OBITUARY. Comfortable Departure of Mrs. Medland, who died MRS Though the carefully avoided the appearance of oftentation, yet she was not ashamed of being known to retire for the purpose of feeking the Lord. Though for the space of twenty years and upwards fhe received no comfortable intimation of the Lord's favour, yet did not her foul ceafe to "follow hard after God!" During this long feafon of darkness and uncertainty, the did not neglect to lay open the ftate of her mind to her paftor. But vain is the help of man, unless the Lord work with him as the God of all comfort." Seldom was her cafe loft fight of in the pulpit; and fome difcourfes were prepared exprefsly in reference to it, befides what was attempted for her comfort in converfation; but the ftill retained the objections which he had fo long been accustomed to make against herself and her ftate. While fuch was the melancholy condition of her foul, it pleafed the Lord (whose ways are not like ours) to lay his afflicting hand upon her body. She was in agonies of pain, and her fituation became very peri Jous; and (it fhall not be concealed) he did speak unadvifedly with her lips: But it is equally true that he did retract her impatient expreffions, and chide herself for them. Do the ignorant, the self-confident, and cenforious open their mouths on hearing Mrs. M. was impatient? let them read the book of Job: There is an answer, if the fequel of this account should not fatisfy them; yea, let them feek an intereft in his interceffion, who prayed for Simon that his faith might not fail. The first time I had an opportunity of vifiting her after he was feized, The told me that her foul was in great darkness. The Lord knows what were the feelings of her Chriftian friends, and what petitions he received from then on her behalf while it continued to be thus with her. A day or two after I found her no lefs afflicted in body, but in a happier ftate of mind, which to me was matter of equal joy and wonder. "I had been used to hear her speak the language of defire, but now the expreffed fome hope toward God: She no longer refused to be comforted; my work now," as the helper of her joy," was become eafy and delightful. The next time I Saw her, and indeed ever after, I found her in the exercife of a "good hope through grace," and of fubmiffion to the will of God in an extraordinary degree. The The reader may collect fomething of Mrs. M.'s frame of mind from a few of her expreffions; and if he confider them as proceeding from the mouth of one who was experiencing the most acute bodily pain, who had a near profpect of death, and who had for fuch a length of time been accustomed to write bitter things against herself, he will then perhaps be able to form fome idea of the exceeding greatness of that Power which wrought in her; and feel himself difpofed to admire the faithfulness of God to them that feek him, though for a long time he may feem to neglect them, and the wifdom of God in bringing out that great goodness which he lays up for his people at a moment when they molt need it. "I do not murmur-I would not live a week, nor a day, nor an hour, but to glorify God-I fhall not have one pain more than he pleafes; only weight and measure-Though he flay me, yet will I trust in him." At one time he broke out thus, "Dreadful, dreadful, dreadful for them that have no hope, or no God:" I could not be certain which, for her voice failed her. She repeated feveral lines out of different hymns "What have I done for him that dy'đ Give our whole felves, O Lord! to thee." On the day of her departure (which was Saturday, Jan. 2, 1796) she faid in the morning, “ I shall never fee the fun rife any more ;" and in the afternoon," Before 12 o'clock I shall be where finning and forrowing are no more." About ten o'clock in the forenoon the appeared to be in an ecftacy for the space of half an hour, continually repeating thefe words, "Bleffing. and honour, and glory, and power to him that fitteth upon the throne, and to the Lamb for ever, and ever, and ever, Amen!" with an emphasis not to be described, till the was quite exhausted. But it was not only in the exercifes of her foul towards God that the power of divine grace was manifefted in Mrs. Medland; love to our neighbour is one effential part of true religion, and truly that minute and affectionate attention which the difcovered to thofe around her, when her fufferings were extreme, was nothing lefs than a demonstration that this law of love was written upon her heart by the finger of the living God. After all her pains, contrary to the expectations of her friends, it pleased him, who has the keys of death and the unfeen world, to grant her an eafy difmiffion from the body about five o'clock in the afternoon. The last time fhe fpake, it was to thank the writer of this account for praying with her; after which, though fhe feemed to continue in the body for an hour, fhe was not observed to struggle, nor fcarcely to groan or figh any more. What encouragement is fuch an inftance as this for those who, turning their back upon the world, are feeking the Lord with their whole heart! "Then fhall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord, that his going forth is prepared as the morning." Hofea, vi, 3. J. K. Death Death of the Rev. George Campbell. DIED, on the 6th of April 1796, at the age of ip venty-seven years, the Rev. George Campbell, D. D. F. R. S. E. Principal of Marifchal College and Univerfity, Profeffor of Divinity, and one of the Minifters of Aberdeen. His fucceffor, Dr. Brown, thus writes to his correfpondent concerning him : "This place, the church, and mankind in general, have fuftained a very heavy lofs in the death of our most excellent friend Dr. Campbell. To me, in particular, his lofs has been very fevere. I took great delight in his company, and had many opportunities of knowing his worth. "His laft illness, a paralytic stroke, was not of long duration; and even, at last, feemed to take fuch a favourable turn, that we had very good hopes of his recovery. The last time I converfed with him, he had returned to his study; but on that very night he was much worse, and entirely left the use of his fpeech. In this way he continued, with intervals of lumber, till the moment of his diffolution, which was eafy and free from pain. In my laft converfation with him, I could not but admire the clearness of his judgment, and his luminous views of religion. He thought himfelt dying from the beginning, and was perfectly refigned, and willing to leave this terreftrial state. He is univerfally and juftly deplored. In him Scotland has loft one of her brighteft ornaments, and the church one of her greateft luminaries. I preached his funeral fermon to a molt crowded audience, when the judges on the circuit were also prefent. My colleagues in the University, and feveral other of my mft refpe&table hearers have requested me to publish my difcourfe, which is now in the prefs." Dr. Brown adds, "I lately published my laft Faft-Sermon, on the Influence of Religion on National Profperity: I believe the bookfeller here has fent up a number of copies to Meffis. Robinsons, London. Dr. Campbell was an ufeful, learned, and refpe&table author. He publifhed a matterly Effay on Miracles, in anfwer to David Hume; the Philofophy of Rhetoric, in 2 vols.; a new Tranflation of the four Gofpels, 40. to which are prefixed feveral learned preliminary Differtations; alfo feveral Sermons preached on public occafions before Synods, the Society for propagating Christian knowledge, &c. REVIEW OF RELIGIOUS PUBLICATIONS. Letters from a Father to his Son, a Student in Divinity. 