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MEMOIR OF MISS ELIZABETH LILLY.

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Surely thou wilt render thyself unto Him, and let him take possession of thee. Guide, O LORD! thy foolish, wandering lamb, and bring it unto thyself."

She esteemed the Sabbath holy and honourable ; and if worldly subjects were introduced on that sacred day, she would pointedly observe, "This is not Sunday conversation." The happy effects of Sundayschools being mentioned in her presence, she earnestly sought to establish one at St. Osyth; and, on that account, much lamented her intended removal from it.

At the close of 1820, MISS LILLY became a resident in Colchester, and there enjoyed the delightful task of endeavouring "to pour the fresh instruction o'er the mind," in the Wesleyan Sunday-School. From infancy her health had been delicate, and at this period was peculiarly so; her friends, therefore, thought that she should decline, for the present, this additional labour. She complied for a season; but soon begged, with tears, to be permitted to resume the employment, observing, "Whilst I am watering others, my own soul will be watered."

In February, 1821, during a severe illness, the SPIRIT of the LORD wrought powerfully on her mind; leading her earnestly to seek salvation through the blood of CHRIST, and to read the sacred volume with the most sedulous attention, especially the Epistles of ST. JOHN, many passages of which she carefully marked with her pencil. Her feelings, at this period, are thus expressed in her diary :—

"Feb. 25, 1821.-O blessed LORD, I wish to give myself to thee, that the remnant of my days may be unreservedly thine. Give me, O Loud, the assurance that I am thine. If I am not seeking thee aright, show me the right way;—I would trust alone in the merits of my REDEEMER. May I never rest, until I have found the pearl of great price; then shall I receive the crown of glory which fadeth not away.

"March 4.-Where should I go but unto thee, O LORD? Thou hast the words of endless life. I am Convinced that nothing in this vain and transitory world is worth a thought, but 'how I may escape the

death that never, never dies.' I am now under thy chastening hand. If thou art about to call me hence, O may it be to dwell with thee in glory. Give, O give me the assurance that I am thine! May I testify to the world that I am born of thee. If thou raise me to health again, may I renounce the world and all its vanities, and devote my short life entirely to thee. O my blessed REDEEMER, I would trust in thy allmeritorious sufferings. Unworthy as I am of the least of thy mercies, yet thou didst die for me.

"Ah! wherefore did I ever doubt?

Thou wilt in no wise cast me out."
"Whene'er my head shall seek its last repose,
O let thy presence cheer my latter end;
Then tenderly my weary eyelids close,

My gracious God, my SAVIOUR, and my Friend!" The decided advantages of church-fellowship over a solitary profession of religion were strikingly exemplified in MISS LILLY's subsequent experience. After her recovery, she was severely exercised by temptations from Satan; and it was not until after the lapse of some months, (when, in consequence of the pastoral advice of the REV. MR. HARVARD, she joined the Methodist Society,) that she obtained full deliverance from them. Some observations made by one of her Ministers, on the pleasantness of religion, excited afresh her desires to enjoy its blessedness; and in answer to her incessant cry, "Give, O give me, assurance that I am thine," the LORD shortly sent his SPIRIT into her heart, bearing witness with her spirit, that she was his adopted child.

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In November, 1821, her health began to decline; and her disorder, found to be an enlargement of the heart, baffled the power of medicine; so that, on the 7th of December, her case was pronounced hopeless. The annunciation of an event, so infinitely solemn, has often made the bravest hearts to tremble; but this young female received it with the magnanimity of a Christian, and without the slightest regret, except what she felt on seeing the anguish of her mother and sister. From that moment she was absorbed in the contemplation of the realities of eternity. A few days

