appoint us all. Well, she is taken to a house not made with hands, eternal in the heaven. Our temporal loss is her eternal gain.

"The dying experience of my dear wife," says Mr. Cave, "was truly interesting. The physician recommending change of air, she went, in October, to our eldest son's house. But in a few weeks symptoms of dropsy appearing and increasing, in November she was obliged to be brought home. This was peculiarly solemn and affecting. On seeing us in tears, she said, "Don't grieve: I am in good hands. I have seen the good land," said she, in December (referring to the place of the new house), “but I shall not enjoy it." On one regretting the disappointment, she answered, with a smiling countenance, Well, heaven is better than that, however healthy and pleasant." January, 1825, feeling the dropsy rapidly increasing, and no probability of her recovery, she set her house in order, gave some directions as to the future, and disposed of some things she possessed; expressing at the same time, her view of the littleness of the world, and shewing not the least reluctance at leaving it. Being asked how she felt respecting her children, she said, “I am not distressed about them. I leave them in the hands of a kind Father, and a good God. I am leaning hard upon the Almighty Saviour, and hope in his mercy. If I am found in Jesus' hands, my soul can ne'er be lost." In the course of her life she had many doubts and fears as to the safety of her state (though no one doubted of it but herself), but these diminished as she drew near her end. Once, indeed, in her last illness, she said, with tears, "Sure I have not been deceiving myself these many years. O my Saviour, own me in that day for thine." At another time, she said, to her husband very seriously, "I feel a desire to depart : sure this is not deception. I am sure I have no cause to be tired of my life. To depart and be with Christ is far better, This I trust is my motive. hope I am not deceived." These pain

I

ful hesitations did not last long, and
vanished as death approached. She
was enabled to say,"

His love in times past forbids me to think,
He'll leave me at last in trouble to sink.

She not only displayed patience, but
also gratitude in great affliction. "The
Lord deals very mercifully with me,"
she said,
according to his loving
kindness. What a mercy, I have no

acute pain
I have yet many outward
blessings. I am astonished, when I
think on my past life, that I have done
so little for my Saviour. If sorrow
could enter heaven, I am sure I should

have sorrow there." All her friends
well knew this was not the language of
a backslider, but of a humble disciple
of Jesus Christ. She very much re-
gretted her inability to attend the house
In this trial she was much comforted
of God, and especially the Lord's table.
by March's Sabbaths at Home, founded
on the 42d and 43d Psalms. Read to
me," she would say, one of those
beautiful Sabbath Hymns." At last she
could read but little, and she confined
herself to the New Testament, and John
xvii. was her last chapter.

66

To her eldest son she said, "Strive to be eminent in religion, as well as in the world take care of both soul and

body." February, she appeared much worse; and one observed to her, “You are walking through deep waters." "I am, indeed," she replied; "my affliction ful to be released: yet I would not turn is become very heavy; I should be thanka straw to hasten it." To her mourning children, she said, "Do not shed a tear when I am gone, but be thankful. I hope the greatness of my affliction will reconcile you to my death. If I had a whole world, what good would it do me now!

'Tis religion must supply,

Solid comfort when we die."

Tuesday, March 1, she appeared on the verge of heaven; she seemed dying most of the day. The next two days she seemed to revive. But on Thurs

day night, no comfortable posture could | ignorant, brethren, concerning them she find it was the restlessness of which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, death. "This," she said, “is hard even as others which have no hope." work, but it will be short." On Friday May this be the blessedness of all the she seemed better: and on Saturday relations, and of every reader, through morning she thankfully said, "I have Jesus Christ. Amen. had a good night." An alteration soon took place for the worst. Her cough was gone, but her speech faultered, and her breathing was difficult. The hand of death was upon her.

