The following is a thrilling song: but One hand upon his sword,

OBITUARY.

MRS. KEENE.

election, as inconsistent with both the

ON Tuesday, March 13th, died, at Ted-justice and the mercy of God, being

dington, Middlesex, Mrs. Keene, the wife of Mr. Keene, a deacon of the church at Henrietta-street, Brunswicksquare, London.

now satisfied that it is clearly revealed in the word of God, she was led to think if she were chosen she must be saved, and therefore anxiety and care on the subject were irrational, and must be unavailing. At length she felt convinced, that since the purpose of God, while it is unalterable, is also secret and unknown, it cannot be our rule, nor justify either our presumption or negligence. The grace of God, which bringeth salvation, happily delivered her from both, and conducted her, with a strong sense of guilt, to the revealed will of God as her only guide, to the blood of Christ as her only hope, and the sovereign mercy and free grace of God as all her salvation.

She was the daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Cadby, both for a long time members of the church under the pastoral care of the late venerable John Martin, and at the time of their decease, of the Baptist church at Devizes. Her mind was very early the scene of strong conflicting emotions and serious struggles of thought on the subject of religion. At school, the seriousness of her mind was greatly promoted by the pious conversation, the devout life, and ardent prayers of her excellent instructress, a lady belonging to the Society of Wesleyan Methodists. To this very important period of her life she often referred, with gratitude to God for having in his providence placed her under the care of a person so eminently qualified to impart moral and religious instruction, as well as that of an intellectual and domestic nature. To the affectionate expostulations, the tender warnings, and religious discourse of this very pious lady, who was in the habit of privately conversing and praying with her pupils, Mrs. K. ascribed some of her earliest and strongest convictions of her character as a sinner before God, of the purity of his law, the exceeding sinfulness of sin, and the riches of his grace. Her mind was much perplexed by the sovereignty of divine grace in Her experience, after this connection the choice of a peculiar people from the was formed, fluctuated considerably fallen race of Adam, and for a long time between sorrow and joy, hope and fear, a fearful horror, lest not being of that darkness and light, conformably to the chosen number, she should perish with common experience of the people of the ungodly, occupied her mind, and God in the present world. At first she almost drove her to despair. This state had an inward satisfaction and a serene of mind was succeeded by an opposite, joy (the calmness of which was disbut perhaps more perilous delusion. turbed only by its occasional elevation), From being tempted, in order to pacify flowing from the consciousness of havher own fears, to reject the doctrine of ing obeyed the command of her divine

The ministry of the Rev. Robert Sloper, Independent Minister of Devizes, was blessed by the Holy Spirit of God to the accomplishment of this happy change, and to him she always in after life looked back as, under God, her father in Christ. Subsequently, the preaching of the Rev. John Martin was made highly conducive to her stability in the faith, and to her spiritual instruction and comfort, and the church over which he presided being on other accounts desirable as a spiritual home, she publicly professed her faith by baptism on the 6th of October, 1793, in the 17th year of her age, and was admitted to full communion with the church in Keppel-street.

tian world with eager delight and fond anticipation of future, perfect, and universal fellowship with the saints. The desire she felt that Christ's kingdom might come, and the reign of peace and righteousness extend its blessings led

Lord and Master. To this state of mind | more tender regard. Still her Christian succeeded a series of painful tempta- charity was not confined within the tions, insidiously designed to sap the limits of this small part of Christ's foundation of her happiness, by making | church; she looked around on the Chrisher suspect either the reality of her faith, or the sincerity of her professions; but here she was taught both her own weakness and her strength, and found that promise faithfully fulfilled, "When the enemy cometh in like a flood, the spirit of the Lord shall lift up a stand-her to co-operate in any undertakings ard against him." Her pastor's instruc- likely to hasten this blessed result. Thus tions were greatly blessed to her under about the year 1819, to her exertions in these various trials of her faith and unison with one or two other ladies, the patience, which though shaken, were Female Baptist Irish Society owed its rendered ultimately only more firm by origin, of which she became the Secrethe temptations which assailed her. The tary for a time. In the welfare of the providence of God thus qualified her Sunday School she also felt a deep confor the station to which he subsequently cern, rejoicing to have it in her power called her. She became a wife and a to contribute to its funds, and receiving mother. New cares and duties came high satisfaction from the reports of its upon her, and she was not unprepared prosperity, which were at times commuto fulfil the one and to meet the other. nicated to her. In addition to the concerns of a family, The last few years of her life have as she advanced in life, circumstances been marked by great bodily weakness, in the church brought upon her other which quite incapacitated her for the and delightful occupations. As the wife labours in which she once actively joinof a deacon in the church, upon her, ed, and much abridged her pleasures, in conjunction with others, devolved the by restraining her from the means of office of visiting the poor and the sick public worship and Christian fellowfemale members, at once, by distribut- ship. The debility of her frame often aling the alms of the church, to relieve together confined her at home, while her their temporal wants, and by Christian best state seldom enabled her more than sympathy, religious conversation, and once on the Lord's day, to meet with prayers, to encourage their faith, and his people, and join in the service of comfort them in their afflictions. In the House. The reflections, however, these and similar labours of love, passed furnished by this season of religious realmost the entire season of her strength past, combined with reading or rather and bodily capability of such exertion. hearing read some published sermons, or other books of devotion, employed her time and her thoughts for the remainder of the Sabbath, and afforded her much consolation during the week, when latterly her afflictions and weak

