day, a day of rest; one in which, with the exception of such acts of necessity as may be compared to rescuing a 'sheep fallen into a ditch,' the concerns of this life should unreservedly give place to more important duties.

6

hands, in order effectually to urge the necessity, on the part of those who employ the poor, to pay them their earnings at such an early hour on the seventh-day, called saturday, as may do away with the necessity for the shop-keepers opening their shops on the "By your thus doing your part, but nothing morning of the day called sunday, to supply short of it, towards the general reformation the labouring classes of the people with the which the Lord is expecting from us as a nanecessaries of life, which is in part occasioned tion, it would indeed be, an acceptable day by their not receiving their wages until a late to the Lord,' a fast he would be well pleased hour the night before, and, in some instances with; and it would, I believe, be an offering not until what is called sunday morning. A he would condescend to accept at our hands. care of this sort would facilitate a better at- I would not have it concluded, from what I tendance of both the shop-keeper and the poor at a place of religious worship, and do much towards a more appropriate occupation of the day.

"And may I earnestly entreat you, O! ye rulers, no longer to suffer the temptations to exist which have produced that unparalleled increase of the sin of drunkenness, which has of late years taken place in our nation, from the reducing of the duty on ardent spirits, and which has so demoralized the minds and manners of the people, in youth, middle-life, and old age. Oh! the drunkenness, poverty, starvation and misery, which this reduction of the duty on ardent spirits has entailed on our nation! The load of national guilt that has been accumulated by this means is incalculable. In addition to this sin of drunkenness, there is another evil attendant upon the increased distillation of ardent spirits, which is, the great destruction of that valuable grain which a beneficent Creator has in his mercy bestowed upon us for our support, whilst many of the poor are suffering for want of sufficient food. If this alarming waste is suffered to continue, can we look for any other consequences than that of calamitous national want? Therefore be willing now, even now, to do your part toward preventing an accumulation of our nation's guilt, that you may no longer become sharers therein; but by increasing the duty on this baneful article, may prevent the use of it, except in cases of real necessity, and only to be dispensed by medical practitioners.

have said in favour of setting apart one day in the week more especially for religious purposes, that I place so much stress upon it as to think the attending on public worship, on one day, will make amends for the misconduct of other days; or that the observance of any rites or ceremonies will be available to obtain the favour of heaven, whilst we remain in a state of transgression, and are violating the righteous law of God written in our hearts.

Although I have no hesitation in believ ing, that the day recently set apart professedly as a day of fasting and humiliation, was devoutly observed by many pious individuals in the nation, yet so long as the evils I have enumerated are countenanced by our government, whether by license, or they are suffered to go on uncontrolled, and pride and luxury continue to abound, I very much fear the language of the Most High, through his prophet, will stand against us as a nation, should the day of the Lord's judgment be yet more awfully revealed, and then what will a national decree for a fast, one day of humiliation, avail, consider ye! 'When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers I will not hear. Wash you, make you clean, put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; "As guardians of the people, and as ma- cease to do evil; learn to do well.' And gistrates, in your various districts, exert your again, 'Ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to authority all in your power, that drunkenness make your voice to be heard on high. Is it in public-houses be prevented, and that none such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a be allowed to sit in those houses on the day man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his called sunday, except such as are travellers. head as a bulrush, and to spread sackloth and A care of this sort will tend much to better ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast the condition of the poor, and be one means and an acceptable day to the Lord? Is not of drawing down a blessing from heaven on this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the yourselves, by your manifesting a decided de- bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burtermination to be found judging and acting dens, and to let the oppressed go free, and righteously in the sight of God; that so the that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal day called sunday may become as a sabbath-thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring

the poor which are cast out to thy house? wise, therefore, O! ye kings: be instructed ye when thou seest the naked, that thou cover judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with him; and that thou hide not thyself from fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the thine own flesh? Then shall thy light break Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the forth as the morning, and thy health shall way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. spring forth speedily; and thy righteousness Blessed are all they that put their trust in him:' shall go before thee. Then shalt thou call, and allow me to add, that my soul craves, that and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, by observing the fast recommended by the and he shall say, here I am.' prophet, which we are assured the Lord will accept, we may be enabled, both in a national and individual capacity, to say, 'Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.'

