a Christian professor, she gave evidence of her piety by her attachment to the duties and ordinances of religion. She loved the habitation of God's house, and the place where his honour dwelleth; and as long as her health permitted, she regularly went, and often longed to go when her state of health rendered it necessary that she should stay at home. She delighted much in reading God's word, taking it up at intervals between domestic duties.

She lived a life of prayer, and kept up an intercourse with heaven in her closet from day to day. She possessed strong confidence in God. When some of the members of the family have been ready to despair, or to murmur, whilst surrounded with worldly difficulties, her heart was fixed, trusting in the Lord, and she has sharply reproved those who have murmured and complained. She loved her God, but often declared that she did not love him enough-that she wanted to love him with all her heart, and mind, and soul, and strength.

But though she possessed these Christian virtues, yet she was not exempt from some failings and blemishes, which appeared like tares springing up among the wheat. Her greatest defects were, a natural warmth of temper, that sometimes prompted her to speak unadvisedly with her lips, and a too great positiveness in maintaining her own opinion; but this arose from her sincerely thinking herself in the right.

As the fire tries gold, so does affliction test our religious principles, and show whether they are firm and safe, or weak and delusive. With respect to our deceased sister, her last hours proved that she had not built upon the sand, but upon the rock, even upon Christ, the sure foundation; so that when the storm of affliction beat violently against her, she was not shaken in her confidence, but was strong in faith giving glory to God; and although her bodily affliction was very severe, yet her mind was kept in perfect peace; and she said many things expressive of a hope beyond the grave.

At the commencement of her illness, she often used to repeat the words of Mr. Wesley:

"I the chief of sinners am,

But Jesus died for me;"

also adding with emphasis, " For me, poor unworthy me." At other times, she used to repeat a part of that saying of Job: "I know that my Redeemer liveth; and I shall see him for myself, and mine eyes shall behold him, and not another's." At other times, she has been heard to say, "I shall see Him! I shall see Him!" On one occasion, when Mr. Moss, who visited

her, remarked, that they had experienced many a blessed season together upon earth, adding, he hoped they should meet above, she replied, "I hope we shall; where congregations ne'er break up, and Sabbaths never end." At another time, she said, "Say ye to the righteous, it shall be well with him; but woe unto the wicked, it shall be ill with him." At another time, when her son was looking sorrowfully towards her, she said, "Never mind, my lad-the victory! the victory!" He replied, "Yes, mother; thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." "Yes," she rejoined, "blessed be his holy name for ever!" On another occasion, she broke out in these words:

"I'll praise my Maker while I've breath,"

and repeated the whole verse. In fact, for several days before she died,. she was constantly praying to God, or uttering his praise.

In her prayers, she often prayed for the following blessings: that God would give her patience to suffer all his righteous will; that he would make her fully ready to meet him; that he would bless all her children; and that in his own good time he would bring her to his holy hill and dwelling-place, for the sake of Christ Jesus our Lord. On the Sunday before she died, she said, "Come, my children, and help me to praise the Lord." Her youngest daughter said to her, "Well, mother, what shall we sing?" She said, “Anything that you think will be good and acceptable to the will of God; come, my children, sing; and sing with melody in your hearts unto the Lord." While they hesitated, she began, "I will sing praises unto the Lord; I will sing praises unto his excellent name;" and then followed with this verse of Mr. Wesley's:

"Who suffer with our Master here,
Shall before his face appear,

And by his side sit down," &c.

On the Monday before she died, she repeated the apostle Paul's words, "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief." Toward the closing scene of her life, her speech failed her; for though she was very frequently praying, yet the power of articulation was so impaired, that only a word now and then could be understood.

On the night previously to her death, her youngest daughter said to her, "Mo ther, are you happy ?" She attempted to speak but could not. Her daughter said again, "Mother, if you are happy hold up your hand." She raised her arm, aud

giving her hand a wave as a token of victory, let it fall again upon the bed. Shortly after this she was seized with a violent fit of coughing, which lasted some hours with very short intervals of rest, so that it was very painful to witness her suffering; yet in these short intervals there sat such a placidness and serenity upon her countenance, that they reminded us of the words of the psalmist: "Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace." Her last struggle, however, with the king of terrors was very severe; but painful as it was to nature, in her case, death had lost his sting, and the grave its victory, and she was more than conqueror through him that had loved her. She exchanged mortality for life, November 12th, 1844, in the 71st year of her age. Dudley.

T. BROWN.

MR. THOMAS INGRAM,

OF CHESTER,

WAS born of respectable parents, who honoured God, felt their own accountability to him, and therefore trained their children to the observance of the Sabbath at home, and the public worship__of Almighty God in the sanctuary. The subject of these remarks, their younget son, had his mind very early impressed with the value of true religion, for he saw its holy precepts daily exemplified in the walk and conversation of his pious mother; her counsels, her prayers, her solicitude for the salvation of her children, but more especially her death, made an indelible impression on his mind, and frequently when reviewing the way in which the Lord had led him, would he advert to the softening, restraining, convincing influence he was made the subject of, when a youth at home. The germ of piety thus inculcated by parental teaching and example, and fostered by the Holy Spirit, was greatly strengthened by his regular attendance at our Sabbath-school. Under the watchful care of pious teachers his mind became enlightened, and the good seed of the kingdom which had been sown with many prayers, began at this time to produce some awakenings about his soul's salvation. Ye Sunday-school teachers! "in the morning sow your seed, and in the evening withhold not your hand.”

