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diff --git a/41145-0.txt b/41145-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e35656d --- /dev/null +++ b/41145-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1967 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, An account of the Death of Philip Jolin, by +Francis Cunningham + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: An account of the Death of Philip Jolin + who was executed for the murder of his father, in the Island of Jersey, October 3, 1829 + + +Author: Francis Cunningham + + + +Release Date: October 22, 2012 [eBook #41145] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AN ACCOUNT OF THE DEATH OF PHILIP +JOLIN*** + + +Transcribed from the 1830 Hatchard and Son edition by David Price, email +ccx074@pglaf.org + + + + + + AN ACCOUNT + OF + THE DEATH + OF + PHILIP JOLIN, + WHO WAS EXECUTED + FOR THE + MURDER OF HIS FATHER, IN THE ISLAND OF JERSEY, + OCTOBER 3, 1829. + + + * * * * * + + BY + FRANCIS CUNNINGHAM, A. M. + RECTOR OF PAKEFIELD. + + * * * * * + + LONDON: HATCHARD AND SON, PICCADILLY; + SEELEY AND SONS, FLEET STREET; AND J. NESBITT, + BERNERS STREET. + + * * * * * + + 1830. + + * * * * * + + LONDON: + IBOTSON AND PALMER, PRINTERS, SAVOY STREET, STRAND. + + + + +ADVERTISEMENT. + + +To determine the real state of mind in a criminal manifesting, for the +first time, when under sentence of death, signs of repentance, is plainly +a work of much difficulty. If ever dissimulation may be expected, it +must be in the case of a person probably long habituated, and, in his +present circumstances, additionally excited to it by the fear of death: +and the experience of every minister of religion conversant in such +cases, must teach him that professions of religion, under such +circumstances, are far oftener the language of alarm, than of real +conversion. Every one, therefore, would earnestly covet, with Mr. +Newton, to know rather how the man lived, than how he had died. But here +the life and the death may offer the most conflicting evidence. How +difficult it is then so to decide as not, on the one hand, to make “the +heart of the righteous sad, whom God has not made sad;” upon the other, +to say “peace” to the soul, “when there is no peace.” + +Most of the cases of religious communication with dying criminals, +recorded in the public prints, are in the highest degree painful. The +chaplain goes through the forms of instruction, the sermon is preached, +and then, without one proof being assigned of the fitness of the criminal +for that solemn ordinance of religion, the sacrament is administered. +All the requisitions of our church, as to “those who come to the Lord’s +supper,” are passed by. The deep workings of repentance, and longing for +amendment, the exercise of a lively faith in Christ, the thankful +remembrance of his death, the feeling of universal charity so difficult +in such circumstances; in short, every evidence of an awakened and +converted heart is neglected, and the man forced upon a hypocritical +avowal of truth, to which he is in reality utterly a stranger. He dies, +in fact, with “a lie in his right hand”—a lie, the guilt of which is +surely divided between himself and the minister who urges him to the rash +reception of the sacrament. + +It is under the deepest conviction of the difficulty of such cases, that +the present tract, recording the events of the last eleven days in the +life of a criminal is presented to the public. His crimes had been +great, but hypocrisy was not amongst their number. His faculties were +not such as to give him any peculiar facility in adopting the truths +presented to him. He had received no previous religious instruction. He +had no uncommon power of utterance. Let the reader judge whether the +words and conduct, both before and after conviction, as recorded in these +pages, do not supply an evidence of the power of God to reclaim the +wanderer even in the eleventh hour; and are not calculated, in the +highest degree, to encourage the often disconsolate visitor of the sick, +the dying, and the criminal. The facts here recorded have been collected +partly by personal communication, partly from letters to the writer from +the Rev. W. C. Hall, and partly from a printed account of the Rev. E. +Durell. The substance of the statement was first inserted in the +Christian Observer, and it is now submitted, with some alteration, to the +public, and with an earnest desire that its perusal may, through the +Divine blessing, tend to the glory of that compassionate Saviour, to +whose service it is dedicated. + + + + +THE +LAST DAYS OF PHILIP JOLIN, +LATELY EXECUTED AT ST. HELENS, +FOR +THE MURDER OF HIS FATHER. + + +THE particulars of the crime of this unfortunate young man may be stated +in a few words. He had long been known in the neighbourhood where he +lived, as an object of disgrace, and the cause of perpetual disturbance. +Not indeed that he was more profligate in character than those with whom +he was immediately connected. His father, as well as his mother-in-law, +lived in habits of drunkenness. She died eight months before the son +committed the crime for which he suffered. Jolin was, with his father, +by trade a blacksmith. His business brought with it some temptation to +drinking; and, in Jersey, where spirits are cheaper even than in England, +this disposition was most easily gratified. So that, with the example of +his parents, and his own circumstances, it is not a matter of +astonishment that he fell into the course of sin which led to his ruin. +The progress of vice was, it is to be presumed, in his case, like that of +other drunkards. The liquor, at first taken as a bodily relief, +unguarded by any restraint, was soon resorted to as an indulgence; till +at last he was enlisted in the number of those of whom the prophet +speaks, “who rise up in the morning that they may follow their drink, and +continue till night, till wine inflames them.” But the abominable +tendency of this particular sin is illustrated almost equally by the +conduct of the father and son. + +It appeared on the trial of Jolin, that he had been exposed to the +greatest cruelties on the part of his father. One person deposed, that +he had often seen him beat his son with a hammer, or any thing else, +which might happen to come under his hand, and almost always about the +head; and the scars from these wounds were seen on his head when he was +committed to prison. Another, that she had once heard the prisoner’s +mother cry out for help. She went in, and saw the son down, and the +father striking him with an iron bar, saying at the same time, that he +was going to kill him. Very often he would not give him any food. +Another witness testified, that, going into the house of the father, he +saw him put down a flat iron bar, with which he had just been striking +his son on the head, and his head was covered with blood. He was laid on +his bed, but his father refused to allow any assistance to be tendered to +him. This witness had seen the father kick his son about several parts +of the body. What a contrast is all this to that scene which the +psalmist describes of a household where the Spirit of God dwells—“Behold, +how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity, +for there the Lord commandeth his blessing.” These facts are introduced, +not only in explanation of the subject, but that some light may be thrown +on the appeal which Jolin afterwards made to his judge on his own behalf. + +On the morning on which the last crime was committed, as Jolin confessed +to one who attended upon him in prison, he had drank to excess, and +become completely intoxicated. In this state he returned to his own +home—a home of which, he added, “no one knew the wretchedness.” It was +dinner time, but he found no food prepared, and from his father he met +with only that reception which he might expect from such a parent; more +especially when he himself was overcome with drunkenness. He went into +the garden to gather a pear, and about this the fatal quarrel ensued. +The father had come behind, and caught him by the cape of the jacket, and +kicked him about the back and legs. He tore himself from his father, and +was soon seen running out of the house crying, and the father in the act +of pursuing, as if with the intention of striking him. The father said +that he would “settle him when he returned.” The son replied, that he +would “settle him (the father) also.” The son then ran to a heap of +bricks which lay in the street, and taking one which he appears to have +broken in two pieces, he returned to be revenged on his father. He was +remonstrated with by a neighbour, but in vain. In his rage he threw the +brickbats at his father. One of the pieces struck him on the head, and +he immediately fell to the ground. The wretched sufferer swooned from +the violence of the blow and the loss of blood. In this state he appears +to have remained, with very little change, for about an hour, when he +died. It is not stated whether he was enabled to cry for mercy to that +God, into whose presence he was thus awfully hurried; or whether he had +time to reflect upon the state of his son, and his probable punishment. +How awful must have been the change to this wretched man, when he found +himself in a moment lifting up his eyes before the Judge of quick and +dead! + +Meanwhile, the son, utterly unconscious of what he had done, or feeling +only satisfaction at what he thought was the suitable punishment for his +father, went out again, and finding his way into a neighbour’s shop, told +the keeper of it that his father had beaten him, and that he had knocked +him down. Here he fell asleep, and slept probably till his fit of +intoxication had passed away. On rising he was about quietly and +unsuspectingly to return to the scene of his crime, when he was arrested +and brought to prison. When, on the way to the prison, he was told that +his conduct might possibly bring him to the gallows, he showed his first +symptom of alarm. He remained in prison till Thursday, September 24, +when he was submitted to his first public examination. The trial, +according to the laws of that country, was repeated on Monday the 28th. +The judges, and two juries, in number together thirty-seven, after the +fullest investigation of the facts, and after hearing the able defence of +his advocate, Mr. Hammond, pronounced his crime to be murder, and +condemned him to death. The court refused even to make application for +the mitigation of punishment, whereupon he was delivered to the execution +of his sentence, which he underwent on Saturday, Oct. 3d. + +There were many particulars in this case, in addition to the remarkable +nature of the crime, and indeed the rareness of any crime of such +magnitude in the small district in which it occurred, that made it a +subject of very general notice. One leading circumstance was the +manifest alteration which took place in Jolin’s mind during the period of +his imprisonment. Upon this point there was an entire agreement of +opinion amongst all persons who had any acquaintance with the real state +of the case. Not only ministers, both of the church and the Dissenters, +but persons of other classes, bore testimony to the reality of _a_ +change; the _nature_ of which, however, not so many persons could detect, +as its very striking effects. The newspaper spoke of an “alteration” +which took place in him, of his “confession, in the most humble terms, of +his own sinfulness;” of “his forcible admonitions to others to abstain +from evil, and to practise the duties of religion and morality;” but of +the change of heart which this case exhibited, the editor of the paper +seems to have had no real understanding. The case of Jolin, convinced of +his sin, however, is that of a man, not merely convinced of his guilt in +one instance, and anxious to warn others not converted by the Holy Ghost, +acknowledging his total alienation of heart from God, and persuaded that +all his repentance, all his good resolutions, could never expiate his +past sins; but that, as he himself said, “Christ was his only hope; for +HE had paid his ransom, and He would receive him into glory.” + +The greater part of persons who have had much experience in visiting the +dying sick, or condemned criminals, have, in general, little confidence +in a repentance which only springs up under the apprehension of immediate +death, whatever flights of sentiment may be exhibited. They have seen in +the backsliding of men who promised every thing in the time of sickness, +how vain, generally speaking, are the convictions of their sincerity. In +the greater part of these cases, there is a