To the Editor of the Christian Observer. ›ANECDOTES OF THE REV. MR. WALker, of TRURO.

SIR,

THE works of the late Reverend Mr. Walker of Truro, are probably known to many of your readers, and, I apprehend, that few are acquainted with his writings, who would not wish to be informed of any particulars respecting his life. The generation of those amongst whom he lived, and who could describe the piety and excellence of his conduct, is almost passed away, and with it will soon be lost to the world the knowledge of many circumstances respecting him, which might minister much instruction and edification. I wish this consideration might influence the remaining few, who were personally acquainted with him, (and of these I know some are numbered amongst your readers) to enrich your Miscellany with select anec dotes of that good man, whose works no Christian can peruse without becoming more humble by the exposure of the depravity of the human heart, more grateful for the pardon so freely offered by Christ, and more earnest to obtain the grace communicated through the influence of the Holy Spirit.

Mr. Walker was first impressed with a sense of the importance of vital Christianity, as distinguished from what is merely nominal, by means of his acquaintance with Mr. Conon, Master of the Grammar School in Truro. His knowledge of him originated in the following circumstance. Mr. Conon sent a letter to him, enclosing a sum of money, which he requested Mr. Walker to pay to the proper officer of the customhouse, as an act of justice to the revenue. The letter contained an apology for giving that trouble to Mr. Walker, but stated, that his public character would prevent the suspicion which might have attached to the writer, had he employed one of his own friends on the occasion. It also explained the nature of the transaction which caused this application; viz. that Mr. Conon having been in the habit of drinking French wines for his health, could obtain none in that neighbourhood for which the duty had been paid. He took this method, therefore, of paying custom to whom custom was due. It is necessary to remark, that at

that period smuggling was almost universal in Cornwall; and was in general scarcely considered, even by respectable characters, as criminal. Mr. Walker, was struck with the conscientiousness displayed in this affair, and was curious to know whether the same strictness of morals manifested itself throughout the whole of Mr. Conon's conduct. He cultivated, therefore, a close acquaintance with him; he observed him narrowly; and the result was a high veneration for a man who appeared to be actuated by principles of greater purity, than any other person with whom he had been acquainted. In the course of an interesting conversation with him on the nature of true faith, Mr. Walker perceived the source of that excellence which was visible in his friend. He learned that true faith was such a lively apprehension of the goodness of God in Christ Jesus, as wrought an entire change of sentiments, pursuits, and con duct in the man, such as made him a new creature. He was convinced, that hitherto he himself had professed only a barren and dead faith; and he was determined, by the grace of God, now to seek that faith which gives abiding subsistence in the mind to things hoped for, and communicates, as it were, a presence and reality to things invisible.

That this determination was the fruit of true piety, and accompanied by the divine blessing, soon appeared. The style of his preaching was changed. As he felt the powerful influence of true faith on his own soul, he described in his discourses its operation with perspicuity, and strongly asserted its universal necessity. His views on this subject, were clearly unfolded in the admirable sermons afterwards published, entitled, The Christian a new Creature, the substance of which was delivered about that period. The impression made by those sermons was so striking, that, as a by-stander remarked, the whole congregation, then an exceedingly large one, seemed to retire from the Church in profound meditation, and with secret conviction that if such a change of heart was necessary to constitute the Christian character, they could scarcely lay claim to it.

Such preaching could not long be

relished by those who were living in a vain, sensual, and dissipated manner, or who were building their hopes upon a formal course of external religion. Accordingly those, amongst whom were comprised some of the principal inhabitants of Truro, complained to his Rector of the strain of his preaching, and solicited his dismission. The Rector promised to comply with their wishes, and waited upon Mr. Walker with the intent of giving him notice to quit his cure. Mr. Walker received him with much politeness and respect, and soon took occasion, from something which occurred in the course of conversation, to explain his views of the importance of the ministerial office, and the manner in which its duties ought to be fulfilled. The high tone of virtue which appeared in his sentiments; the weighty reasons he advanced in support of them; the solemn manner in which he appealed to his fellow-labourer in the church, so confounded that gentleman, that he went away without being able to effect his purpose. Being still urged to dismiss his curate, he endeavoured a second time to execute his intention; but was again so awed by the superiority of Mr. Walker's piety and excellence, that he could not bring himself to open his mouth upon the subject of his visit. Being afterwards pressed by one of the principal persons in the place, he replied, "Do you go and dismiss him if you can, I cannot. I feel in his presence, as if he were a being of a superior order, and am so abashed, that I am un easy till I can retire from it."

