FROM

THE

MILLENNIAL HARBINGER.

SERIES III.

VOL. IV.	B E T H A N Y, SEPTEMBER, 1847.	NO. IX.

      My dear Clarinda--IN the World's Metropolis I attempt to gather up the reminiscences of the last few days, before, in the multiplicity of objects around me, they fade away from my memory. Ere this reaches you; I hope you have received my last from Nottingham. I continued there until the 2d. ult., making but one visit to Newark, where I delivered one lecture in the City Hall. I had the pleasure of forming many valuable acquaintances during my very pleasant sojourn of nine days in the ancient city of Nottingham. I think I informed you of my begun labors, both in the chapel owned by our brethren, which admits some eight hundred persons; and also in the Mechanics Hall, the largest room in the city, which is said to seat some two thousand five hundred persons. In this splendid Hall I delivered in all five lectures, to very large and attentive auditories. We had, indeed, very attentive, as well as crowded audiences in the Chapel as well as in the Hall. To these I delivered three discourses, making in all, eight discourses in Nottingham.

      To these crowded assemblies, after having laid down the evangelical premises, I adopted a method of soliciting confessions of faith, which I think preferable to that generally practised in the United States. It seems more simple, rational, and practicable, than that of calling upon persons to come forward in the midst of singing; or of singing for the purpose of giving an opportunity to come forward. When I presumed the audience had sufficient data and sufficient evidence before them, I called upon such as had never publicly, or at all, confessed their faith in Christ or his gospel, to rise up in their place, and openly avow their faith in him and their purpose of heart to obey him in all things. We then made a solemn pause. I desired them to try their faith and repentance, exhorting them to express in their own language their convictions and purposes of submission to the Lord. On the first occasion three persons arose. The confession on which the Lord Jesus said he would build his church, was the only one we could receive in order to baptism. It was therefore submitted. A solemn stillness prevailed while three persons declared in turn, "I believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God." These terms having been fully developed, the professors were acknowledged as proper subjects of baptism. We afterwards repeated this in every discourse. We always had some one or more to confess at every meeting. Six were immersed the last evening, [527] and six at our previous meetings. Some other immersed persons joined the brethren during our stay.

      We left brother Henshall at Nottingham. On his arrival here he informs us that some six or seven more have been immersed during his addresses there; so that some twenty or more have been added to the brethren in Nottingham, and the prospects are very favorable for more. It is only, however, where churches already exist and are known to the public, and are of fair reputation, that any thing can be done in the way of making immediate additions. I would as soon expect to change the current of the Thames by two or three discourses in London, or in any city of the twentieth part of its inhabitants, as by simply addressing it two or three times on any Christian topic, to found a new church, or to build up one hitherto unknown or unapproved by the community in which it may be located. Paul, with all his gifts of miracles, knowledge, and tongues, could not do it. He must spend months and years in Corinth, Rome, and Ephesus, before he could do any thing so great as to found a church. In Athens, where he spent but a few days, only a lady, called Damaris, and a few others, associated with that great Apostle. True, indeed, the seed may be sown in a few discourses, and some of it may take root in good and honest hearts; but that any immediate harvest can be gathered, is no more rationally to be looked for than that we should both sow and reap in the same day.

      My last meeting in Nottingham was, indeed, a very interesting one. We appointed it for the purpose of receiving in writing or otherwise any difficulties or objections in the minds of those desirous to become Christians, that we might assist them in removing them. We received several and it was during and after these explanations that some four persons then confessed the Lord.

      The baptistry in the Chapel is very convenient. It is immediately under the desk, and admits of an easy descent, without the necessity of any person going into it with the candidate. Our brother Wallis, on my last evening, with great solemnity, in my presence and in that of a very deeply impressed audience, immersed six men, the only baptisms I have yet witnessed in England. I could not attend the other baptisms.

      More confessed their faith than were baptized during my stay in that city. I ascertained the reason in two cases. One of the candidates desired to stipulate that he might have the privilege of "worshipping in another congregation." He was informed that we could not baptize him, or any one else, into disobedience. If that community, to which he had been accustomed to resort, kept the [528] ordinances, we had no objection; but if, on the contrary, they did not, we could not encourage him in making the Christian profession. Another lady, making the same request, was answered in the same manner. We ought not, when any one stipulates for a licence to disobey the Lord by wilfully absenting himself from the assembly of the saints, to give him any encouragement. On the contrary, he ought to be faithfully dealt with, and shown the error of his way. Indeed, any such proposition must be understood as an indication of a want of a clear and full understanding of the import of the Christian profession. Such persons certainly need to be taught the way of the Lord more perfectly.