At this time, the providence of God removed from the pulpit the pastor to whom she had long listened with benefit, and soon after she was honourably dismissed, with thirty-two other members, to form the church now meeting in Hen-ness had closed up most other sources rietta-street. She felt a very lively interest in all the proceedings connected with this interesting event, and her activity was afresh excited in aid of the infant cause, which necessarily had to struggle with no ordinary difficulties. When it was her happiness to see several of her children united to this little Christian company, it became to her an object of perhaps yet deeper interest and

of comfort. The shock which her enfeebled system sustained in the loss of her departed son, to whom she was very tenderly attached, and the scene of whose departure she witnessed with emotions, which perhaps only a mother can imagine, completely overpowered her frame. The night of his decease was spent in those tender recollections which could not but embitter the loss,

and although her grief became daily | him again to her, she tenderly clasped more silent, it appears to have become his hand in hers, adding, “Remember, at the same time deeper. While she William, I commit you to God and his was consoled by the reflection that her grace." This was, though by him at that loss had been his gain, and acknow- time little expected, their last meeting, ledged the goodness of God manifested their last parting. He returned to in this trying dispensation, she felt that London and saw her no more. During an earthly tye had been loosened, that the day she had but little pain; her mind one of the tenderest cords by which her was calm and undisturbed. To a daughheart was bound to the present world ter who said, "I hope my dear mother we had been cut, her interests here dimin- shall not lose you," she replied, “My dear ished, and by this single but severe | Mary, you must learn to say, 'Thy will stroke, the whole charm of this life was be done."" She was herself quite sensidissolved and vanished away. She ex-ble of her approaching dissolution, and pressed her resignation to the will of in reference to it said she was "not only God, but at the same time her convic. willing, but desirous." All her anxiety tion that she should not long survive her for life, and her cares about the present bereavement. At times she was even world, seem to have been most gracheerful, and her strength appeared ciously removed from her mind, so that a little recruited; so late as the Satur- she was able to answer the question, day before her departure, she was out" Is there any thing you would desire or in the morning for several hours, and did not appear more than usually fatigued by the exertion. On the Lord's day morning, she complained of unusual pain and excessive weakness, and was quite unable to leave her bed. Her

like either to have or to have done for you?" "No, my dear child, I have not a wish, not a wish." She appeared perfectly resigned, and expressed her satisfaction that, let what might be the issue, she was in the hands of God. In the afternoon one of her brothers came to pay her a visit, not being aware of her illness, and on approaching her bed side, she told him she believed she was near her end-but yet appeared perfectly tranquil and composed. Greatly

pains on the Monday were very severe, but were much relieved towards night by medicine. This mitigation of her sufferings called forth her lively expression of gratitude to God, whose hand she acknowledged in the relief. The night of Monday was passed in compa-affected at this most unexpected declarative ease and tranquillity, but about ration, he suggested as a ground of con3 and again at 6 o'clock on Tuesday solatory reflection in circumstances so morning, symptoms of an unfavourable solemn, that our justification before change appeared. The medical attendant did not, however, confirm the fears they had awakened, and in the morning her son, who had arrived the preceding night, quite unconscious of his mother's illness, went to her bed-side to take his leave before his return to London, when, taking his hand, she said with a feeble voice, "My dear child, I think it is very probable that we shall never meet again in this world. I hope we shall in the next. May God bless you; may his grace be given you to defend you against all the temptations to which you will be exposed, to make you a useful humble Christian! I am going, but he can save you by his Almighty grace. I trust he will"- and calling" peace."

| God is not dependent on our own good works, when with much emphasis she rejoined, "Yes, for did it, I have none:" and again on his saying, "What a mercy it is that we have a Great High Priest, who knows all our weakness, and can sympathize with us and succour us," she raised her united hands and exclaimed, "Great High Priest, what a mercy to be interested in his precious sacrifice!" These were her last words, and in a few minutes she sweetly fell asleep in Jesus, her countenance retaining even in death the most placid composure, and indicating that the departure of the spirit from the body had been perfectly easy and gentle. Her end was emphatically