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tations. He applied himself also very diligently to the study of the Hebrew language, and completed the reading of the Pentateuch before he reached England. The state of his soul may in part be learned by consulting the "Secret Survey." The following short extracts will serve further to show it. "April 5. I had reason to say that God's love is like the ocean, his goodness like the floods, and that he is graciously near to all that call on him." "May 3, was to my soul a good day; and though the iniquity of my heels overtook me, the God of my mercy prevented me, which made me sing of the freeness of grace." "On the 17th, he kindly opened the stores of his goodness, and made my soul delight itself in fatness.' "On the 24th, the wanderings of my heart were very grievous. O when shall my complaint cease!" He went ashore at St. Helena, on the 8th of June, wandered to a considerable distance into the country, and devoted the day in solitude to selfexamination and prayer. "But O what a black life mine was, when narrowly surveyed, when by meditation it was, as it were, taken to pieces. Though the world could say but little,conscience could say a great deal." "July 12, was Sabbath, and though busy for a considerable part of the day among the sick, yet God remembered me in my wilderness, and watered my desart. I found, that to be allowed to live near God is the sweetest life in the world, and sweetens every condition."

The scurvy and dysentery raged on board the ship during the voyage home, to such a degree, that they lost twenty-six men, and at one period had sixty-five sick. Although the fatigue of duty must have been

*He wrote also, when at sea, some small tracts, against profane swearing, and other vices, but at what particular period cannot be ascertained.

great, Mr. Meikle remarks, with gratitude to God, that, except during a few days when he felt what is styled the prickly heat, he retained his health. They narrowly escaped, near the island Fernandez de Noronha, being captured by a French fleet which were watching for them, by altering their course during the night; and on the night of the 6th of September, they were mercifully preserved in a storm, though a thunderbolt struck their main top-mast, broke it in pieces, and stunned several of the people.

The ship went into dock after their arrival, and again Mr.Meikle applied to the Navy-Board without success. On the 25th of November, they sailed for Lisbon, and returned to Spithead on the 1st of February, 1762, bringing home the Earl of Bristol, the British ambassador at the court of Spain. The moment he arrived, he renewed his application to the Board, and, to his inexpressible joy, obtained his request; "for which," says he, I bless the Hearer of prayer, and magnify his name." As soon as he could arrange his affairs, he left the ship, hasted to London, and took ship for Berwick, whence he travelled on foot to Edinburgh, "which," says he, "when I saw, I thanked God, and took courage."..

At Carnwath, where he arrived on the 24th of March, he thought himself, he says, in a new world. No oaths assaulted his ears; by many religion was professed, and prayer performed; at Biggar, within eight miles of his residence, he had regular access to hear the gospel; and he found in his neighborhood, godly men with whom he deemed it a happiness to have it in his power to associate. His Sabbaths, in particular, were very different from those of the four preceding years, "It was a sweet day," says he, speaking of one of his first Sabbaths at home; "C no disturbance, but

from a wandering heart. I was afraid that I was not » so thankful as I ought to be."

On his road to church. on a subsequent one, "I had pleasure," he says, “in meditation. The sermon was divine and edifying. O pleasant situation! but O ungrateful I !"

The object which he had had so long at heart now occupied his attention; but a series of adverse occurrences had put the attainment of it for so many years out of his reach, that now when he possessed the means of prosecuting his studies for the ministry, he began to hesitate concerning what was his duty. He took the advice of several of the most judicious of his friends, and in particular of the Rev. John Patison, the venerable predecessor of the writer of this Narrative; and the result was, that considering how long Providence had obstructed his views; that he had already spent thirty-three years of his life, and several more must necessarily elapse before, according to the rules of the religious society of which he was a member, he could obtain license to preach the gospel; and moreover, that his organs of speech did not promise that he would ever be able to speak so as to meet with general acceptance, it was his duty to abandon his intention,and to endeavor to serve God and his generation by the diligent application of his talents to the duties of the station in which he was placed. He did so, and was respectable and useful during life as a surgeon. Though Providence thus refused the aid of his tongue to promote the interests of the gospel, yet his pen was never unoccupied in private in this glorious work; and it is hoped, that now since he is gone to a better world, his pious example, which it is the business of these sheets to record, and his pious writings, which the writer of this accounts it his honour to have been the means of introducing to public notice, will long

continue to plead the cause of that God whom he served, and to refresh the souls of many who are precious in his sight.

In the private station of a country surgeon, the uniformity of Mr. Meikle's life furnishes henceforward, few incidents which are of sufficient importance to merit a detail. The history of religion in his soul is, besides, recorded with sufficient minuteness in the "Secret Survey," in the "Meditations," written after this period, and in the "Monthly Memorial," which together form an uninterrupted chain of information concerning him from the period when he left the navy, to the 2d of December, 1799, within five days of his decease. A less circumstantial account, therefore, of the latter period of his life is deemed sufficient.

Although Mr. Meikle did not immediately abandon the great object which he had so long at heart, he was pushed into business as a surgeon by the zeal of his friends soon after he arrived at Carnwath, in 1762. When he afterwards found that this was to be the employment of his life, he regreted, that, owing to the preponderance of a different subject of study, he had devoted less of his attention to the study of surgery and medicine than he ought, and resolved to do what in him lay to repair his error. With this view, he not only gave attention to reading in the line of his profession, but arranged matters so, that, without material injury to his business, he spent some months of the summer of 1764, in Edinburgh, in the study of midwifery, and some other branches of science.

With what ability he discharged the duties of his station, the writer of this has no sufficient means of knowledge. He finds, from some hints in Mr. MeiG

On his road t

from a wandering heart. I was afraid that I so thankful as I ought to be." on a subsequent one, "I had pleasure," he meditation. The sermon was divine and edi pleasant situation! but O ungrateful I !" The object which he had had so long at l occupied his attention; but a series of adver rences had put the attainment of it for so ma out of his reach, that now when he possessed t of prosecuting his studies for the ministry, I to hesitate concerning what was his duty. the advice of several of the most judiciou friends, and in particular of the Rev. John Pat venerable predecessor of the writer of this Na and the result was, that considering how long dence had obstructed his views; that he had spent thirty-three years of his life, and sever must necessarily elapse before, according to t of the religious society of which he was a men could obtain license to preach the gospel; an over, that his organs of speech did not promise would ever be able to speak so as to meet with acceptance, it was his duty to abandon his intent to endeavor to serve God and his generation diligent application of his talents to the duties station in which he was placed. He did so, a respectable and useful during life as a su Though Providence thus refused the aid of his t to promote the interests of the gospel, yet his p never unoccupied in private in this glorious and it is hoped, that now since he is gone to world, his pious example, which it is the bus these sheets to record, and his pious writings, the writer of this accounts it his honour to have the means of inunducing to public notice, will