table. After the singing, the body of the congregation walked also toward the house. In the crowd Mr. Rice found himself walking close by the side of the minister from whom he had received the token of admission. He offered to return the token, intimating that he did not think he could sit down at the table. The minister refused to take it back, and told him to come with him into the house, and he would hear more of the matter He accordingly entered, and found the minister who had preached addressing the people nearly on the same subject, observing that he who knew no sin, was made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. On hearing this, and on seeing the intended communicants seated, "One of the first thoughts," says he, "that entered my mind was, here is a number of the fallen sons of Adam seated at the table of the King of kings. The thought made me tremble from head to foot, and made my knees smite one upon another. I at the same time, however, saw a glory, and fitness, and excellency in Christ, and in the plan of sal. vation, which encouraged me to roll myself with all my guilt and all my moral and natural weakness and imperfection, upon his all-sufficiency, taking him for my Prophet, Priest, and King, and resting on him for wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption. And thus receiving an all-sufficient Saviour, and thus devoting myself wholly to him, I ventured to take my seat, and publicly partake of his broken body and shed blood."

3*

REFLECTIONS.

THE above forming what may be called the first period in the history of our worthy father, it may not be unprofitable to pause and make a reflection or two.

Divine sovereignty is here illustriously displayed. There were many needy and hardened and lost sinners besides young David Rice in the county of Hanover at the time referred to in these Memoirs. Yet David Rice was called, and the majority of his companions and equals in age and in wickedness were perhaps passed over. Even so Father, for so it seemed good in thy

sight.

Sovereignty was also displayed in the length of time Mr. Rice laboured under convictions. Though he was early the subject of religious convictions, and never was distinguished as an open and hardened sinner, yet years of sore trouble were endured before relief was obtained.

In the very worst of times, and under the most unfavo urable circumstances, Jehovah can raise up a seed to serve his Son. When God himself gives the word, neither earth nor hell shall be able to withstand him. And the good work being begun shall be carried on till it is perfected, in spite of every difficulty. Judging after the manner of men, it was extremely improbable that the first serious impressions of Mr. Rice should end in genuine conversion. Thousands of young men at least under more favourable opportunities have made shipwreck of the faith.

What encouragement have those whose office it is to preach the Gospel of God's grace to persevere, though they should have but little visible evidence of success. It is probable Mr. Davies never knew what signal benefit he was to Mr. Rice; nor is it in the nature of things possible to calculate the good effects of that single sermon, till all who have been benefitted by Mr. Rice's labours are called together. Let us stand in our place and minister in the name and strength of our Master; the great day only will reveal the amount of our suc

cess.

A firm belief in the doctrine of personal and unconditional election does not necessarily lead men to be careless about the use of means for either their own salvation or the salvation of others. In Mr. Rice at least this belief produced quite the opposite effect.

Whatever may be the means which are used for the conviction and conversion of sinners, a new nature will display itself by the same marks in all men and in all parts of the world,-a hatred of sin, an abhorrence of sin, an ardent desire of holiness, a spirit of prayer, a love for all God's ordinances, a concern for the eternal welfare of our fellow men, a low opinion of ourselves, a high opinion of Christ and the way of salvation by him; these are the genuine marks of a new nature; they were all displayed in Mr. Rice in that part of his his history which we have been reviewing. Careless sinner, formal professor, genuine believer, try your state and your character by these.

CHAPTER IV.

INTRODUCTION OF THE GOSPEL INTO VIRGINIA.

"My aunt, Mary Rice, was married to a John Symms. John Symms in some part of his life, by what means I know not, probably by little more than reading the Scriptures, got deeply impressed with the necessity and importance of a better religion than that which he possessed. Under a deep conviction of his being a guilty depraved sinner, he continued for ten or twelve years, earnestly seeking the bread of life, while he found none to break it to him. At length, by the same means of reading the Bible, he found that God had made provision for such sinners, and that it was revealed to them in the Gospel. He believed in Christ as a Saviour, and embraced the plan of salvation, and the deep gloom of a long night of darkness was dispelled by the beams of the sun of righteousness. From that time to the close of his life he appeared to be a tender, sober, and exemplary Christian.

"About the same time, or perhaps a little later, my uncle, James Rice, got under similar impressions, and probably by similar means, only his convictions appeared to be more pungent and terrifying. He told me himself that for three months he did not remember to have slept so sound as not to hear a cock crow or a dog bark at any time of the night. On receiving deliverance by

the Gospel of God's grace, his joy appeared to be proportionably extatic. I do not remember ever to have heard him mention the love of God manifested in the suffering of Christ in the room of guilty men, but with tears of affection and gratitude in his eyes.

"My grandmother, Rice, was esteemed truly a religious woman; but when or by what means she obtained religion I do not remember to have heard.

"There was in the same neighbourhood with them a James Hooper, who was also esteemed a pious man. These four seldom attended their parish church, but used to meet together at one or other of their houses, and spend the Sabbath in religious conversation. "Then they that feared the Lord spoke often one to another, and a book of remembrance was written before him," &c. For fifteen or twenty years my uncle James never walked but with crutches, or when at best with a staff in each hand; yet when he had been helped on a horse he rode tolerably well. He had in the country round a number of old acquaintance, whom he used occasionally to visit. In some of these houses he found a few old books, which had been imported by the first settlers, written by the Puritans, or the great divines who lived in England when the Westminster confession of faith was composed. He found also Luther on the Galatians, or on justification by grace without the works of the law. From these old books he made large extracts, and by frequently reading them over, his memory being good, he could give a pretty good account of the whole of them. When his neighbours came to see him, he would commonly introduce religious conversation, and