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nerve and large share of the grace of God in his heart to battle with and overcome these opposing forces. Mr. Gloucester was the man for the occasion and the time; opposition could never deter him from duty; if God was for him, he cared not who was against him; in Christ lay all his strength and hope of success. Naturally, he was of a strong mind, as well as of stout, athletic frame, with a voice the deep tones of which fell powerfully on the ear—he preached the Word. He was also a very sweet singer, and it is said of him that such was the melody and rich tones of his voice that, whenever he sang, a volume of music would roll from his mouth, charming and enchaining, as by a spell, the listening audience, and holding them in sweet suspense until he would cease to sing, when the spell would be broken and the people relieved, determined upon the first occasion to return and enjoy the labors of this devoted man as he broke unto them the bread of life, and sang again another of those songs of Zion. In prayer he was mighty; such was the fervor and energy, such his wrestling when engaged, that souls have fallen under its power, deeply convicted of sin. An anecdote is related of him, soon after his arrival in Philadelphia, that ought not to be lost. I will take this opportunity of relating it:—
Mr. Gloucester boarded with a man whose name was Jacob Craig, and whose wife was a very pious woman, and who attended the ministry of Mr. Gloucester in his open air preaching. Mr. Craig was a sailmaker by occupation, but at the same time was a great fiddler, and being such, was a source of unhappiness to his wife. After his daily toil was over, and Mr. Jacob Craig became somewhat rested, he would invariably wile away the evening by playing his fiddle, to the annoyance of his wife. Jacob was not like Jacob of old; he knew
