THE LATE J. PADGETT, At the request of the Church, and family, I was written to, to preach a funeral sermon for our departed brother, in the little chapel at Wantage, which, on Lord's-day, July 30th, I tried to do from the words of the Spirit, "Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord," &c. The following paper was found by Mrs. I. in a drawer with others that our brother wished might not be seen till after his death -which will fully testify of his acquaintance with his own heart-of his experience of divine grace-of his knowledge of the way of salvation and of his soundness in the faith once delivered to the saints. 199 was open, to welcome to his comfortable, helpless sinner! Oh, what matchless! what habitation, any ministering brother, who undeserving! what tender love! for one so preached from a full heart, salvation by grace vile as I feel, and ever feel myself to be when -but one who is now no more, who after a under the enlightening of God the Holy Ghost; painful affliction of five months, which was then, and then only, can we feel the blessborne with the greatest submission to his edness of that man whose sins are forgiven, heavenly Father's will, left this world of sin and the sovereignty and freedom of that love; and woe, for his prepared place in heaven, on oh yes, we feel it then, when our hearts are Saturday, July 8th, 1854. melted with love, and humbled on account of sin; then it is, we truly feel our entirely lost and undone condition; without a Saviour, without that Saviour who is manifestly and sweetly made known to our hearts, in all his preciousness and suitability. It is the Christ of the gospel which is our Christ. It is he who put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.' It is he who 'bore our sins in his own body on the tree.' And he only. Yes, we feel then, and then powerfully, and experimentally, and satisfactorily. Oh, my soul, adores the riches of that grace, which hath made known these all-glorious and soul-satisfying truths. That rich grace which snatched thee as a brand from the eternal burnings; which hath given, blessedly given to thee a good hope of eternal glory, after having done with all things here below. The blessedness of that hope now, the consummation of it in heaven, is all of grace. Oh, how truly does my soul know it this day; and blessed, for ever blessed, be his dear name, who gave me light to know- 'that 'tis not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth God.' Oh, that I could ever live in the sweet enjoyment of it. How the soul longs after that sweet and all-glorious rest which remains for the people of God, when under the dewy influence of that Spirit, that kind and merci ful Spirit, which leads me to perceive the things which make for my eternal peace, and to the enjoyment thereof. Oh, blessed day! when, seeing my dear Saviour as he is, I shall be like him. All praises to Father, Son, and Spirit, for ever and ever. Amen." 1 If you can find room to insert the same, you will oblige yours in the same faith and hope of eternal salvation. Leighton Buzzard, Aug. 12. J. WILKINS. but of DEATH OF JOHN PADGETT, BOURNE STREET, PIMLICO. "Being kept at home through bodily indisposition, the God of my salvation was mercifully pleased in his all gracious and loving compassion, to the joy and rejoicing of my poor, distrusting heart most sweetly to enable me to call upon his holy name, and enjoy sweet and close communion with him, as Israel's only true and living God; and enabled me to feel fully satisfied of my interest in all the blessings of his covenant love. Oh, how my heart rejoiced; oh, how I felt and knew it was just, because he would love me, he would bless me, he would do me good · and not in any measure depending on my own deserving. Oh, no! I truly felt my worthlessness, my helplessness, my utter undeserving of his kind, forgiving love. Oh, how blessedly sweet to be under the power of God the Holy Ghost-to feel an unction from the Holy One to feel deeply humbled on account of one's undeserving such sweet tokens of our JOHN PADGETT was born, according to the predekind and gracious Father's love; and yet to terminate will of the immutable Jehovah, in the rejoice in that love, even with joy unspeak- first month of the year 1805. He was descended able and full of glory; to be enabled, sweetly from truly God-fearing parents, who were attendand powerfully to exclaim, 'Who is he thants, if not members, at Blandford Street Chapel, condemneth? Christ hath died,' &c. And to feel one's whole heart sweetly drawn out in sympathy and love to the dear Redeemer; to think that my sins nailed him to the accursed tree; to know that for my sake, he endured the hidings of his heavenly Father's cheering, comforting, and peace speaking countenance. Oh, what were his sufferings in Gethsemane's garden! and on the tree, when he