Page images
PDF
EPUB

who was stationed here. His piety was calm and consistent; his love to Christ's cause, sincere and fervent; and his attachment to religious ordinances, unchanging. When English Methodism seemed here almost extinct, he still persevered in the path of duty; and, amid the signs of prosperity with which God has graciously favoured us during the past year, he greatly rejoiced. Whilst expecting to see yet greater things, he was brought by affliction to the gates of death, and raised to the glories of heaven. His end was peace. F. C. H.

He

Feb. 28th.-Aged fifty-eight, Mr. Peter Padfield, of Stoke-Lane, near Shepton-Mallet, of injuries received from the violence of a cow. was for many years a most exemplary Christian, and a useful Leader and Local Preacher. His decease was deeply mourned through the neighbourhood; the universal conviction being, that "he was a good man," and one that could ill be spared either by the church or by general society. He had for several years experienced much physical debility; but the ardour of his piety and zeal had urged him on, with but little intermission, to the last, in his wonted career of active duty. For some time his mind had been much occupied, as if premonished of approaching dissolution, with anticipations of heavenly blessedness. During the few days that he lingered, his mental faculties were unclouded, and his tranquil trust in the Saviour was coupled with a joyous expectation of "an abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,"-according to the words of a text on which he had preached the last Lord's day he spent on earth. E. B. P.

March 4th.-At Lisle Villa, Cheltenham, Mary Allen. She had been for several years a good and faithful domestic in the service of ladies, by whom she was much esteemed. She was useful to her fellow-servants, much beloved by them, and regretted by all who knew her. Her end was so sudden, that she could neither fear nor anticipate the event of death. That night she had renewed the covenant of her membership with the church, and she retired for devotion, (as her excellent custom was after the classmeeting,)—when, as is supposed, in the act of prayer, the Lord received her spirit.

S. W.

March 5th.-At Davenham, in the Northwich Circuit, Mr. George Lawrence, aged seventyeight. When about seventeen years of age, he was convinced of sin under the ministry of the Baptists; and shortly after, being called to remove from his native place to Westport, Ireland, finding no Baptists there, he united himself with the Wesleyan Methodists, and, after earnestly seeking, found the "pearl of great price." His consistent walk, upright conversation, and general devotedness to God, through a long series of years, abundantly testify that he had not received the grace of God in vain. During the greater

part of his life, he sustained the offices of ClassLeader and Local Preacher, and in the discharge of those duties was punctual, faithful, and successful: he was, also, a cheerful and liberal supporter of our various institutions. During his last affliction, he manifested entire submission, and, when able to converse, expressed strong confidence that all was right, feeling himself relying on the atonement of his Saviour. About a quarter of an hour before his departure he said to his sorrowing wife," God has never forsaken me; but be you faithful, and keep close to God." These were the last words that could be distinctly heard. His happy spirit passed away to the rest of heaven. J. B. W.

March 27th.-At Newark, Mr. Samuel Stapleford, aged eighty-two; having been for more than half a century a consistent member of the Methodist church, and for nearly the same length of time an acceptable and useful Local Preacher. J. R.

April 25th.-At the Water-House, Bollington, in the Macclesfield Circuit, in the seventieth year of her age, Mary, the beloved wife of Thomas Oliver, Esq. Under the drawings of the Father, and with true contrition of heart, she was early led to seek an interest in the atonement of Christ; and, while reading the holy Scriptures, she was enabled by faith to obtain the knowledge of salvation by the remission of her sins. Subsequently to her marriage with the late John Wheatcroft, Esq., of Cromford, she became a member of the Wesleyan Society, in which she found what she had long wished for,-the communion of saints. Suddenly bereaved of her first husband, and left in circumstances of much responsibility and care, she evinced a strength of mind and force of character which, combined with a rare disinterestedness, and a thoroughly practical piety, secured for her the sincere affection and undying esteem of the numerous family of which she had been left in charge. She was united to Mr. Oliver in 1852; a union which, though brief, was eminently happy. In the various duties and relations of this, her last earthly sphere, she followed after "whatsoever things are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report." In her the poor have lost a counsellor and a friend; and the church of God, a happy, intelligent, and consistent member. Her death was somewhat sudden; but she was found ready, waiting for the coming of her Lord.

"

T. K.

May 11th.-At Pickering, the Rev. Joseph Frank. He entered on the ministry in 1808, and continued in the full work until 1840; when failing health obliged him to become a Supernumerary. He was seized, at length, with severe illness, and continued to suffer for about a fortnight. His hope was bright, and his death peaceful and happy. He fell asleep in Jesus, having just entered on his seventy-seventh year.

