Here I have been labouring sixteen years. God has given me success and acceptance. Have formed many tender friendships which must be broken. Yet my discouragements seem to outweigh. Events, impartial friends, all seem to say, Go, and yet I hesitate, and tremble, and fear." The particular event which brought this question thus practically before Mr. Gray's mind was the earnest desire which the church at College Street, Northampton, had expressed that he should come and labour among them. In the May following he received a direct call to the pastoral office from this church; an invitation which was so far unanimous that out of one hundred and thirty-seven members no dissentients appeared, and only seven who reckoned as neutral. This invitation Mr. Gray at length thought it right to accept, and in October of that year finally left Chipping Norton. His ministrations at Northampton, from the first, commanded much attention, to a degree, indeed, which might be said to amount to popularity. The spacious chapel was soon filled to overflowing, and it was still found requisite to provide additional sittings. Perceiving the field opening before him he proportionably tasked his energies, and was gratified in witnessing the more solid fruits of a revived spirit of religion among the people. A correspondent who knew him well at this period of his life writes, "Never, perhaps, did he reflect more of the image of his Master. When dwelling on the theme of redeeming love, his animation would rise higher and higher till his emotions would find vent in tears, as he exclaimed, 'God so loved the world. Who can explain that so?' On occasions of receiving new members into the church, his manner was peculiarly solemn, and ever will such seasons be remembered with pecu liar interest. One such period is still fragrant in the memory of many when, owing to an unusual number of candidates, and among these one of his own family, an immense congregation was assembled. The candidates one after another received some appropriate word of encouragement. As his daughter advanced to the water's edge, the emotions of the father became almost too great to allow of utterance. 'Do I see my child coming to put on the Lord Jesus Christ?' The place now became a Bochim, and many can refer to that opportunity as the time of their first sanctified feelings." The connexion of this honoured servant of Christ with the cause at College Street, extended over a period of nearly twenty years, during which more than two hundred members were added to the church. His direct pastoral labours were but a small part either of his activity or his usefulness. The great religious societies of the day found in him a zealous and unwearied friend, particularly the Bible Society and the Baptist Missionary Society. While in Oxfordshire, he was for many years the secretary of the county auxiliary to the latter, to the financial and general prosperity of which he contributed not a little. The writer of this well remembers the affectionate welcome which in 1819 he gave to the late Mr. Ward, on his mission after the Serampore fire to this country, accompanying him day after day to the various places in the neighbourhood where congregations and collections had been promised. On his removal into Northamptonshire he was the means of infusing new life and vigour into the agencies auxiliary to the mission already existing there. The annual missionary meetings through the county, which our correspondent describes as being always hailed, in the villages especially, as a season of joy and festivity, were mainly of his organizing. Connected with some of these villages were spots eminently calculated to kindle missionary zealCarey's workshop, in particular, being an object of ever lively interest. ways. The influence of Mr. Gray's efforts for the promotion of religion was felt through the county in a variety of Few ordination services, or chapel openings, or anniversaries were held, but he was present, very commonly by request, to take some part in the proceedings. The genuine catholicity of his spirit made these occasions days of peculiar pleasure to him, from the opportunity they gave him of meeting brethren of different denominations. It was a feeling of this kind, probably, which led him more, perhaps, than is usual, to propose exchanges of sabbath services with neighbouring ministers. By this means, in a comparatively short time, he became acquainted with the religious state of most congregations in the county, and was able, when need required, to give a more practical turn both to his sympathy and his counsel. It was the impression of many, when he was leaving Oxfordshire for Northamptonshire (not an unnatural one, perhaps, considering his standing in the ministry), that he was about to assume his final pastoral charge. That such was his own expectation appears from the following entry, October 1st, of that year, among his memoranda. "This is probably my last remove till the grave shall be my home." The anticipation did not, however, prove correct. A series of trials, commencing about the year 1835, and in part arising out of his very prosperity as a minister, awaited him in his relations with College Street, which ultimately made it desirable, in the opinion of his most judicious friends, that he should