But with what language shall I strive to paint The six day's labour, with its cares gone by, To gild this peaceful, this devoted hour, As c'er my mind the dear remembrance stole, And say, ye thoughtless! 'midst your scenes of bliss, Your midnight revelry, your gay career, If ever joy, exquisite, pure as this, Was felt by you-was sent your hearts to Methinks I see them at the op'ning dawn And then, eternity! that boundless range! Their callous hearts, new-moulded, now appear; And these are they of whom my song would tell. These are the souls who on those precious days, cheer? Ah no! methinks you have denied the name Your breasts unhallowed, must forever be Say, what shall solace? what your spirits cheer? How dread the prospect that before you lies! No cloudy pillar shall your footsteps guide! Surround their Bethels-hear each wrestling cry, Not more melodious were those hallowed strains, sung. They sang of Diety but just unveil'd; [To be continued.] OBITUARY. DIED lately, in Philadelphia, Mr. Charles Wilson Peale, aged 85, the founder of the Philadelphia Museum, and father of several sons, the ingenious followers and lovers of the sciences, and fine arts. At the Missionary station at Upper Sandusky, Between the Logs, the celebrated converted Indian Chief, of the Wyandot tribe, who was in the city of New-York in July last, and whose addresses will be remembered by those who at tended the last anniversary of the Female Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church. On Tuesday morning, the 20th Feb. at his late residence in Trenton, N.J. the Rev. Burgis Allison, D. D. in the 74th year of his age. For many years he acted as Principal of an Academy in the village of Bordentown. In this Literary establishment he was eminently useful, by sending forth a number of accomplished young men, some of whom have since been called to dignified stations. At Amboy, New-Jersey, on the 4th of March, the Rev. Dr. Amzi Armstrong, aged about 62.He was formerly pastor of the church at Mendham, and latterly Principal of the Academy at Bloomfield. He is the author of Lectures on the Book of the Revelation. Errata. Owing to an error, arising out of circumstances which need not now be explained, the item of Religious Intelligence respecting an ordination in p. 383 of vol. i. was also inserted by the Printer in p. 387. In p. 384, vol. i. in the 5th line of the 4th stanza of Amanda's poetry, read In dust are laid." In p. 16, vol. ii. first column, strike out at the same moment. Page 21, vol. ii. second column, line 34th from the top, for see read smell. A MEMOIR OF THE REV. ARCHIBALD | advantage; and from which he gives LAIDLIE, D. D. LATE ONE OF THE abstracts and skeletons,) that distinguished and most faithful minister of Christ was intended. It is evident that under the ministry of Mr. W. and a certain Mr. A-, he reaped much Christian knowledge, and insight into the human heart, and cha racter. Dr. Laidlie was a native of Kelso, (in Scotland,) an ancient town of Roxburgh county, situate on the north side of the river Tweed, opposite the mouth of the Tevoit; and about 41 miles south-east of Edinburgh. He was born on the 4th of December, 1727.* He received his Academical education in his native town; and not much display of science; there is afterwards passed the usual course of studies for the holy ministry in the University of Edinburgh. The experiences and practical views of the Christian which Dr. Laidlie has recorded of himself, in a Diary begun by him before he was twenty-two years of age, are remarkable and truly interesting. There is not a laboured exhibition of polemical knowledge; there is not a fine polished style, or a flowery dicLittle is known of his early life.- tion; there is no affectation of granThe first Diary which is found in his deur, nor declamation, the striking hand writing, begins in the winter of characteristics of the youthful stu1749. And I conjecture that he must dents, and young preachers of our have attended the ministry of the day. Dr. Laidlie has evidently taken Rev. Mr. Walker, of Edinburgh; at least I conjecture that by Mr.W, (from whose discourses he reaped so much * The Rev. Mr. Richard Varick Dey, Pastor of the Church of Greenfield Hill, (Con.) in his pathetic discourse, delivered in the Middle Church, June 12, 1825, on the death of Mrs. Laidlie, his grandmother, has, by a mistake, probably of the Printer, made Dr. Laidlie seven years older. He dates his birth in A.D. 1720, (p. 25,) instead of A.D. 1727. Dr. Laidlie, in his early Diary, under date of Dec. 4, 1749, says, "This day, I am twenty-two years of age." VOL. II.-5. a very different view of the subject. In entering on the study of Theology, he did not view it as a theory to be learned by an effort merely of the intellectual powers, as a youth would a code of civil law-a theory with which the mind is to be richly stored, that it may merely be in a favourable condition to attack and defend a favourite scheme with advantage and honour to itself; to overthrow an antagonist; or to flourish as the popular preacher of a year or two. Dr. Laidlie evidently felt that in the doctrines of the gospel he had the deep est interest himself. He is evidently | tical, and heart-searching preachers of as anxious to have his heart imbued his day. And in looking over a large and leavened thoroughly with the saving influence of the gospel, as he is anxious to have his mind schooled down under the pure and perfect