MR. B. B. BEDDOME. DIED on Tuesday, October 29, 1816, at the house of his son-in-law Dr. Gregory, of the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, Mr. BOSWELL BRANDON BEDDOME, of Walworth, aged 54 years. Mr. Beddome was the third som of the late Rev. B. Beddome, A. M. | of Bourton-on-the-water, Gloucestershire, a minister well known in most of our churches, and by whose admirable sermons now publishing, he, "being dead, yet speaketh." He had, therefore, enjoyed the benefit of the early and constant instruction of a parent of great piety and correctness of sentiment; and having thus been trained up in the fear of God, he always chose his principal associates among persons of professed piety. This circumstance, together with an accurate knowledge of the theory of religion, and much frankness and benevolence of character, led him, in his own estimation, and, perhaps, in truth, to satisfy himself for years with the form of godliness, while he was destitute of the power. It pleased God, however, by the dissolution of the tenderest of earthly ties, nearly twenty years ago, to convince him of the vanity of all mere notional religion, at once to wean him from all earthly and mistaken dependencies, and bring him to an intimate acquaintance with himself, and a cordial acquiescence in the plan of salvation through the atonement of "God's dear Son." At that period he joined the Baptist church at Maze-pond, Southwark, then under the pastoral care of the Rev. James Dore, A. M.; of which church he was chosen a deacon about three years afterwards: and during greater part of the sixteen years in which he filled that office, he devoted himself most conscientiously, and, (considering the way in which his time was necessarily employed in secular occupations,) most sedulously to promoting 66 the interests of religion generally, of that church in particular, and especially to the encouragement and guidance of the younger members of that community. Animated by a like spirit, he for many years took an active part in the concerns of the "Baptist Fund," and of the Deputies appointed to protect the Civil Rights of Protestant Dissenters." Since the establishment of the " Stepney Academical Institution," he had also, from a persuasion of the advantages likely to accrue from such a seminary in the vicinity of the metropolis, readily devoted himself, as a member of the committee, to the promotion of its important objects. During the last year or two, the perplexities of commercial life in these times of peculiar vicissitude, and still more, the loss of his beloved and revered elder brother, had much oppressed both his body and mind. His friends around him sometimes feared, that he did not derive from the gospel which he loved, all the consolation it was cal culated to impart; and they saw clearly that his constitution was rapidly sinking. On the second Sunday in May last, just as he was about to quit his house for the purpose of attending public worship, he experienced a severe attack of paralysis, which deprived him entirely of the use of his left side, and reduced him to a state of extreme mental imbecility. From the latter, however, he gradually recovered at the end of three weeks; and his friends and relatives perceived, with exquisite delight, that as his mind recovered its tone, the energy of true religion more and more evinced itself. Before his articulation was so far restored that he could speak distinctly, it was evident from his half formed words and sentences, that though God had smitten him, he had not forsaken him; and as he farther recovered his speech, he loved to tell how divine supports had been administered to him; and how, when he was entirely speech-public solely from the persuasion, that it very inadequately pourtrays the language and feeling with which the prayer was dictated. As Mr. Beddome advanced towards the close of his life, the fervour, spiritu became still more marked. Daily, and frequently in every day, did he plead at the throne of grace, for the individuals of his family; for the prosperity of the church with which he had long been connected; for the health and success of his be-, loved minister, and for the universal diffusion of the knowledge of Christ, and him crucified." less, his mind was consoled by the recollection of portions of scripture, and of hymns, especially some of the well known compositions of his father, such as the touching one ending with "Who can tell?" Atality, and richness of his prayers, this period and subsequently, to the end of his life, he evinced remarkable humility, mildness, and serenity. They who knew him in the midst of health and activity, could not but observe how that generosity of disposition for which he had been distinguished, had become transformed, in correspondence with the change in his own state of health, into gentleness and gratitude, incessantly About three weeks before his exhibited on account of the atten- death, he seemed so rapidly gaining tions he received from those around strength, that his family began to him. His patience and cheerful- cherish the fondest hopes, if not ness, too, considering his helpless-that he would be restored to perfect ness of body, and the pain he usually experienced, were truly astonishing. His countenance beamed with heavenly serenity. His life exhibited a calm and steady light: there were no flashes, but, happily, there were scarcely any clouds. From June to October his "path" was indeed as "the shining light, which shineth more and more unto the perfect day." For many years Mr. Beddome had been remarkable in the community where he was best known, for the comprehensiveness of his prayers, and their admirable appropriation to the circumstances of the moment. No sooner did he recover his intellectual powers, than this rare faculty was again evinced. His first audible prayer after his partial recovery, was occasioned by a conversation with one of his daughters, in which, while he dwelt with much pleasure upon the succession of pious and useful ministers that