either preaching or her class. In her affliction I frequently visited her, and always found her praising God, under every dispensation. Her conversation was always about the deep things of God. I have frequently heard her say, "for more than eight years she had felt no disposition in her mind contrary to pure love to God." "Not," said she, "but I have met with things which would have caused anger, but I looked to my Lord, and instantly he delivered me."

In her feeble state, her husband wished her to have some person to wait upon her during his absence, as his employment called him frequently from home, lest when he returned home, (as he often said,) he should find her a corpse. But her reply usually was, "Well, and if thou findest me a corpse, rejoice that the spirit is gone to heaven." The subject of death was to her a pleasing theme for conversation: and the thoughts of spending a happy eternity with her adorable Saviour usually ravished her mind.

A few days before her death, she had some severe conflicts with the powers of darkness, but God came to her help, and enabled her exulting soul to sing, "Jesus is mine and I am his." In this frame of mind she departed this life, January 20, 1817, in the 84th year of her age, and in the 63d year of her being a member of our society.

MEMOIR of GEORGE CLOUGH, of BRADFORD, YORKSHIRE.

To the Editor of the Methodist Magazine.

MY DEAR BROther,

The subject of this memoir was a young man of genuine picty, chosen in the furnace of affliction, but who glorified God in the fires. He was brother to Mr. Benjamin Clough, now engaged on our Mission in the island of Ceylon. Its insertion in our Magazine when convenient, will gratify, and I hope also profit, many of his friends and religious acquaintance; will also be a favour conferred upon your unworthy, but very affectionate brother,

JOHN STAMP.

Our dear brother was born March 3, 1793. During the first twenty years of his life, he lived in a comparatively total neglect of that salvation which the blessed Jesus died to procure; dulging himself in those sinful gratifications, in which young men, uninfluenced by the saving grace of God, are prone to delight. The vain and fashionable amusements of the world captivated and enslaved his mind; especially that bane of morals, the theatre. At one period, his local situation afforded him an opportunity of satisfying his almost unbounded thirst for these unhallowed pleasures. But he could not enjoy them, without feeling that

remorse, which is the inseparable companion of an enlightened and guilty conscience. That Spirit which had striven with him from an early period, and which had been so frequently grieved and insulted, did not take its flight, as it justly might have done, but continued to work more powerfully and effectually, till the close of the year 1813. He had for some time seriously thought of giving up himself to God, and even resolved and 1e-resolved to do it; yet his resolutions were always broken, until towards the close of the year just mentioned, when his brother, being called out to labour among the heathen, addressed him close on the necessity of securing the salvation of his soul, by seeking a personal interest in the blood of the covenant. He then made a solemn promise of reformation of conduct, and, blessed be God, was enabled conscientiously to perform it. He began by attending the ministry of the word, and meetings held for social prayer; and having given himself to the Lord, he also gave himself to his people. He united in church fellowship with them, and ever felt grateful for that great privilege. He now became deeply concerned on account of his sins, and the burden of them became intolerable; for he beheld them in their true deformity and malignity, and was humbled for them before the throne of God. But that God "who comforts the distressed," and who hath no pleasure in prolonging the sighs of the penitent, or the tears of the mourner, graciously relieved the mind of his servant by shedding abroad his love in his heart. In about two months after his setting out in the way to the kingdom, while wrestling with the Lord in private prayer, he obtained a clear sense of his pardoning mercy. Of this he had indubitable evidence, by that infallible Spirit which witnessed it to his heart; and so strong was the impression made upon his mind at that time, that he never afterwards doubted the reality of the change which had passed upon him.

He now began to "shew forth the praises of him who had called him out of darkness into marvellous light," by a consistency of character, a circumspection of conduct, and disposition of mind seldom surpassed, or even equalled. Regular and conscientious in his attendance on the appointed means of grace, it was evident he profitted in them, by his improvement in holiness and knowledge. He seemed to despise that state of mental nonage in which young and untutored minds are apt to remain: hence he read much, he thought much, and he did this that he might be capable of giving an answer to any one that should inquire the reason of the hope that was in him. When asked, by Mr. Brooke, a few days before his death, what he thought concerning the evidences of the Christian religion, now that he was VOL. XLII. AUGUST, 1819. * 3 Z *

about to die, he exclaimed, "We have not followed a cunningly devised fable! I feel the cross of Christ to be the support of my soul." His zeal for the cause of God prompted him to activity. In attending prayer-meetings, visiting the sick, and teaching in the Sunday school, he was indefatigable. The cause of God lay near his heart; he identified its interests with his own: hence he never forgot to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, being convinced they shall prosper that love her." He felt a lively interest in behalf of the missionary cause: the heathen, those outcasts of men, who are perishing for lack of knowledge, were the object of his sympathy, the subject of his prayers, and the topic of his conversation.

But, alas! this plant, which bid fair for bearing much fruit, and which seemed designed to bless mankind with its healing balm, was

or,

“Nipt by the wind's unkindly blast,”

"Parch'd by the sun's directer ray."

He had not enjoyed the pleasures of religion long, before he was called upon to exercise its Divine graces in the furnace of affliction. He had felt it to comfort him in health, he now wanted it to support him in sickness.

