applications from that quarter for mini- cumstances, there would continue to be sterial assistance to proinote the cause of a demand for Free Church ministers in their common Lord and Master. He those towns in England where Scotchmaintained that if the Church had done men were numerously located. He had her duty in days gone by, in making a personal knowledge, like Dr. Miller, spiritual provision for Scotchmen who of St. Andrew's congregation, and was were incessantly removing to settle in acquainted with most of its leading and the large towns of England, that Presby- most influential members, of whom he terianism south of the Tweed would have entertained a high opinion. No one would been in a more flourishing condition than more willingly bear testimony to the spirit it was at the present day. He thought of union which prevailed in the congreit every way desirable that the Free gation, nor to the courtesy and kindness Church should be well and efficiently which he himself had ever received at represented in England, especially in such the hands of their late minister, Mr. places as London, Liverpool, and Man- | Cowe. Allusion had been made to the chester. He knew of no congregation want of success which had attended the in either England or Scotland, which labours of some ministers who had rehad greater claims on the Free Church moved to England, but in most cases this than the one he represented. It had had been the result of an injudicious been severely tried, and had met with selection. He had no fear but that Mr. many disappointments, yet had the people Isdale would prove a blessing to the conkept well together, which he looked upon gregation calling him, and do honour to as at once the best proof of union and the the Free Church of Scotland, should she surest test of principle. It had been said, send him, as he trusted she would, to be Why did they not look out for a probationer? | the minister of St. Andrew's Free Church, but he thought that they acted wisely and Manchester. Mr. Isdale, then, in a very were fully justified in seeking to obtain solemn and deliberate manner, stated, the services of an experienced minister, that “after much prayerful deliberation, such as Mr. Isdale, and besought the and in the light which he trusted had Synod to sanction his translation as calcu- been given to him, he felt that he could lated to advance the best interests of the not decline the call, and that he believed Free Church itself.

the finger of Providence was pointing to Mr. Couper, on behalf of the Presby- Manchester as his sphere of labour." tery of Kirkaldy, urged, in justification of Mr. Cairns, of Cupar, acknowledged the its judgment, the statement of Mr. Isdale sin of omission of which the Church at himself, as, in his opinion, undecided, the home had so long been guilty in neglecting uncertain tenure of the Church in which the spiritual interests of her children in the congregation of Invertiel worshipped, England (the bitter fruits of which he had and the injury likely to result to a numer- witnessed at the disruption, to her own ous and attached congregation, by an loss), and entered into a statistical stateinjudicious disruption of the pastoral tie. ment of the proportion of his countrymen Mr. Jamieson followed on the same side, in London attending ordinances, which and adopted a similar line of argument. showed an intimate knowledge of the

The Commissioners from Invertiel were subject. He expressed the fullest confiheard on behalf of that congregation, and dence that Mr. Isdale (whom he had their principal reasons had, of course, been known from his youth) would not fail in anticipated by the two preceding speakers, securing to himself a large congregation, after which Mr. Wilson, of Dundee, on wherever, in the good providence of God, the part of the Manchester congregation, his lot might be cast, and moved that the made a powerful speech in reply. He judgment of the Presbytery be reversed, maintained that so far from the Free which was seconded by Mr. M. Magill Church being herself weakened by the Crichton. Thereon Mr. M'Gillivray, of removal of a few of her ablest ministers Dairsie, tabled a counter motion, admitto England, that the very reverse would ting that if the call had been from a conhold true. He highly approved of the gregation in the Free Church, he would establishment of a college in connexion have felt bound to vote for the translation. with the Presbyterian Church in England, This was seconded by Mr. Burnside, and and heartily wished it all manner of suc- on the roll being called, and votes equal, cess, but the Synod must remember that the Moderator declared in favour of Mr. it could not produce ministers in a day or Cairns's motion. a year, and further, that, under any cir

THE ENGLISH

PRESBYTERIAN MESSENGER.

is. 'n

' BIOGRAPHY.

THE LAST DAYS OF A DEPARTED BROTHER. Most of the sketches which have appeared that it were accessible to readers beyond in this department of our magazine have the immediate circle of friendship. been memoirs of ministers. For this pre- And, now that the writer's attention ponderance of clerical biography there are has been called to it anew, he has kindly several obvious reasons, the most obvious consented to let it appear in our pages. being the fact that ministers are public Any scruples which he felt he has alcharacters. The life of a faithful pastor is lowed to be countervailed by the hope the life of a congregation: his biography of its usefulness ; and earnestly do we should be the memoir of many mem- join in his desire that it may be the bers. At the same time, we are glad that means of endearing, to young men more a desire has been expressed for more especially, that Saviour who irradiated variety in this department, and we shall this closing scene with peace so holy and endeavour from time to time to meet it. comfort so divine. Although printed

