occasion, those memorable words for his text, "Where is He that is born King of the Jews?" Mr. D. told me there was such a burst of light, love, and joy in his soul that chased all his fears away. He said he never knew anything the preacher said, but the words, "Where is He that is born King of the Jews?" continued with him wherever he went; and it was like heaven upon earth to him.

After this sweet deliverance he was soon baptised, and joined the church at Kedington; he was soon called to use the office of deacon, and by using the office well he purchased to himself a good degree, and great boldness in the faith.

Let us now come to

HIS ILLNESS.-Early in the present year he discovered a shortness of breath; it was soon evident something was materially the matter. He sought the advice and help of doctors, both in town and country; but he gradually grew worse and worse. This was perceptible all the time we were worshipping at Haverhill, while the chapel was rebuilt. After we returned home again, and took possession of our present comfortable little sanctuary, he told me that he never enjoyed the Lord's presence as he had done since we had been using the present chapel ; but his time was short, and his pleasure was not without some interruption, for previous to the last Lord's-day that ever he attended the house of God, he told me he was tempted to doubt everything as to his own personal salvation; also, as to whether I preached the truth. In this state of mind he came to chapel for the last time, and continued so until the afternoon when I read for my text, Isaiah xxi. 10. To use his own words, he said he had such a doing that put all things right with himself and me; he had no more doubts as to whether I preached the truth or he believed it. Every day he grew worse and worse, until the night of the 19th of November, when they thought he was dying, and about four o'clock in the morning I was sent for, as they thought, to see the last of him, but when I got there he was revived. I continued with him all Monday, the 20th, and Monday night; and never shall I forget that night-his sufferings were beyond all description. I thought once during the night he had been dead, but he recovered. I continued with him all Tuesday, the 21st, and left him for a time to get a little sleep, but I had only been in bed about one hour before I was called up again, as they thought he must be dead before the morning; but when I got there he was revived again, and appeared to be better until the morning of the 22nd, when he thought he was sure he was dying. He then expressed a wish to see all his children. They were all handed to him one by one; he kissed, and shook hands with them, and, as he thought, bade them a final good-bye. This appeared too much for his ever-loving and anxious wife. Upon her making a start to leave the room he caught hold of her hand, saying, "Let nothing part you and I but death." After he had taken his farewell of his wife and children he addressed himself to me, exclaiming, "O, the Rock! I commend Him to you, and hope the Holy Spirit will help you to make the best use of Him in your ministry." He said, "Set up a standard, and abide by it; if the Holy Spirit shall bring sinners to bow to it good will be done; but do not set up one of your own making." I said, "Then I am to use a ready-made one." He said, "That is it." He said further, "You and I have spent many a happy day together,

but when we get to heaven we shall have a long as well as a happy day." Leaning his head on my breast he continued to say, "As a dying man I can bear my testimony to the truthfulness and usefulness of your ministry. I do not wish to flatter you; it may be some encouragement for you, and you will want it."

you out.

After he concluded his address to me he addressed Mr. Garrard, who has been a very intimate friend of our brother's for many years. The glance of his eye, the power of his voice, will not soon be forgotten. I think I can still hear him say, "Friend Garrard, may the Lord bring There are many good things in you, and if the Lord were to bring you out you might be of great use to that cause." He continued to say, "Garrard, behave well to your minister; treat him kindly as long as he preaches the truth; and when he does not get rid of him.” Thinking I might think he was harsh with me he said to me, "I hope you take what I say aright." I said, "Yes; I take it just as you mean it." After this he addressed his three nephews that were standing in front of him; and the manner in which he addressed them was truly melting. After a few more words to some others present he leaned his head back, and appeared to be dying; but he recovered and said, "I thought I had been going, but I am mistaken." Sitting a few minutes he shot out his hand to me and said, "Good bye, brother; I am now going." It appeared to all of us to be true; we expected in a few minutes to have closed his eyes; but to our astonishment he again recovered, and said, "I thought I had been going, but I am again mistaken; I felt glad that I was so near heaven-I should loved to have gone; but as I am stepped back again I do not know how long I shall stop with you." Truly he did not know, for he had to wait from the 22nd of November until December the 6th; about half-past ten in the evening he breathed his last. Between the 22nd of November and the 6th of December he had many a severe conflict. He said on one occasion, "O, the suggestions! I know they are all lies; but I cannot withstand them." At another time he said, "O, my brother, this is contradicting all the Lord's former goodness to me.' At other times he would say, "All's right." In one of his sharpest conflicts I said to him, "Do you feel yourself safe?" The reply was, "No question about that. It was his mercy before he was called to die to be freed from every thing that is earthly. On the Monday before he died his brother asked him whether he had got any temporal things to settle. He at once exclaimed, “I have done with the world." Although he loved his wife and children yet he could say, "You are nothing to me now."

