harmony with his love. It divests my mind of burdening cares; it raises me above the world; it triumphs over death and the grave; it gives me a godly victory over foes and fears; not the victory of anger, malice, and revenge, but the holy victory of reigning grace within, which enables me to say, "I will both lay me down in peace and sleep; for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety."

Obituary.

MARY ANN ALDWORTH.-Died at Wantage, Berks, Dec. 19th, 1879, aged 65, Mary Ann Aldworth.

Mrs. Aldworth was for many years a consistent member of the church meeting at Grove Chapel. She was brought out from the Church of England, and was without doubt one of those of whom Hart writes:"Broken hearts and humble walkers,

These are dear in Jesu's eyes."

She evidenced in her life and conversation, both in health and sickness, that she was a possessor of the fear of God; though herself often fearing she should be deceived or deceive others.

She was favoured at times to feel the preciousness of the Saviour. She could then exclaim,

Compared with Christ, in all besides
No comeliness I see;

The one thing needful, dearest Lord,

Is to be one with thee."

A short time before her death she desired her love to be conveyed to the friends, and that they should be told that she was not afraid to die. She could sing, "Glory, honour, praise, and power, be unto the Lamb for ever. The Lord kindly answered her request that she might not become a trouble in her last days. She was only compelled to keep her bed a little more than a fortnight. Asthma and other complaints "loosened the pins of her tabernacle"; and thus she fell asleep.

A. B.

WINIFRED FUNNELL.-On April 26th, 1880. aged 61, Winifred Funnell, a member of the Particular Baptist Church, Zoar, Dicker, SusShe was baptized Oct. 11th, 1842.

sex.

Mrs. Funnell was a very weakly, afflicted woman, and suffered for many years from an affection in the throat, which prevented her swallowing her food, and thus producing great weakness of the frame. She was a very deeply exercised woman, knowing and feeling much the depth of the fall, and the evils of her own heart, and was most keenly tried about her real state before God. She also knew much of the power of the enemy of souls. Under the power and guilt of indwelling sin within, the accusations of the enemy, the unbelief of her own heart, and doubts and fears arising in her own mind, through a felt unworthiness in herself before the Lord, she was often caused to sink very low in her mind, and to write very hard and bitter things against herself. At times she thus sank very, very low respecting her real state before the Lord. But she was also very much favoured at times in her soul, and was a most consistent woman in her outward walk; an affectionate wife, a loving mother, a humble walker, and a praying member of the church of God. She was very diligent in the use of the means, and very regular in her attendance in the house of God, often being

there when she was more fit to be in bed, had she consulted her weak frame. She loved to be under the preached word, and was a dear lover of prayer-meetings and the Lord's dear people.

In January, 1874, she was taken ill; and attended by a doctor. At this time she was brought very low; and for some weeks could only just get up and down stairs.

On April 14th following, she was taken much worse, and thought her end was very near. She was much tried and cast down in her mind,

and burst out into tears, and cried:

"But can I bear the piercing thought,

What if my name should be left out

When thou for them shalt call ?"

Then these words flowed sweetly into her mind, and greatly supported and comforted her: "Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong; fear not. Behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompense; he will come and save you." (Isa. xxxv. 3, 4.)

The next day she was very much cast down again, and tried in her mind as to her real state before God. On April 19th these words came with much comfort to her :

"I love the Lord with mind and heart,

His people and his ways."

Also: "When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee." Again she was much cast down and tried, and burst out into tears, exclaiming, "0! what shall I do? My time is so near to the end. O! if I should be lost after all! I cannot rest upon anything that I have had. I want the Lord to come again; and that is all I want." The Lord mercifully came, to her comfort of mind; and she broke out again :

"I'll tell the Father in that day,

And thou shalt witness what we say,

We're clean, great God; we're clean.”

Darkness and trial of mind again followed. She said, "I want the Lord to come. Nobody knows what a wretch I have been. O Lord, do have mercy upon me! Perhaps he will come. I do want his presence." She then put her hands together, and said, "They shall walk with me in white; for they are worthy. O! he never would have showed me these things if he had meant to destroy me.

66

"I soon shall reach the harbour

To which I speed my way.”

She lost the sweetness again, and said, “I am so unfeeling again this morning; and these words keep coming:

"A porter at the heavenly gates,
To let the pilgrims in.'

