from the ordinances of God's house, causes me to stumble at a straw, and, in fact, makes me very unhappy. Grant me aid, O God, to pursue the means prescribed by my dear pastor for deliverance." Mr. Rowe clearly perceived it to be the duty of all believers in Jesus Christ to profess their faith by submission to immersion in water, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, for this he found to be baptism in the New Testament: but he had much to encounter in his own mind, while his thoughts conversed with this subject in relatiou to himself. His diary informs us, that, some time after he had been the subject of ardent desire to be united to the church, he continued to suffer violently from slavish fear, and that he saw many gladly taking up the cross and following the Lamb, while he, timid and fearful, shrank from suffering reproach for his name. The idea of appearing before the church to relate his experience was almost agonizing, yet he loved God, and much desired to be joined to his people-at last resolved to inform Mr. Saffery that it was his wish to be baptized: with a view to unite with the people of his charge, he actually went to the door of his habitation, and there his courage failed, and he came away without having fulfilled his former resolutions. At length, he was fully determined that, if he could not go without these distressing fears, he would go with them all upon him; and He was enabled to effect so good a purpose, and found it, as thousands besides have, much less difficult than he had imagined. He was truly humbled on account of his sins, gratefully admired the love of God to his soul, had much godly jealousy of himself lest he should ever dishonour the cause of God, and offered up many prayers for grace to help him in every time of need, while looking forward to the solemn scriptural ordinance of believers' baptism, which he was so soon to regard; and, when the hour came, he was blessed with composure and with much gratitude to God for answering his prayers. It is not uncommon for pious young men, like the Samaritan in the days of Christ, when they bave believed themselves, to wish, immediately, to invite their fellow sinners to come to the Messiah; and, if this arise from sorrow of heart on account of the unspeakably dreadful situation of the ungodly, and from love to the Redeemer, the desire is good, while it cannot be denied, that every one is not possessed of gifts suited to the ministry of the gospel, in whose heart it may arise. David affectionately desired to build a temple for God, but it was not proper that he should effect it: it was, however, good that it was in his heart, and, in other and more proper ways, he did what he could toward the accomplishment of the great work reserved for Solomon his son. Before he was baptized, Mr. Rowe had thought of the ministry, and his diary most amply testifies that he had no vain idea of his suitability for a work of such awful responsibility, and that he never wished to be so employed but from a desire to benefit sinners and to glorify Christ. About October, 1795, he introduces this important subject, and his words are- -"My mind has been of late much directed to the ministry methinks if the blessed God should count me worthy of so honourable an office, I should think nothing too dear to resign for Jesus." And, in another place, "I am almost incessantly thinking about the ministry, and have spread the matter before the Lord, entreating, if it be not the workings of his Spirit, but the vain conceit of my corrupt heart, I may be deliveredfrom the error." Many of his friends perceived his talents, and connected as they were with considerable piety and humility, regarded it as a sacred duty to encourage his views toward the Christian ministry. Having communicated to his pastor the sentiments of his mind, and the ardent desires of his heart relative to this great work, he was encouraged to use the means he could then command for the further improvement of his mind, and to seek direction of God. The church of which to study God's word more earnestly." After a proper trial of his gifts, the church at Salisbury agreed to employ him, in connection with some other brethren, more regularly, as a village preacher; and, at length, they thought proper to give him, what he styles, a formal call to the ministry; and to determine that he should, if it could be effected, go to the Academy at Bristol the first vacation that occurred. In prospect of this he was deeply interested, as his recorded prayer evinces: Preserve, O God! my soul,as a chaste virgin espoused to Christ; and, while my mind is likely, by these things, to reap advantage, O! let not my heart grow cold." As the time approached when he was to enter the seminary at Bristol, his resolution began to fail; and, if the encouragement and pressing entreaties of his affectionate pastor had not produced, as he terms it, a kind of involuntary consent, he a member having re- would have relinquished the meaquested him to go into the vil-sure. He prepared for his jourlages in the neighbourhood of ney with many prayers, and enSarum, he ventured to make the tered the Academy January 15, attempt, to declare unto perish- 1799. In the new situation he ing sinners the unsearchable