A

COLLECTION

OF

TESTIMONIES concerning Publick Friends deceased.

A Teftimony from the Monthly-meeting at Carlisle in the County of Cumberland; containing a brief Account of the Life and Services of our dear and worthy Friend, CHRISTOPHER STORY.

T

HIS our dear Friend, and worthy Elder, was born at Righead in the Parish of Kirklington, and County of Cumberland, in the Year 1648; and was convinced of the bleffed Truth, and received it in the Love of it, in the Year 1672, being about the Twenty fourth Year of his Age. And the Lord, who was graciously pleased to visit and gather him, as one of the first Fruits in this Part of the Borders of England, and called him to work in his Vineyard early, endowed

him with a good Understanding of the Things pertaining to his Kingdom; and, in the Year 1677, bestowed on him a Gift of the Ministry, which he exercised freely; and we have good Caufe to believe, he made good Improvement thereof, as appeared by his faithful and unwearied Labour in the Church of Chrift in thefe Parts. His Service among us was great, and well accepted, he being one who ruled well in his own House, and alfo in the Church ; for which he was counted worthy of double Honour.

He vifited the Meetings in this Nation, and alfo in Ireland and Scotland, divers Times; and as his Service was great and well received amongst his Brethren, both at home and abroad, fo likewife it was often his Concern, in our own County, to appoint Meetings amongst other People, which frequently proved to great Satisfaction, and caused many to confefs to Truth; he being endued with a living, plain and powerful Testimony, to the reaching of the Hearts and Confciences of the Hearers.

His Care over the People of God was great, that all who profeffed the Truth might walk blameless, and come up in Faithfulness in every Branch of their Teftimony. Zealous he was against undue Liberty, or going into Excefs in eating or drinking, or into the foolish, vain and gaudy Fashions of the World, in Superfluity of Apparel; and his circumfpect Behaviour,

Behaviour, which was attended with much Meeknefs and Gravity, had often an awful Effect upon fuch.

He fuffered Imprisonment and Spoiling of Goods with much Patience, which proved to be his Lot pretty early, by wicked Men who became Informers, feeking his Ruin, with many others ; yet the Lord preferved him in Faithfulness, and brought him clean through all thefe Exercises. He ftood firm in his Testimony against the Anti-chriftian Yoke of Tithes, that none might be unfaithful therein, either in paying or receiving them. And, having a Gift beyond many in the Government of Church Affairs, he exercised the fame in much Wisdom and Prudence, and laboured diligently for the Peace of the Church, and to keep out every Thing that might appear to cause Strife and Debate. He had an excellent Gift of healing and making up of Breaches. And, although his Way was not to lay fudden Hands on any, yet he was indeed as a tender nurfing Father, and watched with a careful Eye of Love over the Flock of Chrift, that no hurtful Thing might get Place amongst them. A great Lover and Promoter of good Order and Difcipline, and very diligent to attend Meetings of that Nature, leaving his own Bufinefs to ferve the Church. And when it was his Concern to deal with any by way of Rebuke, it was in much Tendernefs and Solidity, and not in Harfhness or Sourness

He was a Pattern of Humility in his Conduct and Conversation, and bore a noble Teftimony against Pride in every Branch. of it, and alfo against Covetoufnefs, and the eager Purfuit after the Things of this World, by launching into Trade and Bufinefs beyond Mens Abilities and Capacities, as being great Enemies to the Work of God, and the Profperity of his Truth.

And as he was much loved and honoured amongst his Brethren, because of his Faithfulness, fo he was greatly esteemed by his Neighbours, whom he was very ready to ferve, in reconciling Differences, and preventing Law-fuits. And as he was not negligent in the Work of the Lord, to promote Truth and Righteoufnefs, where ever his Lot was among any People, being of an univerfal Spirit, and concerned for the Good and Welfare of all; fo when at Home, about his lawful Affairs, he was not negligent in providing Things honeft in the Sight of all; and the Lord was pleafed to blefs his Endeavours, by affording him outward Mercies, and giving him Wisdom to use them in Moderation; fo that he was a good Example in his County, having his House and Heart open to receive and entertain the Lord's Servants and Meffengers. He was a great Encourager of his Children and Servants to frequent Meetings; but a great Difcourager of their going to Markets and Fairs. unneceffarily; and often cautioned Friends, of

the

the great Danger that Youth were in, of being drawn into too much Liberty at fuch Times, and thereby bringing Reproach upon the Truth, and Difefteem upon themselves. And though he was much against Idleness, and fuch as spent their Time like the Sluggard, yet charitable and compaffionate to the Poor, and fuch as were in Want, and would often provoke and stir up Friends to Liberality in Contributions, and was himfelf very exemplary therein.

And, as old Age came upon him, his Zeal and Fervency was not leffened ; which was demonstrated by the living Freshness that attended his Ministry, and his continued Constancy in attending Meetings when under very great bodily Weakness; having been feized with a confumptive Diftemper, which increased upon him about the Space of nine Months; in all which Time he bore his Affliction with abundance of Patience, though often in great Diftrefs in his outward Man; yet his inward Man was ftrengthened and renewed, and his Memory and Understanding remained firm and perfect: Often commemorating the great and unspeakable Loving-kindness and Mercy of God, in vifiting him in his young Years. And much was the good Counfel and feasonable Advice that dropt from him in Friends Meetings, even in the Time of his great Weakness; as alfo to many, of feveral Ranks and Degrees, who came to vifit him; not forgetting to give