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BV 3625 .C63 C351 1841
Philip, Robert, 1791-1858.
The life, times, and
missionary enterprises of
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THE
LIFE, TIMES,
MISSIONARY ENTERPRISES,
OF THE/
EEV. JOHN CAMPBELL.
ROBERT "^PHILIP,
Author of the Lives of Whitefield, Bunyan, and Dr. Milne, of China, Sfc. ^-c. ^-r.
If thine ej'e be single, thy whole body shall he full of light."
Sebmon on the Mount.
LATTAKOO.
LONDON:
JOHN 3N0W, 35, PATERNOSTER ROW.
184],
WILLIAM TYLER,
PRISTEK,
BOLT-COURT, LONDON.
THIS
ALMOST AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL MEMOIR
OF THE
REV. JOHN CAMPBELL,
IS INSCRIBED TO
HIS WIDOW AND FLOCK IN KINGSLAND ;
TO
DR. PHILIP, AND THE AFRICAN CHURCHES OF THE
AND
TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS,
BY THEIR FRIEND,
THE AUTHOR.
Maberly Chapel^
1841.
CONTENTS.
Page
vii
Preface . .
CHAPTER I.
His bovlioocl and education
CHAPTER IL
Tlie formation of his religious principles . . ,31
CHAPTER III,
The progress of his experience . . . o4
CHAPTER IV„
His friendship with Mr. Newton . . .79
CHAPTER V.
His first belief of the Gospel . . . .101
CHAPTER VI.
His first attempts to be useful . . .117
CHAPTER VII.
His first philanthropic enterprises . . . 14G
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER VIII.
Page
His first literary pursuits and associates . . . 1S4
CHAPTER IX.
The Countess of Leven's influence on him . . 226
CHAPTER X.
His entrance on the ministry .... 258
CHAPTER XI.
His first visit to the May Meetings . . . 307
CHAPTER XII.
Itineracies with Mr. J. Haldane, 1803 . . .330
CHAPTER XIII.
His settlement at Kingsland .... 362
CHAPTER XIV.
His first visit to Africa . . . . 392
CHAPTER XV.
His second visit to Africa . . . .511
CHAPTER XVI.
His old aere and death .... .557
PREFACE.
This work, with all its responsibilities, was unexpect-
edly thrown upon the author. He was writing the life
of Dr. Vanderkemp, when Mr. Campbell died. That
work he had to lay aside, and thus to risk, if not to
sacrifice it also, in order to meet the wishes of personal
friends. And yet he never laboured with more plea-
sure. He felt that Mr. Campbell's memory and mate-
rials deserved his best services, and that the church
needed such a life at this crisis in the history of mis-
sions. He could not hesitate, therefore, to pursue his
task at all hazards. He could not doubt the eventual
success of a work so rich in incident, — so original in
form, — so enchanting in spirit, as that which John
Campbell had sketched, — could it only be brought out
in a manner not unworthy of the subject.
The author speaks thus freely of the work, because
it is substantially from Mr. Campbell's own graphic
pen. It would, indeed, have been compiled as a pure
auto-biography, but for the explanations and illustra-
tions which the Scottish part of the narrative required;
and even these were often derived from his own lips.
Not, however, that he is responsible for all the opinions
of men or events, which the volume contains. He
would have softened some points, and been silent on
Vlll PREFACE.
others, although he would not have disowned the spirit
of either.
The work was composed, also, under the vivid real-
ization of the fact, that his little books for the young-
had laid hold upon many hearts, who wish to know as
much as possible about his own youth, and his early
life. To gratify this curiosity, a complete picture of
him has been attempted. In like m-^nner, the leading
incidents of his travels, which he himself had marked
out as parts of his personal history, have been carefully
although briefly told in his own words, because the
volumes have been long out of print, except as abridg-
ments, and because a new generation has grown up
since they came out. His life presents, therefore, a
complete outline of all his chief enterprises in Africa,
in order that none of his history may be lost, nor
superseded by subsequent travellers or missionaries
from South Africa. He deserves to be remembered,
wdioever may follow him there; and as his Travels
cannot be republished now, it was public as well as
personal duty to preserve sketches of them, where they
will last as long as his example has any influence on
home or foreign missions.
It will gratify his friends to know that this work will
soon appear in Germany as well as in America, and
most likely in France also, because it is known there to
be almost an auto-biography. On this account, it is
not unlikely to be translated, in part at least, into some
of the African languages, as a mark of respect to Mr.
Campbell's memory.
The following letter to Mrs. Campbell, from Dr.
Philip, although certainly never intended for publica-
tion, as certainly deserves it. At the hazard, therefore.
PREFACE. IX
of being blamed by his best friend, the author cannot
withhold this tribute of grateful affection. It was his
chief warrant for most of the views he has given of
Mr. Campbell's character: —
** Cape Town, Cape of Good Hope, 2'ird Sept., 1840.
" My dear Friexd, — I have lately heard by a letter, through the
medium of your relation Mrs. Bumsted, of the loss you have sustained
by the removal of Mr. Campbell. By his translation, — for I can scarcely
consider the change he has undergone under any other aspect. — You must
have had many to sympathise with you ; but your greatest consolation
under this bereavement must arise from the thought of him in glory, and
the hope of being soon united to him in that state of perfect blessedness.
" When your beloved husband used to be employed in those errands of
mercy, which frequently took him from home, you used to support your
mind under his absence by anticipating his return ; and you may now
look with more certainty to your re-union in heaven than ever you could
in former times look for his return to Shacklewell from one of his long
journeys, or even from the meetings of the different societies in London,
at which he used to be so regular an attendant.
" I like the view Bunyan gives us of his faith when he says, (or words
to that effect) * I sometimes feel as if I saw Christ in the manger, in
the temple engaged teaching the multitudes, working miracles, in the
house of Mary and Martha, in the garden, on the cross, rising from the
tomb, appearing to his disciples, ascending to heaven, sitting at the
right hand of God. Under such impressions, distance and death are
annihilated, and we follow our dear departed friends to heaven, and
never cease to have fellowship and communion with them. "We do
wrong in allowing our thoughts to dwell on the grave, or on the mould-
ering form. Jesus has said, * He that believeth on me shall never see
death ;' that is, he shall have his mind so full of the glory of heaven,
that in the article of death he shall leave the body as a prisoner would
leave the place of his confinement, without clinging to his own chains,
or mourning over the condition of his fellow- prisoners who may have
been liberated a few hours before him, and whom he is assured he shall
soon meet again in a state of liberty and perfect enjoyment.'
" I lately followed to the grave the remains of a beloved daughter : but
while I sympathise with her bereaved husband, and with her children,
and with the cause of God, to which her continuance here might have
been aiding, I cannot think of her but as in heaven, and I feel that I
X PREFACE.
have as much fellowship with her now as I had while she was upon earth.
That is a delightful passage of Scripture, * We are come to mount Zion'
— not, we shall come to that state, but we are already come to it. The
only, or the chief difference lies between faith and vision ; and our
entrance upon it now by faith gives us the blessed assurance that it will
not be long before the former will be swallowed up in the latter !
" In my letter to Mrs. Bumsted, in reply to hers giving me an account
of Mr. Campbell's removal, I made a promise that I should write to you
soon, and furnish you with some of my recollections of Mr. Campbell
in Africa.
" With the object of our visit to this country in 1819 you are well
acquainted. Owing to causes that we cannot now enumerate, we found
our Missions in the most wretched state imaginable, and the difficulties
we had to encounter in the discharge of the duties assigned us were often
of a very perplexing character ; and yet, after discussing the various
points in abeyance, in no one instance was there ever any difference of
opinion between us.
" This agreement of sentiment was favourable to our undertaking, and
a source of great comfort to both our minds, as it enabled us to proceed
with efficiency towards the accomplishment of our object, according to
the measure of the means in our possession ; and the manner in which
he was accustomed to look at the right side of every subject ; his
unshaken reliance on the providence of God ; the peculiar colouring that
his fancy gave to every object around him ; his rich store of anecdotes,
and the appropriateness with which he often introduced them ; and the
habitual joyousness of his heart, which was often full to overflowing
amidst the wild scenery of the country, gave a charm to his society, that
beguiled the tedium of our journey, and seemed to make the very desert
and the barren mountains to smile around us. Had we been confined
for days and nights together in any part of the country by heavy rains,
and had we spent the night without hearing any other sound except that
of the heavy drops pattering upon the canvas tents of our wagons, we
no sooner heard Mr. Campbell's voice in the morning than all was
cheerfulness. Even to this day I never visit the scenes through which
we passed together in our travels without experiencing the most pleasing
associations ; and when depressed in spirit, the thought, how would Mr.
Campbell have looked or spoken in such circumstances, never fails to
revive me ! My recollections of him form a book which I have impressed
on the tablets of my heart, which I never tire of reading, and which I
never read without pleasure and profit. I never reflect upon his faith,
liis devotional spirit, his integrity, his guileless simplicity, his elevation
PREFACE. XI
above the world, and his entire devotedness to God, and to the cause of
benevolence, without gaining from the recollection a higher measure of
that grace which dwelt so richly in him ! There was one feature of his
character which I never heard noticed by any one, which furnished a
fine illustration of the power of the religion of Christ in elevating the
mind above the infirmities arising from a particular state of the body.
From the account he has given of his travels in Africa, it has been
supposed that he was constitutionally courageous ; but that is not the
fact ; he was naturally the most timid man I ever knew. I have seen
him, on a sudden alarm of danger, as if he could have crept into any
hole to which he could have found access ; but the moment he could
look up to God, all that timidity left him, and no one could suppose
from his appearance that he had ever known what fear was.
** The disinterestedness of his mind was equal to his moral courage, and
in all money transactions in which he had to do with others, he set an
example that it would be well for all Christians to follow, in the appli-
cation of funds committted to them for benevolent or religious purposes,
and in the ordinary affairs of life. On one occasion, before we left
London in 1818, he had 60^. put into his hands anonymously, and it was
doubtful, from the manner in which the note accompanying it was
worded, whether it was intended as a gift to himself, or to be expended
for charitable purposes in Africa ; and although he was then 60^. behind,
as he expressed it, a circumstance that was to him the occasion of con-
siderable uneasiness ; with this doubt upon his mind he would not
appropriate a shilling of it to his own use, but gave it away in Africa to
objects of general benevolence in connexion with this Mission.
"Such was his carefulness of public money, and the exactness with
which he kept his accounts, that I have heard him several times mention
as a matter of surprise that on returning to England after his first visit
to Africa, there was one shilling and sevenpence halfpenny that he could
never account for ; and he used to add with great gravity, which it was
impossible to listen to without a smile, * and I cannot, sir, to this day
account for that uineteenpence halfpenny !'
" While he derived all his knowledge of the character and will of God,
his consolations and his hopes, from the Scriptures, the works of God
were to him a source of the most exquisite delight, and these objects
which are regarded by many pious persons as hostile to spirituality of
mind, nourished his piety, and sustained it in a uniform and delightful
temperature, unattainable by those who, to see God with the eye of the
mind, think it necessary to shut their bodily eyes that they may not see
the works of his hands, or the agency he employs in the government of
Xll PREFACE.
the world. Nature was to him the temple of Deity, in whose presence
he dwelt a delighted worshipper, accepted in Christ, and under the
influence of that * love which casteth out fear.' Enduring, as seeing
him who is invisible, reconciling the world to himself in Christ ; he saw
in the Creator, the Governor and Judge of the human race, his God and
Father, and the views of the Supreme Being, which appear to the mind
of the mere philosopher, served only to give additional intensity to the
admiration and gratitude which dwelt in his heart, and which was always
breaking forth on the most ordinary occasions. This was not only the
case when nature appeared to us under its most magnificent forms, and
when he was ready to exclaim, • What a glorious world this is, after all
that has happened in it!' but the same turn of mind was visible when
his attention was awakened by the most minute objects which came under
his observation, and his adoration began to kindle where that of others
for the most part terminates. Having remarked every thing novel in
an insect or a mineral, or a flower ; after having carefully examined it,
he would end his remarks by saying, ' See how imich of God is in that
insect,' or ' in that blade of grass !' A pause would ensue, and so
easy was his ascent to the throne of God, it seemed to cost him no effort.
The things which brought down other minds to the earth only seemed to
give elevation to his ; and depositing his offering on the altar before
which the spirits of the just made perfect worship ; without straining his
faculties to embrace infinity, and descending as naturally from heaven
as he rose to it, his return to earth was without regret, and like that of
an angel of light on an errand of mercy.
" His life had always been an active one. I never knew a man who
had about him more of the habit of doing good, or had more delight in
it. He used to relate an anecdote of the late John Townsend with a
feeling that indicated how much he sympathised with the benevolence
of that excellent person and minister of Christ.
" Finding him on Tuesday morning, shortly before his last illness,
leaning on the balustrade of the staircase that led to the breakfast-room
of the Tract Society, and unable to proceed from a difficulty of breathing,
Mr. C. remarked, ' ]Mr. Townsend, is this you ? Why should you come
in this state of body to our meetings ? You have now attended thtm
for a long lime, and you should now leave that work to younger men."
The reply of Mr. Townsend was worthy of his character. Looking
round upon his friend, with a countenance brightened and elevated by
the sentence or thought that was struggling for utterance, his words
were, ' O Johnny, Johnny man, it is hard to give up working in the
service of At/c/f a Master!'
TREFACE. Xlii
" His humility, anJ the absence of any thing like pretension, brought
him much love. He had such realizing views of the Divine presence
that he never compared himself with other men ; and he seemed to have
no motive in what he said or wrote, but what proceeded from the desire
of doing good.
** What is generally understood by the term book-making he did not
understand, and so fearful was he lest he should be taken for what he
was not, that I have known him reject improvements suggested to him
on works preparing for the press, on the ground that, by publishing in
his own name what was not his own, he would be deceiving the world.
This feeling he sometimes carried to excess ; but it was not without its
advantages, and particularly in his books written for the young, which
have had an extensive circulation ; and have, to my certain knowledge,
done much good to many who have spoken to me of the benefit they
derived from his early publications in their younger days. He knew
the extent and limits of his own mind, and with an amiable candour
used to make a joke of his own attempts to work in any other field than
that which Providence had designed for him. ' I can manage,' he used
to say, * one idea, but there is such a thing as generalization ; that is, I
believe, putting two ideas together, and from the two finding a thirds
that I never could make any thing of.'
"Among his constitutional excellences, he had a considerable share
of what is called humour, and a keen perception of the ludicrous in cha-
racter, which, under the sanctifying influence that pervaded his mind,
threw great life into his conversation, and discovered a considerable
knowledge of men and things.
" Conversing one evening in our tent, after a long day's journey, on
the worthlessness of a great proportion of our books of travels, as to
any information they give with respect to man as a moral, intellectual,
and social being, he related the following anecdote of a sailor who had
been round the world with Captain Cook, and who, after being repeat-
edly pressed to give some account of the countries he had visited, con-
sented to comply with the request on the following conditions, viz., that
the inquirers would appoint a certain hour to hear what he had to say,
and that after receiving all the information he had to give them,
they would never ask him any more questions on the subject. The
sailor was then in the service of his uncle, and next day, at the hour
appointed, all his fellow- workmen, and Mr. Campbell, who was then a
boy, with his expectation excited to the highest pitch, came to hear the
promised narrative. The company being prepared to listen to the tale of
wonders that was about to be unfolded, the voyager again required them to
h
XIV PREFACE.
renew their pledge, and this being done, he gave them all the informa-
tion he had to communicate in the following sentence : — * I have been
round the world, and all I can say I have seen, amounts to no more than
this, — that wherever I have been I have seen the heavens over my head,
and the earth and water beneath my feet.'
" He was known to all his friends as a man of peace, and he was one
in whom the word of wisdom dwelt richly. I have often been struck
with the manner in which he would reprove or put an end to a foolish
conveTsatioK, by a remark or an appropriate anecdote, which often cut
very deep, but at which no one could take offence, from the Christian
spirit in which it was done. I could add many striking anecdotes illus-
trative of this and of other features of his character that came under my
own observation ; but I have already scribbled more than I intended
when I took the pen into my hand, and I feel so little satisfied with
what I have done, that I would not now forward it to you, were it not
that I feel that you will expect something of the kind from me.
** Praying that our New-Covenant Jehovah may comfort you by his
gracious presence, and supply all your need for time and eternity, ac-
cording to his riches and glory, by Christ Jesus,
" I am, my dear Friend,
'* Yours very truly in the Lord,
** John Philip."
LIFE AND TRAVELS
REV. JOHN CAMPBELL.
CHAPTER I.
HIS BOYHOOD AND EDUCATION.
There are two spots in Scotland, Killin, and Luss,
deeply interesting to every pious liighlander, whether at
home or abroad ; for from them " sounded out the Word
of the Lord" first, in the Gaeliclanguage. At Killin, a
small village in Bredalbinshire, the New Testament
was translated by the clergyman of the parish, Mr.
Stewart ; and at Luss, the Old Testament by his son.
Dr. Stewart. These distinguished men felt a deep
interest in Mr. Campbell when he was an orphan boy.
His father was born at Killin, and grew up under the
ministry of Mr. Stewart, and in habits of intimacy with
Dr. Stewart ; and although their example did not make
him a scholar, it determined him to struggle out of
obscurity. He left them to their Celtic studies, and
went to Edinburgh, "to get forward in the world," by
business. There, in course of time, he found a good
wife ; and, by industry, became a respectable grocer in
the Cowgate. His success did not efface his recollections
of his old friends at KilHn. Mr. Stewart and his son were
always welcome guests when they came to Edinburgh
^ BOYHOOD AND EDUCATION.
to attend the annual session of the General Assembly.
This home did not, however, remain long open to them.
Their worthy host died when his youngest son, the sub-
ject of this memoir, was only two years old. In a letter
to the wddow, Mr. Stewart says : — " I sympathize much
with you. His death has deprived me of a steady
friend. He was a pleasant companion for the soul^ by
his many excellent qualities. Yovir children are the
seed of the righteous, and their Heavenly Father will
provide for them, and make them your comfort yet."
This is all that is known of Mr. Campbell's father.
Of his mother, who also died when he was only six
years old, he says : — " She was evidently directed by
God to commit her children (three sons) to the care of
faithful tutors, who aimed to prepare them for both
worlds ;" their father having acquired by industry, suf-
ficient property to enable her to secure for them a good
education. Thus, as one native of Killin gave to the
Highlands of Scotland the first Gaelic version of the
Bible; another native of that village gave to South
Africa, although unconsciously, her first Missionary
traveller; and to Wilberforce his working Scotch coad-
jutor ; and to John Newton his chief Scotch correspond-
ent. This fact will be interesting in Africa, some day.
It is so at Lattakoo already. Some there know that
Mr. Campbell's father was born at the foot of the lofty
Benlawers, on the banks of Loch Tay ; " one of the
loveliest lakes," as he often said, '* I ever saw ; extending
fifteen miles, and guarded on each side by a row of huge
mountains, wooded to tlie very summit with beautiful
trees. The margin of the lake is studded with small
villages, which look across at each other ; and the tops
of the mountains can be seen even from the streets
of Edinburgh, although eighty miles ofi*." Mr. Camp-
BOYHOOD AND EDUCATION. 3
bell had this scene of his father-land before him wherever
he travelled ; and brought the mountains and vallies of
Africa, as well as of Europe, alike into comparison with
it. The villages along Loch Tay were his models when
he selected sites, and drew plans for missionary settle-
ments in Africa ; for he filled his soul with the scene.
It may almost be said, that Mr. Campbell was born a
traveller, and that curiosity about Africa was his first
strong feeling : for even before his mother died, and
whilst he was not six years old, he often stole away
from her side to see what was " beyond " the streets of
Edinburgh. On one of these trips with his playfellows,
he found an old beggar-woman sitting on the Roslin
roadside, horrifying the passers-by with the tale of her
captivity amongst the African Niggers, as she called
them. " It made a powerful impression upon me," he
says, " and 1 ran home to get some bread for her. But
she preferred pence ; and, I think, did not even thank me,
but decamped to another spot. I do not suppose now,
that her story was true ; but I never forgot it." This
incident he always called his "first glimpse of Africa."
As it will be seen from this volume, that Mr. Camp-
bell's travels in Africa led to great results, and laid the
foundation of still greater, the reader will not be sorry
that I induced him to explain the formation of his taste
for travelling, in his own way.
" I never intended to leave behind me the outlines of
my life, or even materials from which one might be
compiled. I do not recollect of such a thought being
for a minute entertained in my mind ; which has sur-
prised me ever since I have collected into a kind of focus
a number of past occurrences.
" The first time the matter was brought under my
B 2
4 BOYHOOD AND EDUCATION.
review, was when, on a visit to Edinburgh three or four
years ago, a judicious friend, and a companion of my
youthful years, most seriously advised me to leave be-
hind me a history of my life, as I had been a witness
of all the circumstances which led to a new era in the
kingdom of Christ in that country. Several other old
friends urged me to the same purpose during that visit.
" About a year after my return to London, several
London ministers urged upon me the same point ;
merely, I thought, from their seeing some straggling
papers of mine in the Evangelical Magazine.
" The matter began to wear a very formidable aspect;
for I had no written memorials of former occurrences.
No doubt I had referred to many of them in letters I
liad written to friends during a long series of years ; but
I had no copies of those letters, and perhaps many of
them were torn to pieces as waste paper. So I was left
to recover the whole by mere dint of memory. I men-
tioned this to brother Philip, who had much experimen-
tal knowledge on the subject. He advised me to com-
mence my narrative ; and told me I should be surprised
how one fact would lead to the accurate recollection of
another. I began, and found it exactly as he had said.
Many parts of the narrative refer to facts that happened
more than forty years ago, and I am confident that they
are more accurately recorded than if they had happened
only a month ago. I remember the late Mr. Newton,
describing his memory, said : — * The other day at din-
ner I could not recollect one thing I had done that day.
I said to Mrs. Cruikshank, ' Give me your help : do you
remember any thing I have done to-day V * Oh yes,' said
she, ' it is only about an hour since you were preaching
in St. Mary, Woohioth.' ' Now,' said Mr. Newton, ' what
BOYHOOD AND EDUCATION. 5
a wonderful thing is memory ; for if there be any par-
ticular passage in the whole Bible I wish to recollect,
it comes to me directly ! ' "
It was thus he was induced to try the experiment of
remembering " the days of old." It was, however, the
life of Dr. Milne which brought home to him the con-
viction, that he could live his early days over again at
his desk. " Eh, sirs," he said, after reading it, " it just
made me, too, young again ; for as I recollected well
the best of the people, and the bonniest of the places,
around Huntly, I found that I could remember ' auld
lang synes ' at Edinbro' and Killin, even more vividly."
The following sketches will prove this. So much, how-
ever, had his memory failed in one respect, when he
wrote them, that he sent me duplicates of some of the
papers, without being at all aware of the fact until he
looked over them again ; for I did not deem it proper
to inform him of the repetitions they contained. When
he discovered these repetitions, he placed in the bundle
a note, written with a tremulous hand, " Some stories
are twice told, owing to absence of memory." Nothing
brought home to him so fully as this, the decay of
nature ; for he had had a very powerful memory from
his youth. I have seen volumes of sermons which he
wrote whilst a mere lad, after hearing Dr." Colquhoun
of Leith, Dr. Erskine of Edinburgh, and Dr. "Wright
of Stirling ; for he took no notes whilst hearing them.
" The first journey I ever had," he says, " was from
Edinburgh to Leith, which was rather more than two
miles. The scenes of that journey which were most
deeply impressed on my mind were, what I supposed
when in the stage coach, the running of the houses in
the street passed us, and afterwards the trees running in
b BOYHOOD AND EDUCATION.
the same manner. I could not be more convinced of
the truth of any thing than I was that the houses and
trees passed us, and not we them ; and my proof was,
that the process went on while I sat in my mother's
lap. As for the horses dragging us, I never thought of
them, as I did not see them. I have no recollection
what impression was made on my mind by the first sight
of ships, or of the sea, which happened during that
memorable trip.
" Well do I remember the first journey I took by
myself, without a guide ; which was from my mother's
house in the middle of the city to my uncle's, who
lived about a mile distant, in the suburbs. When I got
into the meadow, and had trees on both hands, what
wonderfully amused me was, the supposition, that the
sun actually travelled along with me. There was a row
of trees on my right, and the mid-day sun immediately
behind them, to the south. I no sooner came opposite
to a tree than there stood the sun immediately behind
it. I ran forward with all my might to the next tree,
and the next again ; in both cases the sun stood imme-
diately behind. I then wondered if the sun would be
so accommodating as also to go hack with me. To try
it, I ran back past three or four trees ; back went the
sun apparently as fast as I ran, which filled me with
astonishment ! I had no more doubt but it did this to ac-
commodate me, than that two times two make four ; for
as I thought, I saw it done. I entered my uncle's house
with great spirit ; who, on finding I had come alone,
praised me as a clever boy, and rewarded me with a
slice of gingerbread, to which his praiae added honey.
*' My next journey was with my two brothers, who
were both my elders. It was on a Candlemas-day,
BOYHOOD AND EDUCATION. 7
Feb. 2, which was a holiday, and a fine sunshiny day.
We resolved to have an exploring trip to the country.
We must have set off about ten a.m. Our move-
ment was very slow ; for it appeared a long time before
we reached the first village, which was Libberton-dams.
I remember there was a brook between us and an open
garden, at the end of which there was a clump of trees,
under which a man was digging the ground. It being-
just after the winter, we stood admiring the scene, say-
ing, * How pleasant it is to see that man digging under
the branches of the trees, and to hear the noise of the
brook passing under us.' After long admiring the
pleasantness of this country scene, we passed through
the village and came to a turn in the road from whence
we could not see the village we had left, nor any more
houses before ; only a long piece of road without a
creature moving upon it. On this we made a dead halt,
and stood looking towards this seemingly unfrequented
road ; none of us had courage to propose advancing, w^e
all thought it prudent to make a retrograde motion.
We felt as timid as if we had got into an enemy's country,
or where we were exposed to the attacks of savages.
After our consultation, w^e unanimously thought we were
far enough from home, and that it would be safest to
return immediately, which we did. When we again
came in sight of Edinburgh castle our courage revived,
and we proceeded comfortably. At the furthest point
to which w^e proceeded we were not above two miles
from our home. On another occasion, when only three
years old, I wandered with a play-fellow tov^rds Salis-
bury Crags, along a narrow road which had no footpath
at the sides, and where cattle and carts were always
passing. But there we stood admiring the cliflfs, and a
8 BOYHOOD AND EDUCATION.
man 700 feet above us : never once remembering that we
knew not our way back ; when suddenly a hand dragged
me across the road. It was my mother's. I knew not
that I had done wrong, or given her uneasiness ; as
I intended nothing of the kind." He thus began to
acquire a taste for travelling ; which, as we shall soon
see, grew with his growth.
On his mother's death, he and his brothers, Colin and
Alexander, went as boarders into the house of their
uncle, Mr. Bowers of Edinburgh; '^ a pious and judici-
ous Christian," he says, " who was an elder or deacon
of the Relief Church," during the ministry of the Rev.
James Baine, the eloquent vindicator of Mr. Whitefield's
memory, when the miscreant Foote introduced the
comedy of " the Minor " at the Edinburgh theatre,
Mr. Campbell thus fell into good hands, when he be-
came an orphan, so far as religion was concerned. He
was not so fortunate, however, as to education at first,
when he was sent to the High School, the Eton of Scot-
land. Nicoll, the well-known boon companion of
Burns — of whom the poet sung,
" Willie brewed a peck o' maut,
An' Rab and Allan cam to pree,"
had just been admitted one of the masters, and young
Campbell was one of his pupils for a time ; as were also
Walter Scott, and the Haldanes, Nicoll was indeed a
good scholar, but a bad teacher ; being exceedingly
pa.ssionatc, and without experience. He had, besides,
bad habits, copied, it is said, from Burns. It is nearer
tlie truth to say, that Willie spoiled Rab, than that Rab
spoiled Willie. But however this may be, Dr. Adam,
the rector of the High School, soon rid the institution
BOYHOOD AND EDUCATION. if
of malt-brewing Willie NicoU, who then became a
grinder to the University graduates, until fever cut him
off in the prime of life. I have read somewhere that
he became remarkably penitent. Who were Mr.
Campbell's subsequent tutors, or what progress he made
in the classics, at the High School, I cannot ascertain.
If I may judge, however, from the scholarship of his
elder brothers, Colin and Alexander, or from the
acquirements of many of his contemporaries, he was
not half-taught at first. Still, his classical knowledge
was soon lost in business, and never much revived by
study after he became a minister. And when he be-
came a Missionary traveller, Low Dutch was dearer to
him than lofty Hebrew, and the African dialects than
Attic Greek. I deem it no reflection upon either his
talents or taste to say, that, whilst I knew him, he was
more intent on understanding the cluck of the Hotten-
tots, Bushmen, and Caffres, than on quoting the climaxes
of Cicero or Demosthenes. And, who does not feel that
both Parr and Porson would have been better employed
in giving a grammatical form to African or Polynesian
languages, than in unravelling crabbed Greek, or even
in unveiling the retired beauties of classic poetry ?
The classics did good service to the Reformation of
Europe, certainly, but the scholarship which terminates
in them now, will do little for the evangelization of the
world, and be no fame when weighed in the balances of
the Millennium. Morrison and Carey, Milne and Marsh-
man, Nott, Moffatt, and Williams, will then be held the
Porsons and Valpys of their times, and associated with
both the Elzevirs and Luthers of the Reformation.
But young Campbell's journeys had more to do with
his future tastes and habits, than the discipline or the
B 3
10 BOYHOOD AND EDUCATION.
erudition of the High School. He knew this, and was
wont to tell with no small glee that his uncle thought
him an unpromising scholar, because he was fonder of
rambling about the Salisbury Crags, or of building turf
huts, like the Africans, in the garden. Good Mr.
Bowers used to tell him, with a solemn shake of the
head, " Eh, John, John, there will nae learning go into
you, nor come out of you, man." The old man was not
far wrong in his guess about his truant nephew ; but he
did not foresee that something better than all the learning
which a boy intended for a jeweller could get, would
both go into him, and come out of him, from the
sympathies he was forming with suffering humanity and
fine scenery.
His recollections of his school-fellows, and of the
scenery around Edinburgh, will be best told by the
following letter to Sir Walter Scott, which, although
out of place here, as to time, supplies facts which
belong to this chapter, as well as illustrates the position
of Mr. Campbell in society whilst a youth, and his
subsequent access to persons of rank in Edinburgh.
" I think it will be natural for you to ask, in reading some of the
many letters that must be written to you, What right has this man to
address a letter to me ? To make the way clear for admission to mine,
I shall state circumstances which have encouraged me to expect a hearing.
" 1. I am an old schoolfellow of yours. I was in NicoH's class :it the
same time that you were, at the High School. Though I have never seen
you or your brother since leaving that initiatory seminary, yet, were I painter
of portraits, I am confident I could draw a correct likeness of you both.
♦• 2. I sat under the invaluable ministry of Dr. Erskine, in the pew ot
George Grindlay, leather merchant, West Bow, which was only a few
seats from your father's pew, and saw you regularly attending there ; and
I can trace the effects of it in various of your publications, from the pat-
neas with which you quote many scripture phrases. When I meet with
them, I say, ' There is the fruit of Dr. Erskine's labours !'
BOYHOOD AND EDUCATION. 11
** 3. I was intimate with relations of yours— the Miss Scotts, at one
time resident at Laswade, who used to lodge at our house, back of the
meadows, when they came to visit your father.
" 4. I have had the pleasure of frequently conversing with your father
especially about the time that Tom Paine was poisoning the minds of our
countrymen, in convincing them that they were miserable ; a thing of
which they were ignorant till he made the discovery to them. Hundreds
of publications did your father purchase and send to different parts of the
country, to convince the people that Tom Paine was in the wrong.
" But you ask, Pray who are you? I am John Campbell, of whom
I dare say you have never heard. I have gone twice out to Southern
Africa for a society here. The first time ascended up 1000 miles from
the Cape of Good Hope ; the second time, I went 1300 ; and have been
twenty-four years minister of Kingsland chapel, near London.
" I do not say, Forgive me for the length of the introduction ; for it
has surely taken me more trouble to write than you to read. Now, my
dear Sir, the object that I have in view in addressing you is your own
and the public benefit. You have got prodigious talents, and also the
ear of the public to an extent few have ever had. These talents,
of course, you have from the God of heaven ; and must know it,
from the advantages you had in your youthful days. I think you might
use them to better purposes than I have observed you to do. You might
interweave with your publications more of the important truths of the
gospel, of which you are not ignorant, and in a way likely to be useful.
I suppose you will say. That would blast my publications among the
higher circles. You are, I think, mistaken if you think so. There are
more serious thoughts about eternity among many of the great now than
perhaps even Sir Walter Scott is aware of ; and more of wholesome
Bible-truth is current among the higher circles in the present day than
many are aware. I know from indubitable information, that most serious
inquiries are made regarding these infinitely important concerns, among
very prominent characters in the political circles. Men of eminence are
not so brutish as they used to be, to put off thoughts of an unending
state till they get into it ; which you will allow must be the perfection of
ignorance and folly. I trust that in the retirement and stillness of Ab-
botsford you think more seriously, my dear Sir, than you make known
to all the world. Your constant allusion to, or making use of Scrip -
sure terms, has led me to hope so. You have got, sir, to the pinnacle of
fame in this passing world ; which I dare say you feel to be a poor thing
unable to cure either a head or a heart- ache. I think, could you turn
12 BOYHOOD AND EDUCATION.
fine talents more to the honour of God and the immortal interests of
mankind, you would not only amuse but benefit the world.
" If my hints are considered intrusions, I hope you will forgive me on
the score of good intentions. They cannot do you any harm. I stand
up for you as a quondam schoolfellow. Though I have been long from
Auld Reekie, with all her faults, I love no place in the world with the
same kind of affection. To come in sight of Arthur's Seat would make
me leap a yard high at any time. I cannot tell you the reverence with
which I looked to Blackford Hill, when last in Edinburgh, where I used
when a boy on Saturday afternoons to seek for birds' nests. Sir, you
know well that you look to no spot in the world, ' with the same eyes,'
as we say in the North, as where you spent your boyhood.''
The answer to this letter, if any was returned, I have
not found.
He proceeds thus : " My first long journey from
home was to the village of Pennycuik, about eight
miles distant. Such was the interest I took in it, that
the night before I set off, I could sleep none, and every
hour seemed to have no end. However, daylight at
length came, which afforded me as much pleasure as the
return of evening to the hardwrought labourer. With
joy I jumped out of bed, awoke the female servant who
w^as to be my companion in travel, and wondered at the
number of things she had to do before she could start.
The marriage of an acquaintance was the object of our
journey, which was to be on foot. When every thing
was adjusted, we set off in charming spirits ; and the
loveliness of the morning increased them. Every thing
around as we proceeded was beheld with deep interest;
appearing to my boyish eyes as novel as if I had been
travelling anumg the hills and dales of the moon. When
I beheld Pentland hills at my side, which I had only
seen from afar before, I leaped and clapped my hands
with joy, thinking what wonderful things I should have
to relate on my return to home.
BOYHOOD AND EDUCATION. 13
" On passing through the village of Straiten, and see-
ing a straight road for two miles before me, with a
black moor on both sides, I considered it a perilous part
of our journey, and kept pretty close to the servant ;
for not another human being was to be seen. This was
a position I had never been placed in before ; and glad
was I on reaching Auchindenny briggs, (or bridges,)
where there were a few houses, and children at play in
front of them, a lovely river, and many trees clad in
lively green, which, after passing amidst dull black
moors, appeared like a paradise ; though fatigued, it
exhilarated our animal spirits, yet I began to think
Pennycuik was a very remote region ; for to all my in-
quiries, whether it was near such a tree, which we saw
at a distance, or such a hill, the answer was uniformly,
No! which made me sometimes fall down upon the
grass, expressing a doubt if there was such a place as
the village of Pennycuick. At last, we came in sight
of the church-steeple, behind a rising ground ; intelli-
gence as interesting to me then, as if now I were to
come in sight of Jerusalem.
" Next day, the marriage took place somewhere at a
distance ; after which, the young couple, with numerous
friends on horseback, came with great speed into the
village, where almost the whole of the villagers were
turned out to witness their public entrance. A barn
had been cleared out for the company to dine in ; tem-
porary tables were erected, on which abundance of pro-
visions were placed. Scotch broth, with the addition of
raisins in it, I remember, was in great request, because
raisins are not used except on such great occasions. When
a plateful was handed to me, of course I first looked to
see how manv raisins were in it ; and I believe that I
14 BOYHOOD AND EDUCATION.
was not the only one in the company who directed their
attention to that point. When the dinner was finished,
one and sixpence was collected from each person who
had partaken of it ; the profit from which was designed
to assist the new pair to furnish their house, a common
custom in the days of ^ auld lang syne.' All who were
willing to pay for the dinner were made most welcome
to join the party. A dance commenced immediately
after the removal of the dinner. A table, on which
stood a large vessel like a tub full of whiskey-puncli,
was placed at the end of the barn ; the guardians of
which were the parish minister, and three or four elderly
relations of the married people. These supplied every
dancer with a glass of punch when they chose to apply,
whether male or female. The fiddler, also, was not for-
gotten. All was novelty to me, for it was the first and
last penny, or paying, wedding that I ever witnessed ;
for they only even then took place in the country. It
quite suited my boyish taste ; for, like others, 1 was
fond of stir and bustle.
" I was delighted with the village, which contained
five or six hundred inhabitants, and surrounded with
paper-mills and fine scenery. One of the mills belonged
to Watkins, the king's printer for Scotland, whose name
to this day is to be found on many of the Scotch bibles ;
but though he printed many bibles, he neither believed
nor conformed to their contents. Some time before my
youthful visit to Pennycuik, he had a large party, from
Edinburgh, dining with him on a Lord's-day. In time
of dinner, there happened to be a tremendous storm of
thunder and lightning ; in the midst of which, he and
another of the company, merely as a bravado, went out
to take a walk in the wood, but a flash of lightuhig
BOYHOOD AND EDUCATION. 15
killed him on the spot, while his companion was not in
the least injured. The people said that his body was
so affected, that it seemed as if it had been changed into
cotton, so that they could not feel a bone in him. When
I heard the relation, I felt so horrified, as if all my hair
stood erect.
" I recollect nothing about leaving the place, and my
return home ; but I remember being proud, among my
companions, of being such a traveller."
*' Having had a taste of the pleasures of travelling, in
my first journey, I longed for another opportunity of
enjoying a repetition of those pleasures. There was a
scarcity of one thing needful to gratify such a desire,
viz., money, which prevented the gratification till I be-
came a lad. My brothers and I had often heard the
city of Perth and the surrounding scenery greatly ex-
tolled for richness and beauty ; and that when the ancient
Romans came in sight of it, the whole army called out,
* Behold the Tiber ! ' with rapturous delight. This was
enough to engage the hearts of us young grammarians ;
so we resolved to visit that ancient city, as soon as a
sufficient sura could be collected to defray the expenses
of such a gigantic trip. We had also heard or read of
the ancient city of St. Andrews, having once been the
metropolis of Scotland ; and that the ruins of its ancient
castles, palaces, colleges, and cathedrals, were very won-
derful antiquities. We found from examining the
map, that to visit both places would be a journey of
at least a hundred miles! What an undertaking!
enough to frighten an Anacharsis Clootz ! On consult-
ing older people, we found that it could not be effected
by two of us on horseback for less than thirty shillings,
without including horse hire ! This was a serious fact
16 BOYHOOD AND EDUCATION.
in the estimation of striplings. However, in process of
time, the money was collected ; and two of us set off
upon small Galloway horses about five o'clock on a fine
summer morning. While passing along some of the
streets of Edinburgh, I looked at them as for the last
time, as if our intended journey had been a most peril-
ous one ; neither laughing nor joking was going on be-
tween us ; my brother was as silent as I was, but both
of us had too much pride to confess we were afraid ; so
we kept to ourselves the agitation of our minds. Before
we lost sight of our native city, we were frequently
looking back to it ; but on losing sight of it, we pro-
ceeded with greater speed, and reached the Queen's
ferry to breakfast ; at which every thing tasted better
than usual, from being extremely hungry ; I think we
could have then relished the flesh of an elephant. We
commenced our first voyage on salt water at ten o'clock,
which was finished in half an hour, by being safely
landed at the North ferry ; a coast which I had viewed
when four, five, and six years of age, as a foreign land,
and wondered what kind of people lived in it. This
gave interest to my first stepping ashore, at the termi-
nation of my first sea voyage.
" Immediately, we mounted our horses and went for-
ward fifteen miles to Kinross, where we dined on Loch-
leven trouts, which are exactly the colour of salmon.
With interest we viewed the little island in the midst of
the loch, where Mary, queen of Scots, had been impri-
soned some time. To have seen this historic island, we
thought was a feather in our cap. Having viewed the
town and its environs, we commenced our last stage to
Perth, which, we were told, was other fifteen miles. On
reaching the spot where the Romans came in sight of
BOYHOOD AND EDUCATION,
it, which was turning the brow of a hill, we halted and
gazed on the prospect with great delight. Next to the
view from the Calton hill, Edinburgh, or from Table
Mountain at the Cape of Good Hope ; I think, even
now, after having frequently seen it, that this is one of
the first I have seen in all my peregrinations for rich-
ness, variety, and extent. In those youthful days, I la-
boured under one very great defect, I had not a mind to
admire such things as the production of God, and a dis-
play of his wisdom, power, goodness, benevolence ; I
only viewed them as pretty parts of Scotland.
" On reaching Perth we felt so excessively fatigued,
that we had no spirit to admire any thing. We felt
ashamed to venture into a fine inn, and also were afraid
of the expense; wherefore we walked slowly along a
street, examining every sign, and coming to a second-
rate house, having painted in front of it, ' Good enter-
tainment for men and horses,' though we did not con-
sider ourselves men, we resolved to try to obtain lodging
there. After disputing a while what we should say to
the people, and which of us should be spokesman, we
ventured forward, and were taken in, and our horses
taken to their stable. Next morning we commenced
our rambles over this distant city, of which we had read
and heard so much. We chiefly admired two meadows,
one on each side of the town, for the public to walk in.
We were greatly diverted at the names by which they
were called, viz., the South and North Inch, We asked
a man why they called this extensive piece of ground an
inch ? He smiled, and walked off*, saying he could not
tell. Being a native of the place, the question must
have been a novelty to him ; for having from a child
always heard them so called, he had never thought why.
18 BOYHOOD AND EDUCATION.
any more than why some of his acquaintance were called
Jack, Tom, or Willy. However, calling a large piece
of ground an inch, lowered the wisdom of the citizens
of Perth in the estimation of us wiseacres. We thought
Edinburgh people never could commit such a blunder.
We did not know then, that inch meant meadow.
" Our journey had hitherto been chiefly to the north,
but now it was to be chiefly to the east ; for next day
we set off" in search of the ancient city of St. Andrews,
the way to which was as unknown to us as the region
around Palmyra in the desert. We were very trouble-
some to travellers, for all we met, or who passed us,
must stop and describe the way first to Cupar, and then
to St. Andrews. As all counties in Britain have
provincial words of their own, we were greatly diverted
by hearing many words in the directions they gave us
which we had never heard before, which reminded us
that we were far from home. It became very dark a
few miles before reaching St. Andrews, which rather
alarmed us, and made us walk our horses, lest we should
tumble into a ditch. At length some lights appeared
before us ; to these we directed our course, and found
we were come to the long-desired city, and pleased we
were to find ourselves once more seated in an inn.
'* Next morning we visited the far-famed ruins, which
we viewed witli deep interest. Sometimes we pointed
to a particular stone in one of the ancient walls, remark-
ing that a living man must have put that there ; — what
a number of years he must have been dead ; — how little
he thought when fixing it there, that people would be
speaking of what he was then doing, hundreds of years
after he was dead and gone. Taking some bones up
which were strewed about, we viewed them with rever-
BOYHOOD AND EDUCATION. 19
ence, for we thought that possibly they might have be-
longed to some of the martyrs who were slain there, at
the instigation of savage priests, because they would
not submit to the religion of the pope.
" The town appeared to us remarkably dull ; a person
moving on the street appeared almost as a curiosity ;
but what attracted us most was the German Ocean, on
the margin of which the town stands ; and as neither of
us had ever seen the ocean before, we considered the
standing at its side an Jionourahle position. We made
no inquiries respecting the state of the university, or
the ministers that occupied the churches and meetings, or
what was doing for the eternal welfare of old or young,
as they did not come within the object of our journey,
which was only to gratify curiosity.
" Our survey of the town was soon over, for we left
it by about ten o'clock in the morning, to cross the
country to Largo, on the side of the Forth. There
being no mile-stones, people measured distances accord-
ing to their own fancies. After leaving the town two or
three miles, we began to inquire how far we were from
Largo ; for some miles that we travelled we were getting,
according to their calculations, farther and farther from
it ; after which we only inquired if we were on the
right way. We arrived at Largo, fed our horses,
travelled along the coast, under a plentiful fall of rain,
till we reached Kinghorn, near the ferry by which boats
cross to Leith ; but the wind was so high that the boat-
men would not venture over, until some gentlemen,
anxious to get over, applied to the magistrates to
compel them to go ; one of whom came out, and, after
considering the weather, he pronounced that the ferry
was passable ; wherefore at ten o'clock at night we went
20 BOYHOOD AND EDUCATION.
on board, and arrived at Leith in a clumsy boat about
midnight. After paying the passage for ourselves and
horses, we were glad there was not a toll-bar between
Leith and home, for we had not so much as one penny
left. x\t one o'clock in the morning we reached home
pennyless and almost famishing. Thus ended my
second long journey, the fatigue and disagreeableness of
whicli did not destroy my taste for travelling."
Sir Walter Scott's descriptions of Perthshire, in his
" Chronicles of Canongate," helped, no doubt, to revive
Mr. Campbell's recollections of the scenery. It was
tlie first tour of both on horseback, and neither ever
forgot it.
" My third journey was double the distance of the
former, being to Killin, in the West Highlands, about
eighty miles from home, where I had an uncle living,
and where my father was born.
" My eldest brother Colin and I, after many months
talking about it, resolved, when the fine weather and
long days of summer arrived, we should take a pedes-
trian journey to Killin. Such days came, and our
resolution remained the same. A day was fixed, and
on it we departed, with staff" in hand. Umbrellas had
been but lately invented, and it was thought ridiculous
for any to use them except medical men. A great
coat and a wax-cloth covering for the hat, fully cquipt
a gentleman for the heaviest rains ; and a cloak with a
large hood equipt the ladies.
" Tliough we did not start early, we walked twenty-
four miles, and halted for the night, and next day
reached Stirling to dinner, which is thirty-five miles
from Edinburgh. After securing lodging at the inn,
which was a second-rate one, we called upon a worthy
BOYHOOD AND EDUCATION. 2\
old man who was well known to our friends at home :
he had been the greater part of his life an excise olhcer,
but was then on the superannuated list, and was well
known in Stirling by the designation of ' the praying
gauger.' The name was very appropriate ; for I heard
an intimate friend of his say some years afterwards, that
he believed Duncan Clark had not remained three hours
in bed, for the last forty years, without rising to pray ;
and I heard him say, that he had hardly ever heard a
sermon, but he could pick out something good from it.
" Next morning, we left Stirling early, and crossed
Stirling Bridge, over the river Forth ; in the middle of
which there was a row of stones that went across it,
marking the division between the highlands and low-
lands. Each of us put a foot on each side of the row,
calling out, * I have one foot in the lowlands, and the
other in the highlands of Scotland,' which to us was one
of the most interesting occurrences in the journey.
Having heard that many battles and skirmishes had
been fought there during the rebellions of 1715 and
1745, we examined all the ground in the vicinity, mak-
ing our own remarks, about where the generals might
have stood, and which would have been the safest place
in battle. We marched forward to Down. Being tired,
and having heard that the air was so pure in the high-
lands that whiskey might be drunk like river water, we
ventured upon a full glass each, of their strong wdiiskey,
which put us into such high spirits that we ran a race
together for a mile. It made us generous also, for I re-
member we gave some halfpence to a boy who was
attending a cow that was feeding on the side of the
road, though he was asking nothing from us. There
were no temperance societies then, or perhaps we should
22 BOYHOOD AND EDUCATION.
not have ventured to drink such a quantity of fiery spi-
rit ; but we had not done such a thing on the preceding
part of the journey, nor did v^^e repeat it. Before we
got to Callender, which was said to be eight miles
farther, all our fine spirits had evaporated, and we en-
tered it languid and very hungry.
" I think there was only one very so and so public-
house ; nothing that deserved the name of an inn ; for
it could only provide for us a highland dinner, which is
uniformly ham and eggs. Little did I think then, that
a school-fellow of mine. Sir Walter Scott, was to effect
such a change in that remote, little known village ; for
the scenery of * the Lady of the Lake ' is in the imme-
diate neighbourhood. When Buonaparte shut us out
from the continent by a wall more difficult to climb
over than the great wall of China, families in England,
taking a journey, selected that lake to be their object;
consequently, every day brought many of them to Cal-
lender, and soon a considerable inn was erected ; so
that when I visited it twenty years after my first visit,
I found I could procure any thing I could have obtained
in the best inns in the south. They told me then, that
often they had thirty families from different parts of
England and Scotland, and sometimes foreigners, visit-
ing Callender, in one day. All this change was pro-
duced by the head and pen of Sir Walter Scott, who
v/as a young unknown at my former visit ; but now,
when I write this, his lamp has gone out, and his dust
is mingling with the dust of a thousand generations.
" Almost immediately on leaving Callender we en-
tered what might be called the gate of the highlands ;
leaving behind all level land ; having stupendous moun-
tains on each side of the vale, whose tops are dis-
BOYHOOD AND EDUCATION. 23
tinctly seen from Edinburgh, though upwards of fifty
miles distant. Human beings now became very scarce ;
indeed, I do not recollect meeting any till we arrived,
about sunset, at Loch-earn-head, where we halted for
the night, and felt truly comfortable by rest and refresh-
ment.
*' Next morning, we left the inn early, and for some
miles, ascended what I called a street of hills, having a
row of huge hills on each side, on some of which the
winter snow still remained in spite of a powerful sun.
On coming to an opening on the right, we descended
another mountain street till we came to the head of Loch
Tay, where we found the village of Killin, and break-
fasted, in high spirits, at a good inn, called the Street
House. Having sent a messenger to inform our uncle
of our arrival, he came immediately. On our way to
see his family, he took us to the minister's house, and
introduced us to old Mr. Stewart, and his son Mr. Pe-
ter, who were the ministers of the parish. They in-
formed us, that when our parents were alive, they were
accustomed to lodge with them when they went up to
the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland ; and
they were glad to have the opportunity of expressing
gratitude for their kindness, by lodging their children :
on which, they invited us to take up our abode with
them. Old Mr. Stewart was the translator of the New
Testament into the Gaelic language ; and his son, the
Rev. Dr. Stewart, of Luss, translated the Old Testa-
ment into the same language.
" Next day, about four o'clock in the afternoon,
while standing on the bridge of Locha with our uncle, I
proposed to my brother to walk to the top of Benlawers,
at the foot of which we were standing. My uncle said
2i BOYHOOD AND EDUCATION.
we could not be back before midnight ; that we ought
to have gone at five o'clock in the morning. That top,
said he, that you think so near, is seen from the streets
of the new town of Edinburgh. So deceptive is dis-
tance on a huge mountain. I really thought I could
have chmbed to its summit in half-an-hour. I then
tried to mount up a hill behind the Manse, which
appeared much lower ; but when with toil I had
climbed to what had appeared to be the top of it, I
found another equally high above it ; with considerable
exertion I reached it also ; but another beyond it
appearing equally elevated, I gave up the struggle,
rested, and then descended. They told me that in the
driest part of the season many of the people go near the
top of that hill to dig moss into peats, or square pieces
of turf for their winter fuel ; that they go up on the
Monday morning, and do not return until the afternoon
of Saturday, that they may spend the Lord's day at
home. This may give some idea of the great bulk and
height of highland mountains. They might dig there
for 500 years, and the quantity removed would never be
missed. What power must that be which produced
thousands of such mountains from nothing ! I am lost
in thought; I cannot conceive it; all I can say is. It is
infinite ! "What a friend to have must the possessor of
that power be ! but, oh ! what an enemy ! Happy they
who can say, This God is our God !
" The view from the hill behind the Manse was most
enchanting to us youngsters : a lake before us, fifteen
miles in extent, guarded, on both sides, by a chain of
mountains, the lower parts of which were ornamented
with the delicate natural birch, which grows sponta-
neously, truly astonished us who had seen so little of
BOYHOOD AND EDUCATION. 25
God's world. The scenery perfectly suited our natural
tastes, and the family with whom we lodged did every
thing in their power to make the visit pleasant to us,
and would hardly allow us to speak of going away.
