the extremity of her sufferings, was sometimes anxious to be released, and thought her spirit long in departing, yet carefully avoided, either in word or manner, murmuring at the conflict. She was preserved, with little intermission, sensible to the last; and during the final efforts of nature, several times held up her hands as in the attitude of prayer. She quietly expired, on the 4th of the 12th mo. 1809, in the fiftieth year of her age.

The Friends of Worcester monthly meeting, in taking a retrospect of her labours among them, observe: "We may weep over her as a friend, or as a relation; we may mourn the loss which the church has sustained, of one of its upright pillars; but on her account there appears no cause for sorrow. She was, we believe, favoured to finish all she had in commission; showing herself therein a good and faithful servant, and we doubt not she has entered into the joy of her Lord."

DEBORAH DARBY was the daughter of John and Hannah Barnard, and was born at Upperthorp, near Sheffield, in the 8th month, 1754, and died the 14th of the 2nd month, 1810.

She was naturally of a sweet and amiable temper, and, in her youth, of a lively, active disposition. In early life, she frequently experienced the contriting visitations of divine love, and, in opportunities of retirement, was humbled before God. Her exam

ple, in thus withdrawing from the pursuits of time, and cultivating a watchful state of mind, and her reverence for the truths of religion, combined with a kind and cheerful demeanour, had an attractive and beneficial effect on some of the friends of her youth. Her care to retire to wait upon the Lord in secret, continued through life; and having known this habit, at an early period, to contribute to temper her own vivacity, she was often engaged to recommend the practice to others, especially to her younger friends.

In the year 1776, she was married to Samuel Darby; and they lived for a while in London, but afterwards settled at Coalbrook-dale in Shropshire, which was the place of her residence until the time of her death.

Having submitted to the convictions of the Spirit of Truth, she learned from experience, that, whether in prosperity or adversity, there is no joy comparable to that which results from a conformity with the divine will. She was thus prepared to yield to an apprehension of duty to become a minister of the Gospel, and first came forth in that character in the year 1779. Being concerned to keep low and watchful before the Lord, she advanced from stature to stature, in this sacred office, and her services were truly acceptable to her friends. In the year 1781, she first travelled with a certificate of the unity of her monthly meeting; and from that period, through a course of near thirty years, she was a diligent labourer in the

gospel of Christ, at home and abroad, amongst those of her own religious Society, and other professors of the christian name. She repeatedly travelled through most parts of this nation, was several times in Ireland, and was absent from her native land nearly three years on similar religious service in America, in company with her endeared fellow-labourer, Rebecca Young, now Rebecca Byrd,

On landing at New York, the 8th of the 10th month, 1794, she made the following memorandum: "On waking this morning, we found ourselves in the harbour of New York, and had a beautiful view of the town. We went to the house of our friend John Murray, who, with his wife, received us affectionately; which impressed our minds with gratitude to the Author of mercies, both ancient and new, who had thus brought us safe over the mighty ocean. May He so preserve us, as to bring us at last into that port and haven of rest, at the end of time, where the morning stars sing together, and the sons of God shout for joy!" Having endeavoured to know and to do the will of Him in whose service she had gone forth, she wrote the following short acknowledgment of his all-sufficient help, on the day on which she embarked for her native land: "We attended a public meeting at Newcastle. After dining with about one hundred and fifty Friends, we had a solemn parting opportunity, in which much encouragement was handed,

* A town on the western bank of the Delaware.

and prayer put up for mutual preservation, under the influence of humbling Goodness, that had, we trust, put us forth, gone before us, and now condescended to be our rereward."

In the course of this journey, she often felt her mind warmed with christian love and compassion for the native Africans and their descendants, so numerously settled in the United States: and in the larger cities, religious meetings were specially held with this degraded and injured class of our fellowmen. In passing along, both in England and America, she at times visited those confined in prison, some when under sentence of death, fervently labouring to turn their attention to the Saviour of the world-to Him, who as He is applied unto in sincerity and in truth, will still be found to be the Friend of sinners.

The character of this diligent labourer, when employed in the service of her Lord, is thus delineated by one who was long and intimately acquainted with her. "I can say of her, that in and under all our conflicts, and the severest of her particular trials, I never met with one whose conduct evinced a stronger confidence in God, or whose faith was firmer in the appointed means of salvation. Thus supported, even when the waves of affliction rose high, she was enabled to centre in resignation, and to follow on in the line of her religious duty. Loving the light, she manifested her love by simple and unreserved obedience, without consulting ease

to the flesh, or present gratification.

I think her humility was conspicuous, rendering her a good example to her fellow-servants; to whom, even to the least, she was ever ready to give way, when sensible that the anointing was poured forth upon them. Her fervent zeal for the welfare and preservation of the youth, in that path of self-denial which Truth leads into, cannot be forgotten. Wherever I travelled with her on its account, I was witness to her pious and arduous labours with that class of society. Seldom could her devoted heart feel satisfied to leave Friends' families, without gathering the children; and many, I believe, there are in different parts, who have cause to bless the Lord for having made her an instrument of good to them."

The dispositions which have been noticed as obvious in early life, matured by years, and sanctified by the power of religion, rendered her an endearing and instructive companion; one who was ever attentive to the right discharge of her relative and social duties. She was solicitous for the help of the poor, and concerned that a due proportion of her outward substance should be expended to promote their comfort. She was not apt to take offence, and cautious not to give it; and exemplified in her conduct, even under the pressure of heavy affliction, the excellency of that Gospel which she was commissioned to preach.

In the spring of 1808, Deborah Darby left home,