This hymn he was very fond of, and he repeated it on his way to the scaffold. It had been an object to store the mind of Jolin with subjects which might, by the Divine blessing, be sources of encouragement and of comfort to him when left alone with his Bible, or in the silent hours of the night. The following points, in addition to those already enumerated, had been dwelt upon; and now, as the opportunities for visiting his prison by the individual who proposed them, had drawn to a close, some of them were at this time again earnestly pressed upon his attention. These were, the “tender mercy” of God, (Luke i. 78,) by which alone the Day-spring from on high visits the soul, and by which it is brought out of its state of natural darkness; the view of Christ touched with the feeling of our infirmities, (Heb. iv. 15, 16,) and encouraging us to go with boldness to the Throne of grace; the invitation to ask with importunity for the Holy Spirit (Luke xi. 1–11); the intercession of Jesus for his people (Rom. viii. 34); the promise, that God who had not spared his own Son would with him freely give us all things (Rom. viii. 32); the remedy against all trouble to be found in faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (John xiv. 1); the parting address and prayer of Christ (John xiv. xv. xvi. xvii.); and the engagement that nothing shall separate the believer from the love of Christ (Rom. viii. 35–39). To this was added, as much examination as to the working of these doctrines on his heart, the degree in which they were felt, and their practical bearing, as the time and circumstances would admit. All these subjects Jolin appeared to understand and to receive; and if he could not enumerate them as distinct articles of his religious creed, yet he seemed fully to comprehend and to receive them as the testimony of God.
Monday, the 28th, was the day fixed for his second trial; and here he exhibited the character of a real Christian. His defence he had written before, and it was as follows:—“Gentlemen, whatever may be my fate, I shall not die without having to reproach myself for not having quitted my father’s house. By so doing, I should have avoided being the victim in different unhappy affairs that often took place between my father and mother, in which I was generally the object upon which the weight of their discontent fell. I was often obliged to submit to being beaten most severely, and to hear language unworthy of being uttered by either father or mother. Now, left to myself in the solitude of a dungeon, I reflect on times gone by, remembering that I was the only child, abandoned to the most deplorable fate. Yet I ought to have been wiser, and not followed the example of my nearer relations, the source of my misfortune. But now that respectable ministers of the Gospel have taken the trouble to visit me, and point out my duty towards God and towards man, I rest contented. I pray to God to pardon the horrible, but never premeditated crime of which I am guilty. If I ever had an intention of killing my poor father, I had a very favourable opportunity of doing so, when he was stretched upon a bed of sickness, unable to help himself. I was then the only person who took care of him, and administered to his wants, as there was no other person besides myself in the house. I beg pardon of all those whom I may have willingly or unwillingly offended. Gentlemen, after this declaration, I submit myself entirely to your wisdom. It is you who are going to decide my fate. I am ready to meet it, and I will submit to your judgment without a murmur.—Ph. G. Jolin.”
This paper is a translation from the French, in which language it was originally written. Whether it is accurately translated, or whether it was written by Jolin himself, or by his advocate, it is impossible to judge. The passage in it which relates to his parents, if his own, is liable to objection. The faults of a parent, especially faults so awfully punished, ought not to have made a part of his defence. If the language is that of his advocate, it is only the language of legal justification, and the facts are both true and of much weight for the extenuation of his crime.
It is said, that during his trial, his calmness was remarkable. His lips apparently were employed in prayer, and this he afterwards confessed was the case. He prayed for himself, that he might be strengthened to go through his trial, and also for his judges and his jury. There was no effrontery in his look; but, on the contrary, the appearance of deep humiliation. For four hours, during which time his trial lasted, he never lifted his eyes from the ground. On his return from the trial, he had to encounter the indignation of the populace against his crime. On the former occasion, a woman had cried, “Ah, le scelerat!” which had a good deal affected him. This time he addressed the people from the prison gates, and when they observed that he was half dead from fatigue, he said, amongst other things, “I have a strength within me ye know not. This supports me. Weep not for me, weep for yourselves.”
