are the lion's favourite food: therefore though he passed their horses, camels, and cattle, and was in the midst of their tents, he was satisfied with selecting a victim from their flocks.- -The Sicilian said, that the sight of a tiger would have been more dreadful, as his favourite food is man." Page 289. "Fierce lions lead their young abroad, Then man to daily labour goes; Obituary. MRS. MARY SHEPHERD. THAT the "memory of the just is blessed," is a truth frequently realized by us, when we reflect on departed worth, while "Busy, meddling memory, musters up The past endearments of their softer hours." When the tongue that once charmed and instructed us, lies silent in the tomb; when the eyes that once sparkled with cheerful vivacity, are closed in darkness; when the hands which were employed in acts of kind benevolence, cease their activity; and when our friends are laid beneath the clods of the valley; their past excellencies and worth crowd upon our attention, and we feel a mournful pleasure in contemplating the painfully-pleasing theme. These remarks will apply to the subject of this Memoir. Mrs. Mary Shepherd was the daughter of Edward and Mary Riggs, of Gatcomb, in the Isle of Wight. Both her parents were members of the Baptist church then existing in Newport. She was born in the year 1744, and, through the tender concern of her father for her spiritual welfare, was introduced at an early age into a godly family at Portsmouth. This providence brought her under the ministry of Messrs. Lacy and Meadows, ministers of the Baptist church in Portsea, now under the pastoral care of the Rev. D. Miall. About this time she had a remarkable dream, in which she thought she saw the Lord Jesus VOL. X. Christ; who seemed to say to her, as he did to Peter, "Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now, but thou shalt follow me hereafter." This dream, together with the preaching of the gospel, wrought powerfully on her mind, and became the power of God to her salvation. From this time she was eminently distinguished for her piety; and, on the 27th of August, 1769, she was baptized by Mr. Lacy, and unitéd to the church at Portsea, where she continued an ornament to her profession, until January 31, 1811, when she was dismissed, with five others, who lived in the same neighbourhood, to form a new church at Forton, near Gosport.* The interest she felt in the newly-raised church, increased the holy flame which had been so long kindled in her heart, and which discovered itself in an affectionate concern, and an unquenchable zeal, for the welfare of Zion. Of this church It will be gratifying to the friends of the Redeemer to learn, that this church has, since its formation, been blessed with an unusual degree of prosperity. It is situated in a village, (where the gospel was not preached,) about a mile from Gosport. The gospel was first introduced by preaching in a very small room. After this a store-room was fitted up for worship; and in 1811 a church was formed, consisting of twelve persons. Since that time, a new place of worship has been erected, and the church has increased, from its commencement in 1811, to July, 1818, to 136 members. There are also a large congregation, and a considerable Sunday-school. 3 D she was an exemplary member, till Saturday, August 15, 1818, when she suddenly closed her eyes in death, and took possession of her heavenly inheritance. In her religious experience, she had a deep sense of her depravity and unworthiness: this, however, appeared more visible in the humility of her mind before God, than in any outward confessions before men. Her mind was well informed on the great doctrines of grace, and the way of salvation revealed in the gospel to a guilty world; and she was enabled to exercise an entire confidence and hope in the Rock of her salvation. She sometimes felt, in common with others, darkness of mind, and internal conflicts with the enemy of her peace; but, supported by divine grace, she said, in the most trying seasons, with the wife of Manoah, "The Lord would not have showed us all these things, if he had intended to destroy us." She did not fear her mightiest foes, but exclaimed, in the exercise of faith, "I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day!" One important feature in this aged Christian was, a great attachment to the public worship of God, and to the ordinances of his house; she was always glad when they said to her, "Let us go up to the house of the Lord." And though at one part of her life she lived at Fareham, a town nine miles distant, she was generally found in her place as a member of the church at Portsea, from whence she generally walked home in the evening. Nor was her zeal diminished by the lapse of half a century; but, like the path of the just, it increased in brightness; and, be the weather what it might, notwithstanding for the last nine years she had a mile to walk, she was not to be prevented from appearing in the assembly of the saints, either on Sundays or on week-day evenings. And if she heard any persons making excuses for their non-attendance, she would say, "If you knew the value of such privileges, you would not think it a hardship to endure the inclemency of the weather in the way to the house of God." She, however, became very feeble the last few years of her life, and said, a little before her death, that it was the love of Christ which constrained her, or she should not drag her feeble body such a distance. She attended the three services of the last Sabbath of her life, and also communed at the Lord's table, where she seemed unusually happy; and, as if on the verge of heaven, she could then adopt the language of the poet, "Well, we shall quickly pass the night, Thus she appeared to be only waiting for the messenger of mercy from HIM who has the keys of hell and of death, to "Unbind her chains, break up her cell, And