THE 
 
 LIFE 
 
 OF 
 
 WILLIAM BAKER 
 
 JFuneral Sermon, 
 
 By the Rev. Mr. GILPIN". 
 
 Mv HOWARD and EVANS, 
 
 ^mlit^^ 3nd Religious Tracts,) 
 , N^Picr * ' West -Smithfield > and J. HAT- 
 
 By S. HAZARD,'Bath; 
 «T. *i Newsmen, and Hawkers, in Town and 
 
 ?Rl CR nfeWk? W ' a ' /e to Shopkeepers and Hankers. 
 ^ > or P er Hundred. 
 
 « Stationers ©all 
 
 r"°'iwch 
 
1 HJC 
 
 Life of William Baker, 
 
 WILLIAM BAKER was born in the year 
 parish of Boldre near I • ^ earl1ll) 1 n 
 
 His father dying when he^ta, ^ np ° B,M 1 Ba * 
 and a sister fnfhi?«J"u?. e ...M as tW ° y esrs »H W 
 
 a sister to the care of his widow • who h™?- 
 «g, mamtamed her two children wi'tS ut Sr" 
 «r,sh.-In these days such industry woffi£S 
 
 h ^ contI * le 1 d through the space of scvcrty 
 
 2 ™ W ° rked , firSf f0r a P enn y a in the vica^e 
 garden ; but soon thought himself equal to more pi 
 
 l f, ii i * t0 ^ he always considered himseta 
 xi Mmuess lad and from the beginning depended onlyonfe; 
 
 in the mean time his mother grew old and infirm, He 
 jegs swelled, and she could no longer stand atkwasW 
 cut nothing hurt her like the thoughts of going to thep^:- 
 iiouse or living on alms. 
 
 Her son was now about eighteen. Hewashefci 
 strong; and assured his mother, that while he wasaob 
 work for her, she should be obliged to nobody. Hetooh 
 little cottage therefore on the edge of the forest; can* 
 to it ; and got into the service of a farmerin theneijW 
 as a day labourer. His mother lived nine years afiffN 
 during which time he maintained her with great chffffl 
 and kindness; nor had she ever assistance from any j 
 person. He denied himself every little indulgence, 
 young fellows of that ageoften take, that he Align 11 ' 
 bis mother.r-We do not often see such an instance o y 
 ness in a poor lad. It marked his character as so a 
 uncommon. He might, if he had pleased, have \ 
 maintained by the parish. . .^of^l 
 
 About the time of his mother's death he [ ^ A m 
 rying. At a little distance from him, under ^4* 
 laborer of the name of Brooks. His daughter J- ^ 
 person whom Baker fixed on for a wife • f0 jjis cot»ff 
 being made, he married her, and brought ne ^ 
 Joanna hao lived under a careful mot 5 e, *jUe^ c 1k 
 which he himself had always lived; and {o #wf[ 
 of industry and frugality. She entered W t0 W 
 husband'a intentions. What he gain* * 
 
turn 
 Finl 
 
 tnicres, on 
 it was 
 
 [f, klh fulled the rope, he used to say, by the same 
 itdsamampasscdmany things, which they cannot 
 JifuUitat different ends. . 
 
 fa (he mean time, his family increased ; and his industry 
 4 mad with it. He now never worked by the day, if he 
 
 * ill help it; but took the hardest task work tie could get 
 
 • itiiiclitlic most money was to be earned. — And that he 
 ~mr be idle, he took, at a small rent, of Mi s. John 
 
 ol'Lymington, a piece of rough ground, about nine 
 cits, on which he might employ his leisure. Many 
 sas he seen working in it before sun rise ; and if his 
 wrkhad not been hard, in an evening by moon-light 
 life years he made it worth much more than when he' 
 r ;ffl&f M itof great use to his family in furnishine 
 tawti«ics W ,th a crop of potatoes-or a little corn-or 
 W». sofhay ; wh,ch enabled him to keep two or three 
 
 s; :rn r e6t a,!;s - ~ Some >' e - s £ good 
 
 Si l ofl -r-' 6 of!andfe » '"to the hands of 
 •■Sited ta en'f ; ^hofimlingl, was tenanted 
 H'*tto *L *t S ° ' mich P ains to im prove it, pro- 
 -o hi re '"', «<* * *|« it from him ; which 
 ^m Z'Z! " Sa t mi of P'ovidence blessed 
 k^m ZTri t T* " t - hOT than ma ">' a -bo 
 
 the hi/hes, s ^ , ' <* w stalim; and ,f 
 
 S* iCt!; 1 not ^ure them from 
 t'W*; but then k d Baker Sly , he never knew 
 !" wa < ea S "T r ' e,axeJ his us "al fru.a t v 
 ?*»Q * ?" end * «»eet he liv°ed on 
 
