5 And did my Saviour use to pray,
Before the light unveil'd the day?
And shall I backward be?

No, dearest Lord, forbid the thought;
Help me to fight, as Jesus fought,
Each foe that hinders me.

6 And you, my friends, who love his name, Who love to imitate the Lamb,

And more of Jesus know;

Come, let us all surround his throne,
And see what blessings on his own
Our Saviour will bestow.

7 Though fears be great, temptations strong, And though we oft have waited long,

Perhaps he may design

This morn to give each soul to see,
And say with Paul, “ He died for me,”
And my Redeemer's mine,

8 Now cheerful we'll begin to pray, That he will wash our sins away

In his atoning blood;

That he his blessing may bestow,
And give each sinner here to know

That he's a child of God.

ON THE SCRIPTURES.

1 STUPENDOUs love in Christ doth dwell,
Love which no mortal tongue can tell ;
But yet so gracious is the Lord,
He tells the people in his word.

2 Here, in those lines of love, I see What Christ my Saviour did for me;

Here I behold the wondrous plan

By which he saves rebellious man.

3 Here we may view the Saviour, God, Oppress'd by pain, o’erwhelm'd with blood ; And if we ask the reason, Why?

He kindly says, "For you I die."

4 Here love and mercy, truth and grace,
Conspicuous shine in Jesus' face;

Here we may trace the wondrous road,
By which a sinner comes to God.

5. O boundless grace! O matchless love
That brought the Saviour from above,
That caus'd the God for man to die,
Expiring in an agony !

6 Then say, my soul, canst thou engage
In tracing o'er this sacred page,
And there his love and mercy see,
And not love him who died for thee?

7 O stupid heart! O wretched soul !
So cold, so languid, and so dull;
Angels desire this love to know,
O may I feel these longings too!

8 Descend, thou Spirit of the Lord,
Thy light, and help, and grace afford;
And, while I read these pages o'er,
Constrain my soul to love thee more.

1

CHAPTER II.

HIS LABORIOUS EXERTIONS IN PROMOTING MISSIONS TO THE HEATHEN, AND OFFERING HIMSELF TO BECOME A MISSIONARY.

MR. PEARCE has been uniformly the spiritual and the active servant of Christ; but neither his spirituality nor his activity would have appeared in the manner they have, but for his engagements in the introduction of the gospel among the heathen.

It was not long after his settlement at Birmingham, that he became acquainted with Mr. CAREY, in whom he found a soul nearly akin to his own. When the brethren in the counties of Northampton and Leicester formed themselves into a Missionary Society at Kettering, in October 1792, he was there, and entered into the business with all his heart. On his return to Birmingham, he communicated the subject to his congregation with so much effect, that to the small sum of £13:2:6, with which the subscription was begun, was added £70, which was collected and transmitted to the treasurer; and the leading members of the Church formed themselves into an Assistant Society. Early in the following spring, when it was resolved that our brethren, Thomas and Carey, should go on a mission to the Hindoos, and a considerable sum of money was wanted for the purpose, he laboured with increasing ardour in various parts of the kingdom; and when the object was accomplished, he rejoiced in all his labour, smiling in every company, and blessing God.

During his labours and journeys, on this important mission, he wrote several letters to his friends, an extract or two from which will discover the state of his mind at that period, as well as the encouragements that he met with in his work at home:

TO MR. STEADMAN.

"MY VERY DEAR BROTHER,

ment.

"Birmingham, Feb. 8, 1793.

"UNION of sentiment often creates friendship among carnal men, and similarity of feeling never fails to produce affection among pious men, as far as that similarity is known. I have loved you ever since I knew you. We saw, we felt alike in the interesting concerns of personal religion. We formed a reciprocal attachWe expressed it by words. We agreed to do so by correspondence; and we have not altogether been wanting to our engagements. But our correspondence has been interrupted, not, I believe, through any diminution of regard on either side; I am persuaded not on mine. I rather condemn myfelf as the first aggressor; but I excuse while I condemn, and so would you, did you know half the concerns which devolve upon me in my present situation. Birmingham is a central place; the inhabitants are numerous; our members are between three and four hundred. The word preached has lately been remarkably blessed. In less than five months, I baptized nearly forty persons, almost all newly awakened. Next Lord's day week I expect to add to their number. These persons came to my house to propose the most important of all inquiries," What must we do to be saved?" I have been thus engaged some weeks during the greatest part of most days. This, with four sermons a week, will account for my neglect. But your letter, received this evening, calls forth every latent affection of my heart for you. We are, my dear brother, not only united in the common object of pursuit,-salvation; not only rest our hopes on the same foundation,-Jesus Christ; but we feel alike respecting the poor heathens. Oh how Christianity expands the mind! What tenderness for our poor fellow-sinners! What sympathy for their moral misery! What desires to do them everlasting good, doth it provoke! How satisfying to our judgments is this evidence of grace! How gratifying to our present taste are these benevolent breathings! O how I love that man whose soul is deeply affected with the importance of the precious gospel to idolatrous heathen. Excellently, my dear brother, you observe that,

great as its blessings are in the estimation of a sinner called in a Christian country, inexpressibly greater must they shine on the newly illuminated mind of a converted pagan.

"We shall be glad of all your assistance in a pecuniary way, as the expense will be heavy.-Dear brother Carey has paid us a visit of love this week. He preached excellently to-night. I expect brother Thomas next week or the week after. I wish you would meet him here. I have a house at your command, and a heart greatly attached to you. "S. P."

TO MR. FULLER.

"Feb. 23, 1793.

"I AM willing to go anywhere, and do any thing in my power; but I hope no plan will be suffered to interfere with the affecting,— hoped for,--dreaded day, March 13, (the day of our brethren, Carey and Thomas's solemn designation at Leicester.) Oh how the anticipation of it at once rejoices and afflicts me! Our hearts need steeling to part with our much-loved brethren, who are about to venture their all for the name of the Lord Jesus. I feel my soul melting within me when I read the 20th chapter of the Acts, and especially verses 36-38. But why grieve? We shall see them again. Oh yes; them and the children whom the Lord will give them ;—we and the children whom the Lord hath given us. We shall meet again, not to weep and pray, but to smile and praise. "S. P."

FROM the day of the departure of the missionaries, no one was more importunate in prayer than Mr. Pearce; and on the news of their safe arrival, no one was more filled with joy and thankful

ness.