years. The most exemplary piety, which had distinguished her character through a long and laborious pilgrimage, we may consider as the foundation of her triumphant death. It had long been her wish that she might, if it were the Lord's will,

"Her body with her charge lay down,

And cease at once to work and live;"

and her desire was granted. Her last illness was short, but severe. On Sunday, Nov. 19, 1815, she attended preaching in the chapel twice, apparently in good health. Indeed, it was remarked by several friends who saw her on that day, that they thought she never looked so beautiful before. Her full, fine, florid countenance seemed to be tinged with an unusual, an almost supernatural glow. She was also present in the chapel the following evening. On Tuesday morning, she was attacked with a violent complaint in her bowels, which terminated in an inflammation, and reduced her to such an extremity of weakness that she was unable to speak much. Yet no murmuring or repining word escaped her lips. Thy will be done," was her language

in life and in death.

66

A short time before this affliction, the 43d chapter of Isaiah had been made a particular blessing to her. She frequently requested that it might be read to her during her illness, and seemed to derive "strong consolation" from its gracious declarations. In the greatest paroxysms of pain she heard the voice of the evangelical prophet, proclaiming "thus saith the Lord, that created thee, &c. fear not, for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name, thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee; when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burnt, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee." Her faith realized the fulfilment of the promise; she, therefore, exhibited the most perfect resignation, and testified of the goodness of God to all around, exhorting them to be followers of 'he Lamb. When severely exercised with pain and sickness, "What," said she to some of her children, "what should I do if I had now my religion to seek? But all is well. If it should please the Lord at this time to call me hence I have nothing to do but to die." "O, my dears," she added, "rest not satisfied with any thing short of real religion. Let not the faults of others occupy your minds, but strive to get made right yourselves."

On Saturday evening, Nov. 25, she was much worse, sunk rapidly, and spoke but little. The next morning, about two o'clock, she appeared to be dying. About six, Mrs. Tripp, one of her most intimate friends, and Mr. Walter Griffith, both of whom had visited her several times, were sent for. The latter observed, "It is easy to die when the sting of death, which is sin, is drawn." She faintly replied, "Yes, yes." And while

he repeated many appropriate passages of Scripture, although unable to articulate, she evidently joined him in her mind. The final struggle lasted until half past nine o'clock, when her happy spirit, released from the earthly house of its tabernacle, winged its flight to the mansions of bliss-, where

"She now can understand

How all events are rul'd by the Almighty hand;
And pities us who try

To fathom deep eternity

Alas! too deep the pit,

For Reason's plummet, and the line of wit-
Too light the plummit, and too short the line,
To search into the power and will Divine."

It has been justly observed, that "the design of biography is to instruct the living by such a narrative of per onal facts, as will raise a monument to virtue, by embalming the memory of the dead. The character, therefore, which can be estimated as deservedly claiming this species of writing, ought to appear, on a dispassionate review, to have been so conspicuous as to excite attentive admiration; to have been so beneficial as to demand a tribute of gratitude; and so excellent, when due allowances are made for human infirmities, as to be worthy of publick imitation."* On each of these grounds, and especially on the last, the memory of Mrs. D. deserves preservation; because the standard of her experience and practice was not too high for general imitation. She was not distinguished by those high native endowments, or extraordinary acquired abilities which distance the multitude, and leave them nothing to do but to gaze, to wonder, and despair. In the fullest sense of the expression, she might have adopted the humble and grateful language of the apostle-" By the grace of God I am what I am." And the same grace is able to make the writer and reader of this Memoir, like her. Should this happily be the case, the end for which it is drawn up will be abundantly answered.

TO THE EDITOR,

* Cokes' Life, by Drew.

RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE.

On Wednesday, July 21, I had an opportunity of being present at the laying of the foundation stone of a Methodist New Chapel, near Ardwick Green, in Manchester. Several preachers were present, and about 2000 people; every thing was conducted with much propriety, and the prayers which were offered up on that occasion, I hope will be graciously answered in the future prosperity of the cause of God in that neighbourhood.

