PROTESTANTISM AND ROMANISM IN NORTH AMERICA.

he would not live always, and the apostle to the Gentiles entertains a similar sentiment, asserting that to depart and be with Christ is far better.

Mr. William Crabtree descended from respectable parents, who brought up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. He was born at Highgreenwood, near Heptonstall, Yorkshire, March 20, 1806. According to his own account, in his confession of faith given at his

THE apostle Paul, in the epistle to the Corinthians, mentions death as an essential part of a believer's inheritance. Though this messenger is regarded by many in this world as an unwelcome intruder, and a bitter enemy, he is doubtless considered by all the redeemed in heaven as their real friend; for he has greatly contributed, in various respects, to turn myriads of the worst characters that have ever been on earth, from the paths of folly, misery, and destruction, into the ways of wisdom, happi-ordination, he was early the subject. ness, and salvation, at the same time of serious impressions. For he says, no contemptible number of pilgrims "My conscience from the age of six has been weaned by him from earthly to ten was very tender, and I felt a things, and quickened in the service strong fear of offending God. At of God. He has plainly, repeatedly, this period my mind was deeply afand universally shown mankind that fected with the solemnities of death time is so short, and life so uncertain, and eternity. Heaven and hell were that the discharge of their duties, subjects on which I was very desiand the improvement of their privi- rous of obtaining information. leges, require the utmost diligence, also about this time took great pleaattended by unfailing punctuality. sure in private prayer, reading the The kindness of death is continued to scriptures, and meditating on certain. the pious until the very close of their portions of them." earthly probation, for he liberates. christians from their state of degradation and bondage, that as God's children, and heirs of glory, they may enjoy perfect liberty. It is obvious that Job was no stranger to this persuasion, for he declares, that VOL. I-N. S.

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Our estimable young friend having been from a child accustomed to attend divine worship at Heptonstall Slack, and giving evidence of decided piety, was baptized, together with fourteen others, June 14th, 1827. He had not been long a member

ren particularly noticed and encouraged him to give short exhortations in public prayer meetings; and as these exercises gave satisfaction, the church first appointed him to preach a few times privately, and afterwards called him to publish the glad tidings of salvation wherever his services might be required.

of the church there, when his breth- | he diligently sowed that precious seed which in a short time sprang up, and bore fruit in greater abundance than he had anticipated; and in a few years he had the satisfaction to see the little one had grown, and the small one had multiplied considerably. As we have already observed he was constitutionally disposed to bodily ailments, and the Lord in his wisdom and goodness thought proper to lead his servant through deep waters, doubtless to humble him, and teach the church submission to his sovereign will. For the shepherd was confined to his bed during several weeks, and the sheep were brought under the stubborn laws of necessity. The pulpit was supplied for some time by the kindness of neighbouring ministers, and though the Great Head of the church mitigated the sufferings of our friend, so difficult was it to obtain acceptable supplies, that he began to preach ere he was able to stand in the pulpit, and he addressed the friends for weeks in a sitting posture.

When Mr. C. had preached several times in friends' houses and neighbouring chapels, he was received into the Institution, at Heptonstall Slack, established to afford assistance unto young men of sincere piety and promising talents. He continued his theological studies under the Rev. R. Ingham for the space of four years. At the expiration of this period, he, under the direction of his tutor and friends, removed to Duffield, in Derbyshire, where he remained about twelve months, and then went to Hinckley, in Leicestershire, as the assistant minister of the Rev. J. Taylor, formerly of Heptonstall Slack. He laboured at this place during the space of two years and a half, when he probably would have continued longer if the friends had not considered his labours too onerous for his bodily afflictions.

The G. B. church at Lineholme, near Todmorden, having been a 'considerable time without a pastor, and knowing something of brother Crabtree's qualifications as a preacher, invited him to come and labour amongst them. When he removed to this place the church was in a very low condition, for the members were few, and the congregation was very small. The chapel also was burdened with a heavy debt.

After Mr. C. had commenced his multifarious work of conducting a day school, studying sermons, visiting his flock, and preaching several times a week to the same congregation, he found the duties incumbent on him constituted no sinecure. However,

Though this severe affliction left a thorn in the flesh, which the Lord thought not fit to remove, he afforded his servant a sufficiency of grace to bear it with patience, and he also blessed the work of his hands. For the church and congregation continued to increase, so that the friends determined to enlarge their place of worship. When the brethren, together with some of the congregation, had subscribed liberally towards the accomplishment of this desirable object, their pastor took up the case warmly, and succeeded remarkably in obtaining donations in different localities. Probably the interest which he took in this enlargement, and the anxiety that was inseparably connected with it, together with too much exposure to the extreme cold of last winter, hastened if they did not lay the foundation of his last illness. The first symptoms of his

in a morning when his neck and chest were considerably swollen. In order to reduce this dropsical affection, he applied strong remedies, which succeeded to some extent. But there is reason to believe the means which were intended to remove this malady, contributed at the same time to reduce his strength and to weaken his appetite.

indisposition appeared more especially ly satisfactory. For several weeks in the commencement of his confinement, he plainly expected to be better, in which he was disappointed, and his dissolution proved to be much nearer than he apprehended. Some days before his departure, respiration became difficult and distressing to those about him. During the last night of his earthly sojourn he several times attempted to speak to his sister, without being able to convey his meaning so that she could understand him.

