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ing my congregation to consist principally of the emigrants, I could not forbear from preaching an emigration sermon. This I did, with some liberty, on Hebrews xi. 14-16: For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country:' &c. I hope it was not labour lost, though quite extemporaneous." Thus did he "cast the bread of life " upon the waters," hoping to " find it after many days."

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Of the general character of his ministry and deportment, we have the following very pleasing account, from his immediate successor, the venerable William Ash :-"I have followed Mr. Barlow in three Circuits; and from the testimonies I have heard in all places, both from rich and poor, I am fully prepared to sanction your (intended) record of him. He was a useful, experimental, and practical preacher; and his congregations heard him with attention, satisfaction, and profit. Among the people he was a living epistle of Christ.' His uniform. integrity, deep piety, and fine temper were always manifest in his visits to the churches. He was a man of peace, and studied to maintain union. He had my confidence and esteem. I hope soon to meet him, and enjoy his society for ever."

In 1830, Mr. Barlow was appointed to Preston. On Sunday, September 12th, 1830, he writes:—" After preaching this evening, a man met me to express his pleasure on hearing me once more,-having been brought to God under my ministry fifteen years ago. He still holds fast the faith which he then received." An interview so unexpected and delightful recalls the beautiful words of St. John: "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth." Eight succeeding years this earnest and successful minister spent in Lancashire; namely, at Preston, Bacup, Burnley, and Blackburn. During the second year of his labours in the Burnley Circuit, it was the happiness of the compiler of this sketch to be stationed with him. Our residences were contiguous, and we had almost daily intercourse. Never, the surviver can truly say, did he travel with a more exemplary man. Mr. Barlow's deportment was indeed "such as becometh the Gospel of Christ." For several years there had been disturbing elements in the Circuit. There had even been an open secession; arising, at first, from local disputes only. But the seceders endeavoured, and too successfully, to import more divisive material from other parts of the Connexion, and thus to raise the standard of their party higher, and induce a greater number to join it. At this painful crisis, a more suitable man could not have been selected. His superior talent, his spotless character, his placid temper, his pastoral diligence, and his impartial administration, were highly conducive to the re-establishment of peace. Several, who had withdrawn from the Society, returned, and became more zealous than ever in the work of God; and there followed a season of spiritual prosperity. The fearful evils of schism in the church had been made clearly apparent; and it is remarkable that neither the then imminent division of 1835, nor the more recent one of 1850, made much impression upon the Circuit. Its subsequent history has been marked by most spirited and successful movements

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on behalf of education, chapel-erection, and Christian Missions. recently it has been found necessary to constitute part of it an additional Circuit. On the same ground, where, in 1834, two ministers only were stationed, there are now six, with a proportionate increase of membership.

In 1838, Mr. Barlow was appointed to Malton, where he continued for three years. His colleague, during the first and second, was the Rev. R. Tabraham, whose testimony deserves to be cited ::-" He had an intelligent and cultivated mind; and a kind, gentle, peace-loving, and truly pious heart. The law of kindness was on his lips; and his few and chaste words did good to many. His habitual diligence, and fidelity to all parts of his official duty, were beautifully sustained by gentlemanly bearing and unsectarian Wesleyanism. renew our acquaintance in the songs and joys of eternity."

I hope to

The remainder of this faithful minister's active life was spent at Pocklington, Knaresborough, Todmorden, and Holmfirth. It was in Knaresborough, and during the spring of 1844, that he lost the beloved partner of his joys and sorrows. Unfortunately, one part of his journal, in which he recorded his sentiments on this affecting occasion, is missing; or we might have traced, in his own words, both his appreciation of her worth, and those "consolations of God" which were not "small" with himself. Although he survived her seventeen years, he never renewed the marriage tie.

