My Dear Friends,—I stand here to fulfil a promise made to our departed brother, John Kershaw. At his request, I promised that if I outlived him, I would preach a funeral sermon to his memory. This request was first made on or about the 30th of Jan., 1866, and renewed the last time we met before his last affliction. To fulfil a promise made to one already in glory has in it the appearance of carrying out part of a "will," and shows something of that confiding friendship the battering and blasting storms of time cannot wither or decay. This friendship is found in all its freshness and beauty only amongst those who are united to Christ the living Vine. Brethren, may your hearts be…

Dear Friends,—I knew Mr. Kershaw for about 32 years, for about 27 intimately. Before I knew him I heard him spoken of as an Antinomian. I at that time was under deep distress of soul from law-work. When I heard him preach for the first time, I had never in my life heard a gospel sermon before. His sermon was the means of taking such a weight off my mind that I went home rejoicing in the God of my salvation. It was preached in a large club-room at Wadsworth, near Hebden Bridge, and the room was filled. Many of us went home talking of his sermon. By the Holy Spirit's power and grace of God, the sermon just fitted my case, and gave me…

Last month it was our painful duty to announce the death of Mr. Philpot; and this month our pain is renewed by our having to announce the death of Mr. Kershaw. The hope which was raised, by a little improvement in his health, that he might be spared yet a short time longer as a blessing to the churches, though only for lighter labours than formerly, has been dashed to the ground and shivered as a delicate china bowl falling from the hand. We have been favoured with the following from the pen of a once kind and faithful servant, but now a married wife (who was much with our dear departed one), aided by the bereaved and sorrowing widow: Mr. Kershaw returned home from…