The preacher noticed, in the second place, the nature of this change.
It was spiritual, not physical,--a "revolution" (!) of the mind,
rather than a mere change of opinion or of outward deportment. The
third observation related to the evidence of the change. Its existence
might be ascertained by our own experience, and by the Word of God. The
former was not to be trusted without a reference to the latter. This
change destroyed the love of the world. It led man to abandon his
favourite sins, and to live and labour to do good. It also created in
him new desires and enjoyments. These topics were variously and
suitably illustrated, and the whole was a very good sermon on the
subject.

At the close the man on the right offered an appropriate prayer. The
pastor then made several announcements; among them, that a meeting to
pray for the success of Sabbath-schools would be held on the morrow
evening. In connection with that announcement, he said: "I am a very
plain man, and my God is a very plain God. He is so in all his dealings
with men. He always acts on the plain common-sense principle, that, if
a favour is worth bestowing, it is worth asking for." He also intimated
that there would be a Church-meeting immediately after the service,
preparatory to the ordinance of the Lord's Supper in the afternoon,
inviting at the same time any members of other Baptist Churches who
might be present to participate with them in that privilege. This form
of invitation led me to understand that they were "close
communionists;" and such I have ascertained to be the case, not only
with them, but also with all the regular Baptists in America. The
influence of Robert Hall and others was not felt so powerfully on that
side of the Atlantic as on this. I suppose that, while this worthy
pastor would have freely admitted to the Lord's Supper any immersed
slave-holder, he would have sternly refused that privilege to me--a