"GOD MOVES IN A MYSTERIOUS WAY." 49

way.

"For My ways are not as your ways, saith the Lord." For so far from the ministry of Mr. Wells being blest to me as heretofore, it became as dry breasts unto me; I walked as it were in darkness spiritually considered, so had little encouragement to continue in that line of procedure. I afterwards found out the reason of all this. "His providence unfolds the book, and makes His counsels shine." He hath said, "I will lead the blind by a way that they knew not, etc."

E

CHAPTER X.

Church Formed at Gravesend-Commences to PreachThe Pillar of Cloud-Portland Cement-Commencing Busi ness as a Manufacturer-A Snuff-box, but no SnuffBusiness Trials-Works on the Tyne and Medway.

THE Baptist denomination in Gravesend was in a low condition. Now Gravesend is about three miles from Swanscombe. A friend, who lived at Gravesend, and I hired a room in a private house for worship, in which a few persons met together for reading, singing and prayers, mornings and evenings on Lord's days.

Here I and my wife found a settled home, for the Lord's blessing rested on the undertaking, so that it was necessary to obtain a larger place; that is, a schoolroom was found which would contain more people. We got ministers to come down from London to officiate. We then moved to a much larger building, a Temperance Hall, This was not altogether suitable, being occupied for other than religious purposes, and was not so clean as could be desired. So steps were taken to build a chapel. Having a knowledge of drawing and construction, I made the design for the building, bought the materials, employed the workmen, and completed the erection of it in the year. Part of the money was obtained from a Building Society, part by subscriptions, and I supplied the

remainder. Thus a church was formed; the ordinances were administered on Strict Baptist principles. The pulpit was supplied by ministers from London and other places, on Sundays and Wednesdays,-prayer meetings were held on other evenings. Many persons, some living, others who are departed, have had reason to be thankful for spiritual good obtained there.

My wife and I used to drive to Gravesend from Swanscombe on Lord's day mornings, stay all day, and home after evening service in all weathersalso on Wednesdays, a distance of about three miles each way. Dating from the time at which I am now writing, I have been engaged in preaching the Gospel for about the space of thirty-five years, in different parts of the country, from Kent to Northumberland inclusive. My first attempt was at Meopham, in Kent, on this wise:

It was the custom of myself and wife to take a holiday in the summer, and as we had a horse and phaeton, on this occasion we drove about the County of Kent from place to place, putting up on Saturdays near some place of worship that we might attend on Sunday. On our way home we made Meopham our stopping place, because there was a well attended Baptist Chapel there. The minister was a Mr. Pope, a godly, hard-working servant of God. It so happened that he had engaged to preach at a neighbouring village in the evening of that day, and had not arranged for a

substitute to take his place at his own chapel. Seeing me there, he announced at the close of the morning service, from the pulpit, that Mr. Johnson would preach in the evening, having had faith to believe that someone would turn up to supply his lack of service.

I was naturally surprised and somewhat disconcerted, for I had never stood in a pulpit to preach in a formal way. I had, it is true, conducted prayer meetings, and commented on such chapters in the Bible that I used to read on those occasions.

I did my best however in the evening, trusting in God for such help as was, under the circumstances, needful. I took for a text the words, "Go ye therefore into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature; he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned." I was very much helped by the Spirit of God, as I believe, to expound and enlarge upon those words, to the manifest edification of the people, which resulted in the fact that I very often after that occupied the same position when Mr. Pope wanted to be absent.

I did this up to the time of his death. Even while he lay dead in his house, I preached from the words, "Thy will be done."

I was much engaged about this time, especially in different parts of Kent, riding or driving from place to place, preaching three times on Lord's

PORTLAND CEMENT.

53

days, and once or twice on week evenings, the unsearchable riches of Christ.

Nearly fourteen years had passed away since I first arrived at Swanscombe, at the close of which the pillar of cloud seemed to be moving. I had a presentiment that I must move with it, but how? or where? It came about thus: The firm of White & Sons had been heretofore makers of "Roman cement," but a new cement had been introduced into the London market, called "Portland cement," which was said to be much superior in every way to the Roman. It was found out by a Mr. Aspdin, of Wakefield, whose son, Mr. Wm. Aspdin, came to London to make it, although on a very small scale; the manufacture was in some manner disguised and kept a profound secret, the works being walled around very high, and no way into the place but through the office, so that the public could not get in or learn anything of the process. My employers negotiated with Aspdin with a view to partnership in the manufacture of this new article. The negotiation, however, came to an end, owing to the circumstance that the parties could not come to terms, so that the responsibility fell on me to make this new cement, I having expressed my opinion as to being able to do it; having studied chemistry to some extent, I thought by analysing it I should succeed in producing a similar article. I set about it in good earnest, and after nearly