Forest of Rossendale. 219 



He was interred at Bacup. His grave is near to the front 

 entrance to Mount Pleasant Chapel. The following is the 

 inscription on the tombstone : — 



" Beneath this stone are deposited the earthly remains of John 

 Maden, who having been an ornamental and useful member of the 

 Methodist Society nearly 65 years, left this world in joyful hope of 

 a better, April 21, 1809, in the 85th year of his age." 



William Darney, who was a Scotchman, was a preacher of much 

 originality and power ; a man in many respects calculated to be the 

 pioneer of a great movement. Of an ardent temperament, and 

 courageous to a degree, he courted opposition that he might brave 

 and defy it. 



In the prosecution of his arduous and self-denying labours, he 

 suffered persecution and imprisonment. "His wild notes, at first 

 like a discordant tone, were preparatory to the richest harmony. 

 There was a rich vein of evangelical truth in his preaching, looking 

 occasionally to the Calvinistic side of the question, and often 

 delivered with the quaintness of some of the old Puritan Preachers, 

 which pleased and profited many. Perhaps, too, his popularity 

 was not diminished by his frequently, at the close of his sermon, 

 giving out an extemporary hymn, adapted to the subject upon 

 which he had been discoursing." («) 



The rapid progress of the Methodist denomination throughout 

 the country generally, and within the Forest of Rossendale in 

 particular, affords a striking example of what may be accomplished 

 by united and voluntary effort. The affairs of the body are 

 conducted with an amount of shrewdness and energy which com- 

 mand our admiration and respect. Amongst their members are to 

 be found many who have been highly successful in business ; and 

 these have contributed to the advancement of the society with a 

 conspicuous and praiseworthy liberality. 



The number of Methodist Chapels of all kinds within the Forest 

 is twenty-two. Of these, ten belong to the old ^Vesleyans, seven to 

 the United Methodists, and five to the Primitives ; 2,500 being 

 about the aggregate number of members. 



(c) Everett's Wesleyan Methodism in Manchester, and its vicinity, p. 32. 



