Conference a proper person to fill that place, and accordingly appointed. * In three weeks, Auguft 31, 1784, we arrivéd fafe at Dublin. It had pleafed God the preceding year, greatly to bless the Cork-Circuit, while under the care of those faithful Servants of Jefus, Mr. H. M. and Mr. A. B. And it contributed greatly to the furtherance of the work, that they were followed by thofe who enforced the fame plan, both of doctrine and discipline. He laboured among that worthy people indefatigably, till last Conference; nor were his labours in vain near one hundred being added to their number, and many truly converted. As to his manner of life, this city, ye are witneffes! God you ever faw his face. returned public thanks to the Lord for a sense of pardoning love, and others for fanctifying grace under his preaching and prayers. Nor was he in anywife puffed up by this; it tended rather to humble him. Hundreds of you can teftify this! Witness his own declaration at the two last Love-feafts he attended, especially our Covenant-night, when he fhunned not to tell you his whole heart: particularly, the time and manner of his conversion, twelve years from that very day. He continued to speak till (as you know) tears prevented his proceeding farther. And can you ever forget his prayers and cries to God for you all, on that folemn occafion? how grave and spiritual, while in Many of you have caufe to blefs Numbers, to my knowledge, have Many of you remember the last Sabbath he ever preached in this city; with what folemnity he declared the whole counsel of God, from thefe words, He heard the found of the trumpet, and took not warning, his blood fhall be upon him: but he that taketh warning fhall deliver his foul. Ye are witneffes how, on that occafion, he delivered his own foul. After Sermon he fpoke freely of his prefent happiness, and paft experience; especially of the bleffings he received when This Account was written in Dublin. labouring labouring in the Macclesfield-Circuit; where he obtained a clear fense of the pure love of God. With refpect to his general Character. 1. As a Friend, he was truly affectionate, fincere, and conftant, and would spare no pains to ferve any one he believed worthy. 2. As a Christian: he might be juftly faid to have learned of his Lord and Mafter, To be meek and lowly in heart. He was ftrictly modeft. A man of few words; yet in general, cheerful. Always affable and fweet in his temper, patient and long-fuffering toward all men. He lived daily in the spirit of prayer, and longed for nothing fo much as ftill greater conformity to the will of his God. He took fingular pleasure in finging the praises of the Lord, efpecially when he met with words applicable to the feelings of his own heart. As he believed Religion to be an active, as well as an inward principle, when abfent from his clofet, he was commonly going about deing good; vifiting and fympathizing with the fatherless and widows in their afflictions, as well as labouring to keep himself unfpotted from the world. 3. As a Member of the Methodist Society, he cordially approved of our whole Plan of difcipline, and laboured from the day he caft in his lot with us, to keep every Rule as laid down by the Conference; this he did, not for wrath, but for confience fake; particularly that of abiding by the Eftablished Church. And fo defirous was he for all our people to continue herein, that (partly from inclination, and partly through fear of influencing others by his example) he could hardly be perfuaded to enter the doors of a Diffenting Meeting-houfe. Some may be ready to impute this to narrownels of fpirit, want of charity, and what not: but his friends know it was otherwife, that he loved all who loved our Lord Jefus Chrift in fincerity, whether Diffenters or others: nevertheless, from motives of real Chriflian prudence, he believed it his duty thus to act. 4 D VOL. IX. 4. As 4. As a Preacher of the Gofpel, he was found and fcriptural in his principles and doctrines. His every fermon was calculated to discover "The native wretchednefs of Adam's race, The all-fufficiency of Jefu's love!" Enforcing conftantly, repentance toward God, juftification by faith, and entire fanctification, or holiness both of heart and life, as abfolutely neceffary, previous to the ftroke of death. As the Servant of Chrift and his Church, he was indefatigable in his labours, and ever ready to fulfil the meanet offices of his station. Nothing lay fo near his heart as the caufe of God, and the good of fouls. No difficulties could hinder him from endeavouring to promote the intereff's thereof. Witnefs his two