A Number Who Have Begun Early in Life and Spread the Gospel.

James Louis Washington a negro boy, and a native of Big Rock, in the State of Arkansas began preaching when he was only eight years old. He lost his mother when he was a year old. His father is blind, and how the boy learned to read is not known, but he has practically the whole of the Bible by heart.

He has preached in churches attended both by white and colored congregations. A nine-year-old negro girl was recently preaching three sermons daily to large audiences in South Carolina. Another boy preacher is Ray York, who started preaching when only six years of age. William Jay, the eminent Independent minister, born May 8th, 1769, at Tisbury, in Wiltshire, and apprenticed to his father, a stonecutter and mason, was taken as a pupil by Cornelius Winter, a Presbyterian minister om Marlborough, and before he was sixteen was engaged to preach in neighboring villages. On one occasion, at that early age, he was sent to Argyle Chapel, at Bath, where the congregation were at first rather indignant at seeing such a lad in their pulpit, but at the evening service the building was filled to hear him again, and in 1791 he was selected pastor of that very chapel, which position he occupied for sixty-two years, retiring from it in January, 1853; he died on December 27th of that same year at eighty-four years of age.-Tid-Bits.

in the corner of the room is a rustic, curlyheaded youth, seemingly still in his.teens. None of those reverend seniors condescend to speak to him. If any of them take mental notice of his presence, it is simply to wonder within themselves why he is there, and in answer to the inquiry to say, that he is probably waiting to see the expected minister, who, as they are aware, is accustomed to receive young men into his house to be trained for the Christian ministry. At length the hand of the clock is pointing to the time of commencement, when the youth rises, and modestly addressing one of those grave elders, says, 'Had I not better go now into the pulpit?' The good man is mute with surprise. He cannot tell whether it be presumption or profanity; in either case it surpasses his comprehension. The youth explains that he has come by the request of their pastor, and with his tutor's approval. After a short conference, and as no other preacher ap pears, the officers give their consent, and the youth is conducted into the chapel. When the unknown lad is seen to enter the pulpit, the congregation share in the surprise of their representatives, and await the issue with a considerable measure of trepidation. Soon, however, all anxiety ceases. The congregation is held in rapt attention. The preacher commences with a quiet self-possession, an unaffected seriousness of manner, a deep earnestness of spirit, and, as he proceeds, interests them by the directness of his appeals, and impresses them both by the unusual richness of his Scriptural illustrations, and the unexpected maturity of his religious experience. On the seven following Sundays and the intervening Tuesdays and Fridays, the youthful preacher ministers with growing attractiveness and to increasing congregations; and when at the close of his engagement he had preached his farewell 'sermon and had retired to the adjoining chapel-house, the open space in front was 'filled with the lingering multitude who would not disperse till he had bidden them farewell from the window.''

THE PULPIT.

In connection with Queen Victoria's diamond jubilee, The Independent and Nonconformist, gives many interesting facts about some of the great Nonconformist preachers of the Victorian reign. We select for special mention William Jay, whose ministry extended over sixty-seven years, he being for sixty-one years minister of Argyle Independent Chapel in Bath. He was the son of a stone mason and adopted his fa ther's calling, but he attracted the attention of Rev. Cornelius Winter, principal of Marlborough Seminary, under whose direction the young mason began to study in 1785. He delivered his first sermon in his seventeenth year, and before he had reached his majority he had preached nearly one thousand times. Dr. Samuel Newth, in his "Pulpit Memorials," gives the following entertaining account of Mr. Jay's first appearance in a metropolitan pulpit:

"Rowland Hill, when leaving home for his usual summer tour of evangelistic labor, announced Cornelius Winter as the preacher at Surrey Chapel for the following month, intending to call at Marlborough on his journey, and arrange with Mr. Winter to take the services. For some reason the latter was unable to comply with Mr. Hill's request. 'Well, then,' said Mr. Hill, if you won't go yourself you must send some one.' 'I have no one to send,' was the reply, 'except Billy Jay, of whom I spoke to you a little while ago.' 'Let us see this Billy Jay.' Just then Jay was working in Mr. Winter's garden. When called, he came to Mr. Hill, just as he was with his coat off. 'Will you preach for me at Surrey Chapel on Sunday?' 'Yes, sir,' Jay replied, 'if Mr. Winter says I may.' After some further conversation the arrangement was made, and Jay was sent up unannounced, Mr. Hill probably anticipating, with quiet humor, the surprise which the young man's appearance would excite."

Dr. Newth's description of the scene at Surrey Chapel when "Billy" Jay made his appearance must necessarily follow:

"The congregation, of what was then the largest Nonconformist chapel in the metropolis, was assembling for morning worship. It was near the time of service, and the expected minister had not yet arrived. The officials in the vestry are moving in and out with troubled looks, and as each newcomer arrives, they press him with eager inquiries about the absent preacher. No one, however, is able to relieve them from their fears, and their anxiety becomes mingled with perplexity. Quietly seated