God, from the hour of her conversion to her dying day. She was enabled at all times to call God, Father, by the Holy Ghost; and felt that God, for Christ's sake, had pardoned her sins. Miss Richardson was no lukewarm professor of religion, but an active Christian; attentive to all the means of grace, which she considered as channels in which the streams of mercy flow. She loved Class-meetings, Prayer-meetings, and the Ministry of the holy word; and attended with diligence these ordinances of religion; believing the way of duty to be the way of safety. When unable to walk alone to the house of God, she has gone supported on each side by her affectionate parents. She had a peculiar pleasure in visiting the sick, in distributing religious tracts, and in relieving the distresses of the poor. The cause of God lay near her heart; and while her prayers ascended to heaven for its prosperity, both at home and abroad, her purse was open to every necessary call. During the last few months of her life, she was a daughter of severe affliction; but she drank the bitter cup with resignation, and by the grace of Jesus Christ was enabled to glorify God in the fire. During her affliction she had several conflicts with the enemy of souls; but by the shield of faith she was able to repel the darts of the adversary. Her affliction was very severe and protracted; but her language was," The more I am afflicted, the more I feel supported." She was remarkable for humility; looking upon herself as most unworthy. When I administered to her the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, she received the memorials of her Saviour's dying love in confidence that, through his propitiatory sacrifice, her soul was redeemed from all sin; and she exclaimed, "I trust only in Jesus Christ." The fear of death never seemed to prevail during the whole of her last illness: it was eutirely taken away; and she departed this life in the peace and joy of faith. THOMAS SAVAGE. 7. Died at Walkhampton, Nov. 1st, Catharine Brian, aged forty-two years. She enjoyed the advantages of a religious education, and in early life was led to the experience and practice of true religion, of which she made a consistent profession during the remainder of her life. Her moral conduct was exemplary; she was regular and devout in her attendance upon the ordinances of religious worship, and greatly delighted in secret prayer. After being for some time in a state of indifferent health, she became seriously ill on Thursday, Sept. 22d, 1825. For some days she appeared to be better, and hopes were entertained that she would recover; but on the 18th of October she was deeply impressed with a conviction that she should die: she began therefore to set her house in order, was soon filled with rapturous joy, and exclaimed, "Glory be to God! Jesus has washed me in his blood; he hath cleansed my soul from sin. He makes my bed in death to be as soft as downy pillows, Jesus is my all. O that the whole world could hear me; I would tell them how good the Lord is! I have done with earth, and with all below. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" She also often lifted up her hand, and said, "Victory, victory, through the blood of the Lamb. Jesus is confe for me, and I am going to glory. Farewell to all below. I am go ing home. Tell the people how good the Lord is. Jesus died for all. There is enough in Christ for all." She continued in this happy state for many hours, blessing and praising God in the most delightful strains. Her complaint afterwards affected her head, so that she became delirious for three days. On Sunday, Oct. 30th, she often appeared to be filled with divine love, and expressed herself in the most delightful language; and on the following Tuesday she began to change, and soon her happy spirit took its flight to the regions of glory, without a sigh, a struggle, or a groan. JOHN BRIAN. 8. Died at Sileby, in the county of Leicester, Nov. 4th, Mrs. Ann Goude, widow of the late Mr. John Goude, of Cossington, in the seventy-eighth year of her age. In early life she was of a lively turn of mind, courteous and agreeable in her behaviour, and sought pleasure in earthly things. But on witnessing an awful providence, she was convinced that she was not prepared to die: she therefore bewailed her lost condition. Her repentance was deep; she saw that she was a sinner, and felt the anguish of a wounded conscience, which led her to pray," God be merciful to me a sinner." Having no peculiar prejudice against the Methodists, she attended their ministry, and by the blessing of God perceived that there was mercy to be obtained through the atonement of Christ. At length, however, He that has said, "Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted," brought deliverance to her soul. She saw Christ by faith, and immediately all her sorrow " was turned into joy. God gave his Spirit to witness with her spirit, that her sins were forgiven; she then thought that all nature rejoiced with her. Mr. John Furz was then in this Circuit, and gave her much instruction and advice; and she ever after looked upon him as her spiritual father. She was very diligent in attending the means of grace, although she had to go a mile to the nearest place of public worship; yet she would omit no opportunity of attending. When it pleased God to take her husband from this vale of tears, she removed to Sileby, the place where she regularly attended to hear the word of God; and her infirmities increasing, she has many times been heard to say, "I believe it is of the Lord that 1 came here. I would not change my situation for any place in the world; I am near the chapel, and among an affectionate people, and these are all the world to me.' Having but a small family, she had little to do with the cares of this world, and devoted herself to God and his cause. Having a considerable income at her own disposal, and a mind to do good with it, she made "the widow's heart to sing for joy, and the blessing of those that were ready to perish came upon her." If at any time a case of distress was mentioned to her, she would immediately call her servant and send relief, as occasion required. She was ready for every good work; the cause of God was dear to