Some are serious. I preach three times on the Sabbath. Our evening lectures are crowded. We hear of a wonderful work at Stillwater, Ballston, and Rochester in this state. Since my dismission, I am constantly employed. But I have reason to mourn my barrenness. I often, in the solemn watches of the night, think of Granville. My mind goes from house to house, and contemplates the awful ravages that death has made among my old acquaintance. I long to see you once more; and think, God willing, I shall. I expect to go to New-York this spring. I may be there two or three weeks. I have encouragement to go there and continue, but I am too old to settle. I live among a kind people and civil. I think I never was more agreeably situated. We have an excellent school at Manchester. I have three daughters and two sons professors of religion. My youngest I keep to school. He is now studying Latin. We hope he is serious. Is very attentive to learning. We are in tolerable health, except our second daughter. We never expect she will have her health. Please to remember me at the throne of grace. Yours affectionately. LETTER IV. TO THE SAME. Manchester, 12th June, 1820. DEAR SIR, * God has sent several sudden deaths among us, but I fear we do not lay them suitably to heart. have, for the year past, preached three sermons every Sabbath. I deliver a discourse in the village at 5 o'clock-people in general attend, but they are stupid. We attend the general concert. We also have a prayer-meeting every Tuesday, but, unless the Lord bless, we labour in vain. You tell me that Mrs. A. is unwell; I hope she is better; if not, that her illness will excite her to prepare for a better world. Ben nington have dismissed their minister, and have agreed to settle another the 5th of July next. There is some seriousness among some-dear sir, may we bring forth good fruit in old age! I wish to hear from you often I have only a moment's time to write. The Associa tion meet at my house to-morrow. Yours affectionately. LETTER V. TO THE SAME. Manchester, 20th February, 1822. CORDIAL FRIEND, Yesterday I received yours of the 5th of January with great satisfaction, although it contained melancholy tidings of my old acquaintance. Mrs. S., you know, was brought up in the house with me; but, alas! she is gone, and I live. I visited Mr. H. on my return home, but did not think I should see him no more. Oh, how uncertain is life! Dr. Ball, the good+ minister of the east parish in Rutland, died a few weeks ago, suddenly, as in a moment. I used to enjoy great intimacy with him. Sir, may we not, who are aged, admire God's patience towards us? I heard of the death of Mrs. S. the week after I returned to M. Give my love to Mr. S. Tell him I rejoice to hear that the death of his dear wife makes him think of another world, and stirs him up to prepare for death-and that he attends meeting. Tell him that I mourn with him. May the Lord bless it to his spiritual good. I think there is no earthly comfort that gives me such satisfaction as visiting my friends at Granville; but it must soon come to an end. I have thought it to be my duty to leave Manchester, and go to Granville, N. Y., though I and the people are friendly. My respects to dear Mr. Baker and aged mother, you will make acceptable. conclude to be a lawyer or a minister? lady, and their Does their son I hope it will be the latter, at least if God calls.* Religion is at a low ebb among us; may the Lord revive his work. Don't forget to remember us in your intercessions. The following extract of a letter from the wife of his excellency the late Richard Skinner, will show the high estimation in which Mr. Haynes was held in Manchester, and also present some of his characteristic peculiarities. Manchester, Feby. 18th, 1836. * In the summer of 1818, this church and society, being destitute of the stated administration of the word and ordinances, invited Mr. Haynes to come and reside here; and although it was not considered expedicnt to call him as our permanent pastor, yet he continued with us about three years. His labours were acceptable to the people-his influence and example promoting religion and morality, and gradually advancing the interests of the Redeemer's kingdom. Many of our people still remember him with deep respect and affection as their spiritual guide. As a man, Mr. Haynes was cheerful in temper, affable in demeanour, quick in perception, shrewd and sensible, and in his daily intercourse with his fellow-men, exhibiting that trait of character enjoined by our Lord, "Be ye wise as serpents, and harmless as doves." In his public administrations he was devout and serious: discovered uncommon acquaintance with the Scriptures; always in his quotations giving chapter and verse, sometimes adding, "If I mistake not" generally, however, recollecting without hesitation. In his belief, entirely orthodox, often calling to the minds of his hearers the great truths of God's word;-appearing to have the conviction from his own experience of the truth of the doc *Mr. Curtis Baker, a young man of great promise, who died while a member of the Theological Seminary in Andover, 1824. trines of divine sovereignty, total depravity of the sinner's heart, and the way of recovery only in and by the blood of Christ, through sanctification of the spirit. He appeared to be ever actuated by a grateful temper; always upon the Sabbath morning, when convened with his people, returning thanks that so many were preserved to meet for the worship of God, when almost every day brought us intelligence of some called into eternity, the victims of sin and death, making the world" one great Bochim;" and acknowledging our desert of the same visitation. He seemed to have much of a submissive temper, although, under the providence of God, there were circumstances calculated to depress him. He ever held the station of a man without blemish,-never appearing to repine that God had not made him without a stain upon his skin: nor was he often called upon to remember it, unless more than ordinary tenderness, manifested by others in their intercourse with him, should have reminded him of it. I recollect, in conversation thirty-five years since with the Reverend Dr. Swift, who was then a firm pillar of the church in Vermont, and one that all delighted to honour, he said, that in all their ecclesiastical meetings Mr. Haynes was first noticed,* and in such manner that every disagreeable feeling arising from the peculiarity of his situation should be done away. With respect, F. SKINNER Rev. DR. COOLEY, During the residence of Mr. Haynes at Manchester, there was an occurrence which has scarcely a parallel in the history of civilized man. There resided in this town a man by the name of Russell Colvin, who had been for many years in a state of mental derangement. Being incompetent to attend to the concerns of his fam In meetings of councils and associations, where it was necessary to put two in one bed, one and another would say, "I will sleep with Mr. Haynes !" ily, his children were dispersed among his relatives, and Colvin was a wandering maniac. It was his custom to go and come as he pleased, and in some instances he was absent from his connexions for several months. In the year 1813 he disappeared suddenly, and somewhat remarkably, and nothing was heard of him. Years passed away, and he neglected to return to his friends. At length there began to be serious suspicions that Colvin was murdered, and that Stephen Boorn and Jesse Boorn, the brothers of his wife, were the murderers. The more the subject was investigated, the darker the case of the unfortunate Boorns appeared. At length they were brought to trial upon an endictment for murder; and after a careful and impartial investigation of the case, a verdict of guilty was found by the jury. Accordingly, the court pronounced the sentence, "That the criminals be remanded back to prison, and that on the 28th of January next, between the hours of ten and two o'clock, they be hanged by the neck until each of them be dead; and may the Lord have mercy on their souls." Mr. Haynes felt deeply affected with the condition of the unhappy convicts, and visited them daily in the prison. It was for the purpose of awakening their attention to their state as ruined sinners, and leading them to the Saviour as their only hope, that his visits were continued. With the tenderness of a parent, and the charity becoming a faithful minister of the gospel, he spent many hours with the unhappy sufferers in religious instruction, and prayer and supplication at the throne of grace in their behalf. In the course of his visits to the prison, from the conduct and conversation of the prisoners, he became convinced that they |