"conversation" has been as "becometh the Gospel of Christ." Sincerity and uprightness were very striking features in her character; and she exercised herself to have always a conscience void of offence toward God and man." She was sometimes called to pass through severe trials; but was enabled in patience to possess her soul, resting assured that the Lord would make all things work together for her good. During her last affliction, which was protracted and severe, she was supported in a very delightful manner, being enriched with a most abundant supply of the Spirit of the Lord. Her discoveries of the all-sufficiency of Christ to save, and of the blood of Christ to cleanse from all sin, were such, that her joy was unspeakable and full of glory. In this happy state of mind she triumphed over death; exclaiming, "Come, Lord Jesus; and come quickly." S. W. March 20th.-At Delph, Saddleworth, Mr. James Lawton, aged eighty-two years. A short memoir of him is published, as drawn up by himself, in the Methodist Magazine for September, 1799. He there gave (it is supposed to Mr. Wesley) a clear account of his conversion to God, and the regeneration of his heart, by grace, through faith in the Lord Jesus. He was called by Mr. Wesley to labour in the itinerancy, and was stationed in various Circuits for eight years Since he resided in Delph, he has acted as a Local Preacher, to a good old age. He was remarkable for maintaining a calm, forgiving spirit. His heart was generally warm with the love of God and of man. Some of his last words were, "I have a burning desire to go to Jesus, and to see him as he is." T. L. March 23d.-At Bradley, in the Skipton Circuit, Jane Gill, aged forty-eight; having been a member of the Methodist society thirty-six years. As a private Christian, her deportment was unexceptionable, and her attendance on the ordinances of God's house was very regular. She was remarkable for strong faith in God; and therefore her rejoicing in him was great. She was ill nearly the whole of the last year of her life; yet so happy and resigned was she to the dispensation of her heavenly Father, that the Preachers and friends found it greatly profitable to visit her. In the morning of the day on which she died, she called to her brother Jonathan, (who is a Local Preacher and Class-Leader,) and said, "I have had such a manifestation of God's love to my soul, that I can say, I love God with all my heart, my mind, my strength." She continued but a short time after making this joyous and dying testimony, before she was removed to "Where all is assurance and peace, And sorrow and sin are no more." F. B. March 27th.-At Brynmorfydd, in the Holywell Circuit, the Rev. William Henshaw, aged sixty-six years. In 1796 he entered upon the work of an Itinerant Methodist Preacher, and for many years laboured with more than ordinary ability and success in some of the most important Circuits in the Connexion. He became a Supernumerary in 1832, but preached occasionally until within a few months of his death. Some of his expressions during his last illness were, "I have peace; confident reliance on my Saviour. I am going down sweetly to the grave." H. H. March 28th.-At Cambridge, aged forty-one years, Mrs. Elizabeth Davis, the wife of Mr. John Davis, Local Preacher, and Agent of the Town Mission. She was powerfully sustained by her Lord, through a lingering affliction, endured with exemplary patience and resignation, until she departed to the joy of her Lord. J. R. March 29th.-At Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Mr. Charles Spencer. His last illness was short, and of such a nature as to prevent him from saying much. He expressed his entire dependence on the atonement of Christ, and died in peace. Having enjoyed the confidence and esteem of his brethren, he was appointed to fill some important offices in the church, the duties of which he discharged with most exemplary diligence and efficiency. J. F. March 30th.-At Badsworth, in the Pontefract Circuit, Rebecca, the beloved wife of Mr. George Nicholson, aged sixty-one. During a period of about forty years, she was acquainted with the truth as it is in Jesus, and her life was a continued proof of its excellence and power. Few persons have been more sincerely and strongly attached to Methodism, or more grateful for its privileges. She always manifested a deep concern for the spiritual welfare of her family, and was truly anxious that they should become useful members of that section of the church of Christ to which she had the happiness to belong. She had no greater joy than to see her children "walking in truth." Her kindness of heart, and readiness to do good, endeared her to a large circle of friends. During the few last years of her life she was subject to very painful and alarming attacks of illness, which she sustained with Christian resignation and patience. She finished her course in great suffering, but in the blessed hope of a resurrection to eternal life. J. N. April 1st.-At Gainsborough, Mrs. Kelvey, the wife of Mr. C. G. Kelvey; much esteemed by all who knew her. She was a generous friend to the poor, a faithful wife, an affectionate mother, a useful Class-Leader, and an ornament to her Christian profession, as a member of the Wesleyan society. She died in the thirty-ninth year of her age, much supported by the consolation of a well-grounded faith and hope. H. R. April 4th.