my fellow-creatures have been carried away by the flood of time, into an awful eternity! I am yet in life, in health, and comparative vigour. Through the infinite mercy of God, my soul is going out in strong desire to recover his whole image, and to be fully fitted for his blessed will. O that my life might be one continued looking to Him in whom is everlasting life!"

:

Once more we find Mr. Wood appointed to the Bristol Circuit. For some time he had been anticipating that every successive station would be his last he therefore removed to this city under the conviction, that, if enabled to perform the labour of the Circuit, his decreasing energies, added to the importunities of his family, would require him to withdraw into the rank of Supernumerary Preachers. As his day, so was his strength; and when his three years of toil in this his last scene of ministerial usefulness and activity were concluded, he voluntarily and cheerfully retired, after having travelled fifty-three years.

Let it not, however, be imagined, that the evening of Mr. Wood's days was a scene of inglorious ease, or listless inactivity. He engaged, to the utmost of his ability, in that work which had so long been not more his duty than his delight. On the Sabbath, and occasionally on the week-day evenings, he preached, and was indefatigable in pastoral visits to the members of the society, and especially to the sorrowful and suffering. He united himself to the late Mr. B. Tucker's class, and was exemplary in the regularity of his weekly attendance; his quarterly tickets were regarded as tokens of his membership with the church of Christ, and preserved with care; and also, when health and strength permitted, he was accustomed to make several annual excursions into neighbouring Circuits, to assist on Missionary Anniversaries, &c.

In the autumn of 1832 Mr. Wood was called to sustain the heaviest bereavement he ever experienced, in the death of his beloved wife,— the wife of his youth; who, for the period of fifty-two years, had shared his earthly cares, and increased his earthly joys, and of whom a brief account is recorded in this Magazine, vol. Iviii., p. 240. The solitude of Mr. Wood's widowhood was greatly relieved by the society of two of his sons, who with their respective families were resident in Bristol.

In his annual pocket-book Mr. Wood frequently inserted brief notices of his spiritual state and feelings, of which the following are a specimen :

age,

Jan. 22d, 1834, being upwards of eighty-three years of he writes, "I am now on the brink of eternity. What is the foundation of my hope? not my works,-they fill me with shame; not my feelings of humiliation, contrition, &c.; not any thing which I have suf fered in the cause of the Redeemer; but the infinitely-precious death of Christ, an all-sufficient atonement for the sins of the whole world,

where the divine perfections harmonize in the redemption and salvation of lost sinners, here is my hope, my joy, my rest.'" "Feb. 5th. My half year's annuity is nearly due. Should I be taken hence in the course of the present month, I wish £25 or £30 to be returned, reserving only sufficient to clear my funeral expenses." In the month of May following, writing to a friend, he says, "I have attempted to preach a few times since I saw you: had I strength, I would endeavour to preach thirty times a week."

The Conference of this year, 1834, which was held in London, determined upon the establishment of what had long been a desideratum in Methodism; namely, a Wesleyan Theological Institution. This measure produced, for a time, serious forebodings among some of the oldest friends of the body. Mr. Wood had also his fears lest the plan should lead to the employment of a ministry, in the formation of which man, and not the great Head of the church, should take a leading part: differing, therefore, for a short period, in opinion from the majority of the Conference, he nevertheless beheld with abhorrence the diabolical and mischievous proceedings of certain factious individuals, who succeeded in keeping many parts of the Connexion in a state of violent agitation throughout the ensuing year, by making the establishment of the Institution a pretext for the organization of an extensive "Association," the object of which was, the utter subversion of the great principles of the Wesleyan discipline and economy. Far advanced as he was in years, and encompassed with various infirmities, Mr. Wood travelled to the Conference in Sheffield, that, by his presence and advice, he might countenance the adoption of those decisive measures, which were necessary for maintaining the purity and efficiency of Methodism.

