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as he heard of their successive removal from the changing scenes of earth, spoke loudly to his heart. But though reverting to increasing infirmities, which were little perceived by others, he was yet in the The prime of a beautiful and healthy old age. hair, which had long been streaked with bright and shining lines, was now entirely silvered. His kindly voice, smile, and appearance, as he went up and down among his people, were peculiarly characteristic of the father. If his naturally energetic and sanguine disposition had sometimes, in early life, approached towards impetuosity; such a tendency was now lost, in a spirit of overflowing love and increasing humility.

But the kindliness of my father's disposition proved no check to the discharge of duty. When he had to choose between a culpable neglect, in forbearing to reprove sin, and the faithful performance of this oftentimes painful task, he was not deterred from obeying the dictates of his conscience, by any appeal to his feelings or regard to his interests. Neither awed by threats, nor allured by persuasion, he could, if needful, set his face like a flint, and without respect of persons, condemn sin, and bring

it home to the sinner's conscience. He feared not to say: "Thou art the man. Now, therefore, you have sinned against the Lord, and be sure your sin will find you out." In his public discourses, without preaching at people, he preached very boldly to them; and he addressed not only general words of exhortation and comfort to the believer, and of warn

ing to the sinner, but he looked at individual character in his congregation, and gave to each one their portion in due season. This would be sometimes the subject of remark, when he would say: "It is of no use to fight as those that beat the air; we must strike at sin, and aim at the conviction of the sinner." As an instance of this, it may be mentioned, that on one occasion, in passing along the street he overheard an individual, of whom he had hoped better things, profanely swearing. After reproving him, he exacted from him a promise to be at church the next Sunday morning; when he delivered an impressive sermon from the text "Swear not at all." In the long course of his ministry, he preached in upwards of a hundred churches, and to every congregation he shunned not to declare the counsel of God; insisting on the depravity of our sinful nature, and offering the blessings of salvation, as freely and solely bestowed through the merits of the Redeemer. At the time of his first journey to Olney, a circumstance occurred illustrative of this his uniform practice, and which he referred to in a letter to his wife: "I have had a fatiguing journey, and have been much hurried. The distance is nearly seventy miles across the country, and I rode about sixty the first day. I preached yesterday at * *, and had Lord and Lady * *, with their household, for part of my audience. I was requested by the clergyman's wife to be as moderate as I could; but I did not feel disposed to go out of my usual way, considering the same gospel was as necessary for them as for their poor neighbours."

During the erection of the new bridge at Olney, he viewed with grief and indignation the employment of the workmen on the sabbath, under the pretended plea of necessity; and he protested in public and in private against this breach of the fourth commandment, until at length it was overruled. Subjoined is a letter he wrote on the subject, to one of the principal parties concerned in forwarding the work. As this gentleman did not reside on the spot, he might not have been fully aware of the conduct of those who were more immediately in fault; but who, notwithstanding, imputed all the blame to him.

"I cannot satisfy my conscience, nor discharge my duty to myself, to my parishioners, to the public, or to you, without writing to expostulate with you on the great impropriety (to say the least) of allowing the men to work at the Olney bridge on the Lord's day. I consider this to be an awful breach and profanation of the sabbath, which the Almighty Ruler of the universe has commanded to be kept holy, and on which day he has forbidden all kinds of work to be done; with the exception of acts of mercy, charity, and absolute necessity. But none of these can be pleaded; for the work at the bridge is a subject respecting which property only can be made a plea. I cannot doubt therefore, but that all who are concerned in it will incur the displeasure of Almighty God, and fall under the sanction of the breach of his holy law, which denounces a curse upon every transgressor. It is only by the blessing of God that we can get prospered in any of our undertakings; for 'except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it.' We ought, therefore, in all our concerns and undertakings, to look to the Lord for his blessing on them. But in the case, to which I refer, there is not only an absence of all dependence upon the blessing of Divine Providence, but a positive and continued act of open rebellion

against the God of heaven and earth. I have considered it my bounden duty repeatedly to give my testimony against it, both in public and in private. I have spoken to the men; several of whom lament it, wish it to be prevented, and cast the blame on Mr. * * *,

who throws it entirely upon you. 1 sincerely hope therefore, and earnestly entreat, that you will consider the subject, and put a stop to the Sunday work in future. I beg to inform you that it gives very great offence in the neighbourhood, and that I have been repeatedly applied to, in order to use my influence to prevent it by law. You are, of course, aware that every man is liable to a penalty on his being taken before a magistrate; but this is a means which, in respect to myself, I have no wish to employ. Perhaps you may think it unnecessary that I should make any remark on the subject, except as far as it is connected with morality or religion; you will, however, permit me to state my opinion, that in a politic or pecuniary point of view, you gain nothing by this mode of proceeding. Men, who labour hard and conscientiously, cannot do more work in seven days than in six. Their physical powers will not admit it. The laws of God are not arbitrary, but intended for our present comfort, benefit, and advantage; and leaving the future account with our righteous and almighty Judge out of the question, they cannot be broken with impunity.

"I trust you will forgive the liberty I have taken in thus addressing you, and beg to subscribe myself, Sir,

"Your well-wisher, and faithful servant,

The first stone of the new bridge was laid on the 4th of August of the same year, when a document, prepared by my father, and a few coins of the realm were deposited. The document contained a description of the late bridge, celebrated by the poet of Olney:

"Hark, 'tis the twanging horn o'er yonder bridge,
That, with its wearisome but needful length,

Bestrides the wintry flood."

A large concourse of persons assembled; and stationed up and down among the works, they formed a picturesque and imposing spectacle. Two short and appropriate hymns, printed for the purpose, were distributed; and nearly all who were present united with the children of the Sunday and National schools, in praising the great Architect of the universe, in that wondrous temple, of which he laid the beams in the waters, and formed its amphitheatre as the outer court of heaven; whence praise, ascending from below, rises from height to height, until it reaches the invisible throne of the Eternal.

"The strong foundations of the earth,

O God! of old, by thee were laid;
Thy hands, the beauteous arch of heaven,

With wondrous strength and skill, have made.

"He formed the stars, he built the heavens;

Glory and light his throne surround!

He, on her centre, fixed the earth,

And made the waters know their bound."

An address followed, in which my father touched on the history and progress of architecture; and especially directed attention to the important truth of the entire dependence of man, in all his projects and operations, on the assistance and blessing of God, for which he then pressed on the assembly to unite with him in prayer.

The strong interest taken by my father in the passing events of the day, continued undiminished to the termination of his life. But these events, he would sometimes observe, were likely to produce