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and advantage flowing from those meetings led him there. In these Conventions, religious services were daily and almost hourly conducted in all the houses of worship of the town in which the Convention was held. All the members of the Church throughout the state who could attend, made it an object to be present. The Churches of all denominations were freely offered to the use of the Episcopal clergy, who have been in that state distinguished for their union in evangelical principles and preaching. Strong and universal feeling upon the great concerns of religion was produced, and much spiritual good was always accomplished at these meetings by their instrumentality. For these last years of the life of Dr. Bedell,

instant refuge in the bosom of the Saviour! Heaven, he would tell you, is richly worth your utmost efforts, and no sacrifice of worldly pleasure or gratification can be too great in a cause so important as your soul's salvation My beloved brethren hesitate no longer, I beseech you. Time is on the wing; to-morrow may be too late; now is the accepted time, this is the day of salvation.

"Finally, I cannot close my subject without returning my sincere thanks to the Vestry of this Church, and to his unwearied physician, for their kindness to my beloved nephew. Your attention to him during all his bodily indisposition, reflects the highest honour upon you as a congregation. Your attention to his memory since his decease, proclaim, in language which cannot be misunderstood, the ardency of your attachment to him and to his family. The cypress in which this sacred temple is clad, conveys to the passing stranger the estimation in which he was held, and speaks volumes in favour of the love you still entertain for your departed pastor.

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May the Almighty, my brethren, direct your attention to a suitable successor, and provide you with a faithful shepherd. Finally, my beloved, in the words of the Apostle I bid you for a season an affectionate farewell. Be perfect; be of good comfort; be of one mind; live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you."

his whole character seemed to be maturing for a better country. He was daily growing in sweetness of temper, meekness of spirit, humility and love, in preparation for his eternal rest. Each year, and almost each month, seemed more likely to be his last. And his concerns were so arranged, and his labours so devoted, as a man who had not long to live, as to accomplish the utmost possible amount of benefit for others, and to leave the least undone for himself. The following letter from the Rev. Dr. Aydelott, of Cincinnati, to Mrs. B., exhibits but one instance out of the multitudes of the same description, of the impression which his loveliness of character and meekness of spirit produced upon those who knew him best.

"My dear Madam,

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Though I have been so long, and so far away from Philadel phia and the many kind friends there, yet be assured I do not feel the less interest in them. And among the pleasant hours of the past that steal across my memory, none come so acceptably as those I spent in your own blessed family. I say blessed, for I doubt not you are blessed in yourselves, and I trust that I found many bless,ings among you. How many precious lessons did my dear brother, now in glory, teach me of suffering affliction, and of pa tience!' Did not his whole example speak most touchingly? If he was eloquent in the pulpit, it was far more instructive and affecting to be with him, and see him in the suffering and labours that daily came upon him.

"I shall never forget a reply he once made to me. I came in the room and found him as usual reclining on a settee, quite feeble and languid; he kindly asked me how I was? I answered, 'perfectly well.' In that touching tone, indicating a heart faint,

under the burden of life, and yet meekly submissive, he replied, 'I never know what it is to enjoy an hour's health!' There was an inexpressible moral beauty in his countenance and manner as he spoke, the expression, I presume, of those subdued natural feelings, and deep, pious emotions, that were mingling in his bosom. A thousand times has this whole scene recurred to me. Very often have I spoken of it to others, and the Lord grant that it may be more and more sanctified to do me good. I would 'heartily thank him for the good example of this his servant, who, having finished his course in faith, now rests from his labours.

"I can scarcely, my dear friend, condole with you in God's afflictive dispensation towards you, there was such brightness in the cloud. What a life! What a death! Surely you can never be sufficiently grateful for God's goodness in permitting him to remain so long with you at the expense of such toil and suffering on his part; and for the hope he has given you of meeting him in that place where God shall wipe away all tears.'

"My little ones often speak with great pleasure of 'Mr. Bedell and the Sunday school.' The Lord grant they may never lose the good impressions there derived from his faithful servant.

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Affectionately, your Brother and Servant."

Our sketch of this holy and valued man has been brought now, in its principal facts and circumstances, near to the close of his life. Upon the few last months, and weeks, and days, which he spent upon the earth, we would dwell more particularly, not only as desiring to gather up every fragment which may remain of him, that if possible nothing may be lost; but also as unwilling to separate from the circumstances, even though so painful, which showed him to be still among us.

In the winter of 1834, his health began very sen

sibly to decline, and it was apparent to all his friends that his days on earth were soon to be numbered and finished. He was much confined to the house, and unable to undertake more than the occasional discharge of public duty through the succeeding spring. Early in the warm season he removed with his family to Bristol, Pa., where he found the retirement and quietness which he so much required, and from whence he paid occasional visits, by water, to Philadelphia. His physician had now ceased to encourage him with hope of life much longer protracted, though in the hearts of some of his nearest friends, there was still sometimes the lingering expectation of his restoration. While at Bristol, in the month of June, he took the short journey to Elizabethtown and Newark, N. J., which has been already referred to. In reference to this journey and to the circumstances which subsequently occurred to him through the short remaining period of his life, we are permitted to present some extracts from an account written by Mrs. B. for one of Dr. Bedell's sisters, at her request, soon after his decease. In the introduction of these extracts, which seem so much to open the retirements of private scenes, and which were never designed to come in any way before the public eye, the writer of the present sketch feels bound to say, that they have been granted only to his earnest solicitation, and his decided judgment that they were of great importance to him in finishing a proper account of the lamented object to whom

they refer, and would be valued with deep interest by those for whom this memoir has been prepared. Speaking of the visit to Elizabethtown, Mrs. B. remarks:

"This journey proved to be, in connexion with some previous circumstances, a most providential event to me. My views of his disease were entirely changed; whether they were now correct or not, the effect was the same. My sinking hopes were raised and I was enabled to pass through many a trying scene, under which, without the buoyancy of hope, I must have sunk. Among other things which produced this effect, were the knowledge we obtained of the longevity of the family, their singular exemption from consumption, combined with the similarity of symptoms between the case of your dear brother and persons who had been very low with dyspepsia, and then the actual visit from several individuals, then in perfect health, who had been raised almost from the verge of the grave with the same disOne case, you will recollect, of a gentleman advanced in life, who had been confined seven years, and who had perfectly recovered, and for years enjoyed uninterrupted health.

ease.

"About this time the efficacy of the waters at Bedford being very much spoken of as instrumental in effecting astonishing cures of dyspepsia, and having experienced the benefit invariably derived from travelling, I felt it my duty to urge him to take the journey, particularly as I found his health declining, and that nothing more was to be expected from medical aid.

"Many, many times has my heart sunk within me when I beheld his wasted form and feeble step, but it stimulated to more intensity of purpose in the determination to undertake the journey, and make a last effort to prolong his valuable life, believing it in all cases a duty never to cease our efforts until life is extinct. The journey of two hundred miles was a terrific undertaking, but God is every where, and will not forsake his children when they

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