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MEMOIR 
 
 OF THE 
 
 LIFE AND CHARACTER 
 
 REV. JOSEPH VAILL, 
 
 4/ 
 
 LATE PASTOR OF THE CHURCH OF CHRIST IN HADLYME. 
 
 BY REV. ISAAC PARSONS, 
 
 * 
 Pastor of the Church of Christ in East-Haddam. 
 
 ' Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life."-- -Rev. ii, 10. 
 
 
 NEW YORK. 
 TAYLOR AND D O D D . 
 
 (LATE JOHN S. TAYLOR,) 
 
 1839. 
 

 Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1839, by 
 ELIHU GEER, 
 
 in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Connecticut. 
 
 3 *€" h i 
 
 Print 
 
 ELIHU GEER 26^ STATE- ST.. 
 
 HARTFORD. CONN. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 The characters of men remain behind them after they 
 have left the world. The good and faithful may continue 
 to do good by their example and moral influence beyond 
 the period of their mortal lives and after they have gone 
 to their reward. 
 
 It is with a view to perpetuate the example and influ- 
 ence of a laborious and faithful minister of the Gospel, 
 that the following Memoir is given to the public. It has 
 not been the design of the compiler, to furnish a bio- 
 graphical sketch to attract the admiration of readers, nor 
 to accord with the taste of the age, in requiring that 
 which is wonderful and uncommon and marvellous in a 
 memoir ; but it has been his design to present the sub- 
 eet of the following memoir in a true light — to exhibit 
 him just as he was in his life, in plain narrative, without 
 embellishments of style or figures of rhetoric. 
 
 He has not entered on this service, without the solicit- 
 ation of friends, nor without the advice of Ministerial 
 Brethren. The impression was extensive among the 
 numerous friends and acquaintances of Mr. Vail], after 
 his decease, that a brief memoir of his life would be use- 
 ful to the cause of Christ, and that some record of his 
 faithful services, and ministerial and Christian graces 
 should be preserved for the benefit of the living. How 
 far the compiler has succeeded in this humble attempt to 
 give a true portraiture of the character of this beloved 
 
I 
 
 IV PREFACE. 
 
 and venerable minister of Christ, he leaves it to the 
 reader to say. 
 
 He commits the volume to the Providence of God, and 
 submits it to an impartial Christian public, with hope and 
 with prayer to God, that so far as read, it will perpetuate 
 the example of this faithful servant of the Lord, for the 
 encouragement of Christians and Christian ministers in 
 duty, and awaken interest in all classes of readers in the 
 concerns of salvation, and thus prove instrumental in ad- 
 vancing the interests of true religion in the world. 
 
 The Compiler. 
 
 East Haddam, August 14th, 1839. 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 CH APTER I. 
 
 Page. 
 His parentage. Birth. Early education. Manner of life up to 
 the age of twenty one years. Dealings of God with him during 
 this period. 13 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Plan for obtaining an education. Difficulties in entering on it. 
 Leaves home for Dartmouth College. His journey. Safe ar- 
 rival. Description of the place. Finds Mr. J. O. Begins to la- 
 bor. Commences the study of Latin. Privations and hard- 
 ships. Enters College. Continues to reside at the Mills and la- 
 bor. Recites regularly with his class in College. Whole period 
 of his residence at the Mills. Account of his religious state. 
 Joins the College Church. 21 
 
 CHAPTE R III. 
 
 Goes to room in College. Instructs the Canadian boys. Experi- 
 ences sickness. Leaves College for a time. College exercises in- 
 terrupted. Returns to College. Has charge of Mores' School. 
 Again leaves College. Returns. Finds embarrassments. Grad- 
 uates with his class. Acknowledge the goodness of God in carry 
 ing him through. Studies Theology. Licensed to preach. In- 
 vited to Hadlyme. Receives ordination. .... 32 
 
 C H APTE R I V. 
 
 Enters on the Pastoral office. Time of declension. Half-way cov- 
 enant. Pastoral labors Interest in Children. His oversight of 
 his people. Attention to the afflicted. Doctrinal views. Impor- 
 ance of sound doctrine. Punctuality. Character of his preach- 
 ing. Its influence. His fidelity acknowledged. . . . 45 
 
VI 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 His marriage. A happy connection. Fidelity of his companion. 
 Success in the government and education of their children. In- 
 dustry and economy. Devoted to the instruction of youth. Ex- 
 tracts from his journal. Death of his companion. Extracts from 
 his letters. Affectionate respect shown him by his children. . 53 
 
 C HAPTE R VI. 
 
 His natural shrewdness. His feelings in regard to this trait in his 
 character. Powers of conversation. Poetical talent. Extracts 
 from his poetry. Notice of his publications. Sermon at the or- 
 dination of his younger son— extracts. Sermon at the ordina- 
 tion of his elder son — extracts 
 
 70 
 
 CH APTE R VII. 
 
 Extracts from his Journal, illustrating his personal piety. 
 
 86 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 Extracts from his Journal continued. — Birth-day reflec- 
 tions. Anniversary of his ordination. New Year's reflections. 
 Parochial calls. Spirit of the world. Religious education of 
 children. Parental neglect. Two infidels. Modern mode of 
 settling ministers exceptionable. Hasty admissions to the Church. 
 Young converts 105 
 
 CH APTE R IX. 
 
 Extracts from his Journal continued. — His despondence. 
 Trials and discouragements. Thinks of asking for a dismission. 
 The Church conformed to the world. Meets with opposition aa 
 school visiter. Commits his cause to God. Low state of Reli- 
 gion. The ministry attended with trials. Faults of ministers 
 and of church-members. Reformation desirable. Addresses the 
 Church on their renewal of covenant. 127 
 
 C HAPTE R X. 
 
 Extracts from his journal continued — miscellaneous, 
 from a few of his letters — miscellaneous. 
 
 Extracts 
 
 148 
 
CONTENTS. Vll 
 
 C HAPTER X I. 
 
 His missionary spirit. His missions. Observance of the monthly 
 concert of prayer. Atiachment to the cause of missions. Gives 
 up his eldest son to be a missionary. Dismission of this son from 
 the people of his charge. Parting address to his son and his 
 family 167 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 His spirit as a revival preacher. His want of apparent success no 
 proof of his unfaithfulness. If tried by the rule of some modern 
 preachers, he would be found deficient in piety. Erroneous 
 extremes in regard to revivals. Revivals under his ministry. 
 His interest in them. Good fruits. Thankfulness for them. 
 Readiness to promote them 181 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 Interest in objects of benevolence. Life member of two Benevolent 
 Societies. Efforts in the temperance cause. Results among his 
 own people. Extracts from a Temperance Address. Extracts 
 from a private letter to an acquaintance 194 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 Settlement of a Colleague. Retires from active service. Unex- 
 pected removal to Killingworth. Farewell address to his people. 
 Occasional labors and visits after his removal. Useful to the close 
 of life 205 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 His last sickness. Death. Funeral. Extracts from the sermon 
 preached at his funeral. Notices of his life and character, as 
 sketched by different persons. Closing remarks. . . . 217 
 
MEMOIR 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 His parentage. Birth. Early education. Manner of life up to the age 
 of twenty-one years. Dealings of God with him during this period. 
 
 The Rev. Joseph Vaill, the subject of the 
 following memoir, was born at Litchfield, Con- 
 necticut, July 14th 1751. His father, Mr. Jo- 
 seph Vaill, was the son of Mr. Daniel Vaill, 
 who resided at Southold, on Long Island. His 
 mother, Jerusha Vaill, was the daughter of Mr. 
 William Beck, who removed from Hartford to 
 Litchfield, at an early period in the settlement 
 of that town. 
 
 His parents were both members of the Con- 
 gregational church in Litchfield. As visible 
 believers, they were upright, and consistent in 
 their walk, and respectable in their standing 
 in society. They early instructed their child- 
 2 
 
14 MEMOIR OF 
 
 ren in the truths of religion, and taught them 
 by precept and example, to respect the word 
 and worship of God. Joseph was their eldest 
 son. His childhood and youth were passed un- 
 der the parental roof. The advantages for 
 early education at that period, were inconsid- 
 erable in comparison with those of the present 
 time. Those of the common school and of the 
 family were all that this son enjoyed, until he 
 attained to the age of twenty-one years. He was 
 a sober and obedient child, and an industrious 
 and moral youth. His parents calculated on 
 his remaining with them after he should become 
 of lawful age to act for himself; and that, as 
 he had been brought up to labor on a farm, he 
 would follow the occupation of farming as his 
 chosen employment for life. But Providence 
 had designs in regard to this son which were 
 not, at that time, made known to his parents, 
 which would disappoint their expectations in a 
 manner afflictive to them, at first ; — yet in 
 which they acquiesced ; — and they were per- 
 mitted to live to see their son conducted in a 
 way in life very different from that which they 
 had marked out for him. 
 
 The following sketches of his early history, 
 and of the influence of religious truth in his ex- 
 perience in early life, are from a manuscript 
 written by himself in the latter part of his life. 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 15 
 
 The manuscript is entitled " Some account 
 of my early life and of the dealings of 
 God with me." 
 
 " I was early taught to read, and sent to 
 school, in the summer, to a female teacher when 
 about four years of age, and to a male teacher 
 in the fall and winter, until I was fourteen or 
 fifteen years of age. But, in consequence of 
 the want of suitable skill and management of 
 school teachers in general of that day, and my 
 inclination to play, I gained but an incorrect 
 knowledge of several branches of learning to 
 what I ought to have gained in that period. I 
 was, however, viewed as good a reader and 
 speller as almost any one of my standing. 
 
 " I early experienced serious impressions of the 
 Divine Spirit at times, and especially when I 
 heard some awakening discourse. I well re- 
 member the tender and anxious feelings which 
 were produced in my mind when not more 
 than five years of age by the solemn and affec- 
 ting address of a pious school-mistress, on the 
 proceedings of the judgment of the last day, as 
 recorded in the latter part of the twenty-fifth 
 Chapter of Matthew's Gospel. 
 
 " By means of early religious instruction and 
 tenderness of conscience, I was kept back from 
 many of those vices which were common to 
 some of my playmates — such as quarrelling, 
 
16 MEMOIR OF 
 
 lying, calling wicked names, and especially from 
 profane swearing. When I was about the age 
 of seven or eight years, I was much affected 
 when any person of my acquaintance died, and 
 I underwent many fearful apprehensions in 
 view of death, lest I should die in my unprepar- 
 ed condition, and be forever miserable. I was 
 often, in sleep, greatly alarmed by frightful 
 dreams about death, and the world's coming to 
 an end, and the scenes of the judgment day, and 
 I awoke at times, in great bitterness of spirit, 
 and attempted to pray, and continued distres- 
 sed for a few hours, and then my fears would 
 subside for the time. The same was true in 
 sickness ; and whenever my health was im- 
 paired, I felt alarmed lest I should die. There 
 was in my mind, from very early life, a great 
 natural dread of death, aside from my conscious 
 unpreparedness for death." 
 
 " My mind was more or less exercised from 
 year to year, until I grew to a state of manhood ; 
 and I had many seasons of seriousness in 
 which I read the Bible and other religious 
 Books, and attempted to pray frequently. In 
 some of these seasons I began to indulge hope 
 that I had reformed my life, and that 1 loved 
 religious duties, and was about setting out in 
 earnest for the kingdom of heaven ; yet af- 
 terwards, being led to associate with loose com- 
 
EEV. JOSEPH VAILL. 17 
 
 panions, I was left to grieve away the Spirit, 
 and soon returned to my former careless course 
 of life. I have often thought that if I had liv- 
 ed when there was a season of awakening and 
 revival of religion, and had told my exercises 
 to others, they would have numbered me among 
 the hopeful converts. And from my long ac- 
 quaintance and experience in such seasons, I 
 have witnessed many such superficial conver- 
 sions, which prove as did several of mine, like 
 the morning cloud, and early dew, which van- 
 ish before the sun. 
 
 "For a part of the time, when I was from 
 fourteen to twenty years of age, I fell into a 
 criminal abuse of the Sabbath, by indulging in 
 levity of behavior, and unbecoming conversa- 
 tion in going to the place of worship, and in the 
 intermission, by mingling in company with light 
 and vain youth. Though my conscience fre- 
 quently reproved me for thus profaning this sa- 
 cred day, and I often, on the morning of the 
 Sabbath, resolved that I would be upon my 
 guard against this sin which so easily beset me, 
 yet when I came to meet my light companions, 
 I was wont to break over my resolutions. As 
 I had been instructed from early life, in the ne- 
 cessity of a change of heart, and had read ac- 
 counts of revivals of religion, I grew up with a 
 fixed belief, that unless I should be converted, 
 2* 
 
18 MEMOIR OF 
 
 I must perish forever. This thought caused in 
 me, fearful apprehensions of dying and going to 
 judgment in an unconverted state. I was greatly 
 alarmed in time of a thunder storm ; as I feared 
 I should be struck dead by the lightning and 
 sent to hell in a moment. The illumination of 
 the heavens by remarkable northern lights, at 
 that period struck me with terror, lest it should 
 be a token that the conflagration of the world 
 was about to follow ; and under this impres- 
 sion, I was induced to pray and to alter my 
 sinful course for a time. When about seven- 
 teen years of age, I was alarmed by the sudden 
 surprising death of one of my intimate acquaint- 
 ance, who was instantly killed by a loaded cart's 
 passing over his body. He had been such an 
 irreligious and profane youth, that I feared he 
 had gone to hell. This awful Providence exci- 
 ted me to a more diligent attention to the con- 
 cerns of my own soul. I prayed more and 
 read the Scriptures more diligently ; and 
 thought more on religious subjects for a number 
 of weeks. But I gradually lost the impressions 
 of this Providence, and relapsed into my for- 
 mer impenitent course. 
 
 " I frequently lotted out, in my mind, to be 
 more happy in some future period of my life, 
 by obtaining wealth, or by settling in the world ; 
 — but the thought that I should be a miserable 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 19 
 
 creature, should I continue destitute of religion, 
 would at once, destroy all my anticipated hap- 
 piness. 
 
 " When I was about twenty years of age, 
 being confined by lameness for a considerable 
 time, I attended diligently to reading the Bible, 
 and other religious books, and betook myself 
 more constantly to secret prayer, and drew up 
 a number of resolutions to devote my life to the 
 service of Christ. About this time, I began to 
 think of attempting to gain an education with a 
 view of being qualified for the Gospel ministry. 
 But my resolutions were made in my own 
 strength ; and I yielded to temptation, and lost, 
 in a measure my serious impressions. Thus I 
 lived in an unsettled and undecided state of mind, 
 and found myself to increase in hardness of heart; 
 for in many respects, what would greatly af- 
 fect me, when in younger life, would now have 
 little or no impression on my mind, though I 
 believe my concern for my soul became more 
 rational than formerly. 
 
 " Before I set out to procure a College edu- 
 cation, my inclination to join young people in 
 their amusements and parties of pleasure grew 
 less, until I wholly forsook their vain amuse- 
 ments. But during all this time, I had but a 
 little sense of the totally depraved state, and 
 desperate wickedness of my heart, and of my 
 
20 MEMOIR OP 
 
 inability to help or save myself. As the Spirit 
 of God continued to strive with me, notwith- 
 standing all my relapses, broken resolutions and 
 aggravated abuses of God's forbearing mercy, 
 I lived an uncomfortable life. I was not happy 
 in the things of the world, nor was my con- 
 science at ease." 
 
 The reader has now seen the subject of this 
 memoir passing on in life, Under a religious 
 early education, and the strivings of God's Spir- 
 it, to the age of twenty-one years, without gain- 
 ing any satisfactory evidence that he was a 
 child of God. The temptations which assail 
 young people are essentially the same in every 
 age. The influence of irreligious companions 
 proved to him a temptation to violate the Sab- 
 bath. Children should be early taught to avoid 
 the influence, and to shun the example of such 
 as have no respect for the Sabbath, nor se- 
 rious concern for their own salvation. 
 
BEV. JOSEPH VAILL. 21 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Plan for obtaining an education. Difficulties in entering on it. Leaves 
 home for Dartmouth College. His journey. Safe arrival. Descrip- 
 tion of the place. Finds Mr. J. O. Begins to labor. Commences the 
 study of Latin. Privations and hardships. Enters College. Con- 
 tinues to reside at the Mills and labor. Recites regularly with his 
 class in College. Whole period of his residence at the Mills. Ac- 
 count of his religious state. Joins the College Church. 
 
 "Sometime in the month of June 1772, a plan 
 was proposed by Mr. J. O., who had removed 
 the preceding year, into the neighborhood of 
 Dartmouth College, for several young men to 
 procure a College education, and to defray their 
 expenses, by tending a saw-mill and grist-mill, 
 the property of the College, which he had ta- 
 ken to run on shares. A brother of Mr. O. 
 had before this, become a member of Dartmouth 
 College. 1 had been thinking of a public educa- 
 tion for some time, and had been desirous of 
 obtaining one ; but no way seemed to be open 
 to me for it. Two of my acquaintance con- 
 cluded to make trial of Mr. O's plan, and I felt 
 inclined to join them in this new and arduous 
 
22 MEMOIR OF 
 
 enterprize. But numerous and seemingly in- 
 surmountable difficulties lay in the way : As 
 my father was considerably advanced in life, 
 (turned of fifty) and had no other son except 
 one who was then an infant about six months 
 old, and had involved himself in debt to a con- 
 siderable amount, for the purchase of a suitable 
 settlement for me that I might live near to him. 
 He had seven daughters, most of whom were 
 dependent on him ; and on learning my plan 
 to leave home for the purpose of acquiring an 
 education, my parents started such strong ob- 
 jections, that I felt it to be my duty, at first, to 
 give it up. Still the subject was on my mind 
 continually through the summer, and I was not 
 satisfied to abandon it. At length, I signified by 
 letter, to Mr. J. O., my desire to go and pursue 
 his proposed plan, and received an answer from 
 him in the forepart of September, which fixed 
 my determination to go forward. My father 
 offered me one half of his property, if I would 
 relinquish the idea of leaving him, and remain 
 on the farm ; but I replied that I had rather 
 give up my claims to any part of his estate 
 than not go. My friends, in general, regarded 
 it as a visionary and wild undertaking which 
 would soon be given up in despair ; and dissua- 
 ded me all in their power. 
 
 " My father told me that, as I was of age, he 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 23 
 
 had no legal right to control me, and should 
 leave me to do as I thought best. He did not 
 refuse to assist me so far as he was able ; yet 
 he was not in circumstances to afford me much 
 pecuniary aid. Having made the best prepara- 
 tion I could under my circumstances, I set out, 
 with three others, for Dartmouth College, Sept. 
 28th, 1772. I took my axe with me, and such 
 articles of clothing and a few such books as 
 were most necessary. 
 
 " Four of us started in company, taking one 
 small horse with us, on which the youngest and 
 most feeble of our company rode most of the 
 way. Three of us travelled on foot, and for 
 part of two days, each footman swung his pack, 
 soldier-like. But, at length we contrived to 
 place our packs on our horse. The distance 
 we were to travel was computed to be one 
 hundred and eighty miles. I had only about 
 fifteen shillings in money in my pocket to bear 
 my expenses on the journey ; and as this pro- 
 ved insufficient, I received some more from one 
 of our company. We travelled, on an average, 
 about thirty miles a day. I had never before 
 been twenty miles from home, nor gone on foot 
 a whole day at a time. I became excessively 
 weary, and at times almost ready to lie down 
 in the street. On the third day, as we went 
 from Hartford, on the east side of Connecticut 
 
24 MEMOIR OF 
 
 River, we reached the Chickopee River in Mas- 
 sachusetts ; and finding the bridge gone, three 
 of us forded this river. One rode the horse 
 over, and ascertained that it was not dangerous, 
 on account of its depth. We pulled off our stock- 
 ings and shoes, and waded across, a distance 
 of about ten rods. The water was cold, the 
 stream rapid, and the bottom covered with 
 sharp and slippery stones. We reached Clare- 
 mont,"in New Hampshire, on Saturday night, 
 and put up at a small tavern, over the Sabbath, 
 on the beach of Sugar River. The Landlord 
 was an Episcopalian. A meeting was held at 
 his house on the Sabbath. On Monday, Oct* 
 5th, we reached the College Mills. 
 
 " The Mills were one mile south from the 
 College. They stood on a large brook, and 
 near to them, was an interval of fifteen or twen- 
 ty acres of land, which interval was nearly sur- 
 rounded on one side by a high hill of a semicir- 
 cular form, which extended from North East, 
 to South West. This hill was thickly covered 
 with forest trees. The road from the Mills to 
 the College, after about sixty rods of level land, 
 passed directly up this hill which was about one 
 fourth of a mile from the bottom to the top, 
 and thence through a hemlock swamp, nearly 
 half a mile in width, before it reached the plain 
 on which the College stood. 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 25 
 
 " We found Mr. J. O., living alone in a small 
 framed unfinished house, which had been built 
 for the residence of the man who should tend 
 the College Mills. A more solitary and roman- 
 tic situation can seldom be found. The howl- 
 ing of wild beasts, and the plaintive notes of the 
 owl, greatly added to the gloominess of the 
 night season. Mr. O., was supplied with some 
 provisions and utensils, sufficient for one who 
 lived in his solitary condition. His lodging was 
 a, box made of boards, called a bunk, with a 
 ticken filled with pine shavings, and a sufficient 
 covering of Indian blankets. For the first week 
 we strangers took each one a blanket and slept 
 upon the floor ; — but in a short time we fur- 
 nished ourselves with bunks and straw beds, 
 and with utensils sufficient to take our meals in 
 a more decent manner. 
 
 " The first four or five weeks we spent in 
 tending the mills, and in clearing away the trees 
 near our house, which furnished a supply of fuel 
 for the winter. One of our company soon gave 
 up the idea of studying, and returned to Con- 
 necticut before winter. Three of us now en- 
 tered on the study of the Latin Grammar, and 
 continued to pursue our studies through the 
 winter. Our tutor was a brother of Mr. J. 0. y 
 who was a member of the Sophomore Class in 
 College. We gave him his board for his ser- 
 
26 MEMOIR OF 
 
 vice in teaching us ; — and we had no other in- 
 structor till we entered College. During the 
 first winter, we studied in our cold house, and 
 used pine knots to burn for lights, instead of 
 candles, for a part of the time. I lodged in the 
 chamber, with one of my class-mates. We as- 
 cended a ladder placed in our small entry. My 
 pillow was a duffed great coat, and our cover- 
 ing narrow Indian blankets. We did our own 
 cooking and washing until the latter part of 
 March, w T hen a young married couple came 
 from Connecticut, and lived in our house, and 
 superintended our domestic concerns. Having 
 repaired a small cottage near by, built in part 
 of logs, we removed into that to study and 
 lodge, where we remained during the next sum- 
 mer, suffering many inconveniences, and under- 
 going many privations. 
 
 " On the return of spring in 1773, as soon as 
 the ice dissolved, we resumed our sawing. We 
 sawed about sixty thousand feet of pine boards, 
 and stuck them up. We also tended the grist 
 mill in our turns. We had one dollar per thou- 
 sand for sawing and stacking the boards, and 
 half the toll for grinding. We also burned over 
 several acres of ground, and cleared them for 
 tillage, — we sowed a part with clover seed 
 for mowing and pasture, and planted yearly 
 about one acre of corn, besides our garden. 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAtLL. 27 
 
 Our corn-field was never plowed. We em- 
 ployed our hoes in planting the corn, and we 
 dug our field when the corn was up, with our 
 hoes. The first spring after we commenced 
 our settlement there, the measles broke out in 
 our family, and proved fatal in the case of one 
 of our number, who was thrown into a quick 
 consumption, which terminated his life in about 
 six weeks. This was an afflictive Providence 
 to us all. 
 
 " In the first summer, we built a new conven- 
 ient house. One of our number and myself 
 constructed the chimney ; and for want of 
 cattle, we backed the stones from several rods 
 distance. The mantle-tree stone, two of us car- 
 ried on our shoulders nearly a mile ; and the 
 jamb-stones, we backed some distance. By the 
 time we had finished our house, which was in 
 September, my health was very much redu- 
 ced ; and I experienced a severe attack of the 
 dysentery, attended with a burning fever ; and 
 for several days, my life was greatly threatened. 
 But through a merciful Providence, I was at 
 length restored to health. Thus, I continued 
 to labor and study for two years, before I, 
 with one of the company, entered College. My 
 hardships were excessive, and especially in the 
 spring, when, after studying through the winter, 
 we turned out in the latter part of March, two 
 
28 MEMOIR OF 
 
 of us at a time, and tended the saw-mill for 
 about six weeks together. In the second spring 
 we sawed about seventy thousand feet of boards; 
 and in the third about ninety thousand. We 
 made it our rule to saw every evening, except 
 Saturday and Sabbath evenings, till ten o'clock, 
 and in the mean time, some one, in his turn, 
 tended the grist-mill. 
 
 " About two years after we began our enter- 
 prise, two young men from Massachusetts join- 
 ed us, one of whom brought on an excellent 
 cow, which furnished us with milk and butter 
 for most of the year, and greatly contributed to 
 our living more comfortably. 
 
 " After I entered college, I went twice a day 
 to recite with my class in College, which made 
 me four miles travel each day. We recited to 
 our Tutor immediately after morning prayers, 
 and again at eleven o'clock ; and some part of 
 the time we had three recitations in a day. In 
 the winter, we rose frequently at five o'clock,and 
 in the shortest days at six o'clock, and having 
 united in morning prayer in our family, I set 
 off for College, having to face the North West 
 wind, which was cold and piercing in that cli- 
 mate; and not unfrequently, I had to break 
 my path through a new fall of snow, a foot in 
 depth or more. Considering the severity of 
 the winters in that cold region, it w r as marvel- 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 29 
 
 ous that I did not freeze my limbs, or perish 
 with the cold, especially as I was but thinly 
 clothed for that climate. After my admission 
 to College, I tended the saw-mill about six 
 weeks in the spring, which was chiefly vaca- 
 tion ; and in summer, in addition to going to 
 College twice or three times a day, I made it 
 my rule to labor about three hours in the field 
 or garden, or some other kind of manual labor. 
 I had scarcely a moment's leisure from one day, 
 week and month to another. My hardships 
 were excessive, and especially in the Spring, in 
 tending the saw-mill. I was frequently exposed 
 to being drenched with water when mending 
 the trough or buckets of the water-wheel ; 
 and in one instance, I experienced a narrow es- 
 cape from being torn in pieces by the saw. 
 
 " I continued at the mills and pursued my 
 studies and labors until the month of June 1777, 
 when I was in my Junior year, which comple- 
 ted the term of about four years and a half. 
 
 " As I have before observed, my attention to 
 the things of religion became more rational and 
 permanent, before I left home ; — and my de- 
 sign when I set out to procure an education, 
 was that I might be prepared for the work of 
 the ministry. This object I kept continually in 
 view, after I entered on the prosecution of my 
 plan. My mind was habitually impressed with 
 
30 MEMOIR OF 
 
 the importance of living a religious life, I daily 
 kept up secret prayer, and paid a greater atten- 
 tion to reading and hearing the word. I gained 
 more clear and satisfactory views of the doc- 
 trines of the Gospel, and of the nature of re- 
 generation, and Christian exercises from the 
 discourses of our President, Dr. Eleazer Whee- 
 lock. About this time, I recollect that I had 
 for a short time, some very comforting viewa 
 of the glory of God's character, and divine 
 things ; and perceived a sensible alteration in 
 my feelings. I found myself frequently in the 
 exercise of ejaculatory prayer when studying 
 my lessons. But these new views and feelings 
 were followed by great spiritual darkness, and 
 with such a deep sense of my sinfulness and 
 great unworthiness that I dared not indulge so 
 much as a faint hope that I was converted. 
 Thus I remained for nearly two years in a very 
 uncomfortable state, I still kept up, daily, my 
 secret devotions, but had great conflicts from 
 my inbred corruptions, and could take no com- 
 fort in things of this world, nor but little in the 
 things of religion. I had many fears, at times, 
 lest I had committed the unpardonable sin, from 
 all of which my mind was at length freed. 
 Thus, for a long season, while I resided at the 
 mills, I was sifted and tried in every corner of 
 my heart. 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 31 
 
 " In the winter after I entered College, there 
 was a revival of religion among the students. 
 The awakening was more general in the Fresh- 
 man class, though there was a solemnity among 
 nearly all the members of College. A number 
 of my class-mates, and several others, were 
 brought to indulge hope of their conversion. 
 My exercises of mind at this time, were pecu- 
 liar. Though I felt great anxiety for my spir- 
 itual state, I could not realize that I was in a 
 state of condemnation, nor yet did I dare to 
 hope that I was a Christian, though, at times, 
 I thought I experienced real delight in religion, 
 and from that time, my light and evidence that 
 I was a friend of Christ gradually increased. 
 Notwithstanding the little evidence I had gain- 
 ed of my conversion, I ventured to join the 
 College Church sometime in 1775, while a 
 Sophomore ; and I hope, by the amazing 
 grace of God, that notwithstanding my great 
 remains of the body of sin and death, my 
 criminal short-comings and abuse of distin 
 guished privileges my experience has borne 
 some faint resemblance to the light of the morn- 
 ing, which shineth more and more unto the 
 perfect day." 
 
32 MEMOIR OF 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Goes to room in College. Instructs the Canadian boys. Experiences 
 sickness. Leaves College for a time. College exercises interrupted. 
 Returns to College. Has charge of Mores' School. Again leaves 
 College. Returns. Finds embarrassments. Graduates with his class. 
 Acknowledges the goodness of God in carrying him through. Stu- 
 dies Theology. Licensed to preach. Invited to Hadlyme. Receives 
 ordination. 
 
 In June 1777, then in his junior year in Col- 
 lege, Mr. Vaill, finding his health greatly' impair- 
 ed by his routine of labors and hardships at 
 the mills, sought advice of the President of the 
 College whether some other course might not 
 be open to him by which he might defray his 
 expenses and pursue his studies. The Presi- 
 dent proposed that he should remove into Col- 
 lege, and take charge of certain Canadian boys, 
 who had been sent there to receive an English 
 education, and that he should have his board 
 and tuition for instructing and taking the over- 
 sight of them. Accordingly he took a room in 
 College ; became the instructor of these boys, 
 and in this manner defrayed his expenses and 
 
BEV. JOSEPH VAILL. 33 
 
 continued with his class, pursuing his own stud- 
 ies, till his health failed under this change. He 
 was attacked with the billious fever in the month 
 of August, which continued for about three 
 weeks, with unabated force. In this sickness, 
 he was poorly provided for with suitable nurs- 
 ing, or with convenient lodging ; being in Col- 
 lege, without a constant attendant, most of the 
 students gone, and having but few comforts. 
 One of his class-mates went to his room several 
 times in a day, and kindly administered to his 
 wants ; and the female who had the care of the 
 Canadian boys sent him nourishing food, as he 
 became able to receive it. A Physician atten- 
 ded him, and after his fever abated, he gradu- 
 ally convalesced ; and as soon as he was able 
 to ride on horseback, it was thought advisable 
 that he should take a journey to Connecticut. 
 He accordingly set out, and pursued his journey 
 moderately, as he was able, and safely reached 
 his father's house in Litchfield, where he re- 
 mained till his health was fully restored. 
 
 On his return to College, he took charge of 
 Mores' School, so called from a benefactor, of 
 that name, to the College. This school was 
 kept in a room in the College building, and by 
 means of this service, Mr. Vaill continued to 
 defray his expenses in part for one term, when 
 in consequence of the scarcity of provisions, and 
 
34 MEMOIR OF 
 
 the deranged state of the College and of the 
 Country, he returned again to Connecticut, and 
 spent the winter of 1778, at his father's in Litch- 
 field. The state of the College, at that period, 
 is thus described by Mr. Vaill. 
 
 "The College was frequently in a state of 
 alarm and especially so after Burgoyne, with 
 the Northern army had taken the forts of Ti- 
 conderoga and Crown-point. Such was the 
 confusion among the students, as well as appre- 
 hension on the part of the faculty, that College 
 exercises were often interrupted, and in several 
 instances, they were suspended, and the students 
 permitted to return home ; or they were sent 
 for by their parents, or called for to join the 
 militia, or to enlist in the army. For as many 
 as two years before I graduated, frequent in- 
 terruptions and embarrassments attended our 
 College course. 
 
 " In the spring of 1778, I returned back to 
 the College ; but not finding provision made 
 sufficient to board all the students in the com- 
 mons, a number of us of different classes, agreed 
 to purchase our own provisions, and to hire 
 our board dressed at a private house not far 
 from the College, and we continued thus to live 
 until commencement, which was the fourth 
 Wednesday in August. I then took my degree 
 with my class ; and to pay up my College bills 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 35 
 
 which remained unpaid, I was obliged to hire 
 some money, which brought me in debt about 
 twenty dollars, at the close of my College life." 
 
 " In carrying me through the trials and hard- 
 ships of my Collegiate course, I find in the re- 
 view, abundant occasion for gratitude to God 
 for his care over me, and loving kindness to- 
 wards me ; and I would particularly notice the 
 following things in which his goodness appears 
 to have been very conspicuous. 
 
 "1. In upholding me and enabling me to 
 maintain constantly, an unshaken resolution to 
 persevere in my undertaking, amidst all my dis- 
 couragments. Though my health was feeble, 
 and I experienced distressing sickness, and 
 great depression of spirits, and often felt that I 
 could not long survive, yet I was not shaken in 
 my purpose to go forward. Indeed, there was 
 no time at which I indulged, for a moment, the 
 thought of relinquishing the object I had in view. 
 
 " 2. When I was brought into great straits 
 through want of clothing or provisions, a way 
 was soon opened in Providence for my relief. 
 At one time I found myself in great straits for 
 want of proper apparel ; and for want of some 
 articles, it seemed as if I must absent myself 
 from the worship of God, on the Sabbath, and, 
 on one Saturday, I concluded I should have to 
 tarry at home the next day for want of some 
 
36 MEMOIR OF 
 
 articles of clothing ; but Providentially, before 
 night, my father arrived from Connecticut, and 
 brought me the articles I wanted, very unex- 
 pectedly to me. 
 
