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1781

"I argue not

Against Heaven's hand, or will; nor bate a jot

Of heart or hope; but still bear up and steer
Right onward."

Mr. Black was now of age. And it is interesting and delightful to witness the promptitude and zeal with which, immediately upon being thus exempted to a certain extent from parental control, he consecrated his service to the Lord, his heavenly father. The commencement of his regular labors in the Gospel of Christ, and the auspicious tokens of divine approbation by which he was cheered in this, the opening of his career, shall be exhibited by his own pen.

"I left home the 10th of November, on a second visit to Petitcodiac. Preached the next day at Mr. Scurr's, and the day following at Tantramar-both precious times to many. On the 13th, I set out for Memamcook, and preached in the evening from Rev. xx: 15; some were deeply affected. On the 14th, arrived at Hillsborough, where I preached to the Germans, and early next morning set off in a log canoe for French Village. After a very dangerous passage, arrived safe, about twelve o'clock, and preached twice, but felt little life either time, particularly the last.

"Friday, 16th.—I preached in the morning at the Village. It was a comfortable time. I left them in tears, and set forward for the head of the river, where I preached twice. God sent the word with softening power to the hearts of the people.

"Saturday, 17th.—I had a happy morning,-felt the Lord precious, walked to the Village and preached with unusual freedom. At one I took my leave of them from 2 Cor. xiii: 11, expecting to go down the

river with the tide. The Lord accompanied the word with great power; weeping was upon every hand; they importunately entreated me to tarry longer with them; I consented; for I knew not how, under such circumstances, to leave them. Oh! what a day was this to me; my soul was indeed happy. Glory be to thy name, O Lord, forever!

"Sunday, 18th.-Preached from 1 John ii: 12. Many were deeply affected. One sturdy servant of the devil roared aloud for mercy. Soon after the meeting began, the word fastened on his conscience, and, lest he should be heard to cry aloud, he left the house; but returning again, the word pierced him as before. He attempted to leave the house a second time, but he could no longer restrain his feelings. After preaching again in the afternoon, I set off for the lower settlements in a small canoe, leaving many in tears. About dark we reached Hillsborough. God gave me to speak feelingly to the people; the word was with power. I yielded to their entreaties not to go with the next tide as I had proposed.

"Monday, 19th.-I discoursed from Matt. xviii : 9-15. God was with us; it was a moving time; many were in great distress, as appeared from their heaving breasts, and weeping eyes. It was a delightful morning to me; I enjoyed a divine sense of the love of Jesus, and felt an earnest desire for the welfare of those poor souls. Our canoe having gone adrift in the night, I was under the necessity of remaining with them another day. I perceived the word had taken deep root in many of their minds, affording ground to hope for much fruit.

“Tuesday, 20th.-Commended them to the grace of God and departed. Preached at Memramcook in the

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evening. Many here, also, were much affected, and wept most of the time. The Lord seal instruction on their hearts. A little after sunrise next morning, I addressed them, and then set off for Tantramar, where I preached in the evening with very great liberty. Jesus was in the midst of us, both to wound and to comfort. Many were remarkably happy, and longed to put off the garment of mortality. One little girl, about seven or eight years of age, got up on a form, and told, in a wonderful manner, what Jesus had done for her soul. Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings he can, and does perfect praise. It is now eight days since I left this place, in which I have preached eighteen times, and, excepting two meetings, I know not a single occasion on which it was not evident that many, who heard the word, were melted into tears, if they did not cry aloud for mercy. On the 22d, I called upon my youthful brethren, to Remember their Creator in the days of their youth, &c., and in the evening preached with liberty from Micah vi : 8.

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Saturday, 24th.-Preached twice; the latter meeting was a wonderful season. Many poor sinners were deeply convinced; some said their hearts were almost broken under a sense of their want of Christ. Others, who came with heavy hearts, returned home greatly rejoicing.

"Sunday, 25th.-Preached in the evening with much liberty; and many were refreshed. Part of this day I was in a lively frame, but experienced much dulness the remainder of it. O Lord, revive my soul, and quicken me, a poor unworthy creature; unworthy to eat of the crumbs that fall from my Master's table! Monday, 26th.-I rode to Mr. Scurr's, where I spent the following day. Alas! I felt very little sense

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of God's special presence; in the evening I preached, but with little comfort. Lord quicken my drowsy powers!

"Wednesday, 28th.-By God's blessing I arrived at home in safety. This was a profitable journey to me. I now continued my labours, visiting the friends at Amherst, Fort Lawrence, Prospect, and Tantramar, for about five weeks; and sorely grieved I was, to see the enemy likely to obtain a great advantage by antinomian doctrine, which made many oppose that precious word of God which was once as the food of their souls; and inveigh against their brethren, because they warned them of their danger. Under pretence of avoiding legality, the commandments of God, than fine gold more precious, were dressed up as scarecrows; and to enforce them on the conscience was looked upon as a mark of our ignorance, if not of our being total strangers to the Gospel of Jesus. This was peculiarly afflictive to me. Even some of Hence, when

my own children rose up against me. Mr. Alline came in the Spring following, they totally separated from us. The work now seemed to be at a stand. The strength of their zeal was turned upon maintaining their peculiar opinions. Striving thus, more for victory than for truth, the spirit of seriousness gradually declined; and for a considerable time few were either convinced or converted. ICHABOD might now have been written upon our walls, for the glory of love had departed from us, as a body."

The machinations of Satan were thus to a melancholy extent successful, in impeding the progress, and shading the lustre of the Gospel, among a people who, had they not, unhappily for their spiritual progress, been turned aside to what the Apostle emphatically

calls (Marαioloуia) vain jangling,-trifling and profitless speculations, might have exhibited a delightful specimen of Christian harmony, and mutual edification in their most holy faith. We cannot wonder at the gloom that pervades Mr. Black's delineation of those occurrences; but must rather sympathise in the sorrowing emotions by which it was dictated. It is indeed a trial of no ordinary magnitude to a minister of Christ, to see those whom he has been the instrument of bringing to God, and for whose souls he has watched as one who must give account, severed from him by the adoption of new views, which evince their unhallowed operation in alienated affection, and in the indulgence of a disputatious and uncharitable spirit. There is nothing, however, in the present case, of a nature peculiar or unprecedented. The introduction of the seeds of discord among the disciples of Christ is an old artifice of the Evil One; and its disastrous success is recorded on almost every page of the history of the Church. Multitudes, who would instinctively recoil from the first suggestion of gross and palpable transgression, are not proof against the seductive speculations of error, which often, though by a path more circuitous, yet not less fatal, draw the soul away from the love of the TRUTH, which alone maketh free. It is well observed by Baxter, that 'Satan hath religious diversions for those who are above sensuality.' Aware too, that from dissonance of sentiment among brethren, more especially when their antagonist principles are often brought into collision, the transition to mutual uncharitableness and crimination, is natural and almost inevitable, where he cannot destroy unanimity of affection amongst them directly, he will endeavour to accomplish his malignant pur

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