      Before leaving Nottingham I resolved to visit Newstead Abbey, the celebrated residence of the greatly gifted but unhappy Lord Byron. We fixed on Monday the 21st ult. for that visit. Our company consisted of brother and sister Wallis, and their four eldest daughters, son Thomas, brother Coke of Wigham, brother Henshall, and myself. We filled two phætons; and passing through Sherwood Forest, the celebrated theatre of "Robin Hood," "Little John," and his "merry men all," we safely arrived at the hotel near the broad spreading oak, under whose shade you stood, whose sculptured bark, faithful to the penknife, gave to me a token that you once were there, about 10 o'clock in the morning. We walked down to the Abbey, and were courteously received by the housekeeper, Col. Wildman and his lady being gone to London to celebrate the Waterloo victory. The house was in fine order. I need not describe to you the rooms through which we passed, nor the antique furniture, nor the bed-rooms of the different kings of England that sojourned there on visits, nor of Queen Elizabeth's mirrors, nor of the most elegant state-room, with all its "'boasts of heraldry and pomp of power," nor of Lord Byron's bed-chamber and old-fashioned furniture, nor of the haunted room close by it, nor of the silver embroidered skull-cup, nor the stone coffin dug out of the Abbey, nor of the monkish chapel and its furniture, nor of all the old pictures, nor even of the things around the fish-ponds, the gardens, the pleasure grounds, the cottages, and summer-houses; the devil's deep dark wood, the monument to his faithful dog, and the hundred charms which Art has thrown around this venerated spot, as you saw them all and admired them all. I will only tell you that every thing has improved since you were here, and that the old gardener, Mr. Parr, is still the Magnus Apollo of the premises; to whom I gave your flower seeds [529] which you promised him, and which he received with many thanks and compliments too long to tell.

      But for the benefit of those who have not been here, I will add that "Newstead Abbey was founded by Henry II. soon after the murder of Thomas-a-Becket, and was one of the pious acts he performed to atone for the slaughter of that Prelate. The priory is dedicated to the Virgin Mary. At the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII. the monks were compelled to abandon it, and the monarch bestowed it upon Sir John Byron. Newstead sustained a considerable seige in the war between Charles I and his Parliament. Lord Byron, in whose possession it then was, held with his brother, Sir William, high command in the royal army. Newstead, in the reign of Charles II., again enjoyed peace. It then passed down in a line, until the late George Gordon Byron became its possessor, the last and most illustrious of his race."

      With some traveller who lately visited Byron's residence, I will say, "Shade of Byron! were it possible I would recall thee to this earth again, and teach thee to devote thy talents at the shrine of religion, and thy life to the practice of virtue. But, alas! to teach thee is impossible--to pity thee is useless; yet when I view thy monument and the stone that covers thy remains, I will drop a tear and exclaim, Alas for pride without humility! for true genius without religion and morality!"

      When we returned to our carriages it began to rain. Brother and sister Wallis, and daughters, Mrs. Frost, Sarah-Ann, and Priscilla, with brother Henshall, started in the rain. As they returned by the phæton and horse by which myself and brother Henshall had come to Newstead, and had almost reached the city, the mischievous horse, displeased with something, suddenly became furious, galloped off, and kicking most wickedly, had well nigh crippled those within. Brother Henshall leaped out at great hazard to himself. Sister Wallis narrowly escaped a fractured limb, and by a most remarkable providence all escaped without material injury, except the disasters to the phæton. The scene was very frightful, sufficient to appal any man. This unhappy incident seemed likely to throw a deep shade over the pleasures of the day; but as it terminated without serious injury to any one, it only served to make our visit to Newstead more memorable, and all of us more grateful and thankful to God our Father, who keepeth the path of his saints and shieldeth them from every harm and danger. To him be the honor and praise forever! My company waiting till the rain was over, did [530] not arrive at Nottingham till some hour after, and were happily exempted from even witnessing a disaster so full of peril.

      On Tuesday morning we took the parting hand and bade a painful adieu to one of the most amiable and interesting Christian families it has been my happy lot to become acquainted with. While in Nottingham, I enjoyed the hospitality of Father Hine, one of the main pillars of the church in Nottingham--a man full of faith and zeal, greatly devoted to the peace, union, and good order of the Christian church. To bid this venerable brother a long, indeed a last adieu, was really an affecting scene. I formed a very pleasant acquaintance with brother Greenwell the Evangelist, and other brethren, of whom I cannot now speak particularly. Brother Greenwell is a strong argumentative speaker, and delivers himself with great clearness and power. He is well qualified to edify a Christian community.

      On Tuesday the 22d, accompanied by sister Henrietta Bakewell of Stafford, a lady of very elegant attainments, the cousin of your mother, who came up to attend our meeting at Nottingham, I left for Leicester, some thirty miles distant, and safely arrived at the residence of Mr. Manning, who received us courteously--another connexion, an old and highly respectable citizen, and member of the late Robert Hall's church, of that city. But of Leicester and Shrewsbury I must write in my next.-------Affectionately,

A. CAMPBELL.

[The Millennial Harbinger, Third Series, 4 (September 1847): 527-531.]