Burgess' father and grandfather lived for many years at Sheerness, and the name is honourably and intimately associated with the history of Methodism in the Isle of Sheppey. Some of the family had the honour of the personal friendship of the founder of Methodism. The subject of this obituary was born at Reading, in 1823. She had the advantage of sound religious training, hallowed home influence, pleasant and privileged intercourse with a large number of the Wesleyan Ministers whom she met as honoured guests at her father's home. She was early and soundly converted to God, under the ministry of the Rev. W. Williams, and at once joined the Society; and till her death continued associated with the people of her choice. Her Christian consistency, firmness of principle, natural amiability and cheerfulness and hearty friendliness won for her the warmest and lasting esteem and attachment of all who knew her intimately. Much of her early life was spent in Yorkshire, where she had many relatives. That able Minister, the late Rev. James Methley, was her paternal uncle. A very few years after her conversion she was asked to take a Class, but from motives of modesty she declined: nevertheless she was throughout her Christian life engaged in doing good. In 1849 she was married to him who now mourns his loss, and went to reside in Dover, where she lived for five years. It was no uncommon thing to see her, alone or accompanying the Rev. James Jarrett, ministering to the temporal and spiritual necessities of the sick and dying. She had also the satisfaction of contributing to the happiness and at last smoothing the dying pillow of her grandfather, who had for years been bedridden. In the beginning of the year 1856 she embarked with her husband for Port Natal, South Africa. In Africa, as in England, she was ever ready to forward the work of God. After residing for fourteen years on the coast of Natal, her husband broke up his home, mainly on account of his feeble health, and proceeded to the Diamond Fields. From 1870 till the end of 1873 she resided at Hebron, on the Vaal River, and afterwards at Du Toit's Pan, Griqualand West. Her home was ever sanctified by the Word of God and prayer, and whenever her husband was unavoidably absent she conducted the family devotions. She highly valued and enjoyed the means of grace. It was no trivial thing that kept her from the house of God. The last two years of her life were times of special trial, yet it was very evident that in her patience had its perfect work. The winter of 1875 proved very disastrous through its unusual severity, and her health, never strong, gave way. Her meekness and submission to the Divine Will at this time were very noticeable. Her husband was particularly struck with the increased sense of nearness of access to God she enjoyed about this period. In November, 1875, she accompanied him to Pretoria, the seat of Gorernment of the Transvaal Republic; but from the first the change did not appear to suit her, the climate of the town being much more relaxing than that to which she had been accustomed. About a month before her death she took a severe cold, which settled on her lungs. On May 2nd, without a sigh or groan or struggle, she gently breathed her last. She literally 'fell asleep in Jesus.' From the character of the disease she had great difficulty in giving utterance to her thoughts and feelings, and it required the utmost atten tion to catch the faint utterances that fell from her lips; hence there were not many expressions for loving remembrance to linger on. But they were not needed. There was one long continuous consistent life of piety, giving evidence of the genu ineness of the work of grace within, which sustained her with increased power in her affliction and weakness. Her sun sank below the horizon without a cloud and with mellowed radiance. To her hus band she proved a true and most affec tionate help meet for him. Nothing could exceed her filial affection and thoughtful care for her aged parents. As a friend, she was faithful and ardent. One very noticeable feature in her character was the great respect and love she showed to the aged. She ever inculcated on her children the necessity of paying marked deference to them, especially to aged saints, irrespective of station. Next to the Word of God she loved the Wesleyan Hymns. In recent family trials she ever carried them to the Throne of Grace; and, again and again, in speking of them to her husband, said, with the utmost emphasis, What should we do without the supporting grace of God in Christ? When a friend said, 'Well, Mrs. Burgess, what is the best news?' she replied, Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.' · LONDON: PRINTED BY WILLIAM NICHOLS, 46, HOXTON SQUARE. W. H. B. WESLEYAN-METHODIST MAGAZINE. FEBRUARY, 1878. HUMANITY'S GREAT QUESTIONS; THE SILENCE OF SCIENCE; AND THE RESPONSE OF GOD: BY THE REV. J. JACKSON WRAY. The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, show unto the king; but there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets.'