illustrations and arguments drawn from his wonders and beauties in the natural world. I will, hereafter, try to tell you something of these things, and to brighten the gloom of our winter horizon by some of my Northern lights. I have also seen some very lovely instances of the power of divine grace on the hearts of individuals and people. It is a very delightful consideration, that the same God and the same Redeemer reigns every where, and produces the same effects in heart and life. What reason have we to mourn over our slow growth under so many advantages! "Be pleased to give my kind love to Mr. Renton, and tell him that I received his letter subsequently to mine leaving this. I shall be happy if he can, even for two or three days, give me the comfort of his society beyond the 12th of August. Can you tell me where he is going? He forgot, in his letter, to mention the name of the place and clergyman whose church he is to serve. Give my love to the boys; accept of mine and Mrs. Richmond's assurances of esteem and regard ;—And believe me, faithfully, yours, "LEGH RICHMOND." Pastoral letter, addressed to his parishioners at Turvey. 66 As My dear Friends,-Although distance may for a season produce silence, it cannot cause forgetfulness in my heart. it concerns you, I can truly say that your spiritual welfare and temporal comfort form the subject of prayers constantly offered up at the throne of grace. It has pleased the Lord to bring us safe to our dear child, whom we found better than we could have expected, considering the illness and sufferings through which she has been carried. Great joy attended our meeting, and the affections of nature and grace were called into no small exercise. I desire to praise Him for the past, and trust Him for the future. Many of you have had abounding proofs of God's mercy and goodness in the hour of need, and have been brought through fire and through water into a wealthy place.' May the recollections of such benefits keep you humble, make you thankful, and render you meet for the inheritance of the saints in light! As we journeyed hither, we saw many lovely scenes amongst the mountains, lakes, rivers, and waterfalls of nature; and they reminded us of the far greater beauties of holiness in Him who made them all, and gives us many a Gospel lesson in the works of creation. We are now in a vast city, containing above 150,000 inhabitants. Much grace prevails 6 here; and also, in such a multitude, much evil. What need we have to pray for the universal reign of Christian principles in all hearts; for the day when Glasgow and London, and Turvey may present nothing but a population of the true followers of the Lord Jesus. When and how shall this come to pass? Times and seasons are in the Lord's hand, but the means of grace are put into ours. And I know of no means so immediately likely to promote the great event of general conversion, as the lively, steadfast, and exemplary conduct of Christian professors. I would wish to impress this strongly upon every one of your minds: you are answerable to God for the conduct of every hour, not only as it may affect your own individual state, but as it may, and must respect your families, your neighbours, and the church of God. The increase and prosperity of young converts, is closely connected with the manner in which older professors of religion so let their light shine before them, that they, seeing their good works, may glorify their Father which is in heaven. Be a united people; give no place to unkind suspicions, or jealousies, or words. Remember the golden rule, even so do ye unto others as ye would that they should do unto you.' Keep your eye and your heart steadily fixed upon the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. Walk happily, by walking wisely and holily. Maintain family prayer and instruction in your households, whenever it is practicable; and where it is not, be more earnest in secret prayer for the removal of all hindrances. Keep together as a people; encourage no divisions which break the peace of the church, and injure weak souls by many false delusions. A good Christian is a steady one. You that are in trouble, cast your cares upon the Lord, knowing that he careth for you. If God be with you, who can be against you? Think over past mercies, and see on whom you ought to trust. Do not dishonour Him by unbelieving doubts. He is faithful that has promised. May God answer my prayer for unity, peace, and concord. Hearken to the word of truth, from the lips of my faithful fellow-labourer: strengthen his hands and encourage his heart. Pray much for me; I need it, for my labours are many, and I am weak: but the Lord is my strength. God bless every one of you and may we, if God will, meet again in love and holy resolution. So prays your affectionate pastor, "LEGH RICHMOND.” It was during one of Mr. Richmond's excursions to Scotland, that he arranged for publication the very interesting diary and "Letter on the Principles of the Christian Faith," composed by Miss Sinclair, eldest daughter of the Right Hon. Sir John Sinclair, Bart.; who died on the 22d May, 