person escaping to tell the melancholy tale. I have heard Mr. Morgan remark that he was specially prepared to "sing of mercy and judgment," in the midst of that dispensation, as a very trivial circumstance prevented him and his wife from sailing with those brethren. When Mr. Morgan, as Chairman of the District, was addressed by the bereaved societies of Antigua, who, by this mysterious stroke, lost all their Preachers, with indescribable feelings, and praying that God would save him in that hour, he hastened, with several brethren under his direction, to comfort and edify those afflicted churches. He personally knew those servants of God whose labours on earth were thus mysteriously terminated. They had been associated with him in the glorious work of preaching the unsearchable riches of Christ; and their memory became increasingly precious to him after they had passed into the skies. He had much to do with their affairs; and he frequently adverts, in his journal, to their happiness. "An event," he observes, "so awfully afflictive to our Mission never happened before. No doubt this providence has some wise ends to accomplish. O happy men, and women, and children, you have entered your rest! We loved you on earth, and were your companions in the kingdom and patience of our Lord Jesus Christ; and trust, through the same mercy to join you, where sin and sorrow can never enter."

Mr. and Mrs. Morgan landed at

a people greatly distressed on Our passage from Dominica was Most of Tuesday we were in sight

On Wednesday, March 15th, 1826, Antigua. We found," he remarks, account of their awful bereavement. rather tedious, owing to light winds. of the fatal spot where so many of our fellow labourers made their exit to a happy immortality."

In every act of love manifested to Missionaries and their families, Mr. Morgan felt interested. Alluding to a gentleman and his lady, who showed great kindness to the afflicted survivor of this calamity, he remarks, "They merit the gratitude of the whole Connexion. I trust their reward from the God of Missions will not be confined to their basket and store. We ask for them eternal life."

The circumstances connected with his residence at Antigua gave him more than his usual confidence in his public ministrations; and he appears to have laboured continually as in sight of eternity. He felt his need of a deeper baptism of the Holy Spirit, and his experience at this time is justly expressed in these lines :

"Jesus, I fain would find

Thy zeal for God in me,
Thy yearning pity for mankind,
Thy burning charity."

His journal at this time records several encouraging circumstances. He observes, "I was much affected this morning, on my way to the chapel, by observing a poor cripple, urging her way to the house of God, in a

sort of tray. Her progress was slow, having no means of assistance but her hands, which she used as crutches. On inquiry, I found this woman had been a notorious Sabbath-breaker; but being visited by some of our people, she had been brought under a concern for her poor guilty soul."

A planter applied to Mr. Morgan to bury a slave, who had recently died; delivering, at the same time, his testimony to the good effects, in his case, of Christian instruction. The note was substantially as follows:-" I beg to inform you of the death of a very good man, named Fragnal, who belonged to my estate. He was for a long time a constant attendant at your place of worship; and I particularly request that he may receive the rites of burial. I have long been witness to his exemplary character, as an upright,, honest, faithful, and just man; a man whom no person, since his residence in this quarter, ever heard utter an oath; cheerful and punctual in his duty, and patient under the sufferings it pleased God to afflict him with during his long illness."

In one of Mr. Morgan's pastoral visits in Antigua, he met with a case of extreme suffering, which he thus describes :-" "I conversed with a poor leper, who had laboured under this dreadful disease thirteen years. She has been a member of the Methodist society from the earliest days of Methodism in this island. She spoke, in a strain of thankfulness, of the goodness of God to her. Is not this glorying in tribulations ?" On another occasion, about this period, he called at an estate to see six poor invalids. As it too generally happened, these aged and afflicted slaves were destitute of comfort and attention. He observes, "I collected five of the number together, with whom I conversed individually, and found their hut a place of refreshing from the presence of the Lord. We sang with pleasure,

There we shall see his face,

And never never sin,' &c. ;

and prayed for grace to be faithful. Poor Quashibu could not leave her habitation, owing to extreme old age. The united ages of those I addressed, and this invalid, amounted to upwards of five hundred and fifty years. Thomas, a watchman and rat-catcher, said he had been confined in the dungeon five weeks and a day, because the number of rats which he furnished daily was not considered sufficient by the manager. I fear the cold he has taken in his imprisonment is likely to shorten his days." Thus this zealous Missionary had the pleasure of witnessing the strong consolation and blooming hope imparted by Christianity to those who felt the horrors of West Indian slavery. Mr. Morgan very frequently adverts to a laudable custom that obtained among many religious persons in the West Indies; that of holding a prayer-meeting, or some religious service, in their houses before they inhabited them. In some of these services he joined, willing to encourage the acknowledgment of God in all things; and he found, he observes, such services truly profitable.

The whole of the Preachers of the Antigua Circuits gave themselves

to prayer and diligent efforts to promote a revival of the work of God. Their prayers were heard. They did not labour in vain. Mr. Morgan refers to several interesting meetings where he and his colleagues were greatly blessed and encouraged. October 10th, 1826, he writes," At Willock's Folly, in the evening, I enjoyed much liberty in speaking, and the people were deeply attentive. In the prayer-meeting many cried aloud for mercy, so that my voice could scarcely be heard. I have not seen so much of the power of God among the people since I came to the island. I went to my appointment praying, and returned praising God. October 19th, I held a watch-night at Willoughby-Bay, where much good was done. The lightning flashed, and the thunder rolled, nearly the whole time, which added to the solemnity of the occasion."

