e given to me by
God, in which I have not time enough to care about my soul (Matthew vi.
33). Therefore, however outward circumstances may appear, it can only be
considered as permitted of God, to prove the genuineness of my love,
faith, and obedience, but by no means as the leading of His providence to
induce me to act contrary to His revealed will.

In connexion with this I would mention, that the Lord very graciously
gave me, from the very commencement of my divine life, a measure of
simplicity and of childlike disposition in spiritual things, so that
whilst I was exceedingly ignorant of the Scriptures, and was still from
time to time overcome even by outward sins, yet I was enabled to carry
most minute matters to the Lord in prayer. And I have found "godliness
profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of
that which is to come." Though very weak and ignorant, yet I had now, by
the grace of God, some desire to benefit others, and he who so faithfully
had once served Satan, sought now to win souls for Christ.

I may mention a few instances. I circulated every month, in different
parts of the country, about 300 missionary papers. I also sold and
distributed a considerable number of tracts, and often took my pockets
full in my walks, and distributed them, and spoke to poor people whom I
met. I also wrote letters to some of my former companions in sin. I
visited for thirteen weeks a sick man, who, when I first began to speak to
him about the things of God, was completely ignorant of his state as a
sinner, trusting for salvation in his upright and moral life. After some
weeks, however, the Lord allowed me to see a decided change in him, and he
afterwards repeatedly expressed his gratitude, that I had been sent to him
by God, to be the means of opening his blind eyes. May this encourage the
believing reader to sow the seed, though he does not see it spring up at
once.

Thus the Lord condescended to begin to use me soon after my conversion,
though but little; for I could bear but very little, as I did not see at
that time, as I do now, that God alone can give spiritual life at the
first, and keep it up in the soul afterwards. How imperfectly, however, on
account of my ignorance, some of these things were done, I will show by
the following instance. Once I met a beggar in the fields, and spoke to
him about his soul. But when I perceived it made no impression upon him, I
spoke more loudly; and w