fascinating prospects, he joyfully took up the cross and followed Jesus. He was ordained to the ministry in Edinburgh, where he withstood king James' attempts to overturn the religion and liberties of Scotland, until he was exiled. He died in his seventy-second year. He had taken his seat as usual at breakfast, and having eaten an egg as he used to do, and feeling still a good appetite, he called for another; but suddenly reclining his head in a musing posture, he said, "Hold, daughter, my Master calls me!" He lost his sight in a few moments; but calling for the Bible, he told them to open it at the eighth chapter of the Romans, at these words: "For I am persuaded that neither death nor life shall be able to separate me from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

"Now," said the venerable man, "put my finger on these words;" and being told that it was, he said, “Now, God be with you, my dear children; I have breakfasted with you, and I shall sup with my Lord Jesus Christ this night." And saying this, he gently fell asleep.

40. SAMUEL RUTHERFORD.

"Ah yes! the hour is come
When thou must hasten home,
Pure soul! to Him who calls;

The God who gave thee breath
Walks by the side of death,

And naught that step appals."-LANDOR.

SAMUEL RUTHERFORD, one of the most resplendent lights that ever rose in Scotland, was the professor of divinity in the University of St. Andrew's. When the parliament of Scotland summoned him for trial because he stood up for liberty and religion, he was on his dying bed. "Tell the parliament," said he to the messenger,

"that I have received a summons to a higher bar; I must needs answer that first; and when the day you name shall come, I shall be where few of you shall enter.".

In his last moments he said to the ministers around him, "There is none like Christ. O, dear brethren, pray for Christ, preach for Christ, do all for Christ; feed the flock of God. And O, beware of men-pleasing." Having recovered from a fainting fit, he said, “I feel, I feel, I believe, I joy, I rejoice, I feed on manna; my eyes shall see my Redeemer, and I shall be ever with him. And what would you more? I have been a sinful man; but I stand at the best pass that ever a man did. Christ is mine.and I am his. Glory, glory to my Glory shines in Im

Creator and Redeemer forever.

manuel's land. O for arms to embrace him! O for a well-tuned harp!"

He continued exulting in God his Saviour to the last, as one in the full vision of joy and glory.

41. DR. WM. P. CHANDLER.

"I will tell thee even more,

Ten thousand years from now; if but with thee
I too reach heaven, and with new language there,
When an eternity of bliss has gone,

Bless God for new eternities to be."-COXE.

MR. CHANDLER was a native of Maryland, and became a member of the Philadelphia Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1797. His health failed and he was compelled to desist from preaching in 1810, but he lingered on with broken health till 1822.

The closing scene of his life is thus described by a physician and Christian brother :

"I visited Dr. Chandler daily during his last illness, which was of long continuance. His disease was an al

most universal paralysis. The attack had at first been confined to one side, and, after a partial recovery only of that side, the other became affected in like manner with the first. His mind, as well as his body, felt the effects of the disease, which at times caused a considerable derangement of intellect; but notwithstanding the confusion that was apparent in his mental operations, his constant theme was his God and the salvation of his soul, and on these subjects it was truly surprising to hear him converse. Although Dr. Chandler seemed incapable of rational reflection on other subjects, yet on that of religion, at intervals, he never conversed with more fluency, correctness, and feeling, at any period of his life. He appeared to be exceedingly jealous of himself, and occasionally labouring under fear lest he might have deceived himself, and that he should finally become a castaway; but of these apprehensions he was generally relieved whenever we approached a throne of grace, which we were in the habit of doing on almost every visit. In this state he remained until within a few days of his death, when the Lord was graciously pleased, in a most extraordinary manner, to pour out his Spirit upon his servant; and although his body was fast sinking, his mind, for two days, was restored to perfect vigour and correctness. During this time he seemed to be in the borders of the heavenly inheritance. He spoke of the glories, the joys, and the inhabitants of heaven, as though he had been in the midst of them. He remarked to me at the time that he felt that his soul had begun to dissolve its connexion with the body; and that there was a freedom, a clearness and ease in its views and operations that was entirely new to him, and that he had never before formed a conception of—‘In fact,' said he, 'I know not whether I am in the body or out of it.' Soon after this he sunk into a stupor, in which he remained to the last."

42. WM. ROMAINE.

ROMAINE was a zealous and successful preacher of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and adorned it by a suitable character, above fifty years. In his last illness he said, "I have the peace of God in my conscience, and the love of God in my heart. I knew before the doctrines I preached to be truths, but now I experience them to be blessings. Jesus is more precious than rubies, and all that can be desired on the earth is not to be compared to him." He was in full possession of his mental powers to the last moment, and near his dissolution cried out, "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty! Glory be to thee on high, for such peace on earth, and good-will to men."

43. AN AGED MINISTER.

A GOOD old minister, who died in 1807, at nearly ninety years of age, had been long incapable of engaging in public services, and had lost his recollection. On the evening before his death, a neighbouring minister visited him, but he did not know him. Being told who he was, he answered, "No, I do not remember any such person." His beloved son was introduced to him; but he did not know him. In short, his memory was so impaired that he knew none of his friends or family about him. At last he was asked, “Do you not remember the Lord Jesus Christ?" On this his eyes brightened; and attempting to lift his hands in the hour of death, he exclaimed, "O! yes, I do, I do! I remember the Lord Jesus Christ! He is my Lord and my God, by whom I hope to be saved!"

SECTION III.

Christian Men.

1. ROBERT BOYLE.

"Piety has found

Friends in the friends of science, and true prayer
Has flow'd from lips wet with Castalian dews."

ROBERT BOYLE, eminent alike for science and piety, was the son of Richard, earl of Cork; and was born in the year 1627.

He was a man of great learning; and his stock of knowledge was immense. The celebrated Dr. Boerhaave has passed the following eulogium upon him: "Boyle was the ornament of his age and country. Which of his writings shall I commend? All of them. To him we owe the secrets of fire, air, water, animals, vegetables, fossils; so that from his works may be deduced the whole system of natural knowledge."

He was treated with particular kindness and respect by King Charles the Second, as well as by the two great ministers, Southampton and Clarendon. By the latter, he was solicited to enter into orders; for his distinguished learning and unblemished reputation, induced Lord Clarendon to think, that so very respectable a personage would do great honour to the clergy. Boyle considered the proposal with due attention. He reflected, that, in his present situation of life, whatever he wrote with respect to religion, would have greater weight, as coming from a layman; for he well knew that the irreligious fortified themselves against all that the clergy could offer, by supposing and saying, that it was their trade, and that they were paid for it. He con