ers, especially the household of faith: and none have so good claim on me, as those whom I look on as my children in the gospel, and who I trust will be my crown of rejoicing in the day of Christ."—He sends three guineas, and proceeds: "I wish I could do any thing more effectual to relieve the pressing necessities of a people ever dear to my heart: but I hope they will trust in the Lord both for temporal and spiritual things, and that more entirely in times of trouble. I recommend the sixty-second psalm to their consideration at this time, and the thirty-seventh. Give my love to them all."

February 14, 1799. As the Lord hath in pecuniary matters been very kind to me, in an emergency when I was led to expect great difficulties, I think it my duty to make some acknowledgment, by contributing a little to the relief of such of my brethren as are in poor circumstances." He sends therefore two guineas. . . . . "My heart is very much with you, and I do not always forget to pray for you all: but in this, and all other good things I am too apt to be negligent."

One more series of letters, from which I shall give a few extracts in this place, presents my father in an interesting connexion with the British and Foreign Bible Society: not indeed with its actual formation, (which was so many years posterior to this time,) but with the preceding events which led the way to it. As the historian of that Society remarks, The primary occasion of all those measures, out of which grew the institution of the British and Foreign Bible Society, was the scarcity of Welsh Bibles in the Principality, and the impracticability of obtaining adequate supplies from the only source existing at that period, whence copies of the authorized version were to be derived." Accordingly his history commences with a correspondence, in the year 1787, between a clergyman in London, and a brother clergyman in Wales, which first brought the existing scarcity into notice in England. This London clergyman was my father. Mr. Owen's first extract is from a letter of his, dated May 15, 1787, which, it will be seen, implies a prior communication from Wales. That communication is in my hands, having accidentally escaped the destruction to which my father consigned nearly all the letters in his possession, previously to his last illness: and it enables me to carry back the history of these events one step further than Mr. O. has done. It is dated March 24th, and refers to a still ear

lier, indeed a first proposal from my father. The fact, in short, was this: in soliciting subscriptions from his friends in aid of some benevolent designs which his correspondent was carrying on in Wales, my father called, among others, on the late William Daw, Esq. of Brompton Row, who said, 'I have a few Welsh Bibles by me'-or, 'I could procure some' from what is now denominated the Naval and Military. Bible Society: 'would they be of use to your friend?" consequence he proposed the question, and the reply was as follows-probably the first expression of urgent want which was conveyed to London.

In

March 24, 1787. You ask me, 'whether a parcel of Welsh Bibles would be acceptable.' You could think of nothing more acceptable, more wanted, and useful to the country at large. I have been often, in my journeys through different parts of the country, questioned whether I knew where a Welsh Bible could be bought for a small price; and it has hurt my mind much to be obliged to answer in the negative. There are none to be bought for money, unless some poor person, pinched by poverty, is obliged to sell his Bible to support himself and family. Mr. Williams's Bibles, with notes, are some of them unsold; but the price, 18s., is too high for the poor to command. If you can procure a parcel of them for our poor people, I am sure you will much rejoice the hearts of many, and do them, by the blessing of God, great good. I will promise to dispose of them in the best manner I am able: and I think I could dispose to very good purpose, and make profitable use, of any quantity you could procure for me."

Upon this followed those letters of my father's from which I shall now give extracts.

"May 15, 1787. Dear Sir, I received your acceptable letter, which made my heart rejoice, and caused me to render unfeigned thanks to God in your behalf, and the people in your neighborhood; and to pray for a still further bles-sing upon your labors, and those of your brethren. May the work of God both sink deeper, and spread wider, till, like the leaven, it leaven the whole lump! I have shewn your letter to several, and I trust it affected and influenced them in the same manner; and also in another-for silver and gold I have none to give; but my friends have. In consequence of what you write concerning the scarcity of Welsh Bibles, I have received twenty-five from the Society for distributing, Bibles among the soldiers and sailors..., . and, if they ap

more.

prove of your disposal of them, they will send you some Besides this, I am collecting money to send you a hundred. I have had assistance from Mr. Thornton in this, and probably shall have more. .... I trust this will be an acceptable present, and a seasonable supply; and I hope many prayers will be offered up in Welsh for my friends and myself, which is the only recompense we desire, and which we shall highly value."

