,transcribed from the #ahif ,hodder and ,stoughton edition by ,david ,price1 email ccx#jgdpglaf4org ,picture3 ,photograph of ,edward ,hoare4 ,lankester ,photo1 ,tunbridge ,wells4 ,jenkins ,heliog1 ,paris ,,edward ,,hoare1 ,m4,a4 ,a ,,record ,,of ,,his ,,life ,,based ,,upon ,a ,,brief ,,autobiography 99 99 99 99 99 ,,edited ,,by ,,the ,,rev4 ,j4 ,h4 ,,townsend1 ,d4,d4 ,vicar of ,broadwater ,down1 ,tunbridge ,wells ,author of 8,spiral ,stairs2 or1 the ,heavenward ,course of the ,church ,seasons0 99 99 99 99 99 ,,with ,a ,,portrait 99 99 99 99 99 ,london ,,hodder ,,and ,,stoughton #bg1 ,,paternoster ,,row 99 99 99 99 99 ,,mdcccxcvi 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,printed by ,hazell1 ,watson1 ,viney1 ,ld41 ,london and ,aylesbury4 ,,preface ,it was on the #bjth of ,august1 #ahfd1 that the ,rev4 ,edward ,hoare1 on the deck of the steamer from ,boulogne to ,folkestone1 spoke kindly words of sympathy to a schoolboy returning home after a great bereavement in ,switzerland4 ,how little then could either of them have imagined the future relationship of ,vicar and ,curate1 the long years of happy friendship afterwards1 the deeply solemn funeral sermon1 and1 finally1 the sacred task of editing the ,autobiography and writing the brief sketch contained in the following pages6 ,this work has been undertaken with the greatest diffidence1 partly owing to the many duties of a somewhat busy life1 and still more from the anxious wish that such a character as that of ,canon ,hoare should be depicted by one who had known him from earlier years4 ,another difficulty has been to compress the volume into the small limits desired by the family4 ,to write a large volume would have been easy1 but to read a considerable correspondence1 together with closely written volumes of journal1 and give a digest of their contents1 has required care and thought4 ,it has also necessitated the putting upon one side of much that was interesting and profitable4 ,amongst the things unpublished have been many powerful letters upon various burning questions of the day during the past forty years2 most of these subjects have now burnt themselves out1 and it seemed unwise to rake up the ashes4 ,it is1 moreover1 better to say too little than too much1 and those who knew him best will acknowledge that the latter error has been avoided4 ,a man possessing such qualities as those which ,canon ,hoare exhibited--great kindness and affection1 wide views of men and things1 strong convictions1 ruling powers1 commanding intellect1 and deep spirituality of mind--was one who could not live without influencing visibly all with whom he came in contact2 but it has been the desire of the ,editor so to picture this life as it appeared to him1 and with the one desire that ,god may be glorified by the narrative as ,he was magnified in the life of ,his servant4 ,j4 ,h4 ,t4 ,,contents ,,page ,,chapter ,i ,,early ,,life ,,and ,,boyhood #a ,,chapter ,,ii ,,cambridge #ah ,,chapter ,,iii ,,religious ,,state1 ,,and ,,examination ,,for ,,degree #cj ,,chapter ,,iv ,,visit ,,to ,,ireland1 ,,and ,,preparation ,,for ,,holy ,,orders #da ,,chapter ,v ,,ordination ,,and ,,first ,,curacy #ej ,,chapter ,,vi ,,richmond #gj ,,chapter ,,vii ,,holloway ,,and ,,ramsgate #ib ,,chapter ,,viii ,,tunbridge ,,wells #abj ,,chapter ,,ix ,,work ,,in ,,various ,,places #acc ,,chapter ,x ,,domestic ,,life ,,and ,,foreign ,,tours #adc ,,chapter ,,xi ,,parochial ,,missions #afa ,,chapter ,,xii ,,parish ,,work #agc ,,chapter ,,xiii ,,the ,,borderland #ahg ,,chapter ,,xiv ,,books ,,and ,,speeches #aih ,,chapter ,,xv ,,blindness ,,and ,,second ,,illness #bag ,,chapter ,,xvi ,,reminiscences #bea ,,chapter ,,xvii ,,promotion #bfc ,,chapter ,,xviii ,,tributes #bfg ,,chapter ,i ,,early ,,life ,,and ,,boyhood ,it is a common practice amongst remarkable men to leave on record some of the circumstances which have led to the formation of the leading features of their character4 ,but as the greater part of mankind is not remarkable1 ,i think it just possible that some may be interested1 and possibly some profited1 by a few details of the life of one whose life has not been marked by incident so much as by abundant mercy1 who has been led on step by step in the happy life of a parochial clergyman1 and who at the close of it can say with reference to the past1 8,surely goodness and mercy have followed me all the days of my life10 and can add with reference to the future the blessed hope and determination of ,david1 8,i will dwell in the house of the ,lord for ever40 ,of all the many mercies of my life the one that must ever stand first and foremost is the gift of my beloved father and mother4 ,no words can describe the blessing of such parents1 and ,i never can look back on the unspeakable privilege of such a parentage without adoring the sovereign grace which placed me under their parental care4 ,when ,i observe the carelessness of some parents1 the inefficiency of others1 and the terrible training for evil to which ,i see multitudes of poor children exposed1 ,i can only adore the sovereignty of ,god which on ,june #eth1 #ahab1 committed me as a sacred trust to the very best of parents4 99 99 99 99 99 ,my father1 ,samuel ,hoare1 was a banker in the ,city4 ,both he and my mother1 ,louisa ,hoare1 #b had been brought up in the ,society of ,friends1 and had not formally left it at the time of my birth1 so that ,i was registered by that body1 and at the time of my ordination ,i had to apply to the ,westminster ,meeting for a certificate of my birth4 ,but they were both greatly influenced by the ministry of some devoted ,evangelical clergymen1 such as the ,rev4 ,e4 ,edwardes of ,lynn1 and the ,rev4 ,josiah ,pratt1 and ,i believe it was very soon after my birth that they were together baptised4 ,we young people were therefore all brought up as members of the ,church of ,england1 though1 as my father never completely lost his early ,quaker prejudice against infant baptism1 we were not baptised till about the age of fifteen1 when we were considered able to judge for ourselves4 ,it was probably the result of his own ,quaker education that my father had a strong objection to public schools2 so that his plan was to engage a private tutor1 some young man from ,cambridge or ,oxford1 to educate us at home till we attained the age of fifteen1 and then send us to a private tutor1 preparatory to our going up to ,cambridge4 ,this arrangement answered well so long as there were four of us boys at home1 and some of our cousins were united with us both in the schoolroom and playground2 but as the elder boys went off1 there was a sad want both of healthy amusements and intellectual stimulus for those that were left behind4 ,i was the third1 and ,i remember how difficult it was for my dear brother ,joseph and myself to keep ourselves well employed when our elder brothers ,samuel and ,gurney had been placed under the care of the ,rev4 ,h4 ,v4 ,elliott1 the most able and gifted tutor to whom we three eldest brothers were sent1 and to whom we were all indebted far more than ,i can describe4 ,he had a wonderful power of bringing the interest of the ,university to bear on the education of his pupils1 and ,i never can forget the effect on my own mind1 for ,i never really worked till the day ,i entered his house2 but ,i began then1 and ,i have never been habitually idle since4 ,he was a grand illustration of the principle1 that the great office of an educator is not merely to cram a boy's head with knowledge1 but to kindle a fire in his soul1 which will go on burning brightly when the tutor himself has long since passed away4 ,but though there were great disadvantages in our home education1 there were also immense advantages4 ,it was not so effective as my dear parents hoped it would be in preserving us from impure and defiling information1 and to this day ,i rarely pass the back door of what used to be my grandmother's house without a sense of loathing at the wickedness of her corrupt old butler1 who on that spot did his utmost to pollute my boyish mind with filthy communication4 ,but in many other respects ,i have never ceased to feel the blessed results of those years at home4 ,in the first place1 we were all brought under the constant influence of our father and mother4 ,he was a man of great strength of character1 and of marvellous perseverance in all that he undertook4 ,he was deeply interested in the improvement of prison discipline1 and was one of the 8,governors0 of the 8,refuge for the ,destitute40 ,this he used to visit once a week with the utmost regularity1 rising early so as to be able to complete his visit before his attendance at the ,bank1 and ,i have seldom seen a more affecting sight than when he used to ride off week after week in all weathers1 even after the ,lord had laid him so low by an attack of paralysis that he could not attempt to ride beyond a walking pace1 and it was indeed unsafe for him to ride at all2 but he was a man tenax propositi1 and nothing would turn him from his purpose4 ,it was his determination of character that made him a most valuable coadjutor with his brother-in-law1 ,sir ,t4 ,f4 ,buxton1 in the great anti-slavery struggle1 as may be seen in the graphic account given in the ,life of ,sir ,fowell of the great debate which virtually decided the question4 ,sir ,fowell himself was a man of courageous determination2 but it was my father that1 during that debate1 sat under the gallery of the ,house of ,commons and upheld his hands by his decided and unwavering judgment4 ,it was a great privilege for us boys to grow up under the influence of such a character4 ,once a week1 on the day of his holiday from the ,bank1 he used habitually to visit the schoolroom1 and hear us repeat what we had learned during the week2 and every ,sunday afternoon he used to read with us some good religious book4 ,i fear sometimes one at least of his pupils greatly tried his patience by supineness and inattention1 but there were not then the same interesting books for young people that there are now1 and such books as ,wilberforce's 8,practical ,view0 or ,doddridge's 8,rise and ,progress0 were not calculated to attract the attention of a set of boys whose hearts were set on cricket4 ,then my dearest mother was one of the most lovely women of the day4 ,beautiful in countenance1 gentle in her manners1 pure in her thoughts1 and most loving in all her intercourse with her family1 she exercised over us all a most sacred and refining influence1 and one of the most abiding sorrows of my life has been that1 when she was teaching me something1 ,i was so negligent that ,i caused her to shed a tear4 ,besides that1 she had great intellectual charm4 ,first-rate men such as ,chalmers and ,wilberforce delighted in her society4 ,she was an excellent ,english writer4 ,her letters to her sons at ,college are perfect models of such compositions1 and her admirable little book 8,hints on ,early ,education10 containing the principles on which she brought us up1 continues to this day1 passing through edition after edition1 unsurpassed1 if ,i may not say unequalled1 by the many more modern efforts to throw light on that most important subject4 ,it is to her that ,i am indebted for my first intelligent acquaintance with the ,gospel4 ,she used to have us boys to read the ,scripture with her every morning at #g4ae4 ,nothing can ever efface the lovely impression made on those occasions4 ,there she used to be by a bright fire in her little room1 in her snow-white dressing-gown1 looking as pure and lovely as was possible in woman4 ,i fear we boys were often late and sometimes inattentive4 ,but ,i never forget one morning when she asked me if ,i knew what faith was1 and1 finding that ,i was utterly ignorant1 proceeded to teach me those sacred lessons of a ,saviour's grace which have been life to my soul from that day till now4 ,oh1 mothers6 what an opportunity you have of sowing a seed which will never die6 ,another great advantage in our home education was that we became interested in missionary work4 ,drawing-room meetings were not the fashion then as they are now1 and my father and mother1 without waiting for the fashion1 threw open their large drawing-room to various devoted men4 ,thus we boys used to enjoy the no small privilege of becoming personally acquainted with many of the most devoted men of the day1 as well as of being educated into an interest in missionary work4 ,but parental influence was not all1 for one of the tutors engaged for our instruction was the ,rev4 ,r4 ,davis1 of ,queen's ,college1 ,cambridge1 a devoted young man1 and deeply interested in the ,church ,missionary ,society4 ,it was he that enlisted the interest of my father and mother1 so that ,i find1 in turning to the report for the year #ahbj1 the following entry1 which was the sum-total of the then ,hampstead ,association3-- s4 d4 ,contributions by a few children #b #h #j ,rev4 ,r4 ,davis #a #a #i #c #i #i ,having been one of those few children1 ,i remember well the interest that the subject excited in our minds2 and as that interest never died out in those beloved ones now gone to their rest1 and as ,i trust it will never do so in myself1 ,i realise how much ,i owe to that young man1 and ,i see how much may be done by a young man who carries with him wherever he goes the unceasing desire to be engaged in his ,master's service4 ,this home education was continued until ,i reached the age of fifteen1 when ,i was sent as a pupil to the ,rev4 ,h4 ,v4 ,elliott of ,brighton1 where my two elder brothers had been before me4 ,before ,i left home arrangements were made for my baptism4 ,that admirable man the ,rev4 ,josiah ,pratt kindly undertook my instruction1 and ,i used to ride down to him at his residence in ,finsbury ,circus4 ,he was a remarkable man1 firm in his principle1 faithful to the ,gospel1 true to his ,saviour1 zealous in ,missions1 and of remarkable soundness of judgment4 ,i am not sure that he was altogether the best instructor for a spirited lad1 but ,i never shall forget the venerable man1 sitting on one side of the fireplace1 finding1 ,i fear1 considerable difficulty in eliciting much response from his pupil4 ,but ,i learnt one practical lesson from these interviews1 which has been a help to many a lad under similar circumstances3--,i was at that time thoroughly in earnest about my soul1 and ,i looked forward to my baptism with great seriousness4 ,it was a matter for much prayer and close examination4 ,but my dearest mother showed me ,mr4 ,pratt's letters respecting me1 in which he said1 8,i hope there is something at the bottom1 but ,i find it very difficult to bring it to the surface60 ,how often have ,i thought of these words1 when ,i have been preparing my young people for ,confirmation2 and when ,i have seen them nervous1 agitated1 and with small development of feeling1 ,i have thought of myself and of ,mr4 ,pratt's letters1 and remembered how earnest ,i was at the time1 although he could discover but little trace of it4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the day of my baptism was a very solemn one1 my cousin1 the late ,sir ,edward ,buxton1 being baptised at the same time in ,st4 ,stephen's1 ,coleman's ,street1 and ,i think it was the next day that we left our homes together and went to ,brighton1 to enter upon a new mode of education4 ,i cannot say how thankful ,i am that my father sent me to ,mr4 ,elliott4 ,he was a first-rate man in all respects1 and he had been the means of kindling an intellectual fire in my eldest brother1 who was passing through ,cambridge at the time with high distinction4 ,he 7,mr4 ,elliott7 had a faculty for inspiriting his pupils for work4 ,i had been an idle boy until ,i went to him2 but ,i had no sooner crossed his threshold than ,i felt an ambition for ,university distinction1 and lost very little time when ,i was under his rule4 ,as he took only six pupils there was the same difficulty that we found at home in getting good play1 first-class cricket4 ,but there were other great advantages4 ,there were some very choice lads amongst the pupils1 one especially whom ,i can never forget--namely1 ,henry ,goulburn4 ,he was small in stature1 but of marvellous ability3 for quick perception1 clear understanding1 for never-failing memory1 and a power of seeing through a subject1 such as ,i never saw in any man4 ,i shall never forget his influence when he first joined us as a pupil4 ,there was at that time a good deal of quarrelling amongst us4 ,there was one young fellow who was rich1 but very foolish1 who became the butt of his companions4 ,i remember well one day1 when ,goulburn had just come amongst us1 and we were all like a pack of hounds upon that young fellow1 ,goulburn got up from the table1 walked round to him1 and put his hand upon him1 saying1 8,i will be your friend40 ,that act of his had such a power over the whole party that similar unkindness entirely ceased4 ,i never saw a repetition of it4 ,but1 besides the pupils within the house1 we had the immense advantage of the friendship of ,mr4 ,elliott's mother and sisters1 who lived close by4 ,that mother was one of the most charming old ladies ,i ever remember4 ,she was the daughter of ,henry ,venn1 ,rector of ,yelling1 the grandfather of the late ,henry ,venn1 ,secretary of the ,church ,missionary ,society4 ,she grew up amongst her father's friends1 ,berridge1 ,fletcher1 and ,simeon in his early days1 and nothing could be more charming1 more delightful1 than her reminiscence of the early struggle of those devoted men4 ,it wanted a good deal to draw me from the cricket field1 but she had the power of doing it4 ,i could not have had a greater treat than to listen for half-an-hour to her anecdotes4 ,then again it was one of the privileges that we enjoyed at ,brighton that we attended ,st4 ,mary's ,church4 ,mr4 ,elliott's preaching was valuable1 full of truth1 and most beautiful in composition4 ,i used to listen to it with great interest1 and from it ,i first learnt the great and blessed doctrine of justification by faith1 which ,i have had the privilege of preaching throughout my ministry4 ,i never can forget one sermon of his in which he pointed out that there were three great trials of ,abraham's faith3 7#a7 ,his ,call 7,gen4 xii472 7#b7 ,the ,promise given him 7,gen4 xv472 and 7#c7 ,the ,sacrifice of ,isaac 7,gen4 xxii474 ,he then pointed out that the first and last of these three trials involved immediate action1 but that the middle one demanded no action at the time1 but required simply a believing reception of the promise of ,god1 and it was of it that the statement was made 7,gen4 xv4 #f73 8,abraham believed ,god1 and it was counted to him for righteousness40 ,there was a fresh blessing given me in ,st4 ,mary's4 ,it was there one sacred day when ,robert ,daly1 afterwards ,bishop of ,cashel1 was preaching1 that ,i was led by the ,spirit of ,god to give myself up to the ministry4 ,i do not remember exactly what he said2 but ,i am sure that a permanent impression may be often made without any distinct recollection always of what has been uttered4 ,so it was in my case1 while that noble man was preaching2 and ,i there and then gave myself up to the ministry of ,god1 as ,i told him many years afterwards4 ,i said nothing about it to anybody for a year1 because ,i wished my determination to be thoroughly tested4 ,at the end of the year ,i told my father4 ,he informed me that there was a place open for me in his ,bank1 but at the same time he gave his cordial approbation2 and so with his full consent and that of my dearest mother1 ,i regarded myself from that day as one set apart to the sacred ministry4 ,that must have been nearly sixty years ago1 and never for one moment have ,i had reason to regret the decision4 99 99 99 99 99 ,from ,mrs4 ,hoare to her son at ,brighton3-- 8,august #bbnd1 #ahbi4 8,how continually have ,i thought of you1 dearest ,edward1 since you left us1 with the truest pleasure and ,i hope thankfulness for the happy time we have passed together1 with the greatest interest in your present settlement and earnest desire and prayer for your well-doing in future6 ,you have1 my love1 gained the confidence and excited the sanguine hopes of your parents1 and if you do not turn out the decided1 noble1 upright1 and effective ,christian character1 we shall be disappointed4 ,i consider the present juncture in your life very important4 ,the more ,i consider the case1 the more ,i am sure of ,mr4 ,elliott's intrinsic value to you1 and the more ,i am convinced of the wisdom of giving up yourself in the present to his wishes2 if you secure his friendship1 you secure a treasure for life4 ,in this as in every situation1 you will have something to bear4 8#a4 ,don't stand on your own rights too much or be tenacious in little things4 8#b4 ,be very slow in taking offence or fancying any disrespect or want of favour is shown to you4 8#c4 ,never complain of anything to your companions4 8#d4 ,encourage a spirit of content1 and be determined 7there is much in this determination of mind7 to be comfortable4 8#e4 ,promote1 as far as possible1 the pleasure of your companions by yielding in little things4 ,i believe1 dearest ,edward1 you are sensible that1 to act with true wisdom1 we must seek this precious gift from above1 and day by day ask for help and strength and grace for the day4 8#f4 ,write to me intimately1 and the letters may be entirely private whenever you wish it4 8,the books could not be despatched at once4 ,sam says the ,shakespeare is a bad bargain1 but we will talk it over again--oh how ,i should enjoy a half-hour with thee over this nice library fire60 ,early ,letters4 ,there are some interesting letters of this period1 which have been carefully preserved4 ,the earliest of these1 written when he was eleven years old1 is characteristic4 ,it is addressed to his mother1 who was away from home1 and begins with an apology for not having sent her a letter before3 this is based upon an accident at cricket1 which he describes graphically1 the ball 8ascending to a great height0 having fallen upon his thumb and so disabled him1 etc41 etc42 but the pathetic narrative is followed by a burst of honesty--8however1 as that happened only yesterday it is not much of an excuse06 ,another1 a year later1 written from ,ryde1 after describing a boating and fishing expedition1 relates further a conversation with the boatman1 whom they saw doing something to the dogfish that they had caught4 8,he replied0 7and here the young scribe phonetically renders the local pronunciation71 8#8,o ,lar1 ,i'm only tormenting 'em4' ,we asked1 #8,why8' #8,because 'em has a pisonous prick on 'em's back4' ,we asked him how they could help that4 #8,oh1 ,i knows 'em needn't have it if 'em didna like6'0 ,the letters that follow were written from ,brighton1 and describe his arrival at ,mr4 ,elliott's house1 and sundry events that took place from time to time2 they are full of affection to his mother1 and abound likewise in touches of humour1 but they show also a diligence and steadiness of purpose1 and a liking for good things1 remarkable in a boy of that age4 ,subjoined are a few extracts as specimens3-- 8,i suppose ,jack told you of the famous hunt we had the other day when we were going out riding and met the hounds1 half by accident8 ,we had a run of above an hour1 and the hounds were in full cry all the time2 but1 alas6 the other day a bill came in from the horse-keeper1 which informed us that we were to pay a pound for each of the horses because we had been with the hounds4 4 4 4 ,i like ,abercorn #ae very much1 but he is excessively idle1 as my shoulders will bear witness1 as it is his great delight to get up and thump ,ted ,buxton and me on the shoulders2 but fortunately he is tired of hitting me1 as ,i repay the blows tenfold with a singlestick1 and the consequence is that poor ,ted gets double his former allowance40 8,we have capital walks on the ,downs almost every day1 which are very pleasant1 and capital exercise1 as we go a considerable distance2 the other day we went nearly to the ,dyke4 ,before seven a4m4 we three have delightful readings together--we have nearly done ,matthew2 at seven we come down and read till breakfast1 and after that till two2 we then go out for our walk till dinner4 4 4 4 ,on ,thursday we are to have our debate about the battle of ,navarino1 in which ,i am going to be exceedingly eloquent--only there is one great barrier to my eloquence1 which is that ,i can think of nothing to speak about4 ,robert and ,jack are going to attack the battle2 and ,ted1 ,abercorn1 and ,i are going to defend it4 ,i think they have got much the best side40 ,this extract1 written in a boyish hand1 is dated ,february #aith1 #ahbh4 ,the next1 on ,october #dth in the same year1 is remarkable for its transition into the formed hand of the young man1 and its resemblance to the writing of all his later years4 ,he was then sixteen4 ,the letter is full of manly thoughts1 kind sympathy for some relatives in trouble1 great thankfulness to ,god for restoring him to health after an illness1 and then the schoolboy reappears towards the close as he longs for a share in the partridge-shooting which his father and elder brothers were enjoying at that time1 and 8the plumcake after church1 and then the walk on the lighthouse hills0 at ,cromer1 concerning which he winds up by saying3 8,i do not know two things that live so pleasantly in my mind4 ,how far superior to all the strutting finery of ,brighton60 ,the letters written during his residence in ,brighton show that ,mr4 ,elliott1 besides being a very kind tutor1 had the gift of inspiring his pupils with great diligence and love for their work4 ,the year #ahcj was the last spent under his roof1 and they testify to a great deal of hard reading1 with the ,university constantly in view4 ,at the end of a letter dated 8,brighton1 ,september #bjth1 #ahcj10 young ,hoare writes3-- 8,i may tell you that this is the last letter you are ever likely to receive from me from ,brighton4 ,my two years and a half 7that but yesterday ,i thought would never end7 are now nearly come to a close2 ,i am sure if ,i had time ,i ought and could write a long letter of gratitude to you and my father for having given me such opportunities of improvement4 ,oh that ,i had made full use of them6 what a capital fellow ,i should be6 ,at all events1 of this ,i am quite certain1 that if your sons turn out either rascals or blockheads 7the latter of which ,i fear is the case with the third #ag71 it can never be laid to your charge4 ,and so1 with regard to the course we are now likely to enter upon1 ,i feel that every reason which ought to influence a person in the strongest degree binds me to read with thorough diligence and perseverance1 and ,i only trust that ,i may be enabled to show my gratitude for your kindness by taking thorough advantage of it40 8,o si sic omnes60 is the thought that rises to the mind after perusing these schoolboy letters2 they contain the germs of all the characteristics that made ,edward ,hoare the power that he afterwards became--manliness1 gentleness1 remarkable diligence1 reverence for religion and the ,bible1 a loving and thankful spirit1 and1 last but not least1 a keen sense of the humorous side of things4 ,,chapter ,,ii ,,cambridge ,in the year #ahcj ,i went to ,trinity ,college1 ,cambridge1 one of the finest places for education4 ,my dear brother ,gurney was there at the time4 ,goulburn followed a year afterwards4 ,canon ,carus was in his years a ,fellow of ,trinity1 and my beloved friend ,bishop ,perry was there as a tutor4 ,i had many friends1 and we were a happy party4 ,i have outlived almost all of them4 ,i owe more than ,i can express to my ,college life4 ,i read hard1 and ,i have often observed that hard-reading men look back upon their ,college days with the greatest pleasure4 ,i was surrounded by a set of steady men1 and1 above all1 ,i had the advantage of ,mr4 ,simeon's ministry4 ,there was something very wonderful about his preaching2 it was not eloquence1 and he had none of the brilliance of ,mr4 ,elliott4 ,but it was as clear as a noonday2 his statements of truth were unmistakable4 ,he was raised up to preach at ,cambridge the great ,evangelical doctrines of ,scripture4 ,and he taught them with a clearness1 a distinctness1 and a courage such as could not well be surpassed4 ,many and many a time did ,i return to my rooms after church1 8sport0 my door1 and kneel down in earnest prayer under the solemn conviction produced by his most spiritual and awakening ministry4 ,thus the three years of my ,university life passed rapidly by4 ,i was very eager in boat-racing1 and very keen at the game of cricket1 although ,i could not play much of it1 as it took too long a time4 ,but ,i am thankful to say ,i had the ministry always in view2 and ,i remember well that on the morning ,i went into the ,senate ,house for my degree1 ,i knelt down to pray for success1 and ,i thought at the time how much higher gifted ,i would be if the ,lord would make me wise to win souls4 ,university ,letters4 ,although the autobiography contains but a brief reference to his career at ,cambridge1 it seems a pity to pass too hastily over this most important time of a young man's life4 ,a great many of his letters to his mother were written at this period1 and1 like his boyish letters1 they are all carefully stitched up into a series of sets1 as if his parent foresaw that one day they would be valued by others4 ,they form delightful reading1 and it is unfortunate that want of space forbids more than a summarising of their contents and a few extracts4 ,the first of these1 written to his mother1 ,october #bbnd1 #ahcj1 two days after he had taken up his residence at ,trinity ,college1 describes the purchase of cap and gown1 the first dinner in ,hall1 the rooms in which he was settled1 the prospects of ,college life1 which he greatly relished1 and the determination to keep clear of 8harum-scarum fellows40 ,a characteristic sentence is worth quoting3 8,there is only one point ,i really dislike1 which is the profane manner in which the ,lessons are gabbled over at chapel1 so that you can only hear a hurried mumble1 and not one word of the sense40 ,various incidents enliven the letters at this time3 descriptions of his friends1 a very nice set2 allusions to some 8glorious sermons0 of ,mr4 ,simeon1 who was then the great power at ,cambridge2 his resolution to join a boat2 and the excitement caused 8by an attack on the ,anatomy ,schools1 when the ,vice-,chancellor sent round to the ,colleges to call the men out to fight1 which summons we obeyed with great alacrity1 though little necessity40 ,surely the last item must make ,cambridge men of this generation envy their predecessors of sixty years ago6 ,on his nineteenth birthday young ,hoare thus writes to his mother3-- 8,i don't know whether you recollect that ,i shall never again see nineteen years4 ,so ,i am now entering a new year--oh how earnestly ,i do hope that1 through ,his grace who alone can keep me1 it may be a year of profit and advancement in holiness6 ,i have thought a good deal about it1 though not so much as ,i could wish4 ,how many blessings ,i have to be thankful for that ,i have received during the past year1 when sorrow and affliction have been scattered all around me6 ,how wonderfully all of us have been preserved in perfect health and enjoyment60 ,a few months after this1 in a letter from ,hampstead1 he mentions walking across the fields one ,sunday morning to ,st4 ,john's and hearing a sermon from ,mr4 ,noel that greatly impressed him2 the subject was 8,the necessity and efficacy of diligence in religion40 8,he really seemed as if he had meant it for me1 for ,i had been thinking a great deal how far more diligently ,i pursued my mathematics than my religion40 ,yet at this time he was teaching in a ,sunday ,school every ,sunday--rather a rare thing for an undergraduate in those days4 ,here occurs an allusion to one who was destined to occupy a warm share in his affection during years to come3-- 8,i met the other day ,perry1 who was ,senior ,wrangler and fifth on the ,classical ,tripos1 and finding that he was going to take pupils ,i have engaged him for next term1 provided my father intends to be so liberal as to let me have a tutor40 ,for over sixty years the friendship was strong and deep1 and after ,bishop ,perry's resignation of the ,see of ,melbourne their intercourse was frequent and loving up to the end4 ,in the ,lent ,term of #ahcb he writes3-- 8,i have been getting on this week tolerably in my reading1 and intolerably in my rowing1 having been bumped by the ,johnians on ,thursday for the first time in my life1 and that too when we might have got away with the greatest ease if all our crew had exerted themselves40 ,half a century afterwards his curates were often exhorted to work together with a will1 and the exhortation was enforced by allusions to the disasters experienced by a crew whose members were not absolutely one in 8go0 and sympathy4 ,the following letter from his father has reference to ,college events at this time3-- 8,,london1 ,march #aith1 #ahcb4 8,,dear ,,edward1--,a hasty opinion is not always worth having1 but you may safely take my advice and try the new boat1 bump the first ,trinity1 and wait for further orders4 ,let your mother's letter compel you to watch yourself1 and if you find the effects of rowing at all prejudicial give it up1 but if you find your health and strength on the wax go on1 tempering your zeal with moderation1 and ,i will do my best to make peace at home--a work which ,i shall accomplish with more ease and in less time than you will be at the head of the river4 ,it came across me that1 after having vanquished all ,cambridge1 you might wish to carry your victorious oars to ,oxford60 ,a fortnight after the last quoted letter from the young collegian1 there was another which recounted that1 although his boat1 of which he was stroke1 had gone down as low as fifth1 yet on the last race-day it had recovered its old place of second4 ,then follows a groan concerning the difficulties that attended his post as captain over a discordant body of twenty men3 8,the crew1 when successful1 get all the credit1 and in the time of misfortune make me their scapegoat40 ,fortunately he did not adhere to his original intention of resigning the captaincy1 and ultimately his boat attained the proud position of head of the river4 ,edward ,hoare's success in rowing did not make him idle1 however3 nothing could do that2 into whatever he undertook he threw his whole heart and soul1 and the very next letter1 a few weeks later1 ,may #dth1 #ahcb1 begins thus3-- 8,here ,i am a scholar of ,trinity safe and sound1 as the master calls it #8discipulus juratus et admissus1' and not a little pleased am ,i at the thought4 ,but what pleases me most of all is that1 so far from being last of all1 as our list declares1 ,i have come in very high on the list4 ,i do not know exactly where ,i am1 but1 as you wish for all the reports1 ,i tell you one which ,i don't quite believe1 which is that ,i was the second in both years4 ,i beat all the third year1 and all my own except the great lion ,stevenson1 and ,i got within a respectable distance of him1 and ,peacock says ,i have gained upon him since the last examination1 whereas ,i never expected to get within miles of him4 ,in fact ,i am altogether happier than ,i can express1 and really think that ,i never spent so joyful a night and day in all my life40 ,referring to this success his father writes again3-- 8,,hampstead1 ,may #hth1 #ahcb4 8,,my ,,dear ,,edward1--,of advice and congratulations you will partake abundantly without an addition from me1 but your mother wishes me to write1 what ,i have no doubt ,sam has already written4 ,what may be the best course for you to pursue ,i have not made up my mind1 but as you are at ,cambridge it is as well to remind you that a man may be happy without mathematics1 and that the glory of being ,senior ,wrangler 7supposing the possibility of such an event7 may be purchased at too high a price4 ,i attribute the greatest proportion of your late honours to solid understanding and reading1 some part to good luck or accident4 ,had you not then better see the result of the class examination before you take the plunge8 ,with the blessing of ,god you will be rooted more deeply than ever now in all our hearts1 and1 what is far beyond extending growth here1 you attain that eminence which is quite out of the sound of wrangling4 8,i am most affectionately yours1 8,s4 ,,hoare40 ,a few days later he receives the news of the sudden death of a relative1 ,mr4 ,powell1 #bd and various letters describe the effect that this event had upon him4 ,his sympathy was warmly expressed for all the mourners2 and then1 as was natural to a thoughtful mind1 the remembrance of the shortness of life made itself felt4 ,strong and athletic as he was1 he too might be cut off suddenly3 was he ready for the call8 ,but his recent success at the scholarship examination1 and his future hopes1 seem to have had a strange light thrown upon them by this bereavement1 and he began to ask himself the question which some of us have had to face in hours of success or failure--8,what are ,college honours8 ,are they an end1 or only a means80 ,he writes thus3-- 8,i never felt so strongly as ,i do now the utter worthlessness of the objects at which ,i have been aiming with so much zeal4 ,what does it signify whether ,i am fourth1 fifth1 sixth1 or anything else in this examination1 when at one stroke all one's honour and all one's learning may be dashed from you8 ,it has impressed me very strongly with the feeling that to read because it is my duty and because it is an admirable preparation for after-life is a glorious object1 but to read 7as ,i must confess ,i have done7 for a place and a place only1 and slur over higher things for it1 is indeed vanity of vanities40 ,the summer of #ahcb was spent with a reading party in ,wales4 ,the start was made from ,highgate1 where the coach 8,wonder0 took in its passengers and conveyed them to ,shrewsbury 8with wonderful rapidity10 the journey commencing at #f4dj a4m4 and the destination being reached at #aj4cj p4m41 or one hundred and fifty-six miles in nearly sixteen hours6 ,thence sometimes on coach1 sometimes on foot1 they made their way to ,llangollen1 ,llanrwst1 ,conway1 and ,bangor4 ,the beautiful suspension bridge was an object of immense interest4 ,the travellers went over to the ,anglesea side1 and down into the chambers and passages of the rock where the chains are fixed that uphold the structure2 the letter recounting this visit contains diagrams descriptive of it all1 showing the fascination that it exerted on the mind of the writer4 ,various accounts of the magnificent scenery fill pages in these interesting letters1 and also allusions to the kindly way in which ,welsh tracts were taken by the people1 and the excited gratitude which the gift sometimes caused4 ,at last ,barmouth1 the 8ultima ,thule0 of their wanderings1 was reached1 lodgings were taken1 and the party set steadily to work4 ,they were fortunate in the parish clergyman1 whose name was ,pugh1 and young ,hoare's letters often speak with gratitude of the guidance from above which led them into the parish of this excellent man4 ,michaelmas ,term found them back at ,cambridge1 and now his younger brother ,joseph #bf joined the party1 and ,edward's feelings with regard to his duties towards him are expressed in a letter to his mother1 of which nearly the whole is taken up with a loving interest in his brother's plans and prospects4 ,he writes3-- 8,i most earnestly hope that ,i may be able to assist him1 and1 what is far more1 that he may have that far better assistance which can alone be all-sufficient4 4 4 4 ,i have had a most happy vacation1 and cannot say how ,i have valued it4 ,i only trust that ,i may be able to repay a hundredth part of your and my father's kindness to me by fraternal affection towards ,joe4 ,my motto with regard to him is-- 8#8,men must be taught as if you taught them not1 ,and things unknown proposed as things forgot4'0 ,during the month of ,september1 in the year before this1 his elder brother ,samuel was married to ,miss ,catherine ,hankinson4 #bg ,there was a warm attachment between the brothers4 ,edward often writes in terms of great admiration of 8,sam10 and now the new sister was received with equal affection into his heart4 ,it was a feeling which grew and strengthened to the last day of his life1 and was returned by her1 being specially manifested in the tender care which she bestowed upon his motherless children more than thirty years afterwards4 ,this1 however1 is anticipating1 and it is suggested only by a letter from ,cambridge dated ,november #ith1 #ahcb1 full of delight-- 8at the joyful news of the week4 ,i am highly proud of my new avuncular honours4 ,i begin to feel quite a strong affection to my new niece1 which ,i never expected to do1 at all events till ,i had seen her60 ,the same letter writes thankfully about the interest which he had been able to arouse in the ,university in connection with the ,british and ,foreign ,bible ,society4 ,there had been one collector in ,cambridge previously1 but young ,hoare set to work and had the gratification of sending in more than a hundred guineas1 fifty of which came from ,trinity4 ,he says1 8,i only hope that this success will encourage us to work hard during the next year40 ,his interest in the ,society never waned1 and it did well many years afterwards in making him one of its ,vice-,presidents4 ,we have an insight into a ,college ,sunday in one of his letters at this time3-- 8,we have had a delightful ,sunday1 and a most edifying sermon on the ,conversion of ,st4 ,paul4 ,after ,hall ,i had a large party in my rooms1 and we read one of ,blunt's ,lectures on ,st4 ,paul4 ,our party after ,hall has become rather a burden to me1 it has grown so very large1 as ,i have invited any persons who ,i thought would come and employ their time better than elsewhere2 and now ,i feel that it is an opportunity which ought to be employed to good purpose1 and ,i don't know exactly how to go to work to do so40 ,in a letter written early in #ahcc he refers to all the dignities of the third year upon his head1 and his desire to use them aright2 it will probably be the opinion of any who read the extracts above quoted that the young collegian rose nobly to the ideal which he had set before him4 ,there are those now living who can testify to the rich harvest of good which sprang up in his generation from the seed of manly ,christian influence so freely scattered round him in those undergraduate days4 ,yet a crisis in his life was approaching1 which we must leave to the next chapter to describe4 ,,chapter ,,iii ,,religious ,,state1 ,,and ,,examination ,,for ,,degree ,a few months after ,edward ,hoare took up his residence at ,cambridge he commenced to keep a journal1 which practice he continued for more than thirty years4 ,into its pages he poured his thoughts and communings with ,god1 and1 as he says in different parts of the journal1 he did so that1 looking back from time to time1 his faith and love might be increased by noticing the way in which ,god had led him4 ,at the same time he was determined that there should be no repetition in his case of the grievous mistake which has been made by some well-meaning biographers2 over and over again therefore he has inscribed upon the top of a page the word 8,private02 and at the end of the first volume1 written at a time when he thought that he was very near his end1 he distinctly directs that his journal is not to be published4 ,his wish has been carefully observed2 no one has read the journal except the editor of his ,autobiography1 and he only to get a clearer view of the character which he wishes to place before the reader1 with the one object laid down in the closing words of the volume referred to--8,let nothing be done with it or said about it except to extol the goodness of ,god by the weakness of the creature40 ,it is evident from a perusal of the journal at this time that he was dissatisfied with his spiritual state1 and a letter to his mother1 dated ,july #bast1 #ahcc1 gives such a particular account of the remarkable crisis through which he passed that it is here given in full3-- 8,you have often expressed a wish that ,i would write you a full and intimate letter about my own religious feelings1 but ,i have not done so hitherto1 because ,i lament to say they were too feeble to authorise any expression1 but ,i have had a time of very deep interest since my return1 and ,i do not like to withhold it from you4 8,when ,i arrived at home1 ,i ought to have been smarting with a guilty conscience1 but ,i had succeeded in stifling things1 and though ,i cannot say ,i felt irreligious1 ,i was far from a ,christian walk with ,god4 ,on ,sunday morning ,dr4 ,chalmers preached his sermon upon the enjoyment and preparation for heaven1 and told us that the fruition of heaven was already begun in the ,christian's mind by the work of sanctification and regeneration in his heart4 ,i began to think how this work was going on with me1 but ,i found it so difficult to bring my thoughts to bear upon the subject that ,i carried the process of examination very little way1 but that little brought a whole array of irreligion before me4 ,i felt that my heart was not right with ,god1 that ,i had not that love towards the ,saviour1 nor that detestation of sin1 which it appeared to me that any one must feel who had in truth participated in the ,christian covenant1 and ,i was surprised and horror-struck at finding that ,i had been guilty1 not only of neglect1 but of some actual violations of ,god's law4 ,still1 with all this ,i could not bring my mind to dwell upon its own state1 and my serious thoughts were constantly supplanted by others of a trivial nature4 ,i tried to go and pray as an offending sinner1 but ,i could not collect my thoughts1 and though ,i daily said my prayers they were heartless and cold1 and did not at all reach the deep sensation of need which ,i every now and then experienced1 and ,i felt that ,i was making no progress1 though ,i was growing very anxious4 ,every now and then my faith almost gave way1 and ,i thought that ,i had resisted the ,spirit so long that ,god had taken it from me4 ,then again ,i thought of some passages such as these3 #8,it is the ,father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom of life1' and those beautiful verses in the third of ,st4 ,john1 ver4 #ad2 and ,i heard ,dr4 ,chalmers' morning reading upon the generality of the ,gospel offers1 when he dwelt upon the words #8whosoever' and #8every one1' and ,i thought too upon the great ,sacrifice that had been made for sinners1 and ,i had times of alternating hope and despondency1 but ,i was never happy because ,i found ,i could not pray with my whole heart in faith1 and ,i did not think ,i was under the influence of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,this went on till ,sunday evening4 ,i then heard an excellent sermon from ,mr4 ,fisk about the enthusiasm which a ,christian must feel towards ,god and the ,saviour1 and ,i felt that the state of my own heart differed widely from this description4 ,i came home very unhappy1 but even then ,i could not get rid of wandering thoughts1 by which ,i was so discouraged that ,i began to think that ,god had cast me off4 ,then ,i thought of the promises1 especially #8,come unto ,me1 all ye that labour and are heavy laden1 and ,i will give you rest'2 but then ,i felt that ,i could not number myself with them1 for if really burdened with sin ,i could think of nothing else4 ,i walked about my room for a long time and ,i knew not what to do1 for my faith was so weak that ,i felt a fear of approaching ,god4 ,at last1 however1 ,i felt that ,i could offer a silent prayer to ,him to teach me to pray1 and ,he heard me4 ,i knelt down and felt as if a thick cloud had been removed from me1 and ,i was enabled to approach ,god and entreat ,him to pardon and to sanctify me4 ,oh1 dear mother6 ,i cannot describe to you the joy ,i experienced when ,i felt that ,god had vouchsafed once more to hear me4 8,i afterwards went and told ,goulburn all that ,i had been going through1 and was cruel enough to wake him up in the midst of his night's rest4 ,he satisfied me very much upon the generality of the promises1 and ,i went to bed full of joy and thankfulness4 ,the next evening we met together and read the #8#ast ,ephesians1' and he offered up a most satisfactory prayer that the ,holy ,spirit might manifest ,himself in our hearts1 and ,i am most thankful to say ,i do believe his prayer has been heard4 ,we have continued to read and pray together every evening1 and ,i have found it perfectly invaluable1 and ,i trust1 dearest mother1 ,i have been able to cast the whole burden of sin upon the ,cross4 ,i feel still1 however1 that my heart is corrupt before ,god1 and ,i feel a want of devotion towards ,him1 but ,i can pray that ,i may be strengthened with might in the inner man1 and ,i know ,i shall be heard4 ,oh how unspeakable is the love of ,god6 ,oh may ,christ dwell in my heart by faith1 that ,i1 being rooted and grounded in ,him1 may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the length and depth and breadth and height1 and to know the love of ,christ that passeth knowledge6 ,i need not say that this letter is perfectly private4 ,i should1 however1 have no objection to my father or ,elizabeth seeing it if they wish4 ,i will include too ,sam and ,catherine1 but ,i don't wish anybody to be told about it4 8,believe me to be 8,your most affectionate and grateful ,son1 8,,edward ,,hoare40 ,just at the same time in his journal he chooses as his 8text for life0 ,st4 ,peter's words--8,casting all your care upon ,him1 for ,he careth for you40 ,but a great sorrow was at hand4 ,shortly after those lines were written his eldest brother ,samuel was struck down by a hmorrhage1 and in less than three months he had passed away peacefully4 ,this was a sore trial to ,edward1 and his letters abound with messages of deepest sympathy with his brother and the young wife soon to be left a widow4 ,the words which he writes to his mother read like the experience of an advanced ,christian1 and the firm trust inspired by the 8text for life0 breathes through them all4 ,the examination for his degree was rapidly approaching1 so that study could not be neglected4 ,this year the reading party went to ,derbyshire1 and the letters thence give delightful accounts of visits to the ,peak1 etc41 but the coming cloud casts its shadow across all his thoughts2 yet even so faith triumphs1 and passages like the following1 in a letter to his father1 occur from time to time3-- 8,oh what a thing it is to think that the ,peace which can never be taken away is not only bestowed upon you and upon him here1 but that if it should please ,god to realise our fears1 it will soon be bestowed upon him in perfection above6 ,sometimes when ,i think of his prospects1 as far as he is concerned1 ,i can scarcely wish him well again1 and1 if it were not for all of you1 could almost desire to go with him40 ,on ,sunday1 ,october #bcrd1 #ahcc1 the beloved brother passed away1 and the journal records that ,gurney and ,edward sat beside him all through the night and to the end4 ,early in ,november ,edward ,hoare was back at ,cambridge4 ,his first letter is full of sympathetic thoughts concerning the bereaved ones at home1 and it is not until the last paragraph that there is any mention of his work2 this1 however1 is particularly interesting from one point of view4 ,the great anti-slavery struggle was nearing its climax2 and1 considering the prominent part which ,sir ,fowell ,buxton took in the movement1 it was not remarkable that his nephew should have thrown himself warmly into it4 ,accordingly we read3-- 8,i believe you were interested in my declamation4 ,i have not got the prize1 but they put me up on the paper as having made a very good one4 ,the other three men1 however1 made better4 ,i believe if ,i had not been so hot about slavery ,i might have got the prize1 for at the time they expressed their great dissatisfaction at what ,i said about it40 ,even as a young man he was not afraid to champion a cause which was unpopular with some who were in authority4 ,as the year draws near its close he describes his position as one of 8overwrought excitement0 when his mind dwells upon the approaching examination1 which gives way to 8a state of despondency0 as a single thought of his sad home passes before him4 ,either this depression or the natural humility of his character makes him now 8expect to take a fair second-rate degree02 when within a fortnight of the examination his mind becomes calmer1 and he is enabled to make a good forecast of the result4 8,i have good reason to hope10 he writes1 8for a place upon which ,i shall look back with pleasure and gratification all my life4 4 4 4 ,my own desire is to get into the first six wranglers1 and if ,i accomplish that ,i shall be delighted4 4 4 4 ,i am not sanguine1 but neither am ,i anxious4 ,i desire to leave it altogether in the full assurance that ,i shall get the place which is best for me1 whatever that place may be40 ,surely the influence of the 8text for life0 is visible here6 ,and those who knew him in later years will remember that this was his leading characteristic to the close of his life1 making every preparation1 using every endeavour1 and then leaving the issue tranquilly in the hands of ,him who 8careth for you40 ,christmas ,day was spent with his ,uncle and ,aunt ,gurney1 and two or three days at the beginning of the ,new ,year given to his home1 to turn away his mind entirely from mathematics for the last day or two before his examination4 ,then two letters appear in the carefully preserved bundle1 one to his mother at ,hampstead3-- 8,i have not time to write much1 but ,i have the unspeakable pleasure of telling you that ,i am #eth ,wrangler and ,robert ,pryor #dth4 ,i cannot say how thankful and happy ,i feel about it40 ,written hastily1 and in suppressed excitement1 the date at the head of the letter--8,december #agth1 #ahcc0--;is wrong both in the month and year 7as the postmark testifies74 ,the same day he writes more fully to his father in ,london2 to this letter there is no date at all4 ,never surely in all his life did he make either of these mistakes again6 7,the postmark on this is the same as on the former letter1 viz4 ,january #agth1 #ahcd47 8,i have had a hard fight to-day in the bracket1 the result of which is that ,i am #eth ,wrangler1 and ,pryor #dth4 ,i cannot say what unqualified pleasure and gratitude ,i feel at this result of my ,college labours1 and the pleasure is not a little increased at ,robert being the person to beat me2 there was no person in the examination to whom ,i would so willingly yield a place4 ,i have had a hard fight to-day in the brackets4 ,i was well aware1 from the failure ,i made in two of the problem papers and the first class1 that ,i was hard-run by some of the men in the bracket1 so that ,i felt rather dismayed at finding myself with a good prospect of being #hth1 whereas #fth had been my ambition4 ,however1 ,i set to work steadily and well1 and1 as ,i have since heard1 gained three places1 for ,i began at the bottom of the bracket4 ,peacock is very anxious that ,i should go in for the ,smith's prize1 as most men of my standing generally go through that ceremony4 ,the list of our bracket is3-- ,pryor ,hoare ,main ,bullock ,bates40 ,robert ,pryor1 his 8twin cousin10 as he used to be called1 was ,edward ,hoare's playmate from his earliest years4 ,educated together1 together they entered the ,university1 and came out1 as we have seen1 side by side in the list of wranglers4 ,pryor went in for the scholarship1 but failed1 and in a letter at the time his successful cousin writes of him as 8behaving nobly10 thinking nothing of his failure1 and only setting to work twice as resolutely as before1 with the happy result above noted4 ,here follow letters of congratulation from the relatives with whom he spent the ,christmas before his examination4 ,the event to which they refer may well terminate a chapter of this book1 as it certainly was the close of an important chapter in his life4 ,congratulatory letter on his success at ,cambridge from ,j4 ,j4 ,gurney3-- 8,,norwich1 ,june #ahth1 #ahcd4 8,,dearest ,,edward1--,i think it would be very flat of me not to acknowledge the receipt of thy letter4 ,i understand from ,geo4 ,peacock's letter to ,hudson that the examination took an unfortunate turn for thee1 or thou wouldst have been still higher2 however1 ,i am sure thou art quite high enough--and we have nothing to do but warmly to congratulate thee on thy prowess and well-earned honours4 ,certainly ,i for one should withhold all congratulation1 did ,i not feel assured that thou hast aboard thy vessel plenty of good ballast in the shape of humility1 simplicity1 and ,christian principle4 ,therein ,i do and will rejoice1 more than in the flag of victory4 ,i should now advise a polite treatment of thyself--a journey--a frolic--a good long holiday1 yet not absolute idleness1 which is good for nobody4 8,i am thy truly affectionate ,uncle1 8,j4 ,j4 ,,gurney4 8,my congratulations and kind regards to ,rob4 ,pryor4 ,i told thy mother that ,i was ready to be #ej towards thy expenses1 shouldst thou take a journey--to be had at ,overend's any day1 on my account40 ,congratulatory letter from his aunt3-- 8,,upton1 #ahcd1 8,i must1 my dear ,edward1 add one line of expression about my pleasure in hearing of thy success2 my only fear for thee seems to be lest thou mayst not feel humble enough1 and continue to remember from whom thou gained thy excellent talents and powers of perseverance4 ,to ,him thou art1 ,i know1 desirous of dedicating them4 ,i am writing by my dear ,john1 who unites with us in our feeling for thee1 and begs to unite in love to thee2 thou wilt1 ,i am sure1 have felt for him in this trying relapse1 but we desire to be enabled to believe it is permitted in mercy1 and the favourable recovery from the operation is very cheering to us4 ,thy uncle with ,sarah and ,prise dined at ,hampstead yesterday2 the dear circle there as well as one could expect4 8,thy very affectionate ,aunt1 8,e4 ,,gurney40 ,letter of congratulation from his cousin3-- 8,,upton1 #ahcd4 8,,my ,,dear ,,edward1--,we are all so much interested and delighted at hearing of thy capital success1 that a few lines must go to tell thee how warmly we congratulate thee1 and how heartily we rejoice in it2 it was most kind of thee to write and let us know of the result of the battle2 we were longing to hear1 the uncertainty of yesterday's report being so disappointing4 ,it is pleasant to hear of ,robert ,pryor's doing so nobly1 though ,i must confess my cousinly feelings would have been quite as well satisfied if you had changed places4 ,kitty desired me to give her love most particularly1 and to tell thee she had set off directly to tell the ,frys and the ,listers about thee4 ,thou wilt have heard of the great anxiety we have gone through lately on dear ,john's account2 we have now the great comfort and mercy of seeing him recovering as well as possible from this attack4 ,the horses are at the door for a ride1 and all the party waiting for me1 so ,i must say no more4 8,thy very affectionate ,cousin1 8,s4 ,,gurney40 ,,chapter ,,iv ,,visit ,,to ,,ireland1 ,,and ,,preparation ,,for ,,holy ,,orders ,when a young man distinguishes himself by taking a brilliant degree1 the question is asked1 8,what profession is he going to adopt80 ,no doubt many were curious to know how ,edward ,hoare intended to make use of the talents that he possessed and the position which he had attained1 and the following letter to his father1 dated 8,may #agth1 #ahcd10 supplies the answer3-- 84 4 4 ,now as to plans4 ,with respect to the opening in business1 ,i feel quite satisfied in declining it entirely4 ,i am well aware that it might lead to an extensive field of usefulness and to many and great advantages in every point of view1 but still ,i have long looked to the ,church as my profession1 and feel every day more and more decided in my desire to devote myself to it2 and ,i earnestly hope that ,i may be strengthened in the feeling1 and that when1 if ever1 my hopes should be realised1 ,i may be taught to be a useful minister both to myself and others40 ,in reply his father writes as follows3-- 8,your letter conveyed the intelligence which ,i fully expected to receive4 ,i have only to pray ,god to bless you and make you a bright and shining light in ,his sanctuary4 8,you have chosen the better part1 and ,i confidently hope and expect that a blessing will rest upon it1 and although you may not be blessed with the fat of the land1 that you will be with the springs of living water springing up into everlasting life40 ,this was a distinct turning his back upon wealth1 and perhaps social or even future ,parliamentary distinction2 but he had made up his mind4 8,the joy of the ministry0 was the object of his young life1 and surely thousands have had good reason to thank ,god for his choice1 for thousands by his means have become sharers in that joy4 ,he did not1 however1 seek ordination at once4 ,being still too young for ,holy ,orders1 and having been strongly urged to read for a ,fellowship1 he determined to set to work for another year of diligent study1 and arranged at once to take a reading party of undergraduates to ,killarney for the summer4 ,many entertaining letters describe this period4 ,we are rather alarmed in these days by the ,race to the ,north between the trains of rival railway companies2 the same spirit was not unknown sixty years ago1 and showed itself in racing coaches6 ,the first letter describes such an event3 two opposition coaches raced down a ,welsh valley2 one passed the other at full gallop1 but soon began to sway fearfully1 and at last went over with a terrible crash4 ,providentially and most marvellously no one was injured2 had it happened a few yards farther on several lives would have been lost4 ,our travellers were deeply thankful for their escape1 and proceeded on their journey vi ,holyhead to ,dublin1 and thence1 after a short stay in the ,irish capital1 which they much admired1 travelled southwards to the famous lakes4 ,the exquisite scenery made a great impression upon the young ,englishmen4 8,fairy-land0 was the first brief summary of opinion1 and they agreed that it had surpassed all their expectations4 ,great thankfulness is expressed frequently for the excellent parish clergyman1 ,mr4 ,bland1 and his sermons are often described with interest4 ,all were reading steadily1 but frequent excursions were made1 and rowing1 fishing1 and climbing of mountains kept them well occupied4 ,one difficulty not met with on former occasions was the great hospitality of the surrounding gentry1 who would have entertained them at dinners and balls every evening of the week if they had been disposed to go4 ,some of the young men could not resist the social charms of the place1 and their chief writes a little despondently of the responsibility upon him of managing so large a party4 ,he does not shrink from it1 however1 and the first letter mentions the regular 8family reading0 every day1 to which they invited their landlord and his family4 ,the condition of the poor ,celtic population around served to excite at different times feelings of amazement1 humour1 and almost of disgust4 ,it must be remembered that some considerable changes have taken place in the manners and customs of the poor of ,ireland since then2 still much that is said in the following letter is true1 not only of that neighbourhood1 but also of large portions of the ,south and ,west2 and yet1 as he used often to remark in later years1 this ignorant1 pauperised1 and superstitious population have proportionately more representatives in ,parliament than the intelligent artisans of ,england6 8,i had no idea of such want of comforts4 ,you may travel for miles and yet meet with scarcely any one whom a ,brewhouse ,lane pauper would condescend to speak to4 ,i do not complain of their having no shoes and stockings1 because that is not their misfortune but their choice1 but what few clothes they have are a mere bundle of rags3 you see women about in worn-out men's coats1 and the men do not cast them off till no strings can hold them together any longer4 ,and then their cabins6 you never saw such places2 they generally consist of one room1 though sometimes there are two4 ,in the better sort there is a hole in the side by way of a window1 but nowhere any glass in it2 then there is a large aperture above the fire1 which ,i believe is intended for a chimney1 but the smoke decidedly prefers to proceed 7after it has spent some time with its masters7 by the more fashionable entrance of the door4 ,this is a great convenience1 as they smoke all their dried meat on the ceiling instead of in the narrow passage of the chimney4 ,their furniture consists of perhaps a table1 two or three low chairs1 a long box which serves for a bed for two or three by night and a seat by day1 and a long bench for the younkers4 ,besides this there is some straw in one corner for those of the family who have no room in the box1 and in another for the pigs2 a large coop to fat the young chickens in1 and some bars across the top which serve to dry the hams on and as roosting poles for the hens4 ,in the third corner they may stow a young lamb1 and in the fourth throw a heap of potatoes4 ,i went to a place arranged as ,i have attempted to describe4 ,at first ,i could not see for the smoke1 but was soon told that if ,i were to stoop low enough ,i could breathe if not see2 ,i accordingly sat me down on the low form1 and when ,i was accustomed to the darkness ,i perceived the form of my hostess1 bustling about with no shoes or stockings1 and scolding hard at all the little urchins4 ,then there ensued a conflict with the pig1 who could not understand on what grounds he was to be excluded1 more especially when he saw the woman pour out a whole pot of hot potatoes on the table1 and give a basin of goat's milk to each of us1 which ,i can assure you that we and the chickens feasted on with no inconsiderable relish4 ,now for mathematics6 8,your most affectionate ,son1 8,,edward ,,hoare40 ,men who have not forgotten the sensations of ,college life will recollect the rapid way in which age accumulates at the ,university6 ,this comes out amusingly in some of the ,killarney letters1 e4g43-- 8,there could not be a place better suited to our purpose1 nor a party better suited to each other2 the worst of it is ,i feel such an old man in comparison to the other two4 ,still we get on uncommonly well40 ,and again3-- 8,i am not reading hard1 for we have all agreed that1 as we have come so far1 we will see the country well1 and that ,i am too old and the others too young to fatigue ourselves with reading40 ,a vast gap of about two years separated the leader of this reading party from his juvenile companions1 and though the outer world may not recognise much difference between young fellows of twenty and twenty-two1 ,university men will recognise at once the historical accuracy of the feeling and its expression6 ,it is very hard to put aside all the amusing letters written at this time1 with their picturesque descriptions of the exquisite scenery1 their accounts of duck-shooting and stag-hunts and expeditions of various sorts1 and their droll description of novel experiences in his present surroundings4 ,the following extract from a letter to one of his sisters must suffice as a specimen3-- 8,i must tell you of our evening yesterday4 ,i was reading away as hard as could be when ,i heard the bagpipe in the next room4 ,i found it was ,gandsey1 the celebrated piper1 and all the village crowded into the house to hear4 ,however1 the ladies who had him would shut the door1 because1 as our landlord said1 #8one of them was a dumpey1' i4e4 deformed1 and did not wish to be seen1 so that we were disappointed4 ,when he had done with them we thought that we must give ourselves and all the listeners a treat1 so we said he must play for us too2 and as our room was not large enough for the party1 we adjourned to the kitchen1 which1 though a large room1 was soon as full as it could comfortably hold4 ,we had several famous tunes1 to the great delight of all parties4 ,as ,i felt my own feet quite a-going with the music1 ,i proposed that those who wished should have a dance4 ,we soon had some volunteers1 and a famous ,irish jig was the consequence4 ,the partners were to me so un-tempting1 as by far the best was the cook-maid1 that1 though ,i longed to dance too1 my pride would not come down1 and ,i looked on4 ,upcher and ,merivale1 however1 danced hard with two of the maids1 but they could not learn the jig1 so the latter gave up4 ,upcher1 however1 went on with more perseverance than skill4 ,but ,i can assure you it was a grand scene--a fine old blind man1 the best piper in ,kerry1 playing with all his might1 and the more active dancing in the middle of the room to correspond1 and1 if any by chance had a pair of shoes1 taking them off to be the more active2 while all along the walls were the ragged ,irish watching the dance and sucking in the music with the greatest animation4 ,now just think what a difference there is between our two situations3 you sitting quietly in the comfortable library with my father and mother1 and ,i giving a ball in the kitchen1 with nothing but a clay floor and naked walls2 with scarcely another sound coat in the room except our own60 ,the summer at ,killarney passed pleasantly1 and ,october found the travellers back at ,cambridge1 ,edward ,hoare reading steadily for fellowship1 but with a growing desire for the work of the ministry evidently uppermost in his thoughts4 ,there are hardly any letters at this period1 but his journal is full of the holy aspirations of the young man's heart4 ,the following ,june 7#ahce7 found him at ,keswick intent upon his studies1 and at the same time full of increased longing to help others in spiritual things4 ,writing thence to his mother1 he alludes to a brief visit to his rooms at ,trinity1 where he spent a busy week preparing and collecting papers to take with him4 ,almost all his old friends were gone1 but his influence had reached men of junior standing1 and the consequence was-- 8,i was quite delighted and touched by the warmth of affection which ,i received there4 ,goulburn and ,merivale were both out1 but ,i could compare my reception to nothing but the prophet's in ,israel4 ,i thought there were no friends left1 but there were nearer seven thousand1 and most affectionate they were4 ,mr4 ,simeon especially was full of love and kindness2 he spoke of you with the deepest interest1 and said he longed to see you1 and that he thought he could be a help to you as the messenger of the ,gospel2 and he spoke to me most beautifully about the ,three ,persons of the ,trinity all assuming to themselves at different times the character of our ,comforter1 as also upon the fellowship existing between ,christians through the ,saviour40 ,in the same letter1 speaking of ,keswick1 he writes3-- 8,i regard this opportunity as likely to be one of great usefulness1 and ,i look forward with great pleasure to the prospect of quiet repose1 withdrawn from all active service1 as a preparation of my own mind and a thorough sifting of the foundations1 before ,i enter upon the more active duties to which ,i trust it may please ,god before long to call me40 ,he was not content with mere meditation1 however4 ,being desirous to give some help to the parish clergyman1 he was asked to take some cottage lectures in a neighbouring farmhouse4 ,as an old man he often referred with great joy to this time as the beginning of his ministry4 ,the farmhouse was an old building with low rooms1 having great deep beams running across the un-ceiled kitchen4 ,the tall young figure could not stand erect in the low-pitched room1 except by fitting his head between the beams6 ,but the difficulty and humour of the scene were both forgotten in the sight of the crowded1 attentive listeners1 and the evident signs of the presence of the power of the ,holy ,spirit in the midst4 ,long1 long afterwards ,canon ,hoare revisited the place1 found the farmhouse1 entered the very room1 and was overjoyed to meet some who had never forgotten the addresses of the earnest young collegian more than fifty years before4 ,,chapter ,v ,,ordination ,,and ,,first ,,curacy ,having failed in his fellowship examination1 ,edward ,hoare was in perplexity as to the right course for him to pursue4 ,his heart longed for the ministry4 ,on the other hand1 his former ,college tutor and many old friends urged him to stand again1 saying that it was impossible for him to fail in obtaining fellowship4 ,for three months he was in sore perplexity1 looking for guidance1 sometimes inclining to one plan1 sometimes to the other4 ,at last the leading came4 ,the ,rev4 ,e4 ,g4 ,marsh1 ,incumbent of ,well ,walk ,chapel1 ,hampstead1 called upon him1 and his conversation settled the matter at once2 the fellowship was given up1 and ,edward ,hoare began to think of a curacy and speedy ordination4 ,just at this time1 and as if to try and hinder the young earnest heart from entering upon active work1 the great enemy of souls assailed him with vehemence4 ,there was a long struggle1 dark and intense4 ,probably the most faithful have had to go through terrible times of testing1 and have known what it was to endure dark hours1 aye1 and days and weeks1 8when neither sun nor stars appeared1 and all hope that we should be saved was taken away40 ,it may be a comfort to many who in his ministry have been upheld by the firm faith of their teacher to know that ,edward ,hoare once passed through a time like this4 ,it is no breach of confidence to give here the following lines written in his journal at this time3-- 8,forsake me not1 my ,god6 my heart is sinking1 ,bowed down with faithless fears and bodings vain1 ,busied with dark imaginings1 and drinking ,th' anticipated cup of grief and pain3 ,but1 ,lord1 ,i lean on ,thee2 ,thy staff and rod ,shall guide my lot2 ,i will not fear if ,thou1 my ,god1 my ,god1 ,forsake me not4 8,forsake me not1 my ,god6 ,though earth grow dim and vanish from my sight1 ,through death's dark vale no human hand may take me1 ,no friend's fond smile may bless me with its light2 ,alone the silent pathway must be trod ,through that drear spot-- ,for ,i must die alone--oh there1 my ,god1 ,forsake me not6 8,forsake me not1 my ,god6 when darkly o'er me ,roll thoughts of guilt and overwhelm my heart2 ,when the accuser threatening stands before me1 ,and trembling conscience writhes beneath the dart1 ,thou who canst cleanse by ,thy atoning blood ,each sinful spot1 ,plead ,thou my cause1 my ,saviour and my ,god6 ,forsake me not6 8,forsake me not1 ,o ,thou ,thyself forsaken ,in that mysterious hour of agony1 ,when from ,thy soul ,thy ,father's smile was taken ,which had from everlasting dwelt on ,thee3 ,oh by that depth of anguish which to know ,passes man's thought1 ,by that last bitter cry1 ,incarnate ,god1 ,forsake me not60 ,but the storm passed1 and was followed by 8clear shining after rain40 ,the adversary meant it for harm1 but ,god overruled it for good2 and surely one of the secrets of ,edward ,hoare's great power of helping troubled souls1 for which he was so remarkable in after-life1 lay in the fact that he had passed through the time of spiritual darkness1 and had come out into the light4 ,autobiography 7continued74 ,after taking my degree at ,cambridge ,i continued to reside there for a time1 taking mathematical pupils and reading for a ,trinity ,fellowship2 but not having succeeded in my first examination1 and being anxious to be at work in the great calling of my life1 ,i could not devote another year to the study of mathematics4 ,so ,i threw my whole heart into immediate preparation for the ministry4 ,in those days there was no ,ridley or ,wycliffe1 and ,i was thrown upon my own resources for my study2 but ,i worked hard and brought all my ,cambridge habits to bear on the great subject of theology4 ,if ,i had learnt nothing else at ,cambridge1 ,i had learnt never to be satisfied till ,i got a clear view of what ,i was about1 and that habit of mine1 acquired through mathematical study1 has been of the greatest possible benefit throughout my life4 ,during those important months1 to use ,cambridge language1 ,i 8got up0 some of our best books1 such as ,butler1 ,pearson1 and ,hooker4 ,what ,i learnt from the latter especially has been invaluable to me through life4 ,butler's 8,analogy0 has again and again been helpful to me1 when there has been a tendency to a shaking of the faith4 ,but that which helped me most during that time of preparation was the study of great doctrinal truths from ,scripture itself4 ,i took up such subjects as ,the ,divinity of our ,lord1 ,justification by ,faith1 ,baptism1 ,the ,lord's ,supper1 ,election1 and ,final ,perseverance1 one at a time2 and ,i read the whole ,new ,testament through with especial reference to the one subject which ,i was studying1 carefully noting every passage referring to it4 ,i then analysed and grouped those passages1 keeping careful records of results4 ,having thus dealt with one subject1 ,i went on to the second1 then to the third1 and so on4 ,i have no words wherewith to convey the immense value these studies have been to me throughout life4 ,they have told upon the whole of my ministry4 ,after more than fifty-two years ,i am habitually using the results first obtained in that preparation period4 ,i cannot speak too strongly1 therefore1 of the vast importance of our young men1 when preparing for the ministry1 devoting themselves to the careful study of theology4 ,i see dear young men1 full of zeal and holy earnestness1 who seem1 indeed1 so zealous that they cannot wait to study2 and they are to my mind like men who are in such haste to fire their guns that they cannot wait to put any shot in them6 ,the result is that1 when they are sent forth as ministers of the ,gospel and as teachers of the truth1 they are themselves ignorant of the clear definitions of the truth they are going to teach1 and1 while they can make fervent appeals1 are utterly unable to build up others in great fundamental truths of the ,gospel4 ,it is not fervour only that makes a minister valuable1 but a fervent exhibition of truth2 and if we are to be able ministers1 we must be able ministers of ,new ,testament truths4 ,i consider1 therefore1 that an immense benefit has been conferred upon the ,church of ,england by the foundation of ,ridley ,hall at ,cambridge1 and ,wycliffe ,hall at ,oxford4 ,how thankful should ,i have been myself to have been under the teaching of either of the two able ,principals of those ,halls2 and how earnest should we all be to secure to our young men the benefit of these institutions1 and not to let them go forth as evangelists or scripture-readers1 to be giving out before they have taken in1 and to be teaching others before they have learnt themselves4 ,at length the day came for my ordination1 and ,i had the inestimable privilege of being ordained as curate to my revered and beloved uncle1 ,mr4 ,francis ,cunningham1 ,vicar of ,lowestoft and ,rector of ,pakefield4 ,an ordination in those days was a very different thing to what it is now4 ,at that time ,bishop ,bathurst was ,bishop of ,norwich1 and too infirm to undertake his own ordinations4 ,he therefore gave his candidates dimissory letters to the ,bishop of ,lincoln4 ,i cannot say that much was done to deepen the impression on the minds of the candidates4 ,as we all had to go to ,norwich first for examination1 and to ,buckden for ordination1 it was necessary to show some consideration for us1 as there were no railways then4 ,i often think that the ,chaplain showed a great deal of good sense in his examination4 ,it began on ,wednesday morning1 and he told us that he should give us hard questions at the beginning1 that they would grow easier and easier during the three days of the examination1 and that he should let us go as soon as he was satisfied4 ,so we had a good stiff paper on various subjects at the first sitting1 while he walked about the room and looked over the papers as we were writing1 but having nothing to look over from a great many of the candidates4 ,it was a great satisfaction to me1 when that first sitting was over1 to be told that ,i might go1 and that ,i should find the necessary papers at ,buckden4 ,most of us ,norwich men had to put up at ,huntingdon1 as the little inn at ,buckden was full of the men from the ,lincoln ,diocese2 and as ,i imagine that the ,bishop did not like to have the ,norwich men in addition to his own1 he gave us no share of any of the privileges that his own candidates may have enjoyed4 ,we signed our papers1 etc41 on the ,saturday morning1 and were told that we ,norwich men were not wanted any more till the next morning4 ,accordingly the next morning we were in the church at the appointed hour1 and that evening1 to my great joy1 ,i read prayers at the parish church of ,huntingdon4 ,how wonderfully different is the careful pains taken by all our present ,bishops ere young men are admitted to the ministry1 and what a wonderful improvement has taken place in this respect6 99 99 99 99 99 ,letter from ,rev4 ,e4 ,g4 ,marsh1 on his entering the ministry3-- 8,,hampstead1 ,february1 #ahcf4 8,,my ,,dear ,,friend1--,knowing with whom you are connected in the great work which you have now undertaken1 ,i feel that ,i might fairly excuse myself from saying anything to you upon an occasion so interesting to all your friends2 and my natural indolence would readily yield to the suggestion1 and withhold me from interfering where others are more competent to advise4 ,yet on the whole ,i could not be quite easy if ,i suffered you to enter upon an office1 far too high and holy to be approached by a sinner1 but for that infinite condescension and love of our ,saviour which has called us to it1 without saying to you1 in the words of ,st4 ,paul to ,archippus1 #8,take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the ,lord1 that thou fulfil it6' ,this is indeed a solemn charge1 even more so than that which you have just received from the ,bishop4 ,i can add nothing to its weight1 and can only pray my ,god to forgive all our deficiencies1 and to supply all our need1 according to ,his riches in glory by ,christ ,jesus4 ,nevertheless there are one or two hints which ,i will venture to suggest1 in case they should help you in taking a practical view of the obligations thus laid upon you4 ,in the first place1 although this is a work which can only be successfully prosecuted in the spirit of prayer and in the strength of the ,saviour1 it is very desirable that the greatness of it should not dishearten us1 or render us insensible to the duty of doing what we can4 ,my simple advice to you in the beginning of your ministry is this--never to let a day pass1 if it be possible1 without doing some act in fulfilment of it4 ,i mean some act having respect1 not to your own personal salvation1 but to the salvation of those to whom you are an ambassador for ,christ3 to your parishioners1 while you are among them2 to others1 when you are absent4 ,and this act1 whatever it be1 should be made the subject of special prayer4 ,my second advice is to give sufficient time to each act1 that it may be done properly1 and rather to let many be neglected than to do any one perfunctorily1 for on that which is performed indifferently and without due attention we cannot consistently expect a blessing4 ,to do one thing at a time is the only way1 either in spiritual duties or in temporal1 to do many things well4 ,do not1 therefore1 attempt too much at once4 ,many break down and are discouraged by this error4 ,again1 ,i would say1 #8,attend more to the living than to the dying4' ,however important may be the clinical department of ministerial duty1 we must always be greatly on our guard against encouraging the notion that the work of religion may be done1 as doctors' degrees are sometimes taken1 per cumulum1 or that anything can be done by a clergyman at the last hour which can reasonably be expected to produce a change in the spiritual condition of a person who has neglected to seek it before4 ,thus the ministry which you have received may be continually carried forward1 independently of those occasional calls1 caused by the alarm of sickness or the apprehension of death1 which are most valuable seasons indeed1 but on which too much stress may be easily laid1 to the neglect of more hopeful opportunities4 ,i hardly intended to say so much1 and indeed1 on what ,i have now said you may naturally ask me whether these have been my maxims in the course of my own ministry4 ,but1 alas6 my dear friend1 ,i do not propose myself as an example to you4 ,i rather wish to see you avoid my errors and supply my defects2 and happy shall ,i be if1 in the arduous duties on which you are now embarking1 you can derive the least aid from a single word of mine4 ,commending you to ,god and to the word of ,his grace who alone can make you an able minister of the ,new ,testament1 8,i remain ever1 my dear friend1 8,your faithful and affectionate fellow-labourer1 8,e4 ,g4 ,,marsh40 ,from ,mrs4 ,hoare to ,mrs4 ,catherine ,gurney on ,edward ,hoare's first sermon3-- 8,march #hth1 #ahcf4 8,i must send thee one line1 dearest ,catherine1 to tell thee what a remarkable day of interest we passed on ,sunday4 ,our dearest ,edward read the service in ,well ,walk in the morning and in the evening preached4 ,it was deeply interesting1 and ,i longed to have my heart melted in love and gratitude4 ,such heartfelt satisfaction to have this dear child so devoted1 and adorned with so childlike1 lovely1 and devoted a spirit1 and thus enabled in our own chapel1 amongst our friends and neighbours1 to proclaim with grace and fervour the great salvation of the ,gospel of ,christ6 ,this appeared to me to be remarkably the case with him1 and1 independent of a mother's feelings1 his countenance and manner1 his manly grace and childlike humility and simplicity1 were striking4 ,the congregation had1 ,i believe1 much fellow-feeling with us1 and the expression of it from different friends has been touching to us4 ,never was ,i less disposed to boast1 and deeply can unite in that expression #8,where is boasting8--,it is excluded'2 and yet ,i long to say with the ,psalmist1 #8,my soul shall make her boast in the ,lord1' and in the blessing ,he has been pleased to vouchsafe4 ,of course we feel the prospect of parting with ,edward2 one of the many cheering points in the prospect is his vicinity to ,earlham1 and to thee and our dearest brother4 ,how kind has ,joseph been to him1 and what an opportune visit was his last to ,earlham6 8,i went to see ,anna ,tooten yesterday at ,tottenham1 as ,i had left ,upton before the arrival of thy letter4 ,catherine has been very much cast down lately1 and ,i am but a poor helper4 ,the dear babes are with me to-day1 while their mother is in ,devonshire ,street4 8,my dearest brother and sister1 nephew and niece1 and dear ,rachel included1 ,i know they will all unite with us in the interest of ,edward4 8,your truly affectionate 8,l4 ,h40 ,autobiography 7continued74 ,it was not long afterwards that ,i went to my curacy4 ,pakefield was a bleak village on the top of a cliff1 and ,i never shall forget what the guard on the coach said to me as ,i was approaching it for the first time4 ,i had complained of cold1 and he said to me1 8,don't talk about the cold yet2 wait till you get to ,pakefield--there you catches it genuine60 ,and so we did4 ,aye1 and ,i witnessed many a gale of wind1 and during the year that ,i was curate1 there were no less than fifty shipwrecks off the coast of my own parish4 ,but no words can express my thankfulness to ,god that ,he placed me at the outset of my ministry in that village4 ,my dear uncle had laboured there for more than forty years4 ,in his day there were none of the new plans for evangelisation2 the high-pressure system had not yet dawned4 ,he had worked hard with parochial work1 and he had faithfully preached the old-fashioned ,gospel4 ,there was no particular brilliancy about him2 his sermons were not equal to his character1 but they were like himself1 full of ,christ1 and he and his most remarkable wife lived such a life of ,christian holiness in the midst of those rough fishermen1 that the late ,rev4 ,henry ,blunt once told me that he considered ,mr4 ,francis ,cunningham and ,mr4 ,haldane ,stewart to be the two holiest men he had ever met with in his life4 ,and what did ,i find in that village8 ,i found large congregations of fishermen and their families2 but more than that1 ,i went diligently about from house to house1 and was soon acquainted with every house in the parish1 and there ,i saw unmistakable evidences of the blessing that had rested upon my uncle's ministry4 ,there were noble men among the fishermen1 nobly working for ,god and for the cause of truth1 and there were refined and well-instructed women in the different homes1 many of whom had been brought up in those schools4 ,there was a most marked and unmistakable difference between the converted and the unconverted1 so that it was impossible for a young man to go from house to house without seeing with his own eyes the manifest results of a faithful ,evangelical ministry4 ,i have no words to express what the benefit was to myself4 ,i learnt in that village what ,i was to expect1 as well as what ,i was to do4 ,i saw in ,mrs4 ,cunningham the most beautiful example of a clergyman's wife1 and ,i saw in numbers of young women of the parish the conspicuous evidence of ,god's blessing on her work amongst them4 ,there were amongst those men fine1 noble1 rough1 powerful fellows--men who1 till ,mr4 ,cunningham went there1 had been living without ,god in the world1 but now devout consistent believers1 and splendid men for dashing through the surf to save life from shipwreck1 knowing not what fear was1 yet who would kneel together in devout ,communion at the ,table of the ,lord4 ,i never can forget one fearful snow-storm accompanied by a heavy gale4 ,two of these true men1 ,nath ,colby and ,robert ,peck1 brought in their boats through the gale1 wet1 cold1 and half-frozen1 but there ,i saw them at the service on the ,thursday evening1 drinking in the ,word of ,life1 and evidently regarding it as their greatest pleasure to be able to be present on that occasion4 ,that was the last time ,i ever spoke to dear ,robert ,peck4 ,he went out again in command of his large fishing boat1 and early in the following week ,i heard that his boat had been found bottom upward4 ,it was my solemn duty to walk through the village1 where1 everybody being so awed by what had happened1 no one spoke a word1 to go up to that cottage to tell the poor woman her husband and her son were gone4 ,as ,i went up the alley where she lived1 ,i heard voices in one of the cottages2 turning in1 ,i found some ,christian friends assembled there1 praying for the poor bereaved woman4 ,i then went into her cottage1 and ,i suppose she read in my face what had happened1 and she said to me1 ere ,i could open my lips1 8,then they are both lost80 ,then she added3 8#8,a bruised reed shall ,he not break1 and the smoking flax shall ,he not quench4' ,these were the last words that ,robert spoke to me--and ,i am sure the ,lord will never fail me60 ,oh that every young curate had the opportunity of learning as much from his ,rector1 and his ,rector's family1 as ,i did from ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,cunningham6 ,i do not hesitate to say that their example1 and the blessing which ,god gave to their ministry1 have given character to the whole of my own ministry for the last fifty-two years4 ,these were not the only advantages ,i enjoyed in ,pakefield1 for ,i was within easy reach of ,earlham1 the seat of my dear ,uncle ,joseph ,john ,gurney4 ,he was a very remarkable man1 and his home was one of the most charming homes in ,england4 ,he used to collect there many of the most distinguished men of the day4 ,nothing could be more delightful than the great gatherings under his hospitable roof on the occasion of the ,norwich ,meetings which were held every autumn4 ,i had a horse at that time which taught me a great lesson in practical life4 ,it was a splendid trotter1 but pulled like a steam-engine if ,i pulled against it2 but if ,i treated it gently and with confidence it was as gentle as a lamb4 ,how often have ,i seen the same effect produced amongst mankind6 ,try to force them1 and they resist2 deal gently with them1 and they will be your most active and kindest helpers4 ,so ,i used as often as possible to ride over to ,earlham4 ,there ,i had three friends4 ,there was my uncle1 who was far in advance of the ,quakers of his day in theological knowledge1 being a good ,biblical critic and well made up in the great doctrines of the ,gospel4 ,the great point in his conversations with me was the ,divinity of our ,lord and ,saviour4 ,it was he that taught me of the goings forth of the pre-existent ,saviour with the ,name and ,attributes of ,jehovah4 ,then there was ,mr4 ,william ,forster1 the father of the late statesman1 who was most earnest with me on the importance of definite theology4 ,he recommended certain books for my study1 and at his advice ,i purchased ,brown's 8,natural and ,revealed ,religion10 ,guise's 8,expositor10 and ,dwight's 8,theology10 which three books have been of the utmost value to me throughout my ministry4 ,the latter book indeed has been made the text-book for my son's theological students in ,china4 ,thus is ,mr4 ,forster's advice being still acted upon in that far distant region4 ,besides these two men was my very dear friend the ,rev4 ,robert ,hankinson1 at that time ,curate of ,earlham4 ,he was a man of remarkably sound judgment1 as well as fervent piety2 and never can ,i forget the profitable hours which ,i spent with him in the ,earlham ,parsonage1 learning from him maxims of practical wisdom to carry home for my ministerial work4 ,but that was not all that happened to me at ,pakefield2 for while ,i was there it pleased ,god to take home to ,himself my dearest mother4 ,my dear brother ,sam had died of consumption in the year #ahcc1 and she deeply mourned his loss--nor could we wonder1 for he was a noble young man1 full of high principles1 dutiful to his father and mother1 and devoted to the ,lord4 ,his influence over us his younger brothers was of infinite value to us all1 as we had ever before us a spotless example4 ,he had married most happily1 was settled in his home near to our father's house1 when he was suddenly seized with hmorrhage1 and very rapidly sank1 full of faith in ,god4 ,i remember well1 when ,i sat up with him on the last night of his life1 how he spoke to me of the bright hope of the coming ,resurrection1 how he exhorted those around him to be ready for their ,saviour4 ,i believe it was the shock as well as the sorrow of parting with him that so deeply wrung my mother's heart4 ,she was in his room with him on the morning of his death1 and thinking that his dear wife required attention1 she went out for a few minutes to see after her1 and when she returned1 to her surprise1 he was gone4 ,that was in the autumn of #ahcc1 and for nearly three years we saw her gradually fail1 till at length in the summer of #ahcf the end came4 ,there was something most interesting in the character of my mother4 ,she was not one of those who spoke much of present salvation and present peace2 such subjects were not spoken of so much throughout the ,church in those days as they are now4 ,good men in those times seemed to think more of the future than the present salvation4 ,i am not sure that we have not drifted rather too much into the dwelling on the present1 to the forgetfulness of the future life1 and surely it is important for us to keep the balance4 ,but while there was very little of the modern language of assurance1 there was in its most perfect form the great reality of the hallowed ,christ4 ,i can never forget the language of that dearest mother to me as ,i stood by her bedside during her dying illness3 8,i can reverently say1 with the deepest humility1 #8,lord1 ,thou knowest all things1 ,thou knowest that ,i love ,thee4'0 ,and she did love ,him with her whole heart and soul4 ,how well do ,i remember her words in the garden at ,hampstead in the afternoon of her son's death6 ,while she wept over his loss1 she exclaimed1 8,how little it is in comparison with sin60 #ff ,pakefield ,letters4 8,,pakefield1 ,june #bjth1 #ahcf4 8,,my ,,dearest ,,mother1--,having paid my bills and seen after the schools1 ,i commence my usual ,monday's letter4 4 4 4 ,as for myself1 it is needless to give you my history1 for you know it already1 the life of a country curate not being subject to much external variation4 ,the internal changes1 however1 are indeed numerous--more frequent and uncertain than those of our most changeable climate4 ,i never had an idea how many ups and downs there are attendant on the ministerial work4 ,at times it is delightful2 all seems easy and pleasant1 and the only difficulty is to keep within bounds4 ,at others there is a deadness and barrenness which words cannot describe4 ,i speak under a very vivid recollection of this low estate1 for ,i was down at the very bottom yesterday4 ,i fought my way pretty fairly through the morning sermon 7on ,isa4 xxviii4 #af71 but in the evening ,i had a real trial of my faith4 ,i had good notes1 and had well considered my subject4 ,but as soon as ,i began it all appeared to leave me4 ,i was much in the position that ,robert ,hall was when he broke down1 and ,i thought ,i must have stopped4 ,there were my notes1 but they seemed to tell me nothing1 and ,i had the pain of going through my lecture hardly knowing while ,i was delivering one sentence whether ,i should ever find another to follow it4 ,you may easily imagine1 from such a description of the performer1 what was the character of the performance4 ,however1 ,i can look back to it1 painful as it was1 with great thankfulness3 for 7#a7 ,i know that in weakness ,he is strong1 and the good done may perhaps be greater than that which would have followed a clear and well-delivered lecture2 and 7#b7 if it did no one else any good1 it was a fine lesson for myself1 and one that ,i wanted4 ,i knew ,i wanted to be kept down1 and had prayed for it4 ,this was the appointed means40 ,writing to his mother at various times upon his work at ,pakefield there occur passages such as these3-- 8,preaching is becoming more and more a pleasure to me4 ,the great difficulty of addressing people appears to pass away4 ,the knowledge of all the congregation is partly the cause1 and also the encouragement derived from visiting40 8,you see there is a good deal doing here1 but what is it all if the ,spirit of ,god be absent8--a sounding brass and tinkling cymbal4 ,it is there that the difficulty lies4 ,nothing is easier than to get through the duties of a parish1 and to get through them1 as man thinks1 well2 but to go to your work in the ,spirit of ,christ1 carrying with you the unction from the ,holy ,one1 there is the difficulty4 ,may ,god forgive my great shortcomings6 ,sometimes ,i dread ,jeremiah xlviii4 #aj40 ,upon the spiritual life he writes to his sister3-- 8,the characteristic of the new life is that we have fellowship with the ,father and with ,his ,son ,jesus ,christ2 it must therefore follow that all interruptions will increase a deadness of faith1 and total separation cause death4 ,it is one of the privileges of my office that all my work is for ,god 7though ,he only knows how little ,i keep this end in view71 and therefore the busier ,i am the more ,i am compelled to pray4 ,this1 however1 is not sufficient1 though delightful4 ,we cannot live without that #8freedom of speech1' translated #8boldly' in ,hebrews iv41 in which we pour out our heart before ,him4 ,when we know that we know in truth that ,god is a refuge for us1 this is the balm of ,gilead that can heal every wound1 the power that can say to the troubled waters1 #8,peace1 be still6' ,in order to the attainment of it let us allow nothing to impede our private communion with our ,god40 ,writing one ,sunday evening to his mother he says3-- 8,i have had somewhat to contend with in myself from very cloudy views of the doctrines ,i was preaching4 ,at the same time ,i have found comfort in the recollection that the work is not mine nor dependent upon my own feelings4 ,i began work at a quarter before nine by opening the boys' school2 at ten ,i was really refreshed and humbled by just dropping into the prayer-meeting2 there was a most beautiful spirit amongst them1 and they were praying most delightfully for me4 ,i left them deeply impressed with the sense of their far greater fitness to teach me than mine to be their minister40 ,in the postscript of a letter dated ,august #ast1 #ahcf1 he writes3 8,congratulate ,uncle ,buxton upon the glorious events of this day40 ,an entry in his journal dwells joyfully upon it also--and well might his and every ,englishman's heart be stirred by the thought that from that day every slave standing on ,british soil was free6 ,,chapter ,,vi ,,richmond ,but my ,pakefield curacy was soon to terminate4 ,whether it was the cold1 or whether it was the pressure of ministerial interest1 which ,i have often known to break down young men in the outset of their ministry1 or whether it was the death of my dearest mother1 or the three together1 ,i cannot say2 but ,i had a bad cough1 and ,i went away for a time to my father's home to nurse it4 ,i had no idea at the time of leaving ,pakefield1 but my kind and valued friend the ,rev4 ,j4 ,w4 ,cunningham1 brother to my ,rector1 recommended me1 without my knowledge1 to the curacy of ,richmond1 ,surrey4 ,he was a true friend to me and to my family4 ,he was a very different man to his brother2 he had taken a high degree at ,cambridge1 and he was a polished scholar1 one of the best writers of the ,english language that ,i ever met with1 an admirable friend as a scholarly critic to a young man entering the ministry4 ,i am much indebted to his advice1 and only wish ,i had followed it more carefully4 ,it was his doing that introduced me to the ,rev4 ,w4 ,gandy1 ,vicar of ,kingston and ,richmond2 and through him the curacy was proposed to me4 ,i must say that it was a desperate experiment on his part1 for there were peculiar circumstances connected with the position1 and ,i had never run alone in the ministry1 but always had the friendship and counsel of my beloved ,rector4 ,the position of the parish was this4 ,there were four parishes lying together along the banks of the ,thames--,kingston1 ,petersham1 ,richmond1 ,kew--all in the gift of ,king's ,college1 ,cambridge4 ,it had been thought desirable that there should be only two ,vicars instead of four1 and therefore it had been arranged to group them1 two and two4 ,of course the most natural arrangement would have been to have put together the small parish of ,petersham and the large parish of ,kingston to which it was adjacent1 and the small parish of ,kew and the large parish of ,richmond which also adjoined4 ,but in those days there used to be a good deal of jobbery1 and1 for some reason or other which ,i never could explain1 it had been decided to unite together the two large parishes1 ,kingston and ,richmond1 skipping over ,petersham2 and the two small parishes1 ,petersham and ,kew1 skipping over ,richmond2 so that the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,gandy was ,vicar of ,kingston and ,richmond1 while another gentleman was ,vicar of the other two smaller ones4 ,mr4 ,gandy was a man altogether incompetent to have the charge4 ,he was a most interesting man1 and a deep student of ,scripture--a man of heavenly mind1 one in fact who seemed so occupied with heavenly views that he was unfitted for the practical business of this lower world4 ,mr4 ,simeon once said of him1 8,all of us are going stumping along on the surface of earth1 but ,mr4 ,gandy rises right into ,heaven60 ,it may easily be imagined that he found his great double charge far too much for him1 so ,mr4 ,cunningham advised him practically to give up ,richmond into the hands of some trustworthy curate1 who should find his own assistant1 and undertake the entire responsibility of the work4 ,this was the charge to which ,i was called by the providence of ,god in those early days of my ministry4 ,i have just said it was a desperate experiment1 and looking back to that time ,i can see plenty of mistakes1 and ,i learn from my own experience that it is a possible thing to mistake the irritation produced by our own blunders for opposition to the ,gospel which we preach2 a man may be true to the ,gospel1 but he may not infrequently make very great mistakes in his mode of putting it forth4 ,in looking back to those days ,i am thankful to believe that ,i went to ,richmond true to my ,master1 and ,i am profoundly thankful for the help given me2 but ,i should make a great mistake if ,i were to lead anybody to suppose that1 in my earnest desire to exalt my ,saviour1 ,i never did anything to irritate4 ,at one time ,i had great difficulty with one of the churchwardens1 which led to a considerable correspondence4 ,i kept that correspondence carefully1 and after ten years ,i looked it over4 ,that revision taught me a great lesson1 for ,i found that in the heat of the controversy ,i had written very differently to what ,i should have done in the calmer review of ten years afterwards4 ,that was one of the lessons ,i learnt at ,richmond4 ,that which ,i look back upon with the greatest thankfulness is a confirmation by my ,richmond experience of the great lesson ,i learnt at ,pakefield respecting the results to be expected from the ministry4 ,mr4 ,gandy had been ,vicar for some twenty-five years1 during which time he had appointed a series of curates1 the first of whom was the ,rev4 ,stephen ,langston1 who resigned the curacy about twenty years before ,i was appointed4 ,but when ,i set to work in the parish1 the first thing that met my observation was a body of ,christian men and women who owed their conversion1 through ,god1 to ,mr4 ,langston's ministry4 ,there they were living consistent lives and most truly glorifying ,god1 in some cases under sharp opposition1 and the twenty years that had elapsed since ,mr4 ,langston left only tended to confirm their faith and establish their character4 ,both in ,pakefield and ,richmond1 therefore1 it was my unspeakable privilege to see the effects produced by the faithful ministry of the ,word of ,god4 ,and yet the two cases were entirely different4 ,mr4 ,cunningham was an admirable pastor1 but not a particularly interesting preacher2 ,mr4 ,langston was a poor pastor1 but the grandest preacher ,i ever heard4 ,i have heard many able men preach many excellent sermons1 but there was a richness1 a fulness1 a power about ,mr4 ,langston's such as ,i never met with in any other to whom ,i have listened4 ,the two instruments1 therefore1 were entirely different1 but ,god made use of them both4 ,they were both blessed by ,him2 and it taught me the lesson that ,i must be prepared to meet with great differences of administration1 but in the midst of those differences it is our privilege to look for a blessing4 ,god did not withhold from ,mr4 ,cunningham ,his blessing1 because he had not the preaching power of ,mr4 ,langston2 nor did ,he withhold ,his blessing from ,mr4 ,langston1 because he had not the pastoral zeal of ,mr4 ,cunningham4 ,the lesson taught me was not the only blessing bestowed upon me through the friendship of those excellent people4 ,i had in it the enormous advantage of the ripened experience and tried wisdom of some of the most excellent ,christian people living4 ,never can ,i forget the friendship of ,sir ,henry and ,lady ,baker1 of ,dr4 ,julius and of ,mrs4 ,delafosse1 to whose loving sympathy and ,christian counsel ,i used continually to resort2 and amongst the humbler classes there was ,mrs4 ,abbott1 a grand old ,christian who had loved the ,lord before she heard the preaching of the ,gospel1 and the moulding of whose faith was drawn from the ,prayer-,book4 ,she often used to express to me her astonishment that when people were brought to ,christ it did not make them love their ,prayer-,book more4 ,and down a row of cottages at the bottom of ,water ,lane there lived a blind woman named ,mrs4 ,woodrow1 whom ,i shall ever regard as one of the best of my many friends4 ,i had been preaching one day on the importance of praying for the ministry1 and when visiting her a few days afterwards ,i said1 8,i'm sure you pray for me40 8,indeed ,i do10 she replied with great emphasis1 8morning1 noon1 and night40 ,she spoke with such earnestness that ,i could not refrain from asking her what she prayed for1 when she said1 8,they tell me you're a very young man1 so ,i pray that you may be kept from the sins of young men40 ,how much do ,i owe to the prayers of that blind widow6 ,in addition to these advantages ,i enjoyed the intimate friendship of my beloved and honoured friend the ,rev4 ,james ,hough1 founder of the ,tinnevelly ,mission4 ,after his return from ,india he had settled in the incumbency of ,ham1 and ,i never can forget his first visit to me4 ,i had taken a lodging just beyond the bridge1 and ,i had scarcely finished my breakfast on the first day after my arrival when the venerable man entered the room4 ,he spoke very kindly to me1 and before he would say a word upon any other subject1 he told me that many ,christian friends had been praying that the right appointment might be made1 and afterwards for me when they heard that ,i was appointed1 and that he had come on the first possible occasion to commend me solemnly to the ,lord4 ,he then fell on his knees and pleaded for me before ,god that ,i might have grace and wisdom for the difficult post to which ,i had been called4 ,his subsequent intercourse with me was in harmony with that beginning4 ,his house was always open to me1 and whenever ,i wanted counsel ,i always used to go to him1 as ,i never failed to find in him one who seemed to bring his wisdom fresh from the throne of grace4 ,with these advantages ,i set to work4 ,i wonder at the grace of ,god that kept me from making more blunders than ,i did2 for having had no experience ,i had not the slightest fear of difficulty4 ,things in those days were very different to what they are now4 ,ritualism had not then been invented1 nor had that loose vague system now so popular under the name of ,undenominationalism4 ,among those who professed to be ,churchmen there were only two classes--those whose ,churchmanship consisted in maintaining things as they were1 who were living for the world2 who1 if they cared for their own souls1 were utterly unconcerned about the souls of others2 who showed not the slightest sympathy in any ,christian object1 and who seemed to consider that anything that disturbed them must of necessity be unorthodox4 ,to avoid such disturbance one of those gentlemen stumped out of church every ,sunday morning as ,i went up to the pulpit1 and others used to take refuge in the chapel of ,archdeacon ,cambridge on the other side of the river4 ,on the other hand1 there was a body of people1 drawn from all classes of society1 who 8had passed from death unto life10 who had been quickened by the ,spirit of ,god1 and who were taking their stand nobly on the side of their ,saviour4 ,thus there was a much wider line of demarcation between the converted and the unconverted than we meet with in modern times1 and a clergyman's work was simpler than it is now1 inasmuch as there was much less to entangle and confuse the application of the message to individual souls4 ,but there was in some cases sharp opposition4 ,it may seem extraordinary to some that at the visitation of the late ,bishop of ,winchester1 #gg then ,archdeacon of ,surrey1 ,i was publicly presented before the ,archdeacon by one of the churchwardens for having been guilty of giving a ,wednesday evening lecture in the infant schoolroom6 ,what was more extraordinary still was that1 when ,i was called up before the ,archdeacon and all the clergy to answer for my fault1 the ,archdeacon said with great solemnity that it was an important matter1 and he must refer it to the ,bishop4 ,and what is more wonderful still1 in consequence of that reference ,i had to give up the lecture4 ,the ,bishop was in a great difficulty4 ,he thoroughly approved of such lectures1 and had advocated them in a charge recently delivered1 but he believed that they were not strictly in accordance with the ,act of ,uniformity1 so that he felt it impossible to support me1 while at the same time he did not at all wish to have the responsibility of stopping me4 ,this led to a somewhat painful correspondence with that excellent man1 and after full consultation with my dear friend ,mr4 ,hough1 ,i thought it best to give up the lecture1 stating that ,i did so in obedience to the ,bishop's wish4 ,one blessed result of that whole transaction was that a bill was carried through ,parliament distinctly legalising all such services4 ,but of all those whom ,god raised up as counsellors and friends1 there was no one to be compared to the beloved one whom ,god gave me to be my loving wife1 #gh on ,july #ajth1 #ahci4 ,she combined the ability of her father with the devotedness of her mother1 and it is perfectly impossible for me to say what she was to me in the parish1 in her home1 and our own private intercourse4 ,one thing only ,i would especially mention respecting her1 viz4 that it was to her that ,i owe what ,i believe to be the most useful characteristic of my ministry--,i am thankful to say that from the very beginning ,i always quoted a great deal of ,scripture in my sermons1 but ,i used to do so interweaving those texts with my own composition4 ,but she taught me the use of proof texts--she said that my preaching was not so profitable as that of the ,rev4 ,h4 ,h4 ,beamish1 to which she had been accustomed1 and instead of merely quoting a passage1 he used to give a chapter and verse1 and allow the people time to look it out in their ,bibles4 ,as he was constantly engaged in the exposition of the ,word of ,god1 and laid a solid foundation of the truth taught1 ,i was thoroughly convinced of the wisdom of her words2 and for the last fifty years ,i have systematically acted on her advice1 so that1 although ,i never heard ,mr4 ,beamish in my life1 ,i have always regarded his ministry as the model on which my own has been formed2 and when ,i have seen the blessing which the exposition of ,scripture has been made to very many souls1 ,i have never ceased to thank ,god for that dear young wife who did not shrink from pointing out to her husband his defects4 ,it was during the period of my ,richmond curacy that ,i had the high honour of being invited by my dear friend the ,rev4 ,henry ,venn to become a member of the ,committee of ,correspondence of the ,church ,missionary ,society4 ,i think it was in the year #ahdd4 ,i am not quite sure respecting the date1 but ,i have no hesitation in expressing my thankfulness to our ,heavenly ,father for the wisdom1 the fidelity1 for the true missionary spirit with which the affairs of that great society have been conducted during the many years of my intimate acquaintance with its business and its leaders4 ,my love for it when ,i was at ,richmond once brought me into a serious difficulty with the late ,bishop ,wilberforce1 and taught me his marvellous power in controlling the minds of men4 ,he was at that time ,archdeacon of ,surrey1 and as such he proposed a scheme for doing away with all especial interest in particular societies1 and to raise one general fund to be laid 8at the feet of the ,apostles10 and divided by them according to their discretion4 ,we did not exactly know who the ,apostles were4 ,we thought that probably they were to be the ,archdeacon and the ,bishop1 as they were to be the distributors4 ,against this scheme the friends of the ,church ,missionary ,society rose as one man4 ,we held a meeting to consider what should be done4 ,we decided that we would all attend the ,archdeacon's meeting in order to oppose the plan1 and engaged conveyances accordingly4 ,when the morning came ,i had such a headache as ,i never remember to have suffered from1 either before or since1 and ,i was utterly unable to leave my bed1 so off drove the others1 full of zeal and holy courage4 ,but what was my astonishment when they returned in the afternoon1 and one of the most faithful1 earnest1 and trustworthy of the whole party came to tell me the result4 ,he said they had found the plan was not so objectionable as they had thought1 and at length reluctantly acknowledged that the ,archdeacon had not allowed them to separate till he had made every one of them1 dear old ,mr4 ,hough included1 sign a paper agreeing to the introduction into their own parishes of the ,archdeacon's scheme4 ,so then ,i stood alone1 and thanked ,god for the headache which had saved me from the fascination4 ,but ,richmond was the parish that was doing more than any other in the rural deanery for ,missions1 and it was most important for the success of the plan that ,richmond should be included4 ,so nothing was left undone that could induce me to join the others4 ,but ,i was still free1 as all my other brethren began to wish they were1 and ,i stuck to my point4 ,i was invited in the most cordial manner for a visit1 with my dearest wife1 first to ,alvenstoke and then to ,farnham ,castle4 ,i was addressed in the language of warm affection1 not only towards myself1 but to my beloved mother4 ,but ,i considered that by the ,providence of ,god ,i had been preserved from the fascinating power1 and that my only wisdom was to keep clear of it when ,i was free2 so we went on independently till the next visitation of the ,bishop4 ,my heart was filled with thankfulness when ,i heard him announce in his charge that he had advised his beloved friend1 the ,archdeacon1 to give up his scheme4 ,this curacy ,i held for more than nine years1 for seven of which ,i had the unspeakable help of my dearly beloved1 most faithful1 and most able wife4 ,during the time ,i had different livings offered to me1 and ,i believe that1 if ,i had regarded my worldly interest1 ,i should have accepted some of them4 ,but ,i had a great conviction of the importance of my position1 and strong belief that the ,lord had called me to it4 ,so we both agreed that we were most likely to do ,his will if we persevered in the curacy4 99 99 99 99 99 ,to ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,cunningham at ,lowestoft ,rectory3-- 8,,richmond1 ,february #aith1 #ahcg4 8,,my ,,dearest ,,uncle ,,and ,,aunt1--,you will be glad to hear that ,i am myself very comfortable4 ,of course there is a large field of enjoyment from which ,i am wholly excluded2 ,i am no longer a social being4 ,in all the difficulties and responsibilities of this place ,i am absolutely alone4 ,i have no dear ,rector within two miles1 whom ,i may consult over all my affairs and discouragements4 ,i compare myself to a ship finding its way alone across the ocean1 and sometimes well-buffeted in the journey4 ,i certainly miss friendship wonderfully1 and ,i cannot say how greatly ,i long after you all4 ,my heart this day has been full of tenderness to ,pakefield4 ,i think of that attentive congregation at ,kirkley1 of the prayer-meeting1 of the schoolroom lecture1 and of that close and1 ,i trust1 heavenly bond of union which ,god permitted us to enjoy1 and ,i know not how to bear the thought that we are separated4 ,however1 the more ,i look at my present position1 the more am ,i satisfied that the change is of the ,lord4 ,the need of this place is grievous4 ,the little flock is scattered and disheartened2 the poor have been totally neglected1 the sick unvisited1 and the societies are all fallen to decay4 ,the short time that ,i have been here has not been without its encouragements4 ,our tender ,father has been pleased to favour me with some cases in which my private ministry has been greatly valued1 and ,i hope blessed4 ,i think also ,he is with me in the pulpit2 the evening congregation is rapidly increasing1 and we have had some very solemn occasions4 ,all this is encouraging1 but ,i desire not to build upon it1 for ,i well know that such encouragement has not strength enough to bear weight4 ,in health ,i think ,i am better than ,i have been since ,august4 ,i find my power for work increases1 and the cough is gone4 ,join with me in praising a merciful ,father4 #8,praise ,god1 from whom1' etc40 ,to ,mr4 ,cunningham3-- 8,,richmond1 ,,surrey1 ,september #bdth1 #ahch4 8,,my ,,dear ,,uncle1--,you ask how we are getting on here1 and you must know how difficult it is to answer such a question4 ,i think that1 whenever ,god permits encouragement1 ,he sends at the same time some drawback1 as if to prevent encouragement lapsing into self-confidence1 and self-gratulation taking the place of a spirit of thankfulness4 ,and this is just the case with our parish3 there is much to call forth the most unfeigned thanksgiving--great kindness amongst the people1 large congregations1 a capital collection yesterday for the ,pastoral ,aid ,society--but on the other hand a continual worry about our schools1 and1 what is most of all to be considered1 very little evidence of the regenerating power of the ,holy ,ghost in individuals4 ,i see that the messenger has a far wider influence than he once had1 but ,i do not see the message itself attended with the same saving power4 ,this is a cause of great sorrow to me1 and the more so because ,i fear it may be in a great measure explained by a want of spirituality in myself4 ,there is a wonderfully close communion between the power of preaching and the power of feeling1 and when a man's own heart is very dead1 he is not likely to produce much life in others4 ,i think1 moreover1 there is great danger of spending our energy on our machinery4 ,i am doing all ,i can to work the parish efficiently1 and set all the machine in active operation1 and ,i feel the effect of it in a forgetfulness of the spiritual end of the whole4 ,it is something bordering upon leaving the ,word of ,god to serve tables4 ,however1 in the midst of all1 ,i trust there is a real progress4 ,i find unspeakable comfort in ,hebrews xii4 #b1 and whether a want of spirituality in myself or a want of spiritual power in my ministry be the cause of sorrow1 ,i find the universal remedy in #8looking unto ,jesus1' and ,i believe that to be the whole of the ,christian's secret4 ,the more we can keep our eye on ,him the stronger shall we be in every point of view1 and one moment's forgetfulness of ,him must produce weakness1 if not a fall40 ,to his uncle3-- 8,december #gth1 #ahch4 8,i should be inclined to question how far it was well to leave a curate altogether to himself1 so as not to know what he is doing4 ,there seems to me a great difference between keeping him under orders1 and so checking his independent action1 and by constant intercourse maintaining a vigilant superintendence4 ,the plan that ,i adopted with --1 --1 and ,frank himself was to point out clearly at first their line of duty1 and then to leave them entirely to themselves in the discharge of it1 at the same time making the pastoral ministry a subject of constant conversation1 so that ,i always knew exactly what each was doing4 ,by this means you get 7#a7 the advantage of division of labour2 you 7#b7 know exactly what is going on1 which parts are comparatively neglected1 and which have an extra supply1 and1 like a general1 you can by a recommendation apply your forces just where they are wanted4 ,there is another thing which ,i should be inclined to suggest1 especially with a beginner1 viz4 that you follow out the territorial system and assign him a district4 ,my own plan is this4 ,i divide my visiting into the aggressive and the extraordinary4 ,by the aggressive ,i mean the regular stated visiting from house to house4 ,by the extraordinary ,i mean those visits which ,i pay in consequence of some providential call1 such as sickness1 affliction1 religious impression1 etc4 ,i then divide the parish into two parts1 and give -- the whole aggressive work for one district1 and take it myself for the other4 ,for the extraordinary ,i make no local divisions4 ,i find then in practice that the calls are sufficiently frequent to keep a measure of connection with the whole parish1 while the limitation of the aggressive brings each district tolerably within the compass of its minister1 so that he is able by perseverance to gain an influence40 ,to ,mr4 ,cunningham3-- 8,,richmond1 ,,surrey1 ,march #adth1 #ahci4 8,,my ,,dear ,,uncle1--,i am always greatly rejoiced to hear of your well-doings at ,lowestoft1 but ,i am more pleased than ever now1 for ,i have something of a parental as well as filial interest--filial because ,i was trained amongst you myself1 and parental because ,frank stayed six months with me4 ,i have no doubt that the change of ministry is likely to prove a real refreshment to your people1 and ,i should not be surprised if it were to be the means of calling out some1 and leading to true conversions4 ,you must not let all the ladies turn ,frank's head by flattery1 of which there always appears to me great danger for young clergymen1 for good people seem to suppose that religious interest gives a licence which is allowed in nothing else1 and make the ,gospel an occasion1 rather than a check1 for unwholesome conversation4 ,i have felt the danger of it very much here1 and though ,i have been very much preserved by a culpable want of sentimentality1 ,i fear that ,i have suffered from the evil4 ,i find that ,i often return from my intercourse with them thinking better of myself instead of worse4 ,i was much interested by your remarks about the country4 ,how completely does it prove that #8,christ is the head over all things to the ,church'6 ,men appear with wicked designs and ungodly purposes1 but ,christ is ,lord1 and when they are just ready to strike ,he paralyses their aim4 ,i regard these failures of wicked men not so much as the effect of a state of society as evidences of the controlling power of the ,lord4 ,he allows them to form their wicked schemes1 and just when all is ready for an explosion1 ,he defeats them1 that so ,he may prove ,his power and their nothingness4 ,thus it is that these very men who are most opposed to the ,church of ,christ become the occasions for adding to its strength1 for they call forth the protecting power of ,god1 and so increase faith by experience4 ,i have been inexpressibly cheered lately1 amidst the sins of this ungodly world1 by the thought of the final triumph of the ,church4 #8,the ,god of ,peace shall bind ,satan under your feet shortly4' ,it is therefore certain that the day will come when ,satan and all his agents will be overthrown1 when we shall no more suffer from sin and its effects1 and then all the elect people of ,god shall be visibly gathered under one ,head1 enjoying a perfect union with each other and with ,christ4 ,all this must take place4 ,popery1 atheism1 infidelity1 and the spirit of schism may unite their unholy ranks and lend all their strength for the overthrow of our ,lord's kingdom1 but #8the gates of hell shall not prevail against it4' ,how is it that our hearts are not filled with holy joy at the prospect1 and that we do not ride triumphant over all the fears1 the sorrows1 the sins1 with which on every side we are beset8 8,your most affectionate ,nephew and ,curate1 8,,edward ,,hoare40 ,to ,mr4 ,cunningham3-- 8,,hampstead1 ,april #fth1 #ahci4 8,,my ,,dear ,,uncle1--,how are the mighty fallen6 ,i am going to be married66 ,i have been spending a delightful week with the ,brodies1 and am come home engaged hard and fast to ,maria4 ,i am exceedingly happy1 though ,i scarcely can believe it4 ,i have the greatest hope that the thing has been undertaken in a prayerful spirit1 and that we may look for ,god's abundant blessing on us4 ,we both particularly beg that you will marry us4 8,your most affectionate ,nephew1 8,,edward ,,hoare4 8,give my dearest love to my aunt1 ,frank1 etc40 ,to ,mrs4 ,cunningham3-- 8,,richmond1 ,,surrey1 ,may #cjth1 #ahci4 8,,my ,,dearest ,,aunt1--,as for myself1 ,i am exceedingly happy1 though so unusually busy that ,i hardly know how to think much about my happy prospects4 ,never was a person less loverlike1 for ,i am expecting a confirmation here next week1 and having more than one hundred and thirty young persons under my care1 ,i am so busy from morning till night that ,i find my whole mind occupied4 ,i think it is a good thing for me1 for it fixes my thoughts upon my work1 which otherwise they would be very much disposed to wander from4 ,i am every day more and more happy in the thought of my marriage1 and more and more thankful for the prospect of a wife who1 ,i fully believe1 has given herself to ,god4 ,there is not a single feature in the whole thing that ,i could wish otherwise1 and1 besides all living circumstances1 the recollection of my dearest mother's wish makes the connection to my own mind quite a hallowed one4 ,i only hope that we may be enabled to devote ourselves unitedly1 as we have desired to do separately1 to the service of that ,heavenly ,father who has laden us with so many blessings4 ,we expect to be married on the #bnd of ,july1 about ten days after their return2 we then hope to go to the ,isle of ,wight for a fortnight or three weeks4 ,i do not wish to take a long holiday1 because of the expense1 and because ,i am very anxious to take the lady into ,norfolk and to ,lowestoft in the autumn4 ,i doubt1 however1 whether ,i shall be able to accomplish it40 ,a letter from one of his sisters describing the wedding3-- 8,,broom ,,park1 ,july #ith1 #ahci4 8,here we are in peace and safety1 ,edward shut up with ,maria1 ,kate and ,i looking tolerably neat in white poplin1 having just dressed in our little room1 our only misfortune being that we have no gloves4 ,we found dearest ,edward most bright and sweet2 the drive down with him has been not a little pleasant2 nothing could have answered better than our journey with him1 and we did quite enjoy it4 ,here is ,maria come for us6 ,she looks so quiet1 and is so nice1 only she has got a bad cold4 ,when we went downstairs the ,buxtons were just arriving2 they had joined our phaeton party1 and all arrived together4 ,the only mishap has been that by going to ,london for her gown ,miss ,foreman entirely missed them1 and we are fearful that there is but little hope of her arrival now2 it is most provoking and quite a tribulation4 ,caroline arrived from ,bury ,hill1 looking most sweet with a beautiful bouquet of orange flowers4 ,lady ,brodie very kind and like herself1 ,sir ,b4 ,b4 detained in town by patients4 ,when we had had a satisfactory tea1 some went back to the drawing-room1 others for a walk2 the party consisted of all our own clan1 and1 as in most parties1 there was a flock of girls in white1 the belle on the ,brodie side being ,miss ,beamish1 on ours of course ,chenda4 ,mr4 ,t4 ,hankinson arrived in the middle of the evening1 having stopped to climb up ,box ,hill and ford a rivulet4 ,the house is beautiful1 and the whole place pretty and cheerful4 ,maria behaves herself capitally--so much spirit1 yet so quiet1 and thinking little of herself2 she looks two years younger than when we saw her last4 ,we are in ,mr4 ,brodie's room1 and1 as ,laydon says1 there is so much shooting tackle #8she don't know where to put away our things4' ,edward is most happy2 it truly is a pleasure to look at his beaming face4 ,how ,i wish you could see them both together1 dearest sister2 it is most interesting4 4 4 4 ,the party now assembling for church all in good heart2 ,mr4 ,hankinson making the eight bridesmaids and about six other ladies laugh in the dining-room1 the rest dispersed4 4 4 4 ,half-past five o'clock 7in the room which we had at ,gurney's wedding74 ,after the above followed a lengthy waiting--people arriving1 but no ,bishop4 ,maria and ,lady ,brodie appeared1 quite ready1 but had to abide for a long time till the ,bishop had arrived and arrayed himself4 ,about eleven o'clock we went to the church1 six bridesmaids in one carriage1 and two with ,caroline in another1 all the gentlemen having walked previously and were ready at the churchyard gate to receive us2 four bridesmaids with their gentlemen stood on each side of the path till the bride had passed and then closed in behind her4 ,in the church the positions were capital--the relations round the altar1 and her bridesmaids standing on a step behind her4 ,the ,bishop read the service beautifully1 and they both spoke very clearly--she was perfectly composed4 ,signing and kissing as usual afterwards1 with the bells ringing1 and home as we came4 ,after some congratulating in the drawing-room we all sallied forth for a walk1 stimulated1 as in everything1 by ,mr4 ,tom ,hankinson4 ,maria then went in to rest awhile4 ,we gathered in a group round ,mr4 ,hankinson 7in the garden7 and heard all the poem about ,sir ,rupert and ,lorline2 then down to the water1 where all the eight bridesmaids were put into the boat and our dear bridegroom 7taking off his coat7 rowed us about4 ,this filled up the time capitally till the breakfast1 for which we were very ready1 though we had to wait some period for the ,bishop1 who was lost on the strawberry beds4 ,the breakfast was very nice and very amusing4 ,the first health was proposed by the ,bishop in a most nice little speech2 it was of course #8,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,e4 ,hoare4' ,our sisterly vanity was amply satisfied1 and how ,i wish you could have heard ,edward's reply4 ,it was so gratifying and nice to have him make such a truly nice speech1 which he ended by proposing #8,sir ,b4 and ,lady ,brodie4' ,a most feeling reply from ,sir ,benjamin1 speaking so highly of both bride and bridegroom1 but he could scarcely get on once or twice from feeling it so much4 ,he proposed the ,bishop of ,winchester1 and that was greeted by another three times three2 which he thanked for1 observing that #8he had not expected to make so much noise in the world4' ,then ,gurney proposed #8,the ,bridesmaids1' and ,mr4 ,goulburn thanked for us1 though1 alas6 he nearly stuck4 ,then #8,papa'--and he made such a nice speech in return1 observing that his three daughters-in-law being an increasing and untellable blessing to him1 he had no small reason to rejoice in his new acquisition4 ,breakfast done1 we went away1 ,maria to dress4 ,the parting scene with her father and brother 7in tears7 upstairs was trying2 but she passed by all of us who were waiting in the hall and went off very brightly4 ,but ,i must leave off1 though ,i fear this is an unsatisfactory history1 though in all the muddles we have done our little best4 ,ever1 dearest ,sister1 8,most affectionately1 8,c4 ,e4 ,h40 ,,chapter ,,vii ,,holloway ,,and ,,ramsgate ,in the year #ahdf the time came for a change4 ,my friend the ,rev4 ,daniel ,wilson wrote to invite me to the ,incumbency of ,st4 ,john's1 ,holloway1 about to be vacated by my dear and honoured friend the ,rev4 ,henry ,venn1 one of the wisest1 the ablest1 and the most trustworthy men ,i have ever known in this life2 and there were many circumstances1 amongst others the illness of my beloved father residing at ,hampstead1 that led both of us to the conclusion that we ought to accept the offer4 ,it was one of deep interest in many respects1 more especially in consequence of its connection with the ,rev4 ,henry ,venn4 ,in early days he was curate or lecturer at ,clapham1 when he used to attend the ,committee of the ,c4,m4,s41 and was urged by some of the fathers of those days to undertake the ,secretaryship2 but his heart was devoted to parochial work1 so he accepted the living of ,drypool1 near ,hull1 and so broke away altogether from the work of the ,c4,m4,s4 ,and then it pleased ,god that he should meet with1 and ultimately marry1 a lady of some property1 in consequence of which he was no longer absolutely dependent upon his profession for his maintenance4 ,he was led1 however1 to return southward1 where the ,vicar of ,islington offered him the ,incumbency of ,st4 ,john's1 ,holloway1 a new church just built out in the fields4 ,to the interests of that parish he devoted his whole great energy1 and he returned1 as might have been expected1 to the old committee room in the ,c4,m4,s4 ,there his power was felt more and more1 while his own heart became more and more drawn into the deep interests of missionary work1 till at length he decided to give up his parochial work1 as he could now live without the income derived from it1 and devote the remainder of his life1 without one farthing of salary1 to the sacred work of the ,secretaryship of the ,society4 ,i felt it a great honour to succeed such a man under such circumstances1 as it was a great privilege to be brought into closer contact with him1 as he continued to reside within the parish4 ,the time at ,holloway was not one of encouragement4 ,i met with a great deal of kindness1 and ,i had most interesting ,bible classes--not merely one for the young people1 but one for the gentlemen after their return from business in ,london--but still ,i longed for more of that marked decision which ,i had left behind me at ,richmond4 ,evangelical truth was 8the proper thing0 at ,islington1 so that it was very generally preferred2 but ,i often wondered how far it was a reality in the souls of the people1 and sometimes ,i used to think that the spirit of antagonism at ,richmond was really more healthful than the spirit of assent at ,holloway4 ,it certainly brought out more decision of character4 ,but ,i have learnt many lessons respecting that period4 ,i have often said that ,i regarded that year as the most fruitless period of my ministry1 but as ,i have gone on in life ,i have met with so many who have ascribed their conversion to the ministry of that short period1 that ,i have been taught the lesson that a clergyman is utterly unable to form any estimate of what ,god the ,holy ,ghost is doing through his ministry4 ,however1 we were not to remain there long1 for the ,lord ,himself made it perfectly plain that it was ,his will for us to remove4 ,my dearest wife was very unwell1 and ,i was lame in the right knee4 ,my father also was quickly gathered to his rest in ,christ ,jesus1 so that one of the great motives in going to ,holloway was removed4 ,though ,i had great difficulty in walking1 ,i was able to ride1 and one day ,i rode in to call on my father-in-law1 ,sir ,benjamin ,brodie1 whom ,i consulted respecting my knee1 and he said to me1-- 8,i tell you what1 ,edward2 you must go to the seaside40 8,well10 said ,i1 8,i did think of going for a short trip after ,easter40 8,oh1 ,i don't mean that10 said he4 8,you must go to the seaside for a year at least40 8,but what10 said ,i1 8is to become of my parish1 my work1 my family80 8,i don't know10 he replied1 8but this ,i know1 that if you don't go to the seaside for at least a year you will die1 and so what will become of it all then80 ,this was indeed a very heavy blow to me1 and ,i rode home that day solemnised in spirit1 and thinking how ,i should tell my dearest wife what her father had just said to me4 ,it was a very solemn and sacred ride that ,i had that morning1 but on my arrival1 before ,i went upstairs to her1 ,i opened my letters that had arrived during my absence1 and almost the first one was from my friend ,john ,plumptre1 in which he said that he was one of the trustees of a new church nearly complete at ,ramsgate1 and it would be a great satisfaction to him and his colleagues if ,i would undertake the first ,incumbency4 ,to describe the mixed emotion with which ,i went upstairs to tell my wife1 both of her father's opinion and ,mr4 ,plumptre's letter1 is impossible4 ,but the remarkable coincidence did not at first thoroughly satisfy the sound judgment of my friend ,mr4 ,venn4 ,when ,i spoke to him on the subject1 he said that the text which had guided him in his important decisions was ,prov4 xvi4 #c3 8,commit thy works unto the ,lord1 and thy thoughts shall be established40 ,he said that at first he would frequently be divided and perplexed in judgment1 but that as he went on waiting on the ,lord for guidance and trusting ,him1 the whole matter would gradually appear to him so clear that it left no possibility of doubt4 ,how often1 acting upon his advice1 have ,i found it true1 so that ,i have seen my way perfectly clear in cases in which there seemed at first nothing but perplexity6 ,was not this the secret of that singular wisdom which he showed in the affairs of the ,c4,m4,s48 and is there any one who sat with him habitually in the committee room who does not remember the frequency with which he put his hand over his eyes1 without doubt 8committing his works unto the ,lord08 ,but his thoughts1 which were as mine1 were established with reference to our removal to ,ramsgate1 and we never had reason to regret the change4 ,letter to his ,uncle ,cunningham3-- 8,,hampstead1 ,november #bhth1 #ahdd4 8,,my ,,dear ,,uncle1--,i quite agree with you that it is a bad thing never to write to those we love4 ,real good1 strong affection can stand the long lack of communication1 as strong plants can stand a long drought1 but it is an unwise thing to put it to the test4 4 4 4 8,i fully sympathise in what you say of the ,church4 ,i can imagine nothing more deplorable than the foolish men1 both curates and bishops1 scattering the very best of the laity from her fold1 and all for their empty1 worthless baubles4 ,oh1 what a blessing it would have been for our ,church and country if people had spent half the strength in lifting the ,cross and spreading the ,bible that they have wasted over surplices and ubrics6 ,but it is not mere waste4 ,as far as ,i can see1 it is downright suicide1 a wilful destruction of the ,church's influence over her people4 ,but do you not think ,god is teaching us a lesson8 ,are not ,his waiting children taught by all this to rally round their risen and reigning ,lord1 and to cease from man whose breath is in his nostrils8 ,is not the ,church always exposed either to pressure from without or delusion within8 ,and are not those the two great instruments by which ,he keeps ,his elect people pure8 ,oh1 may ,god grant that we may be amongst the ,lamb's faithful followers6 4 4 4 8,in our parish we have had but little visible encouragement since our return from ,norfolk4 ,before we went out we were blessed with several interesting cases1 but since our return we have not known of one4 ,it is a great sorrow to me4 ,i hope1 however1 the ,lord is really owning ,his word4 ,we are desiring to honour ,him and to set forth ,christ crucified1 and though our labours are most miserable1 ,i delight to think that from the inmost soul it is our desire to honour ,christ in them4 ,i have just finished a course of four practical sermons on the ,bible1 in which ,i found great interest1 and am now preparing another course for ,advent on the following subjects3 ,how our ,lord will come2 when2 what to do2 and what we should be doing till ,he comes4 ,our prophetical meeting this ,november was one of the most delightful hours ,i ever knew4 ,it was so sober1 so serious1 so practical1 and so full of ,christ that ,i think all felt it a time of true blessing to be there4 ,i never heard anything more completely to my mind than the addresses of ,mr4 ,auriol and ,mr4 ,goodhart on the #8practical bearing of the expectation of future reward4' 4 4 4 8,your most affectionate ,nephew1 8,,edward ,,hoare40 ,autobiography 7continued74 ,the position was one of the greatest possible interest4 ,the circumstances of the town were quite peculiar4 ,the ,vicar of ,st4 ,george was a ,high ,churchman who did not hesitate to employ curates who went far beyond himself in their opinions1 and the result was that two of them went over to ,rome4 ,there was an amiable man in ,trinity ,church who had no sympathy with ,st4 ,george's1 but yet had but little power in satisfying the hearts of those who loved the ,gospel1 and the result was that many of the most devoted people in the place were driven either into the dissenting chapels or into general unsettlement of mind4 ,meanwhile ,mr4 ,pugin #ih was erecting a large establishment on the ,west ,cliff1 and the chapel was already opened1 and an active priest at work amongst the distracted and unsettled flock4 ,then it was that ,god raised up a very remarkable man with wonderful energy to erect the new church4 ,he formed a small committee1 but he himself was the moving spirit and the one centre of power4 ,he was a lieutenant in the ,royal ,navy1 with no general acquaintance and nothing of what the world calls influence1 but he was ,god's powerful instrument4 ,i refer to ,lieutenant 7afterwards ,commander7 ,hutchinson1 ,r4,n4 ,as he knew nothing of ,church matters1 he wisely took counsel with ,mr4 ,plumptre1 who put him in communication with some ,london lawyer1 ,i forget who1 who might direct him in the use of what was then called the ,church ,building ,act2 so he served the proper notices on the ,vicar and patrons1 and having secured to trustees the patronage of the new church which he proposed to build1 he set to work single-handed to raise the funds and to complete the undertaking4 ,he wrote countless manuscript letters all over ,england4 ,he was a man of wonderful energy1 as he afterwards proved by reducing ,balaclava to good order1 and all that energy he devoted with unsparing zeal to the great work to which ,god had called him4 ,how many letters he wrote ,i do not know2 ,i know that ,i received several4 ,his first letter would be a general application2 if that brought him a contribution1 it would be quickly followed by another rejoicing that the work was so much appreciated1 and asking for a second gift2 but if it brought no reply1 then came a second convinced that the only reason for delay was the great importance of the work1 and earnestly appealing for the help which he was sure was contemplated4 ,thus letter followed letter in quick succession2 the contract was signed on his own responsibility1 and ,christ ,church was quickly reared as a monument to show what might be done by one man whose heart was in earnest1 and who1 like ,mr4 ,venn1 8committed his works unto the ,lord40 ,it is not to be supposed that these letters written were in a very complimentary strain with reference to the existing order of things in the ,parish ,church1 nor were they likely to make ,christ ,church acceptable in the eyes of the ,vicar or his staff4 ,i myself went to the ,parish ,church in the afternoon previous to the opening of ,christ ,church1 and ,i heard a sermon descriptive of the persons who would attend the new church1 upon the text 8,he went away in a rage10 and ,i there heard my future congregation all classed with ,naaman4 ,but apparently there were a great many such ,naamans in ,ramsgate1 for the church was well filled on the #gth of ,august1 the day when it was consecrated by ,archbishop ,howley1 and ,i may say has been so ever since4 ,i found ,ramsgate to be a most interesting sphere of ministry4 ,there were three great sources of interest4 ,first1 the shipping4 ,my original ,pakefield interest in the ,english boatmen was more than revived by my acquaintance with the 8hovellers10 two hundred of whom were dependent for their bread on helping ships in difficulty off the ,goodwin ,sands4 ,i fear that some of them thought more of their own earnings than they did of the lives they were so brave in saving4 ,i can never forget the reply that ,i received from one of the best of them when ,i asked him one bitterly cold winter's morning how he was getting on2 upon which he replied that now they had got all their lights1 and buoys1 and chain cables1 there was nothing left for an honest man to do4 ,he said3 8,there we were at the south end of the sands about three o'clock this morning1 when up came one of these foreign chaps1 and was running as pretty upon the ,goodwin ,sands as ever you'd wish to see1 when1 all of a sudden1 he saw one of these here nasty staring buoys--port helm and off60 ,but though it was a pretty sight to them to see a foreign chap go straight upon the ,goodwin ,sands1 it was a magnificent sight for any one to witness the skill and daring courage with which they handled their luggers and dashed through the breakers in order to save the lives of the shipwrecked men4 ,they were noble fellows1 and when their hearts were touched by the grace of ,god1 they were fine1 manly witnesses for ,christ4 ,then there were the sailors on board the various ships that put in for shelter4 ,as the harbour was at that time free1 it was sometimes crowded with vessels1 and ,i used to have a grand opportunity for out-of-door preaching4 ,at first ,i used to go down in my cap and gown on ,sunday afternoons1 but ,i found that a sermon out of doors1 combined with a walk on the pier1 was more agreeable to many people than either ,church or ,sunday ,school1 so ,i had to give it up1 and seize such opportunities as wind and weather permitted4 ,but ,i never was at a loss for a large congregation1 and when ,i took my place on the poop of one of the ships1 ,i had the deep interest of seeing crowds of people1 some on the pier and some on the tiers of ships and some on the rigging1 amongst whom ,i had the sacred opportunity of scattering the seed1 without the least idea to what point the wind would carry it4 ,on one occasion ,i was greatly solemnised4 ,i selected the ship best suited for my purpose1 and the ,captain and his men gave me the kindest possible reception2 the only inconvenience to which they put me was that they would insist upon my preaching against the wind1 as they did not consider it sufficiently dignified for me to stand in the hold of the vessel4 ,there they listened most attentively4 ,in the evening the wind changed1 and all the ships hurried out of harbour1 and how deeply affected was ,i to hear next morning that the one on which ,i had received so kind a welcome had been lost with all hands during the night4 ,the advantage of the harbour was that throughout the winter months there was always something going on in it1 so that we could not settle down into stagnation4 ,one morning1 for example1 my friend the harbour-master1 ,captain ,martin1 sent up to me to say that he expected a crew of shipwrecked emigrants to be very shortly landed2 so ,i hurried down to the harbour1 and there ,i saw one of the most piteous sights ,i have ever seen in my life4 ,there was a small schooner just entering the harbour1 with one hundred and sixty ,german emigrants crowded together on the decks4 ,their ship had been wrecked over-night1 and one boat containing seven women was sent off soon after the wreck1 but was supposed to have been lost in the breakers4 ,the remainder were subsequently taken off by the schooner that brought them into ,ramsgate4 ,there they stood1 huddled together1 in the clothes in which they had sprung from their berths on the striking of the ship--that is1 almost in a state of nakedness4 ,the sea had been breaking over them from the time the ship had struck1 and they had no food4 ,what was to be done with them was indeed a question1 but all parties set to work with vigour4 ,an infant schoolroom was set apart for their accommodation1 and another large room was obtained in connection with one of the public-houses2 so they were very quickly housed1 and such vigour was shown by the ship agents1 consular agents1 and all connected with the harbour1 that something warm was provided for every one of them1 even upon their landing4 ,but they were still unclothed1 and to meet this difficulty bills were put out1 so soon as possible1 to request gifts of clothing1 cloth1 or flannel1 and also the help of any persons who could assist us in making up clothing4 ,it was wonderful to see the zeal and liberality with which piles of goods were poured in upon us4 ,these were not always very suitable1 and ,i remember seeing amongst the goods sent some muslin ball-dresses6 ,there was a great quantity of good useful clothing1 added to which numbers of ladies came together and worked hard all through the day1 while the various agents laboured at the distribution1 so that ,i believe that not one of those hundred and sixty emigrants lay down that night without having some warm1 comfortable piece of clothing provided for him1 and without being well fed with a comfortable meal and well housed for the night's rest4 ,for this they were most grateful1 and ,i had a grand opportunity of preaching the ,gospel1 as they stayed with us about ten days4 ,but here1 alas6 was the grievous difficulty1 that ,i did not know ,german2 but this was met by the ready help of two young ladies in my congregation1 to whom ,german was as familiar as ,english1 and1 as far as preaching and other addresses were concerned1 a great difficulty was removed4 ,at length1 however1 there arose one for which ,i was not prepared4 ,the poor emigrants1 in the fulness of their hearts1 were not satisfied with the service provided for them in the schoolroom1 but were anxious to come together to the ,holy ,communion4 ,but here a fresh difficulty arose4 ,they could not be satisfied to come to the ,lord's ,table without first coming to confession4 ,this appeared to me to be a matter of mere formalism1 as they insisted upon it that it would not make the slightest difference whether or not ,i understood their confession1 nor did they even see any objection to their confession passing through the medium of the young lady who was kind enough to act as my interpreter2 and ,i fear they were but partially satisfied when ,i told them that confession to a priest was not required in the ,church of ,england1 but that in it we were taught to confess direct to ,god4 ,i have seldom known a more solemn and sacred service than when we all knelt together in one spirit1 if not in one tongue1 to commemorate the dying love of that blessed ,saviour who shed ,his precious blood that whosoever believeth in ,him should receive remission of sins4 ,the next day they were sent off to ,london1 and ,i have never heard of any of them since4 ,but ,i believe the record of those days to be written in heaven1 and ,i must say ,i took great delight in the testimony borne by the ,german ,government to the zeal and hospitality of the good people of ,ramsgate1 more especially as particular mention is made of that dearly beloved one to whose zeal and loving-kindness the whole movement was chiefly due4 ,but the chief interest was in the sailors themselves4 ,i was deeply impressed at the hardness of the life of those engaged in our coasting trade1 and ,i met with many who1 living in the midst of every possible temptation1 seemed wholly abandoned to utter recklessness1 both for time and for eternity4 ,but they all appeared to have a heart1 and some of them were eminently ,christian men4 ,i never can forget one fearful ,sunday morning1 when it was bitterly cold and blowing such a north-easterly gale as it can blow at ,ramsgate1 before church ,i went on to the cliff to see what was going on1 and there opposite the mouth of the harbour ,i saw one ship sunk1 not very far from the entrance of the harbour1 with its crew clinging to the masts4 ,our brave hovellers were doing all they could for their rescue1 and ,i saw another smaller vessel1 8with sails ripped1 seams opened wide1 compass lost10 struggling if possible to make the harbour4 ,oh1 how ,i longed to run down and take my part in the efforts that were being made for their rescue6 and ,i cannot answer for my thoughts during the time that ,i was obliged to be at church4 ,no sooner was the service over than ,i was again on the cliff1 and not a trace could ,i see of the sunken ship or crowded mast4 ,it had fallen before any help could reach the poor fellows who were clinging to it1 and all hands had been lost2 but the little sloop was just entering the harbour1 and ,i cannot describe the scene ,i witnessed when ,i went on board4 ,there were five poor fellows completely worn out1 wearied1 hungry1 cold1 and frost-bitten1 and ,i never shall forget the master of that vessel4 ,as long as he was in the harbour ,i had a great deal of most happy intercourse with him1 and in the course of it he gave me the following narrative of his voyage4 ,he said he had one very dear friend1 the mate of a collier brig1 and they were together at ,sunderland4 ,his friend came to him in the evening of ,christmas1 and they had a delightful evening together1 till at length his friend returned to his ship1 and both vessels sailed for the ,south4 ,all went well with him till he reached the mouth of the ,thames1 where he was caught by the gale and took shelter behind the long sand2 but after a time the wind shifted1 and his position became one of the utmost danger4 ,he found his only hope of escape was to pass by the end of the sand1 and he doubted whether this would be possible1 and he knew that if once stranded on it he must be lost without a hope4 ,the first thing was to hoist a sail1 but in order to do this they had to clear the ropes of ice with their axe4 ,they then hauled in the anchor1 and the little vessel was soon in the midst of the boiling surf4 ,the master himself took the helm1 and said to the crew that their only help was in ,god1 and bade them come and kneel around him while he steered and prayed4 ,very soon a huge wave appeared to lift the little ship right upon the bank1 and let her down with a fearful scrape upon the sands4 ,a second followed1 which did the same1 and then came the third1 which seemed to carry them with still greater fury than either of the others2 but when it let them down1 what was their joy when they found that the spur of the bank was passed1 and that their vessel was safely afloat4 ,their ,heavenly ,father had heard their prayers and saved them4 ,but though immediate danger was past1 everything was so shattered that the ship was almost unmanageable1 and they were driven about in the ,channel for some three or four days before they could reach ,ramsgate ,harbour4 ,and what was the sorrow that awaited my excellent friend when he found himself safe4 ,as he entered the harbour he passed through the wreckage of the vessel ,i had seen before church1 but when he learnt the particulars he found that it was the ship of that dear friend with whom he had spent that happy ,christmas evening1 and that he was one of those who had perished in the wreck4 ,but in the midst of it all he was kept in a calm1 hallowed1 peaceful communion with ,god1 which proved indeed how the ,lord sitteth above the waterflood1 when the ,lord can give peace unto ,his people4 ,it was one of the sorrows connected with ,ramsgate that we seldom saw those brave men a second time4 ,so my friend stayed awhile till his ship was refitted and his men cured of their frostbites1 but the wind shifted and she was gone1 so that we parted never more to meet till we stand together before the throne of the ,lord4 ,another great object of interest at ,ramsgate was the conflict with ,rome4 ,i had had some little experience in the controversy when at ,richmond1 as a zealous man had given some controversial lectures there in favour of ,romanism1 and so compelled me to get up the subject4 ,this had led me to preach a course of ,sunday ,evening ,lectures1 which ,i afterwards published under the title of 8,our ,protestant ,church40 ,i have had reason to believe1 with great thanksgiving1 that ,god has made them useful to others1 as1 ,i thank ,god1 ,he made the study of the subject exceedingly useful to myself4 ,i remember a remark of ,dr4 ,mc,neile1 that nothing tended more to set forth the glories of the ,gospel than the dark background of ,popery4 ,at ,ramsgate the conflict was in full activity4 ,a chapel had been recently erected through the liberality of ,mr4 ,pugin1 and the ,roman ,catholic party had all the enthusiasm of a new and hopeful enterprise2 so we were soon brought into collision1 sometimes in private conversation1 and sometimes in public lectures1 in which ,i freely invited any one who could to answer me4 ,and there are four lessons which ,i learnt and which possibly may be useful to my brethren4 ,firstly1 the ,romish controversy does not require a great amount of learning4 ,the ,romanists themselves are exceedingly ill-instructed in the principles of their ,church1 and there are very few points on which their convictions rest4 ,secondly1 it is of essential importance to be perfectly accurate in every statement made and every quotation given1 so as to be able1 if need be1 to give proof of that accuracy4 ,thirdly1 it is essential that all quotations should be made direct from the original documents1 and not taken second-hand from any ,review1 ,catechism1 or ,handbook4 ,those books may be extremely useful for our own instruction1 but they are worse than useless if we are in conflict with a ,romish controversialist2 if we wish to be strong on such an occasion we must appeal to the 8ipsissima verba0 of some authoritative document1 such as the decrees of the ,council of ,trent1 or the ,creed of ,pope ,pius ,,iv4 ,fourthly1 we must bear in mind that numbers of those who are led away by ,rome are truly and conscientiously seeking peace4 ,i believe that there is no state of mind so open to the persuasions of ,rome as when a person is awakened but not at peace in ,christ ,jesus4 ,it is then that ,rome steps in with a promise of peace1 and the more earnest the awakening1 the more dangerous the seductive power4 ,i had one fearful instance of this at ,ramsgate1 in the family of one of our tradesmen1 who had taken sittings in my church4 ,i heard one day that his daughter was in habitual attendance at the ,roman ,catholic chapel4 ,so ,i went at once to pay a pastoral visit to the mother1 and she confirmed all that ,i had heard1 and more than that1 she told me that on the ,sunday following her daughter was to be publicly received into the ,church1 and that her dress was already prepared4 8,oh10 ,i said1 8how ,i wish ,i could see her before she joins60 and ,i invited her to come to me that evening at eight o'clock4 ,the mother said she would give my message1 but did not think it very likely that her daughter would come4 ,however1 at eight o'clock precisely the bell rang1 and the daughter was there4 ,she was a woman between thirty and forty years of age1 fine features1 and strong in intellectual expression of countenance4 ,she confirmed all that her mother had told me1 and when ,i asked her what had led to it1 she informed me that she was engaged to a young man of very superior position to her own1 that when walking together one evening the year before they had turned into ,christ ,church1 and there heard a sermon that had made them both so uneasy that neither of them had ever been happy since4 ,they were afraid to go again1 for fear that their trouble should be increased2 so they had wandered hither and thither1 seeking rest and finding none1 till at length somebody told them that if they only joined the ,church of ,rome they would be at peace4 ,she added that the young man had joined already1 and that she hoped to be received on the ,sunday following1 when she trusted that both their hearts would be at rest4 ,it was clear that the poor thing was really anxious about her soul1 so instead of saying one word to her about the ,romish controversy1 ,i asked her the question1 8,must you be holy first1 or forgiven first80 ,she was very much surprised and almost affronted by my asking her anything of so simple a character4 8,of course ,i know that10 said she4 8,i daresay you do1 but it will do you no harm to tell me what you know40 8,of course ,i must be holy first10 was the reply4 8,then there is the secret of all your difficulty3 you have been for the whole year striving to be holy1 and you have utterly failed1 so that you have had no peace1 and could have no peace in the forgiveness of sin40 8,do you mean to say then10 said she1 8that ,i can be forgiven first80 ,i said1 8,that is exactly what the ,scripture teaches10 and ,i set before her a series of passages1 showing first how the forgiveness is bestowed through the perfect propitiation of the ,son of ,god1 and then how it is granted at once1 before the fruits of faith can possibly be developed4 ,the poor thing was amazed1 and ,i believe that that very evening1 before she left the house1 she was enabled to trust her blessed ,saviour for the present perfect forgiveness of all her sins4 ,she left the house declaring that nothing should induce her to join the ,church of ,rome1 and now followed the most fearful struggle that ,i ever met with in the whole course of my ministry4 ,the young man had been already received1 and the more she saw of her ,saviour1 the more she felt the impossibility of their union4 ,what was to be done8 ,she could not go forward to unite with him1 and he would not go back to be one with her4 ,rome brought all its armoury to bear upon her4 ,bishop1 priests1 and ,romish friends united all their strength in persuading her to give way4 ,but ,god helped her to stand firm1 and though she passed through a most fearful conflict1 she lived and died in great peace of soul1 resting in ,christ ,jesus4 ,the young man became a ,jesuit priest1 and died suddenly when officiating at the mass4 ,the case taught me the lesson1 which in fact ,i had learned before1 that in a great number of ,romish perversions there is a real desire for the peace of ,god1 and that our wisest course is in all such cases to go direct to that one point1 instead of perplexing the mind with the erroneous points of ,romish teaching4 ,but the chief interest of all consisted in the blessed privilege of carrying the ,gospel of salvation to a number of persons who were really hungering for the ,word of ,life4 ,there is no class of persons in the world that has a greater claim on those who know the ,lord than that consisting of real inquirers after the way of life4 ,now ,i met at ,ramsgate with many who had had sufficient knowledge of the truth to make them utterly dissatisfied with the ,tractarianism in the ,parish ,church and the ,chapel of ,ease1 but who were longing for something more than they had already found4 ,it was most interesting to see them flocking back to the ,church of ,england after having been driven hither and thither1 and ,i can never forget a conversation ,i had with one of the curates of ,st4 ,george's some two or three years after ,christ ,church had been opened4 ,i was remonstrating with him on the bitterness which was still shown toward us1 but he justified it by saying that we were working against the ,church of ,england4 ,this was too much for me to take in silence1 so ,i asked him whether he would bear with me if ,i told him plainly what each of us had been doing since our residence at ,ramsgate4 ,and ,i then told him that ,i had been occupied in winning back to the ,church those whom he had driven away from it4 ,this surprised him very much1 and he replied1 8,yes1 they will come to hear you preach1 but not become communicants10 to which ,i replied that ,i could not speak with accuracy1 as ,i had never counted1 but that it was my firm belief that on the previous ,sunday ,i had administered the ,lord's ,supper to no less than fifty persons who had been driven from the ,church of ,england by the teaching of ,st4 ,george's4 ,my friend was deeply impressed by that fact1 and our future relationship was of the most friendly character4 ,would that all clergymen would consider what they have to answer for1 when by their own erroneous teaching they scatter the flock committed to their charge4 ,but if it was a joy to see the dispersed of the flock brought back to the ,church of their fathers1 how much greater was the joy of seeing precious souls brought into living union with the ,lord ,jesus ,christ ,himself2 and this1 through the great mercy of ,god1 we were permitted very quickly to do4 ,they were of two classes4 ,there were many who had looked forward in earnest hope1 and often prayed for a blessing on the new church1 and we cannot be surprised that1 when the church was opened1 they received that for which they had been praying2 but there were others who had no such expectation1 but were rather prejudiced against the ,gospel1 and altogether astonished when for the first time they heard its blessed language4 ,let me give two cases in illustration of what ,i mean4 ,about two miles off there was a mill1 at which was working a young man named ,john ,brampton4 ,on the day of the consecration of the church1 he left his work to attend the service1 and in that service it pleased ,god to open his heart1 so that he received the blessed message of life in ,christ ,jesus4 ,he became at once one of the most active of our helpers1 and was amongst the first1 if not the very first1 of the teachers in our new ,sunday ,school4 ,during the whole of our residence at ,ramsgate he was a zealous1 faithful fellow-labourer1 and when we moved to ,tunbridge ,wells1 and ,i wanted a ,scripture-reader1 ,i considered that there was no one who would help me more effectually than my zealous young friend from ,ramsgate1 so invited him to join me1 which he did with his whole heart1 labouring most diligently till after twenty-four years the ,lord took him to his rest4 ,he had had no experience as a ,scripture-reader before he came1 but the ,lord taught him1 and he was most effective as a helper4 ,he identified himself so completely with all that we were doing that he would sometimes entertain those who did not know him by speaking of 8our house10 8our field10 8our grounds10 etc41 etc4 ,it was a pleasure to me to hear him1 and it was an evidence of that oneness of heart which he felt with us in everything4 ,he was indeed a helper to his ,vicar1 and for many a long year have ,i had to thank ,god for the gift bestowed on that young man1 on occasion of the first service ever held in ,christ ,church4 ,the other case was altogether of a different character4 ,i have already mentioned the bitter hostility that some persons showed toward the new church4 ,this was manifested not very long after the consecration by some bad fellows1 of whom we know nothing except that they wore the coats of gentlemen1 climbing over the iron fence by which the church was surrounded1 breaking down the young trees which had been recently planted in the enclosure1 and throwing several stones through the windows into the church4 ,the outrage excited1 as might be expected1 a great deal of conversation in the town1 and a few days afterwards ,i was told that ,colonel ,williams and ,mrs4 ,williams had called to see me4 ,i had no idea who they were1 and on my entering the room he told me1 with that remarkable honesty and directness which characterised all his conversation1 that he had come as the representative of several of the ,parish ,church congregation to express their extreme disapproval of the recent outrage4 ,he told me also that he was a great friend of the ,vicar1 and had extremely disapproved of the erection of ,christ ,church4 ,he also added that1 in order to show the sincerity of his protest1 he intended to take two seats in the church1 and that possibly1 as he then lived in the neighbourhood1 he might sometimes attend1 but that he had no intention of doing so habitually1 and merely took them to assure me of his sincerity4 ,i assured him that ,i did not require any such evidence1 but the seats were taken1 and it was not very long before ,i saw him seated in one of them1 and ,i was deeply interested that his attendances became more and more frequent1 until at length one day he was again announced as calling at the house4 ,but this time he wished to see me in my own study1 so he came1 evidently full of deep emotion4 ,he opened the conversation by saying that he was not come to ask for help1 as he did not want it1 but to tell me what the ,lord had done for his soul4 ,he said that he had been deeply impressed by something he heard in church1 and for the last six weeks had passed through agonies of soul4 ,he had been walking all over the ,isle of ,thanet1 earnestly seeking peace1 till at length ,god had brought him to see the fulness that is in ,christ ,jesus4 ,now he had come to me to ask me to unite with him in giving thanks for the blessed peace which ,god had bestowed upon him in ,christ ,jesus4 ,he then fell on his knees1 and we both poured out our hearts in thanksgiving to ,god for the wonderful mercy which ,he had shown1 and the blessing of ,his salvation in ,christ ,jesus the ,lord4 ,from that day forward he took his part boldly as an earnest advocate for the truth4 ,he was a man of strong convictions1 and1 when convinced1 he carried out those convictions with prompt and firm determination4 ,so he did on this occasion4 ,to myself he became one of my most warm1 faithful friends1 and in the support of every good and holy work carried on at ,ramsgate1 for the rest of his life1 he was the faithful and unwavering standard-bearer4 ,thus the wicked outrage of those men who violated the sacredness of our church was overruled by ,god to the giving to me one of my most faithful friends and efficient helpers1 and to the town of ,ramsgate one of its most active1 energetic1 and faithful maintainers of the great ,protestant principles of the ,church of ,england4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the schools at ,christ ,church were built by ,mr4 ,hoare when at ,ramsgate4 ,the ,seamen's ,infirmary and ,general ,hospital in that town also owes its existence to his exertions4--,,ed4 ,,chapter ,,viii ,,tunbridge ,,wells ,but these bright and stirring days at ,ramsgate were at length brought to a close by ,sir ,charles ,hardinge inviting me to undertake the living of ,holy ,trinity1 ,tunbridge ,wells1 in the year #ahec4 ,at first ,i thought very little of the offer1 as ,i expected ,sir ,benjamin ,brodie to put his veto upon my removal from the sea4 ,but when ,i went to consult him upon the subject1 ,i was not a little surprised by his saying that1 as in #ahdg he had judged it necessary for me to go to the seaside1 so now he considered it very desirable that ,i should leave it4 ,so that impediment was removed1 and ,i had to face the question whether ,i was called to remain where ,i was or to remove4 ,it was a very difficult question1 and ,i was greatly perplexed as to the decision4 ,but1 according to ,mr4 ,venn's principle already referred to1 my thoughts were ultimately established1 and ,i have never seen reason for a single moment to regret the change4 ,i can scarcely imagine a better sphere for the ministry than that which ,i have been permitted to occupy for nearly thirty-six years4 ,i have had a large parish1 which1 after four parochial districts have been taken from it1 still contains more than six thousand persons1 the population consisting of a well-proportioned mixture of gentry1 tradesmen1 and poor4 ,i have had in my church a stream of visitors from all parts of ,england1 and not from ,england only1 but from ,india1 ,australia1 and ,america4 ,i have had very many most kind1 faithful1 and affectionate friends ready to help me in everything1 so that1 on the whole1 ,i believe we have been able to keep pace with the rapid growth of population2 and ,i have had an excellent church1 which1 though ,i do not suppose it would satisfy the ecclesiologist1 ,i have found to be most commodious for the worship of ,god4 ,there are three things in it quite at variance with modern fashion3 instead of an open roof to generate cold in winter1 heat in summer1 and echo at all times1 we have had a flat ceiling to protect us from all changes of the climate2 and instead of having the people spread far and wide on the ground floor1 there are deep galleries along three sides of the church1 containing nearly six hundred persons1 all within ear-shot2 and instead of a low pulpit scarcely raising the preacher above the heads of his hearers1 there is an old-fashioned 8three-decker0 of sufficient height to enable the preacher to see the whole of his congregation4 ,at ,tunbridge ,wells was much less to excite than at ,ramsgate4 ,there were no shipwrecks1 and no such activity on the part of the ,church of ,rome1 but there was a great increase of solid pastoral work1 and ,i firmly believe that our removal was of the ,lord4 ,in no period of my life have ,i experienced greater mercies4 ,after ten years of happy work together1 it pleased the ,lord to take from me my dearest wife1 at which time ,he showed ,his abundant mercy in so strengthening her faith1 that she gave a glorious testimony to the power of that ,gospel which she had earnestly desired to teach1 and which had been the subject of our whole ministry4 ,she was kept at perfect peace through a long and suffering illness1 and fell asleep in full and unbroken trust in the blessed ,saviour whom she loved4 ,shortly before she died1 she quoted to me the words of ,mr4 ,standfast3 8,i have loved to hear my ,lord spoken of2 and wheresoever ,i have seen the print of ,his shoe in the earth1 there ,i have coveted to set my foot too10 and ,he was faithful to her to the end4 ,but1 speaking of mercies at that period1 ,i must not omit to mention the help ,he raised up for me in my valued friend ,dr4 ,richardson1 and my beloved sister-in-law ,lady ,parry4 ,dr4 ,richardson was the greatest help to me in the management of my large family1 and would come in again and again as a friend to give me any advice he thought necessary1 and tell me whether he thought it important ,i should call in medical help1 and again and again has he told me that they wanted no more than their faithful nurse could give them4 ,as for my dear sister1 she was everything that a widower could desire1 tender1 wise1 considerate1 the best of counsellors and the truest of friends4 ,what she was to me at that time of my bereavement no words can ever describe4 ,then amongst my many mercies at ,tunbridge ,wells ,i must reckon the severe illness which ,i had ten years afterwards1 which ,i am thoroughly persuaded my ,heavenly ,father sent me as a blessing4 ,it called forth the same unbounded loving-kindness from my parishioners and fellow-townsmen which ,i am now experiencing while dictating this sketch of my history1 and ,i felt at the time that it brought us into a closer relationship with each other than we had ever known previously4 ,but1 above all1 it burnt into my heart those words of the ,apostle ,paul in #b ,timothy i4 #ab3 8,i know whom ,i have believed40 ,those six words contained the whole of my religion as ,i lay for weeks unable to think and pray1 for they do not say1 8,i know how ,i have believed ,him10 nor do they refer to any qualification in my own faith1 but simply to this qualification as taught in the following words1 8,and am persuaded that ,he is able to keep that which ,i have committed unto ,him against that day40 ,it was the entire persuasion of ,his perfect sufficiency that kept my soul at peace1 and has made me ever since thankful to ,god for having brought me into the happy experience of that sufficiency for one who1 like me1 was altogether insufficient in himself4 ,i enjoyed also many proofs of the ,lord's providential care1 one of which was so remarkable that ,i think it ought to be recorded4 ,after my degree in #ahcd1 ,i continued to reside at ,cambridge and took mathematical pupils4 ,one summer ,i took a long-vacation party to ,killarney1 and in the course of our residence there a young man came over from ,cork to see me4 ,he had a great wish to go to ,cambridge1 and having heard that there were ,cambridge men at ,killarney1 he came over in order to obtain information4 ,the result was that he came up the next ,october1 and ,i was glad to help him in his work1 in which he made good progress4 ,but after some time he told me that the expenses had exceeded his estimate and that he feared he should not be able to complete his ,university career4 ,if richness be measured by the proportion of income to expenditure1 ,i was a richer man then than ,i have ever been since1 as1 in addition to my father's allowance1 ,i received a considerable income from my pupils4 ,i therefore told him that he must go on to his degree1 and with the help of my dearly beloved friend ,henry ,goulburn gave him a cheque which he considered would be sufficient4 ,the result was that he took his degree and left ,cambridge4 ,after that ,i altogether lost sight of him1 and wondered what had become of him4 ,thus twenty-six years passed by1 and ,i was very much interested at ,tunbridge ,wells in the erection of ,st4 ,james's ,church1 and had issued a circular requesting that all subscriptions might be paid in by ,january #ast1 #ahfb4 ,but though the world gave us credit for being extremely rich1 my account at the bankers was so low that ,i found ,i could ill afford the #ajj which ,i had promised4 ,that #ast of ,january was therefore to me a day of real anxiety1 and in the early morning ,i committed the matter solemnly to ,god1 and my ,heavenly ,father was 8thinking upon me0 when1 after our family worship1 my letters were brought to me1 and there was one from my young ,irish friend in which he said that1 though ,i regarded the money given at ,cambridge as a gift1 he had always considered it a loan and now wished to repay it1 so enclosed a cheque of #ajj4 ,it was that cheque that ,i paid into the bank with a thankful heart that morning1 as my contribution to ,st4 ,james's ,church4 ,so my young friend was employed by my ,heavenly ,father to take care of the money until the time when ,i should require it4 ,in addition to the deep interest of my own parish1 the proximity to ,london brought me into contact with various movements of a more public character4 ,this involved a conflict between my duty to the parish and my duty to the ,church of which ,i was a member4 ,but ,i firmly believe that the parish was the gainer1 not the loser1 by my interest in those general objects1 and nothing tends more to wither up a man's ministry than such an isolation as brings him into contact with his own limited surroundings1 and leads him to stand aloof from the general work of the ,church of ,god4 ,then it has been my desire to attend as far as possible to diocesan interests1 those connected with the rural deanery1 the archdeaconry1 and the diocese1 such as ruri-decanal meetings1 visitations1 and diocesan conferences4 ,it has appeared to me that when1 by our position1 we have a right to attend on such occasions1 we ought to do so1 and that if we hold back from taking our legitimate part1 we have no right to complain if things are said and done of which we disapprove4 ,on the same principle ,i have attended ,church ,congresses1 and have been thankful for the opportunity of publicly maintaining those great principles which are inexpressibly dear to my own heart4 ,i have never hesitated to state what ,i have believed as clearly as ,i knew how to put it1 and my experience is that1 if a person will attend them in the ,name of the ,lord and as a witness for ,christ1 and will speak without either reserve or compromise1 he will not only receive courteous treatment from those in authority1 but will find a grand opportunity of spreading the truth through the length and breadth of the land4 ,i have myself received letters1 from all parts of ,england1 thanking me for words which ,i was enabled to speak at one of the ,church ,congresses1 and ,i have known more than one instance in which words so spoken have been blessed to the permanent peace of conscientious inquirers4 ,i have been deeply interested in the large lay and clerical meetings of the ,evangelical body4 ,when ,i was quite a beginner ,i listened to an address at the ,islington ,clerical ,meeting1 by the ,honourable ,baptist ,noel1 which has affected the character of my whole ministry4 ,he was speaking on the subject of spiritual power1 and said that1 whenever any attempt at ornamentation became apparent1 power ceased4 ,on those words of his ,i have acted ever since ,i heard them1 and ,i am persuaded that those meetings are frequently the means of making permanent impression on many of those who are brought together by them4 ,thus ,i have always availed myself of every opportunity of attending such meetings4 ,in the course of fifty-four years ,i have missed the ,islington ,clerical ,meeting only three times1 and then from no choice of my own1 and they have led to a very sacred relationship with many of my beloved and honoured brethren in all parts of the country4 ,but ,i have known none that ,i have regarded as a greater privilege than our own ,aggregate ,clerical ,meeting at ,tunbridge ,wells4 ,from that ,i have never been absent1 except when detained by severe illness1 and nothing can exceed the sacred privilege which ,i have enjoyed in those happy gatherings4 ,we have met as brethren in the ,lord ,jesus1 as one in the great privileges in which we live1 as fellow-labourers in our happy ministry1 and as fellow-partakers of the grace of ,god4 ,we have often taken counsel together1 and though in the course of thirty-four years almost all the original founders have passed away1 there is still the same spirit of brotherly harmony1 and the same loving interest in each other's welfare4 ,i often wonder how it is that some dear brethren appear to me to undervalue such gatherings of those who fear the ,lord4 ,but of all the objects away from home there was none that called forth my deepest interest like the ,committee of the ,church ,missionary ,society4 ,i do not know exactly how long ,i have been a member of it1 but ,i was invited by ,mr4 ,venn when ,i was ,curate of ,richmond to join the ,committee of ,correspondence1 and as ,i left ,richmond forty-three years ago1 ,i consider that ,i must have been at least forty-five years a member of that body1 and ,i regard that membership as one of the great blessings of my life4 ,it has been the practice of its management to be always on the look-out for men who had distinguished themselves and could bring to the ,committee their own experience of the work of the ,gospel in those countries where their lot had been cast1 and the result has been that there have been in that committee room a body of men1 many of whom have filled highest positions under the ,crown1 but who gladly gave their time and talents to the patient consideration of the many difficult questions that have arisen in the progress of the work4 ,i can quite believe that the business of the ,committee might be conducted with more despatch1 and ,i have myself desired to see some changes in that direction1 but for calm1 patient1 and prayerful consideration of the business before them1 ,i have never known anything to exceed the conduct of the ,c4,m4,s4 ,committee4 ,i cannot express the confidence that ,i feel in the fidelity of that ,committee1 and when ,i have heard men finding fault with their decisions1 ,i have often wished that1 before finding fault1 they would attend our deliberations and see for themselves the prayerful process by which they have been led to their decisions4 ,again and again have ,i known them kneel down in the midst of their business1 and plead with ,god for ,his guiding hand4 ,and although it would be absurd to expect1 upon every difficult question1 forty or fifty independent minds should think exactly alike1 yet ,i do not remember ever to have known an interruption of the unity of spirit1 and there are few things that ,i have felt more1 since it has pleased ,god to lay me very much aside1 than the necessity of quitting my place in that committee room1 and losing the privilege of uniting with such a body of men in such a work as that of the ,church ,missionary ,society4 ,i trust ,god will bless them with ,his own rich and abundant blessing4 ,they have a noble work before them1 not merely in spreading the ,gospel amongst the heathen1 but in uplifting the banner of truth at home1 and ,i trust it may never happen again that dear brethren1 in their earnestness for the maintenance of a pure ,gospel1 will ever think of weakening the ,church ,missionary ,society by forsaking it1 and so rejoicing the heart of the great adversary of souls4 99 99 99 99 99 ,with these words the brief ,autobiography is closed1 and it is characteristic of the writer that his faithful heart1 like the compass-needle ever pointing to the ,north1 should1 after a brief deviation to his personal affairs1 turn finally to the contemplation of the glorious work of that ,society whose cause he loved to plead4 ,it is1 however1 impossible to close the volume at this point4 ,the forty-one years of ministry at ,tunbridge ,wells were the most fruitful and important of his life1 yet their events are barely noticed in the last pages that he dictated4 ,we must therefore devote some space to the work and character of ,edward ,hoare in that sphere where he became best known1 in which he bore the greatest trials of life1 and whence from pulpit and press that teaching flowed forth by which the ,holy ,spirit blessed thousands of anxious souls4 ,extract from the ,journal1 ,may #aheh4 ,thoughts about ,personal ,holiness4--,nearness to ,christ4 ,likeness to ,christ4 ,singleheartedness to ,christ4 ,the ,whole ,work of the ,holy ,spirit4--,in ,christ4 ,with ,christ4 ,for ,christ4 ,peculiar ,importance to ,ministers4--,because we are acting under a strong religious stimulus which may be mistaken for true holiness4 ,must not expect to draw souls nearer to ,god than we are ourselves4 8,be ye followers of me40 ,because by-ends mar and impede ,god's blessing4 8,my glory will ,i not give to another40 8,ye ask and ye receive not10 etc4 ,god has too much regard for the minister to trust him with success4 ,by-ends strike at the root of faith4 8,how can ye believe80 etc4 ,nearness to ,god carries a man humbly through success1 and peacefully through discouragement4 ,if we live in ,christ we shall be carried through the dying hour4 ,the ,visible and ,invisible ,life4--,men see ,christ's ,gospel in us4 ,we are the visible representatives of an ,invisible ,presence4 ,thousands read us who never read their ,bibles4 ,questions4 ,is there the same desire for salvation of souls when others preach8 ,is there never pleasure in finding others less than ourselves8 ,is there real gratification in the progress and success of others8 99 99 99 99 99 8,search me1 ,o ,lord0 7,psalm cxxxix474 8,cleanse the thoughts of our hearts40 ,lev4 xxii4 #b3 8,profane not10 etc4 8,pardon iniquity of our holy things40 8,be ye clean1 ye that bear the vessels of the ,lord40 ,pardoned sinners the only witnesses to converting grace4 ,,chapter ,,ix ,,work ,,in ,,various ,,places ,those who knew the subject of this memoir only in his later years were often struck by his physical strength and vigour4 ,yet from his earliest years and up to middle life there were signs of constitutional delicacy which caused anxiety4 ,on various occasions he was laid by through attacks of illness1 and it is plain from passages in his journal that1 although physically an athlete1 he quite expected that his life would be a short one4 ,but ,god had other plans for ,his young servant3 true1 he was to be disciplined by frequent illnesses--,pakefield had to be resigned in a year owing to delicacy of the chest2 his work at ,richmond 7where he caught smallpox in his parish-visiting71 and ,holloway1 and ,ramsgate1 was interrupted by periods of ill-health2 but these were perhaps the training by which faith was strengthened and spirituality deepened for the great work of middle life1 and a hale and saintly old age4 ,the close and topical study of the ,scriptures to which allusion is made in the ,autobiography1 and in which1 no doubt1 the mathematical training of the ,university was a great assistance1 gave him a clear view of the doctrines of the ,church of ,england2 combined with this was an intimate acquaintance with the formularies of the ,prayer-,book and the writings of the ,reformers1 also the result of years of careful reading1--consequently ,mr4 ,hoare was in great request all over ,england to speak at gatherings of the clergy and devotional meetings of various kinds4 ,soon after his appointment to ,tunbridge ,wells1 we find in his letters1 of which a few extracts are given in the following pages1 references to these journeys2 in fact he literally seemed to go up and down the country speaking and preaching4 ,it was no unusual event for him to address great audiences in remote towns on the same day4 ,the following letter1 written to one of his daughters just after her ,confirmation1 for which he had prepared her1 alludes to this kind of work1 but it is inserted here more particularly as a specimen of his tender interest in the spiritual welfare of his children3-- 8,,york1 ,may #bhth1 #ahef4 8,i do not yet know whether or not ,i shall be wanted at ,pontefract to-morrow1 and if ,i am not ,i may reach ,london as soon as this letter2 but you have been so much in my thoughts lately that ,i cannot forbear sending one line of affectionate remembrance4 8,i have felt the last three months to have been a profitable time for us both1 and ,i trust it has brought us into a closer union with each other than we have had before4 ,i consider that as dear girls grow up they become not merely the children1 but the companions and fellow-helpers with their parents1 and therefore ,i rejoice at all that brings us together1 as ,i believe the ,confirmation has done1 and as ,i believe that our uniting together in the ,lord's ,supper will yet further tend to do4 ,i cannot tell you with what a deep feeling of interest ,i look forward to the joy of receiving you as a ,communicant on ,sunday next4 ,i trust that it may be a help to you in drawing nearer to ,god than you have ever yet done1 and in feeding on ,christ by faith to the very end of your course4 ,i am sure of this1 my dear girl1 that there is no joy like that of knowing ,christ1 no place like that to be found in ,his love1 no happiness like that which springs from ,his grace1 and it is no small comfort to me to rest assured that you feel this yourself1 that you have not merely felt the importance of it1 but have also known something of the joy4 ,it is a great thing to have the knowledge of our real and great necessity1 but that cannot give us peace2 it is the sweet assurance of ,his sufficiency that can really give rest to the soul4 ,that sufficiency1 dear girl1 is for you1 freely offered to you in ,him1 without money and without price1 and ,i trust sweetly enjoyed by you through the teaching of the ,holy ,spirit4 ,may ,he lead you forward day by day1 and graciously prepare you for ,his kingdom6 8,since beginning my letter the post is come1 and your letter with it4 ,i knew the good news before ,i came away2 but ,i am not quite sure whether ,i shall come1 for ,i do not know whether ,i am wanted here4 ,tell your mother ,i am very well1 and am taking the greatest care of myself4 ,i got on very comfortably yesterday1 and was not overdone4 ,this afternoon ,i go 7,d4,v47 to ,leeds4 ,i am quite concerned about baby4 ,dear love to your mother4 8,your most affectionate ,father1 8,e4 ,h40 ,his love for the ,church ,missionary ,society made him ready to go anywhere in its service1 and in #ahfb ,mr4 ,hoare visited ,cork for this purpose2 some mistakes appear to have been made about dates by local friends1 and accordingly there were one or two days in which there was no work for him to do4 ,this1 which would have been a natural source of vexation at all times1 was at this juncture particularly hard to bear4 ,mrs4 ,hoare's serious condition had just been discovered4 ,it was therefore with considerable unwillingness that he had consented to leave her at all2 but when1 through the mistakes alluded to in the early part of the following letter1 some days had to be spent in doing nothing1 it is easy to imagine how his spirit chafed at what appeared to be a needless absence from home4 ,yet this had its compensation1 as it gave him more of the company of his host1 a venerable saint of ,god4 ,not only so1 but ,mr4 ,hoare used to tell of the remarkable way in which his aged hostess comforted him concerning the great trouble which was just beginning to overshadow his life4 ,making him sit beside her on the sofa1 she persuaded him to open all his anxiety and grief to her2 and then1 in a motherly way1 gave him such loving advice and deep consolation that he was enabled to look forward more calmly to the sorrow1 and returned home strengthened in faith to meet the trials which were thickening around him4 8,,cork1 ,may #bfth1 #ahfb4 8 4 4 4 ,however1 ,i am repaid by the affection of the dear old ,dean #acg and ,mrs4 ,newman1 with whom ,i am staying4 ,i have greatly enjoyed my visit1 and she has been most loving and sympathising4 ,indeed she has done me real good1 and given me valuable help by the way4 ,it is a pleasant and profitable thing to be with those whose race is nearly run1 and to hear their views of life1 when they look back on it from the borders of eternity4 ,she seems to take a different view of it to what ,i do1 who am in the midst of all the cares of my pilgrimage4 8,i thought of you and home all day yesterday with much affection1 though without much time for especial prayer1 for ,i was about all day1 having preached twice1 and been two hours in the afternoon to hear ,mr4 ,denham ,smith4 ,i must tell you all about it when ,i get home2 but it is a curious thing that ,i heard him tell precisely the same stories about conversion that ,miss ,saunders mentioned4 ,there was something very pleasing about it all1 and parts of it were very powerful4 ,but ,i confess ,i did not see wherein lay the secret of that remarkable success which ,god seems to have bestowed on him4 ,perhaps he is more in prayer than we are4 ,but let us be thankful for what ,god has done1 and take courage4 8,i fully hope 7,d4,v47 to be at ,t4 ,w4 on ,saturday1 but ,i shall not expect any of you dear daughters to meet me then1 as ,i expect to find the house thoroughly uncomfortable1 and shall most probably take up my quarters with some of the people4 ,i rejoice to think of our settling at home again before very long1 and am quite of opinion that the change home may do your dearest mother as much good as the change away4 ,but how we are to take care of her and prevent her overfatiguing herself ,i know not4 ,of one thing1 however1 ,i am sure--viz4 that we have dear1 loving1 and most helpful daughters1 whose delight will be to be helpful4 ,most fully do ,i appreciate it1 and most heartily do ,i thank ,god for it4 ,give my dearest love to all1 and most especially to your mother2 to ,gurney also if he is with you4 ,i am quite delighted at his ,greek4 8,most affectionate 8,e4 ,h40 ,it must not be supposed1 however1 that the parish suffered because other places profited4 ,on the contrary1 these brief trips were fitted in between his parochial duties1 and by his work for others fresh energy seemed to be diffused into things at home4 ,the newspapers might record his name at a meeting at the other end of ,england1 but the following evening would see him at the night school or in his pulpit1 or at what he seemed to love best of all1 his ,men's ,bible ,class4 ,he had a genius for teaching2 whether it was children1 or ladies1 or undergraduates1 or working men1 it made no difference--the instruction was suited skilfully to every sort of mind4 ,many a former curate who reads these words will remember the ,men's ,bible ,class on ,tuesday evenings4 8,all sorts and conditions of men0 were there1 a score or two at least3 labourers1 shop-assistants1 artisans1 clerks2 there perhaps an ex-,indian judge1 here a medical man2 beside the ,vicar sat his curates1 who were always present2 and then1 after a hymn and prayer1 the subject of last week was resumed1 and in a simple conversational way the story of ,abraham1 or some other ,scripture character1 seemed to make the individual stand out before us like a man of our acquaintance1 with difficulties and temptations which we felt were like our own4 ,there was no reading round1 but a little friendly questioning to bring out the thoughts of the men4 ,on one of these occasions an elderly man of remarkable appearance made some striking observation on the subject of the evening2 subsequent inquiries revealed a former student for the priesthood in the ,romish ,church1 who1 being unable to 8swallow0 the dogma of the ,immaculate ,conception when first promulgated1 had been turned out of the ,college in ,rome and afterwards joined the ,church of ,england4 ,mr4 ,hoare loved to address men1 and was never more at home than when preaching at ,cambridge to the undergraduates or addressing meetings of clergy1 or1 best of all1 speaking in his own church at the monthly ,men's ,services on ,sunday afternoons4 ,his choice of subjects and of texts was very striking1 e4g4 to the ,mayor and ,corporation upon 8,the wisdom that delivered the city10 to the ,fire ,brigades upon 8,escape for thy life1 lest thou be consumed10 to the ,volunteers upon 8,soldiers of ,christ10 to the ,friendly ,societies on 8,a workman that needeth not to be ashamed10 etc4 ,these discourses were delivered with a solemnity1 earnestness1 and simple eloquence peculiarly his own1 and were accompanied by gesture and tone of voice that made them intensely striking4 ,no one who heard these addresses could ever forget them4 ,at the close of the first ten years of work in ,tunbridge ,wells came the great sorrow of his life4 ,mrs4 ,hoare had been his truest help in the family and the parish1 bringing up her ten children with wise and loving care1 ruling her household and holding open house for every guest1 and yet holding mothers' meetings and visiting the sick and dying of the large parish of ,holy ,trinity 7which then included the whole town74 ,no one ever saw her in a hurry1 none who wanted advice were turned away1 and not a single duty seemed ever forgotten4 ,in #ahfb alarming symptoms appeared4 ,medical advice was taken2 treatment and rest were tried1 but in vain2 the disease rapidly progressed1 and after a cure was pronounced to be beyond medical skill1 ,mrs4 ,hoare resumed such of her parish work as was still within the compass of her strength1 with the remark that1 since rest was useless and her time was now short1 she must work so long as power lasted6 ,the loss of such a wife was indeed a deep sorrow1 and the entries in his journal testify to the grief that wrung the husband's heart4 ,on ,july #bgth1 #ahfc1 she passed away1 her last words calmly uttered--8,lord ,jesus1 receive my spirit40 ,the journal ends with her last message to her children3 8,i shall look for you at heaven's gate40 ,a few months afterwards ,mr4 ,hoare wrote a touching and beautiful sketch of his beloved wife entitled 8,sacred ,memorials02 it was not published1 but had a large circulation1 finding its way even beyond this country4 ,the one great consolation in this overwhelming sorrow was1 however1 able to uphold him4 ,the same truths which had strengthened her for an active life sustained her in suffering1 and gave her unruffled peace to the end4 ,the peace1 the presence1 and the power of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ gave power to the faint and made him strong in the ,lord4 ,for twenty-four years they had worked side by side1 and in the thirty-one years that remained he sometimes gently spoke of her as present though unseen1 and joining in prayer for his work4 ,towards the close of the year1 when sending a line of welcome to his eldest daughter on her return home1 he closes with these words1 which have a pathetic power when read in the light of the recent bereavement3-- 8,t4 ,w41 ,november #bgth1 #ahfc4 8,if there is so much pleasure in meeting those dear to us after these short separations1 what will be the joy of the great reunion at the coming of the ,lord60 ,,chapter ,x ,,domestic ,,life ,,and ,,foreign ,,tours ,it was a delightful thing to see ,mr4 ,hoare in the midst of his family4 ,some of us remember only the later years of his life1 but the enjoyment which he then took in the company of his grandchildren was very charming to witness4 ,those1 however1 who recollect the time when his ten boys and girls were growing up around him1 speak with much pleasure of the way in which he threw himself into all their feelings and pursuits1 and the skill which he evinced in drawing out their characters4 ,he tried hard1 as he touchingly says in one of his letters1 to be 8father and mother in one40 ,in the bringing up of his children religion formed such a bright part of their life that allusions to it came in quite naturally into ordinary conversation4 ,on one occasion1 five years before ,mrs4 ,hoare's death1 he makes the following entry in his journal3-- 8,september #aith1 #aheh4--,very much interested to-day by -- one of his younger boys4 ,i was talking at dinner about the great geological periods of creation4 ,he said1 #8,but it took place in one week4' ,i answered1 #8,those days were probably long periods1 as it says1 8,one day is with the ,lord as a thousand years1 and a thousand years as one day40' ,he said1 #8,i thought that meant that with the ,lord we should be so happy that a thousand years would