upon them, and that they are decent and regular in their external deportment. May the Lord give me grace to be wise in all my relations, and faithful even unto death, and to him shall all the praise and glory be given."

"Dear Sir,

"May 14, 1824.

"I rejoice to hear that the churches in your vicinity are blessed with seasons of refreshing from the presence of the Lord, and that there is an increase of feeling among the members of the church with which you are connected. May the Lord warm your own heart, and make you wise in winning souls to Christ. Of nothing do we, as ministers of the gospel, stand in more need, than to be cured of our self-importance. Relying too much. on our own strength and wisdom, we do not make sufficient account of the Saviour. We are not enough in earnest when we attempt to press upon our people the importance of believing in him, as their only hope. Neither are we sufficiently clear and pungent in laying open to them their perishing condition. I fear, that we are aiming and studying too much, perhaps insensibly, to be accounted acceptable and popular preachers.

"E. has informed us, and the same has been repeatedly confirmed by letters, that Harriet's health is very feeble. Her symptoms are truly alarming. She has a severe cough, attended with general debility. We hope the Lord will be merciful and spare her; but we are entirely ignorant of his purposes, and also of what is, on the whole, best. My only refuge is, submission to his will.

"Alvan's flesh and strength are gradually wasting; yet he rides more than he has done, and ventures further from home. In his case, we have a long continued chastisement from the rod of our heavenly Father, but I desire to feel that the strokes are lighter than our iniquities

deserve. Pray for us. Pray fervently for my family. What a blessing it would be to have all my children brought into the kingdom!

"Write often, and let us know your joys and sorrows."

"Dear Sir,

66

among the members of religious feeling at the

'Among my people, even the church, there is but little present time. We are all in a luke-warm state, and witness the prevalence of sin with criminal indifference. Yet we are suffered to live in as much tranquillity, as can be expected in such a state of things, and where the fear of God is so generally cast off.

"Let any people have their own chosen way, and they will soon deprive themselves of all the means which God has appointed for their spiritual and eternal good. How thankful we ought to be, for the restraints which are laid upon us, and for the patience of God towards such proud and rebellious creatures!

"I hope it is a time of religious prosperity with you, and that no roots of bitterness are springing up in the church, or in your society. I perceive, by your letters, that you are not exactly suited with the preaching of your minister, and I have had some fears, lest your feelings may influence you to prevent his being so useful to you as he might be. I never saw the man, and know very little more of him, than what I have learned from you, I know, however, that like all others who enter into the ministry, he is an earthen vessel-an imperfect man, and falls far short of the standard, which you find in the word of God. But he is your minister, placed over you in the Lord, and though he may not be in all respects what you wish him to be, yet let him be as useful to you and to others as possible. Pray for him daily, that he may have

a fresh unction from the Holy One, and an increase of divine light. Though he is an imperfect instrument, pray fervently for him, that his labors may be blessed, and that through him, God may be glorified in the salvation of sinners. You will excuse these thoughts from a friend. We are all liable to err, and ought to be thankful for any cautions which are suitably administered to us.

Through divine mercy, we are all yet alive. My eldest son remains in a very feeble state, and is less capable of exertion than he was a year ago. We need the prayers of all our Christian friends. I trust you remember us and him, and all my family, in some of your approaches to the throne of grace."

CHAPTER VIII.

HIS AFFLICTIONS IN THE DEATH OF HIS CHILDREN ALVAN, HARRIET, LUCY, AND CHAUNCEY.

IN the preceding extracts, we have had illustrations of the parental feelings of the writer of the letters and birthday reflections, while the rod of God was held over him. We have heard him speak of his being afflicted in the afflictions of his children, earnestly imploring his friends to pray for him and for his family, and saying that his only refuge was submission to the will of God. We have seen with what fervor he dedicated himself and his children to God, acknowledging that his children were not his own, and renewing the dedication of them from year to year, with devout aspirations for the influence of the Holy Spirit to be his guide, and prepare him for his holy will.

In the extracts which are to follow, we have opportunity to learn how he appeared when the rod actually fell upon his family, and the children for whom he had prayed so often, and whom he loved so tenderly, were taken away. The first is an extract from his diary, which is without date, but probably written near the close of the year 1824. It is as follows:

"I here record some peculiar dispensations of divine Providence towards me and my family, in removing, by death, two of my children in the short space of nine weeks. Having been repeatedly informed of the low and declining state of my daughter's health at Ogden, and of her strong desire to come home, with the hope of recovering her health, I had many consultations with my family, respecting the duties we owed to so dear a child. Our eldest son had long been languishing at home, and our eldest daughter was now declining at a place three hundred miles distant from us. The result of our many anxious consultations was, that I, with my daughter Lucy, should go to Ogden, and accompany her sister to her native place, if she should be able to journey. Accordingly, on Monday, the 9th of August, 1824, we took the stage at my door, and reached Ogden on Friday the 13th; hoping and expecting that my son would survive, and that we should see him again, as he was able then to ride out; but it was otherwise ordered. He died suddenly, on Thursday the 12th, the third day after our departure. This opened a most trying scene to my wife and children at home, from which God, in his providence, had separated me and Lucy. The kind attention and sympathy of neighbors and friends were manifested to my afflicted family in my absence, which I record as a new token of the goodness of God. At the funeral of my son, the Rev. Dr. Shepard of Lenox preached a sermon from 1 Tim. iv. 7, 8. A number of my brethren in the ministry were present on the mournful occasion. Six of my children, viz., Joseph, William, Edward, Chauncey, Theodore, and Alexander, with my wife, followed this son to the grave, while I was ignorant of the bitter cup of which they were all made to drink. Nor had I any knowledge of the event, until I had been with my sick daughter, at Ogden, one week, whom I found extremely enfeebled by disease.