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agement of his temporalities, in order to avoid financial embarrassment. He was not distinguished as a scholar, but was abundant in labors, and God owned his efforts, by giving him seals to his ministry. As the head of a family he was greatly devoted to their welfare. He was also emphatically "given to hospitality." He was a man of great integrity and firmness in the discharge of his duty, both as a preacher and as a pastor. The following illustration of these virtues was communicated to me by an aged member of our conference. When on B―, circuit Vt., he occupied a house belonging to a prominent member of the church, who was a trustee, recording steward, and class leader. He possessed probably more property than all the other Methodists in the town where he lived, and his house had long been a home for the preachers. This brother entertained, however, very loose notions of the sanctity of the sabbath. One Sunday, after attending church, he yoked up his oxen and engaged in drawing in hay from a meadow adjoining the parsonage, and in the presence of the preacher. This was done in a pleasant afternoon, when his Congregationalist neighbors were gathering to hold a conference meeting in a school house near by.

So glaring an outrage on Christian morality, grieved the members of our society in the place, and deeply mortified their pastor. It was a wanton desecration of the holy sabbath, and greatly scandalized Methodism. Early the next morning, Mr. Eighmey called on him, but he justified his course. Again and again he labored to convince him of having sinned, but all in vain. The brother laughed at him for being so superstitious. Nothing remained but to call him before a committee for trial. The offending brother defied him, and said there was not a man in the society where he belonged

that would dare lift his hand to condemn him. But the preacher knew he was not confined to that particular society to obtain a committee; he would call in brethren from any part of the circuit over which he had the pastoral charge. He did so. To this course the brother objected, having good reason to fear the result. He therefore employed a celebrated lawyer to defend him, and invited all around him to be present, and see him "break down" the preacher.

When the time for trial arrived, he, his lawyer, and friends were early on hand. The school house was so filled, that it was with much difficulty the preacher and the committee could gain admittance. The trial was opened by prayer, and the brother was asked if he had any objection against any of the brethren appointed to try the case. His lawyer arose and objected to all of them, on the ground that they were not members of the class to which the accused belonged, and intimated that if he proceeded to try him before that committee, he would commence a civil prosecution.

Mr. Eighmey replied that he was proceeding according to the discipline and usages of the Methodist Episcopal Church; that when the accused united with the church, he agreed to abide by its rules, and if he violated them, he agreed that a committee of his brethren, living any where within the pastor's charge, should judge his case; so he read the rules of discipline, and remarked in his peculiar Dutch style, "Squire; you remind me of a Frenchman I conversed with a few weeks ago. I undertook to talk with him about religion, and he replied, I know nothing of your American religion, my religion is the Canada religion.' So I think, Squire, you know nothing of the Methodist law; you only understand the Canadian, or Vermont law."

The people all perceived that the Squire and his

client were lame, and set up an uproarous laugh; but the Squire rallied again, when Mr. Eighmey called him to order, and perceiving that nothing could be done in such a mob, he arose and said, "The trial is adjourned to meet immediately in a private room over the way, where none will be admitted but the accused, and his counsel, the committee, and the witnesses in the case." He immediately led the way to the place designated; but the case of the accused, with such an array of testimony against him, was so hopeless, that neither he nor his lawyer attended. The trial went on, and the offending brother was expelled.

With the external appearance of an honest Dutchman, and a real sincerity of heart, he combined a shrewdness. that was not a little surprising to those who were but superficially acquainted with him.

The following incident was communicated by Rev. A. A. Farr.

"I recollect attending a camp-meeting some years since in Brandon, when brother Eighmey was one of the preachers. He preached one evening from John iii, 16. 'God so loved,' &c. During the first part of the sermon he seemed somewhat embarrassed, but as he proceeded his heart warmed with his subject, and the good influence spread through the congregation. 'Brethren,' said he, in his quaint Dutch manner, I am glad that the presiding elder asked me to preach this evening, I preached on this same text one week ago last sabbath in the afternoon, and God Almighty converted two souls, and if he will convert two more to-night, I will preach on it again to morrow morning. In concluding his sermon, as he was exhorting the brethren, to come up to their privilege. O! said he, That God Almighty would rub his hand over his church, and make it shine like a new dollar."

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In his last illness, Mr. Eighmey was frequently visited by Rev. Joel Squier, to whom he expressed his resignation to the divine will, assuring him that death had no terrors. On the day of his departure he said to his friends," It is easy dying." He died at his residence in Duanesburgh, Schoharie county, N. Y., March 4, 1847, in the sixtieth year of his age.

REV. WILLIAM ANSON.

Father Anson belonged to a former generation. At the time of his death, he had been laid aside from the active duties of the ministry, about twenty-five years; so that he was but little known by either the preachers or people of the present generation.

His father, Mr. James Anson, was a member of an aristocratic family in England, and a student of Oxford. In early life he formed an attachment to a young lady, who, being below him in her circumstances, was sent to this country at the instigation of his father, with a view to prevent their marriage. Mr. Anson came to this country in quest of the object of his affection, but never succeeded in finding her. He is said to have been subsequently a secretary under Gen. Washington in the time of the revolution. Two of his sons, brothers of the subject of this sketch, fell in the revolutionary struggle.

William Anson learned in early life the carpenter's trade, and when about twenty-six years of age, went from the city of New York to assist in building a church at White Plains, where he became the subject of converting grace. The yellow fever, which was then pre

vailing in New York, was the means, under God, of leading him to reflection and repentance.

He joined the New York Conference in 1800, in company with Henry Eames, Henry Ryan, Samuel Merwin, and other pioneers of Methodism, and went to labor and suffer with Jewel, Sawyer, and their few associates, in the wilds of Canada, where he continued two years. The author of the Memorials of Methodism says, he "did heroic service in Canada, New York, and New England." The following account of his labors on his second charge is from the pen of Rev. Ward Bullard.

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"In June, 1802, the conference was held in New York city; to which he repaired, a distance of four hundred miles or upwards from his remote circuit, was ordained deacon, admitted into full connection, and ap. pointed to Grand Isle, a circuit then entirely new. He might have thought his appointment a hard one, and have been somewhat despondent, particularly when he was informed that the inhabitants of his circuit were a savage race.' He, however, was undaunted, and of the right age, being about thirty-four, to be qualified by vigor, both of body and mind, and maturity of judgment, to introduce the gospel into new ground. Conference was over. With his new credentials as deacon, and in full connection with his companions in toil, consecrated to the service of his divine Master, and with a heart burning with love to God and man, he mounted his steed and directed his course towards his distant charge. No steamer, car, or even stage, then existed through portions of his journey. The region in which his circuit lay, still possessed much of the rudeness and discomfort of a new country. There were no stately mansions with parlors, carpets, and sofas, to receive him; nevertheless, he found hospitality on his way, and if there were not all the refinements and delicacies that

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