12mo. 107 pages. Ogle, Edinburgh; Brash and Reid, Glasgow; Knight, Aberdeen; Morrison and Son, Perth; Chapman, &c. London. THE qualifications and character of candidates for the holy mi nistry are intimately connected with the credit of religion and the success of the Gospel. While the return of Gothic darkness, confusion, and every evil work, are to be apprehended from an ignorant, self-created, and vain priesthood, little better is to be expected from learned but useless orthodoxy. The culture of the understanding in the knowledge of the unsearchable riches of Christ, - VOL. IV. and and the culture of the heart in the love of God, in sympathy to the souls of men, and in fervent concern for their salvation, are the pastoral endowments which God hath joined together, but which it is the error of many to put asunder. The design of these letters is to recommend both. The writer puts down his thoughts under the form of instructions to his son, which relate to his understanding, his heart, and his public conduct. Under the first division of his thoughts, the father begins with recommending to him, while at the university, the perusal of the Greek and Roman classics, and assigns forcible reasons for the study of them. Then he proceeds to the grand object of his letters-the replenishing of his son's mind with the knowledge of the Holy Scriptures. Here he states the evidence of the truth of the Scriptures; the external' evidences, from miracles performed, prophecies fulfilled, and the propagation of the Gospel, though opposed by the prejudices of the common people, the pride of philosophers, the selfishness of priests, and the power of heathen rulers: The, internal evidences, from the harmony of the various parts of the Scripture, the suitableness of the Gospel-revelation to the present state of human nature, and the inward experience which real Christians have of the truth of God's word, by its transforming influence on their own minds. Before he proceeds to the second branch of his instructions, the writer employs two letters in warmly recommending to the young divine the study of the Holy Scriptures, and in marking the importance of being acquainted with them in the original languages. The grand qualification of the student's beart, the writer justly represents to be the love of God. He contends for the necessity of this governing principle, by shewing, on the one hand, the pernicious effects which may be expected where it doth not exist, and the blessed consequences of its power and prevalence. The want of the love of God in the preacher's bosom will render unacceptable to God, and, in a great measure, unprofitable to men, all his services: It will also give scope to the operation of those foul passions by which the preacher's own mind will be reduced to the vilest slavery. On the other hand, if the love of God rule in his heart, the most happy effects on the minister's soul may be hoped for; thereby he will be drawn nearer to God, will be disposed to love fervently all who resemble him, will be transformed into his image, and will feel his private and public duty to be his pleasure and happiness. Among the qualifications of his external conduct, the writer recommends temperance, truth, righteousness, humility, goodness, or charity, and, above all, piety, or devotion; the beauty and necessity of which he sets in a strong light. He then seriously warns him against the indulgence of an envious disposition, the practice of fawning on and flattering the great, against a satirical turn of mind, duplicity, and intemperate intermeddling in civil or ecclesiastical polities. The The student being supposed to be in some measure qualified for his work, the writer closes his plan by giving him some instructions relative to his conduct as the pastor of the Christian people. Here he draws for him an outline of evangelical preaching; presses on his mind the unwearied study of God's word; urges him to impartiality and faithfulness in the discharge of his office; suggests some useful hints on the manner of composing and delivering his sermons; and concludes his letters by setting before his hopes that 'animated promise, "they that be wise shall shine as the brightest of the firmament, and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever." In the course of his letters, the writer mentions in the notes the various authors who have handled the subjects of which he respectively speaks, and which he recommends to his son's perusal. On the whole, the letters contain much good sense, and breathe an affectionate concern for the faithful preaching of the Gospel, and the true honour of the Christian ministry. Missionary Instructions, recommended to the serious Attention of all who are engaged in the great and important Work of promoting the Gospel of Christ among the Heathen; with an Appendix relative thereto, by the Rev. Mr. Latrobe. By the Reverend T. Haweis, L. L. B. and M. D. Octavo. 44 pages. Price 6d. Chapman. THAT zealous and indefatigable friend of the Missionary Society, the Rev. Dr. Haweis, presents us this month with no less than three treatises on the subject of missions. Knowing the frequency and extent of his ministerial labours, the cares he must necessarily be subject to, by the large connection he directs, and the time devoted by him to the other services of the mission, we cannot but express our surprise how he finds leisure for works that indicate such extensive reading, deep thought, and luminous arrangement. His Plea for Peace and Union, and his Word in Season, we warmly recommended to the friends of the institution in a former number*, and we can promise them increasing pleasure, information, and improvement from this and the two subsequent pamphlets. The Missionary Instructions, as the learned author more than once reminds us, contain only his own opinion; being issued from the press merely with a view to" engage others of his brethren to pay a like serious attention to the subject, and produce something more compleat for the instruction of the missionaries." But they are evidently the production of great wisdom and candour, and have a strong tendency to promote the grand object of the Society. They clearly discover a mind that hath deeply and seriously considered the subject in all its bearings, and are comprised under the following heads: 1. The regulation of the missionaries' own spirit and conduct. See the Magazine for March, page 127. 2, Their |