 4tfe W ^ T? 6 •" chim npo„ 
 
 C> 1,iss « t L J i 6 l lad ° ther daims - He 
 Cj n ; ^ he w sj w ^r behavior dj<! not 
 
 1*3? His 2' M 0:1 ' Vor ' 1 * q^rtet 
 
 k, C 7' . 0f 'Ws man hi g ''°. Wn 0M ' ap P' ied to 
 , ! , «2 er -' n - la * he & w Vel ' ad a bigh opinion; 
 K^*^, h S ! t le neatest esteem 
 
 F of ihe te " a nt »'n them enf ;, i ^mbrance of so 
 i ^hthatif Z n Z T :±h hea greed with the 
 
 ywould Pay them a shilling 
 
a week, he would do the rest. Accordingly he bnilt a 
 a little cottage; and was as kind to them as he u f" 
 alter, on the old man's death, he took his moth r i * 
 his house, and kept her till she died; though si I ! 
 
 she was upwards of ninety; and was blind n 
 
 About the time that his children were pretty well L 
 up a fortunate circumstance happened. He received aL 
 of seventy pounds, and a clock. This money came v 
 pijy to settle some of his children. ' They had it aH 
 said, < among them : he never had a belly full of meat oat pf 
 it himself.' The clock alone he kept. A clock was the only 
 piece of furniture he ever coveted ; and he always intended, 
 if it should he in his power to have purchased one; though 
 it is prohable if a clock had not been thus thrown in his ij, 
 he would always have found something more useful fen!; 
 employment of his money. 
 
 Nor was he kind only to his relations, as he got ford 
 in the world he was very friendly among his neighbours^ 
 lent many a little sum to assist them in their distress, ft 
 as he was a very shrewd, intelligent man, he lent only wki 
 he saw his money could be of use; to the spendthrift be 
 would lend nothing ; nor to any man who frequented ana- 
 house. So judicious was he in these loans, thataltW" 
 helped many a man out of a difficulty, I have heard 
 sav, he neVcr lost a farthing by lending moneyin i» 
 Often indeed lie received the worth of what be fed P, 
 a little com, a pig, a calf, or something that was 
 venient for the borrower to pay with than money. 
 
 He was now advancing into years, and his g oooj ^ 
 began to ftel the effects of age more than he dij ^ ^ 
 merit was a mere decay of nature ; but s |^jj s ^ 
 
 weakened, that slv> could do nothing tor heisc t. ^ 
 b*r*i hiied a woman into the house to atten <i ^ ¥ 
 years, in which she continued in this help ess ^ 
 thing he could do he did for a woman, , w no, ^ a 
 been kinder to every body' than herself. .^fai 
 she died, and left him greatly afflicted ton ^ 
 ful friend, who hud followed close by ^ ( ^ 
 his laborious life, for the space of forty ^ * a , ta ^in« 
 hint speak of her with tears in his eyes, a <, j 
 said, at the age of eighty. begirt 
 
 He had now the world, in a manne , » 
 children were all married or dispel* ^ 
 
U him, on whose arm he could lean, in descending the 
 g He'thought the wisest thing he could do, wastodiaw 
 lis little nutters into as small a compass as he could ; and 
 lid himself, as much as possible, of the cares of the world. 
 Accordingly he. sold his cows, and horses, and a little tene- 
 noiioi two, which he hat! purchased, and brought one hun- 
 isdaiid ten pounds to a friend to put to some use. "For 
 alcanna now," said he, " work myself, I must make my 
 money," as he phrased it, " work for me." His friend made 
 Ura understand, as well as he could, what was meant by the 
 (mis; and advised him to put his money into consolidated 
 Mtilies for twenty eight years from January 1780. As this 
 Biflction was in the year 17S2, when the funds were low, 
 fewatniade to understand, that the interest would be con- 
 4* (about eight pounds a year) but that the whole 
 "Idle lost, if he should live twenty-six years. However, 
 M not look forward to that time, he took his friend's 
 m Besides this property, he had two or three other little 
 m p»t out to interest in private hands ; and a little tene- 
 «L , llev f ervcd for Wmself to live in, with two 
 |JjPjw of ground, which lay near him, and served 
 
 «fclai a iiu 0pin , i0n ° f the Stable societies, or clubs, 
 WtriV„, -"? theseveral parishes around him; but he 
 
 *<Wv T, C '" e , fl „. to l!lose wlio could not depend 
 ad lav t l le * 'y° un gfeHows could depend on themselves, 
 
