office commanded much influence in the borough; and he had it freely circulated among the policemen and others. His third tract was, "Truth

39

triumphant; or, The Infidel dying soft: -a narrative of two noted unbelievers, whom he had known for many years, and whom he had often exhorted to "flee from the wrath to come," assuring them that their principles would not sustain them in a dying hour. When these men lay on the bed of mortal sickness, they sent for their faithful monitor to pray with them, each exclaiming, Is there mercy for me?"—The fourth was entitled, "A Sinner repenting, the Joy of Angels." The fifth, "I've lost it! I've lost it!" The sixth, "Heaven's won! Heaven's won!" The seventh and last was another narrative tract, entitled, "There is no Darkness; all is Light.”—The manuscripts of all these, with the exception of the first, he presented to the Wesleyan Tract Committee, by whom they were accepted and published; and they are now in the Catalogue of such publications issued at the Conference Office.

Mr. Richardson was many years remarkable as a distributer of tracts. Whenever he went from home, he took with him a large supply, and gave them away in all directions, considering that great good might be accomplished by this simple instrumentality. When he entered a village, his method was to ask the boys and girls he met a few questions, and especially to ascertain if they could read. He then gave to each a tract, requesting that it might be read to the parents at home. When travelling by railway, he took a like opportunity of circulating silent messengers of mercy; and the labour was not in vain. Some precious fruit has been gathered into the granary; and more will appear, doubtless, at the great reaping-time.

Meanwhile his efforts as a Local preacher were not slackened. At different times he visited the several Circuits in which the writer laboured, and many other places, to preach occasional sermons, or to take the chair at public meetings. And a single word may be allowed in witness of his generosity at such times: for, in addition to paying all his travelling expenses, he usually contributed handsomely to the cause he advocated. Best of all, many testified that the Lord had spoken by him a saving word.

Not unaccustomed to physical derangement, in the autumn of 1859 he had a severe fever, which shook his frame, and brought him to the confines of "the house appointed for all living." Though after a time

he recovered, he could no longer take the same exercise as formerly. It is not too much, however, to say that he still laboured in doing good to the extent of his power, publishing "the glorious Gospel of the blessed God." In the spring of 1860, he visited his native town; and once again, in the summer, he with Mrs. Richardson spent a month at Morecambe, near Lancaster. While there, he preached twice in the chapel, which was filled on both occasions; and several of the hearers remarked, that he spoke with the earnestness and pathos of “a dying man, to dying men." He also presided at the Anniversary Meeting of the British and Foreign Bible Society. Whilst at Morecambe, having heard that his friend Mr. Clarke, an aged class-leader

of that place, was suffering from cancer, he immediately went to converse and pray with him, manifesting a true sympathy for the afflicted servant of God. After this, he repeated the visit almost daily, during his stay. The fell and insidious disease terminated fatally about three weeks after my brother's demise. During the last week of his life, Mr. Clarke was remarkably happy; telling those around him that he at times thought he heard heavenly music, and that there were in his room attendant spirits from above. A little before his departure, he said, "They are waiting; I see them!"—and then, stretching forth his hand, added," Mr. Richardson!"-as if recognising the spirit of his departed friend among the number. Thus

"A convoy attends,

A ministering host of invisible friends."

