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ON SEEING THE 54TH AND 35TH MASSA- Sing-is it-Jenny, the same as before? CHUSETTS (BLACK) REGIMENTS. Oh, my poor head aches, and my heart's so sore!

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From The Eclectic Review.. the very interesting volumes now before us. A MODERN QUAKER APOSTLE.* They are the record of the life of one almost WE believe the writings and lives of the "meet to be called an apostle," one who did members of the Society of Friends are but lit- the work of an evangelist upon a very wide tle read by the members of other denomina- scale: it is a very lengthy story, nearly a tions. We regard this as a loss, for a spirit thousand pages, and yet we know not well of very distinct and holy activity pervades how it could be abbreviated; it is the story these books. It is, no doubt, true that we of manifold adventures and perils. Stephen all read religiously too much on our own pe- Grellet might have claimed much of the lanculiar line of rail. It has been said, that the guage of the apostle : "In journeyings often, lives of the saints are monotonous, that one in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own is just like another, and that when you have countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perread one you have read all-looked at ils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in ficially, they seem to be characterized by a perils in the sea; in weariness and painfultiresome sameness. But the sameness is ness, in watchings often, in hunger and only in appearance. Very distinct orders thirst." The mind accustomed to measure and shades of grace make their appearance results by their visible organization, will perto the eye of him who would draw a spirit- haps say, well, and what came out of it? ual science out of the lives of the saints. But Stephen Grellet belonged to a Church not "Distinct," as it has been said, "as each accustomed to measure its work by that test. separate Alp to him who dwells all the It is remarkable, that a people who in busiround in the plains beneath, though to the ness matters are the most exact-some have eye of the passing tourist, it is but one jag- said the most exacting-whose arrangements ged sky-line, with here and there a Monte are moulded in the most rigid spirit of organRosa or other famous height, distinguished ization, should, in their moulding the relig from its peers"—as various as are the stones ious life, give so little attention to the work and fossils of a museum to the eye of the ge- of edifying. If some of the sects have too ologist, although to the mere passers-by they exclusively regarded this work, so that their seem only one in color and in shapeless con- labors seem to have been all but entirely exfusion; so also is it with the lives of the holy ternal, surely with Friends the attention to men of God. Each has his distinct place in internal work and helps, has put out of sight the precious memorial chambers of the Church. the fact that at present the Church exists in And all who have been led by the Spirit of form, and should be visible. The Society of God, bring the marks of an individuality and Friends has almost labored to reach a disema difference, tending to the edification of all. bodied state; they have sought to move over The charge of sameness might seem especially and through souls-to awaken souls--and to true in relation to the majority of the lives melt and subdue souls, but they have left the of Friends, especially those of a more modern work of sustaining to other hands, satisfied date; where there is sameness and monotony with having reached the soul, they have forthere cannot be freshness. The most sponta- gotten, that on this earth we know nothing neous and living life may suffer from the cold of a soul without a body. pen of a biographer. Again, routine is the Stephen Grellet was a Frenchman-his real foe to life and freshness; it strangles the free name was Etienne de Grellet du Mabillier. spirit and soul, and the members of the So-Stephen Grellet is the appropriate rendering ciety of Friends are especially the victims of of this name; the affix "du Mabillier" beroutine and narrowness, and hence it has hap-ing derived from an estate owned by his fapened that their biographies have had a farther, but confiscated during the Revolution. narrower influence than their innate worth has often demanded; and, indeed, they are mostly unknown beyond the book-shelves of the Society.

We have long purposed calling attention to * Memoirs of the Life and Gospel Labors of Stephen Grellet. Edited by Benjamin Seabohm. Third edition. 2 vols. A. W. Bennett, Bishopsgate Street.

