of condemning the non-elect because they do not believe what (according to Rutherford) never took place, namely, the death of Christ for their salvation, and he makes a pitiful attempt to escape it. He maintains that it is just because God does it, and that the non-elect are condemned for not believing that the elect are saved-' He that believeth not' the salvation of the elect shall be damned.' But thousands of them do believe the salvation of the elect. He puts God's secret intention' against His open proclamations and promises, thus attributing to Jehovah the morality of a Jesuit. • But these passages are not very frequent, and may be overlooked. The experimental portions of the book are invaluable, and the style is worth studying. It is a pity that the letters are not arranged throughout in chronological order; which would have added much to their autobiographical interest. The editor has not always exactly hit the English equivalent of Scottish words. The Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Darkness. By the Author of 'Truth and Work,' etc. London: Hodder and Stough MRS. MARGARET STEWART was born at Leith, on the 25th of December, 1797. The piety of her Methodist parents secured for her a godly, domestic training, in which a well-grounded knowledge of the truth was combined with a devout and consistent example. The lessons thus early imparted were never forgotten. A naturally thoughtful disposi tion induced a gracious susceptibility to the work of the Spirit. Her heart was opened so that she attended unto the things which were spoken.' This point was reached when she was about fifteen years of age; and, although unmarked by outward sign, was attested by the seal of the Comforter. • OBITUARY. Her father had settled in the Greenock Circuit, where she began to meet in class -a means of grace she greatly prized, her membership remaining unbroken to the last, a period of more than sixty-six years. From this time her course was clearly defined. There was no room for doubt as to either her experience or practice. Her growth in grace was evidenced by the things that accompany salvation.' Already she had acquired a reputation for decision and thoroughness in • ton.--This book, written by a lady, has no pretensions to the literary power of Hannah More or Caroline Fry, yet it is earnest and Arminian, and contains some very good and even original points-such as the remarks on Abraham's sacrifice (p. 95)-those on the l'arable of the Ten Pounds, the General Assembly,' and the Kingdom of Darkness to be withstood. We find a pathetic and sensible appeal to Law, for the protection of women, and a beautiful and true allusion to their homeinfluence; also some just strictures on Spiritualism. " The Western Pioneers; or, Memorials of the Lives and Labours of the Rev. Richard Boardman and the Rev. Joseph Pilmoor. By the Rev. J. P. Lockwood. Wesleyan Conference Office.-There is much of truly romantic interest in the story of the untiring labours of Boardman and Pilmoor, as it is faithfully recorded in the volume before us. Their zeal in the rough, hard toil of breaking fresh ground should never be forgotten, and ought to provoke very many to work in the same spirit, if not in the same manner. matters of duty. Religion was to her real and practical, shedding a lustre on the little things of daily life, and connecting all with Christ, as the First and the Last.' Even the cares and crosses with which she was early made familiar by the necessities of a lowly lot, increased the energy of her faith, and helped to develop the excellences of a Christ-like character. Her work and leisure were alike methodically arranged. She thus secured a stated season for prayer and reading, the Bible being the book of her choice. Second to the sacred oracles, in her estimation, was the Wesleyan Hymn Book. She learned every hymn in the collection-a treasure that enriched and solaced her youth. This raised the tone of a joyous spirit. Living in an atmosphere of praise, she lightened care and brightened toil by psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord.' She read extensively the works of the best authors she could find, rejecting all books that were out of harmony with the Word of God. In 1817 she was married to Mr. William Stewart, a brief Sketch of whom appeared in this Magazine for January 1865. His congenial companionship she enjoyed for nearly half a century. This union was the cause of extensive usefulness to others. They were unswerving in their maintenance of personal consecration to Christ and His cause. She found a fitting sphere for the exercise of her varied gifts in the domestic life. But an unexpected trial of her faith was at hand. The commercial activity that prevailed during the continuance of the war that convulsed Europe before the arbitrament of Waterloo, was followed by prolonged depression, seriously affecting the industrial classes. Mr. and Mrs. Stewart, after a lengthened struggle, were led to settle in Glasgow, with which their life and labours were ever afterwards associated. The difficulties and trials encountered here for many years, though often very severe, were always sanctified, quickening their energies, strengthening their faith, and enriching their experience. Mrs. Stewart