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In this day of distress, as well as in many subsequent days, he found that "having found a wife he had found a good thing, and obtained favour of the Lord." Mrs. Rice was a woman of uncommon strength of mind, and being the daughter of a clergyman, she had given her hand and her heart to another clergyman, with a full view of the inconveniences and privations to which the family of a clergyman is exposed, which has little or no other source of support but what depends upon popular opinion. She most cheerfully, therefore, on this as well as on many other occasions, brought the resources of her mind into vigorous action. And the heart of her husband did safely trust in her, so that he had no need of spoil. She did him good and not evil all the days of her life. She literally sought out wool and flax, and wrought willingly with her hands. And to her economy and prudence, and cheerful and pious temper, the long and useful life of father Rice is in a great measure to be attributed,

Nor was Mrs. Rice merely an help meet for him with respect to this world. In the great concerns of eternity she was in her sphere equally active and equally successful. On silent Sabbaths, which, from Mr. Rice having several charges, were frequent, a portion of each day was spent in catechising her children and servants, and in prayer with them. Having herself enjoyed a full and systematic religious education, and being blest with a considerable genius, a taste for reading, and a mind habituated to reflection, she had acquired a knowledge of the doctrines and the duties of christianity beyond many. Hence she was enabled to discharge the

duties of a christian instructor to her family with a good degree of propriety.

She had her set hours of devotion, which were not to be disturbed by any ordinary occurrence. And a portion of every night after the family had retired to bed was allotted as a season of prayer exclusively for her children.

In her interview with her neighbours she possessed a talent which she often used for introducing with a great degree of facility serious conversation. Nor did she confine herself to her family alone, or to personal interviews. When she thought she had influence, and could do it with propriety, she wrote letters to her acquaintances on the necessity and importance of religion, and there are not wanting instances of persons who have given evidence of sound conversion, who have referred their first serious impressions to these letters.

Her labours and her prayers in her family were particularly blest. She raised eleven children. Nine of them have become the fathers and mothers of families, and all of them have given evidence that they are the sons and daughters of Abraham, to whom the promise was made that he should be heir of the world. And in one instance the blessing was bestowed after the son had left his father's roof, and had no other means of bringing pious instruction to his remembrance but a Bible which his mother had, unknown to him, packed up with his clothes. "As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the Lord; my Spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put into thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouths of thy seed,

nor out of the mouths of thy seed's seed, saith the Lord, from henceforth even forever."

CHAPTER VII.

HIS COMFORT AND SUCCESS AMONG THE PEAKS OF OTTER.

THE general commission is, "go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature”—and while a variety of circumstances may forbid this or the other servant of the cross to preach the gospel in this or the other city or district, the call may be very express from some other quarter, "come over and help us." It was so with father Rice. He left the people of his first charge with great reluctance. He was at least two or three years before he could see very distinctly in what particular region his Master would be again pleased to employ him. He was, however, during that period of suspense, employed in his Master's work as opportunity offered; and at last he found that souls were to be saved, and the church of the living God edified, even by his labours.

Bedford county, Virginia, was then a frontier. The inhabitants were a mixed race, from nearly all parts of the world, and of nearly all religious denominations.No messenger of salvation had as yet settled among

them, nor had the message itself been often proclaimed. in that region. Thither Mr. Rice removed and settled, and took the charge of three congregations—one of which was five, another eleven, and another twenty-five miles from the place of his residence.

Here he laboured for thirteen years and a half, with some considerable appearance of success. Times of refreshing came at least occasionally from the Lord,when old professors were revived and animated with the vigour of youth, and instances of fresh awakening among the people occurred.

The Peaks of Otter, which was the congregation twenty-five miles from his residence, appeared to be more especially visited. In that place a seriousness and attention to religious exercises commenced, which lasted, with very little abatement, for ten years. The divine influences felt were not like a plentiful shower, but they were as a continual dropping in a rainy day. Here he spent a considerable portion of his time very agreeably. Ferhaps, all circumstances considered, he enjoyed more comfort during this period in this place, than ever he enjoyed any where else. The evenings, in places where he lodged, were peculiarly delightful. The house at which he put up was carefully marked, and without any previous appointment for that purpose, the most of those in the neighbourhood, who were under serious impressions, would collect there. Religious conversation, interspersed with songs of praise, was as naturally introduced and continued as the ordinary chitchat of ordinary meetings of Christians commonly so called, is introduced and continued. The subjects of con

versation were usually such as the following. What is the difference between conviction of sin and mere terror of conscience? What is the evidence of true evangelical repentance, and how is it to be distinguished from false repentance? What is the difference between true love to God and the Redeemer, and that self-congratulation of which hypocrites may be the subjects? What is the difference between true love of the brethren and that which arises from self-love and party spirit? &c. &c. &c. These questions Mr. Rice endeavoured to explain and solve, and in doing so patiently heard whatever remarks or inquiries any persons thought fit to make. At a convenient hour, the small and attentive, and every way interesting assemblies, were dismissed by prayer and the pastoral blessing.

Their public assemblies during this period commonly consisted of Episcopalians, Presbyterians, and Baptists, who were pretty numerous, and Methodists, who then were few. All these denominations attended Mr. Rice's public ministrations with peace and friendship, with velittle appearance of party spirit. Considerable rea

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son was given to hope that God was glorified, and the souls of the people edified. There were commonly added at each communion, which was twice a year, from six to fifteen new members, some of whom had been old hardened sinners, but who had been made to bow to the sceptre of the Prince of peace. Others, and the greater number, were young people rising up or settling in the world. The doctrines of the cross, which have always been the wisdom and the power of God to the salvation of many, appear to have been the great instrument by

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