The Wilmingtonian., 1888-02-11
A Remarkable Experience.

Remarkable Experience.
have been preaching in Essex this week,
and l took the opportunity to visit the place
where my grandfather preached SO long, and
where spent my earliest days. Last Wed.
nesday was to me day in which walked
like man in dream. Everybody seemed
bound to recall some event or other of my
childhood. What story of Divine love and
mercy it did bring before my mind! Among
other things l sat down in place that must
be sacred to me. There stood in my grand
father's manse garden, two arbcrs made of
yew trees cut in sugar-luaf fashion. Though
the old manse has given way to new one,
aud the old chaple has gone also, yet the
yew trees flourish as aforetime. 1 sat down
in the right-hand arbor aud bethought
years ago. When was young
| child staying with my grandfather,
there came to preach in the village
Mr.. Knill. who had been missionary at Sc.
Petersburg, and mighty preacher of the
Gospel. He came to preach for the London
Missionary Society, aud arrived on Satur-
day at the mause. de was great soul-win-
ner, and he soou spied out the boy. He said
TO me, "Where do you sleep9 for want to
call you up iu the morning" /" showed him
my little room. AT six O'Clock he called me
up and went in the arbor. There, in the
sweetest way, be told me Of the love of
Jesus and of the blessedness of trusting in
Him and lovirg HIM in our childhood.
With many story he preached Christ to
me, and told me how good GJd had been TO
him, and then he prayed that might know
the Lord and serve Him.
Ou Monday morning he did as on the Sab.
bath, and ag ain on Tuesday. Three times
he taught me and prayed with me, and be-
fore he had to leave, my grandfather had
come back from the place where he had
gone to preach, and all the family were gath
cred to morning prayer. Then, in the pres
ence of them all, Mr.. Krill took me on his
kuee and said "Ths chlld will one day
preach the Gospal, and he will preach it to
the great multtudes. am persuaded that
be will preach it iu the chapel of Rowland
Hill where Il think he sald) l am now the
minister" He spoke very solemnly, and
called all present TO witness what he said.
Then he gave me six. pence as reward if
would learn the hymn:
''God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform"
l was made to promise that when preach
ed at Rowland HlIls chapel that hymn
should be sung, Think of that as promise
from a child! Would it ever be other than
an idle dream? Years asw by. After had
begun for some little time to preach in LON
don DR.. Alexander Fletcher had to give the
annual sermon to children in the Surrey
chapel, but as he was taken ILL.,, was asked
in hurry to preach to the children. "Yes,"
said, II will if the children will sing
God moves in mysterious way l madea
promise along while ago that it should be
suug." And SO it was; preached in Row
laud Hhl's chapel, and that hymn was sung.
My emotions on that occasion cannot de-
scribe. Still that was not the chapel Mr.
Kuill intended. All unsought by me, the
minister at Wottouunder Edge, which was
Mr. Kull's summer residence, invited me to
,. preach there. went on the condition that
: the congregation should sing ''God moves in
mysterious way"-whichi was also done.
!, After that went to preach for Mr.. Kuill
!. himself. who was then at Chester What a
d meeting we had
y ''God moves in ainysterious. way
HIS wonders to perform"
) After more than 40 years of the Lord,
10 loving kindness, sat again in that arbor
No doubt it Is u mere trh 70. outsiders t,
4 hear, but to mo it was az Overwhelming mo
,t ment. The present minister Of Stambourl
10 meetino .house aud the membe of his fam
lily, Including his son aud his grandchildren
p" were in the garden, and could not hel
calling them together around that arbor
while praised tile L. rd for Ills goodness
One sible impuls was upon ne;
was topray God to bless those lads ths
stood around me. Tho memory begat ii
}. prayer.-C @. H Spurseon.