..-«>-*. ■ ^- 1 -^. ^/A~--^. % PRINCETON, N. J. ^ Shflf.. I X II III, li. 0^ mm^n ON THE LIFE AND CHARACTER OF THE REV. HENR7 HOLCOMBE, -D.J}. PASTOR OF THE FIRST BAPTIST CHDRCU OF FBII.ADELPHI1. Delivered at the request of the congregation on the 20th June, 1 824. ■^iZi — BY B. RUSH RHEES, M. D. " Shall blood stained heroes, when they yield their breath, To him whose cause they servM, — their sovereign death ; Shall these awake the boasted powers of verse, To blazon deeds we deem our greatest curse ? — And shall a Champion on the Christian plain Fall undistinguished, 'mid the vulgar slain ?" PUBLISHED AT THE REQUEST OP THE CONGREGATION. Stavely & Bringhurst, Printers. 1824. %k.*- ■r*£M Extract from the minutes of the meetings held by the members of the congregation. THE death of the Rev. Dr. Henry Holcombe hav- ing been announced to the First Baptist Church and congregation, a meeting of the latter was held, on Sunday morning, May 23d, for the purpose of express- ing the sorrow of its members, at the melancholy event of his dissolution, and their high sense of his pre-emi- nent excellence. Mr. Charles Keen was called to the chair, and Mr. William Harper appointed secretary, whereupon a committee, composed of the following gentlemen, viz: Messrs. Thomas Shewell, Aaron Kille, William E. Garrett, William W. Keen, and B. R. Rhees, was in- structed to prepare resolutions, expressive of the sen- timents of the congregation, on the mournful occasion which had led to its meeting. The committee accor- dingly reported at a subsequent meeting, held on the 25th instant, the following preamble and resolutions, and they were unanimously adopted, viz : The members of this congregation, sympathising with the First Baptist Church, under the afflicting dis- pensation of heaven, which has deprived her of her venerable and invaluable Pastor; and feeling deeply sensible, that they have themselves sustained a very serious loss, in his sudden and unexpected dissolution, Resolve^ I. That the moral rectitude, and inflexible integrity of the late Dr. Henry Holcombe as a man. the sincerity and unblemished purity of his character as a Christian, and the uniform zeal and ability with which he performed his arduous duties as a public Preacher, entitled him to the highest respect, and the warmest affection, and rendered him worthy of being ever held in grateful and lively remembrance. II. That, as his services, and virtues, are deserving of universal commemoration, it is due to the deep and unfeigned sorrow, of his former auditors, and friends, on the melancholy termination of his career, that a public tribute be paid to his memory ; therefore Resolved, III. That a member of this congregation be appointed to deliver an Eulogium on his life and character. Dr. B. Rush Rhees was appointed to per- form this duty, when, on motion, it was Resolved, That a committee be appointed to present a letter of condolence, accompanied with the foregoing resolutions, to the widow of the late Dr. Holcombe. The following letter was accordingly submitted by the committee and adopted : — To Mrs. Frances Holcombe. Highly Esteemed Madam, In adopting and presenting to you the enclosed reso- lutions, the members of the congregation assembling in the meeting house of the First Baptist Church, have done no more, than pay a feeble and imperfect tribute to justice. Permit them, therefore, to add the expres- sion of their sincere condolence with you, on a loss, calculated to overwhelm you with grief, and to call forth the tenderest sympathies of all who are able to appreciate the value of the highest order of moral ex- cellence. The loss of a beloved and respected Pastor ; of one whose counsel has guided us, and whose pathetic and tender exhortations, have so often affected our hearts, is to us a severe affliction. On you the stroke has fal- len far heavier ; for you have been deprived of the sup- port and comfort of your declining years, the affec- tionate partner of your solicitudes and pleasures, the dear and devoted friend, who was appointed by heaven to cheer and console you amid the cares and calami- ties of life. A privation such as this, awakens a sorrow in your bosom, which can be divested of its poignancy, only by the influence of that religion, which robs death of his terrors ; and this we are assured has been to yoUf a source of the richest consolation. We will not, therefore, intrude further on the mo- ments you would devote to the tranquillizing exercise of religious contemplation ; but beg you to accept the offering, of our sincere sympathy with you, in your pre- sent distress ; and the individual regard we shall ever entertain for you, under every circumstance of your fu- ture life. In behalf of the congregation. (Signed,) ROBT. MAUL, ) JAMES MANN, V Committee. B. RUSH RHEES, S 6 The Eulogium having been delivered on the 29th of June, a meeting of the congregation was held on the 6th of Julj, when it was Resolved, That the thanks of this congregation be presented to Dr. B. Rush Rhees, for the appropriate manner in which he performed the arduous duty im- posed on him, in pronouncing the Eulogium on our late venerable and lamented Pastor, on Tuesday last, and that he be requested to furnish a copy of the Eulo- gium, prepared for publication. (Signed,) CHARLES KEEN, Chairman. PARDON DAVIS, Secretary. iiia^B'"' Friends and Fellow Citizens, IF it be useful to cherish the recollection of distin- guished worth, if honour be due to those who have given to the world examples of the beauty and dignity of virtue ; the purpose for which you are now assem- bled, is neither trifling, nor unimportant. It is, on the contrary, calculated to elevate your feelings, and lead to reflections as salutary, as they must be serious. Sin- cerely do I regret, that the task of awakening these re- flections in your minds, had not devolved on some one more competent to do justice to the solemn and impres- sive subject from which they spring. With powers ade- quate to its performance, it would be a grateful duty, to trace the noble features of that exalted character, which I have been called to eulogize. I do not, how- ever, appear in this place as one, daring to expect that these features can be portrayed in their proper colours. It is, as one, uniting with you in your veneration of moral excellence, and holding communion with you, in your sorrow, on the removal of any of its possessors from the earth — as one who saw it shining with tran- scendent lustre in the life of hinij who but lately, occu- pied this place, and as one, who mingled his grief with yours, when the melancholy tale of his dissolution was told. 8 Days and weeks have passed away since you follow- ed his lifeless body to the silent tomb ; yet this grief re- mains undiminished. It must indeed be lasting as it was poignant, for it was excited by no ordinary cause. Wherever the shaft of death may strike, on whomsoever his heavy and icy hand may be laid, sorrow must be the consequence — the peace of some living being, must be slain. Though the grave be opened to receive the humblest of God's responsible creatures, there will be some one to shed tears upon it. A wife is bereft of a beloved husband, a mother of her darling babe, or a sister of a tender and devoted brother. A child is left fatherless, or a friend, friendless — some small circle has had its gaiety repressed — some house of joy has been converted into a house of mourning. These are the common, and necessary consequences of death's in- trusion, even into the habitations of the obscure and the ignoble. How much more deeply and widely are they felt, when he who sinks beneath the relentless blow of the destroyer, is not only a father, and a husband ; but the counsellor and friend of thousands — an advocate of the poor and the oppressed — a bold defender of civil and religious liberty — a zealous promoter of knowledge — a firm and fearless foe to vice, and a faithful guar- dian, not only of the temporal, but of the immortal in- terests of his fellow men ! Such was he, whose virtues you have thronged hither to commemorate, and whose death has been felt, as a sad and serious calamity, far beyond the bosom of his mourning family. You, who were united to him by the bonds of Christian fellow- ship, who have bowed down with him before the altar of the mighty God, and who have been partakers with him, of that holy sacrament, which forms the pledge of your devotion to the Christian faith, and the memen- to of your fraternal union here, and your common des- tinies hereafter ; — you have felt his loss, for you have been