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cal, and well-matured. His discourses were an example of neatness, order, perspicuity, and completeness. He had a most tenacious memory. His mind was richly stored with incident and anecdote, as well as with all kinds of the most valuable knowledge, collected from books, from observation, and from experience. His conversational powers were of a high order-the events of the past seemed to start up from their lurking places, and come forth with all the freshness and life of recent occurrences. There was often with him a genial sprightliness, humour, and wit, and a keen sense of the ludicrous, that made him a most companionable friend. Yet his cheerfulness never descended below the purity of the Christian character, or the dignity of the Christian man. His, too, was a most liberal and catholic spirit. He toiled long and hard to build up the Church of his early choice; and his affections were deeply wedded to that Church; but they were not exclusive. He felt a kindred sympathy for Christians of every name, and felt, too, that he was with them a common partner in the kingdom and patience of Christ Jesus. His nature was too noble, his heart too large, and his views too broad and enlightened to admit of his being cut off from sympathy with the common brotherhood of the Christian faith. Yet he felt that God had appointed him to his sphere of labour, and it was his highest joy to pursue it."*

The first acute attack that proved the premonitor of approaching death was on the 28th of December, 1850. From this time, for more than fifteen months, "his decline was gradual, sometimes relieved by favourable indications, and at other times accelerated by sudden and alarming Quarterly Review, January, 1853.

steps." His intellect, notwithstanding his intense and protracted bodily sufferings, remained clear and vigorous to the last. "His conversation during the last months and weeks of his life was heavenly and edifying beyond degree." To different brethren in the ministry who were privileged to visit him in his last sickness, he often spoke of his love for the Church, of the sufficiency of the atonement, and of his joy and confidence as he trusted in it alone for salvation. He spoke of heaven, and of his assurance that he was going thither. He exhorted them. to preach Christ while they had life and strength. The nearer the final moment approached, the brighter seemed his prospects of the glorious world to which he hastened. Almost the last uttered sentences of the victorious Christian minister and bishop were, "Glory, glory! Glory to God! glory to God! glory to God! Glory! I am happyfilled!" He died on the 9th of April, 1852.

THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY

ASTOR, LENOX

TILDEN FOUNDA

[graphic]

John Fletcher.

CHRISTIANITY did for the Rev. JOHN FLETCHER all that it can do for an inhabitant of this earth. It fulfilled in him every precept of the decalogue, and every beatitude of the sermon on the mount. Whatever the gospel makes a duty he performed, whatever it promises as a privilege he enjoyed. In life and death he may have had a few equals, but no superior throughout the Christian age. His life was like the sea of glass in the Apocalypse, and his death like the same sea "mingled with fire."

He was born at Nyon, in Switzerland, Sept. 12th, 1729. Like every boy that has ever grown to manhood, he was frequently in imminent peril. At one time he was practising the art of fencing with his brother, who nearly killed him by a thrust of his sword, which split the button on the point of it, and entered his side. At another time, he fell from a high wall, and was barely saved by a bed of mortar which broke the violence of his fall. Once he was swimming in deep water, when a long hair-ribbon, becoming loose, twisted about his person, and nearly drowned him. One evening, in company with four others, he foolishly swam to a rock five miles from the shore, where they all nearly perished, not being able for some time to raise themselves out of the water. At another time he was carried

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