death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory."

Many Friends from London and elsewhere went to see him, whose visits he took very kindly, and to one of them he expressed himself in the following manner: 'I never coveted riches nor power; and indeed, if I had obtained them, what could they, or all the friendships of the world, do for me now? Nothing but the testimony of a pure conscience, and the inward sense of divine favour, can comfort my soul in these moments. Thanks be to my heavenly Father, I feel his supporting arm underneath, and it is a rest indeed, a joy that overcomes all. It makes this bed easy, and enables me to bear calmly, and without complaint, the dispensations of his gracious providence. I wish for nothing to myself otherwise than it is. I accept with satisfaction and thanks the kindness of my friends: in compliance with their request, and thinking it my duty to do what may be in my power, I take the medicines prescribed, which, though it may not seem meet to Providence in his wisdom to render instrumental in the restoration of health, yet, through his blessing, they have so far succeeded as to remove the sense of acute pain. To be thoughtful of, and prepare for this trying time, have I frequently and earnestly exhorted others, not without considering and knowing the many strong temptations of this world, which, however, as we are obedient to the spirit of Christ, we shall be enabled to overcome; that in the conclusion they might have this answer of peace, this divine consolation of mind. It always appeared best to me, to do this in great love and gentleness, so that I might persuade, not force them to Christ. When this time comes, it will be found hard work, without any additional weight, to struggle on a dying-bed with the pangs of the body. But how much more to be lamented is the condition of those, whose consciences accuse them with having enriched themselves by oppressing the poor and helpless; and when in an unprepared state, VOL. II-32

after a life of rebellion and hardened in iniquity, such must feel the terrors of a guilty mind, added to the agonies of a perishing body.'

A friend who went to visit him, a day before his death, asked him how he did; after a short pause he said, 'I am waiting for my great change. O my Father! be pleased to be with me, and comfort me in my last moments.' The last words he was heard to speak were these: 'There is a great God in heaven, who is Zion's king. O Zion! O Zion! O thou great King of kings! Soon after which, he departed in great tranquillity and composure of mind, the 15th of the Fifth month, 1760. His body was brought to his own house in Black's-fields, Southwark; and from thence, after a solemn meeting at Horslydown, attended by many Friends, was decently interred at Friends' burial-ground in the Park, Southwark. Aged about fifty-one years, and a minister twenty-two years.

ROBERT PLUMSTED, of Gracechurch-street, London, was in his youth addicted to gaiety and the delusive pleasures of this transitory world; but was preserved out of the gross evils thereof. About the twenty-eighth year of his age, it pleased Divine Providence in great mercy to manifest to him, that if he would obtain peace he must walk in the narrow path of self-denial. Thus by adhering to the dictates of divine grace, he was enabled to deny himself of the pleasures and pomps of this world, take up his cross, and in a good degree was brought into conformity to the leadings of truth. Sometimes for about a year before his decease, he appeared in a few words in our religious assemblies in a tender manner, which was acceptable to Friends.

He was afflicted with a long and painful illness, in which he had at times access to the throne of grace, and when reduced very low, uttered these words distinctly: 'Lord! as

thou hast continued me to this moment, let me not depart without undoubted evidence of thy favour.'

He quietly departed this life the 14th of the Seventh month, 1760, at the Hot-Wells near Bristol, and his corpse being brought to London, was interred the 23d of the same, at Winchmore-hill, in Middlesex, accompanied by many friends, after a large and solemn meeting at Devonshire-house in London. Aged thirty-six years.

LYDIA LANCASTER was the daughter of Thomas and Dorothy Rawlinson, of Graithwaite, in the county of Lancaster, who both descended from families reputable among men; and they both came among friends on the principle of convincement, and were religiously concerned to instruct and example their children therein, as the most precious of all blessings.

That powerful hand which alone can give the increase, mercifully extended an excellent blessing to several of their children, and particularly to this their daughter; and as it opened the heart of Lydia of old, so it opened her's, to receive the heavenly message. In her young years she became sensibly acquainted with the Lord, and witnessed his gracious. dealings with her, in order to redeem her to himself, and make her a sanctified vessel to place his name in.

About the fourteenth year of her age, she had a view of the will of Providence to engage her in the ministerial service; under which concern she continued about ten years, growing in wisdom and experience, that she might come forth in the right time, endued with proper qualifications. In this time of deep travail and heavenly discipline, she learned to say with the prophet Isaiah, "He wakeneth me morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned."

About the twenty-fourth year of her age, she came forth

in a living, powerful testimony, and grew therein. The blessed author of all spiritual riches having abundantly replenished her with the treasures of his kingdom, she soon became an able dispenser thereof to the churches, having a word in due season to divers states; and like the well-instructed scribe, brought out of the treasures committed to her, things new and old. And as she was eminently favoured by her great lord and master, she became humbly devoted to his requirings. When called forth into the various parts of his vineyard, she freely gave up to spend and be spent for his name's sake.

She visited this nation, or the greatest part of it, several times; Ireland and Scotland twice; also the continent of America; in all which she was rendered instrumental to build up many in the most holy faith; particularly in America she left many seals of her ministry, both in the edification and help of those who were of the society, and the convincement of others, gathering them to the great Shepherd of the flock.

Her openings into the mysteries of the kingdom were deep and instructive, adapted to the state of those amongst whom she laboured; close and with authority to the negligent and careless; yet all her ministry was attended with that love and tenderness which accompanied her lord and master, who came to seek and to save that which was lost. She was favoured with a most excellent utterance, her gesture awful, her voice solemn; and all her demeanour in the exercise of her gift, becoming the dignity of the gospel ministry. She was signally favoured in supplication, having near access in spirit to the throne of majesty and grace, before whom she worshipped with calm rejoicing and awful reverence.

Thus, through a course of many years she retained her zeal and integrity, and in her old age was strong in the power of an endless life. Great indeed was her growth in religious experience, even to the stability of salvation, and an assurance that she should never fall, yet accompanied with

the deepest humility. Filial love, which casts out fear, was the covering of her spirit, and rested almost constantly upon her for several months before her removal.

About six weeks before her departure, she thus expressed herself to a Friend she had favoured with an intimate acquaintance: 'My natural strength is not so much impaired as to give me reason to expect a sudden removal from this world; but I feel so constantly day and night the virtuous life, and my Father's holy presence is so constantly with me, and I enjoy so much the spiritual communion and fellowship of saints, as to give me an apprehension I am not far from mine everlasting home;' to which she sweetly added, 'A glorious crown and everlasting song is before me.' The Friend to whom she thus expressed herself being deeply affected with the sense of the over-shadowing of the Holy wing at that instant of time; she further added, "If the foretaste be so joyous, what are the riches of the saints' inheritance beyond the grave?'

She was supported to labour in the gospel almost to the conclusion of her days, having attended the funeral of an ancient Friend, William Backhouse, several miles off, on the First-day of the week, and preached the gospel in the demonstration of its own power; and finished her course the Seventh-day following; and as she lived so she died, in great favour with God and man, full of days, and full of peace.

She died at Lancaster the 30th of the Fifth month, and was honourably interred in Friends' burial-ground, the 1st of the Sixth month, 1761. Aged about seventy-seven years, and a minister about fifty-three years.

WILLIAM BACKHOUSE was born in the year 1695, at Yealand, near Lancaster, of religious parents. His father dying when he was about two years old, a prisoner in Lancaster castle, for his conscientious testimony against the pay