deprived of a friend and brother, whose " like you may not look upon again." You, who have witnessed his unwearied labours in the cause of truth, who have heard his voice filling this place with its impressive tones, and who can wit- ness with what resistless energy it fell upon your senses and your souls ; — you have felt it, for he loved you also, and laboured to advance your highest interests. You, who are engaged in the same sacred cause, to which his life was devoted — whose hearts are consecrated to the same holy service, and whose hopes are directed to the same celestial honours ; — you too have felt it, for the cause of Christianty has lost an able advocate, and the interests of virtue, a bold and intrepid cham- pion. All who knew him, and who know the value of moral excellence ; all who have hearts capable of feel- ing and minds capable of comprehending the beauty of a life spent in doing good, have felt it, for such a life was closed, when the venerable apostle, who has just been taken from us, terminated his career. But we have not met together for the single purpose of giving ex- pression to our grief. We come to raise our friend, and not to bury him. He who was worthy of such deep and general sorrow, must be worthy also, of our united eulogies. The elevated station he occupied among us, entitles him to this peculiar mark of our respect and veneration. If those who act well their part, even in the common walks of life, are deserving of the approv- B 10 ing smiles of their fellow men ; far more than ordinary approbation is due to those, who have filled with faith- fulness and honour, posts of high distinction and re- sponsibility. Such is the general sense of mankind. The hero who has led the armies of his country to victory, or who has caused her banners to float in triumph on the ocean breeze, has a thousand tongues to proclaim his praise. His achievements become the theme of poets and of orators ; and the vault of heaven is made to ring, on their recital, with the plaudits of admiring millions. The statesman, whose wisdom has framed, and whose energy has led to the adoption of laws, tending to promote the happiness of the community in which he lived, has his name repeated with applause, long after the tones of his eloquence have ceased to charm the ear, and the fire of patriotism to burn in his bosom. He who has devoted his life to the develop- ment of nature's mysteries, and the discovery of the causes, by which worlds are kept in harmonious mo- tion : he who has watched over you in the hour of sick- ness, and brought back the blush of health to your cheek, when you had surrendered every hope of a re- newal of your earthly pleasures ; who has guarded your streets against pestilence, and who has carried the be- nign influence of his art into the hovels of misery and want: he who has administered justice with impartia- lity, and suffered not the widow nor the orphan to sink beneath the cruelty of rapacious and unfeeling adver- saries ; these are deemed worthy of your praises, and they have been bestowed upon them. And shall those remain unhonoured, who have been the ministers of health to your diseased minds ;— who have been the ex- 11 positors of divine (not merely natural) truth ; who have advanced the interests and happiness of mankind, by bringing the reckless and the profligate into subjection to the laws of God ; who have grappled with foes more mighty than men, and triumphed in the contest ; who have driven the enemies of your religion, from post to post, and from field to field ; stormed the citadels of im- morality, and caused the proudest banners, under which man can fight, the banners oi' virtue, to wave in triumph over the prostrate forces of the prince of evil ; shall these remain unhonoured ? Shall these be consigned to the tomb in silence, and shall their names be forgotten by those who were the witnesses of their worth ? Jus- tice forbids it, and proclaims, that these, above all others, are deserving of our eulogies. The station of a Chris- iian Preacher, is indeed, higher than any other occupied by man. The purity of principle, and integrity of life required to fill it, as it should be filled ; the weighty and important {Imies it imposes, and the magnitude of the objects which mu3t be ever in the view of those who are exalted to it, entitle it to this superiority. It is their peculiar province, to comfort the disconsolate, and awaken hope in the breasts of the despondent ; to in- struct the unenlightened, and convince the faithless ; to point out the path of pleasantness and peace to those who are rushing onward to ruin ; and to fire with new zeal, those who have buckled on the armour of religion: to suppress the ebullitions of lawless passion, and to invigorate the reason, and the virtuous feelings of those who are committed to their trust : — to unmask the hy- pocrite ; to put the blasphemer to shame, and in a word, to impress anew, upon the soul of man, the lost image 12 of his God. It is required of them, that their lives be pure, and holy, as the precepts they inculcate ; and that humility, self-denial, and every other virtue which can adorn the character of man, should shine conspicu- ously in them. Their situation is one of danger, as well as of difficulty and trust. The ignorant and de- praved, by whom they are surrounded, and whose eyes are intently fixed upon their steps, are ever busy with their fame ; seeking, with malicious industry, to find something in their lives injurious to the cause they ad- vocate— something to cast reproach on their religion. By such, the smallest error of their judgments will be magnified into a wilful perversion of truth; and the most trifling deviation from the path of moral recti- tude, into a grossly criminal violation of virtue. Their zeal will be called bigotry — their liberality, want of de- votion— their firmness, obstinacy — and their indepen- dence, ambition, and a thirst for power. This is not all. It is not at the fireside, or in the se- cret conclaves of the dissolute and designing only, that judgment will be passed on their characters and con- duct. The report of their trifling errors, or, when these cannot be found, the invented charges of those, who are unfriendly to their cause or calling, will be borne from house to house, on the unwearying wing of culumny, and blazoned forth as proofs of their insin- cerity, or, ivorse than this, of their apostacy. From these dangers, they are never safe ; for though to-day, they may imagine that the voice of unkind ness and malignity is still; to-morrow it may disturb their rest. Those who are about them, may now be the avowed advocates of the truth they teach, and the de- 13 dared admirers of the firmness and energy with which they urge it on the mind ; to-morrow they may desert them, and be arrayed against their peace. To-day they may sing hosannas to their names, and to-morrow may be heard to cry, crucify them, crucify them! These are not fancied dangers we have thrown round the ecclesiastical profession. The founder of the Christian faith passed through them, and there is not one of his disciples, however pure his life, that may not, one day, be called to encounter them. In thus noticing the important requisitions, the noble objects, and the peculiar difificulties of the station of a Christian preacher, it has been my purpose to lead you to the conviction, that none are more worthy of your eulogies, than those who have filled it through a long life, with fidelity and honour; and who on quitting it, for still higher posts in heaven, have given proof of the sincerity of their professions, and of the celestial origin of the religion they had laboured to extend. Such was the case with Dr. Henry Holcombe. He occupied this, as well as other stations, for more than forty years, " without having been subjected during that period, to a single admonition, either civil, military, or ecclesiasti- cal;" and on leaving it, gave the strongest proof, that death was to him, promotion to a nobler rank, among nobler beings. On a survey of his life, we shall discover, that it was a series of efforts to benefit his fellow men, and that the principles by which his conduct was uniformly go- verned, were the offspring of the purest, and the no- blest feelings. To the biographer, we must, however, leave the minute details of his life, while we expatiate 14 on those prominent features, in his character and con' duct, most worthy of our admiration. These are nei- ther few, nor faintly marked ; yet, to these, we shall not exclusively confine ourselves, but shall, occasion- ally, endeavour to draw, from circumstances, apparent- ly trivial, such general reflections as may serve to en- list our feelings in the cause of virtue and religion. Henry Holcombe was born in Prince Edward county, Virginia, on the 22d of September, 1762. While he was yet a child, his father removed with his family to the state of South Carolina ; ' where, at eleven years of age, he completed, (to use his own words,) " all the education he ever received from a living pre- ceptor.'