On

ness prevented him from saying much, but the few words he spoke expressed his trust, gratitude, and hope. the Tuesday before his death, in a paroxysm of pain, he lifted his eyes to heaven, and said with great emphasis, "My precious Saviour!" and then, turning to those who stood by his bedside, added, "He is your Saviour also." When his cousin, Captain Hosken, R.N., asked him, "Richard, are you happy?" he replied, "Trusting in Christ: very happy." On the evening of his last day on earth he . affectionately took leave of all the members of his family. To his afflicted daughter, who was helped from her bed-room to see him for the last time, he said, "We are companions in tribulation; we cannot go to each other, but we can think of each other." She states that the rays of the evening sun shone upon him, and his face seemed irradiated with the lively hope."" Through the night he continued calm and peaceful, trasting in Christ. No spasm of pain interrupted his faint and yet fainter respirations, till "the weary wheels of life stood still at last." On the 20th of September, 1867, his happy spirit passed away to the regions of everlasting blessedness.

His funeral was attended by one of the largest gatherings ever known in his native town; and his death was improved by an impressive sermon by the Rev. Thomas Wenn, preached to a crowded and sorrowing congregation. Most affectionate records of the high esteem in which he was held, and testimonies of his worth, were received from the Penryn town-council, the Quarterly Meeting of the Falmouth Circuit, the District Committee of the Cornwall District, and from a host of ministers and other friends.

The character of Mr. Hosken was one of great completeness, combining excellencies which led many to "glorify God in him." When called to take the lead in any godly enterprise, he did not shrink from prominence, and

yet assumed no air of ostentation or superiority. Whilst maintaining the dignity of his position, he "condescended to men of low estate," and treated all with the most winning courtesy. In commercial transactions he was just, prompt, and energetic. He kept aloof from the strife of muni. cipal and parliamentary elections, and from all such recreations and amusements as of a nature to lessen his influence and usefulness.

As the head of a family, he was most exemplary. The family altar was set up the first day of his married life, and the duties of family worship were observed with the greatest regu. larity and fervour. His home, to which ministers of Christ were always received with the most sincere respect and affection, was the abode of order, cheerfulness, harmony, and love; and so effectually did he by God's blessing "command his household after him," that all his children in early life chose the path of piety and peace.

The demands on his sympathy from sufferers in his own family circle, prepared him in an eminent degree to comfort the tried and sorrowful. His visits to the sick, the dying, and the bereaved, and the kind deeds and words with which they were accompanied, will long be remembered. He also shared the joys of others; their prosperity and happiness filled him with delight and gratitude. His extensive correspondence was full of this sympathy, nor will his correspondents forget the admirable tact and overflowing kindliness with which he expressed his condolence or congratulations.

In the Christian life the subject of this memoir was thoroughly decided, seeking "first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness." If either business or pleasure stood in the way of his religious duties, it was made to give place to what he designated his "standing engagement." When at home, and in health, he was seldom, if ever, absent from the early Sabbath

prayer-meeting, either of his three classes, the week-night preaching, or the leaders' meeting. By careful forethought, he also managed, notwithstanding his numerous engage. ments, to be present with unvarying punctuality at the opening of the service, though it necessitated attention to important duties late the same night, or early the next morning.

His loyalty to Wesleyan-Methodism was most cordial and intelligent. In times of trial he defended its principles and laws, and by personal service, as well as pecuniary contributions, earnestly laboured to promote its spiritual and financial economy. Still he was no bigot, but loved all who loved the Lord Jesus, and numbered among his friends several belonging to the Established Church, and to the different bodies of Nonconformists.

He possessed a remarkable tact for introducing into conversation remarks of a useful character, and was not ashamed of Christ when thrown into the society of the worldly and irreligious. Acting from the beginning of his commercial career on the principle of systematic giving, a certain proportion of his profits were appropriated to religious and charitable purposes. Though, for example's sake, his name appeared in the list of contributors to different Societies, most of his acts of kindness and liberality were known only to the recipients of his bounty. By his will he bequeathed legacies to the British and Foreign Bible Society, the Wesleyan Missionary Society, and the Penryn chapel, besides smaller ones to his personal friends.