He was born in 1773, in the city of Limoges, in which neighborhood his father was an extensive porcelain manufacturer, as well as proprietor of some iron works; he became the intimate friend of Louis XVI., and a tidered to his country. The king purchased tle was conferred upon him for benefits renhis porcelain works, but in consequence of

the outbreak of the Revolution, the works | William Penn; they induced him to find his were never paid for, and the title does not way to a Friend's meeting-house; his converappear to have been confirmed. Of course, sion followed, and he very naturally united the family were Roman Catholics-one of himself in fellowship with the Society, the Stephen's sisters had taken the veil in a con- words of whose members had fastened upon his vent at Limoges, and another in the severer mind. He had been a fervent disciple and convent of Clairetes. Although religious admirer of Voltaire; and now his biographer discipline does not appear to have had much very appropriately applies to him the language influence in his early home, his exceedingly to Ananias respecting Saul, "He is a chosen tender and emotional nature was very early vessel unto me to bear my name before the penetrated by spiritual inquiries, and, when Gentiles, and kings and the children of Isleaving home, he entered the college of the rael: for I will show him how great things Oratorians, at Lyons, that institution, which he must suffer for my name's sake." Alappears to have been well conducted, in- though in accordance with the pinciples and creased no doubt his religious anxieties; practices of the Society of Friends, it was the there be received confirmation according to aim of his life to walk with great simplicity the rites of the Romish Church. He had ex- and clearness, he very soon became a fully pected that confirmation would effect an en- recognized minister of the Gospel. At this tire transformation in his character, and he time he was residing in Philadelphia, where, expresses his bitter disappointment when, during severe ravages of the yellow fever, he contrary to what he had been led to expect, seems to have made himself greatly useful, after the bishop had performed the ceremony, visiting the sick and dying, and assisting in he found his heart not at all changed; that burying the dead; he also was seized, his cofhis sense of sin still remained; that his pro- fin was ordered, and he was returned amongst pensities to evil were that very day as strong the daily deaths to the Board of Health as a as ever; " and thus," he adds, "at a very French Quaker; but he was raised up again, carly age I learned that neither priests nor bish- and soon after changed his residence from ops could do the work for me." Philadelphia to New York. With his brother Joseph he had engaged in mercantile concerns; but although they seem to have been successful, he says he was not able long to devote much attention to business; he had been "hought with a price; " he felt that he was not his own," and the love of Christ constraining him, he felt it to be his duty to engage more distinctly in the service of Christ. He travelled through Baltimore, Virginia, North Carolina, and parts of Pennsylvania; these were his first travellings with these purposes, and his very simple and internal character is often shown in his communings among. the tall pine woods. "There," says he," my mind being inwardly retired before the Lord, he was pleased so to reveal his love to me, through his blessed Son, my Saviour. My mourning was turned into joy. He clothed me with the garment of praise, instead of the spirit of heaviness, and he strengthened me to offer up myself again freely to him and to his service for my whole life." These first wanderings were amongst his least adventurous and important. But sixty years have passed away since then, and travelling in those times was wild enough-for the most part it was through a wilderness country—

In this early period of life the disasters of the Revolution swept over the country; as we have seen, the property of his family was confiscated; and being nearly allied to the nobility, and connected by friendship with the royal family, they fell into all the disasters of the times, narrowly escaping death by flight. Etienne and his brother joined the army of royalists, and they both passed through a succession of imminent dangers. It was afterwards a source of joy to the converted man, that although he had stood in battle array facing the enemy, and ready for conflict, being in a reserved corps, he had never shed blood; this, at the time, he regarded as a misfortune - afterwards with thankfulness to the Prince of Peace. He and his brother were made prisoners, and ordered to be shot: the execution of the sentence was hourly expected, when a commotion in the hostile army enabled them to make their escape to Brussels, and thence to Holland: they determined on flying from thence to America. They did so, and henceforth the Frenchman drops his name, and becomes Stephen Grellet; he dropped also very much of his nationality. He found the works of

missaries of police. Here is one of the first in which the latter gentlemen found themselves very strangely dealt with by the mild wisdom of the nevertheless clear-sighted and strong spiritually minded man :—

