[I' <<"! ! iililiili: ■ iMii;;' -;.'; ,,';i!i if;, ,.■' :ii miy':-m H iiiiiiisiiSiir i i-]i'ilii:''i;'iljlt'^! 11.:'' !'''i'll":^ •■ J'' ^0 /0''~O lAd-^^/^ THE CLERGY OF AMERICA: ANECDOTES ILLUSTRATIVE OF THE CHARACTER OP MINISTERS OF RELIGION IN THE UNITED STATES. BY JOSEPH BELCHER, D.D., Autlior of " Scriptaxe Narratives," "Married Life," &c., ice., and editor of "The Complete Works of Andre-w Fuller" and " Robert Hall," &c.; &c. PHILADELPHIA : J. B, LIPPINCOTT & CO. 184'J. Entered, according to act of Congress, in the year 1848, by JOSEPH BELCHER, D.D.. in the office of the Clerk of the District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. 8TERE0TTPED BT R. P. MOORIDOE. PRINTED BT WM. S. TOUNO. PREFACE. The facts placed before the reader of this volume, are not only pleasing to the fancy, and interesting as calling up manv delightful and solemn reminiscences, but they are important as materials of History. They show the character of the age, illustrate nature and religion, and supply those details of kno^»- ledge which cherish the habits of induction : without these there can be no certain philosophy. In the compilation of this work, far more labour and pains have been expended than the vast majority of its readers would suppose ; but its editor has been well repaid by the happiness he has enjoyed in going through the biography of so many eminent men, at once ornaments to the church and blessings to the world. No part of the globe has furnished brighter specimens of what Christian ministers should be, than these United States. It is scarcely necessary to say much either of the materials of which the volume is composed, or the manner in wliich they are classified. The former, the editor believes, are all true ; and, as to the latter, he has done what he could so to arrange the facts as to please and to profit his readers. At all events, here is a volume perfectly unique — unlike every thing else in the language. VI PREFACE. In carrying out his design, the editor has found materials accumulate on his hands far beyond the capabilities of a single volume. Whether the other collections shall see the light, remains in a very great degree for the readers of this volume to decide. He has contemplated somewhat even beyond this, and would be happy to furnish one or two volumes of import- ant and valuable specimens of American pulpit eloquence. Time will decide as to whether these projected volumes may hereafter be called for and published. The Editor has now only to commend his volume to the blessinor of God and the friendship of the Reader. PHiiADEtPHiA, July, 184& CONTENTS. PREPARATION OF THE CLERGY FOR PUBLIC DUTIES. Rev. William Robinson, Rev. Hugh Knox, Rev. Mr. A. Rev. Mr. Ravencross, A New England Divine, Two Clergymen, An Able Minister, Six Young Ministers, Several Young Ministers, Rev. J. W. James, • A Young Clergyman, A New England Clergyman, Rev. Mr. Polk, Rev. S. Nightingale, Rev. S. Stoddard, Rev. Dr. M'Cartee, . A Pious Bishop, A Zealous Minister, Rev. W. Cooper, A New England Minister, Rev. Dr. West, An Old Clergyman, The Beecher Family, Rev. Joseph Eastburn, Rev. Mr. C, Rev. President Edwards, Rev. Dr. Dwight, Several Young Clergymen, Rev. Mr. Japhet, Rev. Dr. Patten, Rev. W. Tennent, Rev. S. Blythe, An Indian Preacher, Rev. Charles Beatty, • • • * PAGE 17 18 22 22 23 25 27 28 30 33 34 35 36 37 38 38 40 4U 41 42 42 44 44 46 47 48 48 49 53 54 54 57 58 5'J vm COJfTENTS. Rev. President Davies, Rev. Dr. Rodgers, Rev. Dr. Harris, Rev. Dr. King, Rev. Dr. King and Rev. H. Lyman, A Clergyman, An Indian Missionary, Several Clergymen, A Young Minister, Rev. Mr. Willey, Rev. Dr. Griffin, Several Eminent Clergymen, Rev. E. T. Taylor, Rev. Dr. Payson, Rev. Dr. Strong, 60 61 63 64 65 68 69 71 71 72 73 74 76 78 7i) INCIDENTS CONNECTED WITH THE PULPIT LABOURS OF THE CLERGY. Rev. Dr. Rodgers, Rev. Mr. S., A Clergyman in Indiana, Rev. J. Kennaday, Rev. Dr. Griffin, Rev. W. Robinson, A Clergyman in Maine, An Indian Missionary, An Impressive Preacher, Rev. Dr. Payson, Rev. E. T. Taylor, Rev. Sylvester Larned, Rev. Dr. Fisk, Two Clergymen, Rev. Dr. Bedell, Rev. Dr. Miller, Rev. T. Hooker, A Forcible Preacher, Rev. Dr. Staughton, Rev. Dr. Humphrey, A Faithful Minister, Rev. W. Tennent, Rev. Bradford Homer, Rev. Mr. Howe, Rev. Dr. Lathrop, Rev. Dr. Beecher, An Effective Clergyman, Rev. Dr. Mercer, A New England Clergyman, Rev. T. Porter, Rev. Mr. Rawson, • • • • • • 9 • • 83 87 88 89 90 94 95 96 103 104 106 107 108 109 109 111 111 112 113 115 116 117 120 122 122 123 124 125 130 130 131 CONTENTS. Rev. Dr. Welsh, An Aged Clergyman, Rev. John Sunday, Rev. George Whitefield, Rev. Mr. Bennett, Rev. Dr. Hitchcock, A Minister in New England, Rev. Mr, S., Rev. Dr. Stillman, An Eminent Clergyman, Rev. Mr. Gillespie, Rev. Mr. Moody, Rev. Mr. Willard, Rev. Mr. Truair, . • . Rev. Dr. Waddell, Peter, the Indian Preacher, Rev. Z. Adams, A Clergyman in Massachusetts, A Good Preacher, Rev. Mr. S., Rev. President Edwards, A Methodist Clergyman, An Eccentric Clergyman, Rev. President Davies, Rev. Renjamin Harvey, A New England Clergyman, Colored Preachers, iev. Dr. J. M. Mason, iev. Dr. F., lev. Mr. Stevens, . ilev. B. Sfandford, .Several Clergymen, Rev. Professor Sheppard, Rev. Dr. Stanford, . x\. Universalist Minister, Rev. John Eliot, Rev. John Gano, A Clergyman, A Practical Preacher, Rev. Luther Rice, Rev. John Summerfield, A Young Clergyman, DEVOTEDNESS OF CLERGYMEN TO THEIR LABOURS. Jrev. John Brock, . • • • • Rev. President Davies, . . . • • Bishop Griswold, . . . . • A Missionary in New York, . . . • 189 190 191 193 CX>MT£NT8. llev. S. Stoddard, Rev. S. H. Stearns, Rev. G. Whitefield, A City Minister, Rev. S. Allen, Rev. Dr. J. M. Mason, Rev. President Edwards, Rev. John Eliot, Rev. Dr. Rodgers, Rev. Dr. Manning, Rev. D. Tins ley, Rev. Dr. Coke, . , Rev. Dr. Chaplin, Rev. Dr. Rice, Rev. Dr. Payson, Rev. John Shepherd, Rev. Dr. Byles, Rev. Dr. Dwight, Rev. Dr. Nott, A Popular Minister, Rev. Dr. Porter, A Missionary to the Indians, Rev. Dr. Beecher, A Devoted Pastor, Rev. Dr. Mather, Rev. Mr. Bailey, Rev. Mr. Backus, Rev. Dr. Mercer, Bishop Asbury, INTERCOURSE OF THE CLERGY WITH EACH OTHER Rev. Dr. Rodgers, : Thoughtless Ministers, Rev. Dr. Stanford, Rev. Dr. Harris, A Minister in New Hampshire, Rev. Gideon Hawley, A Minister, Rev. Joseph Craig, A Universalist Preacher, Rev. Dr. Livingston, Two Clergymen, A Baptist Clergyman, Itev. Dr. Emmons, Rev. Dr. Dwight, Rev. Dr. Scudder, Rev. Thomas Brown, Rev. Dr. Taylor, CONTENTS. XI Rev. Lemuel Haynes, Rev. Dr. Nettleton, Aged Clergymen, Two Clergymen, Rev. Dr. Furman, Rev. Dr. Pond, Rev. Drs. Cooper and Chauncey, Two Ministers, Rev. Dr. Staughton, Rev. Dr. Payson, Rev. John Eliot, Rev. Dr. Lathrop, . , A Persecuting Clergyman, Bishop George, Two Young Ministers, Rev. Dr. Bellamy, Two Clergymen, Rev. George Whitefield, .Several Clergymen, Rev. John Jjeland, Rev. Dr. Mercer, Rev. Caleb Blood, INTERCOURSE OF THE CLEROT WITH SOCIETY Bishop Chase, A Faithful Minister, Travelling Clergymen, Rev. Dr. Armstrong, A Young Minister in the West, A Colored Preacher, Rev. Mr. Moody, An Unsuccessful Minister, Rev. Thomas Brown, An African Preacher, Rev. Dr. Staughton, A Presbyterian Clergyman, A Delighted Minister, A Wise Pastor, A Clergyman in Virginia, Rev. Dr.' Nettleton, A Baptist Minister, A Poor Minister, A Courteous Clergyman, Rev. Joseph Eastburn, Rev. John Wesley, Rev. Dr. Spring, Rev. Mr. Clap, Rev. Dr. Waddell, . Xll CONTENTS. Kev. Mr. Spencer, Rev. Bela Jacobs, Kev. Mr. Estabrook, An Anxious Pastor, A Clergyman, Rev. Dr. Judson, A Good Pastor, A Minister in New York, Bishop Griswold, A New England Clergyman, Rev. Dr. Mercer, A Clergyman in Philadelphia, Rev. Mr. F., . A Faithful Minister, A Minister in Boston, Two Clergymen, Rev. John Gano, Rev. T. P. Benedict, An Unknown Preacher, Rev. Samuel Harris, Rev. Dr. Laidlie, An Aged Minister, Rev. Dr. Stanford, A Village Clergyman, A Travelling Minister, Rev. Mr. Grafton, Rev. Calvin Colton, Rev. Dr. Beecher, Rev. Dr. C, Rev. Mr. Coley, A Clergyman in New York, Rev. E. Byne, Rev. Mr. Baker, Rev. Dr. Todd, A Clergyman in Tennessee, Rev. W. Tennent, An Aged Clergyman, Rev. Dr. Harris, Rev. Mr. Hyde, Several Clergymen, A New England Minister, Rev. Dr. Griffin, A Penitent Minister, A Universalist Minister, A Methodist Clergyman, A New England Clergyman, Rev. Dr. Witherspoon, A Good Preacher, Rev. Dr. Baldwin, . CONTENTS. Xtll Kev. Mr. Bushnel, Rev. Mr. Walker, A Clergyman in Virginia, Rev. John Cotton, Rev. Dr. Coke, Rev. Mr. Cross, Rev. Dr. C. Mather, An Aged Clergyman, Rev. Mr. Bennett, Rev. Dr. L., A Wise Clergyman, Rev. Mr. Hull, Rev. John yummerfield, Rev. Dr. J. M. Mason, Rev. Mr. Worcester, Rev. J. Armstrong, A Clergyman at New Orleans, Rev. Mr. Case, Rev. Dr. Lathrop, Rev. T. Hooker, Rev. Mr. C, A Pastor, Rev. Dr. Livingston, Rev. Dr. John H. Rice, Rev. Dr. Payson, A Minister in New York, A Clergyman at St. Louis, Rev. Dr. Henry, Rev. Mr. Trefit, A Shrewd Minister, A Travelling Clergyman, SUCCESS AND ENCOURAGEMENT OF THE CLERGY. Rev. President Edwards, Rev. Mr. S., Rev. Dr. Rodgers, A Universalist Minister, Rev. John Bailey, An Aged Minister, Several Pastors, American Missionaries, The Puritan Ministers, Rev. Dr. L. Beecher, Rev. Dr. Hopkins, Rev. J. Patterson, Rev. Mr. M;, A Clergyman in New York, A New England Minister, XIV CONTENTS. Tlev. Mr. Pnnce, Bishop M'llvaine, A Minister among the Cherokees, A Preacher from England, Rev. G. Whitefield, A Mistaken Minister, Rev. David Brainerd, Rev. President Davies, Rev. Gilbert Tennent, • Rev. Dr. B., Rev. Dr. Backus, . • A Home Missionary, A Minister in New York, Rev. Mr. Massey, A Discouraged Young Minister, Rev. Dr. Stanford, A New England Minister, A Southern Clergyman, Rev. Joseph Smith, A Missionary among the Indians, Moravian Missionaries, • A Discouraged Pastor, Rev. Sylvester Lamed, A Clergyman, 444 446 447 448 449 450 451 452 453 454 455 455 457 458 459 460 461 462 463 466 467 468 469 469 PREPARATION OF THE CLERGY FOR PUBLIC DUTIES. (15) THE AMERICAN CLERGY. REV. WILLIAM ROBINSON. One of the most eminent Christian ministers of the South -n the last century was the Rev. W. Robinson, whose conver- sion was exceedingly striking. He was the son of a wealthy Quaker in England. Being permitted to pay a visit of a few weeks to an aunt in the city of London, from whom he had considerable expectations, he greatly overstayed the time which had been allowed him ; and becoming deeply involved in dis- sipation, he incurred large debts, which he knew his father would never pay, and which his aunt refused to discharge. In this situation, fearing to return home, and unable to remain long in London, he determined to quit his native country, and seek his fortune in America. In this determination his aunt reluctantly acquiesced, and furnished him with a small sum of money for that purpose. Soon after his arrival in America, he had recourse, for subsistence, to teaching a school in New Jersey, within the bounds of the Presbytery of New Bruns- wick. He had been for some time engaged in this business, without any practical sense of religion, when it pleased God to bring him to a knowledge of himself, and of the way of sal- vation, in a remarkable manner. He was riding at a late hour, one evening, when the moon and stars shone with unusual brightness, and when every thing around him was adapted to "2* ri7) 18 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. excite reflection. While he was meditating on the beauty and grandeur of the scene which the firmament presented, and was saying to himself, " How transcendently glorious must be the Author of all this beauty and grandeur I" the thought struck him with the sadness and the force of lightning, " But what do I know of this God ? Have I ever sought his favor, or made him my friend ?" This happy impression, which proved, by its permanency and its effects, to have come from the best of all sources, never left him until he took refuge in Christ as the hope and life of his soul. He soon resolved to devote himself to the work of the gospel ministry ; completed his academical education, and studied theology, while he went on with his school ; and was, in due time, licensed and ordained by the Presbytery of New Brunswick. He was remarkable for the native vigor of his mind, and still more for the fervour of his piety. Wherever he went, it pleased God to grant him some precious fruits of his ministry. He died at St. George's, in Delaware, April, 1746. REV. HUGH KNOX. Mr. Hugh Knox, a native of Ireland, came to America, when quite a young man, about 1753 or 1754. He immediately waited on his countryman, the Rev. Dr. Francis Allison, then residing at New London, Penna., to whom he had letters, and in whose academy he hoped to find employment as a teacher. Dr. Allison, not being able to give him a place in his seminary, furnished him with a letter to Mr. Rodgers, requesting his good offices in endeavouring to procure a grammar school for the young stranger, within the bounds of his parish. Mr. Rod- gers soon succeeded in forming a respectable school, at the REV. HUGH KNOX. 19 Head of Bohemia, about ten miles from St. George's, as ma». ter of which Mr. Knox was comfortably placed. He conti- nued to preside over this school for more than a year ; and having received a good classical education in his own country, being remarkably prepossessing in his personal appearance and manners, and attending with great assiduity to the duties of his station, he soon became much esteemed by his employ- ers; and was considered as most agreeably settled. He at- tended public worship, with great punctuality, at Mr. Rodgers's Lower or Forest church, near Middletown, and looked up to the pastor as his patron and friend. Things had been going on in this happy and promising manner for a number of months, when a sudden reverse occurred. Mr. Knox, though a respect- abre attendant on public worship, and a young man, hitherto, of decent morals, had manifested nothmg like real piety. He was accustomed, every Saturday afternoon, to meet some gay companions at the tavern of a Mr. VVitherspoon, near the place of his residence, with whom he passed several hours, at first with decency and temperance ; but, after a while, not so entire- ly in this manner as could have been wished. On a certain Saturday afternoon, when Knox and his companions had been diverting themselves m their usual way, some of the company said to him, " Come, parson," (a title they gave to him on ac- count of his being the most grave of their number, and a great admirer of Mr. Rodgers,) " Come, parson, give us a sermon." He declined. They urged him. He still resisted. At length, however, overcome by their importunity, and probably excited, m some degree, by liquor, he said, " Well, come, I will give you the sermon which Mr. Rodgers preached last Sunday.' Mr. Rodgers had preached, on the preceding Sabbath, from 2 Cor. V. 20, and had given an unusually solemn and excellent discourse. Mr. Knox, having a good memory, a flexible voice, and great powers of imitation, was enabled, not only (o recol- lect and repeat the substance of the discourse, as ho heard it 20 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. delivered, but also to copy the voice and manner of Mr. Rod- gers so closely, that Mr. Wilherspoon, who heard it all from an adjoining apartment, declared that, if he had not known to the contrary, he should really have supposed it was Mr. Rod- gers himself preaching. In short, he was carried beyond him- self, and spoke so much like a man preaching the gospel in good earnest, that his profane hearers were deeply affected, and when the discourse was ended, one after another silently with- drew. But what is still more remarkable, Mr. Knox himself was solemnly impressed by his own mock preaching, especially as he drew towards the close of the discourse ; and when it was finished, he sat down with mingled emotions of shame and horror at the profane mockery of which he had been guilty, and deep conviction of the important doctrines he had been de- livering in application to himself. So strong, indeed, were these impressions, that he could not bear the thought of looking Mr. Rodgers, or any of his other pious patrons, in the face, after such conduct : and accordingly, early the next morning, with- out waiting to collect any of his dues, or to adjust his affairs, he precipitately quitted that part of the country, and was not heard of for a number of months. The next autumn, when Mr. Rodgers attended the commence- ment of the college of New Jersey, which was then seated at Newark, he was surprised to find Mr. Knox at the house of the Rev. Mr. Burr, the president of the college. The young fugi- tive had applied to Mr. Burr, soon after his retreat from Bo- hemia, for admission into one of the classes of the college ; but having informed him that his last residence had been in the neighbourhood of Mr. Rodgers, and being unable to produce testimonials from that place of his good moral character, Mr. Burr advised him to wait in Newark until the commencement, when he expected to have an opportunity of seeing Mr. Rod- gers, and of conversing with him on the subject. Mr. Knox, upon first meeting his old pastor, was much agitated, and, as KEV. HUGH KNOX. 21 soon as possible, took him aside ; acknowledged his unworthy conduct, with every appearance of humiliation ; implored his pardon for the offence committed against himself, in turnintr his sermon into profane mockery ; and informed him of the situa- tion in which he stood with regard to his expected admission into the college. Mr. Rodgers promised to speak as favourably of him to Mr. Burr as truth would permit, and not to disclose the conduct which led to his elopement from Bohemia, unless it should be drawn from him by unavoidable questions ; and, with these promises, left him in the most painful anxiety. Here Mr. Rodgers learned from young Knox, that the seri- ous impressions made on his mind by the sermon which he ted so profanely repeated had never been eradicated ; that his wick- edness had been overruled, as he hoped, for his eternal good ; that he had for some time cherished a hope concerning him- self, as a real Christian ; and that his earnest desire was to complete his education at the college with a view to the gospel ministry. Happily, president Burr, in the hurry of the commencement, only asked Mr. Rodgers whether he knew Mr. Knox ; and whether he would advise that he should be admitted into the college. To both these questions Mr. Rodgers answtred promptly in the affirmative. The young man was admitted ; passed through the college, and his subsequent theological stu- dies, with reputation ; and, after receiving many testimonials of sincere and active friendship from his old pastor at St. George's, entered on the work of the gospel ministry, and be- came equally honoured and useful in his profession. 22 THE AMEKICAN CLERGY. REV. MR. A. The Rev. Mr. A — , of" B — , Mass., some time since public- ly stated that when a student of law in the vicinity of B — , and in the midst of fatal error, he became desirous of know- ing more about religious truth. He went to B — , and searched through all the book-stores of that city, asking for a copy of Baxter'' s Samts Rest, of which he had heard in his youth. At last he found an old, mutilated copy, with a green morocco cover, in Bumstead's second-hand book-store. He seized it as though it were a treasure, and bore it home ; "and now," said Mr. A., "if I ever attain to the 'saints' everlasting rest,' I owe it, under God, to that old book." He became one of the most evangelical and useful ministers in New England. REV. MR. RAVENCROSS. Mr. Ravencross was a slave-holder in Virginia, and re- puted a hard master. His poor distressed slaves were in the habit of meeting at night in a distant hut, for the purpose of worshipping God. He was informed of this," and at the same time put on his guard, as it was suspected their motives for meeting were different from what they held out, and that an in- surrection might be the consequence. Under this impression, he determined to prevent their assembling in future, chastised the promoters of this work, and gave positive orders, under the most serious penalty, that they should never assemble again under any pretence whatever. A short time afler he was told they had been seen going in a body into the hut. Much dis- A NEW ENGLAND DIVINE, 23 pleased at their disobedience, and resolving that night to put a stop to their proceedings, he approached the hut with all the feelings of an offended master. When he reached the door, it was partly open. He looked in ; they were on their knees. He listened ; there was a venerable old man, who had been long in his service, pouring out his soul in prayer to God. The first words which caught his ear were, "Merciful God, turn my poor massa's heart : make him merciful, that he may ob- tain mercy ; make him good, that he may inherit the kingdom of heaven." He heard no more, but fainted. Upon coming to himself, he wept ; went into the sacred hut, knelt by the side of his old slave, and prayed also ! From this period he became a true penitent, studied the Scriptures, took orders, and became a shining light. He preached at the general conven- tion of the Episcopal church, in the city of Philadelphia, before more than two hundred of the clergy, in the year 1820. A NEW ENGLAND DIVINE. A clergyman in New England, thus addressed his congrega- tion : — I once knew a young man, who was a student in one of our universities, who, by reading the works of Combe, and others of similar character, had become very skeptical on such points as prayer, the total depravity of man, regeneration, and the influence of the Holy Spirit. Though he professed religion and was studying for the ministry, he had lost all religious en- joyment, and was fast going down an inclined plane into the abyss of infidelity. During a vacation in mid-winter, he was travelling on business among the Germans in the interior of 24 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. Pennsylvania, when he was laid on his bed with a dangerous disease — hundreds of miles from home, " a stranger in a strange land." When he began to think of dying, he found himself entirely unprepared. His new sentiments hovered like dismal clouds around his sick-bed, so that not a star of hope shone through. There was little time for logic then : but one short mode of reasoning swept away his skeptical notions like chaff. He thus reasoned from effect to cause : — Embracing these new sentiments has evidently brought my mind into this wretched condition ; and as the fruit is bad, the tree must be bad also. He that followeth me, says Christ, "shall not walk in dark- ness ;" therefore, as I am walking in darkness, it must be be- cause I have been led astray from him. These new opinions must, therefore, be erroneous. I will renounce them forever, and embrace, in all humility and simplicity, the truths of the Gospel, as I embraced them at first. Speedily did he put his re- solutions into action, and he soon found his way back to the fold of Christ, to the Shepherd and Bishop of souls. He re- covered from his sickness, and returned home, rejoicing to tell his friends what great things God had done for him. And that young man, my hearers, is preaching to you to-day ! I have many blessings for which to thank God, for he has strewn my way with the gifls of his providence ; but for the blessing of that afHiction, I sometimes feel that I ought to praise him most. And if I am ever so happy as to get to heaven, I shall remember that affliction with gratitude still. TWO CLERGYMEX. 05 TWO CLERGYMEN The following interesting statement of facts was written by Bishop M'llvaine. It IS now nearly thirteen years since a very remarkable work of grace occurred in the Military Academy of the United States. During a condition of almost universal indifference to religion, and of wide-spread infidelity, against which the efforts of the ministry of one man, set for the defence of the gospel, seemed for a long time to make not the least way, suddenly almost, in a very few days, many minds, without communica- tion with one another, and without personal intercourse with the minister, appeared deeply, and almost simultaneously in- terested m the great matters of eternal life. Officers as well as cadets participated in this, and to such an extent, that the minister's study was soon occupied every evening with assem- blies, composed of both, for prayer and the exposition of the word of God ; and a serious impression, more or less deep and abiding, was spread over a large part of the whole military community. Several became at that period very decided sol- diers of Christ. Many others received the seed of the word, in whom, though it seemed to die, it has since, under the con- tinued influence of the Spirit, sprung up and brought forth fruit. Some are still in military life. Others have been, long since, adorning the Christian profession in the ministry of the gospel. The very first appearance of this work of grace, so remark- ably and singularly the work of God, was the coming of a cadet, alone and most unexpectedly, to introduce himself to the chaplain, and unburden the sorrows of a' contrite heart. k\\ around him was coldness and skepticism. To speak de- cidedly in favour of religion was then so unusual in the acadf- mv, that it made one singular. To converse with the rha[). 26 THE AMKlilCAN CLERGY. lain on that subject had not been ventured by any, except out of opposition to the truth. That any one would appear there seriously seeking eternal life, even the chaplain was afraid to hope. A cadet, however, did venture to come, in open day, to the chaplain's study, too deeply concerned to heed what would be said of him. He was personally unknown to the chaplain. His message he tried to utter, but could not. Again he tried, and again ; but his heart was too full for speech. At length he said, "Tell me what I must do ; I have come about my soul. I know not what I want ; I am entirely in the dark. What must I seek ? where must I go ? Such was the first de- claration of one who, for some days, had been awakened under the preaching and reading of the truth. A sermon preached on the Scriptures, and a tract, sent at a venture from the chap- lain's study, to whomsoever it might meet, had been blessed to his soul. Doubts and cavils were all abandoned. Implicit submission seemed his engrossing principle. From that moment the young man appeared to take up the cross, and to stand decidedly and boldly on the Lord's side. The singular and very prominent evidence of the hand of God in this case, was very greatly blessed to others. After graduating at that institution, and leaving the army, he passed through a regular course of study for the holy ministry, and was successively ordained deacon and presbyter. Many years have since elapsed. The chap- lain has since been called to a higher order in the ministry, and more enlarged responsibilities in the church. The cadet, meanwhile, after many vicissitudes of active duty and of dis- abling ill health, supposed he had settled himself for the rest of his life as a preacher and pastor to an humble and obscure congregation of negroes, whom he had collected together from neighbouring plantations ; to whom, living entirely upon his own pecuniary means, he appropriated a part of his own house for a church and to whose eternal interests he had chosen AN ABLE MINISTEK. 27 cheerfully and happily to devote himself, as their spiritual father, with no emolument but their salvation. But such was just the true spirit for the highestof all vocations in the church. To be a servant of servants is the very school in which to pro- pare for the chief ministry under Him who " took upon him- self the form of a servrnt," The church needed a mission- ary bishop for a vast field, for great self-denial, for untiring patience, for courageous enterprise. Her eye was directed to the self-appointed pastor of that humble congregation. With most impressive unanimity did she call him away to a work, not indeed of more dignified duty, but of more eminent re- sponsibility r not indeed of more exquisite satisfaction to a Chris- tian heart, (for what can give a true Christian heart more ex- quisite satisfaction than to lead such of the poor to Christ ?) but of severer trials, and vastly greater difhculties and hard- ships. Counting the cost, he has not dared to decline it. Re- garding the call as of God, he has embraced the promised grace, and is now ready to be offered. And thus the chap- lain has here met the beloved cadet again, seeing and adoring the end of the Lord in that remarkable beginning. AN ABLE MINISTER. A YOUNG man, who had graduated at one of the first col- leo-es in America, and was celebrated for his literary attainments, particularly his knowledge of mathematics, settled in a village where a faithful minister of the gospel was stationed. It was not long before the clergyman met with him in one of his evening walks, and after some conversation, as they wor.^ about to part, addressed him as follows :— " I have heard you 28 THE AMERICAN CLEKGY. are celebrated for your mathematical skill ; I have a problem which I wish you to solve." "What is it'?" eagerly inquired the young man. The clergyman answered, with a solemn tone of voice, "What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul V The youth returned home, and endeavoured to shake off the impression fastened on him by the problem proposed to him, but in vain. In the giddy round of pleasure, in his business, and in his studies, that question still forcibly returned to him, "What will a man profit, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul ?" It finally resulted in his conversion, and he became an able advocate and preacher of that gospel which he once rejected. SIX YOUNG MINISTERS. There is something in the following narrative eminently illustrative of the vitality of the gospel, and adapted to encour- age the heart of the Christian minister amidst every discour^ agement. * About half a century since a Christian church was organ- ized in Virginia. For some years it eminently flourished, but after a while the pastor died, some of the members removed to different parts of the country, and others returned into the world. The house of worship fell into decay, the doors were broken from their hinges, and the birds of the air built their nests upon the deserted walls. The pulpit bowed to its fall, and utter desolation reigned where once the praises of Zion's King had resounded. Close by arose a grog-shop, and it soor became the Sunday resort of the young and old in the vicinity. In that neighbourhood lived a wealthy gentleman, who had on* SIX YOUNG MINISTERS. 29 son, a youth of great promise. This youth was in the practice of spending his Sabbaths with other young men at the grog- shop above named, though it Iiad not been said that he ever was guilty of any outbreaking immorality. One Sabbath, as he was going to the general place of rendezvous, when pass- ing the old meeting-house, he turned his head and saw an old gray-headed negro sitting on one of the benches. A degree of superstitious fear came over his mind, and an impression was produced which rendered the society at the grog-shop irksome, and he soon returned to his father's. On the next Sabbath, as he was again passing the old house, he saw the old negro again, seated on a bench, leaning his head on the top of his staff. Riding up to the window, he inquired of the old man what he was doing there. "Get down, young master, and come and sit down, and I will tell you," was the reply. He accordingly went in and took his seat by the side of the old man, whom by this time he recognised as the aged servant of a neighbouring planter. " Thirty years ago," proceeded the old man, with deep emo- tion, " I used to come to this house of a Sunday to meet God and his people. And precious times we have had here. This house used to be filled with professed Christians, engaged in the service of God, and anxious sinners inquiring the way to be saved. In that old pulpit, now leaning ready to fall, used to stand the servant of God, telling us the precious truths of the gospel of Jesus. Now he is dead ; some of the members have moved away, some gone back to the world, and some arc dead, while the old house is ready to fall. Young master, I used in those days to come here to meet God. I have come here to-day to meet him in this house, and he has met with mo. He is here now." The aged man then respectfully, yet earn- estly, pressed upon the youth the importance of religion, and the danger of neglect. " Young master, you see my head, it is white. I was once young like you. I am now old and 3* 30 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. • shall soon die. And you will die too. Are you prepared ?" The young man wept, and the old Christian proposed that they should kneel down and pray for the salvation of his soul. They knelt down, and God was there. During the ensuing week the young man was greatly distressed, and early the next Sab- bath morning repaired to the old church to meet the old negro, who preached Jesus to him as the way, the truth, and the life. In a few days the young man obtained a hope, and by his ex- ertions, and the blessing of God's grace, an extensive revival of religion very soon commenced. A new church was soon organized, the old house was repaired, a minister settled, and many were converted to the faith as it is in Jesus. As one of the fruits of that revival, six individuals from that neighbour- heed entered upon the work of the ministry, and the Lord greatly blessed their labours. One person converted at this time became afterwards the governor of a state, and died, after a life of usefulness, as the righteous die. These facts were communicated to the writer since by a person who received them from some who were themselves the subjects of the re- vival. SEVERAL YOUNG MINISTERS. As the following facts connect themselves, as it will be seen, with the conversion of more than one minister ; they are here narrated, on the authority of a pious pastor. An old man called his children around his dying-bed, and entreated their attention to a narrative : — When young, I enjoyed religious privileges, and was the subject of occasional serious reflection. When just enterinij^ ^% SEVERAL YOUNG MIKISTERS. 81 my sixteenth year, religious impressions were made on my mind with unusual force. I seemed to hear a voice continually saying to me, Seek religion now ! I was unhappy ; my for- mer amusements lost their relish. Still, I was not v/illinfr whqlly to relinquish them, and obey the voice which urged me to seek religion immediately. One day, after much reflection, I deliberately promised to God, that as soon as the season of youthful amusement was past, I would give myself to religious pursuits. My anxieties immediately left me ; I returned to my amusements, and the whole subject was soon forgotten. When at thirty-five, the monitory voice returned, reminded me of my promise, and again pressed upon me the importance of eternal things. Though I had not thought of my promise for years, I acknowledged its obligations, but an immediate fulfilment seemed more impracticable than it did nineteen years before. I vowed with increased solemnity, that when the cares of a rising family should subside, I would certainly attend to the concerns of religion. Again I applied myself to worldly avocations, and soon buried all thoughts of the admonition I had received. At fifty, when you, my children, were diminishing, instead of increas- ing my cares, this heavenly monitor returned. " Fulfil your promise ; seek religion now ;" was continually pressing upon my mind. I knew that I had made such a promise, but I felt dissatisfied that its fulfilment should be claimed so soon. I re- gretted that I had not attended to the subject before, when I could have done it with less difficulty; but such was the extent and pressure of my business, that to do it then seemed im- possible. The subject made me unhappy, and after much de- liberation, I sought relief to my troubled feelings by most so- lemnly renewing my promise to God. When, I said, the press- ure of business is past, I will devote my whole attention to a preparation for eternity. 32 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. No sooner had I fixed my mind on this course, than my anxieties left me — the strivings of the Spirit ceased in my bosom, and ceased for ever. When sickness warned me of ap- proaching death, I sought to fix my feelings on this subject, but it was in vain. There was a gloom and terror drawn around religion, at which my soul shuddered. I felt that I was forsaken of God, but it did not move me. I had no love to God, no repentance for sin, nor wish to forsake it. I felt no- thing but the sullen gloom of despair — I knew I was in the hands of a justly offended God, from whom I expected no mercy, and could ask none. With these feelings I am now about to enter the eternal world. To you, my children, I can only say — Profit by my example ; quench not the Spirit ; seek religion now, if you would avoid a miserable eternity — put not off the concerns of your soul till The sentence died upon his lips ; his strength, which had been all summoned to make this last effort, suddenly failed — he fell back upon his bed, and with a groan that seemed to speak the pains of another world, the immortal spirit took its flight from that body which it had inhabited nearly fourscore years, to receive according to that it had done. This little narrative I had from a grandson of the old man, who stood by his dying bed. He was a minister of the gos- pel, and dated his first permanent conviction from the solem- nities of that awful scene. The descendants of the old man were numerous, most of whom became hopefully pious. Two, who are now preachers, and several others, were first awaken- ed by his dying charge. REV. J. W. JAaiES. 33 REV. J. W. JAMES. In a lecture to Sunday-school teachers, a few years since, the Rev. J. W. James, of Philadelphia, related the follcJwing n.arrative : — A young man who had been piously educated, and whose religious impressions in early life had been strong, while at college mingled with worldly and gay companions ; so that in a short time he ceased to be serious or prayerful. He gradu- ated as worldly and careless as his classmates, and removed to a distant city. Ambitious of eminence in the profession he had chosen, he secluded himself from society, not from fear of its contamination, but to preserve his time from unnecessary waste. While thus engaged, he became acquainted with the pious superintendent of a Sabbath-school, whom he was not long after invited to succeed. After much persuasion he reluctantly consented, but was unacquainted with the duties of the school. On finding that he must open the school with prayer, he started and turned pale. He had formerly been taught by his mother to pray, but he had now forgotten how to address the Author of his mercies. By the aid of the prayer-book he succeeded, but his conscience allowed him no rest. He could not retire from the work. For some weeks he endured the lashes of an awakened and guilty conscience, until at length, by the assist- ance of the Holy Spirit, he was enabled to give up all for Christ. He retained his office of superintendent for more than a year ; then, at length, after a course of theology, was settled as a Christian pastor in one of the Atlantic cities, where he was engaged in winning souls to Christianity ; *' and now," he added, — and his face grew pale, and his limbs trembled with emotion as he spoke — " and now, he has the satisfaction of addressing this assemblage of superintendents and teachers." 34 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. A YOUNG CLERGYMAN. A YOUNG licentiate, after throwing off a highly wrought, and, as he'thought, eloquent gospel sermon in the pulpit, in the pre- sence of a veneKable pastor, solicited of his experienced friend the benefit of his criticisms upon the performance. " I have but just one remark to make," was his reply, " and that is, to request you to pray that sermon." "What do you mean, sir?" " I mean literally just what I say ; pray it, if you can, and you will find the attempt a better criticism than any I can make upon it." The request still puzzled the young man beyond measure ; the idea of praying a sermon was a thing he never heard or conceived of; and the singularity of the suggestion wrought powerfully on his imagination and feelings. He resolved to attempt the task. He laid his manuscript before him, and on his knees before God, undertook to make it into a prayer. But it would not pray ; the spirit of prayer was not in it, and that, for the very good reason — as he then clearly saw for the first time — that the spirit of prayer and piety did not compose it. For the first time he saw that his heart was not right with God ; and this conviction left him no peace until he had " Christ formed in him the hope of glory." With a renewed heart, he applied himself anew to the work of composing ser- mons for the pulpit ; preached again in the presence of the pious pastor who had given such timely advice ; and again solicited the benefit of his critical remarks. *' I have no remarks to make," was his complacent reply, " you can pray that sermon." A NEW ENGLAND CLEKGYMAN. 85 A NEW ENGLAND CLERGYMAN. A FEW years ago, a gay lady in New England had occa- sion to go to a neighbouring town, where she had often been before. In the immediate vicinity was a stream which she had to go near, and which at this period was high. With a view of showing her courage to a young person whom she had taken with her as a companion, she went into the stream with her horse, and in a very little time was thrown into the water, — had already sunk once or twice to the bottom, and felt that she was within a few moments of an eternal world, without being prepared for so great a change. It so happened, that a young man in another neighbouring town had felt a powerful impression on his mind that morning, that he should visit the same place. He had no business to transact ; but, being forcibly impressed with the importance of going thither, he invited a young man to accompany him. Ar- riving at the side of the stream just as the young ladies were about to cross it, they saw it was improbable that they could ford it ; yet, as the ladies went, they determined to follow. By. the time the young lady was thrown from her horse, the others had nearly reached the opposite shore ; but, perceiving her danger, one of them immediately followed her on his horse, and in the last moment of life, as it then appeared, she caught hold of the horse's leg; he thus secured her, and snatching hold of the other drowning young lady, she was saved also. After the use of proper remedies, they recovered ; and the young gentlemen, believing that the design of their coming from home waS now answered, returned back. The impressions made on the mind of this young lady were permanent, and she was led to reflect on the sins she had com- mitted against God, to pray for the pardon of her guilt, nn(i to 36 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. devote herself to the Divine service. She embraced the mercy of the Lord, believing in the Redeemer, who alone saves from the wrath to come. In the same town with herself lived a young gentleman, who had often spent his hours in vain conversation with her. On her return home, he went to congratulate her on her escape, and to his surprise, found she attributed her deliverance to the power of God, and urged him to seek that grace which they had both neglected. Her serious conversation was blessed to his conversion, and he became a faithful minister of Jesus Christ. REV. MR. POLK. The Rev. Mr. Polk, at a general meeting of the Religious Tract Society, in London, stated, that he had a right to speak of the value of tracts, because, under God, he was indebted for all he knew of Christianity to a tract. In an institution for the education of young men, in his own country, out of two hundred and fifty individuals, there was not one who was a Christian ; and though the minister laboured among them with great zeal, he seemed to labour in vain. At last, he got a young man to go through the building, and distribute some religious tracts. He left a tract on infidelity in one of the rooms, where two young men lodged together, one of whom was apparently of doubtful principles. The other, however, got hold of it, and read it. It arrested his attention, and set his mind on inquiring ; and he afterwards fell in with Dr. Olin- thus Gregory's "Letters," which led him to procure a Bible. The truths of that blessed book were brought home to his mind with great power, and he became a converted man. And Iiis REV. S. NIGHTINGALE. 37 conversion was the beginning of a revival of religion in that place, during which twenty other young men, and some of the professors, became converted to Christ. REV. S. NIGHTINGALE. In the beginning of 1845, at a union prayer-meeting in Phi- ladelphia, the Rev. S. Nightingale, a Baptist minister from Montgomery county, was present by invitation, and at the close of an exhortation related the following anecdote : " About twenty years ago, there was a wild and daring lad in the city, who feared neither God nor man. One day he was thrown accidentally into the company of a clergyman, who had some serious conversation with him on religion. Among other things, he told him that it was his opinion, that in after life he would either join the army or become a minister of the Gospel. A few years after this conversation, that boy made a profession of religion and entered the ministry. I," added he, " am that individual ; and," pointing to Dr. Ely, who sat on the platform beside him, " this is the minister who held the conversation with me when a boy." The congregation appeared electrified ; and Dr. Ely, who had forgotten the boy in the person of the speaker, now recol- lecting the circumstance, started from his chair, and embraced him. 38 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. REV. S. STODDARD. The Rev. Solomon Stoddard, of Northampton, the prede- cessor of the far-famed President Edwards, was engaged by his people on an emergency. They soon found themselves dis- appointed, for he gave no indications of a renewed and serious mind. In this difficulty their resource was prayer. They agreed to set apart a day for special fasting and prayer, in reference to their pastor. Many of the persons meeting for this purpose, had necessarily to pass the door of the minister. Mr. S. hailed a plain man whom he knew, and addressed him, "What is all this! What is doing to-day?" The reply was, " The people, sir, are meeting to pray for your conversion." It sunk into his heart. He exclaimed to himself, " Then it is time I prayed for myself!" He was not seen that day. He was seeking in solitude what they were asking in company ; and " while they were yet speaking," they were heard and answered. The pastor gave unquestionable evidence of the change ; he laboured amongst a beloved and devoted people for nearly half a century; and was, for that period, deservedly ranked among the most able and useful of Christian ministers. REV. DR. M'CARTEE. The Rev. Dr. M'Cartee, of New York, in delivering an ad- dress at a tract meeting in Philadelphia, related the following anecdote : — The mention of two of the publications of the American REV. DR. M'CARTEE. 39 Tract Society, in your report, sir, has excited emotions in my own mind which I cannot repress. I well remember when two young lawyers, both far from God, and engaged in the pursuit of the honours, and wealth of this world, met in the city of New York, when, as one took some legal documents from his pocket, the other, to his surprise, discovered among them * Doddridge's Rise and Progress of Religion.' Nor was the surprise of the first at all less, when he discovered lying on the table, at the hand of his fellow, ' Baxter's Saints' Rest.' Each appeared at first confused and ashamed at the discovery, for they had not yet learned to glory in the cross. But a ihw moments, however, had elapsed, when they mutually found that the attention of each had been powerfully arrested by those volumes, and that each was deeply anxious for the salvation of his soul. Together they sought the Lord ; and, agonizing to enter into the kingdom, they both, about the same time, were enabled to hope in the mercy of Jesus Christ for eternal life. One of them, having fought the good fight, and kept the faith, has long since gone upward, I doubt not, to rest m the bosom of the Saviour he loved and served. The other, called, as he believes, of God, became a preacher of the Gos- pel of Christ, and still lives to proclaim to dying sinners, in his native city, salvation through the blood and righteousness of the blessed Redeemer ; and now, when he finds your soci- ety engaged in sending , forth, among your other valuable pub- lications, these two precious volumes, he (referring to himself) presents himself before you to add, this evening, his feeble, but heartfelt testimony to the excellence of the Tract Society. 40 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. A PIOUS BISHOP. A WORTHY and excellent bishop of the Episcopal church, was in early life an immoral and dissipated man. Dining one evening with a party of gentlemen, they sat late over their wine, and with a view to promote merriment, this young man sent for one of his slaves, who was in the habit of preaching to his companions in slavery, and ordered him to preach a ser- mon to the company. The good man hesitated for a time, but at length began to address them. Instead of the mirth, how- ever, which they anticipated from the ignorance and simplicity of the poor man, the piety and fervour of his discourse pro- duced a contrary effect. The solemn truths he delivered sank deeply into the hearts of some of the company, and, through the Divine blessing, carried conviction to the heart of his mas- ter, who now seriously inquired after the way of salvation ; which having learned, he began from a sense of dnty to pub- lish the grace of Christ, and became an ornament to the Chris- tian ministry* A ZEALOUS MINISTER. The Rev. J. Perkins, a missionary to Persia, has recorded the following remarkable anecdote in his journal ; — A physi- cian, who had been personally acquainted with the infide' Paine, had embraced his sentiments, and was very profane and dissipated. After striving for more than a year against the convictions of the spirit of God, which were so powerful, HEV. VV. COOPER. 41 and his stubbornness so great, like a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke, as to bring him to a bed of long confinement, and the most awful depression of mind, he became an humble, zeal- ous, exemplary Christian. And as soon as his health was recovered, he qualified himself, by preparatory studies, to go forth to the world, and preach that Jesus, whom he for many years considered as an impostor, whose name he had habitu- ally blasphemed, and whose religion he had counted foolish- ness, and a base imposition on the world. REV. W. COOPER. The late Rev. W. Cooper, of Boston, very early in life set his heart upon being a minister of Jesus Christ ; and this ob- ject of his choice he never abandoned. At seven years old, while hearing a sermon from the Rev. Mr. Colman, with whom he afterwards was colleague, he was so attracted by the elo- quence of his manner, that he went home with a determination to read like him : a circumstance which drew from that vene- rable man, who survived him, and preached on the occasion of his death, the following humble but affectionate remark : '* I ought to thank God, if I have served, in any way, to form him for his since eminent pulpit services; and, in particular, his method of preaching Christ and Scripture. So a torch may be lighted at a farthing candle." 4* 42 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. A NEW ENGLAND MINISTER At a missionary meeting in New Hampshire, in 1833, a minister rose and said that he once knew a man in a very awful state, for whom the wood was drawn together, to make a cage, in which he might be kept from doing himself and others injury. " While in that slate, one solitary female prayed for him ; God heard her prayer, and now he is in the midst of you, a happy man, and a minister of Jesus Christ. I am," added he, " that man : and that woman was my wife, whom I wish to honour by making her a life member of the Missionary Society." REV. DR. WEST. Mr., afterwards Dr. Stephen West, had entered the ministry, and settled in Stockbridge, while yet a stranger to experiment- al religion. Like other learned men, who trust in their own righteousness, he had laboured to accommodate his theology and his preaching to his own standard of personal religion. Two pious female members of the church, who had often lamented their want of spiritual instruction and benefit from the ministry of their pastor, at length agreed to meet once a week, to pray for him. Amidst many discouragements, they continued their united supplications to the Hearer and An- swerer of prayer ; but, as they afterwards remarked, they were never both discouraged at the same time. On leaving the house of God, one would say, " Wc have had no food to-dair ;" REV. DR. WEST. 43 the other would usually answer in words of encouragement, ' * God is able to do for us more than we ask ; let us continue our meetings for prayer." At length their prayers were heard ; there was a sudden and remarkable change in the preaching of their pastor. They met as usual at the close of worship : "What is this?" asked one. " God is the hearer of prayer," answered the other. The means by which this change was brought about were truly interesting. Mr. West, and Mr. Hopkins, a neighbour- ing minister, were in the habit of frequently meeting to discuss their different views of divine truth. At those meetings Mr. Hopkins allowed Mr. West to state his views, and to exhaust his arguments before attempting a reply ; and then proceeded, in the kindest and clearest manner, to show their opposition to the word of God. In one of these interviews, Mr. West, who had been walking up and down the room in great agita- tion, said to Mr. Hopkins, " Only reconcile Divine sovereignty with man's agency, and I will give up my sentiments to em- brace yours." "And cannot you reconcile them, Mr. West ?" "No," said he, "I cannot." "Well," said Mr. Hopkins, with great mildness and sincerity, " I have, to your conviction, proved that God is a Sovereign ; and you are conscious that man is a free agent. Now, therefore, if you cannot reconcile God's sovereignty with man's agency, you must be damned." The solemn appeal was not in vain. The words rested on his mind day and night. He felt he was a stranger to godliness, and a blind leader of the blind. With great fearfulness he continued to preach, but became more practical, and preached the truth as he began to feel it. The first sermon he preached after this change filled the hearts of those females with holy joy. Dr. West was afterwards the author of an excellent work on the Atonement of Christ. 44 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. AN OLD CLERGYMAN. A VENERABLE clergyman, and doctor of divinity, in New Hampshire, at the age of seventy years, lodged at the house of a pious friend, where he observed the mother teaching some short prayers and hymns to her children. " Madam," said he, " your instructions may be of far more importance than you are aware : my mother taught me a little hymn when a child, and it is of use to me to this day. I never close my eyes to rest, without first saying, ' *Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep : If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take.' " THE BEECHER FAMILY. The humble, weary, and anxious toils of the nursery, some- times need glimpses of the future, to impart to them their true dignity and value. Let any mother who feels that she is of small value, and that her duties and cares are of little account, ponder over such incidents as these : On the east of Long Island, in one of the most secluded spots in this country, more than thirty years ago, a mother, whose rare intellectual and moral endowments were known to but few, made this simple record : "This morning I rose very early to pray for my children: THE BEEOHER FAMILY. 45 and especially that my sons may be ministers and missionaries of Jesus Christ." A number of years after, a friend who was present, thus describes the mother's dying hour : " Owing to extreme weak- ness, her mind wandered and her conversation was broken ; but as she entered the valley of the shadow of death, her soul lighted up and gilded its darkness.. She made a feeling and most appropriate prayer, and told her husband that her views and anticipations had been such, that she could scarcely sustain them ; and that if they had been increased, she should have been overwhelmed ; that her Saviour had blessed her with con- stant peace, and that through all her sickness, she had never prayed for life. She dedicated her five sons to God as minis- ters and missionaries of Jesus Christ, and said that her greatest desire was, that her children might be trained up for God. " She spoke with joy of the advancement of the kingdom of Christ, and of the glorious day now ushering in. She at- tempted to speak to her children, but was so exhausted, and their cries and sobs were such, that she could say but little. Her husband then made a prayer, in which he gave her back to God, and dedicated all they held in common, to him. She then fell into a sweet sleep, from which she awoke in heaven." The prayers of this mother have been answered. All her eight children have been " trained up for God." Her five sons are all "ministers and missionaries of Jesus Christ." And the late Rev. George Beecher was the first of her offspring whom she welcomed to heaven. 46 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. REV. JOSEPH EASTBURN. When a youth, after he had entered upon his apprentice- ship to the trade at which he so long worked, this young man fell into company which would have led him into evil practices. Being removed from parental guardianship, and showing an unregenerate heart, he was disposed to follow the evil example to which he was now exposed. On one occasion he had en- gaged with some of his companions to spend the Sabbath in sinful amusement in the country ; he had already passed the suburbs of the city, when the distant sound of a church-bell struck upon his ear. He was affected by the sound ; he re- membered that often, in company with his parents, he had been summoned by it to the house of God ; and now what was he doing ? turning his back upon the sanctuary, and violating the holy Sabbath. Entertaining such reflections for a moment, he suddenly stopped, then left his companions, and went to the house of prayer. It was the turning point of his life ; this salutary remembrance of the manner in which he had been taught to regard the Sabbath, induced a change of conduct, and he subsequently became one of the most devoted servants of Jesus Christ. This excellent minister is well known as the founder of the first Mariner's Church in Philadelphia, and as an eminent preacher to seamen. At his grave, the Rev. Dr. Green gave an account of the origin of this peculiar department of labour. When he began to preach to seamen, about 1820, he procured a sail-loft, and on the Sabbath hung out a flag. As the sailors passed by they hailed him and his friends, "Ship ahoy!" " We," says Mr. Eastburn, "answered them. They asked us where we were bound ?" We told them to the port of New Jerusalem — and that they would do well to go in the fleet. REV. MR. C. 47 'Well,' said they, * we will come in and hear your terms.' " Such was the commencement of a work on which the blessin^ of God has so greatly rested. REV. MR. C. At a meeting of a Religious Tract Society, at Otsego, the Rev. Mr. C, a clergyman well known to the meeting, arose with deep emotion, and said, " My friends, I stand before this congregation as a monument of the efficacy of tracts. When a young man, careless, unbelieving, and impenitent, as I was one day passing along the road, I saw a little piece of paper half-covered with mud ; it attracted my attention ; I picked it up, and found it to be the tract ' Poor Joseph.' I seated my- self on a bank beside a small stream, and read it ; and oh ! I shall never forget the feelings I had as I read over that simple story. The Spirit of God sent home its truths to my heart. I trembled and wept in view of my sins, and I never rested until I reposed on the blood of Christ for salvation. If I have ever done any good in the cause of Christ, and if I may be here- after made instrumental in leading lost and perishing souls to the Redeemer, it may be all traced to that tract. It has started a train of causes that must operate through eternity." 48 THE AMERICA^I CLERGY. REV. PRESIDENT EDWARDS. Few things would tend more to encourage the Christian education of children, especially on the part of pious mothers, than a careful examination of the history of eminent Christian ministers. President Edwards was the only brother of ten sisters, and the son of eminently pious parents. He was the great-great-grandson, on his mother's side, of a minister in London in the days of Queen Elizabeth ; and the family of his mother for several generations was equally singular for their devotedness to God. To his mother, especially, is the church indebted, under God, for much of the eminence to which this extraordinary man attained. REV. DR. DWIGHT. Still more remarkable than the case of President Ed- wards, was that of his grandson, President Dwight. His mo- ther, the daughter of Edwards, possessed uncommon powers of mind; and for the extent and variety of her knowledge, she has been rarely excelled in this or any other country. Though married at an early age, and a mother at eighteen, she found time, without neglecting the ordinary cares of her family, to devote herself, with the most assiduous attention, to the instruc- tion of this son, and a numerous family of children, as they successively claimed her regard. She began to instruct him almost as soon as he was able to speak, so that at four years of age he could read his Bible with ease and correctness. She SEVEBAL YOUKG CLKEGYMEN. 40 aimed, at a very early period, to enlighten his conscience, to make him afraid of sin, and lo know the way of pardon only through the righteousness of Christ. The impressions t))us made were never effaced. His most valuable instructor through life was his mother. SEVERAL YOUNG CLERGYMEN. A FEW years since, some gentlemen in this country, who were associated in preparing for the Christian ministry, felt interested in ascertaining what proportion of their number had pious mothers. They were greatly surprised and delighted in finding, that out of one hundred and twenty students, more than a hundred had been blessed by a mother's prayers, and directed by a mother's counsels to the Saviour. Though some of these had broken away from all the restraints of home, and, like the prodigal, had wandered in sin and sorrow, yet they could not forget the impressions of childhood, and each was eventually brought to Jesus, and proved a mother's joy and blessing. From the " Quarterly Register," published about the same time, we learn that of the one hundred and fourteen students whose names were then on the catalogue of the Theological Seminary at Princeton, one hundred and four, or about eleven- twelfths of the whole number, had mothers "Embracing Chris- tianity ; eighty -two had parents both of whom were professors. In twenty-two instances the mother professed religion, and the father did not. Not a single case where the father was a professor, and the mother was not. 50 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. A Missionary from this country says, " I recollect particu- larly, that once my mother came and stood by me as I sat in the door, and tenderly talked to me of God and my duty to him, and her tears dropped upon my head. That made me a missionary.'" Another clergyman has stated that in his boyhood a colored nurse impressed it upon his mind, by her simple remarks, that he was to become a minister. This impression never left him, even during his most sinful years, but proved a leading instru- mental cause of turning his mind to religion, and finally of constraining him to enter the ministry. The Rev. Dr. Scudder states that a clergyman told him that when he was about five years of age he saw some pictures of the Tuscarora Indians which had been sent by a lady who had gone as a missionary from his native place. This circum- stance made an impression upon his mind respecting missions which he never lost, and he considered this as one of the mean-s which God used for his conversion. Some years since, a gentleman was travelling from Phila- delphia to Boston with his daughter. At Providence a young man, a profane sailor, entered the coach, whom the gentleman reproved for his profanity, and recommended him with much seriousness to read Doddridge's Rise and Progress of Religion ,* and at Boston they parted from each other with regret. In the coach with them travelled a young man, a student at one of the colleges, of whom, however, but little notice was taken. A few years afterwards, a gentleman came into the store of our traveller at Philadelphia, whom, however, he dio SEVERAL YOUNG CLERGYME.X. 51 not know till he was informed that he was the young man who travelled with him and the sailor to Boston. The pleasincr facts were now elicited, that, influenced by what the gentleman had said to the sailor, the present visitor had been induced to read " The Rise and Progress," which had been blessed to the conver- sion of his soul, and that he was now come to reside in Philadel- phia, to study for the ministry, under the excellent Dr. Staugh- ton. The young man thus benefited by a casual conversation m a stage-coach, became a minister in Massachusetts. Rev. Mr. B , of C , related the following interesting fact at an anniversary meeting of the benevolent societies of Chittenden co., Vermont : *' Previous to entering the ministry, while on a short journey, as he stopped to water his horse, there came along a ragged, dirty boy, to whom he gave a tract. About six years after, while in the seminary, a young man called at his room and asked him if he recollected that tract — holding one in his hand. He replied in the negative. The young man then opened the tract, and inquired if he did not remember that pencil-mark? He observed that it was his own handwriting, and replied that he had a faint recollection of giving such a tract to a boy some years before. 'I am that boy,' replied the young man. 'I was very wicked and abandoned, when I received the tract, and my parents were equally bad. They never attended church or 2;ave me any religious instruction. I read the tract again and again, and thought it was very wonderful: my wickedness seemed so great that I had no rest till I found it in the Saviour. I am now in my junior year, preparing for the ministry.' ' A drunkard having obtained possession of a good book, pledged it for liquor. Before the vendor of ardent spirits h.id 52 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. removed it from the bar, a very dissipated young riian entered the place, and being too well known to obtain credit, he was constrained to lay down three cents for a glass of rum, before he could obtain it. This troubled him, for it was the last three cents he had, and he dreaded being unable to get his usual dram in the morning. While these thoughts perplexed him, he saw the book, and judging rightly how it came there, he sup- posed that, could he purloin it, his difficulty would be removed, for he could in like manner pledge it at some other bar. He accomplished the theft unobserved, and, much pleased with his success, went home. That he might avoid being suspected when offering the book, he opened it to see what it was ; the first words he saw were these : " There is nothing covered that shall not be revealed." In a moment this solemn truth was im- pressed upon his conscience ; and his course of life, his deeds of darkness, his choice of wicked associates, and his future prospects, forced themselves upon his attention. He lay down, but could not sleep : and after spending a restless night, he arose to seek, not x)\q fire-water to which he was accustomed, but those streams that make glad the city of God. An intole- rable burden oppressed him, and in bitter anguish of spirit he went to some of the servants of Jesus Christ, and asked for their counsel and their prayers. In this state of mind he con- tinued for a season, but at length the Lord heard his cry, and delivered him from the horrible pit, and set his feet upon a rock, and put a new song hito his mouth, and established his goings. That man is now a minister of the Gospel REV. MK. JAPHET. 53 REV. MR. JAPHET. Dr. Cotton Mather has related a very pleasing incident which occurred in the seventeenth century, in connection with Mr. Mayhew. It appears that soon after he began to preach in Martha's Vineyard, the wife of Pammehannit, a leading man among the Indians, became deeply impressed with the gospel. In the con- fession she made before her' admission into the church, she staled that long before she heard the gospel, she lost five child- ren in succession, while very young, and that when her sixth was born, who was a son, agitated with fear lest she should lose him also, she took him in her arms, and walked into the fields. While there she mused on the insufficiency of all hu- man help, and it was suggested to her mind that there was an Almighty God who ought to be prayed to, — that He had cre- ated all things — and that He who had given life to all was able to preserve the life of her child. With these feelings she cried to God for the life of her child, and the child lived. As soon as this poor woman heard the gospel, it was evident that her mind was fully prepared to receive it. Her son became an eminent Christian, and a laborious minister of an Indian church, consisting of some scores of regenerated souls. He was living when Dr. Mather wrote in 1696, faithfully and successfully labouring to extend the Gospel among the Indians on the main land. His name was Japhet. 54 THB AMERICAN CLEBGT. REV. DR. PATTEN. The Rev. Dr. Patten, of New York, stated, at a meeting of the American Tract Society in that city, that a pious man of colour, in the vicinity of Philadelphia, whom he knew and often conversed with, when he first began to turn his thoughts to the Christian ministry, held with him an interesting conversa- tion. This poor Tom, for so he was called, had been convert- ed when a slave, had learned to read, was called to the dying- bed of his master to read the Bible, was emancipated by his master's will, and, after having redeemed his wife, had re- moved to the suburbs of Philadelphia. Poor Tom said to Dr. P., " Massa, me hear you are going to study to be a minister !" "Yes." "Will you let poor Tom say one thing to y6u?" "Yes." "Well, you know the good Master says. Watch and pray. Now you may watch all the time, and if you no pray, the devil will get in. You may pray all the time, and if you no watch too, the devil will get in. But if you watch and pray all the time, the devil no get in ; for it is just like the sword of God put into the hand of the angel at the entering of the garden — it. turn every way. If the devil come before, it turn there ; if the devil come behind, it turn there. Yes, massa, it turn every way." REV. W. TENNENT. The history of very few ministers has ever been found to present more remarkable events than those connected with this sxtraordinary man. REV. W. TENNENT. 65 In early life he was a very diligent student, and made great proficiency in the languages. Being very deeply impressed with a sense of divine things, he determined to follow the ex- ample of his father, and to devote himself to the ministry. He was preparing for examination by the presbytery, when his health failed, and he became almost a skeleton. He was at- tended by a young but eminent physician, who was attached to him by warm friendship, but who had to grieve over the entire loss of his health and spirits. One morning, while Mr. Tennent was conversing with his brother, in Latin, on the state of his soul, he fainted, and apparently died, On the fol- lowing day, the neighbours were invited to attend his funeral. In the mean time his physician, who had been in the country, returned, and was greatly affected with the news of his death. He could not be persuaded that it had taken place. He tried every means to ascertain the existence of life, but without effect. The funeral, by the determination of the physician, was delayed. On the third day the people were again invited to discharge the last duties owing to the dead ; still, however, the physician was not satisfied, and implored, at length, for only one quarter of an hour more delay. At this critical moment, the body, to the great astonishment of all, opened its eyes, uttered a dread- ful groan, and sunk again into apparent death. This, of course, put an end to all thoughts of burying him, and every effort was employed in hope of speedy resuscitation ; in about an hour the eyes again opened, and in a few hours he was restored to life. Still, however, for about six weeks his recovery was doubt- ful, and twelve months elapsed before he was in good health. After he was able to walk about the room, his sister, who had stayed from church on the Sunday afternoon, was reading in the Bible, when he asked her what book she had in her hand. She told him, and he asked, « What is the Bible? I know not v hat vou mean." She was deeply affected, and with tears told him 56 THE AMERICAN CLEKGY. that he was once well acquamted with it. On examination it was found that he was totally ignorant of every transaction of his former life. He could not read a word, nor had lie any idea of what it meant. He was taught to read and write after the manner of children, and began to learn the Latin language under the tuition of his brother. One day, as he was reciting a lesson in Cornelius Nepos, he suddenly started, placed his hand on his head, as if something had hurt him, and said that he felt a sudden shock, and it seemed to him as though he had read that book before. By degrees his recollection was entirely restored. The account he gave of the solemn transaction to which we have referred, was, in substance, that while he was conversing with his brother, he found himself in a moment in another state of existence, conducted by a superior being to an ineffable glory, an idea of which it was impossible to convey. He reflected on his happy change, and saw an innumerable company of happy beings surrounding the inexpressible glory, in acts of joyous adoration and worship. He felt unutterable joy, and requested his conductor to attend him to join the happy throng ; he was informed, however, that he must return to earth. This communication greatly pained him, and in a moment he saw his brother disputing with the doctor. He added, *' Such was the effect on my mind of what I had seen and heard, that if it be possible for a human being to live entirely above the world and the things of it, for some time afterwards I was that per- son. The ravishing sounds of the songs and hallelujahs that 1 heard, and the very words that were uttered, were not out of my ears when awake, for at least three years. All the king- doms of the earth were in my sight as nothing and vanity ; and so great were my ideas of heavenly glory, that nothing which did not in some measure relate to it, could command my serious attention." Further particulars were expected to have been found among KEV. irf. IJLYTHE. 