obligation to extraordinary modes of religious service, they determined to preach in the open air, through every town, and village, and hamlet in their county; they have gone forth, like the seventy of old, by two and two, and should their services prove as successful as they have been pleasant, God will have been greatly glorified, and a large accession have been made unto the church. While these services were much conversed of, many of the ministers met in a central town, when one suggested, "That as the present year was the centenary of the Rev. George Whitefield's labours in reviving the apostolic practice of open air preaching, it might be desirable to adopt the suggestion of the Congregational Magazine, and commemorate them by a special religious open air celebration." It was further remarked, "That as Whitefield was a native of Gloucester; that as many ministers present presided over churches instituted by his ministry; that as Stinchcombe Hill, in the very centre of the county, presented a most beautiful and eligible spot for a public meeting; and as upon its summit, a century ago, Whitefield himself had preached and showed the glad tidings of the kingdom of God; it seemed a duty to improve the opportunity it offered of addressing, on the gracious persuasives of the Cross, a large concourse of persons, many of whom might never hear the gospel, and of promoting in the county the revival of evangelical religion, which God so highly honoured his devoted servant in commencing in our land." The suggestion was most cordially received, arrangements made, and on the appointed day, though the weather was exceedingly unfavourable, a large and interesting meeting was assembled, the particulars of which are recorded in our September magazine. We refer to the subject again, to remark upon its moral character and influence; and this for two reasons, one, that as the meeting may possibly be made a precedent for others, we should like to know how far, upon religious principles, we are justified by facts in adopting means to collect together on such a place and for such a celebration, a vast concourse of the people; and the other, because that some, for want of knowing what were the real objects of the meeting, and what its actual result, have formed concerning it erroneous impressions; we intend to glance at the objects proposed, the plans adopted, and the results which have followed. The object proposed then, was "The promotion of a revival of evangelical religion in the county, by a succession of sermons in the open air, on the character and ministry of the Rev. G. Whitefield.” We need not ask, Was this an object worthy, but only, were the means adopted likely to accomplish it? The ministers who proposed the service deeply felt that the worldliness of the present day was calling them to extraordinary efforts to awaken attention to the things of God; and they had a devout conviction that this, in some measure, might be done by the holy exhibition of Christian devotedness in that eminent servant of God. It would be almost absurd to say that they had no desire to adulate the man; a thing as impossible to be done as it was unlikely to be designed, if some excellent though weakly fastidious minds had not too much feared it. Such a service, had Whitefield lived, could never have been proposed; but as his "happy spirit had fled" far beyond all mortal imperfections, no approving record of his piety could raise in him a sentiment of pride: for us he lived; and it behoves us to know his excellence, that we may be followers of him and those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. It would be almost insulting to imagine that any could suppose that the devout recommending of Whitefield's example could have any tendency to encourage a veneration for the dead: they were not met to canonize the man, but only his example: they had nothing even approaching the moral weakness of amiable minds in cherishing love for the relics of the dead, nothing to draw off the attention from the great object of devotion, the supreme Jehovah, nor from the great subject of Whitefield's preaching, the salvation of the soul. One simple design pervaded the arrangement; it was that all might study the valuable lessons of religious instruction presented in the life and piety of Whitefield. The lives of eminent saints; the religious character of the Christian church; we consider to be truly a bible of Divine revelation, which no unwise and morbid fear of eulogizing man can induce us to neglect, without criminal indifference to the writing of the Spirit. God, in the converted, has himself written the law upon the heart. The saints are truly the epistles of Christ, known and read of all men. The sacred Scriptures are the revelation of his truth, but the sanctified believer is the revelation of himself; therefore was it felt that to allow Whitefield's character to be laid by without a devout perusal, was as much an insult to the Divine instructor as it would be an injury to the church. To the ministers of religion it was deemed useful to present the portraiture of a devoted man of God, an illustration almost apostolic, of labours, travels, and successes, which they could scarcely contemplate without desire to cultivate his zeal and partake his great reward. To the Church of Christ, its sacred exposition of true Christian character, an intense love to the Redeemer, and an agonizing anxiety for the souls of men, was felt to be pre-eminently valuable, especially at a time when so many are satisfied with a heartless profession, are cheri hing only selfish attachments, and shrinking from every law of religious obligation, and every call of Christian sacrifice. While, to the unconverted, the life and ministry of one who wore out his life in striving to awaken them to a sense of their danger, and a concern for their souls, was felt to be a sermon more powerful than lips could utter on the evil of sin, the duty of religion, and the blessedness of an interest in Christ. The proposers of the meeting were bold to say, it was designed to commemorate, for religious profit, a holy man. Yes, the grace of God displayed in his entire conversion, the power and blessedness of religion displayed in his holy character, the moral and redeeming influence of his ministry, and the revival of evangelical religion, imparting blessings to ages yet to come; the right improvement