"Can you read my lad ?" "Oi* should like to read the Bible, Measter J—y. You gave oi this book. Oi is one of your scholars." +

"I am glad that you attend the Sunday school. I hope you will soon be able to read the Bible. Do you pray to Almighty God?" "Oi does try to pray, Measter J-y, but oi can't say the words fittee (proper)."

day schools, and when you can read the second chapter of the Gospel written by Matthew, and the third chapter of the Gospelwritten by John, you shall have a Bible."

A few months after this conversation, Edward received his Bible; and if the boat houses, sand banks, and rocks about Lower Island could speak, they would testify to his attention to the holy oracles of "Your name, I believe, is Ed-truth. Often was he surprised by ward Webber. Do you know some islander behind a rock on his Edward that you are a sinner?"

"You told we all so in your sermons, and oi thinks oi is a sinner; but we were like poor sheep without a shepherd before you comes to we."

"Did you not attend at the church?"

"Sometimes oi did, but the minister does not live on this island, and he comes here only once in a wa', and there is only one preacher at St. Mary's."

knees, with the Bible open before him. In 1818, the poor island orphan had reached his 21st year, and the poor family with whom he had lived from his infancy, finding that they had not barley bread sufficient for themselves, desired him to seek another home. They admired his piety; his humble prayers and conversation had been sanctified to a poor aged woman in the house, but poverty obliged them reluctantly to part with Edward. Poor boy! the islands of Scilly were the world that was before him. He knew little, perhaps nothing, respecting any other part of the earth. He had two uncles on the isle of Sampson. There he was taken in a small fishing boat. As he stepped on the sands, he was seen by his aunt. "Here is our poor Edward! He told George that he must leave Lower Town. Come in, poor child, thee can read the Bible to us; thee shall never want a bit of bread while we have it."

Scilly, the people of Sampson were God. An extract of a letter writbut a very small remove from the ten by him soon after he had been most illiterate and depraved insu- buried with Christ in baptism, will lated tribe in any part of the world; shew not only his piety, but his but two persons knew the alpha-progress in education. This letter bet, and there was but one Bible was written to a member of one of on the island. Their ideas and our churches in London; the ortheir words were almost confined thography is corrected, and a few to the sky, the sea, the rocks, and sentences omitted. the boats. By the inhabitants of St. Mary's the Sampsonians were regarded as a different race of beings, but I must not attempt a full description of this people.

Sampson, Scilly Islands,
Jan. 1820.

Dear Friend,

I received a letter from you with It will scarcely gain credence, 21. and have to return you many that persons in the state in which thanks for your kindness to me, a these islanders were, could be poor island orphan. When I was found in 1814 so near the English very young my father was drownshore. Here were the foolish ed, and since that my mother died. things of the world, and the weak I was put apprentice in the island things of the world, and the base of St. Martin, in a village called things of the world, and things Lower Town, to a fisherman. Mr. which were despised; yet there Jeffery came there, and gave me was a spirit of independence which some religious tracts, and I bless poverty, contempt, affliction God I have learned to read and which even ignorance itself could write. The Lord has been pleased not wholly subdue. Why were to bless Mr. Jeffery's preaching to this interesting people so greatly my soul, and my God has given neglected? me to see that I was a poor guilty sinner; I prayed to the Lord Jesus Christ, and he heard my cry, and answered it. Since then my apprenticeship has been out, and I have been speaking to poor sinners in my own island to flee from the wrath to come, and to look to Jesus for mercy. And from this island I go to the other off-islands to tell of the unsearchable riches of Christ to poor sinners like ourselves, and I hope that the blessing of God will attend my labours. I trust that good will be done; I am willing to labour for immortal souls in season and out of season; I am willing to suffer hunger and thirst, to work for the Lord. I know that I am serving a blessed Master, who will reward every man according to his work, and all is of grace. I am willing to take up the cross of Christ, and

On the isle of Sampson the poor orphan greatly strengthened my hands. He attended to the Sabbath school, collected the people together every Lord's day and at convenient seasons in the week, and read the Bible, with prayer to God for his blessing on his most holy word. His humble efforts were owned and blessed by Jehovah of Hosts. The congregation at Sampson was the world in miniature. The youth, the middle aged, the grey-headed, and infants, met in a little cottage to worship God. Edward was provided with paper and slates, and though he could scarcely write his own name legibly, he was anxious that others should participate in his humble advantages.

