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THE

METHODIST MAGAZINE,

FOR JANUARY, 1811.

BIOGRAPHY.

MEMOIR OF MR. ROBERT LOMAS.

DEAR SIR,

A

CCORDING to my promife, I fit down to draw up a short Memoir of my invaluable Friend, Mr. Robert Lomas, now with God inheriting the promises." To him the applaufes or cenfures of men are nothing. Could he hear them, they would have no effect upon him. His mind, enlarged and expanded beyond what we can conceive, is abforbed in the contemplation and enjoyment of the adorable Trinity.

Were I to follow my own feelings, partiality to my friend would induce me to say much of his excellencies; and I doubt whether I could fay too much of his uprightness and integrity, I am confident I could not. During an intimacy of twenty-five years, I had an opportunity of forming a judgment of his character in various circumftances; and I verily believe it would have been in his favour had he been transparent before men, as he was before God.

My great object in the following account is the inftruction and edification of your numerous Readers-by introducing him to the acquaintance of those who had not a perfonal knowledge of him, and by perpetuating in the families of those who knew and efteemed him, the recollection of his exemplary and uniform piety.

In Biographical accounts, three things are peculiarly interefting, the commencement-the progrefs-and the conclufion of a Chriftian's course. I am happy to fay that Mr. L.'s papers, now in my poffeflion, furnish ample materials, from which we may learn the manner and circumstances of his converfion, and his progrefs in the divine life, till within a fhort time of his departure to a better world. The following narrative will be given chiefly in his own words. I remain, dear Sir, your's affectionately,

Liverpool, Oct. 15, 1810.

VOL. XXXIV. JANUARY, 1811.

JOSEPH ENTWISLE.

I. From his Birth till his Conversion.

"I was born," fays he, "Sept. 11, 1768, at Monyafh, near Bakewell, in Derbyshire. I have reason to praise God for parents who feared him, and thought upon his name. They were both in Society with the Methodists, and enjoyed experimental religion before they were married. My parents were happy in each other; in temporal matters they acted together, and mutually agreed to ferve the Lord, and to train up their children in that way which they had found fo profitable and comfortable to themselves. They entertained the Preachers, and were the principal support and bond of a small fociety in the village.

"In my childhood, I had many ferious impreffions on my mind, and a quick and strong consciousness of what was wrong. My confcience was tender, and accufed me for the leaft deviation. I do not remember that I had much fenfe of God, or of the duty I owed to him but I had a great regard and reverence for my parents; efteemed their laws as binding; and seldom durft break through those reftraints which they impofed. I was early initiated into thofe parts of outward religion of which I was capable, and ftrictly enjoined obedience.

"I was fond of my book; and at fix years of age, that I might have better helps in learning than the village afforded, I was fent to my grand-father, who refided in Manchester. Afterwards, my father removed to the fame place, where he became a Clafs- Leader. I was continued at school till 12 years old, and made fome progrefs in reading, writing, arithmetic, and Latin. During the time of my scholarship under my mafters, my better part was not neg lected by my parents. They inftructed me and prayed for me; and, when neceffary, reproved me. They took me to the house of God, and fent me to the meetings for children. Of these means of grace I was very fond; my mind, at times, was much affected under the word preached; I was careful to commit to memory the leffons appointed at the meetings; and defirous of practising the rules which were given us. I was ferious and thoughtful, and, for a child, fteady and regular. I had now not only a dread of offending my parents; but a general fenfe of my duty to God, and a fincere defire to be approved by him. I condemned myself for what was merely childish, as spending part of my time in harmless diverfions; or devoting the little money I had, to the gratification of my appetite. I refolved against these things again and again; but in vain: the practice of others, and my own inclinations, carried me away. And yielding in these refpects, I foon became less reluctant to affociate with careless and wicked boys, and begun to learn fome of their bad habits. However, by parental authority and influence, and checks of conscience, I was reftrained from lying, fwearing, fab bath-breaking,

bath-breaking, &c. Often did I mourn before God for my foolish conduct, and refolve to amend my ways. Once, when about eleven years old, I drew up refolutions in writing, and made a folemn promile to keep them, and devote myself to God. But, alas! I foon found that I had no ftrength. I now look back, and am thankful for the many advantages of my childhood; but wonder at my ignorance and ftupidity. I believed that religion was a reality, and that I had it not. I knew that it implied a change of heart; and was perfuaded that fuch a change had paffed on my parents and others. But what the change was, or how accomplished, I knew

"At 12 years of age, I was taken from school to affift my father in his bufinefs. Still I went on finning and repenting; but feemed to gain neither light nor ftrength. I attended and loved the means of grace, and when any preacher was uncommonly lively and pathetic, my mind was much affected."

Thefe obfervations afford proof of the importance of a religious education, and ought to imprefs the minds of parents with an habitual fenfe of the neceffity of training up their children in the "nurture and admonition of the Lord," and alfo encourage them in the arduous task. Seldom does it happen that the prayers, tears, advices, and admonitions of pious parents are entirely useless.

"In April, 1782," Mr. L. proceeds. "I went to London to live with my uncle. I was employed in the warehouse and countinghoufe on week-days, and on Sundays had liberty to attend divine worship. My mind was moft inclined to Mr. Wefley's chapels, and, in general, I attended at the New-Chapel, City-Road. But I foon gave way to a roving inclination, and went to various churches and chapels in the city, merely from curiofity. Then I proceeded in the fummer feafon to take walks on a Sunday into various parts of the town and country, and was often the pleafed fpectator of different scenes of wickednefs. The performance of divine worship was dull and unfavoury to me. My mind had no relish for it, because I was a ftranger to its spirit. I became acquainted with boys of bad practices, and was too much influenced by their manner of proceeding. I have to accufe myself at this period with neglect of bufinefs, foolish wafte of money, forgetfulness of God, neglect of his worship, the indulgence of vain curiofity, foolish talking, &c. The admonitions received from my uncle and aunt, frequent letters from my parents, checks of confcience, and dawnings of divine light, laid me under restraints, otherwise I do not know into what exceffes I might have run. By thefe means, and the good hand of God upon me, I was graciously preferved from many and great evils which generally prevail in the metropolis. Yet my conduct was joftly reprovable before God and man. I have fince been led to think, that if I had not been brought up in the manner I was, and

had