encamping for the night, he had to keep up a good fire to protect him from panthers, bears, and wolves; sometimes it seemed as though a hundred of the latter were howling around them at once. "I was, however," said he, "more in fear of rattlesnakes than "The following morning, we returned to wolves; they would even come into the cab- St. Hypolite, where also, feeling my mind ins, through the openings between the logs, engaged to have a meeting, a place was proor in the floors, but I have never been hurt vided. It was thought sufficient to contain by any of them, although I have been in close it seemed as if all the inhabitants of the the people, being a pretty large room; but contact with them." Sometimes he had other town had turned out. The whole house perils, high waters, having to swim across was filled, and a very large number stood them, the carriage coming to pieces in the in the street, in a quiet, becoming manner. water,-all these perils were undertaken that I had taken my seat near the window, a he might speak to the Indians in the wood, very convenient place to be heard both in the slaves in their plantation, and Quakers in the house and in the street. For some time I sat under great distress of mind, yet at their scattered settlements. Returning to the same time, the love of God through New York in 1804, he married, " care having Christ flowed in my heart towards the people. been taken," he says, "fully to feel after the Abiding under it, I felt the Lord's power to Lord's approbation in this important step,' ,"risc over all, believing that whatever trial and a short time after, he received the news might come upon me, he would support me of the death of his father, who, without leav- even unto death. Then I thought I felt his ing the Romish Church, seems to have been word of command to preach unto the multitude Christ, with his attributes and divine greatly changed by his long imprisonments offices, when, on hearing some bustle through and losses, so much so that mildness was not the crowd towards the door, Louis Majolier, only his own chief characteristic, he was able who sat by me whispered to me, The Comalso to encourage his fellow-prisoners to sub-missary of Police is coming.' I so felt the mission and waiting on the Lord. In 1807, Lord's power, that I answered him, • Fear Stephen Grellett paid his first return visit to not, only be quiet.' The commissary then Europe; his wife was left behind in a very drawing near to me said, Are you the perdelicate state of health, and it is characteris- son that is going to preach?' I replied, It tic of that entire self-renunciation to which taking me by the collar of the coat, he said, may be so, please to sit down.' On which, men like him attain, that "though parting You must follow me to the mayor,' when I with her," he says, 66 as not likely to see each answered, 'I may not detain thee long, please other again in this world, she was my faith- to take a seat a little while,'-on which I beful helper, in encouraging me to devote my gan to speak to the people, as the Lord gave

all to the service of the Redeemer." A chief design in visiting Europe was not only to see his surviving parent, but in his native land, and perhaps in other countries to preach the Gospel; and in the course of this visit we meet with the first evidences of that extraordinary power which manifests itself in many travellings and scenes to the close of his life. The meetings held in different towns were sometimes very large. Papists and Protestants seem to have thronged together, and to have been equally and overwhelmingly touched. What is remarkable in the life of this man is, first, that in all places, he seems to have exercised such a discerning power. All gave in to him-all opposition went down before him-emperors, kings, popes, priests, and nuns; and those more difficult characters, we should suppose, prefects and com

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He stood amazed, keeping_hold of me, as I spoke, till at last he said, I go to make my report,' and then he retired. I continued preaching to the people, who all kept quiet, not moved at all by what passed. Indeed, on the contrary, when the commissary, on his way to the door, passing by some soldiers who were in the meeting-room, ordered them to go and take me, they answered,' We canued about an hour to speak to the people, as not disturb a man thus engaged.' I continthe Lord enabled me; for he was with us, his love and power were felt by many, whose spirits were greatly contrited the divine witness reached their hearts. Having taken my seat, and now feeling myself clear, the ent to go immediately to the mayor's office, meeting concluded, when I judged it expedito see if he wanted anything of me; several persons accompanied ine. Not finding him there, I was proceeding to his house, when I met the commissary, who began to threaten