especially was also led by her own acquaintance with perplexing cares and sorrows to understand and sympathize with the tribulations of others, to whom she was able to testify to displays of the Saviour's wondrous tenderness in seasons of deepest gloom. Her spirit of devout dependence was promoted by a diligent attention to private as well as public and social ordinances of religion, whereby she maintained sweet communion with Christ, the influence of which was communicated to all about her, especially to those of her own household. Her unaffected piety, together with a quick discernment, a faculty of true and loving sympathy, and a well-instructed judgment, seemed to designate her for a position of enlarged usefulness. She rather shunned than sought distinction of any kind, being emphatically a keeper at home;' yet, at the call of the Church, she accepted the office of Class Leader, though with much misgiving, and she showed her aptitude for the work. For many years she continued to exercise her peculiar gifts in this capacity with singular acceptance on the part of those over whom she watched. But she was never so happy or effective as at home. From the Rev. Valentine Ward's Earnest Address to Parents and Teachers she derived much assistance and encouragement in the management of her family, as also from his personal ministrations, and those of the other Circuit Preachers in succession. Regular in all her own concerns, she was careful to foster habits o system in her children; and at length she saw her children, and her children's children, in both hemispheres, some in the office of the Ministry, and others among the laity, serving their 'generation by the will of God.' The death of her husband was a crisis from which she suffered sorely, but meekly. As was to be expected in the case of one who had served the Lord from her youth up to the close of a lengthened pilgrimage her death was beyond description peaceful. To the last her intellect remained unimpaired. Our hymns, holding possession of memory, when things of yesterday were forgotten, ministered sweet and blessed influences; and so even when in age and feebleness extreme' she could no longer sing as in the days of her youth, she could still quote appropriate passages of Holy Writ, comforting herself for the loss of vocal power with the sentiment of the words she often repeated: 'Yes! broken, tuneless harp, O Lord, Into a seraph's song.' Such was indeed the manner of her end. The weight of over four-score years was all the burden that she bore. There was no disease to waste the weary frame, and no disturbing doubt to agitate the mind. Her faith had long stood in the power of God, and now, in the near prospect of the last conflict, she was enabled to leave her whole interests in the hands of her Redeemer. On the Sabbath preceding her death she wished to hear a portion of the Scriptures read. The fourteenth chapter of St. John's Gospel closed the exercise, every word being followed with eager attention, and she repeated the final sentence, Arise, let us go hence,' as if she heard again the voice of the Master, and understood the significance of the saying in relation to herself. On the following day she suffered much from exhaustion, but was perfectly conscious and gratefully sensible of the attentions shown to her. Preparations, with which she seemed pleased, were in progress among her great. grandchildren for the celebration of her eighty-first birthday, near at hand. Her last articulate utterances being words of benediction on her sons and daughters round about her, and on distant ones. When her birthday came her spirit stood before the throne of God and the Lamb, she having entered into life on the morning of the 10th of December, 1878. W. S. Conversion of our own children, the, 170 'The DIVINITY. See also NEW TESTAMENT; A Christmas Hymn: The Song of Law and Love: observations on Mr. Mistaken signs: a word of cheer for 51 Narrow escapes (Psalm lxxiii. 2), 379 'Perfect peace' (Isaiah xxvi. 3, 4), 761 Scriptural holiness, 492, 576 The best lot the common lot (Psalm The full consecration of Wesleyan England a hundred years ago, 845 Fiji, the great land' of: a cruise to Fijian plantations, a glimpse of, 509 France, the latter half of the eighteenth Garfield, President, 837 George Eliot,' 210 German Wesleyan Mission in London, 366 Gilead, the land of, 131, 203 Hill, Sir Rowland, 108, 223, 301 If thou bring the poor.......to thy Infectious diseases, the scientific preven- Irish Conference, Cork, 1881......690 Jobson, Frederick James, D.D, Early life, Lasaule, Amelie de, an account of, 22, Law, William, 341 Letter to the young people of the Metho- LITERARY NOTICES. See also RE- A Popular Commentary on St. John Anderson's The Coming Prince, the Baird's Rise of the Huguenots,' 714 Bell's Henry Martyn,' 239-' Choice of Bersier's Sermons,' 399 Beran's Sermons to Students and Bissell's 'The Apocrypha of the Old 'Boston Monday Lectures, for 1881, Brooke's 'Life through the Living Bruce's Humiliation of Christ in its Perth's 'Immortelles; The Goal of Life,' Pike's Heavenly World,' 160 Redford's 'Christian's Plea Against REWARD-BOOKS: 'History of Joseph;' The Jew and his Tenants;' 'The 632; |
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