FOR OCTOBER, 1838.

BIOGRAPHY.

MEMOIR OF MR. JAMES BURCH, JUN.,
Of Lynn, Norfolk:

BY THE REV. W. M. HARVARD.

THE rules of evangelical godliness render it at once the duty and the privilege of those who are seeking salvation by the blood of the cross, on all becoming occasions, humbly to avow their convictions, and profess their desires. The connexion of such a procedure with great profit is known to every one who is well-instructed unto the kingdom of God. We can easily suppose, therefore, that it will be one part of the plans of our common enemy, to endeavour to prevent the acknowledgment which might produce so much benefit; and especially, by plausible pretences, to keep back from church-fellowship those on whose minds religious education has produced many salutary impressions, but in whom, for want of the developing force of Christian society, those impressions do not bear the fruit in which they were intended to issue, and without which they are utterly unavailing to personal salvation.

Those, indeed, who do not act for God, only displease him by affecting to speak for him. Where there is a true desire to flee from the wrath to come, that desire will be seen by the effects which it unfailingly produces; but the desire itself, confined to the heart, from being inoperative becomes feeble, and the result of this backwardness to join the people of God is, in only too many cases, an extinction of the desire altogether.

In reference to these things, the usages of our own religious community are exceedingly favourable to the promotion of spiritual welfare. The discipline of Wesleyan Methodism affords to all who are guided by it many, and very seasonable, opportunities of Christian fellowship. It is a well-known peculiarity in Methodism, that, in any place, it invariably rises or falls in exact proportion to the observance or omission of our connexional opportunities of fellowship with each other concerning the things of God; and the principle furnishes an equally applicable and correct test as to personal piety. It is scarcely ever found that a member of our society is fully devoted to God and prospering in Christian experience, and at the same time negligent of our established means of Christian communion; and to encourage to a still more effectual observance of these invaluable spiritual aids, has VOL. XVII. Third Series. OCTOBER, 1838. 3 A

been the design of the remarks which we intend to be introductory to a brief Memoir of our deceased friend.

Mr. James Burch, jun., was naturally of a reserved disposition of mind; and in consequence of this, while the amiableness of his temper and the uprightness of his principles secured for him a large portion of very general esteem, yet were his religious feelings but imperfectly understood, even by his most intimate acquaintance. It is to be regretted that so estimable an individual should have felt under so much restraint in this respect. To have cherished another spirit would have greatly promoted his own religious comfort and advancement, and would have amply repaid him for the painful effort of subduing this constitutional defect. At the same time, it is matter of gratitude that, amidst the numerous disadvantages he thus unconsciously imposed upon himself, "while he was yet young he began to seek after the God of his fathers." To which it may with truth be added, that to the close of his short but honourable career, he steadily and usefully held fast both his profession and his integrity.

His native place was Lynn, in Norfolk, where he was born in 1810. He was blessed with religious parents, who for many years have been members of our society; and who, by prayer, precept, and example, have endeavoured to train up their children in the way they should go. His bereaved father, who has long and laboriously served the Methodist society as Leader, Steward, and Trustee, thus writes of him :-" I have reason to believe my dear James was under the influence of the fear of God at a very early period of his life, and that the scriptural truths with which his mind was imbued, especially by catechetical instruction, had the happy effect of preserving him in a considerable degree from many of the follies of childhood; and, as he grew up, from the degrading delinquencies which too frequently destroy our rising youth. His correct deportment, and regular attendance on the public services of religion, evinced the subduing power of grace over the evil propensities of nature; and it was also satisfactory to know that he possessed scriptural views of the only way of coming to God through Christ as a Mediator."

He united himself to the Methodist society during the time the Rev. S. D. Waddy travelled in the Lynn Circuit; and joined the young men's class which met at seven o'clock on Sabbath morning;— a class which was zealously raised and kindly met by Mr. Waddy, to the great spiritual advantage of several who to this day gratefully remember his solicitude for their eternal welfare. When Mr. Waddy, however, left the Circuit, Mr. Burch's constitutional reserve again unhappily prevailed, and he ceased to meet in the class when it had no longer its accustomed Leader. He thus sustained loss in his soul till the year 1829, when he was greatly impressed by the ministry, and assisted by the pastoral attentions, of the Rev. J. B. Holroyd. On him he waited one Saturday evening, and gave in his name once

more as a member of the society. From that time till his removal by death, he continued in close connexion with that part of the militant church of Christ on whose ministrations he had so long been accustomed to attend, and whose doctrines he so cordially believed.

