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Obituary.

when blessed with a sense of the par-
doning love of God upon his soul, in the
fen (for he was a cultivator of land) he
had such holy communion with the Lord
Jesus that he felt quite willing to go
then from earth, to be for ever with Him
whom his soul loved. "Whom have I
in heaven," he would say,
"but thee;
and there is none upon earth I desire
beside thee." Once, when (as he often
did) feeling his barrenness and unfitness
for the ministry, and mind cast down,
and knowing not what to say to the
people, he entered the barn, the reader
gave out the hymn-

"If dust and ashes," &c.;

and when he came to the words—

"To see thee bow beneath my guilt,
(Intolerable load !)

To see thy blood for sinners spilt,

MR. ROBERT ROLFE, minister of the gospel, West-row, Mildenhall, was mercifully removed from this sinful world to his heavenly home on the 5th day of February, 1858, aged 48 years. But although the event was to the deceased an unspeakable mercy, for it opened to him the gates of heaven; yet to those who loved him on earth, and who still survive him, it was a distressing bereavement, and his loss will long be deeply felt. Deceased had long known and loved the Lord, and for the last few years had preached the gospel, as the Lord enabled him, to a goodly number of souls in his own barn, which he had converted into a chapel, and where a few had been formed into a Church, and met for prayer and reading, prior to his speaking among them. He had been the means of the gospel being preached in that hamlet for many times during My groaning, gasping God!" a period of some twenty years; as how his soul was melted within him, and many a minister could testify who have his mouth was enlarged, and he spoke to spoken there in the name of Jesus-and sometimes large assemblies have listened the praise of God. Nor did the Lord to the Word of life in that good man's Word to the souls of some who heard. leave him without a blessing on the barn-and there are some now living And the solemn earnestness of his power and blessedness which attended the Word spoken prayer, the nearness of access to the by some who are still labourers in the Lord, seemed to betoken some coming Lord's vineyard. Deceased has event not yet seen by mortal men. times rode miles to hear the Word, and when administering, for the last time, then invited the minister to his home: the ordinance of the Lord's Supper (not He was for many years a lover of good deeply affecting were his words those known to be the last time then), how men, and his honest heart was ever open who were present will not soon forget; to receive them; and the Lord made him willing, not only to spend, but to and he said, more than once, we shall be spent, in the cause of God and truth.not, I think, all meet here again; we may He was a very humble man, and esteemed be called away before another Sabbath, one of us, others better than himself, feeling that and it may be me. none were so weak, none so unfit for the Tuesday evening, at the prayer-meetministry, none so little and insignificant ing, he was particularly impressive, and as himself. But those who best knew with great feeling repeated that verse— him could see in him the "Wisdom and mercy guide my way, of God, grace shining, as it were, upon his countenance and in his conduct, and really believed him to be ripening for glory. On one occasion, when referring to the affairs of this life, he said, "Oh! how I sometimes wish I could be quite rid of these things, and devote my whole life to the cause of God!" And at another time,

who well remember the

many

Shall I resist them both;

A poor blind creature of a day,

And

And crushed before the moth," With his mother he stayed till rather late that evening, lingering at the door, and then going back into the room. She is a very afflicted person, but one who fears God. And he usually

met the friends at her house on Tuesdays. Thursday, again, he appeared among his little band, who met for prayer in the evening. And they sung,"As when a child, secure of harm," &e., one of HART's hymns. It was a solemn meeting (it was the last on earth). He read, he sung TOPLADY'S hymn

"Emptied of earth I fain would be,
The world, myself, and all but thee;
Only reserv'd for Christ that died,
Surrender'd to the Crucified."

The meeting over, they parted; not one of them knew or thought of the coming mysterious event.

Friday morning came once more. He prayed in the family meeting; a friend, not one of the family, joined, and heard from his lips, "Thou dear Redeemer,' with such emphasis and feeling: it was the last time she heard that well-known voice in prayer, and scarcely had noon arrived when the blow, the fatal blow, was struck, which was the means of placing him in that blessed home-that glorious mansion which was prepared for him by Jesus Christ, his dear Saviour. "In my Father's house there are many mansions: if it were not so, would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you."

