ing school teaching. This was followed, in the spring of 1802, by his taking part with other young men in the exercises of prayer and exhortation, on the Lord's-day mornings, in some of the villages in the vicinity of Edinburgh; which contributed to give him a facility in speaking, and to prepare him for what his heart had ardently desired, the preaching of the gospel to his fellow-sin ners. "In July 1803, he entered Mr. Haldane's class, then under the joint tuition of Mr. Aikman, Mr. Wemyss, and Mr. Stephen. The summer vacation of 1804 was spent in itinerating, partly in Orkney and Fife, along with a companion who has since been much honoured, in various ways, in the advancement of the cause of God, the Rev. Dr. Ebenezer Henderson, now of Highbury College, London but previously to this itine rancy, having accidentally (as we often inconsiderately speak) missed his passage to Anstruther, where he meant first to visit a friend, he was thrown for the night into the house of the late excellent Mr. Christie, of Leith. There, at the request of Mr. C.'s sister, (afterwards Mrs. Hercus,) he had a conversation with a young friend of the family, for whose spiritual benefit she had been anxiously concerned; a conversation which was blessed of God for the desired end,- -so that, on his return from the itinerancy just mentioned, the first news he heard was the gratifying intelligence of this youth, having joined the church, and having, at the time of doing so, referred to this interview as one of the means of the pleasing change. Mr. H. himself, in a MS. containing some particulars of Mrs. H.'s history, says,This earnest desire to be useful to her relative produced an indelible impression on the mind of the writer, and ultimately led to the most tender and endearing of all earthly con nexions.' "After three years attendance at the class, he was invited to Greenock, having previously visited it in the spring of 1805, and laboured in it for some time in the beginning of 1806; and, having, after mature deliberation and frequent prayer, preferred that invitation to one from Paisley received about the same time, he was ordained in July of the same year, Messrs. Ewing, Wilson, Robertson, and Sim, taking part in the service.-The church then consisted of thirty members of that in Innerkip, under the pastoral care of Mr. George Robertson, who had separated in love and with mutual regret from their brethren, and formed themselves into a distinct church, with a view to the furtherance of the Gospel." This was his only pastoral charge from that time till his death. 66 It In November of the same year, he was united in marriage to the object of his affections formerly mentioned. Of this union he himself, in the MS. repeatedly alluded to, speaks in the strongest terms of affectionate delight, and of lively gratitude to that God whose hand he was accustomed in every thing to acknowledge. had been formed in his fear, and therefore gave fair promise of mutual happiness; and it may be well for professed believers, of both sexes, to mark the following sentence: At an early period of his Christian course, the writer had been taught that much-neglected part of our Lord's will, that Christians should · marry only in the Lord;' and it so happened, that in several houses, where he had lodged, he had witnessed the unhappy effects of inattention to this rule.'-It is matter of amazement, indeed, that there should ever have been more than one opinion either as to the existence and explicitness of the rule, or as to its obvious and divine propriety, in every view of the relation which it is possible to take. and having remained under water, his head sticking in the mud at the bottom, from ten (as was thought) to fifteen or twenty minutes. All the circumstances, which cannot here be detailed, were singularly providential; and his restoration was reckoned, by the medical gentlemen who attended, a case among a thousand.' His father' (I write from the MS.) was at Inverness when the accident happened, and on his way thither had to endure the pain of witnessing the accidental death of a fine boy about twelve years of age. His father was bringing him and an elder brother home from Glasgow, where they had been for their education; and when within sight of his father's house he perished. It was heart-rending to witness the parental yearnings of the bereaved parent over the remaining son, as he pressed him to his bosom. And who can describe the feelings of the poor mother, when the sad tidings reached her ears! Little did the writer think, at the time, a similar scene was so near his own door. In the one case, every means used to save life completely failed, though many saw the accident; and in the other, the means were completely successful, though no one saw it take place. 'One is taken, and the other left.