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go."* He died in a few days, and left two or three hundred people, whom he had gathered together, to the care of the missionary. The successors of Asbury have a duty which they owe to the lowly. The colored man greatly exalted by freedom, must be still more exalted by Christ.

Let us pause a moment over the testimonies of the dying ministers of Christ. These are a few golden sands wrenched from the grasp of death. The last words of "the great Otterbein," as Bishop Asbury calls him, were, "The conflict is over; lay me down upon the pillow and be still." Guetthing, who was taken sick on a visit to Father Otterbein, and started for home but died before he reached it, suddenly said, “Hark! hark! who spoke? whose voice is that I hear? Light, light, what golden light! Now all is dark again. Please help me out of bed." He said "Let us sing 'Come thou long expected moment." He knelt and offered prayer. He was helped into bed, folded his hands across his bosom, and in fifteen minutes was in Paradise. William Gill quietly fell asleep in death, and closed his own eyes. William Jessup said, when dying, "My work is done. Glory, glory!" Hope Hull, while dying, was asked concerning his spiritual state, and replied, "God has laid me under marching orders, and I am ready to obey." While prayer was offered at the dying bed of Jesse Lee, he broke out in ecstacies, "Glory, glory, Jesus reigns! heaven is just before me." He also said the next day, "Give my respects to Bishop M'Kendree; tell him that I die in love with all the preachers, and that he lives in my heart." He said, "Brother Boehm, when I die I wish you to close my eyes.' The aged Asbury as he passed on his way proclaiming Christ, cried out in rapture, "Hail, all hail eternal glory!" And the quiet words of M'Kendree, "All is well," still linger like the words of a parting benediction upon the Churches.

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But we must hasten and take our leave of the volume that has given us so much pleasure. The same field is traversed by various honored writers, Wakeley, Strickland, Dr. G. Peck, and our worthy historian, Dr. Abel Stevens. Let our venerable Father Boehm give his own parting word to the reader.

"Heroes of Methodism," by Rev. J. B. Wakeley, p. 29.

FOURTH SERIES, VOL. XVIII.-26

"In May, 1800, I was present at the General Conference in Baltimore; in May, 1864, I attended the General Conference in Union Church, Philadelphia. With perhaps two exceptions, Drs. C. Elliott and G. Peck, all the delegates to the latter body were born during the intervening period; and the senior bishop, Thomas A. Morris, was, in 1800, a prattling boy of five years. I rejoice that God had raised up so many strong men to be pillars in the Church. Some were from the farther West, California, Oregon, and regions which in my early days were uninhabited, except by wandering tribes of Indians. The bishop and members seemed to regard me as an old Methodist patriarch, and honored me with a seat on the platform."-P. 489.

Farewell dear old man! May your age continue to its close thus serenely bright; and may the mantle of the fathers fall upon their sons. To you at least there is the prospect of soon joining your compeers on the heavenly plains.

"There is a countrie,

Afar beyond the stars,
Where stands a winged sentrie,

All skillful in the wars.

There, above noise and danger,

Sweet Peace sits crowned with smiles,

And One, born in a manger,

Commands the beauteous files."

American

VI. We are brought in view of our centenary. Methodism completes its first hundred years in October. Dr. G. Peck has reached, with the present spring, his semi-centennial year, in the active ministry. Father Boehm has been sixty-four years in the ministry, was personally acquainted with the great men who laid the foundations of our Methodism, has looked on the days of the Declaration of Independence and of Washington, and has witnessed the dying struggles of the great rebellion. Our centenary has culminated in the year of peace. The stirring events of these hundred years have crystalized into history under the pen of Abel Stevens. But most of all do we pause to record, not the battles fought on fields of blood, but the peaceful marches of the everlasting Gospel. Between one fifth and one fourth of the whole population are gathered under the ministry of this one great Church and its branches. Well may we ascribe the glory to the great

Saviour and Head of the Church, saying, "What hath God wrought! "His work is honorable and glorious, and his righteousness endureth for ever." Let us, with such a past to commemorate, while we despise not architectural grandeur, build our chief monument of redeemed hearts. Already has much precious fruit been garnered in heaven. The moral achievements of the present will be the best tribute to the glory of the past.