doc trines of the Cross. Every portion of these doctrines which are set before his vigorous mind, with their evidence and argument, he is anxious to feel in their heavenly and purifying efficacy in his heart. When he pursues an argument which has convinced his judgment, he is anxious to feel it in his conscience. His youthful mind had assumed the fact as of vital collection of his sermons, and skeletons of sermons, put into my hand in the most courteous manner by his honoured relative, this struck me as his prominent characteristic. His taste led him to no profound discussions. His amiable disposition kept him away from angry polemicks. He brings forward the pure doctrines of Christ with evidence brief and clear. Heestablishes his point; he marks out extremes; he exhibits errors, he cautions, reproves, advises, comforts. And, as is evident from the long and importance to his comfort, that theo- pungentsorrows of his own mind, be ry and argument must be duly blended with their practice; that to make an argument or a persuasive address, whatever be the doctrine of the gospel to which it is directed-to tell on the heart of his audience, it must come from a heart warmed with a sight and a feeling of the loveliness and inestimable worth of the truths of the gospel; that to convince others, you must yourself have felt the overbearing force of conviction; that to lead men to Christ by the exposition of doctrine, and the offers of the gospel, you must show, in your earnestness, and deep emotions, that you have seen Christ, and loved him, and have come to him yourself; that to be an able steward in the mysteries of the kingdom, you must have learned long at the feet of Christ, and have drunk deep of the spirit and transforming power of his grace; that to be faithful to Christ, and honest to men's souls, you must yourself be all that you call on your hearers to be, in the name of Christ; you must be in your views, in your motives, and emotions, and godliness, and prayerfulness, an honest, humble, and faithful Christian, before your Lord. Hence, it is evident, from the very temper and spiritual frame of his mind, even from the commencement of his Theological studies, that Dr. Laidlie must have been one of the most spiritual, prac fore he found sweet peace and permanent reston the stable Rock of Eterni ty, the Lord Jesus Christ-and, as is evident from his own habit of close and long-continued examination of his own heart, on all the different exercises of the Christian life and deportment, he must have possessed a minute and very extensive knowledge of human nature, and of the Christian's trials and joys. So, it is also very evident from what I have heard of him; and from what I see of him in his sermons, that he brought forth each Sabbath, this wonderful stock of pastoral science and Christian experience; and made it bear with wonderful effect on sinners, weary and heavy laden; and also on drooping and disconsolate Christians. His two sermons on Psalm lxii. 8: "Trust in Him at all times, ye people; pour out your hearts before him; God is a refuge for us," must have been an interesting specimen of this. Unfortunately, I find only a skeleton of them among his manuscripts.But in what remains of them before us, there is a clearness and force; a richness of Christian experience;a warmth of pious feeling, and a pathos and divine unction in the whole, which must have made them, under the agency of the Spirit, unusually instructive and touching. And it appears, in fact, that they had been so blessed to his audience. I find the | what He knows I stand in need of, following words endorsed, in the hand writing of Dr. Laidlie, on the back of the Discourses: - "These were preached in the North Church, Feb. 25, 1770. N. B. The Lord was pleased to bless these two sermons to many of God's people. Thanks to his divine goodness! He leaves us not without a witness." to my being an instrument, in his hand, of turning many from darkness to light; and from the power of Satan to God, in that city where God has cast my lot." I have before me a regular Diary which he kept from this time until he was received by his affectionate people in New-York; and I intend to give extracts from it, if not all of it. It exhibits throughout a truly pious mind; and the heart of a most devoted Christian pastor; who prayed without ceasing, and whose whole soul and heart were fired with an enlightened zeal, and who longed to be forward, and to be on the field, to win souls for Christ. I have frequently heard some of our aged members speak of the pious praying club of the Protestant Reformed D. C. of New York, who, in their weekly meetings, wrestled with the Lord Jesus, the King and Head of the and full of the Holy Ghost, and of faith, that much people might be added to the Lord;" and that the rising church in this city might be built up in sound minds and true piety. And indeed the fervent prayers, breathed out by these devout characters, was heard. And God was sending them I shall exhibit, occasionally, some specimens of his early piety, from his Diary, and perhaps from his sermons. In the month of September, or October, A. D. 1759, Dr. Laidlie was ordained to the gospel ministry, and installed pastor of the English Church in Flushing, a sea-port town in the island of Walcheren, in the Netherlands. He had for a colleague in this church, the Rev. Mr. Bertling. Here he laboured with zeal and fidelity, until he received