MRS. ARMSTRONG. Obituary. THIS excellent woman was a resident of Bristol, a member of the Rev. Mr. Lowell's church, and justly esteemed and beloved by all who had the privilege of her acquaintance. From her earliest years she had constantly heard the gospel, was remarkable for the punctuality of her attendance on divine worship, and had long been acquainted with the way of salvation. She was, however, the subject of many fears respecting her acceptance with God; but, blessed be the riches of his grace, her" path was as the shining light, which shineth brighter and brighter unto the perfect day."Her last illness was peculiarly instructive; for though her pains were great, such was the calm placidity of her spirit, such the firm and decided victory which she obtained over the last enemy," that her situation was generally regarded by her pious friends as truly enviablę. She was in the 69th year of her age; but so excellent a constitution did she possess, that till the attack which proved fatal, it appeared unimpair ed for she had all the vivacity of a woman of thirty. For about three weeks prior to her late indisposition, her mind had been almost continu ally occupied with those impressive words, "Set thine house in order, for thou shalt die, and not live:" so continually did this sentence dwell in her thoughts, that it almost seemed to her to be articulated in her ears, was with her by night and by day, and produced a more than ordinary degree of seriousness of spirit. On Friday, October 31, she found herself unwell; and tho' the seizure was by no means violent, she almost iminediately gave it as her decided opinion, that the time of her departure was at hand; and expressed her humble but cheerful acquies cence in the sovereign pleasure of God. Her disorder proved to be a pleurisy. She had the best medical aid, but became progressively worse; and so fully did she consider her af fliction as the harbinger of her dissolution, that though she readily complied with every direction, she seemed rather to regret that so much pains should be taken for her, restoration. Her life had been highly exemplary; nevertheless, in her affliction she most clearly dis-> covered all the evidences of a truly "broken and contrite spirit;" but so firm was her confidence in the immutability of the God of grace,-, so stedfast was her faith in the aton-, ing sacrifice of the great Redeemer, and so bright were her prospects of" a better country," as to produce that settled peace which so many of the children of God have experienced in their last hours; tho' but few have been more highly favoured in this respect than our departed friend. On being told that the physician entertained no hope of her recovery, with a peculiar serenity upon her countenance, she re plied, "Well, that affords me a blessed prospect indeed!"-and then added, "O, what a vile sinner! O, what a precious Saviour !" In this blessed state of mind she continued, and was indulged with the complete use of her mental powers to the very last, and after repeatedly taking the most affectionate leave of her children, and solemnly coinmending them to God, she sweetly slept in Jesus on Lord's Day morn ing, November 9, after an affliction of only nine days. On the following Sabbath her pastor availed himself of the triumphant language of the apostle, "O Death! where is thy sting? O grave! where is thy victory?" and, founded on those words, bore an appropriate testimony to the riches of divine grace. Reader, Be not slothful, but a diligent follower of them who, thro? faith and patience, inherit the promises." S. L. year of his age, was a shining monument of divine grace. It has often been said, that "when persons are called at an advanced period of life, they seldom shine as Christians.” This may be generally true, but Mr. Clark was an exception; for though forty years of his life had expired before he discovered the least regard to religion, yet, as to divine things, he became intelligent; and in devotional exercises, remarkably lively. It was indeed a source of grief to him, that he had spent the best of his days in the service of Sin; and especially, that several of his children had left him before he was able or willing to give them one word of salutary advice. Prior to his conversion, he was an adept in the arts and practices which, in our country, characterize a dissolute man. 'Tis true indeed, that even then he was a sinner rather out of the common way; but "where sin abounded, grace did much more abound." On a particular occasion, he went to hear a minister of the gospel in the neighbourhood; and what was said arrested his attention, and made a deep impression on his mind. It was, in fact, the time appointed by Infinite Wisdom for this poor wanderer's return. Being now wounded to the quick, and also hungering for the bread of life, as he found neither the physician he wanted, nor food for his soul under the ministry he used to attend, he deserted it. His old mimister frequently rallied him about his new religion, as he was pleased to term it, but Mr. Clark consider ed religion of too much importance to be sacered out of it, In his conduct and deportment there was an evident change: the lion, in a great measure, became a Jamb. Before he knew the grace of God, he was of a disposition so fractious, that he was frequently quarrelling with a neighbour who lived opposite to him; but his neighbour being of a more peaceable turn, in order to avoid such unpleasant al tercations, removed his door to the ather side of the house. After his conversion this would have been needless; for no sooner had the God of Peace become his Father, than he became a son of Peace. As a religious