end. On the day of his death he often inquired how it advanced, having the good hope through grace, that if his last on earth it would be first in heaven. And so it was: for in the afternoon he composedly "fell on sleep." F. B. March 4th.-At Brompton, Kent, Miss Bonniwell, sister-in-law to the Rev. G. Roebuck. In early life, while a pupil in a boarding-school in London, she became acquainted with true piety, and she adorned her profession to the end of her course. Her constitution was feeble; but, though frequently called to suffer, she endured affliction with much Christian patience. She was a devout worshipper, when health allowed, at the house of God. A sincere lover of the Word, she meditated in it day and night. In the last few weeks of her life her strength declined rapidly. On the night of her decease she conversed in the family and then retired, apparently as well in health as she had for some time been. Her not waking at the usual hour created alarm, when it was found she had slept the sleep of death. J. P. March 8th.-At the house of his son-inlaw, Mr. Thomas Moses, Oak-Wood, near Brampton, Mr. John Sinclair, aged seventyseven. He was a native of Newcastle-uponTyne, and was brought to God when about sixteen years old. Mr. Sinclair was one of the now remaining few who, with his parents, worshipped God in the old Orphan-House in that town. The reality of his conversion was evinced by the uniform steadiness of his deportment, maintaining, as he did, to the end of his life, an unbroken and honourable connexion with the Wesleyan-Methodist Society. During his residence in Newcastle he sustained the offices of poor-steward, class-leader, and visiter of the sick; for all of which he was eminently fitted by his ardent and cheerful piety. About five years ago he came to reside at Brampton, and was useful as a leader, and as a superintendent in the Sabbath-school. He was exemplary in observing a regular attendance on the Sabbath and week-day means of grace. On Sunday, the 4th of February, he was seized with violent spasms while in the school, from which he suffered more or less to the end. But a few weeks elapsed between his seizure and his death. In him patience had its perfect work. To all inquiries as to his trust in God, --his conscious preciousness of Christ, his clear prospects of his Father's house, -he gave answers which showed the peaceful state of his mind:-"O those are precious words," he said; "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee!'" He calmly fell asleep, after having been connected with the church militant for sixty years, and is now a member of the church triumphant for ever. F. B. March 9th.-At Shepton-Mallet, at the residence of her son-in-law, the Rev. Everard Vigis, at the advanced age of eighty-seven, Mrs. Alice Talboys, relict of the Rev. Thomas Talboys. For more than sixty years she was a member of Society, and for many years an active and useful class-leader. Her piety was characterized by its uniformity and steadiness. During the last few years of her life she suffered much, but was never heard to utter a single murmur or complaint. Latterly her memory quite failed on ordinary matters, but she was always ready to discourse upon religious subjects. Her mind was evidently much occupied with thoughts of Christ and things Divine, and she would quote Scripture and verses of hymns with the greatest readi ness and correctness. Her aged features would brighten up with a smile when Christ and heaven were spoken of. On Wednesday evening, the 7th, she sat up until her usual hour and joined in the conversation, uniting with the family in their devotional exercises with more than her wonted fervour. In about twenty-four hours afterwards, without a pain or a struggle, she passed away to heaven. The twenty-third psalm and some of her favourite hymns were the subjects of her last thoughts and expressions, as far as could be understood. The last audible word caught from her lips was "Jesus." Her end was peace. She now enjoys "quietness and assurance for ever." E. V. March 16th.-At Gloucester, Mrs. W. Newman, late of Hereford, in the fiftysecond year of her age, three months after the decease of her husband. Mrs. Newman made an early choice of piety, and was faithful unto death. She was one of the timid of the flock of Christ, modest, gentle, yet consistent and persevering in good works; being a patient, painstaking Sabbath-school teacher, a diligent and successful Missionary collector, and a tender and unwearying visiter of the sick. For some years she was in feeble health, which she bore with exemplary submission to the Divine will. The death of her husband was a heavy stroke, but she received it as from the hand of the Lord, assured of a speedy re-union in the paradise above. Through her last affliction she was graciously sustained and comforted with the presence of her Saviour. As the shadows of death gathered around her, she quoted the passage, "At eveningtime it shall be light;" and encouraged with this Scripture took her final journey to the presence of her Lord. J. M. WESLEYAN-METHODIST MAGAZINE. JULY, 1866. MEMOIR OF THE REV. THOMAS S. MONKHOUSE: BY THE REV. LUKE H. WISEMAN. THE name of MONKHOUSE has been associated for almost a century with Methodism in Barnard-Castle. The venerable father of the subject of this sketch is still surviving, rich in honour as in years. For fifty years he has held the office of Treasurer to the Bible Society, and for an equal period that of Treasurer to the Wesleyan Missionary Society, in his native town. He well remembers the two last visits of John Wesley to Barnard-Castle,-in whose journal the former of them is thus recorded: "May 10th, 1786.