many years. Often, after a hard day's work in the coal-pit, our brother walked five miles to attend the quarterly meeting of the circuit. His house was ever open to the preachers of the Gospel, and according to his means he gave a cheerful and liberal support to all its funds. This desire for the prosperity of Zion was manifested down to the last day of his life. Though naturally of a retiring disposition, and without any pretension to superior ability, yet prompted by the love he bore to God, and an earnest desire for the revival of religion, his voice was often heard engaged in our social and public means of grace, in prayer for the descent of the Holy Spirit.

During the closing years of his life he had to sustain many severe trials of his faith. In the year 1867 he lost, by death, a much-beloved son-in-law. In July, 1869, a terrible stroke was inflicted: one of his sons was killed by an accident on the railway. It was a shock from which our brother Kendall never recovered. The infirmities of old age from that time seemed to increase. At the beginning of the present year he himself met with an accident. Some unknown person, in the darkness of night (unintentionally doubtless), came into violent collision with him. From the moment of collision he lost consciousness, until he found himself lying in the street, and on attempting to rise discovered that he had sustained a severe injury to his thigh. One of the members of our society, passing at the time, saw him safely home in a cab. Arriving there, and on surgical skill being obtained, it was found that his thigh had been splintered, and but little hope was entertained that at his advanced age he would ever recover the use of the fractured limb. his own personal sufferings was added the grief consequent on the death of two daughters-in-law. Yet, amid all, he submitted with cheerful resignation to the will of God, exclaiming with Eli, "It is the Lord; let him do what seemeth him good." He never murmured, though much unused to the suffering of pain, but endured as seeing "Him who is invisible." In his affliction he often spoke of the blessed seasons he had experienced in connection with the

To

people of God, and expressed his sense of his shortcomings; but he had a steady reliance on the merits of his Saviour. The words of Divine promise were dear to him, and at times he exulted in the prospect of death. His leader, Brother John Wright, and Brother Sayner, often visited him in his affliction, and to them he expressed his confidence as to the future. The minister of the circuit and the Rev. J. Curtis frequently called upon him, and to them the visits were a source of spiritual profit.

Gradually our brother sank until the end came; but he met death without fear. There was no ecstacy, but a peaceful entrance into everlasting rest. On the morning of the 19th of October, 1870, the soul of Brother Kendall passed away to be "for ever with the Lord." His death was improved by the Rev. A. R. Pearson, in Peckitt Street Chapel, on Sunday evening, November 20th, in a sermon founded on 1 Cor. xv. 55-57.

B.

ISABELLA FEWSTER, OF YORK. "To the poor is the gospel preached." Here we have one of the evidences of the Messiahship of Jesus Christ, and one of the distinguishing features of the new dispensation. Among the ranks of the poor the Saviour found his earliest and staunchest adherents in apostolic times. We read that in this calling there were "not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble." And in modern times we have some of the most illustrious followers of Christ among the ranks of the lowly.

Isabella Fewster was born in the month of May, in the year 1808, in the county of Ross, Scotland; and died on the morning of the 20th February, 1870, at the age of sixtyone years. Of the circumstances of her life prior to her conversion we have but little if anything to relate, excepting that from early life and amid all the events of a chequered career, she was the subject of Divine influences. During the ministry of the Rev. A. M'Curdy in the year 1857, our sister was led by the providence of God to Peckitt Street Chapel, York, and by the utterance of the concluding words of his sermon, "God bless his own word," was.

awakened to reflection on divine things, and induced to identify herself with the Church of Christ. From that time till the last day of her life she maintained the character of a consistent and devout member of our society. She joined the class of Brother M'Curdy, and subsequently, about the year 1860, when it became necessary for her to change, she united with Brother John Wright's class.

Her connection therewith

was characterized by regularity and punctuality.

Intellectually, our sister was above the average of persons in her station of life, as could be gathered from her exercises in public prayer, her conversation, and the relation of her experience at the class meeting. Her mental power was great, and had she been favoured with a good education, would have been exceedingly useful in almost any circle of society. Her memory was well stored with Biblical truth, and her mind was under the constant influences of that Word.