For a considerable time before his retirement from active duty, Mr. Barlow's health had been much affected, and he had prosecuted his labours amid pain and weakness. Under date of December 3d, 1816, he thus writes: "Yesterday I suffered almost martyrdom: but to-day I have preached three times, and met five classes." The last year of his itinerancy was spent at Holmfirth. During most of the year, he was heavily afflicted. His disorder became complicated; and it was evidently his Master's will that he should desist from those arduous services in which he had long delighted. Although he was invited, and importuned, at successive Quarterly Meetings, to remain another year in the Circuit, he finally decided on requesting to be made a Supernumerary, at the approaching Conference. Generous expressions both of esteem and sympathy followed the announcement of his decision. The Conference of that year was held in Hull. Mr. Barlow was present, and preferred his request, which was at once granted. After returning home, and preaching his last sermon in the Circuit, he thus records his feelings :-"How affecting to think that in this work I have been employed forty years! God be merciful to me, an unprofitable servant!"

Relief from the toils of the itinerant life was followed by a partial restoration of his health. Harrogate was the first place to which he retired; and he subsequently resided at Northallerton, and then at Ripon. He still continued to preach occasionally, and with great acceptance. Of that portion of his Supernumerary life which was spent at Northallerton, the Rev. W. Lindley thus writes :-"During this period, I gratefully embraced frequent opportunities of inter

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course with him. He was then an old man, but cheerful and communicative. Of his utterance it might be truly said, Days spoke, and multitude of years taught wisdom.' It was impossible to be in his company without perceiving that he was well-read, especially in theology, and that he possessed a clear and vigorous mind. His was a most genial nature, and all were happy in his society. At that time he was the subject of constant disease, and, consequently, preached little but, from the hearty welcome he always received from his congregations, I conclude he must have been a really good preacher. As a Christian, he was sincere, modest, and retiring. Patience' in him might be said to have had her perfect work.' Truly, he was a good man, and his name will be ever fragrant to those who knew him."

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The last sermon delivered by this venerable servant of God was founded on Deut. vi. 24. It was remarked by several, that his mind appeared astonishingly active; and many wondered that a man of his age should have been able to bring out so much valuable matter, with so much animation and effect.

In the spring of 1861, he removed, for the last time, to Harbeck, near Harrogate. Here his sufferings greatly increased, and he was almost entirely confined to the house. But his faith failed not; and he daily lived in expectation of the final summons. About a fortnight before his death, he appeared fully aware of his approaching dissolution. One of his sons inquiring how he had passed the night, he replied, "I have slept but little but this word has been on my mind all my waking hours,-...' quietness and assurance for ever." On the last Sabbath but one of his life, he was thought to be dying. His few utterances were then very encouraging: such as,-" It is pleasant to enter into rest on the Lord's day; "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain ;" and,

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"Welcome life! welcome death!

All is well, if Christ be mine."

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He lingered through another week; and the Sabbath again found him on the verge of Jordan. In the evening, he was visited by the Rev. J. H. Lord, to whose prayer he fervently responded. Articulation then became difficult; but he was heard to say, "Rich in grace" -"I am going to Immanuel's land." "Father," observed one of his sons, “you have instructed us how to live; and now you are instructing us how to die." 'Yes," he replied, "mine has been a laborious

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About ten minutes before the final moment, he said, “All is well." He then fell asleep," August 5th, 1861, in the seventy-fifth year of his age, having successfully ministered the word of life for the long space of fifty-five years.

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THE HONOUR PAID BY CHRIST TO THE SCRIPTURE:

A SERMON

PREACHED BEFORE THE CONFERENCE, IN CARVER-STREET CHAPEL,
SHEFFIELD, AUGUST 10TH, 1863;

AND PUBLISHED AT THEIR REQUEST.

BY THE REV. GEORGE OSBORN, D.D.,

PRESIDENT.

"The Scripture cannot be broken." (John x. 35.)