Having carefully observed the result of the experiment for the improvement of the candidates for the Christian ministry among us, the fears which Mr. Wood entertained respecting the Institution were entirely dispelled, and he became not only a well-wisher, but a kind. and cordial friend. His last donation to the Conference was a number of copies of a small work on the Tropes of Scripture, which he had compiled and published; the proceeds of which, amounting to £15, were paid to the Treasurer of the Wesleyan Theological Institution.

Writing to one of his sons, towards the close of this year, and with a tremulous hand, he says, "Whether is preferable from an aged parent,-silence, or almost an illegible scrawl? My feelings say the latter; and, therefore, I take pen in hand, to say, that, through the infinitely rich mercy and goodness of God, I am yet in life, and aiming at heaven. My appetite is good, and my sleep is comfortable and refreshing; but the powers of the body decrease: this is what I expect. My chief concern is, to be found quite ready for my dissolution. Blessed be God, he doth not forsake me now when my strength faileth." Jan. 1st, 1836, he writes, "Through the mercy of God, I

entered this year, in Ebenezer chapel, with an ardent desire to live for heaven." The severity of the winter detained him a prisoner in his house during this and the following month: whenever he could appear abroad, he was invariably found in attendance upon the means of grace, and aiding plans for doing good.

Early in the year 1837 he suffered such a prostration of bodily strength, together with such an alarming aggravation of dropsical symptoms, as awakened in his family and friends painful apprehensions that the time of his departure was at hand. On May 6th, while confined to his apartment, and unable to move without difficulty, he was gratified by an unexpected visit from his friend, the Rev. Theophilus Lessey, whose description of this interview is given in his 66 Memorials," by Dr. Hannah :-"I took my son with me in the evening, to visit the Rev. James Wood, the oldest Preacher in the Wesleyan Connexion, and one of the most venerable saints I ever saw. We found him alone, bent down with age and infirmities, his swollen legs supported on a seat before him; but rejoicing in God his Saviour, and bringing forth in old age the peaceable fruit of righteousness.' He betrayed no impatience, no peevishness, no murmuring against the dispensations of divine Providence; all was serenity and peace, unshaken confidence in the goodness of his heavenly Father, unabated attachment to that great cause, in the promotion of which he had faithfully employed all his powers for sixty years, together with the gentlest benignity and affection towards all his fellow-labourers. With his loins girded, and his lamp brightly burning, he waited with calm and holy anticipation for the final summons to his eternal rest. I sat and conversed with him for some time, and after prayer received his parting benediction."

·

During the period of this extreme debility, Mr. Wood rejoiced in the thought, that his earthly pilgrimage was approaching a close, only lamenting that he had been of so little use in the world. He even intimated, that it would be a disappointment if, instead of shortly entering the heavenly rest, he should have "to put to sea again." To sea again, however, he had to put; for, owing to the natural vigour of an excellent constitution, he speedily rallied; and a temporary residence at Portishead considerably invigorated his tottering frame. Writing to one of his sons, by the assistance of an amanuensis, whom he was now obliged to employ, his "right hand" having forgotten "its cunning," he says, "Through divine mercy, I am yet alive; but if I may judge from my feelings, life will soon be extinct. I am loaded with unnumbered benefits. I feel a deep sense of my past ingratitude; and nothing do I more lament, than the want of a thankful heart. When I am unable to read, and have no one to read to me, I endeavour to fix on some passage of Scripture for meditation; and often do I find those meditations sweet to my soul. I have lately been thinking on those words: O worship the Lord in the beauty of

holiness!' and almost wished for a congregation, to whom I might have communicated my views. The word of truth is increasingly precious the evidence of its origin, the extent of its utility, and its gracious design, endear it to me daily."

