OBITUARY.

MRS. CATHERINE ABREY,

OF London, who died April 25, 1798, was a meek follower of the Lamb. About eight or nine years fince, the was deeply convinced of fin, under a fermon preached by Mr. Cecil, at Spitalfields church, from Luke xi. 27, 28, and ever after walked in the path which leads to eternal life. It pleased her heavenly Father to afflict her with a lingering disease, the afthma, which the bore with the greateft meeknels and child-like temper. How often have I heard her complain of her wicked heart, and adore her Saviour's mercy in redeeming her from hell! Frequently have I heard her when in health, difcourfing on different doctrines, exclaim: "Away with all doctrines, but what exalt Jesus and humble the creature in the dußt.”,

The Lord thinks fit fometimes, to deprive us of our greatest comforts; it was fo with this amiable woman, while lingering on a bed of fickness. Nine weeks she suffered much darkness and diftrefs of foul. But still refigned to the Lord's will, she would often say, “Oh that I could but see my interest in Chrift before I quit the world! but my mind is dark, and I am often obliged to recall time past to view, to know if Jefus has done any thing for me." It pleafed the Lord, however, to difpe! this darkness a few days before fhe died. On her husband afking her if she was altaid to meet her God? "Oh no!" faid he, "no more than you are afraid to meet your friend." I attended her in her dying moments, and while labouring under great difficulty of breathing, it was evident her heart was wrestling with God in prayer. A few moments before the departed, I asked her if the found Chrift precious to her foul; "oh yes," faid he, "Indeed, he is very precious!" She defired to be raised up from her pillow, which was done, and then, without a figh or ftruggle, the refined her foul into the hands of that bleffed Redeemer, who called her, by nis grace, to enjoy an everlasting fabbath with him in glory, and he is now, I doubt not, tuning her golden harp in praise of him who shed his precious biood to fave a guilty world. A. B.

THOMAS DOWELL.

"And be fure your fin will find you out," is a Scripture truth, which has often been accomplished both in judgment and in mercy. Perfons who have been educated in Evangelical principles, especially when they have felt their influence in fome degree, have feldom departed from them, but they have in fome way or other evidently fuffered for it. And even where fovereign grace has manifefted its converting power to any of this defeription, their feelings have ordinarily been keen in proportion to their backflidings. If fuch be faved, it fhall be fo as by fire; the backflider in heart shall be filled with his own ways. In the experience, recovery, and death of the fubject of the following concife narrative, thefe remarks were fully exemplified.

The father of the deceased was a member of the Independent Church. at Harwich, a man poffeffed of a confiderable gift in prayer, and who exhibited an example of godlinefs to his family. Befide obferving ordinary fated times of family worship, he woula ufe his influence to make religion refpected by the work-people, whom he employed under his roof. When I have vifited the houfe, the old man would fometimes top the VOL. VI. looms,

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looms, and defire all to join me in prayer, which request was generally complied with. Among the number was the deceased.

Notwithstanding the pious example of his parents, when the fon fucceeded to the bufinefs, and occupied the houfe after their death, he foon turned the dwelling which had appeared a Bethel into a Beth-aven. God and religion were banished, and the ark made to feek another habitation. It is worthy of remark, that Peace and Profperity upon this foon departed also. Mr. Dowell being accuftomed to take a leading part in the finging, the love of this exercife, kept him for fome time tolerably ftrict in his attendance upon public worship. At certain times (as he told me when fick) the word appeared to imprefs his mind, even to constrain him to retire to his clofet, that he might pray to God. But his heart all the while remaining at enmity with the ways of holiness, he foon grew flack in attendance; this was followed by a love to worldly company; after fome time, he fell into the fin of drunkenness, and at length yielded up himself to temptations, until he totally neglected the houfe of God, and shunned the company of all who were ferious. In this dreadful state, he was fuffered to abide for feveral years.

However, the time was come that God's defign of grace and mercy fhould be manifefted. The irregularities of Mr. Dowell's life had laid the foundation of a decline, which after four months confinement, removed him into eternity. At the time when weakness began to render him incapable of attending to his bufinefs, the Lord began deeply to afflict his foul. Now his mind was restored to the keenest reflection, and the arrows of the Almighty began to ftick faft in his confcience. He would then pray, and groan, and look upward, but "deliverance was far from him, while his foul refufed to be comforted." Now the Minifter whom before he wished to fhun, was fought unto, and became his most agreeable companion, and his vifits the moft falutary to his wounded fpirit. For the fpace of three months, fcarce a ray of hope offered itself. He would lament, and fay, "I am the vileft of all finners; Mary Magdalene, Saul, and Manasseh were not fuch wretches as I: Thefe had never my religious advantages, nor could they ever rebel against fuch light. My fins are intolerable. Jefus is able to fave, but is it poflible, that he will fave fuch

an one as me?"