I

About twelve o'clock, a man called to see a young horse Mr. R. had for sale; and inquiring for him, was answered by the wife, who called him. He soon appeared, and went into the yard with his neighbour, and a something caused the horse to startle suddenly, and pushing against his master, knocked him down and scampered over him. The animal's foot struck the head, and inflicted a deep wound nearly behind the ear, which bled profusely. He appeared

to be dying, and was quite insensible, to the great alarm of the other, who called for help; and when assistance could be procured they carried him in, his colour came, he revived, became sensible, and asked what was the matter; and on being told about the horse, &c., he seemed to remember something about being in the straw-yard with the horse. He said, perhaps it would cause his death; then, "O that it may be for the glory of God;" and, with hands uplifted, said in prayer, "O that my sins is this world worth?" and such-like may not be imputed to me;" "O what expressions, all tending to show how pleased to make him under such a blessedly submissive the good Lord was stroke. How encouraging to those who so often fear death, to see a man in the midst of life, health, and strength, and to the will of God, under such cireummany temporal comforts, so acquiescent stances. His friends and relatives soon collected around him, to whom he spoke sensibly for some three quarters of an hour. When medical aid was procured, the wound was dressed, and the bleeding stopped; but he rapidly got worse, and became unconscious, and ceased to breathe about nine o'clock on Saturday evening.

"Why should the wonders God has wrought, Be lost in silence and forgot?"

His remains were interred the following Wednesday afternoon, when a large concourse of people, besides relatives and friends, helped to show how greatly he was esteemed, how deeply lamented. A sermon was preached on the occasion the following Thursday evening, by his intimate friend and brother, the Rev. Mr. T, from Acts xx. 32.

ACCOUNT OF HARRIET PURKISS,

WHO DIED APRIL 8, 1859, AT COCKFIELD IN SUFFOLK, AGED 29.

H. P. was born in sin, and lived the greater part of her life in a natural state. About two years and a half ago she showed she still had that carnal mind which is enmity against God. It was at this time her mother found the pardon of sin; and when, in the joy of her heart, she was telling her daughter at

night what God had done for her soul, Harriet turned sharply round and was angry, because her mother would not let her go to sleep. She could not believe in such things. I remember after this her telling me she felt angry because she could not enjoy what her mother did. She became a regular attendant at our

you with an everlasting love?" "Yes,
I can see my election." "Are you sure
of that, for if you have seen that God
has chosen you in Christ from all eter-
nity, there must be peace?" She was
silent. He begged her not to be satisfied
with anything man said, but to go to the
Lord for herself. After he left, she
said, "He was very hard upon me, he
seemed quite to discourage me." A few
days after, she saw that all he said was
true. One day her mother found her
weeping, and said, "Is there anything
the matter ?" "No, mother, you know
what is the matter."
"Can I do any-
thing for you? Is there anything you
want ?" No, only one thing." Lat-
terly she passed through much darkness
of soul, and was several times found in
tears. But the Lord was moved with
compassion; for one night she said to
her mother, "I have got such beautiful
words come- -Keep close to me'-are
they not in a hymn?" (The mother
searched the hymn-book through that
night, but could not find them; the next
morning she opened the book directly on
the hymn.) Harriet was thus encou-

week-day lectures, and also, for some time before her illness, a teacher in our Sunday-school. She used latterly to tell her mother the delight she felt in the truths she heard. She liked to read good books, especially those which told of Jesus, and avoided all light reading. She hearkened to the voice of friendly counsel, for when one remarked to her, that the bonnet she wore was beyond her station, she laid it aside, though it had been given to her by a friend, and not purchased. At the time she showed some anger at being interfered with in her dress, but afterwards her neat appearance was remarked by several, giving rise to the hope that an inward change was being wrought. She seemed at times to be troubled on account of sin, and said she had been struck by those words, "Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened that it cannot save; neither His ear heavy that it cannot hear" but it was not till her illness, which began with a cough, in the summer of 1858, and almost confined her to the house after Christmas, that she was fully convinced of sin; she was then very fond of the fifth hymn in HART's Ap-raged to wait still upon God, and was pendix, beginning

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Jesus, to thee I make my moan,
My doleful tale I tell to thee;

For thou canst help, and thou alone,
A lifeless lump of sin like me.

