[9] Baxter (Reformed Pastor) says, “I dare prognosticate from knowledge of the nature of true grace, that all godly ministers will make conscience of this duty, and address themselves to it, unless they be, by some extraordinary accident, disabled.”

Partly from his state of health, and partly from the vast accumulation of other labors, and the calls made on him for evangelizing elsewhere, he was never able to overtake the visitation of the whole district assigned him.  He was blessed to attract and reclaim very many of the most degraded; and by Sabbath schools and a regular eldership, to take superintendence of the population to a great extent.  Still he himself often said that his parish had never fully shared in the advantages that attend an aggressive system of parochial labor.  Once when spending a day in the rural parish of Collace, as we went in the afternoon from door to door, and spoke to the children whom we met on the road-side, he smiled and said, “Well, how I envy a country minister; for he can get acquainted with all his people, and have some insight into their real character.”  Many of us thought that he afterwards erred, in the abundant frequency of his evangelistic labors at a time when he was still bound to a particular flock.

He had an evening class every week for the young people of his congregation.  The Catechism and the Bible were his text-books, while he freely introduced all manner of useful illustrations.  He thought himself bound to prepare diligently for his classes, that he might give accurate and simple explanations, and unite what was interesting with the most solemn and awakening views.  But it was his class for young communicants that engaged his deepest care, and wherein he saw most success.  He began a class of this kind previous to his first Communion, and continued to form it again some weeks before every similar occasion.  His tract, published in 1840, This do in remembrance of Me, may be considered as exhibiting the substance of his solemn examination on these occasions.

He usually noted down his first impressions of his communicants, and compared these notes with what he afterwards saw in them.  Thus:  “M.K., sprightly and lightsome, yet sensible; she saw plainly that the converted alone should come to the Table, but stumbled at the question, If she were converted?  Yet she claimed being awakened and brought to Christ.”  Another:  “Very staid, intelligent-like person, with a steady kind of anxiety, but, I fear, no feeling of helplessness.  Thought that sorrow and prayer would obtain forgiveness.  Told her plainly what I thought of her case.”  Another:  “Knows she was once Christless; now she reads, and prays, and is anxious.  I doubt not there is some anxiety, yet I fear it may be only a self-reformation to recommend herself to God and to man.  Told her plainly.”  “A.M., I fear much for him.  Gave him a token with much anxiety; warned him very much.”  “C.P. does not seem to have any work of anxiety.  He reads prayer-books, etc.  Does not pray in secret.  Seems not very intelligent.”