57 Mr. T.'s papers after his death, as he was known to have writ- ten them; but unhappily these papers, by the calamities of war, and the sudden death of his son, were lost. REV. S. BLYTHE. This worthy man, who emigrated from the east to Alabama in a very early period of his history, entertained considerable doubts as to his call to the ministry ; and arranged with his wife that his having preached should, for a time at least, be kept secret. Not many days after, he met with a pious old lady, who had newly arrived in the wilderness, and who deeply lamented that there was no house of God, no preaching, no preacher, and no one who felt like herself. She was anxious to find a congenial spirit with whom she could hold in rcourse. After a very little conversation, she looked anxiously and seriously m his face, and said, " My dear sir, are you not a professor of religion?" He answered, with a faltering voice, " Ah ! I am a sort of one." The good old lady instantly asked, "Are you not a minister of the gospel ?" He could con- ceal the fact no longer, but acknowledged that though he had wished to conceal it, he had been accustomed to preach. The good woman was greatly delighted, and urged him to make an appointment for preaching, which he did, and in the course of a year or two, established several churches. 58 THE AMERICAN CLERGY, AN INDIAN PREACHER. HiAcooMES, the first Indian convert on Martha's Vineyard, was a remarkable man. He was an Indian of Great Harbor, now Edgartown. The Indian sachems and others of their principal men looked upon him as an ordinary or mean person, on account of his humble parentage, slow speech and uninteresting countenance — yet there was that within him, which afterwards appeared of greater value than the endow- ments of those who looked upon him with contempt. Living among the English, some of them visited him in his wigwam, and were courteously entertained by him ; and he visited them in return, evidently that he might learn something that would be for his advantage. About the same time, he went also to the English meeting, where the Rev. Thomas Mayhew, who was then minister to the few English families in Edgartown, preached. Mr. Mayhew had not, as yet, made any direct efforts for the conversion of the Indians, but was revolving in his mind some plans whereby to reach them. The coming of Hiacoomes to his meeting, the disposition he manifested to hear and receive instruction, and the gravity of his demeanour, in. duced the preacher to try what he could do in influencing him fo become a Christian. He immediately sought an opportunity tor conversation, and finding encouragement in his interview, he invited the Indian inquirer to come to his house every Sab- bath evening, that he might speak to him of jeligion. The news soon spread among the Indians, and the sachems and paw- waws were much alarmed, and tried to discourage Hiacoomes from holding communication with the English and receiving their instructions, but all to no purpose, as he was strongly bent after still higher attainments in the knowledge of God. This was in 1643, and in two years afterwards, having in the REV. CHARLES BEATTY. 50 meanwhile been prepared by Mr. Mayhew, he commenced teaching to the Indians the things of Christianity. He was not suffered to proceed without opposition from the pawwaws, sachems and other Indians— but he made this improvement of the injustice done him. « I had," he remarked, « one hand for injuries and another hand for God ; whilst I received wrong with the one, I laid the faster hold on God with the other." These words should be written in letters of gold. REV. CHARLES BEATTY. Many of the most eminent ministers have been introduced to their work in a very unexpected manner. This was the case with Mr. Beatty, an excellent Presbyterian minister of the last century. He was a native of Ireland, where he obtained a pretty accurate classical education ; but his circumstances being narrow, he emigrated to America, and employed several of the first years of his life on this side the Atlantic in the business of a pedlar. In the pursuit of this vocation, he halted one day at the " Log College," on the Neshaminy, then under the care of the Rev. William Tennent, the elder. The pedlar, to Mr. Tennent's surprise, addressed him in correct Latin, and appeared to be familiar with that language. After much con- versation, in which Mr. Beatty manifested fervent piety, and considerable religious knowledge, as well as a good education in other respects, Mr. Tennent said to him, " You must quit your present employment. Go and sell the contents of your pack, and return immediately, and study with me. It will be a sin for you to continue a pedlar, when you may be so much 60 THE AMERICAi^ CLERGY. moro useful in another profession." He accepted Mr. Tennent's offer, returned to Nesharainy, completed his academical and theological studies, and in due time became an eminent mi- nister. He died in Barbadoes, where he had gone to solicit be- nefactions for the college of New Jersey. REV. PRESIDENT DAVIES. A LITTLE more than a century ago, the Rev. W. Robinson had been preaching in North Carolina, having been sent there by the " New-light" presbytery of New Brunswick. He was compelled by persecution to make a precipitate retreat, which was so hasty that his many warm friends had no opportunity to contribute any thing as a compensation, or even to defray his expenses. A collection was, however, made, and sent after him by some trusty friends. But he peremptorily refused to receive a penny of it, saying he knew what his enemies would say if he should receive any part of it, and he was resolved they should have no occasion to speak ill of him or of his Master's cause. He at length consented to receive it, saying he knew a very pious and promising young man, who was in very in- digent circumstances, and had been for some years prosecuting his studies for the ministry ; he would, with their leave, expend it upon him, with the promise that if he should enter the minis- try, he should come and preach to them. To this they con> sented. Samuel Davies, then studying under the care of the Rev. Samuel Blair, at Fogg's Manor, Pennsylvania, was this youth ; and by his coming and labouring among them the pledge was redeemed. REV. DR. RODGERS. 6] One of the confidential elders of this extraordinary preaclier once said to him: — " Mr. Davies, how is it, that you, who are so well-informed upon all theological subjects, and can express yourself with so much ease and readiness, should think it ne- cessary to prepare and write your sermons with so much care, and take your notes into the pulpit, and make such constant use of them? Why do you not, like many other preachers, oftener preach extempore?" Mr. Davies replied, " I always thought it to be a most awful thing to go into the pulpit, and there speak nonsense in the name of God. Besides, when I have an opportunity of preparing, and neglect to do so, 1 am afraid to look up to God for assistance, for that would be to ask him to countenance my negligence. But when I am evi- dently called upon to preach, and have had no opportunity to make preparation, I am not afraid to try to preach extempore, and I can with confidence look up to God for assistance." REV. DR. RODGERS. There is something in the following anecdote equally adapted to interest the Christian and to excite a spirit of inquiry in the mind of the philosopher. In the early life of Dr. Rodgers, he was appointed by his presbytery to visit three congregations in Virginia, in com- pany with the Rev., afterwards President Davies. On their way a remarkable circumstance occurred. Mr. Rodgers, from his earliest years, had been unusually fearful of lightning and thunder. So great, indeed, were his agitation and suffering during thunder-storms, that the prospect of one made him un- happy. He had taken much pains to get the better of this 6 62 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. weakness ; but, to use his own language, " neither reason, phi- losophy, nor religion availed any thing;" and it was the more distressing, because both he and his friends thought it might seriously interfere with his ministerial usefulness. But in the course of the journey of which we are now speaking, he was entirely delivered from this infirmity, and by means the most unlikely to be imagined to produce such a happy effect. While he and Mr. Davies were riding together in Virgmia, one afternoon.,' they were overtaken by one of the most tremen- dous thunder-storms ever known in that part of the country. They were in the midst of an extensive forest, and several miles distant from any house which offered even tolerable shelter, either to them or their horses. The storm came up with great rapidity ; the lightning and thunder were violent beyond all de- scription; and the whole scene such as might be supposed to appal the stoutest heart. Their horses, terrified and trembling, refused to proceed. They were obliged to alight; and, standing by their beasts, expected every moment to be precipitated into eternity by the resistless element. Providentially, however, they escaped unhurt: and the consequence was as wonderful as the preservation was happy. From that hour Mr. Rodgers v/as entirely delivered from the infirmity which had hitherto given him so much distress. A member of the Doctor's congregation in New York once complained to him that his prayers were too methodical, and that they appeared to be studied. " You are right, sir," said the doctor, " my prayers are studied. Would you have me offer to God that which costs me nothing?" REV. DR. UARRlii. 63 REV. DR. HARRIS. The Rev. N. Hall, in his funeral sermon for this valued minister, relates an incident which occurred i i the first year in College, interesting in itself, and which exercised a great influence on his character in the whole of his after life. His mother, having learned, by a visit to his room, his great need of comfortable clothing, and unable herself to help him, save by her hands, had proposed to him to raise in some way the sum of money, a very small one, which would enable her to purchase for him what he needed. After many fruitless attempts to do this, he set off to meet his mother, as by pre- vious arrangement, in Boston ; having nothing in possession or prospect, but a few cents, which he had transferred from his trunk to his pocket as he left his room; and these — so strong were his benevolent sympathies — he gave to a poor crippled soldier that he met on his way, and who, faint and famishing, solicited his aid. As he went on, deeply depressed at his des- titute condition, and in despair at his seeming fate, he perceived something adhering to the end of his rude staff he had cut on his way ; and found it to be a gold ring, into which his staff had stuck itself as he walked, and having engraved upon it the words, "God speed thee, friend." Its pecuniary worth proved sufficient for his present exigency, and its moral value was in- calculable, giving him a cheerful faith and confidence in God. The whole incident, acting upon his sensitive nature, subdued and overwhelmed him, and gave to his character a stronger religious determination. "That motto," said he in after life, " has ever been the support of my faith when it was feeble, and the strength of my heart when it was faint." t)4 THE AMERICAN CLEKGY. REV. DR. KING. In the month of December, 1807, Mr. Maynardwas teaching school in Plainfield, Mass. One cold, blustering morning, on entering his school-room, he observed a lad whom he had not seen before, sitting on one of the benches. He was fifteen years old ; his parents lived seven miles distant ; he wanted an education j and had come from home on foot that morning, to see if Mr. M. could help him to contrive how to obtain it. Mr. M. asked him if he was acquainted with any one in that place. " No." " Can your parents help you towards obtaining an education ?" « No." " Have you any friends that can give you assistance ?" " No." " Well, how do you expect to obtain an education ?" " I don't know, but I thought I would come and see you." Mr. M. told him to stay that day, and he would see what could be done. He discovered that the boy was possessed of good sense, but no uncommon brilliancy, and he was parti- cularly struck with the cool and resolute manner in which he undertook to conquer difficulties which would have intimidated weaker minds. In the course of the day, Mr. M. made pro- vision for having him boarded through the winter in the family with himself, the lad paying for his board by his services out of school. He gave himself diligently to study, in which he made good, but not rapid proficiency, improving every oppor- tunity of reading and conversation for acquiring knowledge, and thus spent the winter. When Mr. M. left the place in the spring, he engaged a minister, who resided about four miles from the boy's father, to hear his recitations ; and the boy accordingly boarded at home REV DK. KIN^ AM) KKV. IlExNRY LYMAN. 65 anil pursued his studies. It is unnecessary to pursue the nar- rative further. Mr. M. has never seen the lad since ; but this was the early history of the Rev. Dr. Jonas King, whose exer- tions in the cause of oriental learning, and in alleviating the miseries of Greece, have endeared him alike to the scholar and the philanthropist, and shed a bright ray of glory on his native country. T?EV. DR. KING, AND REV. HENRY LYMAN. We propose to sketch another incident, or series of incidents, connected with Mr. King. They were communicated by an ardent friend of the missionary cause, and who has contri- buted largely of his abundant means for its advancement. It will be remembered that Mr. King, after his election to a pro- fessorship in one of the eastern colleges, was sent to Europe on business connected with the institution. While there, it was deemed important by the American Board of Commissioners, that he should proceed as a missionary, under their direction, to Palestine. The college, after some solicitation, was prevail-| ed upon to consent to the arrangement, and a letter was writ- ten to Mr. King, informing him of the wishes of the Board of Commissioners. This letter reached Mr. King at Paris, and uas received for him by the gentleman to whom we have alluded, who was then engaged in mercantile business in that city. This gentleman received a letter at the same time, desiring him to unite with the Board in their endeavours to pro- cure the valuable services of Mr. King, in that most interest- ing and important field of labour, Palestine. When Mr. Kina; came into the counting room, the letter was handed to imn 4 66 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. He immediately retired with it to a small private adjoining room. He did not return for about three hours. When he came out, reachino; his hand, he inquired, ''What shall I do ?" "Go." ''Behold," says he, "I go bound in the spirit to Jeru- salem, not knowing the things that shall befal me there." The gentleman immediately wrote to several friends of the missionary cause in Europe, saying, " Mr. King has consent- ed to go to Palestine. I will give a certain sum for so many years : will you do the same ?" Affirmative answers were returned in every case. _ Betbre he left for Jerusalem, Mr. King requested his friend, on his return to America, to go and see his aged parents, and administer to them such consolation as their condition should require. This he promised ; and this promise he kept, when, a few years after, he found himself at Northampton, in Massa- chusetts, and within a few miles of their residence. Knowing that thev were still in indiijent circumstances, he determined not to visit them without an open hand. It was in the winter season : a sleigh was procured and laden with provisions, and, accompanied by a young man, the son of the host from whom he had procured the sleigh, he started on his long-promised errand of mercy. On arriving at the house, he found it as he expected, small and decayed, the inmates of which might well ay: "No beggar soils the knocker of my door: The child of rags by instinct shuns the poor." When that door was opened by the aged mother, in every lineament was seen the features of Jonas King. There was no mistaking the parentage. " I have come," said the am- bassador, for such he may well be termed, "from your son at Jerusalem." The venerable father rose up to receive him, and, after a few hurried questions, said, "Let us pray ;" and bending down, he returned fervent thanks for his social privi- leges, and especially for the opportunity offcre'd him of heariii;:; REV. DB. KING, AND REV. HENRY LYMAN. G7 from his long-absent and beloved son. The provisions were brought in. "These," said the ambassador, "are sent by your son ; at least I present them in his name." "What!" said the aged and simple-hearted mother, "did these things come all the way from Jerusalem?" As the coffee, and tea, and sugar, were successively placed before them, the good old man said, "Of a truth God has this day abundantly blessed us : again let person who accompanied you on your visit to the parents of .Tonas King ; I date my first serious religious impressions from that day."" That young man was the Rev. Henry Lyman, who was afterwards missionary to India, and whose prospects of usefulness, and whose life, were terminated by the melancholy 1^8 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. death of himself and associate, by the cannibals of the island of Borneo. The good old man has gone to his rest, and by his will, left to the friend of his son, the old family Bible. A CLERGYMAN. Some years ago, a clergyman, who was a widower, married the widow of a deceased minister of another denomination. She was a woman highly esteemed for her correct views of Divine truth, and for sincere and consistent piety. She had not long accompanied her new companion in his public and social worship, before she became pensive and dejected. This awakened the solicitude of her companion, who insisted on knowing the cause. At length, with trembling hesitancy, she observed, " Sir, your preaching would starve all the Christians in the world." " Starve all the Christians in the world !" said the astonished preacher ; "why, do I not speak the truth ?" "Yes," replied his wife, "and so you would were you to stand in the desk all day, and say my name is Mary. But, sir, there ^ something besides the letter in the truth of the gospel." The result was, a very important change in the ministerial efforts of this clergyman ; after which his partner sat and heard him with great delight. AN INDIAN MISSIONARY. 69 AN INDIAN MISSIONARY. Every Christian must review with deep interest the history of the rise and progress of religion among our Indians. The following narrative was given by a gentleman of the United States, when on a visit to England, and was published in that country in 1838 : — It was in the autumn of 1832, in the regions of the far- west, when the shadows of the forest were deepening in the twilight over the waters of the Columbian river, that a traveller, whom commerce had led to seek out the tribe of Indians dwellins upon its borders, (commonly called "the Flat-headed Indians,") appeared at the entrance of a wigwam, asking for food and water, in broken accents, but in their own language. When rested and refreshed, its owner asked his errand, which proved to be one of barter, and made him very welcome to these child- ren of the wilderness. The savage who received him was tall, erect, and finely formed, with an expression of intelligence about his eyes and forehead which might have bespoken the power of civilization. " You are weary," he said to the stranger, " and it was well that you reached our shelter before the voice of the great Eagle was abroad upon the mountains." "What do you mean ?" asked his guest, at the same moment looking forth at the clouded sky ; — " and what is the voice of the great Eagle ?" " Hear it now," replied the savage, as the first peal of thun- der rolled, and echoed round the hills. " The great Spirit is riding down the water-fall! Do you not hear him in the wind ? I am afraid of him, and so surely you must be. , Let us speak against his harm." "I fear nothing," replied the hardy wanderer. " But is this spirit a good or a bad spirit?— and have you more spirits than one in your country ?" 70 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. "We have a good Spirit," was the answer, " but we never speak to him — he will do us no evil : and we have a bad spirit, who is the great eagle I told you of; and we pray to him, that he may not work us harm. What spirits have you in your country ?" " I come," said the stranger, "from the Ohio ; and the men in those parts have a book which teaches them a new way to heaven ; or, as you would call it, to the sky. They say that they shall live again after they die, and live up there — that is, if they please their great Spirit." " What is a book ? — 1 should like to see it," said the Indian. "And about living after death, I want to know. How far is it to the Ohio?" " It is three thousand miles," replied the traveller, "and all through the desert. You never will reach the Ohio; — but all I have said to you is true." The Indian turned into his hut to sleep ; but he could not sleep at all, — and he walked out again into the clear still moon- light, when the storm was hushed, to think about the book which could teach the way into the sky. There were two men in his tribe to whom he repeated, the next morning, what the traveller had said ; and he asked them if they would go with him to fetch such a book from beyond the mountains. They agreed, — and after a seasor; the traveller went on his way, and they too took their journey in an opposite direction. They lived by the chase, endured innumerable perils, and were six months on their road ; — but at last arrived at their destination, and entreated to see the book of which they had heard, and to be taught that which they did not know. Their history excited great interest — they were welcomed and instructed ; but ere many months had passed, the savage who had first heard the good news from the traveller, — worn out with the fatigue and hardships of his journey — fell ill and died : not, however, before he had listened to the glad tidings of saU A YOITNG MINISTER. 71 vation by Jesus Christ ; and declared that he believed the book. A still deeper feeling was occasioned by his death. A mission- ary offered himself to return with the two others to their homes; and did accompany them back to the Columbian River. Accounts were received from him of his safe arrival, his joyful reception by the tribe, and of his beginning to dis. tribute among them the water of life. SEVERAL Clergymen. Pains taken in the composition of sermons are not labour thrown away. An eminent scholar, the president of one of our universities, re-wrote the most useful of his sermons thirteen or fourteen times, and laboured, in connection with a literary friend, two whole days on two sentences. A living divine, who has been called the prince of our pulpit orators, spent a fortnight on a single discourse, which has already ac- complished more good than four thousand sermons written by another of our pastors, at the rate of two a week. On the blank leaf of one of Dr. Griffin's manuscripts, it appear- ed that his discourse had been preached ninety times ! Thus had it been touched and retouched, reviewed and rewritten, till, so far as the author's power availed, it was perfected. A YOUNG MINISTER. A YOUNG minister, a few years since, received a call from two different societies at once, to hnrome their pastor. Onr 72 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. of them was united and rich, and therefore able to give him a large salary ; the other was poor, and so divided that they had driven away their minister. In this condition he applied to his father for advice. An aged coloured servant, who over- heard what was said, made this reply; "Massa, go where there is the least money and the most devil." The minister took the advice, united the church, and converted many souls to Christ. REV. MR. WILLEY. The Rev. Mr. Willey, of New Hampshire, at a public meetmg in Park Street church, Boston, gave the history of a lad in a retired part of the country, to whom a pious lady, after seri- ous conversation, gave the " Saints' Rest." He read it, became deeply interested, and carried it to the barn where he was em- ployed, weeping over its pages, and over his hardness of heart, and praying to be saved from the miseries of the lost. But these impressions died away ; and some years after, on the Sabbath, in Boston, he wandered into the very church where the meeting was then assembled, where, under the appeals of the venerable Dr. Griffin, all his former solicitude for his un- dying soul was revived, and he was led immediately to apply to a clergyman of the city for the " Saints' Rest." After con- siderable trouble the long-sought volume was found and read, portions of it, time after time, during the week. On the Sab- bath this youth was seen in this house, a weeping stranger, sometimes in one part of it and sometimes in another. It was in that gallery, referring to the west gallery, as he has since ventured to hope, he poured out his soul unto God, and that light began to dawn upon him, which has since been as the REV. DR. GRIFFI.\. 78 rising light of day. This youth was the eldest in a family of ten children, all of whom, together with both parents, luive since been brought to hope in the mercy of God, and to unite with his people ; and of the five sons, four are in the Christian ministry. * REV. DR. GRIFFIN. The late Rev. Dr. E. D. Griffin was exceedingly careful in the preparation of his sermons. Dr. Sprague says that he was once at his house, and in view of preaching, went into his study to read over his sermon. He called for ink and sand, and began to strike out, and to pour on the sand. The manu- script was already black with erasures and insertions, but the work went on, the paper growing darker every moment. One of the little children coming up, and looking on the blotted and blurred manuscript, corrected and re-corrected, said, " How can you read your sermon? It is all scratched out'/" He was particular in covering with ink every word erased, so that it could not be read. The remark of the child led him to speak of his custom ; and said he, " This I regard as one chief excellence of my preaching, if I have any." He continued, " I have a plain figure which I use in the study ; it will not do for the pnblic ear; but it serves to illustrate my point. If you put swing- ling tow upon a hetchel, you can ride to Boston on it ; but if you pull out the tow," holding up his fingers to reprcsont th<^ process, "and let the points stick up, they will prick: so," added he, "you may cover up the truth with ornaments and words, till the conscience cannot be reached. You mii^f pull out the 74 THE AMERICAN CLEKGY. tow — the points are the truth — pull out the tow, and let the points stick up." A better illustration, as Dr. Sprague remarks, was never given. If our sermons had less " tow," and more naked " points," they would do more execution. SEVERAL EMINENT CLERGYMEN. The Rev. Dr. Hill, of Virginia, some time since, made the following statement at a public meeting of a Tract Society : — I lost my sainted mother when I was a youth, but not before the instructions which I received from her beloved lips had made a deep impression upon my mind ; an impression which I carried with me into a college, (Hampden Sidney,) where there was not then one pious student. There I often reflected, when surrounded by young men who scoffed at religion, upon the instructions of my mother, and my conscience was frequent- ly sore distressed. I had no Bible, and dreaded getting one, lest it should be found in my possession. At last I could stand it no longer, and therefore requested a particular friend, a youth whose parents lived near, and who often went home, to ask his pious and excellent mother to send me some religious books. She sent me Alleine's Alarm, an old black book, which looked as if it might have been handled by successive generations for one hundred years. When I got it, I locked my room and lay on my bed reading it, when a student knocked at my door; and although I gave him no answer, dreading to be found read- ing such a book, he continued to knock and beat the door, until I had to open it. He came in, and seeing the book lying on the bed, he seized it, and examining its title, he said, — "Why, Hill, do vou read such books?" T hesitated, ]>ut God ennbled SEVERAL EMINENT CLERGYMEN. 75 me to be decided, and tell him boldly, but with much emotion, " Yes, I do." The young man replied with deep agitation, "Oh, Hill, you may obtain religion, but /never can. I came here a professor of religion ; but through fear, I dissembled it, and have been carried along with the wicked, until I fear that there is no hope for me." He told me that there were two others, who he believed were somewhat serious. We agreed to take up the subject of religion in earnest, and seek it toge- ther. We invited the other two, and held a prayer-meeting in my room on the next Saturday afternoon. And Oh, what a prayer-meeting ! We tried to pray, but such prayer I never heard the like of. We knew not how to pray, but tried to do it. It was the first prayer- meeting that I ever heard of. We tried to sing, but it was in a suppressed manner, for we feared the other students. But they found it out, and gathered around the door, and made such a noise, that some of the officers had to disperse them. And so serious was the disturbance, that the President, the late excellent Rev. Dr. John B. Smith, had to investigate the matter at prayers that evening, in the prayers' hall. When he demanded the reason of the riot, a ringleader in wickedness got up and stated, that it was occasioned by three or four of the boys holding prayer-xneeVmg, and they were determined to have no such doings there. The good President heard the statement with deep emotion, and looking at the youths charged with the sin of praying, with tears in his eyes, he said, "Oh, is there such a state of things in this col- lege? Then God has come near to us. My dear young friends, you shall be protected. You shall hold your next meeting in my parlour, and I will be one of your number." Sure enough, we had our next meeting in his parlour, and half the college was there ; and there began the glorious revival of religion, which pervaded the college and spread into the coun- try around. Many of those students became ministers of the gospel. The youth who had brought me Alleine's Alarm from 76 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. his mother was my friend, the Rev. C. Still, preaching in this State. And he who interrupted me in reading the work, my venerable and worthy friend, the Rev. Dr. H , is now pre- sident of a college in the West. REV. E. T. TAYLOR. A PIOUS English widow, who resided among ignorant and vicious neighbors in the suburbs of Boston, Mass., determined to do what she could for their spiritual benefit. She opened her little front room for weekly prayer-meetings, and engaged some pious Methodists to aid in conducting them. Among others who attended was a young sailor of intelligent and prepossessing countenance. A slight acquaintance showed him to be very ignorant of even the rudiments of education ; but he had evidently such superior talents that the widow became much interested in his spiritual welfare, and prayed much that God would instruct and convert him, and make him useful. But in the midst of her anticipations, he was suddenly sum- moned away to sea. He had been out but a short time when the vessel was seized by a British privateer and carried into Halifax, N. S., where the crew suffered by a long and wretch- ed imprisonment. A year had passed away, during which the good woman had heard nothing of the young sailor. Still she remembered and prayed for him with the solicitude of a mother. About this time she also was called to Halifax on business. While there, her habitual disposition to be useful, led her with a few friends to visit the prison with Bibles and tracts. In one apartme t were the American prisoners. As she approached the grat ' REV. E. T. TAYLOR. 77 door, a voice shouted her name, calling her mother, and a youth appeared and leaped for joy at the grate. It was the lost sailor boy ! They wept and conversed like mother and son, and when she left she gave him a Bible — his future guide and comfort. During her stay at Halifax, she constantly visited the prison, supplying the youth with tracts, religious books, and clothing, and endeavouring by her conversation to secure the religious impression made on his mind at the prayer-meetings in Boston. After many months she removed to a distant part of the pro- vince ; and for years she heard nothing more of the young sailor. We pass over a period of many years, and introduce the reader to Father Taylor, the distinguished mariners' preacher in the city of Boston. In a spacious and substantial chapel, crowded about by the worst habitations in the city, this distin- guished man delivered, every Sabbath, discourses as extraordi- nary, perhaps, as are to be found in the Christian world. In the centre column of seats, guarded sacredly against all other intrusion, sat a dense mass of mariners — a strange medley of white, black, and olive, Protestant, Catholic, and Pagan. On the other seats in the galleries, the aisles, the altar, and on the pulpit stairs, were crowded, week after week, and year after year — the families of sailors, and the poor who had no other temple — the elite of the city — the learned professor — the stu- dent — the popular writer — the actor — groups of clergymen, and the votaries of gayety and fashion, listening with throb- bing hearts and wet eyes, to a man whose only school had been the forecastle, whose only endowments were those of grace and nature, but whose shrewd sense, keen wit, glow- ing fancy, melting pathos, and energetic delivery would allow none to be inattentive or unaffected in his audience. In the year 183-, an aged English local preacher moved into the city of Boston from the British provinces. 7J=, 78 THK AMERICAN CLERGY. The old local preacher was mingling in a public throng one day with a friend, when they met " Father T — ." A few words of introduction led to a free conversation, in which the former residence of his wife in the city was mentioned, and allusion was made to her prayer-meeting — her former name was asked by "Father T — ;" he seemed seized by an impulse— inquired their residence, hastened away, and in a short time arrived in a carriage, with all his family, at the home of the aged pair. There a scene ensued which must be left to the imagination of the reader. " Father Taylor" was the sailor boy of the prayer-meeting and the prison. The old lady was the widow who had first cared for his soul. They had met once more ! REV. DR. PAYSON. A WRITER in the Christian Mirror says : — As a preacher, Payson was eminently prayerful. It was manifest in private intercourse with his Divine Master. " Payson," said an elder- ly minister of Christ, respecting him, "Payson does not need to go to the throne of grace, for he is always there." About the time I was licensed, and was leaving for the field where I laboured sixteen years, he said to me — " Brother M., I would never leave my study without having first prayed." And he seemed to read the holy word with much prayer. He studied, he planned, he wrote, he pronounced his sermons in prayer. He seemed to be habitually sensible that God only could give his words success ; and such was his faith in the efficacy of prayer, that he once said to the writer, "If I really knew I needed two such worlds as this for my own private accommoda- REV. DK. STRONG. 70 tion, 1 should no more hesitate to ask for them, than I should hesitate to ask for my daily bread." And exerpising this faith in the efficacy of prayer, it is not strange that he should be much in prayer for the Holy Spirit to accompany his efforts in the ministry. Here was his chief dependence for success. For though his powers of oratory were far above most in the holy office — though his imagination was most inventive and brilliant — seldom surpassed — his memory remarkably tena- cious, and his reading extensive, yet his dependence for suc- cefs, I repeat it, was on the promised assistance of the Holy Spirit. This was seen in his sermons. It was especially seen in his addresses at the throne of grace. The assembly to whom he administered were, by his manner in prayer, made to feel that their minister leaned upon an almighty arm, in his great work. They heard him address the Saviour in such humble confidence, as to convince them that there was his only hope. REV. DR. STRONG. The Rev. Mr. was appointed many years ago to preach the election sermon before the governor, senators and repre- sentatives of Connecticut. Unaccustomed to such an audience, he displayed no little diffidence and trepidation in prospect of appearing before so much talent and dignity. This being no- ticed by the company in which he was, a brother in the minis- try, of a different mental character, said to him, "Why, bro- ther , don't mind the governor and the great people ; just think they are all cabbage heads, and then you will be at your ease." "Think no such thing," said the excellent Dr. Strong, taking his friend aside; "think that you are going to preach 80 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. before the most intellectual, and honorable, and learned audi- ence that can be assembled in the State ; bear in mind that they are immortal men, who will stand with you in the judg- ment of the great day ; remember that angels are present, and so is your Lord and Master ; fill your thoughts with a sense of his presence, and your obligations ; think of his goodness and his promises ; let God fill your whole field of vision, and man will appear in his proper diminutiveness ; rely upon it, the more your mind is awed by reflections like these, the more calm, and balanced, and composed will it be." The preacher took the advice thus rendered, and afterwards thanked the friend who gave it, for the happy effects which it produced. INCIDENTS CONNECTED WITH THE PULPIT LABOURS OF THE CLERGY. (81) REV. DOCTOR RODGERS. 83 REV. DOCTOR RODGERS. The following is one among many instances which might be given of the striking character of the preaching of this ex- cellent man, while he resided at St. George's, before his remo- val to New York. The celebrated George Whitefield had appointed, on a cer- tain day, to preach within a few miles of Mr. Rodgers' resi- dence ; and the people of the neighbourhood assembled to the number of from five to six thousand. Owing, however, to some circumstance, not now known, Mr. Whitefield did not arrive. The people, after waiting in vain for a considerable time, urged Mr. Rodgers, who was present, to rise and address them. For any man, with the best preparation, to take the place of Whitefield, and preach to an audience assembled to hear him, would have been an arduous task ; but to do this on a sudden call, and with scarcely any preparation, was much more so. Mr. Rodgers, however, wisely made it one of the first principles of his ministry, never to shrink from any ser- vice to which the providence of God evidently called him. He therefore determined, without any hesitation, to comply with the request of his friends ; and, after a moment's premeditation, rose and preached to the multitude in the open air. The con- sequences were most happy. It proved, indeed, a day of power. It was the opinion of many who heard him, that not- withstanding all the disadvantages of the occasion, the preacher scarcely ever spoke so acceptably or so well. The congregation, on dispersing, unequivocally manifested that they had not been disappointed ; and very many had reason long to remember the solemnities of the day with grateful and endearing joy. 84 THE AMERICj^/. clergy. When the Doctor was a young man, in the summer of 1748, he spent some time in Maryland, wher6 his preaching and his manners were very attractive, and where he met with con- siderable success. One case, that of a Mr. Winder, a gentleman of great wealth and urbanity, may be more distinctly alluded to. He was a polite scholar, and a member of the Episcopal Church, but, neverthe- less, called with much courtesy on his neighbours where Mr. Rodgers was visiting, and invited the young Presbyterian preacher to pay him a visit. Mr. Rodgers accepted, and, pre- viously to his going, was apprized by his friends that Mr. W. was a zealous, high-toned Episcopalian, and a very determined opponent of the doctrine of Election. He was scarcely seated in his chair at Mr. W.'s house, before that gentleman introduced the controversy respecting Election, by asking his opinion of a book on the subject which lay upon the table. Our young preacher replied that he had never before seen the book, but that he was a very firm believer in the doctrine of Election, and regarded it as a very important and precious part of the Christian system. This plunged them at once into the very midst of the dispute, which was continued, with a few interruptions, during the day. At its close, Mr. W. acknowledged himself silenced but not convinced, and dismissed his guest in the evening with much respect and friendliness. The next Sabbath Mr. Rodgers preached in the neighbour- hood, and Mr. Winder was one of his hearers. The faithful and animated discourse was founded on Ephesians, ii. 8 ; " For by grace are ye saved, through faith ; and that not of your- selves, it is the gift of God." This sermon reached the heart of Mr. W. He, in common with a number of others, was deeply affected in the course of the service, and retired from the house of worship with very different views of himself, and of the way of salvation, from those which he had entertained before. The next day he called on Mr. Rodgers, not to cavil REV. DR. RODGERS. 85 at the doctrine of Election, nor to speculate on the mysteries of religion, but to ask, as a convinced sinner, what he must do to be saved. His heart was now softened, his difficulties in a great measure removed, and he was convinced that if he were saved at all, it must be by grace alone. He was ready to acknowledge himself an instance of the sovereignty of divine mercy, and in a short time found peace and consolation in the truths which a few days before he had opposed as unscriptural and forbidding. He united with the church, and became for many years an exemplary ruling elder, and often spoke of the revolution which his views and hopes had undergone, and of the circumstances attending it, with deep humility and fervent gratitude. The impression which this excellent man could produce by his preaching, may be further judged of from the following facts : At the meeting of the Synod in 1774, he was appointed to spend a number of weeks, in the summer and autumn of that year, on a missionary tour, through the northern and north- western parts of the province of New York. He devoted seve- ral months to that service, and with renewed zeal and assiduity, for the most part in places utterly destitute of the means of grace. These labours were the immediate or remote means of forming many churches, which have since proved large, flourishing, and happy. The period at which the Doctor fulfilled this mission was that rendered memorable by the warm dispute between the settlers in the territory which is now Vermont, and the government of New York, which claimed that territory as lying within its jurisdiction. Measures of great decision, and even violence, had been taken by both parties a short time before he went into that country ; so that he found the public mind, particularly in 8 86 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. Vermont, highly irritated and inflamed. Nothing was further from the Doctor's view than any political design ; but some of the jealous and exasperated Vermonters, knowing that he came from the capital of New York, and connecting every thing with the existing disputes, suspected him of being engaged in some mission or plan unfriendly to their claims. In a par- ticular town which he had entered by appointment, for the sole purpose of preaching, he observed, a little before the public service began, several rough and fierce-looking men approach the house in which he was about to preach, and enter into very earnest and apparently angry conversation with those who stood near the door. He was utterly ignorant at the time of their design, or of the subject of their conversation; but was afterwards informed that they were very warmly contending with his friend that he was a spy, and of course a very dangerous person, and that he ought to be immediately arrested. It was in vain that the friends of the Doctor remonstrated, on the ground of the sacredness of his office, and the solemnity of the duty in which he was about to engage, and to attend on which the people were now collected together. His angry accusers replied, that the more sacred his office, the greater his power of doing mischief; and that to allow him to escape would be treason to their cause. At length, finding that all they could say availed nothing to his exculpation, and that the most positive assurances of his being known to be a man of pious and exemplary character, only rendered these hostile and ardent spirits more determined in their original purpose, the Doctor's friends only begged them to delay the seizure of his person until after divine service should be closed, as it would be a pity to disappoint so large a congregation as had then assembled for public worship. To this proposal, after much persuasion, they reluctantly consented, and divine service began. The exercises were more than usually solemn and impressive ; many of the congregation were in tears ; and even REV. MR. S. 67 those who had come into the assembly filled with so much resentment, were observed to be softened with those around them. When worship was ended, they said nothing about their plan of arresting the preacher, but quietly retired, and suffered him to pursue his journey. Two or three days after this, while the Doctor was preaching in a more northern town in the same district of country, soon after the service had begun, he saw two men enter the assembly, marked with countenances of peculiar ferocity and rage. He afterwards learned that they had come under the same impres- sions and with the same views as their predecessors in violence. They had, however, resolved to wait till the service should be ended, and then to arrest the preacher. The exercises of the day, as in the former case, were the means of disarming them. When the benediction was pronounced, they withdrew, saying to each other, that they were probably mistaken in the man, and had better go home. REV. MR. S. The Rev. Mr. S., a distinguished Methodist preacher, who was well known in the West, was once preaching with great fervour on the freeness of the gospel, and around him was an attentive congregation, with eager eyes turned to the preacher, and drinking every word into their souls. Among the rest was an individual who had been more remarkable for opening his mouth to say amen, than for opening his purse. Though he never gave money for the support of the gospel, yet he might be said to support the pulpit, for he always stood by it. He had, on this occasion, taken his usual place near the preacher's stand, and was making his responses with more than usual animation. After a burst of burning eloquence 88 THE AMERICAN CLERGY, from the preacher, he clasped his hands, and cried out in a kind of ecstacy, " Yes, thank God ! I have been a Methodist for twenty-five years, and it hasn't cost me twenty-five cents !" " God bless your stingy soul !" was the preacher's emphatic reply. A CLERGYMAN IN INDIANA. On a fine summer's day, in 1840, a clergyman was called to preach in a town in Indiana, to a youthful congregation. At the close of his discourse, he addressed his young hearers in some such words as these : " Learn that the present life is a preparation for, and has a tendency to, eternity. The pre- sent is linked to the future throughout creation, in the vegeta- ble, in the animal, and in the moral world. As is the seed, so is the fruit ,• as is the egg, so is the fowl ; as is the ,boy, so is the man ; as is the rational being in this world, so will he be in the next. Dives estranged from God here, is Dives estranged from God there ; and Enoch walking with God here, is Enoch walking with God in a calmer and better world. I beseech you, then, live for a blessed eternity. Go to the worm that you tread upon, and learn a lesson of wisdom. The very cater- pillar seeks the food that fosters it for another and similar state ; and, more wisely than man, builds its own sepulchre, from whence in time, by a kind of resurrection, it comes forth a new creature, in almost an angelic form. And now, that which was hideous is beautiful ; and that which crawled, flies ; and that which fed on comparatively gross food, sips the dew and revels in the rich pastures — an emblem of that paradise where flows the river of life, and grows the tree of life. Could the caterpillar have been diverted from its proper element and mode of life, it had never attained the butterfly's splendid form REV. J. KENNADAY. 89 and hue ; it had perished a worthless worm. Consider her ways, and be wise. Let it not be said that you are more negligent than worms, and that your reason is less available than their instinct. As often as the butterfly flits across your path, remember that it whispers in its flight, ' Live for the Future.' " With this the preacher closed his discourse ; but, to deepen the impressions, a butterfly, directed by the Hand which guides alike the sun and an atom in its course, fluttered through the church, as if commissioned by Heaven to repeat the exhorta- tion. There was neither speech nor language, but its voice was heard, saying to the gazing audience, " Live for the Future." REV. J. KENNADAY. The following facts were narrated by the Rev. J. Kennaday, in a sermon before a Methodist Conference in the United States : 1 remember, on one occasion, in the early part of my minis- try, when I visited one of my appointments upon the circuit I then travelled, I was seated amid my studies, seriously reflect- ing upon my labours in that village, when one of the brethren, an aged and judicious man, entered my room, and after a few moments' conversation on the state of the congregation, more marked for the greatness of its numbers, and the solemnity of its general attention, than for the instances of conversion, observed, " I have thought that I would suggest to you the propriety of preaching, this evening, on the love of God. I sometimes think we hear so much of terror and of wrath, that the people become hardened." I thanked him for his advice, for I believed it was given in candour and affection. He had been gone from my room but a little while, when another 8* 90 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. entered, a brother deservedly beloved, and of no less influence. I soon perceived that the state of the congregation was the burden of his heart. In a little time he remarked, " I thought I would take the liberty of advising you to preach a sermon to-night, on the terrors of the law. It is a long time since we heard a sermon truly alarming, and the people, I fear, are presuming unjustly upon that love of which they hear so con- stantly. Give us something, brother, that will arouse." Could opinions be more conflicting ? And yet they were men of sound piety, and of no ordinary judgment. This little incident, so early occurring, taught me, through my ministry, incessantly and intensely, so to "speak, not as pleasing men, but God." REV. DR. GRIFFIN. Soon after the settlement of the late Rev. E. D. Griffin at Newark, he preached a sermon on the doctrine of election. Many of his hearers were offended ; and some of his principal supporters threatened to leave him. A great excitement existed ; for a heavy blow had been struck. They went to Dr. Richards with their complaints. He told them to bo calm — not to act rashly. If that doctrine was of God, it would stand : and he cautioned them not to be found fighting against God. Dr. G. soon after called upon him, and said, in great agitation, " I have ruined myself — I have broken up my congregation." " I hope not," said Dr. R. Dr. G. inquired what he should do. Dr. R. replied, " I will tell you. Go home, and write two sermons on the doctrine of election, with as much care and consideration as though your life depended on every sentence. Pray over them; and next Sabbath preach them, under the consciousness that the eye of the REV. DR. GRIFFIN. 91 Saviour is upon you." He sat with a fixed look, while his friend was speaking. No sooner had he ceased, than Dr. G. sprang on his feet, and said, as he left the room, " I'll do it." The Sabbath came. Dr. Richards obtained a supply for his pulpit, and was present to hear his friend. In the interval, he had seen the disaffected persons, and others ; and urged all to attend. He sat in a retired part of the house, and observed Dr. G., as he entered the church. His great soul was op- pressed. His noble countenance beamed with light — his eye was full of fire. He preached like a dying man. The house was still as death. The Spirit of God was there. In the afternoon, every seat, and aisle, and corner, was crowded. All Newark was moved. Dr. G. stood up, and vindicated the law and government of God. He rose with the subject, till an awe was felt which subdued every heart. The effect was wonderful. Those very men came round him, as he de- scended from the pulpit, and wept. The Spirit of God sub- dued them. That day, " the great revival," of which every one has heard, began ; and before it ceased, hundreds were converted to Jesus Christ. A writer in the Christian Review of 1839, gives the following description of a scene he himself witnessed. Speaking of Dr. Griffin, he says : — We remember him, on one occasion, as he was about to preach before a large assembly of an evening. It was a time of deep interest in religion. He always took ample time to review his sermon, and get his heart in a proper frame, before he went into the pulpit. As he entered the sanctuary, his majestic form and snow-white head attracted every eye. He seemed to be pondering awful subjects, as he ascended the sacred desk. He read the hymn in a tremulous tone. His prayer was short, simple, and earnest. As he arose behind a 92 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. temporary breast-work, erected to accommodate his unusual height, he looked around the assembly with the solicitude of a parent. His text was Isa. i. 18. — " Come, now, and let ns reason together, saith the Lord." His feelings, the subject, the place, the assembly, all conspired to give uncommon interest to the effort. After a few remarks, he said : — " My business, at present, is with impenitent sinners. I would single them out from the crowd, and take them aside, and say in their e^r — I have a message from the Lord to deliver to you. I am sent to reason with you, in His name, about the high con- cerns of a future world — about your interests a thousand ages hence- — about the claims which the Sovereign of the world has upon you, and the long score of uncancelled charges which He has against you. Let Christians stand by, and assist me with their prayers, while I attempt to recall from death this interesting multitude." This happy introduction seemed to divest his manner of the formality of the preacher, and his ad- dress of the regularity of a sermon. We could think of no- thing but a parent speaking, in all the tenderness of his heart, to his wayward offspring. His teilder spirit, and subdued tones, served to render the illusion the more complete. " My poor hearers," he continued, " you have often considered an address from the pulpit as a matter of course, and felt no per- sonal interest in it. But it must not be so now. I have a solemn errand from the Lord to do to you, one by one?'' Each one seemed disposed to give him his hand, and come to his side, to hear his message. He then proceeded, in an easy way, to reason and expostulate with them. There was the most breathless attention. He was short, direct, and over- whelming. We think we see him now, as he stood, at the close, referring his weeping hearers to the awful scenes of the judgment : — " My beloved friends," he said, " I expect soon to meet you at that bar, and give an account of my labours among you to-night." It is solemn to reflect, that many who REV. DR. GRIFFIN. 93 heard him on that evening are in eternity. They have met . him before the throne of God. As though an unwonted solem- nity had come over him, he said, with deep unction : " It is in full view of that awful scene, that I am speaking thus to you. I would not have you perish ; but" — gathering himself up, he said, with great deliberation — " but if you perish, I would clear my garments of your blood." As though not satisfied, and reluctant to leave them, he came forward in the pulpit, and said, with impassioned tones : — " But you must not perish. The calls of mercy are still out. I have returned to my text, and found it written — ' Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow ; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.' These hea- venly words, issuing from the eternal throne, still mingle their sounds about your ears. There is yet hope. You need not perish. The door of mercy is not yet closed. That Saviour whom you just now saw on the judgment-seat, once died on Calvary. Though you have so long trifled with his blood — though you have so long abused sermons and Sabbaths — though you have ten thousand times been found in arms against the Sovereign of the world, yet in that blood, all your stains may be washed out — all your treasons purged. Only do not now seal your damnation, by longer rejecting his mercy. Fall down now at his feet : go not from this house, till you have bathed them with your tears, and wiped them with the hairs of your head. This is an awful moment. Heaven, earth, and hell, are now opened before you. From the throne of God, which is placed in the midst, the invitation is still proceeding. Not man, but God himself, is now speak- ing to you. If you turn away, it will be like those who turned away when their feet touched the borders of the promised land. They could not be forgiven, but must perish in the wilderness. Take care what you do ; for you are now stand- ing near the Shechinah. Drop the weapons from your bloody 94 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. hands. With those trembling arms, clasp His feet; resolving never to quit your hold : — that if he tread you down, you will sink, but that you will never leave the spot, till one look as- sures you that your sins are forgiven. Oh, could we see you thus ! Are you afraid to gol Why, it is the same Being who left the realms of glory to die for you. Go, with greater con- fidence than you ever went to an earthly parent. Go, with all your sins upon you. It is not io judge that He has now come. He has come to heal the broken-hearted, and to preach deli- verance to the captives. The love of Jesus looks out of his eye. His hands, bearing still the prints of the nails, are ex- tended to receive you. Go, and give pleasure to that heart which bled on the point of the spear. Go, and find your hea- ven in the sweetness of that embrace. Go. — You see him there !— Oh, go !" Some of his tones yet linger on our ear. Some of his expressions of countenance are yet present to our recollection. That picture can never fade from our mind. REV. W. ROBINSON. In the year 1473, the Rev. "W. Robinson was sent by the " New Light" presbytery of New Brunswick to preach in North Carolina, and was engaged to pay a visit to some towns in Hanover. On the Saturday before the Sabbath on which he had engaged to preach there, he had to ride late at night to reach a tavern, within eight or ten miles of the place. The tavern-keeper was a shrewd, boisterous, profane man ; and when uttering some horrid oatb, Mr. Robinson ventured to reprove him ; and although it was done in a mild manner, the inn-keeper gave him a sarcastic look, and said, " Pray, sir, who are you, to A CLERGYMAN IN MAINE. 95 take such authority upon yourself?" "lama minister of the gospel," replied Mr. R. " Then you belie your looks very much," said the tavern-keeper. This referred to the circum- stance that, owing to the small-pox, Mr. R. haa a very rough face, and had lost the sight of one of his eyes. Mr. Robinson said, " If you wish certainly to know whether I am a minister or not, if you will accompany me to such a place, you may be convinced by hearing me preach." " I will," said the inn- keeper, " if you will preach from a text which I shall give you." " Let me have it," said Mr. Robinson, " and if there is nothinor unsuitable in it, I will." The wagorish tavern- keeper, with the wish of turning him into ridicule, assigned him the text, *' I am fearfully and wonderfully made," (Psalm cxxxix. 14.) Mr. Robinson promised that if he would accom- pany him, he would preach, among his first sermons, one from that text. He did so, and before the sermon was ended, this wicked man was made to feel that he was the monster, and that he was fearfully and wonderfully made himself. It is said that he became a very pious and useful member of the church. A CLERGYMAN IN MAINE. The following fact we copy from Dr. Cotton Mather's Mag- nolia ; we are afraid that it does not present the only instance where clergymen have attributed good motives to their people without their being deserved. There were more than a few attempts of the English, to people and improve the parts of New England, which were to the northward of New Plymouth ; but the designs of those attempts being aimed no higher than the advancement of some worldly interests, a constant series of disasters had confounded them, until there was a plantation erected upon the nobler 96 THE AMERICAN CLERGY designs of Christianity ; and that plantation, though perhaps it has had more adversities than any one upon earth, yet, having obtained help from God, it continues to this day. There have been very fine settlements in the north-east regions ; but what has become of them? I have heard that one of our ministers, once preaching to a congregation there, urged them to consider themselves a religious people from this consideration, — that otherwise they would contradict the main end of planting this wilderness ; whereupon a well-known person, then in the assembly, cried out, " Sir, you are mistaken : you think you are preaching to the people at the Bay : our main end was to catch fish." AN INDIAN MISSIONARY. In the year 1798, one of the missionaries to the Indians of the north-west was on his way from the Tuscarora settlement to the Senecas. Journeying in pious meditation through the forest, a majestic Indian darted from its recesses, and arrestee^ his progress. His hair was somewhat changed with age, and his face marked with the deep furrows of time ; but his eyes expressed all the fiery vivacity of youthful passion, and his step was that of a warrior in the vigour of manhood. " White man of the ocean, whither wanderest thou?" said the Indian. " I am travelling," replied the meek disciple of peace, " towards the dwellings of thy brethren, to teach them the knowledge of the only true God, and to lead them to peace and happiness." " To peace and happiness !" exclaimed the tall chief, while his eye seemed to flash fire — "behold the blessings that follow the footsteps of the white man ; wherever he comes, the nations of the woodlands fade from the eye, like the mists of morning. Once, over the wide forests of the surrounding world, our people roamed in peace and freedom, nor ever AN INDIA?.' MISSION ABiT. 97 dreamed of greater happiness than to hunt the beaver, the bear, and the wild deer. From the furthest extremity of the wide deep, came the white man, armed with thunder and lightning, and weapons still more pernicious. In war he hunted us like ■wild beasts ; in peace he destroyed us b)'- deadly liquors, or yet more deadly frauds. But a few moons had passed away, and whole nations of invincible warriors, and of hunters that fear- lessly swept the forest and the mountain, perished, vainly opposing their triumphant invaders ; or quietly dwindled into slaves and drunkards, and their names withered from the earth. Retire, dangerous man ; leave us all we have yet left, our savage virtues and our gods ; and do not, in the vain attempt to cultivate a rude and barren soil, pluck up the few thrifty plants of native growth that have survived the fostering cares of thy people, and weathered the stormy career of their pernicious friendship." The tall chief darted into the wood, and the good missionary pursued his way with pious resolution. He preached the only true Divinity, and placed before the eyes of the wandering savages the beauty of holiness, the suf- ferings of the Redeemer, and the sublime glories of the Christian heaven. He allured them with the hope of everlasting bliss, and alarmed them with denunciations of an eternity of misery and despair. The awe-struck Indians, roused by these accu- mulated motives, many of them adopted the precepts of the missionary so far as they could comprehend them ; and in the course of eighteen months, their devotion became rational, regular, and apparently permanent. All at once, however, the little church in which the good man was wont to pen his fold, became deserted. No votary came as usual to listen with decent reverence to the pure doctrines which they were accustomed to hear ; and only a few solitary idlers were seen of a Sunday morning, lounging about, and casting a wistful, yet fearful look at their little, peaceful, and now silent mansion. 9 98 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. The missionary sought them out, inquired into the cause of this mysterious desertion, and told them of the bitterness of hereafter to those who, having once known, abandoned the religion of the only true God. The poor Indians shook their heads, and informed him that the Great Spirit was angry at their apostasy, and had sent a prophet from the summit of the Alleghany mountain to warn them against the admission of new doctrines ; that there was to be a meeting of the old men soon, and that the prophet would then deliver to the people the message with which he was intrusted. The zealous missionary determined to be present, and to confront the impostor, who was known by the appellation of The Prophet of the Alleghany He accordingly obtained permission from the chiefs to appear at the council, and to reply to the charges that might be brought forward. The 12th of June, 1802, was the time for the decision of the solemn question, "whether the belief of their forefathers or that of the white men was the true religion." The usual council-house not being large enough to contain so great an assemblage of people, they met in a valley about eight miles to the westward of Seneca Lake. This valley was then em- bowered under lofty trees ; it is surrounded on almost every side with high rugged hills, and through it meanders a small river. It was a scene to call forth every energy of the human heart. On a smooth level, near the bank of a slow stream, under the shade of a large elm, sat the chief men of the tribes. Around the circle which they formed, was gathered a crowd of won- dering savages, with eager looks, seeming to demand the true God at the hands of their wise men. In the middle of the circle sat the aged and travel-worn missionary. A few gray hairs wandered over his brow, his hands were crossed on his bosom, and as he cast his hopcr beaming eye to Heaven, he seemed to be calling with pious fer- AN INDIAN MISSIONARY. 99 vour upon the God of truth, to vindicate his own eternal word by the mouth of his servant. For more than half an hour there was silence in the valley, s ive the whispering of the trees in the south wind, and the indis- tinct murmuring of the river. Then all at once a sound of astonishment passed through the crowd, and the prophet of the Alleghany was seen descending one of the high hills. With furious and frenzied step he entered the circle, and wavino- his hand in token of silence, the missionary saw with surprise the same tall chief who, four years before, had crossed him in the Tuscarora forest. The same panther skin hung over his shoulder, the same tomahawk quivered in his hand, and the same fiery and malignant spirit burned in his red eye. He addressed the awe-struck Indians, and the valley rung with his iron voice. " Red men of the woods, hear what the Great Spirit says to his children who have forsaken him. "Throuo-h the wide res^ions that were once the inheritance of my people, and where for ages they roved as free as the wild winds., resounds the axe of the white man. The paths of your forefathers are polluted by their steps, and your hunting- fields are every day wrested from you by their arts. Once, on the shores of the mighty ocean, your fathers were wont to enjoy all the luxuriant delights of the deep. Now you are exiles in swamps or on barren hills ; and these wretched pos- sessions you enjoy by the precarious tenure of the white man's will. The shrill cry of revelry or war is no more heard on the majestic shores of the Hudson, or the sweet banks of the silver Mohawk. There, where the Indian lived and died as free as the air he breathed, and chased the panther and the deer from morn till evening — even there the Christian slave cultivates the soil in undisturbed possession ; and as he whis- tles behind his plough, turns up the sacred remains of your buried ancestors. Have ve not heard at eveninf!;. and some- 100 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. times at dead of night, those mournful and melodious sounds that steal through the deep valleys, or along the mountain sides, like the song of echo? These are the wailings of those spirits, whose bones have been turned up by the sacrilegious labours of the white man, and left to the mercy of the rains and tempest. They call upon you to avenge them — they adjure you, by every motive that can rouse the hearts of the brave, to wake from your long sleep, and, by returning to the invaders of the grave, the long arrears of vengeance, restore again the tired and wandering spirits to their blissful paradise, far beyond the blue hills. "These are the blessings you owe to the Christians. They have driven your fathers from their ancient inheritance — they have destroyed them with the sword and poisonous liquors — they have dug up their bones, and left them to bleach in the wind — and now they aim at completing your wrongs, insuring your destruction, by cheating you info the belief of that Divinity, whose very precepts they plead in justification of all the mise- ries they have heaped upon your race. " Hear me, O, deluded people, for the last time 1 If you persist in deserting my altars, if still you arc determined to listen, with fatal credulity, to the strange, pernicious doctrines of these Christian usurpers — if you are unalterably devoted to vour new Gods, and new customs — if you will be the friends of the white man, and the followers of his God — my wrath shall follow you ; I will dart my arrows of forked lightning amongst ' your towns, and send the warring tempest of winter to devour you. Ye shall become bloated with intemperance: your num- bers shall dwindle away, until but a {Q\f wretched slaves sur- vive ; and these shall be driven deeper and deeper into the wild, there to associate with the dastard beasts of the forest, who once fled before the mighty hunters of your tribe. The spirits of your fathers shall curse you from the shores of that happy island in the Great Lake, where they enjoy an everlast- AN INDIAN MISSIONARY. 101 mg season of hunting, and chase the wild deer with dogs swifter than the wind. Lastly, I swear by the lightning, the thunder, and the tempest, that in the space of sixty moons, of -all the Senecas, not one of yourselves or your posterity shall remain on the face of the earth." The prophet ended his message, which was delivered with the wild eloquence of real or fancied inspiration ; and all at once the crowd seemed to be agitated with a savage sentiment of indignation against the good missionary. One of the fiercest broke through the circle of old men to despatch him, but was restrained by their authority. When this sudden feeling had somewhat subsided, the mild and benevolent minister of God obtained permission to speak on behalf of Him by whom he had been sent. Never have I seen a more touching, pathetic figure, than this good man. He seemed past sixty — his figure tall, yet bending — his face mild, pale, yet highly intellectual — and over his forehead, which vet displayed its blue veins, were scattered, at solitary dis- tances, a few gray hairs. Though his voice was clear, and his action vigorous, yet there was that in his looks which seemed to say that his pilgrimage was soon to close. With pious fervour he described to his audience the glory, power, and beneficence of the Creator of the universe. He told them of the pure delights of the Christian heaven, and of the never-ending tortures of those who rejected the precepts of the gospel. He painted, in glowing and fervid colours, the filial piety, the patience, the sufferings of the Redeemer, and how he died on the cross for the sins of the whole human race ; and, finally, he touched with energetic brevity on the unbounded mercies of the Great Being who thus gave his only- begotten Son a sacrifice for the redemption of mankind. When he had concluded this part of the subject, he pro- ceeded to place before his now attentive auditors the advan- tages of civilization, of learning, science, and a regular system 0* 102 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. of laws and morality. He contrasted the wild Indian, roaming the desert in savage independence — now revelling in the blood of enemies, and in his turn the victim of their insatiable ven- geance — with the peaceful citizen, enjoying all the comforts of cultivated life in this happy land ; and only bounded in his indulgences by those salutary restraints which contribute as well to his happiness as to that of society at large. He de- scribed the husbandman enjoying, in the bosom of his family, a peaceful independence, undisturbed by apprehensions of mid- night surprise, plunder, and assassination ; and he finished by a solemn appeal to Heaven, that his sole motive for coming among them was the love of the Creator and of his creatures. As the missionary closed his appeal, Red Jacket, a Seneca chief of great authority, and the most eloquent of all his nation, rose and enforced the exhortations of the venerable preacher. He repeated his leading arguments, and with elo- quence truly astonishing in one hke him, pleaded the cause of religion and humanity. The ancient council then deliberated for nearly two hours ; after which, the oldest man rose and solemnly pronounced the result of their conference — " That the Christian God was more wise, just, beneficent, and power- ful than the Great Spirit; and that the missionary who delivered his precepts, ought to be cherished as their best benefactor — their guide to future happiness." When this decision was pronounced by the venerable old man, and acquiesced in by the people, the rage of the Prophet of the Alleghany became terrible. He started from the ground, seized his tomahawk, and denouncing the speedy vengeance of the Great Spirit on their whole recreant race, darted from the circle with wild impetuosity, and disappeared in tho sha- dows of the forest. AN IMPRESSIVE PREACHER. 