character, he was a shining light, for he "walked in all the ordinances and commandments of the Lord blameless." He had a zeal for God which always blazed; neither length of years, nor the infirmities of old age extinguished it. The word of God, the house of God, and the ordinances of God, were things he highly valued. From the time of his becoming serious till within a few months of his death, a space of near forty years, his seat in the house of God was, perhaps, not forty times vacant. So attached was he to social meetings for prayer and religious conversation, that even in the depth of winter, after having laboured hard all day, he would take his staff in his hand, and travel a mile or two on the Derbyshire hills, where the road is almost frightful, to attend them. In his passage through this valley of woe, he met with many a blast of trouble and adversity; but that God whom he served, was his shelter and defence. A few months prior to his death, a complaint, to which at times he had been subject for many years, attacked him with violence. From what he felt, he was fully convinced that the time of his departure was at hand; but he was not dismayed,he knew in whom he had believed. His complaint gradually wore him down; and, as towards the latter end of his affliction he was racked with pain, he prayed fervently for his dismission; which was granted. RECENT DEATHS. soon J. B. The Rev, and truly venerable Mr. Lavington, of Biddeford, has been lately removed by death. We expect his funeral sermon will be printed. The death of Mr. Alderman Hankey, who was one of the candidates to represent the city of London, and who was almost suddenly removed on the evening preceding the elec tion, was an event of a peculiarly striking nature, and shews the un certainty of all human pursuits. REVIEW OF RELIGIOUS PUBLICATIONS. An Antidote to the Miseries of Human Life, in the History of the Widow Placid, and her Daughter Rachel. 12mo, 3s. 6d. THE risibility of the public has been excited by the details of "The Miseries of Human Life;" for there is a multitude of readers who seek after amusement rather than instruction; and there is also a certain class of writers, whose sole object is to make them laugh; and vulgarity, indecency, and profaneness, are usually engaged in the subtime cause of laughter. The writer before us evidently has no objection to humour; but he never aims to excite it at the expence of modesty and morality. In fact, the readers of this performance will find a deal of humour in it; but it is of the most innocent kind; and it would be uncandid not to say, that its leading design is to suggest the most important truths, in a most inoffensive and inviting mauner. The scene is laid in a stage-coach; in which seven persons are occasionally crowded together. The passengers are Mrs. Placid and her Daughter, who are Quakers; 'Squire Bustle; a Captain; and Miss Finakin, his aunt; a Collegian; and a Narrator of the events of the day. The meeting of the parties serves to display the author's talent, and prompts the reader to proceed. After breakfast, a book is discovered by the Collegian in the pocket of the coach-window, which introduces the following conversation: 66 omit, in compliment to the ladies.' "Aye, aye," returned the 'Squire, "we want no outlandish gibberish; nothing should be put into books but what every body may understand." You would then consign half our libraries to oblivion, Sir,' replied the scholar, who now began reading. The 'Squire frequently laughed as he proceeded, then cried out" Nonsense;" and asked for the next misery. "Are the hounds at fault just as you think yourself sure of the game?" said he. 'I don't recollect that Misery,' replied Miss F.- -"Then the greatest remains untold," rejoined the sportman.—“ I already perceive," observed Mrs. Placid, "that the book is designed to burlesque the petty troubles of life; I wish the readers may so apply it as to derive a good moral, and be led from it to see the extreme folly of suffering their tempers to be injured by such ridiculous evils." ‹ Ridiculous do you call them,' said Miss Finakin; I'm sure they are enough to overwhelm any human being.' "O friend, don't talk so vainly," replied Mrs. Placid, "lest God in his providence should see fit to chastise thee with real afflictions. evils of life may be classed under three kinds: Ideal miseries, minor miseries, and afflictions, or real miseries. The first of these are what thy favourite book chiefly treats of, which are not worth a sc rious thought. The next, I will allow, are very irksome to bear; and they are generally worse endured even by good Christians than severer trials; and for this simple reason, the assistance of divine grace is not called in. We imagine we can combat these enemies alone; and, in cousquence, we fail of gaining a victory. But for the last, there are remedies appointed of a never-failing nature; to which the sincere Christian repairs, and he is then enabled with an apostle to say, "Casi down, yet not forsaken; sorrowful, yet always rejo cing; having nothing, and yet possessing all things." The May I be permitted to look at this book, madam?" said he to Miss Finakin. Certainly, Sir,' she replied, it is the book we were speaking of before breakfast; extremely entertaining, The Miseries of Human Life. "An odd title," said the Squire, to expect entertainment from; but let us hear a little about it, if you please, Sir, though I shan't like it if its very dismal.I hate dismal ditties as I do a foggy morning in October." The author is a scholar, I see,' said the student; here Mrs. Placid then proposes to dis is a great deal of Latin, which I must course a little