Some time afterwards, his Rector being dangerously ill, sent for him, begged his prayers, acknowledged his excellence, and promised, if he recovered, to give him his hearty support.

*

Mr. Walker's disinterestedness and conscientiousness were manifested in his resignation of the living of Talland, as related in the account of his life, prefixed to his Sermons on the Baptismal Covenant. Another circumstance will place those qualities in a still more conspicuous point of view. There was a young lady in that neighbourhood, of accomplished manners and striking beauty, possessing a large fortune at her own * Did he act accordingly? Ed.

disposal. She was also eminently pious, and distinguished for her fine understanding. A common friend suggested to Mr. Walker the great probability of obtaining her consent to an union, if he made proposals for that purpose: adding, that he well knew her partiality for Mr. Walker to be such, that she would prefer him to any man in the world. Mr. Walker made no reply at the time; but a few days after took an opportunity of addressing his friend to the following effect. "You spoke to me lately about Miss -; I never yet saw a woman whom I thought comparable to her, and I believe I should enjoy as much happiness in an union with her, as it is possible to enjoy in this world. I have reason also to think that my suit might not be rejected. But," with a pause, he added, “it must never be. What would the world say of me? How could they be persuaded that the hope of obtaining so rich a prize has not influenced me in my religious profession? It is easy, they would say, to preach self-denial and heavenlymindedness; but has not the preacher himself been studious to enjoy as much of this world's good as he could possibly obtain? No, Sir, it must never be. I will not suffer any temporal happiness whatever to be a bar in the way of my usefulness. Whether this instance of self-denial be thought well-judged or not, it affords the strongest proof of the power of religion over his mind, and in this point of view may justly be ranked with that self-denial which was displayed by the primitive martyrs. Let us not hastily or lightly censure those who possess themselves of enjoyments which are lawful in their own nature; but we cannot too highly extol the Christian disinterestedness and zeal of others, who, out of holy love to their Saviour and their fellow-creatures, are contented to sacrifice the greatest temporal advantages.

(To be continued)

To the Editor of the Christian Observer.

PERMIT me to solicit, from some of your correspondents, an explanation of certain difficulties, which have embarrassed me, with regard to what are cal- led calls of Providence.

And here it is to be observed, that the question is not, whether every event in the world is under the direction of God; nor whether we are bound to obey God's will, by whatever means that will be made known to us; but the inquiry is, in what sense the events of life may be considered as furnishing us with a rule of conduct?

Both in the choice of the ends which we pursue, and of the means to accomplish them, attention must always be paid to circumstances and events. That attention is what I should call prudence. That we are bound always to exercise prudence is evident; but it may be doubted whether, in any other view, the events of life furnish us with a rule of action.

They, however, who talk of calls of Providence, do not seem to mean by them the exercise of prudence. When a question arises respecting any step in life; as the engaging in any new relation or employment, or removing to a new situation, they do not appear to determine it by a fair and full consideration of all the circumstances on both sides, but by some particular circumstance, which is understood by them as indicating the will of God. Such a circumstance, they seem to think, resembles the command which God gave to Abraham, to leave his father's house, or to Jonah, to go and preach to the Ninevites. They suppose that if they do not act according to the interpretation which they put upon that circumstance, they shall be resisting the command of God, and committing such a sin as will draw upon them a train of dreadful consequences. The evils which attend the step which they take in consequence of this opinion, are not regarded by them as of the nature of punishments for their imprudence, but as sufferings in the path of duty.

