preached to them from Jam. iv. 7. Then the converted priest got up, and spoke for some time. Then Mr. Chater, the Baptist Missionary, preached from Luke ii. 10, 11. Mr. Armour concluded by singing and prayer. In the afternoon the people assembled again. Mr. Greenwood preached from Now is the accepted time, &c. The converted priest got up again, and then Mr. Armour spoke to them for some time, and dismissed the congregation. At seven in the evening, another congregation assembled. Mr. Schroeter, a German, another of the Church Mis sionaries, preached, and Mr. Armour interpreted it into Portuguese. He was followed by Mr. Squance and Mr. Chater, who gave exhortations in Portuguese, and concluded with prayer. Thus ended the services of such a day as the inhabitants of that place never before witnessed. In the evening we received a letter of thanks, drawn up and signed in behalf of all the inhabitants of Caltura, by several of the principal men of the place. Here we stayed all night: next morning we set out for Pantchura, 10 miles, where we found another very large congregation waiting. We began the service by sing ing and prayer. Mr. Norton then preached. After him, Mr. Schroeter gave them an exhortation. Then the converted priest stood up again. This was the first place wherever he met with any opposition. OBITUARY. ON January 19, 1812,* died, of a consumption, JOHN SREMELDS, aged 20 years. He was born in Skelton, Yorkshire, of respectable parents, who have long been respectable members of the Methodist Society, and afforded great pecuniary aid to the interest of Christ in that place. His disorder reduced him exceedingly low in August, when he began to see the necessity of a preparation for death; and on December 27, he experienced peace with God. From that time till his death, he gave the most striking proofs of his having been savingly converted to God. On his receiv ing a sense of the divine favour, he called his father and mother to his bed-side, and broke out in a strain of thanksgiving to the Lord; saying, "O! if I had strength, how I would sing the praises of my forgiving God!" From that time, prayer became his constant employment. His father and Notwithstanding the length of time which has elapsed since the death of Mr. Shemelds, his having been made, on his death-bed, an instrument of a glorious revival of religion, affords sufficient reason for our inserting the following account of him; which account we did not receive before July, 1915. In the middle of his discourse, a shrewd mau, supposed to be a Cappoa, stopped him, and began to reason with him in the public congregation. At first it caused some disturbance among the people, but when the priest began to reply to the Cappoa's objections, all was silent, and he soon silenced the man. When he had done, Mr. Harvard concluded by an exhortation and prayer. At this place we took a little refreshment, and then proceeded to the Governor's house at Mount Louvinia, about 10 miles, all the party having had a previous invitation to dine with his Excellency. Here wo spent the day, and in the evening reached home. Allow me now, my dear Sir, to request an interest in your prayers. Though we are not surrounded by Methodist people and privileges, yet we are persuaded we have the prayers of thousands of the excellent of the earth, and did they know the greatness of our work, the unfitness of some of the instruments, and the dithculties we meet with, O how earnest would they be on our behalf. Indeed, God has done wonders for us! whole progress, thus far, has been attended with blessings, (I had almost called some of them miracles) for which I believe we are thankful, and we will bless him both in time and eternity! Our Your's affectionately, B. CLOUGH. mother saw him ripening for a blessed eternity, and they greatly rejoiced. Five of his brothers and sisters, by means of his importunate prayers and tears, were brought to seek the Lord; and they joined the Methodist Society. Several of their servants were awakened, and obtained mercy. Indeed, most of the young men and wonen in the village were much affected on visiting him, and began to say, "What must I do to be saved?" From this time, a blessed revival took place in the village; and the little society increased from about 11 members to near 50 before I left the circuit. The room in which we preached became too smali for the congregation, so that we were under the necessity of building a chapel; for which purpose we met with great encouragement from kind friends in the village; particularly from T.Warton, Esq. M. P. for Burnley, who gave us 57. and a hearty sanction to preach the gos pel in the village, (which belongs to him) and all round about. Toward the close of brother Shemeld's life, his confidence in God grew stronger and stronger; and just before his death he repeated that verse of his favourite hyme, in Wesley's Hymn Book, p. 320: "So when on Sion thou shalt stand, And all heaven's host adore their king, I shall be found at thy right hand, And free from pain thy glory sing." He then took an affectionate farewel of his relations, and immediately breathed his happy spirit into the hands of his blessed Redeemer. T. SIMMONITE. DIED on Friday the 6th of January, 1815, GREENFIELD MARTIN, of Perranwell, near Truro, Cornwall. He was a man of a very meek and gentle mind, serving the Lord with all humility, and copying the example of his Saviour with uniformity and delight. He had been a useful class-leader for many years, and his instructions were rendered important by the authority of a life in which they were all exemplified. He lived and died a blessed witness of christian perfection; and of him it might be said, with as much propriety as of any man I ever knew, behold an Israelite indeed in whom is no guile! During his last affliction, which