PRINTED AT THE CONFERENCE-OFFICE, 14, CITY-ROAD;
BY JOHN JONES, AGENT.

BOLD BY THOMAS BLANSHARD, CITY-ROAD; AND AT THE METHODIST
PREACHING-HOUSES IN TOWN AND COUNTRY.

THE

METHODIST MAGAZINE,

FOR JANUARY, 1810.

BIOGRAPHY.

MEMOIR OF MR. WILLIAM VIPOND.

TO THE EDITOR.

Dear Sir,

N compliance with the injunction laid upon me at the Dif trict Meeting, I here prefent to you an account, or rather a fketch of the experience, holy life, and peaceful death of my late dear brother. It is much to be regretted that he did not leave any account of his converfion to God, nor of his fubfequent experience in the divine life, in writing. This is not of great confequence, I allow, to his friends who knew him; for they, judging of the tree by its fruits, are well convinced that his piety was not only fincere, but rational and exalted; yet there are thousands of perfons who will read the following Memoir who cannot be fully able to appreciate his excellencies, and who confequently will not praife God on his behalf, nor be ftimulated to follow him in fuch a manner as they probably would have done if they had been favoured with extracts from a Journal, or diary compofed by himself. For these private productions may be fuppofed, and I think, are generally allowed, to fpeak the genuine language of the heart: whereas, the teftimony of friends, especially relatives, is exposed to the criticisms and cenfures of the fufpicious and uncharitable. I therefore confider myself as being called to perform a difficult though important task, and under very inaufpicious circumstances; in confequence of which, little can be expected but a confirmation of those things which all confider as effential to the character of a minifter of Jefus Chrift, viz. a found converfion to God, a holy life, accompanied with minifterial gifts, and a peaceful, if not alfo triumphant death. I am, dear Sir, your's affectionately,

DAVID VIPOND.

AN Old Testament writer enquires, with great propriety, "Canft thou by fearching find out God? Canft thou find out the Almighty to perfection?" This question amounts to a positive affertion of the contrary. But though we cannot fully comprehend the infinite God, it is our mercy that enough is revealed concerning him to form the basis of the eternal happiness of his rational and immortal offspring. The uniform language of Revelation is, "God is love:" the truth of this is daily exemplified in numberless instances. The care and kindness which he manifests towards our bodies is a proof of it; but his love to our fouls furpasses comprehenfion. This was the fource of that ample provifion made for our falvation in the Gospel of the Son of God:"For God fo loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son." And this fame love is perpetually displayed in the merciful concern which God manifests in influencing finners to accept falvation; and he frequently works upon the minds of his intelligent creatures at an early period. This was the cafe with my late dear brother: in his childhood and youth, ferious impreflions were frequently made upon his mind, and his defires were drawn after God; but through his neglecting to listen to the voice of divine mercy, the vanities of the world, again gained an ascendancy over him; fo that no particular alteration appeared in his fpirit or conduct till he was about eighteen years of age, when it pleased God to awaken his confcience under the ministry of the late Mr. Charles Kyte, who now refts from his labours, and who, no doubt, has already embraced his fon in the Gospel, in the kingdom of their common Father. His convictions were unufually deep, and therefore his distress of foul was great in proportion. And no wonder; for, of all things in the world, to reflect on time spent in rebellion against a merciful God, and in entire oppofition to our own beft interefts, must be the most appalling. Infirmities may be fustained whilft the fpirit is at eafe, but a "wounded fpirit who can bear?" This diftrefs continued fome weeks, during which he refolutely forfook all known fin, and fought the Lord earneftly, day and night, in private and in public, being fully perfuaded that he must die eternally, if he did not obtain an interest in Christ, and union with him. At length the time of his deliverance drew near;-As he was walking on the highway with weeping eyes lifted up to heaven, and a heart pouring out the Publican's Prayer, and labouring to lay hold on the hope fet before him, the Lord fpoke in mercy to his foul, and he received an affurance that his fins were forgiven for Jefus's fake. A change indefcribably great now paffed upon his mind; his guilty gloom was exchanged for heavenly peace and confolation, and he praised his God with joyful lips. This change, which was real, and not feigned or imaginary, laid the foundation of a fubsequent life of devotednefs to God.

As