exclaimed, Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me, nevertheless,' &c.; and, 'My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?' None can tell what he endured. He, who was so spotlessly pure, 'to be made sin for us, though he knew no sin!' and for what? that we might be made the righteousness of God in him!' Blessed, glorious truth for a poor, under the excellent ministry of the late George Keeble. The deceased was from his youth up of strictly moral habits, and made considerable progress in formality and Phariseeism. Some sixteen years ago he attended at Carmel, and after having felt the smiling, searching, and stripping power of Jehovah's law in his heart and conscience, divesting him of all his self-righteousness and self-importance, he was savingly led by the Holy Ghost, the glorious Testifier of Jesus, to see and know his personal interest and positive standing in the potent and precious work of Christ, his Redeemer, his Righteousness, his Rest, and his Rejoicing. On the last Lord's-day in July, 1839, he, with two others, was baptised at Carmel, in the name of the ever-adorable and all mysterious Trinity, 200 BOD THE LATE WILLIAM ALLEN. Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. For more than fourteen years he was one of the most silent, unobtrusive, and inoffensive members of the church, never connecting himself with any party that might arise to trouble or disturb the peace of the body. During the years 1842-43, the church experienced much agitation and affliction; but our deceased brother observed, that the Lord stood by him, and softly said unto him, "What is that to thee? Follow thou me?" On December 20th, 1853, he, with two other brethren, was chosen to fulfil the office of deacon -and when interrogated touching his willingness to accept and discharge the duties of the office, he replied, that it had been whispered in his heart all the day, "Occupy till I come." Ilis departure from the weary wilderness of toil and trial, took place (remarkable coincidence !) on the evening of the last Lord's-day in July, 1854being exactly fifteen years, to the day, since he was baptised. He was looking forward to the fifteenth anniversary of his membership, with pleasing anticipations, and had been speaking thereof for several weeks past. Although he had held the office of deacon but seven months, yet, he had so greatly endeared himself to the whole church, by reason of his devotedness, earnest ness, and zeal for the cause of God, as well as by his spirituality and godly affection, that his removal has been felt as a heavy stroke indeed. His unassumedness of character and deportment, commended him to all that knew him. He had in general enjoyed a good state of health, and was favored with a good measure of strength, being in the constant habit of walking much, in order to give instruction in drawing. He was by profession an artist; and though he did not reach to celebrity and fame, he was above mediocrity. I saw him, dear fellow, a few hours before his death. I asked him how matters stood with him. He said, "I am hid in the Rock, and am safe." He was then in articuls mortis, yet neither he nor his wife was conscious thereof. He was the youngest of the family of six. He was interred in the Brompton Cemetery, on Saturday morning, August 5th, when I endeavored to shew the friends present the two-fold view of death, as given in the memorable words of Paul and Bildad. The former saith, "The last enemy that shall be destroyed, is death." (1 Cor. xv. 2) And Bildad saith, "The confidence of the wicked shall bring him to the king of terrors." (Job xviii. 14). We therefrom noticed, that death as an evil, or an enemy, appears in the character of a deceiver-a divider-a devourer and a destroyer; and that death is more especially the king of terrors to the faithless, the false-hearted, the formalist, and the Pharisee. Our brother Nichols, Editor of Zion's Trumpet, and brother-in-law of the deceased, addressed a few appropriate remarks to the spectators at the grave, and then closed by prayer to Israel's covenant-keeping Jehovah. On Lord's-day evening, August 13th, I preached a funeral sermon to a crowded congregation at Carmel, from Exodus ix. 15-—“And thou shalt be cut off from the earth" Being extremely ill throughout the day, I was unable to do more than call the attention of the audience to the following important points. 1. That the drawn line of death's movements upon the face of the earth, is according to heaven's determined decree. 2. That decision marks the discharge of all the dread functions of death. 