The following extracts are from a letter which I received this morning, from the Rev. T. Goldsmith, dated "Whitchurch, Dec. 13, 1847. "You are aware that the whole number of the membership on this circuit, last Conference, amounted only to thirty. I entered upon this scene of labour with commingled feelings of hope and fear. Those who were united with us were of the right kind-possessed of principle, piety, decision, influence, and I may add, wealth. "Since my arrival here from Conference, we have had accessions to our number almost every week. I have held two protracted meetings, the result of which has been an accession to our numbers of about twenty-five members. These have been hopefully converted to God, through these means. To God be all the glory. The circumstances connected with these meetings it is unnecessary, perhaps tedious, to mention. I forbear. The number of members now on this circuit amounts to sixty and upwards; several more have intimated their intention of uniting with us before long. Perhaps we are not too sanguine in expecting our numbers to reach one hundred by next Conference. Our friends have just completed a very neat and comfortable chapel, in the village of Whitchurch. The opening services were of a very profitable and interesting character: we hope to see some special fruit resulting from them. "Yours, as ever, "T. GOLDSMITH." On the Toronto station, there are signs of improvement. At Yorkville, where Brother Rolston resides, and principally labours, there have been some gracious manifestations, both in the public and social means of grace. Yesterday fortnight, one miserable sinner was so wrought upon, in the prayer-meeting after sermon, that he cried aloud for mercy, and begged of the friends to pray for him; and the members have become so stirred up that, this week, they are holding some special services, for the benefit of some who are seeking after God, if haply they may find him. At Blue Bell, about two miles and a half from our chapel in the city, where we now have preaching every Friday night, we are building a house for a Sabbathschool and preaching. It is a destitute neighbourhood, and we anticipate that much good will be effected there. In the city, though we have much to contend with, yet God is reviving us a little. During the last five weeks, I have had the charge of the city congregations. The congrega tions are somewhat improved. The weeknight congregation is doubled, owing to my delivering a course of lectures on entire sanctification. Many of the friends have, under them, been much quickened, and are ardently longing to be more like God, and do more for God. On the whole, we have much cause for encouragement. We only want a preacher for Toronto, so that I might be liberated to attend to my duties as general superintendent. The missionary committee have made the best possible arrangement for holding the missionary meetings which they could do under existing circumstances. Yours affectionately, H. O. CROFTS. P.S.-As I was on the way to the postoffice with this letter, I received another communication from the Rev. J. Bell. I have, therefore, opened it, to send you the following interesting items: "North st St. Thomas, Dec. 17, 1847. Dear Sir,-When I arrived here from the Conference, I found that we had no classes or preaching places from the chapel on the North-street to Exfred, a distance of twenty miles. Since that, we have formed three new classes, where we had no interest before,-one near Delaware, of seven heads of families; one a mile and a half west of Junction, containing sixteen members; the third two miles south of the Junction, on the plank road, in Hant's school-house, containing twenty members. These three classes are of great importance to this circuit: by them we have been enabled to form a chain of classes from Exfred to the Junction, and then along the plank road to the Five Stakes. We have now, in that distance, seven classes, where before we had only two that were worth anything; and I have reason to believe, that nearly all are not only seeking, but have found, the pearl of great price. We have also taken into society several on other parts of the cir cuit; two are exhorters, and one a local preacher. My colleague and myself are nearly worn out, for we have been engaged in protracted meetings for nearly eight weeks, and next Sabbath evening we commence one at the Five Stakes. If you had a young man to send to the town of London, there would be no difficulty in raising a New Connexion church there immediately. "Yours, dear Sir, "JAMES BELL." THE METHODIST NEW CONNEXION MAGAZINE. APRIL, 1848. BIOGRAPHY. MEMOIR OF RICHARD BARLOW, ESQ., OF BIRMINGHAM. BY THE REV. J. SIMON. Richard Barlow, Esq., was born in Shropshire, near Iron Bridge, in the year 1804, and at a very early age removed to Birmingham. He had the advantage of being brought up under the influences of religion. Both his parents were devoted members of the Wesleyan Community, and were distinguished for the zeal and liberality with which they supported the cause of the Redeemer. Of his mother's kind religious teachings he cherished the most grateful remembrance. From her he received early instructions on the duties of prayer, of faith in Jesus Christ, of love to God, and obedience to his revealed will, to which he often referred with gratitude, considering these teachings as the foundation of his religious character. The Holy Spirit constantly strove with the object of so much christian solicitude and prayer, producing a deep conviction of sin, and a fear of offending God, which kept him from walking in the counsel of the ungodly, or standing in the way of sinners. He was trained to habits of religion, and he grew up in them, observing all the decorum of christian morality, and zealously engaging as a Sabbath-school teacher; but there is