A DISCOURSE
ON THE
LIFE AND CHARACTER
OF
iREV. GEO. DUFFIELD, D. D.
LATE PASTOR OF THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF DETROIT, AND FORMER PASTOR
OF THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF CARLISLE, PA.,
BY
REV. CONWAY P. WAING, D. D.,
OF CARLISLE.
CARLISLE, PENN'A.
PRINTED AT ELLIOTT'S BOOIK AND JOB3 O'FFICE.
1868








A DISCOURSE
ON THE
LIFE AND CHARACTER
OF
REV. GEO. DUFFIELD, D. D.
LATE PASTOR OF THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF DETROIT, AND FORMER PASTOR
OF THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF CARLISLE, PA.,
BY
REV. CONWAY P. WING. D. D..
OF CAPRLISLE.
PREACHED JULY 5, 1868.
CARLISLE, PENN'A.
PRINTED AT ELLIOTT'S BOOK AND JOB OFFICE.
1868




The facts mentioned in the following discourse, so far as not under
tihe observation of the writer, are dependent upon historical notices in
Sprague's i' Annals of the American Pulpit," Webster's 1" History of
the Presbyterian Church," and principally upon a manuscript correspondence between Dr. Duffield and the author.




He was a good man.' Acts XI: 24.," The end of that man is peace,"
Psalm XXXVII: 37. " The memory of the just is blessed.' Proy. X: 7.
The man spoken of in these passages respectively is
the " good man," " the perfect man," and "' the just" or
righteous man. The assertions regarding him. are that
his 1" end is peace " and that his " memory" " is blessed."
The character is an admirable one; and the prospects
held out are such as none are usually indifferent to.
The united text presents the character, the death, and
the memory of a good man.
The character is given with much brevity but great
comprehensiveness.  The phrase, "the good man" is
used in the Scriptures interchangeably with a number of
other expressions, devoting a high degree of moral worth;
such as a just, a holy, a godly and a righteous man; a
saint, a child of God and a servant of the Lord.  It is
always supposed to be heaven-derived and not a natural
growth of the human heart.  Luke tells us that his good
man was "full of the Holy Ghost," and every specimen
given in the Bible gained its excellence by renewing grace
and a careful providential discipline. The various terms
we have mentioned are each single aspects of the same
man in different relations, for whoever possesses one
moral virtue usually possesses all the others as fast as he
is called to exercise them. And yet there is a wide distinction between them.  Though the same man may be
good and righteous, he is putting forth entirely different
qualities when acting in these several relations. Though
justice and righteousness are always beneficial they are
generically distinct from  goodness.  The good man is,




4
much more than one who does good. Thousands are
useful who "mean not so, nor do they in their hearts
think of it."  They are only instruments of a better and
higher beneficence. None are truly good whose hearts
are not benevolent, and goodness belongs to the soul and
not to the hand. Divine precepts must not only control
the conduct but be woven into the texture of the thoughts
and affections and purposes. Human goodness must be
like God's, love manifestingitself in ever varying forms
of active beneficence, a light diffusing itself and irradiating all within its reach. Our Lord shows that one may
be just and courteous to all, and yet rise no higher in
virtue than many publicans and even heathen; and
Paul, that while none will offer more than respect and
esteem to the righteous man, c" peradventure for a good
man some would even dare to die."
The basis of such a character must be faith. Hence
Luke accounts for the goodness of Barnabas by saying
not only that he was "full of the Holy Ghost," but that
he was full "of faith."  "Of his own will" God begat
us' by the word of truth." Moral precepts derived from
the schools of philosophy, or even from the divine law
have always been found ineffectual to renew the heart
so as to form it to goodness. We mean not here to deny
all excellence to the ordinary social virtues, but only
that they can ever reach a Christian standard without
Christian motives. Mere morality can only speak in a
tone of authority and say "Thou shalt," and "'Thou shalt
not."  The image she presents is often beautiful, but its
beauty or authority can never make men benevolentit addresses only principles which are feeble in our fallen
nature. Moral preachers are proverbially cold and un