In fine, to quote the language of a minister of another community, "He was the most perfect specimen of a Christian man I ever met with, or expect to meet with, this side the unsinning world." The written testimonies of a large number of friends, relatives, and ministers, fully confirm this high estimate of his character. “He was a faithful man; and feared God above many;" and his course is

accurately described in the words, “The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day."

JOSEPH T. SANGER.

The late MES. HARRIET MOISTER WAS born at Hexton, Herts, August 31st, 1804. In early life she was deeply convinced of her sinfulness in the sight of God, but it was not until the year 1829 that she became fully decided for Christ. She joined the Methodist Society at Pegeden, there being no Society of this denomination at that time in her native village. Three years subsequently, having obtained the blessing of pardon, with the alacrity of a new-born child of God, she hastened to her next classmeeting to "declare what the Lord had done for her soul," when her emotions of joy were very great. Being now a partaker of Divine grace, she felt it to be her duty to invite all within the sphere of her influence to hear "the truth as it is in Jesus;" and she and a few pious associates often prayed that the people among whom she had received spiritual good might visit Hexton, and win some of their neighbours to the Saviour. In 1837 their prayers were answered, but with this pleasure, there came to her," as she states in her journal, "a painful duty," she being appointed leader of the class, an office for which she felt unfit, and yet dared not refuse. This position she sustained, to the great satisfaction of the members entrusted to her care, and of the Circuit ministers, until the close of her life. For many years she was the stewardess of the Society, and a devoted Sunday-school teacher. The house of God was her delight, and she was never absent when able to attend its exercises,

It often pleases God to refine and perfect His children in "the furnace of affliction," and our departed friend was called to pass through severe and long-continued bodily suffering. But grace was afforded according to her

need; and her resignation to the will of God was entire and constant. The Word of God was her companion, solace, and delight in "the house of her pilgrimage." The Sacred Volume she read regularly through more than twenty times,-thrice on her bended knees. "I derive more good," she observed," from this method of reading the Bible than from any other. Each time I have done so, I have discovered new beauties, and get to know all the will of God concerning me." On recommencing this exercise, she prays, on one occasion, "May the Lord help me to read it through this year with increasing delight, and to become more humble, and more like Him!" Her piety steadily increased more and more; and with this, as a natural consequence, came an increase of spiritual happiness. Her "soul magnified the Lord, and her spirit rejoiced in God her Saviour." "I feel such unspeakable delight," she says, “in having Christ in my heart, the hope of glory,' that I would not part with it for ten thousand worlds. 'Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name.'" She frequently renewed her covenant with God, and in one of these seasons of self-dedication she appears to have received the blessing of entire sanctification, being enabled to testify that "the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin." Thenceforth she earnestly desired to be "unspotted from the world," and to be " kept" in this holy state "by the power of God through faith unto salvation," to the end of her days; and her desire, it is believed, was fully accomplished.

A short time before her death the writer administered to her the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, which, to her and the friends who were present, was a precious means of grace: God was eminently present; each felt His power, and all bowed their hearts before Him. So blissful were the communications of grace vouchsafed to her during the following night, that

she seemed to sit "in heavenly places with Christ Jesus," and to banquet at His table. "I never knew before," she said, "what it was to be so fully in Christ, and Christ in me, as now." The glory of heaven seemed to illumine her chamber, and its winged messengers to surround her bed. A little before her departure she said, with transporting emotion, "The room is full of shining ones: I shall soon be gone." An earnest wish to see her only daughter once more appeared to make her linger on earth. This desire having been gratified, she expressed herself as ready "to depart, and to be with Christ" for ever. Exulting in the prospect of meeting her glorified mother and one of her children before the Throne, she added, "But it will take a long time before I can take off my eyes from Jesus to look at any one else." At length the last conflict came, and the powers of darkness strove to rob her of her confidence. But amidst weakness and severe suffering she triumphed gloriously, and her happy spirit passed away to the mansions of celestial light and blessedness. She departed this life July 4th, 1868, in the sixty-fourth year of her age.

