BAPTIST MAGAZINE. MARCH, 1829. MEMOIR OF THE REV. W. W.SIMPSON. (Continued from p. 52.) "A short time before his death, his children and grandchildren were "AFTER being confined for seve- surrounding his bed, when he adral months by severe and painful dressed them with mnch earnestaffliction, which he bore with much ness upon the infinite importance resignation and patience, his health of a hope beyond the grave, and in some degree improved, and con- said, 'What should I now do withtrary to all expectation, he once out such a hope? Religion is no more joined our family circle, and dream—it is not the fever of enwas also privileged again to pay his thusiasm. What would the world vows in the house of God. Upon and all its vanities be to me now? this occasion he remarks in his jour-The awful period at which I am so nal, 'It is now fifteen weeks since nearly arrived must come to you I have been out. It pleased the Lord to enable me to attend the ordinance of the Lord's Supper this afternoon. For ever blessed be his dear name, it proved a feast of fat things to my soul; of wines on the lees, well refined. My cup ran over.' So delighted was his spirit, and so animated were his feelings, that at the close of the service he most affectionately addressed the minister and the congregation, and after stating the probability that he should never appear in that house again, he gave his parting, dying approbation to the ministry of his esteemed brother, whom he had heard with great comfort and satisfaction previous to his illness, and who afterwards, during his affliction, afforded him much consolation by his visits and his prayers. For several months after this time, my dear father continued in a very debilitated state of health, subject to frequent relapses, and at length, notwithstanding the natural strength of his constitution, he sunk under an asthmatical disease, and was once more confined to his chamber. VOL. IV. 3d Series. all, and oh! my dear children, may we all then meet above. I rejoice in the thought of so soon meeting those dear relatives who are gone before. I cannot, indeed, express to you the happiness I feel in the contemplation of it. I am resting upon the Rock of Ages. I know in whom I have believed. May God bless you, my dear children, and grant that we may all meet around his throne!' After this his grandchildren left the room, and as if fearful that he had not stated his experience with perfect justness, he called them back, and said, 'My dear children, you find me in a very happy frame this morning, but do not think that it is always so with me: I have my seasons of temptation and trial.' "He had many sleepless nights during his long affliction; indeed, for three months, on account of the difficulty he had in breathing, he was not able to go to bed; yet he would often say in the morning, after sitting in his chair all night, How good the Lord has been to me, in affording me his presence in the night seasons. I have been I After a few moments he singing his praises, for he giveth | sake. me songs in the night;' pointing looked affectionately at her, and out to us at the same time some of what he called his night songs, and which he dwelt upon at such times with peculiar comfort. said in a whisper, Here is one, my dear, that will do for us both. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh out for "On the 16th of last September, us a far more exceeding and eterhe said to his son-in-law, with nal weight of glory; while we look whom he resided, and who was not at the things which are seen, about to leave home for a night, but at the things which are not "God bless you!' and then, as if seen: for the things which are seen to express the state of his mind, are temporal, but the things which he exclaimed with great emphasis, are not seen are eternal.' AfterFear not, I am with thee; be wards, being a little revived, he not dismayed, I am thy God.' On said to her more audibly, 'If you the 17th, he particularly requested should not see me any more, what me not to forget to thank all his a comfort will it be to you to redear friends, for their kindness member how happy I am in the shewn to him during his illness, thought of dying.' To his grandand also his neighbours, for the children he also gave a passage, many tokens of friendship he had which he said expressed his feelreceived from them. He then of-ings on their behalf:-'I have no fered up fervent petitions himself greater joy than to hear that my on their behalf. To a pious ser- children walk in the truth.' vant, who had nursed him throughout his affliction, he expressed his gratitude for her tender care of him, and asked her to repeat to him the hymn beginning Begone unbelief.' He often entreated us to forgive any quickness of temper which he feared he might sometimes have manifested, and said, 'When I am gone, speak of me only as a sinner saved by grace, by sovereign grace. I deserve nothing but hell, and if so vile a sinner as I am saved, all heaven will shout for joy. "On the 25th the light of life appeared nearly extinct. I said to him, My dear father, how do you feel the state of