" The day of departure at length came ; we took leave
of the family the evening before, intending to set off at
five o'clock next morning. On rising, we found a table
covered with every thing we liked for a morning lunch.
Our faces were now turned homeward, which encouraged
us to proceed briskly on to Lochearn-head, where we
had a second breakfast, because nothing more could be
procured for fourteen miles. Soon after setting off, we
saw the mountains, as they say of Table Mountain at
the Cape of Good Hope, putting on their night-caps, or
being covered with clouds ; from whence a powerful
rain began to pour down upon us, which rendered tra-
velling rather unpleasant. We came up with a man who
was leading a horse with a load on his back, and with him
we travelled forward. We inquired if he thought the
rain would continue all the day ; for we happily found he
could speak English. He said, if it did not become fair
about one o'clock, it would continue the whole day ; but
he hoped the clouds would break about that time. I
never forgot his remark, and have seen the justness of it
verified a hundred times since. When we had cleared
what I before called the gate to the highlands, and ap-
proached Callander, the clouds began to separate, and it
became a lovely afternoon, so that we actually reached
Stirling to tea, which was a walk of about forty miles
that day ; but, remember, we were going liome, and you,
I dare say, know that even horses go faster to home than
when moving from it. Next day by rising early, and
not loitering on the way, we accomplished our thirty-
c
26 BOYHOOD AND EDUCATION.
four miles' walk to Edinburgh, I think in good time for
tea. Thus ended my third journey." And thus he
grew up, fond of journeying : for Mr. Campbell, although
any thing but a man of a ro\dng or unsettled turn, was
all through life fond of travelling, though not for its
own sake. He often said, *' But for the glor?/ of Christ,
I would never stir from London." How he spent his
time at this period, whilst at home with his uncle, will
appear from the following graphic sketch, written in his
74th year. " We regularly attended Mr. Baine's minis-
try on the Lord's day, and the following was the manner
in which every sabbath evening was spent at home.
" Immediately after tea, the whole family were assem-
bled in uncle's room, viz., we three brothers, the female
servant, and an apprentice. Each was asked to tell
the texts and what they remembered of the sermons
they had heard during the day ; then a third part of the
questions in the Shorter Catechism were asked, to which
we repeated the answers in rotation. He then took one
of the questions as it came in course, from which, oif
hand, he asked us a number of questions, for the trial
of our knowledge and informing our judgments. The
service was concluded by singing two verses of a
psalm, and uncle offering a most pious prayer for a
blessing on the evening exercises. From the variety
that we attended to, we did not weary in the service ;
indeed, I do not recollect one of us ever yawning during
it. This way of keeping the sabbath deeply impressed
us viath its sanctity. Had T heard a boy whistle, or a
man laugh loud, or overheard the sound of an instrument
of music from a house, I was actually shocked. We
were never permitted to cross the threshold of the door
on the Lord's-day, except when goinQ- to worship.
BOYHOOD AND EDUCATION. 27
Some might conclude from all this that we must have
been a gloomy, morose family, but the fact was the re-
verse. Uncle was a cheerful man, possessed peace of
mind, and the prospect of a happy eternity ! He was
a long time ill before he died, and for weeks before he
expired his agony was almost intolerable, his moanings
were incessant night and day ; for years after his death
1 never heard the mourning of a dove but I was reminded
of him. I do not know what his disease was, but I
recollect hearing people call it, * A burning at the
heart.'
" I remember an old disciple calling upon him a few
days before his departure, when he got so animated that
he was well heard in the next room. I remember he
said, * When I was a bachelor, and the men in the
winter time used to come to the kitchen fire at twilight
to warm themselves for half an hour before lighting
candles, I used to retire to my room to hold a little in-
tercourse with God ; for twenty years I seized that half-
hour's retirement with as much eagerness as ever a hun-
gry man did his dish of victuals.' This seemed to have
risen in his mind like Jacob's — * God met with me at
Luz !'
" His intimate companions were truly the excellent of
the earth, men of genuine piety, of prayer, and know-
ledge of the Scriptures, whose society was a great privi-
lege to us youngsters. These men 1 have heard in
prayer wrestling with God for the downfal of anti-
Christian superstition, Mohammedan delusions, and the
destruction of heathen darkness. I have often thought
since, how wonderful it was that it never occurred to
such worthy men to ask. What can the Christian church
do to effect these great ends ? acting as if they expected
c2
28 BOYHOOD AND EDUCATION.
that all was to be accomplished by some miraculous in-
terposition of God without the use of means ; as if they
were only to stand still and see the salvation of God,
like the dividing the Red Sea, which was done without
the Israelites putting their hand to the work ; but not
so with the extension of the kingdom of God ; the dis-
ciples must go into all the world, and preach the gospel
to every creature.
*' In the course of a few years after uncle's death, we
all made a profession of faith in Jesus Christ by becom-
ing members of a presbyterian Christian church, and by
establishing regular worship in the family, morning and
evening ; each of the brothers taking his turn to officiate
by rotation. On afterwards comparing notes together,
we found that reflecting on the uniform, consistent, and
upright conduct of our uncle, led each of us to think
seriously about the salvation of his own soul." Mrs.
Bowers, Mr. Campbell's venerable aunt, used to tell
with great delight the history of his first offer to take
his turn at family worship. His brothers were both
from home one night, and when the hour of prayer
came, he modestly said, * Aunty, if you have no objec-
tion, I will take the Book, and make prayers.' Aunty
was delighted with the proposal, and went to the kitchen
to tell the servant — an eminently pious woman, who
had been long in the family, and was very fond of John.
But the good news was too much for the worthy domes-
tic. She wept and laughed at the same time, saying,
* Eh, sirs, I winna heliaave myself at worship ; and that
will be well seen. I'm so pleased, that I am sure to
laugh out ; and yet I canna absent myself.' Aunty
said, ' For shame ! I'll ding laughing out of you, if ye
dinna behave youself. The lad must no' be put out by
BOYHOOD AND EDUCATION. 29
your weakness.' This set all right, and he got well
through the exercise. At this time Mr. Campbell was
an apprentice to a goldsmith and jeweller in Edinburgh ;
and in this situation he acted out his principles. One
part of his conduct is worthy of record. The players
had borrowed from his master some jewel for a special
purpose, and he was sent to the theatre to bring it
home, when the play was over. He had never been in
a theatre before ; but he was so shocked by the levity
and impiety he witnessed, that he resolved to pay for
the trinket, if it was not returned next morning, rather
than spend the evening in such a place. He found on
calculating its value, that he could afford its price, by
submitting to some privations ; and accordingly he left
the theatre, and went home to family worship. He
was no loser. The trinket was forthcoming next
morning ; and thus both his pocket and conscience were
saved. He never entered a theatre again.
" Colin, my eldest brother, became an ironmonger in
business, possessed a public spirit, retained his piety,
had an antiquarian taste of reading, being fond of pe-
rusing the Latin and Greek fathers. I remember being
his amanuensis in translating Clement's epistles, and I
think some of Cyril of Jerusalem's works. About the
year 1786 he fell into a declining state of health, which
increased till it carried him off, upwards of a year after.
This led me to leave a situation which I had in the hard-
ware and jewellery line, to carry on his business.
" My other brother (Alexander) was brought up to the
law, and was gradually getting into business, when he
also fell into a declining state. When his brother died,
he was only able to attend his funeral in a sedan-chair,
and he himself only lived three months after it. Till
30 BOYHOOD AND EDUCATION.
within a month of his decease he continued to take his
turn in family worship and in asking a blessing at meals.
Every time he did so, we thought we observed an in-
crease of spiritual-mindedness and holy unction. I
remember one morning his saying with a smile, whilst
looking earnestly at his wasted arms, which were liter-
ally skin and bone, * I am now nearly in Job's situa-
tion. I have no Hesh ; only skin. Yet although after
my skin, worms destroy this body, in my flesh I shall
see God.' He died in great peace."
Mr. Campbell retained all through life a vivid recol-
lection of his brothers, and preserved with great care
their letters and diaries. All his family attachments,
indeed, were very strong and steady. Had Mrs. Bowers
been his mother, instead of being his aunt, he could
hardly have loved her more, or consulted her comfort
better. And well she deserved all this !
It has not been suspected from any thing that appears
in these sketches of his boyhood, that he fell into any
of the ungodliness of a great city and a public school :
and he was never vicious ; but, on several occasions, he
joined in both the blasphemy and profaneness of some
of his companions.
CHAPTER 11.
THE FORMATION OF HIS RELIGIOUS PRINCIPLES.
Although it was more from imitation and bravado, than
from hatred to godliness, that Mr. Campbell stained his
conscience in youth with profane oaths and curses, and
that but seldom, still, he was at one time in great dan-
ger of becoming a profane swearer. When out upon
rambles with his schoolfellows, without his brothers,
and apart from those boys who visited at his uncle's,
he occasionally rivalled the most impious. This was
never suspected at home, and it never settled into a
habit. But only such a home as he had could have pre-
vented it. The evening prayers of his uncle were the
antidote. And strange to say, he did not dislike them,
even whilst falling in now and then with the daring im-
pieties of his schoolfellows. In other respects, he was
neither vicious nor unruly in youth ; for, strict as the
discipline of his uncle's house was, " the law of the
house " neither provoked rebellion nor created preju-
dice against religion. And it may be fairly questioned
whether any scriptural strictness, which is not stern,
ever does so. Children are not naturally averse to sanc-
tified sabbaths, nor to regular family worship, until they
are allowed to form intimacies with playfellows and
schoolfellows who see no piety at home. Then " the
32 RELIGIOUS PRINCIPLES.
law worketh wrath," because it clashes with the mutual
plans and pledges of romping boys. But wherever care
is taken to encourage proper intimacies, and to make all
w^orship cheerful, the effect, in general, will be just what
it was in Mr. Campbell's case. Every boy who hates
the restraints of the sabbath, will be found to have had
some improper companion during the week ; except in
the case of parents who overload the sabbath with reli-
gious services, in order to make up for the neglect of all
religion on other days.
The death of Mr. Bowers, instead of lessening, in-
creased the attention of his young nephews to divine
things. " The uniform holiness of his life, and the tri-
umph he expressed on his death-bed, made a powerful
impression on all our minds," says Mr. Campbell ; " so
that we considered it high time to attend to our personal
salvation.
" Whether I should be miserable or happy through a
boundless eternity, began to appear a matter of immense
moment to me ; and I began to fear the worst. This
created the most anxious solicitude, and roused me to
make many prayers. In proportion to the number and
length of my prayers, and the solemnity of my mind in
them, did my hope towards God rise and fall. I felt
within me a wandering wicked heart, and resolved to
root it out. I applied myself to this work with the ut-
most diligence. Night and day did I watch its motions,
but the more I watched it the more wicked did it seem
to become. Many a serious look did I take of that
promise in Ezek. xxxvi. 26, respecting a new heart and
a new spirit. Could the contents of that promise have
been procured by purchase, had I had the wealth of
both the Indies, the whole should have been, as I
RELIGIOUS PRINCIPLES. -33
thought, readily parted for the new heart. But in all
this I was evidently seeking for righteousness by the
works of the law. I was attempting to do what nothing
but the almighty arm of the Saviour could accomplish.
But God had pity in the days of this ignorance, and did
not cut me off as a cumberer of the ground. Bless the
Lord, O my soul, hosanna in the highest !
" Before I had any taste for reading religious books,
I laid out the most of my money in purchasing them.
Among them was Doddridge's Rise and Progress of Re-
ligion in the Soul, where he attempts to lead a sinner
from the lowest state of unthinking wretchedness,
through a variety of stages, till he brings him to the
perfection of bliss. By reading this book I set upon a
regular plan for obtaining eternal life, and strove with
all my might to acquire the sentiments and feelings re-
commended by the author ; but I either was, or thought
I was, completely deficient ; consequently I never got
farther on in the book than that chapter, where the au-
thor takes a solemn leave of the sinner who had not
attained a certain degree in religion, and requests him
to return again to the first chapter. I always considered
myself the person alluded to, and consequently with
fear and trembling obeyed the author's advice. The
concern and anguish which brooded upon my mind in
these seasons is indescribable. Like Noah's dove, I had
nowhere to rest ; but I did not, like it, take refuge in
the New Testament ark, Jesus Christ."
This is the account Mr. Campbell gave of Doddridge's
far-famed work, in 1802, when he was ordained at
Kingsland Chapel. But, by that time, he had studied
the Sandemanian Controversy, and had heard Doddridge
classed wdth Hervey and Marshall, as one of the teachers
c3
34 RELIGIOUS PRINCIPLES.
of a pious way to the bottomless pit. Now although
Mr. Campbell never went into the extravagances of the
Sandemanians of his owoi times, he knew many of them,
and had corresponded with some of them ; and thus
could not deny every thing they said against " The Rise
and Progress." Besides, he knew also wiser and better
men, such as Dr. Erskine, who did not think Doddridge's
process so scriptural as it is pious, nor so wise as it is
well meant ; and as his own experience proved this to
himself, he spoke somewhat slightingly of the book, at
his ordination. But lie outlived this feeling. Not,
however, that he afterwards approved of Doddridge's
scheme. He knew the glorious Gospel too well, to put
any such book into the hands of an awakened or inquir-
ing sinner. He would no more have done that, than he
would have sent him for counsel to the icy Walker, or
the ironical Sandeman. He would, however, have sent
both young and recent believers to learn from Doddridge
the progress of religion in the soul, although not to try
the rise of it by such a test ; and he always preferred,
and that unspeakably, a timid spirit, to the logical dex-
terity of both fiery and frigid theorists.
There ought to be a better mutual understanding
amongst theologians, in regard to this popular work. It
is widely circulated, and can never be displaced. It has
done much good, and it may do incalculable good to the
children of pious parents ; for it grapples with their
perversions of principle and conscience. Besides, what
less than Doddridge calls for, would amount to a really
Christian character before God ? They are not believers,
who are not trying to be such Christians as he depicts.
Whilst, therefore, it ought to be confessed and pro-
claimed, that his book is any thhig but what it should
RELIGIOUS PRINCIPLES. 35
be, as a guide to faith, it ought to be equally declared
that, as a guide to holiness, it is every thing a human
work could be. It can teach no man how to become a
Christian by believing the Gospel ; but it will mightily
help them who believe, to obey the Gospel, and to walk
humbly with God. Such were Mr. Campbell's final
views on this subject.
The following account of the influence which Bun-
yan's peculiar experience had upon him, whilst he was
trying to manufacture the raw material of his own ex-
perience into a plea for mercy and a ground of hope,
will surprise no one. It was also one of my reasons
for writing such a Life of Bunyan, as would tend to
counteract the undue influence of his peculiarities,
without either ridiculing them, or ascribing them to
insanity or fanaticism; for I often talked with Mr.
Campbell on this subject, whilst writing that work.
" About the same time, I read Bunyan's Grace
Abounding to the Chief of Sinners. I erroneously
imagined it requisite that I should experience all the
temptations and feelings which that good man under-
went, or I could not possibly be a genuine child of
God. Imbibing these erroneous conceptions of the
salvation of God, I was long kept in a most unhappy
state. Had I but understood what our Lord meant by
that invitation, Matt. xi. 28, &c., I might have sooner
come to peace, viz., ' Come unto me all ye that labour
and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.' But I
was proudly striving to produce something within me,
to entitle me to demand heaven as a matter of right.
But God wisely and graciously would not give me what
I sought after ; but acted to me as Jesus did unto
Peter, when he opposed his dying, * Get thee behind
me, Satan, for thou savourest not the things of God.*
36 RELIGIOUS PRINCIPLES.
" It could answer no important purpose to relate
here all the various workings of my ignorant and un-
believing mind during this period of life, which I think
continued for about two years.
" My relief from this state of bondage was gradually
effected by God increasing my knowledge of the
revelation he had made of redemption through his Son,
by the reading it, and the preaching of it by some of
his faithful ministers, and through my becoming ac-
quainted with established Christians. I gradually per-
ceived the suitableness of the Saviour's righteousness
to answer all my exigencies, and in consequence I ob-
tained, by degrees, considerable peace and hope. But
I did not for years after perceive a crucified Saviour to
be the alone ground of a sinner's hope before God. I
did not see that hope in Christ alone, produced and
maintained evidences of grace, but thought it necessary
first to search for the evidences, and then to proceed to
hope in the atoning blood of Jesus, as a person entitled
on this ground to hope. Thus I placed a life of sense
before a life of faith, instead of living by faith, in order
to possess this sense or enjoyment. This gradually
drew off" my mind from looking unto Jesus, to pore
continually on my own feelings. The consequence was
extremely painful. "VYlien a good evidence appeared,
then I was all joy ; but the moment it disappeared, I
was all sorrow. In the one case, I thought God greatly
loved me ; and in the other that He became my enemy :
thus considering God to change with my inward feel-
ings."
Many will see themselves in this picture. No one,
however, will study it wisely, if he imagine that his
views of God's complacency towards him will never
vary with the changes of his own feelings and frame
RELIGIOUS PRINCIPLES. 37
towards God. Our views of His paternal complacency
ought to vary with our own filial complacency, although
not to the extent of regarding God as an enemy, nor
ourselves as unbelievers, even when the spirit of adop-
tion is at a very low ebb. Mr. Campbell's error lay
in making " tokens for good/' or lively frames, his
warrants for hoping in Christ and trusting in God;
for there was no error, nor mistake, in thinking that
bad and dull frames of mind were displeasing to God.
They are valid reasons for both shame and grief, al-
though not at all for despair, nor even for suspense.
Whilst, therefore, a penitent could hardly do worse
than regulate his hopes by his feelings, a believer could
hardly do better than regulate his composure by his
spirit. No looking away from ourselves to Christ alone,
should reconcile us to bad frames of mind. We are
not, in fact, looking out of ourselves to Christ only,
when we are content to be either cold or dull in reli-
gion. We shall never, indeed, find in ourselves grounds
of hope before God ; but neither shall we ever find or
see in Christ, reasons for letting our hearts feel just as
may happen. Whoever becomes blind or indiiferent
to the defects of his own character and spirit, by what
he sees in the worthiness of the Lamb slain, is not
looking to *Hhe Lamb in the midst of the throne;" for
" His eyes are as a flame of fire," to detect and rebuke
" the things which are ready to die," and to alarm the
lukewarm. The arrant effrontery of Sandemanianism,
and the arrogant presumption of Antinomianism, in
their equal cant about looking only to Christ, tell a
melancholy tale, — namely, that neither is looking to
** the Christ of God" at all, so far as either thinks
lightly of sin or shortcoming. No man, as will be seen
soon, looked more to Jesus as the Author and Finisher
38 RELIGIOUS PRINCIPLES.
of faith than Mr. Campbell, from the moment he saw
Christ to be all and all in salvation ; but it will be
equally seen, that few men have kept their hearts with
more diligence, or God's commandments with more
care. He looked so much to Christ that he overlooked
nothing in himself that was either wrong or irregular.
Any one could tell that he had been much with Jesus,
from his habitual efforts to be like Jesus, in delighting
to do the will and seek the glory of his heavenly Father.
These preliminary explanations are wanted here, be-
cause Mr. Campbell's subsequent experience has no
peculiarities whatever, after he understood the Gospel —
except, indeed, it be a peculiarity, that he never after-
tervvards walked in darkness, or had " no light," in
walking with God. But I must not anticipate further.
Amongst the means of his partial relief from the
spirit of bondage and fear, he mentions his acquaintance
with some established Christians. One of these was a
remarkable man. He introduces him thus :
" I never met with two persons exactly alike, whether
Christians or not ; shades of difference are perceptible,
even where there is the nearest approach to resem-
blance. I have taken the pen to tell you a few things
concerning a venerable man of God, the outlines of
whose character differed from all I ever knew; and,
perhaps you will be surprised to hear that he was a
ganger, (or excise officer,) an employment as much de-
spised, in those days, in the North, as that of the pub-
licans, or tax-gatherers, by the Jews, in the days of
our Lord. When his piety became generally known
in the town where he lived, he had the honour of be-
ing distinguished by the appellation of, * The Praying
Gauger ! ' In reference to his being a man of prayer,
perhaps you will be startled at a remark I heard made
RELIGIOUS PRINCIPLES. 89
by one of his most intimate and oldest acquaintance ;
* That he believed Duncan Clark (for that was his
name) had not for the last forty years slept two hours
without engaging in prayer.' This was the nearest
approach to literal obedience to the apostolic injunc-
tion, * Pray without ceasing,' that I ever read or heard
of. Was not such an one in downright earnest to
obtain the blessings of salvation ?
" He was the first person to whom I opened my case,
when I was first greatly alarmed about the state of my
soul before God. 1 wrote to him a very simple letter,
which he first showed to some of his intimates for their
opinion, and then wrote a cautious, brief answer, which
he did not send off by post, but actually brought him-
self and delivered into my hands in Edinburgh. He
explained his doing so by telling me that he had been
at Dumfermeling sacrament, to which place he carried
it; and while there, he thought that, being within
fifteen miles of Edinburgh, he would just walk to it,
and have a little conversation, as well as deliver the
letter. He had walked more than twenty miles to the
sacrament. He walked thus to save his money for the
poor. He was accustomed to gather together the
smallest crumbs on the table, opposite to where he sat,
and to put them into his mouth, very probably in
obedience to our Lord's orders, * Gather up the frag-
ments, that nothing may be lost.' "
" I remember a friend asking Mr. Clark how old he
was. He returned an answer like the following : — * I
am ^7,375 days,' and, taking out his watch, told also
the number of hours and minutes. No doubt he did this
as literally conforming to Psa. xc. 12, * So teach us to
number our clays^ that we may apply our hearts unto
wisdom.' He had a great reverence for those ancient
40 RELIGIOUS PRINCIPLES.
writers, who are frequently called fathers of the church,
and often quoted them as such. I remember one day
when he had done so frequently, Dr. Wright, another
friend of mine, said to him, * Mr. Clark, these fathers
of yours prove nothing to me ; I must appeal to the
grandfathers^ the apostles ; a saying of theirs settles a
point at once.' Duncan was the son of a clergyman,
and had thus obtained his knowledge of the fathers.
" I remember," says Mr. Campbell, " he told me he had
called upon Dr. Macknight, to whom he had been long
known as a Christian. He was also an acute critic.
* We talked,' said he, ' on various subjects, but my views
did not please him. I therefore said, Doctor, do you
know any subject upon which we are agreed ; I should
like to talk with you on that.' I heard him once say,
that from the worst sermons he ever heard he could suck
some honey out ; and if any of them were scanty of the
gospel, he took it as a rebuke to himself," This vener-
able man, who was one of the Camhuslang converts, and
full of Whitfield's spirit, had much influence upon Mr.
Campbell. They often conversed together until it was
so late, or rather so early, that Mrs. Bowers was obliged
to leave short candles upon the table. But even this
precaution did not always send them to bed in proper
time. Duncan Clark's maxim was, " I know not which
world I shall wake in, and therefore I wish to be ready
for both." His walking to save money for benevolent
purposes, was another maxim which Mr. Campbell
acted upon rigidly, whilst able to walk ; and he had well
nigh imitated him in remaining a bachelor ; but Mr.
Newton's advice, and his own good sense, taught him
" a more excellent way" than Duncan's, although not
soon.
Another remarkable character, whose proverbial say-
RELIGIOUS PRINCIPLES. 41
ings were "more precious than gold" to Mr. Campbell,
was a schoolmaster in the highlands, named Dugald
Buchanan. They never saw each other ; but some of
Dugald's old friends became Mr. Campbell's early friends,
and brought the spell of the seraphic Celt upon his spi-
rit, by quoting Kinloch-Ranach oracles. I have always
ascribed his keen sense of the graphic and glowing sub-
limity of the Scriptures to Dugald Buchanan, rather
than to Dr. Blair or Bishop Lowth. He knew their
works well, but he knew the following criticisms long
before. A gentleman invited Dugald to see a fine paint-
ing by one of the old masters. After examining it,
Dugald invited the gentleman to see a much finer one in
his cottage. The invitation was accepted ; for no one
could suspect Dugald of pretence or trifling, he was so
modest as well as shrewd. Accordingly, he took down
his Bible, and placed before the Laird that Apocalyptic
vision,—" The angel which I saw stand upon the sea,
and upon the earth, lifted up his hand to heaven, and
sware by Him that liveth for ever and ever, that time
should be no more." " Could any thing be more sub-
lime ?" Mr. Campbell was wont to ask with triumph.
Dugald spent a winter in Edinburgh once, whilst the
Gaelic Scriptures were printing under his superintend-
ence. Then he saw Shakspeare for the first time, and
attended lectures in the University. A distinguished
critic quoted to him the passage —
" The cloud-capt towers, the gorgeous palaces,
The soleniQ temples, the great globe itself,
Shall dissolve," &c. &c.
and asked, if there was any thing to equal that ? " Yes,"
said Dugald, " I have an old Book at home, which con-
42 RELIGIOUS PRINCIPLES.
tains a sublime passage on the same subject. It runs
thus, * I saw a great white throne, and Him that sat
on it, from whose face the earth and the heavens fled
away, and there was no place found for them,' " Rev.
xviii. " Why, sir," said the critic, " that is in the
Bible : but I must confess that I never saw its sublimity
before."
These are not traditional reports of Dugald. The
late venerable Dr. Erskine, of Edinburgh, wrote a
sketch of his character, in the preface to a work on the
death of children ; and I have seen a letter of the Doc-
tor's, in which he said of one of my own teachers, John
Leslie, of Huntly, ** I have found no such man, since
Dugald Buchanan died." This pours a flood of light,
to me, upon his character, which enables me to shed
some light upon the influence which the study of it had
upon Mr. Campbell's habits of thinking, and especially
upon his tact in seizing on and showing the beauties of
the Scriptural language, as well as in illustrating them
from the scenery and customs of Africa. His little
work entitled " African Light," teems with specimens
of the cast which Dugald's sayings gave to his mind :
for although he had none of the Celt's mystic sublimity
in his temperament, he had a quick eye, and a keen re-
lish, for whatever was beautiful, ingenious, or remark-
able, as that work abundantly proves. Unhappily, it
was published in a form which could not draw the atten-
tion of scholars. It seemed a little book for young
folks only. But it is worthy of a place by the side of
Harmer'sorBurder's Illustrations of sacred Phraseology :
for although there is neither classical nor oriental learn-
ing in it, it is full of illustrations, which no learning, but
that which is derived from the personal study of man
RELIGIOUS PRINCIPLES. 43
and nature, could furnish. It is just as true that even
Cahnet could not have written the " African Light," as
that Campbell could not have written Calmet's Diction-
ary. This will be felt as well as seen, when we come
to follow the African Missionary through the *' howling
wilderness." " God knew Africa well, and thought of
it when he wrote the Bible," he often said.
It was not, however, Dugald's criticism which had
the best, or most, influence upon Mr. Campbell. They
were not the " sayings he prized more than gold." He
obtained, whilst groping his way from legal bondage to
the filial liberty of the gospel, some of the diaries of
this remarkable man, and especially a copy of that pro-
cess of self-examination by which Dugald ascertained
his own sonship. This document he pondered deeply,
and prayed over fervently ; and although it embarrassed
him quite as much as Doddridge had done, on some
points of experience, it also encouraged him, by recog-
nising desires and attempts to win souls, or to be useful
to others, as marks of grace, and as fruits of faith.
Dugald was a catechist as well as a schoolmaster, and so
intent on doing good, that many wished to see him in
the pulpit : but his zeal did not commend him to the
presbytery of Dunkeld. It commended, however, both
his experience and example to Mr. Campbell, and be-
came one of the sparks which kindled his zeal for Sun-
day Schools, and his solicitude to engage the hearts of
the young. But the best thing he learnt for himself
from the Kinloch-Ranach oracles was, to regard meek
submission to the Divine will, and practical concern for
the Divine glory, as surer fruits of " the Spirit of adop-
tion," than the occasional ecstasies of conscious sonship.
He did not then, however, so learn the fact, that the
'H RELIGIOUS PRINCIPLES.
'* Abba" of resignation is less equivocal than the
" Abba" of rapture, as to settle the question, '^ If chil-
dren," &c., Rom. viii. 17. He had a glimpse of the
Truth, which maketh " free indeed ;" but he did not
understand that Christ gives power (or a warrant) to as
many as receive Him to consider themselves the sons of
God, John i. 1^.
The theological cause of this suspense and suspicion,
as to his own adoption, was, as it usually is, a crude no-
tion of faith. He had literally no idea that the cordial
belief of saving truth itself, was saving faith. He had
no faith in the use of Faith itself, whilst it merely " set
to its seal that God is true." Unless it was appropriat-
ing in its acts, as well as practical in its influence, he
reckoned it only a polite form of unbelief.
This fact appears from what he calls his " w^eak ju-
venile journals ;" for I never heard him refer to it, even
in our most confidential intercourse. The fact is, our
views of the simplicity of the plan of salvation by faith,
were ahke, when we became neighbours in Kingsland ;
and as w^e were equally averse to fault-linding in refer-
ence to the old divines, we never compared notes on the
subject of our own early mistakes, lest we should be
tempted to lay undue blame at the door of writers, who,
if they led us in a roundabout way to the cross, led us
nowhere else for the hope of salvation. He knew well
that I had been as much bewildered as himself at one time,
and would not pain me by reminding me of it, whilst 1 was
WTiting my " Guides to the Perplexed and Doubting."
It is not, however, my duty, now that he is gone, to
pass by his mistakes in silence. The exposure of them
may wnrn many. Besides, if, like my own, they are
not creditable to his understanding, they are honourable
RELIGIOUS PRINCIPLES. 45
to his conscience, inasmuch as he preferred suspense to
a superficial faith, and endured the spirit of bondage
rather than indulge an equivocal hope ; Bunyan's cha-
racteristic ! When he was about twenty years of age,
Nicholl's book against " The Appropriating Act of
Faith" was put into his hands by a lady, who assured
him that he would find more and clearer gospel in it
than he had ever heard from either Dr. Coloquhon, of
Leith, or Dr. Erskine, of Edinburgh. This work I do
not know : but judging from a long review of it which
he wrote for the benefit of his fair counsellor, it seems
to have been thoroughly Berean. He had, therefore, to
contend at once against both bare belief and absolute
assurance, whilst enforcing appropriation ; no easy task,
it will be allowed, so far as assurance had to be as much
questioned as assent. But he was an admirer of Du-
gald Buchanan's ^^?/r^5, and thus found no difficulty in
ridiculing assent, nor in qualifying assurance. What
effect this process had upon the Bereanness, I do not
know : but it
" ^yorse confounded"
the confusion of his own mind. In making out faith to
be every thing that is good, he almost proved to himself
that he had no faith, and thus was compelled to say
more against assurance than the appropriating system
warranted. He evidently felt this, although he did not
confess it ; and it had an unhappy influence upon his own
mind. His hope having nothing to repose on but the
varying probability that his faith might come to have a
realizing eye and an appropriating hand, in course of
time, his thoughts had thus no magnetic centre to fix
or control them ; and, as might be expected, their
46 RELIGIOUS PRINCIPLES.
vagrancy did not improve his devotional spirit, nor keep
up much of that relish for divine things vi^hich he always
made the grand test of his own faith. Accordingly, he
soon had to "write bitter things against himself;" and
not more bitter than true. Nor was this all.
The following specimens from his Diary will best
illustrate this. In March 14th, 1785, after hearing a
sermon on believers being heirs of salvation, he wrote
thus : " This day I have been quite careless and thought-
less about my future welfare. I have now less time for
reading than formerly. My heart is so hardened, that
I cannot feel for my state ; and yet to-day, I have been
disputing against one who does not believe many parts
of the Holy Scriptures."
March 17th. — " This is the day of preparation for
the sacrament, and of humiliation for our national sins :
but I can neither weep nor afflict my soul before the
Lord. After hearing two sermons, Satan strove against
self-examination as useless in my case : but at family
prayer, I shed a few tears, on thinking of our sins as
the cause of Christ's death. O, I bless God for them !
O that he would enable me to do so oftener. The
least I can do is to shed tears for the blessed Jesus, who
sweat great drops of blood for sinners, that we might
receive a crov^ni of life."
March 20th. — " This day I approached the table of
the Lord for the frst time. But, O, I am in great
doubts whether I communicated aright or not. I shed
a few tears ; but a hypocrite often goes this length. Oh
that I may show by my future conduct, that I have
been with Jesus on the mount."
April 1 . — " Satan has had great power over me for
ten or twelve days now. At night, I wonder how I
RELIGIOUS PRINCIPLES. 47
could have yielded so to him during the day. I am
much exposed to worldly company, and so weak that I
cannot resist them. But, O my soul, magnify the Lord,
that he makes me have any desire after true happiness,
and that ever I heard the joyful sound of salvation !
Reading the lives of eminent men assists me greatly."
April 25th. — '^ I am now in such a decay of religion,
that its causes must be looked into. Self-conceit is one
cause. Speaking much about politics, and city -improve-
ments, and news of all kinds, has hurt me much. So
has random reading. Sleeping too long in the morning,
and especially on Sabbath, has hurt me. Being too
shewy in my dress, takes off my attention from heavenly
things."
May 1st. — *' Sabbath. I was so overcome with sleep,
that I could hardly attend to an excellent sermon. In
the evening, I tried to find out why the Lord had hid
his face. The first cause was, allowing wicked thoughts
to get the start of me, unresisted, in the morning ; and
to get too much vent on the way to church. I did not
look for the assistance of the Holy Spirit, as I ought to
have done. All this must be mended."
May 6th. — " The Lord is now justly hiding his face
from me. What a mass of corruption is in me ! What
blasphemous thoughts rise in my mind ! O, that the
Lord would bring me out of this fearful pit ! It is the
valley of the shadow of death. O, for a glimpse of
glory !"
May 8th. — " I have been as quite dead, my sins hang-
so heavy on my back. It is the opinion of Henry
Dorney, that one deliberate and unfeigned desire for a
perfect righteousness, is the fruit of that righteousness.
O, that I mav be savinG:lv united to Christ's mvstical
48 RELIGIOUS PRINCIPLES.
body ! I cannot think a good thought, although this be
Sabbath. How many are taking their own pleasure on
the Lord's-day ? It is lamentable to see this holy and
blessed day so profaned. It is a wonder the world is
allowed to last, considering its sins."
May 19th. — " Lord, break not the bruised reed.
How can any man think to be saved by his works ? He
might as soon swim to America. Sheppard tells of
a felon, who thought to escape the gallows by his gift at
ivhistling. So, many think that their gifts will save
them from hell. But if these bring them a little way
out of Egypt, they will not lead them to Canaan. Ru-
therford says, * God send me salvation.' I seek that."
May 21st. — " I am still declining. O, the idle talk
that comes out of this mouth of mine ! I cannot keep
from madness and foolishness, when in profane com-
pany. O, the numberless wicked things which come
into this head of mine ! O for Jesu's righteousness ap-
plied to my despairing soul ! My sins hang heavy upon
me. In church I cannot hear. In family worship, my
desires after Christ are dried up, and my views eclipsed.
In my closet, Satan says the door is not bolted, and I
had better not pray, for I shall be disturbed. Every
thing seems to conspire against my poor soul ! But
there is comfort in Isa. Ivii. 16, if I could take it. O
heart, why art thou not melted on hearing these words ?"
May 26th. — " I am still going down the stream. My
heart is like the adamant rock. Love cannot melt it.
O, the sinfulness of sin."
May 28th. — ** Satan would fain triumph over my
heart, but there is one mightier than he is, who can
help in time of need ; and that time is, when the sinner
thinks all lost and undone. Trusting to duties, or set-
RELIGIOUS PRINCIPLES. 49
tliiig in them, is the chief cause of my deaclness. If I
am without Christ, I am without all. O, to cast my
duties at the Redeemer's feet, begging him, if there be
any thing worth his notice, to accept it."
June. — " Some are cursed with business, for they take
the sabbath to transact it. As for the people of God, they
never fall into gross sins, except left to themselves."
July. — " I am still going down the hrae, by tempta-
tion. Luther says, one who has had experience of
temptation is worth a thousand others. I can take
little comfort from this. Something within me says.
Christians resist with all their might ; but as for me, I
fall asleep. There is a strong, hot, but unequal war, in
my heart. When I think I have some grace, I rest in
it. Satan well knows my weak side, and what season
to send his darts at."
August 2nd. — " This day I have had a very narrow
escape for my life. I was coming tlirough a narrow
street, when a heavy slate fell just at my back. Had I
been a moment later, I must have been killed. O,
what ought to be my resolution ? Surely, to labour to
make my calling and election sure."
September 14th. — *' This has been a dead week with
me. I am yoked with company who cause spiritual
decay. I have not been in such an insensible state,
for nine months past. O, that I were free, and
brought into the marvellous light of the children of
God ! I write down verses of the Bible, but they be-
come dead to me, the moment I go into the world.
These are dark days! This shows that without the
Spirit accompany our best resolutions, they will never
be carried into effect. It shows also how low a poor
soul may be brought by the strength of corruption.
D
50
RELIGIOUS PRINCIPLES.
" I am sensible of tlie deformity of my state ; but i
cannot move one step out of it. In duty, my thoughts
are atheistical and idolatrous, and thus my prayers are
an abomination unto the Lord. On thinking of this,
my mind runs thus, — How can I free myself from this
state ? What shall I do to be saved ? These Vno
questions show what covenant I am looking to. O
that destructive thing, sin, which has ruined millions :
it will ruin me to all eternity ! "
So ended the first six months after his first Sacra-
ment! These extracts are fair specimens of his ex-
perience during every week, and almost every day, of
that period. In his journal, however, these lamenta-
tions and confessions are mixed up with long processes
of such self-scrutiny and scriptural testing, as no vi-
cious man durst have ventured upon, week after week ;
and with still longer meditations on the grandeur and
grace of the Sabbath, as made for man, and sacred to God.
Those who can sympathize with this unveiled picture
of a human heart, will rather weep than wonder at it.
It needs no explanation to those who know the plagues
of their own heart ; and to those who do not, it is,
perhaps, inexplicable : for no heart writhes or rises
thus against piety, until a high standard of vital god-
liness is habitually pressed upon its attention and affec-
tions. Mr. Campbell's heart would not have put forth
all this hardness, had he not been trying to make it
very good. Had he let it alone, or not challenged it
by law and gospel, to be pure and spiritual, it would
have been as good a heart as that of any man who is
well pleased with himself. The evils of the heart do
not all show themselves, nor any of them in their
worst shape, until an eflbrt is made to effect a per-
RELIGIOUS TRINCIPLES. 51
manent lodgment of all the graces of the Spirit in it.
But, then, it can be *' desperately wicked," as well as
" deceitful above all things ;" and that, not for the sake
of preserving fleshly lusts only, but equally for the
sake of worldly or mental lusts. Ambition to rise, or
to shine, or to be somebody , in the world, can quarrel
as much with both law and gospel, when thwarted, as
any of the sensual passions. Literature also, as well
as licentiousness, can harden the heart against godli-
ness. Mr. Campbell was not vicious, nor can he be
called literary, in his youth: but he was fond of com-
pany and dress ; a dabbler in civic and national politics,
at taverns ; and a great talker on all subjects ; and thus
half smothered all his better principles, with the ex-
ception of his conscience ; and even it was rendered
asthmatic at times, by indulgence at table in singing
parties.
All this, how^ever, would be a very imperfect analysis
of his case, were it to stop here. Even his imprudence
in going to the Sacrament for the first time, whilst
so unprepared for it, does not account satisfactorily
for either the rapidity or the depth of his subsequent
declension. I will not say that the chief cause lies
deeper than either his imprudence or his vanity ; but
certainly one real cause of his "going down the brae"
so often and so far, was, that he knew not the right way
up the brae, and had not the Alpin-stock, which alone
can enable a pilgrim to climb the "hill Difl^cvilty."
He was not aware that the staff of the promise be-
longs to the believer of "The Truth." Hence, he could
only proceed, whilst he could appropriate Christ to
himself ; and as he could only venture on " the appro-
priating act of faith," when his faith was acting well
D 2
52 RELIGIOUS PRINCIPLES.
in every other duty, that act was, of course, a very
rare one, and never lasted long. In a word, he had
always been more occupied in watching and wonder-
ing whether he had saving faith, than in trying how^
heartily he could believe saving truth, in order to obey
it, just because he believed it.
There is neither sneer nor sarcasm in these references
to the old theory of appropriation. I have far more
sympathy with it, and respect for it, than for the bold
and frigid modern theory of heartless assent to the
truth of the gospel. No man can believe the gospel,
for his own salvation, unmoved or unmelted by the
exercise. And although faith is not the belief that
Christ is ourSf the design of it is, that we may become
his ; for, whoever is not believing in order to be Christ's,
and thus in order to be justified and saved, is certainly
not believing the gospel for the purpose it was given.
The only substantial difference I could ever see be-
tween the Berean theory of assurance, and that of
the Marrow men, is, that the former is impudent,
and the latter modest ; — I wish I could say humble, as
well as modest ; but thorough humility would be
thankful to appropriate, on God's warrant to the be-
lievers of his own record, to believe also that they are
his children.
How Mr. Campbell became humble enough to take
his comfort from what God says, is yet a far off point
in his history. The experience we have just reviewed
belongs to 1785 ; but not until 1795 did he " know
the truth," so as to be made ''free" by it; although
the interval was not so dark as it was long, and never
so dark, but that he was both trying, and thought by
others, to be a true believer.
RELIGIOUS PRINCIPLES. 53
In 1786, his brother Alexander was in the last stage
of a rapid consumption. This drew from him, of
course, the most consolatory advice he could give to a
dying brother. He had no comfort himself, except
the settled conviction that there is "a needs be" for
humbling trials, and that they will work together for
good to them that love God. He very nearly hit the
right mark, however, in trying to comfort Alexander.
" O Sandy," he said, in a short letter, " strive to get
your warrant to believe. In other words, get a sight,
that believing the invitations of the gospel, will not be
presumption. I have much more to say, but it is
almost eleven o'clock at night, and I am in great
haste." It was well for Sandy, that John had not time
to say more ; for he would soon have set him upon
a process of striving for a warrant to believe, which
neither a dying man, nor a healthy man, could have
soon got through. Sandy, however, knew ** a more
excellent way " than John's usual process. He found
peace in believing truth for holy purposes ; and thus
patiently awaited the will of God.
54 THE PROGRESS OF
CHAPTER III,
THE PROGRESS OF HIS EXPERIENCE.
This will be even more a " Chapter of Accidents,"
than might be expected from the former chapter ; for
Mr. Campbell was more the creature of circumstances
at this time, than has yet appeared. He was, however,
as much the creature of good as of bad circumstances ;
and continued to do, at his worst and lowest stages of
declension, what no vicious man durst have done, — to
journalise daily, and at great length, his worst feelings
and wildest fancies ; and to consult good men on his
case ; and to correspond with wise men upon the sub-
ject of both personal religion and public spirit. His
letters and diaries show, indeed, an amount of prayer,
meditation, and self-communing, as well as of scrip-
tural reading, to which it would not be easy to find a
parallel in the privacy of any tradesman^ since the
times of the Commonwealth. He was also highly
esteemed by many eminent Christians, and held the
place of clerk in the session of Mr. Baines's church,
and was beloved by the sick and dying poor, as a visitor,
whilst, like Job, he " abhorred," and, like Ephraim,
" bemoaned himself." In fact, he stood low with none,
but with the more sedate of his young companions ;
HIS EXPERIENCE. 55
and even with them, only when his levity at the tea or
supper table went beyond ordinary bounds.
It is only fair to state all this, and to add, that one
reason of his dread and depression was, that, like the
Psalmist, he was made to " possess the sins of his
youth." Three of them were ** ever before " him.
The chief one was an act of impiety, which seems
incredible, judging from his general character in boy-
hood. His own account of it is : "I and some others,
in 1776, put such an awful affront upon God, that I
am sometimes astonished, when I think of it, that we
were not all sent to hell for our mockery ; and it
shows what reason I have to pray with David, * Lord,
remember not against me the sins of my youth.' One
sabbath evening, whilst my uncle and aunt w^ere out,
we agreed somehow to pray time about ; which w^e
did twice or thrice, but always ending with bursts of
laughter at our own imitations of praying men. It
will shock you to read this, as it often does me to re-
member it. All who joined in this sin are not alive
now. One of them died a few years after, not from
trouble in his body, but in his judgment." — Original
Letter, a.d. 1787.
Another sin was, that on one occasion, whilst at the
High School, although no swearer in general, (for which
he was often twitted at school,) he joined with one of
his companions in a set game of swearing, whilst out
on a bird-nesting ramble. They tried which of them
could swear most and longest, and invent the newest
oaths. Nothing equal to this kind had ever occurred
before, nor did he ever swear so again, he says; but
the horrid impiety of that one act, haunted his con-
science like a ghost for years after, and often glared
upon him when he was praying, and even in sleep.
56 THE PROGRESS OF
The third fact I refer to, had the worst influence
upon the tone of his mind. His brother Sandy and
himself were acquainted with a clever but unprincipled
lad, who had *' the poison of asps under his lips," but
the gloss and play of the serpent in his manners. They
both loathed his principles, but they loved his company,
for his wit and pleasantry. He could not entice them
to vice, but he entangled them by plausible sophistries
about the use of the passions. He could cant, as some
of the clergy then philosophised, about *' the harmony
of the passions in human nature ;" but they were not
shrewd enough to answer him as an old Covenanter did
one of the harmony-divines, *' I never heard before that
man had a tuned fiddle in his inside." In a word,
although not vitiated by this socialist, their taste had
the bloom rubbed off it, by his vile hands. Some of
Sandy's diaries record this melancholy fact with bitter
tears, and John refers to it with equal shame in some
of his early papers and letters. Indeed, it evidently
was this, and his convivial although not intemperate
habits, which formed the chief millstone around the
neck of his piety, when he *' gave himself to the
church." He himself did not suspect this then, be-
cause he stopped short of actual crime. In after
years, however, he understood it better, as will be
seen by his extraordinary letter to Mr. Newton, in
1795.
He had, however, in 1785, a judicious friend, who
plied him, even at the height of his distress, with the
pointed question, *' Do not my words do good to him
that walketh uprightly ? saith the Lord." " Is there
not some idol reigning in your heart, or raging in your
imagination ? Search. Depend upon it, you will find
out something, which is the cause of your failure in
HIS EXPERIENCE. 5<
prayer. You say, that God will not draw nigh to you,
although you draw nigh to him. I do not believe a
word of this. The Scriptures speak very diirerently
of God's character, I beg you will be cautious how you
cast such reflections on God. You must be seeking
something wrong, or for a wrong purpose. Perhaps,
you expected me to tell you that your fears were
groundless, and that you are a better man than you
think yourself; but I love truth, and you also, too
well to flatter you, or to speak in that strain. Lay
not the blame of your distress on God. The cause
of it is in yourself, whatever it may be."
This was plain dealing, and wise too, as far as it went;
but, except that it was not resented nor forgotten, it
seems to have had no influence at the time. It was, 1
suspect, connected with the ordinary injunctions to put
forth the " appropriating act of faith," after this heart-
searching process was gone through : for, although
that prescription is not in the loose slip of paper just
transcribed, it was the doctrine of the prescriber, as
many of his counsels, now before me, testify ; and on
this rock Mr. Campbell's hopes always split, although it
was to him neither ** a rock of oflence," nor '* a stone of
stumbling," but only a discouragement or hinderance.
The advice was given by his venerable friend Duncan
Clerk ; and he, like all Mr. Campbell's counsellors,
treated him as a real Christian, suffering from the hid-
ings of God's countenance, or from the withdrawment
of the Divine presence; not so much because of un-
belief, as on account of some allowed sin or neglected
duty. They charged him, indeed, with some legality ;
but they had no suspicions of his faith, except as it was
unable to appropriate, because of some wrong temper or
D 3
58
THE PROGRESS OP
habit. Its dead halt, when urged to take that '' venture-
some step," the act of appropriation, led some of them
to conclude that there were weights at its heels which
must be thrown away ; but not to imagine that it was
weak through ignorance, as well as from inconsis-
tencies.
But if they did not judge wisely in every thing, still,
it was a happy thing for him, in one sense, that they
treated him as a real Christian. This kept him acting
as one, even when he felt as if he had been an apostate
or a hypocrite. It also saved him, at times, from reck-
less despair. The consideration that some of the very
best Christians in Edinburgh did not think his case at
all hopeless, nor his character equivocal, nor his fears
unworthy of either their sympathy or prayers, kept his
head above water, when his own judgment of his state
would have overwhelmed him.
One of the best things he did in 1786, when the mis-
givings of his heart began to take the forms of anguish
and secret despair, was, to open a weekly correspondence
with a Mr. Ritchie, of Edinburgh. Mr. Campbell and
Mr. Ritchie agreed, for mutual improvement in the divine
life, to exchange letters on Christian experience, which
should review the dealings of God with them from their
youth upwards, and record their principal exercise, or
most absorbing devotional meditation, during the week.
One part of the agreement was, happily, that each should
preserve a copy of his own letters. I thus possess one
entire series, and have perfected, from them, Mr. Camp-
bell's recollections of his early life, and they will now
perfect the journals of his early experience.
When the venerable Duncan Clerk heard of this sys-
tematic letter-writing, he rather discouraged it, as likely
HIS EXPERIENCE. 59
to engross too much time, and thus to trench upon other
duties ; not an unnecessary caution. He fell in with
the plan, however, on condition that the letters should
be short; but still insisting that " praying and repent-
ing" were more wanting in Mr. Campbell's case. This
he pressed so solemnly, that it led Mr. Campbell to
pledge Mr. Ritchie, that they should rise " an hour
earlier than they had been accustomed to do." He made
also another condition, which, happily, they did not
rigidly adhere to, — that they should conceal their names,
lest their letters should fall into other hands. They
occasionally forget this precaution ; and had they not, I
should have thrown Mr. Campbell's aside, as the papers
of some one else, because, being copies, they did not
seem, at first sight, to be written by him. Indeed, both
parties seem to have written in a feigned hand. No-
thing, therefore, but their occasional signatures could
have induced me to read the pile of correspondence.
Reading, however, soon rendered the evidence of signa-
tures unnecessary, so far as Mr. Campbell's letters were
concerned ; for they contain portions of his history, and
versions of his hopes and fears, which I had both heard
from his own lips, and read in his journals. I mention
these facts distinctly, because these letters embrace a
period of his life which was almost a blank even to his
intimate friends.
His first letter to Mr. Ritchie, in answer to a request
for a special account of his experience at the time, be-
gins thus : — " Dead, dead ; dull, dull ; great darkness,
hard heart, no faith, no love, and little of spiritual dis-
cernment. Dismal broken outcries might fill the letter.
You say, if we are the Lord's people. O that I durst
take that honourable appellation ! It went well down
60 THE PROGRESS OF ,
with me ; but your ' if !' O for previous appropriating
faith ! But, whatever faults you may know in me, I will
take it as very kind if you will mention them faithfully.
It may stir me up to reformation.
" Yet I cannot help telling you, that I had much siveet-
ness all the afternoon I spent with (Dr.) Colquhoun. I
was filled with wonder that the great God who upheld
and governed the stars should look into my heart,
perhaps to dwell, in some Httle degree, in such a sinful,
trifling creature as myself. All the people in the shops
around me are better looking than I am, yet have no
experience of the condescending love of God ! Were a
man to choose in the shop, I should be the last he would
take. Such condescension is a mystery to be solved
only in heaven. But to stop here. I am just thinking
that there will be no drowsy heads there, and no need
of pen, ink, and paper.
" I am yours in the
" John Campbell.
" August ^, 1786."
In reply to this, Mr. Ritchie passed by all other com-
plaints, and came at once to the subject of appropri-
ation. *'0 how valuable, indeed, is appropriating faith !
Adam in innocency could not say, * My Redeemer.'
David could not always say this. He had to grapple
with an evil heart and a tempting devil : then it is hard
work indeed. But our unbelief dishonours God. O
woeful unbelief ! O precious faith ! The other night
I could scarce think of going to bed ; nor did I sleep
until between two and three in the morning, I had
such sweetness in thinking of the amazing condescension
of the love of God. I was made to feel that I had some
love to God. The sweetness did not continue long, I
HIS EXPERIENCE. gj
was much distressed on Monday lest any small expe-
rience I have had was not from saving, but from the
common influence of the Spirit. I came up the Leith
Walk behind you, much cast down ; but at night I was
much more comforted than I deserved or expected.
** You complain that, for some time, you have been
deserted and straitened in devotion. You are distressed
that you cannot pray in the strength of Christ. O that
all who profess Christ were thus exercised ! You re-
member (Dr.) Colquhoun's note, — that the Lord loves
our prayers best when we are worst pleased with them."
All this, Mr. Campbell says, gave him such satisfac-
tion that he could have spent the whole night in prayer,
and was " exceeding sorry to rise from his knees, the
exercise was so delightful." Such was his frame of mind
soon after his first letter; but the absorbing delio-ht
subsided before another week closed. " The clouds of
separation came up again," he says ; ^' for I fell into
conformity to the world, and was off my guard, and the
Lord justly withdrew his comfortable presence."