 Wt it S, r^,, h J' without h^aking into it, he 
 
 f^n 1 T n 7 m .' giu r be M to And if this 
 
 C" he si r C V 1CSS ° r oId a S e " ' B "t 
 
 E> *o Zkoi °°, keii f0,wa,d * *ose times. 
 >«maX ? , m °'. C ,haa of living from hand to 
 
 E % ymornin ff used r " He worked on'v a 
 
 fo fuel Tll\ t h ' S f f!-° u . nd \or inJ,5 sg:lr d en , or in 
 C"' Hebj ' S ,,ms ?w «I»nt hi reading and 
 
 a "ow fe, "? 1 S ' irit>US •• hut a g busy 
 NtoV ^ now Jo "n L d ' 1:mR tor <™y thing but bu- 
 f& Se,f « aa <Ct a " thC -orll-halhis time 
 
 fc &e la « 1 and t f ' e;,d - " e had 'h? use 
 
 «n«l generally, though by himself. 
 
read out , which he thought made the 
 h* memory. Oftener than once, as I l "7 ' m ' ,rtl *»« 
 lonely cottage, I have thddfcht I heard Vf -^^li 
 entered, the old m 8D tos sfcS w S ^ 
 him. He had as strong natural n ?• \! f " S blol »*= 
 *Mi; and easily understood, „o ^ 
 and .mention of the gospel ; but many of ,E"Sl 
 passages in it. What our Saviour said h '! * 
 easy ; and much of what St. Paul' .41 'l fe 
 
 As he grew more and more infirm, his friends tho* 
 comfortless for him to live entirely by himself, andendei 
 to persuade him to gei some' good old woman to live 4 
 Aim ; who might take care of his house, and likewise of him, 
 it any thing should ail him. Aye, said he, if] 'coillfl 
 some good old woman, bat where is she to be founill ' $ 
 had tried the experiment, he said; but had no encouragemot 
 to try it again. People would not, he added, live now, in 
 Jived. Perhaps he had bad luck in his choice; buthefod, 
 that a woman now would spend as much in j unketting in one 
 day, as would serve him for two. Then, he said, there was 
 such constant gossipping, and noise in his house, that lied! 
 never have his time at his own disposal. In short, he wss 
 obliged to live as they chose, not as he chose himself. Then 
 fetching a deep sigh, he would say, His gcodJmuM 
 spoiled him for living with any other -woman* _ 
 
 It was then proposed to him to live with one of ^" M ? 
 ifcjs, who was married in the neighborhood.— Hehad thougn 
 of that, he said ; but an old man was always gi^°«j 
 to one, or another ; and one or another was 
 offence to him. Besides, he said, his daughter had s^j 
 children ; and so much noise did not suit his qnje ; V 
 living. He could now, at his own ease, fol ?^ ni ^ 
 clination. In short, it appeared that while he live , ^ 
 to live entirely to himself; and that it was very 
 to him, when and where, and how he died. ^ 
 
 The destitute condition, however, m w ^ nei^hborho^* 
 him open to the depredations of a dish ones ^j,^ 
 Many little thefts, when he was watched ou ^ 
 were committed. Among other things ftl ^ ntaine a aB ^ 
 •was stolen. It hung over his dresser, and ^ 
 little securities, and promissory notes. ^ . 
 
r 
 
 Li hls „ slia l sagacity, placed his money in such safe hands, 
 
 L he had on this occasion no loss. 
 
 But among the petty thefts, which were committed m his 
 louse was a robbery of a very serious nature. On the day 
 Wore Lymington fair the old man had received some interest 
 iioney (about five guineas) to purchase a few necessaries. 
 This being probably known , two men at midnight, broke 
 
 liis house. His fastenings indeed were only such as a good 
 thake might easily dislodge. They soon entered ; and one of 
 ita pressing a bolster over his face, pinned him down with 
 bis knee ; while the other sought for the money, which was 
 presently found. _ I heard him speak of the transaction the 
 itsiay ; and his behaviour raised him in my opinion. He 
 spoke with the caution of an hones t man. The thieves had 
 Aklantern, he said, with them ; and he thought he could 
 wirto one of them ; but he durst not venture it, where a 
 ws lite and character were concerned. 
 
 wseveral circumstances however it became more pro- 
 », a theman, whom Baker suspected, was guilty. And 
 £ W -on after confirmed the suspicion \ for at 
 
 "ftfey of n , - i to discovery ; and the almost 
 
 * tcJ »"ous on th S agamSt thcm a11 ' the y wo "hl he 
 SaTfapJi,! -f* P r,nci Pl<* of prudence, in com- 
 m '» fa KiA^T 4 ; ° ,le circ ums«ance which 
 I^XSSSl ° ; hefaCto " thi * -as, that 
 