give her with her God to dwell." A great concern for the salvation of her children formed another characteristic of this distinguished Christian, and will not be easily forgotten by those who were the objects of her concern, her prayers, her admonitions, and her example. It was her desire that Christ might be formed in their hearts, the hope of glory. Nor was her attention confined to those who more particularly shared in the affection of her heart: she always recommended religion as the "chief concern" to the attention of young people in general; and, from her own experience, she would point out the advantages of it, saying, "The ways of wisdom are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace." The scripture was her constant study and delight its doctrines formed the foundation of her hope; she enjoyed the sweetness of its promises; and she maintained a practical regard to all its precepts, confessing at the same time that she was an unprofitable servant. Hence the Bible was her chief companion for more than fifty years, and, with Coles on " the Sovereignty of God," Booth's " Reign of Grace," and her hymn book, formed the whole of her library. She often retired from the busy scenes of domestic solicitude, for the purpose of reading, selfexamination, and prayer. to As a member of the church, she felt a great respect for the ministers of the gospel, esteeming them "very highly in love for their works' sake." She did not resemble many, who unworthily do all they can to interrupt a minister's peace, and prevent his usefulness. She knew the discouragements attending the ministerial office; she manifested her affection and sympathy by holding up their hands; and she duly appreciated their labours as the servants of God. whilst contemplating her title to In pleasure and in praise. Haste, my Beloved, fetch my soul, My Saviour and my God."... Though she felt much pleasure in that heavenly part of worship, the praises of God, she could not join in For many years she was the sub-it, except in spirit, for want of breath; ject of much affliction. This was but she said, "I shall sing as loud exceedingly trying to nature; but as others, when I join the society under it she discovered great resig- above." nation to the will of her heavenly Father, and in the most trying seasons would say, "His will be done." When a friend said to her, “The || Lord hath laid his hand heavily upon you," she replied, "I have not one more affliction than he will enable me to bear. My covenant God and Father has promised to support me; he has done it many years; and he is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever. He has said, I will help thee, I will uphold thee,' and not one word has failed of all that he has promised." She was a stranger and a pilgrim on the earth, and the pilgrim's song was her delight: Rise, my soul, and stretch thy wings; Towards heav'n, thy native place. Happy entrance will be given; All our sorrows left below, And earth exchang'd for heaven."" From the nature of her affliction, it was expected she would suffer much in the dissolution of nature; but from this she was happily exempted, being in usual health in the morning of the day she died. She fell into a lethargic state; and before the evening, without a groan or a sigh, her disembodied spirit winged its way to the blessed shores of im mortality. A funeral sermon was preached for her, from Psalm xxvi. 8. BASIL STEWART. BASIL STEWART, of Foleshill, near Coventry, lived, before his conversion, a very profligate life, and kept the most abandoned company. The Sabbath was to him a day of sinful pleasure. Many times have I, as well as others, been the objects of his scurrility, as we passed by the place of his horrid resort, on a Lord's-day, to the house of God. He was so For several years she has been great an adept at wrestling and subject to repeated attacks, which fighting, that his very frown inspired threatened a speedy dissolution. At terror, and he held a kind of terrible such seasons she felt a strong desire dominion over his wretched compato depart and he with Christ, and nions. But mark the change! God, would say, 66 Why is his chariot so who is rich in mercy, was pleased at long in coming?" She even felt dis-length to stop this great sinner in the appointment on recovering, saying, midst of his career, and to make him "I thought I was going home." In a monument of sovereign grace. the prospect of dissolution, and At the request of a friend, he was prevailed with to hear the gospel. | Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him." As a husband, he was kind, gentle, affectionate, and forbearing: in friendship, he was faithful, steady, and persevering; and if, at any time, he had occasion to administer reproof, he so conducted himself, as to give room to the party reproved, to conclude, that "faithful are the holy zeal was not the least of those graces by which he was distinguished. For several months before his death, in connection with some of his pious friends, he took an active part in the establishment of Sunday-schools, and in carrying on the worship of God in several of the neighbouring villages. At Wyken coal-mines, God has greatly blessed their pious labours; so that, in those dark and deep caverns of the earth, where horrid oaths were heard, men call upon the name of the Lord. It was a life-giving sound. Deeply affected with a sense of his guilt, he exclaimed with astonishment and fear, "What must I do to be saved?" His former practices were immediately abandoned; the people of God became his associates; the Sabbath his delight; and sin his greatest burden. About this time he came to me, filled with anxiety and dis-wounds of a friend.” As a Christian, tress, to relate the dealings of God with his soul. I directed him to "the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world;" and such was the interest