suecessful, and they have but a weak hold upon the:
masses of men. Passion and selfishness own no sucll
sway. It is only when the evangelical preacher implants
the love of Christ and stirs the depths of man's nature by
the doctrines of Christ and the love of God through him,
that he reaches down to the true springs of the soul.Convince a man of sin, not of sinful conduct only but of
a corruption which makes his whole life one great sitn
aud makes him essentially vile and worthless, then administer to him the gospel as a remedy for all the disorderi
feebleness, and guilt of his soul, and you have stirred(
his whole being. Under the power of such motives he wi l
henceforth live not for himself but for One who died for
him. His eye has been fixed upon a living and glorious
image of goodness, and as he gazes he grows into the
same image from glory to glory. He becomes.like his
Master loving and good.
But it is -not every regenerated or pious person that becomes distinguished for goodness. IHe must indeed by
his renewed nature be benevolent and live not' for himself, but the- quality of goodness may not stand out so
predominatingly as to be the distinguishing characteristic of his life. Our text speaks of Barnabas as if he
were likely to be singled out for his goodness among good
men.  He was remarkable even among his apostolic
companions for the kindness and benevolence of his character. There is room for great distinctions among those
who give every evidence of piety. There are marked
extremes of character among them.  Some are faint nail
contracted in their apprehensions of Christ and of the
gospel. They have caught true and transforming views,
of divine truth, but under its reigning power they are




living rather formal and severely regulated lives, applying its principles more to the conscience than to the aft
fections. Others are touched by generous benevolent
motives, they are full of spiritual pulse and warmth,
their sympathies with others' wants are keen and responsive, they are ingenious in devising and active in executing schemes of goodness, and they carry with them an
atmosphere which every congenial nature feels the moment it is entered.  Now what we mean is, that those
who in an eminent sense are good men, are such as-have
derived their fundamental and controlling principles from
the gospel of Christ, that they walk by faith and not by
sight, and are in perpetual confidential intercourse with
a living Redeemer. The life they live in the flesh, they
live by the faith of the Son of God and under the im-.
pression of realities which they know principally by
believing what they find in the Bible. Whenever they
walk or wait or suffer, they feel surrounded by a cloud
of witnesses, they are " looking unto Jesus the Author
and Finisher of their faith."
And now I would turn your thoughts to the liviug exemplification of these truths in the life and ministry of
our deceased brother and father, the former pastor of
this church, of whose translation to another world we
have just heard. We are exhorted by an apostle to be
C followers of them who by faith and patience inherit
the promises," and an inspired writer has given us a discourse in commemoration of those who had in earlier
times "L obtained a good report."  Our text itself appears
to sanction an attempt to perpetuate the memory of
those who have been distinguished for piety in their lives,'A:.s their good examples are an excellent sermon to




the living, and the praising them when envy and flattery
can have no interest to interpose, as it is the best and
most vigorous sermon and incentive to great things; so
to conceal what God hath wrought by them is great unthankfulness to God and to man."* In this sacred place,
consecrated to the preaching of Jesus Christ and Him
crucified, you are aware that I am in the habit of holding up any man for special distinction very sparingly
and with great hesitation. The force of such examples is
often broken by a knowledge of great imperfections. And
II am not unmindful of all this in the present instance,
But are we never to be edified by discoveries of God's
grace until we can find human perfection, or until time
has diminished our sense of what is defective? Is it not
better to observe living models though imperfect, and
conform to them even as they are conformed to Christ?
With respect to Dr. Duffield, I may remark that,
1. 1e was favored by a kind Providence witth many natural advantages.
Without these it is often impossible to rise to eminence.
A degenerate plant can seldom be recovered or made
fruitful.  Among these advantages is a pious and godly
ancestry. In this country many persons are in the habit
of depreciating the benefits of a high birth and a good
family. It is thought that every man must make his
own way irrespective of his family relations. But while
we may concede that none deserve esteem merely because of their social position and ancestral reputation, it
is vain to deny that these afford advantages.which are
sometimes almost indispensable and are always helpful
-JBp. Joe. Taylor's Sermons; Serm. VII, Vol. II, p. 72.




