A few hours before she died, in answer to a friend who was with her, she said, "The Lord gave me this promise this morning: 'I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice;' and this joy no man shall take from me." This promise was often repeated. Apparently without any pain, she at length fell asleep in Jesus. She was borne to her grave by godly men. Fifty others, among whom were many ministers, followed, and saw the remains of their valued sister laid to rest. When I remember her self-sacrifice, her whole-heartedness and uncompromising boldness, truly her life has said, "Lord, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth." JOHN LITTLETON.

JAMES HUDSON.-At Oakham, on Sept. 17th, 1879, James Hudson, aged 62.

He was formerly a member of the church at Gornall, under the charge of the late Mr. Burns. In 1864 he came to Oakham to work in his trade as a tailor, and was received as a member of the church at Providence, July, 1865. He took a part in prayer and giving out the hymns at our meetings; and there was a solemnity and reverence in his approaches to the throne of grace which commended itself as being of the Spirit.

He became bereaved of all his family ties which were near him; and for several years before his death his sight failed somewhat, so that he could not wholly support himself. He had several serious illnesses.

In the opening of this year his health began gradually to fail. He wasted perceptibly, but was able to get out amongst us, being always constant in his attendance under the word until within a few weeks of his death. An extract from the last prayer which he uttered in our assembly, and which was spoken in much weakness, was taken down by one present, and is as follows:

"Let us praise thy Name for thy precious care, and thy mercies, and thy benefits bestowed upon us. Let those, O Lord, who know thy Name praise thee, for thou art worthy to be praised for thy mercies and thy goodness shed abroad in the hearts of thy children. Do thou in thy tender mercy support us; and do make us to know our end; that we may trust in thee. We trust in thy Name; we fear thy Name; we honour thee as the Redeemer of thy chosen. And what, Ò Lord, shall we say more? Thy mercies are lengthened out to us still; even from everlasting to everlasting they are the blessings of thy people. Mercy bringeth life to the soul, and the soul feels it springing up from the well of Bethlehem. O for more of thy blessing, Lord, for more of thy love in our hearts! Lord, we want to honour thee more, and adore thy Name; for thy Name is above every name, and there is no other name given under heaven amongst men whereby we must be saved. Lord, we ask a blessing, that we may feel an interest in the power of thy salvation; saved by the blood of Jesus Christ; saved by the work of righteousness upon Calvary.. Do thou in thy tender mercy look down upon us; do thou in thy mercy revive us, and let not the enemy have dominion over us. Remove everything that seems to be against thee. Do thou be a defence unto us. Raise a cry from thy children; and may that cry come unto thee, and deliver them. Do thou bless us as a people, and lead us on to life eternal, that we may bless thee for ever and ever, for thy mercy's sake. Amen."

In April he went to visit his son at Reading, to try change of air, but he returned not any better. He wrote a few lines to a fellow-member

from thence.

from

"My dear Friend,-May the grace of God rest upon and power on high overshadow you with every blessing that is needed of a heavenly

nature. I must say that the Lord hath blessed me indeed, both in temporal and spiritual mercies. He hath promised to be a merciful God unto the spiritual house of Israel. I have found him so. I arrived safe at Reading yesterday afternoon. My eyes were melted into tears at the goodness of the Lord, seeing that he careth for such an unworthy creature as I am. I cannot add more, feeling so overwhelmed with the goodness of God that I cannot express myself. In much weakness and "Yours in the Lord,

pain,

April 9th, 1879."

JAMES HUDSON. These few lines were especially welcome, because they bespoke that the Lord had turned his captivity, for his petitions and conversation for some time had been full of lamentation on account of the hidings of the Lord's face, hardness of heart, and darkness of soul. He returned in a fortnight, and for a short time resumed a little work; but he expressed the firm persuasion "that the Lord was gently taking down his tabernacle." He was really ill about about six or seven weeks; the outer man decaying without marked disease. At times he suffered much pain, which he was enabled to bear patiently. For the most part he was stayed in his mind, and would signify that he was firm on the Rock, the foundation laid in Zion. One of our friends called one Lord's day, and found him much blessed in his soul, and broken under the sweet enjoyment of hymn 483. When asked as to temporal needs, he said, "The Lord is so good, he anticipates them before they come." A friend who called the night before his decease asked him how he felt in his soul. He said, "My mind is stayed on the Rock. He was gently dismissed from his suffering tabernacle the next morning, about 6 o'clock, to be "ever with the Lord." His remains were committed to the earth on the following Saturday. Mr. Hatton kindly gave his services, and a few friends felt it good to be present who believe that he is "well laid in the grave." A. F. PEAKE.

Oakham, Oct. 16, 1879.