^'* This fact is worthy of particular notice, when considered in connection with his intellectual endow- ments, and the extent of his acquisitions in after life. Even the poor, and indifferent means of instruction, within his reach, were taken from him, at a period, too early to admit of the presumption, that he could have derived much profit from their employment. Nature must therefore have endowed him with a mind, rich in its own resources, and vigorous, even in its youth, or he could not have extended his researches, as success- fully as he did, into the sublimest and deepest myste- ries that can occupy the attention of rational man. She i(;«5thus bountiful to him. She taught him to think, and led him, even in boy-hood, to fix his thoughts on the noblest of her works. At an age, when her less fa- voured children are amused with toys and trinkets, he delighted to dwell on the grandeur and magnificence of those countless orbs, with which she has filled the immensity of space. Is it not pleasing, here, to trace the 15 correspondence between the nobleness of the objects to which his early attention was directed, and the lofti- ness of his subsequent pursuits ? His youthful mind is found ranging among the planets, and gathering from the contemplation of their splendour, the rudiments of that knowledge, the first principles of that ennobling faith, which, in manhood, bore it far beyond the planets, and fixed its aspirings on a closer acquaintance with theGoDwho made them. His soul seems to have been placed, almost on the very day of its creation, far on- ivard in that track which leads from truth to truth, from wonder to wonder, and from glory to glory, up to the throne of the great Jehovah. — But we must not anticipate our subject, nor forget what our departed friend once was, in thinking of him as he now is. The period of his youth was one of severe trial to our common country. She was just then emerging from a state of dependence on an empire, which had lost sight of her own, and the interests of humanity, in attempting to fasten chains on freemen, and in daring to require, that the noble and the brave should bow the knee at her behest. It was a period in which the souls of your fathers were sorely, and severely tried. Their homes were deserted for the tented field, and their wives and daughters left alone, at the fireside, and at the domestic altar, hoping and fearing, praying for their triumphant return, yet dreading to hear the dis- mal tidings of their discomfiture and death. Your cities and villages were filled with hireling hordes, and throughout this portion of your beloved country, no- thing was heard but the loud alarm of war. 16 It was at this period, so interesting to your fathers, so interesting to you, and to all, whose souls have not been debased by vassalage, that the lofty and indepen- dent spirit of Henry Holcombe first displayed itself. He heard the tale of those wrongs of which his country was complaining, and learned, with mingled emotions of pride and patriotism, that her sons had pledged ^^ their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honour, ''^ t© redress them. At once that fire was kindled in his breast, which, centuries before, had infused into Grecian and Roman bosoms, the soul animating love of freedom. He waited not for the arrival of manhood before he drew his sword, but entered promptly into the service of his country, determined, with every patriot of that momen- tous period, to live free, or die. His ardour and intre- pidity, tempered as they were, by that discretion and soundness of judgment, without which courage is una- vailing, and boldness becomes impetuous rashness, soon raised him to command ; and here, as in every other station in which he was found in after life, he acquitted himself well, and gave the fullest proof that the trust reposed in him by his fellow soldiers, was not misplaced. More than once he led his troop to battle, and as often, was preserved from the winged ball, and the blow aimed at his life. His was not an arm that would be raised in vain. It could force a passage through a host of foes ; for heaven was holding an aegis before him, which no deadly weapon could pene- trate. But it is not as a military chief, exclusively, that we are to contemplate his worth. While an officer in the army of our revolutionary country, he was led to 17 those reflections which eventually inclined him to re' nounce the pomps and vanities of the world, and to seek for happiness in the calm contemplation of reli- gious truth. He had tasted of the cup of earthly pleasure, and found there was bitterness in it. He had pursued the track, to which his natural propensities and passions pointed, and he saw that it would finally lead him to dishonour, and never ending misery. He sought for a path, which would conduct him to something more cheering in its aspect, more attractive in its nature, and he found that which leads up to heaven. He be- came a Christian. Christian! And what does this term imply ? Does it mean a Baptist, or an Episcopa- lian, or a Presbyterian ? God forbid ! The only religion calculated to promote the universal interests of man on earth, and to fit him for fellowship with superior be- ings in the world to come, cannot be contracted with- in the narrow limits to which these terms of man^s cre- ation would confine it. Its scope is far wider, and though there may exist the greatest diversity of senti- ment on points not essential to the preservation of its purity, or the attainment of its grand and ultimate ob- jects ; among those who believe its truths, and who obey its precepts, there will be something found in all to distinguish them from the unchristian world, some- things in common, to show that all are followers of Christ. Yes ! by whatever name you may be called, in what- ever forms you may be pleased to worship the author of this holy religion, if you hwxfeel its ennobling influ- ence, when you approach his throne, if you but present C 18 your petitions in the name of Am on whose mediation you rest your hopes of never ending felicity, you must forget the idle titles by which you are distinguished among men, and banish from your thoughts the recol- lection of your differences. Here, all your names are merged in the high and dignifying epithet. Christian; here you learn, that though the temple of your faith may have a thousand spires, all alike point up to hea- ven, from the smallest, and the plainest, to the most gorgeous and highly finished. It is as a Christian, therefore, and not as a Baptist, we would contemplate the subject of our eulogy. Between the twenty-first and twenty-second yearsof his life, he was united to the church, and immediately received a license, according to its forms, to proclaim to others from the pulpit, the truths, of which he had himself become so thoroughly convinced. As a Chris- tian preacher, he was no less fearless and intrepid, than he had been as a military chief. At the head of his troop he boldly declared, that he had enlisted in the cause of God, and called on those who had shared his perils in defence of the rights of their beloved country, to en- gage with him in a service not opposed to, but higher in its objects, than that, in which some of them had but recently shed their blood, and to which the hearts of all had been devoted. No blush of shame mantled the cheek of the youthful warrior when he made this de- claration, no feeling of timidity trembled at his heart when he made this bold appeal. He who had never blenched from danger in the day of battle, he who had never felt a fear, though his friends were falling round him in the deadly conflict, waged between man and 19 man, could not prove a coivard, no matter what dangers might stare him in the face, no matter what shafts might be aimed against him. The impious taunts of the unrighteous, the scoffs of infidel blasphemers, and the sneers of those who affect to hold heaven in contempt, and mock at all religion, could not deter him from the proinpt performance of his duty. He entered on it with ardour, and pursued it