"Fain would I find increase of faith;

Fain would I find fresh graces bloom; But ah! my heart's a barren heath, Blasted with cold and black with gloom.

*

"Still on thy promise I'll rely,

From whom alone my fruit is found; Until the Spirit from on high,

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often reading Psalm cxxx.

The friend, whose visit has been already mentioned, called a second time to see her; and, after asking a few questions, said, "Is there any particular portion of God's Word you would wish me to read ?" She said, "No; you read just where you please.' He read part of Rom. iv., and dwelt on "Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered." He told her it did not say we had no sin, but that they were covered, remarking, that the same blessed truth was in the 32nd Enrich the dry and barren ground." Psalm and also in the 85th, and then Oh, mother," she said, "read that read the 32nd Psalm, pointing out that hymn, it is just like me." God was "For this," in the 6th verse, meant the showing her what she was. So when a pardon of sin. Harriet then complained Christian friend, who called to see her, of her not being able to read on account asked whether she thought the Lord of her weakness. He told her it was had done anything for her? Yes," not her reading, nor her prayers, but she said, "He has shown me more than faith in what Christ had done; adding, ever He did before." "Have you seen that a real desire and looking to the that you are a lost sinner ?" Yes, I Lord was prayer. "Can you see any have;" and she burst into tears. "Have one," he asked, "worse than yourself?" you had any help from the Lord ?" "No," she said; "but I see myself 66 Yes, from those words, 'Yea, I have worse than any one else." "Abraham loved thee with an everlasting love." believed God," he said again; “but you "Can you see that the Lord has loved find, Harriet, you cannot believe." “I

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after Harriet's death. She was led to pray for her. She walked into the garden the day before she died; she often fixed her eyes on her mother during the day and smiled, and said in reply to a remark, "Mother, you may have all my clothes when I am gone;" and from something else that was said she observed, "I shall triumph when the world's in a blaze." She was taken worse in the night, and could not get up in the morning. She sent for me; found she had received this precious promise, "He will come and save you (Isa. xxxv. 4). She felt the Lord near, and was still waiting on Him for the pardon of sin. After I left she said, "None but Jesus, none but Jesus ;" and "I have not yet got what I want." Her mother read the 13th Psalm, and exhorted her to wait with patience till the Lord should reveal Himself. The work of conviction was deepening; for she said very slowly and distinctly, "I have "been a liar and a hypocrite, and all that is bad;" and prayed," Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly, come and take me:" and was often looking up very earnestly. "Surely," she exclaimed, "Satan has not been keeping me in a delusion all this while." "No, the Lord is above Satan," said the mother; and taking the Bible which lay on the bed, read to her out of Isaiah lix., "When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him." I believe all in that book," said Harriet; and directly afterwards, "I want to praise my dear Jesus." "For what ?" said the mother. "I have got a little light." Her mother told her to keep pressing on, for she would have more light yet. "Yes," Harriet said, "He will do as He has promised." was led latterly into the firm belief that the Lord would not take her till He had revealed Himself; showing she was under the teaching of the Holy Ghost, who revealed unto Simeon "that he should not see death until he had seen the Lord's Christ." To her aunt, who stood by the bedside, she said, "You stand there, do you not ?" "Yes, dear," was the reply. "To-morrow I shall stand before the Lord; I shall shout and sing. 'Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden,' is a promise to rest on. I love my dear Lord,"