103 AN IMPRESSIVE PREACHER. A MINISTER, a few years since, made the following striking statement : — When I was travelling in the state of Massachusetts, twenty- six years ago, after preaching, one evening, a very serious- looking young man arose, and wished to address the assembly. After obtaining leave, he spoke as follows : " My friends, about one year ago, I set out in company with a young man, an intimate acquaintance, to seek the salvation of my soul. For several weeks we went on together, we laboured together, and often renewed our engagements never to give over seeking till we obtained the religion of Jesus. But all at once the young man neglected to attend public worship, appeared to turn his back on all the means of grace, and grew so shy of me that I could scarcely get an opportunity of speaking with him. His strange conduct gave me much anxiety ; but still I felt resolved to seek the salvation of my soul, or perish making the publi- can's plea. " After a few days, a friend informed me that my companion had received an invitation to attend a ball, and was determined to go. I went immediately to him, and, with tears in my eyes, endeavoured to persuade him to change his purpose, and to go with me, on that evening, to a prayer meeting. I pleaded with him in vain. He told me, when we parted, that I must not give him up as lost, for after he had attended that ball, he intended to make a business of seeking religioiji. The appointed evening came ; he went to the ball, and I went to the prayer- meeting. Soon after the meeting opened, it pleased God, in answer to prayer, to turn my spiritual captivity, and make my soul rejoice in his love. Soon after the ball opened, my young friend was standing at the head of the ball-room, with the hand of a young l^dy in his hand, preparing to lead down the dance ; 104 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. and while the musician was tuning his violin, without one moment's warning, the young man fell backwards dead on the floor. I was immediately sent for to convey his remains to his father's house. You will be better able to judge what were my emotions, when I tell you that that young man was my own brother." REV. DR. PAYSON. Dr. Payson, of Portland, Maine, always seized upon every uncommon occurrence, in his congregation, to turn it to reli- gious account. So settled a habit was this with him, that when- ever, during the week, any extraordinary event happened, there was frequently a considerable degree of interest felt among his people, in respect to the manner in which it would be made to tell, in the production of moral and religious im- pression, in their pastor's sermon on the next Sabbath. Dr. Payson's meeting-house vi^as situated at the corner formed by one of the principal streets in the city and anothej narrow street, or perhaps lane, which opened into it. Across this narrow street, opposite the meeting-house, a convenient and pleasant conference-room, or vestry, as it was sometimes called, had been erected. His people had become warmly attached to this building ; a fact which all who ever attended Dr. Payson's evening meetings, will readily understand. One night, the inhabitants of the town were aroused by the cry of fire ; and, on going out, they found the whole heavens in a glare, from the flames of this conference-room. It was built of wood ; and the next morning nothing was left but a heap of black smoking rubbish, and the whole side of the meeting- house, opposite, was browned by the scorching heat of the flames. The next Sabbath there was the most intense interest felt, REV. DR. PAYSON. 105 by all in the meeting-house, when he arose in the pulpit, and stood prepared to name his text. The whole congregation seemed to say, by the eager and inquiring expression of their countenances, " What have you to say to us about this cala- mity ?" And he pronounced his text as if replying: " For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God , and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them who obey not the gospel of God." 1 Pet. iv. 17. Then followed one of the most eloquent and powerful appeals ever heard from his lips. He explained that one mode by which God endeavours to call sinners to him, and to arouse his people to repentance, is his providence. He tries kindness ; and when that fail, he tries frowns. He enumerated a number of events which had occurred, within a few past months, each more dis- tinct and decided than the preceding : — " And now," said he, " God has come nearer still." He then spoke for several minutes with great power and effect, in regard to the loss they had sus- tained, pointing to the blackened ruins, which were in full view. "Even this sanctuary," said he, "God has but just spared, and that, not without leaving upon it the marks of his frown." After further remarks to his church members, he turned to the congregation generally, and warned them of the danger of resisting God's calls. " I am no prophet," said he, " and I pretend to no extraordinary knowledge of God's will ; but here is the solemn declaration of his word. Take care, then, of your houses. Take care of your stores; for if this people, in spite of God's repeated warnings, will go on obstinately in sin, they must not be surprised if he should arise in his anger and send a sweeping conflagration to desolate the town." The impression made by the view he took of this providence, as a solemn warning from God, was universal and most pow- erful. The sermon was extemporaneous ; and Dr. Payson, it was understood, afterwards said that he did not consider that calamities were always to be viewed as judgments, though they 106 THE AMEniCAN CLERGY. ought to be regarded as warnings, intended to awaken us to penitence, and to renewed fidelity in the service of God. It would, indeed, be difficult to nicely discriminate between the judgments of God and the ordinary dispensations of Provi- dence ; but some occurrences are so clear, that we must exclaim, " This is the finger of God." Dr. Payson being taken suddenly ill, and, as every one thought, about to die, he remarks : " What gave me most concern was, that notice had been given of my being about to ])reach ! Whilst the doctor was preparing my medi-cine, feeling my pains abated, I on a sudden cried out, ' Doctor, my pains are suspended ; by the help of God, I will go and preach, and then come home and die.' In my own apprehension, and in appearance to others, I was a dying man ; . the people heard me as such. The invisible realities of another world lay open to my view. Expecting to stretch into eternity, and to be with my Master before the morning, I spoke with peculiar energy. Such effects followed the word, that I thought it was worth dying for a thousand times." His biographer says, " He had something so peculiar in his manner, expressive of sincerity in all he delivered, that it constrained the most abandoned to regard what he said as not only true, but of the last importance to souls." REV. E. T. TAYLOR. The following is an extract from the Boston Transcript of a few years since : We happened last Sunday aflernoon to be at the Bethel in North Square. The house was running over with seamen, REV. SYLVESTER LARNED. 107 who filled the body of the house, the stairs to the pulpit, and even the pulpit itself. We give the following extract from the sermon of the afternoon, as a fair specimen of the style in which the Rev. Mr. Taylor makes a practical application of an important truth : " I say, shipmates, now look me full in the face. What should we say of the man aboard ship, who was always talking about his compass, and never using it ? What should you think of the man, who, when the storm is gathering, night at hand, moon and stars shut, on a lee shore, breakers ahead, then first begins to remember his compass, and says, ' Oh, what a nice compass I have got on board,' if before that time he has never looked at it ? W^here is it that you keep your compass ? Do you stow it away in the hold ? Do you clap it into the forepeak ?" By this time Jack's face, that unerring index of the soul, showed visibly that the reductio ad ahsurdum had begun to tell. Then came, by a natural logic, as correct as that of the school, the improvement. " Now then, brethren, listen to me. Believe not what the scoffer and the infidel say. The Bible, the Bible is the compass of life. Keep it always at hand. Steadily, steadily fix your eye on it. Study your bearing by it. Make yourself acquainted with all its points. It will serve you in calm and in storm, in the brightness of noon-day, and amid the blackness of night ; it will carry you over every sea, in every clime, and navigate you, at last, into the harbour of eternal rest." REV. SYLVESTER LARNED. When the gloom of the pestilence was gathering over the city of New Orleans, and multitudes leaving with a view to escape it, the late Rev. Mr. Larned entered his church one nvening to perform divine service. Few were present ; the 108 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. lamps untrimmed and unlighted; and every thing indicated the presence of sorrow and apprehension. He assisted the sexton in his duties; and finally, in the dim light of the faintly illumi- nated temple, the faces of a few, who had gathered around the altar, were revealed. It was late, and as he stepped within the pulpit, he exclaimed, "Watchman, what of the night?" and, inspired by the solemn aspect of Providence, and his dread responsilities in such an hour, spoke, as with a commis- sion from heaven in his hand, to that fixed, silent audience; and so impressed their hearts by truths, which were the treasure and life of his own, as, amid all the changes of time and place on earth, could never be forgotten. REV. DR. FISK. A STRIKING instance of the power of the oratory of the late Dr. W. Fisk, is given in the funeral sermon preached for him by the Rev. Dr. Bangs : — While preaching on a certain occasion, in the large church in Forsyth street. New York, having finished the discussion of his subject, he addressed himself directly to the heart and conscience. He described the danger of the wicked man; his exposure — his constant liability to death. He followed him to the brink of death's dark precipice, and painted him plunging over the edge into perdition's gulf. The whole scene wms vividly before the eye, A preacher below him, suddenly and unconsciously, threw out his arms to catch the sinner in his fall, and carry him in faith to the Lamb of God. REV. DR. BEDELL. 109 After Dr. Fisk had been once showing the power of his eloquence, in the chapel of the University over which he pre- sided, a lady of cultivated mind, decided genius, and strong feeling, — a stranger in the place, — as she came away, said to another, with a half-stifled voice, " Have you any irreligious students in your college?" and on being answered in the affirmative, added, " astonishing !" TWO CLERGYMEN. The villages of Gardiner, Hallo well, and Augusta, on the Kennebec river, lie near to each other. Rev. Mr. S. lived in Gardiner. He was visited by Rev. Mr. N., who preached in Hallowell and Augusta, who was allowed to look over a sketch of a sermon which Mr. S. had been writing. This, Mr. N. copied, and the next Sabbath he preached it at Augusta. It so happened that Mr. S. preached in the same church in Augusta, the Sabbath after, and delivered the same sermon, not knowing that another had used it before him. And what was a little amusing was, when he came out of church, a good lady said to him — " Mr. S., you preached us a good sermon, but you ought to have given Mr. N. credit for it, as it was the same sermon he preached here last Sabbath !" ^* REV. DR. BEDELL. One Sabbath morning, while the late Rev. Dr. Bedell, of Philadelphia, was preaching, a young man passed by, with a number of companions, as gay and thoughtless as himself One 10 110 THE AMERICAN CLEKGY. of them proposed going into the church, saying, " Let us go and hear what this man has to say, that everybody is running after." The young man made this awful answer : " No, 1 would not go into such a place if Christ himself was preach- ing." Some weeks after, he was again passing the church ; and, being alone, and having nothing to do, he thought he would go in without being observed. On opening the door, he was struck with awe at the solemn silence of the place, though it was much crowded. Every eye was fixed on the preacher who was just about to begin his discourse. His attention was instantly caught by the text; "I discerned among the youths a young man void of understanding." Prov. vii. 7. His con- science was smitten by the power of truth. He saw that he was the young man described. A view of his profligate life passed before his eyes, and, for the first time, he trembled under the feeling of sin. He remained in the church till the preacher and congregation had passed out ; then slowly re- turned to his home. He had early imbibed infidel principles ; but the Holy Spirit, who had aroused him in his folly, led him to a constant attendance on the ministry of Dr. B., who had been the instrument of awakening his mind. He cast away his besetting sin, and gave himself to a life of virtue and holi- ness. He afterwards declared openly his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and his desire to devote himself to his service. In a sermon, delivered a few years since, Dr. Bedell said, " I have now been nearly twenty years in the ministry of the gospel, and I here publicly state to you, that I do not believe I could enumerate three persons, over fifty years of age, whom I have ever heard ask the solemn and eternally momentous question, * What shall I do to be saved V " REV. T. HOOKER. Hi REV. DR. MILLER. The late Rev. Dr. Miller, Professor of Theology, in a ser- mon delivered at Baltimore, in 1820, related a fact which ought not to be forgotten by those who think lightly of the errors of Unitarianism. The preacher stated that Dr. Priestley, two or three years before his death, said to him, " I do not wonder that you Calvinists entertain and express a strongly unfavoura- ble opinion of us Unitarians. The truth is, there neither can, nor ought to be, any compromise between us. If you are right, tve are not Christians at all ; and if we are right, you are gross idolaters." REV. T. HOOKER. The Rev. Thomas Hooker, having paid a visit to Cambridge, Massachusetts, was invited to preach on the Sabbath afternoon, ind Governor Winthrop went from Boston purposely to hear .lim. Having read his text, he proceeded with great fluency for about a quarter of an hour, when he suddenly found hirn- «!elf at a loss for something to say. After several ineffectual ittempts to proceed, he candidly confessed his difficulty, and, (•equesting the congregation to sing a psalm, withdrew for half m hour. He then returned, and preached for about two hours, with propriety and vivacity. After the sermon, he said tn some ':i{ his friends, *' We daily confess that we can do nothing without Christ ; and what if Christ should prove this to be the fact before the whole congregation !" 112 THE AMERICA^- CLERGY. A FORCIBLE PREACHER. The Western Review, a few years since, stated the following fact : — A clergyman was preaching in a town which was much in- fested with the Universalist heresy ; where a preacher, holding its doctrines, was present to "withstand the truth," became greatly enraged. The sermon was no sooner closed, than he began to challenge the preacher to a defence of his doctrines. As it was rather late, the clergyman who had been preaching declined a formal debate, but proposed that each should ask the other three questions, to which a direct answer should be returned. This was agreed to. The Universalist began — put his questions, and they were promptly answered. It then came to the clergyman's turn. His first question was, " Do you pray in your family ?" Thunderstruck and dismayed, the preacher of smooth things knew not what to say. At length he asked, " Why, what has that to do with the truth of my doctrine?" " Much," was the reply ; " by their fruits ye shall know them." At last, he frankly confessed that he did not. Then for the second question : " When you get somewhat dis- pleased, do you not sometimes make use of profane language?" This was carrying the war into the inner temple of his infidel abominations. There was no door of escape. Answer he must. It was of no use to deny it. He confessed he was pro- fane. " I will go no farther," said the pious clergyman ; " I am satisfied" — and turning to the congregation, added, " I presume you are also. You /dare not trust your immortal wel- fare to a prayerless and profane guide." Here was a practical argument. Every one saw and felt its force. A dozen lectures on the subject would not have done half so much good. REV. DR. STAUGHTON. 113 REV. DR. STAUGHTON. The Rev. Dr. Staughton, of Philadelphia, was remarkable for the energy of his delivery, and for the originality of many of his remarks. On one occasion, he was preaching from the words, "God be merciful to me a sinner." His soul kindled, as he proceeded, with intense ardour for the salvation of his hearers. He presented, in a strain of vivid and powerful eloquence, the joy of the angelic hosts on the repentance of one sinner. Perfect silence reigned through the vast audience. There was a moment's pause, and it was obvious, from his countenance and his attitude, that his mind was preparing for some powerfnl and overwhelming flood of feeling. He pro- ceeded : " Shall I retire with the desponding reflection, that, in all this congregation, there is not one soul humbled before God? Shall angels prepare their wings for flight, and the voice of contrition be unheard? It cannot be. I will cherish the hope that there is, at least, one sinner here, whose heart is melted down before the Lord, and trembling at the prospect of future retribution: that there is, even now, one whose agony is on the point of extorting from his lips the cry of the publi- can." Suddenly throwing up his arm, with a voice full, loud, and rapid, he exclaimed, "Hark !" The efl^ect it is impossible to describe. His arm remained for a time elevated, during which the most awful stillness reigned, interupted only by an apparently delicate and indescribable breathing, that seemed to pass over the congregation, midway in the edifice. Then, with a grace and energy peculiar to himself, he brought down his hand upon his breast, and repeated the prayer, " God be merciful to me a sinner." The feelings of the assembly were wrought to the highest point, and some time elapsed before they were enabled to breathe freely. 10* 114 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. On one Sabbath evening, the worthy Doctor discoursed to his congregation from the words of John the Baptist, in the third of Matthew, " He shall gather the wheat into his garner, but shall burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire," and was, of course led to describe the torments of hell. The thunder REV. JOHN BROCK. This eminent minister, who died at Reading, Mass., in 1668, was truly remarkable for devotedness to his work, and for a spirit of fervent prayer, of which several remarkable facts are related. When he lived at the Isle of Shoals, he persuaded the people to enter into an agreement to spend one day in every month, besides the Sabbaths, in religious worship. On one of these days, the fishermen, who composed his society, desired him to put off the meeting, as the roughness of the weather had for a number of days prevented them from attend- ing to their usual employment. He endeavoured in vain to convmce them of the impropriety of their request. As most of them were determined on seizing the opportunity for mak- ing up their lost time, and were more intent on their worldly than on their spiritual concerns, he addressed them thus : " If you are resolved to neglect your duty to God, and will go away, I say to you, catch fish if you can ; but as for you, who will tarry and worship the Lord Jesus Christ, I will pray unto him for you, that you may catch fish until you are weary." Of thirty-five men, only five remained with the mi- nister. The thirty who went from the meeting, with all their skill, caught through the whole day but four fishes ; while the five who attended diyine service, afterwards went out and caught five hundred. From this time the fishermen readily attended all the meetings he appointed. A poor man, who had been very useful with his boat, in carrying persons who at- tended public worship over a river, lost his boat in a storm, and lamented his loss to his minister. Mr. Brock said to him, " Go home, honest man ; I will mention the matter to the Lord ; you will have your boat again to-morrow." The next day, in earnest prayer, the poor man recovered his boat, which (189) 190 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. was brought up from the bottom, by the anchor of a vessel, cast upon it without design. A number of such remarkable correspondences between the events of providence and the prayers of this holy man, caused Mr. John Allen, of Dedham, to say of him, " I scarce ever knew any man so familiar with the great God, as his dear servant Brock." REV. PRESIDENT DAVIES. Such was the devoted ness of this excellent minister, that even in very early life, when only entering on his labours, and when he was judged to be in an irrecoverable consumption, entertaining no hope of restored health, he determined to spend the remains of an exhausted life, as he apprehended, in endea- vouring to advance his Master's glory in the good of souls. Accordingly he removed from the place where he was, to an- other, about a hundred miles distant, then in want of a minis- ter. Here he laboured in season and out of season ; and preached in the day, and had his hectic fever by night, and sometimes to such a degree as to be delirious, and to be in need of persons to sit up with him. It is said of this extraordinary man, that he never preached a sermon which was not instrumental in at least one con- version. Some of his sermons brought many to the foot of the cross. For the explanation of this, it need only be said that his soul was made of heavenly fires. He delighted to be in his closet. BISHOP 6RISW0LD. 19i BISHOP GRISWOLD. Db. Stone relates that this eminent Christian minister hav- ing once reached Newport, it became necessary to cross Nar- ragansett Bay, in order to keep an appointment which he had made at Wick ford, in the old St. Paul's or Narragansett Church. But a violent gale, which had prevented an outward- bound vessel from sailing for Cuba, was still raging, and had kept the regular ferry-packet from coming over, on that day, from Wickford to Newport. Here, indeed, was a difficulty, which would have kept most men housed. The swelling Nar- ragansett, bowing its thousand waves before the strong blast of a still powerful wind and tempest, lay, eight miles broad, between him and his place of destination. Yet he could not give up, without an effort, his purpose of being punctual to his engagement. By the offer of an extra reward, he induced a strong boatman, in an open sea-craft, to attempt the passage. They set forth together on the dangerous essay. But by the time they were midway on the water, the boatman felt the peril to be too great for farther progress. Addressing his pas- senger, therefore, he said : " Bishop, I dare go no further against such a wind as this !" The announcement was full of import. Still, the bishop was undismayed. He did not, in- deed, emulate the moral sublime of the ancient conqueror, in the inquiry, " Quid times ? Caesarem vehis ?" " Why fearest thou ? Thou carriest CsBsar." But, rising above, into the higher sublime of a calm trust in him who holdeth the waters in the hollow of his hand, he simply asked, " Why, what is the matter?" "The craft has not ballast enough," was the quick reply ; if she carried more of that, she might perhaps live through the bay." " Would it help her," asked the bishop, *' if I were to lie down in the boat ?" " No better ballast than that could she have " said the boatman. The suggestion was 192 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. no sooner made than adopted. Casting himself at full length upon his face, into the bottom of the boat, with the weight of a strong fram?, much heavier than that of common men, the little vessel braced herself more strongly to the blast ; and though in peril of going down, yet, after long toiling, she reached Wickford harbour, and the bishop stepped thankfully upon the firm land. Yet, so wet and encrusted had his hat and garments become, under the gray brine which had been splashed over him, that the inhabitants of the village were scarcely able to recognise in him their old and well-known visitor. But, upon reaching the house of the rector of the parish, in season for the service which he had appointed, he found that he had not been expected, and that therefore the church had not been opened. The violence of the storm kept every one at home. The rector himself was in utter amazement at his arrival, and exclaimed, " Why, bishop, I would not have crossed the Narragansett, such a day as this, for a warranty deed of the whole Narragansett country !" Nor would the bishop, for such an inducement as that. But, under a sense of duty, he was ready to dare what no pecuniary considera- tion could have bribed him to attempt. " I had made my appointments," said he, calmly, " and was not willing that the people should be disappointed through my fault." A MISSIONARY IN NEW YORK. Some time m the latter part of the last century, a missionary from one of the New England societies was labouring in the nterior of the state of New York, where the settlements were very few and far between. This missionary was much devoted to his worV, moek and affable, and possessed a remarkabl« A MISSIONARY IN NEW YORK. 198 talent for introducing the subject of religion to every indivi- dual with whom he came in contact. On a hot summer's day, v»'hile his horse was drinking from a small brook throut^h which he rode, there came along a poorly dressed, bare-headed, bare-footed boy, about seven years old, and stood looking at the missionary from the bridge just above him. " My son," said the missionary, " have you any parents ?" " Yes, sir ; they live in that house," pointing to a cabin near by. " Do your parents pray V* " No, sir." " Why do they not pray V' *' I do not know, sir." " Do you pray ?" " No, sir." "Why do you not pray ?" " I do not know how to pray." " Can you read ?" " Yes, sir ; my mother has taught me to read the New Tes- tament." " If I give you this sixpence, will you go home and read the third chapter of John, and read the third verse over three times ?" The little boy said he would ; and the missionary gave him the sixpence, and rode on. Some twenty years had elapsed ; and the same missionary, advanced in years, was labouring in a sparsely-peopled region, in another part of the same state. While on his way to a little village, one day, late in the afternoon, he called at a small house, and inquired the distance. " Six miles," was the reply. He then stated that himself and horse were very weary, and inquired if he could not stay all night. The woman of the house objected, on account of their poverty: but the husband said, " Sir you shall be welcome to such as we have." 17 194 THE AMERICAN CLEKGY. The missionary dismounted and went in. The wife began to prepare his supper, while her husband proceeded to take care of the horse. As he came in, the missionary addressed him : " Do you love the Lord Jesus Christ ?" " That," said the man, " is a great question." " True," said the missionary ; " but I cannot eat till you tell me." "Sir," said the man, " about twenty years ago, I lived in the interior of this state, and was then about seven years old. While playing in the road, one day, a gentleman in black rode into the brook, near by me, to water his horse. As I stood on the bridge above, looking at him, he began to converse with me about pray- ing, and reading the Bible; and told me he would give me a six- pence if I would read the third chapter of John, and the third verse three times : ' And Jesus answered and said unto him. Verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he can- not see the kingdom of God.' I gave him my promise, took the money, and felt wealthy indeed. I went home, and read as I had promised. That verse produced an uneasiness in my mind, which followed me for days and years ; and finally I was led by its influence, as I trust, to love Jesus as my Saviour !" *' Glory to God !" said the missionary, rising from his seat ; " here is one of my spiritual children ; the bread cast on the waters is found after many days I" They took their supper, and talked and sang, and prayed and rejoiced together all night long, neither of them having any disposition to sleep. The missionary found him to be poor in this world's goods, but rich in faith, and an heir of the kingdom. Early in the morning they parted, and the mission ary went his way, inspired with fresh zeal for the prosecution of his holv labours. KEV. SAMUEL H. STEARNS. 1U5 REV. S. STODDARD. This eminent preacher and writer was the predecessor, at Northampton, of President Edwards. He probably possessed more influence than any other clergyman in the province, dur- ing a period of thirty years. The very savages are said to have felt towards him a peculiar awe. Once, when he was liding from Northampton to Hatfield, and passing a place called Dewey's Hole, an ambush of savages lined the road. It is said that a Frenchman, directing his gun towards him, was warned by one of the Indians, who some time before had been among the English, not to fire, " because that man was the Englishman's God." A similar adventure was reported to have befallen him, while meditating, in an orchard immediately behind the church in Deerfield, a sermon which he was about to preach. REV. SAMUEL H. STEARNS. This young minister, who was cut off" in the commence- ment of a highly promising course of usefulness, while yet a student at Andover, formed high and correct views of the min- istry, and prepared and adopted the following resolutions, which cannot be too strongly commended as a model for others : — I wholly renounce ambition, and self-indulgence, as motives of action. I must be absolutely and entirely devoted to God, in heart and life ; and live not unto myself, but unto him who loved me and died for me. I must glorify God, in the improvement of my own charac- ter, and in doing good to mankind. I will follow my own taste and genius, so far as circumstances allow ; and trust in God that his providence will guide me. 19 TU£ AMEKICAN CLERGY. I will never intrude myself on the public, or take a conspi- cuous part, witliout good and important reasons ; nor will I .shrink from the exposure when duty calls, but generously go forward, and endeavour to acquit myself with Christian pro- priety. My intercourse with the world, so far as it extends, shall be perfectly honourable, christian, frank, kind, and magnani- mous ; — any good attained or done at the expense of this, costs too much. It shall be my pleasure to exert a happy influence on all within the little circle in which I move. I will never be disturbed or diverted from my purpose, by the remarks, conduct and opinions of those who do not know my character or understand my motives ; but will ever maintain that self-possession, freedom, independence, and liberality of feeling which constitute true dignity. M'"hy should we be for ever undoing the work of life? Why shbuld we wish to be just like everybody else ? I will be my- self, and make the best of it. God grant that I may grow better ! REV. G. WHITEFIELD. Every thing about Whitefield commanded attention. His voice, accompanied by his look from crossed eyes, and pro- ceeding from a man of his robust frame, must have produced wonderful effects. It is said that when once preaching in a grave-yard, two young men conducted themselves improperly, when he fixed his eyes upon them, and with a voice resembling thunder said, "Come down, you rebels!" They fell, neither of thorn being inclined to come into contact with such a look,* or to hear such a voice again. A CITY MINISTER. 197 A CITY MINISTER, A minister of the Gospel, in one of our Northern cities, some years ago, became deeply impressed with a desire for in- creased usefulness. He thought much upon the most probable means for the accomplishment of this object. The ordinary opportunities of access to his people, by pulpit ministration and customary pastoral visitings, did not satisfy his soul. He longed to lead his flock directly to Christ — to witness a greater degree of spirituality among them. At length, he resolved to visit every family, and, as far as practicable, to ascertain the spiritual condition of each of its members, by personal con- versation upon religious experience. At an appointed time, he entered upon his labours of love. He called on one and an- other of the families of his people — had every household ga- thered — and with much affectionate concern, spoke to them of the necessity of living each day for God and for eternity. His own soul was comforted, and he felt that his labours were not in vain in the Lord. A day or two after he had commenced this heavenly em- ployment, he called at the house of one of his most pious and influential members — a man of wealth. The father was absent at his place of business ; but the mother, an amiable and pious woman, was at home. On making known to the latter his desire that she should summon her family to the parlour, and acquainting her with his design to speak personally to them — to exhort, admonish, or encourage, as they might need — ^fhe mother thanked him with tears of gratitude ; but said : — " I have one request to make of you, sir." What is that ?" said the minister. "It is, that you will say nothing to my eldest daughter, Mary, on the subject of religion. I have prayed for that child for years. I have talked to her again and again ; but her 17* 198 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. heart is set upon vanity. Fashion and the world are predomi- nant in her affections. She has become, of late, exceedingly- sensitive to reproof or admonition. Respectful in every other relation, she will not permit me to speak to her on religious subjects, without returning a violence of language entirely unbecoming a daughter. I have determined, therefore, to re- frain from any direct appeal to her, until she shall give evi- dence of greater docility. You will please, therefore, say nothing to Mary, whatever you may say to the others. I should be very sorry to have your feelings injured, as well as my own, by the manner in which I am but too confident she would respond. May God bless your admonition to the rest." In a few moments, the family were gathered in the presence of the minister. Mary sat among them. She had entered with a respectful courtesy, and taken her position at a window upon the street, apparently more interested in what was going on without, than attentive to the conversation within. The minister spoke first to the mother, of her responsibilities and duties ; then to a son, a youth of intellect and promise ; then to a younger daughter, and so on, until he had administered his kind and fatherly instruction to all — I mean all except Mary. To her he said nothing ; he seemed to be unconscious of her presence. As the tears of tenderness flowed freely from all who parti- cipated in the delightful interview, Mary sat at the window, playing idly with the tasseling of the silk curtains ; her proud spirit refusing the first intimations of sympathetic feeling. The brightness of her eye was undimmed by any gathering tear ; the loftiness of her carriage was not for a moment relaxed by the affecting scene before her; and when the minister said, '' Let us pray !" she arose not from her seat to bow with the rest, but remained still in her position of scornful unconcern ; her delicate fingers toying with the silken fringes of the drapery before her. The minister poured out his soul in a fervent A CITY MINISTER. ' 199 prayer to the throne of grace. Oh ! how earnestly committed he that family to the guardianship of Heaven ; referring to them in his supplications individually, and appropriately pre- senting them to the mercy of the Father through the merit of the Son. But he offered no prayer for Mary. Unconcernedly and proudly, she still played with the silken toys. The prayer ceased — the good man arose. Taking each by the hand, he affectionately gave a parting admonition and invocation ; and bowing coldly to Mary, who as coldly returned his civility, he left the room, and made his way to the entrance of the building. He had scarcely passed the threshold, when the words of the Redeemer, " I am not come to call the righteous, but sin- ners, to repentance,'" flashed upon his mind. Suddenly paus- ing, he said to himself, " Shall I refuse exertion for any soul, to save which my Master came down from Heaven ? Nay ; God being my helper, I will return !" Again he stood in the parlour. The family sat just as he had left them, musing upon the things he had spoken. Mary was, to all appearance, still cold and unmoved. With a courage imparted by the Holy Spirit, he walked up to where she sat, and taking her hand in his, said, " It is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. Shall he save you ?" The rock was smitten ! The waters gushed forth freely and fully ! Mary, proud and scornful as she seemed to be, needed only the word of invitation to bow and weep and pray. Then was heard the bitter cry of " God, be merciful to me, a sinner !" Angels hovered over that little assembly, and ere the descend- ing sun gave place to the gathering twilight, the shout of con- version ascended to the throne, and there was joy in heaven over the sinner that had repented. 200 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. The moral of this narrative is twofold, and is borne upon its very face. Mothers may learn from it never to despair, and I ministers never to falter ! REV. SOLOMON ALLEN. This excellent minister, who laboured in the beginning of this century, first in Hampshire county, and then in the west- ern part of the state of New York, did not commence his ministry till he was fifty years of age. His zeal was irre- pressible, and his disinterestedness exceedingly striking. He endured great hardships, making every possible sacrifice in the pursuit of his great object. And such was the happy effect, that many felt as did one avowed enemy of the gospel : " This is a thing I cannot get along with ; this old gentleman, who can be as rich as he pleases, comes here and does all these things for nothing ; there must be something in his reli- gion." REV. DR. J. M. MASON. Being asked by a physician why he did not give to the world the result of his observations in his frequent travels in different parts of the world. Dr. M. replied, " Alas ! what sort of travels can I write ? I neither understand the nature of the air I breathe, nor the water I drink, nor the earth I tread upon ; my life has been appropriated to Divinity.'''' The frankness of this answer was characteristic of this great and honest man, who long bore the name of the American Paul REV. PRESIDEAT EDWARDS. iJOl and may be considered as a rebuke of a class of the clergy not small, who know every thing but the one to which they have professedly devoted their lives. REV. PRESIDENT EDWARDS. The most eminently useful men have been those of the deepest piety. President Edwards's success may be attributed, in a very eminent degree, to this fact. He writes : " Once, as 1 rode out into the woods, having alighted from my horse, in a retired place, for divine contemplation and prayer, I had a view, that for me was extraordinary, of the glory of the Son of God, as Mediator between God and man. The person of the Son of God appeared ineffably excellent, with an excel- lency great enough to swallow up all thought and conception. This view continued, as near as I can judge, about an hour, and kept me the greater part of the time in a flood of tears, and weeping aloud. I felt an ardency of soul to be, what I know not otherwise how to express, emptied of self, to lie in the dust, and to be full of Christ alone; to love him with a holy and pure love ; to trust in him ; to live upon him ; to serve and follow him ; and to be perfectly sanctified and made pure, with a divine and heavenly purity." Such passages as these constantly occur in his moral history. Who can wonder that such a man was eminently useful as a preacher ? When he preached, it was with a heavenly unc- tion and power that subdued a whole assembly. Many aim to be very intellectual, and avoid the manifestation of deep emo- tion, as if it were allied to weakness ; than which nothing can be more untrue. There is in their discourses an affectation of argumentative power. Every thing is viewed by them in the mere light of reason, rather than in the soft and mellow light -02 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. of fervid and holy feeling. We care not how rigid the preach- er's logic ; but it must be a logic warmed and vivified by a spirit of deep and earnest piety. The preacher must not be professionally pious. He must study the Bible with a constant reference to his own personal wants, and to the sanctification of his own heart. REV. JOHN ELIOT. Some of the Indian chiefs having become the open enemies of the gospel, Mr. Eliot, sometimes called the " Apostle of the American Indians," when in the wilderness, without the com- pany of any other Englishman, was, at various times, treated in a threatening and barbarous manner by some of those men; yet his Almighty Protector inspired him with such resolution, that he said, " I am about the work of the Great God, and my God is with me ; so that I fear neither you, nor all the sachems (or chiefs) in the country. I will go on, and do you touch me if you dare." They heard him, and shrunk away. REV. DR. RODGERS. The wisdom of Dr. John Rodgers, of New York, was in nothing more evident than in his way of opposing error, and in his dislike of persecution. When he was once strongly urged by some of the officers of his church to preach against ihe errors of a particular sect, and to warn his people against them by name, he firmly refused ; saying, " Brethren, you must excuse me ; I cannot reconcile it with my sense either of policy or duty to oppose these people from the pulpit, other REV. DR. MANNING. ^3 vise than by preaching the truth plainly and faithfully. I believe them to be in error ; but let us out-preach them, out- pray them, and out-live them, and we need not fear." REV. DR. MANNING. In the Rev. W. Hague's excellent " Historical Discourse," we meet with the following anecdote of Dr. Manning : — It was the delight of Dr. Manning to aid the needy, and to throw the sunshine of Christian sympathy around the path of the afflicted. His knowledge of the world, his courtly man- ners, his christian meekness, combined with great energy of character, enabled him to move at ease with every class of society, and to promote the good of all. In a recent memoir which forms an elegant tribute to his memory, it is stated, that he enjoyed the confidence of the general commanding in his department, and in one instance in particular, had all the be- nevolent feelings of his heart gratified, even at the last mo- ment, after earnest entreaty, by obtaining from General SuUi- van an order of reprieve for three men of the army, who were sentenced to death by that inexorable tribunal, a Court Mar- tial. The moment he obtained the order revoking the sentence, he mounted his horse at the general's door, and by pushing him to his utmost speed, arrived at the place of execution at the instant the last act had begun, which was to precipitate them into eternity. With a voice which none could disobey, he commanded the execution to stay, and delivered the general's order to the officer of the guard. The joy of the attending crowd seemed greater than that of the subjects of mercy ; they were called so suddenly to life, from the last verge of death, they did not, for a moment, feel that it was a reality. 204 THE AMERICAN CLEHGT. REV. D. TINSLEY. Time was, when, under other government, persecution was rile in our land. The Rev. David Tinsley was born in Vir- ginia, about 1749. He preached with Samuel Harris, the Virginia apostle, and Jeremiah Walker, and as the result, was imprisoned four months and sixteen days, in the winter season, in Chesterfield jail. Through the grates of his prison he pro- claimed the Saviour to hundreds who came to listen. Hi> enemies burned red pepper and tobacco in order to sufFocat him, but he continued to preach. REV. DR. COKE. This eminent minister, who to a very great extent obeyed the Divine command, " Go ye, and preach the gospel to every creature," extended his labours to the most distant parts of the earth, and preached in the greatest variety of situations, and under the most varied circumstances. At Raleigh, the seat of government for North Carolina, he obtained the use of the House of Assembly ; the members of both houses attended, and the speaker's scat served for a pulpit. At Annapolis, he occupied the theatre. " Pit, boxes, and gallery," says he, "were filled with people, according to their ranks in life; and I stood upon the stage, and preached to them, though at first, I confess, I felt a little awkward." But preaching in the forests delighted Coke the most. " It is," said he, " one of my most delightful entertainments, to embrace every opportunity of engulfing myself, if I may so express it, in the woods : I seem then to be detached from every thing but the quiet vegetable creation, and my God. REV. DR. CHAPLIN. 205 Sometimes a most noble vista, of half a mile or a mile in length, would open between the lofty pines ; sometimes the tender fawns and hinds would suddenly appear, and on seeing or hearing us, would glance through the woods, or vanish away. The deep green of the pines, the bright transparent green of the vales, and the fine white of the dogwood flowers, with other trees and shrubs, form such a complication of beau- ties, and is indescribable to those who have lived in countries that are almost entirely cultivated." The manner of tracing the preacher was curious ; when a new circuit in the woods was formed, at every turning of the road or path, the preacher split two or three bushes, as a di- rection for those that came after him, and notice was sent round to the neighbourhood at what place he was going to preach. REV. DR. CHAPLIN. It is related of the late Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Chaplin, as an illustration of his unwearied industry, that while he was yet a student at Brown University, a neighbouring clergyman made some inquiries into the peculiarities and merits of Dr. Hop- kins' Body of Divinity, then just published, and was answered, " Ask Chaplin, he can tell you." Dr. Pattison, in his funeral oration, says that he acted to the fullest extent on the maxim, " Never to ask another to do that for him which he could do for himself." 18 206 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. REV. DR. RICE. The Rev. Dr. John H. Rice was an eminently distinguished Presbyterian minister in Virginia, and for some years editor of the Evangelical and Literary Magazine. After his death, which occurred in ,..1831, a series of resolutions intended to govern his conduct was found, among which were the following : — " Never spare person, property or reputation, if I can do good ; necessary that I should die poor. Endeavour to feel kindly to every one ; never indulge anger, envy, or jealousy towards any human being. Endeavour to act so as to advance the present comfort, the intellectual improvement, and the purity and moral good of my fellow-men." REV. DR. PAYSON. Never has the ruling passion been more strongly exempli- fied in the hour of death than in the case of this excellent mi- nister. His love for preaching was as invincible as that of the miser for gold, who dies grasping his treasure. He directed a label to be attached to his breast when dead, with the admo- nition, " Remember the words which I spake unto you while I was yet present with you ;" that they might be read by all who came to look at his corpse, and by which he, being dead, still spoke. The same words were, at the request of his peo- ple, engraved on the plate of the coffin, and read by thousands on the day of his interment. BEV. DR. BYLES. 207 REV. JOHN SHEPHERD. Op one of the eminent men bearing this name, it is recorded that he was greatly distinguished for his success in the pulpit. When on his death-bed he said to some young ministers who vvere present, " The secret of my success is in these three things : — " 1. The studying of my sermons very frequently costs me tears. " 2. Before I preached a sermon to others I derived good from it myself. " 3. I have always gone into the pulpit as if I were immedi- ately after to render an account to my Master." All who knew that devoted man would have united in express- ins: his secret in three words — " In the closet." REV. DR. BYLES. Dr. Mather Byles, of Boston, in a period of great politi- cal excitement, was asked why he did not preach politics. He replied, " I have thrown up four breast-works, behind which I have entrenched myself; neither of which can be forced. In the first place, I do not understand politics ; in the second place, you all do, every one of you ; in the third place, you have politics all the week — pray, let one day in seven be de- voted to religion ; in the fourth place, I am engaged in a work of infinitely greater importance. Give me any subject to preach on, of more consequence than the truths I bring to you, and I will preach on it the next Sabbath." 208 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. REV. DR. DWIGHT. Every year's experience, in the ministry of this country, shows the vast importance of scriptural exposition. Let min- isters be encouraged to discharge this duty, from the advan- tages derived from it, as stated by Dr. Dwight. He says, " I took up the practice of expounding the Scriptures, when I was a minister of a parish. I never was thanked so much for any other sermons as for those. For this reason, I think it is necessary to explain the plainer truths of the Scripture, as well as the more intricate." REV. DR. NOTT. The following extract, from the Norwich (Conn.) Courier, February, 1848, while it shows the deserved respect due to a venerable Christian minister, will be read with interest, " for a good while to come :" — On Monday, of last week, the people of Franklin, Conn., to the number of nearly one hundred and fifty, made their annual visit to their venerable pastor, the Rev. Dr. Nott. They have, for a number of years, celebrated his birthday in a similar manner. The doctor having reached the very advanced age of ninety-four years on Sunday, the 23d of January, his parishioners fixed upon the Monday following for their anni- versary occasion. The day being propitious, at an early hour the old time- honoured mansion was filled with happy, warm-hearted friends, of every age, from the octogenarian to the child of a year, embracing whole families as well as solitary individuals, and including not only those who were upon the stage sixty-six A POPULAR MINISTER. 209 years ago, but the contemporaries also to the sixth generation ; all commingling in happy groups, each anxious to salute and honour their devoted pastor, whose birthday had brought them together. For all this long period he has officiated statedly, without the aid of a colleague, and has been kept from the pulpit but eUven Sundays^ through indisposition. We think a like case can hardly be found, in which so great an amount of ministe- rial labour has been performed, by the same individual, for so long a period. A POPULAR MINISTER. An eminent and deservedly popular preacher contmued, after his introduction to the pastoral office, to live in the free and generous manner to which he had beeiv previously accus- tomed, and in which his pecuniary circumstances allowed him to indulge. His table contained every thing to stimulate and to gratify the appetite. He had soon to complain of headache, giddiness, and other like symptoms. After suffering in mind and body for a length of time, he was led to the philosophical examination of his own case ; and the conclusion to which he came was, that he must entirely change his mode of living, or pay a heavy penalty in the loss of health, or perhaps life itself. On this conviction he acted; and he says: "I soon lost all relish for wine or porter, or any thing of the kind ; and I now regard them with dislike, if not with positive loathing ; and for tea or coffee, I have no longer the least appetite. I now relish plain food with a greater zest than I ever did highly seasoned dishes, when my taste was perverted by unnatural stimulants ; and yet I eat as great or a greater variety than I then did, I now enjoy that perfect health, buoyancy of spirits, and corpo- 18* 210 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. real and mental energy to which I was ever before a stranger; and no inducement on earth can have sufficient influence to cause me to return to my former mode of living, for I regard it almost with horror." REV. DR. PORTER. It wa^ one of the excellent resolutions of the late Dr. Porter, of Andovef, that he would never identify^ nor by his example, tempt others to identify religion with yaelayiclioly ; " for," says he, " if I were to paint a Pharisee, I should give him a sad countenance ; but if an angel or my Saviour, a cheerful one. The fact that painters, who are strangers to vital godli- ness, so generally, in representing Christ, give him the aspect of sadness, I will endeavour to make instructive to myself." A MISSIONARY TO THE INDIANS. Sir William Phips, a governor of New England, in the latter part of the seventeenth century, was a man of great Christian excellence. He maintained a missionary to the In- dians, and that missionary was of the right kind. When the governor first proposed the mission to him, he replied, "I shall probably endanger my life by going to preach the gospel to the Frenchified Indians ; but I know that it will be in the service, of the Lord Jesus Christ, and therefore I will venture to go." REV. DR. BEECHER. 211 REV. DR. BEECHER. The venerable Dr. Lyman Beecher says, " we need simple and effective preaching, clear, discriminating and doctrinal. Fine polished style, painted rainbows, are of no use. Give me the close preaching which reaches the conscience, and makes the sinner say — that means me." You may as ivell throw a whole apothecary's shop at a patient^ to cure him of his sickness, as to preach without having your sermons close and practical in their application. The following narrative was given by the worthy Doctor, at the social fire-side, after his return from Fort Wayne — a town north of Indiana — where he was called to attend a protracted meeting, and also to assist in the ordination of one of his sons. Well, our b^ it. landed at St. Mary's about seven o'clock, Friday afternoon, and there were over sixty-two miles of hard road between me and Fort Wayne, and I knew if I didn't make a bold push I could not get there before Sunday. A gentleman who knew me came to the boat, as we landed, and took me to his house. Understanding I was bound for Fort Wayne, he said, "You will remain with me to-night — for of course you can't think of going on." " Yes, sir, I must get over fifteen or twenty miles to-night." " Oh ! impossible ! the road is horrid, and it will be very dark." " Can't help that, I must go." "Why, but, doctor, you don't know any thing about it. I would not risk my own neck on that road." "Very likely you wouldn't— but I think T must try it." "Well," said my friend, "if you are so bent upon it, and will rest till ten o'clock, the moon will rise then, and I will 213 THE A3IERICAN CLERGY. ■ take my horse, and go with you, and pilot you through the first fifteen miles." Well, I thanked him, and after supper went and lay down to rest, and at ten o'clock he called me, and the moon was up cind our horses ready, and we took to our saddles — and well it was that he went with me, for sure enough I never could iiave found the horrible way — deep in woods — half the time midleg deep in mud, amid stumps and logs, and sometimes black sloughs, and places where we had to turn off the track and make a circuit of a mile through the woods on the right, and then come back and just strike the path, and diverge off for a mile on the left. We must have made as much as eight miles additional in these crossings. At last, between two and three o'clock at night, we came out of the worst of it, on to a tolerable Western road, and as there was a little village there, I thanked my guide, and told him I would not trouble him to go farther; so he stopped to lodge in the village. As for me, I felt lively and brisk, and the moon shone clear, and I thought I would just hold on the rest of the night. About day-break I got into the town of Wiltshire, where I slept two hours, took breakfast, and then went on. At three o'clock I came within eleven miles of Fort Wayne, and really, I can tell you, I did feel tired — almost worn out. I didn't know but I had gone beyond the work. I stopped an hour for dinner, and jogged on. Soon a young man overtook me, and company and talk revived me, and seemed to revive my horse too, for he pricked up, and the first I knew we came right into Fort Wayne. It was five o'clock, and I had travelled, as I reckon, with all the windings and turnings, seventy-two miles since ten o'clock the nisht before. I bathed all over in cold water, and then in spirits, went to bed at nine o'clock, and slept soundly and sweetly, and rose the next morning fresh and bright, without soreness or fatigue. Preached twice that day with great de- light and freedom, visited all day Monday and part of Tues- A DEVOTED PASTOR. 213 day, and preached Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, be- sides studying and writing. How many ministers in the prime of life would be willing to make equal effort, rather than encroach on the Sabbath in travelling to their place of preaching? How many young candidates at the East, are willing to go West and do Dr. B.'s labour, for Dr. B.'s salary, which is simply trusting in God. A DEVOTED PASTOR. In a time of revival in a certain church and congregation, the pastor urged one of his brethren, an able and skilful law- yer, to converse with a scoffing infidel of their acquaintance. " You know," said he, " that Mr. R. comprehends an able ar- gument as well as any of us ; and you and I have often seen how his eye will kindle under a compact and well-drawn argu- ment. Now, can you not go over, with " him, the proofs on which the Christian system rests?" " I have done that already," said the lawyer, " and he heard me through patiently, and then pounced upon my argu- ments like a tiger on his prey. Then he wound up with bitter reproaches, which made me dread to encounter him again." One of the elders of the same church had been also to visit the infidel, and met with a like reception, and he had made similar objections to his pastor to visiting the infidel again. But on a subsequent evening he was led, by the Spirit of God, to wrestle before the throne with most agonizing prayer in that infidel's behalf. At intervals he continued all night presenting his case before God, and praying for his conversion and sal- vation, as a man would pray for a friend's life on the eve of his execution. 214 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. Prayer was followed by corresponding effcjrt, and not long after, iu the crowded church, Mr. R. stood up, a changed man, to relate his Christian experience ! " 1 am as a brand," said he, " plucked out of the burning. The change in my views and feelings is astonishing to myself; and all brought about by the^ grace of God and that unanswer- able argument. " It was a cold morning in January, and I had just begun my labor at the anvil in my shop, when I looked out and saw Elder B approaching. As he drew near, I saw he was agitated — his look was full of earnestness. His eyes were bedimmed with tears. He took me by the hand. His breast heaved with emotion, and with indescribable tenderness, he said, ' Mr. R , I am greatly concerned for your salvation !' and he burst into tears. He often essayed to speak, but not a word could he utter ; and finding that he could say no more, he turned, went out of the shop, mounted his horse, and rode slowly away. " ' Greatly concerned for my salvation^'' said I audibly, and I stood and forgot to bring my hammer down ! ' Greatly con- cerned for my salvation.'' Here is a new argument, thought I, for religion, which I never heard before, and I know not how to answer it. Had the elder reasoned with me, I could have confounded him ; but here is no threadbare argument for the truth of religion. Religion must move the soul with benevo- lent, holy, mighty impulses, or this man would not feel as he does. ' Greatly concerned for my salvation' — it rung through my ears like a thunder-clap in a clear sky. ' Greatly concerned ought I to be for my own salvation,' said I ; ' what shall I do to be saved V " " I went into my house. My poor pious wife, whom I had so often ridiculed for her religion, exclaimed, 'Why, Mr. R , what is the matter with you V ' Matter enough,' said I, filled with agony-r— ' Matter enough. Elder B. has ridden two miles DR. COTTON MATHER. 215 this cold morning to tell me he was greatly concerned for my salvation. What shall I do V She advised me to go and see him. No sooner said than done. I mounted my horse, and pursued after him. I found him alone in that same little room where he had spent the whole night in prayer for my poor soul. ' I am come,' said I to him, * to tell you I am greatly concerned for mv own salvation.' " ' Praised be God,' said the elder. ' It is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, even the very chief;' and he began at that same Scripture, and preached unto me Jesus. On that same floor we knelt, and together we prayed, and we did not separate that day till Gorl spoke peace to my soul. And here permit me to say, if you would reach the heart of such a poor sinner as I, you must get your qualification where the good elder did his, in your closet and on your knees.' " That converted infidel long outlived the elder, and was the means of the conversion of many. DR. COTTON MATHER. Doctor Cotton Mather, who was born at Boston, in the seventeenth century, commenced a life of the most active bene- ficence when very young ; and at the age of sixteen, adopted as a maxim, that a power and an opportunity to do good, not only give the right of doing it, but make it a positive duty. On this maxim he determined to act ; and continued to do so .during the remainder of his days. Accordingly he began in his father's family, by doing all the good in his power to his brothers and sisters, and to the servants. After he had attained to man's estate, he imposed on himself a rule, " never to enter any company where it was proper for him to speak, without 216 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. endeavouring to be useful in it ; dropping, as opportunities might offer, some instructive hint or admonition." By way of im- proving every moment of his time, he avoided paying and re- ceiving unnecessary visits ; and, to prevent intrusion, he caused to be written, in large characters, over the door of his study, these admonitory words, "Be short." Not a day passed with- out some contrivance, on his part, " To do good ;" nor with- out his being able to say, at the close of it, that some part of his income had been distributed for pious purposes. This is an example highly worthy of imitation. Many men have accomplished wonders by a constant regard to method. Every business should be done in its proper place, and at the proper time. Dr. C. Mather was remarkable in his conduct, and for what he did. Besides the discharge of pas- toral duties in a large church, the care of a family, an extended correspondence, an ^attention to the interests of numerous pub- lic societies, he wrote not less than three hundred and eighty- two distinct pieces, large and small, for the press. That all his pursuits might have their proper places, he used to propose to himself a certain question in the morning of every day, as follows : — LorcVs-day 'morning. — What shall I do, as the pastor of a church, for the good of the flock under my charge? Monday. — What shall I do for my family, and for the good of it? Tuesday. — What shall I do for my relations abroad ? Wednesday. — What shall I do for the churches of the Lord, and the more general interests of religion in the world? Thursday, — What good may I do in the several societies to which I belong? Friday. — What special subjects of affliction and of com- REV. Msil. lAittLUS. 217 passion may I take under my particular care, and what shall I do for them? Saturday. — What more -have I to do for the interests of God, in my own heart and life? REV. MR. BAILEY. Good old Mr. Bailey, one of the first divines of New Eng- land, says that his earnest desire was to get up his soul to three things : — Patience under the calamities of life ; impa- tience under the sinful infirmities of life ,* and earnest longings after a better life. REV. MR. BACKUS. The following anecdote is sometimes related by aged Chris- tians in New England : — An unpleasant rupture took place between the Rev. Mr. Alden, late of Bellingham, and a Mr. Mann, a member of his church. All attempts for a reconcilia- tion were in vain. At length, a number of ministers were called together for consultation and advice ; among whom were the Rev. Messrs. Stillman, of Boston ; Manning, of Pro- vidence ; and Backus, of Middleborough. The conference was holden at the house of the Rev. W. Williams, in Wrentham, and they spent the afternoon, and almost all the following night, in their pious efforts ; but the parties were unyielding, and there was not the least prospect of a settlement. For a long time, the Rev. Mr. Backus, author of " The Church History of New England," and other excellent works, had sat with his head bowed down, and appeared to be sleeping. A little before r 218 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. break of day, Mr. B. rose up, saying, " Let us look to the Throne of Grace once more ;" and then knelt down and prayed. The spirit and tone of his prayer were such as to make every one feel that the heart-searching God had come down among them. The result was, the contending parties began immediately to melt ; and the rising sun saw the rup- ture healed and closed up for ever. I have often heard that good man pray. The efficacy of his prayers did not consist in length, nor in their gaudy dress ; but it seemed that he and his God loved each other, and that he was at home before the Throne of Grace. I heard the last sermon which he ever preached. It was delivered in his own dwelling-house, from 1 Peter ii. 9. I remember well the piety, pathos, and unusual earnestness, which characterized that dis- course. His religion made him willing to die. REV. DR MERCER. Few ministers were ever more remarkable for punctuality in fulfilling his engagements, than Dr. Mercer. He never found a difficulty in surmounting comparatively small impedi- ments. For instance, if he came to a creek swollen to a dan- gerous torrent, he could strip his horse, drive him across the stream, and with his saddle and saddle-bags on his back, search out for himself a crossing-place on some log or fallen tree. This he once did on his way to a Saturday meeting. At the next monthly meeting, some of the brethren, in making their excuses for absence at the previous Conference, observed that they started for the meeting, but, upon finding the creek impassable, they returned. His reply was very characteristic * " If you had waited a little longer, I would have shown you the way." BISHOP ASBURY. 219 On another occasion, while travelling, he was compelled, by high waters, to turn aside and spend the Sabbath with a picvus family. He walked the room in great disquietude of spiiit; and, on being asked the cause of his uneasiness, he replied, " Ah ! I feel like a fish out of water; this is the very first time, since the commencement of my ministry, that I have been absent from public worship on the Sabbath, when my health would allow my attendance. BISHOP ASBURY. This worthy bishop, in 1798, on a journey to Charleston, S. C, passed a creek in the parish of St. , on the bank of which sat a slave, fishing, and humming a tune. He was called Punch, and was notorious for his vicious character. The pious bishop rode towards him, deliberately proceeded to alight, fastened the horse to a tree, and seated himself by the side of the slave. As the slave seemed willing, the bishop commenced a mi- nute and close conversation with him on religion. Punch began to feel ; tears ran down his sable cheeks; he appeared alarmed at his danger as a sinner; and intently listened to the counsels of the singular stranger. After a long conversation, the bishop sung the hymn, " Plunged in a gulf of dark despair ;** prayed with him, and pursued his journey. More than twenty years elapsed before he agam saw or heard of Punch. While on another visit to Charleston, he was called upon by an aged and Christian negro, who had travelled seventy miles on foot to visit him. It was the slave he had warned and prayed over, on the bank of the creek, who had ever since 220 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. been journeying on the way to heaven. When the bishop left him, on the bank of the stream, he immediately took up his fishing-tackle, and hastened home in the deepest agitation, pon- dering over the words of the venerable man. After some days of anguish and prayer, he found peace in believing, and be- came a new man. The change was too manifest not to be discovered by his fellow-servants — it was the topic of his con- versation with them incessantly. In his simple way, he pointed them to the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins ?)f the world, and many of them became thoroughly penitent for their sins. Throngs of the neglected Africans resorted to his humble cabin, to receive his exhortations and prayers. A perverse overseer, who had charge of the plantation, perceiv- ing the increasing interest of the slaves for their souls, and their constant attendance in the evenings, at Punch's cabin, determined to put a stop to the spreading leaven. But, on coming one night to break up a meeting, he was struck under conviction, fell down under a tree near by, and began to cry for mercy. The negroes gathered around him, and prayed with him till God in his mercy pardoned and comforted him. The overseer now became a co-worker with Punch among them : he joined the Methodist church, and in time became an exhorter, and finally a preacher ! Punch had now full liberty to do good among his associates. He exhorted, prayed, and led them on, as a shepherd his flock, and extended his useful- ness around the whole neighbourhood. After many years, he was removed, by the decease of his master and the distribution of the estate, to the parish of A., where he continued to labour for the souls of his fellow-bondmen with still greater success. Scores, and even hundreds, were converted through his instru- mentality ; and he sustained a kind of pastoral charge over them for years. INTERCOURSE OF THE CLERGY WITH EACH OTHER. (221) REV. DR. RODGERS. 223 REV. DR. RODGERS. The Rev. Mr. Forrest, a minister of the Associate Reform- ed Church, in speaking of the late Dr. John Rodgers, of New York, says : — A few years ago, I related to Dr. Rodgers an anecdote of a Scottish clergyman, who, while preaching from Hebrews xi. 32, "And what shall I more say 1 for the time would fail me to tell of Gideon," &c., observed, " My brethren, here are some very rough-spun saints ; really, if the Spirit of God had not decided this matter, it would have been hard work to have admitted them among the number. But, my brethren, this teaches us that if we get to heaven, we shall see many folks there that we did not expect.' Dr. Rodgers observed, yes, my friend, I expect to see in heaven, among other wonders, three very great ones : some there whom I did not expect to have seen there ; others not there, whom I had great expectations of seeing there ; but the greatest wonder of all, will be to see myself there, the chief of sinners, pardoned and sanctified by the grace of God. Dr. Rodgers, beautifully exemplified " the meekness and gentleness of Christ, "and so greatly added to his usefulness. A young clergyman who had paid a short visit to the city, and who had enjoyed two or three pleasant interviews with the Dr., a few years before his death, at the close of the last in- terview, rose and offered him his hand for the purpose of bid- ding him farewell. The Doctor took it, and squeezing it af- fectionately, with a very few simple words, expressive of pious hope, and tender benediction, dismissed him. The clergyman on retiring, inquired, whether what he had witnessed was the 224 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. Doctor's common manner of taking leave of his friends ? add- ing that he had seldom seen anything so much like the primi- tive style of an apostle before. There have been better days of the church, when such things vv^ere not rare. Would to God they were less so now. Few men ever determined more fully to live while he lived, and to persevere in the discharge of all the duties of life than Dr. Rodgers. He had long maintained a correspondence with several eminent ministers of Great Britain, when the last of them, Dr. Erskine, of Edinburgh, died. Mr. Rodgers at that time was not less than seventy-six, but he said he believed he must open a correspondence with Dr. Balfour of Glasgow, as he did not wish to be without a friend on that side of the At- lantic, with whom he could occasionaily exchange letters. Dr. Miller very wisely remarks that the premature dotage of many distinguished men has arisen from their ceasing in advanced life, to exert their faculties, under the impression that tb«y were too old to engage in any new enterprise. THOUGHTLESS MINISTERS. Few things can be more important than that Christian Min- isters should be careful of the manner in which they speak of each other. The influence for good or for evil, on themseU'es and on all who hear them is very great. A respectable pastor, some time since, was speaking of a brother in the same com- munion, and concluded his remarks with the exclamation, "Ah, he is a snake in the grass !" A venerable minister at the same time remarked of another, " He is as full of venom as a ser REV. DR. HARRIS. 