easier, happier, life was, perhaps, never granted unto man, than has been given to that living monument of calmness and confidence, Philip Dickerson, whose jubilee we hope to notice next month.

ASHILL, NEAR UFFCULNE, DEVON.—Mr. Venn, the deacon of the new strict Baptist Church, at Ashill, writes us word that the poor persecuted people under the pastorate of Mr. Thomas Jones, are trying to present him with a testimonial on Old Christmas-day. This ministerial brother (Jones) well known to Z. Turner, of Exeter, has been the subject of hot persecutions, and long trials. He has stood as a furnace to maintain the truth of the Gospel. His case, and the Church in Ashill, deserve the charitable aid of all truly Godly people. We plead earnestly

for them.

SUTTON, ISLE OF ELY.-A solemn Fast day on account of the Cattle Plague, was held

on Wednesday, December 20th. Services in each of the places of worship, Church of England, Wesleyan and Baptist; in the latter most excellent congregations three times in the day. All houses were closed, even the public houses, so strict and so heartily did all classes observe this day. Never was such a solemn feeling in the whole parish. God grant us our manifold petitions. The following hymn was sung in each service

Almighty God, we now appear,

Within thy courts, this solemn day,
To pour our sorrows in thy ear,

And with one heart and voice to pray.
Hear, gracious God, the Village cry,
Preserve out Cattle, for they die.
We would with contrite hearts confess,
That we deserve thy chastening rod,
Our crimes, and sins, are numberless,
But thou a just and holy God.
Hear, gracious God, the Village cry,
Preserve our Cattle, for they die.
This dire disease-this Cattle pest,
Which fills with sorrow all our land,
Proves to us all, that man, at best

Can nothing do, to stay thy hand.
Hear, gracious God, the Village cry,
Preserve our Cattle, for they die.
Oh Lord! let not thy anger burn,

Consume us not before thy face,
But, help us, from our sins to turn,
And then reveal forgiving grace.
Hear, gracious God, the Village cry,
Preserve our Cattle, for they die.
The Angel, with the sword of death,

Cuts down, with thy command, O Lord,
But we, this day, with praying breath,

Beseech thy countermanding word.
Hear, gracious God, the Village cry,
Preserve our Cattle, for they die.
Bless all these sorrows, for the good
Of each immortal, precious soul,
Lead them to flee, to Jesu's blood,

The balm, that makes the wounded whole.
Hear, gracious God, the Village cry,
Preserve our Cattle, for they die.

R. G. EDWARDS, Baptist Minister.

Our Obituary.

MR. JOHN FREEMAN.

MR. JOHN FREEMAN, of Cheltenham, was called home to his rest in November, 1865, aged fifty-one. We knew him, and laboured for him, when pastor over a little church near Redditch, in Warwickshire. After that he was settled at Cheltenham for some thirteen years, and after long and painful affliction his Lord and Master called him home. A pure and strong-minded man of God; a pastor, faithful and firm, was John Freeman; and many are left behind, beside a sorrowing widow and family, who deeply lament his loss. Mr. John Freeman was an industrious writer, a hard thinker, a choice preacher, a sound theologian, a steady witness for Christ. At a comparatively early age, as regards his constitution, he was worn out; although in his mental powers, in his spiritual vision, and in his earnest affection to the best of all We causes, he was as vigorous as ever. hope, in a future number, to erect a literary and ministerial monument to his memory.

[FROM ANOTHER CORRESPONDENT.]

Ir is my painful duty to inform you of the death of Mr. John Freeman, the pastor of the Baptist church meeting at Bethel chapel, Cheltenham; the successor to Mr. J. Bloomfield, of Meards court. He has been for this last three months, a great sufferer from internal complaints, and on Tuesday, November 28th, he fell asleep in Jesus. He was frequently visited by the friends, and he expressed a peaceful reliance upon a covenant God, and trustful confidence that he was a sinner saved by grace. The Sunday following, was a solemn day with the church, and the supply for the day, (Mr. Frank Griffin, of Reading,) seemed deeply to feel the solemnity of the occasion. On Monday we met together to consign our dear brother's remains to the grave. The service was conducted by deacon Cowley, and an impressive address delivered over the grave by brother F. Griffin. A large number of people were assembled in the chapel and grave yard. On Sunday December the 10th, Mr. F. Griffin preached the funeral sermon from the words chosen by the departed, 1 Timothy i. 15. "This is a faithful saying," &c. The youth of the preacher, and solemnity of the occasion, attached a large audience, so that the large chapel was packed with anxious hearers. The preacher dwelt at great length upon the precious and faithful saying, and closed by shewing that our departed brother Freeman was during his life a living illustration of these words, and in his death proved the faithfulness of them. sermon was listened to with deep and solemn attention; and we have reason to believe, that the Lord was in very truth working in our midst. Mr. Freeman was first among the Primitive Methodists, but hav

The

ing been brought into the ways of God more perfectly, left them, and came amongst the Strict Baptists. He was a great student of the Word, and a sound and experimental preacher. We could say much regarding our dear brother and pastor, but forbear to Occupy your space. Suffice to say that he lived the Gospel, and died to enjoy it more fully. He was pastor of the church thirteen years.