 " I would mention another instance still more 
 deserving of notice. In my Senior year, having 
 returned to College after spending the winter 
 at my father's in Litchfield, I was for a short 
 time much embarrassed, having no bed, and 
 finding no provision made in the hall for the 
 board of the students. Being short of mon- 
 ey, I knew not, at first, what course to pursue. 
 But, through a kind Providence, in the course 
 of one or two days, I was provided with a 
 room and comfortable lodging, and provisions 
 for board. Thus was I provided for, from time 
 to time, when I knew not from what quarter 
 to look for relief from man." 
 
 Having honorably finished his College edu- 
 cation, Mr. Vaill turned his attention directly 
 to the study of Theology ; and, for this end, he 
 went to reside with the Rev. Mr. Storrs, of 
 Northbury, now Plymouth, Oct. 14th, 1778. 
 Here, again he was favored with the privilege 
 of teaching a public school in the winter, which 
 enabled him to meet his pecuniary engagements. 
 Mr. Storrs also gave him privileges, received 
 him into his family, furnished him with fire- 
 wood, gave him the use of his library and in- 
 
EEV. JOSEPH VAILL. 37 
 
 structed him gratuitously. He remained with 
 Mr. Storrs till May, 1779, when the Associa- 
 tion, to which Mr. Storrs belonged, met at his 
 house, and on his recommendation, Mr. Vaill 
 offered himself for examination, and, having 
 sustained himself in its several parts, he was 
 licensed as a candidate for the Gospel Ministry. 
 
 Extracts from his journal, written while re- 
 siding with Mr. Storrs. 
 
 " Nov. 8th, 1778. — Whereas 1 am cold and 
 barren, and unfruitful in religion, under pre- 
 cious privileges and clear light, and fearing that 
 I spend too much of my time in sleep, and 
 through negligence, become unfit for spiritual 
 duties ; and whereas I am too apt to spend my 
 time in conversation that profits not ; I do now, 
 in the presence of God, resolve, 
 
 " 1. That I will rise early in the morning, if 
 well, and offer up my supplications to the God 
 of all grace for divine life and quickening. 
 
 " 2. That I will guard against excess in eat- 
 ing, and will take bodily exercise suitable to my 
 employment. 
 
 " 3. That I will endeavour to turn all my 
 conversation upon profitable subjects. These 
 resolutions will I keep, God's grace assisting 
 me. 
 
 " Dec. 8th. — I feel some sense of the impor- 
 tance of being altogether a Christian, and of 
 
38 MEMOIR OF 
 
 devoting myself wholly to God. I made some 
 resolutions, but find that I easily break them ; I 
 am convinced there is such a thing as being 
 near to God, and enjoying his special presence 
 and communion with him daily. I therefore 
 now resolve to deny myself of those things which 
 I think stand in the way of such a nearness to 
 God, and humbly implore Divine grace to assist 
 me to walk with God every day. 
 
 " At times I find so much coldness in religion, 
 and my heart so easily drawn away from God, 
 that I fear I never was truly reconciled to him 
 through Christ ; I fear I never was divorced 
 from the law and married to Christ ; my heart 
 is so hard, my affections so dull, my duties dead 
 works. I am now resolved by Divine grace 
 assisting, to rise from my sloth and live like a 
 Christian. I expect soon to enter on the great 
 work of the ministry : but, alas ! how unfit I 
 am therefor ! I must take up the cross, and get 
 above the world before I can overcome it. I 
 must have Christ for the Captain of my salva- 
 tion, or I shall never gain the conquest. Help 
 me to live to thee, O my God and Redeemer 
 from this date, April 18th, 1779. 
 
 " May 6th. — Day of public fast. This day 
 I desire sincerely to confess my sins, and to put 
 away every abomination, and penitently to sup- 
 plicate the throne of grace for mercy, for re- 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 39 
 
 newing grace, and for Divine life and love ; that 
 God would effectually humble me, and bring 
 me off from every legal dependence, and build 
 me up in Christ ; that he would be with me 
 and prepare me to preach the Gospel, and to 
 go forth into his vineyard in the name of Christ; 
 and that he would be entreated for our land and 
 save us from ruin, and revive and build up the 
 cause of the Redeemer. And O Lord, assist me, 
 a poor worm, in all the duties of the day." 
 
 In view of being licensed to preach, 23d 
 May, 1779. "If licensed, as I expect to be on 
 Tuesday next, I propose to enter upon the work 
 of the ministry, on the following Sabbath. O 
 that God would prepare me for that great and 
 solemn work, and for that end, give me a double 
 portion of his Holy Spirit. I pray I may not 
 be left to go in my own name ; but, if I am not 
 called of God to go forth into his vineyard, that 
 he would prevent my going." 
 
 Referring to this period, in a brief review of 
 his life, at a subsequent date, he says, " I preach- 
 ed the first Sabbath after I was licensed, for 
 Mr. Storrs ; and having preached in different 
 places four sabbaths in all, I was sent for to 
 preach in Hadlyme, where, after I had preach- 
 ed for them twenty Sabbaths, the Church and 
 Society gave me a call to settle with them in 
 the Gospel ministry. 
 
40 MEMOIR OF 
 
 " Though the society was small and unable to 
 give a minister a large salary, and it was then 
 going on the sixth year of the revolutionary war, 
 and the rapid depreciation of the paper curren- 
 cy rendered the situation of ministers truly em- 
 barrassing, in being confined to small salaries, 
 still I adhered to the maxim, which I had adop- 
 ted before, that where a people gave a can- 
 didate an harmonious invitation to settle with 
 them and manifested a willingness to support 
 him according to their ability, he ought to view 
 it a call of Providence. I therefore, after ta- 
 king the subject into solemn consideration, and 
 seeking light from above, gave them an affirma- 
 tive answer on the 1st of January, 1780. They 
 proceeded to select an Ecclesiastical coun- 
 cil, and appointed the 9th day of February fol- 
 lowing, for my ordination. I was accordingly 
 ordained over the Church of Hadlyme, on the 
 9th of February, 1780." 
 
 Thus was he enabled to accomplish his plan 
 for obtaining an education, and permitted to 
 receive a pastoral charge. What pious youth 
 that seeks to be qualified for the Gospel Minis- 
 try will not take encouragement from this ex- 
 ample ? It is not surprising that, to friends and 
 acquaintance, Mr. Vaill's course should, at first, 
 have appeared visionary and impracticable. It 
 involved hardships and privations ; and it re- 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 41 
 
 quired much self-denying effort ; yet he main- 
 tained it undiscouraged, and was carried through 
 successfully, at a period when there were no 
 public charities provided for indigent pious youth, 
 and when the facilities for young men to help 
 themselves were far less than at the present 
 time. 
 
 The hardships through which Mr. Vaill pas- 
 sed in acquiring his education, had formed his 
 habits of self-discipline. He had learned to 
 submit to privation, and to endure toil, and pa- 
 tiently to bear trials. It is evident that he was 
 not seeking great things for himself; nor was 
 he aspiring after a great place ; but he was 
 ready to labor in his Master's cause in a hum- 
 ble station, and with limited means, if he could 
 only be useful to the cause of Christ, and be 
 found faithful in the part of the vineyard entrus- 
 ted to him. 
 
 4* 
 
45 MEMOIKOP 
 
 CHAPTER IV 
 
 Enters on the Pastoral "office. Time of declension. Half-way cove- 
 nant. Pastoral labors. Interest in children. His oversight of his 
 people. Attention to the afflicted. Doctrinal views. Importance 
 of sound doctrine. Punctuality. Character of liis preaching. Its 
 influence. His fidelity acknowledged. 
 
 The period at which Mr. Vaill commenced his 
 Pastoral labors was one of trial to faithful 
 ministers. The revolutionary war was in pro- 
 gress ; the minds of people were absorbed with 
 interest in the events of this protracted, and 
 then doubtful struggle. Alarms were frequent ; 
 and the attention of the people on the Sabbath, 
 as well as on other days, was diverted from the 
 subject of religion to the passing events, and 
 was occupied with good or bad news from the 
 army. In this state of public feeling, the regu- 
 lar worship of God failed of securing that holy 
 influence on churches and congregations, which 
 is ordinarily witnessed under the preaching of 
 the Gospel in time of peace and tranquility. It 
 was a time of declension in the churches. The 
 church in Hadlyme was in a low state, consist- 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 48 
 
 ing of less than forty members, and of these, 
 only twelve were males. The half-way cove- 
 nant, as it has been termed, had been intro- 
 duced, to some extent in the Congregational 
 churches of Connecticut. By this, heads of 
 families were permitted to give their assent to 
 the articles of faith in a church, for the sake of 
 having their children baptized, when they, as 
 parents, gave no evidence of a change of heart, 
 and did not view themselves as qualified to go 
 to the ordinance of the Lord's supper. Some 
 of the Pastors wereArminians in their Theologi- 
 cal views ; and, in general, Pastors were satisfied 
 with the maintenance of the regular worship 
 of God on the Sabbath, as constituting the 
 required amount of their labors. 
 
 In entering on the Pastoral office, Mr. Vaill 
 set himself at once against the half-way cove- 
 nant practice. As some diversity of opinion 
 prevailed in his church in regard to this, it occa- 
 sioned him some trials for a time ; but, at length, 
 he had the happiness to see his church united 
 in abandoning it. 
 
 In addition to the regular worship of God on 
 the Sabbath, he early commenced a series of 
 labors which with occasional suspensions and 
 alterations in conformity to circumstances, he 
 maintained through a period of more than fifty 
 years. Religious conferences and prayer meet- 
 
44 MEMOIR OF 
 
 ings, and church prayer meetings were includ- 
 ed in this series of labors. At first, great 
 prejudices existed against religious meetings in 
 the evening, and occasional religious meetings 
 on week days ; and in reference to his maintain- 
 ing these in the early part of his ministry, Mr. 
 Vaill was called by some, a New Light, (which 
 was a term applied to certain separatical preach- 
 ers, on account of their innovations and irregu- 
 larities.) Experience of the utility of such 
 meetings gradually diminished the prejudices 
 against them, and instead of being regarded as 
 irregularities, tending to dangerous results, they 
 were found conducive to piety, and have become 
 common in all Evangelical churches. 
 
 The religious instruction of children was early 
 an object of attention in the ministry of Mr. 
 Vaill. He not only inculcated and urged on 
 parents and heads of families, their duty to train 
 up those committed to them in the nurture and 
 admonition of the Lord ; he also publicly cate- 
 chised the children in the house of God, at ap- 
 pointed seasons, and held occasional religious 
 meetings for the improvement of the young 
 people, which he conducted differently at dif- 
 ferent times, with a view to keep alive and in- 
 crease the interest in them. As inspector and 
 visitor of the Common Schools, he also exerted 
 a salutary moral and religious influence over 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 45 
 
 the minds of the young. His attention to the 
 religious welfare of the children and youth of 
 his congregation was not for a period, and then 
 given up ; but it was continued with undimin- 
 ished interest through his whole ministry. In 
 the religious education of the children, he was 
 laboring in the nursery of the church, and this 
 too, with encouraging prospect of the church's 
 increase and prosperity. After Sabbath Schools 
 were instituted, the religious instruction of chil- 
 dren was more extended, and not so immedi- 
 ately dependent on the Pastor ; yet the Pas- 
 tor's influence was still concerned in the ope- 
 ration of the Sabbath School, and in the adap- 
 tation of the course of instruction to the im- 
 provement of the pupils. 
 
 As a Pastor, Mr. Vaill watched over his flock 
 as one deeply feeling the weight of his charge ; 
 and he diligently ministered to them, not only 
 in public on the Sabbath, but also from house 
 to house. As his Church was small, and his 
 parish not large, he was enabled to know the 
 state of families and of individuals more fully 
 than most Pastors. In his intercourse with his 
 people, he was open, kind, frank and honest in 
 efforts for their spiritual good, so that however, 
 at times, individuals felt reproved in their con- 
 duct by his fidelity, or might be ready to be of- 
 fended at his plainness, they were constrained 
 
46 MEMOIR OF 
 
 to feel that his motives were good. The con- 
 viction was deep and general, that he was an 
 honest man, honestly laboring in the cause of 
 his Master. 
 
 He acquired the confidence of his people, and 
 retained it, not by some periodical and extraor- 
 dinary efforts, not by a few brilliant achiev- 
 ments, nor by attempting great things in the 
 sight of men, but by the patient and persevering 
 discharge of his ministerial duties, in a plain and 
 unostentatious manner, under many discourage- 
 ments, through a long ministry. 
 
 In seasons of affliction, he was careful to re- 
 member his people in his prayers, and to visit 
 them, to sympathize with them, and to give them 
 instruction suited to their circumstances. He 
 viewed such seasons as favorable for inducing 
 them to attend to their spiritual interests ; and 
 at such seasons the most careless are often wil- 
 ling to see a minister, and are in a tender state 
 of feeling, so that Pastoral visits can be made 
 in prospect of good. The devoted Pastor ex- 
 periences, in his visits to the sick and dying, and 
 in families in w T hich death has been commis- 
 sioned to enter the most affecting and thrilling 
 scenes of interest in his ministry ; and it is in 
 this portion of his labors, that he may avail 
 himself of the natural sympathies and sensibili- 
 ties of our nature in carrying instruction to the 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 47 
 
 heart. In no connection is the presence of the 
 Godly Minister more valued than by the bed- 
 side of the sick and dying, on funeral occasions, 
 and in the house of mourning. 
 
 In his doctrinal sentiments Mr. Vaill was 
 strictly Calvinistic. He adhered to the formu- 
 la of doctrine in the Saybrook Platform and in 
 the Catechism of the Assembly of Divines. He 
 laid much stress on doctrinal preaching. The 
 totally depraved state of man ; the necessity of 
 regeneration by the Holy Spirit ; the Divinity 
 and atonement of Christ, the fulness and free- 
 ness of salvation through the atonement to them 
 who believe, the sovereignty of God in the 
 election of grace, the perseverance of saints in 
 holiness unto eternal life, and the duty of sinners 
 to comply immediately with the terms of the 
 gospel, are subjects on which he dwelt much in 
 his preaching. Indeed, the doctrines of grace, 
 as maintained by New England Calvinists, were 
 inculcated in his public preaching and Pastoral 
 visits, in contradistinction to the Arminian views 
 which prevailed, more or less, in the former 
 part of his ministry, and in opposition to the 
 Arminian and Pelagian philosophy which made 
 its appearance in the latter part of his ministry. 
 The following extract from his journal shows 
 his adherence to the great doctrines, and how 
 cautious he would be against introducing into 
 
48 MEMOIR OF 
 
 his pulpit a preacher, who should not hold to 
 them. 
 
 "While absent from my people, something 
 very singular occurred. I left them without 
 encouragement that the pulpit would be suppli- 
 ed on the following sabbath ; and on my return 
 I found they had been supplied by a minister 
 of another denomination, who is unsound in the 
 fundamental articles of the Christian faith. I 
 conclude the plan was set on foot by some per- 
 son or persons inimical to me, or rather to the 
 doctrines which I preach, and who are wishing 
 to break up the order of the society, or, at least 
 to introduce an Arminian preacher. That any 
 members of the Church should encourage or 
 connive at such a move is the most wonderful. 
 It is extremely singular for a people, in the ab- 
 sence of their Pastor to call in a preacher of 
 another denomination, who is known to be of 
 opposite sentiments in doctrine to their own 
 minister; and as singular for a preacher to come 
 in under such circumstances. But I leave the 
 event with the Divine Disposer of all events. 
 
 " I consider it a great judgment for any peo- 
 ple to have a minister settled among them who 
 prophecies smooth things, who denies the total- 
 ly depraved state of man by nature, the neces- 
 sity of regeneration by the Spirit of God, the 
 doctrine of Divine sovereignty in the salvation 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 49 
 
 of sinners, and the perseverance of saints, as 
 with the denial of these, are connected senti- 
 ments which are entirely subversive of the 
 whole scheme of salvation by Jesus Christ." 
 (1804.) 
 
 Thus regarding the doctrines of grace, he 
 could not give his countenance to preachers 
 whom he deemed unsound in the faith, nor 
 could he hear them preach, without faithfully 
 remonstrating against their unsoundness. He 
 did not view erroneous doctrine as harmless, 
 nor as safe for any people. Hence he was not 
 only cautious not to admit such preachers into 
 his own pulpit, but was faithful, when called to 
 take a part in the examination of candidates 
 for the gospel ministry, to bring out their views 
 of the great doctrines of the Bible ; and he 
 acted the same faithful part, also, when called 
 to sit as a member of Ecclesiastical councils for 
 the examination of candidates for ordination, 
 He would conform to the Apostolic directions, 
 in requiring those invested with the sacred 
 office, " to hold fast, the form of sound words, to 
 speak the things which become sound doctrine^ 
 holding fast the faithful word, that they may be 
 able by sound doctrine, both to exhort and to con- 
 vince gainsayers.'' Modern speculations in re* 
 gard to moral agency and native depravity, he 
 regarded as innovations upon the faith. He 
 
50 MEMOIR OF 
 
 often mourned in view of the tendency of these 
 speculations to unsettle the church in their for- 
 mer doctrinal views, and to encourage and 
 countenance a lax theology. 
 
 Punctuality is a seemingly small virtue, yet, 
 in a minister of the gospel, it is of cardinal im- 
 portance. Mr. Vaill was distinguished for his 
 punctuality in all the relations of life. This 
 trait in his character had no small influence in 
 securing good results in his ministry. When he 
 made an appointment he did not forget it. At 
 the hour of public worship on the Sabbath, he 
 was present ; at the appointed hour for the 
 prayer meeting or religious conference, or pub- 
 lic lecture, or funeral, he was present. His 
 punctuality extended to all his engagements, at 
 home and abroad, among his people and on 
 Ecclesiastical councils. This punctuality in their 
 Pastor had its influence on the people. It tend- 
 ed to make them punctual in their attendance 
 on his appointments for religious worship ; they 
 knew he would be present at the time appoint- 
 ed, and of course, they made their arrange- 
 ments to be present also. Though he lived at 
 the distance of nearly a mile from the house of 
 public worship, he rarely if ever failed of being 
 present punctually at the appointed hour on the 
 Sabbath, at all seasons of the year, and under 
 all the variations in the weather. So uniform 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 51 
 
 was he in respect to attendance and to time, 
 that his approach to the house of the Lord on 
 the morning of the Sabbath became a kind of 
 regulator for the time-pieces in the neighbor- 
 hood. 
 
 As a preacher, he was plain and simple in 
 in his style, and in his manner, solemn and ar- 
 dent. His countenance was grave and sober, 
 indicative of sincerity and seriousness of pur- 
 pose. His voice was full and distinct, so that 
 he could be easily heard by all in the assembly ; 
 and his public preaching, as to manner and 
 matter, was adapted to edify the people of God. 
 Though he could not be ranked among the most 
 talented, or the most logical, or the most elo- 
 quent preachers ; still he always preached im- 
 portant truth in a manner to instruct and edify 
 the people of God ; and he was often very sol- 
 emn and impressive in the application of truth 
 to sinners, and in his addresses to them ; and 
 in general he had the attention of his audience. 
 Under such a preacher, a people would be 
 very criminal not to become well indoctrinated 
 and well instructed in the duties of piety and mo- 
 rality, and the people of God might be expected 
 to be spiritually edified, and to be built up in 
 the faith and hope of the Gospel. 
 
 The long period of his ministry afforded him 
 an opportunity to be well known as a preacher 
 
52 MEMOI R OP 
 
 in neighboring congregations ; and in the latter 
 part of his ministry, when he stood almost alone, 
 as one of the fathers, laden with experience, 
 and viewing his course as nearly finished, he 
 was received and listened to with delight by 
 the good people in all those congregations, and 
 was looked upon as a venerable and faithful 
 minister of Christ. 
 
BSV. JOSEPH VAILL. 53 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 His marriage. A happy connection. Fidelity of hie companion. Suc- 
 cess in the government and education of their children. Industry 
 and economy. Devoted to the instruction of youth. Extracts from 
 his journal. Death of his companion. Extracts from his letters. 
 Affectionate respect shown him by his children. 
 
 It is sometimes the case that men appear to 
 greater advantage in public than in domestic 
 and private life. In a memoir that is designed 
 to be a faithful representation of the character 
 of an individual, it is necessary to view him in 
 the every day walks of life, and especially in 
 his own family, where he is called to act as the 
 head and guardian of his little community. 
 The domestic relations of a minister of the gos- 
 pel, ought ever to be subservient to his useful- 
 ness in the higher stations which he sustains to 
 the church of God. The subject of this me- 
 moir appears to have entertained this view. 
 Hence in the choice of a companion for life, he 
 selected one that w T as qualified not only to be 
 an help meet for him in domestic life, but also 
 5* 
 
54 MEMOIR OF 
 
 in promoting his usefulnes to the Church of 
 God, in his sacred calling. 
 
 October 12th, 1780, Rev. Joseph Vaill, of 
 Hadlyme, was married to Miss Sarah Fowler, 
 eldest daughter of the late Rev. Joseph Fow- 
 ler, of East Haddam. The connection was an 
 eminently happy one. Mrs. Vaill having been 
 educated in a minister's family, knew how to 
 accommodate herself to the situation she was 
 to fill, and her good sense and exemplary piety 
 procured for her the respect and confidence of 
 the people to whom her husband ministered. 
 In the management of her domestic concerns, 
 she sought to please her husband, and was 
 uniformly faithful and consistent in sharing 
 with him in the cares and responsibilities of 
 their household. Discretion is a crowning ex- 
 cellence in female character ; and this, in Mrs. 
 Vaill, was strikingly manifest. She proved an 
 help meet to her husband through a long life, 
 and contributed her share of influence in aiding 
 him in the government of their household, in 
 the education of their children, and in promo- 
 ting the cause of religion among the people. 
 
 As the fruit of this marriage, they were 
 blessed with eight children four of whom died 
 in their infancy and childhood, and four of 
 whom are still living — two sons and two 
 daughters. The pecuniary embarrassments 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 55 
 
 which attended Mr. Vaill in the early part of 
 his ministry, in procuring for his family a com- 
 fortable habitation, and in providing for their 
 support, called for the united wisdom and 
 economy of himself and wife ; and through the 
 blessing of God on their united exertions, and 
 mutual counsels, they were extricated from 
 debt, and found themselves with their young 
 and rising family in the possession of a small 
 brown house, and a few acres of land. There, 
 they lived happy in each other ; happy in their 
 children; happy in the people among whom 
 they dwelt, and contented with the allotments 
 of Providence. That humble dwelling was 
 the abode of domestic peace ; of intelligence ; 
 of cheerfulness ; of piety, and of hospitality. A 
 stranger could not pass the night in that Chris- 
 tian family without feeling that religion casts a 
 loveliness over the domestic circle, and that the 
 sweetest joys of earthly friendship are shared 
 in the family. 
 
 In all his domestic management, Mr. Vaill 
 was an example of industry and economy. 
 His industry was manifest in the constancy of 
 his attention to the wants and welfare of his 
 family ; in his husbanding every thing, in his lim- 
 ited means, to the best advantage ; and in suf- 
 fering nothing to be wasted or lost through 
 carelessness. His garden, his orchard, the little 
 
56 MEMOIR OF 
 
 land which he tilled ; his barn and out-houses ; 
 and every thing pertaining to his fences ; his 
 domestic animals and the general appearance 
 of the whole, bore testimony to his industry. 
 His economy was equally conspicuous with his 
 industry. He understood and practiced the 
 art of living well upon small means. The 
 nominal salary which he received from his peo- 
 ple was seventy pounds, in addition to which 
 they made him some presents. In training up 
 a family on his limited means, it was necessary 
 to practice the strictest economy, and this he 
 cheerfully performed as a Christian duty. He 
 watched over his children and restrained them 
 and instructed them with great fidelity. In 
 discharging towards them his duty as a parent 
 he was unwearied and unremitted in his efforts. 
 He early attempted to form their habits in con- 
 formity to the requirements of Christ ; and he 
 trained them to respect the institutions of relig- 
 ion and to be liberal in their feelings towards 
 objects of benevolence. His devotedness to 
 his family did not lead him to neglect his peo- 
 ple. He was always in season in his weekly 
 preparations for the pulpit, which were gener- 
 ally completed by Saturday noon. He wrote 
 much, and generally he commenced his pre- 
 paration for the Sabbath early in the week, and 
 had more or less time for visiting or for receiv- 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 57 
 
 ing company, without interfering with his pre- 
 paration for the Sabbath. It was his practice, 
 on Saturday evening, to read his sermons in his 
 family, which he expected to preach on the 
 Sabbath, giving his wife an opportunity to ex- 
 press her views in regard to them and the 
 children an opportunity of hearing the truth 
 contained in them, and this exercise was follow- 
 ed generally with some appropriate counsel to 
 the children on the concerns of their salvation. 
 Mr. Vaill devoted some portion of his time to 
 the instruction of youth. He opened a school 
 in his own house, which he continued with oc- 
 casional intermissions for several years, greatly 
 for the improvement of the youth in his own, as 
 well as neighboring parishes. Among those 
 who were instructed by him in the preparatory 
 stages of their education, were his two sons, 
 the Rev. Wm. F. Vaill, late missionary to 
 the Osage Indians, now missionary in the 
 State of Illinois ; and the Rev. Joseph Vaill, of 
 Brimfield, Massachusetts. The late Rev. Dr. 
 Griffin, the Rev. Dr. Harvey, and Wm. Hun- 
 gerford, Esq. of the Hartford bar, may also be 
 named as among his pupils in the preparatory 
 stages of their education. By means of his 
 school, he was enabled to assist his sons in ob- 
 taining their College education, and also, to 
 give his daughters an education, qualifying them 
 
58 MEMOItt OF 
 
 for usefulness as teachers and as heads of fami- 
 lies. Few parents have been more successful in 
 the government and education of their children ; 
 and few parents have been more loved and 
 respected by their children, up to the close of 
 life. Mr. Vaill, after carrying each of his sons 
 through their professional studies, had the satis- 
 faction of seeing them licensed, and go forth 
 acceptable preachers of the Gospel, and very 
 soon invited to become pastors of Churches. 
 Each son requested the father to preach at his 
 ordination, and at each ordination the father had 
 the satisfaction to perform this solemn service. 
 
 In the education of his children, Mr. Vaill 
 uniformly had regard to their spiritual inter- 
 ests. The following extracts from his journal 
 show the deep solicitude which he had for their 
 salvation. 
 
 1785. " A tender concern for the salvation 
 of my children, has greatly impressed my mind ; 
 and yet, after all, I am infinitely too cold and 
 indifferent in my prayers and labors for their 
 salvation." 
 
 1806. "I hope my eldest son is really ac- 
 quainted with religion experimentally ; and I 
 labor and pray for the conversion of my other 
 children ; and I hope God will ere long bestow 
 saving blessings upon their souls." 
 
 1814. "Though I have seemed to be but 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 59 
 
 poorly successful in the main, since I was set- 
 tled in the ministry, yet I have this for my con- 
 solation, that I have two sons in the ministry, 
 who, I hope, love religion and may make use- 
 ful men. I also hope that each of my daugh- 
 ters is a friend of Christ. I can have no great- 
 er joy than to see my children walking in the 
 truth. Though I passed through great hard- 
 ships and many dangers in procuring my edu- 
 cation, and have had a series of trials and diffi- 
 culties to encounter since I entered the minis- 
 try, yet these are far more than compensated, 
 if I may be instrumental in training up souls for 
 heaven." 
 
 1819. "My wife and children lie much 
 upon my mind ; but I desire to leave them all 
 with God. A God of the widow and the father- 
 less is he in his holy mountain. I have in my 
 poor, imperfect way labored to train up my 
 children for God from the early dawn of their 
 reason. To him I dedicated them in their in- 
 fancy, in baptism ; and I followed them with 
 instruction in the great truths of our holy relig- 
 ion as they were capable of receiving it. I re- 
 strained them from loose companions ; from 
 vicious practices, and from those ruinous and 
 enchanting amusements by which many are 
 ensnared and ruined : always attempting to 
 remember them in my prayers, and looking to 
 
60 MEMOIR OF 
 
 God that he would bestow saving mercies upon 
 their souls. And though I have poorly per- 
 formed these duties to my children, I still hope 
 the God of all grace has followed my efforts 
 with a blessing. I must soon leave those of 
 them who may survive me in an evil world ; 
 and to whom can I commit them, who can keep 
 them in safety, but to thee, O thou Dear Sav- 
 iour. With thee I leave my dear wife, should 
 she survive me, and with thee I leave my fa- 
 therless children, and to thy merciful and 
 faithful care I commit my flock. O, forsake 
 them not ; deny them not the sanctifying influ- 
 ences of thy Holy Spirit. I am rapidly ad- 
 vancing towards eternity ! Solemn thought ! 
 How soon will it be said of me, ' he is dead/ 
 People of my acquaintance who survive me, 
 will point to my habitation as they pass by it 
 and say, ' there lived their late minister '.' " 
 
 In July, 1832, Mr. Vaill was called to part 
 with the wife of hi^ youth, with whom he had 
 lived almost fifty-two years. This bereaving 
 providence he bore with calmness and pious 
 resignation. The following entry was made 
 in his private journal at the time. " Yester- 
 day morning, I was called to part with the 
 companion of my youth. She expired about 
 six o'clock, after a distressing sickness of more 
 than six weeks. While she had her reason, 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 61 
 
 she appeared to be much composed and re- 
 signed to the Divine will. She was scarcely 
 heard to utter a complaint or groan through 
 her long sickness. I hope she was a sincere 
 friend of Christ, and that she has made a happy 
 exchange of worlds. She had been a professor 
 of religion nearly sixty years, and has lived a 
 regular and exemplary life. She has truly been 
 a faithful wife, and a kind and faithful mother to 
 our children. Truly my loss is great. I am 
 left in a lonely condition, but I have abundant 
 cause for thankfulness that God has continued 
 her to me so long." 
 
 " This day my beloved companion was com- 
 mitted to the grave. The funeral was appointed 
 at two o'clock, P. M. The Rev. Isaac Parsons 
 preached on the occasion from Psalm cxvi. 15. 
 '■ Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death 
 of his saints.' A large and solemn congrega- 
 tion were present. I must soon follow my 
 departed companion. I hope I have now 
 some comfort in God, and resignation to his 
 holy will." 
 
 This affliction gave him an opportunity to 
 exhibit the Christian graces of submission ; of 
 meekness ; of trust in God ; and of spiritual 
 mindedness. Though he was eighty-one years 
 of age, and encompassed with infirmities, yet 
 he was not heard to murmur or complain ; and 
 6 
 
62 MEMOIR OF 
 
 he felt that God had not forsaken him, though 
 he had sorely bereaved him. His youngest 
 daughter remained with him, and with affec- 
 tionate assiduity ministered to his wants, and 
 made his last years as comfortable as filial 
 affection could make them under the decays of 
 age. The following extract is from a letter 
 written by this daughter. 
 
 " We shall all bear testimony to his parental 
 fidelity. Never were children more faithfully 
 instructed than his. He always took particu- 
 lar pains with us on the Sabbath. He required 
 us to give a particular account of the sermons 
 we heard ; of the books we read ; and frequent- 
 ly propounded questions upon the doctrines of 
 Scripture. Father was a peculiar advocate 
 for early rising. To that trait in his charac- 
 ter, we can attribute much of what he was able 
 to accomplish. Punctuality was likewise a 
 prominent trait in his character. He formerly 
 lived a very laborious life ; when he preached, 
 attended to the tuition of a number of youth 
 fitting for College, labored upon his farm, and 
 attended to visiting his people. He never was 
 idle, until incapacitated for the active duties of 
 life by old age. I send you a copy of what he 
 wrote in my Album when he was eighty years 
 of age, which is in letter form." 
 
 This copy is here inserted. 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 63 
 
 " My Dear Child : You will, I trust, listen 
 to the counsel of a father, who now, by reason 
 of the decrepitude of age, stands on the verge 
 of eternity. I have ever exercised a tender so- 
 licitude for your temporal and spiritual welfare. 
 It is my heart's desire and prayer to God, that 
 you may possess the one thing needful, and that 
 you may prove an eminent follower of the dear 
 Redeemer, and be a great blessing in your day 
 and generation, and, at last, receive the reward 
 which he will bestow upon his servants who 
 have been faithful unto death. Be not anxious 
 to obtain the great things of this world, for 
 yourself, or to make a conspicuous figure among 
 the fashionable and brilliant circles of the age. 
 But, let it be your first and chief concern to 
 obtain " the hidden man of the heart," in that 
 which is not corruptible, even the ornament 
 of a meek and quiet spirit, which in the sight of 
 God is of great price. 
 
 " Make diligent and faithful use of your pre- 
 cious time, which is rapidly gliding away. 
 Spend no portion of it in foolish jesting and 
 trifling amusements. Be careful to rise early, 
 when in health, and retire into your closet and 
 pray to your heavenly Father, who " seeth in 
 secret," and let every day be closed with the 
 like devotion. 
 
 " Never let a day pass without reading some 
 
64 MEMOIR OF 
 
 portion of the sacred Scriptures, unless Provi- 
 dentially prevented. As the mariner keeps 
 his eye on his compass, when sailing on the 
 dangerous ocean, so all who desire a safe pas- 
 sage through this tempestuous world to the 
 haven of eternal rest, should make the Word 
 of God their constant guide. 
 
 " Always bear in mind that a life of faith on 
 the Son of God, and holy obedience to all his 
 commands, is the only safe course for frail, sin- 
 ful creatures to pursue, while they are passing 
 through this evil, distracted, dying world to a 
 boundless eternity. To maintain a life of ar- 
 dent piety, and a humble, prayerful walk with 
 God, will alone prepare people for a faithful 
 discharge of the dujies which belong to their 
 respective stations, and to share the consola- 
 tions and supports of the gospel under the trials 
 and sufferings which they may be called to ex- 
 perience in their journey through this world, 
 and to enjoy comfort under the dark and pain- 
 ful scenes which are common to decrepit old 
 age ; or at whatever stage of their existence, 
 they may be called out of time, their end will 
 be peace and their eternity blessed. 
 
 From your affectionate parent, 
 
 Joseph Vaill." 
 
 Hadlyme, Dec. 25th, 1830. 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 65 
 
 Extracts from letters to his eldest daughter. 
 