 * ,ke ^ y a y f e T" ' " e<1 'f v '"g «cn a cut cheese in his 
 
 h^itwi wel t b6r - V - Baker had lost a cut 
 gS lh , ,he m « ™ no cheese in his 
 
 had been t l' P S ° n K, ° W3S s ^«ed j bur if 
 
 fefe* 1 ^, fdS& " would most p robab, y 
 
 tffi!' » Prtbabie ttl^ 0< be < le P^d on. 
 <C d!t no,bee„C C l™, t . both , have been dis- 
 
 toS. "; ,cked ucti on than most 
 
 K& ,nak « a v eke fflcu,t t0 ■* industrious, and 
 Krev ni,ln S however ,t aCt, . on u ™«* S sa.y. » 
 
 ^ fa "he; 1 0S P "" P e ' be v' 11 continued to live 
 Ses> hc ha <l one way, he said of 
 
8 
 
 preventing them ; and that was, to keen ™v 
 .that was worth stealing. He rlmened 
 upon his door; and went to sleep i„ s t 1 theoMfc « 
 quietly as if he had been in a castle. lon ^^:- _ 
 
 Though he had now enough be ore him u 
 to live with his.usual frugality: Manv o 'h ^^^ 
 he might have indulged § hJ^j£ ^Jtf 
 
 to do it ; and as they 
 done in the same circumstances ; by which th 12 r 
 spentalt they had laid up for .heir fc^^ 
 long God .might have lengthened out their live, Hen 
 Jiowever, as.he had been accustomed to live in the 
 days ; for m many parts of his life he had been put to drift 
 He had always good cheese in his house, and goodfe 
 which was lus common food. He used to brew alsow 
 and then a bushel of malt ; so that he was seldom without^ 
 jit tie cask of beer. His garden produced him plenty okif 
 bages, which was the only plant he reared ; and even 
 he bought at Lymington fair, a side of bacon : a bit ofutt 
 he would, now and then, put into his pot withaealff 
 Fresh meat he never tasted ; nor were butter and tea iiij 
 his necessaries. On this provision he never had a hu 
 sickness; and even at those times, when his food 0% 
 n-)urisning,he was able to do every thing to whiclithestrcB| 
 of man is equal — What can the art of cookery do J»orc/j 
 He was now near eighty : his limbs began to fail j'jjpg 
 was subject to rheumatic pains, which seized his rlg!itl| 
 and made exercise very troublesome to him. Now* 
 ing, however, this infirmity, and his living a mi!^; 
 church, he rarely missed taking a painful walk to k j 
 Sunday. The weather must have been very bad to pr ^ 
 him. And though he was now become very dea ^ Vu „ 
 think even that a reason for keeping from c ". mcli '7 { ^ 
 example did he set to those, who, though l^P^^ 
 instead of making the sabbath a day for oWi wB r ; 
 and begging God's blessing on the weck,p ! °! <l " and i 
 it a day of pastime, and often a day ** t Ment A 
 wickedness. — He was constant also at the sac 
 he always esteemed a part of his duty. vec ks^° re 
 He was confined to his house about WK* gji 
 died. His illness was a mere decay or ^ poW 
 swelled ; and his constitution was broken up ^ ^ 
 snitted to have somebody Jive in his cotrag 
 
 otlif 
 
 . whi ch 
 
 bp 
 sub- 
 (ft 
 
9 
 
 a t0 <;en(l for a physician, as he had the mean'; fo 
 fhiflT but be was resolute against it. " if you could 
 Lea doctor," said he, "\r\io woukl tdi me at once, 1 caa 
 Lyoueood— -01 1 cannot do you goo,,, I would seed for two ? 
 but else; wliy should I send for a man to be paid for giving 
 „,e nhvsic, when i cannot take victuals -fn short, he 
 knew he was dvnng, and wished to die with as little moni- 
 tion as he could. 
 
 He kept his bed about three days ; and was sensible to rh? 
 k He was in considerable pain ; but he bore it with that 
 lijmtfcss and manliness, with which he had supported all the 
 hard duties of a constant life of industry, fie died on the 
 ]5th day of May, 1*791 .; and desired that the 5 1st psaffm 
 might -be song before his corpse, as he was earned through 
 ^church-yard to his grave. The thought was new : i\\zd 
 lae decency and propriety of it had a good effect. 
 