with an industrious and perse- vering earnestness, which did not escape the notice of his Christian brethren. At the age of twenty-two, he was deemed fully wor- thy of being entrusted with the power of performing the ceremonies, and administering the sacraments, pro- vided for by the church ; and from this period, to the termination of his long and useful life, he continued to be a diligent and faithful servant of his God. To be able fully to appreciate the value of his eccle- siastical services in the southern section of our coun- try, we must know something of the state of morality and religion there, on the commencement of his career. It will be found, that there was a deplorable destitution of the means of religious instruction — that but few buildings had been reared for the purpose of public worship, and that these were frequented by but few, while the race course was ahvays thronged ; that in the private retirement of families, cards and dice were resorted to, while the volume of divine inspiration lay untouched upon their shelves ; and that blasphemy, duelling, and dissipation, were not thought unbeconwig accomplishments of gentlemen. Such was the moral condition of that part of South Carolina, in which Dr. Holcombe entered on the performance of his mi- 20 nisterial functions. He left it in a far different state* The ignorant were instructed, the dissolute reclaimed, the wretched rendered happy, and the names of thou- sands enrolled by him on that record of repentant sin- ners, which, we are assured, is copied with delight in heaven., whether it he drawn out on earthy by Catholic, by Protestant, or by Dissenter. From the pulpit and the press, he sent forth, with unremitted diligence and zeal, the declarations of the Deity ; urged upon his countrymen the precepts of the Christian code, and bade defiance to the evil spirits which walk in darkness, and allure, by their syren songs, to certain, and to awful death. His labours, at this period, did not remain unrewarded; for though he had hitherto received no pecuniary recompense for his clerical services, he was honoured by being placed in a situation which the proudest might be justly proud to fill. His fellow citizens, having the fullest confidence in his unshaken integrity, the soundness of his judgment, and the firmness of his patriotism, selected him, as their representative, in that convention which express- ed the sense entertained by South Carolina, of the ex- cellence of the present admirable constitution of the United States. To all who had any agency in the framing or eS' tahlishment of this instrument of human happiness, this charter of American liberty, this monument of re- publican wisdom ; honour will be due from genera- tions yet unborn. The names of those can never be for- gotten, who, not only bared their breasts to the dangers which threatened their country, and drew their swords 21 against the lawless invaders of her soil, but who also enlightened her councils, and fixed her freedom on a foundation, which cannot be shaken, tliough all the red artillery of despotism be levelled at it. Among these^ posterity will find the name of He^nry Hol- COMBE, and it will be revered long after the veil of oblivion has been thrown over the memories of those, whose whole souls are devoted to self elevation, how- ever loudly the voice of popular applause may now ring in their delighted ears. On the return of Dr. Holcombe from Charleston, whither he had gone to attend the meetings, and assist in the deliberations of the South Carolina Convention, he was invited to take the pastoral charge of a Baptist church at the Euhavv, whence he removed in 1795, to the city of Beaufort. Here he continued until 1799, when he removed to the city of Savannah. While at. Beaufort, his pen was not idle, nor his voice silent in the propagation of religious truth, and in the exposure and conviction of the prevailing vices of the place. On the character of his early writings^ it would not become me to pass an opinion. They are chiefly on those doctrinal and controversial points, which it is the province of the learned and enlightened theologian to discuss. It may, however, be stated, as an evidence of their value, and the value of his pulpit labours, at this early period, that they were followed by a very strik- ing and unequivocal increase of that interest in reli- gion, which was before, scarcely perceptible among his fellow citizens. Temples which had been before 22 erected for the worship of Almighty God, were en- larged, while others were seen rising, where the path of the Indian, or the resting place of the idolater had been. The prajer of the penitent was heard where once the maledictions of the impious had been profane- ly uttered, and praises ascended to the name of him., who was the great first cause of all things, where once the loud and boisterous laugh of the midnight reveller had rent the air. These were changes, for which all the good must be grateful, no matter in what remote corner of the world they may occur. Think you, it is then idle thus to dwell upon them ? Go, if such be your opinion — go, and visit the mother, whose tender bosom has been wrung with anguish, by the profligacy of a darling son ; whose pillow has been wet, night after night, with tears of sorrow, and whose aching heart has been almost broken by his unkind and cruel treatment. Ask her., what her feelings were, when this son threw himself upon her bosom, and prayed forgiveness for his past unkindness ; when he kneeled with her, before the throne of mercy, and with devout and pious fervour, mingled his petitions to Almighty God, with hers. She will tell you, that her tears were dried away ; that pleasure took the place of pain in her maternal breast ; that a ray of celestial love had beam- ed upon her soul. She will tell you too, that such changes as her heart had undergone, from misery and anguish to happiness and joy, should not be lightly treated, in speaking the praises of him, by whom they were effected, as an instrument of heaven. But our time will not permit us to dwell longer on that part of the life of our reverend friend, which was passed in 23 South Carolina. A wider field of usefulness, than any in which he had hitherto laboured, was opened before him in Savannah. He was invited in the year 1 799, to occupy the pul- pit of a church, erected in that city by Baptists, but completed, and occupied by Presbyterians. In accept- ing this invitation, he was influenced only by a desire to promote, still farther than he had done, the happi- ness of his fellow beings. In his mind, it was no ob- jection, therefore, to his acceptance of it, that it was made by a congregation of Presbyterians. He knew, that they were aiming at the same great object to which his life was devoted ; that they were travelling in the same highway to heaven as himself. They knew that he would advance the grand interests of Christianity among them, and they forgot that his opinions were not in all points, the same as theirs. It is pleasing to remark, this mutual surrender of sectarian feeling, between this Christian Baptist preacher, and these Christian Presbyterian people. The union between Dr. Holcombe, and the congre- gation here noticed, continued until the year 1802, when a Baptist church was organised in Savannah, of which he was unanimously elected pastor ; and for which, he performed the duties of this important station, with fidelity and success, for several years. During the period of his residence in Savannah, he engaged in a variety of pursuits, in addition to those of his immediate station and profession, all equally worthy of his noble soul, and all alike deserving of our plaudits. The limits we have assigned to our- selves, will not, however, allow us to notice more than part of these. 