seem like one day1 they would pass so quickly6'0 ,how ,god blessed his efforts is known to all who are acquainted with his family4 ,the following letter refers to these happy relationships3-- 8,t4 ,w41 ,march #crd1 #ahfd4 8,,my ,,dear ,,daughters1--,i cannot say how often we think of you1 and how pleased ,i was to hear of your safe arrival and enjoyment at ,oxford4 ,i know few places in all ,england with more objects of interest than ,oxford1 and ,i have no doubt you will thoroughly enjoy your week there4 ,we are getting on comfortably1 though ,i have had rather too much of clerical meetings1 having one on ,monday and one to-day4 ,but ,i hope it has been in the ,lord's service4 ,on ,monday we went through ,romans xi41 and ,i certainly thought that the ,prophetics had studied the chapter better than the ,clericals4 ,but ,i was quite confirmed in the exposition at the ,prophetical4 ,i suppose ,annie has told you of all our home doings4 ,we really have got on very comfortably1 but it seems very strange to have seven away out of the ten4 ,i suppose1 however1 if ,god preserves me1 ,i must look forward to more than that in future4 ,the course of life seems to be that a person begins alone1 and then1 when ,god gives him the blessing of such a union as ,i have had1 the house fills year after year1 till at length the tide turns and the dispersion begins1 till at last sometimes the question arises who shall be the companion of the aged father4 ,but we have not come to that yet1 or near it2 and when it does come1 if it ever does1 ,i am sure it will be to draw us heavenward1 and wean me more and more from earth to heaven4 ,i am sure ,i have been far too much tied down below4 ,truly ,i may say1 #8,my soul cleaveth unto the dust'2 but ,i think ,i already feel something of the weaning power1 and ,i trust ,i may feel it more and more4 ,however1 ,i scarcely ought to write so to you2 but rather to thank ,god for the present mercies1 for the past lovingkindness1 and for my dear1 dear daughters1 who1 ,i am sure1 do all that daughters can to make my home happy4 ,dear love to you both1 and to your uncle and aunt4 8,your most affectionate ,father1 8,e4 ,h40 ,in #ahfd ,mr4 ,hoare1 accompanied by a brother and two of his sons1 went for a tour in ,switzerland4 ,it was on their return that the first meeting took place between the writer and his future ,vicar 7as has been intimated in the ,preface72 and ,mr4 ,hoare used to say1 with reference to the mournful circumstances connected with that day1 that he often asked himself1 8,why should ,i be permitted to bring my boys back in health and strength1 while this other father brings back only one of the two who went out on their holiday80 99 99 99 99 99 ,the following letters were written at this time3-- 8,,lucerne1 ,august #dth1 #ahfd4 8,,my ,,dear ,,girls1--,we failed in catching the night train at ,paris1 so were obliged to come on yesterday by day to ,basle1 and to-day to this lovely place1 which looks more beautiful than ever4 ,i certainly think it is the most beautiful place ,i know in the world4 ,to-morrow we strike into the mountains4 4 4 4 ,everything thus far has prospered with us1 but my heart hungers after home2 and ,i don't know how it is1 but ,i always feel my loss most when ,i am away4 ,i hardly knew how to bear it at ,plymouth4 ,i suppose the reason is that the thoughts are always dwelling on home and all its interests1 so that all connected with it is more felt than ever4 ,the boys are very bright and very agreeable1 ,edward being full of his conversation with the ,french1 to his own great delight1 and their great amusement4 ,he travelled many hours yesterday in a carriage away from us1 in order that he might ride with a large ,french family who had a compartment to themselves4 ,gurney is not so conversable1 but has every appearance of being pre-eminently happy4 ,we are now preparing to go up the ,rigi for the night1 and the whole party are gone to purchase alpenstocks4 ,would not you like to be going with us8 ,but1 oh6 if it lasts so hot1 ,i wonder how much there will be left of us when we reach the top4 ,dear love to all4 ,tell ,lily ,i hope she will look after my garden as well as her own1 and tell the bees we are getting on well1 and met with excellent honey4 ,also you may tell -- of this as the right time of year to plant some ,melilotus ,leucantha1 and also some good strawberries4 ,let me know how the sunflowers are1 and the rose-cuttings4 8,dearest love to all4 8,most affectionate 8,e4 ,h40 ,family-letter from abroad3-- 8,,st4 ,,luc1 ,august #afth1 #ahfd4 8,,my ,,dearest ,,sons ,,and ,,daughters1--#8,homeward ,bound' is always a pleasant sound1 and so it is on this occasion1 however pleasant our journey may have been1 for ,i have been quite homesick for some days1 and1 like a schoolboy1 have been counting the days till my return4 ,i fully hope to be home on ,saturday1 but ,i cannot say at what time1 as we have lost all reckoning as to hours4 ,indeed we may fail altogether1 as we are acting contrary to my general rule1 and propose to travel by the last train all the way from ,basle1 so that if anything fails at any point we shall be thrown out altogether4 ,but ,i trust we shall arrive all right1 and dear uncle with us4 4 4 4 ,i hope we may be home by the #f4bj1 but ,i cannot say positively1 as ,i know nothing4 8,i cannot say how ,i rejoice at the good accounts ,i hear from you4 ,i have thought of you all with the utmost interest1 and prayed for you with a father's love4 ,tell the dear boys how pleased ,i have been to hear such good accounts of them4 ,they little know how they have added to the pleasure of my journey1 for if ,i had felt an anxiety respecting them1 ,i could not have enjoyed even this beautiful country4 ,tell -- and -- likewise how very much ,i have been pleased with your report of them1 and thank -- and -- for their letters4 8,we had a splendid week last week1 and many sacred remembrances of our happy journey together1 and when we came to ,zermatt it seemed so like old times that ,i could almost have looked out for you4 ,the mountains seemed more beautiful than ever2 but there they stand fixed1 and know nothing of the changes that have taken place in the hearts and homes of those that look at them4 ,but there is one thing more fixed and more permanent than they are2 ,i mean the love of ,god in ,christ ,jesus4 ,in it therefore we will seek to trust more and more1 and ,i am sure ,he will never fail us1 as ,he has never done yet1 and we shall never be disappointed4 ,i have accepted the ,archbishop's invitation1 and ,i hope -- will enjoy her visit4 ,as for myself1 ,i had sooner remain at home4 ,but it is clearly right to go1 and indeed ,i propose to make an effort and go out more than ,i have done lately4 ,the boys send their very dear love1 though they do not seem much disposed to express it on paper4 ,that they leave to me4 ,if any very nice person turns up who may be disposed to preach once on ,sunday1 it would be very acceptable2 but ,i hope to reach home prepared4 8,dear love to all4 8,most affectionate 8,e4 ,h40 ,letter to his sons3-- 8,,sierre1 ,august #afth1 #ahfd4 8,,my ,,dear ,,boys1--,i have been so greatly pleased by the good report that ,i have had of you that ,i must write one line to tell you so4 ,i am quite thankful for it1 and ,i have no doubt you have had a happy holiday in consequence4 ,i made some lines on the mountains to show that the way to be happy is to seek each other's happiness3-- 8#8,when all begin to seek their own1 ,then each must seek it quite alone2 ,but when all seek to please each other1 ,then each is helped by every brother4' 8,we have found this to be quite the case in travelling1 for it is quite necessary when we travel to think of all the party1 and strive to please every one4 ,but ,i must not moralise1 but tell you something of our journey4 ,we have not had many adventures2 but we have climbed up some terrible hills1 and ,i can assure you it has been hard work4 ,up1 up1 up2 puff1 puff1 puff2 grunt1 grunt1 grunt2 and still the farther you go1 the mountains grow higher and higher4 ,you think sometimes you are near the top1 and1 when you get there1 you find another top higher still1 and then another1 till you get quite tired of tops4 ,and coming down is hard work too4 ,the mountains are covered with great loose stones1 so that by the time you are at the bottom you are glad enough of a resting-place4 ,we go to bed very early1 the boys about eight1 and ,i about nine4 ,but then we make up for it at the other end1 and by five o'clock1 when you are all fast asleep1 we are all moving1 and sometimes almost off4 ,the middle of the day is so hot1 as our hands and faces will prove to you1 that we can scarcely travel in the middle of the day1 unless we be high up in the mountains1 where the air is so beautifully fresh that we can do almost anything4 ,we meet with a great many travellers1 many of whom are wandering over the glaciers4 ,they are a queer-looking set1 with immense boots with large nails in them1 with wideawakes and green veils tied over them1 with a long pole in their hand with a spike at one end and an axe at the other4 ,then you see their guide marching behind with a similar axe1 and a long rope on his back1 which is used to strap the whole party together if they cross any dangerous place1 so that1 if one falls1 the others may hold him up4 ,and tremendous slips they sometimes have4 ,a few days ago four men slipped and slid four hundred feet1 more than twice the length of our garden1 down a steep piece of ice with a huge precipice at the bottom1 so that they would have been dashed to pieces if they had not stopped4 ,but happily two of them struck their axes into the ice just in time1 and so they hung on1 close by the edge of the precipice1 and were saved4 ,i suppose some time or other ,i shall hear of you two being ,alpine travellers4 ,gurney and ,ted seem quite ready to begin2--but my time is past1 and ,i must content myself with going only to those places where ,i can climb with poor wind and old legs4 ,however1 at ,zermatt we met with ,mr4 and ,mrs4 --1 who had been wandering over the highest glaciers1 she being strapped by a rope to the guides4 ,i suppose she liked it2 but ,i am not sure it was quite the right place for a lady4 8,well6 ,i hope we shall all be together1 if ,god permit1 on ,saturday1 and bring all our things with us1 but some are already left behind1 and others are waiting for us on the road1 as we have taken hardly any luggage1 so that a good many of our preparations were of no use at all4 ,since ,monday morning we have had only a knapsack between us1 so you may imagine we have not been very smart1 and our evening dress has not been of the gayest kind4 ,i fear also it has not always been of the cleanest1 for we have not had things enough to change nearly so often as we should have liked4 ,but we look forward to a glorious wash on ,saturday4 ,but one disadvantage of our having so little luggage is that we cannot bring home any ,swiss curiosities4 ,we have had enough to do to get our own absolute necessaries across the mountains2 so we shall be obliged to come back quite empty-handed4 ,but we shall come not empty-hearted1 but full of love to all my dear ones4 ,good-bye4 ,may ,god bless and keep you6 8,most affectionate 8,e4 ,h40 ,the following letters have an individual interest of their own3-- 8,,tunbridge ,,wells1 ,february #ast1 #ahff4 8,i am sure it is very profitable as well as pleasant to have an occasional change in those we hear1 and on the strength of this conviction ,i propose to take a weekday holiday for next seven weeks1 as ,mr4 ,burgess is to preach for me next ,wednesday1 and other brethren during ,lent4 ,so ,i hope to buckle to and get through ,pusey on ,daniel1 if good friend ,jacques is not reading it4 ,i quite enjoy the thoughts of it1 though really ,i ought to be thankful for our ,wednesday evenings1 though ,i must admit they are an effort to me40 8,,tunbridge ,,wells1 ,may #bjth1 #ahfg4 8,we have been getting on capitally1 and had really a very pleasant ,sunday4 ,campbell's sermon was quite first-rate1 and made a great impression on all who heard it4 ,but ,i greatly fear he will not come as curate4 ,i should esteem it a very great favour if the ,lord were to send me some one who would give a little fresh fire to me as well as the people1 for ,i sometimes find my own energies flag1 and greatly desire to have some fresh zeal infused among us4 ,numbers of people wandered to other churches1 but ,i believe no one regretted their worship in the ,hall or ,schoolroom4 #aea ,we sang the hymn #8,jesus1 where'er ,thy people meet1' and ,i believe we beheld ,his #8mercy-seat4' ,the girls are going to ,mr4 -- this evening with ,brodie4 ,i am going to stay at home1 for ,i do not like the thought of sitting there for three hours4 ,how strange it is the people think two hours too long for church1 but like three hours for a lecture6 ,i suppose they enjoy the one more than the other1 and that makes all the difference4 ,i am afraid they will find ,heaven very dull40 8,,woodford ,,green1 ,september #eth1 #ahfg4 8,it has been a great joy to me to hear such good reports of all the party1 and ,i hope you will tell them all so4 ,there is no text in the ,bible which ,i can enter into more fully than this1 #8,i have no greater joy than to know that my children walk in truth4' ,to hear of and to witness your well-doing is the greatest joy ,i have in life1 and if it please ,god to grant that we may all be one together for eternity1 it will take eternity to express my thankfulness40 ,on hearing of the sudden death of a friend3-- 8,,york1 ,may #bdth1 #ahfi4 8,how rapidly and how unexpectedly do the greatest dangers take place6 ,truly we are living on the brink of eternity1 and a few hours may find us in the midst of it4 ,may the ,lord keep us with our loins girt and our lamps burning1 and we ourselves as those that wait for their ,lord4 ,i am thankful to say ,i have got on very comfortably1 but ,i am too old to talk all day1 and nothing suits me so well as home4 ,i sometimes think ,i must give up travelling altogether2 but then when ,i find how much my poor services seem to be valued ,i have my misgivings4 ,we have had really noble collections1 no less than #gh in one little church holding little more than two hundred persons1 the richest of whom were shop-keepers and professional men2 and #fj in another church where the congregation1 though rather larger1 was very much of the same character4 ,we have therefore still much to learn at home1 and none more than ,i have4 ,it seems that we are only at the beginning1 at the very threshold of heavenly knowledge1 but what we can see on the threshold is enough to fill the soul with praise and gratitude40 99 99 99 99 99 8,,tunbridge ,,wells1 ,april #bfth1 #ahgj4 8,i have really been regretting your absence from the feast of fat things which we have lately been enjoying at home1 for ,i consider we have had privileges of a very high order4 8,our ,passion ,week services were most profitable1 and following as they did on ,mr4 ,langston's ,lent sermons1 they tended1 ,i trust1 to put a seal on impressions already formed1 though ,i cannot say ,i have yet had the joy of discovering any cases of marked conversion as their consequence4 ,i have1 however1 met with those who ,i think have been aroused to further progress1 and who acknowledge the help given with real thankfulness4 8,i trust also that our ,c4,m4,s4 anniversary may be regarded as a token of progress4 ,there has been an amazing amount of interest amongst our younger parishioners on the subject of the ,african ,bishop1 #aec so that yesterday the ,mission-room was quite full1 and again both the ,trinity rooms in the evening4 ,there were so many last night that there were several standing by the door of the girls' room1 and a collection of #ad1 containing an immense amount of copper4 ,i confess ,i was anxious about our collection in church1 especially when ,i found that we had not exceeded that of last year in the morning1 but we picked up nobly in the afternoon and evening4 ,in the evening alone there was #de1 so that before we left church the collection reached #abj1 and there were #aa additional sent on ,monday morning4 ,i hope ,i may regard it as the fruit of all the admirable sermons that we have lately heard1 and if so ,i shall regard it with peculiar thanksgiving1 as showing that there has been not merely religious excitement but true religious principle at work amongst the people4 ,and this is what we all want4 ,it is to be living under the combined influence of principle and emotion1 of deep feeling produced in the soul by strong conviction of ,christian truth4 8,i have been very much urged to go to ,cheltenham1 and if ,i go ,i should immediately set out for my long journey4 ,but ,i do so enjoy my quiet work at home that ,i sometimes think ,i must never go out again4 ,i ought1 however1 to be thankful for the privilege of being permitted to do the ,lord's work anywhere40 ,in the autumn of #ahgj ,mr4 ,hoare1 accompanied by one of his daughters1 crossed the ,atlantic1 and spent nearly three months in a pleasant tour through the ,united ,states4 ,it was a delightful holiday1 and was the means of greatly strengthening and refreshing him for work at home4 ,he had many good introductions1 and went about seeing all that he could of the people1 public institutions1 and ,church work1 but beyond an occasional sermon ,mr4 ,hoare made it a time of rest4 ,no letters appear to have been preserved relating to this tour4 99 99 99 99 99 ,to ,lady ,buxton1 after her son's death3-- 8,,tunbridge ,,wells1 ,august #bbnd1 #ahga4 8,i have thought of you so much lately and so affectionately that ,i must send you one line of loving remembrance1 for ,i know how pleasant a thing it is to be remembered by those we love1 especially when the remembrance leads to prayer4 ,i am persuaded that very many have prayed for you under this very heavy sorrow4 ,there are so many who feel the bitterness of it1 all of whom connect you with it so intimately that ,i am persuaded there has seldom been a mourner more generally or more affectionately remembered before ,god4 8,i think that solemn day at ,fox ,warren was1 on the whole1 very satisfactory4 ,to me it was inexpressibly affecting to be surrounded by all the beauties of the most charming place1 with his mind speaking in every brick and almost in every tree4 ,i was so glad that ,i had paid him a visit there only a few weeks before--such a pleasant visit1 and so remarkable for the charm of his society1 although1 poor dear fellow1 ,i confess ,i was terrified about his health4 ,but now all that is over1 and1 oh6 how it does bring before us the overwhelming interest of the ,heavenly ,home6 #88,my ,heavenly ,home is bright and fair2 ,no pain or death can enter there4' 8,i never remember to have felt more deeply the difference between things which can and which cannot be shaken4 ,oh1 who can tell the blessing of an unshaken hope1 an unshaken safety1 an unshaken inheritance1 and an unshaken home1 all resting on unshaken promises and the unshaken covenant of ,god6 ,these things which cannot be shaken must remain1 and they will remain when all fair homes of this pleasant world are passed away for ever4 ,may ,god keep us by ,his own grace grasping them with an unshaken faith1 that1 when ,christ either comes to us or summons us to ,him1 we may meet ,him without surprise and receive an abundant entrance into ,his ,kingdom40 ,extracts from family-letters3-- 8,,patterdale1 ,september #adth1 #ahga4 8,i have received two very earnest invitations to ,edinburgh1 and one to ,australia4 ,i do not suppose that ,i shall accept either of them1 certainly not the latter until my return2 but if ,i accept the former it will delay my return a week4 ,but ,i do not think it likely4 8,our journey thus far has been most prosperous4 ,we have had beautiful weather1 and a very happy party3 ,keswick and ,derwentwater on ,tuesday1 ,helvellyn and ,ambleside yesterday1 and ,bowness and ,patterdale to-day4 ,as usual we have had several affectionate greetings1 amongst others one from ,sir -- --1 whom we met at ,keswick4 ,we were both very friendly1 but it was impossible not to feel that we were both under constraint from the sense of great divergence4 ,we both scrupulously avoided any points of difference1 but both showed clearly that there were too many rocks on which we might split at any moment4 ,and yet ,i feel reproved by the zeal he had shown in his endeavours to do good to his guide4 ,i am sure there are many lessons which we may learn from those who widely differ from us1 and the more we value the blessed truths which ,god has made known to us1 the more humbled we ought to feel at the want of fervour with which we endeavour to maintain them4 8,to-morrow we hope to reach ,carlisle1 and ,i hope ,i may be prospered there4 ,but ,i find it very difficult to work up much zeal about the ,jews4 ,what ,i do feel is entirely the result of ,scriptural conviction1 and not of any personal interest4 ,the ,jew in ,scripture is certainly a much more interesting character than the ,jew in ,petticoat ,lane4 ,but we profess to act on ,scriptural principles1 and therefore ought to persevere1 even though it be in the dark40 99 99 99 99 99 8,,cromer1 ,september #bhth1 #ahga4 8,i am greatly pleased by your letter of this morning4 ,it was indeed a most profitable sermon of ,mr4 ,edmonstone's1 and ,i have felt the powerful influence on my own mind of it and the life of ,agnes ,jones4 ,i trust1 therefore1 that my ,cromer visit has been thus far really for good1 and ,i feel1 myself1 a fresh stimulus for the sacred work to which the ,lord has called us40 99 99 99 99 99 8,,ely1 ,october #gth1 #ahga4 8,i have been thinking of you all day in your return to the dear old home1 and have almost felt disposed to envy you1 for ,i am satisfied with holiday-making and begin to long for home4 ,however1 ,i have consented to return to ,cromer from ,nottingham1 to pay a visit of a few days to your ,uncle ,richard1 so that ,i expect to enjoy the hospitality of three of my brothers1 which is very satisfactory to me4 ,nothing could have exceeded the kindness of all parties1 and ,i am not without a hope that there has been some blessing on my ministry4 ,but ,i cannot say it has been a time of rest1 and ,i feel the want of repose more than ,i do at home4 ,i suppose this is why ,i write so slowly1 so badly1 and with such difficulty that ,i am sure ,i never should do for ,secretary to the ,c4,m4,s4 #aeg3 the first long letter would knock me up for the day40 99 99 99 99 99 8,,nottingham1 ,october #ajth1 #ahga4 8,i have been venturing on a speech this morning in which ,i think the ,lord prospered me4 ,i desired to speak for ,him1 and ,i was certainly most kindly received40 #aeh;a 99 99 99 99 99 8,,cromer1 ,october #afth1 #ahga4 8,you need not be at all frightened about the ,dean1 for it is on ,wednesday the #beth that he comes to us4 ,the sermon1 etc41 is on the #bfth1 and on that day we ought to have an ,s4,p4,g4 luncheon4 ,i think it would be well to ask the ,committee soon4 ,the list may be found in the ,s4,p4,g4 report1 under the head #8,local' on the top shelf4 8,i feel doubly interested in the thought of my return1 and trust it may be with a greater realisation of our completeness in ,christ ,jesus and of the blessedness of working not merely for ,him but in ,him4 ,i felt this most remarkably at ,nottingham1 and ,i believe it resulted in power1 at all events on one occasion referred to in the paper which ,i have asked -- to send to you4 8,the ,congress was very interesting1 but too exciting4 ,the week was one of great exhaustion1 though ,i am thankful ,i was there1 and ,i believe ,god gave power to those who were endeavouring to be witnesses for the truth4 ,i cannot doubt but on the whole they did well and carried the people with them4 ,with only one exception1 they spoke with wisdom and power1 like men who were being prayed for1 as indeed we all were by many in the ,hall4 ,but the close attention1 the hot room1 the many friends1 and the anxiety as to the issue took a great deal out of me1 so that ,i am to-day really enjoying a quiet morning over my letters4 8,amongst others ,i saw a great deal of the ,bishop of ,sydney1 and found him very strong about the ,australian idea4 #aeh;b ,he says it is the very thing that he has long desired for his own diocese4 ,but ,i do not yet see the call of ,god sufficiently clearly to have my judgment really inclined to it4 ,if the ,lord makes ,his way plain1 ,i hope to be ready to go1 but ,god forbid that ,i should go one step without ,his orders40 ,from the ,archbishop of ,canterbury3-- 8,,addington ,,park1 ,,croydon1 ,september #bdth1 #ahfh4 8,to ,,rev4 ,,ed4 ,,hoare4 8,,dear ,,mr4 ,,hoare1--,it will give me very great pleasure if you will accept the office of ,honorary ,canon of ,canterbury1 to which your standing in the diocese and the services which you have rendered to the ,church by your zeal and ability in the discharge of your ministerial functions amply entitle you4 8,believe me1 dear ,mr4 ,hoare1 8,very sincerely yours1 8,c4 ,t4 ,,cantuar40 ,the offer of an ,honorary ,canonry in ,canterbury ,cathedral1 made in #ahfh by ,archbishop ,longley1 was the only dignity which he ever received2 why this should have been the case is a question that has often been asked1 and to which no satisfactory answer has ever been made4 ,canon ,hoare would have made an admirable ,bishop3 he was a born ruler and administrator2 his intellectual powers and wide sympathies 7for which those who knew him superficially gave him no credit71 together with his power of inspiring enthusiasm in all his subordinates1 would have been good qualities for that high position1 and not the least advantages which he possessed were a fine presence and commanding personality4 ,but he neither sought nor wished for promotion1 and remained to the last what he loved to be1 a pastor in the midst of a devoted flock1 with more opportunities of preaching the ,gospel of ,christ at home and throughout ,england than fell to the lot of most men1 and1 as one remarked to him when the subject happened to be referred to in a newspaper1 8,man has not promoted you1 but ,god has1 by permitting you to be the means of bringing blessing to more souls than any one whom ,i know40 ,looking at the subject in that aspect1 it is impossible to deny that his exceptional talents were specially suited to the sphere which he adorned1 and thus we may believe that ,god overruled the apparent neglect of men for the greater advancement of ,his truth4 ,,chapter ,,xi ,,parochial ,,missions ,five-and-twenty years ago parochial missions were in a different position from that in which they stand at present4 ,there were very few mission preachers1 and they had a good many difficulties to contend with4 ,some looked askance at the new movement and thought it savoured of ,rome2 others deemed it 8exciting10 and unworthy of the calm atmosphere of the ,church of ,england4 ,it had not then been reduced to a science3 missioners adopted their own individual methods1 as seemed best to them4 ,canon ,hoare at an early stage of the history of the movement recognised its vast possibilities1 and believed that it was just what was wanted to save the ,church from stagnation1 and arouse men from that dangerous respectability which enables them to repeat the ,general ,confession1 but which declines to particularise4 ,all through his ministry his aim had been to reach individuals1 and he saw the opportunities of so doing in the work of a mission4 ,the first invitation which he accepted was that given by the ,vicar of ,holy ,trinity1 ,nottingham1 on the occasion of a general mission throughout that town in #ahgb4 ,being his first1 it was a time of the most intense and thrilling interest1 and the letters describing it are therefore given at more length than those that refer to later missions4 ,not that this work lost any of its freshness to him2 during the twelve years that followed he undertook similar missions frequently1 sometimes twice in a year4 ,the opportunity was always fraught with the deepest and most prayerful interest to the preacher2 his congregation1 moreover1 will remember how he used to return to them after such occasions1 not wearied1 but fresher than ever1 and all aflame with spirituality1 power1 and love4 ,his scheme of subjects for a mission was very wisely drawn up2 some of these have been printed1 and evince great knowledge of human nature4 ,the writer well remembers how that1 when he was going to undertake a mission for the first time1 ,canon ,hoare sent for him and said1 8,tell me your order of sermons and ,bible-readings40 ,it was mentioned in detail2 he replied1 8,i see very little about the #8,new ,life4'0 ,he was referred to the subject of 8consecration40 8,well10 said he1 8if you will take my advice1 you will leave that out4 ,i say little about #8consecration1' because that is man's work4 ,make the life which is ,god's gift one entire subject2 its necessity1 its source1 and its reality2 and consecration will follow40 ,his advice was taken1 with the happiest results4 ,to his daughters3-- 8,,trinity ,,vicarage1 ,,nottingham1 ,february #fth1 #ahgb4 8,i think ,i may thus far give a thankful report of my journey4 ,as ,i passed through ,london ,i had a most interesting and encouraging conversation with ,mr4 --1 and a pleasant journey down to this place with --4 ,we arrived just in time to have a hurried cup of tea1 and go off to the public prayer-meeting in the ,exchange ,hall4 ,this was a wonderful sight3 the large ,hall was crammed full1 and many were unable to gain admittance4 ,it was a very striking contrast to the busy market outside4 ,there was a great deal of singing from a very nice little book of the ,s4,p4,c4,k41 and a remarkable address from old ,aitken4 ,the best part of it was an exposition of ,asa's prayer3 the rest was awakening1 and1 ,i hope1 profitable1 very earnest and very affectionate1 but it did not move me1 though some people said it almost threw them into hysterics4 ,i offered a prayer myself1 and three others besides ,aitken4 ,i liked them all thoroughly1 and came away1 ,i hope1 the better1 though the meeting had lasted nearly two hours4 ,so having come here and received a most warm welcome from my pleasant host 7,rev4 ,allan ,smith7 and hostess1 ,i lay down and awoke fresh and happy for the ,sunday's work4 ,mrs4 ,smith is daughter of my old friend ,mr4 ,linton of ,oxford1 and even you could not make me more comfortable than she does6 8,well6 ,sunday dawned upon us1 and at #aj4cj service began4 ,the church is not so large as our own1 and was not so well filled1 but they were pleased with the attendance4 ,i preached on the deep sleep in ,isaiah xxix41 and ,i believe the ,lord was with us4 ,they were attentive all through1 and towards the close many of them were much affected1 so much so that ,i gave notice ,i would have a ,bible class in the church at #c4de p4m4 for a re-consideration of the subject4 ,the ,lord's ,supper was very solemn1 and many were in tears1 especially two old gentlemen whom ,i hope to be able to see during the week4 ,so we went home thankful4 8,the ,bible class in the afternoon was well attended4 ,there must have been more than a hundred present1 including several gentlemen1 so that ,i was well repaid for the effort1 though very tired when it was over and scarcely up to the ,evening ,service4 ,however1 when the time came ,i was fresh again1 and ,i believe the ,lord helped me4 ,there was a larger congregation than in the morning1 but ,i did not see the same evidence of impression4 ,i preached on the old subject1 ,exod4 xii4 #bc1 and1 though there was deep attention1 ,i did not perceive the same emotion4 ,then followed the prayer-meeting3 this was most interesting4 ,the large room was quite full1 and during certain periods of silence ,i heard the sound of weeping in many parts of it4 ,mr4 ,smith gave a short address and offered prayer2 ,i did the same1 and longed to know how to manage such a meeting4 ,after a time ,i dismissed them1 and invited any to remain who liked4 ,but they all seemed unwilling to go1 and it was some time before they began to move4 ,but at last the room was cleared1 and then what should ,i see but two clergymen with their faces covered1 in trouble about their souls4 ,one proved to be a most deeply interesting case4 ,he told me his difficulties without any reserve1 and at length went away declaring himself satisfied4 ,i really believe he learned the way of peace4 8,meanwhile ,mr4 ,smith was speaking to four adults one by one1 and ,i then found a row of five young people waiting for me4 ,in three of them1 especially one1 ,i thought there was great reality1 but ,i had not time to speak with them separately1 and ,i cannot say ,i was satisfied with the interview4 ,i hope to see one of them again to-night1 when ,i trust there may be more decisive results4 8,all this quite freshened me up1 so that ,i was ready and in good heart this morning to start off for the service in ,adams' ,factory at eight4 ,the place was quite full1 so that there must have been about three hundred present4 ,as they all dispersed immediately to their work1 ,i had no opportunity of any personal intercourse1 but they listened with great attention1 and ,i can only hope the ,lord gave ,his blessing4 8,i am now enjoying a quiet morning1 writing1 reading1 thinking1 and praying2 remembering with great affection my dear friends at home who are praying for me1 and most especially the three dear daughters left at home to help their father by their prayers and each other by their mutual help4 ,may the ,lord be with you60 99 99 99 99 99 8,,trinity ,,vicarage1 ,,nottingham1 ,february #ith1 #ahgb4 8,i can hardly tell you what an interesting week ,i have had4 ,it has been without doubt the most encouraging in my whole ministry4 ,i never knew so many persons awakened under my sermons in so short a time1 and ,i am thankful to say that many of them1 and many more who have been previously anxious1 have been brought to see the way of life in ,christ ,jesus their ,saviour4 ,i cannot say how deeply ,i thank ,god for it1 or how it has stirred me up to look out more hopefully for a great blessing at home1 and also amongst the young men at ,cambridge4 ,i hope you all continue to pray for me4 8,last night ,i had first a strong middle-aged man come to speak to me under deep conviction of sin2 and then a most respectable woman who had no peace in her soul4 ,these two took so long that ,i was obliged to send for another clergyman to come and help me with the remainder1 as there were sixteen waiting in the outer room to see me4 8,the greater part of the morning has been occupied by my ,bible class1 but ,i had one hour for inquirers1 during which there came one of the leading gentlemen of ,nottingham1 and a most interesting inquirer who had been in deep anxiety for years1 and who1 ,i believe1 through ,god's mercy left the vestry at peace in ,christ ,jesus4 ,oh1 what can ,i render unto the ,lord for all ,his goodness to me6 ,dear love to the dear sisters and to all who pray for us40 99 99 99 99 99 8,,cambridge1 ,february #abth1 #ahgb4 8,i hope to be home1 if it please ,god1 to-morrow by express1 and look forward with the deepest interest to my return4 ,one thing is clear1 and that is--we must seek to go forward1 and look out for far greater results than ever4 8,saturday was a sacred day4 ,i went in the morning on my way to church to see some of those who had been awakened1 and found them peacefully trusting in their blessed ,saviour4 8,i then went to the church to see any that might come to me1 and my whole hour was filled up by most interesting cases1 one of a most touching character4 ,at #aa4cj ,i gave a short parting address in the church to about a hundred people1 and at twelve left for the train1 after the most kind and grateful farewells from numbers of people who wished to thank me for my ministry4 ,it has been a new era in my life1 and ,i trust has done me great good4 8,i arrived here after five o'clock1 swallowed some dinner1 and hurried off to the gownsmen's meeting1 which began at six4 ,i did not know how to turn my mind to a new subject1 but still ,i hope the ,lord helped me1 and it gave me the opportunity of inviting the young men to meet me on ,sunday night4 8,well6 ,sunday came1 and ,i believe the ,lord was with us4 ,there was a large morning congregation1 and many of the people were deeply moved4 ,oh1 how ,i longed to ask them to come and open their griefs6 but the ,vicar would not give me leave to do so1 so ,i was obliged to leave them to ,god1 and perhaps that was better4 8,in the evening ,i stood up in dear old ,simeon's pulpit4 ,the church was crammed with gownsmen1 and ,i believe the ,holy ,spirit was with us4 ,i then had a cup of tea in ,carlos' rooms1 and went off to the meeting of gownsmen4 ,the room was quite full4 ,i gave them an address on ,justification and ,sanctification1 illustrated by some facts in my ,nottingham experience4 ,i believe that ,i might have had many coming to me for help if ,i had only invited them2 but ,i was stupid1 and did not do it4 8,but one dear fellow seemed as if he could not go away3 he came and took me by the hand1 and would not let go4 ,the others all left the room1 and then he poured out the troubles of his soul4 ,i thank ,god his difficulties were removed1 and we walked home together blessing and praising ,god4 ,oh1 what shall ,i render unto the ,lord for all ,his goodness to me60 ,the following extract describes a return visit three months later to the scene of his first ,mission3-- 8,,nottingham1 ,may #cjth1 #ahgb4 8,but ,i have no words to describe the interest of my short visit here4 ,nothing could be more satisfactory4 ,i found almost all those in whom ,i trusted a work was begun standing fast and thankful in the ,lord4 ,many of them were so transformed from the look of gloom and depression which they had in ,february to a look of peaceful1 confiding thankfulness1 that ,i could scarcely believe they were the same persons2 and their affection1 their gratitude1 and their pleasure in meeting me again were truly touching to my heart40 ,leeds ,church ,congress3-- 8,,leeds1 ,october #hth1 #ahgb4 8,in almost an hour ,i am going down to the battle1 as weak as ,david1 but ,i hope to find the help of ,david's ,god4 ,there is an enormous gathering for the ,congress1 and people of all classes will be there4 ,oh1 how earnestly ,i hope and pray that the ,blessed ,spirit will rest on all there who are called to speak for their blessed ,saviour60 ,mission at ,hull3-- 8,,hull1 ,november #beth1 #ahgb4 8,many thanks both to you and -- for your letters1 for ,i delight to hear from you1 and think of you with most heartfelt and loving prayers4 8,i had a very pleasant1 quiet1 unfatiguing journey1 quite by myself all the way from ,london1 so that ,i had no temptation or obligation to talk4 ,at ,tranby ,i had a most affectionate and brotherly welcome1 and came on here on ,saturday1 full of hope and thanksgiving for the privilege of speaking to so many people about their souls4 8,immediately on my arrival ,i went to a meeting of ,communicants1 very much like our own1 and then to a very uninteresting conference of the clergy2 so we did not really begin work till yesterday4 ,in the morning there was a fine congregation1 and in the evening one still larger1 with a prayer-meeting after it1 in a large hall which was so full many could not get in4 ,as a mode of intercourse with the people it of course completely failed1 but as an indication of their interest it was very encouraging1 and ,i am happy to say that1 one way or another1 ,i have already met with several persons anxious about their state1 and ,i am thankful to be able to add that some of them have gone home with the expression of great satisfaction to their souls as the result of what they have been taught4 8,i have therefore great reason to be thankful for a beginning1 and from what ,i have seen of the first droppings of the shower ,i cannot help hoping that there is a real blessing in store4 8,immense pains have been taken all over the town1 and much prayer offered1 so that we have a right to look for great things4 8,my throat is not at all the worse for yesterday1 and1 if anything1 better2 but ,i tumbled about all night with a very hot head after the excitement of the day4 8,my host and hostess are most kind and agreeable3 they make me exceedingly comfortable1 and are people quite able to carry out their hospitable intentions1 so that ,i am very well off2 but ,i am not sure that ,thorold is not wise in going into a lodging1 so as to avoid the necessity of conversation1 for ,i really believe that talking fatigues more than preaching1 and ,i sometimes long to be alone1 or at all events to be able to get away into my own study just when ,i please4 ,but ,i ought not to say so1 for ,i am as comfortable as man can make me4 ,pray for me1 that ,i may have wisdom and power given to me40 ,specimen of one of ,canon ,hoare's 8,mission ,subjects03-- ,,st4 ,,dunstan',s ,,mission4--,november #abth to #bbnd1 #ahhj4 ,nov4 #abth4--,to ,communicants4 ,psalm cv4 #dj3 8,he satisfied them with the bread of heaven40 ,nov4 #acth4--,prayer-,meeting4 ,psalm xcvii4 #e3 8,the hills melted like wax at the presence of the ,lord40 ,nov4 #adth4--,m4 ,jonah ii4 #i3 8,salvation is of the ,lord40 ,a ,divine ,saviour2 ,salvation2 ,revelation2 ,application4 ,e4 ,gen4 xlii4 #ba3 8,we are verily guilty40 ,conscience--may be seared1 #a ,tim4 iv4 #b2 defiled1 ,titus i4 #ae2 aroused1 ,john viii4 #i2 purged1 ,heb4 x4 #bb4 ,nov4 #aeth4--,m4 ,propitiation3 7#a7 ,divine1 ,rom4 iii4 #be2 7#b7 ,complete1 ,heb4 ix4 #ab2 7#c7 ,final1 ,heb4 ix4 #bh2 7#d7 ,satisfies conscience1 ,heb4 ix4 #ad2 7#e7 ,sufficient1 ,heb4 x4 #ah4 ,e4 ,heb4 xii4 #bd3 8,the blood of sprinkling40 ,speaks of complete atonement1 full remission of sin1 ,heb4 x4 #bb1 ix4 #bb4 ,nov4 #afth4--,m4 ,forgiveness3 7#a7 ,present1 ,psalm xxxii4 #a2 7#b7 ,complete1 ,micah vii4 #ai2 7#c7 ,dependent on atonement1 ,rom4 iii4 #be2 7#d7 ,first gift of the ,new ,covenant1 ,jer4 xxxi4 #cd--8;for40 ,a4 ,to ,mothers4 ,heb4 ii4 #ac3 8,i will put my trust in the ,lord4 4 4 4 ,behold1 ,i and the children whom ,thou hast given me40 ,e4 ,job ix4 #bi3 8,if ,i be wicked1 why then labour ,i in vain80 7#a7 ,the difficulty2 7#b7 ,the remedy--8the ,daysman0 or ,mediator1 ver4 #cc4 ,nov4 #aith4--,m4 ,justification1 ,rom4 v4 #a-aj3 7#a7 ,five blessings from1 vv4 #a-e2 7#b7 ,through reconciliation1 ver4 #aj2 7#c7 ,to whom given1 vv4 #f1 #h1 #aj2 7#d7 ,when given1 vv4 #f1 #h--8yet40 ,e4 ,john v4 #bh1 #bi3 8,the hour is coming40 7#a7 ,the voice2 7#b7 ,the resurrection2 7#c7 ,the separation4 ,nov4 #ahth4--,m4 ,the ,new ,birth1 ,john iii4 #a-af3 7#a7 ,the necessity1 ver4 #g2 7#b7 ,a spiritual change1 ver4 #f2 7#c7 ,by the sovereign power of the ,holy ,ghost1 vv4 #e1 #h2 7#d7 ,found before the ,cross of ,christ1 vv4 #ad-af4 ,a4 ,to ,church-,workers4 ,zech4 iv4 #a-aj4 7#a7 8,by ,my spirit02 7#b7 ,the mountain removed2 7#c7 ,christ will finish ,his work2 7#d7 ,small things2 7#e7 ,christ the ,king and ,priest supplies all1 ver4 #c4 ,e4 ,john v4 #be3 8,the dead shall hear40 7#a7 ,dead conscience2 affections2 hope1 etc42 7#b7 ,the dead hear2 7#c7 ,the dead live4 ,nov4 #aith4--,m4 ,sanctification3 7#a7 ,in the heart1 ,psalm xl4 #h2 7#b7 ,the standard1 #a ,john iii4 #c2 7#c7 ,the difficulty1 #a ,john i4 #h2 7#d7 ,progressive1 #b ,peter iii4 #ah2 7#e7 ,by the use of ,scripture1 ,john xvii4 #ag2 7#f7 ,by the sight of the ,lord ,jesus1 #b ,cor4 iii4 #ah2 7#g7 ,must follow1 not precede forgiveness1 ,jer4 xxxi4 #cc1 #cd4 ,e4 ,matt4 xxvii4 #df3 8,my ,god1 ,my ,god1 why hast ,thou forsaken ,me80 7#a7 ,the imputation of sin to ,christ2 7#b7 ,the certainty of complete satisfaction2 7#c7 ,the burden of unforgiven sin4 ,nov4 #bjth4--,prayer-,meeting4 ,psalm xxxiv43 ,the song of the delivered4 ,nov4 #bast4--,m4 ,psalm cxix4 #id3 8,i am ,thine40 7#a7 ,by the gift of the ,father1 ,john xvii4 #b2 7#b7 ,by redemption through the ,son1 #a ,cor4 vi4 #bj2 7#c7 ,by the life-giving power of the ,holy ,ghost1 ,john vi4 #fc2 7#d7 ,by personal surrender to ,god1 ,rom4 xii4 #a4 ,a4 ,to ,men only4 #b ,cor4 vi4 #ah3 8,i will be a ,father unto you40 ,e4 ,exod4 xxi4 #e3 8,i love my master2 ,i will not go out free40 7#a7 ,the new master2 7#b7 ,the old master4 ,nov4 #bbnd4--,jude #bd3 8,him that is able to keep you from falling40 ,summary3 7#a7 ,finished propitiation2 7#b7 ,free gift2 7#c7 ,life-giving power of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,,chapter ,,xii ,,parish ,,work ,some men are in great request as preachers and speakers outside their parishes1 but for some reason or other they are not very useful at home4 ,it was not so with the subject of this memoir4 ,the prophet in this case was honoured in his own country4 ,on ,sunday mornings1 three-quarters of an hour before service began1 many aged and poor parishioners might be seen making their way into the church to secure good seats4 ,in ,holy ,trinity the free seats are more in number than those that are appropriated1 and some of the former are in the best part of the church2 all these were filled long before the hour for the commencement of service4 ,as eleven o'clock drew near the congregation were in their places1 and the aisles were filled with strangers in every available spot waiting in the hope of some possible seat4 ,it was a common thing in the summer for as many as a hundred to go away unable to get accommodation4 ,the writer well remembers the profound impression which the ,sundays used to make upon his mind4 ,the old ,vicar and his curates were in the vestry in good time robed and ready2 #agd having knelt in prayer1 there was a silent interval1 and exactly to the moment when the clock in the tower struck1 the vestry door was opened and they passed out into the church4 ,sometimes this was a slow work1 as the people stood close together2 some were sitting on the pulpit stairs1 and the clergy had to thread their way to the chancel rails4 ,when service began the cushions at the rails were all occupied by worshippers kneeling upon them4 ,canon ,hoare generally took part in the service1 which was conducted in the simple old-fashioned way1 read1 not 8toned down0 in the manner now so prevalent4 ,when the preacher ascended the high pulpit it was an impressive thing to see that great congregation1 over sixteen hundred in number1 ranged beneath in the body of the building and around him in the deep galleries1 waiting for his words4 ,his prayer before the sermon was a very striking one1 and it was always in the following words3 8,almighty ,god1 our ,heavenly ,father1 who hast purchased to ,thyself an universal ,church by the precious blood of ,thy dear ,son1 and hast promised that the ,holy ,spirit should abide with us for ever3 may we now enjoy ,his sacred presence6 ,may ,he direct the word which shall now be spoken1 and apply it with ,divine power to all our hearts1 through ,jesus ,christ our ,lord4 ,amen40 ,those sermons were wonderful1 delivered so well that few could believe them to be written discourses1 which they were2 with changes of tone which made the sentences impress themselves upon the memory2 the manner so solemn1 as befitted the ambassador1 and yet so pleading1 as became the father4 ,the eloquent language attracted the intellectual mind1 and the remarkable simplicity of expression appealed to the simplest understanding4 ,the matter of these sermons was1 however1 their great charm4 ,the atonement wrought by ,christ was their great theme4 ,many preachers1 when enlarging upon other subjects1 bring in this doctrine at the close of their discourse1 but with ,canon ,hoare the great foundation of our faith1 viz4 the substitution of ,christ for the sinner1 and ,his finished work of propitiation applied by the ,holy ,spirit1 was always visible1 not as a thing to be brought in at the end1 but already there1 as the centre and pivot of all that he said2 hence no doubt the power of his words1 and withal as a thing much to be observed was the extraordinary freshness with which he was able to present1 ,sunday after ,sunday1 the old story of the ,cross1 old but ever new4 ,very powerful were those discourses1 for they were full of teaching4 ,the preacher was a deep student of his ,bible1--8,after diligently working down into it for fifty years10 he used to say1 8,i am still only scratching the surface60--and he possessed moreover an unusual power of imparting knowledge2 he was pre-eminently a teacher1 and among the many privileges which his curates enjoyed none was so great as the ,scriptural teaching which they received in their ,vicar's sermons4 ,after the preacher had concluded there was a short prayer1 followed by the blessing1 and then1 with nothing to take away the impression of the solemn words to which they had listened1 the congregation dispersed4 ,there were three or four services in the ,parish ,church every ,sunday1 besides the shortened ,morning ,service in the hospital and ,mission ,service in the large ,parish ,room2 there were also five ,sunday ,schools1 and many classes on the same day for old and young men1 women1 and senior girls4 ,though in his vigorous days he always preached twice1 he was in the habit of opening the principal boys' school every ,sunday morning1 and in the afternoon visiting one or other of the various schools and classes1 finishing all by slipping into the afternoon service in time to hear the sermon preached by one of his curates4 ,by these means he kept in touch with everything going on in the parish4 ,the weekday work was enormous and varied4 ,the ,parish ,room1 so called--really a large building containing a hall and different rooms--was occupied nearly every hour of every day in some part or other2 and in the parish at large every conceivable kind of agency for the temporal and spiritual good of rich and poor was to be found1 all animated by real energy and spiritual power4 ,many a time have the workers heard from their ,vicar's lips1 8,let us not be content with machinery2 what we want is ,life40 ,the ,sunday ,evening ,services in the ,parish ,room were deeply interesting4 ,for half an hour beforehand the volunteer choir sang hymns to attract the people in1 and workers went into bar-rooms and common lodging-houses to bring in any who would come4 ,it was a very moving sight1 about three hundred people1 some of them degraded in vice1 packed close together1 joining in the familiar hymns1 and listening with attention to the speaker4 ,canon ,hoare often said that1 intensely as he delighted in the opportunity1 it was at times more than he could bear to realise the depth of sin in which many lived who were gathered together at these services--the responsibility of the preacher seemed on such an occasion to be so enormous4 ,except as occasional workers1 he never would allow the regular church-goers to attend the ,mission ,room services4 8,this service is not for you10 he used to say2 8it is a stepping-stone to the church40 ,and such it was4 ,the process of transformation used to be watched with interest in those cases where some poor degraded creature1 either there or at the ,temperance meetings1 was led to 8take the first turn to the right1 and then go straight on10 as ,bishop ,wilberforce once tersely put it4 ,soon the ragged clothing improved1 the whole