me with imprisonment, and with heavy fines | simple peasants; he attracted to his confi upon those who were at the meeting. We dence nuns and priests, bishops of the Greek went together with him to the mayor's house: Church, and even its Patriarch; and he did he not being then at home, we waited a con- not deem that time was at all lost, while he siderable time for his return. In the meanwhile, many people, out of concern for me, was wending his way to scattered and unothers from curiosity, were gathered about to known outcasts like the Malakans and Mensee the end of this. At last, when the mayor nonites, and the Duhobortzi of Russia. returned, the commissary went to him to When in the course of his first visit to Europe, make out his own representation, which he found himself once more with his mother, prepossessed him against us, so that when he found her in great alarm, on account of we came in, seeing me with my hat on, he his supposed heretical state: she implored put on a pretty angry countenance; but I, him to accompany her to a monk in whom in a mild, respectful manner, gave him some of my reasons for appearing covered. I had she placed great confidence, hoping that he hardly given my explanation, when with a would convert her son; he yielded to her replacid countenance, he said, 'I know some- quest, but the monk, foiled in argument, fell thing of the Society of Friends, and their into a passion, and in that state Grellet left manners.' Then, making me sit by him, in him, while his mother who had expected a very presence of the people now collected, he in- different result, opened her mind more to the quired into the object of my present engage- truths of the Bible, when she found how little ments, which led to the unfolding of the religious principles of our Society, and various her favorite priest had to urge in support of Christian testimonies; after which, in pres- the audacious pretensions of his Church. He ence of all, he read audibly the translation returned to America, finding his wife still an in French of my certificates, and heard my invalid, though in better health, residing at account, of the care extended by our Society Greenwich; at the same time, the notorious towards their ministers, when thus going Thomas Paine was residing at the same place, abroad as ambassadors for Christ. He said and in addition to the facts we know of his after that, I am sorry you have been disturbed; had I been here it would not have death-bed, one or two are recorded herc. been so. If you wish to have any more Grellet went to see him, found him in a desmeetings, I shall have care taken that every titute condition-neglected and forsaken by arrangement be made, and nobody will dis- all his friends-the skin of his body was worn turb you.' I accepted his civility, and we off-he was mostly in a state of stupor, but parted; his heart was open towards me. I left with him several books, in French, on Grellet said something to him which imreligious subjects, which he kindly accepted ; pressed his mind, and he sent for another and the next day, on my way to Quissac, Friend; this induced a young woman, in another town, a messenger, sent by his wife, Stephen's absence from home, to call upon overtook me, requesting that if I could spare the dying infidel, she took him refreshments, some more of our books for some of their he asked her if she had ever read any of his friends, it would oblige her. Among the writings, and what she thought of them, saybooks I gave were Penn's Rise and Progress of Friends,' Ilis Maxims,' No Cross, No ing" From you I know I shall have a correct Crown,' and some tracts I had printed at answer." She told him that she had begun Nismes; among others the short account of to read the "Age of Reason," and had been our principles and Christian testimonies, etc. so darkened and distressed by it, that she had The name of the mayor is Laperouse.' thrown it into the fire. "I wish all had done This is one of those incidents of which as you," he replied, "for if the devil has there are many in the volumes, which place ever had any agency in any book, he had it in them more closely by the side of George Fox's writing that book." And she often heard Journal, than almost any other similar books him crying "O Lord! Lord God; or, with which we are acquainted. Another char-Lord Jesus have mercy upon me! " When' acteristic of the man, was his wonderful apt- free from bodily pain, he wrote a great deal. ness for finding a spiritual life in the most remote districts, and drawing it forth from the most unlikely characters-in the heart of Roman Catholic countries-in scenes given over apparently to ignorance, he found those who possessed the true light, not only amongst

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Mary Roscoe, the young woman above referred to, repeatedly saw him writing, but not a word of what he wrote was discovered after his death; the probability is, that as it contradicted his previous convictions, it was destroyed; we may charitably hope that the

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