can," she said. "You mean you cannot."
"I can," she said again. "You mean
you cannot, for if you did the pardon of
sin would come." She showed by her
countenance that the truth had entered.
The friend asked her to pray over
Psalm xxxii., where it shows, in the 6th
verse, that every one of God's people
seeks the pardon of sin; and to read the
91st hymn in HART's; and, as her time
was short, to keep close to the prayer,
"Search me, O God." After he was
gone she said, "I do love that.... I
liked what he said;" she felt comfort in
his prayer, and hoped he would come
again. Since her death the friend has
told me, that for some days before he
went to see her, he had felt ignorant
and distressed himself, and doubted
whether he should visit her in this state;
but this is the way the Lord trains His
servants (see 2 Cor. i. 4-7). Let not
felt darkness make the servant of God
weary in well doing, "for he that re-
gardeth the clouds shall not reap
(Eccl. xi. 4); but in due season we shall
reap if we faint not. Harriet's love to
the people of God was seen in her ill-
ness; she spoke of them with affection,
and wished to see them. She loved
those she once hated. She used to be
angry because her mother often asked a
poor Christian, who goes about with
goods, to come in; but now was glad to
see him. About a poor blind man who
had called she said, "I wish I had given
him more, for he is one of the Lord's."
And of JOHN WARBURTON, whose life
had been read to her, "Though I have
never seen him," she said, "I love him."
Thus her love for the brethren showed
that she had passed from death unto
life. Other fruits of God's grace were
seen. Her fondness for her mother, like
a beautiful flower, bloomed in that heart
she had felt to be like a barren heath.
"I never felt till now," she said, "the
value of a mother." And again, "I have
a dear mother, and a dear Saviour; but
I love my Saviour best." Her concern
for others showed also that the Spirit
was enriching the dry and barren ground.
Of her cousin she said, "I hope she will
take warning from me, and not go about
so careless." And she was often inquir-
ing concerning one in the parish, who
was ill of the same disease as herself,
and who departed this life twelve hours

She

she said.

As

"He died for you," replied her mother. "And I could die for Him," she said again. While the doctor was in the little parlour with the friends, some of them thought they heard a noise in Harriet's room, and were glad when he left that they might go and see. they entered the room she was laughing, and her face shone with heavenly joy; the change in her was to be seen, even if she had never spoken a word. "I am going to tell you," Harriet said. "What, dear?" replied the mother. She turned on her side as if to speak, but a pain prevented her. "Do tell me, are you happy?" said the mother. Yes," was with difficulty spoken, and her spirit fled.

66

"One gentle word, her fetters break,

We scarce can say she's gone;
Before the willing spirit takes,

Her mansion near the throne."

She was very fond of the following hymn

"Yes, I shall soon be landed, On yonder shores of bliss ; There with my powers expanded, Shall dwell where Jesus is. "Yes, I shall soon be seated With Jesus on His throne; My foes be all defeated,

And sacred peace made known. "With Father, Son, and Spirit, I shall for ever reign; Sweet joy and peace inherit, And every good obtain. "I soon shall reach the harbour, To which I speed my way; Shall cease from all my labour, And there for ever stay. "Sweet Spirit, guide me over This life's tempestuous sea; Help me, O holy Saviour, For I confide in Thee. "Oh that in Jordan's swelling, I may be helped to sing; And pass the river telling, The triumphs of my King."

Reviews.

The Comforter; or, the Holy Spirit in | teaching where He, in His own Divine His glorious Person and gracious Work. By the Author of "God is Love," "The Brother born for Adversity," &c., &c. Second Edition. London: Darton and Co., Holborn Hilì.

ON former occasions we noticed the

works referred to in the title just quoted, and we have had the happiness of knowing how much those books were blessed. We therefore feel the greater pleasure in hailing the companion volume, "The Comforter." The title itself is sufficiently expressive of the contents of the book; and it is needless for us to add more than this, that, in these days, when the person and work of the Holy Ghost is virtually ignored, nothing can be more important than testimonies which go to prove His distinct personality and coequality with the Persons of God the Father and God the Son. The Holy Ghost is no mere emanescence or principle, but, as this invaluable work declares, is a Divine Person, and who will not countenance or smile upon any

Personality and power, is not merely acknowledged, but ardently and rever ently insisted upon. The non-declaration of this is one-if not the-crowning sin of the day.

Our Heavenly Home; or, Glimpses of the
Glory and Bliss of the better World.
London:
By the same Author.
Darton and Co.

THIS is a companion volume to the foregoing, and a beautiful volume it is. Whilst Mr. GRANT, in his former works, has insisted upon the distinct personality of each person in the adorable Trinity, and has set forth, in the most striking and scriptural way, the work of each in the great economy of salvation, he has, in the present volume, conducted the reader in his contemplation to the consummation of all in eternal glory. "Our Heavenly Home" is fraught with richest reflections; the spiritual reader soars high as thought after thought is sug gested to his ravished view. As he reads,

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