Conference. Having spent fifty years in the service of the Connexion, as a travelling preacher, the Conference assembled at Huddersfield in 1852, celebrated his jubilee by the presentation of a number of valuable and costly books. Each volume has this dedication,-"Presented to the Rev. Thos. Waterhouse, by the Conference of the Methodist New Connexion, held at Huddersfield, May 31st, 1852, as a token of deep respect to our beloved brother, for his upright deportment and useful ministrations during a period of fifty years in our community. P. J. Wright, President." His first He was twice united in the holy estate of matrimony. wife was Miss Elizabeth Timperly, of Mossley, to whom he was betrothed at Ashton-under-Lyne, on June 4th, 1806. She is spoken of as a most amiable and devout person, and the union, though of brief duration, is known to have been highly felicitous. She died in 1807, and together with an infant son, lies buried in the place of her nativity. On May 26th, 1814, he was married at Bucknall, in the Hanley circuit, to the beloved partner of his life, the sad survivor of his decease, and whose days of mourning will not be ended until "the soul has o'ertaken its mate," to be parted no more for ever! Meanwhile, let us comfort one another, under our distressful bereavement, by the mutual exercise of that love which never faileth, and so anticipate and prepare for the family meeting in our Father's house in heaven! My beloved parent's last indisposition betrayed itself but a few days prior to his decease. Occasionally while in the Macclesfield circuit, he had complained of spasm, and some of his friends had remarked an obvious decline in his general appearance, but there were no symptoms to awaken solicitude, and the usual freedom and energy with which he went through all his labours fortified the hope that his natural force was not yet abated. His last sermon in Macclesfield was a funeral discourse, and delivered on the Sabbath evening, his son Thomas having occupied the pulpit in the morning. The text was seasonable, but oh! how personal and foreboding also! "Be ye also ready; for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of man cometh." For the space of one hour and a quarter did the veteran preacher expatiate on the uncertainty of time, the frailty of life, the unexpected coming of the Judge, and the wisdom of an immediate preparation for His appearing. My brother Thomas states that he never heard father more powerful and impressive. "I preach as though I ne'er must preach again, And as a dying man to dying men." He left home to attend the Conference at Longton, on Friday, May 13th, in apparent good health. The Rev. Wm. Baggaley, who was appointed to preach the opening sermon on the following Sabbath, requested father to commence the service, and he gave out the hymn, and engaged in prayer with much warmth of feeling and expression. On the Tuesday afterwards the President of the Conference having vacated the chair, father was called to it in his absence, and the question being asked, "What preachers have died during the past year ?" it devolved upon him in accordance with the custom of Conference, to line out the beautiful stanzas of Charles Wesley's funereal hymn : "Come, let us join our friends above, Let all the saints terrestrial sing, In earth and heaven are one." How suggestive must these sweet verses have been to the aged survivor of many who had fallen asleep, whilst memorializing the death of three other companions in tribulation, and fellow-helpers in the Gospel! Would he not number the days of the years of his own pilgrimage? and greet the general assembly and church of the firstborn? and desire to depart, and be with Christ, which is far better? Whatever might be the bias of his thoughts, it is an affecting reminiscence, that when a few days were gone, he was translated to the society of those whose flight to the better land he had himself so recently commemorated. One more public exercise, and a delightfully characteristic exercise it was, and he had finished his ministerial course, and kept the faith. It was Thursday evening, and on occasion of the ordination of several young men, as apostolic successors, and ambassadors for Christ. My father made supplication with thanksgiving, on their behalf, in the introductory prayer. The powerful pleading, the sustained fervour, the mighty prevalency of this, his crowning official act, will never be forgotten. His friends apprehended that he had injuriously spent his strength. The following night fearfully revived and increased these apprehensions. He had not long retired to rest before he was attacked with an extremely violent spasm of the chest; and though the doctor was promptly in attendance, and relief gradually obtained, such was the severity of the paroxysm that he exclaimed, "I am dying, I am dying! Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Mother tried to assure and compose him, as did also the Rev. Dr. Crofts, who, sleeping in an adjoining apartment, had instantly repaired to his bedside; but he replied, "Jesus is my refuge, I have no fear of death: oh no! my only hope is in that blood which cleanseth every stain." Fomentation and other restorative means having produced a favourable change, and the pain abating, he remarked to mother; "My dear, the Lord will spare me a little longer, and I hope to be increasingly useful. I am an unprofitable servant, and at this moment I feel the mercy of God, through the atonement of a precious Christ, to be my only resource. Blessed Gospel," he added, "that makes such provision; for whosoever believeth on Jesus shall not perish,-shall not perish-but have everlasting life." Early on Sabbath morning he said to mother, "I feel much better, I have had a refreshing sleep; I am appointed to assist in giving the sacrament this afternoon, and I intend, if possible, to go." Mother entreated him not to make the attempt, to which he replied, "It will be the last meeting of the preachers and friends at this Conference, and I should like to be there." He afterwards consented not to leave the house. On the succeeding Monday and The Rev. Messrs. Seaton, Barrows, and Hughes. Tuesday, as the business of Conference was hastening to a close, his anxiety to mingle with the brethren increased; and, to Dr. Crofts, who saw him twice each day, he said, "I mean to be with you this morning, or, I mean to be with you after dinner." He was induced to believe, however, that to deny himself the gratification of again seeing the Conference was most desirable, and he yielded without complaint, frequently saying, "The will of the Lord be done, whether by doing or by suffering." "Good when he gives, supremely good, Nor less when he denies; E'en crosses from his sovereign hand "Yes," he repeated, "are blessings in disguise." The Conference having concluded, he had an interview with the delegate from Stockport (the circuit to which he was appointed), and his medical adviser pronouncing him convalescent, he once again formally committed himself to the work, questioning Mr. Johnson (the delegate) on the peculiar requirements of the circuit, and adding, "I hope we shall see the cause of God abundantly revive." On Wednesday he returned to Macclesfield, still improving. It was yet deemed prudent to confer with the doctor, and acquaint him with father's affliction at Longton, that he might, if needful, render further aid. A long conversation was held, the doctor expressing a very favourable opinion, and recommended him, after the fatigue of travelling, to retire soon to rest. On Thursday morning he had another attack of spasm, which, though less violent, appeared to exhaust his strength. Slightly recovering he said, "The Lord is going to lay me aside as a broken vessel; well, I still say, Thy will be done." Mother inquired, "My dear, does not the Gospel you have so faithfully preached, and especially the promises of the Gospel, yield you comfort and succour now?" "Oh yes," he answered, "the Gospel, the blessed Gospel, and the ever precious atonement, are my only solace and refuge." "What is that beautiful hymn," he asked, "which has this line 66 There, there, unshaken, would I rest-" Mother recited the three last lines, ""Till this vile body dies, And then on faith's triumphant wings, At once to glory rise.' "The night cometh"-it was Thursday night, the last night of his earthly existence, and he expressed a wish to see the absent members of his family; "I should like," said he, "to see the lads." A special messenger was at once despatched to Ashton, where two of his sons reside. It was about midnight when they received the painful intelligence, and they instantly proceeded to Macclesfield. Arrived at the bed-side of our sick father, he embraced us with deepest tenderness, and we were all overwhelmed with emotion. His appearance did not impress us with the idea that the hand of death was upon him, nor that his state was really dangerous. He had rallied from the last C attack of spasm, and seemed to be suffering only from debility. His frame of mind was delightful; it was an elysium to be near him! He was calm, firm, grateful, exultant. Surveying the circle gathered about him with manifest complacency, he said, "How thankful I am to see so many good creatures around me! Yes, I wanted to see you; I feel deeply concerned for your present and eternal welfare." "I know not," he continued, "what these attacks mean; the sensation is the same I have always conceived of death; it may not be