to her about Jesus, placed upon the coffin a bouquet of roses, we were led to pray that they might, in the last conflict, triumph as she had done. Before leaving the graveside relatives, teachers, scholars, and friends joined in singing— "For ever with the Lord; Life from the dead is in that word, J. T. D. MRS. ANN CRESSWELL, LOUGHBOROUGH. THE subject of this brief memoir was a member of the Church of Christ for about forty-seven years. She was born at Leicester, May 8th, 1797, and in her earlier days was a regular attendant at St. Martin's Church, in that town. In 1825 she was united in marriage to Mr. George Cresswell (whose decease took place twelve years ago), after which they removed from Leicester to Loughborough, and here attended the Wesleyan Methodist Chapel, and in the year 1828 they both experienced a change of heart, under the ministry of the Rev. E. Stewart. From that time our sister has been a devoted and consistent follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, and a diligent and prayerful reader of the Holy Scriptures; to her the Bible was an unspeakable treasure, and her children testify their indebtedness to her early training. Very frequently would she converse with them on religious subjects, and manifested a deep concern for their spiritual and eternal welfare. Her Christian life was not one of starts and sudden impulses, but an evenness and settledness marked it from its beginning to its close. In the year 1849, when the Secession took place, our sister joined the Society which shortly afterwards became identified with the Methodist New Connexion. To the maintenance of our cause she was a liberal contributor, and her home was always open to our ministers, who were greeted with a hearty welcome and cheerful smile. During the last few years she was confined to her room in the winter months, and gradually recovered strength to attend our chapel in the spring and summer seasons. For a few months before she died she suffered much from excessive weakness, and at times her hopes were beclouded, yet her confidence in the promises of God remained unshaken. It was the privilege of the writer to often visi. her and to converse with her on spiritual topics. A few days before her death, in answer to the question, "Is Jesus precious?" she said, "Yes, very precious." In the prayer I offered she joined with great fervency, and then bade me farewell till we meet in heaven. The Sunday before her death she said to one of her daughters, "I shall soon be with your dear father"; and referring to his peaceful and happy death, she exclaimed with much energy— "Oh, may I triumph so, When all my warfare's past; Her dying wish was granted. The cold sweat came across her brow which told that all was over and the warfare accomplished, and before those in the room could realise it, her spirit had passed calmly and peacefully away to the realms of the blest, March 5th, 1875. "The ransomed spirit had reached the shore Her mortal remains were interred by the writer, in the Loughborough MR. ALBERT EDWARD STRADLING, LONDON. OUR brother was born August 19th, 1852. In the year 1861 he became scholar in the Sunday school connected with our Church at Lorrimore, where his mind was divinely impressed. In the latter end of 1867, when only fifteen years old, he was brought to the knowledge of Christ, and on January, 1868, he was received into Church fellowship. On this solemn recognition and its consequent obligations the serious youth made the following record in his diary : "The Rev. Dr. Cooke gave to me and a number of others the right hand of fellowship. Oh, that I may live the Christian life!" He did indeed live the Christian life; for his short life was one of beautiful consistency and useful labour to the end. Mr. William Benson, the esteemed Superintendent of the Sunday school, who was in almost daily communication with him, both in the duties of business and religion, says: "At an early age he became a teacher in our school, and this part of his life is doubtless the most interesting; for while we fondly hoped that in years to come, our friend would fill very important offices in both Church and school, for which his thoughtful mind and decision of character seemed to promise special fitness, the teaching in the Sunday school has been his most important sphere-a little world which he has well filled. It has been my lot to be associated with our dear friend in business, and it is my joy to bear testimony that the same firm, uncompromising consistency which marked his career in the Church and school was manifested in his business life. In truthfulness and integrity he was looked up to, and even his advice sought for as though he was one much older. He not only had the fullest confidence of his employers, but he won the respect of all around him; and his consistency of conduct brought from the irreligious an acknowledgment of the excellency of religion. One who had much to do with him in business remarks: 'He was a young man in whom he had never seen an act of inconsistency.' His work as a teach a was impeded of late by there being several teacherless classes near his own. This was to him a grief and trial; we trust, however, these vacancies will now be filled up. His retiring disposition naturally led him to shrink from public office, yet under pressure of the necessity of the case he became a Chapel Steward. Friends will have remembrance of his diligent and polite attention to the duties of this office. It is worthy of notice that in this matter he became a successor to his former friend and employer, Mr. E. H. Rabbits, between whom there was mutual esteem and affection. One of my most pleasant reminiscences of our friend is a journey on foot with him and another dear friend to the grave and funeral of brother Rabbits; but, alas! for