All Rights Reserved by HDM for This Digital Publication Copyright 1998 Holiness Data Ministry

All Rights Reserved By HDM For This Digital Publication Copyright 1998 Holiness Data Ministry Duplication of this CD by any means is forbidden, and copies of individual files must be made in accordance with the restrictions stated in the B4Ucopy.txt file on this CD. * * * * * * * THE WESLEYAN METHODIST MAGAZINE -- MAY 1823 * * * * * * * Digital Edition 01/12/98 By Holiness Data Ministry * * * * * * * CONTENTS 01 -- Biography -- Memoir Of John Dean -- By Rev. William Moulton 02 -- Memoir Of Mr. Thomas Slater 03 -- Memoir Of Miss Ann Jones, Late Of Liverpool -- By William Naylor 04 -- Divinity -- From Nathanael Taylor's Discourse On Faith In Jesus Christ 05 -- Miscellaneous Communications A -- Letter From Clericus B -- Reply To Clericus C -- Observations On A Second Letter From Euphronius 06 -- Extract Of A Letter On Christian Perfection 07 -- Interesting Narrative 08 -- Extract From The Speech Of John Mason Good 09 -- Account Of The Doob Grass Of India 10 -- Remarkable Instance Of Animal Vitality 11 -- Review 12 -- Select List Of Books Recently Published 13 -- Christian Retrospect 14 -- Religious Intelligence A -- Approaching Anniversaries In London, &C. B -- Prosperity Of The Work Of God In Various Home-Circuits 15 -- Varieties 16 -- Missionary Notices 17 -- Monthly List Of Letters Recently Received 18 -- Extracts From The Publications Of Other Missionary Societies A -- Church Missionary Society B -- London Missionary Society C -- Baptist Missionary Society 19 -- Domestic Intelligence 20 -- Obituary 21 -- Recent Deaths 22 -- Poetry * * * * * * * 01 -- BIOGRAPHY -- MEMOIR OF JOHN DEAN -- By Rev. William Moulton Mr. John Dean was born in the village of Rowton, three miles distant from the City of Chester, in the year 1765. His parents occupied a considerable farm, and lived respectably. It is now between thirty and forty years since I first became acquainted with the family: the aged pair, at that time, feared God, and received the Methodist Ministers under their hospitable roof. They had then three sons and one daughter, who were all members of the Methodist Society; and some members of the family have continued to entertain the preachers of the gospel to this day. Mr. John Dean was the youngest son. He was called to repentance in his youth, under the ministry of the Methodists; and his religious experience was truly scriptural. When first enlightened by the Divine Spirit, so as to discover the sinfulness of sin, and his own wickedness of heart and life, his distress was great. He would frequently traverse his father's fields, and in secluded spots, pour out his soul in strong cries and tears for mercy, to Him who is able to save. His fervent prayers and earnest wrestlings were not in vain. He was enabled to claim an interest in the Savior's death; believing that our Lord loved him, and gave himself for him. His feelings of exultation were then unutterable; the Spirit of God bearing witness with his spirit, that he was adopted into God's family, and enabling him with filial boldness to cry, Abba, Father. His anguish and terror gave place to confidence and to joy unspeakable. About the time of his conversion a Methodist society was formed in Rowton; Mr. Dean was one of its earliest members; and, at the earnest request of the rest, he was appointed the leader. By his vigilance and care, the little flock increased while he remained with them, and, I believe, are now in a state of spiritual prosperity. In the year 1788, our worthy brother began to act as a local preacher, from the fullest conviction of duty; (for his temper was the reverse of bold and self-confident;) but, after surmounting his natural timidity, and being strengthened by divine influence, he proceeded in the work to which he believed himself to be called by God. In those days the local preachers in the Chester circuit were inconsiderable in number, and were therefore generally employed every Lord's day. Mr. Dean having a horse at command, and his situation in life not rendering his attention to business constant and unremitted, he often went to the extremities of the circuit, and to some places in North Wales, where there was then no regular preaching; so that it might be said with truth, that he labored more abundantly than his brethren. In the exercise of his ministry, he brought before his congregations, their privileges as Christians; the knowledge of salvation by the remission of sins; the direct and abiding witness of the Spirit; together with a present, a free, and full salvation from all sin, by faith in Jesus Christ. The late Rev. John Wesley preached these glorious doctrines, and has stated and enforced them in his sermons published to the world; and his fellow-helpers, whose labors were so greatly honored by the Head of the Church, entertained the same views, and insisted on the same truths. Mr. Dean's temper was placid and unassuming, and his manners gentle and easy; yet his ministry was powerful and practical. He exemplified the Gospel in his life, and was received with Christian affection and esteem, wherever he labored. In every part of the Chester