tea with me; she conversed fluently in Welch and English, she was religious and witty, her age one hundred and seven.

The iron works in this part of Wales were, and still are, remarkably extensive, the population of the vallies great, and I was happy to find many thousands of the people truly religious. They were very kind and hospitable,-particularly respectful to Christian ministers; not a few of them had well cultivated minds, and were very intelligent and conversable. Terrible accidents and fearful deaths were not uncommon in these iron and coal districts. Most people know how perilous is the employment of colliers, miners, and iron makers; hence funeral sermons are frequent, and are often attended with good moral and religious effect. I left Merthyr Tydvil circuit, where I was so well treated, and I hope I may say esteemed, with very great regret.

CHAPTER VII.

BURY ST. EDMUNDS AND IPSWICH.

A

BURY ST. EDMUNDS.

MORE complete contrast could not be found than between this circuit and Merthyr Tydvil; I do not mean as to kindness, but in the manners and habits of the people. Suffolk and South Wales have no points of resemblance. From the land of mountains, blazing furnaces, steam engines, vast mines, black faces, women with men's hats and bare feet, and, to a mere Englishman, unintelligible language, with some other peculiarities, to the country of rich and extensive farms, threshing, ploughing, sowing and reaping, people with healthful complexions of white and rosy, and broad dialect;all, everything different. This was my first married year, and a woeful difference did I find between my comparatively liberal allowance as a single man among the miners, and my scant income among the agriculturists. Yet I think both circuits did their best to make me comfortable. In Bury St. Edmunds, however, I had kind friends; and if any man ever had a particular answer to a particular

prayer-an answer illustrative of a particular providence-I had such an answer. I was sorely pressed for money. I got behind a door and in a few words besought the Almighty to dispose somebody to give me a certain sum; the next day, dining with an elderly lady and gentleman, that sum was given to me without any solicitation or hint on my part. This, I am devoutly thankful to say, was very far from being the only instance of answer to prayer, but it was certainly the most remarkable one. "Have faith in God." In this circuit I was told by a good man that my sermons were too superficial, and he spoke the truth. I was busying myself too much with the French language, and left it off for the more suitable study of English divinity. My sermons were superficial because they were extemporary. The demand made on young ministers for good sermons without notes is, to a large extent, unreasonable. This is not the place for going into the subject, but quite sure I am, that if, in the earlier part of a man's ministry, congregations would encourage him to compose and read at least some of his sermons, he would have less plague and torment from the failures of memory, and the people would have more solid instruction.

IPSWICH.

An apology will be due to the reader for detaining him so long with short chapters and comparatively frivolous information; but, designing to say a little on each of the circuits where I have been

located, I hope to be excused. In Ipswich, I was comfortable. I had plenty of work in walking and preaching. I had to cross navigable rivers, sometimes in stormy weather on dark winter mornings, and after crossing tramp six miles in deep snow before preaching the morning sermon; occasionally to sleep in the houses of the pious poor,-to go up step-ladders to my bed room; then, again, to be entertained in a Castle House, occupied by a gentleman Quaker, and sleep on a bed of down,-great contrarieties; but I was happy with the people. The congregations in Ipswich were large and respectable on the whole we prospered. Some of the night journies were long, lonely, and dismal; in one of them, I had more than once to amuse myself, while passing through a miller's yard, in fighting with two large and furious dogs who never failed to attack me, having, as it seemed, a great antipathy to Methodist Preachers: perhaps these dogs were infidels, at any rate the talking of a preacher made no impression upon them but, a good thumping with my huge stick vanquished them.

Having finished my labours in the Ipswich Circuit, I started for Banff, in the north of Scotland. My journey was disastrous: self, wife and infant put to sea with a captain in a brig bound for Shields; no wind for many hours, and then a contrary one which tossed us about for a couple of days on the German Ocean, during which time our sickness was excessively violent. We put on shore, stayed a day or two, and got to sea again in a steamer. The wind still contrary, we had two more days and nights of

dreadful unabating sickness. On shore again, and being sick of sea-sickness, we took a coach, which brought us to Newcastle; and, here, after hospitable entertainment, we again addressed ourselves to our journey. Being short of money, my wife and child went forward by coach to Edinburgh, and I stayed behind to play the pedestrian. From Edinburgh, wife and child took a steamer for Banff: tempestous weather, fearful sickness; and when leaving the vessel, so tremendous were the wind and waves, that death seemed to threaten them every instant. They got into a boat, or rather were thrown into it, amidst uproar, confusion and danger. They had to be rowed two miles to the shore, where the people were filled with horror, expecting every moment to see them go down. They were saved by a miracle of mercy. I started from Newcastle the day my wife left me, my purse containing nine shillings and sixpence, and I had to travel two hundred and sixty-four miles. (No railroads then.) The first day I walked twenty-four miles, with a clumsy travelling bag; stopped at an inn; next morning walked eleven miles. A brother minister lent me a sovereign. This with a cheap coach and other accommodations pushed me on to Edinburgh; a cheap coach and a forty miles walk brought me to Aberdeen. Another loan of ten shillings with a forty-six miles walk and I was in my new circuit. I have mentioned this journey in other publications, but as these have not been read by many who have ordered copies of my "Rambles," I think it expedient to give it insertion.