Sidor som bilder
PDF
ePub

singular services, and won unenvied praises upon earth, and thine shall be a distinguishing crown of glory above in Heaven; thy death was in the Lord, thou restest from thy labours, and thy works shall follow thee."

It is much to be regretted, that such a man as Mr Jollie was, so distinguished an example of religion and literature, and so bright an ornament to the Dissenting interest, left no written works" to praise him in the gate." As far as the collector of this imperfect account can learn, he published nothing but a funeral discourse, preached at Althome, after the interment of his venerable father, Mr. Thomas Jollie, in 1704.

Mr. Jollie married the daughter of that faithful and holy sufferer Mr. Fisher; and had a son, called also Timothy, who was some years assistant preacher in his father's church; and in 1720, was invited to London, by the church assembling in Miless Lane. He was first, assistant to the Rev. Matthew Clarke; and on that gentleman's decease, Mr. Jollie was chosen his successor. In this situation he laboured, in an holy and unblameable manner, and under great bodily afflictions, till his death in 1757, aged sixty-six. The late Dr. Jennings preached and published his funeral-sermon.

Mr. Jollie's church at Sheffield, sustained, after his death, a painful division. The real majority chose Mr. De la Rose as their pastor; but the other party, having the power of the trustees on their side, kept possession of the meeting-house, and introduced Mr. John Wadsworth, of Rotherham, one of Mr. Jollie's pupils. Mr. Wadsworth also was appointed to the vacant tutorship in the academy; and he exercised that function some years. Mr. De la Rose's friends proceeded with great meekness and moderation in maintaining the rights of a Christian communky. The case was finally submitted to an Assembly of linisters and Messengers from many neighbouring churches; who, after carefully hearing both sides, declared the separation to be justifiable, and confirmed their love and communion with the Separatists. Upon this they proceeded and built the Nether Chapel. The succession of pastors in this church of Christ has been,-Mr. De la Rose, Mr. Radford, Mr. Pye, Mr. Harmar, and now the Rev. John Dawson.

ON THE MODERN DRESS OF THE GENTLEMEN. Mr. Editor,

I AGREE with Moderator, in your Magazine; and lamentable it is, that neither the pulpit nor the press avails in this day of rage for dress. I am not a little concerned that my fair country women so far depart from the characteristic of the English as to drink into the spirit of French levity, at least in their appearance. I apprehend, the duty of Christian parents

is to see their children brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. As it is the province of the father to provide for the household, so it is the duty of the mother to see that his substance is not wasted; for we are all stewards of the manifold mercies of God. As the sons are more the province of the father, the chief management of the daughters devolves on the mother; and were mothers, Mr. Editor, to bring up their daughters in a proper manner, they would not have so much time for dressing; that is, they should teach them the art of housekeeping, ins.ead of leaving the management of the house to a housekeeper. My dear mother, tho' she could afford to let us appea: well in the world, taught us industry, and a capability of supporting ourselves in case of exigency; also a knowledge of pastry, pickling, and every necessary branch of housekeeping. I have followed her example, and hope my daughters will be useful members of society: they adorn themselves in modest apparel; and I have warned them to shun and fly from a fop as they would from a basilisk. Now, should you admit a female pen thus far, I shall take the liberty to proceed.To speak the truth, our young Christian gentlemen are not far behind the ladies; and as I am an old woman, hope they will not be offended, should some remarks be made that may come rather home.

We will suppose ourselves at a prayer-meeting, and one of our young Christian brethren is desired to exercise his gifts. Let alone his graces, you would suppose, by the modus of his head, that he had been terrified with dreams and visions of the night; the neck is so encumbered with muslin, you can scarcely make out his words; he is girt about the paps, but not with a leathern girdle; his coat quite as scanty as the ladies gowns; a warm pair of pantaloons, and, for fear the air should penetrate, boots drawn over them. It is a known fact that nothing braces like the air: but should this fashion continue for some years, as one observes, our ladies will bring on old age by dressing airy; and I fear our professing gentlemen will bring up the rear with crutches. This is not all: the conversation of the gentlemen is equally as frivolous as their dress. The reason is, they no sooner commence professors of religion than, instead of putting "on the whole armour of God," they provide themselves with silver slippers. In these they walk from one end of this great city to the other in quest of popu Jar preachers, and to make themselves popular; but in private company, if you talk to them of the good old way, you are very unpolite; and as to thorns and briars in the wilderness, they scarcely ever heard or knew there were such things. Should such ever be fathers, I hope God will first shew them the awful state they are in. I would not deprecate the whole :happy I am to say, many come within my knowledge who do not conform to the world; but are transformed by the Spirit of grace.

Sure, there must be a cause for all this superfluity of naughtiness. I fear our public schools are deficient, in general, in not teaching children what is the chief end of man. Was I the mistress of a boarding-school, my scholars should all wear a plain dress till their education was completed. By that means children would not strive with each other to excel in dress, nor could parents have an opportunity to indulge their children's vanity; and they would have more time to attend to their learning. This is an age of great declension; and as a venerable Divine observes," Were the apostles to make their appearance on earth again, few of our modern professors would like to associate with them.". I always found, in the course of my observation, the plainer the garb the more spiritual the conversation.

Should these hints meet your approbation, I shall think myself highly honoured, and subscribe myself

MARY.

REFLECTIONS ON THE DEATH OF DEBORAH.

But Deborah, Rebekah's nurse, died; and she was buried beneath Bethel, under an oak; and the name of it was called Allon-bachuth. Gen. xxxv. 8.

