tions. He rejoiced to see the actual establishment of THE DOMESTIC MISSIONARY SOCIETY" of that State for building up its waste Churches; in forming the plan of which he cheerfully lent his assistance. The year preceding was eminently distinguished for revivals of Religion;

and he listened with a heart overflowing with joy and gratitude to the account of this glorious work of God. After the recital, the Eucharist was celebrated; and upwards of 1000 communicants, including above 70 clergymen, received the elements. He was in vited by the Association to break the bread. Though pale and enfeebled by disease, and obviously exhausted by strong emotion, he consented. His prayer on that occasion was eminently humble, spiritual, and heavenly, and for the moment annihilated the distance between the church in heaven and the church around him.

Although his disease was not removed, yet the severity of it was so far relaxed, that he was able, through the summer, to preach steadily in the Chapel, to hear the recitations of the senior class, and to attend to a class of theological students who were pursuing their studies under his direction. He also wrote, during this season, several Essays on the Evidences of Divine Revelation, and other subjects; the last of which was finished only three days before his death.

In the six weeks' vacation, his health appeared to amend; and he was able usually to attend church, and to walk out occasionally during the week. Oct. 6th he preached all day, and administered the Sacrament in one of the churches in the town; and in the other, in the afternoon of the 13th, before the Executive, and great part of the Legislature of the State, when he bore his solemn testimony against the unhallowed law authorizing divorces.

Nov. 3rd, the second sabbath in the term, he preached his last sermon, and administered the Sacrament.

"Although the paleness of his countenance filled every one with anxiety, it was observed," says Professor Silliman, "that he uttered himself with his

usual animation; and in the commu nion-service he appeared much affected; nor was he sensible of uncommon fatigue in consequence of so long a service.

"He began as usual to hear the senior class, which he met for the last time on Wednesday, Nov. 27th. He caught cold, was worse from the exertion, and did not go out again.

"He still continued to hear the

theological class at his house, till within a week of his death his sufferings were great and his debility extreme.'

He continued in this state of labour and suffering until Tuesday, Jan. 7th, when the symptoms of his disease appeared so favourable as to lead his physicians to entertain hopes that it had passed its crisis.. On the following morning, however, as he got out of bed, he was seized with a strong nervous affection, which shook his whole frame, and gave rise to the most alarming apprehensions. This paroxysm was succeeded by a high fever, and a constant propensity to drowsiness.. In the evening he became somewhat wakeful, and the severity of his pain increased; in order to relieve which some laudanum was administered, and of course he did. not converse much on Wednesday. On Thursday morning he got out of his bed, was dressed, and sat in his chair through the day. He was not so much inclined to drowsiness, but frequently groaned, from extreme pain. At evening he attempted his usual family prayer, and proceeded for a few minutes with propriety, but a paroxysm of pain rendered him incapable of utterance, and he desisted.

Thursday night he rested but little; and in the morning it was

apparent that his end was rapidly approaching. Yet, at short intervals through the day, when he was relieved from pain, he conversed in his usual manner, on subjects connected with the great objects of his labours, his desires, and his prayers.

In the course of Friday evening, the 8th chapter of the Epistle to the Romans was read to him: he listened with great attention, and at the close of it exclaimed, "O what a glorious Apostrophe!"

The subject of his approaching dissolution being mentioned, it was hinted, that his religious friends would be gratified to learn his views and feelings at the prospect of death; and he began immediately to make some remarks upon the great and precious promises of the Gospel, when he was seized with a paroxysm of distress, which prevented him from proceeding. A few hours before his death, however, he remarked, that in the extreme sickness with which he was visited in the spring, he had experienced more support and comfort from religion, and the promises of the Gospel, than he had realized at any former period of his life. "Had I died then," said he, "that fact would doubtless have been considered as affording strong evidence of the sincerity and reality of my faith; but, as I recovered, it probably made but little impression." It was a sentiment often inculcated by him, that it was more safe to rely upon the tenor of a person's life, as evidence of the true state of his religious character, than upon declarations made upon a death-bed. After this he requested his brother to read to him the 17th of John, and when he came to the latter verses, he exclaimed, "O, what triumphant truths!" For several of his last hours, his organs of speech were so much affected, that it was with difficulty he could articulate distinctly. Many

of his words could not be understood; but his language was evidently that of prayer and adoration.

He did not appear, for several hours previous to his death, to suffer much pain; but continued to breathe shorter and shorter, until a few minutes before three o'clock on Saturday morning, Jan. the 11th, when he expired without a struggle or a groan, at the age of 65.

[To be concluded in our next.]

SERIOUSNESS AND CHEERFULNESS UNITED.