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afterwards, joy visibly sparkling in her eye, her mother said, "You were not so cheerful at first." "Remember, my mother," she replied, "I had feelings to conquer as well as you; but now I have given up every thing earthly." To her young friends and rela tives who visited her, she said, "Give your hearts to GOD: look at me, on the brink of the grave: what should I do now, without an interest in the blood of CHRIST?" Seeing a dear young friend weep, as he left the room, she lifted up her eyes and hands to heaven, and earnestly prayed that her affliction might work for him the peaceable fruits of righteousness. At another time she said to him, "Promise to meet me in heaven." Deeply affected, he replied, "I hope I shall." "Now," she rejoined, "I am happy." Some trifling thing being mentioned to her, she exclaimed, "That is beneath my notice now, a golden harp for me!”—and then, looking at her mother with a tender and heavenly smile, she added, "When you come to heaven, O how loudly will I tune it." Looking at a piece of muslin which had been designed for a frock, her mother remarked, "You will never want this, my love." "No," she answered, "a brighter robe for me!" The grateful child afterwards said, "My dear mother, I have much reason to thank you, for keeping me from the vain amusements of the world; perhaps if I had been permitted to enter into them, I should have liked them as well as others." Twice, during her affliction, MISS LILLY partook of the sacramental memorials of our SAVIOUR's passion, and felt her soul greatly refreshed. She also received her first Society-Ticket; and reading the text on it, which was, "If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small;-"Thank the LORD," she cried, "we have not fainted." Symptoms of dropsy now appeared; and were hailed with evident joy, moderated, however, by a fear lest she should offend by too earnestly wishing to depart. It was intimated, that her life was prolonged for the maturing of her own graces, and probably for the benefit of others. If my death," she replied, " be the means of leading

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A friend ❝ O, my

one soul to God, I am very willing to die." said, "I am very sorry to see you so ill." dear," she sweetly replied, "there is no cause for sorrow." Patience and resignation, peace and joy, were the constant companions of her affliction. Not a murmur, nor a complaint, ever escaped from her lips, although she had scarcely any rest. Whenever her sufferings were mentioned, she would reply, "The severer the conflict, the brighter the crown." Every attention paid to her was received with the utmost gratitude. Her breathing being greatly oppressed, she was obliged generally to sit in a chair. Lying down one night, and feeling a little refreshed, she gratefully exclaimed,

"The Son of GOD, the Son of Man,

He had not where to lay his head."

On Thursday, Jan. 10, 1822, when one of her Ministers asked if JESUS was precious to her, being unable to converse, she sweetly smiled, looked upward, and placed her hand on her heart. The next morning, symptoms of dissolution evidently appeared, but under circumstances most consolatory to her mourning friends, and edifying to all around her. "JESUS is the watch word," she said; and then sung,

"If all the world my JESUS knew,

Then all the world would love him too."

She exclaimed, "Praise the LORD, my mother." "We do praise him," replied her mother. She then added, "Praise him, O my soul, and all that is within me, praise his holy name." Her mother began to repeat those words ;

"Lend, lend your wings,"

on which her happy daughter instantly took up the, subject, exclaiming,

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I mount! I fly!
O grave, where is thy victory?".

Her strength failing her, her sister finished the verse for her,

"O death, where is thy sting? while she waved her hand in triumph. Again she exclaimed," JESUS is precious! Why tarry the wheels

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of his chariot: why are they so long in coming ?” Her last words were, "JESUS wings my soul to bliss!"

Such are the brief outlines of the experience and death of MISS LILLY,-a most lovely and interesting young lady, in whom were united great vivacity of spirits, a sweet and affectionate disposition, amiable manners, and a superior mind; all of which were refined and hallowed by the influences of religion. In tracing the quick expansion of her intellectual powers, and the rapid maturity of her graces, her friends are led to forget, that she was only fourteen years of age, when transplanted into the heavenly Paradise. To God be all the glory! Colchester, Feb. 4, 1822.

JUVENILE OBITUARY.

T. R.

DIED, at Biggleswade, in January, 1822, aged nine years, JOHN MILLMAN. He was born Oct. 18th, 1812. His disposition was amiable; and he was the subject of very early religious impressions. In October, 1820, he went to Kingswood School; where, in July, 1821, by the rupture of a blood-vessel of the lungs, he was brought to the gates of death. It pleased God that he so far recovered as to be able in a short time to be removed; but he soon suffered a relapse, and from about the middle of December was confined to his bed. When he first came home, he was anxious to recover; appearing to have a very great dread of death, and acknowledging that he was not prepared for eternity. The LORD, however, began to work powerfully upon his mind, and he became very desirous to obtain salvation. When directed to look by faith to the atonement of CHRIST, he listened with eagerness, and was often heard, in the night, pouring out his soul to GOD. On the evening of December 26th, while engaged in prayer, those words of the Prophet were comfortably applied to his mind, "To this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.”

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