 "My Dear Child: You are now as you 
 have been for several summers past, in a place 
 of great responsibility. The care of the edu- 
 cation of children, is a solemn charge. The 
 person who officiates as an instructor of schools, 
 has something more to do than to teach them 
 the common rules of reading and writing. 
 There should be strict attention paid to their 
 manners ; their morals and religion. I know 
 there are many obstacles in the way of the suc- 
 cess of school teachers, in promoting the ends 
 above mentioned, where they have not the co- 
 operation of parents ; but this will not excuse 
 them from a faithful discharge of their duty. 
 The good government of a school, is also at- 
 tended with many difficulties, and especially 
 where parents are deficient essentially, in the 
 subjection of their children to parental author- 
 ity. Hence much wisdom, prudence, and dis- 
 cretion are requisite. Too much severity is 
 detrimental ; though good discipline is neces- 
 sary." 
 
 To the same daughter at another date. 
 
 " As I draw near to my great and last change, 
 I think I have an increasing sense of the weight 
 and importance of eternal things, and, of course, 
 the world with all its riches, honors and refine- 
 ments, appears to be more and more an empty 
 6* 
 
66 MEMOIR OF 
 
 place, and wholly unworthy of the eager pur- 
 suit of a rational and immortal creature. I am 
 also more deeply convinced of the infinite im- 
 portance of Christians living near to God, and 
 of maintaining a course of self T denial, and of 
 spiritual mindedness, and that they daily im- 
 prove their time and talents for Christ. This, 
 my daughter, is the only course which will lead 
 to a peaceful and blessed immortality." 
 
 To the same, while on a tour to the South. 
 " My earthly tabernacle must soon be dissolv- 
 ed ; but I hope I have a building of God, not made 
 with hands, eternal in the heavens. At turns I 
 have distressing doubts, and great anxieties 
 about my spiritual state. We all rejoice to 
 hear that you have had a prosperous journey 
 thus far. I hope the Lord will carry you all 
 to the place of destination, and that you may 
 be returned again in health and peace ; and 
 that you may do good and get much spiritual 
 good, on your tour. You will continue to share 
 a remembrance in my prayers : and may the 
 God of all grace be with you." 
 
 The following extract is from a letter, dated 
 Feb., 1831, soon after the marriage of this 
 daughter with Joel Norcross, Esq., of Monson, 
 Massachusetts, addressed to them jointly. 
 
 " It is natural for parents to be pleased with 
 the promising prospects under which their 
 
REV. J08EPH VAILL. 67 
 
 children are settled in the world, and espe- 
 cially, for aged parents to have the prospect of 
 leaving them in a prosperous and eligible con- 
 dition, when they expect soon to quit the stage, 
 and can see their children no more. But still 
 all pious parents have doubtless a stronger de- 
 sire that the respective branches of their family 
 should be left in the possession of an infinitely 
 more important heritage than earth can possi- 
 bly afford. My wish above all things, is that 
 your souls may be in health and prosper." 
 
 " July, 1834. Should I live until next Mon- 
 day, I shall be eighty-three years old, but I 
 know my time of life is fast drawing to a close. 
 My great anxiety is to be found in readiness 
 for my Lord's coming. This, my daughter, is 
 an object of sufficient importance to engross 
 our chief attention through life." 
 
 "Jan., 1836. I generally rest tolerably well 
 at night, though my mind is so constantly em- 
 ployed in dreams that the nights seem very 
 long. I am generally much in company with 
 ministers, and oftentimes am attending on reli- 
 gious exercises in my slumbering moments. 
 But, still, I have my depressed and gloomy 
 turns when awake, though I have intervals, I 
 hope, in which I enjoy some spiritual consola- 
 tions ; but the thought of the last conflict with 
 death lies much upon my mind. I view it a 
 
68 MEMOIR OF 
 
 great thing to be a sincere Christian. Eternity, 
 and a due preparation for heaven, should daily 
 be uppermost, amid all the labors and employ- 
 ments of life. O, my dear children, you will, 1 
 hope, daily keep your end in sight, and labor, 
 and pray fervently for the full assurance of 
 hope. That you and all your family connec- 
 tions may be prepared to meet your God, and 
 give up your account with joy, is the sincere 
 prayer of your aged father. J. Vaill." 
 
 It must be a satisfaction to children, to re- 
 view the life, and recall to mind, the example 
 and the counsels of such a father. That his 
 fidelity to them as a Christian father, was in a 
 measure recompensed in their dutiful conduct 
 and affectionate regard to his welfare even to 
 the close of life, there is abundant evidence to 
 believe. The younger son, the Rev. Joseph 
 Vaill, of Brimfield, Mass., expressed himself 
 thus in a letter to the ministerial brother who 
 preached at the funeral of his father. 
 
 " Brimfield, Dec. 12th, 1838. Rev. and Dear 
 Brother — Mrs. Norcross has favored me with 
 the perusal of a letter received from you, giving 
 particulars of the death and burial of our hon- 
 ored father. I take this opportunity to tender 
 to you my sincere thanks for the interest you 
 took in him, and for the part you bore in giving 
 him a Christian burial. May God reward you 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAtLL. 69 
 
 my brother, an hundred fold, I always felt 
 that, should I survive my father, I should not 
 fail, if possible to be present, if not to close his 
 eyes in death, at least, to attend him to his 
 grave. But it was so ordered in Providence, 
 that I must be denied the mournful privilege. 
 He was committed to the dust the very day 
 we received the first intelligence of his illness. 
 But every thing was done, I doubt not, that was 
 proper to be done, to testify respect to this 
 good man, as it regards his funeral obsequies,'* 
 
 
70 MEMOIR OF 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Hia natural shrewdness. His feelings in regard to this trait in his 
 character. Powers of conversation. Poetical talent. Extracts from 
 his poetry. Notice of his publications. Sermon at the ordination of 
 his younger son — extracts. Sermon at the ordination of his elder 
 Bon — extracts. 
 
 The natural qualities of men are not changed 
 under the transforming power of Divine grace, 
 in the renewal of their moral natures and trans- 
 formation into the moral likeness of Christ. 
 There was in Mr. Vaill a natural shrewdness, 
 and quickness of discernment in regard to men 
 and things, which gave to his conversation, at 
 times, a facetiousness which was highly en- 
 livening and interesting. Many anecdotes are 
 still in the remembrance of his acquaintance, 
 illustrative of this trait in his character. It was 
 by means of this trait, that he was, at times, 
 very severe in his retorts upon such as would 
 accost him impertinently, or, for the sake of 
 drawing forth some humerous reply. At times, 
 also, his wit, in spite of all his efforts to restrain 
 it, would spend itself pleasantly upon his friends. 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 71 
 
 It would flow out so unexpectedly and from 
 under so ministerial a countenance, and with 
 such pertinence of application, that every one 
 in the company would be amused, and yet no 
 one injured or offended by it. He was sensi- 
 ble of this foible, if it can be called a foible, and 
 in his journal, he has recorded many resolutions 
 at different times, in regard to restraining his 
 speech and avoiding light and trifling conver- 
 sation. 
 
 The following will exhibit his feelings in view 
 of his indulgence in this trait of his character. 
 
 " What seems greatly to darken my eviden- 
 ces that I am a follower of Christ is my being 
 often betrayed into light and unprofitable con- 
 versation, and especially when in company with 
 ministers, who, of all others ought to be the 
 most grave and circumspect in their life and 
 conversation. I have reflected when alone, 
 with much shame and sorrow upon my humor- 
 ous observations in company, which have ex- 
 cited laughter. Some humor may not be in- 
 consistent with the Christian charact?r, but 
 how exceedingly inclined are people to go to 
 excess in lightness of speech which Paul tells 
 us is not convenient" 
 
 Mr. Vaill's powers of conversation were sur- 
 passed by few. He was accessible to all, ready 
 to converse with any one he met ; and, in gen- 
 
72 MEMOIR OF 
 
 eral his conversation was turned on something 
 that was profitable. He would find something 
 to say on the subject of religion in some form 
 or other, in whatever company he might fall 
 It did not seem to fatigue him to talk. Good 
 common sense characterized him in the use of 
 his powers of conversation, and in general he 
 interested and profited those with whom he 
 conversed. He was particularly careful to 
 speak with children, and young persons, and to 
 say something that would lead their minds to 
 the subject of religion. The children of his pa- 
 rish, and in families in which he was known out 
 of his parish, uniformly looked up to him as the 
 man of God whose counsels were good. 
 
 His studies, from the commencement of his 
 education were maintained under many disad- 
 vantages. After he entered the ministry he 
 had not leisure to indulge to any great extent 
 in literary pursuits, or in labors foreign to his 
 profession, for he was a laborious, working man 
 in his calling. Still from early life, he discov- 
 ered a poetical vein, which, under proper cul- 
 ture, and with leisure to indulge his fancy, 
 might have acquired for him a considerable 
 reputation as a poet. While in College, he in- 
 dulged his fancy to some extent, in writing 
 short pieces of poetiy ; and he did the same 
 also, in the course of his ministry. Several of 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 73 
 
 his pieces have been published. His poem en- 
 titled " Noah's Flood " is most deserving of 
 notice in this place. This was printed in pam- 
 phlet form in 1796. It consists of two parts. 
 
 Part I. " Contains an historical account of 
 the Deluge taken from the Bible ; interspersed 
 with conjectural observations" 
 
 Part II. " Is designed as a Moral Improve- 
 ment of the subject" 
 
 The whole poem consists of nearly five hun- 
 dred and fifty lines. The following extracts 
 will give the reader a specimen. The first is a 
 few lines of the opening of the poem. 
 
 4 ' In the beginning, from chaotic night, 
 God, by his powerful voice, called forth the light. 
 When he the corner stone of nature laid, 
 The morning stars their joyous homage paid, 
 And all the sons of God with sweet amaze, 
 In glorious concert joined to shout his praise ; 
 They saw, with raptured minds this work divine, 
 And gazed to see the rays of Godhead shine ; 
 Saw the thick darkness sever from the light, 
 And infant time commence her day and night." 
 
 After noticing the several steps in the pro- 
 gress of the creation, paradise, the apostacy 
 and subsequent wickedness of the race, the 
 piety of Enoch and Noah, the warning of the 
 latter to prepare an ark for his safety, the build- 
 7 
 
74 MEMOIR OF 
 
 ing of the ark, its dimensions and appearance, 
 he thus proceeds : 
 
 " Here stands this wonderous ship, no water near ; 
 
 The people view the novel with a sneer, 
 
 And laugh to see the folly of the man, 
 
 To waste his substance and his life in vain. 
 
 Now the good patriarch with his chosen band, 
 
 Prepare to embark at God's supreme command, 
 
 When beasts and fowls and creeping things convene, 
 
 Moved by an impulse from a power unseen ; 
 
 When some of every kind by pairs embark, 
 
 And find protection in the friendly Ark." 
 
 *' And now the ark bears up]her ponderous load, 
 Slow and majestic towards the sable cloud ; 
 Then drifts secure before the stormy gales, 
 Without the aid of pilot, helm or sails. 
 She's wafted safely o'er the watery main, 
 Upheld and guided by a hand unseen, 
 Each passenger in health, no life is lost, 
 Though with the stormy winds and billows tost. 
 And now on every side the waters rise, 
 Till they o'ertop the hills and meet the skies ; 
 When every thing in which was vital breath, 
 Is swept away with universal death." 
 
 The following is from the second part of the 
 poem, and will serve as a specimen of his "Mor- 
 al improvement of the subject." 
 
 *' As Noah's Ark sailed safe amidst the waves, 
 
 O'er rocks, o'er mountains, and ten thousand graves, 
 
 i 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 75 
 
 Upheld and managed by the Almighty's hand, 
 Until his household reached the wish'd for land : 
 Thus safely, on their passage, Christians move, 
 Borne by the arms of everlasting love, 
 Jesus will waft them o'er the troubled seas 
 To the fair haven of eternal peace. 
 Here saints of every tongue, at last shall meet, 
 And form one temple holy and complete ; 
 Redeem'd from hell and washed from every stain, 
 They shall with God and Christ, in glory reign." 
 
 The following extract is from the conclusion 
 of the poem. 
 
 " The world, once drowned, is now reserved in store, 
 
 To be destroyed by God's consuming power. 
 
 Redemption finish'd and his church complete, 
 
 The elements shall melt with fervent heat ; 
 
 Dread lightning flash, and peals of thunder roll, 
 
 And rock the burning world from pole to pole ; 
 
 Creation welter in a mass of fire, 
 
 When days, and time, and nature shall expire ! 
 
 When God shall pour his vengeance from on high, 
 
 Where will poor infidels for covert fly ? 
 
 No Ark to screen them from the fiery flood, 
 
 The powers of darkness, or the wrath of God ; 
 
 No hiding-place for safety can be found, 
 
 In dark retreats or caverns of the ground ; 
 
 No one to guard them from the burning flame, 
 
 Or fiercest wrath of the incensed Lamb." 
 
 In connection with the above poem, the au- 
 thor published three other short pieces. 1. 
 " Youth cautioned against vice," consisting of 1 70 
 
76 MEMOIR OF 
 
 lines. 2. " Happiness? containing 40 lines. 
 3. " Hymn for a New Year? containing 32 lines. 
 In addition to these, his poetical " Address to a 
 Deist? may be named as an illustration of his 
 shrewdness in exposing the folly and fallacy of 
 the Deist's principles. 
 
 In the Connecticut Evangelical Magazine, 
 first series, there are several of his essays. His 
 signature to some of them was Jethro, and to 
 others, Senex. He also wrote a number of es- 
 says in the Pilgrim, which was published at 
 New Haven, in 1822 ~ 3. He was a contribu- 
 tor, from time to time, to the Religious periodi- 
 cals of the day ; and formerly, he addressed 
 a series of letters to his female pupils upon va- 
 rious subjects relating to their best welfare, 
 some of which have been published in public 
 journals. His remarks upon temperance, in 
 the latter part of his life, addressed to the aged, 
 were extensively circulated in the newspapers, 
 and were thought to do good. 
 
 The sermon which he preached at the ordi- 
 nation of his younger son, Mr. Joseph Vaill, to 
 the pastoral charge of the Church of Christ in 
 Brimfield,Massachusetts,in 1814,was published. 
 This is the only sermon of which the compiler 
 has knowledge, that he has left in print. The 
 title of this sermon was " The Son of God 
 
 MANIFESTED TO DESTROY THE WORKS OF THE 
 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 77 
 
 Devil/' The text is I John m : 8. " For this 
 purpose was the Son of God manifested, that 
 he might destroy the works of the devil." This 
 sermon is a plain and faithful exhibition of im- 
 portant truths, containing, in the first place, a 
 scriptural view of the works of the devil, and 
 in the second place, an illustration of the way 
 and means by which the Son of God will in re- 
 demption, destroy the works of the devil. This 
 illustration is followed by appropriate inferen- 
 ces and addresses, from which the following are 
 selected. 
 
 "1. That the wisdom, benevolence, grace, and 
 justice of God are marvelously displayed in the 
 great work of redemption. 
 
 " 2. We learn the great impiety as well as 
 presumption of such as teach the doctrine of 
 universal salvation. 
 
 " 3. All who enter the ministry should be 
 men of skill in divinity, possessed of true zeal, 
 holy fortitude, and eminent piety. 
 
 " 4. We see the deplorable condition of all 
 who are enemies to Christ." 
 
 Address to the pastor elect. " My son, as 
 you are this day to be solemnly consecrated by 
 the servants of Christ, to enter w T ith them into 
 his labors, you are to view yourself under the 
 highest obligations to prove yourself his faithful 
 ambassador. You are now about to enlist pub- 
 
78 MEMOIR OF 
 
 licly under the banner of the Redeemer, to aid 
 in destroying the works of the devil. And are 
 you deeply solicitous to know how one so im- 
 perfect and of but small experience in the Chris- 
 tian warfare, shall perform this weighty busi- 
 ness ? And especially, since it is a work infi- 
 nitely too great for an arm of flesh to accom- 
 plish? While you a?e ready to sink under its 
 pressure, from a consciousness of your utter in- 
 sufficiency, call to mind how a youthful David 
 effected the destruction of the mighty Goliah of 
 Gath. Though but a stripling, David prevailed 
 over this powerful champion, with only a sling 
 and a stone. He encountered him not in his 
 own name, but in the name of the God of the 
 armies of Israel. Go, therefore, in the strength 
 of the Lord of Hosts, and he will make your 
 way prosperous. You may with safety adopt 
 the words of Paul, ' I can do all things through 
 Christ which strengtheneth me.' 
 
 " Would you prove an able and successful 
 minister of Jesus Christ, you must take heed to 
 your doctrine as well as to your practice. Preach 
 the doctrines of the cross, clearly and faithfully. 
 Seek not to please men, but your Divine Mas- 
 ter. Let not a vain desire for popular applause 
 induce you to suppress the soul-humbling truths 
 of the Gospel which are so disgustful to the 
 corrupt heart. Let it be your constant labor 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 79 
 
 and concern, to save your own soul, and them 
 that hear you. Maintain a humble and circum- 
 spect and holy walk with God. Keep near the 
 throne of Grace, pray fervently and impor- 
 tunately to God, for yourself and your flock. 
 Watch over them with tenderness and fidelity. 
 ' Feed Christ's sheep, and feed his lambs with 
 the sincere milk of the word, that they may 
 grow thereby.' 
 
 " The work in which you are about to en- 
 gage is a glorious work, though attended with 
 great and numerous trials. It is a work in 
 which the Sacred Three, and the myriads of 
 holy angels which surround the throne of God, 
 are continually employed ; a work which all 
 the redeemed of Christ have been laboring to 
 promote from the beginning. Be willing to 
 spend and be spent in this blessed service. 
 And freely sacrifice your ease, your reputation, 
 your worldly possessions, and even life itself, if 
 necessary, in the promotion of so glorious a 
 cause. 
 
 " My son, be strong in the grace that is in 
 Christ Jesus. The vows of God are doubly 
 upon you. You was dedicated in the early 
 dawn of life. You have also given up yourself 
 to him, by a voluntary profession of Christ. And 
 you are now to be publicly consecrated to him 
 by his ministers, to be employed as a laborer 
 
80 MEMOIR OF 
 
 in his harvest. And your father, who, by rea- 
 son of age, stands on the verge of eternity, 
 does now cordially give you up afresh to the 
 Son of God ; hoping and praying that you may 
 shine as a light in the world, when he shall 
 sleep in the dust. ' May your bow abide in 
 strength by the hands of the Mighty God of 
 Jacob.' And, as he that was separated from 
 his brethren, was made instrumental of saving 
 much people alive, so may you be the means 
 of rescuing many souls from endless ruin. And 
 God grant that a large number of your flock 
 may be given you for ' the seal of your minis- 
 try, and the crown of your rejoicing in the 
 day when he shall make up his jewels.' ' Be 
 thou faithful unto death, and Christ will give 
 thee a crown of life.' 
 
 " To the Church and Congregation in Brim- 
 field. — Christian Brethren and friends : — As 
 you have united in calling this youth to settle 
 with you in the sacred ministry, it is the heart's 
 desire and prayer of the speaker, that he may 
 prove a rich and lasting blessing to you and 
 your children. But, considering the deceitful- 
 ness of the human heart, and that many who 
 have had a fair beginning, have concerning the 
 faith made shipwreck, you cannot be assured 
 that he will endure to the end. Yet, it is still 
 earnestly hoped, that your expectations may 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 81 
 
 not be disappointed. But, after all, much de- 
 pends upon your conduct towards him. It is 
 highly important that you treat your young 
 pastor with tenderness and candor, yet with 
 faithfulness, and that you aid him by your 
 friendly counsels, your example, and fervent 
 prayers. And it is expected that you, in par- 
 ticular, who love Christ, and the souls of your 
 fellow men, will prove an Aaron and a Hur, to 
 aid in holding up his feeble hands, and that you 
 will unite with him in attempting to destroy 
 the works of the devil. 
 
 "Do not depress his spirit by causelessly 
 neglecting to attend upon the worship and or- 
 dinances of God in his house ; nor by restrain- 
 ing prayer in your families. And do you de- 
 sire that your children and servants may be 
 early taught of God, and trained up for heaven ? 
 Bring them with you from Sabbath to Sabbath, 
 to the sanctuary. And press home upon their 
 consciences, in private, those truths which they 
 hear in public. Restrain them from evil com- 
 pany and vicious practices, and labor to train 
 them up in the paths of true piety, that they 
 may be useful and happy in this world, and 
 everlastingly blessed in the world to come. 
 
 " And, my brethren, let me exhort you to 
 take heed, lest you receive the grace of God in 
 
82 MEMOIR OF, 
 
 vain. Take heed how you hear, and how you 
 improve your spiritual privileges, looking dili- 
 gently lest any root of bitterness springing up, 
 trouble you, and thereby many be defiled. 
 Keep constantly in mind your accountability to 
 God. The time is short. You must soon meet 
 your minister at the tribunal of Christ. And 
 may he so preach, and you so hear, that each 
 of you may give up your account with joy and 
 not with grief. And may you mutually prove 
 each other's ' crown of joy and rejoicing in the 
 day of the Lord Jesus/ " 
 
 " The Discriminating Teacher"— This is the 
 title of a manuscript sermon, preached by the 
 Rev. Joseph Vaill, at North Guilford, in 1808, 
 at the ordination of his eldest son, the Rev. 
 Wm. F. Vaill. The text is selected from Jere- 
 miah xv. 19 : " Therefore, thus saith the Lord, 
 if thou return, then will I bring thee again, and 
 thou shalt stand before me, and if thou take 
 forth the precious from the vile, then shalt thou 
 be as my mouth ; let them return unto thee, 
 but return not thou unto them." 
 
 After some appropriate remarks upon the 
 circumstances under which the text was spo- 
 ken, and illustrative of its import, the following 
 doctrinal sentiment is brought to view : " It 
 is infinitely important for ministers and teach- 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 83 
 
 ers to take fwth the precious from the vile, in 
 all their administrations ; or, in other words, 
 to discriminate between truth and error ; between 
 him that serveth God, and him that serveth him 
 not." 
 
 The sentiment is illustrated and enforced 
 under two heads. 
 
 " I. How ministers of the gospel are to make 
 this discrimination. 
 
 " II. Reasons why they should 'do this. 
 
 REFLECTIONS. 
 
 " 1. Such as would be God's mouth to man- 
 kind, should be men of eminent piety, and of 
 eminent knowledge in the holy scriptures. 
 
 " 2 They should be men of true Christian 
 zeal and fortitude. 
 
 " 3 They should be abundant in the duty 
 of prayer. 
 
 "4. Learn the guilt of false teachers and 
 unfaithful ministers." 
 
 Extracts from his address in this sermon, to 
 his son. 
 
 " My son, as you are this day to be set apart 
 to the work of the ministry, and to be as God's 
 mouth to the people in this place, I trust you 
 will listen to the counsel of a father who has 
 had the experience of many years in this im- 
 portant work, and who has well nigh finished 
 
84 MEMOIR OF 
 
 his course, and the ministry which he has re. 
 ceived of the Lord Jesus. As you have de- 
 sired the office of a bishop, you have desired a 
 good work. Though attended with great tri- 
 als, it is a blessed employment. How blessed 
 to spend life, and employ every talent in build- 
 ing up the kingdom of the Redeemer ! What 
 calling can be more blessed than for imperfect 
 men to be co-workers with God, and ambassa- 
 dors for Christ ! How consoling the thought 
 of being used as instruments to enlighten, to 
 quicken and sanctify Christians, and to train 
 them up for the heavenly world ! 
 
 " Look well, my son, to the motives by which 
 you are actuated ; see that you have an ulti- 
 mate regard for the glory of God ; see that you 
 seek not your own, but the things that are Jesus 
 Christ's ; that you preach not yourself, but 
 Christ and him crucified. Let the following 
 considerations bear with weight upon your 
 mind. You are utterly insufficient for the work 
 to which you are called, of yourself; you will 
 continually need communications of light, of 
 quickening and of wisdom from above. You are 
 responsible to the Lord Jesus Christ, how you 
 fulfill your ministry. Keep in view the day of 
 account, when you must meet the people of 
 your charge before the tribunal of Christ. 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL, 
 
 85 
 
 Then you must render an account how you 
 have preached, and they how they have heard 
 the gospel." 
 
 Extract from his address to the Church and 
 Congregation of North Guilford* 
 
 " Christian brethren and friends : — I trust 
 you will receive your young pastor as an as- 
 cension gift of the Great Head of the Church. 
 And do you desire that his ministry may prove 
 savingly beneficial to your souls ? You must 
 be reconciled to the truth, and must love and 
 receive the genuine truths of the gospel into 
 your hearts, and practice them in your lives ; 
 you must be firmly united with your minister 
 in promoting the cause of Christ. 
 
 " My brethren, do you desire the flourishing 
 of pure religion in this place ? You must keep 
 alive in the cause ; you must also be a united 
 and praying church. You can expect but 
 small success from the ministry of your pastor, 
 unless you pray fervently and importunately 
 for him, that the pleasure of the Lord may 
 prosper in his hands." 
 8 
 
86 MEMOIR OF 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Extracts from his Journal, illustrating his personal piety. 
 
 In his personal piety, Mr. Vaill was governed 
 by deep and abiding convictions of duty. He 
 regarded religion as the great concern of life, 
 and he felt that it required daily attention to 
 lead a religious life, and more or less self-denial. 
 He was regular and uniform in his observance 
 of secret prayer ; and was to some extent, in the 
 habit of setting apart days for private fasting 
 and prayer, with a view to increase his own 
 spirituality. The following extract is from his 
 journal, entered in 1780, in view of a day of 
 private fasting. 
 
 " Considering my barrenness, coldness, stu- 
 pidity, formality, and the absolute need in which 
 I stand of the divine presence, and of feeling 
 my dependence upon Christ, and how I have 
 dishonored God by my coldness and worldly- 
 mindedness, and considering the awful stupidity 
 prevailing in the Parish, I have concluded to 
 set apart this day, Sept. 5th, for secret fasting 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 87 
 
 and prayer, to confess my sins, and to bewail 
 my barrenness, and hypocrisy, and to plead 
 with God to cleanse me from my sins, and to 
 visit my soul with the quickening influences of 
 his blessed Spirit, that he would give me the 
 life and power of godliness, make me a faith- 
 ful minister of Jesus Christ, keep me from be- 
 ing ensnared by the world in trying seasons 
 that God would lead and guide me in the path 
 of duty, and save me from dishonoring his great 
 name and wronging precious souls, and that 
 he would pour out his Spirit upon the church 
 and Society, and greatly revive his work. O, 
 that God would grant me his Spirit, to en- 
 able me to fast and pray aright, for Christ's 
 sake." 
 
 There is no doubt of the utility of private 
 fasting and special prayer in promoting the ho- 
 liness of God's people, and this means has been 
 resorted to by eminently holy ministers, and 
 private Christians in every age. 
 
 The following resolutions are entered in his 
 journal, Feb. 12th, 1781. 
 
 " Considering the importance of living to the 
 glory of God, that not only my own peace and 
 welfare much depend upon it, but the spiritual 
 welfare of my family, and in a great measure, 
 the spiritual welfare of my people also, I do 
 now, as in the immediate presence of my Lord 
 
88 MEMOIR OF 
 
 and Judge, resolve, by his grace assisting me, 
 
 " 1. That I will be more sober, watchful, 
 prayerful and temperate. 
 
 " 2. That I will rise early in the morning, and 
 my first business shall be, as soon as I can at- 
 tend, to call upon God for assistance in the du- 
 ties of the day. 
 
 " 3. I will endeavor to converse upon reli- 
 gion or something profitable, whenever I have 
 opportunity. 
 
 " 4. I will now by divine grace put away 
 every sinful lust. 
 
 " 5. I will give myself wholly to God's ser- 
 vice. 
 
 " 6. I will use all proper endeavors to revive 
 religion in my family and in the society. And 
 wilt thou, most blessed Redeemer, help me to 
 keep these and all my other resolutions. Amen. 
 
 The following entry was made in his journal 
 April 13th, 1782. 
 
 " I find on looking back, that I have been re- 
 miss in duty, and have reason to chide myself 
 in the following respects. 
 
 " 1. My mind has been greatly perplexed 
 about my worldly affairs, especially about pur- 
 chasing a place. 
 
 " 2. I have indulged many useless and un- 
 profitable thoughts. 
 
 " 3. I have spent too much time in unprofi- 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 89 
 
 table conversation, and have not sufficiently 
 guarded my tongue in speaking of others, nor 
 have I discountenanced the practice as 1 ought. 
 
 " 4. I have spent too much of my time to 
 little or no purpose, and have not been suffi- 
 ciently engaged in promoting the great work 
 to which I am called. 
 
 " 5. I have too much gratified my carnal ap- 
 petites, which tends to darkness of mind. I 
 fear I have not been temperate in all things as 
 it becomes a minister of the gospel to be. 
 
 " 6. I fear I have been guilty of dishonoring 
 God by my cold and hypocritical performance 
 of duty. 
 
 " 7. I have not been sufficiently watchful 
 and prayerful, and have not taken good heed to 
 practice as I have preached, nor cherished the 
 good emotions of God's Spirit when I have felt 
 them. I have been far too selfish in all my 
 transactions, of a spiritual and temporal na- 
 ture, and have not acted with an eye single to 
 the glory of God, as I ought ; for all of which 
 I desire to be humble before God ; and I resolve, 
 by his grace assisting me, that I will now con- 
 secrate myself anew to him. 
 
 " And now, blessed God, by thy grace, I give 
 myself wholly to thee, my heart, my best affec- 
 tions, my whole soul, my time, my talents, and 
 
 all I enjoy, promising by thine assistance to live 
 
 8* 
 
90 MEMOIR OF 
 
 and act, and speak, and think as one of thy 
 children and one of thy ministers. Lord, ac- 
 cept of an unworthy worm, and make one whol- 
 ly thine, and wash away all my sins in the blood 
 of Christ, and help me to stand and fight a glo- 
 rious warfare manfully to the end, with forti- 
 tude, courage, humility and meekness, for Je- 
 sus' sake. Amen." 
 
 RESOLUTIONS. 
 
 "1. To be temperate in all things. 
 
 " 2. To spend my time wholly for God. 
 
 " 3. Through Christ to crucify the flesh with 
 its affections and lusts. 
 
 " 4. To read much, pray much, to meditate 
 much, and to watch over my tongue." 
 
 " Sept. 6, 1782. When I look around upon 
 the hardness, coldness, and stupidity of this 
 people, it fills me with gloom, and seems to 
 damp my spirits. I have thought best to set 
 apart this day for private fasting and prayer, 
 to confess my sins, and the sins of my people, 
 to implore divine mercy for myself and people ; 
 and O, that God would assist me in these sol- 
 emn exercises." 
 
 " March 14, 1795. O, how poorly do I spend 
 my time, and how unbecoming a Christian and 
 a minister do I live. Another week is gone, 
 and what have I done for the cause of God ? 
 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 91 
 
 I have lived too much like one, who has no re- 
 ligion. O Lord quicken my barren soul ! " 
 
 " March 29th. I was filled with shame and 
 many painful sensations last evening, in taking a 
 view of my spiritual barrenness ; and was led 
 to many grievous reflections upon myself by 
 reading Mr. David Brainerd's diary. I felt as 
 though I was full of sin, and had greatly declin- 
 ed in religion. If I have any grace, O, how 
 small must be the spark. I felt it a difficult 
 thing to get near to God, but this must be the 
 effect of unbelief. It seemed as if there could 
 be no great prospect of my being very useful 
 or successful in the ministry, unless I am brought 
 to live more spiritually and to be more alive in 
 the things of religion. O, how great has been my 
 pride and folly, and love of the world ; how 
 cold and formal my duties ! Lord have mer- 
 cy upon me and quicken my soul ! " 
 
 " May 31st. I have lately had many striking 
 views of death. It appears a most solemn and 
 fearful change. I often tremble when I bring 
 it near. Eternal misery appears inconceivably 
 dreadful. I am filled with astonishment, when 
 I think of any of my fellow creatures, being 
 lost eternally, though I have not such fearful 
 apprehensions of perishing as I once had. 
 Whether I am deceived or not, God knows ; 
 yet, I think much upon the subject, with awful 
 
92 MEMOIR OF 
 
 wonder and amazement. O how slack, after 
 all, am I in my duty towards my fellow sinners, 
 in attempting to save their souls from death ! 
 When I consider my deficiencies in duty, my 
 follies, my blindness, my too great worldliness, 
 my spiritual barrenness, I blush and am ashamed 
 before God." 
 
 "March 1st, 1800. I have many thoughts 
 on religion, and on future things, but am not 
 suitably affected by these great subjects. My 
 stupidity and want of life in prayer, and of be- 
 ing more spiritual in my daily conversation often 
 lead me to scruple my sincerity. This morn- 
 ing had some serious exercises on the subject 
 of ministers' enjoying the presence of Christ. 
 I feared I had but small tokens, if any true ones, 
 of having the gracious presence of Christ. This 
 he hath promised to his faithful ministers, — 
 " Lo, I am with you always to the end of the 
 world." Though I have thought that I have 
 experienced supports and consolations in some 
 degree, in the course of my ministry, under tri- 
 als, yet why am I so barren ; why no more use- 
 ful and successful among my people, if Christ is 
 with me ? I know I am unworthy that he 
 should come under my roof, much more that 
 he should dwell in my heart ; but he has con- 
 descended, and does still condescend to dwell 
 with the meanest of his followers. O, Divine 
 
 mmmm 
 
REV. J08EPH VAILL. 93 
 
 Saviour, purify my heart from the idols which 
 hinder thee from taking up thine abode with 
 me." 
 
 " Dec. 1 1 th, 1 802. With wh at astonishment 
 do I often view the thoughtless world, who 
 have no apparent concern to escape the wrath 
 to come, and to enjoy God's favor in heaven. 
 I feel these things with pressing weight in my 
 lonely and retired moments ; but when I am 
 among people, whom I have reason to fear have 
 no religion and are in constant danger of per- 
 ishing forever, there is, at times, a sort of back- 
 wardness in my mind to introducing these so- 
 lemn subjects. The occasion, or the time, or 
 place, or company, or previous conversation, 
 seem to forbid it ! Forbid ! ! Oh, how do I 
 blush with shame, when alone, to think any 
 thing should hinder me from attempting to res- 
 cue immortal souls from the pit of everlasting 
 destruction !" 
 
