daily to our society such as shall be saved. I send you a list of those who have joined us since you left, that you may know of them. They come amongst us on the conditions required in our rules. I entreat you not to be displeased with me for saying, I wish to be with you, for I recollect 1 mentioned this whilst you were here, and you forbid me to speak of it. But the love of Christ constraineth me, I even desire my voice were thunder, to carry his glorious name to the extremities of the earth, that all might hear of it. You see all I can now do is to wach over the little flock of the Lord; but I wish to labour for the honour and glory of him who has called me by his grace to the possession of eternal salvation, through Jesus Christ our only hope. I desire to go up and down preaching Christ crucified, determined to know nothing but him to the end of my life. The second of June, a priest, named François Jeremie, was requested by two persons of our society to marry them, (I advised one to be married by the priest, as this was the only legal marriage at Port au Prince) "Monsieur Lubin, now the husband of one of these, left our sister, with whom he had been living, when she first began to seek salvation; but the Lord having convinced him, he has returned and married her, and joined society. When the priest came to the place appointed, without hesitation he performed the ceremony, not knowing they were Methodists; then he wished them all kinds of benedictions, and went away. The next day, being informed that they were Methodists whom he had married, he went to the place where the ceremony was performed; finding only a girl at home, he began to make a noise, which drew the attention of the whole neighbourhood; declaring, if he had known these persons were Methodists he would not have married them. He stayed awhile, but not seeing the mistress of the house, he went away. In the evening he returned, and found the mistress of the house and several of the society. He began to speak to them, wishing to turn them aside, using every method he could to seduce them, decrying the Methodists in a shameful way, enough to fill with horror those who did not know the nature, purity, and innocence of that society. But not being able to do any thing, he left them, saying, "Be at peace among yourselves, pray for me, I will pray for you." The persons resisted him strongly, and produced their books, which contain the truth, so that he had his mouth shut. Some time atter, he went to Juliennes, wishing to draw them aside, but here he met with a reproof sufficient to silence any who have any sensibility of heart: he deserved this on account of the malice and subtlety with which he decries us, both by books and by word of mouth, saying things not proper to repeat to you. He lent Juliennes' daughter a book written against the Methodists, in which are things enough to revolt the feelings of any who do not know the society, but she returned it to him again, thanking God who had given her light not to be led astray by the artifice and malice of man, or of the devil. For where shall we find a way more holy, or doctrine more pure, than that observed by our society? Thus was he severely reproved by Julienne. In your last letter, you reproach me for not writing to you. Pardon me, I entreat you, for it is not for want of inclination, but for want of a good opportunity of sending. I received a letter from Mr. Le Suavage, from which I learn he is in health, and that the congregations at Guernsey are numerous and attentive. The malice of the people at Port au Prince, begins, I hope, to decrease. Mr. Tredwell, (a man of colour) and his wife, from the United States, have come to settle here. He has obtained leave of the President to build a a chapel, ch in which he expects to be assisted by other persons of colour froin New York. Here are we left. I wish to address a petition to the President in favour of our society. I received all your three letters. Lastly, I finish, wishing you good health. Farewell! May the Lord, by his goodness and mercy, crown your labours, giving you many souls for your hire; leading you by the Spirit of his grace into all goodness, and after you have finished your course on earth, may he receive you to the kingdom of heaven with the blessed, to giorify him for ever! Give my respects to all your relations, and all those with whom you have any communication, and who love the Lord Jesus with a pure heart and without hypocrisy. All the society send their kind love in the Lord Jesus. The Captain who brought me your last letter, is dead. My mother desires to be remembered to you. I salute you with a filial affection in Christ. For the Methodist Magazine. REVIVAL OF RELIGION MN CARTER'S VALLEY CIRCUIT. Extract of a Letter from the Rev. George Eken, dated Feb. 5, 1821. "The God of missions has highly favoured us on this circuit. Though, when I took my station here, the prospect was somewhat gloomy, the scene has greatly changed for the better. In addition to preaching the word, and other means of grace, general prayer-meetings have much contributed to extend the work of God among us. In the course of the year I have baptized two hundred and ninety-two, mostly adults, none, however, by immersion, except two Africans "The number of church members, when I came on the circuit, was two hundred and ninety-four whites, and thirty coloured-We now number five hundred and twenty-six whites, and ninety-eight coloured, making an increase of three hundred. So you see the Lord does not forget us in this wilderness, among the mountains and vallies. We held one camp-meeting, at which sixty-four were received into society. The Lord, indeed, was there in mighty power. From thence we went to our Conference, which was attended with great peace and love. I am appointed to travel here another year. May the good will of Him who dwelt in the bush be with me." * Obituary. DEATH OF MRS. RACHEL M'MAHON. To the Editors of the Methodist Magazine. Dear Brethren, Believing that the following letter, rarely witnessed in our sinful, disordered world. It was remarked by her physician, minister, and those who attended on her in her last sufferings, that they never before saw such paShe died as she lived, collected, happy, and resigned. A few minutes before ber death, after suffering in the most severe manner through the night, until she was covered with a cold sweat, which run down and wet the bed whereon she lay, she asked me what o'clock it was; to which I answered, It is day-light-broad day light, my from purpose. Yours in Christ Jesus. BARNABAS M'HENRY. -Madison county, Alabama, Oct. 30, 1820. "Yes, my dear brother, Rachel is dead! She whom Jesus loved, sleepeth, and we cannot awake her. Our friend dear Rachel. She exclaimed, with Rachel is dead, but she shall live again, her usual emphasis and fervour, and live to die no more-shall live "Thank God for the light of a new with God, and live for ever blessed.