that he had not preached a sermon too many. Being reminded that this friend must leave him, as his time was expired, he replied, "But do not let us omit prayer.” In a conversation which passed but a few days before his death, the remark, "You were taken out by Mr. Wesley," deeply affected him; and with the tears running down his face, he said, "Yes; I bless God that I ever saw that man; I may say, I never saw such another man." "Your friendship," said one, "will be renewed in heaven." He replied, "I hope so; I wish to see all the good men I have known here; but above all I wish to see the Lord." He added, being still much affected, "But how can I hope to see Him whom I have so often offended?" We repeated the words, "I will be merciful to your unrighteousness, and remember your sins no more;" when he subjoined, "I need a daily pardon: I trust in the atonement."

Early on the morning of August 1st, 1825, the day preceding that on which he died, he suddenly became worse. A friend returning from the country, late on the evening of that day, not having previously heard of the circumstance, hastened to his house, and remained with him till near midnight. Death was in his countenance. We attempted to draw him into a conversation; but through his extreme stupor we could not succeed. Yet he was at times attentive. During prayer he appeared wholly unconscious of our proceedings; but he added, as we rose from our knees, his distinct and hearty "Amen." To the remark, "Jesus will be with you;" he replied feebly, "Only Jesus." The phlegm was extremely oppressive, and his cough occasionally violent. In these paroxysms he was often heard to say, "Lord, have mercy upon me. Glory be to God. It will soon be over." He continued to breathe with increasing difficulty, till he could breathe no more. He was in his seventy-fifth year. His request respecting his funeral was, "Let me be buried in the Waltham-street Chapel, and in a plain way, like Mr. Wesley."

MEMOIR OF MRS. MARY STOCKS,

Of Leeds:

BY THE REV. JOHN HANNAH.

"We carry wisdom," says one of the Fathers,* "not in the external habit, but in the mind: we do not utter great things, but we live them." This declaration, which its excellent author employs to repress the boastings of a vain philosophy, and describe the character and conduct of the early Christians, is very applicable to the subject of the following Memoir. She was distinguished, not by high and obtrusive professions, but by a course of piety eminently spiritual and practical, which perpetually discovered itself amidst the ordinary scenes and occurrences of

* Minucius Felix.

life. To trace her history is to trace an edifying disclosure of the suc cessive operations and achievements of divine grace, hallowing the thoughts and affections, guiding the actions, sweetening the bitter ingre dients of this earthly cup, and preparing the soul for a calm and triumphant departure to the world of life, purity, and joy.

Mrs. Mary Stocks was born at Kirkby-Overblow, near Harrogate, March 14th, 1778. It was her privilege, and an inestimable privilege she ever deemed it, to be descended from pious parents, who assiduously endeavoured to "bring her up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." Her mother yet survives, patiently waiting till her change come. Her father, Mr. James Ridsdale, obtained religion in his youth, chiefly through the instrumentality of the late Mr. Richard Burdsall, and was for many years a respectable and useful Class-Leader and Local Preacher. Of his Christian experience, zealous labours, and happy death, an excellent Memoir, from the pen of the Rev. J. S. Pipe, appeared in the Methodist Magazine for 1811. Part of that Memoir was furnished by Mrs. S., who, during her father's life, enjoyed a large share of his affection, and, after his death, loved to indulge the recollection of his virtues. Happily the fruit of his piety has not been confined to himself; it has spread extensively among his connexions, and afforded a cheering example of the progress of religion in families. Parents pass away; but how delightful it is to see their religious views, and principles, and exertions perpetuated in their children! The promises of Scripture, by frequently associating parents and their offspring in the same gracious declarations, teach us to expect this; and, in humble hope of its accomplishment, it is the duty of parents to pray, and labour, and wait. Mr. R.'s case also exemplifies the important results which may flow from the conversion of one sinner, especially in early life. The spiritual good then imparted may reach to the temporal and eternal happiness of many yet unborn. A stream of heavenly influence is poured forth; and who knows how many tracts it may refresh, and fertilize, and adorn, ere it is absorbed in the unbounded ocean of light and love?

