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"There is a land of pure delight,
Where saints immortal reign:
Infinite day excludes the night,
And pleasures banish pain."

And, after a pause, he added, "They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes." At another time he said to Mrs. Atkins, "It is hard to part." "Yes," she replied; "but you are only going a little before us: we shall meet again." "Yes," he replied, only a little we will welcome you to the skies." He was then asked how he felt: "No better," was the reply; "only a little nearer my Father's house." About eight o'clock on the Thursday evening he requested the writer to pray with him. The servants were called in; and after Mr. Hodgson had read the Scriptures, he engaged in prayer, during which Mr. Davies responded fervently, "Amen." A short time afterwards he fixed his hands in the attitude of prayer, and said, "Come, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." These were his last words. His hands and feet were already as cold as ice, and this gradually spread over his whole frame, till, about half-past three in the morning of Friday, November 1st, 1844, he quietly breathed his last.

As a Minister his talents were respectable and useful; his discourses were full of important instruction, and delivered, generally, with great power. His untiring efforts in the Redeemer's cause secured him the respect and affection of the people in every Circuit in which he laboured; and his memory will long be cherished, both by them and by his brethren in the ministry.

BRIEF BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

46. DIED, January 5th, 1844, at Malton, Mr. Robert Spanton, aged sixty-nine, having been a member of the Wesleyan society (with which his parents, also, were connected) nearly fifty years. From early life he displayed considerable energy of character, and great was his father's anxiety concerning him. "Robert," said he, "will turn out very good or very ill." The good old man's death was the chief means of his son's conversion. He possessed mental powers of a superior order, and was a man of inflexible integrity, independent spirit, and prompt and active in his conduct. His manner might be sometimes abrupt; but he had a kind heart, in which the young and those who knew him best could readily confide. Of his property he contributed cheerfully to the cause of God, and many of the poor will feel and regret his loss. On some of the controversies which divide the church his mind had been agitated in earlier life; but as he grew in scriptural knowledge and in holiness, he became confirmed in the faith once delivered to the saints, and in subsequent years experimental and practical Christianity were the objects of his chief admiration. Reading was a favourite exercise: highly intellectual works could be intensely relished; but in religious biography, and in the sacred Scriptures, he found his principal delight and profit. His conversation was

spiritual, and anything approaching to levity was cautiously avoided. Of late years especially, his friends witnessed with pleasure an evident ripening for the church above. For the last twelve months his health had been perceptibly declining; but so long as strength permitted, his attendance on all the services of the sanctuary was regular and frequent. As a Class-Leader he was faithful and instructive; as a Local Preacher he always desired and laboured to be useful; and, as a Chapel and Circuit Steward, discharged his duties with fidelity and zeal. In his last affliction, on reviewing his life for the final account, he said that he found nothing to reject in his principles, but that he was amazed to discover so much imperfection and unprofitableness in himself in the sight of God. For a short period this was a source of temptation; but, looking to Jesus, and throwing himself fully upon His atonement and intercession, he found deliverance. So completely was he freed from all doubt and fear, that he could sing,

"O Love, thou bottomless abyss!
in thee;

My sins are swallow'd up

Cover'd is my unrighteousness,

Nor spot of guilt remains on me,

While Jesu's blood, through earth and skies,

Mercy, free, boundless mercy, cries! "

On Christmas-day, the Superintendent of the Circuit visited him, and found him very happy. The Redeemer's words to his disciples, "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you," strengthened his confidence much. "Lord," he said, "these are thy words, and I take them and claim them as my own." Business, friends, and relations were cheerfully resigned, and death was hailed with gladness as the gate of heaven. He arranged with perfect composure every needful preliminary for his interment, and patiently waited his final hour. No opportunity of usefulness to attendants and visiters was suffered to pass unimproved. "O the pleasure religion will afford you!" said he to a young gentleman: "there is pleasure in possession, pleasure in the retrospect, and pleasure in the prospect. It is worse than madness to neglect it." To his professional attendant he said, with friendly plainness, "Get into a corner and pray: prayer is an honourable employment." At another time he observed, "I used to read that passage, Rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing, and in everything give thanks,' as if it did not belong to me; but now I regard it as indeed my own.' All his desire seemed to be, that he might be filled with God, before he went to God. He particularly dwelt on the divine goodness to him: he often said, "The Lord has done much for me: how marvellous that I, a poor sinner, should be saved for ever! I am mercifully dealt with," A few nights before he died he sang, for the last time,—

"Then let our songs abound,

And every tear be dry,

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We're marching through Immandel's ground

To fairer worlds on high."