not sufficient reason to believe that at this period of his life he had experienced a change of heart. In 1837 Mr. Barlow lost his father (his mother had died some years previously). This event made a deep impression on his mind. He felt it to be a loud call to him to surrender himself entirely to God, and to fill up the position left vacant in the church below by his father's elevation to the church above. He felt powerfully impressed that he must take his father's place. On the evening of the day on which his father died, returning home to his excellent partner, he said :-" Let others do as they will, you and I will live for eternity." That resolution was faithfully observed. Previously to this time, he had had family wor L ship occasionally, but now he commenced it as a regular duty. He gave himself fully to the Lord, and obtained an assurance that being justified by faith, he had peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ. He also identified himself with that church in connexion with which he had been brought up, making himself useful in every possible way-thus literally taking his father's place. In 1842, Mr. Barlow, after a careful consideration of the ecclesiastical polity of the New Connexion, resolved to unite himself with us. He did so, and the liberal principles of our church government found in him a devoted admirer, and a warm and zealous advocate; he loved our institutions because he believed them scriptural. To the test of Scripture he made every thing submit, and whatever could not pass that test he rejected, however in accordance with the customs and spirit of the age it might be. This feature in his character made his opinions often appear singular; but to the Bible he adhered, deriving from thence his political economy and his commercial principles, as well as his ecclesiastical code and his religious doctrines; consenting to nothing for which he had not scriptural authority, whatever self-sacrifices such a course might involve. His piety was deep and sincere. He always breathed an humble spirit, and manifested a simplicity and fervour which proved the genuineness of his religion. With all the engagements of public and private business pressing upon him, and with all the resources of wealth within his reach, he was eminently spiritual; although much engaged with the world, he was not of the world, but lived as a citizen of heaven. Christ was all his glory and all his trust. Upon his atonement alone he rested his hopes of salvation, and loved to converse on the Saviour's love in his redeeming work. To him Christ was precious, and the overflowings of a full heart found utterance on every suitable occasion in the language of praise. His attachment was sincere and ardent to those means of grace which are peculiarly methodistical, and which experience proves to be well adapted to keep up the life of religion in the soul. Unless prevented by affliction, or some uncontrollable necessity, his place was always occupied. The class-meeting, the love-feast, and the week-day services, were not forgotten in the multiplicity of business, or the charms of domestic retirement. In the love-feast he felt it an imperative duty to testify to the grace of God, and his humble, grateful, evangelical statements ever produced a happy influence upon the meeting. To commemorate the dying love of his Saviour was his delight, and in the public ordinances of the sanctuary he took a deep and solemn interest. He conducted the singing in Unett-Street Chapel, and spared neither labour nor expense to qualify and encourage others to assist in this delightful part of the worship of God. In the buisness-meetings of the church he evinced a strong attachment to our Connexional principles, manifesting a uniform and universal kindness, and charitableness, which rendered official intercourse with him a pleasure. He carried his religion with him everywhere, ever exhibiting it in its loveliest aspects. If elected by his brethren into any office, he was willing to perform his duty, regarding himself as bound to submit to a constitutional majority; but if permitted, he preferred the quiet of unofficial membership, and always sought the lowest seat. In no department of christian activity did he feel so much interest as in Sunday-schools. He first became a teacher when about twelve or thirteen years of age, and continued to labour in this good work, either as teacher or superintendent, to the time of his death. For this department of christian labour he was eminently qualified. His accurate knowledge of human nature, his unvarying kindness of disposition, his exhaustless store of patience, and his genuine scriptural piety, all fitted him to be a successful conductor of a sabbath school. For four successive years the teachers of our Unett-Street school elected him one of their superintendents, and in the week that closed his life he was for the fifth time chosen by ballot to fill that office. The teachers loved him as a brother, and the children cherished for him a filial affection. It was an affecting sight at the close of a Sabbath afternoon, to see him standing at the inner door of the school, affectionately shaking hands with every child; dismissing all with kind looks and friendly expressions. He was thoroughly convinced that "Love makes willing subjects," and he uniformly governed by its potent influence; in consequence of which, he acquired an immense influence over both teachers and scholars; and his success in subduing some of the most refractory children, and leading them to the Saviour, proves that this was the surest way to effectuate the objects of religious education. It often grieved him to see Sundayschool teachers act with severity towards their scholars, as he felt sure that every frown and every stroke from the teacher tended to harden the heart of the child, and