himself to was far above his strength. In the evening he grew worse; the fever increased, and before midnight all hopes of his recovery were lost. He was fully sensible of his situation, and desired Mr. Oliver to call Mr. Small (who had lain down to take some rest) to his assistance, as he found he could not raise himself by the help of one, as formerly. He continued in this state till about the break of day, when the storm was changed into a calm. To the astonishment of those who attended him, he sat up in his bed, and said, "I am a dying man, and dying fast, but as to bodily pain I am free of it. I feel no more of this than you do, nor is there a man in Barnet who is more at ease than I am.* Did ever you witness any thing similar to this? Are you not also persuaded I am dying?" One of them answered, yes. "It is well, said he, I am not afraid to die." Mr. Goodwillie was now called up from his bed. When he and the family were come into the room, Mr. Beveridge said, he would pray once more with them bofore he departed. He then stretched forth his hands, and spoke as. fully and distinctly, and with as much composure as when in perfect health. With an audible voice he addressed the throne of grace, in behalf of the church of Christ in general, and the Secession body in particular,-his own congregation at Cambridge, especially the rising generation, his brethren in the ministry, Mr. Marshall in Philadelphia, and Mr. Goodwillie by name, that they might be supported under the trying providences they had met with in their flocks and families. He also prayed for them who had so faithfully attended him during his illness,-and having commended his soul into the hand of God who gave it, he concluded his pathetic and heart-melting prayer with these words, THE PRAYERS OF THOMAS BEVERIDGE ARE NOW ENDED; in allusion to what David says in the close of the 72d Psalm. After this he addressed the company that were round about him he exhorted Mr. Goodwillie not to give way to exces sive grief for the loss of his children, as he would eventually find this among the things that were working together for good. He thanked him and Mrs. Goodwillie for their great kindness shown to him in his illness; and desired him, when he wrote to Mr. Marshall in Philadelphia, to inform him, that he had not forgot him in his last moments. He addressed others in the company, according to the various trials which had passed * It is supposed that the physical cause of his feeling no pain, was, that his bowels were now mortified. over them, in which he discovered the most perfect recollection. After this he lay down, and desired that two persons might sit by him, one on each side, as he was apprehensive he would depart if he fell asleep: he then requested the rest of the company to withdraw. In the forenoon he lay very quiet, and declared he was perfectly at ease. In the afternoon he became worse, and took little notice of any person. He called for Mr. Goodwillie, and asked him if he knew what time the Son of man would come. He replied, he thought it would be the ensuing night about ten o'clock, or at farthest about cock-crowing. To which Mr. Beveridge answered, I know now; after which he lay still. In the evening he seemed to recover from the languor in which he had lain for some hours; and with an audible voice, as distinctly as if he had been in the pulpit, repeated twice that memorable passage, (Job xix. 25, 26, 27,) "For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand in the latter day upon the earth; and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me." These were the last words he spoke. After this he gradually weakened, till about ten o'clock, when he expired-without a sigh, without a struggle, and without a groan. Thus ended his days, one of the best of men, and a most eminent servant of Jesus Christ; and who was supported in his last illness with that consolation he had often given to others. (Psal. xxxvii. 37,) "Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace." He was called home to his Father's house, " to the general assem bly and church of the first-born," to be with Christ and his apostles and prophets, and the wise men of old, with the ancient martyrs and confessors of the name of Jesus; and has received the divine approbation of his Lord and Master, "Well done good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of thy Lord." His brethren in the ministry are very sensible of the loss they have sustained, in being deprived of his counsel and advice. He was sent to America at a time when his singular abilities were much wanted; and there does not appear to have been a man sent by the General Associate Synod, whose talents have proved more useful to the general interests of the religious body with which he was connected. He took an active part in stating the religious profession made by the Associate Presbytery of Pennsylvania, and had a principal hand in composing the public papers, which express their views concerning the faith of Christ. But amidst these and other avocations he did not neglect his flock; and his diligence among them was attended with visible success. They form now a very numerous, pious, and respectable body of people. They greatly esteemed their minister while he lived, and since his death have shown the most dutiful respect to his memory, by ordering a handsome monument to be erect ed over his grave in the church-yard of Barnet; and by making provision for his