As he was not accustomed to commit to paper any memorandums connected with his religious experience, a particular account of his conversion cannot be given. He professed, however, to have found peace with God; and though his constitutional reserve led him, as we think improperly, and often to his own injury, to withhold communications which might have benefited others, and the public reference to which would have materially promoted his own spiritual growth, yet, for the same reason, that which he did profess may be readily admitted as true, especially when the profession was connected with the evident fruits of grace and righteousness.

As a youthful Christian, he was greatly esteemed. His valuable talents and benevolent temper raised large expectations of his future usefulness. He was cheerfully devoted to every thing by which he considered he could advance the cause of God among us; and latterly rendered very important services to the Trustees, by his laborious and correct attentions to the pecuniary concerns of the Lynn chapel. Many hours of self-denying toil were devoted to this object, which were very duly appreciated by those who felt an interest in that department of our work. He also engaged as a Teacher in the Sundayschool.

A few months before his removal from earth, he entered upon the marriage state with one who was truly worthy of his affections, and who survives to mourn her early loss. In these new circumstances he manifested at the very commencement the valuable principles by which he intended to regulate his family, if his life had been spared. His father writes as follows:-" In forming his plans and making his domestic arrangements, which were to commence a new era in his life, the 'family altar' was not forgotten. His heart re-echoed the resolution of good old Joshua, 'But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.' On several occasions, while uniting with his newlyformed family in their evening worship, I have witnessed the fervour and earnestness of his devotions; and although on some of these occasions he might not apprehend he was so soon to pass through the valley of the shadow of death, yet it does appear from that as well as other evidences that the Lord, by his sanctifying influences, was graciously preparing him for the momentous change."

In the course of the autumn of the year 1834, a disease which had probably for some time existed in a more latent form, began to develop itself; but the symptoms were at first attributed to the excessive heat of the weather, and excited in the minds of his friends no particular concern. But the progress of mortality, though insidious, was sure; and in the course of a few weeks his strength was so completely pros

trated that he was capable of neither mental nor bodily exertion. His medical attendants gave a faithful report of his state; but there were seasons when both himself and his beloved friends found it difficult fully to divest themselves of the hope that he might yet be restored.

And it was not unnatural that such wishes should be indulged. He held situations in connexion with several of the public institutions in the town, all which were unsought for on his own part, but the duties of which he faithfully and satisfactorily discharged. Several of the most respectable inhabitants of the town and neighbourhood gave him very kind expressions of their friendly regard. His temporal prospects were most promising; and being very happily married, life must have been in many respects endeared to him. Yet when it was announced to him, that, in the very prime of life, he was called to leave all, and to pass through the valley and shadow of death, he bowed to the will of God, and nothing escaped from his lips indicating a want of acquiescence in the wise though mysterious dispensation.

The nature of his affliction was such as to render conversation on his own part almost impossible. A ruptured blood-vessel imposed on him the obligation of almost continual silence, while frequent and heavy stupor prevented him from deriving much benefit from the conversation of others. Providential dispensations of this kind, to which all are liable, powerfully call on professors of religion to secure a satisfactory and abiding sense of acceptance with God, and to live in habitual reference to the divine will, that they may be prepared to honour God, not only in active life, but in sickness and suffering, and by willingly resigning all on earth to be with Him for ever in heaven.

To an affectionate friend, who was anxiously solicitous to render him any spiritual aid in his power, Mr. Burch spoke more freely on the state of his mind than had been his custom. Some time before his death, in reply to a remark of his that it was a blessing he had not then " religion's work" to do, he said, "Yes, I feel it so now. It is my comfort;" adding, in reference to his illness, "I feel assured it has already been sanctified to me." On the Christmas-day evening he had a severe attack of bleeding; when he requested his friend to pray with him. They were favoured with very near access to the throne of grace; his mind appeared pleasingly absorbed in the soul-reviving exercise, and, at the close, he added his very emphatic and expressive "Amen!" The same friend adds:-" He had complained at one time that his soul was not in possession of so clear an evidence of his acceptance with God as he desired to have, when I directed him to exercise faith in Him who is our Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and in a few days afterwards he said, in allusion to that conversation, that now he felt happy; inti