-DANIEL II. 27, 28. THE king of Babylon was sorely troubled by a vision of the night. The dream itself had gone from him; but although the mental scenes had faded from his memory, they had left behind an impression so deep, a melancholy so profound, an excitement so intense, that the monarch was filled with anxiety for the reproduction of his dream and an explanation of the events it was intended to forebode. The wise men of the age, the chief authorities on all questions of an occult and difficult kind, were convened by the terrified king, who demanded that they should relate the dream which he had utterly forgotten, and furnish the interpretation he so much desired. All declared their inability to do the former, and asked the king to describe the vision in order that they might supply the latter. They acknowledged that the secrets of the mind were beyond their ken. Baffled and disappointed the angry despot doomed them at once to death, and the captain of the guard was commanded to execute the stern decree. Daniel, together with three fellow captives of Judah, who had been set apart to study in the Chaldean schools, and were therefore included in the fatal edict, promptly intervened, asked for extended time, and promised to satisfy the king's demand. They made prayerful appeal to God, an answer was vouchsafed, the vision unfolded itself to Daniel; the interpretation followed, a joyful thanksgiving was offered to Almighty God, and then the young captive went in and stood before the king, saying: 'The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, show unto the king; but there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets.' VOL. II.-SIXTH SERIES. G The whole narrative affords an excellent illustration of the limits of human reason and the necessity of a revelation from God. In these days when science and philosophy are employed to cast doubts on Revelation; when the 'wise men of our time would decry the Word of God, uncrown the Christ, and bind the lordly symbol of law above the blinded eye of human reason, it is well that all lovers of Gospel truth should be able to give a clear and definite answer to all sceptical enquirers as to the hope that is in them, the things that are most surely believed' by them. HUMANITY'S GREAT QUESTIONS. I. There are Secrets, the revelation of which is of the greatest importance to Humanity. and I also, in common with all mortals, have dreamed a dream, ay, dreams : dreams of God, of Responsibility, of Happiness, of Immortality; but they have gone from me; the pictures are blurred, the ideas are indistinct; as in the case of the royal dreamer, they have left behind a hazy, half-consciousness that does but harass and perplex, and, at times, brings deep depression, an anxious mind and a troubled heart. 1. I dream of the existence of a God. I have a dim consciousness of the existence of a great First Cause, a conviction which is independent of creeds, and defies the impious foot of Atheism to crush it, or the cold breath of materialism to wither it away. I see around me a thousand irresistible tokens of His creating power and wisdom. I have within me an instinct which owns His being and trembles at the thought. He is the Creator and Maintainer of the Universe, and hence the Universal King. There is no nation of Atheists under heaven; the living clay, in its most degraded forms, tacitly acknowledges the Master Potter. But, if He is my Maker, He is also my Master: my life, my lot, my destiny is in His hands. To Him I am responsible; on Him I depend. Who is He? How does He regard me? I want to know Him. I would avoid His displeasure, I would secure His approval. For the sake of my happiness it is essential to me to know my God. O Thou Fount of being! Lord of life! Controller of destiny! Thou Whose will is obeyed alike by stars and flowers! Who art Thou, Lord? What is Thy will, that I may do it? What are the conditions of Thine approval, that I may obtain it? I have faint dreams of God, of Truth, and Right, and Duty; tell me, ye 'wise men,' Who is the Ruler, and what the Rule of Life? 2. I have also dreamed a dream which, like the vision of Nebuchadnezzar, has left an intermittent horror on my soul: I am conscious of wrong doing. I am sensible of the existence of a something within me which condemns or approves, accuses or excuses, according to the nature of deeds. Conscience, which is native to my soul, condemns me, upbraids me for my guilt, and saddens me with the awful responsibility of my own 'I will!' All have this consciousness of wrong: the veriest heathen deprecates the ven my |