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FOR NOVEMBER, 1833.

BIOGRAPHY.

MEMOIR OF MR. RENN PHILIPS COLLYMORE,

Of the Island of Dominica:

BY THE REV. JAMES COX, WESLEYAN MISSIONARY. MR. RENN PHILIPS COLLYMORE was born in the island of Barbadoes, Nov. 24th, 1798. His family was one of the most respectable of the coloured community of that island. His parents, as well as his mother's immediate ancestors, were united in matrimony; a circumstance worthy of notice, as having occurred in a country where that sacred rite, especially at that period, was so much disregarded. At an early age he was sent to England with his brother, and remained there at school seven years; during which time he acquired a knowledge of the different branches of a liberal English education, and a knowledge of the Latin and French languages. He had also a competent acquaintance with the arts of music and drawing.

At the termination of this period he returned to his native land; and his father's library being well furnished, he indulged his taste for literature to a considerable extent. His mind had received an infidel bias from the perusal of Paine's Age of Reason, and Hume's Essays. This poison, however, soon found its antidote in a careful perusal of Addison's Evidences of the Christian Religion. After remaining several years in Barbadoes, which were employed in mercantile and other pursuits, he again visited England, on business, in the year 1824; and soon after his return to the West Indies, in the commencement of 1825, he came to reside in this island; having received the appointment of Overseer of Works, in the engineer department, from Col. Sir Charles F. Smith, C. B., . Commanding Royal Engineer at Barbadoes, which situation he filled with much acceptance and respectability from that time until his death. Up to that period, and for some time afterwards, he does not appear to have been impressed with the necessity of personal religion, or acquainted with its real nature. He sustained an unimpeachable character for integrity, fidelity, sobriety, and diligent application to the duties of his office, and thereby secured general respect and esteem; but he continued to live "after the course of this world," and was addicted to some of the prevalent immoralities of the West Indies.

About two or three years after his arrival in this island, he was convinced of the criminality of various practices in his life, and the work of reformation began. The observance of the Sabbath and family prayer soon followed; and private prayer, which had been occasionally resorted to before, principally in cases of affliction, was now habitually attended VOL. XII. Third Series. NOVEMBER, 1833.

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to. At the commencement of this period, he began to visit the Methodist chapel. The first Preacher to whom he listened was the Rev. Thomas Harrison, whose discourse made some impression on his mind, and induced a repetition of his visits to the house of God; and to this chiefly, under God, may be attributed the preceding reformation. His next step was to abandon a weekly club, which assembled for gambling, &c., being fully convinced of the unlawfulness of such diversions. Serious thoughts of approaching the Lord's table were also entertained.

This alteration in his feelings and conduct generated a spirit of selfrighteousness, which became deeply rooted in his soul. Yet he was still ignorant of his total depravity by nature, and his need of a thorough change of heart, by the mighty power of the Holy Ghost. He trusted in himself that he was righteous. He was an utter stranger to brokenness of heart, and of course to justifying faith, and the knowledge of forgiveness of sins; and the professions of the Methodists on these subjects, as he has since frequently observed, were regarded by him very suspiciously, as the product either of hypocrisy or delusion. But the time was now fast approaching when his own soul was to be brought out of "darkness into marvellous light."

The vital doctrine of justification by faith in the blood of Jesus, which leads the sinner to renounce his own righteousness as "filthy rags," and to come as a poor, helpless, ruined, and hell-deserving wretch, to the throne of grace, he had often heard announced in the chapel. It highly offended the pride of his self-righteous soul, though it often produced in him great" searchings of heart." "Being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish" his "own righteousness," he did not submit himself "unto the righteousness of God," or God's method of justifying sinners. He sought justification not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For" he "stumbled at that stumbling stone; as it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumbling stone and rock of offence; and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.”

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The circumstances of his conversion to God are truly remarkable, and worthy of a particular detail, as illustrative of the wonderful working of the Holy Spirit. Being appointed to labour here in 1829, I had remarked his regular attendance on the house of God, accompanied by his wife and family, and his propriety of conduct, and friendly feeling towards the cause of Christ. In pastoral visits I had occasionally called at his house, and my introduction of religious discourse and prayer was always kindly received. I became anxious to ascertain his spiritual condition, and to correct any erroneous, unscriptural notions of religion and his own state which he might have entertained, and resolved to deal faithfully with him. For this purpose, on Wednesday night, Oct. 14th, 1829, I requested him, after the termination of public worship, to accompany me to the Mission-house, that we might have some serious conversation. I feared before that he was still unawakened; and now my fears were fully confirmed. My beloved colleague Fraser and I contended with bim

