one!" Elizabeth Watson died at the house of them as they kept near him; adding: “O William Gray of Ballyhagen, in the 25th year Lord! thou knowest I have always depended of her age. John Watson was naturally of a mild and affable temper, yet he was firm in opposing any tendency to violate those testimonies, the proper support of which required humility and self-denial. upon thee, and thou hast never failed me." When the near approach of death caused his voice to be scarcely audible, he was engaged in advising one of his friends to guard against the snares of wealth, to content himself with the sufficiency which was granted him, to keep His last illness continued about three months, in humility, and to devote to the service of the in which time he was often exercised in fervent Lord that good understanding which had been prayer to the Almighty; giving praises to his given him. To another he thus expressed holy name for his favours and mercies to himself: "My heart is united to thee, and to wards him, and testifying resignation to his all faithful Friends, as Jonathan's was to Dablessed will, saying; "If the Lord have not a vid." He slept little or none the last night of further service for me, I am willing to die. I his life, but was fervent in prayer on behalf of bless God I have a peaceful conscience. My their small meeting, and that Friends might be good God hath all along been my strength, preserved a growing people. "Oh! happy,” my stay, my song and salvation." He was said the dying man, "is that man or woman pleased to see his friends, and had often a who hath their work done in their day. I word of tender advice to them, especially to have nothing to do but to die, and offer up my the youth, for whose preservation he was much soul to the Lord." And again: "I have done, concerned; and addressing a young minister, and go in peace with my God." In this happy he thus advised him: "Be sure to keep low in state, his purified spirit was released, the 19th thy mind, and little in thy own eyes; yet be of first month, 1710, at his house in Kilconnot fearful, but of a believing heart. Look ner, in the sixtieth year of his age. not much at others, neither be dismayed at the frowns of any, but mind truth in thyself. I have ever found that my peace and safety." Looking tenderly upon his children, he said: "I leave you to the Lord; and if you love him above all, he will be your God, as he has been mine." He exhorted his wife, children, and servants, to treasure up the memory of those seasons in which their minds participated together of the influence of heavenly good; to live in love, and the Lord of love would bless His son Samuel thus bears witness to the character of his deceased father: "When I consider his grave and solid deportment in his family, his great care for our welfare, and good advice to us in tenderness of spirit, when young in years; as also his earnest concern for the growth of truth, and preservation of those who professed it, my spirit is tenderly affected with a sense of the loss, which both we of his family and the church also sustain, by the removal of so kind and tender a father and faithful friend." MEMOIR OF WILLIAM WATSON. WILLIAM WATSON was born at Crane, in to his Monthly Meeting have recorded of him, the county of Wexford, in the year 1687, of" he was careful to wait for the motion of the parents who were members of the Society of word of life; so that he grew in his gift, and Friends, and religiously careful of his educa- became an able minister of the Gospel of tion, as he thus acknowledges, in a letter dated Christ." They further bear witness to his 1707: "Dear parents, I hope I shall never be sound, deliberate, weighty doctrine; the tender unmindful of your great care to me, which ye frame of spirit in which he delivered it; the have often, yea, always made me a sharer of; sweetness of that life and power attending his and though we be often outwardly separated, ministry, and his fervency in prayer; adding: yet I hope the Lord, whom, in sincerity, ac-" He had not only a gift in the ministry, but cording to my measure, I desire always to was also well qualified for the discipline; havserve, will keep us in such a frame of mind, ing a due respect to faithful elders, loving and that we shall be near to him, and to one an- affectionate to the brethren, zealously conother." At sixteen years of age he came forth in the ministry, in which, as Friends belonging cerned for peace and unity among Friends, and that backsliders might be admonished, and judgment set over the heads of transgressors, according to the good order of the Gospel, yet The above was dated 1715, the last year of his life; his distemper making a gradual progress, sapping his strength and withering his youth, but not his spirit, which, more and more He travelled as a minister several times in purified, overflowed in written and oral comhis native country, once in Scotland, and three munications, to the instruction and consolation times in parts of England; his faithful dedi- of his friends. He was, in the time of health, cation affording great comfort to his parents, a diligent attender of meetings, and observant and to his uncle John Watson. But it was of the hour appointed; and when his weakness not permitted them to enjoy, to the end of prevented him leaving his house, Friends, at their days, the satisfaction of his society, or his request, occasionally met there, to their to leave him after them, as one whose example mutual comfort; and at times he appeared might benefit another generation. In a letter amongst them in a few tender words, declaring to his mother, he endeavours, in a solemn and his resignation to the will of God, and advising tender manner, to prepare her for the afflicting to a circumspect waiting upon the Lord. The men's meeting being held at his house intelligence of his illness, and proceeds: "And now, my dear and affectionate mother, I shall a few days before his death, after it was over give thee to understand, that I have been for he desired some Friends would come into his some days past but weakly, chiefly occasioned chamber, and being supported in his bed, he by spitting blood, which is now stopped for took his last farewell, thus: "Dear Friends, twenty four hours past, or more, and I am we have had many sweet seasons together, much easier than I was. I may also let thee and now we are near to take leave of one anknow that the Almighty, whose gracious arm other; wherefore I desire your continued care hath been near to me from my youth, and un-over the church of Christ; and you can never derneath in all my troubles, has been merci- be careful over the church of Christ, unless fully with me in this