NOTICES. Revival Meetings.-Crich Carr, Feb. 11th; Nos. 10, 34, and 45 to attend. Middleton, Feb. 18th, Nos. 20, 26, and 28 to attend. Hucknall Torkard, Shrove Tuesday, Nos. 18, 23, and 34 to attend. Selston, March 5th, Nos. 5, 15, 28, and 35 to attend. Brassington, March 18th, Nos. 28, 29, and 45 to attend. There will be a Public Tea at Hucknall Torkard, on Shrove Tuesday; the Friends to sit down at half after four. Branch Quarter-day to be held at Brassington, Feb. 26th; to commence at two o'clock. General Quarter-day to be held at Selston, March 5th. Preachers' meeting to commence at half past ten, general business at half past one; each place is requested to send a representative, and to be punctual to time, that all the business may be completed so as not to infringe upon the Revival Meeting which is to open at six o'clock. Committees.-Re-elected. General Stewards.-John Green, Treasurer: John Tomlinson, Secretary. Quarter-day Delegate.-John Tomlinson: Vice-Delegates, T. Dunkley and H. Clark. to All Communications for the Record are requested to be forwarded J. TOMLINSON, South Normanton, near Alfreton, fourteen days before Quarter-day. BAPTISMS. BAPTIZED, by J Gould, at Brassington, October 29, 1854, James, the son of James and Sarah Allsop, born September 30, 1854. By John Tomlinson, at North Wingfield, December 17, 1854, Anne, the daughter of Samuel and Mary Ward, born May 18, 1851. Also, Sarah, the daughter of the above Samuel and Mary Ward, born December 4, 1854. Also, at the same time and place, Lydia, the daughter of John and Mary Moakes, born September, 27, 1854; and Hiram, the son of Joseph and Ann Clews, born March 17, 1854. The Original Methodists' Record: A FREE GOSPEL MAGAZINE. VOL. II.-No. 10.] APRIL 1ST, 1855. THE APOSTATE. BY T. SHORE. CHAPTER I.-A STRANGE MAN GATHERING ON a Sunday, about the middle of July, 1838, the weather was remarkably fine, the barometer stood high, the sky was cloudless, not so much as an isolated cloud was visible to mar its cerulean brightness. The day was not unpleasantly warm, for a gentle gale was blowing from the north-east, which, in a great degree, subdued the sun's rays, which otherwise would have been searchingly hot; but the earth was baked and arid, and vegetation was suffering much for want of rain. On the Sunday in question, in a cottage of mean exterior, and whose interior was rather in keeping with the same, was a young man, seated upon a sofa. His years numbered something more than twenty-his face was pale from study and strong religious exercises. He was deeply engaged in reading a little book, with black, embossed covers, and gilt edges-this was a pearl edition of the Bible. He was a devout follower of the Lord Jesus, and also a teacher of that religion I which he had embraced. It was about eleven o'clock, and his mother, a middle-aged female, called him by his name, and added, Come, my lad, its high time thou wert gone, for thou hast a long way to go." At these words which his mother spoke, he turned his eyes to the clock, and answered, It is." An early dinner was then served up, of which he 86 66 partook. This being done, he took his little Bible and a Hymn Book and put them in his coat-pocket, then, taking his walking-stick, he departed, under the sanction of his mother's blessing, for as he went away she said, with much pious feeling, "God be with thee, my son, and bring thee back in peace," to which he responded in a solemn tone, Amen." 66 This preacher of God's word, in the course of his labour of love, had met with some pious friends who came from a part of the country where he had never been to preach, so they invited him to take an appointment at the village where they lived. This he had engaged to do, and this was the day whereon it remained for him to fulfil that engagement. Accordingly, full of faith, and his heart beating high with strong pious feelings, accompanied with zealous determination by the help of God to do all that in him lay to help to ruin Satan's kingdom, and to extend that of his Lord and Master, he set out upon his journey. When he was got about a quarter of a mile on his way, he was joined by a religious companion-a brother in spirit—who had agreed to accompany him in his labour of love. They had seven or eight miles to travel before they came to the place of destination. Between these two there existed a strong union of mind. Both were humble, faithful, watchful, prayerful, unsophisticated, and ardent in their Master's cause. They had seen but little of the world, and so knew but little of its hollowness and deceit they were good and honest in heart themselves, and fondly believed all to be good and honest who professed to be so. They earnestly desired that all men might be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth; and for this they were willing to spend and be spent. Their position was an exalted one for man to enjoy, and one which none but the unbiassed, the unsophisticated can ever possess; and, indeed, if it be possible for men on this side heaven to enjoy anything like unalloyed happiness, surely those two young men did on the day of which I write. Their way for the most part lay through pleasant fields and bye-lanes, through a country that was fertile, but thinly inhabited. But the scenery on every side was of that beautiful and delightful description which has ever been universally admired by painters and poets, consisting of hills and vales, of verdant woods-of flowery meadows,—of running streams, and fields of waving corn. As they travelled on, |