Her piety was unobtrusive. There was no attempt to parade it, but it was seen in all she did and said. It must not be inferred, however, that she was ashamed of her religion; on the contrary, she seized every opportunity of confessing Christ, and in her character was seen a happy union of modesty and boldness in religious things.

Her liberality in the cause of Christ is worthy of special notice. Out of her poverty she gave cheerfully; and had she possessed abundance, none would have excelled her and few would have equalled her in gifts. In this respect, it may be truly said, "she hath done what she could." Especially did she deem it her duty and privilege to support our mission interests, and for a long time, and to the end of her life, set aside a fixed proportion of her earnings for this laudable object. She thus exercised the duty of systematic beneficence, and would frequently remark that for this she was "none the poorer."

She loved the people of God. This was seen in the uniform kindness which she showed to them, in the frequency of her communion with them, and in abstinence from slander and the charity which as a mantle she threw over the absent when

their reputation was assailed. The strength of her attachment to the Saviour was evinced in her constancy to him amid all circumstances, and the diligence with which she kept his commands.

During the last few months of her life it was evident to her leader in her weekly utterances, and to the writer in his visitation of the class, as also in ordinary pastoral communion, that she was fast ripening for eternity. In her experience she would often allude to the future, and so far as she could see it, it was of a painful character. Already she be gan to feel the burning pain which, with an instinctive prescience, she knew would terminate her life. From the day she was confined to her home she felt it was all over, and her chief work was the contemplation of the reward awaiting her, and a firm reliance on God's providence and grace. There never was, so far as we know, any misgiving in her mind. She knew in whom she had believed, and could say, "I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day."

The cause of her death was an internal cancer-a form of disease happily very rare. Her sufferings were of an excruciating character, but they were borne with uncommon Christian fortitude. Never did she murmur at her lot, or become impatient, even when racked by indescribable anguish. She could afford when enduring the most violent paroxysms of pain to smile at the mention of the Saviour's name, and exclaim, "Christ is precious!" and "He is my rock!" often repeating that beautiful verse

"Dear name, the rock on which I build, My shield and hiding place; My never-failing treasury, filled

With boundless stores of grace." The evidence of her Saviour's love was clear, yielding to her a sweet peace, and the prospect of an eternity of joy kindled feelings of triumph in her heart.

She desired the administration of the Lord's Supper. Her truly noble confession of faith, as she partook of the emblems of the Saviour's flesh and blood, we shall never forget. The expression of her countenance was indicative of the peace within.

On the Thursday previous to her death, she expressed, while suffering severe pain, her joy in the prospect of heaven, and frequently cried, "Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly!" On the Saturday night she was visited by her leader, and renewed her testimony to the sustaining grace of God; as the shades of darkness passed on, and the Lord's Day approached, her spirit was released, and she ascended to her heavenly home in triumph. The Sabbath she began on earth was continued in heaven, and will endure for ever in the world of light. Her death was improved by the Rev. A. R. Pearson, on the evening of March 18th, 1870; the words of the text being, "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord." "May we be followers of them, who through faith and patience now inherit the promises."

Y.

MRS. ELIZABETH WRIGHT. OUR sister was born at Birdwell, in the Barnsley Circuit, on the 17th of September, 1845. She was the beloved daughter of William and Mary Edgar. Although her parents were strictly moral, and regular attenders at our public means of grace, yet they failed to give her that instruction which was essential for her spiritual and eternal interest. They sent her to our Sabbath-school as soon as she arrived at the age at which the rules would admit of her entrance; and she was most assiduous in her attention to her teacher, and soon made striking manifestations of her intense desire for learning. She soon became a tolerably good reader, and was advanced step by step until she reached the highest class in the school. Nor was it her intention merely to learn to read, but she strove to understand what she read; and she was presented with a Bible and several other books, as rewards of her diligence and good behaviour.

Early in life the Holy Spirit strove with her most powerfully, convinced her "of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment;" and when thirteen years of age she found peace through believing. By the influence of the Holy Spirit her heart was renewed, and that great change was evinced by her daily walk and deportment.