appearance altered2 after a while it might be said of such that1 clothed and in their right mind1 they sat at the feet of ,jesus2 and then by degrees moving on to the church1 they might be seen at the ,lord's ,table1 or sitting in the adult ,confirmation ,class in preparation for that sacred privilege4 ,there were low slums in that parish1 but1 as ,canon ,hoare used often to say1 8,the ,church of ,england can and does reach the lowest of the low1 and can bring the ,gospel to bear upon the vilest1 without the aid of a fiddle or a flag60 ,one practical difficulty met him at first in the ,parish 7or ,mission7 ,room services4 ,many a poor tramp1 weary and footsore1 used to say when asked to come in3 8,i have eaten nothing since the morning4 ,can you give me food8 ,i want that more than the service40 ,when these answers were reported to him ,mr4 ,hoare used to say1 8,and if ,i were in their place ,i should make the same reply40 ,it then became a matter of consideration what could be done to remove this difficulty1 and yet not give anything like a bribe to induce people to come to these services for a paltry motive4 ,after a great deal of thought and consultation with the workers1 it was determined to give a slice of bread and cheese to any poor hungry ones who were not residents1 but passing through the place1 and in the cold weather a mug of coffee was added4 ,this plan worked admirably2 only a few asked for the food1 but those received it1 and what had been a very real hindrance at the first was satisfactorily removed4 ,most if not all of our ,religious ,societies were well supported in the parish1 but the three in which ,mr4 ,hoare seemed to take the warmest interest were the ,church ,missionary ,society1 the ,church ,pastoral ,aid ,society1 and the ,irish ,church ,missions4 ,for the first and last of these three there were1 besides the ,great ,hall meetings1 crowded gatherings for the poorer parishioners in the ,parish ,room4 ,canon ,hoare was an incorporated member of the ,s4,p4,g41 and had an annual sermon for that society1 but of course the ,church ,missionary ,society had the love of his whole heart4 ,what he was to that society every one knows1 and he infused some of his missionary enthusiasm into the town1 and especially his own parish4 ,the ,church ,missionary ,society anniversary was indeed a 8field-day40 ,long prepared for1 it was anticipated with keen interest2 the best deputations came down1 and nearly every church in the town joined in the celebration4 ,canon ,hoare generally preached in the old ,chapel of ,ease in the morning1 but always occupied his own pulpit in the evening of that day1 and what a thronged congregation there was on these occasions6 ,the whole soul of the preacher seemed to go forth in his subject1 and his hearers were thrilled by the trumpet call of that missionary sermon4 ,in later years the thought of his dearly loved son and daughter working for ,god in ,china brought a special and personal interest into his words--not that he spoke of them1 but somehow one could feel that they were in his thoughts4 ,the collections on these occasions were very large2 in former years #ajj was thought the proper thing as the result of the ,anniversary ,services in ,trinity ,church1 but gradually the amount crept up until about ten years before his death1 when on one anniversary1 in his absence through illness1 it was suggested by the evening preacher that it would be a cheer to their beloved ,vicar if #bjj were reached2 and right liberally was the appeal answered4 ,after the sermon two gentlemen came into the vestry to inquire the amount collected1 8for10 said they1 8whatever the deficit may be1 we will make it #bjj02 but their kindly help was not needed1 as more than that sum was already counted out upon the vestry table6 ,from that day #bjj was looked upon as the proper sum from ,trinity ,church for the ,church ,missionary ,society anniversary4 ,the parish schools for boys1 girls1 and infants were all first-rate1 and ,canon ,hoare prided himself upon having the best boys' school in the diocese2 but he was not content with the welfare of his own schools--it was his wish to strengthen all ,church schools in the town4 ,we hear now a good deal about the confederation of ,church schools4 ,more than twenty-five years ago the ,vicar of ,holy ,trinity started such a confederation4 ,every ,church school in ,tunbridge ,wells elected its members1 and sent them to the periodic meetings1 where matters of interest were discussed1 weak points strengthened1 and preparation made for dangers that threatened4 ,this was only one of the many things in which his statesmanlike ability showed itself2 ,edward ,hoare was one of those 8men that had understanding of the times1 to know what 7the spiritual7 ,israel ought to do40 ,the power of such men is readily felt and acknowledged4 8,all their brethren are at their commandment40 ,it would be impossible to write about the work in ,holy ,trinity parish without alluding to the ,ladies' ,bible ,class4 ,this was a remarkable feature of his ministry1 and1 like most of his works1 was going on before it had been suggested or thought of in other places4 ,this was not a ,bible-reading1 but a class for teaching by preparation beforehand1 and at the time by question and answer4 ,the answering was1 of course1 not compulsory1 but nearly every one present in the large assembly of ladies took part4 ,the teaching was marvellous2 sometimes it was a topic or a life in ,scripture1 sometimes a portion of the ,prayer-,book or the ,articles4 ,the mastery of the subject and the power of conveying the same clear knowledge to other minds were very striking4 ,some have even said that they considered this class to have been his greatest work in ,tunbridge ,wells4 ,the enthusiastic letters which have been received during the past thirty years from generations of young people who1 having been taught by him1 went forth into life educated and fortified in religious truth1 testify to the fact that these classes formed in many an instance the real turning-point of life4 ,twice in the period that he was ,vicar of ,holy ,trinity a ,parochial ,mission was held1 the respective missioners being the ,rev4 ,rowley ,hill1 afterwards ,bishop of ,sodor and ,man1 and the ,rev4 ,h4 ,webb ,peploe4 ,each time it was a grand success1 greatly owing1 under ,god1 to the prayer and preparation which preceded it4 ,the second mission was remarkable for the number of men whom it reached2 at the services for men only there used to be two thousand listeners crammed into the church4 ,being well followed up1 these missions left a glorious mark in the parish4 ,canon ,hoare used often to quote the words of some foreign pastor1 8,the ,church of ,england is the best in the world at throwing the net1 but the worst at drawing it in10 and he always added1 8,let us not fall into that error1 but draw in the net02 and so he did4 ,how familiar to the ears of his old curates were the words that he often said on ,sunday morning from the pulpit at the close of some instructive sermon1 8,if there are any who would like this matter explained further1 ,i shall be glad to see them this afternoon in the ,parish ,room at a quarter past four02 and he has often remarked1 8,i have never given this notice without getting some earnest souls who wanted help40 8,pray for people and look out for ,god's answer10 was the direction that he used to give to his workers1 and in this lay surely one of the secrets of his great success as a pastor4 ,the characteristic of ,holy ,trinity parish was 8,life02 the ,holy ,spirit was manifestly at work in the place1 blessing the various agencies among rich and poor1 young and old1 arousing1 renewing1 converting1 and edifying4 ,one of his loving fellow-workers thus recalls an experience of this in the earlier years of ,canon ,hoare's ministry at ,tunbridge ,wells3-- 8,i recollect well a great spiritual movement that took place over the whole parish1 then undivided except by ,st4 ,john's4 ,people1 men and women1 came to us1 chiefly of course to him1 asking for help in their spiritual state--people who had been living entirely secular lives4 ,there seemed to have been no special cause for it--no mission--no exciting preaching2 it was caused by his careful parish work and ministry4 ,this went on for1 ,i think1 about two months2 we kept it very quiet1 spoke of it only to a few prayerful people1 but they were praying for it2 at length1 however1 it got out1 and a few unwise persons--some of whom were ,church people and some were not--got down ,revivalists and hired the ,town ,hall to throw excitement into the work4 ,immediately it ceased6 ,i build no theory or argument upon the fact1 ,i merely say what ,i noticed40 ,the same writer continues thus3-- 8,about that time we began the ,evening ,communion1 and ,i recollect well our astonishment at the result4 ,such a number of new faces whom either we did not know or never saw at ,holy ,communion6 ,servants1 lodging-house keepers1 wives of working men1 whom practically we had been excommunicating by having the ,holy ,communion only at the hours when we had hitherto celebrated it40 ,all who had the sacred privilege of working with ,canon ,hoare in his splendidly ordered parish will agree in this1 that two clauses of our ,church's ,creeds were ever before his eyes3 one was the note of all his preaching2 the other1 the motive and reward of all his work4 8,i believe in the ,forgiveness of ,sins40 8,i believe in the ,holy ,ghost1 the ,lord1 and ,giver of ,life40 ,this chapter1 which describes some of the parochial work of the parish1 would not be complete without a reference to a great organisation which1 though not of the parish1 yet annually assembled in it1 viz4 8,the ,aggregate ,clerical ,meeting40 ,shortly after his appointment to ,tunbridge ,wells1 at a time when no conferences of clergy1 now so common1 had been thought of1 the idea of the great spiritual benefit to be gained by such an annual gathering made ,mr4 ,hoare determine to try the experiment4 ,having consulted with some friends1 he sent invitations to the members of seven 8,clerical ,societies0 in the neighbouring parts of ,kent1 ,sussex1 and ,surrey1 to assemble in ,tunbridge ,wells in the month of ,june for a series of meetings1 not for the public1 but for themselves1 lasting over two days1 with a sermon in ,trinity ,church on the evening of the first day and a celebration of the ,holy ,communion in the morning of the day following4 ,all invited guests were given hospitality in the houses of kind friends4 ,the ,conference thus assembled met annually for about forty years1 and from the first to the last meeting ,canon ,hoare was its ,president1 although on two occasions illness obliged him to depute another as the chairman4 ,from its small beginning it soon spread1 sending its invitations through the ,south-,east of ,england1 although drawing the greater part of its members 7who numbered altogether nearly five hundred7 from the three counties named above4 ,laymen too1 8introduced by a clergyman10 were invited to attend1 and gladly availed themselves of the opportunity4 ,most of the great ,evangelical men have preached at its annual gatherings1 and papers and addresses of the greatest possible interest have been given at these meetings4 ,all however who have attended on these occasions will agree in this1 that the one thing to which every one looked forward was the closing address of the ,president4 ,precious words were always given him to speak1 full of spiritual experience and loving exhortation4 ,the value of conferences like these is now acknowledged everywhere1 but it is only due to the one whose memory we affectionately cherish that the credit of originating them should be here given to him whose foreseeing mind recognised the blessings such meetings would confer4 ,,chapter ,,xiii ,,the ,,borderland ,the most important crisis of ,canon ,hoare's life was now drawing near--a time which1 though it seemed to be full of trouble1 was really a period of blessing to himself1 to his congregation1 and to a far wider circle than his own devoted people4 ,in a former chapter there was a reference to the invitation which1 issuing first from his old friend ,bishop ,perry of ,melbourne1 was taken up by other ,australian prelates1 viz4 that ,canon ,hoare should visit ,australia in about two years' time and make a mission tour throughout their dioceses in the principal towns4 ,the project assumed a tangible shape1 and details began to be considered2 the whole thing1 including the journeys each way1 was calculated to take ten months4 ,he was absent from his parish for almost exactly the very period1 and at the very same time during which the ,australian tour would have taken place1 but his absence was due to the consequences of that ,roman fever which nearly cost him his life4 ,when ,canon ,hoare first spoke of this to the writer it was with the deepest solemnity2 he said3 8,i am never quite satisfied in my mind as to whether the ,lord had not a specially humbling message for me in that fever2 the ,australian plan was given up because ,i thought ,i ought not to be so long away from my parish1 and it has sometimes seemed to me as if ,he1 by laying me by for the very time that ,i should otherwise have been away1 may have meant me to learn that my presence here is not so important after all1 and that ,he can carry on ,his work by other hands40 ,this is thoroughly characteristic of the way in which our beloved friend seemed always on the alert to detect his own weak points1 as well as to gain from trial its intended blessing4 ,australia was given up1 and several months afterwards he decided to take a short holiday in ,rome during part of ,lent4 ,the following letters describe his enjoyment of the place1 but at the same time we can detect signs of the penumbra of the dark shadow that was swiftly approaching4 ,to his eldest son3-- 8,,rome1 ,march #crd1 #ahgc4 8,so after all my misgivings1 doubts1 and hesitations1 here ,i am really in ,rome1 and already profoundly interested in the place4 ,we arrived on ,friday evening and put up at a new hotel opposite the ,russie1 where alone we could find a resting-place2 and to-day we have moved into some lodgings at the top of one of the highest houses on the top of the highest hill in ,rome4 ,we have been triumphing in the thought of our fresh air1 but the conceit of some of us has been a little diminished this morning by being told that there is nothing so unwholesome in ,rome1 that nothing is so healthy there as a low and crowded situation1 and that no ,roman would accept our privileges for love or money2 but this we keep to ourselves4 8,on ,saturday ,k-- and ,i went to ,st4 ,peter's1 and my expectations were more than realised by the magnificent area and perfect proportions4 ,there is something most solemnising in the magnitude and vast open space perfectly uninterrupted by any arrangement for worshippers1 and a second visit this afternoon has only confirmed my first impressions4 ,i thought to-day that it appeared to have grown since ,i saw it on ,saturday4 8,then we went to the ,forum1 which ,i have been feasting upon again to-day4 ,i imagine that the excavations have been extended since you were here1 but ,i doubt whether in the ,forum much has been discovered4 ,and really nothing is wanting4 ,but how strange that the villain ,phocas1 whose edict has led to so much discussion1 should be the one whose one column should stand out by itself in the best preservation of them all6 ,but all one's ideas of human greatness are dwarfed by the ,coliseum4 ,what must the place have been when crowded with people6 ,it must have contained all the inhabitants of the city1 and a good many over1 and must have illustrated ,st4 ,paul's expression #8so great a cloud of witnesses4' ,i suppose that ,christian martyrs did not much care for lookers-on1 but had their minds wholly absorbed by their ,god and the wild beasts which were to devour them1 but it must have been an awful ordeal to face such a host of enemies1 and how inconceivable it is that such thousands could be brought together for the pleasure of seeing their fellow-men torn to pieces6 ,truly man is a fallen creature1 born far above the beasts1 but fallen far below them6 8,i was greatly entertained by an ,american gentleman1 who said to me that as they had gone so far in ,america as to give the suffrage to every man1 they had better go a little further and give it to all the horses1 for intelligent persons might drive them to the poll1 which they could not do with ignorant men40 ,to his eldest daughter3-- 8,,rome1 ,march #afth1 #ahgc4 8,we have all been greatly interested by your report of the ordination4 #aij ,it seems to me that everything was ordered for us exactly as we could have wished1 and if ,i had sat down to plan it for myself ,i do not think ,i could have planned anything more completely to my mind4 ,so blessed be ,god for the abundance and carefulness of ,his mercy6 ,how ,i have thought of our young clergyman to-day6 ,i wonder whether he has been preaching4 ,he has not written much to me1 but ,i cannot be surprised at that when ,i consider the absorption of his mind4 ,what a delightful birthday for him6 8,i am sorry to say ,i cannot give a very good report of myself4 ,rome has thoroughly disagreed with me1 and the disagreement has brought on so much pain in my back that between the two ,i have had very little power of enjoyment4 ,still there has been so much to enjoy that1 notwithstanding everything1 ,i have enjoyed a great deal very much indeed4 ,but the thing ,i should enjoy more than anything in the world would be to get home1 and ,i am very much disposed to turn my steps homeward instead of going on to ,naples4 ,but nothing is fixed at present1 or even discussed4 ,it is only a floating idea in my mind1 and may come to nothing4 8,it has been strange to spend a second ,sunday in retirement4 ,i was engaged to preach both days1 but could not venture on either1 and now ,i should not be surprised if ,i left ,rome without opening my lips in public4 ,how different ,god's plans are from ours6 ,my plan was that ,i should be so very useful1 and carry on here the same blessed work the ,lord granted at home4 ,but ,god's plan was to keep me still and to let me learn quietly by myself4 ,and ,i really hope ,he has been teaching me1 and that these two ,sundays especially have not been without their blessing4 ,i am quite sure that those who teach most have the greatest need of learning the deep things of ,god and the secret windings of their own hearts4 8,i have not told you about ,rome1 for you know a great deal about it better than ,i do4 ,the great1 grand old ruins stand out as magnificent as ever1 speaking witnesses to the failure of the world's greatness4 #8,broken greatness' seems written on them all4 ,and modern ,popery goes on its way1 ,i should really think1 more idolatrous than ever--the most vulgar1 tawdry travesty of the simple ,christianity of the ,catacombs4 ,but ,i am not going to write a book1 so hoping that ,god has been teaching you at church as ,i believe ,he has been teaching me at home1 and wishing you every one every possible blessing1 8,i remain1 etc41 8,e4 ,,hoare40 ,mr4 ,hoare returned to ,tunbridge ,wells for ,passion ,week1 and was stricken down by the deadly fever which had taken hold of him in ,rome4 ,for several weeks he was desperately ill4 ,sir ,william ,jenner came down two or three times to see him1 and the daily bulletins were looked for by the whole town with the deepest anxiety4 ,a daily prayer-meeting was instituted1 and was thronged by those who joined in the most earnest supplications to ,almighty ,god for his restoration4 ,he recovered1 being to all appearance simply prayed back to life by his people4 ,the physician before named considered it a most remarkable case1 for his patient had lingered too long on the ,borderland to make recovery seem possible4 ,in the summer1 so soon as he could travel1 he was taken away for change1 and he did not return until the autumn1 nor even then to work4 ,the following letter from ,archbishop ,tait was one of very many that poured in upon him at this time1 and the ,aggregate ,clerical ,meeting1 which he had instituted several years before and of which he was ,president1 presented him with an illuminated address signed by some hundreds of clergy1 in which they thanked ,god for his recovery and welcomed him back to health4 ,from ,archbishop ,tait3-- 8,,stonehouse1 ,,st4 ,,peter',s1 ,,thanet4 8,june #fth1 #ahgc4 8,,the ,,rev4 ,,canon ,,hoare4 8,,my ,,dear ,,mr4 ,,hoare1--,your long and trying illness has made us feel much for you and your family4 ,i trust that now our ,heavenly ,father is restoring you to health4 ,may ,he long continue to you and to us the blessing of your preservation in health and usefulness amongst us2 and may ,he in health and sickness give you every support from the ,holy ,spirit4 8,yours sincerely1 8,a4 ,c4 ,,cantuar40 ,to one of his daughters3-- 8,,hampstead1 ,august #acth1 #ahgc4 8,you and ,i have had so little correspondence lately that you must almost forget the sight of my handwriting1 and though1 ,i am sorry to say1 the want of practice has led to a great disinclination to exert myself or to take any trouble1 ,i really must begin again4 8,we are still here1 and not at sea1 as we proposed to be1 for last night it was so stormy that the family in general and your uncle in particular decreed we should not go by ship4 ,i do not think ,k-- is sorry4 ,so now we propose to go by train1 which ,i always declared ,i would not do4 ,but the pair of sons and daughters is more than any resolutions can withstand1 so 7,d4,v47 we go to ,york to-night and ,newcastle to-morrow4 8,on ,sunday ,i hope ,i may hear ,gurney preach3 when shall ,i be doing it again myself8 ,it seems sometimes as if ,i had forgotten how4 8,remember me very particularly to the ,parrys4 ,i have often thought of the ,bishop's #aic visits to me when ,i was ill1 and sometimes regret that ,i did not invite more good ministers to visit me4 ,but ,i doubt very much whether ,i was capable of receiving much good4 ,indeed ,i am humbled to find even now how little power of receiving ,i appear to have4 ,i have been talking to people with a view to my own improvement1 but ,i am very stupid4 ,some things ,i cannot understand at all1 as1 e4g41 this new doctrine of #8,perfection4' ,i cannot criticise it1 for ,i have not yet discovered what it is or what its advocates really mean4 ,i have been talking to ,e--1 ,a-- ,g--1 and ,mc-- about it1 but ,i do not know that ,i understand much more in consequence2 and ,i have been reading a very interesting ,american biography1 but that has not helped me much more4 ,so ,i begin to think ,i must be content with the old paths1 those blessed paths in which so many saints of ,god have walked and followed ,christ4 ,let me and my dear ones be found walking there in the new and living way1 and we may well indeed be thankful4 ,may nothing ever turn us to the right hand or to the left1 but be taking a step forward6 ,for what other purpose has this sickness been sent8 ,oh1 thanks be to ,his ,name60 99 99 99 99 99 8,,cromer1 ,october #bnd1 #ahgc4 8,i do not suppose ,i shall reach home till ,friday or ,saturday4 ,i am not surprised at your feelings about yourself1 for we have all had a shake which must leave its loosenings4 ,besides which we are not going home as usual to full work and happy activity1 and it is impossible not to feel the difference4 ,but there is no reason why we should not be returning to a winter of peculiar enjoyment4 ,there is a joy in work1 but there is great peace in quiet1 and if the ,lord grant ,his presence we may be more happy together than if we were under the full pressure of the ministry4 ,i believe that we shall all be of one mind in the ,lord1 as we have ever been in former times1 and ,i am looking forward to very great enjoyment4 8,it is delightful to me to hear how much ,god has blessed ,mr4 ,money's ministry1 #aie and most pleasant to find how ,god has made my absence such a blessing to the people4 8,i enclose you ,robinson's letter1 as ,i think you will be interested by it4 ,certainly he has been a capital curate and friend1 and ,i have to be most truly thankful for his help4 ,the ,lord sent him when ,he foresaw ,i should need him1 and so ,he will always provide40 ,it has been mentioned that1 during ,canon ,hoare's illness1 the whole town was stirred with affectionate anxiety on his behalf4 ,prayer was offered up for his recovery in the churches and all the ,nonconformist places of worship1 and the common testimony to his character1 in the conversation that was heard in the shop and the street1 was that it was not his preaching nor his intellectual powers which appealed to their feelings so much as the sterling integrity and faithful consistency of his ,christian life4 ,towards the end of ,november ,mr4 ,hoare preached for the first time after his recovery1 and his friends rejoiced to see that few traces remained of his long and alarming illness4 ,his sermon was entitled 8,the ,best ,teacher10 and in the course of it the preacher said3 8,i believe that lately ,god has been teaching us all4 ,he teaches at different times and in different ways4 ,his teaching is not always the same in form4 ,sometimes ,he gives ,his teaching by the voice of ,his teachers1 and sometimes by their silence2 sometimes by giving them power1 and sometimes by taking it away4 ,now ,i believe that ,he has taught us all by ,his blessing on the ministry in this church during the twenty years we have worshipped together1 for it was twenty years yesterday since ,i became incumbent of this parish4 ,i thank ,god ,i believe ,he has taught many of you during that time by my own preaching1 and ,i thank ,him with my whole heart for the blessed results which ,he has given in ,his mercy4 ,but ,i am not sure that this last year has not been the most teaching year of the twenty4 ,i am not sure that ,he has not taught us all more by laying me on one side than ,he did by permitting me to preach4 ,he has certainly taught us how ,he answers prayer1 in a manner that no preaching could ever have done1 and we meet this day with such an encouragement to pray as many of us never had before4 ,but that is not the only lesson that ,god has been teaching us during the year4 ,i know not how it has been with you1 but for my own part ,i recognise many others which ,he has deeply impressed on my convictions4 ,i do not mean to say that ,he has taught me new truths1 but that ,he has made old truths1 the grand old truths of the ,gospel that ,i have loved for years1 more precious than ever1 and has filled my soul with an earnest desire1 if it please ,him to restore me to my ministry1 to preach those truths as ,i have never done yet40 ,after that sermon he never flagged1 but steadily rose again in health1 and in the years that followed many a one was known to say that1 although his preaching had always been clear1 powerful1 and convincing1 yet after his illness it had gained a special characteristic--now he always seemed to speak as one who had come from the ,saviour's presence and had heard ,his voice4 ,,chapter ,,xiv ,,books ,,and ,,speeches ,canon ,hoare never published any large theological work1 but whenever any event 8was in the air10 or some religious point was brought into special prominence1 a small book on the subject was sure to appear1 written with his masterful clearness and power1 that just served the needed purpose and put into men's hands the teaching which they sought4 ,a few of the best-known of these little books are the following3 upon the ,prayer-,book--8,baptism10 8,doctrine of the ,lord's ,supper10 8,absolution and ,confession10 8,our ,protestant ,church10 8,morning and ,evening ,prayer10 8,articles of the ,church of ,england02 upon the ,bible--8,witnesses to ,truth10 8,inspiration02 upon ,prophecy--8,rome1 ,turkey1 and ,jerusalem10 8,palestine1 ,egypt1 and ,assyria10 8,egypt and the ,prophecies02 upon the ,religious ,life--8,redemption10 8,sanctification10 8,conformity to the ,world02 and many others1 some of which have had a great circulation4 ,his papers read at ,diocesan ,conferences and before large gatherings of clergy at ,islington and all over ,england were models of clear thought and well-expressed ideas2 if these could be collected together they would form a valuable handbook upon the most important spiritual and practical subjects4 ,but although ,canon ,hoare was widely known by his small books and papers1 and by the stream of visitors that attended ,trinity ,church during their sojourn at ,tunbridge ,wells1 it was as a regular ,congress speaker that he was familiar to members of the ,church of ,england at large4 ,his writings were read by the same sort of people who came to hear him preach1 people for the most part with religious views like his own2 but at ,church ,congresses all shades of opinion are represented1 and although at earlier gatherings of this sort violent partisans tried to put down speakers of the ,evangelical party by 8exhibiting10 as a witty ,dean expressed it1 8symptoms of the foot and mouth disease60 yet better feelings gained the day1 and soon the calm and fearless speeches of many whose names will readily occur to the reader caused them to receive a welcome even from opponents4 ,ill-advised attempts were made at first by members of their own party to hinder ,evangelical men from attending the ,congress1 but wiser counsels prevailed1 and ,canon ,hoare was one of those who felt that1 unless he and other leaders were willing and able to stand up in defence of their principles on the ,congress platform1 the days of ,evangelical truth were numbered4 ,the sagacity of this view soon became apparent1 and it has led to a kindlier feeling between men holding different theological opinions1 as well as to a diffusion in unexpected quarters of teaching such as that which men like ,canon ,hoare were well qualified to give4 ,the ,vicar of ,holy ,trinity was asked on various occasions to speak at the ,devotional ,meeting that always closes the ,congress week1 and in reference to this the present ,dean of ,norwich once said to the writer1 8,i always call ,canon ,hoare the ,grand ,amen40 99 99 99 99 99 ,extracts from family-letters3-- 8,,fareham1 ,october #abth1 #ahgd4 8,at ,brighton ,i was most kindly and comfortably entertained1 but ,i cannot say ,i enjoyed the ,congress4 ,there was an immense attendance1 and such a crowd that it was almost more than ,i could bear4 ,the result was that ,i heard but a portion of what was said1 and with that portion ,i must confess ,i was ill satisfied4 ,the ,evangelical clergy had to sit hour after hour listening to all kinds of things without the opportunity of saying a word4 ,i was the only one called up on the subject of ,church services1 though a great number had sent in their cards1 and ,i should think nearly ten ,ritualists and ,high ,churchmen were called up one after another4 ,i did not in the least satisfy myself1 though1 as ,i had trusted it in the ,lord's hands1 ,i am satisfied that that which ,i said ,he gave me1 and there ,i leave it4 ,but the result was very painful1 for as the audience did not know of all the cards1 it appeared as if ,i was the only speaker on our side and my poor words the best that could be produced4 ,i am not surprised at those who prefer to go quietly on their way and do the ,lord's work at home4 ,but are we not to fight manfully8 ,yet how are we to do it if our hands are tied as they were there80 99 99 99 99 99 8,,tunbridge ,,wells1 ,august #fth1 #ahge4 8,i hope you may have a happy ,sunday4 ,i propose to preach on the ,song of the ,redeemed in ,rev4 v4 #i1 as the winding-up of my course of sermons on ,redemption4 ,my subject is #8,what do they think of it in ,heaven8' and ,i fear there is a great contrast between their thoughts and ours4 ,if it fills the praises of those who know most about it1 surely it ought to fill the hearts of us who are saved through its power60 99 99 99 99 99 8,,tunbridge ,,wells1 ,may #bfth1 #ahgf4 8,i fear ,i shall not be home to welcome you on ,thursday1 but hope to arrive that evening if ,god prospers me on my long journey to ,southport and back4 ,i am sure my paper ought to be very good1 if ,i go such a long way to deliver it6 ,i am thankful to say it is completed1 and as good as ,i know how to make it2 so ,i hope the ,lord will accept it and make it useful4 #bja ,i certainly have been producing a great deal lately1 but by no means with uniform success4 ,the ,lord has not let me feel that ,i have the power in my own hand1 and has sometimes thoroughly humbled me1 more especially in my speech for the ,jews1 which was a failure4 ,but ,i was encouraged in my sermon about them which ,i preached last ,sunday and which is being printed40 99 99 99 99 99 8,,ottery ,,st4 ,,mary1 ,october #gth1 #ahgf4 8,i am writing this letter1 though ,i am not sure that ,i shall not be with you as soon as it is4 ,but ,i know you will be glad to hear from me if ,i can reach ,london in time for the post4 8,i rejoice to think the ,congress #bjb is over1 and am thankful also that ,i went to it4 ,i believe that the paper was accepted of the ,lord4 ,it provoked no controversy1 and was most kindly spoken of next day by one of the ,ritualistic speakers3 ,i had great reason therefore to be thankful4 ,some of our people did admirably1 manifestly helped of the ,lord1 and ,i do not think the truth suffered4 ,but we sadly wanted more ,evangelicals2 the ,ritualists put on a number of young men1 many of them foolish fellows and poor speakers1 but they got more people on their legs than we did4 8,now for a race between my letter and myself2 ,i wonder which will win60 99 99 99 99 99 7,,mission71 8,,manchester1 ,january #cjth1 #ahgg4 8,you will be thankful to hear that the ,lord is prospering us4 ,we have had some desperate weather1 and the congregations have of course been much less than they would have been4 ,but you know ,i am not dependent on numbers1 and have sometimes found the richest of blessings amidst a little flock on a stormy night4 ,i hope we had such an one last night4 ,it is almost impossible that the weather could have been rougher1 but there was a capital congregation1 considering1 and profound attention4 ,i believe also that there are many seriously impressed and others already greatly helped in their faith40 99 99 99 99 99 8,,york1 ,may #bith1 #ahgg4 8,i am delighted to hear a good report of you all1 and rejoice to think how happy you must be now that the work is finished and the scaffold down4 ,notwithstanding all hindrances1 it is an easier matter to beautify the outside than to reform that which is within4 ,we cannot set the heart right with ,portland cement6 8,i cannot say much about myself4 ,i hope the ,lord may have given ,his blessing1 but ,i have not had the sense of power as in former days3 possibly ,i have not sought it so much from the ,lord2 possibly people expect more from me1 and are disappointed at what they hear4 8,it is curious to find how #8,rome1 ,turkey1 and ,jerusalem' is read and thought about4 ,i hear of it in all directions1 and people express a great interest in it4 8,the owner of the enclosed letter was also interested about #8,inspiration1' as he remembered the address when originally given1 and ,i promised to send him a copy40 99 99 99 99 99 8,,caterham1 ,april #adth1 #ahgh4 8,i hope you are enjoying a peaceful ,sunday2 but ,i cannot bear to be away from you1 for ,i do not feel very happy about you4 ,i have felt afraid that ,i was not sufficiently grateful for all your kind care of me1 and that ,i sometimes seemed cross when ,i ought to have been full of gratitude6 ,but ,i did not feel poorly enough to justify all the care that was taken of me4 ,i hope ,i may be all right by the time ,i come home1 and that if ,i am not ,i may at all events be in a more thankful and submissive spirit4 ,i think it is a very possible thing that a man living with a party of young people does not always realise what they are feeling1 and so does not show that tender sympathy which is the beautiful peculiarity of a mother's love4 ,but ,i have often prayed that ,i may be a mother as well as a father to you all1 and1 ,i trust1 may be enabled to meet your hearts' desires more fully than ,i have ever done yet4 8,but1 oh6 what a wonderful mercy it is that in the recollection of all our defects and failings we may fall back on the finished ,atonement6 #8,the ,lord hath laid on ,him the iniquity of us all4' ,there is a resting-place for sons1 for daughters1 and1 blessed be ,god1 for fathers40 99 99 99 99 99 8,,king',s ,,lynn1 ,october #ith1 #ahgh4 8,i hope that you have been interested about the ,congress1 and have read carefully ,canon ,tristram's most interesting speech in the ,times of ,saturday4 ,it is one of the most remarkable addresses ,i ever met with1 and ,i rejoice to find how well it is reported in the secular papers4 ,do read it together1 if you have not done so already4 8,i do not know what to say of my own speech1 and am puzzled by the way in which it was received4 ,my own friends were most cordial1 but what astonished me most was that -- -- and -- #bjd;a came after the meeting and thanked me for it4 #bjd;b ,what it was for which they felt grateful ,i cannot imagine4 ,i delight to hope that ,god may have helped them to see ,his ,gospel more plainly than before2 but ,he knows1 and ,he only40 ,in the year #ahgi there came an earnest request for a ,mission ,tour in some of the dioceses in ,india1 similar to the one alluded to on a previous page as emanating from ,australia4 ,he was anxious to accept the invitation1 but his medical adviser in ,london1 ,sir ,william ,jenner1 absolutely forbade the undertaking1 and it had to be given up4 ,the description of the death of an old and valued servant is very characteristic4 ,the writer well remembers the calm that pervaded the household next morning1 and the mingled sorrow at the loss of a faithful friend and yet of thanksgiving at the thought of one of their household being called to the ,palace of the ,king4 8,,tunbridge ,,wells1 ,march #hth1 #ahhj4 8,i hope you all enjoyed a happy and peaceful ,sunday yesterday1 as we did at home1 notwithstanding the solemn1 but peaceful1 event with which ours concluded4 ,f-- had passed a bad night and felt poorly in the morning1 but she came to prayers as usual4 ,she did not go to church1 and ,h-- went to ,dr4 ,marsack for some medicine4 ,during the day she lay on her bed a good deal2 but when we went to evening church she was in the kitchen with ,s--1 sitting in her chair1 reading her ,bible4 ,s-- went into the pantry for two or three minutes1 and when she returned there was our faithful friend with not a muscle moved or a feature changed1 but the spirit gone4 ,her ,bible was open at the text on which ,i had been preaching in the morning 7#b ,cor4 v4 #a1 #f72 and so1 gently and without the slightest struggle1 the knowledge by faith was exchanged for that by sight and she entered into the visible presence of her ,lord4 4 4 4 8,when ,i came home from ,southborough ,i found her laid out in the little room1 looking just the same as usual1 with a perfectly peaceful1 tranquil appearance1 with no more disturbance of expression than a little child shows in its sleep4 8,i need not tell you what a sense of solemnity there was last night throughout the house4 ,we have all deeply felt it1 but ,i must say that thankfulness prevails1 for all who knew her had felt anxious for her future4 ,how graciously does ,god deal with ,his children6 and how needless are our anxieties60 ,in the ,ladies' ,bible ,class1 when going through ,acts xvi41 he had urged upon his people the duty of ever looking out for opportunities of speaking for ,god4 8,lydia0 was the case in point1 and the apostle's readiness to make a personal appeal was shown to be ,god's plan for this woman1 who1 residing in the very place which ,st4 ,paul was not allowed to visit1 was yet brought all the way to ,philippi to meet ,god's messenger there4 ,this will explain some passages in the following letter to his daughters3-- 8,,scarborough1 ,july #abth1 #ahhj4 8,i have been thinking of you unceasingly ever since ,i left home1 and am more and more amazed at my ever having done so4 ,how ,i could bring myself to it ,i cannot imagine2 but ,i hope it is for the ,lord's service4 8,i have been looking out for #8,lydia' all the way1 but not very successfully4 ,when ,i got into the train at ,tunbridge ,wells there was a nice-looking lady who fixed her eyes on me so steadfastly1 as if wishing to speak to me2 so ,i soon opened the way1 but ,i found the poor thing was out of her mind1 being taken to ,london4 8,in the next train there was a lady with her servant1 very tearful1 so as she sat opposite me ,i took the opportunity of a civil word about the window1 but as soon as she could she got away to the other side of the carriage1 so there was no opening there4 ,but ,i am not sure that #8,lydia' may not be in this house1 for there is a lady staying here1 and both she and my hostess are eager for conversation on the great truths of the ,gospel4 8,i had a pleasant1 quiet ,sunday4 ,the place is perfectly charming2 the house and garden delightful1 with the most lovely view of the sea and the opposite hills1 so that ,i do not know how to tear myself away from my bedroom window4 8,the church is very nice1 but sadly small4 4 4 4 ,there were good congregations1 but not a crowd4 ,i preached in the evening1 and ,i certainly could not have desired a better congregation4 ,i hope the ,lord was with us1 bestowing ,his blessing4 8,i heard in the morning a very good1 practical sermon on the causes of restraint in prayer3 8,allowed sin1 8,unbelief1 8,worldliness1 8,business1 8,temper4 8,it was all true and profitable1 but ,i should have been more profited if he had helped us to overcome them40 99 99 99 99 99 8,,newcastle-,,on-,,tyne1 ,october #dth1 #ahha4 8,as for the ,congress1 ,i cannot say ,i like the thought of it1 though ,i hope the ,lord will make use of it and of me in it4 ,i have been thinking of my text last ,sunday1 #8,shall your brethren go to war1 and shall ye sit here8' so ,i am rejoiced to act with my brethren1 and ,i trust the ,lord may unite us in ,his service1 and give us not only meekness of wisdom but the wisdom of meekness40 99 99 99 99 99 8,,cromer1 ,october #ajth1 #ahha4 8,i am rejoiced to hear of your happy visit to that dear home at ,canterbury4 ,i cannot say with what thankfulness ,i think on all the grace which our ,god and ,saviour has shown there1 and how delighted ,i am that you all should have the unspeakable joy of being employed as the ,lord's agents for conveying the glad tidings of life to precious souls4 8,i return you ,mr4 ,stock's letter1 as you wish it1 though ,i am more inclined to put it in the fire1 for it frightens me4 ,but ,i believe the ,lord was with me on the occasion to which he refers1 and there was one very remarkable circumstance about it which he did not know4 8,dr4 ,bardsley and ,i had both sent in our cards1 and ,i saw that he was eager to speak4 ,about twenty minutes before the close of the meeting the ,bishop turned to me and said that he could just manage to find a place for me4 ,so ,i told him he had better call ,bardsley instead1 which he did4 ,so ,b4 spoke1 and some other man after him1 when the ,bishop turned round again and said1 #8,i think after all ,i can find time for you4' ,all this made me the last speaker of the day4 ,off ,i went1 and ,i believe before the ,lord2 ,he seemed to give me the ears and the good-will of the people at the very first sentence4 ,i was enabled to say exactly what ,i wished1 till at length1 speaking of toleration1 ,i said1 #8,but if men introduce a ritual intended to symbolise ,rome--' when two or three persons cried out #8,no1 no4' ,but their objection only roused the whole multitude to what seemed like an almost unanimous cheer1 which went on so long that at length the bell rang without my being able to finish my sentence1 and there the discussion ended4 ,so ,i lifted up my heart to the ,lord and thanked ,him for ,his mercy4 8,i sent in my card next day on #8,reformation ,principles1' but the ,bishop of ,carlisle1 who was chairman1 did not call me up4 8,on ,friday ,i read my paper4 #bji ,of course there was no excitement about that1 but quite as much cause for thanksgiving1 for several persons1 amongst them ,arch-deacon --1 came to me in the evening and thanked me for it as having been a real help to them in their own souls4 ,so ,i am come away with a thankful heart and a longing desire to spend what time remains as a firm and faithful witness for truth40 ,few speeches at a congress can have aroused more excitement than ,canon ,hoare's famous impromptu address at ,derby in #ahhb1 and none probably have been so far-reaching in their effect4 ,the enthusiasm aroused in the vast audience was electrical2 cheers and shouts of applause interrupted the speaker at every sentence4 ,the same night it was being sold about the streets of ,derby as a separate publication1 next day it was in all the papers word for word1 and during the twelve months that followed letters came in large numbers from nearly every part of the world1 thanking him for his manly and vigorous words1 in which he did not merely 8hold the fort10 but carried the war into the camp of those who wished to bring our ,church back into the dominion of ,rome4 ,commenting upon it1 the ,guardian of that date said3 8,no one1 whether agreeing with ,canon ,hoare or not1 could fail to be struck with admiration at the courage and skill with which he grappled his antagonist40 ,the speaker who followed allowed himself to utter words which in calmer moments he would never have said2 it is hardly possible that one who rose1 as he expressed it1 8to pour oil upon the troubled waters10 could have otherwise stated that ,canon ,hoare's friends would hold up as a very 8mark of the beast such a frequent use of the ,holy ,communion0 as ,mr4 ,wood and his friends advocated2 and this said to one who always had weekly ,communion in his church1 and who1 when a young man at ,richmond1 had been the first in his diocese to institute an early celebration6 8,,cromer1 ,october #ajth1 #ahhb4 7,after ,church ,congress at ,derby47 8,i enclose you four letters received by this morning's post1 and now1 as that speech to which they refer has manifestly made a great impression1 ,i wish to put on record the ,lord's dealings with me in the matter1 for they have tended very greatly to the confirmation of my faith1 and1 ,i hope1 given me a lift for the remainder of my life4 8,when ,i was first asked to take part at the ,congress the ,secretary asked me to choose a subject from a list sent to me4 ,i marked three1 any one of which ,i should be prepared to undertake1 one being the ,liturgy1 to which my attention had been directed at the ,bible class and preparation for my ,lent sermons4 ,thus ,god was preparing me then4 8,when the list came out ,i was disappointed that ,i had a speech and not a paper1 and felt the responsibility of my position1 as ,i was the only speaker on the list1 and there were four papers to precede me1 by ,hope1 ,bickersteth1 ,wood1 and ,venables4 8,you all know what difficulty ,i felt in preparation4 ,i did all ,i could to be prepared1 and continually committed it to ,god1 but ,i felt doubtful all the way through whether all my preparation would be of any value4 8,so we went on till the day came4 ,i awoke very early under the sense that ,i had important work before me1 and as ,i lay still in the dark ,i was able to cast the whole matter into the hands of the ,lord4 ,after breakfast ,i went to preside at the prayer-meeting1 and spoke to them of the ,lord's love for the ,church1 in ,ephesians v4 ,the room was very full1 and when we knelt down to pray ,i was solemnised more than ,i can tell you by all who prayed praying for me especially3 ,i was the one subject of their prayers4 8,i never can forget the prayer of one of them that the ,lord would make me ,his mouthpiece and put ,his thoughts into my mind4 ,this was very delightful to me1 but it made me think something was coming2 so ,i left the morning meeting and went home for a quiet hour before luncheon4 ,i then polished up my weapons1 finished off my opening and conclusion1 and spread it all out before the ,lord1 in happy remembrance of the good man's prayer4 8,at length the meeting began4 ,hope was very bad1 but did not give much that ,i could lay hold on4 ,but when ,wood began he at once pronounced our ,communion ,service to be a meagre deposit of the #8,use of ,sarum1' and said he did not want to suggest the improvement of our ,liturgy1 but the adoption as an alternative service of the ,first ,book of ,edward ,,vi4 ,i sat listening to him1 taking careful notes1 and hoped that by the time ,venables had done ,i should be ready4 ,but what was my astonishment when ,i heard my name called by the ,bishop as soon as ,wood sat down4 ,i said to him1 #8,it is not my turn1' but he replied1 #8,you had better go on4' ,i do not know his motive2 perhaps it was that he wished ,wood answered4 ,so there ,i was in the face of the vast assembly without a minute's notice4 ,but was not the ,lord with me8 and would ,he not answer the good man's prayer8 ,so ,i put down my ,prayer-,book1 notes and everything--and away6 ,the people gave me a most kind welcome1 and1 as ,i have been told since1 many dear friends throughout the hall lifted up their hearts in prayer for me4 ,i saw in a moment what ,i had to say2 it was as clear to me as if ,i had studied it for months3 nor had ,i the slightest difficulty for words1 except once when ,i failed in quoting accurately the thirty-first ,article4 ,i was hissed and met with noisy opposition4 ,but that did not matter in the least2 the mass of the people was with me1 and so was the ,lord4 8,mr4 ,wood had put a weapon in my hand which was irresistible4 ,i was encouraged as ,i went along with most hearty and enthusiastic cheers1 till at length when ,i had done the people went on cheering as if they never could leave off4 ,oh1 how ,i thought of the good man's prayers1 and how ,i realised the privilege of being an instrument in the hand of the ,lord6 ,this thought has made me feel quite satisfied since4 ,i should have liked not to have slipped in the ,article1 and there are many things that have occurred since to me1 some that ,i might have added and some that ,i might have said better1 but ,i have been satisfied in the thought that the ,lord gave me what to say and that ,i said what ,he wished me to have said4 ,so ,i do not fret over the omissions or defects1 but accept it with thankfulness from ,him4 8,i cannot describe the expressions of thankfulness from multitudes of my friends after the meeting1 or the deeply solemn feeling at the prayer-meeting next morning1 when again ,i was the principal subject of it1 but this time in thankful acknowledgment of the help which the ,lord had given4 8,well6 ,i have written you a long letter about my own proceedings1 but ,i would rather say about the ,lord's dealings with me1 and that justifies its length4 ,i hope the whole history will lead us all to trust ,him more simply than ever to put words into our lips and thoughts into our minds1 and so to employ us for ,his own most sacred service40 ,the following is the text of the speech1 taken from the ,church ,congress ,report3-- 8,your lordship has called upon me before my time2 but ,i am prepared1 my lord1 to go on if you think it right that ,i should4 ,at the same time1 ,i may add that ,i am called upon by surprise1 for ,i expected to have to discuss the suggestions for ,liturgical ,improvements which it was likely would have been made by the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,venables4 ,at the same time1 however1 ,i am prepared to accept the position1 as appointed for me in the providence of ,god4 ,i consider that this debate is a most important one for the ,church of ,england4 ,i think that the speech of ,mr4 ,wood1 to which we have just listened1 is one of the most important speeches that ,i have ever heard delivered at a ,church ,congress4 ,we used to be told that what was originally called the ,tractarian movement1 but which has since been called the ,ritualistic movement1 was an effort of pious and devoted men to rise above our poor ,churchmanship1 and to bring out in better development the true principles of the ,church of ,england4 ,we always1 with that happiness which accompanies a clear conscience1 maintained that we were the true representatives of the ,church of ,england4 ,we acted upon its principles1 and taught its truth4 ,but still1 we have had to bear a certain amount of reproach1 and we have not been able to overcome the old prejudices4 ,this day1 however1 we have been told by ,mr4 ,wood1 the ,president of the ,english ,church ,union1 that our beautiful ,english ,church ,service is #8meagre'3 that there is nothing more meagre than our existing ,liturgy2 that our ,holy ,communion ,service--in which we have taken so much delight--is a mutilated1 an inferior1 and a defective ,service4 ,cries of #8,no1 no4' ,i say #8,yes1' and this great assembly has heard what ,mr4 ,wood has said4 ,we have been told to-day that we are to go back to the ,liturgy and to the ,communion ,office of #aedi1 instead of accepting that of the year #aeeb1 and finally revised in #affb4 ,and1 now1 will you just look for one moment at the first ,liturgy of ,edward the ,sixth8 8,we were told to-day that it was a falling-off from the use of ,sarum4 ,we are therefore1 it seems1 to look upon the use of ,sarum--that old ,popish ,liturgy--,i say that old ,popish ,liturgy1 which existed in the diocese of ,salisbury1 as the model at which we are to aim4 ,to this use of ,sarum the ,reformers applied the pruning-knife1 and ,i cannot say that they left much of the ,office of ,sarum4 ,there were certain very fine passages in it1 and they retained them4 ,but they brought out a new ,communion ,office in #aedi4 ,there were1 however1 certain defects still left4 8,but as time went on1 and the ,reformers saw more and more of the blessed truth of ,god1 they then said that the thing must be thoroughly done1 and it was of no use to carry out mere half-measures4 ,so1 thank ,god1 they did not stop at the ,first ,book of ,edward4 ,i am very much disposed to think that1 if ,mr4 ,wood gets it1 he won't stop there either4 ,and now that we have enjoyed the ,prayer-,book as the ,reformers gave it us for these three centuries past1 we are told that we are to hark back again4 ,of this ,i am fully persuaded1 that the ,churchmen of ,england are not prepared for such retrogression4 ,you must consider what has been said by ,mr4 ,beresford-,hope on this subject2 he and ,i have sparred about this matter before now4 ,mr4 ,beresford-,hope knows just as well as ,i do that there is no such thing as an altar in the ,church of ,england4 ,and ,i will tell you also what ,mr4 ,wood and his friends know very well4 ,they know as well as ,i do that if they can but coax us back to those three years--to #aedi1 to the ,first ,book of ,edward--that there they will find an altar4 ,and that is one reason why they wish for it4 ,the ,reformers knew very well that an altar was essentially connected with a sacrifice4 ,and they knew this also1 that while they were prepared to offer the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving1 the sacrifice of propitiation was completed for ever4 ,and they believed1 further1 that the doctrine of the mass was a lying abomination1 or rather ,i would say1 a #8blasphemous fable and dangerous deceit4' ,now1 then1 my lord1 we fully know our ground1 and where it is we have to stand4 ,we have1 therefore1 learned something at this ,church ,congress4 ,we know where we are4 ,we go home to-day knowing with what a power and with what an intention we have to contend4 ,we know what ,mr4 ,wood has told us4 ,he has told us as plainly as possible that the object is to bring back the ,church of ,england from the ,reformed ,church of #aeeb2 to stop just a little by the way in the refreshment room of #aedi1 and then we are to plunge head-foremost right into the use of ,sarum4 ,now1 then1 my lord1 what shall we say to this8 ,shall we have it8 or shall we not8 ,what1 ,i ask1 shall we say to this8 ,shall we stick by the blessed truths that we have received1 and for which our ,reformers died8 ,shall we cling to the dear old ,office ,book1 in which we have hundreds and thousands of times poured out our whole hearts before ,god8 ,shall we unite heart and soul as witnesses for ,christ while we come to ,his ,holy ,table1 and hold there communion with ,him8 or shall we begin by half-and-half retrograde measures until we go right back into the arms of ,rome8 ,my lord1 ,i say no more2 but ,i wish to thank ,mr4 ,wood for having spoken out so plainly on this subject1 and for thus having let us know this day what are the real intentions of the ,english ,church ,union40 ,,chapter ,,xv ,,blindness ,,and ,,second ,,illness ,the annual ,confirmation times were looked upon by ,canon ,hoare as the most important occasions1 and the ten or twelve weeks of preparation as a season whose value was simply inestimable4 ,large numbers were prepared by him personally every year1 and it was beautiful to see the tender individual interest which he showed in every case4 ,before the day of ,confirmation1 at the private interview with each1 he noted down in a special book his opinion of the case4 ,he was once asked when he made this diagnosis4 ,he replied3 8,as they walk from the door to the chair beside me1 ,i get a view of their character and disposition2 the conversation which ,i have with them afterwards gives me a further insight1 and ,i hardly ever find the estimate wrong40 ,many who read these lines will remember the earnest prayer1 and then the fatherly grasp of the hand and loving blessing with which those interviews ended4 ,all through the weeks and months of preparation the candidates were remembered at the weekly prayer-meeting in the ,parish ,room1 and on the ,sunday previous to ,confirmation they were commended to the prayers of the congregation and a sermon was specially devoted to the subject4 ,on the day itself there was an early prayer-meeting1 to which all candidates came1 and afterwards every arrangement was made to keep the newly confirmed free from outside influences that might too soon remove good impressions2 the evening was spent1 after tea in the ,parish ,room1 in the singing of hymns and listening to various addresses4 ,every year his interest in the subject was fresh as ever1 and at the age of eighty-one his sermon on ,confirmation1 which was afterwards printed and a copy sent by him to the present ,archbishop of ,canterbury 7and acknowledged by him in one of the following letters71 was so remarkable in its power and teaching as to receive a special notice in one of the ,archbishop's recent ,charges--an honour most gratifying to the preacher and probably nearly unique4 ,to one of his daughters3-- 8,,balachulish1 ,n4,b41 ,september #acth1 #ahhc4 8,i hope you will enjoy a delightful ,sunday at ,thun4 ,i do not look forward with much pleasure to ours1 for ,i do not like the ,scotch ,church services4 ,i was greatly distressed last ,sunday at ,oban4 ,oh1 how earnest ,i should be that visitors to ,tunbridge ,wells should have the pure ,gospel of the grace of ,god6 ,it is grievous to think what many people are condemned to hear6 ,may ,god make us faithful to ,his truth60 99 99 99 99 99 8,,tunbridge ,,wells1 ,june #dth1 #ahhe4 8,i am getting on very comfortably with ,confirmation candidates4 ,the ,trinity school-girls are improved4 ,they are excellent in their knowledge1 well up in the ,catechism1 in which they used to be so sadly defective4 ,of course it is extremely difficult for an old man like me to get into the secrets of their young hearts1 but many of them1 ,i believe1 are more than in earnest1 for ,i feel sure they are really resting on their ,saviour4 ,poor dears6 ,i hope they will be kept1 but they are likely to be terribly exposed to all kinds of religious unsettlement4 ,the ,salvation ,army is going to have a grand #8,battle' next week1 and the rank and file is to consist of #8saved drunkards1 liars1 swearers1 poachers1 parsons1 sailors1 and nailers'66 ,so we are classed with queer company6 ,is it of ,god8 or is it strange fire8 that is the question4 ,but who can wonder if our young people are perplexed and confused80 ,written at the death-bed of his brother ,joseph3-- 8,,hampstead1 ,january #afth1 #ahhf4 8,i could not come home to-day1 for ,i could not leave him in his low estate1 though ,i am not like some of them1 in immediate apprehension of any change4 ,i fear there may be still before us deeper depths than we have known yet1 unless the ,lord mercifully lifts him over them1 as ,he did ,miss ,courthope4 ,he is generally wandering1 but frequently revives in a most curious manner when ,i speak to him4 ,i firmly believe that minds clouded like his very often have a perception of heavenly things1 and most especially of the sweet name of ,jesus4 8,i went this morning to ,c4,m4,s4 on the subject of the ,february ,meetings4 ,it was very edifying1 but ,i had to come away very quickly1 as ,i wanted to be back4 ,people were all most kind1 so much so that ,i hardly knew how to bear it4 8,since then ,i have been to see ,bishop ,perry1 who was very unwell yesterday1 ,i believe from riding home after a tiring day at ,islington in a cold hansom-cab when he had a carriage and pair in his stable wanting exercise6 ,such is mankind4 ,i tell him that ,i am obliged to knock about in cabs and 'busses because ,i cannot afford anything better1 but he ought not to think of it4 8,when we shall be home no one knows4 ,i do not think ,i can come home for ,sunday if things go on as they are now doing1 unless ,i am obliged to do so1 and ,i see nothing to indicate any immediate change4 ,but we are in the ,lord's hands1 hour by hour1 with eternity full in view and the ,lord ,jesus almost visible4 ,may we each one abide in ,his love60 99 99 99 99 99 8,,hampstead1 ,january #bast1 #ahhf4 8,joseph at rest in the ,lord40 99 99 99 99 99 8,,tunbridge ,,wells1 ,march #eth1 #ahhg4 8,i hope you are still prospering and that you have had as beautiful weather as we have had4 ,i consider that the beautiful bright sunshine of our dear old ,england is to be preferred to that of the ,south of ,france1 more especially if the latter is accompanied by earthquakes as a variety1 and certainly we have all been enjoying it here4 ,last ,sunday was one of the most lovely days ,i can remember1 and ,i hope it was one in which we enjoyed some sunshine in our souls4 ,all the week too has been bright and happy1 though we have had some fogs in the morning--just enough to teach us how ,god can clear away all that obscures the sunshine of ,his love4 ,on ,wednesday we had a most profitable sermon from ,mr4 ,russell40 99 99 99 99 99 8,,marden ,,hill1 ,,hertford1 ,august #cjth1 #ahhg4 8,nothing can be kinder or more affectionate than everybody here4 ,h-- and ,m-- are most pleasant1 and ,i would not have missed coming to them here on any account1 as ,i consider that at ,cromer every one is in a non-natural condition and here they are in their own home4 ,i wonder whether there is the same difference between myself at home and abroad4 ,i suppose there is1 though ,i do not see it4 8,i hope you are enjoying ,brittany4 ,you surely did not leave ,guernsey on your left as you were crossing4 ,if you did ,i suppose it was to avoid rocks2 and maybe we should all prosper more if we were more careful to avoid temptations as well as to overcome them2 and ,i hope the ,lord may so direct the path of every one of us that we may be kept from danger and guided safe into the haven of peace4 ,i have been exceedingly impressed with these words in ,jeremiah x43 #8,the way of man is not in himself3 it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps4' ,so my way1 and your way1 is not in ourselves1 and ,i trust the ,lord may direct all our steps for ,his own glory40 99 99 99 99 99 8,,st4 ,,bernard',s1 ,,caterham1 ,october #adth1 #ahhg4 8,i return ,miss ,t--'s enclosure4 ,pray tell her that her confidence need not be in the least shaken by the proposed visit to the ,old ,catholics1 for they are thorough ,protestants in many respects4 ,they withdrew from the ,church of ,rome on the decree of ,papal ,infallibility 7,i think in the year #ahgj71 under that very remarkable man ,dr4 ,dllinger1 and have been excommunicated by it4 ,they call themselves #8,old ,catholics' to distinguish themselves from the ,new1 or ,roman1 ,catholics1 and they claim to hold the ,catholic faith as it was before ,rome introduced its errors4 ,we ought1 therefore1 to rejoice at our ,bishops taking them in hand40 ,to his daughters3-- 8,,york1 ,may #bgth1 #ahhh4 8,i know not why it is1 but my heart is so full for you all that ,i cannot forbear from writing to tell you4 ,you have been constantly in my thoughts since ,i left home1 and oh1 how ,i have desired that the ,lord may give to each one of you every possible happiness6 ,i thank ,god that ,i believe ,he has given us a very happy home1 and one that can stand comparison with others2 but ,i long to make it happier still and to do all that a father can do to help each one of you and to promote that loving1 joyous spirit which is the sacred privilege of a ,christian home4 ,certainly it has entwined itself very closely round my own heart2 and now that ,i am away ,i seem to feel it more than ever4 ,may the ,lord be with you all1 not only while ,i am with you1 but when ,i am gathered to my own ,home with the ,lord ,jesus6 8,i am thankful that ,i have been prospered1 and am quite well and had an easy journey4 ,everybody has been most kind1 and ,i hope the ,lord has accompanied the ministry4 ,the morning sermon was a long way off and not exciting3 ,i felt for the good man1 for he seemed discouraged4 8,the ,evening ,service in the ,minster was magnificent4 ,there was a grand congregation1 and what with the noble building and fine music there was enough to make a profound impression1 even if there had been no sermon4 8,but ,i hope they had the ,gospel in addition2 ,i certainly desired to give it to them1 and they appeared to me very attentive4 ,i do not feel in much heart for speech-making to-day1 for ,i am utterly out of practice4 ,but #8what have ,i that ,i have not received8' so ,i must open my mouth to receive my message1 and ,i hope the ,lord will give it me40 99 99 99 99 99 8,,tunbridge ,,wells1 ,august #bbnd1 #ahhh4 8,i rejoice to hear that you are prospering and enjoying ,chamounix4 ,i cannot doubt that you have a most pleasant1 happy1 and loving party1 and ,i shall heartily enjoy a few bright days with you and another look at those lovely mountains4 ,there they stand unchanged1 while all their admirers pass by and are gone4 ,what a picture of what is going on in life6 ,there is only ,one who is not a mere passer-by2 but1 thanks to ,god1 ,he is unchangeable1 and we need never pass away from ,him4 8,we had a very comfortable ,sunday4 ,i preached in the morning about ,jehoshaphat1 to my own great interest4 ,but in the afternoon ,i had a very poor attendance of men1 and preached the feeblest of sermons4 ,i hope it may have confounded the mighty1 for it certainly was one of the weak things of the world1 and contributed nothing to the self-elevation of the preacher4 8,i am now off to church to preach on holiness4 ,may ,god make us partakers of ,his holiness60 ,in the autumn of #ahhh his blindness began4 ,the doctors stated that it was due to no illness1 but just a sudden failure of power4 ,he could at first see figures and large objects more or less1 and detect a placard on a wall1 but faces were indiscernible and reading and writing an impossibility4 ,yet it made no difference in his manner or character1 and his life was immediately adjusted to the new state of things4 ,the writer well remembers coming into the ,vicarage study one morning1 and finding the vigorous old man of seventy-six commencing the task of learning the ,bible by heart6 8,it was so important to have all quotations exact40 ,this work was continued for some months1 but when it was suggested that there would be less labour and more profit in learning the raised type for the blind1 the former plan was discontinued1 volumes of the latter sort were procured1 the characters mastered1 and for the seven years remaining the beloved study was resumed under circumstances that would have discouraged most men of his age4 ,blindness did not stop his work--nothing of the kind2 the regular ,bible and annual ,confirmation classes were continued as before1 the weekday and ,sunday sermons as regularly prepared and preached4 ,his daughters read to him passages from books bearing upon the subject that he had in hand1 and he arranged and classified it in his own mind4 ,gentlemen and ladies in his congregation gladly undertook to come at stated hours and read to him books of various sorts1 and so he kept abreast with all that was going on in the world of literature1 and1 as was his wont1 met it for praise or censure in his sermons4 ,on ,sundays it was touching to see the venerable old man ascending the pulpit1 giving out his text1 and then preaching with all his old fire and vigour4 ,the accuracy with which he quoted his texts made it hard to believe that the preacher was blind4 ,the same accuracy was remarkable in another way4 ,there were few things in which ,canon ,hoare took more interest than in helping the younger clergy4 ,all through his career his ,greek ,testament readings have been sources of great blessing and help4 ,in the last few years of his life1 since his blindness1 he revived these readings1 going rapidly through a book or group of passages dealing with a subject4 ,there are several now in ,tunbridge ,wells who remember gratefully and lovingly those early half-hours once a week2 they can see him in his study-chair1 surrounded by six or eight of the junior clergy with pencils and note-books--the mortal eyes sightless1 but the eyes of his understanding being opened1 and from his lips pouring forth a stream of words almost too rapid to take down1 as he sketched forth the scheme1 say1 of the ,epistle to the ,hebrews1 and then going into the details chapter after chapter1 pointing out the notes of exegesis and different readings1 and the light thrown by the ,revised ,version on each4 ,it was at this time1 as the first birthday after his blindness drew near1 that several members of his loving congregation subscribed together and purchased a splendid gold repeater watch1 striking the hours1 quarters1 and half-quarters1 as a birthday present for their old ,vicar4 ,the following letter1 written with the aid of the typewriter which he had also learned to use after the loss of his eyesight1 shows how much he appreciated this further proof of their affection3-- 8,,trinity ,,vicarage1 ,june #eth1 #ahhi4 8,,my ,,dear ,,mrs4 ,,perkins1--,i hear that you have been the one chosen by your friends to convey to me the beautiful gift which ,i received this morning1 so to you ,i must send my answer1 and ask you to be so very kind as to assure all the dear people who have taken a share in it of the very great pleasure that their gift has given me4 ,it was so kind of you all to think of me1 and to mark by a birthday offering your loving interest in my welfare4 ,but1 as for your sending me such a beautiful present1 ,i never for one moment thought of such a thing4 ,you have1 however1 selected a most useful and valuable form for your kindness4 8,for many years ,i have been dependent on a repeater for securing1 day by day1 the sacred morning hours before breakfast2 and many an hour has been secured to the study of ,god's most holy ,word through the use of an old repeater left to me 7as a legacy7 by the dear uncle who gave me my title to my first curacy4 8,but the old watch1 like the old master1 has worn out1 and ,i have been put to the greatest inconvenience2 so that1 if ever ,i have left home1 ,i have been obliged to carry two watches--one for the day and the other for night4 8,but now1 by your gift1 the difficulty is removed2 and1 if ever it please ,god to restore to me the privilege of spending my winter mornings in the study of ,his ,word1 ,i shall find it to be of inestimable value4 8,most heartily1 therefore1 do ,i thank all our friends through you1 and trust that they may enjoy as happy and sacred morning hours as our ,heavenly ,father has so often given to me4 8,believe me1 my dear ,mrs4 ,perkins1 8,very faithfully yours1 8,e4 ,,hoare40 ,in #ahhi ,canon ,hoare was laid low by a severe illness which all expected to be the last4 ,his family assembled around him1 and his people thought that they never would see him again4 ,at this time1 when all his friends thought that his call had really come1 many letters were received at the ,vicarage expressing the warmest sympathy and containing assurances of fervent prayers4 ,the ,archbishop of ,canterbury wrote as follows to the ,rev4 ,j4 ,gurney ,hoare1 who was at ,tunbridge ,wells3-- 8,,lambeth1 ,june #abth1 #ahhi4 8,,my ,,dear ,,mr4 ,,hoare1--,pray give my love and the assurance of my loving prayers to your dear father4 8,i had your letter this morning at ,hereford4 8,as some old writer says1 it is #8like the descending of ripe and wholesome fruits from a vigorous and steadfast tree' when ,god calls to ,him so single-minded and true a servant--all contests over1 and charity having triumphed more and more to the end4 ,tell him1 as you think fit1 how much ,i have always felt that he helped and comforted me in my trying place4 ,i have always had his sympathy and genial counsel1 and his prayers4 ,and his strength has been consecrated to the last4 ,in what honour he passes to the last peace6 ,may it be wholly 1 as the old ,greek prayers say4 ,once more you are all sure of our prayers1 and of the prayers of how many through ,christ who loves him ever4 8,most sincerely yours1 8,e4 ,w4 ,,cantuar40 ,again his congregation assembled in daily prayer-meeting1 as before2 and when it was supposed impossible that he could live out the day the ,c4,m4,s4 ,committee met and poured out their petitions to ,god1 asking that their veteran friend and adviser might yet be spared if it were ,his will4 ,the prayer was answered1 and once more he rose from the bed of sickness1 wonderfully unchanged4 ,compared with past years1 we saw that the outward man was perishing1 but we saw also that the inward man was being renewed day by day4 ,before long he was again in the pulpit1 and it was more than three years after this that he preached the sermon upon 8,confirmation0 to which reference has been already made1 as well as one upon the 8,agnus ,dei10 delivered after the ,archbishop of ,canterbury's famous judgment4 ,to ,bishop ,perry3-- 8,,tunbridge ,,wells1 ,january #ajth1 #ahij4 8,,my ,,very ,,dear ,,friend1--,i cannot tell you how much ,i have felt about dear ,carus4 ,when we think of his age we cannot be surprised1 and when we think of his love1 his fidelity1 his maintenance of the truth1 and his great attractiveness we know not how to part with so valuable and pleasant a companion4 ,but as far as you and ,i are concerned the parting is not likely to be for very long4 ,as we see one after another of our old friends gathered to their rest1 it would be madness in us to forget how near we ourselves may be to the banks of the river1 or to lose sight for a single moment of the blessed ,hope set before us in ,christ ,jesus4 ,i trust we may all be kept looking for that blessed ,hope and the glorious reunion of the ,resurrection morning and of the ,coming of the ,lord4 ,i must acknowledge that for my own part ,i find myself better able to realise the prospect of that final reunion than the thought of our gathering before the ,throne in the intermediate waiting time2 but ,i am persuaded that both are taught in ,scripture1 and that when we are no longer entangled in the body we shall see wonderful things in the spiritual world1 and when we do how shall we ever praise ,god enough for ,his marvellous love in making a perfect atonement for people so unworthy as we are6 ,i don't know how it is with others1 but ,i find myself there is scarcely any sentence in the ,prayer-,book which so expresses my own mind as those words1 #8,we are not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs under ,thy table'2 but1 thanks be to ,god6 we depend upon the worthiness of that blessed ,saviour by whom every claim of the whole law is more than satisfied4 ,remember me most affectionately to ,mrs4 ,perry1 and believe me 8,your loving and faithful ,friend1 8,e4 ,,hoare40 ,letter to ,bishop ,parry after seeing a report in the papers that he was dangerously ill3-- 8,,dear ,,edward1--,we are all truly sorry to hear that you are not so well4 4 4 4 ,but how can we thank ,god enough for the unspeakable privilege of knowing that all such matters are safe in the hand of the ,lord6 ,i often think of those words of ,st4 ,paul1 #8,we know that all things work together for good1' etc4 ,he did not say #8we think1' or #8we hope1' but #8we know1' thereby expressing the full persuasion of his soul in the infinite love and perfect power of our blessed ,saviour in combining all things so that they may work together for our good4 ,i delight in the thought that it is our privilege to rest in that full1 calm1 deliberate persuasion1 and that1 looking away from everything in ourselves1 we may look to ,him in peaceful trust1 as an eternal object that will not vary with our own variations of thought and feeling4 ,may ,he keep you in ,his own right hand1 and raise you up if it be ,his will2 and above all1 whenever the time of our departure comes1 and it must come to us both before very long1 may ,he fulfil present persuasion by giving us an abundant entrance into ,his everlasting ,kingdom4 8,believe me most faithfully yours1 8,e4 ,,hoare40 ,to ,mr4 ,storr1 upon hearing of the wonderful collections for the ,c4,m4,s4 in ,matfield and ,brenchley3-- 8,february #bdth4 8,,dear ,,mr4 ,,storr1--,i wonder whether there is any information respecting the things of this world given to those who are at rest with their ,saviour8 ,if there is #8joy in ,heaven over one sinner that repenteth1' may we not believe that there is also joy when the ,lord's work is prospered among ,his people that are on earth8 ,if it be so1 ,i am sure your dear father's heart will be gladdened by the good report sent me in your letter4 ,it is delightful to see the permanent results of faithful work such as his was at ,brenchley4 ,he is gone1 but the light which he lighted is still burning1 and ,i hope will long continue to burn to the glory of ,god40 ,to one of his daughters3-- 8,,newcastle1 ,july #cast1 #ahij4 8,may the ,lord grant you a very happy birthday1 and follow it up by the very best of new years6 ,i wonder where we shall all be this time next year2 one thing only do ,i know1 i4e4 that we shall be safe in the ,lord's hands1 so that all will be well4 ,if safe in ,him we shall be safe anywhere1 whether in ,heaven or on earth1 whether in the ,home above or in some dear old dwelling here4 ,let the ,spirit of ,god be on the tabernacle and all will be well4 8,we are prospering1 and hope to return on ,tuesday4 ,i have quite given up all thought of ,stirling1 and am looking forward to home with great pleasure40 ,written with the aid of a typewriter4 8,,tunbridge ,,wells1 ,august1 #ahij4 8,what do you think of this8 ,i have been contriving a plan for writing without seeing3 ,i hope it will answer1 but as yet ,i get on very slowly40 ,also typewritten4 8,,tenchley1 ,october #abth1 #ahia4 8,i am thinking of you very much in your return to our dear old home1 and trust the ,lord ,himself is with you4 ,i do not like the thought of your being alone1 but there is a great difference between being alone and being lonely1 and lonely we need never be if only we have the companionship of our ,father in ,heaven1 and that ,i trust you are enjoying4 8,we are hoping to return on ,thursday1 if ,god permit3 ,i trust it will please ,him to grant it4 8,let us all pray that there may not merely be three sisters1 but the three sister-graces1 ,faith1 ,hope1 and ,love1 abiding together in our happy home40 99 99 99 99 99 8,,thoughts ,,on ,,old ,,age4--#ahia4 8,its temptations3-- 8#a4 ,indisposition to exertion4--,in many cases there is real physical inability4 ,the old muscles are worn out1 so that #8the grasshopper becomes a burden1' and every movement requires effort4 ,the natural result of this is1 we move as little as possible and are glad to have as much as possible done for us4 ,but there is very often a still worse result--namely1 that we are apt to leave things undone altogether2 we do not like to give in1 but when the time comes for action we shrink from the exertion4 8#b4 ,selfishness4--,aged people meet with a great amount of attention2 their comfort is a matter of continual thought to many loving hearts4 ,household arrangements are all made to suit them2 young people are exceedingly kind to them2 they read to them1 write for them1 help them in every possible manner1 and do all in their power to minister to their happiness and comfort4 ,the result is that the old man is apt to consider himself as much as others40 ,in his latter years there was an added joy in visiting the homes of his married sons and daughters4 ,the circle of interest widened in sympathy with the joys and sorrows of his grandchildren1 and it is no small proof of the tenderness and strength of his character that a man of his age1 with so much to occupy his mind in public and private things1 could find time for letters to the boys and girls of the second generation4 ,the two following letters are instances of this4 ,to one of his grandsons3-- 8,,tunbridge ,,wells1 ,february #gth1 #ahij4 8,,dear ,,chris41--,i have been thinking of you every day1 and praying to our ,heavenly ,father to make you a good and happy boy4 8,i know it is a very sad thing for you to lose ,louis1 but ,i have also been thinking what a delightful duty it puts upon you1 for now you have your father and mother all to yourself1 and are the only boy at home to attend to them and try to make them happy4 ,i think this is a great pleasure and privilege1 and ,i expect to have a nice letter some day from your mother to say that dear ,chris4 is so good and attentive that he makes the home quite cheerful4 ,but we are such fallen creatures that you cannot do this unless the ,lord ,himself helps you4 ,so ,i trust ,he will do so1 and make you a joy to your father and mother4 8,your affectionate ,grandfather1 8,e4 ,,hoare40 ,to one of his granddaughters3-- 8,,tunbridge ,,wells1 ,february #bdth1 #ahia4 8,,dear ,,lettice1--,i am very glad to hear that you are so happy and prosperous1 and ,i often think what a happy arrangement it has been for your early education4 ,i am sure we ought all to be very grateful to your uncle and aunt for their kindness in making it4 ,how much kindness we meet with in life6 ,i am sure there is kindness for the old1 for ,i am receiving it every day1 and ,i am equally sure there is kindness for the young1 for ,i am constantly meeting with persons who are spending their whole lives in making them happy4 ,but what are we to think of the lovingkindness of the ,lord8 ,david says it is better than life1 and so ,i hope you will find it4 ,you have a name that means joy1 and ,i hope the joy may be1 not in your name only1 but in your heart4 ,for the last two days ,i have had a great joy in my home1 and ,i shall leave it to you to guess what it is4 ,it is the visit of a lady for whom ,i feel a great affection4 ,she has sons and daughters who are great friends of mine1 so that ,i wish she had brought some of them with her4 ,you must guess who it can be1 and also find ,david's words about lovingkindness 7,psalm lxiii4 #c74 8,the loving old ,grandfather1 8,e4 ,h40 ,extracts from letters to his married daughters3-- 8,,tunbridge ,,wells1 ,november #aath1 #ahij4 8,i have thought a great deal of you in your re-settlement at home1 and ,i trust that you have returned for a happy1 holy1 and useful winter4 8,i look back with the greatest pleasure to my pleasant visit when all the boys were at home1 and ,i trust that the same happy1 peaceful spirit may be the abiding characteristic of your family4 84 4 4 ,i often think of the promise1 #8,they shall bring forth fruit in old age1' and most earnestly do ,i desire that my old age may be a fruitful season1 but ,i am inclined to regard anything ,i can do as little more than the gleaning of grapes when the vintage is done4 ,i trust1 however1 that whatever is left may be diligently used for the glory of my ,blessed ,saviour4 8,give my dear love to ,robert1 and also to ,chris4 and ,lettice4 8,your most affectionate ,father1 8,e4 ,,hoare40 99 99 99 99 99 8,,tunbridge ,,wells1 ,august #bith1 #ahia4 8,i have very much enjoyed your letters1 though ,i have been slow in acknowledging them1 for ,i find typewriting to be both slow work and very tiring to the brain4 ,but ,i am glad of it1 as it makes me sometimes fancy that ,i am independent4 ,but independence is not the gift for me just now1 for ,i am dependent for everything1 and have to be unspeakably thankful for such loving caretakers on whom ,i may depend4 8,above all1 how ought my heart to overflow with gratitude to that loving ,father on whom it is my joy to depend for everything6 ,daughters can do a great deal1 and would do more if they could1 but ,he can do everything and does supply all my need according to ,his riches in glory by ,christ ,jesus4 8,i trust all the dear sons are prospering1 and the tutor doing well4 ,i wonder whether we shall meet anywhere this autumn4 ,i do not feel much pluck in me for ,norfolk2 my home is so comfortable that ,i am not eager to leave it4 ,but there is an idea in people's minds that we ought to go out in the autumn1 so ,i suppose ,i shall go somewhere1 though ,i do not at present know where4 ,i am very thankful for my two visits to the ,north4 ,they helped me to realise better the great interests for which to be continually in prayer4 ,i was very happy with you and your sons4 ,may our gracious ,god bless you all6 8,your loving ,father1 8,e4 ,h4 99 99 99 99 99 8,,tunbridge ,,wells1 ,december #bgth1 #ahia4 8 4 4 4 ,most heartily do ,i respond to all your loving wishes for a rich ,christmas blessing on our whole party4 ,we have enjoyed a very happy ,christmas together4 ,we have had with us ,e-- and his family1 and very pleasant have they all been4 ,we have thought continually of the homes of the absent1 and many a time both by day and by night has my heart been lifted for you all4 ,i have thought very much of you and all your boys1 and cannot doubt that you have had a very merry party4 ,god grant that they may all know the joy of the ,lord6 ,i am very sorry to hear of your disappointment4 4 4 4 ,i never forget the advice given me by my grandmother--never to act without seeking the guidance of the ,lord1 and after acting never to re-open the subject4 ,she would have said that your great mistake is in distressing yourselves now about your decision made two years ago4 ,so as you sought ,his guidance trust ,him to have given it1 and push away regrets4 8,the ,lord be with you all6 8,your loving ,father1 8,e4 ,h40 99 99 99 99 99 8,,tenchley1 ,,limpsfield1 ,october #fth1 #ahib4 8,my typewriter is none the better for its journey1 so that ,i have been unable to write and thank you both for my very happy visit4 ,i most thoroughly enjoyed it1 and throughout the whole of my visitation tour there has been nothing on which ,i look back with more genuine pleasure than ,i do on those happy days at ,chenies4 ,i thought the village lovely4 ,i was greatly pleased with the meeting of ,communicants and with the ,church ,services4 ,i delighted in the children1 and am looking forward with the greatest pleasure to their visit2 and ,i greatly enjoyed all my pleasant intercourse with you both1 which ,i valued the more as ,i have seen less of ,r-- lately than of you1 so that ,i was glad to enjoy his thoughts on many points of interest4 8,may the ,lord bless you abundantly both in your home and in your parish6 ,with dear love to the children1 8,your most loving ,father1 8,e4 ,h40 99 99 99 99 99 8,,tenchley1 ,,limpsfield1 ,december #bhth1 #ahib4 8,we had a very happy day at home1 lovely weather1 the very perfection of a ,christmas ,day1 and ,i trust a good deal of sunshine within4 ,i preached to the people on the sacred ,name of ,jesus1 and ,i gave them what was new to myself1 and1 if ,i mistake not1 new also to most of them1 so we had fresh thoughts on an old subject4 ,what a remarkable feature this is in ,scripture6 ,it is full of old truths1 but is always bringing them out in newness and freshness to those who will take the trouble to study it4 8,dear love to ,robert and the boys4 8,your most loving ,father1 8,e4 ,h40 ,from the ,archbishop of ,canterbury3-- 8,,deal ,,castle1 ,april #acth1 #ahic4 8,,to ,,the ,,rev4 ,,canon ,,hoare4 8,,my ,,dear ,,canon ,,hoare1--,it was very kind and thoughtful of you to send me your two sermons1 in which ,i was sure to take a great interest4 ,i have read them both with much satisfaction4 ,i think the #8,agnus ,dei' ought to be very useful4 ,it puts that great hymn in its right position1 and it shows the fallacy of certain deductions drawn from the fact that there were no legal grounds on which it could be decided that it was impossible for it to be used4 ,i daresay you have noticed that ,richard ,baxter 7not exactly a ,ritualist7 did not hesitate to make use of that same passage from ,st4 ,john in his draft ,communion ,service4 8,the sermon on ,confirmation ,i think most serviceable2 its instruction most clear1 and the remarks on what the ,gift is very impressive4 ,i am glad you teach that that beautiful passage in the ,epistle to the ,ephesians refers to the event recorded in the ,acts4 ,and what a motive it supplies1 and what a basis for the ,christian life6 8,thank you very much2 ,i think no one can read that sermon without feeling that ,scripture and its true teaching leaves more and more to us1 in spite of all fears of #8,criticism4' 8,sincerely yours1 8,e4 ,,cantuar40 ,the following letter was to a lady in the ,united ,states who had written gratefully about some of his prophetical books1 and asked for guidance on various points1 as well as for some larger work on the same subject written by him3-- 8,,tunbridge ,,wells1 ,may #bith1 #ahic4 8,,to ,,miss ,,gray4 8,,my ,,dear ,,madam1--,i have received your letter with very great interest and thankfulness4 ,how little do we know either the where or the how or the when it may please ,god to make use of any effort in ,his service1 and how little ,i thought that my two small books had found their way to the hearts of any of ,god's people in ,america6 ,i am the clergyman of a large parish1 and they were printed chiefly for the use of my own parishioners1 and ,god has made use of them in ,his own way and far beyond my expectations4 ,i am thankful to say that the coming of our blessed ,lord is more and more the joy of my heart1 as ,i am persuaded it is the central part of our ,christian hope4 ,i trust it has pervaded the whole of my ministry2 but ,i have not published anything to be called a book upon the subject1 though fragments have been occasionally printed in our local press4 ,i am sending you the sermons recently printed1 though only one refers directly to the ,advent of our ,lord4 ,i am very glad to hear of your meeting for the ,study of the ,prophetic ,word4 ,at one time we had such meetings here1 at which we discussed with great brotherly freedom the bright hope pointed out to us in ,prophecy1 and ,i believe ,i learnt more from those ,christian conferences than ,i have ever done from all the books in my library4 ,i trust the ,lord may grant you all a similar blessing1 so that when our blessed ,saviour returns in ,his glory you may be able to greet ,him with the words3 #8,lo1 this is our ,god2 we have waited for ,him1 and ,he will save us4' #8,this is the ,lord2 we have waited for ,him3 we will be glad and rejoice in ,his ,salvation4' 8,believe me very faithfully yours1 8,e4 ,,hoare40 ,to one who was losing her sight3-- 8,,marden1 ,june #hth1 #ahic4 8,,dearest --1--,may the ,lord give you a happy birthday to-morrow6 ,you have your heavy trial hanging over you1 but ,i trust that in ,god's leading you may have a bright and happy year1 and may have a clearer sight of your ,heavenly ,father's boundless love than you have yet enjoyed4 ,i trust that we may both have the eyes of our understanding enlightened1 that we may know better what is the hope of our calling1 and what the riches of the glory of ,his inheritance in the saints4 ,it is my unceasing prayer that ,i may see these things clearer and clearer4 ,and ,i am sure that1 if ,he manifest ,himself more clearly to my soul1 ,i shall be more than repaid for the failure of my earthly vision4 ,your case is different to mine1 for you have every hope of complete restoration of sight4 ,but we are one in the desire for heavenly light1 and ,i trust the ,lord may give it to you abundantly through the new year1 and that ,i too may enjoy a share40 ,extract from a letter to one of his married daughters3-- 8,,tunbridge ,,wells1 ,august #crd1 #ahic4 8,we thank ,him also very heartily for the happy week spent with you4 ,it was absolutely impossible that greater care and kindness should have been shown to the old man1 and ,i wish you to know how successful you were in giving me a comfortable1 pleasant1 and happy week1 so that ,i was well repaid for the effort of the two long journeys1 and shall ever retain a happy memory of that pleasant visit4 8,i was very glad to see as much as ,i did of the three dear sons1 and felt exceedingly interested for them all1 as ,i could see in each one that he had a special claim on our loving and earnest prayers4 8,it was also a great gratification to me to make the acquaintance of your future daughter4 ,oh1 how ,i hope that the voice of rejoicing and salvation will be in their #8tabernacle'6 ,with dear love to them all1 to the two boys arriving from school1 and above all to yourselves at the head of such a family1 8,your most loving ,father1 8,e4 ,,hoare40 ,the autumn of #ahic was remarkable for the number of visits which ,mr4 ,hoare paid among relatives in ,norfolk and elsewhere4 ,he spoke of it as one of the pleasantest holidays that he had ever spent4 ,earlham1 his mother's old home1 a name so familiar to many through ,mr4 ,hare's recent volumes on the ,gurney family1 was revisited1 and he delighted in pointing out places in the house that reminded him of childish romps and adventures4 ,a week was spent at ,cromer1 where1 as usual1 a great gathering of the clans took place4 ,here he met his beloved sister-in-law ,lady ,parry1 and1 at the house of his favourite cousin1 ,lady ,buxton1 he gave a ,bible-reading in her spacious drawing-room to a gathering of some fifty or sixty friends and relatives4 ,an eye-witness has described this impressive scene4 ,the old man1 blind1 but mighty in the ,scriptures1 took for his subject the prayers for 8teaching0 contained in the #aaith ,psalm1 and those who listened felt that he had been taught of ,god1 and that another prayer in the same ,psalm had been answered in his case3 ,god had opened his eyes and permitted him to see wondrous things in ,his law4 ,the ,sunday following he preached in the grand old church at ,cromer4 ,many remember that occasion2 and when the writer paid a visit to that place a year later1 he met an old man who spoke of this sermon with enthusiasm1 and said that he thought it one of the best that he had ever heard from the aged preacher's lips4 ,no less than seven homes of his children and relatives were visited by him at this time1 and it was from one of them1 towards the close of this pleasant holiday1 that the following letter to one of his daughters was written3-- 8,,aylsham1 ,september #bast1 #ahic4 8,i am very glad to hear of your prosperous settlement at ,lynton4 ,it is the place where your dear mother and ,i spent our first ,sunday after our marriage1 and ,i preached in the church1 to the great satisfaction of the ,vicar1 who1 ,i think1 was ,mr4 ,pears1 afterwards ,master of ,repton3 you appear to have gone to the other church4 4 4 4 ,magee's sermons have been very interesting1 though ,i doubt whether they would meet the wants of those who are hungering and thirsting for life2 they aim too much at intellectual brilliancy1 and it is not by excellency of speech that souls are won4 8,we came yesterday to this beautiful home4 ,certainly the lines are fallen unto them in very pleasant places1 and ,i trust they have a goodly heritage in many souls won to their ,saviour4 ,but they have their difficulties1 and who has not8 ,as long as human nature is what it is1 we shall find them everywhere1 though different in different places40 ,the following letter illustrates the affectionate feelings between the pastor and his people so manifest in this parish3-- 8,,the ,,vicarage1 ,december #acth1 #ahic4 8,my dearly beloved ,friends1 the ,members of our ,communicants' ,union1 and other ,communicants in our ,church1-- 8,i have been looking forward with the greatest possible pleasure to the prospect of our ,advent gathering arranged for to-morrow1 but it has pleased our ,heavenly ,father to take from me all hope of being present4 8,i have greatly enjoyed those gatherings on former occasions1 when it has pleased ,god to manifest ,himself and ,his own grace in a peculiar manner to our souls4 ,they have also been a source of especial pleasure1 as they have given an opportunity for that loving1 friendly intercourse which is so delightful amongst ,christian friends1 and so difficult of attainment in large parishes and large congregations4 8,i cannot be with you to-morrow in bodily presence1 but may ,i not thankfully adopt the first part of those words of ,st4 ,paul in ,col4 ii4 #e-g1 #8,for though ,i be absent in the flesh1 yet am ,i with you in the spirit1 joying and beholding your order1 and the steadfastness of your faith in ,christ'8 and may we not all accept this exhortation in the latter part1 #8,as ye have therefore received ,christ ,jesus the ,lord1 so walk ye in ,him3 rooted and built up in ,him1 and stablished in the faith1 as ye have been taught1 abounding therein with thanksgiving'8 8,you observe he does not address us as persons for the first time seeking to know ,christ1 but as those who have received ,him1 and are permitted to walk1 or spend their lives1 in union with ,him4 ,if this be the case with us1 how should our thanksgivings abound in every possible effort for ,his glory6 8,with much affection1 and many prayers1 8,from your faithful ,friend and ,vicar1 8,e4 ,,hoare40 ,it was at this time1 when his bodily health was so feeble1 his step slow and head bowed1 that a visitor who had never heard him preach came to ,trinity ,church4 ,knowing his reputation1 the stranger had great expectations1 but at first sight his heart fell within him2 as he afterwards acknowledged1 8,i could not believe that old man in the pew was going to preach1 but he got up into the pulpit with some difficulty1 and then1 it was the power of ,god60 ,a clergyman friend who had known him intimately for forty years said of the aged preacher that 8his ministry had grown in power up to the very end40 ,the chief cause of this was doubtless the life of prayer in which he moved and had his being4 ,all who knew him were aware of this1 and certainly he who has been permitted to peruse the sacred pages of his journal can no longer feel surprised at the marvellous success which attended that prayer-steeped ministry4 ,while upon this subject it is worthy of record that he often told those whom he wanted to help in their preaching that he prayed over his sermons more even than he prepared them1 and the latter part took several hours of his time4 ,when blindness came upon him1 and others had to read for him and take down his thoughts for the preparation of his sermons1 it was his custom to stand up by his study table and say3 8,here is my mind1 ,lord2 take it and use it4 ,thou knowest who will be there2 give me the right thoughts and words1 that ,i may speak as ,thy messenger1 for ,christ's sake60 ,and this prayer too was answered4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the following letters1 written in the last few months of his life1 show the clearness of his mind and width of his sympathy up to the end4 ,to the ,rev4 ,c4 ,h4 ,dearsly1 who asks1 8,how far is it ,scriptural that female evangelists should address large mixed assemblies--or men only80 8,january #aith1 #ahid4 8,mrs4 ,fry used to draw a wide distinction between #8prophesying1' as in ,acts ii4 #ag1 and #8teaching1' as in #a ,tim4 ii4 #ab1 as she believed the former to be an appeal called forth in a special manner by the ,holy ,spirit1 and so she justified her own ministry4 ,i have often thought that there is some truth in her distinction1 and ,i have never felt able to put a hindrance in the way of what may possibly be the movement of the ,holy ,spirit2 so ,i have thought it safer to be passive in the matter1 and not to forbid even though ,i have felt unable to support40 ,to the late ,dean of ,canterbury on the death of his wife3-- 8,,my ,,dear ,,dean1--,i trust the ,lord is with you in your great trial1 and will be with you unto the end4 ,i believe that no one has the least idea of what the trial is1 until they are called to pass through it4 ,its depth is learned only by experience4 ,there were two lessons taught me when it pleased my ,heavenly ,father to send it to me4 ,i never had any idea of the magnitude of the trial1 and what it was to lose one who had been for so many years a wise counsellor and a most loving wife and mother4 ,but ,i never knew the extent to which a ,heavenly ,father could supply all my need #8according to ,his riches in glory by ,christ ,jesus4' ,i look back upon the thirty years that have elapsed since my great bereavement1 and am utterly unable to count up the tokens of ,his love and tender thoughtfulness during the whole of that period4 ,and so1 my dear friend1 ,i am persuaded that you may trust ,him entirely4 ,you may trust ,him for your eternity2 you may trust ,him also for the short remainder of your pilgrimage upon earth4 ,you may trust ,him to do well for yourself and your daughters4 ,you may trust ,him as your faithful ,friend and your most wise ,counsellor2 and so trusting you will never be disappointed1 but ,he will be both with you and yours continually1 guiding you with ,his counsel1 and afterward receiving you to glory4 ,remember me very particularly