want of completeness in the +work of repentance and faith, which the experienced pastoral visitor is +often able to detect; too little of real contrition, or too much of +profession and confidence. But in the case in question, those who +visited Jolin confess themselves to have been impressed, as they might +conceive the spectators to be affected by the case of the thief on the +cross. One and all were led to say, “this is the finger of God.” Under +such circumstances, it cannot surely be wrong to gather together a few +particulars of this history, which will be interesting to those, at +least, who have experienced the power of divine grace in their own change +of heart, and who rejoice in every display of it in the sinner that +repenteth. + +Jolin appears in early life to have been sent to school, although he +said, that such had been the irregularity of his father’s house, and such +the hindrances thrown in his way, that he had been more impeded than +encouraged by his parents, in any attempt to attend upon the public means +of religious instruction. How tremendous is the responsibility of such a +father and mother; culpable in their neglect, but awfully so in their +example! And what a case is here presented of the retributive justice of +God! The father trained his child in habits of intoxication, and treated +him with cruel violence; and the son, in a fit of intoxication, by an act +of violence, hurried his father headlong to the bar of God’s judgment. +We are not able, often, so clearly to trace the workings of Almighty +wrath; nor is it to be expected, that, placed as we are in a state in +which we must look for our rewards or punishments beyond the grave, we +should here see any proportionate recompense of crime. Still we know, +that “as a man sows so he shall also reap,” if not in this world, to +bring him to repentance, yet certainly, and how much more awfully! in +that world where a place for repentance is no where found. + +This young man, on some occasions previous to his committal to prison, +had read the Bible; for he remarked to one of his attendants, that when +at sea, during his watch, he had done so; but he added, “I then read it +as a sealed book. I had neither eyes given me to see, nor ears to hear, +and this was a just judgment upon me for my sins.” His mode of life had, +indeed, been one of complete dissoluteness. He went to sea, because he +was too bad to remain on land; and he returned to shore, probably because +he was wearied of the restraints at sea. The relations of the family, +disgusted at the scenes of vice in his father’s house, abandoned them. +So that it is not easy to conceive a state of lower degradation than this +young man had reached. No one, as he himself said, could describe the +misery of this state as he had experienced it. What situation could +indeed more completely tend to brutalize the mind, to deaden every +feeling of conscience, to leave the man long habituated to it “without +hope,” and indeed “without God in the world?” The nature of the crime +for which Jolin was committed to prison, was such as to increase the +general horror against him. This was exhibited by the crowd, in the +streets, on the occasion of his trial; so that his various crimes had +made him an outcast from the pity and compassion of his fellow-creatures. +It is true, there were particular circumstances in his case, which, if +generally known, would have lessened the public indignation, and which +might have been a source of secret satisfaction to himself. These were +the exceeding badness of his education, the brutality of his father, the +continual discord of his family, the state of intoxication in which he +was when he unintentionally committed the crime; but these points, +although once alluded to in his appeal to his judges, were scarcely +mentioned by him in his private conversations, so completely was the +conviction established in his mind, that he had fallen into sin by the +wilfulness of his own heart, that he had destroyed himself; and that to a +greater depth of transgression he could scarcely have reached. + +After Jolin had been lodged in gaol, he was visited by a very respectable +relative, Mr. Pinel, a member of the Methodist church. He made this +visit, as he himself testified, without the hope of any spiritual +benefit. He, however, desired to relieve his temporal necessities, and +to afford him all the comfort in his power. He found the poor culprit in +a most pitiable state. Overwhelmed and stunned by his situation, he was +lying on a heap of straw, and appeared like one who had no hope to look +to in this world, or the next. Mr. Pinel said to him, “Young man, I +think both your body and your soul are in great danger.” Jolin did not +answer, but sobbed excessively. He then procured for him a bed, and some +comfortable clothing, and put into his hands a French Testament. Soon +after, as there was at that time no chaplain regularly appointed to the +gaol, Jolin was visited by the curate of the parish, M. Falle. After +some days, M. Falle’s great occupation in his ministry led him to +transfer this important and interesting charge to the Rev. W. C. Hall, a +young clergyman residing in the island, who took the more immediate care +of him, watched over, instructed, and finally attended him through the +dark valley of the shadow of death, till he reached, as I doubt not, the +portal of the heavenly abode. Meanwhile the Testament was not neglected +by Jolin. He read it nearly through; but, in the first instance, it +would seem, without understanding the nature of the message which it was +designed to convey. His mind, however, was no doubt gradually preparing +by the Holy Spirit to receive the instruction about to be more fully +imparted. On the 22d of September, about ten days before his execution, +Jolin was visited by Mr. Hall and another clergyman. He was then sitting +in his bed, and looking as wretched as might be expected under the +circumstances in which he was placed; as Mr. Pinel had stated, “without +hope for this world, or the next.” They immediately entered upon the +object of their visit, and spoke to him of the nature of his offence; of +the sin of murder, as condemned by the law of God, and aggravated in his +case, because committed against a parent; of its sentence in the judgment +of men, and its heinousness in the sight of God. They pointed out to +him, that, awful as is man’s sentence against this crime, little +consideration was due to this in comparison with the condemnation which +the law of God pronounced; and that this condemnation had passed upon +him, and that the execution of its sentence of eternal death would be +inflicted if he did not repent, and seek help and pardon through Jesus +Christ. All this was manifest, for it was written in the word of God, +that murderers should have their part in the lake which burneth with fire +and brimstone (Rev. xxi. 8;) that drunkards should not inherit the +kingdom of God, (1 Cor. vi. 10:) and this condemnation, it was also +pointed out, extended not only to these crimes, but to that of the +general sin of the heart, and was the necessary consequence of its +separation and alienation from God. That this condemnation would come +upon all sinners was evident, for it is written, “The wages of sin is +death,” (Rom. vi. 23.) One point appeared particularly to produce the +deepest sensation of pain in this young man’s mind; this was the +representation of the conduct of God towards him in reference to his +father; that whilst that unhappy man had been cut off, and sent almost +without warning, with all his sins upon him, before the Judge who will +deal with every man according to his works, he, the murderer, had been +spared, and brought into a prison, where he had opportunity given him to +reflect upon his state, to seek for pardon, and where salvation was +offered to him, if he would turn and seek it. The cry of, “Oh my father, +my poor father!” mingled with his sobs on that occasion. + +Although Jolin’s crime was so palpable, and was confessed by him in the +fullest, yet as it was committed unconsciously, and he had seen no traces +of it, except in what others told him, the whole seemed like a dream; and +the deed itself, with its appalling circumstances, were not likely to +fasten themselves on his mind as if it had been premeditated, or as if he +had been in full possession of his understanding, or as if he, which he +himself wished, had seen his father’s murdered corpse. However, this +circumstance afterwards appeared to turn out to his advantage. It +prevented him from fixing his thoughts exclusively on a particular sin; +and he was thus less hindered in discovering the sinfulness of his nature +and of his general habits, and learning the lesson it is often so +difficult to comprehend, that we are not less condemned by the law of God +for our general alienation from him, than for any one or more scandalous +offences which we may have committed. Not that this state of mind in +Jolin prevented him from coming to the deepest sense of his own +particular offence; for as he learned more thoroughly to understand the +nature of sin in general, his feeling for his peculiar crime more deeply +penetrated his soul. One other subject seemed to produce in him the same +intense state of feeling which the mention of his father had done; this +was the sin of intemperance, which had, as I have before remarked, been +the immediate cause of his crime. Mr. Hall, thinking that he might be +suffering from the cold, confined as he was in a large stone-chamber, of +which the window was usually open, guarded him against seeking a refuge +from his sufferings from drinking. At the mention of this, he went off +again into expressions of horror at the supposed possibility of such an +offence in his tremendous circumstances, and declared that nothing should +again tempt him thus to transgress. Yet, as Mr. Hall observes, were his +resolutions expressed rather as if smarting under the penalty of his +crime, than as if conscious of his own inability to keep the engagement +which he was entering into. He spoke as a man strong in his own +strength, and as yet unacquainted with the perfect weakness of resolution +not formed in dependence upon the power of God. + +On the point of again falling into the sins of which he seemed to have +repented, three distinct states were noticed in Jolin’s case before his +execution. At first, as at this visit, he was fully confident that, if +he were once more to be set at liberty, he should never again become +intoxicated. Afterwards, when he came to discover the exceeding weakness +of his nature, he even dreaded the possibility of his life being accorded +to him, lest he should again fall into temptation. And, lastly, he +learned to believe, that having cast himself entirely upon Divine grace, +and, therefore, using those means of watchfulness and prayer which the +word of God prescribes, he needed not fear, if he were called again to +life, the temptation even to those vices to which he had been most +habituated. On the occasion of this visit, the fifty-first Psalm was +pointed out to him. It was in the Prayer-book version, as there was no +Bible at hand. This Psalm, so remarkably calculated to meet the +experience of a man feeling deeply his sins, and more particularly of one +implicated as he was in such a variety of vice, struck his attention very +deeply; and the more so when, the next day, it was read to him in the +Bible translation, and its chief points expounded to him. He learned a +great part of this Psalm by heart; it was nearly the last portion of +Scripture that he repeated; and it became one of the subjects of his +meditation during the long nights in which he was shut up alone. + +The next day, the 23d, two or three passages of Scripture were introduced +to his notice; besides which a fuller view was presented to him of the +nature and consequences of sin. On this occasion he was taught in what +manner sin is the defilement of the whole heart; that even the sins of +his youth brought him just as much into condemnation before a holy God as +his one great crime; that eternal death was the wages of every +transgression of the Divine law; and that repentance unto life required +not only a feeling of sorrow for one sin, but for every sin, yea, for sin +itself, as an offence against the Almighty. The promises of God to the +chief of sinners were then pointed out him from Isa. i. 18, that “though +his sins were as scarlet, they might be made white as snow;” and from +Isa. lv. 6, 7, that “if the wicked forsook his way, and returned unto the +Lord, he would have mercy, and abundantly pardon.” The former of these +passages remained fixed