About this time he read a tract, entitled, "The Power of Divine Teaching exemplified in the Life of J.W." with which he was much impressed. Reading where the child expressed his confidence that he was going to heaven, because his sins were forgiven, he said, "How happy that child must have been! I am not good enough to die!" He was told, that the child's happiness did not arise from his not having been a sinner, but from the hope that his sins were forgiven, and that this was the design of Christ's coming into the world. He said, "I do believe that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, but that does not make me happy. I am not better than many children who do not believe it." The Bible, however, now became his constant companion; he read much of it by himself, not selecting, as he had been accustomed, the historical and narrative parts, but the Psalms, the Gospel by John, and many parts of the apostolical epistles. As his strength declined, he found his larger Bible too heavy, and he asked for a smaller, which he laid under his pillow every night, and began reading it as soon as it was light enough in the morning, sometimes long before any one else in the house was awake. He now preferred this precious book to all others; and being asked why he did so, replied, "Because I know that all it says is true." Another reason he afterwards mentioned," the importance of its truths to a dying creature.' William was now visibly drawing pear to an eternal world. His ap 66 |proaching change was contemplated by him not only without dismay, but with desire. More than once, when asked whether he would rather live or die, he said, I would rather die, and go to Jesus Christ." When once asked, Why be would prefer to die? he said, "Because then I shall never offend God again.” "How do you now offend him?" "I think wicked thoughts, and the most when I am trying to pray to him." After much suffering of body, and mental depression, it pleased God to lessen his pain, and to speak peace to his troubled mind. The little he said, conveyed the satisfactory assurance that hope had revived in his bosom, and that he felt peace within. On the morning he died, he requested his father to read to him; and when asked what he should read, he only replied, "John." Part of the 17th chapter, which had been a great favourite with him, was then slowly read. In the afternoon he expressed his wish that his father should pray with him. After this, he scarcely attempted to speak, but was evidently engaged in secret aspirations to heaven, whither his happy redeemed spirit took its flight, in April, 1818, after he had lived on earth seven years and ten months. That you, my dear Henry, may early become acquainted with the great and blessed truths of the gospel, and live and die under their holy influence, is the constant and fervent prayer of your affectionate father, Coseley, B. H. D. Obituary. MRS. ALICE SOPHIA KILPIN. [ serious disposition, and constantly MRS. Kilpin was born July 24, 1795. Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Adams, were then members of the late Rev. Dan Taylor's Church, Church-lane, Whitechapel. Although naturally of an amiable and attending the means of grace, it was not until the year 1816, when on a visit at Exeter, that she was convinced of the necessity of personal religion. She there attended the ministry of the Rev. Samuel Kilpin, which was greatly blessed to her; and being taken ill, the Lord was pleased to sanctify the affliction to her, and she was enabled, through grace, to resolve, that if permitted to recover, she would no longer be ashamed to own her Saviour before men, but would dedicate herself to him. The Lord graciously heard her, and raised her up again; and, when sufficiently recovered, she proposed herself to the church at Exeter, and was baptized by Mr. Kilpin on April 7, 1816. The following, which was found in her hand-writing, appears to have been written in prospect of her baptism. "Gracious and ever-blessed Lord God, grant that thy unworthy handmaid may not speak, write, or appear to others any thing more than she really is. Blessed Lord, thou alone knowest her heart, vile and deceitful above all things! Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast, Save in the death of Christ, my God: All the vain things that charm me most, I sacrifice them to his blood. Thy will, O Lord, be done!' Pray I plead no merits of my own, following very remarkable dream. I "Friday night, May 3, I dreamt I was sitting in the parlour, very ill, when I suddenly felt I was dying. I said to my brother and sister, who were with me, I am dying: mind and keep me long enough above ground, till you are certain I am dead, lest I should only be in a fit, as I have a great fear of being buried alive;' then I expired, which appeared like falling asleep. thought I had been asleep about half an hour, when I awoke, and found myself in a large stone building, almost dark; it appeared to be like the entrance of some great cathedral. I thought I had arrived in the world of spirits, and that this place was called the Judgment Hall, where I was come to be judged. And though I had the same Thou ever-adorable Jesus! surely thoughts and feelings as when alive, do love thee, or I could not, thus I knew I was only a spirit. I felt feel. Thy name is music to my very much distressed that I had ears. If I were not in the right way, told my friends to keep me any surely I should not long to hear thee length of time above ground, knowspoken of: I should not long to hearing myself that I was dead, and thy word. Oh! gracious Saviour, must soon take up my abode in the grant that I may not prove a hypo-regions of everlasting happiness or crite. Search my heart, and try it, lest when I am weighed, I should be found wanting. Were the whole realm of nature mine, Prone to wander, Lord, 1 feel it; She very soon afterwards relapsed, and lay several months apparently on a death-bed. An