French Church, in which the congregation then worshipped. Occasions of this kind never failed to excite in Dr. Rodgers peculiar tenderness of feeling, and to draw from him his most affectionate and interesting addresses. On this occasion, he forgot, for a moment, his infirmities, and attempted to serve a table. But his recollection so entirely failed him, in the midst of the service, that it was with the utmost difficulty, and not without important omissions, that he got through it. Seldom has a more affecting scene been exhibited. The tears of hundreds witnessed their mingled emotions of respect and sympathy, toward a beloved pastor, whom they saw sinking into the grave.

In the year 1810, nothing remarkable occurred, concerning the subject of these memoirs, excepting his attendance, as related in the last chapter, at the laying of the corner-stones of the Wall-street, and Spring-street churches. His daily decline, both in bodily and mental strength, in the course of this year, was perceptible and distressing. It grew more and more difficult for him to walk abroad, until toward the close of the year, when his feebleness became so extreme, that he no longer attempted to leave his house.

And early in January of the following year, at the solicitation of his family, he was prevailed upon to retire to his chamber, which he never again quitted, excepting to walk for a few moments into an adjoining apartment, till his death.

For about six weeks before his death, he was confined almost entirely to his bed. During this period, his memory was so far impaired, that he often could not recollect the names, and sometimes appeared scarcely to recognize the persons, of his most intimate friends. On one occasion he did not appear distinctly to know even his own son, when he made one of his daily visits. But it is a fact, that even when his recollection was thus far weakened, with respect to the nearest and dearest temporal objects, it was nearly as prompt and faithful as ever with respect to spiritual and eternal things. He never appeared, for a moment, to forget his God and Saviour*. In the most reduced state of his mental

*It is pleasing to reflect, that this case is by no means a singular one. An eminently pious minister, in a neighbouring state, who had passed a long life of more than ordinary devotedness to the cause of his Divine Master, had so far lost his memory, a short time before his death, as

manner.

powers, he caused his family to be convened in his chamber, morning and evening, and prayed with them in a tender, connected, and edifying And when he could no longer recognize the name or the countenance of an intimate friend, whom he almost daily saw, he could speak of the Lord Jesus Christ; quote passages of scripture, which relate to his personal glory, and his gracious benefits; pour out the fulness of a heart breathing after the holy joys of his presence; and recommend him to those with whom he conversed; not, indeed so fluently or uninterruptedly as in his ordinary health; but in a manner truly gratifying to those around him.

Facts of this kind are neither new nor uncommon. An eminent Physician of our own country, has said, "I never met with a single in"stance in which the moral or religious faculties

not to know his own children, or even to recollect that he had children. A christian friend asked him, on a particular occasion, whether he knew such a child, or such a neighbour? his reply, in each case, was, "No, I did not "know that I had such a child, or such a neighbour." His friend then said, "Do you know the Lord Jesus "Christ?"-He replied, immediately, and with strong. emotion, "Oh yes; I know Him; he is my best Friend!"

"were impaired in old people. In the course of

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my inquiries I heard of a man of 101 years of age, who declared that he had forgotten every thing he had ever known, except his God." The same writer, in another place, tells us, "I "once knew a man who discovered no one mark "of reason, who possessed the moral sense or faculty in so high a degree, that he spent his "whole life in acts of benevolence. He had no "ideas of time, but what was suggested to him by the returns of the stated periods for public worship, in which he appeared to take great delight. He spent several hours of every day "in devotion*." The influence of constant habit in preserving an aptitude and readiness, as well as capacity, for this class of exercises, as suggested by this writer, is, no doubt, great. The exercises of piety are among the few which aged people, who have any taste for them, never intermit; but rather abound in, more and more, as they advance in life. Perhaps, however, there is another consideration, on which still more stress ought to be laid, in accounting for the fact in question. The commencement, the

Rush's Medical Inquiries and Observations, vol. 1. p. 442. and vol. 2. p. 12, 13. second edition.

maintenance, and the progress of real piety, in any heart, are the result of Divine influence. We no where have a promise, that the intellectual powers of the pious shall be preserved unimpaired, until their translation to a better world; but we have a promise, that He who has begun a good work, will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. It would, doubtless, be as easy for Omnipotence to continue a capacity for one class of exercises as for another; but as his promise has secured this blessing in one case, and not in another; and as the consolations which result from moral and religious sources are much more desirable and important, in the evening of life, than those which are connected with intellectual activity; it appears in every respect worthy of infinite wisdom and goodness, to ascribe the acknowledged fact of which we are speaking, to the benign and gracious agency of Him, who has said, to every child of his grace, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.-But to return to the venerable subject of these memoirs.

In the evening preceding his death, he prayed with his family for the last time. After a few short petitions of the usual kind, for their temporal and spiritual welfare, he prayed fervently and