OBITUARY, ELIZABETH KNIGHT. [IN A LETTER TO THE EDITOR.] THE prevailing influence of fear upon the human mind, is in no inftance fo confpicuous, as in that abatement which it makes in the happiness of believers; who, being delivered from condemnation, and made the fons of God by adoption, have no just caufe to apprehend either prefent or future evil, Yet there is a continual propenfity in the fe perfons, which is ftrengthened by Satan's operations, to mifruft their Saviour's love and faithfulness, because perhaps they have not experienced fuch a rapid ful filment of his promifes, as their rafh minds had anticipated: and this miftruft is attended with a proportionable degree of anxiety and diftrefs, Thus many, from whom the guilt of fin is entirely removed and in part the power of it, are greatly terrified at the apprehenfion of death. When the tyrant comes, however, they find he is a vanquished foe, and has no power left, but that of executing a neceffary and friendly office. Then they lament their paft unbelief, and want of confidence in the divine promifes. To fuch characters the dying experiences of the faithful who are gone to reft, are full of inftruction, encouragerent, and confolation, and Thould be contemplated with this view. For thereby we may see that the Lord proportions the affiftances of his grace, according to need, and that, in many inftances, thofe hopes which were greatly clouded while in health, have been fully cleared and brightened in the hour of death. For the ufe of fuch perfons I take the liberty of fending you a brief account of a deceated fifter, whofe experience was of this nature. Elizabeth Knight was born in London, in 1772; her parents gave her as go. dan education, as their very narrow circumstances would admit, and communicated to her as much religious knowledge as they poffeffed. About the year 1790 he was employed as a china-burnisher, and, as gene rally is the cafe with all whofe hearts are not affected with the power of divine grace, what leifure time he had, he gave to the practice of vanky and fin. While thus alienated from the life of God, and her heart fet upon her idols, the Lord had thoughts of peace and mercy towards her, and made ufe of meat s which may lead us to adore his infcrutable wisdom. About May 1796, when walking in the streets of London, her attention was attracted by the converfation of two minifters, who were paffing by her fide, and taiking of the happy ftate of a fick perfon, whom they had juft been visiting. An obfervation, expreffive of the bleffedness of this perfon's fituation, that dropped from one of thefe gentlemen, was carried by the facred spirit (who alone can work effectually) to her heart, and deeply affected her with a fenfe of her own condition. Thus was the grain of mustard feed fown, which grew fo rapidly while here, and is now tranfplanted to the more genial climate of the heavenly Canaan. The imprefon the received, immediately evinced whofe power it was that caused it, for from that time the gave up her former habits and companions, and ava led herself of every opportunity of attending the means of grace, and of affociating with the people of God; both of which were now, füberdi nately to the divine bleffing, her only fources of comfort and happiness. As an instance of the ftrength of her appetite for divine food, fhe ceased to do what is called extra work, and thereby had lefs wages to maintain herfe f, that the might attend a place of worship every evening. The benefit of this worldly facrifice the foon experienced, as all will who make it, for bes her foul advanced apace in the knowledge and the confolation of the gofpel. Particularly was the indebted, under God, to the ministries of the Rev. Rowland Hill and Mr. Cooper; and afterwards, when the became fo ill as to be incapable of work, he was extremely reluctant to leave the metropolis, and go to her parents in Surrey, left the thould be deprived thereby of an opportunity of joining in a worshipping aflembly, where God's truth is preached. But this fear was needlefs, for when the came home to them, he was fuhy fatisfied with the doctrine preached in her parish church, where the attended almost longer than (confidering the reduced ftate of her health) was prudent. When with them, the gradually grew worfe in health, hut her mind daily was opened more and more to difcern and enjoy the mysteries of the free grace and dying love of the Redeemer. -She was aware that her diforder was of fuch a nature as to afford no hope