speak; but his Class-Leader (a poor labouring man, of whom he spoke, with great affection, a few days before his death) said to him, "Richard, when God pardons your sins, you will be as sure of it as if an angel from heaven came down to tell you so." "So," he said, “I found it, after some weeks' experience of the wormwood and the gall." He was filled with joy and peace through believing.

In this state of happy liberty he continued to walk, bearing in his turn the scandal of the cross; but neither allurements nor persecutions from without, nor temptations from Satan within, moved him from his steadfastness. Having tasted that the Lord was gracious, he pressed forward to the attainment of more grace, and was soon brought to see and feel the need of a deeper and richer baptism of the Spirit, and entered into the full and glorious liberty of the adult sons of God. This was before he was placed on the Plan as a Local Preacher. It is not known how long he had acted in that capacity, when he offered himself as a Missionary to the West Indies; but, no doubt, pure love to God, and to the souls of the then degraded black population of those islands, prompted him thus to place himself at the disposal of the Conference.

In the latter end of the year 1791 he left his native land, and, arriving in safety at Barbadoes, from thence he proceeded to his appointment. It may be truly said, that he never lost sight of the objects of his Mission; but that he practically adopted the direction of St. Paul: "Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate."

The first seven years of his Missionary life were perhaps more arduous and trying, and his exposures to dangers and difficulties more frequent, than the last. He was in Grenada when the insurrection broke out there; and afterwards in St. Vincent, for eighteen months, during the Caribb war: but though he suffered many privations, both by sea and land, a gracious Providence watched over him for good. During his last affliction, speaking of the confidence we ought to place in the faithfulness of God, he said, "Many times, in storms on the ocean, or crossing from one island to another in small vessels, I have held by a rope, and sung,

and I have felt my faith in God wonderfully strengthened."

His success in the work of his Lord, in that Missionary field, must be left till the morning of the resurrection; but, no doubt, he was hailed on the eternal shore by many of the sons of Ham, who had been given as seals to his ministry.

He returned to his native land in the year 1798, greatly debilitated, having suffered much, for four years, from a liver complaint, which

often afterwards brought him very low, and was finally the occasion of his death. At the Conference of that year he was appointed for Nottingham, with the Rev. Messrs. Reynolds and Bramwell. It is well known, that that was a period of great trial to those members of the Wesleyan society who were faithful amongst the faithless; but God, who never fails them who trust in him, made "bare his holy arm ;” the Spirit was poured from on high; multitudes of sinners were converted from the error of their ways; the members of the church were quickened and revived, and many of them raised as witnesses, to testify that "the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin." It was here he became acquainted with the late Rev. W. E. Miller, the late Mr. Henry Longden, and others,-men fully devoted to God, and filled with zeal for his glory, and the salvation of souls. Their society was made the means of much good to himself. He was conscious that he had not retained the blessing of entire sanctification in its full life and power: he wrestled with God in mighty prayer, and soon recovered what he had lost. The remembrance of the men of God with whom he laboured, and of the heart-reviving showers of grace that descended upon the congregations in that day of gracious visitation, was always dear to him.

Early in the spring of the year 1799 he was sent to the island of Jersey. He went full of faith and of the Holy Ghost. He found a people ready to receive him, and to join hands with him in advancing the glory of God. His labours were divided between Jersey and Guernsey; and they were not in vain in either place.

It may be necessary to state the reasons for his removal from Nottingham. The Wesleyan societies in the island of Jersey had long been oppressed and afflicted by the iron hand of persecution. The members were publicly hooted, and disturbed in their religious services. At length the storm came to its height. A law was passed, not only requiring all males, of a certain age, to bear arms, but to practise their exercise on the Sabbath-day. This part of the law, men who feared God could not obey; and many were, in consequence, put to great expense and inconvenience. The Rev. Joseph Brookhouse was imprisoned for refusing to take the accoutrements of a militia-man, and do the duty of a soldier. This was a dark and cloudy day; but, blessed be God, none were conquered. Even the babes in Christ were confirmed in their attachment to Him and his cross. The case was represented to His Majesty George III., of blessed memory, and to his Government; and, at the latter end of the year 1798, entire freedom was given to pious men to keep holy the Sabbath, by an express law abolishing the one mentioned above. At the Conference of 1798 no English Minister was appointed for the islands; but, as soon as it was known that the persecuting law was disallowed, application was made to the President, who wrote immediately to Nottingham, directing Mr. Pattison to be sent.

