"Die He or Justice must: unless for Him And ending with, "Behold me then, me for him life for life Well pleased; on me let death wreck all his rage." The spring came, but with it no improvement of his symptoms, no hope of his recovery; yet his confidence in Christ grew stronger, and his prospects for eternity brighter; while such was his settled peace, and sweet serenity of soul, that he seemed almost in paradise, and spoke of his death as calmly as though it were a common place affair. Although called to pass through so long and painful an affliction, thus supported, no murmurings or complaining escaped his lips, but with a buoyant spirit, and a cheerful countenance, he went through to his reward. He was always thankful for any little attention rendered him, while many times a day, he expressed his gratitude to God for His manifold mercies, and fervently prayed for grace lest at any time he should forget His goodness. About a fortnight before his death, Mr. F. L. Kipling administered the Lord's Supper to him, when Mr. K., referring to his recovery as hopeless, he said, "Oh, I have no fears about dying; I know that I shall never get better, but I am quite ready for death.' Mr. K. then asked him if he did not get very weary with weakness, and depressed with the dull weather; he replied, "Yes, I feel these dull days very much; but I shall soon have done with them, for I am going where it will be all sunshine for ever and ever." As his body weakened, his earnest desire for the salvation of his friends strengthened in intensity, and he besought them-when unsaved-to repent and to give themselves to God. His sister, who was just then leaving home, he urged not to forget the salvation of her soul, while entering on the duties of married life. For his father's conversion he was often pleading mightily with God, nor did he fail to pray for his godly mother, that strength might be given to sustain her under the heavy trial she would so soon have to bear. Many times, during his last few days of life, did he request his mother to help him in singing of the Saviour's love,-"Oh," said he, "if I had breath, I would sing, Hallelujahs to the Lamb!" The beautiful hymns 189, 227, and 559, of our Collection, "Now I have found the ground wherein, Sure my soul's anchor may remain." "How do Thy mercies close me round, "God moves in a mysterious way, were his especial favourites, and were read over to him again and again, when he could not sing them. There was melody within his soul, and as though he heard the shining ones singing, "Sister spirit come away," his thoughts were of home, and his "conversation in heaven." Once, when his mother and brother were sitting with him, he said, "Mother, I shall soon be on the other side of the river now, where I will keep a good look out for you. What a meeting it will be when you come; no fear about our knowing each other there." On the day preceding his death, while the family stood round his bed, he observed his father in tears, and said, "Father, don't fret when you see me so happy; it will be all right; the Saviour who loves me so much, cannot do any wrong-it is all for the best, and you will see it by-andbye." His last night was one of great prostration, and of laboured breathing, yet he enjoyed sweet composure of mind, and was heard to say, with the dying Wesley, "The best of all is, God is with us." The last morning dawned, death's seal was upon him, and weary nature's wheels about to stand still. Shorter and shorter grew his breath, yet even at the last grasp his confidence broke forth; for when his brother-busy with wiping the death sweat from his brow, said, "George, is Christ precious to you now?" a faint smile played on his face, as he answered, "Oh, yes! Its all right! ITS ALL RIGHT!" And it was all right; for his spirit had passed over to the shining shore. "So fades the summer cloud away; So sinks the gale when storms are o'er; So gently shuts the eye of day; So dies a wave along the shore." The death of our dear brother, who thus ripened for glory, ere he had attained his twentieth year, was improved by the writer to a crowded con gregation, on Monday, October 19th, 1863. Recent Death. DIED, at the Borough Saw Mills, Fourth London Circuit, Mr. ROBERT BLYTH, aged fifty-eight, in hope of the first resurrection. Miscellaneous. AN EXAMPLE OF USEFULNESS. DR. MORRISON, of Chelsea, one day met, at a dinner-party, another clergyman and his wife. After dinner, walking with Dr. Morrison alone, the clergyman said to him, "I cannot tell you how much I am indebted to you." "I am not at all aware that you are indebted to me," was the reply. "You have observed