us, he has too soon followed him to rest. I close, sir, by calling to mind the last time I saw him and the last words I heard fall from his lips, when, feeling unwell and referring to his class at the school, he said,Get someone to take my place.' Thus you see, sir, his last act was opening pews on the Sunday morning; his last thought, supplying his place at the Sunday school. I would solemnly press this request as coming from a standard-bearer just quitting the battle-field through the gates of death, 'Get someone to take my place!' Praying that God would so bless this dispensation to his family and to the Church, that great good may esult therefrom, and that we all may meet him in Heaven, I am, &c., W. BENSON." As a Sunday-school teacher he made careful preparation for his duties by writing his thoughts on various portions of Scripture; and it was his habit to note in his diary the texts and heads of sermons under which he had been instructed and profited. Many such papers were found after his death, showing his care to apply the truth to his own hea rt and life. The following testimony to the character of our dear brother is borne by his leader, Mr. F. E. Cory : "My dear Sir,-The following will hardly express the estimate I have of my dear brother, A. E. Stradling. "We can ill spare such thoughtful, prayerful, steadfast young men as Albert. Associated with him as I was in business for about six years, and still more closely associated as his class-leader, I could not help sorrowing when I heard of his death. But I rejoiced in the confidence that he was ready for his call. In the workshop and in the world he was always firm to his principles, and ever ready to give a reason for the hope that was in him. In the class-meeting his experience was always ripe and rich, more like the experience of an aged Christian. His prayers were always thoughtful, Scriptural, and earnest. "I had hoped that some day we should have had the benefit of his thoughtfulness and studiousness, in seeing and hearing him as a preacher of the Word; but his own estimate of his ability made him skrink from the thought of so great a work. However, he is gone in the morning of life, which for him is far better.-F. E. CORY." The affliction of our young brother soon ended in death; but happily for him he was ready for his sudden change. When asked by his minister whether he felt his soul resting on Christ, he replied at once that he was trusting on Him as his Saviour. He seemed to be free from fear of death; and only a few hours before his departure he sweetly sang the hymn commencing thus "One sweetly solemn thought Comes to me o'er and o'er : Than I have been before." He died December 26th, 1874, aged 22 years. Oh, that God may raise up many others of equal piety, consistency, and usefulness! W. C. MRS. THORNTON, SPENNYMOOR. ELIZABETH CLISH, the wife of John Thornton, of Spennymoor, was born at Wallsend Colliery, Northumberland, September 29, 1806. Her father and her husband holding connections with collieries, she had, during life, many of those changes of situation which are more or less incidental to mining experience. Howdon Pans, South Hetton, Seaton Delaval, Seghill, Castle Eden, Spennymoor, with other places, are towns in which she at different periods of her life found a home. The precise date of her entrance upon the religious life cannot here be given. Her first entrance into Christian fellowship was about the time of her marriage, which took place in 1825; although for some time during her maidenhood she was in the choir of the Wallsend Established Church. The first two years of her Church life were spent in communion with the Wesleyans. Then, for the sake of convenience, she connected herself with the Primitives. Her husband, however, being at this period an attendant upon our ministry at Milburn Place Chapel, North Shields, she eventually decided to go with him there, and to that place she continued to go until her removal from the neighbourhood. This took place in 1831, and was to South Hetton Colliery. Here she continued her attendance upon our ministry, and regularly met in class at Easington Lane Chapel. But through subsequent removals it became impossible for her to maintain an unceasing connection with us as a religious community. Our not having chapels in many of the places to which she removed, made it necessary for her to seek fellowship in other Churches; and thus occasionally she afterwards became a member with the Primitives and Wesleyans. Still, whenever the locality in which she lived afforded her the opportunity of attending upon our ordinances and having communion with us, she always embraced it. As a Christian, our departed sister was distinguished for the meekness of her disposition, for her attachment to the means of grace, especially the class meeting, and for the strict consistency which marked the whole of her religious life. She was at times a Christian worker. Whilst in certain localities, we learn of her going from house to house inviting people to the means of grace, assisting in singing, and lending her help in the formation of Sunday schools. Still it is not so much in the results of Christian work as in the silent power of her home life that we are to find the records of her work. Her disposition to retirement was too strong, and her health too feeble, for allowing her to devote herself for any length of time to the evangelistic efforts of the Church. She had her mission more especially in beautifying a Christian walk at home, and in unfolding through the movements of an ordinary life the graces of the Christian character. And this she accomplished, according to the testimony of those who best knew her. Her husband says that, during life, he never heard her utter a base or evil word. The last eleven years of her