dear sister, and all thy family. The Divine blessing be with us all! "Thine most affectionately, "V. PERRONET." Many and distressing bereavements Mr. Perronet was called to sustain, as one and another of the beloved members of his family were removed by the hand of death. In 1763 he lost his excellent and devoted wife, after a long affliction. He had been led, by the eagerness of his desires, to cherish a persuasion that she would recover; but his hopes were suddenly blighted by her death. The blow caused inexpressible anguish ; but he bowed with meek resignation, nor was he left comfortless. Writing to his children, he thus indulges the sorrow of this occasion :-" The Lord hath wounded me very deep; but, blessed be His holy name, not near so deep as I deserved, nor in the least deeper than the necessity of the case required. Idols that have long engrossed the heart can only be cut out by the sharp two-edged sword. May He, whose sword it is, sanctify the smart to us all! Sure I am, we shall greatly offend Him if the memory of your dear mother should not be precious to us.— She breathed out her soul in such soft, easy, and quiet slumbers, that for a time I only supposed her to be in a sweet sleep, and was therefore afraid to awake her. O, may we all follow her to that glorious rest which remaineth for the people of God!" The death of Mrs. Perronet was preceded by that of her son Thomas, who went rejoicing to heaven after a severe illness, and deep distress of soul. Five of her family had reached paradise before her; and, no doubt, the prospect of re-union contributed greatly to soothe the anguish of a dying hour. Four years after his mother, John triumphantly escaped to a better world, after suffering much from that dreadful malady, the small-pox. In his illness he experienced a full assurance of the favour and love of God. He was followed by Charles, a son especially endeared to his father by fervent piety, and active zeal for the glory of God and the salvation of souls. After wearing out a weakly constitution in unwearied efforts to bring lost sinners to God, he breathed out his soul in the words of his blessed Lord, "Father, into Thy hands I commend my spirit." Child Yet more exercises awaited the faithful servant of Christ. after child was torn from his embrace by the relentless hand of death, until of his numerous family (as already intimated) but two remained. William died on his way home from Switzerland, whither he had gone to settle some temporal affairs. During his abode there, his health seriously declined, and he began to feel a great concern for his salvation. He earnestly sought the mercy which he felt he needed; and there is reason to believe that he was brought to a saving acquaintance with Christ as his Saviour. His death was sudden. At the very time he was expected almost hourly in England; but God had otherwise determined. At an inn where he had halted, in Flanders, his illness increased; and thence he was suddenly called into eternity. The following year his sister Damaris was taken to heaven by a fit of apoplexy. She had been the chief stay of her father's house, and his almost constant companion; an office for which she was eminently qualified. Her devotional spirit, her conscientious regard for the will of God, and her love to immortal souls, were far above the ordinary standard. She was remarkably free from selfishness, and her life was spent in acts of benevolence and love. No trial could at the time have more sensibly affected Mr. Perronet; but the deep resignation which was given him was so extraordinary as to excite the astonishment of all around. No sooner was the death of his daughter ascertained, than with a holy sublimity he rose from the prostration of deep sorrow, and with uplifted hands and eyes exclaimed, "Great and marvellous are Thy works, Lord God Almighty! just and true are Thy ways, Thou King of saints. Who shall not fear Thee, O Lord, and glorify Thy name?" Seldom has a more impressive spectacle been witnessed, than when this holy man stood up in all the majesty of grief, showing in impressive example how effectually Divine grace can enable us to triumph over the feelings of nature, even when the heart is wrung with anguish. As link after link was successively broken, thus gradually dissevering him from earth, the chain seemed to be re-formed for the purpose of drawing him more closely to heaven. He no longer considered those of his friends who were removed thither as separated from him; but appeared already to share their joy, and to exult in their safe arrival on the happy shore "Where all the ship's company meet, Who sail'd with the Saviour beneath; And triumph o'er trouble and death." REVIVAL OF RELIGION AT SHOREHAM. After a long period of discouragement, the good seed sown began to appear; and pleasing signs gave demonstration that "he that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him." Labourers