church, all that remained of Sylvester La ed was conveyed to the Girod street cemetery.

He was a man of strong social feelings, peculiarly adapted to please the Southern people. He had a heart "broad as the heavens and deep as the ocean." His brow was open, his eye gentle, features intellectual; in person reminding you of the Apollo Belvidere; of a sweet and affectionate disposition, and a "silver-tongued voice" that rolled music, and captivated all his hearers. Said a distinguished judge once of him, "I cannot go to hear that young man because he makes me shed tears."

Mr. Clapp was a great conversationalist. His style of delivery was impressive and eloquent. His mind was neither analytical nor logical, still less, profound. He impressed his audience and had many warm personal friends, whom he retained even after he left this city, and who generously contributed to his support until his death at Louisville in 1866.

The Rev. Mr. Parker, who followed Mr. Clapp, walked from his home in Vermont to Union College at Schenectady, New York. He represented to the professors that his father was a poor farmer and a revolutionary soldier, that he could not afford to furnish the money required for his education, but that if they would give him work, he would try and repay them for the trouble and expense of his graduation. The professors were pleased with his determination, and Parker studied for the ministry. He was a man of great decision of character, vigorous and logical, plain in person, not prepossessing in feature, and not calculated to obtain and keep personal friends. Yet he was a man spoken of as having the highest order of talent as a minister of the Gospel.

In the summer of 1834 he was sent North to solicit subscriptions in the larger cities, for the

purpose of obtaining, if possible, a sum sufficient to finish the church then building. While on the tour it was represented that he had stated "that there were forty thousand Catholics in the city of New Orleans who were atheists, and that the Protestants were no better." This statement was published in the newspapers and copied into the New Orleans Bulletin, creating great excitement and indignation. Mr. Parker replied to the charges made in one of the newspapers North, denying that he had made any such statement. The Mayor of this city advised that "that priest" be sent away, and-if Mr. Maybin was not mistaken-a proclamation was issued commanding the peace. When it was known that he was returning to this city word. was sent to the Balize that he be landed before the arrival of the packet in New Orleans, and Mr. Parker was accordingly put off at the English turn. The next day he arrived in New Orleans, and appeared upon the streets to vindicate his innocence. A meeting was called the next day at the City Hotel, at which Mr. Parker was requested to explain. He made a clear statement, but the people were not satisfied. Resolutions were drawn up and passed, that he leave the city, that the elders of the church dismiss him, etc. A meeting of the members of the church was immediately called. Fifty attended. They one and all supported Mr. Parker as being in the right. They all believed his representation made at the City Hotel, and declared they had a right to have for a pastor whom they pleased, and they intended to maintain that right; and they did, and Mr. Parker was retained. That was a trying hour in the history of the Protestant Church in this city, but the storm was weathered. If Mr. Parker was abandoned, what security had other pastors that they would be retained. They were weak, feeble, discouraged, but they stood

their ground and conquered. Like the weak little band of Apostles on the sea of Galilee when they called upon. the Saviour to stay the storm, while the waves ran mountain high and threatened to dash their little bark to pieces, the storm was hushed by the Master. He said to the waves "be still," and they went down. He bade the winds to cease, and they slept as gently as a babe upon the bosom of its mother.

Rev. Dr. John Breckinridge, descended from the pioneer stock of Kentucky heroes, was the next pastor. A courteous and polished gentleman, with a sweet voice and a flow of native eloquence, but a feeble frame; his brief pastorate was soon closed by death. His successor was Rev. W. A. Scott, who at the age of eighteen, entered the army as Chaplain, by appointment from President Jackson, and was thus enabled to save sufficient money to finish his theological education at Princeton.

Mr. Scott was called to this position from the pastoral charge of the church at Tuscaloosa, Ala., his Presbytery, as in the case of the present pastor, having at first refused to place the call in his hands. Dr. Scott was an attractive and eloquent preacher, distinguished for his ability to set forth the truth by illustrations drawn from all sources, whether from nature or the customs and institutions of men.

In referring to those who rendered most effective co-operation in building up Presbyterianism in New Orleans he paid a passing tribute to the late Nathan Goodale, elder of the Lafayette Church-"whose every vein was filled with philanthropy." All honor to the little band of twenty-four, who comprised the original church organization-would you see their monumentlook around upon this congregation! "Are they not at this moment, while singing their songs of everlasting praise-looking down on this scene from Heaven ?"

You see before you the last elder of that bandstanding as an isthmus between the present and the past, the last connecting link. It is to me a crushing thought.

On this occasion, and it may be my last opportunity, I desire to return my humble and heartfelt thanks to the pastor, elders, and members of this church for all the kindness I have ever received at their hands.

And now I want to declare that it is my wish to die in the service of this honored church; and that my children and children's children may die in the same faith. I stand here-a brand snatched from the burning. And when I die let it be inscribed on my coffin over my heart, "It is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, of whom I-I-I-am chief!" The congregation then sang,

"I love thy Kingdom, Lord.”

Dr. Smith then read the following historical paper:

THE ORIGIN AND GROWTH OF PRESBYTERIANISM IN THE SOUTHWEST.

The history of our Church in New Orleans, belongs to the history of the Church in the Southwest. We shall better appreciate the significance of the chapter which concludes our work, if we "glance at the more general movement of which it forms such an important part. To do this, we must go back into the past more than a quarter of a century before our work in the city was organized; even to the times when the tide of our immigration was first turned in this direction.

The settlement of the Southwest was much encouraged by the policy of the British Government. At the close of the French war of 1763, she obtained the

Natchez country and East and West Florida. West Florida was attached to the Natchez country, and settlers were attracted by liberal grants of land.

One result-unfortunately-of our war of the Revolution was, that this country was ceded back to Spain. The Natchez country thus became a Spanish Province, and continued to be for twenty years. By the Spanish authorities Protestant worship was decreed to be a criminal offense. Intolerant laws were enacted and remorselessly enforced. Three quarters of a century ago Presbyterians at Natchez could not worship God without a sentinel at the door to warn them of danger. Persons detected in this crime were arrested, thrown into a filthy prison until they gave bonds not to repeat the offense, and were threatened if detected in repeating this offense to be sent to the mines of Mexico. Many were imprisoned. Among those imprisoned for holding prayer-meetings was John Bolls, a ruling elder of the Presbyterian Church, from North Carolina, who had served in the Revolutionary war.

John Bolls was not destined to slavery in the mines of Mexico, for this distressing state of things at length came to an end. On the night of March 29, 1798, the Spanish commandant evacuated the post. Next morning the American flag floated from the walls of Fort St. Rosalie, and religious liberty found shelter beneath its folds.

It would be hard to enumerate the various routes by which you may gain access to the Southwest now, but in the year A. D. 1800, the best known land route was a bridle path. The Natchez trace was an Indian trail from Nashville, which could be traveled only on horseback or on foot. It passed through tangled forests and swamps, through warlike Indian tribes, and was infested by bands of lawless desperadoes, more dreaded than the