225 (tent." Can any of our readers tell the results of this kind of remark on young people standing by ? Would it not have been far better for the brother to have gone to each offender, and in " the meekness and gentleness of Christ" to have point- ed out his fault, and thus to have "gained his brother?" REV. DR. STANFORD In one of the lectures addressed to his students, on the com- position of sermons, this excellent man says : — " I cannot deny myself the pleasure of stating, that many years ago, I met with a plain, yet good old minister, who, in conversation with me, on the subject of the composition of a sermon, very pleasantly said, " I know of no better rule than the propor- tions observable in the structure of the human body. Let your introduction be short, like the head of the man, round, and full of expression. Make up the body of your sermon of the solids of divine truth ; but be sure that Christ be the heart, and the Spirit of God like the lungs, to produce respiration. The legs to run after every class of your hearers ; and a pair of arms tenderly to embrace them. This may appear to you a little fanciful, but I must confess, however singular the de- scription, yet to my mind, it seemed worthy of being remem- bered." REV. DR. HARRIS. Nothing seems more awful than preaching what we do not ourselves fully believe ; and few things can be more poignant than the reflection of having in this way preached error. A 226 THE A3IERICAN CLERGY. Universalist minister once spent a Sabbath with Dr. Harris of Dunbarton. The conversation between them concluded as fol- lows : — The doctor fastened his eye on the young man, saying, " Do you know for certainty that your doctrine is true T " No, sir," the youth replied, " I don't pretend to a certain know- ledge of the truth of it." The doctor added, " Then, sir, don't ever preach it again till you know it is true." A year or two after this conversation the young minister renounced his Universalism, and indulged a hope that he had experienced a change of heart. A MINISTER IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. A ministers' meeting was held, a few years since, in New Hampshire, at which was present an excellent clergyman, since removed to heaven. It was just after a time of general revival throughout the country, and his brethren generally were telling what thet/ had done, how many persons had been converted under their preaching, &c. Our excellent friend, who was eminent for his humble piety, and who was the suc- cessor of an aged and long successful minister of Christ, sat and listened for some time to their conversation, till at length they turned to him and inquired the secret of the revival in his church. After some hesitation he arose, and, with a man- ner and tone which made a great impression, said, " My pre- decessor was a very godly man, and, in answer to his prayers, I trust about one hundred and thirty souls have been con- verted to God !" He then sat down. Every one felt the reproof, and the effect on those who had been telling what I had done, can be better imagined than described. REV. GIDEON HAWLEY. 227 REV. GIDEON HAWLEY. Dr. Dwight's "Travels" contain a deeply interesting account of the Rev. G. Hawley, a missionary to the Indians at Massapee, and who remained their pastor for fifty-six years, dying in 1807, in his eighty-first year. At the time of the visit paid to him by Dr. Dwight, he had a favourite son, possessed of superior talents and learning, of distinguished piety and high reputation. He had lately come from his tutorship at Cambridge, and had just been ordained to the ministry. This lovely young man now lay in a dying state ; for which, however, he was eminently prepared, looking forward to scenes suited to the elevated taste of an enlightened Christian, with the utmost serenity and confidence. The venerable father was fully alive to the circumstances in which he was placed. He saw the setting of his fond lumi- nous hopes in the night of the grave ; and the lustre which played and trembled over this melancholy scene from the mind of his son, brilliant with hopes of immortal glory, exhibited, in their union and their alternations, a picture equally beautiful, solemn, and sublime. Into all these subjects, the father entered familiarly, and appeared equally willing to go with his son, or to stay behind. He felt deeply, but with a serene submission. He found high and sufficient consolation in the character of Him from whom the stroke came. He showed, in such a manner as to put suspicion out of countenance, the affection of a father; and Christian emotions, which a worldling or an infidel, if they could understand them, would deeply envy. Nor was this manifestation of affection and piety, on the part of this venerable minister, without a happy effect. A young gentleman, who accompanied Dr. Dwight on this visit, who was educated in the gay world, and, as he himself de- clared, sufficiently addicted to its enjoyments, was entirely 228 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. overcome by the scenes of this interview. After they had left the house, he burst into a flood of tears, which he had with great difficulty suppressed till that time, and was unable to utter a word till they reached the inn. In broken accents he then declared, that he had never been so deeply affected in his life ; that although he had not before been accustomed to think lightly of Christianity, he had now acquired new ideas of its excellence, and that, should he ever lose them again, he should consider himself guilty as well as unhappy. Yet the whole conversation had been rather cheerful, and every thing which it involved, of a melancholy nature, had been gilded by the serenity of hope. A MINISTER. A CLERGYMAN relates, that he was told by another Christian minister, that he one day gave to a poor man in his congrega- tion a tract ; and, seeing him afterwards, asked him what he thought of it. " Oh, massa !" said he, " it do me soul good. I never knew before why da call 'em tracks ; but when I read that little book, it track me dis way, and it track me dat way ; it track me all day, and it track me all night : when 1 go out in de barn, it track me dare ; when I go out . in de woods, it track me dare ; it track me ebery where I go ; then I know why da call 'cm tracks." This poor man became a sincere and devoted Christian. A UMVERSALIST PKEACHER. 22$ REV. JOSEPH CRAIG. Amoxgst the Baptist pioneers to Kentucky, was the eccen- tric Joseph Craig. His brothers, Lewis and Elijah, were dis- tinguished Baptist preachers in Virginia, and afterwards in the wilds of Kentucky. Joe, as he was familiarly called, obtained a license to preach also ; for, though eccentric, and by no means gifted as an expounder of Scripture, he could exhort feelingly, and his moral character was good. His brothers were so dissatisfied with his pulpit efforts, after twenty years' experience, that, on a church-meeting day, Lewis gravely pro- posed to recall his license ; and gave as a reason, that he never heard of but a single instance of the preaching of Joe profiting any one, and that was an old negro woman, who, in relating her experience, mentioned his rambling exhortation as the means of her conversion. By this time, Joe was on his feet, the tears running down his cheeks, and, clapping his hands repeatedly, he exclaimed, " Bless the Lord — thank God for that I I will preach twenty years more, to be the instrument of converting another poor African." Of course Joe retained his license. A UNIVERSALIST PREACHER. Dr. Baird has well observed, in his excellent volume on *' Religionf in America,*' that it is a remarkable fact, established by the testimony of Universalists, on becoming converted to the Truth, that few can, however desirous, ever bring ihem- sdves to believe the doctrine of universal salvation. Most of them are like the New England farmer, who, at the close of a Universalist service, thanked the preacher for his sermon, saying that he vastly liked his doctrine, and would give him five dollars if he would only prove it to be true. 20 230 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. REV. DR. LIVINGSTON. The eminent, pious, and learned theologian. Dr. Livingston, related to me, says Dr. Alexander, not many years before his decease, a pleasing anecdote, which I communicate to the pub- lic more willingly, because I do not know that he has left any record of it behind him. While a student at the University of Utrecht, a number of pious persons, from the town and among the students, were accustomed to meet for free conversation on experimental religion, and for prayer and praise, in a social capacity. On one of these occasions, when the similarity of the exercises of the pious, in all countries and ages, was the subject of conversation, it was remarked by one of the com- pany, that there was then present a representative from each of the four quarters of the world. These were. Dr. Livingston, from America ; a young man, from the Cape of Good Hope, in Africa ; another student, from one of the Dutch possessions in the East Indies, and many natives of Europe, of course. It was therefore proposed, that, at the next meeting, the three young gentlemen first referred to, together with an eminently pious young nobleman of Holland, should each give a particu- lar narrative of the rise and progress of the work of grace in his soul. The proposal was universally acceptable ; and, accordingly, a narrative was heard from a native of each of the four quarters of the globe ; of their views and feelings, of their trials and temptations, &c. The result was highly grati- fying to all present ; and I think Dr. Livingston said, that it was generally admitted by those present, that they had never before witnessed so interesting a scene. A BAPTIST CLEKGY3IAN. 231 TWO CLERGYMEN. A MINISTER was once speaking to a brother clergyman, of his gratitude for a merciful deliverance he had just experienced. " As I was riding here to-day," said he, " my horse stum- bled, and came very near throwing me from a bridge, where (he fall would have killed me ; but I escaped unhurt." " I can tell you something more than that," said the other ; " as I rode here to-day, my horse did not stumble at all." We are too apt to forget common mercies. A BAPTIST CLERGYMAN. The following incident, says the editor of the Christian Secretary, was related to us by a gentleman who was present ; and, as we happen to be acquainted with the persons alluded to, we take the liberty to publish it. Several years since, a young man who had just entered the ministry as a Baptist preacher, took passage in the stage from this city for Albany. Among the passengers was the then pastor of the Universalist soci'^ty in this city. In the course of the day, a Congregational clergyman entered the stage. The parties were all apparently strangers to each other. The conversation turned upon reli- gious subjects, when the Universalist gave the company to understand that he was a minister of the gospel, by relating the following circumstance ; without, however, stating the par- ticular denomination to which he belonged. " I preached, last Sabbath," said he, " from these words : * Now, when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they 232 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus.' The reason of my preaching from this text," continued he, " was as follows : — My custom is, to write one sermon at least every week, and I went into my study for the purpose of writing one ; but, after looking over the Bible, from Genesis to Reve- lation, I was unable to find a text to suit me. I then threw myself upon the bed, and, in my sleep, dreamed of reading the passage in Acts, just quoted. My mind then ran on, in a train of reflections upon the text, which, on awaking, I wrote down, as near as I could possibly recollect, and, on reading it over, I found it to be as good a sermon as I had ever written." The preacher here paused, apparently for the purpose of seeing what effect his remarkable story had produced upon the minds of the company ; when the young Baptist minister very solemnly replied, " I fear, Mr. R., it will be found, in the day of judgment, that your sermons have been nothing but dreams^ after all." On hearing his name mentioned, Mr. R. looked sowiewhat confused, and manifested no disposition to discourse upon religious subjects the rest of the journey. REV. DR. EMMONS. It was the advice of the late Rev. Dr. Emmons, to young ministers : " Be short, in all religious exercises. Better leave the people longing than loathing. No conversions after the hour is out." This eminent man once said to a candidate for settlement : " You have struck twelve first ; fools will complain of you if you do not strike thirteen next." How many young ministers unwisely make an effort to put themselves off for more than REV. DR. EMMONS. 233 they are woith, from a foolish desire to be popular ! Such a beginning is likely to have a bad ending ; for, as the same dis- criminating man remarked on another occasion, " Every thing that captivates will at length disgust ; therefore, popularity cannot live." A young minister having preached for the Doctor, one day, was anxious to get a word of applause for his labour of love. The grave Doctor, however, did not introduce the subject, and the young brother was obliged to bait the hook for him. " I hope, sir, I did not weary your people by the length of my sermon, to-day ?" " No, sir, not at all ; nor by the depth either." The following sketch was furnished to the Newark Sentinel, by one who evidently understood his subject : — It was once my good fortune to see the great Dr. Emmons, the father of Emmonite theology, and the man who boasted that he once " dandled Timothy Dwight on his knee." When I saw him, he was ninety-three, and he wore the old-fashioned cocked hat and small clothes, with huge knee-buckles. He had a broad, intellectual countenance, with long white hair falling over his shoulders. The boys followed him in the streets, to stare at him ; and when he ascended the platform, in the Chatham Street Chapel, during the anniversaries, the whole body of clergy rose up to do him reverence. Very few of them had ever seen him before, as he seldom left the little town of Franklin, in Massachusetts, where he preached for more than fifty years ! At the age of eighty, he gave up preaching, as he said, " before he fell into his dotage ;" and, during the last fifteen years of his life, he took part in no 20* 234 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. public exercises. The late Dr. Breckenridge was in the same pulpit with him, during that visit to New York, and called on him to pray. This he declined ; he even declined pronouncing the benediction. He said " he had quit work for ever here." But while he was at work, no one laboured harder. He stu- died twelve or fourteen hours a day, and seldom quitted his study from morning till night. Once his hired man came into his study to ask his assistance in gathering some hay, telling him that it would soon spoil'. " Let it spoil," the old doctor replied ; " I cannot leave my work to do yours.''^ At another time, an intemperate grandson of one of Dr. Emmons's friends accosted him in the presence of several by- standers, and tried to make them believe that he was familiarly acquainted with the doctor. But he was not recognised. '* What !" said he, "do you not know me, doctor? I have held the stirrup for you to mount your horse, at my grand father's, many a time." " You look as if you had never been in so good business since," replied the doctor, looking at his red face very archly. A pompous young preacher once asked him how he liked his sermon. The doctor, then ninety years old, rose from his chair, protruded his cheeks, inflated his chest, raised his eyebrows, and after a significant puff^ sat down without saying a word. To another young man, he said, " Your sermon was too much like Seekonk Plain, long and level." He used to say of Dr. D wight, "When I was at Yale, I used to take him up in my arms. He was a pretty boy." Dr. Emmons was a Connecticut man, and- died in Massachu- setts, in 1840. He was a man of most powerful intellect, and eminent, but full of the " heresies of New England divinity." Perhaps he was the clearest writer on metaphysical subjects our country has ever produced. ^ ^,. REV. THOMAS BROWX. 235 REV. DR. DWIGHT. A YOUNG clergyman once called upon Dr. Dwight, and in- quired respecting the best method of treating a very difficult and abstruse point in mental philosophy, upon which he was preparing a sermon. " I cannot give you any information upon the subject," the doctor replied ,* " I am not familiar with such topics. I leave them for young men." REV. DR. SCUDDER. A FOREIGN correspondent of the Congregational Journal relates the following incident of an interview between two Christian missionaries in Asia : — The late Rev. E. Daniel, English Baptist Missionary at Colombo, was remarkable for his zeal and piety, but very plain and homely in his appearance. Dr. Scudder once fell in with him, and not imagining that he was a minister of the gospel, instantly began to talk with him about the salvation of his soul, which was taken by Mr. D. with great satisfaction and thankfulness. A gentleman hearing of it, remarked, " If Dr. S. had been one minute later, Mr. Daniel would have begun with him." REV. THOMAS BROWN. While this gentleman was pastor of the Baptist church at Scotch Plains, New Jersey, a stranger, of respectable appear- ance, was announced at the parsonage door. Mr. B. went, and. ^*36 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. with his cJiaracteristic blandness, invited the stranger in ; and, on learning that he was a minister of his own denomination, assured him of a welcome to the well-known hospitality of the old stone mansion. It was Saturday afternoon ; and as the stranger had no engagement for the morrow, Mr. B. requested him to make himself at home for the Lord's-day. The invi- tation was readily and gratefully accepted ; and matters being thus far settled, the pastor sat down to have a brotherly collo- quy with his stranger guest. Mr. B. was remarkably commu- nicative, where propriety allowed it, and he delighted to have his friends so too. He never wished to be " all tongue and no ear." But he found his visitor to be remarkably taciturn. He broached a number of different topics, doctrinal, ethical, sta- tistical, domestic, and foreign. But, on each and all, the guest was provokingly uninformed and silent. He could not, or he would not, be brought out. He was all ear, and no tongue. The conclusion finally was, that he might be a very good brother, but he did not know much. That was certain ; and so he was pretty much left to his own reflections. Thus, Mr. B. judged from appearances. The arrangements for the morrow's services were now quietly settled in the pastor's own mind. It would not do for the stranger to preach in the morning, any how. The congre- gation was usually large and very intelligent — and strangers might be there. He might occupy the pulpit in the afternoon, for the second service, after the half-hour's intermission. All this was settled ; and in due time the arrangements were kindly revealed to the stranger, who modestly consented to help his brother as best he could, if his help was desired. The next morning came ; and Mr. B. preached, no doubt, as usual, to the great satisfaction of his people. He had to preach again at a station about four miles distant, at five o'clock, which he intended to do ; and the stranger was an- nounced for the pulpit in the afternoon, after the usual inter- REV. DR. TAYLOR. 237 mission. There he was, accordingly ; and the pastor behind him, with no little anxiety respecting the issue. The man nrayed. Mr. B. was struck — was somehow affected. Cer- tainly, thought he, the man can pray^ if he cannot preach. And he did preach. The most precious truths of the gospel were brought out with a rich unction, and clothed with lan- guage clear and polished, and in a manner which chained the attention and told on the hearts of the people. The pastor was astonished, confounded, mortified, delighted. He himself, he thought, could do nothing like it. The stranger was now earnestly pressed to preach the five o'clock sermon also, to which he modestly consented. "And then," said B., with his loud, hearty laugh of irrepressible delight, " he went far ahead of his first sermon ! I never was more astonished in all my life." He was taught not to '•'■judge according to the outward* appear ance^ REV. DR. TAYLOR A BEAUTIFUL anccdotc is told, illustrative of the Christian spirit of the Rev. Dr. Nathaniel W. Taylor. He had long been engaged in a very sharp controversy with Dr. Tyler, of East Windsor, and the late excellent Dr. Nettleton. He was one day told that Dr. Nettleton was very ill, and likely to die. He set off immediately for Dr. Tyler's house, went directly up to the room of Dr. N., without announcing his name, and as soon as he entered the sick-room, he threw his arms about the neck of his dying brother, and wept for a long time without saying a word. A most admirable exemplification of Christian feeling ! 238 , THK AMERICAN CLERGY. REV. LEMUEL HAYNES. It is related in the biography of Rev. Lemuel Haynes, the coloured preacher, that some of his students having been slan- dered for their religious activity and zeal, went to him with their complaints, expecting his sympathy and protection. After a pause, Mr. Haynes observed, " I knew all this before." " Why, then," said one, " did you not inform us ?" " Be- cause," said he, " it was not worth communicating ; and I now tell you plainly, once for all, my young friends, it is best to let the devil carry his own mail, and bear his own expenses." There is much wisdom in this remark, and it is capable of a variety of applications. When assaults are made upon any one, in points where he is sustained by a consciousness of I'ight, in a vast majority of cases silence is the most effective defence. For, to formally refute slander, he must first extend the publication of it ; that is, must sustain the expense of car- rying the devil's mail, and convey to many the information which they would not otherwise have had, that he has been subjected to imputations of wrong. And as " a lie will travel from Maine to Georgia, while truth is putting on its boots," there is little encouragement to run down a falsehood by an earnest refutation. And yet, with rare exceptions, it is not needful ; a little faith and patience will serve one quite as well as laboured vindications. Habitual integrity is the best de- fence. Let a foul breath be breathed upon a diamond, and it will soon regain its wonted lustre. Mr. Haynes once practised on this principle as follows : — An unprincipled man overtook him in the road, and said, " Mr. Haynes, have you heard the scandalous reports that are abroad about you ?" He calmly replied, " I have heard nothing." The man proceeded, in profane and abusive language, to give the details, and allege that they were true; and that they REV. LEMLEL HAYNES. 239 would ruin his character. Mr. Haynes walked on in silence till he reached his own house, when he turned to the slanderer and said, "Well, Mr. , you see what disgrace my conduct has brought upon me, according to your own account. I want )'ou to take warning from me, to forsake your evil course, and save your character from disgrace." They parted. But the next day, the man came with an humble acknowledgment, asking forgiveness. Thus did assaults give new lustre to his character. " Assailed by scandal and the tongue of strife, His only answer was a blameless life ; And he that forged, and he that threw the dart, Had each a brother's interest in his heart." This excellent man, happening one day to pass by the open door of a room where his daughters and some young friends were assembled, thought, from what he overheard, that they were were making too free with the character of their neigh- bours ; and after their visitors had departed, he gave his child- ren a lecture on the sinfulness of scandal. They answered, " But, father, what shall we talk about ? We must talk of something !" " If you can do nothing else," replied he, " get a pumpkin and roll it about ; that will at least be innocent diversion." A short time afterwards, an association of ministers met at his house, and during the evening some discussions, on points of doctrine, were earnest, and their voices were so loud as to indicate the danger of losing the Christian temper ; when his eldest daughter, overhearing them, procured a pumpkin, and entering the room, gave it to her father, and said, " There, father, roll it about, roll it about." Mr. Haynes was obliged to explain to his brethren ; and good humour was instantly restored. J240 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. The following characteristic anecdote of this shrewd de- fender of the truth, is related by a correspondent of the New York Observer : — Mr. Haynes was employed about two years, as a stated supply to the Congregational church in Manchester. In this town was a Universalist society, and, as in most other cases, its adherents were fond of discussing their sentiments with other denominations. One of these took frequent occasion to dispute with Mr. Haynes, and though he generally came off ssecond best, he seemed determined to renew the controversy on every convenient occasion. At the close of one of these interviews, apparently under the full conviction of his own inferiority, he said, " Mr. Haynes, you are a learned man, and I cannot argue with you ; but I expect one of our ministers here before long, and I intend to bring him to see you ; he will be able to defend our doctrine." Mr. Haynes replied in his usual good-natured way, " Oh, well, bring him along ; I shall be pleased to talk with him." Some weeks aflerwards, the Universalist minister arrived ; and the parishioner embraced the first leisure hour to take him up to the village to see Mr. Haynes. On their way, they were met by one of the brethren of their own faith, who, after learning whither they were bound, advised them to turn back ; " for," said he, "Ae is an old fox, and you can't get to the" windward of him." They, however, persisted in their purpose, and soon arrived at the parsonage. Mr. Haynes was called from his study to receive the visitors, without knowing or receiving the least intimation who they were. As he entered the room, the parishioner, after ex- changing compliments, said, " Mr. Haynes, this is Mr. X , my minister, whom I promised to bring to see you." " How d' do, how d' do?" said Mr. Haynes, taking the minister fami- liarly by the hand. " Well, you are the man, then, who REV. DR. >ETTLETO>r. 241 preaches that men may swear, and lie, and get drunk, and commit adultery, and all other abominations, and yet go to heaven, after all ; ain't you ?" " No, no," said the Universal- ist minister ; " I don't preach any such thing." " Well," said Father Haynes, " you believe so ; don't you ?" This was a' blow that completely annihilated all desire for theological discussion, and well nigh took away the power of utterance from both minister and layman. After a few re- marks on the state of the weather, and the pleasant situation of the village, the minister said to his attendant, " Is it not time for us to be going?" and both withdrew, apparently satis- fied to dispense with all further intercourse. REV. DR. NETTLETON. Dr. N. had great skill in the management of difficulties which connected themselves with his engagements. He was led to visit a town where the Congregational church was nearly extinct, through the prevalence of contention. The meeting-house was in the south-east part of the town. In the centre was a large brick school-house, around which were several wealthy families, and a few professors of religion. There was a meeting-house connected with another denomina- tion, in the north-west corner. The revival commenced in the centre. Erroneous views of religion prevailed. Soon several ministers appeared in his meetings, seeming to claim the field as their own. They made appointments for themselves. The doctor kept the minds of the people to 'the great subject. He publicly told the ministers that he was thankful for help, and would return their kindness, and give them as many sermons as they preached for him. This they did not e.xpect. He made no reference to them in his preaching. There was u. 21 242 THE AMERICAN CLEKGY. large public-house, directly opposite their meeting-house, occu- pied by an excellent family. This was opened to him, and lie preached there regularly for many weeks. The consequence was, that he occupied the whole ground. More than a hun- dred persons were brought into the church he supplied, which has enjoyed a stated ministry ever since. The wisdom displayed by this excellent Revivalist, in the midst of persecution, was very great. He was once labouring in a village in Connecticut, where were strong indications of the beginning of a good state of things. Christians were engaged in powerful labour, and a spirit of violent opposition manifested itself among the ungodly. The pastor of the church was called to a distant part of the parish to officiate at a wedding, and Dr. N. accompanied him. They rode together, and when they arrived at the house, the pastor left his surtout- coat hanging over the back of his chaise. Nothing particular occurred during the ceremony, but when they were preparing to return home, it was discovered that the harness was cut in several places. This, after a time, was repaired, and they arrived*-at the pastor's house without accident. When he took out his horse to put him into the stable, he found that the hair from the mane and tail of the animal had been shaved closely off. He brought his surtout into the study, which was then seen to have been torn from top to bottom into ribands. The good pastor was greatly excited, and declared that he would find out the perpetrators of the outrage, and prosecute them to the utmost extremity of the law. When he had time to cool, Dr. Nettleton said to him, " Brother, try on the surtout ; it may not be injured so much as you suppose." He did so , and so grotesque was his appearance, that both burst into a hearty laugh. Dr. N. saw that the time was now come to DR. rs'ETTLETO]V. 243 make an impression upon him ; and said, " Brother , it is evident that the Spirit of God is at work with this people, and this is a device of the adversary of souls to turn off their attention from the subject of religion. You may, I doubt not, find out the authors of this mischief, and punish them ; but, in doing it, you will raise a hubbub — there will be an end of the revival, and souls will be lost for ever. Now, my advice to you is this : keep your horse in the stable ; feed him yourself; do not take him out, even to water. Lay by your surtout in the bottom of your trunk, and do not mention these circum- stances, even to your wife. The wrong-doers will not dare to mention their mischief; and if we are silent, it will not be known, and they will lose their labour. The parish will con- tinue in quietness, and we shall go on in our work without molestation. We shall thus defeat the adversary of souls, and gain a blessed victory for the Redeemer." The pastor took his advice ; no one ever heard of the occurrence from that time ; and God blessed the church with a glorious outpouring of his Spirit. Such was the good doctor's method of dealing with persecutors. 'Dr. Nettleton was most sensitively careful to sustain the in- fluence of his brethren. He would not, when he knew there was an evident deficiency, do any thing that might tend, in the least degree, to disparage them in the estimation of their peo- ple. There was one instance in which he showed his delicacy of feeling and address in a most Christian rrianner. A cler- gyman who lived not far from the place where Dr. N. resided, bore the reputation of an indolent and inefficient pastor, and had in consequence caused considerable uneasiness amongst his people. Some of the more faithful part of the church, who deplored the low state of religion and growing laxity of morals among the youth of the congregation, went to Dr. N. and 244 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. desired him to come and preach to them. To this he would by no means consent, without an express invitation from the pastor, and of that he had little hope. But there happened to be a desert spot on the borders of the town, where religious meetings were seldom held, and where the influence of the pastor did not particularly extend. When he was made acquainted with the fact, he said that he had no objection to go there and hold a few evening meetings with them. He went, and, without exciting observation, held several religious meetings. In a short time, a number of the youth were under deep conviction for sin. As soon as he perceived the joyful appearance, he requested all who were under serious impres- sions to meet with him the next day, informing them that he had something of an important nature, which he wished to communicate. When they had all met, he advised the young ladies to go that same evening to their pastor, and ask his counsel respecting the present state of their minds ; and the young men he advised to go the evening following, for the same purpose. They all did as he had prudently directed them ; and the effect was so powerfully electric, that the sloth- ful pastor rose up at once, went to work with all his might, preached and laboured with assiduous energy, and was the favoured agent in reaping a glorious harvest of souls. As soon as the pastor got thus fairly to work. Dr. N. retired. The pastor ever remained a faithful and useful man. AGED CLERGYMEN. A YOUNG " divine" said to an old preacher : — " How does it happen that you write but one sermon a week? I preach three new sermons every Sabbath. I could write a sermon every day in the week, and make nothing of it." TWO CLERGYMEN. 245 " No doubt ; precisely nothing,^'* was the reply : " but that is exactly what I wish to avoid. I labour to make something of my sermons." The following advice was once given from an aged minister to a young one : — With respect to your conduct in the house of worship, I have a word or two to say to you. If you happen to make a blun- der in prayer or preaching, don't stop to rectify it, but go boldly on ; for, 'tis ten to one, if a single person in the whole church be listening to a word you say : but, if you stop and go back to the word, and begin to hum and haw, the hearers will immediately prick up their ears, and whisper to one another, " Ah ! the minister's out, the minister's out ;" and thus you'll be exposed to ridicule. TWO CLERGYMEN. While we must lament the existence of differences of opinion tending to destroy intercourse and fellowship among brethren, it becomes us to respect the rights of conscience, wherever they exist. There is a lesson conveyed in the fol- lowing fact, although it is adapted to create a smile : — An Episcopal clergyman resided in the immediate neigh- bourhood of a reverend pastor of a Baptist church. Their intercourse was kind, and they occasionally occupied each other's desk. The Baptist asked his Episcopal brother to address his people, one Loi'd's-day morning, to which he acceded. As they sat at dinner, after the sermon, the Baptist minister was evidently unhappy ; and the Episcopalian at 21* 246 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. length elicited the fact, that this Sabbath was the time when the Baptists celebrated the Lord's Supper, and that his brother was grieving that he could not invite him to commune with them. "Oh," said his visitor, "don't let that distress you; perhaps you are not aware that, bemg an Episcopalian, I do not consider you ordained, and therefore could not receive the Lord's Supper at your hands." Each was amused, and each respected the conscience of his friend. REV. DR. FURMAN. The late Rev. Dr. Furman, of Charleston, S. C, was once present in a small company of brethren who had assembled to dine with a common friend, when the usual style by which they addressed each other was the affectionate appellation of " brother." Those present were very exact in using this mode of address. While their conversation was progressing, and they were freely " brothering" each other, there came in an aged coloured woman, well known for her piety and good character. The brethren present saluted her, one in this man- ner and another in that ; as, " Well, old woman ;" " How do, Clarinda?" and so on. When she came to Dr. F., he leaned forward, extended to her his hand, and said, "How do you do, sister Clarinda?" He probably designed this as a gentle reproof to those present, who did not seem to recognize the true equa- lity in which all stand who belong to the family of Christ. REV. DR. POND. 247 REV. DR. POND. There is something so truly noble in the following hand- some apology, from the pen of the Rev. Dr. Pond, that we cannot forbear to record it on our pages. Would that all of us were found to breathe the same spirit ! " I am happy in the opportunity thus afforded me, of paying what I conceive to be a merited tribute to the high missionary character of Dr. Judson. It will be recollected by many who read this article, that soon after his change of sentiments, and the publication of his sermon on the subject of baptism, I pub- lished a reply to the sermon ; in the introduction to which, some things were said, impeaching the motives of Dr. J., and implicating to some extent his Christian character. In the statements there made, I had the concurrence of the then mem- bers of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, and of most of the Congregational ministers and Christians of that day. But, in view of the course since pur* sued by Dr. J., his labours and sufferings, his zeal, his con- stancy, his well-directed and successful efforts in the best of causes, and especially after the explanations he has made of some things which, at the time of his change, were regarded by many as mysterious, I think no one can question the purity of his motives, or the distinguished excellence and devotedness of his Christian character. From the later editions of my work on Baptism, I have expunged every thing which could be interpreted as disreputable to Dr. J. I have long followed him, in what I have known of his studies and labours, with deep interest, and regard him as entitled to stand among the foremost of living missionaries." 248 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. REV. DRS. COOPER AND CHAUNCEY. Dr. Cooper, who was a man of accomplished manners, and fond of society, was able, by the aid of his fine talents, to dis- pense with some of the severe study that others engaged in. This, however, did not escape the envy and malice of the world ,- and it was said, with a kind of petulant and absurd exaggeration, that he used to walk to the South End on Satur- day, and, if he saw a man riding into town in a black coat, would stop and ask him to preach the next day. Dr. Chauncey was a close student, very absent and irrita- ble. On these traits in the character of the clergyman, a ser- vant of Dr. Chauncey laid a scheme to obtain a particular object from his master. Scipio went into his master's study, one morning, to receive some directions, which the doctor hav- ing given, resumed his writing ; but the servant still remained. The master, looking up a few minutes afterward, and suppos- ing he had just come in, said, "Scipio, what do you want?" " I want a new coat, massa." " Well, go to Mrs. C, and tell her to give you one of my old coats ;" and was again absorbed in study. The servant remained fixed. After a while, the doctor, turning his eyes that way, saw him again, as if for the first time, and said, " What do you want, Scipio ?" " I want a new coat, massa." " Well, go to my wife, and ask her to give you one of my old coats ;" and fell to writing once more. Scipio remained in the same posture. After a few minutes, the doctor looked toward him and repeated the former question, "Scipio, what do you want?" "I want a new coat, massa." It now flashed over the doctor's mind, that there was something of repetition in this dialogue. "Why, have I not told you before to ask Mrs. Chauncey to give you a coat? Get away." "Yes, massa ; but I no want a black coat." " Not want a black coat ! And why not ?" " Why, TWO MINISTERS. 249 massa, I 'fraid to tell you ; but I don't want a black coat." " What's the reason you don't want a black coat? Tell me, directly." " Oh, massa ! I don't want a black coat ; but I 'fraid to tell the reason, you so passionate." " You rascal, will you tell me the reason?" " Oh, massa ! I'm sure you be angry." " If I had my cane, you villain, I'd break your bones. Will you tell me what you mean ?" " I 'fraid to tell you, massa ; I know you be angry." The doctor's impatience was now highly irritated. Scipio perceiving, by his glance at the tongs, that he might find a substitute for the cane, and that he was sufficiently excited, said, "Well, massa, you make me tell, but I know you be angry ; / ''fraid^ massa, if I wear another black coat. Dr. Cooper ask me to go preach far him /" This unexpected termination realized the negro's calculation. His irritated master burst into a laugh. " Go, you rascal, get my hat and cane, and tell Mrs. Chauncey she may give you a coat of any colour ; a red one, if you choose." Away went the negro to his mistress, and the doctor to tell the story to his friend, Dr. Cooper, TWO MINISTERS. The following fact, from the pen of a writer in the New- buryport Herald, contains an important truth, which our edu- cated ministers should well understand : — • I recollect listening, when a boy, to a conversation between two Baptist clergymen; the one an uneducated, but valuable extemporaneous speaker ; the other an educated man, and a writer of beautiful, clear, and logical sermons, but notorious for the hesitancy which he manifested whenever he attempted to preach " without notes." " How is it, brother L.," said the latter, " that you, without education, are able to get up, at a 250 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. moment's warning, and speak so well, while I just as certainly fail as I attempt it 1" " Well, brother S., I'll tell you. You're just like a rich farmer, who goes into his tool-house to get a hoe, and finds so many there that it takes him half an hour to pick out the best ; and, as likely as not, after all, goes off in a hurry with a poor one ; while I'm just like one of his men who hires out by the day, and comes in the morning to the corn-field, all ready for work, with his old hoe on his shoulder.'^'* The thoroughly educated man very often fails as an extempo- raneous speaker, from the mere excess of thought and good taste ; while a man without education, and sometimes with scarcely brains enough to furnish the head of a clever parrot, " goes off" in a steady stream of words, as if he were a rain- spout in a thunder-storm. " Many a full barrel of cider," once said a witty friend of mine, " runs slower than a nearly empty one, which runs all the faster when so nearly out that it has to be propped up behind." REV. DR. STAUGHTON. One Saturday afternoon, as Dr. Staughton was preparing for the pulpit services of the following day, a stranger called at his study, and introduced himself as " the Rev. Mr. John- son." He had no credentials, except a copy of the Minutes of an Association, in which his name was given in such a con- nection as to satisfy the Doctor, that in "his own country" he was " not without honor." In the course of conversation it became apparent that Mr. J. would be ivilling, if invited, to preach at least a part of the day, even in Sansom street. The Doctor did not feel very well, and was desirous to preserve his strength, as far as possible, for his evening lectuie, which, as many remember, was uniformly attended by admiring crowds. REV. DR. STAUGHTON. 251 He therefore requested the " strange brother" to take the morn- ing service, and received the prompt assurance that his wish should be gratified. Tradition has preserved no account of that "morning service," except the fact that the preacher was heard. His voice filled not only that spacious house, but a circle of much larger radius. As the Doctor was passing out, one of the deacons asked him what he thoucrht of the stranger. " Oh, he is sou7id, he is very sound^'^ was the significant reply. On Monday morning, Mr. J. requested the Doctor to give him a letter of introduction to the Rev. Mr. Healy, of Balti- more. The good man was too kind to refuse altogether, and too conscientious to recommend a person of whom he knew so little. He therefore gave the applicant the following letter : « Philadelphia, , , Dear Brother Healy. — The bearer, who says his name is Johnson, and says also that he is a Baptist preacher, desires me to introduce him to your acquaintance. He cried aloud and spared not in my pulpit yesterday, and if you should find it convenient to let him preach for you, he will lift up his voice among you. Ever aflTectionately, W. Staughton. Dr. Staughton cultivated a due regard to ministerial etiquette ,• and yet it was always so exhibited as to show that it was a spontaneous effusion of religious affection. Rather than wound the feelings, or disregard the official dignity of the plainest minister of the gospel, he would violate the fastidious taste of a whole church and congregation. Men of the most ordinary talents and acquirements, but honoured by their respective churches, he admitted to his pulpit as fully equal to himself, and worthy of all fellowship and esteem. In a position like that of Sansom Street, there would almost necessarily be a number of supernumerary ministers. By this 252 THE AMERICAN CLEHGY. we mean ministers who have no pastorships. One is a teach- er — another an editor — a third something else. All preach- ing as often as opportunity afforded, hut none supported by, and therefore not devoted to the ministry. Among those at the time of which we now speak, there was one in Sansom Street church, known as Father Strawbridge. This was a very worthy old gentleman, and a very acceptable preacher; but he was never willing to occupy the Doctor's pulpit, even in the greatest emergency, for fear he might not meet the expecta- tions of the audience, and thus, contrary to his best wishes, in jure the cause he designed to promote. Here is the way in which the Doctor managed Father Straw- bridge : One Sunday, when the Doctor had to preach four ser- mons, he determined to apply to the old gentleman to supply his pulpit in the afternoon, when the audience was smallest, and composed chiefly of religious persons. So he went to him, and said : " Brother Strawbridge, can you do me the favour to preach this afternoon to some coloured people for me ? If you can, you will very much oblige me, as my duties are very hard to-day, and I am quite indisposed." "With a great deal of pleasure. Doctor," replied the venerable old man ; " you know I am always willing to render you any service in my power." " Very well," rejoined the Doctor ; " I shall then rely on you ; and you will find the place and the hearers in the following man- ner: Just pass through the vestry of Sansom Street church, ascend the flight of stairs to the right — go into the pulpit — and you will see some coloured people in the gallery on your right liand. I wish you to preach to them one of your plain, affec- tionate, gospel sermons, telling them of Jesus Christ and his great salvation." The old gentleman complied with the request. It is not ne- cessary to state that the white people who sat below all heard it, and were probably as much edified as if the sermon had been preached exclusively to themselves. EEV. DR. PAY80N. 253 REV. DR. PAYSON. The Rev. Dr. Payson being once asked what message he would send to the young men who were studying for the min- istry, in one of the colleges, thus addressed them : — "What if God should place in your hand a diamond, and tell you to inscribe on it a sentence which should be read at the last day, and shown there as an index of your thoughts and feelings ! What care, what caution, would you exercise in the selection ! Now, this is what God has done : he has placed before you immortal minds, more imperishable than the diamond, on which you are about to inscribe, every day, and every hour, by your instructions, by your spirit, or by your example, something which will remain, and be exhibited for or against you, at the judgment-day." Dr. Payson seems to have touched the right string, when, writing to a young clergyman, he says : — " Some time since, I took up a little work, purporting to be the lives of sundry characters, as related by themselves. Two of those charac- ters agreed in saying that they were never happy until they had ceased striving to be great men. This remark struck me, as you know the most simple remarks will strike us, when heaven pleases. It occurred to me at once, that most of my sorrows and sufferings were occasioned by an unwillinsness to be the irothing which I am, and by consequent struggles to be something. I saw if I would but cease struggling, and con- sent to be any thing, or nothing, just as God pleases, I might be happy. You will think it strange that I mention this as a new discovery. In one sense, it was not new ; I have known it for years. But I now saw it in a new light. My heart 22 '<-'r)4 TIIE AMERICAN CLERGY. yaw it, and consented to it ; and I am comparatively happy. My dear brother, if you can give up all desire to be great, and feel heartily willing to be nothing, you will be happy too." REV. JOHN ELIOT. The attachment of the Rev. John Eliot, usually called the "Apostle to the Indians," to peace and union among Christians, was exceedingly great. When he heard ministers complain that some in their congregations were too difficult for them, the substance of his advice would be, " Brother, compass them !" " Brother, learn the meaning of those three little words — bear, forbear, forgive." His love of peace, indeed, almost led him to sacrifice right itself. When a bundle of papers was laid before an assembly of ministers, which con- tained the particulars of a contention between parties who he thought ought at once to be agreed, he hastily threw them into the fire, and said, " Brethren, wonder not at what I have done; I did it on my knees, this morning, before I came among you." The piety, personal and relative, of this holy man, was very distinguished, and he was always zealous in promoting the same spirit among others. When he was informed of any public news, he would say, " Brethren, let us turn all this into prayer." When he paid a visit to his friends, he used to say, " Come, let us not have a visit without prayer ; let us pray down the blessing of heaven before we go." And whenever he was in the company of ministers, he said, " Brethren, the Lord Jesus takes notice of what is said and done among min- isters ; come, let us pray before we part." And at the end of REV. DR. LATHROP. 255 his Indian Grammar, he records this memorable sentence: " Prayer and pains, through faith in Christ Jesus, can do any thing." REV. DR. LATHROP. The late Rev. Dr. Lathrop was a man of genuine piety, but was greatly opposed to the noisy zeal which seeks commenda- tion by constantly talking about it. A young divine, who was much given to religious cant, one day said to him, " Do you suppose, sir, you have any real religion V The good doctor admirably replied, " None to speak of." This eminent man seems to have possessed considerable talent for administering reproof, as the following facts will show : — He once engaged a young man to preach for him, who un- fortunately delivered a sermon which had very little connection with his text. The day after its delivery, the author of it called on the doctor to ascertain its merits. " Well," said he, in answer to the anxious inquiry of his young friend, " your sermon was well enough ; but if your text had had the small- pox, your sermon would not have caught it." On another occasion, a neighbouring minister, not much distinguished for eloquence, had engaged to deliver a lecture fir him. The hour for the service came, but not the lecturer. The doctor went through the preliminary services, and then sat down to await the arrival of his tardy brother. After an in- terval of a few minutes, he made his appearance, and walked 256 THE AMEKICAN CLERGY. to the place where the doctor was sitting. It happened to be a rainy day ; and the minister of whom we are speaking, hav- ing got somewhat of a drenching, began to shake his coat, and express his sorrow for the condition he was in. " Oh," said the doctor, " never mind ; go up into the pulpit ; you'll be dry enough there." A PERSECUTING CLERGYMAN. It has not unfrequently happened that the laity have been wiser than their clergy, and have been qualified to administer reproof to them. Here is an illustration. Soon after the late Dr.Rodgers reached Williamsburg, in Virginia, then a British colony, one of the established clergymen of Hanover appeared with him before Sir William Gooch, the lieutenant-governor, and complained that this young gentleman, before going to Williamsburg, had preached one sermon in Hanover, contrary to law, urging Sir William to proceed against him with rigour. Sir William's reply did equal honour to his religious senti- ments and his official liberality : — " Mr. , I am surprised at you ! You profess to be a minister of Jesus Christ, and yet come to complain of a man, and wish me to punish him, for preaching the gospel ! FoY shame, sir ! Go home, and mind your own duty ! For such a piece of conduct, you deserve to have your gown stripped over your shoulders." BISHOP GEORGE. 257 BISHOP GEORGE. An aged traveller, worn and weary, was gently urging on i^is tired beast, just as the sun was dropping behind the range of hills that bounds the horizon of Springfield, Ohio. It was a sultry August evening, and he had journeyed a distance of twenty -five miles since morning, his pulse throbbing under the influence of a burning sun. At Fairfield, he had been hospi- tably entertained by one who had recognised the veteran sol- dier of the cross, and who had ministered to him for his Mas- ter's sake, of the benefits he himself had received from the hand " which feedeth the young lions when they lack ;" and he travelled on, refreshed in spirit. But many a weary mile had he journeyed over since then ; and now, as the evening shades darkened around, he felt the burden of age and toil heavy upon him, and he desired the pleasant retreat he had pictured to himself when that day's pilgrimage should be accomplished. It was not lonor before the old man checked his tired animal at the door of the anxiously looked-for haven of rest. A mid- dle-aged woman was at hand, to whom he mildly applied for accommodations for himself and horse. " I don't know," said she, coldly, after scrutinizing for some time the appearance of the traveller, which was not the most promising, " that we can take you in, old man. You seem tired, however, and I'll see if the minister of the circuit, who is here to-night, will let you lodge with him." The young circuit preacher soon made his appearance, and, swaggering up to the old man with great consequence, ex- amined him for some moments inquisitively ; then asked a few impertinent questions; and, finally, after adjusting his hair half a dozen times, feeling his smoothly-shaven chin as often consented that the stranger should share his bed for the night, and, turning upon his heel, entered the house. 22* 258 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. The traveller, aged and weary as he was, dismounted, and led his faithful animal to the stable, where, with his own hands, he rubbed him down, watered him, and gave him food, and then entered the mansion where he had expected so much kind- ness. A Methodist family resided in the house, and as the circuit preacher was to be there that day, great preparations were made to entertain him ; and a number of the Methodist young ladies of the neighbourhood had been invited, so that quite a party met the eyes of the stranger as he entered, not one of whom took the slightest notice of him, and he wearily sought a vacant chair in the corner, out of direct observation, but where he could observe all that was going on ; and his anxious eyes showed that he was no careless observer of what was transpiring around him. The young minister played his part with all the frivolity and foolishness of a city beau, and nothing like religion came from his lips. Now he was chattering and bandying senseless compliments with this young lady, and then engaged in trifling repartee with another, who was anxious to seem interesting in his eyes. The stranger, after an hour, during which no refreshments had been prepared for him, asked to be shown to his room, to which he retired unnoticed, grieved and shocked at the conduct. of the family and minister. Taking from his saddle-bags a well-worn Bible, he seated himself in a chair, and was soon buried in thought, holy and elevating, and had food to eat which those who passed by him in pity and scorn dreamed not of. Hour after hour passed away, and no one came to invite the old worn-down traveller to partake of the luxurious supper which was served below. Towards eleven o'clock the minister came up stairs, and, without pause or prayer, hastily threw off his clothes, and got into the middle of a small bed, which was to be the resting- place of the old man as well as himself. After a while the BISHOr GEORGE. 259 aged stranger rose up, and after partially disrobing himself, knelt down, and remained many minutes in fervent prayer. The earnest breathing out of his soul soon arrested the atten- tion of the young preacher, who began to feel some few re- proofs of conscience for his own neglect of duty. The old man now rose from his knees, and after slowly undressing himself, got mto bed, or rather upon the edge of the bed, for the young preacher had taken possession of the centre, and would not, voluntarily, move an inch. In this uncomfortable position the stranger lay for some time in silence. At length the youngest of the two made a remark, to which the elder replied in a style and manner that arrested his attention. On this he removed over an inch or two, and made more room. " How far have you come to-day, old man ?" *' Thirty-five miles." " From where ?" " From Springfield." " Ah, indeed ! You must be tired after so long a journey for one of your age." " Yes, this poor old body is much worn down by long and constant travel, and I feel that the journey of to-day has exhausted me much." The young minisier moved over a little. " You do not belong to Springfield, then ?" " No ; I have no abiding place." " How ?" " I have no continuing city. My home is beyond this vale of tears." Another move of the minister. " How far have you tra- velled on your present journey ?" " From Philadelphia." " From Philadelphia ! (In evident surprise.) The Methodist 260 THE AMERICAN CLEKGY. General Conference was in session there a short time since , had it broken up when you left?" " It adjourned the day before I started." " Ah, indeed !" moving still farther towards the front side of the bed, and allowing the stranger more accommodation. " Had Bishop George left when you came out?" *' Yes, he started at the same time I did ; we left in com- pany." " Indeed !" Here the circuit preacher relinquished a full half of the bed, and politely requested the stranger to occupy a larger space. " How did the bishop look ? He is getting old and feeble, is he not ?" " He carries his age tolerably well ; but his labour is a hard one, and he begins to show signs of failing strength." " He is expected this way in a week or two ; how glad shall I be to shake hands with the old veteran of the cross ! But }ou say you left in company with the old man ; how far did you come together?" "We travelled alone for a long distance." " You travelled alone with the bishop ?" "Yes, we have been intimate for years." " You intimate with Bishop George ?" " Yes, why not ?" " Bless me ! Why did I not know that ! But may I be so bold as to inquire your name ?" After a moment's hesitation, the stranger replied, " George." " George ! Not Bishop George ?" " They call me Bishop George," meekly replied the old man. "Why — bless me. Bishop George !" exclaimed the now abashed preacher, springing from the bed, " You have had no supper! I will instantly call up the family. Why did you not tell us who you were ?' BISHOP GEORGE. 261 " Stop, stop, my friend," said the bishop gravely. " I want no supper here, and should not have eaten any had it been got for me. If an old man, toil-worn and weary, fainting with travelling through all the long summer day, was not considered worthy of a meal by this family, who profess to have set up the altar of God in their house. Bishop George surely is not. lie is at best but a man, and has no claims beyond those of common humanity." A night of severer mortification the young minister had never experienced. The bishop kindly admonished him, and warned him of the great necessity there was of his adorning the doctrines of Christ, by following him sincerely and hum- bly. Gently, but earnestly, he endeavoured to win him back from his wanderings of heart, and direct him to trust more in God, and less in his own strength. In the morning the bishop prayed with him long and fer- vently before he left the chamber ; and was glad to see his heart melted into contrition. Soon after the bishop descended, and was met by the heads of the family with a thousand sin- cere apologies. He mildly silenced them, and asked to have his horse brought out. The horse was accordingly soon in readiness, and the bishop, taking up his saddle-bags, was pre- paring to depart. " But surely, bishop," urged the distressed matron, " you will not thus leave us ? Wait a few minutes ; breakfast is on the table." " No, sister L , I cannot take breakfast here ; you did not consider a poor toil-worn traveller worthy of a meal ; and your bishop has no claim but such as humanity urges." And thus he departed, leaving the family and minister in confusion and sorrow. He did not act thus from resentment, for no such emotion rose in his heart ; but he desired to teach them a lesson, such as they would not easily forget. Six months from this time the Ohio Annual Conference met 262 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. at Cincinnati, and the young minister was to present himself for ordination as a deacon ; and Bishop George was to be the presiding bishop. On the first day of the assembling of Conference, our young minister's heart sunk within him, as he saw the venerable bi- shop take his seat. So great was his grief and agitation, that he was soon obliged to leave the room. That evening, as the bishop was seated alone in his chamber, the Rev. Mr. was announced, and he requested him to be shown up. The bishop grasped the young man by the hand with a cor- diality which he did not expect, for he had made careful in- quiries, and found that since they had met before, a great change had been wrought in him. He was now as humble as he was before self-sufficient and worldly-minded. As a father would have received a disobedient and repentant child, so did this good man receive his erring but contrite brother. They mingled their tears together, while the young preacher wept as a child, even upon the bosom of his spiritual father. At that session he was ordained, and became one of the most pioufe and useful ministers in the Ohio Conference. TWO YOUNG MINISTERS. Two young men entered the ministry at the same time. One of them had great success in the conversion of sinners, the other had none. Meeting one day, the one inquired of the other how this fact was to be accounted for. " Why," replied the other, " the reason is, that I aim at a different end in preaching from you. My object is to convert sinners, but you aim at no such thing. And then you go and lay it- to sove- reignty in God, that you do not produce the same effect, when you never aim at it. Here, take one of my sermons, and REV. DR. BELLAMY. 263 preach it to your people, and see what the effect will be." The other minister did so, and preached the sermon, and it pro- duced effect. He was frightened when sinners began to weep ; and when one came to him after the meeting to ask what he should do, the minister apologized to him, and said, " I did not aim toward you ; I am sorry if I have hurt your feelings." REV. DR. BELLAMY. Holy activity in the cause of God, and caring for the souls of men, has ever been found by ministers, as well as by more private Christians, the best remedy against mental dejection. The Rev. Dr. Bellamy, of Bethlehem, Conn., whose eminence for piety and talents must long live, was often subject to great anxiety of mind, when he was filled with the impression that he was certainly going to hell. At such times, his ministerial brethren visited him, and endeavoured to relieve his mind ; but all experiments having failed, one of them said to him, '•' Well, doctor, it may be that, after all, your convictions con- cerning yourself are true, and that you will certainly go to hell ; but have you thought what you will do when you get there ? how you will spend your time ?" The doctor instantly caught up the inquiry, " What will I do when I get there ? Why, I will set up prayer-meetings, and vindicate the law of God !" " But," replied his friend, " the devil will not have you there, if you engage in such employments." This had the happy effect of showing him that he had no sympathies for the employment of hell, and that his heart was united to the cause of God. 264 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. A young clergyman once visited the good old doctor, to propose the inquiry, "What shall I do to supply myself with matter for my sermons ?" The doctor quaintly replied, " Fill up the cask, Jill up the cask, fill up the cask ; and then, if you tap it anywhere, you will get a good stream. But if you put in but little', it will dribble, dribble, dribble, and you must tipi tip, tip, and then you get but little, after all." TWO CLERGYMEN. A FEW years since, two New England divines were con- versing together respecting the various theories concerning the origin of sin, when a lady who was present interrupted them, saying, " It seems to me that it would be far better for minis- ters, instead of puzzling themselves to know how sin entered into tJie world, to unite their efforts and try how much of it, with God's blessing, they can drive out." " You remind me, madam," said one of the clergymen, " of my aged deacon, who, after listening to a sermon in which I had endeavoured to explain why God suffered sin to enter the world, being asked what he thought of my theory, shook his head, and said, ' Ah, sir ! all I know about it is, I am a sinner, and I wish I REV. GEORGE WHITEFIELD. We transcribe the following anecdote from a recent English publication, in which it is said to have been related to a gen- tleman in New York, by an individual still living, who was then a boarder in Dr. Finley's family. It will be remembered REV. GEORGE WHITEFIELD. 265 by our readers how exactly Whitefield's death fulfilled his pre- diction : — In the last visit but one which Mr. Whitefield paid to Ame- rica, he spent a day or two at Princeton, under the roof of the Rev. Dr. Finiey, then president of the college at that 'place. At dinner, the doctor said, " Mr. Whitefield, I hope it will be very long before you will be called home; but when that event shall arrive, I should be glad to hear the noble testimony you will bear for God." Whitefield replied, " You would be dis- appointed, Doctor ; I shall die silent. It has pleased God to enable me to bear so many testimonies for him during my life, that he will require none from me when I die. No, no ! It is your dumb Christians, that have walked in fear and darkness, and thereby been unable to bear a testimony for God during their Lives, that he compels to speak out for him on their death- beds." A short time before the death of Mr. Whitefield, the Rev. W. Tennent paid him a visit, as he was passing through New Jer- sey; and one day dined with him and several other ministers, at a gentleman's house. After dinner, Mr. W. adverted to the difficulties attending the Christian ministry ; lamented that all their zeal availed but little ; said that he was weary with the burden of the day ; and declared the great consolation, that in a short time his work would be done, when he should depart and be with Christ. He then appealed to the ministers, if it was not their great comfort that they should soon go to rest. They generally assented, except Mr. T., who sat next to Mr W., in silence, and by his countenance discovered but little pleasure in the conversation. On which Mr. W., tapping him on the knee, said, " Well, brother Tennent, you are the oldest man among us ; do you not rejoice to think that your time is so near at hand, when you will be called home?" Mr. T. 23 266 THE AMERICAN CLERGY bluntly answered, " I have no wish about it. Mr. W. pressed him again. Mr. T. again answered, " No, sir, it is no pleasure to me at all ; and if you knew your duty, it would bo none to you. I have nothing to do with death ; my business is to live as long as I can, as well as I can, and to serve my Master as faithfully as I can, until he shall think proper call me home." Mr. W. still urged for an explicit answer to his question, in case the time of death were left to his own choice. Mr. T. replied, " I have no choice about it ; I am God's servant, and have engaged to do his business as long as he pleases to continue me therein. But now, brother, let me ask you a question : what do you think I should say, if I were to send my man into the field to plough; and if at noon 1 should go to the field, and find him lounging under a tree, and complaining, ' Master, the sun is very hot, and the ploughing hard ; I am weary of the work you have appointed me, and am overdone with the heat and burden of the day. Do, master, let me return home and be discharged from this hard service.' What shouljl I say ? Why, that he was a lazy fel- low, and that it was his business to do the work that I had appointed him, until I should think fit to call him home." SEVERAL CLERGYMEN. A CORRESPONDENT of a Ncw York paper says : — Not many months since, I was standing in a certain store, in a city in which there were several ministers and other Christian brethren, conversing about a clergyman then just leaving the said city for another field of labour. Among other remarks, an expression was dropped, about ministers not being respected; when one of the company, a worthy deacon, spoke up with considerable apparent warmth, " Well, ministers need KEV. JOHN LELAND. 267 M not expect to be respected much by the people till they respect each other a little more." " How so ?" said one. " How so !" replied the deacon, "why, many ministers come into this store, and I often Hear them talking about one an- other, and seldom hear them speak well. They criticise their brethren severely, and speak meanly of their talents." A distinguished divine was not long since conversing with a Methodist clergyman of devout piety and zeal. In all their religious feelings, they perfectly harmonized, till at last the Methodist gently suggested his astonishment, that his compa- nion should believe in the doctrine of election. " Why, my dear sir," was the reply, " if you are a Christian, did not God always intend that you should be one ? There is the doctrine of election?" What can be said upon the subject, more clear, or more convincing, by the longest dissertation that was ever penned? REV. JOHN LELAND. At one period of the ministry of this good man, he was considerably annoyed by a Universalist minister, who endea- voured in every possible way to draw him into controversy, but entirely without effect. At length, as the worthy pastor was riding along, finding a crowd around the shop of the vil- lage blacksmith, he turned his horse in that direction, and saw the Universalist minister addressinfj his neighbours, boastincr of the inability of Mr. Leland to hold an argument with him Not a few questions were proposed to Mr. L. on the subject, to which he returned mild and ready answers. At length, the 268 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. preacher of error asked, in a tone of triumph, why he had neglected to answer several notes addressed to him, challenging him to a discussion on their differences. The worthy old cler- gyman, who had hitherto never touched the subject, now felt that he must " answer a fool according to his folly," and said, Avith great mildness, " Sir, when I was a lad, my father used to say to me, ' John, never kill a skunk ; for, even when dead, it will be but a skunk still.' " The result was decisive ; the Universalist was silent ; and such was the tone thus given to public opinion, that the said preacher was soon compelled to leave the neighbourhood. REV. DR. MERCER. The Rev. President Manly gives the following illustration of the intense feeling of this venerable minister ; — I saw him at Eatonton, in 1824, in an aspect which I must relate, as it illustrates the simple piety and tenderness of his heart. It was on a Sunday of the meeting of the Georgia convention. Brother S and I were present. Brother Mer- cer sat in the pulpit with us. S got up, and, in his quaint way, surveyed the very large assembly, with several glances, and opened his address thus : " Where shall we obtain bread to feed so great a multitude? For my part, I am unprovided and penniless ; but there is a lad here," turning round and putting his hand on my head as I leaned forward in the pulpit, " who has five barley-loaves and two little fishes, which, with the presence and blessing of Jesus, shall constitute a feast." This well nigh upset me. But it drove me to prayer. The Lord loosed my mind, and unlocked the fountain of tears, so that it was computed that, through a great part of the discourse, there was ai\ average of at least five hundred persons continu- REV. CALEB BLOOD. 