The benefits of pious parental instruction were not bestowed on our departed friend in vain. She felt the power of divine truth in the early morning of her life. At the age of fourteen she became a member of the Methodist Society; and the year following, to adopt her own language, she "heard the still small voice that whispers peace to the disquieted conscience," and received a clear evidence of her acceptance with God. That evidence she appears never to have lost. Sometimes she would say that it had been renewed a thousand times. To her mind indeed its frequent renewal was highly important. It was not enough that she enjoyed light; she sought its more pure, unclouded, and powerful manifestations, conveying to her soul more ample pledges of heaven, repeated and growing assurances of divine love. The saints under an inferior dis

pensation were not content merely to know that the Lord dwelt among them, and that the symbol of his presence was within the vail; their prayer was, "Thou that dwellest between the cherubim, shine forth."

From this time she seems to have advanced progressively in the. divine life, and to have aimed at an entire consecration of herself to God. In one of her private papers, written at the age of twenty-one, she adverts to the period when she first obtained a sense of forgiveness; and adds, "Since that time, to my sorrow, I have felt many things rise in my heart contrary to love, and, consequently, displeasing to God: yet I have experienced many refreshing seasons from the presence of the Lord. I have sat under his shadow with delight, and his fruit has been sweet to my taste.' I now feel him to quicken my mind, and give me a fresh determination to render him my whole heart." Some time afterwards she writes, "I know my Lord is reconciled through the Son of his love; but I long to enjoy a more intimate acquaintance with him. My struggling spirit would fain be free from every entanglement."

In the beginning of the year 1801, she says, "I have now lived nearly twenty-three years, but to what little purpose! Ever since I knew something of the goodness of God, I have been unfaithful in a thousand instances; else my peace might now have 'flowed as a river, and my righteousness as the waves of the sea.' But what a mercy that, after. all my unfaithfulness, the Lord still continues graciously to visit me with the cheering rays of his Holy Spirit, to enlighten my darkness, and quicken my deadness." She then subjoins a solemn form of self-dedication, from which the following sentences are extracted: "Eternal Jehovah, I humbly implore the aid of thy Holy Spirit. May He be my comforter and guide while passing through this vale of tears. poverty or riches, ease or pain, joy or grief, life or death, be my portion, be pleased to impart thyself to me. Give or withhold all other enjoyments, as thou seest will be most for thy glory, and the good of my soul; only grant me thy grace to serve thee acceptably in my day and generation, and glory in the end, through Jesus Christ, my Lord and only Redeemer. O God of my father, and of all that have served thee in ages that are past, I entreat thy favour and protection with my whole heart; and I do, in the best manner I am able, solemnly and deliberately endeavour to devote my all unto thee. Take my body, soul, time, and talents; let them be entirely consecrated to thee; and let no other object have any undue share of my affections. Thou only art able to regulate all my unruly passions. Mould and fashion me in all things according to thy lovely likeness, and make larger discoveries of thy word and will to my waiting soul. May I be enabled to give up my own will in all things, and take upon me thy light burden and easy yoke. Leave me not to my own understanding. Help me to set thee always before my eyes, that I may not dare to sin against so kind and loving a Saviour.

Grant me a tender conscience, as a faithful reprover. Mercifully hear, and be pleased to accept my feeble attempt to offer myself up to thee." Thus did she strive, amidst the gaieties and allurements of youth, to present herself to God, "a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable."