It is delightful to see men thus watchful over the
frame of their spirit, and intent upon enjoying '< times
of refreshing from the presence of the Lord' ' every day.
He is not a wise man who would criticise this temper,
nor a very spiritual man who could smile at it. It is,
however, neither impiety nor imprudence to say, that it
was not very wise to make " sweetness" in prayer such a
test of special grace, as that the decay of the former
warranted a suspicion that the latter was only common
grace; especially as both friends professed to admire
Dr. Colquhoun's maxim, that God is not best pleased
when his people are most delighted in prayer. This is
a delicate subject. Never, perhaps, was there less need
62 THE PROGRESS OF
than now, to caution Christians against too high a
standard of devotional feeling : our current standard is
far too low. In general we are mere dwarfs, compared
with the Puritans and Covenanters. The men of the
olden times were so " mighty in prayer," that they are
alm.ost a mystery to us. Their devotional habits seem to us
as unwieldy as the armour of the Crusaders. I blush,
if not tremble, for myself and others, who have been
long in the ways of God ! Still, it would be unwise not
to say here, that, for young converts to make their hopes
or peace turn upon their " sweetness" in prayer, is both
imprudent and unwarranted. " Groanings which can-
not be uttered" are ascribed to the help of the Spirit by
Paul, as well as the cry, ** Abba, Father." There is also
much truth in Dr. Colquhoun's maxim, if it be not
applied to wilfully heartless prayers. It is not true,
however, when we are not trying to please God, that
God is at all pleased with our prayers. He does not,
indeed, dislike all the prayers that we are ashamed of;
but he does dislike all that are heartless, irreverent, and
aimless. Neither the vapid nor the vague have his
sympathy ; although both the distracted and the groan-
ing cries of his people are pitied, even as a mother
pities the cries of her suftering child.
It is needful to bear in mind the twofold view of
prayer, whilst reading this chapter. Mr. Campbell, and
his friend too, made their hopes hinge more upon what
seemed to be done i?i them by the Spirit, whilst they
were on their knees, than on what was done /or them by
Christ, when he made peace on Calvary by the blood of
the cross. Mr. Ritchie was less prone to this than
Mr. Campbell ; but still, the rejoicing of both in Christ
Jesus, when they did rejoice in him, was not so much
HIS EXPERIENCE. (33
in the manifestation of his grace and glory by the Gos-
pel itself, as when he manifested himself to them in a
way he does not to the world. The grace which shines
in the truth was " no grace" to Mr. Campbell, except
when it warmed, melted, and amazed him, as distinguish-
ing grace to himself at the moment. Mr. Ritchie was
more cautious, and sometimes " afraid to say of a sweet
experience that it was from the Lord." Once, when he
could not resist the conviction that the Lord had visited
his soul, he related the manifestation with great modesty,
and some hesitation. Not so did Mr. Campbell treat
the matter. His friend's exercise had been ecstatic and
entrancing ; and he said, " I am glad you were obliged
to acknowledge that exercise to have been from the
Lord. This was but your reasonable service, in such a
rebellious district of creation. John, I think your expe-
rience surpasses many." Mr. Campbell himself had had
something of the kind at the same time ; he therefore
added, ** O dear, it is a noble thing to have much love
when we are young. The Lord says, he will not forget
it. Now, John, if you and I be in Christ, there are
two empty seats in heaven, which will stand empty till
our earthly tabernacle be dissolved. Perhaps angels
give place as the saints enter. If the promise of my
stay in heaven was, till we could tell all the value and
glory of Christ, it would not discourage me. It will
take eternity to do that ! 'Deed, John, the Lord is
dandling you and me in his kind arms now; but, depend
on it, we shall have to walk on the causeway yet. This
is not the first time I have trembled to think of the dark
days which are coming." They soon came. In his
very next letter he says, " Dear John, my exercise
now differs from yours. It is an absolute fact, that
64 THE PROGRESS OP
I cannot think I have any interest in Christ, after all.
You will wonder at this, but I cannot help it. Evidences
of grace are almost all out of sight. The sins of my youth
are brought to my mind, as yet unrepented of. Some-
thing within me, indeed, will not allow me flatly to
deny all interest in Christ. But last sabbath morning
I was in a most deplorable condition : sinful thoughts
filled my mind, and I had no strength to resist them. I
never remember to have been so far gone in backsliding
since I took up with religion ; I am quite gone out of
the way. Thus I wrote then in my diary. O, when
will godly sorrow come back again, with appropriating
faith ? O that I had such a hold of Christ as corruption
has of me ! O, hard heart, why not love Christ more ?
He is very sweet in all his offices to a believer. How
we ought to pity and pray for such as are yet in the gall
of bitterness ! Surely it was not justifiable in you to
be dissatisfied with the dispensations of Providence
towards them. I do not think they are denied grace
altogether. There may be more hope of them than of the
self-righteous. Jonah's preaching would not have had
the same efiect in Capernaum it had in Nineveh." Thus
he forgot himself for a moment in thinking of others, —
a very common thing with him, even in his saddest let-
ters and diaries. This was on October 24th. On No-
vember 9th he wrote thus : " I cannot say that I have
got an outgate yet ; I am still under clouds. I am often
afraid that I recover from falls too soon. I cannot think
it a right recovery when the blood of Christ has not been
seen as shed for our sins in particular. O, I am in a
drearisome state ! Wicked men try all their dexterity to
get me to become like one of themselves. They use all
means, and if I yield in the least degree, they rejoice at
HIS EXPERIENCE. C5
it as glad news, and proclaim it to their companions :
but, like Pharaoh, they will find it no chancy work to
meddle with them that are precious in Christ's sight.
Christ may be at my side, although like the disciples on
the way to Emmaus, I cannot see him now ; therefore, O
my soul, be not too much discouraged, so long as thou
canst call upon God. This is a true sign that God is
near."
In dealing with these complaints, Mr. Ritchie laid
hold first of Mr. Campbell's acknowledgment, that
something ivithin him would not allow him to deny flatly
all interest in Christ. " What is that something in your
heart," he says, " which will not let you ? O, be thank-
ful for it, and grieved for your ingratitude to Him who
implanted this grace." This would have been good ad-
vice, had it been given to a man who knew the tenure
upon which an interest in Christ is obtained and held.
But at this time Mr. Campbell did not know it. He
believed in Christ for safety, only whilst he believed
himself to be a partaker of special grace. And yet, in
some of his reasonings upon his own case, he occasion-
ally takes a right view, if not of it, at least of that of a
backsliden believer. The following is a fine specimen
of this.
December 26th, 1786. — " O, John, there is imco
work, a strange mixture, in my stupid heart. Had a
person visited me on sabbath night, it would have
cheered him, perhaps, to converse with me, I was in such
a good state. But had he come next night, and been a
stranger to spiritual exercise, he would have found me
quite cast down ; and asked, Are you sick ? * Yes, but
sick of sin.' Have you lost a friend? * Yes, I fear
the nearest and dearest I have, although I never saw
66 THE PROGRESS OF
him with my bodily eyes.' How w^as it you lost him ?
* I acted such a part, that I forced him away.' Did
you ever do so before ? * Yes.' And did he ever re-
turn then ? (This would make me blush !) * Yes, he
did, and I found much delight under the shadow of his
wings.' When he went away last, what said he to you ?
* He said, I will see you again, and your heart shall
rejoice.' Well, what better assurance can you have
than an honest man's word ? * Why, my memory is
so short, that I forget promises, and fall into despair.'
But will this bring him back ? * No, the contrary.'
Then it is your duty to oppose despairing thoughts.
' But I forget and neglect my duty.'
" Thus unbelief will not stand the test, John, when
the grounds of it are examined into. It is foolish as
well as unreasonable. O that will be a happy time, if
ever I see it, when faith shall be swallowed up in vision,
and hope in enjoyment."
This letter enraptured Mr. Ritchie. He began his an-
swer thus, " It is well your part to exalt, praise, and adore
your loving Lord and Father. Go on, too, ye angels and
saints, in your delightful employment. O that my soul
were drawn out in a song ! Why sigh again ? It pleased
me well to read your arguings with yourself. Unbelief
is not only a great sin, but also a mother-sin, and a
strangely infatuating evil. I must confess I feel a great
affection to you. My heart is united to you in a bond
of love, wliich death cannot break. O, cU7i)ia forget my
poor soul ! We must watch against unbelief. One
day, whilst I was a boy, my mother heard me weeping
in my room at prayer. She asked me, why ? I said,
* The Lord will not give me anew heart.' She answered,
* Dinna fear that : turn to Ezek. xxxvi.' * Aye, but,' said
HIS EXPERIENCE. 67
I, *it is no said there, that He will give it to Jock
Ritchie.'' "
Mr. Campbell's last letter in this year, presents just
the same average of light and darkness, hope and fear,
that characterizes these extracts. Its conclusion is a
strange compound of levity and solemnity. " I am
much troubled with an old-covenant spirit; and the
mouse well knows when the cat is not at home. When
grace flows in upon the heart, bundles of good matter
come out ; but when it is scarce we wither. Awake,
O north wind, and come thou south, blow on our spiritual
garden, that its spices may flow out."
1787. — Mr. Campbell and Mr. Ritchie began this
year by paying much attention to the sick poor, and to
orphans, in Edinburgh. One orphan, whom Mr. Ritchie
had taken under his care, died rejoicing in the Saviour ;
and a young girl, whom Mr. Campbell found dying of
consumption, made a deep impression upon his mind,
by telling him that she was " happy in trusting simply
to Christ." This account of her faith, united to the
composure with which she fell asleep in Jesus, struck
him ; but " the once poor, now rich, orphan," suited
his taste best. He took its salvation as a ^* shining"
proof that God " had not forgotten Scotland, and that
Edinburgh and Leith were not out of date in heaven
yet." He actually rioted in imagining the change hea-
ven had made upon that child, in the twinkling of an
eye. The fact, he says, " is an honour to our corres-
pondence, as well as very comforting." The only thing
it did not suggest to him was, what he most needed, the
duty of receiving the kingdom of heaven as " a little
child." That, he never thought of, although nothing is
more frequently taught by Christ. It was only as " a
68 THE PROGRESS OF
child of God" by adoption, or as a " new-born babe" by
regeneration, that he would venture to lay hold upon
the hope of eternal life for himself. In fact, the Gospel
was nothing to him, except when he felt himself to be
something else than a sinner. He wanted to believe,
not as a mere little child, but as an elect child, who had
a legitimate right to appropriate Christ and the promises.
The idea of believing on Christ, in order to become a
child of God, or in order to be warranted to reckon him-
self one, never seems to have crossed his mind, in refer-
ence to himself, although Paul has explicitly declared to
the churches, " ye are all the children of God by faith
in Christ Jesus," Gal. iii. ^6.
It is easier to see through and expose this mistake of
Mr. Campbell's, than to remedy or avoid it. It ought,
however, to be pointed out here : for it had much to do
with both his distress and declensions. It embarrassed
him even when he was most watchful over his heart and
habits, and often embittered public ordinances to him
when he needed all their sweetness. An instance of
this occurred at the next Sacrament, after the death of
the orphan boy. He had mused himself into the
third heavens, by tracking that child's spirit to the
throne ; and had gone to Lady's Kirk, singing, " O that
I had the wings of a dove that I might flee away and
be at rest; I would put an eternal divorce into the
hands of all my spiritual enemies." He went to the
table, as it is usual in Scotland, singing ; and as his
voice happened to be " uncommonly melodious," at the
time, he thought ** this was the foreboding of some
remarkable display of the love of Christ to his soul."
" I expected," he says, " a manifestation of transcendent
love : but my hopes were blasted. Every grace fled.
HIS EXPERIENCE. 69
Fretting suggestions arose. As dark a scene started up
as I ever experienced. Will you favour me with an ac-
count of what you experienced at the same season ? I
saw you and Rob pass me ; but I was not in a case to
speak." Mr. Ritchie had been very happy, and wrote to
that effect. This increased Mr. Campbell's distress so
much, that Mr. Ritchie said in his next letter, " I fear
my last did you more ill than good." He was right ;
for he had tried to comfort his friend by the considera-
tion, that " Christ does not bring a balance to iveigh our
graces, but a touchstone to test them." Testing is as
terrific as weighing, to a mind in a paroxysm of confusion
and shame. He now tried to comfort him, by resolving
all his darkness at the Sacrament, into sovereign dis-
pleasure against " framing out beforehand the time of
sensible manifestations."
It will now be seen that Mr. Campbell's mind was
somewhat fanatical, as well as visionary, at this time ; or
" Every thing by turns, and nothing long."
Accordingly, next month, he was not only appropriating
with rapture, and waving his wings on the top of Pisgah,
but also claiming to be considered as " sealed by the
Holy Spirit." " I am under His influence at present.
I think I feel God's Spirit within me. Wonder, O
heavens, and be astonished, O earth ! God hath done
wonders, worked miracles, for my soul, that it might
savingly uptake His divine nature and perfections." *' I
saw Christ as crucified before my eyes ; his head hang-
ing down ; his arms extended ; his wounds glaring in
my face. I was exceedingly melted. Tears flowed
apace. My love grew vehement. I came joying and
triumphing from the table, although it has seldom been
70 THE PROGRESS OF
a try sting place to me." This is not so wise as it is
warm. Besides, it is a rapture, and raptures even when
wisest are not lasting enough to be either tests of prin-
ciple, or rules of judging, in self-examination. It was,
however, whilst this lasted, that Mr. Campbell first
turned his thoughts to the ministry. He had long tried
to be useful in a private Avay ; but now, he meditated
public service. Not willingly, however. He deemed
the idea as temptation at first. " On sabbath last," he
says, " I encountered, all day and night, strong allure-
ments from the adversary, to follow the ministry. The
suggestion increased so at night, that I could not give
heed to a sentence of the sermon. I had a desire to be
useful to my brethren's souls ; but I gave the less
heed to it, because it interrupted my hearing of the
Word."
Mr. Ritchie treated this suggestion with much pru-
dence. " I once mentioned to you a similar exercise of
my own. I yet feel some inclination that way. There
is, however, a general rule which I wish to observe
myself. It is, that when any thing is injected by the
Holy Spirit, it is in a rational, quiet, composed, and
Scriptural manner ; whereas, a temptation, or the
working of our own spirit, acts in a contrary method."
This caution was not lost upon Mr. Campbell. He
began to look around him, and said, " I know one who
left off business to be a minister, and was thought very
pious ; but now, after studying, he has given up follow-
ing the ministry, and, I hear, even ceased to follow
Christ. My brother knows three or four who have
done so, within a year or two. O, what calls to keep
close to Christ ! " Here the matter stopt for a time.
Both friends were modest, and equally afraid of running
HIS EXPERIENCE. 71
unsent. All tins would have been unknown to us, had
not the correspondence, from which it is drawn, been
discovered.
Mr. Campbell soon fell back upon his old plan of
living by faith, only when he felt that he had grace.
He began now, however, to suspect that there was con-
fusion in his creed, as well as corruption in his heart.
" I must tell it to my shame," he says, May 1787,
'^ that I am often at a nonplus. I can take comfort
from nothing, heart from nothing, till I perform some-
thing myself. I cannot look on God but as my enemy,
who will have no mercy upon me, until I perform some
repentance or humiliation. This is surely the old cove-
nant spirit."
Whilst he was thus nonplussed by his own case, he
liad to accompany his dying brother to Innerleithing,
and to comfort him as well as he could by reading
to him. So far as I can judge, he did not trouble
Sandy with his own complaints. These he reserved
for the ear and the eye of his friend Mr. Ritchie.
The journey and the scenery cheered the wasting invalid,
but had no beneficial influence upon his own wounded
and wayward spirit. *' I expected great things here,"
lie says, '' from the time I should have, and from the
delightfulness of the place, which, for beauty, has few
equals. It is full of woods and waters, and surrounded
by mountains. But I have had little pleasure. They
all cannot make up to me for an absent God. This is
just what mars all my pleasure." It did not, however,
prevent him from trying to do good to others at In-
nerleithing. His first experiment was at the inn, and
mistaken by the landlady. " The second morning,
after breakfast, the mistress was standing by us, and
72 THE PROGRESS OF
I told her to sit down till we returned thanks for it.
The poor woman thought that instead of paying her,
we were only going to thank her : and began to mutter
something about sending up her husband to tell us the
cost. And yet, she had heard Ralph Erskine preach,
and been a Seceder ! So little effect had the gospel
on this woman." Mr. Campbell did not intend to re-
flect on the Seceders by this anecdote. Specimens of
gross ignorance occur in all societies. When Whitefield
published his first journal, a clergyman charged him
with denying the omnipresence of God, because, like
Mr. Campbell, he spoke of an absent God, at times.
Whilst he remained at Innerleithing, he made many
and minute inquiries into the state of religion ; and,
as he found the ministry there both " sapless and lazy,"
he found, as might be expected, the people like the
priest. What he attempted to do for them, I do not
know ; but he seems to have failed in something
through fear. *^ If I am Christ's," he says, " I am
certainly one of his cowards. I am so vile, and igno-
rant, and foolish, that I can profit others but little,
here or elsewhere. Oh, my dear friend, pray for such
people ; for I cannot pray. I intend to stay as short as
possible."
On his return to Edinburgh, his spirits were no
better. He durst not approach the sacramental table ;
" evidences being all out of sight, and grace out of
exercise." The fact is, that on his return, he began
to review both the sins and suspicion of his youth more
closely than he ever had done. He had been haunted
in boyhood by a suspicion that, as he had two brothers,
God would not save all three ; or that one would be
left, and himself be the victim of Satan. His first
HIS EXrERIENCE. 73
reading of Doddridge also, had thrown him into terrors
which suggested ** unutterable blasphemies." These,
again, had made him so reckless of eternal ruin, that
he had wished himself a devil, and given up both prayer
and hope. It was these horrors and extravagances he
sat down to review and record, when he came home ;
and, as might be expected, they aggravated his distress.
His friend, also, to whom he wrote all this, was just
the reverse of it all at the time. His rapture was as
high as Mr. Campbell's spirits were low. Whilst the
latter hung his harp upon the willows, the former tuned
his to the highest of " Erskine's Gospel Sonnets."
One of the fearful crises which Mr. Campbell reviewed
at this time was enough, even as a recollection, to over-
whelm him, prone as he was to despair. It was this :
*' My agony," he says, '' like the flood of Noah, grew
greater and greater. I drank deep of the cup of law-
terror. I was without the smallest degree of hope.
I was almost certain I could not live long. I thought
I was dropping into hell. I was just amazed, that
people in such a critical situation were so little con-
cerned. I had awfully realizing views of the miserable
state of the lost. I w^as often putting my finger into
the fire, to feel something of the torment I had to
endure. It terrified me so much, that it was a wonder-
ful providence my judgment was preserved, and that I
was kept from laying hands on myself. But an over-
ruling hand prevented all this. He delivered me from
the paw of the lion and the bear."
It is unwise for any one to fall back upon such re-
collections, when the spirits are low, or the heart sad ;
and it was peculiarly so in Mr. Campbell ; for his
memory had the vividness of imagination. It was " full
£
74 THE PROGRESS OF
of eyes, within and without." I have heard him depict
midnights in the African wilderness, at my own fireside,
at night, until he trembled at his own words, and said,
*' Eh, Sirs, my heart did not beat so when I was in my
wagon, and hearing the roaring of the lions." It was
this power of realizing the past, which made it so
perilous for him to fall back upon the dark days of his
history, whilst his views of the gospel were but dark and
confused. Not, however, that his vivid memory exag-
gerated or over-coloured either painful or pleasing re-
collections. He was remarkably free from all exagge-
ration and sentimentality. He said nothing for effect,
when speaking of himself. He never violated modesty,
nor courted sympathy, in conversation. Whether this was
his characteristic in 1787, I, of course, do not know to
a certainty ; but I am quite sure that his letters, at that
time, indicate no pretence nor parade. Whatever, there-
fore, may be thought of his anguish and depression, or
however they should be explained, they were real and
unpainted. How much they resemble Bunyan's, in
some points, I need not say ; except for the sake of
adding that, like Bunyan, Mr. Campbell became even-
tually as fine a specimen of a sober-minded, cheerful,
and happy believer, as he had been a fearful specimen
of a bewildered and wayward penitent. Indeed, but for
1 his fact, it would be more than questionable whether
his paroxysms and vicissitudes ought to be told at such
length.
It is a curious fact that, at this time, his letters are
as full of adoring contemplations of the love of God and
the Lamb, and of the riches of tlie covenant of grace,
and of the freeness of salvation, as they are of complaints
against himself, and lamentations over his sad state of
HIS EXPERIENCE. 75
darkness and desertion. Sometimes he is almost sera-
phic in celebrating the wonders of redemption and the
perfection of the covenant; and always, his Bible is
unspeakably precious to him. It was this which misled
his friends in dealing with his complaints. They set
them down as merely the inevitable accidents of expe-
rience, and could not allow themselves to suspect any
grand error of head or heart in a man who was daily
communing with his own spirit, and with " the deep
things of God." And who could imagine that the fol-
lowing thoughts are from letters which begin and end
with symptoms of despair ? " My present desire is, that
we may be filled with heavenly manna. Observe, I
think the mercy of God is just his love, venting, flow-
ing, budding, blooming out to us. Mercy is just the
display of his love. His love was just the origin of that
glorious and gracious transaction, — the Covenant. Few
things attract the affections of my soul more than God
justifying the ungodly by the death of his beloved Son.
It is such a display of love that no other deserves to be
mentioned with it on the same day. If I had the voice
of an archangel, I would cry to the whole earth to con-
template it." There is, also, reasoning connected with
this rapture. He argues, " that it can be nothing less
than a real delusion, to think that a round of duties can
satisfy God for guilt." He confessed the folly of having
tried, at first, to establish his own righteousness. He
says of Wilcox's " Drop of Honey from the Rock," " I
never find such benefit from any book of human compo-
sition, in drawing me off" from self -resting places, and
stirring me up to seek after Christ. It has not its mar-
row (equal) in a small volume, except the Assembly's
Catechism."
E 2
76 THE PROGRESS OF
Now, who could suspect this penitent of legal pride,
or spiritual mistake ? Here is much of the Gospel, and
of the belief of it too. Why then did he complain of
darkness, desertion, and the utter absence of peace ?
Mr. Campbell, as we have seen, was no sickly senti-
mentalist, nor whining pretender. Still, he had both
false and foolish notions about comfort from religion.
He ascribed the want of comfort alternately to the
sovereignty of God, and to the power of Satan. Even
when he looked to the truth for comfort, he believed
that he could not get any until God^^ fixed time, how-
ever he might try for it ; thus making the most ordi-
nary communications of grace and strength as much
matters of eternal purpose and decree as the grand
movements of the church, or even the destinies of the
universe.
Very much in this way he went on until 1789; and
in the course of that year, he began to contemplate the
work of the Ministry, as the best security against both
the temptations and the depressions which haunted and
harassed him. And, happily, by this time, an acquaint-
ance with Scott, the commentator, had commenced ; to
him, therefore, he submitted the whole case. The fol-
lowing is the answer : —
" Chapel- street, Sept. 2-ith, 17 Si).
** Dear Sir, — I should have written a line in answer to your last very
friendly letter, but that necessary engagements so much engrossed my
time that I had not leisure and spirits for the purpose. I have been
very poorly of the asthma, &c. ; but, I bless God, I am much recovered,
though I cannot yet bear my former degree of application. However, I
find it very good to be made sensible how frail I am, and how vanishing
all things here below are ; so that I am satisfied the Lord hath done all
things well. But I know you will excuse me not entering copiously
upon any subject, as 1 have so much writing ; and, therefore, I shall only
HIS EXPERIENCE. 77
drop a few hints upon the subject of the latter part of your letter. 1
thank you for your confidence, but I am a poor counsellor. I cannot,
upon the view I now have, see any material objection to your prosecut-
ing your intention. The requisite qualifications, as far as human learn-
ing can supply them, may abundantly be attained, with moderate appli-
cation, in the term of years you mention, which seems to me needlessly
long. Natural talents, I am persuaded, you do not want ; and spiritual
gifts for the work God will not withhold from those who desire the mi-
nistry as a good work, and in a proper manner. Faithful and diligent
ministers were always wanted ; and whilst we daily pray the Lord of the
harvest to send them forth, we cannot, consistently, discourage those
who seem likely to prove such ; so that the whole seems to turn upon
the internal consciousness of your own mind respecting the motives and
principles of this choice. He who counts all but loss for an interest in
the unsearchable riches of Christ and the whole of his salvation ; and
who is willing to renounce, venture, or engage in any thing, rather than
give up that hope, is prepared for the general calling of a Christian. He
who hath that love to Christ, and to the souls of men, that he desires to
bean instrument in promoting his glory in their salvation, in preference
to more easy, lucrative, or creditable employments ; and who is willing
to endure hardship, to labour, and, if called to it, to suffer, in promot-
ing this work ; who counts the cost, feels the importance and difficulr.y
of the undertaking, but trusts in the Lord to assist, and support, and
carry him through ; and who does not willingly allow of the desire of
popularity, praise, &c., as the motives of his choice, but is willing, if the
Lord please, to labour in obscurity, in poverty, and under reproach, so
he may be but useful ; 1 think this man is prepared for the calling of a
minister, and is moved by the Holy Ghost to take this office upon him,
and may fairly conclude himself to be so, provided the Lord, in his pro-
vidence, open a door for his admission, in a way consistent with his
judgment and conscience. I have nothing to add to these loose hints,
but to desire that you would remember me in your prayers. Mrs. Scott
desires her respects.
** I am your sincerely affectionate friend, &c.,
** Thomas Scott."
What diverted or discouraged Mr. Campbell from act-
ing, at this time, upon the advice of his venerable friend,
does not appear from his letters. It was, most likely,
the recurrence of his strange alternations of despair
78 THE PROGRESS OF HIS EXPERIENCE.
and hope. But, although they diverted him from the
Ministry for years, they never diverted him from minis-
tering to the sick and dying ; nor from strenuous and
persevering efforts to do " good unto all men, and espe-
cially to the household of faith." He continued sted-
fastly to act as a Christian, even vi^hen he had no hope
that he was a true Christian. He never abandoned or
abated public duty at all, nor private devotion long,
even in his worst states of mind. This is both an inte-
resting and instructive fact ; for there can be no doubt
that, had he done nothing but pore and ponder over his
own feelings, he must have sunk in mind or character.
There is no such security against undue depression as
great activity in doing good to others ; for it places one
under the wing of a special Providence, as well as diverts
the mind from preying on itself.
CHAPTEE IV.
HIS FRIENDSHIP WITH MR. NEWTON.
This chapter will rather prove that Mr. Newton and
Mr. Campbell were intimate friends, than illustrate the
influence of that friendship upon the latter. The illus-
tration of that runs through all his subsequent life.
It is very doubtful whether any of Mr. Campbell's
English friends had an adequate idea of the influence
which Mr. Newton had over his character and spirit,
as well as his career ; for although he spoke more
freely and frequently of him than of his other distin-
guished friends, his letters and journals reveal a degree
of intimacy and imitation, which his " Table Talk"
never suggested to me, or to any one whom I know.
Other influences, indeed, acted more visibly, and appa-
rently more powerfully, upon him : but they were all
modified in their operation, by Mr. Newton's final judg-
ment. He was his oracle whilst he lived, in all things
but nonconformity ; and when he died, his dissent con-
tinued to be as calm and candid as Newton's churchman-
ship had been. Mr. Campbell, indeed, was not a
dissenter when his correspondence with this venerable
saint was at its height. He then belonged to the
Church of Scotland, although identified with the ReHef
body. Five years after his introduction to Mr. Newton,
he wrote thus to a friend, *' Many things may be found
80 HIS FRIENDSHIP
in tlie Kirk, which she could well want ; but I believe
that the Lord has not altogether forsaken her. In some
measure, He dwells in her ; and as many are ' born
again' in her bounds, as in any of similar dimensions.
Now, you will not wonder when I tell you, that I have
not yet seen cause to withdraw from our Establishment
totally. When the Lord's j}resence is gone, — if I know
of this, — I will go too. But my soul knows right well,
that this is far from being the case yet." In this also,
he was influenced by Mr. Newton ; for it is just an echo
of his reasons for remaining in the Church of England.
Indeed, even Mr. Campbell's Letters to the Countess of
Leven, not only breathe the spirit of Mr. Newton's to
himself, but also adapt his phraseology to other sub-
jects. Altogether, he made him his model ; and as he
could not have adopted a better, the history of their
friendship deserves a minute record, and an attentive
perusal ; because it will prove that a young man can
never do so well, without the counsel and influence of
" such an one as Paul the aged."
It has often been mentioned or hinted at already, that
Mr. Campbell's hands were full of the work of faith and
the labours of love, during all the period of alternate
light and darkness which we have reviewed. But whilst
it is quite evident that the correspondence and co-opera-
tion with Mr. Ritchie were upon the whole beneficial
to him, inasmuch as they kept him watching and work-
ing in the service of God and man, it is equally evident
from the letters which follow for two or three years, that
he continued halting " between two opinions," in refer-
ence to his own interest in the salvation of God. To
use his own words, he was not so much inclined to cry
" Hale's (the whole) mine," as '' half's mine," when he
WITH MR. NEWTON. 81
saw the promises, like dropt money on the road, lying
before him, to be gathered up by the first passer by.
This allusion is to the well known custom in the North,
of the first person who discovers any thing upon the
road, springing forward to it, crying " bale's mine," be-
fore his companions can claim a share by crying *' half's
mine."
It was Mr. Newton's letters which led him on to the
" glorious liberty" of the children of God. But even
they did so, only slowly. They improved his obedience
to the truth, for years before they improved his belief
of it. Not, however, that he doubted the truth of the
gospel itself ; but of his own warrant to believe it for
himself.
There is a variety of opinions amongst his friends, as
to the origin of his friendship with Mr. Newton. His
first interview with him is well known to have taken
place, on his first visit to London in 1789, thus. He
was passing St, Mary Woolnoth, and seeing a number
of family carriages around the church, he asked a foot-
man, — " who is preaching ?" The only reply he got
was, — " one of the Methodists." This awakened his
curiosity, and led him to ask another footman, who said,
— " it is old Newton." This was enough to send him
into the church.
It is said, that he introduced himself to Mr. Newton
in the vestry, after the service. And so he did ; but
not as a stranger. The fragments of his journal, now
before me, indicate that he visited Newton, Scott, Booth,
Jarment, if not Romaine also, as a matter of course.
He prefaces none of his accounts of them. They stand
thus in the journal : — '* Abraham Booth is a first-rate
saint ; somehow calculated by nature and grace for the
e3
82 HIS FRIENDSHIP
pulpit and the press, for prayer and conversation."
** Mr. Newton is nowise inferior to what he was repre-
sented. In the pulpit, I have always seen him bathed
in tears. In private, — he is a David for devotion, a
Moses for meekness, a Solomon for knowledge, a Paul
for zeal, and a John for love. His house may be called
a Bethel. He told me some remarkable anecdotes of
his present hearers." " Mr. Scott is judicious, humble,
frank. When I was there he made me a present of the
Force of Truth. I promised to spend next sabbath with
him." *' Mr. Romaine is another bright luminary in
this southern hemisphere. In short — to say little of
him — he is like a man out of the body altogether. O,
what life, warmth, and knowledge of the heart, centre in
this old man of God ! For eloquence, he hath lips like
Aaron ; for zeal, a heart like Moses ; and for age and
faith, he is like Simeon. An Antiburgher minister said
to me, the Church of England is thriving."
All this indicates some prior intimacy, through either
letters or mutual friends ; especially, as Newton, Scott,
and Booth wrote, to congratulate Mr. Campbell, imme-
diately on hearing of his safe arrival at home ; each
signing himself, *' Your affectionate Friend." Mr. New-
ton's letter is in answer to a proposal for permission to
print in Edinburgh, in a cheap form, two or three let-
ters from " Omicron." He says, *' The three, marked
A. B. C, cannot, I think, much affect the sale of the
book, if printed in the manner you propose ; and there-
fore you are welcome to say, that you have my consent."
1789.
The probability is, that Mr. Campbell was first in-
duced to open a correspondence with Mr. Newton, for
the sake of Africa ; a subject which, as we have seen.
WITH MR. NEWTON. 83
laid hold of his heart when he was a mere boy, and was
never lost sight of afterwards. His first sympathies
were for Africa, and his last dwelt on Lattakoo !
Another subject which he seems to have brought
under Mr. Newton's notice before seeing him, was, the
prosecution of Dr. Macgill for Socinianism; then a
novel heresy in the Kirk of Scotland. The tendency of
the Doctor's book alarmed Mr. Newton " more than all
the volumes of Priestley," because of its ** plausible and
temperate manner." He thought, however, that *' judi-
cial censure would only add zeal to a bad cause, and
fame to the author," and thus notoriety to the work : but
he acknowledged that he did not see how the Kirk
"judicatories could avoid noticing it, unless they gave
up their public doctrinal standard as untenable." This
concession just suited Mr. Campbell ; for he was, at this
time, a staunch Presbyterian, and almost covenanted
unto the standards of the Kirk. He was also the Se-
cretary of one of the Lay Associations, which appealed
to the orthodoxy of Scotland, and petitioned the Gene-
ral Assembly, against Macgill, He was thus glad of
whatever sanction John Newton's letter gave to his zeal.
He sounded also Abraham Booth, Thomas Scott, and
other distinguished divines, on the subject. Not, how-
ever, that he had any taste for religious persecution ; but
that he despised the meanness of writing against the
cardinal Articles of the Kirk, and yet eating her bread
and wearing her honours. It is this meanness which
embarrasses national churches. Voluntary churches
can rid themselves of such rogues without any appeal to
civil or ecclesiastical law ; but State Chui'ches must
either bring a heretic before their Courts, or wink at
his heterodoxy ; for in them, it is a breach of legal
84 HIS FRIENDSHIP
covenant. Hence, at this time, the Church of England
is in a dilemma, by the Oxford Tracts. Any mitre, or
chair, that would avow their real principles and spirit,
would be as legally forfeited as the crown was by James
at the Revolution ; for these tracts are as faithless to
Protestantism, as the last of the Stuarts was to his Co-
ronation oath. I refer to this question, because the
protesters against Puseyism now, are just doing what
Mr. Campbell did against Socinianism, — the only thing
they can do, if they would not wink at insults to the
Articles and Homilies of their Church, nor at defiance
to the law ; for Puseyism, however sleek, is both. But,
to return. Mr. Newton moderated Mr. Campbell's zeal
on this occasion, by expressing strong disapprobation of
the violent pamphlets which the heresy called forth.
Mr. Campbell had sent him a selection of the most
*' spirited" of them. He acknowledged them thus, " I
thank you for the pamphlets. I have not had time to
read them all yet ; but I doubt not I shall like them all
hut that which I have read ! * The Dialogue between
the Devil and a Socinian,' I cannot say I approve either
the manner or spirit of it. I am hurt — when gospel
truths are put into the devil's mouth. I suppose a
ready penman at Damascus might have written a smart
dialogue between the devil and Saul of Tarsus. But
Saul became Paul ! Grace has long and strong arms ;
and I think it unbecoming a Christian to give up any
one while living. It is my mercy I am not a Socinian ;
for had I been left to myself I might have been amongst
the foremost."
Mr. Campbell needed this hint ; for although he
wrote none of the pamphlets, he was intimate with some
of the writers, and spreading the question far and wide.
WITH MR. NEWTON, 85
It is a curious fact that some years afterwards, he sent
his appeals for Sabbath Schools round the very circles
which he now agitated against heresy. His circular
then, begins thus, ** Dear brethren, last time I wrote to
you, it was about the prosecution of a Rev. Doctor for
heresy. I now address you as the advocate of those
children who are perishing around you for lack of know-
ledge." Thus his championship of orthodoxy paved
his way to that fair hearing which he obtained for the
claims of Sabbath evening Schools. It was, however,
well for him that he had both John Newton and Abra-
ham Booth as a balance-wheel upon his movements in
the Heresy case ; for he was a great admirer of the elo-
quent, but fiery, advocate, M' Kin tosh, whose thunders
shook the General Assembly, as '* Sheridan's did Par-
liament in the Begum case."
The following account of this splendid pleader is from
Mr. Campbell's own recollections of him. " He shone
brilliantly in the good cause. He spoke four hours
against M'Gill, and so destroyed the equilibrium of the
minds of the General Assembly, that they deferred to
pass judgment until next day. I was present both days.
But such oratory, such knowledge of Scripture and ec-
clesiastical law, I never witnessed. In early life he had
offended the civil Court, and was rebuked by the Bench.
On this, he pulled off his gown in a rage, and flung it
in their face, and fled to London, where he remained
twenty years. There he was very intimate with John
Wilkes, and if rumour be true had a hand in writing
No. 45, and other Papers, in the North Briton. He
came back to Edinburgh in the spirit of John Knox.
On his first appearance at the Bar again, he burst out
86 HIS FRIENDSHIP
in his old style of boldness. The Lord President said,
*Mr. M'Kintosh, do you know where you are?' He
replied, * Yes, my Lord, and what I am too.' So the
matter dropped.
** He was so displeased with the conduct of the Kirk
in M* Gill's affair, that he could hardly be prevailed on
to accept a commission to the next Assembly. He did
not attend on the first days of their sitting at all. The
case was to come on on Friday : but on Thursday he
came not. I wrote to Dr. Erskine, beseeching him to
heg for his attendance ; which he did. Mr. M'Kintosh
came. He saw that the Assembly wished to blink the
question. He therefore attacked the good Ministers,
whose timidity kept them dumb, although their Master
was despised in their hearing. * If you have a single
spark of love to the Redeemer,' he exclaimed, * stand
up and testify your utter abhorrence of the antiscrip-
tural tenets in the Doctor's book!' The Moderates (as
we call them) were in a perfect rage during the speech.
At first they interrupted him ; but he so lashed them,
that they became afraid to try again. They sat calmly
for two hours, and when he was done dismissed the
question ! After this, he would never enter the Assem-
bly again.
" He was reckoned a judicious lawyer. I have seen
the Dean of Faculty rise up and thank him for the solid
arguments by which he had proved him to be wrong.
He refused several lucrative places, because he was re-
quired to qualify by the Sacrament ; and yet he told
the General Assembly one day, that he had no objection
to commune in the Church of England, if it fell in his
way in the course of providence. He reads nothing
WITH MR. NEWTON. 87
now but the Scriptures. He is full of apostolic
divinity. His history is full of the marvellous and
singular."
This man's exposure of the General Assembly, and
especially the exposure that Court made of itself, al-
though it did not make Mr. Campbell a Dissenter at
the time, " disgusted him to sickness" with Church
Courts, and laid the foundation of his subsequent inde-
pendency. Even at the time, the shock set him upon a
course of inquiry, which soon made him back out from
the clamour which was then rife against the Roman
Catholic claims. Dr. Coloqhuon and others had taken
the alarm at the report of a Catholic Relief Bill, and
implored him to get all the information he could about
it from Mr. Newton. He himself also had met Lord
George Gordon, and had begun to sound the " No Po-
pery" trumpet by circulating his Tracts on the subject.
Mr. Newton, as might be expected, had no great sym-
pathy with this political watch-word. He wrote to
him, " I cannot see why a Papist has not as good a
right to worship God, and educate his children, accord-
ing to his conscience, though erroneous, as I have myself.
I am no friend to persecution or restraint in matters of
conscience. Whatever liberty the Papists get by law —
that of sitting in Parliament excepted — will give me no
pain. Perhaps if I had lived in Scotland, the opinion
of many wise and good men might have outweighed my
private judgment." Mr. Booth also, although he
dreaded " an entire abolition of the Corporation and
Test Acts," enlarged Mr. Campbell's views of the ini-
quity and impolicy of all persecution for conscience' sake.
And he needed such counsellors ; for both Dr. Colo-
qhuon and Dr. Erskine were alarmists. His English
88 HIS FRIENDSHIP
friends ^' carried the day" with him. *' I am now better
informed," he said to his Scotch friends: "therefore,
interfere who may in what is called spirited opposition
to Popery, I will not."
But there was still another subject on which Mr.
Newton had to be umpire between Mr. Campbell and
the Kirk, Patronage then, as now, was an all-absorb-
ing question in Scotland, and as Mr. Campbell had been
brought up amongst the Relief, he was as staunch a non-
intrusionist as the present leaders of that question. He
was "airt and paart," or consenting, to that electric
Letter in 1 788, which pretended to be the " anticipation
of a petition from the General Assembly of the Church
of Scotland, to the House of Commons, for the Total
Abolition of the Slave Trade ;" " Signed, John Knox,
Moderator. May 29, 1788." The preamble runs thus,
" Humbly sheweth, that we the Ministers and Elders,
met in the Supreme Court of this National Church,
intended to have addressed your honourable House
concerning the African Slave Trade ; but we had no
sooner entered on this business, than a motion was made
and seconded. That we should confine ourselves to the
dismal situation of the people of Scotland, groaning,
for three-fourths of a century, in the most abject slavery,
under the tyrannical law of Ecclesiastical Patronage."
It proposed a day of solemn fasting **for the sins of our
predecessors, in wreathing the yoke of patronage on the
neck of the nation." It affirms that the abolition of
this spiritual slavery would make 1788 as illustrious as
1688. It concludes by " entreating" the House to grant
a total repeal of the Patronage Laws in Scotland,
" seeing nothing short of this can save our country
from ruin, in either a civil or religious point of light."
WITH MR. NEWTON. 89
Tn the spirit of this petition, Mr. Campbell wrote to
Mr. Newton on the subject ; but received as little com-
fort from him, as the Tory Non-Intrusionists, of our
times, did from Sir Robert Peel, when they sounded
him. The statesman saw at a glance, how their demands
would affect his own Church ; and the Rector of St.
Mary Woolnoth gave the go-by to the question thus,
" I have no skill on the subject of Scotch patronages.
I suppose they are what is called legal, or they could
not take place. But some things deemed right in law
there will be, which are not quite consistent with equity.
I believe there are as feio in our nation as in any. I
wish to be more thankful for the liberty we enjoy. The
crooked things I would leave to Him, who only can
make them straight. If I was to add another article to
our Litany, it might run thus, * From poison and poli-
tics, good Lord, deliver me.' " On this point, Mr.
Newton was not a-head of his times. He could see
that his old trade in slavery was " unlawful and abomi-
nable ;" but not, that ecclesiastical slavery was unscrip-
tural and contemptible. Mr. Campbell was wiser in
this respect, and stood by the Relief firmly, although
moderately, until he relieved himself from all responsi-
bility to Church Courts.
Mr. Newton's counsels to him, at this time, on the
subject of party politics, were more valuable and useful.
Mr. Campbell was no Revolutionist, nor at all an ad-
mirer of French liberty ; but he had warm sympathies
with rational freedom, and with suffering humanity.
He was thus not afraid to question either the prudence
or equity of some State prosecutions for Jacobinism.
He was not convinced that all the victims were guilty,
and he said so. This fact, in a Tory form, came to the
90 HIS FRIENDSHIP
ears of Mr. Newton, and startled him. Others also
were startled. I have in my possession a confidential
note, written by one of the Magistrates of Edinburgh,
to Mr. Campbell, charging him to disown certain Ja-
cobins ; otherwise he would " disown him ;" and another
from Dr. Erskine, which, although it threatens nothing,
warns him solemnly. These hints at home, led him to
suspect that a garbled or exaggerated report would
reach Mr. Newton's ears. And there did. " I certainly
heard," he says, '' the rumour I mentioned ; but, I be-
lieve, it need not make you uneasy. It did not spread
very widely ; and as I have your authority to contradict
it, I hope it will soon die away. I am glad you agree
with me, that it will for both ministers and private
Christians have as little to do with politics as possible.
Your idea of apit in the path, pleases me. It is a pit
that will swallow up the life and spirit, if not the form,
of religion, in the case of many professors. You told
me you had (at one time) been once or twice with Lord
George Gordon, and it was rumoured, since you left us,
that you have some connection with him in the printing
way. If this be a false report, I shall be glad of your
authority to contradict it. My heart went pit a pat
when I read of your famous Convention. I am thank-
ful they are dispersed. I think a political spirit as
hurtful to the life of God in the soul, as poison is to
the bodily frame."
These extracts prove that Mr. Campbell was both
suspected and watched, and imply that he was neither
a silent spectator, nor an uninfluential citizen, during
these stirring times. And the fact is, that the light
which opened his eyes to the glory of religious liberty,
soon opened them to the beauty of civil liberty, and led
WITH MR. NEWTON. 91
him into the company of some of the friends of both,
who were not so wise as they were warm. Politics,
however, were not his element. Even when he did
mingle in them, it was as a moderator, and never as an
agitator. The high estimation in which he stood with
the magistrates and clergy of Edinburgh proves this.
Besides, he was, at the time, one of the leaders of what-
ever was humane or philanthropic in the city. Still, he
was too much in political circles, for his soul's health,
at this period. He supped out oftener and later than
was compatible with devotional spirit or habits. " The
tear and wear" of visiting even select parties so much,
were not counteracted by his more frequent visits to the
sick, and the dying, and the prisoners : for although his
general character and public standing sustained no real
injury, his soul neither prospered nor was " in health."
He had fits and starts of both devotional feeling and
spiritual enjoyment ; but he did not " walk with God,"
although he worked much for Him, and wrote more
about Him.
It is a curious fact, however, that his own letters,
from 1787 to 1794, would almost disprove this represen-
tation of the low state of his spiritual health, and show
a degree of thoughtful and prayerful piety, not very
common. His old friend Mr. Ritchie, yet alive, could
produce a regular series of letters, belonging to these
years, which edified him, and would edify any one.
Their duplicates are all before me. But so also are his
journals and jottings^ besides his extraordinary confes-
sions, under the signature of " Heman," to Mr. New-
ton, when his "captivity was led captive." Now although
his review of this long period of spiritual declension
be, perhaps, too rigid, and his self-condemnation too un-
92 HIS FRIENDSHIP
qualified, — for he had both set out in the divine hie
upon a mystic principle of faith, and set up an imagi-
nary standard of enjoyment, — yet there is only too much
truth in " Heman's" account of himself. Mr. Campbell
never retracted nor qualified the humihating confessions
of that letter, nor regretted that Mr. Newton published
it in the Evangelical Magazine for 1796. How much
they surprised Mr. Newton, will appear from his answer.
" It seems that your correspondence with me was main-
tained through the whole of your low and uncomfortable
state, and yet I do not recollect any remarkable hints
of your despondency. On the contrary, you still sup-
plied me with anecdotes. However, I praise God for
your deliverance. The sting of death is now taken
away, and I hope the stroke of death is yet at a dis-
tance from you, and that you will live to be an orna-
ment, and an instrument for good, to the cause you
profess." Thus his letters to Mr. Newton, up to 1795,
if they exist, would disprove his declension even more
than those to Mr. Ritchie. Not, however, that there
was any hypocrisy or pretence in either series. They
were, in fact, his efforts to keep himself from apostasy
and despair, and to make himself what he ought and
wished to be ; and thus they were often best when he
was at the very worst ; no uncommon thing, by the way,
in the case of those who divide their leisure time be-
tween religious or political bustle, and are alternately
absorbed with committees and dinners whenever they
escape from business. Character may be kept in the
whirl of that vortex ; but communion with God is
swamped, wherever piety is not well settled in both
the understanding and heart. Mr. Campbell's hope
and spirituality were often at such a low ebb, for
WITH MR. NEWTON. 93
years, that they must have evanished entirely, had
not " the sweet influences" of Newton, Erskine, Scott,
Charles, and Booth, operated alternately as checks
and charms upon his heart. Most timely, too, for
him, his weekly correspondence with the Countess of
Leven began at the very crisis of his spiritual peril.
Nor was this all the '' hedge" which God threw around
him. He threw, indeed, " a wall of fire around" him,
even when he ceased to be *^ the glory in the midst" of
him. No man had more or better friends than Mr.
Campbell ; still, it was his public spirit which, under
God, was the chief means of saving him from sinking
into apostasy or formality. He could never take his
e3'e or his heart off from the state of evangelical reli-
gion at home or abroad. The revivals under Charles of
Bala, Stuart of Moulin, and Dr. Robbins of America,
which he inquired into, and made known in Scotland
widely, although they did not exactly revive him, kept
his *' soul from death, and his feet from falling." He
acquainted himself, also, with the state of the Moravian
missions throughout the world, and of every chaj^laincy
in the East and West Indies, where the clergyman was
evangelical. I find, by his letters, that he knew all
about Dr. Thomas, of Bengal, years before the Baptist
Missionary Society was formed. He heard of him first
by letters sent from Malda to one of the Scotch bishops,
who had an "enthusiastic friend, that was Silwdjs pester-
ing him about the success of the Gospel in Bengal, and
with questions about religion at home." " The bishop,"
says Mr. Campbell, "knew little of the religion which
the Bible contains. I answered his friend's questions as
well as I could. I then heard nothing more of the aff*air
until 1792, when in London. I had called on Mr.
94 HIS FRIENDSHIP
Abraham Booth, and found a gentleman in the minis-
terial garb with him. He talked of Malda. I said, * Did
you ever hear of a Dr. Thomas, a surgeon, who began
to preach in India ?' He let me go on about him, and
then said, * I am the man.' Your ladyship (Leven) may
judge how agreeably I was struck with the coincidence !
Just after I came home from London I received a letter
from Malda, stating that his ministry there had been
accompanied with the blessing of God, although not to
the natives, to the religious society, which has now more
life than formerly."
This old version of the fact is not so complete as the
current one. It was written for the Countess of Leven
in 1794, and is merely part of a letter; but many will
recollect that Mr. Campbell, whenever he told the anec-
dote in public or private, dwelt upon the timeliness of
his call at Mr. Booth's. Mr. Booth was at a loss what
to think of Dr. Thomas's claims, and hesitating as to his
own duty, because he did not exactly know what weight
to attach to the testimonials of a stranger; but Mr.
Campbell he knew well, and therefore reckoned it pro-
vidential that he came in " just at the nick of time," to
authenticate the testimonials, and whilst the Baptist
Mission was forming at Kettering. Hence Mr. Campbell
was wont to say, " Thus I had a finger in that pie
too."
It is hardly necessary to remind the reader, that it was
not so easy to become familiar with " the stars" of the
churches, and the state of the heathen, fifty years ago,
as it is now. Any Christian now, in Mr. Campbell's
rank of life, maybe even more identified with influential
ministers and missionaries than he was at the close of
the last century ; but then there was not, perhaps,
WITH MR. NEWTON. 95
another tradesman in Scotland who occupied a similar
position with himself. No man in the University, nor
in the pulpit of Edinburgh, was so early or so intimately
acquainted with English churchmen or Dissenters, who
originated the great Societies which are now the glory
of Britain. What Mr. Newton wrote to him in 1793, —
" I constitute you my agejit at Edinburgh, and solicit to
be your agent in London," — was a compliment paid to him
by not a few of the fathers and founders of the " liberal
things" devised under the evening sun of the eighteenth
century ; and well did he deserve their confidence. His
co-operation with them, also, was of incalculable service
to himself. Their spirit and designs suited the benevo-
lence of his nature, and sealed his adherence to all his
ordinary plans of doing *' good unto all men, and espe-
cially to the household of faith ;" and their high and
holy character made them a second conscience to him ;
which, although it did not detach him enough from
worldly and political company, kept him from compro-
mising either character or principle, to any extent, be-
fore men.
It is premature to introduce the following paper,
which he wrote after reviewing his first visit to Mr.
Newton in London ; but the startling fact it contains,
having been part of his providential education for under-
standing, and for sympathizing with, the savages of the
African desert, I cannot omit it. Like many other
casual things, it prepared him to be an African mission-
ary. The paper is, also, one of the last he wrote for me.
It runs thus : —
" I remember sailing to London in a Leith trader many years ago,
long before the existence of steam-packets, when it would be often more
than a week after their published day of sailing before they actually set
96 HIS FRIENDSHIP
off: they waited for more goods to carry to London. Their dining-
cabin was surrounded by tiers of beds, capable of accommodating a dozen
of persons. A lamp hung in the middle of the cabin, which gave light
to all.
