THE

METHODIST MAGAZINE,

FOR NOVEMBER, 1818.

BIOGRAPHY.

MEMOIR OF THE LATE MR. WM. APPLETON. (Concluded from page 728.)

"MAY 17, Sheffield. This morning, when I rose, I found my soul very barren and lifeless, for which I could not account, as when I retired to rest last night my soul was happy in God. I humbled myself before the Lord, and he has graciously visited me. O how good is God to me! I never felt my own weakness as at the present. I receive my momentary salvation with fear and trembling. I long for a revival of the work of God in this place. May I not labour in vain, and spend my strength for nought!

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"June 19, Sheffield. This morning, when I awoke, I was overwhelmed with the presence of God; and glory be to his holy name, he has made use of me, as an instrument in his hands of preaching liberty to the captives in this populous town. I feel the delight of my heart is to be employed in my blessed Master's work, and as it is very likely I shall be removed from this circuit, I long for that preparation of soul which will send me up to the people, with whom I shall be called to labour the ensuing year, in all the fulness of the gospel of peace, and the full enjoyment of his love.

"Sept. 25, Rochester. This morning my soul was much drawn out after God in behalf of a good Sabbath; but I have not felt quite at home while preaching this morning. But I thank thee, blessed Jesus, thou hast been better unto me than all my boding fears; thou hast, this night, expanded my views, enlarged my desires, and filled my soul with thy communicable fulness. Ŏ that thou wouldest bless the, word delivered by thy unworthy dust, and thou shalt have all the glory.

"October 4, Gravesend. Lord! what a worm! and yet thou deignest to visit me; I have the love of God in my heart, but my VOL. XLI. NOVEMBER, 1818.

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soul for all thy fulness cries, for all thou hast, and art.' I have visited seven sick families this morning, and while praying and conversing with them, I had a gracious visit from my heavenly Father:

"O that all the world my Saviour knew,

Then all the world would love him too."

"November 12, Rochester. I have nothing to boast of, though all is well within at the present. God is with me; but many times lately I have had cause for jealousy over myself. Thou knowest, O my God, that I would not give place to any thing that would grieve thy Spirit. I leave myself with thee, praying thee to guide and direct me in all my ways. I desire to live as I would wish to die; therefore, O my most merciful Father, if thou wilt allow me to know thy will concerning me, I will suffer any thing thou choosest to inflict.

"December 18, Sheerness, seven in the morning. O blessed Jesus, do thou enable me to bring some poor sinner to thee this day; I long for the salvation of precious immortal souls. I thirst and pant for a revival of thy work in this place. I never felt my own nothingness as at the present. My mind is deeply affected with the importance of the work that lies before me; but I feel thy consoling power already, the witness of thy Holy Spirit, that thou wilt stand by me in the trying hour; enough, Lord, this is all I want.-Eleven o'clock on Sunday night. I bless God, this has been one of the best days of my life; and my soul is now so full of his Divine love that I can scarcely write. O what a heavenly, glorious, melting power! O what a view of the crucified Redeemer do I enjoy! all is peace; Christ is my all and

in all.

"January 1, 1813, Rochester. "God is love.' I have this morning called to mind the first time I entered into covenant with God; and I have found him faithful, and would this moment engage myself again in his service, desiring only bread to eat and raiment to put on, his power to save me, his presence to go with me, his Spirit to comfort me, his word to sanctify me, and a place in his kingdom, that I may be for ever with the Lord. Now, O most merciful Father, I do engage on my part, thy grace helping me, to live in thy fear, to be faithful to the strivings and drawings of thy Holy Spirit, to preach thy Word in season and out of season, neither to know nor serve any other god but thee; to love thee with all my heart, to watch over thy poor, and love and feed them, as thou shalt give me ability, to do thy will in all things, and at all times, sleeping or waking, in public and in private, at home as in the circuit, in life and in death, and for ever, Amen.-God has accepted me.-WILLIAM APPLETON.

February 3, Sheerness. This morning has been employed in reading the Magazine for the present month, and my mind has

been deeply affected while reading the letters from the missionaries. O! what have I been doing all the last year! what efforts have I made to bring souls to Jesus when compared with the labours of those blessed men? But, O my God, thou knowest how I long for souls to be brought to the knowledge of the truth; nothing however but Divine grace can accomplish this work. Lord, make me useful. Send me to any part of thy vineyard, only give me immortal souls for my hire.

"March 1, Gravesend. This day I have been very unwell, and particulary this evening, my poor body was quite out of order with a sick head ache; but as it was my duty to preach, if I could stand or speak, I went, trusting in the Lord, and found him, as I have many times before, a present help in the time of need. My body was healed, and my soul much blessed. I rejoice in his love, and delight in his work. O my God, do thou fully prepare me for thy work on the approaching Sabbath. Help me to bring a poor sinner to Jesus, and for thy name's sake bless the people, and revive thy work in this place.

"April 20, Rochester. When I rose this morning my soul was happy in its God; but I have had many inward conflicts to day. I long to know and do the will of God in all things. I pray that thou wilt go before me, and direct me in all my ways. I would not take a single step towards any thing, if I knew it, without a conscious sense of thine approbation; but I am very jealous of myself, for I have long proved that I cannot keep myself a moment without thy grace assisting me. Lord, keep thy dust, and save and direct thy servant.