This notion of the calls of Providence appears to disqualify the mind for such a consideration of circumstances as is necessary to a just decision of every practical question. It enables men of a sanguine disposition to regard whatever they wish as their duty; and it is a fact, that they have often been led by it into dreadful mistakes, yet imagining all the time that

they were only fulfilling the divine will. On the contrary, men of a melancholy and scrupulous turn are so struck with awe by it, lest they should resist the command of God, that they are unable to make a proper use of their judgment to direct their conduct. This I have myself experienced. In the early part of my life having been connected with those who held this doctrine of Providence, it has made a sufficient impression on my mind to prevent the exercise of judgment, and to embarrass me in every step which I have to take; and I even now experience evils which I may attribute to this source.

It is therefore desirable, that the subject should be fully investigated; and as many of your correspondents must, in their intercourse with the religious world, have met with a variety of instances of its pernicious effects, it is to be hoped that some of them will endeavour to correct the mistakes which it occasions.

S. D. R.

To the Editor of the Christian Observer.

You have probably known, within the circle of your acquaintance, some young persons, apparently of real piety, who, contrary to the sober sense of their own mind, have been induced, by some insufficient motive, accompanied, perhaps, with a delusive hope of doing good, to form connections with those who were not, with regard to religion, of like sentiments with themselves. As it is to be feared that such marriages are not unfrequently contracted; as they are contrary to the plain direction of Scripture-" Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?" and as they are generally productive of much injury or unhappiness to the pious character, rather than of benefit to the opposite one; it may be useful to introduce to your readers some judicious advice upon this subject, which I have met with in the writings of an old Divine.

To this Divine the following question was proposed-Whether a Protestant lady, of strict education, might marry a Papist, in hope of his conversion,

he promising not to disturb her in her religion ?" The answer he gave, (as he himself suggests) will apply almost equally to the question of such a person's marriage with an ungodly Protestant; with an irreligious or unconverted man of the world. His reasons (which I shall give you in his own language) for thinking that in all ordinary cases a marriage of this kind is improper and sinful, are these:

"1. A husband is especially to be a meet-helper in matters of the greatest moment; and this help is to be daily given, in counselling in the things that concern salvation, instructing in the Scriptures, exciting grace, subduing sin, and helping the wife in the constant course of a holy life, and in her preparation for death and the life to come. And a humble soul that is conscious of its own weakness, will find the need of all this help; which, how it can be expected from one who only promiseth not to disturb her in her religion, I

cannot understand. I should as soon advise her to take a physician in her sickness, who only promiseth not to meddle with her health, as a husband who only promiseth not to meddle with her in matters of religion.

"2. A husband, who is no helper in religion, must needs be a hindrance! For the very diversions of the mind from holy things, by constant talk of other matters, wili be a very great impediment! And as not to go forward is to go backward, so not to help is to hinder, in one of so near relation. How hard it is to keep up the love of God, and a delight in holiness and heavenly desires, and a fruitful life, even under the greatest helps in the world, much more among hindrances, and especially such as are in our bosom and continually with us, I need not tell a humble and self-knowing Christian. And of what importance these things are, shall not declare till I am speaking to an infidel or impious person.

may be tried and accomplished first. There are enow of us who are ready to meet any man of the papal way, and to evince his errors. If reason, or Scripture, or the Church, or sense itself, may be believed, we shall quickly lay that before him which hath evidence enough to convince him; but if none of this can do it before hand, how can a wife hope to do it? She ought not to think a husband so fond and weak, as in the matters of his salvation to be led by his affections to a woman, against his reason, his party, and his education; or if she can do more than a learned man can do, let her do it first, and marry him after. I had rather give my money, or my house and land, in charity, than to give myself in charity, merely in hope to do good to another. It is a love of friendship and complacence, and not a love of mere benevolence, which belongeth to this relation. Moreover, error and sin are deep rooted things, and it is God only that can change such hearts, and women are weak, and men are the rulers; and therefore to marry, if it were a vicious ungodly Protestant, merely in hope to change him, is a course which I think not meet here to name, or aggravate as it deserveth.

"4. Yea, she may justly fear rather to be changed by him; for he hath the advantage in authority, parts, and interest; and we are naturally more prone to evil than to good. It is easier to infect twenty men than to cure one; and if he speak not to her against her religion, enow more will.