to our advancement. God never enters into a covenant
with a race without using the advantages of the family
relation. He made it an inestimable benefit to be connected with such families as Noah's and Abraham's and
Levi's and David's and Rechab's, and he incorporated
the principle in his fundimental law, that the iniquity
of the fathers should be visited upon the children unto
the third and fourth generation of them that hate Him,
and that mercy should be shown unto thousands of generations of them that love Him and keep His commandments.  The family to which our brother belonged,
appears to have combined within itself contributions from
the three important races, the French Huguenot, the
Scotch Covenanter and the Dutch Lollard. On our first
acquaintance with it, it was probably a family of refugees
in the north of Ireland, from France. Its French name
(DuFielde or DuVille) was there brought to its present
more Anglicised form as they mingled with those Scotch
inhabitants who had recently emigrated there and had
become involved in conflicts with prelatical power. The
great-grandfather of our deceased brother came to this
country in connection with that great wave of immigration which flowed into the south-eastern counties of
Pennsylvania near 1730. He purchased a farm in Strasburg, Lancaster county, which remained for several generations in the possession of the family, and even now is
said to be owned by his descendants on a daughter's side.
His third son, George, (a name borne by some one of
each generation) was for thirteen years the pastor of the
first Presbyterian congregation which was formed in our
town. In 1772 he was called to the first pastoral charge
of the Third or Pine Street church. of Philadelphia.




where he became so notorious for his zeal in behalf of
Colonial liberties that a price was set by royal authority
upon his head, and he was chosen by the Continental
Congress as one of its chaplains. When his own congre.
gation was temporally broken up by the confusion incident to the war, he accompanied the revolutionary army,
and did much by his patriotic discourses to animate the
hearts of the soldiers during the dark days of their struggle.. He was associated with that earnest and intelligent band of ministers who labored so successfully in the
great revivals of religion which prevailed near the commencement of his ministry in this region, and his manus
script sermons indicate that he must have been a peculiarly awakening and discriminating preacher. His oldest
son George spent most of his life on the ancestral farm
in Lancaster county, though he appears to have been a
merchant, and to have been the Register and Comptroller
General of this State during the adminisration of Gov.
Thomas McKean. He is said also to have been an active
and consistent member of the Presbyterian church. He
was married to Faithful Slaymnaker of the same county;
their son, the subject of our present notice, and their
son's son, have been eminent preachers of the gospel;
and all their living descendants as far as known to us,
are distinguished for their zeal in behalf of our common
faith. It was no small privilege to be connected with a
family so manifestly within the bonds of the covenant
of grace, and to be an heir to the promises: "A good
man leaveth an inheritance for his children's children;"
and "The children of thy servants shall continue and
their seed shall be established before thee."




10
It is not unworthy of notice also that he was blessed
with a remarkably vigorous and healthy bodily constitution.
When we observe how many around us are rendered incapable of exertion, and how inherited disease and depravity weigh down the spiritual powers of multitudes,
and subject them to brooding melancholy, or pervert
them to sensuality and self-indulgence, we must see
reasons for valuing highly an organization like his, favorable to buoyancy of spirits, capable of prolonged and
severe toil, and never exhausted during a long life.
Nor Wvere his menrtal faculties of an ordinary character.
He had that rather rare combination of an acute logical
power, a warmi- aned glowing heart, and a will that could
never be shaken from its purpose: It was a delight to
him to work hard at the abstru-sest theological investigations, and it was not simply from a rigid rule but from
real predilection that he kept up the daily habit as far
as it was practicable, of reading a portion of the' Scriptures in three or more languages, often diverted himself
with problems in the highest mathematics, and took
part in the public discussions of societies devoted to
Natural Science. Whatever one might think of his ar:
guments he was generally able to present them with
clearness and with an abundance of pertinent illustrations, and no one ever knew him to give up a conviction
from a fear of consequences or from the opposition of
nen.
2. His early education also appears to have been t7orough.
The worldly possessions of the family, if not large,
were at least sufficient to afford him all the advantages
of our best institutions without interruption or restrict
tion. At the early age of sixteen (in 1811) he gradu



