2. Died, June 30th, at Wirksworth, MRS. ANN GIBSON, the wife of the REV. RALPH GIBSON, of the Cromford Circuit. When about fourteen years of age, she became the subject of deep religious impressions; but having no friend to direct her to the "LAMB of GOD who taketh away the sins of the world," she did not at that time obtain the peace which flows from believing. Yet the influence of those impressions continued to rest upon her mind, and brought forth fruits meet for repentance. About the twenty-fourth year of her age, it pleased the LORD very suddenly to bereave her of a young friend and relative. This circumstance affected her exceedingly, and induced her more earnestly to seek that religion which can alone divest death of its terrors. She then united herself with the Wesleyan-Methodists, and was by them directed to the Cross of CHRIST, where casting herself, and the burden of her sins, she felt her condemnation removed, and was made a new creature in CHRIST JESUS. From that time she walked in the unclouded light of the Sun of Righteousness; not only claiming GoD as her reconciled Father, but proving that the blood of JESUS CHRIST his Son cleanseth from all sin. In March, 1823, she was seized with that fatal, though flattering disease, which was commissioned to dissolve the closest of earthly ties. In the commencement of her illness she was favoured with pecnliar manifestations of divine goodness, and was thus graciously prepared for her subsequent sufferings. And though, at times, her nervous depression was so extreme as to preclude almost the possibility of ecstasy or triumph, yet, in her lowest moments, her peace was unruffled, and her confidence in GOD un shaken. A short time before her death, when labouring under the most painful nervous affection, she entreated her husband to pray that the LORD would more fully manifest himself to her soul. Her desire was immediately accomplished in so remarkable a manner, that she afterwards said, "If the LORD had not soon withheld his hand, I should have been dissolved: it was more than I could bear." One of the last evenings of her life, her husband, silently entering her room, heard her thus affectingly expressing her love and gratitude to her GOD: "I would not grieve my GOD, my SAVIOUR, nor his HOLY SPIRIT, who has striven with me all my life,-not for ten thousand worlds. My flesh and bones are clothed with weakness; but be thou the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. O for a thousand tongues to tell the goodness of my GOD! I'll praise him while he lends me breath, and when my voice is lost in death.' Eternity will be too short to utter all his praise." Just before she expired, her husband observing, "You have a bright prospect before you;" she replied, "O yes," and then silently and sweetly breathed her soul into the hands of her REDEEMER, aged thirty-one years.-M. 3. Died at Preston, July 1st, MARGARET, the wife of MR. WM. MALLEY, in the forty-second year of her age. From her childhood the fear of GOD was before her eyes, and her deportment was marked by peculiar seriousness. By a series of afflictive dispensations of Providence she was removed, with her father's family, to the town in which she died. She there heard the Gospel preached in its purity. Her mind, naturally serious, but at this time probably oppressed with affliction, eagerly listened to its peaceful proclamation. She saw her fallen condition; mourned over her sinfulness; fled for refuge to the SAVIOUR; believed in him; and was happy.-The life of the holy and humble christian female is frequently devoid of any remarkable incident. While it leaves much for the meditations of bereaved affection to dwell upon with mournful pleasure, it yet furnishes little for the biographer to record. Such was the life of MRS. MALLEY. Her excellencies were chiefly of a domestic, and altogether of a retiring character. It was in her own family that the influence which religion exerted over her mind was felt. To discharge her duty to her children was her constant endeavour. Their health, their morals, their proficiency in useful knowledge, but, above all, their salvation, were the subjects of her inquiry, of her exhortations, and of her prayers. She had read, with deep attention, the best of those authors who have written on the management and education of children; and such of their observations as appeared applicable to her case, and agreeable to the principles of sound reason and Scripture, she carefully reduced to practice. She loved to have them near her, that she might form their early habits, control their wills, give them proper views of good and evil, and teach them to know the design of their creation. Frequently would she strive to excite in them the spirit of inquiry on religious subjects, and then with a facility and sweetness, never to be forgotten by them, she impressed instruction on their minds. -Her views of religious truth were clear and scriptural. She especially delighted to dwell on the glorious doctrine of Salvation by Faith. To meditate on this short, and simple, and gracious way of coming to GOD, was always the comfort and refreshment of her soul. Saved from all dependence on herself, her trust was entirely in CHRIST, whom she rejoiced to receive as her wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. Her religious enjoyments were not of the ecstatic kind; but she had a constant and steady peace, the effect of an unshaken confidence in the mercy of GOD through the REDEEMER. The nature of her affliction prevented her from saying much in her last illness; but when asked if all was well, she replied, "O yes!-You must not think, because I talk but little, that I am not happy-Yes! I am happy!" Her last affliction was a slow consumption. For three years she was gradually sinking into the grave. But during this protracted illness, the power of religion to sustain the mind in suffering was uniformly displayed. No murmur or complaint escaped her lips. She endeavoured to improve this solemn season, and laboured incessantly to impress the importance of religious truth upon all that approached her. She continued to speak with plainness and affectionate earnestness to her friends about their spiritual concerns, as her declining strength would permit, till her spirit, released from its earthly tabernacle, entered into rest. D. WALTON. 