In her unmarried state she was not inattentive to works of piety and mercy that period of her life she viewed as belonging peculiarly to the Lord, and she was very assiduous in discharging the duties which comported with her sex and age. At that time opportunities so regular and systematic as at present, were not afforded to young people, of doing good by the vigorous exertions of Christian charity. Collectors for Bible and Missionary Societies may make such a work subservient to kindred acts of love... They discover the abodes of poverty and distress; they have it in their power to administer counsel, solace, and relief, in various ways; they can report cases to their Ministers, and multiply opportunities of pastoral and unostentatious good. Virtues, it is said, are not separate and alone; they journey in a train. The fruits of the Holy Spirit exhibit themselves in clusters. A similar remark may be not improperly applied to the corresponding and closely united labours of Christian beneficence. Happy they who, "steadfast" in the maintenance of their principles, and " unmoveable" in the midst of enticement and opposi tion, are, at the same time, " always abounding in the work of the Lord!” In the year 1802, after much thought, prayer, and attention to the guidance of Divine Providence, she was united in marriage to Mr. Benjamin Stocks. She changed her situation, but not her God. From her uniform deportment, and the occasional mention of her religious experience in her epistolary correspondence, it is evident that the Christian virtues which had adorned her youth, continued to ripen into more full maturity. Amidst the comforts and the cares of the conjugal life, she felt, to use the language of an admirable writer, that "there is a knowing of the truth as it is in Jesus, as it is in a Christ-like nature, as it is in that sweet, mild, humble, and loving spirit of Jesus, which spreads itself like a morning-sun upon the soul, full of light and life." She was the mother of a large family, for whose present and future happiness she was truly solicitous. After a while she was appointed to the charge of a Class, the duties of which she performed in a highly exemplary and edifying manner, till she was compelled by growing indisposition to resign it, an event which the members of her Class very sincerely and affectionately regretted. The following general view of her character is extracted chiefly from an interesting statement with which Mrs. Pearson has favoured the writer. Mrs. P. was her band-mate and intimate friend, and had the best opportunity, from a long acquaintance, of knowing and appreciating her Christian excellencies.

J. Smith's Select Discourses: Camb. 1673.

She possessed superior strength and perspicacity of mind, which she particularly discovered in her counsel as an adviser, in the able and appropriate instructions which she administered as a Class-Leader, and in the skill which she displayed in training her children. Her conversation was often richly fraught with maxims of piety, lessons of domestic wisdom, and other practical adages, which were obviously the result of penetrating and observant thought.

In the different relations and connexions of life she was peculiarly amiable. To her parents she was a dutiful and affectionate daughter. As a wife, and mother, she was a pattern worthy of imitation. She was ever seeking and providing domestic comfort for her family, and often have I witnessed her fervent prayers and tears at the throne of grace for their spiritual welfare. As a friend, she was sincere, open, and communicative. She never suffered the time to pass away in frivolous conversation; but, if such was introduced, possessed a most happy art of changing the subject without appearing abrupt, or giving the slightest offence. She was confidential and judicious. Her friends could unbosom their thoughts to her without any fear of disclosure, and were sure to meet with suitable advice and encouragement. She was ever pressing the necessity of an entire devotedness to God; and would often say, the Lord had taught her many useful lessons in the school of affliction; and one in particular, that of making all worldly avocations bend to religious duties.

Her love of peace was very remarkable, she seems to have properly entered into the spirit of that comprehensive beatitude, "Blessed are the peace-makers: for they shall be called the children of God." This Christian temper particularly appeared in the mild and candid judgment which she passed on seeming offences. She valued the charity which "rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;" which "beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things."

She diligently cultivated the spirit of unfeigned humility. Of herself and her own attainments her views were low and abasing of God, they were high and reverential. To Him she constantly applied in prayer; in Him she meekly reposed all her confidence; and from Him she sought direction in every circumstance and perplexity. It is perhaps superfluous to add, that to her humbled mind the discoveries of evangelical mercy were inestimably precious. She committed her soul unreservedly to Jesus Christ," whom having not seen she loved; in whom, though” here she saw him not" with her mortal eye, or in the unclouded revelations of the beatific vision, "yet believing," she often "rejoiced with joy unspeakable and full of glory."

Her attention to the sick and poor was conscientious and regular. "She believed it," remarks Mrs. P., "to be the indispensable duty of every Christian, who has opportunity, to visit the sick. This she con