.L 1
ated at the University of Pennsylvania then under the
provostship of Dr. John McDowall, who attributed his
own conversion in very early life to a discourse by his
pupil's grandfather at Monahan, now Dillsburg.  The
same year in which he graduated he entered the Theological Seminary of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian
church, then under the care of Dr. John Mason,  whose
friendship he afterwards so abundantly enjoyed, and
whose doctrinal instructions he always delighted to honor.
lie appears however not to have been a comnmunicant
or to have possessed satisfactory evidence of his own
piety until some time after this commencement of his
Theological studies, when he united with the congrega:
tion,inder the spiritual ministrations of the Rev. Dr.
John B. Romeyn. He evidently now entered upon the
service of his Master and especially upon the ministry,
with a sincere love to the souls of men. He was licensed
to preach the gospel by the Presbytery of Philadelphia
in April, 1815, when he was three months short of
twenty-one years of age.
3. The circumstances'under which lhe entered upon his pastoral work were especially and severely trying, but
calculated to draw forth all his energies.
It was on a journey, undertaken for his father's business as a merchant, in the month of July 1815, into the
more western part of this State, that hle stopped to spend
a Sabbath in our borough. As the pulpit of this church
was then vacant, he was invited to preach in it.  For
two years and eight months since the death of Dr. Davidson in December 1812, the congregation had been distracted in its attempts to obtain a successor. Old contrvoersies, which had slumbered during his long pastorate




had recently reawakened, and factions had been formed
whose appeals were carried up to the highest judicatories
of our general church. During this time the Sacrament
of the Lord's Supper had been but once administered in
the congregation, the records of the church had become
defective and confused, and vital piety had fallen to a
very low standard. We have seen individuals who well
remember the first sermon which the youthful preacher
gave on his introduction to his future charge, and a
number of persons ascribed their permanent religious
impressions to his fidelity and zeal on that occasion.He himself, long afterwards remembered that his soul
was drawn forth on that day with peculiar earnestness
and power. By the middle of the following December
a call was put into his hands to become the pastor of
this church, and on the last Sabbath of the year he commenced preaching here. The various parties had agreed
to lay aside their difficulties and to unite in the call,
though a few individuals ventured to lodge in his ears
some tales of strife respecting other members of the
church and of the Presbytry. These he was endowed
with discretion enough to bury in silence, and the authors not long after found better themes of conversation.
It was however with extreme solicitude for the result,
that he ventured in February of the next year and after
six weeks of labor among the people, to accept the call;
and he was not even then ordained and installed until
the commencement (Sept. 25th 1816) of the following
autumn. He was aware that his views on some points
of Theology and on the proper administration of the
Sacramnents were not in accordance with those of somne of
his people and his brethern in the ministry, and he had




11 3
reason to anticipate a severe struggle on this account;
but as he believed that providence was leading him he
resolved to make the effort. The new regulations which
his principles required, he introduced with caution and
after careful private discussions with his principal friends.
In a series of discourses he publicly vindicated and explained the distinction between those who belonged to
Christ and those who belonged to the world, and he
showed that none but the former could properly receive
the Sacraments for themselve or their children.  Ile
then took his stand firmly against all those amusements
which were disreputable to piety, refused to admit to
communion those who persevered in them, and declined
to administer baptism to the children and servants of
those who could not present them in credible faith. The
excitement was for some time intense, and a number of
persons left the congregation and united with another
in which a different practice prevailed. God however
vindicated his own truth and the whole conflict was
overruled to deepen very perceptibly the piety of his
people. He was cordially sustained by the Session of
his church, which at that time consisted of William
Douglass, (who had been a member and probably an
Elder in his grandfather's church) James Lamberton
and George Davidson. To these were added before his
first communion in October, Thomas Carothers, Thomas
Urie, Robert Clark, John Irvine and Robert McCord,
men of unquestioned piety, of invincible firmness and of
wise counsel; and of whom he always spoke with affectionate gratitude and sincere respect.
4. The congregation thus diminished and bound top
great strictness of deportment fow entered upon a career




