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thanked God for his mercy, any more than I have feared God for his power. Wife. "Then you God no God; me no think, believe, he be such one, great much power, strong; no makee kill you, though you makee him much

angry.

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W. A. What? will my wicked life hinder you from believing in God! What a dreadful creature am I! and what a sad truth it is, that the horrid lives of Christians hinder the conversion of heathens!

Wife. "Now me tink you have great much God up there (she points up to heaven,) and yet no do well, no good ting? Can be tell? Sure he no tell what you do?

W. A. "Yes, yes; he knows and sees all things: he hears us speak, sees what we do, knows what we think, though we do not speak.

Wife. "What! he no swear, curse, speak the great d▬▬n?

W. A. "Yes, yes; he hears it all. Wife. "When be then the muchee great power strong?

W. A. "He is merciful; that is all we can say for it; and this proves him to be the true God; be is God, and not man; and therefore we are not consumed.

["Here Will Atkins told us, he was struck with horror to think how he could tell his wife so clearly that God sees, and hears, and knows the secret thoughts of the heart, and all that we da; and yet that he had dared to do all the vile things he had done.]

Wife. "Merciful! what you call dat?

W. A. "He is our Father and Maker; and he pities and spares us.

Wife." So then he never makee kill, never angry when you do wicked; then he no good himself, or no great able.

W. A. "Yes, yes, my dear; he is infinitely good, and infinitely great, and able to punish too: and sometimes, to shew his justice and vengeance, he lets fly his anger to destroy sinners, and make examples. Many are cut off in their sins.

Wife. "But no makee kill you yet; then he tell you, may be, that he no makee you kill, so you makee de bar. gain with him, you do bad thing, he no be angry at you, when he be angry at other mans?

VOL. XVII.

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Wife. Why, he no makee you much good better? You say he makee you.

W. A. "He made me as be made all the world: it is I have deformed myself, and abused his goodness, and have made myself an abominable wretch.

"

Wife. I wish you makee God know me: I no makee he him angry: I no do bad wicked thing.

["Here Will Atkins said his heart sunk within him, to hear a poor untanght creature desire to be taught to know God; and he such a wicked wretch, that he could not say one word to her about God; but that the reproach of his own carriage would make most irrational to her to believe; nay, that already she had told him, that she could not believe in God, because he that was so wicked, was not destroyed.]

W. A. " My dear, you mean you wish I could teach you to know God, not God to know you; for he knows you already, and every thoughtin your heart.

Wife. "Why, then, he know what I say to you now; he know me wish to know him. Now shall me know who makee me?

W. A. "Poor creature, he must teach thee: I cannot teach thee. I'll pray to him to teach thee to know him; and to forgive me, that I am unworthy to teach thee.

[The poor fellow was in such an agony at her desiring him to make her to know God, and her wishing to know him, that he said he fell down on his knees before her, and prayed to God to enlighten her mind with the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, and to pardon his sins, and accept of his being the unworthy instrument of instructing her in the principles of religion; after which he sat down by her again; and their dialogue went on:]

Wife. "What you put down the

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knee for? What you hold up the hand for? What you say? Who you speak to? What is all dat?

W. A. "My dear, I bow my knees in token of my submission to him that made me. I said 'O' to him as you call it; and as you say your old men do to their idol Benamuckee; that is, I prayed to him.

Wife. "What you say O to him for? W. A. "I prayed to him to open your eyes, and your understanding, that you may know him, and be accepted by him.

Wife." Can he do dat too?

W.A. "Yes he can; he can do all things,

Wife." But he no hear what you say? W. A. "Yes, he has bid us pray to him; and promised to hear us.

Wife. "Bid you pray! When he bid you! How he bid you? What! you hear him speak?

W.A. "No, we do not hear him speak; but he has revealed himself many ways to us.

[Here he was at a great loss to make ber understand that God has revealed himself to us by his word, and what his word was; but at last he told it her thus.]

W. A. "God has spoken to some good men in former days, even from heaven, by plain words; and God has inspired good men by his Spirit, and they have written all his laws down in a book.

Wife. "Me do understand that, where is book?

W. A. "Alas! my good creature, I have not this book; but I hope I shall, one time or other, get it for you, and help you to read it.

[Here he embraced her with greater affection; but with inexpressible grief that he had not a Bible.]

