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DELIVERED AT THE

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REV. JOSEPH M'ELROY, D.D.

APRIL 20, 1851.

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PRINTED BY EDWARD 0. JENKINS,
114 Nassau Street.

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535

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JOHN JOHNSTON,

J3nrtt at Balmaghie, in the county of
G-alloway, Scotland,. June 22, 1781. He
came to this city in the of 1804,
and entered the counting-house of Messrs.
Lenox & Maitland. In March, 1813, he
commenced business with James Boorman,
under the name of Boorman & Johnston.
He retired from the firm in February,
1844. Mlt^ in the city of New- York,
April 16, 1851, aged 69 years, 9 months,
26 days.
The following Address, by his Pastor,
the Rev. Dr. M'Elroy, was delivered on
the occasion of his funeral ; and at the
request of many of his friends, has been
kindly furnished for publication.

%lhtM.

Peath, my friends, is an event which
awaits us all. Whatever be our rank,
whatever our character, whatever our
social position, and whatever difference
may exist as to the duration of our re
spective courses, the sentence, " Dust
thou art, and unto dust shalt thou re
turn," shall one day be executed upon
every individual of our race. In the or-
derings of a wise and righteous trovi-
denoe this event, the common lot of all,
has overtaken the honored head of this
A*

6 JFuneval ^tiOvess.
beloved family ; and we are now as
sembled to pay to his remains the last
offices of respect and kindness. And al
though I am aware, that the practice of
delivering addresses on occasions like the
present is liable to abuse, I am also aware,
that I should disappoint the expectations
of you all, were I not to advert for a
moment to the character and worth of
our departed friend. But what shall I
say? How shall I delineate the charac
ter of one distinguished by so many ex
cellencies, whose memory is fragrantly
embalmed in the hearts of a large circle
of relatives and connections, whose eu
logy is proclaimed by all classes of our
community, and who, doubtless ere now.

jFunetrsl Sttiates*. >?
has joined "the general assembly and
Church of the First-born, which are writ
ten in heaven ?"
In attempting this delineation you will
allow me to bbserve, that our friend was
a man of sound and well-balanced mind.
If less remarkable than some for those
brilliant and striking qualities which
dazzle and oft-times mislead, he was
more remarkable than most for those
better qualities which inspire confidence
and elicit respect ; and all his mental
powers were expanded and improved by ex
tensive reading and habits of reflection.
He was a man amiable and cheer
ful in temper, a happy spirit, who al
ways met you with a smile. And. the

8 iFunetal aotrtess.
happiness he felt himself he was anxious
to impart to others. No man, even of
the humblest walk in life, could approach
him without feeling the kindness of his
disposition. He was a man of unbending and in
corruptible integrity — governed by moral
principle in all the transactions of life.
Extensively engaged in mercantile pursuits
for nearly half a century, his probity and
honor have been unimpeached and unim
peachable ; and he has gone from among
us, with the veneration of many, and the
unfeigned respect of all who knew him.
He was naturally a generous man,
and for the gratification of this disposi
tion Providence gave him ample means.

JFuneeal anaress. 9
Forming a business connection of a sin
gularly propitious character, he was emi
nently successful ; and as riches in
creased, he did not set his heart upon
them, but devoted them to their true
uses — employed them as became a man of
intelligent benevolence and warm-hearted
piety. His benefactions were large, his
charities were open-hearted and open-
handed, embracing in their sphere the
temporal necessities of his fellow crea
tures, the promotion of the cause of edu
cation and learning, and every object of
Christian benevolence. He was always
with the foremost in every, good work ;
and never have I known a more " cheerful
giver." Nor were his liberal oontribu-

10 jFuneral SlUXivexs.
tions to such objects as those mentioned
wholly the result of natural generosity.
They proceeded from principle. He felt
himself to be a steward, and that the
hour of reckoning was approaching. Most
forcibly was I struck with an observation
which he made to me during the past
winter, when referring to an investment
which he had been urged to make, and
which had been represented as likely to
prove exceedingly profitable. "If," said
he, "I had been sure that that represen
tation would be realized, I should not
have made it. I have enough^ — as much
as I wish to be answerable for."
In early youth our friend was called
into' the fellowship of Divine grace, and

jFun«ral SCitxess. ll
his whole Christian life has been one of
beautiful consistency. His religion did
not appear with that unnatural promi
nence in one part of his character, which,
where this is the case, is usually com
pensated by a proportional defect in the
other parts ; but was even and uniform,
like a well-adjusted dress on a comely
person, covering the body equally, and
" without spot or wrinkle." You did not
observe in him any confident pretensions,
or any. ostentatious display of superior
sanctity — qualities always to be suspected ;
but you distinctly perceived his love to
the Saviour, his attachment to the hum
bling doctrines of the cross, his reverence
for Divine ordinances, and his watchful