" I remember one night, about two in the morning, of an alarming
occurrence taking place, by a young gentleman, in his sleep, rushing
from his bed to the middle of the cabin, and, pointing to the floor, called
out, with a loud voice, * There's the blood ! there's the blood ! yes, there's
the blood!' on which some of us rose, and found he was asleep, and
awoke him, and got him back to his bed. In the morning we requested
a sprightly young gentleman, whom we observed had got intimate with
him after their meeting on board, to see if he could find out the cause of
his thus dreaming. In the evening he told us that the gentleman who had
so disturbed us in the night-time was an officer in the army, and on his way
to join his regiment in Sicily ; that some time ago he had shot a brother-
officer in a duel, and that ever since he had been disturbed in his rest in
the night-time, and appeared downcast even when perfectly awake. He
said it was his custom every night to fasten his leg to the bed-post, or to
any thing to which he could tie it, to prevent his getting out of bed ; * But
I found,' said he, * nothing of the kind in these ship-beds.' What a striking
resemblance was the state of this young murderer's mind to that of the
first murderer, Cain, who immediately became a coward, afraid to move
from his accustomed home, lest every stranger he met should endeavour to
slay him ! It is very remarkable that the same miserable state of mind at-
tends the murderer even among uncivilized nations,whereGod is unknown,
and where they are not aware of their possessing a soul, and are ignorant
of a judgment to come. I remember, when travelling from Lattakoo to
Kurreechane, high up in the interior of South Africa, my party was
joined by about forty or fifty persons, from different tribes ; some of them
with the view of visiting friends higher up the country, and to be under
the protection of my guns during their journey ; others from having
heard that we shot rhinoceroses, elephants, &c., for the sake of their skins,
teeth, &c., but that we did not eat their carcasses ; so they]travelled with
us merely to eat those animals when they happened to be shot. When
any of those nations, on their plundering expeditions, happen to kill, or
rather murder a man, the honourable deed is recorded by a deep slash
being cut on the fleshy part of their body. By these marks we knew
that the major part of those new comers who had joined us were mur-
derers. I observed some who had three, four, and five of those scars.
Now, these people were generally afraid to go to sleep in the night-time ;
but in little parties, around fires, tried to keep up the most boisterous
WITH MR. NEWTON. 97
talk as long as they could, until break of day. One night, the wind
being quite still, their noise was such that I found it impossible to sleep.
I rose and begged them to be quiet, and go to sleep, * Oh !' said they,
* there is a king to the right of us, a bad man, who has his spies ; and
were we to sleep, he would come and murder us all.' About ten
nights after that, they were continuing as bad as ever ; I begged them
now to be still, especially as they had got beyond the country of him of
whom they were afraid : * Oh ! but,' said they, ' we are getting opposite
to a worse king, to the left of us ; Makkabba, king of the Wanketzens.'
How different was the case with my Hottentots, about twenty of whom
travelled with me ! Not any of them were murderers ; every night did
they sleep as sound as wolves, though they never were so far from
their own country before. I was told those very men who were so
constantly afraid of being murdered while travelling ^ are not troubled
with those fears while they remain at home. It seems to have been thus
with Cain, for we hear nothing of his fears till he was on the very eve
of leaving home to travel to some distance from it. All this misery ex-
perienced by murderers comes from God, and shows the value wh''ch he
attaches to human life. I rejoice that our legal murders in this country
are become so rare ; it is an indubitable proof of the march of intellect.''
Thus his voyage to London, as well as his visit to
Mr. Newton, was a step in the course of his training for
the great work for which God had intended him ; and
it is impossible not to admire and adore the Providence
which brought him under the influence of the " old
African," as Mr. Newton often called himself. Mr.
Campbell never forgot the saying, '* The happiest days
of communion with God I ever enjoyed were in my last
voyages to Africa ;" nor the avowal, " If I take up my
degrees as a doctor, it ought to be from Africa." —
Letters,
His second visit to him was in 1799, and is thus told
in a letter to his aunt : " I breakfasted this morning
with my dear friend Mr. Newton. I cannot well say
how glad he was to see me. He took me by the hand,
in the midst of our crach in his study, and expressed
F
98 HIS FRIENDSHIP
his happiness to see me once more in this poor world.
He loves me, and I am sure I love him ; so our love is
one." The remainder of this letter is occupied with an
account of the African children he had gone to meet in
London, in order to bring them to Edinburgh. He was
disappointed in the latter hope, and had to return with-
out them. Mr. Newton knew this, and sent him the
following letter : —
"My Dear Friend, —
*' Time was when you received frequent and long letters from me ; but
times are altering. I shall always love you ; but my letters will probably
decrease in number and in size. For 1 grow old. But yours to me I hope
will be frequent and full. [So far I wrote a fortnight ago, and have not
had leisure to proceed till this, 21st October.]
" Yours of the 27th of July found us at Southampton. It brought the
good news of your safe return home ; and I was thankful for the courage
and prudence the Lord gave you on shipboard. They are both Christian
graces when connected ; but if separated, courage degenerates into rash-
ness, and prudence into cowardice.
" The order of the Assembly to exclude even regular ministers of our
church, such as Mr. Simeon, from preaching in any of yours, was un-
worthy of their post, and will be a stain upon their character. I hope the
insinuations in their Admonition, are equally unjust now ; but 1 wish
there had at no time been ground given. And if it be true that a zeal
for the Circus service, has induced many valuable persons to forsake
such men as Mr. Black, Dr. Davidson, Mr. Buchanan, and others of a
like character, so that good ministers have been hurt and grieved by
those whom they loved, I feel sorry for that likewise. But I must, and
do, rejoice in the success of the respectable itinerants in places sadly
destitute of the Gospel. I expect there will be some mixture of human
infirmity in the best designs of the best men. And Satan will be busy,
when he feels his kingdom shaken. But the Lord will accept the inten-
tions of his faithful servants, and overrule all things eventually for good.
He will plead their causes and put their enemies to shame and to silence,
if they can but simply and patiently commit it to Him. But if they take
it too much into their own hands, they usually make bad worse. The
weapons of our warfare are not carnal. We should disclaim not only
fire and sword, but angry disputation and invective, for these likewise
are carnal weapons. The apostle says, * Being defamed we entreat.'
WITH MR. NEWTON. 99
/' Through mercy there is some stir among the soldiers and among the
seamen in the navy. May the Lord confirm them, and increase their
numbers 1
" Now for yours of the 28th September. I am glad to hear you have
so much to produce of Col. Blackader. May you live to see it in print,
whether I do or not. You are not in your 75th year.
" I have distributed all the money as you directed. If you can part
with the Grimshaws to the booksellers, at the trade price, you are desired
to do it.
*' The news from the Orkneys and Shetland is pleasant indeed. I
pray the Lord to bless the labourers more and more.
" If you remit more money from Grimshaw, please to deduct 25s. for
the sermons. I gave them to you. They cost me nothing.
" I pray the Lord to warm your heart and to guide your pen, while
you are writing for the young people.
" Last week I was at Clapham, and saw the twenty- one African Black-
birds. The girls were at Battersea, out of my reach. When I went
into the school, I said, * Lemmi,' which is, being interpreted. How do
you ? Two or three answered, Bah, that is, I thank you ; by which
I knew that they had some knowledge of the language of Sherbro', the
scene of mg bondage. I am told the boys come forward apace, behave
well, and seem very happy ; and especially when they see Mr. Macaulay,
who is now married, and come to settle at Kennington, between Clap-
ham and London.
" Continue to write long letters and often. I love to hear from you,
and will thank you when I can. Miss Catlett joins me in love ; pray
for us.
" May the Lord grant that you may always answer the description of
the tree mentioned in Jer. xvii. 7, 8.
" I am your very affectionate,
" 22nd October, 1799. ** John Newtox.
'* If you think proper, I wish you to show Mr. Black this letter, and
perhaps he will let you see mine to him."
This chapter cannot be better concluded than by a
few sentences of the last letters which Mr. Newton
wrote to Mr. Campbell ; especially as they are the last
of all he wrote. " I have tried to send you one long
letter more. Whether it will be the last, the Lord only
F 2
100
HIS FRIENDSHIP WITH MR. NEWTON,
knows. If He is with us — we are not necessary to eack
other. He will care for us. Let us meet at the throne
daily and hereafter. O, what a prospect ! Words can-
not express — yea, thoughts fail : we cannot conceive
what it will be to be for ever with the Lord ! My eyes
fail me, so that I cannot write much. My health is
good, and my spirits. My eyes are so dim, that I cannot
see to read my own writing, nor could I read yours
without help. I preach as frequently, and with as
little inconvenience to myself as formerly, though now
five months into my seventy-fifth year. You know I
am always glad to hear from you, though I am now a
spoiled correspondent. I hope to be with you in spirit
when you go to Kingsland, and when you are there, if
I should still be living. The Lord bless you, and all
who love His name in Glasgow, and everywhere else.
Amen. I am your very affectionate John Newton."
1802.
It is a melancholy fact — is it not ominous too ? —
that at this time, 1841, there is no Newton in the
church, around whose paternal chair ministers of dif-
ferent denominations meet for mutual edification.
"The fathers, where are they; and the prophets, do
they live for ever?" There are, indeed, Newtons,
Venns, Scotts, and Romaines in the church still ; but
how changed in spirit? True; their posterity will
not have to lament or explain their connexion with Dis-
senters and Methodists ; but neither will history have
to tell of their catholicity , except in a sense which will
be no enviable distinction when the Millennium dawns.
CHAPTER V.
HIS FIRST BELIEF OF THE GOSPEL.
It is not meant by the title of this chapter, to convey
the idea that Mr. Campbell had, up to this time, believed
none, or but little, of the glorious gospel. Far from it !
He had not, however, believed it as " glad tidings of great
joy" to himself. It was religion rather than the Gospel
he believed. The consequence was, he had neither joy
nor peace in believing. How could he ? Religion is
duty : Gospel indemnity ; and whoever has not found in
the Gospel, freedom from the condemnation of the law,
will not find it in either the number or the kind of his
religious duties : for however they may promote the
disposition to believe "glad tidings," — and they do so
much, and in many ways, — their own general reasons
are not exactly gladdening. They prove that there is
Gospel, and they are based upon it ; but they are
not distinct overtures of mercy to the guilty, nor direct
" gifts to the rebellious" and unworthy. Hence, the
belief of the Gospel itself, was such a new thing in
Mr. Campbell's religion, that he thought the discovery
of " the Truth" almost a revelation to himself from
heaven, at first. In this he is not singular. Vivid spi-
ritual discernment of the glory and grace of the Gospel,
if it occur unexpectedly, and just when the penitent
'* Must drink or die,"
102
HIS FIRST BELIEF
IS really felt to be almost a voice from heaven, and is
altogether as useful. Besides, the truth really seems
new, and the power of it is so. It ought, therefore, to
create neither prejudice nor surprise, when such a peni-
tent speaks as if " he had seen a vision ;" unless, indeed,
he claim credit for seeing something which is not in
the Gospel ; which Mr. Campbell did not. He spoke
strongly, as will be seen, as to the suddenness and power
with which the Holy Spirit shone upon the Scriptures,
at the moment of extremity ; but he never conveys the
idea that he saw any thing but revealed facts, which he
had formerly overlooked, or misunderstood, or not ven-
tured to believe. He communicated to the Countess of
Leven first, his remarkable deliverance from " the Fear
which hath torment,'' He had been for some time in
such torment, that David's words, " the pains of Hell
gat hold on me," were not too strong in his lips. This
he did not tell her ladyship, as she herself was at that
time in trouble. Hence, he wrote thus, — " This is the
first letter I have felt disposed to write since comfort
came. And I mean to write but few on that subject.
But this may prove useful to your Ladyship's mind in
your present distress. For that end it is sent. And I
know of One, and only one, who can make it so.
Since I last wrote, the Lord hath appeared very won-
derfully on my behalf. And what makes it the more
marvellous. He came unsought, and told me that, not-
withstanding all my horrid iniquity, I was redeemed by
the blood of Christ ! After me, none need despair of
pardoning mercy. I had long had the honour of being
thought a live!?/ Christian : but, ah, I felt little of the
power ! Such a sight as God gave me of his grace, on
Tuesday, January 27th, 1795, I can scarcely describe.
OF THE GOSPEL. IVif
I am now left to a simple dependence on * the testimony
of God.' "
This was all he said at first on the subject. Even to
Mr. Newton he did not explain the matter at once, but
merely spoke, in glowing terms, of a remarkable ** visit
from God," and of extraordinary " views of Divine
things." His venerable friend, although not exactly
displeased with strong language and ^' strong consola-
tion," reminded him that " pickpockets are busiest
about the Bank when the dividends are paying," and that
" thorns in the flesh are gifts, if they preserve us from
being exalted above measure," by abundant revelation.
He added to this hint, " Such extraordinary views have
not been a part of my experience ; though, I hope, I
likewise rest upon the simple truth ; but it is as it lies
in the Book.''
This did not oifend Mr. Campbell at all, but it con-
vinced him that Mr. Newton did not fully appreciate
the deliverance, and led him to lay it all before him.
This he did in the following letter ; and Mr. Newton
was so astonished and delighted, that he published the
letter in the Evangelical Magazine, without note, com-
ment, or qualification. It was signed " Heman ;" but
many discovered the writer. Amongst others, John
Leslie, of Huntly, said, " I could not mistake your style
or spirit."
[a letter to the rev. MR. NEWTON.]
" My Dear and Rev. Sir, — I am deep in your debt for a train of
favours, for which I have often thanked you ; and still a grateful remem-
brance is retained. I cannot give a greater proof of my confidence, than
by committing to your trust a brief detail of my late extraordinary case
and cure. This I promised to do in a former letter, saying that my main
intention was by it to capacitate you still more for speaking apropoa to
104 HIS FIRST BELIEF
the case of distressed, disturbed minds, as they came in your way. My
motive is not altered.
" I am not very anxious whether my friends may judge me a believer
or not, previous to my furnace-state ; but I have no freedom myself in
calling it in question. If not a believer, I was greatly mistaken indeed ;
surely I ate bread of which the world are ignorant — at least I think so.
I was awakened by the testimony of Jesus : after a term of terror, I was
comforted by the doctrine of a Saviour. Perhaps I attained to the sta-
ture of A in Omicron ; I am certain I thought so.
** My knowledge of downright believing was exceeding scanty ; my
hopes were too easily raised or sunk, in proportion to the fineness or
agreeableness of my inward feelings on the one hand, and their dul-
ness or disagreeableness on the other. I was not fully instructed in
the unchangeableness of the Divine veracity and love. I mean no re-
flection against my teachers, but only against my own perception of the
truths revealed and taught. I read the Bible ; but my mind was not
sufficiently opened simply to receive what it taught me, without inter-
mixing fancied trash of my own. I knew some of my cotemporary
brethren were in the same predicament, if language has an affixed mean-
ing. They spoke like me, so I suppose i\xe^ felt like me. But waving
this, the length I afterwards went in secret departure from the God of
Abraham was great ! As a singular monument of the super-abounding
riches of saving, sovereign, redeeming mercy, I say what follows : —
" Mj faUing away was gradual, like the declension from noon tonight.
I think the decay of comfort in sepret prayer was the first bad symptom
which made its appearance. This ruffled me for a while, but it soon
became familiar as a companion, and caused little uneasiness. I had
pleasure in attending the administration of the word for a long time after
this took place ; and when this, in a great degree, abated, my profession
dwindled into formality. All along I had a regard for the truly godly,
and associated with none else ; these were the men of my councils. For
a considerable time I had little heart for attending private societies of
Christians, and was pleased when apparently good excuse presented for
non-attendance ; though, upon the whole, I was one of the most regular
attendants on the meetings of which I was a member. I am relating
facts, 80 must not accuse myself except where guilty. At this time I
knew I was doing wrong, and lazily wished I had a heart to do better,
but had no resolution to prosecute my desire.
♦' In my worst situation 1 had a keen desire to be useful to others ;
and I cannot say it was wholly from selfish motives. I had often an
opportunity of visiting the sick and the dying, but seldom possessed a
OF THE GOSPEL. 105
proper spirit or frame for talking to them ia a way consonant to their
case. Though the poor creatures might seem on the frontiers of eter-
nity, no sympathising emotion would arise, — dumbness would seize me —
I could not speak — I could not pray. I lost much of my reverence for
the Sabbath — found the commandment to sanctify it had no internal re-
straint upon my mind. I began to use freedoms with it, — to talk about
news, or some occurrence which my judgment told me was unsuitable
conversation for such an occasion. This did me great injury, defacing
all that the word had effected, and throwing me open to a thousand
temptations through the week.
'* I always had a value for real religion, judging those alone happy
who possessed it, and would have given a world to be like-minded with
them ; but the influences of the Spirit are not to be bought with
money.
" For a long time I only considered myself a Christian under back-
sliding ; indeed I had partial recoveries. But I had a secret sin which
easily beset me ; and, in process of time, I became its humble servant.
I often opposed it, but oftener complied with it : I pleaded in favour of it
at the bar of my mind, endeavouring to silence every witness which ap-
peared against it. Something would say. Will you commit this sin,
and risk heaven ? Another thought would start up, and say, Do it, pray
do it ; you know you can repent of it at a future period : it is as easy to
repent of many as of one sin ; do comply. So I complied. On this
Satan would suggest, Now you have eaten the forbidden fruit like Adam
— you are a lost man ; you have gone too far for repentance to have any
weight. This affair would create a bustle for a while, but it was soon
over. However, the remembrance of it in retirement was never effaced,
but often filled me with uneasiness and anxious concern, although it was
long iu reaching the conscience.
" I often omitted p'-ayer, when from home, without much uneasiness ;
and was always conscious I was unprepared for dying, and became afraid
at the thoughts of death ; but some glimmering hope continued for years.
I thought I saw hypocrisy written upon all my actions, but had some hope
I was not a hypocrite, and often desired self not to interfere with n'y
actions ; but he always had a large share in them. I often groaned af'tei
performing a generous action. My natural temper led me to be service-
able to everybody, and I was universally esteemed and spoken well of,
but was seldom commended without a gloom overspreading my mind. 1
sometimes pitied man, who could be easily imposed on, who could only
judge from the external appearance. Though my relish for spiritual
converse was often so flat as to incapacitate me for promoting it, yet I
F 3
106 HIS FIRST BELIEF
mostly desired that it should be the chief topic of discourse among the
Lord's people, and had most satisfaction when it was. I was often
tempted to lay a little stress upon my having a name to live, but was
conscious that I was dead ; and this stung me to the heart. Reflection
upon my conduct through no day was pleasant. When I turned my eye
to the offers of the Gospel, my mind was always dark and full of embar-
rassment. I confessed them all truths, but none of them pointed at me ;
consequently the most explicit gospel offer yielded me only a perhaps.
" I think it was about the beginning of 1794 my conscience began to
harass me. This, for a considerable space, happened only about bed-
time, or when I awoke during the night ; but ordinarily this passed un-
noticed in the day-time, and then I was cheerful, secretly hoping things
would turn out, by and by, better than my fears. Oh, deceitful and
desperately wicked heart 1
*• At this period I was continually harassed by invitations to suppers.
At these I generally remained too long, the company being always agree-
able. May the Lord ever deliver me from supping in strange houses I
they had almost ruined my soul. Family duty neglected at home, a bad
example set to others, secret duty hurried over, and the mind totally
dissipated 1
" About the beginning of November, 1794, upon a certain occasion, I
oflScially attended a company for three or four nights, to a late hour.
Several serious young people made part of the company : this stared me
in the face as a most destructive example to them ; and this conduct was
the first thing, so far as I recollect, that mightily roused my conscience :
then all my guilt rushed into my mind like a mighty torrent, so that I
thought I should have perished in my affliction ! By night I could not
sleep for the horrible anguish which gnawed upon my guilty soul ; the hor-
rors of hell took hold of me, and I knew not what to do ; my day of grace
was gone ; my damnation just and sure. I was filled with a fearful
looking-for of judgment, and fiery indignation to consume me as God's
adversary. I looked into the Bible, but always stinging texts looked me
in the face. I often tried to find comfort from that precious word, Isa.
i. 18, * Though your sins be as scarlet, &c.,' but I could not reason my-
self into the reception of it. That word, * My Spirit shall not always
strive with you,' pierced me to the quick ; and that other, * What a fear-
ful thing to fall into the hands of the living God !' The flames of hell
seemed beginning to take hold on me ! I shrunk ! I moaned I I cried !
For all this, my heart was as hard as the nether millstone. A sight of
the horrors into which sin hath plunged us may terrify, but can never
melt the sinner's heart. Indeed, indeed, I was brought very low ; as
OF THE GOSPEL. 107
much so as Satan could well bring a guilty soul on this side death. Glad
would I have been to be metamorphosed, not like Nebuchadnezzar almost,
but altogether into a beast, that I might avoid the awful, but righteous,
indignation of Jehovah. Day and night was I tortured ; nor had I free-
dom to reveal my case to any man. Often was I on the eve of doing it ;
but the Lord had determined that flesh and blood were not to be the
means of my relief. During many sermons that I heard, I sat as a con-
demned criminal, believing that others were fed while I was hungry — no
food for me. Some people desire to have what is called a law-work ; but
had they an hour of what I have faintly described above, they would wish
they had never been born.
" The arrows of the Almighty stuck faster and deeper, as days and
hours moved on. The comfortable testimonies of Jesus flew all past me,
or rather were all rejected by me. Judas, Julian, and such rejecters of
the Gospel, were viewed as the men who were to be my eternal associates ;
often wishing I had never known the Gospel— envying the situation of
the most abandoned debauchee, who remained unawakened, untormented
before the time ; and though I am now relieved, I feel horror in the com-
mitting it to paper. But I have this reason, among others, for doing it ;
that it may prove a mean to humble and stir me up in a day of pride or
unwatchfulness, and that I may never forget gratitude to my great Deli-
verer, who snatched me from the gaping mouth of such a horrible pit.
My dear Saviour, let me never forget this hour and power of darkness !
and never think of mine without wondering at thine ! Mine was but a
drop — thine an ocean ! Mine I deserved— thine was for me 1
" It is a most mournful proof of the dead hardness of the impenitent
heart of man, when he can smile while deliverance from wrath remains
an uncertainty. It is no less wonderful to think that the redeemed of
the Lord are not always filled with rapturous triumph while on earth. O
the patience, the kindness, the love, and the forbearance of the Al-
mighty ! What plagues hath sin introduced into the world 1 What glo-
rious grace hath God manifested 1 I have to praise the Lord this day
that life and reason were both preserved.
"I just now recollect that, in the midst of my anguish of soul, I
thought I should be under the necessity of applying to spirituous liquors
for relief from my tormented mind ; but this I was preserved from put-
ting into execution, excepting one time about midnight, being so tor-
mented that I feared my bowels would rend with the burning and boiling
of the fired conscience. I rose and took one glass of spirits ; but ah !
this was but a poor relief. It had no effect, but rather sharpened my
anguish. I then lighted a candle, and pored, with extreme horror, upon
108 HIS FIRST BELIEF
Psalm Ixxxviii. from verse 14. I perceived my case worded there ; but
my hour not being yet come, it afforded no alleviation. This to me was
indeed the hour and power of darkness. All the invention of Popish
tormentors could not have caused such agony as I then felt. I thought
I should be looked for in heaven by many of my friends, and not found:
this thought, also, stung me to the quick. I believed God would make
me the butt of his vengeance. When I felt the smallest impediment in a
single breath, I trembled, as if a harbinger of death had appeared. The
fidelity of God in the execution of his threatening was a tremendous
truth. This moment my flesh shrinks, on identifying to my mind my
then amazing horror.
" I had as strong impressions of the felicity of heaven in the midst of
this distress as ever I had : this deepened and enlarged my wound. 1 be-
held the glories of heaven as Dives may be supposed to have viewed the
happiness of Lazarus from the centre of hell.
" The state of infants, and such as had not lived long enough to reject
the Gospel, appeared happiness ; there was a possibility of their being
recovered and pardoned, but all this was over with me.
" I thought that I believed the Bible a true revelation from God, but
I soberly believed it the highest presumption for me to receive any com-
fort from the truths recorded in it ; because, having tasted of the powers
of the world to come, and afterwards fed upon sin in a way as if prefer-
ring it to the chief good, I called this atrocious, and so it was : but, ah !
that I should have admitted the thought that it overtopped the merit of
the Mediator's righteousness ; but I was led captive by, and bound under
the sin of unbeHef.
" I believed Christ was once friendly to me in months past, but his
friendship I had disregarded and neglected, — that now he would make
me an example of his vengeance, and vindicate his injured goodness, by
making me, in the judgment-day, a spectacle of horror, shame, and dis-
may. To express the inward gnawing anguish which uniformly succeeded
those dismal apprehensions, is beyond the power of a human pen : I re-
joice I now relate it as a past event.
" Fierce as my chastisement was, it was short and slight compared with
what I justly merited. Three months was about the length of its sharp-
est continuance ; and even during that period I had often intervals of
quiet through the day ; but, in general, I trembled when darkness over-
spread the heavens : the return of the evening, sweet to the husband-
man, was like the shock of an earthquake to me. A person who never
waded these deep waters can have no more conception of them than of
the glory of the third heavens. No wonder that the multitude of the
OF THE GOSPEL. 109
heavenly hosts made the air resound with their songs at the incarnation
of the great Deliverer of sinners from all this wrath. They felt for
man ; but the natural man pities not himself. Saints are mourning for
him, when he is laughing at them. May I ever recoil at offending such
a God — such a Saviour ! May I ever possess a deep sense of the mag-
nitude of Divine mercy !
" Let us now turn the leaf, and contemplate the dawning of a glo-
rious day — the rising of the Sun of Righteousness, with healing under his
wings !
" Upon the evening of the twenty-sixth day of January, 1795, the
Lord appeared as my Deliverer. He commanded, and darkness was
turned into light. The cloud which covered the mercy-seat fled away I
Jesus appeared as he is ! My eyes were not turned inward but outward I
The Gospel was the glass in which I beheld him. When our Lord first
visited Saul upon the highway, he knew in a moment that it was the
Lord. So did I : such a change of views, feelings, and desires, suddenly
took place in my mind, as none but the hand of an infinite Operator
could produce. Formerly 1 had a secret fear that it was presumption in
me to receive the great truths of the Gospel ; now there appeared no im-
pediment — I beheld Jesus as the speaker in his word, and speaking to
me. When he said, * Come,' I found no difficulty in replying, ' Yes,
Lord ! thy pardoned rebel comes.' If not the grace of God, what else
could effect such a marveUous change ? I chiefly viewed the atonement
of Jesus as of infinite value, as a price paid for my redemption, and
cheerfully accepted by the Father. I saw love in the Father, Son, and
Holy Spirit, all harmonizing in pardoning and justifying me. The sight
humbled and melted my soul. Looking to what I felt was no help to my
comfort ; it came directly from God, through his word.
" The following evening, about nine o'clock, while sitting before the
fire, writing to a reverend friend, I had such a charming, surprising view
of sovereign, pardoning, redeeming, unmerited mercy, that I was hardly
able to bear it. ' The great doctrines of redemption, as stated in the
Bible, opened to my view in a way I never experienced before. I beheld
a crucified Jesus nigh me in the word ; I threw away the pen, and turned
about to see this great sight 1 I looked stedfastly to the Lamb suffering
for me 1 So much was I overpowered with the magnitude of this disco-
very of eternal, boundless love and grace in Christ, that I felt a difficulty
in breathing.
" This view of my redeeming God in Christ completely swept away all
the terrible horrors which had so long brooded over my mind, leaving
not a wreck behind, but filling me with a joy and peace more than
110 HIS FIRST BELIEF
human— truly divine. I sat pensive, at one time beholding the pit from
whence I was redeemed, at another the hope to which I was raised. My
soul rushed out in wonder, love, and praise, emitted in language like
this : * Wonderful mercy ! why me? what is this ? Thanks be to God
who givtth me the victory through Jesus Christ, my Lord T Shuddering
at sin, as pardoned ; wondering that ever I could have been guilty of
puch transgressions, I continued sitting, wrapped up in silent wonder.
For long after, when I thought of my hopes, I leaped for joy — I really
had a glad heart. This visitation, also, created an extent of mildness and
complacency in my temper that I never felt before. I felt a burning
love rising in my heart to all the brethren in Christ ; with a strong sym-
pathy for all such as were not born of the Spirit. I earnestly breathed
after their incorporation into the family of Christ.
" A light shone upon the Scriptures quite new to me. Passages,
which formerly appeared hard to be understood, seemed plain as the
A, B, C. Earthly crowns, sceptres, and thrones, appeared quite paltry
in my eyes, and not worth desiring. I felt a complete contentment with
my lot in life. I trembled to think of any abatement of my faith, love,
and sensibility ; it required resolution to be resigned to remain long in
the world. Indeed I could scarce admit the idea of long life : I feared
the trials and vicissitudes connected with it ; but was completely silenced
with that noble saying of our reigning Redeemer, * My grace is sufficient
for thee.' I saw I was fully warranted to mind the things of to-day;
leaving the concerns of to-morrow to his wise disposal. T felt it easy to
introduce spiritual conversation wherever I was, and to recommend Christ
wherever I went. I saw that every thing acceptable to God, or com-
fortable to ourselves, was the product of Divine power. I saw the folly
and criminality of being too much in company, though composed of the
best people in the world. I feel nothing more conducive to internal peace
and prosperity than a regular, meek, even walk.
" I cannot close this detail without adding, that in the time of my
affliction, the doctrine of election appeared irritating and confounding ;
now it appears marvellously glorious and truly humbling. 1 pity Armi-
nians, and every person who is offended, however secretly, with this doc-
trine. It is a convincing proof to me that there is a great defect in their
faith and love, and a want of submission to 2)lain Scripture. In my
worst time I saw it to be a trttthy only 1 wished it had not been true ;
and often it seemed a check to every exertion ; but to deny that it is
contained in the Bible appears to me next door to downright Deism.
** I now stand upon a shore of comparative rest. Believing, I rejoice.
When in search of comfort, I resort to the testimony of God ; this is
OF THE GOSPEL. HI
that field which contains the pearl of great price. Frames and feelings
are, like other created comforts, passing away ; but the word of the
Lord endureth for ever. What unutterable source of consolation is it,
that the foundation of our faith and hope is ever, immutably the same !
the sacrifice of Jesus as acceptable and pleasing to the Father as ever it
was 1 To this sacrifice I desire ever to direct my eye, especially at the
first approach of any gloom or mental change.
" After my deliverance my ideas of many things were much altered,
especially about faith. I perceive that this principle in the mind arises
from no exertion in the man, but the constraint of evidence from with-
out. The Spirit takes the things of Christ, and discovers their reality
and glory in such a manner to the mind of man, that it is not in his
power to refuse his belief. It is no mighty matter, nor is it any way
meritorious, to believe the sun is shining when our eyes are dazzled with
the beams.
"The internal evidence of the truth of revelation had ten thousand
times more effect upon my mind than all its external evidence. There
is a divineness, a glory, and excellence in the Scriptures, perceived by
enlightened minds, which they cannot so describe as to make it intelli-
gible to an unregenerate person.
" Formerly the major part of my thoughts centred either upon the
darkness I felt, or the light I enjoyed ; now they are mainly directed to
Jesus, what he hath done, suffered, and promised. And I do find, when
the eye is thus single, my whole frame is full of light.
** Formerly I felt a constant propensity to talk of my doubts, fears,
darkness, &c. ; now I feel a similar inclination to hint my enjoyments,
faith, love, triumph, &c.
'• Formerly I had a certain kind of pleasure in hearing people com-
plaining, talking of their bondage, &c. ; now it tries my patience — the
foundation of faith and hope appears so immovably firm ; at the same
time, I hope I possess tender sympathy for all such, and my prayer is,
that Jesus may loose their bonds, and set them free.
" I plainly perceive the truth of what you have more than once told
me, that a name among men is a poor thing ! It can give no relief in
temptation, nor in a dying hour.
** I never till now saw occasion for that divine exhortation, * In pa-
tience possess ye your souls.' Luke xxi. 19. But after taking a survey
of eternal felicity, I see much need of patience to wait till my appointed
moment arrive.
" Formerly when a friend or a minister, especially the latter, said a
certain /(?e/in^ was an evidence of grace, I snatched at it, and took com-
112 HIS FIRST BELIEF
fort ; now nothing of this kind afifects me, unless I perceive that it is
evidently founded upon Scripture.
" While remarkable visitations continue, I believe the subject of them
will be remarkably humbled ; but after they are passed, such is human
depravity, that he is apt to be proud, and boast of these very things,
which ought to operate in an opposite manner. Witness the case of
Paul, who got a counterpoise to his rapturous discoveries, 2 Cor. xii. 1,
&c. Of this you kindly cautioned me some months ago, when I did
not so well understand it.
" My mind is wonderfully led out to gaze at the admirable skill of
the divine Operator in his works of creation. I perceive a fund of
wisdom displayed in the formation of a pile of grass, or a solitary weed
on the road side.
'* As for his works of providence, they appear a second revelation,
only not written.
" Now, my dear Sir, to finish this long letter, I solemnly declare I
had no more hand in my deliverance from my dismal situation than the
child unborn. My attention was invisibly, instantaneously, and power-
fully drawn to the truth ; — I saw it to be truth — God's truth, and truth
to me 1 I now hold communion with God as my Father, Jesus as my
Saviour, the Holy Spirit as my continual helper and sanctifier, with
confirmed angels and men as my brethren. 1 value the communion of
saints below. All is the doing of the Lord, and shall eternally be won-
drous in my eyes.
*' I am. Rev. and dear Sir,
** Your affectionate friend and servant,
'♦Heman."
«• Closet, July \st, 1795.
This letter is given entire. Mr. Campbell made no
secret of the authorship amongst his friends, and sug*-
gested no qualifying clauses when he spoke of it to us ;
but let it make its own impression. The fact is,. we
felt that no one who knew him, either as a preacher or
writer, could imagine that he was visionary or mystical.
And there really is nothing of the kind in it, except the
suddenness of the discovery ; and even that can hardly
be wondered at, either by those who believe that ** grace
OF THE GOSPEL. 113
to help" is given " in time of need," or by those who
have ever marked the sudden transitions from despair to
hope, which the mind makes on other subjects. In a
word, the bright side of the letter just shows a sinner be-
lieving the grace of the Gospel as fully and seriously, as
the dark side shows him believing the terrors of the law.
Scott was more startled than Newton by this letter ;
but chiefly by the views of Faith which it contains.
Mr. Campbell had sounded him on this point, by asking
whether the apostles dealt in such definitions of faith,
as the orthodox use ? This question drew forth the
following answer : —
*' London, Chapel- street, Sept. 22, 1795.
** Dear Sir, — I am not sure that the apostles were never asked con-
cerning the nature of faith : but they certainly have bestowed some
pains to explain it, by varying the language in which it is inculcated ;
and by distinguishing true and living faith from that which is false and
dead, as to its origin, object, and efficacy. And certainly, there is not
so prolific a source of self-deception and heresy, as false notions about
faith ; for who, professing Christianity, does not say he has faith, and
think he has faith ? And yet how few possess saving faith ! Either
therefore I misunderstand you, or you have not thoroughly weighed the
subject, when you seem to think there is no danger or difficulty in the
matter. Did time permit, I could show you tiventy false heads of faith,
which deceive the possessors into a false security. And there is but
one kind of faith which brings warranted peace and comfort, — simply,
to believe the sure testimony of God in his word ; to credit his record
concerning his Son, as true, suited to our case, and precious ; to accept
of his invitations, rely on his promises, apply for his salvation as lost
sinners ; to count all but loss for Christ, to accept of him in all his
offices, to come to him in his appointed means, and to give up other
hopes and objects for him. This seems the general idea of saving faith.
"Where it is genuine, it is the gift and operation of God, the fruit of re-
generation, and maintained and increased in answer to prayer, and by
attendance on the means of grace. It realizes an invisible world, endures
as seeing an invisible God ; it is the substance of things hoped for, the
114
HIS FIRST BELIEF
evidence of things not seen. It is always connected with repentance ;
it is an active operating principle ; it overcomes the world, purifies the
heart, works by love, produces obedience, and is not alone without
works. This is a short account of it : but if every confidence, that
Christ is ours and the privileges ours, be confounded with it, we had better
confound the distinction between counters and guineas, common scraps
of paper and bank notes, or destructive poisons and wholesome medi-
cines. That Satan, transformed into an angel of light, does thus deceive
numbers, I have awful proof : yet your observation, contrary to your
intention I would hope, seems to condemn those who cry, * beware of
counterfeits,' * examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith,' and * to the
law and to the testimony,' * know, O vain man, that faith without works
is dead.' As this is, and I believe will be, one of the chief employments
of my life, you cannot wonder if I am disposed to be jealous of every
sentiment which seems to represent it as useless or pernicious. You
say, most of our uncomfortableness springs from cramp notions of our
privileges. Here again I am sorry to dissent. I apprehend, if we be
believers, our disconsolation chiefly springs from the absence of our Com-
forter, which is the effect of grieving him by sin, or quenching his influ-
ences through sloth and self-indulgence. Unless a professor give diligence
to make his calling and election sure^ and then give the same diligence
to t\iQ full assurance of hope to the end, how can he know that the pri-
vileges belong to him ? A madman may rejoice that royal palaces and
domains are all his own ; and feel as much gladness as if it were true :
but this cannot give him a title to them ; and when he comes to his
senses he will discover his delusion. The application of this will indeed
mar the hypocrite's joy ; but where the Spirit of God has set his seal in
the way of self-examination and diligence, he will make it visible, and
witness with our spirits that we are the children of God. But I have
an idea of disconsolation of a diff"erent nature. I seldom doubt my
adoption and heirship. I think I have tolerable views of my privileges,
and the securities of the new covenant. I do not often feel an uncom-
fortable thought lest all should not end well — I am tolerably satisfied
about outward trials being duly arranged, proportioned, and sanctified,
(though I do not like suff'erings ;) yet I often feel very uncomfortable,
because I feel the power of sin in my heart, making me cry out, ' O
wretched man that I am.' And because I have so little holy enjoyment
of God, and heavenly affections in exercise. Assured of being finally
cured, I find the paroxysms of the gout or stone, the languor and loss of
appetite attending a fever, very uncomfortable. And if it be any man's
OF THE GOSPEL. 115
privilege to be comfortable in such circumstances, I no more envy him
than I do a man in a delirium. Excuse my freedom of dissent. Mrs.
S. is better, but still lame ; she joins in respects and love. My son
will probably write himself.
" I remain, yours affectionately,
"Thomas Scott."
Such was Mr. Scott's warning to liis friend, and it
was not altogether unnecessary ; for although Mr.
Campbell had no inclination to take less practical or less
solemn views of faith, he was acquainted with some
Sandemanians, who were not very ceremonious, except
in divesting it of all feeling, and keeping out of it all
holy or good desires. It is self-evident, however, that
Mr. Scott goes to the other extreme in this letter : for
although he pleads for nothing more than the Scriptures
call for, as the " fruits" of faith, he certainly brings
more into believing than any one could hegin with,
however well disposed. Accordingly, whilst this letter
confirmed Mr. Campbell's love of holiness, it neither
altered nor modified his views of the perfect simi)Ucity
of saving faith, — as the cordial belief of saving truth,
for sanctifying purposes. He continued all through life
to derive his hope from what God has promised, and to
regulate his conduct by what God has commanded. He
never forgot that it was " The Truth," which had made
him " free," at this time. Accordingly he seems to have
kept the anniversary of this memorable day wherever
he was. The following is one of his latest reviews of
the event, I can find. " The annual return of this day
brings to my particular recollection the Lord's especial
goodness to me a chief sinner. Some may be surprised
that I still continue to harp upon this matter ; but their
surprise would cease, did they know the whole state of
116 HIS FIRST BELIEF OF THE GOSPEL.
mj case. Had they walked with me upon a certain
winter evening ; had they heard me reasoning with my-
self whether I should push my head into a hedge, and
there remain till I plunged into perdition, I being
desirous of knowing the limits of my misery, — had they
seen me trembling in a friend's house lest the floor
should fall under me ; had they followed me to my re-
tirement and heard my sighs in the night, and then
passed along with me to the compassionate Sa\dour, and
seen the load of my guilt laid at the foot of the cross,
and known the peace and happiness which this trans-
action produced in my mind ; they certainly would per-
ceive a propriety in my continuing to talk of it all my
short life here, and throughout eternity."
This deliverance was the era of Mr. Campbell's real
usefulness. He had done much good before, and that
too from right motives ; but not until now had he served
God ** as a son in the Gospel." He was, from this time
forward, a happy as well as a holy and devoted man.
The joy of the Lord was now the strength of his heart ;
and truth, not feeling, the basis of his hope and peace.
Not, however, that he was now altogether free from
clouds or changes. He had still to fight his way ; but
he was better armed than formerly. This will appear
from the tone of his letters to the Countess of Leven,
in a subsequent chapter.
CHAPTER VI.
HIS FIRST ATTEMPTS TO BE USEFUL.
Mr. Campbell was, constitutionally, both humane and
benevolent. All through life, the man was to the poor
and needy, what the hoy was to the beggar woman from
Africa. The great characteristic of his kind spirit at
first, however, was his sympathy for the sick and dying.
This led him into lanes and garrets all over Edinburgh,
to administer both relief and consolation ; and the igno-
rance and woe he thus witnessed, led him to suspect,
that many of the healthy around him would be equally
unhappy " in the day of calamity," for any thing which
their knowledge of religion could do for them then.
He thus began to devise means for reaching more per-
sons than he could visit, and for bringing truth and
eternity under the notice of those who would not con-
verse with him. This work was begun long before he
was the happy Christian we have now seen him.
On the death of his brother, Alexander, he discovered
some papers, and especially anonymous letters, which
proved that the young lawyer was as anxious to do good
to others, as to improve his own piety. He was unable,
through weakness, to visit, or speak to visitors. He
therefore wrote freely to his friends ; but anonymously,
when he had to reprove sin, or to give warnings. Such
letters concluded thus, " Be not concerned to know my
118 HIS FIRST ATTEMPTS
name. It is enough that you will know it hereafter.
Tarry but a little, and the Lord, the Mighty God, shall
call us to judgment. Then you will see me face to face,
and I shall be ready to rejoice over you at the Great
Tribunal, if you regard my admonition and live ;
or to be , which God prevent, by inclining
your heart to receive this friendly admonition!" Mr.
Campbell not only preserved these appeals which
his dying brother had made to undecided friends, but
also caught the spirit of them, and improved upon the
plan by employing the press, when by the death of
Alexander he had some money to spare. He thus be-
came the first publisher and distributor of tracts in
Edinburgh, in modern times. He began, however, by
private distribution, and that chiefly amongst his friends
and their families. The first public circulator of tracts
he ever saw, was the late Mr. Simeon, of Cambridge,
when he visited Edinburgh with a friend. These
** English Riders," as the Countess of Leven called
them, scattered " The Friendly Advice" along the roads
and in the streets. This struck Mr. Campbell power-
fully, and delighted her Ladyship. She tried to find
out, through him, whether the Riders needed any help
in their good work, and empowered him to make her
his debtor ten or twenty pounds on their account.
Owing, however, to some accident, he had written no-
thing about Mr. Simeon in his weekly letters to the
Countess. This surprised her Ladyship, and led her to
ask playfully,
" O, dear, what can the matter be ?
** Is it accident or design ? Why, especially, as your
friend Captain Haldane was his travelling companion ?"
It was merely by accident. " It did not proceed," he
TO BE USEFUL. 119
says, " from not loving, hearing, or eating with, Mr.
Simeon, that I was silent about him. Had I thought
it my duty, I might have been his companion upon his
tour. I was asked to be so by one of our ministers :
but, could my purse afford such a trip, London would
be my destination. Many an invitation lies by me to
visit that my favourite city : but as the saying is, ' We
must look before we leap.' I am satisfied to be nailed
to the Grass Market, till Providence draw the nail.
When Captain Haldane was talking of the tour, I told
him I envied him : but in a minute I saw my blunder,
and checked myself. Though a bachelor, I am pretty
well taxed by relations and orphans." In another letter
he says, ** Mr. Simeon's short ministry in Edinburgh and
Leith has been blessed to the awakening of several.
Good accounts are popping in from the country, as to
the effect of his preaching tour." Good and great Si-
meon ! He did not continue so catholic to the end : but
he remained " faithful unto death," and did more good
to his own church than all the bench of her bishops put
together.
It will be seen from the following narrative of the
rise and progress of the Edinburgh Tract Society, that
Mr. Campbell reckoned it the first which the world had
seen. I entertained the same opinion, until I saw the
immense collection of German tracts, which were pub-
lished on the continent at the Reformation. A perfect
set of them, perfectly arranged by Dr. Bandinell, is
now in the Bodleian library at Oxford ; and such is their
number, that they must be ascribed to some joint efforts
of the Reformers, which had all the efficiency of a
society's operations. The time is not far off, let us
hope, when Dr. Bandinell will complete his herculean
120 HIS FIRST ATTEMPTS
task, by giving publicity to parts of that glorious mass,
the chaos of which he reduced to such order ; and the
character of which is so different from the Oxford
tracts. No Christian will bind the latter '* in bundles,"
except to " burn them ;" or to preserve them like the
Passive Obedience Tracts, as a monument of Oxford
folly and effrontery.
Mr. Campbell's account of his first systematic opera-
tions runs thus : —
'* I think it was while looking over a bundle of pam-
phlets at a book-stall that I observed one of a religious
cast, entitled The Life and Experience of F. S. (or as
I afterwards heard, Fanny Sydney) published by some
bookseller in England. It was only eight pages, stitched
in a blue cover, which I purchased for twopence. On
reading it I was so pleased with the simplicity and piety
of the narrative, that I got an edition printed, part of
which was sold, and the rest circulated gratis. While
on a visit to London, having fallen in with the fine old
story of Poor Joseph in verse, I printed an edition of it
on my return to Edinburgh, which I circulated among
friends.. The next I published was Mr. Newton's se-
cond anniversary of Mrs. Newton's death, a printed
copy of which he sent me in a frank, which I reprinted,
and presented copies to friends. During the three suc-
ceeding years he sent me, in manuscript, the third,
fourth and fifth anniversaries of the same event, all
poems, which I gave away also among friends, present-
ing also a portion of them to the author. Acting in
this little way as a tract circulator for a few years from
1789, it occurred to some friends, that something more
effectual might be done in this way by forming a little
society for the express purpose of printing and circu-
TO BE USEFUL. 121
lating religious tracts. When the matter was mentioned
to me I highly approved of it, and was one of about a
dozen who formed ourselves into a Religious Tract So-
ciety. This, as far as I know, was the first society of
the kind that ever existed in the world." He forg-ot
the London Book Society, which originated from a
sermon of Doddridge's.
** In the apostolic times, the tracts were all alive ;
hence Paul writing to Christians at Corinth, calls them,
* the epistle of Christ, written not with ink, but witli
the Spirit of the living God.' He says also of the same
Christians, * Ye are our epistle, written in our hearts,
known and read of all men.' It was the holy lives of
the converts that circulated the gospel truth, and pro-
claimed its power. Indeed, without a miracle a Tract
Society could not have existed, except in name, in those
days. If a Tract Society had existed in Jerusalem,
with ample funds, they could not have obtained as many
tract pages in seven years, as the London Tract Society
at present obtain in seven hours.
" The Edinburgh Tract Society has never actually
expired ; but at diiferent times it has been struggling
for existence ; in which case it has been more than once
helped by its younger sister in London."
It will be observed here, that Mr. Campbell takes no
notice of the " No Popery" Tracts, by Lord George
Gordon's party, and by subsequent Alarmists, which he
had circulated. The fact is, he was ashamed of his
connexion with that clamour. I am not aware of any
instance, in which he avowed his knowledge of the
fanatic Lord in conversation. He expunged Mr. New-
ton's reference to it, when he published his " Letters
and Remarks," in 1809. Mr. Newton had said to him,
G
1^2 HIS FIRST ATTEMPTS
*' Nothing surprised me more than that (so many) good
people of Scotland should think highly of the man
^vho, to answer his own ends, put himself at the head
of a religious party !" Mr. Campbell never forgot this
reproof.
His first operations by religious tracts were carried
on whilst his own hope and peace were in a very unset-
tled state ; but when relieved, he acted with new vigour,
and in other modes.
" Having been completely relieved from a long and
painful depression of mind, by a view instantaneously
given me of the glory of the cross of Christ, the perfec-
tion of his atonement, with the freeness and fulness of
his salvation, I thought how I could best express my
gratitude to God for his great goodness. It struck me
that the best way was, to begin and continue to do all
the good I could to others. What should 1 begin with ?
My oivn neighbourhood first presented itself; like as the
apostles, who were commanded first to scatter the pre-
cious truth at Jerusalem, before they proceeded to dis-
tant nations. I thought of the scheme of Raikes for
Sunday-schools, which had lately given rise to a society
in London, for carrying out his plan of teaching the
population to read. This was not much needed in Scot-
land, as a great proportion even of poor children were
taught to read. A few schools, perhaps six, had been
erected in Scotland, all in or near Edinburgh, chiefly
taught by students of divinity, not to read, like those in
England, but in which the principles of the Gospel only
were taught. This plan commended itself most to my
mind ; I therefore resolved to begin one of this kind in
my own neighbourhood, which lay on the south skirts
of the town. I immediately hired, for a year, the old
TO BE USEFUL. 128
Arclier's Hall, which was attached to a small inn. I
then engaged a good, plain Christian, who well under-
stood his Bible, to be their teacher, at a small salary.
Being a complete novelty, the school was crowded with
children and their parents the first evening it was
opened ; and, for about the first twelve months, either
an Established or Dissenting minister kindly visited it
on the sabbath evenings, and gave an address to the
children and parents, after the examination of the for-
mer was concluded. Their teacher explained, in a sim-
ple manner, every thing they repeated, and likewise by
asking them questions upon these tasks. This was
much wanted in the district, for a merry-andrew of a
preacher occupied the pulpit of the parish chapel. He
knew no more of the Gospel than of the hills in the
moon. He was the gayest man I ever knew, but the
most wretched in his own mind, when not in com-
pany.
** Through the influence of Dr. Charles Stuart, I ob-
tained a grant of a hall belonging to the Edinburgh
Dispensary, to use as a school-room on sabbath even-
ings. It was about half a mile nearer the city than the
Archer's Hall. A numerous school was soon collected,
and a sensible teacher was placed over them.
" By and by, while musing on those matters, I said
to myself, ^ As yet you have only been working by de-
2)utation; is there nothing you could do yourself?' This
question led me to think of a populous colliery village
about five miles south of Edinburgh, in a most destitute
situation, having only one place of worship, a Came-
ronian meeting, where there was a sermon about twice
a year. It being about a mile to the left of the great
road, and not seen from it, its existence was known onh-
G 2
124 HIS FIRST ATTEMPTS
as a place from whence coals came to Edinburgh. It was
about four miles from the nearest Gospel minister. I
knew only two persons in the village, who were both
worthy, — Norman Sadler and John Fouler. To these I
wrote, offering to teach a sabbath evening school there,
provided they could obtain the use of the Cameronian
meeting-house, and collect a sufficient number of chil-
dren. Soon their list of scholars, from eight years of
age to twenty, amounted to about 200, who promised
their attendance whenever the school should be opened.
I then agreed with a horse-dealer for a horse every sab-
bath, immediately when the afternoon worship was over
in the churches and chapels in Edinburgh. He being a
horse-dealer, I often got different horses ; and having
been seldom on horseback before, this was one of my
greatest plagues in the whole affair, for every horse had
some fault : one in particular, if he met a carriage, would
pretend to try to leap over a hedge or wall. When I
complained to the master, ' Oh,' said he, * never mind
it ; it has been taught that trick by some foolish beau,
to alarm the ladies in the carriage.' Another night I
told him, that a perfect horse seemed to be as scarce as
a perfect man on the earth : he thought they were much
the same.
*' I remember one winter night, it was so excessively
dark that, when I mounted the horse, about nine o'clock,
I was obliged to feel if the horse had a head, for I could
not see it. The friends begged I would stop all night ;
however, I set off. On leaving my friends, I imme-
diately thought of a cartful of large stones at the end of
the town, lying near the middle of the road, which I had
noticed on entering. How shall I get past them with-
out a tumble ? But, on reaching them, I found a person
TO BE USEFUL. 125
with a candle, looking for something that had been
dropped there. Then the timid mind looked forward
to the next danger, where there was a sharp turn in the
road, and almost nothing to prevent a horse falling over
a height of eight or ten feet. When I came to it, there
was a woman and girl with a lantern, who told me they
had been at school, and were going to Pentland, a village
about two miles distant. The next danger was an old
bridge, in a small village, which I had to cross. When
I advanced near it, a woman opened a door, and held
out a lighted candle till I had safely crossed. Possibly
she was watching the return of her husband, and hear-
ing the sound of my horse's feet, for there was no wind,
did this to show him the way to his own house. The
last danger I thought of was a little bridge, over a small
brook, called the Pouburn, where was hardly any para-
pet to prevent falling over : I thought it would be very
curious if I should have a light there also. When at a
little distance from it, I saw a man-servant carrying a
lantern ; and when upon the bridge, he heard the sound
of my horse's foot striking against a stone, which caused
him to stand still till I had safely crossed.
" The use of the Cameronian meeting-house being
obtained, a sabbath evening was fixed for the opening
of the school. Mr. J. A. Haldane rode out with me to
witness its commencement. The place was crowded
with young people and their parents. I began by mak-
ing a distinct profession of the doctrines which I be-
lieved, and designed to teach unto their children. This,
I thought, they had a right to expect from me ; and I
am sure I acted honestly, not concealing any thing from
them. I then addressed the young people, many of
whom I was glad to see were above fourteen years of
126 HIS FIRST ATTEMPTS
age. I then pointed out the tasks they were to commit
to memory against next Lord's-day evening, from the
Scriptures, Shorter Catechism, and metre Psahns of
David. Mr. Haldane had not the courage to address a
few words to the assembly, though I have many a time
afterwards heard him address three thousand people
with perfect ease ; but these were the days of small
things : orators, except in pulpits, were very rare. At
that time I had never heard a layman speak at a public
meeting in my life ; indeed, such meetings as are now
as common as the rising sun did not exist in those times.
