desired the Lord's Supper to be administered to him, which was ac cordingly done by the Rev. Mr. Jænicke. Before he received the Lord's Supper, he put up a long and affectionate prayer. To hear this eminent servant of Christ, who had faithfully served his Redeemer very near half a century, disclaiming all merit of his own, humbling himself before the footstool of the Divine Majesty as the chief of sinners, and grounding all his hopes of mercy and salvation on the unmerited grace of God, and the meritorious sacrifice of his beloved Saviour, was a great lesson of humility to us. Our joy was great on his recovery, but alas it was soon changed into sorrow, when we observed that the severe attacks of his illness had in a great degree affected the powers of his mind, and which he did not perfectly get the better of till his last illness, a few days before his departure out of life, notwithstanding all the remedies which were tried. It was however surprising to us, that though his thoughts seemed to be incoherent when he spoke of worldly subjects, yet they were quite connected when he prayed or discoursed about Divine things. After his recovery, he frequently wished, according to his old custom, that the school children and Christians, should assemble in his parlor for evening prayer; with which we complied in order to please him, though we were concerned to observe that these exertions were too much for his feeble frame. The happy talent which he possessed of making almost every conversation instructive and edifying, did not forsake him even under his weak and depressed state. One morning when his friend Dr. Kennedy visited him, (after his return,) the conversation turning upon Dr. Young's Night Thoughts, which was one of Mr. Schwartz's favorite books, he observed to the Doctor, that those weighty truths contained in it, were not intended that we should abandon society, renounce our business, and retire into a corner, but to convince us of the emptiness of the honors, the riches, and pleasures of this world, and to engage us to fix our hearts there where true treasures are to be found. He then spoke with peculiar warmth on the folly of mind ing the things of this world as our chief good, and the wisdom and happiness of thinking on our eternal concerns. It was highly pleasing to hear the part which he took in his conversation with the Rev. Mr. Pohle, who visited him a little after his recovery, and which generally turned on the many benefits and consolations purchased to believers through Christ. He was transported with joy when he spoke on those subjects, and I hope I may with truth call it a foretaste of that joy which he is now experiencing in the presence of his Redeemer, and in the society of the blessed. On the 2d of February, 1798, our venerable father had the satisfaction of seeing the Rev. Mr. Gericke, Mr. Holtzberg, and his family. Little did we think that the performance of the last offices for him would prove a part of the duty of our worthy senior, the Rev. Mr. Gericke; and I bless and praise God for leading his faithful servant to us, at that very time, when we were most in need of his as sistance and comfort. On the second or third day after the Rev. Mr. Gericke's arrival, Mr. Schwartz complained of a little pain in his right foot, occasioned by an inflammation; to remove which repeated fomentations were applied; but a few days after we observed, to our inexpressible grief, the approach of a mortification. Dr. Kennedy tried every remedy to remove it, and would perhaps have effected the cure, if his frame had been able to support what he suffered. He was an example of patience under all these calamities. He did not speak, during the whole of his illness, one single word of impatience. The last week of his life he was obliged to lie on his cot the greatest part of the day, and as he was of a robust constitution, it required great labor and exertion to remove him to a chair, when he would sit up. These exertions contributed to weaken him more and more. During his last illness the Rev. Mr. Gericke visited him frequently, and spent much of his time with him in conversing on the precious promises of God through Christ, in singing awakening hymns, and in offering his fervent prayers to God to comfort and strengthen his aged servant under his severe sufferings; to continue and increase his. Divine blessing upon his labors for propagation of the Gospel; and to bless all the pious endeavors of the Society, and all those institutions established in this country for the enlargement of the kingdom of Christ. He rehearsed with peculiar emphasis (whilst we were singing) par ticular parts of the hymns expressing the believer's assurance of faith, and of the great love of God in Christ. His fervor was visible to every one present, whilst Mr. Gericke was praying; and by his loud Amen he shewed his ardent desire for the accomplishment of our united petitions. A few days before he entered into the joy of his Lord, the Rev. Mr. Gericke asked him whether he had any thing to say to the bre thren. His answer was, "Tell them that it is my request, that they should make the faithful discharge of their office their chief care and concern." A day or two before his departure, when he was visited by the doctor, he said, "Doctor, in heaven there will be no pain:" "Very true," replied the doctor, "but we must keep you here as long as we can." "He paused a few moments, and then addressed the doctor with these words, "O! dear doctor, let us take care that we may not be missing there." These words were delivered with such an affectionate tone of voice, that made a deep impression on the doctor, and on every one present. On Wednesday, the 13th of February, 1798, which closed the melancholy scene, we observed with deep concern, the approach of his dissolution. The Rev. Messrs. Gericke, Janicke, Holtzberg, and myself, were much with him in the morning; and in the afternoon we sung several excellent hymns, and offered up our prayers and praises to God, in which he joined us with fervor and delight. After we had retired he prayed silently, and at one time, he uttered the following words: "O Lord, hitherto thou hast preserved me; hith erto thou hast brought me; and has bestowed innumerable benefits upon me. Do what is pleasing in thy sight. I deliver my spirit into thy hands; cleanse and adorn it with the righteousness of my Redeemer, and receive me into the arms of thy love and mercy." About two hours after we had retired, he sent for me, and looking upon me with a friendly countenance, he imparted his last paternal blessing in these precious words: "I wish you many comforts." On offering him some drink, he wished to be placed