Ghost would have the disciples to be "wise unto that which is good," but "simple concerning evil." (Rom. xvi. 19.) Mr. Riggall sought after, and in a good degree attained, the simplicity that is in Christ; and in that simplicity he had his "conversation in the world."

A third is zeal,-a word which the English lexicographer explains to mean "passionate ardour for any person or cause." Religious zeal may, indeed, be simulated; but its genuine flame is the certain accompaniment of sincerity. There can be no true Christianity apart from this. Mr. Riggall's zeal was concentrated on the advancement of the kingdom of God. He did what every Christian is called, in spirit at least, though not in fact, to do: he relinquished business, abstained from further acquisition of wealth, and sought to build up the house of his God. Nor was this a capricious movement. Steady and true, as the magnet to the pole, he unweariedly prosecuted the object of his life to life's close. For example, when he could no longer personally bear a part in his favourite sphere of effort, he ceased not to aid and counsel others. From time to time he offered, through the Book-Steward, a liberal allowance to those Circuits which required it, in order to an effective prosecution of that work.

A fourth is self-denial. He had pondered the words of his Master, "If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me;" and he accepted this Divine precept as a law of life. A single instance will suffice :-On selecting a residence in Louth, he observed, "I cannot conscientiously pay £70 per annum for the rent of a house, which would oblige us to keep an additional servant, while the Mission-cause requires the help it does." Thus self-denying to himself, he was yet kind and attentive to the wants of others; employing the means which economy put in his power, to present a costlier offering upon that altar which sanctifies alike the gift and the giver.

A fifth is humility. His estimate of himself was-" Less than the least of all saints." Not only was he delivered from the vices of pride and arrogancy, but he had a low opinion—perhaps too low-of his gifts and graces. He much oftener wrote and spoke bitter things against himself, than he rejoiced in God; lingering, mournfully, on the scantiness of his attainments. His qualifications as a Class-Leader, Prayer-Leader, and Local Preacher, were respectable; and his services uniformly welcome: yet he entertained the lowliest estimate of them. Even his gift in prayer, in which he frequently excelled, was an occasion of self-abasement. In him, the flame returned to its centre. Although he gave largely both of time and of substance to the promotion of Christianity in general, and to the best interests of Methodism in particular, he assumed nothing on this account, but took his place with the humblest of his brethren. He thought for himself, and, when he judged it needful, expressed his convictions; but he was most ready to listen and defer to the judgment of others.

A sixth is beneficence. Up to the period of his bereavements, Mr. Riggall's givings ranked with those of others around him. He was not naturally generous, and it required some master-stroke of grace

to open in his heart a new spring of liberality. Henceforth, in a novel and holy acceptation of the term, he became covetous of "treasure in heaven." It was his own observation,-" God has taken away my idols, and He shall have my money." He acted upon this resolve five-and-thirty years; and, although not possessing very large property, set an example to the rich of his own denomination, and of other churches. To the Foreign Missionary and British and Foreign Bible Societies he was a liberal benefactor. To all the general funds of Methodism he was one of the principal subscribers; and he bequeathed £100 each to the Home-Mission Fund, the Fund for Aged Ministers and Ministers' Widows, the Theological Institution, the General Education Fund, the Kingswood and WoodhouseGrove Schools, and the Religious Tract Society. Nor did he forget, in the testamentary disposal of his property, the poor members of Christ's flock at Alford, or those at Louth. But these statements represent a very small portion only of what he did. To how many private applications for aid, on behalf of individuals, and in support of the cause, did he lend an ear! One testimony shall be given. The Rev. William Toase observes: "I can never forget the repeated acts of Christian generosity which I witnessed in our sainted friend. Twice he assisted our infant cause in Alderney. Of him we may truly say, that his reward is with the Lord." His principle was that of stewardship; and, to draw from him a contribution, it was only needful to present such a case as should induce a trustee to part with the money of his trust. And, as a steward, he felt called upon to discharge the duties of his office, as far as possible, in person. Accordingly, having made a moderate provision for the claims of his own house, he distributed, in various acts of well-directed charity, the entire of his income. This fact it is satisfactory to record in words uttered by himself, on occasion of the Centenary Meeting held in the city of Manchester, November 7th, 1838:-" Mr. Riggall, of Louth, said, What he was about to announce would, perhaps, disappoint the expectation of some of his friends. From what he subscribed to the funds in general, it might be thought that he would contribute largely at present. He was, however, in the habit of giving away his income as he received it. He had thought of £100, and would now put himself down for that sum. But he had a dear wife, who loved the cause as well as himself, and who would not be pleased to be left out of such a work as this: he begged, therefore, that £100 might be put down for her. He had also a little girl, whom, in a late affliction, he thought he should have lost, but whom it had pleased God to spare; and, as an offering of gratitude, he would subscribe £100 for his daughter.'"-At the commencement of his last affliction, about three years before his death, he took his purse from his pocket, and said to Mrs. Riggall, "My dear, I shall not require this any more. I give it into your hands, and all the Lord has entrusted us with. I charge you to be a faithful steward."

