and secret exercises of devotion. The complaints of the tediousness of such a day to the younger branches of a family will be found destitute of foundation where children have been trained up to it from their earliest years.

If it should be asked what peculiar excellence shall be assigned to the Dissenters, without hesitation we answer their attention to the secret exercises of devotion. Morning and evening they had their seasons of retirement, and according to their degrees of leisure or piety, half-an-hour, an hour, or more, was employed in reading the Scriptures, in perusing the most spiritual writings chiefly of the Puritans and Nonconformists, in meditation, in self-examination, and in prayer. From these employments they came forth into the bosom of their family, and to the duties of their station in society, with a reverence for God which communicated sanctity to their temper, and integrity to their conduct.

If there be nothing in our deportment by which we can be distinguished from those who evidently take no pains to regulate their lives by the Gospel, there is reason to fear that the principles of religion have never renewed our hearts. When our God says, "Be not conformed to this world," He teaches us that we must differ from others. The peculiarity of Dissenters rendered them the butt of ridicule to the careless and profane. The younger Dissenters were subject to parental authority, and restrained from intimate familiarity with such as were reckoned improper companions of those that fear God. The whole family was laid under what were conceived to be the restraints of the Gospel.

Diligence in business was another feature in their character. Sober industry, and an assiduous pursuit of their temporal affairs, were considered as becoming their profession. There was at the same time a frugality, an economical arrangement of their affairs, a distance from parade and show, and they lived under, rather

than above their rank and circumstances in life. In consequence of this, a bankruptcy among them was almost unknown.

The amusements of the world, to which both the busy and the idle have recourse for pleasure, the Dissenters of this period in general looked upon with disapprobation. At a card-table, at an assembly, and at the theatre, a Dissenter, professing to be a man of piety, could not be found. Among the more sober delights of domestic life they sought their pleasures. This was a general rule, and a distinguishing feature of the body.

The benevolence of the Dissenters during this period may be proved. They had displayed a willingness to part with their substance for the sake of their religious profession in the persecuting reigns of Charles and of James. For their liberality there were now peculiar calls. Meetinghouses were almost everywhere to be built, ministers were to be supported, and the wants of the poor supplied, besides those occasional applications to liberality which so frequently

MR. RICHARD BURTON. To the Editor of the "Gospel Herald." DEAR SIR,-Friends at Chadwell-street Chapel and elsewhere having wished for a few particulars of the life and death of my late father-in-law, Richard Burton, which I have been asked to supply, though hardly in a position to say much, I will try and do the best I can.

He was born in the year 1810, at Fenny Stratford, North Bucks. His parents, though poor, were respectable, and did their best to train him up in the way he should go. The Sabbath had to be kept as a sacred day of rest, and the house of God had to be regularly attended; but still I believe for many years in his case it was a formal matter; and though he did not really sink into the depths of sin and vice, yet up to near the age of thirty, sin and Satan reigned, and spiritual darkness pervaded his mind. Somewhere about the year 1838, he was led to seek employment in London, which, in due course, he found at Messrs. Keen's, of Garlick-hill, City, in whose employ he remained respected and beloved by both master and workmen up to the day the Lord laid him on a bed of painful affliction. When he first came to London he attended for a short time at Mr. Lucombe's, of City-road, but was soon led to Mr. Jones', of Brick-lane; and it was somewhere about this time that the Lord met with him, and he was led to see the sinfulness of his nature. I cannot give you the exact particulars of the great change, for I never heard him say. He was not a man to talk much of himself; for though he was quite willing to carry out the injunction of the Psalmist, "Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he has done for my soul," yet he preferred to declare more by his actions than by his words. But if ever he did refer to this part of his experience, which was very rare, about all he would say was, "that it was a matter entirely between himself and his Master. He, and He only, did the work; and though He did it by a slow and secret process within, I am none the less confident it was done effectually. It was grace which did the work from first to last-no human agency, nothing great, no great minister, no heart-searching ser

mon, but a silent, secret working of the Holy Spirit within." But though I believe he could not give the actual time or place of this great change, he had a substantial witness within that "he was born of God," and those who knew him can also bear witness that it was true. "By their fruits shall ye know them;" and surely we can do so in this case.