-The coincidence was very striking; and I add what immediately follows, because it indicates points of character, which serve to endear the writer to every one whose heart is the seat either of piety or of the tender affections of domestic life: "It is unnecessary, as it would be tedious, to enter into any detail of the particulars of Mr. Hercns's domestic life and ministerial career, while resident in Greenock. His own and Mrs. H.'s personal and domestic trials were various and heavy; and on some occasions they were rendered peculiarly severe, by their being, in a great measure incapacitated by them from administering actively to each other's comfort. Under them all, however, they enjoyed the strong supports of the gospel; of which the consolations were doubled by mutual participation. Repeatedly, under severe attacks of disease, was Mrs. H.'s life despaired of, and the melancholy result of one of these attacks was the almost entire privation of sight during the last seven or eight years of her earthly course. The illness of which she died, commenced in the beginning of November, 1828, and terminated fatally on the 5th of December, 1829. In reference to this event, Mr. H. says Tenderly as he loved her, and earnestly as he had prayed for her recovery, yet the writer could not weep at her death, because he felt bound to thank that merciful God who had delivered her from such a fearful load of sorrow, pain, and distress. His tears, however, have flowed plentifully since.' "I cannot withhold the reflec-The feelings of the grateful tions of my departed friend on a very interesting occasion, the recovery of his eldest son, John, then sixteen years of age, in June 1825, from a state of suspended animation, arising from his having fallen, unobserved, off the quay, father may be more easily conceived than expressed, when tidings of the Lord's sparing and delivering mercy reached him. It was always a source of exquisite delight to him, to return to the bosom of his dear family, when at any time duty called him away from them for a season; but on the present occasion, both parents shed tears of joy and gratitude. Their united thanksgivings ascended to the throne of grace, while they viewed the spared object of their mutual affection with peculiar and indescribable interest. The solemn event was improved the Sabbath after his return home, in a discourse founded on Amos iii. 6, Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? Shall there be evil in the city, and the Lord hath not done it? and the 13th of June has ever since been held as a day of memorial in the family.' "It was in the night between the 28th and 29th of September, 1827, that Mr. H. was seized by that paralytic stroke, which, depriving him of the use of his left side, and partially affecting his speech and recollection, unfitted him for a considerable time for the duties of his ministry and of active life in general. The disorder, while it produced an indescribable bearing down of the animal spirits,' a sinking and oppression, of which I have heard him say he could convey no conception, did not at all interfere with the spiritual confidence of his soul towards God. 'His mind,' as he himself expresses it, was kept in perfect peace, as to the grand point of acceptance with God. That passage was constantly in his mind and in his mouth-I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him, against that day."-It was then that he and his beloved partner felt so much their own helplessness, and mourned in turn over their mutual inability to assist each other. "It would be doing injustice to his memory, and no less injustice to the friends who at the time displayed the kind interest they felt in his own and his family's situation, were I not to insert the following expression of the effects produced by such kindness, upon his susceptible spirit;The uniform kindness and sympathy of Christian friends experienced on such occasions, was often the cause of mutual thanksgivings to God, and excited to prayer on their account. Their love was manifested 'not in word and in tongue, but in deed and in truth.' The liberality of Christians, of different denominations, was frequently shown; and the very striking and unexpected display of this liberality in the very handsome subscription that was raised for his dear partner and children, when there was every reason to fear that he might be cut off, or laid aside from usefulness, was positively overpowering to the writer, and more than his weakened nerves could well bear at the time. It has been his happy lot to live and labour among a kind and affectionate people; and he rejoices in having this opportunity of publicly testifying the deep and abiding sense he cherishes of his obligations to all his kind friends.' The account given by Mr. H. of his wife's last illness and death, is very interesting; and, as all must come to the same solemn circumstances, the mention of a few particulars may be for comfort and edification to God's children, and for salutary admonition to others. Though Mrs. H. long walked humbly with her God, and circumspectly before men, yet her confidence was not so strong, nor her joy so great, as might have been expected. This arose, in a great measure, from the deep sense she had of her own vileness, and shortcomings in every duty. She was too conscientious to utter with any peculiar anxiety to be deli- her mouth what she did not feel in her heart. She was jealous over herself with a godly jealousy. And yet, perhaps, her views were too limited of the boundless love and mercy of God, and of the allsufficient atonement and