on experimental ret 6 gion, by giving a few particulars of her own life, to shew what experimental religion had done for her in many trying situations. "I like the liberality of your sentiment, Madam," said our young scholar, “in not connecting the essence of Christianity with peculiar modes and opinions; but are all sectarians thus liberal?" I fear,' replied Mrs. P. there is much bigotry to be found amongst sectarians; and I fear also that this disposition is not confined to sectarians only, but extends itself even within the walls of thine own establishment; but I would fain hope that the generality of professing Christians in the present day, are not disposed to narrow that strait path which leads to eternal life:' Mrs. Placid proceeds with her very calamitous history, though often interrupted by the incidents of the road and the pleasantries of her companions. After the conclusion, the 'Squire and the Scholar unite in calling Mrs. P.'s trials miseries. The Scholar urges her to define the term; she replies, "Taken in the abstract, as thou wouldest logically term it, mconnected with my particular views and circumstances, my trials may be called miseries; but they were so intermixed with mercies, that they could not render me miserable." The Scholar being still dissatisfied, the 'Squire thus replies: Why, you scholars are a sort of lawyers, all of you. I believe in my conscience your delight is to perplex every case that comes before you, or else your brains are uncommonly shallow. I know exactly what the gentlewoman means to say, without all this preamble and roundabout. She means to say, that true religion will make us all happy in a miserable world. Now do you understand it ? We demur a little on the propriety of making a Quaker-lady so profoundly wise, so truly liberal in her sentiments, or so very communicative, when a scholar and an author are present. Such a character is a rara avis indeed: but the others are natural enough, and well supported throughout; and we think the author has taken a most agreeable way of convincing his readers, "That there is in vital religiou, an antidote to every misery which can fall to the lot of human nature." The Importance of Domestic Disci pline; and Youth admonished of the Evils of Bad Company: wo Sermons preached at Newport, Iste of Wight, by Dan. Tyerman, 8vo, price 1s. 6d. Mr. T. is already known to the religious world as the Author of an Essay in favour of Infant Baptism. The subjects of these sermons are of the highest general importance; and we are sorry to learn that they are peculiarly necessary in his local situation, as we find from the following paragraph in his modest ad vertisement: "The author of the following sermons has witnessed with painful exertions the increasing profligacy of the town where Divine Providence has called him to labour. To behold a place, once favoured for morality and simplicity, given up to their opposite vices, to a considerable extent, must be a distressing sight to a benevolent mind. Persuaded that much of the iniquity of the rising generation takes its rise in the neglect of domestic discipline, he resolved to attempt to correct the evil in its origin; and therefore addressed the first scrmon to parents and heads of families; and having seen, in several sorrowful instances, the destructive influence which Bad Company had over youth, the second sermon was delivered with a view of inducing some of them at least, to shun the horrid evil. Conscious that the subjects of these sermons are of universal importance, and with a desire of more extensive usefulness, the author resolved to commit them to the press." While we deprecate that insatiable. thirst for publicity which too ofteu impels young preachers to burthen the press with their productions, we concur with Mr. T. in the propriety of his determination. Their general character is unaffected piety, good sense, and close appeals to the conscience, the author not aiming at elegance or refinement. Our limits will not suffer us to make extracts; but we recommend the whole as a suitable present to the heads of families by whom religion is neglected, and to young persons who treat it with indifference. Poems, on different Occasions, by Mrs. Cappe, who benevolently inte- cease, Where no dark clouds e'er intervene ; LITERARY NOTICES. A new edition of Shuckford's Connexion of Sacred and Profane His tory, revised by Mr. A. Clark, may be expected in two or three months. The History of Dissenters, by Mr. Bogue and Mr. Bennett, is going immediately to press. The Rev. Mr. Clark, of Trowbridge, is about to publish a Poem ; and some time hence, a Volume of Sermons. SELECT LIST OF RELIGIOUS PUBLICATIONS. Sermons and Letters of the late Rev. W. A. Gunn, with his Portrait, 8vo, 8s. Portraiture of St. Paul: a True Model for Christians and Pastors. By the Rev. J. Fletcher, 4th edition, 12mo, 4s. Dr. Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary on the 1st Book of Kings, 10d Vol. II of ditto; comprizing from Joshua to 1 Kings, 4s. sewed; 4s. 3d. boards; 4s. 6d. bound. Luther's Commentary on the Galatians, with his Life, &c. 8vo, 9s. Cottage Library, Part XI and XII, each 6d. Ditto, Vol. III, sewed, 2s. bound, 2s. 6d. Brown's Dictionary of the Bible, corrected by his Sons, 2 vols. 8vo, 11. 7s. boards. Whitby on the New Testament, 4to, Vol. I. (to be completed in two vols.) 11. 1s. McKnight's Apostolical Epistles, Life of St. Paul, &c. 2d edit. with the Life of the Author, 6 vols. 8vo, 31. 13s. 6d. Solitude Sweetened, 3d edition, 12mo, 4s. The Whole Works of Mr. Hervey, new edit. 6 vols. 12mo, 18s boards. No. I, of Thompson's New Diatessaron (to be completed in 7 Nos.) 8vo, ls. |