am in the habit of saying Amen, when I hear people pray." The young men were struck with terror at this reproof-they had never before realized the awful import of their horrid oaths.

After my return from Connecticut, I preached some in Bristol, R. I. There I was received with a great degree of cordiality by some of my old friends, with whom I had labored between thirty and forty years before. They had a convenient meeting-house, and a good congregation.

After residing in Weston about seven years, I moved to Methuen, Mass. After I had been there a short time, I was requested to preach in Dracut, Mass. It will be recollected that I preached there a few years before, when I resided in Pelham. I now preached in a schoolhouse, which was well filled with attentive hearers; but it was sometime before I could discover any particular seriousness among the people. Feeling hurt to see such apathy in things of so vast importance, and anxious to see some fruit of my ministry, I visited from house to house, and inquired into the state of their minds, praying with them. In the course of my visits I found a lady who appeared to be powerfully exercised by

the awakening influences of the Holy Spiritand several others partially awakened. Soon after this the lady referred to was brought into Gospel liberty, and praised God for redeeming grace and dying love. About this time, her father was awakened to see himself lost and un done without an interest in Christ, and soon found peace in believing. He had a very remarkable experience. Soon after this we had a prayer-meeting at his house, which was one of the most interesting meetings I ever attended. After we had commenced the usual exercises of the meeting, this brother said to me, "Father Snelling, what doth hinder me from being baptized ?"—adapting the language of the apostle, on a similar occasion, I said, "If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest." Said he, "I do believe with all my heart, and it is my desire to be baptized this afternoon." I told him that it would perhaps be as well to defer it till the next Sabbath, when there would be more people present. "No," said he, "I may not live till that time. I am convinced it is my duty to attend to it now." According to his request, he was baptized, and surely the Lord added his blessing for a happier meeting I seldom witness; nearly all present seemed to be filled with

the love of God, and could say in the language

of the poet,―

"My willing soul would stay,

In such a frame as this;
And sit and sing herself away,

To everlasting bliss."

The following evening we had another meeting, which was also attended with the same divine influences. At this meeting an elderly lady, who had been under concern of mind for some time, found peace in believing, and testified before the people what God had done for her soul. Several others were brought from nature's darkness into God's marvellous light,—and there appeared to be an increasing attention to divine things, till we had quite an interesting revival ; a number were baptized, and we formed a small church, agreeably to the rules of the Methodist Protestant Discipline. We now had prayermeetings and class-meetings regularly, which were generally well attended, and we had many joyful, refreshing seasons.

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CHAPTER IX.

I HAVE always been a believer in what is called, a particular providence," though brought about by natural causes. And when I survey my past life, and call to mind the narrow escapes, and the many remarkable incidents of my life, I am confirmed in this belief, and constrained to acknowledge an overruling providence. I have had some of the most remarkable deliverances when in imminent danger, and have many times received manifest and immediate answers to prayer. Surely the loving-kindness and tender mercy of God have been great towards me, and I am under the greatest obligation to love and serve him-blessed be his great and holy name.

I recollect when I was a boy, two boys, about my age, and myself, hired a sail-boat to take an excursion on the water. We went as far as the

Castle, now called Fort Independence, which is about three miles from Boston. These two knew nothing about a boat, and I was obliged to take the whole management upon myself. Not being acquainted with the business of sailing a boat, I

was as unfit for the office as they were. The wind was very high, and the boat careened so that her gunnel was almost level with the water. One of the lads was so frightened that he turned very pale, and intreated me to lower the sail. I told him there was no danger, and we kept on our course. One sudden gust of wind would have given us a watery grave. We were out till ten o'clock in the evening. Nothing short of a good Providence preserved us.

Rev. Jesse Lee and myself were once crossing Bristol ferry, R. I., which is about one mile wide. The boat had a mainsail and jib, The proper ferry man was absent, and another was employed to take his place, that did not understand the business. We both had our horses on board with us. The wind blew a gale, and the sea was very rough. The ferry-man should have taken a double reef, but took none at all, and the boat careened very much, as soon as we started from the shore. Brother Lee was at the fore part of the boat holding his horse; in a few minutes his horse fell down, and the water came over the boat. The people on the opposite shore stood looking at us with great anxiety, expecting every moment to see us capsize-they said they never saw a boat go in such a way before. Mr. Lee told the ferry-man that if he had lived in