ALEXANDER SPARKHALL, ESQ. DIED at his house in Plaistow, Essex, She herself on Friday, August the 4th, in his 76th was sensible that the time of her depar-year, after a long affliction of more ture was nigh at hand. Turning to than thirteen years. He was a Deacon her kind attendant, she said, with a of the Baptist Church in Bow, from the countenance pleasingly animated," Mrs. year 1804. His piety was of a serious M., I shall soon be in heaven." She complexion, but not dull or gloomy. In then desired us all to be very still; then his attendance on public worship he extended her hand, and by grasping was remarkably exemplary: indeed a ours, took a silent farewell; when she uniform consistency was the most strikshut her eyes, and waited for the coming ing feature of his character. There of her Lord, and on Saturday, March 5, was no wild-fire about him, but there 1825, she gently expired. might be seen always a pure steady flame. His love to the church and its pastor appeared undiminished to the last. Many years ago he converted a hay-loft, on his premises, into a place of worship, where many of the villagers had an opportunity of hearing the Gospel, and some did not hear in vain. This led to the erection of a separate building, now occupied by an Independent Church, under the pastoral care of the Rev. Mr. Munro. His zeal to propagate Christian truth prompted him to take the lead in some exertions at East Ham, which though continued for a number of years, have not been so successful. His serene submission to the will of God, under extreme debility, was edifying to all around him. He was accustomed to say, "sanctified affliction is better than unsanctified health." Thus many of our illustrious ancestors, the Puritans thought: "better be preserved in brine, than rot in honey."

Her final experience, though happy, was not that of great joy; she had no extacy: but she had a steady, good hope through grace, and at last a lively hope of eternal life. The Lord sanctified her lingering affliction, to herself and her family; fitting them to resign their dearest relative to his disposal, and preparing her for a blessed immortality to his glory. In short, her pious conversation and prayers with her dying children, were blessed to be so many steps to her Father's house; the regular daily scripture reading and domestic prayer by her husband, together with her own private devotion, fed her soul in faith and hope by the way: and devout conversation, under divine influence, brought her within sight of her heavenly home. When her Lord appeared and bade her come up hither, she cheerfully obeyed, without a reluctant struggle or a groan. The mourning husband and children wish to His death was eminently calm and adopt the words of a pious bereaved gentle, and scarcely perceived by those mourner: "The Lord gave, and the who stood around him. "At length Lord hath taken away; blessed he the the weary wheels of life stood still." name of the Lord." Sabbath Evening, He has left a widow to lament the loss March 13, a Funeral Sermon was of a husband, with whom she had been preached for her in Cannon-street Meet-happily united more than fifty years; ing, by the Rev. I. Birt, from 1 Thess. but having got beyond her eightieth iv. 13. "I would not have you to be year, she will solace her mind with the

expectation that they will not be sepa- REV. J. BURCHELL OF TETBURY. rated long.

He was buried on Saturday, August 12, in the burying-ground attached to the Baptist Meeting-House at Bow; and on the following morning, Dr. Newman, his pastor, publicly noticed his death, in a Funeral Sermon, from Neh. vii. 2. "He was a faithful man, and feared God above many."

DIED July 17, 1826, the venerable Mr. Joseph Burchell, of Tetbury, Gloucestershire, in the 57th year of his pastorate over the Baptist Church in that town, and in the 83d year of his age. The tenor of his course was unobtrusive, yet attractive and commanding, from his constant practical illustration of the Christian virtues, the amiableness of his temper, and the sanctity of his character.

GLEANINGS.

ACCOUNT OF THE MASSACRE OF THE PROTESTANTS AT PARIS, ON ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S DAY, AUGUST 24, 1572.

THE wood-cut above is a representation of felt. At length, after many negotiations, a the seal of Charles IX, king of France, peace was concluded, and the Protestants attached to his warrant, for the execrable obtained a partial toleration. But Popery massacre of the Hugonots (Protestants), on and toleration could only be susceptible of a St. Bartholomew's day, 1572. It first ap-forced alliance- the king and his nobles peared in the Literary Gazette, the Editor thirsted for the blood of the heretics-and of which work, Mr. Jerdan, kindly granted the loan of it, for the use of the Magazine. We take this opportunity of giving a brief account of the event to which it refers.

it was resolved, by the adoption of most perfidious measures, to lull them into perfect security, that the murderous intentions of their enemies might be fully accomplished.

The introduction of Protestantism into "The better to blind the jealous HageFrance was the occasion of civil wars, vio- nots" (we quote the statements of Hume), lent, bloody, and long-continued. Many" and draw their leaders into the snare prethousands fell on both sides, and the miseries pared for them, Charles offered his sister of intestine contests were most extensively Margaret in marriage to the prinse of

on life, and many helpless children; many holy and learned men, whose avocations excluded them from the profession of arms." One example may serve for a specimen of the diabolical cruelty manifested on this occasion. A soldier, having the child of a Hugonot in his arms, was proceeding with it towards the river. The infant, unaware of its danger, smiled in his face, and played with his beard. Instead of being diverted from his purpose by its caresses, the savage plunged his dagger into its body, and threw it, streaming with blood, into the Seine!!! Many similar facts might be adduced, but we will not harrow up the feelings of our readers by the recital.