[A few months since, Mr. Freeman favoured us with some of his original poetry, for the VESSEL. This month we give the following; and in our next we shall give another piece.]

JESUS ONLY.

"Jesus only," Matt. xviii. 8.
Jesus only on the mountain,
Law and prophets meet in Him;
Jesus only is the fountain,

Where life's healing waters stream!
Jesus only purifies Jerusalem.

Jesus only, in the garden,
Sweating blood at every pore;
Jesus only felt the burden,

In that soul destroying hour.

Jesus only could such agony endure.

Jesus only was extended

On the sin-empoisoned tree :

Jesus only condescended,
For the guilty sin to be.

Jesus only wrought salvation full and free.

Jesus only vanquished devils;

Bruised the horrid serpent's head;

Jesus only bore our evils,

Suffered vengeance in our stead.

Jesus only, for us full atonement made.

Jesus only hath extracted,

Torn away the sting of death.

Jesus only hath distracted

All the schemes of earth beneath. Jesus only rose to wear the victor's wreath!

Jesus only intercedeth

For His purchased property;

Jesus only ever pleadeth

For our perfect liberty:

Jesus only giveth us the victory.

Jesus only represents us,
Seated at the Father's side;
Jesus only will present us
Faultless, guiltless, purified:

Jesus only sanctifies His chosen bride

APPLICATION.

Jesus only, I adore Thee!

In Thy finished work confide; Jesus only, I implore Thee,

Keep me near Thy bleeding side. Jesus only is the rock in which I hide. Cheltenham. JOHN FREEMAN. March 29, 1865.

WITH the departure of old 1865, we found many Christian friends had departed also. This 1866 will see the removal of many more; but whose race is herein to be finished is at present known only to the Lord.

MR. JOHN DILLISTONE

of Woodland Green; one of the firm of the Messrs. Dillostones, of the beautiful "Sturmer Nurseries;" and a deacon, and real friend of the Baptist Church at Kedington, (near Haverhill), has been called home; almost in the prime of life; and at a time when, in his family, in his business, and in the Church, his continuance here, would have been a most desirable blessing. But on the evening of December 6th, 1865, the ransomed soul of our faithful friend and Christian brother, John Dillistone, left this world of changes, of crosses, of sorrows, and of woe. To his devoted and affectionate widow, to his tender and beloved children, to his afflicted brother, to his honoured pastor and people, this will be a loss which nothing in this world can ever repair.

We knew him well for more than fifteen years; and ever found him to be a soundhearted, and upright man of God; a man of choice experience, of clear discernment, of extensive knowledge, and of honest action in all things relating to the Church, and to the world. We shall not here write his memoir; that should be done by some one more qualified than ourselves; but, as an announcement of his death, we give the following from his brother, Mr. Sargeant Dillistone, of Sturmer. He says,

I

DEAR FRIEND BANKS, I drop a line to say my dear, my only brother (and co-partner with me) is gone home. He died last night, twenty minutes past eleven, full of ecstasy and delight, I have myself been dangerously ill, and went through six operations; and now feel ill and weak, and this loss to me seems to drive me beside myself. don't fret nor repine for the departed, because I know that the loss to us is his eternal gain; but oh! the family of seven, with a most disconsolate widow, weakens my feelings, so that I can hardly bear it. My doctor has told me not to visit him as it would injure me; but I ventured twice to go, and what he passed through the time I was with him no tongue can As soon as he recognised me, he hugged, and wept over me, like a child, and said he wanted to be gone; he talked quite distinct and plain, and I left him comfortable, The last time I saw him he was delighted to see me and my wife standing by his side. After looking at us and other friends, he broke out quite loud, and threw up his hands in joy, saying, "Sing! sing! sing! I say all of you!" My wife said, "What shall we sing ?" He turned to her, and said quite loud, "Weary of earth, myself, and sin," here he stopped, and my wife said the next line, "Dear Jesus, set me free," &c. He broke out again "He is the object." I

tell.

