of July. Mr. Greaves, of Buxton circuit, preached his funeral sermon from Job xix. 25-27, "I know that my Redeemer liveth," &c.: a text chosen by the deceased.

J. L.

Short Memoir of WILLIAM GREATHEED, of St. Kitts.

(Communicated by W. Gilgrass.)

William Greatheed, the subject of this memoir, was born (date unknown, no register kept) on Greatheed's Sugar Estate; his father is supposed to have been an African, but his mother was a Creole slave, i. e. born in this island, and belonged to the same estates. William grew up to a man in heathen darkness, and continued so until Mr. Hammett arrived in this island, and where he opened his laudable, useful mission, in 1786. By sitting under his ministry, which was that of a son of thunder, William was convinced of sin, and felt the absolute need of the Saviour. From this time he began to seek, in a proper use of all the means of grace, redemption from sin by faith in Jesus. This blessing he soon received, (he was of that cast of men that do every thing with their whole heart;) and joined the small society. From it he never withdrew, nor was he ever put away for bad conduct. He was married, by one of the missionaries, to a slave wife, who brought him two children, both slaves of course, for all children, born of a slave mother, if the father be free, are slaves, and belong to the same owner as the mother. His wife died long before him. The time I became acquainted with him was, on my first appointment for this island in 1809. He was then a leader, and continued in the office till his death.

His last affliction commenced as a mere trifle, nothing more than a witlow in the end of his first finger on the left hand, and, to use the identical nervous words of his slave sister, who is also a member of this society-"It ran up his arm into his heart, and killed him." His illness was of a short duration, only eight days. During which, Dr. D-, his master, visited him, to whom William expressed himself as feeling little pain. The disorder was, however, making great internal progress, and there were manifest signs of an approaching dissolution. At this he was not the least moved by slavish fear of death, or judgment. Several of his religious slave friends being present, proposed praying for him; but William preferred praying for himself. This was about two hours before he died. They helped him out of bed, at the side of which he prayed (for the last time) most fervently for himself, and for his friends. At intervals he shouted with an audible voice, strong and clear, "Glory be to God, I shall, I shall get the better of him (satan). Glory to Massa Jesus, I shall conquer him." This negro's weapons were not carnal, but spiritual and mighty, through God, in beating down the enemy,

who was permitted to pursue him to the gate of heaven, and, it may be said of William, he died fighting sword in hand. But the repeated attacks of the enemy tended only to stir up all his active powers, increased his zeal, confirmed his faith, caused his love to abound, augmented his fortitude, and re-inspired him with courage. The last word he was heard to speak was, "Yes;" which was in answer to the question of his sister, "Budy Will, is yo soul happy in Massa Jesus?" He said, "Yes;" and died. I buried him a few yards from his own door. Many slaves were permitted to attend his funeral. The master of William bore the following testimony of him: "My loss is very great. I have not another negro on the estate that I can trust with my property as I did William. He had the care of all the other negroes; the chief man upon the estate; with him I could trust my keys, and every thing else I had." At parting, he said, "I hope, Mr. Gilgrass, you will be able to make my other negroes as good as was poor William." W. G.

Basseterre, St. Kitts, July 28, 1818.

SIR,

MISCELLANEOUS.

To the Editor of the Methodist Magazine.

Should the following observations meet your approbation, their insertion in your excellent Magazine will oblige yours truly, South Shields, May 27, 1820.

On CHRISTIAN SIMPLICITY.

J. D-TT.

Of all those happy dispositions which the religion of Jesus implants in the soul, none is more worthy our attention and culture than that which may very properly be called CHRISTIAN SIMPLICITY. The term simplicity has varied meanings, dependant on the object to which it may be applied; but as applicable to religious disposition, it signifies that delightful feeling of mind, which arises in consequence of a man's being put into possession of the truth of God, as represented as being of a child-like nature: and its importance appears from its near connexion with the most eminent principle which forms the most prominent feature of Christian character, viz. Love.

It is through the medium of love, that simplicity views the actions of Christians, or the circumstances of the Church, and because it does this, it "beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things." The constitution of the Methodist body is admirably calculated to encourage this disposition, and when. ever this has been decreased amongst us, or its opposite increased, wherever such decrease has taken place, it has always been done in violating the most excellent rules of legitimate Methodism.

The happy effects it produces, are most beautifully and strikingly evident in the language and life of the young believer; with what delightful feelings of mingled awe and confidence, does he attend the

ordinances of God's house, his simple mind fixed alone on the great object of his worship, in the midst of thousands his heart is silently engaged with God. In publick or in private prayer, it leads him into actual spiritual engagement with God, not content with merely attending the voice of another, or the utterance of words himself, he strives

"To attend the whispers of his grace
And hear him inly speak."

In hearing, it causes a man to receive the Word of Life, as bread from the hand of a father; and in praise, the form is lost in power. Simplicity, without exception, is always a companion of sincerity, is an enemy to unbelief and pride; and the simple dependance of the Christian on the promise of God, delivers him from all his fears, brightens his prospects, and confirms his hopes. Most of the evils that, at different periods, have found their way into the Church of Christ, have, in the first instance, been the consequences of the loss of simplicity. Ancient, as well as the more modern Church History, abounds with instances of this kind; while they retained their simplicity, were content to walk by the simple gospel, and were led in the way of simple truth, the Church prospered in the truest sense, and piety was deepened in its members; but when the world smiled, and wealth and honour poured in upon her from all parts, simplicity soon declined, riches and applause became objects of desire, and in attention to this, simplicity was lost, and truth, which of itself was an evident reality, was rendered dark and obscure.

