West-Jersey pioneer., 1866-11-30
Specimen Of Welsh Preaching.

At meeting OF Ministers at Bristol,
the Rev. Mr.. - invited several of his
brethren to sup with him; among them
was the minister officiating at the Welsh
meeting house in that city. He was an
entire stranger to all the company, and
silently attentive to the general conver-
sation Of his brethren. The subject on
which they were discoursing was the
different strains Of public preaching
When several had given their opinion,
and had mentioned some individuals as
good preachers, and such as were models
as to style Of composition, &c. Mr.--
turned to the Welsh stranger, and solic-
lied his opinion. He said he felt it a
privilege to. be silent, when such men
were discodfsing, but that he felt it a
duty to comply with his request. "But, y
said he, eff must give my opinion, l
should say that ye have no good preach
ers in England. A Welshmah would set
fire to the world while you were lighting
your match" The whole company re-
quested the good man to give them some
specimen of the style and manner Of
preaching in Wales. "Specimeu," said
he, 81 cannot give you; if John Elias
was here, he would give you specimen
INDEED. cannot do justice to the
Welsh language! Your poor meagre
language would spoil it; it is not capable
of expressing those ideas which Welsh
man can conceive; | cannot give you a
specimen in English without spelling it. I"
The interest of the company was in
creased, and nothing would do but some
thing of specimen "Well," said the
Welshman, E'if you must have piece, l
must try, but don't know what to give
you-I recollect piece Of Christmas
Evans. He was preaching on the de-
pravity of man by sin--of his recovery
by the death of Christ, and he said,
"brethren, if were to represent to you
in figure, the condition of man as a
sinner, and the means of recovery by the
cross of Jesus Christ, | should represent
it something in this way:-Suppose a
large grave yard surrounded by high
wall, with only one entrance, which is by
large iron gate, which is fast bolted
Within these walls are thousands and tens
of thousands of human beings, of all ages
and of all classes, by one epidemic disease
bending 10 the grave-the grave yawns
to swallow them. and they must all die.
There is no balm to relieve physician
there they must perish. This is the
condition of man as sinner-all have
sinned, and the soul that sinneth shall
die. While man was in this deplorable
state, Mercy, the darling attribute of
Deity, came down and stood at the gate,
looked at the scene and wept over it,
exclaiming, "Oh that might enter, !
wou'd bind up their wounds--I would
relieve their sorrows would save their
souls" While Mercy stood weeping at
the gate, an embassy of angels, commits
stoned from the court of Heaven to some
other world, paused at the sight, and
Heaven forgave that pause; and, seeing
Mercy standing there, they cried, "Mercy,
Mercy, can you not enter? Can you
look upon that scene and not pity !? Can
you pity and not relieve 2" Mercy re-
piled, II can see," and in her tears she
added, Il can pity, but cannot relieve"
"Why can you not enter" "Oh! (said
Mercy,) Justice has barred the gate
against me, and cannot, must not, un-
bar it." At this moment Justice himself
appeared, as it were to watch the gate.
The angels inquired Of him, "Why will
you not let Mercy in p Justice replied
"My law is broken, and it must be hon.
ored, Die they, or Justics must p At
this, there appeared form among the
angelic band like unto the Son of God,
who, addressing himself to Justice, said,
"What are thy demands 2" Justice
replied, my terms are stern and rigid
| must have sickness for their health--I
must have ignominy for their honor--I
must have death for their life. " With
out shedding Of blood there is no rensis
sion." "Justiee," said the Son of God,
Il accept thy terms. On me be this
wrong, and let Mercy enter" "When.''
said Justice, "will you perform this
promise 2" Jesus replied, ''Four thous-
and years hence, upon the hill of Calvery
without the gates of Jerusalem, | will
perform it in my own person" The
deed was prepared, and signed in the
presence of the angels of God-Justice
was satisfied, and Mercy entered, preach
ing salvation in the name of Jesus The
deed was committed to the patriarchs, by
them to the kings of Israel aud the
by them it was preserved till
Daniels sevepty weeks we're accomplished
then, at the appointed time, Justice ap-
peared on the hill of Calvary, and Mercy
presented to him the important deed.
"Where (said Justice) is the Son of GodY'
Mercy answered, "Behold him at the
bottom of the hill, bearing his cross;"
and then she departed, and stood aloof at
the hour OF trial. Jesus ascended the
hill, while in his own train followed his
weeping church Justice Immediately |
presented him with the deed, saying,
This is the day when this bond is to be
executed" When he received it, did he |
tear it in pieces, and give it to the winds |
of Heaven No, he nailed it to his cross |
"It is finished" Justice !
called on holy fire to come down and
the sacrifice. Holy FIRE de-
swallowed His humanity,
but when it touched His Deity it expired
and there was darkness over the whole
Heavens but glory to God in the
highest, on earth peace and good will to
men.
"This,' said the Welshman, "is but a
specimen of Christmas Evans"