illustrative of the spirit of both pastor and people at this period.

"The marriage and ordination of Rev. Mr. Hervey took place in the old church, not long before we removed to New York. Mr. Hervey married Miss Elizabeth Smith, the daughter of Deacon Jacob Smith, and they went as missionaries to Bombay soon afterwards. Both died with cholera, if I mistake not. in a short time. The marriage and ordination of a missionary at that period was less common than now and drew together a great crowd. Miss Smith was a remarkable woman, and much beloved. In addressing her after the marriage ceremony, papa said: 'Should you, like Harriet Newell, fall a victim to the climate of India, still we could not regret that you had gone there.' It should be remembered that while he said this, she was one of the most valued and beloved of his flock. I remember her saintly countenance, and the white dress she wore that evening.

"It seems now as if she had on her ascension robes, and was all ready for what came so soon.

"In dying she recalled her pastor's words, and added, Tell my friends, tell my beloved pastor, tell the dear church in Hadley, that I do not, that I never have regretted, that I came here.' This was among the last fruits of my father's first ministry in Iladley."

We have not intended, in the sketch of this distinguished pastor, to represent him as a faultless man. We have preferred the scriptural method, which is, to speak of defects as well as excellences, of deformities as well as beauties. This is, indeed, the only method of setting the Christian character in its truest and best light. The landscape-painter knows that he must sketch the shades as well as the lights of the scene. The painter of Christian character must do the same. That character which we approve and love is not like the garden containing only flowers; but like the garden in which the flowers are so brilliant and superabundant that the weeds are overshadowed and hidden. When one, who is universally esteemed by the community for his pre-eminent worth, has striking defects, we see at once that his excellences must be far more striking. David's character was blotched with the grossest sins; and yet God calls him " a man after his own heart." His worthy traits must

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therefore have greatly exceeded his defects. The more you magnify his faults, the more you magnify his excellences which so signally outshone them. Peter's character is deeply shaded; and as he was impulsive and ingenuous, uttering freely his thoughts and feelings as they rose, his defects stood out in bold relief; and yet they who are most familiar with his history will admit that his character as a whole is worthy of imitation, and therefore his excellences greatly preponderate; indeed, so completely does their brightness obscure his defects, that in reading his history or his epistles we seldom think of them, unless brought by the writer directly before us. He who should be disposed to exaggerate them would enhance his surpassing excellences to every intelligent mind. So with the subject of the present sketch. His character was such as to win the almost universal esteem and love of his large, intelligent, and eminently spiritual church for twenty years; who then parted from him with regret, and gladly welcomed him back after nearly twelve years' absence; and rejoiced to place themselves under his instruction and pastoral care for fifteen years more. Add to this the fact that many of the doctrines and self-denying duties which he preached, are peculiarly repulsive to the human heart, and we have the strongest testimony to his pre-eminent worth.

His people knew that he was a man of violent passions and strong prejudices; that his will was like a wall of adamant, impassable; that when he had taken a stand he was like President Dwight, "a mountain on his back;" that, as he said of his friend, Dr. Lyman, "he was too soon angry; ' they saw that he did not like to be opposed, and sometimes became excited in controversy, even contemptuous towards an opponent; and quite too frequently had the appearance of one determined to have his own way. Yet, while they knew all this, he gained as complete ascendancy over them as ever minister gained over his church and people. It was almost truthfully said, "his word became their law." Nor

did they ever admit, nor will the survivors of his first pastorate to-day admit, that their confidence was ever betrayed, or their esteem and love misplaced. They saw in him so much uprightness of purpose, such decision of Christian principle and unflinching adhesion to right; such adoring love to God and to his Son, and unselfish devotedness to his service; such disinterestedness of motive; such unworldliness; such openness and transparency of character, even absolute freedom from duplicity; such determination to carry his points by force of truth and reason alone, with no subterfuges or artful windings, that they were confident they knew the worst as well as the best part of his character; indeed, they saw the former so completely overtopped and covered by the latter, as to feel assured of his unimpeachable integrity and entire consecration to his Master's interests. They saw in him so much reverence and humility before God, so much child-like simplicity and teachableness at the feet of the Great Teacher; such prayerfulness and thirsting for holiness; such desire to fit them and their children for greater usefulness while on their journey, and for heaven at their journey's end; such warm sympathy with the people of God everywhere, and with themselves in particular, that his faults lay in their minds obscured as the stars sink from view when the sun rises in its splendor. Such being the appreciation of his people and of his ministerial brethren who knew him best, we are quite willing to speak of his faults. We are quite willing also that others should speak of them, even attempt to exaggerate them; for the more they exaggerate his faults, the more do they exalt his excellences. All who thoroughly knew the man will be ready to say of him, as a political opponent said over the grave of Henry Clay: "His very faults originated in high qualities." Such, too, will sympathize with the view of him expressed by Dr. Durfee in summing up the estimate of his character: "On the whole, Dr. Woodbridge was strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. He studied to show him

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self approved unto God; a workman that needeth not to be ashamed. Possibly there were some things in him that one could wish were otherwise. He had the imperfections of a man; but no one could lament those imperfections more than he did. Indeed, I could not name them. For myself I must say, I HAVE RARELY KNOWN ONE WHO MIGHT MORE SAFE

LY BE HELD UP AS A MODEL OF A GOSPEL MINISTER, MORE WORTHY OF IMITATION."

CHAPTER X.

HIS MINISTRY IN NEW YORK CITY.

PROVIDENCE often whispers of coming events in the still recesses of the soul, or dimly writes them in outward experiences, which, like prophetic symbols after the foreshadowed events have occurred, seem clear and intelligible.

Early in 1830 Dr. Woodbridge began to feel very seriously the effects of his close application to study and of his arduous parochial labors, which had rested upon him, as an unrelieved burden, for more than two decades of years. His constitution, which seemed specially fitted for the endurance of sedentary labors, and his health generally firm, save occasional seasons of indigestion and nervous irritability — gave more decided indications of failure. His overtasked and jaded mind, refusing its wonted activity, cried out for some remittance of toil. He felt that he must seek rest. In this state of body and mind, soon after he had delivered his Murray-Street Lecture, which had given him reputation at home and abroad, he received a call to become pastor of the Bowery church, New York. It came unsolicited. He could but regard it as an indication of Providence. With his accustomed ingenuousness he laid it before his people, telling them that he had personally no wish to leave them, or to break the tie which he felt had been strengthening for so many years; "his desire was to live and die with them." His people expressed a reciprocity of friendly feelings, and voluntarily raised his salary to an amount which they supposed satisfactory. Indeed, the act of separating himself from such an affectionate people seemed to him replete with