He mentions the Lock Asylum, then forming, and adds: "Pray for a blessing upon this and all other attempts of your poor brethren in London: and, though we are so distant in situation, yet, being all engaged in one warfare, under one captain, against one common enemy, we may be helpful to one another by prayers, exhortations, and encouragements. Let us, therefore, endeavor to keep up the communion of saints; and may the Lord give us wisdom, holiness, faithfulness, and usefulness, and at length receive us with, Well done, good and faithful servants! Your affectionate brother in Christ,

T. SCOTT."

June 11, 1787, be states that he has sent the one hundred and twenty-five Bibles altogether; and that the Asylum is opened. "I am surrounded," he says, "daily with pretty much the same sort of company that my Master was, Luke xv, 1. The Lord grant that I may behave among them in some good measure as he did, and speak to them with the same success! Most people here are very unbelieving about it, and think no good can be done: but I am enabled to expect great things from the power, mercy, and love of Christ. I would believe, and hope to see the glory of God in their conversion. Indeed I do see some good fruits; and, though there are many disappointments, and I am often ready to be discouraged, yet upon the whole I think I may confidently say, good is done: and, if God help me to persevere, and neither faint in, nor grow weary of, nor act inconsistently with, my work and office, I trust I may expect a good harvest at last. We have raised money enough to begin with, and I do not wish to have temptations to any thing interested or extravagant. At present I have refused to have any recompence for my trouble, till the experiment be tried, at least; and I hope others also, will be as disinterested as they can. I would not have any thing to depend on but God's providence and promise. We want nothing so much as the pouring out of the Holy Spirit for their conversion; and all the rest will be provided for in the Lord's time.

"You rather misapprehend my situation, in supposing that I have multiplied opportunities of preaching. For my great benefit, I am left with something about me which is very unacceptable among most of the professors of religion. Some things requisite for popularity I would not have, if I could; and others I could not have, if I would. This, together with some suspicions concerning the exactness of my orthodoxy, in the point of election, renders even those, who love me the best, shy of asking me to preach. But I feel it is needful and useful to me, and I submit to it, and am thankful for it; for my proud heart could never have borne popularity properly: indeed few do.-I trust I am in some degree useful. I do the work allotted me with uprightness, though with many blunders; should be willing to do more, if called to it; and would be submissively out of employ, if the Lord appoints that for me.-My heart is with you. I pray God to prosper you in your extensive sphere, and make you long a burning and shining light—a useful preacher of, and a bright ornament to the gospel. Begging an interest in your prayers, I remain your affectionate friend and brother, THOS. SCOTT."

of

January 12, 1788, he mentions difficulties in the way procuring more Bibles.-"I have got upon a new scent, but know not how I shall succeed. If we should have opportunity of buying a quantity, how many dare you engage for? You need not doubt my willingness to serve you or your people: but at times a man's strength is to sit still, and wait a convenient season. But, as far as I can with propriety procure either the sale or gift of Welsh Bibles, I shall count it my privilege to send them.

"I am myself very busy, very unpopular, and a little useful. I hope to see greater things. Religion of a certain stamp is very fashionable in town, and I get much displeasure for opposing fashionable religion: but I trust God is with me, and that there is an increasing number of helpers."

April 30, 1788. There had been "a prospect of obtaining, through the assistance of another society, and with the help of Mr. Thornton's purse, no less a number than a thousand Wesh Bibles: but, alas!" he says, "I have only waited for a disappointment." He has, however, the prospect of a few. "I should have been more sorry," he adds, "at the disappointment, did I not know that it could not have taken place unless the Lord had had wise reasons for permitting it?"

"February 24, 1789. If no unexpected hindrance arises, you will receive, as soon as they can be got ready and sent, another cargo of Bibles, one hundred to give away, at Mr. Thornton's expense, and the other two or three hundred to sell.... I believe that the whole impression of Welsh Bibles is now nearly exhausted; and I would be thankful that the Lord has made me, almost without any thought of it, an instrument of bringing a considerable number out of the warehouses, to be disseminated where they were wanted."

October 19, 1702. A further supply of Bibles had been procured through another friend, and he says, "I trust that the Lord, who hath put it into the hearts of so many in Wales to love his holy word, will also put it into the hearts of their more wealthy brethren in England to use effectual methods of supplying them with Bibles. I have no counsel to offer; but am ready to be active in the good service in any way I can.-I rejoice to hear, that your people go on well, and are a comfort to you: and I think I do feel more willingness than formerly, that others should have the satisfaction of enlarged usefulness, and I the mortification of much disappointment in that respect."

Letters of a later date announce the new edition of the Welsh Bible in 1799, consisting of ten thousand Bibles, and two thousand additional copies of the New Testament; out of which he appears to have procured eight or nine hundred copies of the whole Bible; and the correspondence closes, May 3, 1800, with observing, "The demand has already so far exceeded the impression, that each person is put off with fewer than he applied for, and thought he had secured."

CHAPTER X.

HIS COMMENTARY ON THE SCRIPTURES-DEATH OF MRS. SCOTT.

"As I had read over the whole scripture repeatedly, I trust with constant prayer, and considering how almost every verse might be applied, as if I had been called to preach upon it; I had often thought that I should like to preach through the Bible: for instruction from every part crowded upon my mind, as I read and meditated from day to day. While I was in this frame of mind, a proposal was