And God

VII. The future! How shall we meet it? The population of this country in 1900 will be about one hundred millions. The centenary of Methodism is to be a preparation to meet the wants of this vast aggregate of humanity. We believe that Methodism is to bear a prominent part in the redemption of our world. She has the mission spirit and the missionary organization. She has the machinery. She has the wealth. She has the men. She has the prestige of success. is with her. Therefore we look upon her grand preparations as decisive. Our future must far transcend in results our most sanguine thought. The Church is hovering around the opening gates of the millennium. Let us be careful to preserve the ancient fire that burned on our rude altars. Let not the crown of glory fall from the brow of the sons of God. Other Christian Churches will have their work to perform; we rejoice in their success. But in the last ages there will be no denominational rivulets, but the Gospel tide, commingling in one ocean of divine love, “like a sea of glory," "shall spread from pole to pole."

ART. V.-JOHN BRIGHT.

Speeches of John Bright on the American Question. With an Introduction. By FRANK MOORE. Boston: Little, Brown, & Co. 1865.

Boston Athenæum. Files of the London Times from 18431865, etc. etc.

John Bright was born the 16th of November, 1811, at Greenbank, near Rochdale, in Lancashire, and is now, therefore, according to the English idea, just in the full strength of man

hood, and competent, if ever, to exert a powerful influence on the national mind.

From the portrait which is given of him in the volume of Speeches on The American Question, we should judge him to be a fine specimen of a well-fed Englishman. His hair, which is not thick, but rather long and straight, is left without special arrangement, except an irregular parting on the left side. His whiskers give an appearance of exceeding broadness to the lower part of his face, which causes the forehead to seem disproportionately narrow, though high. His eyes are full and clear, and have a true and honest look; there is strength in the expression of the countenance, and a slumbering fire beneath the exterior repose. The nose is prominent and clearly cut; while the mouth, not large, but firmly closed, with corners slightly drawn down, in connection with the other features, gives an expression of determination and energy not to be mistaken. One can see at a glance that he is a man fearless of opposition from whatever source it may come; and possessing an honest conviction of the justness of his cause, the heavens might as soon be expected to fall as that he would yield a willing submission

to wrong.

The chief business of the section of country where he was born is the manufacture of various fabrics, especially cotton. Mr. Bright's father was engaged in the manufacture of cotton. The son was early placed in a position to acquire a practical knowledge of the business. With only a limited education, he commenced his career under the immediate direction of his father. Until 1835 he diligently applied himself to the complete mastery of his business, at the same time devoting himself to the study of various branches of knowledge indispensable to a correct understanding of social science.

After traveling extensively on the continent and in Egypt and Palestine, he returned to England in 1838, and immediately commenced his public career, by taking an active interest in the Anti-Corn Law League.

It is said that at an early day Cobden, Bright, and Thompson formed a triumvirate to work in concert for the success of the League; Cobden taking the heavy work of bringing out the statistics, Bright appealing to the political interests of the people, and Thompson operating upon the religious feelings

of the masses. Well and faithfully did they perform their work, and it would be a difficult task to say which merits the most praise. At all events, Bright made himself felt throughout England by the influence of both voice and pen.

In 1843, being then but thirty-two years of age, he was defeated in a contest for the Parliamentary representation of the city of Durham; but his opponent having been rejected on account of bribery, he was successful in a new canvass. He continued to represent the city of Durham until the repeal of the Corn Laws in 1846.

Mr. Bright's first speech in Parliament was made August 7, 1843, on a motion of Mr. Ewart, that the trade and industry of the country require further and more effectual relief, by the removal or reduction of duties which press on the raw material of manufactures, and on articles of interchange with foreign nations, as well as on the means of subsistence of the people.

After the mover and others had spoken, "The Times'" report of the debate informs us that "Mr. Bright, for whom there were some few calls, next rose and proceeded to address the House in a very rapid strain. The honorable member seemed a little nervous at first, but gained confidence as he went on." No one has ever read that plain, fearless speech without feeling that it came direct from the heart.

In 1847 he was returned to Parliament from the city of Manchester, by a coalition of the Free Trade and Ultra Liberal parties, and was again elected in 1852. From 1847 to 1857 he was especially active, both in Parliament and out of it, in devising and aiding reformatory measures. He was the sympathizing friend of the Irish in the year of famine; he foresaw the difficulties and dangers before the East Indian Government, and tried faithfully to avert or at least provide for them; he was personally interested in the welfare of that noble son of Hungary, the immortal Kossuth, and assisted at his reception in Manchester in 1852.

At the election of 1857, being absent on account of illhealth, he was brought forward by his friends as candidate for re-election from the city of Manchester, but owing to his opposition to the Palmerston policy and the Chinese war, was defeated, but was elected in the fall of the same year by

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