G. B.

LONDON-PRINTED BY JAMES NICHOLS, HOXTON-SQUARE

[graphic][ocr errors]

WESLEYAN-METHODIST MAGAZINE.

JULY, 1857.

THE CHURCH AND THE ARMY.

ALL Christians agree that warfare is a great evil, and that every war is a calamity. All may rejoice in the hope of a time when "nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more:" but when that high triumph of the Gospel over human passions will be consummated, is a question which no mortal can answer. If this is to be accomplished by the ordinary propagation of the Gospel, (a propagation advancing, as we may dare to believe, in a rapidly increasing ratio,) the period may not be so very distant, when, depth of piety being added to the superficial spread of Christianity, Christian nations will spontaneously agree no longer to wage war with one another. In this case, the Gospel, not any particular Society, will be the peace-maker, and the "Prince of Peace" alone will have the glory. Or if, as millenarians dream, a personal manifestation of the Saviour is to overturn existing institutions, merge all churches into one more spiritual communion of saints, and set up a new kingdom of God,- -a new and better Christianity,—then it is obvious that the world must be content to wait for that second coming; and that if all the Christendom that now is were to set about beating swords into ploughshares, and spears into pruning-hooks, the labour would be superfluous. In that case, the pacification of the world, of which the majority is yet beyond the pale of Christianity, would be wrought by such an agency as does not now exist; and it would be vain to attempt, by combinations of men, what the King of nations must personally come to do. In either case, it is acknowledged that the Lord Jesus Christ is the only peace-maker; and we who believe that His kingdom will come with power and grace to every heart of man, even as it already comes to every one who is born again by the grace of God, as firmly believe that this general conversion of sinners will lead to a cessation of hostilities throughout the world.

If, then, the universal cessation of war is to be the natural result of a universal establishment of the kingdom of God in the hearts of mankind, the only wise and certain methods which can be taken for the extinction of warfare are those which directly lead to the conversion of sinners.

Further, if armies cannot yet be disbanded, because war cannot yet cease, the military profession remains necessary; and what is necessary for self-preservation cannot be unlawful. And here, as we are not 2 P

VOL. III.-FIFTH SERIES.

pursuing a formal argument with those who maintain the contrary, it is enough to note the fact that all the nations of the civilized world are acting on the understanding that, in their common relation, war is to them what law is to individuals; and that, unless all States could agree to relinquish settlements of their disputes by arms, and erect some international tribunal, with superior sanctions, and superior power to enforce those sanctions, the disarming of any single nation could not safely be attempted. Each national army, indeed, is but a section of a multitude of armed men distributed over the world, of which each division acts in alliance with some, or in hostility against others; while the entire military system saves mankind from the incalculably more grievous curse of interminable struggles after vengeance, or justice, or conquest, such as were common in earlier ages, and still torment and consume the population in savage lands. It is true that, when an actual conflict occurs, it is sharp, perhaps terrible, and humanity mourns over much that is cruel and even criminal. But a comparison of historical evidences will prove that there is less bloodshed in civilized nations now than at any period between the age of Augustus and the introduction of regular armies into Europe, begun by Charles VIII., in the latter part of the fifteenth century. And even within the present century, (thanks to the spread of Christian influences, especially as regards our own country,) war has risen far above its former barbarism, takes more fully the form of an art, is prosecuted with cooler calculation, with higher science, and, other things being equal, with far less animosity and bloodshed. Unjust aggressions, on the part of England, are less frequent; and public opinion affords a powerful restraint on any Government that would wage war needlessly.

But what is the duty of British Christians in regard to the British army? Should they endeavour to have it disbanded? or should they seek to have it brought under the influence of true religion? The notion of disbanding, which is chimerical, the nation could not possibly entertain. The King of nations has not yet released us from the necessity of self-defence, nor from the duty of alliance with others for that purpose; and we are therefore compelled to regard the army, both on sea and land, as a necessary institution, whose members must be included among the objects of Christian solicitude. Undoubtedly the army is an integral part of the entire nation, which is to be exalted by righteousness; and every soldier is at once our fellow-subject, our defender, and our brother. Most sincerely do we pray that the advance of personal godliness in camp and barrack may keep pace with its extension in civil society ; and that a universal pacification may rapidly be brought about, not by declaiming against the military profession, not by exciting discontent with the best-intended measures of the responsible advisers of the Crown, but by bringing sinful men under the dominion of the Prince of Peace.

Meanwhile, something should be said as to the relation of Wesleyan Methodism to the army, and the duty consequent on this relation.

« ՆախորդըՇարունակել »