Imágenes de página
PDF
ePub
[graphic][merged small]

THE

METHODIST MAGAZINE,

FOR SEPTEMBER, 1818.

BIOGRAPHY.

MEMOIR OF MR. JOHN MAN,
Missionary in Nova Scotia.

To MR. BENSON.

I take the liberty to send you an account of the conversion, labours, and death of my brother, which, if you deem worthy of a place in your valuable Miscellany, its insertion will be gratifying to many in this country, who knew and loved him.-I am your's truly,

Shelburne, Nova Scotia, Nov. 4, 1817.

JAMES MAN.

Mr. JOHN MAN, the subject of the following memoir, was born in the city of New York, in the United States of America, in the year 1743. His father died when he was young, and his mother, though pious, was too indulgent to her children, consequently he had but few restraints to curb his natural propensities, which led him into folly and dissipation. Through the prevalence of evil example, and natural fondness for company, he gave early proof of a mind absorbed in worldly pursuits, and sinful amusements; not, however, without frequent remorse and distress of soul, arising from conscious guilt, and an apprehension of danger to which his sins exposed him. Such convictions frequently returning, embittered his pleasing and profitable sins, and rendered him unhappy. About the age of 21 he married in a respectable family, and settled in business; but he did not continue long in this settled state; for being a little embarrassed in his temporal concerns, he left his family, and retired to Philadelphia. While he was in that city he was induced to go to the church, where he heard the Rev. Mr. Stringer, an Episcopal Clergyman, who, if I mistake not, was once a Methodist preacher, but had received orders in the Established Church. Under his preaching it pleased the Lord to awaken him to a sense of the awful state he was in. He immediately forsook his follies and sinful companions, and attended statedly on the means of grace. His mind at this time was filled with keen anguish, and bitter reVOL. XLI. SEPTEMBER, 1818.

what he had heard, he was gratified in the extreme, for he considered that in acting as it had done, it was promoting and hastening the glory of the latter days, when the whole earth should be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. The very institution of the Society, the principle on which it was formed, and the manner in which it was conducted, gave the most satisfactory grounds to hope, that by the aid and blessing of the Redeemer it would prosper; for it would be totally vain, and indeed it would be a visionary scheme, for any one class of professing Christians to hope, that they would succeed in inducing all parties of Christians to join them. It was reserved for the Bible Society to show to the human race, that in the grand, the awfully grand scheme it adopted, all might join without sacrificing those distinctions which were thought more or less as a barrier for their own safety. The very nature of the Bible Society must open to it a wide and an effectual door in all lands; and how wonderfully had the great Monarch of the universe shown this, in what he had done for the promotion of the Society's views? He could only further add, advert ing to the motion he had the honour to second, that he felt much, very much, was due to the truly benevolent and indefatigable exertions of its most excellent President, whom he was highly gratified to see in the Chair. He (Lord Harrowby) would have felt he was guilty of a dereliction of his duty, had he confined himself to speaking of Bible Societies, without thus alluding to the motion before him. To the noble President, he was sure, that this day was a day producing holy joy and humble gratitude to that God who had made him the instrument of doing so much good. Others might feel equal pleasure in seeing Gospel truths thus diffused, but there was one quarter of the globe to which the noble lord was led to look with peculiar pleasure. While in India, no man had done more for the temporal prospe rity of that vast dominion than their President; how must his joy be increased in being thus the means of giving them the bread of salvation. May the Lord increase that joy! May the Holy Spirit shed his sweet influences on the labours of the noble President and Members, till the day dawn and the sun of righteousness arise with warmth and vigour in every land. This was his earnest prayer, and he was sure the prayer of every believer in Jesus.

The motion was unanimously carried with shouts of applause.

Lord Teignmouth felt he could not express his gratitude too much to that God, who had given him permission once more to attend this meeting. The experience of 14 years had tended to realize the hopes with which the Society had begun, and he trusted that their exertions would never relax, while the inhabitants of any quarter of the globe were without Bibles. When they reflected on what had been done, it became them to bless God, and to rejoice that through his grace they were made the almoners of his bounty, and the instruments of enriching those who were spiritually poor. Yet they had no cause to boast of their own energies, but should join the holy Psalmist in saying, "Not unto us, O Lord, but unto thy name be all the praise." The joy which the Members must feel was not owing to any selfish gratification, but arose solely from the accomplishment of the object they had in view, viz. the glory of God, and the promotion of the happiness of mankind, both through time and eternity. These were topics which he did not wish to urge as arguments to the persons who had already joined the Society; but if there were any present who had not come forward, he would say to such," Come, my friends, and share with us in the luxury of the feast of Christian benevolence. Let your doubts be removed, and join us in furnishing the poor with that book which gives the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness." It was impossible on this side of eternity to estimate the advantages arising from such an Institution, for the prayers of those who had been benefitted would draw down blessings on their heads. These considerations he humbly offered, as his best return for the honour just now done him by the resolution.