Finding the air of Kingswood-Hill so much more congenial to his respiration and general health, he removed thither; and, so long as his strength permitted, took occasional exercise in the open air. The Conference of 1838 being held in Bristol, Mr. Wood was solicitous to attend some of its sittings: he was, however, able to be present at one only; and such was the state of exhaustion to which he was reduced even by that effort, that he was obliged very speedily to return to his habitation in the neighbourhood. He did, indeed, make an attempt once more to visit that ancient city, to meet the President of the Conference, and other of his brethren, at the Bristol Centenary Meeting; but the difficulty which he experienced in descending the stairs compelled him, though reluctantly, to relinquish his purpose. From this period, until the day of his death, he was confined to his room; but from this "loop-hole of retreat" he delighted to observe the movements of the religious world, and in particular what was going forward in connexion with Wesleyan Methodism. During the proceedings of the Centenary year, his feelings were often of an ecstatic character. He was an enemy to the thought, in regard to Methodism, that "the former days were better than these." If Mr. Wood could have preached a Centenary sermon, his text would be, "Praise the Lord; call upon his name; declare his doings among the people; make mention that his name is exalted." At the same

time, Mr. Wood was no bigot: he thankfully acknowledged the good effected by other denominations of Christians; and was solicitous that whatever success might attend the various agencies of Methodism, they should feel and acknowledge themselves as instruments only in the hand of the Lord Jesus.

April 23d, 1840, in the last letter which he caused to be written to one of his sons, he says, "I yet live a lingering life, waiting for my change. I am still surrounded with mercy, enjoying every thing desirable, excepting a release from mortality. The means of grace would be very refreshing to my spirits; yet it seemeth good to my heavenly Father to withhold them. His will be done." The expressions which, during his protracted confinement, fell from his lips, were happily in unison with the extracts which we have selected from his correspondence; breathing the same spirit of meekness and humility, of confidence and grateful love. To one he said, "What a mercy it is, to have a hope of endless rest! I am supported beyond what I expected. I find our hymns unspeakably precious: I never felt them so valuable as at this time." To a grandaughter he remarked, "I have frequently awaked with these words on my lips: O receive my soul at last!" and upon her observing, that there was no fear of that

request being refused, he rejoined, "I have nothing to rest upon, but the merits of the Saviour, and the infinite goodness of God." On being asked, "Do you think that we shall know each other in heaven?” he replied, "I cannot doubt it. What is produced by grace, will not be destroyed by glory. If the three Apostles knew Moses and Elias on the Mount, those who have been peculiarly helpful to each other in the militant church, doubtless will unite in praising the goodness of God in eternity." On another occasion he observed, "What strength of language, and yet what ease and familiarity, are found in the sermons of Mr. Wesley! perspicuity, brevity, and depth particularly distinguish his style." "What a beautiful part of the liturgical service of the English Church is the Te Deum! I never admired a form of devotion more; and when repeated by an assembly of saints, it must be acceptable in the sight of God."

6

A highly valued friend and brother in the ministry, who had been a colleague of Mr. Wood, in two Circuits, visiting that part of the country, called upon him. On observing, "None of us know what to say to you, Sir: you are much better acquainted with what is necessary for yourself than we are; but we all pray that you may have the comfort you require. He whom you have so long served, will not now his servant leave;""—in confirmation of this remark, Mr. Wood immediately quoted the lines commencing, "Me for thine own thou lovest to take;" and added, "What a support that is to my mind! What a fine combination of humility and confidence! The grace of God is so abundant towards me, that I dare not doubt. I know I am in good hands." On Dr. Bunting saying, "You have the consolation of knowing that you leave the world in a much more promising state than you found it;" Mr. Wood replied, "One thing I want to see,-a general union among Christians to promote conversions among their families and neighbours. Were this to become a truly religious nation, what an influence it would exercise on the nations of the earth!"

The period was fast approaching when the subject of this memoir must die; and as the Rev. John Evans, the Superintendent of the Kingswood Circuit, frequently visited him, and was also present at the closing scene, the following account which he has drawn up is given :

"Within a few weeks of Mr. Wood's decease," says Mr. Evans, “I found him in a most delightful frame of mind. He said, that God had recently manifested himself to him in an extraordinary manner, and that his joy was now full. He spake of this manifestation as having been brighter and more glorious than any which he had before experienced he compared it to the joy which he felt when he first knew the Lord; but emphatically observing, that it was 'far greater joy." It was an earnest of that 'fulness of joy' which he was shortly to realize in the presence of God. He was familiar with hallowed meditations concerning death, and often adverted to the number of Preach