tigations far, before he arrives at a point beyond which he cannot proceed; and indeed, with all our boasted scientific knowledge, what more do we possess than a mere superficial acquaintance with the phenomena of nature. The same is equally true of the moral government of God. The great plan, according to which he deals with his creatures, as well as many of the reasons of that plan, are known only to Him who "seeth the end from the beginning." It is the happiness of the Christian, however, to feel assured, that the God of love, in whom he trusts, will permit no event to befall any of his people but such as infinite wisdom and goodness approve.

These thoughts have been suggested by the recent death of a faithful missionary of Jesus Christ, who has fallen in the prime of manhood, and a brief history of whose life we now present to the reader.

William Flower, second son of the Rev. John Flower (of Titchfield), was born at Botley, in Hampshire, on the 16th of August, 1810. Of the days of his childhood we have nothing particular to record, save that he early gave evidence of possessing an energy of character, and a vigour of intellect, for which he was distinguished through life. Having creditably fulfilled his term at the Congregational School, Lewisham, he was apprenticed as a draper, at the house of Messrs. Fisher and Son, of Blandford, in Dorsetshire. Here he soon acquired a good knowledge of the business, and gave great satisfaction to his employers. After he had been in this situation for two or three years, it pleased the Lord to teach him the importance of those truths with which he had been familiar from his infancy. "God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, shined into his heart;" so that he became a "new creature in Christ Jesus." If it be asked what led to this result? The most satisfactory answer may be furnished in his own words. Writing soon after to his parents, he said

He

His

"You gave me to God in my youth; you have daily prayed that I may be a blessing; as my mind unfolded itself, you rejoiced; as depravity was exhibited, you were grieved; for my conversion to God you toiled, and prayed, and fasted, and wept. Your prayers came up as a memorial before God. beard your vows, he saw your tears. arm, omnipotent to save, was extended, and you rejoiced over your son, as over one alive from the dead. An impressive conversation with my dear mother, long before I went to Lewisham, never entirely lost its influence; and I believe, at that hour, seed was sown which will bring forth, and has brought forth fruit unto God-fruit unto life eternal."

What an encouragement does this afford

to pious parents to continue their instruction and prayers for the salvation of their children; being assured that "though they sow in tears, they shall reap in joy."

Concerning his whole course as a man of business, it will be sufficient to state, that he everywhere acquired the character of being conscientious and indefatigable. In this course he continued for several years after his heart had been changed by Divine grace. At length, however, his thoughts were directed into another channel. Long had he felt a desire to do good, but now that desire had become so much the ruling passion of his soul, that his deep feeling and energetic spirit could no longer brook the restraints of business. His soul panted for a scene of labour, where he might employ all the energies of his body and mind in the cause of Christ. The wide waste of immortal spirits presented itself to his view

the claims of the heathen irresistibly arrested his attention. Could he not do something for their salvation? Might not he aspire, without presumption, to the exalted honour of being a missionary of Jesus Christ? Influenced by such sentiments he sought to the throne of grace, and prayed for direction. His desires became deepened, the voice of God appeared to be speaking to him from within. He made known his wishes to his friends, and obtained their consent; and after a time, his services having been accepted by the Directors of the London Missionary Society, and his collegiate course at Exeter being concluded, he was ordained at Above-bar chapel, Southampton, on the 6th of February, 1838. The next day he was married at the same chapel, to Elizabeth, second daughter of Mr. Fletcher, of Southampton, and on the following April they embarked for India. In order to show the motives which led him to devote himself to missionary labours, we may extract a passage from a letter written to his parents before his departure. Having alluded to a letter of theirs, expressive of those feelings with which they naturally regarded so distant a separation, he adds,

"I respect your feelings; I thank God for the love you bear me, and which is, I am sure, reciprocal; and you will not for one moment doubt, that were the choice my own, I should as decidedly have preferred to remain in England, above going to India, as I should prefer pleasure above painthat to amass the riches of Europe, of the universe, I would not leave you that nothing but the paramount conviction that it is the will of God, could render me capable of rending the bonds which unite me to my country, my brothers and sisters, and my dear, ever dear parents. I call on you, then, my beloved parents, to rejoice that God

has rendered my path so obvious-that he has revealed his will, and disposed me to obey it--yea, to rejoice in obeying it, notwithstanding all I must leave in effecting it."