From this period to that of manhood, although he loved the house and people of God, and viewed the interests of the soul as paramount to every other consideration, yet he did not immediately unite himself with the church of Christ. Whether his convictions on this subject were sufficiently impressive, or whether his dedication of himself to the Lord was

so entire, as to meet the requirements of the gospel, and the strict sentiments he had formed on the correspondence which ought ever to subsist between profession and enjoyment, we cannot tell; but we know that his standard of Christianity was an elevated one, and when he became decided on this most important subject, he carefully strove to depart from all iniquity.

On his marriage with one of Mr. J. Williams's daughters, of the same city, who had also been trained up to habits of piety, he began to meet in class, and in a very earnest manner determined to escape the wrath to come, and secure eternal life. He became deeply convinced of sin, and the necessity of a change of heart; he spoke of himself as having slighted mercies and means, and neglected the great salvation, but was made willing by the grace of God to count all things loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus the Lord. With these penitent, contrite feelings, our dear brother besought the Lord, relying on the atoning blood, and soon found, whilst attending the precious means of grace, the knowledge of salvation in the remission of all his sins, and was enabled to rejoice in the divine favour.

In relating his Christian experience, he was very clear and candid, and frequently deplored what he would call his besetting sins-a hasty temper, and a wandering spirit; and knowing as he did that God had called him unto holiness, his mind was made to feel uncomfortable at the least departure from the divine law, and he sought in all the ordinances of religion to humble himself under his mighty hand. The precious means of grace he highly prized; they were, as he would often say, wells of salvation to his soul; in them he found peace and consolation, and was enabled to go on his way believing and rejoicing. The special revival meetings held in Pepper Street Chapel, a few months previously to his death, were made a great blessing to his mind; he felt and acknowledged that religion was the most important business of his life, and his profiting was apparent to all with whom he was connected. Formed anew by the Holy Spirit, he evinced the power of godliness by its influence on his character, and was ready for every good word and work.

Our deceased brother gave promise of great usefulness as a Local Preacher, which office he sustained with credit, and jealously performed its laborious duties. The last text from which he spoke, which was only a fortnight before his death, was, "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." When

pecuniary exertions on behalf of Pepper Street Chapel were contemplated, in conversation with his beloved wife, he said,

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Mary, we must buy nothing this year, either for ourselves or children; I intend to do all I can for the cause of God, and am willing to deny myself of necessaries for its sake."

The last time he attended his class, his statements and the energy with which he spoke were very remarkable and affecting; he reviewed his mercies and privileges, and blessed his God for their enjoyment; he expressed his gratitude for Christian converse, and especially to his Leader, from whom he had received much counsel and consolation, and whom he should ever consider as his helper in divine things; he deplored in most humiliating language the little improvement he had made, but he knew in whom he had believed, and he rested on the atonement for pardon and for eternal life. How very little we know of what shall befall us on the morrow! In a few days, this vigorous, promising Christian, by an inscrutable Providence was prostrated on the bed of death, and called to leave a beloved wife and three children to deplore his unexpected removal.

"Perish the grass, and fade the flower, If firm the word of God remains."

The disease which our brother was made the painful subject of was small pox, accompanied with brain fever, the virulence of which baffled the best directed skill of the physician, and rendered powerless all attempts to avert the threatened stroke. In the early stage of his suffering he was calm and collected, evidently preparing for the Master's call. His medical attendant inquired how he felt; he replied with much energy, "Weak in body but strong in the Lord." Notwithstanding the delirium which was consequent on the disorder, he was favoured with intervals of consciousness, during which he spoke of meeting his friends in glory, elevating and waving his hands expressive of the holy triumph he felt.

The last hours of our dear brother's earthly existence were hours of great suffering, nevertheless he was often heard to say, "Consolation! consolation!" When prayer was offered his countenance would brighten, and with all the fervour of which he was capable, he would respond "Amen."

On Sabbath morning, February 16th, 1845, in the 25th year of his age, the spirit entered the mansions of the blessed. His death was improved in Pepper Street Chapel, by the Rev. T. Waterhouse, to a very large and deeply affected congregation, from Hebrews vi. 12, "That ye be not slothful but followers of them who

through faith and patience inherit the promises."

By this painful dispensation our society in Chester has been deprived of a useful and consistent member, the wife of his youth of an affectionate husband, and his children are left fatherless. "But God is our refuge in the time of trouble."

T. WATERHOUSE.

RECENT DEATH.

DIED at Ballyclare, on the 9th of August, 1845, in the 41st year of her age, AGNES WILSON. During the last year that I laboured upon this Mission, I invited her eldest daughter to attend our Sabbathschool. She soon became a very efficient teacher, and regularly attended preaching in our Chapel. While hearing the word she was deeply convinced of sin, and immediately after joined the Preacher's class. The first love-feast that she attended, we had a penitent meeting, in which her soul was made happy in God. The consistent walk, and holy conversation of this amiable girl was made a blessing to her mother, who, up to this time, had been careless about her immortal soul.

A few months after her daughter had joined our society, the mother also connected herself with our church, and brought her children with her to class that they might receive religious truth in the days of their youth. From that period until she took the illness that terminated in death, she was a steady and uniform Christian. At our last love-feast she spoke with great clearness of the change which the Lord had wrought in her heart since she joined our society. She was then healthy and strong. Oh! what is human life? even a vapour which appeareth for a little time. Walking too quick to Belfast, and cooling too soon, together with being wet with a heavy rain, laid the foundation of a severe cold, which ended in typhus fever. I visited her during the illness, and she manifested strong confidence in God. The last day she spoke, she said to a Christian friend who was visiting her," John, if I never see you again, I will meet you in heaven." A few hours afterwards, she said, "Well, well," and spoke no more. On Saturday morning, the weary wheels of life stood still, and her redeemed spirit quitted the tabernacle of clay, and took its flight to join the celestial throng who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. She has left a husband and seven children to mourn their loss.

S. NICHOLSON.