extract from a letter, written during that period, will show the state of her mind. "Exeter, June 3, 1816. "MY DEAR BETSY, "I am reduced to such extreme weakness, that I know not how to keep myself alive when I get up; but I trust, amidst all, I can say, misery. Though apparently by myself, I felt conscious that there was a great number of persons very near, and that I was surrounded by spirits. I thought it very singular that I should be waiting by myself, as I knew there must be a great many persons going out of the world at the same time; and yet I was by my self. "I heard some one very near, in a murmuring kind of voice, mention my name, and the year in which I was born; begin to read my life, stating every action of it,-at the end of every year making a kind of pause, as much as to say, Another year gone, and nothing done to the glory of God. Though the voice was so low that I could scarcely distinguish what he said, yet my | On her removal to town, in Janu agitation was beyond all description. There was nothing particularly evil in what he read, yet I thought he made the worst of every thing, laying great stress on my not having done any thing to the glory of God. I felt all the time confident that Jesus was very near me, and knew he would soon speak for me. This person continued to read till he came to my twentieth year, when my agitation increased very much, knowing I had only a few months more to hear, and then my doom must be fixed to all eternity. He went on till he came within a month or so of my being taken ill, mentioning every serious thought I had ever had, till he came to my being laid on a sick-bed. Our Saviour then interrupted him, and with a loud and distinct voice began to plead for me, saying, that when I lay apparently on a death-bed, I promised, if I should be restored, that I would no longer be ashamed to own him before men, but would love and serve him, and follow him in all his commandments; that he had therefore raised me up, and had given me sufficient strength, if I did love him, to honour him before men, alluding to my being baptized. I thought he said he had only raised me up to try my faith; and that he spoke with such a sweet voice, that I felt all my fears subside, and though I had lived nearly twentyone years in the world, and had only loved, and given the glory to him for a month or two, and that the weakest part of my life, the thought that that would be sufficient to obtain a part in his kingdom for ever, almost overpowered me. 1 thought he spoke some time for me, and was just going to pronounce my sentence, when I awoke, and found it nothing but a dream. that the remaining part of my life may be entirely devoted to him, that whether living or dying I may be with him! Jesus, with all thy saints above, My tongue would bear her part; Oh ALICE SOPHIA ADAMS." ary, 1817, she attended the ministry of the Rev. Joseph Ivimey, and was afterwards received into communion with the church at Eagle-street, by dismission from the church at Exeter. On Christmas-day, 1819, she was united to Mr. Benjamin Kilpin, nephew of her former pastor. This union seemed to promise the most pleasing addition to her happiness, and that of her husband; but how short-lived and uncertain our enjoyments, which depend upon human life! On Saturday, March 4, 1820, she took cold, and was prevented from attending the table of the Lord the next day. Her illness increased ra pidly, though for some time without appearance of depriving her of life; but death had received his commission, and baffled all the skill of the physicians. On Friday evening, the 24th, about seven o'clock, she said to her mother, then by her bed-side, " Mother, I am worse, I am now going." Her mother replied, "Have you, my dear, any thing in particular to say?" She said, "No; I wish for no talk except about Jesus, and his precious blood; talk to me of t thing else; call my husband." He immediately came, when she desired him to pray for her, and talk to her about Jesus, and his precious blood. She then desired those about her to repeat some hymns about Jesus, particularly mentioning, “ Jesus, lover of my soul," (H. 305. Sefection); "Well, the Redeemer's gone," (H. 36, B. 2, Dr. Watts); and "Firm as the earth thy gospel stands," (H. 138, B. 1, Dr. Watts); repeating herself, as well as she was able, « His honour is engag’ď to save She then adjusted herself with the greatest composure, and asked her mother if she lay right to die. She soon after desired she might not be disturbed by any of their tears or sighs, but left to die in peace. She then, in the language of Stephen, good boys recorded in that interest ing book, and affectionately address him on the subject of religion. She was very regular in the exercise of private prayer, morning and evening; and there was good reason to think that she was not satisfied with the mere form, but prayed from the sincere desires of her heart, under the influence of the spirit of grace and supplication. She did not only read the scriptures and hear the word preached, but seemed greatly to feel what she read and heard. She received with great eagerness, delight, and gratitude, the instructions given her, partly in the Sunday-school, but chiefly from her mother, whose time permitted her to pay particular attention to the moral and religious instruction of her two children, both of whom she was soon called to resur-sign into the hands of him who gave them. The brother of the subject of this brief account, died a few months before, aged nine years, and gave on his death-bed pleasing evidences of his heart's being renewed by divine grace. She was most affectionately attentive to him during his illness, and it is supposed caught a violent cold in showing her kind regards to him, by procuring herbs that were thought desirable for him. On the very night of the funeral she was taken much worse, and very soon after took to her bed, health. The whole of her conversato rise no