of her recovery; and, through divine grace, he had but one defire, namely, to know and love the Saviour fully. When her friends and minifters were with her, his falvation was always the pleafing theme his praifes col)tinually fung and his facred prefence conftantly implored. Thofe who were prefent on thefe occafions can alone tell what a goodly plant the was in the garden of our Lord's grace. She lingered nearly eleven months, and, till within ten days of her departure, the was diftreffed at the profpect of the waters of the fweling of Jordan; and this circumstance.caused, a general lownefs of fpirits, though, to the chrifti ns who were about her, there was no doubt respect ng her fafety. From this time (glory be to God) all her painful apprehenfions were removed, and her mind was brought into a state of afforance of faith, which the poffetfed almoft in, ceffantly till her diffolution; and, as her ftrength permitted her, the was now continually uttering devout fentences expreffive of ther confidence in Jefus, and of her obligations to him. On one occafion she said to a perfon vifiting her, "I am the handmaid of the Lord, he does for me more than I can wish;" and on another, “ I am ftrong in the Lord, and in the power of his might." Her mouth was filled with expreffions of this fort; but as the drew near to her last moments, her voice carcely amounted to a whisper. Just before the departed the requested her mother to repeat the grace of our Lord Jefus Chrip, and the Lord's prayer, which being granted, fie faid in a cheerful tone of voice, deis done :" and instantly her: happy fpirit was conducted to the regions of glory, where the will ever join in the prailes of God and the Lamb. Thanks be to him who giveth fuch grace unto men; may he bestow abundant measures of it upon the reader and writer, that we may each fhew forth his praises more, and be more happy in him. " May 28, 1798, Stoke, near Guildford, Surrey. MRS. ELISABETH DAWSON. DIAÇANUS. MRS. DAWSON was born at Colchefter, in the year 1734, being the daughter of a Mr. Alefounder, by whom he was brought up in the forms of religion, with rather more ftrictness than is usual, and in which the continued when under no controul; conftantly attending her parith church, and reading the word on the Lord's day; and very feldon could the be prevailed upon to take a walk on that day: yet, being ignorant of God's" righteousness, he was feeking to work out a righteoufnels of her own, and was greatly prejudiced against that preaching which debafes the finner and exalts the Saviour. About twelve years ago it pleafed God, by the inftrumentality of Mr. Dawson, to bring her under the found of the Gof pel, at Tottenham court chapel; her prejudices were foon removed, and in a very horf time after the became a conftant attendant there; but as her former conduct had been fo circumfpect, her change was not to manifelt to the world. It appeared in a great change as to her views of herself, and the ground of her hope; the now, not only read the word on the Lord's day, but it was her daily practice, before he engaged is her domeftic cares." She loved the House and the People of God, though, being of a referved temper, the faid but little. Now and then he would exprefs how much she was oppreffed with fears and doubts, and would fometimes fpeak of her great unworthiness, of which the feemed constantly to maintain a deep fenfest! It pleased the Lord, about two years fince, to lay his afflicting hand upon hers from that time to her death, especially the last feven or eight months, the suffered extremely; but he was a patient fufferer. During her confinement from the Houfe of God, the Bible was her chief delight; and the was observed by one of her daughters, who was more conftantly with her, to be much in prayer, and often earnestly wrekling with the Lord. The Rev. Mr. Knight vifited her feveral times, to him, as well as to her own family, she said but little; but always appeared deeply engaged in thought, and for many months a fimile had not been feen upon her countenance, (which was contrary to her natural disposition) but which, no, doubt, arose from the great concern the was under as to the welfare of her foul. On Thursday the 18th of January laft, about one o'clock in the morn ing, the was feized with a violent pain in her bowels, which continued,' with little intermiffion, till about the fame time on Friday morning; but no. 19oner was the pain abated, than the Lord wonderfully opened that >nouth and loosed that tongue, which had heen before as it were fealed. We do not recollect the fift expreffion, but the was carnest in prayer, and then faid, May I not cry peace to myfelf, when there is no peace! Oh, what a finner Dam, and have been !