per beamed ont in all her deportment. She died in peace. R. H. July 3d.-At Shaftesbury, aged seventy-six, Mary, widow of the Rev. John W. Cloake. Although visited frequently with the teachings of the Holy Spirit, she did not earnestly seek salvation until the twentieth year of her age. About that time affliction visited several members of her father's house, and two or three fell victims to fever; but Mrs. Cloake, though brought very near the grave, was spared to be a blessing to many. It was during this affliction that a friend introduced a Wesleyan Minister to the house, who had the joy of leading her to the Saviour, and ultimately to communion with the Methodists, a people she had despised. Her conversion was soon manifested by her hatred to those things which had once captivated her affections, as well as by an undeviating attachment to the ordinances of God's house, and the communion of saints. She was accustomed to walk miles, even in the dark nights of winter, in order to enjoy the means of grace. When she became a Minister's wife, she strove to be a faithful helpmeet in the vineyard of the church; and her discriminating and affectionate sympathy rendered her a most valuable Class-Leader for many years. She was greatly interested in the spiritual welfare of the young, and endeavoured by her prayers, instructions, and example, to allure them to brighter worlds. The poor and afflicted, too, engaged her earnest care. According to her ability she relieved their wants, whilst she directed them to the Friend of sinners, and poured out earnest prayers in their behalf; and, doubtless, many will be the crown of her rejoicing in the day of the Lord. But her worth was most seen and felt in her family circle. She was loving and laborious in her maternal duties, yet inflexible in her maintenance of righteous principles. Her family were taught by precept and example the good and the right way. During the last few years, spent in the furnace, her patience was perfected. Her spiritual conflicts were often severe; but she was accustomed to flee to the stronghold, and found Jesus to be a present help, and (as she was in the habit of saying) "a blessed Saviour." She sweetly fell asleep in Jesus, without a struggle or a groan. J. M. July 7th.-At the Soufriere Estate, Dominica, John Frederick, son of Benoit Bellot, Esq., in the eighteenth year of his age. When about eight years old, he was sent to England to be educated; and he made considerable proficiency in the classics, and several other branches of learning. But the climate, so deceptive to "children of the sun," brought on symptoms of consumption, and in 1852 he was obliged to return to his native air. Whilst in England, under the Wesleyan ministry at Islington, John Frederick was convinced of the necessity of true religion, and he gained a saving knowledge of its blessedness. He immediately joined the communion of God's people, and continued a member to the day of his death. On returning to Dominica, he evinced a laudable desire for usefulness, and spoke with taste and feeling at some of the public meetings; but his disease incapacitated him for labour. On the day before he died, he bore pleasing testimony to his unshaken confidence in the Redeemer, and his bliss-inspiring hope of heaven. W. S. July 12th.-At Danby-Mills, in the Middleham Circuit, Mrs. Buck, in the seventy-third year of her age. She was the daughter of one of the early Methodists, who educated his children for heaven as well as for earth, and she felt the benefit of such a training through life. As a wife and a mother, she eminently adorned her profession. She was distinguished by mildness, kindness, and firmness. Her mental habits were pensive and retiring, rather than bold and buoyant. While her views of herself were very lowly, she clung to the Cross with great earnestness, and steadily sought to do the will of the Lord. She excelled in the management of her household, and all her children became members of Christ's church. Her attachment to Methodism was strong and unwavering: to the last she cared for Zion with heartfelt anxiety. Until within a few months of her death she was healthy and active: then she gradually and gently declined to the tomb, and calmly fell asleep, reposing on the atonement of Christ. R. L. July 25th.-At Hegdale, in the Penrith Circuit, aged seventy-eight, Mr. William Hindson. He was heartily attached to the doctrines and polity of Methodism, and had for many years filled the offices of Class-Leader and Local Preacher. Communion with God-intimate, happy, and sanctifying-marked the evening of his days; and he fell asleep in the sure and joy. ful hope of a resurrection to eternal life. Some of his last words were, "There all the ship's company meet, Who sail'd with the Saviour beneath." J. C. H. August 17th.-At Dartmouth, Mr. John Roberts, aged sixty-five. He joined the Methodists in this town in 1812, and continued a consistent and attached member to the close of life. He was a man of sterling principle, and unblemished character, and universally esteemed in his neighbourhood. Natural timidity restrained him from speaking positively of his religious attainments; yet his uniform Christian deportment satisfied his brethren and the world that he was a good man, and a true believer in Jesus. For some years he had a dread of death, and was accustomed to pray that, "when going down the hill of life, the Lord would be pleased to smooth his passage to the grave." This prayer was graciously answered. When the last enemy came, he was not feared. He sweetly fell asleep in Jesus, departing without a struggle or a groan. H. G. LONDON-PRINTED BY JAMES