her; her -heart and hand were always open. In accordance with a desire she had long cherished, she bequeathed the sum of two hundred pounds for the use of the Methodist Society in this place. Her last illness began in the spring of this year. In her affliction she was divinely supported, and frequently said, "My afflictions are great, but the Lord supports me." O what cause have I to praise God for the mercies bestowed on me If I did not praise him, I should be the most ungrateful of all his creatures. Some years since she remarked, that she always saw something terrible in death; and, in allusion to this, she one day exclaimed, "The Lord has given me the victory over death." She lifted up her arms, and said with transport, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? I could as freely lie down and die, as go to sleep. O how good is God to me!" She seldom had a high degree of joy, but always solid peace. In this instance, however, she was in raptures of delight. Her state of mind never August 9th.-At Shannon-Harbour, Ireland, at the house of her Brother, Henry Wheelock, Esq., Mrs. Mary Price, widow of the late Rev John Price, for many years a faithful Minister of Christ in the Methodist Connexion. She was converted to God in early life; and from that time, until she bade adieu to all things here below, she was a pattern of piety and resignation to the will of God. Some time before her death, I had the pleasure of conversing with her on the things of God; she was very happy in her soul, and said, that she had such commu. nion with God as to cause ber to "forget all time, and toil, and care." After an illness of a few hours, she was called to her eternal reward, in the seventy-sixth year of her age. A. N. August 18th.-At Welsh Pool, the Rev. James Scholefield, Methodist Minister, in the seventy, sixth year of his age. He was greatly esteemed in the neighbourhood where he finished his course of labour and suffering. He entered into the work of the ministry, as an Itinerant Preacher, in the year 1793; but has been unable to travel for some years, owing to a hurt he received by the overturning of a coach, in which he was travelling. He has nevertheless engaged in the duties of his high calling, as a Supernumerary, as far as his health and strength would permit. He died in great peace. We committed his remains to the dust, in the church-yard of Llanllwchainn, within a mile of Newtown; a place which he chose for his interment some time since. J. W. August 20th.-At Deptford, Elizabeth, wife of the Rev. John Burdsall, Methodist Minister, after an illness of several months. A further account of her may be expected. J. B. August 24th.-At Marlborough, in the Hungerford Circuit, Mr. John Hall, aged sixty-nine. He was convinced of sin under the preaching of the Rev. R. Reece, and soon after joined the Methodist Society at Newbury. At that place be was a valuable Member, and for a period of nearly forty years was distinguished by his pious zeal and ardent attachment to the cause of Methodism. In this neighbourhood his memory will long be cherished by a wide circle of friends. The religion which he possessed in life was bis solace in death. He died in peace. J. R. September 5th.-At Upland, near Carmarthen, aged seventy-two, Miss Thomas. In early le she was personally acquainted with the Rev. John Wesley; and through a course of years was known and esteemed by many of the Preachers in his Connexion. She was libera to the poor and the cause of God. Her religious experience was not of a joyous kind; but as she drew near the close of life, her faith became more vigorous, and her end was peace. J. M. GREGORY NAZIANZEN ON HIMSELF: Translated from the Greek, BY HUGH STUART BOYD, ESQ. WHERE are my winged words? Dispers'd in air. Where is my manly strength? Disease hath bent Where shall I lay my worn and wasted form? And O what hand my failing eyes shall close? But wherefore dwell on trivial thoughts like those? Or float unheeded on the buoyant wave; Of ravenous beasts, or things more fell than they; Then spread my ashes in the viewless air, Or hurt my corpse from some gigantic steep, And bid it welter on the raging deep. We all must rise, whate'er be made our tomb; : The race of man, from earth's extremest bound, With all my cares, and live for ever thine. THE TEMPER OF JESUS TOWARDS MANKIND: BY THE REV. CHARLES WESLEY. O MIGHT I, as my Lord, survey Abhor the helpless sons of woe, The city drunk with martyrs' blood He saw with grief, but not with hate; With tears the harden'd ruffians view'd, And tenderly bewail'd their fate; Commended to his Father's care, And sav'd them by his dying prayer. THE HARP OF DAVID. "And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that Davra took an harp and played with his hand so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him,”—1 Samı. xvi. 23. O FOR the harp that David swept, While holier visions hover'd round! strain Whose grateful notes should heavenward soar, And there a gracious audience gain; While here below its hallow'd power Should aid devotion's happiest hour. Christian, would'st thou such harp possess? May grace anoint thine eyes to see, And on thy mind this truth impress,The heart that instrument may be : For never harp or lyre reveal'd Not in its unregenerate state Canst thou expect those strains to hear; By sin unstrung, its accents grate Renew'd by grace, and tun'd by love, O then with melody it seems To vibrate on each trembling string; RETIREMENT : BY THE REV. CHARLES WESLEY. HENCE, lying world, with all thy care, Of beautiful, or great! Stand with thy slighted charms aloof, Far from thy mad fantastic ways, And solid pleasures gain. Or wander through the grove; I see his beauty in the flower; In yon unbounded plain I see Who spans these ample skies, An earthly paradise. O would He now himself impart, The sense of sin forgiven! PSALM CXXX. BY PHINEAS FLETCHER, 1633. FROM the deeps of grief and fear, O Lord, to thee my soul repairs: Let thy mercy meet my prayers. Wait, mine eye; O wait, mine ear: As a watchman waits for day, To be reliev'd he calls amain : For from his tongue sweet mercy flows; From sin and wrath, from death and hell. Printed by Mills, Jowett, and Mills, (late Bensley,) Bolt-court, Fleet-street. |