During his stay at Morecambe, the subject of our record had an appointment on Sunday, July 29th, at Oxford-Place chapel, Leeds; and so anxious was he to fulfil it, that he travelled about seventy miles for this end, and returned to the coast on the Monday. On the Sabbath following he took the pulpit of the Lancaster chapel; and this was the last sermon but one he was permitted to deliver. About forty years before, he had preached in the same place his "trial sermon."On August 9th he left Morecambe for Leeds, somewhat improved in health; and on Sunday, August 19th, he was found occupying the pulpit of Hanover-Place chapel. This was his last public effort: for, about five o'clock in the morning of the following Sabbath, he was suddenly seized with violent sickness, which in seventeen days terminated fatally. During this brief and most trying season, he was much engaged in prayer, and expressed himself as having "strong confidence in God." The day before his death, Mrs. Richardson, entering the room, saw on his countenance a peculiar calmness and tranquillity, on which she briefly remarked; when he replied, "I have had a severe conflict with the enemy, but I have conquered through the blood of the Lamb." During the night which ensued, he said to a relative, "Write to my brother, and tell him my faith is founded on the Rock, Christ; I have a firm footing on the Rock of ages.'"-Shortly after this, without a struggle, he fell asleep in Jesus; and his deathless spirit, freed from its "earthly house," passed upward to the "house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." This blessed change occurred in the morning of Wednesday, September 12th, 1860.

"Surely the good man's last estate is peace :

How calm his exit !

Night dews fall not more gently to the ground;
Nor weary, worn-out winds expire more soft."

Shortly after his decease, his old and valued friend, the Rev. James Wilson, (at that time chaplain to one of the Leeds cemeteries,) sent to the writer the following testimony:" It is impossible for me

adequately to express the sense of that sore breach which by his removal has been made in the circle of my friendships, but especially in your family-connexions. For more than a quarter of a century, I had the honour of his acquaintance. The poet says,

'A world in purchase of a friend is gain.'

According to this maxim, I estimate my loss. I know your feelings are similar to my own, only more acute: for, while he was to me a faithful friend, he was to you an affectionate brother. And yet there is one who is left to lament this loss more than either friend or brother, -one to whom he was a tender and a loving husband. Nor would I overlook the fact, that by his death our Connexion has lost a faithful office-bearer, and a consistent member; and the borough of Leeds a worthy alderman, and an honourable citizen. There is one circumstance, connected with your brother's decease, which, in the first instance, has a tendency to deepen the wound inflicted: I allude to his unexpected removal. Yet, from intimations given in his recent visits to us, we were led to indulge some fears that his days on earth were numbered. On those occasions he referred to several persons who professed to have received great good under his preaching, and expressed his purpose of continuing in his course of active labour; adding, My time for working will not be long.' Accordingly, every measure which he thought had a tendency to promote the best interests of his fellow-citizens, and the prosperity of our beloved Sion, whether at home or abroad, had his hearty support; and everything of an opposite kind which he apprehended as likely to hinder the attainment of these sacred objects, he strenuously opposed. Meanwhile, and continually, he built on that foundation-stone which God has laid: and hence, a short time before he expired, when a friend expressed a hope of his recovery, he replied, 'Be that as it may, I am upon the Rock.' It appears to me that in that solemn season his experience might have been most feelingly expressed in the following stanza :

'Fix'd on this ground will I remain,

Though my heart fail, and flesh decay;
This anchor shall my soul sustain,

When earth's foundations melt away:

Mercy's full power I then shall prove,
Loved with an everlasting love." "

The Editor of the " Mercury," in a retrospect of "recent deaths of public men in Leeds," remarks :-" Within a little more than a year, Leeds had lost a considerable number of its leading men by death. The sixth gentleman who had filled the office of mayor, and who has been removed within these few months, was Mr. Alderman Richardson, a man of no small force of character, of great industry and perseverance, and who well discharged the functions of the mayoralty. He also died in the midst of his years."

The funeral took place on Monday, the 17th; the large bell of the town-hall tolling. The mayor, with several magistrates, councillors, ministers, and other friends, followed the remains to the grave, where they were deposited near those of Edward Baines, Esq., M.P., the Rev. Dr. Winter Hamilton, the Rev. John Ely, &c., in the Woodhouse cemetery.

