Such was the language of the author of that widely-circulated and useful book, The Pilgrim's Progress." The far-famed and pious JOHN BUNYAN, in that sentence describes the history of more than one Christian. The history of Richard Cobb is a re-echo of it. The beauties of three-score summers had flown away from him, before he became the subject of the religion of Jesus. Before his conversion to God he attended the parish church with great regularity; but his heart remained unchanged, and his life was very immoral. word he lived "without God and without hope in the world." Like the generality of the unregenerate, he was as careless about death, judgment, hell, heaven, and the soul, as the notorious Nero was respecting the conflagration of Rome, of whom the historian records, "Nero was fiddling while Rome was burning." Young men ! young women! Do not put off religion till Old Age. In a In Acts xvi. is related the conversion of an interesting woman called Lydia. The terms employed to describe her conversion, are simple and beautiful. The inspired penman writes,-" Whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul." Her conversion resembled the light of morning, increasing more and more till it arrived at the blaze of noon-day. Richard Cobb's conversion was much like that. He could not, like many can, name the hour and place; but he was certain that he had obtained the experimental reality, "A new heart." This glorious change occurred about fourteen years ago, through the instrumentality of the people denominated Bible Christians. It is a lamentable fact that numbers who start well for heaven in appearance like the Galatians, are hindered from running the Christian race-grow weary and give up.-" Unstable as water, they shall not excel." But Richard Cobb did not resemble them. Through grace he held fast his profession. He was human, and therefore the subject of errors and defects. One failing which he mourned over, was a warm temper: but even this for the last three or four years was blessedly conquered. His christian consistency increased with his years. He was a very industrious, hard-working man; but God was with him in his labour; and on several occasions while getting his living by "the sweat of his brow," he was so remarkably baptized from heaven, as comparatively "To forget all time, and toil and care.” Religion does not exempt from mortality. Martha and Mary had occasion to say to their Master, "Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick!" The piety of Richard Cobb did not render him invulnerable against the attacks of sickness and death. Cold, Influenza, and the breaking up of nature, were the causes which hastened him to the tomb. During his sickness, at intervals, his mind was cloudy; but for a fortnight prior to his death, the clouds rolled away, and the sun shone down upon him clearly and gloriously. He was much in prayer to God. In acquiescence to his heavenly home. which he breathed. God's will, he frequently expressed a desire for to be associated with worldly company. On one occasion the candle being lit, he desired its removal, observing,-"The Lord is my light." At another, he said he saw three glorified saints; one of whom was his own wife. At another time he was so fixed in his manner, as to lead a christian friend who was in the room with him to believe he was holding converse with some spiritual and sainted being in glory. The writer visited him two or three times, and is satisfied-much satisfied—as to his eternal safety. I can never forget his smile-his look-and his exclamation to me when entering the room on one occasion-"I would rather see you than have a thousand pounds!" He expressed a great desire to receive a visit from MISS A. CHALCRAFT; his desire was gratified, and he professed to have received much encouragement from the visit. Not long before his death he requested Mrs. Wheeler to read the 90th Psalm, and offer up prayer; his request was granted. His son Thomas was frequently with him, and one morning the son said, "Father, you will soon be with Elijah," and other saints whom he named. The father replied very cheerfully, "Bless the Lord, I wish I was there." Other friends visited him whose names are not mentioned, and all are satisfied that though the loss is ours, the gain is his. On the last day of March, 1855, he fell asleep in Jesus, aged naturally 74 years,--and only 14 spiritually. His medical attendant observed, "I have visited many cases of sickness, among poor and rich, but I never saw a case yet in which the religion of Jesus has been so strikingly manifested, in composing and supporting the mind, as in the case of Richard Cobb." The religion of Jesus as developed by Br. Cobb was embodied in living, visible, and unmistakeable traits of character. Latterly he was meek. He was very liberal to the cause of God, and latterly very temperate. A good father, but very strict. He could not boast of scholarship except spiritually in Christ. As a neighbour and class mate, he was peaceable. He was honest in principle; very regular at the means of grace; simple in relating his