ANN RILEY.-On May 8th, 1879, aged 77, Ann Riley, of Accrington. When about 33 years of age, she was brought under deep cutting convictions of sin, and for a long time was in great distress and trouble of soul; many times crying out, "What must I do? Where must I go? Can God be just and save such a wretch as me?" She was also much tempted to self-destruction; but was mercifully preserved from committing the dreadful act.

On one occasion she told a friend a little of the exercise of her mind; but after this Satan set in upon her and told her she was deceived and was deceiving others. This distressed her mind so much that she went eight miles to tell her friend not to pray for her, as she felt she must be lost. She could not rest day nor night.

About this time Mr. A. B. Taylor came to preach at King's Row, & place near where she lived. She went to hear him, and her expression was: "He traced me out step by step, all through my trouble; so much so that I thought some one must have told him all about me." She thus got a little relief at this time, and these words were given her: "A remnant shall be saved." She said a little hope seemed to spring up within her, and a "who can tell? Perhaps I may be among the remnant." And it pleased the Lord soon to confirm her little hope with these words: "Let not your heart be troubled. Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." She has said, "I felt my burden, my trouble to be all gone, and I shouted, 'I'm saved! I'm saved!' and I sang and blessed and praised the dear Lord." Such was the overpower

ing emotion of joy that she took up her large Bible in her apron, and ran to her husband, a man that feared God above many, to tell him what great things the Lord had done for her soul; and they rejoiced together in the wonderful love, grace and mercy of that God who saves poor sinners from hell. The 103rd Psalm was a sweet portion to her soul.

But she, like many others of the Lord's dear people, found that her joy was but of short duration. She was soon brought down into a low place. Her joy was turned into sorrow; her hope seemed to have perished. She had to walk in much darkness, her adversary saying, "Where is now thy God?" And strong temptations came upon her to destroy herself; but she was kept by the power of God. In this trouble she again felt she must be lost; and her enemy said to her that she must have as much fresh air as she could get while she lived, for she would soon be shut up in hell. For this purpose she left her home and family, determined to walk as far as she could, and then lie down and die in her distress and misery. But she had not got far from home, when these words came with much power into her mind: "Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me." This caused her to return home, and enabled her to hope in the mercy of Him who regardeth the prayer of the destitute.

Some time after this, believers' baptism was much impressed upon her mind; and her heart was so much enlarged that she ran in the way of the Lord's commandment. She was enabled to come before the church at Accrington, and was well received, and was baptized in the Name of God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,-Israel's One God.

By the grace of God she was enabled to adorn the doctrine of God her Saviour with a consistent walk and conversation. Nevertheless, her path in life was not a smooth one. After the loss of a good and gracious husband, she had many trials to endure. She had a very large family to struggle with, but she had a good God, and in the depths of poverty, adversity, and trouble, he did not leave her, but proved himself to be a Father to the fatherless, and the Judge of the widow. He many times supported her heart with these words: "The eternal God is thy Refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms."

When her family was grown up, and settled in life, the dear Lord provided her a comfortable home with one of her sons. Several years before she died, the Lord was pleased to deprive her of her sight; but tribulation had so worked patience, submission, and resignation in her heart, that she was most blessedly enabled to say, "It is the Lord; let him do what seemeth him good."

"Nor let me drop a murmuring word,

Though the whole world were gone;
But seek enduring happiness

In thee, and thee alone."

She esteemed it a great blessing to be favoured to meet with the dear saints of God; but in the latter part of her life she was not able to attend chapel very often, through weakness and infirmity of body. The last time she met with us, she was conveyed to chapel in a cab. She entered the chapel during singing; and these words came so sweetly into her mind: How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts! Blessed are they that dwell in thy house," that she felt it to be a Bethel indeed to her soul. She was as one

66

"No more a stranger or a guest,

But like a child at home."

She said to her daughter-in-law, "It is the last time I shall meet with the Lord's people here."

A few days after this she was taken ill. Her daughter-in-law sent for the doctor; but she said, "The doctor can do me no good. I feel satisfied I shall not get better this time; and I do not wish to get better; for I have a desire to depart, and be with Christ, which is far better." I frequently visited her, and always found her company and conversation good. In her last affliction she was wonderfully supported. Hymns 993, 472, 483, were much blessed to her. One of the deacons calling to see her, she said, "I have very nearly finished my course; but his rod and staff comfort me. Christ has taken away the sting of death." After this she got much weaker, and it was evident that her end was near. After a short sleep, she lifted her arms, and said, "Christ is my Rock, my only Rock." The enemy was not permitted to harass her. She requested the 23rd Psalm to be read to her, and repeated, "Thy rod and staff they comfort me. He is precious." After this she fell on sleep in the arms of her beloved Christ. "And those that sleep in Jesus will God bring with him." J. EDDISON.

JANE WRIGHT.-On August 10th, 1879, at Croydon, in her 67th year, Jane Wright, widow of John Wright, formerly of Brighton and of London.