in his memory, and was a continual source of +consolation to his mind. He now began to feel that his sins were as +scarlet, and to desire earnestly to be pardoned. Two other passages were +also at that time referred to, and enlarged upon. The first of these was +John iii. 14, 15. “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, +even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whosoever believeth on him +should not perish, but have everlasting life.” This type presenting so +remarkable an image of the Lord Jesus Christ lifted up to bear the sins +of his people, and affording a remedy to those who really believe in Him, +was peculiarly calculated to meet his case: and he was further taught +from it, that as this people, if they had rather chosen to trust to other +remedies, or had refused to look at the brazen serpent, or had spent +their time in mourning over their maladies, instead of doing as they were +commanded, would never have been healed; so if the sinner does not look +to Christ, there is no hope for him. One other important lesson was also +gathered from this subject; namely, that “if a serpent had bitten any +man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived;” and in like manner, +“Whosoever believeth on Jesus Christ shall not perish, but have eternal +life.” Jolin was thus instructed in the mode of pardon before God, +through the merits of Jesus Christ; and in the efficacy of this remedy, +the universality of it to all that believe, and the nature of faith, the +means by which it can alone be appropriated. + +The last passage referred to was the history of the Scape goat, contained +in Lev. xvi. In this history we find that Aaron, whilst the people +afflicted their souls, (ver. 29,) laid both his hands on the head of the +live goat, and confessed on him all the iniquities of the children of +Israel, and all their transgressions, putting them upon the head of the +goat, and that the goat bore away with him all their iniquities into a +land not inhabited. The illustration of this subject, and its +application to Jolin’s own case, were very obvious. The people +“afflicting their soul,” denoted the state in which every sinner must +present himself before God—for it is the broken and the contrite heart +which God will not despise; the “confession of sin” on the head of the +goat pointed out the first and necessary duty of the returning +penitent—for “if we say that we have no sin we deceive ourselves, and the +truth is not in us; but if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just +to forgive us our sins:” the laying the sins upon the head of the goat +exhibited the act of faith, by which the condemnation of the sinner is +transferred to his atoning sacrifice; and the leading away the goat into +the wilderness, the full, perfect, and eternal pardon promised in the +Gospel, of every sin to every repenting sinner. + +Although Jolin was not a person of uncommon capacity, and although these +passages of Scripture seemed to be new to him, yet he apprehended them in +a manner which gave just indication that his heart was under the Divine +teaching. It is said, Isa. liv. 13, “All thy children shall be taught of +the Lord.” This state of teachableness now seemed to have been produced +in this poor young man. The power of God had made his heart _willing_, +Ps. cx. 3; and he came very soon to understand the truths by which he +might be saved. When the will of man is not disposed to submit to God, +every doctrine of the Gospel presents difficulties; one point is +unreasonable, another impossible, a third useless; but when the mind is +taught of God, it is astonishing how soon all these difficulties vanish. +The doctrines of the Gospel, which seem the most hard to understand and +to receive, are at once comprehended. It is like a change from darkness +to light. The passages of Scripture which teach the sinfulness of our +own nature, the worth of a Saviour, the nature of faith, the pleasantness +of religion, the delight attendant upon dwelling with God, are at once +received and adopted; and the whole system of Christianity is discovered +to be one exactly suited to the sinner’s own state. But the willingness +of heart which is necessary to a right reception of religion, we are +every where in Scripture taught, is the gift of the Holy Spirit. It +cometh “not of blood,” that is, from our parents; “nor of the will of the +flesh,” that is, by our own natural inclination; “nor of the will of +man,” that is, by the teaching of others; “but of God.” “The wind +bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst +not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth: so is every one that is +born of the Spirit.” We see then how necessary it is that, if any man +“lack wisdom,” he should “ask it of God;” and so much the more, as our +Lord himself declares, Luke xi. 13, his desire to give his Holy Spirit to +them that ask him. + +The 24th was the day of Jolin’s first trial, at the close of which he was +found guilty. Some of his friends, whom he had asked to go to him, went +after the trial. They expected to find him, on this occasion, in some +degree disturbed and agitated in mind; but it was altogether otherwise. +The irons to which he was sentenced were put on him in their presence. +To this, as the natural consequence of his condemnation, he submitted +almost without notice. Indeed, the trial and the condemnation itself +seem to have made little or no impression upon him; for it was only by +minute and repeated inquiry as to the proceedings of the day, that +visitors could obtain from him any account of them. His mind seemed +absorbed in something else; and what this was, afterwards appeared. His +conduct, during his trial, had been remarked by many of his judges, as +entirely suitable to his awful situation. Indeed, his whole frame of +mind was now beginning to discover the influence of a new principle, and +to show that the great work of regeneration was taking place. In the +early part of his confinement, and indeed very recently, he had wished, +as he might naturally, for his escape; and his cry to his advocate had +been, “Save me from the gallows;” but at this period, the desire that his +life might be spared, seemed to be taken away from him in a most +astonishing degree. It was not so with the very zealous and able +advocate to whom his cause had been committed, and who very properly +continued to the end, to urge every plea, and to encourage his client to +every effort, by which his punishment might be remitted, or even delayed. +His friends too were most kindly anxious on this point; and they even +attempted to prove him insane, that they might effect their purpose. For +a time he was influenced by the same desire. But to those who visited +him about this period, he never once alluded to a desire to escape; but +on the contrary, seemed almost always to refer to his sentence without +apparent emotion; and towards the end, he appeared to long for, and to be +earnest for its completion. This state of mind was no doubt to be +attributed to two causes; in part, to a complete acquaintance with the +state of his own case, and to its final settlement by his judges; but +probably much more to his new state of religious feeling; a sense of his +own spiritual condition had begun to swallow up every other +consideration. + +A friend had given him the second chapter of the Ephesians for his +consideration, that he might gain still further views of his state of +guilt and defilement, and that he might more clearly trace both the power +of Divine grace, by which the sinner is quickened, and the bright +prospect placed before those who seek for pardon by the blood of Christ. +The conversation of this day led to the subjects contained in this +chapter; and more particularly to the impossibility of man’s pardon, but +by the grace of God, through Christ Jesus. In the midst of a statement +of the hindrances in the way of salvation, from the evil of our heart, +the weakness of our best endeavours, and the defilement of our services, +Jolin remarked, “I must put off my sins.” It was asked, what he meant by +putting off his sins. His answer manifested at once the simple, but +clear, manner in which he had received the Scripture illustration pointed +out to him the day before, and it was truly gladdening to the feelings of +his visitors: “Did you not tell me yesterday about the live goat on whose +head the sins were laid?” The application of the type of the scape goat +had thus been made by him to his own state; and he had arrived at the +conviction, that, whatever might have been his sins, and whatever were +his hindrances, he was permitted to “put them all off,” upon that +all-sufficient atonement, the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of +the world. He had thus been enabled to feel his burden, to bring it to +the cross of Christ; and at once it seemed to have fallen from him at the +feet of his Redeemer. + +The nature of faith is illustrated in a very interesting manner, by the +case of Jolin. The sinfulness of his own state he knew, and felt deeply. +He did not, however, seek to excuse himself, or to palliate his offences: +he did not think that past services would be any compensation to God; +that any circumstance of his life or character would skreen him from +Almighty wrath; or that by repentance he might be pardoned through the +mere mercy of his Heavenly Father. In himself, therefore, he had no +ground of hope whatsoever: he was as a debtor who had nothing to pay; as +a sick man whose case was desperate: but he felt an assurance that Christ +was able to pay his debt, and to cure his disease, and that in his own +particular case, he would do it; and he himself did in heart, what the +high priest did with his hands, transfer all his sins to the atonement. +Thus he came to feel, not indeed presumptuously, but with confidence, +that all his sins were laid upon the sacrifice; and he was able to +contemplate the Saviour’s mercies instead of his own merited doom as a +sinner. The ground of this assurance in his mind was an acceptance of +the simple testimony of God, that he would blot out his transgressions. +He believed in this word of promise, and joy in believing was at once +imparted to him. The simplicity with which Jolin received the testimony +of God in this instance characterized his religious experience during the +whole of his remaining course. The Scriptures were as a message of God +to his soul. He received them as feeling there could be no doubt but +every word of them was true. I often, said Mr. Hall, in the after part +of his history, tried to persuade him that it was, naturally speaking, an +incredible thing that God should have come in the flesh and atone for +sin. But he always said that he believed it, because it was so written +in the book which is the truth. + +I have before noticed the indifference which Jolin appeared to feel to +outward circumstances. I have yet to observe another point connected +with it, in this day’s visit, which was the brightness and almost +cheerfulness of aspect that his manner and countenance gradually assumed. +In the period before his condemnation, his downcast look and general air +of wretchedness were not unsuited to a state of despair; but now he +lifted up his head, and even his voice seemed to have changed its tone. +This surprising change was observed by others. Mr. Hammond, Jolin’s +advocate, told M. Durell, as he himself has recorded it, that when he saw +the prisoner on the twenty-third of September, he found him “in really a +distracted state, torn by every conflicting passion, and all his +faculties hurried by the unutterable anguish of remorse. The dread of +death was uppermost in his thoughts; and there was nothing to which he +would not have submitted to avoid capital punishment: but when he saw him +again on the evening of the twenty-sixth, he was astonished at the sudden +change which had taken place in him: he was calm, placid, and resigned, +and he had not one wish to live. I then,” continues Mr. Durell, +“mentioned to Mr. Hammond, that I had found him exactly in that state on +my first visit, the twenty-sixth, which had preceded his own only by a +few hours.” He adds, “the opinion of an impartial and enlightened man, +like Mr. Hammond, was certainly very important: but M. de Quetteville, +the mayor of the town, and other laymen of the highest respectability, +who had formerly known the prisoner, had been equally struck with that +great and salutary change. From a comparison of dates,” adds Mr. Durell, +“I am inclined to believe, that his change must not only have been rapid, +but that his heart must have been almost as instantaneously