your mind now you are drawing so near an eternal world?' He pressed my hand, and said, Waiting every moment to be gone-happy! happy! happy! My meditatious are sweet, though I cannot express them.' These were almost the last words he was able distinctly to articulate. His sufferings for the last week were very great, and it was extremely distressing to see him struggling for breath. The dying strife' was evidently carried on for several If I have ever said or done any days and nights. On Friday mornthing for God, ascribe it to his ing, the 26th, about six o'clock, grace bestowed upon me. Not his son-in-law, Mr. Ward, prayed unto me, O Lord, not unto me; but by his bedside; and at the close of unto thy name be all the glory. the prayer he cried with great "A day or two before his dis-energy Amen! Amen! In less solution, his youngest daughter, than an hour afterwards he exwho had been in a suffering state pired, without a struggle, in the of health for many years, asked 80th year of his age." him to give her a text of Scripture To a recital at once so affecting which she might remember for his and so faithful, the writer of this Oh! to grace how great a debtor passing over the immaterial outline, would have found developed the full fine organ of SIMPLICITY. Memoir is not willing to add more | heart, filled as it is with the assothan the avowal of his approbation, ciations of reverence and affecand the expression of his sincere tion, and touched by sympathies desire that other hearts may be known only to the youthful mind, touched by this record of Jehovah's that has been refreshed by auspices mercy, and say, adding their testi- so gracious and benevolent as those mony to the voice of inspiration, which were afforded to him by the "The memory of the just is bless- almost paternal character of Mr. ed." To some readers, not imme- Simpson. One word, indeed, might diately interested in the character suffice to give the living portrait of of the departed, this minute detail the moral and intellectual man; of his last hours may appear some- for whatever the touch of the phrewhat too lengthened and particu-nologist might have found on the lar. But while this thought was material mould, the hand of truth passing over the mind of the Memorialist, the language of the venerable Hooker occurred to him, and seemed so applicable to the occaThe charities of life seemed to sion, that he ventures to quote it, gather around him wherever he as at once his encouragement and appeared, not only like children at his apology :- "The Lord himself the table of his home, but in every hath not disdained so exactly to circle over which his smile could register in the book of life after diffuse the ray of his benevolence, what sort his servants have closed and wherever his hand could exup their days on earth, that he tend the bounty suggested by his descendeth even to their very mean- heart. He walked over the wilest actions; their cries, their derness of life as an almoner from groans, their pantings, breathings the better world. An extract from and last gaspings, he hath most a letter written under expectations solemnly commended to the memory of all generations; and shall it seem unto us superfluous, at such times as these are, to hear in what manner they have ended their lives!" Mr. Simpson was buried on the 3d of October, in the chapel at Eye. The Rev. C. T. Keen, the present pastor of the church, delivered a most impressive address at the grave, and a funeral sermon on the following Lord's day morning. Messrs. Elvin of Bury, and Saffery of Salisbury, preached in the afternoon and evening of the same day, and on the same occasion. At the close of this Memoir, it may be expected that we should attempt some delineation of character a delineation with which the writer can scarcely trust the powerful promptings of his own of increasing property, will shew ment. God to put his fear in your heart, and so to influence you by his grace, that you may look to him as an unfailing friend." We cannot refrain from one more brief quotation: 46 you.' mine, nor altogether destitute of a desire to promote his glory and the good of my fellow sinners. Not unto me, O Lord, not unto me; but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy and thy truth's sake.' The domestic habits of such a My dear and only Son-You man can scarcely require a com- are very dear to me. I do most It will be more than ima- ardently wrestle with my covenant gined how tenderly he watched God and Father in Christ, not so over, and how ardently he prayed much for your temporal, as for for children, the worth of whose your spiritual and eternal welfare. souls were valued by him in pro- I thought much of you and Mrs. S. portion to the love he bore to the at the time of those high winds, Redeemer of his own. The fol- supposing that you were then upon lowing citations from his letters, the ocean, and that you must be will afford corresponding illustra- in great danger. I was constantly tions of his parental character. in prayer to the Lord to preserve "My dear, very dear Girls-The time begins to appear very long These