illness, sweetening my you are first careful of yourselves, as the soul with his wonted goodness and loving- apostle Paul said, when he was taking leave kindness, making me to triumph over death of the elders of the church: "Take heed unto and the grave, in the power of an endless life: yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which my heart with humility desires to give him the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers.' the praise, whom I can truly say I have de- He also advised Friends to do justly, love sired faithfully to serve, in the Gospel of his mercy, and walk humbly with God; and adddear Son, according to my measure. Give my ed: "In your men's meetings be not too full dear love to my father and sisters. I desire of words, neither usurp authority one over anthe Lord's blessing may rest upon them. Tell other, nor strive who shall be greatest there; them to live loose to this world, and the things but dwell low and humble: walk in humility, thereof, and near to truth, and make ready for and God Almighty be with you and with your their change. My dear love is to all Friends families." in that county, amongst whom I have often laboured, and discharged my duty, as far as I know, both to old and young, faithful and unfaithful: let them take heed how they slight counsel. So, dear mother, I salute thee in tender love, hoping, in the will of God, to see thee once more in that county. "I am thy loving, affectionate son, 999 In this manner he parted with his dear companions, whose hearts were sorrowful at the prospect of the approaching separation, and melted with a tender sense of the divine virtue which influenced the counsels of their dying friend. He departed this life the 22nd of the twelfth month, 1715, in the twenty-ninth year of his age. MEMOIR OF JOHN CLIBBORN. JOHN CLIBBORN, son of William Clibborn, |ing that the people called Quakers had a was born near Cowley, in the county of Dur-meeting-house on his land, he was much disham, in 1623; and, in the year 1649, went pleased; for he, with many others, looked on into Ireland, a soldier in Cromwell's army. them, not only with contempt, but aversion, In 1653, he married Margaret Crow, at New-and, determining to banish them from his ry, province of Ulster, and settled at Moate premises, he resolved to burn their meetingGrenoge, county of Westmeath. Pride ap- house. Humanity forbade his doing this on pears to have been one of his faults; and find- the day assigned for general public worship, when the people might be assembled in the some time, at great hazard, to keep up the house; but, on another day of the week, he meeting at his house, where, succouring many, provided himself with fire, and went thither. and endued with patience and courage, he reTo his surprise, he found Friends assembled; mained, till he was dragged, in the night, by and one of them, Thomas Loe, was preach- the hair of his head, from that home which ing. He threw the fire away, went in, sate had afforded an asylum to the distressed; but down behind the door, and was touched with which was now the spoil of the plunderer and what he heard. His wife asking him, on his of the flames. His own life was attempted return, if he had burned the Quakers' meet- three times, by those blood-thirsty men, who, ing-house, he said: "No; but if you will at length, desperate in their wickedness, laid come to meeting with me next sunday, and do his head on a block, and, raising the hatchet, not like it, I shall go to church with you the prepared to strike the fatal blow. He resunday following." quested a little time. His request was granted. The pious man kneeled down, and in the words of the first martyr, prayed that this sin might not be laid to their charge. He prayed not for his own life. With the prospect of a better world before him, and being harassed and persecuted in this, perhaps he did not wish it to be prolonged. It is She accompanied her husband to meeting. Thomas Loe again preached. Both John Clibborn and his wife received the truth of his doctrine into their hearts, and became members of that Society which had been the object of such displeasure and dislike. This was about the year 1658. John Clibborn some time after attended a general meeting, Just then another party arrived, and inin the same meeting-house; and perceiving it quired, "Who have you got there?" The aninconveniently crowded, addressed the assem-swer was, "Clibborn." "Clibborn!" re-echoed bly: "Friends, if you put up with this house now, you shall have a larger next time." And soon after fulfilled his promise, by building, at his own expense, a meeting-house, which, with a lot of ground adjoining, for a burial-place, he bequeathed to Friends for ever. And in this grave-yard were deposited the remains of his wife Margaret, in the year 1661. In 1664 he took to wife Dinah English, daughter of Thomas English, of Turphealm, county of Westmeath. He was a man of exemplary conduct, generous and open-hearted, liberal to the poor of all denominations, and hospitable, especially to those strangers who came on errands of love, preaching the Gospel of peace; useful in his own society, and in his neighbourhood, where he was beloved and esteemed. His situation, in the time of the civil wars in Ireland, was peculiarly perilous; being only a few miles from Athlone, where the Irish army had established one of their principal garrisons, from whence issued parties which distressed the country. Thither, also, the Raparees brought their prisoners. they: "a hair of his head shall not be touched." Thus escaping with his life, though stripped almost naked, he wrapped a blanket about him, presented himself before the officer who commanded the garrison at Athlone, and informed him of the treatment he had met with. probable that some of the military united with the banditti in those acts of violence; for the officer desired John Clibborn to point out the man or men who had committed this outrage, and they should be hanged before his hall-door. This the benevolent sufferer refused to do; declaring that, owing them no ill-will, he desired not to do them the smallest injury, and that all he wanted was, that his neighbours and himself might be allowed to live unmolested. This good man saw tranquillity restored to the land, and thankfully enjoyed that blessing, which those who have witnessed its interruption can best appreciate. He was diligent in attention to religious duties, preserved in unity with his friends, and in love to all mankind, to the end of his long life; which closed, at the age of eighty-two, the 22nd of fifth month, John Clibborn and his friends continued for 1705, at his house at Moate Grenoge. THE END OF VOLUME SECOND. |