guidance of the Lord, and his heart was penetrated by it. Now, whilst he
laboured in the fervour and power of faith, he was able to produce
effects on the rude minds of the Irish, such as never could have been
produced by ordinary human power. He saw himself, moreover, sustained by
the peculiar direction of that God whose word he preached. Patrick
speaks of it, not in spiritual pride, but full of the sense of his
unworthiness and impotence, as well as of the consciousness of the grace
working in and through him.
After speaking, in one of his letters, of such marvels as God granted him
to perform amongst the barbarous people, he added: "But I conjure all,
let no one, on account of these or the like things, think to place me on
an equality with the Apostles and other perfect men; for I am an
insignificant, sinful, and despicable man." And more marvellous to him
than the miracles which were wrought by him, was the simple fact which
filled his whole soul, that by him who, until God drew his soul to
Himself by severe chastisement, had himself cared so little about his own
salvation, many thousands of the people, who had hitherto known nothing
of the true God, should be brought to salvation. "Marvel," he says, "ye
who fear God, small and great, and ye eloquent talkers, who know nothing
of the Lord, inquire and acknowledge who it is that has awakened me, a
simple man, from the midst of those who are accounted wise, learned, and
mighty, in word and in deed. For I, who was abandoned beyond many others
in the world; even I, in spite of all this, have been called by his
Spirit, that in fear and trembling, yet faithfully and blamelessly, I
should serve the people to whom the love of Christ has led me.
Unweariedly must I thank my God, who has kept me faithful in the day of
temptation, so that I can this day trustfully offer my soul as a living
sacrifice of thanksgiving to my Lord Christ, who has delivered me out of
all my afflictions, so that I must also say, Who am I, Lord? and what is
my calling? that thou hast so gloriously revealed to me thy Godhead, that
I can now constantly rejoice amongst the heathen, and glorify Thy name
wherever I may be, not only in prosperity, but also in adversity; so that
whatever may befall me, good or evil, I can calmly receive it, and
continually thank that God who has taught me to believe in Him as the
only true God."
Patrick endeavoured to avoid all appearance of seeking his own gain or
glory. A man who, according to the judgment of men, was not fitted to
effect such great things, who from obscurity and poverty had been called
to so high a place, and in whom therefore, as is frequently the case,
those who had formerly known him after the flesh would not recognise what
the Spirit had accomplished, such a man was obliged, with all the more
circumspection, to avoid giving any occasion to those who were disposed
to declare a thing which they could neither measure nor comprehend by the
common standard, altogether beyond flesh and blood. When many, full of
love and gratitude to the teacher of salvation, their spiritual father,
freely offered him gifts, and pious women offered their ornaments,
Patrick, although the donors were at first offended at it, in order to
avoid all evil report, declined everything. He himself gave presents to
the heathen chiefs, in order thereby to purchase peace for himself and
his churches; he ransomed many Christians from captivity; and was himself
prepared, as a good shepherd, to lay down all, even to his life, for his
sheep. In his confession of faith, which, after labouring for thirty
years in this calling, he addressed to his converts, he says: "That ye
may rejoice in me, and I may ever rejoice in you in the Lord, I repent
not what I have done, and even now it is not enough for me, I shall go
further and sacrifice much more. The Lord is mighty to confirm me yet
more, that I may yield up my life for your souls. I call God to witness
in my soul, that I have not written this to seek glory from you. The
glory which is not seen, but believed on in the heart is enough for me.
Faithful is that God who hath promised, and he lieth not. But already in
this world I behold myself exalted above measure by the Lord. I know
very well that poverty and hardship suit me better than wealth and ease;
yea, even the Lord Christ became poor for our sakes. Daily have I
expected to be seized, carried into captivity, or slain; but I fear none
of these things, because of the promises of heaven; for I have cast
myself into the arms of the Almighty God, who reigns everywhere, as it is
said in the Psalm, 'Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain
thee.' Now I commend my soul to my faithful God, whom in my
insignificance I serve as his messenger. For since with Him there is no
respect of persons, and since He has chosen me for this calling, that I
as one of the least of His people, should serve Him, what shall I render
unto the Lord for all his benefits? What shall I say or promise unto my
Lord? For I can do nothing, unless He himself give it me! But He trieth
the hearts and reins, and He knoweth how greatly I long that He may give
me to drink of the cup of His sufferings, as He has granted to others who
love Him. I pray God that He may give me perseverance, and enable me to
bear a faithful witness until my departure. And if I have striven after
anything good for my God's sake, whom I love, I beseech Him that I, with
those my new converts who have fallen into captivity, may shed my blood
for his Name's sake, even though I should never be buried, even though my
body should be torn in pieces by wild beasts. I believe firmly that if
this should befall me, I should gain my body as well as my soul; for
undoubtedly, in that day, we shall arise and shine like the sun, that is,
in the glory of our Redeemer, Jesus Christ, who is the Son of the living
God, as joint heirs with Christ, renewed in His image; for by Him,
through Him, and with Him shall we reign. That sun which we see, rises
daily for us by God's command; but it will never reign, and its
brightness will not last for ever. All those also who worship it will
(unhappy ones!) draw down punishment on themselves. But we pray in faith
to Christ, the _true Sun_, that will never set, and he also who doeth His
will shall never set, but shall live for ever, as Christ lives for ever,
and reigns with God, the Almighty Father, and the Holy Spirit, from
everlasting to everlasting."
Patrick would gladly, after the absence and labours of many years, have
once more visited his relations and his old friends in his native Britain
and in Gaul, but he sacrificed his inclination to the higher calling. "I
would gladly," he says, "have journeyed to my fatherland and my parents,
and also once more have visited my brethren in Gaul, that I might have
seen again the countenances of the saints of my Lord; God knows I longed
for it much, but I am restrained by the Spirit, who witnesseth to me,
that if I do this, He will hold me guilty, and I fear lest the work I
have commenced should fall to the ground."
TABLE
_Shewing the Deaths, at different Ages, in the Society of Friends in
Great Britain and Ireland, during the years _1847-48, and 1848-49, 1849-
50.
AGE. YEAR 1847-48. YEAR 1848-49. YEAR 1849-50.
Male. Female. Total. Male. Female. Total. Male. Female. Total.
Under
1 year 13 10 23 14 10 24 5 8 13
{129}
Under
5 years 22 23 45 20 17 37 8 11 19
From 5
years
to 10 7 9 16 4 4 8 2 6 8
From 10
to 15 7 7 14 3 3 6 0 2 2
From 15
to 20 7 13 20 9 10 19 2 7 9
From 20
to 30 13 16 29 13 13 26 9 6 15
From 30
to 40 6 13 19 11 19 30 6 12 18
From 40
to 50 13 15 28 10 24 34 9 14 23
From 50
to 60 14 12 26 9 25 34 12 17 29
From 60
to 70 23 25 48 29 37 66 21 30 51
From 70
to 80 28 58 86 24 44 68 33 40 73
From 80
to 90 21 26 47 16 33 49 22 22 44
From 90
to 100 3 6 9 4 8 12 2 4 6
All
ages 164 223 387 152 237 389 131 179 310
Footnotes:
{2} See Memoir at the end of the Obituary.
{129} The numbers in this series are included in the text, "under 5
years."
Average age in 1847-48, 48 years, 11 months, and 25 days.
Average age in 1848-49, 51 years, 3 months, and 22 days.
Average age in 1849-50, 54 years, and 9 months.