24 Previously to his arrival in Georgia he had display- ed a deep and lively interest in the extension of human knowledge, which was not extinguished at any subse- quent period of his life. Though he had himself been destitute of those means of enriching and improving his mind, which are supplied by schools and colleges, he was ever ready to enter actively into any measure, cal- culated to promote the welfare of institutions, tending to the advancement of science and of letters. He was not one of those, who vaunting themselves on having been self-taught, cast contempt on learning, and proud- ly affect to despise the culture of the mind. He felt that " knowledge was power," in whatever manner it be acquired, and was solicitous that it should be extend- ed to the whole family of mankind, by every method which human art or human industry could furnish. We have no reason, therefore, to pass over his want of scholastic education, with timid brevity. Rather do we feel disposed to boast of it, when we find it afford- ing so strong an evidence of the native nobleness of soul, already so conspicuously displayed in him on whom our encomiums are bestowed. In those who are versed in classic lore, who have been loaded with the treasures of philosophy, and who have, from earli- est youth, been engaged in gathering flowers from Parnassus, a spirit of devotion to the cause of literature and science might be looked for. They only pay a debt to learning, when they step forward to advance its interests, and to enlarge its limits. Those who have received little from its ample stores, and who yet strive to extend its benign and invigorating influence, do 7nore, They, and they only, confer a favour on science, and to 25 them, therefore, peculiar honour is due. How much more highly then, should they he esteemed, than those who return to science, for the bounties she has heaped upon them, little else than empty boastings of her charms ; boastings as often the offspring of inflated vanity, as of a conviction of her intrinsic excellence ? For proofs of the justice of the claims we have laid in favour of our departed friend, we refer to the honours bestowed on him by a remote and distinguished univer- sity, in addition to those marks of high respect and re- gard which were conferred on his name by two south- ern colleges, as much indebted tb him for their exis- tence, as to any other individual in the states where they were founded, and in which they are now flour- ishing. The interest he displayed in the instruction of the youth of Georgia and South Carolina, during his residence in these states, was not unaccompanied by sympathy for those who were destitute of the physical comforts of life. The wretched orphan who had been left to wander unprotected through the streets, depend- ing for subsistence on the daily alms that could be gath- ered from the benevolent, and often receiving nothing more than cruel scorn from the selfish and iron heart- ed, was the object of his especial care and kindness. Through his exertions, many of these helpless beings were collected together, clothed and fed, and supplied with the means of providing for their own future sup- port and elevation in society. In this work of charity, he enlisted ihose who know best how to do good, and who are ever among the first to do it. Mothers^ who felt that their own children might one day become orphans, and be thrown without D 26 protection or shelter on the world, could not be slow in listening to the orphan's cry. They gathered round your generous friend, and with their purses and en- thusiastic ardour, accomplished the objects he had with so much eloquence and earnestness impressed on their attention. The poor and despised sons and daughters of Africa, held in ignominious servitude by their fellow men, also found a friend in him, whose soul was ever open to the poor man's plea. In a section of our country, on which the evils of un- natural slavery were entailed, it was a task as delicate as it was difficult, to .benefit the servant without put- ting the life and property of the master at fearful haz- ard. In attempting its performance, he however per- ceived and adopted that course which alone was safe, and by which alone the desired object could be attain- ed. He laboured to diffuse the light of natural and religi- ous truth among these degraded children of oppression ; and though violent and dangerous opposition was made by many who had not yet learned that knowledge is the only certain safeguard of a people ; the wise and the good were with him in his benevolent exertions, and he accomplished much. He did not, as some wild and mad enthusiasts have done, endeavour to excite the slumbering passions of the slave and rouse him to indignation against his master. He did not harangue them on the horrors of their thraldom and its barbar- ous injustice, nor did he bid them to stand forth, shake off their shackles, and declare that they were free. From his very soul, he wished them to be so, hut Jirst, he wished them to be fitted for their freedom. 27 The object at which he aimed, was not the abolition of that slavery by which their hands were bound and their feet fettered, but of that by which their souls had been inthraled, not merely the liberation of their bodies from the servile yoke imposed on them ; but the eman- cipation of their minds from the servitude of igno- rance, and the gloom of moral and religious darkness. And what is freedom but an empty name, where there is no religion, no knowledge, no virtue ? Let us ask ourselves ; we who boast that the soil of Pennsylvania holds no slaves, toe who are sighing for the removal from every portion of our beloved country, of the foul- est stain that can darken the escutcheon of a nation ; let us ask ourselves whether we have done all that we should have done, to render the slave f?ee indeed ! I fear it will be answered, that though we have abolish- ed slavery from our soil, in 7iame, its hideous j^^w/e still stalks among us. If those children of Africa who are crowded together in our suburbs, are still ignorant and vicious, and destitute of all religion ; in what are they better than their brethren, who are elsewhere held in bondage ? We may boast that we have made them free, but alas ! they feel not the soul reviving influence of freedom. If we have not thrown upon their minds the lights of reason and revelation, they will stand be- fore us only as monuments of our gross and unpardon- able inconsistency, and of the shameful mockery we have practised on the names of independence and eman- cipation, in daring to call them freemen. You will pardon this extension of my observations on a portion of our subject, in which perhaps I may display too deep an interest. I know not any method of doing 28 honour to the name of Dr. Holcombe, which can more effectually excite jour admiration of his virtues, than by showing, as in the case before us, that ive have neglected to practise them, and by pointing out the consequences of this neglect. He will be remembered by the blacks of Georgia, who were taught by him to revere their God, to be obedient to their masters, and to love each other ; long after the wretched, miserable slaves of vice, who throng our streets, and fill the wards of our infirmaries, have forgotten their liberators from the bondage of the body. But there were other duties performed by him, no less important, than the instruction of the unlettered, and the protection of the poor and unsheltered. The extreme severity of the penal code of Georgia attract- ed his attention, and drew him to reflections and exer- tions alike characteristic of the philanthrophic feelings of his heart ; the soundness of his judgment, and the in- dependent boldness of his spirit. The shocking spec- tacles of public execution, so frequently presented to the citizens of that state, and the frequent dispropor- tion between the punishment, and the offence for which it was inflicted, were portrayed by his pen, in colours calculated to awaken a deep and laudable disgust of the one, and to convince the reason of the gross injus- tice and evil tendency of the other. Looking to Pennsylvania, he found that in her penal statutes, justice was mingled with mercy, and the sacrifice of life avoided, without the smallest diminu- tion of that dread of plenary punishment, which it is the objoct of the law to awaken in the mind of the evil doer. He saw that the principles on which her 29 code was founded, partook of the merciful spirit of the great Lawgiver of the Christian world ; and that they must, therefore, be capable of universal application. Sedulously did he labour to extend them to the state, for which he had already done so much solid and last- ing good, by rendering her sons more virtuous, her neglected poor less wretched, and her slaves more happy, and consequently more obedient. During his residence within her territory, he neglect- ed no opportunity, (as we have seen,) of advancing the interests of religion and virtue, and of suppressing vice and immorality. But one additional evidence of this shall be presented to you, before we accompany our reverend friend to this city. If it be true, (and there are none to dispute it,) that the hatred of the vicious, and the opposition of the irreligious, bear a direct proportion to the energy with which the truth is