discharged the several duties connected | him, a greater importance to what are with each of these official departments have their memorial deeply engraved on the minds of all who knew him. termed the "doctrines of grace,” than perhaps is usually the case in the present day; but he was no less convinced than he of the universal aspect of the atonement, and of the divine authority of the free, unfettered overtures of the gospel. But the one theme on which, perhaps, he gloried above others was that of the imputed righteousness of Christ in order to the justification of the sinner. He was a devout lover of the scriptures. They were daily his meditation and delight, and the truth sanctified him. "It wrought effectually." Hence it was "sweeter than honey to him." The "blessed book," using his own phrase, with a limited range of theolo ing, including the Baptist Magazine, which he always highly valued, and which was ever welcomed with a cordial pleasure, not merely on account of its general articles, but as a denominational record; for whilst he was no bigot, he loved "his own people." It is difficult to describe character the varied virtues of which blend in proportionate union without the predominance of one over another. We may paint the hues of a flower, but who can paint the light whose "colourless purity is its distinguishing excellence?" We must decompose in order to describe it. In meditating long and frequently on the subject of this paper, the writer has felt no slight degree of uneasiness lest his high admiration of the excellence he would record should seduce him into a strain of indiscriminate eulogy, and thus defeat the end he would secure. It may, however, some-gical works, constituted his whole readwhat bespeak the confidence of those who may read this article to state that he writes not merely for himself, but for two others, the present respected pastor of the church at Arnsby, and his predecessor, the Rev. J. Webb of Ipswich, from both of whom he has received copious communications, and between whom and himself there is but one feeling, one view, one sentiment, in reference to our departed friend. The former says, "Take him for all in all, I shall not very soon look upon his like again." The latter, after recording an elevated estimate of his character, says, "Very, very much did I esteem and love him, and his name will ever be embalmed in my most grateful remembrances." While one of his intelligent fellow deacons who resided with him in the same village, observed, "Mr. Elliot was one of the best men I ever knew." Let him then have his memorial, that others may diligently learn to follow him who, through faith and patience, is inheriting the promises. The doctrinal views of our friend were those of Mr. Fuller, attaching, with He was eminently a man of prayer. It was impossible to listen to his devotional exercises without feeling that prayer was to him a familiar thing. His spirit of lowliness, his lofty and adoring conceptions of God, together with his view of the relation of Christ, as the exclusive medium of approach to the Father, were more than ordinarily prominent in all his engagements. He ever prayed like a man under a most vivid impression of the impossibility of a sinner coming before his God with acceptance but through His Son. His was no irreverent talking with the Deity, but the humble worship of a consciously guilty being, who is, nevertheless, in mercy permitted to plead with his Maker. His affection for the sanctuary was attested by a regular, unvarying attendance of upwards of fifty years. His residence from Arnsby included― | to his Lord, his sense of propriety, and there and back-a distance of eight his feeling of obligation combined to miles, and this journey he took every foster it. sabbath with a rare constancy, usually walking (till within a few years pre vious to his death) in all weathers, in sunshine or storm, in cold or heat, in frost or snow. Whoever was absent Mr. Elliot was present, or, at least, if he were absent there was a felt conviction in every heart that there was a valid reason for it. In addition to this, equally constant was he in his attendance at the chapel in his own village, at the evening service of the same day where he also officiated as clerk. This is a religious heroism which frowns with disdain on the effeminacy of multitudes who have not, perhaps, a tithe of the same distance to traverse, but who, if the ground be wet, or the sky lowers, in whimpering delicacy exclaim, Oh, I cannot go, I shall take cold! Heroism indeed! Our friend felt it no sacrifice for his heart was in it; or if he did it was the sacrifice of love. "His soul longed for the courts of the Lord." The temper of our friend was meek, bland, gentle, placid, and affectionate. There seemed to be no gall in his spirit. He appeared to be an utter stranger to everything like resentment or vindictive feeling. He was kind, tender-hearted, forbearing, and forgiving, for "he loved the brethren." He was, consequently, a lover of peace and hated strife. Dissension was a grief to him. It is a question whether he ever exhibited anything like envy, or jealousy, or malice, or revenge, so as to be detected by others. He was too lowly in his own esteem to be disturbed by such passions. Humility was a vesture which adorned him; there was nothing approaching to assumption, to arrogance, or to airs of consequence. The fraternal feeling to which Christianity attaches so much importance was in him prevalent and strong. His behaviour was therefore always respectful and courteous, manly but mild, dignified but affable. The very build of the man, and the contour of his countenance, showed that he could be as firm as a rock if there was occasion for it. But there was a blending of so much that was friendly and amiable that his demeanour never repelled, but always conciliated esteem. He had acquired the art of concealing the sternness of his decisions beneath. an aspect of