The Life and Letters of the Rev. George Mortimer, M.A.: Rector of Thornhill, in the Diocese of Toronto, Canada WestArmstrong, John
Religion
The Life and Letters of the Rev. George Mortimer, M.A.: Rector of Thornhill, in the Diocese of Toronto, Canada West
Armstrong, John
Mortimer, George, 1784-1844
Mr. Mortimer, from his early connexion with the Methodists, imbibed many
of their views, and followed out some of their practices. I cannot say
that he succeeded in convincing me of the expediency of the plan
described in the following letter, though possessed probably of some
advantages; nor do I think that he continued always to approve of the
same; but I think it right that he should speak for himself, and
therefore I shall give several copies or extracts of his letters on the
subject:—
TO THE REV. JOHN ARMSTRONG.
Wellington, Salop. October 27, 1814.
AH, my dear friend, what need have we all of being occasionally pulled
down, stripped of our fancied excellencies, spoiled of our boasted props,
and laid low in self-abasement and humility of soul at the feet of Jesus.
And considering this our need, how kind is it in the LORD to take the
painful pains with us which he does. He had much rather rejoice over us
in unclouded prosperity; but our perverseness will not suffer him, and
therefore he forces himself to grieve us. He constrains himself to cut
off the dangerous limb—to amputate—when it would be injurious to spare.
We have two _classes_, after the manner of the Methodists; one consisting
of men, and the other of women. The former led by Mr. Eyton, and the
latter by myself. Out of the men’s class, Mr. E. has selected six young
men, four of whom go out on a Monday evening, in turns, and expound to
the poor in four cottages in different parts of the parish; and much
good, I trust, has already been seen resulting from the plan. Mr. E. did
not think of the classes till about a year and a half ago; but we all
feel truly thankful to God that they were begun at last. You would have
been struck at the effects which soon began to follow. A standard, if I
may so speak, was by this means erected, and many, who in all probability
would have remained halting and hesitating till the very end of their
days, were induced, one after another, to flock around it, and I have
been surprised at the degree of help which they have all received since
they were thus united. And, in addition to their own personal benefit,
they soon became instrumental of good to others. Our little society
became a kind of nursery of expounders, exhorters, and assistants in
prayer; and now, instead of a comparatively barren wilderness, we are
rejoiced to behold, in many places, an incipient garden of the LORD.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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