year 1821, he was preaching from the steps of Pennington Hall, Leigh, to a great multitude, among whom was our John Hartley, husband of the deceased, who was so forcibly struck with the doctrines then advanced by Mr. Hindmarsh, that he waited on the Rev. Gentleman, after the delivery of his discourse, and most earnestly requested he would come to their meeting room in West Houghton, and preach for them. Mr. Hindmarsh conveyed their request to the Manchester missionary Committee. Missionaries were sent there, and the first missionary discovered that Mr. Hartley and his friends were METHODISTS; who admiring Mr. H's sermon, were induced to invite him. Mrs. Hartley became one of the earliest recipients, and shewed by her life how highly she valued the new doctrines. To the day of her death she continued an avowed believer in the great truths of the New Jerusalem. Her departure was a proof of that calm, resigned, and peaceful state, which belongs to those who will receive the cheering welcome from their God and Saviour, "Well done thou good and faithful servant: Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." Prayer is the Christian's vital breath, Prayer is the contrite sinner's voice, LAY DOWN THE SHIELD. SELECTED LAY down the shield and quit the sword, And swiftly tow'rds the glowing east Thou bravely hast the fight maintain'd, The banner of thy God. The hour of rest approaches nigh, And waiting heralds sing "Oh grave where is thy victory? "Oh death where is thy sting!" They come! they come! and high in air Who overthrew in glorious war, The world-the grave, and death. And high their triumphs ring, "Oh grave where is thy victory? "Oh death where is thy sting!" THE NEW JERUSALEM MAGAZINE, AND Theological Inspector. DECEMBER, 1828. To the Editors of the New Jerusalem Magazine. GENTLEMEN, AMONG works much wanted in our Church community, is an appropriate publication on Preaching and the Ministerial Office. No work of the kind yet exists, professedly written by any of our own friends on the subject. There are such, however, being the productions of other individuals, containing much that is useful; but, as it respects ourselves, none of them free from many things objectionable. The most valuable of the kind that I have read, are Dr. Gerard's "Pastoral Care," and Dr. Doddridge's Lectures on Preaching, &c. The latter of these, by some omissions, slight alterations, and additions, may become very useful to ourselves; nor should we be so fastidious as to despise the experience of others, when found agreeable to the nature of things. It is a concise Work, and the Lectures are short, containing from three to four pages of letter press. A thought has presented itself to me, that, one of these Lectures may be easily given (subject to the above alterations) in each Number of your Magazine; and in twenty-one months the whole may thus be printed, and circulated in our Church, in a way that will be useful both to readers and ministers, and I hope it will not detract from the value of your impartial publication. When the duties of the Ministry are known both on the part of the Minister and the people, those duties are likely to be more efficiently fulfilled, than No. 12.-1828. when they are but little known on the part of either. Your Magazine is more likely to give general publicity to these things, than a separate publication. Hoping these ideas will meet with your approbation, I herewith present you with an abstract of the Advertisement, and with the first of the Lectures, which, if approved of, 1 will endeavour to send you a revised one each month, till the whole are presented through the medium of your pages. Yours, &c. T. P. H. Abstract of the Advertisement. The following Lectures are the substance of those delivered by Dr. Doddridge to his theological students, in reference to Preaching and the several branches of the Ministerial office; they contain many excellent remarks and advices. The reader is requested to observe, that, what is here printed, professes to be only a pretty full Syllabus of what the author more or less enlarged upon. The Lectures are so printed, however, as to convey, by means of the dash (thus.-) some idea of the place and nature of the supplementary enlargements which might be made, and may serve as proper pauses for the reader's profitable reflection. We view these Lectures as possessing a very considerable degree of excellence, if they be estimated according to their tendency to do real service both to Ministers, and through them, to the rising generation. Here we have a collection of rules, maxims, and cautions, relative to Preaching and the pastoral care, ample and well chosen, delivered with great simplicity, and detailed according to various circumstances. In them we discover a great insight into human nature, an uniform regard to religious, moral, and civil propriety of conduct, and ardent wishes to benefit mankind by promoting vital and practical religion. LECTURES ON PREACHING AND THE MINISTERIAL OFFICE. LECTURE I. Introduction-General Remarks and Directions relative to the Christian Ministry. * Gentlemen, you have devoted yourselves to the work of the MINISTRY, and it is the main thing you have in view in the course of your present studies; other things are taken in only as sub The Lectures were delivered to the students in theology, under the author's care. servient to this. Nor is any You well know it consists of several branches.— The first on which you enter is PREACHING, which, though not the only, is one of the most important parts of a Minister's duty.→ Preaching requires genius, application, and the divine blessing.Of the former, few who are capable of academical or of a regular consecutive course of studies are entirely destitute. very great height of genius absolutely necessary. The latter with a good intention and pious conduct may be expected.Diligence, therefore, is generally the main thing wanted; yet this under a wrong conduct may turn to little account.To prevent which the following advices are designed, recommending the suc eess of them to the spirit of God. In these Lectures I shall give some general directions as to the method to be used in order to furnish yourselves for the work, and to make you ready in it, (Lect. 1.) Consider the use of practical writers, (Lect. 2.) Give some advice as to the composition of sermons, (Lect. 3—8.) Offer some thoughts on the most proper method of delivery, (Lect. 9.) Add several miscellaneous remarks which will not properly fall under any of these heads, (Lect. 10.) Propose a few general directions for prayer, (Lect. 11.) Call your attention to the importaut duty of public exposition, (Lect. 12.) Then offer some directions for catechising, (Lect. 13-14.) On administering the ordinance of baptism, (Lect. 15;) and the Lord's supper, (Lect. 16. On visiting in general, and the sck in particular, (Lect. 17-18.) I shall then give you some general maxims for conversation, (Lect. 19.) Rules for conduct towards particular persons, (Lect. 20.) And on behaviour to other ministers, with a few miscellaneous concluding remarks, (Lect. 21.) I. I shall begin with some general directions to furnish you for the work of the ministry, and prepare you for the exercise of its functions. 1. See to it, that there be a foundation of sîncére piety laid in yourselves, or else there is but little prospect of your being useful or acceptable to others. Be therefore firmly resolved to devote yourselves to the Lord God, and do it solemnly. 2. Keep up a strict course of walking with God. Bé constant, diligent, and lively in secret prayer. Maintain an habitual sense of the Divine presence and providence, in all the operations of the mind and actions of life. Be much in the exercise of private ejaculatory devotion, and let it often be in Scripture language. So you will learn to speak out of the fulness of the heart. Seize every opportunity of increasing in piety, usefulness, and heavenly order of life. |