The late Mr. Aikman, of Edinburgh, rode out with me
the second night, when we were delighted to see the
house as full as it had been at the opening. After I had
finished the catechising the young people, I asked Mr.
Aikman to address them, (who was at that time studying
under the Professor of Divinity in the College of Edin-
burgh,) who, though one of the most diffident of men,
was prevailed upon to do it for about ten minutes. It
was his maiden speech, and a charming speech it was.
That he was able to speak in public for ten minutes put
him in as high spirits during our ride home, as we
may suppose Peter was on the evening after his pente-
costal sermon, which added three thousand souls to the
kingdom of God. Oh, how many precious addresses
and sermons proceeded from the silken or silver lips of
that man of God during the following forty years!
" I soon obtained an excellent colleague to take turn
about with me in teaching the Loanhead school, Mr.
John Cleghorn, then a Burgher-seceder student of divi-
nity, who thus took the half of the labour for the whole
of the first year. He afterwards laboured, for many
years, over a large Independent congregation in Wick^
TO BE USEFUL. 127
near Johnny Groat's House ; and then removed to Edin-
burgh, where he laboured years as colleague with Mr.
Aikman, till God laid him aside from preaching by pa-
ralysis ; but not from usefulness, for to this day he is
going about doing good in a more private w^ay. Loan-
head school I continued to teach for two years every
sabbath evening, after Mr. C. left me ; and was encou-
raged by hearing, now and then, of some good being
done, but nothing remarkable. I remember a person
calling on me at Kingsland, who was a member of a
Christian church at the southern end of England, who
told me he was one of the scholars at Loanhead. I was,
at the end of my third year, obliged to resign my charge
at Loanhead, being called away to other fields of labour ;
and I forget, at this moment, by whom the work was
carried on.
** Example has a powerful influence on others. Loan-
head school being a novelty at that time, and in that
part of the country, it attracted a good deal of attention,
and many began to desire that something similar might
be planted in their own vicinities. The first that com-
menced a similar school was a village about two miles
off, — I think its name was Bonnyrigs (or beautiful
ridges of corn.) Mr. Alexander Pitcairn, insurance-
broker, of Edinburgh, a most respectable Christian,
volunteered to become the teacher. I visited it soon
after its erection, and gave an address to the children,
after Mr. Pitcairn had finished his catechising. I was
delighted to find, on a late visit to Edinburgh, that his
son was minister of the parish in which that village is
situated ; and, to the honour of Mr. Pitcairn's memory,
let me state, that a short time after, when he was pro-
vost, or chief magistrate, of the town of Burntisland,
128 HIS FIRST ATTEMPTS
which lies directly on the opposite side of the river Forth
from Edinburgh, he taught, in the town-house, a Sab-
bath-school, on the same plan as that at Bonnyrigs. I
remember, most pleasantly, supplying his place there
when he was obliged to leave home ; and, on the Mon-
day, visiting a large vitriol manufactory of his, in the
vicinity of Burntisland. Let it also be told, to the credit
of his Christianity, that having, through losses in busi-
ness, once failed, and compounded with his creditors,
(God having afterwards prospered him,) he invited all his
principal creditors to dine with him. After dinner he
sent round a plateful of parcels, with the names of each
on them, containing all the money he owed them, ex-
pressing his gratitude to them for their conduct towards
him, and to God for enabling him to pay what he consi-
dered his just debts.
" Another school was instituted in Dalkeith, about
four miles distant from Loanhead, which I attended at
the opening, in the Relief Meeting, when about four or
five hundred young people were present ; also one in the
parish church of Pennecuik, about four miles in the
opposite direction ; and one in a village near it, which
was taught in the Dissenting chapel."
In all these operations he had both counsel and en-
couragement from the venerable Countess of Leven,
and, indeed, assistance from all the Balgownie family, as
well as from others of the Scotch nobility. His reports
of the schools in his almost weekly letters to her lady-
ship, not only drew from her bursts of gratitude to God,
and of holy anticipation of good to man, but also
brought clearly before himself the efficiency of the sys-
tem, and of his own adaptation to the work. She,
however, cheered him on farther than his own modesty
TO BE USEFUL. 129
would have led him, by her Whitjieldian spirit, which
neither the care of a large family, nor her " many in-
firmities" from age and sickness could either divert or
cool. She was his " Deborah, under the palm-tree," of
Melville Castle. This must ever be borne in mind, al-
though his modesty suppresses the fact of his extraor-
dinary correspondence with Lady Leven, I never heard
him even refer to it.
** Thus, while these valuable school institutions were
planted and increasing in and around Edinburgh," he
says, *' nothing of the kind existed any where else
throughout Scotland, so far as we knew. The thought
of this fact led Mr. J. A. Haldane and myself to under-
take a journey for a week, to promote the school-cause,
by way of experiment, and to see how much good might
be effected in a week. We set off on a Monday morn-
ing, taking some thousand Tracts with us, in a one-
horse chaise, distributing tracts to rich and poor as we
proceeded. We obtained a meeting in Glasgow from a
few" friends of the cause of God, who were recommended
to us as active and zealous. We laid before them the
general neglect of giving religious instruction to the
youth of our country, except in pious families ; de-
scribed the plan pursued in Edinburgh for educating
the youth in the principles of the gospel, by the forma-
tion of schools on the sabbath evening, and the counte-
nance that was given to the plan, and the ease with
which children were collected, with the trifling expense
that attended its execution. After some conversation,
those present were formed into a society for establishing
and conducting sabbath evening schools in Glasgow and
the surrounding towns and villages. We acted in the
same way and with the same success in Paisley and
G 3
130 HIS FIRST ATTEMPTS
Greenock. We also called on ministers of different
denominations in the towns through which we passed,
and conversed with them on the subject of sabbath
schools ; all of whom, I think, approved the plan. I
remember all the persons to whom we offered tracts on
the road, whether they were in carriages or on horse-
back, or on foot, received them, except in two cases ;
the one a gentleman on horseback, who would not con-
descend to stretch forth his hand to receive the proffered
tract, but rode sullenly on ; the other was that of three
gentlemen on horseback, to whom we held out tracts
on both sides the gig ; two took no notice ; the third
partly held out his hand to receive them, but imme-
diately drew it back, as if they had been infectious.
We left them lying upon the road, which was then dry,
that if they repented they might still have them. We
afterwards looked back, when we saw them halting in a
group at the top of arise, and receiving them from a
boy whom they had sent back to bring them to them.
I found afterwards that they were three Burgher minis-
ters, who were returning from the synod ; for the Rev.
John Brown, of Whitburn, eldest son of Brown of
Haddington, called upon me about three months after
to apologize for their rejecting our tracts. He said they
heard who we were at the next town they came to,
[viz., Selkirk,] and were sorry that they so treated us ;
but they thought they were papers on politics, for these
were the sad days of Tom Paine and the French Revo-
lution, when the nation was on the very verge of rebel-
lion. We arrived at home on Saturday evening. In
three months afterwards we heard that the result of this
one week's exertion was the formation of sixty sabbath
evening schools !
TO BE USEFUL. 131
" The Christian zeal that had been excited in Scot-
land by the late-formed Missionary Society in London
greatly helped to the success of our week's experimental
journey.
** ORIGIN OF LAY PREACHING AT GILMERTON, NEAR
EDINBURGH.
" I had an acquaintance in the large collier village of
Gilmerton,. a Mr. Falconer, and one who lived near it,
Mr. Salmon, who were both Dissenters; one of them,
the latter, is still alive. They were frequently telling
of the ignorance and irreligion of the inhabitants ; and
no wonder, for they had nothing like the gospel in the
parish church for at least forty years. These reports
made me often feel compassion for them, and I remem-
ber calling on Dissenting ministers of different denomi-
nations, urging them to supply poor Gilmerton with a
sermon now and then ; which they were to mention to
their Presbyteries ; but it came to nothing. Soon after
this a worthy friend of mine, a Mr. Buchan, one Mon-
day morning introduced to me a Mr. Joseph Rate, as a
preacher from Dr. Bogue's Academy at Gosport. On
asking him what stay he intended to make in Edin-
burgh, he said, for some weeks. I immediately related
the circumstances of Gilmerton, and asked if he would
preach to them while he remained on sabbath evenings.
He said he would, if I could get him a place to preach
in, and people to preach to. I said, * I had no doubt
but I should procure both, for they had a kind of
thatched town-house capable of containing at least 200
persons ; but Mr. Salmon comes to the corn-market on
Wednesday, and always calls upon me ; I shall then be
IS2 HIS FIRST ATTEMPTS
able to tell you positively about both the place and con-
gregation.' On mentioning the matter to Mr. S. he
said, * If you will assure me of a preacher on sabbath
evening, I will insure you of a place and congregation ;'
vy^hich I cheerfully engaged to do. I mentioned the
matter to Mr. J. Haldane and Mr. Aikman, who were
delighted with the circumstance ; and as I was obliged
to attend to my own bishoprick at Loanhead that even-
ing, they engaged to walk out with Mr. Rate to Gil-
mer ton, where they were glad to find a full houseful of
people waiting for them. After sermon, he intimated
that he would preach there regularly on the sabbath
evening for some time, or till further notice. The next
evening the congregation was increased by persons
coming from a greater distance. During the succeeding
week Mr. Rate was called to leave Edinburgh, as he
expected, only for a few days, of which the next sab-
bath was one ; but who was to supply Gilmerton for
that sabbath evening ? There was no one, and yet a
congregation would assemble. In our dilemma, Mr.
Haldane recommended to Mr. Aikman to do it; but
he would not consent. However he was afterwards
gained upon to consent to preach, by Mr. Haldane tell-
ing him that, if he would preach the next sabbath, and
Mr. Rate did not return during the week, he would
engage to supply it the succeeding sabbath. This offer
coming from a sailor, touched the right chord in Mr.
Aikman's warm heart, and constrained him to comply
with the solicitation to preach ; and he did preach,
greatly to the satisfaction of the judicious Christians
who were present ; and no Mr. Rate making his ap-
pearance during the following week, Mr. Haldane was
obliged to take his place on the sabbath evening, much
TO BE USEFUL. 133
to the satisfaction of the congregation. Mr. Rate con-
tinuing for a good many weeks in the south, these two
volunteers continued to supply his place. From its
being an object of terror to preach, it became a pleasant
employment, which they showed by preaching alter-
nately on a week-day evening, as well as on the sabbath.
At length Mr. Rate returned, but the two brethren
were so initiated, that the three took their regular turns
in preaching.
" By and by this sphere of usefulness became too
confined for them ; they began to think of making a
preaching tour over the whole of Scotland, north of
Edinburgh. In the view of it, they commenced print-
ing large editions of tracts for distribution on the
journey. They also purchased a strong horse, and a
roomy chaise, capable of containing the three preachers
and portions of their tracts. Those which they could
not take, were sent on before them to different towns
by carriers, &c. Meetings to pray for their success
were not neglected ; for without the divine blessing, all
connected with the journey were fully convinced that
no real permanent good would be effected. The novelty
of it excited very general attention ; for nothing of the
kind had occurred in that country in the memory of
man ; for the short visits of George Whitefield, more
than a quarter of a century before, only extended to
Edinburgh, Glasgow, and a few other to^vns in their
vicinity. They preached in the open air in every town
and large village to the extreme north end of Scotland;
and crossing over to the Orkney islands, they pro-
claimed the glorious gospel over them all. As a full
account of this journey was afterwards published, it is
unnecessary for me to enter more minutely into it. On
134 HIS FIRST ATTEMPTS
their return they found their bishoprick at Gilmerton
not much fallen off, as meetings had been kept up by a
few friends during the whole of their absence. I re-
member I gave the first address after their leaving it,
from 1 Cor. ii. 1, S ; and the crowd was so considerable
on the outside, that I was asked, after I had got on a
little way, to move near a window, and address them
from thence ; but I durst not venture to move from the
desk where I stood. A public speaker, especially if he
has some warmth of zeal, is not sensible of the time he
has spoken, especially when he is a young sj)eaker ;
being conscious of this, I had for some time a friend
behind me, who was to pull my coat when I had reached
the ordinary length of a discourse. I know not but
some of our public meetings would be benefited by
having an officer of this kind to regulate the length of
our speeches." Long speeches were rare things from
Mr. Campbell, all through life, except whilst he was
fresh from Africa ; and then, he would have been pulled
up again, if he had not spoken long. But, as at Gil-
merton, he could not bear any disturbance whilst
speaking. Nothing annoyed him on the platforms in
London, so much as whispering whilst he was addressing
a meeting. It disconcerted him so much, that he seldom
failed to reprove it. This was not, however, from self-
importance. He saw what he said, and whispering was
thus like throwing dust into his eyes. Besides, he had
no set speeches.
It will not be wondered at, that the multifarious and
exciting engagements we have just reviewed, affected the
health of Mr. Campbell. And yet, this was only the
surface of his work in Edinburgh at the time. For,
besides the care of his business, and of the sick, and
TO BE USEFUL. 135
of orphans, (of whom he had always not a few to watch
over and provide for,) he carried on a correspondence,
enough of itself to waste the health of any man, who
had only the night at his command for writing. The
number of his letters is incredible ; and then they are
all upon exciting subjects, and many of them to persons
whose rank or talents called for deliberation. Newton,
Fuller, Scott, Charles of Bala, Booth, Macaulay, and
Wilberforce, were not men to whom hasty scrawls could
be addressed, nor with whom ordinary topics could be
discussed. They had neither time nor taste for mere
letters. Their attentions to Mr. Campbell were won,
by his attention to all the public movements of truth
and philanthropy in Scotland, as these bore upon their
movements in the world at large. He had thus to
watch the public mind in Edinburgh ; and to consult
with all who led it, and to mingle in all the deliberations
and efforts by which new objects were brought before
it. He was actually the drudge of the new Societies,
both as their servant and reporter. And then, he
transcribed, for private circulation, copies of whatever
English or foreign letters he received, which were likely
to multiply or confirm the friends of evangelization ;
besides answering many a long letter, from the tried and
tempted, on Christian experience.
Nature could not stand all this long. The venerable
Countess of Leven was the first to warn him of his
danger, and to remonstrate with him against over-
doing. But he was young, and ardent, and had been
hardy, and his heart was still full of the joy of salva-
tion ; and therefore the counsel, ** Spare thyself," was
lost upon him for a time. At length, however, he could
not hide from himself, the fact that he was sinking. In
13(3 HIS FIRST ATTEMPTS
a letter to the Countess he says, '' After attending our
Missionary Anniversary, I went to Gihnerton, instead
of Captain Haldane, on sabbath evening. The place
was not only filled, but also surrounded. I lost two
ounces of my bodily substance, — the night was so hot,
and the place so crowded. I have been feeble ever
since. People are holding up their hands, and saying I
fall off. And with great grief I must tell your Lady-
ship, that I fear my labours will finish (at least for a
time) in a few weeks, as I do find my constitution giving
way a little.
" Your Ladyship alone is informed of this. The
physician has been telling me so for some time ; but I
have smiled him out of it, as I wish to continue as long
as possible at my work. I know also that Jesus will
support this frail tabernacle, as long as He has any use
for it in this poor world."
He then goes on to report the proceedings of the
Meeting in Edinburgh, until he repents of this confes-
sion. Hence he says in a postscript, " I rue what I
have written about myself; but it must stand now. I
beg your Ladyship will pay no attention to it."
Mr. James Haldane also took the alarm for his friend.
In a letter from Banfi* he says, " I imagine all your
friends see clearly that you must spare yourself. I do
not mean to say what you ought to do, or what not ;
but you ought to be guided by the state of your health,
and not spend your strength too much. By following
this rule, you will do more in the long run for the
Lord's service. Here then is a proper opening for the
exercise of self-denial. Mr. Newton says, that the
Devil would be glad to have you out of Edinburgh. I
believe he would be glad to have you out of tlie world.
TO BE USEFUL. 1^7
although it were to remove you to a better. Not but I
want you to w^ork, although I find fault with you. Get
a Curate."
Some of his friends were not so considerate. This
pained Lady Leven, *' I should like to know," she
says, " who your hard taskmasters are. I think I can
tell who they are not. Not Dr. Erskine, nor Dr. Da-
vidson, nor Mr. Newton. These, in the spirit of their
tender-hearted Master, would vote for abridgement.
When such variety of exertions hurt your spirits too,
and thus weaken cheerful piety, it is proper to slacken
the reins, and not ride like Jehu. Tell Dr. Erskine
what I have said, and if I am wrong, let me know his
sentiments ; for some will call this carnal reasoning."
Her Ladyship took a maternal interest in his health at
this time ; and he needed a counsellor of her weight and
wisdom ; for every body wanted to '^ doctor" him. " I
am not pleased," she says, " that you did not do as I
desired with Dr. Bell. It was not right ! Never mind
the prescriptions you get from everybody. A good
regimen, and a little simple physic if necessary, are
best. No beef or mxutton, if your stomach be weak ;
and a little good wine, if it agrees. As to rum and
sugar, I would have them well authenticated first. A
little warm punch or negus is I believe good, after ex-
haustion. Mr. Whiteficld took it mixed with the yolk
of an egg, I have made it for him when he was quite
exhausted. I have all my life preached caution against
drugs. I neither take nor give any which I do not know
well, and always begin with half w4iat is prescribed.
You should not stay at home when unwell, but go
to a friend's house where you can be quiet. This was
Whitefield's method; otherwise, he would never have
138 HIS FIRST ATTEMPTS
had a moment to himself. T told you often, that you
were driving too hard." He took her Ladyship's ad-
vice, and seems to have mended soon. " I am glad,"
she says, " that you got some relaxation, and are better.
It is a duty to mind your health. Write me when you
can. I thank you, and bless you, for your kindness to
me." It was, I think, at this time, that his friend Dr.
Charles Stuart prescribed for him a box of powerful
pills, which on no account were to be neglected or de-
layed. Forty years afterwards, how^ever, that box was
in Mr. Campbell's desk, entire and un tasted. He had
felt, on coming down stairs from the Doctor, something
" give way'' at the pit of his stomach, which relieved
him; and on going home, he laid up the pills as a
memorial of physic, the fear of which had cured him.
This was a favourite joke with him, in his old age.
After his recovery, he was soon as busy as ever, and
especially with searching out cases of distress, and ad-
ministering relief and counsel. These were not difficult
to find in Edinburgh ; and, as might be expected, he
was often imposed on. Some of these cases he submit-
ted to the Countess, when he felt at a loss what to do.
Occasionally he sent her also the begging letters, which
came to him. Once she read him this lecture : — '' I
suspect you have a little of David Simple in you, when
you receive such applications ; you little know w'hat a
wheel within a wheel idleness is. Perhaps, you think it
a sin not to take people as they speak. But it is a
great pity to pay the debts of the idle out of the poor's
box. All sorts of wiles will be practised npon such a
heart as yours."
The Itinerating system was now popular in Scotland,
amongst the people. Even " carriage-folks" went to
TO BE USEFUL. 139
hear Messrs. Haldane and Aikman. Altogether, the
aspect of Itineracy startled some of the friends of evan-
gelization. " Our good clergy," says Mr, Campbell, in
a letter to the Countess, '* have different opinions about
it. The majority are in favour of it. Dr. Erskine thinks
that the preachers should not take a text, but just give
an exhortation. The gentlemen say, that they could
not keep up variety in this way. Dr. Stuart thinks
they ought to have a formal commission from some
church. As for myself, I did not give an opinion at
first. But now^ their plan vindicates itself to me : for
they are not preaching to the church, but to the world."
In answer to this report of division in the camp, her
Ladysliip says, " It gives me great pleasure to reflect on
what you wrote, as to my being the first mover in the
Itinerating scheme. I trust it will come to something
good yet : but prudeiice is a word not in its creed. The
zeal of the preachers is ^ persecuting the church,' if not
levelling at the constitution also. What hope of good,
can calm by-standers entertain ? None of all the plans
I have seen or heard of, are likely to sit easy on good
people's stomachs. Much do I honour and love the gen-
tlemen, as true friends of our Master ; but they do not
copy his meekness."
It is not necessary to vindicate the Haldanes, or
their coadjutors, from the charge of disloyalty; and as
to their persecuting the church, except by exposing idle
and unfaithful Ministers, the Countess was equally mis-
informed. Neither prudence nor meekness was, indeed,
a prominent feature in all that was said against false
teachers and false doctrine ; but, in general, all that
was said was only
*' Ower true."
140
HIS FIRST ATTEMPTS
Lady Leven was not in the position to know the merits
of the case. She was equally old and infirm, and thus
unable to see those who could explain matters. Be-
sides, she was of *' the old school." She had often heard
Whitefield denounce hirelings, and even encouraged him
to rebuke them : but then, he was in ** Holy Orders,''
and the Itinerants were only Laymen. This, she
thought, limited their authority. She even doubted the
propriety of their appeals to the people, on the right of
private judgment. For, with all her zeal, candour and
piety, she was, like all her " Order," somewhat aristo-
cratical in religion as well as in politics. Hence, on
this occasion, she urged Mr. Campbell to "be quiet,"
whilst the Itinerants were calling on the people to
judge for themselves. " Get into your closet, and shut
the door," she says ; " I fancy you seldom can ; but there
is no doing without it. Every body is not fit for judg-
ing their Ministers." He replied at once, " I particu-
larly notice your Ladyship's remarks on Mr. Haldane's
address. Will thank your Ladyship to read Isa. Ivi. 9,
10 ; 'Blind watchmen,' — ' Dumb dogs,' — * Greedy dogs.'
If there be such men amongst us, is it wrong to sound
an alarm, and warn them ? I hope to be ever able to
pity them, and to pray for them ; but to speak softly of
them, I have no idea. The simplest cottager, who reads
the Bible, has as good a right, and is perhaps as able to
judge of sound doctrine as the Lord Chancellor. The
great sin of the times, amongst sober folks, is taking
official opinion. Such a man says it, and I believe it !
This is Presbyterian popery." Such was Mr. Camp-
bell's honesty. It was not greater, however, than her
Ladyship's candour. " I have no title," she replied *' to
be a corrector of the Press. None need more indul-
TO BE USEFUL. 141
gence than myself. Tell that person, — were we to meet,
that he will find me a poor old woman who, though not
for equality, puts no value on any distinction but what
is inicard, and gives the preference to all who love our
Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. My heart warms to
them all, although through life I have kept up the
station assigned to me. I always give you my opinion
with the greatest diffidence, and 07ily with a reference
to better judges than myself." She could also rejoice
at times in the Itineracy. " It may kick up a dust,"
she says, " but any thing is better than dust gathering
through drowsiness and indolence." The fact is, when
she was over cautious or timid on this subject, it was
because she doubted the steadiness of some of the
leaders ; and on this point she was prophetic. Their
plans were not too great, nor their spirit too ardent for
her; but their principles seemed to her unsettled, or
unripe.
Something of this suspicion haunted her from the
first, and led her to caution Mr. Campbell, although not
in direct terms, against committing himself too far upon
the movements of the day. And she was not alone in
this. Mr. Newton was equally afraid of any influence
which tended to move Mr. Campbell either from Edin-
burgh, or from the sphere of usefulness he so well filled;
for although he too loved the Haldanes, he did not cal-
culate sanguinely upon their prudence ; whereas, Mr.
Campbell had boundless confidence in it then. But this
is a subject for ecclesiastical history, not for biography,
especially as some of the parties are yet alive. Besides,
I neither can, nor wish to, divest myself of the warm
partialities for the Haldanes, which I imbibed in boy-
hood, from the venerable George Cowic, of Huntly,
14S HIS FIRST ATTEMPTS
and from the holy circle of which he was the centre. I
am not ignorant of the vagaries which were played at
the Edinburgh Tabernacle, nor blind to the fact that
they upset an evangelical enterprise which, had it been
wisely conducted, might have rivalled the Reformation
by Knox, as well as surpassed all that was achieved by
the Covenanters and the Seceders ; but, somehow, I
cannot feel exactly as I think, because I cannot forget
how my father and pastor gloried in the devotedness
of these men to the cause of truth and godliness. They
have thus " a lithe side" in my heart, which unfits me
for either recording or canvassing their measures and
spirit. This, no doubt, will be freely done very soon ;
and it ought to be done without ceremony, now that
Scotland is upon the verge of a new Reformation, were
it only to furnish a beacon to those Non-Intrusionists
who may quit the Establishment, and commence a sys-
tem of chapel-building over the land. Since, therefore,
it is not unlikely that the historian of Mr. Campbell's
Times may look into his Life, for some facts on this
subject, I deem it my duty to say distinctly, that such
was his love to the Haldanes, (and no man knew^ them
better,) that all the " manT/ waters' of their experiments
and speculations "could not drown it," nor even cool it.
I have often discussed the whole subject with him ; and
the very last paper he wrote, when his hand was palsied,
and his heart as well as his flesh failing, was about
these old friends ; but all he ever said or wrote to me,
always reminded me (as I told him) of the spirit of the
Rev. Christopher Anderson, of Edinburgh, on the sub-
ject. Thirty years ago I rode with that accomplished
gentleman, and the Laird of Kemnay, across the heath
where Shakspeare places Macbeth's witches. It was
TO BE USEFUL. 143
an interesting spot to me then ; but I hardly noticed it
that day, because Mr. Anderson was pouring out his
heart to Mr. Burnett, in a narrative of what he called
" the auld lang synes of Haldanism ;" full of candour,
tenderness, and love. It was also in the style and
spirit, in which I had heard my father and Mr. Cowie
speak. And just so, Mr. Campbell always treated the
subject. I mention these facts, because the opinion of
such men ought, at least, to soften the final judgment
which history will pass upon the Haldanes. Not, how-
ever, that Mr. Campbell was an impartial witness. Far
from it. He preferred peace and silence upon all sub-
jects which did not compromise his conscience, to
striking a balance on painful questions. He shrunk
from taking a side, except when it was emphatically
and imperatively *' the Lord's side." Nor was this all.
His favourite societies were to him hallowed imperson-
ations, which, like Law and Religion, awed him. The
noble abstraction " lived and moved," as well as had a
being, before his eyes. It might have been the apoca-
lyptic angel of the everlasting gospel, flying in the
midst of heaven, so deep and devout was his veneration
for each of the great catholic Societies. Hence, he was
afraid to have an opinion of his own, when their inter-
ests were at stake. He could not bear to think of either
opposing, or differing with, any one, who, from wealth
or talent, had influence in them; and he was too modest
to take any lead himself. This seemed weakness to
some, and policy to others ; but it arose chiefly from
the cause now assigned.
He was not insensible, however, to the tendency of
his Circus friends in Edinburgh to extremes, nor blind
to the defects of their system. He gave the best proof
144 HIS FIRST ATTEMPTS
of this, by preferring to settle in England. This was a
delicate mode of manifesting his fears for the issue ;
but it was a decided one. He foresaw that he could
not long act with the Haldanes ; and he felt that he
could not act against them ; and happily he made his
escape in time from a dividing and falUng house. Not,
however, that this was his chief reason for settling in
London ; but it was a reason which had more weight
than he liked to acknowledge to himself at the time,
and it became a matter of deep gratitude with him
afterwards, although very few knew the fact. On no
point, indeed, was he more delicate or reserved. No-
thing could extort an opinion from him, at all unfavour-
able to the spirit of his old friends, except when some
wise men, who had shared in all his "first love" to
them, bewailed, more in sadness than in anger, the
infatuation that flung away a golden sceptre of evan-
gelical reform, which the prayerful in Scotland had
hailed with rapture, and which both awed and improved
the Kirk and the Secession, and would, had it not been
exchanged for the rod of power and the baubles of
caprice, drawn or driven both into the simplicity of the
gospel of Christ and the spirit of their doctrinal stand-
ards. An appeal of this kind, if it did not compel him
to join in the censure it implied, always made him a
party to the lamentation, and drove him to the frequent
use of his snuff-hox, — the invariable symptom of his
being uncomfortable, or embarrassed.
It will be seen from these hints, that the history of
his connexion with the Haldanes ought to be read in
the spirit in which he wrote it, in his old age. He
forgot every thing then, but their real worth and their
*' first works." And it is worth while to read an account
TO BE USEFUL. 145
of these, in utter forgetfulness of all things but the
motives and spirit in which they originated ; for the
painful results prove nothing against the general and
generous principles of the enterprise. As old Tom Fuller
says, on another subject, they only prove that '* every
man v^^ho can touch the lute of Apollo, is not qualified
to drive the chariot of the sun."
This chapter will, of course, disappoint, if not offend,
some persons on both sides of the question. It is not,
however, intended to do so. The writer has his own
opinions of the parties most deeply implicated in these
closing remarks ; but he has sympathies as well as sen-
timents, and therefore feels that he has no right, even
if he had the inclination, to make the Life of Mr.
Campbell a new arena for an old controversy. Mr.
Campbell himself would not have done so, had he lived
to publish his recollections of his contemporaries ; and
therefore I have said no more than my conscience de-
manded, and my heart dictated.
CHAPTER VIL
IIIS FIRST PHILANTHROPIC ENTERPRIZE.
Before the era of Missions, nothing seems to have laid
such hold upon Mr. Campbell's sympathies as the revi-
vals in "Wales, by the ministry and schools of the Rev.
Thomas Charles, of Bala. He had accidentally heard
of them ; and as he knew well the history of " the work
at Cambuslang," and of the awakenings in America
under Edwards, he applied to Mr. Newton for his opi-
nion of them. It was favourable ; he therefore reprinted
an account of them at his own expense, from Timothy
Priestley's Gospel Magazine, and circulated it widely.
He then opened a correspondence with Mr. Charles, of
which the following letters are a fair specimen ; and a
powerful as well as real link in the electric chain of
causes which renewed in Edinburgh, and in many parts
of Scotland, the days of Whitefield.
It will not be believed just now, perhaps, that " Welsh
fire" had much to do with re-awakening the Scottish
Kirk tlien, nor that the flame it kindled at Huntly
{Strathhogie)^ at the close of the last century, led to
the battle for bigotry by the Secession, which excom-
municated Mr. Cowie, and thus brought a champion into
the field of Missions, Revivals, and Sabbath-schools ;
but this is the fact, and Mr. Campbell was the instru-
ment. Time will yet show that Charles, Cowie, and
Ills FIRST PHILANTHROPIC ENTERPRIZE. 147
Campbell, were not uninfluential elements in the chaos
of these times.
" Dear Sir, — Continual absence from home, about my divine Mas-
ter's business, is the only reason of my not answering your kind letter
sooner. This will form to you a sufficient apology. By this time,
perhaps, you have seen, in Priestley's Magazine, another letter respect-
ing the work here. That it is a work of God I am not left to doubt in
the least degree : it carries along with it every scriptural satisfactory evi-
dence that we can possibly desire ; such as deep conviction of sin, of
righteousness, and of judgment ; great reformation of manners ; great
love for, and delight in, the word of God, in prayer, in spiritual conver-
sation, and Divine ordinances. These, in particular, among young peo-
ple, occupy the place and employ the time that was spent in vain diver-
sions and amusements. No harps, but the golden harps which St. John
speaks of, have been played upon in this neighbourhood, for several
months past. The craft is not only in danger, but entirely destroyed
and abolished. The little stone hath broke to pieces and consumed all
those ensnaring hinderances. But I am far from expecting that all those
who have experienced Divine influences are savingly wrought upon, and
soundly converted. If that were the case, all the country would be con-
verted ; for, at one time, there were very few in it but what felt an awful
impression, from the hand of God, upon their minds, producing forebod-
ing fears respecting their future existence in another world. It was
a most solemn time indeed ! I never saw a livelier picture of the
state of people's minds in the day of judgment, according to their re-
spective conditions. That awful dispensation lasted but few weeks ;
but the ministration of the word is still lively and powerful ; and fresh
awakenings take place, though not so numerous as at first. Perhaps it
will not be known till the judgment-day how many of these new con-
verts are actually brought into a state of salvation, nor ivko they are ;
but, hitherto, we have every reason to be thankful for the good profes-
sion they continue to make. Among so many there must be a great
variety, and we may have better hopes of some than others ; but hitherto
none have * turned away from feeding beside the Shepherd's tent.'
"As to the further spread of the work, the prospect, in our country,
in general, is very pleasing. In Carnarvonshire and Anglesea congre-
gations are very numerous and very large. Thousands flock together at
the sound of the gospel-trumpet, and hear with great earnestness and
attention. Awakenings, also, are frequent ; but as to any extraordinary
outpouring of the Spirit, there is none at present, but in two places
H 2
148
HIS FIRST PHILANTHROPIC
besides this neighbourhood ; and, in those places, it does not carry with
it the strong marks of power irresistible and convincing demonstration
which has attended it here. The report of what was going on here has
awakened the attention of all the country, and filled the churches every
where with a spirit of thanksgiving and prayer. I have hardly a doubt
but it will spread : the beginning was so glorious that I cannot suppose
but it precedes great things. The churches every where are, if I may
so say, in labour ; and I cannot but expect that a * man-child is to be
born.' They are prepared ; they are praying ; they are waiting and
longing for his coming. He has, indeed, already done great things in
this principality. Within these fifty years there have been five or six
very great awakenings : a land of darkness and of the shadow of death
hath seen great light ; but oh, may we live to see still greater things 1
Your saying ' that a similar revival took place in your country about fifty
years ago,' enkindled a spirit of prayer in me for the return of your
jubilee. I am persuaded, that unless we are favoured with frequent re-
vivals, and a strong, powerful work of the Spirit of God, we shall, in a
great degree, degenerate, and have only a ' name to live ;' religion will
soon lose its vigour ; the ministry wiU hardly retain its lustre and glory ;
and iniquity will, of consequence, abound. I am far from supposing this
to be the case in your country ; I am only speaking of the thing itself.
Scotland, I know, has, in ages past, been a most highly favoured coun-
try : I hope it still continues so ; but I am perfectly ignorant of the pre-
sent state of religion in it. May the good Lord hasten that blessed time
when the kingdoms of the world shall become the kingdoms of our Lord
and of his Christ !
" I beg my love to all Christian friends with you. I beg an interest
in all your prayers. Blessed be God that I have an Advocate with the
Father 1 He sees, commiserates, and can succour and relieve as neces-
sity requires. From this joyful consideration alone proceeds my resolu-
tion and courage to go on. You may well suppose, that whilst God is
amongst us Satan is not asleep : he is alive, and going about, with his
usual diabolical disposition. In the church, or out of the church, he is
always plotting some mischief. I would wish to be watchfully observing
all his motions and machinations. The God of peace shall bruise Satan
under our feet shortly. I am your unworthy companion in the king-
dom and patience of Jesus Christ,
" And your obedient humble servant,
*• Thomas Charles.
" Bala, May 2nd, 1792."
ENTERPRIZE. 149
"Dkar Sir, — Your favour dated Nov. 24 came duly to hand. I must
beg your pardoa for being so slow in writing to you, but your kindness
has furnished me with the only apology which I can make, viz., my very
many avocations ; which are so numerous, and crowding upon me daily,
that I have not the time to pay proper attention to friends which I
could wish. I have no doubt but you will, as ray other valuable friends
do, indulge me with a free pardon without any more apology.
"As to the present state of religion in this country, through distin-
guishing and unspeakable mercy I have nothing to complain of; unless
I complain of myself, for which there is abundant cause. In the course
of last year the almighty power of the gospel has been most gloriously
manifested in different parts of our country. I think the country in
general never presented a more promising aspect. Last spring there
was a very great and general awakening through a very large and popu-
lous district in Carnarvonshire ; in the space of three months some
hundreds were brought under concern about their souls. I was last
month through that part of the country, and the prospect still continues
delightful indeed. Oh, my dear Sir, it is a melodious sound, — yes, in
the ears of Deity himself, to hear poor perishing sinners by scores
crying out, 'What shall they do to be saved?' but this was the sound
I heard, in almost every opportunity, as I lately passed through that part
of the country. The subjects of this work are much the same as here
at Bala, children and young people, from eight or ten to thirty ; the
effects also on the country at large are very similar to those I described
as attending the work at Bala, — a general reformation of morals ; the
most diligent attendance on the means of grace, private and public ;
thirst after divine knowledge, such as is practical and spiritual, &c., &c.
The sound of the gospel brings heaven to their thirsty souls, whilst the
miserable captives of sin and Satan are set at liberty !
" Here at Bala, through mercy we still go on well, and have much
cause for thankfulness ; though not favoured with the wonderful scenes
we were gratified with this time two years, most of those of whom we
had any degree of satisfaction as to a work of deep conviction on their
minds, and not only terror for the moment, have stood their ground
amazingly well ; we have lost very few of them ; and many, respecting
whom we had no satisfaction at first, have come on well ; at first, per-
haps, only a little terrified ; yet, being in that fright, and brought to
attend the preaching of the word, they have been gradually enlightened
and wrought upon, and are now hopeful members of our church. There '
is a work going on still among us, though not so powerful as at the
period above alluded to ; we are continually increasing, and our congre-
150 HIS FIRST PlilLAN'THROPIC
gations continue as large, if not larger, than ever ; and at times the
word seems to have wonderful effect. I must add also, though with
sorrow, that a great many who have felt most powerful supernatural
workings upon their minds have entirely lost them, and are quite fallen
off; they will yet come to hear, but hearing is all. Some even of them
have had a second visit from the Lord, more effectual than the first, and
we have received them again with joy. We have had many instances of
young children, who had once experienced those powerful workings on
their minds, after having for a season entirely lost them, have had them
again renewed, and are now in the church, comforting our hearts with
very promising hopes.
" I must not omit informing you that one great means of promoting
the work of God among our young are circulating Charity-schools,
which have been supported among us for these nine years past ; they
are supported entirely by subscriptions and charitable donations of
friends of the gospel. We have now about twenty schoolmasters, era-
ployed in five different counties, to each of whom we pay ten pounds
per annum ; they are entirely at our disposal, and we move them from
place to place all over the country, and teach all that will attend them,
rich or poor, gratis. Half a year we find sufficient to teach a child of
moderate capacity to read the Bible well in the Welsh language. The
only intention of these schools is to teach children to read their own
language, and to instruct them in the first principles of religion, and to
endeavour to impress their minds with a sense of the importance of
divine truths. It is impossible to express the blessing which has
attended these little seminaries, and still continues to attend them. I
visit them myself, and catechise the children publicly. Sometimes the
congregation has been so large on these catechetical occasions, that I
have been obliged to perform the whole service in the open air. I have
drawn up a little form comprehending the first principles of Christi-
anity, according to which they are instructed. In some of the schools
we have had general awakenings among all the children ; they have been
a great means of soherizing the minds of young people, drawing their
attention to the Bible ; it gives them a taste for reading, and the next
step will be to attend preaching, which is seldom without some effect on
their minds. We take care that the teachers are men of piety, and zeal
for the conversion of sinners. We have but one only point in view in
these institutions ; that is, the salvation of their souls. We endeavour
to bring this point into their view in all its infinite importance, as far
surpassing all other matters whatsoever. This is what we aim to do ;
but, alas ! how little would all avail, were it not for the powerful agency
ENTERPRIZE. 151
of the blessed Spirit. Blessed be the Lord, we see him evidently and
gloriously at work among us ; never more so than at the present time,
taking the country at large. Bless the Lord in our behalf, and pray for
a continuance of his loving kindness,
" I am, dear Sir,
'* Your affectionate and unworthy servant,
"Thomas Charles.
'* Bala, Jan. 8, 1794.
" P.S. Pardon the incoherency of this letter, being written at differ-
ent intervals. My love to all who love the Lord Jesus Christ. He is
our common Friend. O what a Friend ! ! Blessed be God for him : he
is our all. Who would not serve him, and live to him ? He deserves
more than we can do to eternity. Give my love to all that love him,
and may their number increase."
These Letters, as well as tlie Narrative of the Welsli
Revivals, Mr. Campbell sent over Scotland. From
many answers, I can make room for only one, from Mr.
John Leslie, of Huntly, written at the request of the
Rev. George Cowie.
"Dear Sir, — I received your very acceptable favour of the 24th
ult., accompanied with some monumental ensigns, or trophies, erected
to transmit to after ages the Redeemer's victories. I distributed the
pamphlets agreeably to your directions, and hope they will prove com-
forting and instructive.
'* There are some of my particular friends, who are so satisfied to
hear of the good work at Bala, that they begged me to write you, in
the way of inquiry, whether you had any later or more particular ac-
counts concerning it. They also expressed a desire (if it were possible)
to set on foot a correspondence among Christians of different denomi-
nations and in different parts, that, at least, we might become so far
latitudinarian, (which, in the present case, is only another expression
for becoming so far charitably, or rather Christianly wise, as to wave
party -worli to promote Christianity ,) I say they expressed a desire, and
much wished that such a correspondence could be established, in order
that we might mutually join at a throne of grace, and know ichen to
weep for Zion's calamities, and rejoice in her prosperity or triumphs at
the new accession of her converts.
" I suppose the second letter from the Rev. Mr. Charles has been
152 HIS FIRST PHILANTHROPIC
directed to yourself, and that you had previously written to him, and
given him some account of the similar work that happened in Scotland
about fifty years ago ; the mention of which work in that letter excited
a desire in me to write you my thoughts concerning it.
** You know, dear Sir, that Seceders have generally looked upon this
work * as a work of Satan, whereby a righteous God had chosen their
delusion, and sent forth a spirit of delusion among them in that awful
work upon the bodies and spirits of men,' [as they word it.] But after
I had seen and read the principal arguments on both sides of the ques-
lion, or for it and against it, I am in no doubt but the work, in the
main, was a work of the sovereign grace and the efficacious power of the
Spirit of God. I believe, as Satan is never idle, some appearance of
his agency might attend it, (designed by him to counteract and disgrace
it,) as has been the case, less or more, with every good work of the
kind. But to ascribe it all in wholesale to the devil, as the delegated
executioner of God's judgments, would be liker the spirit of a bigoted
Pharisee or deistical philosopher, than of a pious Christian divine. I
wish those who most severely condemned it had been more humbled
under God's judgments, in not so blessing their own ministrations, and
examining whether there was not some Achan in the camp ; such as too
much pride of external professions and written testimonies, and too
much confidence that the enclosure they had set up by these things was
the boundary of the Divine approbation ; or to confine within their
circle the more powerful and soul-quickening showers of Divine influ-
ence, at least in the islands of Britain and Ireland ; which, if they had
done, I dare say they would have rendered unto God as thankless
service, as in proving the instruments of that work (at Cambuslang) to
be Satan's ministers, and the work itself to be a work of hell."
But whilst the revival of religion absorbed Mr. Cainp-
bcll's pen, it did not divert him from humane enter-
prizes at home. About this time, he says, " There were
two zealous Christians in Edinburgh, who made some
attempts to reform some street-walkers in their neigh-
bourhood : Mr. William Finlay, master baker, and
William Couts, journeyman cutler, or pewterer, I for-
get which. They related to me these attempts, with
the effects their conversations had upon some ; — that
there were two or three girls who seemed very willing
ENTERPRIZE. 153
to relinquisli their way of living, if they could obtcain
any other way of supporting themselves; — that they
had lost character, and no families would receive them
as servants without a character; therefore, they said,
they did not continue in prostitution from choice, but
necessity. For their relief, we thought of hiring two or
three rooms from poor but pious females, where they
could be lodged, and provided for ; but in this plan we
found out formidable difficulties. We then got Mr.
William Pattison, a respectable haberdasher, to enter
warmly into our scheme, for devising some plan for re-
lieving these outcasts of society. After several consul-
tations together, we resolved to invite thirty or forty
persons to consider the propriety of forming a society
for supporting an institution, for receiving such of that
class of persons as professed repentance and a sincere
desire to live a virtuous life. I wrote out a small cir-
cular, which I signed, and got neatly printed, inviting
a meeting in the Hall of the Society for Promoting
Christian Knowledge, to consider the above proposition.
These circulars were addressed to a number of respect-
able persons, and, what was peculiarly gratifying to us
originators, was, that almost every person who had been
invited, attended ; — three of the City bailies (or alder-
men) attended in their gold chains. After I had read
all the details that had been prepared, a gentleman rose
(I think Bailie Coulter) and moved that such a society
as had been proposed, should now be formed, and a
subscription made for its support; which was unani-
mously carried ; — and that it should be called the Plii-
lanthropic Society. A committee of Directors was then
appointed; — Mr. William Pattison was chosen trea-
surer, and I was chosen secretary. The first subscrip-
H S
154 HIS FIRST PHILANTHROPIC
tion that was put down, was five guineas for the City of
Edinburgh. The other subscriptions were considered
very liberal. I am certain the Duke of Y/ellington was
not more dehghted at the result of the tattle of Water-
loo, than I was at the result of that meeting, — every
thing went off so well !"
"A house, with a little ground behind it, was taken in
the middle of the West Bow, which was soon filled with
inmates, of some of whom we had soon reason to enter-
tain hopes of a radical reform. The rooms were small,
and, from the confined situation, little fresh air could be
obtained. In a short time a very discouraging occur-
rence took place. A young woman was admitted, who
soon was seized with nervous Jits, which in a few days
were communicated to almost all the other inmates;
which nearly put an end to all work. I summoned a
meeting of the directors, to consider what was to be
done. Three of the magistrates were the first in attend-
ance. In their conversation, one asked Bailie Wood,
who had been the sitting magistrate in the Council-
chamber that day, if any particular case had come be-
fore him ? He said, ' Yes ; one, which w^as this. A
young woman who had left her service, and engaged
with another family ; before entering which, she went
for a fortnight to see her friends in the country, leaving
her chest to the care of a man and his wife, who kept a
little public-house in her neighbourhood, telling them
it contained her clothes and five pounds in money. On
returning from the country, she found her chest and
every thing else in the same state in which she left
them, except that the money was gone. I put many
questions to the man, but he denied all knowledge of
the money j I gave an order to search his house, but no
ENTERPRIZE. 155
suspicious sum was found ; yet I saw guilt in his eye. —
I desired him to go aside a little, that I might have time
to think. On calling him up again, I asked him if he
followed any other business besides the public-house ?
Pie said his wife kept that, but he was a coach-maker,
and wrought with Mr. C. at the head of Leith-walk.
" Then you have a tool-chest, I suppose?" *' O yes." I
immediately gave an order for the tool-chest to be
brought to the chamber, which it was, and every thing
turned out of it, but no money appeared. I then ex-
amined all the outside of it very minutely, when I ob-
served at the bottom of one of the sides, a piece of new
timber, covered over with dirt. I ordered that piece of
timber to be knocked off; on this being done, the whole
of the poor girl's money was found concealed ! On ask-
ing him where he got this money ? he said he found
two notes in such a place, and one note in another, and
I helped him out where he found the rest. I gave an
order for his going to prison, and assured the girl that
all her money should be restored to her.' On hearing
this account, I thought of Isa. xxviii. 5, 6 ; ' The Lord
of hosts shall be for a spirit of judgment to him that
sitteth in judgment.'
"When a quorum assembled, we proceeded to business.
The state of the females was laid before them. Dr.
Charles Stuart being a physician, and present, was
looked to for his advice. He said they had a power in
their will to resist taking those fits, if they would exert
it ; and mentioned the case of upwards of a hundred
girls in an hospital at Amsterdam, having taken those
fits ; that the physicians of that city tried various means
for removing the fits, without producing any beneficial
effect. They invited Linnaeus to Amsterdam, that they
J 56 HIS FIRST PHILANTHROPIC
might have his assistance in devising means for remov-
ing the disease, especially as the governors were talking
of breaking up the institution. He came, and his ad-
vice was, that the hangman should be clothed in the
most terrific dress they could invent ; that he should go
into the rooms where the girls were, carrying with him
two red-hot irons ; tell them he knew that they had
power to resist the fits when they were coming on ;
wherefore if any one took them, that he had orders to
apply those hot irons to the feet of any who took the
fits. They acted upon this advice, and no more fits made
their appearance in that hospital. Dr. Stuart was then
asked, how we should act in reference to our females ?
He said he believed that the most of those females had
been before Bailie Wood, as a magistrate, and that they
had a greater terror of him than they had of any other
magistrate ; and he recommended that he should meet
with them to-morrow, and talk to them on the subject
in his own way, as he should think best.
" I had them all ready to meet him next morning at
eleven o'clock. They were seated opposite to him. He
took up his glass, and looked through it to the face of
the first, and continued looking till she turned away her
face. After doing the same to each of the ten, he said,
' I know you all ; you have been before me as culprits,
and here you expect to live in idleness, diverting your-
selves with fits. That shall not be permitted. I shall
order a cellar under Bedlam to be cleared, and that
shall be the residence of the fit- takers.' These and va-
rious other things he said with an austerity and firmness
of tone, that left a deep impression on their minds, and
banished all their nervous fits, every one returning to
her former occupation.
ENTERPRIZE. 157
*'Tlie magistrates gave orders in Bridewell, that a de-
putation from the society should have free access to the
cells every Thursday afternoon, to converse with the
prisoners. I and two others had permission also to
preach to them every Sabbath morning at nine o'clock.
I remember one female told me that she never got a
good advice but once in her life, before she came into
Bridewell; and that was when behaving very ill on the
street, a gentleman said to her, * Girl, if you do not
change your manners before you die, it will fare ill with
you in the eternal world.' She said she never forgot
that warning. We received her into the Magdalen,
when her time was out. I think she turned out well,
as did various others while I was secretary. As many
could neither pronounce nor understand the word phi-
lanthropic, it was given up for Magdalen. That insti-
tution has continued these forty years, and continues to
be useful."
Bailie Wood was, I think, one of Mr. CampbelFs
guardians, and the magistrate who watched his politics
during the French revolution. This seems to have been
his reason for giving such prominence to the Bailie's
shrewdness. He proceeds thus, " To show you with
how little trouble or exertion an important work may
be set agoing, if certain opportunities for doing so are
seized, I shall mention how the Glasgow Institution for
reclaiming prostitutes commenced. Some time after
resigning my secretaryship to the Edinburgh Magdalen
Society, I removed for a season to the city of Glasgow.
During that period I was once engaged to dine at Dr.
Penman's, a most excellent Christian, of the Nathaniel
cast, who only lately finished his earthly career. Three
of the magistrates of the city were to make part of t^e
158 HIS FIRST PHILANTHROPIC
company ; men of the first respectability, viz., Bailies
Wardlaw, (father to the present Dr. Wardlaw) Tennant,
and Newbigging ; with other friends. This appeared a
fine opportunity for recommending the erection of a
Magdalen Institution, in that populous city. I previ-
ously made the best preparation I oculd, for doing it
With, effect. When the dinner was removed from the
table, I obtained permission to make my statement. I
mentioned the rise and progress of the Edinburgh Mag-
dalen, and the discoveries we had made of the peculiar
wretchedness of many in that class of society, from the
stings of conscience, and who had no way of extricating
themselves from being real outcasts from society. As a
sample, — we knew of three or four such females who
lived together in a room. It sometimes happened in a
stormy night, when they were alone, that some of them
would be so overwhelmed with horror, that they would
try to ascend the chimney to hide themselves from the
devil ; that the erection of such an institution was the
opening of one door of hope to such wretched indivi-
duals; also all who were reformed was lessening the
number of the tempters and miners of young men.
After having finished my statements, the first person
who spoke was a Mr. Hamilton, then well known in
Glasgow. All he said was, ' If Mr. Campbell's pro-
posal be carried into effect, I promise to contribute one
hundred pounds !'
" The worthy magistrates desired me to furnish them
with all the papers and information on the subject which
I could, and they would bring the matter before the
council. After furnishing these gentlemen with all the
printed and written information from Edinburgh and
Dublin I could, I had no more trouble about it. It
ENTERPRIZE. 159
was approved by the magistracy, and the Institution
soon after commenced, and I beHeve continues to the
present day, a period of about forty years. These two
Magdalens were the first that were instituted in Scot-
land. I have not heard of any others being added since
that time, by any other Scotch town."
As may be supposed, Mr. Campbell could not thus
take the lead in new schemes of doing good, without
incurring censure or suspicion from some quarter. Ca-
lumny, however, never dared to breathe upon him.
Nothing but his preaching to prisoners and the poor
gave offence ; and that did shock some orderly Presby-
terians not a little. One stickler for holy orders prayed
so for his mouth to be stopped, that an apprentice could
not resist laughter. The lad was turned off, for impiety.
This grieved his parents and minister, who had a hio-h
opinion of him. They upbraided him for irreverence
at family prayer, in his master's house. " Hoo could I
but laugh," he said, "when master prayed every sab-
bath morning, that a red hot poker might be stuck into
Johnny Campbell's throat that day, if he presumed to
minister in word or doctrine ?" How he was led on from
one enterprize to another, will appear from the follow-
ing letter to me. "You know that it is a favourite
Jiohhy of mine to trace out particular links, in what may
be called chains of providences, on which all succeeding
links completely depended for their existence and in-
fluence.