1818. There are few of our readers, we presume, who have not read the above production, addressed by Miss Sinclair to one of her younger sisters, without any intention of its meeting the public eye, or aiming at any thing beyond the private edification of her sister. It contains a very clear, scriptural, and able exposition of the principles of the Christian faith, accompanied by remarks which shewed the influence of those principles in her own heart. At the request of the family, a memoir of Miss Sinclair was prefixed to the publication, by Mr. Richmond. It is foreign to our purpose to enter into any review of this interesting little work, which details the early growth and progress of divine grace in the heart of this young lady, who appears to have united the attainments of genuine piety with the endowments of the most cultivated mind. We have much pleasure in subjoining the following testimony, as one of the many instances of usefulness arising from the perusal of this little memoir : "Rev. Sir,-Being informed that you are writing the life of Mr. Richmond, I beg, through the medium of my much esteemed friend Mr. F. to inform you, how greatly I am indebted to the memoir of Miss Hannah Sinclair. I trust it is from no ostentatious wish to see my name in print, that I allude to the blessed change in my views and principles. Yet I do wish to give publicity to the little volume by which my mind was first drawn to the true principles of the word of God, and my heart rightly impressed by them. I would pay a tribute of respect to the memory of one who must be ever dear to my recollection, for benefits received from that excellent letter of Hannah Sinclair; and I anxiously desire that her valuable memoir by Mr. Richmond, may be read with the same delight and benefit which accompanied my perusal of it.-I am, &c. "H. PHIPPS." CHAPTER XV. Death of his infant-Marriage of his eldest daughter--Visit to the North of Ireland-Texts on the walls of his church--Extract of a letter to his daughter F-.--Isle of Wight tourPastoral letter-Journal-His son Wilberforce's illness and death--Marriage of his daughter H-.--Nugent's shipwreck, and death--Apocryphal question-Mr. Richmond's opinion on the mode of preaching to the Jews--Journey to Cromer-Conversation with the editor--Meditation in his study. IN the spring of 1821 Mr. Richmond lost his infant child. He gives the account of this event in a letter to his daughter; and he composed a copy of verses, to soothe the feelings of the mother. "Dear Mary,-Our dear delicate baby has taken his flight to a happier world! I write beside his unspeakably beautiful remains. Of all my twelve babes, I never clung to one like this— perhaps, because I never expected his life. He was formed for a higher state than this, and is taken away from the evil to come. He had an inflammation on the chest for a few days. He died in my arms--lovelier than the loveliest, calmer than the calmest. His previously languid eye suddenly illumined into heavenly brightness and vigour : it looked at me with full intelligenceseemed to say, 'Farewell! I am going to Jesus !'--and he was gone." HYMN FOR AN INFANT'S FUNERAL. Hark! how the angels, as they fly, 66 Welcome, dear babe, to Jesu's breast- Welcome to Jesu's courts above, To sing thy great Redeemer's love! "We left the heavens, and flew to earth, We stayed to love and guard thee still: "We thy protecting angeis came, Now, with the lightning's speed, we bear Thus sweetly borne, he flies to rest: We have already noticed that Mr. Richmond, in his tour to Scotland, left his eldest daughter to the care of Dr. and Mrs. S., who resided near Glasgow. It was there that an attachment was formed between Miss Richmond and a clergyman of the Established Church of Scotland, whose profession and character rendered the connexion a source of peculiar gratification. He alludes to this circumstance in the following letter to one of his daughters :- "My dear Love,-Was not this the day on which you were born? Why, then, I must now wish you many happy returns of it. But will they be happy, if you be not holy? How I long to see my dear F. still more decided-more spiritual--more given to holy thoughts, words, and works. Let not your mind be run away with by any thing that will steal your heart from God. Make no idols of books that carry away the imagination. I will give you a rule to judge whether an author is doing you good:-Go directly from your book, and open your Bible; and, without partiality or hypocrisy, say which you embrace with the most delight. The answer will always shew the state of your mind, and the profitableness and lawfulness of the book. "Become more serious. I am much pleased with the conscientious principles and behaviour of Mary and Mr. M., in their intercourse. He is a true Christian, and most affectionately attached to her. His view of faith and practice exactly accord with my own: he is too good a man to be light and trifling on such a solemn subject as a nuptial engagement. Mary's mind is sacredly and steadfastly made up, to love, honour, and obey him, as the partner of her heart, and the spouse of her |