intercession of Jesus. Not that she was without hope and comfort; but her joy and peace in believing did not abound so much as could be wished. She was rather disposed to be anxious and troubled about the concerns of her family and children; and death was not contemplated with that steady confidence which faith in the triumphs of a risen and glorified Saviour warrants. As she drew toward her latter end, however, there was a mighty and a happy improvement in these respects. She was most happily delivered from all anxious fears and cares; and her peace and joy abounded. Her mind was gradually and completely weaned from the things of time, and prepared for that eternity on which she was about to enter. Her views of the boundless love of God, and of the glory and grace of the adorable Redeemer, were greatly expanded, and her evidences of personal interest in Christ greatly brightened. For some months previous to her death, she was in a most delightful frame of mind. There was O! I could wish to an humble but steady hope in the see them all effectually turned to rich mercy of God through Christ the Lord, before I go hence and Jesus; a firm and unshaken re- be no more.'-On another occaliance on the Redeemer's merits; sion, she said, with a tone of a resting on Him as the true and chastened but firm confidence, 'I only foundation; a trusting in his am not ashamed; for I know finished work, his perfect righte- whom I have believed, and am ousness, which gave a secret persuaded that he is able to keep calm, an abiding tranquillity, to that which I have committed to the mind. It was kept in per- him against that day.' And when fect peace, being stayed upon asked what she had committed to God her Saviour.' Death was him, she replied,My soul and contemplated without dismay, and my body, my husband and my Heaven was longed for as her children, and the Church of God.' home. Nor did this arise from On the 5th of November, (the day after an operation,) she was extremely weak; and this happening to be the anniversary of her marriage day, she was reminded of it; when she said, with great meekness and seeming sincerity, 'I feel as well pleased with the dealings of God to me this day as I did that day.'-About a week afterward, when asked how she felt at the prospect of parting with her husband, she replied I feel this to be the tenderest of all earthly tics; but I can cheerfully resign my husband to that God who gave him. When my brother and I lived together, he used to say that he thought ours the most comfortable state, as there were fewer ties when we came to die: but I now find it is easy with the Lord to support the mind under the breaking up of the tenderest ties, and to make us willing to resign all things into his hands.' -That passage dwelt much on her mind, and she frequently repeated it,He is a Rock, his work is perfect, all his ways are judgment; a God of truth, and without iniquity, just and right is he.'-Christ became increasingly precious to her, in the glory of his person, in the offices he sustains, and in the unspeakable blessings he bestows on his believing people; and she often repeated that passage, He is the chief among ten thousand, and altogether love. ly. The last portion of scripture the writer heard her intelligibly utter was- This God is our God for ever and ever,' &c. She then repeated the last verse of that beautiful hymn, beginning, Awake, my soul, in joyful lays,' &c. "Then let me mount and soar away An esteemed Christian friend afterward heard her repeat these words, Having a desire to depart and to be with Christ, which is far better,'-which were the last she intelligibly uttered.' "I cannot imagine any of my readers displeased with me for having thus far departed from the direct record of the particulars of our departed brother's own history, as to introduce these touching and cheering circumstances in the last days of one whom he felt to be a part of himself; circumstances, from which much may be inferred of his character, as well as of hers. And now I must hasten to the last scene of his own pilgrimage. He so far recovered, through the good hand of his God upon him, from the effects of the first attack of his disorder, as to be able to resume his labours, and to continue them for some time, with a constancy and an energy that were matter of surprise to every one. But he lived under the habitual anticipation of sudden dissolution, an anticipation confirmed by occasional slight threatenings of the return of his distemper. This anticipation he strongly expressed, at the close of a speech characterized by unusual ardour of feeling, at the meeting of the Congregational Union, which was held in Glasgow on the evening of April 8, in the current year- I live,' said he, daily under the sentence of death, the very nature of death is in my disorder.'-God (he continued) would soon call him out of time into eternity. He had laboured for Christ twenty-four years; and during the short time it might now please God to spare him here, he wished to labour with greater earnestness than ever he had done before. He begged the indulgence of his brethren for addressing them so; but as it was his impression that he was addressing them for the last time, he 'I |