14
if'prosperity. The first communion season (October 20,
1816) was an occasion of extraordinary interest. Twenty-three persons by profession and twenty-one by certificate were added to the communion. During the first
year of his pastorate this number was augmented to
seventy by profession and fifty by certificate. During
the eighteen and a-half years in which he sustained the
pastoral office here six hundred and ninety-seven persons
were admitted on profession and two hundred by certificate, making an average of a little more than forty-eight
persons each year.  The number of people connected
with the congregation was then large, since the largest
portion of t.he population in both town and country was.
at that time Presbyterian, and the habit of attendance
upon public worship was almost universal. There were
i.ndeed years when the heart of the zealous pastor was
discouraged, and he was disposed to think he was laboring in vain and spending his strength for nought; but a
healthy state of public feeling, generally prevailed, the
dews of divine grace uniformly descended, and-some
seasons were enjoyed which deserved the name of general revivals.  Such were, the'latter part of the year
1822 during which a hundred:and nine, the beginning
of the year 1827 when above thirty, the early part of
1831 when eighty-four,.and the year 1834, (the last
year of his ministry in this town) when seventy-eight,
first professed their faith in Christ. These revivals were
in every instance apparently the result of divine influences in connection with the ordinary means of grace,.
Sometimes when the state of public interest plainly demanded it the number of meetings during the week
would be increased, and sometimes the assistance of a




15
neighboring pastor was called in. The individual wh(o
more frequently than any other came to his aid was the
Rev. Dr. Dewitt, who had made a profession of religion
in the same congregation in New York city, had studied
Theology under the same instructor (though at a period'
later by two or three years), had been settled over a
neighboring congregation only two years after his own
installation, though differing fronm  him in some of his
theological views had stood by him and: substantially
agreed with him in all his practical measures, and finally
preceded him to another world by only seven months.
His efforts in behalf of Temperance, in the establish"
ment of prayer' and missionary meetings, in the introduction of hymnns into public worship, and in opposition
to fashionable amusements need not now be particularized, but can hardly be appreciated at a time when his
practice in these respects has become so successfully
established. This congregation especially owes him a debt
of gratitude which it has never been inclined to withhold,
but we doubt not he is now receiving a richer reward in
a world where nothing but grace is the everlasting song.
If all who were hopefully converted under his labors
were assembled together in our house of worship it
would scarcely afford them room; but to: these must be
added a multitude who owed their impressions of truth
to his faithful preaching and conversation.  Many of
these may finally fail of everlasting life, but they will
confess that their impenitence was inexcusable under
his clear exhibitions of doctrine and his affecting expostulations in and out of season.
5. Nor can I omit to mention that he was prominent in
those ecclesiastical controversies which led to the div'ision  f




2Lr chzArck in 1837. I have no wish to revive the Inemory of those sad contentions. Few who mingled in them
can recall all that was then said and done by them with
unmingled pleasure. We have lived to see a time when
we can contemplate those conflicts with an impartial
and enlarged judgment. It is likely that each party
was used by providence to modify the extreme tenlencies of the other, and that both were needed to work
out the result demanded by the times. Both were
doubtless actuated in the main by a sincere zeal for what
they looked upon as important principles. In the Dedication and Preface to a work on " Spiritual Life or
Regeneration," published in 1832, Dr. Duffield remarked
that "' in the early period of his theological studies and
for several years after the commencement of his ministerial life, he had felt extreme perplexity on that subject
and had been wont to define and illustrate Regeneration
according to philosophical views which he was now
persuaded were incorrect. He regretted deeply the influence which these views had had upon the people of
his charge, and he knew of no more suitable atonement
for his fault than to give them in a volUme the result of
his more mature investigations." He was under an impression that many persons were in the habit of excusing
themselves for their impenitence by false pleas of inability, and of sheltering themselves for their refusal to obey
the gospel call under the shield of orthodox technicalities. Hle often heard them allege that they could not
be blameable for an unbelief which resulted from a complete want of power in any sense to appreciate and
accept the gospel, and that they should not be urged to,seek a share in an atonement which was intended not