sustained, and the fearlessness with which virtue is cherished and extended ; Dr. Holcombe is entitled to a high rank among such as have made these their objects, for he was reviled and persecuted for their sake. Not his peace and his happiness only, but his life also, was aimed at. The bare mention of the horrid design planned for his destruction must awaken the liveliest emotion in your minds, for you re- flect at once on the loss you would have sustained, had it prospered in the execution. You shudder at the mere notice of an attempt, which, if successful, would have put to silence that voice, on whose impres- sive tones you have so often hung with pleasure and delight. The midnight hour had just been struck, when your beloved friend was roused from his slum- 30 bers by the loud knocking of an assassin at his dooiv The mild accents of one who asks a favour, were em- ployed, to disguise the rankling malignity of the mur- derer, who wished to lure him from his home, that his deadly intent might be executed on him. The /«e, however, that tell tale of the designing, betrayed his purpose, and proved the salvation of him, who, but for this, might have been that night the victim of fiendish rage. A request that he would go a short distance to perform a marriage ceremony, with the promise of a handsome fee, was accompanied by the assertion, that midnight was yet at two hours distance. This was known to be false, and compliance with the request refused ; when, at once, the arch hypocrite stood forth in his true character, blaspheming God, and threaten- ing vengeance against his servant. It was not long before another effort was made to effect his destruction, by the same band of ruffians, whose agent had thus failed in his attempt to destroy his useful life. Returning homewards from the wor- ship of his maker, with two youthful sons by his side, a musket was snapped at his breast, at so short a dis- tance from him, that its fire rolled at his feet, and its pointed bayonet was grasped by his extended hand. Even at this fearful moment, with more than one mur- derous weapon raised against him, he trembled not, for the panoply of conscious rectitude was round him. With a voice that shook the souls of his dastardly as- sailants to the very centre, he questioned them on their intent, and forced from their coward lips, their suppliant prayers for pardon. Such are the triumphs of the good man over his adversaries, even though he meet them unarmed, and in their own loved darkness. 31 Time will not permit us to remain longer in a field so rich in proofs of that greatness and magnanimity of soul, that ardour in the cause of God, and that energy in repelling and disarming vice, which it is our pleasure, as it is our honour, to eulogize in our departed friend. After having laboured to promote the happiness, and add to the virtue of the citizens of South Carolina and Georgia, for more than thirty years; after having seen a literary and scientific institution rising in each of these states, under his, and the patronage of other wise and good men; after having completed that work, which had been set apart for him in heaven, to be ac- complished in the South ; he accepted an invitation from the First Baptist Church of Philadelphia to visit this city, where he arrived in September, 1811. But a short time was required to convince those by whom he had been invited hither, of his ability as a preacher, and his fitness in all other respects to fill the station of Pastor of this old and highly respectable church of God. He was accordingly called by an unanimous vote, not only of her members, but of those of the congregation, to occupy this important post ; and he complied with the request, with that Christian modesty and diffidence, which had ever been a charac- teristic feature of his mind. After paying a rapid visit to the South, parting with his numerous friends in that quarter, and receiving from the church of Savannah, as strong a testimonial of his usefulness and worth, as man could give to man;* he returned to Philadelphia with his family, on the 1st * A copy of this letter will be found at the end of the rulogiiini. of January, 1812, and entered immediately on the per- formance of his pastoral duties. It is /lere, my friends and fellow citizens, I feel most sensibly the weight and difficuhy of the task I have undertaken ; not because I fear that your own know- ledge of his character and services will lead you to charge me with exaggeration in the praise I may be- stow, but because that knowledge must convince you, still more forcibly than you have been yet convinced, of my inadequacy to do justice to my subject. I feel, however, emboldened to proceed by the re- flection, that what I may utter may perhaps be useful, as well as interesting to those, (if (here be any such in this assembly,) who do not know him as he should be known ; or who knowing, cannot appreciate his worth. To this end, I shall endeavour to place him before you, as conspicuously as my feeble powers will admit, in his various characters, as the Pastor of a Christian church ; as a public Preacher, and writer, and as a man. The relation subsisting between the pastor of a church and its several members, is one of the most in- teresting kind. A mutual compact is entered into, for the performance of certain defined duties, the neglect of which, on either part, is deemed deserving of re- proach and reprehension. There must be a reciprocal giving and receiving of aid and counsel between the two, in all cases of doubt, difficulty, or embarrassment; and a constant interchange, not of the cold civilities and heartless formalities of the world, but of all those tender and endearing offices, which the warmest and 33 sincerest love can suggest. They must feel towards each other, as brethren, acknowledging the same hea- venly father, enjoying the same rich inheritance, and looking forward to the same perpetuity of bliss in that eternal world, in which their brotherhood can neither be broken nor disturbed. It is their duty to supply his wants, and to place him above those cares and per- plexities of life which would harrass his mind, and un- fit it for the solemn and sublime contemplation of that important subject, in which his whole soul should be absorbed. It istheir duty too, in the hour o( his sickness, when his energies are failing, and the lamp of his life is quivering in its socket, to watch at his bedside, to smooth his pillow, to present to his parched and tremu- lous lips the cool and refreshing draught, and to cheer and console his weeping and disconsolate family ; when finally, the breath of life has ceased to expand his breast, and the fluttering pulse to beat at his ex- hausted heart. But why dilate on duties which every member of every'Christian church must know, and the neglect of which, all that hear me must be con- scious, will call down upon such as are guilty of it, the just and indignant reprobation, even of those who boast not that they are under the sweet influence of Christian love? In return for these kind offices due to the Pastor, much is required at his hands. He is expected to caution the feeble minded against the fascinations of worldly pleasure, by wiiich they are too often beguiled into conduct unworthy of the Christian character; to dissipate the doubts of those who waver in their faith, and to pour into the minds of all connected with him, E 34 perppfiial supplies of those solid and unanswerable ar- guments, on which their holy religion has been built. It is his province, also, to heal the broken spirit ; to carry comfort and consolation to the poorest, in the hour of their need; and to intercede with the God of mercy, in behalf of the wretched sufferer, whose path through life has been planted with the piercing thorns of misfortune. And did not he, whose name is now held up before you for your veneration — did not he perform all these interesting duties? To you who are members of the church, with which he was connected for the last twelve years of his existence, I may boldly appeal for an answer to this question. Many of you have been the children of affliction ; many of you have felt the agonies of disease ; many of you have lost the dearest objects of your earthly love. Tell me, did he ever hold back his counsel when you asked it of him? Did he ever refuse to visit the chamber of your suffer- ings, when he knew that you were confined to it by sickiu^ss ? Did he ever stand aloof when death had en- tered your doors, and when your aching hearts were sighing for the presence of some kind friend to allay their anguish, and revive their sinking powers ? — Oh ! no, he did not. His tears were ever mingled with yours, when you were in sorrow and affliction, and the smile of sincere and affectionate congratulation played upon his lips, when you were happy. His tender sympathies were with you, when you mourned, and when you triumphed over the difficulties and dangers that beset your path, he also felt the pleasures of a triumph. Not only as individuals, but as a body, you have had obstacles to overcome, and dangers to en- 35 counter, of no ordinary magnitude ; and in the midst of ally he was steadfast to your cause, for it was the cause of truth. Did he desert you when your inde- pendence as a church was rudely assailed, and when the storm that gathered round you, seemed ready to burst upon your heads, and rend asunder the bonds by which you were held together ? Was he regardless of his duty, or your welfare, when he declared that the pulpit to which you had called him, should not be polluted by the foot of one, against whom, not only the charge, but the proofs had been advanced, of a crime, as foul as any to be found in the long, black catalogue of human vice ?