SUCCESS OF HIS FIRST SERMON. 47 to speak his fears fled, and he lacked neither matter nor utterance: "Grace was poured upon his lips." The people were highly pleased; he spoke for a considerable time with fluency and effect; and all present seemed to know and feel that their friend and brother was "established to be a prophet of the Lord." But although he had made an effort to speak in public he had not preached a sermon. He was not allowed to rest, however, until he had done this; and at the urgent solicitations of the people, he went shortly after the above occurrence to the village of Greetham, where he had resided with Mr. Mager, and took a full service. He went with great reluctance and many misgivings, but resolved as he said :— "Whether he broke down or not he would have a good text." The Scripture he spoke from on the occasion, was Ezekiel xviii. 27 :-" When the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive." The first sounds of his trumpet were those of salvation. He lived long to proclaim the grace of God, and from first to last was wondrously successful. God gave him seals to his ministry under this first sermon; he spoke with great power, and several of the people of the village were awakened" and turned to the Lord." The population was only about a hundred and seventy; but such was the holy influence that spread amongst the people after this his first sermon, that in a short time all the adults in the village were converted to God, except three individuals!-two very aged persons, and a military pensioner, who said :-"He would go no more to hear the Methodists, for if he did they would be sure to catch him!" A fortnight afterwards Mr. Richardson 50 THRASHING EXCHANGED FOR WOOLWINDING. deeply convinced of sin, and from that time became earnest seekers of salvation. About a year and a half after this, Charles retired from the service of Mr. Bourne, for the purpose of commencing business on his own account as a licensed woolwinder. He was well qualified by knowledge and integrity for all that pertained to the occupation, and was encouraged by several influential gentlemen and friends, to make a commencement. Providence appeared to open out his way. His family circumstances rendered ampler means very desirable; and after making it a matter of prayer for some time, he decided upon the step in the name of the Lord, and never had any cause subsequently to doubt its propriety. The engagements of a woolwinder are chiefly confined to one season of the year, and that the least likely to interfere with those duties and operations in connection with the church, for which he was particularly prepared, and soon after called to perform. An instance of the high esteem in which he was held by Mr. Bourne, a few years after he had left his service, is mentioned by the Rev. Martin Jubb, who knew both parties well. Mr. Bourne had removed his residence to Claxby Pluckacre, and a missionary meeting was to be held in a neighbouring chapel. Mr. Richardson was one of the speakers engaged to attend. Several ministers were to be present, and Mr. Bourne invited the whole party to a sumptuous dinner on the day of the meeting, and in other ways, promoted the success of the anniversary, in order, as he said, to shew his respect for his former friend and servant. When religious servants stand right with their emloyers, Christianity is honoured, and is acknowledged › be a living power in the earth, equally beneficial to GOOD SERVANTS AND GOOD MASTERS. 51 master and man, elevating the one, sustaining the other, securing to personal merit its just reward, and operating infinitely better for society at large, than any of the wild, political, levelling systems which have been advocated in modern times. "Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; not with eye service, as men-pleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; with good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free. And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with Him." "He was humble, kind, forgiving, meek, All Saw in his face contentment, in his life The path to glory and perpetual joy."-Pollock. CHAPTER III. "It is the heart, and not the brain, That to the highest doth attain."-Longfellow. THERE was a good reason why St. Paul worked as a tent maker, with Aquilla at Corinth: it was necessary. He had no other means of getting an honest living. For even he was not to subsist by miracle, and rather than that the Gospel should not be preached, he nobly sustained himself and "wrought with labour and travail, night and day, that he might not be chargeable to any." And neither was his apostolic office soiled, nor his ministerial efficiency diminished by his manual toil. And if similar circumstances were to press upon those who preach the Gospel in our own day, there are men to be found, who would bravely strip to their task, and earn their daily bread by the sweat of their brows, rather than be prevented, "testifying the gospel of the grace of God." "No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier." And it is not meet, that those who are 66 separated unto the gospel of God," and bound by solemn vows to devote both soul and body, with all the powers of each, to the holy work of saving souls, should be burdened with labour for the bread that perisheth. But the Wesleyan Methodists have never been very squeamish, about allowing laymen to exercise their gifts and graces as auxiliary teachers in the hurch. And no small proportion of the vast success ich their system has achieved, is attributable to s circumstance. Local preachers have sustained a noble position in Methodist history and evangelic toils, and have greatly contributed to bring about those blessed results which have gladdened the Christian world. Thousands of village pulpits are mainly dependent upon these selfdenying servants of the Saviour; who oftentimes toiling all the week in their worldly occupations, distribute the bread of life to thousands on the Sabbathday. Methodism rejoices in such a staff of willing labourers in the vineyard of the Lord. A finer, training school for the fully ordained ministry cannot be found; nor a healthier outlet for the energies of the church; nor an easier method of carrying out the missionary principle of aggressive action upon the home heathenism of the land. Methodism will never be without its local preachers any more than its classmeetings, itinerant ministers, and other peculiarities. Altering circumstances may call for an elevation of the standard by which personal qualifications are tested, on the part of those who preach, as they do at the present time; and it is greatly to be desired, that those who have the advantages of education and worldly position, should feel it to be their duty and privilege to employ their gifts in "calling sinners to repentance;" and that all those who are already in the harness, should be afresh baptized with the Spirit which came down upon Eldad and Medad, and constrained them to "prophesy in the camp." That Spirit abundantly rested upon Charles Richardson, and like the Elders of Israel he "prophesied and did not cease. He was a genuine, local preacher; and his wellbalanced mind enabled him, accurately to grasp the meaning of his position in the church, and his fine principles sustained him in it. Once upon the circuit |