people that are in such a case! Blessed be God, I do trust that it is mine."

"January 1st, 1808.-I have found my mind very much composed to-day, though I have had to transact some really important business, requiring much thoughtfulness and care. I still feel a confidence that

all things shall work together for my good. But I find it necessary to make an effort that I may cleave to the Lord with purpose of heart. Without his help, I am weak indeed; and unless I set him alway before me, I lose a recollected spirit, and sink into worldliness. The danger is greater, because sin does not immediately appear. The things to which I attend are lawful; but when I attend to them alone, and regard them for their own sake, the state of mind becomes sinful, and separates me from the light of the divine countenance."

In the course of the year he was married to the oldest daughter of Mr. Robert Emmett, Halifax, Yorkshire. Domestic duties were now added to his trading occupations; and his time was so completely engaged, that he wrote no more in his diary till the beginning of January, 1813. We give the sentences with which he recommenced a practice that he had before found so profitable: "Since I last wrote, I rejoice to be able to say, that my mind has never, even for one day, wandered from the path of truth. I can never sufficiently praise Him by whom I have been kept from falling, and who has continued to make me glad with the light of his countenance. He has held me up, and I have been safe." Again :

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January 22d, 1815.—I do not remember that ever I began a year with more solemn engagements than the present. My first and greatest desire is to live to the glory of God. But for this I must give all diligence. No good can be obtained, no evil avoided, but by constant watchfulness and prayer."

"February 11th, 1816.-What an unspeakable blessing it is that I can still look forward with joy to my heavenly and eternal rest! Latterly, I have had various trials, and some of my exercises have been severe. But many and great have also been my consolations. While

I have been afflicted as a man, I have been comforted as a child of God. God is my salvation! I rest upon his promises. I hope in his word."

"May 11th, 1817.-For the last six weeks, I have led a small class. I generally enjoy a consciousness of the divine favour. I can adopt the language of the Psalmist, My soul followeth hard after thee.'”

This period of his life appears to have been very happy. Opportunities of being useful to others were afforded him, which he embraced with thankfulness and joy. To the means of grace he was devotedly attached. The word preached he heard with earnest attention, and was accustomed to write down passages by which he had been more particularly impressed, that he might afterwards profit by them. He had the charge of a class; he assisted in the Sabbath-school; and as the great cause of Christian Missions was now receiving revived attention, he was frequently engaged in the formation and arrangement of Missionary Societies. But he was careful so to attend to these public duties, as that he should not fall into inward negligence. He looked well to the state of his heart. Thus he writes:

"November 26th, 1820.-Since I made the last memorandum, I

believe I have not walked one day in darkness, but have always had the light of life. Thank God, I have had uninterrupted peace, and frequently abounding joy in the Holy Ghost."

About this time he began to suffer much, occasionally, from a weak state of health. He was also called to struggle with a variety of trials and disappointments. But these circumstances wrought together for his good. He was more earnest in prayer, more diligent in seeking to maintain such fellowship with God through the Lord Jesus Christ, as should be sufficient for his consolation and support. He thus wrote, at different times, on these subjects:

"March 10th, 1822.-My mind has been kept in perfect peace, being stayed upon God. For two days, indeed, I gave way to unbelieving distrust; still, I was resolved not to cast away my confidence, and, through mercy, I was at length enabled to say, 'I will trust, and not be afraid;' and again I could rejoice in God my Saviour."

"January 18th, 1825.-I humbly thank God that during the last year I was enabled to maintain spiritual intercourse with God."

"January 18th, 1826.-The year that has just passed away has presented a very chequered scene as to outward things, and my health has seemed, at times, to be seriously affected. But, blessed be God, I have had peace within. I have likewise received many remarkable proofs of the divine goodness to me, many answers to prayer. I can, and I do, trust him for all."

"February 4th, 1827.-I am thankful that I am still able to say, that I do love the Lord my God with all my heart, and soul, and mind, and strength. And though, during the last year, he has permitted me to lose a great part of my property, I can say that goodness and mercy have followed me all the days of my life; and I believe that they shall follow me even to the end, that so I may dwell in the house of the Lord for ever."

