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THE

Evangelical Magazine,

FOR JULY, 1798.

BIOGRAPHY.

MEMOIRS OF Mr. EDWARD DALTON.

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HE fubject of this article, who was well known and much refpected among all denominations of profeffing Chriftians, and who died December 5, 1797, was an eminent chriftian; and to the laft, both by the temper of his mind and the actions of his life, honoured the profeffion which he made. His religion was not merely notional; nor did it confift in a stated round of external devotion, or a tenacious regard to the principles and rules of that defective fyftem of morals with which too many profeffors are well fatisfied; but it anfwers to that account of religion given by the Apostle-"If any man be in Chrift he is a new creature, old things are paffed away; behold, all things are become new." His acquaintance with the truth and importance of chriftianity was carly, but it was real and lafting and the providence by which he came to the knowledge of it is worthy of notice.

After it pleafed the Lord to bring a near relation of his to the knowledge of Chrift, the never ceafed to long and pray for the falvation of her whole family; but her efforts were more particularly directed toward her two youngest brothers, Arthur and Edward. The former of these was attentive to what she faid, occafionally heard the gofpel preached, and endured fome oppofition on account of it. But it was far otherwife with the fubject of this paper. He not only confidered the converfation fhe had with him concerning a change of heart as nonfenfe, and tending to melancholy;

VOL. VI.

* 2 Cor. v. 17.

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but he at times fhewed ftrong marks of enmity againft the gofpel, and expreffed fome little refentment against the friend who preffed fo earneftly upon him its vaft importance. The prayers of his fifter were at laft anfwered, but they were anfwered By terrible things in righteoufnefs! *"

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On the 24th of December, 1772, Mr. Dalton and the brother before mentioned, went to spend their holidays at Stanmore, the parish of which their father was rector. His brother Arthur got out of the ftage at Edgeware, and took the foot way from thence to Stanmore, but dropped down dead before he reached his father's houfe. This was an awful providence in. itself, and greatly affected the whole family; but his brother Edward was moft deeply impreffed by it. When he saw his brother brought home a lifelefs corpfe, that brother who the evening preceding had accompanied him to one of the London Theatres, and who but a few minutes before had parted from him in the bloom of youth and full of sprightlinefs, it produced on his hitherto thoughtless mind the moft ferious and lafting impreffions. On feeing the relation who had fo often prayed for him, and ftrove to excite his regard to the things of God, he feized her hand, and exclaimed, “Is he happy? Is he happy?" his countenance at the fame time ftrongly expreffing the agitation of his mind. She answered, "It is not in my power to determine that, but it is a loud voice to the living, and fays, "Therefore be ye alfo ready, for in fuch an hour as ye think not the Son of Man cometh.+" He replied with earneftnefs, "O yes, it is indeed, it is indeed !" His mind was now evidently awakened to a fense of his own finfulness and danger, and the remainder of the time spent at his father's houfe, (about a fortnight) was devoted to reading the fcriptures, Venn's New Whole Duty of Man, and other religious books. He found much pleasure in this exercise, to which alfo he added frequent prayer. The change of his heart and life was foon manifeft, and excited the notice of his friends t. One friend cautioned him against being led aftray by the Methodists, and another wrote a

Pfal. lxv. 5. + Matt. xxiv. 44.

His father call'd him afide, begging to know if he had been guilty of any great fin that was likely to bring him and the family into difgrace. This affected Mr. Dalton very much, and he replied, "Q, Sir, I am one of the greatest finners upon the face of the earth, and if not pardon'd thro' the blood of Christ, I am loft for ever!"-His father answered: "O if that is all, you will foon get the better of that when you get into the world

again.

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very curious letter to his father on the fame fubject. But he was enabled to endure the fneers and the frowns of creatures, fteadily pursuing his heavenly courfe in fpite of all oppofition. On his return to London, he attended at the Tabernacle, and became a communicant there.

From London he went to refide at Bishop Stortford, where he fat under the miniftry of the Rev. Mr. Angus, and cordially affociated with the ferious people who belonged to his church. On his wifhing to fit down with them at the Lord's Table, it was for fome time rejected, because he did not belong to a regular church. But the clear and abundant proofs of his being one who walked with God, and honoured his chriftian profeffion, at laft overcame the fcruples both of the Minifter and the church, and he commemorated with them the death of the dear Redeemer, till he returned to London again. After which he moftly attended the miniftry of Mr. Romaine and Mr. Fofter; and also of Mr. Newton, after he became minister of St. Mary Woolnorth.

Although Mr. Dalton was a man of great prudence and unremitting industry, and made confcience of afking the guidance and bleffing of God in all his temporal affairs, yet his firft effort in bufinefs (which was in a partnership) was attended with many difficulties and embarraffments, during which his greateft concern was, left by any deficiency in his payments he should bring a reproach upon his chriftian profeffion. Soon after this connexion was diffolved, Providence began to fmile upon his endeavours, and finally by a wholesale and retail bufinefs in partnership with Mr. B. of Cheapfide, together with fome family legacies, he attained to confiderable property; but to the honour of divine grace it appears, that his outward profperity.did not produce thofe unfanctified effects too often feen in professers who profper in the world; and who become vain, proud, and worldly; but he was ftill the plain, ferious, and humble chriftian, he had ever been, continuing to "do juftly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God."

That he afked counfel, and fought the blefling of God in his temporal affairs, may be seen by the following circumftance. When he had serious thoughts of entering the married ftate, he propofed to the young perfon with whom het correfponded, upon that important topic, (the prefent Mrs. D-) that they fhould mutually retire at a certain hour every morning and evening, to pray for each other at a throne of grace, and folicit the bleffing of God upon their

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