 "July 15th, 1806. My mind is not alive in 
 religion as it ought to be. 1 have a hope that 
 I love Christ, and the ways of piety, but how 
 many things against me ! The evidences in 
 my favor appear to be the following ; 
 
 " 1. I have, as I think, a fixed and realizing 
 sense of the truths contained in the word of 
 God. 
 
94 MEMOIR OF 
 
 " 2 Habitual love and relish for the spiritual 
 truths of the Gospel. 
 
 " 3 Some real delight in the duties of religion, 
 and in Christian conversation. 
 
 "4. Love for those who bear the image of 
 Christ. I think I view them as the only excel- 
 lent of the earth. Their society, conversation 
 and practice afford me much satisfaction. In- 
 deed I can take no real satisfaction in the com- 
 pany of the worldly and irreligious. 
 
 " 5. I think I have an ardent desire for the 
 revival of pure and undefiled religion, not only 
 among my own people, but that Christ's king- 
 dom may be built up and prevail universally. 
 
 " 6. I put my trust and hope in God, prevail- 
 ingly, as the righteous Governor of the world, 
 and as the great Disposer of all events, and 
 though I am not reconciled, as I ought to be, 
 to his adverse Providences, yet I feel a degree 
 of resignation prevailing in times of calamity. 
 
 " 7. I trust I am in some measure weaned 
 from the world. Though I am sensible I have 
 too much of a carnal disposition, yet for many 
 years, the world has appeared to me such an 
 empty place, and so devoid of all solid comfort 
 that I have not been seeking " great things for 
 myself." I am far from envying the rich, the 
 great and honorable of the earth , and I desire 
 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAtLL. 95 
 
 no more of this world than will subserve the 
 spiritual good of myself and family. 
 
 " 8. I have some affecting sense, habitually, 
 of the shortness and great uncertainty of life, 
 and of the solemn scenes of judgment and eter- 
 nity, and of the inconceivable misery of such 
 as die in their sins. 
 
 " But after all these things, which seem to be 
 evidences in favor of my piety, there are still 
 other things against me. Such are the follow- 
 ing; 
 
 " 1. My having no clearer views of the glory 
 of the character of God, and of the excellency 
 and preciousness of Jesus Christ. 
 
 " 2. Though I have a great sense of my ex- 
 treme vileness, and of the depths of wickedness 
 within my heart, yet I am often stumbled that 
 I pray and labor no more earnestly to be deliv- 
 ered from my inbred corruptions, and to keep 
 my body under. 
 
 " 3. My hope is frequently staggered by rea- 
 son of that pride which seems to run through 
 all my public performances. 
 
 "4. The coldness and wandering thoughts, 
 which often attend the performance of duty, 
 damp my hope. 
 
 " 5. My disposition too often to indulge in 
 light and humorous observations, when in com- 
 pany, has been very trying to my mind, and 
 
96 MEMOI R OF 
 
 frequently has staggered my charity for myself* 
 
 " 6. I find my mind often agitated and ruf* 
 fled by disappointments or occurrences, which 
 have come on me unexpectedly, when not the 
 most weighty things were at stake. 
 
 " 7. My want of life, of love, of zeal and fer- 
 vency in attempting to promote vital religion 
 among the people of my charge, when, at the 
 same time, I have a rational conviction of the 
 worth of their souls, and of the danger they are 
 in of perishing forever. This has been very 
 stumbling to me, and often has led me to call in 
 question my own sincerity. 
 
 " 8. But one of the greatest evidences against 
 me, is the small proof I can find of that holy 
 and growing conformity to God, that meekness, 
 humility, deep contrition for sin, and spiritual- 
 mindedness, which every Christian, and espe- 
 cially every minister of Jesus Christ, ought daily 
 to exercise. 6 Search me, O God, and know 
 my heart ; try me and know my thoughts ; 
 and see if there be any wicked way in me, and 
 lead me in the way everlasting.' " 
 
 In a feeble state of health; " Feb. 24th, 1813. 
 I can expect but little more than infirmities the 
 rest of my days. I desire to pray for patience 
 and resignation to the Divine will. My time 
 must be very short for this world. Death is a 
 solemn scene. I often shudder at the thought 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 97 
 
 of dying, and yet I feel no desire to live barely 
 for enjoying the things of this world. Unless I 
 can enjoy the presence and blessing of God, and 
 be employed in doing good, 1 conceive that I 
 can answer no important end by living. I need 
 more lively faith in order to meet death with 
 Christian fortitude. I hope in the infinite mer- 
 cy of God, to prepare me for my great change. 
 I view my days as drawing to a close. My 
 great concern is to be useful to my people and 
 family, while I live, and to be prepared for a 
 happy immortality." 
 
 "Oct. 25th. I have very different feelings 
 and exercises from day to day, and my state of 
 mind alters, and varies; — sometimes I feel 
 calm, and take delight, as I think, in religion, 
 and in the government of God ; though some- 
 times I am gloomy and desponding. At times 
 I feel much encouraged to hope that God is 
 about to revive his work among my people, 
 and that the good work is begun and progres- 
 sing ; at other times, I fear that religion is on the 
 decline, and that all favorable indications are 
 about to die away. But, I desire to leave the 
 whole with God. My infirmities as well as 
 age denote that my clayey tabernacle will soon 
 be dissolved. I feel poorly prepared for the 
 heavenly world, I am so much attached to this, 
 and yet I hope through the amazing grace and 
 
98 MEMOIROP 
 
 mercy of the Redeemer, to arrive, at last, at 
 that holy and happy place. 
 
 " I think I have full evidence that I am a 
 friend to religion, and to the cause of Christ, 
 and that I long to see pure religion revive, but 
 alas, how unfit do I view myself for the society 
 of the redeemed, and of holy angels in heaven* 
 But my only hope is in the free and sovereign 
 mercy of God to prepare me for that blessed 
 world. 
 
 " My only solid support and comfort are 
 from the character, work, and promises of the 
 Redeemer. I firmly believe he will fully ac- 
 complish all his vast designs, and will terminate 
 them in the wisest and best manner." 
 
 "May, 1816. Every minister may expect 
 more or less trials. I know I am like a weak 
 helpless infant in myself. O Lord, in mercy 
 pity me, and enable me to live above the world 
 while I live in it ; and may I be prepared for 
 my departure out of it whenever the summons 
 shall come." 
 
 " Dec. I hope I enjoy some comfort and 
 support from religion, though I find myself a 
 poor imperfect, sinful creature. I stand in 
 constant need of the aids of the Divine Spirit 
 from above. I am too apt to speak hastily and 
 unadvisedly. It is a great Christian attainment 
 to bridle the tongue at all times, — that unruly 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 99 
 
 member, — and habitually to live in a calm and 
 dispassionate state of mind, and always to be 
 an imitator of the meek and lowly Saviour. 
 Lord, evermore grant me such a disposition of 
 mind as this, both in my public performances, 
 and in my daily deportment." 
 
 "July, 1817. I need clearer evidences that 
 my peace is made with God, though I hope in 
 his infinite mercy through the Redeemer, for 
 the great blessings of pardon and salvation. I 
 think I enjoy some peculiar sweetness in medi- 
 tating on Divine things, and I hope the worship 
 of God in public and in private is delightful to 
 my soul. But, after all, how vile, how unwor- 
 thy, how guilty do I appear in the sight of an 
 infinitely pure and holy God." 
 
 k< Dec. As I advance in life, my time seem- 
 ingly quickens its pace. The days seem to be 
 scarcely come before they are insensably gone. 
 If time flies thus rapidly, how soon will it waft 
 me off the stage of life ! How I shall feel when 
 death shall come, I know not, but the thought 
 of dying often fills me with inward dread, not 
 so much on account of the pains that will at- 
 tend it, as the fear that I am not united to 
 Christ. I think I have, at times-, spiritual com- 
 forts ; but how small, how inconstant ! Can 
 it be, say I frequently to myself, that I, who am 
 iso full of sinful imperfections, am prepared for 
 
100 MEMOIR OF 
 
 the pure and perfect society and employments 
 of the upper world ? Though I have a fixed 
 and unshaken belief of the great doctrines and 
 truth's contained in Divine revelation, yet I have 
 not that assured hope which I need, that I am 
 interested in the promises of the Gospel." 
 
 " Dec. 25th. I think, through the great loving 
 kindness and mercy of God, I have enjoyed 
 more comfort in religion of late, and freedom 
 in conversation with others upon Divine things. 
 My mind has been much more free from dejec- 
 tion and melancholy. ' Bless the Lord, O, my 
 soul and forget not all his benefits.' How 
 great is his goodness to me, a vile, unthankful 
 worm of the dust, which has so often grieved 
 the Holy Spirit, and abused all my light and 
 privileges." 
 
 "July, 1820. I think my active days are 
 nearly at an end, and my usefulness, of course, 
 cannot, in ordinary circumstances, be continued 
 much longer. Nor do I feel a desire to out-live 
 my usefulness in the world ; but I desire to 
 leave the event with God." 
 
 " Feb. 12th, 1821. If 1 have a principle of 
 pure religion in my heart, it must be like a pre- 
 cious jewel in the midst of a heap of rubbish. 
 How numerous are my sins and imperfections ! 
 How marvellous that two things, which are as 
 opposite as light and darkness, should exist in 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 101 
 
 the same heart at the same time, viz ; the love 
 of God, and such great remains of moral cor- 
 ruption. Had not the word of God informed 
 us, that two so diametrically opposite principles 
 were found in the heart of all Christians, and 
 had not this been described by so good a man 
 as Paul, which he daily realized from his own 
 experience, I should think it impossible for me 
 to be a Christian in my present state. But 
 what gives me encouragement to hope that I 
 am a sincere friend to Christ, is my prevailing 
 delight in the character of God, his law, and 
 his government, and in the truths of his holy 
 word ; and my ardent desire, as I think, to see 
 pure religion flourishing, and prevailing." 
 
 " 1823. I find the want of spiritual minded- 
 ness, and that I am far too fickle in my feelings, 
 I often think I enjoy comfort and sweetness in 
 Divine things, but am apt to lose my good 
 frames, and to be ruffled, at times, by small 
 crossing occurrences. I begin to realize the 
 effects of age and infirmities more and more, 
 which indicate the general decay of my body, 
 and the near approach of my dissolution ; such 
 as increasing debility, deafness, failure of mem- 
 ory, loss of sight, and the difficulty of recogni- 
 zing the faces and names which have formerly 
 been familiar to me." 
 
 " May 8th, 1824. I have long viewed it of 
 9* 
 
102 MEMOIR OF 
 
 great importance for people to become well es- 
 tablished in the belief and practice of the truths 
 of religion in their youth ; and so to devote 
 themselves to the service of God, that they may 
 enjoy the support of religion, under the decays 
 and infirmities of old age. I find my memory 
 has greatly failed within a few years, and my 
 mind has become weak, and my thoughts of- 
 tentimes much scattered, and especially at the 
 close of the day, when my body is weary. I 
 have had, of late, but little spiritual enjoyment. I 
 feel that I am too cold and formal in my prayers, 
 and, am troubled with wandering thoughts 
 in duty, to such a degree that I often think that 
 I have no grace at all. I pray God in his rich 
 mercy to have compassion upon me, and quick- 
 en my soul, which cleaveth to the dust ; and 
 that he would undeceive me, if I am deceived, 
 and lift upon me the light of his countenance. 
 I find it a great thing, at all times, and in all 
 company, to maintain a lively sense of religion." 
 " I feel more and more weaned from the 
 world, I have but small desires to continue long 
 in this world of sin and sorrow ; but still I fear 
 that my motives are selfish in living, or in de- 
 siring an exchange of worlds. I pray God to 
 search me and try me, and lead me in the way 
 everlasting. I think I long for conformity to 
 the image and will of God/' 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 103 
 
 " I pray for grace so to live as to glorify God 
 in death, by enjoying his gracious, his comfort- 
 ing, and supporting presence in the last mo- 
 ments of my life. It is a most solemn and try- 
 ing scene to pass through. I have been much 
 exercised how I shall die ; but I hope in the 
 God of all grace and consolation, to grant me 
 his Holy Spirit to comfort me in that solemn 
 hour." 
 
 " July 27th, 1828. I have for some time, I 
 hope, enjoyed, for the most part, some real com- 
 fort in religion, though at times disheartened in 
 my work. I think, that 1 long for nothing so 
 intensely as saving grace and the quickening 
 and comforting influences of the Holy Ghost. 
 The amazingly rapid flight of time reminds me, 
 very often, that my race will soon end, and I 
 shall be fixed in my final state for Eternity. O, 
 amazing thought ! Though I am fully persua- 
 ded, that it is my heart's desire to promote pure 
 religion and to see the cause of Christ univer- 
 sally flourishing, yet my want of far greater 
 fervency spiritual mindedness, and more con- 
 stant devotedness to God's service, fills me with 
 fear and anxiety, lest I should fall short at last." 
 
 "Dec. 17th, 1833. How marvellous is God's 
 loving kindness towards me, a poor, guilty, un- 
 worthy sinner." 
 
 Extracts from his journal breathing the same 
 
104 MEMOIR OP 
 
 spirit with the foregoing, might be greatly exten- 
 ded. But these specimens show the character 
 of his piety, that it was persevering, pervading 
 his whole conduct and commending itself to all 
 who knew him. As the infirmities of age in- 
 creased upon him, Mr. Vaill made less copi- 
 ous, and less frequent entries in his journal; yet 
 it was continued down nearly to the time of his 
 death, and affords abundant evidence of matu- 
 rity in Christian experience, and increasing 
 meetness for heaven. In proportion as his 
 heavenly-mindedness increased, and as he ap^ 
 proximated towards sinless perfection, his sense 
 of the amazing evil of sin, and of his own un- 
 worthiness and dependence upon the grace and 
 strength of Christ seemed to deepen ; and, in- 
 stead of glorying in himself or in any of his past 
 services, he seemed to glory wholly in Christ, 
 and to view himself as a poor, unworthy sinner, 
 redeemed " by the precious blood of Christ, as; 
 of a lamb without blemish and without spot." 
 
 
RET. JOSEPH VAILL. 105 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 Extracts from his Journal continued. — Birth-day reflections. 
 Anniversary of his ordination. New Year's reflections. Parochial 
 calls. Spirit of the world. Religious education of children. Paren- 
 tal neglect. Two infidels. Modern mode of settling ministers ex- 
 ceptionable. Hasty admissions to the Church. Young converts. 
 
 " To the reflecting and pious mind, anniversa- 
 ry occasions afford desirable opportunities for 
 meditation. Of this sort is the return of the 
 day of one's birth, of the new year, or the en- 
 trance on a new relation in life. These occa- 
 sions are noted in the journal of Mr. Vaill, by 
 the entry of some appropriate reflections. A 
 few extracts are here inserted, as specimens of 
 the use which may be made of such occasions. 
 
 "July 14th, 1804. I am this day fifty- 
 three years old ! Oh, how has my life glided 
 away like a vapor ! Much more than half of 
 my time is doubtless gone, perhaps far the 
 greatest part ! And how little have I done to 
 promote the honor of God, and the good of 
 souls ! I have reason to fear and tremble, 
 when I reflect upon my barrenness and want of 
 love and zeal in the service of God ! " 
 
106 MEMOIR OF 
 
 "July 14th, 1822. This is my birth-day. 
 I am this day seventy-one years of age. Oh ! 
 how ought I to be ashamed of my past un- 
 profitable life, and to be humbled in the dust, 
 that I have lived so many years to so little 
 purpose. Though I hope God has improved 
 me as an instrument of some good to souls, and 
 to the church of Christ, yet of what numerous 
 sins and short-comings in duty do I stand 
 chargeable before God ! I have abundant 
 cause for the exercise of the warmest grati- 
 tude to God for sparing my life so long, and 
 for loading me with innumerable benefits. I 
 have from my childhood enjoyed great privi- 
 leges beyond many of my acquaintance, and 
 especially for nearly fifty years past. 
 
 " How marvellous the goodness of God in call- 
 ing me away from my parents, and from my 
 native place, where I was surrounded by 
 many vicious youth, and by irreligious neigh- 
 bors, and in opening a door for me in his Provi- 
 dence to procure a competent education, to be 
 in some measure useful in the ministry ! And 
 I now stand on the brink of the grave, and the 
 eternal world ; but, blessed be God, if I am not 
 deceived, I enjoy a comfortable hope, that my 
 sins and sorrows will end with my days/' 
 
 "Sept. 28th, 1822. It is, this day, fifty 
 years since I set out from Litchfield, my native 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 107 
 
 place, on foot, to travel an hundred and eighty 
 miles, to Dartmouth College, on purpose to 
 procure an education, that I might be permit- 
 ted to preach the gospel. The time since that 
 period has fled away like a vapor, and I have 
 passed through many new and trying scenes, 
 and have also experienced innumerable mer- 
 cies. The greater part of those of my rela- 
 tives and acquaintance, who had then arrived 
 at the age of twenty-five or thirty years, have 
 gone to the grave, and have entered on their 
 -eternal state." 
 
 "Friday, July 14th, 1826. This is my 
 birth-day. Through the abundant mercy of 
 <Jod, 1 have been spared to the age of seventy- 
 iive years. Multitudes have come and gone 
 off the stage of action since I began my ex- 
 istence. Most of my cotemporaries in early 
 life are numbered in the great congregation. 
 Various and wonderful have been the changes, 
 the labors and hardships through which I have 
 been called to pass. But in looking back upon 
 life, I see reason to lament the sins and follies 
 of my childhood and youth, and that I have 
 lived no more devoted to God in my more ad- 
 vanced age ! There can be but a step — but 
 a short space between me and death, and a 
 boundless eternity. Though I have attempted 
 to live a life of religion for more than half a 
 century, yet how far short have I fallen of 
 
108 MEMOIR OF 
 
 what I ought to have done ! Though I feel 
 but little desirous of procuring worldly sub- 
 stance, were it in my power, and though 1 
 have, for many years, taken up with about half 
 of what is common for a people to give their 
 minister for his salary of late years, yet I find 
 my mind too much encumbered with my world- 
 ly affairs. I desire now, by the grace of God, 
 to devote the remainder of my life to his ser- 
 vice. I hope and pray, that I may yet see 
 pure religion flourishing among the people of 
 my charge, and in the churches around us, be- 
 fore I end my days on earth." 
 
 " July 14th, 1827. This day completes 
 seventy-six years of my life. What abundant 
 cause have I to bless God, that I have lived 
 to see another precious revival among the peo- 
 ple of my charge ! I hope and pray that it 
 may become general, and that all who have 
 remained in an unconverted state, may now 
 be brought into the kingdom." 
 
 REFLECTIONS IN REFERENCE TO HIS ORDINATION. 
 
 " Feb. 9th, 1790. This day is just ten years 
 since my ordination. I have reason to lament, 
 that I have had no more success ; that I have 
 done no more for God. I have had many dis- 
 couragements in regard to my unsuccessfulness; 
 but I encourage myself that God has some elect 
 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 109 
 
 ones in this place, who have already been call- 
 ed, and therefore conclude, that though the 
 number of Christ's people is small in any place, 
 it is important that they be fed and nourished 
 by the preaching of the word, that they may 
 be prepared for heaven." 
 
 "Feb. 9th, 1819. This is the anniversary 
 of my ordination, which was thirty-seven years 
 ago. I preached in the afternoon in reference 
 to the occasion, but the weather being unfa- 
 vorable for the people to attend, the assembly 
 was not large. How great have been the 
 changes in this period, and how many that once 
 belonged to my charge, have gone to the great 
 congregation ! Two hundred and twelve have 
 died in this place since my ordination, besides 
 others that have been lost at sea t I hope God 
 will yet further revive his work in this place, 
 and yet call in all who are now out of Christ. 
 Through increasing infirmities, 1 find that I 
 cannot sustain weekly conferences through the 
 winter, as I have formerly done. I believe it 
 to be my duty to use all proper means to pre- 
 serve my health and to lengthen out my use- 
 fulness. I wish to do the people all the good 
 in my power, by studying and preaching, and 
 visiting and distributing religious tracts. I 
 have given away, within a short time, upwards 
 of one hundred tracts to the school children 
 10 
 
110 MEMOIR OF 
 
 and others. I need a large measure of faith 
 and spiritual-mindedness to prepare me to get 
 above the fears of death. Though I hope I 
 have an interest in Christ, yet alas ! how far 
 short do I come of that holy living which God 
 requireth of Christians, and especially of min- 
 isters ! " 
 
 NEW YEAR'S REFLECTIONS. 
 
 "Jan. 1st, 1802. Through the abundant 
 goodness of God, I have been preserved anoth- 
 er year. Thousands of the human race have 
 passed from time to eternity since the last year 
 began. God only knows whether I have not 
 entered upon the last year of my life. How 
 swiftly is my time passing away, and how poor- 
 ly do I improve it ! Though I cannot tax my- 
 self with being idle, my greatest deficiency is 
 the want of an eye single to the glory of God, 
 and not being more engaged in religion. I 
 hope I am a friend of Christ, and that I have 
 been born again ; but oh ! how small the evi- 
 dence of Christian fruit do I find in my soul ! 
 How little is the life of the Christian manifest 
 in my mortal flesh ! If I am not deceived, I 
 take real delight in religion, and in the society 
 and conversation of pious people. I pray for 
 grace so to live as to glorify God in my life, 
 and to enjoy his gracious and comforting pres- 
 ence in the last moments of life." 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. Ill 
 
 " Jan. 1804. I feel at the beginning of e very- 
 year, as though it would be my last. I know 
 a last year of my 7 life must come, and God only 
 knows whether this year is not to be with me 
 the last. Many souls have been launched into 
 eternity during the past year, and many more 
 will doubtless die the present year. O ! God, 
 teach me so to number my days, that I may 
 apply my heart unto wisdom." 
 
 "Jan. 1st, 1817. Through the abundant 
 goodness and mercy of God, my life has been 
 prolonged another year. How soon has the 
 year run out ! O ! what is time ! how fleet- 
 ing ! how short ! But a small space parts me 
 from eternity. I shall soon exchange worlds. 
 And from increasing infirmities, I ought to feel 
 admonished, that the change will very soon 
 take place. Oh ! that I might begin this year 
 with God, and that I may be enabled to live in 
 a more humble and spiritual manner, and to 
 exhibit more of a patient, submissive and useful 
 life. How many millions of the human family 
 have been swept off the stage of life since the 
 last year commenced ! And many millions 
 more will fall this present year ! Lord, am I 
 among this number, which this year must die ? 
 O ! prepare me by thine amazing grace for my 
 great and last change. Prepare me, when I 
 depart, to go and be .with Christ, which is far 
 
112 MEMOIR OF 
 
 better than to continue in this world of sin, of 
 confusion and distraction." 
 
 " Jan. 1819. I have experienced many mer- 
 cies in the year past, and have abundant rea- 
 son to bless God. My people have been very 
 kind and liberal to me and my family. They 
 have contributed liberally according to their 
 numbers and ability, for our comfort, knowing 
 that my stated salary is small for the present 
 day, when articles of living are so dear. 
 
 I have lately thought, that I have not made 
 Jesus Christ the subject of my preaching, as 
 much as I ought. I am now resolved to dwell 
 more on this subject than I have lately done. 
 I believe it to be the great duty of ministers of 
 the gospel to dwell much upon the character 
 and doctrines of Christ in their public instruc- 
 tions. O ! Lord, let the seed of thy word, 
 which I have been endeavoring to sow among 
 this people for many years, spring up and bear 
 fruit to life eternal, if not before, yet after I 
 shall be slumbering in the dust ! God is able 
 to raise up instruments to succeed me, which 
 will far better promote his cause than ever I 
 have done." 
 
 "Jan., 1824. Through the mercy and lov- 
 ing kindness of God, I am brought to the be- 
 ginning of a new year. I think at the com- 
 mencement of every year, that it is probably 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 113 
 
 my last, and this probability increases as I ad- 
 vance in life, and as my infirmities increase upon 
 me. I know there must be a last year, a lasf 
 month, a last day, a last hour and moment, with 
 me. 
 
 " I have experienced much of divine goodness 
 in the year past, as well as my family. I have 
 not been detained a single half day from pub- 
 lic worship, and I have preached every Sab- 
 bath, when I have had no assistance from my 
 brethren, and have been enabled to attend a 
 number of lectures and other religious meetings 
 among my own people and abroad. I hope 
 through the grace and mercy of God my use- 
 fulness may be continued while my life lasts. 
 But my time is near at hand. O ! God, pre- 
 pare me to meet the awful summons with holy 
 resignation and composure of mind." 
 
 "Jan. 1831. I am still alive, and have en- 
 tered on a new year, under as comfortable cir- 
 cumstances as almost any person of my age. 
 I have abundant cause for thankfulness to my 
 merciful Saviour for his goodness to me and 
 my family ; for the health and other temporal, 
 as well as spiritual blessings and privileges, 
 which we have enjoyed. I pray that I may 
 be enabled to devote my spared life wholly to 
 the service of my Redeemer. 
 
 I think, every day, of my approaching disso- 
 10* 
 
114 MEMOIR OF 
 
 lution, and am greatly concerned to be prepar- 
 ed to meet my great change in peace, and to 
 enter upon that rest which is in reserve for 
 the people of God. My prospects for this 
 world are daily lessening. I think I feel in 
 some measure as a weaned child, in regard to 
 all sublunary things. It is my heart's desire 
 and prayer to God, that I may leave the church 
 under my pastoral care, in a united and flour- 
 ishing state, and that all the unconverted in 
 the place may yet be effectually called and 
 sanctified, and that all my children and grand- 
 children may be humble followers of the Lord 
 Jesus Christ." 
 
 Mr. Vaill's infirmities having increased upon 
 him, he was obliged for a season to suspend his 
 public labors about the close of the year 1831, 
 On being able to resume them in January, 
 1832, he thus expresses himself in his journal. 
 
 u I went through the public exercises and 
 returned home, without being greatly exhaust- 
 ed by the labors of the day. I desire to bless 
 God, that he is still enabling me to perform fur- 
 ther service for him. I hope by divine aid yet 
 to be able to preach some longer. I have a 
 desire to bring again into view the leading and 
 essential doctrines of the gospel, before I quit 
 the stage of life. I find the doctrines of the 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL, 115 
 
 cross are growing unpopular, not only with 
 many who are members of churches, but with 
 a number of ministers who have within a few 
 years been settled in the work." 
 
 At another date : " I begin to feel a deep 
 anxiety on account of the present state of the 
 churches. Though there appears to subsist a 
 good degree of union among them in general, 
 yet ,1 find some ministerial brethren, and others, 
 members of churches, who appear of late to be 
 carried away with modern popular sentiments, 
 and a style of preaching adopted by some 
 young ministers, that are coming on to the 
 stage. Not a few have forsaken the doctrine 
 of the totally depraved and sinful condition in 
 which we are born into the world. And some 
 have exploded the doctrine of regeneration by 
 the Spirit of God, as taught in the sacred 
 scriptures by Christ and his inspired apostles, 
 and as has been taught by the most learned, 
 skilful and pious divines since the reformation. 
 Though these modern preachers profess to hold 
 to regeneration, yet they ascribe too much to 
 human agency, and hold that regeneration is 
 wrought by having the excellency of moral ob- 
 jects presented to the view of the soul, and 
 that sinners are active in effecting the change 
 of their own regeneration ; whereas, the work 
 
116 MEMOIR OF 
 
 is set forth by the apostle as being a new crea- 
 tion, which is wrought alone by the Spirit and 
 power of God." 
 
 " Confused ideas, or at least incorrect, are ad- 
 vanced by some preachers respecting the in- 
 ability of sinners to repent, to believe, or to per- 
 form any other duty ; or, rather, no proper dis- 
 tinction is kept up between natural and moral 
 inability. 
 
 "Another evil which is too common, and 
 which I fear is too prevalent with some church 
 members, consists in their placing the whole of 
 religion in certain frames or states of feeling, 
 and in excitements, which are common in re- 
 vivals of religion." 
 
 "Jan. 1833. Another year has speedily 
 passed away, and I am still spared. Though 
 in the spring and summer of the last year, I 
 experienced a distressing sickness ; and though 
 the partner of my life, the companion of my 
 youth, with whom I had lived nearly fifty-two 
 years, was severed from me by death, yet I 
 have been spared, and have enjoyed, for the 
 most part, as comfortable health as is common 
 for persons of my age. I wish for clearer evi- 
 dences that I am a child of God, though I think 
 I am a cordial believer in Christ." 
 
 At another date : " I have much depression 
 and gloominess of mind, to which 1 have been 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 117 
 
 more or less subject from my youth up. But 
 it will be nothing strange, if these seasons of de- 
 pression should become more frequent as my 
 age advances, though, through the abundant 
 goodness of God, I have many comfortable 
 hours. I view it as a favor, that my usefulness 
 is in a measure continued, though I have reason 
 to lament, that I bring so little to pass from 
 day to day, and that I have been instrumental 
 of so little good to the souls of those with 
 whom I have so long labored. I have reason 
 to lament my short comings, my sins and my 
 follies, and that I am no more devoted to the 
 work of my sacred calling." 
 
 PAROCHIAL CALLS. 
 
 " I called upon a man who has lived a very 
 irreligious life nearly sixty years ; found him 
 laboring under a very painful lameness ; I 
 talked plainly to him upon the concerns of his 
 soul, and reminded him of his past wickedness 
 and present danger. He appeared to be con- 
 siderably affected in view of his situation, but 
 discovered no symptoms of a deep and genu- 
 ine repentance. 1 fear he is a poor hardened 
 sinner, that will never repent and turn to God. 
 I hope he will yet be plucked as a brand out of 
 the burning." 
 
 " Called and conversed with a man and his 
 
118 MEMOIR OF 
 
 wife, who are in the younger part of the mar- 
 ried life, and appear to have no principle of 
 pure religion by which they are influenced, but 
 to be devoted wholly to the world. I endeav- 
 ored to press home upon their minds the vast 
 importance of religion. Oh ! how amazing the 
 thought, that such a great proportion of peo- 
 ple should grow up, marry, and rear up fami- 
 lies, without prayer, or any proper government 
 and religious instruction of their children. 
 
 " The religious education of children is of the 
 utmost importance. All professors of religion, 
 and all parents who have children under their 
 care, should put forth their united and constant 
 energies to instruct, to counsel and warn the 
 young, and, if possible, by a divine blessing, to 
 form their minds for virtue and religion, and to 
 bring them to the saving knowledge of God 
 and of Jesus Christ. The neglect of the great 
 duties which parents and Christians owe to 
 children, appears to be at the bottom of the 
 chief of the ignorance, vice and dissipation of 
 our children and youth. And while this crimi- 
 nal negligence continues, we must expect a 
 growing degeneracy in the rising generation. 
 And their ruin must be principally charged 
 upon parents and teachers, who suffer them to 
 walk in the ways of their own hearts and sight 
 of their own eyes, without employing their 
 united endeavors to reclaim and save them. 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 119 
 
 M The want of good government and of a re- 
 ligious education in families, if it continue t© 
 prevail, will in process of time, ruin this coun- 
 try. 
 
 " Many things respecting the state of the 
 church and people have lain with weight upon 
 my mind ; such as the great neglect of parents, 
 and especially of parents that are professors of 
 religion, to give their children a faithful Chris- 
 tian education, and my own neglect and that of 
 the church, of the children which have been 
 baptized. These evils, so far as I can learn, 
 are too generally prevaling among churches. 
 
 " I have often thought, that in order to have 
 pure religion flourish among a people, the fol- 
 lowing things are requisite ; 
 
 " 1. That professing Christians should aim at 
 perfect holiness as their standard of duty. 
 Though it is not a fact that any, even the most 
 holy, do, in this life, arrive at sinless perfection, 
 yet that is the mark for which they are to 
 strive. Thus it was with Paul, when he said, 
 ' Not as though I had already attained either 
 were already perfect, but this one thing I do, 
 forgetting those things which are behind, and 
 reaching forth unto those things which are be- 
 fore, I press towards the mark for the prize of 
 the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. While 
 such as call themselves Christians are content 
 
120 MEMOIR OF 
 
 with small attainments in holiness, they will re- 
 main low, and be mere dwarfs or babes in 
 Christ. 
 
 " 2. Another thing necessary to promote pure 
 religion is for Christians to attend seriously and 
 conscientiously to the religious education of 
 their children, and to the religion and worship 
 of God in their families. Religion will con- 
 tinue to decline among Christian professors, 
 while so many Christian parents resemble Eli 
 of old in the education of their children, and 
 instead of proper instructions, warnings, coun- 
 sels and restraints, let them pass with only 
 some slight reproofs, when they make them- 
 selves vile ; nay, further, while they venture to 
 indulge them in the vain and fashionable amuse- 
 ments of the world. 
 
 " It is a painful consideration that many pa- 
 rents, who call themselves the friends of Christ, 
 not only neglect to give their children a reli- 
 gious education, but can send them to schools 
 set up by the unbelieving part of the world, to 
 acquire what are deemed by many necessary 
 refinements. They, like the wicked of old, in 
 the days of Job, ' send forth their little ones 
 like a flock, and their children dance/ And 
 this, after they have solemnly devoted them to 
 God in the ordinance of baptism, and have 
 : solemnly covenanted to bring them up for God. 
 
TtEV. JOSEPH VAILL. 12l 
 
 Notwithstanding these solemn transactions, 
 they take their children from the school of 
 Christ, where they ought to be educated, and 
 enter them in that school, where nothing is 
 taught respecting God and Christ, heaven and 
 hell, and respecting the way of life and salva- 
 tion, but where they are taught only to mim- 
 ick polite and refined sinners in their gestures 
 and deportment. 
 
 In vain may their parents read their Bibles 
 and pray that their children may not enter into 
 temptation, while they send them directly into 
 the most alluring temptations, and give them 
 full license to tread on Satan's ground. O ! 
 my God, how is thy holy name profaned ! — the 
 Saviour wounded in the house of his friends ! 
 How are the good efforts of a preached gospel 
 lost upon the minds of the rising generation, 
 while their Christian parents train them up in 
 such a loose and unbecoming manner ! 
 