said. "The only object." My dear brother said, "If I die in the dark, as regards his beloved presence, I am safe; my foot is on the Rock of Ages." I enquired through his wife if there was anything in temporal matters he wished me to do? He said, "No! it is all done! I only want to be gone." Yesterday he quite rallied; and sent to me to ask my approval of having two or three doctors to consult as he said there was nothing impossible with God. Of course I sanctioned this idea; and they met, and afterwards one of them called upon me and said, "There is a chance, if he can go through a course of mercury, he may recover partially, but never to be himself again." This was about half-past twelve, a.m., yesterday and he seemed quite composed for a time, after taking the medicine, but at half-past eleven his delighted soul left the clay tabernacle, to a higher and more exalted state, which he so continually prayed for, and repeated his favourite hymn, "/ ༔ ༔

And sing with joy and sweet surprise,
His loving-kindness in the skies.

I am, dear Mr. Banks, yours very truly,
S. DILLISTONE.

THE LATE MR. DAVID IRISH. AT Whittlesea, in Cambridgeshire, lives and labours one of the most holy, and perhaps, one of the most happy and peaceful ministers in that county, named DAVID ASHBY. From almost the commencement of his ministry, he has enjoyed the confidence of his people; and the sanction and smile of his LORD. The minister of Rushden Church, CHARLES DRAWBRIDGE, was DAVID ASHBY'S first pastor; and from the teachings of that able preacher, David drank in streams of spiritual knowledge; and the Church at Whittlesea, during DAVID ASHBY's pastorate, have often expressed, most emphatically and practically, the high esteem and deep affection, in which they hold the teacher God has given them. Kindly and courteous; devout, faithful, and studious, David has succeeded well. We wish him many years of onward prosperity, proving still more and more, that, however trying the first few years of his desires for the ministry might have been, having once been fully "put into" it by JESUS CHRIST himself, the reward and the realization of the promise, have been rich and continuous. Last month, "David the younger," inserted in the pages of one of our oldest monthlies, a little account of the death of that good Christian minister, "David Irish, of Warboys," as people were wont to call him, when we travelled the Eastern counties. We shall not quote all "young David's" words; because to publish those sentences of a dying man, which are calculated to stab and wound the reputation of a living man, appears to us, so un-gospel-like, that it really grieves us to see them in print. How awfully strange have the events of

the last few months appeared to us! If some pestilential plague had broken out, the efforts to warn men of its danger could not have been more strenuous. "The Cattle Plague" has been a fearful scourge; but, "The Rahab Plague" has been, in Christian circles, very perilous indeed; and where, and when, its dire results will end we cannot tell. But enough, let us hear a few things "David the younger" says of David the departed. He says,

Our esteemed and honoured brother, Mr. D. Irish, of Ramsey, died on Friday morning, October 20th, in the 68th year of his age. He had been for three months laid aside from his work of preaching by a disease of the heart, and his frame, which had been remarkably strong and healthy, was soon reduced to weakness by this (to him) painless disease,

It seemed to be the feeling of our brother when I visited him just a week before his death, that he should not so soon be called to his rest, although he expressed with much delight his willingness to go when his Father should think well to say, "Child, thy Father calls-come home." He conversed cheerfully upon the state of his mind, and expressed his firm and only hope of heaven, upon that precious Christ he had so long tried to preach, and who was, indeed, so precious to his heart then. "Brother David," he said, "read something about my precious Christ, and pray with me." I read a few verses from John xiv. and prayed with him. As I was leaving him, he said, "Oh, my brother, sing A Day's March Nearer Home."" I left him, to see him no more on earth,

All that knew our brother, knew him as a man possessing a loving and liberal spirit, while the truths of the Gospel he believed were held firmly and preached faithfully, and the denomination with which in early life he was associated was abode by with an undeviating attachment.

His mortal remains were conveyed on Tuesday, October 24th, to Warboys, where he had laboured for some twenty-six years, and where God had given him to see great good accomplished by his ministry. The funeral service was conducted by Mr. G. Murrell, of St. Neots, and the writer. Many of those who had received the word of consolation and life from the ministry of our brother, were gathered round his grave, and gave evident signs of their deep Christian love to him whose counsel and prayers they had long been favoured with. Our brother had been the pastor of the church at Salem Chapel, Ramsey, about nine years, and was highly esteemed and loved by his friends there, who are now looking to the Lord to send them another under shepherd to feed them with the Bread of Life; and the earnest wish that the Lord may grant them their desire, is the prayer of him whom their late beloved minister used to call

"DAVID THE YOUNGER."