resign his pastorate. This he accordingly did in the autumn of 1843; under circumstances, it ought to be added, highly honourable to his present successor in office, the Rev. J. T. Brown. A less laborious and responsible sphere of duty appearing expedient at his advanced years, he was induced shortly afterwards to undertake the oversight of the baptist church, Bideford, North Devon, whither, with his family, he removed early in the January following. "Here," our correspondent writes, "his residence and labours proved, in many respects, a striking contrast to all past ministrations. The spot was one of nature's richest adorning, but the church was poor and feeble, and the situation secluded, and coming a stranger to all in the neighbourhood, imparted at first a tinge of discouragement to his mind. He had, however, only to wait a little ere his character won the respect of all around him. Naturally cheerful and benevolent, with a desire cordially to co-operate in all that tended to glorify Christ, he soon became deeply interested in the various efforts put forth for this purpose. In his home it was evident to all connected with him, that his heart was drawn into closer communion with his heavenly Father; his study became his Bethel, and his pulpit ministrations partook of the influence." These ministrations were not, however, successful to the revival of the interest to the extent either of his desires or of his previous pastoral experiences, and the disappointment of his hopes in this particular continued to hang with depressing weight on his spirits. After a three years' experiment of the station, it became the conviction of himself and his friends that the zeal and energy of a youthful frame would be better fitted to grapple with its difficulties, and that ministrations less exacting than those of a regular pastor would be more for his own comfort thenceforward. With this view, in the spring of 1847, he removed once more with his family to Bristol. Here, in the dissenting pulpits of the city and neighbourhood, abundant opportunities presented themselves for the services of an occasional labourer, and the step which he had taken was one which more and more commended itself to his judgment. He much enjoyed the enlarged means of intercourse now afforded him with beloved ministerial brethren, and had the satisfaction of knowing that his occasional sabbath services were, in general, highly appreciated by their people, as well as the still more gratifying testimony that they were not "in vain in the Lord." The character of his preaching may be said to have been eminently adapted to the majority of the hearers who compose baptist congregations in this country. Less argumentative than textual, less rhetorical than sententious, it was capable, when the feelings of the speaker became warmed by his subject, of rising to a genuine eloquence. In manner, latterly, it was colloquial, occasionally so, perhaps, to a degree scarcely consistent with the soundest taste, but it is believed that this style of address had been cultivated by the preacher on the discovery of its general acceptableness. An unaffected unction and fervour in his tones added much to the effect of his discourses. He especially excelled in application, his warm, affectionate appeals making their way, often almost irresistibly, to the conscience. It was evident that his heart was in his work, and probably few pastors have had to rejoice in more numerous tokens of the divine blessing. He records in 1840 that he had then baptized four hundred and ninety-seven persons, and, although some of these were attendants on other ministries, we may, if we add the baptisms of the seven following years, with little hazard of error reckon up the goodly number of five hundred as accessions to the churches under his own oversight; destined hereafter, we trust, to be his joy and crown of rejoicing. The last public services of Mr. Gray were at Trowbridge, Wilts, the 13th of February, 1849. In the autumn of the preceding year he had taken a short tour in some of the midland counties for the benefit of the Bristol College, and soon after his return he consented to undertake a journey, as advocate of the claims of our Irish Mission. This called him from home during the severe weather, exposure to which, with a cold which he caught in London on a Christmas visit to his son's, brought on an attack of influenza from which he had only partially recovered when he returned the next month to Bristol. Fresh exposure to cold, during a second Irish journey, threw him still further back; and when he reached home from Trowbridge on the day following the sabbath already mentioned, he complained of being seriously unwell. By his own desire he went immediately to his bed-chamber, little imagining that the indisposition felt was the commencement of a protracted illness, and still less that he would never again descend from that chamber to mingle in living society. Such the event proved. A violent attack of typhus fever first supervened, and although medical aid succeeded in combating the danger immediately attending on this, the vital energies were so prostrated in the struggle that nature was unable effectually to rally. The whole period of his illness was nearly nine months, during which, although the suspension