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OBITUARY.

MR. JOSEPH HARDING, father of the Revs. Richard and Isaac Harding, was born at Wanstrow, in the Frome Circuit, March 28th, 1805. When ten years old he lost his father, and was left, the eldest of six children, to the care of his widowed mother. In attendance on his father's sick-bed was an aged Christian woman, who promised the dying man that as long as she lived she would pray daily for his widow and fatherless children--a promise which she faithfully performed. The Great Prayer-answerer heard: in early life the entire family became truly converted to God. The five sons were called to do public service for God, three of them as Local Preachers and Class Leaders, two as Missionaries, the younger of whom still labours in Queensland, though in comparative retirement; the other, after an earnest and successful career of forty-four years, passed into the rest that remaineth for the people of God. The prayers of that humble, godly woman were instrumental in directing the life of an entire family, and through them the lives of several others, into the peace and service of God.

Joseph Harding married in early manhood; and not long after, he and his wife joined themselves to the Church of God. In his case conversion was a very gradual change; he could never fix the exact date when he was enabled to say: 'I am my Lord's and He is mine.' He was endowed with a singularly genial, generous disposition, which, together with a rich vein of humour and a passionate love of music, led him into dangerous company. For a season the young Christian faltered, and family prayer was discontinued. Conscience, however, spoke too loudly to be disregarded; he recommenced the duty which became his delight, and never again abandoned it.

About this time he removed to Marksbury, in the Midsomer-Norton Circuit. In that village an extraordinary revival of religion broke out, and Joseph Harding worked almost day and night in praying and directing souls to the Cross of Christ. Whilst thus ministering to others his own spiritual life was wonderfully quickened, and from that time he grew in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ.

His appointment as Leader of these new converts gave him much anxiety, which induced him to rely upon the wise direction of the Holy Ghost. Ready sympathy, clear insight into character, and cheerful piety eminently qualified him for the office. A friend writes of him: 'I confided to him the troubles which crowded my path, and especially my fears for the future. He

heard me to the end; then proposed that we should take a walk in the fields. On reaching the top of a hill on his farm, he said: "Let us kneel beneath these trees and ask God to bring you through." He prayed earnestly for me and my young family; then asked me to pray, which I did, but with little comforting result.... Another Christian friend soon joined us,... and they prayed sweetly and earnestly for me, when a comforting assurance dawned upon my mind that all would yet be well.'

Shortly after this religious awakening, Joseph Harding removed to ComptonDando, where he opened a spacious room in the old farm-house for the preaching of the Gospel. Here for ten years, until his return to Marksbury, where he finished his course, he held his Class-meeting, to which his youngest children were freely admitted. To this circumstance some of the family can trace their religious impressions, and now reflect with unbounded gratitude upon the holy influence of those meetings.

A more earnest belief in the early conversion of our children would go far to bridge the gulf between the 'Font and the Lord's Supper.' Thousands of our baptized children never receive the grace of pardon, and consequently do not seek membership in the Church.

Exemplary as was the character of this godly man, it was in the domestic circle that he shone the brightest. For more than fifty years his wife had in him a wise and tender adviser. His was a strong arm on which to lean, a warm heart in which to confide. The influence of his character was felt and acknowledged by all, but by none more heartily than by his children. When in the later years of his life three of his children were taken from him by death, he submitted with Christian resig nation.

Those who were privileged to witness the triumphant death of his son Joseph at the age of eighteen, can never forget the wonderful brightness and hope of the dying youth, and the patient, earnest, submissive faith of the watchful father. The father never ceased to pray, but when all was over, and so well over, he rose and said, with tremulous emotion, 'The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.' A few years later, death bore away his son John, in the prime of manhood. His life had been singularly blameless. John knew his life would in all probability be short, and so he wisely crowded into it as much work for God as his weak frame would permit. His faith enabled him to hold converse with the great Unseen. He could always say, with

triumphant joy, 'The Lord liveth, and blessed be my Rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.' He died as he had lived, in the unshaken faith of the Gospel. These repeated strokes seemed but to refine and elevate the character of Joseph Harding.

During the storm which burst over the Church in the years 1849-52, his attachment to Methodism was severely tested, but he remained firm. His public speeches and his letters in defence of the Methodist Ministry and polity do credit alike to the loyalty of his heart and the strength of his intellect. Henceforth he paid constant attention to the training of his children in the principles of the Church he so ardently loved, and to the guarding of his Class from disaffection. The peculiar difficulties of the Church at this time loudly called for an increase of Local Preachers,and gave to him an opportunity of realizing a long but secretly cherished hope of preaching the Gospel. Modestly, but with a strong sense of duty, he entered upon the work. His preaching was marked by simplicity and aptness of Scripture quotation, and was often accompanied with rich spiritual power. The intelligent were edified and the poor heard him gladly. If it was possible to attend he never neglected an appointment, for his heart was in his work; and even when bowed down with the feebleness which betokened approaching paralysis, he could not be induced to give up his labours.

