ing the feverity of the weather, fhe chearfully broke through every difficulty. Jefus fhe loved fupremely, and to worship him was the delight of her foul.

She carefully refrained from fpeaking evil of any one, and lovingly reproved any who did it in her prefence: and in this particular, many times, a look from her has been a cutting reproof to me! O may I copy after her example. She was one of few words, and loved to be much retired, and alone with God, Among the various means of grace, with which we are highly favoured in this place, the particularly loved and delighted in her Band-meeting; and in this fhe was peculiarly favoured, being bleft with a fuitable and pious companion, one after her own heart, who earnestly panted after the whole mind of Chrift.

Her conviction of the neceflity of entire fanctification was, I believe, more painful than her firft conviction for fin. She believed it attainable before the article of death; and from the time of her converfion always appeared as one obeying that great precept, "Go on unto perfection." I believe the attained to purity of heart long before the profeffed it openly, through an uncommon diffidence peculiar to herself. I have feen her in the public meeting of the Bands (efpecially the last time she met with us) fo overwhelmed with divine love, that fhe fell back on the chair while attempting to speak of the goodness of God!

The last two years of her life fhe did not enjoy a good flate of. health, but was frequently confined to the houfe; and once her life was defpaired of by her mourning friends. She often spit blood, and feemed frequently on the verge of eternity: but in all thefe afflictions she feared not being united by faith to him who is the conqueror of death, and the prince of life. She viewed the fymptoms of her approaching diffolution with chearful refignation to the divine will, and calmly waited the folemn call. She was often heard to fay, "Time is fhort!. The end of all things is at hand."

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Her laft illness commenced with the year 1795. I spent a profitable hour or two with her on Monday evening, January 12; fhe appeared to be much indifpofed, yet altogether taken up with her eternal concerns: Speaking of the vanity of all things below, fhe faid, Nothing is worth living for here, but to ferve God, and to be at the laft found of him in peace, without fpot and blameless. Death appears to be very near, but I fear it not, having a strong confidence in the Lord, that he will perfect his work in my foul before he calls me hence into an awful eternity." She gave me a ftri&t charge to watch over her band-mate, the dearest perfomto her in the world; and prayed that God would keep her from the fnares of Satan. Her converfation was fuch as filled me with apprehenfions that I fhould fhortly part with my fifter. But bleffed be God! when the trying time came, this bitter cup was mixed with much fweetness, even the love of God, which enabled me to offer her up to him freely, bleffing and praising his Name for the grace given to her.

Her

Her diforder (which was a violent pain in her breast) increased fo by the 15th, that she could scarce speak but at intervals; yet the poffeffed her foul in peace, never fhewing the least discontent or impatience. I asked her feveral times, If fhe had any fears of death? and the as often anfwered, "No: the fufferings of my bleffed Saviour are continually before my eyes: But I have fuch an ardent defire to depart, that I fometimes fear it is partly to be delivered from this pain: I would not wish that to be the motive; but rather that I may be with Chrift, which is far better." From that time, till Saturday the 17th, fhe grew worfe.

But

On Saturday morning the defired to fee her fifter Peggy, who lived at the other fide of the water: when her fifter came, fhe "Bleffed be God that I preffed her to her bofom, and exclaimed, Tee you before I die." She continued very ill all that night: and the next day. The Doctor applied a blister to her breast, but without its defired effect. In the afternoon I read to her the dying experience of Mrs. Rogers: after I had concluded, the appeared to be employed in mental prayer, and then recollecting herfelf, fhe fhouted aloud the praifes of Him fhe loved. alas, I cannot recall to mind one half of the gracious words which came from her rejoicing, though dying lips. To her weeping mother, fhe faid, I believe by my feelings that I fhall be delirious; but I am glad that I can fpeak, to tell you, Not to be Remember, I am concerned about me, fee me as you may. happy! I am happy! But while I have my fenfes, I wish to tell of the Lord's goodness to me. Now let me confider, it would be an awful thing for me to tell a lie now, as I know that I shall It will be fix very foon ftand naked before the bar of God!