5. Or if she be so happy as to escape perversion, there is little hope of her escaping a sad calamitous life; partly by guilt, and partly by her grief for a husband's soul, and partly by family disorders and sins, and also by daily temptations, disappointments, and want of those helps and comforts in the way to heaven, which her weakness needeth and her relation should afford; so that if her soul escape, she must look that her great affliction be the means; and yet we cannot so confidently expect from God, that he will sanctify to us a self-chosen affliction as another."

Our author, it will be seen, has not

spoken of the hindrances which would, probably, arise to the pious education of the children of such parents, a point which should be well weighed, and considered as of great importance by every serious person. But what he has said deserves much attention; and should his remarks, Mr. Editor, assist any of your readers to form their sentiments, and to order their conduct aright in a matter so intimately connected with their present and eternal welfare, they will, doubtless, thank you for allowing them to be transplanted from the page of an old folie into that of the Christian Observer.

For the Christian Observer.

In the New Testament, the words which we translate bishop, priest or elder, and deacon, are often used indiscriminately one for another. They apply generally to persons in the ministry, without specifying their rank or their order. A man of the highest rank in the Church is sometimes termed a Minister or Elder, and one of an inferior order a Bishop. It is necessary to keep this idea in mind, if we would obtain a complete view of the Primitive Church. There is no arguing from the identity of the name to the identity of the office. The ministers of the Church of Christ had their different appointments and distinct labours; but when they are mentioned with discrimination, they are not always called by the names which we use in latter ages. Theodoret, a writer who lived in the beginning of the fifth century, gives us a rational account of this matter. His words are these. "Formerly the same persons were called both Presbyters and Bishops, and those now called Bishops were then named Apostles. But in process of time, the name of Apostle was left to those Apostles strictly so called, and the name of Bishop ascribed According to this testi

to the rest."*

Τις αυτους εκαλόγ ποτε πρεσβυτερες και επισκοπές. Τους δε νυν καλουμένους επισκοπους, αποστολους ονομαζον. Του δε χρονου προιοντος, το μεν της αποστολης ονομα τοις αληθώς αποσο τολοις κατέλιπον Την δε της επισκοπης προσηγορίαν τοις παλαι καλουμένοις αποστολείς επιθησαν. Theodoret, in 1 Tim. iii. 1.

mony, the office of a Bishop may be the same, though he is not distinguished by the name of an Apostle. Part of our confusion of ideas may, perhaps, have arisen from the different manner of translating the terms. The original words, which we translate apostle and angel, signify also a messenger. Are our brethren inquired of? says St. Paul. They are the apostles of the churches and the glory of Christ. (2 Cor. viii. 23.) That the Apostles had originally the government of the Church of Christ will not be denied. In all the ordinations which are recorded or alluded to in the New Testament, after our Lord's ascension, at the least one of the Apos tles, or a man with apostolical authority, was present. Timothy was ordained by the hands of the Presbytery. (1 Tim. iv. 14.) Nothing can be inferred from the name, except that they were persons in the ministry who ordained him; and St. Paul expressly assures us that he was one of the number. (2 Tim. i. 6.) The Apostles received accusations against ministers, and issued out censures against such as were guilty. And so considerable was the labour of this charge, that St. Paul felt very sensibly that which came upon him daily, the care of all the churches. (2 Cor. xi. 28.)

As the Church multiplied, and some of the Apostles finished their course, the survivors appointed others, with apostolical authority, to assist. Titus was sent for a time into Crete, and Timothy to Ephesus, to ordain and to govern. At Philippi was Epaphroditus, whom St. Paul styles the apostle or messenger of the Philippians. (Phil. ii. 25.) It is natural to suppose that these men would be multiplied, as the necessity of the churches increased. St. John, when he was an old man, writes to the angel of the church of Ephesus, of Smyrna, of Pergamos, of Thyatira, of Sardis, of Philadelphia, and of Laodicea. The word Angel is equivalent to that of Apostle, and signifies a messenger.

And to suppose that there was only one individual minister in each of these churches, is contrary to all the ideas that we are taught to form of the success of the Gospel in the primitive