The important and useful labours of a parish minister afford few incidents suited to the purposes of biography. One week succeeds another, and brings with it the same or similar calls of duty, and gives occasion for exercises of patience, meekness, diligence, piety, and love, with little variety of circumstance; and frequently, the more estimable the character, the less is he known beyond his own circle, and the more uniform is the tenour of his life. In this way indeed, he gains affectionate friends by substantial usefulness, who love and venerate him as a father; and he gradually overcomes opposition and prejudice by good behaviour, and is respected even by such as do not love him: because all become convinced that he would be their friend, and that he willingly renounces his interest, ease, and indulgence, in hopes of doing them good.

This seems to have been the life of Mr. Newell, at Missenden, and this the history of his last fifteen. years. He did not go so much from home, as some ministers do, and was not so well known in the metropolis, or at a distance; but he was always employed, and principally about the people committed to his charge.*

Yet his mind was expanded to take in the concerns

The manuscript book above-mentioned, contains a number of cases, with the names and the outlines of the characters, of persons who either were first excited by Mr. Newell's ministry to attend to the concerns of their immortal souls, or who were his constant attendants, and considered him as their stated pastor and teacher; and many of these are very interesting. A considerable number he attended on their dying beds,

of genuine christianity, on the most enlarged scale; and the evangelizing of the heathen, as well as the promoting of evangelical and vital piety at home, seems to have been near his heart. Accordingly, being solicited in the name of the committee of the London Missionary Society, to preach one of their annual sermons; he undertook that service, and performed it, greatly to the satisfaction of the Committee and Society. But the weight with which so publick and important an attempt lay upon his mind; the pains which he took in preparation; and his exertions at the time, added to all his other cares and labours, seem to have been too much for his feeble frame. He had before been in a poor state of health, but he returned from London much worse. His stomach became incapable of retaining either medicine or nourishment; yet, after a while, his disorder appeared to give way to medical aid, and some hopes were entertained of his recovery. These, however, speedily vanished; he relapsed, and his dissolution took place June 11th, 1803, when he was aged forty-seven years.

and had great satisfaction concerning them; but many others are still living, and various circumstances forbid the writer to be more particular. It is, however, plain, that in respect of many, the surprising ignorance before alluded to, was dispersed; and the "people who sat in darl.ness, saw great light; and "to them who sat in darkness, and the shadow of death, light "had sprung up."

ON the 7th of November, 1782, Mr. Newell marfied Miss Ann Jones, the daughter of Mr. Wm. Jones, a respectable linen-draper at Shrewsbury, who, after the comforts of a cordial union, founded on and cemented by christian principles, for above twenty years, survives to lament her loss.

They had ten children, but only three survive: a son, aged nine years, and two daughters, one aged seven, the other six. Some circumstances, however, concerning their children, are worthy to be recorded; at least, they a good deal affected the writer on a recital, and will probably interest and affect the reader, especially if a parent, who has felt the anguish of losing his beloved offspring.-I shall give them below, in Mr. Newell's own words.*

*I had peculiar trials in my family about the time I came to reside at Missenden. When I left Worcester, I had three lit'tle daughters, the youngest of whom was just one year old; ' as these required a deal of attention, and Mrs. N.'s time was very much taken up in preparing for our departure, we sent 'the least to a friend in the country. We afterwards found that the spotted fever raged much in that neighbourhood; our little one took the infection, and after places were taken for the family in the stage, Mrs. N. was obliged to go and at'tend her. The child, after a severe illness, almost miracu'lously recovered. I brought my two eldest children to Missen'den; and on the morrow, a child of the friend at whose house • I lodged, fell sick, whose disorder terminated in the spotted ⚫ fever, and my children took the infection. Mrs. N. had but just arrived with the little emaciated creature from Worcester, when the other two were taken ill. The eldest, a fine lively 'girl, was suddenly cut down: the second was reduced almost ⚫ to a skeleton, and though her life was then spared, her con

When the reader has perused the annexed note, he will probably agree, that none but an affectionate parent can conceive the anguish which such a dispen

⚫stitution was so debilitated, that in time she was very much deformed, and was to us á painful instance how God afflicts ( parents in the persons of their children. She lived in a lan'guishing pitiable state till March 28, 1792, and then departèd. I had often perplexed myself with such thoughts as these: What can be the design of God in continuing my poor ⚫ child in a miserable existence so long? Can such afflictions be in mercy? I had heard of children who, at an early age, have 'given satisfactory evidence of their being called by grace; and I thought, Who can tell but the Lord may yet, call my poor Charlotte, and give us the pleasure of hearing her call on the Lord? I will apply myself with more assiduity to instruct her in the great truths of the Gospel. Though but just past seven years old, I was happy to find that she soon got a general knowledge of the Gospel, and was often much affected when I talked to her of the dying love of Jesus. I once asked her if she prayed when alone? and what she said when she prayed? To which she replied, "I say, God be merciful to "me a sinner!" A few nights before her death, about midnight, we heard her pray. Some things we could not distinctly understand: but we heard her very distinctly repeat the publican's prayer, and say, 'I long to go to glory." The LORD gave, "and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD."

1793.

I was exercised this year with peculiar domestick trials. In the spring my youngest child had the scarlet fever, which • weakened his constitution very much. In the summer they ⚫ had the meazles, of which the little one died. My three other ⚫ children recovered, and enjoyed perfect health, till the latter • end of November, when Ann was seized with the croup, and • died December 1st; Robert took the infection, and died De⚫cember 7: nor did the Lord see good to spare one, for Mary

expired December 10. Thus he hath "broken me with breach

sation must excite, even in the most pious mind; and what great supports of divine grace are requisite to tepress all murmurs and hard impatient thoughts on so trying an occasion, and to enable the sufferers to say, "It is the LORD, let him do what seemeth him "good."

They were, however, supported; and at length their three children (like the seven that Job lost at once) were replaced: but these are now left fatherless, with one further circumstance, which is peculiarly suited to exoite sympathy, and seldom fails to produce this affect: I mean the expectation of a fourth child, doomed to be born fatherless, its mother being a widow. But the Father of the fatherless, and the Husband and Defender of the widow, still liveth, and is all-sufficient.

It is superfluous almost to say, that the deceased was exemplary in the character of a husband, a father, and in domestick life. They who knew him most, held him in the highest estimation.

As the writer never had the pleasure of hearing Mr. Newell preach, he cannot give any opinion on that subject, except a decided one that he preached the doctrines of the Scripture, and those of our Liturgy and articles, fairly and literally interpreted.

But he has heard from competent judges, that his language also was good, and that his manner was agree

ik upon breach," and "written me childless." I trust these 'sharp trials will be blessed to me; I daily pray that the Lord 'would raise me up spiritual children, in the stead of my chil +dren according to the flesh, whom he hath taken to himself' VOL. III.

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