" Looking to one particular department of my che-
quered life, I have noticed with peculiar interest, that
the leading occurrences in my history for tlie last forty
years, depended upon, or resulted from, a single thouglit
which arose in my mind while stepping one morning
160 HIS FIRST PHILANTHROPIC
out of bed. It will require some patience from you, to
wait till I have told you what led to the production of
such a thought in this mind of mine.
*' The formation of the London Missionary Society for
extending the knowledge of the glorious gospel to all
ends of the earth, and the Society being composed of
Clu'istians of all denominations, had a most electrifying
effect on the Christians of the north. ' We were like men
who dreamed.' From the days of George Whitefield till
then, the Christians on both sides of the Tweed had
been fast asleep. The Christians of different names
were busy repairing and adding to their walls of separa-
tion, and now and then throwing squibs at each other
from their battlements : but the news of the above
society was like the bursting forth of a bright meteor
in a dark night ; it attracted every eye, and became a
text at every tea table ; and those who had not heard of
it for a week were looked at as persons who had been
living in a coal-pit ; many of which pits are in the
neighbourhood of Edinburgh.
" In a short time a similar Society was formed in
Edinburgh, and I was chosen to be on the direction.
The first field they fixed on for the theatre of their
operations, was the continent of Africa : to commence
in the vicinity of Sierra Leone ; to which some mission-
aries were sent, — and several pious young men volun-
teered to the Sierra Leone Company to go to their
settlement as clerks, &c., and one as chaplain. Death
carried off the chaplain and some of the young men,
and terminated the mission. Musing on the unhealthi-
ness of the climate to European constitutions, one morn-
ing, when stepping out of bed, this thought occurred —
' Might we not bring over Africa to England ; educate
ENTERPRIZE. 161
her ; when some through grace and gospel might be
converted, and sent back to Africa, — if not any con-
verted, yet they might help to spread civiHzation, so all
would not be lost.' The amount of which was, * To
try to bring over twenty or thirty, or more, boys aad
girls from the coast of Guinea, through the influence of
Governor Macaulay ; educate them in Edinburgh, and
send them back to their own country, to spread know-
ledge, especially Scripture knowledge.'
" I laid my proposed scheme before two or three
judicious friends who approved of it, as did also Henry
Thornton, M.P., treasurer of the Sierra Leone Company,
and Mr. "William Wilberforce ; but I entered more fully
into the consideration of the matter with the late Charles
Grant, Chairman of the East India Company, who had
not been long returned from India, and had come with
his family to Scotland on a visit to the Leven family.
Having exchanged letters once a week with the vener-
able Countess of Leven for a considerable time, she got
Mr. Grant to promise to call upon me as he passed
through Edinburgh on his way to London ; which he
condescended to do, and invited me to spend the only
two evenings he was to be in Edinburgh, at his hotel
with him and family. This I considered to be a most
favourable opportunity for consulting a wise, good, and
experienced man, in regard to my t\\e\\ favourite plan.
" I was delighted to observe the interest he took in it,
and the minuteness of his calculations regarding the
expense of bringing them over from Africa, and sending
them back five years afterwards. After taking notes
regarding the whole plan, he said there were a few
friends at Clapham who met now and then to consult on
such matters ; he would lay the subject before them at
162 HIS FIRST PHILANTHROPIC
their first meeting, and write me the result, which he
did in about two months." This led Mr. Campbell to
submit his plan to Wilberforce ; from whom he received
the following reply : —
^^ London, Friday nighty Sept. 23rd, 1796.
" Your letter has been along round in quest of me, and has at length
found me just returned to my house in town. The proposal suggested
in it appears to me well worthy of consideration. I will turn it in
my mind, and confer on it with Mr. W. Thornton and another friend,
with whom I am in the habit of communicating on matters of this na-
ture ; and either Mr. W. T. or I will write to you more at large, and
offer any ideas which may suggest themselves to us on mature reflec-
tion. I was unwilling to detain your letter by me altogether unnoticed,
and have therefore thought it best, without delay, thus to acknowledge
its receipt, and to promise hereafter a more full reply to it.
" I remain, Sir,
** Your most obedient humble servant,
" W. Wilberforce."
Charles Grant, Esq., then chairman of the East India
Company, encouraged him also : —
" Dear Sir,— You had a very good right to expect to hear from me
long before this time, and I can assure you that I wanted neither recol-
lection nor inclination ; but since my return from Scotland, I have been
plunged unexpectedly into different affairs, which have engrossed my
time for more than three months, during which most of my correspond-
ents have had their charity put to a trial ; fori have written few letters,
and only on urgent occasions. At this moment I am still so pressed that
I must proceed immediately to matter of business.
" Soon after my return from the North, I mentioned your scheme of
a Seminary for Africans to Mr. Wilberforce and Mr. H. Thornton, and
we conversed upon it more than once. The result was, an opinion that
it would be advisable to defer entering upon the execution of any such
scheme till peace was restored. These gentlemen, as well as myself, like
the idea, and think it would be practicable, but attended with fewer diffi-
culties of every sort in peace than in war. The utility of it may be great ;
and it is so far promising, that a trial, when circumstances are favour-
able, appears highly expedient. I hope, therefore, you may consider
ENTERPRIZE. 163
this as a project rather postponed than dropped. Time will not permit
me to go into the reasons which recommend a postponement of it. The
greater expense and hazard of passages from Africa ; the less probability
of getting subscriptions ; the precarious (comparatively precarious) situ-
ation of the Sierra Leone Company during war ; and the distractions in
which the persons here, who would take a lead in such a business, are
involved by the state of our public affairs, — these are among the reasons
which recommend delay ; but I should hope they will operate only for a
season, and that we may, at a more favourable juncture, resume this
subject.
*' I am happy to hear that you continue to be employed in beneficial
undertakings, and that your zeal is yet greater than your performances.
The disposition and the service are both blessings, and, I persuade my-
self, will prove the means of considerable usefulness. May you go on
and prosper, both in your soul and in your labours !
*' You give a very pleasing instance of the decline of bigotry, in the
union of the strict sect of the Cameronians with several others, for the
catholic purpose of invading the kingdom of darkness and of sin, and
extending the knowledge and the reign of the Redeemer. This is the
cure for all our ills, and the only one.
** In great haste, but with hearty esteem and good will, I conclude,
remaining,
" Dear Sir,
" Very sincerely yours,
" Charles Grant."
Subsequent letters were in the same friendly spirit.
The Clapham circle " highly approved of the scheme,
but advised that the execution of it should be post-
poned till peace with France, which they hoped would
not be far off; and because the war-taxes pressed so
hard upon the people that it would be difficult to obtain
subscriptions to defray the expenses. This was a
damper, and I dare say I wished Buonaparte at Ota-
heite, though he little knew that his schemes so inter-
fered with mine ; but, notwithstanding, I sent him a
present of a rare African mineral, when I landed at St.
Helena many years afterwards. I submitted to the
164 HIS FIRST PHILANTHROPIC
Clapliam decision, and threw the plan out of my mind,
which was soon occupied by other things that were
going on.
" About a year and a half after this, I was invited by
Mr. Haldane to meet a few excellent Christians, who
were to sup at his house. At one time there was a
short pause in the conversation, when, I suppose, every
one was thinking what topic he could start. A Mr.
Alexander Pitcairn, who sat opposite to me, said, * Mr.
C, what is become of your African scheme ? I have
not heard any thing of it for a long time.' Not one
present could possibly have imagined that the conver-
sion and everlasting salvation of thousands was con-
nected with Mr. P. asking that question. To which I
replied, * It is put off to the peace !' which created a
general smile, as few expected peace till Buonaparte had
got the world under his feet. Mr. Haldane asked, from
the head of the table, what African scheme I had, never
having heard of it ? This I answered as briefly as I
could, but added, ' I had another scheme in my head, as
important as the African one.' * What is that?' * To
have a Tabernacle built in Edinburgh.' * What is that V
asked Mr. Haldane. * The Tabernacle in London is a
large place of worship, supplied by popular ministers,
of different denominations, coming up from the country,
and preaching for a mouth. The crowds that it attracts,
and the good that has been done, are very great.' All
agreed that such a thing was desirable. * Who could
be got to supply it ?' I mentioned Rowland Hill and
other English ministers. * Could a large place be ob-
tained for a year on trial, before proceeding to building V
* Yes, the use of the Circus may be got for sabbaths ;
as the Relief congregation, who have had it while their
ENTERPRIZE. 165
new place was building, are on the eve of leaving it.
When 1 first proposed the Circus, Mr. Haldane turned
to a certain lawyer who was present, saying, * Mr. D,,
will you inquire about it to-morrow, and if it be to let,
take it for a year?'
" It was secured the next day ; Rowland Hill was in-
vited ; he consented to come ; and did come in the month
of May or June. — The place was crowded even at seven
o'clock in the morning, — and in the evenings, if the
weather was good, no place could have contained the
crowds that came to hear; they mounted to near the
summit of the Calton-hill, where there was a spot re-
sembling an amphitheatre, as if excavated to hold a
congregation of 10,000, which number I believe some-
times attended him. On one occasion he made a collec-
tion for the City Charity Workhouse. It amounted to
about 30/., almost entirely composed of halfpence and
pennypieces. I think it was taken away in a wheel-bar-
row. During his stay many were converted, some of
whom had been most grossly immoral characters. It
made much noise in the neighbourhood ; — even some
soldiers attended a prayer-meeting. A woman, at her
own door, was overheard to say to her neighbour, * O
Sir, what will become of us now, when the very soldiers
are beginning to pray ?'
*' It was believed by many that this system of taber-
nacles was a scheme laid for overturning the Established
Church. Now there was not one Dissenter present at
that supper where the matter was proposed and ap-
proved ; all were members of the Establishment, and I
believe the object of all, when they approved of the
proposed scheme, was the collecting of sinners to the
1G6 HIS FIRST PHILANTHROPIC
Saviour. When the meeting was concluded every one
retired to his own home, — very prayerfuL
" Next morning I received a note from Mr. Haldane,
wishing me to call on him as soon as I could. I went
to him directly. He said that my African scheme had
occupied his waking thoughts ever since I mentioned it
last night; on which the following conversation took
place :
'* ' \Miat is the real reason why you were advised to
defer commencing the Institution V ' Entirely the
dreaded difficulty of obtaining funds to defray the ex-
pense of the institution.' ' Have you calculated the
probable amount of those expenses V * Yes : the pro-
bable expense of bringing over thirty children, lodging,
supporting, and educating them for five years, and their
passage back to Africa, will cost from six to seven thou-
sand pounds/ ' Supposing you were to write to the
Governor of Sierra Leone, stating that you had suffi-
cient funds for supporting such an institution, and re-
questing him to collect 30 or 40 of the sons and daugh-
ters of the African chiefs over whom he had influence,
and send them over to you ; do you think he would have
sufficient confidence in you to fulfil your commission V
' I think he would.' ' On what do you ground that
expectation ?' ' When the French destroyed the set-
tlement, or Free-town, Governor Macaulay came to
London to lay the state of things before the Company.
After finishing the business there, he visited Scotland
to see his relations. On coming to Edinburgh he called
upon me with a letter of introduction from the Rev.
John Newton, (which would be a sufficient passport to
any Christian in Scotland, so highly were his works
ENTERPRIZE. 167
prized.) The Governor had four sisters in Edinburgh,
living together, and as they had no particular friend to
advise with, he requested me to engage to be their ad-
viser ; to which proposal I readily consented. In the
course of a year after they came under my wing, I was
bridegroom's-man to three out of the four.' On hear-
ing this statement, Mr. Haldane was satisfied, and vo-
lunteered to be responsible for the whole expense of the
scheme, and gave me a letter to that effect. Accordingly
I wrote by that day's post to Governor Macaulay, Sierra
Leone ; requesting him to obtain 30 or S5 African boys
and girls, and send them to Edinburgh, as I had ob-
tained funds to defray all expenses. I sent it to the
care of Henry Thornton, M. P., treasurer to the Sierra
Leone Company ; and that day week sent a duplicate to
the care of the Messrs. Andersons, of Philpot-lane, who
had a large slave estab lishment on Banco Island, in the
neighbourhood of Sierra Leone.
" For two long years I heard not a syllable of intelli-
gence from Africa ; and the reason assigned was, that
every vessel to and from that colony had either been
lost or captured by the French, which made me fear
that the poor African children had got into the clutches
of Buonaparte. At length, however, a letter reached me
one Monday morning, from Governor Macaulay, dated
Portsmouth, informing me of his arrival there, and that
he had 20 boys and 4 girls on board for me, and he
expected that by the time the vessel got round to Lon-
don, I should be there to take them off his hand. I
hastened with this intelligence to Mr. Haldane, who
was pleased to hear that the children had arrived safe,
and said it would be necessary that I should go to Lon-
don with all possible dispatch. Many years ago, a Jew
168 HIS FIRST PHILANTHROPIC
told me tliat such was the state of that people in Lon-
don, that if they were called to set off for Jerusalem, the
whole, except a few, could have all their affairs settled,
all packed up, and be ready to start in four-and-twenty
hours. In thirty hours after receiving the information
of the children's arrival, I found myself seated in the
London mail-coach, galloping to the south.
" I had met with a gentleman from the west of Scot-
land that morning on the streets of Edinburgh, who
invited me to take an early dinner with him at Poole's
hotel, as he wished to introduce me to his son who had
lately arrived from New York. I declined doing so ;
telling him I was going off at four o'clock, in the Lon-
don mail-coach, * So is my son and his clerk ; and the
coach starts opposite the hotel, and it will be pleasant
to know each other before you set off.' I therefore dined
with them, and we took our places in the coach together.
The fourth passenger was a young gentleman from
London, who had been studying at the University
during the winter session. Soon after he entered he
told me he had met me at tea at a relation's of mine in
Edinburgh. This was pleasing information, as it made
the whole coachful a company of friends.
'* Our American friend deeply interested us by his
details of the dreadful visitation of the yellow fever
lately to New York, when business was at a complete
stand-still ; when all the inhabitants, who were able to
remove, fled from the city, and such was the consterna-
tion from the infectious nature of the mortal fever, that
many left their relations who were in the fever, in most
helpless situations. He had the fortitude to remain
with a friend the whole time the fever lasted. For
long, no sound of carriage or cart was heard in the
ENTERPRIZE. 1G9
street, except that of the cart that called in the morn-
ing at the houses to receive the bodies of those who had
died during the night, to carry them to their graves.
When the sound of a few carriages and carts began to
be heard on the street, it was hailed as a most joyful
sound, and elevated the spirits of the remaining popu-
lation. The most courageous of the fugitives, by and
by, began to return first ; then, others hearing of it,
followed their example, and in process of time the city
was repeopled, and business went on as before ; while
many had to lament the loss of dear relatives, and others
to thank God for sending a frost to eat up the contagion.
" About nine o'clock of the second night, the coach
reached the city of York, where it had to stop three
hours for the Hull mail, which gave comfortable time
for supper. Here my American friend and clerk were
to leave us, to visit some of the manufacturing towns,
and to this spot I had only taken my place in the mail ;
but through the persuasion of my young London friend
I immediately secured my place to London. While the
table was covering for supper, the waiter came with a
message from a gentleman in the inn, saying, that as he
was to travel with part of the company to London, he
would be glad of permission to sup with us ; to which
we readily consented. He had all the appearance of a
gentleman, and no doubt was so in point of station and
rank in society, but his conduct during supper was out-
rageous and disgusting, and he drank wine till quite
intoxicated. My friend took me aside, and whispered to
me, that he would not go to London with such a man as
that for any consideration, and strongly advised me to get
my seat in the mail altered to next evening. I thanked
him, but said I had resolved to take the venture.
170 HIS FIRST PHILANTHROPIC
" The gentleman was so restless during the night,
that I could obtain no sleep, but spent it in thinking of
the best way of acting towards him for his own benefit.
I determined to be as obliging as possible ; wherefore,
when we stopped at seven in the morning to a twenty
minutes' breakfast, I made the tea, filled the cups, &c.,
that he might be able to occupy every moment at the
meal. During the forenoon I brought forward all the
anecdotes and interesting facts from history I could
possibly recollect, which made the morning pass plea-
santly, and I saw I had gained his good graces. When
I began to feel fagged by the jolting of the carriage, I
supposed he might feel the same, and that people are
easily irritated while in that state of mind, I therefore
desisted from talking till we should be revived by
dinner. At dinner he asked me to join him in having
some wine ; to which I readily consented. This also
pleased him.
" On again taking our seats in the coach, we all pro-
fessed to feel greatly refreshed. Now, thought I, is the
time to begin the work. I sat pensive for some time,
after which I broke silence, by saying, ' Often when
we observe people musing, we feel a curiosity to know
what they are thinking of, — now I have been musing,
and were I sure it would not offend you, sir, I would
tell you the subject on which I was musing.' * Oh,' said
he with a smile, * tell ; it nothing that you can say will
offend me.' I thanked him for his good opinion, and
added, * Sir, I am secretary to the Edinburgh Magda-
len, and there are a number of respectable gentlemen
in the committee of directors, who are spending their
time and money and exerting their talents and influence
to lessen the number of prostitutes. These men I was
ENTERPRIZE.
comparing with you and many others, who glory in
being instrumental in increasing the number of these
pests of society. I was thinking what could be the
cause of such a marked difference amongst mankind,
and I could trace it to no other cause than to God, who
makes one man to differ from another.' On hearing
this he said, * I know it is wrong, sir, but I feel such a
propensity to that kind of life that I declare to you I
cannot give it up.' * I know,' said I, * you cannot give
it up ; God does nothing that is not necessary ; why
should He send his Son Jesus Christ into the world to
save his people from their sins, if they could save them-
selves ?' * O but,' said he, * I mean to alter my conduct
before I die.' * To talk, sir, of ceasing to sin at some
future period, is neither scriptural nor rational : there
is a bridge that we shall cross in about an hour ; sup-
pose the carriage to fall over it, and we have our brains
dashed out, our souls must be found at the judgment
day in the same state in which they are at this moment.'
We supped at Huntingdon ; and soon after we got back
to the coach I fell asleep, being worn out for want of
rest, and slept till about four o'clock in the morning.
When I awoke, the gentleman told me he was glad
when he saw me get to sleep ; that I had been very
restless, and that he had been watching me the whole
night. When passing through Kingsland, the name of
which I did not then know, he took out a guinea and
a half (or 2/. 2s.) saying, * There's all the money I have,
except a few shillings, till I go to my banker ; as we
reach town at a very early hour, T intended to spend it
in a way you would not approve, but I now give it to
you for the Edinburgh Magdalen, to assist in lessening
the number of these acknowledged pests of society.' I
1 2
172 HIS FIRST PHILANTHROPIC
said, ' Sir, you do not know me, nor that it is true that
I am the secretary of that Society.' * No,' said he, * I
do not know, but I am certain it is all right.' On
reaching the end of Lombard-street, where the Post-
office then was, he called for a night coach, and while
stepping into it he bid me good morning, and said he
hoped * our interview in this mail coach will be of use to
me in after life.' Having left us, the young gentleman
said, ' I dare say there never was as much religion in the
mail coach before !'
" I found that the African children had arrived
a few days before me, and were lodging in a house
behind a tavern at Clapham, where I soon visited
them, and found there were twenty boys and four girls,
all jet black, cheerful and happy. I walked with them
across the common, to Mr. Henry Thornton's. While
going along, they scattered, chaced, and pushed each
other, diverting themselves in the same way as a similar
liumber of English boys would have done. On reaching
Mr. Thornton's gate I counted their number, and found,
as was uniformly the case afterwards, on similar occa-
sions, some were missing. It arose from companies
dining in the neighbouring m.ansions, who were asto-
nished to see a cloud of young Africans, sending out their
men-servants to try and catch some of them, and bring
them before them. When they observed me returning
in search of the strayed, they always sent servants with
them to meet me. People being pleased to look at
them as curiosities, they fancied all were their friends^
and most willingly went with any who asked them.
" I had a letter of introduction to the late Joseph
Hardcastle, of whom I was to take counsel in any thing
relating to the Africans ; and we almost settled for their
ENTERPRIZE. 173
passage to Edinburgh in a Leith smack. It was well we
had not finished the bargain ; for the next time I met
Messrs. Thornton andMacaulay, I found they had learned
that the small-pox was in Clapham, v/hich rendered it
indispensably necessary to have the children all inocu-
lated, lest they should take them when on board of ship,
and their lives be lost. Such a detention in London was
very unexpected by me, but Mr. Ilardcastle and I both
saw the importance of the measure recommended, where-
fore I consented to wait till they should recover from
the inoculation. They were soon all received into the
Small-pox Hospital at St. Pancras.
" Mr. Hardcastle introduced me to his partner, Mr.
Reyner, and some other gentlemen ; and, every Monday
afternoon, took me with him to the meeting of the di-
rectors of the Missionary Society, which, at that time,
met in a room belonging to Paul's Coffee-house, St.
Paul's Church-yard. At one of these meetings, after
the business was over, the chairman desired all the gen-
tlemen present, who wished to remain to tea, to hold up
their hands, that he might know what orders to give.
The most of the meeting remained ; and while the tea
was preparing, they separated into little companies for
conversation. Noticing Captain Wilson, who took out
the Duft' to Otaheite, and Mr. Reyner, talking at a
window, I went up to them, and said, * Gentlemen, you
have been conversing about sending the gospel abroad ;
I am an idle man here, being only waiting for the reco-
very of some African children from the small-pox ; in
the meantime, I wish you could procure me something
to do.' * What can you do V asked Mr. Reyner. I
said, ' I could preach, teach, or catechise.' ' Then,' said
Mr. Reyner, ' you are the very person I have been look-
174 HIS FIRST PHILANTHROPIC
ing for, to supply our chapel at Kingsland next Lord's-
day morning and afternoon ; will you do it V ' Most
cheerfully,' said I, and did it ; when they engaged me
to supply it on the succeeding Thursday evenhig, and
three times on the following Lord's day.
*' I visited the children in the hospital about twice a
week, and found them doing very well. The inocula-
tion had taken eifect on all of them, though some of
them had few compared wdth others. One boy, about
fourteen years of age, was covered with them from head
to foot, and had a singular appearance, from the white-
ness of the pustules, and the blackness of the skin from
whence they w'ere raised ; however, he recovered as fast
as any of them. Indeed, through mercy, every one of
them escaped. Some were surprised that they were not
vaccinated instead of inoculated, but it was owing to
Governor Macaulay objecting to it ; for he had de-
scribed to their parents, who were chiefs, the disease of
the small-pox, which they would be liable to while re-
siding in Britain ; but there was what was called inocu-
lation, which rendered the disease milder and less dan-
gerous ; and he took none of their children unless they
consented to their being inoculated. * That word they
will remember,' said he ; * but were they to hear of any
dying by being vaccinated, of which we knew nothing
in Africa, they would consider them as having been
murdered.'
" A boy, about eight years of age, one day dragged
another boy to me, who was about his own age ; and,
pointing to him, said, evidently boasting, * That boy
cannot speak the language of my nation !' On asking
if he could speak the language of that boy's nation, I
saw he perceived the conclusion I would draw if he said
ENTERPRIZE. 175
no ; for he let go his hold of the boy's coat, and walked
off in silence. On my walking with the doctor to the
other end of the hospital to visit the girls, one of them
very gravely asked me to tell that man (pointing to the
doctor) ' to give us no more physic, for we don't like it.'
I said, * My dear, it costs that gentleman money ; and
do you think he would give it to you unless it were for
your good?' I saw they were all satisfied with my an-
swer, for she was only spokesgirl for herself and the
others.
'^ There was a little boy, about seven years of age,
who appeared always dowuicast and ready to weep. I
mentioned this to Mrs. Perth, a black woman, who,
with her daughter, had the care of them during their
voyage to England. She smiled, and said, * He is not
weeping because he has left his parents ; but his grand-
mother, over on the Bulam shore, with whom he lived for
a while, and who was too fond of him. He was con-
stantly weeping for this grandmother the whole voyage.'
I never examined Mackenzie's Man of Feeling, but I
question if it contains a finer example of feeling than 1
found in this little black boy.
" The Mrs. Perth I have just mentioned was rather a
singular character : she was born a slave in the land of
liberty to whites, but of oppression and tyranny to
blacks — I mean North America. She became a Chris-
tian in early life, and by some means learned to read,
and derived great enjoyment from reading the New Tes-
tament. Having some slave friends, living about ten or
twelve miles from her master's, she felt very desirous
that they should become sharers with her in the bless-
ings she enjoyed, by being able to read the New Testa-
ment ; she therefore resolved to teach them to read. In
176 HIS FIRST PHILANTHROPIC
her circumstances this could not be easily effected; for the?
only time she could call her own was the night-time, and
it must be done in the most secret manner, unknown to
her master and their masters ; however, her zeal for
their welfare overcame all these difficulties ; for two,
sometimes three nights in the week, did she visit these
poor slaves. When her day's labour was over, and the
sun had retired to illumine other lands, did that young
female begin her labour of love. She had no coach, na
fly, nor taxed cart, nor even a donke}^, to carry her
there — nothing but her own weary limbs. I say iveary,
for a slave's day-labour was not a trifle ! She persevered
in this night-labour till her Ethiopian pupils were taught
their letters and syllables, and, last of all, words ; when
she left them to make improvement by their ov/n future
exertions. It is seldom we meet with such exertions for
the spiritual benefit of others, as these mad.e by this
female, Mary Perth, though far surpassed by many poor
females in the neighbourhood of Edinburgh, in pursuing
of their temporal affairs ; leaving home six mornings in
the week, about five o'clock, carrying a heavy load of
salt on their backs, travelling four, and sometimes six
miles, often through rain, or sleet, or snow, darkness,
and deep mud ; then travelling over the streets of the
city, calling out their article until all is disposed of;
then walking home, carrying their basket on their
backs ; and for all their excessive labour their gains will
not exceed fifteen or eighteen pence ! yet no gloom in
going home, but all as cheerful as princesses on the road.
Mary Perth obtained her liberty during the American
war, and was sent, with many of her countrymen, to
commence the colony of Sierra Leone, There she kept
an ordinary, where the clerks and servants of the Com-
ENTERPRIZE. 177
pany dined, and there she lived comfortably, and saved
some money."
All tliis effort for iVfrica, from which Mr. Campbell
" looked for much, came to little. ' He dismisses the
subject thus: " Whilst the children were under inocu-
lation the patrons could not agree about their education ;
wherefore a society was formed in London, which took
them off my hands, and I returned to Edinburgh with-
out them." It would be easy to throw much light
upon this painful issue of a favourite plan, by intro-
ducing here the letters of Mr. R. Haldane and Mr.
Macaulay ; but no good purpose could be answered by
doing so, except to prove that Mr. Campbell's patience
vvas well tried, between the cool calculation of the go-
vernor and the warm anticipations of the philanthropist ;
and this wdll be readily believed without proof. But
although his African School, like Whitefleld's Orphan
School, came to nothing, it pledged his own heart to
Africa, and revealed in the heart of his friend, Mr.
Robert Haldane, a depth of benevolence which he never
forgot, nor ceased to imitate, in his subsequent zeal for
Africa. Indeed, from whomsoever he learnt a good les-
son — and he was ready to learn from any one — he never
threw it aside, whatever the times or his teachers be-
came.
During his visits to London, he was much shocked by
the cruelty inflicted upon animals. This gave rise to
the following characteristic letters. Whether they were
ever published I cannot ascertain.
CRUELTY TO ANIMALS.
Extracted from a supposed weekly Journal of Brutes.
Letter from a Lobster.
" I am encouraged to address you, by observing, in your weekly
I 3
178 HIS FIRST PHILANTHROPIC
journal, statements from different animals of the sufferings to which
they are unmercifully subjected by our common enemy, man.
"Though the class to which I belong are inhabitants of the bottom
of the sea, we are not exempted from human rapacity and cruelty ; they
have discovered methods of kidnapping us, which we have never been
able successfully to resist or escape. When they have dragged us from
our lurking-places, and separated us from our native element, salt water,
[which we greatly prefer to fresh,] we become so enervated, so languid,
that they treat us as if altogether dead, transporting us in bags, barrels,
or baskets to what they call the market, where they throw us about as
so many stones. When they heedlessly happen to put any of their
fingers between our great claws, we give them a pretty severe pinch, to
remind them we are alive ; but this never inclines them to treat us with
less cruelty.
" Our greatest sufferings are confined to the last half hour of our
lives ; but these sufferings are dreadful in the extreme. O the thousands
of our progenitors who have sufi"ered the most cruel death in taverns
and private houses ! They put a number of us into a caldron of water,
placed upon a fire. On plunging into the water, we suppose that we
have happily got back to our native sea, and begin to move about as we
can, with some degree of enjoyment ; but the water beginning to grow
hot, rather alarms us, having never experienced the sensation occasioned
by heat before. Our uneasiness increases as the water becomes heated ;
sickness and painful suffocation seize the poor lobsters ; they appear
long in the agonies of death, struggle hard to extricate themselves from
the fiery element ; their eyesight is destroyed, their tongues scorched,
their limbs rendered useless ; at length, heart and lungs playing feebly,
they are rescued from their terrible torments by death.
" Mr. Editor, similar complaints are preferred against man by other
inhabitants of the sea, viz., crabs, cockles, mussels, oysters, &c., who
are all treated with nearly the same barbarity. Many of the last men-
tioned are devoured alive in their own houses, which they call eating
from the shell. None of us having power given us to roar, howl, or
scream when we suffer, our tormentors never imagine that we feel at all.
I beg, therefore, that you will get copies of this letter put under their
plates at some of their jovial feasts, which will oblige,
" Yours, ifcc,
" A Lobster."
ENTERPRIZE.
Letter from a Game Cock.
179
" I belong to that class of animals called by the learned Oviparous,
because we are produced from eggs. The brood of chickens to which I
belonged consisted of five males and six females. My four brothers
were put to death in very early life, for no crime, but merely because
they were males. The gaudy dress with which I was fledged alone pre-
vented my destruction along with the others. From the good opinion
that was formed of me, great attention was paid to my protection and
support.
" I stood at the head of a fine family of hens, and constantly watched
over their interests. If a foreign hen intruded itself amongst them, I
beat it off directly ; if a hawk or other ravenous bird ever came near,
I sounded an alarm, till all the hens flew to me for protection. When
food was laid down to us, with manly dignity I did not partake, till the
hens had nearly picked it up ; when I set too with wonderful life and
spirit, so that I almost swallowed three grains for their one. I was
frequently put in great bodily fear by creatures called dogs, who often
carried off mouthfuls of my feathers, which they could not eat, but
immediately spit out, saying they only did it for a little sport. I had
no power to replace my lost feathers, but was obliged to wait till a fresh
crop grew up.
" My master being a wild thoughtless creature, he determined to
make me a warrior for life, not to fight against enemies, but, like Euro-
pean soldiers, to fight against cocks I had never seen or heard of before,
with whom, of course, I could have had no previous quarrel ; but, like
the soldiers, I was obliged to fight for the gain or sport of others. On
this account, what do you think they called me ? A game cock I as if I
had been a shuttlecock or a dice. I assure you it was serious sport to
me. My poor pate was many a time mangled in the most frightful
manner, and my blood sprinkled all over the floor ; yet my unmerciful
master obliged me to fight so long as I could stand upon my legs ; nay,
often when I could not stand, he obliged me to fight lying on my side,
declaring that I was noble game ; especially, when in that posture, I
tore out the tongue or an eye of my unknown opponent. When carry-
ing me home, covered with gore and blood, with the loss of an eye, he
cruelly asserted that I should be able to renew the battle in a week.
Thinking every battle would be the last, if I conquered, made me exert
all my strength and art to overcome ; but, like the weaver with his
webs, one was no sooner finished than they talked of putting me to
another, till at length I lost my last eye, and the half of my tongue.
180
HIS FIRST PHILANTHROPIC
and almost the whole of my gay feather-clothing. Being useless to him,
instead of putting me on a pension, like surviving soldiers, he is going
to put me up to morrow as a mark to shoot at, when I shall certainly
lose my life. I have no power to appeal."
Letter from a young Galloway Horse.
** When I was a young foal, I spent many a lovely summer day,
leaping and playfully dancing round my fond mother, whose pleasure at
noticing my happy sportfulness was intimated by the kindly motion of
her tail. I had no occasion to spend much time in grazing, for her
refreshing and nutritive milk was at my service as often as I pleased.
For recreation, we frequently scampered over the field together, when
she seemed delighted to observe my increasing agility. As a reward,
she would sometimes lick me all over with her maternal tongue, which
smoothed down my hairy dress, and made it shine as if anointed with
the most costly oils of the east.
" By and by my master, at the head of a band of people, came to
view me, when he made to them many flattering remarks on my beauty,
my well-formed shape, my strength, &c. Happening to take my stand
at my mother's side, two of the beholders seized me by my hanging
mane, bound my head with what they called a halter, with which, I
must confess, I felt dissatisfied, never having experienced any abridge-
ment of my liberty before. Of course I struggled hard to regain it,
but all my struggles were unavailing, and only increased the severity of
their treatment. For some weeks after this, I was daily taken to a ring,
in the centre of which stood a man, holding a long rope attached to my
head, and with a long whip obliged me to run round this ring a thousand
times a day ; the reason for which my foolish brains could not conceive.
However, I perceived that one thing led to another ; and so it was,
when my teacher and I were both tired of the ring-running business, he
gave it up ; which, though it turned out to be relief to him, it was none
to me ; for instead of leading me along as formerly, he had the impu-
dence of jumping on my back, and obliging me to carry his carcase
wherever he pleased. My pleasure was to go home to my mother, to
prevent which he almost beat my nose flat. As an apology for his con-
duct, he said he was breaking me hi, that I might become a tractable
horse, and be useful to man. This, perhaps, was all very well, but
master's future conduct cannot be vindicated.
*' A friend of my master having remarked that I should look much
ENTERPRIZE. 181
handsomer without my long ears and mane, of both which I was de-
prived immediately. The loss of my ears I greatly lamented, especially
when assailed with rain or hail showers ; for I now had nothing to ward
them oft', and prevent their lodging some of their contents in the cavity
of my ears, which teazed me greatly, till evaporated by the natural heat
of my head. My mane, also, which used to serve as a roof, to ward oft"
the rain from my neck, being gone, I felt a serious deficiency. My
master next became displeased with the length of my tail, and the
position in which I held it. I was therefore tied very tight with cords,
several joints of my tail were cut off", and large cuts across it made
higher up, into which they had the monstrous cruelty to press red-hot
irons, which occasioned the acutest agony conceivable ; after which they
bound my pained tail into the form they wished me to hold it. This
weapon, which my Maker had kindly given me for driving away teazing,
tormenting flies, was irrecoverably lost, and the suff"erings which I have
since endured from them has often made me almost distracted.
" In reference to my severe case, a humane man one day asked my
master and mistress how they should like it, were they captured by a
Turkish bashaw, and he should say, * I do not like the Scottish accent
of the man, nor the Irish brogue of the woman ; wherefore, cut out
their tongues ; they will also look better with no ears, with only one
eye, one lip, one tooth, one arm, and one leg each ; wherefore, doctor,
cut away, and make them complete Turkish beauties !' I see you are
shocked, but you have been acting from the same principle towards your
poor dumb horse."
Letter from a Welsh Sheep.
** It is universally allowed that no animal is more useful to man than
we are, furnishing him with excellent food and excellent clothing. No
animals in the world have maintained a higher character for harmless,
inoffensive conduct than we have done ; for though there have been at
least six times the number of our generations that there has been of
mankind, yet the character of all remains unimpeached, from the days of
Adam down to the present period. Indeed, for men to resemble us is a
high recommendation ; for, in commending some amiable character, they
will say — * he is as quiet, or harmless, or inoffensive as a lamb.' From
enemies we flee, but never fight them, nor ever attempt to frighten
them, either by sound of voice or attitude of body. Hundreds of us will
flee before the smallest dog, though any one of us could crush him to
182 HIS FIRST PHILANTHROPIC
death by our very weight, did we feel disposed : but we wish to get
through the world without contention with even the most insignificant
creature.
" Notwithstanding these and many other good qualities, many of us are
treated in the most scandalous and cruel manner. The greater part of
our lives, we live as retired as hermits, feeding quietly on mountains or
commons, attended only by one solitary shepherd and his dog. He em-
ploys most of his time in reading his book, or sauntering about, having
little trouble from us, unless there happens to be one in our flock who
always aspires at being foremost, and who by pressing too hastily for-
ward; soon leads us into pasture which does not belong to our master ;
but even then, he has only to send his dog to give the signal, when we
instantly hasten back to our appointed pasture.
" In severe winters, when the ground is deeply covered with snow,
our sufferings are peculiarly trying : night and day are we exposed to the
piercing cold, to the wintry blast, and must dig through the snow with
our stalffy feet, for every morsel of food we enjoy.
*' On reaching a certain age, our great troubles commence : we are
permitted no more to enjoy our mountain retirement, nor to be under
the watchful care of our friendly shepherd. We are consigned to cruel
strangers, who furiously drive us to some distant slaughter-city. Some
must be Jiindmost in the flock, and these are subjected to the severest
strokes with ponderous bludgeons, which either break, dislocate, or
greatly injure every leg they strike ; s. tones are thrown with great vio-
lence against the heads of those who are foremost, to push them forward,
by which many are stunned and sadly bruised. Such as are completely
disabled from proceeding, by this savage treatment, have either their
throats cut, or legs tied, and thrown heedlessly into a cart. The dogs
also are trained to go silently amongst us, and pierce our legs with
their powerful tusks, to force us faster forward than we, who never tra-
velled before, are capable of going. By the time we reach our market,
we appear extremely miserable, especially in winter, and worn out with
our fatigue and cruel sufferings. We are next handed over to a butcher,
in order to be slain for food to the citizens, to which we never object,
being appointed for that end ; but we complain of being so horribly
treated on our way thither."
He was a minute, but tender obsei-ver of the habits
of insects also, both in his study and garden, as the fol-
lowing note will show.
" Looking into an old folio volume, my attention was immediately
ENTERPRIZE. 183
drawn to a very small species of spider, which seemed to be under great
alarm, from the volume having been suddenly opened at the place where
it had taken up its residence, and had remained, till now, in undisturbed
possession of it. The colour of the body was dark brown, and the legs
yellow. On applying the magnifying-glass to it, the body appeared
shorter than the eighth part of an inch.
"The swiftness of its motion particularly attracted my attention. I
concluded that it moved over a space a thousand times its own length in
less than a minute, which exceeds the power of the fleetest horse, viz.
to gallop as many times its own length in the same space of time. Also,
from experiments I made, I found it had not only quick eye-sight, but
possessed a mind capable, quickly, to perceive danger, and how to get
out of its way.
** I could not but admire the power of God in the construction of such
a creature, and to admire that power still more, when I reflected on the
siill more extreme smallness of the animalculse in stagnated water,
which are almost as much inferior to it, in point of bulk, as that spider
is to an elephant. Meditating on such marvellous productions of the
Most High God, so infinitely beyond the power of man to produce, the
mind is lost in wonder and surprise. The most powerful, acutest, and
holiest mind will eternally be unable fully to find out God, or perfectly
to comprehend him !
" The alarmed spider soon found out what appeared to it a safe refuge,
and seemed to enter it with considerable satisfaction. All its movements
to and fro were made in perfect stillness, having no powers either with
feet or tongue, to produce sound sufficient to reach the ear of man. Its
very silence produced sympathy for it in my mind, so that I felt no in-
clination either to molest or shorten its days, but rather felt for the tre-
mor I had excited in it by disturbing its repose."
CHAPTER VIIL
HIS FIRST LITERARY PURSUITS AND ASSOCIATES.
Although Mr. Campbell was never a literary man, in
the sense of being either a great reader, or an investi-
gator of theology,— for he was too active and practical
to bury himself long in courses of study, yet he was
both well informed, and fond to enthusiasm of his own
*' line of things," as a writer. His was emphatically a
literary life, although chiefly for the young ; and but
very few great writers have created so many readers as
he did. Indeed, he created not a few distinguished
writers also : for the pages of his " Youth's Maga-
zine" contain the first Papers of some of our eminent
men, and will yet be searched for the germs of their
fame. This is an interesting fact, but it is trifling com-
pared with his influence in awakening a thirst and taste
amongst children for instructive reading. His "Worlds
Displayed," first displayed both what could and ought
to be done for the young mind, and what injury had
been done to it by the rubbish of idle ** story books."
He then created the era of juvenile religious literature
in Scotland, and was one of its fathers in England.
There may now be better httle books for children than
his — although that is doubtful even now that they are
countless, — but it must never be forgotten that his were
*' the morning stars" of the galaxy which now shine
and sing together over the nursery and the school. In
FIRST LITERARY PURSUITS. 185
claiming this honour for John Campbell, I do not for-
get (how could I ?) that John Bunyan was the first who
tried the experiment, and that too with quite as keen a
sense of its real nature as of its urgent necessity. But
Bunyan, unfortunately, tried to win the attention of
"girls and boys" by poetry, and thus failed; for al-
though '* instinct'' with poetic fire, he had no ear for
music ; and thus no command over numbers. He can,
therefore, hardly be said to have set an example by his
" Spiritual Emblems." To Mr. Campbell he certainly
did not; for the book was unknown to him when he felt
the necessity of something shorter and plainer than
" Janeway's Token for Children." Indeed, the late Miss
Jane Taylor is the only writer for the young, who re-
minds us at all of Bunyan's Emblems. But the time
will come, when it will be named with national plea-
sure, that it was "in the heart" of the Author of " Pil-
grim's Progress," to make all children such as the sons
and daughters of " Christiana."
It will now be remembered with pleasure, that Mr.
Campbell, whilst only a boy, was his brother's amanii-
ensiSf whilst Colin translated some of the Fathers. Cy-
prian seems to have interested him most at this time,
which may account for his early admiration of Hervey's
" Theron and Aspasio :" for, although Cyprian's Trea-
tise upon " The Grace of God," be as unlike Hervey's
as possible — indeed, there is not a vestige of " the true
Grace of God" in the Martyr's treatise — yet both the
scenery and the style are so similar, that Hervey him-
self seems to have taken the hint from it, as to the form
of the dialogue. Happily for Mr. Campbell, however,
Dr. Erskine kept him from imitating the style of either,
and Mr. Newton cured him of admiring it, whilst his
186 FIRST LITERARY PURSUITS
Bible saved him from drinking in any of the pernicious
nonsense of Cyprian — African martyr although he was.
His own account of the origin of the " Worlds Dis-
played" will now be read with interest, and will remind
many of their ** iirst love" for religious books. It should
be remembered, however, that although he began the
book for the sake of his cousin, Mary Campbell, he had
long felt the want of something to interest children.
He had nothing to put into their hands, adapted to their
taste or capacity, after addressing them in the Sabbath-
schools. Little Mary was then just the representative
of all young groups he had been teaching for some years.
It is, therefore, to Sabbath-schools that the church is
indebted for the discovery of the necessity and import-
ance of a religious juvenile library.
He says, " The only religious book for children I
ever saw when a boy, was Janeway's Token for Chil-
dren, published about a hundred years before : contain-
ing some sayings of very young children when they were
dying. I had a young cousin committed to my care ;
she was about nine or ten years of age, and I was anxious
to have her attention directed to the truths of God. I
put Janeway into her hands, which she read. She told
me afterwards that the impression of it left upon her
mind was, that it made her afraid she should become
good ; for she thought, from it, that all good children
died. I then fell in with a very pious address to children,
of eighteen pages of small print, without one break in
it. Though it was very serious and pious, I feared
children would not have patience to read it. However,
I was determined to make a fair experiment upon Mary
Campbell. One day, after dinner, I laid down my desk
upon the table to write a letter, and desired her to sit
AND ASSOCIATES. 187
forward to the table, and I should give her a nice book,
published entirely for the sake of young people like
herself. She took it into her hand with great pleasure,
and began to read it with avidity. When she had turned
over the second leaf, I saw she was surprised that there
was not the end of a chapter in sight. She then turned
the third leaf, evidently to see if there was an end there.
On observing this, I said, * Go on, Mary, it's very good.'
After a little I saw her slily turn over the fourth leaf,
and seeing no end of a chapter, she raised up her arms
above her head, saying, ^ Am I obliged to read all this
at one sitting ?' I said, * No, Mary, you may go to
play.' She ran like a prisoner set free from bondage.
I was satisfied that long addresses would be of no use to
children, for God has evidently studied the taste of his
creature in the Revelation he has given unto them ; for
almost the whole of it is given in the form of narrative,
here a little instruction of one kind, and there a little
of another, mixed up with the narrative. I therefore
resolved to endeavour to convey to her young mind
gospel truths, by mixing them up with short narrative.
I was encouraged to attempt this plan by an occurrence
which had taken place a few months before. A family
with which I was very intimate, had one of their sons
who had resolved to emigrate to America, merely be-
cause he admired it as a land of liberty ; which gave
them much uneasiness. One day, when dining with the
family, the parents told me the foolish resolution of
their son John to leave his father's house for America,
and asked me w^hat I thought of it. Turning to John,
I said, I should give him his history, which I did off-
hand at some length, — speaking of his going on board
of ship — taking his last look of Scotland — sea-sickness —
188 FIRST LITERARY PURSUITS
none to feel for him — landing at New York' — no open-
ing for him there — moving up the country — his money
failing him — glad to assist in mending the roads — and
afterwards in the back settlements felling trees — then
his village attacked by the savage Indians, and he among
the rest murdered and scalped — and no more of poor
John ! The parents told me afterwards that John had
never once spoken of his going out to America after my
description of his expedition. One who was of his
sentiments of discontent about the British constitution,
who went out at the time to America, returned about
two years after, and was very silent both with respect
to America and the British Constitution. To get for-
ward, people must be industrious in America as well as
in Britain ; for money is not to be found strewed over
the land in either country.
"On Mary going out to play, I commenced writing
the first life in * Worlds Displayed,' without the most
distant idea of its ever appearing in print, and finished
it that evening. Next day after dinner I desired Mary
to stop, for I had something for her to read ; on which
I put this life into her hand, and commenced writing at
my desk, but, unknown to her, watching her conduct.
She read to the end without once looking off the paper,
and when done asked me, if I had any more ? * No,'
said I, * that is enough for one reading ; but if you
behave well, you shall have such another to-morrow
after dinner.' She asked for it next day, when I had
the second life ready. We went on this way for some
time, till at length I felt like a cask that once had been
full, but now emptied of all its contents ; when I told
her she must begin now and read them all over again.
What gave rise to the publishing them I cannot now
AND ASSOCIATES. 189
recollect ; perhaps it was her showing them to some of
her acquaintance. However that was, an edition of
1500 was printed as a little volume, which, in boards,
was sold at eightpence ; and so hungry were parents
and others for something of a religious cast to pre-
sent unto their children, that the whole edition went
off in a very short time. I suppose such publica-
tions were equally scarce in America, for in about a
year after * Worlds Displayed ' was published in Edin-
burgh, the venerable Dr. John Erskine, minister of Old
Greyfriars parish, called and read me a letter that he
had received from an old minister in Massachusetts,
stating that my 'Worlds Displayed ' had come out there,
and a large edition had been published, and requesting
Dr. Erskine to inform the author for his encouragement.
Also a very short time after its publication in Edinburgh,
1 received a letter from a bookseller in London wishino:
permission to print an edition of it there. I did not
know till about ten years after, how it was so early no-
ticed there ; when I was invited to dine with Dr. Adam
Clarke in a friend's house in London, who told me that
he was the first introducer of the * Worlds Displayed ' to
London. Though I have published many volumes since
that time, I have heard of more beneficial effects pro-
duced by that little Tom Thumb volume than by all the
others put together. About twenty-five years ago I
had eight gospel ministers, and more than that of minis-
ters' wives upon my list, who told me that their first
serious impressions about religion arose from reading
that book, and many more have told me the same tale
since that time. How many editions it has gone through
in Britain and America, I cannot tell, but the number
must be considerable.
190 FIRST LITERARY PURSUITS
" My cousin Mary Campbell, for whose sake entirely
the book was written, when grown up to be a young
woman, was moral and amiable in the family, and one of
the first things I had to attend to after my first return
from Africa, was to get her shipped off to the East In-
dies to be married to the late Dr. George Meikle, then
of Hydrabad, eldest son of Dr. Meikle, of Carnwath,
N. B., whose works are general^ known, especially that
one, * Solitude Sweetened ;' all written on board of
men of war ! and none published during his life, but all
after his death. They were selected from his papers and
edited by the Rev. Dr. Peddie, of Edinburgh. The
Indiaman in which she sailed, though bound for Madras,
had orders to pass it and first touch at Calcutta. There
she was kindly invited by Judge Harrington (whom I
had formerly known at the Cape of Good Hope) to lodge
at his house, where she remained most comfortably for
upwards of two months. Dr. Meikle observing her name
in the newspapers, in the list of arrivals at Calcutta, wrote
to her, in which he promised to be at Madras to meet her
by the time the ship arrived there ; which he was, for
the vessel had no sooner cast anchor, than she got a
note from her intended husband, that he was on deck
and would visit her when she sent for him ; and no
doubt the interview was a tender one on both sides, for
they were much attached to each other before as well as
after marriage. They "were married at Madras, and
travelled up to Hydrabad, a journey of three or four
weeks of Indian travelling, which is slow, being carried
in palanquins, not by horses or elephants, but human
bearers. In a few years she had a liver attack from
which she never recovered. Hearing that I was about
paying a second visit to the Cape of Good Hope, they
AND ASSOCIATES. 191
left Hydrabad on account of Mr. Meikle's health, re-
solving, if the Madras air was not beneficial, to go on to
the Cape of Good Hope, where they expected to meet
me. I got a letter from them to that effect a short time
after my arrival ; but God had appointed that I should
see her face no more ; for about half way on the journey
to Madras, they halted at one of the empty houses built
at the side of the road for the accommodation of travel-
lers, where she got worse and died, and where a tomb
was afterwards erected to her memory by her bereaved
husband. To me it was a great disappointment, though
I humbly submitted to it as an act of the sovereign will
of Him in whose cause I was embarked." The letters
of this lady, from India, to Mr. Campbell, are full of
gratitude and affection.
" I have written so minutely the history of the * Worlds
Displayed,' that you might see what a change has taken
place in your country in reference to publications for
youth. Now, the press is a most prolific producer of
something new for them almost every day ; enough to
bewilder our young friends." There is some truth in
this last remark, and yet it is almost amusing in Mr.
Campbell's lips ; for he not only led on the press for
" our young folks," but always had his pockets full of
little books for distribution wherever he met with chil-
dren. The exclamation, " Now we shall have some
more nice little books ; for here is Mr. Campbell at
the door !" is well remembered throughout all the circle
of his calls. It was often heard too in the streets and
lanes around this neighbourhood, from the children at
play. He was not, however, an indiscriminate or lavish
distributor anywhere ; but required some account of the
contents as well as the names of what he had last given
192 FIRST LITERARY PURSUITS
to his greedy groups, whether within doors or without.
Our children laid their account with this.
It is not necessary to remind the reader of " Worlds
Displayed," of " Peter Patience," or " Fanny Faithful,"
or " David Pride," or " The History of a Bible," or of
"Visits to Souls in Prison."
The only religious Review then (1800) in Scotland
said of the book, " The originality of invention which
it displays, is highly gratifying. The narratives are
perfectly natural. A savour of unaffected piety per-
vades the whole. These are qualifications vastly superior
to the most elegant diction, or the finest address. To
write of what is going on in Heaven is, it must be con-
fessed, a subject extremely delicate. So far as we have
observed, however, our author is fully supported in all
he advanced, by the Scriptures." This, no doubt, was
written by the author's friend, the Rev. Greville Ewing,
A.M., the editor of the Journal : but that is good proof
of its truth, and forty years have verified his judgment.
A new edition has lately been published in London, by
Ward and Co.
Mr. Campbell had written many papers for the
Magazines, before he published this little work ; and
perhaps some tracts also. He had also published at his
own expense, for distribution, various hymns of Mr.
New^ton's. The chief thing he contemplated at first,
however, was a religious Magazine for Scotland. His
own account of this project (which follows) hardly
does justice to himself. He forgot, in his old age, that it
would have been easier to be the editor of a Missionary
Magazine, than to write so many letters on Missionary
affairs as he did, all over Scotland.
