In

been very few vessels here. The same attention, however, is paid to the spiritual interests of the seamen, as when the shipping is more numerous. connection with this department, we have to mourn the loss of a valued friend and brother,- Captain Thomas Pool, of Hull, who, with seven others, perished by the brig Amity," going ashore on the island of Nordeney, and becoming a total wreck, about the 31st of December last. He was a truly good man, fully devoted to the service of God, employing his talents for the extension of the Redeemer's kingdom. He always carried the Bethel

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THE Annual Missionary meeting was held in our chapel on Thursday evening, 19th January last. The chapel was beautifully lighted up, and tastefully decorated with evergreens and flowers, upwards of 150 persons sat down to tea.

The Rev. J. N. Porter presided. After the report was read, the Rev. John Mc Assey addressed the meeting on the necessity of union in the Church of Christ; the Rev. Alexander Mackey was next called upon, and delivered an eloquent and spirit-stirring address; the Rev. Thomas Newton (our much esteemed minister) followed, with an edifying and impressive speech, in which he explained more fully the Missionary report, dwelt upon the present state and prospects of the Connexion, and concluded by exhorting the friends to renewed zeal in the Missionary cause.

The meeting was subsequently addressed by David Pasley, Esq., of the Northern Bank, Messrs. Erskine, Sloan, Alexander, and Linnus. After a vote of thanks to the chairman and the ladies who presided at the tea tables, the meeting (which exceeded in lively interest any we before held) broke up, shortly after ten o'clock, highly delighted with the proceedings of the evening.

On the following evening the Sun

day school scholars with their teachers were regaled with tea; after which our pastor delivered to them a suitable address, to which they listened with the deepest interest and gratification.

The attendance of ministers and friends, of various denominations, at our Missionary meeting was very gratifying; shewing evidently that the deep bigotry which has so long disgraced the several sections of the Church of God, is rapidly breaking down; and the necessity of more united Christian exertion is, blessed be God, becoming more generally felt, even in Ireland.

Our prospects as a society are more encouraging than at any former period. Since the appointment of Mr. Newton to labour amongst us, the number of persons attending our chapel has doubled, and still continues to increase. Our Sabbath school, which had nearly become extinct, is in a prosperous state; and religious meetings held in houses in various parts of the town are filled to overflowing.

We are situate a great distance from any other circuit, and consequently labour under many disadvantages; but the Wesleyan Methodist Association Tree is planted in Ireland, and by the blessing of God, we look forward to the time when it shall widely spread its branches,

TO THE EDITOR.-DEAR SIR,

I know not whether the reading of the following communication will be more interesting to you, than the writ

J. L.

January 3rd, 1843.

ing of it is pleasing to myself. I rejoice greatly at the success which has followed my feeble efforts to advance

our holy religion. I have not laboured in vain, nor spent my strength for nought; and, by God's help, I am resolved to spend and be spent in his noble and praise-worthy cause. 1 may state here, once for all, that I regularly visit each member, at his or her house, every week, and every Tuesday afternoon I distribute traets in a low and destitute part of the town. By this means I get to know the moral condition of the people, and in some cases, have been successful in bringing them to our chapel. Our congregations, especially the evening, are steadily increasing, the Great Master of assemblies crowns our meetings with the mighty unction of his Holy Spirit, and we are looking, praying, and believing for enlarged prosperity. There is one circumstance which has greatly encouraged us, and that is, four of our elder Sabbath scholars have united themselves in church membership with us. May God set his seal upon them, and make them his adopted children.

The following are extracts from my journal

:

Dec. 6th. Tuesday. In exchanging a tract which I left at a certain house this day week, I was informed that the poor woman who lived in it was near death. I requested to see her, which was immediately granted. In conversing with her, I found that for fifty years she had lived without God, and without hope in the world. Her mind seemed to be as dark as the untutored Indians, and had no conception of her awful situation before God. 1 endeavoured to impress upon her mind the necessity of repentance, and the new birth, and then, commending her to God in prayer, I left her, promising to renew my visit in a day or two. the evening I preached in our chapel.

In

a

8th. Thursday. This evening 1 preached in the house of one of our members, about a mile distant from our chapel. It was pretty well filled, and in the course of the sermon, man who was drunk interrupted me by asking, in a loud tone, I should like to know where your text is, sir?' Having told him, 1 proceeded, and after that he was silent. My subject, providentially, led me to speak of drunkenness, and I sincerely hope that the remarks made may be serviceable to him. I afterwards learned that his pot companions had sent him to raise a disturbance.

11th. Sabbath. Preached twice this day in our chapel to good congregations. The Lord enlarged my mouth, and his sacred presence was visibly felt. In the morning a poor girl about sixteen became concerned for her soul, and the following night joined brother Lane's class. The Lord grant that her convictions may end in sound conversion.

13th. Tuesday. I preached this evening in our chapel as usual. May the seed sown bring forth holy fruit to the praise and glory of God.

