Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1836-07-07
ROWLAND HILL.

PerhapS no man IN modern times has
been more honored than Mr. Hill, as the
! instrument Of converting souls. His tai
ent appeared more PARTICULAR y in awak-
enng the careless; instances OF which the
writer has had many opportunities in wit
Messing and he does not remember ever
having stayed two days with Mr. H in
any town, without meeting with one per-
son or more, to whom his ministry had
been made useful One case among ma
n.y. he cannot omit; the scene occurred at
Davenport Devon<hire, after Mr. H, had
been preaching a missionary sermon to
crowded congregation in the large chapel
in Princes street. The people had with
drawn, and the deacons and few friends
had retired with Mr. H into the yestrv,
when two TALL venerable looking mon,
| upwards OF seventy years Of age, appear
ed at the vestry door After short pause
! they entered, arm-ln-arm, and advanced
towards Mr. H. when one Of them said.
with some degree Of trePIdaticn, Sir,
will you permit two Old sinners to have
the honor to shake you by the hand -
He replied, with some reserve, Yes,
sir" When one of these gentlemen,
the other hanging on his arm, took his
hand, kissed it, bathed it with his tears,
and said, Sir, do you remember preach
ing on the spot where this chapel now
stands, fifty years ago?' Yes, [ do"
was the reply The old man then pro-
ceedcd to say, "Oh, sir! never can the
dear friend who has hold of my arm, or
myself, forget that sermon; we were then
two careless young men, in his Majesty S
ck-yard, posting to destruction as fast as
time and sin could convey us thlther.-
Having heard that an Interesting young
clergyman was TO preach out of doors,
we determined to 60 and have some fun
accordingly we loaded our pockets with
stones, Intending to peIt you; but sill,
when YOU arrived, our courage tal.cd
ard as soon as you engaged in prayer, We
were so deeply imprt ssed, that We looked
at each other and trcm0ltd. When you
named your text, and began to speak, the
word came with over to our hearts; the
bio tears rolled down our checks; we pur
our hands into our pockets, and dropped
the stones one after another, until they
we're all gone; for God had taken the
stone out of our hearts, " hen the Ser.
vice was over, we retired but our hearts
= were to foil to speak, until we came neal
, 10 our lodgings, when my friend at my eI
: how said, John, this will not do; We are
= both wrong; good night This was al
? he could utter he retired to his apart
ment, to mine; but neither Of us daret
-. to 90 to bed, lest we should awake in he'll
: And from that time, sir, we humbly hop
It we were converted to God, who, of his in
It finite mercy, has kept US in his way to tn
Il present moment; and we thought, sir,
+ you would permit US, after the lapse c
u halt hundred years, 10 have the ? leasur
of shaking you by the hand before we 6
l. home, it would be the greatest honor thu
l. could be conferred on u.s. Mr. H. wa
IT. deeply affected the tears rolled down hi
II venerable cheeks in quick succession; h
J. fell on the necks of the old men quite
he the patriarchal sty lie; and there 20
n might have seen them, locked in eac
~ others arms, weeping tears of holy 10
70 and gratitude to the Father of mercics-
re 1t was scene at which Gabriel migI
s. have rcjoiccd, and infdelity must ha,
to turned pale he writer is aware !
ct cannot do justice to it By his dcscriptic
e. though he feels, at this distance Of tim
nd something like eel, stial pleasure in /
I'd coyding what he then Witnessed