quotations, however, fail since you left us, and I can assure to convey the full and beautiful you I begin to wish for your return. impression of his domestic piety: The deprivation of personal inter- for this it was needful that the ear course with you renders me very should listen to the tenderness of urgent at the throne of grace for its tone when it lamented, and to your present and eternal welfare. the ardour of its thanksgiving when I never omit entreating the Lord to it triumphed. We have already give you just views of the world, adverted to his ministerial efforts wherever you are, accompanying and successes, and we need scarcethose views with an experience of ly add, that these efforts were chathat happy contrast described by racterized by the intensity habitual Solomon, who, when he speaks of to his mind. His very decided true wisdom, says, • Her ways are claims to the character of Dissenways of pleasantness, and all her ter, Calvinist, Baptist, were so paths are peace.' protected by the philanthropy of Again, he writes on another oc- his spirit, that the licence of infidelity herself would not have classDo, my dear attend to ed him with what she profanely your aged father's admonitions. terms the "railing and bitter orThey proceed from the purest af- thodox." He welcomed with a fection for you. You have known devout and patriarchal hospitality adversity; you have drunk deeply every faithful servant of Jehovah, of that bitter cup, and I think you and in the respect shewn by minismust have acquired such a know-ters of every denomination who ledge of the world as to be assured there is no dependence to be placed upon it. If Providence smile upon you, it will court your favours, and profess much friendship for you; but if Providence frown, and you can no longer pipe to its votaries, they will no longer dance. I pray casion met at the funeral of Mr. Simpson, might be contemplated the lovely character of his own religion, which was, Peace on earth, and good will to man! The inference is plain-Christianity was written in broad characters on the whole tablet of his mind-it was the sweet ness of his social, and the lustre of his public life; it was not mistaken, therefore, for creed, or ceremony, or device of man--it was written on him as with the finger of the living God, and impressed on his brow with the very seal and signature of heaven, might be read, "An Israelite indeed, in whom is more at the grave of the venerable William Wooley Simpson, than will be sounded over it by the trump of the archangel-A sinner saved by grace? Salisbury. P. J. SAFFERY. FRANCE. To the Editor of the Baptist Magazine. THE following account of seven no guile!" We are directed to BAPTIST CHURCHES IN THE NORth of the path of his spiritual attainments by the following descriptive extract:-"On the word of God," says Mrs. Mines," my father might be said to live; it was his constant companion and delight in his most active and healthful period, and under his long affliction me, will, I doubt not, interest all it was his best comforter. He could say with Jeremiah, Thy light in a dark place; for spirituyour readers. They constitute a words were found and I did eat ally dark it is, though not without them, and thy word was unto me the ceremonies of religion, and the the joy and rejoicing of my heart. name of christianity. I have enIt was his constant practice, when-deavoured, in translating the letter ever it was read in the family circle, to offer an ejaculatory prayer, entreating the Lord's blessing on the reading of it. His pocket Bible bears ample witness that no part was left unexplored by him." Among many delightful proofs of his deep humility, we select the following simple expression of his wishes relative to his funeral: "I have no wish that a funeral sermon should be preached on account of my departure from this world; so I leave it with my family to do as they desire concerning it. If, at their request, a sermon should be preached on the occasion, I do beg nothing more may be said of me than what is comprehended in these words-A sinner saved by grace!" And what testimony more blessed can borne to the worth of the departed, than that which is blended with our homage to the grace of the Lord Jesus? What would the zeal of friendship-what would the tender ambition of filial love say be for your use, to render all the expressions as literally as the idiomatic peculiarities of the two languages will admit, in order to give as correct an impression as of the writer. I must own to you, possible of the simplicity and piety that this communication is sent, not merely for the purpose of imparting information or exciting sympathy, but to induce a benevolent expression of feeling on behalf of these poor and worthy people. Happy shall I be to receive and transmit any donations that christian friends may think and I trust that this appeal will not proper to send me for their relief; be in vain. I am, yours respectfully, To the Rev. Dr. Cox, Hackney. Most honoured Brother in Christ. I have received with the greatest delight and gratitude your interesting letter of the 14th (August), |