 Onhis death his effects amounted to about four huh 'red 
 pounds. That a man, in die lowest station with a constant 
 aention to money, should in the course of a lone life, raise 
 ihatsum or a greater, is not wonderful ; but that a man m 
 l owest station should leave such a sum behind liuti, -Aftei^ 
 ^charging all the offices of life with uprh-htne,s and pf£ 
 an example of an independent V^, and of rhe 
 
 tfS^Jjtf&T dcs ' :rves 10 bc ,cc<,r 'r d f * 
 
 *t*h mTM.ySr" s mscnp roa ovcr 
 
 Here rests from his labour 
 WILLIAM BAKKR, 
 
 ***** AND FRUGALITY, 
 
 WHOGE HONESTY AND PIETY, 
 
 W*ra ' tST Y AND PIETY, 
 
 vere 10 ng an example to this parish. 
 ^^^rntnuii}; andclicdin 1791. 
 
 hi 
 
 FUNERAL SERMON. 
 
 ^Tl^r ' ' ; - ^ ^ Y ^ f/lou twtbttn faith- 
 ^things Fnn g f/ 1 wiU ***** **** wtoc over 
 att « ^xv 33 tj W mto the jojj of thij Lord, 
 
 * is the bah • ' 
 
 Ct^> ^ n 5u°ilv Ur n ,igion ' that M 
 
 "» Maker's siglit as the highest ; uor 
 
10 
 
 arc nnv mm s services so mean, as to he atri i i 
 greac Master. Before Chmianity, inded * ^ 
 think, .that such onlv as had the powerful eDwerCi Pt 
 good, could obtain the favour rfSgf 
 COU I dolit.l.topleasehin, But the ^1^'" 
 God does not regard M<- artia», without^ 
 
 I'ms us, that 
 
 which the actio} proceeds: ^g^Jg* 
 femgh unaccompanied by the action, is as pleas, ^ S 
 ght as the frti^t/^ So that, you see, rh 8 
 poor r e equally » God's favour. Let each of us only 
 fbty in hi, proper station, «, to the Lord, and w>( unto ml 
 that is with a desire to please God, who has placed «in« 
 several stations, and the lowest of us shall be anion* 
 to whom the text is applied; Well done, gM d andflm 
 vant; tnou nasi bee n faithful over a few tilings; M 
 -make thee ruler over many things. Enter thouM 
 joy of thy Lord. 
 
 But now, my brethren, among the duties of our several 
 stations, there are some which equally belong to boihia 
 and poor , and there aie some which belong to one station 
 lather than the other. Let me explain my meaning top. 
 
 Among these duties, which belong to both, may be recb 
 ed those duties, which we owe to God— love, trust, re- 
 verence, prayer. Such also are the duties of reading 
 meditating on scripture— of observing the sabbath-offi 
 in our Redeemer — of attending the Lord's Supper. Such k 
 are humility — honesty — a desire to serve our neighbour, a 
 for as we can — the care of our families-- and oilier dans 
 that might be mentioned. All these are equally ref» 
 imm the poor and rich; because the poor may 
 them as well as the rich. .. 
 
 But there are other duties which are not thus e^m 
 quired. As the rich man abounds in the things o ^ 
 world, -it is required 'of him to be generous and Miu* 
 bee; use God hath enabled him to be so. But as to J\ 
 man cannot be generous and charitable, like 
 is rather required of him to be inchistrioitszwft^^^ 
 On the present occasion therefore I shall m * 1 
 of industry and frugality the subject of rny oPJ . 
 mention them together because they must 3 ^ a [- rt j e ^iOT 
 pany, to be of any use. FriigtifityW? d0 * \$ 
 industry, and industry as little without f ruga J- 
 
K ; 11 
 
 ■ M , t hr chief reasons, which should incline you to the 
 
 pivc y° u 11 
 
 6 t j cc f these duties. 
 
 In the first place, I would have you consider what the 
 scripture says on this subject. It is often touched upon : but 
 oneof the most remarkable passages is that of St. Paul tp the 
 Tliessalonians. "Wnen r we were with you this we command- 
 ed von, that if any would not work, neither should he eat : for 
 we' hear there'arc some among you which walk disoiderly, 
 working not at all. Now such we command and exhort, by 
 
 j our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and 
 eattheir own bread." — Now this command that we should all 
 
 • 'eat our own bread,' is plainly founded on this reason, that 
 nobody has a right to eat the bread of others if he be aide to 
 procurehis own. — In some cases, no doubt, the parish allow- 
 ance is necessary relief— as when the father of a family is 
 taken ofTwhile his children are yet young — or when a family 
 perhaps is greatly visited by sickness— or when a family is 
 uncommonly large. But how many are there who shamefully 
 nn to the parish for relief, without any necessity of this hind? 
 to are the people who either want 'industry ' hi providinn- 
 J their families, or. 'frugality' in not making the best use of 
 a they provide. They frequent the ale-houses ; or they 
 e Jw at they have in good eating, or in other things 
 ( l tK ^ not necessary. Let them consider how directly 
 kead for * § T ptUre corama, * d > b Y bating other men's 
 necessity.* § ; and b ? be coming chargeable without 
 