Having arrived at Surat, he eagerly entered upon the difficult task of learning the language. But it was not long permitted him to be thus engaged, before domestic circumstances arose to impede his progress. It pleased God to make Mrs. Flower the subject of severe affliction, which rendered it necessary to seek a change of air. They went to Poonah, where he left her, that the interruption to his duties might not be greater than was absolutely necessary. In the course of a few weeks he returned to Poonah, where, after much suffering, the object of his ardent affections was taken from him by death. (See Evan. Mag. for May, 1842.) Under this severe trial, however, he was mercifully sustained by the consolations of the gospel; and in obedience to that principle of our nature which leads us, under depressing circumstances, to seek relief by greater application to the duties of our calling, he again applied himself, with increasing zeal, to the acquirement of the language-in which he made such rapid progress, as that he was soon able to preach to the heathen "the unsearchable riches of Christ.' This difficulty being surmounted, an immense field lay open before him. On every hand he beheld sin reigning, vice deified, and reason lost; and knowing, as he well did, that it was the gospel, and the gospel alone which could restore reason to her deserted throne, and bring man into fellowship with God, he determined, with the apostle Paul, "to know nothing among men save Jesus Christ and him crucified."

Shortly after their arrival at Surat, he and his brother missionary, Mr. Clarkson, established an institution for the education of young men; hoping that, by combining secular and religious instruction, they might induce, in the minds of their pupils, a desire for farther acquaintance with Divine truth. But after a time they were compelled to abandon the undertaking, in consequence of a Government school being established, which exerted so unfriendly and powerful an influence, as soon to deprive them of their pupils. (See Miss. Chron. for March, 1842.) His labours in this department being thus terminated, he diligently applied himself to the translation of the gospels, and of Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress," the last sheet of which he received from the press just on his departure from India.

In the latter part of the year 1842, accompanied by his sister,* he made a tour

* Soon after the death of his wife, his sister Mary had promptly yielded to his call to go out to minister to his necessities. She has recently been mar

through the Gujurat district, with a view of attempting to dispel the moral darkness which hovered over that extensive territory -a darkness which had never before been penetrated by one ray of gospel light. By his journal, it appears that, in this tour, he preached in thirty-six villages, and to about 3,570 people.

On the 27th of November, 1843, he re-entered the marriage state, by union with Jane, youngest daughter of the late Mr. Fletcher, of Henley-on-Thames; and at the close of the year he made a second tour through the Gujurat district, and was frequently gratified by having patient and attentive hearers. As the result of these labours, a spirit of inquiry was excited among the people. Far different, however, was it with respect to Surat; there, neither the preaching of the cross nor the awful judgments of God seemed productive of much good. The city still remained wholly given to idolatry, and the missionaries appeared to be labouring in vain. These circumstances having been represented to the Board in London, after several communications to and from Surat, it was finally determined to remove the mission to Baroda. This resolution was a source of extreme gratification to Mr. Flower; and he looked forward to years of labour and much success at and around that new station. But the God in whom he trusted, "whose way is in the sea, and his paths in deep waters," had otherwise determined concerning him ; for at the end of the rainy season his health began to decline. Here was the commencement of that disease which has since terminated in death. Having retired for a time, first to the Mahabalishwur Hills, and subsequently to the salubrious climate of Ceylon, where he wrote many tracts, and neglected no opportunity of usefulness,-he at length, on the 25th of October, 1845, removed to Baroda, with invigorated health. His former desires and hopes returned with increasing brightness, and excited him to labour in season and out of season, which soon brought him apparently to the borders of the grave.