A seventh is resignation. This feature was strongly marked. "When I remember," says she who watched over his slow but sure

decay, "the calm dignity, the meek submission, the entire resignation, with which he met every fresh intimation of the will of his heavenly Father, I cannot but silently adore the gracious Hand that sustained him." Again: "At one time the idea of amputation was slightly named, but so slightly that I thought he would not notice it. He made no remark then, but the next morning called me to him, and said, 'Does Mr. Clark intend to take off my leg? The thought has kept me awake a little in the night; but I have given myself up to the will of my heavenly Father.'" Dr. Rule observes, in allusion to this period of his friend's probation: "If it should ever please God to lay me aside from active service, I trust it may also please Him to enable me to profit by one of the finest examples of submission I ever knew."

An eighth was his attachment to Wesleyan Methodism. He well understood the catholicity of true religion; heartily repeated the apostolic prayer, "Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity;" and repeatedly evinced that this was no empty profession. But to Methodism he was especially attached. The strength and constancy of that attachment were developed at various crises of trial within the last thirty years. Brought into immediate contact with men who sought to subvert the peace and unity of the Body, and this by means the reverse of Christian,—he perceived the tendency of their proceedings, and mildly yet firmly opposed them. When called upon, he stood in the breach, and, rather than see trustproperties alienated, not only advanced considerable sums, but, by a tender of the amount of their debts in the Court of Chancery, preserved them for the purposes of their erection.

A yet more distinct reference must be made to his communion with God. In forming an estimate of his religious life, it is needful to take note of his constitutional depression; of his bigh-almost too high-conception of Christian holiness; of his remarkably sensitive conscience, and his yearning to be blamelessly right; as, also, of a certain habit of fixing his thoughts on the principle of the Divine life as the direct work of the Holy Ghost, rather than on a life of faith. At no time, indeed, did he build upon any other foundation than that which God has laid in Zion. Often has the writer of these lines, when almost apprehensive of some unconscious divergency, read to him passages from St. Paul's Epistles, or some of the gushing sentences of Luther about that faith which, while "counted for righteousness," is at the same time, through the grace of the Holy Ghost, the basis of communion with God, and the root of all the virtues. Thereupon the tear would start to his eyes, and joy impart lustre to his countenance. Yet, as if he had gone too far, he would thoughtfully add, "But we must be holy, and this is the Spirit's work."

It was his usual custom to spend four hours daily in private prayer. This was the element in which his soul delighted. He rose at five, came to the breakfast-table at half-past seven, and, with unfailing freshness and variety of petition, engaged in family-devotion.

Soon after his coming to Bristol, in 1847, there were special meetings for prayer, with a view to pleading for the blessing of entire sanctification. At this time he was brought into a delightful state of fellowship with the Tri-une God. He saw, more and more clearly, the way into the holiest. On one occasion, speaking to Mrs. Riggall, he said, "I must tell you what the Lord has been doing for me to-day. Jesus has been present with me, showing me, in such clear, strong light, that He has done everything for me that needs to be done for my salvation; that He has so finished the work for me, that I have nothing to do but accept and receive the blessings promised and offered. This brings such peace, and such love to Jesus, that I thought I must tell you of the rest of my soul in Jesus-in God." A word spoken from between the cherubim,—a benediction from the High Priest of our profession,-was all he wanted, to constitute heaven upon earth.