benignity and grace. To support the cause of Christ was with him a vividly conscious duty, and the fulfilment of it was a source of pleasure. Its claims were not felt to be irksome, hence he met them without grudging. His liberality was always according to his means, and whatever he did in this way was marked by kindness, wisdom, and promptitude. What he gave he gave freely without reluctance, willingly without display, Uprightness and integrity distincheerfully without boastful ostentation.guished his conduct. In all his transNo one ever heard him complain that his religion cost him too much, or murmur at the frequency of the demand, or treat any application with indifference or disregard. Neither on the other hand did he at any time evince a disposition to magnify his gifts, or vaunt himself on account of the much he had done for "the cause." His love actions he was the plain, straightforward, honest man. It would be felt by most who intimately knew him to be something approaching to a wonder, for any one now to stand forward and charge the memory of Mr. Elliot with anything like chicanery and manœuvre to gain his ends. He was too simpleminded to have recourse to trick; he was too artless to be cunning; he was too frank for duplicity; in a word, his piety had in it too much of the principle of righteousness to allow him to indulge in anything resembling deceit. Mr. Webb, in referring to this feature in his character, says, "I never knew him become in any degree a party to mean, dishonourable deeds-deeds to which, alas! some persons of loud religious pretensions are at times found stooping. When any such acts came under his observation, a significant shrug of the shoulders silently told the utter disdain with which he regarded them. This sterling quality pervaded his entire being, you saw it in the Christian, the deacon, the tradesman, and the friend." Fickleness, versatility, uncertainty, were unknown to the character of Mr. Elliot. "He was steadfast and immoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord." Steadfast in his profession, steadfast in his attachments, steadfast in his devotedness to the cause of Christ, and steadfast in his adherence to the great principles of religion, he knew not what it was to be tossed hither and thither, "like a wave of the sea, driven with the wind." He could always be calculated upon in everything that was right and good. You knew where to find him when the claims of religion, or of the church, or of friendship, demanded his presence or his aid. No misgiving or uncertainty was ever felt in reference to him. He had cast anchor on the rock of eternal principle, and was therefore unmoved by the gusts of passion, the fluctuations of feeling, or the impulses of caprice. However variable might be his emotions, or the state of his inward experience, they were never such as to disturb him from that steady, uniform consistency which dignified his life. As a deacon he was always everything that a church could wish. In thinking much with caution and anxiety on this aspect of his character, in order to realize a correct impression, and in reflecting again and again on the scriptural requirements for the office, it is felt not to be too much to assert that he was all that the apostle demanded, and more (1 Tim. iii. 8—10); "grave," blending seriousness with dignity, "not double tongued," but free from everything that looked like equivocation-"not given to wine,” but sober and temperate in all things"not greedy of filthy lucre," the love of gain in him was no passion. "The mystery of the faith he held in a pure conscience," steadfast to the last. While completing the apostle's description, his character " was blameless," free from reproach. But in addition to all this, he was prudent, careful, constantly devoted to the welfare of the church, assiduously watchful over its interests, ever concerned for its success, sparing no effort to promote it, always at his post, ready for any labour and any sacrifice if that could be secured; kind, considerate of the comfort and happiness of the poor, who were ever the objects of his affectionate solicitude. Quoting again the words of Mr. Webb on this point, "the poor and the needy," he says, "had in him a friend and a helper. Any generous project to alleviate in times of distress the sufferings of the indigent in connexion with the church and congregation at Arnsby, had his heartiest advocacy." "He purchased to himself a good degree." He was distinguished, too, as a clerk. "In giving out the hymns," says Mr. Davis, "and so far leading the devotions of God's house, he was most admirable; few were equal to him, none perhaps surpassed him. In explanation of his excellence in this respect, he was variously qualified for the office. He had a good, manly, full voice, and he used it without affectation, and with perfect naturalness. He had a most intelligent perception of the meaning of the hymns, and often gave the sense by his very tones and emphasis. An idea, a sentiment, or a feeling, has often come up from the desk to the pulpit merely from the correctness and right feeling with which the hymns were read. But the great secret of his excellence as a clerk lay deeper down than this, it lay, if I mistake not, in the beautiful unselfishness of his character. He was oblivious of self, his thought was not about Mr. Elliot, but concerning the truth, the doctrine, the lesson, of the hymn he was giving out." But he was pre-eminently the minister's friend. Three who have sustained that relation to the church at Arnsby can speak to this. The present esteemed pastor writes, "Out of my own family, I never felt a death like his, perhaps, also, because I never knew a man, not a minister, who better understood or more kindly sympathized with the difficulties of a preacher and pastor. He did not know how to flatter, but he did know how to encourage. He had too kind a heart to wound, but he was very judicious to advise. He seldom