I attended him as opportunity offered during his illness, with much fatisfaction to my own mind; God very evidently revealing himself to this backflider. At different times, I confidered it needful, diftin&tly, to point out the inward, and latent fins of the heart, fpirit, and temper, but this appeared to be an almoft needlefs tafk, as it was given him of the Lord to fee" his heart was all uncleannels, a den of thieves within." I am happy to hope that he exhibited every mark of a truly awakened and penitent inner, and thereby appeared prepared to receive that inward trength, which the word of Jefus afforded him, fome thort time before his departure.

He received the first ray of gracious encouragement and Gospel hope, while I was reading to him, and turning down in the bible more than fifty of the promifes made to penitent finners. He heard them read to him with aftonishing latisfaction, and after paufing a moment, exclaimed with energy precious promiles!" He then told me of a fevere conflict he had Jately found with the adverlary of fouls, whofe dreadful fuggestions, that his fins were too numerous and great to be pardoned, had almeft overwhelmed his reafon, and brought him to abfolute defpair, to that he feared he cold be innantly plunged in hell; but that the Lord revived his spirit

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by bringing that promife to his foul, which is recorded in Isaiah xliii. 2. "When thou paffeft through the waters, I will be with thee, and through the rivers they fhall not overflow thee, &c." Of this fupporting passage, he never loft the fight nor comfort till he died.

As his animal frame weakened, his mind difcovered greater firmness, and strength appeared equal to the day. The promifes, which for fome days had upheld his fpirit against defpondency, now rendered his countenance ferene, when the cold hand of death had feized his vitals, and after' languishing a little while longer, he fell asleep in the peaceful poffeffion of the hope of the Gofpel, July 2, 1798. The bitter experience of this fubject, preaches loudly to us, that we depart not in heart or life from the living God; while the mercy and grace applied to his heart, invites the truly penitent" against hope to believe in hope.”

THOMAS WILMSHURST.

I. M.

On Lord's Day, July 22, died, at Basingstoke, in the 51ft year of his age, Thomas Wilmshurst, formerly a ferjeant in the North Hants Militia. Having entered into military fervice when a youth, there was too much reafon to fear, that, during the twenty-eight years of his life he was a foldier, he learned many of thofe wicked habits which fo generally mark the military character. It is very certain, he was far enough from being a Christian foldier. He might be refpected by his comrades, and in the regiment he ferved fo long; but he neglected religion and morality: it is certain he was a wicked man. Such characters, however, are fometimes called by divine grace; and it is peculiarly pleafing to the humble, but honoured inftruments of fuch mercy, to record for the inftruction of others, these trophies of their Malter's all-fubduing power. Such a pleasure has the writer in adding another name to the interefting Obituary of the Evangelical Magazine.

T. Wilmshurft was about nine months ago afflicted with a very diftreffing · dropfical complaint, which, in a fhort space of time, affumed fuch an af pect, as to preclude any hopes of his recovery. From the beginning of his affliction, he appeared to be much aff.ted with his fituation, and to be thoughtful about his foul. Having been accustomed to hear the preaching of the Gospel, be had fome acquaintance with the bible and the theory of religion. Even before his affliction commenced, he had of late been fomewhat impreffed with what he heard on the Lord's Day, was not without fome refolutions of growing a better man; but his goodnefs was like the morning cloud; it vanished away at the approach of temptations. It was the defign of the Lord to bring him effectually to himself by the painful ftroke of affliction. And, perhaps, there have not very frequently been more pleafing instances of penitence and converfion, than in the cafe of this man. The bible now became his conftant companion; he perufed religious books, with fome of the Obituaries in the Evangelical Magazine, which were put into his hands; he liftened with attention to inftructions that were afforded him by his vifitors; and, by earnest prayer, he fought that falvation, which he had neglected fo long. Although his affliction was very diftreffing, and his cafe truly deplorable, (almost another Lazarus) yet he difcovered a fingular degree of patience, and submission to the will of God. He even admired his goodness in fparing a vile creature fo long, and at length, as he hoped, in leading him to the faving knowledge of his grace. It was very pleafing to obferve fuch evident marks of a broken and contrite heart, difcovered in his words, in his tears, and in 4 B 2 his

his fpirit. They who had been well acquainted with him before, were now aftonished at the change; for, being converted, as we hope, he truly became as a little child. During the greatest part of his affliction, he was not able to lie down in bed; his chair was the only refting place he could find on earth; having found reit for his foul in Chrift, any thing which his heavenly Father appointed him, was welcome. About two months before his death, he recovered a little, and was just able to drag his unweildy legs to a place of worship for a few Loid's Days, where he joined in worship in another manner than he had formerly done. This was a little reviving in his bondage. There was, however, no probability of his perfect recovery; nor was he much diftreffed on that account. His chief concern was, to be fubmiffive and prepared for all the will of God.

He had employed fome of his afflicted moments in writing down for his own use particular texts of Scripture and references, suitable to his own cafe, and the paper was placed before him on the mantle-piece with his bible. The other fide of the paper contains a written prayer, which discovers a foul taught of the Lord; it is here prefented to the reader, as it appears to bear the marks of being his own.

