ACCOUNT OF CAPTAIN ALEXANDER THOMSON. To the Editor of the Methodist Magazine. SIR, If the following abstract of the life and death of Captain ALEXANDER THOMSON be thought worthy a place in your valuable Magazine, its insertion will gratify many in this circuit, to whom his memory is dear. I am, Sir, your's, affectionately, Aberdeen, Dec. 1816. JOSHUA BRYAN. SOLOMON says, "The memory of the just is blessed." I have known none, to whom this apophthegm could be more justly applied than Captain Thomson. His name will never be mentioned in the circle of his acquaintances without exciting those feelings which are demonstrative of genuine affection. It did not fall to my lot to be able, from a personal acquaintance, to estimate his worth; but, I presume, that those who did know him will admit that fame has not deceived me in her report that he was, evangelically, "A GOOD MAN." This is the united opinion of all with whom I have conversed about him. To do justice to the character of such a man is a task to which I am not equal: I leave this to those of my brethren who had an opportunity of seeing his upright walk, and hearing his holy conversation. My object is to satisfy the mourning relatives of the deceased, who have repeatedly urged me to draw up a memorial of him, to be placed among the records of the illustrious dead in the archives of that religious body with whom he was for many years con nected. From the verbal information which I have received in the different parts of this circuit where he was well known, and from a few letters, which are before me, I have collected the following particulars, which give, I presume, a correct outline of Mr. Thomson's character. VOL. XLI. JUNE, 1818. * 3 E * 1. His piety was early.-Those who have been distinguished for their piety in early life have generally been bright ornaments of religion in their riper years; and, in the end, have finished their Christian course with holy triumph. That there are exceptions from this, as well as from all other general rules, we admit with regret; but that Mr. Thomson was not among the number of those who form that exception, is no small cause of thankfulness to his surviving relatives and religious friends. The piety of his youth increased as he increased in years; and enabled him to hold on the tenor of his way with that uniformity which proves "the path of the just to be as the shining light, which shineth more and more to the perfect day." Newburgh, a small fishing town, twelve miles north of Aberdeen, was the place of his nativity. In this place the gospel has been long preached by the Methodists; and, considering its size, and the smallness of its advantages, Methodism has flourished, in its native simplicity and purity, more than in any other part of the circuit. For some time, I am informed, the society consisted of only seven women; but these were eminent for their piety. Two of them are still living. James Thomson, brother to the. deceased, was the first man who joined with this little company. This was a matter of no small joy to these pious women; it strengthened their hands, and increased the fervor of their zeal for the Lord of Hosts. The Divine influences of the Holy Spirit of God, which had been for some time operating upon the mind of Alexander, and which had produced that serious deportment which commands attention, now wrought more powerfully upon him. He resolved to cast in his lot with this little company; to take them for his companions, and their God for his God. Having now taken upon him the profession of religion, he saw the necessity of being as consistent in the family as in the church; he, therefore, proposed to his mother the expediency of having family prayer, which was approved of, and from that time continued in the house. I might have availed myself of many anecdotes which would have confirmed what I have said of his early piety; but as brevity is my object, I shall conclude this section in his own words, which I find in a letter to a friend, as follows: "When I was about fifteen years of age, I was deeply awakened to a sense of my sin and danger; and by the enlightening and quickening influences of the Holy Spirit, I was led to the Lord Jesus Christ as the only refuge for a lost sinner like me. I cried day and night for mercy; I embraced every opportunity to pour out my supplications to God. As I had not the privilege of a room for myself, the place of my retirement was often in the cow-house, in the fields, or any other place where opportunity served. The Bible and Kempis were my only books. I was terribly afraid of death and hell. I felt myself to be so guilty and condemned before God, that I have often knelt before him for a considerable time and could not utter a word. Often I could say no more than Lord, help me, a miserable sinner!' Yet, at times, I felt the sweet influences of the Spirit, and even joy and delight in the service of God. "In a few months these drawings of the Spirit increased more and more, and my slavish fears and doubts as gradually abated. At one