It was not long, I believe, after he came to London when he was led to cast in his lot with the people under Mr. Jones' ministry, and after he had been baptized, he enjoyed some years of sweet fellowship and communion at this place. But some dissensions arose, and, with some thirty others, he felt it his duty to leave, after which they formed themselves into a small company, banded together for prayer, and exhortation, and study of the Scriptures, meeting with one accord at each other's houses. After a time they took a small room, and then again the little chapel in Nelson-place, City-road. Here they were enabled to obtain supplies, and in the end to secure Mr. Hazelton for the pastorate, after which the place very soon became too small, and they took their present chapel in Chadwell-street. In all these movements our brother took an active part, and doubtless many of your readers will long remember him at his post in the gallery, where he acted as pew-opener, a post in which he thoroughly gloried, in fact, being an humble Christian, and not having the ability to perform a greater service for his Lord and Master, he felt it his duty to carry this out effectually, nor would he allow a small thing to keep him from his post. I have seen him myself, when hardly able to hold up, but no persuasion would keep him away. And so much was his heart in this work, that as a rule, on such occasions, the effort improved his bodily feelings: and Mr. Hazelton spoke truly when he said at the grave that he had seen his face beam with delight when he thought he had made all the people comfortable. He considered this the best post, and the best place on earth, and would often say with David of old, "I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than dwell in the tents of wickedness."

But in nothing, perhaps, did he show his Christian character more than in his

humble prayerful spirit, and his childlike trust in his heavenly Father. The most trivial things (or what most people would consider the most trivial), were taken to the Throne of Grace. Did he take a walk for the benefit of the air, before he started, or directly he had started, he breathed a prayer for God's blessing and protection. Did he go to visit, or on a matter of business, his Father must be consulted as to the words he should use, that he might

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no account bring discredit on his Master's cause. Did he require a trifling thing in the house, he always took his want to his Father; and might we not many of us learn a great lesson here ? As a rule we think too lightly of prayer, or at least we think the small things of this life are too insignificant for our Heavenly Father to notice, forgetting what our Lord Himself said, "Are not the very hairs of your head all numbered ?" and if it is not beneath Him to number our hairs, how much more important are many things which we deem to be too trifling to be laid before Him! Not so our brother. The least matter of this life must be duly presented, and direction sought.

Somewhere about his middle age he had a severe illness, the effects of which hung on him for years, during which time he never expected really to get the better of it; but he used to speak of the great event, which at one time he was almost daily expecting, with a calm resignation. "Thy will be done. My only wish is for the wife and the family, but by God's mercy he was spared. At this time his trials were heavy. Weak and sickly himself, a tolerably large family, with many afflictions and trials in other ways, caused his dear wife (who proved herself to be a helpmeet indeed), and himself to really live daily by faith; but the Lord supported them through it all, and brought them out as gold tried by the fire.

He was, what I should call, rather a timid man, but was there a duty to be performed, no matter how unpleasant, he was as bold as a lion; and though, as I have said, he was a man of very few words, yet, if he felt a word ought to be spoken, he was not the man to keep his mouth shut, Ever on the watch to do his Lord's work, and whether in the house, in the workshop, or in the Lord's house, he was never behind. It mattered very little who the party was, Was it

right for him to speak or interfere; and if his heart gave the affirmative, it needed no more-he was fearless of the consequence, putting all his trust in his Lord and Master. I might give many instances to illustrate this, but space. would not allow. Suffice it to say, his one great aim was to maintain the honour of his God. "Him that honoureth Me, I will honour;" and did not our Lord fulfil this promise to our dear departed brother? Supported for over forty years in one situation, through good report and evil report, which only those who know the trials of the workshop can form any idea of, what it is to be that number of years at one post, and to rise above it all, to leave an untarnished name, and at last to be mourned for in not a few cases by his fellow-workmen as a brother.

