piety. There are in the actions of Saints certain apparent indifcretions, which neverthelefs true zeal produces, and charity purifies. He felt the need of beginning in himself that mortification, which he expected to meet with in the courfe of his facred miffion. While in Europe he refufed every thing that is counted agreeable or convenient, and could fay with St. Paul, to this hour I both hunger and thirst, and am in want of all things. When in the public places he exhorted the paffengers, his pale and emaciated countenance fpoke the religion that he enforced. How different this from the conduct of those to whom there is no interval between their attachment to the world, and their affuming the facred miniftry? Who are not fitted for the office, by retirement, prayer and communion with God? How often do fuch thruft themfelves into the higheft offices, without the needful preparation, of thofe that are lower? Hence they groan under offices which they have no ftrength to fuftain. Hence the contempt for the facred miniftry, the little progrefs of religion, the groans of the church, and the ruin of fo many fouls. It was not fo with this man of God. He came to his apoftolic miffion by the due and righteous gradations of the evangelic miniftry. He had proved all: he had laboured in all. He went therefore to the Indies, with the authority of God. He founded, he regulated, he fed the church of Chrift. The only thing he forgot was his dignity! Behold him in the hip. the comforter of the afflicted, the tender nurfe of the fick; nothing is too bale, too vile for his charity to encounter. When on fhore, a palace is opened for his reception, but he turns from it, and takes up his abode at the hospital among the poor and the wretched! His whole behaviour declares him to be a follower of him who came not to be miniftered unto, but to minifter! [To be concluded in our next.] of Of the ROUND TOWERS in IRELAND. VAR of the Round Towers, which are feen in feveral parts of Ireland. Between forty and fifty of these ftill remain, and are commemorated by a late ingenious writer. Some have imagined that each of them was inhabited by a kind of Hermit, who fpent his whole life therein, in imitation of an antient faint, or rather madman, who spent his life in that manner. But as we have no authentic account of any such, this seems to be an improbable conjecture. A very different account of them is given by a refpectable writer. His words are-" It is moft certain that thofe high, round, narrow towers of ftone were never known or built in Ireland, before the year 838, when the Heathen Danes built them, to ferve as watch towers against the natives. But ere long the Danes being expelled, the Chriftian Irish turned them to a better use, that is, to Belfries; from which it is, that ever fince they are called in Irish, Cloghteachs, that is, Belfries, or Bell-houfes; cloc or clog, fignifying a bell, and teach, a house in that language. Accordingly feveral of these towers (one at Roferea in particular) are used as Belfries at this day." A REMARKABLE JUDGMENT. USEBIUS mentions three men who combined together to defame Narciffus, Bishop of Jerufalem; and to gain the greater credit to their report, one of them wifhed he might be burned if it was not true, another that his body might be wafted by fome terrible difeafe, and the third that he might be deprived of his fight. The juft judgment of God overtaking them, the fi ft was burned with his whole houle and family, without any one knowing how the fire was kindled; the body of the lecond was feized in every part, and wafted according to his imprecation. Upon which, the third feeing the end of the two former, publickly confeffed what they had done, and being penitent gave hin.self to forrow and weeping until he loft the fight of his eyes. LETTERS. LETTER S. LETTER DLXVII. [From Mr. F. Afbury, to the Rev. J. Welley.] Rev. and very dear Friend, Weft Jersey, Sept. 20, 1783. SINCE INCE I wrote to you from York, I have been travelling through various parts of Weft Jersey. We have within these three years paft made large ftrides in East and West Jersey. In the most public, and fome of the extreme parts, a few hundreds have joined us, of different denominations. We are much befet with a mixed people, warm for their own peculiarities in doctrines and forms. I could not have thought that reformed churches had so much policy, and ftubborn prejudices. No means are left untried to prevent us; but we know and feel that God is with us. I fear the profpects of peace and profperity unnerve our zeal for God. There ap peared to be a more vifible work of God in the Jerfeys, laft year, than there is this; though I hope believers are in fome measure faithful. It is a time of general fickness and mortality in most parts near the water. I heard yesterday of the death of a man, who twenty years ago was a Baptift Preacher. By fomething wrong in his conduct he was filenced, and backflided from God; yet retained his Calvinian principles, and difputed continually with our Preachers and people. Laft fpring he died, recanted his opinions, and defired it might be written; but the people around him would not do it. He confeffed it was his refling upon, and difputing about his notions, that prevented his feeking, and obtaining the reftoring grace of God. I was told the Baptift Minifter refufed to preach his Funeral Sermon, because he died a Heretick to their faith. VOL XIV. 3 B I fee I fee clearly that the Calvinifts on one hand, and the Univerfalians on the other, very much retard the work of God, especially in Penfylvania and the Jerfeys, for they both appear to keep people from feeking heart religion. Maryland does not abound with Calvinism; but in Virginia, North and South Carolina, and Georgia, the Baptifts labour to fland by what they think is the good old caufe. I think you ought always to keep the front of the Arminian Magazine filled with the beft pieces you can get, both ancient and modern, against Calvinifm: they may be read by future generations. Is Methodim intended for the benefit of all denominations of reformed chriflians? Can a Quaker, as well as a member of any other church be in Society, and hold his outward peculiarities, without being forced to receive the ordinances? It is well known that all Diffenters, when any of their members join us, turn them out. This is done out of policy, to get them from us altogether; but they will be tired of this, when they fuffer by it. I reverence the ordinances of God; and attend them when I have opportunity; but I clearly fee they have been made the tools of divifion and feparation for thefe three last centuries. We have joined with us at this time, thofe that have been Prefbyterians, Dutch, and English, Lutherans, Menonefts, low Dutch, and Baptifts. If we preach up ordinances to these people, we should add, "if they are to be had, and if not, there can be no guilt." If we do any other way, we shall drive them back to their old churches that have difowned them; and who will do all they can to separate them from us. The friendly Clergy are located and do but little for us. If young men of our connection fhould get ordained, it will not do well. No perfon can manage the Lay Preachers here fo well, it is thought, as one that has been at the raising of the most of them. No man can make a proper change upon paper, to fend one here, and another without knowing the Circuits and the gifts of all the Preachers, unless he is always out among them. My My dear Sir, a matter of the greatest confequence now lies before you: if you fend Preachers to America, let them be proper perfons. We are We are now united; all things go on well, confidering the forms, and difficulties we bave had to ride through. I wish men of the greatest understanding would write impartial accounts; for it would be better for us not to have Preachers, than to be divided. This I know, great men that can do good, may do hurt if they fhould take the wrong road. I have laboured and fuffered much to keep the people and Preachers together: and if I am thought worthy to keep my place, I fhould be willing to labour and fuffer till death for peace and union. If I fhould be spared, I purpose to write from Baltimore; and then I will fend you a parcel of letters and papers, that you may fee how that divifion arose, spread, and was healed. Please to write, and tell me your mind with great freedom; if your confidence is the fame with respect to me as it formerly has been. I am, as ever, yours in Chrift, F. A. LETTER DLXVIII. [From Mifs A. Bolton, to the Rev. J. Welley.] Rev. and dear Sir, Τ Witney, Sept. 10, 1783. IT is an unfpeakable pleasure to me that I have it in my power to add to your felicity. I know the news of Zion's profperity is the joy of your heart, and this I have now the pleasure to communicate. The effects of the late awful providence of God, in the tremendous voice of his thunder, are ftill vifibly expreffed. He is thereby fulfilling his ancient promise, in caufing the inhabitants of Zion to be neither few nor fmall; a promife which he vouchsafed me four or five months fince, and the accomplishment of which I have been waiting to see, 3 B 2 Our |