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lieth, he shall rise up no more." (Ps. xli. 8.) But their confidence was baseless! For the Spirit of Christ had "testified beforehand" not only that he should suffer, but as we have, in the next place to show, that "Glory" should "follow" his sufferings. (To be concluded in our next.)

Biography.

MEMOIR OF MR. JOHN INGLISH, OF Chillicothe, OHIO.

To the Editors of the Methodist Magazine.

DEAR BRETHREN,

THE following biographical sketch of a highly esteemed and excellent young man, has been drawn up at the suggestion of several of his Christian brethren, for publication in your valuable and widely circulated Miscellany; for which purpose it is now communicated.

MR. JOHN INGLISH, son of James and Rachel Inglish, of Chillicothe, in the state of Ohio, was born at Charlestown, Jefferson county, Virginia, on the 24th of July, 1801. His parents have been members of the Methodist Episcopal Church for nearly thirty years. His father has been many years a local preacher in the church, and his house has long been a home for the preachers in the travelling connection.

In April, 1806, when John was about five years old, Brother Inglish removed with his family to Chillicothe. As their children grew to years capable of receiving religious instruction, it was the practice of brother and sister Inglish to inculcate it on their tender minds; and to teach them, both by precept and example, the duties of religion and the practice of the moral virtues. Their labours have been abundantly blessed; for they have lived to see their four oldest children become the subjects of Divine grace, and worthy members of the church of Christ, of which number the subject of this memoir was one.

His early youth was not marked by any unusual seriousness or attention to subjects of religion. Exposed, as children brought up in towns and cities generally are, to greater temptations from, and liable to be led away by, the company and example of wicked youths, it was owing to the restraining grace of God, the force of early habits of morality, and the salutary prohibitions of his pa rents, that he was saved from contracting the vicious habits of his youthful associates. A strict observance of the Sabbath was the most irksome restraint which was imposed upon him; and when opportunity served, he would sometimes steal off from his parents.

to join in the recreations and amusements of his playmates. But this was almost the only instance wherein it was found necessary by his parents to use correction.

In waiting upon the travelling preachers, who often put up at his father's house, he took great pleasure; yet studiously shunned their company to prevent opportunities of conversation with him on religious subjects. The Spirit of God, at this early period of his life, often strove with him, and he felt and saw that he was a sinner. But through the deceitfulness of sin, the force of temptation, and the love of youthful pleasures and amusements; he resisted those Divine influences, and slighted those gracious calls of mercy, from time to time, until he attained the age of seventeen years. He had a great veneration and respect for pious people and loved them more than any other; but heartily despised carnal professors, and such as "made shipwreck of faith." Such examples of apostacy as fell under his notice, while it somewhat discouraged and deterred him from embracing religion; yet settled more firmly in his mind, an abhorrence and dread of apostatizing; and a fixed determination, that if ever he should "Set his hand to the plough," he never would "look back."

It was now that the good effects of his pious education became more manifest. For though exposed, like other youths of his acquaintance, to the vices and follies of the age, his moral conduct was upright and his life irreproachable. He saw and in a good degree felt the force of Divine truth; the illuminating rays whereof had shone into his mind, and discovered to him the beauty, the excellency and the necessity of religion. He, however, disclosed the exercises of his mind to no one. But it was observable that

he became more thoughtful and serious.

In July, 1818, he attended a camp-meeting held near the Pickaway plains, about fifteen miles from Chillicothe. It was here that the exercises of his mind were first discovered; for he was unable any longer to conceal them. The operations of God's Holy Spirit upon his heart were so strong, that he could not refrain from weeping most of the time he was at the meeting, and even on his way home. About the commencement of the memorable revival of religion in the Methodist E. Church, in Chillicothe, in the autumn of this year, (1818) he heard Dr. Monett, preach from these words: "The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved." In this sermon, the danger of putting off the work of repentance, was particularly insisted upon. This discourse was made the means of his awakening to a deep sense of his lost and ruined state by nature, and of his need of a Saviour.

His convictions now became deep and permanent: not, however, that strong sense of the impending wrath of God, under the weight of which the trembling sinner seems ready to sink to the earth; not that "Save Lord or I perish! Oh save or I sink into

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hell!" of a rebel against God, who had sinned "with a high nand and with an outstretched arm." But his was rather that Godly sorrow which worketh repentance unto life;" that grace of "a broken and a contrite heart" which "God will not despise;" that indescribable anguish and grief, for having slighted and neglected the gracious calls of mercy, and the strivings of God's Spirit; that penitential sorrow, which would "weep its life away, for having grieved His love."

He attended the worship of God and the means of grace, regularly, and marked with great interest the progress of the revival, and the effects of the work of grace on others; while his own convictions became daily more deep and strong. Although he was so thoroughly awakened, yet so strong were his fears of apostatizing, and so great his sense of unworthiness, that he was deterred, for some time, from offering himself for membership in the church. Waving, however, all his objections on these grounds, on the 27th of November, 1818, with much fear and trembling, he presented himself at the altar, with about a dozen others, mostly young persons, and was taken into Society, as usual, on trial. Ít was customary at this time, and indeed throughout the revival, to invite the "mourners" to the altar, where the people of God united with them in prayer for God's pardoning mercy and converting grace. This was generally a very heavy cross for the young penitents to take up. However, our young brother Inglish and a few of his awakened friends, resolved to go forward together at the next meeting, should an invitation be given. They did so. Some obtained joy and peace in believing; but John continued in deep distress. He attended a prayer-meeting on the following evening, and in an agony of distress, continued in prayer till 11 o'clock, but without obtaining any comfort. On the next evening (Friday) he attended a regular prayer-meeting at the Meeting-house. The house was full to overflowing; and before the meeting commenced, the power and presence of God were displayed in a most extraordinary degree.* At this meeting John's mental exercises were so great, that when the "mourners" were called up, he had not strength to go forward; but continued to the close of the meeting to cry to God, with all the earnestness of his soul, for salvation. But still deliverance came not.

