POETRY.

CONFESSIONS OF SPIRITUAL SIN:

FOR COVENANT-SUNDAY.
"Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God."

TO A BEREAVED MOTHER.

BY JOHN QUINCY ADAMS, U. S.

LONDON-PRINTED BY JAMES NICHOLS, HOXTON-SQUARE.

THE

WESLEYAN-METHODIST MAGAZINE.

FEBRUARY, 1847.

BIOGRAPHY.

MEMOIR OF MRS. ELIZABETH CROOKES:

BY HER SON, THE REV. WILLIAM CROOKES.

MRS. CROOKES was born at Kirkby Moor-side, Yorkshire, in the year 1776. Her parents belonged to the established Church, and carefully directed her attention to the duties of public worship, and general morality. Of her own personal guilt before God, and the sinfulness of her nature, she never thought. The fact was not placed before her; and the solemn language of the Liturgy, so explicit on this subject, being only repeated as though repetition were all that was required, awakened no reflections in her mind, and left her conscience in undisturbed slumber. She continued in this state to her forty-third year: at that time there was a gracious revival of religion among the Wesleyan Methodists in the place of her residence. Many persons were brought to seek for a present salvation, and to rejoice in finding it: among them were her eldest son and daughter. She herself could not understand the proceedings she witnessed; and, therefore, she strongly disapproved of them. One evening, while her children were preparing to go to a religious service, she remonstrated with them, adding some unkind remarks. This, however, only made them resolve to be more earnest in prayer for the mother, whom they so much loved, and of whose spiritual condition they could not avoid entertaining the most serious apprehensions. They left the house, and she remained at the door, looking after them. It pleased God to make this the season of special visitation to her uninstructed mind. As she stood, the thought, "My children are right, and I am wrong," suddenly darted into her conscience, and at once aroused it to full activity. She was convinced of her sin and danger, and, retiring to her chamber, earnestly besought forgiveness. The way of salvation opened to her view as she prayed. Expressions, unheeded at the time, rose in light and power to her memory. She prayed for pardon and peace through Christ her Saviour, and found that she was calling on Him "that heareth prayer." When her children returned, their astonishment was not greater than their delight. They had left her an angry opposer: they found her like-minded with themselves, "rejoicing with joy unspeakable, and full of glory," having "received the end of her faith, even the salvation of her soul."

Having thus been enabled to give herself to God, she gave herself to his church according to his will. She joined the Wesleyan society;

VOL. III.-FOURTH SERIES.

I

and while she loved all that loved the Lord Jesus in sincerity, to those to whom she had thus become more closely united, she felt a strong and increasing attachment; and the connexion remained unbroken till she exchanged the membership of the church on earth, for the more exalted membership of the church in heaven.

Some time after my mother had thus experienced peace with God, through being justified by faith, she passed through a season of strong temptation, though its issues were of lasting benefit. She felt that there were yet tempers within her contrary to meekness, gentleness, and love; and while outward occurrences tended to stimulate them, her "ghostly enemy" took the opportunity of "thrusting at her soul, that she might fall." The struggle was a painful one; but she was resolved not to yield; and, knowing her weakness and danger, she redoubled her prayers to "the God of all grace," and through his might obtained the victory. She deeply lamented the evils of which she had thus become conscious; and as she saw from the "precious promises given unto her" that there was before her a yet fuller salvation, a state of grace higher than that which she had attained, she became earnestly desirous of realizing in her own experience the blessings which, as she read of them in holy Scripture, appeared in so delightful an aspect. She prayed that the "very God of peace" would "sanctify her wholly ;" and her prayers were heard. She was made a witness of the power of God, to

"Empty her of sin, and fill

With all the life of love."

In this state of entire, of solemn, yet happy, consecration to the will and service of God, she passed the latter, and, indeed, the greater, part of her Christian pilgrimage. Her faith was strong and abiding, and love filled and ruled her heart. She received the promises of God as she found them; and, believing them to be the very words of God addressed to herself, as being accepted in covenant with him for his Son's sake, she implicitly relied on them, and earnestly pleaded them in prayer before God. Whether they related to temporal or spiritual concerns, to time or to eternity, to her they were all "yea and amen in Christ Jesus, to the glory of God." She neither staggered at them through unbelief, nor obscured their light by a worldly spirit. She did not make religion what is sometimes termed a half-measure: she had too long been unacquainted with its true nature; but when she did perceive it, she embraced it with all her heart, and submitted to it with the utmost simplicity, and entirely. She thus lived among the solemn realities of eternity. She so believed the declarations of God in his word, that it seemed as though faith had become sight and hearing to her. She thus enjoyed a complete victory over the world. Temporal things she viewed in their true character and place. The attention to them which duty required, she carefully rendered for the Lord's sake; but as objects of good, she regarded them with comparative indifferThe Lord was the portion of her soul, and she

ence.

"Sought a city out of sight,

A city in the skies."

Preserved in this state of mind, "patience had its perfect work.” For many years she experienced much affliction, personal as well as domestic. Towards the latter end of her life, her physical sufferings