269 ally bathed in tears. There was nothing in all this Bochivi that to me was so affecting, as when I turned round and saw the sympathetic streams coursing swiftly down the furrowed cheeks of Father Mercer." This shrewd observer, once conversing about a preacher who had a little learning and a great deal of conceit, made this re- mark : " He reminds me of a foolish dog I once heard of, that ivas in pursuit of a deer, but coming to a place where a fox \ad crossed the track, he left the deer and ran after the fox. He had not followed the fox far, before he arrived at a spot where a rabbit had crossed. Forthwith he leaves the fox, and pursues the rabbit; and when the hunter came up, he had left the rabbit and was barking at a mouse-hole. Brother sometimes sets out after something valuable, but before he stops, his folly drives him to the mouse-hole. When this wise counsellor would at any time dissuade his brethren from projects which required pecuniary means beyond what they had in hand, he would often say, " Let us get the fodder before we buy the horse." REV. CALEB BLOOD. The late Rev. Caleb Blood, of Boston, was once walking to his church, in company with the Rev. Lewis Leonard, of New York, then a very young man. On his way to worship, the young mmister, who felt the dignity of his friend, and who was 270 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. well aware of the high respectability of the Charles Street Church, said, with much modesty, " How can I preach before youV* The reply of the aged minister of the cross was, " Preach before me ! how can you preach before God ?" and then went on to make to him the most soothing and comforta- ble remarks, which at that time inspired him with moral cou- rage, and became eminently useful in his future life. INTERCOURSE OF THE CLERGY WITH SOCIETY. (271) BISHOP CHASE. 273 BISHOP CHASE. There lived in Poughkeepsie a venerable lady and her talented son-in-law. The former was exceedingly anxious about the latter, because of his loose and infidel opinions on religious subjects ; and yet few men were more amiable in manners, or more sprightly in conversation. " Oh, sir !" said the lady to Bishop Chase, the writer of this account, " I wish you to have a serious conversation with my son-in-law, on the subject of Christianity. Perhaps he may hearken to you, though to all of us he turns a deaf ear, whenever we speak of the Holy Scriptures." A proposal of this kind seemed to be identified with the writer's profession. Accordingly, a day was appointed when the lady would spend a social afternoon with the writer and his family, there being no doubt that the interesting young lawyer would join the party at tea. The interview took place as was expected, and, in the full flow of talk, something was designedly introduced, touching the Christian religion. Con- trary to the expectation of his relatives and friends, this inte- resting gentleman neither evaded nor opposed what was said, but candidly confessed he was differently impressed on that subject from what he had been. " Till a few days ago," said he, " I should have brought forward my preliminaries ; and before the thresholds of Christianity were passed, I would have insisted that they should all be satisfactorily answered ; but, at present, I feel differently disposed." " And what has wrought the change ?" asked the writer. " Oh, sir !" said he, " I must tell the whole story ; it relates chiefly to General Hamilton. *' You know," said he, " that pre-eminent character ; that he is not only the greatest in the field, in the senate, and at the bar, but also the most agreeable man in social intercourse. In 274 THE AiMERICAN CLERGY. pursuit of his professional duties, he passes from New York to Albany, to attend the higher courts, and Poughkeepsie is his stopping-place for rest and social chat. We young lawyers dehght to meet him at Hendrickson's tavern, and there breathe together the atmosphere of wit and satire. Not long since, he passed by : we gathered round him, and he greeted us with his usual cordiality. But there was something altered in his wit ; it was solemn, yet more affectionate. At length, to break the spell, /ventured, as erst, a story, the edge of which was ridi- cule against Christians and their creed. As I finished the anecdote, instead of the loud laugh, and responsive tale, the general gravely asked me if I knew what I had been talking of? Confusion is the best name I can give my feelings and behaviour before the great man, at such a question from his lips. Seeing my embarrassment, he said he did not design to give me pain, but by his question to call my attention to his own case. " Not many months ago," said he, "I was, as you are, doubt- ful of the truths of Christianity ; but some circumstances turned my thoughts to the investigation of the subject, and I now think differently. I had been in company with some friends of a similar sentiment in New York. I had indulged in re- marks much to the disadvantage of Christians and in disparage- ment of their religion. I had gone further than ever before I had done in this way. Coming home, I stood, late at night, on the door-steps, waiting for my servant. In this moment of stillness, my thoughts returned to what had just passed at my friend's, and on what I had said there. And what if the Chris- tian religion be true ! The thought certainly was natural, and it produced in my bosom the most alarming feelings. I was conscious that I had never examined it — not even with that attention which a small retaining fee requires in civil cases. In that, I hold myself bound to make up my mind according to the laws of evidence ; and shall nothing be done of this BISHOP CHASE. 275 sort, in a question that involves the fate of man's immortal being? Where every thing is at stake, shall I risk all without inquiry? Wilfully blinding my own eyes, shall I laugh at that which, if true, will laugh me to scorn in the day of judgment? These questions did not allow me to sleep quietly. In the morning, I sent to my friends, the clergy, for such books as treated on the evidences of Christianity. I read them ; and the result is, that I believe the religion of Christians to be the truth — that Jesus Christ is the Son of God ; that he made an atonement for our sins by his death, and that he rose for our justification. " This is the substance of General Hamilton's declaration to me at Hendrickson's, and you may judge how I feel since. As I have followed the general in many other respects, so would I imitate him here. " Will you lend me books, that I may read as he did, before I give my opinion ?" The books were accordingly taken to his house, but he never read them. A press of business intervened. He put off his duty till a more convenient season ; that season never came till it was too late. A sudden disease deprived him of reason and of life. This talented and interesting young lawyer passed from a temporal to an eternal state — and let the word of God tell the rest. The story of General Hamilton, which this talented person was the means of communicating to the writer, ought not to be forgotten. It was, from the time the writer heard it, of the deepest interest ; and when the tidings came of the general's death, it formed the basis of a sermon preached in Poughkeep- sie, on the second day of July, 1804. This story is recorded here because it forms a part of the writer's reminiscences. 276 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. The Rev. Dr. Bedell relates, that while Bishop Chase was at the house of a Mr. Beck, in Philadelphia, he received a package from Dr. Ward, the Bishop of Sodor and Man, making inquiries relating to certain property in this country, of which some old person in his diocese was the heir. The letter had gone to Ohio, followed him to Washington, then to Philadel- phia, and found him at Mr. Beck's. When he read it to Mr. B., the latter was in amazement, and said, " Bishop Chase, 1 am the only man in the world who can give you information. I have the deeds in my possession, and have had them forty - three years, not knowing what to do with them, or where any heirs were to be found." How wonderful that the application should have been made to Bishop Chase, and he not in Ohio, but a guest in the house of the only man who possessed any information on the subject ! A FAITHFUL MINISTER. A MINISTER was called to conduct a conference meeting, in an extreme part of a parish where he was an entire stranger, the minister for whom he officiated being out of town. Two rough-looking men came in, as the effect of persuasion, but evidently with reluctance. In the midst of the exercises, one of them interrupted the speaker by a rude question. He was requested to be silent for a little time, when an answer should be given to him. He uttered some abusive language, and retired to another room. After a while, the minister discussed the various objections on the part of men to embrace religion, and remarked that the false religion of many professors was no more an argument for rejecting true religion, than that we should refuse genuine money because some men were wicked TRAVELLING CLERGYMEN. XiTT enough to pass counterfeits. At this remark, the other of the two men also left the room. It afterwards became known to the speaker that these men, the preceding week, had been tried for this very crime, and that, in public opinion, they were both guilty. How admirably adapted is the word of God for the conviction of sinners ! TRAVELLING CLERGYMEN. There is sometliing so interesting, so instructive, so home- like^ in the following narrative, communicated by a plain coun- try clergyman to one of our periodicals, that we transfer its facts and remarks to our pages : — Once we entertained an angel. It happened in this wise. My father was a country minister, and his parish lay in a lovely region of country west of the Green Mountains, on the high road from the Eastern States to the Springs. Often would ministers drive up to the door in their Yankee gigs, having previously ascertained by inquiry where the parish pastor lived, and calling to us boys at the door, would say, " Does Mr. live here ?" On being answered in the affirmative, they would ask again, " Does he keep ministers' tavern V — that is, does he entertain ministers ^r nothing? And being answered in the same way, they would add, " Well, take my horse and give him four quarts of oats to-night, and don't water him till he gets cool."' With these laconic intimations that they felt quite at home, they would walk in to enjoy the entertainment kept for the " man," while we took care of the " beast." Now, all this seemed sufficiently cool, not to say presuming, on the part of entire strnnsiPrs ; but it was the custom, and I 24 278 THE AMERICAN (. LEEGY. guess no one ever went away without an invitation, and a atrojig resolutio7i^ to call again, if he ever passed that way. But about the angel. He was not travelling to the Springs, but was an angel of the churches — a messenger sent by some one of the benevolent institutions of the day to receive the ahns of God's people. Some called him a beggar ; others, an agent : I have called him an angel, which title he deserved, as the sequel will show. It was in winter, and about the middle of the week, when he arrived : we had sickness in the family, and he came to stay through the week, and over tire Sabbath j and would it have been strange if we had felt that his room was more desirable than his company, under such circustances? Would it have been uncivil or unkind to have told him that it was very inconvenient for us to have him staying at our house, and we would prefer to quarter him among the people ? How- ever that may be, we preferred to keep him, and make him as comfortable as we could. < He stayed. One after another of the family was taken sick : the parents were confined to bed ; the children were down ; the help gave out and went to bed, and the travelling' minister, the stranger who had turned in to tarry with us, was the only well person in the house. And what did he do ? Did he call in some of the neighbours, and then look out for more conve- nient quarters? Not at all. He nursed the sick, as if nursing was his business ; he went to the barn and took care of the " cattle," as if he had been brought up at the stable. He split and brought in the fuel, as if he had lived in the woods. He was at hand when he was wanted, and out of the way when he was not. He W'as active, clever, cheerful, as . much at home as if he were among his own children, and not with strangers whom he had never seen before, and whom he might never see again. He stayed over the Sabbath ; preached for my father, who was still not able to be out ; and having seen us in a good TRAVELLING CLERGYMEN. 279 degree convalescent, he went on his way rejoicing. His name is remembered with delight by the members of that household to this day, though many years have since fled, and that family has been scattered widely ; some are as far apart as earth and heaven. Our folks always kept open door for the Lord's ministers, and they never had reason to regret it. Some of us have been thrown far from home and among strangers, and some of our number have sickened and died among strangers, and the Lord has always surrounded them with kind friends, whose sympathy has proved that our Father in Heaven is faithful and true, when he says, " Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the 'east of these, ye have done it unto me." He has provided friends for us among strangers, and we love to befriend strangers at our gate. It was an injunction of divine wisdom that we should not be forgetful to entertain strangers, for some had thereby en- tertained angels unawares. And those who are most "given to hospitality," find real enjoyment in obeying this precept. There is a vast difference among people on the subject of entertaining strangers. As a plain country minister, I have had frequent opportunities of making comparisons, and the result is this :— When we go to Presbytery or Synod, or to a religious con- vention of any sort in some places, the good people seem to vie with each other in seeing who will most freely and hand- somely entertain the strangers. Every house is open ; every heart is warm ; every face is pleasant ; and while we stay we are treated as welcome guests; and when we go, it is with repeated and pressing invitations to come again, and never to pass through the place without favouring the family with a call. On the other hand, I have sometimes gone to other places on such errands, and it has been with extreme difficulty that we could find lodgings, though the ability of Christians to enter- 280 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. tain strangers far exceeded that of the people before described. And it is np unusual thing for ministers who have been invited by public notices to attend religious meetings in certain places, with the assurance that entertainment would be provided for them, to find on their arrival that they must seek their enter- tainment at a public house, and pay for it at the rate of one or two dollars a day. Now, if ministers render themselves so disagreeable by the use of tobacco, or any other vile practice, that their company is not desired, I have not one word to say. I once heard a minister apologize for his people's reluctance to accommodate guests, by saying that " angels do not chew to- bacco, and therefore they were sure of not entertaining angels when they asked the brethren to their houses." I know such men are a great annoyance to neat housekeepers. And minis- ters who desire hospitality, ought to abandon those habits that render their society unpleasant. But this objection is often merely an excuse. Hospitality is a Christian duty, and those who would, in the last great day, hear the Saviour saying unto them, " I was a stranger and ye took me in," must love to entertain Christ's friends, whether they come with the homely garb of the country, or the polished exterior of city life. REV. DR. ARMSTRONG. We were favoured a few evenings since, say the editors of one of our periodicals, with the presence of a valued friend, when he gave us the following story of the late lamented Dr. Armstrong. We tell it in our friend's words : — I was, some twenty years since, travelling in Virginia by stasre. We were not far from the James River, and the occu- pants of the stage were Dr. Armstrong, two Virginia gentle- REV. DR. ARMSTRONG. 281 men of the regular " young blood" breed, myself and sister. At that time the Doctor was pastor of a church in Richmond, whither the stage was bound. After some conversation, I asked him who was the owner of the lands upon James River. He said that " it was one Wykoff, a lawyer, who, having com- mitted some misdemeanor in New York, had gone to the South to save his reputation." At this, one of the southern young men very coolly spit in his face. He turned to me, look- ing as much as to say, " IsnH he crazy?'*'* In a moment the fel- low spit again in his face, but the good man was not in the least agitated. " He who will not resent an injury should be kicked out of the stage," said the ruffian. Dr. Armstrong asked him, if he had in any way ever injured him. "Yes," said he, " you have slandered my father !" The mystery was at once solved — WykofF, of whom he had been speaking, was his father. Mr. Armstrong told him he was very sorry, indeed, he had offended him, and made all the reparation in his power, but the fellow insisted that he should get out and ^ght it out. He told him No — he never fought — it was against his principles to fight. My sister was frightened extremely, as he had a bowie-knife with him, and we feared the consequences. At every tavern he would get out and drink, and then commence his vile lan- guage towards Dr. Armstrong. A single word of retort from him would undoubtedly have ended his life. But he was very calm and mild. At length the scoundrel's companion told him he ought to be satisfied, and when we were near Richmond he concluded to be so. Dr. Armstrong saved his life that time by being a peace-maker." 24* 282 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. A YOUNG MINISTER IN THE WEST. Solomon recommends us sometimes to " answer a fool ac- cording to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit." The principles laid down by infidels are often, when properly ap- plied, made to appear supremely ridiculous. Let us illustrate this sentiment : — Near the Alleghany mountains, an infidel judge was sitting with a circle of his friends, ridiculing the account of the cre- ation of man as given in the Bible, and asserting that we came into existence by chance. " Perhaps," said he, " some of us existed a while in less perfect organizations, and at length, as nature is always tending towards perfection, we became men, and others sprang into life in other ways ; and if we could find a rich country now, which had not been injured by the hand of man, I have no doubt that we should see them pro- duced from the trees." Being fluent, self-confident, and, in most respects, superior to his audience, he made his doctrines appear very plausible, and asked this and that person of the company of their thoughts upon his statements. All answered favourable to his views, till he proposed his inquiry to a youthful stranger, who sat silent in a quiet corner. He replied, "Sir, I have no doubt at all upon the subject, for I have tra- velled in the richest part of Texas, where I saw the forest in its native perfection, unsullied by the hand of man, and there 1 have seen large hogs growing upon the trees. The nose is the end of the stem, as you see by its form ; and, when ripe, I have seen them fall, and proceed directly to eating the acoins that grew upon the same tree." This simple illustration of his principles, turned the laugh upon the judge, and was sufficient to counteract the evils he intended. A COLOURED PREACHER. 283 A COLOURED PREACHER. Jack is a Methodist local preacher. In one of his sermons he told this story : When I was a lad, there were no religious people where I lived. But I had a young master about my age, who was going to school ; and he was very fond of me. At night, he would come into the kitchen to teach me the les- son he had learned himself during the day at school. In this way I learned to read. When I was well nigh grown up, said Jack, we took up the New Testament, and agreed to read it verse by verse. When one would make a mistake, the other was to correct him, so that we could learn to read well. In a short time, we both felt that we were sinners before God, and we both agreed to seek the salvation of our souls. The Lord heard our prayer, and gave us both a hope in Christ. Then I began to hold meetings for prayer and exhortation among the coloured people. My old master soon found out what was going on. He was very angry, especially because his son had become pious. He forbade my holding any more meetings, saying, that if I did, he would whip me severely for it. From that time, I continued to preach or exhort on Sabbath nights ; and on Monday morning my old master would tie me up, and cut my back to pieces with a cowhide, so that it had never time to get well. I was obliged to do my work in a great deal of pain from day to day. Thus I lived near a year and a half. — One Monday morn- ing my master, as usual, had made my fellow-slaves tie me to a shade tree in the yard, after stripping my back naked to re- ceive the cowhide. It was a beautiful morning in the summer time, and the sun shone very bright. Every thing around looked very pleasant. He came up to me with cool delibera- 284 THE AMERICAN CLEKGY. tion, look his stand, and looked at me closely, but the cow. hide hung still at his side. His conscience was at work, and it was a great moment in his life. "Well, Jack," said he, " your back is covered all over with scars and sores, and I see no place to begin to whip. You obstinate wretch, how long do you intend to go on in this way?" "Why, master, just as long as the Lord will let me live," was my reply." " Well, what is your design in it ?" " Why, master, in the morning of the resurrection, when my poor body shall rise from the grave, I intend to show these scars to my heavenly Father, as so many witnesses of my faithfulness in his cause." He ordered them to untie me, and sent me to hoe corn in the field. Late in the evening he came along, pulling a weed here, and a weed there, till he got to me, and then told me to sit down. "Jack," said he, "I want you to tell me the truth. You know that for a long time your back has been sore from the cow- hide ; you have had to work very hard, and are a poor slave. Now, tell me, are you happy or not, under such troubles as these?" * Yes, master, I believe I am as happy a man as there is on earth." "Well, Jack," said he, " I am not happy. — Religion, you say, teaches you to pray for those that injure you. Now, will you pray for your old master, Jack ?" " Yes, with all my heart," said I. We kneeled down, and I prayed for him. He came again and again to me. I prayed for him in the field, till he found peace in the blood of the Lamb. After this, we lived together like brothers, in the same church. On his death-bed he gave me my liberty, and told me to go on preaching as long as I lived, and meet him at last in heaven. I have seen, said Jack, many Christians whom I loved^ but REV. MR. MOODY. 285 I have never seen any I loved so well as my old master. I hope I shall meet him in heaven. REV. MR. MOODY. " Come, Charles, my son," said Deacon Allsworthy, " take one of these turkeys, and carry it up to Minister Moody, for Thanksgiving." " No, father, I don't do that again, I tell you." "What do I hear now, Charles ? These five-and-twenty years I have sent the minister a turkey, and Joe has carried them, and Tom, and Jerry, and you — without ever refusing before. What's the matter now?" "Why, father, he never thanks me for bringing it to him ; besides, he took me to task a while ago, because I started out of meeting too soon." "Well, son, you know it is the custom for the minister to go *)ut before any of the congregation starts ; this is done as a mark of respect." " Respect or rot, he's nothing but a man, and as for creep- ing for him, I won't do it." "Well, let it all pass, and carry him the turkey ; and if he don't thank you for it, I will." Charles shouldered the fowl, and in a short time was at the house of the minister, who was seated in the parlour, sur- rounded by a number of friends who had come to pass Thanks- frivins with him. The lad entered without knockini]^, and bringing the turkey from his shoulders heavily upon the table, said, " Mr. Moody, there's a turkey for you ; if you want it, you may have it ; if you don't, I'll carry it back again." " I shall be very glad of it," said the minister, " but I think 286 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. you might learn a little manners, Charles. Can't you do an errand better?" " How would you have me do it ?" said Charles. "Sit down in my chair," said the clergyman, "and I will show you." Charles took the chair, while the divine took the turkey and left the room. He soon returned — took off his hat — made a very low bow, and said, " Mr. Moody, here is a turkey which my father sen s you, and wishes you to accept as a present." Charles rose from his seat and took the fowl, and said to the minister, " It is a very fine one, and I feel very grateful to your father for it. In this and numerous and other instances he has contributed to my happiness. If you will just carry it into the kitchen, and return again, I will send for Mrs. Moo- dy to give you half a dollar." The good old clergyman walked out of the room — his friends laughed at the joke, and made up a purse for the lad, who ever afterwards received a reward for his services. AN UNSUCCESSFUL MINISTER. A WORTHY minister of the gospel was the pastor of a flou- rishing church. He had been a popular preacher, but gradu- ally became less acceptable to his hearers, and his congrega- tion very much decreased. This was solely attributed to the minister; and matters continuing to get worse and worse, some of his hearers resolved to speak with him on the subject. A deputation was accordingly appointed to wait upon him for that purpose. They did so; and when the good man had heard their complaints, he replied, " I am quite sensible of all you say, for I feel it to be true ; and the reason of it is, that I REV. THOMAS BROWN. 287 have lost my prayer book." They looked quite astonished at hearing this, but he proceeded : " Once my preaching was ac- ceptable, and many were edified by it, and numbers were added to the church, which was then in a prosperous state. But we were then a praying people. There were many who joined together in fervent prayer that my preaching might be blest for the conversion of sinners, and for building up the saints in their most holy faith. It was this, by the blessing of God, that made us prosper. But as prayer began to be restrained, my preaching became less acceptable, the church declined, and things became as they now are. But let us have recourse to the same means, and the same effects may be expected to fol- low." They took the hint. Social prayer was again punc- tually attended to, and exertions made to induce those who were without to attend the preaching of the word. The result was, that the minister became as popular, and the church as flourishing as ever. REV. THOMAS BROWN. While the late Rev. Thomas Brown was minister at the Scotch Plains, New Jersey, and while he was yet a young man, he went from Perth Amboy to fulfil a preaching appoint- ment somewhere in the neighbourhood of South Amboy, on the other side of the Raritan river. He had crossed it in a small ferry-boat, worked by oars. The mouth of that river, in the channel, was sometimes very dangerous, and, for such craft, unnavigable ; especially so, when the wind set down the river, or the reverse, and met the tide. On the occasion referred to, the wind was boisterous and the waves were high. In the little boat was a number of young persons ; and one, in whom the voyager felt a special 288 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. interest, and who may yet remember the day. There was also another, then a child, and who, some years subsequently, related the fact. The wind blew, and the waves tossed about at pleasure the tiny vessel. The danger seemed great, and the alarm and terror of the passengers were great also. All must be lost ! In the midst of the cry of distress, Mr. B. broke out, with his strong musical voice, to the good old tune of Shirland : — "The God that rules on high, And thunders when he please ; That rides upon the stormy sky, And manages the seas ; This awful God is ours, Our Father and our love ; He shall send down his heavenly powers, To carry us above." All were hushed, and " there was a great calm" in their feelings. And with the vigorous strokes of the oarsmen, the boat was safely brought to the welcome beach, and all gladly stepped on terra fir ma. " What," once inquired this shrewd and venerable man, of a Scotch acquaintance with whom he sometimes reasoned — " what would satisfy you, sir, of the proper divinity of Jesus Christ?" " Why," replied the gentleman, " if the Bible expressly de- clared that Jesus Christ is God — " " Then," said my friend B., " the Bible says expressly that Jesus Christ is the true God, and eternal life." 1 John v. 20. No more was said. AN AFRICAN PREACUEK. ^89 AN AFRICAN PREACHER. A RESPECTABLE man, who had become interested on the subject of religion, and who had begun with some earnestness to search the Scriptures, had read but a few chapters, when he became greatly perplexed with some of those passages which an inspired apostle has declared to be " hard to be understood." In this state of mind, he repaired to a coloured preacher for instruction and help, and found him, at noon, on a sultry day in summer, laboriously engaged hoeing his corn. As the man approached, the preacher, with patriarchal simplicity, leaned upon his hoe, and listened to his story. "Uncle Jack," said he, " I have discovered lately that I am a great sinner ; and I commenced reading the Bible, that I may learn what I must do to be saved. But 1 have met with a passage here," holding up his Bible, " which I know not what to do with. It is this : ' God will have mercy upon whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.' What does this mean?" A short pause intervened, and the old African replied as follows : *' Master, if I have been rightly informed, it has been but a day or two since you began to read the Bible, and, if I re- member rightly, that passage you have mentioned is away yonder in Romans. Long before you get to that, at the very beginning of the gospel, it is said, ' Repent, for the kingdom cf heaven is at hand.' Now, have you done that ? The truth is, you have read entirely too fast. You must begin again, and take things as God has been pleased to place them. When you have done all that you are told to do in Matthew, come and talk about Romans." Having thus answered, the old preacher resumed his work, and left the man to his own reflections. Who does not admire the simplicity and good sense which characterized this reply ? Could the most learned polemic more efTertually liave met and 25 ~00 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. disposed of such a difficulty ? The gentleman particularly in- terested in this incident, gave an account of it with his own lips ; and said, " It convinced me most fully of the mistake into which I had fallen. I took the old man's advice ; I soon saw its propriety and wisdom, and hope to bless God for ever for sending me to him." REV. DR. STAUGHTON. When the late Rev. Dr. Staughton resided at Bordentown, he was one day sitting at his door, when the infidel Thomas Paine, who also resided there, addressed him and said, " Mr. Staughton, what a pity it is that man has not some comprehen- sive and perfect rule for the government of his life." Mr. S. replied, " Mr. Paine, there is such a rule." "What is that?" asked Paine. Mr. Staughton repeated the passage, " Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy mind, with all thy soul, and with all thy strength ; and thy neighbour as thyself." " Oh," said Paine, " that's in your Bible," and immediately walked away. A PRESBYTERIAN CLERGYMAN. Some time ago, a well-known minister of the Presbyterian church delivered a series of discourses against infidelity, in a town on the Red river, in Louisiana ; many of the citizens of which were known to be skeptical. A few days afterwards, ho took passage in a steamer ascending the Mississippi river, and found on board several of his neighbours, amonji whom was a A PRESBYTERIAN CLERGYMAN. 291 disciple of Paine, distinguished as a ringleader of a band of infidels. He soon commenced the utterance of horrid blas- phemies ; and, seeing the clergyman reading at a table, he asked his companions to go with him to the other side of the table, to listen to tales which should annoy the preacher. Many, influenced by curiosity, gathered round him and heard his vulgar anecdotes, pointed against the Bible and its minis- ters. The preacher did not raise his eyes from the book he was reading, nor appear at all disconcerted by the presence of ihe rabble. At length, the infidel walked up to him, and rudely slapping him on the shoulder, said, " Old fellow, what Jo you think of these things ?" He calmly pointed out of the door and said, " Do you see that beautiful landscape spread out in such quiet loveliness before you ?" " Yes." " It has a rich variety of flowers, plants, and shrubs, that are adapted to fill the beholder with delight." " Yes." « Well, if you were to send out a dove, he would pass over that scene, and see in it all that was beautiful and lovely, and delight himself in gazing at and admiring it ; but if you were to send out a buz- zard over precisely the same scene, he would see in it nothing to fix his attention, unless he could find some rotten carcase that would be loathsome to all other animals. He would de- light and gloat upon that with exquisite pleasure." " Do you mean to compare me to a buzzard, sir?" asked the infidel, colouring very deeply. " I made no allusion to you, sir," said the minister, very quietly. The infidel walked away in con fusion, and was called " the Buzzard" during the remaining part of the passage. 392 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. A DELIGHTED MINISTER. In a certain place, they engaged a professed infidel to in- struct a reading-school. The scholars, when thev came to^e- ther one afternoon, were not able to read. The teacher, after several vain attempts to make them proceed as usual, sent one of his scholars to the neighbouring house of a Christian pro fessor, to request him to come into the school. It so came to pass, that the minister of the place was also at this house, and also went with the other to the school. " As an awakening had begun in the town, the minister had little doubt what was the matter. When he came in, and saw the solemn appearance, he first said to the teacher, " Sir, what is the matter with your scholars'/" He replied, " I do not know." Said the minister. " Have you not been correcting them V- The master answered, " No, we have had no disturbance." " Well," said the minis- ter, " what then can be the matter?" " I cannot tell," replied the master. " But you must have some opinion about it ; tell me what you think it is." Not able to endure any longer, the poor deist burst into tears, and said, " I believe it is the Spirit of God ;" and, in a short time, the teacher and fifteen of the scholars became apparent believers. A WISE PASTOR. A MEMBER of a Christian church, feeling himself much aggrieved in a transaction with a Christian brother, determined upon having revena;e. Conscience remonstrated; reminded him of his vows, his relation to the offender ; that they were members of Christ, and that it was displeasing to God. But no — the evil rankled in his breast; revenge he would have. A CLERGYMAN IN VIRGINIA. 293 How to accomplish his purpose he knew not. With these feelings, he went to his pastor to obtain Jiis assistance. His pastor reasoned with and tried to dissuade him. Failing in this, he finally said, " I know of but one kind of revenge allowed by the Scriptures, viz.; ' If thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: by so doing, thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head.' " With joy beaming in his countenance, the good man, clapping his hands, exclaimed, '-^ni hum him! Til hum him V Would it not be well if there were more such burnin'o: in the world ? How easv would it be to melt down the hearts of thousands into love and ten- derness ! A CLERGYMAN IN VIRGINIA. A HIGHLY respectable clergyman in Virginia, some time since, gave a very interesting account of a soul-thrilling scene in which he was one of the parties concerned. He was preach- ing to a large and attentive audience, when his attention was arrested by seeing a man enter, having every mark and linea- ment of a Jew. He was well dressed, his countenance was noble, and he thought it was evident that his heart had lately been the habitation of sorrow. He t(5ok his seat, and was all attention, while an unconscious tear was often seen to wet his manly cheek. After service, the clergyman fixed his eye steadily upon him, and the stranger reciprocated the look. The minister went to him, and said, " Sir, am I correct, am I not ad- dressing one of the children of Abraham?" "You are." " But how is it that I meet a Jew in a Christian assembly ?" The sub- stance of his narrative was as follows : — He was a very respecta- ble man, of a superior education, who had lately come from Lon- don ; and with his books, his wealth, and a lovely daughter of 294 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. seventeen, had found a charming retreat on the lovely banks of the Ohio. He had buried the wife of his bosom before he left Europe, and he now knew no pleasure but the company of his endeared daughter. She was indeed worthy of a parent's love. She was surrounded by beauty as a mantle; but her cultivated mind, and her amiable disposition, threw around her a charm superior to any one or all of the decorations of her body. No pains had been spared on her education. She could read and speak with fluency several languages; and her manners charmed all who saw her. No wonder then that a doating father, whose head had now become sprinkled with gray, should place his whole affections on this only child of his love, especially as he knew no source of happiness beyond this world. Being a strict Jew, he educated her in the principles of that religion ; and he thought that he had presented it with an ornament. It was not long asjo that his daughter was taken sick. The rose faded from her cheek, her eye lost its fire, and it was soon apparent that the worm of disease was rioting in the core of her vitals. The father hung over the bed of his daughter with a heart ready to burst with anguish. He often attempted to converse with her, but seldom spoke except in the language of tears. He spared no trouble or expense in obtaining medi- cal assistance, but no human skill could extract the arrow of death now fixed in her heart. The father was walking in a small grove near his house, in great distress of mind, when he was sent for by his dying daughter. With a heavy heart he entered the door of the chamber, which he feared would soon be the entrance of death. He was now to take a last farewell of his child, and his religion gave him but a feeble hope of meeting her hereafter. The daughter grasped the hand of her father with a death- cold hand : " My father, do you love me?" " My child, you know I love you — that you are more dear to me than the whole A CLERGYMAN IN VIRGINIA. 295 world besides!" " But, father, do you love me ?" "Why, my child, will you give me pain so exquisite? Have I never given you any proofs of my love V " But, my dearest father, DO vou love me ?" The father could not answer : the daughter added, " I know, my dear father, you have ever loved me — you have been the kindest of parents, and I tenderly love you. Will you grant me one request ? — 0, my father, it is the dying request of your daughter — will you grant it V " My dearest child, ask what you will, though it take every cent of my property, it shall be granted. I will grant it." "My dear father, / 6eg you Tiever again to speak against Jesus of Nazareth /" The father was dumb with astonish- ment. " I know," continued the dying girl, " J know but little about this Jesus, for I was never taught. But I know that he is a Saviour, for he has manifested himself to me since I have been sick, even for the salvation of my soul. I believe that he will save me, even though I have never before loved him. I feel that I am going to him — and that I shall be ever with him. And now, my dear father, do not deny me ; I beg that you wiU never again speak against this Jesus of Nazareth ! I entreat you to obtain a Testament that tells of him ; and when I am no more, you may bestow on him the love which was formerly mine !" The exertion here overcame the weakness of her feeble body. She stopped ; and her father's heart was too full even for tears. He left the room in great horror of mind : and ere he could again summon sufficient fortitude to return to her, the spirit of his beloved daughter had taken its flight, as we trust, to the Saviour whom she loved and honoured, though she had not seen him. The first thing her father did, after committing to the earth his last worldly joy, was to procure a New Testa- ment. This he r^d, and, taught by the Spirit from above, he became numbered with the meek and humble followers of the Lamb. !96 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. REV. DR. NETTLETON. A Christian ministeK^can possess no talent more enviable than that of skill in stopping the mouths of gainsayers, and in speaking a word in season to all with whom he may meet. This talent Dr. N. possessed in a very high degree. Being accosted by a Universalist, who wished to engage in a discussion on the doctrine of eternal punishment, he replied, " I will not enter into any dispute with you at present ; but I should be pleased to have you state to me your views, that I may have them to think of." The man accordingly informed him, that in his opinion mankind received all their punishment in this life, and that all would be happy after death. Dr. Net- tleton then asked him to explain certain passages of Scripture, such as the account of the judgment in the twenty-fifth of Matthew, and some others ; merely suggesting difficulties for him to solve, without calling in question any of his positions. After taxing his ingenuity for some time in this way, and thus giving him opportunity to perceive the difficulty of reconciling his doctrine with the language of inspiration ; he said to him, "You believe, I presume, the account given by Moses of the deluge, and of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah?" " Certainly," he replied. " It seems, then," said Dr. N., " that the world became exceedingly corrupt, and God determined to destroy it by a deluge of water. He revealed his purpose to Noah, and directed him to prepare an ark in which he and his family might be saved. Noah believed God, and prepared the ark. Meanwhile he was a preacher of righteousness. He vv'arned the wicked around him of their danger, and exhorted them to prepare to meet their God. But his warnings were disregarded. They, doubtless, flattered themselves that God was too good a being thus to destroy his creatures. But not- withstanding their unbelief, the flood came, and, if your doc- REV. DR. NETTLETON. 297 trine is true, swept them all up to heaven. And what became of Noah, that faithful servant of God ? He was tossed to and fro on the waters, and was doomed to trials and sufferings for three hundred and fifty years longer in this evil world ; whereas, if he had been wicked enough, he might have gone to heaven with the rest. " And there were the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, which had become so corrupt, that God determined to destroy them by a tempest of fire. He revealed his purpose to Lot, and directed him and his family to make their escape. 'And Lot went out, and spake to his sons-in-law, saying. Up, get ye out of this place, for the Lord will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked to his sons-in-law.' They did not believe that any such doom was impending. They doubtless flattered themselves that God was too good a being to burn up his creatures. But no sooner had Lot made his escape, than it rained fire and brimstone from the Lord out of heaven, and they all, it seems, ascended to heaven in a chariot of fire ; while pious Lot was left to wander in the mountains, and to suffer many grievous afflictions in this vale of tears ; whereas, •f he had been wicked enough, he might have gone to heaven with the rest." After making this statement, he requested the man to reflect on these things, and bade him an affectionate farewell. Dr. Nettleton was once attacked by a restorationist, who quoted, in support of his doctrine, the words of the apostle Peter : " By which also he went and preached to the spirits in prison." Dr. N. observed to him that the time was spccifipd in the next verse, when Christ preached to these spirits in prison. It was, " when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah." It was by his Spirit which dwelt in Noah, that he preached to those who are now spirits in prison. 298 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. " No," said the man, " that cannot be the meaning of the pas- sage. The meaning is, that Christ, after his crucifixion, went down to hell, and preached to the spirits in prison." "Be it so," said Dr. N., " and what did he preach ?" " I do not know," he replied, " but I suppose he preached the gospel." " Do you think," asked the doctor, " that he preached to them any thing different from what he preached on earth ?" " Cer- tainly not," replied the man. " Well," said Dr. Nettleton, " when Christ was on earth, he told sinners that, if they should be cast into prison, they should not come out thence till they had paid the uttermost farthing. If he went down to hell, to preach to the lost spirits there, he doubtless told them, ' You must remain here till you have suffered all that your sins deserve.' What influence, then, would his preaching have towards releasing them from the place of torment ?" A man once said to him, " I sincerely desire to be a Chris- tian. I have oflen gone to the house of God, hoping that some- thing which should be said might be sent home to my mind by the Spirit of God, and be blessed to my salvation." " You are willing, then, are you not," said Dr. N., " that I should converse with you, hoping that my conversation may be the means of your conversion ?" " I am," he replied. " If you are willing to be a Christian," said Dr. N., " you are willing to perform the duties of religion ; for this is what is implied in being a Christian. Are you willing to perform these duties ?" " I do not know but I am." "You are the head of a family. One of the duties of religion is family prayer. Are you will- ing to pray in your family?" " T should be," he replied, " if I were a Christian. But it cannot be the duty of such a man as I am to pray. ' The prayers of the wicked are an abomi nation unto the Lord.' " "And is it not," said Dr. N., " an REV. DR. NETTLETON. 299 abomination unto the Lord to live without prayer? But just let me show you how you deceive yourself. You think you really desire to be converted. But you are not willing even to be convicted. Just as soon as I mention a duty which you are neglecting, you begin to excuse and justify yourself, on pur- pose to keep your sin out of sight. You are not willing to see that it is a heinous sin to live in the neglect of family prayer. How can you expect to be brought to repentance until you are willing to see your sinfulness ? And how can you flatter yourself that you really desire to be a Christian, while you thus close your eyes against the truth ?" A young lady, who was under concern of mind, said to htm, " I certainly do desire to be a Christian. I desire to be holy. I would give all the world to have an interest in Christ." He replied, "What you say will not bear examination. If you really desire religion for what it is, there is nothing to hinder you from possessing it. I can make a representation which will show you your heart, if you are willing to see it." " I am," said she. " It will look very bad," said he, " but if you are willing to see it, I will make the representation. Sup- pose you were a yf>ung lady of fortune ; and suppose a certain young man should desire to obtain your fortune, and should, ^r that reason, conclude to pay his addresses to you. But he does not happen to be pleased with your person. He does not love you, but hates you. And suppose he should come to you and say, ' I really wish I could love you, but I do not. I would give all the world if I could love you, but I cannot. What would you think of that young man ?" 300 THE AMERICAN CLEBGY. A person once said in his presence, that to inculcate upon sinners their dependence on God for a new heart, is suited to discourage effort, and to lead them to sit down in despair. He replied, " The very reverse of this is true. Suppose a number of men are locked up in a room, playing cards. Some person informs them that the roof of the building is on fire, and that they must make their escape, or they will perish in the flames. Says one of them. ' We need not be in haste, we shall have time to finish the game.' ' But,' says the person who gave the alarm, ' your door is locked.' ' No matter for that,' he replies ; ' I have the key in my pocket, and can open it at any moment.' ' But I tell you that the key will not open the door.' * Won't it ?' he exclaims ; and, rising from the table, flies to the door, and exerts himself to the utmost to open it. So sin- ners, while they believe there is no difficulty in securing their salvation at any moment, quiet their consciences and silence their fears. But when they are taught that such is the wick- edness of their hearts, that they will never repent unless God interposes by his regenerating grace, they are alarmed, and begin to inquire, in deep distress, what they shall do to be saved." A caviller once asked this excellent minister, " How came I by my wicked heart ?" " That," he replied, " is- a question which does not concern you so much as another, namely, how you shall get rid of it? You have a wicked heart, which ren- ders you entirely unfit for the kingdom of God ; and you must have a new heart, or you cannot be saved ; and the question which now most deeply concerns you is, how you shall obtain it." " But," said the man, " I wish you to tell me how I cnn.e by my wicked heart." " I shall not," replied Dr. N., " do that at present ; for if I could do it to your entire satisfactior . REV. DR. NETTLETON. 301 it would not in the least help you towards obtaining a new heart. The great thing for which I am solicitous is, that you s-hould become a new creature, and be prepared for heaven." As the man manifested no wish to hear any thing on that subject, but still pressed the question how he came by his wicked heart, Dr. N. told him that his condition resembled that of a man who is drowning, while his friends are attempting to save his life. As he rises to the surface of the water, he exclaims, "How came I here?" "That question," says one of his friends, " does not concern you now. Take hold of this rope." ' But how came I here?" he asks again. " I shall not stop to answer that question now," replies his friend. "Then I'll drown," says the infatuated man, and, spurning all p^'ofTered ^id, sinks to the bottom. A young female, who had been for some time in a fetate of religious anxiety, said to him, " What do you think of the doc- trine of election ? Some say it is true, and some say it is not true ; and I do not know what to think of it." "And what do you wish to think of it ?" " I wish," said he, " to think that it is not true." " Suppose, then," said Dr. Nettleton, " that it is not true. The doctrine of repentance is true. You must repent or perish. Now, if the doctrine of election is not true, what reason have you to believe you ever shall, repent?" After a moment's reflection, she replied, " If the doctrine of election is not true, I never shall repent." Her eyes were then opened upon her true condition. Every refuge failed her. She saw that she was entirely dependent on the sovereign grace of God ; and there is reason to believe that she was soon brought out of darkness into God's marvellous light. 26 302 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. A certain individual said to him, " I cannot get along with the doctrine of election." " Then," said he, " get along with- out it ; you are at liberty to get to heaven the easiest way you can. Whether the doctrine of election is true or not, it is true that you must repent, and believe, and love God. Now, what we tell you is, that such is the wickedness of your heart, that you never will do these things unless God has determined to renew your heart. If you do not believe that your heart is so wicked, make it manifest by complying with the terms of salvation. Why do you stand cavilling with the doctrine of election ? Suppose you should prove it false ; what have you gained? You must repent and believe in Christ, after all. Why do you not immediately comply with these terms of the gospel 1 When you have done this, without the aid of Divine grace, it will be soon enough to oppose the doctrine of election. Until you shall have done this, we shall still believe that the doctrine of election lies at the foundation of all hope in yonr A woman, who was known to be a great opposer of the doc- trine of election, said to him, one day, " You talked to me yesterday, as if you thought I could repent." "And can you not?" said he." "No, I cannot, unless God shall change my heart." " Do you really believe," said he, " that you cannot repent unless God has determined to change your heart ?" " I do, said she. " Why, madam," said he, " you hold to the doctrine of election in a stricter sense than I do. I should prefer to say, not that you cannot, but that you neve?- iciU repent, unless God has determined to change your heart." REV. DR. NETTLETON. 803 To a young woman, who had long been thoughtful, but not deeply impressed, and who seemed to continue from week to week in the same state of mind, he said, one day, " There are some who never will become true believers. Christ said unto the Jews, ' Ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep.' Perhaps this is your case ; and I tell you now, that if you are not one of Christ's sheep, you will never believe on him ; and I hope it will ring in your ears." And it did ring in her ears. From that moment she found no peace till, as she hoped, her peace was made with God. To a man who manifested great opposition to the doctrine of election, he once said, "If I should go to heaven, I feel as if I should wish to say, in the language of the apostle, 'who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling ; not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Jesus Christ before the world began.' Now, if we should meet in heaven, and I should make use of this language, would you quarrel with me there ?" " Do you believe," said an Arminian to him, one day, " that God influences the will ?" " I do," he replied.' " How do you prove it ?" " I prove it by this passage of Scripture : * For it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do.' " " But that does not mean," said the Arminian, " that God influences the will. And noiv, how do you prove it?" "I prove it," said Dr. N., by this passage : ' For it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do.' " " But that, I say, does not mean that God influences the will." "And what does it mean?" said Dr. N. " It means," said the Arminian " that God gives 304 THE AMERICAN CLERtiV. US a gracious power to will and to do." " Then it does not mean," said Dr. N., " that God works in us both to will and to do:' He once fell in company with two men who were disputing on the doctrine of the saints' perseverance. As he came into their presence, one of them said, " I believe this doctrine has been the means of filling hell with Christians." " Sir," said Dr. N., " do you believe that God knows all things ?" " Cer- tainly I do," said he. " How, then, do you interpret this text, ' I never knew you ?' " said Dr. N. After reflecting a mo- moment, he replied, " The meaning must be, I never knew you as Christians." " Is that the meaning ?" said Dr. N. " Yes, it must be," he replied ; " for certainly God knows all things." " Well," said Dr. N., " I presume you are right. Now, this is what our Saviour will say to those who, at the last day, shall say to him. Lord, Lord, have we not eaten and drunken in thy presence? &c. Now, when Saul, and Judas, and Hyme- neus, and Philetus, and Demas, and all whom you suppose have fallen from grace, shall say to Christ, Lord, Lord — he will say to them, ' I never knew you' — I never knew you as Christians. Where, then, are the Christians that are going to hell ?" A person who objected to some of the doctrinal views of Dr. Nettleton, said to him, " Doctor, you believe in the doc- trine of the saints' perseverance ?" " It is my opinion," re- plied he, " that that doctrine is taught in the Bible." " I should like, then," said this friend, " to hear you explain Ezck. xviii. 24. * When the righteous turneth away from his righteousness and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abomi- nations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All the* REV. DR. NETTLETON. 305 righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned ; in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die !' " Dr. N. replied, "You have imposed upon me a hard task. That is a difficult text to explain ; and what renders it the more difficult is, that the commentators are not agreed as to its meaning. Some have supposed, that by a righteous man in this passage, is meant a self-righteous man." " I do not believe that," said the individual. " Neither do I," replied the Doctor, " for, in that case, it would seem to teach that if a self-righteous man should persevere in his self-righteousness, he would be saved. Some have supposed that by a righteous man is meant one who is apparently righteous." " I do not believe that," said his friend, " Neither do I," said Dr. N., " for in that case the text would seem to teach, that if a hypo- crite should persevere in his hypocrisy, he would be saved. You suppose, do you not, that by a righteous man in this pas- sage, is meant a true saint ?" " Certainly I do." " And you suppose that by a righteous man's turning away from his righteousness, is meant falling away, as David did, and as Peter did ?" " Certainly." " And you believe that David and Peter are now in hell ?" " No, by no means. David and Pe- ter repented and were restored to the favor of God." " But," said Dr. N., " when the righteous turneth from his righteous- ness — in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die — in them shall he die. Now, if David and Peter did turn from their righteous- ness in the sense of this passage, how can we possibly believe that they were saved 1" The gentleman now found the labour- ing oar in his own hands ; and after attempting for some time unsuccessfully to explain the difficulty in which he found his own doctrine involved. Dr. N. said to him, " If there is any difficulty in explaining this text of Scripture, I do not see but you are quite as much troubled with it as I am." 26* 306 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. Dr. Nettleton was once labouring in an interesting revival, when a gentleman of considerable influence, a member of the church, but whose principles and conduct were a reproach to religion, told him that he opposed all religious meetings except those held on the Sabbath. At the same time, he made no objections to balls and parties of pleasure, but encouraged his children to attend them. Two of his daughters, one evening, without his knowledge, went to hear Dr. Nettleton preach. Finding that they had gone, he went to the place, and inter- rupted the meeting by ordering his daughters immediately to return home. Then, addressing the preacher, he said, " Mr. Nettleton, will you call and see me to-morrow morning at nine o'clock?" "I will, sir," he replied. Accordingly, at the time proposed he was at the house. " Mr. Nettleton," said the gen- tleman, " I do not approve of night meetings." " Neither do I approve of balls," said Dr. Nettleton : " I think that their influence upon young people is bad." *' I do not approve of such meetings as yours," said the gentleman. " Oh !" re- plied Dr. N., " it is to religious meetings that you object, when people meet together to worship God. If I understand you, you feel no opposition to ^rneetings of young people for amusement, if they are held in the night, and continue all night. Did you ever take your children from the ball-room ?" ," The command," said he, " is. Six days shalt thou labour." "Did you ever quote that command," asked Dr. N., " to prove that it is wrong to attend balls and parties of pleasure?" Then, assuming a solemn dnd affectionate mode of address, he said to him, " My dear sir, you are a member of the church, but you must not wonder if you are regarded by your acquaint- ance as in heart the enemy of religion, unless you pursue a more consistent course of conduct. While you encourage balls, and oppose meetings for religious worship, you will find it difficult to make anybody believe that you have any regarci REV. DR. NETTLETON. 307 for the religion you profess." The gentleman wept, and a decided change took place in his future deportment. In his visits from house to house, Dr. Nettleton was pecu- liarly careful to leave a deep impression; he therefore con- versed but little on general topics, and soon left the house. He knew not only what to say, but when to be silent. Many have been thrown into distress by his apparent neglect. He had a significant way of addressing individuals. While preaching in Malta, where his efforts were signally blessed, he found a young lady, the daughter of a deacon, who was very stubborn ; she was masculine in appearance, and apparently in the way of the conversion of many young persons ; he dreaded her in = fluence. He had a serious, direct conversation with her, ap- parently without any good effect. When about to leave her, he approached her with a resolute step and look, and said, call- ing her by name — " Do not think of shutting your eyes to- night without prayer ; before you retire to rest, go down on your knees and call upon God ; remember, I tell you to do it." This he said with great emphasis. He left her abruptly. She was more offended than ever, and said many hard things against him. When she went to her room at the close of the evening, as he predicted, the struggle commenced. She thought of his words ; she was alone ; her proud heart resisted, and she exclaimed aloud, "What right or authority has he to dictate to me my duty ?" It rung in her ears, " I tell you to do it." " You tell me ! old Nettleton, I will not do it." " Per- haps he spoke by the Spirit ; what will become of me if I re- fuse ?" The struggle was long ; she trembled in every nerve. She finally fell upon her knees and cried for mercy. She be- came an humble Christian, and was instrumental in turning many to righteousness. How many such instances, where he 308 THE AMERICAN CLEKGV. displayed wonderful tact ! Truly the Lord was with him. He was therefore a host. He had but one object, that was — to do good. He knew the importance of keeping the mind intent upon the great subject ; he therefore requested his friends who laboured with him to avoid all levity, and, as much as possible, worldly conversation. He watched every cause which might divert the attention. The following facts we copy from " The Christian Index." We have heard an anecdote of Dr. Nettleton, a Presbyte- rian revivalist, which is apropos here. A parcel of gay young persons got up a ball in a neighbourhood in which Dr. N. had been preaching with great success, and for the amusement of themselves and others, inserted the reverend gentleman's name at the head of the list of managers. The company assembled at the time appointed. About the hour for commencing the dance, Dr. N. made his appearance, and observed to the com- pany that he perceived, from the tickets that had been issued, that he had been appointed a manager, and therefore, he pro- posed to open the services with prayer. He then offered up a very affecting prayer for the thoughtless group ; which was blessed of God, to the conviction of a number of those pre- sent, several of whom afterwards professed conversion, united with the church, and were never afterwards found within the walls of a ball-room. This anecdote we believe to be true. The circumstances were narrated to us in Virginia, while Dr. N. was labouring in the county in which we then resided. A young man just completing his professional studies, was induced to accompany some female friends to the pastor's REV. DR. NETTLETON. 309 study. He there gave a prromise that before he retired that night, he would, on his knees, offer prayer for himself. Pos- sessing strict integrity, when he went to his room, he thought of his promise; he was embarrassed — he walked the room, in a cold winter's night, till late, before his proud heart would yield ; and when he fell on his knees, such was the struggle in his mind, he said, " He would not, if he could be President of the United States, that any should know he was on his knees in prayer." There he was awakened, and after more than a week's struggle, he was made willing in the day ol God's power. He became, not only distinguished as a physi- cian, but as a Christian and an officer — m the church. A writer in the American Messenger says : — More than twenty years ago, I had the pleasure of spending some time in two places in the state of New York, in which powerful revivals of religion were in progress, by the blessing of God, upon the labours of the Rev. Dr. Nettleton. In the course of the first revival, in the town of , a gentleman of my acquaintance became deeply anxious for his soul. He wept, he mourned, he sighed, and no doubt prayed for days and days together. But he was proud and obstinate ; he would not submit to God. One day, his amiable wife, whose anxieties about her hus- band were almost beyond control, came into his room, and, finding him still lingering in his wretched condition, and solemnly fearing that he would grieve away the Holy Spirit, and turn back to the world, she fell upon her knees, in his presence, and fervently prayed for him. The husband's state of mind, after that prayer, may be conjectured, but not easily described. He literally writhed in mental anguish. . * Dr. Nettleton was the wisest man that I ever saw, in tracing lUO THE AMERICAN CLERGY. out the operations of the human mind, when under the influ- ences of the Divine Spirit. He seemed to possess almost in- tuitive knowledge of this subject. When he saw a sinner long lingering under conviction, he judged that there was a special cause, and he was pretty sure to detect that cause. One day, after my friend Lambert (for so I will call him) had been struggling with and stifling his convictions for some time, Dr. Nettleton called to see him once more. He talked with him, pointed him to the Saviour, and perhaps prayed with him. But there Lambert lingered still — a miserable, dis- consolate, lost sinner. No light, no hope. What could be the matter? Dr. Nettleton smelt ardent spirits. That was enough. He immediately intimated to Lambert that he was drinking with a view to drive away his convictions; and, I believe, the latter did not deny the charge. Dr. Nettleton solemnly warned the wretched man, and left him. What was the result ? The Spirit of God left my friend, and the unclean spirit, who had gone out, returned to his old habitation, accompanied by seven other spirits, more wicked than himself; and the last state of that man was worse than the first. Perhaps ten months pass away, when a blast and a mildew rest upon all that pertains to this miserable man. Nothing prospers in his hands. His business, though formerly flourish- ing, is in ruins ; and he is compelled to leave the beautiful house in which he lived. This is not the worst ; he is given up of God ; he is undone, to all appearance, for time and eternity. His lovely wife and his interesting children are dis- consolate and broken-hearted. Go with me now through yonder street of the town, at night, and what do we see? There lies poor, wretched, ruined Lambert, a drunkard in the ditch ! Oh, God ! what is man, when left of thy Spirit? Let a veil, for the present, cover the sequel. Reader, if the Spirit of God strive with you, as you value salvation, grieve him not away. A BAPTIST MINISTER. 31' A BAPTIST MINISTER. The doctrine of the perseverance of the saints is often abused. Common sense, however, will sometimes sweep away the sophisms of Antinomianism, and I leave it without any dis- guise for its ugly absurdity. A recent instance of this occurred in the city of Philadelphia. A man, who had been a professor of religion, was in a very backslidden state, to say the least of it. He was approached by a minister, who endeavoured to awaken him to a sense of danger, and arouse him to efforts such as his case demanded. " I cannot believe," the man replied, " that I never have known the grace of God. It is impossible that I can have been deceived in my former feelings ; and 1 am very well assured that the work which God has begun, he will carry on till the day of the Lord Jesus." Here he rested, and seemed perfectly contented to abide in his backslidden condition, supporting himself by his misquota- tion of Scripture. The minister listened to him patiently, until he had finished, and then replied, " Yes, I know very well, that where God commences a work of grace in the heart, he will carry it on. This is what makes me fear for you. In your case, the work "has stopped. I cannot believe, then, that God ever began it. You must certainly be deceived." The man was silent, and appeared moved. At length, he frankly confessed that this was a death-blow to the false hope on which he had been depending. 312 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. A POOR MINISTER. I HEARD a story, the other day, says a writer in one of our periodicals, A^hich seems too good to be lost. A church in the country had just engaged a good minister, who had not attended long, when, after preaching on a Sunday, the deacon gave him a pull, and said, " I want to speak with you." After going aside, the deacon said, " Brother, I saw something about you, to-day, that hurt my feelings." " What was it, my dear brother ?" said the minister, in sur- prise ; " do tell me." " It was about your arm, while you were preaching, I saw it." The poor minister became still more alarmed, and anxious to know in what way he had hurt the dear old father's feel- ings. The deacon pointed to his elbow. " There it is yet," said he The minister began to brush his sleeve. " Stop," said the deacon ; " you can't mend it now ; there is a hole in your coat, right on the elbow. I am hurt to see our minister have to wear such a coat. Now, I want you to go to and choose a coat pattern, and I'll pay for it." The minister thanked him kindly, and was entirely relieved of his fright. A COURTEOUS CLERGYMAN. Some years ago, a young man, a bricklayer by trade, re- moved from New Hampshire to work in the city of Lowell. He cherished at heart a strong prejudice against professed Christians, considering them as proud and supercilious, oiid REV. J. EASTUrKX, lil'd ever ready to say to him, " Stand by thyself; we are holier than thou !" His feeling of repugnance was so deep-seated, and had such a controlling influence over his intellectual nature, as to generate skeptical thoughts, and lead him to question the truth of the Bible. One day, as he was going to his work, he saw a gentleman approaching, who had been pointed out to him as the Rev. Mr. , and represented as one of the most affable and courteous of his profession. " Now," said he, " I will put this matter to the test. Here I am in my work-day clothes. If this man notices me, I will think there is, after all, something good in religion." They met. The clergyman raised his hat, bowed, smiled, and looked as if he would say, " I should be happy to become acquainted with you." The young bricklayer passed on to his labour, but could not forget his promise. The next Sabbath, he went to hear that " gentlemanly minister," and an acquaint- ance of the most agreeable and salutary kind ensued. His skeptical notions melted away before kind treatment, like snow- in an April shower ; and he soon became an honest inquirer after truth and mercy. Now, he is the beloved pastor of a flourishing church. How clearly does this fact prove that a kind and courteous attention to young men, is a very cheap and effective mode of usefulness. No men ought practically to study the apostolic injunction, " Be courteous," more than the ministers of Christ. REV. JOSEPH EASTBURN. Many of our readers entertain an affectionate remembrance of the late Joseph Eastburn, the preacher to the mariners, and for many years esteemed for his patriarchal piety and unwea- 27 314 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. ried zeal. In his doctrinal views, Mr. Eastburn was Calvinis- tic ; and, among other points, he believed fully in the sove- reignty of God in election. An Arminian acquaintance, who highly esteemed Mr. Eastburn, frequently expressed his regret that he should believe in so horrible a doctrine, and took occa- sion oftentimes to endeavour to argue him out of his belief. Mr. Eastburn, who was unobtrusive in his manners, and disin- clined to controversy, endeavoured to appease him, but without effect. At a religious conference meeting, at which they were both present, the subject was again in some way introduced ; when Mr. Eastburn arose, and, in his peculiarly striking man- ner, addressed this gentleman before the persons assembled, in the following manner: — "Brother , have you not told me that, in your earlier life, you were an avowed and malig- nant infidel, and that you were the leader of an infidel club, and that you and your companions treated every sacred subject with impious ridicule? And have you not told me that, out of that profane company, you were the only one who was brought, by the grace of God, to a sense of your sins, and to embrace the Saviour?" " Yes, yes," said the gentleman, with emphasis — " glory be to God !" " Then," said Mr. Eastburn, quietly, " I have often been disposed to tell you, that that was election.'''' There was no reply. Thus it is. The opponents of this doctrine hesitate not to say that it would be unjust and cruel in God to determine from eternity who should be saved, and who should be left in their sins; but they make no such charge on the Almighty, when, in fact, by his sovereign grace, he calls one into his kingdom, and leaves others to perish. The determination is mysterious, but the execution of that determination is all right. " This gentleman was ready to ascribe glory to God for selecting him as a trophy of grace from the midst of his ungodly compa REV. JOHN WESLEY. 