17'or themn but for the elect alone. Whatever grounds
they had for these allegations he thought he had found
doctrinal statements which were liable to no such objections, and these he honestly urged upon the hearts
and consciences of his hearers. Many of them felt the
power of his statements and appear to have been satisfied with them. Others thought that in his zeal for the
conversion of souls, he had sacrificed important principles of truth; and they feared that he had fallen into
fundamental error. He wsas one of a number of ministers who were tried for heresy before the judicatories of
the church, none of whom were directly condemned, but
they were afterwards connected with a large party in
forming a separate Branch of the Presbyterian church.
The result has doubtless been somewhat different from
that which either party then anticipated, but probably
better for the interests of the general church than that
which either would have devised. Our Presbyterian
Zion, we may believe, is stronger and purer to-day than
it would have been if either party had more completely
triumphed. We hope the day is near when the parts
then rent asunder will be reunited, and that the united
body will be without some spots and wrinkles which
either party would have left upon her.
6. In the midst of these contentions, but immediately
after a powerful revival of religion he became satisfied
that a change of his field of labor was desirable.
In this many thought him decidedly in an error, but
the thing was doubtless of the Lord and the change was
effected in March 1835. Two settlements, one in Philadelphia and another in New York, proved transient and
without important results.  In three years and six




months after his pastoral relation to this church twas
dissolved, he was called to his last and longest charge
in the city of Detroit.  At once he accepted the call and
commenced his labors there on the first day of October,
1]838. Into every part of the new State which then received the benefit of his ripened zeal and experience he
extended his influence, and there are few churches of
our order in that region which have not comi-e under
obligations to him.  It was during the latter part of the
same year in which he was settled in Detroit, that I was
myself settled for a short time near him, when he
preached my installation sermlon. and during  a brief
season of affliction when I was laid aside from pastoral
labors he showed me the syimpatlhy of a broth-er.
7. For'nearly thirty, yeuars lhe weas there perm'itted to exercise his talents in thee service of his Ilaster. IMost of this
time was spent in the huLmble labors of a faithful pastor,
in which however he was eminently successful.  More
than once his services were called for by the general
church, and in 1862 when the General Assembly met in
Cincinnati, he was elected to preside over its deliberations. HEe found also considerable time for investigations
of a learned and scientific nature, the results of which
he gave to the world in a series of volumes and pamphlets,
and articles in our Theological Quarterlies.  These were
principally on Prophesy, on Capital Punishments, on
American Slavery, on the Scriptural use of Wine, on
Prelatical Episcopacy, on the Distinctive Views of the
Two Principal Branches of the Presbyterian Church, on
the Cherubim of the Old Testament, on Secession its
Cause and Cure, and other questions of the day.  In all
lthese, if he could not always carry with him the convic



