Many we've known here have pass'd on before, Songs of sweet praises are poured forth on high, Death with his arrows must soon lay us low, All of us here must eternity spend HAPPY DEATH OF MR. COX, OF HERTFORD, WHO DIED FEBRUARY 4, 1868, AGED TWENTY YEARS. DEAR EDITOR,-Having been favoured to witness the happy death of one who a few years ago was a ruddy youth in Ebenezer Sunday School, Hertford, the account of which has greatly cheered many of the Lord's people, and I trust also that it has made lasting impressions on others, I am anxious for some record of this great mercy to appear in your excellent LITTLE GLEANER, praying the Lord may make it useful to some of its many readers, in convincing them of the shortness and frailty of human life, and, above all, that they may be brought to seek a manifestation of God's love and mercy in Christ to their souls ere they are hurried into eternity. Another reason for sending this account to you is, that our departed brother was much interested a short time ago in reading a similar account in the LITTLE GLEANER✶ to that of his own, he having since fallen asleep in the enjoyment of the great salvation that is in Jesus Christ. I would also say that the deceased was visited by Mr. Bowles, who noticed his death on Lord's-day evening the 9th inst, by reading this account to a large and attentive congregation; and also that Mr. Gilpin, of Port Vale, visited him, and, after great anxiety about him, he greatly rejoiced with us all in the mercy of God vouchsafed to this dear young man in the eleventh hour. I first became acquainted with our dear departed brother in our Sunday School five years ago. From that time he has ever shown great attachment to me, from the circumstance that I was then the teacher of the class he attended. At that time he showed great tenderness of conscience, and attachment to the school, which was very pleasing to all who were connected with the school. His leaving the school, just over four years ago, was most painful to him, who had been an attendant there from a child. He was at that time placed in a house of business in London, where he became a member of the Literary Institution, 165, Aldersgate Street. There he made many friends, who were attached to him until the day of his death. Being myself, by the providence of God, placed for some time in the same house of business with him, I became more than ever personally acquainted with him. He was not then a partaker of the grace of God, although, in serious conversation with him, his great natural tenderness has many times been manifested. In last July he was suddenly laid aside by the rupturing of a blood-vessel, which was of so serious *The account referred to is that of John Bentley, in the January No. a nature that it seemed impossible for him to recover; but after ten or twelve weeks he had sufficiently recovered to be able to go back to his business in London, where he continued until last Christmas, when he was obliged to take his final leave of London, having just served the term of his apprenticeship. But even then he encouraged great hopes of getting well again; but it was evident to all that he was sinking of consumption. At this time he became manifestly more anxious to know the pardon of his sins and his acceptance with God. And as he day by day grew weaker, so did his desire increase for spiritual things, and the company and prayers of his friends. But his great complaint was that he felt nothing, he was assured, was from the Lord, and was afraid that he was not sufficiently troubled about his sins. As he evidently was fast sinking, our anxiety for him became very great; so that on the Thursday evening before his death, when he wished us to pray with him, we said, "You must pray for yourself, you know, and not depend upon the prayers of others." When he immediately said, "Yes; but the prayer of a righteous man availeth much." This encouraged us to believe his hope was simply in the Lord, who hears and answers prayer in the name of Jesus. The day above named was the last on which he was able to get down stairs. From this time he rapidly sank, and we were enabled many times earnestly to cry to the Lord in prayer for his salvation, which he not only entered into, but seemed much to enjoy. Until Monday, however, the day previous to his death, he could say no more than that he had a hope; but could not say what he wanted, viz., that his sins were pardoned, and Christ was precious. That morning (happy day, we hope long to remember it) we read to him the whole of the 9th chapter of St. John, wherein we all admired the merciful kindness of the Lord to the poor blind man; and our dear brother so rejoiced in it, that we were full of the joyful expectation of seeing him happy in the Lord himself. We read also part of the 11th chapter. He much enjoyed the part where Jesus said to Martha, "I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?" And when we read the words, "Believest thou this ?" he answered with all his strength, "Yes!" We again saw him about 2 p.m. Upon my entering his room, he extended his wasted arms towards me, and drawing me close to him, lisped out, "I am happy, so happy. HE said to me, 'This night shalt thou be with me in Paradise. Pray!" And as this was all our souls had been panting after, we did praise our God together; and we desire still to praise Him. After this he remained perfectly happy, and said to a dear friend who sat by his side, "This night I shall be with Jesus in heaven." Later in the evening we said to him, “Are you still happy ?" when he said " Yes; and I feel sinking. What do you think?" Our answer was, "It will soon be over;' when he said, “I am glad I am going." After this he was engaged in prayer, when we just caught the words, "When it is Thy will take me." After which we thought him to be going, and all his family with his friends gathered round his bed, when he opened his eyes and looked at * We are exceedingly anxious that our dear young friends should see the foundation that will stand is Jesus, and seek more after true repentance and living faith in Jesus, than words coming to them.-ED. each in the room, and said to me, "Utter a blessing for me, now they are all here;" when our hearts as well as our lips did praise our dear redeeming God, and desired of Him the same blessings to rest upon each of us in the same solemn circumstances. He now most affectionately took his leave of each, and desired to be gone. Our feelings cannot be described; we wept, but it was for joy. We saw an illustration of those most solemn words-yet most blessed-"O death, where is thy sting ?" Now he revived again, and said, “What do you think of me now?" We said, "It will be a little longer." He said, "Yes." This was a little before 11 o'clock, and as we thought he might last through the night, I took my leave of him, reminding him that we hoped soon to meet never more to part; when he said, "I hope you won't see me in the morning." Upon calling in the morning, I found he lasted a little more than four hours after this, during which time he was longing to be gone. He was heard to say earnestly the word, "Higher, higher;" and as his friends found he meant nothing external, they felt assured that he was in the enjoyment of those things to understand which we must come into the same circumstances he was in. Thus he fell asleep at half-past 3 on Tuesday morning, 4th of February, 1868, in his 21st year. His friends, while they mourn the loss of him from their midst, are comforted with the persuasion that he is not lost, but gone before. SAMUEL MARSHALL. Dear young friend, here is another victim of that busy English flower gatherer-consumption. What if you should be cropped by this sad disease? Are you prepared? Have you sought and found refuge in the cross of Jesus ? When the flood |