touched as +that of the penitent malefactor in the gospel.” Now how was this +wonderful change to be accounted for? We read in Acts xvi. 34, that when +the keeper of the prison in Philippi had received St. Paul’s message, +“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved;” that he +“took” the apostles “_the same hour of the night_, and washed their +stripes;” and was “baptized,” and rejoiced believing in God. It was +perhaps this very feeling of joy which Jolin now experienced; a joy which +arose from a clear, full, well-grounded belief in the doctrine of +justification by faith. This doctrine, which gives peace with God, is, +when rightly apprehended, attended with an experience of the love of God +shed abroad in the heart by the Holy Ghost, Rev. i. v., and this +necessarily brings joy with it. Thus, the man who has been taught to +look to him that justifieth the ungodly, is able to walk in the light of +God’s countenance, and is “filled with all joy and peace in believing.” + +On the 25th, Jolin narrated to his visitor the whole history of his +melancholy life; his difficulties and discomforts, arising, not so much +from others, as from his own sinful, wilful heart. Like many other young +persons, he had chosen the way of dissipation and folly, instead of that +which many circumstances had led him to think was a happier and a safer +course. It is indeed true, that his parents were not in a state to check +him in his proceedings; but he seems to have had at many intervals those +convictions of conscience which were sufficient to have guarded him from +the transgressions into which he fell, and even to have guided him to +seek the paths of religion. His wretched education, however, came in aid +of his natural self-will, and soon confirmed him in those vices which led +to his ruin. + +His state had been, as he himself described it, at times truly miserable; +but drinking had quickly expelled every conviction of his own guilt, and +he soon returned again to his mad career. He observed to Mr. Durell, +that since 1823, he had not seen one happy week.—There are two things to +observe on these transient convictions of guilt in a state of +unconversion. Until the Spirit of God has enlightened the heart, sin +does not by any means, in all cases, appear as it had appeared to Jolin, +and as it invariably does to the renewed heart, a grievous burden. The +life of many wretched sinners is one unbroken course of +self-satisfaction. They are described in the seventy-third Psalm, as +often passing from their cradles to their graves without a feeling of +sorrow, or an apprehension of death. The Bible, however, teaches, that +such a state of unmixed prosperity is the most dangerous in which a man +can be placed; that the sinner, when thus left alone of God, is lifted to +that very slippery pinnacle from which he will fall to his eternal ruin. +Ministers cannot, therefore, press upon their ungodly hearers the +universal conviction of the misery attending upon sin as an evidence of +their unconverted state, because sin does not in this life uniformly +bring along with it any such conviction. Their state of self-complacency +is, indeed, a state which comes as short of the real spiritual happiness +of the true Christian, as darkness does of light; but it often affords a +false peace, which perhaps does not leave the sinner till his punishment +begins, and the door of hope is shut against him for ever. Another +observation arising from Jolin’s feeling of wretchedness in his former +state, is, that the pain sometimes connected either with the practice of +sin, or a view of its consequences, will not, unassisted by the Spirit of +God, produce the real repentance which the Gospel requires. It is true, +the compunctions of conscience, like the afflictions of life, are means +often used to prepare the sinner for the doctrines of the Gospel. Yet, +in how many cases do we find men wounded, but not contrite; stunned, but +not really affected by the deepest distresses of life. Thus we learn, +that it is not any mere dispensation of Providence which necessarily +brings men to that knowledge and faith which are needful for salvation. +It is true, that God does bless the endeavours of the willing mind +whenever he sees them; but the mind is not necessarily made willing +because it suffers, any more than a child is necessarily made more +compliant by the punishment which is inflicted. Some substances harden +whilst others melt under the fire. Thus some souls are only confirmed in +sin by the events which are instrumental in recovering others from it. +For this he must be quickened by the power of God, he must have an +entirely different sense imparted to him from the mere feeling of the +misery of an evil course, or the afflictions of life; he must be +convinced of his own desperate state in the sight of God, and of the need +of that sacrifice which the Saviour has wrought out, before that good +work is really begun, which, it is promised, shall be carried on till the +day of Jesus Christ. So far, then, from the common notion, that the +sufferings of our life will atone for its offences, those sufferings have +no connexion whatever with our state hereafter, except as they may have +been a means of bringing us to seek that sacrifice by whom alone any of +our sins can be pardoned. + +But to return to Jolin’s history. In the visit of the 25th, he was again +led to a consideration of the only sacrifice for man’s transgression, +particularly as it is exhibited in the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah. In +this portion of Scripture he learnt more exactly the cause for which +Jesus Christ came on the earth, and became a man of sorrows, and +acquainted with grief:—“Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our +sorrows.” “He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our +iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his +stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray: we have +turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the +iniquity of us all.” Other passages of Scripture, connected with this +subject, and pointing out the love of God as the first cause of man’s +salvation, were also explained to him, as, Rom. v. 8, “While we were yet +sinners, Christ died for us.” And in connexion with this, Ephes. ii. 4, +5, “God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us +even when we were dead in sin, hath quickened us together with Christ.” +And, Rom. viii. 1, “There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ +Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” The being in +Christ Jesus, and the nature of faith, by which alone he could apply the +merits and sufferings of the Saviour, were now, as they were continually, +dwelt upon. + +The faith of the Gospel, he was more particularly taught, was such a +reception of the truths of Scripture, and more especially of the +engagement of God to pardon every sinner who came to him in Christ Jesus, +as led not only to an entire dependence upon Christ, but to a complete +submission to his will, and a consequent change in our own nature. It +was not merely a reception of the doctrine of faith, which was to be +regarded as faith in the soul, but the creation in the heart of a new and +animated feeling of trust in the Redeemer. The influence of faith in the +soul was like that of food to the body; it imparts a new feeling and +character; gives new nourishment and vigour, and works by love, not only +to the Saviour himself, but to all around us. Faith, therefore, to be a +living principle, must be felt by ourselves, and must be seen by others: +and of both these points the faith of this young man gave ample proof. +It gave confidence to his own mind, and even gladdened his heart; it made +the Bible a new book to him; it cheered the solitude of his prison; it +directed him to be mindful of every practical duty; it gave a new +direction to all his hopes and fears, and enabled him to go onwards in a +spirit of filial dependence to meet the last conflict. It was at this +time, I think, that he made a confession, which served to explain his +previous state of mind, and to show how remarkably his attention was +fixed on one point. “How extraordinary, sir,” said he, “it is, that for +these last two days I have been able to give my mind only to _one_ +subject; the thought of my crime and of my death have been taken from me, +and I have scarcely been able to give my attention to either.” The one +subject which occupied all his attention, and shut out every other, was +the love of his Saviour, who had given himself for his sins. This, as he +said, “filled his heart.” His state of mind served to show the absorbing +nature of this Divine principle when it is fully implanted in the soul. +When the mind has suddenly gained a view of its former state of +alienation, and has been brought nigh again to God, it is impossible that +the sense of this vast change should not swallow up every other feeling. +It is difficult at all times to think much of God, and to think of any +thing else; but how much more, when the first conviction of the Divine +presence overwhelms the soul. And, as David, in the fifty-first Psalm, +appears to have comparatively lost sight of his sin against his country, +the family of Uriah, and of all the consequences of it, in the depth of +the feeling which he had of his sin against God; so the love of Christ +took possession of Jolin’s mind; and in its length, and breadth, and +depth, and height, so filled his thoughts, and so absorbed his soul, that +every other subject sank into nothing. + +It will be manifest, that, in the explanation of all these subjects, +there was a constant repetition of points before explained, and reference +to many texts which are not noticed. Jolin did not talk much; and indeed +it was chiefly in answer to a question, that he made any observation at +all. When a passage of Scripture was read to him, he would often take +the Bible and read it over slowly to himself, then observe carefully +whether a paper to mark it was so placed, that he might find the place +again, and return the book with some slight expression of his feelings. +In this way did he seem to lay up portions of the Divine word, upon which +he might reflect in his solitary hours. His manner was always calm and +self-possessed; and his answers to questions were such as showed that he +clearly understood the grounds upon which the answer was to be made. He +was never beside the mark in a reply. But it was quite evident that all +the lessons which were taught him, and which had the warrant of +scriptural authority, sank into his heart, and that he found in them that +which corresponded with his own experience. + +The next day, the 26th, he was visited by Mr. Dallas, one of the +chaplains of the Bishop of Winchester, and by Mr. Durell, the rector of +St. Saviour’s parish. These two clergymen have each given public and +repeated testimony to the state of mind in which they found Jolin. The +visit of Mr. Dallas was chiefly occupied in an endeavour to search out +the reality of the foundation upon which the hope of the penitent rested, +and he viewed it as most satisfactory. Mr. Durell visited Jolin at the +request of the Dean of Jersey, in whose parish the prison is situated. +Mr. Durell says in his little work, “I came to perform a difficult and +unpleasant duty, which, indeed, I could not refuse. I mention this +indifference,” he adds, “to show, that when I first repaired to this poor +man’s dungeon, there must have been something very powerful to have +affected me to such a degree.” He at first brought Dodd’s Prison +Thoughts with him to read to Jolin; but, on the suggestion of a friend, +he changed this book for the Bible. Mr. Durell visited Jolin many times: +and he has published an account of each visit. His remarks are candid, +kind, and very clear as to his belief of the real change of Jolin’s +character. The facts which he narrates are some of them in the highest +degree interesting. “I have sympathised,” he says, “in Jolin’s cell, in +all the horrors of his situation. I have shuddered at his nefarious +parricide; I have rejoiced in his unfeigned repentance; and I have been +soothed by his delightful anticipations of a blessed immortality.” He +adds, on one occasion, “I never saw a man more free from enthusiasm. All +his religion centred in the atonement of Christ.” On another, “I never +heard him complain of the evidence against him, nor of his sentence; +never did an expression of murmur or of invective escape from him.” He +says again, “This visit lasted three hours; than which none ever made a +deeper impression on me, or will perhaps be more