of these considerations was the object of the meeting, and it was powerfully urged in the several discourses which all the surrounding circumstances were likely to impress and to improve. We shall now consider the plans which were adopted. The meeting was convened upon the summit of a lofty hill, from which, had the weather been favourable, might be seen one of the loveliest and most extensive prospects in the kingdom, while it was within the convenient reach of the many whom the occasion was likely to collect. An impressive thought ministered to the mind on such an occasion, it is evident to those who know the importance of association of ideas, was likely never to be forgotten. Some objection VOL. XVII. to bring might be felt, and doubtless was, ing ministers for the occasion from such a distance; but, without any disrespect to the ministers of the county, it was considered that the object was to address the gracious appeals of the gospel to as large an audience as it was possible to gather, therefore, the more eminent the names of the ministers, and the inore extensive the announcement, the more likely was the end to be realised; and neighbouring ministers might well excuse much being made of the men, when they knew that many were attracted to the spot whom the names of county ministers never would have brought; we consider it highly honourable to the ministers of Gloucestershire, that while, for the success of their holy object, they stood aside and invited distant ministers to preach, they yet, even in such weather, nearly to the num ber of 100, came from the utmost borders of the county. And as it was presumed that the ministers invited would feel as great an interest as any on the occasion, and in the simple and purely religious object of the day, it was deemed impossible to doubt their feeling a holy pleasure in bearing with their brethren their share of contribution in the ready and gratuitous contribution of their service; and, therefore, the opportunity of preaching upon such an interesting day, it was deemed a privilege and duty to offer to the ministers whose names were likely to collect a numerous congregation. We make these remarks, not only to account for distant ministers being present and prominent, but to encourage our friends who are ready to bear the expense and trouble of collecting together twenty thousand persons to hear the gospel, in believing that in ministers' minds the love of souls exists so strong that the most eminent and useful, upon a full and fair statement of the facts, will readily and generously give their aid. Again, the propriety of five or six successive sermons on the history and character of any uninspired person, might with some be very questionable; and a few, whose fastidious sensitiveness, though we may admire the principle inducing it, we cannot but deem a mental affliction, thought, no doubt, that the services of the day in principle and detail, made too much of the man; a feeling, however, in which the vast majority of the meeting had no shadow of sympathy. The object, we have said, was to expound the epistle of Christ, the revelation of the 3 A Spirit in the character of Whitefield, designed to be known and read of all men; and we cannot but consider it quite as possible to direct powerful and profitable appeals to the heart from such an exhibition of practical piety as from any passage of Holy Scripture. Had, then, any one said to either of the preachers, "Say no more of the man," or either of the preachers said, "I shall not allude to him," it could only have been from not understanding the design of the service and the duty of the speakers. The design of the commemoration was specially and religiously to make the most of the man for the glory of God, for the illustration of piety, for the instruction of the world, for the revival of religion;-the most of his character, the most of his example. If fault must be found, it could only be in preachers seeming to forget their text. They were invited, and they undertook to appropriate the spirit of the occasion, and improve, to the benefit of the assembly, the character of Whitefield. It would have been almost a breach of confidence, at once unnecessary and unwise, if they had disappointed the high-raised expectation of the people, and discussed, instead of the ministry of Whitefield, the ministry of Paul. We certainly think that though the sermons, as general outdoor addresses, were most excellent, yet that more might have been made, and perhaps should have been, of the special topic of the day, a topic rich in the most valuable and sacred instructions. It is right to observe that every effort possible was made to preserve the religi ous character and comfort of the meeting; a right was kindly granted by the right honourable Lord Segrave, to warn of any holders of booths who might desire to intrude within sight of the congrega tion; while the commissioners of Excise undertook to prevent the sale of any excisable liquors, by which means no interruption or annoyance was likely to occur, it affords us sincere pleasure to know that though perhaps two in a thousand may have felt dissatisfied, yet that the vast majority of the meeting felt an exceeding pleasure, which even the tempestuous weather of the evening could not cause them to regret they had gone a distance to enjoy. The ministers of the county re-entered with ardour upon their itinerant engagements. The churches of the neighbourhood appeared refreshed. Several modes of perpetuating the influence of Whitefield's piety have been proposed. Other similar services have since been held, and satisfactory evidences have not been wanting, that some in the services on the hill were brought to the saving knowledge of the truth. On reflecting, then, on the design, the services, and the success of the meeting upon Stinchcombe-hill, we feel a holy and increasing pleasure. THE WHITEFIELD MONUMENT. To the Editor of the DEAR SIR,-At the late half-yearly meeting of the Gloucestershire Association, held in Bristol, Richard Ash, Esq., in the chair, it was proposed by the Rev. H. Roper, and seconded by the Rev. W. Lucy, and resolved, That the Rev. Jerome Clapp do forward to the Editors of the Congregational and Evangelical Magazines, the Address which has been now read, recommending the Whitefield Monument, with a request that they will kindly give it early publication. TO THE