in the Lord's husbandry are too apt to be disheartened when they see not the fruit of their toil springing up at the calculated time: but the precious grain of the word, though it may be long hidden in the ground, cannot be lost. "As the rain cometh down," says God, "and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: so shall My word be that goeth forth out of My mouth: it shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." The servant of Elijah had gone up to look for the cloud seven times before he saw anything; and even then it appeared so little, as to resemble a man's hand. Thus it was at Shoreham. Mr. Charles Perronet, his father's favourite son, a most holy and zealous man, was a special instrument in that work of revival which contributed so much to gladden the latter days of his venerable parent. We give a description of it in his own words, as contained in a letter to Mr. John Wesley, bearing date, "Shoreham, October 15th, 1772:" "The first seventeen years of Methodist preaching here, the smallness of the congregations, and want of the life of religion, made us the derision of them that hated us. "Things had long borne an unpromising appearance, and labour seemed all lost. Then the work revived, and still more so three years afterwards. But the chief increase has been the last three years; and now every day is bringing greater things to pass. "A year ago the offence of the Gospel began to cease, and religion to be honourable. Labour and supplication, and sorrow and reproach for Christ's sake, are seed for Gospel harvest, and spring up when our hopes fail. "Our place contains above a hundred and fifty families. Out of these about one hundred and fifty persons attend the word; and so intent are they upon hearing, that such as cannot get within will bear the severity of all weather without. "The heads of the parish begin to come; and others that were the most inveterate. And one and all bear such plainness of speech, that [we have] hope of fruit in due season. Some that had sat long under the word, to no profit, are awakened; backsliders return to the Society; and a low degree of benevolence to the poor begins to appear. Vice hides its head with shame, and those who before made us their derision flee at the sight of us. "Shoreham has been long both the aversion and desire of the neighbouring parishes. Such as loved righteousness thought that to live in Shoreham was all that could be desired, and would take any pains to spend if but a day with us; but the haters of religion shunned it, and cried, 'You will be made mad!' "The reformation seen in some of the most notorious is talked of by many. The wicked begin to own that our design must be good, and that the place ought to profit. If any seem near their end, their ungodly friends inquire whether they are fit to die, and advise them to turn Methodists as the best thing for dying well: and some that came into great trouble sent with tears to beg our prayers. Such is the saving efficacy of Jesus, that where His name is preached it diffuses grace to those who are far from God; and they that seem not to regard, yet show that they honour righteousness, and learn to be afraid to die in sin. "Out of three public-houses, two receive us to pray in their families. Many young children delight in hearing the word, and in being privately instructed. The schools-one of boys, the other of girls have begun prayer, singing hymns, and religious instruction. Instead of their former rudeness to us, the children are in great awe; and those that can scarce walk delight to pay respect." The narrative, which was doubtless intended to contain many more particulars, from some cause ends abruptly. It must therefore be added, that the Society in Shoreham and the neighbouring village consisted of nearly seventy persons, many of whom were truly alive to God, and some were sincere mourners after redemption in the blood of Jesus. In general, they were a simple, earnest people, and adorned the Gospel by their life and conversation. The whole company was formed into three classes, which met in different rooms at Mr. Perronet's house. He greatly rejoiced in their prosperity, and was indeed "gentle" among them, as a nurse cherisheth her children;" tenderly ministering to their spiritual necessities, and supplying their temporal wants to the very utmost of his power. LATTER DAYS AND DEATH OF THE VICAR. The life of a village Pastor seldom admits of much variety. The field of labour is contracted, and the duties are uniform. It is not in quiet and secluded retreats that we look for the romance of life. The course of Mr. Perronet appears to have been characterized by much uniformity, interrupted only by events commonly incident to this state of trial. He was a man of retired habits; and, when not engaged in the duties of his parish, (in which, however, he was indefatigable,) he