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hoped to be indulged.-This anticipation was in six short weeks realized. On Thursday evening, the 13th of May, he went to the weekly Church-meeting in his usual health. Mr. Kerr, from Shetland, having given the exhortation, he himself concluded by prayer, with much animation and devout and earnest freedom. Having requested the members of the Church to remain after the congregation had retired, for the consideration of two applications for admission to fellowship, he sat down. But after strangers had withdrawn, he continued to keep his seat; and at length whispered to Mr. Kerr that he felt unwell, and that the cases of application had better stand over till next week. When one of the brethren went up to the desk to inquire how he felt, he said he could not tell, but that the reports on the cases had better be taken now. Another, however, on going up and feeling his pulse, expressed his apprehensions that his state was more alarming than had been supposed. The friend that had gone first up was by this time away for medical aid. It was then that to his daughter, on her affectionately asking him how he felt, he replied, in the few but memorable words, My Dear, ALL IS WELL.' He spoke no more. The medical gentlemen were soon on the spot. He was bled copiously in the Vestry; and afterwards conveyed home in a carriage. But, in spite of all the means of excitement resorted to, his insensibility, so far as external appearances indicated, continued till the last. He drew his parting breath at five o'clock of the following morning.

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"Of ten children, three died in early infancy, and one was stillborn. May the six who survive emulate, under the influence of

promised grace, the faith and piety, and all the Christian excellencies, of their departed parents; that, when they themselves shall be called hence, they may follow them to the inheritance of the promises;-that so father, and mother, and children, united in Christ, may

-form a family anew,

Unbroken in the skies!""

Our readers will be pleased with Dr. Wardlaw's portrait of the character of Mr. Hercus, which forms the closing part of the Sermon.

"He was distinguished by his personal piety. This lay at the foundation of his whole character. This was the root, from which a living influence ascended and diffused itself through all its ramifications. He was a godly man. His piety was enlightened and fervent, equally removed from the false fire of enthusiasm on the one hand, and from the coldness of formality on the other. He was devout; but his religion consisted not in mere devotion. It was a practical principle. It manifested itself in the conscientious observance of all the personal virtues and of all the claims and charities of social life; in temperance, integrity, and kindness; in a tenderness derness of conscience, which shrunk from the appearance of evil, and trembled, with delicate sensitiveness, at the thought of any thing said or done by him giving ecasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully, or to blaspheme that worthy Namé by which he was called." This would have been as a sword in his bones.' The principles of godliness were not only professed and officially published by him; they entered into all his conduct; they diffused their hallowed influence over his entire character and over

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every scene of life.-There was about him no simulation; but an honest ingenuousness of disposition, and unaffected simplicity of manners—an ingenuousness and simplicity, however, not unassociated with prudence, but knowing when to speak, and when to be silent. A temper, naturally, I should presume, somewhat ardent, was repressed and regulated by steady principle, and left nothing perceptible (unless, when under the influence of disease) but kindly warmth of heart.

"In domestic life, religious principle, having (as it always ought to do) united with love in the selection of his companion for life, and the formation of his conjugal union, presided over and sanctified all its subsequent intercourse. He was a tenderly affectionate husband and parent, ' ruling his children and his own household well,' neither capriciously severe nor injudiciously indulgent;-in his domestic economy solicitous to keep all clear with the world, and to act fully up to the apostolic precept-'Owe no man any thing;"-in seasons of trial, recognising, with steadfast faith, the hand of his heavenly Father, bowing' submissively to that hand under whatever affected himself personally, and, in the afflictions of his family, discovering, in union with the pious submission of the Christian, all the sympathising tenderness of a husband's and a father's heart. The recognition of God, indeed, in all things, whether in the form of blessing, or of chastisement, was to him the relish of every comfort, and the solace of every woe.-His paternal solicitude for the spiritual interests of his children was earnest and exemplary; and growing as he advanced in life, it was never so tender and so strong as when he was about to leave them.

