in the family. Adam and this sister were often accus

tomed to walk in the fields and talk about God and their souls; and then retire for prayer to God. This young woman was afterwards married to Mr. Thomas Exley, M. A., of Bristol, and bore him several children; and died happy in God. Her children all became pious.

The next fruit of his labor, was his eldest sister. She was a cautious sensible woman; and did not join the society, till she was thoroughly convinced of the truth of their doctrines, and the excellency of their discipline. She afterwards married the Rev. W. M. Johnson, LL.D., Rector of St. Perrans-Uthno, in Cornwall. She is still living, and has a numerous family.

All the rest of the family became constant hearers of the Methodists; and most of them members of the society: but as he, soon after the period of which we are now speaking, removed from that country, he did not witness all the results of his own labors. His parents continued to entertain the Methodist Preachers, while they lived: and most of their children who were settled in life, have had the same honor.

With his school-fellows, A. C. was not inactive. When he had opportunity, he spoke to them concerning their salvation, and incited them to hear the Methodist Preachers. One, Andrew Coleman, who was much attached to him, heard and became deeply in earnest for his salvation.. He was a young man of fine natural parts, and a good scholar. He afterwards became an intinerant preacher among the Methodists: but his race, though it promised to be luminous, was very short; for in consequence of lying in a damp bed, he had a premature and deeply regretted death. His school-fellow, Adam, wrote a short account of him, which was published in the Methodist Memorial; and as it is strictly connected with the present

narrative, and contains some curious information, I shall here insert it.

"ANDREW COLEMAN was born in Coleraine, in the north of Ireland, of very respectable parents. As he appeared to have a more than ordinary taste for learning, he was put to school at an early age, and soon made great progress in reading and merchants' accompts. He was afterwards removed to a grammar-school, where he profited beyond all his fellows. None of his own standing, could keep pace with him; and he outstripped many who had begun their classical course long before him. He soon became master of the Latin and Greek languages, and made considerable progress in Hebrew. To these studies he joined geometry, astronomy, chronology, history, and most branches of the mathematics. As he was remarkably blest with an amazingly comprehensive mind, and vigorous retentive memory, he fathomed the depth of every study, and could not be contented with a superficial knowledge of any subject. The acquisition of useful learning was more to him than his necessary food; and he neglected no opportunity of cultivating his mind. Whatever he read he made his own; and whatever he learned, he retained; so that his stock of knowledge was continually increasing.

"Owing to the straitened circumstances of his parents, (who had been reduced to great want, from a state of considerable affluence,) he was, in general, unable to procure those books which were necessary in his particular studies; so that in many cases he was obliged to explore his way in the regions of science without any other light or guide than that which the Father of Lights had kindled

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in his own mind. But notwithstanding this disadvantage, to which might be added, his very delicate constitution, and his being often obliged to work hard to purchase time to attend his school, he attained to such a pitch of mental cultivation before his 17th year, as few have been able to acquire in the course of a long life.

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"Having finished his classical studies he was obliged to take up a little school in order to procure himself the necessaries of life, as the impaired state of his parents' circumstances did not permit him to hope for any assistance from that quarter. What he acquired by his labors in this way, he gave for the support of his family, and often went whole days without food that he might help to support those from whom he received his being. This he considered as one of his first duties; and he discharged it to the uttermost of his power.

"About the year 1778, it pleased God to awaken and bring to the knowledge of the truth, one of his schoolfellows, Mr. A. C., now one of our travelling preachers. As a very tender friendship subsisted between those two, they often spoke together of the things of God, and attended the ministry of Mr. Thomas Barber, who was acting as a Missionary at his own cost, and emphatically performing the work of an Evangelist through an extensive tract of country near the sea-coasts of the county of Antrim. His mind was soon found to be very susceptible of divine impressions-it became gradually enlightened: and having earnestly sought redemption in the blood of the cross, he received it, to the unspeakable joy of his soul.

"After some time he was employed as a class-leader, and at the entreaties of several, began to exhort in different country places in the vicinity of Coleraine. Being naturally very timid, it was some time before he could be prevailed on to take a text; and when he at last sub

mitted his own judgment to that of his friends, and began to preach, his word met with universal acceptance.

"In July 1785, he was well recommended to the Dublin Conference as a fit person to travel. He was accordingly received on trial, and sent to the Sligo Circuit. He was

in the 18th year of his age, and nearly six feet high, the rapid growth of his body appearing to keep pace with that of his mind. But it was soon found, he had passed the meridian of his life. The circuit to which he was sent, was a severe one-he labored to the uttermost of his power, and in about nine months he fulfilled his course, having fallen into a rapid consumption. He returned to his mother's house a short time before the ensuing Conference; and though every assistance was afforded him by the amiable Society of Coleraine, and the affectionate family in which he received his education, he sunk apace, and having suffered awhile with the utmost patience and resignation, he fell asleep in Jesus, June 18th, 1786, aged 18 years and two months, and soon gained the blessed region where the inhabitant shall no more say, I am sick. He had the happiness of seeing his mother and grandmother brought to an acquaintance with the truth, before his departure; and his last words to them, as his holy soul prepared to take its flight into the eternal world, were, Follow me! Mr. Wm. West preached his funeral sermon out of doors, to an audience that no house could contain and the high estimation in which he was held, was evinced by the many thousands who attended his remains to the grave. The funeral procession extended more than half a mile! The evening before he died, he desired to be carried out in his chair to see the setting sun his desire was complied with; and, having beheld it awhile with pleasing emotion, till it sunk under the horizon, he observed, This sun has hitherto been partially

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obscured to me, but it shall be no more so for ever!' And about the time it began to re-enlighten that part of the earth, his happy soul soared away to the regions of glory.

"To many it might appear that this amiable young man was taken away in the midst of his usefulness. But a little reflection will shew us that God's ways are all equal. He never removes any of his servants till they have accomplished the work he has given them to do. Extraordinary talents are not given merely in reference to this world. They refer also to eternity; and shall there have their consummation, and plentitude of employ. Far be it from God to light up such tapers to burn only for a moment in the dark night of life, and then to extinguish them for ever in the damps of death. Heaven is the region where the spirits of just men made perfect live, thrive, and eternally expand their powers in the service, and to the glory of Him from whom they have derived their being. "The extensive learning of Mr. Coleman, was his least excellence. This indeed, he accounted but dross and dung in comparison of the excellence of the knowledge of Jesus Christ crucified. Through this, the world and all its enjoyments were crucified to him. It was this, that opened the kingdom of heaven to his soul, supported him in his sufferings, and caused him to triumph over death.

"His very retentive memory has already been noted: when he was about fourteen years of age, he had the whole of the Common- Prayer by heart. He had made himself such a master of the Eneid of Virgil, and the Paradise Lost of Milton, at the same age, that on the mention of any line in either of those poems, he could immediately tell the book in which it occured, and the number of the line! His natural disposition was uncommonly amiable.-His own excellencies were so deeply hidden from himself, that the foot of pride never appeared to come against him. He was a steady friend, and a