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stant companion. She seldom retired to rest at night without reading a portion of God's Word; often would she hold the candle in one hand and the Bible in the other, for the blessed book was precious to her soul. She hid God's Word in her heart that she might not sin against him.

In the year 1857 our sister entered into the marriage state with her now bereaved partner. The step was taken in the fear of God. In this new relation she studied the interest and happiness of her husband. The union, though short, was a blessing to both. While looking well to her husband she was. fervent in spirit serving the Lord. Though difficulty and trouble pressed upon her, owing to the low state of trade and want of employment, yet she endured it with patience and resignation.

God's promises comforted her, his presence sustained her. Amidst outward tribulation she had inward peace. Casting her burden upon the Lord, she was graciously supported.

It was hoped she might be favoured with many days of happiness and usefulness. No one apprehended that disease and death were so near.

She

seemed to be in the enjoyment of health and vigour; but towards the latter end of the year 1858 she became the subject of painful affliction, at times she was seized with fits which fearfully shook her constitution. Her friends, however, were not without hope that after her confinement she might be restored to vigorous health. That hope was doomed to disappointment. For a while she seemed to do well, but it was soon apparent that her days would be few. Disease, like an insidious serpent, had crept into the constitution, threatening to bring her to an early grave. All necessary assistance was obtained, but without any successful result.

She

continued to be worse until her friends had to give up all hope of her recovery. When her medical adviser pronounced her case hopeless, she felt no fear; and when her mother told her she would never get better, she was calm and unmoved her trust being centred in Him who had loved and given himself for her. Though temptation assailed her, and her sky was not always clear, yet she never lost her confidence in Christ. On one occasion she was severely buffetted by the enemy of her soul, but like her Saviour she said," Get thee behind me, Satan;" she also prayed earnestly to God, who came to her help

and gave her the victory. At times she saw her husband sorry, as if he could not give her up, when she observed, "It is wrong of you," meaning that he ought to submit to the will of God. But this was not an easy lesson to learn. When they thought that the ties by which they were bound together would be so soon broken asunder, even our sister herself said, "It is hard work," and they both fell into tears. She then asked for the Hymn-book, and pointing to the 562nd and 563rd hymns, said, "Here, William, read them, they are applicable to your case." At times she asked him to read to her the 17th chapter of John, from which she derived much consolation and support.

On the morning of the day on which she died she was very ill, when her mother told her to put her trust in the Lord. She said, "It is hard work, mother." In the afternoon, being much worse, she repeated the words, "It is hard work;" her mother again urged her to look to the Lord. She said, "I do, mother." In a short time after she added, "Come, Lord Jesus, I am ready;" and then, with uplifted voice said, "Glory! have glory in my soul! We will range the sweet plains on the banks of the river, and sing of salvation for ever and ever." When she had finished singing she said, "Mother, tell my sister H. and my brother J. that they are in the wrong way; tell them to meet me in heaven!" She then repeated another verse of a hymn,

"Then will I tell to sinners round,
What a dear Saviour I have found;
I'll point to thy redeeming blood,
And say, Behold the way to God."

After this she said, "Tell the Sundayschool teachers to meet me in heaven!" And she shouted, "Glory! glory! glory!" After this she spoke no more, nature was exhausted, and reclining her head on her pillow, her happy spirit took its flight to be for ever with the Lord, in the twenty-third year of her age. "Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his." Longton.

G. HUMNETT.

MRS. MARY PERRIN. MRS. MARY PERRIN, of Nether Alderley, in the Macclesfield Circuit, the subject of this notice, was born in the year 1805. Till about three years ago she was destitute of a saving interest

in the Redeemer's blood, though for a considerable time she was impressed with the importance of leading a religious life. But while sensible of her guilt as a sinner in the sight of God, she suffered the difficulties of her providential path to prevent her seeking salvation in earnest till about the time indicated above. The husband having found peace with God towards the close of his earthly career, her own convictions became increased, and she resolved on giving herself to the Lord and his people. One Sabbath morning, while meditating on her spiritual condition, she determined to seek salvation in earnest at once, and accordingly found her way the same morning to the class-meeting, held in our Nether Alderley Chapel. At that meeting she avowed herself as a penitent seeking salvation, and earnestly prayed for pardoning mercy. Her prayer was speedily answered, for her soul was set at liberty, and she was enabled to rejoice in a sweet sense of God's forgiving love. Shortly after our sister had given her heart to God, she was seized with the affliction which, though long protracted, terminated in death. On many occasions she expressed the happiness she felt that she had found salvation before she was laid aside by affliction, and said, "What should I do if I had to seek religion now ?" The writer of this notice had frequent opportunities of visiting our departed friend, and on every occasion was much pleased with her experience. Her confidence in the Saviour was remarkably strong. She knew in whom she believed, and was quite satisfied as to his ability to support her mind in her affliction, and to keep her to the end. Her feet were firmly fixed upon the Rock of Ages. She had clear views of the plan of salvation, and trusted to nothing but a saving interest in the blood of Christ :

"Twas all her hope and all her plea,
For me the Saviour died."