conducive to my own +spiritual improvement.” He adds again, “It may, perhaps, be supposed, +that it was the dread of death which had excited his religious fervour; +on the contrary, those apprehensions ceased from the moment that holy +principle originated in his heart: neither was it that instinctive fear +of dying that drove him into religious inquiries and self-examination. +That fear may, indeed, have caused a wicked man to be sorry for his sin; +but the growth in knowledge, in grace, and in so many gifts of the +Spirit, was so extraordinary and so unprecedented, that I cannot account +for it as having been the result of natural causes operating on an ardent +and distracted mind. I am not only impartial, but am conscious that I am +as free from superstition and enthusiasm as any man; yet I feel inwardly +convinced, that Jolin’s conversation had something in it more than human; +and that Providence assisted him with an imperceptible, though equally +miraculous, working of the Holy Spirit; to the end that his edifying +repentance might operate like a distinguished example to open the bosom +of many an infidel to an examination of the sacred truths of +Christianity, and to persuade the thoughtless and profligate, that, +unless they abandon their dangerous course, they will be doomed to +certain destruction.” + +But it may be interesting to lay before your readers the last +communication of this kind friend, when Jolin was about to be executed. +It was in a letter to one of the ministers then with him in the prison. + + St. Saviour’s, Oct. 3, 1829, 9 o’clock in the morning. + + “Sir,—The deep, the Christian interest, which I feel for our + departing brother, induces me to write you a short note. Tell him + that I pray that the strength which is imparted from on high may not + fail him in his last hour, and that the sufferings of the Saviour may + inspire him with religious courage to bear his sufferings. Tell him + also, that since we are not to meet again on earth, he departs with + my blessing and my prayers; and that, I trust, we shall meet again + where every tear shall be dried from every eye. The sixteenth + chapter of St. John is most particularly adapted to his awful + situation. The thirty-third verse is a glorious precept and example + for him: ‘These things have I spoken to you, that in me ye might have + peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but, be of good + cheer, I have overcome the world.’ + + “I am, sir, yours truly, + “E. DURELL.” + +On the last Sunday of his life, Jolin had many visitors. His mind seemed +gradually to ripen for eternity. He gained every day clearer views of +his sinful nature, of the power of Divine grace, of the nature of faith, +of the immensity of the love of Christ, and of the offer of a free +salvation made to himself. He could now trace very distinctly, in the +various events of his life, the manifestations of the great mercy of God +in his favour. The returning prodigal (Luke xv.) he felt more and more +to represent himself and his own case. He saw his heavenly Father +waiting to be gracious to him. He had scarcely time to offer up his +supplications, when he found, that before he called, God had answered, +and while he was yet speaking, He had heard. There was one circumstance +connected with the visit of this day which is, in itself, striking. The +last trial was to take place on the morrow. He had, under the direction +of his legal adviser, prepared a paper, which was to be read to the jury. +There was still, therefore, a possibility of his escape from the +punishment of death. This latter circumstance became a subject of +conversation, and an earnest hope was expressed on the part of his +visitor, that, if he was set at liberty, he would be supported by Divine +grace, and that he would be enabled to live to the glory of God. His +answer to this observation clearly showed how well he understood the +power of the grace of God, and how entirely his heart was stayed upon +that as his only support in every emergency of his life, whether he were +to escape from prison, or be led to the scaffold. He observed, “Sir, the +man that is fit to _die_, is fit to _live_. I have known what it is to +have a heart as hard as a diamond; but I now feel I have a heart of +flesh.” His persuasion was thus very clearly expressed, that the same +power which had changed his heart from stone to flesh, could and would +keep him on his way; and that, depending upon Divine grace, he need not +fear whether life or death were presented to him. In this calm and +confiding posture of mind, he seemed continually to rest. All his hope +and trust were grounded on his Saviour. He had come to the full +experience of the psalmist—“It is good for me to draw near to God.” + +A hymn of Cowper’s, which had been given to him, seemed very much to have +arrested his attention this day. It is on the subject of the fountain +opened for sin, and for uncleanness. (Zech. xiii. 1.) + + “There is a fountain filled with blood, + Drawn from Immanuel’s veins; + And sinners plunged beneath that flood + Lose all their guilty stains. + + The dying thief rejoiced to see + That fountain in his day; + And there have I, though vile as he, + Wash’d all my sins away. + + E’er since, by faith, I saw the stream + Thy flowing wounds supply, + Redeeming love has been my theme, + And shall be till I die. + + Then, in a nobler, sweeter song, + I’ll sing thy power to save, + When this poor lisping, stammering tongue + Lies silent in the grave. + + Lord, I believe thou hast prepared + (Unworthy though I be) + For me a blood-bought free reward, + A golden harp for me. + + ’Tis strung and tuned for endless years, + And formed by power divine, + To sound in God the Father’s ears, + No other name but thine.” + +This hymn he was very fond of, and he repeated it on his way to the +scaffold. It had been an object to store the mind of Jolin with subjects +which might, by the Divine blessing, be sources of encouragement and of +comfort to him when left alone with his Bible, or in the silent hours of +the night. The following points, in addition to those already +enumerated, had been dwelt upon; and now, as the opportunities for +visiting his prison by the individual who proposed them, had drawn to a +close, some of them were at this time again earnestly pressed upon his +attention. These were, the “tender mercy” of God, (Luke i. 78,) by which +alone the Day-spring from on high visits the soul, and by which it is +brought out of its state of natural darkness; the view of Christ touched +with the feeling of our infirmities, (Heb. iv. 15, 16,) and encouraging +us to go with boldness to the Throne of grace; the invitation to ask with +importunity for the Holy Spirit (Luke xi. 1–11); the intercession of +Jesus for his people (Rom. viii. 34); the promise, that God who had not +spared his own Son would with him freely give us all things (Rom. viii. +32); the remedy against all trouble to be found in faith in the Lord +Jesus Christ (John xiv. 1); the parting address and prayer of Christ +(John xiv. xv. xvi. xvii.); and the engagement that nothing shall +separate the believer from the love of Christ (Rom. viii. 35–39). To +this was added, as much examination as to the working of these doctrines +on his heart, the degree in which they were felt, and their practical +bearing, as the time and circumstances would admit. All these subjects +Jolin appeared to understand and to receive; and if he could not +enumerate them as distinct articles of his religious creed, yet he seemed +fully to comprehend and to receive them as the testimony of God. + +Monday, the 28th, was the day fixed for his second trial; and here he +exhibited the character of a real Christian. His defence he had written +before, and it was as follows:—“Gentlemen, whatever may be my fate, I +shall not die without having to reproach myself for not having quitted my +father’s house. By so doing, I should have avoided being the victim in +different unhappy affairs that often took place between my father and +mother, in which I was generally the object upon which the weight of +their discontent fell. I was often obliged to submit to being beaten +most severely, and to hear language unworthy of being uttered by either +father or mother. Now, left to myself in the solitude of a dungeon, I +reflect on times gone by, remembering that I was the only child, +abandoned to the most deplorable fate. Yet I ought to have been wiser, +and not followed the example of my nearer relations, the source of my +misfortune. But now that respectable ministers of the Gospel have taken +the trouble to visit me, and point out my duty towards God and towards +man, I rest contented. I pray to God to pardon the horrible, but never +premeditated crime of which I am guilty. If I ever had an intention of +killing my poor father, I had a very favourable opportunity of doing so, +when he was stretched upon a bed of sickness, unable to help himself. I +was then the only person who took care of him, and administered to his +wants, as there was no other person besides myself in the house. I beg +pardon of all those whom I may have willingly or unwillingly offended. +Gentlemen, after this declaration, I submit myself entirely to your +wisdom. It is you who are going to decide my fate. I am ready to meet +it, and I will submit to your judgment without a murmur.—PH. G. JOLIN.” + +This paper is a translation from the French, in which language it was +originally written. Whether it is accurately translated, or whether it +was written by Jolin himself, or by his advocate, it is impossible to +judge. The passage in it which relates to his parents, if his own, is +liable to objection. The faults of a parent, especially faults so +awfully punished, ought not to have made a part of his defence. If the +language is that of his advocate, it is only the language of legal +justification, and the facts are both true and of much weight for the +extenuation of his crime. + +It is said, that during his trial, his calmness was remarkable. His lips +apparently were employed in prayer, and this he afterwards confessed was +the case. He prayed for himself, that he might be strengthened to go +through his trial, and also for his judges and his jury. There was no +effrontery in his look; but, on the contrary, the appearance of deep +humiliation. For four hours, during which time his trial lasted, he +never lifted his eyes from the ground. On his return from the trial, he +had to encounter the indignation of the populace against his crime. On +the former occasion, a woman had cried, “Ah, le scelerat!” which had a +good deal affected him. This time he addressed the people from the +prison gates, and when they observed that he was half dead from fatigue, +he said, amongst other things, “I have a strength within me ye know not. +This supports me. Weep not for me, weep for yourselves.” + +During the following days of his life, he received continual visits from +a variety of persons. On the 28th, the Rev. P. Filluel; on the 29th, +from both the chaplains of the Bishop of Winchester; Mr. Dallas was +indeed as assiduous in his attendance at the gaol, as his many other +duties at that time would permit; and all these gentlemen expressed the +strongest conviction of the reality of Jolin’s conversion. Many +ministers, and others beside, very kindly came, desiring to impart to him +some spiritual gift. He received all gladly; but more especially those +whose conversation led him to believe that they came to him in the +fulness of Christian love. His discernment on this point was a striking +evidence of the clear views of doctrine which he had attained. He +perceived and felt the inadequacy of those religious systems which were +not connected with deep and experimental views of personal corruption; +and with exclusive dependence for salvation upon the atonement of Jesus +Christ. With a sense of gratitude for the instruments made use of in +awakening his mind, Jolin appeared remarkably independent of any outward +help. He was by no means like a man who hung upon another’s teaching, +but upon that of God. It was on this account that he was, perhaps, able +to bear without injury the multifarious instruction which he received. +His own language was most satisfactory; he always spoke of the salvation +procured for him as a free and unmerited gift of God; and dwelt upon the +peculiar manifestation of God’s grace to himself, inasmuch as he had +twice saved him from shipwreck when he was in an entirely unprepared +state to meet death, and now he had been brought to that prison that he +might learn the way of salvation. His expressions of the sense of his +own unworthiness were clear and