of all activity, especially of ministerial activity, was not a little trying to him, he was mercifully preserved in a frame of calm, cheerful resignation to the will of his divine Master, undisturbed by any other than the most passing doubts or anxieties. The following fragments of what occurred during this lengthened season of affliction, gleaned by one of the family who was privileged to minister to his comfort throughout, will, it is confidently believed, be not less interesting to the many among the readers of this magazine who knew and esteemed his worth, than they have been to his immediate relatives. We give the extracts as nearly as may be in the words of the writer. adding, 'what gives them all their beauty is, they are founded on the bible. At times when his extreme exhaustion seemed the forerunner of the parting stroke, the struggles of nature, long suppressed, would find utterance. Turning to his afflicted partner, he would exclaim, 'How can I bear it? we have trod the pilgrimage of life together forty-five years, and now this tie must be broken,' then lifting up his eye, would say with tears, 'Not my will but thine be done.' Seeing one day his eyes fixed, and marked earnestness on his countenance, I said, 'What is my dear father thinking about?' 'The precious blood of Christ,' was his emphatic reply, 'I am looking for that blessed hope-looking, waiting, so I wish to be found— "And dying, clasp thee in my arms, The antidote of death." "Our honoured father suffered much from torpid lethargy during the first fortnight of his illness; the effort to converse seemed beyond his power, so that our days were, for the most part, those of silent anxiety. We seldom left him, but watched alternately by his side, eagerly catching any remarks which fell from his lips. While sitting by him one day I inquired, 'Do you find, my dear father, that the weakness of the body clouds the mind?' 'My dear,' he said, 'God's promises rush in None but an eye-witness could underlike a torrent, but I cannot fasten or stand the effect given to these words by fix on any, they seem swept away; so his own clasped arms, while he addit is with hymns, they crowd in-I be- ed, 'Do you understand what that gin to think and they are gone; but 0, means? it is a figure portraying the I long, I pray that I may not be deceiv- believer's faith.' Many of his family ed. Christ is my only hope, there I having come from a distance to see him, have built.' I said, 'Yes, and have assembled around his sick and, as they been honoured to bring many others to feared, dying bed. To each he addressbuild there.' 'Ah, I have been an un-ed words of counsel or consolation, worthy servant, and I tremble some-commending all unitedly to Him who times lest I should not have been a has promised to be a husband to the faithful one.' At this season, every time he awoke from his unnatural sleep the voice of earnest prayer was heard; he would speak of Christ, his cross, the finished work of salvation, the riches of redeeming love, till his whole soul seemed to burn in adoring gratitude. 'Oh,' he would exclaim, 'if I may but hide behind that cross, saying, “God be merciful to me a sinner," then would repeat some appropriate verses, such as "Dear dying Lamb, thy precious blood,' or, "When I survey the wondrous cross,' widow, and a father to the fatherless. His mind thus unburdened, again turned to the same glad theme, 'Redeeming, dying love.' It was as the Lamb slain he delighted to contemplate the Saviour. 'I want ever to speak of his love, and yet sometimes I fear, I tremble, lest I should be cast out, "And can I bear the piercing thought, What if my name should be left out,' &c, &c. Do you think he will cast away a poor aged sinner?' Being reminded of the promise, 'Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out,' he seemed comforted, and with deep breathings of humili ation would pray, 'Precious Saviour, shut not thy bleeding heart, shut not the door of mercy, shut not the gate of heaven against me. "A guilty, weak, and helpless worm, On thy kind arms I fall,' &c. Recovering at one time from great exhaustion he repeated the ode, "Vital spark of heavenly flame, &c.' Well, when the Jordan is crossed, we -what scenes will be there unfolded! His mind seemed stored with a rich variety Clap my glad wings, and soar away, And mingle with the blaze of day.' But, O my Saviour, let me not dishonour thee by my impatience, but, if it please, come, come quickly and set the captive free.' "Watching one day one of his uneasy slumbers, I heard him say, 'Walk the golden streets,' and then opening and raising his eyes, he said, 'And there I shall see Bunyan, that wonderful man who traced the pilgrim's journey to the skies; Carey, the translator of the scriptures; Fuller, the founder of the mission, and the seraphic Pearce. But more than all I shall see Jesus, the Lamb in the midst of the throne, and without that sight heaven would lose its attraction,' then quoted a favourite verse "We'll talk of all he did and said,' &c. "Now let the pilgrim's journey end.' As days and weeks of protracted debili- "November 6th, an evident change At another time he said, 'I am thinking "Some are to the margin come, And soon expect to die.' VOL. XII.-FOURTH SERIES. evident to all that the pale messenger 3 H |