He said, ”I cannot conscientiously allow it It is against the Canons”

”Which Canon is it against?” I asked