3. The distinction made and maintained between the righteous and the wicked, the just and the unjust in life, at death, and for ever. We then made a few remarks upon the text, and shewed it to be a personal, powerful, and plain declaration, demanding and deserving our constant consideration. May the Lord the Spirit make his quickening influences and saving operations known more abundantly in all the churches of Immanuel, is the prayer of your's in him, WILLIAM ALLEN, PASTOR OF CAVE ADULLAM, STEPNEY. HIS LIFE HIS DEATH FUNERAL, FOR Some dozen years or more, we were favoured to walk in a steady, and a happy course of fellowship with the recently departed, and very highly esteemed pastor of "the Cave," at Stepney; and to us he was a faithful, a useful, an unchanging friend and brother in the Lord. We must, therefore, be permitted to raise up in our EARTHEN VESSEL a small tablet in grateful remembrance of one whose loss we shall feel as long as we continue in this vale of tears. WILLIAM ALLEN'S Life has, for some years, been before the churches of truth. Many thousands have read that book, and multitudes have heard him preach the gospel of God's grace. We shall, therefore, only ETC. briefly notice his origin and early days; and after just glancing at one or two parts of his ministerial life, come to the closing scenes. The following are his own words with reference to his early days: My father was strictly an honest, sober, industrious mechanic, and one that feared God; but my mother, for some time after marriage, was a professor, but not in possession of the grace of God. They had two-and-twenty children, of which I was the third. They lived in brought forth into this ungodly world. About Birmingham; and in the year 1788, I was this time, as I learned from them, my mother felt the power of grace in her heart, and from affliction of body and mind, she was unable to attend to my comforts. I was therefore placed THE LATE WILLIAM ALLEN. under the care of my grandmother, a woman highly favoured of God, and lived in the sweet enjoyment of communion with God. When I came to the age of two years, my grandmother was taken for death; but many times (being aware that her end was near) she would say, "When I am gone, take this child, and nurse it for God, for he will be a minister of God's truth." And I believe my parents did all they could, by care, attention, watchfulness, and chastisement, to keep me from sin; and, from an infant, I was carried under the sound of a preached gospel, and as I came to understanding, had a good example set before me; so that I was taught to reverence the Sabbath. And many times when I had been doing things contrary to my father's direction, fear came over me-so much so, that in the night frequently I have covered myself up in the bedclothes, fearing the devil would have me before morning. But as soon as the light appeared my fears wore off. As William Allen grew up in life, he went fearfully astray; we have long and painful narratives of the dark paths he walked in, in the work to which we have referred. But William Allen was a vessel of mercy; consequently, when the time to stop him in his sinful career arrived, his sorrows, and his sufferings, were neither few nor small. The manner of God's first dealing with him are thus described: I went out one Sabbath morning with another young man and my dog, to hunt rabbits, and on my return, about two miles from home, the firmament gathered blackness that appeared to me like midnight. A thought entered my soul-if this were the day of judgment, how should I meet the Judge? The words followed like thunder in my poor soulPrepare to meet thy God." This was the first time I felt any powerful arrest for sin, and a powerful arrest indeed it was; for my cheeks shewed paleness- my eyes bespoke horror-my limbs trembled under me-my tongue failed in motion-and I stood like a condemned criminal at the bar of God and my own conscience. The young man that was with me was struck with my looks, and said, "Allen, what is the matter with you?" could make no reply, for my tongue, that was before always ready to blaspheme the name of God, and pour contempt upon his dear followers, seemed now to cleave to the burden that lay upon my conscience. So I walked home, about two miles, in silent horror of mind. When I came home, my countenance bespoke the horror of my mind-my eyes burst forth into tears of sorrow. I went into a private place to pray, but it was to me as though the very pit of hell was laid open before me. I For the first time, I took hold of a Testament, which my father gave me before I left home: I was directed to those words, "Watch, therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of Man cometh." This sunk deep into my poor distressed mind, and seemed to deepen my sorrow and wound my soul exceedingly; for to watch I knew not how, and it was brought to my mind it was too - late to ask for or expect mercy. 