The gospel, containing the truth of God, eminently bears the character of simplicity; and those grand truths which constitute the essentials of the same gospel, and therefore accessary to salvation, are of the simplest character, such as the unlettered may comprehend. It is the loss of simplicity that has caused men to mingle the pure doctrines of Christianity with the visions of science, falsely so called; and the monstrous departures from the truth, and the like monstrous structures raised upon its ruins, which so eminently appear in the sentiments of some of the ancient sectaries, may readily be accounted to their loss in this respect.

The want of simplicity is alike an enemy to that self-examination, and right application under the word, so as to make that word profitable, and is so absolutely requisite; it leads us to be pleased only, when, by candid examination under the word, and applying what we hear according to the subject under consideration, to our own states, we ought to be profited; and when we thús fail to be pleased, it is the want of this disposition that leads us into that unhappy censoriousness of mind, which is, by the uninformed, sometimes falsely termed criticism, and which has done so much evil in the Church,—a disposition so unhappy as not only to evidence our own loss, but which often falls like a mildew on the mind of the young and the simple, and spreads and destroys as it extends. It is the want of this that causes those captious tempers, which even some Christians are weak enough to display, who are readier to discover the evil than the good of a man's life; for nothing is more likely to injure us here, than

viewing the imperfections of others through any medium, save that of charity.

There is nothing adorns the Christian character more than this happy disposition; simplicity in the Christian is like modesty in a virtuous female, in itself retiring and humble, yet in its effects on others powerfully attractive, it shines as a jewel of the first water; and whatever we may have got in exchange, whatever knowledge, whatever learning, whatever rank or situation, if it has been done at the cost of our simplicity, it will not leave a man the better or the happier for the change.

Though so necessary in possession, so happy in effect, yet it is easily lost or destroyed; so easily, that its loss sometimes is almost imperceptible. In recurring to the past, particularly to the season of our first love, the name or sight of the preacher under whom we had been brought to God, a hymn, a tune, or a passage of Scripture that had affected us when under certain impressions of mind; when these, with all their peculiar and vastly tender associations, are brought again before us, we often feel a degree of melting sorrow, arising from the conviction, that something which gave interest to such simple circumstances at the time, is not now in our possession; and on examining the cause, we generally find it proceeds from some defect in our simplicity.

Christian simplicity is by no means opposed to learning or knowledge, the possession of the one is by no mears incompatible with the other; but rather, when knowledge, by a right application, assumes the character of wisdom, it will retain and deepen this disposition. The social nature of some of those means, almost peculiar to Metho dism, has a tendency so to domesticate the members of the household of faith, that if rightly improved, will be means of stamping and giving legibility to its character, at the same time they offer facilities to such as have come to loss in this respect, of spreading, by example, the effect of such loss.

We too little consider such effects either in ourselves or to others; in ourselves, the loss of simplicity must cause some loss of happiness, fill us with doubts and a proneness to question the experience of our brethren, particularly if it exceed our own; in others, by example and communication, it will produce the like evils, particularly to the young or the inexperienced."

When a man comes with sincerity to God, he generally evidences high notions of the religion of Jesus, and is ready to place every professor of religion far above such impressions as these; when exposed to the unguarded or uncharitable surmisings, or remarks of persons to whom they looked for example; or when they see the neglect of duty, or behold that duty performed in a hurried or irreverential manner by such as they believed to be among the excellent; when exposed to the trifling flippancy of conversation in such as they believed firm and stable, it will be found, in many instances, to have made so deep and unfavourable an impression, as will be difficult to obliterate from the mind of the young convert. This evil, with many others, will, in most cases, be found to arise from the loss or defect

of that happy simplicity in us, and which is thus spread by our ready communications one with another.

There never was an age in which there was more need to tend and cultivate this disposition; we, as a body, have cause to bless God for our continued prosperity; it gladdens every feeling heart to see the work of God prosper and spread; but let us take heed that in our necessarily increased and extended intercourse with the world, we hold fast our simplicity; but steadily retaining our first principles, let us govern our lives and conversation as Methodists, by the excellent practical epitome of the truth of the Bible, which the most reverend and venerable founder left us for that purpose; then we shall not only extend our interest and connexion with others, but we shall see others brought into interest in, and connexion with, the great Head of the Church; we shall receive the best evidences of a prosperous state, the deepening of true piety in the hearts of its members.

Value, then, simplicity as life; guard it as a precious jewel; reject every offer that may endanger it; keep it for your own souls' sake; keep it as the apple of your eye, then let satan rage without, while all is right within, your souls shall be kept in perfect peace.

DEAR SIR,

To the Editor of the Methodist Magazine.

I submit for your inspection, a few thoughts upon the subject of affliction; and the best method of supporting it, to the glory of God, and the profit of the soul. Almost every mariner is capable of steering the vessel, when the sea is smooth and calm; but the greatest skill is required in the midst of the raging tempest, and the rending storm: when the bark, apparently, to heaven is tost, or nearly swallowed up in the vast abyss. And so in like manner, for the people of God to "glory in tribulation," is the very summit of Christian fortitude, and admirably shews the strength of Divine grace. With every wish for the prosperity of your work, I remain, Sir, your obedient servant, W. B. BROWNE.

Kettering.

Affliction is the good man's shining scene;
Prosperity conceals his brightest rays;
As night to stars, woe lustre gives to man.
Heroes in battle, pilots in the storm,
And virtue in calamities, admire.

The crown of manhood is a winter-joy;

An ever-green, that stands the northern blast,

And blossoms in the rigour of our fate."

REMARKS on PATIENCE and FORTITUDE
in AFFLICTION.

However melancholy this reflection may be, that "man is born to trouble," yet, as the truth of it is connected with his existence here, to dwell upon it sometimes is not only our duty as rational beings, but indispensably incumbent upon us as candidates for glory and immortality. Though uneasy sensations may asise from the consideration of our intimate relation with misery; yet to reflect, that though