58 persons; and with the exception of two infant children, who survived but a few weeks after their birth, there had been no burial in his white family since his marriage; except one daughter-in-law. He had been a practical believer in the Christian Religion for about fifty-five years, and a member of the Presbyterian Church about thirty-seven, and his life was a perpetual commentary on the sincerity of his faith. But few Christians, who have occupied private and humble stations in life, have had a more extensive and unbroken train of good works to follow them, in acts of charity and beneficence to the needy and helpless; none have been more anxiously concerned: for the promotion of the Redeemer's Kingdom than himself, in his own soul, in the hearts of his children and serv ants, and for its advancement through the world. And none have appeared to be more profoundly penetrated with á sense of human depravity and corruption, and of the purity and holiness of God's nature and law, or more explicit in 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 the Lord Jesus Christ. In the following Solemn Dedication, found after his death in his own hand writing, in a bundle of papers of a religious nature, folded up with a copy writen by himself, and endorsed "First signed about thirty years ago,” may be seen a correct delineation of his religious cha acter. DEDICATION. "Having had it in my heart to make this solemn surrender of myself afresh to God, which I have done several times before, and write and sign this covenant on the first day of the year, seventeen days ago, but being so much hindered, I take part of this 17th day of January, 1819, and hope by the grace of God to be enabled to do it acceptably. "O Lord God Almighty, the God of Nature and of all Grace, I do humbly acknowledge myself thine, though a sinner; my guilt is great, my fallen nature unspeakably vile, my state and condition in myself helpless.-1 have forfeited thy favour, provoked thy wrath, and exposed myself to eternal misery, to the just condemnation of thy holy law. "But O Lord, I have heard from thy holy word that there is forgiveness with thee; thou hast revealed thyself as the Lord, the Lord God, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in goodness and in truth; thou hast provided an all-sufficient, a suitable, and most compassionate Saviour, thou hast in him offered mercy, thou hast called sinners to return and live; I take the encouragement thou art graciously pleased to give, and come unto thee, O God, renouncing my numerous, aggravated sins of heart and of life: I renounce my own righteousness and strength, and accept of thy gracious offer, and humbly take thee, O Lord, to be my God: I take the Lord Jesus Christ to be my Saviour, my all wise prophet, my great atoning High Priest, and my all powerful King: I take thee, great God and Father of all, to be my Father reconciled through the merits of thine incarnate Son: I take thee, Holy Spirit, to be my sanctifier, my guide, to understand and apply thy blessed word of promise aright, so as to receive the comforts they may afford to my soul. I rely upon thy holy word, and plead thy faithful promises, O Lord. I give myself up to thee, to be thine, to be disposed of to thy honour and glory, devoted to thy service, to show forth thy praise forever and ever; especially thy prais es and glory manifested in the great work of redemption. "To thee I solemnly and deliberately dedicate myself, my soul and body; my soul, with all its powers of understanding, will and affections; my body, and all its members and senses; my time and talents, my whole family, children and servants; I give up to thee all my estate, all that I am and all that I have or possess. men, and Amen. Let all the Angels of Heaven say amen. A-m-e-n, O A-m-e-n, O my soul. A "Adoration, and praise, and thanksgiving, be unto the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, the one true and living God, for all his kindness shewed unto me, from my infancy to the present hour, for giving to me, his poor sinful rebellious creature, so many and such high privileges, more in number and greater in importance than my 'ongue or feeble pen can express, all flowing through the gift and merits of the great Saviour of sinners, to sinners, of whom I am the chief. Adored be God Almightly for the opportunity, capacity, and will, to make, write, and subscribe this covenant this 17th day of January, 1819. O Lord God Almighty, accept this transaction, sanctify, strengthen, and uphold me through life, and at death, by that faith which overcometh the world, and all sin and fear at death, and accept all that thy unworthy servant has done here to strengthen his faith, confirm his hope, and O grant that faith and love that casts out all fear through life and at death, and make happy the soul through or in eternity, for Jesus Christ's sake, amen and amen, in thy name I hope for acceptance while I subscribe myself, "JACOB FISHBACK." "Friday the 17th day of March, 1820.-This day, O Lord, I have set apart, to prepare my heart and soul by fasting and prayer to thee the Almighty, to enable me, by the aid of thy special grace, to make a full, hearty, and sincere surrender of myself according to the words and expressions of the within written covenant. And, O Lord, my most sincere petition is, what I daily beg for in the name, and for the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ, to be pardoned and sanctified, and delivered from the power and dominion of sin, and every error, from every evil and false way, and that I may be established in the favour of God, and be enabled to overcome the world, the flesh, and satan, and enjoy the liberty of God's children here, and an entrance at last among the sanctified in glory. O that I may be kept from the defilements of sin, and from dishonouring the true and living God here by temptation and transgression, but be enabled to honour him and the Lord Jesus and his cause, by a life of saving and true faith, hope and charity, while the short remains of my declining life shall be by his kind hand spared. "Here, Lord, I give myself away, "O my Heavenly Father, may all be granted through the obedience, and blood, and groans, and agonies, and death, and intercession of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, in whose presence I sign my worthless name. "JACOB FISHBACK." "P. S. O Lord, thou knowest that none of all my doings are relied on by me to move thee towards me, for thou art unchangeable, and I am ashamed of my best works, and renounce them all, and rely alone for accep} fance in thy sight upon the righteousness and atonement of the great Redeemer, of my person, and duties, and desire to praise thee for ever. Amen." "Sabbath, 18th of February, 1821.-I am this day left alone; all gone to Salem; I am afflicted with rheumatic pains. O Lord, enable me this day once more with my whole heart to subscribe this dedication, and be pleased to accept of thy unworthy, unprofitable servant, and his dedication, amen and amen. Lord Jesus accept of me for thy name's sake. Amen. "JACOB FISHBACK." "17th of March, 1821, Re-signed, "JACOB FISHBACK." "Sabbath, 2d day of September, 1821.—I am this day left alone, all gone to Salem to meeting, and being afflicted, in the 73d year of my age, am desirous to subscribe afresh this dedication, relying alone upon the Lord Jesus for acceptance with God. "JACOB FISHBACK." |