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Wesleyan-Methodist Magazine:

FOR NOVEMBER, 1822.

BIOGRAPHY.

MEMOIR OF THE LATE REV. SAMUEL TAYLOR:

BY THE REV. JOHN RILES.

(Concluded from page 627.)

OF MR. TAYLOR's last sickness and death, the paper read at the time when his funeral sermon was preached, and partly drawn up by MR. SPARK, the medical Gentleman who attended him during his illness, gives a minute account. The following is an extract.

"On Sunday, February 11th, 1821, MR. T. was observed to be very unwell; but preached three times as usual, and addressed the Society after the last service. He preached in the evening, from Isa. lv. 7, with great freedom; and several of the old members of the Society were more than usually pleased with his sermon. His unwearied zeal appeared in the exertion of all his strength; for though he was very poorly, and much fatigued, he would meet the Society. To them he expressed the heartfelt pleasure which he experienced in the work of the ministry; and particularly advised any, who were not yet united to a Class, but were seeking the salvation of their souls, to apply to a Leader; or, he added, if they wished for his advice, he would meet them in the Vestry. He observed that it was his prayer, that his labour and his life might end together.' A friend, seeing him so weary, said, that he had preached too long; to which he replied, I delight to dwell upon the mercy of GOD :→ but I am very poorly." In this state of debility, he anticipated with much pleasure the Anniversary of the Sunday-School, which was to be held on the following evening, and which he attended. And though extremely unwell, he afterwards met the Missionary Committee, in the Vestry, where he was heard to say, 'I feel as if I had come out of an oven, and plunged into a well.' The following day he was much worse, and unable to go out; and continued nearly in the same state, until the ensuing LORD's-day, when extraordinary means were tried. A friend said to him, You appear

to be very ill, Sir;' he replied, 'You see me as I am; I had hoped to have been well enough to attend at Morrice-Town to-night; but I fear I shall not be able.' The Physician waited upon him, and observed, that if the pain did not abate, something more must be done; he answered, 'I am in your hands, and will submit to any thing that you may think best.' About three o'clock on the Tuesday morning, he appeared to be worse, and requested the friend who sat up with him, to put his hand to the pit of his stomach, saying, 'There is my pain ;-there is my pain; but the LORD VOL. I. Third Series. NOVEMBER, 1822. 3 Y

can save me.' His attendant observed, 'The LORD possesses all power; and no doubt, you now feel that comfort which you have been the means of communicating to others.' To this he replied, 'O yes! all is well, all is well with me:-nothing to do:-nothing to do.' About six o'clock he said, 'I feel my life going away. O! what is this which is coming upon me? The hand of the LORD is heavy upon me.' He expressed his gratitude for the attention which his friend had paid to him during the night, by saying, Thank you, my brother, thank you!""

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MR. SPARK, who had an opportunity of witnessing MR. TAYLOR'S sufferings, observes that, during the whole period of his illness, he was not once heard to complain or murmur under the afflictive This dispensation, but appeared perfectly calm and submissive. was particularly noticed by his medical attendants, who beheld with astonishment the extraordinary patience which he manifested in the A few hours before his most painful circumstances of his disorder. decease, finding his dissolution at hand, he raised his eyes, and in a tone of earnest supplication, said, LORD JESUS, have mercy upon me, and receive my spirit!' His eldest daughter, who had been unremitting in her attentions to him during his illness, soon after entered the room. He fixed his eyes upon her, and affectionately exclaimed, O my MARY, I am dying;' and in a tone of peculiar tenderness, he added, O MARY, give up your heart to God; cleave to him with your whole heart.' MRS. TAYLOR coming to his bedside soon afterwards, he seemed to be much affected; and said, with considerable emotion, 'O my dear, I am dying;—I am going;' and after a short pause, he added, 'My dear, many years ago, I commended you to GOD, and to the word of his grace; but now, I cannot say any thing; I cannot speak; I am going, most certainly. O no,' she replied, 'I hope not ;-but I trust you feel your mind comfortable.' He said, 'I have been an unprofitable servant; but my whole trust is in the merits of the REDEEMER; the LORD support you!" His strength being nearly exhausted by this last effort, he was heard to ejaculate, O LORD, cut short thy work in righteousness!' and in a short time afterwards, he entered into the rest that remaineth for the people of God, on Tuesday morning, Feb. 20th, 1821. By this awful stroke, the vineyard of GOD was deprived of one of its most industrious labourers; and his family of the fostering care of an affectionate husband, and a tender parent.

It is a truth which every good man will readily admit, that the LORD has an indisputable right to do what he will with his own. Yet his dispensations are involved in mystery, when an active and useful Minister is suddenly removed from the church. MR. T. was a man whose mind was too much affected with a sense of his high responsibility to the ALMIGHTY for the proper application of his talents, and of the duty he owed to the Methodist Society, to allow himself in idleness and self-indulgence. For though he had not

resided at Dock many months, his character was partly unfolded, in the various objects of usefulness which his plans and labours had embraced. A Friend writes as follows, from that town:

"It was generally MR. TAYLOR's custom to preach, in the forenoon on the LORD's day, from a part of the First Lesson; and many persons have expressed themselves as being particularly edified and instructed by these discourses. His unwearied zeal was conspicuous in the attention he always paid to the rising generation; particularly in establishing Sunday-Schools, and watching over the interests of those which he found in operation. With some considerable pains and difficulty he formed a Benevolent Society, for relieving the Sick Poor of all denominations. I had the pleasure of witnessing his extreme care and solicitude about this excellent Institution; and he had the unspeakable satisfaction of seeing his exertions crowned with success. He equally interested himself in the prosperity of Bible Societies, Missionary Societies, and Tract Societies. Every thing which had a tendency to diffuse knowledge, and promote the REDEEMER'S interest among men, came within the range of his zeal; and he thought no exertions too severe, nor any sacrifice too great, to be instrumental in promoting these great objects. While at Dock, on various occasions, he preached four times on a Sunday: and had his valuable life been spared, there was every probability of his being made remarkably useful. His amiable and peaceable disposition had greatly endeared him to the Society, and to a number of respectable persons of different denominations."

From the foregoing observations, it will be easy to judge of the prominent features in the Character of this man of God; whose christian temper, and simplicity of manners, conciliated the warm approbation of all who had an intimate acquaintance with him. The Preachers with whom he travelled, always formed a high opinion of his moral worth, as a man, a friend, and a useful Minister of the Church of God. A respectable Brother, who is well able to appreciate MR. TAYLOR's excellencies, and who had known him before he became a Travelling-Preacher, and lived in habits of intimacy with him during the subsequent part of his life, says, in a letter, "On the character of my dear Friend, MR. S. T., I could write largely ; for I knew him well, and esteemed him highly. In the year 1790, he commenced his itinerancy; and he discovered, at that time, an ardent thirst for that kind of information in theology and in general knowledge, which is conducive, under the influence of pious feeling, to the usefulness of a Preacher of the Gospel; and a strong desire to fill up the office of a Christian Minister to the glory of GoD, the good of the people, and the peace of his own mind,

"I do not admire panegyric: yet there were certain traits in the character of my Friend, which I cannot overlook, and which ought to be recorded for the benefit of others. Integrity and uprightness appeared to me invariably to mark his conduct. Never did I, on any occasion, perceive any thing that savoured of duplicity. He was habitually diligent, on christian principles :-diligent in the improvement of his mind, by reading, meditation, and other private duties; and diligent in the whole of his

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