But soon after this Elizabeth had to leave home. Her parents being poor, and having a large family to provide for, they deemed it necessary that she should go to service. Accordingly, she entered a gentleman's family in Manchester, as a housemaid, and by her piety soon gained the esteem of the whole household, and consequently she remained with them almost four years. But, alas! she had not been long in Manchester before she experienced another great and lamentable change: a dark cloud overshadowed her. She felt herself a stranger in a strange land, and, having no one to advise her and speak a word of encouragement to her, she forgot the God of all consolation and grace. She again found that "the way of transgressors is hard;" her conscience lashed her as with a whip of scorpions, and made her writhe in anguish when no one saw but God. For years she remained in this awful condition. These may emphatically be called Elizabeth's dark days.

Elizabeth as a Daughter.-She always took particular notice of her parents, feeling it a pleasure to obey and please them. After her marriage, when the cares and the responsibilities of her own home were devolving upon her, she was of great service to her mother, for whom she cherished the fondest affection.

Elizabeth as a Wife.-She was married young, yet having from her youth been well acquainted with the duties and requirements of home, and having natural gifts of her own peculiar to that situation, she fulfilled all the duties which rested upon her far better than many who were much older than herself.

A little after her marriage she was again led to give her heart to God, and during the remainder of her life she sought to keep a conscience void of offence. Walking in the fear of God, and daily reading his Word, she found invariably fulfilled in her experience the words of the Psalmist : "Great peace have they which keep thy law." Soon after her conversion her husband was led to seek the Lord with all his heart. This gave more joy to Elizabeth than if her oil and wine had increased. She was regular in her attendance at the

means of grace, and they were to her sources whence she derived much spiritual good. Her experience was little varied. She had one sublime end in view, and she tried to make everything subordinate to that end. Her language was frequently that of the apostle: "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended; but this one thing I do, forgetting these things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

Elizabeth as a Mother.This relation she fulfilled most excellently. Her children were patterns of neatness and cleanliness. She sought to impress good things upon their hearts, nor did she seek in vain, for even the youngest, in the morning, would point to the Bible and remind her of prayer. Hers was piety at

home, and the influence of it was felt most in her family circle.

Yet Elizabeth was a working Christian. It may be truly said of her, she loved with Mary's heart, and served with Martha's hand. She did what she could for the society of which she was a member, and was found among the most willing workers at sewing-meetings, and at anything which was for the good of the cause of God.

In her confinement she was the subject of much pain, but not a murmur escaped her lips. She felt great anxiety at leaving her husband and children, but this soon gave way to a full conviction that the Lord would provide for them. Sometimes Satan was very busy, and her conflicts with him were very severe. Visiting her on one occasion, she said she thought she heard some one singing songs at her bed-head; but, she said, it could not be real; at the same time it did much to draw her mind from the object she wished to think upon. After a short conversation with her about her own soul, and her hope, we spent a little time in prayer together, and it was a precious time-a time of refreshing coming forth from the presence of the Lord. No one but they who have attended a dying Christian can form any adequate idea of the blessedness we enjoyed. Never did the words of the poet appear more true to me than on that occasion

"The chamber where the good man meets his fate

Is blessed beyond the common walks of life,

Just on the verge of heaven!"

This was the last day but one before her death, and it evidently was the last struggle with the enemy, over whom, by the strength given her, she triumphed gloriously. She died on the 3rd of March, calm and composed, trusting in her Saviour, who, she said, was precious to her. Her death was improved by Mr. John Taylor, of Sheffield, on the 24th of April. JOHN WATERWORTH.

ELIZABETH WARDELL, JESMOND VALE, NEWCASTLE-UPON

TYNE.