christian experience; and possessed of deep love to preachers and people. He judiciously arranged worldly matters and his funeral affairs in good time. He requested a very temperate funeral. He was very humble. His countenance was generally expressive of great happiness. And last not least, he was a Bible reader. Himself and children might frequently be seen, "searching the scriptures." That great and holy Book under God, contributed greatly to the formation of his christian character; and were it more generally read by all, it would produce similar results. In the first leading article of the Times Newspaper, August 20th, 1847, there is a striking admission, from the greatest organ of public opinion in the civilized world, as to the results which would flow from reading the scriptures. It is not a quotation, but an Editorial opinion.-We question if any person, of any class or school, ever read the scriptures regularly and thoroughly, without being, or becoming, not only religious, but sensible and consistent. Agreeably to my request, Br. Gauntlett has supplied the follow ing. "I have known Br. Cobb seven years. When first I was converted I met with him in class. He always appeared to have an implicit confidence in the Lord Jesus, and a lively hope of eternal life. I have always believed him to be a man of inflexible integrity, and moral principle. "His conceptions of Divine truth were clear. He knew in whom he believed, and bore a blessed testimony that his sins were all forgiven; and his soul washed in the Redeemer's blood. "Being human, no doubt he crred; but having a right knowledge of human nature, and of his own heart, he was a humble man; ascribing the glory of his salvation to the grace of God. "One most pleasing feature in his life was, his unassuming manner. He always spoke of his own attainments in the divine life, in a manner that gave proof of his humility: he was little and helpless in his own estimation. "Br. Cobb was a holy man, and I have not the slightest doubt of his eternal safety." Br. Gauntlett has also supplied the following lines. "Farewell! dearest brother, we bid thee farewell, Entombed in the dust, thy body shall rest; Thy spirit with God forever shall dwell, And sing the sweet song of the saved and the blest. Thy hand waves the palm in the regions of light, The glory of heaven, unfolding before thee, Thy harp-strings are touched by a soul tuned to praise ; In harmony sweet thy voice thou dost raise. Safe landed in glory, thy conflict is o'er, The victory is won, and ended the fight; The powers of temptation shall oppress thee no more, don, would be a fair standard by which to judge of its character. In passing the streets the sound of the organ has occasionly attracted us into a place of worship, without knowing before we entere l what sort of an exhibition to expect therein. At other times we have purposely sought out places of more than ordinary celebrity. So that the Roman Catholics, the Catholic and Apostolic Church, the so-called Church of England, both Evangelical and Tractarian, the Church of Scotland, and several of the Dissenting bodies have performed the rites of their worship under our inspection. On the whole, we feel greatly humbled to acknowledge that our estimation of the worship which our Divine Master receives in this city, is not very high. In proportion to the form and ceremony observed, we fear that the sincere homage offered to God is but little. To speak the best of most of the extemporaneous prayers we have heard, they are sober and sensible. The singing more readily suggests to our mind, well trained, than "with the Spirit." And the sermons in general, savour much of a fear of offending. There are certainly noble exceptions. We have occasionally listened to the most stirring and faithful exhibitions of truth, made too, to many of those who occupy the high places of the earth. At times we drop upon a spot watered as with the rain of heaven. The holy fervour of devotion is sometimes to be found kindled in a vast assemblage, and evidently sending up a sweet fragrance to the skies. We attempt not to characterize the readings of liturgies and litanies which occupy numberless tongues, and incur countless costs in the metropolis, for they are the same all the world over. They are introduced in the worship of Independents, Wesleyans, and other dissenters, and seem to us to form a connecting link between them and the Church of Rome. To an admirer of settled forms of wor ship, reading of prayers, etc., we should say, go direct to the principal performers of them-the Pa pists. For sound and outward show, they certainly are without a parallel. Having witnessed their formal procedings on an occasion of more than ordinary importance, and seen the part acted by Cardinal Wiseman, our opinion respecting a ceremonial christianity is quito settled. The gaudy display, the formality, the pomp and vanity, the hundred indescribable tomfooleries of that occasion cannot soon be forgotten. A friend said, truly, as we were leaving ;-" When the Church begins to substitute a form for the power of