circuit, his conduct and usefulness were spoken of in terms of approbation. In June, 1790, several persons belonging to our society in Chester, as well as in other places, inferred from what they had heard concerning him, that he was called to more extensive usefulness, than that of laboring in a local sphere; and in order to be fully satisfied, they requested him, in the most affectionate manner, to preach in that city. Here his feelings were put to the severest test. He was desirous to stay at home, and to labor, as he had opportunity, in his own neighborhood: this was also the wish of his parents and relatives: He respected, however, the call of God, and the judgment of his religious friends. I well remember the words which he selected as the foundation of his discourse on that occasion:-- "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters," &c. (Isaiah Iv. 1) Having overcome his fears, he treated the subject with clearness and energy. A divine unction attended the word, and a general blessing was felt; so that it appeared evident, that God had called him to the important work of saving souls from death, by the regular ministry of his word. On leaving home, and taking a circuit as an itinerant Methodist preacher, my intercourse with him was interrupted. However, on his short visits to his relatives, I availed myself of his company and converse, and always found him the same man of piety and uprightness. In the year 1796, Mr. Dean was married to a pious and amiable young woman, a native of Gloucestershire, with whom he lived in a state of connubial felicity for several years; when it pleased the Almighty to take her to himself: her end was peace. As my worthy brother and I were never stationed together in the same Circuit, nor very near to each other, we seldom met except at our annual Conferences; where we related to each other the merciful dealings of God with us. As he did not keep any regular journal, and as we kept up no regular correspondence, a chasm of more than twenty years must unavoidably occur in this account. By referring to the Minutes of Conference it will be seen where he traveled and labored; and his name is cherished with pleasure in the remembrance of those persons who were favored with his ministry. His character as a Christian, and a Preacher of the Gospel, always stood fair with his brethren, and was always respected; but concerning his walk with God, and the gracious dealings of the Lord with him, little can be said, for want of authentic documents in his own writing, or from those who were intimately acquainted with him. With several of his colleagues I have frequently conversed; and whenever his name was mentioned, it was always with marked respect; expressive of their high opinion of his real worth, of his kindness to them, and acceptableness to the people of his charge. About the year 1803, Mr. Dean entered a second time into the marriage state. Mrs. Theobald, who resided, at that time, near Diss, in Norfolk, was the object of his choice. This step was highly approved by his friends; and Mrs. T. became indeed a help meet for him. Mr. Dean's health was in general very good; and his constitution appeared to promise many years of labor and usefulness: but while he was in Manchester, at the Conference of 1821, he experienced a slight indisposition; from which, however, he did not anticipate any serious consequences. Being called soon after to London; on some important business, he felt, while he was there, a difficulty in his breathing, accompanied by other symptoms of ill health. On returning home, he found the complaint increasing; yet he still went on in his work. Having to attend several places in the Lynn Circuit, it soon appeared that walking greatly distressed him; yet still he supposed, that, by the assistance of a horse, he might fulfill his appointments; being very unwilling to relinquish the work in which he had delighted for many years. In the first stages of his complaint, he was not painfully affected by public speaking; but towards the middle of November, he was obliged entirely to desist from his work. He nevertheless still cherished a hope, that he should be able in the spring to resume his wonted labors. When he was first confined to his room, he said but little concerning his views and feelings with regard to the eternal world; being rather reserved in his manner; yet one day when "an aged disciple" called to see him, and made an inquiry respecting the state of his mind, he said, apparently with deep humility and fervent gratitude, "The following lines express my present religious experience:-- 'O Love, thou bottomless abyss! My sins are swallow'd up in thee; Cover'd is my unrighteousness, Nor spot of guilt remains on me, While Jesus' blood, through earth and skies, Mercy, free, boundless Mercy cries!'" From that time he became more communicative, and often expressed his astonishment that he should feel so much at liberty to speak on the faithfulness and condescension of God to him; and that he should dwell so largely and so frequently on the subject of divine love, by which he felt his own heart to be cheered and supported.

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