-Mrs. Hannah Kirk, of Chapel-enle-Frith, in the Buxton Circuit. She had been a steady member of the Wesleyan society for the last three years, nearly the whole of which her health was in a declining state. When her affliction assumed a dangerous appearance, she felt most painfully the want of a clear sense of her acceptance with God. This, with strong family attachments, made her shrink from the approach of death. By earnest seeking day and night, she obtained the invaluable blessing; her Recent Deaths.-Poetry. fears vanished as a cloud; all earthly ties were loosened; she rejoiced in the God of her salvation; and longed to depart and be with Christ. Her last hours were characterized by entire resignation to the divine will. She died in great peace, in the thirty-sixth year of her age, leaving a husband and four small children to bewail her J. T. Y. loss. April 5th.-At Leeds, Miss Craven, of Beckwithshaw, in the Otley Circuit, aged thirty-two. In the nineteenth year of her age she was converted to God, and joined the Methodist society, of which she continued a useful and exemplary member to her death. In her person, she was a pattern of neatness; and in her habitation, of order and good management. Kind and obliging in her disposition, she was incessant in her attentions to God's Ministers, on whom she delighted to wait. She loved God's cause and house, as well as his servants; and the genuineness of her piety was seen in her willing and faithful discharge of every duty. She was one of fifteen brothers and sisters who know and the God of their father, and who are useful and valued members of the Wesleyan society. She finished her course with joy," dying in the full and happy possession of the faith and hope J. C. H. of the Gospel. servo April 11th.-At Ashbourne, Mary Ann, the beloved wife of Mr. William Heaton, in the twenty-fifth year of her age. She had been a member of the Methodist society about eleven years, during the greater part of which time she April 18th.-Mr. Peter Rymer, of York, aged was frank, open, and cheerful; generous without POETRY. THE HYMN OF THE CHRISTIANS, AFTER THE DELIVERANCE ACTS XVI. 40. BY THE REV. THOMAS E. HANKINSON, M. A. CHRISTIANS, hail the blissful sight, Brethren to our arms returning! Sorrow may endure the night, But joy cometh in the morning! Hand and heart and voice again! But the soul, whate'er betide us, Meets its kindred spirit still :— Parting hath no pang for you! We shall taste the heaven of love. Safe beneath his wings to dwell: From "St. Paul at Philippi:" a Seatonian Prize-Poem. "I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord."-Psalm exxii. 1. THRICE-Welcome hour that turns my feet Into the path which leads me where A company of pilgrims meet, And worship in the house of prayer: There would I go when some dark cloud In heaven-born thoughts of better things: Nor less I love those courts to tread, When overwhelm'd with sin and shame ; Where sounds the music of His name And still, that faith and hope may grow, I would resort where blessings flow Would lave my spirit in the Gospel sea, Offering my prayers and praises, Lord, to thee! 2. Relating principally to the FOREIGN MISSIONS carried on under the direction of the METHODIST CONFERENCE. SOUTH-SEA MISSIONS. IN the Postscript of our last Number, we announced the arrival of large and interesting communications from the REV. JOHN WATERHOUSE, the excellent and indefatigable "General Superintendent of our Missions in Australasia and Polynesia;" including the Journal of his first official visit from Hobart-Town to NewZealand, the Friendly Islands, and Feejee. That journal we have now the pleasure of presenting to our readers; prefixing to it a letter which contains a brief outline of this extensive tour of inspection, and of the impressions made on the mind of Mr. Waterhouse by what he saw and learned. The general result, it will appear, is highly satisfactory and encouraging. These documents well deserve a careful perusal; and we earnestly invite to them the attention of our friends. Extract of a Letter from the Rev. John Waterhouse, dated Hobart-Town, HONOURED FATHERS AND BRE THREN, I WROTE to you from Mangungu, New-Zealand, giving an account of our arrival there, &c., and will forward extracts from my journal as soon as possible. Through the merciful protection of my heavenly Father, I have been permitted, after five months' absence, to meet my dear wife and family all in health, and to find my son Jabez Bunting received, during my absence, on trial as a Local Preacher. I have been in perils by land, and in perils by water, in perils in the wilderness, and in perils among the Heathen, exposed to heat and cold, the tempest and the calm; but my health has been uniformly good, though laborious days and sleepless nights were often experienced by me. I am intending, God willing, after the "Triton" is refitted, which will take about six weeks, to go to Sydney, take Mr. Webb and stores, and proceed to Tonga; then hold the District-Meeting and visit all the regular stations, with those also in which native Teachers only are placed. then purpose to go to Feejee, hold the District-Meeting there, visit all the stations, &c.; thence to New-Zealand, and do the same, unless some tidings relative to Mr. Bumby should be confirmed, by which that Mission will lose I his actual labours, and thus render it absolutely needful for me to go there first. All this will probably cost me at least twelve months of toil, anxiety, and exposure, with the pain of separation from my family, which at my time of life is painful as far as feeling is concerned; but the servant must not choose. Pray for me daily. I have already taken a bird's-eye view of our various stations; which is vastly important, as I shall be so much better qualified to meet the Missionaries in their several Districts. I have conversed freely with most of them; and what one has failed to communicate, another has generally supplied; so that there are few subjects in the working of the system with which I am unacquainted. An universal welcome has been given me by the brethren and their excellent wives: they look to me as their father; and I feel honoured by being associated with such children, so laborious and self-denying. My life is one scene of toil and intense anxiety; and, as far as flesh and blood are concerned, I can look for little rest or comfort: but, having chosen my Master, I am satisfied that He should choose my work. NEW-ZEALAND.