my wife," said the clergyman; "she is the best of wives, and the best of mothers. Christianity has made her so, and it is through your words she became a Christian." By-and-bye the wife herself came, and rushed to Dr. Morrison as a child would to a father, and said, "If ever I get to heaven, I will pointedly, and requested that before COSTUME. In the year 1523 Luther laid aside the monk's costume, and thenceforth dressed according to the fashion of the world. He chose black clothes, and, consequently, that colour has become the fashion of the clergy. His reason for choosing this colour was this: the Elector of Saxony took an interest in him, and now and then sent him a piece of black cloth, being at that time the court fashion, and because Luther preferred it; so his scholars thought it would become them to wear the same colour as their master. From that time black has been the colour most worn by the clergy. The clergy are now generally distinguished from others by the white cravat, though many of them are laying it aside. This distinction was unknown fifty years ago, when all gentlemen, especially the young, except mariners, wore white cravats. A black necktie or cravat was the badge of the seafaring man. When the fashion of wearing white cravats changed, the clergy did not take pains to change with it, but kept on, in the old way, as some few steadfast laymen have also done. The peculiar dress of the Quakers, or Friends, originated in the same way. The founders of the sect neither invented nor prescribed a costume as a badge of membership, as some suppose. The broad brimmed hat, the drab coloured cloth, and the singlebreasted and straight collared coat, were then generally worn in England by the sobor citizens of the middle class in the country. Fashions soon changed, and have been changing ever since, while Quakers have simply kept on in the old way. The court dress, too, in respect to the cut of the coat, has, like the Quakers, remained the same. Hence, also, the straight collar is still worn in the naval and military service of Great Britain and the United States, and by the police of the city of New York. Quaker, court, naval, and military steadfastness have alike withstood the change. Poetry. A MOTHER'S PRAYER IN THE NIGHT. DARKNESS reigns-the hum of life's commotion On the listening ear no longer breaks; Stars are shining on the deep blue ocean, All is silent-Love alone awakes. Love on earth its lonely vigils keeping, Love in heaven that rests or slumbers not; Peace, my anxious heart! though thou wert sleeping, And for you, my brightest earthly flowers, Sleep, beloved ones! through these dark hours, Here the winged messengers of heaven, Blessed Saviour! while on earth residing Were not all my hope on Thee reposing, I could give my children only tears. From their earthly parents they inherit Hide and guard them in Thy tender arms, Seal them for Thine own, from first to last! Let Thy rod and staff in mercy lead them In the footsteps of Thy flock below, Till 'mid heavenly pastures Thou shalt feed them, -Sacred Lyrics from the German. Beligious Intelligence.—United Methodist Free Churches, BLACKBURN CIRCUIT,-LOWER DARWEN. MR. EDITOR,-I write to inform you of the establishment in our Sabbathschool of a class of a somewhat novel and truly interesting character, viz., a "Mother's Class." It has now been in operation for something like nine months, and although in a very small village, numbers more than thirty members, with every probability of still increasing. It is under the management of two pious and intelligent females, who teach on alternate Sundays. The class only meets in the afternoon, so that the household duties of its members are in no way interfered with. And it is quite delightful to behold mothers, and even grandmothers, wending their way to the Sabbathschool, to join their children and grandchildren in celebrating the praises of God, reading His blessed Word, and hearing it expounded; and having its glorious truths in a plain and simple, though often earnest manner, brought to bear upon their hearts and consciences. The good that such classes will be the means of producing on the rising generation is incalculable; mothers there taught the way of life will be enabled to carry the gospel into the family circle, live it amongst their chil dren, train them up under its benign influence; and who can tell the good that will flow from it? Eternity alone will reveal it. Hence the great import ance of these classes that have for their primary object the conversion of mothers to God. Up to the present time, the class has been taught in a vestry much too small