201 Nothing appeared before me but the judgment and fiery indignation of God to devour the adversary; for I knew I had been an enemy to God and his people; so I dared not pray for some time, fearing my prayers were an abomination to the Lord, and he should say to me as he did to the five foolish virgins, "I never knew you;" but recollecting had heard the preacher say, "Jesus Christ came to save the chief of sinners, and whosoever will, let him come," I was a little encouraged, and having retired into a secret place, I fell down on my knees before God, but could only groan out the feelings of my mind before him, and arose with my burden as heavy as before. I went to the house of God-where I had (in a previous fit of wickedness) prayed for the minister to be struck dead-trembling between hope and fear; as I entered the door my former wishes and awful prayers came into my mind, and I feared the judgment of God would fall upon me if I entered the chapel, and I stood in great horror: at last I entered into a dark lobby in one corner, where I knew no one could see me or know me. The minister began to preach; and I am sure no limner in the world could have drawn a more correct likeness than he did of my character: in short, the whole sermon seemed to me, and about me; for he even mentioned the dog that I had with me when the Lord met with me in the open field. This led me to consider my awful state as a sinner. I was condemned and brought in guilty before God by all the preacher said. He spoke of the freeness, fulness and sufficiency of the grace of God to poor sensible sinners; but it appeared too free for so vile a wretch as me. I thought punishment must be my doom, and the Lord had suffered me to hear that sermon that I might see before he cut me down, he would be just in sending me to hell. In this state I went on for some length of time: I had no quently was made up of the following wordshope, yet I cried for mercy. My prayer fre "Mercy, good Lord, is all I ask ; His deliverance from law and terrors, is thus beautifully expressed : I then In this awful state of mind I went to hear a stranger preach, and God knows he was a stranger; he said we should, in the day of judgment, have to give an account for every sermon we had heard, and how we had improved it. This fully settled my mind never to hear another sermon, for I knew I had got enough already to give account of. made, in the course of the week, a solemn vow I would never enter a place of worship any more; yet, when Sunday morning came, I could not keep away; so I thought I would go that once, but would never go again. In this awful state of mind I went to the house of God, not expecting anything but condemnation. I entered the chapel with a heavy heart, and my head hanging down with guilt, and my heart appeared as hard as a stone. Mr. Bennett took his text from Jer. xxxi. 3, I have loved thee with an everlasting love, 66 202 THE LATE WILLIAM ALLEN. therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee." As soon as he had taken his text, (oh, I shall never forget it: although the devil has a thousand times since then told me it was a delusion), the word thee had such an effect upon my mind, and came with such power to my soul, it broke my rebellious heart; my eyes flowed with tears, not of sorrow, but of sweet joy and peace; my poor afflicted conscience lost its burden; I saw by faith my dear Lord bleeding on the tree, and could say it was for crimes that had done he groaned and bled. My sin, which just before was like a mountain, all now vanished away-my guilt all removed my poor heavy and trembling heart danced for joy. After God had delivered my soul, I thought I could have left the world, and all that was in it, and fled to that precious Friend that saved from hell. I saw that all the precious promises which before I could not take to myself, were now mine; I could say, "My Beloved is mine, and I am his." Yes, like Thomas, "My Lord and my God." Yes, heaven, for I felt it; happiness, for I enjoyed it; and glory, for I felt sure of it; and wanted to die, that I might enjoy its fulness and blessedness. I cannot say what I felt, for it was joy unspeakable. Such was the joy I felt, I could not help talking about it; such was my love to my dear Lord Jesus, and the souls of others, and I wanted to bring them to taste of the sweetness, and receive that pardoning love which I enjoyed, for it was to me heaven begun below; and, as I believed I should enjoy a heaven above, my desire was to take all the world with me too. But I found afterwards, through the mercy of God, he was a Sovereign, and distributed his blessings at his own will and pleasure. Yet all things seemed new to me; I was like a man in a new world. From this period our brother's pathway, both in providence and in grace, was of that mixed and trying character which the greater part of the Lord's people are called to wade through. William Allen's ministry was adapted to meet the deeply tried members of the believing family, because he had himself, for a series of years, been in temptations and trials of