 Professing parents must become awake to 
 the interests of religion, and to the pious edu- 
 cation of their children, before w r e can reason- 
 ably expect that religion will be greatly revived. 
 They must imitate the holy example of Abra- 
 ham, of Joshua, and of all good men, that as 
 for them and theirs, they will serve the Lord." 
 
 " Dec. 29, 181 1. I have lately had conver- 
 sation with two infidels, one an old man above 
 11 
 
122 MEMOIR OF 
 
 four-score years, the other short of fifty. The 
 old man appears to be fixed in his deistical be- 
 lief. He pays no regard to the Bible any fur- 
 ther than he imagines that it suits his principles. 
 The sight is indeed moving, to see an old sin- 
 ner on the brink of the grave, denying the Lord 
 Jesus Christ, the only Saviour. I went on pur- 
 pose to talk with him, as he had lately sent for 
 me to attend the funeral of his wife ; but my 
 labors appear to have been in vain, as to bene- 
 fiting him. 
 
 " The other man is much on the reserve in 
 conversation, but appears at present to be on 
 the side of deism. I hope in a merciful God, 
 that he will yet open the eyes of both to see 
 their delusion, and pluck them as brands out of 
 the fire. 
 
 " I find the same persecuting spirit operat- 
 ing in the wicked, and manifested by them in 
 every age. How certain it is, that where min- 
 isters are in any good measure faithful, they will 
 bring on themselves the bitter hatred of a 
 wicked world. If they 'have called the Mas- 
 ter of the house Beelzebub, how much more 
 will they call those of his household ! ' But I 
 pray God to give me grace to stand firm in the 
 cause of the Redeemer, and that I may never 
 swerve from the truth through fear of giving 
 offence to men of the world." 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 123 
 
 " Lord's day, March 17th, 1815. I preached 
 upon the doctrine of the decrees. I under- 
 stand that several persons are much disturbed 
 with the doctrine of foreordination. One man, 
 I heard, ranked me among false teachers, an- 
 other called it a cursed doctrine ! How amaz- 
 ing the ignorance, the blindness and prejudices 
 of sinners to genuine gospel truths, and to the 
 real character of God ! I view the denial of 
 the doctrine of the decrees as amounting to a 
 denial of God's perfections and government. 
 But still none can be reconciled to the doctrine, 
 till reconciled to God." 
 
 The following entry was made in his journal 
 in 1832. It shows how he regarded the mod- 
 ern practice of churches in inviting candidates 
 for the gospel ministry to become their pastors, 
 with only slight acquaintance with them. In 
 the case which occurred, the call was given by 
 the church and society to the candidate after 
 hearing him preach only one Sabbath, and was 
 accepted by the candidate. In view of this 
 case, which fell under his own observation, Mr. 
 Vaill expresses himself thus : " This move is 
 in my opinion far too sudden. The settlement 
 of a gospel minister over a church and con- 
 gregation, is a transaction far too solemn and 
 important to be done in a hasty manner. And 
 though a man has been settled over a church 
 
124 MEMOIR OF 
 
 previously to his settlement in another place, 
 yet they who invite him in the second instance 
 to become their pastor, ought to prove him 
 before his settlement among them, though his 
 character stood fair where he labored before. 
 Every church that is about to have a pastor set 
 over them in the Lord, ought to know whether 
 he is sound in the faith ; whether he is a man of 
 experimental piety, so far as they can judge from 
 acquaintance with him ; and whether he is apt 
 to teach, and whether his manner of preach- 
 ing and conversing with his people appears to 
 be for godly edifying. The minister who is call- 
 ed to a particular charge, ought also to gain 
 some acquaintance with the state and ways of 
 the people who have invited him to become 
 their pastor. 
 
 " The times are greatly altered as it respects 
 calling and settling ministers, from what they 
 were thirty or forty years ago. The churches 
 have become far too lax and hasty in this sol- 
 emn and weighty business, in my opinion. 
 The mode of preaching is also altered. Young 
 ministers who enter into the vineyard now, 
 seem to aim to be popular in their manner of 
 sermonizing and delivering, and to show them- 
 selves off, while, in many instances, they too 
 much neglect the most essential doctrines. In 
 some instances, they intermingle erroneous sen- 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 125 
 
 timents in their preaching, as it respects the 
 
 depravity of infants, and the work of regener- 
 
 tion. 
 
 "And in this period of frequent revivals and 
 
 numerous sudden conversions, many ministers 
 and churches are far too hasty in admitting 
 young converts to their communion. Some are 
 thus hastily admitted, who, before their hope- 
 ful conversion, were greatly ignorant of the 
 fundamental principles of the gospel, and^who 
 of course remain in great ignorance, and prove 
 unstable as water, while they are liable to em- 
 brace every error that is afloat. 
 
 " Another practice w T hich I regard as injuri- 
 ous to the cause of religion, which has obtained 
 in many places, is calling on young converts to 
 take the lead in prayer at religious meetings, 
 as soon as they begin to indulge hope that they 
 have experienced a change by the Spirit of 
 God. Should they be sincere, and prove genu- 
 ine in their experience, they are as yet mere 
 novices, babes in Christ, and but poorly quali- 
 fied to lead in so solemn an exercise as prayer. 
 And in many cases, such as appeared well for 
 a season, turn out stony ground converts. In 
 my opinion, for a general rule, no person ought 
 to become a leader in prayer, till he is viewed 
 qualified to be received into the church, or does 
 actually make a public profession of religion. 
 11* 
 
126 31 E M O I R OF 
 
 Until this is done, he is not to be viewed as a 
 visible Christian, but still belongs to the world. 
 Though there may be exceptions to this gen- 
 eral rule, yet I believe that such exceptions sel- 
 dom occur. But it is the nature of imperfect, 
 depraved men to err, and in seasons of general 
 excitement in religion, to exercise zeal, which 
 is not according to knowledge. 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAU1. 127 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Extracts from his Journal continued. — His despondence. Trials 
 and discouragements. Thinks of asking for a dismission. The 
 Church conformed to the world. Meets with opposition as school 
 visiter. Commits his cause to God. Low state of Religion. The 
 ministry attended with trials. Faults of ministers and of church- 
 members. Reformation desirable. Addresses the Church on their 
 renewal of covenant. 
 
 In view of great declension. " February 7th, 
 1802. O ! God, in what a deplorable situation 
 are we in this place. Such striking proofs of 
 our want of religion, of our stupidity and awful 
 indifference, sink me down, and drink up my 
 spirits. I feel oft times as though I could la- 
 bor no more for the salvation of this people. 
 The power of God, however, can cause the 
 spiritually dead to live. O ! come, Lord Jesus, 
 come quickly; help my unbelief; revive my 
 drooping spirits, and quicken me more abund- 
 antly to my duty ! O ! come thou, Eternal 
 Spirit, and breathe the breath of spiritual life 
 into these lifeless souls of ours ! 
 
128 MEMOIR or 
 
 " I sometimes doubt whether it is my duty 
 to continue with this people, when I take a 
 view of their inattention to the institutions of 
 the gospel, their indifference in regard to gos- 
 pel privileges, and the great embarrassments 
 under which I labor in regard to my support ; 
 and when I consider how many destitute places 
 there are, where the people earnestly desire 
 preaching; but I wish to submit the matter to 
 the Judge of all the earth." 
 
 "November 14th, 1802. lam too apt to 
 judge of the state and event of things according 
 to present feelings and prospects. I have had 
 serious apprehensions of late that this small 
 society would come to speedy dissolution. I 
 know not but that it will be the case ; I believe 
 we are fast ripening for some great event. 
 God will visit us with his holy spirit to reform 
 us, or he will leave us to confusion of face. I 
 hope and pray that the former may be our hap- 
 py lot. It hath appeared among the mysteri- 
 ous things in Divine Providence, that my labors 
 have proved so unsuccessful in this place. It 
 is now above twenty years since I was settled 
 here in the work of the ministry, and but a 
 small number have been hopefully converted 
 under my ministry. I think, amid all my im- 
 perfections and short-comings, I have endeav- 
 ored to set before the people all those doctrines 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 129 
 
 and duties which I have viewed essential to 
 their salvation. And from my little apparent 
 success, I am led to fear at times that I am not 
 called to this work, or have not been faithful 
 in it. But God is infinitely wise ; he knows 
 what is best to be done. I hope and pray that 
 before my race is ended, I may see the sinking 
 church and cause of God rising and gloriously 
 flourishing. And amidst all the darkness and 
 discouragement which attend this people, I still 
 hope and earnestly pray that religion may be 
 revived." 
 
 "April 2d, 1803. I have felt of late over- 
 whelmed with discouragements. The most 
 discouraging thing is the low state of the 
 church ; their want of union ; their want of 
 brotherly love and charity one towards an- 
 other. I am ready many times to conclude it 
 my duty to leave this people on account of the 
 little benefit I seem to be to them, but I would 
 wait on God for direction. I hope still in the 
 boundless mercy of God, through Jesus Christ, 
 that he will visit us with the sanctifying influ- 
 ences of the Holy Spirit. O ! Lord, direct me 
 in the way of my duty ; make the path way 
 of it plain before me ! Shall I leave this peo- 
 ple and go into another part of thy vineyard, 
 or shall I remain with them ? Oh ! for light 
 and direction. I am on the point of giving 
 
130 MEMOIR OF 
 
 out, and of asking for a dismission from the 
 church and people of my charge, as there 
 appears but small prospect of my usefulness 
 among them. I am very loath to break up, or 
 to do any thing which will tend to break up, this 
 society. I shall be sorry to leave such as I 
 hope are the friends of Christ and lovers of the 
 truth. I trust God will afford me light and 
 direction in the way of my duty." 
 
 "Dec. 30th, 1803. We live in a world of 
 great trial ; and among those evils which are 
 suffered to take place among men, slander or 
 casting out their names as evil, is one. There 
 is no person, who, by his profession and prac- 
 tice, sets out conscientiously in vindication of 
 the religion and honor of Jesus Christ, but who 
 will be greatly hated and reviled by many. 
 And upon none will the reproaches of the 
 wicked fall so heavily as upon ministers of the 
 gospel, and especially if they labor to imitate 
 their Divine Master in their preaching and 
 practice. Though I fall infinitely short of my 
 duty, and deserve ten thousand censures from 
 my fellow men, yet I perceive that I get ten re- 
 proaches for doing my duty, where I receive 
 one for my neglect of it, or my short-comings 
 in it." 
 
 " March 24th, 1804. The trials of ministers 
 who love the cause of religion, and who labor 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 131 
 
 to be faithful, must be great. Whether I am 
 sincere or not, I find many trials to encounter. 
 And new ones, in some respects, arise from 
 time to time. The stupidity of the people of 
 my charge, and my little success among them 
 in promoting pure religion, have been a great 
 trial to me ; but the greatest discouragement 
 at the present time is in the apparently low 
 state of piety among the members of the 
 church. There can be but little religion, 
 where there is but little brotherly love and 
 tenderness in the members of a church, one 
 towards another. Such a spirit of division and 
 bitterness, has broken out among some of the 
 male members, that there appears but small 
 prospect that religion can flourish among us at 
 present. One male member in particular, has 
 conceived such bitterness against a brother, that 
 he threatens to leave us. In this he discovers 
 a temper that is altogether unchristian, as he 
 has never been to converse with said brother, 
 and attempt a reconciliation in a gospel way. 
 It is to me a great trial, but I have this conso- 
 lation, that the Lord reigns, and that he can 
 dispose all these events in a manner to advance 
 his own glory. I pray God to be prepared for 
 that world where there will be no wicked nor 
 selfish inhabitants, and where I may have mine 
 
132 MEMOIR OF 
 
 own heart perfectly delivered from selfishness. 
 Heaven must be a most desirable place to all 
 who love God and the Redeemer, and those 
 who bear his moral image." 
 
 " March 30th. I feel that late trials will do 
 me much good. I think I am stirred up to 
 pray more earnestly and fervently for my peo- 
 ple, and I hope they will see their want of 
 more religion, and be led to seek for mercy. 
 I think I could pass through any hardships or 
 labors which I am capable of enduring, cheer- 
 fully, if I could see the people of my charge 
 profiting spiritually by my ministry, and could 
 find religion reviving and flourishing among 
 them/' 
 
 "Feb. 4th, 1805. Though the mode of set- 
 tling and supporting ministers, adopted in Con- 
 necticut, even from the beginning, is doubtless 
 conducive to good government, and to the tem- 
 poral prosperity of people in general, yet I 
 have serious doubts whether it is the most 
 beneficial to vital religion, and to the highest 
 prosperity of Christ's kingdom. According to 
 the observations I have made since I entered 
 on the ministry, this mode of settling and main- 
 taining ministers opens the door for unsound 
 and graceless men to enter on the sacred work; 
 as it is viewed an honorable calling, and in 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 133 
 
 some instances, it becomes lucrative ; though, in 
 general, ministers are far from being rich or in 
 affluent circumstances. 
 
 " It also gives opportunity for the men of 
 this world, who contribute largely for the sup- 
 port of ministers, to have an undue influence 
 over them. It is to be feared that some at 
 least who go into the ministry, are afraid to 
 declare the whole counsel of God, lest they 
 should offend their more influential, rich par- 
 ishoners, who may be enemies to the doctrines 
 of grace. 
 
 " The church is also injured, as it is placed 
 in a too dependent condition upon the world. 
 In general, those who pay taxes for the support 
 of ministers in parishes, are a great majority. 
 And, though such as are not members of the 
 church, do nothing directly in ecclesiastical 
 matters, yet they will be liable to be offended 
 both with the church and pastor, if they hold 
 to doctrines contrary to their feelings, or ad- 
 minister strict gospel discipline, when it affects 
 any of their friends, or does not accord with 
 their sentiments. 
 
 " But what is the line of duty I ought to 
 pursue in my present situation ? To leave the 
 people of my charge, must throw them into a 
 very broken condition. It is probable they 
 will be like sheep without a shepherd ; but at 
 12 
 
134 MEMOIR OF 
 
 present, I feel like a shepherd without sheep. 
 How much do I stand alone in attempting to 
 promote religion among this people ! O ! how 
 do I long for some Aaron and Hur to hold 
 up my hands ; for some zealous and judicious 
 friends to Christ and to souls, to aid me by 
 their prayers and labors ! It seems that if that 
 were the case, I should have more hope that 
 God would meet with us, and grant the influ- 
 ences of his Holy Spirit. Last Wednesday at- 
 tended a religious conference at my own house ; 
 had about twenty, pricipally women and chil- 
 dren ; two male members of the church came 
 before the meeting was closed. But why do 
 I look to instruments and means so much? 
 Though these are to be used, yet, O ! God, the 
 work is thine ! To thee I look ! To thee 
 would I cry day and night for the influences of 
 thy grace ! " 
 
 At another date : " I have found a new dis- 
 couragement in my work of late, if it ought to 
 be viewed as such. I have been for several 
 years, one of the directors or visiters of the 
 common schools in this place. I have endeav- 
 ored to act in some measure a faithful part in 
 examining such as are introduced as candidates 
 for instructors, and in attending to their quali- 
 fications ; and when I have gone to visit the 
 schools as the law directs, I have seriously ad- 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 135 
 
 dressed the children before I left them, on the 
 subject of good manners, morals and religion. 
 I understand that some persons are dissatisfied 
 with me, and wish me off from the board of 
 visiters, pretending that it is not my place ; 
 others insinuate that it is not the time to say 
 any thing to the children on the subject of re- 
 ligion ; others allege that I am too strict in my 
 religion ; and in my instructions. Oh, what a 
 lamentable state must a people be in, when pa- 
 rents are unwilling to have their children taught 
 the great concerns of their souls, and when 
 they are neither willing to go into the kingdom 
 of heaven themselves, nor to suffer their chil- 
 dren to enter ! But shall I shrink back through 
 fear of man 1 God forbid. While my reason, 
 my health, and strength remain, I will endeav- 
 or to speak for God and to instruct and warn 
 the people of my charge, whether they will 
 hear or whether they will forbear." 
 
 " March 1st, 1808. I think I feel willing to 
 cast all my concerns and cares upon the Lord 
 and to take up with the allotments of Divine 
 Providence. I wish not to aspire after any 
 earthly enjoyments, w r hich may be inconsistent 
 with my spiritual well being and my usefulness 
 as a minister. I have for many years, as I 
 think, been consulting the most solid and impor- 
 tant interests of my family. I have labored to 
 
136 MEMOIR OF 
 
 give my children a good education both as it 
 respects civil and religious instruction, and have 
 not attempted to move in a large or fashionable 
 circle. Indeed but few ministers can have suf- 
 ficient support from their people, to equal the 
 customs of the world in their mode of living. 
 Nor would I wish it. I think when a minister 
 appears as eager after the high and fashionable 
 things of the world, as do unbelievers, that it 
 tends greatly to destroy his influence as a min- 
 ister of the Gospel, and as a man of piety, upon 
 the minds of his people. He may be treated 
 with more respect, or receive more adulation 
 perhaps from a fashionable class of unbelievers, 
 but after all, to what does it amount ? To be 
 a follower of Christ, who was meek and lowly 
 in heart, and to convince them, by his daily 
 example, that he believes what he preaches to 
 others ; to have always a conscience void of of- 
 fence towards God and man ; so to live and so 
 to preach as to be instrumental of the conver- 
 sion and salvation of many of his hearers ; are 
 objects of inconceivably more importance to a 
 minister of the Gospel, than a world full of sil- 
 ver and gold, or than all the honors and applau- 
 ses of the great ones of the earth. I am not at 
 all anxious about loosing the honors or respect 
 of the world, if I can only approve myself to 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 137 
 
 God, and be instrumental of saving precious 
 souls." 
 
 " I am more and more convinced of the great 
 importance, that preachers of the Gospel should 
 deliver to their hearers plain truths and in a 
 plain manner. I know however, that the bles- 
 sing must come from God, but there are ways 
 of delivery, no doubt, calculated to gain the at- 
 tention. I have made but very little use of 
 notes in public, since I returned from my mis- 
 sion, and I think the attention is greater, though 
 it is still the work of God to set the word home 
 on the consciences of people." 
 
 "March 18, 1808. The work of the minis- 
 try is indeed a great and difficult work. A min- 
 ister of the Gospel has to combat the pride, the 
 prejudices and ignorance of many. If he preach 
 the sound, distinguishing doctrines of grace, 
 the carnal and selfish feelings of many of his 
 hearers will be deeply wounded ; if he preach 
 smooth things he w T ill wrong, nay starve the 
 children of God as well as dishonor his Sa- 
 viour and wound, if not destroy, his own soul. 
 
 " When churches are sunk into a low state, 
 
 and have gone on in a formal traditionary way, 
 
 how difficult is it to bring about a reformation. 
 
 The attempts of ministers to introduce a more 
 
 strict discipline, and to be more thorough in the 
 
 examination of candidates for admission to the 
 12* 
 
138 MEMOIR OF 
 
 church, constitute a work of no small difficulty* 
 How soon will a minister, in such an attempt, 
 be branded as an innovator, as one that is de- 
 parting from the good old way of the fathers, 
 or as resembling the New Lights. But why 
 should any one, who acts as an ambasssador for 
 Christ, fear the face of man, who " is a worm, 
 or the son of man that shall die ?" 
 
 At another date. " I fear the religion of a 
 great number of professors, as well as of some 
 ministers of this age, will not bear the scrutiny 
 of the final Judge. As there has been no open 
 persecution of professed Christians, for many 
 generations, churches have degenerated, and 
 sunk into a sinful conformity to the world. In 
 such a time as this, when there is no great cross 
 to be taken up by those who call themselves 
 believers in Christ, and when to be a member 
 of the Church is somewhat respectable, many, 
 it is to be expected, will profess to be Chris- 
 tians, who are only so in name. And when 
 ministers have the aid, and patronage of civil 
 rulers, some it is to be feared will go into the 
 ministry for filthy lucre's sake, or that they may 
 gain reputation among men ; and hence it is to 
 be feared, that some in the ministry are igno- 
 rant of the new birth, who have studied divin- 
 ity perhaps, through the influence of worldly 
 motives, and whose motives and tastes still sa- 
 vor of the spirit of the world. Such will labor 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 139 
 
 to equal and please the most polite and refined 
 class of their hearers ; they will compose and 
 deliver eloquent discourses, and display their in- 
 genuity and ability, and set themselves off ! But 
 where is the humility of such preachers ? Where 
 is their meekness, their self-denial, where their 
 fervent love to Christ and his cause and to pre- 
 cious souls ? Where is their spiritual minded- 
 ness, their Christian walk ? Alas, in these tilings, 
 such preachers must be miserably deficient !" 
 
 " April 1815. I am more and more convin- 
 ced that those ministers, who are the most use- 
 ful to their fellow men, in promoting their spir- 
 itual interests, are they who make the least pa- 
 rade and bustle about it. The Saviour was 
 not disposed to make a great figure among the 
 people. Those public teachers in religion, 
 who make the greatest show and acquire the 
 greatest popularity, have often more sound 
 than substance. If I know my own heart, 
 I wish to promote the spiritual interests of my 
 fellow men, but it is of but small consequence, 
 whether it be known till the day of judgment, to 
 what degree I or any other minister has been 
 useful. I have reason to fear, that I have done 
 but little good since I have been in the minis- 
 try. Still I hope through the blessing of God, 
 I have been instrumental of awakening some 
 sinners, and of promoting the edification of some 
 Christians. 
 
140 MEMOIR OF 
 
 " O, how important that ministers be wide 
 awake in the business of their Lord and Master, 
 and that they labor and preach, from time to 
 time, as though it were their last day, or their 
 last opportunity. W,ould ministers hope for suc- 
 cess, they must not only teach their people pub- 
 licly, but also from house to house. They must 
 not fashion themselves according to the course 
 of this world, nor cultivate a taste for a refined 
 and sumptuous mode of living, which savors 
 of the things, that be of men, and not the things 
 that be of God. They must convince the peo- 
 ple, not only by their preaching, but by their 
 daily conduct, that their treasure is in heaven, 
 and that it is their great desire and prayer to 
 God, that the souls of their people may be sa- 
 ved. 
 
 " There is utterly a fault, to some extent, 
 among ministers at the present day. Though 
 they in general preach and pray well, yet they 
 too much neglect private labors, and serious con- 
 versation among the people. Some who enter 
 the ministry, seem too anxious to support their 
 dignity, in ways opposed to the spirit of the 
 Gospel The way for ministers to maintain 
 true dignity is to be eminently holy. Though 
 fashionable people of the world, show them 
 seeming respect, for their conformity to the 
 maxims and customs of the world, yet, at the 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 141 
 
 same time, such fashionable people often des- 
 pise ministers in their hearts, for practicing this 
 very conformity. There is no so great dignity 
 attending human nature, as to treat with be- 
 coming apathy and neglect the light and tri- 
 fling things of the world. This the Son of God 
 exemplified in its perfection, while in the flesh. 
 So far as his ministers imitate his example, they 
 will maintain true dignity. No matter if a 
 haughty and proud world despise them and 
 reproach them ; when brought to see things in 
 their true light, men of the world will be con- 
 vinced of their mistake and change their voice. 
 " I have long felt, that it is comparatively of 
 small consequence, whether ministers or private 
 Christians are much carressed by the gay and 
 fashionable part of society. Nay in many in- 
 stances it proves a snare and a trap to be ca- 
 ressed or promoted as the honorable among 
 men. The remaining pride of good men needs 
 no fuel to feed it. If they are faithful as ser- 
 vants of Jesus Christ, it is enough. He will 
 own them at the last great day. Yet, alas, how 
 often does it happen, that there is something 
 like strife among the ministers of the Gospel, as 
 there was among the disciples of Christ, when 
 they strove to see which should be the greatest. 
 Like the learned among the Jews, many seem 
 fond of being complimented with honorary titles 
 
142 MEMOIR OF 
 
 and with the epithet of Rabbi. Lord what 
 is man, feeble dying man ! What amazing weak- 
 ness is discovered in imperfectly holy men, in 
 this life !" 
 
 " Dec. 1818. I have often thought upon the 
 different courses which ministers and others in 
 public stations, pursue, while professedly at- 
 tempting to do good to their fellow men. Some 
 who are placed as Pastors and Ministers, make 
 a much greater figure, become more popular 
 and renowned than others, who perhaps are their 
 equals in talents and piety, but do not affect so 
 much display and zeal, and are far from ren- 
 dering themselves objects of admiration among 
 the learned. But men who are possessed of the 
 most brilliant and popular talents, or who make 
 the greatest display, are not generally the most 
 useful, or successful in their work. It was fore- 
 told of Christ, that he should not strive, nor 
 cry, neither should any man hear his voice in 
 the streets. Yet he was fervent and constant in 
 his zeal for God ; but he was far from being bois- 
 terous in his manner, as is too much the case 
 with some, who call themselves his ministers in 
 this age. 
 
 " It fills me with disgust when I see a preach- 
 er of the Gospel laboring to bring into view his 
 gifts and to set himself off to advantage in 
 prayer, by using very lofty expressions, or 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 143 
 
 throwing up his hands, stretching wide his arms, 
 straining open his eyes with his face turned 
 upward, or by lengthening out his prayer be- 
 yond what the occasion requires ; or, when 
 preaching, to use those flourishes and gestures, 
 which answer no other purpose than to draw 
 the attention of the audience to the man, and 
 not to the subject matter which he is treating. 
 Equally disgustful is it to me to see a speaker 
 thump loudly on the desk with his Bible or fist. 
 But why do I speak of others, or object to 
 things in this manner, when 1 am so imperfect 
 in myself, and but little useful to my fellow men ? 
 Alas, how much pride is intermingled in my 
 most sacred services ! O Lord, humble me 
 and prepare me to spend the remainder of my 
 days in thy more immediate service." 
 
 "Oct. 1825. It is a melancholy considera- 
 tion, that professors of religion, at the present 
 day, seem, many of them at least, to be govern- 
 ed by a worldly spirit. But few comparatively 
 appear to maintain a humble, conscientious walk 
 with God. The greater part are too much in- 
 fluenced by the spirit of the world, and carried 
 away by the false glare of its honors and riches. 
 So long as this is the case, but little can be 
 done to make them feel their obligations to 
 love one another, and to keep the unity of the 
 spirit in the bond of peace, and to maintain 
 
144 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Gospel discipline. If this is attempted for 
 breaches of the divine rule, it has become too 
 common for persons in and out of the Church, . 
 to take sides with the members concerned, or 
 against them, which bears a striking resem- 
 blance to the people of the world. 
 
 " After attending a religious meeting, I pro- 
 posed that all present, who were disposed, 
 should contribute to purchase religious Tracts, 
 to distribute among the school children and 
 others. Two young men present made light 
 of the subject, and conducted in a very unbe- 
 coming manner. I hope the Lord will have 
 mercy upon them, that he will open their eyes 
 to see their state of sin and guilt, and bring 
 them to repentance, before they plunge into 
 endless torment. And that he will prevent 
 them from having a corrupting influence upon 
 others. The time has arrived when such prof- 
 ligate characters are multiplying ; and this ap- 
 pears to be the consequence of the great crimi- 
 nality of parents in neglecting the pious educa- 
 tion, and good government of their children. 
 And in this way, by neglect of their duty, thou- 
 sands are training up their children for destruc- 
 tion. 
 
 "We have a set of children and youth grow- 
 ing up among us, who have, or appear to have 
 no fear of God before their eyes. Most of 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 145 
 
 them, I fear are but poorly governed and taught 
 by their parents. This fills me, at times, with 
 gloomy apprehensions concerning the people 
 in future, but I must be faithful and leave the 
 event with God." 
 
 " Dec. 17th, 1826. I have many painful ex- 
 ercises from day to day, in thinking of the de- 
 plorable condition of many of my people, who 
 I have reason to fear, are living in an uncon- 
 verted state, and I fear this is the unhappy 
 condition of some, who are members of the vis- 
 ible church. Many professors of religion, at 
 the present day, seem strangely to have devia- 
 ted from the spirit and practice of genuine 
 Christianity, as taught and practiced in the 
 Apostolic age. But I hope and pray, that 
 God in his infinite mercy will speedily purify 
 and reform his churches, as well as those, who 
 are placed over them as Pastors. Indeed ma- 
 ny of the ministers and churches are in a more 
 promising state than they were about half a 
 century ago. 
 
 " As revivals of religion have been multiplied 
 in many places, the number of zealous and de- 
 voted Christians has increased, yet many, who 
 call themselves the friends of Christ, continue 
 in a low and languid state. A sinful conformi- 
 ty to the world, and want of holy zeal and en- 
 
 gagedness in attending on the Institutions of 
 13 
 
146 MEMOIR OF 
 
 the Gospel, are fearfully prevalent with too ma- 
 ny, who call Christ their Lord and Master." 
 
 In the year 1830, the church in Hadlyme, 
 renewed covenant in a public manner. This 
 was done at that period, to a considerable ex- 
 tent, in the churches of Connecticut, in connex- 
 ion with a Conference of Churches. This oc- 
 casion is noted by Mr. Vaill in his journal, and 
 a summary given of his address to the church. 
 
 " I did not preach on the occasion, but first 
 made observations on the propriety of the 
 transaction. I then called upon the members of 
 the church to come into the aisles, they accor- 
 dingly complied, and remained standing, while 
 I read the articles of faith and covenant, to 
 which they renewed their assent in a solemn 
 manner. I then addressed them seriously up- 
 on the importance of keeping up a humble walk 
 with God daily, and I gave them such direc- 
 tions as the following, for this purpose. 
 
 " 1 That they should arise early from their 
 beds in the morning. 
 
 u 2. That as soon as they should find oppor- 
 tunity, they should read some portion of God's 
 word, and retire for secret prayer. 
 
 " 3. That they should pay a regular and con- 
 stant attendance on family worship. 
 
 " 4. That they should endeavor to have their 
 thoughts and inclinations upon divine things, as 
 
REV. JOSEPH V A ILL. 147 
 
 far as should be consistent, while their hands 
 are employed in their secular concerns. 
 
 " 5. That they should close the day as they 
 began it, by reading, self-examination, and 
 prayer. 
 
 u 6. That when professing Christians meet in 
 friendly intercourse, they should engage in se- 
 rious and profitable conversation " 
 
148 MEMOIK OF 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 Extracts from his journal continued — miscellaneous. Extracts from 
 a few of his letters — miscellaneous. 
 
 "Feb. 1781. Last Lord's day, I attempted to 
 preach against some sinful customs and prac- 
 tices, which seem to prevail of late among our 
 young people. My text was in Genesis 39 : 9. 
 How can 1 do this great wickedness and sin 
 against God. I understood that some disliked 
 my discourse, and said that I meddled with that 
 which was none of my business : but this is 
 nothing uncommon. It is my business and the 
 business of every minister of the Gospel, to 
 bear testimony against every thing, that is con- 
 trary to the Gospel. 
 
 "Feb. 17th, 1790. It appears to me of late, 
 that many persons are falling away to infidelity, 
 and some who once appeared to be believers 
 in revelation and to respect religion, are now 
 greatly changed, and appear to have lost all 
 
BEV. JOSEPH VAILL. 149 
 
 their former respect for the Gospel. But how- 
 ever trying this is to every one who loves 
 Christ and religion, yet this consideration gives 
 me comfort, that the Lord reigneth, and that he 
 will finally gather in all his elect." 
 
 " April 6th, 1791. I have lately felt a great 
 weight upon my mind in regard to the great- 
 ness of my work, when I look round and find 
 how much is to be done and how many diffi- 
 culties attend the faithful discharge of dutv. I 
 am greatly depr.^ssed, but desponding thoughts 
 are sinful and reflect upon the power of Christ, 
 the Supreme Head of the Church, and I would 
 not allow myself to indulge them." 
 
 " Oct. 21st, 1801. Yesterday I was present 
 where a company was collected to launch a 
 vessel, and heard a number of profane oaths. 
 Oh, how painful to one who fears God and 
 loves the souls of men, to see them exhibiting 
 open evidence, by their language, that they are 
 in the broad way to eternal destruction ! How 
 painful the thought of living with the irreligious 
 forever ! Whether I have any right principle 
 at heart or not, I think I am a companion of 
 them, that fear God, or that I take far more 
 pleasure in their society than in that of the 
 wicked." 
 
 u March 25th, 1803. I cannot approve of the 
 
 method in which some Christian people con- 
 13* 
 
150 MEMOIR OF 
 
 duct their religious meetings, in giving license 
 for every body to speak and to exhort. Though 
 I think it proper for Christians, who are per- 
 sons of knowledge and experience, at suitable 
 times to give a word of exhortation, yet to en- 
 courage all to speak and exhort, and to tell 
 what they think, and how they feel, and to ex- 
 hibit their feelings as a rule to others, opens the 
 door for the ignorant and inexperienced, who 
 in such cases are commonly the most forward 
 exhorters, and many of them appear to discov- 
 er a spirit of pride and great self importance. 
 Moreover it tends to confusion to have so many 
 speaking at once or in the same meeting, and 
 thus the minds of many, w T ho are unacquainted 
 with 4he truths of religion, are distracted and 
 darkened. Besides, the adversary is a subtle 
 enemy and is ready to influence people under 
 a show of religion and zeal, that is the offspring 
 of pride, to harm themselves or others." 
 
 " Nov. 23d, 1805. I was never more sensi- 
 ble of the shortness of time, than I have been 
 of late. There seems to be but a very small 
 space betwixt one Sabbath and another. I am 
 busily employed from one day to another, but 
 the great thing is to be found in Christ's ser- 
 vice. I find that my mind is far too much en- 
 gaged in the concerns of this present life. It 
 is always my desire to provide things com- 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 151 
 
 fortable for the subsistence of my family, and 
 at the approach of winter, it appears necessa- 
 ry to make some provision for their support. 
 But why should I or any other person, who 
 professes to believe in Christ, and to have a 
 treasure in heaven, be anxious for the concerns 
 of this mortal life ! I do not feel desirous to 
 procure a large property, as I think, but only 
 to make myself and family comfortable, and to 
 prepare them for usefulness. But perhaps I am 
 deceived, as no person ever coveted the whole 
 world at once. People in general deceive them- 
 selves in regard to their love of this world, but 
 as they are prospered, and their substance is 
 increased, their desires for wealth increase, un- 
 til they become boundless as the ocean. I feel 
 more concerned, when I think seriously on the 
 subject as I often do, about the souls of my chil- 
 dren and yet I am far from laboring as I ought 
 for their salvation." 
 