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May 2. I find the want of a closer walk with God. I, at this time, enjoy much peace within, and a solemn sense of the presence of God; but I long to be fully conformed to his image; to think, to act, to speak continually as in the presence of him whom I serve. I am determined, the Lord being my helper, to improve my time, my talents, and my all, more to him than ever. O do thou guide my will, preserve my affections, and direct me in all thy ways, and may I glorify thy name in all things.

"June 6, Sheerness. This morning my soul returns to its centre, God is ready to meet me; and I feel a desire to give myself afresh to him. The Lord was with me while visiting the sick, and in preaching this evening; but I feel a constant fear lest I should do any thing to displease God. O Lord, I beseech thee to keep thy unworthy dust in the path thou wouldest have me to walk in.

"July 4, Rochester. This morning I found it good to wait upon the Lord. I have walked 18 miles this day, and the Lord has been with me, and brought me up to this place again. I feel athirst for the fulness of the gospel of peace. O, my God, make me a blessing to this people. I am thine, do with me just as * 5 I 2

seemeth good and right in thy sight, only enable me to glorify thee, give me grace to suffer as well as to do thy will.

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September 9. O, my God, pardon my importunity, seeing I make bold to call thee my Father, and subscribe myself thy son, thy servant, thy messenger. Thou knowest what I feel; I need not lay my heart open to thee; thou seest the inmost recesses thereof. I can appeal to thee, my God, that I keep nothing back from thee, therefore hear my cry. If it be thy will make my way plain before me in this business; and which ever way it terminates, it shall be for thy glory and my everlasting good. The Lord is with me, I would not take a thousand worlds for what I now feel,

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September 27, Sheerness. This day has been a day of many mercies; and glory be to God, I find my soul happy and humbled before him for all his goodness towards me, the most unworthy of his servants. In private my heart has been melted with his Divine presence, and in preaching this evening I was more than usually favoured, I felt, and understand the people felt also. O may my soul remain at the feet of Jesus!

"October 4. This morning, when I rose, I found all was well within. Mr. Toase, Mr. King, and myself, took a sail to Sheerness, to see Mr. Griffith, it being his birth-day. We spent a profitable time together; I feel I love him with all the affection of a son, and I pray God to spare him yet, many years, to his church, his people, and his family.

"October 19, Sheerness. I have been much blessed in my studies this day, having a nearness of access to a throne of grace, and finding the Lord with me in my work. Truly, goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for ever; but this afternoon I was affected with a sudden depression of spirits, or rather a loss of a consciousness of the presence of God, occasioned by the following circumstance: I had it impressed upon my mind to visit a poor widow, but when I went out in order to go to the place, I was met by a little boy, who informed me that his mother was better, and able to sit up; I therefore went to take tea with a friend, but not being able to account for what I then felt, I determined to call upon the poor widow before I went to Queenborough, When I entered her room and saw her situation, it made my heart ache; but the Lord soon broke in upon my soul, and I found it to be one of the happiest seasons of my life that I could in any measure supply her wants. I always feel as though I had found a great treasure when I find a poor deserving person. I then went to Queenborough, preached with liberty, and formed a class. May the Lord himself crown the formation of that class with his blessing!

"November 2, Gravesend. I find my soul very happy in the

love of God, and I desire to give myself, with all I have and am, once more to him, who has so graciously preserved me this day. While riding to Gravesend, my horse fell under me, and threw me over his head. At the time I was perfectly collected, and I called upon God, and he delivered me, so that I received no injury. I could not but suppose that angels then ministered to my necessity in an extraordinary manner, as I was thrown with great force on the ground. My horse galloped from me and was stopped near Gravesend. I want a more grateful heart for all thy goodness and mercy towards me, O my God.

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"December 6. I find that I am in Christ, and that he is with me, and that I can sit under the shadow of his wing, and confide in his faithfulness. I never needed confidence in thee, O God, more than at the present. I dare not trust myself for one moment. know that I am exposed to danger this day. Lord, prepare thy servant to bear a faithful testimony for thee, and prepare me for whatever lieth before me. I can appeal to thee, I long to be kept by thy power, directed by thy unerring wisdom, guided by thy Spirit, filled with thy love, supported by thy arm, and blessed with thy approbation. Lord, I am thine, save me.

"December 18, Sheerness. I never felt my own nothingness as at the present. My mind is deeply affected with the importance of the work that is before me. O blessed Jesus, do thou enable me to bring some poor sinner to thee this day. I feel athirst and a longing desire to save precious souls. I have a blessed foretaste may this only be a prelude to what I may experience this day. Now, Lord Jesus, my blessed Master, go with thy dust into the assembled congregation, and water them as with dew from heaven. May thy presence be felt universally. I leave myself in thy hands; stand by me in the time of need.

"January 1, 1814, Rochester. O, my God, why is it thus with me, that the most unworthy of all thy creatures should be thus favoured. I think I never received a greater baptism than this. This is the presence of my Jesus, my Master, and my God. I stand before thee, divested of the world, and ask thy love for my inheritance, thy glory to be my delight, and souls, immortal souls, for my companions, to the mansions thou art gone to prepare for us; and all other blessings I will receive as from thee, and enjoy them in and through thee. Now, O most merciful Father, I do solemnly give myself, with all I have and am, to thee, covenanting to go any where, to become any thing or nothing, to suffer when called to it, as well as to do thy will. Lord, it is in thy name I trust; upon thy arm do I depend; O save me unto

the end.

"January 7, Rochester. My mind is happy in God; but much tried by some unkind friends. I hope the Lord will give me strength to stand in the suffering hour. I find all the grace I have in full