During the following days of his life, he received continual visits from a variety of persons. On the 28th, the Rev. P. Filluel; on the 29th, from both the chaplains of the Bishop of Winchester; Mr. Dallas was indeed as assiduous in his attendance at the gaol, as his many other duties at that time would permit; and all these gentlemen expressed the strongest conviction of the reality of Jolin’s conversion. Many ministers, and others beside, very kindly came, desiring to impart to him some spiritual gift. He received all gladly; but more especially those whose conversation led him to believe that they came to him in the fulness of Christian love. His discernment on this point was a striking evidence of the clear views of doctrine which he had attained. He perceived and felt the inadequacy of those religious systems which were not connected with deep and experimental views of personal corruption; and with exclusive dependence for salvation upon the atonement of Jesus Christ. With a sense of gratitude for the instruments made use of in awakening his mind, Jolin appeared remarkably independent of any outward help. He was by no means like a man who hung upon another’s teaching, but upon that of God. It was on this account that he was, perhaps, able to bear without injury the multifarious instruction which he received. His own language was most satisfactory; he always spoke of the salvation procured for him as a free and unmerited gift of God; and dwelt upon the peculiar manifestation of God’s grace to himself, inasmuch as he had twice saved him from shipwreck when he was in an entirely unprepared state to meet death, and now he had been brought to that prison that he might learn the way of salvation. His expressions of the sense of his own unworthiness were clear and strong. He told one of his friends that he had nothing to offer to God, but his heart; that all his repentance, all his resolutions, all his short conflict with the carnal heart, could never expiate his sin. On another occasion he said, that he was not worthy to pick up the crumbs under his Master’s table; and on another, that Christ was his only hope; that He had paid his ransom, and that He would receive him into glory. With another class of visitors, those of his family and friends, he was equally decided in declaring what great things God had done for his soul, and what necessity there was that they should turn and repent if they would be saved. Indeed, a discourse of this kind had made some of them think him insane. He had told his relations who had come to him, that he was formerly unclean and unholy; that they were so at that moment. He therefore entreated them to apply to Him who had cast out the unclean devils into the swine, to cleanse their souls. On all occasions, when he could, he manifested the same desire to instruct others, and lead them to that refuge which he had found so precious to his own soul.
On Thursday, October 1, Mr. Durell records a very interesting visit which he paid the prisoner: interesting, as it showed the state of mind in which he found him. “As we approached the passage,” says Mr. Durell, “we could hear the loud ejaculations of the prisoner’s prayers.” The gaoler observed, that he always found him thus employed when he was left alone in the cell. Mr. Durell read to him the account of our Saviour’s death, from Matthew xxvii., and concluded with a prayer, at the end of which Jolin was much affected. He exhibited, on this occasion, the deepest sense of gratitude to all about him; and Mr. Hammond, his advocate, who was also present, bore witness to the calmness and the change of Jolin’s state of mind. To the latter gentleman, he, on that occasion, expressed his sense of the great services rendered to him on his trial. He sat up on his bed, and clasping both his hands together, said most earnestly, “Mr. Hammond, I thank you over and over again for the pains you have taken for me. I regret that I have nothing to give to reward you as you deserve.” This same sense of gratitude led him constantly to express his thanks to his gaoler, whose kindness and attention, those who were so often going out and in the prison can fully testify. But it was not on this occasion alone, for the evidence afforded to his state of mind was very remarkable. The acting lieutenant-governor, the dean, the mayor, a leading medical man who came to inquire into his insanity, clergymen, dissenting ministers, his advocate, his relations, his attendants, all appear to have come away from the prison with a common conviction, that the power of God had been at work in producing the wonderful change which they witnessed.
On the day previous to his execution, the event to which I have referred with regard to his relations occurred. They, not understanding the nature of the change which had taken place in him, and, judging from reports of blows which he had received, and other circumstances, endeavoured to establish the plea of insanity; and they brought a very eminent medical practitioner to examine into his state. But this interference was followed by the best consequences; for, whilst on the one hand it was clearly ascertained that Jolin was in no state of derangement, or delusion, or enthusiastic fervour; on the other, the clearest and most satisfactory evidence was given of his real state of mind. After this, the Dean of Jersey kindly attended to administer the sacrament to him. Before he received the holy communion, he underwent an examination; and to the dean, and three other clergymen, he gave, in answer to their questions, a reason of the hope that was in him. He explained with such clearness the object and the nature of his faith, testified so deep a sense of his own unworthiness, and showed so good a feeling towards all his fellow-creatures, that they had not, any of them, a doubt of his fitness to partake of the feast prepared for the penitent sinner. This examination, which was peculiarly solemn and affecting to Jolin, looking, as most of the people of that island do, with deep veneration on the high and sacred office of the dean, was remarkably calculated to detect any thing which might be suspicious in his views, or in his real state. Throughout this day, Mr. Hall reports, that Jolin was longing to depart, and to be with Christ, saying, “The hours pass slowly.” It was remarked that he must wait God’s time, who had yet work for him to do in his vineyard. And most faithfully was every hour devoted to the duties of his immediate calling. He warned, rebuked, exhorted, with all long-suffering and patience. He said he thought it would be better for him to die on the scaffold, than quietly in his cell, as he might thereby glorify God by his patience, and be an example to all of the fatal consequences of indulgence in sin.