 " Dec. 9th. The state of the people in this 
 place and in New England, as well as throughout 
 the United States, is very alarming. And we 
 have reason to conclude, that the inhabitants of 
 the world are, in general, in a state of estrange- 
 ment from God. Though there are, no doubt, 
 many sincere Christians scattered up and down 
 on the earth, yet how small the number, when 
 compared with those who are living the ene- 
 
152 MEMOIR OF 
 
 mies of God. The thought of one soul perish- 
 ing forever, is very dreadful ! How shocking 
 the thought of the endless perdition of millions 
 of millions ! How should this arouse every 
 preacher of the Gospel to fidelity, to labor in 
 season and out of season, to spend and be spent 
 in the cause of Christ ! 
 
 " Feb. 18th, 1808. I know it is infinitely easy 
 with God to awaken and convert sinners. All 
 my hope is in his sovereign mercy through Je- 
 sus Christ. 
 
 " I think, however, that ministers ought to 
 preach the most plain and searching truths and 
 to labor, as much as in them lies, to reach the 
 consciences of their hearers. I have no opin- 
 ion of a general, smooth way of preaching. I 
 know this will be the most popular and conge- 
 nial to the feelings of the carnal heart, but it is 
 infinitely dangerous to the souls of men." 
 
 " Nov. 24th, 1809. I have been in ministerial 
 labors oft within the two years and a half past : 
 including my mission to the New Settlements. 
 1 believe I have preached not far from six hun- 
 dred times. I have had much freedom fre- 
 quently in the exercises of prayer and preach- 
 ing, and hope by what I can learn that I have 
 been the instrument of the awakening and con- 
 version of a number of souls ; but this, I am 
 deeply sensible, will do nothing towards recom- 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 153 
 
 mending me to God or saving me. If I come 
 short of a new heart and of an interest in Christ, 
 after having preached to others, I myself must 
 be a castaway ; but I hope in the infinite mercy 
 of God, through the Redeemer, that he will 
 make me a monument of his everlasting mercy." 
 
 " Jan. 26th 1810. Last Wednesday, I atten- 
 ded a religious meeting, and not having selec- 
 ted any subject in particular, beforehand, while 
 on my way I concluded I would discourse on 
 the following points, viz. whether si?iners are 
 ever brought to embrace the Saviour, without ex- 
 periencing a painful and thorough conviction of 
 their sin and guilt ; and whether any could be 
 saved without conversion ? 
 
 I spoke with uncommon freedom, and the 
 people present apparently gave good attention. 
 
 " I was lately disturbed in my mind on hear- 
 ing of the appointment of a ball in the place. 
 This is Satan's doing and it is odious in mine 
 eyes. There is nothing, I conceive, which has a 
 more direct tendency to render the minds of 
 people light and to grieve the Holy Spirit than 
 such amusements. I hope God by visiting us 
 with the Holy Spirit, will put a stop to this and 
 other unfruitful works of darkness !" 
 
 Funeral of a drunkard; "Feb. 15th, 1812. 
 Was called this week to attend a funeral, the 
 circumstances of which were truly affecting to 
 
154 MEMOIR OF 
 
 all serious minds. The man who died was more 
 than sixty years of age. He had a wife and 
 left a number of children. He had from his 
 youth up been a very intemperate person. He 
 was often intoxicated, and in fits of intoxication 
 his life had been frequently endangered, and at 
 length in one of these he died, died alone in a 
 tipling shop, where he was locked in to remain 
 for the night, because too much intoxicated to 
 be got home. Loose companions had been drink- 
 ing with him, and left him so overcome with li- 
 quor, that he fell asleep in his chair. The own- 
 er of the Store also left him in tiiis condition, 
 and closed his store. On opening his store on 
 the following morning, he found his customer 
 dead. His Lord had come in a day, when he 
 looked not for him and in an hour, when he was 
 not aware, and cut him asunder ! The circum- 
 stances which attended this man's death, and the 
 frequent meetings of an intemperate club in 
 that neighborhood, led me to preach at his fu- 
 neral from the following solemn words of Christ, 
 And take heed to yourselves, Jest at any 
 time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting 
 drunkenness and cares of this life, and so that 
 day came upon you unawares. Luke xxii : 34. 
 
 " I attempted to show that surfeiting and drunk- 
 enness and excessive cares of this life wholly 
 unfit people for their Lord's coming : and in 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 155 
 
 the improvement made a close address to per* 
 sons, who are inclined to intemperate practi- 
 ces and gave them a solemn warning. 
 
 " The discourse was approved by the serious 
 and judicious, but highly censured as I under- 
 stand by the intemperate and by certain peo- 
 ple of the looser sort, who have little or no 
 sense of the aggravated evil of this or any other 
 sin in the sight of God, or of accountability to 
 their Maker. 
 
 " It was attended with no small self-denial 
 for me, to do as I did on this occasion. Had I 
 yielded to the fear of giving offence, I should 
 not have improved this Providence in this man- 
 ner ; but I listened as I thought to the call of 
 God, in his word, and to conscience thus to 
 warn the wicked ; and I leave the event with 
 God, hoping and praying that he will render the 
 occasion and the discourse of special benefit to 
 some precious souls, and that he will, by the dis- 
 play of his sovereign grace, pluck sinners who 
 are sunk into the depths of wickedness as brands 
 from the burning. And what increased the 
 call for such a subject was this, almost all the 
 near connections are intemperate. The evil is 
 greatly increasing in our country, and multi- 
 tudes of both sexes are in great danger of being 
 ruined by the brutish sin of drunkenness." 
 
 " Feb. 24th, 1830. I feel many times pain- 
 ful sensations, when I take a view of the very 
 
156 MEMOIR OF 
 
 deplorable condition of such as are in a Christ- 
 less state. I am encouraged to hope, however, 
 for the conversion of such, from the revealed 
 methods of God's grace, and the omnipotence 
 of his power. The following declaration by 
 the Prophet Isaiah is encouraging. God speak- 
 ing by the Prophet, saith, " I will bring the blind 
 by a way, that they knew not : I will lead them 
 in paths, that they have not known : I will make 
 darkness light before them and crooked things 
 strait. These things will I do unto them and 
 not forsake them." — Isaiah xlii : 16. 
 
 " God led his ancient people in this manner 
 in their journeyings in the wilderness for forty 
 years. And we may trace in Gods dealings 
 with them, a striking resemblance, as it respects 
 his sovereignty, and mysterious wisdom, to his 
 bringing sinners to the saving knowledge of 
 himself at this day. It is his ordinary method 
 to conduct his chosen people to the New Jeru- 
 salem in that course which is calculated to prove 
 them, to try them, and to teach them more 
 abundantly, to prize that blessed rest, which 
 remains for his faithful servants." 
 
 EXTRACTS FROM A FEW OF HIS LETTERS. 
 
 The first is from a letter addressed to his el- 
 dest son, soon after his ordination at North-Guil- 
 ford, dated Hadlyme, March 28th, 1809. 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 157 
 
 ** My Dear Son ; You are now settled over 
 a church and congregation, as their Pastor 
 and Minister. You will no doubt have trials 
 and discouragements in the progress of your 
 ministry, both as it respects the means of living 
 and your usefulness to your people. I passed 
 through similar trials and discouragements in 
 the early part of my ministry at Hadlyme, and 
 was sometimes ready to wish, as you seem to 
 do, that I was again at liberty : but it will not 
 be long before your feelings will be different. I 
 wish you not to harbor a thought for a moment, 
 that you shall not long continue with your peo- 
 ple. Such feelings will deprive you of much 
 comfort and greatly obstruct your usefulness. 
 
 " ■ Let every man abide in his calling with 
 God.' Though in most men there are strong 
 desires to act in more conspicuous stations, yet 
 such desires will abate, in such as are governed 
 by a Christian temper and the holy truths of 
 Christianity, as they advance in life and as they 
 gain a more thorough knowledge of the temper, 
 maxims and ways of the world. 
 
 " The children of ministers who live in cities 
 and populous towns, are often greatly injured in 
 their education. Not being trained to labor 
 and habits of industry, nor taught economy, as 
 they might be in the country, and being expo- 
 sed to temptations to extravagance in various 
 14 
 
158 MEMOIR OF 
 
 ways in society, they often imbibe a wrong 
 spirit or get high notions or false views, which 
 go to unfit them for usefulness in life. 
 
 " Whatever trials or discouragements have 
 attended my life or my family, by my settling in 
 the small Society of Hadlyme, I am fully con- 
 vinced that the manner in which my children 
 have been trained up, has been far better cal- 
 culated to prepare them for real usefulness in 
 life, than if they had been educated in a cler- 
 gyman's family in some populous town or city. 
 The gay and fashionable circles in such places, 
 in which the children of ministers will have op- 
 portunity to mingle, must prove very injuric us 
 to their early tastes and manners as w r ell as 
 morals. 
 
 " It may excite in a clergyman who is set- 
 tled in a small country parish, some disagreea- 
 ble feelings, perhaps, at times, to hear of the ce- 
 lebrity of Doctor such a one, at New York, or 
 Philadelphia, who has some thousands under 
 his care, and fifteen hundred or two thousand 
 dollars salary per annum. But who can tell 
 that the poor country clergyman will not, in 
 the last day, be found more faithful than the 
 other, or that it will not then appear that the 
 former has been instrumental of bringing more 
 souls to heaven than the latter ? And if so, the 
 country minister will receive the more glorious 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 159 
 
 reward, and will shine the brightest in the king- 
 dom of his Father. 
 
 " No minister can determine where he can 
 be instrumental of doing the most good, by any 
 other rule than to follow the calls and leadings 
 of Providence. His own opinion or that of 
 friends of worth, that his abilities deserve a 
 more important station, is frequently not foun- 
 ded upon the most solid reasoning. It is cer- 
 tainly much more honorable to deserve a high- 
 er station than to be placed in one too high for a 
 man's abilities. But there is something extremely 
 vague and erroneous in the ideas men frequently 
 entertain of high stations. It is one thing to be 
 placed in what the world deems a high station, 
 and another to be in that, which is really so, ac- 
 cording to the word of God. John the Baptist 
 was in a far higher station, when he came 
 preaching in the wilderness of Judea, clad in his 
 camels' hair garment, and his leathern girdle 
 about his loins, living upon locusts and wild 
 honey, than Herod or Caesar at the head of 
 their respective governments. A minister set- 
 tled in the smallest village in New England is, 
 in a Scriptural sense, as really in a high station, 
 as one settled in the City of London. As the 
 form 3r, if he be a man of true piety and fidelity, 
 is as really a Messenger of the Lord of Hosts, 
 and an ambassador of Christ, as the latter. The 
 
160 
 
 MEMOIR OF 
 
 difference is, the London minister lives in the 
 midst of a more wealthy, honorable and great 
 people, and, in the view of the world, is in a far 
 more eligible situation. But the obscure coun- 
 try clergyman may far outshine the London 
 minister in the day when God shall make up 
 his jewels. As this life is but a small space of 
 our existence, our chief happiness must consist 
 in making provision for our eternal well-being. 
 I hope God may bless, guide and direct you, 
 and prepare you to do and suffer his will faith- 
 fully unto death, that you may share in the re- 
 wards of grace and glory, in the world to come ! 
 
 "From your father, who always sincerely 
 wishes and prays for your spiritual prosperity. 
 
 Joseph Vaill." 
 
 The following extracts are from letters to his 
 youngest son. 
 
 The first is from a letter, dated Jan. 30th, 
 1812, addressed to this son, soon after leaving 
 College. " I conclude, My Dear Son, you still 
 continue to look forward to the work of the 
 ministry. It certainly is a most important and 
 blessed work. But such are the difficulties, so 
 great the trials that attend it, surely ministers 
 ought not only to be men of grace, but to be 
 eminently pious. They should not only be hum- 
 ble but should be clothed with humility. Not only 
 is it important that they be well studied in the 
 
REV. J08EPH VAILL. 161 
 
 theory of divinity, but that they also possess a 
 thorough experimental knowledge of vital god- 
 liness. How melancholy the condition of a 
 preacher, who shall undertake to guide others 
 to heaven, while he himself is wholly unacquain- 
 ted with the road ! No one who is preparing 
 to enter the sacred work can be too well ac- 
 quainted with his own heart or with the sacred 
 scriptures. No one can read and study them 
 too much, nor be too frequently, nor fervently 
 engaged in the duty of prayer ; nor ' keep too 
 great a distance from the temptations, snares 
 and pollutions of the world.' " 
 
 To the same son at a later date and after 
 his settlement in the ministry, he writes : " My 
 Son, be awake in the cause of your divine 
 Master, be spiritually-minded, be sober, be vigi- 
 lant, be fervent in prayer. Lay aside all levity, 
 it is worse than chaff. Visit your people as 
 much and as generally as lies in your power, but 
 avoid making and returning fashionable formal 
 tea visits. They are hurtful things to religion." 
 
 At another date, to the same. " Your letter 
 
 was received. We always rejoice to hear of 
 
 the welfare of our children, but are much more 
 
 pleased when we have reason to hope, that they 
 
 are enjoying prosperity of soul. Nothing can 
 
 afford Christian parents greater joy, than to 
 
 hear that their children are walking in the truth, 
 14* 
 
162 MEMOIR OP 
 
 that they are improving their time, their health, 
 their strength and all their powers in building 
 up the Redeemer's kingdom, and in ripening for 
 glory. To pursue a course like this, persons 
 must be singular and pass through much self- 
 denial. When it has become customary for 
 multitudes of professors and no small portion of 
 such as belong to the sacred office, to be liber- 
 al in their religious sentiments and sinfully con- 
 form to the maxims of the wicked and refined 
 world, the pure doctrines and precepts of Je- 
 sus Christ, cannot be maintained without great 
 Christian fortitude, tempered with humility and 
 patience, and accompanied with a lively faith 
 in the Redeemer and in things unseen and eter- 
 nal." 
 
 Under another date, writing to this son and 
 his companion, after giving some details of a 
 work of grace among the people of his charge, 
 he says ; " What God designs further, for us, 
 we know not, but how ought we to bless his 
 holy name and to adore his sovereign grace for 
 what he hath already done. I hope he has ma- 
 ny more souls yet to call in Hadlyme. And 
 now my dear children, let me entreat you to 
 walk circumspectly, be alive in religion, keep 
 near the mercy seat, watch and pray that ye 
 enter not into temptation. The times are sift- 
 ing. God is about to purge his church. Hap- 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 163 
 
 py is the man, that endureth the fiery trial and 
 who will come forth as gold ! 
 
 " O, my son, be alive in your work. It is a 
 great and glorious cause, but you must live 
 near to God, you must be sincerely and importu- 
 nately prayerful, you must not only teach your 
 people publicly, but from house to house and 
 not by word only but by a humble and pious 
 example." 
 
 Under another date to the same he writes : 
 " I hope and pray that you, my dear children, 
 will each of you live near to God. It is your 
 lot to live in perilous times, but still if you are the 
 sincere followers of Christ, you have a goodly 
 heritage. It will matter but little whether we 
 pass through this evil world in a peaceful calm, 
 or in a terrible tempest, if we at last reach the 
 blessed haven of eternal rest. Indeed, though 
 the billows rage and are tempestuous, we may 
 still have peace within, if we enjoy that blessed 
 hope, which is an anchor to the soul sure and 
 stedfast. The only way to enjoy this hope is 
 to commit the keeping of our souls, daily, to 
 Christ, as unto a faithful Creator. The flight 
 of time is most rapid. We are all flying, as 
 swift as the darting of the sunbeam, towards 
 a boundless eternity. I have long conceived 
 that there is but a step between me and death." 
 [He lived twenty three years after writing this.] 
 
164 MEMOIR OF 
 
 " O, how solemn, how interesting, beyond ex- 
 pression, is the change ! I wish to make it my 
 chief concern to be prepared to come to the 
 grave in peace, and I hope this will be the 
 great concern of each of you. It is probable I 
 shall be called before you, but you are pressing 
 after, and there will be no perceptible differ- 
 ence between the length of my eternity and 
 yours." 
 
 Under another date, eighteen years previous 
 to his death, he writes in a letter to this son, at 
 Brimfield, Mass. 
 
 " I am sensible my time is short. My con- 
 tinued and increasing infirmities, denote that 
 6 the house of my tabernacle will soon be dis- 
 solved.' It will be nothing strange, if I should 
 not live through the winter. But my times are 
 in God's hands. I have long found nothing 
 wort hliving for but to serve and glorify God, 
 and to promote the best good of my fellow men. 
 Oh, how greatly do I desire to see religion again 
 revived among the people of my charge, before 
 I go hence to be here no more." 
 
 No man, perhaps, lived in nearer view of 
 death, than Mr. Vaill. It was the frequent 
 subject of his conversation. On visiting his 
 children in Massachusetts, which he generally 
 did once in each year, it seemed always to rest 
 upon his mind at each visit, for the course of 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 165 
 
 fifteen or twenty years, that it might be the 
 last. This he uniformly mentioned on taking 
 his leave, and always delivered an exhortation 
 appropriate to the last visit. Thus his children 
 who had gone out from the paternal dwelling, 
 were favored annually with receiving his dying 
 counsel. He could not have been more solemn 
 and earnest, (says one of them) had he actually 
 known it was the last time. He always pro- 
 posed, on separating, to unite with them in 
 prayer, with special reference to the occasion, 
 even although it were but a short time following 
 the usual devotions of the family. In these 
 prayers he was expected to lead. He was al- 
 ways happy, and often exceedingly impressive 
 and solemn on these occasions. Never did his 
 children take leave of him without feeling that 
 they were blessed with an eminently godly fa- 
 ther, who greatly cared for and loved their 
 souls. 
 
 In one of his last letters to his son in B. writ- 
 ten about a year before his death, then in his 
 87th year, he says, 
 
 "I hope and pray that your return to B. 
 will be followed with most happy consequen- 
 ces to you and your family, and the people of 
 your former charge." [His son had been cal- 
 led from Brimfield, to the Pastoral charge of a 
 Church in Portland, in the state of Maine, and 
 
106 MEMOIR OF 
 
 now was invited back by the people of his for- 
 mer charge to B.] " I trust, however, you will 
 seriously bear in mind, that the remainder of 
 your life will be short, should you arrive to the 
 ordinary age of man. You will therefore view 
 it of vast importance to strive to be eminently 
 useful to the people of B., the little time God 
 shall continue you. It is not probable that I 
 shall survive another winter, but I desire to 
 leave the event with God. I trust my children 
 will daily remember their aged father in their 
 prayers, who, from their first existence, has dai- 
 ly attempted to bear them on his heart at the 
 throne of grace." 
 
 What a blessing to have such a parent ! In 
 how many thousands of prayers have the chil- 
 dren of this man of God been remembered ! 
 And in what riches of divine grace, is it to be 
 hoped they have shared, and will continue to 
 share, in answer to his fervent supplications 
 long after he slumbers in the grave ! 
 
RET. JOSEPH VAILL. 167 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 His missionary spirit. His missions. Observance of the monthly con- 
 cert of prayer. Attachment to the cause of missions. Gives up his 
 eldest son to be a missionary. Dismission of this son from the people 
 of his charge. Parting address to his son and his family. 
 
 Through the whole period of his ministry, Mr. 
 Vaill seemed to feel his obligations to labor for 
 the spiritual good of his fellow men, whenever 
 opportunity was afforded him. Though the 
 people of his own charge constituted the ordi- 
 nary field of his labors, yet the world was the 
 field, which was embraced in his prayers and 
 in the benevolent affections of his heart. He 
 felt compassion in view of the perishing condi- 
 tion of his fellow men, as he looked upon the 
 dark portions of the earth, and contemplated the 
 state of millions without the knowledge of 
 Christ, and the way of salvation by him. He 
 held himself ready to preach to the destitute, 
 so far as he could do it, and not neglect his own 
 
168 MEMOIR OP 
 
 people, and when on journeys to visit his friends, 
 he evinced the spirit of a missionary in his rea- 
 diness to converse with persons of his acquaint- 
 ance and with strangers on the things of their 
 salvation, and also in his readiness to preach, 
 wherever he spent a night, provided a public 
 meeting were to be holden. He was known 
 and received as a minister of Christ, wherever 
 he went, and on whatever occasion he was cal- 
 led to go abroad from his people. 
 
 The ministerial brethren, with whom he was 
 associated, early discovered his missionary spirit 
 long before any organized attempts were made 
 to send the Gospel to the destitute new settle- 
 ments of our own country, by the Churches of 
 New England. As early as 1792, a missionary 
 spirit began to show itself in Middlesex Associa- 
 tion, to which Mr. Vaill belonged, in some special 
 efforts in behalf of the new settlements in the 
 State of Vermont. A temporary mission was 
 projected to Vermont by the ministers of Mid- 
 dlesex Association, to be sustained by them- 
 selves, and Mr. Vaill was selected to go on this 
 mission. He consented, and went into Vermont, 
 and spent six weeks, laboring in destitute pla- 
 ces in that State. His pulpit was supplied by 
 the brethren of the Association in his absence. 
 The success of this mission encourged the min- 
 isterial brethren of Middlesex Association, and 
 
HEV. JOSEPH VAILL. 169 
 
 awakened a spirit of inquiry in other Associa- 
 tions, on the subject of missions to our settle- 
 ments. In June, 1799, the General Association 
 of Connecticut, at their meeting in Hebron, or- 
 ganized the Missionary Society of Connecticut, 
 and appointed a board of Trustees to manage 
 its operations and conduct its missions. This was 
 soon followed by the formation of other Socie- 
 ties, of like character, in different States. In 
 the language of Mr. Vaill : " Through the bles- 
 sing of God, incalculable good has been effec- 
 ted by their salutary influence, a great check 
 was given to the progress of vice and error, 
 and the way prepared, in the then infant settle- 
 ments, for the conversion of souls, the forma- 
 tion of churches, the better observance of the 
 Sabbath, and the settlement of ministers. The 
 labors of missionaries were followed with a 
 number of powerful revivals of religion." 
 
 In the year 1807, the Trustees of the Mis- 
 sionary Society of Connecticut, appointed and 
 commissioned Mr. Vaill, to perform a mission 
 into the State of New York, to what was then 
 called the Black River country. He was on 
 this mission, absent from his people, fifteen Sab- 
 baths. In the report, which he presented to 
 the Trustees of his labors, they were furnished 
 with gratifying evidence that he was well re- 
 ceived, and that the mission had been attended 
 15 
 
170 MEMOIR OF 
 
 with good. Mr. Vaill also threw out several 
 suggestions in his report, useful to the Trustees 
 in directing their operations in regard to sub- 
 sequent missions. 
 
 After the monthly concert for prayer was 
 introduced, it was early observed by Mr. Vaill, 
 and perseveringly maintained by him u\ his 
 church. It was an object with him to render 
 this concert as interesting and beneficial as pos- 
 sible to his people. In this meeting he impar- 
 ted missionary intelligence, brought up to view 
 the state and claims of the heathen, urged the 
 obligations of Christians to send them the Gos- 
 pel, to pay for them, and to contribute, from 
 time to time, for the support of Christian Mis- 
 sions : and, by his own example, and that of his 
 family, encouraged them in freely bestowing 
 their charities for the promotion of the kingdom 
 of Christ. He mourned in view of the back- 
 wardness of churches, and of individual mem- 
 bers, to give freely of their substance for this 
 object. 
 
 In his journal, under date of June 23d, 1823, 
 when opportunity had been given his people, 
 and the churches around, to hear the claims of 
 the heathen set before them, and some mem- 
 bers seemed unwilling to do any thing to aid in 
 sending them the Gospel, and when only small 
 contributions were taken, Mr. Vaill made the 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 171 
 
 following entry ; " Covetousness is one of the 
 most alarming sins of the present age, and it is 
 fearfully predominant over the minds of many, 
 who call themselves the friends and disciples of 
 Christ. It is a melancholy thought, that many 
 in the Church of Christ seem to be prejudiced 
 against contributions for the Missionary cause" 
 Mr. Vaill regarded himself, and all that were 
 entrusted to his care, as the Lord's, and in the 
 government and education of his children, he 
 sought to fit them for usefulness in the cause of 
 Christ, and expected them to be employed, just 
 as God in his providence should direct. The 
 reader has already seen that his two sons had 
 been called to take the pastoral oversight of 
 churches. As the missionary cause advanced 
 in this country, and a missionary spirit extended 
 in the churches, and among the pastors, the 
 mind of Mr. VailFs eldest son, Rev. William F. 
 Vaill, pastor of the church in North Guilford, 
 became deeply interested in the condition of 
 the heathen. He was led solemnly to inquire, 
 whether it were not his duty to relinquish his 
 pastoral charge and go to the heathen. The 
 Sandwich Islands opened before his mind, at 
 first, as the most inviting field for usefulness, 
 and his attention was turned towards them for 
 a season. But, about that period, a mission was 
 projected to the American Indians, west of the 
 
172 MEMOIR OP 
 
 Mississippi, and the Osage nation was selected, 
 as affording the most favorable prospect for a 
 successful mission. A call for missionaries from 
 the United Foreign Mission Society, the seat of 
 whose operations was in the city of New York, 
 was sent to New England. The object was to 
 collect a missionary family to go to the far dis- 
 tant Osages, and attempt to civilize and Chris- 
 tianize them. While the Rev. William F. VailPs 
 mind was canvassing the subject of his duty to 
 become a missionary, this call came to him, 
 this new field opened to his view, and he was 
 at length decided, with his companion, that it 
 was a call from God, and they united in com- 
 plying with it. They had a young and rising 
 family ; the perils of a long journey, and of a dis- 
 tant wilderness, as the home of their future 
 residence, in the midst of rude savages, were 
 before them. An affectionate people they were 
 to leave behind them, who were sorry to part 
 with them; and they were to be separated 
 from their aged parents, and numerous rela- 
 tives and friends. The undertaking seemed to 
 many of their friends to be visionary and rash, 
 and some endeavored to dissuade them from it ; 
 but not so the subject of this memoir. This 
 aged Father loved his children and his grand- 
 children ; but he loved the cause of Christ more, 
 and was ready to give up his children to labor 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 173 
 
 in this cause, where they were most needed. 
 He chose that this son and his companion should 
 be governed by their own views of duty, and 
 he cheerfully consented that he and his family 
 should embark in the proposed mission. 
 
 The following extract is from the minutes of 
 the Consociation, convened at North Guilford, on 
 the 12th of April, 1820, to dissolve the pastoral 
 relation of Rev. William F. Vaill to his church 
 and people, that he might enter on this mission. 
 This will show the feelings of his brethren to- 
 wards him and the mission. 
 
 " The Consociation, taking into consideration 
 the solemn duty imposed by Christ upon his 
 ministers and the Church, by his binding com- 
 mand, Preach the Gospel to every creature ; their 
 immense obligations to the heathen, who in 
 divine Providence are destitute of the means 
 of grace ; and the particular obligations of the 
 American Church to the aboriginees of this 
 country ; and regarding the dispensations of 
 Providence in opening a way for our beloved 
 brother, William F. Vaill, to carry the Gospel 
 to the savages of our wilderness ; and especially 
 the influences of the Spirit of God on the minds 
 of him and his partner to engage in this work, 
 and his peculiar qualifications, in our view, for 
 the missionary service, as clear indications of 
 
 the will of Christ; though the Consociation feel 
 15* 
 
174 MEMOIR OF 
 
 a tender regard for the interests of this church 
 and are well convinced of the usefulness of 
 Mr. Vaill's ministry among them, yet, from the 
 foregoing considerations, they esteem it their 
 duty to dissolve the pastoral relation between 
 them. From the noble sacrifice which the 
 church and people of this parish, have made 
 in agreeing to part with their beloved minister, 
 and from their present peace, the Consociation 
 are cheered with the confidence, that the great 
 Head of the Church will not be unmindful of 
 their prosperity, and, that while he removes 
 their present past or to a more extensive field of 
 usefulness, that he will supply his place with one 
 who will break unto them the bread of life, and 
 lead them and their children to the fountain of 
 living waters. Therefore, voted unanimously, 
 that the ministerial connection between the 
 Rev. William F. Vaill, and the Church and peo- 
 ple in North Guilford, be dissolved ; and the 
 connection is hereby dissolved. 
 
 " This Consociation, also, as the result of a 
 long and intimate acquaitance with Rev. Will- 
 iam F. Vaill, do unanimously express their ap- 
 probation of his character and conduct as a 
 minister of Christ, and of his faithfulness and 
 zeal in the cause of his divine Master ; and they 
 cheerfully recommend him, as a tried and ap- 
 proved servant of Jesus, to the Christian kind- 
 
HEV. JOSEPH VAILL, 175 
 
 ness and fellowship of the churches, and of all 
 who wish for the spread of the Gospel of our 
 Lord Jesus Christ. David Smith, Scribe." 
 
 Mr. Vaill, with his family, in expectation of 
 soon leaving his people and friends for the Wes- 
 tern wilderness, paid a visit to Hadlyme, his 
 native place in the month of April, 1820. It 
 was an occasion of solemn interest to him and 
 his friends. His honored father entered with 
 him, in feeling, upon his mission, and commend- 
 ed him and his family to the merciful protection 
 of the Great Head of the Church and on the 
 Sabbath, it being the last time, that he expected 
 his son and his family would worship with the 
 church and people in that place, he delivered a 
 public address on the occasion before the con- 
 gregation in Hadlyme, the substance of which 
 is here inserted, being extracted from the Mis- 
 sionary Register. 
 
 " It having pleased God, in his Providence, to 
 prepare the way for my son to engage as a 
 missionary to the heathen, in a far distant re- 
 gion, where he will probably spei. 1 the residue 
 of his years ; I think it my duty to express my 
 feelings upon the subject, and to make my par- 
 ting address to him and his companion, at this 
 time, in the audience of the people of my charge, 
 and of those who have been their associates in 
 
176 MEMOIR OF 
 
 early life." [They were both born and educa- 
 ted in Hadlyme.] 
 
 " The operations of God's hand, at this present 
 period of time, are truly marvellous in our eyes. 
 We enjoy the peculiar pleasure of beholding 
 the dawning of the latter day glory. Its morn- 
 ing star has, sometime since, appeared in the 
 East ; and we have lately seen its benign rays 
 beaming upon our Western hemisphere. Great 
 exertions are now making, throughout the 
 Christian world, to diffuse the light of the Gos- 
 pel among the benighted pagans, who have long 
 been in darkness and the shadow of death." 
 
 " Although I have myself, for seven years, 
 felt deeply interested in the missionary cause, 
 yet it is but a few weeks since, that I ever ex- 
 pected a son to be designated as a messenger 
 of salvation to the Heathen, in the remote parts 
 of this continent ; or, that he and his family 
 should be called to bid a final adieu to the peo- 
 ple of his charge, and, to all their near connex- 
 ions, and, in all probability, not to meet again, 
 until the heavens are no more. 
 
 " But how strong soever may be the ties of 
 parental affection, so far as I am capable of 
 judging, it appears to be his duty to accept of 
 the appointment of the venerable board, who 
 superintend this weighty business. I therefore 
 cheerfully relinquish all attempts, and all right, 
 
REV, JOSEPH VAILL. 177 
 
 to prevent him from entering upon the ardu- 
 ous enterprise, to which I trust the Lord is cal- ' 
 ling him." 
 
 " It is a sentiment in which I have long been 
 established, and which I have frequently incul- 
 cated in my public and private teaching, that 
 the requisition of the Saviour, that people must 
 forsake all they have for him, as a term of dis- 
 cipleship, is to be understood in its most literal 
 sense, when his cause demands it. Of course, 
 the same requirement confers the highest obli- 
 gation upon all who would be his followers, to 
 make a willing sacrifice of their ease, their 
 worldly interest, and their pleasing accommo- 
 dations, so far as the honor and prosperity of 
 his kingdom are concerned. And he reasonably 
 expects, that all who love him in sincerity, and 
 who ardently desire the salvation of their fellow 
 men, will like Moses, choose rather to suffer af- 
 fliction with the people of God than to enjoy the 
 pleasures of sin, or of this world for a season. 
 From the above mentioned considerations, I do 
 now cordially acquiesce in this new and trying 
 dispensation of divine Providence, and am wil- 
 ling that you, my son, should go forth as a mis- 
 sionary of the cross, into those regions of dark- 
 ness, and of the shadow of death, where nu- 
 merous, benighted souls reside, who have nev- 
 er heard that there is a Saviour, or any Holy 
 
178 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Ghost, or a way devised by infinite wisdom to 
 restore lost sinners to the divine favor, or raise 
 them to the high dignity of the sons of God 
 here, and to prepare them for endless blessed- 
 ness hereafter. 
 
 " As the circumstances, which attend the 
 mission, require a speedy departure from your 
 near friends, confer not with flesh and blood, nor 
 desire the privilege of tarrying ; till you may 
 first bury your aged parents. But go thou and 
 preach the kingdom of God to the perishing 
 heathen, as soon as the way shall be prepared 
 for them to hear the glad tidings of salvation. 
 
 " Although the term for your preparation for 
 this interesting work is short, I hope that you 
 and your companion have, in some good meas- 
 ure, counted the cost ; and that each of you 
 have anticipated the painful sensations, which 
 will naturally be excited in your breasts, on ta- 
 king your final leave of your parents, your 
 brethren and sisters, and the agreeable circle of 
 your endeared acquaintance. I trust you have 
 also brought into view the hardships and per- 
 ils, to which you and your little ones will be 
 exposed, on your long and hazardous journey. 
 
 " Though many unforseen difficulties and 
 privations may attend the commencement of 
 your establishment amongst an untutored and 
 savage people, in a lonely desert, and who 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 179 
 
 speak a language which you understand not ; 
 yet let none of these things move you. And, for 
 your encouragement and support, keep in view 
 the hardships, the privations, the perils and 
 trbulations, which the great Apostle of the Gen- 
 tiles endured, that he might bring the pagan 
 nations to the knowledge of salvation. 
 
 " Would you my dear children, prove suc- 
 cessful in your warfare, ' you must take to your- 
 selves the whole armor of God.' You must go 
 in the strength of the Lord of hosts, and in the 
 name of your God set up your banner, and erect 
 the standard of the cross where Satan's seat has 
 so long been established. 
 