"Every act on our part, as a nation, short of this, I dare do no other than say, we have abundant cause to fear, will be but offering an insult to the Majesty of Heaven, and adding to our national guilt. Suffer me, therefore, to quote the language of the psalmist, Bel "Tottenham, 7th of Ninth month, 1832."

END OF THE JOURNAL.

"THOMAS SHILLITOE,

CONCLUSION.

Thus

OUR friend Thomas Shillitoe, after his re- of the near approach of the enemy, and to turn from America, continued to reside at encourage them to be unmoved, and steadfast Tottenham, near London, until the close of in "the faith once delivered unto the saints." his life. It does not appear that he left home On one occasion, about this time, whilst enagain with certificate in the work of the min-couraging to faithfulness, and signifying his istry; but he was remarkably diligent in at- intention to attend at his post of duty so long tending our religious meetings, both in his as strength remained, he added in a solemn own village, and, when able, those held in manner these words: "My Master's orders London, on behalf of the Society at large. are- Watchmen, be at your posts." He was an eminent example of perseverance in attending meetings for Divine worship, even when under much bodily suffering, as well as of punctuality to the time appointed. One day, when much worn down by disease, on going to meeting, it was observed to him, had he not better stay at home, as he appeared so poorly? He replied, "No, I believe it is required of me to go, as long as I can; when I cannot walk, my friends must carry me."* Less than two weeks previous to his decease, he attended, under great weakness, the concluding sitting of the Yearly Meeting of ministers and elders in 1836.

did he endeavour to stir up his brethren to diligence, to strengthen the weak hands amongst them, and to confirm the feeble-minded, some of whom can now arise and call him blessed; whilst he did not fail to raise his warning voice against the spirit of the world, as well as the delusions of the wicked one, by which too many have been induced to forsake some of those Christian testimonies and principles held amongst us as a Society from the beginning. His faith was firm and unshaken, that the Lord, in his own time, would be pleased to cause, not only the recent, but the desolations of many generations to be repaired; and he said, "I believe the latter house will be greater than the former."

While our dear friend was diligently engaged in his Master's service, in what might be considered the work of the evening, with Having been favoured to experience, through the sincere desire and endeavour to finish his the good hand of his God upon him, that he day's work in the day, his spirit was often could do all things required of him, through clothed with mourning, on account of the in- Christ, who strengthened him, he was freroads which the enemy of all righteousness quently engaged to press upon others the newas permitted to make within our borders, cessity for, and benefit of, perfect obedience and to overthrow the faith of some. At this to the revealed will of the Most High; that period of trial and of proving, he was often thus all might become, like Caleb and Joshua concerned, as a faithful watchman on the of old, of whom it is recorded, that they had walls, to sound an alarm, to warn his friends" wholly followed the Lord."

The afflicted and the poor continued to share

* He resided within two or three doors of the in his sympathy, and labours of love; his exmeeting-house. ertions on behalf of the latter class, in his

own village, were conspicuous, even to within he added, "with truth and sincerity of heart, a short period of his decease. Having raised to say, 'Thy will be done.' O! that I could a subscription among his wealthier friends and get within the pearl gates-just within the neighbours, to provide more comfortable ar- pearl gates." rangements for the poor inmates in the almshouses at Tottenham, he attended to the outlay, and sometimes personally inspected the of the work; and shortly before his progress decease, he had the satisfaction of visiting the houses on the eve of their completion; when he said, the retrospect of his interest therein was very consoling to his feelings.

