stores of memory, his happy narrative and illustration, his copious treasures of scriptural truth, his tenderness of heart, his fervency of devotion, combined to make him the most lovely, estimable and useful of pastors, in the sick room.

2. And what a minister he was in the Sunday School. Rich in that love of simple Bible-story which God has had purposely written for the benefit of little children-happy in those illustrations and unadorned expressions which rivet best the attention of the young-but above all, fresh in those pure thoughts and warm affections which made him a child amongst children, alike loving and beloved-he had a smile, a kind word, an apposite remark for every child in the Sunday school. And the seed which the Great Husbandman sowed here by his hands, look you, if it be well watched and watered, what fruits it will yet bring forth to the honor and glory of God!

3. All elements of character in him gave him signal influence over young men. They could not look upon him or hear him speak, without feeling the force of a practical illustration that religion is not the gloomy thing, too often depicted in the imaginations of the frivolously gay. Interested in him, they felt a doubtle interest in his preaching, which varied as it was in character and rich in scriptural instruction, possessed the additional charm of simplicity, refined taste and undoubted earnestness and sincerity. How greatly God blessed his labors to this class, let the records of all the churches he ever served bear witness-let our own Sunday school in its corps of efficient teachers, and the roll of our aspirants for hoiy orders abundantly testify. Here it is, after sympathizing with his bereaved family, that my heart bleeds most under a sense of our irreparable loss. That long night of his last mortal agony, oh! how was my heart overpowered with emotion, when, hour after hour, I saw

his bed literally surrounded by the young men whom he was wont to call his sons, weeping as if their hearts would break, at the thought of a final separation, as to this world, from their spiritual father, their faithful counsellor, and their best earthly friend. May his mantle fall upon each of them! May it be their study, their delight and their prayer to think, to speak, to be and to do whatever they are conscious would be most pleasing to their departed pastor, were he permitted to watch over them, where he has gone, as he certainly would have done, had he been spared to us! And out of their number may more than one arise likeminded with this "good man," to supply his lack of service to the church, and to preserve entire the succession of faithful pastors, until our Lord shall come !

I had designed to say a word upon his character amongst his clerical brethren, which was singularly frank, affectionate and kind: of his hospitality, which was as liberal as his heart was large and generous; and of the dignity, the eloquence, the thrilling interest of his speeches from the platforms of the great benevolent institutions of our land: but I am admonished to pass over these and a multitude of other most alluring themes of discussion, and to confine myself to a brief comment upon his preaching. (1) It was most interesting, keeping alive the attention of his audience without effort and without weariness. (2) It was various, more diversified in topics than that of any minister I remember often to have heard. (3) It was solemn and in earnest, as though he himself believed and felt every word of what he said, and was intensely anxious that those whom it most concerned should believe and feel it also. (4) It was persuasive touching every chord which vibrated true to right feelieg and the immortal interests of men. (5) It was instructive, far beyond the

common average, and specially adapted and designed to build up Christians in their most holy faith. (6) It was sound and scriptural, abounding in the truth precisely in the connexion and in the proportions, in which it appears in Holy Writ. No dogmatist, or controversialist, or stout polemic was he. Christ Jesus and Him crucified was his great theme, and he preached Him first-Him last-Him midst and without end, as mainly anxious, both to save himself and those that heard him.

Such a one has gone to his rest. He is not, for God has taken him. Indeed "he was a good man, full of the Holy Ghost and of faith."

Is God unrighteous in cutting short the period of such a one's usefulness? God unrighteous, in taking away a precious gift which we never deserved, and never sufficiently prized! God unrighteous to take his own weary, faithful and almost worn-out servant, to rest with himself in Christ Jesus for ever! God unrighteous to reserve a gift, so long lent, and for which, so precious has it been, eternal thanks were due for ever so short a loan!

Nay, friends and brethren, soon as our utterance choked by emotion can be recovered, let us give thanks to God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, for the noble character, the bright example, the holy life and the useful labors of this dear departed brother, whose poor, worthless remains we are about to consign to the tomb. Let us give thanks to him for sin pardoned, grace conferred, Satan vanquished, the grave conquered and an heavenly crown gained, for this our dear brother, through a crucified, ascended and glorified Redeemer.

One thought more solemn than most others attends his departure. He has gone before you, my dear hearers, into the presence of our great God and our Saviour. Is it as

your accuser, to bear witness against you in that day, that God by his ministry had long been calling upon you, but that you refused-that he had stretched out his hand and no man regarded it? Or has he gone before, to bear record to your willing obedience to the Gospel, in the presence of all his beloved people, prepared joyfully to exclaim, "behold me, and the children whom thou hast given me?"

Let us more than ever admire and prize the Gospel. With more passionate ardor let us cleave to the Cross, preaching, suffering, living, dying. So that, at the last, pastors and people, parents and children, teachers and pupils, masters and servants, bond and free, high and low together may all experience the transforming power of that Gospel which our dear dead brother loved and preached ; experience its sublime consolations when we come to die, and reap that reward, upon the fruition of which he has already entered, when time with us shall be no more.

Now unto Him who is the first and the last, who liveth and was dead, and who, by conquering death and bringing life and immortality to light, has robbed the grave of its terrors and death of his sting, be all honor and glory, as, with the Father and the Holy Ghost is most justly due, now

MINUTES OF CONVERSATION

WITH MR.

January 23. Having heard that Mr.

of

was at Boarding-house, in a wretched state of health, having come to this city for medical advice, and desired to see me, I visited him to-day. He opened the conversation with a brief statement of his past life and views; that his habits had been strictly moral, always under some sense of religion, but that his mind had ever been fluctuating as to the truth of revelation. He had read much on both sides. After investigating the evidences in its favor, he had frequently been left without a doubt; but in a few months, he found himself as much under the influence of scepticism as ever. He then asked my reasons for believing in the authenticity of the Old Testament.

Answer-Historic.

Inquired how I vindicated God from the charge of cruelty, as regards his dealings with the Egyptians, and favoritism, as regards the Israelites.

Answer-The former, on the ground of His holy, wise, and just government-the latter, on the ground of sovereign mercy, in rescuing one part of an apostate empire, that he might ultimately save the whole. Illustrated by His pre