When unable to sing himself, part of a hymn, which he much valued, was sung for him :—

"Thy nature be my law,

Thy spotless sanctity;

And sweetly every moment draw

My happy soul to thee.

"Soul of my soul remain !
Who didst for all fulfil,
In me, O Lord, fulfil again
Thy heavenly Father's will."

There is more divinity in all their life-time." "I am going home!"

"Soul of my soul!' yes," he said, "that is it. in that one verse, than some persons ever wrote His prospects of the future were very bright. was his frequent exclamation. In the last few days of his life, he was chastened with strong pain. He said, "Before the next Sabbath, I hope I shall be safe; but I am afraid of even a wish: not as I will, but as my heavenly Father wills." He added, in a tone expressive of much meekness, "The Lord knows what is best for me. We have need of patience to the very last; but He knoweth our frame." The day before his departure was one of great peace and calmness; and as the final hour approached, although he was so exhausted that his friends thought he was expiring, he loudly whispered, "Glory, glory, glory!" When the hand of death was evidently upon him, he expressed his thankfulness and joy he was just able to say, lifting up his hand, "My heavenly Father calls me. Glory, glory!" Shortly after, whispering, "It will soon be over," he breathed his last.

THOMAS DICKIN.

47. Died, January 8th, at Whiston, near Prescot, Mrs. Emma Stubbs, in her forty-seventh year. By God's mercy, she was brought to a saving knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus in early life. Having accompanied her parents to Ireland, about thirty years ago, she there providentially heard the late Rev. Gideon Ouseley preach, in the market-place of a large town. Attracted by the novelty, she joined the hearers, and the word preached came with power to her heart she was deeply convinced of sin, and from that moment became decided in her resolution to serve God. She now penitently, and with her whole soul, sought the blessings of salvation. She was, in a short time, enabled to believe in Christ with her heart unto righteousness, and obtained a clear sense of the pardoning mercy of God. With unutterable thankfulness she ever afterwards reverted to the time and place where God spoke peace to her troubled spirit.

In the early part of her religious course she had to encounter much opposition. Her father, being a stranger to vital godliness, and supposing that his daughter was degraded by becoming a Methodist, endeavoured (frequently by severe means) to bring her back to the world again; but in the time of trial she stood firm; and, by the consistency of her conduct, ultimately lived down all opposition from her family, had the pleasure of entertaining the Wesleyan Ministers in her father's house, saw himself become a member of the Wesleyan society, and heard him witness a good confession on his death-bed. Only a few hours before he expired, he gratefully acknowledged that his daughter had been the instrument of bringing him to God.

After removing to England again, she was, for several years, called to experience much suffering; but, whether in sickness or in health, she continued to cleave unto the Lord with purpose of heart. Her piety was active: it led her to relieve the temporal wants of her fellowcreatures to the utmost of her limited ability; to visit the sick and the dying; to administer reproof to the careless, and consolation and

encouragement to the tried and afflicted Christian: but most of all it was conspicuous in her domestic circle. She looked well to the ways of her household, and in her family was always the consistent follower of Christ. While she endeavoured to promote the temporal comfort of all around her, she watched over their spiritual interests with unceasing solicitude. But she especially extended her care to the young, and their frequent expression of regard for her was a natural tribute to the almost maternal kindness bestowed on them. Often did her Minister, in his pastoral round, feel himself happy to join her and the group of little ones who were instructed in her villageschool, in singing hymns, or in bowing at the feet of Him who hath said, "Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not.' She loved the house of God; and was rarely absent, except when detained by affliction, from those varied and appropriate means of grace so amply provided in that section of the Christian church with which she was connected. Her attachment to Methodism, from the time of her joining the society, to the close of life, a period of nearly thirty years, was sincere and ardent.