Mr. Morgan grew rapidly in grace, while God thus revived his work around him. He observes, "I lately attended a class-meeting, where God was gloriously present. I felt more of heaven than I can express. I believe the Lord has taken full possession of my heart. May this heavenly flame pervade the whole society! Lord, we are looking for the coming of thy kingdom. Come, and bless us in thine own way." Shortly after he adds, "Good Mr. Longden's words are mine:- Give me faith which cannot be denied; give me power which every heart shall feel.' In every public exercise give me souls. In every company let my every word be with grace, seasoned with salt."

March 27th." We had another glorious time at the watch-night at Willoughby-Bay. About twelve persons found peace with God; and nearly the whole congregation stood up, and engaged from that moment to become the servants of our Lord Jesus Christ. Such was the effect of this display of the power of God upon my mind, that, after retiring to rest, I continued silently rejoicing in God my Saviour; and occasionally pleading for St. John's, where we hope to hold a watch-night to-morrow evening. I am labouring for that spirit which actuated holy Bramwell, when he said, 'I have no care, but to please God.'”

While this revival of religion delightfully proceeded, the hearts of God's servants were filled with gratitude and praise to Him "who alone the work had wrought." Mr. Morgan, in particular, prayed for a more full manifestation of mercy to his own soul; and that the work might extend yet further, and the fruit remain. "I feel," he observes," my own soul panting after God. The heavenly fire is burning within me. May the Lord increase this mercy a thousand fold, if he sees that my flesh can sustain such a weight of glory. I am fully satisfied that I shall enjoy more of Jesus in my heart, and in my labours. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!" It became his concern to adopt all suitable means to give permanence to this work, and preserve the precious good; and for this his intelligence, prudence, and general freedom from mere excitement, well qualified him.

About six months afterwards Mr. Morgan records another gracious interposition at Willoughby-Bay. October 4th, 1827, he says, "We

held our watch-night. It proved the most memorable season I ever witnessed. Every soul in the chapel seemed, at one time, to be under more or less concern for salvation. All cried aloud, and made supplication to God, for nearly an hour. We collected the penitents, and those to whom the Lord had shown mercy. They were upwards of one hundred. Before we separated al lwere enabled to rejoice in God. Such a work we never before witnessed in this island. May the Lord in mercy visit every congregation, to which we minister, with the like showers of grace!"

November 30th, 1827, he writes, "We had a very alarming earthquake last night. It lasted upwards of a minute. I felt composed, and assured that all would be well with me, in case the earth should open her mouth and swallow me up. I prayed at the time, that sinners may regard the power of God's wrath. This day completes the forty-seventh

year of my age; and this year has been, upon the whole, the happiest of my life. Seven years ago this day we arrived in this island.

"Lord, in the strength of grace,

With a glad heart and free,

Myself, my residue of days,

I consecrate to thee."

(To be concluded in our next.)

DIVINITY.

THE PRAYER OF THE CHURCH IN THE WILDERNESS
ADAPTED TO EXISTING CIRCUMSTANCES:

A SERMON :

BY THE REV. PETER M'OWAN.

"LET thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children. And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it."—Psalm xc. 16, 17. THIS psalm is entitled "a prayer of Moses the man of God;" and it is generally supposed to have been penned soon after the suppression of the mutiny which took place in the camp when the "spies" brought in their "evil report." Because of the unbelief and rebellion manifested by the tribes on that occasion, God threatened them with utter destruction; and promised to make of Moses and of his house "a greater nation, and mightier than they." On hearing this, with his usual philanthropy, "the man of God stood in the gap," and interceded till "the Lord said, I have pardoned according to thy word: but as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord. Because all those men who have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, have tempted me these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice, their carcases shall fall in the wilderness; and all that were numbered, from twenty years old and upward, shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein; save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the

son of Nun.

But your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know," or esteem, "the land which ye have despised." (Num. xiv. 20-31.)

This was an appalling sentence; but as it was far short of what God had threatened, and of what they had merited, Moses meekly acquiesced; and as a means of improving it, he composed this funeral hymn; in which, after comforting himself and his religious associates with the considerations, that God had been "the dwelling-place" of his people "in all generations," that He was "from everlasting to everlasting," -that while He was able to turn men to destruction by six hundred thousands at a time, He was able, also, to grant them a respite here, and a resurrection hereafter, by simply saying, "Return, ye children of men ;" after confessing the frailty of our nature, and the manifold iniquities of the people;-after predicting the abbreviation of human life, and adverting to the judgments by which they had been wasted, and were about to be " consumed;"-he breaks out in prayer, saying, "So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. Return, O Lord, how long? and let it repent thee concerning thy servants. O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil. Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children. And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it."

Though the psalm was composed by Moses, it was evidently intended for the benefit of the whole congregation. It was probably sung by the people in their tents, and chanted by the Priests at their services in the sanctuary. The text may therefore be regarded as the prayer of the Jewish Church, for the fulfilment of the divine promise, and the accomplishment of the divine purpose, respecting their nation. Considering it in this light, I shall, in the name and with the assistance of Almighty God, direct your attention to each of the four petitions of which it is composed, as they lie in order.

I. In the first petition, "Let thy work appear unto thy servants," they pray for the appearing, or outbreaking, of the Lord's work among themselves, and in their own day.

The work to which Israel here refers embraced, among others, the following particulars, the deliverance of the people from the perils and privations of the wilderness; the conquest and quiet possession of Canaan; the establishment of God's ordinances among them; their conversion from idolatry, and other profane practices; the mission of the Messiah; and the filling of the whole earth with the "glory of the Lord," through the instrumentality of their nation. These things were included in the promises given to them and their fathers; and to accomplish them was emphatically the work of God. Moses and his re

ligious associates, therefore, properly pray that he, by fulfilling his word,