CHRISTIAN PUBLIC. DEAR FRIENDS,- It is proposed to erect, by small subscriptions, a plain monumental column, on the summit of Stinchcombe Hill, near Dursley, to com Evangelical Magazine. memorate the life and labours of the Rev. George Whitefield. We would carefully avoid an undue estimation of man, or any act of remotest tendency to misengage the attention of the Christian Church; but we deem the principle of commemoration, or of perpetuating the memory of the pious dead, a peculiar and pleasing element in the very constitution of our minds, and of our religion. The Saviour said of one, "This which she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her;" and in the Acts we are taught by the Spirit of God, to record eminent examples of piety, that we may be followers of those who inherit the promises. In subscribing, then, to erect a monument, that, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls, Whitefield's exemplary piety may be had in abiding and useful remembrance, we are cherishing holy love to eminent godliness; removing a dishonour from our country, which hitherto has seemed, by its national monuments, more highly to regard less estimable men; directing the attention of the Christian church to the undying influence of holy example; and raising a pillar of praise to God, from which ages to come may read the exceeding riches of his grace, and from which we, in the record of Whitefield's success, may learn, that could we attain the apostolic standard of labour, we might hope for the pentecostal effusion of blessing. We propose, in preference to other means of commemoration, as the one most simple and the least encumbered, to erect upon this stupendous basement, a column surmounted by a statue. Other modes, however desirable, to be equally commemorative, would incur, in detail, considerable difficulty; but in this every one may join, who desires simply to perpetuate the instructive history of an eminent saint, and publish, to be known and read of all men, so sacred an epistle of Christ. The site which we propose appears peculiarly eligible, as being situated in the centre of his native county; the scene of some of his earliest itinerant labours; surrounded by churches established by his ministry; and commanding a prospect of twelve or thirteen counties, together with much of the Bristol Channel. A noble column, upon such a base, to testify that tens of thousands regard his labours as blessed of God to the revival of religion in our land, will exert a moral influence which many may undervalue, but which few can calculate. Thousands, as they travel on the great highway, almost beneath the shadow of the statue, will think, and feel, and talk of Whitefield-of his life, his labours, and his holy success, as they have never done before. Its erection would open a chapter in the book of providence, which many, who never enter our sanctuaries, will be obliged to read; and will cherish, perhaps, amongst ourselves, an imitation of those zealous labours, which God made so pre-eminently useful. We should deem it wrong to propose to you a subscription for this monument that should, in the slightest degree, encroach upon your support of other Christian objects. We are anxious, likewise, that all who sympathise with us in a desire to commemorate the ministry of Whitefield, may have (however limited their means) the pleasure of contributing. We, therefore, suggest a subscription of a shilling each person; and we think, that any one who would expend that sum on a small private memorial of departed excellence, may readily join us in raising, by combined efforts, a monument worthy of the object, of the nation, and the church. We cannot possibly suppose, that the Christian who may contemplate, on some future day, the only national monument, in England, of Christian character, could regret his shilling contribution; rather must he rejoice that, by the aggregate appropriation of a sum, which would have otherwise been lost in general expenditure, had been raised a magnificent testimonial of the general estimation, amongst Whitefield's successors, of real and fervent piety; and thus presenting, in the numbers united in the erection of his monument, the best national recognition of one who was in England as great a blessing to his country, as he was in America an honour. Whitefield was a man of no sect, the sphere of his labours had no boundary; holding office, as it were, in every church, his communion was with the pious of every name. In the erection of this cenotaph all may unite. The Episcopalian, who would say with Toplady, "That he was a true and faithful son of the Church of England;" the Dissenter, who considers his whole course but practical independency; the Calvinist, who admires his conscientious adherence to the truth; and, likewise, the Wesleyan, who remembers him as, in life and death, the dearest friend of Wesley. It may be hoped, then, that in this day of Christian union, the column we propose may be as much a memorial of the harmony of the church, in its attachment to the grand but common attributes of piety, as of the man it may be designed to com A HARVEST HYMN, IN A WET SEASON. POETRY. WE lift our eyes, our hearts, to Thee, Th' appointed weeks of harvest send. The ground, thy table, full is spread With food to nourish man and beast; Hast thou prepar'd the children's bread, And wilt thou now forbid the feast? Summer and winter, day and night, Seed time and harvest, thou hast will'd, And dew, and rain, and warmth, and light, Have each their gracious task fulfill'd. Shall whelming floods the hopes destroy, Of those who in thy promise trust? Shall storms prevent the reaper's joy, And lay his confidence in dust? O bid the winds and waters cease, The lowering firmament unshroud; Think on thy covenant of peace, Look on thy bow-'tis in the cloud. We fall adoring at Thy feet, Our pray'r is heard-the veil is riven; With deep thanksgiving let us eat The bread that cometh down from heaven. Sept. 1, 1839. THE SABBATH. God, the Creator, bless'd The Sabbath of his rest, His six days' work had brought God, the Redeemer, bless'd And God the Spirit bless'd The Christian's day of rest, Where, met with one accord, The servants of the Lord, To whom the Father's promise came, Like rushing wind and tongues of flime. The Church hath ever bless'd Of blood-bought righteousness, They love the Sabbath-day My God, the day is thine, |