 " Be sober, be vigilant. Daily draw near the 
 throne of grace, by fervent prayer. Carry 
 your children every day to the Saviour for his 
 blessing. Labor faithfully to train them up for 
 God. Strive constantly, by your counsels, your 
 pious examples and prayers, to promote broth- 
 erly love, peace and harmony among your 
 mission family. 
 
 " With fidelity to your Lord and Master, 
 discharge your duty to the ignorant natives. 
 Spare no pains to instruct them in the way to 
 heaven. Should your success, for a long time, 
 remain dubious, be not disheartened. Be not 
 weary in well-doing, for, in due season, you shall 
 reap if you faint not 
 
180 MEMOIR OF 
 
 " No matter, my dear children, whether you 
 are laid in the sepulchre with your fathers, or, 
 whether your dust be deposited twenty eight 
 hundred miles from the land of your nativity. 
 If you die in the Lord, it will be as glorious to 
 meet your descending Redeemer, when the 
 voice of the arch-angel, and the trump of God 
 shall awake you from the sleep of death, in the 
 Arkansas country, as to arise surrounded by 
 your former Christian connections. 
 
 " I now commend each of you, and your dear 
 children, to God, and to the power of his grace, 
 praying that he may protect and prosper you r 
 and all that shall accompany you on this be- 
 nevolent design. May the Great Head of the 
 Church, hold you in the arms of his love, and 
 comfort your hearts with the consolations of 
 his Holy Spirit, under all your trials. May he 
 improve you as the honored instruments of 
 gathering in a large harvest of souls to Christ, 
 and, through the riches of his grace, of prepar- 
 ing them to join in the new song of redeeming 
 love, which is sung by the hundred and forty, 
 and four thousand, who have been redeemed from 
 the earth. And should we never again see each 
 other's faces on this side of the grave, may we 
 have a happy meeting at Christ's right hand, 
 in the day when he shall make up his jewels. 
 Amen. Farewell." 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 181 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 His spirit as a revival preacher. His want of apparent success no proof 
 of his unfaithfulness. If tried by the rule of some modern preach- 
 ers, he would be found deficient in piety. Erroneous extremes in 
 regard to revivals. Revivals under his ministry. His interest in 
 them. Good fruits. Thankfulness for them. Readiness to promote 
 them. 
 
 " Is he a revival preacher," is an inquiry which 
 is often made at the present day, when the 
 character of a minister is sought to be known. 
 That Mr. Vaill was deeply imbued with a re- 
 vival spirit no one can doubt, who has read the 
 preceding extracts from his journal, or who 
 was acquainted with him personally in his min- 
 istry. He loved revivals, and carried, in his 
 own experience, evidence of their reality and 
 of the spirit that pervades them. He prayed 
 for them from early life, he preached with a 
 view to promote them, he employed conver- 
 sation, religious conference and parochial la- 
 bors in various forms, to secure the increase of 
 la 
 
182 MEMOIR OF 
 
 pure religion among his people. He was also 
 interested in revivals abroad in other churches, 
 and was ready to go and labor with his brethren 
 in places where God was pouring out his Spir- 
 it. Still, if Mr. Vaill were to be estimated, as 
 some are ready to estimate ministers, in view 
 of their w r ant of apparent success, he would 
 be set aside as no revival preacher. It is not 
 unfrequently the case, at the present day, 
 that the immediate effects of preaching, in the 
 awakening of sinners and in their hopeful con- 
 version, are made the criterion of a minister's 
 spirit and qualifications. It seems to be taken 
 for granted that the labors of ministers are all 
 to be directed to the promotion of revivals of 
 religion ; as if this class of visible results were 
 all that are to be sought in the preaching of 
 the gospel. But is not this a limited and par- 
 tial view of the labors of the Christian minis- 
 try ? Are not other things to be sought by the 
 labors of ministers, in addition to revivals? 
 Are there not remote effects, as well as imme- 
 diate effects of public preaching ? Is not every 
 Evangelical preacher sowing the seed of the 
 word of God in the spiritual field ? Who can 
 say how soon it shall spring up, or that he 
 who soweth shall live to reap the harvest? 
 What minister can say, who is witnessing a re- 
 vival of religion among his people, that he is 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 183 
 
 not reaping the fruit of other men's labors ? 
 Or what minister, in time of a revival, can point 
 to the visible effects, and say, these are evi- 
 dences that I am a faithful and approved ser- 
 vant of Christ ? Does God require ministers 
 to estimate their fidelity by visible results, or 
 by their cheerful obedience to his will ? The 
 results are known only in part ; and, so far as 
 known, are seen only in their outward appear- 
 ance, and therefore are very uncertain, as evi- 
 dences of success or of ministerial fidelity. 
 
 There are two extremes to be avoided, in 
 our estimate of revivals of religion, and in our 
 labors to promote them. The one extreme 
 goes to rob God of the glory of his sovereignty 
 and of his power, in relation to them, by con- 
 ferring undue honor upon man in producing 
 them. The other extreme goes to quiet man 
 in spiritual sloth and inactivity, through per- 
 verted views of his obligations of duty to God, 
 as a moral and accountable creature. Man's 
 dependence affords no release from obligation, 
 and no real excuse for sloth. He is bound to 
 perform the whole revealed will of God, and, 
 so far as a revival of religion is dependent on 
 means, he is bound to employ the known means 
 diligently and faithfully, as directed of God, 
 leaving to his wise disposal the results. 
 
 When it is assumed that a pastor may have 
 
184 MEMOIR OF 
 
 a revival of religion at any time when he 
 chooses, or that his faithfulness is to be esti- 
 mated by his success in producing revivals, un- 
 warrantable ground is taken ; and from such 
 premises wrong conclusions will be very liable 
 to be drawn. It is apprehended that injury 
 has resulted to the cause of revivals from this 
 source. Is it not a fact, that some preachers 
 who stand before the public as revival preach- 
 ers, have been too unguarded and unqualified 
 in their language, in respect to revivals of 
 religion, and their power to produce them? 
 Have not young men fallen into mistake on this 
 point, in many instances ? Some young preach- 
 ers have gone so far as to limit the time which 
 they would consent to tarry with a people, 
 unless they could produce a revival ! The 
 space with some is, perhaps, two years, with 
 others, perhaps, not so long ; with others, it 
 may be longer. They seem to act on the 
 principle that a revival preacher may have a 
 revival whenever he chooses, and hence, they 
 manifest unwillingness to tarry with a people, 
 unless they can see a revival. The revival is 
 also regarded as evidence that they are true 
 ministers of Christ. This leads to frequent 
 dismissions and changes in the pastoral office. 
 For if ministers are to be estimated by this 
 rule, they must be set down as wanting in 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAIIL, 185 
 
 piety or ministerial gifts, provided they are not 
 blest speedily with revivals ; and few will con- 
 sent to remain and labor with a people under 
 this imputation. Had Mr. Vaill or any of his 
 cotemporaries acted on this principle, they 
 would not have continued with their people 
 through a term of years, laboring and praying 
 for revivals, yet not witnessing them. The 
 principle mistakes the character of true revi- 
 vals, as being the work of the Spirit of God, 
 or else it mistakes the character of human 
 agency in producing them ; and, it is possible, 
 it has had an influence in corrupting some mod- 
 ern revivals, in which, perhaps, some of the 
 doctrinal purity and enlightened and lasting 
 piety of former revivals is wanting. A pastor 
 who feels that he has power to command the 
 rain of the Spirit upon his people, cannot have 
 had long experience in the ministry. God 
 gives his Spirit when he pleases to revive his 
 work. His holy sovereignty is displayed in 
 revivals of religion, as really as in other parts 
 of his dispensations. And it is not for pastors 
 to know the times or the seasons which the Father 
 hath put in his own power. It is presumption in 
 a pastor to claim that he has power to produce 
 a revival of religion. Said Paul, / have plant- 
 ed, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. 
 
 So then, neither is he that planteth any thing, 
 16* 
 
186 MEMOIR OF 
 
 neither he that watereth : but God, that giveth 
 the increase. 
 
 The early part of Mr. Vaill's ministry was 
 very far from being distinguished for visible 
 success. He labored under great discourage- 
 ments for more than twenty years. At times, 
 he was ready to give up in despondence, and 
 to conclude that he was not called of God to 
 the work of the holy ministry. Still, he was 
 not permitted to break away from his people, 
 but was encouraged to hope in the power and 
 grace of God to bestow the blessing in his own 
 time. It would be great injustice to the memo- 
 ry of Mr. Vaill, to call in question his fidelity, 
 during the first twenty years of his ministry, 
 because of his want of apparent success. He 
 was, during all that period, laboring and pray- 
 ing and hoping for the revival of pure religion 
 among his people. He observed days of pri- 
 vate fasting for this end ; he called upon his 
 church to observe days of fasting and prayer, 
 in view of their low state ; and, very often in 
 his journal, does he refer to his want of success, 
 and express his ardent longing for the revival 
 of religion. The following is extracted as a 
 sample of his spirit and feelings. " The state 
 of the people in this place, as to religion, is still 
 discouraging. I have hoped, and still hope, 
 that God will visit us with the influences of his 
 
REV. J09BPH VAILL. 187 
 
 Holy Spirit, and revive his work gloriously 
 among us ; but there are no present signs of 
 such a time." * 
 
 In 1806, there was a solitary case of hope- 
 ful conversion in his parish ; and the following 
 entry was made in his journal. " June 20th. 
 A late instance of the hopeful conversion of a 
 promising young woman in this place, has put 
 new courage and animation into my mind. O ! 
 God, with whom is the residue of the Spirit, 
 wilt thou not pour it out upon us, in his awak- 
 ening and converting influences ! " 
 
 " June 30th, 1806. I hope still in the pow- 
 er and grace of God to revive his work among 
 us. This is, I think, all my encouragement, 
 that God is able to awaken and convert such 
 as are dead in trespasses and sins. I am often 
 tried, when I reflect that I have spent so much 
 of my life among this people with so little ap- 
 parent success ; but my lot has been cast in 
 this part of the vineyard, nor dare I quit my 
 post, until a wider door be opened, and the call 
 of Providence appear as clear for my dismis- 
 sion as it was for my settlement." 
 
 There is much that is instructive to minis- 
 ters at this day in the dealings of God with 
 Mr. Vaill. God taught him his dependence, 
 and his own insufficiency to produce a revival. 
 He was not allowed to regard a revival as 
 
188 llEMOIR OF 
 
 man's work, nor to call that a revival of reli- 
 gion which was brought about by man's de- 
 vice. His hope, amid all his labors and dis- 
 couragements, was in the power and grace of 
 God ; and God did not suffer him to go down 
 to the grave, without seeing glorious manifes- 
 tations, both of his power and grace, among 
 the people of his charge. 
 
 In his half century sermon, preached Feb. 
 9th, 1830, he says : " I cannot learn that, pre- 
 vious to my settlement, there had ever been a 
 revival of religion in this society, since its for- 
 mation, which was then nearly forty years. 
 Nor had the church in this place been accus- 
 tomed to attend religious conferences. I in- 
 troduced them the summer after I was settled, 
 and a considerable number attended ; but our 
 meetings were dull and formal. The winter 
 succeeding I set up catechetical lectures in the 
 evening, designed principally for young people. 
 A goodly number attended, but these meetings 
 met with considerable opposition. I have con- 
 tinued evening meetings and lectures, more or 
 less, in the proper season of the year, for near- 
 ly the whole term of my ministry. No special 
 revival took place among us for more than 
 twenty years. Between 1780 and 1800, there 
 were a few cases of hopeful conversion, and a 
 small number were added to the church." 
 

 REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 189 
 
 " In the autumn of 1807, there were two 
 cases of hopeful conversion, and in the spring 
 and summer next succeeding, a greater revival 
 took place than we had ever before witnessed. 
 In the course of about a year and a half, six- 
 teen persons were added to the church, as the 
 fruit of this revival." 
 
 " In the summer of 1813, a more powerful 
 and general work of the Spirit took place. Forty 
 or more were entered on the list of hopeful 
 converts, though short of thirty came forward 
 and made a public profession of religion. The 
 work continued for about two years, when 
 some unhappy things took place, which gave 
 it a speedy check. A general coldness and 
 stupidity ensued and continued nearly up to 
 1827, when another general revival took place, 
 and lasted, without much abatement, for about 
 eleven months ; as the fruit of which, fifty- 
 six persons were admitted to the church." 
 
 Mr. Vaill lived to witness still further dis- 
 plays of the power and grace of God among 
 his people. The spring of 1830 was marked 
 w T ith some special interest in the things of their 
 salvation, and several became hopeful converts. 
 The same was the case in 1834, and from fif- 
 teen to twenty were added to the church in 
 that year. The fruits of these revivals under 
 his ministry proved good. His church was 
 
190 MEMOIR OF 
 
 greatly enlarged and improved in its character. 
 The intelligence, influence and weight of char- 
 acter in the congregation, were to a great ex- 
 tent embodipd in the church, and the latter part 
 of Mr. VailPs ministry was not wanting in 
 outward evidence that the blessing of God at- 
 tended his labors. He seemed to grow in fa- 
 vor with his church and people as he grew in 
 years ; and even to old age, when enfeebled by 
 infirmities, and obliged to suspend his active 
 labors, he still retained the affections and con- 
 fidence of his people. His long experience in 
 revivals qualified him to be a safe counsellor 
 for young ministers, and his instructions to such 
 as were inquiring what they must do to be 
 saved, could not be followed without bringing 
 them to Christ. He was not for encouraging 
 sinners to hope they were subjects of regenera- 
 tion without evidence, nor on slight grounds of 
 evidence. Nor was he for speedily counting 
 up and forming a list of the hopeful converts ; 
 knowing that, in seasons of excitement, the re- 
 ligious impressions of many prove only tempo- 
 rary. The following extract is from his jour- 
 nal. " I find it is far from being for the honor 
 of religion, where a revival takes place, to 
 speak particularly of the number who get a 
 hope of their conversion ; since a considerable 
 proportion of the latter often fall away and 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 191 
 
 lose ail their apparent zeal and goodness." 
 No pastor ever felt the preciousness of a re- 
 vival more than Mr. Vaill, and few, if any, 
 have given greater evidence of thankfulness 
 under experience of the blessing. In a season of 
 revival, he thus writes. " Blessed be God, the 
 good work has commenced ; though its progress 
 is like a still small voice, it is continued. I am 
 not fond of a great parade in religion. What 
 abundant cause have I to bless God that I have 
 lived to see another precious revival among 
 the people of my charge ! I hope and pray 
 that it may be long continued, and that all, 
 who have remained in an unconverted state, 
 may now be brought in." 
 
 " I perceive that my continued laborious ser- 
 vices, in attending meetings so frequently, will 
 soon wear away my feeble remains of strength 
 and life ; but it is now harvest season with us. 
 Has not a minister a call to exert himself in an 
 unusual manner, when he appears to be pro- 
 moting the spiritual good of immortal souls ? 
 It does not consist so much in the length of 
 time, as in a diligent and faithful attention to 
 the duties of our calling, to render us useful. 
 The ministry and labors of the Saviour were 
 short. The ministry of John the Baptist was 
 of short continuance. Paul and the other 
 apostles passed through those labors, hardships 
 and sufferings, which were calculated to wear 
 
1 92 MEMOIR or 
 
 out their strength and lives in a short time, and 
 yet what eminent services did all these per- . 
 form for God, and for the salvation of perish- 
 ing sinners ! " 
 
 " Satan cares not by what means he works, 
 if he can only stir up difficulties which tend 
 to hinder the progress of religion. Christians 
 must always look out for severe trials after a 
 revival of religion. If the adversary cannot 
 succeed to prevent its progress, in the season 
 of it, he will use all his arts to destroy its good 
 effects afterwards. I desire to commit the 
 people of my charge and the church to the 
 care of the great Head of the Church, who is 
 able to purify it from all errors in doctrine and 
 practice." 
 
 After a season of revival. " The goodness 
 of God towards me and my family and peo- 
 ple, has been w r onderful of late. O, that I 
 had a heart to love, to fear, to know and serve 
 God in newness of life ! " 
 
 At another date, in prospect of a revival. 
 11 1 have reason to bless God, with the warm- 
 est sentiments of gratitude, that there are any 
 favorable symptoms of the revival of God's 
 work among the people of my charge." 
 
 Good effects of a revival. " Since the late 
 revival, there is a great alteration in this place, 
 among the people, for the better ; yet we are far 
 from being what we ought to be as a people." 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 193 
 
 " When I think of the unconverted, my 
 heart is pained within me. As I look round 
 and see rational and immortal creatures labor- 
 ing and toiling for perishing dust as their best 
 portion, while the one thing needful is neglect- 
 ed. ! how do I pity them. How miserable 
 is the condition of all unconverted sinners, who 
 are living without God and without Christ in 
 the world ! Arid many are not contented to 
 go to destruction themselves, but are laboring 
 to take multitudes with them to the fearful 
 place of torment, prepared for the workers of 
 iniquity. But, blessed be God. there is a glo- 
 rious day approaching, when the kingdoms of 
 this world shall become the kingdom of our 
 Lord and of his Christ : when Satan shall be 
 bound a thousand years, that he may not go 
 out to deceive the nations ; and when wars 
 and bloodshed shall be known no more." 
 
 For the millennium. Mr. Vaill prayed and 
 hoped ; and he rejoiced in view of it, and in all 
 the increase of pure religion in the world. As 
 he regarded revivals as the means of the en- 
 largement of the church, and of the increase 
 of pure religion in the church, his heart was 
 deeply interested in them, up to the close of 
 life. And. so far as he had opportunity, and 
 had strength to labor in time of old age. he 
 
 improved the privilege, 
 17 
 
194 MEMOIR OF 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 Interest in objects of benevolence. Life member of two benevolent Sd- 
 cieties. Efforts in the temperance cause. Results among his own 
 people. Extracts from a Temperance Address. Extracts from a 
 private letter to an acquaintance. 
 
 Every thing connected with the welfare of 
 Zion, was regarded favorably by Mr. Vaill. 
 He was friendly to the religious enterprizes of 
 the age, so far as they are conducted on Evan- 
 gelical principles, and he cordially co-operated 
 with Evangelical Christians, in sustaining them. 
 He was constituted a life member of the Amer- 
 ican Bible Society, and also of the American 
 Tract Society by the Ladies of Hadlyme ; who 
 in this manner testified their affection for their 
 pastor and their attachment to these Benevo- 
 lent Institutions. 
 
 From early life, he was a decided and firm 
 Jfriend to temperance, and long before the mod- 
 ern temperance reformation was entered upon, 
 he practiced upon the principle of abstinence. 
 

 REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 195 
 
 He was frank and open in opposing intemper- 
 ance, and labored more than most of his min- 
 isterial brethren, to arouse public attention to 
 its alarming increase, and to stay its progress. 
 In his poetical address to youth, in the form of a 
 caution against vice, published in 1796, the vice 
 of intemperance is particularly exhibited in its 
 odious features. 
 
 For many years, his efforts in the temper- 
 ance cause failed of receiving that co-operation 
 which the importance of the subject demand- 
 ed ; and with a large portion of the people they 
 were rather unpopular. But in the latter part 
 of his ministry, as the temperance reformation 
 progressed, he had the satisfaction to see his 
 people coming into it very generally, and, by 
 precept and example, he led them on like an 
 aged veteran in the cause. Every member of 
 his Church, male and female, became an enrol- 
 led member of the temperance society, and the 
 great majority of the people of Hadlyme went 
 over to the side of the temperance reformation. 
 The church and parish of Hadlyme, stand forth 
 to view, in this reformation, a noble example in 
 advance of surrounding churches and parishes. 
 It must have cheered the heart of their aged 
 pastor to witness this blessed result among the 
 people of his charge, just as he was quitting the 
 stage of action. 
 
J96 MEMOIR OF 
 
 In his advanced age, his labors in the temper- 
 ance cause were well received, and were par- 
 ticularly serviceable to the aged, many of whom 
 had felt that on account of the infirmities of 
 age, they could not abandon the use of ardent 
 spirit ; yet they were encouraged in doing this 
 by his example and advice. 
 
 He was invited abroad to deliver addresses 
 in neighboring congregations ; and so far as his 
 strength would permit, he engaged in labors of 
 this sort. The following extracts are from 
 one of his addresses, delivered in 1830, to the 
 people of Chester. 
 
 " My Christian friends : You will doubtless 
 feel, that so numerous have been the addresses 
 and publications on this topic, by men of supe- 
 rior talents and attainments, that in offering ad- 
 ditional ones, we are like to persons gleaning 
 among the sheaves after harvest men. But 
 notwithstanding this, and though the speaker is 
 borne down in a great measure with age, and 
 infirmity, he will attempt to offer something, as 
 the testimony of a dying man, in favor of this 
 all important cause. 
 
 " I am confident that there can be no need 
 of additional motives to convince the friends of 
 virtue and religion, of the importance of pledg- 
 ing themselves to observe entire abstinence 
 from the use of ardent spirit, except as a med- 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 197 
 
 cine, provided they have given ^credit to the 
 testimony of a cloud of witnesses in regard to 
 the following facts, viz. 
 
 " That all distilled liquors contain not the 
 least nutricious quality, and add nothing to the 
 physical strength of the human body, but only 
 serve to produce an animating, momentary ex- 
 citement, which is uniformly followed with de- 
 bility and languor. 
 
 " It is ascertained that these liquors contain 
 a degree of poison, which operates, in a slow 
 and secret manner, to effect the brain, and grad- 
 ually to impair the whole of man's physical 
 constitution. As this representation is doubt- 
 less correct, it of course follows, that persons 
 who consent to destroy themselves, by the free 
 and excessive use of these liquors, are to be re- 
 garded as self-murderers. 
 
 " Another fact, stated by judicious observers 
 is, that 25 or 30,000 of the citizens of the Uni- 
 ted States, die annually in consequence of their 
 intemperance. This consideration alone should 
 have influence to prevent all sorts of persons 
 from continuing a practice so ruinous, and to 
 enlist them at once, on the principle of entire 
 abstinence. 
 
 " Another fact stated repeatedly by the ad- 
 vocates of temperance, is, that the habitual use 
 
 of strong drink, though moderate for a while, 
 17* 
 
198 MEMOIR OF 
 
 has resulted in the ruin of property, of reputa- 
 tion, and of the well-being of multitudes, who 
 were once respectable, and, in many instances, 
 wealthy persons, and brought poverty and mis- 
 ery upon them and their families ; and, in ten 
 thousand instances, intemperance has turned 
 the once peaceful and happy dwelling into a 
 doleful habitation, a Iwld of foul spirits. Nor 
 can the following facts be controverted, that 
 intemperance has filled the prisons with cul- 
 prits and the alms houses with paupers, which 
 have cost the respective states and tow r ns 
 enormous sums annually ; that it has been the 
 chief cause of murders, manslaughter, suicides 
 and riots, that it has occasioned a tax upon the 
 honest, industrious and laboring classes of soci- 
 ety, for the maintenance of paupers, rendered 
 such by intemperance. 
 
 " In view of the above named evils, and ma- 
 ny others, which might be mentioned, is it not 
 marvellous, that there should be any persons 
 found in a land of gospel light, who should still 
 plead for what is called even a moderate use of 
 ardent spirit ? And it is still more astonishing, 
 that any of the professors of religion, who hope 
 that they are travelling to the kingdom of heav- 
 en, should be opposed to the temperance refor- 
 mation. I would ask whether such as are on 
 the way to the New Jerusalem need the aid of 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 199 
 
 strong drink, to enable them more faithfully and 
 successfully to engage in the self-denying duties 
 which the Saviour requires? Can they, by 
 daily drinking this poison, gain a more easy or 
 complete victory over the allurements of the 
 world, the temptations of the devil, and the re- 
 maining corruptions of their own depraved 
 hearts ? Can they pray more sincerely, and 
 acceptably in their families and in their closets? 
 Does the morning dram fit them to pour out 
 their hearts more fervently to God for his bles- 
 sing on themselves and their households ? And 
 when the sacred day of rest returns, I ask 
 whether ardent spirit is a necessary ingredient 
 in their preparation for the private or public 
 exercises of that holy day ? Does the effluvia 
 that the drinkers of ardent spirit emit from their 
 breath in the sanctuary, constitute that holy 
 incense, which comes up acceptably before the 
 mercy seat? Nay, is it not rather offering 
 that strange fire before God, for which sin Na- 
 dab and Abihu were immediately burned to 
 death ? Do the lovers of strong drink say, they 
 find a warrant in the word of God for its mod- 
 erate use ? I would inquire whether they can 
 find this warrant, but by perverting and wrest- 
 ing the sacred scriptures from their obvious 
 import, as do the advocates of error, to prove 
 the doctrine of universal salvation, and other 
 
200 
 
 MEMOIft OF 
 
 erroneous doctrines ? Is it not a black mark 
 upon those who call themselves Christians, to 
 attempt to draw something from the word of 
 the living God, to warrant them in the indul- 
 gence of their depraved appetites, when they 
 do it, as they have reason to believe, at the ex- 
 pense of the temporal and everlasting happi- 
 ness of thousands of fellow beings, as well as 
 at the peril of their own salvation? Such per- 
 sons, whatever may be their profession of 
 friendship for Christ, must be viewed in the 
 same light with profane Esau, who for one mor- 
 sel of meat sold his birthright. 
 
 " But do they profess to make the scriptures 
 of truth their guide ; they will find it recorded 
 under the pen of inspiration, that temperance 
 is one of the graces of the Spirit, that he who 
 striveth for the mastery, must be temperate in 
 all things, that such as would be the followers 
 of Christ must take up the cross daily, must 
 walk circumspectly, must abstain from all ap- 
 pearance of evil, and by no means put a stumb- 
 ling block in a brother's way." 
 
 " And now my hearers, we ought to bear in 
 mind, that we have arrived at that solemn and 
 critical period, when the conduct of the present 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 20] 
 
 inhabitants, will pi nde the future des- 
 
 tiny of those who shall succeed them. They 
 will leave either a blessing or a curse behind 
 them, not rir cnildren. but for unborn 
 
 generations. Hence all. who are not past feel- 
 ing, must be sensible that they are under indis- 
 pensable obligations to exert themselves, with 
 a firm and persevering zeal, in promoting the 
 cause of temperance." 
 
 Mr. Vaill not only gave public addresses, he 
 also gave private admonitions, by word and 
 epistle, to individuals whom he saw in danger of 
 falling into this vice. The following extracts 
 ram one of his private letters, addressed to 
 the head of a family, in whose welfare he felt 
 interested. 
 
 "Dear Sir: — You will permit me to address 
 you. upon a very interesting and important sub- 
 ject ; and. I trust, I shall do it with all the kind- 
 ness and faithfulness of one. who has a sincere 
 regard tor your temporal and everlasting well- 
 being. From a number of years acquaintance 
 with you. I have considered you as capable of 
 making a useful man in your family and in so- 
 ciety : and you are blest with a worthy, and. I 
 hope, pious companion, and with a number cf 
 promising children. But O. my dear friend, 
 my heart aches, while I view you on the high 
 road to ruin, by that fatal evil, in temperance. 
 
202 MEMOIR OF 
 
 However insensible you may be to the immi- 
 nent danger you are in, your friends and ac- 
 quaintance have, for a considerable time, seen 
 in you ihose dark symptoms, which ordinarily 
 precede habitual intoxication. I have witnessed 
 this myself. Seldom of late have I been near 
 enough to shake hands and to converse with 
 you without perceiving the scent of rum from 
 your breath. Your countenance also betrays 
 you, and your manner of speaking at times de- 
 notes the excitement of ardent spirit. Your ac- 
 quaintance are beginning to rank you in the 
 class of the intemperate. 
 
 " As I am on the borders of the grave and 
 the eternal world, my conscience would not 
 suffer me to rest, till I gave you some faithful 
 warning on this subject. I am sensible, that 
 when a person has long been accustomed to the 
 use, it must be attended with some self-denial, 
 entirely to abandon the practice, yet, by the 
 grace of God assisting you, it may be done, yea 
 it has already been done, by great numbers, 
 who had long been in the habit of intemperance. 
 And, surely, every rational person, who believes 
 in the truths of the Bible, will acknowledge 
 that it is infinitely better to pass through the 
 most painful temporary mortification of his 
 inordinate lusts and appetites, than to ruin him- 
 self for time and eternity. This corresponds 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 203 
 
 with the following words of the Saviour. If 
 thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out and cast 
 it from thee ; it is profitable for thee, that one of 
 thy members should perish, and not that thy whole 
 body should be cast into hell. 
 
 "And not only does intemperance, persisted 
 in through life, destroy the soul and body for- 
 ever, but, O, how shocking the consequences 
 to the peace, the property, the good order and 
 well being of families ! An intemperate man 
 lays the foundation to entail poverty, misery 
 and disgrace upon his family. If his wife and 
 children do not follow his example, they must 
 unavoidably share in the distressing consequen- 
 ces ! How many heart-rending sighs and 
 groans, and tears does an intemperate husband 
 occasion a pious wife, or his children if they 
 prove virtuous and temperate, and under what 
 deep and lasting disgrace does an intemperate 
 head of a family descend to the grave ! 
 
 " And now, my dear friend, if my apprehen- 
 sions concerning you are not well founded, 
 you will, I trust, impute my plain dealing to a 
 sincerely benevolent intention, but if they are 
 founded in truth, I hope and pray they may not 
 fail of the salutary effects for which they are 
 designed. It is a favorable time to commence 
 the work of reformation, numbers are joining 
 the temperance ranks, you can now cast in your 
 
204 MEMOIR OP 
 
 lot with them. Should you comply with this 
 proposal and become a humble, penitent, pray- 
 ing follower of Christ, you would not only re- 
 trieve your character, and be prepared to spend 
 the rest of your days in peace, but, by the grace 
 of God, you would be admitted at last to dwell 
 with them in Christ's kingdom who have been 
 washed, sanctified, and justified, in the name of 
 the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. 
 From your aged friend, 
 
 J. Vaill." 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 205 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 Settlement of a Colleague. Retires from active service. Unexpected 
 removal to Killingworth. Farewell address to his people. Occasion- 
 al labors and visits after his removal. Useful to the close of life. 
 
 In the latter part of the year 1831, finding the 
 infirmities of age increasing upon him, Mr. 
 Vaill entered into arrangements with his peo- 
 ple for them to procure for him a colleague. 
 To enable them to do this, he consented to 
 relinquish his salary, when the arrangement 
 should go into effect. Accordingly, in the 
 spring of 1832, the Rev. Ralph S. Cramp ton 
 was installed colleague pastor of the church in 
 Hadlyme. He was dismissed in the autumn of 
 1834 ; and in the spring of 1835, Rev. George 
 Carrington was installed colleague pastor with 
 Mr. Vaill. Mr. Carrington remains in the 
 pastoral charge of this church. 
 
 Though from the settlement of a colleague, 
 18 
 
206 MEMOIR OP 
 
 Mr. Vaill retired from the responsibility of 
 supplying the pulpit on the Sabbath, still he 
 did not lose his interest in the people. He was 
 about among them, encouraging whatever was 
 calculated for their good, strengthening the 
 hands of his colleague, and exercising a father* 
 ly affection for the people. 
 
 The winter of 1836 disclosed, in Divine 
 Providence, an unexpected way for him to pass 
 the few remaining years of his life in freedom 
 from care and anxiety in regard to his support. 
 The marriage of his youngest daughter deter- 
 mined him to break up his family establish- 
 ment, and to remove to the family of his son- 
 in-law, David Evarts, Esq., of North KHling- 
 worth, (now Killing worth). This daughter 
 was the only child that had remained with him. 
 On her had devolved the cares of the family, 
 and the responsibility of nursing and minister- 
 ing to the comfort of her aged parent. This 
 change involved the trial of leaving the place 
 which had been his home for more than half a 
 century ; where he had sojourned and prayed, 
 and studied and labored, and reared up his 
 family. At first, it seemed to him impossible, 
 yet he became reconciled to the change, and 
 saw and admired the faithfulness of God in 
 opening the way for his removal to the family 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 207 
 
 of his son-in-law. where he received all the 
 kind attentions which could be desired in time 
 of old age. 
 
 His farewell address on this occasion to his 
 people is here inserted. It was extemporane- 
 ous, and has been furnished through the kind- 
 of his colleague. R^v, George Carring- 
 ton. who took it down in short hand at the 
 time it was delivered 
 
 " On the afternoon of Lord's day. March 
 27th. 1S36, the Rev. Joseph Vaill. being about 
 to remove from Hadlyme. addressed the con- 
 gregation in substance as follows : 
 
 •• Mv Christian Friends, 
 
 '• You are all sensible that the ways of God 
 are mysterious : that the course of his provi- 
 dence is not to be fathomed. Many, very 
 many surprising changes take place in the 
 course of it. 
 
 •• I little expected to leave this place till I 
 should be carried to the grave. For I expect 
 soon to take up my lodging in that narrow 
 house, not to depart thence till the heavers- be 
 no more. My leaving you before that event is 
 with reluctance, and only in compliance with 
 the order of God's providence. 
 
 '•You are all sensible that I have been many 
 years your pastor, and have broken to you the 
 bread of life. During that time. I have en- 
 
208 MEMOIR OF 
 
 deavored to dispense to you the truth, as it is 
 in Jesus, according to the best of my ability. 
 
 " For many years after my settlement in this 
 place, I labored under great discouragements. 
 Few were converted to Christ. The war of 
 the revolution, which was then raging, engros- 
 sed the public attention, The requisitions which 
 were made on the people for military service, 
 distracted their thoughts and prevented their 
 attending to the concerns of their souls. But 
 after that period, God was pleased to grant 
 success to the labors of his unworthy servant. 
 Several seasons of the outpouring of the Spirit 
 were enjoyed. It is within the recollection of 
 some of you, that for many years, meetings 
 were kept up three times a week, and some- 
 times oftener. Many, God knows how many, 
 were brought into the kingdom of Christ. 
 Many of them have departed, and some of 
 them, it is hoped, are now in glory. 
 