Mr. Riggall's memoir has a voice. It says to parents, Train up your children for God. Be intent on their conversion, while in their prime. Remember, grace has preceded all your efforts; therefore sow, and in due season you shall reap. It says to youth, They who seek the Lord early shall find Him. True religion, which this venerable man obtained in the morning of life, was his guide to its close. It exhibits to officers of the church a shining example of one who purchased to himself "a good degree" in the house of his God. He sought not honour; yet it came, and he used it for his Master's glory. In conclusion, this memoir appeals to the rich: "Beware of covetousness." "Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God......that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life." Mr. Riggall made sufficient provision for those who survived him; but he considered the wants of the world, and rejoiced in the promises and hopes of the millennial blessedness. He saw, in the light of eternity, that his givings had been by no means in excess. Among his last requests was this: "Remember the poor-send often to them. We have not given them enough." Happy, thrice happy, they who shall hear at last the applauding word of the Royal Mediator, the great Judge of all: "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me."

CHRIST'S CONFLICT IN GETHSEMANE.

"ARISE, let us go hence," said Jesus to the eleven in the upper room, where He had celebrated with them the feast of the Passover; and, though they lingered awhile longer, they at length left it, and, passing through the city, now mantled in the gloom of night, pro

ceeded toward a spot well known to the disciples,-the Garden of Gethsemane.

It was a solemn hour; for all that had passed in that upper room indicated that a momentous crisis was at hand. The whole of their Lord's demeanour could not fail, moreover, to awaken in their breasts the utmost anxiety and fear. How closely, then, would they cling to Him as they walked by the way! and with what interest would they listen to His conversation! Not in perfect silence did He prosecute the walk; but, as St. Matthew and St. Mark intimate, He addressed to them the words, "All ye shall be offended because of Me this night for it is written, I will smite the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. But, after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee." (Matt. xxvi. 31, 32; Mark xiv. 27 -30.) We must ponder these words. The prophecy quoted is that of Zechariah: "Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, and against the Man that is My Fellow, saith the Lord of hosts: smite the Shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn Mine hand upon the little ones." (Zech. xiii. 7.) The citation of the words is not literally exact; but our Lord's reference to them fixes at once their subject, and leaves it impossible to deny their Messianic import. He was the Shepherd whom God gave to Israel, to watch over them and to feed them; and not only their Shepherd, but GOD's Fellow, though really and truly man. Still, the sword of justice, which had long slept in its sheath, is now called to awake and to smite Him with a fatal stroke. Why, but for the sake of the sheep? For them their Shepherd was to die; for in no other way could He avert from them the penalty of a violated law.

Yet, as the immediate result of His being smitten, the sheep were to be scattered. When there is no longer a shepherd, the sheep flee for it is only by His well-known voice and watchful care that they are kept within the fold. Now that Jesus was about to be smitten, His disciples, who had hitherto clung to Him, would be offended. His sufferings would so much shake their faith in Him, as the promised Messiah, that they would all forsake Him for awhile, not excepting even John, the disciple whom He loved, and who doubtless loved Him. But it was added in the prophecy,—“ And I will turn Mine hand upon the little ones:" Jesus accordingly said, "After I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee." The sheep would, indeed, be scattered; but "the little ones"—the humble, poor, and needy of the flock-God would again remember: for He would bring again from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep, who would go before them into Galilee, where they might once more meet Him in holy joy and love.

Full of consolation, we are ready to reflect, these last words must have proved to the sorrowing disciples. Yet they did not think of these so much as of the former; and the thought of their being "offended" was what Peter especially could not bear. Hence, presuming on his own strength, and at the same time uncharitably implying that others might be weak enough to fall, he said, "Though