The Little Gleaner. MEMOIR OF JOSIAH T. WELCH, Who was in health hearing the Editor of the Gleaner deliver a lecture in the Town Hall, Hitchin, on Tuesday evening, Oct. 7, and was in eternity the following Lord's day, Oct. 12, 1862; aged 26. To the Editor of "The Little Gleaner." MY DEAR SIR,-I am writing to give you a few details of the life and death of my dear brother in Christ, Josiah Timothy Welch; in doing which I pray to the Lord that He would keep me from exercising anything like false charity, and will enable me to speak that which I know, and to testify only that which I have seen and heard. I knew Josiah when he was destitute of a saving knowledge of Christ; yet his disposition was kind, gentle, and very loving, especially in his family connexions; and you are aware, dear sir, that such persons often have the form of godliness whilst they are utter strangers to its power. Thus it was with dear Josiah Welch; he used to repeat his prayers each night in bed, up to the time that the Lord, in infinite mercy, convinced him of his lost and ruined condition as a sinner in the sight of God, and seemed content with having done what he thought his duty. Mr. R. was the means, in the hands of God, of convincing him of sin, of righteousness, and of a judg ment to come. This took place two years ago, on New Year's Eve. He entered the chapel that night alive B without the law, having never felt the guilt of sin upon his heart and conscience. He was an utter stranger to the claims of God's holy law; but the eye of infinite wisdom was upon him, for he was an object of God's eternal love and sovereign choice (Jer. iii. 3; Eph. i. 4); and that night he reached the boundary line over which he could not pass, for an arrow of conviction, hurled by the Spirit's power, stuck fast in his soul, and brought poor Josiah down into the dust. He left the meeting-house that night a condemned criminal-a law-stricken and condemned sinner. The commandment came, sin revived which before lay quiet; but it awoke up in its true nature and character; and law and justice, forcing their claims upon him, gave him the deathblow. Sin revived; he died to self. He returned home that night a weeping peniHe tent, sorrowing after a godly sort for sin. retired for the night; the candle was put out as usual; but there was no getting into bed for poor Josiah to repeat his form of prayer; he fell upon his knees-not in form only, but in deep prostration of soul. His dear partner was surprised at this. She asked him if he were saying his prayers, for he was praying in secret; and this he did for three successive nights, after which his wife prevailed upon him not to put the candle out, and no longer to pray in secret, but to pray openly. This he did, and I have reason to believe that very few have prayed with greater earnestness-with a deeper intensity of desire after the salvation of their souls. I think it would be impossible to find a clearer evidence of the Spirit's work upon the soul of a repenting sinner than in the case of Josiah Welch. This was seen in the earnest crying of his soul for peace and pardon: he truly felt his to be an urgent, |