In the first part of his acquaintance with divine things he sought an interview with Dr. Owen--with Christian kindness he was received. The Doctor inquired of him, "Young man, pray after what manner do you think to go to God?" Mr. Davis answered, "Sir, through the Mediator." To which the Doctor replied, "Young man, that is easily said; but I do assure you that it is another thing to go to God through the Mediator indeed than perhaps many men, who make use of the expression, are aware of. I myself preached Christ some years when I had but very little, if any, experimental acquaintance with access to God through Christ, until the Lord was pleased to visit me with sore affliction, whereby I was brought to the mouth of the grave, and under which my soul was oppressed with horror and darkness; but God graciously relieved my soul in the powerful application of Psalm cxxx. 4, "But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared;" from whence I received special instruction, peace, and comfort in drawing near to God through the Mediator, and preached thereupon immediately after my recovery." So free was this great man of God in communicating to others what he had felt, which, with other suitable remarks then made, was of great use to Mr. Davis, who, resolving to follow the Lord fully, made a profession of his faith in Christ, and became united to a Congregational Church. He was soon after urged to devote himself to Christ in the ministry of the Gospel. He began to preach, and "with that savour of spirit," it is said, "that warmth of soul, that zeal and judgment, that those who heard were amazed, and glorified God in him." Leaving the advantages of London, he came down to Rowell and became the pastor of this Church. He entered upon his work here with great earnestness of spirit, and pursued it with great and untiring energy. But the methods he adopted were very different to those which generally prevailed amongst the regular pastors of the day. Such was the ardour of his zeal that he could not confine himself within the bounds of the congregation that met at Rowell, or to the places immediately around them. His course of labour somewhat resembled that of Bunyan, of whom it is said, "that he took the whole circuit of Bedfordshire, and some neighbouring counties, for his diocese." But Mr. Davis did not confine these services for the diffusion of divine truth to his own personal ministry, but he called out and employed the brethren in the Church who were considered to be endowed with suitable gifts and attainments in the knowledge of the Gospel, to go and preach the word of the Lord in places that were destitute of a Gospel ministry. He employed what is denominated "a lay agency" to a considerable extent. There were many in those days who were strictly observant of ecclesiastical regularity, who thought none should preach but those who were educated for the work and ordained to the office. The proceedings of Mr.