and incommodious. The Trustees of the Chapel having determined to erect a new one behind the Chapel, capable of Beating comfortably from eighty to ninety persons, the building has been completed and fitted up to the satis faction of those concerned; and on the 31st January, the opening services took place, when two eloquent and impres sive sermons were preached to overflow. ing congregations, by the Rev. Arthur Hands, of Rochdale, formerly of this Circuit, and who has in this neighhood many friends and admirers. The collections amounted to the handsome sum of £18 6s. T. H. BLACKPOOL. THE Annual Tea Meeting of the United Methodist Free Church, was held in the Assembly room, Blackpool, on Thursday, the 14th January. There were sixteen trays generously given. The number that took tea was two hundred and forty, and at the Public Meeting which followed there were about four hundred present. The Rev. J. BATTEN made a few brief remarks. The Rev. T. B. SAUL said that it gave him great pleasure to see so many present. He was sure that there were some from nearly all denominations in Blackpool. Here was one of the advantages of such gatherings. Christians called by dissimilar denominational names were brought to feel that they were essentially one in spirit. By coming near to each other the mists of prejudice and error, which sometimes intervened, were destroyed; and where there appeared to be a monster in its deformity and full of cruelty, there was truly a brother in his beauty, and full of brotherly kindness. He said there was power in the storm, and in the earthquake when it closed its lips on an engulfed city; but the religion of Christ was stronger than either of these; the power of piety was unobtrusive but constant, and its force irresistible. He, in apt language and by beau tiful illustrations, urged the assembly to united, strong, and continuous Christian exertion; then would objections to religion be removed, and soon would the love of Christ bloom in the heart of the world. Rev. R. R. Redman, pastor of the Congregational Church, Blackpool, briefly addressed the meeting in an amusing speech. The President of the Annual Assembly, the Rev. J. Guttridge, said, that he would confine himself to a subject which just then engaged much of the attention of the society, the anticipated new Chapel. He said the Chapel, when it shall be built, would be evermore speaking: its language would be Theistic, Christian, Methodistic. He encouraged the society to persevere in their efforts till the Chapel shall be completed; he referred to the ceaseless activities of nature, to the sea, with its ebbs and flows, to the ever-varying moon, the falling dew, and to the unwearied sun, which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. These exhaustless energies all answered some useful end, as energy rightly directed always will. He spoke of the cross of Christ as a power exactly meeting the wants of man; of the Spirit, without which the best-concerted schemes are vain; and of prayer, a mighty influence which can be employed by all. He gave some thrilling incidents which had lately come under his own observation, illustrative of the power of prayer. At the end of his speech, the Rev. J. Guttridge said that he had a most pleasing task to perform: there had been put in his hand a valuable gold watch bearing this inscription:- "Presented to the Rev. Joseph Batten, by the members of his Church and congregation, Blackpool, as a token of the respect and esteem in which he is held by them. Blackpool, January 14th, 1864." The watch was then in the kindest manner presented to the Rev. Joseph Batten, who said the present was most unexpected. prized it because it was valuable in itself, because he much needed it, and because of the great kindness of which it was expressive. He expressed his warmest thanks to all who had bestowed upon him so much kind consideration. A few remarks were then made by Mr. John Hayhurst, of Blackpool, and Mr. Rawsthorne, of Preston; the usual votes of thanks brought the meeting to a close. BIRSTALL CIRCUIT. EAST BIERLEY. Не ON Friday, January 22nd, 1864, the New Chapel erected in the above village, was opened by a Sermon in the After. noon from the Rev. J. Guttridge, President of the Annual Assembly, to a large congregation. After the sermon, the friends repaired to the Old Schoolroom, where tea was provided; a large number of persons sat down. After tea a Public Meeting was held in the Chapel, which was crowded in every part. J. B. Heeles, Esq., of Leeds, in the chair. Mr. Matthew Hargreaves was called upon first to address the meeting. He referred to the period when he and |