12 jFuneral aumtess.
circumspection over his heart ' and life.
And I will add in this connection, that
he was a pillar in the Church of Grod :
a man to strengthen the hands and en
courage the hearts of ministers of the
Gospel in all their toils and perplexities ;
a man whose removal is a sore breach in
the church of which he was a member,
and the withdrawal of whose influence
will be felt by many a good and holy
enterprise. It pleased God to try him long and se
verely by bodily pain and infirmity, but
he suflered patiently, and quietly sub
mitted himself to the will of his heaven
ly Father. There was with him no mur
muring, no repining ; on the contrary, he

lFun«ral auotess. 13
cherished, amidst all he was called to
endure, a lively and, a grateful sense of the
mercies still vouchsafed and continued to
him, and often and fervently with his lips
did he offer up praise from a thankful
heart. Many, many times have I heard
him observe, " My afflictions are light
compared with ray mercies, and gratitude
ought to be my prevailing feeling."
"Were it allowable to intrude into the
family circle — now sacred by the fresh
ness and intensity of its griefs — I might
show you that his demeanor as a son, a bro
ther, a husband, a father, was in perfect
keeping with the rest of his character ; and
I might picture to your minds the warmth
and tenderness of his domestic attachments,
B

14 iFuneral SHiBtess.
and how deeply he was enshrined in the
affections of those who knew him best.
Now, as might be expected in the case
of such a man, his end was peace — not
transport, not rapture, not ecstaoy — this
would not have accorded with the struc
ture of his mind, his constitutional tem
perament ; but peace, a calm serenity of
soul, a holy composure, resulting from
the firm belief of his interest in the Di
vine favour. As death approa.ched there
was no slavish fear, no shrinking; he
looked upon that event as a deliverance,
and so expressed himself. And although
during the closing scene his inability to
articulate prevented our learning from his
own lips his feelings, and hopes, and

JFuneral ^iHtess. 15
prospects^ in that solemn hour, his placid
brow and sweet smile, on having repeated
to him the precious promises of the Gos
pel, clearly indicated that the Lord was
with him, and his rod and staff comfort
ing him. 0, what a testimony have we
here to the reality and eflicacy of our
holy religion ! And how delightful and
how sublime the spectacle of a man,
who, having resisted the ternptations of
years and scores of years, and stood faithful
to his God in the midst of a world that has
thrown off its allegiance to him, thus calm
ly and peacefully falls asleep in Jesiis !
Eyery period of life has its peculiar
temptations. There are temptations pecu
liar to youth, to manhood, to old age ;

16 jFuneral S^traress.
and it has often happened that they who
have resisted the temptations of youth
have fallen before those of manhood, and
they who have withstood the temptations
of manhood have ' fallen before those of
old age. Many, had they not lived so
long, might- have died with the reputa
tion of being Christians ; and others, whom
we must still hope to be Christians, have
certainly added nothing to the .evidences
of their piety by a length of days. But
how pleasant and how refreshing to con
template a man, who, having surmounted
the difiiculties which youth throws in the-
. way of religion, conquers those of man
hood, and having conquered those of man
hood, subdues those of old age, and then

ITuneral Sttrftress. 17
being ripe for gflory, and having served
God in his generation, comes to his " grave
in a full age as a shock of corn cometh
in his season." So it has been with our
departed friend — a riper, fuller shock, I
verily believe, has seldom been gathered.
To the afflicted family of the deceased
I would say, you cannot err in appropriat
ing to yourselves the advice and direction
of the Apostle : " But I would not have
you to be ignorant, brethfenj concerning
them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not
even as others which have no hope. For
if we believe that Jesus died and rose
again, even so them also which sleep in
Jesus will God bring with him.V Weep,
indeed, you may under this bereavement.

18 jFuneral SHrSteas.
Nature pleads for it, and Christianity does
not forbid it. But indulge not. in ex
cessive grief — a grief that unfits for duty
and repels consolation. Nay, while you
deeply feel the bitterness of your loss, be
thankful that the blessing now withdrawn
has been so long continued to you. And
only walk with God as did your departed
husband and father, and soon you will
meet him again — meet him under oircum"
stances much more auspicious than ever
surrounded you. here — and where God him
self will put the seal of eternity on the bond
of your re-union.
To you, my respected friends, who, in the
exercise of a Christian sympathy, are here
to-day, let me say, — -Be concerned to apply

iFuneral SUiaress. 19
this providence to yourselves, and to ex
tract from it, the instruction which it is
calculated to yield. Bear in mind that to
every one of you death is inevitably certain.
Bear iii mind that you know not the day
nor the hour of its approach. "Be ye
therefore also ready." And particularly
would I thus address those of you, who
have long been the companions of our friend,
and who are, as he was, approaching your
threescore years and ten. Your day is far
spent, your sun is but little above the hori
zon, and the (farkness of death will soon
close upon you. Give, then, 0 give your
few remaining days to your souls, to your
Saviour., and to your God.
My private griefs and sorrows on this

20 iFunttal aaaeess.
mournful occasion, I have no right to ob
trude upon you. But- "the heart knoweth
his own bitterness." I have lost a friend.
One who has been to me a wise counsel
lor, who was pleased to honor me with
his confidence, and give me many proofs
of his affection, and on whom I could at
all times rely to any fair and reasonable
extent. To part with such a friend, in
a world like this, is no small matter. But
I dwell not on this topic. May God bless
you all, and by his grace prepare you all
for your closing hour, and for a glorious
immortality.

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