to your daughters4 8,most faithfully yours1 8,e4 ,,hoare40 ,to the ,rev4 ,h4 ,e4 ,williamson1 ,hon4 ,sec4 of the ,west ,kent ,c4,m4,s4 ,union3-- 8,,tunbridge ,,wells1 ,april #aath1 #ahid4 8,,dear ,,williamson1--,i am exceedingly sorry to be quite unable to attend the ,union of ,unions to-morrow at ,canterbury4 ,i have greatly enjoyed the meetings of our own ,union in former times1 and firmly believe that we have been favoured with the presence of that loving ,redeemer whose ,name we desire to make known throughout the world4 ,i should also have greatly enjoyed the meeting with our dear brethren of ,east ,kent under the presidency of our beloved ,dean1 in his noble ,cathedral2 but ,i cannot venture upon the undertaking1 and must look forward to the gathering of that more perfect ,union which ,i hope is shortly to take place1 at the ,coming of our ,lord and ,saviour4 ,remember me to all the dear brethren1 and believe me to be very faithfully yours1 8,e4 ,,hoare40 99 99 99 99 99 ,,notes ,,of ,,confirmation ,,lectures4 ,these notes are intended to assist ,candidates in preparing for the ,classes4 ,each of the ,chapters mentioned contains a text on the subject of the ,lecture4 ,,lecture ,i4--,the ,sinfulness of ,man4 ,man is sinful4 11 #a4 ,in nature3 ,psalm li42 ,rom4 viii4 11 #b4 ,in heart3 ,matt4 xv42 ,jer4 xvii4 11 #c4 ,in thought3 ,gen4 vi4 11 #d4 ,in word3 ,james iii4 11 #e4 ,in act3 ,rom4 iii4 11 #f4 ,under ,god's wrath3 ,eph4 ii4 ,therefore requires two things1 viz4 ,forgiveness of ,sin and ,change of ,heart4 ,,lecture ,,ii4--,forgiveness of ,sin4 #a4 ,the blessing of it3 ,psalm xxxii4 #b4 ,examples of it3 ,mark ii42 ,luke vii42 ,luke xviii4 #c4 ,given us because our sins were laid on the ,lord ,jesus ,christ as our substitute3 ,isa4 liii42 #b ,cor4 v42 ,gal4 iii42 ,eph4 i42 #a ,peter ii4 ,,lecture ,,iii4--,change of ,heart4 #a4 ,necessary3 ,john iii4 #b4 ,compared to ,birth3 ,john iii4 11 ,resurrection3 ,eph4 ii4 11 ,creation3 ,eph4 ii42 #b ,cor4 v4 #c4 ,wrought by ,god the ,holy ,spirit3 ,john i42 ,john iii42 ,ezek4 xxxvi4 #d4 ,prayer for it3 ,psalm li4 ,,lecture ,,iv4--,first ,promise made in ,baptism4 ,,renunciation4 ,we promise to renounce three things4 #a4 ,the devil3 ,gen4 iii42 ,john viii42 #a ,peter v42 #a ,john iii4 #b4 ,the world3 ,rom4 xii42 #a ,john ii42 ,psalm xvii4 #c4 ,the flesh3 ,rom4 viii42 ,gal4 v4 ,,lecture ,v4--,second ,promise made in ,baptism4 ,,faith4 ,we promise to believe in the ,lord ,jesus4 #a4 ,the three articles of ,christian faith3 ,catechism4 #b4 ,examples of faith3 ,gen4 xv42 ,rom4 iv42 ,matt4 viii42 ,matt4 xv42 ,luke i42 ,luke vii4 #c4 ,salvation given through faith3 ,john iii42 ,acts viii42 ,acts xvi42 ,eph4 ii4 ,,lecture ,,vi4--,third ,promise made in ,baptism4 ,,obedience4 ,we promise to obey the ,commandments4 ,we should obey them ,in both their parts3 ,matt1 xxii41 and ,church ,catechism4 11 ,from the heart3 ,deut4 xi42 ,rom4 vi42 ,eph4 vi4 11 ,with delight3 ,psalm xl42 ,psalm cxix4 11 ,in all things3 ,josh4 xxii42 ,gen4 vi4 11 ,from love3 ,john xiv42 ,rom4 xiii42 #b ,cor4 v4 ,lecture ,,vii4--,prayer4 ,promises to prayer3 ,luke xi42 ,john xiv42 ,john xvi4 ,prayer should be ,from the heart3 ,matt4 xv4 11 ,earnest3 ,james v4 11 ,persevering3 ,luke xviii42 ,eph4 vi4 11 ,in humility3 ,luke xviii4 11 ,in faith3 ,matt4 xxi42 ,james i4 11 ,in the name of ,jesus3 ,john xiv4 ,lecture ,,viii4--,the ,sacrament of the ,lord's ,supper4 ,was appointed by the ,lord ,himself3 ,matt4 xxvi42 #a ,cor4 xi4 ,is an act of obedience3 ,mark xiv42 ,luke xxii4 ,is a sign1 or emblem3 #a ,cor4 xi4 ,is an act of loving remembrance3 #a ,cor4 xi4 ,is a means of feeding on the ,lord ,jesus3 #a ,cor4 x4 ,is an opportunity of intercourse with the ,lord2 ,luke xxiv4 ,is a means of fellowship with each other3 #a ,cor4 x4 ,is a help to joy3 ,acts ii4 ,lecture ,,ix4--,on receiving the ,lord's ,supper unworthily4 ,danger of receiving it unworthily3 #a ,cor4 xi4 8,damnation0 here means 8chastening03 ver4 #cb4 ,to receive it unworthily is to receive it-- ,without repentance1 without faith1 without seriousness1 without love3 #a ,cor4 xi4 ,you may be young ,christians1 but not come unworthily3 ,matt4 xxvi42 ,acts ii4 ,you may be unworthy to come1 but not come unworthily3 ,luke vii42 ,luke xv4 ,,lecture ,x4--,confirmation ,service4 ,the laying on of hands3 ,acts viii42 ,acts xix42 ,heb4 vi4 ,the blessing to be expected3 ,acts viii42 ,acts xix4 ,decision for ,god3 ,isa4 xliv4 ,the prayers in ,confirmation ,service4 ,for the ,holy ,spirit4 ,for strength4 ,for defence4 ,for perseverance4 ,for growth in grace4 ,,chapter ,,xvi ,,reminiscences ,there are numerous anecdotes and incidents connected with ,canon ,hoare's lengthened ministry at ,tunbridge ,wells1 which illustrate his many-sided character in a remarkable way4 ,a few of these selected from the great stock of reminiscence in the minds of his people may be of interest to the reader4 99 99 99 99 99 ,on one occasion banns of marriage were put up in ,trinity ,church between a workman recently come to the town and a young woman whose widowed mother lived in the parish of ,holy ,trinity4 ,when the banns had been twice called an anonymous letter was received by the ,vicar1 which stated that the man was already married4 ,careful inquiry having proved that this was true1 and that his wife and family were living in another town1 the ,vicar made up his mind to punish the delinquent in a novel way4 ,the couple whose banns had been called were sent for1 and ,canon ,hoare told the girl the whole story in her false lover's presence4 ,it was received with indignant incredulity1 but the proofs were unanswerable4 ,turning upon her companion1 she sobbed out1 8,james1 ,james1 ,i never believed you could have done this40 ,the man tried to brazen it out1 and laughingly said1 8,well1 ,i suppose we need not have the banns published again80 8,indeed they shall be read again10 was the ,vicar's reply4 ,by this time the man was getting uncomfortable under the piercing eye that was fixed upon him1 and he said1 8,well1 come along1 ,polly2 it's time for us to be going40 8,indeed it is time for you to be going10 said the ,vicar1 8and you had better be sharp about it too1 but ,polly shall not go with you40 ,with these words he pointed to the door1 towards which the offender made with remarkable rapidity4 ,when he was gone ,mr4 ,hoare turned to the girl1 and1 taking her out on the other side of the house from that by which the man had left1 bid her go home with all speed4 ,next ,sunday morning in the vestry ,canon ,hoare called the clerk aside and gave him some directions2 then1 having said to the curates 8,i'll read the banns to-day10 he took that part of the service in which they occur4 ,having finished the second lesson1 it was observed that in an unusually loud voice and with great distinctness he read out3 8,i publish the banns of marriage between ,james --1 bachelor1 and ,mary ,ann --1 spinster1 both of this parish4 ,these are for the third time of asking4 ,if any of you know cause or just impediment why these two persons should not be joined together in holy matrimony1 ye are to declare it40 ,at this moment the whole congregation were electrified by a loud voice at the end of the church calling out1 8,i forbid the banns of ,james -- and ,mary ,ann --60 8,well1 come into the vestry after service and state your reasons10 was the reply4 ,the news fled like wild-fire over the parish1 and the man got so unmercifully 7yet deservedly7 jeered and hooted by his fellow-workmen that he had to fly from the town4 ,it may be added1 as a curious and significant fact1 that it was not the immorality of the proceeding which aroused this feeling1 but 8,jim -- has let the parson do him out of three and sixpence1 for he paid for the banns1 but couldn't get tied60 99 99 99 99 99 ,another anecdote which has got into print somewhat incorrectly is the following4 ,the parish clerk was one day in attendance at a funeral in ,holy ,trinity ,cemetery when he noticed a gentleman walking about apparently looking for something4 ,he accosted him1 and asked if he could help him in any way4 ,the other replied1 in a very cheery and brisk way3 8,yes1 you can2 in fact ,i am looking for a nice sunny place for my grave4 ,i am going to die soon1 the doctors tell me1 and ,i want to get a pleasant place to be buried in40 ,the clerk was somewhat astounded at the tone and manner of the visitor1 but suggested various sites4 ,one was soon selected1 and in the same cheerful way the gentleman went on1 striking the ground as he spoke3 8,capital1 just the place2 here it shall be2 ,i shall be put in here1 and that will be the end of me40 ,the clerk responded quietly1 8,are you quite sure of that1 sir8 for ,i am not40 8,yes1 quite sure10 was the answer1 and then a discussion ensued between the two2 when it had lasted a few minutes the official said1 8,well1 sir1 ,i may not be able to convince you that you are wrong1 but ,i know my ,vicar could40 8,oh1 ,i want none of your parsons10 said the visitor2 8but who is your ,vicar80 8,the ,reverend ,edward ,hoare1 sir40 8,hoare1 ,edward ,hoare--did he come from ,hampstead80 8,yes1 sir1 ,i believe he did40 8,how astonishing60 muttered the gentleman1 and then speaking aloud1 8,why1 he and ,i were friends when we were boys60 ,having asked the way to the vicarage that he might call upon him1 the visitor went his way4 ,the meeting between the two old boyish acquaintances was very interesting1 but when the gentleman stated the circumstance of his meeting with the clerk1 ,mr4 ,hoare replied1 8,you have made arrangements about your body2 have you been as diligent about your soul80 ,it soon came out that1 brought up1 like his old friend1 as a ,quaker1 but without his religious advantages1 he had drifted into open scepticism4 ,now1 however1 the loving1 earnest words that he heard made a great impression1 and he begged ,mr4 ,hoare to come and visit him4 ,several weeks passed by1 and one day the clerk received a message from his ,vicar1 8,there will be an adult baptism in the service to-morrow40 ,his feelings can be imagined when he saw quietly standing by the font the gentleman whom he had seen in the cemetery6 the defiant1 cheery manner gone1 but instead of that a peaceful1 happy look upon his face4 ,the illness soon progressed1 but his friend of olden days visited him continually up to the end1 and had the joy of knowing that he died resting happily upon his ,saviour4 ,in his will he bequeathed to ,mr4 ,hoare the valuable proof copy of ,landseer's picture 8,saved10 as a significant memento of what he had been permitted to do for his old friend4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the writer once heard it remarked of a certain clergyman that his many curates were like so many sentinels posted over the country to warn people of the danger of approaching him6 ,the exact reverse was the case with ,canon ,hoare3 if any one wished to get an enthusiastic description of the ,vicar1 they had only to go to one of his past or present curates4 ,he was 8a hero to his valets03 so considerate and thoughtful of their wants and circumstances1 and yet so vigilant about their work1 knowing exactly how it was done1 and never failing to notice an omission1 yet doing it all so kindly4 ,the quarter's cheque was always enclosed in an envelope1 with a slip of paper on which were written words like these1 8,with many thanks for all your invaluable help40 ,this may be a trifling thing1 but it means a great deal4 ,canon ,hoare was like a father to his curates1 and was beloved by them2 he never lost an opportunity of putting them forward1 and if need be of standing up in their defence4 ,there are some who remember well an incident at a general meeting of subscribers to the hospital many years ago4 ,some one present had spoken very wrongly and impertinently of one of the curates1 making suggestions of evil in his remarks4 ,at the close of the speeches that followed1 the chairman got up4 ,he was watched closely as he slowly took off his overcoat1 and with great deliberation folded it up and placed it on the back of his chair4 ,the room was very still as1 drawing himself to his full height and looking keenly round the room1 he fixed his gaze upon the former speaker1 and gave him in words the most terrible castigation that the unfortunate individual ever received in his life4 ,it was well administered1 and equally well deserved4 ,the fact that in all parochial work he was leader1 not director--saying 8,come0 instead of 8,go0--was one of the causes of his influence with his curates4 ,it is related that at some wedding in the parish church1 when the bridegroom1 a stranger to the place1 was paying the fees in the vestry1 he made the remark1 8,i think the man who does the work ought to get the pay40 ,this greatly tickled the two curates present1 who could not help laughing at the idea of their ,vicar seated in his arm-chair while they laboured in the parish1 and simultaneously both exclaimed1 8,the ,vicar does more than both of us put together60 99 99 99 99 99 ,the simplicity of the services at ,holy ,trinity have been already noticed4 ,the preacher wore the black gown1 not that he had any objection to the surplice in the pulpit1 as he used that dress without hesitation in other churches1 but because he felt that he was too old to make changes4 8,i knew many of the old ,evangelical ,fathers10 he used to say2 8,i preached ,charles ,simeon's funeral sermon in his own church at ,cambridge2 so that ,i feel as if ,i were connected with them1 and ,i will keep up the old gown which ,i have been used to all my life40 ,but although this seemed but a trifle to him1 he never ceased to express his disapproval of what are commonly called 8musical services40 ,on one occasion1 at some conference or meeting of clergy1 he followed the reader of a paper who had advocated the introduction of an intoned service1 and commenced his reply with these words3 8,for the discussion of this subject ,i possess the important qualification of being an unmusical man60 ,he then continued in the same strain1 and impressed this point upon the clergy1 that they had to deal with as many unmusical people as musical in their congregations4 ,all could speak1 but only a limited number could sing2 therefore1 by arranging a service for the musical1 they really closed the lips of those who were not so4 ,at another time1 also in public1 he said3 8,the proper use of music is in praise and thanksgiving4 ,people are so eager in these days to introduce as much music as possible that they have applied it to prayer1 the reading of ,scripture1 and even to the ,creed4 ,all this ,i believe to be a mistake4 ,we delight in thorough congregational singing1 but the essence of prayer is to be perfectly natural1 to realise that we are speaking to ,god1 and forget all beside4 ,who can imagine the poor publican waiting to hear the note of the organ1 or the trumpet1 before he smote upon his breast and said1 #8,god be merciful to me a sinner6'0 99 99 99 99 99 ,as a chairman ,canon ,hoare was unequalled4 ,his kindness to opponents and his fairness in stating their case disarmed prejudice and won their approbation4 ,a barrister who had been contending vigorously against some project which ,canon ,hoare was anxious to advance said at the close of a meeting in which he was taking part3 8,i have no more to say4 ,mr4 ,hoare has handled his brief ably1 and ,i retire from my former opposition40 ,some now in ,tunbridge ,wells will remember a meeting of publicans who had been invited by the ,vicar to come to the ,parish ,room and discuss in a friendly way the ,bill for the ,sunday closing of public-houses4 ,they proved an unpleasant audience1 and often indulged in bitter and insolent observations1 all of which he took in the most gentle ,christian spirit4 ,at last one fellow shouted out3 8,you clergy are the biggest ,sabbath-breakers going2 you are working hard all ,sunday1 and why shouldn't we80 8,no1 no10 answered the chairman with a beautiful smile1 8what we do on ,sunday is not work2 it's happy rest from first to last40 ,a ,nonconformist who was present remarked afterwards to the writer that he would never forget that look nor those words as long as he lived4 99 99 99 99 99 ,in questions relating to the interests of the town or of the country at large he was always to the front1 gauging public opinion and leading it in the right direction4 ,in actual politics he took no part until the ,home ,rule question was brought to the front by ,mr4 ,gladstone2 then he lectured in the ,great ,hall against it1 and more than once spoke in public on the same topic4 ,again1 when in #ahhe the ,liberation ,society announced a lecture by ,mr4 ,guinness ,rogers1 and the ,great ,hall was filled with a noisy1 excited audience1 at the close of the lecture ,canon ,hoare ascended the platform2 and though at first his words could scarcely be heard in the tumult of cheers and hootings1 yet his manliness and skill in debate soon gained way for him1 and though the lecturer and chairman both made insulting remarks1 he so entirely turned the tables upon them that1 when the ,liberationist motion was put to the meeting1 it was rejected by a majority1 and the whole thing collapsed ignominiously4 99 99 99 99 99 ,many years previous to the event just narrated1 when the ,volunteer movement was making itself felt throughout the country1 a large meeting was held in ,tunbridge ,wells to consider the question of establishing a ,volunteer ,corps4 ,the chairman1 a local magistrate1 threw cold water on the proposal by reminding them that all their strength was needed for foreign service4 ,mr4 ,hoare then got up and said that he entirely disagreed with the chairman2 proceeding in a very vigorous speech to show the horrors of a foreign invasion1 and the duty of every true ,englishman to defend his country1 he concluded by declaring that he hoped the first invader who landed on the shores of ,kent might be shot by a ,tunbridge ,wells ,volunteer6 ,the speaker was well supported by the ,rev4 ,b4 ,f4 ,smith1 then ,vicar of ,rusthall 7now ,archdeacon of ,maidstone74 ,a well-known medical man in the town then got up and said3 8,i came to the meeting in a doubtful state of mind1 and though my courage failed under the depressing remarks of the chairman1 it has now completely revived under the bold leadership of ,captain ,hoare and ,lieutenant ,smith60 ,the motion was carried by acclamation4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the following anecdote has reference to the extraordinary influence which he wielded over the town of ,tunbridge ,wells at large4 ,his strong religious character may be said to have moulded the place4 ,two gentlemen were conversing at ,sevenoaks ,station1 just before the train left the platform4 ,one was heard to say to the other1 8,how is it that you have no theatre at ,tunbridge ,wells8 ,a large town like that should have a theatre40 8,oh10 responded his companion1 8it would never pay4 ,tunbridge ,wells is too religious a place for a theatre40 99 99 99 99 99 ,yet this man1 when he came first as ,vicar of ,holy ,trinity1 met with much discouragement4 ,the ,district ,visitors came in a body and tendered their resignations1 and the first remarks which he overheard about his sermons as he passed a group of parishioners at night on his way home from church were1 8,oh1 what a dreary sermon60 8,yes1 and ,i thought it would never end60 ,it is hard for us now to believe this possible1 and still harder perhaps to remember that even in late years1 after all his services1 two of the ,evangelical newspapers used to write suspiciously of him1--one sneering at 8the three ,canons0 ,ryle1 ,garbett1 and ,hoare as 8,neo-,evangelicals02 the other in a flaring leader actually calling him and the writer of these lines 7who was proud to be in such company7 8traitors to the ,church of ,england06 ,both these journals are now in different hands1 but it is a humiliating thought that one who had done so much for ,evangelical truth should have been thus treated by those who professed to aid its progress4 ,it has often been noticed that a lofty mountain seems nothing very remarkable when you stand at its base1 but as the traveller departs and it recedes from sight1 it towers above the lesser peaks and almost seems to stand alone4 ,so the character of a truly great man1 although valued1 cannot be measured during his life2 it is as the years pass by that we see how much higher he was than all his fellows4 ,,chapter ,,xvii ,,promotion ,during the last year of his life it was evident to all that 8old ,mr4 ,valiant-for-truth0 as some one had aptly named him1 was growing more feeble in body1 and it was apparent that the end of his faithful warfare could not be far distant4 ,some thought that he ought to resign and leave the parish in younger hands1 but it was more generally felt that the grief of leaving his work would be too much for him1 and many believed that he would be allowed to die in harness3 and so it was4 ,at the ,easter ,vestry he spoke feelingly of his approaching end and his desire for a suitable successor1 and when he thanked his hearers for what he described as their toleration of the failings of an old man who was doing all that his strength would allow1 all present were visibly affected4 ,the next week he went for a few days to ,eastbourne1 and thence dictated the following letters4 ,how descriptive were their closing words of the continual attitude of our beloved friend's mind6 ,to one of his daughters3-- 8,,eastbourne1 ,april #ahth1 #ahid4 8,we have had a comfortable night in our very comfortable quarters2 ,i think you did indeed do well for us4 ,i cannot imagine anything that would have suited us better4 8,the day seems most beautiful1 the sun shining brightly2 those we love most hearty in their welcome1 and everything cheerful all around us1 so that ,i hope we may go home at the end of our week refreshed and invigorated for any work that the ,lord may have in store for us4 ,but at present our work consists in idleness1 and ,i propose to devote myself to it with much diligence6 8,all whom ,i have seen recommend a bath-chair1 and ,i should not be surprised if ,i were to follow their advice before ,i go home1 but ,i little know what is in store for me4 ,only let me enjoy the lovingkindness of my ,heavenly ,father1 and we may safely leave the rest in ,his loving hand40 ,to a friend who was in ill-health3-- 8,,eastbourne1 ,april #bast1 #ahid4 8,i can heartily sympathise with you in the pain of giving up one after another the different objects in which you have been interested1 and ,i can feel for you the more as ,i have been lately passing through the same process4 8,i am obliged to hand over to others a great deal of the work in which ,i used to take delight4 ,but ,i believe it is good for us1 and that the ties to earth are being loosened in order that we may be the more ready for the ,lord's summons when ,he shall call us to depart and to be with ,christ4 8,so let us think more of what we are likely to find in ,heaven than of the pain of parting with those things which have been a joy to us upon earth4 4 4 4 8,e4 ,,hoare40 ,on ,trinity ,sunday1 ,may #bjth1 he preached for the last time4 ,the occasion was the anniversary of the ,british and ,foreign ,bible ,society1 of which1 as we have seen1 he was ever a staunch friend4 ,at the close of the sermon he seemed to be rather exhausted1 and his faithful parish clerk 7who had served under him all through his ministry in ,tunbridge ,wells7 hastened up the steps and helped him down4 ,he never again entered that church where for forty-one years he had faithfully declared all the counsel of ,god4 ,of that ministry it may be truly said that its 8record is on high40 ,few men have had so many opportunities of preaching the ,gospel1 and few have used them as he did4 ,after this there was a marked decline in strength4 ,he knew that the tabernacle was being taken down1 and made preparations accordingly4 ,two of his brother-clergy were asked by him to pay a pastoral visit weekly1 and they will always thank ,god for this privilege2 it was beautiful to see the calm1 steady trust--8,i know whom ,i have believed40 ,on these occasions they received more than they gave1 and as some passage of help or comfort was dwelt upon the old saint of ,god would himself go on1 and bring out some new light upon the passage1 for to the very last he was 8mighty in the ,scriptures40 ,on ,st4 ,peter's ,day1 a week before his death1 when the ,sunday ,school ,teachers' ,association met as usual for their annual gathering in his garden1 he saw them for a few minutes1 and then from his room sent out this touching message3 8,earthly pastors pass away1 but remember ,him of whom it is said1 #8,he1 because ,he abideth ever1 hath ,his priesthood unchangeable4'0 ,surely this public testimony was a fitting sequel to his life's ministry6 ,a few weeks of weariness1 and then the end came4 ,the usual 8,good-night0 was said the night before1 and early in the morning of ,july #gth1 as he slept peacefully1 the brave and faithful spirit passed away4 ,when a man's whole career has been given to ,god1 we are not careful to ask for his last words1 yet his were characteristic of the humble but unwavering trust that filled his heart4 ,replying to some inquiry he said1 8,i am perfectly at rest on every point40 ,god had bestowed many privileges and honours upon ,his servant during his life2 the greatest of all--even to be with ,him--,he granted during that quiet slumber1 for 8so ,he giveth unto ,his beloved in their sleep40 ,,chapter ,,xviii ,,tributes ,it is impossible to describe the feeling exhibited in ,tunbridge ,wells when it was known that ,canon ,hoare had passed away1 and on the day of the funeral the town witnessed such a display of universal sorrow and respect as it had never seen before4 ,to enumerate even the deputations from different parts of ,england and to describe the component parts of the huge procession of mourners would occupy pages of this book4 ,it is enough to say that everything which could be done by the ,mayor and ,corporation and inhabitants of the town to declare their loss and emphasise their respect was done4 ,more than one ,bishop and over a hundred clergy walked in the ranks of the mourners4 ,all testified as with one voice3 8,a prince and a great man is fallen this day in ,israel40 ,his mortal remains were laid beside those of his beloved wife1 and he who in those thirty-one years of bereavement used sometimes to say1 8,in spirit we have never been parted10 was now in spirit reunited to her1 and that for ever4 99 99 99 99 99 ,a little book published at this time #bfh contains in full all that was said and done with reference to him who had passed away4 ,there are to be found in it the funeral sermons preached all over the town1 in church and chapel alike1 as well as sketches of his character and career in their special bearing upon the town1 whose particular reputation had been so much formed by him4 ,it is a touching tribute of affection and respect1 and is well worthy of perusal4 ,hundreds of letters poured in upon the bereaved family1 from all parts of ,england1 and indeed from the ends of the earth4 ,extracts from these interesting tributes of affection would form of themselves a volume2 it is therefore impossible to give them to the reader1 but all testified with one voice to the esteem and admiration in which he was held by those who differed from him1 and to the warm love and devotion which he inspired in all who knew him1 and whom he had guided into the ways of peace4 ,one expression may be mentioned which was overheard in the conversation of two gentlemen on the day of the funeral 7one of them a man of light and leading in the world74 ,said the first1 8,we ne'er shall look upon his like again10 to which the other made reply1 8,did we ever see his like before80 ,the beautiful letters which follow1 written on the day of ,canon ,hoare's death1 speak for themselves3-- 8,,lambeth ,,palace1 ,s4,e41 ,july #gth1 #ahid4 8,,my ,,dear ,,miss ,,hoare1--,one word only of intense sympathy2 but intense in something which swallows up sorrow4 8,no one will ever have looked more joyfully on the face of ,christ in ,paradise4 8,sincerely yours1 8,e4 ,w4 ,,cantuar40 99 99 99 99 99 8,,lambeth ,,palace1 ,s4,e41 ,july #gth4 8,,my ,,dear ,,miss ,,hoare1--,the news has this moment reached us1 and ,i cannot resist sending you one word of deepest sympathy4 ,i know the ,archbishop will write for himself1 but the thought of the beauty into which that holy and beautiful spirit has entered lives in one so1 and in spite of all your personal sorrow and loss ,i cannot help feeling that you are living in that thought now4 8,you know how we loved him--how could we help it6--and that we do know something of all he was and is and how the joy of the ,lord has been the breath of his life2 and so we may give thanks with you1 may we not8 though the heart must ache and the grief be keen4 ,i must not trouble you more--,god bless and keep you4 8,affectionately yours1 8,,mary ,,benson40 ,notices of ,canon ,hoare's death and sketches of his life1 longer or shorter1 appeared in countless newspapers in ,england1 ,america1 and ,australia4 ,the ,record published several articles upon his career and influence in the ,church of ,england4 ,one of the most happily written appeared in the columns of the ,guardian under the familiar initials 8,b4 ,f4 ,s40 ,few in the diocese of ,canterbury had better knowledge of the man whom he described than the dignitary who penned those lines4 7,from 8,the ,guardian07 ,in ,memoriam4 ,,edward ,,hoare4 8,by the death of ,canon ,hoare the ,evangelical party in the ,church of ,england loses1 perhaps1 its doughtiest champion in our generation4 ,but long before his death experience and advancing years had so suffused his views with catholicity that he was even more conspicuous as a pillar of his ,church than as the leader of a party4 8,born in a family in which piety was a tradition1 and predisposed by his ,quaker blood to think little of public opinion where it came into conflict with convictions1 he inherited a vigour of mind and body of which he early gave proof when1 as stroke of the ,second ,trinity boat1 he raised it to the head of the river1 and became a high ,wrangler4 ,but though a ,fellowship at ,trinity was fairly within his reach1 he entered at once into the active duties of the ministry to which he had devoted himself1 and thenceforth his energies were wholly bent on pastoral work1 though not to the exclusion of the ,mission cause abroad and the furtherance in ,england of those views which he believed most faithfully to reflect the mind of its ,church4 ,to the successful study of mathematics he doubtless owed the habit of boldly pressing his principles to their logical conclusions1 undisturbed by those many side-issues which often perplex minds less vigorously trained in the exact sciences2 though in his case a sturdy common sense and native shrewdness did not suffer him to be betrayed thereby into practical mistakes1 while his large and loving heart would never permit the strongest of his opinions to impair his affection for men whose conclusions differed from his own1 if they were otherwise worthy of it4 8,it was on a foundation thus broad and solid that his commanding personality was built up1 becoming a tower of strength to those who resigned themselves to his religious guidance1 and attaching marvellously by its strength and sweetness converts to the religious principles which he held and advocated4 ,how important a place he held at his best in the esteem of his neighbours those will remember who witnessed the universal demonstrations of sympathy when his life was in danger from ,roman fever1 and the whole town was quivering with anxiety lest they should lose one whom they could so ill spare4 ,and though the wane of his physical powers and the inevitable changes of a watering-place population may have narrowed the circle of his influence towards the last1 the striking demonstrations of respect which marked his funeral bore witness not only to the deep attachment of his own congregation1 but also to the widespread conviction of his brother-clergy and of all the country-side that a shining light had been quenched1 whose witness for ,god had penetrated far beyond the range of his personal ministrations4 8,of the endeared relations between him and his congregation1 who had looked up to him for spiritual direction for over forty years1 only those within the magic circle of that pastoral connection could form an idea4 ,the well-spring of personal affection which flowed forth from his loving heart towards the humblest of his flock was repaid by a personal devotion which might have proved injurious to a weaker character1 less firmly rooted on the rock of truth4 ,but there was an element of generous appreciation in a remark let fall at his funeral1 that there was probably no more #8personally conducted' congregation in ,england than that of ,trinity ,church1 ,tunbridge ,wells4 8,but on wider platforms ,canon ,hoare's ascendency of character had been in his time not less conspicuous4 ,in his own ruri-decanal meetings1 in which he continued to take part up to within a few weeks of his death2 in the diocesan conferences1 at which only a year ago he bore his solemn and memorable testimony to the value of ,church ,schools2 and at ,church ,congresses1 where he was ever ready to step gallantly into the breach in defence of the principles of the ,church which he thought to be assailed1--in these various fields of encounter the manliness of his advocacy1 set off by his manifest sincerity1 and by his charity towards those who differed from him1 commended itself to the admiration even of those who remained unconvinced by his arguments4 8,but his own pulpit was undoubtedly the vantage-ground from which he most effectively did battle for his ,master's cause4 ,armed with a forcible1 lucid1 and winning mode of address1 with an incomparable command of ,holy ,scriptures1 transparently in earnest1 and known of all men to live the life he preached1 by the elevation of his religious character no less than by voice and gesture1 #8he drew his audience upward to the sky4' ,even after his eyesight failed him1 and he could with difficulty mount the pulpit steps1 he continued to the last1 like the ,apostle of love1 to deliver his ,master's message4 ,and who shall say in how many hearts it found an echo among that changeful congregation1 and in what remote parts of the world a generation which knew him not have been taught by their parents to call his name blessed8 ,his beloved ,mother ,church has lost no more loyal1 wise1 persuasive1 heavenly-minded son and servant--no more trusty guide of souls from earth to heaven--than our modern #8,greatheart1' ,edward ,hoare40 99 99 99 99 99 8,the ,record0 ,friday1 ,july #acth4 ,,canon ,,hoare4 8,the death of ,canon ,hoare removes from the front rank of ,evangelical ,churchmen a conspicuous and commanding figure4 ,he took his degree in #ahcd--;,fifth ,wrangler4 ,he was ordained deacon in #ahcg1 #bgc the year1 it will be remembered1 of the ,queen's accession4 ,his jubilee coincided with that of the ,sovereign whom he so truly honoured2 and it is neither fanciful nor fulsome to say that he held a kind of sovereign rank amongst the ,evangelical clergy4 ,one of their kings is dead4 ,it happens sometimes to all parties to lose a man who was much more to them than to the ,church at large4 ,we do not deny that this was the case with ,canon ,hoare4 ,in spite of his conspicuousness1 he was not naturally the sort of man who loves to be conspicuous4 ,he grew to greatness amongst his fellows by the influence of character alone4 ,his abilities were considerable2 his training was excellent2 his family traditions were of the best that the eighteenth century in its ripe benevolence handed on to the young religious energy of the nineteenth4 ,that bright benevolence and beneficence shone in his face1 unmingled with the eagerness of the combatant or the push and pressure of the ambitious candidate for leadership4 ,his attitude to the ,church of ,england at large was one of admiring loyalty1 but he had no self-seeking thoughts4 ,he dwelt1 and loved to dwell1 among his own people4 ,he took his share1 an honourable share1 in the struggles of his own times2 but the part which he took was1 when it led him to scenes of controversy1 always a strange and unwelcome work4 ,but none the less1 perhaps all the more for that1 he did it well4 ,the nephew of ,joseph ,john ,gurney and of ,elizabeth ,fry was not without a strong element of what is sturdy and staunch4 ,that side of his character found useful expression when1 at the ,church ,congress at ,derby in #ahhb1 he was suddenly called upon to meet the suggestion of ,lord ,halifax that the ,bishops should allow the alternative use at the ,holy ,communion office in the ,prayer-,book of #aedi4 ,then1 in his own name and in the name of the ,evangelical party1 he spoke his apologia4 4 4 4 ,that scene illustrates the man2 and though a good deal has happened since1 and the ,lambeth ,judgment must not be forgotten1 yet that interpretation of the signs of the times remains the only reasonable reading of them1 and the alternative--the ,reformers or ,rome--is still the only possible alternative if ,england is to remain a ,christian country4 ,and yet1 as we have said1 this was an incident4 8,his work1 his real work1 was of another kind4 ,perhaps no other position in ,england would have suited him quite as well as the post he held at ,tunbridge ,wells4 ,he made ,tunbridge ,wells the ,canterbury of ,west ,kent1 and he was the unofficial primate4 ,for forty years this watering-place1 the once fashionable and frivolous resort of people half whose complaints were due to the too easy conditions of their life1 has come more and more to be the home of people whose leading purpose is to find out how to do most for the ,kingdom of ,god1 and have found there that a plain ,english clergyman was for the most part at the back of all its missionary energies4 #8,i am but one of yourselves1 a presbyter1' said ,newman in his first tract4 ,so1 in his last tract1 might ,canon ,hoare have said4 ,for forty fruitful years the overshadowing influence of a good man's life has been a kind of visible sign of a yet higher overshadowing4 ,prayers and alms have marked the life of the place1 and1 whatever the future may have in store1 there has been peace and truth in ,tunbridge ,wells in ,canon ,hoare's days4 ,outside his own parish1 his next most influential place was1 no doubt1 the ,committee-room of the ,church ,missionary ,society4 ,there was a time1 indeed1 when week by week two able men came up to ,salisbury ,square1 each in his own way exercising a powerful influence upon the ,cabinet deliberations4 ,one was the pen more than the voice1 the other the voice more than the pen1 of missionary counsel4 ,but those were the days of ,henry ,venn1 and in his days counsellors for the most part found themselves anticipated4 ,but when those days had passed away1 and the increasing missionary activity of the ,church brought new conditions1 new problems1 new agencies1 new methods into view1 then came a time in which counsellors who had within them a living spring of energy1 readiness of mind1 elasticity1 hopefulness1 breadth of view1 a firm belief in the future as well as a firm grip upon the past1 were invaluable1 and such a man was ,canon ,hoare4 ,things new and old were in him1 as they always are in the men who by the force of character become guides of their fellows4 ,the man of routine1 the mere pedant1 the mere deprecator of mistakes1 asks always for a precedent4 ,he does well to ask for it2 it is a finger-post to him4 ,the man of wisdom makes precedents1 founding them on principles of which he is sure4 ,in such a man the inner sight is clear1 the eye is single4 ,when he speaks there is the ring of authority in what he says1 the highest expression of the common sense of men4 8,who shall estimate the value of such a career8 ,who shall gauge the loss to the commonwealth of the ,church of one such counsellor8 ,it is pleasant to think that1 priceless as ,canon ,hoare was to his party1 and thoroughly as he was in sympathy with its aims and sentiments1 there is no deduction to be made for bitterness1 for narrowness1 for sour alienation from human interests4 ,it was his privilege to touch the life of his times at many points3 in the abundance of his interests he multiplied himself4 8,happy in his family1 in the narrower and the wider sense of the word1 happy in his friendships1 happy in his opportunities1 happy in his wide sympathies with humanity1 his heart went out expansively to all who challenged his attention4 ,the world became one wide field1 to which he gave himself1 his children1 his substance1 his time1 his prayers4 ,he was heart and soul an ,evangelical4 ,but we are greatly mistaken if the ,church of ,england generally does not recognise in ,canon ,hoare one of her truest children1 not the less for that which was part of his inheritance1 the knowledge that ,christ our ,lord has other sheep1 not of the fold in which he was so distinguished an under-shepherd40 ,,the ,,church ,,missionary ,,society4 ,the following minute1 which was passed by the ,committee of the above body at their first meeting after ,canon ,hoare's death1 records1 as far as words can do so1 the deep loss that the ,society has sustained by this event3-- 8,in addition to the deaths of long-honoured and attached friends of the ,society within the last few weeks1 the ,bishop of ,bath and ,wells1 ,canon ,lord ,forster1 ,lord ,charles ,russell1 and ,howard ,gill1 the ,committee record with affectionate and thankful remembrance a life consecrated to the service of our ,divine ,master in the removal of their beloved brother ,canon ,edward ,hoare4 8,trained in the days of the ,evangelical revival at ,cambridge under ,simeon1 ,scholefield1 and ,carus1 ,edward ,hoare commenced his ministry in #ahcf as curate to the ,rev4 ,francis ,cunningham1 at ,pakefield1 where he found the genial and warm sympathy of those who were at the time engaged in the religious movement1 and where he gave early evidence of the bright living missionary spirit which was so prominent a feature of his ministry in his after-life at ,richmond1 ,ramsgate1 and1 finally1 at ,tunbridge ,wells2 where1 for forty-one years1 he was by the grace of ,god ever at the front of all missionary work both at home and abroad4 ,the remarkable position of influence which he attained was not from his gifts1 which were considerable1 but from his grace4 ,the features of his character may be briefly summed up as they were known in his private life1 in his parochial work1 in the pulpit1 on the platform1 and in the ,committee-room of the ,church ,missionary ,society3 godly simplicity and unflinching courage1 clearness of judgment and expression1 loving sympathy and consideration for others1 unfailing diligence and soundness in the ,faith1 and supreme reverence for and delight in the ,word of ,god4 ,these gracious qualities made his counsels and co-operation wise1 weighty1 and practical4 ,he was in the highest sense a faithful witness to the principles of the ,reformation and the doctrine and discipline of the ,church of ,england1 and a zealous1 popular1 and attractive advocate at all times of the work of his beloved ,church ,missionary ,society4 8,the ,committee commend the members of his family1 especially those who are in the ,mission-field1 to the very special prayers of the ,church1 in the hope that a double portion of his spirit may be imparted to his successors40 99 99 99 99 99 ,the beloved son in the ,mission-field was the only one absent when the aged father was laid to rest4 ,his visit with his wife and children1 three and a half years before1 had been an unspeakable joy in the old home4 ,during ,canon ,hoare's latter years all who knew him remember the interest and delight that he took in the work at ,ningpo1 and how continually his thoughts turned to those dear ones who had dedicated themselves to labour for ,god in ,china4 ,yet--who can tell8--perhaps when the ,river has been crossed time and distance have ceased to be1 and the blessed dead1 being with ,christ1 are nearer those who are in ,christ than when they moved among us here on earth4 99 99 99 99 99 8,after this it was noised abroad that ,mr4 ,valiant-for-truth was taken with a summons by the same post as the other1 and had this for a token that the summons was true1 #8that his pitcher was broken at the fountain' 7,eccles4 xii4 #f74 ,when he understood it he called for his friends and told them of it4 ,then said he3 #8,i am going to my ,father's2 and though with great difficulty ,i have got hither1 yet now do ,i not repent me of all the trouble ,i have been at to arrive where ,i am4 ,my sword ,i give to him that shall succeed me in my pilgrimage1 and my courage and skill to him that can get it4 ,my marks and scars ,i carry with me to be a witness for me that ,i have fought ,his battles who now will be my rewarder4' 8,when the day that he must go hence was come many accompanied him to the river-side1 into which as he went down he said1 #8,death1 where is thy sting8' and as he went down deeper1 he said1 #8,grave1 where is thy victory8' 8,so he passed over1 and all the trumpets sounded for him at the other side40 99 99 99 99 99 8,i passed from them1 but ,i found ,him whom my soul loveth0 7,canticles iii4 #d74 ,,appendix4 ,as an illustration of the hold which the name of ,canon ,hoare has upon the ,church at large1 it may be mentioned that when the suggestion was made to call the proposed ,new ,wing of the ,south-,eastern ,college at ,ramsgate after him1 and to erect it as a memorial of his principles and the teaching of his life1 the proposal was warmly received2 contributions flowed in from ,india and the ,antipodes1 as well as from ,england1 and in about ten months' time the needed sum of #e1jjj was in the ,treasurer's hands4 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,printed by ,hazell1 ,watson1 ,viney1 ,ld41 ,london and ,aylesbury4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,advertisements4 ,crown #hvo1 ,cloth1 #cs4 #f;d4 ,,spiral ,,stairs ,,or ,,the ,,heavenward ,,course ,,of ,,the ,,church ,,seasons ,a ,series of ,devotional ,studies on the ,christian ,life ,by the ,rev4 ,j4 ,h4 ,,townsend1 ,d4,d4 ,vicar of ,broadwater ,down1 ,tunbridge ,wells ,,with ,,an ,,introduction ,,by ,,the ,,rev4 ,,handley ,c4 ,g4 ,,moule1 ,d4,d4 ,principal of ,ridley ,hall1 ,cambridge ,dr4 ,moule says3-- 8,i think your chapters delightful1 with their clear exposition1 their bright and1 so to speak1 friendly style1 and above all with their fulness of witness to the ,lord ,jesus40 99 99 99 99 99 8,a volume of which it is impossible to speak too highly4 4 4 4 ,dr4 ,townsend has a cultured and refined style4 4 4 4 ,we heartily recommend this volume1 particularly to the younger clergy40--,record4 8,a series of striking chapters4 4 4 4 ,eminently comprehensive4 4 4 4 ,scriptural and spiritual are the two characteristic qualities of ,dr4 ,townsend's teaching4 ,at the same time intellectual force and apt illustration give an added weight to the lessons drawn4 4 4 4 ,the thoughtful reader will find the ascent of the #8,spiral ,stairs' a happy and most helpful exercise through the coming year40--,the ,news4 8,expository in method and ,evangelical in outlook4 4 4 ,not merely earnest and thoughtful1 but well-reasoned appeals to the heart and conscience40--,the ,speaker4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,london3 ,,hodder ,,stoughton1 #bg1 ,,paternoster ,,row4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,great ,,principles ,,of ,,divine ,,truth ,,by ,,the ,,late ,,rev4 ,,edward ,,hoare1 ,m4,a4 ,vicar of ,holy ,trinity1 ,tunbridge ,wells1 and ,hon4 ,canon of ,canterbury ,,edited ,,by ,,the ,,rev4 ,j4 ,,gurney ,,hoare1 ,m4,a4 ,vicar of ,aylsham ,with ,portrait4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth1 #fs4 ,,contents-- ,i4--,,the ,,source ,,of ,,our ,,knowledge ,,of ,,divine ,,truth4 #a4 ,the ,holy ,scripture4 ,its ,inspiration1 ,supremacy1 and ,sufficiency4 #b4 11 11 ,inspiration4 ,its ,nature and ,extent4 #c4 11 11 ,the ,study and ,use of4 ,,ii4--,,christ ,,and ,,the ,,sinner4 #d4 ,propitiation4 #e4 ,redemption and ,salvation4 #f4 ,repentance4 #g4 ,justification4 #h4 ,forgiveness4 ,no4 #a4--;,judicial and ,parental4 #i4 ,no4 #b4--,present4 #aj4 ,no4 #c4--;,application of4 #aa4 ,the ,connexion of ,holiness with ,atonement4 #ab4 ,nothing between4 #ac4 ,personal ,religion4 #ad4 ,present ,privileges of the ,justified4 #ae4 ,the ,joy of the ,lord4 ,,iii4--,,the ,,holy ,,spirit4 #af4 ,the ,personality of the ,holy ,spirit and ,his ,present ,work in the ,administration of the ,church4 #ag4 ,new ,birth4 #ah4 ,holiness of ,heart and ,life4 ,,iv4--,,worship4 #ai4 ,the ,holy ,spirit the ,author of ,acceptable ,worship4 #bj4 ,the ,province of the ,emotions in the ,worship of ,god4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,london3 ,j4 ,,nisbet ,,co4 ,footnotes #b ,sister of ,mrs4 ,elizabeth ,fry1 the famous ,christian philanthropist4--,,ed4 #ae ,the late ,duke of ,abercorn1 one of his fellow-pupils4 #ag ,himself4 #bd ,killed by lightning4 #bf ,in later years so well known as a ,vice-,president of the ,british and ,foreign ,bible ,society4 #bg ,afterwards ,lady ,parry4 #ff ,an old friend relates that1 when he was going to be ordained ,deacon at ,ely1 ,edward ,hoare1 with whom he was not then acquainted1 was to receive ,priest's ,orders at the same time1 and as they passed into the ,cathedral he heard young ,hoare say with great solemnity1 8,now may the ,holy ,ghost fill this place60 ,the words and tone made a profound impression upon the younger man4--,,ed4 #gg ,wilberforce4 #gh ,maria ,eliza1 only daughter of ,sir ,benjamin ,collins ,brodie1 ,bart41 the eminent surgeon4 ,her mother1 ,lady ,brodie1 was ,ann1 youngest daughter of ,serjeant ,sellon4--,,ed4 #ih ,the eminent ,roman ,catholic architect4--,,ed4 #acg ,the ,very ,rev4 ,horace ,townsend ,newman4 #aea ,trinity ,church being temporarily closed for repairs4 #aec ,the ,right ,rev4 ,samuel ,crowther1 ,d4,d4 #aeg ,a subject on which he had been approached by the ,committee4 #aeh;a ,nottingham ,church ,congress4 #aeh;b ,an invitation from some of the ,australian ,bishops to undertake a series of ,missions in their dioceses4 #agd ,over the door in the vestry there hung the well-known lines3-- 8,i'll preach as though ,i ne'er should preach again1 ,and as a dying man to dying men40 #aij ,of his son the ,rev4 ,j4 ,gurney ,hoare4 #aic ,the ,bishop of ,dover4 #aie ,the ,rev4 ,canon ,money1 who took charge of the parish during the summer4 #bja ,the title of the paper was 8,the ,effect of the ,externals of ,religion on ,public ,worship40 #bjb ,exeter4 #bjd;a ,two of the most advanced men of the opposite party4 #bjd;b ,the words used by one 7accompanied by a cordial grasp of the hand7 were1 8,you little know how much ,i owe to you2 ,i thank ,god for truths which you have taught me0--words that reflected equal lustre upon the speaker and him to whom they were addressed4 #bji ,on 8,helps and ,hindrances to the ,spiritual ,life40 #bfh 8,in ,memoriam3 ,rev4 ,canon ,hoare40 ,courier ,office1 ,tunbridge ,wells4 ,price #f;d4 #bgc ,he was ordained priest in #ahcg--;,,ed4