one who abounded SO much in prayer!" Though it was winter, Simeon used to rise at four o'clock, light his own fire, and then spend four hours in private prayer and in the devotional study of the Scriptures. He would then ring his bell, and, calling in his friend, with his servant, engage with them in what he termed his family prayer.

Of his sermons Simeon writes: "It was not till ten or twelve years after I had entered into the ministry that I ever saw Claude's Essay on the Composition of a Sermon, and I was perfectly surprised to find that all the chief rules which he prescribes for the composition of a sermon had not only been laid down by myself, but practised for some years. This shows that his rules are founded in nature. From

seeing my own rules thus reduced to system I was led to adopt the resolution of endeavouring to impart to others the little knowledge I possessed of that species of composition, and to adopt Claude as the groundwork of my private lectures.... For the space of about twenty years I have persevered in having a few young men to assist in thus preparing for that which is generally esteemed so difficult-the writing of their sermons; and from the many acknowledg

ments which have been made by ministers from time to time, I have reason to hope that my labours have not been in vain in the Lord."

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This," says his biographer, William Carus, "was one of the most important services which Mr. Simeon rendered to the younger members of the University. He had himself felt keenly from the outset of his ministry the want of some direction in the composition of his sermons; and he was therefore the more anxious to remedy this want, as far as he could, by imparting to others the results of his Own experience and care. . . . When I began to write at first, I knew no more than a brute how to make a sermon-and after a year or so I gave up writing, and began to preach from notes. But I so stammered and stumbled that I felt that this was worse than before-and so I was obliged to take to a written sermon again. At last, however, the reading a sermon appeared to be so heavy and dull that I once more made an attempt with notes, and determined if I did not now succeed to give up preaching altogether.' This method of preaching from notes, carefully arranged and prepared, he pursued till within a few years of his death. His style of delivery, which to the last

was remarkably lively and impressive, in his earlier days was earnest and impassioned in no ordinary degree. The intense fervour of his feelings he cared not to conceal or restrain: his whole soul was in his subject, and he spoke and acted exactly as he felt. Occasionally, indeed, his gestures and looks were grotesque, from the earnestness and fearlessness of his attempts to illustrate or enforce his thoughts in detail; but his action was altogether unstudied -sometimes remarkably striking and commanding-and always sincere and serious. At that period such manifestations of feeling were very unusual in the pulpit; and it is therefore highly probable that the opposition and ridicule he encountered in the earlier part of his ministry may be attributed as much to the manner as to the matter of his preaching."

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His natural weaknesses of self-importance and irritability he constantly struggled against, with increasing success. In his old age he writes: 'There are but two objects that I have ever desired for these forty years to behold-the one is my own vileness, and the other is the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ; and I have always thought that they should be viewed together. By this I seek to be not only humbled

and thankful, but humbled in thankfulness before my God and Saviour continually. This is the religion that pervades the whole Liturgy, and particularly the Communion Service; and this makes the Liturgy inexpressibly sweet to me.' One of his favourite texts was, "The servant of the Lord must not strive." Many hundreds of times has that one word tied my hands." Two of his favourite mottoes were: "Talk not about myself"; "Speak evil of no man." Thus he writes in after-years to a friend: "Such conduct is observed towards me at this very hour by one of the fellows of the College as, if practised by me, would set not the College only, but the whole town and University in a flame. But the peace and joy which I experience from lying as clay in the potter's hands are more than I can express. The example of our blessed Lord, who, as a lamb before its shearers, was dumb, and without either threatening or complaint committed Himself to Him. that judgeth righteously, appears to me most lovely."

The following sentences are, from rules which he laid down for himself: "To hear as little as possible what is to the prejudice of others; to believe nothing of the kind till I am abso

lutely forced to it; always to moderate, as far as I can, the unkindness which is expressed towards others; always to believe that, if the other side were heard, a very different view would be given of the matter. I consider, too, that persons are cast in different moulds; and that to ask myself, What should I do in that person's situation?' is not a just mode of judging. I think that religious people are too little attentive to these considerations."

A famine towards the close of 1788 gave him an opportunity of exemplifying his Christian activity and benevolence on a large scale. After helping to supply the poor of Cambridge with bread at half price, he inquired what was to become of the poor of the neighbouring villages. Nothing was being done. "That," said he,

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shall be my business." He made a plan for relieving twenty-four villages, and took the leading part in carrying it out himself. "This," says a friend, "made a great impression on the University, and was one of the first things to open their eyes to the character of the man who had been so much ridiculed and opposed."

In 1790 Trinity parish began to yield to his personal attraction. The churchwardens had