Well, Sir, I must draw this to a close. On the 12th of February last, our brother left his work as usual about six o'clock, and was making his way across St. Paul's churchyard, when he was knocked down by a railway van, which injured his leg, but he thought so little of it at the time, that he got up and walked away. But he could not get far when he was compelled to have a cab to get to his home, which he never left till taken out five months afterwards. What he suffered during that time, as he himself said, no one but himself and his Heavenly Father could tell.

Mysterious Providence! Who can give the whys and the wherefores? He said to me on more than one occasion, "Why I came home that way I cannot tell. I did not mean to, but the thought crossed my mind all of a sudden. A greater mystery still is why crossed the road where I did; perhaps we shall know in eternity. Depend upon it there is some cause for me lying here in this racking pain. Our Lord would not afflict without some good cause; and if my suffering here should be the means in His hands of the life of only one of my children, or of one of the friends who have visited me, how amply shall I be repaid!" And truly his Christian principles shone forth in their fullest lustre during those five months-there was no murmuring, no repining; but, as a friend remarked to me, "It is truly heartrending, in one sense, to see him, and yet one can hardly be really sorrowful; it is like being at one continual prayer-meeting." A prayer for all interspersed at very frequent intervals,

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with a prayer for himself that he might be supported; and truly he needed Divine support. We have seen him when the pain was so great he has not known what to do with himself, and with the sweat pouring off him, he could do nothing but cry continually, "Lord Jesus, have mercy on my poor foot; " and it was at this time that he was so much afraid of himself. 'Oh," he has said to me, "I do hope I shall not be left to do anything rash. Lord help me, and keep me," and his prayers were answered. I should have said that the injury to the leg resulted in gangrene in the foot, which eat itself right through the foot, and it was this that caused that most excruciating pain. But at the appointed time the Lord who had supported him through all his trials took him to Himself. It is enough. Come up higher. Thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler ever many things. Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord," and his rapturous spirit mounted to those realms of bliss escorted by angels, and now with the blood-bought throng he cries, "Worthy the Lamb that was slain."

Thus passed away a truly humble Christian, a good husband and father. Nothing pleased him better than to see young people, and especially his own children, enjoy themselves. But he is gone-gone to be "for ever with the Lord," and the church has lost an active member, and many have lost a dear kind friend and adviser.

He died on the 6th of July. He seemed much better a few hours before, more cheerful, and in much less pain, so much so that he could converse comparatively with ease, and I well remember his last conversation with me only about five hours before he died, which I feel bound to give as near as I can: "Never," said he, "doubt your Lord and Master. Let the road be ever so dark, He will never fail. Look at me. I have laid here for five long months, with scarce anything by way of a direct income, and yet I have had enough, and, I was going almost to say, and to spare. The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail.' Such is the promise, and it will always be fulfilled to those who trust in His name. And if it is the Lord's will I should lay here another five months; I shall want for nothing." And then at the thought of the many kindnesses he had received, he fairly broke down. "Why,"

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he said, 66 so many friends have helped. I did not know I had so many friends: it is really wonderful. I really cannot understand it." And then, after a moment's silence, as though he had bethought himself, he said, "Yes, yes, I can-it is Thy doing. Thou wouldst not have laid me here if Thou hadst not have intended to have provided for my needs."

And now, Sir, in conclusion, if you will allow me, I must, on behalf of the family, and more especially the widow, most heartily thank all those kind friends who came forward so voluntarily, and so ministered to his wants, as to make the path through the vale of death comparatively easy. Such was the end of a truly righteous man. May we all so live, that our last end may be like his, is the prayer of yours faithfully,

My beloved mother was born on the 3rd of May, 1810, at Poynings, a village near Brighton. Her parents feared God, and opened their house for the worship of the Lord; so that from a child she was privileged to listen to the Gospel from God-sent ministers, and during her childhood had many serious impressions; but it was not until the Lord gently afflicted her, when about twenty years of age, that the work of grace was made more manifest. She has often repeated the words of Dr. Watts,

"How kind was Thy chastising rod,

That brought my conscience to a stand!"

