The Conversion of William Rundle

William Carvosso tells of the conversion of his grandson in the Cornish revival of 1827 in the following manner:

"My dear grandson, William Rundle, so recently brought to God, and so hopeful in the church, has been snatched away from us by the hand of death. He was ill only a very short time; but glory be to God, he died in sure and certain hope of a glorious resurrection to eternal life. How merciful are the dispensations of God! His conversion took place about six weeks before his removal hence. He did not long groan under the burden of guilt, and his evidence of pardon and adoption was very clear. At a prayer-meeting two or three weeks before his death, he received an overwhelming manifestation of the Spirit, in which every doubt and fear was utterly put to flight. He attended his class a few days before his death, and seemed to be filled with unspeakable joy: 'My soul', he said, 'is like a ship in full sail, on the boundless ocean of redeeming love.' His death was occasioned by the rupture of a blood vessel. In all the conflict, he was perfectly tranquil and serene; fear was not permitted to come near him. This was the more striking, because, in every little indisposition before, he was much alarmed and distressed at the thought of death. But now he seemed at once ready-winged for the flight. To his father, who had fondly hoped that he would be the help and comfort of his advancing years, he said, 'Father, you can do very well without me; and I would rather die than live.' The Lord whom he had so heartily chosen for his portion in the vigour of health, was not his abundant support in the struggle of pain and death. Just before he expired, he said to me, 'I used to be struck with terror at the thought of dying, but now I can meet death with a smile.' He died in his nineteenth year."