315 nions , but, according to his profession, he would have been struck with horror at the thought that God should have loved and have chosen him from eternity. REV. JOHN WESLEY. The first time I had the pleasure of being in the company of the Rev. John Wesley, says a correspondent of the New York Evangelist, was in the year 1783. I asked him what must be done to keep Methodism alive when he was dead ? To which he immediately answered, " The Methodists must take heed to their doctrine, their experience, their practice, and their discipline. If they attend to their doctrines onhj^ they will make the people Antinomians ; if to the experimental part of religion only, they will make them enthusiasts; if to the practical part only, they will make them pharisees ; and if they do not attend to their discipline, they will be like persons who bestow much pains in cultivating their garden, and put no fence round it, to save it from the wild boar of the forest." Mr. Wesley, in the course of his voyage to America, hear- ing an unusual noRe in the cabin of General Oglethorpe, the governor of Georgia, with whom he sailed, stepped in to in- quire the cause of it. The general addressed him : " Mr. W., you must excuse me ; I have met with a provocation too great for a man to bear. You know the only wine I drink is Cyprus wine ; I therefore provided myself with several dozens of it, and this villain Grimaldi" (his foreign servant, who was pre- sent, and almost dead with fear) " has drunk up the whole of it. But I will be revenged on him. I have ordered him to be 316 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. tied hand and foot, and to be carried to the man-of-war which sails with us. The rascal should have taken care how he used me so, for I never forgive." " Then I hope, sir," said Mr. W., looking calmly at him, " you never sin." The gene- ral was quite confounded at the reproof; and, putting his hands into his pocket, took out a bunch of keys, which he threw at Grimaldi. "There, villain," said he, "take my keys, and behave better for the future." REV. DR. SPRING. Dr. Spring, of New York, related, some time ago, that during the period of a revival of religion in that city, a young lady, the object of high hope, the centre of wide influence, capable of noble things, yet careering on the giddy steep of fashion and of folly, created in him no small solicitude, as he would have to give an account for her soul, every avenue to which seemed most sedulously guarded. He delayed the visit of counsel and exhortation; and delayed till, rebuked by con- science, he could do so no longer. As soon as he called, and was ushered into the saloon, the first and only person whom he saw was this young lady, bathed in tears, who immediately exclaimed, " My dear pastor, I rejoice to see you. I was fear- ful I was the only one who had escaped your friendly notice." What a rebuke to fear ! What an encouragement to hope and to action ! J>v- > REV. DR. WADDELL. 317 REV. MR. CLAP. The late Rev. Mr. Clap, of Rhode Island, was asked by a member of his church, whether he thought it right to engage in dancing? His reply was, "I should think that those who are out of Christ should have no heart to dance, and those who are in Christ will have enough else to do." REV. DR. WADDELL. Those who have read Mr. Wirt's fine work, the " British Spy," will remember the graphic and touching description of the preaching of the blind Presbyterian preacher, as already narrated in this volume. It is no fancy sketch ; the scene actually occurred as it is described. A descendant of his has lately published a letter which was originally addressed to Mr. Wirt, but not printed by him. It will be read with great interest. To the Author of the British Spy : The distinguished notice you have taken of the Rev. James Waddell, of Virginia, in the character of the " Blind Preacher," has induced me to give you some account of an event un- noticed by you, and which forms an era in his life. I refer to the restoration of his sight. I do this with less reserve, since it is generally understood that the " British Spy" had been long a warm friend of the subject of this notice ; and that his removal from the vicinity of the " Blind Preacher," in whose hospitable mansion he had received many and warm greetings, had left him uninformed of the event to which I have alluded, 318 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. and of the circumstances which I propose to detail. You have described him as blind, and, while occupying the rude enclo- sure of a forest pulpit, addressing* an unseen multitude in strains of eloquence which might captivate cities and win the admiration of grave senates. The incidents to which I refer were more private ; in his own house, and in the midst of his family. For eight years he had been blind — a stranger equally to the cheerful light of day and the cheering faces of kindred and friends. It will readily be supposed, that in this lapse of time great changes had taken place. The infant had left the knee to rove amidst the fields ; the youth had started into man- hood, and, bidding adieu to the haunts of his childhood, had gone forth to act for himself upon the theatre of life ; with the hope, indeed, of again and again looking upon his venerable father, but without hope of that father's ever looking upon him. A calm and patient resignation had settled over the mind of this man of God, as a summer's cloud settles over the horizon of evening. Peaceful, hopeful, and reclining upon the bosom of heaven, every painful solicitude about himself had fled away. This personal peace and Christian submission were calculated, however, to concentrate his reflections and solicitudes upon the destinies of his,iamily, here and hereafter. His eye could not now see for them ; but he had a heart to invoke the watchfulness of an eye that neither slumbers nor sleeps ; that neither grows dim with a!ge nor infirmity. His palsied hand could guide them no longer, but patriarchal coun- sel was freely given, and enforced by the tremendous realities of a future existence. The thread to be followed through the labyrinth of life, it was taught, had its fastenings in eternity ; time and all sublunary things should be viewed in the light of eternity. But, although the mental vision was acute and wisely circumspect, the dark curtain still hung over the organs of sight, and seemed to rise no more. And what if it should be otherwise; that hope of sight REV. DR. WADDELL. 319 should take the place of resignation to blindness ; and, more than this, that hope should be turned into fruition ; that, after the darkness of eight years, he should be presented with a broad daylight view of every thing around him ! And this, I assure you, was almost a fact; for, after an operation for cataract, which, in the progress of years, had rendered light sensible, and then objects faintly visible, a strong, and well constructed convex lens, procured by the kindness of a distant friend, enabled him to see with considerable distinctness. At this juncture, I happened to be at his residence — called by himself, long before, " Hopewell," and now fulfilling, in happy reality, the import of a soft and cheerful name. The scene, without dispute, was the most moving that I ever witnessed. The father could again see his children, who riveted his atten- tion and absorbed his soul. Among these, emotions of intense interest and varied suggestions were visible in the eye, the countenance, and the hurried movements. The bursts of laughter — the running to and fro — the clapping of hands — the sending for absent friends — and then the silent tear bedevvinsr the cheek in touching interlude — the eager gazes of old serv- ants, and the unmeaning wonder of young ones — in short, the happy confusion from the agitation of joy — all taken together, was a scene better adapted to the pencil than the pen, and which a master's hand might have been proud to sketch. How I regretted that the mantle of some Raphael or Michael An^relo had not fallen upon me ; then had my fame and my feelings each been identified with the scene, and others should have been permitted to view upon the canvas what I must fail to describe upon paper. The paroxysm produced by the arrival of the glasses having passed away, and a partial experiment having satisfied all of their adaptation to the diseased eye, behold the patriarch seated in his large arm-chair, with his children around him, scanning with affectionate curiosity the bashful group. There weis a 320 THJE AMERICAN CLERGY. visible shyness among the lesser members of the family com raunity, while undergoing this fatherly scrutiny, not unlike that produced by a long absence. The fondness of a father in con- templating those most dear to him, wa^s never more rationally- exemplified, or exquisitely enjoyed, than on this occasion. And now, the venerable man, arising from his seat and grasping a long staff which lay convenient to him, had pro- , ceeded but a short distance, when the staff itself seemed pow- erfully, but momentarily, to engage his attention : it had been the companion of his darkest days, the pioneer of his domestic travels, and the supporter of a weak and tottering frame. He next proceeded to the front door, to take a view of the mountains ; the beautiful south-west range stretching out in lovely prospect, at the distance of about three miles. All fol- lowed, myself among the rest ; and the mountain scene, though viewed a thousand times before, was now gazed upon with deeper interest, and presented a greater variety of beauties than ever. Indeed, this mountain scenery ever after continued to delight my unsatisfied vision : whether my attention had not before this been carefully drawn to its beauties, or that the suggestive faculty, linking the prospect with the sympathetic pleasures previously enjoyed, had thrown around me a pleasing delusion, I am unable to decide. Delusion apart, however, this sunny base of the south-west mountains is a delightful region, distinguished not only by the natural advantages of a fertile soil, salubrious climate, and beautiful scenery, but by a race noted for the social virtues and for a higher order of intellect. But to return to the individual whom I had left exercising a new-born vision upon the external world. The book-case in- terviews I had looked for with solicitude, and presently had the pleasure of witnessing. Watts, and Doddridge, and Locke, and Reid, with a host of worthies, had been the companions of his best days : there had been a long night of separation. The meeting and communion was that of kindred souls, and REV. MR. SPENCER. 321 cortiplimentary alike to his piety, scholarship, and taste. The si^ht of his own handwriting, upon tlie blank leaves of his books, was in itself a small circumstance, but seemed to affect him not a little, associated no doubt with varied circumstances of past days. I left the house, full of reflections. I had been always awed by the solemn sanctity and personal dignity of the " Blind Preacher." The yearning solicitude which I had just wit- nessed, of such a father over his children, seen now for the ftrst time after the dreary blindness of years, had melted my ieelings. My imagination took flight, and, passing rapidly through time, was conducted by the incidents of this day to the resurrection morning ; when the saint of God, throwing off the trammels of the tomb, with quickened vision and more than mortal solicitude, looks around for the children of his pilgrim- age. REV. MR. SPENCER. The Rev. Mr. Spencer, of New York, has furnished the following statement : — A poor minister once called upon me, saying that his horse and carriage were under a mortgage, which was soon to be foreclosed, and he had no money to pay it. During the night on which he stayed at my house, I was much disturbed in thinking over his case. I felt that I must help him, though my circumstances, at first view, seemed to forbid even the idea. On parting with the good man, in the morning, I presented him with five dollars, which was all the money I had. He hesitated when he saw the amount, and said that so large a donation might embarrass me. " No," said I ; " it is, indeed, all I have, but you should have more if I had it. I consider 322 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. that I am lending to the Lord, and have no doubt that it will soon be returned again." The same day, making a call upon one of my parishioners, who paid regularly towards my support, three dollars were unexpectedly put into my hand. And not long after, as I was dining with another family of my congregation, who likewise helped to make up my salary, we were conversing on the reflex benefits of beneficence ; and 1 remarked, that all I had ever lent to the Lord, had been paid back in some unexpected way, with the exception of two dol- lars. The lady of the house immediately arose and stepped towards the mantel-piece, while the husband smilingly observed that his wife, a short time ago, had laid up two dollars in the clock for me, and that they were now happy to have thi« opportunity of completing my recent loan to the Lord. REV. BELA JACOBS. The late Rev. B. Jacobs, of Cambridgeport, Mass., could, when necessary, administer reproof very forcibly, though the gentleness of his character was always seen in the manner in which it was done. Some young ladies at his house were one day talking about one of their female friends. As he entered ihe room, he heard the epithets "odd," "singular," &c., applied. He asked, and was told the name of the young lady in question, and then said, very gravely, " Yes, she is an odd young lady ; she is a very odd young lady ; I consider her fxtremely singular." He then added, very impressively, " She was never heard to speak ill of an absent friend." The re- Luke was not forgotten by those who heard it. REV. MR. ESTABROOK. 323 This excellent minister rarely punished his children ; his own evidently sincere grief at any wrong committed, was usually sufficient to deter from what was so sure to grieve one so tenderly loved. On one occasion, however, one of his children had committed a serious act of disobedience. They were all called into his study ; and when he had, with tears, expressed his sorrow at his child's misconduct, he knelt, and, putting his arm around the offending one, he implored the Father of all to forgive a child who had broken His commands by refusing to obey her mother. That child never forgot that prayer ; nor would the most stubborn heart have refused to repent of a sin, punished, not in anger, but in such sorrowful affection. Penitence was expressed before leaving him, and his kiss seemed to seal her forgiveness on earth and in heaven. REV. MR. ESTABROOK. Mr. Estabrook, formerly a clergyman of Athol, was well known for his pleasant turn of mind, no less than for fervent, uriaffected piety, and genuine benevolence. He died at a very advanced age. Towards the close of his life, a proposition was made in parish — or, as it then was, in town meeting, to Increase his salary, to an amount corresponding with the in- creased expenses of living and the growing wealth of the so- ciety. The motion was in a fair way of passing, when, to the surprise of every one, the old gentleman rose and begged his friends not to vote a larger sum for him. He asked it as a favour of the parish. Some onp inquired if it was not the fact, as had been stated, that the present salary was insufficient for his support. Mr. Eistabrook admitted this, but begged that 324 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. they would not vote him a larger sum. His friends pressed around him to inquire the reason, which he declared pecuHar, and of rather a private nature. On being pressed, however, he stated his inducement to the course he had taken. He de- clared that he was opposed to voting any more money, because it was difficult to get what had formerly been voted ! The hint was taken — the increase was voted, and, what was better, promptly paid. AN ANXIOUS PASTOR. During the closing service, one Sabbath, says a pastor, my eyes rested on a lovely youth. I approached him, and ex- horted him to repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. He replied, "I am not ready now, but in two weeks I am re- solved to seek the salvation of my soul." A few days after, his minister was summoned to visit him upon a bed of sick- ness. He said to the minister, " I was invited to the Saviour at the meeting of the Sabbath. I replied that I was not ready then, and now I am not ready to die." On a subsequent visit the dying youth exclaimed, " I was not ready to seek God at the meeting, I was not ready to die when the message came, and now I am not ready to lie down in hell ! My two weeks have not yet elapsed, when I hoped to have made my peace with God, and sickness, death, and hell have overtaken m<\ and I am for ever lost." REV. DR. JUDSON, 825 A CLERGYMAN. A GENTLEMAN who had formerly been very skeptical, was one day met by a clergyman who had frequently been accus- tomed to converse with him, but who had not seen him for some time. The clergyman asked him, " Well, my dear sir, what do you think now of the doctrine of the resurrection?" The former skeptic replied, "Oh, sir, two words from the apostle Paul conquered me, *Thou fool.' Do you see this Bible, taking up a copy of the Scriptures, fastened with a clasp, " and will you read the words upon the clasp which shuts it ?" The clergyman read what was deeply engraven, "Thou fool." "There," said his friend, "are the words that con- quered me ; it was no argument, no reasoning, no satisfying my objections ; but God convinced me that I was a fool ; and henceforward I was determined I would have my Bible clasped with those words, and would never again come to the considera- tion of its sacred mysteries but through their medium. I will always remember that I am a fool, and that God only is wise." The words, " Thou fool !" were used, both by the apostle and by this convert to his doctrine, to express the unspeakable folly of man, in setting up his own pretended wisdom in oppo- sition to the pure and perfect wisdom of God. REV. DR. JUDSON. This veteran missionary of the cross of Christ, on his re- cent visit to Boston, when asked, by "an old disciple," "Do yon think the prospect bright for the speedy conversion of the hraihen?" nobly replied, "As bright as the promises of God!" 28 326 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. A GOOD PASTOR. It is evident that some persons do not understand the senti- ment which is sometimes advocated, that the more the Chris- tian advances in holiness, the more he will see of his own sinfulness. The following conversation occurred more than fifteen years since, between a pastor and a lamb of his flock. The young inquirer said to his experienced teacher, " I do not fully understand what you preached to-day. You observed, that the more a child of God increases in holiness, the greater his own sinfulness appears in his view. Is the man really growing worse while advancing in holiness?" The watchful pastor, " apt to teach," smiled, and thus replied : " I will illustrate the idea. Suppose a dark room, which for a long time has not been cleansed. You enter it, and view it by moonlight ; you say that it is filthy. More light is intro- duced, and more, and more. During this process of. in- troducing more light, a cleansing process is going forward. But, though much filth has been removed since you began to examine the room, yet it now appears tenfold more filthy than when you first surveyed it by mere moonlight." The youth saw and felt the force of the illustration ; and while writing this, he distinctly recollects the appearance of the affectionate pastor as he gave it. A MINISTER IN NEW YORK. Some few years since, a person called on a minister in New York, requesting him to go without delay to a certain house, to visit a person who was sick. The mmister went, and, on entering the room where he expected to find the sick person, BISHOP GRISWOLD. 327 he found it occupied by a company of gamblers, who arose from their seats, and, in a very peremptory manner, demanded why he came there ? At the same time, two or three of them went to the door and bolted it, while the others surrounded the minister, demanding the reason of his presence. He first offered each one a tract, which was received ; then took out his Bible, and began to read; and, not knowing what would follow, fell on his knees and raised his voice in prayer to Him who delivered Daniel from the mouth of the lions. While thus pouring out his heart to God, the door was thrown open, and one after another of the company went out, till he was left alone, " and Jesus standing in the midst," by his Spirit, to sustain and protect him. BISHOP GRISWOLD. During the residence of this excellent clergyman in Bristol, a minister, with more zeal than discretion, became impressed with the conviction that the bishop was a mere formalist in religion, and that it was his duty to go and warn him of his danger, and exhort him to '-'■jlee from the ivraih to come.'''' Accordingly, he called upon the bishop, very solemnly made known his errand, and forthwith entered on his harangue. The bishop listened in silence till his self-constituted instructor had closed a severely denunciatory exhortation, and then in substance replied as follows: "My dear friend, I do not won- der that they who witness the inconsistency of my daily walk, and see how poorly I adorn the doctrine of God my Saviour, should think that I have no religion. I often fear for myself that such is the case, and feel very grateful to you for giving me this warning." The reply was made with such an evi- dently unaffected humility, and such a depth of feeling and 328 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. sincerity, that if an audible voice from heaven had attested the genuineness of his Christian character, it could not more ef- fectually have silenced his kindly intending, but misjudging censor, or more completely have disabused him of his false impression. He immediately acknowledged his error, begged the bishop's pardon, and ever afterwards looked upon him as one of the distinguished lights of the Christian world. A NEW ENGLAND CLERGYMAN. A FARMER of good substauce, possessing much influence in his neighbourhood, not far from Boston, had not for a long time been seen at church. His minister was deeply grieved, and called to remonstrate with the farmer, both on his own account and on account of the pernicious influence of his ex- ample. The farmer heard him with attention, and seemed penitent. " I hope, friend," said the good pastor, as he was leaving him, " I hope I shall see you at church next Sabbath ?" The farmer looked down to the ground in an attitude of deep thought ; then suddenly raising his head, with a cheerful look, as if conscience had conquered, replied quickly, " Well, V\l go ; but," pausing a moment, he added, " yes, I'll go — or I'll send a handy Alas i how. many, in different ways, evade the duty of personal religion ! REV. DR. MERCER. 329 REV. DR MERCER. The late Dr. Mercer seems to have had a very happy talent of so conversing with disconsolate Christians as to lead them to rich sources of consolation. On one occasion, a good man rode twenty-five miles to converse with him. He had been for more than twenty years a member of a Christian church, but was exercised with great darkness and sorrow of mind. After he had told his sad tale of woe to Dr. M., he wound up all by saying, " I would not for a thousand worlds say that I am a Christian." " Would you," asked Dr. M., " for as many worlds say that you are not a Christian ?" " No, I. would not." " Do you believe that the devil suggests to one de- dfeived, that he is deceived, and that he strives to convince him of it?" " Certainly not." "Do you not believe that he often worries the Christian by such suggestions, persuading him that he is deceived, and, in proof of it, calls to his mind his daily departure from the paths of rectitude and purity ?" " No doubt of it." By this short category, and by narrating some of his own trials, the brother was greatly relieved, and went home with a light heart. Another brother, who had not been long in the church, while reading the Scriptures regularly through, was greatly shocked at many of the heinous sins of the saints of old, par- ticularly some of the actions of Lot and of David. He in- quired within himself, how could holy men commit such deeds, and could the vilest sinners do worse? He became almost convinced that religion was a farce, and the Scriptures an im- position. Under these circumstances, he obtained an interview with Dr. Mercer, and told him his difficulties. " Why," said he doctor, " if the Scriptures had recorded none but virtuous 28* 330 THE AMERICAN CLEKGY. and holy actions of the ancient saints, they would not have met my case ; but they give an honest and impartial history, their bad and their good acts, and from their weakness I gather strength." The brother went away consoled, and was no more troubled in that way. It is said of this valued minister, that he presided at his church conference meetings with great gravity and dignity, seldom allowing any irregularity to pass unreproved. The clerk of one of his churches was calling over the names of the male members, preparatory to the adjournment of the con ference. It was a cold day and a cold church. The members answered to their names in such a hfeless tone of voice, that they could scarcely be heard ; and, in some instances, the lan- guid answer would not come until the name had been two or three times repeated. The clerk, however, patiently perse, vered in his task, attentively listening for answers till he had finished the list. The worthy pastor, whose head all the while had been hanging very low, arose from his seat with much concern on his countenance, and gravely said, " Well, brethren, if your religion is as weak as your voices, it is weak indeed : let us pray." The reproof was deeply felt, and during the prayer, which was the concluding service, many indications of deep feeling were manifested. Its good effects were seen for a long time afterwards. A CLERGYMAN IN PHILADELPHIA. , 331 A CLERGYMAN IN PHILADELPHIA. I ONCE heard a little incident, said to have occurred to a venerable clergyman of Philadelphia city, now no more, but who, if named, would be instantly recognised as familiar to many. It occurred some thirty years since, at which time our reve- rend friend was called upon to officiate at the nuptials of the only child and daughter of a wealthy retired merchant, then residing a few miles in the country. The time which had been appointed for the wedding, proved to be a chilly, rainy day, toward the latter end of the month of September. The rain having commenced falling on the night previous, continued throughout the day. The roads were in a miserable condition; the rain fallen upon them, still heavy with dust, rendered them almost impassable in mud. This was any thing but a pleasant prospect for the doctor ; but weddings must not be delayed, nor do clergymen generally in the least desire it ; they entertain a peculiar partiality for them; they find pleasure in uniting " two fond hearts," and profit in it. So, barring the weather, the doctor had no cause to com- plain, and, rain or shine, he was bound to go. Accordingly, a horse and chaise were procured, and the doctor, fully equipped for the journey, was soon on his way to the scene of bridal festivity. At the country mansion, all was in readiness for his coming ; and when he reached there, some time after nightfall, he found the bride and her lover already waiting for him. It was not necessary to lose any time, and the doctor was not long in entering upon his appropriate duties. The necessary preliminaries being speedily arranged, within a spa- cious hall, richly ornamented, and in the presence of a gay and numerous company, the doctor pronounced the nuptial ceremony. 332 Tlii: A31ERICAN CLERGY. The scene was unusually affecting, even to the doctor him- self. The bride, as we have said, was an only child, and, aside from her education and accomplishments, upon which every care and attention had been bestowed, she possessed qualities of the heart which endeared her to all. She was amiable and affectionate ; and these traits, combined with sin- cere and early piety, had won the reverend old gentleman's highest friendship and esteem. To one thus interested in the happiness of a bride, the joy attendant upon her nuptials is never unmingled with tender emotions ; and tears of parental sympathy trickled down the pious countenance of the old gen- tleman, as, at the conclusion of the ceremony, he invoked the smiles of Heaven for the future happiness of the newly wedded. Nor was he alone in these feelings : a solemn stillness for a while pervaded the whole company, yet, like a transient cloud in the morning, it was soon dispelled, leaving all bright and cheerful as before. Shortly after the ceremony was over, the doctor prepared himself for home. So, taking an affectionate leave of the bride and her happy partner, he ordered his vehicle. Not a word had yet been hinted to him concerning a marriage fee : as for himself, he was too much absorbed in reflection to have given a thought upon the matter. The " fee," however, such as it was, had not been forgotten ; but Mr. E., the bride's father, after accompanying and assisting him into his chaise, placed in his hands a little package, containing, as he said, a " present" for himself, and a " little notion" for his wife. The doctor, presuming, of course, that it was his fee, and no doubt a rich one, which was thus modestly tendered, accompanied with some small token for his wife, thanked Mr. E. accord- ingly; and the courtesies of the night being exchanged, the doctor lost no time in regaining his home. Imagine, now, the old gentleman, after two hours' hard ride, through mud and rain, well drenched and bespattered, sitting A CLERGYMAN IN PHILADELPHIA. 333 by his fireside, opening, with the eager assistance of his wife, the above described package. Imagine, also, if possible, the surprise and disappointment of both, as, contrary to the lowest expectations of either, in lieu of a fifty dollar note, and a rich laced cap, the package was delivered of a plain neckcloth and an unpretending pair of gloves. Now, fortunately for our friend the doctor, of all things he knew best how to brook disappointment ; it is characteristic of the profession in general. Hence his share of the disap- pointment was soon smothered, and he contented himself with the reflection that his services had been well repaid already, in having been rendered to one whom he felt most happy in serving. Not so with his wife ; like the most of her sex, ay, and of her kind, disappointments were not in the least agreeable to her. Besides, on this occasion, as she was personally inte- rested, hers was by no means small. The marriage of Miss E. had long been in contemplation ; and as long had the doc- tor's wife been anticipating a rich fee for her husband, which, according to a good-natured agreement existing between them, in relation to the above marriage, they were to divide equally ; and no marvel is it that she had magnified her share into " something very handsome." For some time she was speechless with vexation and disap- pointment. She knew not how to vent her feelings ; she felt hurt as well as vexed and disappointed. " Certainly, I am greatly at a loss to account for this," at length she exclaimed, recovering herself; " surely, I would never have expected such conduct from Mr. E." " Tut ! tut ! my dear," returned the doctor ; " I am sure it's not worth while grieving about it." " Indeed, I think it is," rejoined his wife, somewhat vexed, and tossing, at the same time, the gloves from her ; " I'm sure 334 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. your ride through mud and rain was itself well worth ten times as much." *' Well, well," said the doctor, " I'm very well satisfied, and I see no reason why you should be otherwise." So saying, he was in the act of spreading out the neckcloth, to examine its dimensions, when lo ! a hundred dollar note dropped upon the floor. If, by the touch of a magic wand, the doctor had converted the cambric mto a silken sash, the surprise of his wife could not have exceeded what she now felt. She knew not what first to say. No time, however, was lost in re-obtaining the gloves ; and if her surprise was great before, it was in no degree diminished, when a ten dollar note was discovered snugly stuffed away in each thumb and finger. " My patience ! did you ever !" shouted the old lady, in ecstacy. " Ha ! ha !" laughed the doctor. But let us drop the curtain upon the happy doctor and his wife. REV. MR. F. While the Rev. Mr. F. was pastor of a Presbyterian church in the state of New York, he enjoyed the happiness of witnessing several very delightful revivals among his peo- ple. One old man, however, withstood all, and, by the per- version of truth, seemed to seal the doom of his eternal misery. He had used to say, that as he could not convert himself, it was not his fault if he perished. During the last revival Mr. F. enjoyed, he called at the house of this old man, to converst; and to pray with his family, and was going away without speaking to the old man himself. Perceiving, however, that A FAITHFUL MINISTER. 335 he had something to say, Mr. F. listened to him, and found it was pretty much the same tale as usual. Mr. F. at length .turned to him, and, with somewhat of a severe tone, said, " Jesus Christ demands to be received by you, and proposes himself as your Mediator with the eternal God ; but you con- tinue to reject him, and so you must perish for ever. Good bye." The old man's heart was broken — he wept over his sins — sought for mercy, and found it through Christ Jesus. In old age, he became the humble, child-like follower of the Son of God. A FAITHFUL MINISTER. Professors of religion have never yet felt, as they should do, that their property is the Lord's, given to them to sustain his cause. Hence they talk about giving theii- property for the support of the gospel ; as though the cause of the Lord Jesus were to be supported as an act of alms-giving. A mer- chant, in the state of New York, was in the habit of paying a large part of his pastor's salary. One of the members of the church was relating the fact to a minister from a distance, and speaking of the sacrifice which this merchant was making. At this moment, the merchant came in. " Brother," said the minister, " you are a merchant ; suppose you employ a clerk to sell goods, and a schoolmaster to teach your children, and you order your clerk to pay your schoolmaster out of the store, such an amount for his services in teaching. Now, suppose your clerk gave out that he had to pay this school- master his salary, and should speak of the sacrifices that he was making to do it; what would you say to this?" "Why," said the merchant, " I should say it was ridiculous." "Well," said the minister, " God employs you to sell goods as his clerk, 336 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. and your minister he employs to teach his children, and re- quires you to pay the salary out of the income of that store. Now, do you call this your sacrifice, and say that you are making a great sacrifice to pay this minister's salary? No ; you are just as much bound to sell goods for God, as he is to preach for Him." A MINISTER IN BOSTON A MINISTER in Boston paid a visit to a lady of his acquaint- ance, who was newly married, afnd who was attired in the modern fashion, with bare arms. After the usual compliments, he familiarly said, " I hope you have got a good husband, madam ?" " Yes, sir," replied she, " and a good man, too." " I don't know what to say about his goodness," added the minister, rather bluntly, " for my Bible teaches me that a good man should clothe his wife, but he allows you to go half naked." TWO CLERGYMEN. Two very gayly dressed ladies, being in company with a clergyman, on his being informed that they were professed Christians, were kindly, but very solemnly reproved by him for their extravagance in dress. He reminded them that God had commanded that " women adorn themselves in modest ap- parel, with shamefacedness and sobriety ; not with broidered hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array, but (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works ; whose adorn- REV. JOHN GANO. 837 ing, let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and the wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel ; but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not cor- ruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which in the sight of God is of great price." They were somewhat offended, and, with the hope of quieting their consciences, went 10 another clergyman, and asked him if lie thought there was any harm in their wearing feathers in their hats, with artificial flowers, dz;c. He gravely replied, " There is no harm in fea- thers and Jiowers. If you have in your hearts the ridiculous vanity to wish to be thought pretty, you may as well hang out the sign., and let every one know what is your ruling passion." REV. JOHN GANO. This gentleman warmly espoused the cause of his country in the contest with Great Britain, and at the commencement of the war joined the standard of freedom in the capacity of chap- lain. His preaching, in which he was inferior only to White- ' field, greatly contributed to impart a determined spirit to the soldiers ; nor was his private intercourse less adapted to use- fulness. When a lieutenant, after uttering some profane ex- pressions, accosted him, saying, " Good morning. Dr. Good Man ;" he replied, " You pray early this morning." The man thus reproved answered, "I beg your pardon." "Oh!" re- torted Mr. G., " I cannot pardon you ; carry your case to God." Of such a man we do not wonder to read the testi- mony, " The careless and irreverent stood arrested and awed before him, and the most insensible were made to feel." 29 338 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. REV. T. P. BENEDICT, A MAN having heard' the late Rev. Thomas P. Benedict preach a sermon, the object of which was to show that salvation is en- tirely of grace, said to him, "If what you have preached is true, what is it my duty to do ?" " It is your duty to believe it."' " What else is it my duty to do ?" " It is your duty to love it. You ought surely to love the truth." "What else is it my duty to do 1" " I fear I have told you now more than you will ever do. If you will do these things, you will find no difficulty in regard to any other part of your duty. It will be very plain." AN UNKNOWN PREACHER. The spontaneous preference which all persons, free from prejudice, are ready to yield, other things being equal, to a preacher who has had the advantages of education, may be illustrated by the following incident : — In the vicinity of one of our literary institutions, where several young Baptist ministers were pursuing their studies, a church, whose members were violently prejudiced against col- lege-learned ministers, had passed a vote that they would ad- mit no one from the neighbouring institution into their pulpit. Shortly after this they sent to a minister then residing: near the institution, whom they did not know, but with whose preach- ing they supposed from information they should be pleased. The minister agreed to attend and preach for them, on the day named in their request. Circumstances, however, prevented REV. SAMUEL HARRIS. 339 his going in person ; he therefore engaged a young ministering brother, who had nearly completed his studies at the institu- tion of which he was a member, to go in his stead. This young brother was unknown to any of the church. He came to the place at the hour appointed ; and, with a fluent and rea- dy utterance, with a warm heart and fervent spirit, and with a well-furnished mind, he delivered his Master's message. The members of the church, who supposed all this while that the preacher was the individual for whom they had sent, and who had never been in a literary institution, were delighted. Their hearts were opened. They pressed him to visit them again, to which he consented. In the mean time, they ascertained who their preacher was, that he was a member of the neigh- 1)ourinsj institution. But they had committed themselves ; he had gained their hearts, and the approbation of their judgment. It was the end of their prejudice against learning in a minister. After this they were ready to admit and act on the principle, that learning cannot make a minister, but that it can greatly increase his power of being useful. REV. SAMUEL HARRIS. This excellent minister, who laboured in the last century, was called the Apostle of Virginia. In his power over the affections of his hearers, he was thought to be equal to White- field. The Virginians say that he seemed to pour forth streams of lightning from his eyes. The following anecdotes may illustrate his character. Meeting a pardoned criminal, who showed him his pardon received at the gallows, he asked, " Have you shown it to Jesus Christ ?" The reply was, " No, Mr. Harris, I want you to do it for me." Accordingly, the good man dismounted and kneeled, and with the pardon in one 340 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. hand, and the other on the offender's head, rendered thanks and prayed for pardon from God. He once requested a debtor to pay him in wheat, as he had a good crop ; but the man re- plied that he did not intend to pay until he was sued. Unwill- ing to leave preaching to attend a vexatious suit, he wrote a receipt in full and presented it to the man, saying he had sued him in the court of heaven ; and that he should leave the affair with the Great Head of the Church, with whom he might settle another day. The man soon loaded his wagon and sent him the wheat. REV. DR. LAIDLIE. Shortly after the arrival of the Rev. Dr. Laidlie, one of the early emigrants from Europe to New York, he was thus accosted by some excellent old Dutch people, at the close of a prayer-meeting : " Ah, Domine !" (the title which the Dutch, in their affection, give to their pastors,) " we offered up many an earnest prayer in Dutch for your coming among us ; and truly the Lord has heard us in English^ and sent you to us !" AN AGED MINISTER. A VENERABLE minister at H — preached a sermon on the subject of eternal punishment. On the next day, it was agreed among some thoughtless young men, that one of them should go to him, and endeavour to draw him into a dispute, with the design of making a jest of him and of his doctrine. The wag accordingly went, was introduced into the minister's study, and REV. DR. STANFORD. 341 commenced the conversation by saying, " I believe there is a small dispute between you and me, sir, and I thought I would call this morning and try to settle it." " Ha !" said the clergy- man, "what is it?" "Why," replied the wag, "you say that the wicked will go into everlasting punishment, and I do not think that they will." " Oh, if that is all," answered the mi- nister, " there is no dispute between you and me. If you turn to Matt. XXV. 46, you will find that the dispute is between you and the Lord Jesus Christ, and I advise you to go immediately and settle it with him." REV. DR. STANFORD. It is every way important that Christian ministers should secure the love of young persons. The late Rev. Dr. Stan- ford, of New York, always did this in a very eminent degree. Though the peculiar gravity and dignity of his appearance was such as to preclude rather than to invite juvenile fami- liarity, yet scarcely any other man was so universally a favour- ite among children as "Father Stanford." One little boy, the son of a clergyman, was asked whom he liked best as a preacher. " Oh," said he, " I like old Father Stanford best, because he is a very good man, and he speaks out, so that I can understand him." In their intercourse with their friends, the ministers of Christ often gain instruction as well as give it. So it occurred to Dr. S. After having once preached to the inmates of the state prison of New York, he was passing through the middle hall, to visit the sick prisoners in the hospital, when Mr. Hauman, a foreigner by birth, and one of the keepers, stood at the back- 29* 342 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. door with the key in his hand, and pleasantly offered him a pinch of snuff. After the usual salutation, the following dia- logue ensued : — " Sir, wot use you come here to visit dis vicked people ?" " My heavenly Master has made it my duty to visit the sick, and especially those who are in prison." " Den, let me ask you, vot use it be for de rain to come down upon de ocean ? — de sea be full enough of vater vidout it." " I am somewhat surprised at the intention of your question." " Sir, I vill tell you ; dere be von ship go along 'pon de sea, vich be vant of vater, and de sailors dey be ready to die ob dirst ; dey no drink de vater out de ocean. By and bye dey see cloud, and de rain begin to come down ; den de sailors spread deir sails on de deck ; dey catch de rain vater ; dey do drink, and den go on lifely. So you come to dese poor wretches — you spread de sail — de rains ob Got's blessing come down, and den dey drink and be glad. So, sir, I vill now open de door, an you may spread your sail." Dr. S. says in his diary, " Thanking Mr. H. for his remarks, I passed through to the hospital, with a design to spread my sails of instruction and prayer, in the pleasing hope that some mercy-drops from above might descend to refresh the souls of the poor prisoners. I have often indulged pleasing reflections on this little incident, as conveying to me valuable instruction. For, as the mariner can only spread the sail, it is the Lord alone that can raise the wind, or give the gentle rain ; so I can only spread the gospel sail of instruction, and wait for drops of mercy from heaven." This eminent clergyman, in the discharge of his official duties, had once closed his sermon to the prisoners, in New York, when one of them, familiarly called "Ned Craig," for- formerly a lawyer, was, at his own particular request, per- REV. DR. STANFORD. 343 milted to propound a doctrinal question to the preacher. Among the individuals present, were several prisoners who formerly ranked high in the learned professions, and one who had occupied the chair of professor of languages in a uni- versity. " Pray," asked Ned, " how can you reconcile the general invitations of the gospel with the doctrine of a particular election ?" Dr. Stanford, turning to these present, replied, " These gen- tlemen know, that it is not customary to teach children a^b- struse doctrines in any science, until they have first learned their grammar. I am no polemic, but preach to you the plain gospel ; but you must learn the A. B. C. of divinity before I shall attempt to explain the subject of your inquiry." This pungent reply to an impertinent question, propounded not with a view to improvement, but for the purpose of embar- rassing the preacher, afforded great satisfaction to the other prisoners. ^ How awful are the scenes which the Christian minister is sometimes called to witness ; at once reminding him of the dreadful consequences of sin, and rousing all his energies to action ! Dr. Stanford was once travelling through New Jersey in the stage. When they stopped at Plainfield, the driver in- formed the company that, a short distance further on the road, an intoxicated man had, on the preceding night, murdered his two sons, his wife, and himself. As the stage had to pass by the door, the passengers insisted on stopping at the house, and requested Dr. S. to accompany them. It was one of those neat little cottages which now and then attract the admiring gaze of the traveller, and seemed, from the silence that pre- vailed, to be an abode of blessedness and of peace. But, alas ! it was the silence of death that reigned within its blood-stained 344 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. walls. On entering the front room on the lower floor, they found a table plentifully spread on the preceding evening for the family repast. Here was every thing to secure content- ment and domestic comfort ; but the demon of intemperance had entered the enclosure. As they ascended to the room im- mediately above, they beheld one of those awful spectacles, from which, with instinctive horror, the heart unsteeled by crime involuntarily recoils. In the cradle lay a lovely little boy, about eight years old, murdered in a shocking manner ; and on the floor, at a short distance from him, and covered with wounds and blood, lay his brother, about ten years of age. The unhappy mother of these victims of a father's rage, was found in the back parlour, to which, it is probable, she had fled for safety, but was there stabbed to the heart, by the hand of him who had vowed at the altar to love and protect her. Near the gory bosom of the martyred woman was seen the ghastly corpse of the sanguinary monster. After perpe- trating the diabolical crime of murdering his unoffending family, it was supposed that he loaded his rifle, and receiving the muzzle into his mouth, deliberately discharged its contents, by which one half of his head was entirely blown away, and the barrel of the gun severed from the stock. The apartments were literally a human slaughter-house, where death reigned in undisturbed dominion. This tragic scene closed the lips of the beholders in silence, and astonishment seemed to have pa- ralyzed them. No one was able to give utterance to the deep and oppressive feelings of the heart, and the company retired, increasingly convinced that great indeed is the depravity of man. The biographer of Dr. Stanford records his interviews with many dying persons. The following is very instructive : — This morning I was requested to visit a man, supposed to REV. DR. STANFORD. 345 be near death. After tenderly inquiring about the state of his mind, he replied, "It is very easy— I know that there is one God — I believe that there is a future state — I believe God, when I die, will take my poor soul — I believe all these." I asked, " Do you know that you are a sinner, and that you need mercy?" " Oh, we are all sinners." I answered him, that God could not save him at the expense of divine justice ; that we both stood in need of a Saviour; that God had in mercy given his dear Son, whose blood cleanseth from all sin ; and that there was none other name given under heaven, whereby we may be saved, but the name of the Lord Jesus ; who is, therefore, the only Saviour. To my great astonish- ment, this man replied, " I don't know any thing about him." " Then," I replied, " it is high time that you should know him. It is, indeed, our encouragement that this Jesus is able and willing to save to the uttermost all who come unto God by him ; and it becomes you, under your circumstances, to pray to him for mercy." I was equally surprised at his answer : " I never prayed in my life." I thought it my duty solemnly to warn him of his danger. After which, I prayed. At four o'clock, I ordered the coachman to put me down at the hospital-gate, and I went into the sick man's room ; but, what was my astonishment, as I looked around, to find both the man and the bed removed. " Nurse, what have you done with the patient ?" " He is in the dead-house ; he died at twelve o'clock." "How did he die?" Instead of giving mo a direct reply, she told me, that soon after I left him, in the morning, two of his friends came to visit him, who informed her that he was a deist, and had lived a very irregular life. " But, nurse," I said, " you do not answer my question ; how (lid he die ?" She replied, " Sir, when he knew he was going, he cried loudly enough to Jesus Christ to save him : he died a coward, and, with his last breath, renounced his former infi- delity." " Men may live fools, but fools they cannot die." 346 THE AMERICAN CLEKGY. A VILLAGE CLERGYMAN. An active and skilful young minister, while engaged under circumstances of the most promising kind in the village of J , was told of a miller who, with more than usual pro- faneness, had repelled every attempt to approach him on the subject of religion, and had discouraged the hopes and efforts of the few serious persons in his vicinity. Among other prac- tices of sinful daring, he uniformly kept his windmill, the most striking object in the hamlet, going on the Sabbath. In a little time, the minister determined to make an effort for the benefit of the hopeless man. He undertook the office of going for his flour, the next time, himself. "A fine mill," said he, as the miller adjusted his sack to receive the flour; "a fine mill, indeed ; one of the most complete I have ever seen." This was nothing more than just — the m.iller had heard it a thousand times before ; and would firmly have thought it, though he had never heard it once : but his skill and judgment were still gratified by this new testimony, and his feelings con- ciliated, even towards the minister. " But, oh !" continued his customer, after a little pause, " there is one defect in it !" "What is that?" carelessly asked the m.iller. "A very vseri- ous defect, too." "Eh!" replied the miller, turning up his face. "A defect that is likely to counterbalance all its advan- tages." "Well, what is it?" said the miller, standing straight up, and looking the minister in the face. He went on: "A defect which is likely to ruin the mill." "What is it?" re- joined the miller. "And will one day no doubt destroy the owner." " And can't you say it out ?" exclaimed the impa- tient miller. " It goes on the Sabbath !" pronounced the mi- nister, in a firm, solemn, and monitory tone. The astonished man stood blank and thunderstruck ; and remained meek and submissive under a remonstance and exhortation of a quarter A TRAVELLING MINISTER. 347 of an hour's length, in which the danger of his state and practices, and the call to repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, were fully proposed to him. A TRAVELLING MINISTER. A MINISTER who was urged by his people to go out on a begging excursion, to solicit money to liquidate a debt on their meeting-house, put up on Saturday night with the deacon of a church to which he was to present the subject on the ensuing tSabbath. He seemed to be quite wealthy ; and, as he treated his guest with great cordiality and kindness, the preacher cherished glowing expectations of a very generous contribu- tion from his purse. On the Sabbath, after setting forth the claims of his object in as forcible and eloquent a manner as possible, the plates were passed around for money. As the deacon sat near the pulpit, the preacher could not resist the temptation of rising up a little and peeping over the pulpit, to witness the expression of the good man's liberality. As the plate approached the deacon, he leisurely put his hand into his pocket. The preacher's heart palpitated with anxiety. But, alas ! the deacon just dropped from his thumb and fingers two red cents upon the plate, and allowed it to pass ! The preacher suddenly sank back into his seat, and hope and faith died within him. The collection was small, and the preacher, mor- tified and indignant, went straight back to his people, told them the story of the two cents, and assured them they must raise the funds needed themselves, or send some one else forth to beg, rather .than him. The people caught his spirit — they de- termined to solicit no further — increased their subscriptions, and paid their debts themselves. 348 THE AMEEICAN CLERGY. REV. MR. GRAFTON Father Grafton, as he was called, was for nearly half a century a Baptist pastor at Newton, in the vicinity of Boston. ,He was highly esteemed, and often invited to the corporate and other public dinners of that city. On one of these occasions, he was greatly annoyed by the profane swearing of a young man who sat opposite to him ; whom he sometimes reproved, but without effect. At length, the old gentleman determined to settle the affair, and rising, with a sharp voice, he called out, " Mr. President !" That gentleman immedi&tely com- manded silence, and called on the company to hear " the Rev. Mr. Grafton." " Mr. President," said he, " I beg leave to move that there be no swearing done here" — looking at the young man, and attracting the general attention towards him — " except by my friend, the Rev. Dr. Homer," a well-known, estimable clergyman then present. The resolution was carried by acclamation, and the good old minister enjoyed himself for the remaining part of the afternoon. REV. CALVIN COLTON. When this gentleman was in England, a few years ago, he published an interesting little book, under the title of " The American Cottager." In it he gave an account of a female cottager on a missionary station, in one of the Western States, who had recently been received as a member of a Christian church, but who had not yet had the privilege of obeying the Saviour's command : " This do in remembrance of me." She was suddenly laid on a sick-bed, which indeed proved the bod REV. CALVIN COLTON. 849 of death. She sent for Mr. C, and expressed a most ardent desire that he should administer to her the holy ordinance of the Supper. Her ardor on the subject was so great, that he began to fear she was attaching to it too much importance, and was regarding obedience to it as a passport to heaven, and de- licately expressed his fear on the subject. Her reply, however, was more than satisfactory. " No, sir, I do not think that the reception of the Lord's Supper is essential to the salvation of my soul ; but I do feel that if I die without it, I can never be happy, because I shall never forget that there was a command of mj'- Saviour, who loved me, that I never obeyed." , On the voyage of Mr. Colton to England, a few years since, he had, one Sabbath, complied with the request of the captain and passengers in preaching to them ; and, towards evening, was hanging over the stern of the ship, engaged in meditation, when the current of his thoughts was interrupted by the ap- pearance of a young man, one of the cabin passengers, before him. He begged pardon for the intrusion, and observed that he owed an apology, on his own behalf, for he was unjustly suffering in the estimation of the preacher. " Pray, sir," said the preacher, " explain yourself." He went on, regardless of this request ; adding, much to the sur- prise of the minister, " I bought those books at an auction- room ; they were struck off to me in one parcel, the night before I left New York. I was ignorant of what they were. " What books ?" interrupted the minister. " I intend to destroy them," continued the young man ; " and I should suffer injustice if I allowed you to suppose that I had not been better educated, or that I can relish such vile trash." It turned out, afler the parties in this colloquy had come to a better understanding, that the said books were of an infidel 30 350 THE AMERICAN CLEEGY. and otherwise vile character. Soon after the commencement of the voyage, the young man had politely offered the minister the use of any of his books that might interest him. Of this privilege he had availed himself, but had not happened to have seen any of the bad ones. It had also happened that, in his sermon of that day, the preacher had taken occasion to make some remarks on the absurdity of infidelity, and the vicious state of the moral affections that could relish it. The young man felt mortified and ashamed, supposing himself to be directly aimed at in the preacher's remarks, and took this opportunity to vindicate himself. The interview proved that " conscience needs no accuser." REV. DR. BEECHER. When the venerable Dr. Lyman Beecher was a young man, he was once returning to his native town in Connecticut, and fell into conversation by the roadside with an old neighbour, an Episcopalian, who had been mowing. " Mr. Beecher," said the farmer, " I should like to ask you a question. Our clergy say that you are not ordained, and have no right to preach. I should be glad to know what you think about it." " Sup- pose," replied Dr. Beecher, " you had in the neighbourhood a blacksmith, who said he could prove that he belonged to a re- gular line of blacksmiths which had come down all the way from St. Peter, but he made scythes that would not cut ; and you had another blacksmith, who said he could not see what descent from Peter had to do with making scythes that would cut. Where would you go to get your scythes ?" •' Why, to the man who made scythes to cut, certainly," replied the far- mer. "Well," said Dr. Beecher, '-'-that minister which cuts, is the minister which Christ has authorized to preach.^'' In a REV. DR. C. 351 more recent conversation on the same subject, Dr. Beecher gave his opinion by relating this story. In my early ministry, says Dr. Beecher, I was called to attend a neighbour at East Hampton, Long Island. He was skeptical and intemperate. " Pray for me !" he exclaimed, " pray for me ! — pray for me !" " You must pray for your- self," I replied. " Pray — I cannot pray ! I am going straight to perdition !" He lived three days, almost without food, and then died — so far as we know — ivithout any disease. It was the power of conscience. RfiV. DR. C. A YOUNG gentleman fresh from college, who had more knowledge of books than of men, was wending his way to the residence of the Rev. Dr. C. — The Doctor was extensively known and respected for his energy of character, his learning, piety, and moral worth. But, like the great apostle, he did not disdain to " labour with his own hands." With a letter of introduction to the aged divine, whom he had known only by reputation, our genteel young friend was seeking the privilege of an acquaintance with him. " Old daddy," said he to an aged labourer in the field by the way-side, whose flapped hat and coarse-looking over-coat — it was a lowering day — and dark complexion and features, contrasted strongly with his own broadcloth and kid gloves and fair person : — " Old daddy, tell me where the Rev. Dr. C lives." " In the house you see yonder " the old man modestly replied. 352 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. Without condescending to thank him for the information, the young man rode on, and soon found himself seated in the par- lour of Dr. C.'s hospitable residence, at the invitation of the lady of the house, awaiting the expected arrival of the Doctor. In due time the host appeared, having returned from the field, laid aside his wet garments, and adjusted his, person. But, to the surprise and confusion of the young guest, whom should he meet in the Reverend Dr., but the same old daddy he had so unceremoniously accosted on his way ! " It was very respectful in you," said the venerable divine, with an arch look, and in a pleasant tone — for the aged man was not wanting in wit and humor — " it was very respectful in you to call me old daddy ; I always love to see young men show respect to old age." The confusion and mortification of the young man were in- describable. He could have sunk through the floor, and buried himself in the darkness of the cellar beneath him. With a countenance crimsoned with blushes, he began to stammer out an apology for his incivility. " No apology," said the doctor, very pleasantly, " no apo- logy, — I always love to see respect shown to old age." But the kindness and assiduity of the family could not relieve the unpleasantness of his situation ; a sense of the mortifying blunder which he had committed, marred all his anticipated pleasure from the interview, and he was glad to take his leave as soon as he could do it with decency. REV. MR. COLEY Several years ago, a man, decently clothed, of good ap- pearance and address, with some degree of intelligence, called REV. 3IR. COLEY. 353 on the Rev. Mr. Coley, of Albany, whose benevolent feehngs readily sympathized with the distressed, exhibiting testimonials of being a good Christian, and professing, in rather an Irish accent, to be a Scotch Baptist, but possessing no formal letter from a Baptist church. Mr. C. told him that to receive him as a good Baptist brother, a letter was indispensable. Still, he protested solemnly, loudly, and with tears, that he was a Baptist. In about two months afterwards, he returned, with a letter, but an exceedingly doubtful one, and professing that all he wanted was, to raise money enough to get back to Halifax. Mr. C. having been often imposed upon, and suspicions run- ning high on this occasion, invited him to dinner, determining to try, by a very proper test, whether he was really a Baptist or not. Sitting around the dinner-table, he asked him to pray for God's blessing upon the food of which they were about to partake. " O, yes, sir, yes, sir." — A few minutes' silence. " Pray out loud, brother," said Mr. C. — A mutter. — " I can have no such sacrifice as that at my table," said Mr. C. ; " pray out loud, brother." " O," said the man, " I can't pray before a minister." Mr. C. then excused him. Dinner being over, Mr. Coley observed, if he were a good Baptist brother, he loved prayer ; as for himself, like Daniel, he had prayers three times a day, and now he wanted the privilege of hearing him pray. The family being called in, they knelt down. — Silence. — " I want you to pray, brother," said Mr. C. — A mutter. — " I want you to pray out loud, brother," said Mr. C. " O," said the man, who by this time was wrought up to a dreadful state of per- turbation, " I could not pray before a minister." " If you are a Baptist brother," said Mr. C, " you can pray." Upon this, the man muttered over some parts of the Lord's prayer. " Now," said the minister, " I have all the evidence I need that 30* 354 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. you are an impostor. You are not a Baptist, sir." " I have called on ministers all over the United States," said the man, " and you are the sharpest man I ever met with." — With this, he made towards the door, which Mr. C. locked, and, in the tones of a second Stentor, said, '■'■You shall not go, sir. James, fetch a police officer." By this time the man trembled like an aspen leaf, and cried, "Don't send for a police officer." "Confess, then, who and what you are," said Mr. C. He then confessed that he was not a Baptist, and lived by getting money in such a manner, and added that his honour was the sharpest man he ever met with. After some conversation and much entreaty, Mr. Coley allowed him to go, satisfied that he had found out a tolerably sure method of detecting impostors. Were every minister to adopt some such expedient, such characters would become exceedingly scarce, and their acts of benevolence centre on needy and deserving objects. When ministers help- such persons, they are a party to an extensive robbery among the most benevolent members of the church, though unconscious of it. A CLERGYMAN IN NEW YORK. A CLERGYMAN of Ncw York related from the pulpit the following facts ; — A clergyman in a neighbouring town, some time since, as he was riding, passed some young females, near a school-house, and dropped from his carriage two tracts, which he had previously marked. Some time after, he was conversing with a young woman with reference to her spirit- ual state, and found her rejoicing in the hope of pardoned sin. He inquired the history of her religious feelings, and she traced them to a tract dropped by a traveller, which was manifestly REV. E. BYNE. 355 one of the two above referred to. He was afterwards called to visit another young woman on a sick-bed, whose mind was calm and composed in view of death, which the event proved was near at hand. She traced her first serious impressions to the circumstance of two tracts being dropped by a traveller ; one of which, she said, was taken up by her cousin, and the other by herself; " and now," said she, " we are both hoping in Christ." She had retained the tract as a precious treasure, and putting her hand under her pillow, showed it to the cler- gyman, who immediately recognised the marks he had written on it. REV. E. BYNE. The late Rev. Edmund Byne, though somewhat eccentric in his manners, vv^as an eminently faithful and fearless servant of the Lord Jesus. When a young man, soon after he had joined the church, he was invited, with his wife, by some of his old companions in sin, to attend a dancing-party, which he agreed to do on the express condition that he should entirely direct the whole proceedings of the evening. When the com- pany had collected, a young lady stepped forward and invited the preacher to dance. He so far accepted her invitation as to walk out on the floor with her, when the violin struck up a lively air. Mr. Byne claimed his right to give direction to the exercises of the evening, and immediately sang a hymn, in which he was joined by several of the party, and then knelt down and offered up a fervent prayer. By the time he had completed his second hymn many were in tears. The dance was converted into a prayer-meeting, and no other frolic was ever attempted in that house. 366 THE AMERICAN CLEKGY. REV. MR. BAKER. Rev. Mr. Baker, a Free-will Baptist evangelist, was visiting from house to house, in a certain neighbourhood, in New Eng- land ; and met on his walk three young men with axes on their shoulders. He stopped and conversed with them. Two ap- peared somewhat serious : the third, a gay, frank young man, replied, " You see, sir, that splendid white house on that farm yonder?" " Yes." "Well, sir, that estate has been willed to me by my uncle ; and we are now going to do chopping in the woodland that belongs to it. There are some incumbrances on the estate which I must settle, before the farm can be fully mine ; and as soon as I have cleared it of these incumbrances, I mean to become a Christian." " Ah ! young man," said the minister, " beware ; you may never see that day ; while you are gaining the world, you may lose your soul." " I'll run the risk," said he, and they parted. The three young men went into the woods ; and this daring procrastinator, and ano- ther, engaged in felling a tree. A dry, heavy limb, hung loosely in the top ; and as the tree was jarred by the success- ive strokes of the axe, it quitted its hold, and as it fell crashing through the branches to the earth, it struck the head of the young heir, in its way, and stretched him on the ground, a lifeless corpse. Thus were his hopes cut otT; and, hazarding the delay of months, he lost his soul in an hour. His fellow- labourer was converted ; for conviction struck his mind when he saw the young heir quivering in death ! " I felt then such a horror at the danger of delaying religion, when I thought of what he had just said, and saw his end, that I determined to neglect my soul no longer." His example was followed by others ; and a great revival ensued REV. DR. TODD. 357 REV. DR. TODD. The following account of a Sabbath in the solitudes was given by the Rev. Dr. Todd, at one of the benevolent cele- brations at Boston : — In the northern part of the state of New York, between the St. Lawrence and Lake Champlain, and between the Mohawk and the Hudson, there is a wilderness one hundred and fifty miles long and one hundred miles wide. I had no conception that there was such a wilderness this side of the Mississippi. This wilderness is filled with lofty mountains, little inferior to the White Mountains of New Hampshire. On the tops of these mountains, clouds gather and pour down their rains and scatter their snows, so that large reservoirs are needed to hold the superabundant waters. The hand of God has hollowed out a number of beautiful lakes, in the bosom of these moun- tains, for this purpose — and here arise the rivers which flow in various directions to the sea. In the course of the last summer, in company with a learned friend, I entered that wilderness, and penetrated to the centre, where is a beautiful lake of twenty or thirty miles in length, and several miles wide, interspersed with little islands. Here we found seven families that lived alone. They had a little foot-path through the wilderness, so that when they wanted to step into a store to buy any necessaries, they could do so by following this foot-path only forty-three miles ; or if a man wanted bread for his family, he had only to take his grain on liis back and go the same distance and get it ground, and then bring it back in the same way. These people were keen at hunting and fishing, but children at every thiifg else. But death had entered even there, and taken a beautiful girl of seventeen, who had just died, with no one to administer the 358 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. consolations of religion, or to perform religious services at her funeral. It was Saturday night. The sun was an hour high. When it was known that we were ministers of the Gospel, two young ladies jumped into a little boat and rowed four or five miles, to tell the neighbours. The next morning was still. There was no hunting or fishing. The 'coons screamed unmolested after their prey. It was the first Sabbath that was ever kept there, and I was to preach. We met in a little hut covered with bark. All were there. We could not sing, for no one knew how to raise a tune. In the afternoon, to accommodate a mother that had a young child, the meeting was appointed seven miles up the lake. We found them all there. One of our boats was rowed by the father, and the other by the two sisters. One old hunter came down from forty miles farther up; and he was able to raise a tune — a half-hunter's and half- psalm tune. What a meeting was that ! There were only thirty-three souls ; but they came round me, and said, if I would come and live among them, they would give me fish enough to eat, and stop hunting on the Sabbath. When we separated, as we got out a little way from them, there was a pause — they raised the tune and began to sing the hymn, « People of the living God," &c. Was I weak because I wept ? These are the sheep which have strayed from our fold — the poor ones of the family, whom we are to send after A CLERGYMAN IN TENNESSEE. A CONVENTION being held in Tennessee, a clergyman, with a friend, made their home at the houfee of Dr. D., an eminent A CLERGYMAN IN TENNESSEE. 