About this time the family removed to Brighton, and then attended the ministry of the late John Vinall, Sen.; but my dear mother did not hear savingly till a later period, when Mr. Vinall was laid aside by affliction, and his place was supplied by good men, many of them being Baptists, among whom were Tiptaft, Kershaw, and others, their ministry was blessed to her soul, all things became new, so that when Mr. Vinall returned to his work, she heard him (as she often expressed herself), with new ears, and saw with new eyes. At this time the late honoured Joseph Sedgwick had just come to Brighton, and Ebenezer Chapel

was built for him. Thither my dear mother went, and being fully convinced of the duty and privilege of believers' baptism, was baptized by Mr. Sedgwick, after a sermon founded on the text in Malachi i. 6, "If I be a father, where is mine honour?" This occurred about the year 1836. Like most of God's people, she had seasons of doubt and fear. On one of such times she was wending her way up the hill to Ebenezer Chapel, pondering within as to whether she truly believed in Jesus, when these words came

with great power, 66 How would you call on Him in whom you have not believed?" which greatly comforted her heart, and were never forgotten, though at the time she knew not that they were the words of inspiration: afterwards finding them in Paul's Epistle to the Romans, chap. x. 14. Some time after her marriage, which took place in 1838, in the providence of God she was removed to Cheltenham, and then joined the church under the care of Mr. Bloomfield, where her soul was fed and nourished under his ministry. In a few years, removing to London, she heard many good ministers, and at one time attended the ministry of Mr. Luckin, of Clerkenwell, generally rising early on the Lord's-day morning to be present at the seven o'clock prayer-meeting. Finally, when Mr. Hazelton came to Chadwellstreet, profiting under his ministry, and the chapel being near at hand, she resolved to cast in her lot with the friends there, and was received into the church with her daughter (who was baptized on the previous Lord's-day), and seven other friends, on the first Sunday in July, 1856. Here her soul "found a settled rest," and upon every occasion, if possible, was in her place. The language of her heart ever was, concerning Zion,

"There my best friends, my kindred dwell, There God my Saviour reigns."

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Ever anxious for the welfare of Zion, she manifested it by helping in every way within her power, and in encouraging others, like those of old who said, "Come thou with us, and we will do thee good." Her mind was kept generally in a humble trusting humble frame. She often said she trusted she could say, "I know whom I have believed." For the last four years and a-half, through affliction, her mind was beclouded as to earthly things, but fully alive to spiritual. Christ was truly the centre of her soul, and the Word of God, sermons and many favourite hymns, when read to her, elicited a hearty response. She was a proof of the indestructible nature of true religion. Her bodily strength gradually weakened, till after lying about three days unconscious, her spirit took its flight to glory, to be for ever with the Lord, on the morning of June 18th, 1880.

"We weep, 'twas nature wept; but faith would rather

Know thour't with thy Heavenly Father."

E. M. WALLS.

**IN the notice of Mr. Barnes' death last month, the date of his decease was accidentally omitted. It was on Lord's day, August 1st, that the respected gentleman was so suddenly transferred from the house of God on earth, to our "Father's house on high." With much pleasure the following testimony from our brother, Mr. T. Hoddy, whose ministry at Horham the deceased attended about twenty years, is added to that given by Mr. Northfield last month :-" Mr. Barnes was a kind friend to me and mine when I lived at Horham, and although he did not make a public profession, I believe he was a Christian, and that to him sudden death was sudden glory,-absent from the flesh, present with the Lord. May the solemn event be sanctified to survivors, especially his only son."

STRICT BAPTIST MISSION.

INDIA.

THE stations and sub stations appear to remain much in the same condition as

they have been for some time past. No baptisms have been reported for some months, those anticipated having still to be deferred for further proof of the sincerity of the candidates. The little Tamil