One little event of a pleasing kind, and wholly unlooked for, must not be omitted from this brief sketch. The Rev. Gideon Ouseley, on one occasion visiting this country, was taken, by the gentleman who was entertaining him, to the dwelling of Mrs. Stubbs, to whom, though not knowing it, he had been the instrument of so much good. On the entrance of the visiters, she speedily discovered in one of them the Minister whose preaching had proved the power of God to her salvation, and whom she had not since seen until that hour. It needs not be stated how cordially she welcomed him. During the last few months of her life, she was evidently ripening for glory. When speaking on the subject of her experience and prospects to a very intimate friend, only a few days before her death, she stated that she had recently enjoyed deep communion with God, bright manifestations of his love, and clear views of heaven. God was pleased thus graciously to prepare her for her sudden removal; for at four o'clock in the afternoon of the day on which she died, she was seized with apoplexy, and, after seven hours of morbid insensibility, passed from

"A suffering church beneath,
To a reigning church above."

JAMES SCHOLES.

48. Died, January 22d, Mr. Richard Palk, of Coombfishacre, in the Teignmouth Circuit. His parents were members of the established Church, and trained their son in the regular observance of its ordinances. For fifty years he continued to attend these services; but, during the whole time, his religion was of the character described in the verse of a hymn to which he could afterwards refer,—

"I rested in the outward law,

Nor knew its deep design:

The length and breadth I never saw,
And height, of love divine."

In the year 1808, he went to reside in the parish of Ipplepen, where a few Methodists lived, then much despised, and often persecuted. One family in connexion with them, dwelt in a house on his own

farm; and here the Wesleyan Ministers regularly preached. Mr. Palk, having frequently to pass by this house, both morning and evening, often overheard its inmates when engaged in their domestic worship. He was much impressed by this, and could not prevent the reflection, that they were right, and that he was wrong. A circumstance, seemingly very trivial, proved the turning-point in his history. Passing over a common in the neighbourhood one day, he met the Wesleyan Minister returning home from his accustomed visit and duty. Mr. Palk said, "It is a fine morning, Sir." "Yes," was the reply, "it is a fine morning; and that is often all that we think about it." Casual as the remark appeared to be, it awakened, in the person to whom it was addressed, a train of serious thoughts. He felt that he was guilty of the sin of ingratitude to God, in never acknowledging his goodness and bounty, and that he was living in the world without God, even while regularly professing to believe in him as "the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth." He resolved to attend the Methodist ministry, gave diligent heed to the things which he heard, and gradually became acquainted with God's method of justifying the ungodly. He was likewise convinced of his own guilty and fallen condition, and that he himself personally needed the salvation of his soul. He felt that he could not be happy till he knew that his sins were forgiven; and he sought, therefore, with all earnestness, acceptance with God through the atonement of Christ. He soon obtained what he sought, and was enabled to rejoice in God as his reconciled Father. He at once joined the society. The humble circumstances of the members, compared with his own, had now no effect on him. He recognised them as Christian brethren, willingly cast his lot amongst them, was thankful to give them the influence of his own superior station in life, and remained steadfast in his profession to the day of his death. He devoutly and punctually attended all the means of grace; and esteemed it an honour and a privilege to entertain, for many years, the Ministers of Christ under his hospitable roof. He was highly esteemed by all among whom he lived, as a good neighbour, and a sincere and upright Christian. In his own family circle he was much beloved: his example, counsels, and prayers were very beneficial; and he rejoiced to see most of them, eventually, partakers with him of the converting grace of God.

For some time previously to his death, it was evident that he was sinking under the weight of increasing years. On Tuesday, January 16th, he arose apparently in his usual health; but, shortly after, a paralytic seizure deprived him of the use of his limbs, and the next day the powers of articulation were seriously affected. His family were alarmed, but his own mind was composed. He was asked if he were quite happy, and replied in the affirmative. He lay thus, in a state of great prostration, for about a week. On the following Sunday morning, his son, Mr. Edward Palk, a Local Preacher, said to him, "Father, we think you will not be long with us: do you think so yourself?" He answered, "Yes." On being asked farther, if he felt that all was right, he seemed to collect all his remaining strength, and, with much energy, (for him,) replied, "Christ is all; yes, all in all." He lingered till the next night, and then peacefully expired. EDWARD SHELTON.

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