the hut of a black man, or the mansion of opulence and wealth. God has preserved me while riding on the slippery ice, and crossing the stormy ocean. Faith in his Almighty power, unfailing word, divine presence, and overruling Providence, has supported me in many trials, and calmed and comforted my mind in imminent dangers. A twelve years mission has checkered my path with many difficulties; however, the goodness of Emmanuel has sweetened some and sanctified others: during that time I have preached near three thousand sermons, and shall I say, have made perhaps ten thousand blunders. The work of God has been my delight, but an evil nature has often clogged me with impediments. With regard to my temporal affairs, I never found one of God's promises to fail. When I embarked in the cause of God, I had few temporal sacrifices to make; but a fishing-net left for Christ is an acceptable offering. A man can but leave his all, and if mine had been a province or principality, it should have been freely relinquished. I left a most tender mother in England, and I have got an affectionate wife and three children in America; and if I am but poor, I am thankful to God that he has enabled me to make many rich, and withal has grafted on the stock of poverty a content. ed mind.

A variety of scenes have met my observation, but they have all confirmed me in the blessed truths of religion; nor have I, in travelling some thousands of miles

by sea and land, ever met with a solid reason for a con: trary conduct. God has given me instances of a minute providence, and I have had the application of his precious promises on many occasions. I know the testimony of an obscure individual can have little weight, but were I chief of the wise men of Babylon, I would throw my whole influence into the scale of vital Christianity; it is my comfort by day and my sóng in the night. I love good men of all churches, but chiefly them who preach salvation by faith in a crucified Redeemer, and hold the everlasting divinity of the Prince of Peace. I have seen bigotry enough to make me detest it, but the worst of all bigotry is a wicked life and a narrow mind united. I would equally abhor a spurious charity that can fritter away an important truth, to meet the objeco tions of a carnal mind or upscriptural creed. I have my own views of religion, which I receive ex cathedra ; but I believe good men may differ in small matters, where there is unity in essentials. Ye are all one in Christ, embraces every true follower of the Lamb; hence with

my

whole soul I can say, grace be upon all who love the Lord Jesus in sincerity and truth; yea, I would willingly fetch a brick, a trowel, or a little mortar, for any of my brethren in the ministry, who are building the Lord's temple; and if the lovely edifice aspires, I am equally glad to see both stone-cutters, carpenters, masons, carvers, and polishers, employed. But to return, I have been a monument of mercy, re

12

MEMOIR OF THE AUTHOR'S LIFE.

bellion, and grace. My Life, if written at large, (a task I may possibly perform in future, would, in some respects, resemble the account of the celebrated John Newton, Rector of St. Mary's, Wolnoth: at present ! am, through boundless grace, determined to live and die in the love, fear, and service, of God.

And whether in a city or a cell,
A court or cottage, be my lot to dwell ;
If riches smile, or poverty depress ;
If foes assail me, or if friends caress ;
If fair Hygea to her courts invite,
Or pining sickness all my vigours smite
Give me thy smile, O Lord, 'tis vital bliss,
And each will satisfy, or that, or this.

;

TO THE READER.

As it is common to write something by way of preface, it may be necessary to give the history of these trifles, and leave the reader to make his own remarks on

the occasion. The simple truth is, the writer of them has been actively engaged as a Christian Missionary for several years, proclaiming the unsearchable riches of a Redeemer's grace and bleeding love. At different periods, sometimes for relaxation, and sometimes for amusement, he has devoted some few of his leisure hours to reading sacred poetry, and occasionally has had the presumption to take

ир
his
pen

in the same way ; perhaps, like many others, he has mistaken an ardent love to poetry for an ability to write verses ; but of this his friends, into whose hands these scraps may possibly fall, will be better able to judge ; and if he only felt the will without the talents, will doubtless punish his presumption by neglecting to peruse his first attempts. Most of

the little pieces, (I will not say poems,) were written on the cccasions mentioned, the rest ad libitum as the fancy started into my mind; though not unfrequently when the fatigues of my mission, and the heat of a sultry climate rendered me unfit for more serious avocations. They are, it is true, but trifles, yet they amused me, and perhaps may gratify some of my friends. They will certainly possess this merit, that they are innocent, and I trust moral ; I may say without scruple, that they were written in the fear of God, and I am not without hopes but they are calculated to promote the cause virtue, and foster sentiments of true piety in the breasts of those who may be pleased to read them. I know that were they ludicrous, unchaste, or satirical, they might please a certain kind of readers ; but God forbid that I should either sacrifice purity, truth, or piety, at the shrine of popular applause. I want no praise but what might blossom in the garden of Eden ; and I would be careful not to injure, if I cannot greatly help the cause of my blessed Redeemer. Should the kindness of my friends ever call for a republication of these, I may possibly insert a number more ; but I shall only venture a fer at present, that my toss and disappointment may be less, should the public decline to patronize them. I