N. S. NO. 70.

"He was a warm and steady friend. I speak from personal experience; and I may say of him now, what I have said else where, that to know him was either to love him or to argue ourselves unamiable. Nor was he one of those characters which are plausible and attractive at first, but, in proportion as they come to be known, lose their hold of your affections; towards him, attachment grew with growing acquaintance; the better he was known, the more he was loved. His friendships, too, though ardent, were faithful. They would not allow him to suffer sin' upon the objects of his regard and his admonitions, accordingly, when he felt them necessary, were not those of an intermeddling officiousness, but administered with all the hesitating reluctance of genuine affection. In the social intercourse of life, there was nothing about him of the sombre or morose; but his hilarity never descended to levity, and was uniformly ready to give place to what was serious and useful. In religious conversation, indeed, he might justly be said to be in his proper element. Не was no man of strife; but slow to take offence, and slow to give it; himself always disposed to reconciliation, when any misunderstanding had unfortunately arisen; and, with a heart oppressed by the unseemly discords of others, especially of the friends of Jesus, delighted, when it lay in his power, to fulfil the duty of the peace-maker.

"As a minister of Christ, he had a strong and abiding impression of the solemn nature of his trust; an impression which would never allow him to trifle with any of its duties. The glory of his Divine Master, and the salvation of immortal souls, were his habi tual aim. Knowing that to seek 3 U

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and to save that which was lost,' was the great design for which the Redeemer came into the world and endured all his sufferings, he dared not, as a servant of his, allow any different or inferior end to engage the energies of his ministry. His preaching was full of Christ. Deeply convinced that nothing but the great essential truths of the Gospel would either honour Christ or save souls, he acted upon Paul's determination, 'not to know any thing' amongst his hearers, save Jesus Christ and him crucified.' 1 Cor. ii. 2. With this determination was associated another part of the same Apostle's example, keeping back nothing that was profitable,' and not shunning to declare the whole counsel of God.'-His heart was in his work. In the language of Paul, he served God with his spirit in the gospel of his Son.' His ministry, accordingly, was no sinecure. He never spared himself, or declined any opportunity of preaching which it was at all in his power to embrace; but instant in season and out of season,' (that is, without regard to his own convenience), he showed, in all his labours, whether at home or abroad, his willingness to spend and be spent for Christ. Plain and earnest simplicity was the general character of his preaching. Unostentatious and unpretending, he knew his powers, and he used them well. A diligent student of the divine word, and, I believe eminently, a man of prayer, his simple aim was by manifestation of the truth to commend himself to every man's conscience in the sight of God.' Studying with self-application, he ministered the bread of life to others with a sweet relish of it on his own spiritual taste. Though his ministry had always been distin

guished by unaffected earnestness, yet the fervour of his spirit increased after the time when the hand of God was laid upon him: then, more than ever before, he spoke of the things of God as a dying man to dying men, with the weight of eternity upon his spirit, and the anticipation of his final account ever before him.

"As a Pastor, he 'watched for your souls, as one who had to give account.' He taught publicly, and from house to house,' anxious to be able to take you to record,' as did the Apostle of the Gentiles, that he was clear from the blood of all men.'-He showed a zealous solicitude for the purity of Church-fellowship; influenced, in his carefulness to maintain it, by a united regard for the glory of Christ, the spiritual prosperity of the body, the best interests of the applicants themselves, and the benefit of an observant world. In the exercise of discipline, when it came to be his painful duty, in concert with the church, to exercise it, he united faithfulness and tenderness, leaning to the side of charity, but not allowing charity to blind his judgment, and degenerate into credulous weakness.

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"He excelled as a visitor of the sick, and a comforter of the mourners. His heart was tender. He wept with those that wept; and his own experience of divine consolations he turned to account for the benefit of others, forting those who trouble with the comforts wherewith he himself was comforted of God.' He thus acquired skill in this interesting department of ministerial duty. And in the discharge of it, his attentions were far from being confined to those of his own flock. They had a wider range. Wherever there was distress, he was always forward to

wait upon and to soothe it; and all felt that his visits, solicited or unsolicited, were the dictate, not of an officious obtrusiveness, or a pitiful love of popularity, but of genuine undissembled kindness and sympathy.

"He was no bigot. He was true, indeed, to the principles of his own religious connexion, nor did he weakly undervalue and make light of them, as if nothing in which he differed from other bodies of Christians was of any moment. But he was charitable in his judgments, and comprehensive in his Christian affections, never placing points of difference above points of agreement, but loving all that loved Christ, and delighting to unite with them in every effort for the glory of their common Lord, or for the promotion of the temporal or spiritual benefit of men, in which union was possible without a compromise of principle. All the benevolent institutions of the town, whether instituted for local purposes, or as auxiliary to Societies of a wider range of beneficence, will bear witness to the cheerfulness, the constancy, and the efficiency of his co-operation. By those who had the best opportunies of knowing him, it has been said (and it is an excellence of a high order) that he did much and spoke little about it. He was a stranger to the bustling officiousness of one who seeks the honour that cometh from men, and, even when he might have claimed the merit of an originator, instead of obtruding his own name on public notice, seemed to forget self, and to guide his conduct by no consideration but one-how the end might be most effectually attained. His fellow-servants in the ministry, of all denominations, will, I am confident, attest, with one voice, his freedom from the little

ness of jealousy, and from all the suspicion and illiberality of party. spirit. He was neither jealous of others, nor was there any thing in his conduct that could render others jealous of him.