It would be easy to relate much which would be interesting concerning him, during his illness at Baroda; but our limited space forbids our mentioning more than one or two things. That he did not lose his interest in the work, when unable personally to exert himself, is evident from the fact that he desired to have the believers' prayermeeting in an adjoining room. "I could not," he said, "hear much, but I should be refreshed by the sound of their voices." On another occasion, having expressed a

ried to the Rev., Wm. Clarkson, her late brother's fellow-labourer.

belief which he then felt, that he should not permanently recover, he remarked, "How many mercies has God given us, to mitigate the suffering which sin has caused! It is sin that has done all this-but the blood of Calvary has washed it all away; -some of the effects only remain for a little time." In a letter written at this season to his parents, the following passage occurs : "If our Divine Lord was perfected through suffering, so must be the members of his body-the Church. If he, for the joy which was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, then surely we may also account these as light sufferings, and not worthy of mention; which work out for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. Alas! I find it least easy of almost anything, to be really and truly thankful to my heavenly Father for all his acts and works of goodness and grace; yet who than I has greater cause for gratitude? The whole course of my history has been marked by love unspeakable. A Father's pity, a Mother's tenderness, a Brother's sympathy-yea, and more than all these, have not failed me for many years. But why do I tell you, who have so much longer than I tasted his compassion, and lived upon his tenderness and care? You know, love, and rejoice in Him. How loud must be our Hosannah, when at length

'He who loves has borne us through,

And made us more than conquerors too." " Shortly after writing this letter, on the 10th of February, 1846, he and his beloved partner left Baroda, with the intention of visiting the Cape; but his physician at Bombay strongly urged him to take a voyage to England, which he accordingly did. Let those who know by experience what it is to have their fondest and fairest hopes disappointed, just as they were beginning to realize them, sympathise, if they can, with those feelings which possessed his heart, as he left Baroda, which was so peculiarly endeared to him, and India, his adopted land. Let it not, however, be supposed that he murmured against Providence-far from it; he had given himself unreservedly to the Lord, and was prepared to live or die in his service, according to his will; and thus, when suffering with a severe attack of hæmorrhage of the lungs, he said-" If this bleeding discontinue, 1 may get pretty well again-but about this I have no wish. It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good."

During the lovely months of autumn he visited friends in various parts of the country, and appeared to be gaining strength so fast, that sanguine hopes were cherished by many, and revived in his own bosom, that he should again be permitted to return to India. When winter, with its stern severity, came on, at the advice of his physicians he retired to Ventnor in the Isle of Wight. There he was seized with a severe attack of inflammation of the liver, whose fatal influence rapidly spread throughout his frame. As soon as circumstances permitted he returned to Titchfield, to realise a wish which he had oft expressed "to end his days at home."

On the Sunday previous to his death, he was conveyed to chapel, but was obliged to be carried down the aisle on his return, having entirely lost the power of walking. The next day it was evident to all that his little remaining strength was rapidly giving way, and on Tuesday he was unable to leave his bed. On the evening of this day, his father said to him, "My son, are you afraid of the consequences of death, or have you any fear of dying?" He replied with firmness, "Not in the least." A little after, when unable, from the difficulty of breathing, to exert his voice, he wrote on a slate, "I have much in my heart to say to you all, but I have not strength for speaking. You must not think me unhappy because I do not sing, or forgetful of my first love, the spring of all my joys, because I do not tell of his grace and faithfulness. God has promised,-that is my confidence. He has told me I am His, and none can pluck me out of my Father's hand. This is my security; the peace of God KEEPS my heart." The following day, a few hours before he died, addressing his beloved partner through the same medium, he said, " Flights of imagination, attended with fervid delight, are not religion; they may, and often do, accompany it,-but religion is the indwelling of the soul in God-the trust, the confidence in His faithfulness, truth, and love, which bring to the soul the peace of God. Such, my beloved Jane, am I blessed with, and if my God be still with me, and keep me from the Evil One, such may I continue to enjoy. Commit your way to him; you have done so. He will not forsake you, but bring us all to heaven at last, lean on his arm, his word, his love-nought can fail."

Thoughout the evening he remained comparatively comfortable; but about ten o'clock a violent paroxysm returned, which indicated the near approach of death. A few minutes after, a peaceful smile enlivened his countenance. It was the smile of victory. Death, his last enemy, was destroyed, — he slept in Jesus.