There was great respect shown to him at his funeral. People came from all the villages and towns around, to pay the last tribute of respect to departed worth; and on Sunday the same respect was shown, for never have I seen such a crowd as there was on Sunday. The people seemed determined to force their way into the chapel on the solemn occasion. I read for my text the first clause of the fourth verse, 32nd chapter of Deuteronomy, "He is a rock; and His work is perfect." Kedington, December 19th, 1865.

THOMAS MURKIN.

THE OTHER BROTHER GONE.

WE well remember the first time we preached in the old chapel at Kedington, feeling much drawn out in soul for the salvation of a good,

E

That man proved Dillistone, whose These two brothers

hearty, and earnest-looking man who sat before us. to be Mr. Sargeant Dillistone, the brother of John death we have so recently and so keenly lamented. were nurserymen; and both of them within a few weeks have been removed from those rural scenes where for so many years they laboured so industriously.

The following note from the son of the last deceased Mr. Dillistone, opens a little of the solemn scenes of

A DEATH-BED CONFLICT.

"Yes

DEAR BROTHER BANKS,—Our beloved father did not long survive his dear departed brother. After suffering indescribable pains for some days, he expired at a quarter before five o'clock this morning. He was in deep distress of mind for a length of time. About nine o'clock yesterday morning our dear mother asked him how he felt respecting his future state? 66 Oh," he said, "I must be lost." He was now evidently sinking very fast, and we feared he would become unconscious without giving to his weeping family a hope of his peace with God. Earnestly did he wrestle in prayer, pleading for a Saviour's righteousness, until he became so exhausted that he could only gasp out broken sentences. About midday yesterday I asked him again; I said, “Are you happy, now, dear father?" His only answer was, "I WANT CHRIST." Soon after, I said, "Father, dear, do you love Jesus?" he said, I think I do ;" and a few minutes after he seemed a little freed from pain, and appeared to sleep. I saw his lips moving, and got as near to him as I could, and heard him whisper, "My beloved Jesus." Shortly after our dear mother again asked him, "Are you happy, now, dear?" He said, "Yes-O yes." After this he seemed in darkness, but he could not say more, his agony being so great. He soon after three o'clock, p.m., became quite senseless to all except his great sufferings, and so remained until his spirit took its eternal flight, and we do hope (and we thank God that we have this consoling hope) to meet that Saviour's welcome which he so earnestly craved, and to join with that dear brother he so much loved on earth in an eternal song, and who had only gone before him five weeks.

When you again visit the Sturmer and Woodland Nurseries, although you meet not those who have so many times bade you welcome you will, we trust (and many times), meet their widows and children, from whom you will ever receive the same hearty welcome and esteem. -I remain, dear Mr. Banks, yours most truly,

JOSIAH DILLISTONE.

Sturmer and Woodlands Nurseries, January 9th, 1866.

[These bereavements have been bitter to us; but in this dying world we must expect to be sundered from all whom we have loved. "There is a nobler rest above."]

As the moth hovers round the candle till it is burnt, so we often dally with temptations till we fall by them.

Believer, art thou distressed in mind? Fear not, thou art possessed by Christ, who hath bought thee at too dear a rate to lose thee.

The Testimony of Francis Lowther.

MINISTER OF THE BAPTIST CHURCH AT BARROW-IN-FURNESS.

CHAPTER I.