An interval of several years again occurs in his diary. During this period he passed through severe and complicated trials, and experienced much personal and family affliction. His sufferings, both of mind and body, were sometimes very great; and in his secular path he walked in darkness, and had no light. In March, 1833, he thus refers to these painful circumstances: "I have had to drink the wormwood and the gall; but I thank God, that though the cup was bitter, I was enabled to take it, and drink. With Job I had to say, 'He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass, and he hath set darkness in my paths; he hath stripped me of my glory, and taken the crown from my head; he hath destroyed me on every side, and I am gone, and my hope hath he removed like a tree.” But though, for a time, his heart was thus overwhelmed within him, he endeavoured, in the midst of his distress, to remember the sovereignty and wisdom of God, -of him who gives and who takes away. "I am thankful," he writes, "that I have been able to bow in submission to the will of God. I have received good at the hand of the Lord; shall I not receive evil also? I will still say, 'Blessed be the name of the Lord.""

These outward conflicts, this view of the instability of worldly prosperity, led him to more earnest prayer, and to a closer communion with things spiritual and heavenly; so that though his trials conti nued, his soul became 66 as a weaned child." He practised self

examination more frequently and more carefully, seeking to ascertain the exact state of his mind before God, that what was wrong might be corrected, and what was defective supplied. His heart was thus established with grace in a degree which he had never before experienced. He felt that his crosses were painful and heavy; but he rejoiced in the comforts with which it pleased God to connect

them.

He refers in his diary to one particular period when he obtained, in answer to his persevering prayer, a remarkable outpouring of divine influence, a baptism of the Spirit, the effects of which did not pass away. He had been connecting fasting and abstinence with his supplications for " a further work of grace;" and while attending divine service at City-road chapel, London, January 26th, 1834, in waiting upon God, he did indeed renew his strength. He says, "My mind became more and more intent upon its object, and I was drawn out in agonizing prayer; when, just before I approached the Lord's table, I felt that God had heard me. My soul was filled with his love. prayers were turned into praises. My faith was so strengthened, that doubt and fear seemed to flee away. I have felt more ecstasy at other seasons. It was not this; but it was such an increase of faith and love, such a full confidence in Christ, such a sinking into the will of God, with a desire that he might be glorified. May he continue to me what he has thus given!"

My

A short time afterwards he thus wrote: "The blessing which I received has been powerfully tried. While absent from home on a journey of business, I had, unexpectedly, reason to think myself unkindly used. But, thank God, my mind was calm. I felt no

resentment; nothing, I humbly trust, contrary to love. I could not but think that the person had done wrong; but I could sincerely pray for him. I do think that I desire to please God in everything, and am enabled continually to look to him for the power."

The afflictions through which he had passed, had naturally produced an unfavourable effect on his general health, and especially on his nervous system; but as in brighter days, so in these seasons of darkness and depression, he experienced the great value of the pious sympathy of his excellent wife. Her own health appeared for some time to be in a declining state; but occasionally there were favourable symptoms, which led him to expect that she would long be spared to him. These expectations, however, were not realized. In August, 1836, while they were on a visit in the north of England, she was suddenly seized with English cholera, which, in comparatively a very short time, removed her from earth to the eternal world. She died in all the calmness and joy of Christian hope, affording delightful evidence that, to her, death was gain. To the survivor, however, it was no ordinary loss. He could only say, "Good is the word of the Lord concerning

me."

Some little time after this, the state of his health rendered it necessary for him to withdraw from the more active employments of life; and he went to Brighton, to sojourn there for a time. During his residence there, however, he became acquainted with Mrs. Parkin, widow of the late Rev. Joseph Parkin, many years a highly-esteemed Wesleyan Missionary in the West Indies, and who died there in 1827. With Mrs. Parkin he formed a second matrimonial engagement; and

after his marriage to her, he took up his residence permanently, and, as it proved, finally, in Brighton.

In the concerns of the Wesleyan society there he took a lively interest. In the Missionary Anniversary for 1842, and especially at the public breakfast-meeting, held October 18th, he engaged with great pleasure; and some years of quiet, happy, and useful life seemed opening before him. The following day he left home, having occasion to attend to some business in London, intending to return on the Saturday. It appeared to be necessary, however, that he should prolong his stay a few days longer. On Wednesday, 26th, he wrote to Mrs. Dickinson, stating his intention to be at home to dine on the coming Saturday; and on Thursday, the 27th, he appeared to be remarkably cheerful, and at night retired to rest, according to the expression of his friends, in a very happy state of mind. But he had run his race, and, unknown to himself, his course was finished. On the noon of Friday, October 28th, his friends at Brighton received what was, to them, the astounding intelligence, that on that morning, about seven o'clock, without a moment's warning, he had expired, in a fit of apoplexy, at Mr. Randall's, King-street, Cheapside, where he had been residing during his absence from Brighton. No opportunity was thus afforded him of bearing testimony to the value of religion in the hours of dying; but to this, throughout the varied events and circumstances of life, his consistently-maintained profession furnished evidence that could not be gainsayed. By the blessing of God upon parental instruction and ministerial care, he chose religion before evil days came; and when they did come, both when his path was shadowed by losses and disappointments, and his health became prematurely infirm, he still glorified God, and put his trust in Him who was

