f the whole
company were instantly fixed upon it. This book, said I, which I bring
you, is the book of God; it is sent from heaven to make poor miserable
and dying man happy. I then spoke a short time on God; on creation; how
God created man upright; how he was once happy in paradise; the way in
which he sinned, and broke the law of his Maker, and became guilty,
polluted, and exposed to death and hell; that to save men from this
dreadful state, God devised a plan of mercy; that he sent his Son, and
the Scriptures of truth, which shew unto us the way of salvation. This
was something of the outline of my lecture; but I added the
responsibility of men to read the book, and to seek to understand it. I
solemnly charged them, by the sacred book itself, and by the account
which they, at the day of judgment, must give to God for it, to make the
most sacred and constant use of it, by reading it together daily in their
camp. In the course of my discourse, I stopped, and said,--'Now do you
understand what I say?' Captain Bosvill's wife replied, 'We understand
you, sir; but we have not the same words which you have.' In conclusion,
I spoke of the coming judgment, when they and all men must stand and be
judged at the righteous bar of God. The Bible was then delivered to the
care of the captain of the gang, and of his wife, the woman who could
read.

"Now, I said, let us all kneel down on the grass, and pray for God's
blessing with this holy book. Instantly a female brought from her tent a
small piece of carpet, and spread it before me on the grass, for me to
kneel upon; and then all kneeling down, I prayed that the minds of these
miserable outcasts of society might be enlightened, to discover the
exceeding sinfulness of sin, and the blessedness and efficiency of the
Saviour; that the sacred book given them through the influence of the
Holy Ghost, might lead them into the way of righteousness, and finally
guide them to everlasting life. When we rose from our knees, gratitude
was seen in every countenance, and expressed by every tongue. '_God
bless you_, _sir_; _thank you_, _sir_;' echoed throughout the camp."

The next evening this clergyman went again to the camp, when one of the
Gipsies came to meet him, and informed him of the arrival of some of
their relatives. "I shook hands with them," says the clergyman, "and
asked of their welfare. Never was a king received with a more hearty
welcome, or with greater attention a