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OBITUARY.

DIED, on the 18th September last, JAMES TODD, in the 23d year of his age, eldest son of the late James Todd, of New Utrecht, Long Island.

In the character of this truly estimable young man, there were many traits which deserve recording. As God was pleased to make him an object of his redeeming grace, and to give him abundant testimonies of his love before He took him hence, a sketch of his character, and a short account of his experience and last moments, may prove useful and interesting.

In his temper he was mild, forgiving, and affectionate. Though possessed of quick sensibility and a strong sense of propriety, he was in a high degree forbearing and tender. To these he united a more than common share of good sense, and in the general tenour of his life, exhibited a love of virtue, a decency of deportment, with a gentleness and diffidence of manners, that, wherever he went, gained the esteem and affection of those around him.— But all these respectable and amiable qualities, could have availed him little in the trials which it was his lot to experience. The disorder of which he died, a consumption, had, for a considerable time before his death, given his friends frequent alarm, and may probably have afforded him some useful warnings of his approaching end, by preparing his heart and mind for the instruction and happy change he was afterwards to experience. With a view to the restoration of his health, he took a voyage to a warmer climate; but shortly after returned without succeeding in his object, and much reduced, owing to a violent illness with which it had pleased God to visit him while abroad. In the following autumn he projected another voyage, which,' however, a wise and kind Providence prevented. On the approach of the winter preceding his death, his disorder assumed a more alarming appearance, and gave reason to fear that no hope could be entertained of his recovery. Amidst the concern and anxiety of his friends, he was calm, although he appeared to be in some degree conscious of his situation. About this time he received a visit from a Clergyman of this city, which was greatly blessed to him in dissipating and removing the confused notions he had hitherto entertained of justification before God by any human and imperfect obedience to his holy law; and in affording him the first rays of the glorious light of the Gospel. During the winter, frequent evidences of the work of grace on his heart discovered themselves. The subject of religion became more interesting to him, and formed the great subject of his thoughts and conversation. His enfeebled body was sorely afflicted by his disorder; his mind was too much weakened to be actively exercised, and by far the greatest part of time was taken up in illness. But his progress, though slow, was certain-Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, he was gradually and tenderly disentangled from the toils of his enemies. The Lord graciously suited his dealings to the weak frame of this new-born child in Christ; and spared him much of that distress and anguish which is caused by the first views we have of our distance from God, and exposure to his wrath. A conversation which, he had with the Clergyman who first visited him about eight months before his death, was happily instrumental in clearing away many of the difficulties which remained on his mind. He now began to enjoy nearer and more precious views of the great and glorious salvation, wrought out by Christ; of the finished work of his Redeemer. He was

gradually enabled to lay hold by faith on the righteousness of Christ— brought into the liberty of the children of God-and made to taste of the joys of redeeming love. Of a change of heart, he gave the best evidences his situation could admit Although not permitted to enjoy the high and rapturous exercise, which it is the lot of the happy few among Christians to experience on this side the grave; and though he sometimes expressed fears that his repentance was insincere and only caused by the apprehension of approaching death, he was almost always blessed with a comfortable sense of God's love, of his union to Christ, and of his security in the ‹ Lord's faithfulness. It was his greatest delight to talk with his Christian friends, of Jesus, of his love, of the power of his grace, of his fulness. The bible, from being a sealed book to him became a rich and inexhaustable treasury of instruction and consolation, and he was often heard to speak of its inestimable value, and regret he had not sooner known its worth. No higher gratification could be afforded him than to hear some aged and experienced Christian friend speak on these most interesting subjects. With a truly child-like temper, and the most unaffected humility, would he listen, and in the small part of the conversation which he took, would afford pleasing evidences of the “unfeigned faith that was in lfim." He always expressed a deep sense of his unworthiness before God, and embraced with thankfulness and joy Christ as his only, his perfect salvation. He was enabled to give himself up entirely to the will of the Lord, and if he had any remaining desire of life, it was only for the sake of his mother and her young family, to whom he was tenderly attached. Although he languished for a long time, nearly three months before his death, on a bed of sickness, and frequently of severe pain, he was never heard to utter, and rarely ever to look a complaint. During the greater part of this time he enjoyed only short intervals of ease at night, which he made use of to hear the bible read to him, and to converse on that subject, of all others the most interesting to him, his hopes of a joyful entrance into the abode of everlasting peace and happiness. The 12th chapter of Hebrews was to him a precious portion of the word of God, in which the apostle produces as a proof of the Father's care and love, the needful chastisements bestowed on his children here. The 103d Psalm also was particularly grateful, as expressive of the humble and grateful feelings which God had implanted within him. In the near view of death, he blessed God for his merciful dealings in his past life; and said to a friend, who was sitting at his bed-side, " God touched me once with a sore affliction, and in the visitation said to me, My son, give me thy heart;' but I was rebellious, and would not again he touched me-still I was deaf to the call. Now a third time he has touched me; he has enabled me to hear him, and to give up myself to him." A few days before he died, he burst a blood-vessel, which added greatly to his pain, and hastened his end. He could not speak after this above a whisper, and rarely made the effort but to show his trust in the Lord, and to make mention of his goodness. To a friend at his bed-side he said, "My lamp is almost extinguished ;" and constantly showed the most perfect resignation and patience under his pain and distress, with the happiest views of his expected liberation from it.