Wife. "But how you makee me know, that God teachee them to write that book?

W. A. "By the same rule that we know him to be God.

Wife. “ What rule, what way you know?

W. A. "Because he teaches and commands nothing but what is good, righteous, and holy; and tends to make us perfectly good, as well as perfectly happy; and because he forbids and commands us to avoid all that is wicked, that is evil in itself, or evil in its consequences.

Wife. "That me would understand, that me fain see: if he reward all good thing, punish all wicked thing, he teachee all good thing, forbid all wicked thing; he makee all thing, he give all thing; he hear me when I say Q to him, as you so do just now; he makee me good, if I wish be good; he spare me, no makee kill me, when I no be good. All this you say he do; yea, he be great God; me say O to him too, with you, my dear.

[Here the poor man said he could forbear no longer; but raising her up, made her kneel by him, and he prayed to God aloud, to instruct her in the knowledge of himself by his Spirit, and that, by some good Providence, if pos sible, she might, some time or other, come to have a Bible, that she might read the word of God, and be taught by it to know him:]

"They had some other discourses, it seems, after this, too long to set down here: and, particularly, she made him promise, that since he confessed his own life had been a wicked, abominable course of provocation against God, that he would reform it, and not make God angry any more, lest he should makee him dead, as she called it, and then she should be left alone, and never taught to know this God better; and lest he should be miserable, as he had told her wicked men should be after death.": P. 476-481.

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Obituary and Recent Deaths.

To the Editor of the Baptist Magazine..

DEAR SIR,

The sole object of the writer of this paper, is to preserve the remembrance of real worth to a very numerous family,

the glory of the Redeemer, and the encouragement of the faithful in Christ Jesus.

MRS. MARY HARVEY, late wife ofT. Harvey, Esq. of Woodnesborough Parsonage, near Sandwich in Kent, was

born at Whitfield, near Dover, in 1761. Her parents were persons of respecta bility in the farming line. I give you, sir, the substance of what she said to me, nearly in her own words.

"Until I was about seventeen years of age, I was a gay, thoughtless young woman; very fond of dancing, and carnal company: I ridiculed religion and the professors of it; I would not have my shoes of a pious neighbour because of his religion; but that man, to oblige my shoemaker at Dover, brought me some shoes, and said, 'Miss Horne, I have brought you some shoes from Dover.' This led me to think there was something more in real religion than I had imagined; I saw that he returned good for evil; this cut me to the heart. I applied to him for my shoes from that time. But I still think, my first impressive thought was at a play-house; but, (said she,) let no one think well of a play-house on this account; I thought, what, if the day of judgment should now take place! I am sure I should be found at the left hand of the Judge. A poor, but godly woman, faithfully told me, that I was in au awful state, and in the road to endless ruin. This added to my distress, but I stifled my convictions as much as I could, and for months kept all my feelings to myself. Again I tried the pleasures of the world; this continued from Michaelmas to about April following; at which time, my soul was in an agony about sin, and the salvation of my soul. I obtained my father's permission to go to Eythorn meeting, three miles distant, to hear the Rev. Mr. Knott* on the Lord's day morning; he preached from Psalm li. 12. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation.' I returned home to dinner, and went to church with my father in the afternoon; but all the time I was at church, my soul dwelt on Mr. Knott's text and sermon, Psalm li. 12. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation,' &c. His sermon contained every thing my soul panted after. While hearing it I thought Mr. Knott was more than ministers generally are, for he told me all that ever I did, all about my thoughts, my sins, the world, and Jesus Christ. While hearing, I said to myself, this church shall be my home, and nothing but violence shall keep me hence.

See Ivimey's History of the Baptists,

From this time I thought, I'wept, I rejoiced, and began to tell others what a dear Saviour I had found: I now found Jesus Christ, his word, the throne of grace, and the house of God, all my desire and delight. My dear mother, had long been under convictions; I now opened to her my very soul, and was, perhaps, the chief instrument in her conversion; we sorrowed and rejoiced together. My dear father would bring my books among the corn in the gramary; but so great was my concern for his salvation, that in going home one uight from Great to Little Archers' Court †, knelt down under a hedge, and had great nearness to God in prayer for his salvation. My dear mother and myself were frequently overwhelmed with our tears, purely on account of our religion: one night my mother went part of the way home with me, I knelt down in the lane to pray, but having no bonnet on, my mother stood and covered me with her apron. Before I was nineteen years old, I was married to Mr. Harvey, baptized, and joined the baptist church at Eythorne."

