MR. STANFORD REMOVES TO HAMMERSMITH. 23 But the Lord enabled me to adopt the prayer of David Guide me in the way in which I should go, for I lift up my soul unto thee.' This affliction was greatly augmented by a pear relative who took possession of my mother's property, under a pretext of obligations due to him from my deceased father, and we were left not merely orphans, but destitute of the means of support. In the evening, while sitting alone in the parlour, quite disconsolate, and without an earthly friend in whom I could confide, it pleased God sensibly to apply to my mind this appropriate and invaluable promise- Verily thou shalt be fed.' Psalm xxxvii. 3. It was indeed the voice of God, speaking comfort to my disconsolate heart. True, the Lord by this promise did not say when, where, with what, nor by what means I should be fed; but it was enough for me at that time to be assured, that a supply should be granted. Nevertheless, during the ensuing two weeks the cloud seemed to grow darker. I now made my last visit to Samuel Naylor, Esq, attorney in London, in order to settle my mother's affairs. At the close of business, and finding that I had been bereft of all, Mr. Naylor expressed his generous concern for my afflictions, and asked me what now were my prospects? I told him, that as to the result I was of course ignorant, but that my reliance was wholly upon the Lord. I then knew not that Mr. Naylor was a professor of religion. He replied, A minister who keeps a boarding-school at the place where I have my country-house; is going to live upon an estate in Northamptonshire, left him by his grand-father, and if you choose to accept the settlement, I will secure it for you.' To this I objected, having no property; but Mr. Naylor generously engaged to become responsible for me, and his offer was gratefully accepted." Mr. Stanford's removal to Hammersmith was not only attended with many temporal comforts, but ultimately led to the establishment of a church in that 24 HIS CALL TO THE CHRISTIAN MINISTRY. place. Thus did the Lord show him, that his "way is in the whirlwind, and the clouds are the dust of his feet." In this field of usefulness he continued to labour with successful assiduity, until the Holy Spirit, the Providence of God, and the Church of Christ, with united voice, called him to the more exalted and responsible duties of the Christian ministry. CHAPTER II. HE EXAMINES THE VALIDITY OF INFANT BAPTISM-JOINS THE CHURCH UNDER THE CARE OF THE REV. BENJAMIN WALLIN-ORDAINED TO THE WORK OF THE MINISTRY-COMMENCES HIS DIARY. HAVING detailed the prominent incidents in the history of young Stanford's life, up to the period when, surrounded with an accumulation of earthly cares, he was thrown upon the Providence of God and his own resources; we shall present an extract from his diary, which will disclose the exercises of his mind respecting believer's baptism, at the time he made a public profession of religion, and became a member of that denomination which he continued to adorn, until, from the toils of the wilderness, he was removed to enjoy the substantial bliss of the paradise above. A change of opinion is no uncommon event, even amongst men of sound and discriminating minds. But when such changes occur, and stand connected with the voluntary sacrifice of every prospect of worldly emolument-when they sunder the dearest ties of consanguinity-and when, as in the case of young Stanford, there is a voluntary relinquishment of the strong prepossessions of early education-then may it with truth be said, that the event not only demonstrates the sincerity of the individual, but becomes a practical commentary on the importance of the subject which occasioned the change. "Truth, though sometimes clad In painful lustre, yet is always welcome; Descending, leads us safely on through stormy life." 26 CONVERSATION RESPECTING BAPTISM. The author hopes that it will not be regarded as invidious, but due to truth, to say, that in the history of the Baptist Church, events of a similar description have already multiplied beyond computation; and they continue to recur with such frequency, as to have well nigh ceased to be the subject of particular remark. These repeated instances of change, from pœdobaptism to believer's baptism, cannot, so far as the ministry is concerned, be ascribed to the hope of greater pecuniary advantage; because that end, it is confidently believed, would in most cases be better attained, by remaining in the communion of any other evangelical denomination. It is moreover an invariable practice, to demand a scriptural account of the reasons which have led to the change; and no person can be admitted as a private member, much less as a minister of the Baptist Church, unless he is able to point to those parts of the Bible which prove the immersion* of believers, to be, the baptism of the New Testament. Upon this subject Mr. Stanford remarks:-" Educated in the Church of England, as by law established, I was very warmly attached to its services. Mr. Hooper, in conversation one day, asked me, If I had thought on the validity of my baptism? I replied, I have no doubt of the validity of my baptism: the rector performed the ceremony; my uncle was godfather; and my baptismal name is registered in the parish church book. I do not deny, said Mr. H. but that you may have had infant baptism, but I wish to know if you believe that service to have been commanded by the Lord, in the New Testament? I answered, that I had never thought of calling my Upon the authority of an Episcopal clergyman of this city, it is gratifying to be permitted to state a fact, which is not generally known; that In this country, baptism by immersion, is of very frequent recurrence in the Protestant Episcopal Church. "The minister shall dip the child or person to be baptized in the water, or pour water upon him.”—Rubricks in the office for baptism. EXAMINATION OF INFANT BAPTISM. 27 6 baptism in question, nor examined the scriptures on the subject. More to gratify my friend, than from any scruple in my own mind, I took the first opportunity to inquire into the scriptural authority for my baptism. This, after importunate prayer to God was performed, by the aid of the New Testament, and a concordance; which enabled me to turn to the words, baptize, baptism, &c. &c. To my extreme mortification, search was in vain. I found that little children were brought to Jesus, and he BLESSED them;' but they were neither baptized by him, nor by his disciples. Mark x. 16. I found many passages where persons were said to be baptized, all of them, professing to believe, Acts viii. 37-39, and xviii. 8; repent, Acts ii. 38; receive the word gladly, Acts ii. 41; and to, go on their way rejoicing, Acts viii. 39. A moment's reflection convinced me, that in my infant baptism, I had not possessed any of these prerequisites; because unconscious of the act, it having been performed by others on my behalf, and not by any previous consent of my own mind. I likewise found, that whereas, by my said baptism, I had been declared to be, A child of God, and an inheritor of the kingdom of heaven: it had proved a delusive snare to my soul, and prevented me from seeing the absolute necessity of the NEW Birth, by the SPIRIT OF GOD. From this time I began to consider myself an unbaptized person; but that I was now entitled to the ordinance of baptism, seeing I had obtained mercy 'to believe to the saving of my soul.' Up to this time I had never witnessed the administration of the ordinance according to the practice of the Baptist Church. "Perceiving an error in my former profession, I proceeded in a further examination of the subject. With the New Testament in my hand, I found that Christ had declared, My kingdom is not of this world; but, THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND, is established by the law of the land; and forms a material part of |