laft journies into the country, which were chiefly by his own choice. For being informed of numbers of poor careless finners, perishing for lack of knowledge, and a door being now opened to receive God's Meffengers, he refolved to vifit them; but the weather proving uncommonly tempeftuous and wet, laid the foundation of the diforder of which he died. His word being remarkably blessed to the people the first vifit, a preffing invitation was fent for him to go a fecond time. A flow nervous fever was even then upon him, yet would he not utter the leaft complaint; so that his real indifpofition was hid from us, and he went again in the name of his Lord and Mafter, whofe gracious power affifted him to go through his labour. He was, however, ftill unwilling to complain, but fpoke to the Phyfician in private, (whom he afterwards chose to attend him) hoping to get relief, fo as to be able to continue his labour of love. But God, who feeth not as man seeth, had otherwife determined. For though the Doctor faithfully attended; and every medicine judged ne cellary ceffary, was prepared and taken; but in fpite of all, the disease gradually prevailed. When real danger appeared, two other Physicians were called, who also faithfully attended early and late; and interested themfelves in his life, as if he had been a near relation of their own. But when Death has got his commiffion to frike, vain is the help of man! His nerves being much affected, his animal fpirits confequently depreffed, with a weight of affliction, rendered it difficult for him to converfe at all during his illness. What he did fay, was chiefly on the flate of his own foul. From the first day he took his room, he never expreffed the leaft fhadow of doubt or fear, but, on the contrary, profefled confidence in the Lord. About thirty hours before he died, I found peculiar fatis faction in speaking to him about his approaching dissolution : he then teftified of the precioufnefs of Chrift, with a perfect deliverance from the fear of death; and a full affurance that all would be well.. [To be concluded in our next.] Some Account of the Converfion and Death of Mifs BARHAM, IN late of Bedford. 1781 her mother died; foon after which fhe faid, it seemed to her as if fhe fhould foon follow her. In the fpring of 1782, she was feized with appearances of an approaching confumption, which, in the courfe of four years. reduced her to a mere fkeleton, which proved the means of her conversion. March 18, 1781, fhe wrote as follows, " It was in this year (after I had received the holy communion for the first 4 D 2 time) H time) I received Jefus into my heart, as my Saviour, and gave myself entirely to him. Since that blessed event took place, I neither have nor can dubt for one moment of the reality of that precious truth, My Beloved is mine and I am his. At prefent our Lord is impreffing on my mind the neceflity of deep humility. He teaches me, that I can only be so far united to him, as I partake of that fpirit of humility, which was fo evidently displayed in his whole fuffering life in this world: that it is in that, I muft imitate him; that it is by this means I can truly learn to comprehend his fufferings; and that the reafon why I am yet fo deficient in this point, is because my greatnefs can in no wife understand his littlenefs. Aug. 8, 1781. “Having been for fome time in a very barren flate of heart, and the time for the holy communion drawing near, in my great perplexity whether I fhould go or not, the following prayer was the language of my heart. 66 "O my Saviour, look down in thy tender mercy and pity on me! I have deftroyed myfelf; but in thee is my help found! O may thy will be done in me! I am ftill thine, though I have proved an adultrefs to thee, look at my affliction and pain, and forgive me all my fins, O my God! I dare, not approach thy table with an unwashed heart! I dare not go unto the marriage-fupper without a wedding-garment, clothe me then that I be not found naked! My gracious Saviour, if thou wilt permit me to tafte of thy fupper, I will go as the prodigal, unworthy of the fmalleft crumb. I depend entirely upon thee, and I commit my whole felf, body, foul, and fpirit unto thee. Amen. Sept. 4, 1781. " After much prayer, I ventured to tafle of his fupper, which was to me a divine repaft. But before two days were elapfed, my Beloved had again withdrawn himself. From that time to this, I have been like one alone; nothing affording me any joy, because my Love was gone. When I could pray, I poured out my groanings before him, for my Spirit longed to be entirely devoted to him; but I feemed to be |