359 pnysician, who, it was said, was greatly addicted to profanity ill ordinary conversation. No evidence of this fact presented itself for the several days of their visit. At length, on the evening before their departure, the clergy- nian determined to draw a bow at a venture, and contrived incidentally to refer to profane swearing. He then said, " Doctor, we leave you to-morrow ; and be assured we are very grateful to Mrs. D. and yourself; but, may I add, my dear sir, that we have been disappointed here ?" " Disappointed !" " Yes, sir, but most agreeably." "In what, Mr. C?" " Will you pardon me, if I say we were misinformed, and may I name it?" " Certamly, sir, say what you wish." " Well, my dear sir, we were told that Dr. D. was not guarded in his language ; but, surely, you are misrepre- sented." " Sir," interrupted he, " I do honour you for candor ; yet, sir, I regret to say, you have not been misinformed. I do, and perhaps habitually, use profane language ; but, sir, can you think I would swear before religious people, and one of them a clergyman ?" Tears stood in the eyes of the clergyman as he took him by the hand, and said, " My dear sir, you amaze me ! Can it be that Dr, D., so courteous and intelligent a man, has greater reverence for us than for the injinite God ?" " Gentlemen," replied the doctor, with a tremulous voice, "I never did before see the utter folly of profane swearing. I will abandon it for ever." 360 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. REV. W. TENNENT. The eminent minister of this name was settled as a pastor, several years before he married. Totally ignorant of the way in which he ought to manage his temporal concerns, he was frequently embarrassed. In this emergency, a friend from New York told him the only remedy against the recurrence of the evil, was to get a wife. " I do not know how to go about it," was the answer. " Then I will undertake the busi- ness," said his friend ; " I have a sister-in-law, a pious and prudent widow." The next evening found Mr. Tennent in New York, and the following day he was introduced to Mrs. N . Pleased with her appearance, he abruptly told her that he supposed she knew his errand ; that neither his time nor inclination would allow him to use much ceremony ; and that, if she pleased, he would return from his charge on the following Monday, and be married. With some little hesita- tion, the lady consented ; and she proved a most excellent wife. Mr. Tennent and the Rev. S. Blair were sent, by the synod to which they belonged, on a mission to Virginia. They stopped, one evening, at a tavern for the night, where they found a number of persons, with whom they supped, in a common room. After supper, cards were introduced ; when one of the gentlemen politely asked them if they would not take a cut with them ; not knowing that they were clergymen. Mr. Tennent pleasantly answered, "With all my heart, gen- tlemen, if you can convince us that we can serve our Master's cause, or contribute any thing towards the success of our mis- sion." This drew some smart reply from the gentleman ; when Mr. T., with solemnity, added, " We are ministers of the Lord REV, W. TENXE.NT, '^6i Jesus Christ; we profess ourselves his servants; we are sent on his business, which is to persuade mankind to repent of I heir sins, to turn from them, and to accept of that happiness and salvation which are offered in the gospel." This very unexpected reply, delivered in a tender, though solemn man- ner, and with great apparent sincerity, so engaged the atten- tion of the gentlemen, that the cards were laid aside, and an opportunity was offered for explaining, in a social conversation during the rest of the evening, some of the leading doctrines of the gospel, to the entire satisfaction and apparent edification of the hearers. When Mr. Tennent was once travelling in Virginia, he lodged one night at the house of a planter, who informed him that one of his slaves, a man of more than seventy years of age, and who could neither read nor write, was eminent for his piety and knowledge of the Scriptures. Having some curiosity to learn what evidence such a man could have of their divine origin, he went out in the morning, alone, and without making liimself known as a clergyman, entered into conversation with him on the subject. After starting some of the common objections of infidels against the authenticity of the Scriptures, in a way adapted to confound an ignorant man, he said to him, " When you cannot even read the Bible, nor examine the evi- dence for or against its truth, how can you know that it is the word of God?" After reflecting a moment, the African re- plied, " You ask me, sir, how I know that the Bible is the word of God ? / know it hy its effect upon my orwn hearty 31 3^2 THE AMERICAN CLEKGV. AN AGED CLERGYMAN. The following fact may show Christian ministers the im- portance of the greatest possible simplicity in the language they use : — A young clergyman, who had delivered a discourse in the place of an aged brother minister, requested the opinion of the latter respecting it. " Oh," said he, plainly, " many of the words you used were beyond the comprehension of your hearers. Thus, for in- stance, the word ' inference,' perhaps not half of my parish- ioners understand its meaning." " Inference, inference !" ex- claimed the other, "why, every one must understand that." " I think you will find it not so. There's my clqrk, now ; he prides himself upon his learning, and in truth is very intelli- gent : we will try him. Zechariah, come hither, Zechariah ; my brother here wishes you to draw an inference ; can you do it?" "Why, I'm pretty strong, but Johanadab the coachman is stronger than I ; I'll ask him." Zechariah went out^a few moments, to look after the coachman, and returned. " Joha- nadab says he has never tried to draw an inference, sir; but he reckons his horses can draw any thing that the traces will hold !" REV. DR. HARRIS. The late Rev. Dr. Harris, of Dunbarton, walking out one day, in one of the large villages of a neighbouring state, met one of the champions of Universalism. It was General P — , the leader and main supporter of the large Universalist society which had for many years existed in that place. He was a REV. DR. HARRIS. 363 high-minded man, quite wealthy, and very influential ; having a good deal of general information, and considerable skill in argument, which last he did not hesitate to use whenever opportunities were presented. He and Dr. H. were personally strangers ; but, knowing something of each other by reputa- tion, they readily introduced themselves to each other. The general very soon lifted up his standard, and began his war ot words ; not doubting that, though he might fail to convince his opponent, he should at least show him that he was no ordinary combatant, but knew well on what ground he stood, and how to wield the sword of sectarian warfare to good advantage. The doctor heard him through ; then calmly turned to him and said, " General P , it is of no use for us to contend. We shall not convince each other by arguments ever so pro- tracted. But there is one thing, in relation to this matter, which deserves consideration. It is this : I can treat your religion just as I please ; I can turn from it, as an utter abomination. I can despise it ; I can spit on it, and trample it under my feet ; and yet, after all, I shall be saved ; shanH 7, General P ?" The general, of course, was obliged to assent, or give up the doctrine. There was no room for evasion. " But," added the doctor, while the general was writhing at the con- tempt thus thrown upon his gods, " it will not do for you to treat my religion so. If you do, you are a lost man !" This was enough — nothing more was said. Dr. Harris was settled in Dunbarton, in August, 1789, over a church gathered one month previously, consisting of twelve members, all males. His ministry with that church continued more than forty years, during which time the place was visited with repeated and extensive revivals, by which the church was j;reatly enlarged and strengthened. 364 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. A short time before his death he penned the following retro- spect of his method of preaching, and of his feelings in view of it. We copy it from the Congregational Journal : " In my late sickness, though very distressing for eight or ten weeks, yet I had no choice between life and death : this I chose to leave with God to decide ; and I could rejoice and did rejoice, that infinite wisdom and goodness would do all for the best ; and my greatest desire is, that I may spend my future remaining days to the glory of God, and in doing good to man. "And now, standing on the borders of eternity, I find that I have arrived at old age, and gray hairs, and many infirmities, much sooner than I had expected. Truly, few and evil have the days of my life been. Though I am sensible that God has seen much heart-wickedness and coming short of duty in me, yet I am not aware that since I professed religion, men have accused me of any immoralities, or charged me with delin- quencies in ministerial or Christian duties ; yet I do not by any means extend charity so far towards myself; I know that I have a great account to settle with God, which nothing can cancel but the blood of Christ. *' There is no part of my life and conduct upon which I can look back with greater approbation and peace of mind, than my manner of preaching the word, and the pains I have taken to support the discipline of Christ's church, though it has cost me much labour and toil, and I have passed through evil re- port as well as good report in defending the truth. For a long time I had to bear the reproach of bringing in new and strange doctrines ; of being a hard, severe, and unfeeling preacher, whose doctrines and manner of preaching were calculated to divide the people, to set the father against the son and the son against the father, to break up the church and throw society into disorder. And why? Because I preached that God is unchangeably the same for ever ; that he is a holy sovereign, and works all things according to his own most holy, just, and REV. DR. HARRIS. 365 good will, and that it is man's duty to submit to that will in all things — instead of doing which, man has resisted that will, and violated God's law, and thus become the enemy of his Maker. For this God pronounced his curse upon him, binding him over to everlasting punishment ; under this curse, all the human race must have suffered the vengeance of eternal fire, had not God in his own sovereign grace provided a way of escape. He so loved the world that he gave his own Son to die that sinners might live ; still, none can be saved, but those who repent and forsake their sins ; who believe in Christ, and be- come holy. Faith, repentance, a new heart and true love, are all the sovereign gifts of God ; he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. I preached all the doctrines of strict Calvinism ; and truly this was new doc- trine and strange preaching in these parts at that day ; for when I began to preach in this town, the whole region was given over to Arminianism, both ministers and churches em- bracing that system, with but kw exceptions ; of course, in whatever direction I went, I met with opposition. The new minister brought new and strange things to their ears, which they were not willing to endure. But I found it necessary, and believed it to be my indispensable duty, to dwell much on the doctrines of grace, wherever I went ; and it was often thrown out against me, that I always preached on doctrines, and the hardest doctrines too ; such as would raise the opposition of the human heart, and turn the feelings of unreconciled men against the preacher. I very well knew then, as ministers do now, that I was not taking the way to be popular ; but I believed it to be the right way to do good, to gain the approbation of God and save the souls of men. I believed it the only way to make men acquainted with the true character of God, with the nature and requirements of God's holy law, the condition of man before and after the fall, and the way in which sinners can be saved through the atonement of Christ. 31* 366 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. " I am now entirely satisfied that the course I pursued was correct ; the course which God will approve ; the course which promoted sound doctrine in this and neighbouring churches, and led to the conversion of many souls ; finally, it has fixed the churches in this region firmly on the doctrines of Christ and his apostles. Instead of regretting that I have preached these doctrines so much, I am glad, and rejoice with exceeding joy. There is no part of my life in respect to which I can look forward to the Judgment with greater composure, than that which was spent in preaching plainly and pungently, to the best of my ability, the great and glorious doctrines of sovereign grace, as understood by the fathers of New England. And I think if the ministers of the present day would preach more like the ministers of a hundred years ago, they would be much more likely to do good, and save the souls of men. The historical, biographical, geographical, astronomical, rhetorical, and egotistical preaching, which we frequently hear in these latter days, will do but little to feed the hungry souls of the saints, and much less to convict the hard hearts of poor, dying sinners ; and therefore I leave my dying testimony against such an unprofitable and unscriptural mode of preaching.^'' REV. MR. HYDE. The memoir of the Rev. Mr. Hyde, of Lee, Mass., who died in December, 1833, presents him in a very lovely view as the head of a family. One of his sons writes : — He never came to the family altar as if to perform an un- meaning and irksome ceremony ; but it ever seemed to him a delightful spot — a spot where he loved to linger. And 1 be- lieve we were all happy in the hour of family dcvotloii. They SEVERAL CLERGYMEN. 367 are delightful spots in the retrospect; and nothing, nothing makes such a chasm at home ; nothing makes the paternal mansion appear so gloomy, as not to hear the well-known accents of our much-lamented father ascending in affectionate supplication at the hours of morning and evening devotion, and invoking a blessing upon the bounties of Providence at the social repast. And he was not content with supplicating the best of Heaven's blessings upon his children at family prayers only. Often has he taken me with him in solitude, particu- larly when I was about to leave home, and there, upon our bended knees, has he committed me to the special care and keeping of our heavenly Father. What he has done for me in this respect, I presume he has done for the others. SEVERAL CLERGYMEN. An old Connecticut pastor, whose peculiarities of preaching were proverbial, and who was blest with a temper of great value, was one day told by a parishioner that he did not like his sermons. "Well," said the old man, "I don't wonder at it ; I don't like 'em myself." A deacon went to his minister, and professing to speak the sentiments of the congregation, began to complain of his style of preaching. " I do not say these things for myself," said the deacon ; " I am not at all dissatisfied ; but the people are very uneasy, and I am afraid we shall have trouble." " How is it," inquired the pastor, " that you hear all these complaints? No other member of the church seems to be so familiar with them as you are?" "Oh," said the deacon, "they all know 3G8 THE A^rERICAK CLERGY. that I am on terms of intimacy with you, and they make me the tunnel into which they pour every thing which they wish you to hear." " Yes," replied the pastor, " and it is byecause vou are a tunnel that they use you as such." A lady of suspected chastity, and who was tinctured with infidel principles, conversing with a minister of the Gospel, objected to the Scriptures on account of their obscurity and the great difficulty of understanding them. The minister wisely and smartly replied, ^^Why, madam, ichat can be easier to understand than the seventh commandment, * Thou shalt not commit adultery V " An elder of a church in the state of New York, a few years ago, owned a distillery, and manufactured ardent spirits. The elder was an active Christian, and seemed quite awake to the benevolent efforts of the day. His pastor was grieved that so worthy a man should be engaged in a business which brought temporal and eternal ruin upon his fellow-men, and resolved to give him faithful warning. While visiting the elder, at his house, the elder looked toward the grave-yard, and said, " I love to look there ; it seems to be the way to heaven." " Yes," said the pastor, " and that," pointing to the distillery, " is the way to hell." It was a word in season ; and, in a few weeks, the distillery was levelled to the ground. The North American Review gives us the followmg dialogue between a clergyman and a female parishioner :— SEVERAL CLERGY31EN. 369 Farishio7ter. — It amazes me that ministers don't write better sermons. I'm sick of their dull, prosy affairs. Minister. — But it is no easy matter, my good woman, to write good sermons. Parishioner. — Yes, but then you are so long about it. I could write one myself, in half the time, if I only had the text. Minister. — Oh, if a text is what you want, I will furnish that. Take this one, from Solomon : " It is better to dwell in a corner of the house-top, than in a wide house with a brawling woman." Parishioner. — Do you mean me, sir? Minister. — Oh, my good woman, you will never make a good sermonizer ; you are too soon in your application. "It is -true I have but little to give," said Dr. Finley to an agent ; " but I consider it a privilege and an honour, so far as the Lord allows, to have something, if it be but a single nail, in every edifice that is going up for Christ." A lady, in genteel but very moderate circumstances, when presenting the clergyman of with a small sum for a charitable object, said, " You may put it down as the Widoiv''s Mite, sir.^^ " Not so, my friend," replied the worthy pastor. " I beg you may," the lady earnestly added ; " it is but a trifle." " I am aware of that, madam, but it is not all your living,^'' How very few have in truth presented the " widow's mite," although many apply the passage to themselves. 370 ' THE AMERICAN CLEEGY. A minister, not favourable to the doctrine of the eternal election of the people of Christ, intending once to puzzle an aged woman, who was regarded as "a mother in Israel," said to her, " Do you really believe that God chose you to salvation before you were born ?" Her answer was remarka- ble for its promptness. " Oh, most certainly ; for I know He never could have seen any thing in me for which to choose me since I was born." A skeptic, meeting a clergyman of one of our large cities, with a view, probably, of showing his wit, asked, " If we are to live after death, why have we not some certain knowledge of it ?" The clergyman, feeling it important sometimes to answer a fool according to his folly, asked in return, "Why didn't you get some knowledge of this world before you came into it?" " If we go to war, father," said a bright-eyed boy to his clerical parent, " from what part of the Bible shall you get a text for a new sermon?" The good minister, being taken by surprise at the question, thought a moment, and then, smooth- ing the locks of the child with a sort of paternal pride, an- swered that he believed it would be from Lamentations. Some years since, as the venerable Father Patterson of Phi- ladelphia, of excellent memory, was riding in a public convey- ance, through one of the most fertile counties of Pennsylvcinia- his attention was attracted by the many large farms in that part of the country. He admired the beauty of the landscnp's SEVERAL CLERGYMEN. 371 the richness of the soil, the luxuriance of vegetation, the ex- tensive meadows and ample fields waving with the yellow har- vest, and ripening for the sickle. As he looked abroad, over the highly cultivated fields, on the right hand and on the left, he said to a friend, " Indeed, indeed, the Lord has many fine farms in this region ; but I fear He receives very little rent from them all." We fear this passing remark is applicable to farms in many other parts of this as well as other countries. That was a noble answer which was given by a clergyman to one of his acquaintances, when urged to drink wine at a wedding. " What ! Mr. M.," said one of the guests, « don't you drink wine at a wedding ?' " No, sir," was the reply ; " I will take a glass ot water." " But, sir," said the officious guest, " you recollect the ad- vice of Paul to Timothy, to take a little wine for his infirmity." " I have no infirmity," was the reverend gentleman's reply. As the Rev. Mr. Field, formerly .qf Westminster, Vermont, went to give his vote at an election, a' man of opposite politics expressed his surprise at seeing him there; and, to confirm his objection, quoted the remark of the Saviour, that his " kincr- dom was not of this world." " Has no man a right to vote," rejoined the witty clergyman, " unless he belongs to the king, dom of Satan ?" A minister writes : — In obtaining subscriptions for a bene- volent purpose, I called upon a gentleman, in one of our largest Ot'^ THE AMERICAN CLERGY, citier5, who generously contributed to the object. Before leav ing, I said to him, " How much, think you, will such an in- dividual subscribe?" "I don't know," said he, "but could you hear that man pray, you would think that he would give you all he is worth." So I called upon him ; but, to my sur- prise, he would not contribute. As I was about to take my leave, I said to him, " As I came to your house, I asked an individual what you would probably give ? ' I don't know,' said he, ' but could you hear that man pray, you would think he would give you all he is worth.' " The man's head dropped, tears gushed from his eyes, he took out his pocket-book, and gave mo seventy-five dollars. Bishop Elliot, of Georgia, has published a sermon, in which he says : — It will be a happy day for the church when her clergy and laity shall plant themselves firmly upon the four principles of this sermon : That wealth can be lawfully and innocently got- ten only by labour. That, in the choice of rulers, virtue and wisdom are to be preferred to party. That education is not the mere acquisition of knowledge, but includes moral and re- ligious training. That the religion of Christ is not the fruit of excitement, but of scriptural instruction, united with prayer and watchfulness. Such principles would, in these days, make her members what Scripture says all Christians ought to be, a " peculiar people !" The Rev. John Elliot was once asked by a pious woman, who was vexed with a wicked husband, and bad company fre- Cjuently infesting her house on his account, what she should do? " Take," said he, "the Holy Bible into your hand, when SEVERAL CLERGYMEN. STli bad company comes in, and that will soon drive them out of the house." A clergyman, in New York, not long since, remarked from the pulpit, while preaching on faith, that Faith was " God's Magnetic Telegraph." One of his hearers, who was perhaps more inquisitive than thoughtful^ was desirous of knowing " where the office is?" To which the admirable answer was given, " J?^ every lowly heart of prayer.'''' An aged clergyman, in Baltimore, states, " that during the time he was chaplain to the Maryland Penitentiary, he took great pains to ascertain from the convicts, what was the com- mencement of their downward career ; and that the testimony of about ninety-nine out of a hundred was, that their career of wickedness commenced with Sabbath-hreaking,^'' A clergyman in New England, eminent for talents, was one day accosted by a parishioner, who highly commended some of his performances, of which he himself had a very low opinion. After patiently hearing him a few minutes, the cler- gyman replied, " My friend, all that you say gives me no better opinion of myself than I had before, but it gives me a much worse opinion of you." A venerable mmister, who has preached some sixty-five years in the same place, being asked what was the secret of long life, replied, " Rise early, live temperately, work hard, and keep cheerful !" 32 374 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. An English publication gives an anecdote of a clergyman of this country worth transcribing. He was desirous of com- municating the idea of faith to a little boy, and taking a chair, he placed it at a distance from him, and setting the boy upon it, told him to fall forward, and he would catch him. The boy had readily mounted the chair, but declined to fall forward as requested. He wished to obey, but was afraid the clergyman would fail to catch him. He, however, put one hand on the mantelpiece, thinking to save himself if not caught ; but the minister told him that would not do — he must trust to him alone ; adding that he would surely catch him, provided he would fall forward. The boy summoned all his courage, placed confidence in what had been said to him, he fell, and was im- mediately caught. The clergyman then told him that was faith, and that he wished him to go with the same confidence to Jesus Christ. Any child may comprehend this illustration ; but alas, the disposition is too often manifested to lay hold of some " mantelpiece," — something in which self is interested, • rather than go direct to the arms of the Saviour ! A Christian pastor, in America, was in the frequent habit, during the tours he made in his extensive parish, of stopping for a night at a village inn, and of continuing his journey the next day. On one occasion he found the principal apartment converted into a ball-room. The host apologized for his not being able to accommodate him as comfortably as usual ; but the pastor, without being disconcerted, asked to have his sup- per served to him in a corner of the room. When it was ready, he begged the assembly to grant him a few moments' silence, that he might, according to his practice, make an au- dible prayer before partaking of the meal. He accordingly commenced praying, but before he had finished, the dancers had disappeared. A NEW ENGLAND MINISTER. 375 A Universalist clergyman was once robbed on the road by a man who had formerly lived with him as a servant. After his arrest, the preacher asked the man how he could be so base as to rob his old employer. The robber's answer speaks vo- lumes against the soul-destroying heresy: — "You yourself lempted me to commit this offence against the law ; for I have often heard you say, both in public and private, that all men will enjoy everlasting bliss after death, and that there is 7io such tiling as eternal pu7iishment in the next world. You thus removed my greatest fear: why should I dread the less?" A NEW ENGLAND MINISTER. A WORTHY minister of the gospel, in one of the New Eng- land States, was in the habit of inviting any of his lay bre- thren, who might feel impelled by a sense of solemn duty, to exhort, or pray, or to perform any other religious acts which might to them seem proper, at the close of the preaching. It accordingly became a common practice, for some one or other of the members of the church to engage in exhortation or prayer, at the conclusion of the service. Among those who seemed anxious to take a part on such occasions, was a rough, uncouth sort of a lad, who would seldom permit an opportu- nity to pass, without ministering some word of admonition to the people. At ordinary times the forwardness of the lad produced no particular inconvenience. He was, therefore, ge- nerally permitted to go through his regular harangues. On one occasion, when the minister rose to preach, he saw in the meet- ing several very genteel-looking strangers, who had come in to hear his sermon, and appeared to be prepared to give very earnest heed. He thought at the moment that it would be a oTtt THE AMERICAN CLERGY. fine opportunity for him to make a powerful impression upon the hearts of these strangers ; and prepared his mind for one of his best efforts. Still he was apprehensive that if the boy got a chance to exhort at the end of the service, he might frustrate all the benefit of his sermon ; and he was therefore exceedingly anxious to close, and dismiss before the young man had time for his speech. But this could not be done; for the boy was watching his opportunity, and as soon as the preacher had finished, he commenced, and continued his speech for some time, to the no small mortification of the minister. After some time, this same preacher was travelling at a dis* tance from home, when he met a very interesting stranger, who appeared instantly to recognise him, and approached and cordially saluted him, after which the following conversation took place : Stranger. — Did I not have the pleasure of hearing you preach at , on a certain day, when there were several strangers of us present? Minister. — I was preaching there at that time. Stranger. — I shall have reason to remember that day, not only in time, but in eternity ; for it pleased the Lord there to fasten an arrow in my heart, which left me uneasy ana wretched, until I found peace in Christ. Minister. — I desire to be very thankful to God, that he was pleased to make my public ministry on that occasion, the means of doing good to you, and I shall ever desire to be hum- ble before him, for such honour put upon me. Stranger. — My friend, it is true that the Lord has made me, as I trust, one of his jewels ; but I shall not sparkle in your crown, in that day, but in the crown of that boy, who exhorted when you had done. The Lord made use of that boy to convert my soul. A TENITENT MINISTER. 377 REV. DR. GRIFFIN. Dr. E. D. Griffin was often extremely felicitous in his allu- sions to Scripture, especially on public occasions. In his Memoir; we have an affecting account of the dangerous illness of his eldest danghter, and of his trials connected with it. Some years afterwards, when by marvellous grace that daughter had been brought into the kingdom of heaven, and had become the mother of children, she came forward, with her husband, according to the practice of the Christian denomination to which they belonged, to "offer them to the Lord;" Dr. G. stood for a moment before he uttered a word, and then, with deep emo- tion, said, in a way that affected every person present to tears, " I had not thought to see thy face ; and lo, God hath showed me also thy seed!" A PENITENT MINISTER. A Christian minister, writing from Boston to England in 1795, remarks that the religion of the gospel is the grand restorative of the disturbed soul. In illustration of the remark, he states that he was once told a story by one of his hearers in reference to another, which he improperly believed, and made some strong remarks on the conduct of the offender. These were soon carried to him, losing nothing of their asperity on the road, and in his turn the offender was offended; both were very angry, the one stayed from church, and the minister was rather pleased than otherwise that he did so. After a short time the rupture was public, and each had a party to commend and another to censure him. The con- science of the minister convicted him of wrong-doing, but it 32* 378 THK AMERICAN CLERGY. was very long before he could persuade himself to do what was right. At length he went to his brother, whom he found quite indisposed to receive him. At last the minister said, "You are justified, sir, in your conduct on this occasion; I deserve it all, yea, and more than this; and I can bear all with more ease than I can the reproaches of my own heart. I am come, sir, to acknowledge my error; I have done wrong in taking up a report of you, or saying any thing about you but to yourself; I beseech you to forgive me." He was going on — but his friend rose, his face being suffused with tears, and would have spoken, but could not. He extended his hand, and it was received with as warm a heart as ever beat in a friend's bosom. Their hearts never cooled towards each other, till they were made cold by death, and doubtless their friendship shall extend throughout eternity. A UNITARIAN MINISTER. An o\A friend, or Quaker, a few years since, happening one. Lord's-day morning to meet a Universalist minister in front of a meeting-house in Providence, R. I., fell into conversation with him upon his favourite doctrine of universal salvation. The minister endeavoured to support his system with consider- able warmth ; but the Quaker professed to doubt its correctness, which served to increase the zeal of his opponent. At length, finding it in vain to reason, he remarked, "Well, friend, I think thee must be very happy when walking round the market, and seeing men, women, and children of every description, to think that they are all safely bound to heaven." The Universalist could only reply, " I don't know — I think we shall do very well, if we can make out faith enough for ourselves." A METHODIST CLERGYMAN. 379 A METHODIST CLERGYMAN. Not many years ago, the Rev. Mr. , a native of Balti- more, was stationed by the Conference at Augusta, Georgia, where, by his exalted piety, zealous devotion to the Christian cause, and uniform cheerfulness and kindness of disposition," he made many friends, who will long continue to remember him with sentiments of veneration and esteem. His eloquence, and especially his logical mode of reasoning, never failed to interest and impress the minds of his hearers ; but the old gentleman was of that old-fashioned school of preachers who entertain a higher reverence for the sanctuary in which they worship, than for the feelings of any who dared to profane it by indecorous conduct, and quaint and harsh as it seemed to the thoughtless offenders, he permitted none to interrupt the services, or deport themselves unbecomingly in his church, with impunity. It was his custom from time to time, whenever a travelling preacher chanced to be present to fill his place, to extend the sphere of his usefulness, by preaching in the neighbourhood wherever he could obtain a congregation. On one of these occasions he had gone to fulfil an afternoon appointment in Hamburg, on the opposite side of the river from Augusta, where, at that time, there was no regular preaching. He had ascended the pulpit, and was earnestly addressing a very respectful and attentive audience, when a man entered and seated himself in a conspicuous part of the room. After looking listlessly about him for a few minutes, vainly endeavouring to adjust himself in a comfortable position, he extended his person at full length upon the bench. The preacher paused in the midst of his dis- course, and fixed his eyes upon the reclining auditor. " My friend," said he, in the blandest tone, " get up. Sit up in your seat as you should. You would not deport yourself 380 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. thus in the house of a neighbor for whom you had any respect." The eyes of all were directed upon the delinqnent, who read, in every countenance, an approval of the minister's rebuke. He rose from his position — sat erect with a crimsoned face for a few minutes, and then left the house. The minister went on with his discourse. When the services were over, he received the thanks and congratulations of his Christian friends, who pressed around him at the door, and promising to meet them again on the following Sunday, took his leave. He had not proceeded far from the house before he was overtaken by the man whom he had rebuked for his im- proper conduct. " Stop, Mr. ," said he, " I want to have a talk with you." The preacher turned smiling to hear what he had to say. " You have insulted me, sir," said the man, with extreme agitation ; " and I did promise to whip you on sight ; but as you have given out that you will preach here next Sunday, and in consideration that you are an old man, I have concluded to give you a chance to apologize." "For what?" inquired Mr. . "Why, for insulting me in the manner you did before everybody." " My dear sir, I can do no such thing. I cannot apologize for doing what I conceived my duty." " But you must, sir; and I now give you notice, that if you don't apologize for insulting me to the congregation next Sun- day — if you don't make the apology as public as the insult was — preacher as you are, I'll give you a thrashing." " Tut, tut, — you would not do any thing so rash. You " " I will! — so help me " " Stop, my friend — make no rash promises," said the A METUODIST CLERGYMAN. 381 preacher ; " I did not desire to insult you, or to wound your leelings unnecessarily; but you must not expect me to apolo- gize for doing my duty as a faithful steward of the house of God." " Well, you come here next Sunday and preach without making an apology, and you know what to depend upon," replied the man as he turned away. The following Sunday, true to his appointment, the preacher was there. The insulted auditor was there also, and kept his eyes steadfastly fixed on the preacher during the whole of his discourse. But not the slightest allusion was made to the occurrence of the previous Sunday. After the cougregation were dismissed, the man followed Mr. , as before. " Well, sir," said he, " you did not make the apology which I required of you?" " No, my friend ; I told you that I could not. I feel that I have done no wrong. If I were to make a public apology to appease your feelings, I would acknowledge that I had done wrong, which would be falsifying myself. I would do any proper thing to serve you, but, as I said before, I can make no such apology." " Well, sir, you need not think to put me ofF in this way. I will permit no man to insult me ; and I now tell you, once more, that if you don't apologize for the insult to me last Sun- day, the next time you preach in Hamburg, I will whip you, as sure as I live." " I hope you may live to form better resolutions, my friend," said the smiling clergyman ; " but you require of me what I cannot do, even to avoid a whipping." They parted ; Mr. with a polite bow, and the man with fierce threats and violent gestures. On the following Sunday, the preacher was punctual to his appointment. As on the former occasion, the belligerent indi- 382 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. vidual was in his place, an attentive listener to the sermon. The meeting was an extremely interesting one, and did not break up until later than usual. This time the man did not accost him, nor did the worthy clergyman see him again for several days. But, about a week after the last meeting, as he was going down Broad street, he saw the man who had so solemnly promised him a whipping, approaching him on the same side of the street. He easily guessed the object of his visit to Augusta, and determined to meet his fate as gracefully as possible. The man approached within a foot or two of the minister, and, with apparent timidity, drew a letter from his pocket, placed it in the clergyman's hands, and passed on, without uttering a single word. The first thought the worthy minister had was, that possibly the unhappy man had sent him a challenge ; but, on opening the letter, what was his surprise to read, Hamburg, S. C, April 10, 1833. " Respected Sir : — Enclosed you will find fifty dollars, a part of which I have collected from your Hamburg friends. It is tendered to you in acknowledgment of your praiseworthy eflxjrts in the cause of religion. Hoping that you will continue to visit us, whenever your pastoral engagements will permit, I remain, Gratefully yours. Such was the happy result of faithful preaching. The good minister pleasantly remarked, that he would have no objection, every now and then, to receive such a flogging ; and continued to visit Hamburg whenever opportunities presented. REV. DR. WITHERSPOON. 363 A NEW ENGLAND CLERGYMAN. As a minister was walking upon one of our eastern wharves, he heard a man in a fishing boat just pulled up, swearing very profanely, and resolved on reproving him. For this purpose he stepped up to the boat, and began to enquire concerning the manner of taking fish. The fisherman answered this enquiry by saying, that for one kind of fish he baited his hook with such a material, and for such other kind of fish, baited his hook with such an article. The clergyman asked, " Do you not take any without bait ?" " No," said the fisherman, " I never did but one ; one fool bit the naked hook." " Well," said the clergyman," the devil is a great fisherman, and to take the ambitious he baits with the honor of the world, and to take the avaricious he baits with silver and gold, and for the pleasure-seekers he baits with sensual gratifications, but the profane swearer is like your foolish fish, he bites at the naked hook. REV. DR. WITHERSPOON. The Rev. Dr. Witherspoon, formerly president of Princeton College, was once on board a packet ship, where, among other passengers, was a professed atheist. This unhappy man was very fond of troubling every one with his peculiar belief, and of broaching the subject as often as he could get any one to listen to him. He did not believe in a God and a future state, not he ! By-and-bye there came on a terrible storm, and the prospect was that all would be drowned. There was much consternation on board, but no one was so greatly frightened as the professed atheist. In this extremity, he sought out the clergyman, and found him in the cabin, calm and collected, in 384 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. the midst of danger, and thus addressed him : " Oh, Dr. Witherspoon ! Dr. Witherspoon ! we're all going ; we have but a short time to stay. Oh, how the vessel rocks ; we're all going; don't you think we are, doctor?" The doctor turned to him with a solemn look, and replied in broad Scotch, " Nae doubt, nae doubt, man ; we're a' ganging ; but you and I dinna gang the same way." A GOOD PREACHER. How beautiful is simplicity ! Who can read the following illustrations of faith without emotion? A beloved minister of the gospel was one day speaking of that active living faith, which should at all times cheer the heart of the sincere follower of Jesus ; and related a beautiful illustration that had just occurred in his own family. He had gone into a cellar, which, in winter, was quite dark, and entered by a trap-door. A little daughter, only three years old, was trying to find him, and came to the trap-door; but, on looking down, all was dark^ dark — and she called, "Are you down cellar, papa?" " Yes ; would you like to come, Mary?" " It is dark ; I caiiH come, papa." " Well, my daughter, I am right below you ; and I can seo you, though you cannot see me, and if you will drop yourself, I will catch you." " Oh ! I should fall ; I can't see you, papa." " I know it," he answered ; " but I am really here, and you shall not fall or hurt yourself. If you will jump, I will catch you safely." Little Mary strained her eyes to the utmost, but she could catch no glimpse of her father. She hesitated, then advanced REV. DR. BALDWIN. [ibo n little farther, then, summoning all her resolution, she threw herself forward, and was received safely in her father's arms. A few days after, she again discovered the cellar door open ; and, supposing her father to be there, she called, " Shall I come again, papa ?" " Yes, my dear, in a minute," he replied ; and had just time to reach his arms towards her, when, in her childish glee, she fell shouting into his arms, and, clasping his neck, said, " I hnew^ dear papa, f should not fall." REV. DR. BALDWIN. The Rev, Dr. Baldwin, when living in New Hampshire, was under an engagement to preach at some distance from home ; but, having set out too late to reach the place of his appoint- ment on the same day, he found himself at night on a rough and dreary road, which lay, for the most part, through the woods. Being very much fatigued with his ride on horseback, he resolved to tarry, for the night, at the first house he might find. He came to a sort of cabin, at the door of which he knocked. A woman presented herself, of whom he begged the favour of a night's entertainment for himself and his horse. She eyed him suspiciously, for the doctor, (when in his old hat and threadbare clothes, was not particularly pre- possessing in his appearance,) but finally told him that he might stay. The doctor put up his horse in the old, rickety barn, and then returned to the house. Here, upon a pine-wood table, he found a bowl of milk, a loaf of bread, and a small quantity of butter — the materials for his supper. The good woman, after giving him an invitation to be seated and partake, added, as she looked earnestly in his face, " There, such 9R 33 oS6 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. the house affords, I give you — if you are a good man., it is good enough; and if you are not a good man., it is altogetJier too goody REV. MR BUSHNEL. Mr. Bushnel, of Utica, New York, a Wesleyan Methodist preacher, having business at a neighbouring town, was obliged, in consequence, to see the landlord of the village inn ; so he stopped at his house. When he entered the bar-room, he saw about twenty men, most of whom were intoxicated — several of them quite dmnk. After a little time, one of them said some- thing to Mr. Bushnel, who replied in a courteous manner, and spoke of the subject of temperance. Immediately the, attention of the assembly was arrested, and the cause was denounced as the work of prie«?ts and politicians. Mr. Bushnel, finding it impossible to stem the current of abuse by an appeal to their reason, proposed to sing a temper- ance song ; to which they all agreed, and he accordingly com- menced the " Staunch Teetotaller." On glancing around the room, after he had concluded, he observed the tear trickling down the cheek of almost everv mafli. The sentiment of the song, and the melodious, touching manner in which it was sung, had awakened their purest sensibilities — had carried their thoughts back to their families and firesides, surrounded, as they once were, with plenty, happiness, and affection ; and then the contrast of a drunkard's home — its dark wretchedness and misery, were wisely presented to their minds ; and those hardened men could not resist the appeal, but acknowledged its truth by tears ! The song was unanimously called for again, and their wishes were gratified by its repetition. Soon after, the landlord came in ; and Mr. B. was requested to re- peat it for his especial benefit. It produced the same effect REV. MR. WALKER 387 upon him; and, after he had concluded, he grasped him by the hand, and exclaimed, " I will never sell another glass of liquor as long as I live !" He acted immediately on his reso- lution, cut down his sign-post, and closed his bar; the others promising to go to the^ temperance meeting that evening, and sign the pledge. And they all did so, except one. REV. MR. WALKER. A DIFFICULTY haviug arisen in the Presbyterian church of Rome, New York, between the pastor and the people, a coun- cil was called. Mr. W. made out charges of slander against five or six of his brethren, and procured his witnesses. They also made out charges against Mr. W. for his improper expres- sions concerning them. But the council, soon after its organi- zation, decided, for certain reasons, that it was improper for them to act as a council in the case, and so dissolved. Thus the way to adjust the difficulties of the church seemed hedged up. Rev. Mr. L., of Auburn, now rose and delivered a solemn ^address to the church ; and his address was followed by a moving scene. One of the brethren who was complained of by Mr. W. had been to Sherburne, to engage Rev. Mr. Truair, of that place, as an advocate. In that town God was pouring out his Spirit ; and Mr. D. returned convicted of his errors. At this interesting moment he came forward, took his pastor by the hand, and made the most humble and melting confession of his faults. Mr. W. as frankly forgave him, and cordially embraced him as a friend and brother. No sooner had he done this than Mr. D. kneeled down and poured out his soul in an appropriate, humble, penitential prayer. Before he con- cluded, two-thirds of the audience were bathed in tears. Ho 3&!J THE AMERICAN CLERGY. was followed by addresses and prayers from some ot the coun- cil ; and then another was readv to confess his faults, and then another, to the last of the accused; each one taking Mr. Walk- er by the hand, and receiving forgiveness. He in turn asked their forgiveness wherein he had expressed himself improperly towards them. Pardon was also asked of the church, and cheerfully granted. This opened the door for Mr. W.'s friends, who, one after another, confessed whatever they had said, in an unchristian manner, against the opposite party. Thus two whole days, with the exception of time occupied in hearing two sermons, was spent in mutual confession and forgiveness. Before the council separated, they took the papers which con- tained the charges on both sides, held them up to the view of the audience, declared they were about to make a burnt-sacri- fice of them, and committed them to the flames. On the even- ing of the second day, a conference meeting was held, in which several were so deeply impressed as to ask for prayers. From tiiat time a revival of religion commenced. The above facts occurred in Rome in 1819-20. A CLERGYMAN IN VIRGINIA. A CLERGYMAN in Virginia, speaking very highly in com- mendation of Legh Richmond's excellent tract " The Negro Servant," describes a very interesting scene in connection with it. He says that he was riding one day, and saw a group of coloured persons sitting under a tree, and*eating their homely dinner. He asked them if they would like to hear an account of one of their own colour who became religious. They con- sented; and says he, "I leaned against the tree, which spread DUt its branches far beyond us, and I began to read. There REV. DR. COKE. 389 was soon breathless attention. It was sultry noon-tide, and the leaves of the tree made no rustling. Sighs and groans were audible, though evidently suppressed ; and tears coursing one after another down their sable cheeks, showed that the story of poor William had reached their hearts." REV. JOHN COTTON. The Rev. John Cotton, of Boston, was distinguished for his forbearance and meekness, which greatly contributed to his happiness and usefulness. When he was once told that his preaching was very dark and comfortless, he replied, " Let me have your prayers, brother, that it may be otherwise." Having once observed to a person, who boasted of his knowledge of the book of Revelation, that he wanted light in those myste- ries, the man went home, and sent him a pound of candles ; which insolence only excited a smile. " Mr. Cotton," says Dr. Mather, " would not set the beacon of his great soul on fire at the landing of such a little cock-boat." A drunken fel- low, to make merriment for his companions, approached him in the street, and whispered in his ear, " Thou art an old fool." Mr. Cotton replied, " I confess I am so ; the Lord make both me and thee wiser than we are, even wise unto salvation." REV. DR. COKE. The following anecdote was related by Dr. Coke himself, to his brother in-law. In attempting to cross a river in the United States, Dr. Coke 38* 390 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. missed the ford, and got into deep water, and was carried, with his horse, down the stream. Feeling himself in darigei, he caught hold of a bough, and with some difficulty got upon dry land, but his horse was lost. After drying his clothes in the sun, he commenced to finish his journey on foot; and at length met a man who directed him to the nearest village, telling him to inquire for a Mrs. , from whom, he had no doubt, ho would receive very kind treatment. Dr. C. found the good lady's house, and received all the kindness and attention she could show him. The next morning he proceeded on his journey. After a lapse of five years, the Doctor happened to be in America again. As he was on his way to one of the provincial conferences, in company with about thirty other per- sons, a young man requested to be allowed the favour of con- versing with him ; to which he assented with Christian polite- ness. The young man asked him if he recollected being in such a part of the States about five years before, to which he replied in the affirmative. " And do you recollect, sir, in at- tempting to cross the river, being nearly drowned ?" " I re- member it quite well." " And do you recollect going to the house of a widow lady in such a village?" "1 remember it well," said the doctor, " and never shall I forget the kindness she showed me:" " And do you remember, when you departed, leaving a tract at that lady's house?" "I do not recollect that," said he, " but it is very possible that I might do so." " Yes, sir," said the young man, " you did leave there a tract, which that lady read, and the Lord blessed the reading of it to the conversion of her soul ; it was also the means of the conversion of several of her children and neighbours ; and there is now in that village a flourishing Christian society." The tears shed by Dr. Coke showed something of the feelings of his heart. The young man resumed, " I have ncft, sirj quite told you all. I am one of that lady's children, and 6\V^ rriy conversion to God, to the gracious influence with tvhich he ac- REV. 3IR. CROSS. 391 companied the reading of that tract to my mind ; and I am, Dr. Coke, on my way to conference, to be proposed as a preacher." REV. MR. CROSS. This gentleman is one of the colporteurs of the American Tract Society, and the following interesting anecdote of the success of his labours was related by the Rev. S. T. Wells. While visiting from house to house, with an elder of Rev. Mr. J.'s church, they came to the hut of a coal-digger. "We will not go into that house," said the elder, "the man is so wicked, it would be of no use." Mr. Cross maintained that such were the very men he was sent to. They entered the hut, which indicated great poverty both within and without, and found sit- ting on a broken bench in the corner, a large athletic man, nearly naked. He had remained unwashed so long that the coal-dust lay like scales all over his body. The face of his wife was black and swollen with bruises which he had given her, and his own countenance was very fierce. "We have come," said Mr. Cross, "to sell you some good religious books, and to have some conversation with you on the subject of re- ligion." "I have no money, sir," he said, "and don't want any of your books." " If you have no money," said Mr. Cross, " you shall have the books and welcome. You have a soul, and you must die ; you are not prepared to die now, are you, friend ?" His eye, which had been fixed with a savage glare upon him till this question, lowered a little, and began to soften, and he replied that he was not ready to die. Before Mr. Gross left him, he wept like a child^ and told him that he was the first man who had ever come there to talk with him about his soul. 392 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. REV. DR. COTTON MATHER. The following anecdote is full of instruction, both as illus- trative of Dr. Mather's ingenuity in the communication of di- vine truth, and as suggesting a valuable hint to ministers of the present day. In the year 1696, Bommaseen, a chief of the American Indians, was a prisoner in Boston, with some others of his countrymen. He desired a conference with one of the Boston ministers ; Dr. Mather waited upon him, and was told that he wished to be instructed in the Christian religion, for he was afraid that the French had imposed upon them in what they had taught them respecting Christianity. The doctor inquired of him what appeared to them most suspicious in the instruc- tions of the French, and Bommaseen said that they had told him that the Lord Jesus Christ was of the French nation ; that his mother, the Virgin Mary, was a French lady ; that English- men murdered him ; and that as he rose from the dead, and had ascended to heaven, all who would recommend themselves to his favour must avenge his quarrel on the English, as far as they could. The doctor, knowing that the best medium of communicating religious knowledge to the Indians was to deal much in similitudes, began to think of some suitable imagery, and as a cup of drink stood upon the table, he employed that as his medium of instruction. He told them that the Lord Jesus had given to men a good religion, which might be compared to the good drink in the cup on the table. That if we take this good religion, like the good drink, into our hearts, it will do us good, and preserve us from death. That the Bible, God's book, is the cup wherein that good drink of religion is offered unto us. That the. French, having the cup of good drink in their hands, had put poi- son into it, and then made the Indians drink, and that this REV. DR. COTTON MATHER. 393 made them mad, leading them to kill the English, though they knew it would end in their own destruction. That it was plain the English had put no poison into the drink, for they set the cup wide open, and invited all men, even the Indians, into whose language Mr. Elliot had translated the Bible, to come and see before they tasted ; but that they might fairly infer the French had put poison into the good drink, because they kept the cup closely shut, (not having given them the Bible,) and kept their hands to the eyes of the Indians when they put it to their mouths. The poor Indians, having expressed their satisfaction with what he had said, entreated him farther to explain about the cup of good drink and the poison. He then, in the most simple manner, placed before them the chief points of Christianity ; and showed them how the Catholics had poisoned and corrupted most of its truths, and that it was important for them to dis- tinguish between truth and error. He then said — " To obtain the pardon of your sins, you must confess them to God, and pray that he would pardon them for the sake of Jesus Christ, who died for poor sinners ; and if you place your eye on Jesus Christ only, when you beg the pardon of your sins, God will forgive them. You need confess your sins to none but God, except in cases where men have known your sins, or have been hurt by them ; but even then, none but God can pardon them." He then showed them how the French had corrupted the truth, by enjoining them to confess their sins to a priest, to carry skins lo him, and to do penance at his bidding. The poor creatures were much delighted with this discourse of the doctor, fell at his feet, kissed his hands, and showed' every mark of affection. Bommaseen, lifting Ijis eye-s and hands to heaven, said, " Sir, I thank you for these things ; I rf solve to spit up all the French poison ; you shall be my fa- ther, I will be your son ; I beseech you continue to instruct me oy-l THE A3IERICAN CLERGY. in that religion, which may bring me to the salvation of my soul." Dr. Franklin once received a very useful lesson from the excellent Doctor, which he thus relates in a letter to his son : — The last time I saw your father, was in 1724. On taking my leave, he showed me a shorter way out of the house, by a narrow passage, which was crossed by a beam over head. We were still talking as I withdrew, he accompanying me behind, and I turning towards him, when he said hastily, " Stoop, stoop !" I did not understand him till I felt my head hit against the beam. He was a man who never missed an opportunity of giving instruction ; and upon this he said to me, " You are young, and have the world before you ; learn to stoop as you go through it, and you will avoid many hard thumps." This advice, thus beat into my head, has frequently been of use to me ; and I often think of it, when I see pride mortified, and misfortune brought upon people by their carrying their heads too high. Dr. Mather was remarkable for the sweetness of his temper. He took some interest in the political concerns of his country, and, on this account, as well as because he faithfully reproved iniquity, he had many enemies. Many abusive letters were sent him, all of which he tied up ia.a packet, and wrote upon the cover, " Libels ; — Father, forgive them." I happened once, says Dr. Mather, to be present in the room where a dying man could not leave the world until he lamented to a minister whom he had sent for, the unjust calumnies and injuries which he had often cast upon him. The minister asked AN AGED CLERGYMAN. 311") the poor penitent what was the occasion of this abusive con- duct ; whether he had been imposed upon by any false report. The man made this answer: "No, sir, it was merely this; I thought you were a good man, and that you did much good in the world, and therefore I hated you. Is it possible, is it possi- ble," he added, " for such a wretch to find pardon 1" What a contrast did the character of the doctor himself pre- sent to all this ! It was his laudable ambition to say, that " He did not know of any person in the world who had done him any ill office but he had done him a good one for it." AN AGED CLERGYMAN An aged clergyman, in the State of New York, not long since gave a very interesting narrative of scenes in which he was, personally concerned. Two young men from Birmingham, in England, emigrated to the United States in 1793. On the vessel arriving in sight of her destined port, a storm suddenly arose, the ship \\^s wrecked, and the two brothers, always affectionately attached to each other, died locked in each other's arms. Their bodies being washed ashore, they were decently buried, and our re- verend friend preached a funeral sermon from the counsel of Solomon, " Boast not thyself of to-morrow, for thou k no west not what a day may bring forth." It was ascertained from their papers from whence they came, and how their friends could be addressed : the minister wrote to their widowed mother, now most affectingly bereaved of her sons, and deeply sym- pathized with her under her accumulated sorrows. A corre- spondence ensued, and our friend ultimately received a piece of plate with a suitable inscription on it, recording his kindness. This he carefully placed in his study. Many years afterwards, a gentleman from England, over- 396 THE AMERICAN CLEKGY. taken in a violent storm, sought for shelter at the house of the minister, where he was invited to stay for the night. As, on the next morning, he was looking over the worthy pastor's study, his eye caught the plate, the inscription on which he read with deep interest, for these young men were his cousins. The character of the subsequent intercourse between the minis- ter and his new friend need not be described. REV. MR. BENNETT. The following is an extract from an anniversary sermon, delivered by the Rev. Mr. Bennett, of Woburn, Mass. The introductory remarks are so judicious in their character, and are so very naturally connected with the anecdote which fol- lows, that no apology will be needed for their appearance : — I am sorry to say it, the first open complaint is made against the pastor, in three cases out of four, by a deacon of the church. Deacons, the world over, are like Jeremiah's figs — that is, very sweet or very sour. They either aid their pastor, and, like Aaron and Hur, stay up his hands, or decidedly the reverse. It is a sober fact, and it ought to make the ears of such dea- cons tingle, that at least three out of four of all the ministers in New England, who have been driven away from their peo- ple, have been driven away by deacons ; by men who, in one tespect, have with a vengeance " magnified their office." I might point you to numerous examples all over the land. But I forbear. I thank God, however, that I have never been plagued by such deacons. I have never had the slightest diffi- culty with any of my deacons, except in a single instance, and that lasted but five minute§. It was with good deacon Wyman, at the commencement of the Temperance Reformation in 182G. Some one had told him that I said at a church meeting that I REV. DR. L. 397 would never drink another drop of ardent spirit, (unless or- dered by a physician,) or give it to a workman or a visitor, while I lived. The deacon called upon me the next day, and asked me if I said so. I told him I did^ and should stick to it, at all hazards. " Well," said he, " then you will not be a mi- nister of this parish three months." "Very well," said I, "I have taken my stand, and if I knew I should be drawn in quarters within three months, if I did not recant, I would not do it." Said the deacon, " You are a crazy man, and I will not talk with you ;" and arose to go out of my house, when I thus accosted him : " Deacon Wyman, the next time you enter your closet, will you ask God to teach you by his Spirit, who is right on this subject, you or I ?" " I tell you," said he, " I will not talk with you," and marched out of doors. The next morning, long before sunrise, some one knocked — I went to the door, and behold, there stood deacon Wyman. He instantly grasped my hand, and, with tears rolling down his cheeks, ex- claimed, "My dear pastor, I went home from your house yes- terday, and in accordance with your advice, retired to my closet, and asked God to teach me by his Spirit, who was right in regard to the use of ardent spirits, you or I. In five minutes a flood of light broke in upon my mind, and I was fully con- vinced that you were right, and I was wrong. And now," said he, " go ahead with your temperance reformation — to the day of my death I will do all in my power to sustain you." He was as good as his word. He did sustain me as long as he lived." REV. DR. L. It has been well said that weighty solemn sentences, dropped into the ear of the sinner in private, are often far more useful than even the most elopuent sermons. Some years since, 34 398 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. Mr. B., a worldly man, who dealt in lottery tickets, was one • of the committee of supply for a rich evangelical congregation, and the Rev. Dr. L. was invited to supply the pulpit for a Sabbath or two. On their way from the meeting-house to the residence of Mr. B., Dr. L., who had discovered that several persons had been opposed to his being invited to preach, re- marked, " If I had known that so many had been opposed to me, I do not know that I should have preached ; but I have one consolation — I preached the truth to them." "Yes," re- plied Mr. B., somewhat hesitatingly. The faithful minister then looked him full in the face, and said to him, with great solemnity and emphasis, " Wliy do you not believe it then V The inquiry seemed to strike him dumb; he retired to reflect, ^ to weep over his misspent life, to repent and pray. The solemn inquiry, of which conscience told him the justice, was like " a nail fastened in a sure place." He was soon brought to " the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind," and be- came one of the most active and useful Christians in the city of his residence. A WISE CLERGYMAN. " An Atheist !" exclaimed a devout clergyman, when Mr. B. was introduced to him to advocate the cause of infidelity ; '" it is impossible." ' "Yes, sir," said Mr. B., "I am an Atheist; and I should be glad of an argument, as I hold it impossible for any man to prove that there is a God ; and, sir," " But hold," said the minister; " T must first be satisfied. that you are an Atheist." " Well, sir," said Mr. B., " do I not tell you that I am so ?" " But, my Bible." said the minister, " declares that every A WISE CLERGYMAN. 399 human heart, which of course includes yours, is not only des- perately wicked, but deceitful above all things; and the Holy Ghost, therefore, asks. Who can know it? Peradventure, you may be deceived in this matter." "But, sir," said Mr. B., "t/o I not know what I believe? — am I not a rational creature?" "Well," said the minister, " let us try the point. I will pro- pose a test to which you can submit without difficulty or trouble; if you will pledge yourself to pursue the course which I shall direct, I will then proceed to the argument which you seem so much to desire." "I do not wish." said Mr. B,, "to pledge myself thus blindly to do anv thinii. What would vou have me to do?" " It shall be," said the minister, " such a thing as shall be perfectly consistent with your professed belief, and reasonable, and easy. If (yourself being the judge) it shall not be so, according to your own scheme^ you shall be under no obliga- tion to perform it." "Very well," said Mr. B. promptly, "I will. What do you propose, sir?" ,. "This night," said the minister, "when deep sleep shall fall upon man, and thick darkness shall cover the world, you shall, taking solemn thought, and after deep meditation, walk delibe- rately and alone to yonder hill, and in the thick darkness of the forest which covers its summit, you shall stand and raise your eyes and your clenched hands to the firmament above you, and then shall declare: — ' There is no God who created me — There is no God who preserves me — There is no God whom I fear.' Will you do this?" The Atheist was confounded with the proposition. "Oh," said the minister, you are no Atheist; I was sure you were mistaken. We agree on this point. There is no ground for an argument." 400 THE AMERICAN CLERG!^. REV. MR. HULL. Father Hull was a preacher of the old school, connected ^\ith the South Carolina conference. Passing along the high- way one evening, in a strange and wicked part of the country, weary and faint, he called at a respectable-looking house to ask for a lodging. After a while, as he sat by the fireside, a number of well-dressed ladies and gentlemen entered his room, and very shortly they began to dance to the music of a violin. It was a ball, at which the stranger looked silently on. At length a partner was wanted, and the old gentleman was in- vited to take the floor. " Certainly, madam," he replied, walk- ing out on the floor as he spoke; "but I have long made it a rule never to commence any business till I have asked the direction of the Lord, and his blessing upon it. Will you all join in the prayer with me?" He instantly fell on his knees, and began to pray. Some kneeled, others stood still, all were petrified with astonishment. In prayer he was intensely earn- est and powerful, and the heavens and the earth seemed drawn together. Some groaned, others shrieked aloud, and many fell prostrate like dead men on the floor. The dance was turned into a religious meeting, from which many dated their conver- sion to God, and was the commencement of an extensive revival REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. On a journey in the stage from Brunswick to Trenton, this worthy young clergyman, with two others, occupied the mid- dle seat. His pale, youthful countenance, with his general appearance, led an elderly respectable gentleman, who occu- REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 401 pied the front seat, to suppose him to have been a student from Princeton college. Under this impression, he requested him, — rather peremjAarily^ however, — to change seats. Though struck with surprise, rather perhaps at the manner in which the request was made, than at the request itself, after a mo- mentary hesitation — during which his pale cheek was tinged with a momentary flush — he changed seats without uttering a word. Of all in the stage, not one, on the ground of health, (which was the reason assigned afterwards for making the re- quest,) required accommodation so much as Mr. S. As it was, the change of seat affected him considerably. It is pleasant to add, however, that the gentleman having arrived in Trenton, and discovered his mistake, took the earliest opportunity to apologize to him, and by the greatest kindness endeavoured to remove any unpleasant feeling which he might inadvertently have occasioned. The meek spirit of his Master, with which Mr. S. was imbued, led him at once to forget the occurrence, and to cherish the most sincere gratitude for all the after kind- ness of this gentleman, with whom an interesting correspond- ence was kept up. It has been well remarked that that clergyman cannot have the feelings of a pastor, who does not cherish special love for the young of his flock. The following is one of many instances of attention to the lambs of the Christian fold in the life of this highly popular minister: — A boy, about eleven years of age, after one of his sermons to children, remained till the congregation had nearly dispersed, when he attracted Mr. Summerfield's notice; who, stepping forward, said, " My little boy, do you want any thing with me?" — The little fellow appeared overcome with his feelings, and could only say, " Mr. Summerfield." "Well, my love, what do you want with Mr. Summerfield?" The boy, being 34* 402 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. now encouraged, said that he wished Mr. Summerfield would call at his mother's house: on inquiring where his mother .ived, the name of the street and the number of the house were given. "What is your name?" — "John Brown," replied the boy. " Well, John Brown, to-morrow at eleven o'clock, I shall pay you a visit." Accordingly, at the time appointed, Mr. Summerfield waited upon him; he found John busily employed sweeping and fixing the fire, and preparing for his visitor. "Well, John, here I am, according to my appointment." — John requested him to take a seat, until he had found his mother. She was a pious woman, and said that her son had heard him preach, whenever he had addressed the children, and that his mind in consequence had been much impressed. Mr. S. knelt down and prayed with them; and before he went away, encouraged John, and gave him some good advice ; entered his name on the list of those for whom he felt a peculiar inte- rest, and told him that he should keep his eyes upon him ; re- questing him to come and speak to him whenever he had an opportunity, that he might ascertain what progress his little friend John Brown was making. Carping criticism, or cold philosophy may despise these little traits of character, but mi- nisterial wisdom will admire them. REV. DR. J. M. MASON. Every one, says the late Rev. Dr. J. M. Mason, of New York, has remarked the mixed and often ill-assorted company, which meet in a public packet or stage-coach. The* conversa- tion, with all its variety, is commonly insipid, frequently dis- gusting, and sometimes insufferable. There are exceptions. An opportunity now and then occurs of spending an hour in a REV. DR. J. 31. MASON. 403 manner not unworthy of rational beings ; and the incidents of a btage-coach may produce or promote salutary impressions. A few years ago, one of the stages which ply between the two principal cities of the United States of America, was filled with a group which could never have been drawn together by mutual choice. In the company was a young man of social temper, affable manners, and considerable information. His accent was barely sufficient to show that the English was not his native tongue ; and a very slight peculiarity in the pro- nunciation of the th^ showed him to be a Hollander. He had early entered into military life, had borne both a Dutch and a French commission, had seen real service, had travelled, was master of the English language, and evinced, by his deport- ment, that he was no stranger to the society of gentlemen. He had, however, a fault, too common among military men, and too absurd to find an advocate among men of sense — he swore very profanely and frequently. While the horses were changing, a gentleman who sat on the same seat with him took him by the arm, and requested the favour of his company in a short walk. When they were so far retired as not to be overheard, the former observed, "Although I have not the honour of your acquaintance, I per- ceive, sir, that your habits and feelings are those of a gentle- man, and that nothing can be more repugnant to your wishes than giving unnecessary pain to any of your company." He started, and replied, "Most certainly, sir ! I hope I have com- mitted no offence of that sort ?" " You will pardon me," replied the other, " for pointing out an instance in which you have not altogether avoided it." " Sir," said he, "I shall be much your debtor for so friendly an act; for, upon my honour, I cannot conjecture in what I have transgressed." "If you, sir," continued the former, "had a very dear friend, to whom you were under unspeakable obligations, 404 THE A31EKICAN CLERGY. should you not be deeply wounded by any disrespect to him, or even by hearing his name introduced, and used wilh a fre- quency of repetition and a levity of air, incompatible with the regard due to his character?" " Undoubtedly, and I should not permit it ; but I know not that I am chargeable with such indecorum to any of your friends." " Sir, my God is my best friend, to whom I am under infi- nite obligations. I think you must recollect that you have very frequently, since we commenced our journey, taken his name in vain. This has given to me, and others of the com- pany, severe pain." " Sir," answered he, with very ingenuous emphasis, " I have done wrong ; I confess the impropriety. I am ashamed of a practice which I am aware has no excuse ; but I have imper- ceptibly fallen into it, and I really swear without being con- scious that I do so. I will endeavour to abstain from it in future ; and, as you are next to me on the seat, I shall thank you to touch my elbow as often as 1 trespass." This was agreed upon ; the horn sounded, and the travellers resumed their places. For the space of four or five miles, the officer's elbow was jogged every few seconds. He always coloured, but bowed, and received the hint without the least symptom of displea- sure ; and, in a few miles more, so mastered his propensity to swearing, that not an oath was heard from his lips for the rest of his journey, which was the greater part of it. After this, he was more grave ; and, having ruminated some time, after surveying first one and then another of the com- pany, turned to his admonisher, and addressed him thus : "You are a clergyman, I presume, sir?" " I am considered as such." He paused ; and then, with a smile, indicated his disbelief REV. DR. J. M. MASON. 