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years next August, since the Lord changed my heart. I have been very unfaithful, but have not wilfully departed from him. I have been forely tempted, but now I know, that God hath been hereby deepening and carrying on his bleffed work in my foul. "O yes: He hath been carrying on his bleffed work! Glory to his precious Name!" She was now filled with rapturous joy, and continued, "I have often been very happy, but never fo happy as now. God hath fan&tified me, foul and body. O help me to praise him! All pain, all sickness is gone: I feel nothing but love!" She fung that verfe, "I'll praife him while he lends me breath;" and then faid to me, "O Hiram, don't forget to tell Mr. Black, that I am a dying witnefs for Jefus, that he hath power on earth to forgive fin, and to cleanfe from all unrigh teoufnefs." She likewife exhorted all the family according to our feveral ftates, particularly her mother, to whom the spoke very plain, faying, 'Q do make sure work for eternity!

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Sifter J. S. coming in, fhe faid to her, "I charge you to meet me in heaven!" She then fpoke concerning her funeral, faying, "It matters not much where I am buried, but I have a defire that my corpfe be carried to the chapel, and that Mr. Black should preach a funeral fermon, it may do fome good." I asked her, What

३

I 2

text

text she chofe? She anfwered, "Bleffed are the dead which die in the Lord:-I know I fhall. Mr. Black often defired me to write my experience, I am forry I did not; but glory to God, I can now tell it all. O let him publifh to all the world, that Jefus is willing to receive them all, if they will come to him! I love all the world; every foul whom God hath made, but efpecially the people of God." At her request we joined in prayer and praife, and it was a folemn and very affecting season. When we arose from our knees her feeble hands were lifted up, while fhe was finging, "I'll praife him while he lends me breath," and then she added," Let none think I am not happy, because I cannot praise God as loud as you. O I am happy! happy! Glory to God in the highest!" In a fhort time after the funk back on the bed, and to appearance expired. Our diftreffed mother, no longer able to conceal her grief, cried aloud, "My child! My child!" Upon which the revived, and faid in a low voice," It was cruel; I thought I was gone: I was failing to heaven! You have called me back!" She then refumed her wonted fortitude, to meet again her pains which came on with redoubled violence, and continued to the laft.

· I watched with her that night; during which her fifter Peggy afked her feveral times concerning the ftate of her mind, and the always answered, "I am happy, and perfectly refigned." Next morning, Monday 19, fhe took a folemn leave of all the family, and, embracing them, faid, "I charge you all to meet me in heaven." To me fhe faid, "Hiram, you have more to do and faffer yet, but go on as you have done, and meet me in heaven!" Brother T. D. Cowdell coming in, fhe looked at him earnestly and asked, "Are you more engaged than when I faw you laft?" which greatly affected him: This was about an hour before the expired: Just before the breathed her laft, fhe whispered to me, "Chrift is precious! Remember, his arms are open wide to receive all the world!" She had a few ftruggles more in the laft folemn moment, when the feeble fpring of life flood ftill, and her happy fpirit took its flight to the Paradife of God. O what a happy time it was to me! May I never forget it: my foul would willingly have quitted the cumbrous clay, and followed her indeed, for a fhort time I knew not hardly whether I was in the body or not, till her dying words, "You have more to do and fuffer," came to my mind, and with them, that grace which fays, น Thy will be done." HIRAM WM. LOVEGROVE.

Halifax, Nova Scotia, Jan. 1, 1796.

I was intimately acquainted with L. Lovegrove, from the time fhe first embraced the Redeemer's yoke, and entered into his fervice, until her blifsful and glorious end.

Her memory is ftill dear to all who knew her worth: As a child, he was dutiful and obedient; as a friend, obliging and faithful; as a fifter, tender and affectionate; as a Methodist, peculiarly at

tentive

tentive to the Rules of our Society; as a chriftian, remarkably watchful, humble, and devoted to God and his bleffed work: and Jaftly, to say all in a few words; her experience, was clear, fcriptural, and deep; her life, uniformly holy and unblameable: and to crown all, her death was triumphantly victorious.

According to her defire, the corpfe was brought into the chapel, where I preached her funeral fermon. Her hopes respecting the benefit fome would receive hereby, were not disappointed a two perfons were awakened at that season, who foon after found peace with God. WILLIAM BLACK

Account of an Extraordinary Deliverance of ELIZABETH SHAW, wife of JOSEPH SHAW, of Staincrofs, near Barnsley, in Yorkshire.