had been in his family, he lamented that the line had been broken for two generations, and expressed a wish that the chain might be renewed in one of her children. This led to a most fervent and, considering the circumstances, overwhelming prayer, commencing with the first twelve verses of Psalm xc. of which an imperfect sketch was written down the next morning: it is withheld from the health, at least that his life would "the steeped with tears, and "all the daughters of music brought low;" that which leads us to trust in God's goodness, and feel a persuasion that he is a Father, while we groan under his rod; that which brings off the soul from all its ignorant confidences, creates a persuasion that even in the roughest storm the breath of heaven is wafting us to its own purposes, and causes us to "know in whom we have believed, and that he is able to keep that which we have committed unto him against that day." Although his understanding had fully recovered its tone, his memory was greatly impaired. To remedy this disadvantage as far as possible, and that he might have food for meditation during "the night watches," he, by frequent perusal, fixed in his recollection certain consolatory and cheering portions of scripture, and various hymus; of these, Psalm xxiii. and Hymn Ixviii. Book ii. of Dr. Watts, seemed most to express the habitual state of his feelings, and thus became his "songs in the night." As the mornings returned, he would tell, with happy countenance and cheerful accents, that though he had "tossings to and fro" by reason of the pain he suffered, yet" when he awoke he was still with God." The unfailing mercy of his heavenly Father was his constant theme; and while he expatiated on this, he would frequently introduce most apt and instructive expositions of scripture, especially those passages and promises on which his soul most loved to dwell. ceding evening. He spoke less than usual; but said enough to convince those around him that his soul still reposed on "the rock of ages. Shortly after, he was seized with, apoplexy. He immediately became speechless; but smiled upon his daughters, who were standing by him, as if to soothe them by his last farewel. In less than two minutes he became totally insensible, and so continued until half-past four o'clock the next morning, when his freed spirit was admitted into the, rest after which he panted, "the rest which remaineth for the people of God." Through the whole interval be tween his first and second attack, Mr. Beddome exhibited a striking proof of the power of genuine religion to sustain the mind under the severest trials. It is on this account the preceding imperfect sketch has been attempted; and the writer of it shall rejoice if it prove an incentive to a single individual to escape from all those " refuges of lies" in which mistaken mortals are too apt to take shelter, and "cast all his care upon God, who careth for him." ELIZABETH HEWITT, An old Disciple, aged Seventy-seven. Elizabeth HEWITT, of Draycott, in the county of Warwick, lived a great number of years in the most deplorable ignorance of her spiritual' condition in the sight of God. She' was what is commonly called, a moral character, or, as some people term it, a good living woman. "Af Thus he continued, gradually extricating himself from the incum-ter the strictest sect of her religion brances of flesh, and "putting on she lived a Pharisee." Her supthe garments of immortality;" pre- posed goodness, united with the geparing for his passage to glory, while neral mercy of God, whom she those around him were deluding thought too merciful to punish sinthemselves with the hope that heners eternally, formed the ground would dong remain here. On the morning of Monday, October the 28th, he appeared at breakfast with his accustomed serenity; but complained of much more than usual languor, which, however, he ascribed to the exhaustion occasioned by the delight he felt in the society of four of his children on the preVOL. IX. of her hopes of eternal life; and if at any time a doubt arose in her mind as to her future safety, she, had immediate recourse to that delusive scheme of comparing herself with some of the worst of her neighbours, and generally, according to, her own contrivance,. found the ba lance preponderate in her favour; consequently, she would often ex-norant, to know him, whom to know is eternal life. Being, soon after,' convinced of the propriety and importance of believer's baptism, administered according to the primitive and apostolic mode, on the day that she arrived at the age of seventyone years, she cheerfully attended to this ordinance in a small field adjoining the place of worship, in the midst of several hundreds of spectators, many of whom were" scofferslewd fellows of the baser sort," who, as might be expected, were not sparing of their “cruel mockings at the old sinner," as they called her: but her firmness and composure or this occasion, were truly astonishing, and left an impression on my mind, which I shall never entirely forget:when she came up out of the water, she said to the person who attended her on the occasion, "O what an honour is this that my claim, "If I perish, wo be to thousands!" But it pleased the Lord, by the influence of his word and spirit, at length to convince her, that the ground of her confidence was untenable, and all her fond hopes were as "the spider's web!" Her days of darkness were many, she lived a total stranger to the things that belonged to her peace, till she arrived at the age of "three score years and ten;" but when the day was far spent, and the night of death was at hand, at evening time it was light with her soul. That doctrine which so puzzled the ruler of the Jews, was, by grace, made experimentally known to her, she knew what it was to be “born again when she was old." When the gospel was first introduced into Draycott, she was decidedly opposed to it, of which she gave the most convincing evidence by expressions of indig-dear Saviour has conferred upon me, nation and