"O, grunt us, Lord, her life to live, That we like her may die !"

R. B.

MR. JOHN BENTLEY was born at HillTop, in the parish of Saddleworth, November 10th, 1797, Saddleworth being at that time in the Oldham Circuit. He was the oldest son of Matthew and Alice Bentley, who were both pious and consistent members of the Wesleyan-Methodist Society. His father, besides holding the offices of Society-steward and Trustee of both the chapel and the school at Delph, was for more than fifty years the leader of a large class, and was well known for his sterling uprightness of character. Of this the following incident is an illustration:-He rented a small farm at Delph, and the land

lord, who was at variance with his own brothers and sisters, went to reside in America. At his death it was found that he had left the whole of his property to his tenant, Matthew Bentley, to the entire exclusion of his relations. As soon as Mr. Bentley ascertained this to be the case, he called together the brothers and sisters of his late landlord, and divided amongst them the property which had been left to him; the family, however, insisting that he should have one share of it along with themselves. His mother, who was also remarkable for her devotion to the cause of God and her love to His ministers, used her best endeavours to train up her children "in the nurture and admonition of the Lord," and for more than half a century adorned her religious profession by her godly and consistent example as a member of the WesleyanMethodist Society.

When young, Mr. Bentley was sent to the day and Sabbath-school, and made tolerable proficiency in the acquisition of knowledge, though the means of instruction then in vogue were very different from the facilities now placed within the reach of all classes. He was early appointed a teacher in the Sabbath-school, and when, at eighteen years of age, he was soundly converted to God, he became a member of the Methodist Society. Being earnest and very consistent in all he undertook, both in the world and in the Church, he was appointed leader of a class at the comparatively early age of twenty-one. After having been successful in this capacity, and happy in the work, for about three years, it was powerfully impressed upon his mind, that, in order to be more useful in winning souls, he ought to become a local preacher. The Rev. Amos Learoyd, then stationed in the Oldham Circuit, coming to preach at Delph, and calling upon Mr. Bentley, the latter opened his mind to him on the subject. Mr. Learoyd, knowing him well, and thinking

him a suitable person to occupy the pulpit, encouraged him to make a beginning at once, and gave him some appointments on the next Circuit plan. He soon became a useful local preacher. A second class-meeting was also commenced by him in his own house at Upper Mill, but circumstances made it necessary for him to return to Delph, and his connection with both classes consequently ceased. He, however, commenced another, composed principally of young men, some of whom became local preachers.

In the year 1842, in consequence of the dulness of trade, Mr. Bentley was obliged to remove his family to Honley, where for two years he was active after his customary manner in the Church. Thence the household removed to Taylor Hill, where they lived until troublous times arose for Methodism, and the class in which Mr. Bentley met was broken up. He stood firm, however, to the Society, and was subsequently again appointed a leader; an office which he sustained also after he came to reside in Huddersfield, and indeed until the time of his death. His desire to promote the work of God was great. It gave him great pain of mind when from sickness, or other cause, he was obliged to be absent from the meeting of his class, or to omit an appointment to preach. He made it a rule to attend the Monday night prayer-meeting, the Wednesday night service, and the Saturday night band-meeting when he had no pulpit engagement on the following Sunday.

Mr. Bentley was not exempt from the trials of life, and had to pass through much sorrow. About fifteen years ago, he lost by death his muchbeloved wife, after long and severe suffering. Four years had elapsed when he lost one of his daughters, and a second died about five years afterwards. These bereavements be found to be "fiery trials," but he bore them with Christian submission to the