- day!" Oh, said I, my dearest Rachel, She closed her suffering scene last I have often heard you praise God for Wednesday, about sun rise, at the seat the light of day upon bended knees of Mr. Richard Harris, near Hunts- in family prayer, but you will soon see ville, where she had been confined for a considerable time, and where she bore a long, painful, and lingering affliction with sweet submission to the will of God, and the most tender affection for her friends and all around her. After she could no longer do the a light that shall never go out, and behold a day that shall never close.After I had made some remarks on the happy state of departed spirits, I observed to her-My dear suffering Rachel, you are converging to your eternal state; your suffering scene will will of God, she was called to (per- soon be closed. "Yes," she exclaímhaps) a harder task, which is to suffer ed, " and I am glad, or I thank God his will; and in this trying scene she for it. And oh! how pleasing is the exhibited an example of patience, for- prospect!" She then asked the Rev. titude, and resignation, which has been J. Manifee, (her brother-in-law) to 1 raise her head on the pillow, and re- ly staid on God, and her soul kept quested one of the young ladies who We had both freq frequently prayed to in perfect peace and complained no more of temptation. The day before she died, she called me to her bed, and told me she wanted the Lord's Supper administered to her once more before she died. I imGod, that she might die in her senses, mediately sent for father Thompson, and have an easy death After her and saw her again with holy pleasure happy soul had taken its flight to God, receive the blessed sacrament. She her countenance still seemed to bear then seemed to have no more to do, the marks of piety and devotion, and but, as she said, to wait upon the Lord it was remarked by many who saw until he took her to himself. her pale and lifeless clay, that they I am left in this howling wilderness never saw such a sweet and heavenly to wander and suffer alone. Oh! my appearance before. It pleased God to brother, my soul is troubled indeed.spare her until her mother, sister, and Human language is too feeble to debrother-in-law came to see her, and scribe my sorrow. I feel very much minister to her in her last illness, like I should go mourning all my days. which they did for two weeks before If ever faithful and constant affection her death. were found in the breast of woman, surely it lived in her bosom; and if ever, since the first human pair were united, there were two congenial souls, A few weeks before she died, her mind seemed to be in great heaviness, through manifold temptations, and she continued to be disconsolate for some we were that happy pair. But my lot time. About ten days before she left was too happy to continue long in this us, it being the sabbath, I asked her world. I was not worthy of the dear if she would not wish to have the Sa- saint that God has taken from me.crament administered to her before I think I am one of the most disconsoher death. She replied, "O! yes! late of men. Every face I see, every send for father Thompson, and let me family I visit, every road I travel, re once more commune, (or enjoy) this minds me of my departed Rachel, with whom I have seen such happy daysbut days which are gone for ever. In her blessed society, I had all that this world has to give, and much more. tration, the Lord blessed her soul in a In her counsels I felt safe. To visit very wonderful manner. She endeav- her in her afflictions, I have cheerfully oured to raise a tune of a favourite rode ten, fifteen, twenty, and somehymn, and shouting aloud with a times nearly thirty miles after preachstrength that was really astonishing, ing and class-meeting, and my labours she cried out, "O! how good the Lord and toils were always sweetened and is-this house is full of glory." All forgotten in her company and converin the house felt an uncommon power. sation. My paper and my heart are It was surely one of the best times I full. I am your sorrowful friend, ever saw. Thus delivered and bless ed, she continued with her mind calm "WM. MMAHON." "Rev. B. M.Henry." Poetry. For the Methodist Magazine. LINES ON THE DEATH OF AN INFANT A DAY OLD. Ruin brought on Adam's race Death before him onward sends Thy creeping, climbing efforts Pure as the flame proceeding 'Tis call'd the Righteousness of saints. *It is presumed our author does not mean to deny the inherent corruption of human nature. If he do we differ from him in sentiment.-Editors. And in his arms, and to his Blest embrace, receives thy soul. It's forfeit none may cancel, Such, gentle reader, is the Make sure their way: while the great THE METHODIST MAGAZINE, FOR MAY, 1821. 1000 Divinity. From the London Methodist Magazine. A SERMON BY THE REV. JOHN FLETCHER; "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature."-1 Cor. v. 17. ST. PAUL says, in his epistle to the Romans, that "he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, but he who is such inwardly," by the circumcision of the heart. This being applied to Christianity, it follows, that he is not a Christian who professes to be so, but he who has got "a new heart and a new spirit," by being truly born again, not of water only, but of the Spirit of Christ. That regeneration is absolutely necessary in order to be a true Christian, and that there is no surer mark whereby we may know whether we are living members of Jesus than to be really new men, appears in the clearest light in the words of the text, -" If any man be in Christ," or be a true Christian, "he is a new creature." You see then, brethren, how necessary it is to have right notions of the doctrine of regeneration, since without it there can be no Christianity. I hope you will therefore follow me with an attention answerable to the vast importance of the subject, whilst I endeavour to shew you, First,-What we must understand by regeneration, or becoming a new creature. Secondly,-What are the causes that concur to the work of regeneration: and Thirdly, Why regeneration is so necessary to salvation.May what shall be spoken in God's name, be so applied by his grace to every one of our hearts, that the important work of regeneration may be powerfully begun, or carried on in each of our souls. |