more in the enjoyment of tion during her affliction, manifested that she saw not only the worth of her own soul, but of the souls of others. She often spoke with grief and compassion of the sinful, thoughtless state of the wicked After lying still, though breathing with great difficulty, about half an hour, she was heard to say very softly, as if with pleasure and prise, "Indeed!! Indeed!!" And when she had said this, she fell asleep. She was interred in Bunhill-fields on Friday the 31st, and on the Lord's-day following, her pastor preached a funeral sermon, (when he read the above Obituary,) founded on Rev. ii. 11. He that overcometh shall not be HURT of the second death. ANN TRUBY HOW. around her. At the same time she ANN TRUBY HOw, the daughter of John and Susannah How, was born at Burford, Oxfordshire, May 23, 1807. She was always of a very docile and inquisitive turn of mind, very fond of reading and attending the public means of grace. In her ninth year she was seized with an alarming illness, from which, how- did not see sin in others, and overever, she recovered. After this pe-look it in herself; but it was her riod she took great delight in reading the word of God, and was often much affected by Janeway's Token for Children, frequently exclaiming to her mother and brother, while reading it, "What good children those were! How they loved Jesus! How happy! How I should wish to be like them, and to dic like them!" She would often relate to her brother the accounts of the VOL. XII, great grief that she was such a sinful creature, and she often lamented it before God. About ten days after she was confined to her bed, she said, "It is impossible to express the pain I feel; but this pain of body Her mother begged her to inform is nothing to my trouble of mind." her what was the cause of it, that she might, if possible, be the means of affording her relief. She said, 3 H "O mother, it is because I am so wicked." Her mother asked her if there was any particular sin she had committed, that lay so heavy on her mind. She replied, No; but that she was such a great sinner; that her sins were innumerable in thought, word, and deed; more than the stars, or the sands of the sea, in multitude. In endeavouring to comfort her under this distress, her mother directed her to Christ, and told her that as he came into the world to suffer and die for sinners, he was able to save to the uttermost all that came to God by him; that he was as willing as able; that he had given most gracious invitations in his word; such as, "Whosoever will, let him come;"- "Him that cometh, I will in no wise cast out;" &c. She fur-tized. A person who had been a memther said, that the greatest sinners had been saved by him-and told her what peculiar encouragement there was for her to go to him, from the gracious promises made to children. These, and many other things,ther, and said, "How strange she were said, and connected with ear should begin talking of such vain nest prayer that God would be things after coming from the Supper pleased to remove the distresses of of the Lord!" This was her own exher mind. In a few hours after-pression, and with great seriousness. wards, light and joy broke in upon her, and she exclaimed, "He is the chief among ten thousand, and altogether lovely." Her mother asked her whom she meant; she replied, "Jesus Christ;" and soon after she said, with great delight, cause it speaks most of Christ, and I can understand it best." She was often grieved during her illness that she was not able to attend the public means of grace, and to witness the administration of the Lord's Supper. She seemed much impressed with this ordinance, and likewise with believers' baptism. When in health, she had repeatedly asked her mo|ther, Whether there were any as young as herself baptized? Her mother answered, that she had witnessed one baptized very young; and hoped that she might live to follow her Lord in this way of his appointment, if it were his will. She seemed much hurt when she saw what she thought inconsistent and improper in those who had been bap ber of the church for several years, was observed by her to talk of very trifling things after returning from the ordinance of the Lord's Supper. She noticed it afterwards to her mo On one occasion she suddenly broke out with the greatest joy, 66 Mother, I am travelling to the New Jerusalem; but dying work is hard work." Her fears at times were considerable, and she would say, "I am afraid I am not fit to die." But at other times she had "Jesus can make a dying bed Feel soft as downy pillows are; great consolations; and as she drew While on his breast I lean my head, nearer to death, these were someAnd breathe my soul out sweetly there." times very abundant, so as to rise to raptures of joy, while, among other "Yes, mother," she continued, expressions of similar import, she 66 you have made my bed very soft; said, "Jesus is mine; Heaven is but Jesus makes it much softer." mine; I shall soon be in glory with She was very comfortable for some my dear Saviour, and my dear brotime after, and would often be speak-ther. Lovely Jesus, how precious ing of the evil of sin in herself and others. The sins of professors of religion seemed a great grief to her. Her Bible and Hymn-Books were her constant companions, with Jane-When she saw her parents weep, way's Token, and some other books. she said, "Weep not for me, but She would read, and make remarks for yourselves. It grieves me to see on what she read, and ask many im- you weep, because my happy soul portant questions relative to it. She is going to heaven, whither I hope was particularly fond of the New and pray you may follow me." At. Testament, and often said, "I love times, the enemy of souls greatly to read the New Testament best, be-harassed her; but she was directed thou art to my soul! Come, Lord Jesus, take me to thyself. O he is coming, he is coming! I cannot stay here! Heaven is my home!" |