Early in the morning of the next day he became much worse from debility, and his breathing being difficult, he said, "It is labour, but not sorrow. Oh! deliver me, if consistent with thy blessed will. I am in the hands of a merciful God:-take me; I can give up all in this world. Oh! come, come, blessed Jesus! if it is consistent with thy blessed will. Into thy careful keeping-into thy merciful hands-I commit my dear children, and my dear grandchildren,-all-merciful!"

His partner in life, who was several years older than himself, survived him nearly two years. She was remarkably fitted as a companion for him, under his peculiarly exercis- After sleeping comfortably the following ing services; affording a striking instance of night, he said, "Oh! be pleased to preserve the overruling care of his great Lord and me in patience,-waiting, waiting. Oh! DiMaster, in best providing for those who wholly vine mercy, send, O send, if consistent with trust in him, in that important union of mar- thy holy will, send my release. Oh! take me riage. Her exemplary conduct and patient in thy arms, and carry me-bear me hence. acquiescence in their frequent and sometimes I feel getting weaker and weaker;-the thread long separations from each other, were very will presently untwist." instructive.*

On one occasion, a few months before his departure, at a time when our faithful ministers were exposed to much gainsaying, and "perverse things" were spoken unjustly against them, he expressed himself with much tenderness of spirit, to a friend who had called upon him, in the following terms; at the same time adding, that such had been his sentiments, during the whole course of his religious life. "I feel that I have nothing to depend upon, but the mercies of God in Christ Jesus. I do not rely for salvation upon any merits of my own; all my own works are as filthy rags:-my faith is in the merits of Christ Jesus, and in the offering he made for us. I trust my past sins are all forgiven me,—that they have been washed away by the blood of Christ, who died for my sins. It is mercy I want, and mercy I have; and notwithstanding I thus speak, I am sensible that I must not presume upon this mercy; but it is only as I endeavour, through Divine assistance, to walk circumspectly, that I can hold out to the end." He was taken more alarmingly ill on the 5th of the sixth month, 1836; and his sufferings from bodily debility became very great. He supplicated that his faculties might remain clear to the very last, and that he might praise his Maker with his last breath. "I desire,"

*A few weeks previous to her departure, which took place at Hitchin, at the advanced age of ninety-two, she said, with much earnestness, "O! that I be prepared, when my time comes." Her may last illness was a very short and suffering one; towards the end of which it was evident, from her tone of voice, that prayer and praises were the closing engagement of her soul.

"Oh! heavenly Father, be pleased, if consistent with thy blessed will, to say-This is enough.' Send, send, oh! merciful Father, help, that I may not let go my confidence. Oh! assist me in your prayers, that I may be released from the shackles of mortality. Oh! take me, holy Jesus, I pray thee, to thyself. Oh! have mercy! have mercy."

He afterwards said, "My love is to every body-the wicked and all; I love them, but Oh! for patience, for panot their ways. tience,-no murmuring,-no complainingOh! Lord Jesus! but cheerful submission. Son of David! have have mercy on me. I truly know sorrow, as to mercy on me. the body, but not as to the mind. My head What am I better aches, but not my heart. than other men? But now I shall have to appear, to answer for my precious time; what have I done that I should not have done, and left undone that I should have done?"

To his medical attendant he said: "Does there seem any probability of a speedy release? I will take any thing in moderation, that will not affect my intellect. I want to go out of the world with a clear head, and a clean heart. Oh! bear with me, if I am impatient; the restlesness of the body, but not of the mind, you can have no conception of. Perfect obedience to our heavenly Father, as made known in the secret of the heart,-this is the faith contended for.

Third-day, addressing his wife, he said: I should like us to lie down together, and be Oh let it be buried in the same grave. known, that I contend to the last with unremitting confidence and assurance for the second coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus

FINIS.