I could give my husband and children all up, if I was quite sure it would be all right with me."

One morning she said to her husband, "I cannot get what I want. Do you think I shall get right at last?” He said, "Yes, I do believe

you will." She replied, "I hope I shall.

“‘But faith, though the smallest, will surely be tried.' O! I cannot stand many more such turns as these." She burst into tears, and said, "I want the Lord to come." Her husband read a portion of the Word, and bowed the knee in prayer. When he rose from his knees, she said,

"And passing through a thousand woes,

They get securely home."

On April 30th, after reading and prayer, she seemed in deep distress,

and felt much of the power of the enemy upon her mind. After a time she said, "I have been looking at two hymns:

"Lord, we lie before thy feet' (704);

"Jesus, while he dwelt below"" (802).

She seemed much comforted again, and said, “If I was only a deceived one I cannot think so many of the friends would come to see me. I think they would not feel a love to me if I was wrong."

On May 1st, a friend called, and asked how she was. With tears in her eyes, she said, "I will be with thee in six troubles; and in the seventh there shall no evil touch thee." "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."

On May 2nd, in the morning, it was most distressing to see her. She mourned and cried, "The Lord does not answer me; and my time is very short. O! what shall I do?" After a little time, she said,

"Should I grieve for what I feel,

If I did not love the Lord ?"

From this time she began to amend, and was restored to her usual health again; though still suffering from a weak body and the affection of the throat. She was taken ill with what proved to be her last affliction on March 13th, 1880. She was again brought very low in body and mind, and feared the floods of death would quite overwhelm her. When in great distress about her state, and fearing she might be deceived, those words came to her again: "When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee," &c.; and seemed greatly to comfort her mind. But she was soon again in tears and distress of soul, saying, "I fear I shall be deceived when death comes; and O! I want to be right." She spoke of the power with which the 623rd hymn came to her: "Whom the Lord JEHOVAH loves,

He in various ways reproves;
'Tis his settled wise decree

That his sons chastised shall be.

"Them to wean from self and sin,
Try the grace he works within,
Strip them of each idol god,

Make them prize the Saviour's blood."

She continued in about this state for three weeks, suffering much distress, darkness, and often anguish of spirit, with at times a little light and comfort in her soul. Many portions of the Word and parts of hymns gave her a little comfort. The enemy lying hard at her all the time, sending in his arrows and trying to tear away every comfort.

On April 7th, when her husband came into her room, he found her in a flood of tears. She said, "I have been reading the 167th hymn. O! I wish I knew Christ really had suffered for me; that I was one for whom he laid down his life."

The next day she was taken much worse, and sank in deep distress of soul; so that she felt overwhelmed with grief. But at length she said, “If the Lord had meant to destroy me, he would not have showed me these things. O! give my love to our children. I hope the Lord will convince them of their state before him, that they may find mercy with him." She revived again a little in her spirit, and said,

"Whom once he loves he never leaves,

But loves them to the end.'

"Then let us all unite and sing

The praises of free grace;

Those souls who long to see him now,

Shall surely see his face.'

He will come with a recompense, and save you." Thus her hopes revived, and the Lord broke in upon her mind, and she felt the 467th hymn very precious, and much blessed to her soul:

"Why should we shrink at Jordan's flood,

Or dread the unknown way?

See, yonder rolls a stream of blood,

That bears the curse away.”

She also spoke of the 329th hymn being a great comfort to her mind, and support to her:

"How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord," &c.

I visited our dear friend, and found her very low in mind, and in a very tried state; but still, when we got into a little conversation, we found it sweet, and there was somewhat of the Lord's presence and blessing with us. Our dear friend brightened up a little, and we read the Word, and spoke a few words in prayer; and I trust we both felt it good to be there. When I left, she said, “I am afraid Mr. Vine thinks too much of me, and that he is deceived in me. But I do love the dear people at Zoar. I am so glad that we are got back to Zoar. I do think the Lord answered my prayer in that. Bless the Lord, 0 my soul; and all that is within me, bless his holy Name."

On April 19th, she became much worse with inflammation in her throat. She cried out, "O Lord! what shall I do?" She took her husband's hand, and said, "We have lived together for many years. It may only be a very few hours more." Her throat was almost stopped, and she cried out, "Dear Lord, do come. I want to know that thou hast redeemed my soul.