The erection of another chapel in Manchester, in addition to those which have long been crowded with attentive hearers, is peculiarly pleasing, and is an encou raging proof of an increase of piety in that large commercial town; but while we rejoice in the enlargement of the Redeemer's kingdom in Manchester, and in various parts of the nation, we should not forget the day of small and feeble things. It would be pleasing to trace the origin of Methodism in many places, and especially in those parts of the land where it now so generally prevails; and though the journals of the late Rev. John Wesley, and the lives of several of the first preachers, an

recorded in the Magazines, contain some very pleasing accounts of this kind, yet there are other circumstances which may now be recovered by conversation with some of our very aged members, and may be recorded; but if the present generation pass away without such a record, the circumstances will be for ever lost. Probably some of your correspondents will endeavour to collect all the information they can from our aged friends, and transmit to you those accounts which may be deemed proper for insertion in your valuable Magazine. I have no doubt but such accounts would be pleasing to our people, and would also be a lasting memorial of the particular providence of God.-A few months before the death of our late respected friend, Mr. Richard Barlow, I had an opportunity of conversing with him respecting the state of Methodism in Manchester in his early days; he dwelt on the subject with delight, and informed me that when he joined the society, there were but 14 or 15 members in the whole town. The place in which they had preaching was a small room in a house near the river Irwell; a person lived in the room, where she had her spinning-wheel, her coals, her bed, chairs, and table. The preachers then came into the town on Friday morning, preached at twelve o'clock, and went out of town in the afternoon, to preach at some other place in the evening. One Friday, when Mr. Christopher Hopper was preaching, the floor of the room gave way, and rendered the place unfit for future service; and as the poor people had no place whatever in which to worship God, the minister of a small chapel in Coldhouse kindly offered them the use of his place, till some other could be procured. The society then purchased a plot of ground behind the houses in Birchin-lane, and erected a small chapel, but the violence of the mob was such, that for nearly three years Mr. Barlow and some other of the friends had to stand at the door of the chapel, each time they had Divine service, to resist the violence of the rioters, and endeavour to preserve peace. After some years, a few of the rioters were transported for some crimes which they had committed, and from that time the congregation was permitted to worship God in peace. The Lord very graciously owned the word of his servants, and the congregation became so large, that they were under the necessity of enlarging the chapel, which continued to be crowded with attentive hearers.

Some years afterwards, the present very large and commodious chapel in Oldhamstreet was erected, and from the day of its being opened for Divine service, it has generally been crowded on the Lord's-day. Nearly 30 years ago, a chapel was built on the Salford side of the river, which has also been well attended, and two years ago that chapel was considerably enlarged. About 20 years ago, the chapel in Bridgwater-street was erected, and that chapel also has been well attended. Since then a small chapel has been erected at Shude-hill, and that place has been attended with much good.

The Manchester friends now find it necessary still further to enlarge their borders, and the chapel which they are now building, will, when finished, accommodate a large number of additional hearers.

Such has been the rapid progress of the work of God in Manchester; small in its beginning, but graciously prospering, and in its sacred influence spreading wider and wider, until thousands of the inhabitants are brought to experience the saving power of Divine grace.

"More and more it spreads and grows,

That all may bow to affectionately, August 5th, 1819.

Ever mighty to prevail,

Sin's strong holds it now o'erthrows,
Shakes the trembling gates of hell.”

the sceptre of our Lord, is the prayer of, dear Sir, your's
G. MARSDEN.

OF THE METHODIST CONFERENCE.

An Account of the Seventy-sixth Annual Conference of the Preachers in the Connexion established by the late Rev. JOHN WESLEY, begun at Bristol, July 26th, 1819.