405 in Divine revelation in a way which called for further conver- sation on this subject. He avowed himself an infidel, and an animated conversation followed. At length he exclaimed, " I own I am beaten, com- pletely beaten ; I have nothing more to say." A silence of some minutes succeeded ; when the young military traveller said to his theological friend, " I have studied all religions, and have not been able to satisfy myself" "No, sir," answered he; "there is one religion which you have not yet studied." " Pray, sir," cried the officer, roused and eager, " what is that?" " The religion," replied the other, " of salvation through the redemption of the Son of God ; the religion which will sweeten your pleasures, and soften your sorrows ; which will give peace to your conscience, and joy to your heart ; which will bear you up under the pressure of evils here, and shed the light of immortality on the gloom of the grave. This religion, [ believe, sir, you have yet to study." The officer put his hands upon his face ; then, languidly clasping them, allowed them to fall down, forced a smile, and said, with a sigh, " We must all follow what we think best." His behaviour afterwards was perfectly decorous, but nothing further is known of him. To a young infidel, who was scoffing at Christianity, on account of the misconduct of some of its professors. Dr. Mason once said, " Did you ever know an uproar to be made because an infidel went astray from the paths of morality ?" The in- fidel admitted that he had not. " Then, don't you see," asked Dr. M., " that by expecting the professors of Christianity to 406 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. be holy, you admit it to be a holy religion, and thus pay it the highest compliment in your power?" The young man was silent. The Doctor was once requested to visit a lady in dying circum- stances, who, together with her husband, openly avowed infidel principles, though they attended on his ministry. On ap- proaching her bedside, he asked her if she felt herself a sinner, and perceived the need of a Saviour. She frankly told him, she did not; and that she wholly disbelieved the doctrine of a Mediator. "Then," said the doctor, "I have no consolation for you ; not one word of comfort. There is not a single pas- sage in the Bible that warrants me to speak peace to any one who rejects the Mediator provided for lost sinners. You must abide the consequences of your infidelity/' Saying that, he was on the point of leaving the room, when some one said, " Well, but. Doctor, if you cannot speak consolation to her, you can pray for her." To this he assented, and kneeling down by the bedside, prayed for her as a guilty sinner, just sinking into hell; and then, arising from his knees, he left the house. A day or two after, he received a letter from the lady herself, earnestly desiring that he would come and see her without delay. He immediately obeyed the summons; but what was his amazement, when, on entering the room, she held out her hand to him, and said, with a benignant smile, "It is all true; all that you said on Sunday is true. I have seen myself the wretched sinner which you described me to be in prayer. I have seen Christ that all-sufficient Saviour you said he was; and God has mercifully snatched me from the abyss of infi- delity in which I was sunk, and placed me on the Rock of ages. There I am secure; there I shall remain. I know in whom I have believed!" All this was like a dream to him; but she proceeded, and displayed as accurate a knowledge of the way REV. DR. J. M. MASON. 407 of salvation revealed in the gospol, and as firm a reliance on it, as if she had been a disciple of Christ for many years. Yet there was nothing like boasting or presumption — all was hu- mility, resignation, and confidence. She charged her husbana to educate their daughter in the fear of God; and, above all, to keep from her those novels and books of infidel sentimentality, by which she had nearly been brought to ruin. On the even- ing of the same day, she expired, in fulness of joy and peace in believing. The account which the Doctor received from her attendants was, that his prayer at his first visit was fastened on her mind, — that soon after he left her, she became alarmed re- specting the state of her soul, — that at one period, though her voice had previously been so feeble that she could scarcely be heard, yet her cries were distinctly audible from the second floor to the cellar of the house, and that at length she found peace in believing in Christ as he is exhibited in the gospel. Dr. Mason was accustomed to visit some small congrega- tions in the country, and was returning from one of these ex- cursions, when he stopped at a house for some refreshment. Some bread and milk were handed to him, which he ate with an iron spoon. On his return, he smilingly mentioned the cir- cumstance among his friends ; and his remark about the iron spoon soon reached the ears of his kind hostess. She replied, with grief, that she was sorry Dr. Mason had made himself merry at her expense : for if she had possessed a silver spoon, he should certainly have used it: as it was, she furnished him with the best she had. This being related to him, he mounted his horse, and rode more than fifty miles, to apologize for his thoughtless speech, and to ask the old lady's pardon. 408 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. REV. MR. WORCESTER. The Rev. Mr. Worcester, of Salem, at a Convention, saiu, that as he was once putting on his over-coat to go out on a visit to his parishioners, he heard a loud and unusual knock at the door. He opened it, and there stood a miserable-looking man in a state of intoxication. He was kindly invited to come in, and he did so. "You don't know me," said the stranger, "but I know you. .My mother is a member of your church, and I used to go to your father's meeting." A long conversa- tion ensued, in which the minister caught the substance of his story. He had known him when they were boys, but not since. The unfortunate being had become an infidel, and a degraded drunkard, and actually debated on his way, whether to eat opium and die, or go and see the minister, and let him know his case. Finally he determined on the latter course. He had then been drinking, but after serious, solemn conversa- tion, he determined to drink no more. A day or two after, Mr. Worcester called to see him, and found him in the depths of de- spair on account of his sins. " I had never seen," said Mr. Wor- cester, "such misery; but I pointed him to 'the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world.' At length he found peace and forgiveness at the cross of Christ, and finally, with his wife, united with my church; and, as I see the individual in this house, I will only say he has since sustained an honour- able and consistent profession." Mr. Worcester sat down, when an individual, of a gentle- manly bearing, rose and said, "I am the individual to whom the pastor has referred ; and it is all true." He spoke for some time, with much force, and related the trials he had gone through by imbibing infidel principles, and following the paths of intenjperance ; and his remarks were laid up in many a REV, J. ARMSTR0IS6, 409 heart, who felt then, as they never felt before, the stupendous change that may be produced by total abstinence, and the influ- ence of the faithful minister? of true religion. REV. J. ARMSTRONG. Several years ago, the Rev. James Armstrong preached at Harmony, near the Wabash ; when a physician of that place, a professed deist or infidel, called on his associates to accom- pany him while he " attacked the Methodists," as he said. At lirst, he asked Mr. Armstrong if he followed preaching to save souls. He answered in the affirmative. He then inquired, "Did you ever see a soul?" "No." "Did you ever hear a soul?" " No." " Did you ever taste a soul ?" " No." " Did you ever smell a soul?" " No." "Did you ever feel a soul ?" " Yes, thank God," said Mr. Armstrong. " Well," said the Doctor, " there are four of the five senses against one, that there is a soul." Mr. Armstrong then asked the gentleman if he was a doctor of medicine, and he was also answered in the affirmative. He then asked the doctor, " Did you ever see a pain?" "No." " Did you ever hear a pain ?" "No." Did you ever taste a pain?" "No." "Did you ever smell a pain?" "No." "Did you ever feel a pain?" "Yes." Mr. Armstrong then said, "There are also four senses against one, to prove that there is no such thing as a pain; and yet, sir, you know that there is a pain, and I know there is a soul." The doctor appeared confounded, and walked off. 35 410 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. A CLERGYMAN AT NEW ORLEANS. A Presbyterian minister, American by birth, but of Scot- tish parentage, happening to be in New Orleans some time ago, was asiied to visit an old Scottish soldier who had wandered to that city, sickened, and was conveyed to the hospital. On his entrance, and on announcing his errand, the Scotchman told him, in a surly tone, that he desired none of his visits, — that he knew how to die without the aid of a priest. In vain he informed him that he was no priest, but a Presbyterian minis- ter, come to read to him a portion of the word of God, and to speak to him of eternity. The Scotchman doggedly refused to hold any conversation with him, and he was obliged to take his leave. Next day, however, he called again, thinking that the reflection of the man on his own rudeness would prepare the way for a better reception. But his tone and manner were equally rude and repulsive; and at length he turned himself in bed, with his face to the wall, as if determined to hear nothing and relent nothing. The minister bethought himself, as a last resource, of the hymn well known in Scotland, the composition of David Dickson, minister of Irvine, beginning, " mother deai\ Jerusalem^ tvhen shall I come to thee^'' which his Scot- tish mother had taught him to sing to the tune of "Dundee." He began to sing his mother's hymn. The soldier listened for a few moments in silence, but gradually turned himself round, with a relaxed countenance, and the tear in his eye, to inquire, "Wha learned you that?" "My mother," replied the minister; "And so did mine," rejoined the now softened soldier, whose heart was opened by the recollections of infancy and of country, and now gave a willing ear to the man that had found the Scot- tish key to his heart. REV. MR. CASE. 411 REV. MR. CASE. This valued minister relates a very interesting and striking conversion, which may show us the possibility of a work of Divine mercy in the heart of a sinner, after he has ceased to hold communication with the outward world, though assuredly it can furnish no rational ground for indolence and presump- tion : — A Mrs. D., whom he baptized in Charleston, Maine, in 1811, when but a young lady, was one of a party who rode out on a sleigh, drawn by two horses, on the river from Hampden to Bangor ; the ice gave way, and she, with her companions, was plunged beneath the watery element. Happily, however, the lives of the whole party were saved. During this immersion, her soul, by the instantaneous and powerful work of the Holy Spirit, was converted to God. The rapid progress of thought and feeliqg in this short moment, as she distinctly recollected, was, as she was falling, a most vivid and impressive thought of death filled her mind. This was instantly succeeded by an overwhelming consciousness of her sins, her guilt, and her just condemnation, and this was combined with a view of the cha- racter and law of God, shining in incomprehensible brightness, reflecting his love and justice; and then, in a moment, every energy of her soul seemed concentrated in one unyielding desire for mercy. At this instant, those who escaped from the water drew her upon the unbroken ice, when her soul was filled with love to God and Christ, and her tongue unloosed to praise his name. She said that she hardly thought of her temporal sal- vation, but with unutterable astonishment and gratitude she beheld that glorious grace which gave her heavenly delight. This was no delusion. Her subsequent life of piety gave evi- dence of its reality. 412 THE AMERICAN OL£ROY. REV. DR. LATHROP. I WAS once requested, says Dr. Lathrop, to preach against prevailing fashions. A remote inhabitant of the parish, appa- rently in a serious frame, called upon me one day, and pressed the necessity of bearing my testimony against this dangerous evil. I observed to him, that as my people were generally farmers, in middling circumstances, I did not think they took a lead in fashions. If they followed them, it was at an humble distance, and rather to avoid singularity than to encourage extravagance ; that as long as people were in the habit of wearing clothes, they must have some fashion or other ; and a fashion that answered the ends of dress, and exceeded not the ability of the wearer, I considered as innocent, and not deserving reproof. To this he agreed ; but said, what grieved him was, to see people set their hearts so much on fashions. I conceded that as modes of dress were trifles compared with eternal concerns, to set our hearts upon them must be a great sin. But I advised him to consider, that to set our hearts against such trifles, was the same sin as to set our hearts upon them; and as his fashion was different from those of his neighbours, jus* in proportion as he set his heart against theirs^ he set his heart upon his own. He was therefore doubly guilty of the very sin he imputed to others. REV. T. HOOKER. The Rev. Dr. Dwight, in his excellent travels, describes this eminent colonist of New England, as one of their wisest and most influential men. He was universally respected for his excellent qualities. He was remarkable, among other things, REV. MR. C. 413 for his mildness. A story, illustrating this trait in his charac- ter, is still preserved. It is said that he was once suddenly awakened, in the night time, by an unusual noise in the cellar of his house. He sus- pected that some person had crept in without leave, and imme- diately arose, dressed himself, and went silently to the foot of the cellar stairs. There he saw a man, with a candle in his hand, taking pork out of a barrel. Mr. Hooker stood still and looked on till he had taken the last piece. He then stepped towards him, and accosted him in perfectly good humour: — " Neighbour, you act unfairly ; you ought to leave a proper share for me." Thunderstruck at being detected, and espe- cially by a man of Mr. Hooker's character, the culprit fell at his feet, condemned himself for his crime, and implored his pardon. Mr. Hooker cheerfully forgave him, and concealed his crime, but seriously admonished him, and then made him carry half the pork to his own house. REV. MR. C. During the progress of a protracted meeting, held in Johns- town, Ohio, by the Rev. Mr. C, of the Methodist Episcopal Church, it happened that most of the persons who desired the prayers of the church, were females. This led some objectors to say that weak-minded persons were generally the first to seek religion. This came to the knowledge of the worthy clergyman; and the next evening, he took occasion, at the meeting, to notice the objection. " Well, friends," said he, " we have had a very profitable meeting to-night; but I wish to notice a fact which I have heard to-day. Some persons have said that this is not the work of the Lord, because nearly all who profess to seek him 35* 41-4r THE AMERICAN CLERGY. are females. They, moreover, challenge us to tell them why there is so large a proportion of the weaker sex thus engaged. Now, sirs, I will not answer you directly ; but see here :— Two years ago, I had occasion to preach to the prisoners in the Ohio Penitentiary. Now, how did it happen that there were more than four hundred males, and but about half a dozen of the weaker sex ? When you answer this, I will be prepared to speak to your question." A PASTOR. Dr. Goodrich has beautifully said that it was the reflection that there was bread enough and to spare in his father's house, which compelled the prodigal to exclaim, " I will arise, and go unto my father." Some years ago, two young ladies, under deep conviction of sin, went, after an evening meeting, to the house of a pastor for further instruction. As he conversed with them much at large, and was urging them, by motives drawn from the love of Christ, instantly to accept the offered salvation, one of them was observed to rest her head upon her hand, as if in deep abstraction, till her face at last sunk upon the table, in solemn and overpowering emotion. After a few moments of entire silence, she looked up with a countenance of serene joy, dropped upon one knee before her companion, and said, with the simplicity of a child, " Julia, do love Christ. He is so beautiful ! Do come with me, and love him !" This led Julia to the reflection, " She has entered in, while I remain out. One shall be taken, and another left." This, under God, was the means of bringing her also to Christ, before she laid her head that night upon her pillow. REV. DR. JOHN H. KICE. 41«5 REV. DR. LIVINGSTON. The late Rev. Dr. Livingston, of this country, and Louis Bonaparte, ex-king of Holland, happened once to be fellow- passengers, with many others, on board of one of the North River steamboats. As the doctor was walking the deck in the morning, and gazing at the refulgence of the rising sun, which appeared to him unusually attractive, he passed near the dis- tinguished stranger, and, stopping for a moment, accosted him thus : " How glorious, sir, is that object !" pointing gracefully with his hand towards the sun. The ex-king assenting, Dr. Livingston immediately added, "And how much more glorious, sir, must be its Maker, the Sun of Righteousness !" A gentle- man who overheard this short incidental conversation, being acquainted with both personages, now introduced them to each other, and a few more remarks were interchanged. Shortly after, the doctor again turned to the ex-king, and with that air of polished complaisance for which he was so remarkable, invited him first, and then the rest of the company, to attend morning prayer. It is scarcely necessary to add, that the in- vitation was promptly complied with. REV. DR. JOHN H. RICE. A LATE eminent judge, of Virginia, once remarked, that the most cutting reproof he had ever received for profaneness, was without words. He happened to be crossing a ferry with the late Dr. John H. Rice. On account of shallows, the boat could not be brought to land, and they were carried to the bhore by the coloured ferrymen. One of these was so care- 416 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. less as to suffer the judge's clothes to become wetted, and he expressed his anger by an imprecation. Dr. Rice, without saying a word, turned to him his large, speaking eye, with sorrowful expression. " I never so felt a reproof," said the judge, "in my life; and instantly asked his pardon. 'Ask pardon of God,' said Dr. Rice. I shall never forget it." At this time, the judge was entirely ignorant who his reprover was. ^ A fine instance of the disinterestedness of this excellent clergyman, has been recorded by hi^ biographer. A Mrs. Randolph, a lady of his congregation, and who died in his house, some time before her death made her will, and felt ex- ceedingly desirous to leave him a handsome legacy, as a token of Christian regard for him. Apprehending, however, that such an act might possibly expose him to some unworthy im- putations of mercenary views, and prizing his honour above every other consideration, she resolved to suppress her inclina- tion, and leave him nothing. Still, she could not feel satisfied to do so, without having the reason of her conclusion commu- nicated to him. This was accordingly done ; and she was much gratified to find that her conduct was entirely approved by him. After all, however, when her will came to be opened, it was found that she had so far altered her mind as to have left; him one thousand dollars. But on hearing of the fact. Dr. Rice at once resolved not to touch a cent of it. He instantly gave it all to public Christian charities, which he knew she had favoured while living. REV. DR. PATSON 417 REV. DR. PAYSON. Dr. Payson was very eminently devoted to his work as a minister of Christ, and never at a loss, in the pulpit or out of it, for plans to accomplish the great object to which he had de- voted his life. The following rencontre with a lawyer of Port- land, who ranked among the first in the place for wealth and fluency of speech, will show the doctor's insight into character, and also that his conquests were not confined to " weak wo- men and children." A lady, who was the common friend of Mrs. Payson and the lawyer's wife, was sojourning in the family of the latter. After the females of the respective families had interchanged several " calls," Mrs. was desirous of receivinsr a foraml visit from Mrs. Payson ; but to effect this, Doctor P. must also be invited ; and how to prevail on her husband to tender an invi- tation was the great difficulty. He had been accustomed to associate experimental religion with meanness, and of course felt or affected great contempt for the divine, as if it were im- possible for a man of his religion to be also a man of talents. He knew, by Report, something of Dr. Payson's practice on these occasions, and dreading to have his house a place for what appeared to him gloomy conversation, resisted his wife's proposal as long as he could do so and retain the character of a gentleman. When he gave his consent, it was with the po- sitive determination that Dr. Payson should not converse on religion, nor ask a blessing over his food, nor offer a prayer in his house. He collected his forces, and made his preparations in conformity with this purpose. When the appointed day arrived, he received his guests very pleasently, and entered at once into animated conversation ; determined, by obtruding his own favourite topics, to forestal the divine. It was not long be- fore the latter discovered his object, and summoned together 418 THE A31ERICAN CLERGY. his powers to defeat it. He plied them with that skill and ad- dress for which he was remarkable ; still, for some time, vic- tory was inclined to neither side or to both alternately. The lawyer, not long before, had returned from Washington city, where he spent several weeks on business at the supreme court of the United States. Dr. Payson made some inquiries re- specting sundry personages there, and among others, the chap- lain of the house of representatives. The counsellor had heard him in the devotional services of that assembly. " How did you like him ?" " Not at all ; he appeared to have more re- gard to those around him than he had to his Maker." Dr. Payson was very happy to hear him recognise the distinction between praying to God, and praying to be heard of men ; and dropped a series of observations on prayer, passing into a strain of remark, which, without taking the form, had all the effect on the lawyer's conscience, of a personal application. From a topic so unwelcome, he strove to divert the conversa- tion ; and every few minutes would start something as wide from it as the east is from the west. But as often as he wandered, his guest would dexterously, and without violence, bring him back ; and as often as he was brought back, he would wander again. At length the trying moment, which was to turn the scale, arrived. The time for the evening repast had come ; the servant had entered the parlour with the pro- visions ; the master of the feast became unusually eloquent, resolved to engross the conversation, to hear no question or reply, to allow no interval for " grace," and to give no indica- tion, by the eye, the hand, or the lips, that he expected or wished for such a service. Just as the distribution was on the point of commencing, Dr. P. interposed the question, "What writer has said, ' The devil invented the fashion of carrying round tea, to prevent a blessing being asked?'" Our host felt himself " cornered ;" but, making a virtue of necessity, re- plied, " I don't know what writer it is ; but if you please, we REV. DR. TAYSON. 419 will foil the devil this time. Will you ask a blessing, sir?" A blessing, of course, was asked ; and he brooked, as well as he could, this first certain defeat, still resolved not to sustain^ ano- ther by the ofTering of thanks on closing the repast. But in this, too, he was disappointed. By some well-timed sentiment of his reverend guest, he was brought into such a dilemma, that he could not, without absolute rudeness, decline asking him to return thanks. And thus he contended every inch of his ground, till the visit terminated. But, at every stage, the minister proved too much for the lawyer. He sustained his character as a minister of religion, and gained his point in every thing ; and that, too, with so admirable a tact, in a way so natural and unrestrained, and with such respectful deference to his host, that the latter could not be displeased, except with himself. Dr. Payson not only acknowledged God on the recep- tion of food, but before separating from the family, read the Scriptures and prayed ; and that, too, at the request of the master, though this request was made, as in every other in- stance, in violation of a determined purpose. The chagrin of this disappointment, however, eventually became the occasion of his greatest joy. His mind was never afterwards entirely at ease, till he found peace in believing. Often did he revert, with devout thankfulness to God, to the visit which had occa- sioned his mortification ; and ever after regarded, with more than common veneration and respect, the servant of God whom he had despised ; and was glad to receive his ministrations, in exchange for those on which he had formerly attended. Once, in the progress of a revival of religion among his people in Portland, Dr. Payson, after having repeatedly invited meetings at his house, one day gave an invitation to all those young persons who did not intend to seek religion. Any one 420 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. who did not know the Doctor, would be surprised to hear tha thirty or forty came. He had a very pleasant social interview with them, saying nothing about religion, until, just as they were about to leave, he closed a very few plain and simple remarks, in the following manner : — " Suppose you should see coming down from heaven, a very fine thread, so fine as to be almost invisible, and it should come and attach itself to you. You knew, we will suppose, that it came from God. Should you dare to put out your hand and brush it away ?" He dwelt a few minutes on this idea, until every one had a clear and fixed conception of it, and of the hardihood which any one would manifest who should openly break even such a tie. " Now," continued he, "just such a slender delicate thread has come from God to you this afternoon. You do not feel, you say, any interest in religion; but by coming here this afternoon, God has fastened one little thread upon you all : it is very weak and frail, and you can, in a moment, brush it away. But you certainly will not do so. Welcome it, and it will enlarge and strengthen itself, until it becomes a golden chain to bind you for ever to God." A few years before his death, he visited, at their most crowd- ed season, the Springs of Saratoga. He sojourned at the prin- cipal hotel, where he was surrounded by the very elite of the United States. From day to day he mingled in general inter- course, and took his full share in conversations on philosophi- cal, literary, and general topics, to the delight of every one. At length he proposed that, on a coming day, which he named, the hour after dinner should be devoted to religious conversa- tion. Some of his most intimate friends were fearful lest tho mighty talent by which he was surrounded, which, alas, was REV. DR. PAYSOiV. 421 lamentably stained with infidelity, should prove more than equal to his pious zeal, or that he might be left: alone to regret that he had made the proposal. At length the hour arrived, and after the cloth was removed, he found himself surrounded by a very large assembly. He sat for some time in deep and solemn silence, and then made some remarks, simply to elicit observations and inquiries in return. A leading statesman, among others, rose, determined to try the Doctor's strength to the ut- utmost, and boldly, and with great energy, attacked Christianity in some of its strongest holds. Interest was excited to its highest mtensity, as the worthy minister rose to reply. With candour, clearness, and power he re-stated the strongest arguments which his opponents had brought forward, and with simplicity and eloquence which absolutely electrified his audience, he de- molished every objection they had urged, and triumphantly won the unbounded admiration of all who heard him, every one of whom declared they had never before listened to such strains of wisdom of benevolence, and of piety. A gentleman, who conversed with Dr. Payson in Boston, when he visited that city toward the latter part of his life, was led by his preaching and conversation to a considerable degree of serious concern for his soul. His wife was still in a great measure indifferent to the subject. One day, meeting her in company, he said to her, " Madam, I think your husband is looking upwards ; making some effort to rise above the world, towards God and heaven. You must not let him try alone. Whenever I see the husband struggling alone in such efforts, it makes me think of a drone endeavouring to fly upwards, while it has one broken wing. It leaps, and flutters, and per- haps raises itself up a little way, and then it becomes wearied, 36 422 THE AMERICAN CLERGV. and drops back again to the ground. If bolh wings co-ope- rate, then it mounts easily." One day he went to visit a mother, who was disconsolate from the loss of a child. He said to her: — " Suppose, now, some one was making a beautiful crown for you to wear ; and you knew it was for you, and that you were to receive it and wear it as soon as it should be done. Now, if the maker of it were to ceme, and, in order to make the crown more beau- tiful and splendid, were to take away some of your jewels, to put into it, — should you be sorrowful and unhappy, because they were taken away for a little while, when you knew they were gone to make up your crown 1" The mother said, that no one could conceive of the relief, the soothing, quieting influence which this comparison had on her mind. Dr. Payson was once going to one of the towns in Maine, for the purpose of attending a ministers' meeting, accompanied by a friend ; when they had occasion to call at a house, on the journey, where Dr. Payson was unknown. The family had just sat down to tea; and the lady of the house, in the spirit of genuine hospitality, invited the strangers to partake of the social repast. Dr. Payson at first declined ; but, being stre- nuously urged, he consented. As he took his seat, lie inquired if a blessing had been asked ; and, being answered in the negative, requested the privilege, which was readily granted, of invoking the benediction of Heaven. This was done witli so much fervour, solemnity, and simplicity, that it had the happiest effect. The old lady treated the company with the utmost attention ; and, as Dr. Payson was about to leave, he REV. DR. PAYSON. 423 said to her, " Madam, you have treated me with much hospi- tality and kindness, for which I thank you sincerely; but, allow me to ask, how do you treat my Master? That is of intinitely greater consequence than how you treat me." He continued, in a strain of appropriate exhortation ; and, having done his duty in the circumstances, proceeded on his journey. This visit was sanctified to the conversion of the lady and her household. The revival continued in the neighbourhood ; and, in a short time, a church was built, and the regular ordinances of religion established. On another occasion, he went to see a sick person, who was very much troubled because she could not keep her mind all the time fixed upon Christ, on account of the distracting influ- ences of her sufferings, and the various objects and occur- rences of the sick-room, which constantly called off her attention. She was afraid that she did not love her Saviour, as she found it so difficult to fix her mind upon him. Dr. Payson said, " Suppose you were to see a sick little child, lying in its mother's lap, with its faculties impaired by its suf- ferings, so that it was generally in a troubled sleep ; but now and then, it just opens its eyes a little, and gets a glimpse of its mother's face, so as to be recalled to the recollection that it is in its mother's arms ; and suppose that always, at such a time, it should smile faintly with evident pleasure to find where it was ; should you doubt whether that child loved its mother jr not?" The poor sufferer's doubt and despondency were ijone in a moment. 424 THE UMKRICAN CLERGY. A MINISTER IN NEW YORK. A MINISTER, in the city of New York, was, a few years since, called in to visit a dying young lady, about twenty years of age, who was heiress to a large estate, whose parents were doatingly fond of her, and whose education was of the highest and most fashionable character. The minister talked of death, judgment, and eternity ; but the young lady had never before heard such language addressed to her, and she trembled. In the dying hour, she called for some of her fine clothes ; and, when they were brought, she looked at her mother, and said, " These have ruined me. You never told me I must die. You taught me that my errand into this world was to be gay and dressy, and to enjoy the vanities of life. What could you mean ? You knew I must die and go to judgment. You never told me to read the Bible, or to go to church, unless to make a display of some new finery. Mother, you have ruined me." She died in a kw moments after. A CLERGYMAN AT ST. LOUIS. A WORTHY minister from England brought over a habit, common, we believe, even in the religious families of that countiy, of playing at drafts, sometimes even for a small stake. He was once brought very strongly to feel its impro- priety. Some ladies, who were members of his church, had acquired somewhat of a love for dancing, which their pastor found out and reproved. A cousin of one of these ladies de- termined to have somewhat of harmless revenge on the cler- gyman. By some management, the pastor was drawn to the chess-board, and a few segars were staked on the game. REV. DR. HENRY. 425 They played ; and, in the end, the clergyman lost, but insisted on his friend playing again. His eyes were fully opened, when the gentleman replied " that his principles forbade him to play at games of hazard ;" and he wisely resolved henceforth to " avoid the appearance of evil." REV. DR. HENRY. The excellent Dr. T. C. Henry records the following inte« resting dialogue ; — " You believe yourself guilty of the unpardonable sin?" " I am sure of it." " In what did the crime consist ?" " I opposed the work of God." " So did Saul." " I denied Jesus Christ." " So did a disciple, afterwards honoured by his Master." " I doubted the power of Jesus Christ, after strong evidence in its favour." « So did Thomas." " What ! are you attempting to prove by such examples that I am a Christian ?" " Not at all. I am only inquiring into the nature of your guilt ; and, thus far, I can see no reason for despair." " I have hated God," rejoined the self-condemned, " and openly avowed my enmity in sight of his divine operations." " Thus far your case is lamentable, indeed ; but not hopeless, still. Our hearts are naturally at enmity with God ; and I do not see why the open avowal of this, drawn out by the sight of the law into visible form, must necessarily and always con- , stitute the guilt of which you accuse yourself." " I feel that I am cut off from salvation." 36* 426 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. " It is very difficult to reason against your feelings ; but they are no proof on the present subject. Let me inquire whether you desire the pardon of your sins ?" "Assuredly, if it were possible." " Do you regret the conduct of which you accuse yourself?" " Certainly." "Do you sincerely desire repentance/" " I would give the world, if it were mine, to be able to do so." . " Then it is not possible that you have been guilty to an unpardonable extent ; for these are characteristics of a state of mind faithless, but far from being desperate ; and they come within the design of the gospel invitations." There was something simple and touching in this mode of ministering to a mind diseased ; and it produced an effect which probably no other process could have accomplished. Mr. L. did not long survive this interview. But his living and dying hours were those of a favoured Christian. REV. MR. TREFIT. I WAS called upon, says the Rev. Mr. Trefit, some years ago, to visit an individual, a part of whose facis had been eaten away by a most loathsome cancer. Fixing my eyes on this man, in his agony, I said, "Supposing that Almighty God were to give you your choice: which would you prefer, your cancer, your pain, and your sufferings, with a certainty of death before you, but of immortality hereafter; or health, prosperity, long life in the world, and the risk of losing your immortal soul?" "Ah, sir!" said the man, "give me the cancer, the pain, the Bible, the hope of heaven ; and others may take the world, long life, and prosperity !" A TRAVELLING CLERGYMAN. 427 A SHREWD MINISTER. A MINISTER had travelled far to preach to a congregation. After the sermon, he waited very patiently, expecting some of the brethren to invite him home to dinner. In this, he was disappointed. One and another departed, until the house was almost empty. Summoning resolution, however, he walked up to an elderly-looking gentleman, and gravely said, " Will you go home with me to dinner, to-day, brother ?" " Where do you live ?" " About twenty miles from this, sir." " No," said the man, colouring, " but you must go with me." " Thank you ; I will, cheerfully." After that time, the minister was no more troubled about his dinner. A TRAVELLING CLERGYMAN. An excellent clergyman, " whose praise is in all the churches," was once spending the night at a large inn. " It is my custom," said he to the mistress of the inn, " wherever I am, to have family worship. I am now going to have it with my wife ; and I shall be glad if you and as many of your servants as can come in, will join us." " I shall be very happy," was the reply, " and all the servants shall come in." Accordingly, she gave her directions to this effect ; and all the servants, waiters, chambermaids, hostlers, and postilions at- tended. The worthy clergyman, before he prayed, expounded a portion of Scripture ; and, at the close of his exposition, with much affectionate earnestness and solemnity, exhorted his hearers to pray for the Holy Spirit. About a year afler, he was travelline the same road. As he drew near the inn, he 428 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. was accosted by a post-boy. " Sir, do you remember me V " No, my friend, I cannot say that I do." "Well, sir, I recol- lect you. You were here some time ago, and had us all into your room, in the house, and explained a chapter in the Bible, and prayed for us. And when you were explaining the chap- ter, you told us, if we had not been accustomed to pray, to begin at once, and pray, ' Lord, give me thy Holy Spirit. Lord, convert my soul.' I thought much of those words, and was determined to follow your advice. But then I was at a loss for a place in which I could be alone, to pray for the Lord to give me his Spirit. At last I thought of the stable ; and I used to take the key and lock myself in, and kneel down and pray that the Lord would convert my soul. And I bless God, I have reason to believe that he has heard and an- swered my prayers ; that he has given me his Spirit, and con- verted my soul." This should encourage ministers to " sow beside all waters," and also shows the truth of the old saying, that " where there is a will, there is a way." SUCCESS AND ENCOURAGEMENT OF THE CLERGY. (429) REV. MR. S. 431 REV. PRESIDENT EDWARDS. When President Edwards had preached one of his first ser* mons, after the remarkable outpouring of the Holy Spirit on his labours, he observed two families, when the congregation had withdrawn, remaining, as if by joint consent. Upon ap- proaching them, he found they had, till that day, been in a state of variance ; but, owing to the influence they were now under, they could not depart from the house of God till they were reconciled. REV. MR. S. Mr. S., a faithful and devoted minister in Georgia, some time since was in company with Mr. H., who was passing to one of his regular appointments for preaching. The residence of Mr. W., an unconverted and careless sinner, lay in the way ; and, at the suggestion of Mr. S., it was agreed that they should stop, and try to pray with the ungodly old man. A few months after, the church to which they were going, was visited by a season of refreshing from the presence of the Lord ; and Mr. W. was among the first who united with it. He stated that, on a certain day in the Spring, he was in his field, and that his mind was suddenly arrested by serious thoughts. He retired to the woods to pray ; after which he went home, in a dreadful state of mind, to his dinner. His pious wife accosted him with, "Mr. S. has been here this morning." "Ah, indeed! and what does he say?" "Why," said the wife, " he prayed most devoutly for you." "At what hour," asked Mr. W., "was he here ?" She told him ; and it was found that, in that same 432 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. hour, the Holy Spirit began to work upon his heart. He was joyfully received into the church, and walked worthy of the vocation with which he was called. REV. DR. RODGERS. When the late Rev. Dr. Rodgers, afterwards of New York, resided in New Castle county, on the Delaware, he offended a part of his congregation, by voting, at a disputed election, for a sheriff; in consequence of which, he never voted at a gene- ral election afterwards. In this act of self-denial, he showed a practical knowledge of the scale of duties ; for how feeble is the obligation, in a minister of the gospel, to promote the sup- posed prosperity of his country by a solitary vote, compared with his obligation to preserve a commanding and undivided influence over his whole congregation, in order more efTectually to direct their attention to subjects of an imperishable nature. A UNIVERSALIST MINISTER. The following fact is one among many, which show how even erroneous ministers may extend the truth, when they do not mean it : — There lived in England, many years since, a man who pro- fessed to believe in the final salvation of all men. To sus- tain this doctrine, whenever he came to a passage which seemed favourable to his creed, he turned down a leaf. In this way, he converted his Bible into a kind of Universalist Text-Book, for the indoctrination of his family. He had a REV. JUli.N BAIitV. 41^0 son, who imbibed the sentiments of his sire. At the death ol" the father, the son inherited the Bible referred to ; and, in accordance with paternal example, he used to read where the leaves were turned down, and comfort himself in the belief that the way of sin is not death. After a few years, the young man removed to the western part of this country. He went to hear a Universalist minister preach. The sermon being rather a lame performance, the man, so far from being confirmed by it, was rather shaken in his confidence. He thought, however, that he could make a stronger argument himself. He went home, and sat down to the task. But the Bible, with the leaves turned down, was away in England ; and he had forgotten where to look for the detached portions upon which he had rested his faith, and thus was forced to read his Bible in its legitimate connections and dependencies. So he read on, chapter after chapter, looking all the while for his favourite doctrine. But he did not find it. Nay, he was soon convinced, that in order to salvation, he must be born again. He sought, and soon found peace in be- lieving. For a few years, he lived the life of a consistent Christian ; and, when tfelled to die, he left the world in the full enjoyment of those consolations which it is the province of evangelical faith alone to give. REV. JOHN BAILEY. The usefulness of this eminent minister, who died in New England in 1697, did indeed begin in early life. His father, then in England, was a very licentious man. John was a little boy, but very pious, and used to pray with his mother and the whole family. This coming to the knowledge of his father, 37 431 THE AMERICAN CLERGiT. his mind became deeply impressed. The fact led him to the cross of Christ for pardon ; and he would afterwards some- limes retire, with his beloved child, to confess his past sins, and to present thanksgivings for the gmce he enjoyed. AN AGED MINISTER. An aged clergyman, who died a few years ago, not unfre- quently heard of the usefulness of some of his sermons twenty or thirty years after they had been delivered. He once rode thirty miles, on a stormy Saturday, and had but very kw hearers on the following day. He frequently thought after- wards, how foolish he had been to take such a journey to preach to a few persons, when he might have staid at home and addressed many more. Nearly twenty years afterwards, he fell into the company of a very pious gentleman, who, after a long conversation, asked him if he remembered to have preached at , at such a time ? The aged pastor replied, *' Yes ; and I have oilen thought how foolish 1 was to leave my own congregation, and ride thirty miles, in a storm, to preach to a dozen people." The gentleman rejoined, " But your sermons that day were the means of my conversion." Never afterwards did the good clergyman think any journey too long, or any audience too small, to accomplish his object. SEVERAL PASTORS. 436 SEVERAL PASTORS. When a certain pastor, whose ministry had been very highly blessed in the conversion of sinners, was asked the secret of his great usefulness, he replied, "We have a prayin . • and justice. The argument, thus confirmed by ocular demon- stration, was conclusive, and the church was erected on the new site. A DISCOURAGED YOUNG MINISTER. A YOUNG minister was settled in a large and popular congre- gation, under very flattering circumstances. The church and people had settled him in the belief that he was a young man of more than ordinary talents, and with the expectation of his becoming a distinguished man. After a year or two, when the novelty of the thing had worn off, the current seemed to change, and the feeling prevailed that Mr. B. was not, noi likely to be, quite what they had expected. He did not grow as they had thought he would ; he did not perform the amount of labour which was needed to build up the church, and interest the congregation. Things dragged heavily. The young man felt the influence of the chill atmosphere which thus surrounded him. His spirits sunk, his health failed, and it was soon whis- pered around in the society and in the neighbouring towns, that Mr. B. would probably have to leave — he was not the man for the place. He was not the man of talents they had antici- pated. While things were in this state, at a meeting of the church, when the pastor was absent, (perhaps one called to see what should be done,) Mr. , an intelligent and influential mem- ber, arose and said : " Brethren, I think we have been in the fault respecting our minister. I think that he is a young man of superior talents, Vind will one day be a distinguished man. But we have not sustained him and encouraged him as we should. We have been standin^r and looking on, expecting him to raise both him- 460 THE AMERICAN CLEBGr. » self and us to eminence. Now, let us adopt a different course. Let us encourage our minister with our prayers, our sympa- thies, and our efforts. Let us speak of him with esteem and confidence to others, and say that we think him a man of talent, and one who bids fair to be a distinguished man." The thing was agreed upon. The leading men set the ex- ample. Very soon every one was speaking in favour of Mr. B. His people visited him, sympathized with him ; and people out of the society began to remark, how Mr. B. was rising in the estimation of his people. The young man felt the change. The cold, damp chill with which he was surrounded, and which was benumbing the ener- gies of his soul, was changed by the influence of such kindly beams, and a warm atmosphere came over him. His spirits rose ; his health returned ; his energies awoke, and he showed to all that he had within him the elements of a man. Several revivals attended his labours. In the affections of the church and the people, he firmly established himself. His name be- came honourably enrolled among authors, and he was one whom his own church and other churches delight to honour. REV. DR. STANFORD. Ministers of the gospel, though it does not become them to talk of it, are often very poor, and kindness should be shown to them, both in act and in manner. The following may sug- gest an important and useful hint : — The late Rev. Dr. Stan- ford was once walking in Wall street, in New York, when he met a gentleman, who, judging from the threadbare appearance of his garments, that a new suit of clothes would not be unac- ceptable, invited him to step into a merchant tailor's shop, of)posite. After they had entered, Mr. W. remarked to the A :\EW E?JtiLAISD MINISTER. 4i;i tailor that they had called for the purpose of requesting him to decide a point upon which there was sonne doubt, namely, who was the largest man, Dr. Stanford or himself. They were accordingly measured, and nothing more was said on the sub- ject. The following week, a new suit of clothes were brought to Dr. S., accompanied with an anonymous note, requesting his acceptance of them. When relating this circumstance to his biographer, Dr. S. remarked, with his usual pleasantry, " Well, what could I do but pocket the affront ?" A NEW ENGLAND MINISTER. At the first settlement of one of the New England towns, the inhabitants, with their characteristic piety, erected a house of worship, and procured the services of an eminent ministei. Without a fixed salary, he was partially dependent upon gra- tuity for support. For the more effectual supply of his wants, as well as to testify their attachment and respect, the members of his flock appointed a day for general contribution. On that day, they came to the residence of their minister, some in carriages and some on foot, bringing with them their various gifts, all zealous to testify their love, and some, perhaps, anxious to exhibit their superior wealth. Be this as it may, they formed a happy group ; cordial salutations were interchanged, love attuned every heart, and joy sparkled in every eye. Amoncr the last to arrive, were two neighbours who resided in a remote part of the parish ; and whom want and privation, incident to a new settlement, had left nothing to give. Anxious to be the bearers of some token of their attachment and grati- tude, they had, alas! nothing but honest hearts and kind wishes. 39** 462 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. After much perplexity, they went into the woods, dug up each a small elm-tree, and came with their humble offerings. Silently and unobserved, they planted them in front of their pastor's dwelling. Not venturing to mingle among the wealthier givers, their work accomplished, they returned to their homes. Two hundred years have rolled over the events of that day. The shepherd and his flock are sleeping side by side. They that gave, and he that received, have passed away ; givers and their gifts forgotten. Nay, they are not all forgotten. Neai" by, and designating the site of the parsonage, stands an aged elm. Until witiiin a few years, there were two of them. In- terlocking their giant branches, they had long battled with the tempests, and drank together of the morning dews; for their shadows reached back through two centuries. Others have been planted beside them ; and long and densely shaded streets, like arched passages, have given character, beauty, and a name to the City of Elms. Of these two trees, thus planted, one has fallen a victim to time ; the other yet stands, in hale old age, rich in its memo- ries and associations — not the least of which is, that it was the poor man's gift. A SOUTHERN CLERGYMAN, Two coloured men, in the South, had just been hearing a sermon, and were conversing together about it. One of them remarked that he could understand but little of it, but the other said that he understood all but one word. "What is dat?" asked his companion. " De word 'persefverance^'' was the an- swer. To which the other rejoined, " Oh ! me tell you what dat is; it mean, take right hold; holdfast; hang on, ana no let go.'*'' REV. JOSEPH SMITH. 463 REV. JOSEPH SMITH. Our story will carry the reader back a little more than fifty years ; when all north of the Ohio river was an almost un- broken wilderness — the mysterious red man's home. On the other side, a bold and hardy band from beyond the mountains had built their log cabins, and were trying to subdue the wil- derness. To them every hour was full of peril. The Indians would often cross the river, steal their children and horses, and kill and scalp any victim who came in their way. They worked in the field with weapons at their side ; and, on the Sabbath, met in the grove of the rude log church to hear the word of God, with their rifles in their hands. To preach to these settlers, Mr. Joseph Smith, a Presbyte- rian minister, had left his parental home east of the mountains. He, it was said, was the second minister who had crossed the Monongahela river. He settled in Washington county, Penn- sylvania, and became the pastor of the Cross Creek and Upper Buffalo congregations, dividing- his time between them. He found them a willing and united people, but still unable to pay him a salary which would support his family. He, in com- mon w^th all the early ministers, must cultivate a farm. He purchased one on credit, proposing to pay for it with the salary pledged to him by his people. Years passed away ; the pastor was unpaid ; little or no money was in circulation ; wheat was abundant, but there was no market ; it could not be sold for more than tvvelve-and-a- half cents, in cash. Even their salt had to be brought across the mountains on pack-horses, and was worth eight dollars per bushel : twenty-one bushels of wheat were often given for one of salt. The time came when the last payment must be made, and 404 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. Mr. Smith was told he must pay or leave his farm. Three years' salary was now due from his people. For the want of this, his land, his improvements upon it, and his hopes of remaining among a beloved people, must be abandoned. The people were called together, and the case laid before them. They were greatly moved. Counsel from on high was sought. Plan after plan was proposed and aban- ^ doned. The people were unable to pay the tithe of their debts, and no money could be borrowed. In despair they adjourned, to meet again the following week. In the mean time it was ascertained that a Mr. Moore, who owned the only mill in the country, would grind for them wheat on moderate terms. At the next meeting, it was resolved to carry their wheat to Mr. Moore's mill. Some gave fifty bushels, some more. This was carried from fifteen to twenty- six miles, on horses, to the mill. In a month, word came that the flour was ready to go to market. Again the people were called together. After an earnest prayer, the question was asked, Who will run the flour to New Orleans ? This was a startling question. The work was perilous in the extreme. Months must pass before the adventurer could hope to return, even though his journey should be fortunate. Nearly all the way was a wilderness ; and gloomy tales had been told of the treacherous Indians. More than one boat's crew had gone on that journey, and came back no more. Who, then, would endure the toil and brave the danger? None volunteered. The young shrunk back, and the middle- aged had their excuses. Their last scheme seemed likely to fail. At length a hoary-headed man, an elder in the church, sixty-four years of age, arose, and, to the astonishment of the assembly, said, " Here am I ; send me." The deepest feeling at once pervaded the whole assembly. To see their venerated elder thus devote himself for their iioo i, melted them all to REV. JOSEl'H SMITH. 465 tears. They gathered around old Father Smiley, to learn that his resolution was indeed taken ; that, rather than lose their pastor, he would brave danger, toil, and even death. After some delay and trouble, two young men were induced, by hope of a large reward, to go as his assistants. A day was appointed for starting. The young and old, from far and near, from love to Father Smiley, and the deep inte- rest in the object of his mission, gathered together, and, with their pastor at their head, came down from the church, fifteen miles away to the bank of the river, to bid the old man fare- well. Then a prayer was offered by their pastor. A parting hymn was sung. "There," said the old Scotchman, "untie the cable, and let us see what the Lord will do for us." This was done, and the boat floated slowly away. More than nine months passed, and no word came back from Father Smiley. Many a prayer had been breathed for him; but what had been his fate, was unknown. Another Sabbath came. The people came together for worship ; and there, on his rude bench, before the preacher, composed and devout, sat Father Smiley. After the services, the people were requested to meet early in the week, to hear the report. All came again. After thanks had been rendered to God for his safe return, Father Smiley arose and told his story :— That the Lord had prospered his mission ; that he had sold his f^our for twenty- seven dollars per barrel, and then got safely back. He then drew a large purse, and poured upon the table a larger pile of o-old than most of the spectators had ever seen before. The youniT men were paid each a hundred dollars. Father Smiley was asked his charges. He meekly replied that he thought lie ought to have the same as one of the young men, though he had not done quite as much work. It was immediately pro- posed to pay him three hundred dollars. This he refused to receive, till the pastor was paid. Upon counting the money, there was found enough to pay what was due Mr. S., to ad- 466 THE AMERICAN CLERGY. vance his salary tor the year to come, to reward Father Smi- ley with three hundred dollars, and then to leave a large dividend for each contribution. Thus their debts were paid, their pastor relieved ; and, while life lasted, he broke to them the bread of life. The bones of both pastor and elder have long reposed in the same church-yard ; but a grateful posterity still tell this pleasing story of the past. A MISSIONARY AMONG THE INDIANS. Few anecdotes are more interesting, as connected with the ministry, than some of those relating to the Indians. In 1803, these persons at Stockbridge delivered a speech to a missionary who laboured among them, which shows their affection to him, while it also illustrates not a few passages of the sacred vo- lume. The following is an extract : — Father I when I look at you, I see the tears are falling down your cheeks, on account of the many dismal objects you have seen. Now, according to the ancient custom of my forefathers, I stretch forth my hand and wipe the tears from your eyes, that you may see clearly. And, likewise, I see that your ears are stopped with the dust that flies about. I now clear your ears, that you may hear distinctly. I also loosen your" tongue, that you may speak freely. Having done this, I see that your legs and feet are muddy, by reason of the wet path by which you travel. I likewise wash your legs and feet. While I do this, I feel some briars stick in your feet. I pluck them out, and take the healing oil, which our forefathers used to keep for that purpose, and oil them, that they may feel comfortable, while you sit by the side of our fire-place. MORAVIAN MISSIONARIES. 467 MORAVIAN MISSIONARIES. A LARGE body of Indians had been converted by the Mora- vian missionaries, and settled in the West, where their sim- plicity and harmlessness seemed a renewal of the better days Df Christianity. During the Revolutionary war, these settle- ments, named Dichtenau and Guadenhutten, being located in the seat of the former Indian contests, were exposed to outrage from both parties. Being, however, under the tuition and in- fluence of the whites, and having adopted their religion euid the virtuous portion of their habits, they naturally apprehended that the hostile Indians, sweeping down upon the American frontier, would take advantage of their helplessness, and de- stroy them as allies of the whites. Subsequent events enable us to compare the red and white man, and determine which is the savage. A party of two hundred Hurons fiercely ap- proached the Moravian Indian town. The Christian Indians conducted themselves, in this trying extremity, with meekness and firmness. They sent a deputation with refreshments to their approaching foes, and told them that, by the word of God, they were taught to be at peace with all men, and entreated for themselves and their white teachers, peace and protection. And what replied the savage, fresh from the wilds, and panting for blood? Did he mock to scorn the meek and Christian appeal ? Did he answer with the war-whoop, and lead on his men to the easy slaughter of his foes ? What else could be expected from an Indian ? Yet such was not the response of the red warrior. He said he was on a war party, and his heart had been evil, and his aim had been blood ; but the words of his brethren had opened his eyes. He would do them no harm. "Obey your teachers," said he, "worship your God, and be not afraid. No creature shall harm you." 468 THE AMERICAN CLEKGV, A DISCOURAGED PASTOK. I ONCE heard of a minister who stated that he preached a number of years in a certain place, without any visible benefit to any one. Finally, he concluded it was not right for him to preach, and in consequence thought he would give it up. But, while musing on the subject, he fell asleep and dreamed. " I dreamed," said he, " that I was to work for a certain man for so much, and my business was sitting upon a very large rock, with a very small hammer, pounding upon the middle of it, in order to split it open. I worked a long time, to no effect ; and at length I became discouraged, and began to complain, when my employer came. Said he, ' Why do you complain ? Have you not fared well while in my employ ?' "*0h! yes.' " ' Have you not had enough to eat ?' "*Yes.' " * Have you been neglected in any way ?' " * No, sir.' "'Then,' said he, 'keep to work, cease your complaints, and I will take care of the result.' " He then left me. "I then thought that I applied my little hammer with more energy, and soon the rock burst open v/i!h such force that it awoke me. Then," says he, " I ceased to complain ; I seized my little hammer with new vigor; I hammered upon that great rock. Sin, with renewed energy, nothing doubting, and soon the rock burst. The Spirit of the Lord rushed in, and the result was a reward of a glorious ingathering of souls." A CLERGYMAN. 469 REV. SYLVESTER LARNED. The communication of reproof, however painful it may be is one of the most important and most useful duties of the Christian ministry. A Spanish gentleman once called on the late Rev. Sylvester Larned, of New Orleans, one of the most eloquent pulpit orators of his day, to say that he wished to join his church, and to receive the sacrament of the Lord's Supper ; " for," said he, with an oath, " you are the most elo- quent man I have ever heard !" Mr. Larned spent an hour with him in explaining what was required in order to becoming a member of his church : in other words, what it is to be a true Christian ; and the Spaniard went away with a heavy heart, to reflect on a subject which had never been presented to his mind in the same light before. A CLERGYMAN. A CLERGYMAN, who was not very remarkable for his zeal in the cause of his Divine Master, while travelling in New York state, stopped for a night in a place where there was an exten- sive revival of religion. After resting for a short time at the inn, his curiosity to view the place led him to stroll through the streets. He had not proceeded far on his evening ramble, before his ear was arrested by the voice of prayer. He paused and listened ; and, finding that the voice issued from a retired and humble dwelling by the roadside, stranger as he was, he resolved to enter. On entering, he found himself unexpectedly surrounded by a band of disciples, assembled for special prayer. He cast his eye about, upon the little group, in a vain endeavour to find some one whom he could recognise as an 40 470 THE AMEBICAN CLERGY. acquaintance ; but all were strangers in person, through bre- thren in Christ. Collecting his wandering thoughts, he bowed himself in the humble attitude of prayer, and, to his infinite surprise, he soon discovered that himself, by name, and the people of his charge, were the subjects of ardent and importu- nate supplication. The person who was leading their devo- tions, was an entire stranger to him ; and yet he seemed to wrestle in spirit with God, that he might be aroused to greater faithfulness and zeal in his ministerial duties and private devo- tions, and that God would prepare him to become an agent in reviving his work in the church and congregation over whom he was placed as a spiritual watchman. After the meeting had closed, being deeply impressed with the guilt of his past negligence, and with the responsibility of the minis- terial office, he silently withdrew and returned to his lodgings. Not long after this event, he returned to his people, and re- sumed, with renewed vigour, the duties of his office. Within a short time, a revival commenced in his congregation, and three hundred were early numbered as the hopeful subjects of redeeming mercy. INDEX OF PERSONS AND PLACES Paoe A., Rev. Mr. 22 Adams, Rev. Z. 160 African 448 Albany, N. Y. 131, 231, 353 Alden, Rev. Mr. 217 Alder, Rev. Dr. 134 Alexander, Rev. Dr. 6 Middleborough, Mass. 217 Middleton, Del. 19 Mid Lothian, Virginia 145 Miller, a Sabbath-breaking 346 INDEX OF PERSONS AND I'LACES. iO Paob Miiler, Rev. Dr 111,224 Minister 228, 370, 371, 435, 436, 447 , a Baptist 311 , a circuit 257 , a city 197 , a country 277 , a delightea 282 , a faithful 116, 276, 335 , in New Hampshire 226 Newark, N. J. New Haven New Brunswick Newbury Newburyport Newcastle, Del. 20, 90, 120, 233 455 17, 60, 94, 400 152 173, 249 432 in Boston ' , in New York - — ■ , a mistaken , an able — — , an aged , a New England , an unsuccessful , a penitent , a poor — — — , a popular , a shrewd , a travelling , a Universalist a young -, a zealous Ministers, Puritan -, several young , six young , thoughtless — , two Missionaries, American Missionary ■ , a home , an Indian , a Moravian Mississippi river Monmouth, N. J. Monongahela river Moody, Rev. Mr. Moore, Mr. Morton, Rev. C. S* 336 326, 424, 457 450 27 340, 373, 434 42, 148, 375. 444,460 286 377 312 209 427 347 158, 225, 240, 267, 375, 378, 432 71, 233, 282, 459 40 437 30 28 224 249, 262 437 50, 192 455 69, 96, 466 467 290, 453 120 463 152, 285 464 132 N., Mrs. — , Rev. Mr. Narragansett bay Negro, an old Neshaminy Nettleton, Rev. Dr. 360 109 191 29 59 115, 237, 241, 296 New England 95, 122, 133, 148, 176, 210, 217, 356, 433, 438, 444, 445 New Hampshire 42, 44, 72, 226, 312, 357, 385 New Jersey 17,60,117,166,265,287, 343, 451 New London, Penn. 18 New Orleans 107, 410, 464, 469 New Plymouth 95 Newport, R. I. 191 Newton, Mass. 348 New York 38, 54, 62, 83, 85, 108, 138, 155, 177, J 84, 185, 192, 200, 202, 233, 240, 264, 269, 274, 315, 316, 321, 326, 334, 335, 341, 342, 349, 4, 357, 360, 368, 373, 386, 387, 395, 402, 424, 457, 460, 469 Nightingale, Rev. S. 37 North Carolina 60, 94, 204 Northampton, Mass. 38, 66, 195 Norwich, Conn. 208 Nott, Rev. Dr. 206 O., Mr. 459 Oglethorpe, Governor 315 Ohio 70, 176. 276, 414, 456, 463 Otsego 47 P., General Paine, Thomaa Palestine Pammechannit Paris 362 40, 290, 291 85 St 65 Party, a gay, and Dr. Netlleton 308 Pastor, a Baptist 245 , a Christian 874, 414 , a devoted 213 , a discouraged 469 , a good 26 476 Pastor, an anxious , a wise Pastors, several Patten, Rev. Dr. Patterson, Rev. J. Pattison, Rev. Dr. Payson, Rev. Dr. Pennsylvania Perkins, Rev. J. I'ersia Perth Amboy INDEX OF PERSONS AND PLACES. Paoe 324 292 435 54 370, 441 205 78, 104, 206, 253, 417 18, 24, 139 40 40 287 Peter, the Indian preacher 159 Philadelphia 23, 37, 38, 46, 50, 54, 109, 113, 123, 130, 140, 141, 171, 250, 259, 276, 311, 331, 441, 453 Phips, Governor Physician Pierce, Rev. Dr. Pittsfield Plainfield, Mass. , N. J. Plato Plymouth Polk, Rev. Mr. Pond, Rev. Dr. Porter, Rev. Dr. , Rev. T. Portland, Me. Poughkeepsie, N. Y. Preacher , a forcible , from England , a good , an impressive , an unknown , a practical , a Universalist Preachers, coloured Priestley, Rev. Dr. Prince, Rev. Mr. Princeton, college at Providence, R. 1. Punch, a Christian negro 210 409 150 115 64 343 . 156 134 36 247 210 130 104,419 273 269 112 448 161, 384 103 338 181 229, 231 171, 283, 289 111 444 49, 111, 139, 265, 383, 442 50, 205, 378 219 R., Mr. Raleigh, N. C. Randolph, Mrs. Rappahannock, county of Raritan river Ravencross, Rev. Mr. Rawson, Rev. Mr. Reading, Mass. Restorationist Rhode Island Rice, Rev. Dr. J. H. , Rev. Luther Richards, Rev. Dr. Richmond, Rev. L. ,Va. Paob 213, 232 204 Robinson, Rev. W. Rodgers, Rev. Dr. 416 182 287 22 131 189 297 317 206, 415 182 90 388 281 17, 60, 94 18, 61, 83, 84, 141, 202, 223, 256, 432 387 157 87, 109, 148, 162, 249, 268, 431 Sailor, a profane 50, 44f Salem 408 Saratoga, springs at 420 Savannah river 128 Scipio, an African 248 Scotch Plains, N. J. 235, 287 Scudder, Rev. Dr. 50, 235 Sedgwick, Judge 440 Seneca Lake 98 Shepherd, Rev. John 207 Sheppard, Rev. Professor 177 Sherburne 387 Shoals, Isle of 189 Skeptic 370 Slave, a blind 146 Smiley, Elder 464 Smith, Rev. Dr. J. B. 75 , Rev, Joseph 463 Rome, N. Y. Rousseau S., Rev. Mr. INDEX OF PERSONS AND PLACES. 477 Socrates Soldier, a Scottish Somers South Amboy South Carolina Spencer, Rev. Mr. Sprague, Rev. Dr. Spring, Rev. Dr. Springfield, Mass. , Ohio Standford, Rev. B. Stanfcrd, Rev. Dr. Staughton, Rev. Dr. Stearns, Rev. S. H. Stevens, Rev. Mr. Still, Rev. C. Stillman, Rev. Dr. Stockbridge, Mass. Stoddard, Rev. S. Stone, Rev. Dr. St. George's, Del. St. Louis St. Mary's Strawbridge, Rev. Mr. Strong, Rev. Dr. , Rev. Mr. Sullivan, General Summerfield, Rev. John Sunday, Rev. John Symington, Mrs. Paox 157 410 455 287 127, 400 321 73 316, 440 122, 124 257 175 177, 225, 341, 460 113, 114, 250, 290 195 173 76 149, 217 42 38, 195] 191 18, 19, 83, 141 424, 455 211 252 79, 123 163 203 184,400 134 161 Taylor, Rev. Dr. N. W. , Rev. E. T. Teetotaller, a staunch Tennent, Rev. G. , Rev. W Tennessee Texas Tinsley, Rev. D. Todd, Rev. Dr Tom, poor 237 76. 106 386 166, 453 54,59,117,118, 120, 265, 360 358, 453 262 204 357 54 Treat, Rev. Mr. Trefit, Rev. Mr. Trenton, N. J. Truair, Rev. Mr. Truro, parish of Tuscarora Indians Tyler, Rev. Dr. Faox 154 426 400 155,387 458 50,96 237 United States, Military Academy nf 25 Universalist 112,296 Utica 167, 386 Utrecht 230 Vermont 81, 85, 371 Vernon, Mount 458 Virginia 22, 28, 61, 74, 138, 204, 206, 280, 293, 308, 339, 361, 388. 415 W., Mr. Wabash Waddell, Rev. Dr. Walker, Rev. J. , Rev. Mr. Ward, Bishop Washington , N. Y. 418, Waters, Mr. Waubon, Indian chief Welch, Rev. Dr. Wells, Rev. S. T. Wesley, Rev. J. West, Rev. Dr. Westminster, Vt. Whitefield, Rev. G. Whitman, Deacon J. 83, 196.264, 431 409 155, 317 204 387 276 451, 458, 463 441 182 179 131 391 315 42 371 118, 135, 16.1, 337, 339, 449 75 478 INDEX OF PERSONS AND PLACES. Wickford Willard, Rev, Mr. VVjUey, Rev. Mr. Williams, Rev. W. Williamsburg, Va. Wiltshire, town of Winder, Mr. Winthrop, Governor Wirt, Hon. Mr. Wisner, Rev. Dr. Witherspoon, Mr. , Rev. Dr. Woburn, Mass. Paoe 191 Worcester, Rev. Mr 154 Wrentham, Mass. 72 WykoflF, Mr. 217 Wyman, Deacon 256 Wyoming, N. Y. 212 84 111 155, 317 444 19 Yale College 383 Yarmouth 396 York, Me. Pass 408 217 281 396 457 455 131 152 THE END. ANNOUNCEMENT. The Editor of this work respectfully announces that he has in preparation a series of volumes, uniform in size and price with " The Clergy of America ;" the publication of which may be expected at as early a period as may comport with the care demanded in their preparation by their import- ance. The following list will show the varied character, and give a general idea of the contents of the series ; but pro- bably it does not furnish the order in which they will be issued. THE PULPIT OF AMERICA :— Facts relating to its occu- pants, incidents, and results, in the United States. A companion to " The Clergy of America." THE LITERATURE OF AMERICA: — Anecdotes of its history, authors, curiosities, and influence, in the United States. THE LADIES OF AMERICA :— Anecdotes illustrative of the female character in the United States. (479) ANNOUNCEMENT. THE GENTLEMEN OF AMERICA:— Anecdotes illustra- live of the character of professional and other members of general society in the United States. THE YOUNG PEOPLE OF AMERICA :— Anecdotes illus- trative of juvenile character in the United States. (480) .■.—-- ■■•*■■ n \