"And could he have taught me to trust in his Name,

And thus far have brought me to put me to shame?' Give my kind love to all the children. Perhaps I shall never see them any more. O! this is hard work indeed."

On April 20th, she was still weaker in body, and begging for the presence of the Lord to her soul; saying, "O! I do hope the dear Lord will land me safe through the River of Jordan. O that his everlasting arms may be underneath me to bear me up." Then she said:

"Fear not; I am with thee; O be not dismayed;

I, I am thy God, and will still give thee aid;

I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by thy righteous omnipotent hand,'

My hands are not nailed.

"Did Christ my Lord suffer, and shall I repine?""

She also said to her husband, "Your dear mother is gone to heaven. "Once they were mourning here below.'

I lie here like clay in the hand of the potter. If the Lord is pleased to bless the means, he is able to raise me up again; but if not, I hope to be resigned to his will,

"The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design

Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.'

I have no righteousness of my own. I have been brought off. from everything of self; and I need the arms of a precious Christ underneath me to hold me up. O! sanctify to me my deepest distress. O! I do want the dear Lord to come and take me to himself. 'Some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship; and so it came to pass, that they all got safe to land.' The Lord will avenge his own elect." She said to her husband, "I hope the Lord will bless you. It will be hard work. I want him to come with power. I hope the Lord will come again before he stops my breath. I want his presence in my soul. I should have sunk before now if the Lord had not helped me through."

Her husband gave her a little milk with a teaspoon. She said, “O how nice! Christ had vinegar. Christ had vinegar.

"When I tread the verge of Jordan,

Bid my anxious fears subside;
Death of deaths, and hell's Destruction,
Land me safe on Canaan's side.

Songs of praises I will ever give to thee.'

I hope I shall soon be landed.

"Then shall I bathe my weary soul

In seas of heavenly rest;

And not a wave of trouble roll

Across my peaceful breast.""

On April 23rd, she said, "Give my kind love to Mr. Vine and all the friends.

Yes, I to the end shall endure,

As sure as the earnest is given;
More happy, but not more secure,

Are the glorified spirits in heaven." "

I visited her again this day. When I went up to her bedside, she took my hand, and said, "I shall get home safe now. Yes, I shall. I am almost sure I shall. Yes, I am almost sure I shall. The Lord won't leave me now; will he? He has been with me all along until now; and he won't cast me off now, will he? No; I do believe I shall get safe home. Yes, I do believe I shall; I shall." She also said, "I am willing to suffer anything the Lord may put upon me, if he give me strength to bear it. I don't mind what I suffer if the Lord will sanctify it. I do hope all my children may be brought to the Lord. I don't mind what I suffer if the Lord should sanctify it to them. I can leave all my children in the Lord's hand; and my husband too. I am going to heaven; and the Lord can bring my husband without me. He will be sure to come; I know he will." She then took my hand and said, "And you will be sure to be there." I said, "I hope I shall reach safe at last." "O yes," she replied; "if I get safe; and I do believe I shall. I am almost sure I shall. If I get safe, I am sure my husband will; and I am sure you will. O! I am sure we shall get safe."

I read and spoke in prayer, and then took my last farewell in this world of our dear praying friend. She gave me her dying blessing, imploring the divine blessing upon the ministry, and the church and people at the Dicker; and we gave our last affectionate token of love to each other by a shake of the hand, feeling we should never meet again in this world. When I had left, she said to her husband, "I am glad Mr. Vine has been. I wanted to see him once more."

During the night she was much in prayer, saying, "Dear Lord, do come." Her husband asked if she was happy in her mind. She said, "Yes, yes; but it is hard work, I hope the Lord will give strength and grace to go through."

Or the 26th, in the morning, her sufferings were very great, with extreme weakness of the body. She was nearly starved, as she could not swallow. Her body was in a dying state; but she was in a most sweet frame of mind, with a felt assurance of her soul landing safe. She told her medical man that she should get safe home. "O yes," she said; "I am almost certain I shall land safe. Yes, I am certain I shall get safe now." Her husband was sitting by her side, and her eyes shone bright; and she waved both her hands, and said, “I can almost see the angels. Do, Lord, give me grace and patience to wait. The Lord will come presently. Now, my dear husband, don't cry, for I shall be better off. I hope the dear Lord will sanctify this affliction. I shall soon be landed.