praised his minister, but he always prayed for him; he never grieved me, but often cheered me; he rendered practical obedience to the exhortation, 'Encourage him,' 'See that he be with you without fear.' His footfall as he crossed my threshold was music to my ear, and his conversation, whether he encouraged, cautioned, or advised, made me wiser, happier, better.” Mr. Webb writes, "Of the three successive ministers at Arnsby, each one, I have good reason to conclude (for myself I can readily vouch it), found in him a fast friend. He sympathized with a pastor's tears, and entered into his joys. I should think he never wrung a pastor's heart with a single pang; he was ever disposed to speak good of him, and to commend his ministry wherever his influence reached." And the writer of this paper can avow with grateful remembrance that during six years' residence in Arnsby he ever realized in Mr. Elliot a comfort and a stay, a counsellor, and a friend. He never entered his dwelling without the welcome of a smile, and he never left it without either a sorrow alleviated, or a fault corrected, or a joy inspired, or some benefit received. He knew how to reprove, but it was "an excellent oil "— to rebuke, but it was with kindness and love. But he knew also how to cheer and console, to restrain and to stimulate, to acquire the pastor's confidence, and to secure the pastor's affection, by the wisdom of his advice, the accuracy of his judgment, and the sympathies of his heart. And to say that such a man was equally excellent in his various domestic relations, would be but to record what all would readily expect. That his two surviving sons may prove themselves worthy of such a parent is an ingenuous prayer! "The last time," says Mr. Davis, "that our friend was at Arnsby was the third sabbath in August last; he went a few times to Countesthorpe chapel in the evening, but ere long the disease made such progress as to confine him to the house, and compel his friends to surrender all hope of ultimate recovery; his mind was generally calm, clear, happy, though at times he suffered greatly from that physical depression which a diseased liver always occasions. "He had exalted conceptions of the divine Majesty. This appeared not only in his choice of hymns and in his opening addresses in prayer, but with great beauty and power in a conversation I had with him in the month of October; he said, 'God is very good, his gospel is very precious; how kind is his providence! He deals very mercifully with me, I have had but little pain.' Then moving in his chair, and moving both his arms up and down, as his manner sometimes was, he exclaimed in a louder voice, Mr. Davis, I am overwhelmed in meditating upon the wonders of creation and the attributes of God; I think over his perfections sometimes until it is more than my poor body can bear, and I am obliged to turn my thoughts to something else.' 'During his whole illness he had great confidence in Christ, and entire dependence on his grace. In nearly my last interview with him, the question was put, 'Have you thought of any passage from which you would wish your death to be improved?' With great vivacity of manner he replied, 'Oh dear no, pray say nothing about such a poor creature as I am, my feeling is, God be merciful to me a sinner!' all my hope is in the rich, and free, and sovereign grace that is in Christ Jesus.' Then after a pause he added, "If you do say anything, mind you warn and admonish all the friends to be more diligent in the ways of God, to love him more, and to serve him better.' 6 "As the last conflict came on he was very patient, very resigned; almost the last words he uttered, to be understood, were "Jesus, lover of my soul, Let me to thy bosom fly.' About half-past one on Tuesday morning, January 8th, all was over. He had conquered, and his happy spirit was before the throne; and on the Friday following we buried him in sure and certain hope of a joyful resurrection." His funeral, however, was connected with an event which has rendered the day memorable in the history of the family. After the friends had left the residence of the deceased to convey his remains to the tomb, his widow (a woman of just the kind of excellence which fitted her to be the companion of such a man) feeling somewhat unwell retired to bed, and when the mourners returned from the grave of the husband and the father, it was to find the widow and the mother a corpse. Thus the grave which was closing over our friend required to be opened again in a few days to receive all that was mortal of her who for fifty years had shared in his piety and cares. The funeral discourse for these two excellent individuals was preached at Arnsby on the Sunday following by Mr. Davis, who in referring to it says, "I took two texts, the first I had fixed on before Mr. Elliot's death; I did not like to give it up it seemed to me so suitable to him, I therefore kept that and added another-Acts xiii. 36, 'For David after he had served his generation by the will of God fell on sleep;' 2 Sam. i. 23, Lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in death they were not divided.’” But it may be said by some who may read this memorial, Was not this Mr. Elliot a man? was he not imperfect? had he not his defects? and if so, what were they? Admitted that he had them; and his deficiencies and shortcomings before his Maker none would have been more ready to acknowledge than he. But the writer confesses most ingenuously, after an intimate acquaintance with Mr. Elliot for nearly twenty years, that whatever defects he may have had, he scarcely knows what they were. Glad would he have been if any one had pointed them out to him for the sake of giving greater truthfulness and completeness to this record. But in his ignorance he has none to mention, except it be that he was too modest and retiring. He thought too little of himself, viewed relatively to others. He had enough of mildness and amenity, |