4. Died, near Leeds, July 4th, MR. JOHN GOTHARD.—MR. G., together with his late excellent wife, and her father and mother, were awakened to a sense of their danger as sinners, by the instrumentality of MR. JASPER ROBINSON, who preached several times at the Foundry, near Leeds, in the year 1775; and they all joined the Methodist Society at Belle-Isle, at the same time. Before that period, MR. GOTHARD had been moral in his conduct, and active and industrious in business; but then he saw and felt himself a sinner in the sight of a holy GOD; he watered his couch with his tears; and sought mercy through the merits of CHRIST. Yet though his convictions were deep, and his views clear with respect to his own state, and the suitableness of the SAVIOUR, it was two years before he received the blessing of pardon; which appears to have been owing to his excessive timidity of disposition, especially with respect to divine things, and to the prevalence of unbelief. At length, however, while at prayer in his own house, his burden of guilt was removed, and he was enabled to rejoice in GoD as his reconciled Father in CHRIST. From that time he went forward in the way of holiness, and evinced the genuineness of the change wrought in him, by the uniform piety of his life and conversation. In 1780, he was called to the office of Class-Leader, on which work he entered in the fear of the LORD, and with an entire dependence on his help and blessing for success. In 1814, his daughter ELIZABETH, & lovely and very pious young person, was called to her eternal rest. In 1815, his daughter HANNAH, the wife of the REV. WM. TRANTER, died; and in 1819, MRS. GOTHARD was removed to glory, after a long and painful affliction. A few minutes before her death, he was walking in the garden, with his heart lifted up to GoD in prayer. On entering the house, he learned that she was dead. He raised his hands and eyes toward heaven, and said, "The LORD has heard my prayer, and delivered her from her suffering: and though I feel much at being separated from my dear and affectionate wife, with whom I have lived for nearly fifty years, yet I rejoice that she is released from her affliction, and safely lodged in ABRAHAM's bosom." -These bereavements led him to look forward to the time of his own departure as at no great distance; and to cultivate a closer acquaintance with GOD and eternal things. His chief concern was for the salvation of his family, and the prosperity of the work of GOD, in which he felt greatly interested, especially in the Missionary Cause. The joyful emotions of his soul were great indeed, when he heard of the enlargement of the kingdom of CHRIST. His last affliction commenced in 1820. During its continuance he often lamented his absence from the LORD's house; but always maintained a spirit of gratitude and praise. Being one day somewhat depressed, his daughter read to him the eighth chapter of the Epistle to the Romans, which was very much blessed to him. He said, "O how good the LORD is! Glory be to his name! I wonder I did not think of that blessed portion of Scripture." He was then favoured with a near and bright view of heaven, which filled his soul with joy, and made his cup to run over. Shortly after he began to enumerate the members of his family, and other friends, who were already in heaven; and said, "These are all waiting for me; they will welcome me home. I remember what one of them said, (meaning his daughter ELIZABETH,) O Father, I will welcome you into heaven! I will!'" Some of his dying sayings were, "Cease, fond nature! cease thy strife; Wesleyan-Methodist Magazine, FOR FEBRUARY, 1824. BIOGRAPHY. MEMOIR OF THE LATE REV. GEORGE SARGENT. [THE affecting circumstances which led to the sudden decease of the late MR. SARGENT, (through the overturning of a Coach, on which he was travelling to the Conference at Sheffield,) have already been briefly stated, in our Magazine for September, 1823, page 633. They give a peculiar interest to the following Memoir, which has been transmitted to us by the REV. GEORGE MARSDEN, who, by the direction of the Conference, went from Sheffield to Huddersfield, on Sunday, August 10th, 1823, to preach a、 Funeral-Sermon on the melancholy occasion. The substance of the Account now presented to our Readers was put into the hands of MR. MARSDEN by the Son of MR. SARGENT, and read at the close of the Sermon.-Of MR. S.'s fellow-sufferer, the REV. E. B. LLOYD, a Memoir, which includes some further details of this fatal accident, will be found in the Second Article of the present Number.-EDITOR.] THE late REV. GEORGE SARGENT was a native of Rye, in Sussex. His mother was a person of excellent moral character, and a regular attendant at the Parish-Church, to which she was accompanied by her son. When he was nearly twenty years of age, a funeral-sermon, preached on occasion of the murder of a MR. HADDOCK, a Methodist at Rye, attracted his attention, and produced an unusual degree of thoughtfulness. About the same time, also, two malefactors in a neighbouring town were condemned to die. MR. S. had an uncommon desire to visit them; he obtained permission from a Magistrate, on proving that he was not a Methodist; and from one of these prisoners he gained his first clear ideas concerning "the knowledge of salvation by the remission of sins." Thus, while he was exercising the kindness of common humanity, by endeavouring to condole with the miserable, one whom he intended to comfort, and who, it appears, had been successfully instructed by some previous visitor. in the way of salvation by grace through faith, was made the instrument of exciting in his heart the most ardent desire to be possessed of the blessings of the Gospel of CHRIST. The HOLY SPIRIT now soon VOL. III. Third Series, FEBRUARY, 1824. H wrought in him repentance toward GoD, and faith in our LORD JESUS CHRIST; and some of the first results of his conversion, were union with the people of GoD, and an intense desire to warn the sinners around him to flee from the wrath to come. His first efforts, in this way, were made in concert with some other serious young persons, who agreed together not to suffer sin upon their neighbours, but on proper occasions to reprove and admonish, with all gentleness, those who openly transgressed the laws of God. While thus employed, MR. SARGENT was led to believe that God had entrusted to him a gift, which was to be used in publicly ministering the Gospel of our SAVIOUR to his fellowmen.