lived chiefly in his study, where he enjoyed blissful communion with God,-such intimacy, indeed, of fellowship with the Father and the Son, as few Christians attain. As a parish Priest he was an example of patient diligence in his Master's work, and affectionate zeal for the good of souls. He sometimes said that he considered it "a singular honour to be employed as a day-labourer in the Lord's vineyard." He watched like a faithful shepherd over his flock, warning the careless, reproving the vicious, instructing the ignorant, sympathizing with the sorrowful, and visiting the sick. In the pulpit he was fervent and faithful. He sought not by any display of learning or oratory to win applause: on the contrary, he used great plainness of speech; for he had but one end in view, to win souls to Christ. Those of his hearers who were inclined to scoff could not but admit that he was faithful and earnest, and, moreover, that the evidences of his sincerity were found in his more eloquent life. Simplicity and godly sincerity were the prominent traits of his character. He was exemplary in resignation to the Divine will, which not only shone forth on special occasions of searching trial, but enabled him also to persevere with untiring patience in his efforts for the spiritual welfare of his parishioners, notwithstanding many and long-continued discouragements. He well knew that duty belongs to man, while events are with God. He was persuaded that the autumn would at length succeed the sowing, and he left the time and circumstances with the Lord of harvests. Nevertheless he offered up many prayers for the success of his labour. His habits were devotional: he daily continued in supplications and intercessions, not only pleading regularly for the church, the nation, the world at large, and his parishioners especially; but also for those of them, individually, who were in distress, whether of mind, body, or estate; and even for such as manifested more than common obduracy and opposition. Although Mr. Perronet lived beyond the limits usually allotted to man, he did not escape the "labour and sorrow " attendant upon advanced years. Though in much infirmity, he never declined any part of his public work until the latter end of the year 1778; when, as the consequence of a severe cold taken while officiating at a funeral, a violent attack of rheumatism confined him to his home,-where he remained a prisoner for his last six years on earth. During this time he continued to preach a weekly lecture, which was usually attended with a peculiar unction of the Holy Spirit. Nor, meanwhile, did he lose any part of the cheerfulness by which he had long been characterized. His was "piety without gloom." Enjoying the society of his family and friends, he betrayed none of the fretfulness or querulousness which is too often the accompaniment of old age. His face shone with a radiant happiness. He was full of that benevolence which diffuses peace and sunshine on all around. This was the more remarkable, when increasing deafness deprived him, to a great extent, of the pleasures of conversation. He seemed to be in perpetual meditation, and his thoughts caused his eyes often to overflow with tears of joy. He delighted to dwell on the mercies of God, the spread of the Gospel, the glory of the millennium, the happiness of heaven; and, while thus engaged, he frequently rejoiced with joy unspeakable and full of glory. Mr. Wesley's last visit to this aged saint is thus recorded, December 9th, 1784 :-" At Shoreham we found that venerable man Mr. Perronet, ninety-one years of age, calmly waiting for the conclusion of a good warfare. His bodily strength is gone; but his understanding is little impaired, and he appears to have more love than ever." A little before, he had been obliged to desist from preaching. It appears that the parable of the prodigal son formed the subject of his last discourse. The winter of 1784-5 is accounted the most severe ever known in England, the earth having been covered with snow nearly six months. The extreme cold aggravated the sufferings of Mr. Perronet; yet hopes were entertained that he would rally with the approach of spring. He so far revived as to resume his favourite study of the prophetical parts of Scripture. During this period, the joy of the Lord was indeed his strength, and his days seemed to be spent in prayer and praise. On May 7th, 1785, he appeared remarkably cheerful. His grandaughter, entering his study, observed an inexpressible sweetness and animation in his countenance. He hailed her with a smile, while tears streamed down his face. He then told her he had been reading the last three chapters of Isaiah, and his heart had been filled with joy and wonder while contemplating the great things God was going to do on the earth. On the following day (Sunday) he was in the same delightful frame of mind. He conversed with many who came |