of your prefent choice? What! prefer darkness to light-Belial to Chrift? You cannot serve both. "Choose ye, this day, whom ye will ferve."

DEAR SIR,

To the Editor of the Methodist Magazine.

I LOSE no time in transmitting the information already in my possession, relative to the awful, alarming, and increasing sins of Sabbath-breaking, Lewdness, &c. &c. &c. which call more loudly for Divine vengeance, because practised with impunity, in a nation enjoying such superior, and inestimable advantages, civil and religious, as Britain enjoys.

The solemn and impressive manner in which you introduced this momentous subject yesterday, will, I trust, be a means of rousing many then present to activity, and that your future testimony, both from the press and pulpit, will be a means of calling to prayer, supplication, and corresponding persevering exertions, the whole of the numerous societies, and congregations of the Methodists, not only in the Metropolis, but in all the Ports, and Manufacturing Districts of the Empire; who, joining with those who are already engaged in the same cause, may be a means of drawing together a rapidly increasing band, who, under the Great Captain of their salvation, may go forth, and not only check, but ultimately remove and dry up this dreadful torrent of iniquity, which now seems ready to sweep down all before it, and threatens to bring the vengeance of Heaven on our highly favoured land, and to which plague, famine, and war, are comparative blessings. I am, dear Sir,

No. 60, Paternoster Row,

Nov. 8, 1812.

Affectionately your's,

F. C.

The following impressive Address on the distressing Nuisance of Prostitutes walking the Streets, has been presented to the respective Vestries of the Parishes in the City and Liberty of Westminster, and the OutParishes, by a Committee of Inquiry into the Nuisance of Prostitutes walking the Streets.

PRESENT--Several of the Inhabitants of the Parish of Saint Martin in the Fields. It was resolved that the following Representation should be sent by the Chairman tə the Select Vestry of the Parish of

To the Minister and Gentlemen of the Select Vestry of the Parish of

IT is with much diffidence that a Committee of the Parish of Saint Martin in the Fields presume to address other Parishes than their own; but the important subject on which they have now for a considerable time been engaged, viz. "The consideration of remedying the dreadful nuisance of Prostitutes walking the streets," has every day increased their solicitude that some means might be adopted to remedy so distressing an evil. It is under this impression that they beg leave to request the attention of the respectable Parish of

to the same subject. They are aware that the same reason must exist there as in their own Parish, and they are equally sensible that there are characters who, if they would heartily enter into the matter, might be the happy instruments of bringing about a reformation, which would soon repay all their labour and attention by the most exquisite satisfaction; a satisfaction which would only cease with their existence.

In a few words permit us to point out some of the evils resulting from Prostitates being permitted to walk the streets. In the first place, it must be obvious that the youth, being continually assailed by them, are in a state of the greatest temptation; that, however desirous the parent or master may be to preserve the morals of those under his care, it seems next to impossible to prevent their being drawn into the snare. And can any of us, who, from our own observations and experience, have known the difficulty of avoiding temptation, say to what an extent it may, and indeed but too often does, lead the poor unhappy youth, who, when too late, with his afflicted parents may deplore the unhappy consequence of having yielded to the forming a connexion by which he has suffered in his health, morals, and peace, and the master has been injured by the purloining of his property, to support that connexion, and the afflicted parent has found all his prospects of comfort in the future credit and virtuous industry of his child, for ever blasted?

Secondly, It must be evident that while Prostitutes are permitted to walk the streets, they will always become the ready instruments and assistants of pickpockets and thieves of every description, as they are one leading cause of their depredations. It will therefore appear that, by removing one evil, you take away the principal sinews by which the other species of vice and dishonesty is enabled to act with so much vigour,

Thirdly, Those who have any regard for decency, must lament that the streets should be annoyed as they are by women of this description, who have of late years greatly increased in numbers, and are, if possible, more loose, disorderly, and abandoned than ever. Their audacious conduct, their obscene and profane language, uttered in the hearing of modest females, whose business leads them to pass the streets, or who necessarily remain in the kitchens and lower parts of the houses, have rendered them a nuisance most intolerable.

Notwithstanding such is the case, this Committee beg leave to observe that though the existing laws appear abundantly severe, they are not adapted to the present state of society. With persons so completely depraved, a milder course, it is presumed, would be more effectual than that which is now resorted to. Wicked and abandoned beyond all power of belief, as a very large proportion of these unfortunate women are, they are notwithstanding our fellow-creatures; they were once innocent, and are therefore objects of compassion; and more than this, their very vice has originated with our own sex. Their increasing depravity is to be attributed to them; and if strict justice were administered, on them the greatest weight ought undoubtedly to fall We, therefore, in commiseration to these poor wretches, wish all of us to reflect that, from the moment of their first deviation from virtue, which set a bar between these unfortunate females and the society of the virtuous, they have been gradually and unavoidably sinking into the lamentable and wretched state in which we now find them, and totally destitute of those rational comforts which every other class of society is aspiring after.

The views of the Committee are therefore by no means to treat them with severity; on the contrary, while they would banish them from the streets, and thus put them out of sight, as means of temptation, they would wish that Parish Asylums should be provided for them; that they should be kept in retirement, and employed until they can, after a certain probation, be either restored to their friends, or placed again in society, as useful reformed members. We are aware of some difficulties that would at first sight make it appear impossible to put a plan of this sort into execution. One is the expense. But when we consider the extent of the evil, its tendency to corrupt the minds and morals of male servants, and the known excessive depredations that continually take place on shopkeepers of all descriptions, as well as other housekeepers, the additional tax to support such expense would be comparatively nothing. The greatest difficulty would be the necessary care of Parochial Institutions of this kind; and yet were they conducted under the care of proper matrons, selected by the Minister, Churchwardens, Overseers, and a judicious Committee of the Parish, who should have the superintendance of the same, it is hoped it would not be so great a burden as might at first sight be imagined.