on a chair; but as soon as he was raised upon the cot, he bowed his head, and without a groan or struggle, he shut his eyes, and died between four and five in the afternoon, in the 72d of his age. SKETCH FROM THE LIFE OF MR. JAMES MEIKLE. He says, while at Leghorn, he had occasion to remark the interposition of Providence in a very singular manner in his behalf. Several of the gentlemen belonging to the ship had formed a party in order to visit the city of Pisa, which is not more than 12 miles distant, and entertain themselves with the sight of a famous hanging tower and the other curiosities of the place. Mr. Meikle, starting in the morning of the 12th of April, went on foot by himself, and enjoyed, he says, by the way, pleasant meditations on the love of Christ. The rest followed on horseback. The afternoon was far advanced before they had sufficiently gratified their curiosity. In the evening Mr. Meikle's companions returned, but he, being fatigued, and observing that the wind was foul, so that the fleet which the Portland was to convey, could not sail, ventured to remain in Pisa. Early next morning he set out for Leghorn; but the wind had changed during the night, and before he could reach the city, the fleet had weighed, and were already several leagues on their way. By this occurrence he was thrown into inconceivable perplexity. In a strange place, ignorant of the language, with no clothes except what were on his body, with little money in his pocket, without one personal acquaintance, and even few Englishmen being left in the place to take interest in the distresses of their countrymen-afraid, besides, of the fate of his papers and other property on board, of the loss of what was due to him on the ship's books, and of being detained long before he could find an opportunity of getting homewhat was to be done? In his distress he applied to the English consul, but every expedient suggested by him and some others whom he consulted, misgave. After thus spending the remainder of Friday and the whole of Saturday in fruitless contrivances how to extricate himself from the embarrassments of his situation, the Sabbath came, on which he resolved, as much as possible, to bannish care and to commit himself to God. It was his custom when any enemy appeared, or when at any time he went ashore, to put his Bible in his pocket, that in any event he might not be deprived of the consolation which the perusal of it is calculated to afford; and on this occasion he remarks that he was so happy as to have along with him his dear companion, the Bible. Early on the morning, therefore, of the 15th of April, he retired to a forest which lay a considerable way out of town, on the road to Pisa, and spent the day in devotional exercises. He sung the sixty-third psalm, a psalm written in a wilderness, which, says he, gave me great comfort in my wilderness. He read the 102d psalm, which well suits the afflicted when he is overwhelmed and poureth out his complaint before the Lord. He engaged repeatedly in prayer and in meditation on God and the dispensations of his providence towards his people and himself in particular. As the day advanced the wind sprang up, and it began to rain. He took shelter from the storm in the trunk of a hollow tree, and standing within it, wrote the following lines, which are inserted, not for any excellence in the poetry, but because of the circumstances in which they were composed, and to show the temper of his mind on this trying occasion: THE CONFIDENCE OF THE SOLITARY EXILE. Written in a forest between Leghorn and Pisa, April 15, 1759 A stranger in a foreign land, I throw myself on thee: There's help on that almighty hand Upon thy power, Lord, I will lean; Thy power the hardest things can bring Oft have I seen thy former love: Still will I trust in thee; Thou canst not cease from heaven above Kindly to look on me. How to relieve thou always know'st, Thou art as wise as true; And what infinite wisdom plann'd Infinite power can do. Why doubt my Father's love, for though To me with kindness overflow, His word and ways each one. The world is thine, and every where I cast myself upon thy care, I on thy word rely. After the rain ceased, he drew nearer the city, and reclining on a bank, wrote a few verses; but the wind still blowing high, the evening growing chill, and he himself becoming faint, (for he had tasted nothing all that day but a draught of cold water, and eaten little the day before,) he returned to the city. Calling at a house to which he was kindly invited, he had not sat long before information was brought him that the English fleet had been driven back by contrary winds, and were arrived in the roads. Animated by this delightful but unexpected intelligence of an event which so evidently marked the care of Providence, he made all possible haste towards the shore. But it was late-it blew hard, and it was morning before he got abroad. As he rowed towards the ship, it fell calmer, the wind became fair, the signal for sailing was hoisted and within two hours after he entered the Portland, the fleet was under way with a fair wind and fresh gale. How ignorant are we of the gracious intention of events of which, at the moment, we are disposed to complain! The wind which chilled him and the rain which drove him for shelter into the trunk of a tree, were the instruments of his deliverance. "This interposition of Providence for me," he says, "was astonishing-that God should send a contrary gust of wind out of his treasures, and turn a whole fleet out of their intended course, for one poor worm, and whenever that end was accomplished, ordered a fair wind to blow, so that we were obliged to put back no more." It appears to have struck even the thoughtless sailors with surprise; for they hailed him as he approached the vessel, in their rough and irreligious manner, "Come along, you praying devil!" adding that the winds would not permit them to leave Leghorn without him. His first care was to acknowledge God. "I had pleasant reflections," he says, "in the sudden and sweet changes which Providence had made in my circumstances." The other day I was in a forest in Italy-solitary, left behind, and friendless; but now in my own ship, and already many leagues advanced on our intended voyage." Amidst the glow of gratitude which he felt for his deliverance, he wrote (April 18th) the following lines: "Awake each grateful thought, and sing The Lord's o'erruling hand: For thee concern'd the eternal King Heaven's hosts might well engross his care Yet strange! see him on earth prepare His way to bless a worm. At his command the billows swell, The winds impetuous blow, And veer about, and quick fulfil י |