In 1819 he was baptized on a profession of faith in the Son of

follow him; and I wish to go and pheming the name of God so much.

EDWARD WEBBER.

warn poor sinners of their danger. They delight in singing hymns It is my desire to make Christ all when they go in their fishing boats. and all in my addresses to poor I hope that God will please to sinners, and I hope that my prayers bless my work to their souls in the will ascend to a throne of grace small island where I reside. In for my poor neighbours, and I be- the winter the sand blows, and we lieve that God will answer. I are almost blind. It is as a wilhave been in storms of wind, cross-derness, but I feel myself so haping the islands to carry news of py to warn poor sinners of their salvation, sometimes expecting danger, and my soul is filled with every moment to be our last. I love to God, for his great mercy did not think ever to reach land towards me and poor sinners; likeagain, but the Lord delivered us, wise may the love of God be shed and after supplying one island, I abroad in our hearts, through have gone to another, and not a Christ Jesus, as the hope of glory. farthing of money until you helped I am yours truly, me a little. I have been almost starved; I have gone without shoes in the creek, to save them to put Deeply affected with the poon when I went to the islands on verty of the Island Orphan, I adthe Sabbath, and when the tide vised him in the spring of 1820 to was low, I had to wade through visit England, and inform the pasthe water higher than my knees to tor of the Baptist church at Penthe off islands, to preach the Gos-zance of his distresses and of his pel; and when I have got to the labours. He attended a missionother shore, I have been ready to ary prayer meeting soon after he die with the cold. Sometimes I left the packet. "I requested have not had a bit of bread, nor him," says the respected minister, any thing else to refresh myself to engage in prayer, and was with but a little water, but I hope deeply impressed with his ideas, that praying breath will not be his humility, and his honest simspent in vain in the Lord. Some- plicity. I thought of poor Joseph, times I have been forced to keep and knowing that the Lord did not on my wet clothes, and knew not despise the day of small things, where to get any more. Sampson nor quench the smoking flax, I is a small island, where there is no sent him into some villages, with church nor chapel, the people were other young preachers, and was living without the word of God till delighted to hear a favourable acMr. Jeffery came to the islands, count of his preaching from many but now I bless God that they have poor villagers. After he had been worship every Sabbath, and the in Penzance a fortnight, he receivpeople have told me that they have ed from his friends at Sampson a reason to bless God for my being note, desiring him to return, as there. They have declared how they valued his services exceedmuch they have felt the word blest ingly." Soon after our poor Orto their souls. All the people in phan returned to the Isle of Sampthe other islands have spoken of son, his pious conduct attracted the people of Sampson for swear- the notice of the President of theing, but now, I bless God, they Duke of Leeds' Council on the are quite changed in their blas-islands, and other respectable per

66

sons at St. Mary's, and many of them have shewn kindness to the fisherman preacher.

"But, Sir, some of the churches in London are richer than yours."

"Yes, but nothing I think is` In 1823, when, by the advice more unpopular at present than a of medical gentlemen and other chapel case; besides, in London friends, I determined to leave the there is a Baptist Building Fund, islands, the Committee of the Bap- and those who subscribe to that tist Home Missionary Society Society cannot be expected to atkindly promised the Island Orphan tend to a private application for a 101. per annum, as an assistant meeting house at a distance from missionary for the off islands of London. I will, however, mention Scilly. During the last six years your case to a friend or two, and I have been gratified with hearing perhaps we may get a few school that Edward and the other island books for the islands, and religious preachers were constant in labours, tracts to distribute among sailors under the superintendence of Mr. who may take shelter in your harRogers, the present Baptist mis-bours in the winter." sionary.

On Thursday, July 2, 1829, I was in my study, writing a note at the foot of one of the pages of my manuscript of the History of the Islands of Scilly, when one of my children informed me that a person from the isles was below, and wished to see me. It was the poor Island Orphan !

