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On September the 15th, 1824, Mr. but I want to be decided." I did not Davis was called to preach a funeral fully comprehend what he meant by discourse for a young man, at which being "decided." He looked wishfully time he complained of being unwell. at me and said, "I know not how it is,

He hastened home, took his bed, and but as soon as I see you I think about continued to grow worse, until his dis- preaching." During the night he often ease finally terminated in death. He seemed absorbed in the contemplation was unconscious, however, of the of eternal things, observing, “We see alarming nature of his disease, until things very different now from what apprized of it by his attending physi- we do in health." After slumbering a cian, who told him that death was not short time, he awoke, called me to his far off. Mr. Davis received the infor- bed-side, and said, "I am now decided; mation with much fortitude and com- I shall never come back; I shall return posure, saying, "I think I must be no more; that is, I never shall get well much sicker before I die." On Tues- again." I now understood what he day, understanding that my friend was meant by being "decided," namely, sick, I hastened to see him. On enter- his being persuaded that he must die. ing his room, he said with much cheer "We need," said he, "a great deal of fulness, "I am glad to see you. I have patience to die." I reminded him that my friends, and I have my particular Jesus would help him safe through the friends. You was the first person I dark valley. He replied, "You can thought of at the commencement of my look at me, and see me die, and judge sickness, and had thought of sending how it will be with you when you die." for you, but concluded you would hear "O eternity! thou pleasing, dreadful of my case, and come and see me." He then mentioned the information he had received from the doctor on the sabbath, and added, "I was surprised to find how little it affected my mind; but concluded that if I were not now ready to go, perhaps I never should be, for I have been a long time trying to serve the Lord ;" and then added, "my temporal and spiritual concerns are in a pretty good train, and my family provided for."

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thought."

At times his mind, through the violence of the disease, was somewhat deranged; but on recovering its wonted tone, he would delight his friends by the expression of some sublime_thought. "I want to go," said he; and then repeated as his last words,

"Cease, fond nature, cease thy strife,
And let me languish into life."
"Tell me, my soul, can this be death."

On Thursday I called again, and At half past 8 o'clock, on Saturday found him fast sinking under his dis- morning, his happy soul took its flight ease. He said, "I am very poorly; to another world.

POETRY.

Communicated for the Methodist Magazine.

When by various ills oppress'd,
Mortals sink a prey to sorrow;

When forebodings pain the breast,
Presage awful of to-morrow,

What can calm the rising sigh,
Wipe away the tears of sadness,

Bid the mists of trouble fly,

And the soul be fill'd with gladness?

When from friends we're doom'd to part,
Snatch'd by death, or plac'd at distance,
What can heal the wounded heart,

Send the sinking strength assistance?

Tis RELIGION-soothing-kind—
Richest gift that God has given,
Can restore the drooping mind,
Make the earth a little heaven.

It can dry the widow's tear,
And the orphan's grief remove;
Sinners fill with "godly fear,"
And the saints with "perfect love."

Mortal, whosoe'er thou art,

Is thy cup with gall o'erflowing?
Faint and heavy is thy heart,
Worldly views no hopes bestowing?

In religion place thy trust,

From each mundane prospect sever;
And, though humbly form'd of dust,
Mortal, thou shalt live for ever:

Live, when these afflictions o'er ;--
(Sorrow past shall seem a blessing :)

Live, when time shall be no more,

Endless peace and joy possessing. A. I..

[graphic][subsumed][subsumed]

Reva Schn Hannah.

Companion of the late Representative from the Bratislé to the American General Conference

Entered according to act of Congress the day of April 1925. b
N Bangs & I Emory of the State

of New York.

NO. 4.]

FOR APRIL, 1825.

[VOL. 8.

DIVINITY.

From the Christian Library.

THE TRUE METHOD OF ATTAINING DIVINE KNOWLEDGE, BY MR. JOHN SMITH.

