lain, who was walking with me, "What a picture is that! It is
exactly how Satan employs unbelievers to make their own road to hell. As
such, they are condemned already, because they do not believe in Christ;
and for the same reason, their sins not being pardoned, they are bound
in chains."

"Well," said the chaplain drily, "that seems all clear and scriptural.
Would you like to speak to them?"

"Yes," I said, "I should."

He then made a sign to the warder, who commanded that the convicts
should give attention, and the order was at once obeyed.

Standing on the bank, I spoke to them as they were assembled before me;
but instead of telling them of the devil and chains, as the chaplain
expected, I spoke of God's love to sinners, and said that "chastisement
and sorrows were not sent in anger, but in kindness. God is angry when
the wicked are allowed to go on unpunished; but when punished in this
world, it is not for expiation of sin (for only the blood of Jesus can
do that), but for the purpose of awakening and humbling the
transgressor, that he may with contrite heart return to the Lord, who
alone is able to deliver us from sin and from Satan's power. 'It is
good,' said the Psalmist, 'that I have been afflicted: before I was
afflicted I went astray, but now have I kept Thy word.'"

Many of the men were so affected, that they sobbed aloud, and I could
scarcely refrain from doing the same thing myself. After this I prayed
that the word spoken might be blessed to those who had heard it, and
then took my leave. It was not easy to dismiss this sad scene from my
mind, nor have I ever lost the impression it made upon me.

We had a very good time that evening in the church, and there was much
power and blessing. At the close of the service, I gave out that I would
preach again the following evening, and having no opportunity for an
after-meeting, the word preached was left with prayer for a blessing on
it.

The next morning there came an unexpected, as well as a most abrupt,
opposition to the work; and no wonder, for it was not likely that Satan
would permit it to go on smoothly. A vicar from the neighbourhood, who
had formerly been a military man, and had still the commanding manner of
such, presented himself, and tried to terrify my good and kind friend,
the vicar. He told him that he had heard a great deal about me; that I
was just like Starkie,* and preached the same doctrines; and that he was
deputed by other clergyme