"The roof of the meeting house and schoolroom in Tresco is ready to fall in. It is not safe for the poor people to meet in such a place. About 50l. will enable the islanders to put up a new roof."

"Mr. I said that the money must be obtained before I leave London."

"You have seen Mr. I.?"

"Yes, he wrote a recommendation on the case this morning, and subscribed

-."

Poor Edward determined to lose no time in getting the 501., and though he had a little more success than many experience in making personal application for meetinghouse cases, yet the manner in which some persons answered his solicitations, had more effect upon his mind than the rough winds and "A heavy debt, Edward, on our angry seas, unto which he had own place of worship, and the ne- often been exposed amidst the cessary expences of our large dangerous channels between the Sabbath school, Instruction So- islands. Providence, however, still ciety, and other little institutions, guided the poor island preacher. prevent the Baptist church in Lam- Chance has no place in the governbeth from giving assistance in pro- ment of Jehovah. Edward had moting religion at a distance. It been but a short time in London, would have afforded me unspeak- before the Rev. Mr. I. (remember, able pleasure to have made a O my God, his kindness to the collection this year for the Baptist poor Island Orphan!) directed Missionary Society, but our po- him to Mr. J. of Moorfields. That verty, and the exertions which must gentleman conducted Edward to be made among the thousands in the mansion of Mrs. Bailey, the our streets who need instruction, widow of the late Thomas Bailey, deprive us for the present of the Esq. of Bethel House, Brixton. honour of assisting in any way This excellent lady was born on worth mentioning any institution." the island of St. Mary. She list

ened to the statement of the poor | We are not duly sensible of our islander, and gave him 407. for the danger, though the wrath of God meeting house in Tresco! May is revealed from heaven against all our covenant God return her kind- ungodliness and unrighteousness of ness a thousand fold, in spiritual men. We are secure where we blessings! Edward left London on ought to be alarmed, listless where Friday, the 17th July, with a good we ought to be all alacrity and supply of school-books and reli- anxiety. But when the gospel gious tracts. comes, attended with the energy of the divine Spirit, the hidden things of darkness are brought to view, conscience is made to feel, and the burden of sin becomes intolerable. Convinced of our sinfulness, we tremble at the idea of having offended infinite majesty, spotless purity, and perfect goodness.

Smile, Lord, on each divine attempt
To spread the Gospel's rays;
And build on sin's demolish'd throne
The temples of thy praise.

Many, it cannot be doubted, will unite with the writer in fervent prayer to the God of all grace, that the Island Orphan may long be spared to direct the fishermen, and pilots, and their families on the isles, unto the Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the world.

Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

T. J. JEFFERY. Lambeth, July 22, 1829.

THE EXCELLENCY OF THE GOSPEL.

(Continued from p. 364.)

The law addresses us in awful accents, "Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the book of the law to do them." Justice appears ready to punish our disobedience. Stripped of every self-righteous plea, we fall prostrate before God, with the humble confession. "Behold I am vile! What shall I do to be saved? who shall deliver me from the wrath to come?" In this burdened perplexed situation, the Gospel directs us to Jesus, the friend and Saviour of sinners. "Behold the Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the world." It assures us that "he ever liveth to make intercession" for all that come unto God by him. "Come unto me," says the Saviour, "All ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." The gospel

IV. Its suitableness to the guilty afflictive circumstances of man.That we are depraved creatures is a painful fact, supported by numer- testimony, believed and cordially ous affecting proofs. History, ob-received, heals the wounded spirit. servation, experience, Scripture, It inspires with hope and diffuses all unite in attesting the guilt and peace throughout the powers of the misery of man. All have sinned soul. The atonement which was and come short of the glory of equal to the demands of insulted God. But we are naturally averse justice, satisfies and purifies the to the belief of a doctrine so hum-conscience of the believing penibling and debasing as that of hu- tent. He has now peace with God man depravity. If we admit our through our Lord Jesus Christ, by guilt, we endeavour to palliate it. whom he has received the atone