DEAR MR. EDITOR,-Agreeably to your request when you were with the Lord's people at Barrow, I have put a few thoughts together, as far as I can recollect,.of the Lord's mercy to me. I remember when I was walking the broad road that leads to everlasting destruction, and when I delighted to walk with the wicked multitude to do evil, at this time I had a pleasure in rolling sin under my tongue as a sweet morsel. Although since then I have found that whatever pleasure I have had in sin, it always left an aching void behind it, something that did not satisfy. I was fond of the ball-room and the card-table; these things I had a delight in when I was engaged in them, but in my leisure moments when I was led to look upon the wickedness, emptiness, and hollowness of such practices, I often said in my own mind, "How foolish I must be." These thoughts were not the prevailing thoughts of my mind, for they would no sooner come than they would fly away again, and I am sure I have been led to find the truth of God's word where it says, “The carnal mind is enmity against God; it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." But even in this state I made some good resolutions had they been carried into effect; but how could I carry them out? They only emanated from a carnal creature, without either will or strength to do a good act. A man dead in trespasses and in sins must consequently be dead to everything that is spiritually good. In my natural state I was like all Arminians; I believed I had a will to do and perform good acts, and also to refuse doing evil. I believe the world is full of good resolutions; but they never will produce a good effect, inasmuch as they only spring from the creature, and that which is born of the flesh is flesh, and all the works of the flesh are only sin. (Gal. v. 19-21.) I was not only a free-willer, but a real Atheist concerning the belief of the new birth, and have opposed many when they would say, "Ye must be born again before ye can enter heaven." I have told them that such could never be the case, and that I never would believe any one that said they knew they were born again. Such was my dreadful state by nature,

CHAPTER II.

COME to another epoch of my history. I was always very fond of reading, but more especially novels, tales, and the lives of eminent men, such as Sir William Wallace and Bruce, and sometimes I would read God's most holy Word, but I was not so fond of it, it sometimes made me miserable. I recollect one summer I determined to read the New Testament from the beginning to the end; accordingly I commenced, but not with the intention of searching after truth, but I merely thought the more chapters I read the sooner I would finish my task. All went on

right to my fancy until I came to the Epistle of James (chap. ii. 19), "Thou believest that there is one God, thou doest well; the devils also believe and tremble." When I read these solemn words I was brought to a stand, and felt myself to be filled with horror, amazement, and con

fusion. Under this plight I was led to look upon myself as being with the devil, that I was no better than he, who was a liar from the beginning; I looked at the dreadful position he is placed in, yet he has a belief, and knows there is a God to punish him for his disobedience for ever and ever. But his belief brings no peace, no deliverance, no comfort; yea, but adds to his misery. Being thus led to look upon the dreadful position that Satan is placed in, I was then brought to the conclusion that I was no better, and that I was in precisely the same position; for I believed there was a God, but not a God of mercy for me, but a God of wrath, and that I would sooner or later prove him to be such. Thus I had a natural belief which only in those seasons of trouble and anxiety enslaves the mind. But the faith which is of the operation of the Spirit leads us to hold communion and sweet fellowship with God. Strange to say, after all this anxiety, horror, and amazement it all passed away, and could walk at liberty in sin once more; but now and then some dreadful thoughts would rush through my mind, and then I would come to the conclusion in my own mind that one day I would become religious, but inasmuch as I was only a young man it was quite soon enough for me to change my course, for being built up in the powers of free-will I thought I could become holy just when it pleased myself. My occupation at this time giving me an opportunity of following the ways of sin and the course of wickedness more than ever, I have often thought since that it led me to indulge in wickedness more perhaps than I would have done, on account of my companions all following the same course as myself. Thus if the dear Lord is kind to us in a providential way whilst we are in a natural state, it is often used by us to help us to abound more and more in sin. But the time came when a number of men must be discharged or their wages reduced, in consequence of a failure in the funds, and I was selected as one that must either be discharged or suffer the pecuniary loss of my wages being reduced. my pride compelled me to choose the former, consequently I was discharged, and thus I was thrown out of employment for a considerable time, which was the cause of separating me from all my former companions. merely mention this dispensation of Providence towards me to show how the dear Lord works, for His thoughts are not our thoughts, neither our ways His ways.

(To be continued.)

I

Light and Darkness in One Land at the Same Time.

BY E. J. SILVERTON, OF TRINITY CHAPEL, BOROUGH, LONDON.

OLD Egypt was the land in which darkness and light was seen both at the same time. There had been a spiritual light and darknesss in that land for many years, but now the light and darkness is of a different kind. The darkness sent on the Egyptians for three days was a confirmation of the spiritual darkness in which they had lived for so many years, and all the children of Israel having light in their dwellings was a confirmation that God would be their everlasting light, and that their