Soon after his arrival at Jersey, (as stated subsequently by himself,) he felt a powerful impression that he must offer himself again for his former field of labour. It seemed as if the objects of his cares and labours in the West Indies were before him, crying, "Come over and help us." He knew their wants, and the difficulty of obtaining help for them. He therefore yielded to the impression, believing that it came from God; and wrote immediately to Dr. Coke on the subject.

We were married in August, and left the island in September, for Falmouth, accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. Jeune. Mr. Jeune was appointed for Grenada, to preach to the French Negro population; but he soon finished his course, and passed to his eternal home. We sailed from Falmouth October 1st, 1799, and had tolerably fair weather till we reached the Bay of Biscay, where for several days we were tossed about by heavy gales of wind. On the 10th, just as the storm was subsiding, a strange sail appeared in sight, which Captain Rattrey believed was a Spanish privateer, which had captured three of His Majesty's Portugal packets within a short time. Providentially, he had heard of this vessel previously to his leaving Falmouth, and knew that its strength lay in boarding vessels, and overpowering them by numbers. About seven in the evening it came so near, as to be able to hail; the packet fired, and cut some of the rigging. A sharp engagement now ensued, but it only lasted a short time; the Spaniard getting out of the way, and was seen by us no more. Mr. Pattison had to engage in this strange work, while his friends below were commending him, his companions, and themselves, to the care and protection of Him who was their refuge and strength in that hour of trouble. He did graciously deliver them, and all in the ship; for not a hair of any head was injured. With hearts filled with grateful joy, we now sang together our great Deliverer's praise, and felt increasing confidence in his providential guardianship. The rest of the passage proved very pleasant; and we arrived in safety at Barbadoes, November 6th. A report had not long before reached the island, that Mr. Pattison was dead: when we landed at the pier-head, the Captain of a mail-boat, with whom Mr. Pattison had sailed several times, took him by the hand, saying, "I am glad to see you alive; for I had heard, from some of your friends in Grenada, that you were dead." When he reached the Mission-house, he found that a funeral sermon had been preached on the supposed occasion a fortnight before; and he himself went into the chapel, and removed the black cloth which had been hung about the pulpit. Having called at several islands, he reached Nevis on the 21st, where he met with the late Rev. John Brownell, who had likewise heard the report; and, together with the numerous friends it was his happiness to have in all the islands where he was known, rejoiced to have ocular demonstration of its falsehood.

On the 27th we reached Tortola, his appointed station; and in a few weeks he was seized with a bilious fever, which his medical

attendant feared would prove fatal: but God had mercy upon him, and on me also, and restored him to health. To this affliction he referred in his last sickness, as will be noticed in its proper place. Here he laboured for three years, with a zeal that was indeed a constant and even flame of love, which many waters could not quench. He was often exposed to danger, having regularly to visit several places which were only accessible by sea; but no weather could keep him back from the performance of his duty. Though often entreated not to venture when the weather was stormy, such entreaties moved him not in the work of his Lord he was courageous, and full of holy confidence. He would say, "Am I not as safe while doing his work at sea, as on land?" and thus seek to rebuke the unbelief, or to remove the fears, of others. Many seals were here given to his ministry; and he left the island, we may truly say, followed by the prayers and tears of hundreds.