Permit us to add that, however beneficial to the public and to the objects themselves such a reformation might be, it is nevertheless impracticable without the interference of the Legislature. The laws at present are insufficient to put it in practice. It is therefore presumed that it would not be difficult to frame such a bill as would obtain the sanction of Parliament, wherein should be enacted such regulations and coercive powers as should be adequate to the suppression of this enormous evil. And while it operated as an act of humanity towards the miserable individuals who are the immediate sufferers, it would relieve others from an inexpressible calamity, to which, from local situation, and in following their fair and honourable pursuits in life, they, their children, their apprentices, and servants are at present unavoidably exposed.

(Signed) FREDERICK SMITH, CHAIRMAN. . It is shortly intended to send a memorial to one of the Secretaries of State, to request bis consideration and influence on this important subject; previous to which, a Committee will be appointed to call on the respective housekeepers, to btain their signatures.

(More on this subject in our next.)

OBITUARY.

Nov. 7, died Mrs. MATHER, widow of the late Alex. Mather. About a fortnight before her death, the took cold, which brought on a little feverish heat, and it was followed by a degree of languor; but not the leaf danger was apprehended till laft Friday evening, when fymptoms of apoplexy appeared. She had been attended by Mr. Hey, for several days, and he was fent for immediately when the was taken worse; but no hope of life was then left. She continued till Saturday night, about twenty minutes after ten o'clock, when the exchanged a fuffering for a triumphant ftate. Often had the converfed of her own diffolution with great delight, and had viewed heaven as her fure and eternal inheritance, to the poffeffion of which she was joyfully haftening. As a kind, affectionate, and fteady friend, fhe was highly efteemed; as a class-leader, the was faithful, judicious, and very useful; and as a benefaftrefs to the poor, fhe was gratefully acknowledged, and is now deeply lamented. Her lofs to this fociety will be greatly and laftingly felt.

his convictions for fin were fo deep and powerful, that he could derive no fatiffaction from any of his ufual engagecafe, the cares and concerns of the world ments: but, as is too frequently the choked the good feed, and he relapsed into a ftate of comparative indifference to divine things. However, in the year following, when the Methodift preachers firft came to Dunbar, he was again powerfully awakened, and faw the awful fituation he was in; by continuing to attend their miniftry, his convictions were deepened. He then cried mightily to God, for deliverance from the load of guilt which burdened his foul. The Lord was pleafed to answer his petition in the following manner: whilft one of the minifters was preaching from these words, "God is love," and was enlarging upon the love of God to a finful world, "I was encouraged," said he, "to venture my foul on his unspeakable goodness and mercy; which I had no fooner done, than I felt fuch rays of light and love fpring up in my lately afflicted mind, as enabled me to appro

Hoping it may be in my power to col-priate to myself the promises contained left materials for a large memoir of our deceased friend, I now drop these lines, to be inferted in your extensively circulated Mifcellany, for the purpose of informing her numerous friends, of her almoft fudden departure from us. May I alfo be found ready!

Leeds, Nov. 10, 1812. J. WOOD.

DIED, Auguft 31, 1811, ANDREW AFFLECK, aged 83 years. Dunbar was the place of his nativity. In the early part of his life, he was, like most others, careless about the things of eternity. It does not, however, appear that he was immoral in his conduct; though, to use his own words, his conduct, at that period of his life, tended to fhew the depravity of the human heart, when uninfluenced by the Spirit of God.*

It pleafed God, in the year 1752, to awake him to a sense of his loft ftate by nature, and to fhew him the utter infufEciency of all earthly enjoyments to fafisfy an immortal fpirit. He joined the Methodift Society the fame year; and

It was by attending the prayer-meetings some pious English dragoons, before the Methodist Preachers visited Dunbar, that be was awakened.

VOL. XXXVI. JANUARY, 1913.

in the word of God, to feeking souls." inward affurance that he was born again, Soon after this period, he received the through faith in the once crucified, but bearing witness with his fpirit, that he now exalted Saviour; the Spirit of God was a child of God.

From this time, he conftantly and regularly attended the means of grace. He was much attached to the minifters of the gospel, and to the cause of Methodifm: to the truth of this, many ftill living, both minifters and people, can bear moft ample teftimony. In the use fation, and prayers of the people of God, of means, and by the company, converhe was eftablished in grace, and built up in the moft holy faith, in which he continued unshaken to the day of his death.

Having experienced the bleffed effects carneftly wished others alfo to be made of divine grace upon his own mind, he happy in God; and, confequently, did all that was in his power to promote the fpread of the everlasting gofpel. At this time, when Methodifm was quite in its infancy, and when its minifters were much defpifed, it was his custom to accompany them from one village to an

*K*

Laft Christmas he feemed to have a prefentiment, that it would be the laft he fhould ever fee; for he said to one that came to fee him, "I expect that I fhall, before this time twelvemonth, meet many of my old friends in glory!"

During the laft year, there was a revival of the work of God at Dunbar, which much rejoiced this venerable faint. He obferved, "I have been praying these fifty years, that God would revive his work here; and now he has heard me. Now, Lord, letteft thou thy fervant depart in peace; for mine eyes have feen thy falvation !'"

Two nights before his death, being under a cloud respecting his affurance of the divine favour, he cried unto the Lord to lift up a ftandard against the enemy, who was forely preffing him with temptations, Towards the morning, the Lord answered the fervent petitions of his faithful fervant, and fo manifefted himself to him, as to remove all