THE subject of this memoir, Elizabeth Wardell, was born at Jesmond Vale, February 1st, 1849. The object of her parents was to train up their child in the fear of God, and as early as possible they sent her to the Sunday-school, where she soon gained the affection of her teachers. Both there and at home she was steady, obedient, and wishful to please. Her habits, from her earliest years, were those of persevering industry. It soon became evident that her heart was set to seek the Lord. The work of grace in her seems, however, to have been a gradual one. Having been always strictly moral, she was not driven to Christ by the terrors of the Lord, but gently drawn by the Spirit's influence until she found peace through believing. She became a teacher in the Sunday-school, and in this capacity distinguished herself by her amiability, combined with firmness, in her class. Her scholars were the objects of her special prayer; she earnestly sought their salvation, and they were greatly attached to her.

As a member of the Church she was consistent and exemplary. Doubtless she had her shortcomings and imperfections, yet her light was not the flickering taper, blown out by any gust of wind, but "the shining light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day." Her character was not impulsive and effervescing, but even and persevering.

In the class-meeting her experience seemed almost beyond her years. Her frequent utterance was, I am trying day by day to live nearer to God, and be more useful in his cause."

A sermon preached by the Rev. W. Thomas, on growth in grace, was made specially useful to her. She sought earnestly to carry out its cautions and counsels in her life. She derived quickening impulses from books calculated to nourish the spiritual life; but above all she prized the Bible. It was marrow and fatness to her soul, and she was often alone with God in prayeranother secret of her genuine piety, and of her progress in the divine life.

But this flower was soon to fade, and be transplanted to a more genial clime. Although healthy in appearance, she was nevertheless tender and delicate. She suffered much from headache and other pains. She never murmured, however; she was patient under all circumstances, and received grace according to her day.

In July last our school anniversary was held, and its success was mainly due to her exertions. The selection of hymns, playing the harmonium, &c., devolved upon her. The effort was almost too great for her, but it brought its reward. The singing of one of the hymns by the scholars"My home is in heaven; my home is not here," she said to a friend, more than repaid her for her labour. It seems significant that the hymns she selected on this occasion had all reference either to heaven or working for Jesus; and such hymns as "Jerusalem the Golden," Nearer, my God, to thee," &c., she delighted to sing at home.

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The week after the anniversary she was seized with cramp, and rolled in agony, and she was never well afterwards. She sought to recruit her strength by change of air, but in vain; she returned home still unwell, and from that time was almost entirely confined to bed. Medical aid availed nothing; her sickness was unto death. She suffered severely; weary days and sleepless nights she passed for nearly three weeks. So great was the pain, that she once said, "I believe I shall lose my reason." As the end approached, she

one day asked for her father, embraced and kissed him, and said, "I am going to leave you; will you meet me in heaven?" This question she put to the rest of the family, then requested all to engage in prayer, she herself also praying with great earnestness. When free from delirium, it was blessed to be with her. "I do love Jesus;' "I have given my heart to God;" "I am happy, happy, happy!" was her language at different times. "Is there perfection in heaven?" she asked of a cousin who sat by. Adam was not perfect; Jesus led a holy life, and was perfect: what makes us perfect in heaven?" "The blood of Jesus," was the reply. "Yes, that is it, the blood of Jesus." After a night of great pain, she awoke and asked for all the family, and said she was going to leave us, exclaiming, "Do you not see the angels? They are coming; they are there," and fell back exhausted. One day, thinking the doctor was there, she said, Mr.

can you realize what it is to love Jesus?" Referring to her scholars, she said, "Those dear girls, how I love them! How I have prayed for them! Tell them to meet me in heaven."

Intense as were her sufferings, she never murmured or complained; patience had its perfect work. From the heart she could say to her heavenly father, "Thy will be done." The fever somewhat abated, but the disease had now done its work; and on Friday, Sept. 16th, without a struggle or a groan, she fell asleep in Jesus.

"Ob, may I triumph so,

When all my warfare's past, And dying, find my latest foe Under my feet at last."

Of her it cannot be said, "Gone, but not missed." She is missed in the family, the school, and the church. The scholars of her class followed her remains to the grave, and the extent to which she was beloved was evident not only in their tears, and those of the family, but in those of the neighbours among whom she had lived. We sorrow not, however, as those who have no hope, since we feel assured that with her "absent from the body is present with the Lord." J. WARDELL.