money to Mr. R., if he has any demand as agent, instead of forwarding it to New-York. "The business in Berkeley shall be attended to. "Your's, most respectfully, with filial affection, My brother, some time after the above, wrote again to the Bishop, who gave the following answer. "RICHMOND, March 8th, 1816. "Dear Sir :-The representation which I made you some time since, relative to a letter which I had received from the North upon the subject of your pecuniary concerns, was but of a partial nature. From motives of delicacy to you, I concealed from your observation some of the writer's remarks; but conceiving it to be my duty to press the settlement of his demand, I took the liberty of suggesting to you my wishes. "I indulge a hope, that before this shall reach you, that unpleasant transaction will be finally adjusted; for should he write to the Standing Committee upon the subject, and make to them the same statement he has done to me, they would consider it their duty to explore the whole ground, before they would write a recommendation in your behalf." "I think I mentioned to you in my last letter, that his communication had much disgusted me! Viewing you through the medium of friendship, and no stranger to the difficulties under which you have laboured, I conceived that the man meant to stop at no point short of your destruction; my resentment against him was therefore excited by the acerbity of his expressions, and the malignity of his charges. I have therefore taken no further notice of his letter, than by the statement which I afforded you. "In any letters which you may receive from me, I would wish you to observe, that I address you with the most friendly intentions, and that I shall always be happy to hear of your welfare, and to contribute to your comfort. "Believe me your friend and father in Christ Jesus, “P.S. I am rejoiced to hear of the revival of religion in your district. May Jehovah bring to maturity the work he has begun." My brother's desire to satisfy every just demand against him, and also the kindly sympathies of his people in his pecuniary difficulties, were displayed in the following facts. His Vestry, or individuals of his Vestry, by having his case placed before them, were induced to make arrangements to have advanced to him, for the purpose of liquidating his debts, a very considerable sum, I believe one thousand dollars: And this truly benevolent act was done on their own individual responsibility, with no other security than a kind Providence. My brother was to refund, as the Lord gave him ability. But should he be called hence, before he had been enabled to cover the amount, it was to be their loss. May the Lord return into the bosoms of those friends in need, or into the bosoms of their families, ten thousand fold in this world, and in the world to come, life everlasting. The above facts I give as the amount of an interview I had with my brother on the subject at the time, as nearly as I can recollect. I think it probable that he refers to the above loan in a letter to me 66 July 10th, 1818. "I expect our father in the course of ten days. I sent him one hundred dollars, to enable him to come, and nine hundred dollars toward the payment of my debts. "Your's, truly, N B. ALLEN." CHAPTER IX. PUBLISHES THE LAYMAN'S MAGAZINE-FURTHER VIEWS OF HIS EXTENSIVE LABOURS IN RECEIVES DEACON'S ORDERS. VIRGINIA-HIS SUCCESS My brother had not been long settled in Virginia before, from his anxious desire to benefit his own people, and the cause of the Church generally, he was led to engage in the publication of a periodical, of eight pages a week. He writes to me on this subject "CHARLESTOWN, Jefferson Co., Dec. 5th, 1815. "Dear Thomas:-I am publishing for the use of my people, a paper called the Layman's Magazine. I have directed the publisher to send the first numbers to you. I wish to have this widely circulated, as I shall take great pains to insert such materials as shall convince the people there is piety in our Church, and that she is flourishing in other lands beside Virginia. If you like it, I wish you would get your people to take it, and send me their names as speedily as possible-$1:50 per annum, published weekly. I have nothing to do with it, except furnishing the matter. I wish you would take pains to circulate it, for I believe it will do good. I shall draw largely from the Christian Observer." He again writes "My interest in it is merely spiritual, but that is a deep one.""The printer in Martinsburg has generously undertaken to issue it at his own risk, and I must see him unhurt in it." Mr. Wilmer writes to my brother on the subject, giving his counsel. "ALEXANDRIA, April 19th, 1816. "Dear Friend:- -I have received some of the numbers of your Magazine, and have to thank you for the zeal which has prompted you to such efforts for promoting the cause of Religion and the Church. There are some things in it, however, which appear to have passed through the press so rapidly, as not to have received your corrections." After alluding to the particular piece, Mr. Wilmer proceeds "Your goodness will excuse these strictures, and ascribe it to my sincere regard for the reputation of a work which is identified somewhat with your own, and with that of the Church. It is one of the delicate parts of the duty of an editor, to decide upon the merits of his correspondent's productions, and he often is tempted to sacrifice to friendship, what is due to truth and duty. You will, however, soon perceive that you must exercise the painful task of rejecting such communications as will tend to disparage a work which may become so highly useful. As your own time must be too much occupied to admit of your furnishing it with much original matter, I think you cannot do better than to extract from the Christian Observer.". These extracts, "together with such original matter as you can procure, worthy of insertion, and local intelligence, will make it a very valuable vehicle of instruction to the members of the Church. You will consider me a subscriber, and be kind enough to send me the anterior numbers. "Your sincere friend, W. H. WILMER." The first number of this work was published with the following title "THE LAYMAN'S MAGAZINE." "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind—and thy neighbour as thyself. "Martinsburg, Nov. 16th, 1815." My brother thus introduces it to the public "Every new enterprise in which man engages, should be preceded by looking to God for his blessing: Therefore, in the commencement of these our labours, we pray-'Direct us, oh Lord, in all our doings, with thy most gracious favour, and further us with thy continual help; that in all our works begun, continued, and ended in thee, we may glorify thy holy name; and finally, by thy mercy, obtain everlasting life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.' "We live in astonishing times. Revolution after revolution stalks across our field of vision. The very elements of society seem in wild uproar. The pillars of ancient kingdoms totter to their fall. Empires themselves crumble in the dust. We behold not a few thousands, as in former years, but millions marshalled to the field of combat. We see the blood of the human family rolling in torrents; we hear the groans of myriads of orphans. The destroying angel is hurling tempest after tempest of desolation across the face of the globe. To just judgment has Omnipotence arisen! He has a controversy with the powers that behe is visiting for iniquity-he is punishing crime. "Amid all these horrors, it is delightful to perceive that the sceptre of Immanuel is extending its sway. When judgments are abroad in the earth, the inhabitants thereof learn righteousness.' This is now proving. Sensible of their former folly, men are beginning more generally to do their duty to their God. In Christendom, a spirit of fervent, active, energetic piety, is widely reviving. We behold Bible Societies multiplying throughout two continents. We see those continents not only engaged for their own good, but putting forth their hand to help their sisters, Asia |