Ir is a mistake to suppose that these qualities cannot be found in the same person, or that serious religion is an enemy to innocent cheerfulness. It is the design of this paper to shew that they may and ought to be combined; and that their union conduces, not only to our own happiness, but powerfully to recom mend to others the religion of the gospel.

It is not necessary to enter upon a disquisition on the natural temperament of individuals, or the physical causes of gaiety or gloom. It will readily be admitted that, irrespective of religion, some persons are naturally inclined to melancholy, and others to hilarity. Nor will it be pretended that the natural constitu tion is changed by the grace of God; though it is certain that the principles and spirit of the gospel will powerfully tend to correct what is amiss in the temper, and to improve that which is commendable.

The seriousness for which we plead is an habitual regard to religion, a proper degree of thoughtfulness and gravity, equally remote from gloominess and levity. Indeed this becomes every rational being. Reason itself requires man to think, to examine and judge, to foresee and reflect, and to be neither given up to a sour, morose, and dejected temper on the one hand, nor to be always jesting and laughing on the

other." There is a time to laugh and a time to weep.

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A sense of the Divine presence will induce seriousness. Does the presence of fellow-creatures, considerably elevated above us in rank or talents, inspire us with a respectful awe? Surely then a recollection that God always sees and hears us, will keep us from indecent levity. It was a judicious piece of advice given by an ancient moralist to his young disciple-"Consider yourself in the presence of Cato, and then will be ashamed to do evil." The recollection of our sins will also contribute to this temper. Who, on the commencement of a new year, can reflect on past years without a blush? How many of us must adopt the complaint of Job, "Thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the sins of my youth?" And who must not join with pious Hezekiah, and say, "I shall go softly all the rest of my days." Sentiments like these will promote seriousness.

And so will the consciousness of many remaining corruptions, the "law in the members, warring against the law of the mind." All will allow that a soldier, in the vicinity of an enemy, and on the eve of a battle, should be attentive and watchful; and who will not blame him if he be off his guard? Christians are engaged in a warfare in which there are foes without and traitors within, and if they would not be surprised and captured, they must be serious. Believers have many and various duties to perform, both to God and man: the former must be worshipped and feared and obeyed; our Christian brethren must be loved and treated as members of the same holy family; and we are surrounded by suffering fellow-creatures, who claim our sympathy and call for our help: and can these various duties be rightly performed without seriousness?

Add to these considerations, our

personal exposure to danger and death. We are placed as in a field of battle, where some around us are falling every moment; and although the Christian ought not to indulge the "fear which hath torment," yet should he be prepared for diseases, casualties, disasters, and death. Nor onght he to enter upon a new year, and contemplate the possibility of dying before it is completed, without serious reflections.

But then, all this Seriousness is perfectly compatible with Cheerfulness. We may be serious, yea, we

may

be" sorrowful-yet always rejoicing" (2 Cor. vi. 10.) This may be paradoxical, but it is strictly true. Are we reconciled to God through faith in Jesus, the great Pacificator? Have we "fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set be→ fore us" in the gospel? Are we safe in the ark? Then let the rains descend, and the winds blow, and the torrents swell, we will not give place to fear. "If God be for us, who can be against us?" And "who shall separate us from the love of God? "Be of good cheer," said the great physician to the paralytic-not so much because his body was healed, as because his "sins were forgiven.' To the believer may that sentence be addressed (Eccl. ix. 7, 8.) “Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart, for God now accepteth thy works. The meat offering and the drink offering being accepted, the offerer might enjoy the food so offered and accepted with cordial satisfaction; and thus the primitive saints, rejoicing in Christ Jesus, and being in charity with all men, "did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart."

The testimony of a good conscience contributes much to cheerfulness. The state of the conscience is

intimately connected with the comfort of the mind. "If our heart condemn us not, then have we con

fidence towards God." St. Paul, and his apostolic brethren, derived much of their satisfaction from this source, “Our rejoicing is this-the testimony of our conscience." A constant regard to all the duties which God and man require of us, will certainly contribute to the peace of our minds.

A benevolent disposition has the same happy tendency. A churl, a miser, an unfeeling or censorious person, cannot be happy. A man who is eagle-eyed to detect, and severe in condemning the faults of all around him, is a miserable being; while the kind, gentle, generous soul, who delights in making others happy, becomes himself the happiest of mortals.

He also who feels a steady confidence in the Divine guidance and protection; he who says, "The Lord is my helper, my shield, my refuge, my portion, and he will be my guide even unto death"--he may well be cheerful, and cast all his care upon Him, who, he knows and believes, "careth for him." What has he to fear, or complain of, who is persuaded that "all things work together for his good," and shall issue in his complete and eternal felicity?