[ocr errors]

WHAT the royal preacher hath said in reference to the works of God, will, with equal truth, apply to the word of eter nal life: it is so perfect, that " nothing can be added to it, nor any thing taken from it." As every pin in the tabernacle of old was precious, so not a tittle of the Book of God can be taken from it, without injury to the whole. The text which stands at the head of this paper, may, to a cursory reader, appear insignificant; but infinite wisdom hath recorded it for our admonition, and if he, by whom it was inspired, should condescend to apply it to our hearts, it will assuredly afford us both instruction and consolation.

Before we enter more particularly upon the subject, it may not be improper to glance for a moment or two, at the connection in which the words are placed. The Lord, according to the promise which he gave to Jacob, when he fled from his father's house, had now, notwithstanding the dangers of the way, the hardships which he endured in the service of Laban, and the threatened vengeance of Esau, brought him back to his native land in safety; and one might have naturally supposed, that the first object of his care would have been to perform the vow which he made at Beth-el, when the Lord met with and blessed him; but even Jacob must be reminded of this solema engagement:" God said unto Jacob, Arise, and go to Beth-el; and dwell there, and build an altar unto God that appeared 3 K

[ocr errors]

unto thee when thon fleddest from the face of Esau, thy bro. ther." The patriarch was not disobedient to the divine command: he arose, and took his family with him to that ever-memorable place; and built an altar to the Lord, who again condescended to meet with him, and bless him there. "But Deborah, Rebekah's nurse, died," &c. Let us now attend to a few remarks upon the passage; and,

1st, it is worthy of our attention, as it shews the freeness with which. Divine Grace extends itself to the poor, amongst the children of men, as well as the rich, to the servant as well as the patriarch; just as the material sun gilds the cottage of the peasant as freely as the palace of the prince! "God hath chosen the poor; and, in his infinite mercy, in the day of his power, lifts the needy out of the dunghill, that he may set him with princes." Again,

2dly, The passage affords matter of encouragement to the poor and afflicted of the Lord's flock, as it proves that those who are enabled to trust in his promise, shall never be forsaken by him. "Though the young lions lack and suffer hunger, they that seek the Lord, shall not want any good thing;" and to his infinite mercy Deborah owed the asylum which she found under the hospitable roof of Jacob, whose conduct towards this venerable domestic deserves the regard of those in younger life, as it exhibits a fine example of filial gratitude and love. The tender attentions of Deborah to his beloved parent were both noticed and rewarded, as if they had been paid to him. "Go, my young reader, and do thou likewise." The conduct of Jacob, in this instance, speaks the language of pointed reproof to those unfeeling masters, who, when their poor domestics have spent their youth and strength in their hard service, and are no longer fit for labour, abandon them in their old age, unpitied and unsheltered, to the pelting storm of adversity and, would the mighty conquerors of the earth deign to attend to it, viewed in its proper light, it would afford them also a seasonable and suitable lesson: for alas! in how many affecting instances have those who have reaped their laurels, and been the instruments of their glory, as it is falsely called, been deserted with mangled limbs and aching hearts, to all the miseries of indigence!

"One murder made a villain,

Millions an hero.: Princes were privileg'd to kill,
And numbers sanctified the crime !

Ah! why with kings forget that they are men >

And men that they are brethren? Why delight

[ocr errors][merged small][merged small]

But we return to the subiect; and;

PORTEUS

Sdly, Contemplate the ardent love and zeal which Debora

28

T

manifested for the glory of God. The advanced period of her life, and the length of the journey, might have excused her emaining at home: neither could she be ignorant that the people of the land, through which they had to pass, incensed by the treachery and cruelty of Simeon and Levi, had threatened the destruction of Jacob and his family. Yet, notwithstanding this, the aged matron casts in her lot with them, and goes to Beth-el to meet and worship the Lord. And what was the consequence? The same God who put faith into the hearts of Jacob and his family, put faintness and fear into the hearts of their enemies; for the terror of God was upon the cities that were round about them, and they did not pursue them." Art thou, my reader, surrounded with dangers and beset with fears? Learn, from the example before thee; to trust in the Lord, and "go forward;" so shalt thou, in God's good time, experience the fulfilment of that precious promise: "I will make darkness light before thee, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto thee, and not forsake thee *."

[ocr errors]

4th, The experience of Deborah presents to our view an af fecting proof of the uncertainty of human life. Little did she think, when she left the house of Jacob to go to Beth el, that she should return no more; or that her mortal pilgrimage was so near its close. Well may it be said, We know not what an hour may bring forth ! Thus circumstanced, how needful is the counsel which, once dropped from the lips of an aged mis nister of Christ!" Never, let the believer in Jesus leave his habitation without prayer, nor return to it in safety without praise." Reader, let us each here make a solemn pause, and ask our hearts this important question: "Am I fit to die, should this day prove my last? Have I fled to Jesus as my only re fuge and righteousness? Is he my only hope, my joy, my all?"

5th, From this subject we may learn, that when the righteous is taken from the evil to come, it is designed that the stroke should be felt, and the voice of God, in the dispensation, at tended to; for religion was never intended to make men stoics. When Deborah rested from her labours, Jacob and his family interred her sleeping dust under an oak in Beth-els and called it, Allon-bachuth, i. e. The Qak of Weeping: ostimony fore honourable to her memory than all the united labours of the statuary or poet could have conferred.

[ocr errors]

6th, We close this short address with reminding the reader, that uninterrupted happiness is not to be expected on this side the grave; for there is here no comfort without its proportion able alloy; and separation from those whom we most tenderly love is the certain lot of mortality! Thus Jacob found it

* Isa. xlii. 16.

« FöregåendeFortsätt »