A few of our London friends still retain from the rough copy presérved at the in affectionate remembrance the brother time; and, although rapidly written on of one of our office-bearers who briefly the eve of a dear brother's funeral, if our sojourned among them. He was a young readers share our own feelings, to any man, tall and handsome, and with that more elaborate memorial they will prefer combination of elevation, openness, and the unstudied effusion of fraternal affection. gentleness in his disposition which pre- The apprehension which the son expossessed the stranger and endeared him pressed regarding his father was soon to to acquaintances. But already a disease be fulfilled. Two months afterwards,-in for which there is no remedy had grasped March of the same year,-he sank under his manly frame, and, not to cure the con- an illness commencing with a slight atsumption, but to escape the severity of tack of apoplexy. And his own near winter, he sought a retreat on the southern departure was impressed on the mind slopes of Ventnor. Even there, the malady of Mr. G., sen. On hearing of his son's made rapid progress, and that they might decease, he said that he needed not be somewhat “ filled with his company” to lament much for him, as he should before he was finally taken from them, soon follow him. The letter now pubhis brothers hastened to his dying cham lished reached him on a Sabbath morning. ber, from different parts of the country. He was both affected and greatly comTwo days after his departure one of them forted by its perusal ; and during wrote to their aged father a full account his few remaining days adverted to of what there transpired during the three the good it had done to him. May its closing weeks. We had the privilege of appearance now be accompanied with perusing the narrative when the events God's blessing to those who are rejoicing were comparatively recent, and wished in the days of their youth; and may our No. 30.-New Series.

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honoured friend, the author, find abund-/ On the forenoon of the 9th instant, he antly recompensed to himself and to his asked for a slate, on which he had been family the care which he is daily taking | in the habit of writing previous to my for all our Churches.

arrival, and after the first alarming symp

toms in the chest had appeared. He My dearest Father,—My letter of the stated that he wished to write a letter to 20th instant conveyed to you the mourn- me explanatory to his other brothers and ful intelligence of the death of my dear sisters of certain arrangements in his brother John, and as then promised I Will. I said that I thought he had betshall now proceed to give you some fur- | ter not trouble himself about the matter, ther details of his last days, believing that as I was sure every one would be quite such will be not only interesting, but, ty satisfied with what he had done, and that the blessing of God, profitable to you and I doubted not I should be able to afford others of his surviving relatives.

any explanation that was requisite. Until On my arrival here about mid-day of this time he had never mentioned to me Tuesday, the 31st ultimo, I found that my that he had made his Will, though I had poor brother had that morning again no doubt of the fact, as previous to going ruptured a blood-vessel, and had a severe to Brighton he had delivered a sealed return of hemorrhage; he was, in conse packet to me, which he requested I would quence very weak, and had been pro- | lock up. hibited from speaking aloud by his He proceeded to write the letter, medical attendant, Dr. Martin. I saw which begins as follows:-“ My dear him immediately, however, and found | Alexander, -I proposed addressing a lethim in a very tranquil state of mind. On | ter to you when I came here, but, alas! my entering the room his feelings over delay, which causes so much evil in the came him for a little, but he soon re world, has prevented me.” The letter gained his composure. He inquired for he requested that G. would write out, my family, but evidently avoided any | after which he would sign it; this G. reference to topics likely to excite him. did the same evening. In the afternoon he referred to the About eight o'clock on the morning great kindness and unremitting attention of Friday the 10th, G. called me in of his brother G., and in doing so was haste, the bleeding having returned, and melted to tears. For some days after we were under great apprehensions that this the alarming symptoms gradually this would prove a fatal attack. Dr. disappeared, and lie somewhat improved | Martin attended promptly, and resorted in strength; he took little or no interest to the best remedies that skill could sugin worldly matters, but was very much gest, but he also greatly feared the result. engaged in reading the Scriptures, espe As soon as poor John could give utterance ciałly the fourteenth, fifteenth, sixteenth, he began to pray; and the bleeding and seventeenth chapters of St. John's gradually subsiding, he spoke of you, Gospel, from which he stated that he had his brothers, sisters, and other friends, derived great consolation, and he particu- | with the greatest affection, and of his larly referred on one occasion to our Lord's probably approaching death with the intercessory prayer for his disciples; he utmost composure. He referred to the also finished the reading, I think on the frailty and mortality of man, and said, as 8th instant, of a small book, “Religion he more than once did afterwards, “ Man and Eternal Life," of which he spoke was made to glorify God, but oh, how he highly.

has forgotten the great end of his being;" One night when I was with him, he and, again, “Oh, how sad it is that man, expressed his great satisfaction that he the poor potsherd of the earth, should had not been sent abroad, and that by rebel as he does, against his Maker !" coming to this place he had some of those He afterwards asked for the letter about him that he loved; that the people which he had given directions about were very attentive, and that he had the day before, which he carefully read found Dr. Martin and the Rev. Mr. Cole- over and signed; previous to which I man extremely kind. The latter had asked him if there was anything further called soon after my arrival, but John that he wished to give directions about, was then too weak to see him; he had that we might avoid a recurrence to such called more recently, when he read and matters, and that his mind might be more very beautifully expounded the forty-first at ease. He said that there were a few Psalm, and prayed.

friends to whom he thought of leaving a