NICHOLS, HOXTON-SQUARE. NOVEMBER, 1854. BIOGRAPHY. MEMOIR OF MISS JANETTE GORDON, OF DOMINICA, WEST INDIES : BY CHARLES A. FILLAN, ESQ. MISS JANETTE GORDON was born on the 23d of October, 1781. She was one of the favoured young persons of her day, who, by the Divine blessing upon a strict education, escaped the dangers by which, at that time especially, respectable females of colour were beset. It was her happiness to embrace the soul-converting religion of Jesus in the days of her youth; and for the space of about forty-seven years she retained the blessedness of the Divine favour, and held fast the profession of her faith without wavering. In the year 1798, the Rev. Thomas Dumbleton was providentially sent to prosecute the Methodist Mission, which had been first attempted in 1794, but had been suspended two years later, when the slaveholding authorities ordered away the Missionary, Mr. Kingston. Mr. Dumbleton found the little Society-then regarded as the "outcasts of men"-kept together by the efforts of some black brethren, mechanics, from America; who, assembling the members secretly in the night-time, in private houses, sang praises, and prayed, and exhorted. Among the means employed by Mr. Dumbleton for teaching the Gospel, was a meeting for children and young persons, held every morning immediately after the daybreak exhortation, when he catechised and otherwise instructed about forty children, of which number Miss Gordon was one. In subsequent years she often bore testimony, in meetings of Christian fellowship, that the means directly used by the Holy Spirit to her awakening were Janeway's Token, which Mr. Dumbleton used to read aloud to his little company, and Mr. Wesley's Instructions for Children. She was admitted a member of Society in September, 1802; and in the month of March following, under the ministry of the Rev. Thomas Richardson, she found peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Her growth in grace, and diligence to "make her calling and election sure," constantly recommended her to the esteem of her Ministers, and of all who knew her. Along with the other members of the infant church, she had peculiar trials to undergo; especially in frequent privation of the fostering care of the Missionaries, the climate proving very unfriendly to these European "messengers of the churches." Thus Mr. Richardson, after labouring abundantly and with great sue3 R VOL. X.-FOURTH SERIES. cess, died in the latter end of 1803; his colleague, Mr. Shipley, being at the same time removed to St. Kitt's. In 1804, Mr. Dumbleton was sent a second time to Dominica, accompanied by Mr. Gilgrass,— to the great joy of his early catechumens. But his course was soon terminated. He left Dominica for America in 1806, and died on his passage thither. Several other "Pastors and Teachers" of the little flock in Dominica were hurried, in swift succession, to "the house appointed for all living." Nor were these the only trials which Miss Gordon's attachment to Methodism survived. It was her habit to contrast the abundance of spiritual help now enjoyed by young people seeking the Lord, with the limited opportunities known in her early days; and her bounding heart often became too full to allow her to utter forth the praises of Him who "hath done great things for us." In 1812 she was appointed a Leader. Many souls, especially of the young, were brought to Christ by her instrumentality. By stated and definite visits to their houses, she secured the opportunity of urging the reasons for devoting themselves to God, and of offering them the sympathy and assistance their cases demanded. Early in 1814, the only Missionary in the island was compelled to leave, by reason of ill health. Hence a peculiar difficulty arose. Educated male converts there were none; and yet, the earnest and simple-minded Christians being still constrained by their Master's love to attend, morning and evening, in His house, it was quite necessary that some one should lead the devotions of the rest. Miss Gordon's talents now pointed her out as the fittest to undertake this "strange work." Accordingly the members agreed to consider themselves as under her spiritual care; and thus, for more than twelve months, she had to hold the meetings, social and public, and even to give a word of exhortation for the building up of the converts on their most holy faith. Although naturally timid and "slow of speech," her whole soul was so inflamed with zeal for the glory of God, and the advancement of His kingdom among men, that she undauntedly continued in this remarkable way to "confess Christ,”—regardless of the derision and insult which she had to endure from the ungodly, who frequently found their way into the meetings to laugh and jeer, and often with worse intentions. Visitations of afflictive Providence increased her burden. The two Leaders who had been appointed at the same time with herself (Mrs. Rosington and Mrs. Priscilla Hopkins) died; and she was compelled to seek out of the little flock others whom she might nominate to aid her in meeting the classes and watching over their conduct. To the punctual contributions of the members toward the support of the ministry, Miss Gordon, meanwhile, regularly attended; so that she was prepared, on a Minister's arrival, to show her accounts, and pay over her balances, after the melancholy deduction of expenses incurred in the medical care and the burial of his lamented predecessor. The arrival of Mr. Boothby at length relieved Miss Gordon from the onerous work which she had not desired, but which had been laid upon her by "the Lord of the harvest." But this Minister, alas! died within a year; and she had |