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On the following Sabbath, Nov. 29, a Lovefeast was held in the Chillicothe Society, at which John attended, and spoke in such an earnest and feeling manner, as much affected those who heard him. He gave a brief account of his religious impressions; the strivings of God's Spirit with him while yet a child; the manner and circumstances of his conviction; and his determination to continue to pray and struggle on, until he obtained deliverance

* See an account of this meeting and of the revival of religion at that time, in the Methodist Magazine, for 1819, page 235.

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from the guilt and burden of sin. He then earnestly entreated the people of God to pray for him. Before the close of this meeting he was enabled to venture his all upon Christ for salvation ; and by an exercise of faith to lay hold on the promises of the gospel; and in a moment his burden was removed, his soul was set at liberty, and he rejoiced in a sin-pardoning God. Filled with peace and joy he immediately rose praising God and proclaiming what great things He had done for him. His love for the souls of others immediately prompted him to address his young companions, who had not yet "obtained like precious faith," earnestly exhorting and encouraging them to look for a present salvation, and in a feeling manner pointing them to "the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world."

His zeal for the salvation of souls led him to embrace all opportunities, "in season and out of season," of exhorting sinners to repentance, and of encouraging mourners. His labours in this way, joined to his peculiarly interesting, earnest and engaging manner of addressing himself to the hearts and consciences of those who heard him, were rendered a blessing to many, and contributed no little to the promotion of the work of God at this time. The high estimation in which he was held by all, and the entire confidence which they reposed in his religious profession, gave him access to their hearts.

He continued to walk in the light of God's countenance, and to rejoice in Him night and day for two or three weeks; when by some means his spiritual sky became clouded, he fell into doubts and fears, and the enemy of souls severely tempted him to doubt the reality of the work of grace wrought in his heart. The distress and anxiety which were thus occasioned, only drove him again to "that blood which makes the wounded whole;" and while wrestling in the strength of prayer, he received so strong a manifestation of God's love, and so clear an evidence of his adoption, that he never after doubted for a moment his conversion. after this, he and three other young men, who had recently "obtained like precious faith," formed themselves into a "Band," according to the rules contained in the Discipline of the church. This excellent institution was often remarkably blessed to their souls, and contributed much to their growth in grace.

Soon

He was a constant attendant upon all the means of grace-public, social and private; and by this, his "profiting appeared to all." Two or three months after he embraced religion, he was appointed assistant leader of a class of young men to which he belonged. The manner in which he discharged the duties of this station, afforded pleasing evidence of his rapid growth in grace, and a knowledge of experimental religion, and of the things of God, beyond his years. He shrunk not from any duty, nor any cross which his spiritual leaders in the church imposed upon him. And although but a stripling, he regularly officiated at the public prayer

meetings, where the meeting-house was generally crowded. He was much gifted in prayer, and possessed, withal, a strong and pleasing voice; which, with his holy ardour of soul and his fervent zeal, rendered his public exercises in prayer and exhortation peculiarly interesting, and a blessing to many.

In November, 1819, he took a violent cold by walking a few miles into the country, and while yet warm and perspiring very freely, going to work in a damp room, which he was plaistering. The efforts of nature to throw off the effects of this cold, were unavailing. It settled on his lungs, and was accompanied with a cough and slight daily fever, with other premonitory symptoms of a pulmonary complaint, which continued most of the succeeding winter. Fears were entertained by his friends that the complaint of his breast was becoming seated; and the most effectual remedies were resorted to for his relief. It was judged advisable that he should take a journey, and by travelling, seek a restoration to health. Accordingly, in February, 1820, he went to Cincinnatti, in which place and its vicinity he spent a short time, with so much advantage, that he returned home early in the spring, considerably recovered, and continued to get better; so that in a few weeks he appeared to be entirely free from his breast complaint, and resumed his business and continued at work during the summer and autumn of 1820, enjoying good health.

In February, 1821, by going out of a warm room on a very cold night, and walking some distance home, he again took a severe cold. This was the means of bringing on again, his pulmonary complaint, with aggravated symptoms, which now became so deeply seated, that he never after recovered from it fully. He continued in bad health all winter, labouring under all the symptoms of an incipient stage of consumption. In the spring following he was considerably recovered, apparently, but, being yet unable to labour, he devoted a few weeks to improvement in learning. However, his close application to study, and his confinement and want of exercise, were extremely injurious to him, so that he was compelled to quit school, and resort again to travelling for the benefit of his health.

In May (1821) our young brother Inglish set out, on horseback, to travel a few weeks in the western part of this state and Kentucky. Taking Cincinnati in his route, he there met with the Rev. Alexander Cummins, (Presiding Elder of the Kentucky district,) who invited him to take a tour with him round the district. He accepted the kind invitation, and set out with brother Cummins in the latter part of May, and travelled with him about five weeks, in Kentucky. Finding his health but little better by travelling, he judged it useless to continue his tour any further, and returned home, in July, to his father's, and put himself under the care of a physician.

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