And that which crowns the whole is, the expectation of complete victory over death. The man of the world, who has his portion, his only portion, in this life, dreads the thoughts of dissolution, and with all kis might banishes from his mind the gloomy subject; and the believer himself may at times have distressing thoughts about dying; yet he sees the monster disarmed of his sting, and knows that death cannot hurt him; but that, "to live is Christ, and to die is gain." This renders his cheerfulness complete, and places it far above "the oil and wine" that gladden the carnal heart.

How transcendently excellent then is the religion of the gospel! which, while it promotes the glory

of God, insures the real happiness of man! Let this silence the calumny of those who know not the gospel of Christ, and falsely charge it as mischievous to man and injurious to his happiness. We know better than they do. We have tried the world; we have weighed it in the balance of the sanctuary, and "Tekel "is enstamped upon it. We have tried religion too, and find it pleasantness and peace. And now we wish to persuade others to go with us, promising to do them good; and, to induce their compliance, we produce these grapes of Eshcol and again we say, "Come with us,

and we will do you good."

G. B

SPIRITUAL ARITHMETIC.
Psalm xc. 12.

"So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our heart's unto wisdom."

THE science of numbers is extremely valuable, both in the pursuits of philosophy and the business of human life. It guides the astronomer among the starry fields, and enables him to calculate the magnitude and distances of the heavenly bodies, and there teaches him the power, goodness, and faithfulness of God. Thus God instructed Abraham to view the heavens." And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them. And he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. And he believed in the Lord, (that is, in his power, goodness, and faithfulness) and he counted it to him for righteousness.* Gen. xv. 5, 6.

But the important science of numbers is no less applicable to all the purposes of human life; for all our temporal blessings are delivered out to us "in number, weight, and measure ;" and none more sparingly than our time; for we never have two moments, much less days, together.-Hence the importance of

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this Spiritual Arithmetic, that we may so number our days, as to apply our hearts unto wisdom."

To apply our hearts to wisdom is to enter into the study with zeal and energy—or (in the English phrase) "with all our hearts." It is a common expression with students when they enter on a subject of serious difficulty, that " they will apply

their brains to it: " but the Hebrew idiom is both more beautiful and more proper: they applied their hearts to it. Thus the wise man

Apply thine heart to understand ing." (Prov. ii. 2.) The heart is a better tablet than the brain, because it receives the impression deeper, and retains it longer. "My Son, keep my commandments; write them on the table (tablet) of thine heart and let thine heart retain my words." (Prov. vii. 3. iv. 4.)

Now then let us, with the Psalmist, "apply our hearts to wisdom," and especially to this branch of it— calculating or measuring our days.

1. Let us calculate the number of our days. "The days of man are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore, yet is their strength labour and sorrow. (verse 10.) "Few and evil have the days of my life been," said the Patriarch Jacob, when he had filled up almost double the above period. (Gen. xvii. 9.) Few were they, compared with those of his ancestors, especially before the flood -“I have not (said he) attained to the years of my fathers: "-and if we cannot look back to the days of our long-lived progenitors, we may look forward to eternity, and then are they few indeed! To the Eternal we may well say, "A thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday, when it is past; and as a watch in the night."

2. Let us calculate their uncertainty. Few as the days of man are, how very few of our race come

up

up to the limited number-narrow as is our span, how few fill that space! Half mankind have been calculated to die in infancy—at least in immature age. Our Churchyards contain coffins of a span long; and there is no age within a centurybut is inscribed on one or other of our tombstones. And of the living we may say with Watts

"Where is the man that draws his breath, Safe from disease, secure from death?',

3. Let us estimate their impor-tance, both as compared with the work assigned to them, and the end to which they lead. We are sinners, and these are the days of pe-nitence and pardon. We are ignorant creatures, and these are the days allotted for our instruction. We are labourers, and this is the period allotted for our work. "Whatsoever thine hand findeth to do," says Solomon, "do it with all thy might;" and a greater than Solomon hath said, "Work while it is day; for the night cometh when no man can work." We are to work for ourselves; for we are commanded to "work out our own salvation with fear and trembling, knowing that it is God who worketh in us of his own good pleasure." We are to work for God, knowing that we shall not labour in vain in (or for) the Lord.

We are to work for our fellowcreatures-to be "not weary in well-doing, knowing that in due time we shall reap, if we faint not."

But time is to us chiefly important, as it relates to eternity:-it is indeed a narrow isthmus, but it connects us with eternity. "I paint for eternity," said a celebrated artist; and thus may the Christian say in all he does. He repents, believes, and acts for eternity: and if he gives, he gives for eternity, for though it be but " a cup of cold water," the Judge himself will not forget it when he ascends his throne