19
tions of his readers, he uniformly left an impression of
his sincerity and candor; and he brought to each topic.
such an array of learning and argument which seldomi
left anything to be adcldedl on the side lhe advocated.
In 1848 he was twice violently attacked, with an interval between the attacks of only two months, by the
Asiatic cholera, fronm the effects of which he did not soon
recover.  For six months he was unable to occupy his
pulpit, and at tile end of four years so much was his
general health impaired that he was advised by his physicians to try the effects of foreign travel. Accordingly he
sailed from New York in July, I852, and spent more
than a year in travelling through England, France,
Italy, Egy3pt, the Peninsula of Sinai, and the Holy
Land. Hiis observations during tlhis journey, in which
his health was completely restored, were given to the
public during his absence weekly in the New York
Evangelist, and afterwards in an interesting volume.
While he was absent from them his people came to the
determination to erect for themselves three houses of
public worship, and when these should be completed to
organize themselves into three distinct congregations.
In the course of two years this plan was executed with
entire unanimity and success, and each new organization
became as efficient as the original one had been. Last
autumn (Sept. 11th), his collected family and congregation united with him in celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of his marriage with Isabella Graham Bethune, the
grand-daughter of the celebrated Isabella Graham and a
sister of the late Rev. Dr. Bethune.  This people will
also recollect his attendance (July 1st, 1857), upon the
centennial celebration of the original erection of the




20
building in which we are assembled, when he gave us
the interesting historical discourse published on that
occasion. As he then stood before us he remarked that
he was within three days of what has been styled " the
grand climacteric of mortal existence" (sixty-three years
of age), and that he was "endeavoring to lift his thoughts
and aspirations above the ever fluctuating events of this
perishing world, so as to look more ardently to that
blessed hope, the glorious appearing of the great God
and our Savior Jesus Christ. Since that period his life
has been protracted more than ten years, and recently
he has been permitted to revisit us and to give us a parting word of warning and encouragement.  On this
latter occasion none listened to him without emotion, as
he attempted, with a trembling voice but with a heart
as warm and a pathos as tender as ever, to describe and
make more attractive the christian's hope, that " when
the earthly house of this tabernacle shall be dissolved
he has a building of God, a house not made with hands,
eternal, in the heavens;" and when he entreated, yes,
entreated as a father, those who knew not this hope or
who had relaxed their hold upon it, to give themselves
no rest until they had a firm possession of it.  Does it
not seem as if one had been sent unto us, not indeed
from the dead, but irradiated in anticipation with an
opening cloud of glory to startle us that we might not so
wearily loiter in our heavenward course? Scarcely had
he returned to his home from this journey of love, than
his increased feebleness was noticed by his friends, and
it became evident that God was gathering up the little
threads of his life. He moved about still among. his
people, visiting the sick -and comforting some who had




been recently afflicted; and finally -was stricken down.
not worn out and burdensome to himself or others, not
in imbecility or attenuated by painful disease, but in the
midst of his usual duties, with his armor on, and in the
very place where, had he been permitted to choose, he
would have asked to lie down to rest-in the pulpit and
beckoning on an association of young men to their work
for Christ. It was a true enthancsia, an easy and a
happy death, such as thousands intensely pray for. He
~was allowed just time enough afterwards, to send for his
sons, and to cast his mantle upon one of them who was
emulating him in the sacred calling.  Who will not regard this as a beautiful close for such a life?  Surely
the end of that man was peace?
And now the,memory of such a man is blessed. It is
blessed, not because trumpeted by the world's noisy acclamations.  Such fame is the lot of but few among
God's earnest servants, and could never satisfy their
hearts. It is the proper goal for worldly ambition but
not for such as desire the love of their fellow men. The
world sometimes admires but seldom blesses those whom
it celebrates. Its monuments are cold even when most,
splendid. But there is a sphere, and that no very contracted one in which the name of our brother shall be
held in everlasting remembrance, and shall be spoken
with most affectionate benedictions.
He will be recollected by many who, owe to him under
God the highest valuable benefits which one human being
can receive from another. What, a rain of blessings is
often showered upon a congregation by the ministrations
of such a. man. How many who comee each Sabbath day
from  their homes sad and enfeebled  by, life's wea



