was not long before the Lord was graciously pleased to revive her again, for which she was thankful. She said to me, on my entering the room, "I was almost on the shore of the other world, about to enter the port of the blessed. But I am still spared. I did not think that I should have scen your face any more in this world; but if it is the will of the Lord to spare me a little longer, 1 trust it will be for his glory. I have no fear of death, for the sting of it is taken away."

Years still rolling on, my dear wife was assisted by Divine grace to hold fast her confidence; looking to the strong for strength, and he gave her grace according to her day. She often said to me, "O that the Lord would revive his work in this place, and make me more humble and thankful that ever he sent his servants to our house." She would often say that the Lord had blessed the house of Obed-edom for the sake of the ark, and this she thought was the case with herself, for the Lord blessed her both in body and soul.

In the year 1803 she was delivered of a third child, and the state of her mind at that time cannot be better expressed than in her own words: "Glory be to God, I found him to be my support in the hour of nature's sorrow. O how thankful am I! I feel Jesus to be precious to me. I feel his love in my soul, and that supports me to bear all this for him who bore so much for me."-About this time we were much neglected by the preachers, and this was a great grief to her mind. She would often say, "I am not enough devoted to God, and for this cause the preachers will not come to my house." Humility was a very prominent feature in her character; she had learned of her Saviour to be meek and lowly of heart, and thus to find rest to her soul.

In the spring of 1805, she was seized with an inflammation in her head and eyes, which proceeded to such an alarming height, that her life was despaired of. When to all appearance she was on the brink of the grave, I asked her if she found her mind stayed upon God. She answered, "Jesus is precious; I feel that he supports me; his grace is my comfort, and his word is my support. O what should I do if I had not Christ in my heart now." The Lord was pleased once more to restore her, that she might bless and praise his glorious name. Shortly after her restoration to health, she attended a love-feast, where she expressed her confidence in the love of God through Jesus Christ, and said that she felt "the peace of God which passeth all understanding," but declared that she was unable to express what she then felt of the love of God. At another time, when speaking of the love of God, she said, "O what union and communion I have had with the blessed Jesus this past week! how hath my cup run over, and how has my heart been filled with his love!" Love-feasts were the

say,

delight of her heart, and it afforded her unspeakable pleasure to be with those that loved and feared God; and she would often "When we reach our heavenly Father's house there we shall be at home-there we shall receive a full reward-a kingdom --and a crown." Her love to God and his cause was such, that it was always uppermost in her heart, and she longed for the prosperity of Zion. Great, however, as her enjoyments had been, a few years before her decease, she experienced a suspension of that pleasing sunshine, called the light of God's countenance: the Lord hid his face from her, and she was troubled. With heart-felt grief she said to me, "O that it were with me as in days that are past, when the candle of the Lord shone bright upon my soul." But this was of short continuance. In a few days the Sun of Righteousness arose with healing in his wings, the clouds and storms of her wilderness state gave place to the unclouded light of the reconciled countenance of Jesus Christ. This was the only time that I ever knew or heard her say any thing of the kind. She generally enjoyed more or less of the love of God in her soul, and consequently was cheerful and happy.

In the year 1814, she was visited once more with a dangerous fit of illness, which continued some time. The Lord Jesus was still her support as in times past. Sweetly resigned to his will, she said, "Come, Lord Jesus, and do with me as seemeth thee good; thou art still precious to me, the fairest among ten thousand, and the altogether lovely." I believe that she was restored again at that time in answer to prayer; for the society could not give her up. Prayer was made for her continually, and one evening all our dear brethren met together, and had a special prayer-meeting on her account, and from that time she began to

recover.

Her last illness commenced with an inflammation in her bowels. This fatal seizure took place on Friday evening, April 19, 1816. About midnight she said to me, "I shall die, I was never so ill before. I have been very bad many times, but never before like this. I shall soon leave you, my dear, do take care of my children, and be good to them." This I promised to do, and she said, "The Lord will take care for you." She never said any thing about the children from that time. It appeared to me that she gave them fully up into the hand of God that night.-In this early stage of her very distressing affliction she was resigned to the will of God, either for life or death. Although in a torment of pain she was not heard to complain, but bore all her sufferings with patience. On Saturday her relations were sent for, but as she had been subject to inflammations, they did not suspect that her end was so near. On my return with some medicine from the doctor, I hastened to my dear suffering wife. On entering

the room, she said to me, "I am not gone yet, but it will soon be over; I shall soon leave this world for a better; I shall go to Jesus Christ; he is my all; what should I do now if I had not a Saviour to be my support?" On Saturday evening she took her last farewell of me in the most affectionate manner, begging for the Divine blessing on me, and assuring me that all was well with her. She then asked me if I could give her up. I certainly entertained a hope that she would be spared to us a little longer, and was not without hope till Monday morning. After Saturday night her mind was wholly taken from all things here below; she had so entirely resigned us up to God, that she took no more notice of us than of others, but was thankful to any one that did any thing for her. On Sunday she was still in the same happy frame of mind; although in extreme pain, she was kept from complaining about any thing, and bore all with patience and resignation to the will of God. Her brother being sent for, asked her how she did; she said in reply, "I am very ill, brother; I shall die, but I have given you all up for Jesus Christ, and I shall soon be with him to behold his beauty; with him who hath done so much for me. O brother, it is hard work to die, but what should I now do if I had not Christ to be my support in death?" In the afternoon many of her friends came to see her, some before and some after preaching, and she took her leave of them in the most affectionate manner. Divine service being concluded, she said to me, "What a good sermon Mr. Foster has preached." I said, "Could you hear him?" She answered, Yes, very much, and very good it is to me. I shall soon enjoy that Sabbath that will never end." Her pain at this time abated. She lay composed, and slept a little, and we flattered ourselves that she was better. When she awoke, I said, Are you better my dear? She answered, "I think not," and added, "I shall soon leave all things below, and quit this vale of sin and woe. I am going to join the general assembly and church of the first-born, whose names are written in heaven, and you will soon follow me. Be faithful, my dearest companion, thou whom God in great mercy gave to me. I leave thee with the most grateful sensations for all the kind tokens of affectionate regard which I have ever had from thee; all thy care for me, thy love to me, and thy prayers for me. I bless my God, and I thank thee. But I now go to Jesus, who is yet infinitely dearer to me." She was very ill all Sunday night, but was kept in perfect peace. On the morning of the 22d, the day on which she died, she said to me, "I am not gone yet my, dear, but it will soon be over; I shall soon be with Jesus, who hath done so much for me. O precious Jesus-precious Jesus. Come, Lord Jesus, and take me to thyself.” I then left her, and went for some medicine, and in my absence she was taken worse. Those who were with her did not think

