WESLEYAN-METHODIST MAGAZINE.

JANUARY, 1852.

BIOGRAPHY.

MEMOIR OF MEINHARD JOHANNES RETEMEYER, ESQ., LATE HER MAJESTY'S RECEIVER-GENERAL IN BRITISH GUIANA:

BY THE REV. JAMES BICKFORD.

RELIGIOUS biography constitutes one of the most valuable treasures of the church. It pays its homage to the grace of God in the salvation of men. It maps out "the highway of holiness." It encourages the living, by recording the experience of the pious dead. The home and foreign operations of Wesleyan Methodism have supplied no small contingent to the multitude of witnesses. At home, that system is rich in evidences of the Divine blessing: it is also rich abroad. For more than a century, in the British isles, great numbers of all classes have proved its vitality; and, during more than half of that period, its influence has been felt by tens of thousands in distant lands. The Missionary department is full of interest. Africans, Asiatics, New-Zealanders, American Indians, and many of other tribes, have been reached and subdued. It deserves notice, also, that in the Mission-field there are thousands of educated and polished Europeans. Among these Christianity has likewise triumphed. The ways of God are "a great deep;" but, in that day when many "shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of *God," the dispensations of Providence, in the scattering of families, and in their final reunion around the throne of God, will be gloriously unfolded; and the grateful acclaim of all will be,-"He hath done all things well."

The late Mr. Retemeyer was born in Holland, during the year 1776; and in the month of December, 1814, arrived in the country now known as the colony of British Guiana. His family owned the Nismes estate, on the west bank of the Demerara river; and he came hither to protect their interests. During a brief period of residence on the plantation, he did his utmost to restrain the chastisements which, in those days, it was customary to inflict on the unfortunate slaves. He subsequently became one of the proprietors of the Little Diamond estate. This act involved him in liabilities and losses which almost broke his heart. But his unbending integrity and great promptitude were so evident, that an arrangement was satisfactorily made for his relief; and this he lived long enough to accom

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plish. Mr. Retemeyer had been one of those who imagined a colonial plantation a safe and fruitful investment for capital, but who, by an unexpected occurrence, were overwhelmed in difficulty. No class of men, probably, hold their property by so frail a tenure as the WestIndia proprietory; and to no class is less sympathy extended in misfortune.

By royal mandamus, Mr. Retemeyer was appointed, in June, 1825, Colonial Receiver-General; and for nearly twenty-five years he discharged the onerous duties of that office with great regularity. His uprightness was as conspicuous as was his loyalty. The millions of dollars he received on behalf of the Government were committed to faithful hands; and the gentlemen deputed, after our friend's demise, by His Excellency, Governor Barkly, to examine the books and seal the office, reported to the Court of Policy in a manner most honourable to the Christian profession of him who had rested from his labours. To the late Rev. John Mortier the Receiver-General sometimes mentioned his great responsibilities, at the same time expressing his thankfulness to God for enabling him, in the midst of complicated official duties, always to preserve his accounts free from discrepancies, and his character from every stain of impeachment. Although Mr. Retemeyer was by birth a foreigner, it may be safely asserted that the Crown of England never had a more loyal subject, or a more upright and conscientious servant.

It is to be regretted that the earlier part of his colonial history does not exhibit that religious decision which he afterwards by grace attained. He regarded himself as a member of the Dutch Reformed Church, and occasionally attended its public and sacramental services; but it would appear that, up to the end of the year 1834, he was a stranger to the enjoyment of inward religion. His life, although blameless, regular, and characterized by many benevolent actions, was not fully consecrated to the Lord Jesus Christ. It is true, his domestic and pecuniary trials had been very severe; and these had contributed to subjugate a mind not at all disposed to yield, without resistance, to the call of the Spirit. In one of the early months of 1835, a female domestic, who had from a child been an inmate in Mr. Retemeyer's family, induced him to attend the old and humble building then occupied as a Wesleyan chapel in the Werk-en-Rust district of this city [George-Town, Demerara]. On that Sabbath Mr. Mortier was the officiating Minister. He commenced the service by reading the first verse of the 170th hymn :

:

"O'tis enough, my God, my God!

Here let me give my wanderings o'er ;

No longer trample on Thy blood,

And grieve Thy gentleness no more;

No more Thy lingering anger move,

Or sin against Thy light and love."

By means of this and the succeeding verses, and of the discourse which was delivered, it pleased God to produce on Mr. Retemeyer's