now occupied, considerable disriches of Christ. On Lord's-day, couragement was felt; which, June 10, 1798, he went to Sel- however, was not, at least in the lerton; on the evening of which same degree, permitted to conday he gratefully blessed God tinue. Under the peaceful shade for answering his prayers, and of the academic bower, we find records his goodness in having him happy in devotional exerenabled him to preach for three cises, encouraged in his useful quarters of an hour from Acts, studies, and cherishing pleasing iv. 12. This divine support and hopes of success. Here he learnt, encouragement had the best in- in a degree never before atfluence on his heart, as appears tained, the importance of a mind from the account he has left: "I distinguished by penetration, and feel resolved to follow God more disposed to search after truth fully to be diligent in the im- with the greatest diligence, from provement of my mind--to pray which he became a laborious more earnestly for the sanctifica- student, and earnestly prayed to tion of my heart to be under God for success, while he dethe instruction of heaven-and scended, under such views, into he was enough for another servant of God. Dr. Ryland and Mr. [now Dr.] Steadman, to whose advice my departed brother was always disposed to pay the most re spectful attentions, concurred with Mr. Smith in wishing Mr. Rowe to go to Redruth. In the that God would deliver him from all evil, and many prayers for that" ardour, that fortitude, that simplicity, that unwearied exertion, which would adorn his office." March 19, 1801, he was engaged to go to Birmingham, to supply for some time the pulpit at Cannon-street. On the pre-mind of the young minister of ceding day, he spent three or the gospel, this prospect raised four hours in reading the word many and distressing fears; but, of God, in meditation, and in although he had indulged other prayer, occasioned by the pros-desires, he did not refuse com pect before him, desiring to pos-pliance with the wishes of his sess gifts equal to his appoint- friends, and engaged to visit the ment, and "wishing to be no-west with earnest supplications thing, that God might be all." In answer to his prayer, the Lord was pleased to assist him in his labours, and he gratefully recorded it, with the great kindness of the Christian friends at Birmingham, which it is so much their habit to manifest to the ministers of Christ. At this place, his stay was longer than he at first expected; and, before it was concluded, he was sometimes not a little distressed, on account of his inability as a minister of the gospel. On one occasion he writes thus: " O, if my head were a fountain of tears, I would weep day and night over my insufficiency for the mighty work of the ministry. Good God! speedily ease me of my sorrow, break soon my heart or my bondage-let me be released by death, or by faith." At the close, however, of this engagement, the friends expressed real friendship for him as a servant of Christ; on which he writes, "If they knew me better, they would love me less." On March 16, 1802, we find him at Redruth: at first he preached in the market-house; and, at St. Day, about two miles from Redruth, his sermons were delivered in a barn. In both places he was, at first, greatly encouraged, the congregations were large and attentive, and the servant of God, now, was much engaged in praying for the salvation of his hearers, and that popular applause might never satisfy him. At this period, he perused Brainerd's Life, and found in it" every thing to humble, and every thing to encourage." a In May, 1802, he was much comforted by the arrival of Mr. Richard Scott, who had been fellow student at Bristol, and was designed to preach at Helstone, and with the hope of soon In February, 1802, he was re- seeing Mr. Samuel Saunders, anquested to visit Cornwall. Opie other brother, who had studied Smith, Esq. of Bath, intended to with him at Bristol, and who was attempt raising a Baptist church expected to labour at Penzance, in the town of Redruth, in which In August, in the same year, it field of labour there was room was determined to erect a house for the worship of God, in the made necessary, and for which Baptist denomination, at Redruth, and four persons were baptized and formed into a church: ten thousand persons are calculated to have been present at the immersion of these believers in the Son of God. In 1803, the meeting-house was finished, and Mr. Rowe was ordained over the newly formed church at Redruth. Soon, however, he was visited by a severe affliction-a kind of fever, which produced distressing lassitude, attacked him, and, at one time, he anticipated death, but without any anxiety as to the event, saying, "Not my will, but thine, O Lord, be done." It pleased God to bless the means used, and the disease was greatly removed; but he was soon to experience another visitation of sickness, more severe than the former had been, in which he suffered much dejection of mind. On January 2, 1804, we find him preparing for a long journey in quest of health: it was the will of God to bless this measure, and his pious servant rejoiced that his work, in the cause of truth and holiness, was not yet finished, and in May he returned home greatly improved in his strength of body. This year his congregation increased, and his usefulness was considerable. he was eminently qualified. On this occasion he expressed himself in the manner of a holy man, who expects all his happiness and success from the favour of God: "There is nothing lost by trusting in God, and but little gained by depending too much on man from the latter I have been disappointed; but the Lord has been beyond, my expecta tions." In January, 1807, Mr. Rowe was married to a pious and amiable woman, with whom he enjoyed the greatest domestic felicity, and who survives to lament the loss of a very holy and affectionate associate, and, alone, to bring up a young family of four children.