15th. Thursday. This evening I preached in the house above mentioned to a good number of hearers. Generally we have had from fifteen to twenty children present, but to night there were only about ten. On inquiring the reason, I was informed that the master of the national day school in the neighbourhood which they attend, had prohibited their coming, on pain of exclusion. The person of the house went to him and remonstrated with him on his arbitrary proceedings, and all that he could say for himself was, that the children, by attending her house, were prevented from getting off their tasks, and that they had an ordained clergyman who preached every Wednesday night in a consecrated building, but he was sorry to say scarcely any one came to hear him.

16th. Friday. Attended at a prayer meeting this evening and delivered a word of exhortation to the people.

18th. Sabbath. Conducted the prayer meeting in our chapel this morning at half-past seven, preached twice to increasing congregations, and met a class for tickets in the afternoon. The services of this day have been specially solemn and refreshing. God was in our midst; and this is our joy, our happiness, and our glory.

19th. Monday. This evening I gave tickets to the members of one of our classes.

20th. Tuesday. In the course of my tract distributing, I fell in with a poor old sailor, broken down in his constitution with hard labour on ship board. After same conversation with him on his past history, I gave the conversation a religious turn, and found him deplorably ignorant of God's plan of salvation. I perceived, however, that he felt a desire to know the things which make for his peace, and eagerly seized the opportunity of pointing him to the

Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world. While unfolding the glories of the cross, and the love of Christ in laying down his life for the vilest and worst of rebels, his heart became affected, the big teared rolled down his wrinkled face, he tried to speak, but could not, and after a few minutes he said, "I hope God will have mercy upon me, for I have been a great sinner. I told him that Christ came to call sinners to repentance, and lest they should be swallowed up of despair, he had left the most undeniable assurance that whosoever cometh unto him he will in no wise cast them out. I have reason to believe that he is a sincere penitent, and that God is calling him at the eleventh hour.

22nd. Thursday. Last evening and this I gave tickets to two classes. It is most gratifying to my feelings to state that the spiritual welfare of our society is highly encouraging. There is a marked improvement in Christian experience, and a thirst for more of that purity of heart, from which all pleasure springs.

25th. Sabbath. Conducted a prayer meeting at half-past seven, A. M., and preached twice in our chapel. In the evening I improved the nativity of our glorious Redeemer, to a good congregation. The Lord wonderfully opened my mouth, and enabled me to sound the glad tidings and great joy of a Saviour's birth. May God send an increase. After service, we held a prayer meeting, and the Lord crowned us with his holy influences.

26th. Monday. This evening, at the request of the tee-total committee in this town, I attended their annual tea-meeting and advocated the cause of total abstinance. My countenance to, and labours in this praiseworthy cause, are beneficial to our Society.

27th. Tuesday. This evening we held our Christmas tea-meeting, upwards of seventy persons sat down to tea. The meeting was afterwards profitably addressed by five of our leaders and members. A delightful feeling prevailed, and all went home well satisfied and much blessed.

31st. Saturday. At ten P. M. we commenced to hold the usual watchnight service. I opened the meeting by singing, prayer, and delivering a sermon suitable to the occasion: and afterwards two of our local brethren gave solemn addresses. The meeting was unusually large, and I know not that I ever felt, on a similar occasion, so much of the overwhelming power of saving grace. Indeed every person present felt the searching influence of God's Holy Spirit.

This, Sir, ends the month and the year, and from what the Lord has done for us as a society. in giving us a few additional members, increasing our congregations, and implanting desires for holiness which he alone can satisfy, we feel greatly encouraged to drive on in his name, and look for greater success in the enlargement of our Zion in this town.

JABEZ TIDSWELL.

TO THE EDITOR.-DEAR SIR,

A circular has just come to hand from the President and Secretary, in which complaint is made of the negligence of the preachers in not forwarding communications to you for insertion in the magazine. I must acknowledge that I stand condemned in not having, before this, sent you some information relating to the progress of the work of God in this circuit. While, as a circuit, we have had circumstances of a very painful nature, with which you will most likely have been made acquainted; yet, on the other hand we have, by divine goodness, been strengthened and encouraged to per

66

severe in the good work of God. When I came into this circuit it was with fear and trembling, and in addition to what I then feared, I have had to encounter other and greater difficulties, but although cast down, I am not destroyed, perplexed, yet not in despair." In the midst of every struggle and difficulty God has crowned the labours of his servants with considerable success. Something more than a year since our friends at Kirkbythore commenced a revival prayer meeting, determined to persevere in This seeking a revival of God's work. they continued for many months with

out any visible success, except that they were themselves quickened and blest. At length however, God fulfilled his promise, in the conversion of one soul, and after the lapse of a little time, it was observed that numbers of young persons, who either had been or were then Sunday school scholars, were under serious impressions, which soon became evident by many of them beginning to cry out for mercy, and these were followed by a considerable number more, and some older persons began to catch the influence, and sought and found mercy. And, for the last three months scarcely a week has past without some good being done. It is probable that not less than fifty converts, mostly young persons, have been the fruits of this revival, and who have either joined our Society or the "Old Body." Our friends are still continuing the revival prayer meetings, and several others have recently found peace with God. The work would in all probability have been much more extensive, but for the opposition which has been made. At Bolton, another village, we have likewise had a gracious visit from God, our

friends are at this place commenced a course of travelling prayer meeting held alternately at different houses; here the spirit of God was poured out in answer to our prayers, and souls began to cry out for mercy, and a considerable number of young persons have found peace, and are now rejoicing in God's pardoning mercy.