strong. He told one of his friends that +he had nothing to offer to God, but his heart; that all his repentance, +all his resolutions, all his short conflict with the carnal heart, could +never expiate his sin. On another occasion he said, that he was not +worthy to pick up the crumbs under his Master’s table; and on another, +that Christ was his only hope; that He had paid his ransom, and that He +would receive him into glory. With another class of visitors, those of +his family and friends, he was equally decided in declaring what great +things God had done for his soul, and what necessity there was that they +should turn and repent if they would be saved. Indeed, a discourse of +this kind had made some of them think him insane. He had told his +relations who had come to him, that he was formerly unclean and unholy; +that they were so at that moment. He therefore entreated them to apply +to _Him_ who had cast out the unclean devils into the swine, to cleanse +their souls. On all occasions, when he could, he manifested the same +desire to instruct others, and lead them to that refuge which he had +found so precious to his own soul. + +On Thursday, October 1, Mr. Durell records a very interesting visit which +he paid the prisoner: interesting, as it showed the state of mind in +which he found him. “As we approached the passage,” says Mr. Durell, “we +could hear the loud ejaculations of the prisoner’s prayers.” The gaoler +observed, that he always found him thus employed when he was left alone +in the cell. Mr. Durell read to him the account of our Saviour’s death, +from Matthew xxvii., and concluded with a prayer, at the end of which +Jolin was much affected. He exhibited, on this occasion, the deepest +sense of gratitude to all about him; and Mr. Hammond, his advocate, who +was also present, bore witness to the calmness and the change of Jolin’s +state of mind. To the latter gentleman, he, on that occasion, expressed +his sense of the great services rendered to him on his trial. He sat up +on his bed, and clasping both his hands together, said most earnestly, +“Mr. Hammond, I thank you over and over again for the pains you have +taken for me. I regret that I have nothing to give to reward you as you +deserve.” This same sense of gratitude led him constantly to express his +thanks to his gaoler, whose kindness and attention, those who were so +often going out and in the prison can fully testify. But it was not on +this occasion alone, for the evidence afforded to his state of mind was +very remarkable. The acting lieutenant-governor, the dean, the mayor, a +leading medical man who came to inquire into his insanity, clergymen, +dissenting ministers, his advocate, his relations, his attendants, all +appear to have come away from the prison with a common conviction, that +the power of God had been at work in producing the wonderful change which +they witnessed. + +On the day previous to his execution, the event to which I have referred +with regard to his relations occurred. They, not understanding the +nature of the change which had taken place in him, and, judging from +reports of blows which he had received, and other circumstances, +endeavoured to establish the plea of insanity; and they brought a very +eminent medical practitioner to examine into his state. But this +interference was followed by the best consequences; for, whilst on the +one hand it was clearly ascertained that Jolin was in no state of +derangement, or delusion, or enthusiastic fervour; on the other, the +clearest and most satisfactory evidence was given of his real state of +mind. After this, the Dean of Jersey kindly attended to administer the +sacrament to him. Before he received the holy communion, he underwent an +examination; and to the dean, and three other clergymen, he gave, in +answer to their questions, a reason of the hope that was in him. He +explained with such clearness the object and the nature of his faith, +testified so deep a sense of his own unworthiness, and showed so good a +feeling towards all his fellow-creatures, that they had not, any of them, +a doubt of his fitness to partake of the feast prepared for the penitent +sinner. This examination, which was peculiarly solemn and affecting to +Jolin, looking, as most of the people of that island do, with deep +veneration on the high and sacred office of the dean, was remarkably +calculated to detect any thing which might be suspicious in his views, or +in his real state. Throughout this day, Mr. Hall reports, that Jolin was +longing to depart, and to be with Christ, saying, “The hours pass +slowly.” It was remarked that he must wait God’s time, who had yet work +for him to do in his vineyard. And most faithfully was every hour +devoted to the duties of his immediate calling. He warned, rebuked, +exhorted, with all long-suffering and patience. He said he thought it +would be better for him to die on the scaffold, than quietly in his cell, +as he might thereby glorify God by his patience, and be an example to all +of the fatal consequences of indulgence in sin. + +Mr. Durell has given an account of his last visit to Jolin on the evening +of this day. He chose the same subject to read to him as on the day +before, but from another Evangelist. It was Luke xxiii., the account of +our Saviour’s crucifixion. During the reading, Jolin’s sensibility was +greatly excited, and his half-broken sobs were heard. Mr. Durell, +thinking it proper to check this state of mind, pointed out the +sufferings of Christ as a matter of holy joy, and threatened to lay down +the book, and read no more, if Jolin continued to feel so much. Mr. +Durell, wishing to avoid any thing which might discompose Jolin, +carefully omitted making any comment on the most affecting part of our +Saviour’s sufferings. He, on the other hand, sought to comfort him by an +application of the promise, that “they who sow in tears, shall reap in +joy;” and by the prospect of paradise held out to the penitent thief. He +adds, in conclusion, “In the course of my profession, I have seen many +individuals on the brink of the grave; but never before did I witness +such coolness and such self-command—a scene so holy, so edifying, so +sublime. Had he been in the full bloom of human prosperity, and with the +prospect of adding half a century longer to his existence, he could not +have been more collected. I was myself almost falling into a delusion +contrary to the evidence of my own senses. I could not believe that one +so near his end could retain so much courage, or such contempt of +ignominy and death. I could not believe that one so gentle, and now so +well instructed in religious duties, could have been ever capable of +committing a crime for which he deserved to die—that he could have been a +murderer.” + +On the night previous to his execution, the kind relation who had first +visited him in the prison, and brought him the first message of +salvation, in bringing him the New Testament, and Mr. Gallachin, an +excellent minister of the church, sat up with him. They endeavoured to +sing a hymn, and, feeling the imperfection of the service, he said, +“To-morrow I shall join in very different singing from this.” At +half-past one in the morning, he fell into a kind of dozing stupor for an +hour, but did not sleep. During that time he was heard repeating the +fifty-first Psalm, and also repeatedly exclaiming, “Glory to the Lamb! +glory to our Lord Jesus Christ!” and when he awoke, he said that he had +seen glorious things in a dream. He also said, between sleeping and +waking, as it appeared, “There is now, therefore, no condemnation for +them that are in Christ Jesus.” At waking he requested that a hymn might +be sung. The next morning Mr. Hall went to him at half-past six o’clock. +When he entered his cell, Jolin said, “Oh, Mr. Hall, I am so glad to see +you; I am so happy. I have slept four hours, and the rest of the night +we have spent in such delightful conversation. I feel so strong, but I +will wait patiently the Lord’s time.” The day before, I have observed, +he thought the hours passed slowly, he was so anxious to depart and to be +with Christ. Mr. Hall took occasion to warn him, that he had still a +work to do. He must not only glorify his Saviour by his conduct, and by +his patient resignation, but he must again speak a word of warning to +those about him. And he assured him that he might be able to do more for +the praise and honour of his Master in his death upon the scaffold, by +bearing testimony to his own exceeding wickedness, and to the +unsearchable mercy and love of Christ, than if he had died in a more +private manner. To this he assented, and took the resolution of doing +all in his power. “Great, indeed,” says Mr. Hall, “were the grace and +support which he enjoyed. He felt sick at breakfast time, and could not +eat; but, to oblige me, he said he would try. About nine o’clock his +irons were taken off; and I could not help thinking of this as symbolical +of that liberty which soon, when passed beyond this life, he would enjoy +for ever in the presence of his Saviour. Jolin immediately proposed to +me to kneel down and thank God for what he had done for him; saying, ‘I +have always before prayed in bed; now I can go on my knees in the proper +posture for a sinner.’ Oh, at this time, how deep were his confessions +of sin, committed both in thought, word, and deed; his acknowledgment of +mercy through Jesus Christ; his expressions of dependence upon Him for +grace, to keep him in his fiery trial, and to open for him the kingdom of +heaven! When he drank his milk, he said, ‘Oh! God, I thank thee that +thou hast been so merciful and good to me, who have been so great a +sinner!’ His hand was never cold, and his pulse was always regular to +the end. I never witnessed one to whom the Lord was pleased to give a +stronger faith, which was proved by his conduct to the last. He sat +calmly speaking and listening till about half-past twelve; when he left +the prison, leaning on me and Mr. Gallachin. An immense concourse of +people presented itself at the prison gates, and their rush and noise +were greater than we expected. The newspaper account says—‘He was calm +and collected, walked with steadiness, and evinced throughout the most +decorous firmness. We could not perceive that he trembled. His mind +seemed quite absorbed in religious exercises; and, from all we can learn, +there was good and satisfactory evidence that he was a true penitent, and +relied on the Divine mercy.’” + +As he was leaving the gaol he was heard to repeat the fourth verse of the +twenty-third Psalm, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow +of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me, thy rod and thy +staff they comfort me.” Mr. Hall continues: “The noise of the people +prevented my being heard by Jolin, who walked as firmly as myself: I +therefore opened my hymn-book, and pointed out to him the sufficiency of +the Redeemer, in one of those hymns which I had previously chosen for his +perusal. The hymn chosen was one beginning— + + ‘He lives, the great Redeemer lives! + What joy the blest assurance gives! + And now, before his Father, God, + Pleads the full merit of his blood. + + In every dark, distressful hour, + When sin and Satan join their power, + Let this dear hope repel the dart, + That Jesus bears us on his heart.’ + +“He told me, that he did not mind the people, that they were poor worms; +that he would endeavour to warn them from the scaffold, for they were +standing on the brink of the pit. We mounted the steepest part of the +gallows hill. He said, his Saviour had toiled up Calvary with a cross, +which he ought to be thankful that he had not to bear; and that Jesus +Christ had done this for _his_ sake, whereas, he was receiving the due +reward of his transgression. This reflection seemed to give new wings to +his exertions in pressing up the rock. I think that a worse place of +ascent could not have been chosen. When we arrived at the summit, the +Greffier read his sentence aloud, and Mr. Gallachin prayed most fervently +with him in French. After the prayer, he ascended the platform with Mr. +Gallachin and myself, and addressed the people in French, as you will see +by the account in the newspaper. But the account is deficient in one +most essential point. He urged the people by the _love_ of _Christ_, +whom he had crucified, and whom they were crucifying by their sins.” The +substance of his warning was on the subject of intemperance, +Sabbath-breaking, the neglect of God and of religion; and it was +addressed principally to parents and to the young. These warnings he +twice delivered; once before, and once after the rope was fastened round +his neck. “Although I do not accurately remember,” Mr. Hall continues, +“the words of any of his speeches, I can safely say, that he expressed +his conviction that the work which had taken place in his heart had been +effected by no power or will of his own, but by a sovereign act of Divine +grace. Jolin then read aloud some verses from the Testament, which +sufficiently indicate the view which he took both of the nature of his +change, and of the source from whence it sprang. They are taken from 1 +Pet. i. 3–5: ‘Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, +which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a +lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an +inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, +reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through +faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time.’ To these +verses he was particularly partial. He then spoke to me, and told me +that he had full confidence in the sufficiency of the blood of Christ to +blot out all his sins; and that He who had loved him so much as to shed +his blood for him, and had kept him to that hour stedfast and immoveable, +would receive him into glory. When the cap was drawn over his face, I +told him not to dread the momentary pain, for soon he would be in the +presence of his Saviour. He pressed my hand, and said he was not afraid; +for he knew that He would take him unto himself. I told him that I would +pray that his sufferings might be short, and went down.” Mr. Gallachin +then read a part of the Burial Service, until the fatal moment. His +sufferings appeared not to be great, and were of brief duration. “Whilst +I was in prayer,” Mr. Hall adds, “the drop fell, and our poor brother I +knew had entered into the presence of his Redeemer. The women around me +screamed out, ‘The Lord have mercy upon his poor soul!’ I could not but +pray that their souls might find the same mercy. He died without a +struggle. I never saw him after I pressed his hand when alive, as I +ascended the hill through the crowd, and was spared seeing his mortal +remains.” + +Thus ended the course of a young man, whose history is a solemn memorial, +not only of the awful effects of a bad education, and of the wretchedness +of sin, but also of the wonderful compassion of God. Much of what has +been narrated may appear almost incredible to some readers; and many of +those, especially, who are justly suspicions of death-bed repentances, +may be led to doubt how far the work of this young man’s conversion was +complete, and whether, if he had been permitted to live, he would have +lived as he has died. If, however, he was really converted in heart to +God, the observation which he himself made must be applied to his own +case: “The man that is fit to die is fit to live.” The same grace which +brought him into the fold of Christ would have kept him in all his way; +so that the enemy of his soul should not have overpowered him. And there +is, as before mentioned, the most remarkable concurrence of testimony as +to Jolin’s state at the time of his death. Not only Mr. Hall, Mr. +Gallachin, and many others, bear witness to the facts; but the public +voice has acknowledged the wonderful change which took place in him. One +person, _not_ a believer in revelation, but who stood by Jolin on the +gallows hill, and witnessed his conduct, came to a minister, and +acknowledged, that “there must be something in religion to support a man +in such a manner; and that he had therefore determined to attend a place +of worship, and to bring up his children in the fear of God.” Mr. Hall +says, “I have never had a doubt on my mind as to the reality of the +change. His conduct in the court; his complete deadness to the things of +time and sense, and this even when his friends seemed so anxious to save +him from an ignominious death, were so many pleasing testimonies that he +was really risen with Christ, and that his affections were set upon +things above. God did indeed work mightily in him: though last, he was +one of the first. He seemed so convinced of sin, and to have such simple +dependence upon the truth and firm foundation of Christ’s promises, and +he showed so abundantly that these feelings were not merely talked into +his head, that I always returned delighted with my visit to him. I used +to pray instantly with him that he might not be deceiving himself, nor be +deceived by Satan, or any of us; and I can say, as far as I was capable +of judging, that his was a real work of Divine grace.” The testimony of +the editor of the Jersey newspaper, also, while it is beyond all +suspicion of enthusiasm, and does not even exhibit the proof of a +tolerably distinct view of the real foundation on which Jolin stood, is a +most satisfactory testimony of the reality of this change. He says, “We +are not amongst those who would hastily give credence to the genuineness +of conversion in the cases of great criminals, or who approve of +religious ecstasies in the short interval between the commission of +dreadful enormities, and the violent death awarded by law; we do not +think it desirable that, while so many good men, after a long life of +exemplary piety, approach their last hour with solemn apprehensions, such +as have lived in a course of profligate vice should boast of triumphant +feelings and peculiar joy on their way to the scaffold, where they are to +be suddenly compelled into the presence of their Creator and Divine +Judge;—but, in the instance before us, we have much satisfaction in +believing that a real change of heart had taken place, before a change of +worlds was experienced. In his last days, Jolin evinced much solidity of +mind on the subject most important to him: his conduct was marked by the +most becoming propriety; and if he expressed a confident hope of +acceptance before God, it was accompanied with humility, and, as far as +man can judge, with sincere sorrow for his offences.” The rapid +attainment of Divine knowledge, the simple belief of the truths of the +Bible, the consistent walk in that which he believed to be the will of +God, are fruits which can be ascribed only to the grace and Spirit of +God. Where the Lord of all power and might is pleased to exercise his +sovereignty, who shall say that the work of many years may not be +produced in a few weeks; or, as in the case of the thief upon the cross, +in a much shorter time? The case of the thief on the cross is one in +which the probabilities, before-hand, of repentance, were not so great; +and the evidences of his real conversion are scarcely more complete, +except the incidental circumstance of the testimony of our Lord. Both of +these criminals felt sorrow for their sins, confessed them to men, +acknowledged them to God, and owned the justice of their condemnation; +both testified the sincerity of their faith: but, if the thief did this +under circumstances more trying to his sincerity than those of Jolin, it +is also to be remembered, that he saw the Lord of life; and that to Jolin +alone, therefore, the language applied, “Blessed are they that have not +seen, and yet have believed.” I know of no mark of true conversion which +was absent from the case of Jolin. His faith was clear and strong. It +lifted him above the world, and, wrought by love, it gave him courage, +and zeal, and love. He went forward in implicit dependence upon Divine +grace, and pursued, as was permitted him after his change, a holy, +humble, consistent course; and, with the cap upon his head, and the rope +round his neck, he could say with calmness, that “he was not afraid, for +he knew that his Saviour would take him to himself.” + +But it may still be said, How do we know that Jolin was sincere in all +that he said, or that he was not under delusion in what he felt? To this +question the reply has been, I think, already offered in these pages—by +pointing to the workings of his mind, and the consistency of his conduct. +And here we must leave the case till the last great day. + +In the meanwhile, let us learn from this history, some of the lessons +which it is calculated to teach. + +The first of these is, the _misery and danger of a state of sin_. St. +Paul, in describing the consequences of a state of sin, says, in an +appeal to the Roman converts, (vi. 21,) “What part had ye then in those +things whereof ye are now ashamed; for the end of those things is death.” +That is, sin yields no real _fruit_; it produces shame; and the end of it +will be _death_. Every Christian feels the truth of this statement, as +respects himself; and it is the case with all other men, although they +know it not. What, for instance, is the usual fruit of drunkenness? +disease, quarrelling, and loss of one kind or another. The drunkard is +usually a blasphemer, hard-hearted, and cruel, as he proves himself to +his wife and children, starving or ill-treating them to gratify his own +lust. His habits of drunkenness make him a bad child, a bad neighbour, a +disgrace in himself, and a plague to others. So it is more or less with +the followers of every sin. Sin, then, brings no real fruit, and the end +of it will be eternal death; for it is written, “The wicked shall be +turned into hell, and all the people that forget God.” “As surely, +therefore, as a man sows, so shall he also reap; he that soweth to the +flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption.” How awful is the history of +Jolin’s father! His life how disgraceful, his death how dreadful! Would +the sinner who reads this be content to come to such an end? But to +this, in his present state, he is every moment liable. Let the sinner +remember, that he who called this poor wretch to judgment at a moment’s +warning, may say to himself, “This night thy soul is required of thee.” +The probability of thus dying is commonly passed over; and it is the hope +of a sinner that he shall still live to repent, as Jolin did. Yet how +great are the chances against this! Many a man has been deluded by such +a hope, and perished in his transgression. He has looked to some case +like this, or like that of the thief on the cross, and delayed his +repentance, till, in an hour when he has not looked for it, he has been +“driven away in his wickedness.” But in this, as it is said by an old +writer, “The perverseness of our nature may be seen, in that this one +case, that of the penitent thief, serveth us to looseness of life, in +hope of the like: whereas, we might better reason, that is _but_ one, and +that extraordinary; and besides this one, there is not one more in all +the Bible; and that for this one that sped, a thousand thousands have +missed. And what folly it is to put ourselves in a way in which so many +have miscarried; to put ourselves in the hands of a physician, that hath +murdered so many, going clean against our own sense and reason! Whereas, +in other cases we always lean to that which is most ordinary, and +conclude not the spring from _one_ swallow. It is as if a man should +spur his ass till he speak, because Balaam’s ass did once speak; so +grossly hath the devil bewitched us!” Let sinners, then, meditate upon +their own state, and remember, at the same time, the appeal of the +Almighty to them to turn again and repent. “Have I any pleasure at all +that the wicked should die? saith the Lord God: and not that he should +return from his ways and live? Repent and turn yourselves from all your +transgressions, so iniquity shall not be your ruin. Cast away from you +all your transgressions, and make you a new heart and a new spirit; for +why will ye die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death +of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: wherefore turn yourselves, and +live ye.” (Ezek. xviii.) That text which first appeared to move Jolin to +repentance, may speak to every other sinner—“Come now, and let us reason +together, saith the Lord. Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be +white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” +(Isa. i. 18.) The same words of encouragement may also speak to us, in +the language of a merciful Saviour, “I am not come to call the righteous, +but sinners to repentance.” (Matt. ix. 13.) The same promises, “God so +loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever +believeth on him, should not perish, but have everlasting life:” and +again, “There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner +that repenteth,” (Luke xv. 10.) I would say then, again, in the language +of Peter, “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be +blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of +the Lord.” + +A second point of consideration in this history is _the conversion of +Jolin’s mind to a sense of religion_, _and the nature of his conversion_. +Jolin’s early education, as far as reading and writing, had not been +altogether neglected; and the daily misery his sins brought with them was +not without its effect on his mind. But it is evident the work of +regeneration, the first step in his after conversion, had not taken place +before he came into prison. But when the Holy Spirit brought home the +word of God to his heart, the change was rapidly effected. A conviction +of the sinfulness of his nature and habits was at once deeply impressed +upon his conscience; he waited to see the way of pardon by a crucified +Redeemer, and the influence of the Holy Ghost immediately produced that +change in his will and affections which always attends real conversion. +His whole state of mind seemed almost miraculously changed: so that +between the twenty-third and the twenty-sixth of the same month, in the +judgment of his legal adviser and others, a complete renovation had taken +place. In the former state he is described as in a distracted condition +of mind, suffering unutterable anguish; the dread of death being +uppermost in his thoughts: in the latter, he was calm, placid, resigned, +and he had not one wish to live. {45} + +Although it would be contrary to the facts and spirit of Scripture to +say, that no conversions of this kind were real and complete, every one +must acknowledge, that as conversion is ordinarily a gradual work, too +much caution cannot be exercised as to a change accomplished as rapidly +as this may appear to have been. It may, however, be truly said, that +there was a remarkable absence of any thing like enthusiasm in his state. +A dream which occurred in the commencement of his religious course will +not be conceived to indicate a disordered imagination. For some nights +he had been dreadfully agitated, and could not rest. “I dreamed,” he +said, “that I was dragged over frightful precipices, till at last I was +brought, as it were, into the presence of our Saviour, and there obtained +mercy.” This dream so harmonized with the spirit of many passages of +Scripture pointed out to him, that it was not unlikely to occur. In his +case, as in every other, the first touch of religion on the soul was +immediate; but the after stages of conversion were gradual—far more so +than many others recorded in Scripture; and there was time to perceive +the regular progress of growth in grace. This case, therefore, should +not be confounded with what are commonly called instantaneous +conversions, because although compressed into a short period every step +of scriptural conversion may be traced in it. From first to last, Jolin +was able to give a reason for the hope which was in him, and these +reasons corresponded with the feelings and convictions described in the +word of God. He felt those convictions of sin on which Scripture +insists. He found, agreeably also to Scripture, nothing in his own state +upon which he could depend for salvation; and, relying entirely on the +merits of the Lord Jesus Christ, he found peace and joy in believing. In +this manner, if his conversion proceeded rapidly, it was not wanting in +any of those evidences which are the unquestioned fruits of the teaching +of God. His conduct is the best, and indeed the only satisfactory +commentary on the whole work. + +A third point worthy of consideration in the history of Jolin, is, _the +means_ by which it pleased God _to open this young man’s mind_; and this, +I may venture to affirm, was _the Holy Scriptures_. It was the simple +exhibition of the fifty-first Psalm, which at first seemed to expose his +real state to him. It was the promises of the New Testament, and the +types of the Old, which gave him his first clear notion of faith, and +which conveyed to his mind a hope of pardon. The Scripture then became +the subject of his meditation day and night. It was as a “lamp unto his +feet, and a light unto his path; a treasure more to be desired than gold, +yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey, and the honeycomb.” +The value of Scripture arising from its clearness, authority, and its +peculiar power, under God, to fasten truth on the soul, are remarkably +conspicuous in the case of this guilty person. He heard, marked, +learned, and inwardly digested its all-important truths, and they made +him wise unto salvation. But in connexion with this, and every other +means employed, is to be noticed the _influence of Divine grace_. The +Almighty power and sovereignty with which this was exercised, was +frequently acknowledged, and continually felt by Jolin. He perceived it +in all the remarkable circumstances of his life—in his various escapes +from death—in his final allotment—in the events which occurred in the +prison. And whilst all this distinguishing mercy was shown towards him, +he could discover nothing in himself which deserved any such remembrance +at God’s hand. Why was he called, and not his father, was one of the +points which first struck his attention on the visit of his friends. But +to those around him some other circumstances, illustrating this +influence, were perhaps more obvious than even to himself. The manner in +which he was enabled to receive the truths of the gospel; the gift of +spiritual understanding; the willing heart; the subdued spirit, and +sanctified heart, were all circumstances to be referred only to the +sovereign grace of Him who worketh in his people to will and to do of his +good pleasure. “O, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and +knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past +finding out!” + +A fifth lesson to be learned from this history, is the _benefit of +education_. Here was a young man most unlikely to profit from the early +instruction he had received; and to what account did it turn? In his +worst times he was enabled to read the word of God, and this he was led +to do in the tediousness of his sea watches. In his imprisonment, the +blessings of his previous learning was incalculable. In his last +exhortations on the scaffold, he pressed upon his youthful auditors the +advantages of attendance upon a Sunday school, and the public means of +instruction. It is impossible to say how much, or if any of the +preparatory work of religion, had, by means of education, been going on +in Jolin’s mind. But information had been given—a desire for instruction +had been implanted—the wretchedness of a sinful course had been +taught—the Scriptures had been read—the scaffolding, in fact, had been +put together, by which the future edifice might be erected. How striking +is the lesson of encouragement derived from this history, to those who +are labouring in the school or in the prison. Who could have thought +that in either case, as it concerned Jolin, the event would have been +what it was? But who knows what the most untractable child may yet +become, or how far the seed which is sown, may, even a long time hence, +produce the desired fruit. “In the morning sow thy seed, and in the +evening withhold not thine hand, for thou knowest not whether shall +prosper either this or that, or whether they shall both be alike good.” +We may, in our efforts to instruct, meet with many disappointments, but +it is plainly our duty to proceed, with becoming care indeed, but in the +remembrance both of God’s almighty power to teach the heart, and of +instances, such as this, in which that power has been so remarkably +exerted. The state of prisoners is one which invites, as it has in +general received the peculiar commiseration of our countrymen: men are +often to be found there in Jolin’s state of mind. The prison is, +perhaps, their first resting-place in a career of ignorance, and sin, and +misery. The visitor may too often, in his researches, discover the man, +as Mr. Pinel did Jolin, “without hope for this world or the next,” and +may lead him to discoveries of what, perhaps, never entered his +imagination. At all events, the circumstances of trial and affliction +are those most favourable to seriousness of reflection; and this is the +course by which the sinner is most often led, by the grace of God, to +turn from the error of his ways, and to seek the hope offered in the +Gospel. The event is always in the hand of Him who directs the heart. +But, under all circumstances, we work with the blessing of the Almighty, +and with his promise, that our labour shall not be in vain. + +A sixth lesson to be learned from this history, is the _happy effects +produced by the possession of true religion_. In the case of Jolin, how +speedily did it tranquillize and cheer his mind. It was like the word of +its holy author, when he said, “Peace, be still, and there was a great +calm.” Those who visited the chamber of death, where he dwelt, could not +but feel a degree of surprise at their own feelings, when they remembered +that they were with one who had been a drunkard and a murderer. But +religion had softened his character, and created in him those genuine +fruits which, as we are taught, spring from the work of the Holy Spirit. +“The wilderness had become like Eden, and the desert like the garden of +the Lord. Instead of the thorn had come up the fir-tree, and instead of +the briar had come up the myrtle-tree; to be for a name, and for an +everlasting sign that should not be cut off.” + +Lastly, there _is a lesson of application to our own souls_. It may be +asked, What is the intimate acquaintance which we have had with the +experience which this poor dying criminal passed through? He, being +dead, may speak to many of his own age, who have, perhaps, had far +greater advantages of education and example; or he may speak to those who +have seen more years, and yet have not attained to that ripeness of +faith, and that full assurance of hope, which made Jolin climb with such +eagerness the gallows hill, and long for the time when he should be with +Christ. + +This history applies most emphatically to the case of _young men_; +teaching them to avoid sin, even when it may have the sanction of +parental example. The Bible, they must remember, and not men, especially +ungodly men, should be their direction. By this law we shall all be +judged, and must stand or fall. In Jolin’s last address, he said, “Avoid +bad company, drinking spirits, vicious habits.” “I exhort young people +not to violate the Sabbath, but to frequent church, and attend to their +religious duties. Would that this tremendous example of punishment might +lead every young person who hears it to inquire into his own state, and +to remember how soon one act of sin may bring judgment upon him; and how +tremendous will be his judgment, if, after this warning, he is found +unprepared.” + +This history also speaks most loudly and awfully _to parents_. “You see +in me,” Jolin said from the scaffold, “the effect of bad education and +example. From early youth I have been addicted to intemperance. My duty +to God was never pointed out to me. Those who have children committed to +their care, I beseech to send them regularly to church, and to the +Sunday-school, and teach them their duty to God and man.” Let those, +then, who are teaching Sabbath-breaking, swearing, passion, habits of +drinking and vice, to their children, by their own example, look at the +horrible instance of sin and its consequences, which this case presents—a +parent, murdered, and a son hanged! from the _effects of a father’s +example_! The case speaks for itself: and may the Holy Spirit enable us +to learn the lesson which it teaches. + +May we all who read or hear this account, apply its lessons to ourselves. +Let us adore the astonishing love of God in the case of this poor outcast +sinner; His sovereign power, His boundless mercy, His all-sufficient +grace. May we seek to lay all the burden of our transgressions upon that +Sacrifice in whom Jolin trusted. May we, with him, find the Holy Spirit +making us as fit to live, as, we trust, he was fit to die: so that when +we have fought the good fight, we shall receive the crown of glory, +which, we may trust, this believing penitent has been called to wear in +the presence of Him who gave him the victory, through his own blood. + + * * * * * + + LONDON: + IBOTSON AND PALMER, PRINTERS, SAVOY STREET, STRAND. + + + + +Footnotes + + +{45} Durell’s account. + + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AN ACCOUNT OF THE DEATH OF PHILIP +JOLIN*** + + +******* This file should be named 41145-0.txt or 41145-0.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/4/1/1/4/41145 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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