A plan of the stations of the Preachers in Great Britain for the ensuing year, to be laid before the Conference, having been drawn up by the Representatives of the districts, in the former part of the preceding week; and the Special Meeting of the General Missionary Committee, and that appointed for the distribution of the moneys raised for the Chapel Fund, having been held in the latter part of that week, the Conference commenced their sittings at six in the morning of July 26th; when,

after the places of such as through death, or superannuation, had ceased to be members of the legal Conference, were filled up, Mr. Jonathan Crowther was chosen President, and Mr. Jabez Bunting, Secretary, and the various subordinate officers were appointed in the customary manner. These, with divers other matters connected with the discipline of the body, being adjusted, an account was taken, as usual, of such preachers on the itinerant plan, as had died since the Conference in 1818, whether in Britain and Ireland, or on Foreign Stations; and some important circumstances, preceding or attending their departure, were related by those brethren with whom they had of late laboured or who were well acquainted with them, and a character of each of them was drawn up for publication in the Minutes. Of the death of six of these preachers, and of several interesting particulars accompanying it, we have informed our readers in some preceding numbers of our work. (See that for Sept. 1818, and those for January, April, and August of the present year.) Nevertheless we shall here lay before them the testimony of the Conference concerning these, as well as concerning the others, of whose decease we either had received no information previous to this Conference, or had not had an earlier opportunity of recording it. The character given of them by the Conference is contained in the following extract from the Minutes:

4. Eleven, viz.

believed the Methodist doctrines, and set them forth in the most prominent manner. He was an excellent disciplinarian, ever aiming to promote the spiritual improvemeut of those among whom he laboured, both by precept and example.

Q. What Preachers have DIED since the last Conference? In Great Britain the eight following: 1. ROBERT CARR BRACKENBURY, who exchanged mortality for eternal life, at his residence, Raithby Hall, near Spilsby, Lincolnshire, August 10, 1818. Having solemnly expressed his wish, that his fame might not be made the subject of human panegyric, we feel a kind of irresistible restriction put upon those warm and respectful emotions which we strongly feel, on reviewing the circumstances of his life and death. We had hoped and presumed, that the powerful conviction of our duty to honour God, the essential cause and glorious end of all that is truly great and good, might have been considered and admitted as an apology for inserting, in connection with the record of his servant's decease, a very brief memorial, inscribed to the honour of his Divine Master. We are sensible that to God alone we should present the odour of our grateful praise, who, even in these latter times, has endowed some exalted saints with graces which would have been highly esteemed in the character of a Christian, in the purest age of Christianity. After having adorned and successfully preached the gospel among us for upwards of forty years, the close of our dear brother's earthly career was in perfect unison with the undeviating tenor of his life-the setting of a refulgent sun, in a calm, clear, evening sky, with the certain appearance of rising again in everlasting splendour.

2. WILLIAM BRAMWELL; who was a man of eminent piety, of considerable preaching talents, and of great resolution and industry. In humility, self-denial, and a readiness to take up his cross daily -in ardent love to God, compassion for perishing sinuers, and in holy zeal for the prosperity of Zion, he shone with distinguished lustre. He most cordially

If, at any time, there appeared an instability of conduct in his attachment to the Methodist body, it ought to be attributed rather to error of judgment, and the undue influence of individuals who endeavoured to warp his affection, than to a want of cordial attachment. As he advanced in years he grew in grace. His communion with God was constant, and as he approached towards the eternal world, he evidently ripened for the heavenly garner. His conversation was truly spiritual, especially towards the close of his life; and he often expressed an earnest "desire to depart and be with Christ." He was a man of much prayer and strong faith-a burning and shining light-and lived in a blessed readiness for that sudden death, which removed him from earth to the unfading glories of heaven. This has comforted his bereaved friends, and enabled them to mingle sentiments of joy for his gain, with feelings of sorrow for their own loss.

3. SAMUEL BARDSLEY; who had been, for some time, the oldest preacher in our Connexion. At the Bristol Conference, held in August, 1768, he was received on trial, as a preacher; and was admitted, at the next Annual Conference into full connexion. During half a century he maintained not only an unblemished, but a highly respectable character, both as a Christian and as a Minister of the Gospel. In private, as well as in publick life, he made it his constant business to copy the example of his Divine Master. On his heart was deeply engraven the law of