In Appleby also, although we have lost a few, who have joined the Conference society, during a state of painful agitation, which they were the principle agents in producing, yet our deficiency has been more than made up. Several are now in church fellowship with us, who a short time since were hasting the downward road to destruction. We are now at peace and have nothing to do but to work and live for God. have just held a course of protracted meetings, in which the presence of God has been most powerfully felt-the church has been quickened, some are seeking salvation, and one found peace. We are praying, hoping, and believing that the work may spread through the circuit.

On Sundays the 20th and 27th of November, 1842, Missionary sermons were preached in different parts of this circuit. Two excellent discourses were delivered at Northwich, by the Rev. J. A. Bailey, of Nantwich. And at Holmes chapel and Loztock the services were very efficiently and satisfactorily conducted, by the Rev. R. Rutherford, of Bolton; also at Helsby, by the Rev. J. Carveth; and at Barnton, by the Rev. J.. Moore, Independent minister, Norley; Middlewich and Pickmere were supplied by the local brethren of the circuit.

Missionary meetings were held during the following weeks at the abovementioned places, several of which were highly interesting, and evidenced, especially amongst our young female

We

W. CAVE.

friends, a growing desire to further the great objects of missionary enterprize. The collections, in many places, exceeded last year, but in Northwich and one or two other places, there has been a slight decrease, consequent on the prevailing commercial distress. But we trust that by the activity and zeal of our valuable and praise-worthy missionary collectors, and by the spirit of increased liberality, to which a consciousness of the inability of many to present their contributions as heretofore, may incite our more opulent friends. We trust we shall have to rejoice in this circuit, affording extended means for the propagation of the glad news of a Saviour.

JACOB DIXON.

WEAVERHAM.

Guttridge, of Leeds, to overflowing congregations; the weather being fine, the friends came from various parts of the circuit. On Monday, the 23rd of January, a social tea-meeting was held in the same place, when about 140 persons took tea. After which, an interesting meeting was held, when

Mr. David Rutherford, having been called to the chair, made some observations suitable to the occasion. Addresses were also delivered by Messrs. Parry, Rowlinson, Carveth, and Guttridge, in which, reference was made to the rise, progress, present state, and future prospects of the Wesleyan Methodist Association in that village. About three years ago we had no footing in that place; now, by the blessing of God upon the agency employed, we have a Society consisting of twenty-five members,

and a neat plain chapel erected, which will accommodate about 150 persons.

The public collections inclusive of the proceeds arising from the tea-meeting, amounted to the handsome sum of £20. The private subscriptions were also very liberal. We are glad to state that the chapel is settled on the Connexional plan. D. R.

We had not received this account when our Magazine last month went

to press. The particulars we then gave were from a private communication.

On Sunday, the 22nd of January, sermons were preached in Flowergate chapel, in aid of the "Wesleyan Methodist Association Home and Foreign Missions," by the Rev. John Peters, of Sunderland, in the morning and evening, and in the afternoon, by the Rev. John Dunning, the minister of the circuit. On Monday evening, the Rev. J. Peters again preached to a numerous congregation. On Tuesday ensuing, a public breakfast was held in the Victoria room, when upwards of 150 sat down to an excellent repast, kindly given by the ladies favourable to the institution; after which, the chair was taken by the Rev. J. C. Potter, and some very interesting and eloquent addresses were delivered by Revs.

Messrs. Beswick, of Scarbro', Dr. Young, James Matfin, J. Peters, J. Dunning, and John Buchannan, Esq. In the evening, the annual meeting was held in Flowergate chapel, which was crowded. The chair was taken by Dr. Young, who, together with the above gentlemen, earnestly pleaded the claims of the institution, and were listened to with breathless attention. The meeting together, for one common cause, of so many ministers and friends of different denominations, produced much good feeling towards the beathen; and the contributions, notwithstanding the pressure of the times, were equal to those of the last anniversary, amounting to upwards of £34.

are promising. Our leaders also, assisted by other persons, are actively engaged looking after backsliders, who have wandered from us. My only anxiety now is, to see springing up amongst us the elements of stability and perseverance. Oh that the spirit of holiness and wisdom may rest upon our officers and members, so that the work may continue to prosper amongst A. G.

us.