NOTICES OF

ROBERT SANDHAM, JOHN EXHAM, WILLIAM GARTON, AND THOMAS LLOYD.

town in 1655, and a few years afterwards he was imprisoned in Cork for refusing to swear as a juror, and fined five pounds, for which they took from him a horse worth more than double the amount.

of our Lord Jesus Christ in the soul, he received a gift in the ministry of the Gospel of life and salvation, and was zealously engaged in visiting the small gatherings of Friends at that early period of the Society; and though he laboured under some natural defect which impeded in measure the exercise of his gift, yet he often delivered profound and wholesome doctrine to the people. About the year 1667, he proclaimed the necessity of repentance and amendment of life through the streets of Cork, having his head covered with hair-cloth and ashes, for which he suffered imprisonment, and was under a like concern in the same city in the year 1698.

In 1662, he was introduced into much serious thoughtfulness whether Cork or Youghal should be the place of his residence. The former presented a prospect of the greatest advantage as regarded the acquisition of riches, but Youghal appeared to him to be the place where he would be most useful as a Christian. The meeting there had become reduced in number and strength, whereas that at Cork was larger and embraced many substantial members. Under these considerations he gave In 1710, being the eighty-first year of his up in faith to settle at Youghal, trusting to age, and when almost blind, he gave a singuDivine Providence for a blessing on his efforts lar proof of the fervour and constancy of his to provide a subsistence for his family. The love to the brethren and the cause of Christ, meeting was held at his house, but persecution by performing a religious visit to the greater soon assailed the little company, a centinel part of the families of Friends in Ireland; in was placed at the door to keep them from as- which service it was evident to those who sembling for the reasonable service of Divine were witnesses of it, that he had the spirit of worship, and he with his family was com- discernment, often speaking very pertinently manded by the governor to leave the town. to the conditions of persons, without having Being a freeman he asserted his right and re-received any information respecting them. He fused to obey the unjust command. The go- was a man of an innocent life and conversavernor however, forcibly sent him away with a guard of soldiers on foot, to Charleville, twenty-four miles distant, not permitting him to ride his own horse, though his bodily infirmity required it. He was brought before Roger Boyle, Lord President of Munster, who when he read the accusation, and found that it charged him with nothing but what related to his religious duty, immediately set him at lib-in retirement. erty and he returned to Youghal, undergoing He was esteemed as having a prophetic with patience and courage the reproaches and gift, of which his religious service gave many sufferings which attended him in the conscien- proofs. While he was performing the family tious observance of the law of his God. He visit, he told one company, there was among was an example of uprightness in his dealings, them a youth upon whom the Lord would of a benevolent spirit, ready to do good to all, pour forth his spirit, and he should visit seveespecially those of the household of faith-ral nations, which was accomplished; a young zealous and firm in his testimony for Truth man then present afterwards received a gift in against apostates, backsliders and false bre- the ministry, which he exercised to the edifithren, and particularly against the blasphe-cation of the churches both at home and mous opinions of Muggleton, which deluded abroad. Another instance in which he was some to their utter loss as to their place in the Truth. He was a sharp reprover of disorderly and unfaithful walkers, but a help and strength to his brethren and the newly convinced, by administering counsel suited to their conditions. He died in 1675, in the fifty-fifth year of his age, being sensible of his approaching close and favoured with a resigned frame of mind.

JOHN EXHAM, of Charleville, Ireland, was convinced of the principles of Friends while a soldier, about the year 1658; and yielding obedience to the manifestations of the grace

tion, just in his dealings, merciful to the poor and well beloved by his neighbours and friends. He continued his residence at Charleville during the war, through many difficulties and hazards, and often took opportunities of counselling those who needed the care of their Friends. He was remarkable for his love of meditation, spending a portion of every day

called upon to declare the word of the Lord, was at a time when a great company were convened at the house of the Earl of Orrery, at Charleville, then a splendid edifice, spending their time in feasting and mirth. He felt a religious concern to go to the house and call the people there met to repentance, which he accordingly did, a crowd following him, and denounced the Lord's judgments and wo to that great house, that it should be destroyed, and become an habitation for the fowls of the air. Hereupon the earl's servants attempted to drive him away, but the earl commanded them to let the honest man speak. Having