-What a mercy to be a finner faved hy grace!" This laft expreffion the repeated many times. Two of her daughters fat up, and the Lord helped one of them to pray with her, which the found very sweet and comfortable. In the morning the was still in pain, though not fo acute, and expreffed a wifh to Tee Mr. Knight again. He came and prayed with her, and the found it a feafon of refresh. ment to her foul: for he was no fooner gone, than the faid, with a trength and eagerness that furprised us, Can't you fing a hymn?" When the was afked what hymn? the replied, "Guide me, 'oh thou great Jehovah, "Pilgrim thro' this barren land," &c. In which the joined, not only in heart but voice, to the astonishment and joy of all prefent. She then exhorted her children to feck Chrift as their only hope, to fortake the vanities of the world, to love as brethren, and, in the language of Jofeph, added, “See that you fall not out by the way." She prayed fervently for her dear partner, children, and grand-children, and was frequently lamenting that he had not been able to inftruct her. children as he ought to have done; and then added, But what a mercy tha: I am now able to fpeak to you on my death-bed? I uted to think what a poor creature I fhould be on a dying bed, not able to give fo good a teftimony as a child of three or four years old," On Saturday evening he defir d her daughter again to pray with her, in which he joined meft heartily, frequently crying out, Amen!" After this he again wished her husband and family to join with her in ' inging "Jesu, lover of my foul, "Let me to thy bosom Ay," &c. At At every interval from pain, he was praying or speaking, or praising, till her weak frame was fo ifted, guished; and frequently were her hands clafped, and her lips moving, when that her voice could not be diftin no found was heard: but the following were fome of her expreffions, at different times, Ford, if I had my deferts, I thould be in everlasting burnings What a vile finner I have been! How good the Lord has been to me, that I was not cut off in my ins, when ignorant of Chrift! What a mercy, what a mercy! (this upon every occafion the repeated) "What fhould I do without Chrift? precious Christ! Dear Redeemer ! Glorious kingdom! I have fo many comforts and mercies, I hope I hall not have my portion in this life-Lord, let me not have my portion here! The article of death! the fwellings of Jordan! Oh, if I should prove an hypocrite at last, Search me O God, and try my heart,' &c. I have been vifited with a heavy bodily affliction indeed: I have fuffered much, but what are all my fufferings, when compared with Chrift's? O what a dead," stupid wretch I have been; if Mr. Romaine laid his heart was as black as hell, what inuit mine be? What a damning fin is unbelief!-Going into the prefence of God! O, that I may get within the inner door! (alluding to what the late Mr. Jofs had faid.) "What a mercy to know the Lord in our youth! I all be satisfied when I awake up in his likel ness; may his everjaiting arms be underneath me!" Having a daughter near lying-in, (and for whom the particularly prayed) the faid, "How little have I been fenfible or thankful to the Lord, who has fo many times preferved me!" (for the had nine children, four of whom survive her.) What a mercy that I was not cut off!"-She was over-heard to say, that word ever, as it meditating upon that feripture, "fo fhall we ever be with the Lord; indeed the had mentioned a variety of paffages, forki was there one noticed to her, but the immediately took it up the parf 2 cularly remembered a text of the late Mr. Berridge, Pf. cvi. 4, gpveries, alfo his remark upon it, namely, that if a poor finner knew not how to pray, he might earnestly repeat the text.-Sie alfo repeated thofe lines, 11 10 owl Mercy, good Lord, merky I craves "This is the total fum," &c.oi si has go ist ersingula had din VE Likewife the hymn beginning, -tr. 139-197 banal sdt dɔide M“Not all the blood of beafts,' &c. quads ning er Her laft converfation was very late on Saturday night, when one of her bae ali 77699 fons-in-law vifited her; upon his asking her if Chrift's blood and righte ⚫ufnefs were the fole ground of her hope, the answered " Yes; his merits and blood are my only hope; without then I must be lost indeed.