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deceived!' He said little about his feelings: I am a great sinner, but Christ is a great Saviour.' 'I have not the ravishing views which some have had, but I enjoy perfect peace.' 'The heart is very deceitful, but I trust I am not deceived; I have no fear.' At eight o'clock in the evening he fell asleep in Jesus."

Monograph on Dr. Nettleton.

ASAHEL NETTLETON was born in North Killingworth, Conn., April 21, 1783, of humble parents. His father, a farmer in moderate circumstances, was esteemed and respected by his neighbors. Both parents were professors of religion, on the Half-way Covenant plan (i. e., on their assent to the covenant of the church-though not admitted to the Lord's tablethey were permitted to present their child for baptism.) There had been for half a century a great religious dearth in New England. But now the Spirit of the Lord was poured out in a copious manner. In connection with a published account of the awakening in North Killingworth, the cases of two or three converts, as described by themselves, were printed, and Nettleton was one of them. "It was about ten months from the time when Mr. Nettleton's attention was first seriously turned to the subject of religion before he obtained peace in believing. With him, what the old divines termed the law work,' was deep and thorough. This protracted season of conviction gave him a knowledge of the human heart which few possess, and which was doubtless intended by God to prepare him for that preeminent success which attended his labors as a minister of Christ." In the year 1801 the father of Mr. Nettleton died, and as he was the oldest son the care of the family devolved on him. While expecting to spend his days on the farm his mind was actively reflecting upon the condition of lost sinners in the world. When at work in the field, he would often say to himself, "If I might be the means of saving one soul, I should prefer it to all the riches and honors of this world." He would frequently look forward to eternity, and put to himself the question, "What shall I wish I had done, thousands and millions of

years hence?" Samuel J. Mills and Asahel Nettleton were born on the same day. It is a remarkable fact, that their new birth occurred very nearly at the same time, that their convictions were similar, and from the commencement their consecration of the same peculiar cast. Nettleton resolved, under the strong pressure of these convictions, to seek an education. While laboring on the farm, he devoted leisure moments to study, reciting occasionally to his pastor, in the winter teaching school, and employing his evenings on studies preparatory to the college course. Thús, in two or three years, he accomplished his plan, and entered the Freshman class of Yale College, in 1805. At that time he was the only professor of religion in his class. In the winter of 1807-8, a revival of religion began in New Haven and Yale College. He was most active and helpful, and especially sought for by those under conviction, for his experience and wise counsels. He believed, that sinners, properly speaking, never use, but always abuse the means of grace-that in all their efforts to escape future misery and secure future happiness, they are influenced by unholy motives, and that their services are mercenary and sinful. In this opinion, which to him appeared to be clearly taught in the Scripture, he was greatly confirmed by his own religious experience. While under conviction of sin, he had such discoveries of his own heart as to impress indelibly upon his mind a conviction of the entire sinfulness of the religious services of unrenewed men. There was no one point in theology on which his mind was more fully established than this; or one on which he more strenuously insisted during his life, both in the pulpit, and in his conversation with awakened sinHe considered it a point of great practical importance, and particularly useful in destroying the self-righteous hopes of sinners, and in showing them their lost condition, and entire dependence on the grace of God. This was a weapon which he wielded with great power, and which seemed, in his hands, preeminently "the sword of the Spirit."

ners.

I have quoted somewhat at length, this statement of his early and established foundation in the truth, because it is the key; not only to his wonderful mission during the ensuing

twenty-five years, but the main ground upon which he became so strenuous and active and successful in laying the foundations of this School of the Prophets fifty years ago.

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During the junior year in Yale College, Nettleton became acquainted with Samuel J. Mills, who had come to New Haven for an interview with him, having heard from a mutual friend that he intended never to be settled, but to be a missionary to the heathen." They compared views and consulted together concerning their future work in Foreign Missions. They "entered into an agreement to avoid all entangling alliances, and to hold themselves in readiness to go to the heathen, whenever God, in his providence, should prepare the way. They also formed the purpose of meeting the next year at Andover, and while pursuing their theological studies, to mature their plans of future action. This purpose, Mr. Nettleton found himself under the painful necessity of abandoning, on account of a debt which he had contracted, while obtaining his education; and which he wished to discharge as soon as possible. He felt the disappointment deeply. Soon after graduation he accepted the office of butler in College, held it for a year, and devoted what leisure time he could command to theological studies. After that he put himself under the instructions of Rev. Bezaleel Pinneo of Milford, with whom he remained until licensed to preach, by New Haven West Association, May 28, 1811.

It is well known that in 1810, Messrs. Judson, Nott, Mills, and Newell, at that time members of Andover Seminary, presented themselves before the General Association of Mass. in Bradford, and made known their convictions of the duty and importance of personally attempting a mission to the heathen, and requested the advice of the Association, and that this movement led to the formation of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions. Had Mr. Nettleton fulfilled his plan of going to Andover, doubtless he would have been one of that company. When he heard what had been done, he lamented with tears that he could

not have been there. He feared that Providence thus indicated that he should not enter the foreign field. He still, however, cherished the purpose, and did not abandon wholly the hope, till the failure of his health in 1822. After his license to preach, on account of the above intention, he declined to be a candidate for settlement in the ministry, and commenced his labors in some waste places and desolate parts of the Lord's vineyard. His labors were crowned with signal success. Wherever he went the Spirit of God seemed to accompany his preaching. His brethren in the ministry, seeing these extraordinary results, advised him to delay his purpose of leaving the country. Acceding to this advice, it became increasingly apparent, that a great work was needed in the churches at home, and that his labors as evangelist were especially owned of God. Accordingly he was ordained as an evangelist in the summer of 1817, by the South Association of Litchfield County.

"In the year 1820, the General Association of Connecticut appointed a committee to take into consideration the subject of increasing ministerial labor in the several congregations of their body. They invited Mr. Nettleton to meet with them, and requested his opinion as to the expediency of introducing and supporting an order of Evangelists. He gave it, as his opinion, that it would be inexpedient to introduce and support such an order. He foresaw the evils that would be likely to grow out of the system, if it were made permanent, and they were the very evils which afterwards arose in some parts of the country, extending their baleful influence to the present time.

From 1812 to 1822 Mr. Nettleton labored in revivals in different parts of this State and often in waste places, with great power from on high, and with the result of the conversion of many precious souls. An account of his work written in 1817, says, "The doctrines taught are those considered as the grand leading truths of the Gospel, viz.: the strict spirituality of the moral law-the total depravity of the natural heart-its enmity to God-the necessity of regeneration by the Holy Spirit—an entire dependence on the merits of Jesus

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