limited; yet he continued to preach as frequently as his strength would permit until a few weeks previous to his decease. His last sermon was preached at Pittsford on the first sabbath in December, and produced a deep, and, we trust, lasting impression; for all felt that he would soon cease to speak to them the words of life. About two weeks previous to his death, his disease assumed a new and more threatening appearance, and from this period he declined rapidly. During a portion of the time, his mental powers were deranged; but there were seasons when the light of reason shone, and at such seasons he possessed unshaken confidence in God, and enjoyed the consolation of the religion he had proclaimed to others. To a minister of the gospel who visited him on the sabbath evening preceding his departure, he said, I am prepared for either life or death." His sufferings were excruciating, yet he bore them with Christian fortitude and resignation. and died in the hope of a blissful immortality beyond the grave. 66 6 Brother Palmer was truly a man of God. His talents as a preacher were above mediocrity, and a good degree of success attended his labors. Amiable in his disposition, kind and condescending in his spirit, devoted to his work, and faithful in the discharge of every duty, he secured the confidence and affection of those for whom he labored; and one of the official members of his late charge remarked, upon the day of his interment, Bro. Palmer goes universally beloved and lamented.' His funeral was attended upon the first day of the new year by a large circle of friends, whose sad countenances and falling tears, evinced the deep emotion of their souls. And, to their praise be it spoken, while they have dropped the tear of anguish upon his tomb, they have extended the hand of kindness and Christian charity to his bereaved widow, and the wants of herself and infant child have been abundantly supplied. Our beloved brother is gone. His place in the itinerant ranks is vacant. He sleeps with his fathers, yet he still lives in the remembrance of many who look back upon the hours spent in his society with gratitude and delight, and forward with the pleasing hope of rejoining their deceased brother and pastor in the climes of unclouded day." REV. WILLIAM D. STEAD. BY REV. C. R. MORRIS. Brother Stead was the son of Rev. Henry Stead, who is now one of the most aged members of the Troy Conference. He was born in 1799, in the parish of Brayton, Yorkshire, England, and was brought to this country by his parents, when only three years of age. In his nineteenth year, while residing in Albany, he was convicted of his lost estate as a sinner, and sought and found the pearl of great price. Soon after his conversion, he felt it his duty to devote himself to the ministry; but his sense of the greatness of the work, and his great diffidence, caused him to delay yielding to his sense of duty for a number of years. He commenced his ministry in the thirty-first year of his age, on Saratoga circuit, under the direction of the presiding elder. By the quarterly conference of this circuit, he was, during the same year, recommended to the New York Conference, as a suitable person to be received into the traveling connection. He was accordingly admitted on trial, in 1832, and received an appointment to Johnstown circuit. He labored successively on Lansingburgh and Waterford, Pittstown, New Lebanon, Chatham, and Chester circuits, to all which, with the exception of the two places first named, he was reappointed the second year. Near the close of his labors on Chatham circuit, his health failed; but not apprehending permanent illness, he received an appointment as an effective man, to Chester circuit. This was a laborious charge, requiring the energies of a strong, well man, and brother Stead, in his crippled state, found himself unequal to the task; but he toiled on through the year with great inconvenience to himself, but, nevertheless, to the great profit of the people whom he served. This was his most successful year. During the winter of this year, a blessed revival of the work of God took place in the village of Warrensburgh, where he resided. The extra exertions connected therewith, together with the care and anxieties occasioned by sickness in his family, induced an aggravated type of his disease, and doubtless hastened its fatal termination. In the month of August of the next year, he was compelled to relinquish his public labors, and soon after was confined to his room, where he lingered and suffered until death closed the scene. He died January 6, 1844, in the forty. fifth year of his age, and the thirteenth of his ministry. The nature of the disease which terminated his career, was such as to occasion excruciating suffering, which he bore with the fortitude of a martyr. His patient, cheerful and even buoyant temper of mind, blended, as it was, with a habitual religious feeling, gave to his friends the best assurances, that to him death was disarmed of its terrors. Though his disease was lingering, yet his departure was sudden. A new type of his complaint developing itself, he was in a brief period hurried away from the scenes of life, yet during that short interval, he gave satisfactory tokens of his victory over the last enemy. have been abundantly supplied. Our beloved brother is gone. His place in the itinerant ranks is vacant. He sleeps with his fathers, yet he still lives in the remembrance of many who look back upon the hours spent in his society with gratitude and delight, and forward with the pleasing hope of rejoining their deceased brother and pastor in the climes of unclouded day." REV. WILLIAM D. STEAD. BY REV. C. R. MORRIS, Brother Stead was the son of Rev. Henry Stead, who is now one of the most aged members of the Troy Conference. He was born in 1799, in the parish of Brayton, Yorkshire, England, and was brought to this coun try by his parents, when only three years of age. In his nineteenth year, while residing in Albany, he was convicted of his lost estate as a sinner, and sought and found the pearl of great price. Soon after his conver sion, he felt it his duty to devote himself to the ministry; but his sense of the greatness of the work, and his great diffidence, caused him to delay yielding to his sense of duty for a number of years. He commenced his ministry in the thirty-first year of his age, on Saratoga circuit, under the direction of the presiding elder. By the quarterly conference of this circuit, he was, during the same year, recommended to the New York Conference, as a suitable person to be received into the traveling connection. He was accordingly admitted on trial, in 1832, and received an appointment to Johnstown circuit. He labored successively on 153 never Lansingburgh and Waterford, Pittstown, New Lebanon, Chatham, and Chester circuits, to all which, with the exception of the two places first named, he was reappointed the second year. Near the close of his labors on Chatham circuit, his health failed; but not apprehending permanent illness, he received an appointment This was a as an effective man, to Chester circuit. laborious charge, requiring the energies of a strong, well man, and brother Stead, in his crippled state, found himself unequal to the task; but he toiled on through the year with great inconvenience to himself, but, theless, to the great profit of the people whom he served. This was his most successful year. During the winter of this year, a blessed revival of the work of God took place in the village of Warrensburgh, where he resided. The extra exertions connected therewith, together with the care and anxieties occasioned by sickness in his family, induced an aggravated type of his disease, and doubtless hastened its fatal termination. In the month of August of the next year, he was compelled to relinquish his public labors, and soon after was confined to his room, where he lingered and suffered until death closed the scene. He died January 6, 1844, in the forty. fifth year of his age, and the thirteenth of his ministry. The nature of the disease which terminated his career, was such as to occasion excruciating suffering, which he bore with the fortitude of a martyr. His patient, cheerful and even buoyant temper of mind, blended, as it was, with a habitual religious feeling, gave to his friends the best assurances, that to him death was disarmed of its terrors. Though his disease was lingering, yet his departure was sudden. A new type of his complaint developing itself, he was in a brief period hurried away from the scenes of life, yet during that short interval, he gave satisfactory tokens of his victory over the last enemy. |