SECTION II. The Dying Backslider. 1. WILLIAM POPE. "Laugh, ye profane, and swell, and burst Yet shall ye live forever curst, And seek in vain to die. Soon you'll confess the frightful names No more shall look like idle dreams, Like foolish names no more."-WATTS. THE awful and affecting cases of Newport, Altamont, and Spira, have long confirmed the weighty truth, that "it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." The following narrative, though less known, is not less awful nor less impressive. Its truth is confirmed by the joint testimony of various respectable witnesses. One of these is Mr. Simpson, the wellknown author of "A Plea for Religion." He saw the unhappy subject of this narrative once, but declared he never desired to see him again. The melancholy affair happened in the year 1797, and excited considerable attention in the town and neighbourhood of Bolton. The deistical brethren of the unhappy man, whose miseries this account describes, wished to persuade the public that he was out of his mind, which was by no means the case. He was in the possession of his reason; but evidently given over, by God, to a hardened heart. William Pope, an inhabitant of Bolton, in Lancashire, was a member of the Methodist society; and appeared to have been formerly a partaker of genuine repentance, and of such faith in the adorable Saviour, as became the source of sacred peace and joy. He had a wife, who enjoyed much of the Divine comforts of religion, and who, after adorning her profession upon earth in the full assurance of faith and hope, triumphantly fell asleep in Jesus. After her death, his zeal for religion declined, and by associating with some backsliding professors, he entered the path to eternal ruin. His new companions ridiculed the eternity of future misery, and professed to believe even in the redemption of devils. William became an admirer of their scheme; a frequenter with them of the public house; and in time, a common drunkard. On one occasion of this kind, being upbraided as a Methodist, he replied: "I am not a Methodist now; it would be better for me were that the case-for while I was a Methodist I was as happy as an angel, but now I am as miserable as a devil." Religion being neglected, his mind turned to politics, and these became his favourite study. Proceeding onward from bad to worse, he became the disciple of Thomas Paine, and associated himself with a number of deistical persons at Bolton, who assembled together on Sundays, to confirm each other in their infidelity. The oaths and imprecations which were here uttered, are too horrible to relate; while they amused themselves with throwing the word of God on the floor, kicking it round the room, and treading it under their feet. Here he plunged deep into the whirlpool of infidelity, and dared to speak contemptuously of that adorable Redeemer whom he had formerly called his Saviour. The mercy he had long abused was now withdrawn; the judgments of the Most High overtook him, and a lingering consumption became the harbinger of death. "April 17, 1797, I was desired," says Mr. Rhodes, the narrator of the following account, "to visit William Pope. For some months he had been afflicted with a consumptive complaint. At the same time the state of his mind was deplorably wretched. When I first saw him, he said, 'Last night I believe I was in hell, and felt the horrors and torments of the damned! But God has brought me back again, and given me a little longer respite. My mind is also alleviated a little. The gloom of guilty terror does not sit so heavy upon me as it did; and I have something like a faint hope, that, after all I have done, God may yet save me.' After exhorting him to repentance, and confidence in the Almighty Saviour, 1 prayed with him, and left him. "In the evening he sent for me again. I found him. in the utmost distress, overwhelmed with bitter anguish and despair. I endeavoured to encourage him, and mentioned the hope which he had spoken of in the morning. He answered, 'I believe it was merely nature; that finding a little ease from the horrors I had felt in the night, I was a little lifted up on that account.' I spoke to him of the infinite merit of the great Redeemer; of his sufficiency, willingness, and promises, to save the chief of sinners, who penitently turn to him. I mentioned several cases in which God had saved the greatest of sinners; but he answered, No case of any that have been mentioned, is comparable to mine. I have no contrition; I cannot repent; God will damn me! I know the day of grace is past. God has said of such as are in my case, I will laugh at your calamity, and mock when your fear cometh!' "I said, 'Have you ever known anything of the mercy and love of God?' "O yes,' he replied; many years ago, I truly repented, and sought the Lord. At one time in particular, in my distress and penitential sorrow, I cried to the Lord with all my heart, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my trouble, and filled me with peace and heavenly consolation. This happiness continued for some time. I was then truly devoted to God. But in the end I began to keep company which was hurtful to me, and also gave way to unprofitable conversation, till I lost all the comfortable sense of God, and the things of God. Thus I fell from one thing to another, till I plunged into open wickedness.' Indeed he several times. complained to me, that the company he associated with had been of irreparable injury to him. I prayed with him, and had great hopes of his salvation; he appeared much affected, and begged I would represent his case in our society, and pray for him. I did as he desired that night in our congregation; the people were much affected at the account, and many hearty petitions were put up for him." Mr. Rhodes being obliged to go into the country for a few days, his fellow-labourer, Mr. Barraclough, visited William Pope, and gave the following account of what he witnessed:: "April 18, I went to see William Pope: he had all the appearance of horror and guilt, which a soul feels when under a sense of the wrath of God. As soon as he saw me, he exclaimed, 'You are come to see one who is damned forever.' I answered, 'I hope not, Christ came to save the chief of sinners.' He replied, 'I have rejected him, I have denied him; therefore hath he cast me off forever!-I know the day of grace is past-gone -gone-never more to return!' I entreated him not to draw hasty conclusions respecting the will of God; and I asked him if he could pray, or felt a desire that God would give him a broken and contrite heart? He answered, I cannot pray; my heart is quite hardened; I have no desire to receive any blessing at the hands of God,' and then immediately cried out, O the hell!—the torment-the fire that I feel within me! O eternity, eternity! To dwell forever with devils and damned spirits in the burning lake, must be my portion!-and that justly-yea, very justly!' "I endeavoured to set before him the all-sufficient merits of Christ, and the virtue of his atoning blood; assuring him, that through faith in the Redeemer he might be forgiven. He fixed his eyes on me, and said, O that I had the smallest beam of hope! But I have not, nor can I ever have it again.' I requested him to join with me and another friend in prayer. To which he replied, 'It is all in vain.' However, we prayed, and had some degree of access to the throne of grace for him. When I was about to depart, he looked at me with inexpressible anguish, and said: 'Do you remember preaching from these words in Jeremiah, "Be instructed, O Jerusalem, lest my soul depart from thee?" I replied that I recollected the time very well, and asked, 'Did God's Spirit depart from you at that time?' He replied, 'No, not at that time, for I again felt him strive with me; but O, soon after I grieved, yea, I quenched him; and now it is all over with me forever!' "On Thursday, I found him groaning under the weight of the displeasure of God. His eyes rolled to and fro; he lifted up his hands, and with vehemence cried out, O the burning flame!-the hell!-the pain 1 feel! Rocks, yea, burning mountains! fall upon me, and cover me! Ah no! they cannot hide me from his presence who fills the universe! I spoke a little of the justice and power of Jehovah; to which he made this pertinent reply: 'He is just, and is now punishing, and will continue to punish me, for my sins. He is powerful, and will make me strong to bear the torments of hell to all eternity! I answered, God is just to forgive us, and powerful to rescue us from the dominion of sin and Satan. Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil, and I trust he will soon manifest his salvation to you.' He replied, You do not know what I have done. My crimes are not of an ordinary nature. I have done -done the deed-the horrible, damnable deed! I |