"It is natural to suppose, that in the combination of trying circumstances which attended me, I must have had considerable anxiety; but, trusting to the justice of my cause, and to that God who has promised, As thy day is, so shall thy strength be,' and 'No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper,' my confidence in his promise never failed, but continued my support and consolation through the whole. The next day I received my discharge, and gave a receipt in full of all demands on the regiment."

At length then, by the kind providence of God, we see Mr. Morris at once delivered from the unpleasant circumstances of a military life, and the persecutions to which it continually exposed him. His conduct was such, that nothing which could constitute à ground of criminal proceedings against him could be discovered, till they find what, in its greatest possible guilt, was only pardonable inadvertency; and this they determined to notice with all the rigour of martial law. But is it not strange, that so respectable a body of officers should treat a man with such oppressive harshness, whose integrity and uprightness de. served their admiration, and whose principal crime was, that he felt religion to be a more important concern, and attended to its holy precepts with more seriousness and diligence than those around him? No man was ever persecuted for possessing a less share of religion than others; but, let his views and conduct be such as to prove that, while others have

only its "form," he feels its "power," and opposition will be immediately commenced. One who well knew human nature said, "All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." They had long been endeavouring, by rigorous treatment, to make Mr. M. renounce those principles and that conduct which had brought peace into his conscience; but in this they could not succeed: irritated by the unconquerable firmness of his mind, and the steady calmness of his temper, prejudice and passion carry them a point too far. After his hopes of deliverance, excited by the kind and strenuous efforts of his friends, had been disappointed, and the cloud of distress gathered thicker and darker, he little expected that deliverance was so nigh; and especially that it should come from the very quarter whence all his difficulties arose. Yet such is the mysterious manner in which God frequently brings good out of evil. While, like the patriarch, we are ready, in circumstances of distress, to cry, "All these things are against me," the great Governor of the universe is so conducting the arrangements of his providence as shall lead us, upon a review of "the way which he has led us," to exclaim, "He has done all things well." It seems that, conscious of the irregularity or too great severity of their proceedings, they were afraid or ashamed of the issue of a general court martial, and this led to his discharge. He left the regiment with no mark of ignominy, but honourably; and it is a pleasing proof of the attachment of some

of the soldiers to him, that they offered to suffer in his stead.

How must Mr. M. have admired the goodness and wisdom of Divine Providence, in thus realizing his wishes, in a way and at a time the most unexpected! No doubt but this engaged his heart to more devotedness to God, and probably served to fix more decidedly his determination to give himself up to the ministry of the gospel. May we learn to trust our Gracious Friend more firmly, and without hesitation! "The Lord will provide." "I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them." Let us remember the case of our departed friend, as another proof that

"Behind a frowning providence

He hides a smiling face."

I am, &c.

MY DEAR FRIEND,

LETTER VI.

THIS letter will close that part of Mr. Morris's Memoirs which he himself dictated; which, though it includes the greater portion of his life, a period of more than forty years, will not exhibit such a variety of incident as the former part

of this Narrative. He might have said much more, but it would have principally related to his own usefulness he was in the arms of death, and he chose to leave a life of active labours and extensive good to speak for itself.

"As soon as I was discharged, I went to London, to thank Lord and Lady Manners for the interest which they had manifested in my welfare, and the pains they had taken to serve me. They assured me, they were happy that I had obtained my discharge; and that such had been bis lordship's anxiety on my account, that his horses were kept in harness every day, for a fortnight together, in order to serve me with promptitude, should the occasion require it. Her ladyship then enquired if I intended to go into the ministry. I told her I had such intentions, but that there were several things in the service of the Church of England to which I could not conscientiously conform. Lady Manners appeared very much surprised at this answer; she said I might find difficulties among the Dissenters also, and things which I might not like; and particularly wondered that I should turn my back on such an opportunity of doing good, so superior to what I could expect to meet with out of the Establishment; cautioning me, at the same time, not to expect perfection among the Dissenters, any more than in the Church of England. I certainly felt very great reluctance to act contrary to the wishes of one from whom I had received such distinguished favours: most of the articles, prayers, and

creeds of the Established Church I could at that time have agreed to; but could by no means reconcile myself to the administration of baptism according to the prescribed order of the Prayer Book, by which I should be bound to return God thanks, that the infant so baptised was regenerated with the Holy Spirit" of God, 'received for his own child by adoption, and incorporated into his holy church;' when, in truth, it was to be the business of my ministry to shew that every person was in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity,' unless his understanding was enlightened, and his heart renewed, by the regenerating grace of the Holy Spirit. Although Lord and Lady Manners appeared much disappointed at my scruples of entering into the Church, yet they continued their friendship to me.

"In June 1775 I came to Amersham, and soon married Martha, daughter of Henry Hobbs, who for many years had been a deacon of the General Baptist meeting in this place, and immediately settled in business. Soon after this, I received an invitation to supply the Particular Baptist church at Woodrow, about two miles from Amersham, their former pastor, Mr. Harris, having, through age and sickness, finished his work. After preaching to them some time, I received an unanimous invitation to become their pastor. On the 7th of October in the same year, myself, my wife, and a friend of ours, were agreeably to a former determination, baptised at Hemel Hempstead, by my friend Mr. Jones; and,