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To a friend, who was speaking of the comfort and satisfaction of a dependance on the righteousness of our Lord, he said, "I should be wre.ched indeed in such a moment as this, if I had not a reliance on the merits of my Saviour-it is my only hope." Then turning to his sister, he said, "Why do you weep? say from the heart, as I do, thy will, O Lord, he done'-the Lord always does right;" and, pointing to his younger sisters, "Instruct

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these children-I hope to meet this little family in heaven." A friend, of whom he was taking leave, said, " I hope we shall meet at the feet of our Saviour." With as much emphasis as his weakness would permit, and with a look which expressed the firmness of his hope, and the joy it gave him, he replied, "I trust we shall."

On Sunday, the 16th Sept. in the night, while the cold hand of death was on him, and when his friends were expecting each breath would be his last, he revived and took an affectionate farewell of each one about him. To his mother, he said, " God will be the husband of the widow, and the father of the fatherless--put your trust in him." To one, who was sitting near him, he said, "You have always been a friend to my mother, continue to be so; she has been a blessed mother to me." Deeply impressed as he was with the necessity and importance of an interest in Christ, he could not refrain, while he had strength, to proclaim its value. He earnestly intreated, and left it as a last request to some young friends, that they would search the Bible, and seek an interest in the Lord Jesus. To one, who was receiving a last farewell, he added, "You have all that this world can give you, but what will that avail you in an hour like this, without an interest in Christ the Saviourseek an interest in this Saviour, and when you have received grace to do it, make a profession of your faith." To an aged friend, who asked him if he had no message for his Minister, he said, “ Tell him, that, under Providence, he was the instrument of awakening me, and convincing me of the truths of the Gospel." Something more he added, which could not be heard. After resting a little, he broke out into a fervent, though short prayer-" And now, O Lord, I thank thee for all the mercies thou hast so bountifully bestowed on me, thy unworthy servant. Thou hast reared me and brought me to this hour. I thank thee that thou didst bring me from a land of darkness, to a Christian land, and to my dear friends and relatives." He continued a little longer, but, from his extreme weakness, could not be understood until the last, when he said, "And now, O Lord Jesus, into thy hands I commit my spirit."His friends now thought he had spoken for the last time, but it pleased God to continue him in the land of suffering another day. On the morning of the 17th, he said, "I am like a weary traveller after a long journey, rejoicing at the prospect of home." Through the day he did not speak. At night, a friend asked him, if Jesus was still precious to him? He answered, " He is.” One repeated to him, " Jesus can make a dying bed, as soft as downy pillars are." He said, "I cannot speak, but I feel that I rest in Christ."-These were his last words. In the morning of the 18th, at 5 o'clock, he slept in Jesus.

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Atonement, Essays on,

Atwater, Rev. Pres letter from,

Augustine, no advocate for the jus divinum of Episcopacy,

32. 89. 196. 372. 431. 675

108
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Deluge, geological facts corroborating the Mosaic account of the,

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Letter from Concord,

186

Letter of the General Assembly on a Theological School,

460

Liturgy, origin of the Episcopal,

634-636

Livingston, Mrs. Eliza, Death of,

653

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