was, therefore, a source of much comfort in the family circle, often evincing a thoughtfulness of mind, in relation to household matters, far above her years.

When very young, she became the subject of very gracious influences; but, being somewhat naturally reserved, she did not reveal her mind on the subject of religion until she was about fifteen years of age. At that time, without any solicitation, she remained after the Sabbath evening's public service at the ordinance of the Lord's Supper, and on her way home with her mother (one of our devoted women) gave utterance to her religious emotions, and expressed a strong desire to commence meeting in class. Her mother, as a matter of course, encouraged her to do so, and on the following Sabbath she joined the class in which she continued to meet as long as health and strength permitted. Though somewhat diffident and of few words, she often expressed strong confidence in God as her reconciled Father through faith in his dear Son. A life of devotion to God had manifestly become the absorbing purpose of her heart; and in the efforts made in our Sabbath-school to raise funds for the support of our missions (efforts which have been so signally successful) none engaged more heartily than our dear sister.

But, while in our young friend we beheld a bud of so much promise, Infinite Wisdom had ordained that its beauties should open in a purer, happier clime, and bloom beneath the immediate sunlight of the eternal throne. In the midst of life and hope our sister was arrested by the hand of affliction: an affection of the heart soon laid her prostrate on a bed of suffering, and her recovery soon became a matter of very serious doubt. Ah! how necessary it is for us all, even the young, to be ready for a dying hour!

At the earlier stage of our sister's illness she clung to life; and, with considerable emotion, at times said she would very much like to be restored. Her dear mother was confined, by rheumatism, in another room, and on this account she was

very much distressed. She expressed a strong desire to see her mother, and, to gratify her wish, she was carried by her friends to the bedside of her afflicted parent. The occasion was a most affecting one, and was, happily, the means of reconciling her more fully to the will of God. From this time the frail tabernacle continued to waste, but her spirit rejoiced more and more in the blessed hope of eternal life. The visits of her religious friends were seasons of special refreshing and encouragement. With very joyous emotion she often spoke of heaven as her abiding home; and, resting on the merits of the Atoning Sacrifice, tranquil and confident, she waited the moment of release, and, on the 5th of February, 1865, in the nineteenth year of her age, her happy spirit left its clay tenement, to be for ever with the Lord. A. BLAKELEY.

GEORGE WILCOX,

OF SILVERDALE, HANLEY CIRCUIT. OUR departed brother, George WilCox, was born at Liset, near Silverdale, in the year 1814. When about eleven years of age, he, with his parents, removed to Silverdale, in the Hanley Circuit, and soon after joined that Sabbath-school. Here he received those influences that did much to prepare his mind and heart for a full reception of God's saving

grace.

About the age of eighteen, and while in connection with the Sabbathschool, our brother was seriously afflicted. It was during this affliction that he was brought to a true knowledge of his sinful and dangerous condition. Soon after he was led by the hand of a Christian friend to one of our class-meetings, then conducted by the late Mr. Joseph Peake, and it was evident that with all sincerity he had given his heart to God, and both heart and hand to his Church, of which (at Silverdale) our brother continued a consistent and devoted member to the day of his death, a period of thirty-three years. Aged and devoted Christians are generally converted in early life.

Our departed brother was a Me

thodist, of what is called the "old sort." He not only considered it possible, but lived in the happy assurance of God's forgiving grace. To this great truth the Spirit itself bore witness with his spirit.

The precious doctrines of salvation by Jesus Christ were his daily glory and joy. Here his soul rested for forgiveness, purity, joy, and heaven; and many of his Christian companions will not soon forget his flowing tears, and bursts of praise, when speaking or singing of the precious love of Christ.

Both the public and private life of Brother Wilcox was as becometh the Gospel of Christ. A person living in the same neighbourhood says, "I have known George Wilcox nearly thirty-four years, but never knew one single instance in which his consistent moral character was questioned." A fellow-workman says, "He was the same on other days as on Sundays." A Christian brother, who for some years lived in the same house with him, says, "A man's home is the place to see whether there is genuineness in his Christian profession, and George Wilcox would have well stood that test." As the head of a family, he was unceasing in Christian duties. He appeared always to be seeking for spirituality of mind. The Holy Scriptures were his meditation day and night. When health permitted, he would sometimes rise very early on the Sabbath morn, and with his Bible in his hand, and God's love in his heart, he would go to the fields, and for several hours together read his Bible, pray to and praise his God; and in such exercises it is said he has been known to spend whole nights.

But while I thus write, let it not be supposed that I lose sight of, or think he had no failings. No, no; and over these he would often weep. Nevertheless, all who knew him will admit that he was a Christian of more than a common amount of piety. He daily walked with God. His conversation was in heaven. In supreme love to God, and a conscientious regard for his duty to others, he was a living epistle of Christ.