"The glory of his brightest days,
And comfort of his nights."

A few extracts from letters written by persons to whom he was well known will conclude this brief memorial, and supply the omissions unavoidably occasioned by my want of a longer personal acquaintance. In the first place, a few sentences from a letter written by himself, September 20th, 1842, five weeks before his own summons actually came, will serve to show his principles and feelings in this, the latest, portion of his life. He says, "What a world of disappointments and changes is this! What calls have we to be constantly ready, forasmuch as we know not when our Lord shall come! My life is God's. My time to come is his. We must hold ourselves daily at his disposal, and prepare to meet him. May we be ready for the summons whenever it shall come!"

Samuel Stocks, Esq., of Manchester, says, "Our acquaintance being both intimate and of long standing, I can speak to his genuine worth. I knew his deep misfortunes; but I knew also his Christian character, and his steady perseverance in his Christian course. His religion made him happy; for he made it his first and chief business.”

"I

Another friend, who knew him for more than thirty years, says, knew Mr. Dickinson long, and saw him, amidst the numerous and often very painful vicissitudes of life, preserving the unblamable reputation belonging to a sincere Christian profession. During my recent intercourse with my sincerely-respected friend, I could not but observe

his growing maturity in grace; and I have frequently said, that he appeared to be living on the verge of heaven. His conversation was decidedly spiritual, and indicated that his heart and treasure were where they should be."

The Rev. Joseph Sutcliffe, A.M., has favoured me with a letter, and, in the course of it, says, "Mr. Dickinson was a man of amiable temper. He was in heart and soul a Methodist; a decided friend of the Ministers, and of the work in which they were engaged. He possessed a meek and quiet spirit, and was much beloved by all who knew him. To him sudden death would be sudden glory. May grace embalm and hallow his memory!"

His Class-Leader while he lived in London, Mr. James Mackie, says, "I sometimes prevailed on him to meet the class for me; and on these occasions we were always profited. One thing I cannot omit. He always pressed upon us the necessity of spending as much time in prayer as we possibly could, and of reading the word of God early in the morning, so that the mind might be pre-occupied with it. His experience was clear and deep, and the recital of it always profitable. I believe him to have been a man who walked humbly with God."

But he has gone where "the weary are at rest," and where the saints have an everlasting inheritance in light. By his friends his memory will always be cherished; and it is hoped that these notices of his life and character will be profitable to all who read them, though they never knew him to whom they refer, instructing them as to the good and right way, and encouraging them to walk in it.

MEMOIR OF MR. CHARLES SMITH,

OF CALVERLEY-MOOR, YORKSHIRE:

BY THE REV. PHILIP HARDCASTLE.

CHARLES SMITH was born near Bradford, Yorkshire, in 1812. His youth passed away in ignorance and ungodliness. His employment was that of a gardener. In his twenty-first year, he occupied a situation as such, in the service of a gentleman at Gargrove, near Skipton, in Craven; and while residing in that village, was brought to the saving knowledge of the truth. Charles might have been fitly surnamed on his conversion, "Sought-out, not forsaken," inasmuch as his salvation, under God, was owing to that zeal which seeks out the souls of men, and will not forsake them while hope of success remains. Let it be told for a memorial of William Middleburgh, of Gargrove, that, through his visits to Charles Smith in sickness, and his continued pursuit of him after his recovery, by many affectionate instructions, and by mighty prayers on his behalf, he became the instrument of converting this sinner from the error of his ways, and saving his soul from death. The repentance to which Charles was brought was full of fear and sorrow; and, owing to his great ignorance of the Gospel, unbelief often brought him almost to despair: but again and again did William Middleburgh (together with other friends) seek to revive his hope, and to encourage him to further exertion, by referring him to the promises of the Gospel, and by earnest supplications to the throne of grace.