 ^Ssuffi ^ 1 ' that with christians a ?cnp.fiire command 
 Sou more e rl Wei8 ^° w ev«r I Shall endeavour to 
 mnd is founded a °' ° n What reason this scripture com, 
 
 ^as S cle!n Ce ' h ° W desir ^fe ^ it to see your little ha- 
 r fc ^o s ; neat Wel1 f «rnishcd asanvofyour 
 ? What little edJT Chlldren dcceml y cloathed-to give 
 d '*hich maw u ,Qn Y ou c ™— to have them taught to 
 
 ^V h ^lht l COmf ° n t0 them tluri "g their livcs- 
 S ¥i,s «f &enL 5P 'T d WO,k > which 'W g 1 ^ them 
 fc ind »« i andfr 1 Ut 3,1 this ^nnot be done wktf 
 EL*'**'* befo 1 vn g ty , ln thc P a ™t,-You have a 
 4 I tt0do * n & WhEther !t is bcstto *» «« this 
 
 L ' How often Tre l/ c h T, drinki "S at a!e ' 
 
 lr -2 children of idle parents sent to 
 
12 
 
 * poor-houses, were their fathers' sins arevi^i 
 
 mail the wretchedness, misery, and neglec It tTV^ 
 Imle sufferers are so often obliged to undel 1 M 
 those parents to answer for ! I have myself hearf " 
 those idle parents allege, that as thel 1 ^ 
 
 ted such people, that no man has a farther riX ta 1- 
 wh.fch G.na has given him than tomaklSKS 
 would be to lude purpose ; yet surely they rnVsee the 
 of th is . that if they man y and have families, their fa* 
 snould be considered as part of themselves, and have surely 
 a rgnt not only to their maintenance, but to the best kroc- 
 turn and caie their parents can bestow. Who is the proper 
 person to take care of the children, but the parent? ' 
 
 I would have you consider farther, that ' industry' anil 
 * frugality' are virtues whkh have a particular tendency to 
 keep you out of the way of temptation and mischief. Where, 
 think you, is lewdness, and drunkenness, and prophanensss, 
 and sabbath-breaking, and cursing and swearing, and all 
 other wickedness, best taught ? It's best school, I believe, is 
 the alehouse. The devil tempts you to be idle first, and to 
 love chink; then all wickedness follows naturally. He cannot 
 so easily get hold of a frugal industrious man. The industri- 
 ous man is otherwise employed. When the day's lahouns 
 over, he wishes for the night's rest. Between both lie ™ 
 hardly time to be wicked. I believe,if you would look m 
 your acquaintances, you will find the most industrious,^ 
 the most frugal people to be also the best. , 
 
 Consider farther, that industry and frugality ^ e L 
 characters in the parish, and give you consequence, 
 are often inclined to think yourselves of more conscq^ 
 than you really are. You are often ready to U*e ^ 
 when you hear any little story told of you, whic M , ^ 
 you do not deserve : though probably the story m ^ 
 true. All this however, shews you wish f ? P 1 ^ ^'ng 
 characters. But you take the wrong way. It * s n u^| 
 yourselves of consequence, of desiring to stop P e0 ^ e3ve yoof 
 rhaCVBl give you credit with your neighbours' . ^ 
 neighbours to talk as they will, and do you act fa 
 and you need take noYanher care about your co ^ 
 nesty, industry, and frugality, will give cha« c * ts birf 
 quence to the lowest among you. ™ ,r\ i i«hest« Iian 
 by his own labour is equal Co any body* I " e <■ - 
 
13 
 
 ' not more independent. While his idle neighbour* 
 ySba^mded", is pitifully going about begging re- 
 rStheeamh officers ; he feds his own consequence, and is 
 beholden only to his heavenly Master ; he wants no assistance 
 butGod's Messing, and the use of his limbs ; 
 
 Lastly I should wish you to consider, that industry and 
 Lality are the best means of making you happy. I might 
 say this with great regard to the next world (for all virtues 
 are wall v more or less linked together ) but I ;mi speaking 
 now only of the happiness of this life. With what pleasure 
 may a poor man look round him, and see nil his family out 
 j(i tie world, and, by the blessing of God, doing well throug h 
 his precepts and example ; andhimself with some little matte* 
 still before him if God should lengthen out his time a little 
 longer? There are many cases, no doubt, where it is im- 
 possible that any tiling can be saved ; but in many families, 
 even in this parish, I know something might. If people 
 would only save what thev spend at ale-houses, or in things 
 unnecessary, something might be laid by against a fit of sick- 
 ness! or (if God should bless them with health) against old 
 age. And is the pleasure, think you, of sotting at an ale-house 
 «H to this comfortable independence ? 1 know there are 
 many who reason with themselves, that if they can maintain 
 ™ mm while thev are well, it is all thev desire ; when 
 Bey are sick, or old, the parish is obliged to maintain them. 
 