1. Ir the inquiry should arise, "What is the Scripture to which this saying of our Lord refers?" the answer is not hard to find. We have, in the midst of us, the ancient people of God, to whom "were committed the oracles of God," (Rom. iii. 2,) and who deserve the gratitude of all Christians for their general fidelity to that solemn trust. Their ancient and famous historian, Josephus,* states that they have not a great number of sacred books, but only twenty-two, which they are obliged firmly to believe. When we come to compare this number with the thirty-nine which we find in our Bibles from Genesis to Malachi, it appears that the difference in the enumeration arises from the difference of arrangement. They put together some books that we separate; we count as twelve the minor prophets, which they count but as one. But a careful examination of the details will show that what these original trustees of the Divine word regarded, and still regard, as their sacred books, are those which, under the name of the Old Testament, now challenge the faith of the church of Christ. They are no less, and no more.

2. I say, No more; for this testimony of the Jews is very important to us as members of the Reformed Church. Perhaps, among its many sins against truth and purity, the Church of Rome has committed no greater than the attempt to foist upon us several books, and parts of books, as sacred Scripture, which are mere human compositions. These she intermingles with the canonical books, and requires us to receive them with "the same affection of piety," and "the like religious reverence." She even dares to denounce an anathema against those who do not.† We, however, must brave her threatenings, and take our stand upon the ancient canon. The Apocrypha we may regard as venerable for its antiquity, and interesting for its contents; but we do not apply it "to establish any doctrine." We may, as the

* Against Apion, book i., c. 8.

+ Decrees of the Council of Trent on the Canon of Scripture, Sess. iv., Decr. i. See also Cosin's History of the Canon, in which the novelty of these presumptuous Tridentine pretensions is fully proved; or, more shortly to the same purpose, Dean Field's Appendix to his third book, "Of the Church," chap. i. Whitaker's Answer to Rainolds, chap. ii., and his Disputation on Scripture, question i., will also repay the reader's attention in connexion with this subject.

Sixth Article justly says, read it "for example of life and instruction of manners;" but we build no solemn conclusion upon it. We require no man's faith for it. That honour we reserve for "holy Scripture," which, according to the same venerable Confession, "containeth all things necessary to salvation: so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man, that it should be believed as an Article of the Faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation."

3. The "Scripture," then, of which our Lord declares that it " cannot be broken," is the name which was at that time borne by the collection of books now called the Old Testament; and to that mainly our remarks must be understood to apply. Other writings came, in course of time, to be entitled to, and to bear, this honourable designation; but they are not referred to in the text. The property which He here ascribes to the Scripture is not elsewhere in so many words, nor indeed in any similar words, ascribed to them; so that our text has been called "the most distinct and unequivocal of all possible testimonies" to their authority and value. We shall understand it better when we have examined the context. The Speaker had just uttered the memorable words, "I and my Father are one," thus preferring the highest claim which it was possible to set up. "One," says our father in the Gospel, "not by consent of will only, but by unity of power, and consequently of nature." There was no misunderstanding of this claim on the part of those by whom He was surrounded. They "took up stones to stone Him ;" and well did He deserve to be stoned if He made that profession without being able to justify it. They had a law, and by that law He ought to die as a blasphemer, if He were not-what we rejoice to confess Him to be— the co-essential, co-equal Son of God. But He expostulates with them : Many good works have I showed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? The Jews answered Him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy." So well did they understand the real issue that was raised; so impossible would it have been to mystify them by putting any lower sense on the words, as some professing Christians have attempted to do. "We stone Thee for blasphemy," said they, "because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God." His answer in effect is, What if I do? Have I not on your own principles a right to do it? "Is it not written in your

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*Chalmers's Evidences, Works, iv., 361.

"Lo, the Jews understood what Arians understand not; for that they were wroth, it was because they felt that it could not be said, I and my Father are one, unless where is equality of the Father and the Son." (Augustine ut infra.) Wesley adopts and condenses Augustine's comment on these words in another place. "He said not, I am the Father,' or, I and the Father is one' (person), but are one.' Hear both the unum and the sumus, and thou shalt be delivered from Charybdis and from Scylla. In that He said unum, he delivereth thee from Arius; in that He said sumus, He delivereth thee from Sabellius. If unum, 'one' (essence), then not diverse; if sumus, are,' then both Father and Son." (Homily xxxvi.)

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