s; the most eloquent, the most powerful; and his works abound
with the grandest, the profoundest, the most impressive and overpowering
views of truth and duty.

Among the Fathers I liked Lactantius and Chrysostom best, not only for
the superiority of their style, but for the common sense and practical
character of their sentiments.

My favorite Methodist author, when I first began my Christian career,
was Benson. His sermons were full of fervor and power. I felt less
interest in Wesley at first. I was incapable of duly appreciating his
works. As I grew older, and got more sense, my estimate both of his
character and writings rose, and now I like him better, and esteem him
more highly, than at any former period of my life. And I like his latest
writings best.

I liked Fletcher very much, partly on account of the good, kind
Christian feeling that pervaded his writings, and partly on account of
his able and unanswerable defence of the enlightened and scriptural
views of Wesley, as set forth in the Minutes of 1771.

Among the later Dissenting writers, Robert Hall was my favorite. I liked
many things in the writings of John Angell James; but there were other
things, especially in his _Anxious Inquirer_, that appeared to savor
more of mysticism than of Christianity, and that seemed better
calculated to perplex and embarrass young disciples of Christ, than to
afford them guidance and comfort.

There were many other good authors whom I read and prized, but most of
the above I read till their thoughts and feelings became, to a great
extent, my own; and the effect of all was to strengthen the already
strong practical tendency of my mind.

But no book did so much to make me a practical preacher as the Bible. It
is practical throughout--intensely practical, and nothing else but
practical. The moment it introduces man to our notice, it presents him
as subject to God's law, and represents his life and blessedness as
depending entirely on his obedience. God is presented from the first as
an avenger of sin, and as a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.
In His address to Cain He sets forth the whole principle of His
government: 'If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? But if thou
doest not well, sin lieth at the door.' Enoch is translated because he
walked with God. The world is destroyed because of its wickedness, and
Noah is saved because of his righteousness. Abraham is blessed because
he observes the statutes an