a call to the Collegiate Dutch Church in New-York. After having been pastor of the church in Church, that he would send them a Flushing for four years and a few devoted minister of the Lord; who weeks, he preached his farewell ser- | should be "like Barnabas, a good man, mon in Flushing, on Nov. 13, 1763; and on the 25th of the same month, he sailed for Amsterdam. He went by the way of Rotterdam, Leyden, and Haerlem. In five days he arrived in Amsterdam, and was kindly welcomed by his friend, the Rev. Mr. Blinshall; who read to him copies of the letters to, and from New-York, a truly good man, and full of the Horelative to his call. On the 5th of ly Ghost, and much given to prayer. Dec. he was formally admitted MINISTER of the Protestant Reformed Dutch Church of New-York, by the Dominies, the Deputies of the Classis of Amsterdam ad res exteras; ving heard him address the throne of together with a few other Dominies, grace in their prayer meetings, the added to them from a Classis contrac-aged members then present, gathered tata, for this solemn business. In his Diary of that day, Dr. Laidlie makes these pious reflections: - "O how unfit for so important, and how unworthy of so honourable an office! Oh that God would be graciously pleased, for the glory of his great He sailed in the English packet name, and for the sake of his Son from Falmouth, on February 17th, Jesus Christ, to do in me and for me! 1764, and arrived at N. York, on the These people could soon appreciate his value. After having heard him repeatedly deliver the messages of his Master; and particularly after ha around Dr. Laidlie, and thus addressed him:-"Ah Dominie, we offered up many an earnest prayer in Dutch for your coming among us; and truly the Lord has heard us-in English, and has sent you to us." 29th of March. He was the first minis- | was his eminent characteristic. And ter of the Dutch Church in America, it is breathed through every part of who officiated in the English lan- his Diary, and through every one of guage. He preached his first sermon in English, to an immensely crowded audience, on April 15th, 1764. The text was 2 Cor. v. 11. "Knowing the terrors of the Lord, we persuade men." It was delivered with great force, and by the blessing of God, it produced much salutary effect on the people's mind. It was said to have been only two hours in length! The sermon is now before me. The Dr. has bestowed unusual pains in the composition. He had first written out with incredible pains, the skeleton, and each leading thought, and had sketched the ideas in the address to his colleagues, and the Consistory, and the people. Then he wrote out the discourse at full length, with the exordium remotum, and the exordium proximum, and the address. The last deserves our special commendation.We shall probably exhibit this, and a specimen of the sermon, in some future Number. his sermons, and meditations. As a preacher, he was evangelical, popular and powerful. He was wise and successful in no ordinary degree, in winning souls to Christ. His manner in the pulpit was plain, easy and affectionate. His style, like his manner, was simple, unadorned; full of the unction of Scripture phrases, and happy Scripture allusions. As a pastor, he was faithful and honest; very humble and grave; bold, persevering, patient of injuries and reproaches; indefatigable, full of charity, and courteous feeling. He had many seals of his ministry during the brief space of his ministerial services in the Collegiate Church. Under his faithful and laborious services, the Dutch Church flourished greatly in this city. Some of our aged and venerable members speak of him with delight. And when asked to describe his preaching, and manner of praying, they could not do it without shedding tears. It is thus that the memory of the faithful pastor is cherished with tears of joy and regret, and embalmed in the tenderest remembrance of the saints of God. In the year 1766, Dr. Laidlie was married to Miss Mary Hoffman, daughter of Martin Hoffman and Catharine Rutgers. They lived only twelve years together; but it was a peculiarly happy union. His widow This pious affection for the memsurvived him forty-six years! The ory of their venerable pastor, Doctor died of a consumption, at Red Hook, in A.D. 1778, while an exile from his flock, and from the city; having been driven away by the violence of the British, during the war of the Revolution. And his widow, old and full of days, and ripe in the Christian graces, died in the summer of 1825. Dr. Laidlie was a man of distinguished talents, and an able Theologian. He was strictly attached to the pure and Scriptural doctrines of the Old School. His learning was respectable, and his piety truly eminent. He was plain, simple, and unassuming in his manners; and, above all, he was a man of prayer! This has often reminded me of the tribute of praise, paid by my late venerable friend, the Rev. Mr. Oliver, of Linlithgow, when he pronounced a funeral sermon after the death of that faithful servant of God, the Rev. Mr. Adam Gibb, of Edinburgh, in the church of the deceased. When he had finished the sermon, he was proceeding to pronounce his character and eulogy. He made a long pause. He attempted to speak what he had prepared; but the venerable gray-haired pastor was unable to utter a word. He covered his face with his hands, and wept with the weeping audience. He dried up his tears, and once more raised himself |