66

I tried all I could to rouse her, but in vain: it appeared
that her fainting spirits were sunk too low for con-
versation. However, I had urgent business to transact,
and I must then do it, at any rate.
I forthwith put
into her hand a sovereign. It had no effect whatever
at first. I sat down, almost in despair as to a favorable
issue, to wait silently on the Lord. Presently she
raised herself up, unasked, opened her hand, looked
with astonishment, and with great emphasis said,
Sir, it is the Lord that hath sent you to me this
day." She again laid her head upon the pillow, and
there ended the conversation on her part. Verily my
heart, as you may suppose, well understood that
language. I further directed her immediately to send
her daughter to my house, and I would give her a
bottle of wine. This being done, away went all my
darkness, doubts, and fears, and once more I looked
with humble confidence and joy towards His holy
temple, thankful enough that I was let off on such
easy terms. In a few days I had the pleasure of
seeing this poor widow walking cheerfully down the
street. She looked, as it were alive from the dead.

'Long on the Ægyptian coast by calms confined,
Heaven to my fleet refused a prosperous wind;
No vows had we preferred, no victims slain,
For this the gods each favoring gale restrain;
Jealous to see their high behests obeyed,
Severe, if men the Eternal rights evade."

HOM. OD. iv. 473

"January 3rd, 1833. This evening our venerable father and friend in the gospel, James Bond, departed this life, aged eighty-seven years, three-and-a-quarter years of which he was confined to his bed, by a paralytic affection of one side."

"Jan. 9th, 1833. His dear and honored remains were this day consigned to their resting-place, there to await 'the first resurrection.' Upwards of fourscore persons, of all religious denominations, attended his funeral, cheerfully to pay this last token of just respect due to departed worth. We all joined most humbly and devoutly in singing over his peaceful

grave, the beautiful and appropriate hymn (76th), making solemn yet joyful melody in our hearts to the Lord.

'What are these arrayed in white,
Brighter than the noon-day sun.''

“ Jan. 13th, 1833, (Sunday). His funeral sermon was preached at the Common in the evening. The chapel was filled with a dense mass of people, very many of whom had to stand all the time; many more could not get admittance, not even to stand. Text— REV. vii. 13 to 17.

When we contrast the former days of persecution and reproach in this town, in all of which our dear friend so deeply shared, (see a short account of it at the beginning of this work), with the present day of Gospel light and liberty, we can hardly believe that we are living in the same world; the most incredible change has taken place in this respect in the town, but more especially in Warminster Common; and this in the latter place partly in only ten years. So does the Gospel invariably bear down all opposition, when perseveringly exhibited in all its native purity and loveliness. We never know now what religious reproach is our services are always peaceable and devout-none wishing to make us afraid.

He

Two more funeral sermons were preached for our dear father Bond, one in the town the other at Crockerton, to overflowing congregations. Truly he has been greatly and justly honored in his death. The account of part of his life, christian experience, and great persecutions, is published in the Wesleyan Methodist Magazine, for November, 1835. preached many times at Warminster Common. Every body loved him. In his case, how exceedingly suitable are the beautiful words of the Church Liturgy'We bless Thy holy name for all Thy servants departed this life in thy faith and fear, beseeching Thee to give us grace so to follow their good example, that with them we may be partakers of Thy heavenly kingdom." "

CHAPTER XV.

IMPORTANT IMPROVEMENTS AT THE COMMON AS TO DRAINAGE,

HEALTH OF THE INHABITANTS, PROGRESS OF RELIGIOUS SERVICES, AND OTHER

INFORMATION.

ANY person reading the long account herein recorded of the sickness, death, and dismay, occasioned by that terrible disease called the Cholera-Morbus, might be ready to ask, what has all this to do with a History of Warminster Common, any more than with a history of the kingdom? I beg to answer this question in the following way-The said disease, besides furnishing special matter for religious instruction, gave birth to, and kept up everywhere, a diligent and vigorous public surveying of drains, removing nuisances, &c.; and the Board of Health then established in this town, was not behind in its duty. I was the secretary. The poor of the Common were more particularly in want of their attention in this respect. A favorable crisis having arrived, I gladly seized the long-sought opportunity afforded, pressed hard the importance of the subject, got consent of the parish vestry (13th Dec., 1832,) and the following most lasting and most important benefits were the result. A memorandum made at the time will best explain my meaning.

"March 2nd, 1833. It ought to be recorded, the manifestations of the Divine goodness from time to time at Warminster Common, in the improvements continually going on in their outward circumstances. Since the Gospel has been heartily embraced by them,

they have clearly proved that godliness is profitable to all things. That all-wise and gracious Providence which bade me feed the people with the bread of life, has also entrusted me with a considerable degree of temporal, or secular, influence over them. I am not only the Assistant Overseer, who administers pecuniary relief to the poor every week, but also the Surveyor of the Highways of this parish: these offices have been filled by me for several years. When we first undertook their moral concerns, we found their habitations, and the roads which lead to them, just like their minds: no soundness in them: 'all unclean, unclean. It was with the greatest difficulty that I could get them to consent in any way to be cleaned and mended: they had so long lived like the beasts that perish, that it seemed as though all thoughts of ever being bettered were for ever banished from their degraded minds. By firm and steady perseverance however, I at length conquered all opposition, and now it may truly be said, literally, 'The wilderness and solitary place are glad, and the desert blossoms as the rose.' The village throughout is become neat, clean, and respectable. This week

we have completed, after three months' anxiety and toil, a work which, next to the preaching of the everlasting gospel, is of greater importance by far than any benefit hitherto conferred, or perhaps that ever can hereafter be conferred, on the inhabitants of Warminster Common. We have removed all the numerous filthy drains which crossed the road, and which openly conveyed every species of filth from their dwellings into the beautiful stream of water of which they constantly drank; and instead thereof, we have made a new capacious underground drain, separate therefrom, close by their cottages, which intercepts and conveys unseen all their nuisances into a distant meadow. They will now henceforth and for ever be blessed with a good road, a healthier atmosphere, and with purer water. We may truly say, this also is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous

in our eyes.
The undertaking was truly great, and
arduous, and it required sometimes most painful
exercises of faith and prayer to go on, for another
opposition arose; Sanballat and Tobiah [NEHEMIAH
ii. 19.] found us out here also. But these words
were frequently sweetly applied to my mind, and in
the end were fully verified in this important trans-
action.

'He all shall break through, his truth and his grace
Shall bring me into the plentiful place,

Through much tribulation, through water and fire,
Through floods of temptation, and flames of desire.'

And now we gladly sing again, Thine, O Lord, is the victory, and the majesty, and the glory: thine is the kingdom; and thou art exalted as Head above all.' To-morrow (Sunday) I intend to make some special allusion to the Divine goodness, so providentially and mercifully displayed to them in this, and many other respects; and to exhort the people to be humble and thankful.

The said drain is 554 yards in length; made of bricks and paving, about 18 inches square it has 53 branch drains, with grates. There were sixty thousands of bricks used in it, besides paving.

I ought also thankfully to mention that I had most seasonable and efficient help, in getting through the arduous work, from a master mason, there residing, named Henry Bedford, whose heart appeared as much in it as mine.

The above drain, I have said, is of the utmost importance to the health of the people; but there is still a defect remaining with regard to obtaining perfectly pure water from the said spring, which wants to be remedied sadly: there are numerous impurities still mixing with it. The principal nuisance is, the running of the liquid manure of farm and other yards, constantly into it. Strange as it is, it is true, that the very best part of the manure, which ought to be preserved in a tank, or reservoir, and quickly spread over the land, and which would abun