quite tired. But when he came to sit and stand before the artist for the present picture, his" (the artist's) "genius and urbanity of manner had made it pleasant. He should think that the artist had succeeded, and that it was one of his happiest efforts. It would be valued by those dear to him, when he was no more among the living in this world.

"As to the kind things which his friends had said about him, they were their sayings, not his. He knew himself better than they did; and, knowing himself as he did, he was disposed, in all sincerity, to lay his crown at the feet of his blessed Saviour, and to say, 'God be merciful to me a sinner.' He desired to sink lower and lower still, in humility and selfannihilation, at the feet of Him to whom his 'more than all was due.'

"There were two friends present" (Mr. Lees and Mr. Smith) "to whom he was under special obligation for providing him a conveyance to the country places in the circuit during the three years. He was not a young man, as he once was. Dr. Clarke had once said that he could walk with any man in the connection, except himself" (Dr. Newton); "but when a man had received his fifty-second appointment, it was different. There was another friend," (James Marshall, Esq.,) "in whose house he had been an inmate for some time on his first arrival in the circuit; and from himself, and his better self, and his amiable daughters, he had received all kinds of hospitality. And then it had been his happiness to have colleagues who were one in heart with himself. He could enter into the feelings of his friend, Dr. Turner, on the triennial law. He would rather see old friends; and when he was taken away from a people to whom he was really attached, it was painful. But then, it might be overruled for good. He had entered Methodism with that understanding. He felt it as much as he ever did, to leave Stockport, though just ap

pointed to a people amongst whom he had before labored. He desired that they would remember him where it was the best for them to remember one another-at the throne of the heavenly grace. They wanted more prayer to sanctify that apparatus of means which they had among them. And he hoped that those commotions which were doing mischief in some quarters, would be overruled, and become the occasion of consolidating the connection, of uniting the ministers more than ever, of greater prayerfulness, effort, and zeal for the glory of God and the conversion of souls.

"He was a Wesleyan-body, soul, and spirit. Still he held no quarrel with any one else because of different views on the circumstantials of religion. He could say, 'Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity.' But, when a man had been a minister for more than half a century, no one would suspect him of becoming a turncoat. Methodism had been his deliberate choice; and it was as dear to him as it ever had been. He had been affected by hearing of the death of several old friends-Jacob Stanley, William Vevers, and the excellent Leonard Posnet; and these things were admonitory to him. There were but two men in the regular work, at home or abroad, who were in it when he began. He expected to die; but he expected also to live where all is life, light, love, harmony, and happiness, without measure and without end. He would charge it on his friends to meet him in that blessed world above. God forbid that any of them should come short, and be found on the left hand! They must go on he would meet them there, in a better world."

The Rev. Isaac Keeling, in an appropriate address, presented the likeness of Dr. Newton to Miss Emma Newton, in the absence of her mother, and on behalf of the family.

The scene which this happy meeting presented was alike honorable to Dr. Newton and to his friends in Stockport.

They admired his temper, his zeal, his effective preaching, his self-denial, his fidelity to the cause of Wesleyan Methodism; for, in respect of that cause, they were one with him in judgment and feeling. In common with himself they had realized the benefits of the system in their personal experience and in their families; and they were too wise to barter a certain good for the airy speculations of rash and misguided men, whose folly was manifest to every one but themselves. As conservatives of the Wesleyan institutions, the Methodists of Stockport were men after Dr. Newton's own heart.

CHAPTER XV.

DURING the first year of Dr. Newton's apppointment to Liverpool, we observe no abatement as to the extent of his labors. He travelled as much as he had ever done through the kingdom, seldom allowing himself to spend a week-day with his family; and then only when the number of letters addressed to him, requesting his services, had so accumulated, as to require a considerable time to answer them. But whatever applications he received, he kept himself at liberty to attend the anniversary of the Wesleyan Missionary Society in the beginning of May, and to meet his faithful Irish brethren in their yearly Conference at the close of the following month. His holy cheerfulness was a means of encouragement to the thousands of people who were accustomed to meet him on these occasions.

Such was his improvement of time, that when he took a journey of any considerable length, he usually contrived, in going and returning, to visit several places. In the spring of 1851, in connection with the missionary anniversary in London, he preached at Newbury and Hungerford; and in returning from the metropolis he preached at Wednesbury and Shrewsbury.

At this time the failure of Dr. Newton's health became increasingly manifest. On Monday, March 17th, 1851, he left Liverpool for Staincliffe, in the Birstal Circuit, having engaged to preach in the evening in behalf of the trust-funds of the Methodist chapel in that place. While he was sitting in the

railway-carriage he became seriously ill; and when he arrived at the Mirfield station, and there left the train, many of the passengers thought he was dying. Some of these persons, on their arrival at Leeds and other places, declared the condition in which they had left him; and the report was soon spread extensively that Dr. Newton was dead. Connected with his seizure was another event, which is worthy of special record, as indicating the watchful care of Divine Providence. Dr. King, a medical practitioner, of Morley, near Leeds, had occasion on that day to visit Bradford, and intended to take the train at the Morley station for Leeds, but arrived too late. He then determined to go to Bradford by way of Mirfield, where he arrived simultaneously with Dr. Newton, and accompanied him to the house of the Rev. William Dawson, the Wesleyan minister then resident in that neighborhood; the Doctor at that time having all the appearance of a dying man. The complaint appears to have been a severe bilious affection; and at one time apoplexy was seriously apprehended. Medicine was administered, and other appliances were used, without delay; and these were accompanied by the blessing of God, so that the most alarming symptoms disappeared. Dr. King remained with him till the last evening train, and came to see him the next morning, when he found him convalescent. He acted with the utmost kindness and promptitude; yet he absolutely refused to accept any fee, his generous mind finding an ample recompense in the thought, that he had been the means of affording relief to a man who was so highly esteemed, and whose life was of such inestimable value.

Through the whole of this anxious scene Dr. Newton displayed the utmost calmness, fortitude, and even cheerfulness; for to his sanctified mind the apparent nearness of the eternal world was no occasion of terror and alarm. Having returned home, he sent the following letter to Mr. and Mrs. Dawson,

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