 raa y he a person's misfortune to come to the parish ; bur 
 j namanm the prime of his strength, reasons in this wav, 
 eoo 1 " T u ™ t0 sa y> he W at *e bottom, an idle, 
 feW 0th1 ^ kMw > and N reasoning is onlv an excuse 
 People E? ° r S ° mC ° ther exfW^ncp, In general, such 
 \\Ll v ,U a resubr P^ress to ruin. At first, they get 
 aleS f^ ' rhc ^ wiU slt whole days and nights in, 
 
 manage th get info d * br ' If thcy havc farms to 
 
 ^lies'wam l T g ° wron S- If thc 7 are 'lakcureis, their 
 
 Ineed cKWcti are half-starved .and half 
 ^ themselves y " 11 ° Ut lhcsc P co P ]e to vou ; they point 
 
 '^h! wretch • SCC t ^ em loiterin g about the parish, 
 
 ob i e ct s equallv e V faces sodden > pale, and dropsical, the 
 
 f^sottinrr I p,t ? and contempt.— Manv, no doubt, fre- 
 
 h^ein theh US ] S,Wh ° havc not Y ct S one ' this len S th » but 
 r e ' thc irruin? U wa y towards it; let them take care in 
 
 happiness, 
 
 may depend upon it, in such a life as this; 
 
JTowever vou may be enticed bv the , • 
 
 jinking, (which last is common J % R JS?*** 
 chief) you may be assured, that all S 
 bitter moments, not only at ftfc hut co2$! ^ 
 *othmg can make a man so happv, as fifi ' J* 
 be ought, with honesty, sobrieiv industiv »„ V tlonas 
 mafi can live happily \vho livi the\^ 
 control of others, these virtues a |X. man ! r^l 
 pendent of others, and in the gunner J r ^ 
 
 Such was the life of our very resor m X ? U ' eh— 
 I -mains he before us. ^M^W^U^ 
 on v tint of a common day labourer; hut I far as I coul] 
 
 SSfr -^to'^donfc He had that paw 
 ndependen spirit, winch I have been recommending^ 
 that scorned to live upon the labours of others ; and sLdto 
 iay it down as a principle from the beginning cfhis1ife,tobt 
 obliged, under God, only to his own. labour. Bv thisat 
 «e bred up a large family, withclutceceiving a single far* 
 from the parish. But this could not have been done without 
 great industry and frugality. Fie worked hard, he lived hard, 
 Hcnymg himself every indulgence in eating and drinking, A 
 lie mighrnotbeaburden to others. When his family tfasof 
 his hands, he thought, for the same reason, it was proper for 
 ' him to lay up a little for his old age. While he could there- 
 forc continue still to work, and lived in the same hard 
 manner, which was now become quite easy and habitual to 
 him.— It pleased God to bless his labor ; he laid up so much 
 as maintained him during'his old age ; and-hehas left some- 
 thing behind him to be a comfort to his children, if they make 
 a right use of it. | He never could be said to be wholly p»t 
 h s labor: till within a few weeks of his death he every fay 
 worked a little, and it became an agreeable amusement toniffl. 
 He had all his life been used to laborious working. 
 time I have heard him say, that in general, laborers ,no* 
 not know what it was to work ; and ! have heard o theis J 
 who knew him better than I did, that he would nave 
 as much in one day as many people do in two. , ^ 
 I have heard some of his neighbours lax ^ T ve lived 
 a miser, and covetous ; and say, that as he might ™ ^ 
 more comfortably in his old age, his hard living ^ 
 owing only to a covetous temper. He might, it I s >^ 
 lived more comfortably in bis old age, as they » ; 
 
15 
 
 i • an d who are fonder of indulgence thin he 
 
 ^The Snot have lived more comfortable to him- * 
 "if than he aid; and I am persuaded no man nad ever less cA 
 Serinhis heart-But kt me defend the character oi my 
 Id o!d neighbor in this particular ; let *se ;S hew you the 
 difference between his temper and that of a miser. 
 A miser hoards money for its own sake. lie docs not 
 consider the use it is to answer, not indeed puts it to any use 
 ti. Hoarding it up is all he has in view. He loves money. 
 You remember an instance of a person, not many years ago 
 inthis parish, who expired grasping his purse under his beJ- 
 dothes, to his 'heart. Perhaps he meant to secure it, if he 
 should recover '; but it plainly appeared to be his first care; 
 and ifany should charge him with thelove of money, I should 
 not bow how to defend him. 
 