His next appointment was Antigua: he reached that island in December, 1802. The yellow fever was then raging, and carried off a great number of persons. He was one day suddenly seized with a bilious fever, and, in the course of it, having fainted away, he was supposed to be dying; but the Lord heard prayer again in his behalf, and restored him to health. In this place he manifested the same fervent zeal for the glory of God, and the good of his church, that he had done in other places; and laboured diligently for the benefit of the souls committed to his care. The great Lord of the harvest vouchsafed to him a rich reward in the prosperity of His work.

His next appointment was Dominica: he sailed for that island in February, 1804. Just when we were in sight of the harbour, early in the morning, alarm-guns were heard from the different forts; and, as soon as daylight appeared, a fleet of men-of-war was seen sailing under the shore, showing English colours, till the Admiral's ship reached the mouth of the harbour: the English flags were then taken down, and the French flag hoisted. Troops were then disembarked, and the town was attacked. The vessel in which we were, was at that moment not far astern of the Admiral's ship, showing English colours. It is not easy to describe the consternation of all on board, at the sight of the French colours; the Captain and crew seemed almost paralyzed; but, in that moment of danger, God appeared for the deliverance of his servants. The Captain consulted his passengers, who were all agreed, that it would not do to attempt to go back to Antigua, lest the enemy should sink the vessel, for fear of their carrying there the tidings of what they had seen; but that it would be better to steer for Martinique, from whence they came. This they did, favoured by a gentle breeze, which soon wafted the vessel out of gun-shot, though not out of sight of some of the dreadful effects of war; as, during the day, the town of Roseau was seen on fire; and the effect of the blowing up of the rum-stores in the island was felt, just as though the

vessel had been shaken by an earthquake. All on board seemed deeply affected at the deliverance wrought by a gracious Providence in their behalf, and on their knees gave glory to God. The following day the Missionaries sat together on the deck, and sang,

"God moves in a mysterious way,

His wonders to perform," &c.;

while tears of gratitude flowed from their eyes. They thought they never saw or felt the power and beauty of that hymn, as they saw and felt it then; and, perhaps, they never sang it again as they did on that day, when they had escaped from captivity or death. Three days after this deliverance they reached St. Vincent's, and found the inhabitants greatly alarmed at the vicinity of so formidable an enemy.

As Mr. Pattison was now without a station, his brethren advised him to go to Barbadoes, that island being then without a Wesleyan Missionary. For eighteen months, surrounded with difficulties and discouragements, he held on the tenor of his way, endeavouring to spread the knowledge of Christ. His sphere of labour was, indeed, very limited, as there were not more than twenty-three members in the society, and there was access only to two or three places in the country. Prejudice and the spirit of persecution were rampant. No services could be held in the chapel in the evening, even on the weekdays. The few who were united together assembled at three in the afternoon, that they might hear the word of life without interruption. The greatest part of the black population was still under the power of heathen superstition. They were accustomed to place food on the graves of their deceased relations, playing the tom-tom at their funerals; and very awfully were they given to profane swearing, a custom they had learned from their Christian masters. But, blessed be God, even in this Sardis there were a few who feared God, and interceded with him for a guilty land.

In July, 1806, we sailed for England. After a passage of fine and stormy weather, we landed at Portsmouth, September 30th, expecting an appointment in that District, having made a request to Dr. Coke to that effect. Mr. Pattison was, however, appointed to the Yarmouth Circuit, in Norfolk. This Circuit, at that time, was laborious and extensive, and his health was now much debilitated; but as was his day, so was his strength. He passed the two years without any serious illness, and God was pleased to own his labours. His next appointment was Lynn, in the same county; and of the two years which he spent in that Circuit it may be truly said, that he never laboured more diligently or more successfully; so that he was accustomed to say, that two of the happiest years of his life were spent in that Circuit.

He was subsequently appointed to Nottingham, Grantham, Belper, Chesterfield, Mansfield, Ramsey, (Isle of Man,) Lancaster, Selby, Knaresborough, Stamford, Oakham, and Skipton. It would too much