presence filled all the place where I was. I heard no voice, saw no appearance, but received a deep impression never to be forgotten, that God was present. My hardness, impenitence, and unbelief, which before had caused me so much anxiety, now seemed all to depart in a moment. I thought they would return no more forever.— My whole mind and soul was filled with a joyful view of the Divine greatness, goodness, glory. He was altogether lovely, beyond all conceptions I had ever had before. I now thought I loved Him with all my heart. The more I thought of Him, the more my love increased. His justice, love and mercy, all were themes for contemplation, which opened sources of new and endless enjoyment. Fear, doubt and anxiety were all absent from my inind. I thought myself the happy possessor of perfect contentment, peace and joy. I felt relieved from everything which had rendered me unhappy. When I thought of my fellow-men I loved them all. I could not see how it could be possible that men should hate one another. And how it could be that I had harbored such feelings as I had toward some of them, I could not tell. They were all now passed away, and I thought all the rest of my life, was I permitted to live, should be one continued demonstration of "good will to men." I felt determined to tell them all, what the Lord had done for me, and devote my life wholly to his service."

But the grateful determination to declare to "all" what God had done for his soul, was not at that time made.

The cause of delay could not have been a want of evidence that he had "passed from death unto life." But whatever prevented a public profession of faith in the Lord Jesus, his happy change was well known to his mother and the family at the time.

In a conversation on this subject, some three years

since, his mother mentioned that she never before saw so sudden and striking an alteration in any one's countenance. He came out of his room into hers, doubtless at the time he mentions of having been made so sensible of "the Divine presence," and suddenly addressed her thus: "O, mother, praise the Lord, for the house is full of God." She said his whole aspect was changed, expanded, and he scarcely seemed like a being of earth. The feelings of the household I leave for the imagination of the reader to suggest, and unite with the happily astonished circle, in giving "Glory to God."

While my mother was relating these circumstances, my thoughts reverted to the glory of that transfiguration, where, as the blessed Savior "prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glisterining." One evangelist renders it, "his face shone as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. If the human form and countenance may thus be irradiated while here in the flesh, what shall we think of "that glory which shall be revealed in us," "when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, when this mortal shall have put on immortality, and death shall be swallowed up of life?" O for a heart to appreciate such a hope, for an eye that "will look right on," and through all of allurement, and trial, temptation and tribulation, have respect unto the "hope set before us in the gospel."

2

CHAPTER II.

Remarks; Extract from Journal; Profession of Religion; Account of his sister; School teaching; Commencement of preaching; Visit to his friends; Call to preach; Return to Charlotte; Discouragement of mind; Second visit to his friends; Tarry at Saratoga; Return to Addison; Revival there; More permanent engagement; Sickness.

"Go thou and preach the kingdom of God."

Jesus Christ.

In this sublunary world, what more certain, more ceaseless than change?

The Apostles went down from the mount of transfiguration, and could not cast out the "dumb spirit." And all we are prone to feast on the "heavenly vision," and forget to fast and pray,"-so the "evil spirit" reigns with sad and fearful domination. Even those who have been indulged to be, as it were "eye witnesses" of our "Savior's Majesty," and almost have audibly heard "the voice out of the excellent glory," soon merit the rebuke-" O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you, how long shall I suffer you?" So our friend, Mr. Covell, on descending from the exalted height of new-born love, where he had been allowed to behold "the King in his beauty," and to confer with Him of "his decease, which" had been "accomplished at Jerusalem," afterward became ensnared and relapsed into silence. But after his blessed Lord had allowed him to prove the unsatisfying nature of carnal joys, and the bitterness of not confessing Him before men, he issued the blessed mandate, "bring him hither to me." And "Jesus rebuked the foul spirit, and said, thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee come out of him and enter no

more into him." From that hour he began to amend and with "great boldness" to magnify that blessed name which "hath power on earth to forgive sins."

In his journal of after years he thus pathetically adverts to the period we are now retracing.

"At the time of my conversion, aged nineteen years, I was very happy in the love of Christ, and fully determined to give myself up to him without reserve. I sought his blessing and his guidance in all my ways, and chose his spirit as my great instructor in all things, with a sincere determination to obey his teachings in all things, whether I read those instructions in his Holy Word, or felt them in my own spirit. For a considerable time I enjoyed, as I thought, the Divine influence upon my heart. I was happy in prayer, in reading the Bible, and in other duties. But some duties I felt reluctant to perform.* I did not come out openly and own Christ before my young associates, and join with christians in prayer and all religious duties as I ought. I did not make a public profession of religion, but disobeyed God, by refusing to do what was plainly and solemnly impressed upon my mind as duty. Soon I met my old associates, and instead of having the decision to avow my principles before them, and confess myself a christian, I was silent about religion, and joined in with them to a great degree in their wicked conversation and amusements.Soon I resolved to give up prayer altogether, to openly say I had been deceived, that I had no religion, and then thought I might go on again with my old associates in sin. I well recollect the day when I made this resolve. I felt condemned for so doing. I knew it to be an awful sin. I knew the profession I was going to make, that I

*O, how he needed a faithful under shepherd to take him by the hand and lead him, but there was none near. The Baptist church in his town was several miles distant, in a low state, and without a settled pastor at that time.