On the 11th of April last, (Lord's day) Mrs. Harvey's enjoyments of divine things were so great, her expressions of the Saviour and of Heaven, so affecting, that no one present was able to give it in detail. On the 12th of April, Mrs. Harvey desired that the writer and his wife might be sent for, supposing the time of her departure drew very near. Although the writer had heard the substance of the above account before, still, at his request, she gave him what is stated above, and also what follows.

"As to my funeral text, I would rather leave that with you; but I am afraid your regard for me may lead you to some text from which you may take occasion to say what I should not like to be said; I therefore will prevent you, by giving you a text myself: let it be Ephesians ii. 8, 9; I have many neighbours who, I fear, think more highly of their own works than they do of Jesus Christ. Perhaps they may be present, I want them to hear the truth on those two important things-how sinners cannot, and how they can, be saved."

*This old pilgrim, at eighty-seven, is yet living, and rejoicing in Christ crucified.

+ She was housekeeper of her father's farm, at Little Archers' Court.

She then broke out in a strain of holy rapture, and, bathed in tears, she exclaimed, " Ob, sir, what abundant reason have I to say,

'Oh, to grace, how great a debtor,

Daily I'm constrain'd to be.'

I do not want a funeral sermon for any thing to be said about me, only about Jesus Christ; his grace and mercy to poor sinners." It was asked, if Satan had endeavoured to distress her mind; she replied, "Many years ago he did so, but I bless the Lord, he enabled me to resist him: whenever he appears I am helped to show him the shield of faith. Yesterday, my views of divine truth were so clear, my confidence so great, and my love to my Redeemer so strong, that it was more than I could give utterance to. My children entreated me to spare myself; but, I said, perhaps, I have not long to stay, and, feeling as I do, how can I help speaking." The writer is here constrained to say, that no person could well be at a more remote distance from the character of a mere talker, than the late Mrs. Harvey. It was asked, "Is there any change in your mind, as to your views of divine truth, or the Saviour of poor sinners?" She said, "Oh, no; except it be, that I see and feel more and more my need of both." Of the Saviour she said,

"Yes, thou art precious to my soul,

son, the Lord bless you and yours; give my love to all." He added, "The Lord bless you, my dear mother! Farewell!" On the 31st, her youngest son said, "How is your mind?" she added, "Blessed be his dear name;" (this was a common word with her, when speaking of Jesus Christ.) She began that hymn

"There is a land of pure delight;" but could only say, 66 a land-a land;drink new in Father's kingdom." She said, "Not now-to-morrow, to morrow" but her departure was on the day following. She saw her husband weep: she said, "Do not weep!" Her son asked, "Are you happy?" she said, "Sweet Jesus, precious Jesus, come, and take me to thyself: why tarry the wheels of thy chariot." sister finished her course, June the 2nd, 1824, aged sixty-three years.

Our dear

Mrs. Harvey's views of divine truth were clear, her faith strong, she had no abiding doubt for more than thirty years, of her interest in Christ. She was a lower of Jesus Christ; a bright examvery holy, humble, ornamental, folple to others; a firm and sincere friend; a lover of all good men. She was very useful to other Christians; the honoured instrument of the conversion of two of her grandchildren. In her experience, as to growth, depth, and stability, she was superior to very many pious ChrisMy transport and my trust." tians; she always loved those sermons On the 25th of May, her youngest son best which savoured most of Jesus found her in a serene frame of mind, Christ. She was very liberal to the resting on the Rock Christ Jesus: she poor in general, but especially so, to the seemed afraid of coming back again in-household of faith. To care for the poor to the world, but would rather depart, and be with Christ. She seemed cheered by her son's saying, ""Tis religion that must give Lasting pleasure while we live," &c. The next day Mrs. Harvey said to her eldest son, "I have not lost my anchor-hold, blessed be his dear name; I desire to be resigned to the Lord's will: his word comforts me." He said, "Mother, it is not by works of righteousness which we have done." "No, no, my dear; we must come to Christ empty-handed. The 69th of Dr. Rippon's Selection, has been very sweet to me:" and added,

"From sorrow, toil, and pain,

And sin, I shall be free."

of Christ's flock, in her own connexion, was one of the very last actions of her valuable life. Should any enquire after faults, the writer thinks he may be allowed to say, that after an intimate Christian intercourse of thirty-three years, he never knew her guilty of one single action that could, in the least, have tarnished her Christian character. Her funeral text, Ephesians ii. 8, 9, was preached from, at Eythorne, June 13, 1824, to fifty-three mourning relatives, and a large congregation; and at Barnswell in the evening, from her other text, 2 Timothy i. 12; both by her pastor.

