Obituary of the Rev. Dr. Robert Finley.

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of sober reflection, the cool and unshaken possession of judgment, and the open and reconciling stamp of sincerity. From the pulpit he was accustomed to utter, graced with the beauty and armed with the energy of the most impressive eloquence, those eternal truths, which, while they stand on the "rock of ages," were winged with irresistible effect when delivered from his masterly and affecting management, and never failed to dignify the heart, elevate the affections, and heighten those dread expectations which rest in such mysterious wonder beyond the limits of time. Georgia Journal.

Recent communications from Athens enable us to add a few interesting particulars relating to the subject of this obituary memoir.

Dr. Finley spent the whole of the month of August on a tour through the lower counties of the state of Georgia, in order to visit the academies and collect funds for the library of the college. The indefatigable zeal and fidelity with which that excellent man was in the habit of prosecuting every enterprize which his ardent love to God and man prompted him to undertake, added to the unhealthy state of the country through which he had to pass, had exhausted his strength, and laid the foundation of the disease which terminated his mortal course. On his return to Athens, the duties of his station, claiming incessant attention, left him no chance of immediately recovering from the excessive fatigue and bodily indisposition which his late tour had occasioned. In a few days after his return, he was again urged to visit a neighbouring congregation, lately formed, about 17 miles distant, for the purpose of administering the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper to a destitute people, who had been long waiting for his arrival for the celebration of that solemn ordinance, and were very anxious that he should go and feed their hungry and thirsty souls, and break to them the bread of life. Some of them had heard with joy from his lips the unsearchable riches of Christ; and a large collection of people was about to assemble from distant parts of the country to partake in or to witness the sacred ordinance about to be solemnized. Though the flesh seemed unequal to the task of engaging, without assistance, in the execution of the fatiguing duties which the occasion called on him to fulfil, both in the preparatory exercises and in those of the celebration of the Supper, yet his zeal for the cause of his Master, and the great prospect of usefulness before him, raised his spirits so much above attention to the state of his bodily frame as to overcome all objections; and, under a conviction of duty, he went and preached on the two

96 Formation of a Colonization Society in New-York.

days preceding the Sabbath, and on that day administered the Sacrament. At the close of the service he had scarcely strength enough left to return to his home, when he was stretched on a bed of languishment, which finally put an end to his labours on earth. Those labours had been formerly blessed in an eminent degree in other places where he had been employed in his Master's service. It appears that, in the new field where he had been lately called to work, visible fruits are already manifest to the praise of God's glorious grace; and it is confidently hoped that the last fulfilment of his ministerial duties have been instrumental in gathering some perishing souls into the fold of the Redeemer, who shall be to him crowns of rejoicing in the day of the Lord. His zealous exertions, it is trusted, have kindled a holy fire in that region, which may not be soon extinguished. He was truly a light set on a hill: it shone before men in such a manner as that others, seeing his good works, might glorify their Father in heaven. That light, as one has aptly remarked, seemed, like the expiring taper, to emit a brighter ray just as it was going out. Of this faithful servant of the Lord Jesus, we may say with confidence, that, in bumble imitation of the great apostle, he has fought a good fight, he has finished his course; and we trust he has gone to receive a crown of life, which is reserved for them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. NEW-YORK COLONIZATION SOCIETY.

On Wednesday evening, agreeably to public notice, a number of citizens assembled at the City Hall, to consider the expediency of forming a Society in this city, with a view to co-operate with our fellow citizens in other parts of the Union in the contemplated attempt to colonize the free people of colour inhabiting this country. After considerable discussion on the merits of the question, it was finally decided that it was exedient to form such an Institution. A Constitution was then framed, and adopted. It is in substance as follows:

The Society is designated THE NEW-YORK AUXILIARY COLONIZATION SOCIETY.

Its object is to aid the Parent Society at Washington instituted for the purpose of Colonizing the free people of colour of the United States.

Its concerns are to be conducted by a Board of Directors consisting of a President, four Vice Presidents, a Corresponding and a Recording Secretary, a Treasurer and twelve Managers; whom 5 are a quorum.

of

The payment of one Dollar annually constitutes a member; and of 30 Dolls. at one time a member for life. The annual meetings of the Society are to be held on the last Wednesday in October, at 4 o'clock, P. M.

120

Speech of the Rev. MR. THORPE at the First Anniversary Meeting of the REYNOLDS COMMEMORATION SOCIETY at Bristol (England.) For an account of the late Richard Reynolds, the great philanthropist whose name adorns the above mentioned Society, see No. 10, page 150, in the second volume of this publication. Those who have read the excellent speech of the Rev. Mr. Thorpe at the formation of this Institution, which is given in the Number above mentioned, or any other of the eloquent productions of that masterly genius, will doubtless be prepared to anticipate a rare pleasure in the perusal of the following specimen of his rhetorical powers, exerted in favour of a subject so worthy of them: nor will that expectation be disappointed. For a copy of this speech we are indebted to our valuable correspondent at the above pla ce.

