nently to appear, and crown that assembly with his divine presence; and though he be removed from us, which is the church's great loss, yet we are satisfied his gain is much greater, being entered into the kingdom that never shall have end.

MATTHEW DICKENSON, of Cumberland, was born in the year 1627, and was convinced by the spirit of truth, and received it in the love thereof in the year 1653. One of the first who received truth in that county was this worthy and ancient Friend, who was faithful to the requirings of the Lord; and the Lord fitted him to bear testimony to his holy name and truth, soon after his convincement, and caused him to call and warn both priests and people to turn to the light of the Lord Jesus that shone in their hearts, and to repent of their wickedness, and to believe in Christ, and to obey him.

He was much concerned to go to the public places of worship to preach the gospel of Christ in love to people's souls, being greatly desirous that they might receive it as he had done. But he met with deep sufferings by beatings, abusing and imprisonment; yet he persevered in true faith, sincere love, great zeal, and godly courage; so that there were but few public places in all the county but what he visited and laboured among them. He travelled but little to visit Friends abroad, but frequently attended meetings at home, and was very instrumental in settling a meeting called Westside, though he belonged to Pardsay meeting, in Cumberland. He was an innocent man, and of a blameless conversation among all sorts of people, and steadfastly walked so in the churches of Christ. He retained his integrity to the end, and a little before his death, said, 'I feel the Lord's love and power over all, and am satisfied all will be well.' He died the 23d of the Ninth month, 1709. Aged about eighty-two; a minister nearly fifty-six years.

JEREMIAH WARING, son of Jeremiah and Mary Waring, of Witney, in the county of Oxford, born the 21st of the First month, 1688, was a youth endued with divine and natural capacity; both which excellencies in him, through divine goodness, and parental education, seemed to overgrow his tender years. About the fourth or fifth year of his age, a Friend being at his father's house, who was concerned in supplication to the Lord, perceived him reached with an immediate touch of divine love; which thing the Friend observed to his parents.

As he grew in years, he grew more obedient thereto, and became in a good degree leavened into the nature of it; so that he seemed worthy to be called a wise son, by whom is made a glad father. He not only prospered in things divine, but was also of great service to his parents in their business, which he managed with care and dexterity. And though he was but a youth, he admitted those things in his mind no farther than their proper limits; but always had a veneration and regard for truth, that he might be ready to defend and maintain the same, whensoever it might be required of him; for which service the Lord was pleased to administer to him suitable qualifications. And for a proof of his verity, the meeting to which he belonged, being one First-day gathered to worship God in spirit and truth, and there being none concerned verbally, Friends were attacked by an old adversary of truth, who came in and made disturbance by way of inquiry, which this young man so suitably answered, that he went off; but returned thither again in the afternoon, and brought with him many people, and endeavoured to insinuate into them that we denied the death of Christ; to corroborate which, he read part of a sentence out of a book written by a Friend. But this youth opposed him, and made it obvious that his assertion was false, and that he had perverted the author's words; which gained so much upon the auditory, that they went off with satisfaction, and this disturber with shame. And as he was zealously concerned for maintaining

and defending truth's principles against open and professed enemies, so he was for putting in practice the wholesome order of our disciplined church, that truth might be preserved from all intestine foes; and in meetings appointed for that purpose he was very serviceable.

He was given much to reading and retirement, and having read many authors, both ancient and modern, he traced almost every custom and ceremony made use of by those called Christians, to their very source from whence they were taken, and how long they had been in the performance of them. These he collected into a book, and placed each particular in its proper class, and also many wise and notable sayings of judicious men, concerning the spirituality of the true Christian religion; between which he had left proper spaces, designing as we suppose to fill it up with the product of his own fruitful genius; and had he lived to complete the work, he would doubtless have given the world a sufficient proof of his excellent qualifications. A very worthy Friend, who is since deceased, Thomas Ellwood, desired to view his writings, which when he had perused he returned, and with them this character, that 'The composer resembled the industrious bee, which gathered honey from every herb; and like the wise master-builder, had brought materials for the building, though he did not live to finish the work.'

To be short, he was of a clean life, and of a blameless conversation, a zealous attender of meetings, and an example to the youth where he lived. He was very industrious in spreading friends' books, and it may be said of him, he lived beloved, and died lamented, both by friends and neighbours; for he was a dutiful child, a tender brother, a faithful friend, and a good neighbour.

He went from home to the city of London in his father's business, and was there taken ill on the Fourth-day of the week, and died the Second-day following, at a relation's house. He uttered many precious sayings and heavenly expressions; but his relations, and those that came to visit

him, were not so careful as to pen them down. He signified what a concern he had for his parents and friends in the country, whom he thought would be involved in tears and sorrow, when the news of his illness reached their ears. He expressed his resignation to the will of the Lord, whether in life or death. He often called on his mother, being in hopes he should see her before she died; but his distemper increased so fast, that before she came he put off this mortal clothing, and ascended, we do not doubt, into those celestial mansions of everlasting bliss, of which fruition he had an earnest whilst on earth, though young in years. As the wise man says, "Though the righteous be prevented with death, yet shall ye be in rest. For honourable age is not that which standeth in length of time, nor that which is measured by number of years; but wisdom is grey hairs unto men, and an unspotted life is old age.”

He departed this life the 24th day of the Second-month, 1710, and was interred in Friends' burying-place, near Bunhill-fields, London.

THOMAS EVERDEN was formerly an inhabitant of Canterbury, England, and went into America, and lived at Fishing Creek, on the Eastern Shore. He was one whom the Lord fitted for the work of the ministry, and he preached the gospel of peace. The Lord also gifted him to be helpful in the government of the church, and to maintain the order of the gospel. In the meekness of the wisdom and power of God was he made to testify against those that stood not faithful in their testimonies for the truth, which the Lord required at their hands. And such as would not be restored by the spirit of meekness in the labour of love, and be prevailed upon to be orderly in their conversation, he was zealous that they should be testified against; and careful he was to maintain the testimony of truth in the simplicity thereof.

He also zealously and faithfully laboured long in the Lord's vineyard, to the convincing, building up, and confirming many in the faith of God's elect, in many parts of America. The Lord's power and presence attended him in all the services he concerned him in, and greatly blessed him and his labour in the gospel. He retained his love to the Lord, his zeal for his name, and concern for his glory to the end, as may partly appear by the following account of his dying sayings, and the epistle he wrote a few days before his death.

He was taken ill about the 10th of the Third month, 1710, and continued weak about three or four weeks; in which time he very often expressed his great satisfaction relating to his future state, for he declared, he did expect the Lord had sent the messenger of death to summon him to his long home; and said, 'Death is made easy to me, because I know the sting is taken away, and my Lord is near me.' He also often said, 'I have but little pain, for my Lord, whom I have served, is with me, and fills my treasury.'

He often exhorted his children, friends and neighbours, to keep to truth, and in love with one another; adding, 'How good a thing it is to have the favour and smiles of Jesus upon a dying-bed, which cannot be had out of the truth.' Therefore he exhorted all to serve the Lord faithfully, and to stand up for the testimony of truth in their day, not fearing the frowns of men; for, said he, 'what should I have done now, if I had gained the whole world, and had now been destitute of the favour of my Lord, which is more to me than all the world.'

With many such expressions, good admonitions, and advice, he continued until his departure, which was on the 4th day of the Fourth month, 1710.

A copy of the afore-mentioned letter, sent about ten days before his death, directed to the meeting of ministering Friends at West-River.

'From Fishing Creek, the 24th of the Third month, 1710. 'FRIENDS: In the love of the Lord Jesus Christ I salute