As Mr. C. had received greater encouragement in the enlargement of the chapel than could reasonably be expected, and the friends had met for some months in an upper school room for divine worship, he was very anxious to see the new building completed, and the congregation more comfortably accommodated. The Lord permitted him to see it opened, and he was deeply affected when he heard it resound with the songs of Zion. Though he was allowed to witness people repairing to Bethel as formerly, he was not suffered to occupy the pulpit as aforetime. He probably did not think as he beheld many in all directions wending their way to the sanctuary, that the Lord intended him so soon to be an inmate of that building of God, that house, not made with hands, eternal in the heavens, and to join those celestial worshippers, whose happiness it is to stand before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple.

The nature of Mr. Crabtree's last affliction scarcely permitted him to say much to his friends respecting the state of his mind. All that he did say prior to being so ill, was high

He terminated his terrestrial sufferings, and entered into eternal rest May 9th, 1854, in the 49th year of his age, and his mortal remains were interred at Lineholme, the 13th inst. Messrs. Blackburn, Horsfield, and Hollinrake, officiated at the funeral, and Mr. Ingham, of Louth, improved his death in an appropriate discourse to a rous and attentive audience from Eph. vi. 21.

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Though the deceased was not destitute of imperfections, he unquestionably possessed a larger measure of piety than many at present. As a man he sustained a respectable position in the estimation of competent judges, both as to natural talent and literary acquisition. He carefully read and diligently studied the best theological works that came within his reach. He was a pious man, a fair preacher, and considering his afflictions, a laborious pastor. He was esteemed in the church and neighbourhood, and much respected by those who knew him in other denominations. T.S. N-n G

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MEMOIR OF MRS. BUNNING.

THE subject of the following short memoir, although not a public character, was a christian of such deep piety as to have left behind her an

example worthy of imitation, and one fully calculated to lead those with whom she was closely allied, and who had the opportunity of daily

witnessing her never failing adherence to the religion of Christ and the comfort she received during her declining years in humbly looking back upon a life devoted to the service of God, to exclaim, "Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his!"

fare. Though surrounded by a large share of the comforts and luxuries of this life, an almost uninterrupted course of family and personal affliction were allotted to our departed friend by the wise disposer of all events. She buried a most affectionate husband and five beloved children, four of Mrs. Bunning, relict of the late whom had arrived at years of maturity, John Bunning, gent, of Kelthorpe and also followed to the grave several House, Rutland, died at Wisbech, at endeared brothers and sisters. Being the house of her son-in-law, Mr. naturally very sensitive and loving, Matthew Harrison, with whom she these repeated bereavements were resided, August 25th, 1854, in the keenly felt: still under them she seventy-second year of her age. could always look upwards and say, Mrs. Bunning was the eldest daugh- "It is the Lord, let him do what ter of the late Mr. Donald Humphrey, seemeth Him good." She has said of Billesdon, whose family, though under different trials that she dare in youth strictly brought up to the not murmur, knowing that even the Established Church, were amongst most painful events of life were orthe first who dissented from it when dered by a kind Father, who had the General Baptist interest was in- told her, "all things work together troduced into that place, and being for good to them that love God." abundantly blessed with the means of For two or three years before her doing so, became the most influential death she was entirely prevented by supporters of this infant cause, then bodily infirmity from attending pubunder the pastoral care of the Rev. lic worship, but on the return of the W. H. Creaton, who married the family from the sanctuary she always second sister of the subject of this manifested great anxiety to be made brief notice. Mrs. Bunning though acquainted with that portion of Scripresiding at a distance of twenty miles ture they had heard expounded, and from Billesdon was, at the same time was delighted when great part of the with her mother, baptized there, and sermon could be rehearsed to her. united herself to that church on the Under these circumstances, as our second Lord's-day in April, 1816, beloved friend was being weaned where she remained an exemplary from the world, her spirituality inmember until death. In God's pro- creased, grew more elevated, and vidence our dear friend became a she was evidently daily meetening widow, she then gave up the home of for the inheritance of the saints in her married life, and went to reside light. Her views of self were humin Wisbech. As long as she was able ble, but she knew "in whom she had she regularly attended, and highly believed." The Bible was her hourvalued the ministry of the Rev. J. ly companion, and with its sacred C. Pike, and communicated with that treasures she had long been intimatechurch, but so deep was her interest ly acquainted. She had it constantly in the place where she first heard the by her side. She could read only word of God preached, which by the short portions at a time, and she power of the Holy Spirit convinced would frequently request a chapter her of sin, and led her to Christ, that to be read to her. The Scripture she would never think of dissolving promises, to which as a child of God her union with it, and ever manifest- our esteemed friend felt she had a ed the most lively interest in its wel-claim, were very precious to her, and