* As she fully deserves, so, it is hoped, she will receive all the affectionate attention and generous kindness the numerous friends of her departed husband can render; and the blessing of the widow and the fatherless shall come upon them who visit them with favour in their affliction. For months we find him, many after his marriage, going on his way with affectionate solicitude for the salvation of his hearers, and, with constant, earnest prayer, asking it of God, saying, "I had rather be an useful minister than a splendid monarch." Like most other experienced servants of God, he had occasion to say of some, who, in affliction, had promised to seek the Lord: In June, 1805, he had trials that deeply afflicted him; but God was gracious to him in communicatingpowerful consolations. Borrowing the words of pious" Your goodness is as a morning and faithful Mr. Bastian, of Truro, his and my dear friend, he writes, "What God will, how God will, and when God will." In July, he hired a house, with a view to receive young persons for the purpose of educating them thus engaging in duties which his circumstances cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away.". He informs us how much his mind had been pained in witnessing, in more than one Subscriptions are received by the Rev. Mr. Saffery, Salisbury; the Rev. T. Griffin, King-street, Commercial-road; and W. Gillman, Esq. at Ladbroke and Co.'s, Bank-buildings, Cornhill. he thought it right to look forward to leaving this field of exertion. ease, the very little dependence that could be placed on resolutions and convictions, while the hand of God was on a sinnersick-bed repentance he regarded, from observation, as very doubt-removal from Cornwall. About ful. In 1812, we learn that indisposition of a serious nature came upon him, and he, subsequently, suffered much from nervous affections. About the end of this year, my brother, who is now where sorrow never invades, was greatly tried, and we will give the account in his own words: “Jan. 1, 1813. I left Cornwall for Liverpool, in the beginning of the last month, with an intention to supply them for five sabbaths. When I left home, one of my dear babes was seized with the measles, and she was mercifully restored; but my dear Meta has fallen a victim to its rage, and my infant, Henry, is in most alarming circumstances. Add to this, my dear wife, worn down by toil and anxiety, is now confined to her bed, and has been in most distressing circumstances, while I have been four hundred miles distant." He endured with patient resignation to the will of God, and said, May my heart be humbled under the strokes of him who will not always chide." Early in this year, there appeared to Mr. Rowe some reason to think that his continuance at Redruth would not be for a wuch longer time. The writer of this very well knows how much his friend was reluctant to leave a situation of promise, and how much he was ever willing to sacrifice, if the will of God appeared to be on the side of longer suffering: but, at this time, on a review of all his circumstances, In June, 1813, he visited Weymouth, and this induced his final the middle of October, in this year, he accompanied his family to their new place of residence, in Dorsetshire, where, soon after their arrival, Mrs. Rowe was attacked by a fever, and his youngest child was languishing under a consumption, which induced an affectionate and pious heart to exclaim: "In every place afflictions await me, but they come from my heavenly Father. The cup he sends, shall I not drink it!" In little more than six months after they had left Cornwall, little Henry was removed by death, and the rest of his family were visited by affliction: but, under all this, he enjoyed tolerable happiness, because his ministry appeared to be owned of God; and the new interest at Weymouth promised, under the gracious influence of the divine Spirit, to increase. In Mr. Rowe's health had, in the spring of 1814, considerably declined; and, after July 24, he was not able to preach for several months, which was the more to be regretted, as his new meetinghouse was opened for divine worship but a few days after the commencement of this interruption in his public labours. November, a bilious complaint began to afflict him, which, for some time, assumed alarming appearances, and reduced him to extreme weakness, so that death was hourly expected to end his sorrows. Contrary, however, to medical opinion, the languid sufferer revived, and hope was entertained that he would advance |