880 Blessed Jesus! breathe a whisper In my listening, longing car; Witness of thy Holy Spirit, If it is thy cross I bear. Poetry. Base desires crucifying, Shame and anguish welcome be; SACRAMENTAL THOUGHTS.* "If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is the propitiation for our sins."-1 John ii. 1, 2. O THRONED Saviour, risen Lord, Lord, it was but a look of thine, One look of love the same, O turn that melting look on me, A prodigal twice lost. In vain I taste thy hallow'd bread, Press'd now between unhallow'd lips, I see the falling manna round, I cannot take, I cannot eat, Nor call thee now mine own, But one bless'd look of thine could break O Jesus, turn and look on me, That look so loved, so known, Thy bless'd and faithful one. And take thine own, and find thy lost, From "The Table of the Lord." JACOB BLESSING EPHRAIM AND MANASSEH:* BY L. E. L. THE old man's head is white with age, At his side there is his son, Two young children with soft hair, Yet familiar seems the prayer, Earnest is the mother's gaze:- Weak the old man's voice and low, Peace upon each spirit came, • From Fisher's "Drawing-Room Scrap-Book, for 1859." LONDON:-Printed by James Nichols, 16, Hoxton-square. FOR DECEMBER, 1838. BIOGRAPHY. MEMOIR OF THE REV. THOMAS ROWE: BY HIS SON. My father was born at Oxwich, Glamorgan, in the Swansea Circuit, November 12th, 1785. At a very early period of life, he manifested a great desire for knowledge; but this could be gratified only in a very limited degree at the village-school. To compensate for this, he seized with avidity every fragment of time he could obtain from his usual occupation, (that of a farmer,) and in his employment a book was his constant companion. He would deny himself any gratification to increase his small library. He had one advantage which he greatly valued, the visits of the Wesleyan Ministers at his father's house. He joyfully anticipated their coming, and spent as much time in their company as he could. . At a very early age his mind was deeply impressed with thoughts of eternity, and the necessity of a previous change of heart. These impressions were strengthened by the instructions of his parents and the ministry of the Preachers. At last, under the preaching of the Rev. James Gill, he was led to resolve to devote himself to God; and having joined the society, for nine months ardently sought the invaluable blessing of justification by faith. One evening, while returning from the house of God, he determined to give the night to earnest prayer. After wrestling with God for several hours, and when just about to give up all hope, while repeating the Lord's prayer, he was enabled to east his guilty and helpless soul on the Redeemer's merits, and-in-an instant he could exclaim, My God is reconciled, His pardoning voice I hear." His happy soul soon experienced the truth of the apostolical declaration: "He that loveth God, loveth his brother also." Having tasted that the Lord was gracious, he became anxiously desirous that his neighbours should participate in the same blessing. He saw and deplored the ignorance that abounded on every side, especially among the aged. He visited them in their houses; instructed them in the plan of salvation; and in many instances his conversations and prayers were not in vain. He proposed and established prayer-meetings in different places, and prevailed on many to attend, who had hitherto lived in the almost total neglect of the means of grace. A concern for religion was awakened in the minds of many; and in several places VOL. XVII. Third Series. DECEMBER, 1838. 3 L he sowed the seed of life, that afterwards produced a plentiful harvest. At the same time he was not inattentive to the cultivation of his mind, and studied Hebrew intensely at the plough. Mr. Rowe soon found it to be his duty to devote himself wholly to the work of the ministry. Some neighbouring Clergymen, having heard of his intense application to study, wished him to seek admission into the ministry of the established Church; but he determined rather to labour with the people by whose instrumentality he had been brought to God. He soon after, at the request of the Preachers and several of his friends, entered the Itinerancy. Being convinced that no ordinary degree of piety is requisite for him who ministers in holy things, he ardently sought the blessing of entire holiness. He obtained this, pearl of great price during a storm at sea, while sailing from Edinburgh to London in 1821. The account shall be given in his own words:-" Having weathered Yarmouth, and having now a different direction to steer, the wind was directly against us, and blowing very high. Now was our eighty-horse power fully tried, and well did it bear the trial. For some time our progress, was very slow; the wind and tide, and a heavy sea, pressed so strongly against the vessel, that the motion of the engine was reduced to fifteen strokes a minute. However, we kept on our way, while other vessels were seen lowering all their sails, and casting anchor. Two, driven on shore near Harwich,, had raised signals of distress; one, a large brig, I afterwards heard, was lost. The impression of dying was now made on my mind with nearly all the force of reality; and I felt it to be my duty to wrestle for the absolutely necessary preparation,-entire sanctification. To this end I retired, and on my knees most earnestly sought the precious pearl; and, O! blessed be my God, was there enabled to cast myself fully into the fountain opened for sin and uncleanness. Language cannot describe what afterwards followed; but I could now walk the deck with a firm step and a smiling countenance. The fear of death was entirely gone, and I engaged in prayer. for all around me. At length the wind abated, and we entered the Thames in the evening. It was a charming moon-light night as we glided up the river, the waters of which, hushed to silence, presented, as they reflected the silvery tints of the moon, a beauteous, contrast to the raging seas through which, we had passed. Never shall I forget, my blissful feelings as I walked the deck, exulting in this new era in my spiritual life. We arrived in London about twelve on Friday night, having been a little more than sixty hours on our voyage: one of the greatest proofs,' the Captain, said, "of the power of steam he had ever witnessed; and, I should add, of the goodness of God also." In the various Circuits in which Mr. Rowe was successively stationed, he laboured with diligence, and his labours were crowned with Many of the Circuits in which he travelled were, by his wise arrange success |