O that the Lord would create my foul anew, and enable me truly to "repent of all my fins; and give me a lively faith in Chrift, and to love "God and godlinefs. Seal a fenfe of thy forgivenefs on my heart, and "make me a new creature by thy Holy Spirit, fo that I may really re

lith, and be truly meetened for the enjoyment of heavenly exercife. I "pray that the Lord would renew my foul with the grace of his Holy "Spirit. Wash away my fins in the fountain of Chrift's precious bloed. Cloath my naked foul in the robe of Chrift's perfect righteousness, and prepare me to die. The Lord grant I may be actually prepared, and actually ready to meet thy meffenger Death, whenever thou fendeft for And O, that I may have the fting of death taken away, which is fin; and have nothing to do, but to die, through our Lord Jefus Chrift, who giveth us the victory. Amen and Amen."

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Our afflicted penitent was, however, occafionally depreffed, and fometimes found himielf in the dark, as to his views of eternity. These frames led him to more earnest prayer, for a fresh fenfe of divine mercy; and before his departure, he appeared to be quite willing to be diffolved, he appeared to be ripened for the heavenly world. It was late in life, that he entered the fervice of Chrift; the campaign was painful, but short; the Captain of his Salvation foon difmiffed him from the toils of mortality; and, we doubt not, when he fell by the fhaft of death, he was more than conqueror through him who loved him.

Having been to many years in military fervice, and being a native of Bafingstoke, confiderable respect was fhewn at his funeral by some of his former comrades, and a detachment of the Basingstoke Association, who attended the corpfe, and interred him with military honours. The folemn music of the fifes and muffled drum, the flow proceffion, and the firing over the grave, were circumftances which drew together a numerous concourfe of people, who were affected with the impreffive fcene. The body was depofited in the earth with the badow of honour--the foul, we truff, had already found the fubftance, in "the honour that cometh from God only." A fune al difcourfe was preached from Ifaiah lv. 7, on the evening of the following Loid's Day,

J. J.

REV. W. JENKINS.

AUG. 1, 1798. On this day, which was the Anniversary of the Brifte! Education Society, died the Rev. William Jenkins, a young Baptift Minister, who had spent four years at the academy at Bristol, and was the only ftudent out of seventeen, whose time expired at last Whitsuntide. He was a member of the church at Llangloffar, and had been called to the miniftry by the Society, fometime before he went to Bristol, and seemed difpofed to return to them and continue there, as the church, like fome others in Wales, is large, and has feveral meeting-houfes and feveral minifters. But having finifhed his academical Rudies, he thought to take a little journey before he returned home, and after spending two Sabbaths with the deftitute church at Leominster, he went to fee Mr. Medley, at Liverpool, then vifited Chester and Ofweitree, and proceeded thence to Rhathyn, in Denby fhire, North Wales, where he was confined to his bed four days, and then died. He had been poorly fome time ago at Bristol, though he appeared a tout hearty man, inclinable to be corpulent; but got better again, and was not fuppofed by others to be fo ill as he imagined; however, he appeared far from well on his journey, and was fuípected at Leominster, to nave an adhetion of his liver. He fell fick among good friends, who were very tender of him, though moftly frangers to him before. They carried him fixteen miles, to be buried in the Baptist burying ground a Glynn.

He was esteemed as a godly man, and though his diffidence kept him from making the improvement in fpeaking the English language, which might have been expected, was acceptable as a preacher, especially in his own tongue; but his courfe was ended almost as icon as he had finished his ftudies, and on the very day that his colleagues attended the commencement at Briftol, he joined the church triumphant; filently, but forcibly admonishing them, to work while it is day, feeing the night cometh, wherein no man can work:

MRS. LARKINS.

DIED in a most happy fate of mind, on August 14, 1798, in the twentieth year of her age, Mrs. Mary Larkins, of Rotherhithe. She had been brought fafely through the hour of child birth more than a week, and was in a fair way of doing well, till about twelve o'clock on Saturday night, Auguft the 11th, the fuddenly awoke, and told her nurse, the fhould certainly die, and exprefled a wish to have the family called up, and to have Mr. fent for, as fhe was much diftreffed about her foul. It was however, deferred till about feven o'clock. When Mr. came, be found her in very great diftrefs. Though he had from her infancy been under the means of grace, and manifested not only an amiable dispofition of mind, but also, a very fedate and moral courfe of life, having fre quented lefs public amufements, and kept lefs company than most young people of her age. Yet now, he was impreffed with the idea of her approaching diffolution (an impreflion which never abated even under the moft favourable fymptoms of recovery) fhe was deeply convinced of fin, frequently faying, "I fear I have been only a mere profellor of religion, I don't think I am fufficiently fenfible of my fin; pray for me, for I am afraid I fhall be loft, I have often faid prayers, but fear I never prayed with the heart." And then with much earnestness, and in a very melodious tone of voice, the repeated the first verse of that hymn→→ "Jefu, lover of my foul," &c.

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