every sort and kind; yet out of them all the Lord has delivered him," he could, therefore, sing of mercy and judgment; he could find out the tempted and afflicted saint, let that tried and afflicted saint be sunk ever so low, or enveloped in a cloud dark as midnight itself. We do not believe for one moment that William Huntington's Bank of Faith presents a more manifold and positive developement of God's amazing goodness to a poor sinful man, than does William Allen's Auto-biography of the way in which he had travelled through this valley of Bacca. A review of his life, we find so valuable, that we purpose, next month, to occupy a few pages in carefully collating the principle events of his life. At once then, we come to HIS LAST DAYS. Frequently, during the last twelvemonth, when we have been at meetings with him, we have heard it remarked, "how rapidly our brother Allen seems to be breaking up." But his journey to Plymouth, his labours and exercises there, appeared to hasten his end. He came back weakened, and unable to fill the pulpit with any degree of comfort. His medical man advised his removal to Erith; and there, after a few days gradual sinking, he quietly fell asleep in the arms of his faithful Lord and Master. We have been in conversation with Mr. Sindal, who was much with our departed brother; his last days were decidedly peaceful and serene: and (although he could not speak much for some hours before breathing his last, yet) it appeared evident that his communion with his covenant God, and his anticipations of a glorified and heavenly state, were blessed indeed. Of these things we also hope to say more in a future number. He breathed his last at a quarter past 3, o'clock, in the afternoon of Wednesday, the 16th of August, 1854, at Erith, in Kent, in the 67th year of his age. It hav THE INTERMENT Of the mortal remains of Mr. Wm. Allen took place on Friday, the 24th of August. ing been understood by many that the body would be carried into the "Cave" at 2 o'clock, a great multitude had assembled at that hour in and around the chapel, to witness the solemn spectacle. At a quarter to 3, the corpse, followed by the widow and children, with other friends of the deceased, was brought into the chapel, and passing down the aisle, the coffin, containing the cold remains of the late beloved pastor, was placed on tressells in front of the pulpit, surmounted by a lid of feathers. The solemn service commenced by singing a hymn; after which Mr. J. A. Jones read part of 2 Cor. v., and offered up prayer. A portion of Dr. Watts' beautiful hymn, commencing, Why do we mourn departed friends," having been sung, Mr. John Foreman ascended the pulpit, and addressed the numerous auditory. The following extracts are taken from Mr. F.'s oration. But Death is a solemn ordinance of God; but however solemn it may and does appear, yet we less we conclude that death does no injury to cannot rightly profess the religion of Jesus, unthe child of God; and if it did, who would not be injured by it-when such a glorious issue awaits those who are the called of God? if dying were an injury, then unhappily, all the people of God would be injured, for "it is ap. pointed unto all men once to die." Our brother Allen has ceased to do all the work God had appointed for him below-the Lord has fulfilled his promise in him, to support him in life and in death-and his ransomed spirit has now fled to dwell for ever in the loving embraces of the dear Emanuel. Death is God's state chariot, sent to take His royal heirs, to their eternal a city." Death is spoken of as a sleep-and what weary and tired labourer has any objection to lie down to sleep at the close of his day's toil? So the Christian, having borne the heat and burden of the day, lays down his tenement of clay, and falls to sleep in Jesus. Happy thought! Death is also called " change." Job said, "All the days of my appointed time will I wait till my change come.' He calls it waiting this does not look like complaining-he rather wishes for it. It is not a change from good to bad, but a change from worse to better. Our brother Allen had but a sickly frame, and he had not a few toils and troubles to go through in this life. Depend on it, the man of God can never make a bed of roses of this world. No. Whenever God fits a man for himself, he always unfits him for any thing else. William Allen is gone where he always wished to be. He was not his own master. God appointed him to the ministry, and measured out to him his work, and his labour-how much and how long. This work he has accomplished, and his Master called, "Come home." I do not think that he would, if he could, have stopped longer here to be loitering about when his work was done. I humbly pray that God may sanctify this solemn event to the good of your souls, and that you may be still enabled to maintain the truth in this