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"Mr. Chairman, The righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance. Such is the dictate of inspiration, and such is the language of your Society. But while we render all due honours to the memory of the righteous man, whose virtues we this day commemorate, let us not forget to give glory to that God who be stowed upon his honoured servant so fair an image of himself. When a person of brilliant and dazzling talents is suddenly thrown upon the world, as in the case of a phenomenon in the heavens, it is common to seek after some solution of him ;-to inquire into his birth and parentage; his education and manner of life; the incidents of his childhood, and of his youth; to analyze, if I may so speak, the elements of which his character is composed; to mark the steps by which he rose to that point, from which he burst upon society; in a word, to examine and re-examine the validity of his claims to public attention. In like manner, when à character of singular and transcendent moral excellence is held up to public view, and attracts universal admiration, it is natural to inquire into his origin and connexions; the principles by which he was actuated, and the school whence those principles where derived. SUCH A CHARACTER WAS, RICHARD REYNOLDS. So modest, and yet so dignified; so judicious, and yet so liberal in the distribution of his bounties; so discriminating and successful in the detection of imposture, and yet so unbounded in his benevolence; combining as he did such unbending integrity with so much tenderness of heart“ take him all in all, we ne'er shall look upon his like again." In a world like this, defiled by sin and sunk in selfishness, such exalted characters are rarely to be found.

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98 Speech of Rev. Mr. Thorpe at the 1st Anniversary

The same rank that MILTON holds among the poets; the same rank that NELSON holds among the commanders of the British navy; the same rank, but shining with a milder lustre, does REYNOLDS hold amongst the philanthropists, who, in different ages, have appeared the delight and wonder of mankind. We admire the imagination of the poet: we are astonished at the bravery of the warrior: but love, reverence, and admiration, exert all their powers, and rise into rapture, while we contemplate the virtues and the labours of the philanthropist. We become weary amidst the imaginary scenes and imaginary worlds into which we are conducted by the enchanting wand of the poet; and gladly descend to earth again, that we may hold converse with beings like ourselves. We turn with horror and consternation from the blood and carnage, the piercing shrieks, the dying groans, the mutilated limbs, and all the mighty havoc inflicted by the sword of the conqueror. But we follow without weariness the footsteps of the philanthropist, whithersoever he goes. With silent wonder we attend him in his visits to the hut of cheerless poverty; the abodes of age and decrepitude; the cottage of industry, sunk in disease and maimed by misfortune; the habitation of the weeping widow, and her helpless unconscious orphans; the hovel of wretchedness and black despair; and without reluctance-này with cheerful steps, we descend with him to the dungeon of misery and guilt, the last, the lowest stage of infany and wo. With pleasure, such as charity only knows, we behold a new creation in the moral world, rising before the godlike man. The furrowed cheek is smoothed, and the winter of age wears the aspect of spring; the hut of poverty is no donger cheerless; industry is restored to health and vigour, and plies its wonted task; the widow wipes away her tears, and smiles; her orphans have enough, and her house is no longer the house of mourning; hope illumines and expands the countenance, where despair had darkened and contracted every muscle; and penitence descends to enlighten the dungeon, to break the chains of guilt, and by its kindly influence to dissolve the heart of the guilty criminal. What are the fascinations of the poet, or the exploits of the warrior, compared with scenes like these? We find it good to be here. The place whereon we stand is holy. We taste the joys and imbibe the spirit of the good man himself. We seem to rise above the selfishness of nature. We catch a portion of the flame that glows in his bosom. We mingle our tears with his tears, we share his trials, and exultingly exclaim, "Oh the luxury of doing good!" But we do not stop here; we rise higher still, and lift the veil of the heavenly sanctuary, to take a more than distant glimpse of that more than mortal glory that glows behind. We ascend to the Original of all good, whose image is impressed on the blessed inhabi tants of glory, and transmitted to an inhabitant of this world. We forget our sorrows, and lose ourselves in the contemplation and enjoyment of the loving kindness of the infinite Majesty of the Universe. This was the exalted source of all the excellence by

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of the Reynolds Co

which the venerable REYNOL nothing but what he had recei to acknowledge, that he was a Humility was the most pro Although the whole empire fe industriously were his chariti many were heard to ask the q nolds ?" It was not until the titudes who had never heard | origin and connexions; the pr character, and the school whe To these inquiries there is ol RICHARD REYOLDS WAS A CI influence of Christianity he be he was nurtured, under her c whole career of his benevolen cal exemplification of the less under her tuition, and by her

ters ever were, or ever can be formed.

How odious when placed with the names of Howard, Hanway, Thornton, and Reynolds, are those of Paine, Voltaire, Hume, Bolingbroke, and of the whole race of infidels. Here you recognize angels of mercy amidst fiends of wrath; saviours amidst the destroyers of mankind. In vain will you search for men like them amongst the heroes, sages, and patriots of antiquity, whose names and virtues are emblazoned, and held up to the admiration of future ages. It is a remarkable fact, that heathenism never founded an hospital, or endowed an alms-house. Look at mighty Athens, and you will every where perceive monuments of taste and genius, and elegance! Look at imperial Pagan Rome in all her glory! You will behold all the grandeur of the human intellect unfolded in her temples, her palaces, and her ampitheatres. You will find no hospital or infirmary; no asylum for the aged and the infirm, the fatherless and the widow; the blind, the dumb, the deaf; the outcast and the destitate. How vastly superior in this respect is Bristol to Athens, is London to Rome. These, Christianity, are thy triumphs! These are thy lovely offspring! they all bear the lineaments of their common parent. Their family likeness proves the sameness of their origin. Mercy conjoined with purity is the darling attribute of our holy religion. Its great founder was mercy embodied in a human form. His incarnation was the condescension of mercy. His miracles were the omnipotence of mercy. His tears were the dew drops of mercy. His death was the channel of mercy, and his exaltation is the high ground whence mercy descends in copious streams to cheer, and bless, and save, a ruined world. His followers are conformed to his image. Those virtues which shone in him shone in Reynolds also; though with a dimi. nished lustre, when compared with his great original :—yet in a brighter lustre than in the rest of mankind.

But whence, it may be demanded, came it to pass that this man