ing on it. And behold, the Lord stood above it." It is impossible to describe or even conceive the emotions which he felt on visiting this place. After lingering a while, he kneeled down and prayed. As he was retiring, he said to his attendant, "I leave this tree for the last time."

The next day was the Sabbath, and he delivered his last sermon from the well-chosen words of the apostle, 2 Cor, i., 9: "But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead." On this text he remarked:

"Some think that the apostle has relation to his fighting with wild beasts at Ephesus, 1 Cor. xv., 32. Others suppose that he refers to the uproar at Lydia or Asia Minor; but that it was an habitual temper of mind for the apostle to feel that he was a dying man, is evident from what he observes, 1 Cor. xv., 31: 'I die daily.' Life and death are terms of the most soiemn import. Some suppose life is of more importance than death, as it is that which can render death a blessing or a curse. Suitable reflection on death greatly tends to our right improvement of life. This is the sentiment in the text; and the inspired apostle speaks of it, as belonging not only to himself, but to others. We had the sentence of death in ourselves.

"That we have all reason to view ourselves in this point of light, with the advantages arising therefrom, is the order proposed.

"1. God has pronounced the sentence of death on us, and why should not we on ourselves? Gen. iii., 19. "2. We may with propriety have the sentence in ourselves by viewing the providences of God. How many are dying around us! Is there any thing to secure us from death which they had not? Are we

young? so were they. Old, middle aged, full of world, ly schemes?-was not this the case with them? "3. Weak state of our bodies.

"4. Pains we feel from day to day.

"5. Many instruments stand ready to destroy us, In the case of Paul, wild beasts-wicked men and devils-perils from sea and land.

"We stand as in a battle, throngs on throngs

Are falling round us, wounded oft ourselves.'

"6. We cannot resist or ward off the stroke, 1 Cor. iv., 9: For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last as it were appointed unto death.' This is thought to be an allusion to the Roman theatrical sports; for, from a passage in Seneca's epistles, quoted by Dr. Whitby, it appears, that in the morning those prisoners to whom they gave a chance of escaping with their lives fought with the wild beasts armed; but, in the afternoon, the gladiators fought unarmed.

"7. By our sins we expose ourselves to the sentence of death. Justice, and abused patience, and mercy, cry, Cut them down!'

"8. All need carry the sentence of death in themselves. All have sinned-old and young-rich and poor-saints and sinners.

"9, At all times and on all occasions-at home or abroad-awake or asleep.

"Whate'er we do, where'er we be,

We're travelling to the grave.'

"Finally, It has been the case with the people of God-pilgrims and strangers on the earth. Even Jesus Christ, though innocent, for our sake carried the sentence of death in himself."

ADVANTAGES.

"1. "Tis acting rationally-correspondent to truth and divine exhibition.

"2. To have the sentence of death in ourselves is complying with the word of God, Christ said repeatedly, Watch,'

"3. It tends to wean us from the world. Did we hear the sentence of death sounding in our ears, should we be elated with worldly prospects?

"4. Having the sentence of death in ourselves tends to make us diligent in the things of religion. Keeping death at a distance is the fruitful source of the sin of procrastination.

"5. This is the way to obtain the victory over death. The reason why death is so terrible to many is, that they think so little of it, and are deaf to the sound and sentence of it.

"6. Having the sentence of death in us leads to the use of means necessary to salvation. We see men, when death in their apprehension is approaching, wishing prayers and visits from ministers.

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"7. It supports under sufferings, 2 Cor. iv., 17.

"8. It will influence to self-examination. When the midnight cry is made, it is time to see whether our lamps are trimmed and burning.”

IMPROVEMENT.

"1. We see that there is evidently a controversy oetween God and mankind in general, in relation to the subject that has been discussed. God has pronounced the sentence of death on men, but they practically deny it, and pronounce the sentence of life.

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2. There is the same propriety in treating our fellow-creatures as dying men, as there is when actually dying. Some that are now well may die before them.

"3. Thoughtlessness about death is a source of great evil to men. "Tis so in respect to families-closets

house of God-visits-death-beds.

"4. We have reason to fear that the unconverted will never be saved. They are dying, yet neglect salvation.

"5. Sinners are in a dreadful state. Under sentence of death, temporal, spiritual, and eternal."

This brief analysis can give but an extremely imperfect impression of the sermon. The train of thought here presented was interspersed with timely and impressive remarks, well adapted to the farewell occasion.

Mr. Haynes now returned to his family and flock, to give the finishing strokes to his earthly labours-to bid farewell to the world, and enter into his rest.

CHAPTER XVIII.

VIEWS OF HIS CHARACTER AS A MAN, A CHRISTIAN, AND A MINISTER OF THE Gospel, and oN HIS DEATH-BED.

FROM the preceding narrative it will be seen that Mr. Haynes must have accomplished a great amount of good. He was emphatically a self-taught man; "the founder of his own fortune." And, viewing his humble origin, and the extremely limited means of his early education, he cannot fail to be regarded as an extraordinary man. His influence over minds was wonderful. He was also a child of grace, and no one could more appropriately adopt the expression of the apostle Paul, "By the grace of God I am what I am."

Could we ascertain what were the constituent elements of his great usefulness, it would aid others in their plans of doing good. They may be summarily expressed in the following particulars :

I. PERSONAL COMELINESS.

Although the tincture of his skin, and all his features bore strong indications of his African original,

yet in his early life there was a peculiar expression which indicated the finest qualities of mind. Many, on seeing him in the pulpit, have been reminded of the inspired expression, "I am black, but comely." In his case, the remarkable assemblage of graces which were thrown around his semi-African complexion, especially his eye, could not fail to prepossess the stranger in his favour.

II. TENDERNESS AND SYMPATHY WITH OBJECTS OF

DISTRESS.

No man had a more feeling heart, or was more sensibly affected at the sight of human suffering. Speaking in reference to his daughter, who was afflicted with long-continued and painful illness, he said, "I shall spend all my property, if necessary, rather than she shall suffer." In his last sickness, after being confined almost wholly to his house, a young woman sickened and died in the neighbourhood. Notwithstanding his own distressed condition, he had many tender anxieties for her, and offered prayer daily in her behalf. Hearing that her symptoms were worse, he said, "I must see her again!" With great difficulty and suffering he was carried to the house, that he might administer comfort to a dying fellow-mortal.

His sensibility knew no bounds. He would never see animals put to death if he could avoid it; much less would he see them subjected to wanton and needless torture. On seeing a lad having in his hand a small snake, which he was wantonly torturing to death, and was sporting with the writhings of the harmless though accursed animal, he said to him, "Why do you torture and kill the poor striped snake? It does no