godliness, no one knows where she will stop.' What London needs in point of religion is the same thing that is adapted to the condition of all the rest of the world. A religion of the heart and the life; the gospel, simple and pure; and an carnest ministry, full of the Holy Ghost. But we regret to say that while observing the tone and spirit of worship celebrated in those temples with which the names of Wesley and Whitfield are closely identified, we have repeatedly been reminded of the warning; Or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place." · Lord save, or we pe rish." 6. OPEN AIR SERVICES. We remember having read, in early life, of the effective sermons preached in the open air, in London, a hundred years ago, and now find that the practice has been continued more or less from that time to the present day. But within the last two or three years, streetpreaching has been greatly increased. Many parties who heretofore considered that the practice did not become any besides Methodists and Ranters now engage in it themselves. On the Sabbath afternoon in summer, may be found in the streets, squares, and parks, ministers of almost every sect, announ cing the doctrines and creeds in which they profess to believe. Even those who cannot preach without homilies, nor pray without prayer-books, occasionally make experiments in their way of wor a shipping beyond the limits of their "consecrated walls." And, by the bye, they sometimes labour mongst persons who do not appreciate their services: but, rather, are so naughty as to treat their would-be teachers very contemptuously. There is one spot at the junction of several streets, where is considerable space, and in the centre of which is an obelisk. At this place multitudes are constantly passing, and during the Sabbath a crowd may be found at almost any hour, surrounding the obelisk, being harangued by some one. On account of the spot being thus appropriated we learn that it has been named "MARS' HILL." Here may be heard Temperance Advocates, Infidels, Unitarians, the followers of Joanna Southcott, Universalists, and in their turn, Evangelical preachers with others. We have stood for a time, in passing that way, and listened to most singular arguments against the doctrine of eternal punishment, and to other similar effusions. But it is pleasing to find that the masses of human beings who throng the more open. thoroughfares often come under the sound of eloquent voices proclaiming " the truth as it is in Jesus." Gentlemen of high standing, brilliant talents, and undoubted piety, go into the "highways" inviting sinners to the feast of the gospel. Even such as have the term "honourable" prefixed to their names not lacking in this service. Noblemen too, sometimes mingle with open air auditories. A friend stated to me a short time since, that the Earl of A- had been a member of his congregation in the park last summer. are The present successor of Rowland Hill was, we are informed, interrupted by policemen some time ago, while conducting an open-air service, considering it to be within their province so to interfere when they judged proper. He consequently wrote a letter respecting it to a very high personage, to whom we may have occasion to advert hereafter. And the result was that policemen were commanded to preserve the order of such services instead of disturbing them. We ourselves are happy to say that we have not been wholly idle in this department of christian labour; and we are not without evidence that our efforts have in some degree succeeded; though on one occasion we stood not a great distance from a public-house, and, as might have been expected, were met by rampant opposition and abuse. The underlings of that establishment came out with bloated faces, and in their working apparel, and charged us with creating uproar, though prior to their approach nothing indecorous was seen amongst us. They also said that we were giving encouragement to pickpockets: though we confess that we thought their traffic to be far more productive of that class of delinquents than our open-air preaching. When their declamations had in a measure subsided, we felt ten-fold courage in adding a few words of warning to the multitude, and heartily invited them to follow us to the chapel in which we were about to hold our evening service. A solemn awe prevailed; and we feel confident that in the last day, that service will come to remembrance to the praise of God. On another occasion, while a brother was "holding forth the word of life" in the street, a functionary of the law appeared and commanded us to disperse. He being firmly withstood, called one of his fellows to assist him; but our friends gave them both to know that we understood their prerogatives, in this instance, just as well as themselves, and we were left to continue our service without further molestation. Accessions to our congregations and societies prove that those attempts are not made in vain. We calculate on renewing the campaign in the open battle-field as soon as the weather will permit, God being our helper. W. LUKE. |