—It was also his custom, in walking through the town and villages, to distribute among the poor the Religious Tracts published by MR. WESLEY. In many places these were well received; but by some individuals he was treated, on his approach, like a disturber of domestic peace. Their doors were hastily closed against the Tract,— probably lest the bearer of it should venture in, and beg permission to take that opportunity of conversing with them on the concerns of their souls, and of eternity. On being once asked, how he was generally received, when engaged on these errands of love, he answered, "Though often exposed to violence, I escaped with a few bruises from stones, &c., and the spoiling of my clothes by dirty missiles." -His zealous and consistent conduct attracted attention, and gained him the respect and esteem of the pious. He was first appointed to act as a Class-Leader and Local Preacher; and afterwards, (in the year 1790,) was stationed by MR. WESLEY in the Horncastle Circuit, where there still reside some grateful witnesses of his usefulness, and seals of his ministry. From Horncastle he removed to Grimsby, in which Circuit he spent two years. In Lincoln, which was then included in his third Circuit, (Gainsborough,) it pleased God to accompany his word with power to many of his hearers; and among the number of those who were savingly brought to God, were his father-in-law and mother-in-law. On the day after preaching a funeral-sermon for the former, he was the happy instrument of introducing the Gospel, and, subsequently, of forming a christian society, in the next village. It might be both interesting and profitable to follow the subject of this Memoir to each of the stations of useful labour which he afterwards occupied. In all of them, it is believed, some of the chief of sinners were turned, by the blessing of GoD on his ministry, from the error of their ways, and the Church of CHRIST was edified. It must suffice, however, to state, that he was fully employed in the work of the ministry as a Methodist Preacher for thirty-three years; fourteen of which were spent in Yorkshire, and the remainder principally in Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, and Derbyshire. The last two years he was stationed at Scarborough; and by the kind and affectionate society in that place, his appointment for a third year was expected with pleasure. During his residence there, he enjoyed a good state of health; and was enabled to perform his duties as a Pastor without intermission. One who knew him well, states, that they were years of increasing peace and prosperity to his own soul; and that in preaching he never enjoyed greater liberty, nor in prayer closer communion with his GOD. "On the Friday before he left Scarborough for the Conference," a Friend remarks, "I was most of the day in his company; and it was a day of christian communion not soon to be forgotten by me. We walked together from Scarborough to a Love-Feast held at Seamer; (about four miles ;) and while he talked with me by the way on the deep things of God, and particularly on the great privilege of salvation from all indwelling sin, his heart seemed to be much enlarged. He told me that his experimental acquaintance with the scriptural doctrine of Entire Sanctification, as held by the Methodists, first took place when spending a week in the company of the late MR. BRAMWELL; and he assured me, in glowing language, on the authority of his own experience, that by realizing that blessing he was brought into a state of love, joy, and peace, and of qualification for christian usefulness, far surpassing, in degree, any thing he had before conceived. He presided at the Love-Feast above mentioned, which was certainly one of the best, for divine feeling, and sound christian experience, I ever attended; and he spoke of himself in terms of self-abasement and humility, but stated his clear and satisfying enjoyment of the favour and love of God. He earnestly exhorted believers in CHRIST to seek a present and full salvation from the 'carnal mind,' by the exercise of faith in JESUS, whose blood cleanseth us from all sin.'" On the last Sabbath which he spent on earth, he attended public worship twice in this Chapel; [viz. at Huddersfield, where his funeralsermon was preached a fortnight afterwards;] and in the afternoon he preached at Honley, from these words,-" If any man be in CHRIST, he is a new creature," which was his last sermon. On his return to Huddersfield, he expressed the great pleasure he had enjoyed in having seen, after preaching, several persons who called him their spiritual Father, and who thankfully and joyfully alluded to those heart-searching seasons at which it had pleased GoD, through his ministry, when he was formerly stationed in the Huddersfield Circuit, to call them out of darkness into his marvellous light. In the evening, when conversing respecting the services of the past day, and the sermons which he had heard from the REV. VALENTINE WARD, and the REV. JOHN JAMES, he remarked, "I found it good to be there." During family-worship, both on that evening, and on the following morning, his devotional exercises are well remembered to have been peculiarly fervent. During the last conversation which his Son had with him, he endeavoured to prove it to be our duty, not only to submit to the Divine Will, but cordially to acquiesce in it, however |