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it became necessary to give him food in the night, he frequently requested the person who waited upon him, to read to him some passages of Scripture, when he received his refreshment.

His desire of being present at our morning family exercises was so great, that he requested to be brought down stairs in the arms of two servants, till within a few days of his death. Two days before that awful period, I happened to be near his bed in the morning when he was much oppressed with the cough, and rattling in his breathings, and I overheard him saying to himself, "These light afflictions, which are but for a moment, are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed." In the evening he was somewhat relieved, and sent for me to pray with him. Before prayer he spoke to me of the goodness of God to him in many instances, and added, "I have often prayed that God

would enable me to

which he saw best.

glorify him in that way

Why should I be sur

prised that he calls me to glorify him in this way ? He will work, and who shall let it?" The same evening he called his mother to him, saying, Come, mother, give me a kiss and your blessing; I value a father's and a mother's blessing."

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The day before his departure, the family met to have prayers in his room, which he seemed to enjoy. He made a sign to one of his sisters to draw back the bed-curtains, that he might see us all. During this day he underwent much bodily pain; and when apparently much distressed, was heard to say, God's will be done; patience is best." At another time," The conflict of death will soon be past." His sister, Mrs. D--, hearing him utter this last expression, said to him, Christ has gone before, and will support you;" to which he replied with great earnestness, I believe he will."

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In the evening he received the sacrament at his own request, as he had twice before since his confinement to the house; and, notwithstanding his extreme weakness, repeated some of the prayers along with the minister. He seemed to bear a remembrance of the solemn dedication which he had made of himself to God when he was a school-boy; and at a very late period of his life was heard to repeat in a low, though very pathetic, voice, that affecting sentence in the form which he had made use of, O God, look down with pity on thy languishing dying child."

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A short time before he expired, his youngest sister, seeing him suffer much, said to him,

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"You will soon be released;" to which he replied; Yes, I trust I shall by the mercy of God." Not long after this it pleased God to grant him his dismission from the burden of the flesh, when, I trust, he entered into the joy of his Lord.

ON THE

LAWFULNESS

OF

DEFENSIVE WAR.

THE situation in which our nation is now placed, makes the subject of war a matter of great importance. Leaving, however, to the judgment of politicians the necessity of our present contest with France, and to military men the proper mode of conducting it, 1 shall confine my observations to the consideration of its lawfulness as a defensive war. 1 write merely as a christian; and shall endeavour to discuss, in few words, this important question, IS DEFENSIVE WAR LAWFUL? Some persons may think this discussion to be a needless employment: but as we cannot be too careful in examining our conduct by the

laws of God, and as all who profess to acknowledge the authority of Christ are not agreed upon this subject, I trust your readers will not think their time misemployed in perusing a plain inquiry into this matter, as a question of duty.

Here it must be observed, that no inconvenience, arising from our obedience to the laws of God, must ever be allowed as a plea for disobedience. I shall not, therefore, lay any stress upon the inconveniences or sufferings which the principle of the unlawfulness of war might bring upon us. If war is totally and absolutely unlawful, under every possible circumstance, we ought patiently to submit to all the privations which might ensue from a state of non-resistance. We should give up, not only the comforts and enjoyments of life, but life itself, when it cannot be preserved without committing an act of disobedience to the moral law of God. If this is not our principle of conduct, we have no right to consider ourselves as the disciples of Christ. Let us, therefore, inquire whether we can consistently with that love to our neighbour, which the moral law of God requires, repel with force the invasion, or other aggressions, of our enemies.

The whole of our duty to our fellow-crea

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