REFLECTIONS.

How ought we all to hear this loud

She took his hand, and said, "My dear speaking voice: perhaps, a voice of

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reproof, to rouse us from our slumbers; perhaps a monitory voice, to set our house in order, and to trim our lamps; perhaps, a consolatory voice to tell the Christian how it will be with him, when his toils are ended. Should not this providence be to us as a physician feeling the pulse of his patient, or like the going down of the sun, or like the departure of a long summer's day.

MRS. RACHAEL LADE. DEPARTED this life, July 21, 1824, aged eighty-three years, Rachael Lade, relict of the late Mr. John Lade, of Great Mongcham, near Deal, Kent. She was first brought under concern about her soul by hearing the late Mr. Knott, of Eythorn, when under twenty years of age. She was on a visit at Little Mongeham, with a Miss Chitty and a Miss Atkinson, daughter of the late Lieut. Atkinson, of Sandwich. While there, these pious females used, every day, to retire for prayer and religious conversation. "Mr. Knott," said she," encouraged me to join the Baptist church, at Eythorn. This place has ever been my religious home, and there I will continue to go as long as I am able. Jesus Christ was, and is, at times, very precious to my soul: and, when at home on the Lord's days, in reading and prayer, I find sweet communion with him. All my dependance, so far as I know my own heart, is entirely on Christ for salvation. I trust he will never leave me, although I am such a poor doubting creature. She was baptized, and joined the church, at the age of twenty-one: she died, at the age of eighty-three, and was a member sixty-two years: she was a Martha and a Mary. If she had not the wisdom of the serpent, she certainly had the harmlessness of the dove. She lived a humble, peaceful, holy life; and requested her funeral text might be Psalm xxvi. 8, "Lord, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth."

MRS. MARY BELSEY.

MRS. Mary Belsey was born at Upper Eythorne. She was brought up under the sound of the gospel: but, she said, "I was thoughtless about my Soul until thirty years of age, when I dreamed of the Day of Judgment; I

* See Baptist Magazine, 1817.

was compelled to appear; I wanted to be excused, but was not; I saw I had many sins to answer for, but I could not answer for one of a thousand. The Judge seemed to frown on me: I awoke, and found it to be a dream. However, a broken law, a sense of sin, and great distress of mind, attended me for some time. At length I obtained relief, by prayer; I was fully persuaded that Jesus Christ was able and willing to save me." She was baptized; and joined the Eythorne church, at the age of thirty-three; died, aged seventy, having been an honourable member thirtyseven years. She was very conversant with her Bible. In the last week of her life, the writer found her calm, and resigned to her Lord's will. She was asked, if she still loved Jesus Christ? she said, "I repent not that I followed him, but that I did not follow him sooner, and walk closer; I want more communion with him; I want to feel Christ more precious to my soul; I can give up my husband and children for Christ: I have a desire to depart, and be with Christ. I am not afraid to die, I have committed my soul into the hands of Christ; he will not let me perish. I want you to pray with me." The evening before her departure, one of her daughters wished me to ask, if she had chosen her funeral text; and, although nearly past speaking, she said, "Yes," and mentioned every word of it in perfect order, 2 Corinthians xiii. 11. The writer prayed, shook her hand and She held his hand said, Farewell. some time, but could not speak. Thus the Lord has been speaking three times by the removal of three pious females, on the 2nd of June, 21st of July, and on the 31st of July, whose faith may we follow, considering the end of their conversation.

RECENT DEATH.

December 10, 1824, died, in the thirtieth year of his age, the Rev. R. ROGERS, pastor of the Baptist church at Monmouth: he was much beloved by all classes of people, and, in the views of man, eminently useful as

an instrument to raise the infant cause

lately established in that benighted town: but "the Lord's thoughts are not our thoughts, neither are our ways his ways:" "Be ye therefore ready also; for the Son of Man cometh at an hour when ye think not."

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