clining for a few years before his death; but the proximate cause of his death was a severe attack of dysentery, which soon wasted his little remaining strength. He suffered much, and in one week from the time of his attack he gently breathed his last.

In the early part of his sickness, he was afflicted with delirium, and in the latter portion of the time, he was unable to articulate, which allowed but a brief opportunity to his family and friends to learn the state of his mind in view of death; but he said enough to assure them that death was a conquered enemy. To his widowed daughter, who was almost constantly by his bedside, he said, upon her inquiring the state of his mind, he could adopt the language of Bishop McKendree, and say, all is well!" on another occasion, when his companion asked him if Jesus was precious, he answered, "O yes, he is precious, he is my all in all;” and on other occasions he expressed himself in language of similar import.

His funeral was attended by a large assembly at the Methodist Episcopal Church in Mechanicville, on Sunday morning, July 3d, where an appropriate sermon was preached by Rev. Tobias Spicer, on John xi, 11, followed by some remarks by Rev. Phineas Cook, and Rev. E. Chichester, who had been fellow laborers with him in his early ministry. His remains were then deposited in the village cemetry, there to remain until the resurrection morn.

PART THIRD.

CONTRIBUTIONS BY LIVING MEMBERS OF THE TROY CONFERENCE.

"All are yours; whether Paul, or Appollos, or Cephas."

THE FIRST COMMANDMENT WITH PROMISE.

BY REV. B. M. HALL.

"Honor thy father and thy mother; that thy days may be long."

This precept of the divine law begins, where charity is said to begin-" at home." It takes hold of the young intellect and affections, in order to give them a right direction and impulse. It begins at the fire-side, to form the mind, and impress the heart; as if all, in after life, would depend upon such early formations. And such, in general, is the case, as is shown by the great experiment.

The family is the republic, into which the child is first introduced; it is the church, where, as a catechumen, he receives his first ideas of religion. Here he begins his course of study, and preparation for his future active and responsible life. The parent is, at once, the school-master, the magistrate, and the minister of religion.

Obedience is an essential part of honor in this relation. "Tribute to whom tribute is due; honor to whom honor; fear to whom fear." The parent stands, for many years, in the place of God, to the child, and he must be obeyed. This is the Lord's own arrangement; and he imposes upon the child the duty of submission. Disobedience to parents is sin against God! But there is one limit; for while the parent is the law-giver, he is not, absolutely, the law-maker to the child. He must give the law of God; but must take heed that he makes no law which shall conflict with it. He is rather the

legislator; and is Children, obey your

expounder and executor, than the imself, "under law to Christ." parents in the Lord, for this is right." "In the Lord;" this is the rule; and within this limit the child is bound by the strongest obligation to obey, and the Lord will punish the transgressors! The commands of the parent are then the commands of God, and are clothed with all the sanctions of the divinity.

Respect and veneration are parts of the honor which should be shown to parents. It is difficult to describe, in writing, these virtues; but they will find ready utterances in a thousand ways, when they are cherished in the soul. They often exhibit themselves in the cheerfulness of obedience, and again in its promptness. Sometimes these virtues are seen in a cheerful yielding to the judgment of the parent, even when the desire sets in an opposite direction. On the other hand, what dishonor is shown when the child's own will, or pleasure, or opinion, is set in opposition to those of the parent; and only yielded after a war of words.

Parents are honored by the love and gratitude of their children. These affections are necessary, in order to secure the obedience and respect which have been mentioned. But there are other fruits which these choice vines will produce. They will secure sympathy in times of trouble and distress; and these will be continued through life; for their obligation will not end with the child's minority.

These affections will exhibit themselves in efforts to lighten any pecuniary burdens which may rest upon parents. Few parents are rich, because few persons are rich. The great majority must toil for support; and the child who keeps this divine law will delight to do all he can to aid in the general endeavor to secure all practical comforts with the least possible expense to the