560 To the Memory of Mr. JONATHAN PARKIN, who died Nov. 29, 1817. POETRY. No, I have never seen him: but mine ears sat Upon my lip, and my admiring heart For I had heard of his unshrinking faith, E'en from himself the knowledge of that worth Which shone with dazzling brightness thro' his life. So that whilst others, like the favour'd three, Led by their Master up the hallow'd mount, Stood there entranc'd, o'erwhelm'd with sacred awe, And wrapped in admiration, to behold The weight of glory bursting through the veil Which more reveal'd, the more it strove to hide He seem'd alone unconscious of the splendour! And I admir'd the man: admir'd to see When keen affliction wrung his very heart, Rent its fine chords, and pierc'd it through with sorrows; When dark'ning troubles lower'd upon his path, And, like the patriarch, all things seem'd against him, How he would bear them all, with placid smile, Cheer those who wept with him, direct their hopes To Israel' God for help; and strong in faith, And I admir'd how, reckless of the world, How nobly did he spurn the tempting bribe, But 'twere in vain to tell of all his good: Such were the priceless gifts, the precious graces, On him by heaven bestow'd, (all well improv'd) As fall not to the common lot of mortals. The Christian virtues round his hoary brow 'Twin'd all their flowers, and though here and there, * It is not generally known that Mr P. when he became an Itinerant Preacher, lost the favour of a rich relative, from whom he had great expectations. A thorn might start; yet on the blooming wreathe The dews of heaven rested, and the oil But now he's gone, and with him all his goodness, He rests from all his labours, and his works 4. Glory, honour, thanks and blessing, 5. Pour, pour the full numbers, Here no eye ever slumbers, Here no night lies before us,Farewell to our sorrows, our sighing, our pain, These for ever are fled To the cells of the dead, To our God be the glory, for ever: Amen! And thou art gone, thou vet'ran of the cross! Soldier of Christ-O may I follow thee! Walk as thou didst, and end my course like thee! And see that form in glory, which on earth I never saw. E'en now my heart is full, And the big pray'r half trembles on my lip, And longs for utterance,-for thy falling man tle: But no,-I dare not,-others have a claim Superior far to mine. Long may they wear it Yet may its skirts, still rest upon thy brethren! April 3, 1818. A. G. J. Printed at the Conference-Office, 14, City-Road, London; T. CORDEUX, Agent. THE METHODIST MAGAZINE, FOR SEPTEMBER, 1818. BIOGRAPHY. MEMOIR OF MR. JOHN MAN, To MR. BENSON, I take the liberty to send you an account of the conversion, labours, and death of my brother, which, if you deem worthy of a place in your valuable Miscellany, its insertion will be gratifying to many in this country, who knew and loved him.—I am your's truly, JAMES MAN, Shelburne, Nova Scotia, Nov. 4, 1817. Mr. JOHN MAN, the subject of the following memoir, was born in the city of New York, in the United States of America, in the year 1743. His father died when he was young, and his mother, though pious, was too indulgent to her children, consequently he had but few restraints to curb his natural propensities, which led him into folly and dissipation. Through the prevalence of evil example, and natural fondness for company, he gave early proof of a mind absorbed in worldly pursuits, and sinful amusements; not, however, without frequent remorse and distress of soul, arising from conscious guilt, and an apprehension of danger to which his sins exposed him. Such convictions frequently returning, embittered his pleasing and profitable sins, and rendered him unhappy. About the age of 21 he married in a respectable family, and settled in business; but he did not continue long in this settled state; for being a little embarrassed in his temporal concerns, he left his family, and retired to Philadelphia. While he was in that city he was induced to go to the church, where he heard the Rev. Mr. Stringer, an Episcopal Clergyman, who, if I mistake not, was once a Methodist preacher, but had received orders in the Established Church. Under his preaching it pleased the Lord to awaken him to a sense of the awful state he was in. He immediately forsook his follies and sinful com. panions, and attended statedly on the means of grace. His mind at this time was filled with keen anguish, and bitter reVOL. XLI. SEPTEMBER, 1818. flections on his past life, the misery he had brought upon himself, and distress upon his family and connexions. He was made to feel sensibly the plague of his own heart, and was penetrated with a consciousness of his miserable condition as a sinner before God. His convictions were deep and lasting, nor could he rest satisfied until the healing balm of a Saviour's blood was applied to his guilty conscience. Shortly after his being awakened he returned to New York, where he commenced business again, and now, acting from better motives, and influenced by the fear of the Lord, he was diligent in business, fervent in spirit, seeking the Lord with all his heart. His mother being a member of the Moravian church, at her request he became a constant hearer of the Moravians; and so well persuaded was Mr. Gamble, their minister, of the sincerity of his repentance and reformation, that he was shortly after admitted into their society; but not always - finding that spiritual food which he so earnestly sought, and fre quently hearing Captain Webb, who described his case more clearly, and shewed the remedy provided for the cure of his sin-sick soul, he was induced to leave them, and unite himself with the Methodists. About this time the first Methodist Preachers, Messrs. Boardman and Pilmore, arrived in New York, and under a sermon preached by Mr. Boardman he obtained redemption though the blood of Christ, the forgiveness of his sins; his sense of guilt was removed, his mind freed from all uneasiness and painful anguish, and he entered into the liberty of the people of God, and went on his way rejoicing. Shortly after he was appointed a class-leader, which office he held for many years, with credit to himself and profit to the people. He grew in grace and in spiritual knowledge. "'Tis now," said he once to me and another friend conversing with him, "ten years since I experienced a change of heart, and I never lost the witness of the Spirit from that time to this." He frequently exercised his gift in exhortation, and being approved, he was entered upon the local preachers' plan, and used frequently to spend the Sabbath either in Long Island or Bloomingdale. I frequently accompanied him in those little excursions, returning either on Sunday night or Monday morning. Nor was his labour of love in vain; some were happily awakened and brought to the knowledge of the truth. In the beginning of the unhappy revolutionary war, the preachers forsook the city of New York, and shortly after returned to England. Mr. Man was desired by the trustees and leaders of the society to keep the chapel open at New York, which he accordingly did for a considerable time. When Philadelphia was taken by the British troops a way was open for Mr. Spraig, a travelling preacher in the connexion, to come to New York, into whose hands he delivered up the charge of the society. He |