She often expressed her gratitude to the Lord for her temporal mercies, and for the kindness of her children and her many friends. She was enabled at an early period of her affliction to resign herself, her family, and her worldly concerns into the hands of her Heavenly Father, and from her heart to say, "Thy will be done!" She was a fine example of the power of grace to sustain under a lengthened affliction. Many persons have been surprised at

the patient resignation manifested by
our departed friend. There can be no
doubt that it was the grace of God
which supported her, and enabled her
thus to leave herself and her concerns
in his hands. Our sister proved the
truthfulness of the promise, "My grace
is sufficient for thee, and my strength
is made perfect in weakness." On the
last occasion of the writer visiting her,
she spoke very clearly of her hope of
heaven, and said, "If we meet no more
on earth, I expect we shall meet in
heaven." She seemed much comforted
when the writer quoted the lines-
"Oh, what a mighty change

Shall Jesu's sufferers know,
While o'er the happy plains they range,
Incapable of woe!

In that eternal day

No clouds nor tempests rise;
There gushing tears are wiped away
For ever from our eyes."

For some hours before her departure she became very much worse in her body, and was obliged to be frequently removed. She requested her friends again and again to read, to pray, and to sing to her. On being asked if Satan buffeted her much, she said, "No." "Is Christ precious to your soul?" She replied, "Yes, he is." After a severe struggle with her difficulty in breathing, she at length calmly and peacefully fell asleep in Jesus on Friday morning, April 29th, 1859, in the fifty-fourth year of her age.

Her death was improved by the writer on Tuesday evening, May 10th, in our Nether Alderley Chapel, which was very much crowded on the occasion, the discourse being founded on the words, "I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them."

Hallelujah! for the strong consolation we have that our sister is gone to be

"Far from a world of grief and sin,
With God eternally shut in."
SAMUEL MEldrum.
Congleton, June 21, 1859.

SAMUEL CLAYTON DIED at Congleton on the 3rd of April, 1859, aged forty-eight years. In the early part of his life he neglected his spiritual interests, and eagerly followed a life of dissipation. The sickness and death of his wife induced serious thought, and the ministrations of the

Rev. R. Henshaw, during his first appointment to the Macclesfield Circuit, were greatly blessed to his soul. In February, 1844, he joined our society in Congleton, and continued a steady member of the same till his death. After his conversion he could adopt the language of the Apostle Paul, and say, "I, who was a blasphemer, a persecutor, and injurious, have obtained mercy." For a long time he was the subject of a very distressing malady, in connexion with which he had to undergo a very painful operation. About twelve months ago he was seized with a severe cold, which continued to increase upon him, till, in February last, he was laid completely aside. His sufferings were very great, but he bore them all with calm composure and delightful resignation to the will of God. The writer and many other Christian friends frequently visited our departed brother, and were much delighted in listening to the relation of his experience, and his bright hope of heaven. Surely "around him and underneath

were placed the everlasting arms."
After some months of patient suffering,
he sweetly fell asleep in Jesus.

"Happy soul, thy days are ended,
All thy mourning days below;
Go, by angel guards attended,
To the sight of Jesus, go."
S. M.

Congleton, June 21, 1859.

DIED, at Yarmouth, on the 20th June, 1859, aged thirty-nine years, Catherine Davy. Sister Davy heard me preach on the Sabbath before Conference, but on my return, to my surprise, she was a corpse. She felt for some time that this mortal must put on immortality-that the time of her departure was drawing nigh; she be held death approaching, but without his sting. Her feeble frame was sinking, but she was serenely joyful. Her sphere of labour was the Sabbath school, but those labours are now ended, and she is reaping her reward. W. PACEY.

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How little we that dwell in cities know
Of a star's use to man: how anxiously

It oft is look'd for, through th' obscuring haze, ·
By the toss'd seaman, in the midnight watch;
Or where, in clearer climes, the tinkling sound
Monotonous, of camel's bell alone

Awakes the unvaried desert's silence;

How the wild Arab, Ishmael's swarthy son,
By star directed, o'er the torrid waste

In safety leads the thirsty caravan.

How gloriously must that bright orb have shone
O'er Bethl'hem's fields, blest birth-place of our Lord,
Announcing joy, good tidings, peace, and love;
Leading the wise men from the golden East
To worship Him who died to save mankind.
So may we all be led by the sheen stars
To worship God, who made both them and us.

PINK.

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