Devotion.

Sympathy.

may have formed an inadequate estimate of his spirituality. The grand palpable evidence of the strength of his religious character was his steady and consistent course of devotion to his work. But those who were brought near to him, and especially his intimate friends, knew that his heart was ever awake to those themes which have the most vital bearing upon Christian experience. He had, indeed, a great abhorrence of every thing like cant and vainglory in religion; and it is believed that he very rarely, even in the most confidential intercourse of Christian friendship, said much of his own private religious feelings; but the tone of his spirit was easily inferred from the deep interest he took in conversations of a decidedly experimental character. He always showed himself interested in whatever involved the spiritual wellbeing of any of his fellow-men, or the general prosperity of Christ's kingdom, and, what was still more, he was always ready to put forth vigorous efforts in aid of either whenever it was in his power.

"Scarcely any thing in Dr. Murray's character has impressed me more strongly than the interest which he took in every body around him, and the facility with which he could turn his hand to the aid of any benevolent or useful project. I have been struck with the fact, when walking with him in the streets of Elizabeth, that every body whom he met seemed to be in the most friendly relations to him; and when I have inquired whether such and such persons, who have seemed remarkably cordial, were members of his congregation, the answer has often been that they

Public spirit.

Slavery.

were Episcopalians, or Methodists, or perhaps belonged to one of the other Presbyterian churches. I have been assured that no object of public utility could present itself in the town of which he did not at once stand forth as the advocate and supporter; if judicious counsel was wanted, he was ready to render it; if efforts and sacrifices were demanded, he did not hesitate to make them; and by this prompt and unsolicited exercise of public spirit, he identified himself with the entire community in which he lived. On the day of his funeral, it was manifest that we were in the midst, not of a mourning congregation only, but of a mourning city. The first bell that tolled, after the procession began to move, was the bell of a church which is, perhaps, as far from any denominational sympathy with Dr. Murray's as is consistent with both being Protestant; and the rector of that church, to his honor be it recorded, addressed to Mrs. Murray a letter of condolence, paying a just and beautiful tribute to the memory of her departed husband. I heard it stated that even Jews and Roman Catholics closed their places of business during the hour of the funeral solemnities.

"There is one point more on which I wish to say a single word, because I happen to know that Dr. Murray's views in respect to it have been, to some extent, misapprehended-it is the matter of slavery. A friend of mine, and a gentleman of great worth and respectability, residing in Illinois, wrote me, shortly after Dr. Murray's death, that while he had a very high estimate of the ability and general character of

Abolitionists.

The war.

my friend, he had been pained to learn that he had given the aid of his name, if not of his pen, to the cause of slavery; and, if I have been correctly informed, the same impression has prevailed, to some extent, in other quarters. I have heard him express his opinion on this subject so often that I think I can not have fallen into any mistake in respect to it. He was, indeed, far from having any sympathy with the party technically termed "Abolitionists" at the North; on the contrary, he believed that theirs was a mission of unmixed evil; and this opinion he never hesitated to express on either side of the Atlantic. But he considered slavery, as it exists in our country, not merely in the light of a calamity, but as involving great national guilt; and he wrote me, only a few weeks before his death, that he had just preached a sermon in which he had protested against human beings being bought and sold as "chattels." It pleased a gracious Providence to call him home before the present reign of terror and distress throughout the country was fairly inaugurated; but he lived long enough to see the clouds begin to gather, and to deliver, on more than one occasion, the most earnest and impressive testimony in favor of the government which he saw threatened with formidable attack, and even utter extinction.

"I fear, my dear sir, that this communication may prove of an inconvenient length, and yet knowing, as I do, how cordially you respond to every effort to honor and embalm the memory of our dear departed friend, I have no doubt that you will be tolerant of

Conclusion.

any error I may have committed in that direction. As Dr. Murray was a man, he must, of course, like all other men, have had his infirmities, but what they were I leave it to those who looked at him with eyes different from mine to describe. I will only add, that I heartily rejoice that the writing of his life has devolved upon the person whom, of all others, I should have selected as the one who is in every respect best qualified to do justice to his memory.

"I am, my dear sir, with great regard, faithfully your friend, W. B. SPRAGUE."

Dr. Edgar's letter.

Kirwan Letters.

CHAPTER XXI.

Letter from Rev. Dr. Edgar. -Rev. Prof. Gibson.- Mrs. Duncan.— Mrs. Jones.-Rev. Mr. Reinhart.-Rev. Dr. Chickering.—Rev. Dr. Childs.-Rev. Dr. Janeway.-Rev. Dr. Schenck.

Rev. Dr. Edgar to Geo. H. Stuart, Esq.

"Belfast, June 27th, 1861.

"MY DEAR MR. STUART,-In furnishing for Dr. Prime's work reminiscences of our dear departed friend, Dr. Murray, I desire to associate them with you, not only because his love for you was enthusiastic, but be-cause I am anxious that he should be in death, as he was in life, a bond of union between me and one for whom my love can never die.

"One of my first links of connection with him was my republishing the Kirwan Letters, which first made him eminently great. Having written a preface, and added notes by the late Dr. Samuel O. Edgar, I issued, in 1850, an edition of five thousand copies of the first series, one thousand of which were purchased by an eminent lawyer; and the good effected by them verified a statement of the preface, that they were republished in unhappy Ireland, not chiefly because of the talent and eloquence which distinguished them, but because, being brief, clear, practical, and characterized by genuine good-nature and politeness, they are well qualified to be a useful manual for all, especially the ignorant and young.

แ

"When, next year, I issued the second series, my