Chapter 1 The Broken Nest, 1841
Chapter 2 Religious Life
Chapter 3 Ordination
Chapter 4 Antiquarian Researches and Ministry, 1843-46
Chapter 5 The New Parish, 1846
Chapter 6 The Awakening, 1848-51
Chapter 7 Conversion, 1851
Chapter 8 The Awakening, 1848-51
Chapter 9 The Visitor, 1851
Chapter 10 The First Christmas, 1851-52
Chapter 11 Dreams and Visions, 1851-4
Chapter 12 Billy Bray, 1852
Chapter 13 Cottage Meetings, 1852
Chapter 14 Open-Air Services, 1852
Chapter 15 Drawing-Room Meetings, 1852-53
Chapter 16 Opposition, 1853
Chapter 17 Individual Cases, 1853
Chapter 18 A Visit to Veryan, 1853
Chapter 19 A Mission in the “Shires.” 1853
Chapter 20 A Stranger From London, 1853
Chapter 21 Golant Mission, 1854
Chapter 22 The High Church Rector, 1854
Chapter 23 A Mission in Staffordshire, 1854
Chapter 24 Sanctification
Chapter 25 The Removal, 1855
Chapter 26 Plymouth, 1855
Chapter 27 Devonport, 1855
Chapter 28 A Mission to the North, 1855
Chapter 29 Tregoney, 1855
Chapter 30 Secessions, 1856
Chapter 31 Hayle, 1857-58
Chapter 32 Bible Readings, 1858-59
Chapter 33 The Work Continued, 1859
Chapter 34 The Dismissal, 1860-61
Introduction
This volume is not so much a history of my own life, as of the Lord’s dealings with me; setting forth how He wrought in and by me during the space of twenty years. It will be observed that this is not, as biographies generally are, an account of life on to death; but rather the other way—a narrative of transition from death into life, and that in more senses than one.
I had been given over by three physicians to die, but it pleased the Lord, in answer to prayer, to raise me up again. My restored health and strength I thankfully devoted to a religious and earnest life. In the height and seeming prosperity of this, the Lord awakened me to see that I was dead in trespasses and sins; still far from Him; resting on my own works; and going about to establish my own righteousness, instead of submitting to the righteousness of God. Then He quickened me by the Holy Ghost, and raised me up into a new and spiritual life.
In this volume the reader will meet with the respective results of (what I have called) the Religious, as distinguished from the Spiritual, life. The former produced only outward and ecclesiastical effects, while the latter brought forth fruit in the salvation of souls, to the praise and glory of God.
One object in writing this book is to warn and instruct earnest-minded souls, who are, as I was once, strangers to the experience of salvation, seeking rest where I am sure they can never find it, and labouring to do good to others when they have not yet received that good themselves. They are vainly “building from the top;” trying to live before they are born; to become holy before they have become justified; and to lead others to conversion before they have been converted themselves.
A second object is—to draw the attention of every earnest, seeking, or anxious soul, to consider the Lord’s marvellous goodness in first bearing with me in my religious wanderings, and then using me for His glory in the salvation of hundreds.
Another desire I have is—to cheer the hearts of believers who are working for God, by relating to them what He has done through me, and can do again, by the simple preaching of the Gospel. Here the reader will meet with narratives of the Lord’s work in individual cases, in congregations, and in parishes—wonderful things which are worthy of record.
I have not shunned to tell of the mistakes I fell into after my conversion, hoping that others may take heed and profit by them; and then I shall not have written in vain.