* No ! alike regardless of the numbers, and the loud vocifera- tions of his angry opponents, he was faithful to the trust reposed in him. He led you victoriously to the station you now so happily and so honourably occupy, * The case here referred to was one of such general notoriety, that no explanation was deemed necessary to prevent the erroneous appli- cation of what is found in the text. To all but men whose friendship must ever do more injury to those on whom it is conferred, by its ex- treme irritability, than it can do service by its steadiness and warmth, it must be obvious, that the individual here brought forward was, the Baptist Preacher, who a few years since, fled from the frowns of an in- jured church, and an outraged community of Christians ; wandered for a time through our Western states ; returned to this city, was im- mured in prison at the suit of the national government, solicited, with- out success, the visits of those who had once been the violent and per- tinacious advocates of his innocence ; addressed himself to Dr. Hol- combe, was promptly waited on by him during his confinement, con- fessed his guilt, declared his penitence, gave his unqualified testimony to the correctness and justice of Dr. H.'s conduct towards him, and in part, through his kind exertions, obtained his liberty. 36 as an independent church,— « church whose testimony in his favour will outweigh all the idle clamour that envy or jealousy may raise against his name. May you long enjoy the blessings that so richly flowed upon you from his unwearied and invaluable labours, and in their enjoyment, may you never forget the debt of gratitude you owe to him, nor cease to cherish your present veneration of his worth! As a public Preacher, Dr. Holcombe held a high and honourable rank among his brethren of the same voca- tion. " Without seeking the elegancies of composi- tion, he rose to a surprising energy and ease of expres- sion, gave forth his many thoughts, in a clear, nervous diction, and when warmed with his subject, would lead his admiring audience, the willing captives of his ar- dent rhetoric along with him, to feast on those trans- ports, with which genius and piety could supply the attentive mind." Is it necessary for me to add any thing to this de- scription, from the pen of one whose learning and piety are now enriching the same field, in which our lament- ed friend once laboured so successfully ? All you who have heard him can attest its truth. He was indeed— " A Preacher, such as Paul, Were he on earth, would hear, approve and own — " for he was " grave, sincere ; In doctrine uncorrupt ; in language plain, And plain in manner ; decent, solemn, chaste, And natural in gesture ; much impressed Himself, as conscious of his awful charge, And anxious mainly that the flock he fed Might feel it too ; affectionate in look, And tender in address, as well becomes A messenger of grace to guilty men. * * * 37 By him the violated law spoke out Its thunders ; and by him, in strains as sweet As angels use, the gospel whispered peace." What portraiture of our beloved Preacher can we give, more striking in its resemblance, than this with which the poet has supplied us ? In the writings of Dr. Holcombe, we find the same chaste simplicity ; the same perspicuity, and the same nervous energy, which characterized his preaching. He had the same ends in view in both, and in both he was eminently successful in fixing the attention and convincing the reason of his auditors and readers. In all that has issued from his pen, even those who differ from him in opinion, can discover a spirit of de- votion to the cause of truth, and a deep and lively in- terest in the welfare of his fellow men. He neither preached nor wrote for himself, nor was it because he believed that he persuaded others to believe. He wished only a calm and dispassionate examination of his principles, and was ever willing, as many of you have often heard him to declare, that both he and they should be cast from you, if found at variance with the oracles of God. In the series of lectures presented to the public, un- der the title of Primitive Theology, all that we have here assumed, will be discovered. In the manner in which he there approaches the judgments of his readers, the greatest liberality towards those who differ from him, will be found blended with manly boldness in de- fence and support of his own honest convictions on the subjects of which he treats. On such of these as are peculiarly of a theological character, it is not my in- tention to offer any observations. 38 ♦ There is, however, one principle avowed and de- fended by him, not only in the work referred to, but elsewhere, which cannot be overlooked in a sketch of his distinguished character. It is well known to most of you, that Dr. Holcombe, after having believed and acted on a contrary doctrine for the major portion of his life, became convinced, aiid declared his conviction, that neither the precepts nor example of Christ could be shown to justify the waging of war in any form between man and man. For a knowledge of the process of reasoning by which he ar- rived at this conclusion, and of the facts and argu- ments he employed to defend it, I refer you to his pub- lished writings on the subject, while I endeavour briefly to show that the course he pursued in this par- ticular, added new lustre to his virtues, gave new dig- nity to his character as a Christian Preacher, and fur- nished new proofs of his fitness for that paradise, into which we are assured, he was most joyfully admitted when he bade adieu to earth. In his endeavours to propagate the principles of peace, and to diffuse among his fellow men the feelings of universal love, his devotion to his country burned as brightly as it had done, when he drew forth his sword in her defence. With him it was religion, and not the blind and bigot policy of a party hostile to the measures of the higher powers, that led him to urge his fellow citizens to cultivate the arts of peace, and cease to in- dulge in deadly hatred of their fellow men. Do you ask whether those principles which tend to promote harmony between individuals and nations, are compati- hle with your duty to your country, or the support you 39 owe to civil govprnment ? Consult your history, and in that page on which the name of Penn is recorded, you will find an answer to your question. Was it the sword that forced the hostile Indian to retire from these shores ? Was it the terrific thunder of artillery, that drove him to the mountain, and protected your fathers from the awful out pourings of his vengeance ? There was no call for vengeance here, for he had sustained no wrong. He proved, though alas ! Christians cannot believe it, that kindness will be repaid with kindness, and that those who arm not against their fellow men, need not feel fearful of their arms. But it is not my purpose to reply to those, who look on war as one of those wonderful anomalies in the mo- ral world, which have so long borne the unintelligible title of necesssary evils, and who treat as visionary speculators and mad enthusiasts in a hopeless cause, all who aim to lessen its horrors and prevent its dire recurrence. Before such as can conceive of no true patriotism but that which displays itself in arming and equipping the 6oflfy for the fight, it would indeed be 'dhope- less cause to attempt to prove, that our