so, the doctor says I need not be alarmed." In a subsequent conversation he made unreserved declaration of the hope that was in him. "If God please to lay me aside as a broken vessel, he has a right so to do; blessed be the name of the Lord! He has brought me thus far, and he will keep me to the end. I know whom I have believed." Then addressing his daughter Susannah, he exclaimed, "What a mercy I have not religion to seek now; any moment, whenever the Lord sees fit to take me, all is well. I have built upon the rock-the Rock of Ages-safe building there!" In this composed and blissful consciousness he remained during the day, his mind kept in perfect peace, being stayed upon God. At four o'clock in the afternoon I bade him a hopeful farewell; but, alas! saw him no more until he lay cold and voiceless in the insatiate grasp of death! The appalling visitation happened at a quarter past six o'clock. It occurred with such overwhelming suddenness, that neither father himself, nor those who were with him, could have the least foretoken of it. Happy man! upon whom the last enemy may exhaust his terrors, and inflict no hurt! Blessed religion-that turns "the chamber where the good man meets his fate," into the rendezvous of angels, and the gate of heaven! Father had appeared considerably improved as the evening approached. He had exercised himself by walking to and fro in his room. He had arranged several of his papers, and examined some circuit accounts. He had often spoken of Stockport; and thinking that a week's sojourn in his native village would effectually restore his health, he had commissioned me to supply for him there on the first Sabbath; a commission which I should have fulfilled with joy unknown before, and which I received with filial gratefulness and submission. The fatal moment was impending. Sitting in his chair, with his papers still before him, mother and sister Susannah conversing with him, he suddenly upraised his hands, and in the same instant expired! There was neither utterance nor ejaculation-neither struggle nor sigh-neither darkness nor shadow of death! It was the spirit's exit, the soul's dismissal, the putting off this tabernacle, but devoid of the dying strife which is the common lot in the dark valley. And thus was mortality swallowed up of life. Full of years, and full of honours, he was gathered to his fathers in the way he desired-translated that he should not see death-taken from protracted labour to everlasting rest, from the post of duty to the recompence of reward, from the afflictions of this present time to a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. "Thanks be unto God, which giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ." His remains were interred at the Methodist New Connexion Chapel in this town; and his children, venerating the memory of such a father, have set up a marble tablet, on which is written the following memorial: "Sacred to the memory of THE REVEREND THOMAS WATERHOUSE, Who died May the 27th, 1853, in the 74th year of his age. In the early and eventful struggles of the Methodist New Connexion, And ceased not from his earthly labours until he peacefully His grateful children inscribe this memorial of an endeared ESSAYS, &c., ON THEOLOGY AND GENERAL LITERATURE. GEOLOGY, AS ILLUSTRATING THE ALL-SUFFICIENCY OF GOD. (Concluded from page 606. THE problem of the universe who can solve? The language of Gray, in reference to Milton, may be very beautiful as poetry : "He passed the flaming bounds of space and time: The living throne; the sapphire blaze, Where angels tremble while they gaze, He saw; As literal fact, however, this privilege is not permitted to those who are still in the flesh. The wisest inquirers have rather been in the position of Newton, who at the end of his researches found that he had but just dipped his foot in the ocean of truth, which still lay unexplored before him, although he had gathered some of its more beautiful shells and pebbles. We look out on the trembling glories of the starry sky,—and knowing the character of our own world, we ask, are those countless globes of light devoted to similar uses? Are they thronged with inhabitants? Are they scenes of moral accountability of joy and woe? What forms of being, what kinds of consciousness and experience are there developed, and what will be the final results? We ask, but receive no answer. The spectacle is one of impenetrable mystery as well as of glorious magnitude and magnificence. The radiance from those islands and continents of splendour flows in upon us "from age to age for ever," but it flows silently; there is no speech language, their voice is not heard: and the discoveries of astronomy, however brilliant and perfect, shed no light whatever on nor |