she could survive until my return; but the Lord spared her till then. As soon as I entered the room, she said, "My dear, I have had some hard struggles with death, but it is almost over." She then said to one," Pray," and all present united in offering up their prayers to God in her behalf. She lay composed, and seemed as though she were conversing with the Lord Jesus; and with heaven in her countenance, she said, "The Lord is very good to me." Seeing the children in the room, she said to them, in the most affectionate manner, "Be good children, and the Lord will bless you; be good to your father, and the blessing of heaven will be upon you." Having kissed the youngest, she wished them to leave the room; the reason of which I think was a fear lest, while beholding them, her affections should be set on them, or her mind be drawn from God. In this happy state she continued all the forenoon. About two o'clock she had a hard struggle, and all present thought she had departed; but shortly after, to our great surprise, she revived again, and said, "Why did I come back again?" After this she appeared better for some time, and sweetly conversed about the love of God to her soul. "I shall soon join in singing that song that is for ever new; O what hath Jesus bought for me,

and added,

Before my ravish'd eyes

Rivers of life Divine I see,

And trees of paradise :''

Then shall I sing more sweet, more loud,
And Christ shall be my song.'

Yes, precious Jesus, I shall soon be with thee, to behold thy beauty, and see thee as thou art." She continued in this happy frame about an hour, and then the pains of death came on with violence. When I perceived her to be a little more easy, I asked her how she felt the state of her mind; she answered," All is calm, and joy, and peace;" and in this blessed frame of mind she expired. "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord." By her desire Mr. Lisk preached her funeral sermon to a very large congregation, from the 27th Psalm and the 4th verse, a text chosen by herself.

By this awful stroke of Divine Providence I have lost one of the most affectionate and best of wives, and my dear children are bereft of a tender mother, who had always their interest and happiness at heart. But I acquiesce; I dare not murmur; my loss is her eternal gain.

To the Editor of the Methodist Magazine.

With this you will receive a brief account of the happy death of the late Mr. THOMAS HARPER, jun. of Bristol, which was drawn up by his afflicted father, was read to a large congregation in Bristol,

and is now tendered to you for insertion in your very useful Miscellany. I had the happiness of intimately knowing this excellent young man for several years; and he was endeared to me by his amiable tempers, by his affectionate subjection to his parents, by his genuine piety, by his usefulness in the church of God, and by his patient and joyful endurance of long protracted pain.

The Strangers' Friend Society has lost a very active and useful visitor; the Sunday Schools a laborious superintendent and teacher; and the Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society a very diligent and successful secretary and collector, by his removal. Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord.-I am, dear Sir, with much respect and affection, your's affectionately, WALTER GRIFFITH.

MEMOIR OF MR. THOMAS HARPER.

Our highly respected friend and brother, Mr. Thomas Harper, jun. was born the 22d day of July, 1797; and was from his infancy brought under the sound of the gospel by his parents, and had the advantage of pious instruction. From a child he so possessed the fear of God as to be restrained thereby from the commission of outward sin, and he felt an attachment to pious characters, but was not acquainted with his fallen state by nature, and of his need of a change of heart, until the spring of 1815, when, under the ministry of Mr. Pipe, he was so deeply convinced of his sinfulness and guilt, and awakened to a sense of his danger, that his countenance, which before exhibited vivacity and cheerfulness, was now clouded with trouble and distress.

In the following August he was admitted upon trial as a member of the Methodist Society, and by the advice and instruction of his intelligent and pious leader, he was encouraged to seek an interest in the blood of Jesus, and satisfactory evidence of his being accepted through him. He sought for this inestimable blessing with his whole heart, and did not seek in vain. About three months after, when at Portland Chapel, he had an affecting view of the willingness of Jesus to receive him, and his heart was filled with joy, in believing that he had obtained redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of his sins. The Saviour now became increasingly precious to him, and he used to say that every letter in his name was inexpressibly dear to him; and that Bunyan's Pilgrim did not more rejoice in dropping his burthen at the foot of the cross, than he did in being delivered from his on that memorable day.

He now walked in the light of God's reconciled countenance; but having very humiliating thoughts of himself and his Christian experience, he was often sorely tempted by the enemy of his peace, to call in question what God had done for him. When painfully exercised this way, with all child-like simplicity, he carried his case to his Saviour, and was usually favoured with such a sense of his love as convinced him of the reality of his conversion to God.-Soon after his admission into the Methodist Society he believed it to be his duty to offer himself to become a teacher in a Sunday School at Guinea Street. He also began occasionally to engage in social prayer-meetings, and his soul was much blessed in these religious duties. Having experienced the renewing and comforting efficacy of the truth as it is