MINSTER, in the Isle of Sheppy, has a nice little Baptist chapel; and a few people who cleave to the old-fashioned Gospel of Christ. After an anniversary sermon there one year, an elderly lady said to me, "There are three things the Lord's people sometimes speak of, I never knew. They speak of Christ revealed in them; so that they know Him, and love Him; they speak of His precious blood being applied to the conscience, so that they have a knowledge of sins forgiven; and of peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ; and they speak of the promise being applied by the Holy Spirit, whereby they have been sealed unto the day of redemption. These things, (said the speaker.) I never knew; and therefore fear I am not a child of God." I said, "Do you feel the need of these things? Do you desire them ?" She said, "I do indeed." I never forgot that little conversation, I often think of those three things. Some time since, Miss Anne Bishop sent me an account of her death; in which she says:

"I have made bold to write to tell you of the death of one of our number. You remember that the gude wife where you lodged had a wooden leg. She has been a sufferer more than a year from some internal disease, which the doctors could not manage. On Sunday, she was at chapel; on Monday and Tuesday she was as well as usual, and even expressed a hope that she should be better. But on Wednesday morning about two o'clock, she awoke Mr. Hughes; he asked her if she was worse; she said, "No! only she felt very strange all over.". He fetched her some brandy and water. I cannot hear she said anything to him; but finding her speechless, he called some neighbours, who could do no more than stand and see her die: which she did about nine o'clock the same morning. Mr. Martin, of Chatham, noticed her death, from Philippians iii. 10; she had told him she derived much pleasure and profit from that text some years ago."

MR. SAMUEL COPSEY,

December 16th, 1865, aged 87 years, Mr. Samuel Copsey, for many years a member of the first Baptist Church, Glemsford, and the oldest Baptist in the village. He would often refer to the time when, with a brother, they used to secrete themselves in a ditch on the Sabbath day to pray to the Lord to send a minister into the village to preach the blessed Gospel. He lived to see two strict Baptist Churches formed in Glemsford, which often caused his heart to rejoice. He was one of the number that was formed into church fellowship at Providence Chapel, Dec. 13th, 1859. The Church in the space of a few hours have lost two praying members, but they have joined the Church Triumphant, to sing the never ceasing song to Him that washed them in His blood, to whom be glory and praise for ever and ever. Amen.

MR. HAY AND MR. GARDNER. We have received with much mingled feeling, the following note: -"Cave Adullam Old-road, Stepney,-On Thursday, November 30th, Mr. Thomas Hay fell asleep in Jesus in the 83rd year of his age. He bore the office of deacon for several years, but being paralyzed had ceased to act for some time. He was interred by his pastor at Bow cemetery on the Thursday following, and on the following Lord's day his departure was improved from Psalm exvi. 15, to a numerous and attentive congregation.

On the 14th inst. another deacon, Mr. Gardner, aged 85, was called to his rest, having been upwards of forty years with the church in the Cave. "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord."

J. WEBSTER, pastor.

THE LATE MR. HILLMAN, OF
GUILDFORD.

"OCTOBER 10th," says Mr. Slim, we committed to the silent tomb, the earthly remains of our brother and fellow-labourer, Mr. Hillman, twelve years minister of the old Baptist chapel, Guildford. He had been for a long time afflicted, and at length was confined entirely to his chamber with dropsy and other painful disorders, which he bore with cheerfulness and calm resignation, having his mind sweetly stayed on Jehovah, the Rock of his salvation; and at length, having "fought the good fight, finished his course and kept the faith," he entered into rest in the 66th year of his age. We understand Mr. Rowland, of Clapham, is likely to succed Mr. Hillman.

MR. JAMES ALLEN.

AT Glemsford, Dec. 15th, 1865, after a short illness, aged 67 years, Mr. James Allen, builder. The deceased was for many years a deacon of the first Baptist Church, Glemsford, but removed his membership to the church worshipping at Providence chapel, Glemsford, in September, 1864. He was a lover of the Truth and a constant attendant on the means of grace.

NORWICH.-(An exact copy of John Corbitt's resignation of Orford-hill Chapel, Norwich, delivered Dec. 3, 1865.)—"MY DEARLY BELOVED BROTHERS AND SISTERS, After being for a long time troubled in my mind, and after earnest prayer and anxious watchings over things connected with this Church, and not being able satisfactorily to improve them, I have come to the conclusion of resigning my pastorate over you, by giving you three months notice from this day, December 3rd, 1865. And from this time and till then, I reserve to myself the privilege of taking any invitation that I may have, by giving you a week's notice to enable you to engage a suitable supply,