Our departed brother appeared to have special power with God in prayer. When thus engaged he was as one in audience with his Heavenly Father. With strong confidence in the great Mediator he evidently prayed as one expecting to receive; and often at the family altar, in his class and the prayer-meeting, a holy influence would rest upon all around. As might be expected in such a man, he possessed strong Christian sympathy. If a member of the Church were overtaken in a fault, he seldom failed to do his uttermost to restore such a one "in the spirit of meekness." In words of kindness, when opportunity presented, he seldom failed to reprove sin in young or old, especially on the Lord's-day, taking then the opportunity of leading the Sabbath-breaker to the house of God, and at this day some have just cause to be thankful for these efforts, as also for his many visits to those in affliction.

As a class-leader (which office he most efficiently held for a period of twenty years), he was diligent, faithful, and affectionate, and long will the members of his class lament their loss.

From the time our brother first united himself to a class-meeting, to the day of his death, he was a true Methodist. He loved his classmeetings; nor was he found absent except prevented by sickness or other unavoidable circumstances. Oh, for more of the same spirit! He was diligent in his attendance on all the means of grace; his great object was to get and to do good, and so praise and glorify his God.

About seven or eight years past our beloved brother's health began to fail, but by care and the diligent attention of his excellent wife, the disorder did not make rapid progress, but for the last three years such was his enfeebled state that it was with considerable difficulty he could attend to his employment, and repeatedly for short periods he was quite unable. From the first of his affliction, he continued to have a strong impression that it would be unto death, "but," said he, "not my will, but my Father's be done." For about eight weeks before his death, our

departed brother was altogether confined to his room. In this state his Christian friends found it a privilege to visit him. A few days before his departure he said, "There are three or four young men unconverted that I have often spoken to about their souls, and I should like to have spoken to them once more, but my Master calleth for me." A day or two after this he said to a friend, "I am near the valley, but Christ is with me, and it is full of light. I am resting in his arms; bless him, praise him, it is all of Jesus. I am a sinner saved by grace. I gave myself to him in health, and I know he will not leave me now." His voice was almost lost in death, but turning to his brother, he whispered, "Another struggle, and then at my Father's house." Soon after, he stretched forth his feeble arms, with fixed eyes, as if he saw some heavenly visitor, then for a few minutes he lay in a quiet, peaceful state, when without a sigh, our beloved brother, George Wilcox, left earth for heaven, December 29, 1866, aged fifty-two years.

His death was improved a few weeks afterwards by the writer, to a large and deeply-affected congregation in our chapel at Silverdale. T. HEATH.

her deportment such as became the Christian profession. During the long and painful affliction which preceded her death she was wondrously sustained by the power of Divine grace, and endured as "seeing Him who is invisible." Calm resignation, unwearied patience, and firm confidence in her Saviour were the strongly-marked features of her experience throughout her affliction. She had for many years been accustomed to join in the service of song in the house of the Lord, and in the midst of her great weakness, and near the end of her earthly life, she would endeavour to sing one of the songs of Zion. And now, raised above all hindrances, she unites with the glorious choir of heaven in celebrating the high praises of God and the Lamb. And we mourn our loss not as those without hope.

"Her God sustained her in her final hour;

Her final hour brought glory to her
God."

MUSICAL CONCERTS. We live in a very critical period of the Church's history. Her purity is assailed in every possible way, both as it regards doctrine and prac

tice; and her efforts for extension are often paralyzed by the temporising conduct of those who have a nominal connection with her. Ritualism in the Establishment is but

one form of deadly error; there are other things, which those who condemn and repudiate it countenance and patronize, that are exceedingly detrimental to the cause of truth and righteousness, and, to some extent, sap the very foundations of vital godliness. In Methodist and Dissenting bodies, purity of doctrine is almost universally maintained, if we except those who deny the Divinity of Christ, and some other essential truths of the Gospel; but in practice certain things are allowed, even by the orthodox, which are surely, and in some cases rapidly, undermining the piety of our youth of both sexes. Prudential motives are alleged. It is asked, Why should we not gratify our young people in matters so trifling, when we, by doing so, have the prospect of gaining them to the Church?" It certainly requires no proof that what is plainly contrary to the Word of God is no trifling matter, and that to allow it is a plain violation of duty, and, therefore, a positive rejection of the authority of God! "Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world, is the enemy of God" (Jas. iv. 4). "But," it may be asked, "to what do you allude?" I allude to more things than one; but that to which I wish to call special attention at present is, the singing of SECULAR SONGS, and the use of SECULAR MUSIC at musical concerts held in places where God is worshipped. For instance, I have very recently known Handel's oratorio of the "Messiah" form the first, and "secular songs and music" the second part of a concert, held in a place where Christian worship is conducted, contrary to the object contemplated by the generous and devout persons who gave the money for its erection, and to the plain and unmistakable tenor of the trust deed by which it is secured to a certain section of the Church! This, of itself, is bad enough; but we must look at the matter in a still more serious light. Secular song-singing is contrary to the clear teaching of the sacred Scriptures: "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and

hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord" (Col. iii. 16). "Let them praise the name of the Lord: for his name alone is excellent" (Ps. cxlviii. 13). Now, is there anything in songs at all in accordance with the teaching of these (and, we might add, many other) portions of the Bible? We answer most emphatically, No, no. There are no secular

songs in the Scriptures.

But we must go a step further:"Evil communications," and especially in the fascinating garb of music and song, "corrupt good manners;" and this is sufficiently and lamentably evident in the conduct of the young people who are indulged with secular songs, whether at concerts in the house of worship, or at their respective homes-to win them to Christ!! "Tell it not in Gath." We know that such young people are not won to Christ by any such means; if, after being so indulged by professors of religion, they are ever, by any other means, brought to him at all!

I do not wish to occupy too much of your valuable space, but I may presume to add, that secular songsinging is allied to various games of sinful pleasure, which pave the way to the theatre, the ball, and the racecourse, and end, we have but too much reason to fear, in the eternal ruin of many of our Sunday scholars, who are the children of professors of the religion of Jesus.

AN OLD WATCHMAN.

by a well-dressed Frenchman, of apparently little more than thirty years of age. His countenance was intelligent but grave, and his manner listless and indifferent. He usually sat alone in one compartment of the room where we assembled, and glanced cursorily at the papers, but seldom entered into conversation. I learnt that he had been staying there several months, had abundance of money, was regular in his habits, but had no particular object in view, and seemed, as it was expressed, like a man who knew not what to do with himself. My curiosity was awakened; I endeavoured to render myself agreeable to him, and as we always met at meals, and frequently, also, at other times, I got into familiar conversation with him. His coldness and indifference gradually wore off, and at length we sat together for hours, conversing in an unembarrassed manner.

In answer to my inquiries, on several occasions, he gave me the following account of himself:

"I was left, at a very early period of my life, heir to a very considerable estate, the annual revenues of which soon came to be at my disposal. I had an eager desire to see different countries, to make myself acquainted with their several aspects, and the customs, manners, peculiarities, and language of their respective inhabitants, with the most interesting particulars of their history. I therefore set out on my travels, and spared no expense for the accomplishment of my object. With this view I have visited Europe and the East, have been in both the Indies, and through Switzerland, France, and England. I have also visited other places, too numerous to particularize, and I have met with but few disasters, and with but little interruption to my health, while, as yet, my resources are unimpaired."

He said all this with coolness and with no apparent desire to excite my astonishment. He surprised me by the extent of his information and the accuracy of his knowledge. I found by his ready answers to questions which I put to him relative to those parts which I had traversed,

that he was perfectly correct in his statements. He had read much, and, indeed, as he said, all the books that came in his way, till he found succeeding authors only repeating the former in a different mode and form of expression.

"And now," said he, "I am at a loss what to do. I know not where to go or what to see that I am not already acquainted with. There is nothing new to sharpen my curiosity or to stimulate me to exertion. I am sated. Life to me has exhausted its charms; the world has no new face for me, nor can it open any new prospect to my view."

I strongly impressed upon him the necessity of seeking and serving the God of the Scriptures, and of proposing to himself some ennobling and worthy object of pursuit in life. This, I assured him, from my own experience, was the unfailing antidote to ennui, and the cheering solace of our present existence. I left him with the hope that my arguments and appeals were not in vain, and we parted in a friendly manner, though he still exhibited on his countenance a feeling of languor and disinclination to exertion.

Surely here was a practical comment on Solomon's conclusion, "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity and vexation of spirit."

CHRISTIAN DEVOTEDNESS;

OR, PERSONAL EXPERIENCE. I LOVE the Lord my God with all my heart. I purpose to keep his commandments and do his will. For this I live, for this I pray, for this I read his Holy Word. But to do this, how much I need help from on high. For I know not how to pray as I ought. Nor can I readily discern just what I ought to do, or how I ought to act under the accumulated trials and temptations of this unfriendly world. I only know that I need Christ, and that I need him every moment. Awake or asleep, at home or abroad, alone in the forest or when I mingle with the multitude, I need him just the same. He is my life, my light, my truth, my way. I cannot live with