 " And now what shall I say ? You are sen- 
 sible that an old man like me can say but little. 
 , You that profess religion ; have you done all 
 j that you could to promote it ? Have you done 
 jail in your power to revive the work of God? 
 Have you strengthened the hands of your new 
 pastor ? Have you prayed as much as you 
 , could ? Have you taught and warned your 
 children as much as you could ? Have you 
 
 MM! 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 209 
 
 prayed for them and with them ? Have you 
 travailed in birth for them ? Have you en- 
 deavored to restrain them from the ways of 
 this wicked world 1 Have you strengthened 
 the hands of your pastor as much as you 
 ought ? The work of the ministry is weighty. 
 It is no trifling work. It is enough to over- 
 whelm one who is not upheld by Christ's right- 
 eousness. 
 
 " Have you paid that regard to the Sabbath 
 which you ought ? Many professors of reli- 
 gion are wanting in regard to the Sabbath. 
 They meet outside of the meeting house in 
 pleasant weather, not, it is to be feared, for the 
 purpose of serious conversation, but that they 
 may join with the men of the world in their 
 conversation. Or they lie late in bed on the 
 morning of that day, because they have no 
 worldly business to call them up. But the 
 Sabbath is our stay ; it is the support of reli- 
 gion. Take it away, and all is gone. Look at 
 the valley of the Mississippi. There the Sab- 
 bath is neglected or overrun with pastime. 
 And the Roman Catholics, seeing that this is a 
 fit soil for them, are flocking in there and fill- 
 ing the country. 
 
 " Brethren, are you as faithful as you ought 
 to be in attending public worship ? Christians 
 18* 
 
210 MEMOIR OF 
 
 ought not to be deficient in this. How can 
 any maintain a Christian character without it? 
 How can they, without setting a pious exam- 
 ple ? The apostle warns us not to forsake the 
 assembling of ourselves together as the man- 
 ner of some is ; and so much the more as we 
 see the day approaching. What day ? The 
 day of judgment — the great day, when every 
 man's work shall be tried, of what sort it is, 
 and profession and practice shall be laid in the 
 balance. 
 
 " You that profess religion ; let me entreat 
 you to wake up. It will not answer to treat 
 the subject of religion in a trivial, slothful man- 
 ner; we must wake up and be in earnest in it, 
 as were the saints and patriarchs and martyrs 
 of Christ. 
 
 " There are some of you who make no pro- 
 fession. Perhaps you have never in your lives 
 prayed to God. If you have not, the time past 
 is gone ; you cannot recall the time which is 
 past. Was there ever a time, when, like Na- 
 thaniel under the fig-tree, you sat and medi- 
 tated on the things of Christ ? Have you ever, 
 during that part of your lives which is past, 
 prayed in your families ? If not, you cannot 
 recall the time which you have lost. If you 
 put off this duty a little longer, it will be true 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 211 
 
 of you, that you have never in your life done 
 it ; that during your whole life, you have never 
 made a prayer. 
 
 "If you have never repented, when will the 
 time come 1 Do you feel more friendly to re- 
 ligion now than you did years ago ? Are any 
 of you more willing to engage in the self-de- 
 nying services of Christ than you were thirty 
 years ago ? Do you grow any more willing, 
 by delaying to do them ? Do you hope that 
 God w T ill have mercy on you, as he did on the 
 thief? But let it be considered that his case 
 is the only one which we read of in the Bible, 
 brought to repentance and accepted at so late 
 an hour. To rely upon this, and put off re- 
 pentance, must be presumptuous and hazardous. 
 
 " Perhaps some of you are flattering your- 
 selves that all will be well enough ; that all will 
 be saved. It may be that some few of you 
 rely on the Universalist doctrine. But it is a 
 fatal delusion. It comes from the adversary 
 of souls. Why. if all will be saved, did not the 
 apostles tell the Jews so, instead of preaching 
 to them the terrors of the Lord ? Why did 
 not Peter tell those who were pricked in the 
 heart, on the day of Pentecost, and inquired, 
 1 Men and brethren, what shall we do ? ' — 
 ' You need not trouble yourselves — all will 
 be well — all will be saved — there is no need 
 
212 MEMOIR OF 
 
 of this distress about it.' Listen not to these 
 lying spirits that go out to deceive the nations. 
 For the apostle tells us that in the last days 
 there shall be seducing spirits and doctrines of 
 devils in the world. If, my brethren, any of 
 you find out from the Bible, that man can be 
 saved without sanctifying grace, you will be 
 the first that have discovered it. You must be 
 born again. This is what all faithful ministers 
 tell you, and are continually telling you. Dont 
 think that certain subtle men are wiser than 
 all that have gone before them ; that they have 
 found out a new meaning to the Bible by their 
 philosophy and refinements." 
 
 " Young people often feel haughty and confi- 
 dent, because they think they have discovered 
 that all are going to be saved. But, my young 
 friends, do attend to the solemn words of an in- 
 spired writer : ' Remember now thy Creator in 
 the days of thy youth, before the evil days come, 
 and the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say I 
 have no pleasure in them.' It is infinitely im- 
 portant to keep in mind the duty of remember- 
 ing your Creator. Listen to the moans of the 
 dying impenitent. Many accounts of these are 
 published. How many, on a death bed, have 
 said, O ! I am unprepared ; I want a moment 
 longer to prepare for death ! 
 
 " My brethren and friends, live in peace. 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAtLL. 213 
 
 May the God of peace be with you. May we 
 soon hear of the goings of God in Hadlyme. 
 May we hear that professors are engaged ; 
 that they labor together with their pastor ; that 
 they regard the Sabbath, and are zealous of 
 good works. 
 
 " Brethren, be not weary in well doing. It 
 will do you no good to get much, and become 
 rich in this world, if you are not rich towards 
 God. If you set your hearts on riches, the 
 time will come, when you will say, ' Here 's 
 all ; I've no more.' Many who have had lit- 
 tle of this world, and suffered much, have found 
 that religion will support them under all trials, 
 and fill them with consolation. Religion can 
 support you under every trial. I have heard 
 many moans of youth upon a dying bed, be- 
 cause they were going into eternity unprepar- 
 ed. I have seen many changes, but I have 
 found nothing that will satisfy the soul, but to 
 live a life of prayer. It has been my earnest 
 prayer that I might know how to die. And I 
 know that nothing will do you the least good, 
 unless you have an interest in the Son of God. 
 
 " And now I bid you farewell till we meet at 
 the tribunal of Christ. I desire your prayers 
 for me, in my advanced age. I am loth to 
 leave you. My attachments to the church and 
 people are very strong. I have had many 
 
214 MEMOIR OF 
 
 friends who have been very kind to me ; some 
 of them from a distance of three hundred miles. 
 They have ministered to my necessities. I am 
 yet alive, but my time is coming. I hope, 
 through amazing grace, to be admitted to the 
 company of the redeemed. I hope that you, 
 who survive me, will lend me your aid to bring 
 my remains and lay them by the side of my 
 departed wife. I hope she was a Christian. 
 There I wish to lie till the resurrection, that 
 we may rise together, and hand in hand as- 
 cend to the mansions of the blessed." 
 
 At Killingworth, Mr. Vaill found himself 
 very contented in the family of his son-in-law ; 
 there he remained cheerful and happy up to 
 the time of his death. Occasionally visiting 
 his people at Hadlyme, and his ministerial 
 brethren in neighboring churches, and preach- 
 ing as his strength would permit, he continued 
 to be useful. It was a time of revival in the 
 church at Killingworth, when he removed there, 
 and in reference to his labors in that place, the 
 Rev. E. G. Swift, the pastor of that church, in 
 a letter, thus writes : 
 
 " Mr. Vaill came here at the time we were 
 enjoying a season of revival, and he entered 
 into it with all his heart, preaching often on the 
 Sabbath, and attending our weekly church 
 prayer meetings and afternoon lectures. On 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 215 
 
 such occasions, and in private, his admonitions, 
 especially to Christian professors, were ex- 
 ceedingly solemn and faithful, and often pointed 
 and heart searching. The impression which 
 he left upon the minds of us all, in his public 
 services and in his daily walk, was that he was 
 an eminently good and holy man." 
 
 In one of his last letters to his son in Brim- 
 field, Mass., written less than a year before his 
 death, he says, " I have preached since I have 
 been in this place (Killing worth) upwards of 
 forty times for Mr. Swift and neighboring min- 
 isters. The reason for my engaging in such 
 frequent labor is the present prevalence of er- 
 ror and lukewarmness among ministers and 
 professors. I know I am but a feeble instru- 
 ment at best, but the work of God is promoted 
 not by finite power and human eloquence, but 
 by the Spirit of the Lord of Hosts." 
 
 He became greatly endeared to the family of 
 Mr. Evarts and to the people of Killingworth \ 
 and in view of his removal to that place, he 
 seemed to be perfectly satisfied, and often 
 spake of the faithfulness of God towards him. 
 In the summer of 1838, apprehending that the 
 time of his departure must be near, he made 
 the visits which he wished to make to his peo- 
 ple and ministerial brethren, and with one of 
 his brethren, with whom for more than twenty 
 
216 MEMOIR OF 
 
 years he had lived in habits of uninterrupted 
 Christian and ministerial intercourse, he left a 
 request that he should preach his funeral ser- 
 mon. In this manner were his labors closed, 
 — his visits finished and his arrangements made 
 for the time of his departure ; and in the retire- 
 ment of the family of his son-in-law, mingling oc- 
 casionally in religious meetings with the people 
 of Killingworth, he remained, waiting for his 
 Lord's coming. It was not his desire to outlive 
 his usefulness. Nor is there reason to suppose 
 that he did. His conversation, his counsels, 
 his prayers, his Christian example, enabled 
 him to do good up to the close of life. And 
 neither the young nor the old, could see him 
 and converse with him without feeling a kind 
 of veneration for him, as an holy man of God, 
 that was soon to leave the world. 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 217 
 
 CHAPTER XV 
 
 His last sickness. Death. Funeral. Extracts from the sermon preach- 
 ed at his funeral. Notices of his life and character, as sketched by 
 different persons. Closing remarks. 
 
 The last sickness of Mr. Vaill was of short 
 continuance, and not marked with much visi- 
 ble suffering. In general, in his sickness, so far 
 as he was able to converse, he manifested the 
 same composure and Christian feeling as he 
 had uniformly done at other times. The fol- 
 lowing account of his sickness and death, at 
 the request of the compiler, has been furnished 
 by the daughter who attended him, and was an 
 eye-witness to the closing scene. 
 
 " I know not that we can furnish any addition- 
 al particulars to what you have already, of the 
 closing scene of my honored father's life. His 
 mind was not clear during his last sickness, nor 
 was he able during a part of the time to speak. 
 19 
 
218 MEMOIR OF 
 
 When first taken, he conversed freely about 
 dying ; said it was probably his last sickness, and 
 wished me to inform Mr. Parsons, that he might 
 be ready to preach at his funeral. He appeared 
 composed, as he has uniformly done before, 
 when speaking of his dissolution. After this 
 he seemed rather to sink into an insensible 
 state, and took but little notice of any thing, 
 though he knew his friends who called to see 
 him, and expressed his usual interest in them. 
 His strength diminished daily, though he had 
 no violent disease upon him. His nature seem- 
 ed to be worn out ; his sufferings were appa- 
 rently light. In death, he had not one struggle, 
 but sunk to rest in great serenity. He was 
 taken up into an easy chair about nine o'clock 
 in the evening. We found that he was failing 
 fast ; he was laid back upon the bed, when he 
 commenced rattling in his throat. We then 
 perceived that the closing scene was at hand, 
 and gathered around his bed to witness his de- 
 parture. It was deeply affecting to his daugh- 
 ter, who had so long ministered to this venera- 
 ble parent in his advanced age, and received a 
 pious education from his tender care. It re- 
 called to mind the death of a beloved mother 
 six years before, in which affliction father and 
 myself were the only near relations present. 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 219 
 
 But why should I mourn for the loss of such 
 parents? They have gone to receive their 
 reward for Christian fidelity." 
 
 "The family where our venerable parent 
 closed his earthly pilgrimage, was much af- 
 fected at parting with him. He had a pecu- 
 liar faculty to gain the affections of children. 
 Our children all loved him, (children of Esqr. 
 Evarts by a former marriage) and never will 
 forget the instructions he gave them. He gain- 
 ed many friends in Killingworth, and I trust 
 that the efforts he made near the close of life 
 for the salvation of souls in this place, will be 
 productive of good long after he has reposed 
 in the grave." 
 
 " God was very merciful in giving our dear 
 father so peaceful a release from the body, as 
 he ever from a child had a dread of passing 
 through the dark valley. Immediately after he 
 had closed his eyes, his countenance, which had 
 never looked distorted or terrifying, settled in- 
 to the same composure as if he had been in 
 a peaceful sleep." The manner of his death, 
 corresponded with his life. He met the king 
 of terrors with composure, and in reliance on 
 his Redeemer. Mark the perfect man, and be- 
 hold the upright, for the end of that man is 
 peace. Thus died the Rev. Joseph Vaill, on 
 the 21st of November, 1838, at Killingworth, 
 
220 MEMOIR OF 
 
 in the 88th year of his age, and 59th year of 
 his ministry. 
 
 Intelligence of his death was immediately 
 conveyed to Hadlyme, and to some extent in 
 neighboring churches ; and on the 23d inst., his 
 funeral was attended in the meeting house at 
 Hadlyme. The occasion was one of deep and 
 solemn interest to the church and people of 
 Hadlyme, to the pastors of neighboring church- 
 es and others that were present from their con- 
 gregations. A sermon was preached by Rev. 
 Isaac Parsons, of East Haddam. The subject 
 was the faithful minister going to his reward, 
 founded on Matt. xxv. 23: His Lord said 
 unto him, well done good and faithful servant, 
 thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will 
 make thee ruler over many things, enter thou into 
 the joy of thy Lord. A few extracts from the 
 sermon are here inserted. 
 
 " In speaking of the faithful minister, I would 
 not be understood to assume the prerogative 
 of God in respect to knowledge of the hearts 
 and motives of men. We judge of men from 
 their apparent characters and outward lives. 
 And w 7 hen we find a minister of the gospel 
 whom we regard as a faithful servant of the 
 Lord, our opinion of him is formed in view of 
 his outward life. Fidelity in every employ- 
 ment, and in every relation of life, is one of the 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 221 
 
 loveliest traits of character ; and this in a min- 
 ister of the gospel is one of the highest excel- 
 lences. To be a faithful ambassador of the 
 Lord Jesus Christ in the holy ministry, is the 
 highest honor to which mortal man can attain, 
 and it will secure a high degree of glory in the 
 state of reward." 
 
 " I will not detain you to portray in this 
 place the character of a faithful minister ; to 
 show in what fidelity consists, and how it is 
 manifested ; nor will I go into an argument to 
 prove that the aged and venerable minister of 
 Hadlyme, whose voice is now silent in death, 
 and whose face in the flesh we shall look upon 
 this day for the last time, sustained this char- 
 acter." 
 
 " Through a long ministry, and under many 
 changes and discouragements, in labors public 
 and private, in the house of God, in the con- 
 ference, at the church lecture, in the house of 
 mourning, by the bedside of the sick and dying, 
 on funeral occasions, in pastoral visits, in his 
 own domestic circle, in his attention to schools, 
 in Ecclesiastical councils, at ordinations and dis- 
 missions of pastors, in his intercourse with min- 
 isterial brethren, in his adherence to the great 
 truths of the Christian system, in his love for 
 revivals of religion, and interest in missions and 
 
 the extension of the kingdom of Christ in the 
 19* 
 
222 MEMOIR OF 
 
 world, he has acted the part of a faithful ser- 
 vant of the Lord, and he has left behind him 
 testimony to his fidelity in the consciences of 
 all to whom he ministered, or who shared his 
 acquaintance. You all feel that he was an 
 honest, devoted, godly man, and that he is gone 
 to share the reward of a faithful servant. 
 Such is my feeling after enjoying his friendship 
 and living in ministerial intercourse, and uni- 
 form confidence with him for more than twenty 
 years. I loved him as a father in the ministry, 
 and I could always confide in him as a faithful 
 friend, and a minister of an honest and upright 
 heart." 
 
 " But we have come together to day to bury 
 this servant of the Lord. Never before have 
 we met him under equally solemn, and tender 
 and joyful associations. The burial of a faith- 
 ful pastor is, to his people, attended with very 
 different feelings and hopes from his ordination. 
 In 1780, almost fifty-nine years ago, the Rev. 
 Joseph Vaill was ordained and set over this 
 church and people, in the presence of your 
 fathers and mothers, and by an Ecclesiastical 
 council, composed of pastors and delegates that 
 have died before him. At the time of his or- 
 dination, your fathers were looking forward 
 into his commencing ministry in hope of good 
 to themselves and their children ; those of you 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 223 
 
 who had then attained to adult age, and others 
 that were children of some years, can remem- 
 ber the occasion, and can recall to mind your 
 associations and compare them with your as- 
 sociations to-day. The fathers and mothers 
 that were then on the stage of life, have gone 
 to their reward. They performed their ser- 
 vice, and left their pastor and your pastor be- 
 hind, he retaining your affections, and you 
 sharing his love and a daily remembrance in 
 his prayers. You come to day to consign to 
 the grave this, your venerable pastor, and the 
 thought is a welcome one to indulge, that he 
 has gone to meet in the intermediate state of 
 glory, the pious dead of his beloved flock, who 
 had gone before him. Though the society and 
 fellowship of the blessed in glory, can be only a 
 subordinate source of enjoyment, still we may 
 suppose, there will be something exquisitely de- 
 lightful in the meeting of a minister and the 
 people to whom he ministered. 
 
 " As we extend our thoughts back through 
 the space of more than half a century, and con- 
 template the ravages of death in this place, in 
 the intermediate time, and confine our view to 
 the changes effected in families and neighbor- 
 hoods, and in the structure of society, and then 
 go through your graveyards, and think of the 
 congregations gathered there, we are filled with 
 
224 MEMOI R OF 
 
 tender recollections. But now that servant of 
 the Lord, who through all this long period, stood 
 by the sick praying, and commended the dying 
 to the Lord, and attended the funerals of the 
 dead, is himself numbered with them : and, at 
 his request, made to me in anticipation of this 
 occasion, I stand here to day in this sacred 
 desk, to sympathize with you and your survi- 
 ving pastor in this solemnity, and to suggest 
 motives for improvement. 
 
 " God had spared him to a good old age. 
 His ministry among you was long and useful, 
 its close has been peaceful and happy. The 
 covenant faithfulness of God was often ack- 
 nowledged by him, in the care exercised over 
 him in time of old age. Few aged men wheth- 
 er private Christians, or ministers of the Gospel, 
 are more familiar with meditations upon death. 
 I well remember his conversation at our last 
 interview, when speaking of his approaching 
 change. ' I feel,' said he, that I am near to 
 eternity. I think I have good hope through 
 grace, but I am not without fear, through the 
 deceitfulness of sin. I am a great sinner, but 
 through the mercy of God in Christ, I hope to 
 be saved. I think I love religion, and have 
 been trying to serve God for a great many 
 years, but Oh, how poorly ! ' It was remarka- 
 ble to see in this aged minister, such abiding 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 225 
 
 views of the great evil of sin, and of his own un- 
 worthiness, and such a sense of dependence on 
 Divine grace. There was nothing like boasting in 
 himself or his own righteousness, and he seem- 
 ed to rest all his hopes on the merits of Christ, 
 for pardon, and acceptance unto eternal life. 
 
 " The close of such a ministry, in view of its 
 reward, is attended with joyful associations. It 
 is true, we cannot conceive of the glory and 
 blessedness of being with Christ, in his state of 
 glory ; we cannot tel] the amount of that holy 
 joy, that is brought to view in the text, nor how 
 the rewards of grace shall be proportioned 
 among the faithful according to the measure of 
 their fidelity ; but we are assured that death is 
 gain to the faithful servant, that he is raised to 
 a higher station of dignity and glory , to a high- 
 er state of usefulness and blessedness, that he 
 is removed from sin, from sorrow, from temp- 
 tation, from the society of the wicked, from 
 suffering, and that he will be no more subject 
 to death. It is indeed cheering to contemplate 
 the faithful servant, as thus leaving this world, 
 and going to his reward under the approving 
 sentence, Well done, good and faithful servant, 
 enter thou into tltejoy of thy Lord! 
 
 "God has manifested his faithfulness tow T ards 
 this church and people, in giving to them so 
 faithful a pastor, and in continuing him to them 
 
7 
 
 226 MEMOIR OF 
 
 so long. It was a source of happiness to your 
 aged pastor, that you were blest with a col- 
 league pastor, in whom he confided, and who, 
 he hoped, might long be spared to you after his 
 decease. In this respect, God has dealt with 
 you in mercy, and in view of the removal of 
 your aged pastor, you are permitted to indulge 
 the pleasing thought, that, as soon as he had 
 finished his course of usefulness in this world, 
 the Great Head of the Church has taken him 
 to a higher state of usefulness and glory in the 
 invisible world. You have occasion for grati- 
 tude for so faithful and devoted a pastor ; and 
 in his death is no occasion for sorrow, as if it 
 were an afflictive event. Your loss is to be 
 contemplated as his gain. The loss to his chil- 
 dren and friends is also to be viewed as his 
 gain. He is still serving God, and is doubtless 
 filling a far higher sphere of holy influence in 
 the divine kingdom, than when he was pastor 
 of this church. And though dead, he yet lives 
 among you, he lives in your recollections, he 
 lives in the influence of his preaching while 
 with you, he lives in the kindred Spirit and 
 faith, and labors of his surviving colleague, he 
 lives in the testimony of your consciences, to 
 his fidelity, while with you. And in all these 
 ways he is still laboring with you for your good. 
 
&EV. JOSEPH VAILL. 22? 
 
 and inviting you to follow him, so far as he fol- 
 lowed Christ. 
 
 " To all of this church and congregation, the 
 occasion is affectingly solemn. The relation of 
 your aged pastor to you, is now dissolved. He 
 has gone to give in his account, how he has 
 preached, and how fulfilled the duties of the 
 holy ministry among you. You will meet him 
 no more in this sanctuary, but you will meet 
 him again at the bar of Christ, when it will ap- 
 pear how you have improved his ministry. 
 Those of you, w^ho are Christians, in whose 
 hearts the love of God has been shed abroad 
 by the Holy Ghost, may hope to meet him with 
 joy, and to stand among the children God 
 has given him, to be his crown of rejoicing, sa 
 ved through his instrumentality. But is this the 
 case with all this flock ? Are there not some, 
 who are yet in their sins, for whom this ser- 
 vant of the Lord has prayed and labored, and 
 whom he has often warned to flee from the 
 wrath to come, and against whom remaining in 
 sin, he will be constrained to be a witness at 
 last ? Oh, think impenitent ones of the account 
 you must give of this holy man's ministry, which 
 you have enjoyed, and which has been in vain, 
 as it respects your repentance and salvation, 
 and be excited to turn from your sins now, 
 while it is yet an accepted time ! Attend to the 
 
/ 
 
 / 
 
 / 
 
 / 
 
 228 MEMOIR OF 
 
 admonition of this occasion, listen to the voice 
 of this providence, and be quickened in duty to 
 be found in Christ, and to be prepared to stand 
 approved in the judgment." 
 
 " To the children of God in this place, the 
 thought that they shall see his face no more, 
 who has so long been their spiritual father and 
 guide, will produce tender emotions, when the 
 grave shall close upon his sealed coffin, and 
 fond affection will centre around his grave, be- 
 cause there his mortal body sleeps. But bles- 
 sed be God, it is not an eternal sleep ! It was 
 his choice to have his grave here, because the 
 saints to whom he ministered were here, some 
 in their graves, and some still alive. It was his 
 choice, and I rejoice that your affection has re- 
 sponded to his request, that his grave should 
 be with you, to the end that in the morning of 
 the resurrection, at the sound of the arch-angels 
 trump, he might rise with his people, and come 
 forth from the grave with them, changed after 
 the similitude of the glorious body of Christ, to 
 meet the Lord in the air, to enter with him into 
 the final state of glory, to be forever with the 
 Lord. Therefore my beloved brethren, be ye 
 stedfast, uamoveable, always abounding in tfee 
 
SEV, JOSBPH VAILt. 229 
 
 work of the Lord, for as much as ye know that 
 your labor is not in vain in the Lord.' " 
 
 The people of Hadlyme, testified their affec- 
 tionate respect to the memory of their aged 
 pastor, by their full attendance on his funeral, 
 and tenderness of feeling, shown in paying their 
 tribute of grateful affection at his grave. 
 
 In one of the public journals in which his death 
 was mentioned, a summary sketch of his life 
 and character was given, from which the fol- 
 lowing extract is taken. " The decease of this 
 venerable servant of Christ, was announced in 
 our last. But his character and example de- 
 serve a more particular notice. It is recorded 
 of righteous Abel, ' he being dead yet speaketh.' 
 The example of the departed servants of Christ, 
 is their legacy to the Church, for the benefit of 
 coming Generations. Pious example then, like 
 the mantle of Elijah, should be gathered up and 
 preserved by those, who would be followers of 
 them, who through faith and patience, have in- 
 herited the promises. Mr. Vaill was eminent 
 for his piety, his faithfulness, his consistency, 
 and his perseverance. He endured unto the 
 end, he was faithful unto death, and we doubt 
 not, has received a crown of life. 
 
 " The example of this respected and beloved 
 servant of Christ, was in many respects instruc- 
 tive. He was constant and indefatgable in 
 20 
 
230 MEMOIR OP 
 
 ministerial labors. He never shrunk from the 
 path of duty. He spared no pains to instruct 
 and improve all that came in the sphere of his 
 influence. In the station to which he was as- 
 signed in Providence, he continued in the faith- 
 ful and successful discharge of ministerial duty, 
 till increasing age and infirmities rendered it 
 expedient for him to have assistance. He then 
 relinquished his salary and a colleague was set- 
 tled. He still continued to perform the duties 
 of the ministry, in his own and neighboring 
 parishes, until a short time previous to his 
 death. Now he rests from his labors, his body 
 sleeps in the grave amidst the silent congrega- 
 tion of his cotemporaries until the morning of 
 the resurrection." 
 
 Extracts from letters containing notices of Mr. Vaill's character. 
 
 Haddam April, 19th, 1839. 
 Rev. Mr. Parsons, 
 
 Dear Sir : — I am glad you are about to 
 publish a biographical sketch of father Vaill. I 
 knew him well, during my former ministry in 
 this country, when he was in the prime and 
 vigor of his days, used to exchange pulpits with 
 him, to labor with him, as he did with me, and 
 to meet him at Ministers meetings, Councils, 
 and Associations. Impressions of him were not 
 lost during my residence in Massachusetts, 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 231 
 
 [Dr. Field was absent from Middlesex County 
 eighteen years,] and after my return to the 
 county, our acquaintance was renewed and 
 continued until his death. 
 
 He was a precious man. I have known few 
 in whose entire life, (and he lived to a great 
 age,) so few things existed, which can now be 
 regarded as matters of regret, and, so many 
 in which we can rejoice. He possessed native 
 good sense, and considering the difficulties un- 
 der which he labored in the early part of his 
 days, his literary and theological attainments 
 were very respectable. He studied the Bible 
 much, and was well versed in the doctrines of 
 grace. In preaching he was plain, and serious. 
 In doctrine, he showed uncorruptness, gravity 
 and sincerity, and how holily, and justly, and 
 unblamably he behaved himself among them, 
 that be here, the survivers in his church and 
 congregation can testify. His visits among the 
 inhabitants of his own parish, and with his 
 brethren, among the inhabitants of other par- 
 ishes, were eminently happy. He spake much 
 of a change of heart, of repentance and faith 
 and other graces, not only because these things 
 are inculcated in the Scriptures, as indispensa- 
 ble to salvation, but because they accorded with 
 his own experience. Wherever he conversed, 
 
 wherever he tarried a night among acquaintan- 
 20* 
 
232 MEMOIR OF 
 
 ces or strangers, he preached a sermon, gave 
 an exhortation, or offered a prayer, the im- 
 pression was left, that he was a man of God. 
 He bore the marks of simplicity and godly sin- 
 cerity. He loved religion, he loved revivals, he 
 loved missions, he loved good men and labored 
 and prayed for the advancement of the Re- 
 deemer's kingdom." 
 
 " Though his situation was rather retired, and 
 his sphere of pastoral labor rather limited 
 though his circumstances in life, in several re- 
 spects, were different from those which world- 
 ly men would choose, yet he enjoyed manifold, 
 more happiness in this present time, than falls 
 to the lot of men of this description. He en- 
 joyed much happiness in his family, in the soci- 
 ety of a pious and prudent wife, in whom his 
 heart safely trusted, and in children whom he 
 trained up in the nurture and admonition of the 
 Lord, in the society of saints, in the approba- 
 tion of his conscience, and in the hope of eter- 
 nal life." 
 
 " We shall love to think of father Vaill, as we 
 do of holy men of old, because he served God, 
 and his generation faithfully, and has gone to 
 heaven, as we have the best reasons for believ- 
 ing. I hope you will succeed in presenting his 
 true character. Yours in the Gospel, 
 
 David D. Fielb*" 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 233 
 
 From the Rev. Mr. Swift, of Killingwarth. 
 
 u My Dear Brother Parsons : — I am in fa- 
 vor of the publication of a memoir of Rev. Jo- 
 seph Vaill, yet I can suggest nothing but what 
 must already be familiar to one, who has been 
 so long, and so intimately acquainted, as you 
 have been with that dear servant of the Lord, 
 I had no particular acquaintance with him, till 
 he removed to this place, and then as you are 
 well aware, his faculties were considerably im- 
 paired. He however, often preached to my 
 people, to great acceptance, and always with- 
 out notes, I was always struck when hearing 
 him, with the plain, faithful, undisguised open 
 hearted manner, in which he delivered his mes- 
 sage. His knowledge of his own heart, of its 
 desperate wickedness, I have thought was very 
 striking and uncommon. This often threw a 
 gloom about him, and not unfrequently occa- 
 sioned depression of spirits and distressing fears 
 of death. He was to the last, warmly attached 
 to the great distinguishing doctrines of grace, 
 and seemed to derive from the contemplation 
 of them, his sweetest consolations. He no 
 doubt had his faults. Sometimes perhaps he 
 indulged his natural propensity to wit and hu- 
 mor too much, and sometimes was too free and 
 open in his remarks upon the foibles of others. 
 
234 MEMOIR OF 
 
 This no doubt arose from his frank and open 
 hearted disposition, and not from unkindness. 
 I am glad you have it in contemplation, to pre- 
 pare a memoir of this our beloved father. 
 
 I remain your affectionate brother in Christ, 
 
 E. G. Swift." 
 
 Killingworth, Feb. 23d, 1839. 
 
 The reader has now before him a sketch of 
 the character, and life of this humble and devo- 
 ted servant of Christ. Fidelity to his Lord and 
 Master, in all the varied relations of life, consti- 
 tutes the leading and predominant trait in his 
 character. It is this which has secured for 
 him the testimony of the consciences of all who 
 knew him, whether friends or foes, whether 
 agreeing with him in sentiment or differing from 
 him. All will say they regarded him as a good 
 man, and a faithful minister. 
 
 The grace of God enabled him to be what 
 he was, and through the power of God's grace, 
 during a long life, he was sustained under many 
 discouragements and embarrassments, and in 
 circumstances by no means enviable to men of 
 the world. What he was in his private char- 
 acter as a Christian, other Christians in the or- 
 dinary walks of life may become. So far as he 
 followed Christ, others may copy his example. 
 The same religion, which shed so much kind- 
 
REV. JOSEPH VAIL1. 235 
 
 ness and goodness and honest frankness, and 
 holy diligence around him. in the relations and 
 transactions, and friendship of private life, may 
 be made to appear equally lovely in common 
 Christians, provided they will suffer the princi- 
 ples of the Gospel to reign in their hearts, and 
 govern their purposes, and form their rules of 
 life. 
 
 And as a minister of the Gospel, his honesty 
 of heart and purpose, his open frankness and 
 freedom from guile, his indefatigable labors, his 
 firm adherence to his course of duty, under all 
 possible discouragements, his persevering and 
 warm attachment to the great truths of the 
 Gospel, his plain and faithful preaching, his fear- 
 less exposure of vice, and plain reproof of the 
 wicked, commend him as an example to minis- 
 ters of this age, worthy of their consideration. 
 
 Young men likewise of hopeful piety, who 
 are looking forward to the Christian ministry, 
 and who find themselves without the means of 
 defraying the expenses of their education, may 
 be encouraged from the example here afforded 
 them, to feel, that their own efforts, with the 
 blessing of God, will enable them to achieve the 
 object aimed at. They, who rely on their own 
 efforts under God, who from early life, are 
 obliged, and are willing to make sacrifices, and 
 endure hardships, and help themselves in acquir- 
 
236 MEMOIR OF REV. JOSEPH VAILL. 
 
 ing an education, with a view to be useful in the 
 world, are the men from whom the Church 
 may expect much. There is an early training 
 in such men, that qualifies them to endure hard- 
 ness as good soldiers of Jesus Christ, and to 
 fight manfully the good fight of faith. 
 
 In closing this memoir, it is natural to ask 
 how it will be received. What effect will it 
 have upon him who reads it ? There is respon- 
 sibility resting on the reader, as well as the com- 
 piler. The subject has gone to his reward, he 
 rests from his labors, and his works do follow 
 him. How shall the compiler, and the reader, 
 be benefitted ? Pious example rightly impro- 
 ' ved, will allure the living in the way of holiness. 
 And to what end has this memoir fallen into 
 the hands of the reader ? Shall it be read in 
 vain ; or shall it be the means of his spiritual 
 improvement ? Let every reader ask himself 
 whether he is following Christ, and whether he 
 is stimulated to greater activity and consisten- 
 cy in duty, by the example of Christian and 
 ministerial fidelity, contained in this volume. 
 
 ERRATA. 
 
 Page 24, 12th line, for beach, read bark. Page 105, 1st line, omit 
 quotation. Page 121, 17th line, for efforts, read effects. Page 143, 12th 
 line, for this, read their. Page 154, 26th line, insert and after surfeit- 
 iug. Do. 27th line, for xxii, read zxi. Page 169, 2d line, insert new 
 before settlements. Page ] 76, 14th line, for seven read several. Page 
 219, 19th line, for he, read we.