render him less accessible to the influences of truth and religion. His aim was to secure the conversion of the children, and make the Sunday-school in the highest sense a nursery for the church. Indeed, he considered the school a peculiar organization of the church, adapted to secure one of its most important legitimate ends, and not an independent institution owing no allegiance; or a mere excresence, absorbing the resources of the church, and making no adequate return. On this point he felt deeply, and often expressed his sorrow that machinery adapted to accomplish so much good, was not more successfully employed by the various christian denominations, and made to subserve the purpose of bringing into the fold of Christ the thousands of our youthful population who, although in our schools, are lost to the church, and grow up in infidelity and in sin. It was his opinion that the schools should receive more attention than ever they have had from the intelligent and influential members of our churches, from our leaders, and from our ministers, to derive from them the results they are well adapted to achieve. And he acted consistently with this opinion. He invariably invited the minsters to attend the school and the teachers'meetings, and strove to awaken in the breasts of both teachers and scholars a love to the sanctuary, and to the Ministers who officiated there; urging them every Sabbath to persuade their parents and others to come to the house of God; thus completely indentifying the school with the church. It is to be hoped that the opinions of Mr. Barlow on these points will receive from our school managers that consideration they deserve, and that his example may be deemed worthy of imitation. Although the Sunday School was Mr. Barlow's chief delight, it was not the only useful enterprize he fostered. He was a philanthropist in the truest sense, aiming constantly at the elevation of his fellow men as rational beings. He held the most enlarged views of human liberty, and whether as a private citizen, or as a member of the municipal government, was the consistent advocate of the people's rights, and the patron of every effort to extend civil and religious freedom. Every institution contem plating the destruction of ignorance, bigotry, oppression, and injustice, received his cordial support. To all monopolies, whether of learning, of commerce, of wealth, or of power, he was determinately opposed, and longed to see mankind joined in a league of universal brotherhood. As a Protestant Nonconformist he was zealous and consistent. Whatever he thought an encroachment on the rights and liberties of Dissenters, he stedfastly opposed, and laboured in every constitutional way for the emancipation of the church of Christ from the withering influence of State control. He was especially opposed to government education, believing that the education of children was the prerogative and duty of parents, whom alone God had made responsible, and that to coerce them even to an ultimately good thing was an infraction of their liberty and independence. His last public act was a successful effort to get up a public meeting in the Town Hall, (and which was held on the very day of his death) to oppose the present government scheme of education, which Mr. Barlow considered one of the most insidious and reprehensible ever proposed to the country. In his public character in the town of which he was a citizen, and in his business transactions as a merchant, as well as in his private relations as a christian, a friend, and a husband, he ever exhibited the purity, sincerity, and power of the religion of Jesus Christ. Wherever he was, in him you saw a consistent christian. "Be just to all men," was his motto, and from that he never swerved whatever might be the consequence. His love for consistency placed him sometimes in opposition to those to whom he was attached, but he would allow no consideration to sway him from what he conscientiously believed to be right. The testimony of a good conscience he considered far preferable to the admiration and applause of a world. Mr. Barlow was possessed of a very active mind, and in all his engagements, secular or religious, was "diligent in business, fervent in spirit; serving the Lord." He was not endowed with a robust constitution, but by regular habits he enjoyed tolerable health until the last two years of his life, when repeated indispositions proved that his constitution was impaired. No alarming symptoms, however, presented themselves until within a few hours of his decease. On Monday, March 29, 1847, he was actively engaged in organizing a plan for publicly opposing the government scheme of education, but complained of not being very well. On the following Thursday he returned home from his place of business considerably indisposed, although not apprehending any danger of speedy dissolution. The following day (Good Friday), the writer saw him; he was then confined to his bed, suffering much pain, and spoke of his being placed in circumstances in which he had to exercise the passive graces of the christian religion. He did exemplify those graces. He was perfectly resigned, patient, tranquil, and full of christian confidence, placing his soul by faith upon the blood of Jesus Christ. An incident occurred on the following Monday, April 4th, which while it shows the interest our esteemed friend took in the school over which he was called to preside, and the estimation in which he was held by both teachers and scholars, also reminds us of the uncertainty of all earthly hopes and expectations. According to an annual custom, the UnettStreet Sunday-school assembled on that day for the purpose of walking in procession through the streets, and of afterwards returning to the chapel to hear a lecture, and to give the children refreshments. The |