-Here I have left five additional Missionaries, and visited most of the stations. From Kaipara and Waingaroa the brethren met me, and conversed freely on their work, and prospect 1841. 2 G VOL. XX. Third Series. MAY, of future usefulness. Much good has been done; but there are very few thorough conversions of the soul to God. Christianity as a system has been embraced by multitudes; the Lord's day is carefully observed; public worship is well attended; and the congregations appear very devout. Many can read and write; and an universal thirst has been excited for the sacred Scriptures and other religious books. One Chief had come a three weeks' journey, expecting to obtain from me a copy of the New Testament, as some had been sent to England to be bound. They have given up their sanguinary wars, and the revolting scenes of cannibalism. They are re markable for honesty; but vagrant in their habits, universal smokers, selfish, dirty, and delight to herd together. They need line upon line on experimental and practical Christianity. A person visiting the purely heathen, as I have done, and then the nominally Christian, natives, is filled with wonder and gratitude at what has been accomplished; but your Missionaries are grieving that so few are savingly converted. True religion in all its parts is rarely found. But your labourers are valuable men, who, I trust, will be instrumental in turning many from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God. It is now or never with them. The devil and the Pope are at work among this interesting people. Pray that the Holy Spirit may be poured out! FRIENDLY ISLANDS.-Here I left Mr. Wilson, bereft of his estimable wife, who (as my journal states) died, and was committed to the watery deep, on her passage from New-Zealand. I have left at Vavou, Mr. and Mrs. Kevern also. Mr. Brooks's health having failed, and a colder climate being deemed essential, I have brought him, his wife, and two children to Van Diemen's Land. The change from New-Zealand is so great, that I had to guard against being too strongly prejudiced in favour of the Friendly Islanders. They are naturally indolent, which is occasioned probably in part from the oppressive warmth of the climate; but the preaching of the Gospel has had a wonderful effect. There are many truly pious persons; and some of the native Teachers are exceedingly interesting in person, mind, religion, and manners. Most of the men were gone with the King on a defensive war to Tonga. King George is, from all accounts, a very extraordinary man; and, from what I have seen of the people of Vavou, they do credit to him as their King, and to the Missionaries as their Pastors. The code of laws by which George governs his people has been forwarded to you. Smoking is prohibited by law, unless recommended by a medical man. At the first glance I thought that was carrying the matter a little too far; but his reasons for doing it, and the happy effects which his prohibition has produced, gave me unqualified satisfaction. If a man sought licentious intercourse with females, going for tobacco was his usual excuse. If he wanted to steal, he preferred the same plea; and thus with regard to almost every other crime. This bad custom led them to herd together, men, women, and children; and universal filth was the result. Now, they are cleanly in their persons and in their houses; the members of each family associate together; and the din of industry is heard with the early dawn of the day. Any violation of chastity is punished by law; the Sabbath is held sacred; and uniform attention is paid to the schools and the means of grace. The Quarterly Fast is observed with great strictness. No marriages are allowed on a Sunday; and many other things, of minor importance, were to me equally interesting. There is evidently much experimental and practical godliness, though many have only the form. Mr. Thomas is now grey-headed in the service of his Master; but a more laborious man I never saw. There have been base attempts to traduce his character and that of the King; nor do I wonder at it, when I see such real patrons of virtue frowning on those lawless libertines who visit their coasts. FEEJEE. I left Mr. and Mrs. Williams, at Lakemba, in health, with Mr. and Mrs. Calvert; Mr. and Mrs. Hunt, at Somosomo; and Mr. and Mrs. Jag gar, at Rewa. Mrs. Cargill having died, and left four motherless children, Mr. Cargill had embarked with them on board a small vessel going to the colonies; but I had them transferred to our ship. I visited all the stations; which is no easy matter, where coral reefs, hidden or seen, are so numerous, and hurricanes so frequent. The "Triton" will be of incalculable service in these seas; but she will require more hands to manage her than in ordinary cases, and there will be great difficulty in getting men to go more than once. I waited on all the Kings and leading Chiefs in every place with small presents :-the brethren told me, this was essential, as they had all heard of me. They gave me an universal welcome, and conversed freely on |