family. He has left a widow and five children, (the youngest of whom was born since his death) who very sensibly feel the loss they have sustained ;— but he often committed them unto the Lord, who will be faithful to his promise, in being a Father to the fatherless, and a Husband to the widow. To attempt to delineate the character of this eminent servant of Christ, would require one possessed of equal abili ties. He was critically acquainted with the holy scriptures, which he daily studied in the original languages. His distinct views of evangelical truth, rendered him always acceptable in his public discourses, to those who had any savor for the things of God: while his extensive acquaintance with the history, constitution, and order of the church of Christ, made him very useful to the Presbytery of which he was a member. He had a plentiful measure of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, which shone forth in his great humility, weanedness from the world, solemnity of carriage, and in his being a man of prayer, and always deeply impressed with a sense of the Divine Majesty. He was much favored with intimacy with his God: he frequently spent days, yea, whole nights, in prayer and wrestling with God. At sacramental times he slept little, and his conversation was very heavenly. He was ordinarily much countenanced in his ministry on such occasions. He was well acquainted with the writings of the Reformers, and with the rise and progress of the Reformation, together with the wonderful events of Divine Providence in bringing it about. Indeed, he was possessed of the same spirit with these eminent instruments, in the hand of God, for bringing about our glorious deliverance from the tyranny of Antichrist; and had nothing more at heart than the further reformation of the church of Christ in his own day. In one * "He had (says the Editors of the Christian Magazine) the satisfaction to see the church with which he was connected, spring up as from a tender shoot, till it became strong, and spread its branches through various parts of the United States of America." word, it may be said, that very few in this age possess an equal assemblage of gifts and graces, with as few imperfections, as Mr. Beveridge did. His body lies in the church-yard of Barnet, in the ground appropriated for the use of Mr. Goodwillie's family, and at the side of those two children who died of the same disorder with himself. On his tomb-stone is the following inscription: "In hope of a blessed resurrection, rests under this stone, the mortal part of the Rev. THOMAS BEVERIDGE, late minister of the Gospel at Cambridge, in the State of New-York, and member of the Associate Presbytery of Pennsylvania, He was born at East-side, Parish of Fossoway, and Shire of Fife, Scotland.-Ordained to the holy ministry at Edinburgh, in September, 1783, by appointment of the Associate Synod, with a view to a mission to North America, where he arrived the ensuing year, and was admitted to his pastoral charge in September, 1789; in which he labored with uncommon care and diligence, and his labors were crowned with visible sucHe came here to assist at the dipensation of the Lord's Supper, and departed this life on the 23d of July, 1798, in the 49th year of his age.(Rev. xiv. 13,) Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord, from henceforth; yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors: and their works do follow them.' (1 Thess. iv. 14,)Them that sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.' cess. "The Associate Congregation of Cambridge have caused this Sepulchral Monument to be erected, as a lasting memorial of their sense of his great worth, and their respect to his memory, which will be long held in remembrance among them." SERMON, BY THE REV. THOMAS BEVERIDGE. (Preached at Philadelphia, Oct. 31, 1788, at the "Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not." (2 Cor. iv. 1.) THE work in which they are engaged, who carry the Lord's message to his church, is great, and quite above mere human strength. They are ambassadors for Christ; and, being men compassed with infirmity, they seem very unfit for such an high office. They are employed to deal with enemies, as though God did beseech these by them; and as in Christ's stead to pray these, "Be ye reconciled to God." This proposal of peace is often despised; yea, they who in the Lord's name make it, are for his sake exposed to reproach, to suffering, and to death. "Behold," says Christ to his messengers, "I send you forth as sheep among wolves." If we act with a single eye, and with an upright heart, "serving God with our spirit in the gospel of his son," we may lay our account with much ill-will, and many sore thrusts to make us fall, among this adulterous and sinful generation. But, we must "endure hardship, as good soldiers of Jesus Christ." We are in the service, and under the care of a gracious master, who knows our frame, and will not lay upon us more than is meet; he hath said, "as thy days so shall thy strength be." "Lo I am with you alway, even to the end of the world." Therefore, seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not." The grace given to Paul, made him shine as a star of the first magnitude in the New Testament church. It may be said of the other apostles, that they did excellently; but he excelled them all. He was eminent in faith; eminent for his knowledge in the mystery of Christ; eminent in abilities for |