22
ry trials, hear from his lips words of clear counsel, of
encouragement and strength which are more valuable
than gold? H-ow many can remember the dark hour,
when their souls were st-ruggling with the terrible questions relating to eternal life and death, the wrath or the
favor of the infinite Judge, and when their characters
and destinies were taking shape for an everlasting  existence, and when that then some faithful servant of God
came forward and with a few simple words resolved their
perplexities, directed thlem to the e[.ock of ages, and inmparted to them a peace which passed al1 understanding!
For his fidelity in such a work the mernory of our brother
is blessed.
it is blessed too because his heart was in thorough
sympathy with men. The good which many do is rather
from an overruling providence and because their own
pleasure happens to lie in the direction of what is useful.
Many find their highest virtue in pursuing their ends on
account of the intrinsic desirableness of the objects themselves, rather than for the benefits they secure.  Such is
not -the spirit of the true servant of Christ, and especially
of our departed brother. The great end for which he
lived was to save and bless his fellow-men.  He took
delight in science, in social life, and in a beautiful world
around him. But he would have renounced them  at
any moment had they not been subservient to a higher
and philanthropic aim.  Others give up even life on
fields of glory, but it is the enthusiasm of the conflict,
and the eclat of public applause which predominate over
all higher influences and give power to motives which
otherwise had been feeble.  But lhe and such as he are
sustaineds by no such outward motives, they are impelled




to action and self. denial by a simple love of man.  They
hl'onor all men" by aimn ng at their elevation through
the onEley meazs which recognize the true nobility and
totality of atIire being.  And it is to suclh alone-to such
as mean our good, who pray for it and devote their lives
to iL-that- we cen feel real gratitude, andupon their
memories we bestow our sincerest blessing.
The mIxemory oTf the just is blessed because their example is as great encouragement to all who follow tnenm.
Even those who have set out with the greest resolution
onil the heavenward  career ace sometihnes extremely desponeantO.  ~ine gor.ious realities of faith'are lost sight
of, anld   e are perplexed by tbe -intricaclies and delays
of providence.  V We not unfrequently see the wicked for
a loung tni-e -rosperotus, and the r:ignceous cast crown and
app-arently forsakoen by providence.  We hear the great
world loudly calli ag the proud happy, and vauntingly
setting' oni highi thlem  that vwok w ickedness.   We
are startled someinties to find fhat "our feet are almost
gone and our steps have well nigh slipped."  Then it is
that when we see bretlhren before us, frail and t-rembling
men like ourselves, finally reachling the goal not like shattered land shipwrecked mariners, but like gallant ships
entering the quiet haven with swelling sails and a full
cargo, we thank God, and take courage.
Their memory too is blessed because it assures us that
the way of goodness is after all the way of true honor.
VW hen we beheld this aged Christian and minister of God
after a life of continual struggle, standing before a whole
community and receivilng the honors and congratulations
of a large circle of admirers, we could not but see that
it was the homage which the world was compelled to




pay to virtue and true goodness.  We turn to the boasting croawds who long since refused his calls and followed
crooked paths, and as we see roost of them wounded or
slain, we exclaim "' Their rock is not as our rock, our enemies themselves being judges." Life is full of confirinations of the wise man's proverb tha.t " the way of transgressors is hard," and that " it surely shall be well with
the righteous."  We "have been young" and, some of
us " are now old, yet have we never seen the righteous
forsaken nor his seed begging bread."
Let us improve the memory of our departed brother
to strengthen our faith, and to induce us to consecrate
ourselves more heartily to the kind of life he commended
by precept and example.  All must now be satisfied even
if they ever doubted it, that the words he so often spoke
with pathetic earnestness were not the artificial utterances of official or interested zeal.  Those who are accustomed with some shadow of suspicion to hear ministers pour forth words of intense fervor and deep solemnity
may learn that such can also be faithful even unto death,
and will be prepared in like manner to commend their
messages in the honesty of a dying hour. Let such be
persuaded to hear us with confidence whenever we speak
as of the oracles of God.  Let us all go forth to our remaining work on earth, resolved to be holier, firmer to
our principles, and more devoted to the only course which
can end in a glorious victory. In the language of one
of the last hymns our departed brother sang on earth,
let us exclaim,
" What sinners value I resign',
Lord'tis enough that, Thou art mine,"