About the latter end of May, 1814, he became seriously indisposed, so that he was rendered incapable of attending to his business ever afterward. He felt patiently resigned to the stroke; for he knew the rod, and who had appointed it, and was favoured with all that support which was necessary. He also found affliction to be a soil not unfriendly to growth in grace. At the earnest and repeated solicitations of his friends, (who spared neither pains nor expense,) he made use of those means for the recovery of his health which a kind Providence so liberally had afforded him. He did not use those means because he was afraid to die; no: he had a strong affiance in the goodness of that Being who had done so much for him. His friends were continually agitated betwixt conflicting hope and fear;-their hopes revived with his recoveries, their fears were renewed by his relapses, till at length the latter preponderated, and they were led to conclude that it was the design of God to take him from the evil to come. Yet, amidst these continual changes, he preserved an evenness of mind, and a soul patiently resigned to the will of God, whether for life or death.

About two months before he died, he said he had been thinking much of death, that it would be a separation of soul and body; the idea of his body returning to corruption, and the difficulty of retaining confidence in God at the last moments, &c. led him to despond. But, while thinking on these things, it occurred to his mind that was not the way by which he was to be delivered. He

then poured out his soul before God, and obtained immediate deliverance. He said he did not know it before that it had been possible for him to have enjoyed so much consolation from God. He continued to enjoy the Lord's presence, and especially in the night season; for when affliction of body prevented him from taking refreshing sleep, his mind was devoutly engaged with God, and he was blessed with such delightful communications of his love as caused him almost to "forget all time, and toil, and care."

In this comfortable frame of mind he continued till about a month before his death, when he was most powerfully and severely tempted to think himself a "tare amongst the wheat." At this gloomy season he had a fit of some sort, which he concluded was designed to launch him into the ocean of eternity. His friends were almost led to draw the same conclusion, and called a friend to come and pray with him; and while prayer was made for him, he poured out strong cries, sighs, and tears, that God would cleanse him from all unrighteousness. He had such views of the immaculate purity of the Divine Being, that he did not consider himself sufficiently holy to enter into the full enjoyment of him in heaven: but whilst at prayer, the Lord favoured him with considerable relief, both in body and mind. He continued in this state, trusting and rejoicing in God, though not possessed of that extatic joy which his soul thirsted after till the 18th of June. On the morning of that day he felt his mind considerably depressed; but whilst Mr. Brooke and a friend were praying with him, the Lord gave him the most ravishing enjoyment of himself. He arose up erect on his knees in bed, threw off his night-cap, and, with extended arms, cried out, "I'm in heaven! I'm in heaven!" And on reclasping Mr. Brooke's hand, he said again, "I'm in heaven! Now, Lord, lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation.' They imagined that his soul was really taking its flight to the mansions of bliss, and called his friends together. In this, however, they were disappointed. It would almost appear as if the soul was for a moment disembodied, and permitted to visit its heavenly home, and then remanded back to its earthly tenement a few days longer. When he came to himself, he exclaimed, "What a disappointment! I thought I had been gone! I thought I had been in heaven!" His soul continually broke forth in gusts of praise, and he said, "I must now watch; I only fear being impatient."

On the afternoon of the same day he gave his last solemn charge to his brothers and sisters, charging each to meet him in heaven;-an address this which, it is hoped, will not soon be forgotten by the relatives of the deceased. He further said "O! * 3 Z 2*

what a precious Saviour is he! he is best at the last!"-and addressing a friend who stood near him, he said, "Preach him, preach him faithfully, and may God help you."

On Thursday, the 19th, his soul continued happy in God. In the morning he prayed fervently that God would bless, assist, and keep his brother Benjamin; observing, at the same time, that he should have liked to have seen him in the flesh; "but it cannot be," said he: adding, " perhaps I shall see him when he does not see me." He was so completely overpowered by his feelings, that he could say no more. He continued in the same blessed frame of mind, constantly praising God, till Sunday, the 22d instant, when, through the pressure of bodily affliction, and the injections of Satan, he felt his spirit much depressed, and said, "I have been struggling the whole of this night to lay hold on him, and cannot raise my mind to Jesus." Being told it was a temptation from Satan, together with the influence of his corruptible body, which pressed down the soul, he prayed very fervently that the Lord would help and bless him, and that the enemy might be made finally to quit the field. After pausing for a considerable time, he broke out, "He must bless me; praise the Lord." It was not long before he experienced a complete deliverance, and believed that the enemy had now abandoned him. He continued to grow weaker and weaker in body, but experienced that consolation of mind

"Which pain and death defies;
Most vigorous when the body dies."

Whenever his strength would permit, he gave renewed proofs of his enjoyment of the love of God.

On Thursday, the 26th instant, being almost choked with phlegm, those who were around him imagined that he was about to make his exit, when he cried out, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. Praise the Lord! Glory be to God!" repeating the former clause for half a score times together.

He continued patiently resigned to the will of God,-daily rejoicing in him, and giving renewed proofs of the consciousness he had of the Divine presence, until Thursday, the 3d instant. At a late hour on the night preceding his death, he took a friend by the hand, and said, "Praise the Lord, it will soon be over!" But his strength failed, and he could add no more. He remained perfectly sensible during the whole of his affliction, even when dreadfully convulsed: but now nature appeared to be quite exhaused; the period of his dissolution arrived; and, on Thursday, July 3, 1817, he breathed his last, about a quarter before ten o'clock in the forenoon.

Bradford, August 18, 1817. 十

SAMUEL SELBY.