Admiral Sir J. Saumarez then moved the thanks of the Meeting, to the Vice-Presidents and Committee, for their exertions during the past year. With respect to the Institution itself, it was impossible for him to say too much; and he could venture to affirm, so far as regarded the profession to which he belonged, that the possession of Bibles had made sailors more firm to their duty, and certainly had not made them less valiant or courageous in the hour of danger, and the day of battle. The Rev. Ralph Wardlaw, (Secretary of the Glasgow Bible Society) seconded the motion. He had the pleasure of being a silent spectator at the first anniversary of this Society, and he could have wished to have been the same to-day, but he had been called forward by the kind partiality of friends. Feeling as he did all that diffidence which must naturally be experienced in addressing so numerous a Meeting, he at the same time felt a glow of delight which elevated him far above the fear of man; and he was glad therefore of this opportunity of expressing how

such he was interested in the progress and success of the Society. The expecta tions it had naturally formed on its first institution, had not only been fully realized, but much exceeded. It had triumphed over all opposition, and been more than conqueror. Had any man in the confident spirit of prophecy predicted, only fifteen years ago, that a Society, embracing the whole human race in its grasp, and expending fourscore thousand pounds per annum, would exist, and be aided by so many auxiliaries, he would have been scouted as an enthusiastic visionary; and while we smiled at the Eutopian scheme of the good man, we should have been grieved to think that his views were the mere effects of illusion. But those views had been realized, and our minds now ceased almost to wonder at the astonishing operations of the Society, since they were become so familiar to us. He considered the cause of the Bible Society as the cause of God and truth, and all the opposition of its enemies would be found to make no more impression on it, than a flock of floating feathers on the mighty rocks in the ocean. Every assault that its enemies made on it, tended only the more to confirm it, and "bring forth its judgment as the light, and its righteousness as the noon-day." The glorious tree of life, whose leaves were for the healing of the nations, and whose boughs were covered with the fruits of salvation, had stood uninjured by the rude blasts with which it had been assailed, nor had a leaf of its beautiful foliage been hurt. Well might the Society sing Luther's Psalm, and say," God is our refuge and strength," &c. Among the advantages of the Institution, there were two which ought not to be overlooked. It had rescued from infidelity two of the weapons formerly brandished against Christianity, and it had confirmed believers in their holy faith. When he said it had taken two weapons from infidelity, he meant, first, it had deprived infidels of that sarcasm which they had constantly thrown out against the Christian Church, for the supineness and indifference of her members respecting the Bible. Well indeed might infidels be surprised, well might they sneer at the former indolence of Christians with regard to the propagation of the sacred volame. But that reproach was rolling away, and the enemies of our holy religion now said, that Christians had at last become sincere in the cause. O that while spreading the word of life among others, they had grace to make more and more a personal application of it to themselves! Another weapon of which infidelity was disarmed, was, the argument its votaries generally made use of, respecting the alienation and discord which had so long existed in the religious world. He would not be presumptuous enough to say, that this had been done away altogether, but the British and Foreign Bible Society had done more for its removal than the mind of man could have expected. The Society, he would affirm, had changed the very aspect of Christians in Scotland. There the believers met, who had never met before, and when they met they were astonished to think how wonderfully well they could agree. They looked each other in the face, not as the kings of Judah and Israel did of old, but they embraced each other as friends, as the children of the same father, the members of the same family. Nothing was more pleasing than to see Christians zealous to give the Scriptures, and to see a corresponding zeal on the part of others to receive them. There seemed to be now through all lands a kind of weariness of idols, and a general anxiety appeared to be felt of "Wherewithal shall I come before the Lord, or bow myself before the most high God?" And could a better panacea for human ills be found than in the gospel of truth? Send the Scriptures to every climate, send it to regions placed under a scorching sun, or gloomy with wintry, stormy skies, and there would the Bible be found suitable to every case. It at once cheered the mourner, it dried the tear of sorrow, it inspired true patience under calamities, it invigorated the weak, it dispelled every doubt and fear. Now to what was all this owing, but to his grace from whom the Bible came. He looked on the present Meeting as a celebration of the triumphs of the cross, and an anticipation of what would yet be done. He saw not all the differences which existed in the Christian church annihilated, but he saw these Christians, with all their differences, loving each other with a pure heart fervently. The mountain of separation was not broken down, but this was an annual feast held on the top of the mountain. In coming to that feast we leave the vallies, we ascend with joyful spirits, and meet each other on the top with shouts of mutual congratulation and triumph. From this eminence we look down on the millions scattered below, we survey them with emotions of pity, and we erect a telegraphic signal, inscribing on it as our motto, "To you is born a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord. Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth, and good-will to men." The signal is seen, it is communicated from post to post, and the shouts resound from mountain to mountain, while the millions below catch them with eagerness and joy. The principle on which the institution was formed tended thus to unite all hearts in one, for by circulating the Scriptures with

« AnteriorContinuar »