engraven on the fleshy table of his heart by the power of the Holy Ghost. The writer is reminded of Longfellow's lines, with which he will close this short preface: "Lives of great men all remind us We can make our lives sublime, Highbury, Feb., 1912. E. MITCHELL. AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF I. C. JOHNSON. CHAPTER I. Parentage-Early Impressions-Escapes from Burning, On the 28th of January, in the year of our Lord 1811, at Vauxhall, in the county of Surrey, another atom of sinful humanity was added to the then existing population of this planet, earth. It was at a time when the great comet, for the space of about ten months, presented an extraordinary appearance in the sky, producing in the minds of the superstitious feelings of extreme fear and awe. It was, too, at a time of great war commotions and conversations. Napoleon the First, that great scourge of nations, had caused many people to tremble. Millions of our race had fallen, as so many victims to his ambition, on the continent of Europe; and great fear fell on many of the inhabitants of this sea-girt Isle lest, as he threatened and prepared to do, he should cross the silver streak with his numerous legions, conquer, and assume imperial rule over us; this, however, in the good B providence of God, he was not permitted to do. My parents were of the labouring class, poor but honest, industrious people. At the time of my birth my father was employed as a labourer at the Roman cement works of Messrs. Francis & White, at Nine Elms, near Vauxhall, in the county of Surrey, not far from the place of my birth. My father, unlike most of his class at that time, was able to read and write, which accomplishment obtained for him a rise of salary and an appointment by his employers to a situation of trust. In Scotland Yard, near Charing Cross, in London, they had a warehouse for the sale of their Roman cement to builders in the Metropolis, and he was promoted and put in charge of this establishment. Thus he was not required to labour in the same sense as heretofore. In this new sphere he gave great satisfaction for many years, and was much respected. I was the second born; the first was a daughter, whose name was Caroline, but she did not live long, so that I do not even remember her. For my part, I was a very weakly infant, and it was extremely doubtful whether I should live very long. My mother used to say, with sorrowful, prophetic forebodings, that I, her only son, would never make old bones. As I am a firm believer in Providence, I shall, in this paper, intersperse the dealings of Almighty God with me, not only in Providence, but also in EARLY IMPRESSIONS. 3 grace, for if it were not beneath the great Author of my being to deal with me in mercy and goodness, surely it will well become me to acknowledge Him in all my ways, believing that He will in the future, as in the past, direct my steps. At a very early period of my life, I should think when about three years of age, I remember being very much alarmed one night by what appeared to be an angelic visitation. I was lying in a little cot which stood in a recess in the bedroom. My parents saw not what I supposed I saw; they endeavoured to pacify me, but for a considerable time could not succeed in doing so. My memory takes me back to that circumstance, but no further. The reader of these lines may take this account for what, in his estimation, it is worth; whether it was a dream or not I will not pretend to say, but whatever it may have been, I have never forgotten it. The effect produced on me is this, that I have ever since then had a constant consciousness of the invisible presence of God Almighty, which made me afraid, especially during visible manifestations of His power. In stormy weather I would hide under stairs and other places, and would try to pray, believing that "The thunder is the voice of God, Whether by night or day, And when we ever hear the same, Although subject to the same sinful propensities as other children, and was oftentimes as naughty |