as one among many others, that would have eternal reason to bless God, for his ministry, he seemed to smile; took him by the hand, and said; Yes my dear Robert, and this is the only reason which makes me wish to live that I may bring more sinners to Jesus Christ though I am ashamed of myself that I have not been more earnest, and zealous in the cause of the salvation of souls. At another time he said, I hope my dear Robert, I shall not infect you with my fever, as I have infected others with my sinful ways; well, though the Lord has permitted me to run into sad lengths of dissipation, yet it might have been, that he might again make known his patience, forbearance, and grace to the very chief of sinners, who are enabled to come to him, who in no wise can cast us out. Wor. It seems then, while he was in a humble frame, he was by no means in a desponding frame. Loveg. I believe just the reverse; for while he felt and lamented, that he had been such a sinner, he could still rejoice, that he was a sinner saved. Mrs. Wor. But in saying these things, he did not speak, as though the fever had disturbed his recollection. Loveg. By no means, but this was at the beginning of his illness, when there were some hopes, that his disease was about to take a favourable turn. However, it seems that soon afterwards, he became frequently incoherent; but in the midst of his reveries, his mind was still engaged upon the best of subjects. At one time he supposed himself to be preaching and at another time, he would seem to imagine, that he was praying with the people; while what he said, on these occasions, was astonishingly affecting and fine, even superior to what he ever said in the best days of his recollection, and health. : Wor. When did you first see him? Loveg. It was thought necessary that I should see him on the Saturday morning, to set his mind at rest about the supply of his Church, for on the Sunday before, it was entirely shut up, and the consternation of the people was inexpressible. Wor. [To Mrs. Worthy.] Did you go up stairs with Mr. Lovegood? Mrs. Wor. Oh no! I was advised not, and I staid below with our daughter, for whenever he perceived her in the room, seeing her much affected, it greatly' increased his agitation: and again he had sad apprehensions lest she might catch the disease. It being necessary that he should be kept as quiet as possible. Mr. Sprightly was the only person, that went into the room with me, and being then in a sort of restless dose, I stood by his bed side some time, before he took any notice of me, and while I was waiting till he awoke, I heard him repeat the following lines, which I could not have understood, if I had not known the hymn. Thou say'st, thou wilt thy servants keep Bid the tempestuous rage of sin, After repeating these lines, he cried, I cannot sing, I cannot sing, I wish I could. Just then he opened his eyes, looked at me with the kindest affection, for a few seconds, and then said, What are you there my dear Mr. Lovegood? that precious man who saved my soul from ruin! Who was it that carried me over to Brookfield to see him? Being too much overcome to answer him, Mr. Sprightly said, no dear Sir, you are still at Sandover: Mr. Lovegood is come over to see you, and to supply the Church for you to-morrow. He replied, dear man, how kind! 66 I shan't be able to read prayers for him. Robert, lift me up in bed. I am very thirsty. Nurse, bring me some barley water he partook of it, and cried, "let him that is athirst come; yea, whosoever will, let them come and partake of the waters of life freely." My soul is athirst for God, yea, even for the living God!" Then he addressed himself to me, and said, Tell the people to-morrow, O tell them all, "how I long over them in the bowels of Jesus Christ." I hope there will not be one pew in the Church that will not have some sinner to feel as I did when you preached your visitation sermon. I think I am clear from the blood of all of them, but if not, I beg their pardons ten thousand times. What he said so completely overcame me, that I was obliged to retire to the window to vent my feelings. He then broke out into a profuse perspiration, when he asked where I was gone. I returned and helped to wipe off the rolling drops from his head and hair; and while we were performing the office, he cried, If every hair of my head, and every drop that falls from my face, were to be turned into a tongue; and were I to live ten thousand years, they should all be employed in telling the salvation of Christ, and in singing of his redeeming love; and then added, I can neither praise him as I should, nor yet as I would. I am so weak, lay me down again. This gave me an opportunity of saying, We will retire, that you may be more composed. You must think Sir, this was quite as much as I could bear. Wor. But this seemed at least, like a short revival of his intellectual powers. Loveg. Yes Sir, and what he said at such intervals, was astonishingly delightful. Wor. How did you get through the Sunday ser vices? Loveg. With the greatest difficulty imaginable. What the people felt, what we all felt, is not to be described. His fascinating, and affectionate behaviour, highly enriched by the grace of God, has rendered him one of the most beloved, and esteemed characters, that can be well conceived. Wor. What was your morning text? Loveg. Behold I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of its place, unless thou repent." Rev. ii. 5. Wor. I fear on such a subject, and on such an occasion, your own feelings, and those of the congregation, must have been sharply exercised. Loveg. Indeed Sir, they really were. It could scarcely be called preaching, my mind was so overpowered by the event, that I could not help my feelings, nor could the congregation command theirs. They all seemed to feel, that the loss of such a minister would prove the greatest they could sustain : but still I thought it an excellent sign, that they knew how to appreciate the labours of such an invaluable man. Mrs. Wor. I was fearful it would be so and as my daughter was so low, I thought it my duty to stay at home with her; and I fear this added considerably to the people's alarm. Wor. What was your afternoon subject ? 66 Loveg. Prepare to meet thy God." But I did all in my power, to avoid all personal reference to the present event; and only improved it in general terms, as well as I could; though after all, I found I had enough to do with the people's feelings, as well as with my own. Wor. Though it was deemed necessery to keep Mr. Merryman as quiet as possible, yet I suppose you saw him occasionally, through the course of the week. Loveg. O Sir! we thought it prudent, not to have any ringing, or chiming of the bells, before the services, lest it should disturb him; and that filled him with surprise, lest I should not have performed my promise, respecting the duty at the Church and I was obliged to go up on the Sunday evening, to pacify his mind on that subject. Wor. What was the result of that interview? I assured him I had performed both the services for him, and how much he was upon the hearts of the people, that he might still live to declare among them, that great power and grace which had been made known to him; he then quoted that passage and said, blessed be God, "I know what is the hope of his calling, ("Our high calling of God in Christ Jesus,") and what is the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints; and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward, who believe, according to the working of his mighty power:"* then he paused, and exclaimed, O what grace, what power, what a glorious power, to reach a heart like mine! Thus far he appeared most blessedly recollected, and then he closed his eyes for a while, and began to ramble, but in a most pleasant style. He told me that he had been sailing all the day, down a delightful river ; that there were most enchanting singings on each side of its banks and that he came to a most pleasant place, where a beautiful great tree grew, and that Angels were singing upon every branch and twig of it, and then added, O how grieved I was, when I lost sight of that tree, and when I could no longer hear the singings of those Angels, that so charmed my heart! I immediately said, my dear friend, we'll retire, and perhaps you will hear the same Angels sing again. He immediately said, O no! you must not go yet you must pray before you go. We knelt down, offered up a short prayer, and immediately retired. However I could perceive b this interview, that he was in a most blessed, and even enviable state of mind; and I had then my fears, that he would not be long on earth, as he was so fit for hea ven. : Wor. Surely after this, you would not deny yourself the privilege of giving him, at least a short visit every day, while you continued at Sandover. * Eph. i. 18, 19. |