'* I remember in those missionary days regretting that
AND ASSOCIATES. 193
we had not one religious magazine in Scotland ; and
mentioned the circumstance to some friends, as they
came in my way, who regretted the same also. Among
others, I mentioned it to the late Mr. Archibald Bonar,
parish minister of Crammond, who stated a humbling
fact, that such a magazine had been tried in Edinburgh
about twenty years before, chiefly by the clergy, who
agreed to furnish a certain number of papers by rota-
tion. When they did send papers, they were only pieces
cut out of their sermons, and were very heavy and dull
reading. The press was sometimes also kept standing
still for more matter ; likewise there was nothing parti-
cularly interesting going on in the religious world ; con-
sequently that magazine died at the third number. But
this statement did not even damp my zeal for attaining
the object. A Mr. Pillans, a printer, whom I knew as
a worthy character, called upon me, and urged me at
least to try it, and their house would print it on the
most moderate terms, and take a considerable share of
the risk. I remember that he almost convinced me that
I had as many excellent papers at home, as would sup-
ply good matter for several numbers ; but he only spoke
from hearsay, not inspection. However, a regular
agreement was drawn up and signed, for the monthly
publication of a magazine, to be called the ' Missionary
Magazine,' of which I was to be editor ! — for which I
was as unfit as to command a first-rate man-of-war. I
speak now, from knowledge of what I then was.
" The news of this transaction soon spread over the
city ; but in a few days I was happily released from my
vast and hazardous undertaking. One morning I was
called upon by the Rev. Greville Ewing, then one of
the ministers of Lady Glenorchy's Chapel, and the late
194 FIRST LITERARY PURSUITS
Dr. Charles Stuart, physician in Edinburgh, who in-
quired if it was true that I was on the eve of publishing
a religious magazine in Edinburgh ; of course I ac-
knowledged it was true. They said then, that they in-
tended to publish such a work, of which Mr. Ewing
was to be editor, and thought it justice to me that I
should be aware of their intention. — With most un-
feigned cheerfulness I surrendered up my short-lived
office into the hands of Mr. Ewing, who immediately
afterwards entered into an engagement with the same
printers, I think, that I had engaged with. Prospec-
tuses were soon printed and circulated, and thousands
of subscribers from all parts of Scotland obtained, so
that the Christians, in town and country, showed that
they were hungering for such a work, and when it
issued from the press it excited universal attention.
" Though this be a tale of more than forty years ago,
I have no doubt but Mr. Ewing, of Glasgow, who is
still alive, will remember the facts which I have stated.
At that time he was the fittest man in Scotland for the
undertaking, not only from his talents, but also from
his official situation, being secretary to the Edinburgh
Missionary Society, which had lately been formed. I
have always forgotten to ask him, when in his company,
if he ever thought of beginning such a magazine till he
heard of my editorship."
Although he thus resigned the editorship, he gave the
magazine the full benefit of his best services and influ-
ence, and obtained contributions for it from some of his
English friends. He induced Mr. Fuller especially to
support it, because it advocated equally the Baptist and
London Missionary Societies. One letter of Mr.
Fuller's, Mr. Campbell preserved ; and as it seems
AND ASSOCIATES. 195
never to have been published, and as the maxim in
which it originated was a rule with both in travelling,
it will be read with interest, and may spread its own
spirit.
*' Inleham, Cambridge, Sept. 7, 1796.
** Dear Sir, — I am now on a journey of a fortnight. Just before
setting out, I received your kind letter, enclosing a £5 bill from a lady
unknown, for which we (the Baptist Missionary Society) are obliged to
you and the lady. Your observations, with which you fill up your
letter, are very agreeable to me and to others, to whom I have read the
letter. As good Mrs. Hamilton observes, my hands are full of employ-
ment ; and what to write, that would be suitable for the Mission Maga-
zine, I hardly know. If the following would be acceptable, it is at Mr.
Ewing's service. It contains an experiment, among many others of the
kind which I have made, of endeavouring to disseminate the knowledge
of God in our own country. While we are sending missionaries abroad,
it has seemed to me desirable that every one of us should labour to act
as missionaries at home.
" Mr. Editor, — Much has been said and done of late on missions to
the heathen, and I doubt not but to a good purpose. It is one strong
recommendation in their favour that the more we engage in them, the
more we feel ourselves inclined to labour for the good of our country-
men at home. Having been pretty much employed of late myself in the
one, I may say from experience, it has led me more than in any former
period of my life to be concerned for the other. It has put me upon
thinking of the different ways in which we might be useful to our fellow-
sinners around us ; not only by public preaching, but by occasional
hints and observations, as we may be sitting in the house, or walking by
the way. It has seemed to me desirable that every Christian should con-
sider himself as in some sense a missionary. Occupied with these sen-
timents, I lately resolved to make some experiments upon strangers
whom I might meet with on my journeys. I will relate an example,
which may not be altogether useless to your readers, as it may afford a
specimen of what may be done in such a way.
" Being in a stage-coach with several other persons, and having to
travel together about an hundred and twenty miles, I felt a desire to
find out my company. For this purpose I hummed over, as it were to
myself, a psalm tune ; but finding no one whose eyes or attention
seemed to answer to the music, I resolved to introduce something in
196 FIRST LITERARY PURSUITS
another mode. A lady, of about forty years of age, seemed to be the
most intelligent person in the company ; to her, therefore, I determined
to address myself. She said she had resided at Bath, and, I think, at
Bristol. I inquired several things concerning those places. At length
she expressed her great disapprobation of the WhUJieldites, as she
called them ; observing that their rehgion either led people to licen-
tiousness or despondency, and often to suicide. ' Does it, madam ?' said
I : ' I cannot say that I am much acquainted with many of those people ;
but all that I know amongst them has never warranted any such con-
clusion. Do you know many examples of these things ?' ' No, I cannot
say that I know much about them myself ; but I have often heard such
things said of them.' ' We should have good ground, madam, for fixing
a charge upon any body of people, even though we might know of indi-
vidual bad characters amongst them : I cannot think we should rely
upon mere hearsay.' She pleaded ' that their religious sentiments led
to these things.' She thought ' if more attention was paid to morality,
and less to some other things, it would be much better.' * But, fiaadam,
what do you call morality ?' ' Why, that we pay every one his own, be
good neighbours, and the like.' ' But does not morality consist in loving
God as well as our neighbour ?' * Oh, yes, to be sure ; but there is such
a thing as being righteous over-much.' * And is there no such thing as
being righteous over-little ?' ' No doubt, but the wise man recommends
a medium.' * The wise man, I apprehend, madam, speaks there by
way of irony, q.d. : If you wish to cut a figure in the world, you must
not have too tender a conscience, nor yet too much sterling wisdom :
only beware of gross wickedness, and egregious folly, and the world will
applaud you. That which you call a medium, is the very object which
the wise man meant to satirize: fjr when he puts off his irony, and
speaks seriously, he says, He that feareih God shall come forth of them
all. You acknowledge, madam, that we may have too little religion, as
well as too much ?' • Yes, to be sure.' * Indeed, madam, the concerns
of another world are of so great importance, that nothing in this world
is to be compared with them. If there be a God, a heaven, and a hell,
it becomes us, I think, to be in real earnest in such matters.' ' Very
true, sir, very true.' * I have before told you, madam, that I am not a
Whitfieldite ; but in those things which you seem to object against
people of that denomination, I acknowledge I approve of them. The
principles which you suppose must lead either to licentiousness or de-
spondency, I have imbibed for many years ; and, without boasting, I
can say they have had neither of these effects upon me.' * It may be so,
sir.' ' With your leave, madam, I will tell you a little of the history of
AND ASSOCIATES. 197
my life,' ' If you please, sir.' * From my earliest youth I was educatei
ia what you would call morality, and seem to think sufficient to recom-
mend us to the favour of God : but I am now fully convinced that if I
had died in that condition, my soul had been lost for ever. Notwith-
standing that, my outward conduct, allowing for a few of the follies of
youth, was what is called decent, yet I cannot but recollect that my
heart was estranged from God. I did not love him. I did not know
him. I lived without prayer. I abstained from no sin through fear of
offending or dishonouring him, but merely to avoid disgrace, or some-
thing of the kind. My heart rose against every thing truly religious.
I could have wished there had been no God, no hereafter ; as the
thoughts of such things always threw a damp upon my enjoyments.
'* * At times I used to be seized with strong convictions, and was con-
vinced that I was in the road to perdition. Sometimes I have been so
impressed with the fear of being lost for ever, as to weep bitterly on
account of it. For hours together I have gone walking about alone, and
pouring forth floods of tears. But as soon as these impressions were
worn off, I returned to my former careless course of life, passing away
my days without hope, and without God in the world.
*' * At length, when I was nearly sixteen years of age, I began to take
greater liberties in sin, and to form connexions which, if God had not
interposed by his great mercy, v/ould have proved my eternal overthrow.
As I knew better than I acted, I used to make solemn vows against par-
ticular evils ; but they scarcely ever proved of any use : when oppor-
tunities offered, and temptations ever presented, I was generally carried
away.
*' * It was then, madam, that my life was miserable. My conscience
and inclination were at perpetual war. There were times in which my
spirit was so dejected, that I could enjoy none of the pleasures of life.
It was not on account of religion, however, that I felt this despondency,
but for the contrary.
" ' One evening, as I was walking alone, I felt inexpressible anguish in
thinking of my situation. I perceived that I was under the curse of
God ; and what was worse, if worse could be, I perceived that if God
would forgive me all my past sins, and I might have the offer of eternal
life on condition of forsaking them in future, such was my invincible
propensity to evil, that I should, notwithstanding all, be lost. In this
state of mind I continued for a while, pausing and thinking, what shall
I do ? And indeed I knew not what to do, nor to what refuge to betake
me. Sometimes I thought I would even go on, and abide the conse-
quence : then my heart would fail me, on account of the fearfulness of
everlasting wrath. Besides, there were times in which I had enter-
198 FIRST LITERARY PURSUITS
tained a little hope ; and what, thought I, shall I now give up heaven,
and hope, and all for lost ? And now my spirit began to relent, and to
cleave, as it were, to Christ and heaven. But then the difficulty re-
turned, Is there any hope for me ? While this question hung in my
mind, I thought of the words of Job, Though he slay me, yet will I
trust in him. I now began to weep, and pray — to pray, for Christ's
sake, that the Lord would show mercy to me, a poor miserable sinner,
that had no help in himself, nor hope from any other quarter. As I
was thus weeping and praying, my hope was strengthened from a view
of the great love of God, and the all-sufficiency of the blood of Christ
to cleanse the foulest sinner : and the more I saw of the fitness and all-
sufficiency of Christ, the more I wept, and abhorred myself, as it were,
in dust and ashes. This frame of mind continued some hours, during
which time I committed my soul to Christ to save me, and to sanctify
me, over and over, and over again.
" ' You may think, madam, that this was enthusiasm ; but I assure you
I consider it as perfectly rational ; and no more, nor so much, as every
oce would feel were he not hardened in insensibility. This exercise of
mind terminated in a calm serenity, such as I had never felt before ;
and such an abhorrence of every evil way as 1 had never before expe-
rienced. All my vows and oppositions to sin before this were not the
expressions of my heart, but merely of my conscience at war with my
heart ; but now I loved God, and hated evil. From this time I broke
off all my wicked company and pursuits, and devoted myself to the
service of God ; and I assure you, madam, that mine has been, upon
the whole, a happy life. I would not change lives, even if there were
no hereafter, with the wealthiest profligate in the land. It is now more
than twenty-six years ago ; and I bless God on every remembrance of
it, and should be glad to communicate my pleasures to every person I
meet with.
" * I have told you, madam, of only one period of my life : I could
have added many more ; for I have found wisdom's ways to be the ways
of pleasantness, and all her paths peace, but I would not wish to be
tedious.' The lady made no reply, and the conversation dropped for the
rest of the journey.
" If, dear sir, Mr. Ewing thinks the above worthy of a place in his
magazine, it is at his service ; and if not, he will give me no offence.
He will consider that, being written on a journey, at different times, and
with indifferent pens and ink, it is very imperfect. Remember me
affectionately to him, Dr. Stuart, Mrs. Hamilton, &c.
*• I am, dear sir, affectionately yours,
"A. Fuller."
AND ASSOCIATES. 199
One of his own papers, intended for the magazine
which he liimself contemplated, is like himself; and
as he preserved it as a specimen of one of his modes of
arresting attention, it deserves a place in this chapter.
*' LETTER TO THE PRINCIPAL INHABITANT OF ANOTHER WORLD ; CON-
TAINING A HISTORY OF OUR WORLD, FROM ITS CREATION TO ITS
FINAL DESTRUCTION.
** There are few persons, who have considered the subject, who doubt
the existence of a plurality of worlds in the universe of God. The
planets which revolve round our sun are all supposed by philosophers to
be worlds, and all inhabited by beings who require light for accomplish-
ing the purposes of life. We have no information respecting the con-
dition of these beings, and, it may be, they have none respecting ours.
Were God to permit the different worlds to corre.s])ond with each other,
and likewise enable them to effect it, by creating or appointing messen-
gers capable of travelling from one to another, I should certainly send
an epistle similar to the following : —
** To the principal inhabitant of the planet Jupiter, respecting the
condition of man.
*' My UNKNOWN Friend, — Although, by the wise arrangement of
Providence, you and I are inhabitants of different worlds, yet, being
created and supported by the same God, we are brethren, and ought to
feel interested in the welfare of each other. Believing that God has
created no world, without affording a revelation of himself to the intel-
ligent part of that world, I am persuaded that you have the knowledge
of his glory amongst you ; and I hope you continue iu a state of perfect
holiness and happiness, though, with deep regret, I must say it has been
far otherwise with the inhabitants of this globe, which we call the
Earth.
** If you will observe distinctly from your planet the motion of ours,
you will perceive how loog it takes to revolve round its axis. Each of
these revolutions we call a day ; and three hundred and sixty-five of
these we call a year. By this remark you will understand what I mean
by days and years.
*' About six thousand years ago, our world was created from nothing,
by God, in the space of six days ; at which time one of our species was
also created, and placed upon it as deputy-lord of all. He had Jeho-
vah's will written upon his heart, and he found it his highest felicity to
200 FIRST LITERARY PURSUITS
be obedient to it. God only probibited bim from partaking of one
tbing be bad created ; all tbe rest were at bis service. He tbreatened
to inflict singular punisbment upon bim and bis posterity in case of dis-
obedience ; tbus tbe continuation of bis bappy life depended upon bis
conformity to tbe Creator's will, and tbe introduction of misery on
deviating from tbat will. Adam [wbicb was tbe name of tbe first of
our race] consented to tbis will of God bis Maker ; at least, be made
no objection to it. However, by tbe subtle insinuations of a foul, fallen,
rebellious spirit, [known to us by tbe name Devil,] be most wantonly
and criminally transgressed tbe commandment of bis gracious, boly, and
rigbteous Creator. By tbis act of disobedience be lost tbe boly image
of God, and all bis bappiness, and became subject to tbe curse of God
during his life bere ; and afterwards, in consequence of tbat curse, to
be remitted to a place of everlasting punisbment, in some part of tbe
dominions of God, wbicb at present is unknown to us.
'* As Adam, in tbis matter, acted not only for himself, but also for all
who should descend from bim, be involved himself and bis innumerable
descendants in dreadful ruin and misery. Indeed, no sooner do bis
posterity come into tbe world, and acquire power to discover what is in
them, than they manifest dislike to all tbat is good, and violent attach-
ment to all tbat is evil. Perhaps you will expect to hear tbat Adam,
when he reflected on what he had done, and what he lost by it, fell
down prostrate before God, imploring bis mercy and forgiveness. But
ah 1 tbe opposite was bis conduct, for he first attempted to flee from
tbe presence of bis offended Maker ; but, finding flight and concealment
impossible, be endeavoured to vindicate himself, and to throw the blame
upon God.
" You can only expect now to be informed of unmingled wrath and
vengeance having pursued Adam and his sons in all their generations ;
but what joy will it give you to bear tbe wondrous tale, that tbe pro-
cedure of God has been vastly different, and his gracious designs to
men brought about in a way tbat will astonish for ever all the holy, in-
telligent creation of God ! Tbe great Lord himself became a man like
ourselves, took upon bim our guilt, and actually died in tbe most painful
and ignominious manner to make atonement for our sins. He remained
in a state of death for a time, rose upon tbe third day, and forty days
afterwards ascended into tbe heavens, to reign for ever at tbe bead of
bis redeemed people.
" I am persuaded you will be desirous to know what effect this most
marvellous display of disinterested benevolence has bad upon our race,
and will certainly expect to hear that every soul, on receiving the bappy
AND ASSOCIATES. ^01
information concerning the love, grace, and compassion of God, would
bless and praise him with unceasing rapture ; and with the utmost grief
repent of all their offences, and look with great desire towards the
period when they shall join the assemblage of their fellow men, around
the royal throne of their glorified Redeemer ; which exalted honour is
promised to all them who believe the joyful tidings concerning salvation
by the Son of God. The reverse has almost universally taken place.
When this great salvation was first published by twelve ambassadors
from the Saviour, who had beheld his glory, as the only-begotten of the
Father, full of grace and truth, and had associated with him before and
after his resurrection ; their testimony, though confirmed by miracles
which were wrought by the power of God, met with various receptions
in different parts of our world. Most of the hearers would not believe
it, but retired with disgust, and continued their rebellion against God.
This iniquitous conduct arose from their rooted enmity to God, their
pride, and their amazing attachment to sin. Others treated the Saviour's
message with the utmost indifference ; they cared not w^hether their sins
were forgiven them or not, whether they should be miserable or happy
in a state to come, if they could only gratify their sinful inclinations
during the few years they were to continue on the earth, which seldom
exceeds seventy years. Others maltreated the messengers ; so much so,
that almost every one of them suffered a violent death, and from those
very persons whose happiness they were seeking to promote.
" I dare say you are disposed to hope that this delirium soon died
away, and that mankind soon began to think and act very differently.
Far otherwise has been the case ; for the majority of every succeeding
generation have treated the publication of the love and mercy of a gra-
cious God much in the same manner. They are unwilling to receive
pardon, and eternal life in heaven, as free, unmerited favours from God.
They will not give up with their sinful ways ; they hate the servants of
God for their holiness, and God's laws for the same reason, being
naturally averse to every thing godly. It is true, the original tempter
and deceiver continues in our world, abetting the rebellion, by endear
vouring to blind their minds with the pleasures of sin, the vanities and
allurements of life, lest the light of the glorious gospel of the blessed
God should shine into their hearts : and what is strange, they love to
have it so ; they love to be deceived, and are actually afraid to come to
the light, lest their evil deeds should be discovered. This is a degree of
depravity perhaps perfectly unknown to you, but it is quite familiar to
u* in this wretched world.
" One thing that would greatly astonish you, were you here, would
K 3
202
FIRST LITERARY PURSUITS
be, to see men who know neither the day nor the hour when they may
be called away by God to answer for their conduct ; to see them, I say,
as thoughtless about their eternal interests ; as indifferent to the calls
and threatenings of God, as if certain that there is to be no end to their
merriment. Yet thousands of these know they are doing wrong, and
dread the punishment that awaits them ; but so great is their depravity,
they will not relinquish sin, nor submit to be saved by the righteousness
of the Son of God.
" After this melancholy, though faithful picture of our rebellious race,
it is with pleasure I inform you we have not been all alike. In every
age, a considerable number of men have believed in the Son of God,
and have greatly rejoiced in the faith, that what he did and suffered
while he continued in our world satisfied for their sins. In him they
place implicit confidence, and ask from him his Spirit to renew their
souls day by day. He graciously hears their prayers ; he enables them
to desire and delight in holiness. These, as you no doubt suppose, are
separated from the rebellious part of mankind ; and feel that the
wicked, inconsiderate conduct of the rebellious greatly grieves them.
Your supposition is right. The righteous often pity the rebellious, and
intercede with God in their behalf, that by his special and powerful
grace he would convince them of the error of their ways, of their indis-
pensable need of a Saviour, and of the truth of his mercy in having
provided one, so suited to their circumstances, so able and ready to
deliver them from all their miseries. But though they deeply feel for
the misery of their perishing brethren, and use many means for their
conversion to God, yet these consider and treat them as their greatest
enemies, and charge them with being criminal, intruding disturbers of
their peace.
" You will be still more astonished at the obdurate hardness and
stubbornness of these men, when I present you with a few of the faith-
ful declarations of God to them by his inspired messengers : —
" 'There is no peace (says God) unto the wicked; — he assures them
they are in a state of death and condemnation, without God, and with-
out hope in the world ; that he shall assuredly bring them to death, and
to judgment; that he will rain upon the wicked, snares, fire and brim-
stone, an horrible tempest. As for those mine enemies (says he) who
would not have me to reign over them, bring them hither, and slay them
before my face.'
" His revelation likewise abounds with sayings full of grace and mercy
to sinners. He calls to all ends of the earth to hear his voice, to come
to him that they may be saved. He assures them that it is a faithful
AND ASSOCIATES. 233
saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Jesus Christ came into the
world to save sinners, even the chief; — that God so loved the world as
to give his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in hiin should
not perish, but have everlasting life ; — that it is in vain to look any
where else for relief, but to his Son Jesus, for there is salvation in none
other.
*' Are you not greatly surprised that the terrific truths I have stated
from the word of God do not deter all men from committing any sin,
and that the gracious truths do not universally allure and constrain men
to love and obey the God of heaven ? But neither the former nor the
latter, nor both together, effect the object of their publication in a
single instance, unless God accompanies them with his almighty grace,
and, as it were, compel the sinner to be saved. The fact is remarkably
humbling to our nature, but it is true ; and those who are recovered
from the ruin resulting from the fall of man look back with horror to
the pit from whence they were taken, and look up to God with peculiar
gratitude for his distinguishing goodness, in causing them to hear and
believe his merciful voice, and for teaching them to live righteously and
godly upon the earth.
" It is very wonderful that God has patiently borne with the wicked-
ness of our world for so many ages ; but we are informed that his
patience is hastening to an end : that he is soon to come to raise the
dead, and collect all the descendants of the first man into one astonish-
ing assembly, when he is to manifest the character and state of every
man, by bringing forward his deeds during his life upon the earth. At
the conclusion of this general judgment of men, he is to send the
wicked into everlasting punishment, and receive the righteous into end-
less, boundless blessedness, from which state they shall be for ever
secured from falling.
" It is unnecessary for me to describe the wonderful works of God
which cover the surface of our globe ; for unless your world in some
degree resembles ours, I have not powers so to explain them, as to render
the explanation intelligible. Wherefore I shall add no more at present,
but only to subscribe myself,
" An Inhabitant of thk Eakth."
About tills time, Mr. Campbell took mucli pains to
bring into notice the works of Riccalton ; tlie only
metaphysical writer he was ever fond of. Theologians
204 FIRST LITERARY PURSUITS
will thank him for the following sketch of that remark-
able writer : — *' There was a Mr. Robert Riccalton,
minister of Hobkirk, a small and poor parish, at no
great distance from Kelso. Small as his income was,
he had the imprudence to sign a bond for a con-
siderable sum, to serve the convenience of the patron
of the parish, or the patron's son, and had security
on his estate. The principal failed, and his estate
so overwhelmed with debts, that it was available for
nothing, consequently all the debts came upon poor
Mr. Riccalton. Nearly the whole of his stipend was
seized, and for many years he almost lived in a state of
starvation. The late Dr. Webster, when making a
tour over that part of the country, with his man-servant
on horseback, thought he would take a turn out of his
way to call upon Mr. Riccalton, who certainly pos-
sessed the highest order of mind in the whole south of
Scotland, as the three octavo volumes of his works
abundantly prove. He came opposite to the poor look-
ing manse [or parsonage house], and saw a poor looking
man sitting upon a stone at the side of the door, busy
eating something. He asked him if Mr. Riccalton was
in the house ? The man answered, * No, for this is
Riccalton, sitting upon the stone, feeding upon the
promise of bread and water.' This he was doing to
save as much money as he could for clearing away the
bond. Dr. Webster was a good deal affected at seeing
such a man in such circumstances.
'* He very seldom indeed came to Edinburgh ; but at
one time he had some piece of business to transact
there, and was chosen a member of the General Assem-
bly by his presbytery. There was one day an impor-
tant cause that came before the Assembly ; many
AND ASSOCIATES. 205
speeches were made during the debate ; at length, the
leader of the church made a most brilliant speech,
and the majority of the Assembly appeared ready to
vote for the motion they expected him to move at the
conclusion of it. However, before the resolution was
moved, a plain farmer-looking man begged permission
to make a few remarks, which was granted. He began
by saying, * Moderator [chairman], great is the power
of oratory ! great is the power of oratory ! moderator,
great is the power of oratory !' Every body was ask-
ing, * Who is that V but every one shook his head, say-
ing, he did not know. * Moderator, I perceived that
the house was carried away by the last speech ; but
what carried them away ? Not argument, but mere
oratory ; for I think I shall be able to convince you
and this house, before I sit down, that there was not
one sound argument in the whole speech.' He began
with the first assertion that had been made, and the
arguments used to support it, and showed their futility,
and went over the whole that had been adduced
throughout the speech, proving their emptiness. The
accuracy and force of his arguments astonished the
Assembly ; — the President of the Court of Session, the
chief judge in the land, invited him to breakfast next
morning ; and similar invitations poured in upon him
from all quarters : but he soon escaped from all these
to his quiet retirement at Hobkirk.
** A copy of his works found their way to Mr. New-
ton, of St. Mary Woolnoth, w^ho was deeply interested
in their contents, and now and then expressed his sur-
prise that he should have received so much additional
insight into divine truth, in his old age, from an author
whose name he had never heard of till his volumes
206 FIRST LITERARY PURSUITS
came to his house. In a letter I had from him in
April, 1794, among other remarks about Mr. Riccalton,
he has the following: — *I seldom meet with a human
writer, to whose judgment I can implicitly subscribe
in all points. But upon the whole these books have
pleased me highly, and I think have throw^n light upon
some particulars which I did not so well understand
before I read them. I never heard of them before,
though they were printed in the year 1772.' In an-
other letter he says, * Setting religion aside, on the sole
ground of literary abilities, I think, if boasting were
lawful, Scotland might boast of Mr. Riccalton, no less
than of Hume, Robertson, Blair, &c. He was certainly
a man of a strong, comprehensive mind, and if not an
elegant^ he was a masterly writer. His metaphysics, I
think, are a good besom to sweep away the fine-spun
cobweb, sceptical metaphysics, which at present are too
much in fashion in both kingdoms.' .
" The son, before the time Mr. Newton writes, had
succeeded his father as minister of the parish, and had,
to relieve his father, taken what remained of the debt
upon himself, which obliged him also to submit to great
deprivations. To assist him, Mr. Newton put into the
Evangelical Magazine a statement of his case, and his
willingness to take charge of any contributions that
might be sent to him. Much did not come in from this
source. I think Mr. Newton sent me ten or more
pounds to be forwarded to Mr. Riccalton."
In this sketch, written in his old age, Mr. Campbell,
as usual, conceals himself as much as possible. It was not,
however, with Mr. Newton only that he pleaded the cause
of Riccalton, or promoted the sale of his works. Lady
Leven, and her circle, heard of the case. It is a curious
AND ASSOCIATES. 207
fact, that none of the admirers of Riccalton have adopted
his theory of spiritual hfe. The kite Dr. Simpson, of
Hoxton-college, was so fond of his works, that he urged
me to bring out a new edition of them, after he had
inoculated me with his own love to them : but it was
impossible not to see, that they influenced neither his
Lectures nor his Sermons. This is equally true of Mr.
Newton. The fact is, there is a fascination about the
theory, which, although it lay hold of the heart, does
notj^j; the understanding. It can be thought over, but
it is unmanageable in preaching, because mystical in
both its forms and phrases. It is, however, well worth
reading, now that there is a tendency to illustrate grace
by gravitation, and to confound the Spirit with the
Word, as if He was in the truth, only as Socrates is in
the philosophy of Plato, or Bacon in the works of the
inductive school.
The next literary undertaking which Mr. Campbell
aided, was the publication of Colonel Blackader's
Letters ; a book of which the late venerable Dr. Waugh
was enthusiastically fond in his old age. Some of the
original letters are amongst Mr. Campbell's papers, and
although not written in an unintelligible hand, must
have cost him much trouble to decipher, whilst tran-
scribing them. The discovery and publication of them,
he records thus : —
" The late excellent Mr. Harvey, of Stirling, being
accustomed to take a pinch of snuff, was obliged to visit
the snuff shop now and then. On one occasion he went
to purchase a fresh supply of that article, and when it
was weighed, the shopkeeper took from behind him a
small parcel of letters, tied with a silken cord, which he
untied, and tore the first letter into two parts ; and
while he was wrapping up the snuff in the one half, Mr.
208 FIRST LITERARY PURSUITS
Harvey naturally examined the contents of the other,
and was struck by observing the signature of Black-
ader at the head of the letter. He inquired if he had
any more of these letters ? He said, * I bought all as
waste paper, at the sale of the mansion that belonged
to the Blackader family ; among which there is a
number of those packets tied up, and that one you
have in your hand is the first letter I have torn.'
* Oh,' said Mr. H., * destroy no more of them, but put
them all into the scale and weigh them, and I will
thank you to let me have them at the rate you bought
them.' The shopman said, ' if you wish to have them,
you are welcome to them ; their value is a trifle as old
paper.' They turned out to be the whole of the letters
of Colonel Blackader to his lady, during all the cam-
paigns of the Duke of Marlborough. She always living
as near the contending armies as she could with safety,
received many letters ; and every year's letters had been
carefully tied up by her with the silken cord. He had
been governor of Stirling Castle about fifty years before
this time, which made his name familiar to Mr. Harvey.
What a narrow escape from destruction these letters
made ! Their preservation depended on Mr. H. being
a snuff*-taker, a customer to that shopkeeper, and his
needing a fresh supply of snuff" that morning, and going
at the very time he did.
" On looking over some of the letters quietly at
home, he was much pleased with many things he met
with in them, and still more so by discovering that they
were a regular series, continuing for many years, during
so important a period of British history. Being on the
eve of visiting London, in order to attend the formation
of the London Missionary Society , he took the whole
parcel of letters with him. He called, with them, on
AND ASSOCIATES. 209
the late Mr. Newton, of St. Mary Woolnoth, and com-
mitted them to him, with the request that he would
inspect them, and give his opinion of them. On Mr.
Harvey calling about a fortnight after, he inquired if
Mr. Newton had examined the letters. He said he
had. What is your opinion of them ? * I think Colonel
Blackader was as good a colonel as Colonel Gardner,
and that is saying a good deal for them.' * I brought
them to London on purpose to let you see them, and,
if you approved them, to request you to make a selec-
tion, and publish them ; will you undertake it, sir V
' No, my eyes are too old to read such small hand as
these letters are written in. On your way back to
Stirling, do you go by Edinburgh V ' Yes, sir.' * Do
you know a Mr. Campbell, in the Grass Market, there V
* I do.' * If you will take the letters to him, with my
love, and say, if he will be at the trouble to transcribe
them for publishing, I will write a preface to them.'
Mr. H. did so, and I undertook the work. While
going on with it, a descendant of the Blackader family
sent me about twenty little manuscript volumes of
Colonel Blackader's diary, to take extracts from, writ-
ten in the same small hand as the letters. It was a
long time before I got my part of the business finished.
I then applied to Dr. Stuart for the part he had pro-
mised, viz. a historical account of the Blackader family;
but, having diseased nerves, nothing could prevail upon
him to set to work. On my receiving from London
Mr. Newton's preface, he set to work immediately, and
went on with rapidity till he had finished about half of
the account, when he made a dead halt, and farther I
could not get him to proceed. I urged him, month
after month, year after year, yet he remained inflexible.
210
FIRST LITERARY PURSUITS
though a man of acute parts; indeed, I believe that
while that^^ continued, all the argumentative and ora-
torial powers of Cicero and Demosthenes could not
have prevailed upon him to have added one page.
When I left Scotland to reside in London, I committed
all the papers into his hands, and, when ready, they
were to he published for the benefit of the Edinburgh
Magdalen Society, whose secretary 1 had been for the
first three years of its existence. For a year after
setthng in London, I used sometimes to be asked by
Mr. Newton and others, when Colonel Blackader was
to make his appearance ; which led me to write Dr. S.
a letter, in the form of an allegory, of which I have no
copy, but the outline of it was something like the fol-
lowing : — * That there was imprisoned in the city of
Edinburgh an excellent and pious colonel, who was
anxious to go forth and preach the truths of God to
our army and navy all over the world; that he was
bound in fetters, not even permitted to behold the light
of day, and his groans were heard even as far as Lon-
don ; and how astonished were the inquirers to learn
that his turnkey was a Christian ; but they could not
believe that such cruelty could exist in the bosom of
any person claiming the Christian name.' This hap-
pened to touch the right string ; the doctor immedi-
ately awoke from his stupor, set to work with spirit,
and finished his account in a few days, and handed all
the manuscripts over to the Magdalen Society, which I
understood were sold to a bookseller for fifty pounds.
A greatly improved and extended edition of it was pub-
lished twenty years after, by Mr. Andrew Crichton,
and sold by Baynes, Edinburgh ; and Baynes and Son,
London ; 8vo. pages 678.
AND ASSOCIATES. 211
^' As a sample of the confidence and composure of
mind which the Colonel had in most perilous circum-
stances, take the following short letter, written by him
to lady Campbell, of Stirling, on the field, at the battle
of Blenheim : —
" * I am just now retired from the noise of drums, of
oaths, and dying groans. I am to return in a few
minutes to the field of battle, and, wrapping up in the
arms of Omnipotence, I believe myself safer as to every
valuable purpose, than if sitting in your Ladyship's
chamber.'
" At this battle the loss of the French was computed
at 30,000; and of the allies about 12,000, killed,
wounded, and prisoners. I should have preferred
being with Paul at the school of Tyrannus, notwith-
standing the uproar, than with Blackader at the battle
of Blenheim. Paul's cause was more honourable than
those potsherds, striving with the potsherds of the earth."
This account was written by Mr. Campbell in his
old age. Of his fellow-labourer in this work. Dr.
Charles Stuart, he left the following brief memorial ;
which will not be the less interesting, because it throws
some light upon the conversion of his old friend, the
late Rev. Mr. Aikman : —
" Upwards of thirty years ago, a friend of mine in
London was long in perplexity of soul about her state
before God, almost reaching to despondency. She read
much and heard much without obtaining relief. I re-
collected a letter which the late Mr. Aikman, of Edin-
burgh, showed to me, that he had received from Dr.
C. Stuart, of the same city, when he was in a similar
state of mind as my friend, and which had been useful
to him. Thinking it might be useful also to my friend,
212 FIRST LITERARY PURSUITS
I wrote to the Doctor, requesting a copy of it, which
he immediately sent, with his prayers that it might be
useful.
" Mr. Aikman had been some years, when a young
man, living at Kingston, in Jamaica ; which, he told
me, was at that time a most irreligious, infidel place,
and most dangerous to the souls of all who resided in
it. FeeHng his health injured, and what is called a
fortune coming to him by the death of a brother, he
fled from Kingston like Lot from Sodom. Perhaps
some compliances with customs which conscience did
not approve, afterwards harassed his mind, though he
told me he had resisted, from the very beginning, to
engage in any business at his brother's on the Lord's
day. However, he returned to Scotland with a wounded
spirit, and his agony of soul rose to such a pitch, that
he nearly lost his reason, as he more than once told me.
" Knowing that Dr. Stuart had waded similar deep
waters, he sent a full statement of his painful case to
the doctor, requesting his opinion on it.
" The origin of the Doctor's troubles was a conviction
that he had acted contrary to the hght he then had,
when he accepted a presentation to the parish church
of Crammond, about four miles from Edinburgh.
After his ordination, on examining those who attended
the church, he could hardly find a family whose chil-
dren he could baptize, or whom he could admit to the
Lord's supper. On this discovery, he told me he often
lay down upon the carpet in the utmost agony of mind.
Once, when in this state, he received a visit from Mr.
Robert Cook, a weaver, who was pastor of an old Inde-
pendent church that met in a room in the Candlemaker
Row, Edinburgh. He took him to his garden, and
AND ASSOCIATES. 213
there minutely related to him his case : when he was
done, Mr. Cook looked him seriously in the face, and
said, * Adam^ ivhere art thou V From that moment.
Dr. Stuart resolved to give in his resignation of the
parish church, and commenced the study of medicine
in the university of Edinburgh, where he had formerly
studied divinity ; and by and by obtained the degree of
doctor of medicine, which he practised for many years
most respectably in Edinburgh. He afterwards joined
the Maclean Baptists, from whom he also seceded, in
consequence of differing upon some point with the
majority of the church. He was remarkably attached
to the late Mr. Fuller, of Kettering, and showed the
strength of his Christian regard in a striking manner
upon one occasion. Mr. Fuller had a severe attack
upon the liver. They wrote Dr. Stuart, describing
Mr. Fuller's feelings, and how he was treated. On
reading it, he was not quite satisfied with the treatment.
He ordered a post-chaise, and posted to Kettering, felt
Mr. Fuller's pulse, asked some questions, conversed
with the medical attendant, gave some advices, and, after
halting a few hours, hastened back to Edinburgh ;
which, altogether, was a journey of 700 miles I"
Many will regret that this notice of Dr. Charles
Stuart is so brief, as it is well known that Mr. Camp-
bell was very intimate with him. Perhaps to no one
was he more indebted for sound criticisms and advice,
when he began to write and preach. The " Worlds
Displayed" owes some of its perspicuity to him, and
the first ^* Journey to Africa" would have been much
pruned, had the Doctor been consulted. He criticised
it severely, in a long letter to Mr. Campbell ; and thus
prevented the recurrence of similar faults in the Second
Sl^ FIRST LITERARY PURSUITS
Journal. He also put him upon lines of inquiry and
observation in Africa, which led him to collect the
** African Light" which he shed upon the Scriptures
during his second visit. Tt was not, however, reluctance
to acknowledge these literary obligations, that occa-
sioned the brevity of this sketch. Mr. Campbell was
as thankful for Dr. Stuart's criticisms, as he was for his
timely interference in the case of the Missionary IMa-
gazine, or for the pills, the dread of which cured him.
The fact is, the worthy doctor so often teased him
about Baptism, that he could hardly have written much
concerning him, without touching on that point ; and
for it, he had no taste. He believed that Christ was
" an high Priest after the order of Melchisedek :" and
thus, that the Abrahamic Covenant was just ** the Rose
of Sharon" in hud, or the Gospel in embryo ; and
therefore that the children of believers stand in the
same relation to the full-blown rose, as Abraham's
children did to the bud. In a word, he saw no mean-
ing (how could he ?) in the often reasoned and ratified
fact, Christ is a Priest after the order of Melchisedek,
except upon the principle that the Gospel and the
Abrahamic Covenant are substantially one in their great
principle, and in the application of that principle.
Besides, when he wrote his account of Dr. Stuart, he
was preparing to preach on this subject (should he ever
preach again,) that he might give his final views on it
to his flock. The very last conversation I had with
him ran in the precise form in which his views are now
stated ; and it was no new form to us. Dr. Wardlaw's
work on Baptism was the last book I saw in his hand.
He had been commending it to his colleague.
But to return. Another of Mr. Campbell's literary
AND ASSOCIATES. 215
friends was, the late Rev. Walter Buclianan, of Edin-
burgh ; the friend of Lord Hailes. At his table, Mr.
Campbell met some distinguished men, and gathered
up many literary anecdotes. One of the latter deserves
to be mentioned, because it had much influence in
satisfying his own mind upon the perfection of the
New Testament.
" ANECDOTE OF LORD HAILES.
*'I remember distinctly an interesting anecdote re-
ferring to the late Sir David Dairy mple, (better known
to literary men abroad by his title of Lord Hailes,) a
Scotch judge. I had it from the late Rev. Walter
Buchanan, one of the ministers of Edinburgh. I took
such interest in it, that though it must be about fifty
years ago since he told it, I think I can almost relate it
in Mr. Buchanan's words.
" ' I was dining some time ago with a literary party
at old Mr. Abercrombie's, (father of General Aber-
crombie who was slain in Egypt, at the head of the
British army,) and spending the evening together. A
gentleman present put a question which puzzled the
whole compan3% It was this : Supposing all the New
Testaments in the world had been destroyed at the end
of the third century, could their contents have been
recovered from the writings of the three first centuries ?
The question was novel to all, and no one even hazarded
a guess in answer to the inquiry.
" ' About two months after this meeting, I received a
note from Lord Hailes, inviting me to breakfast with
him next morning. He had been of the party. During
breakfast he asked me, if I recollected the curious
([uestion about the possibility of recovering the con-
216 FIRST LITERARY PURSUITS
tents of the New Testament from the writings of the
three first centuries ? * I remember it well, and have
thought of it often without being able to form any
opinion or conjecture on the subject.'
" ' Well,' said Lord Hailes, * that question quite ac-
corded with the turn or taste of my antiquarian mind.
On returning home, as I knew I had all the writers of
those centuries, I began immediately to collect them,
that I might set to work on the arduous task as soon as
possible.' Pointing to a table covered with papers, he
said, * There have I been busy for these two months,
searching for chapters, half chapters, and sentences of
the New Testament, and have marked down what I
have found, and where I have found it; so that any
person may examine and see for themselves. I have
actually discovered the whole New Testament from
those writings, except seven or eleven verses, (I forget
which,) which satisfies me that I could discover them
also. Now,' said he, ' here was a way in which God
concealed, or hid the treasure of his word, that Julian,
the apostate emperor, and other enemies of Christ who
wished to extirpate the gospel from the world, never
would have thought of; and though they had, they
never could have effected their destruction.'
" The labour in effecting this feat must have been
immense ; for the gospels and epistles would not be
divided into chapters and verses as they are now.
Much must have been effected by the help of a con-
cordance. And having been a judge for many years, a
habit of minute investigation must have been formed in
his mind.
'^ He was reported to be a pious man. I remember
him at the trial of a man for the murder of his wife.
AND ASSOCIATES. 217
Near the end of the trial, a little girl, only nine years
of age, was brought in as an exculpatory evidence. On
seeing her youth, I observed the other judges look sig-
nificantly to Lord Hailes. He understood them, and
rose up with much solemnity, and addressed her from
the bench. * Do you read your Bible V ' Yes, sir.'
' Have you learned your catechism ?' ' Yes, sir.' 'Who
made you ?' * God, sir.' ' Do you know that God is
every where present?' 'Yes, sir.' ' He is, and parti-
cularly in a court of justice, where you are at present,
and is looking into your heart, to see if you shall give a
true answer to the question I am now going to ask you.
Did you ever hear that man's wnfe (pointing to the
murderer) say that some time ago she had got a severe
stroke upon her breast at Leith?' 'O no, sir, I never
did.' He said to the girl, ' I believe you have told the
truth.' I should have noticed that he administered the
oath to her after what he said about God. There was
no doubt but the man's friends had got her, by various
means, to promise to tell that falsehood about the
stroke on the breast."
Another of Mr. Campbell's friends was the late Rev.
David Black, of Lady Yester's, Edinburgh; well known
by his Sermons. Mr. Black began his ministry at St.
Madoes, near Perth. Whilst there, Mr. Campbell
began to correspond w^ith him ; and took much interest
in getting him to Edinburgh, where they became very
intimate. This had not a little to do with Mr. Camp-
bell's eventual withdrawment from the Kirk. Mr.
Black had taken a deep interest in promoting a chapel
of ease in Perth, and Mr. Campbell in finding a minis-
ter for it: but the General Assembly frustrated the
designs of both. This grieved the former, and shocked
L
^18
FIRST LITERARY PURSUITS
the latter, sadly. Mr. Campbell, happily, never got
over it, and thus escaped from a church whose Supreme
Court, were she encumbered with no Patronage, has
often done her as much injury as Intrusionists ever did
or well can do. His account of the whole matter is
graphic. (Mr. Black's biographer says, that the refusal
of the General Assembly to permit a chapel of ease in
Perth was '' deeply regretted by him, as prejudicial
both to the interests of the Established Church, and to
the spiritual prosperity of the people.")
" I remember rather an interesting occurrence re-
specting a Mr. Garey, who had come on a visit from
Dublin to some friends in Edinburgh. I was intro-
duced to him by a Mr. Paterson, a pious man, who had
been a companion of his, in their youthful days. I was
much struck with his genuine piety and zeal. He had
been an inmate of Lady Glenorchy's, [the Scotch Lady
Huntingdon,] but in what station I know not ; perhaps
to superintend her domestic matters, during her last
days. At the time her spirit mounted to immortality,
he was at her bedside, engaged in prayer. After her
death he studied at one of Lady Huntingdon's semi-
naries, and was sent over to Ireland, to assist in intro-
ducing light into that then very dark land. He was
fixed in Plunket Street Chapel, a most popish part of
Dublin, which was afterwards occupied for many years
by the Rev. Mr. Cooper.
" Mr. Garey and I got very intimate during his short
residence in Edinburgh, which was continued by ex-
changing letters after his return to Dublin. One morn-
ing 1 received a letter from him, in which he stated
that, after weighing all the circumstances of his present
situation in Dublin, he believed it was his duty to
AND ASSOCIATES. 219
move. The venerable Dr. Erskiiie happening to call
immediately after I had read the letter, I stated the
fact to him ; on which he said, * 1 do not know a
better man than Mr. Garey !' That forenoon I received
a letter from the late excellent Mr. Gardener, of Perth,
who took a deep interest in a chapel there, informing
me that they had not been able to obtain a pastor ; that
on such a day they were to meet to consider about
giving a call to a person they were not much attached
to, and begging I would give my advice. By return
of post I answered Mr. Gardener's letter, by sending
an extract from Mr. Garey 's, just received ; my own
opinion of Mr. Garey ; and, what would have ten times
more weight, that of the venerable Dr. John Erskine.
I think the meeting assembled the next day after the
receipt of my letter, which was read to them by Mr.
Gardener. On hearing it, the meeting unanimously
resolved to postpone the election of a pastor till they
should have an opportunity of hearing and knowing
Mr. Garey ; and Mr. Gardener was empowered to in-
vite Mr. Garey to supply the chapel for one month.
Mr. Garey had merely mentioned his situation to me
as a Christian friend, and knew nothing of the vacant
chapel in Perth, nor of my connexion with it. Thus
to have an invitation in his hand to supply that chapel
in the course of a week after simply stating his case to
a private friend, appeared wondrous in his eyes, and
disposed him to start from Dublin in a few days after
receiving the invitation ; so that he was actually preach-
ing in Perth chapel on Sabbath week after the public
meeting of the church. He was not a man of the first
talents ; he had nothing particularly brilliant or catch-
ing in his delivery, but he was sound in the faith ; a
l2
220 FIRST LITERARY PURSUITS
man of piety and prayer. You could not be half an
hour in his company without discovering his attachment
to the Saviour, and the lively interest he felt and took
in the salvation of souls. His manners were amiable
und engaging to every body ; all which soon won the
hearts of the people towards him. After residing and
labouring a few weeks among them, he was invited to
take the pastoral charge of the church, which he ac-
cepted.
*' A singular circumstance took place some time after
Mr. Garey was settled at Perth. Two noble families,
wiio were attached to him, actually obtained for him
the king's presentation to a vacant parish church ! He
was taken on trial by a presbytery far north, to whom,
I suppose, those noble families said, * Deal gently with
the young man, for our sakes !' The result of his ex-
amination was, that the presbytery received him as a
licentiate preacher in the church of Scotland ; conse-
quently as qualified to receive a presentation to any
church.
'^ When the presentation from the king was presented
to the presbytery, in whose bounds the church was, that
they might proceed to his ordination, some of the Anti-
Evangelicals objected, protested, and appealed to the
next General Assembly. Great was the interest which
many took in the Garey cause. I attended the General
Asseinbl}" that day it came before them. Mr. Garey 's
advocate, though a young lawyer, introduced his case
with considerable talent. The appealers /ro;?^ the pres-
bytery were next heard. Then it came before the court
for their decision. Various members spoke on both
sides of the question ; at length Principal Hill rose,
who was then called the leader of the Chi.rch of Scot-
AND ASSOCIATES, 221
land, because he was at the head of the Anti-Evange-
Hcal party, who composed a great majority of that
church. I remember he began by commending the
oratory disphiyed by Mr. Garey's advocate. ' Did you
not observe,' said he, 'his strongest arguments were
almost pronounced in a tvhisper, but the weaker ones
with all his powers of voice?' He commended Mr.
Garey as a man of excellent character, of real piety, ot
good parts; and acknowledged that his acquirements
fitted him to be a good minister wherever he should
labour, and that the presentation which he had to the
parish was perfectly regular, according to law ; but
there was one thing that completely disqualified him
from being ordained over any parish connected with the
Church of Scotland, he was not educated at any of our
universities, which the church ordains every minister
must be : on which he moved that the presentation be
set aside. Of course it passed ! Here Mr. Garey was
acknowledged to possess all the qualifications necessary
for suitably filling the ofiice of parish minister, but not
having obtained them at any of their stores, rendered
them useless."
It was anomaKes of this kind which began to
alienate Mr. Campbell from the establishment ; and
they would have driven him out of it much sooner
than they did, had he not been intimate with the leaders
of the Evangelical party. Amongst those of them wlio
had much influence over his love to the kirk, was, the
late Dr. Wright, of Stirling. He became acquainted
with him, through his friend Duncan Clark, who was
wont to discuss with the doctor the comparative merits
of the Mhers and graridfathers of the church. But it
was his eminent piety which attached Mr. Campbell to
^^2 FIRST LITERARY PURSUITS
him ; and such was its influence that he treasured up
his death-bed sayings for his own comfort and direction.
How he obtained them, I know not ; but he wrote out
nine pages of them in his old age. Some of them just
suited both his taste and experience. The doctor
seems to have been a great suiferer; but with " the pa-
tience of the saints." When he could no longer kneel
in prayer, he regretted it much, because he had always
found the comfort of religion " most, when upon his
knees." Once, when laying himself down on the sofa,
he said to his wife, " Hezekiah-like, I shall turn my
face to the wall." She replied, ^' Perhaps, like Heze-
kiah, to have fifteen years added to your life." He
answered, " O for fifteen degrees more of grace r
Yv^atching the ebbing tide one day, and seeing the black
rocks appear one after another, he said, " They were
not visible a short time ago. So, the corruptions of the
heart are hid at first ; but they come to light, as the
veil is taken off." Whilst watching the stars, he said,
*' The blessings of the Gospel are more numerous and
bright, and will endure when all the stars are vanished
away." One day whilst suffering severely, he said, " A
little mercy, O, a little mercy from Thee, would go a
great way in my distress ! I do not call my distress
great. No, it is not great distress ! Lord, enable us to
glorify thee in the fires, even if they become seven times
hotter. Let the very dregs of our time be spent for thee."
These, and many other sentiments of the same kind,
Mr. Campbell copied with a tremulous hand, in his last
days.
To Dr. Gillies, also, the first biographer of White-
field, he was much attached. Accordingly, he took
much interest in the " Supplement to his Historical
AND ASSOCIATES. 223
Collections," wliicli Dr. Ersldne published. It is not
certain that he induced Dr. Erskine to undertake tlie
Supplement ; but there is evidence that he made appli-
cations to Dr. Gillies himself for it, and for any papers
which would suit his own contemplated magazine.
This appears from his letters to friends in Glasgow.
It is somewhat surprising that he left no sketch of Dr,
Erskine, in any of his papers. His references to him
are frequent, and full of veneration ; and the Doctor's
notes to him are many and kind. The truth is, Mr.
Campbell knew so well how many illustrious names
were upon the list of Dr. Erskine's friends, and under-
stood so well his own place, both in literature and
society, that he never dreamt of naming his intimacy
with that venerable patriarch. The letters of the
Countess of Leven, however, make no secret of the
fact, that the patriarch was the friend of '^ the philan-
thropic ironmonger:" for whenever she counsels him,
she refers him to his " friend Dr. Erskine," as the final
arbiter on her advice. Besides, his intimacy with Dr.
Charles Stuart, the son-in-law of Dr. Erskine, explains
the fact somewhat. All this, however, does not ex-
plain his silence on the subject. Even his modesty does
not account for that. He was not likely, indeed, to
claim the friendship of the friend of Hailes, Warburton,
and Hurd ; but the fact is, his last recollections of Dr.
Erskine, if not his intercourse also with him, when
leaving Edinburgh, were somewhat painful. Mr. Camp-
bell had become a lay preacher, and the doctor had
published " Advice concerning Lay Preaching," which
was intended as well as calculated to discourage it : for
although he did justice to both the loyalty and piety of
the Circus preachers, he was less candid to the system
224f FIRST LITERARY PURSUITS
in Scotland, than he had been to it in England and
America. He did not obey the General Assembly, to
denomice the Haldane party *' as no friends to our civil
constitution, or as abusers of the name of liberty as a
cover for secret anarchy;" but he was jealous of their
influence upon the church. All this encouraged little
men to abuse and brand them. One of these started
up at Camhuslangi — the last place in Scotland to ex-
pect a bigot from, as Whitefield's " Holy Thorn " was
still green there, and his name still sacred. Thus alto-
gether, although no alienation took place between Dr.
