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104 On the Obituaries of Mr* T. Thomas a...
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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-, Evesfiam, Sir, Januanj £5, 181 9-Pas8...
Rees , in an incipient state of the destructive malady , which deprived the world of his most important services , 2 could not be , with him as much as I wished ; and consequently lost much that was most interesting and
improving . One saying of this excellent man to his beloved partner ,, in the immediate prospect of death , is worthy of being recorded . " If it please God , " said he , " I should wish to live a little longer , principally for these reasons : that I may be of further help
and comfort to you ) that I may continue my assistance to others who need it j and that I may farther improve my own character . But if God ordains otherwise , I am willing , I go to meet my heavenly Father with as much composure and confidence as 1
if I were goingto meet my earthly father . " Farewell , good and happy spirit ! May our next meeting be with the holy Jesus at the right hand of our common Father ! " May I die the death of the righteous , and may my last end be like bis . "
With a similar state of mind my young friend , Mr . Thomas , slowly descended to the verge of the grave . I shall never forget with what ardour and ability he defended the Unitarian
doctrine a few days before his dissolution j when he could with difficulty command breath to give utterance to his labouring mind . As the present writer and another friend were at an
inn , waiting his return for the last time from his physician , a stranger came in , of a clerical appearance and deportment ; who , upon our friend ' s coming , was much struck at his ex ^ treme feebleness and sensible
conversation . Being asked how he felt , my friend replied , " very much exhausted . This , I believe , is the last time I shall see this place . Every body remarked behind me , as I was coming along , that I was almost gone / ' Being desired not to let such remarks disturb
him , he replied , " Oh , they do not disturb me at all . They rather give me a little pleasure , as they shewsome sympathy in those who make them . " Upon which the stranger , 4 1
beitig C apt to teach , ' with much amiableness said , " Dear Mr . Thomas , there is no loss for tnis world , if you possess the necessary preparation for the next . " ** What preparation , " replied our friend , « do you deem ne-
-, Evesfiam, Sir, Januanj £5, 181 9-Pas8...
cessary ? " The stranger answered , 4 t To see your lost state by natureto have an interest in " the merits of the Saviour—and to feel the applying * influence of the Spirit . " Our exhausted friend paused and reflected ; and after some remarks from the others
present , resumed , " If your representation be just , what has a poor fellow in my situation to do ? 1 have lived now for many years with death
continually in rny view , and having nothing to do but to prepare for it . But I cannot command supernatural influences . I have used my utmost endeavours to know the truth . I have
spared no exertion of my powers to understand mv Maker ' s will . I can never believe as you do . ' * " Can't you believe that you are a lost sinner by nature ? " " A sinner 1 am , but not by nature . ** Don't you believe that you fell in the first transgression , when Adam ate the forbidden fruit ^
"I did not eat of that fruit ; nor could I ever reproach myself with any part of that transaction . " " O , the Lord has riot opened your eyes . " " If it is so , that I cannot help / ' " Can ' t you pray ? ' " I do always pray that I may know the truth , that my sins
may be forgiven , and that I may be saved . But , by your doctrine , 1 cannot pray to any good purpose without that supernatural influence which I cannot command . * ' The stranger , being now called to supper , got up , and with the appearance of the
sincerest regards took our departed friend by the hand , and said , ** Well , dear Mr . Thomas , I wish with all my heart that you may have the necessary faith and be saved / ' The exhausted Christian , with visible effort , collected his remaining strength , and
with the most commanding gravity , looked his well-wisher earnestly in the face , and said , " Sir , I thank you ; but if your representation be correct , it would be infinitely better for me , if you were my God instead of him who is . " This remark , coming with all the solemnity and earnestness of a
man s nearly last breath , was such as the good-natured stranger was evidently unprepared to expect or to answer . He paused , and with visible emotion replied , ' No , dear Mr . Thomas , he is infinitely better than I , " ** That cannot be , " replied our friend , " or your representatiqn Jtturft
104 On The Obituaries Of Mr* T. Thomas A...
104 On the Obituaries of Mr * T . Thomas and D . J . Rees .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Feb. 22, 1819, page 104, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/mrp_22021819/page/36/
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