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REV. RICHARD GRIFFIN.

Comparatively little is known of the history of this young ambassador of Christ. He was born in the city of Dublin, Ireland; he experienced the pardoning mercy of God when about eighteen years of age, and made himself useful in his native country, as a sabbath school teacher, tract distributor, and local preacher.

Believing it to be his duty to devote his life to the sacred calling, and learning that this country afforded an extensive field of usefulness, he emigrated to the United States; and in 1849 was received on probation by the Troy Conference. In due time, having acquitted himself honorably in the several examinations prescribed by the church, he graduated to deacon's, and subse quently to elder's orders.

Ballston, Luzerne, Fairhaven, Winooski and Pittsford circuits were the scenes of his labors. He died at East Pittsford, Vt., July 1, 1853, aged 30 years.

He was unmarried, and the writer is not aware of his having any relatives this side of the waters that separate the old world from the new. Here, in a land of comparative strangers, to which he had come to preach the gospel of Christ, he found an early, lonely grave. No friend of his youth watched over him in his last sickness, or closed his eyes in death; but God was with him in his last conflict, and all was well. Of the home of his childhood and his early associations, nothing is known, save that a brother of his is a member of the Irish Wesleyan Conference.

Rev. L. D. Sherwood, who was his colleague on Luzerne circuit, speaks of his labors having been conducive to a gracious revival on that charge. He repre

sents him, as do others who knew him, as a pious, consistent, promising young man, and a good preacher. Rev. D. W. Daton, his colleague on Pittsford circuit, bears testimony to his worth and gives some account of the closing scene of his life." His religion," he writes, "was a steady flame, that warmed as well as enlightened. His sermons were always sensible and judicious, frequently discovering much thought and reading, and were addressed to the heart and conscience. The sickness that terminated his life was of short duration, and so severe as to prevent his leaving that transporting testimony which the departing Christian, under less acute suffering, is generally enabled to do. The writer had the privilege of visiting him almost every day. Generally, when I approached him, I found him engaged in prayer, and when interrogated about the state of his mind, he replied in strong terms, that Christ was precious. At a subsequent period, he said, "O, I thank God, I am happy!" His feelings overpowered him so that he could say no more. After this, his disorder was so violent, and his dissolution was approaching so rapidly, that my visits were useless to him, but they were not so to me. About eleven days after he was taken ill, he closed his eyes to earthly scenes, to open them in heaven."

There is something mournfully affecting in the thought of his being cut down so soon, and that too at a time when "the harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few." We are reminded that God's thoughts are not our thoughts, nor his ways our ways.

REV. DATUS ENSIGN.

BY REV. C. R. MORRIS.

He

This aged and beloved brother was born in Westfield, Mass., October 16, 1783; and died in Halfmoon, Saratoga county, N. Y., July 1st, 1853 in the 79th year of his age. From his early youth, he was the subject of religious impressions, and in his 17th year he was converted to God, and united with the M. E. church. received license to preach in 1803, and was employed by Rev. D. Ostrander, presiding elder of New London district to travel on Ashburnham circuit. In 1804 he was admitted on trial in the New York Conference and appointed to Dutchess circuit. The next year he traveled Petersburgh circuit. In 1806 he was ordained deacon by Bishop Asbury, and appointed to New Lebanon; in 1807 to Black River, and in 1808 he received elder's orders and was appointed to Albany circuit. During this year he was united in marriage to Miss Mary Winnegar, a person well fitted, by her piety and devotion to the cause of Christ, to share with him the trials and sacrifices of the itinerancy. Subsequently, he filled the following appointments, viz: Schenectady, Montgomery, Saratoga, Cambridge, Chatham, Pittsfield, Rhinebeck, Goshen, and Burlington. While on Goshen circuit, he experienced the blessing of perfect love. He felt it his duty as a faithful minister of Christ to preach on the subject of Christian holiness, and in so doing his own heart was moved to seek after it. After having earnestly sought this great salvation for some time, he was enabled, in the night season, while in bed, to lay hold on Christ by faith, as a full Savior, and he then

obtained the witness that the "blood of Christ cleansed him from all sin." He was so overwhelmed with a sense of the riches of grace, that he shouted aloud, and spent the remainder of the night in rejoicing and praising the Lord. In 1822, his health having failed, he took a superannuated relation, in which relation he continued for five years. In 1827, he resumed the effective work and traveled successively Berne and Saratoga circuit. In 1829, he was returned supernumerary, and located himself on a farm in Halfmoon, Saratoga county, N. Y., where he continued to reside until his death.

Brother Ensign, as a preacher, possessed effective gifts. He was earnest and pathetic. He was much beloved by the people whom he served, and his labors were usually crowned with success; revivals of the work of God were the common result of his ministry. The circuits he traveled were generally large, and the work very laborious; great sacrifices were required, and dif ficulties often beset his path, but our departed brother was unflinching in his integrity, and with a heart undaunted, he pursued the path of duty. Although he was naturally somewhat timid and hesitating, yet grace enabled him to be bold and heroic in the Redeemer's cause. An interesting incident, somewhat setting forth the man, and the men of his time, may here be related. On one occasion when on his way to conference, he fell in company with several of his brethren in the ministry, pursuing the same journey. It was proposed that one of them should preach a sermon to the rest, as a profit. able method of spending a portion of their time while traveling. This duty was assigned to brother Ensign. During the time, they passed a man working by the road-side, who, overhearing some passages of the sermon, was awakened, and afterward converted to God. Some years afterward, this gentleman learning who the

preacher was, wrote to brother Ensign, stating the facts, and informing him that he was then an exhorter in the Methodist Episcopal Church. Thus, in this instance, seed cast by the way-side brought forth fruit.

Brother Ensign was, in his external appearance, a very noble looking man. He was gentlemanly and kind in his behavior, and had a heart evidently formed for friendship. He was affectionate, courteous, and companionable, very fond of the society of his brethren in the ministry, and his modest and unassuming manners always rendered him agreeable.

Perhaps in no respect does the character of our departed brother, appear to so great advantage as in the relation he held to his family. He was the father of twelve children, one of whom died in childhood, and another, an interesting and pious daughter was cut down in the spring-time of life. As the head of his household, in his government and order, his example in many respects is worthy of imitation. He had stated hours for family worship, and he strictly required all the family to be present. For many years, he had weekly family prayer meetings, on Friday and sabbath evenings, when it was expected that all present who professed religion would take part in the exercises. Under the parental roof were his children educated in the practice of vocal prayer and religious activity. His Christian counsels and good example, his kind and affectionate carriage towards his family, were well rewarded in the early conversion of all his surviving children. The intelligence, amiableness, piety, and filial love of the children, together with the affectionate, and condescending bearing of the parents, rendered his family one of more than ordinary interest to all who became acquainted with them.

The health of brother Ensign had been evidently de

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