The Oxford-Place Quarterly Meeting adopted the following minute : -"Brother Joseph Richardson, who for many years sustained the offices of leader, Local preacher, and trustee, in connexion with this Society, having during the past quarter been removed by death; the Meeting desires to place on record a notice of his long services, and tenders to his bereaved widow its sincere condolence."......The Woodhouse-Grove School Committee, of which he had been a member for many years, passed the following resolution :-"That this Meeting, deeply affected on hearing of the death of Mr. Alderman Richardson, desires to place on record its estimate of the long and faithful services he rendered to this institution." As Mr. Richardson had been long the Treasurer of the Fund for Disabled Ministers and Widows, the District-Meeting passed a similar resolution.-The Town Council of Leeds passed the following :-"That this Council begs to offer its sincere sympathy and condolence to Mrs. Richardson, on the recent death of her late husband, who was for many years a valuable member of this Council, and Chairman of one of its most important Committees."Mr. Richardson bequeathed upwards of £900 (free of duty) to several religious and benevolent institutions; including £500 to the Wesleyan Missions, £250 to the British and Foreign Bible Society, and £150 to the Worn-out Ministers' and Widows' Fund.

DELIVERED

GODLINESS, AND ITS PROFIT:

A SERMON

IN THE METHODIST CHAPEL, LIVERPOOL-ROAD, ISLINGTON, ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24TH, 1863, ON OCCASION OF THE DEATH OF JOHN M. CAMPLIN, M.D., F.L.S.

BY THE REV. THOMAS JACKSON.

"For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation." (1 Tim. iv. 8, 9.)

In the writings of St. Paul we often find allusions to existing manners and customs, a careful examination of which is necessary in order that we may fully apprehend his meaning. This observation applies to the text before us. In the preceding verse he says to Timothy, his son in the Gospel," Refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness." The word which is here rendered “exercise "

contains a direct reference to the conduct of the young men of Greece, who took part in the public games which were celebrated in their times, and were exceedingly popular. They were held at stated periods, and consisted in racing, wrestling, leaping, boxing, and other sports of a similar kind; and the men who took part in them prepared themselves by a course of severe discipline, in which they "exercised " themselves with great care, assiduity, and personal suffering.

The apostle exhorts Timothy to "exercise" himself in a higher and nobler cause. "Bodily exercise," he observes, "profiteth little." It serves to increase bodily strength and agility, by means of which the men who contended in the Grecian games obtained wreaths of honour, and the loud plaudits of admiring crowds. But the "profit " of these things was very "little" indeed. The wreaths, consisting of leaves, soon withered and died away; the shouts of multitudes, which rent the air, were soon hushed in complete silence; and the successful men, upon whom these honours were lavished, in a short time descended into their graves, and were forgotten, having derived no solid or lasting benefit from all their self-denial and exertion. Whereas "godliness," in which Timothy is urged to "exercise" himself, "is profitable unto all things." Its direct tendency is to promote the best interests of its subjects; and it has promises connected with it, which insure the richest profit through every period of the present life, and extend through the life to come.

It has pleased God to remove from the Society connected with this Christian sanctuary, and from the congregation accustomed to worship here, a man whose character and usefulness have long commanded high and general respect. I have selected this text as suggesting some appropriate subjects of remark preparatory to a brief account of his life and end. He was an example of Christian "godliness; one who realized the "profit " connected with it both in life and death, and, we doubt not, now enjoys that "profit" in an immensely higher degree.

On reading the text, two questions naturally arise in our minds. First, WHAT IS GODLINESS? and, secondly, WHAT IS THE PROFIT which it brings?-To these questions we will endeavour to give a scriptural answer.

I. By GODLINESS we understand a right state of the mind and heart with respect to God, accompanied by a corresponding course of action. It comprehends the knowledge of God; the fear of God; faith in God; love to God; joy in God; the spiritual worship of God; submission to God's providential arrangements; obedience to God's commands; and zeal for His glory. St. Peter tells us, that God hath given us "all things that pertain to life and godliness." He not only supplies our temporal necessities, but has furnished us with every means of regaining His forfeited favour, and of being sanctified to Him in body, soul, and spirit. We are also reminded by St. Paul, that "the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men ; teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world."

From these texts, as well as from the nature of the thing itself, we