we both felt in the wonderful grace of God, that six hours, in the coldest night, were sometimes deemed by us insufficient for Christian conversation. The pleasure of these hours, when all nature around us was wrapt in darkness, has left an impression on my mind which will not soon be obliterated. To see this lion-like sinner laid prostrate at the throne of grace, and to hear him, whose mouth but a few days before was "full of cursing and bitterness," now pouring out his soul in fervent prayer, and entreating forgiveness through the blood of Christ, in the soft and broken accents of a little child, constrained me to say, "This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes.' From this time, he became not only decided for God, but "valiant for the truth upon earth." After joyfully submitting to the ordinance of baptism, he was united in Christian fellowship with the church at Rugby, now under the care of the Rev. E. Fall; and until within a few days of his death, he laboured hard to spread, in every possible direction, that faith which he once wished to destroy, He possessed no literary advantages; but "he was a faithful man, and feared God above many." He took pleasure in the welfare of his fellow-creatures: he learned to rejoice with those that rejoice, and to weep with those that weep. Uprightness and integrity preserved him from the practice of every thing mean and sordid; and he lived to prove the truth of that scripture, When a man's ways please the 66 We are now come to the "chamber where the good man meets his fate." Here we are called upon to mark the perfect man, and behold the upright; for the end of that man is peace." The messenger of death arrested him; but he was clothed with "the armour of righteousness on the right hand, and on the left." As soon as he felt the first blow of the tyrant, he exclaimed, “I am a dead man." After a severe struggle, which lasted eighteen days, the conflict was finished, the glorious victory was won, and the happy saint was clothed with immortality; and he is now a king and a priest unto God and the Lamb for ever and ever. But let us draw near his death-bed. His only hope was in a crucified Saviour; his mind was serene; and if, at any time, those who attended him seemed agitated, he would say, "Be calm, be calm;" adding, "This heavenly calm within my breast, Is the dear pledge of glorious rest." He had a melodious voice, and was remarkably fond of singing the praises of God. He frequently remarked, that whatever might be said of fine singing, none could sing like pious Christians. As long as strength permitted, he frequently sang the following verses: And run eternal rounds: Beyond the limits of the skies, And all created bounds. The holy triumphs of my soul, Shall death itself outbrave; Leave dull mortality behind, And fly beyond the grave." &c. 66 "From Thee, my God, my joys shall rise, hour before his death, he said to his attendant, 66 Do not you see them coming? Christ and his angels are coming for me. In one hour I shall be at home!" A few minutes before he expired, he exclaimed, They are coming; they are coming; they are just here!" These were the last words he was able to utter. He then silently and sweetly entered into that rest which remaineth for the people of God, on the morning of May 3, 1817, aged 40 years. May I live the life of the righteous, and may my last end be like his! G. J. Those who heard him will not soon forget with what animation he exclaimed, “O what a mercy it is to be translated out of darkness into marvellous light!" When the pangs of death were upon him, he said, "That pang was lighter: what a mercy!" A little more than an book reviewed, and being compelled, every successive walk, to blunder over, or trample upon, former remarks, which lie so thick in the way, as very much to impede their progress, and which threaten, eventually, to render the path absolutely impassable. AT a period in which persons of almost every description are trying their hand at writing, both "those who can, and those who cannot," it is very pleasing to perceive the In the present instance, our attenformer on the advance; and still tion is turned, not to a sensible more gratifying would it be to find writer only, but to an intelligent them increase in such proportion as family, a group of authors; almost to warrant the indulgence of the all of whom have rendered themfond hope, that, at some future time, selves not less popular than useful, they will gain the complete ascen- by their various publications, which dancy over the latter. That were are too well known to need our adindeed 66 a consummation most de-vertisement, and too highly esteemvoutly to be wished," particularly ed to require our commendation; by those whose duty it is to give but we may be allowed to gratify some account of the numerous pub- ourselves by expediting their introlications which are constantly issu- duction to a few families, into which, ing from the press. It would relieve perhaps, they would not otherwise them from that embarrassment so soon find their way. which they generally suffer, from the fear of offending against justice on one hand, by commending a book which possesses no merit; or against charity on the other, by telling the truth, and thus wounding the feelings of a worthy man, but weak writer. It would, also, save them from the dire necessity of filling the narrow pass, bounded on either side by these formidable barriers, with something still duller than the dull We are now indebted to Mr. Taylor himself, the honoured husband and father of our esteemed female friends, Mrs. Taylor, and her daughters, Ann and Jane, for a most valuable performance. Our readers will perceive the nature and design of the publication, by the following extracts from our author's very sensible preface : education is not finished, but only begun, "To prove to the young, that their |