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"Thus, loving all, he was by all beloved. Few ever enjoyed a larger share of general esteem; an esteem participated alike by Christians of all denominations, and testified both by word and by deed: and few ever left behind them a reputation more thoroughly unblemished, or a ministry of which the close was more sincerely and deeply lamented. Woe unto you,' said Jesus, when all men shall speak well of you.' But that woe was denounced upon men-pleasers ; -pleasers; upon unfaithful servants, who perverted the messages of Heaven into conformity to the likings of their hearers, who sought human favour for the sake of their own profit, who loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.' The estimation in which our beloved friend was held was widely different indeed from this. It was the estimation at which every servant and every follower of Jesus ought to aim,— the estimation of CONSISTENCY; a testimony in the consciences of the men of the world to the excellence of his character, in spite of their aversion to his principles,

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and a testimony in the affections of all the friends of the Redeemer, of all who love his Name, his truth, and his likeness."

As the church at Greenock is, at the present time, the scene of an interesting revival of religion, we are happy to present our readers with an account drawn up by one of its esteemed deacons for our use.

"In the year 1828, the church in Greenock, then under the pastoral care of Mr. Hercus, received only two additions to its number,

and in that year five members died. Mr. Hercus regarding this fact, together with the low state of religion in the church, coldness and indifference having to a great extent prevailed, was very much depressed. He therefore, at the close of that year, after consulting some of the deacons, proposed that an additional prayer-meeting should be held weekly, which the church approving, they met accordingly the first Tuesday in January, 1829, and continued to meet weekly throughout the year in special prayer for the influences of the Holy Spirit. Only two, however, were added to the church in that year, while three more were removed by death; thus, at the commencement of 1830, we were four less in number than at the commencement of 1828. Our state, however, looked better, the coldness and indifference formerly manifested, had begun to disappear. About the middle of January last, Mr. Fraser, of New York, came among us quite unexpectedly, and continued in Greenock for seven

or eight weeks, preaching in almost every pulpit in the town, and from house to house. His labours were very much blessed in the experience of many, but it is supposed that most of those brought under deep impressions belonged to Mr. Hercus's congregation.

The effect of this visit has evidently been the revival of religion among the members of the church, and a spirit of inquiry among the hearers; many are coming forward to join the church, and giving pleasing evidence that they have passed from death unto life; since the commencement of March last, we have had thirty-four additions to the church; on Lord's-day, August 22, eight young persons, and two old persons joined the church; two of these were only thirteen years of age, and one female above eighty. I have not time to say more at present, only the work is still going on, and, I trust, will continue; will you give us your prayers, and tell all the good people among you to give us theirs."

of brotherly love, and the necessity of mutual sympathy and care;

for every church of Christ being a society to promote the interests of godliness within itself, and to disseminate the truths of the gospel amongst the ungodly around them.

THE PRINCIPLES OF CONGREGATIONAL NONCONFORMITY, CONTAINED IN A LETTER ADDRESSED TO THE INDEPENDENTS OF THE NORTH AND NORTH-WEST OF IRELAND, BY AN ASSOCIATION OF THEIR PASTORS, BELOVED BRETHREN,-In addressing you, we neither claim nor exercise authority. We unite, merely as individuals, to submit to your consideration such thoughts as may be conducive to the interests of our body. Both the importance of those principles we profess, and the inspired evidence on which we found them, seem to call us to this duty. We plead for the spirituality of the Saviour's kingdom, and the original simplicity of its ordinances;-for the vigilant exercise of Christian discipline; for the purity of Christian fellowship, the high obligations

These are principles which should make us examples to all. If fully acted on, they will render our churches prosperous, and make us ornaments of the gospel. But they are principles that assume a knowledge of those views of church-government, which distinguish us as a body. They are founded on the peculiar tenets of

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