time, when I had been praying and praising all day long, I felt such joy and happiness as I could not express; all guilt, fear, and condemnation, were done away; I could do nothing but sing and praise God. Jesus, all the day long, was my joy and my song! When one asked me the question, "Do you know that your sins are forgiven?' I answered, I am always happy, and rejoice in God; all my distracting fears are gone; I love God with all my heart, his word and ordinances are my delight; I love to be continually engaged in his service, and find it perfect freedom; and I can come to God as my Father: yet I was so ignorant I did not like to say my sins were pardoned; though, when the Lord gave me more light, I saw that my views of this blessing had not been clear. I was looking for some wonderful application of some passage of Scripture to my mind; I thought I must pass through some severe exercises of mind. But God's way is the best in every thing. I feared God from my earliest infancy; and he was pleased to draw me by love." Whoever has been instructed in the rudiments of vital godliness will not dispute the genuineness of that work of grace which appeared so conspicuously in the early days of the subject of this memoir. 2. His zeal was fervent.-There is, perhaps, no period in the Christian life when a more passionate ardor for the prosperity of the Redeemer's interest is evinced than when the soul is first brought into the enjoyment of that peace with God which is the first fruit of justifying faith. For, being brought out of the "horrible pit and miry clay," a new song is put into the mouth of the sinner, and his language is, " O Lord, I will praise thee; for though thou wast angry with me, thy anger is turned away, and thou comfortest me." Rejoicing in the assurance of the Divine favour, he anxiously desires that all mankind might, with him, feel the consolations of religion which overflow his heart, and with the poet he says, "If all the world my Saviour knew, To this end he embraces every opportunity of recommending religion to all around him, and is diligent in the use of every mean that is calculated to facilitate the extension of the kingdom of Christ. * 3 E 2* Let none think that I mean to confine this zeal to the early stages of Christian experience; no, it is a virtue in which the Christian must increase and abound, as he grows in grace and in the knowledge of God: all I contend for is, that if zeal for the prosperity of religion is a distinguishing trait in the Christian character, it must appear with due prominence when the Christian is first brought into the liberty of God's dear children. This is the view which St. Peter had of the subject; for when writing to those who were but just brought to the knowledge of salvation by the remission of sins, he exhorts them to add to their faith virtue, or fortitude; that like good soldiers of Jesus Christ they might be able to defend that cause in which they had enlisted with a magnanimity becoming their exalted character. But, to do this, the mind must be inspired with a fervent zeal for the prosperity of Zion, arising from a sense of the love of God glowing in his own breast. Such was the zeal which the subject of this memoir evinced in early life, and which was a distinguishing trait in his character to the end. The incidents which I shall adduce, illustrative of the fervour of his youthful zeal, are the two following:-In the early days of Methodism the small society in Newburgh used to hold meetings in the morning, at five o'clock; sometimes for preaching, and at other times for prayer. In order that there might be as many as possible at those meetings, young Thomson used to rise much earlier than the hour appointed, and go round the town, from house to house, and call the people up; and this he continued to do, that none might have any excuse to plead for non-attendance, and that all might be in the way of getting good to their immortal souls. His language on these occasions, like that of David, was, "My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up." This was, indeed, the frame of mind which he always enjoyed; for so greatly did he "hunger and thirst after righteousness," and so highly did he appreciate the means of grace, that he was glad, at any time, if any of the people of God said unto him, "Let us go into the house of the Lord." I am informed that he had a very great objection to a sea-faring life. But, however contrary to his disposition to be a sailor, we find that his zeal did not abate; but that he embraced every opportunity of recommending religion while in that situation. His faithfulness in reproving sin, which is no small mark of zeal, appears from the following circumstance: He had not been long on board when a stranger, who was talking with the men, swore ; young Thomson went up to him immediately, and told him that swearing was not allowed in that ship, and if he could not converse without using oaths he wished him to go on shore. Thus we see that he was diligent in doing good both in season and out |