In the summer of 1870 he preached his last sermon, and the following day was seized with paralysis, to which he gradually succumbed. During the tedious illness of six years which followed, and which for two years before his death prevented conversation, he loved to hear selections from the Bible and Hymn-Book, and often referred to his last text, The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and He knoweth them that trust in Him'; intimating that he realized its truth in his extreme weakness. In June, 1874, the Quarterly Meeting was held in Marksbury. He expressed an earnest wish to join his brethren, and was taken to the chapel, where for the last time in public he partook of the Lord's Supper. From this time his strength very visibly diminished, until he was reduced to a state of painful feebleness; yet his faith in God never faltered, and very often when he believed himself alone he was heard attempting to pray or to repeat his favourite hymns, and Scripture texts especially: 'Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless His holy name.'

There could be no anxiety felt as to his spiritual state, for he manifestly knew in Whom he had believed. Every Sabbath

morning, for forty years, he was accustomed to sing with great sweetness and much feeling the hymn: 'God of my life, through all my days, etc.' Those words possessed a charm for him which to the last would always bring a tear to his eye and a smile upon his lips. A few days before he died, his son Richard preached in the house, within hearing of the patient sufferer, from 'He brought me to the banqueting-house, and His banner over me was love.' Though exceedingly prostrate, the sufferer enjoyed the service. The following Sabbath he sank into a stupor, and the next morning, May 1st, 1876, his spirit passed into the presence of his Redeemer. He died aged seventy-one.

His usefulness is not ended. His memory will always be fragrant to those who knew him.

Joseph Harding was tranquil in temper both in youth and age; blessed with equa nimity strengthened by the power of a simple, child-like faith, he passed more serenely than most men through the storms of life, and bore up with submissive and trusting composure under the heavy sor rows which at one period of his life crowded in upon his soul. Gentle, yet honest in admonition, he failed not on needful occasions to reprove, to rebuke, to exhort. He kept his ground both in judging and acting. Patient in listening and not hasty in forming a judgment, he made you feel that it was always worth your while to state a case to him, or argue a point, or request his consideration of a matter, and you were sure there would be no hasty prejudgment or an unintelligible deliverance.

As one who had heard much, read much, seen much, he both interested and edified in conversation. He never forgot a friend. He was intensely fond of the company of Wesleyan Ministers, and always spoke kindly of them. These servants of God, many of whom had long since passed away into rest, never seemed to fade from his memory, but like light from old suns long set, continued to the last to illuminate and gladden the soul of the aged saint. He devoutly thanked God for what he was able to do during his lifetime for his Master, but never counted it too much. He lived to be useful, and now that he is dead, all that was true of him becomes truer, the powerful becomes more powerful, the noble becomes nobler, the fruitful becomes more fruitful, and without fear of reverse, or failure, or discomfiture, or weariness, the liberated saint rejoices in the anticipation of eternal usefulness-usefulness in all respects illimitable, usefulness far beyond that of his most productive days on earth. ISAAC HARDING.

HAZELL, WATSON, AND VINEY, PRINTERS, LONDON AND AYLESBURY,

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WESLEYAN-METHODIST MAGAZINE.

OCTOBER, 1879.

MEMOIR OF MRS. ELIZABETH MANWARING :

WITH A BRIEF NOTICE OF METHODISM IN SOUTHWARK:

BY THE REV. BENJAMIN BROWNE.

ELIZABETH LEE, afterwards MRS. MANWARING, was born at Baston, in Bedfordshire. She received a very fair education. Her power of mental concentration, her ability to converse freely and intelligently on a variety of subjects, her facility in adapting her conversation and deportment to the society in which she mingled, her gentleness and propriety of manners, gave evidenceof early discipline. Her natural sprightliness and, at times, exuberance of spirit accompanied her, with all but undiminished force, to the end. Erect in figure, of easy carriage and slender form, her eyes of sparkling brightness, her footstep light and quick, and her voice penetrating, in old age she seemed ever young. Through life, the charm of sanctified intelligence won for her, and retained, many valuable friendships. Her presence at the meetings of the Dorcas Society, and like social gatherings of Christian workers, threw a gladsome sunshine over the entire company.

Miss Lee's parents were religiously disposed, and frequented the parish church. The ministrations there tended to instruct her mind in the thingsof God and lead her soul to aspirations after the Divine life. By her removal to Brighton, to reside with a relative, she was brought into intercourse with the Ministers and ordinances of Methodism. In days when George Osborn was in the full vigour of youth, when the gentle John Geden poured forth from the abundance of a loving heart a flow of godly wisdom and fervent piety, when Brighton was favoured with the scholarly, but eminently simple, discourses of Joseph Sutcliffe, and the hopeful sermons of John C. Pengelly, it was Miss Lee's happy lot to hear words whereby she was saved. Those days of hallowed experience and sweet delight in the means of grace threw their refreshing radiance over her entire career.

Miss Lee was married to a good Methodist, Mr. James Manwaring. She proved 'a help meet for him.'

Soon after her removal to London she was appointed to the office of a Class Leader in the Wesleyan-Methodist Society at the Southwark Chapel. She records her convictions thus:

'I felt overwhelmed with a sense of my inability to engage in such an important

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