The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1874-09-12
A Remarkable Family.


was born in the year 1925. He was
brother to Earl Ferrars, and first cousin
to Selma, Countress OF Huntingdon.
He was frequent visitor too at Lady
Huntingdon's London residence, and
there became acquainted with the Pri-
mitive Methodist preachers. He was
converted under the ministry of Mr..
Venn; became intimate with White
field, and began to preach in the Church
of England. after preaching with
great success in England, he received
the living of Loughrea, Ireland, where
he continued to exercise his ministry
for many years.
In the year 1760, he was called to
endure severe Affections, which had
the effect of making him deeply hum.
BILE. While he himself had been re-
ceiving the truth Of the Gospel, and
growing in Christian graces and useful
ness, his brother, Earl Ferrars, had
been leading worldly and licentlous
life, which after years of secret dishonor,
ended in public shame. In the year
mentioned he became greatly incensed
with Mr.. johnson, his steward, who
had been servant in the family for
thirty years, and who had shown IA
vorable disposition towai ds Lady Fer
rals in her case against the nobleman's
favorite mistress. The Earl Fl lding one
day that his old servant, as trustee,
had paid certain sum Of money to-
Lady Ferrars, deliberately shot him,
and made no concealment of the deed.
The murder sent shudder of horror
through the best London society. The
Earl was arrested, and confined in the
State Prison of the Tower of London.
He was brought to trial at Westmen-
ster, on which occasion, according to
Charles Wesley, "Most of the Royal
family, the chief gentry and foreign
min listers were present" After three
days sitting the court sentenced the
Earl to be hanged at Tyburn, and "his
body to be delivered at Surgeons Hall
| to be disSected and anatomized.
The distress of Walter Shirley, Lady
Huntingdon, and other pious relatives
of the doomed Earl, was extreme. The
whole English Church, and especially
/ that portion of it known as the Metho-
dists, deeply sympathtzed with Walter
Shirley. The conduct of the high-borD
convict now surrounded the circumstan-
ces of his guilt with darker and more
heart-rendering associations. He re-
solved to die as hardened as he had
lived. Walter Shirley and Lady Hun
tingdon did everything in their power
| to bring the doomed nobleman to sense
of his situation before God, and to the
exercise of repentance and religious
truth. but without success. John and
Charles Wesley were deeply anxious
for the Earl's spiritual welfare, and
the Methodists of London had day of
PRAYER for his conversion. But all
proved of no avail The Earlspent the
night before his execution in playing
piquet with the warders of the prison.
just before leaving his apartments
on the fatal day, he wrote the following
lines, which he left on the table:
SIN doubt lived, in doubt die,
Yet stand prepared the worst abyss to try,
And undismayed accept eternity"
He went to Tyburn amid the tears of
his friends and deri1ion of immense
crowds of people. He dressed himself
for execution in his wedding clothes,
and received a note in his carriagefrom
the guilty woman who had caused much
of the present misfortune and misery.
Sir Walter returned to his little flock
in Loughrea, broken>spirited man..
Three weeks after tho execution he
wrote to Mr.. John Wesley as follows;
81 have reason to bless God for the
humbling lessons he has taught me
through these awful visitations." 1t Is
highly probabls that this family mis-
fortune was the source of the inspiri-
alton of his wellknoWn hymn:
"Peace troubled soul whose plaintiye moan
Has taught these rocks the notes OF woe
| Cease thy complaint. suppress they Broan'
| And LET thy tears fOrbear to flow.
Behold the precious Balm is found
Which lulls thy pain, which heals thy