 With covetousness, or a love of money, there is often. 
 
 i * r ■ 
 
 mixed— indeed, I believe generally, a little knavery. If he 
 who bves money do not openly cheat, he has many ways of 
 practising little under-hand, dirty tricks, which an upright 
 mn would hardly call honest.— I give you the best side of 
 to, for the miser is generally a very wicked character. The 
 jostle indeed tells us, that < the love of money is the root of 
 
 Had our worthy deceased neighbour these signs of a miser 
 J^ton? As to his integrity, I dare take upon me to say, 
 e upright honest man never lived. Many dishonest 
 
 _ n.y u^^aacu nui^iiuuiii mese signs or a miser 
 Jto? As to his integrity, I dare take upon me to say, 
 upright honest man never lived. Many dishonest 
 g|lpave heard of in the parish— many little knavish 
 nave seen, to take advantages and get money ; but F 
 ft«cdn?' i,k ° ne aCtlon in the whole long life of our de- 
 «thchiT,T that wasnotf ^% honest, ana upripht. 
 
 ^ ni e § ;n S k de ? ree ; and 1 doubt not but caxi ail join 
 allow th-n- n !f nng tlus testi ^ony. So far then you. will 
 
 ai,n °lovefn Nvas ^ fou^tiote for it. He 
 
 *l)ethel m ° R r y ' merc1v forWbwn sake; bur as it 
 5fl,is| i^n f"i rf ryin S Klm independently to the end 
 ^beofsomlrl?! 1 n0t S ^ nd il aH i remainder 
 i^whatin hj s Ule use to his family. 1 have known him 
 
 ? e ?^thouaht1Jnf St0nCCS w * ,e cvcn govern things/ 
 13 He lived K i" SSai V 10 s ^ nd his 'noney, he spent 
 Nedhi mt0 7 n hirdj ^, but whom did that hurt? 
 
 redfr oaAitbntK- any ^ a ku * d thing; hut nobody ever 
 but h,ms ^ it is noc living hard-if k ao: 
 
16 
 
 I 
 
 laying up money,' that myites a man a m ker • U i , 
 
 « w « • whit * !i « hvc. hard-it & tteafifa 
 
 he lay, U p t! ,oncv. Our late neigh^^ 
 
 which 
 
 was merely that of an independent spirit, which St 
 b jt to he supported by otiier people's labour., Hell" 
 
 &a*e been oblige.! to live on the labour of others. Andi 
 Jfeereanv tiling in ,nis like a love of money? He hadw 
 love r .r money that interfered, 1 dare take upon me to $a? 
 iv:ih |»y. on-duty that belonged to his sration.-How i 
 m he valued it for its own sake, I had many opportunities of 
 seeing, as mot ofhi> money passed th rough my hands. Some 
 years ago; you remember, his house wasJ>roken open; k 
 mentioned his loss to me, not like a miser; but, as far asfau 
 money was concerned, with christian indifference. His chief 
 distress was for those that had done the deed. To him, he 
 sa?d. they had done little injury Bv the blessing of God, he 
 doubted not he bad enough to support him, while he lived; 
 and it was owing-, I believe more to his lenity and scruples, 
 than to the want of evidence, that trie thieves were not con- 
 victed. So far from his having any thing covetous about him, 
 he appeared always to be cnrfrcly disengaged from aljwpjflj 
 thoughts; strongly impressed with a sense of religion; and 
 really to leave all behind him with the utmost indifference, 
 and began his great journey to eternity at a moment's wra- 
 &g> virscneverlt would please God to call » e !SJ 
 talk of death as one of the commonest events of yfe; 3 ?, 
 v-hh me new dircc Hons about crnayinghis podv^ the S w » 
 t* irh ns much indifference as a farmer, would . give ctaiec 
 ahout carrying a load of corn to his barn. , „; 
 
 Thus, through a very long life he V^T^$§ 
 Yiglou^y, inoffensively, and quietly, to .that gmve 
 we now consign him'. — Let me earnestly c.xaoit a >-|^j 
 this day follow his corpse thither, to folloV \^ a ainto^ 
 — that when i. becomes your turn to be brqug t^he? 
 church, your neighbours may point out y ouYC ^J ^{W 
 may hi?, for other? to follow ; and apply [^^/gooi.* 
 wc may whh justice apply to him. " Vve -{jjinj^J 
 faithful servant, thou hast' been faithful *$<^M$ft 
 will make thee ruler over many things. ' J 
 
 the joy of thy Lord.'"^ 1 
 
 FINIS.