WESLEYAN-METHODIST MAGAZINE. MARCH, 1854. BIOGRAPHY. MEMOIR OF MR. ISAAC DAY, OF SOUTHWARK. "Wealthy sons of earth bequeath Gems with heaven's immortal glow." THAT "the memory of the just is blessed," is the declaration of an inspired writer; and the truth is acknowledged by the memory which loves to linger on the lives of "them who through faith and patience inherit the promises." Mr. Day left scarcely any records of his religious experience; the whole of his journals (with the exception of a fragment extending over a part of the year 1801) having been destroyed. This is the more to be deplored in the present instance, as, from the prominent and influential position which he occupied for many years, a lengthened account may have been expected. He was born December 15th, 1772, in Castle-lane, Southwark, where his ancestors had resided for several generations. Of his childhood little can now be said. He was, doubtless, favoured with very early religious training; his father, a gentleman of superior mind, and high religious principle, having been connected with the earliest Wesleyan Methodists of Southwark, and having remained till the time of his death, at an advanced age, a cosistent member. Mr. Day, sen., was favoured, too, with the personal friendship of the venerable Wesley, and of many of his coadjutors, who constantly visited at his house. The subject of the present sketch frequently mentioned with pleasure the honoured names of Olivers, Pawson, and others, whom he had thus known in the dawn of life. When very young, he had the affliction to lose his mother; but her place was supplied by one who, as estimated from her writings, must have been a lady of superior attainments. His first convictions of sin were produced, about his eighteenth year, by the reading of the Litany in St. Saviour's church; and, to the close of his long life, he ever retained a strong attachment to that inimitable composition. It does not appear, however, that he became fully decided till the year 1799, when he joined the Methodists at Crosby-row, and was admitted as a candidate for membership by the VOL. X.-FOURTH SERIES. late Rev. James Wood. About three months afterwards, he found peace with God; the account of which shall be given in his own words. On Easter Day, 1801, he writes :-"Is the end of Christ's resurrection answered in me? Am I rising from a death of sin to a life of righteousness? I desire to be thankful, I can answer these questions in the affirmative. I feel, and have felt, those marks which characterize a seeker of salvation: a conviction of sin,—such a conviction as hath created in me sorrow for my sin; a regret that so much of my life has been spent to no reasonable purpose. What effect has this had upon me? It has constrained me to cease to do evil, and to learn to do well. It has led me to my God for pardon, and I am enabled to believe He has forgiven me. My convictions produced within me a heartfelt sorrow for the past. I was enabled to forsake my pleasurable and profitable sins. I was encouraged to believe, and I found peace. This blessing I received about the first Sunday in the year 1800. For many weeks my mind had been much distressed on the subject of justifying faith; and I had been looking at others, and comparing myself with them. But now, while reading 1 Cor. ii., when I came to these words, That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God,' I was clearly convinced of my sin in seeking relief anywhere but in God. I was enabled to believe, with saving faith; and my burden was removed. Soon after, Satan suggested to me that I had not the love of God, nor knew I what it was. My mind was distressed, till one day, as I was walking along the street, these words were applied,- Hereby shall we know that we love Him, if we keep His commandments.' Satan has since endeavoured to shake my peace by creating doubts of the reality of my change; and he certainly would prevail, if I did not feel a keen sensibility of conscience, which is preventing me and following me continually. He takes advantage of the view I have of my corruptions, and suggests that, if a real change had taken place, I should not feel in the manner I do. But the experience of others, and [the general teachings of] the word of God, refute his suggestions. Lord, teach me wisdom. Impart unto me strength. me to go forward. 'He wills that I should holy be; That holiness I long to feel.' ་ Enable Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.'" Having found peace through the merits of a crucified Saviour, Mr. Day evinced the sincerity of his profession by engaging in the activities of a Christian life. His first efforts appear to have been put forth in connexion with the Strangers' Friend Society; for, we find from his journal, he was engaged as a Visiter for that institution at the commencement of 1801: but, being extremely sensitive, he was to a certain extent disabled for this work of exploring the abodes of poverty and wretchedness, though ever anxious to relieve the cases that came within his reach. By this excess of sympathy, some even of his earliest friends were occasionally deprived in sickness of the consolation which his society, counsels, and prayers might have afforded; while no other circumstance could explain his absence, than the shock his affection experienced in seeing them suffer. Considering it to be his duty, he for some time persisted in the work of mercy; and in the fragment of his journal which remains there are frequent lamentations over his inability to perform it with more satisfaction to himself. The exact period when he withdrew from the particular engagement named, is not known; but it was, probably, when the Sunday-school, and other labours equally important, pressed on his attention. On the 22d of March, 1801, he commenced meeting in band, and on the evening of the same day made his first attempt at preaching in St. Saviour's workhouse. From this time, as a member of the "Community," he visited the different workhouses of the metropolis, and there is every reason to believe that his labours were not without fruit. It may be interesting to mention that the Rev. Dr. Leifchild was one of his fellow-labourers in this field. In company with the late Messrs. Becket, Shipton, and Prentis, Mr. Day was in the habit of visiting the prisons, and seeking the religious advantage of the prisoners. He was found again and again spending with condemned criminals the whole of the night previous to their execution, and sometimes attending them to the scaffold. But, while thus anxious to be about his Master's business, he kept careful watch over his own heart, and a faithful scrutiny over his life; anxious in all things, and at all times, to maintain a Christian consistency of deportment. A diligent student of the word of God, he brought all his actions and opinions to the test of inspiration; and was in the habit, at this period, of selecting a passage of Scripture for special meditation during the day,-often noting down his views of its practical and personal application. In common with most Christians, he appears to have been thus early exercised by temptations, some of which were very painful. Yet he was enabled to triumph in his Master's strength. "I have lost much precious time," he writes, "which might have been spent to the glory of God. I am thankful I see this, because the view creates in me a desire to be more useful in my day and generation. My soul is athirst for God. I have been visiting the distressed: I found it good; my heart was enlarged toward them. I felt much of the fear of man removed. But I am weak as helpless infancy. Satan takes advantage of this, and suggests, So weak an instrument is not called:' You are likely to do more harm than good.' own evil nature closes in with the suggestion; but the grace of God opposes, and I can only say, 'Lord, send by whom Thou wilt send. Make me an instrument, in Thy hand, of doing some good. Appoint me my place and my work, and help me to follow the dictates of Thy Spirit.' May I cast my bread upon the waters, and find it after many days! I grow in grace, though but slowly. O, may I not be My |