for the entire corruption of human nature; the utter deficiency of all works, which did not proceed from living faith and a regenerated heart; (except they were fruits meet for repentance ;) the necessity of justification by faith, and a knowledge of our adoption by the direct witness of the Holy Spirit; and all this, with a close reference to his own condition. He strove to evade our reasonings and conclusions; and his inability to do so produced a spirit of cavil, and a vehemence in his manner and style, which presented a strange contrast to his general mildness and equanimity. But it was the last struggle of the self-justifying pride and carnality of the old man; the expiring effort of the strong man armed to keep his goods. The truths uttered had seized on his conscience. He went home in great agitation of mind, while we, who knew it not, supposed him farther than ever from the kingdom of God. In family prayer he could do little more than sob and weep: he retired to rest; but wan restless and sleepless, and his pillow was wet with his tears. Moans and sighs and prayers occupied the night. He prayed much and sincerely, that, if in error, God would open his eyes, and show him the truth. His prayers came up before God, and before the morning dawned the darkness of his mind was completely dispelled ;-" the vail of the covering" was taken from his heart, and he was convinced of his complete sinfulness, and wretchedness, and exposure to the divine displeasure. Instead of maintaining his claim to piety, he now felt, as he soon expressed it, that he had "no religion at all." Through the day he disclosed his feelings to an amiable and intelligent young man in the same office with him, who had not long before obtained the forgiveness of sins, and joined our society. In the evening he came to the Mission-house, and related, with many tears, the preceding circumstances to me and my colleague. We heard him with mingled delight and astonishment, and praised God for this signal display of his awakening power. Mr. Collymore immediately solicited admittance into the society; and the next morning, after much wrestling prayer for pardon, while walking in his yard in great anguish of spirit, the Lord manifested his mercy: his burden fell off at the foot of the cross; his soul was liberated from prison; and he was filled with confidence in God as his reconciled Father. By simple faith in the atonement of Jesus he thus found rest to his soul, and rejoiced greatly; nor did he fail to tell to others the wonders God had wrought for him. On the following Sunday he met in class.

Some months after this, the Preachers' class having much increased, it became necessary to divide it; and Mr. Collymore's age and talents, consistency, and solid experience in the things of God, rendered him the most suitable person to whom we could commit a part of it. He was appointed a Leader in March, 1830. Nor was our confidence in him misplaced he faithfully and affectionately watched over the souls committed to his charge. He was also chosen a prayer-leader, and fulfilled his appointments regularly.

Mr. Collymore continued in all things to adorn the doctrine of God

This was short; alas!

our Saviour until the termination of his course. very short; but it was equable, uninterrupted, and useful it was sufficiently protracted to allow the various branches of the Christian character to evolve, and to evince the depth and stability of his religious principles. His Christian experience was remarkably uniform; the witness of the Spirit in his soul, as to his personal adoption, was very bright and constant. His growth in grace was obvious to his fellow-Christians, who glorified God in him; and previous to his sickness he was very fervent in prayer for entire sanctification. He walked with God in holy cheerfulness and obedience, and his confidence in his heavenly Father, and in the efficacy of prayer, extended to the minutest circumstances. The passive graces of meekness, forbearance, and patience shone conspicuously in him with mild and heavenly lustre. He possessed a tender conscience, and cherished a constant fear of offending God. Firmness and decision of mind were in him united with much urbanity of manners. His regu larity in attending the means of grace was conscientious and exemplary; rarely indeed was he missed from that pew, in which we shall see him no more. During our absence at the District-Meeting, and since my return, when I have been in the country, Mr. Collymore, in conjunction with others, conducted the services of the house of God in a very creditable and impressive manner. On a few occasions he exhorted.

As his mind was well cultivated, his conversation was varied and engaging. But from the time of his conversion to God, he especially delighted to converse on religious truth. Justification by faith was his favourite theme; he defended it earnestly and scripturally, as the only source of real holiness of heart and life; and this contrast to his former Pharisaical feelings was very striking. A careful perusal and comparison of Scripture, and the writings of Messrs. Wesley and Benson, had produced on his mind remarkably clear and discriminating views of this most important and fundamental truth. "My constant text," he would sometimes say, "is, Being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ.'"

His attachment to Methodism was strong and increasing: he cordially loved our doctrines, discipline, and usages. He failed not, at suitable opportunities, to warn and exhort his acquaintances and friends, either verbally or by letter, to "flee from the wrath to come;" and had the happiness of seeing his wife join the society as an humbled, inquiring penitent; and another member of his family become a communicant at the chapel.

But, alas! while we were fondly calculating upon his increasing usefulness, the Great Head of the church had determined otherwise. There was every human probability, from his excellent state of health, and his muscular energy, that he would live long to be a blessing to his family and the church of Christ. O, how true it is, that "all flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof as the flower of the field!" He did not, however, con

Toward the end of April, he became ill.

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