solution the Lord enabled me to keep, while living in the midst of snares and temptations. Though I was at this time, totally unacquainted with the nature of salvation by Jesus Christ, as revealed in the gospel, or with the agency of the Holy Spirit, to bring me into a personal acquaintance with it, yet, as I acted up to the light I then had, God, who has said in his word that we shall know if we follow on to know the Lord,' gradually revealed his mind and will to me through the influence of his Spirit. My mind has often been filled with gratitude and thankfulness in reflecting on the gracious dealings of God with me at that time; for I well know, although the path was dark and intricate to me, it was the way in which he thought best in mercy to lead me.

"From this time I was marked out by my comrades and officers as being deluded by methodistical notions. Some of them derided and persecuted, while others pitied me. One of them, in particular, expressed his compassion for me, that I should forego the pleasures of sense and the enjoyments of this world to no purpose, since I could have no superiority' or advantage in the world to come, where every soldier would fill a station suitable to the rank he held on earth.

"Our next quarters were at Loughborough in Leicestershire, in 1770. Here I attended an evening lecture in Mr. Wesley's connection, where the first subject that particularly arrested my attention was from these words: Strive to enter in at the strait gate; for wide

is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to de-struction, and many there be that go in thereat. Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.' Matt.. vii. 13, 14. These words I heard as a message from God to my soul; and, they being a part of the Sa-viour's sermon on the mount, I determined to read the whole carefully, and to pray that I ́might under- stand its contents, and reduce them to practice. By these means I found that humility and poverty of spirit, are essential features of a disciple of Christ, that we are cautioned against being actuated by the self-righteous, hypocritical spirit of the scribes and pharisees, who did every thing to be seen of men ; but, notwithstanding, I considered that fasting and prayer were both enjoined by the Redeemer, and were consequently the duty of all who would become his disciples. But I found considerable difficulty in determining when these things should be attended to, particularly fasting. Here, a word of Christian advice would have been very serviceable to me; but I had no one to whom I could apply for instruction. But in one point I was quite clear, as to the privacy which should attend these duties, according to the precept, let not thy right hand know what thy left hand doeth.' Considering, therefore, that as fasting was the duty of Christians, it must be binding on me, I regularly fasted every Friday, and did not take even bread or water into my mouth from Thursday evening six o'clock till eight on Saturday morning. Although

I boarded in the house with the family where I was quartered, I thought proper not to let them know any thing of it, that I might not fast to be seen of men.' This practice I rigidly observed for nearly twelve months. If I went out in the morning, I always requested them not to wait for me at meals. I spent this time in reading, meditation, and prayer to God; and this part of my conduct was so far from their thoughts that I believe they never suspected the occasion of my a absence.

"During this time I attended the General Baptist and Presbyterian meetings. I did not then know what denomination they were, but their discourses appeared to me very dry and doctrinal, and did not reach my case. I therefore determined to seek direction from God, by prayer and a diligent perusal of his holy word and said, ' thou shalt guide me by thy counsel.'

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"A clergyman in the church which I at this time attended was much in the habit of abusing the Methodists, as he called them, for believing in the influence of the Holy Spirit, and the doctrine of regeneration and hearing in the Dissenting meetings the depravity of human nature, and the necessity of renewing grace, the guilt of man, and salvation only by faith in Jesus Christ, together with the production of the fruits of the Spirit' in the life and conduct, constantly maintained, I became very anxious to know who were right, and what was the way in which God would have me to go. I then felt no

attachment to any denomination in particular. I was totally unacquainted with their respective peculiarities, and viewed them all with equal indifference; 'my sole concern was, to know and embrace the truth. But the reading and hearing of the word of God was. so blessed to me, that light broke in upon my mind in a way that filled me with surprise. I wondered that I had so often read, to so little purpose, those parts of scripture which now afforded me so much consolation and delight; and I was still more surprised to find that men of education should censure and condemn as fanatics, those who believed in the influence of the Holy Spirit, while they constantly used those prayers which supplicate his grace on behalf of the king and royal family, clergy and people, and make constant reference to the influence of this divine agent as necessary to enlighten the mind, to sanctify and renew the soul, to comfort the heart, and to produce the fruits of righteousness.

"Being quite astonished at this contradiction, I could not help expressing my thoughts on the subject when I met with a person that I supposed had any knowledge of these things. One day, meeting with a young man from Scotland, belonging to the troop, who appeared to have some understanding in religious matters, I opened my mind to him, so far as to assert my suprise that so very few should attend to these important concerns. But after this man had heard my conversation on these subjects for some time, he turned what I said into ridicule, aud adding

falsehood to it, he told the officers and men that I thought there was scarcely a Christian in the troop. This brought on me a great deal of persecution, for the men were let loose upón me by the officers, who encouraged them by saying, they hoped the men would remember me for putting out such speeches.

"At this time the commanding officer left Loughborough for a few days, and the men, according to a rule among themselves, tried me by what they called a Court Martial, for the alledged crime of scandalizing the regiment. I was then sentenced to be cold burnt, and accordingly was tied up in the yard, and a great many pails of water and ice thrown on me, till they were tired of fetching them from the horse-pond; and such was their determination to use me ill, that they placed sentinels around to keep off the people, that none might rescue me. On this occasion the people of the inn behaved very humanely towards me; they put me into a warm bed, sat up with me all night, and paid the greatest attention to me, so that I received no farther injury.

"This treatment I considered it my duty to bear with patience, as I remembered the words of Christ, "if any man smite thee on the one cheek, turn to him the other also.' Before my clothes were dry, one of the principal actors in this affair came to me to borrow money, which without hesitation I lent him, recollecting that we are directed to overcome evil with good.' Some of the men appeared ashamed of their conduct, while others boasted of it, and said "I