In the guilt of this massacre the king was deeply implicated. From a window in his palace he beheld the horrid spectacle, called out to the murderers to spare no one, and himself fired on his innocent and defenceless subjects, employing one of his

Navarre; and the admiral (Coligni), with all the considerable nobility of the party, had come to Paris, in order to assist at the celebration of these nuptials, which, it was hoped, would finally, if not compose the differences, at least appease the bloody animosity of the two religions. The queen of Navarre was poisoned by orders from the court; the admiral was dangerously wounded by an assassin: yet Charles, redoubling his dissimulation, was still able to retain the Hugonots in their security; till, on the evening of St. Bartholomew, a few days after the marriage, the signal was given for a general massacre of those religionists, and the king himself, in person, led the way to these assassinations. The hatred long entertained by the Parisians against the Protestants, made them second, without any preparation, the fury of the court; and persons of every condition, age, and sex, were involved in an undistinguished ruin. The admiral, his son-in-pages to load his fowling-piece for that purlaw, Telegui, Soubize, Rochefoucault, Pan- pose. He insulted the dead bodies of those daillon, Piles, Lavardin, men who, during whom but a few days before he had received the late wars, had signalised themselves with treacherous smiles, and permitted the by the most heroic actions, were miserably assassins to boast in his presence of the butchered without resistance; the streets of number of Hugonots they had slain: one Paris flowed with blood, and the people, man, named Pezou, a butcher, said that he more enraged than satiated with their had killed a hundred and twenty, and thrown cruelty, as if repining that death had saved them into the river! Another affirmed that the victims from further insult, exercised he had rescued thirty from the populace, on their dead bodies all the rage of the whom he first compelled to abjure their remost licentious brutality. About five hun-ligion, and then stabbed them with his own dred gentlemen and men of rank perished in hand!! And the motto of this bloodthirsty this massacre, and near ten thousand of in-king was "Pietate et justitia" — with piety ferior condition. Orders were instantly and justice-piety and justice in murderdispatched to all the provinces, for a like ing the innocent! Yes, according to the general execution of the Protestants; and principles of Rome, it is pious, it is just, to in Ronen, Lyons, and many other cities, kill a heretic! the people emulated the fury of the capital." The number of the slain amounted, according to the best authorities, to thirty thousand.

They were not slain," said the author of a discourse addressed to the Swiss Cantons, in reply to the notorious falsehoods, unwillingly advanced in justification of his Court, by Bellievre, ambassador from France" They were not slain in open battle, but in the bosom of peace. They were not armed and arrayed for fight, but were naked and asleep, or in a suppliant posture, bent on their knees, petitioning for mercy from their assassins. They were not assembled in a body, but dispersed in their separate houses and places of residence. This was not done by order of justice, or by course of law; but by the rage and violence of a furious populace, let loose from restraint. Among the victims were many persons confined by sickness, or impotent from age; many honourable ladies and virtuous damsels of rank and family; many women with child; many youths entering

So little shame was felt for this horrible deed, that very shortly afterwards gold and silver medals were struck, to commemorate it.

When the news reached Rome, the Pope and Cardinals were so overjoyed that they went immediately in grand procession to the Church of St. Mark, to render solemn thanksgiving; a jubilee was proclaimed; and in the Bull issued for that purpose, His Holiness said, "Our Lord God, who leadeth the hearts of kings and princes as he will, hath magnified his great mercy towards his church, by stirring up his dear son in Christ Jesus, Charles the Ninth, to avenge the injuries and outrages done to God and the Catholic Church by the heretics called Hugonots." He prayed" that grace and courage might be given to the most Christian king to pursue so salutary and happy an enterprise." (Vide Thuani Hist. Lib. liii. Sect. 1. Strype's Life of Archbishop Parker; folio. Appendix, p. 108.)

It was pretended that a conspiracy of the Hugonots had been detected, and that the massacre was a measure of self-defence.