Now to return, I had made the acquaintance of a young man of somewhat rambling disposition like myself. We arranged to go on tramp together. I do not remember the exact time when we started on our wild planned journey, only that it was in the early part of the summer of 1837.
My companion had a little money and I had a little (2s.) too. We wended our way towards Birmingham, then to Gloucester, from Gloucester to Cirencester, and from Cirencester to Trowbridge. It was on a Sabbath, at midnight, when we entered the town, faint and penniless. I went to a married sister’s and aroused them from their slumbers. My dear father was then from home; Mr. Philpot had been that day supplying his pulpit. My sister, Mrs. Earle, sent and apprised my sisters then at home, of my being at her house. My dear sister Ruth at once came to Mr. Earle’s and begged hard of me to go home. “No,” I said, “Never again.” She wept, again entreating me to return to a good comfortable home; her tears, her entreaties had no effect. Oh, base, unfeeling wretch! I hate myself! Oh, what a mercy the Lord did not cut me down at a stroke. Bless His dear name! He is good. Oh, the wonders of grace! “Thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious” (Ps. lxxviii, 18). Rebels that have rebelled against God, against the wish and counsel of parents, and against the laws of men, are permitted to share in the riches of His grace; subdued by love into obedience of the Son of God. Translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of the grace of God, they are indulged with the benefits peculiar to the chosen. When victorious grace has overcome the heart of a rebel, and the fort of sin is broken down therein, the Lord God, in all the glory of His Name, makes them to be a living temple in which He dwells.
If I remember rightly my sister gave me five shillings. With that I and my companion in sin set off towards Bristol. I now purposed in my mind never to see Trowbridge again. “The counsel of God that shall stand.” My companion and I parted soon after we left Bristol, what became of him I know not. After he left me I fared hard, sometimes I thought perish for want I certainly should. Yet on I went (ignorance extreme!) Leaving a good home for poverty, rags, and misery. One thing I cannot forget, thousands of times my soul has with some degree of gratitude reflected upon this circumstance. For several days I had been travelling on the road with scarcely anything to eat, sleeping in barns, or anywhere I could get. When one mid-day I sat myself down upon a heap of stones on the side of the way, at which spot there was a way leading out of the main road. Having sat some time I got up to resume
*From Autobiography of late John Warburton, Minister of Southill, who died Jan., 1892.
my journey, when something seemed to say, “Go down that road.” It had such an effect upon me that I went back to look at the road. After surveying it a moment and seeing nothing to attract me, I again turned into the main road. After taking a few steps the thought came again, “Go down that road.” This time I went down it and found it a lonely road indeed, trees on each side making the place look gloomy. As I walked along it came into my mind, this would be just the place to commit a robbery. Just then a gentleman advancing towards me came in sight, I observed he had a gold watch chain. Now I was powerfully tempted to demand the watch. Yea; I felt determined to have it at all risk. With this evil purpose working in my mind I advanced towards him, and was just about making a demand for the watch, when in a moment my strength failed me, my heart beat, and my body trembled at the thought that God’s eye was upon me, and that He could strike me dead in a moment. I passed the man, feeling myself a criminal; only God knew my thoughts. About one hundred yards further on I came to a house; a woman was standing at the gate. She asked me if I had passed, on the road, a little boy. “Yes,” said I, giving a description of him. I saw him playing with some more children. “Oh,” she said, “I am glad.” I asked her to give me some water. To my surprise, she said, “Will you come in and rest?” I thanked her and followed her in the house. She put on the table some bread and meat, saying, “You are welcome.” Without any more asking I laid to, and ate to my fill. When I got up to resume my journey the woman put a few pence into my hand. Now whence did all this come, but from the everlasting hand of God? He that withheld Abimelech from sinning against Him (Gen. xx, 6), kept me from highway robbery. Then, when almost starved, and ready to drop from weakness, to put it into the heart of a stranger to set provision before me. How true it is, “The hearts of all are in the hand of the Lord” (Prov. xxi, 1). “And the cattle upon a thousand hills are His” (Psalm i, 10). “And the gold and silver are all His” (Hag. ii, 8). He is the Almighty God, Possessor of heaven and earth, and the everlasting Father of His own dear people. My soul bless thou the God of all mercies, for none have more cause, for He has redeemed thy life from destruction, by purchase, by power, and by daily benefits. Therefore, “Let all that is within me bless His holy Name.” The Lord thinketh upon His people (Psalm xl, 17). He thought upon them in eternity. He thinks upon them when born into this world, and in all their ramblings, when fulfilling the desires of the flesh, and of the mind, and in all their pilgrimage after being called by grace. His thoughts upon them are incessant, for they are engraved upon the palms of His hands. I was now on the road for Exeter. It was in the evening of the 10th July, 1837, I entered the city. On the morning of the 11th I enlisted in the 37th regiment of foot. After I enlisted there was an interval of a few days before marching to Plymouth, to the depot of the regiment, and with shame I now confess those days were then as I foolishly thought, golden days of pleasure, to such a low state was I suffered to fall. But salvation is all of grace, that God may shine gloriously therein. He sometimes chooses the worst of sinners. Manasseh was called after witchcraft, Saul after blasphemy. Publicans and harlots go into the kingdom of God (Matt. xxi, 31). Oh! sweet grace, how charming is the sound that saved a wretch like me!