life was a period of intense suffering; very seldom was she able to leave her home, and scarcely ever to get to the public means of grace. But her affliction was borne with exemplary resignation and Christian patience. Her soul was repeatedly cheered with the light of that home into which she has now entered; and the words were frequently on her lips : "O what are all my sufferings hore If, Lord, Thou count me meet At times the sentiments of her heart rose to thankfulness and praise; and in the midst of her pain she was heard to say, "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits.' At the close of 1874 her weakness seemed to increase. Eventually she was confined to her bed; and it soon became painfully evident that her end was approaching. But as it drew near she discovered no mental anxiety; but seemed rather to be in a waiting attitude for the final struggle. Occasionally she spoke of fears, but never did her fears sink into bondage. She always seemed to realise the presence of Him who, through death, had destroyed him who had the power of death. This she did in her last hours. When her husband saw that her change was come, he asked her if she was conscious that she was dying."Oh, yes," she said; but added, as if to show what her dying was, "I shall not be long before I am safe landed on the other side of Jordan." Thus passed away this quiet and retiring, though amiable and loving, Christian. Her spirit fled to its eternal home May 6th, 1875. On the evening of June 20th her death was improved, in our chapel at Spennymoor, to a large congregation, from 1 Corinthians xv., 55-57. J. SHIPHARDSON. MR. ABSALOM JEWKES Was born at Dudley in 1837. Little is known of his early life excepting that he was an amiable boy, diligent at school, obedient at home, and, in consequence, a general favourite. Nor can we state precisely the date of his conversion. At this we are not surprised. All mark, and many remember as a notable event, the changing of "the lion to a lamb''; but little attention is excited when the lamb is merely cured of an internal malady. So none seem to know the date when our brother, with no violent outward reformation, but healed inwardly of the curse of sin, passed into union with Jesus and His Church. His conversion must have taken place between the ages of seventeen and nineteen, for at the latter age we find him an active, prominent, and beloved member of the Primitive Methodist Society at Kate's Hill, Dudley. It was not until 1871 that our brother became a member of the Methodist New Connexion. In that year circumstances required his removal to Whiteheath Gate, near Oldbury. He was at once invited to join our Society at Whiteheath, and though for a while he hesitated and lingered, yet his son getting converted just at that time, and joining our cause, the father felt that he must follow. This he did, and at once commenced that life of activity and usefulness in our Society which continued, with some slight interruption, until his death. In a detailed memoir of our brother several things would be worthy of record. For instance, his willingness to do anything for the good of the Church is worthy of the imitation of all; and his steady perseverance in what he undertook was not less praiseworthy. He would make a success of whatever he took in hand. His regular attendance at the means of grace was also remarkable. And his genial, happy, hopeful disposition both gained him the favour of those around him, and helped him to exert over them a most cheering influence. But the sphere in which he shone most brightly was amongst the young. He was emphatically a Sunday-school man. He had eminently the happy art of gaining the affection of children. Moreover, he had an excellent voice, a good ear for music, and a fine taste in the selection of music. Hence in training the singing of the scholars he was an invaluable helper at Whiteheath. In this respect he died with the harness on, for when summoned to his reward he was preparing the children for a service of song. They sang what he had taught them after he had gone; he went to sing his part with the angels of God. The disease which took Brother Jewkes from us is happily very rarebut it is very awful. On January 18th last he accidentally had his thumb crushed, and on the 29th it was but too evident that "lock-jaw" was closing his mouth and setting on him the seal of death. Then it was, when all hope had fled, that there began such a scene of Christian triumph as is not often witnessed. When I visited him, I found that all fear of death was taken away, and his joy in the all-sufficient atonement of Jesus Christ was unbounded. So it was to the end. Brother G. Cox, his leader, saw him on the day of his death, and said, "How are you now?" He replied, "Better, much better." Brother Cox said, "I wish you were"; and he replied, "I am worse in body, but better, much better in soul; Christ is more precious to me every hour!" About 5 p.m. he took leave of his family, one by one, and then of his leader and class-mates. Not contented with this, he sent for his father, brothers, sisters, fellow-teachers, scholars, his master, and several of his friends that they might hear his dying testimony, and be exhorted to meet him in heaven. Those who witnessed the scene speak of it as one of indescribable solemnity and blessing; whilst the medical attendants, and others who knew not God, stood by awe-stricken and amazed at the calm courage with which a Christian can die. Just before the end he gave final assurance that there was light in the valley, and then he "fell asleep" in Jesus. man. Thus died a good man-a man not without his faults-but still a good Well may we pray that such a triumph as his may be ours, when Death knocks at our doors and lays his hand on our hearts. J. K. JACKSON. |