IT hath been long since observed that every art and science hath some certain principles upon which the whole must depend; and he that would fully acquaint himself with the mysteries thereof, must come furnished with some knowledge of them. Were I indeed to define divinity, I should rather call it a divine life, than a divine science; it being something rather to be understood by a spiritual sensation, than by any verbal description, as all things of sense and life are best known by sentient and vital faculties; every thing is best known by that which bears a just resemblance and analogy with it: and therefore the Scripture is wont to set forth a good life as the fundamental principle of divine science; "Wisdom hath built her an house and hewn out her seven pillars:" but "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom," the foundation of the whole fabric.

We shall, therefore, as a preface to what we shall discourse upon the heads of divinity, speak something of this true method of knowing, which is not so much by notions as actions; as religion itself consists not so much in words as things. They are not always the best skilled in divinity, that are the most studied in art and science. He that is most practical in divine things, hath the purest and sincerest knowledge of them. Divinity, indeed, is a true efflux from the eternal light, which, like the sunbeams, does not only enlighten, but warm and enliven ; and therefore our Saviour hath in his beatitudes connected purity of heart with the beatifical vision. And as the eye cannot behold the sun unless it be sun-like, and hath the form and resemblance of the sun drawn in it; so neither can the soul of man behold God, unless it be God-like, hath God formed in it, and be made partaker of the divine nature. The apostle Paul, when he would lay open the right way of attaining divine truth, saith, 66 Knowledge puffeth up, but love edifieth." The knowledge of divinity that appears in systems and models, is but a poor wan light, but the powerful energy of divine knowledge displays itself in purified souls. Here we shall find the true Tediov aλneas, as the ancient philosophy speaks, the land of truth.

To seek our divinity merely in books and writings, is "to seek the living among the dead:" we do but in vain seek God many times in these where his truth too often is not so much enshriVOL. VIII.

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ned as entombed. No, seek for God within thine own soul. He is best discerned by an intellectual touch of him. We must "see with our eyes, and hear with our ears, and our hands must handle the word of life.” The soul itself hath its sense, as well as the body; and therefore David, when he would teach us how to know what the Divine goodness is, calls not for speculation but sensation, "Taste and see how good the Lord is." That is not the best and truest knowledge of God which is wrought out by the labour and sweat of the brain, but that which is kindled within us by a heavenly warmth in our hearts. As in the natural body it is the heat that sends up good blood and warm spirits into the head, whereby it is best enabled to its several functions; so that which enables us to know and understand aright the things of God, must be a living principle of holiness within us. When the tree of knowledge, is not planted by the tree of life, and sucks not up sap from thence, it may be as well fruitful with evil as with good, and bring forth bitter fruit as well as sweet. If we would, indeed, have our knowledge thrive and flourish, we must water the tender plants of it with holiness. When Zoroaster's scholars asked him what they should do to get winged souls, such as might soar aloft in the bright beams of divine truth, he bid them bathe themselves "in the waters of life." They asking what they were, he tells them, the "four cardinal virtues," which are "the four rivers of paradise." It is but a thin airy knowledge that is got by mere speculation, which is ushered in by syllogisms and demonstrations; but that which springs forth from true goodness, as Origen speaks, brings such a divine light into the soul, as is more clear and convincing than any demonstration. The reason why, notwithstanding all our acute reasons and subtle disputes, truth prevails no more in the world, is, we so often disjoin truth and goodness, which in themselves can never be disunited; they grow both from the same root, and live in one another. We may, as in Plato's deep pit, with faces bended downwards, converse with sounds and shadows; but not with the life and substance of truth, while our souls remain defiled with any vice or lusts. These are the black Lethe lake which drench the souls of men: he that wants true virtue, in heaven's logic "is blind, and cannot see afar off." Those filthy mists that arise from impure minds, like an atmosphere, perpetually encompass them, that they cannot see that sun of divine truth that shines about them, but never shines into any unpurged souls; the darkness comprehends it not, the foolish man understands it not. All the light and knowledge that may seem to rise in unhallowed minds, is but like those flames that arise from our culinary fires, that are soon quenched in their own smoke; or like those foolish fires that do but flit to and fro upon the surface of this earth where they were first

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