Mr. Durell has given an account of his last visit to Jolin on the evening of this day. He chose the same subject to read to him as on the day before, but from another Evangelist. It was Luke xxiii., the account of our Saviour’s crucifixion. During the reading, Jolin’s sensibility was greatly excited, and his half-broken sobs were heard. Mr. Durell, thinking it proper to check this state of mind, pointed out the sufferings of Christ as a matter of holy joy, and threatened to lay down the book, and read no more, if Jolin continued to feel so much. Mr. Durell, wishing to avoid any thing which might discompose Jolin, carefully omitted making any comment on the most affecting part of our Saviour’s sufferings. He, on the other hand, sought to comfort him by an application of the promise, that “they who sow in tears, shall reap in joy;” and by the prospect of paradise held out to the penitent thief. He adds, in conclusion, “In the course of my profession, I have seen many individuals on the brink of the grave; but never before did I witness such coolness and such self-command—a scene so holy, so edifying, so sublime. Had he been in the full bloom of human prosperity, and with the prospect of adding half a century longer to his existence, he could not have been more collected. I was myself almost falling into a delusion contrary to the evidence of my own senses. I could not believe that one so near his end could retain so much courage, or such contempt of ignominy and death. I could not believe that one so gentle, and now so well instructed in religious duties, could have been ever capable of committing a crime for which he deserved to die—that he could have been a murderer.”
On the night previous to his execution, the kind relation who had first visited him in the prison, and brought him the first message of salvation, in bringing him the New Testament, and Mr. Gallachin, an excellent minister of the church, sat up with him. They endeavoured to sing a hymn, and, feeling the imperfection of the service, he said, “To-morrow I shall join in very different singing from this.” At half-past one in the morning, he fell into a kind of dozing stupor for an hour, but did not sleep. During that time he was heard repeating the fifty-first Psalm, and also repeatedly exclaiming, “Glory to the Lamb! glory to our Lord Jesus Christ!” and when he awoke, he said that he had seen glorious things in a dream. He also said, between sleeping and waking, as it appeared, “There is now, therefore, no condemnation for them that are in Christ Jesus.” At waking he requested that a hymn might be sung. The next morning Mr. Hall went to him at half-past six o’clock. When he entered his cell, Jolin said, “Oh, Mr. Hall, I am so glad to see you; I am so happy. I have slept four hours, and the rest of the night we have spent in such delightful conversation. I feel so strong, but I will wait patiently the Lord’s time.” The day before, I have observed, he thought the hours passed slowly, he was so anxious to depart and to be with Christ. Mr. Hall took occasion to warn him, that he had still a work to do. He must not only glorify his Saviour by his conduct, and by his patient resignation, but he must again speak a word of warning to those about him. And he assured him that he might be able to do more for the praise and honour of his Master in his death upon the scaffold, by bearing testimony to his own exceeding wickedness, and to the unsearchable mercy and love of Christ, than if he had died in a more private manner. To this he assented, and took the resolution of doing all in his power. “Great, indeed,” says Mr. Hall, “were the grace and support which he enjoyed. He felt sick at breakfast time, and could not eat; but, to oblige me, he said he would try. About nine o’clock his irons were taken off; and I could not help thinking of this as symbolical of that liberty which soon, when passed beyond this life, he would enjoy for ever in the presence of his Saviour. Jolin immediately proposed to me to kneel down and thank God for what he had done for him; saying, ‘I have always before prayed in bed; now I can go on my knees in the proper posture for a sinner.’ Oh, at this time, how deep were his confessions of sin, committed both in thought, word, and deed; his acknowledgment of mercy through Jesus Christ; his expressions of dependence upon Him for grace, to keep him in his fiery trial, and to open for him the kingdom of heaven! When he drank his milk, he said, ‘Oh! God, I thank thee that thou hast been so merciful and good to me, who have been so great a sinner!’ His hand was never cold, and his pulse was always regular to the end. I never witnessed one to whom the Lord was pleased to give a stronger faith, which was proved by his conduct to the last. He sat calmly speaking and listening till about half-past twelve; when he left the prison, leaning on me and Mr. Gallachin. An immense concourse of people presented itself at the prison gates, and their rush and noise were greater than we expected. The newspaper account says—‘He was calm and collected, walked with steadiness, and evinced throughout the most decorous firmness. We could not perceive that he trembled. His mind seemed quite absorbed in religious exercises; and, from all we can learn, there was good and satisfactory evidence that he was a true penitent, and relied on the Divine mercy.’”
As he was leaving the gaol he was heard to repeat the fourth verse of the twenty-third Psalm, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” Mr. Hall continues: “The noise of the people prevented my being heard by Jolin, who walked as firmly as myself: I therefore opened my hymn-book, and pointed out to him the sufficiency of the Redeemer, in one of those hymns which I had previously chosen for his perusal. The hymn chosen was one beginning—