AND THE MOTHER'S LOVE.

87

ease before the solemn sound goes forth'Time shall be no longer!' He who has loved thee from thy earliest youth has called thee to love him above all; to dedicate thyself to him; to surrender thy all to him, to be made use of as he shall direct. The reins of government should not be in thy hands, but in his, to turn thee into the path he may in future appoint, and out of what thou, as a man, wouldest have chosen for thyself. Ah! my dear, it is not the strength of natural affection which leads me to say, thou wast not intended to spend all thy time in earthly pursuits, but, through submission to the operation of that power which creates anew, thou art designed to lead the minds of others, both by example and precept, from earth to heaven. I believe it may be said of thee, as it was said to Peter, Satan hath desired to have thee, that he may sift thee as wheat;' but I humbly hope that the same Advocate will plead for thee, that thy faith fail not?

On another occasion she writes

'I entreat thee again to consider the necessity of setting thyself more at liberty in future. Thou art too much absorbed in study, my beloved child; for however innocent it may be, yet, like the doves in the temple, it fills up a place in the temple of thy heart, which ought to be otherwise occupied, and dedicated to the Lord, in whose hands thou wouldest become

88 THEIR ROMANTIC ATTACHMENT

an instrument to promote the knowledge of pure Christianity. Come, my beloved, if a right hand or a right eye be called for, give it up. The Lord loves a cheerful giver, and he will restore thee an hundredfold.'

He

The attachment which subsisted between William Allen and the excellent Margaret,' his ever-watchful mother and sympathizing friend, was all but romantic. Her letters were preserved as hidden treasures. carried them in his pocket book as constant companions. In seasons of affliction and discouragement he was consoled by her sympathy, and strengthened by her counsel. In advanced life, when age and infirmities gathered about her, his attentions were unremitting. His visits to her were almost daily. His chief joy was to soothe her sufferings, or to minister to her wants. Twentytwo years after the date of the letters, and nine before her decease, for she lived to a good old age, we find him noting in his journal, that he had been to see his dear mother, who was in a sweet state of mind, and described to him some of the feelings with which she had been favoured in the night. I was affected,' he says, and told her I longed that we could go together, for we seemed to have a foretaste of the glory that should be revealed; but she said, No, no, there is more for thee to suffer and to do yet;

CLOSES IN DEATH.

89

the Lord has a work for thee.' In the month of January, 1830, we find him by her bedside, offering prayer that the blessed Saviour might be pleased to administer to her an easy entrance into his everlasting rest,' and on the 15th of that month, about seven o'clock, the ' beloved parent' sweetly 'slept in Jesus.'

6

Soon after this event, it appears, from his journal, that he had serious thoughts of giving up Guy's, in order to be more at liberty to serve the Great Master; but the treasurer was so earnest' for his continuance, that he 'could not well get at liberty.' His lectures were still crowded with students, and his energy in delivering them was unabated. It was not till the year 1826 that he finally retired from the hospital, closing his connection with it by an address to the students, which was printed, and widely circulated. In all his lectures, Mr. Allen had felt it right to urge the claims of revelation, and to avail himself of every suitable opportunity for directing the minds of his hearers to the Great Source of all wisdom and goodness; but in this, he enlarges on the Divine justice, impressively urges the responsibility of man, and points to the compassion of God, as having provided, in the person of the Redeemer, for reconciliation with himself.'

The same year that saw him retire from Guy's witnessed his anxious endeavours to

90 HIS CONNECTION WITH LANARK,

free himself from another engagement, still more complicated and responsible. We refer to his connection with Lanark.

In the year 1813, Robert Owen, then distinguished only for his benevolence, and especially honoured for the zeal and energy with which he had sought to ameliorate the condition of the labouring and manufacturing poor, came to London, in consequence of some business arrangements, which involved the sale of the Lanark Mills. The importance of continuing the plans then in progress for preserving the morals and promoting the comfort and happiness of the work people was strongly felt by Mr. Allen; and, after much conflict of mind,' yielding to the pressing solicitations' of beloved friends, who 'secured him from loss for one year,' and engaged to take his shares, if he subsequently felt uneasy,' he became a partner in the concern. The articles of partnership indicate the views and feelings of the proprietors. They provided, by distinct agreement, for the religious education of all the children of the labourers employed in the works; and it is expressly stated, that nothing shall be introduced tending to disparage the Christian religion, or undervalue the authority of the Holy Scriptures,' that no books shall be introduced into the library until they have first been approved of at a general meeting of the

A SOURCE OF ANXIETY,

91

partners,' and 'that children shall not be employed in the mills until they shall be of such an age as that the labour shall not be prejudicial to their health.' The year following, Mr. Allen visited Lanark, found the arrangements with regard to the manufacturing part excellent, and even beyond expectation; but he adds, Alas! Owen, with all his cleverness and benevolence, wants the one thing, without which, parts and acquirements and benevolence are unavailing.' The 'painful conversations' he now had with Mr. Owen greatly depressed him; he could only find comfort in the thought, that all the other partners were, like himself, determined that Mr. Owen's views should not affect the instruction of the workpeople. He speaks of 'a heavy parting' at Braxfield, for Owen was kindness itself.

Mr. Allen was now anxious to avoid the partnership, for the deed was not yet executed; but the reflection that it would not be generous to desert some of the other parties,'-the wide field of usefulness afforded by the control of three thousand people, the opportunity it gave of successfully opposing infidel plans,'-above all, the sense of duty felt in the engagement,' after prayers put up, night and day, that, if it were a wrong thing, some timely check might be felt, decided him; and he felt