place. Mr. Foreman concluded the service in the chapel with prayer. mansions. Death to the ungodly is like the criminal's carriage, an ugly, black-looking vehicle, guarded by police. Sinner! you will have to die; and such is the gloomy lot that awaits you, if grace prevent not. But to the Christien death comes as a kind of ambassador sent to conduct the soul as a royal princess to the car which shall convey her to the chamber of her heavenly bridegroom. The apostle Paul anticipating this event, said (2 Timothy iv. 6,) "The time of my departure is at hand." He counted it as nothing extraordinary; but only as a circumstance occurring in the common course of things. To the man of God it is but going from a world of sin, care and sorrow, to another of everlasting joy and bliss. Was our brother William Allen a man of God? Was he not? Some may perhaps be ready to say, But you and he were not always friends. True, but we never disagreed on the great principles of truth. Some little circumstances caused a severance for awhile, and circumstances brought us together again. I always looked upon William Allen as an honest and faithful servant of Jesus Christ-he was not one of those shuffling sort of men-one thing to-day, and another to-morrow; no; he lived, loved, and walked in the truth; and by God's grace, was enabled to maintain an honourable position to the last. Like other men, no doubt he had his infirmities. And so had David; yet we find that all David's faults are hid; and of him the Lord saith, "He walked before me with a perfect heart." William Allen was neither ashamed nor tired of the gospel of Christ; and why was he not tired? Because he enjoyed the mercies of the ministry that he preached. If a man have the ministry only in his mouth, and not the mercies of it in his heart, he'll soon shuffle about, and get tired of it; but I believe it will be seen that our brother Allen has left many, very many testimonies behind of his usefulness in the ministry-living epistles who will be known and read of all men. I heard my esteemed friend, Mr. Elven, relate some time since the very The coffin having been lowered into the great benefit he had received under the minis-grave, Mr. Foreman again addressed the try of our deceased brother, and more recently at the ordination of our brother Winslow, I heard the same testimony given to the great use God had made of Mr. Allen's ministry to Of course many reflections arise in the mind his soul; and when I hear one and another upon occasions like the present. And while, on get up and bear witness to God's work the behalf of our departed brother there are sure through his instrumentality, I am led to say grounds for rejoicing, on our part it is not so. that he was not only a man of God, but that It is here that we must deeply feel the importhe was God's man. But you will say that he ance of that great question "What shall it was only the instrument which God employed profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and -well, I say it is our duty to honor the lose his own soul? Or, what shall a man give means which God employs to bless to us; in exchange for his soul ?" None know anyyet give God the praise. I was glad to hear thing of this vitally but such as have been that our departed brother in his last days en- brought crying for pardon at the footstool of joyed and rejoiced in the truths he had so long mercy. Staying short of this the sinner is lost. professed to love. You have come to follow Such was the real character of our departed his cold remains to their last home. He needs brother, by the proclamation of which he denone of your prayers now, and the devil can ceived none, though he undeceived many; and do him no harm. We have met to acknow- now he has entered into his rest, and drinks in ledge the goodness of God to him during life, full draughts of bliss. While we know that he and to thank him for the fulfilment of his is far better off, we cannot but lament the loss gracious promise to be with his dear children of so valuable man as William Allen. It is when passing the ford of Jordan. This event a loss to the Church. You know not at Cave Should you teaches us, that "here we have no continuing Adullam what you have lost yet. The funeral procession was then re-formed outside the Chapel: Mr. Wells and Mr. Foreman preceded the corpse, carried by six men, the pall borne by the deacons of the place, and followed by the family and some three or four hundred persons, amongst whom we observed many ministering brethren. The procession thus formed walked to the Tower Hamlets Cementery, a distance of about a mile and a half from the Chapel, where the mortal remains of the dearly respected and highly esteemed William Allen, were deposited. people for a short time; after which, Mr. James Wells delivered a very brief address, of which the following is an outline: |