-I rode through a lovely country to Barnard-Castle, and found much life in the congregation." The last was on June 9th, 1788, when, says Mr. Wesley, "I preached at Durham about eleven, to more than the house could contain....... In the evening I preached, [at Barnard-Castle,] near our preaching-house, to a large multitude; I think, as numerous as that at Gateshead-Fell. Many of the Durham militia, with several of their officers, were there: and all of them seemed to receive the word, not as the word of man; but, as it is indeed, the word of God."* The whole district of Teesdale and of Swaledale is rich in reminiscences of early Methodism, from the first visit of Wesley to Barnard-Castle, in 1752, when he arrived "exceeding faint," and was unable to quell the violence of the mob, to the days of his old age, when he found the Society "ripe for the height and depth. of the Gospel." On his first visit, in 1752, the mob brought out the fire-engine to play upon the congregation. Mr. John Monkhouse, the great-grandfather of the subject of this sketch, seized the pipe, and diverted the stream from Mr. Wesley, so that, as he records, “not a drop fell on me." * Journal, vol. iv., p. 423, octavo edition. The words "at Barnard-Castle" do not appear in the printed journal, but they have evidently, by some accident, been omitted. Mr. Monkhouse distinctly recollects Mr. Wesley's preaching at Barnard-Castle on the evening of that day on which he preached at Durham in the morning. He entered the town in a post-chaise. Besides, the county militia were never assembled at Durham, but at Barnard-Castle. And, which is conclusive, there is an entry in the BarnardCastle Society book, which the writer has seen, as follows :---" June 16th, 1788, to Mr. Wesley's expenses, 6s. 7d.," this date being the Monday following, when the next Leaders' Meeting after Mr. Wesley's visit was held. See also Steele's "History of Methodism in Barnard-Castle," p. 161. VOL. XII.-FIFTH SERIES. 2 P Of the eight children of Mr. and Mrs. Monkhouse, Thomas, who was born August 25th, 1811, was the second. Like Timothy, he knew the Scriptures from his youth; and the "unfeigned faith" which dwelt first in his grandparents, and in his parents, began early to be manifest in him also. He had the advantage of an excellent education; and being of an amiable, generous disposition, both his companions and his elders loved him. He was preserved from straying into vice. Whilst yet a youth, he yielded to the strivings of the Holy Spirit, and gave very early indications of a renewed heart; and having laid himself upon the altar of sacrifice and duty, under the genial influ ence of a church in earnest, he soon became a prominent and useful member of society. The memories of his youth and of his home never lost their fragrance. So far was he from being weaned from the love of his early home by the novelties which present themselves to the view of a young itinerant, that he writes, after five years spent in the ministry, "I love my father's house now better than ever;" and, years later, when arrived at the meridian of life, he describes how his thoughts dwelt often on happy days gone by, when, under the training of his inestimable parents, he had been led to consecrate himself to the Lord and to His church. The circumstances connected with Mr. Monkhouse's entrance into the ministry, and his views and feelings in the prospect of being designated to the sacred office, will be best learned from his own recital: "After labouring for some time in the capacity of a Local preacher, I was requested by the Superintendent minister and others to allow myself to be proposed for the itinerant work. This was to me at that time quite unexpected. I had taken no part in the matter, and knew nothing of it until thus mentioned to me. I thought I saw a faint indication of duty in the proposal, but was not prepared in any respect to comply. The struggle in my breast was indescribable. The sacri fices I should have to make, the awful responsibility of the office, and my own unfitness for it, bore hard upon my spirits. I hurried into private, and for a considerable length of time lay prostrate in such agony and distress of spirit as I had never before formed an idea of. O, it was a period of darkness! At length I arose, and declared that I would not leave home. I thought this would release me, but no! I had no rest night or day; all around me seemed to have lost its attraction, and I felt as if happiness was clean gone for ever. After a struggle of some days' continuance I resolved to leave myself in the hands of God, and let the matter take its course. I was examined, recommended to Conference, and ultimately, some time after Con ference, called out into the Addingham Circuit." This was in December, 1831. Arrived at Cross-Hills,-a rough district in Yorkshire,-which was to be his place of residence, he found his Circuit wearing a gloomy |