IN order to give the reader an idea of the extent of the present Me. moir, it may be necessary to state the principle that guides us in its execution. It is not our object to study the precision of the historian in his minute delineation of characters, as respects their several qualities on all sides. For, notwithstanding the Christian excellencies by which any human individual may be characterized, we must be aware, that the model of a perfect man has been only once exhibited on earth. As the legitimate object of Christian biography is to encourage, instruct, and edify the living in their exercises of faith, and the practice of holiness, we confine ourselves to such points in the sub. ject of our Memoir as merit notice in that view, and supply us with cause to bless the God of all grace for all his servants who departed this life in his faith and fear. Christians who have maintained, during the whole career of their religious profession, a consistent walk and conduct, deserve to be held in honourable remembrance for the benefit of their example, especially when they have been distinguished for services of public usefulness.

With these feelings we think it our own duty to submit to public pe

VOL. I.

rusal the following Memoir of the Rev. Thomas Jones, late of Denbigh, who occupied a high station of influence as a preacher of the Gospel among the Welsh Calvinis tic Methodists. It is observable; that individuals who have been re markable for their usefulness in the church of Christ have been distinguished by some singular incidents of providence and deep mental exercises in the school of religion, oftentimes from early life. We must consider Mr. Jones as an instance of such superintending care of Providence, and the visitations of divine grace.

Mr. Jones was born in the parish of Caerwys, Flintshire, Feb. 1756. His parents, who lived on their own freehold, sent him to school before he was four years old. From his quickness in learning he was intended by them for the church, which intention afforded him much gratification. In his days of boyish

thoughtlessness he experienced some remarkable escapes from danger, which had the effect of exciting in him some serious solicitude respect ing his spiritual state. He had, naturally, a great dread of snakes. Four times, at different periods, his person came in such contact with them as exposed him to their stings, but he always escaped unhurt; as, for instance, when at Holywell school,* being once fatigued at play on a hot summer's day, he laid himself down to sleep, but before he was quite asleep he observed a snake creeping from under his neck, and found that he had lain upon it in a sleeping tortuous state. When Holywell Church was undergoing

Though it appears that he was for a time at Holywell school, yet it must be added, that he owed the benefits of a classical education to the tuition of the Rev. J. Lloyd, rector of Caerwys, his native parish. He had the pious and learned Dr. Williams, late of Rotherham,

for one of his school-fellows, who was a native of the adjoining parish. Mr. Jones has left this written notice of their early intimacy:—"I regarded him (Dr. Williams,) as a young man of remarkable good sense, solidity and seriousness of temper that were far beyond what was possessed by myself and the generality of our school-fellows. At times he would converse with some degree of jocularity, and show his skill in telling us a diverting story; but he appeared to have no delight in our common diversions and boyish plays. He was at least four years older than myself; yet as I was then his equal as a scholar, he condescended, notwithstanding his superiority in other respects, to be familiar with me, and to assist me in obtaining some play-things that were objects of my wishes, but beneath his regard on his own account. He then was about sixteen years of age."

Dr. Williams, as well as Mr. Jones, began his religious career among the Welsh Calvinistic Methodists. He joined their societies when very young. He was an acceptable member of them in 1770. Some of his nearest relations are still respectable members of that connexion. The writer of this note recollects hearing the Dr. preach at a Monthly Meeting of

the Welsh Methodists in Bodfary, his native village, about the year 1774.

In

repair, he and his play-fellows availed themselves, for the purpose of swinging, of a beam temporarily placed over an adjoining building; but as he was once at this diversion, he had a narrow escape of losing his life by the fall of a timber pillar that supported the beam. the pursuit of his boyish pranks he climbed up the steeple and exhibited himself to public view on its battlement, shouting and standing on one leg; but from the fear expressed by an old man below, he became so alarmed and stupified as to lose all knowledge of his situation and ability of directing his own movements; but his descent and fall took a safe direction on the leaden roof of the steeple. About the same time (1771) when a set of players were performing at Holywell, he, in his avidity to witness their performances oftener than he had the pecuniary means of satisfying it lawfully, with two or three of his companions excavated an entrance into the play-house, under the boards of a temporary wooden building erected for the purpose; but as soon as he had made his entry within, the whole of the building, with a thronged multitude in it, gave way, and would have crushed him death had he remained a minute to inevitable later in his former position. He participated in the general alarm which this accident occasioned, and was much affected with God's goodness towards him in preserving his life, and his soul from sinking into hell. This feeling was transitory in duration, and he returned with the same eagerness as before to the pursuit of childish diversions.

From the age of thirteen to six teen his mind underwent various fluctuations, sometimes influenced by fears, vows, and endeavours to oppose his corrupt disposition, and sometimes giving indulgence to it. He took great delight in forming

resolutions of leading a godly life in maturer years, and of being an active, laborious and faithful clergyman, when he would pursue a religious course with the devoted ness of his whole heart. These resolutions did not secure him from his religious fears, which assailed him in an increased degree. The apprehension that he might die young, and that he would experience greater difficulties in commencing a religious life at a late period, with alarming dreams at night, stimulated him to greater endeavours of amendment. He exhorted his school-fellows to seriousness of mind, and instead of spending the intervals between schoolhours at play, he used to repair to his lodgings, and employ himself in repeating a number of prayers. But he was religious only by fits and starts, and would soon return to his old habits. Thus he spent months, sometimes running with the foremost after every childish diversion, and at other times powerfully swayed by terrors from a reproving conscience. At length his mind was overwhelmed with a degree of despair, from feelings of inability to love godliness and forsake his sins, though he had no idea of godliness beyond its outward forms, nor of sins he had to forsake, except his amusements, hunting, card-playing and the like, both on Sundays and other days. When he considered how contrary heaven and the nature of its employments were to his ruling taste and natural disposition, he was disposed to think it his best policy to take his utmost share of the pleasures of sin and the world, and forget the punish ment until he should be obliged to endure it, as one of the multitude that would participate in the same sufferings. Another remedy which Satan suggested for his religious fears was, to persuade him to be

lieve, or rather to hope firmly, that there was neither God nor devil, hell or heaven. He was not, however, forsaken of God, who followed him with convictions, which frequently produced relentings in his mind. At times, in his religious retirements, he on a sudden felt deep contrition, self-loathing for his sins, and hopes of salvation so lively and strong as to cause his eyes to flow with tears, and his tongue to break forth in prayer and praise. It should be observed, that he was exercised with these feelings when he was at school, and when, it seems, he did not enjoy any advar tages from religious society.

He was taken from school in 1771, when he was between fifteen and sixteen years old, as he was competently acquainted with the Latin and Greek languages, but too young to enter at the Univer sity. He assisted his father in his farming business, though he was ill calculated for personal exertion on account of his bad state of health and sufferings from rheu matism. From the time that one of the Methodists called upon his father to solicit the use of one of his cottages at Caerwys for a preaching room, he became an attendant on the ministry of the Welsh Calvinistic Methodists, and reaped from it much spiritual benefit and edification. One time when he was alone in the fields, the words I have loved thee with an everlasting love, came into his mind with great force and on a sudden. Though he knew not they were scripture words till he searched for them, they afforded him such delight and sweetness that he relinquished all his vain pursuits, not as an exercise of selfdenial, but from free choice. Yet he was all the time unacquainted with his natural state of guilt and bondage to the moral law, and the internal corruption of his heart, and