Erskine and his old friends, circumstances lessened their
intercourse. Mr. Campbell did not like these recollec-
tions, and therefore confined himself to fond and grate-
ful references to the memory of his old friend. This is
much to be regretted : for Sir Henry Moncrieff Wel-
wood's Life of Dr. Erskine conveys no adequate idea of
either his piety or candour. The champion of White-
field — the herald of the works of Jonathan Edwards and
Andrew Fuller, in Scotland — the patron of missions —
the churchman who was not ashamed to avow his shame,
that the General Assembly had precluded him from
letting Fuller into his pulpit — the man of God tho-
roughly furnished for every good word and work, —
ought to have been exhibited at full length, and not
chiefly as a scholar. Cowper might have known him,
when he painted his
** Veteran warrior in the Christian field,
"Who never saw the sword he could not w icld ;
A man who could have foiled at their own play,
A dozen would-be's of the present day ;
Yet above all, his luxury supreme,
And his chief glory, was the gospel theme.
AND ASSOCIATES. titCO
There he was copious as old Greece and Rome,
His happy eloquence seemed there at home ;
Ambitious not to shine, or to excel,
But to treat justly what he loved so well."
These glimpses at some of the points of Mr. Campbell's
literary circle, are not given to prove him literary. He
never pretended to be so, except in the service of the
young. His intelligent circle was, however, his real
Alma Mate?' ; and he could hardly have been in a better
seminary, either for theology or practical wisdom. He
did not, indeed, know that he was studying for the
ministry in it ; but it gave to his habits of thinking
that simplicity, and to his spirit that candour, and to
his manners that ease and urbanity, which gave such a
charm to both his public and private instructions. No
college could have taught him so many of the virtues
or graces of the ministerial character. Accordingly, he
was emphatically one of '*the pastors and teachers" of
Edinburgh, before he ever preached a sermon, and was
far more useful than some of its doctors.
Mr. Campbell retained all through life his love of
books. He originated at Kingsland a book society, of
which he was long the centre and the charm, by his
varied information, vivacity, and urbanity. He was
emphatically " a fund of anecdote" and originality ; but
his sprightliness and freedom never degenerated into
levity or mimicry ; and none of us ever heard an im-
prudent or sarcastic remark from him.
L o
CHAPTER IX.
THE COUNTESS OF LEVEn's INFLUENCE ON HIM.
This illustrious Lady was one of those **lioly women
of old," who united with the Countess of Huntingdon,
Lady Balgownie, Lady Frances Gardiner, Lady Jane
Nimmo, and Lady Mary Hamilton, in opening their
houses in London, alternately, for a Methodist prayer
meeting. She was one of Whitefield's ardent friends
also, and had much of his spirit. Like him, she could
act cordially with all who loved the cross. Where she
could harmonize in principles, she would not differ for
punctilios. She disliked hirelings and heretics, but
loved godly ministers of all denominations, and was not
indifferent even to a lay preacher. How could she,
seeing it was the laity of the Yery first Christian church
which set the example ? Acts viii. 4. How Mr. Camp-
bell became acquainted with her, does not appear from
his papers. Her letters, however, indicate that her
female almoner in Edinburgh had found him busy and
useful amongst the sick, and thus had brought his name
under her Ladyship's notice. It was a happy event for
him ; next, indeed, to his intimacy with Mr. Newton.
Her high rank, and holy character, and public spirit,
and venerable age, gave her great weight throughout all
her circle, and both awed and inspired him when she
sought for his services as a correspondent and almoner.
THE COUNTESS OF LEVEN's INFLUENCE, &C. 227
They soon became equally useful to each other. Her
Ladyship enabled him to cheer many a lonely pilgrim
in Edinburgh, and his reports of dying Christians, and
of reclaimed wanderers, and of evangelical movements,
cheered her in Melville Castle.
She found in Mr. Campbell a new form of White-
field's spirit, which so won her confidence, that she
opened her heart to him as if he had been one of her
old friends. " I sometimes start," she says, " to think,
which of my old correspondents I am writing to. 1
find it is to you ! They are almost all in heaven. I
am ready to draw back, when I recollect this ; — but
only from the disproportions of our age and intimacy."
She had never seen him, when she wrote thus : but she
had read many of his letters, and heard of him from
both Dr. Erskine and Mr. Newton.
Mr. Campbell enjoyed for years the entire confidence
of this venerable Lady. He was her almoner, her
newsman, her book-purveyor, and her counsellor, until
her death, in 1798. But whilst she opened her heart
to him in all her letters, which are many, and some of
them long, she attached no signature to any of them,
not even her initials ; but concluded them simply by,
" Your Friend." Not, however, that she doubted his
honour, but that she guarded against accidents ; for she
often assured him of her confidence. We are indebted
to this precaution for their preservation. On her death,
the whole of his letters to her were returned to him by
the family, with expressions of both respect and grati-
tude for his kindness : but he did not return the com-
pliment so far, as to return her letters to them. He
was under no obligation to do so, as they were not often
dated from the Castle, and bore no signature, and were
228 THE COUNTESS OF LEVEN's
not asked for. I have thus been able to compare the
correspondence, at full length, and in order ; and it has
furnished me with many proofs of her exalted piety,
zeal, and benevolence ; and of her singleness of heart,
and simplicity of purpose. Lady Leven was too well
bred to flatter, and John Campbell too artless to burn
incense. He literally " knew not how to give flatter-
ing words" to any one. The only thing I have found
in his letters to her, that seems a high-sounding com-
pliment, I have heard him say again and again at the
Lord's Supper, to the poorest communicant, who felt
thankful for the privilege of being there : — " Jesus saw
you there, as plainly as He beheld Gabriel before the
throne.'* Her Ladyship had been at the sacrament the
day before, and so had Mr. Campbell. And as he ex-
pected to be so on the next two sabbaths also, he adds,
in his own way, " May we not be like Pharaoh's lean
kine, devouring a great deal, yet not thriving at all ?"
One of the first things which alienated him from the
Kirk was, the almost promiscuous communion which is
allowed to prevail in it. '^ When I began to look about
me upon those with whom I joined in commemorating
the love of Christ, I found there many of them who
would sjmrn the very idea of being devout Christians !
From that time my situation became very irksome,
every time I went to the Lord's Supper with them. It
vras contrary to my conscience ; for I began to perceive
from the Bible, that a Church of Christ, — the meaning
of which I had never once thought of before, — was a
society of behevers, and not a visible mixture of His
friends and enemies. But I did not see, at the time,
how I could better myself. I saw some societies whose
form I approved; but found them shut up from the fel-
INFLUENCE ON HIM. 229
lowship of all Christians, except sucli as jumped witli
them in every minutia. With them I could not hold
communion ; for I judged it my duty to hold fellowship
with all who had fellowship with Christ."
He had another difficulty, in reference to Scotch
sacraments, which he submitted to the Countess, thus :
— '* What does your Ladyship think of the length of
the services in general ? Are not seven, eight, or ten
hours enough to wear out flesh and blood? Is it neces-
sary to repeat almost the whole of revealed religion at
every such service ; as if those who came to remember
the dying love of Jesus were wholly uninformed about
the doctrines of Christianity ? The Lord's Supper is a
very simple service, if we read only what He says of it
in the Word. My mind gets confused by viewing it
through the telescope of long treatises, which prescribe
so much to do before the ordinance, and so much to
say at it, and then after it. I charge my conscience
with guilt because I cannot come up to their standard.
It fills me with horror and dismay, as a service fitted
only for archangels, until I bring the productions of
pious men to the standard of Scripture. At the same
time, I wish to be preserved from a censorious spirit."
Lett. A.D. 1795. Mr. Newton, the year before, had
given Mr. Campbell an opinion upon long services ;
which will account for some of this freedom of speech :
— "I think very long prayers more blamable than long
sermons. Peculiar attention is due when speaking to
the Most High ; and if overstrained by the length of
the service, it is lost time to the hearers. It is worse :
persons of weak judgment charge themselves with guilt,
for the speaker's indiscretions." Lett, a.d. 1794. It
would seem that Mr. Campbell had asked him the
230 THE COUNTESS OF LEVEn's
meaning of the Easter sacrament, in the Church of
England ; for he says, in 1795, " I smile at your not
knowino' the meanino^ of Easter.'' *' The venerable
Bede, writing in praise of a contemporary, thought
himself bound in conscience to close with this censure,
— * But, poor mistaken man ! he did not keep Easter in
our way.' I consider many modern disputes of the like
importance." When Mr. Campbell understood Easter,
he said, '* The Scriptures are silent about commemo-
rating the glorious event of Christ's resurrection once a
year ; but instruct us to do so ffty-two times, or every
sabbath." Mr. Newton had also commended the Prayer-
Book to him ; not, of course, for the brevity of the ser-
vices, but for the sublimity of certain parts. The truth
of the latter recommendation, Mr. Campbell felt ; but
said, in answer, ** Does it not seem just not a little
ludicrous, to imagine the Apostles carrying a hulk to
pray by ?" Mr. Newton said, " Remember, we never
touch this subject again." And they never did. They
both acted wisely in this ; for Mr. Campbell had the
blood of the Covenanters in his veins, and Mr. Newton
had been a Dissenter. They thus knew each other's
secrets too well to push the argument to an issue.
They did, however, discuss the general question of
episcopacy occasionally ; and so pointedly at one time,
in reference to the control of bishops over the clergy,
that Mr. Newton could only prove his own freedom by
his bishop's heedlessness. " I can assure you," he
wrote, " that however strange some may think it, I am
glad, and have much cause to be thankful, that 1 am what
and where I am. I think, with respect to man, we are
properly the Independents. The bishops in England
interfere with us no more than the bishops in Italy, ex-
INFLUENCE ON IIIM. 231
cept in requiring us to appear and answer to our namesj
once in three or four years." *' No questions are asked,
nor any fault found, by our superiors." Lett. a.d. 1795.
A queer compliment to the bench, — Mr. Campbell
thought. Mr. Newton added, with more discrimina-
tion, " I am not very fond of either assemblies, synods,
benches, or boards. Ministers are like flowers, which
will preserve their colour and scent much longer, if
kept singly, than when packed together in a nosegay or
posy. Then they quickly fade and corrupt. Their
associations, in my judgment, should always be volun-
tary and free. There are ten or a dozen of us in Lon-
don, who frequently meet. We deliberate, ask and
give advice, as occasions arise ; but the sentiment of one,
or even of the whole body, is not binding upon any.
We hear what each person has to say, and then each
judges and acts for himself. Thus, though we some-
times differ, we always agree, and live in harmony and
love." Ibid.
Some time before that, they had had some playful spar-
ring about clerical dresses, when Mr. Campbell quoted
Bucer's reason for not wearing the canonical hat, — " I
do not wear a square hat, because my head is round."
Mr. Newton justly said, " I think Bucer's answer to
his judges was more smart than solid, if college caps
then, were like those worn now ; for though the outside
is of a square form, the crown is quite round, and as
shapeable to the head as your three-cornered hat."
This retort silenced Mr. Campbell, but it did not recon-
cile him to canonicals. He never would put on a gown
when preaching. This led occasionally to dilemmas.
After his first return from Africa, he visited some
2S2 THE COUNTESS OF LEVEN's
chapels where the gown, as w^ell as the Liturgy, was
indispensable. He did not know this until it was
brought to him in the vestry. " I will not wear it," he
said. " Then we cannot allow you to go into the pul-
pit," said the managers. " Well, I can preach in the
desk, or from a pew. Will that meet the difficulty ?"
He was admitted to the desk. He had no objection,
however, to " honour the king," by going to court in a
gown. On the accession of William IV., he applied
for one of mine, and had it altered to fit him. We
went together into the library, to join the procession.
All the ministers stared. "What, Mr. Campbell in
canonicals !" was the general exclamation. " Yes," he
said, with a smile, " the king does not compel me ; and
therefore I ' honour' him in the way he is most accus-
tomed to."
Questions of this kind found their way into his
letters to the Countess, and she always recommended
him to submit them to Mr. Newton's judgment : not,
however, that she took much interest in them, but
chiefly because the answers they called forth were sure
to contain something better than a reply.
The following selections from his own letters to the
Countess, were made by himself; but without any such
reference to her letters, as could combine or illustrate
them. Besides, it would be unfair, perhaps, to combine
them, as her Ladyship studiously avoided all signature.
Mr. Campbell seems to have felt this, and therefore I
have merely drawn upon the collection for facts which
belong to his own history, and for lights upon the spirit
of the age. Besides, her Ladyship wrote chiefly in
order to draw him out, and to obtain tlie religious news
of the day.
INFLUENCE ON IIIM. 2oS
On Covetousness.
" Ju7ie llrd, 1795,
" I am sorry my letter of last week, eoclosing memorials of some old
Christians, has not reached you : however, I hope it is not lost ; — if it
be, may the Lord make it useful to the soul of the finder.
" Solomon was certainly a wise man, and well qualified to decide upon
the value of earthly possessions. His decision is in three words, All in
vanity. The truth of this is particularly exemplified in the character of
two men within the circle of my knowledge. The one was originally a
poor man ; but his soul was set on amassing wealth — brought down the
price charged by every person with whom he did business — saving at all
quarters — enjoying no more of his substance, nor doing more good with
it, than his poorest workman. Thus he has continued till old age, and
at present lies dying of a painful disease !
*' The other person had a religious profession, but was miserably
penurious, and made much money. You could not have hurt his feel-
ings more, than by asking from him the smallest sum for a poor person.
He died, leaving one son, who was silly. Finding his father had left
him so much money, which he did not expect, [for his father concealed
his wealth,] almost totally deranged him. He now lives in a house by
himself — sees no person but an old woman who carries a little food to
him once a day — his clothes he will not throw off for months together.
Indeed, it is difficult to know for what end he lives, if not to proclaim
the folly and sin of fighting for a lifetime to hoard up wealth for
postericy.
•' A covetous Christian sounds in my ears something like a drunken
or a swearing one — and when I look into the testimony of God, I find
these various characters make up but different links of the same chain.
If a professed Christian seeth his brother in need, who has something
to spare, yet loving money more than his brother, will not manifest his
compassion, — the Scripture asks, How dwelleth the love of God in that
man ? For how can we love him that begat, and not also love them that
are begotten of him ? As Christians, we are certainly bound to put the
best constructions on a brother's actions they can bear ; — but where
there is real covetousness, there must also be idolatry. The latter sin
does not merely consist in bending the body before an image of saint or
angel; that may be done where there is no idolatry. God looketh to
the heart ; and where he finds undue reverence for, and attachment to,
the creature, that he considers idolatry."
234
THE COUNTESS OF LEVEN S
On Faith.
" June ilh, 1795.
" Your kind favour of the 1st instant has just come to hand. I am
sometimes commended ; but I bless God that I see nothing which pre-
vents my eternal condemnation but the finished work of Jesus Christ.
I see all about me, and in me, so defective and defiled, that I find it
absolutely necessary to run under covert of redeeming blood, lest I
perish for ever. The unchangeable truth, that our * Maker is our hus-
band,' should be an uninterrupted source of consolation and joy. Be-
lieving this, what should we not expect ? What honours, what bliss,
what intimate communion !
" The old man of whom I formerly wrote was very industrious, before
he became feeble by age. He is so modest that I never heard him give
the most distant hint of his being in want. Many of the * inhabitants'
of the gospel church are averse even to say they are * sick,' or poor.
" Dr. Erskine's idea of faith, as expressed in his Theological Disser-
tations, was exactly mine before I read a word of it. Many disapprove
of his definition, because it is so simple ; but if ever I found peace in
believing, it was in the very way the doctor describes faith. It is a pity
that book is not better known."
Levity.
" Jiine 22nd, 1795.
** Your Ladyship asks, how men can be gay ? They must first forget
that they are sinners. To see a criminal under the hands of a barber
an hour before his execution, I confess would be a shocking sight.
Were my mind more spiritual, perhaps I should be equally shocked when
I met a gay swearer.
*' Some years ago, a young man, with an elegant dressed head,
mounted one of our pulpits, and read to the people a pretty sermon.
A lady, after the sermon, dined with one of the ministers of this church,
when she took an opportunity of asking him how he had liked the young
man in the morning. ' Indeed,' said he, ' I thought the wrong side of
his head was outmost.' Perhaps the saying was more smart than solid.
However, it is to be feared that those who pride themselves upon their
external appearance, possess few graces of the Spirit, and the salvation
of the soul must be neglected.
" When men have few inward resources, they must look about for
help to kill time. A dance, a play, a tea garden, are all designed to fill
up the vacuum in empty minds. Very few philosophers are fond of
INFLUENCE ON IIIM. 235
such follies, because they have other pursuits which appear of more im-
portance. Where the mind is intent upon trifles, the conversation must
be very trifling. What a shame to abuse the intellect which God has
given ! But those who are blessed with nobler and better minds than
those who, like the beasts, derive all their happiness from sublunary
things, have the Lord alone to praise. Paul spent not a line in any of
his letters, with describing the grandeur of Roman palaces, or the splen-
dour of their princes : he said nothing to gratify fancy, or satisfy
curiosity; — he wrote only of things pertaining to the kingdom of God.
In this respect, Paul is a good pattern.
Ankcdote.
" July \st, 1795.
** A lady from England called last week. She told me her husband
had died a few months ago, and that she trusted he had died in the Lord.
The parish parson called a little before his death, and said, * Mr. ,
it is comfortable you have been seeking the Lord all your days !' ' Yes,
sir,' said he, * but it is more comfortable that 1 have found him.' He
then recommended to him to take the sacrament. * No,' he replied, ' I
need no other passport to heaven than what I already possess.' He
soon after fell asleep."
Crosses.
''July Sth, 1795.
*' I begin to find that crosses are requisite to assist us in our walk
with God. Things that are disagreeable to flesh and blood, tend to tire
one of the world. There is much meant by that expression, ' In their
affliction, they shall seek me early.' I find so much benefit derived from
having things that cross me, that I begin to count my crosses among
my choicest mercies. I have, indeed, the feelings common to human
nature, and experience now and then considerable depression, when cer-
tain providences bear hard upon me ; bvit without them, Jeshurun like,
I wax fat and kick ; ray mind becomes inactive and slothful. It is not
surprising that some of God's dear people are from the morning to the
evening of life, poured from vessel to vessel, beaten by wave after wave.
These things come to them in great love, whether they consist of po-
verty or pains, disappointments, or family distractions, or any thing
else ; — all proceed from a wise and gracious God."
236 THE COUNTESS OF LEVEN's
Thrift.
'' July \4/h,l79b.
" Tlie weather here is excellent. He governs the weather : can it be
in better hands ? Every day is according to the Divine pleasure ; and a
day that pleases God, [as the shepherd of Salisbury Plain said,] should
please us. Let us therefore be without carefulness about this matter,
believing that God does all things well, and for the best. The ravens
neither toil, till, nor spin, yet they are fed and clothed.
** It is not pleasant to see people in times of plenty, any more than in
times of scarcity, regardless of crumbs of bread, trampling them under
their feet. Every crumb is of God's creating, which, if not eaten by
man or beast, answers not his end in making it. God does nothing
superfluous ; whei'efore it is probable he only creates annually a suffi-
cient quantity to satisfy the wants of all living ; but in consequence of
the many epicures, wasters, and drunkards, a great many must live upon
short allowance. Their conduct is surely a breach of the law of love.
"It is certainly true that the Lord frequently sends messengers to
remove our temporal comforts, knowing we shall do better without them.
Many of his people have been completely deprived of their temporal
gourds before they mounted to their heavenly mansions.
Providence.
" August oth, 1795.
" You must be in a bustle at present, from the number of dear friends
that surround you. To look at such a company, as creatures hasten-
ing to death and judgment, renders the scene a solemn one. The ge-
nuine joy of a Christian respecting his friends will rise in proportion as
they give evidences of Jesus dwelling in them. When '^e sit down to
estimate things according to their real state and worth, instead of re-
joicing in the prosperity of a graceless friend, we shall be full of fear
and anxious solicitude respecting him, because this rise in the world
renders his condition more dangerous, so far as respects his soul. The
Lord does not love his people because they are poor ; but he often with-
holds riches, because he loves them. However, it is a cause of thanks-
giving that many of his children are appointed to exalted stations even
in this life, that they may exert their influence, and employ a due pro-
portion of their substance in promoting the interests of the Mediator's
kingdom. What an eminent example of this, the late Mr. Thornton,
whose memory is still revered by the churches !"
INFLUENCE ON HIM.
Himself.
" Enclosed is a detail of a friend's feelings. To view his condition
at a distance, you would think he had nothing to trouble him, that all
was smooth and serene ; but, by advancing a little nearer, you would
perceive thorns in his flesh. In this, he represents the rest of his
brethren. You will seldom meet with that man, or that woman, who
does not possess the embryo of groans, who has not something of the
disagreeable to bewail. Is it not wonderful that scarce a person could
be found, willing to live his past days over again ? and yet they all
wish to live as long as they can. Futurity is wisely concealed. Men
live in hope that to-morrow will be better than to-day ; and while
hoping, death is advancing, the earth incessantly revolving round its
axis, hastening to its last turning for us."
Anecdote.
** Last Saturday, died Miss , of a consumption. About a month
ago, the Lord appeared to her in rich mercy. She had been all her
life, a giddy, thoughtless girl. She was so fretful and discontented
during her illness, that her pious mother threatened to leave her. She
began to think she must be a wicked creature, indeed, that her very
mother could not live with her. While musing on this matter, Jesus
opened her understanding to behold his glory as held forth in Scripture.
During the last month of her short life, she was continually praising
her redeeming God in the most triumphant manner that can be con-
ceived. She had long been under a gospel ministry without its having
any visible influence. Is not Jesus the friend of sinners ? He is rich in
mercy to all that call upon him.
"We had an opportunity last sabbath of attending the Lord's Supper.
The great object to be viewed in this ordinance is surely the satisfaction
Christ made for sin. We are apt to think, however, from what is fre-
quently delivered on these occasions, that the chief thing we were called
to attend to, was the confusion in our own minds ; but I cannot enlarge
on this topic at present."
The Bible.
''August IIM, 1795.
" After my late revival, I began to love my Bible better, and to read
it more. I am particularly desirous to make this blessed book the
Alpha and Omega of my daily reading ; and to consider all the doctrines
238 THE COUNTESS OF LEVEn's
it contains as divine secrets revealed by God to the reader, not one of
which could ever have been conceived by the mind of man. Indeed,
on this account, it is called revelation, or secrets made known. To
carnal minds, this book seems sealed ; they say they are unlearned hi
these matters, and put it past them. But God opens up the mysteries
and glories thereof to thera that fear and trust him. This causeth them
to read with relish, to believe and love what they read. They behold
the resurrection of their Redeemer, as the assurance of their heavenly
Father, that all the promised blessings are secure to them.
" I hope the Lord is doing more good among us than transpires. He
is affording more preaching of the gospel, and though we do not per-
ceive extraordinary power attending the ordinances, yet, like your
Ladyship, we live in hope. I think we are beginning to have the Gospel
more simply and scripturally stated. Many plain truths have been
obscured by relating them in technical, systematic language, which many
hearers, who suppose they understand these terms, because they are
familiar to their ears, yet do not perceive the truth intended to be con-
veyed, consequently walk along a dark horizon all their days. I meet
with many who seem to underrate the value of understanding the truth ;
yet I find our Lord placing the chief stress upon that very thing. The
Scripture I refer to, is our Lord's comment or explanation of the good
seed, Matt. xiii. 23, which, he says, are those who hear the word, tin-
derstand it, and bring forth fruit."
ISIlSCELT.ANEOUS.
" I often hear observations in company, which I cannot receive, yet
from the aspect of the audience it appears improper to notice them.
In this case, it takes bit and bridle to bind the tongue ; it is certainly a
branch of mortification to keep under the tongue.
" I do not intend to hold up my experience as a criterion for others ;
but this, I find, when I receive much benefit from one ordinance, it
renders me anxious for the return of another. I begin to condemn in
my mind our Church constitution, for affording us so few opportunities
of commemorating the death of Jesus ; but when I toil throughout a
whole ordinance, * without catching one fish,' as we say, I feel not so
solicitous for the return of another. The Lord is sovereign, we are
sinners, he has a right to suspend our comfort when we offend against
his majesty. There should be submission to all the Divine chastise-
ments, and great searching of heart while under them, to find out where-
fore he contendeth with us ; then let us look to the Anointed of the
INFLUENCE ON HIM. 239
Father for the remission of all our sins. Our blunders and miscarriages
teach us many useful lessons. The Lord allowed Peter to be sinking
in the sea, at his side, before he caught hold of him, and prevented his
perishing ; and his first salutation was a sharp but well-timed rebuke.
* O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt ?' Saved Peter was
ashamed to return an answer."
Pensioned.
" September 23rd, 1795.
"Your late pensioner went out to a friend's house last Thursday to
dinner ; after dinner he seemed rather uneasy, when they asked him to
step to the kitchen lire ; they walked together to it, but he was hardly
live minutes seated, when his soul was before the throne, in the eighty-
second year of his age. He was interred last Lord's day, (a custom
conderanable in most cases,) by devout men. He said to a gentleman,
with whom he breakfasted last Wednesday, ' I would not part with the
contentment God has given me, for all that is in this world.'
"The blind man your ladyship referred to, is certainly a prodigy.
There is a blind person who accompanies visitants through one of our
public gardens to explain the various plants, and to prevent the strangers
from losing themselves among the intricate windings of the walks ; and
what would you think of a blind man acting as precentor (or clerk) to
a large congregation ? A blind man, long ago, puzzled the doctors of
the Sanhedrim about our Lord, more than any that ever came before
them. Eye-sight is a precious blessing ; but to possess it without
seeing the Lord, is of little value. At the resurrection, all shall have
eyes, and every eye shall see him.''
The Blind.
" Oct. 16th, 1795.
" I am sorry to find your ladyship complaining of weak eyes. Defi-
ciency of sight is certainly a loss ; but the mind continuing to perceive
the truth, infinitely more than counterbalances all other losses. The
structure of the human frame is so nice, that the smallest alteration of
any of its parts mars it. I sometimes tell the blind, the lame, consurap-
live, &c., that in the morning of the resurrection there will be the most
satisfactory restoration of all our losses, in this way. Surely nothing
shall be lost in eternity ; perhaps the heavens shall then be as easily re-
moved as a nail from our finger.
" An aged lady of my acquaintance lately lost the use of her arm by a
fall. Soon after she told me, smiling, that she had just been consider-
-49 THE COUNTESS OF LLVEN's
ing the circumstances of all her friends, but had not been able to fix on
one who could so easily sustain such a loss as she could ; — wherefore
she praised the Lord's wisdom and goodness in appointing that afflic-
tion to her, and not to them. Admirable spirit !"
Heroism.
" Oct. 22nd, 1795.
"The bravery of Alexander, Pompey, and Coesar, these ancient fire-
brands, has been greatly extolled by all civilized nations, — but how much
more worthy of being recorded is the fortitude of the naturally timid
girl (whom you name) on the eve of meeting Him who is called the King
of terrors. To hear of her humble confidence in God, during her last
moments, must certainly tend to encourage survivors who are not yet
delivered from the fear of death."
A Sailor.
" Nov. 12M, 1795.
" I spent an hour or two very pleasantly last Monday w^ith a little
select company, among whom was a Mr. N , purser of a man-of-war,
lately arrived. When he came ashore for the first time that morning,
he had not one acquaintance in the city, but he was not ashore half an
hour till he providentially became acquainted with one Christian brother
who soon introduced him to others.
" Mr. N was brought up a Roman Catholic till his twenty- firct
year, when God was pleased to open his eyes to see things very differ-
ently. We asked him how he maintained his integrity on board a man-
of-war. He entertained us with some very interesting details of his
combats with his brother- officers about faith and practice. During the
conversation, he frequently said, — ' Oh, I serve a good master, even
Christ. I know I shall reign with him 1 No man shall deprive me of
this boasting.'
'•'About three months ago he had been promoted by the interest
of the Duchess of , from being steward of another ship, to be
purser of his present ship. When he went first on board, the captain
very politely asked him to step down and see how he liked his room in
the cock-pit, which is below water- mark. The purser and surgeon have
the privilege of being thus low down in the ship, that their lives may not
be exposed to danger in case of an engagement with an enemy's ship.
' Oh/ said he, to the captain, ' I'm not afraid of bullets — not one of
them can hurt me l' * No !' said tlie captain : ' won't they blow out your
brains ?' * Not unless my Father choose ; and if they do, it will only be
INFLUENCE ON IIIM. 241
sending me home.' ' Are you a Predestinarian, then ?' ' I believe every
bullet has its billet.' * Oh, then you will have no objection to take a
command in case of an action ?' ' Not a bit ; appoint me any way you
please ; if in health, I'll do my duty.' ' Will you take the command of a
gun ; or the picket-guard?' ' I don't know much about guns, but will
head the picket-guard.' So the captain enrolled him for that post — and
likewise gave him a better room, higher up, as he was not afraid of
bullets.
" In this way he entertained us for two hours. He manifested a most
striking dependence on Providence. He appears to be without careful-
ness. He had an offer of promotion to a larger ship, a few weeks ago,
which he declined, because he thonght God was making him useful to a
midshipman on board his present ship."
Property.
''Nov. 20tk, 1795.
" The merchant has now and then his stock lessened by the insolvency
of a debtor, and sometimes the sea receives a commission to destroy or
damage his property ; but the Christian merchant comforts himself with
the assurance that these occurrences can do him no real injury. If he
admits the thought that they hurt him, he gives the lie to the Bible.
Such men appear to some to have a slight hold of their property, but in
fact, it is as secure (if they trust in God) as the best landholder's in ihe
country. The tenure of both is from the Lord, and their disposal de-
pends upon his pleasure. True, the landholder cannot lose his estate
by shipwreck; yet how many such suffer by distress; by mismanaging
servants ; by a squandering, unmanaging turn of mind in themselves ;
by dissipation of children, and many other ways. The best insurance of
property, I know, is confidence in God, and fidelity in our stewardship.
"We often apologise for not acting in certain matters, by saying we
have not leisure, when perhaps want of heart is the real reason. I plead
guilty in this respect. There is not a day in the week, nay, not an hour
in the day, but I find ground for this accusation against myself; of
course my salvation must be of grace, not by perfection in works. I
have not yet met with that hour wherein I had not occasion to say, —
* God be merciful to me a sinner.' ' Lord, help me, else I perish.' "
His Neighbourhood.
" Nov. 26th, 1795.
" A little girl who went messpges for Mr. B died a few days ago.
She was about twelve years of age, and appeared to die happily. Among
M
1242 THE COUNTESS or leveis's
other things which she said in Mr. B 's presence, — * she told her
mother the Lord was taking her away because she had made an idol of
her.' The day on which she died, she inquired of her mother what was
the hour ; who told her it was two o'clock. * Oh,' said she, ' it will be
long, for I shall not die till four.' At which hour she really died.
" I hope many here are attending to the earnest invitation to spend
an hour on the Lord's-day evening in prayer for our country, &c. Last
sabbath my mind was in such a state, that most of my attention was di-
rected to my own case, and the hour was almost expended before I
reached my king and country. Hosea xiv. 4, was the phial that did me
good. It contained an assurance from the Lord that my wound should
be healed. J was enabled to believe the faithfulness of Him who gave
the promise ; and according to my faith, so was it. The darkness, or
confusion was dispelled, the Lord appeared in his wonted love, and I
was happy. God's plan with sinners is truly excellent. They cannot
help themselves, nor should they attempt the fruitless task, but just look
to him who is their only Saviour, who performs the cure, and merits the
g'ory.
*• A person in my neighbourhood died very suddenly this morning. In
his lifetime he appeared quite a man of the world, nor did I hear of any
alteration previous to his death. Whether men think, or do not think,
about eternity and its concerns, God continues summoning them to ap-
pear at his bar. We hear of people dying. We view it as a solemn
subject, but we perceive little of its solemnity, compared with what the
persons do who have died. Perhaps this very thought will occur to our
own souls, in a short time after they have left their clay tabernacle.
" The death of an impenitent sinner is death indeed ! Believers can-
not properly be said to die in the full sense of that word ; for it is
Christ that died, and who died for them ; thereby depriving death of its
sting. A serpent without a sting hardly deserves the name. The very
report of a serpent being in the garden or the highway would make us
tremble and run ; but were we assured his sting was taken from him, we
should no more dread him than we would a lap-dog. Just so, in pro-
portion as we believe death to be unstinged, shall we view it as a friend,
not an enemy. In this way let us look at him for a little. Behold,
Jesus stands behind him ! Methinks I hear him say, * Little children,
be not afraid. It is my Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom,
and this is the way to the cro^n. Keep looking at me, and darkness
shall dispel as you advance. Behold, all tv«ese happy spirits that sur-
round me, entered the metropolis of my empire by the same gate, except
these two, Enoch and Elijuh. The road was rough, but I made it smooth ;
INFLUENCE ON HIM. 24S
dangerous, but I made it safe.' Should I not reply, * Thy presence and
thy words make death appear pleasant, O my beloved ; I will not disho-
nour thee by fear and distrust. I shall rather rejoice and welcome this
messenger.'
"A circumstance that has just happened, recalls to remembrance the
poverty of our Lord in his humbled state. He was born in another
man's stable, preached from another man's ship, and buried in another
man's tomb. I wish every occurrence in life would recall to recollection
something of the life or death of our Lord."
Ankcdote.
'•' I have no doubt but your ladyship will be highly pleased to hear of
a recent instance of God's goodness to a poor woman, in answer to
prayer. Her stock of provisions was reduced to a handful of meal, but
she had not a fire to prepare it for food. She bended the knee to Him
who feeds the ravens, and earnestly begged his gracious interposition.
Her devotion was scarcely ended, when a servant in the neighbourhood
called to inquire if she could accompany her to market to assist in pur-
chasing some fish, as she was supposed to be a judge of that article. She
accordingly went. Going along one of the streets, a gentleman from a
carriage called to her by name. The poor woman could not believe it
was her whom he meant. Continuing to call to her, she went up to him.
He was just returned from America, where he had resided many years,
and obtained a fortune. She had for many years been a servant in his
father's house, and had kept him when a child. He said he had fre-
quently inquired after her since his arrival, but could hear nothing of
her ; — he desired her to call for him at one of the hotels on a day which
he fixed. She went according to his desire, but could not for some time
prevail on any of the waiters to inform the gentleman. At length one
went and told him that a poor woman wished to see him, and asked if he
should desire her to come up stairs. * Yes,' said he, * if the king w^ere
in the room, I should bring her in.' He was happy to see her ; pre-
sented her with five povinds, and promised a good annual allowance.
" Her previous poverty and prayer serve as foils to set off this provi-
dential relief. Money obtained in this way is more precious than rubies.
What a mercy to have a firm reliance on the ability and fidelity of God
to relieve and sustain. The Lord reigns, wherefore his people should
rejoice. He not only counts the stars, but nnmbereth our hairs."
M 2
9A4
THE COUNTESS OF LEVEN S
Prayer.
" I am not acquainted with the author of Spiritual Logic, whose book
you mention, nor have I seen the book. I once read a treatise on the
same subject by one Hunter, and another who assisted him ; but I
confess k^g David's logic pleased me better. When I have a proper
view of sin, God and tlie Saviour, I do not require a logical friend to
help me with words at a throne of grace. If a man were drowning, to
throw to him a logical book to inform him how to call with propriety
for a rope, would be considered as an insult to the drowning man. It
is faith in Christ, and not fine words, that pleases God. Your ladyship
will recollect, I am writing about secret prayer. As to social prayer,
I believe many of us require many directions."
Reading.
" I never read the volume of sermons you refer to. Indeed, I some-
times think I write as much as I read. I remember when it was other-
wise, for I have read a good many volumes in my time. I recollect
some of them, but have forgotten more. I wish to read more of the
Bible daily than I do. To my shame be it spoken, I am sometimes
more disposed to take up RoUin's Ancient History, (which, indeed,
I prefer to many other histories,) than the book of God. This may
well be brought in as a charge against the * old man ;' but this is no
apology for the sin. I would treat him as Samuel treated Agag of old,
if I could, viz., * hew him in pieces.' It is now past midnight, so it
is high time to tell your ladyship that I am,
Yours, &c.,"
Submission.
'^January 27th, 1796.
" Every Christian has a post assigned him, which he should occupy
like a Christian, or according to the law of Christ. He believes in
the sovereign appointment, superintendence, and continual direction of
his Lord and master with regard to his more and his less important
matters ; consequently, that the chief weight of all his concerns rests
upon his Lord's shoulders. The Lord, in a variety of Scriptures, hath
promised him counsel and support. Wherefore his great concern
should be to know his Lord's Trill, to get his mind firmly to depend on
Divine assurances, and to be fully pcsuaded that every thing shall
ultimately turn out for the best. This gives a courage, a submission,
INFLUENCE ON IIIM. 245
a patience, and a hope, superior to every thing human. Man cannot
alter the tide of providence ; what the Lord makes crooked, he cannot
make straight ; as one well observes, * when we cannot bring our lot
to our mind, we should study to bring our mind to our lot.' There is
an over anxiety which some truly sanctified minds have, which is no
ornament to their Christian character. They find few people who can
do things quite to their mind, consequently are ever complaining against
somebody. They are peevish, fractious, and discontented. Such people
I have met with, who, though they had the hope of heaven after death,
had an unhappy time of it here.
" The wisest, as well as the most wicked, have things they could do
without. The time hastens when all imperfection shall be done away,
when our minds shall be for ever serene, when there shall be nothing
to hurt, nor disturb in all God's holy mountain. Yesterday was the
first anniversary of my deliverance from many evils."
Hell.
''February I2th, 17i<6.
" I was sorry to find, by your favour of last week, that you were a
little indisposed. However, it is vain to expect total exemption from
affliction of one kind or other in our wilderness world, nor is it de-
sirable. Had we faith in God's gracious designs in the light afflictions
he assigns, we should be all love, praise, and submission. And did we,
as the redeemed of the Lord, compare all we can possibly suffer in the
present life, with twenty-four hours' residence in he'l, we should cer-
tainly consider our sufferings hardly worth naming. In our worst case,
we can, without difficulty, obtain not only drops but draughts of water
to cool our tongue, and sometimes wine also to cheer our heart. Not
so in hell ! There the worm dieth not, the fire is not quenched I Even
the Son of Man, while here, had not where to lay his head. I never
was in a strait either for a house or a bed, consequently I have been
better off in that way than the blessed Jesus. The comforts of life are
so many props to our wish of continuing where we are, and our crosses
so many attacks against these props."
His Experience.
''March \7th, 1796.
" Your ladyship inquires, if I never have a cloud after rain. The
inquiry is kind and important. A few thoughts on the subject may fill
a letter very profitably.
" Were I to say that my mind is always serene ; that I have always
'M'6 THR COUNTESS OF LEVEN's
the same delight in the doctrine of Christ, the same avidity in serving
him ; that I enjoyed a sameness in his communications, or experience
of his love, I should not be speaking the truth ; but I have not, since my
restoration, been vrholly without confidence in God, and hope in our
Lord Jesus Christ,
" My thoughts are far from being what they should be, and many of
my words are spoken unadvisedly, which indeed are the causes of much
uneasiness. I lose many opportunities in which 1 might serve the cause
of our Lord ; and ah 1 I frequently hear of the love of Christ with great
coolness. Sometimes T seem pretty far up the ladder ; at other times
low enough ; however, it is good to be on it.
" My chief comfort arises from what Jesus did in his humbled state ;
from what the Father intimated to sinners by raising him from the
dead ; his ruling over all, and his mediation for all believing people.
These considerations frequently afford me inexpressible consolation. At
times, I find a torrent of new ideas (to me) of Divine things rush into
my mind ; yet ere long this perceiving power flies away ; then the mind
seems moored in stupidity, straitened, shut up, unwell. I cannot mount
a step beyond this point, till Jesus loose my bands, by re-enlightening
my mind.
" Such vicissitudes teach me my need of constant dependence on Jesus ;
of continual looking to him as the Lamb in the midst of the throne ; to
be afraid of every thing which may become a temptation ; to make me
put a high value on our Lord's visitations ; to make me long for im-
mortality, desire to depart and be with Christ, and a thousand other
lessons too numerous to mention.
" I do not believe such a phenomenon exists on earth as a Christian
without clouds. Changes, as to enjoyment and peace, seem requisite
for illustrating the Divine mercy, patience, etc., an giving an oppor-
tunity for manifesting the faithfulness of God to his promises. They
also try our faith. These changes may be occasioned by unwatcb fulness
on our part, an alteration in our circumstances, animal spirits, etc."
Faith.
''March Slst, 1796.
" I am seated to say something in return for your last letter. I own
I never should be cast down, nor has your ladyship any allowance to be
so. If we be cast down, it is wrong ; for sure tlie foundation of our
hope is firm as the everlasting hills. But while we travel in such a
world as this, and with such hearts as ours, we shall frequently meet
with melancholy interruptions to our joy and triumph. The atonement
INTLUENCE ON TIIM. 247
for sin is perfect. When we do rJn, we have an advocate with the
Father, who, in proportion to our confidence in him, conveys virtue from
his sacrifice to our souls. We have also a chain of promises, contain-
ing the most free, full, and explicit engagements on God's part, to give
all necessary direction, strength, light, comfort, etc. So far as God in
these is believed, we shall be sustained from sinking into any kind of
despondency. Indeed, at present, anxiety about my eternal condition
is none of my troubles ; my vexation arises from my unwatchfulness,
ingratitude, and defects. At the same time, I have cause to praise our
almighty Saviour for maintaining peace in my mind, my hope, my con-
fidence in His sacrifice. Sometimes, I have much more distrust about
temporal than spiritual matters. Surely, I must have crosses. Why
do I ever prescribe to God ? why say, wound me not in this part ? Any
cross but this one, any timeh\x.t the present. If all were calm and tran-
quil, I would, like Peter, be for building tabernacles here,
" Yesterday, Mr. B and I visited a lady who appears dying in
great pain ; but possessing a peaceful mind, great patience, and resig-
nation. She made noble confessions of her faith in Jesus Christ, of
the vanity of every thing but him. She is only about thirty years of
age. Oh the patience of saints ! My feelings were quite overcome witli
the sight. She has been very intimately connected with our family.
I have seen her often, but I have scarce ever witnessed a happier, or
more satisfactory deathbed scene. We are more apt to covet than pity
her situation.
" I shill not be sorry when I hear that old Dr. Gillies has fallen asleep
in Jesus. May his death be blessed to beholders !"
Deathbed.
'' April 7th, 1796.
" On Tuesday evening, I visited Mrs. H , having heard that she*
was near the end of her journey. When I entered her room, she saluted
me with saying, * O you are welcome. I began about four o'clock to
long for your coming — I was very desirous of some one to converse with
about Jesus. I bless him for this painful trouble ; I see much love in
his sending it — it was quite necessary. I know well why it was sent ;
and the end has been answered. Whether death or life be the issue, I
will praise him for it. It will take eternity to praise Jesus.'
'* Again she said, * Some people who visit me, come with a gloom on
their countenance — but this is not a gloomy scene surely. I am happy !
When you write to , tell him I have little prospect of life, but all
my happiness is the righteousness of Jesus.'
24^S THE COUNTESS OF LEVEn's
" Indeed this was a pleasant, and, I hope, profitable, intervien^ to me;
her hope and corafort appear so genuine and judicious. She does not
break out in raptures, but manifests a calm, scriptural confidence in our
blessed Saviour."
♦• April 22nd, 1796.
" Mrs. H is still in life : I saw her on Saturday, sabbath, and
Monday, each of which days she expressed the warmest desire to depart
and be with Cbrist. She requested her friends to pray that her faith
might not fail. She said, ' It has not failed yet.' "
*' Mai/ Uth, 1796.
*' On Saturday afternoon I took a walk to Mrs. H 's. The visit
was a happy one to me. I remained two hours with her ; but our in-
terview was so pleasant, I was sorry to leave her sick room. Her agony
is still remarkably severe. Her greatest fear just now is, lest her pa-
tience should wear out. She said, * she had never seen her own insig-
nificancy so, as she does now.' She was a very agreeable looking
woman, and had something very engaging to all her acquaintances, from
her good sense and affable manners. She could not but perceive this ;
but the present dispensation has humbled her to the very dust.
" She told me she was often grieved that she could not fix her mind
on any divine subject, in consequence of the violent pain she endured.
I asked her what she would think of a minister, in a fever, charging
himself with guilt, because he was in bed instead of being in the pulpit.
Would she not conclude that this man had erroneous views of God, who
requires not impossibilities ? God is not such a hard master as, alas !
we are too prone to suppose. He does not require brick of his people
without giving straw ; no, he condemns this conduct in the Egyptians,
and all his threatenings and commands are illustrative of his own holi-
ness and rectitude. The God of the whole earth cannot but do righte-
ously.
•' That 17th chapter of John's gospel has been for months past the
centre of the Bible to me. It contains privileges so animating and so
ennobling to poor siimers, that when we can enter into the spirit of it,
it raises us high, and makes us look down upon the world as a mere
bubble, not worth desiring. When our Lord warned his disciples of
the greatness of their approaching trials and troubles, it would have
been very natural for them to desire to depart with him to his rest.
But our Lord, who well knew all they should meet with, and who dearly
loved them, prayed not that they should be taken out of the world, but
only that they should be kept from its evil. To this day it remains our
INFLUENCE ON HIM. 249
duty to be resigned to the whole of God's plan respecting us ; not even
to pray for the removal of the rod a moment sooner than it sliall please
him."
Providence.
'' Jtme 2nd, 179(5.
" The Lord sees it proper that your Ladyship should have toil at a
time of life when most people promise themselves ease. It is a hard
task to scan futurity, or to plan for ourselves. Only what is good the
Lord gives and does to his people. Nothing in our lot is so trifling as
to be reckoned beneath his notice. One reason why I love the memoirs
of is because he notices the finger of God in circumstances wliich
many people would consider unworthy the notice of man. But surely
there is neither a hair nor a sparrow falls to the ground without the
particular observation of the supreme Majesty. Wonder, O heavens,
be astonished, O earth !
" A minister lately, very aptly, compared the gospel to a gun, which
when charged only with powder made plenty of noise, but did no exe-
cution ; however, when charged with shot, it came home to the heart."
Infidelity.
''June 23rd, 179G.
" Paine has been bold enough to write against the Bible, and it is
reported that many of his readers have been caught in the snare, and
become infidels. No man who ever believed the gospel, and loved Jesus
Christ, can be among the number. I have no doubt but many, who are
fearful of the judgment, would gladly embrace any system but that of
the gospel, if it would free them from their fears. The more that men
can persuade themselves to embrace infidelity, these kind of fears will
probably depart ; but, is the man thereby rendered better and safer ? —
not a jot. Would blinding my eyes in a battle ward off the bullets ?
Nor can infidelity prevent the approach of hell fire. Giving brandy to
a man under sentence of death may make him despise the gallows, but
it will not prevent his being hanged.
" I read in the newspaper to-day a letter from the general of the
French army in Italy. He says that the soldiers sport and laugh at
death ! but he does not assure us that they laugh after death. We see
cattle happy enough while travelling to the slaughter-house ; but did
they know what should happen when they reached it, it would lessen
their mirth. Does Paine imagine it possible to overturn the church of
God ? But no weapon formed against her can possibly prosper, for her
M 8
2,50
Lord reigns over all, and is God blessed for ever. O that Jesus may-
give him repentance to the acknowledgment of the truth ! His blood
cleanseth believers from all sin ; and in order to glorify the riches of his
grace, he sometimes saves the most notorious offenders."
Deathbed.
''July 7 th, 1796.
" I was desired to visit a poor dying Christian last Monday, with
whom I had no previous acquaintance. She lives in a garret — has been
badly about four years. The rheumatism has been so severe, that most
of her joints are dislocated. She said much to the praise of Jesus.
She is remarkably attached to the word of God, of course. She hardly
looks upon another book. That the blood of Jesus cleanseth from all
sin, has been her chief support and comfort during her affliction. She
does not sleep more than two hours in a night, and yet never wearies.
Her companion wept when she told me that Jane was always desiring to
get to her Father's house in heaven. She is very unwilling to part with
her ; they have lived together seventeen years. I had great pleasure in
conversing with them. I viewed Jane as a ' king's daughter' on the
eve of setting off for the palace."
Manners.
" I have purchased for your Ladyship the book upon the exertions
made in former times for the reformation of manners, preventing sab-
bath-breaking, drunkenness, &c. I wish there had been more means
then used for the conversion of men to God. From what I see in the
book, I believe the exertions had been great for the suppression of vice,
and encouraging external virtue. In these days religion was fashionable
among the great, and consequently the number of hypocrites among all
ranks must have been very great. Israel seems often to have eagerly
followed religious fashions. When God favoured them with a good
king, they appeared all good ; but in the very next reign we find them
gross idolaters ; which shows that the many changed their religion with
the same readiness as we change the shape of our coat or gown. Though
it is pleasant to see good appearances in the outward aspect of the
public, we must remember it is not all gold that glitters ! The church
in her best times was composed of a poor and persecuted people. Satan
may now change his method of attack, and put it into the hearts of the
great to flatter and fawn upon the faithful ; and perhaps he may gain
his end in that as well as in any other way. I cannot consider the
Constantine age to be the best age of the church ; some think it was
INFLUENCE ON IIIM. ;i5i
the beginning of her greater sorrows. Unsound doctrine then rushed
into her like a river. But though I thus write, I should rejoice to see
religion, pure and undefiled religion, find its way into the hearts and
houses of the great."
A Visit.
''July \Wi, \7[)f,.
" I think I mentioned Jane in my last, who is dying in the
blessed hope of the glory of God. She continues full of faith, joy, and
peace. I took Mr. B (Dr. Black) to see her last Friday. He said
he had not witnessed such a scene during his ministry. When about to
pray, she said, ' 1 do not ask my friends to pray for my recovery, or
continuance in the world ; I really wish to be gone.' He said, * Jane,
how do you reconcile that with submission to the Lord's will ?' ' Oh,
sir,' said she, ' our Lord says to his own children, " Because I live, ye
shall live also." Death, then, to me is only the beginning of the life I
want.' "
*'Juhj 2lst, 1796.
"Jane is still in the wilderness. When I entered her apartment on
sabbath evening, she said, * I have just breath to tell you, all is ivell .'
You know the state of my mind, and what to say ; I shall hear.' I sat
with her about an hour, and found it good to be there, for I believe
Jesus was present."
His Work.
" August Alh, 179(J.
" Your Ladyship kindly fears lest I should have too much work to
perform. Did you tell me that you walked two or three times a day
along the lawns that surround you, I should not be alarmed by the
intelligence ; I should rather be pleased, hoping it would do you much
good. The jobs which Providence lays out for me, I compare to your
walks ; they are not a toil, but a pleasure.
'* When I last called on Jane, I inquired how she did ; to which she
replied, * Sorrowful, yet always rejoicing.' "
Angels.
"August 7t/i, I79('i.
" I had no idea your Ladyship was so weakly as you mention in your
last ; it will certainly be an incitement to me to send as much as I can
for amusement in your little prison. The best of us are but prisoners
at large ; we are all confined to a small globe of earth hanging in the
~02 THE COUNTESS OF LEV^EN's
air. Not so with angels. Though heaven be their head- quarters, they
can and do visit the inhabitants of our world ; for are they not all
ministering spirits, sent forth from on high to minister to the heirs of
salvation, who are travelling to the better country ? So says the Bible ;
wherefore I believe. The Lord loves the lowest of his people here with
an infinite love. Can he love glorified saints more ?
*' The ministry of angels is a subject little attended to, though a
pleasant one. We who believe are come to the fellowship of an innu-
merable company of them, who all expressed joy on the first notice
they received of our repentance. By the way, we read (Acts xx. 21) of
repentance toward God, which intimates that then the love, desire,
delight, contemplation, &c., of the man is turned or directed towards
God. Formerly these faculties were wholly exercised upon the creatures,
or earthly things ; but now the Spirit opens the mind to discern some-
thing so great, glorious, and desirable in God, that the heart is engaged,
and begins to look down upon the world as unworthy its supreme
esteem.
" Jane is still alive, though almost unable to speak. Her comfort is
very great. The amazing power and grace of God is wonderfully dis-
played in causing her to sing in the midst of her fiery trial. Had she
not had the hope of eternal life, she says she should have been of all
creatures * most miserable.' "
Deathbed.
''Sept. ^th, 1796.
" There is a man dying at present in very great pain, who has all his
lifetime been a poor thoughtless, wicked creature, and his wife of a simi-
lar character. On sabbath morning he expressed a wish to see me : of
course, I was sent for. His prospects are gloomy — he has no hope, and
is terrified. To show him the absolute necessity of a Saviour, I put him
in mind of his wicked life, and then read the third chapter of John, with
gome little comment. Several of his thoughtless neighbours were pre-
sent. When testifying to his wife that her works also were evil, she
became very angry ; upon which I slipped two of your shillings into her
hand, which soon pacified her, and made her ashamed of her rudeness.
I wish her shame had proceeded from a better principle. Her husband
condemns his past conduct, which makes her wonder ; for she thinks his
life was good enough.
" Jane is yet living. I carried her a pot of jelly from a friend. Upon
presenting it, she prayed, * O God, 
