practices. This I consented to do, and Mr.
Aitken kindly helped me to write it. On the appointed day I undertook to
read it, on condition that no one interrupted me till I had finished. It
was a hard task for them to sit still, but they managed to do so; and at
the end, burst out upon me in a volley of censure and disapprobation. I
was obliged to tell them that they were not converted, and therefore
could not understand these things.

I wrote a pamphlet to show that the Church of England's teaching was
based on conversion, and not on baptism; and that the Reformation was to
the Church of England what Conversion was to the individual reformers.
Taking my own change as an illustration, I said, that I used to rest on
Baptism and the Church, and that now I was standing on the Rock, Christ
Jesus. Once I worked for life, and now I worked from life; that is,
because I possessed it. I declared that this was the characteristic
difference between the Church of England as it is, and as it was when
connected with the Church of Rome. This pamphlet would not satisfy them.
I then wrote and published a letter to the Archdeacon, in which, in my
young zeal, I charged the clergy with being unconverted, and doing the
devil's work of hindering the salvation of souls, and that they seemed
to stand on their parish boundaries and say, "This is my parish, and you
shall not come here to disturb the sleep of death which now reigns."
This poured no oil upon the waters.

I then wrote another pamphlet upon which I spent much time, thought, and
prayer. I took the manuscript and read it to Mr. Aitken. He walked up
and down in his large room, while I was reading, and ejaculated, as only
he could, "Bless God! Glory be to God!" When I finished, I said, "Shall
I print it?"

He said, "It is worth printing, but it will do no good. It is like a
little doggie barking at a dead elephant. We shall never convert the.
Church as a body: we must try and get at individuals. I am quite
convinced we shall not succeed unless we work in this, way."

CHAPTER 17

Individual Cases, 1853.

An Archbishop of Canterbury, in old times, contrasted public preaching
with personal dealing in this way: When we preach, it is like dashing
water from a bucket upon so many vessels which are arranged before
us-some drops fall into one, and some into another, while others remain
empty; but when we speak to individuals, it is like pouring water into
the neck of a vessel.

I gave