contempt as she passed by in permitting me to follow him, and the place of worship to her parish enabling me to suffer shame for his church. But God, who has mercy name sake!" in store even for the rebellious, was pleased to bring her beneath the sound of his glorious gospel; impelled by curiosity, yet deterred by hatred, a considerable struggle arose in her mind; at length she formed this resolution, "I will go this once, and if I like it I will go again; if not, I'll go no more." She listened with attention-both the preacher and his doctrine met with her de- Soon after, it pleased the Lord to cided approbation; she went again visit her with the complaint that and again, and heard as if the eter-terminated in death: a friend sugnal interests of her soul were sus-gested the propriety of obtaining pended upon each sentence. The medical advice; to which she repassage that appears to have sa- plied, "Why, at my time of life, T vingly impressed her mind was, think it is in vain; besides, I hope Luke, xxiv. 32, "And they said I have committed my soul into the one to another, Did not our heart hands of Christ, the great physician, burn within us, while he talked with which is far better!" The Bible was us by the way, and while he opened her constant companion and her to us the scriptures?" She caught great support; she made it the man something of the flame of divine of her counsel, and God made it a love-returned to her house filled light to her feet, and a lamp to her with astonishment and wonder. It path; and, during her severe af was then, for the first time, that fliction, it was better to her than she felt herself a lost and guilty sin- thousands of gold and silver. Scner: and many times since then, the veral passages were rendered pecuwriter of this article has heard her, liarly useful, and proved as immovewith many tears, acknowledge the able props to her sinking soul. She wonderful mercy of God to her soul, found, that underneath were ever in bringing her, so old, and so ig-lasting arms! She dwelt with pės Her attendance on the means of grace was uniform, consistent, and serious. She frequently said to her husband, "O, do let us go to the house of God as long as we are able !" Conscious of the loss of so much of her time already past, never to be recalled, she was anxious to give the more earnest heed to redeem the little that remained. ZI .JO7 66 | fast she requested that family prayer might be attended to; accordingly a portion of scripture was read, and just as her afflicted husband was about to kneel down to pray, her countenance changed-her pulse stopped-her heart ceased to move, and without a sigh, struggle, or groan, in one minute her happy spirit took its flight to the mansions of glory above, on Lord's-day morning, June 16, 1816. The event was improved to a great crowd of attentive hearers, from Psalm cxvi. 15, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints." Reader, observe in this event, the exceeding riches of divine mercy and grace, as well as long patience and forbearance on the part of Jehovah. After seventy years provoking rebellion, glorious grace is exemplified in bringing the sinner from darkness to light, and in so short a period as five or six years, making the soul meet for an inheritance that is incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away; verily, says the Lord, "I will work and who shall let it.". culiar interest on the 5th, 17th, 18th, and 21st verses of Psalm xxv. and at her request this psalm was read to her not more than five minutes before she died. The last chapter of Luke was also very precious to her. She could distinguish between living to read the scriptures, and reading them so as to live by them. Her affliction was at times. very severe, and her pains great; but she was never heard to utter a murmur, or make the least complaint. At one time, when more than usually in pain, and her hands much distorted by a rheumatic affection to which she was subject, holding them up, she exclaimed, "And what are my hands, what are my sufferings, when compared to those of my dear Saviour!" She would frequently say, when retiring to bed, “Q how many more rising and setting suns shall I see before I see my dear Saviour, that glorious Sun of righteousness!" At another time she said to her disconsolate husband, O, at what a distance I am from him whom my soul loves!" On the Monday morning before she died, being extremely ill, and exercised with sharp pain, but recovering a little, she exclaimed, "O dear! I thought I was then going to my dear Saviour, but he has passed by me again. O when shall I come and appear before God!" The wonderful mercy and goodness of God to her (as she expressed it) was her most frequent topic, and she would often repeat, with astonishing em-phasis, Psalm cvii. 8, "O that men would praise the Lord for his good-“ Is not this a brand plucked out of ness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men." She appeared particularly desirous that her mental faculties might not fail her, Jest she should dishonour her God; and in this the Lord most graciously heard her request, for she retained them in full exercise to the last minute of her life. She was no stranger .to the deep depravity and awful corruption of her heart by nature: she often, with the most apparent conItrition, would declare, "I cannot think one good thought, O what a heart is mine!" On the morning in which she died, she rose early and walked into the garden, after break 2 Here we perceive, also, the great utility and glorious benefits of village preaching: had it not been for this, it cannot be ascertained whether our departed friend would ever have heard of a Saviour, who alone is able and willing "to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him:" but it is highly probable, she would have spent the last six years of her life as she had done the preceding seventy, and then have sunk down into the shades of death. the fire?". And what adds to the "Thanks be to God for Jesus Christ." いい Wolston. 1995 G. J. |