-I am a poor finner-but the fting of death is gone, what a me sy !I am going to enter the inner door-I am going to glory." Then taking him by the hand, the faid, "I hope we fhall meet in another and a better world! After this the flept a little, and then awoke in great agony, which continued, with little intermiffion (when the dofed) till within a quarter of an hour of her death, when the was again composed; and thus, we traft, fweetly fell asleep in Jefus, for the awoke no more. She died about five 'clock on the Sunday morning, aged 64; the day of her death being the anniversary of her birth day. Much more was faid than could be recollected; but this is published, hoping, through the divine bleling, it may prove an encouragement to others in a similar ftate of mind, that they may herein fee the faithfulness of the Lord, who has declared noge fhall feek him in vain, nor any be afhamed that wait for him. Mrs. Dawson was wife of Mr. Dawfon, of Goodge-street, to whom the had been married 38 years. MRS MRS. SARAH RANKIN. [EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM THE REV. MR. R.] SIR, FOR feveral weeks previous to her death, my dear Mrs. R. was confined by a violent rheumatic affection; during which period, fhe was more deeply exercifed in mind than for fome years preceding. The Lord at this time was evidently preparing her heart for what followed. On Sunday, January the 28 h, he was taken extremely ill, when my much e'teemed friend, Dr. Hamilton, immediately attended her, and with fome difficulty he was helped to her room, from whence the never came out again. On the Monday her mind began to be compofed, and her confidence in God encreased. On Tuesday morning, I retired to pour out my foul to God on her behalf, and while on my knees, I was much overcome with the divine prefence, and feveral comfortable fcriptures were powerfully applied to my mind, particularly Jer. xxxi. 3. and Ifa. liv. 4-—8. Going into my wife's room, and relating what I had experienced, I found that our gracious Lord had made her a partaker of the same confolation: for I had fcarcely done fpeaking, when the, with rapture, pronounced the following lines:" "I fhall behold his face, I fhall his power adore, And fing the wonders of his grace for evermore!" From that moment every doubt and fear fled away, as the morning fhades before the rising fun. Her prayers were now turned into praises, and not a cloud intervened to obfcure the pleafing profpect of eternal happinefs, during the four weeks the remained in this vale of tears: but I can only give a few of the most ftriking particulars of her happy frame, as the tenth part cannot be remembered. On the Wednesday evening fome friends called to fee her, to whom the expreffed a hope full of immortal joy. Next day the defired me to read the whole of that excellent hymn, "The God of Abraham praife," &c. as I read, the frequently fopped me, making many pertinent remarks on every verfe, and repeated with peculiar pleasure the following lines: "Jehovah, Great I Am, by earth and heaven confeis'd, "I how and blefs the facred name, for ever bleis'd. "Hail, Abraham's God and mine (I join the heav'nly lays) Indeed when the had ftrength to fpeak, fhe was ever repeating fome fcriptures, or verses of hymns, on which the dwelt with peculiar pleasure, and had always fomething ftriking to fy to her chriftian friends who called to fee her; but in general her language was, " Help me to praise him, let every thing that has breath praife the Lord!" To a friend whom she well knew was too often ready to give way to doubts and fears, the faid, "Fear not, only believe, and all will be well;" and then added, “Go on to perfection!" When her grand children came to fee her, the exhorted them to remember their Creator in the days of their youth; adding, "what thould I now do without the Lord's prefence?" To feveral of her young chriftian friends, the faid, "Keep clofe to God and his bleffed ways, and then it thail be well with you in life and in death:" always adding, "May God blefs and preferve you.” To a maid-servant who had lived with us fome time before, the faid, Hannah, give yourself to much praye, and take care you do not lose the defires that God has given you for his word and ways, and for the eternal falvation of your foul." The last time that Dr. H. called to fee her, the took an affectionate leave of him, faying, "May God blefs you, and keep you in all his ways." The lat itme alfo that Mr. Pawfon faw her, I faid, "My dear, do you know who is |