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Was ftationed in the Leeds Circuit in the year 1775; we then preached at Staincrofs, at the houfe of Jofeph Shaw, an Ifraelite andeed. His wife, who had long experienced the power of divine grace, gave me the following relation, the truth of which may be depended upon, for if ever there were an upright woman, fhe certainly was one, as many now living can testify.

One day in the height of Summer fhe was washing, and had hung part of the linen out to dry: But an heavy fhower of rain coming on, the ran out haftily to fetch in the clothes: being in a fweat, and without her gown, fhe got exceeding wet; this occafioned a fevere cold, which was followed by a most violent heumatism throughout all her limbs.

She was confined to her bed for a long time in excruciating pain day and night, and was fo helpless as to be obliged to have a cord fixed to the bed's-head, by taking hold of which he could eafe herself a little. A medical gentleman from Wakefield attended her for fome time, but fhe got no relief.

Growing weary of her long confinement, and worn out with the pain fhe endured, fhe faid to her husband one day, "Jofeph, I cannot bear to lie here any longer; do get the couch chair and fet it near the fire, and get fome pillows and place them upon it, and then try if you can get me up, and lay me there; perhaps I may be able to get a little ease that way." Jofeph, being a kind affectionate hulband, did as fhe requested, making every thing as , comfortable as he could; and when he had done all in his power to relieve her, he went out about his business, being a farmer.

When her husband was gone, a variety of thoughts flowed in upon her mind, and the reafoned thus with herfelf: "Here I lie, a poor, helpless, miferable creature; and fo I am likely to re main, for there is no help for me in man: all human means are ineffe&tual. But if our bleffed Lord was now upon the earth, I would fend Jofeph to him, and let him know how bad I am; and how foon would he come and heal me ? Or he would fpeak the

word

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According to

word, and I fhould be well in an inftant! But has he not the fame power, and the fame tender pity and love for his poor dif treffed creatures, now he is in heaven, that he had while here upon earth? Surely he has, for he is unchangeably the fame, yefterday, to.day, and for ever. If then I could believe, furely he would heal me, bad as I am? He has faid, thy faith, fo be it done unto thee; and faith too, is his own gift: I will therefore pray to him that he may give me power to believe." She then broke out into earnest prayer and found uncommon liberty and access to the Throne of Grace. At length The thought fhe could believe that our Lord would heal her; and was enabled to lay hold upon his Truth and Faithfulness, upon his infinite Mercy and boundlefs Love, She then endeavoured to rife from her couch, and was enabled fo to do. To her aftonith: ment, he could ftand upright, and found that he was perfectly well. Upon this, fhe thought, "But I will try whether the Cure is perfectly wrought or not, and immediately got the brush and began to fweep the houfe: While thus employed, Jofeph returned to enquire how fhe was: having half opened the door, and feeing her fweeping the room, he was not a little surprised, and topped fhort. She happened to look up, and perceived his aftonishment faid, "Yes; you may well look: here I am, as well as ever I was in my life: I have prayed to our bleffed Lord, and he has healed me, and I am perfectly well; and fo the continued. It is eafy to fuppofe that her heart was filled with gratitude to her great Deliverer: and her chriftian friends, as well as all her family, cheerfully joined with her in most devoutly praifing the Lord for this wonderful difplay of his tender pity, power, and love.

It is probable that fome perfons will deny the fact; and others will afcribe it to the power of imagination. With regard to the fact, it can be fo well attefted by perfons of the greateft credit, now living, that there is no juft ground to call it in question. And if he could exercise her imagination in fuch a manner, as to be delivered from fo painful and diftreffing a fituation, it was happy for her. But it afforded her far more folid happiness, to believe, that a compaffionate God had mercifully interpofed in her behalf, and in answer to prayer, had graciously healed her. If any perfon fuppofes himself poffeffed of ability to teach afflicted people the happy art of imagining themselves well, and that upon fo doing, they really are well, I doubt not but he will get employment enough. But those who form their ideas of the infinitely bleffed God from that revelation which he has made of himself to us in his holy Word, will find no difficulty in afcribing this great deliverance to its real caufe, viz. to the mighty power of God, and give the glory to him unto whom it is most justly due.

To fee and acknowledge the hand of God in the way of his Providence, is our duty, and will be attended with unspeakable

delight