Hi all   Obituary of Rev. James FISH     James FISH, who was born at Manchester, England, in the year 1838. Early in life he was converted to God, and after service as a Sunday School teacher and Local Preacher he became a candidate for the ministry. He was accepted by the Yearly Conference of 1860, and appointed to Hinde Street, London, as assistant to the late Dr. PUNSHON. He came to South Africa in 1861, and began his ministry in this country in the Grahamstown Circuit. His health was never robust, and at frequent intervals he had to desist from preaching. After sixteen years'service he retired from our ministry, but at the South African Conference of 1884 he sought for readmission and was accepted. He laboured with much success in several of our principal English Citcuits, but was compelled by failing health to become a supernumerary in 1891. He spent the last eight years of his life in Stellenbosch, in reading and meditation, hoping against hope for the day on which he could resume his beloved work of preaching. He stood in the front rank of the preachers of our South Africa Connexion, and his sermons were characterised by great originality of thought and freshness of treatment. He was remarkably gifted in prayer, and many are the testimonies that are given concerning the blessings experienced under his ministratrations, not only in the pulpit, but in the homes of sorrow and sickness, where his sympathetic words and his effectual prayer brought light and comfort to not a few. The end of his earthly life was unspeakably sad. By the accidental overturning of a lamp he was severly burnt, and after many months of intense suffering he went to the home of his son in East London in December last. Under the advise of medical men he consented to the amputation of his right arm, but the mental shock was too great. His mind gave away, and in an ungarded hour he wondered from the hospital and was lost beyond trace. It is surmised that he fell into the river and that his body was carried out to sea. After a troubled life, in which he endured many heavy sorrows, he entered into rest in January 1901, in the 62nd year of his age. From: Minutes of Wesley Methodist Conference of 1901     Transcribed by  Darryl Allwright P O Box 166 Grahamstown South Africa 6140 Tel: 046-622-8134 Cell: 076-091-2764 Fax: 086-513-3779