EXTRACT OF A LETTER TO R. H.
Dated 3rd month 26th, 1824.
“I thank thee, dear Robert, for spending a thought on so poor and unworthy a thing as I am; but I especially thank your God and my God, for putting it into thy heart to enquire anything about the work of grace on my mind. I trust it is with gratitude I now write onto thee of my call to the ministry: and first I may say,
“God works in a mysterious way,”
“His wonders to perform.”
“Secondly, he knows how to get himself honour and praise by the most feeble; for to undertake to make such a creature as I am, work in his vineyard, was amazing to me; but there was a great work to do, to make me fit for anything at all; surely he called me oftener than he did Samuel, when he was a child: but after I was savingly converted to God, he was pleased to pour into my heart a measure of his universal love; and when my heart was filled with love towards God, and good will towards all mankind; then a longing desire that all people might taste and see the riches of his grace, continued with me day and night; then a strong impression to go in the fear of the Lord and speak to men of all descriptions, seemed to be required of me.
“But Oh! dear friend, after my mind was thus prepared, I had a great warfare and strife; first, with man-fear, and a man-pleasing spirit, then with shame, desire of praise, and a good name.
“Now, dear friend, in this exercise of mind there were some scriptures came into my mind, to encourage and strengthen me; such as, the II. Corinthians, xii. 9—II. Kings, v. 4—I. Corinthians, i. 21, 27, 28, and chapter xi. 3. also chapter ix. 16, 22—II. Corinthians, xi. 29—Daniel xii. 3—Isaiah vi. 5—Jeremiah i. 6—John i. 15, and chapter iii. 2—Hebrews xi. 34; all these scriptures mightily helped to encourage me to go forward in speaking to a dying people, the words of eternal life. Oh! what an affecting view of the worth of souls, came into my mind; and I thought, if I could be made instrumental in the hand of the Lord, in saving one soul, it would be matter of rejoining to all eternity. So I went out trusting in the Lord; but I should soon have fainted in mind, if it had not been for the encouragement I met with, both from God and man. Now to Him that sits upon the throne be honour and praise, world without end. Amen.
“With good wishes to thee and thine, I conclude, thy friend,
“SOLOMON BAYLEY.”
——
YOUNGMAN, PRINTER, WITHAM AND MALDON.