MEMOIRS, &c.

MY VERY DEAR FRIEND,

TH

HE following particulars, relative to my dearest and most amiable parent, I flatter myfelf will be far from being unacceptable. My reafons for collecting them were, firft, for my own private fatisfaction, that the recollection that I had a friend now in glory, whom I fo dearly loved, might excite me to be more earnest to prefs forwards to the fame prize. But upon reflecting that they might be ferviceable to others as well as myfelf; might express my refpects to many friends, who were defirous of copies; and prove an additional and well-authenticated teftimony to the power of religion, I felt an inclination to make them more public.

The ftyle, I hope, will be excufed the cenfures of criticism, and to every A 2 rational

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rational Chriftian, its subject, I trust, will appear to be, the humble fimplicity of genuine piety, triumphing in the day of diffolution, with a hope full of immortality.

My dear and honored parent was born at Richmond in Surry, on the 19th of April, 1736. In 1759 he was married to Mr. Bafil Woodd, who alfo was born at Richmond, in 1730, with whom she had been acquainted from her infancy.

Such an union, cemented by long endearment, and fimilarity of difpofition, promised a scene of much temporal felicity; but other events a mysterious Providence intended. The January following, my dear father, being then from home on a visit, was feized with a violent fever, and died on the 12th of that month. So great a shock, to a mind of her fenfibility, could leave no faint impreffion; but it pleased God to fupport her in this keen trial, and on the 5th of August following he was delivered of a fon. Providence wonderfully interpofed in our favor, and both root and branch, though then apparently withering, were preferved together, juft as many years longer as he then had lived.

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The afflicting circumftance of my father's death, nevertheless proved an eventual bleffing, though conveyed in the disguise of woe. By one ftroke her mind was fevered from worldly profpects, and being rent from the love of the creature, the now began more anxiously to feek the knowledge and love of the Creator.

With respect to my dear parent's fenûble experience of divine comforts, they were not unfrequent, yet they were not extatic. She had a hope, which he would not give up, but still the rejoiced with trembling. Hence, until it pleafed God to afflict her with bodily infirmities, her attainments in this refpect, rarely exceeded an humble confidence.

In the year 1779, it pleafed God to lay the foundation of the diforder, which at length occafioned her death. A severe fit of illness confined her to her room fix or feven months. From that time he was much afflicted with a weakness and fwelling in the joints; various means were used, but the remedy remained unknown.

This last year she was unable to rife from her feat without affiftance, and was almoft in a state of helplefonefs. The disorder got

into