departed friend was an honest patriot. Before you, however, by whom he was so well known, I may fearlessly hazard the bold assertion, that no man of his profession, within the wide range of our free and admirable institutions, knew better their intrinsic value, or did more to preserve their pris- tine purity. Much might be added on this interesting branch of our subject ; but I forbear. Ask yourselves which Christian preacher is most worthy of your ho- nours; he who strives to fire your souls with martial ar- dour, who lends the aid of his eloquence to those who 40 summon you to arm against your brother's life, and kindles by the power of his enchanting rhetoric, those passions in your bosoms, which lead you to de- light in carnage ? Or, he who labours to inspire your souls with love, not only for your friends, but also for your foes, who seeks to tranquilize the angry feelings of your nature, and to substitute in your hearts the senti- ments of pure and boundless benevolence, for those wild and stormy emotions which have been roused by the shrill trumpet and the spirit stirring drum ? Which of these most resembles the mild and merciful author of your religion ? Which will shine most brightly in the hour of approaching dissolution, when the heart must sicken at the " pomp and circumstance of war," and its breaking chords must cease to vibrate to its loud alarms ? Which will be extolled the highest by those countless hosts, who were made the heralds of "j»eace on earth, and good will to man,'''' and who are now filling the eternal world with their sweet harmonious mea- sures ? Ask yourselves these questions, calmly and so- berly, and we fear not, but your answers will do ho- nour to our lamented friend. If we view Dr. Holcombe in the retirement of pri- vate life, we shall find no less to admire in him, than we have already seen in his various public characters. He was a tender and devoted husband, a kind, indulgent and affectionate father, and as a friend, unwavering and ardent in his attachment. To the poor he was bountiful to the full measure of his resources', and to all men, no matter what their faith, their colour or condition, he was courteous and liberal, for he felt that they were all his brethren. His favourite maxim, ''never to 41 wound the feelings of a friend^ never to make an ene- my, but for the. truth'' s sake, and never to resent aninju- ry,^'' is worthy of being registered in all our memories. He acted on it uniformly, and during the period of his last illness, gave frequent evidence, that his soul v»^as not only enjoying peace ivithin itself, but that it was also at peace with all mankind. And must we noiv approach his dying bed, and wit- ness the prostration of those energies which had so long been active in doing good? We cannot do it. The grateful fervour with which he grasped the hand that had raised the reviving draught to his lips ; the placid smile that played on his countenance, and the mild and benignant glance that beamed from his eye on those who stood by him in the hour of his final affliction ; the calm composure, and the unshrinking fearlessness with which he met the approach of death ; and the joy that seemed to thrill through his enraptured soul, on finding that he came divested of his terrors, to conduct him to eternal bliss ; these all rush upon our feelings, and excite emotions in our bosoms, to which no lan- guage can give utterance. On the morning of the 22d of the last month, (May) his eyes lost their lustre, and were closed on all terres- trial objects; the colour forsook his cheeks, and the pulse of life ceased to beat at his heart. He sunk into that deep and lasting sleep, from which none on earth awaken. And is lie dead indeed ? No ! my friends, he is yet living. Though you have clothed his noble and majestic form in the mantle of the grave, and though the cold damp turf is pressing on it, your friend still lives. He lives m the enjoyment of endless feli- E 42 city, in the society of angels and of saints ; he lives in the immediate presence of his God. May he also live in your hearts, that when your spirits are called to quit the tenements they now inhabit, they may meet him at the gate of heaven, and be conducted to a participa- tion in that pure and unalloyed felicity which he is this moment enjoying. May you especially, who revere his memory, and who have this day, by my feeble voice, paid the tribute of your veneration to hi^ virtues; may 2/ow be ever mind- ful of the precepts he so often delivered in your hear- ing, and ever careful to imitate his bright example. A brighter could not be placed before you, among all the living or the departed members of the human fa- mily. You have shown that you were his friends, as he was ever yours. May you so live on earth, that when you are summoned from it, to appear before the dread tribunal of Almighty God, he may not there be ashamed to own himself your friend ! 43 The following is the testimonial referred to, (page S\,)andwe deem it worthy of entire insertion. " The Savannah Baptist church in Georgia, in Conference Convened on the 9th of August, 1811, to her sister, the First Baptist Church in the city Philadelphia, sends greeting : — Dearly beloved in the Lord, Our dearly beloved brother, Henry Holcombe, our late venerable and highly esteemed Pastor, having applied for his dismission from us, to your enlightened body, he having received your call to become your Pastor, which he inclines to believe and '^^ Sincerely hope is the call of God, we cheerfully resign hira to you by the will of God. We want words to express his worth. As a Christian, he is meek and humble, benevolent and humane, fervent in prayer, aiming singly at the glory of God, and ever promoting the interest of true and undefiled religion. As a minister of the gospel, faithful in watching over the flock of Christ, patient in tribulation, holy in conversation, easy of access, willing to communicate, zealous for the truths of God, exhorting, admonishing, and rebujcing with all authority. He most earnestly contends for the faith once delivered to the saints : he is ardent in study, unwearied in diligence, and greatly beloved by us and in all places where he has preached the word, which have been many, and never in vain. In friendship, he is warmly attached, and ever ready to put the most fa- vourable construction on the words and actions even of his enemies. God has bestowed on him a great mind, and possessed him of many and singular talents, gifts and graces, and every way qualified him for great purposes in the ministry of the gospel. But we are not able to describe the excellencies that combine to form his most valuable, rare, and singular character. We have the most abundant reason to bless and thank God for his work and labours of love among us, for the last twelve years ; and may God bless him to you, as he has blessed hira to us. May his health be preserved, and your aflections be ever increasing and mutual. We do most heartily bid him God speed. Brethren, fare you well. Signed, by order and in behalf > JOHN SHICK, Deacon. of the whole church, 5 ELIAS ROBERT, Clerk. 44 The high expectations which this letter was calculated to awaken, were not disappointed ; as is shown by a circumstance not mention- ed in the eulogium, but well worthy of notice. After Dr. Holcombe had been performing theduties of Pastor of the First Baptist Church in Philadelphia for some time, the church of Savannah, feeling that she had sustained a very serious loss on the termination of his union with her, invited him to return and ticcupy again the station he had so honourably filled as her spiritual guide. This invitation was laid be- fore those for whom he was labouring in this city, and drew from them an expression of their attachment to his person ; the high respect and veneration in which they held his character, and the exalted sense they entertained of the great value of his services; not less just and warm than that presented above. It was signed by order, and in behalf of the whole church, by Messrs. Joseph Keen, Levi Garrett, Wm. Duncan, John M'Leod, Hugh Gourley, Jared Sexton, and Joseph Moulder, names, which would alone entitle it to publication in this place, did not its length forbid it. We are compelled also to forego the pleasure of recording the more recent testimonials of gratitude, re- spect, and love bestowed on our lamented friend. They were flow- ers strewed along his path as he travelled down to the grave, and they are now casting back their fragrance on those, by whose hands they were spread before his feet.