lasted for full two years, he had many opportunities of showing those around him how a Christian can suffer; and, no doubt, many were edified by the example of his patience. A few minutes before he departed, he awoke as out of sleep; and being asked how he felt, he said, with a heavenly smile, "I have heard the heavenly music, and I shail soon be in heaven." These, I believe, were his last words, which having uttered, he took his wife's hand into his own, and pressing it, sunk back in the bed, and sweetly fell asleep in the Lord. Thus died my dear uncle, a blessing to his family, and an honour to the church. May I close my days with equai comfort, and may my last end be like huis! T. MARTIN. and praying with them, as well as in relieving, to the utmost of her power, those that were in distress. In 1804 she came to London, and about six years ago became one of the visitors employed by the Benevolent Society, in which office her labour of love was made a blessing to many in the London West Circuit. In 1813, she came to reside in the London East Circuit. She was recommended, and that in the strongest terms, to my class, by her former leader. I always found her at the place of meeting in due time; and I observed that her experience in divine things was sound and deep. Her copiousness in prayer, joined with a divine unction, was admired by the whole class; and she was highly respected by all the truly pious with whom she was acquainted. The poor in many workhouses, as well as those she visited in the office she filled in the Benevolent Society, have cause to bless her memory. She always made it a point to visit on the Sunday, or early in the week. Throughout the course of her long illness, which lasted about two years, during which, from the nature of her complaint, her sufferings were frequently extreme, she was never known to mur mur or complain. Amidst her greatest afflictions, she frequently said, "It is all for the best." She often observed to me, when I visited her, "I am prevented from class-meeting, and from hearing the servants of the Most High, but I am not prevented from meeting with my God; for I find that he is present and precious." At one time she said to me, "I am more happy than I can express-my cup ruas over. About two years before her death, she felt much uneasiness on account of her son, who was a dissipated young man then at sea; and she often said, "Pray for my son that is at sea; I could gladly die if he was in the way to heaven." Early and late she continued to pray for him, and, blessed be God, not in vain; for about six months before she died, he came to town, and through the means used by her, he has been brought to see and feel his need of a Saviour. He meets in my class, and is earnestly seeking that peace which passeth all understanding. DIED in London, May 17, 1816, aged 41 years, Mrs. ELIZABETH STAFFORD. She was born at Daventry, in Northamptonshire. When she was about twentyone years of age, the Methodists first came to Daventry, and some time after she became a member of their society. In consequence of scarceness of work, she and her husband being obliged to leave that place, removed to Hilmorton, in Warwickshire. She was the instrument of bringing the Methodists first to that place, where, by means of her truly Christian zeal, many were brought to a saving acquaintance with God; some of whom have, in their dying moments, witnessed a good confession. She was dili gent in visiting the sick, and in reading. Printed at the Conference-Office, 14, City-Road, London: T. CORDEUX, Agent. During Mrs. Stafford's leng illness, she exhorted those who visited her, to seek the Lord earnestly, and to search the Scriptures with diligence. A little be fore she expired, she called her husband and son, and said, "O my dears, give your hearts to the Lord;" and shortly alter, her happy, placid spirit took its flight to the regions of eternal felicity. London, May 24, 1816. D. MORGAN. THE METHODIST MAGAZINE, MAGAZINE, FOR NOVEMBER, 1816. BIOGRAPHY. A SKETCH OF THE LIFE AND CHARACTER OF LADY MAXWELL, of POLLOCK;-late of EDINBURGH. (Continued from page 731.) THE nature and progress of Lady Maxwell's experience may be faintly gathered from a covenant with God, into which she entered at the outset of her Christian journey; and afterwards renewed at different times during a succession of years. The practice of covenanting with God must be acknowledged to be very ancient, and as it has a scriptural warrant, a divine sanction, so its utility has frequently been proved both by individuals and collective bodies of Christians. That which is here copied, is dated August 9th, 1764, and is as follows. "I am this day renenewing a covenant made with God in Jan. 1762, but never written until now; Lord, help me in this great work. It is in the view of thy great strength alone that I am attempting it, being altogether unable in myself to vow unto thee, or to perform. Yet I would, in obedience to thy command, lay hold on thy strength, that I may make peace with thee; and, blessed be thy great name, thou hast said, that such shall make peace with thee, Isai. xxvii. 5. If thou, Lord, wilt manifest thy dear Son to me, clear up my evidence of mine interest in him, shed abroad his love at all times in my heart, and let me feel him ever drawing me to himself with the cords of love, and with the bands of a man; and in times of trial make his strength perfect in my weakness, and not desert me in duty nor in temptation: if thou, Lord, wilt do these great things for me, then, in thy strength, I give myself up unto thee, soul, body, and spirit, in the bonds of an everlasting covenant never to be forgotten. Despairing in myself, I fiee to the great refuge set before me, Jesus Christ the righteous, desiring to accept of him as my prophet, VOL. XXXIX. NOVEMBER, 1816. |