Our dear mother was born in Oxfordshire, in 1813. The following incident of her early years was mentioned by her to Mr. Covell on his last visit previous to her illness, and will supply as much as can be said of this period of her life. Her mother was a gracious woman, but, living in a village where there were few opportunities of hearing the truth (though it was visited occasionally by Mr. Roff and Mr. Gorton), she was glad of spiritual conversation with any fellow-pilgrim whenever the rare chance occurred. On one such occasion, our mother, as a child, happened to be in the room, and understood sufficient of the conversation to know that it was about religion, and that it seemed to make the speakers strangely happy. The desire was implanted in her heart to have such a religion as that; and she went into a corner and prayed, "O Lord, do give me the same religion as my mama has, that I may be as happy as she is." "This," she said, "was the first real prayer I ever uttered."

When about 21 years of age she went to the Isle of Wight with an elder sister for the benefit of her health; and it was there that the Lord met with her, under the ministry, in Brading Church, of a Sir Henry Thompson, of whom she was never able to ascertain anything beyond the fact of his subsequent early death. The conviction of sin appears in her case to have been very deep, nor was she brought into the full liberty of the gospel for two or three years. On leaving the Isle of Wight she was led in God's providence to London, and was brought under the sound of the truth as proclaimed by the late Mr. Abrahams. It was heard with such power and relish that her heart clave at once to that people. Under his ministry she obtained the longed-for deliverance from bondage; and, on expressing a wish to join the church, was at once accepted, and remained in church fellowship for 30 years.

During the earlier part of this time, there being no family cares to keep her at home, she was a very diligent attendant on the means of grace. Every evening, except Saturday, found her in some chapel where the truth was preached, and this notwithstanding much bodily weakness and pain. Under the ministry of honoured men of God, who have now been gathered home to their rest (but particularly under that of

Mr. Irons), she was favoured with many blessed seasons, the savour of which seemed to remain on her spirit during the whole of her subsequent life.

In 1852 she married in the Lord; and in 1867 the family removed to Brighton, where she became a member of Mr. Vinall's church, continuing in fellowship till he removed to London, after which she attended at Galeed.

In 1875, providence seemed to point to a removal to some place nearer London; and at length Croydon was chosen for the sake of the ministry of Mr. Covell. Soon after the removal into the new house, her husband and daughter were taken ill; the latter recovered, but the former was taken to his rest. His end was assured peace; and his memory is revered by his children, and cherished by all who knew him. In reference to this visitation, our dear mother observed only a few days before her death that she should have doubted whether she had followed the guidance of providence in moving from Brighton had not the step been manifestly approved by Mr. Covell's ministry being much blessed to one of her children.

We now come to her last illness. She had continued in her usual health, which was never good, till the beginning of August, when she suffered from slight congestion of the lungs and liver. On a doctor being sent for, he spoke very sanguinely as to the issue. She, however, even at this time, seemed under the impression that the illness was more serious, and begged him to tell her if there was any danger, as she was not afraid to die. He assured her there was none. On Thursday, August 7th, she was seized during sleep with a paralytic stroke, and lay in an almost unconscious state for twelve hours. The breathing at one time became so feeble that the end was feared. In answer to earnest prayer, full consciousness was restored, and was continued with but slight intermission till her death. On finding that some change had taken place, she expressed a firm conviction that the illness would be fatal, and begged the Lord to cut the work short, saying she was only longing to go home. It appeared from what she said subsequently that this conviction arose in the first place from a period of special blessing she had enjoyed under Mr. Hull's ministry while at Hastings a few weeks previously, the presence of the Lord being also vouchsafed in a marked degree on her return. This had led her to anticipate something; and she now was fully persuaded that it was sent to prepare her for a dying hour. On her son taking his turn in watching at her side, she gave him much wise, tender, and loving counsel about the future, expressing also her own love for the "pure truth," and the solid comfort it gave her at such a time. She trusted his way might be made as plain through life, in all its trials and difficulties, as hers had always been. She frequently exhorted her two children, with tender emphasis, to cleave to each other and to the Lord.

The following are some of her sayings during these last few days of her earthly pilgrimage. On her speaking of her poor sinful body, her daughter said, "All you want is patience." "Yes," she said, "and the Lord's presence."- "Are you in any pain?" "No, only so weary.

"Weary of earth, myself, and sin;'

how does it go on ?" On being told, she said, "Yes, that is it; that is it." At another time: "Whether I can speak at the last or not, I am all right. I am founded on the Rock, Christ." Her daughter said, "It is hard work to part with you, darling, for you have been my only companion." She said, "Yes, but don't want to keep me. Pray the Lord to make a short work of it." It being said, "O that we may meet above! That is the great thing," she replied, "I have not a doubt of it;