In addition to these things we shall notice only her strict conscientiousness. Every talent, she felt, was conferred by God, and she desired to use it for him. Her time, and strength, and means, were all consecrated to his service. In her diary there is a perpetual complaint of herself that she was not up betimes in the morning, that she might be properly prepared for the business of the day. She did rise early, yet she thought not sufficiently so. For she considered that she should devote a considerable period of time every morning to such exercises as might be calculated, by the blessing of God, to prepare her mind for a faithful and successful discharge of the duties of the day. This scrupulousness over all she was and all she possessed, remained strong to the last. When about to make her will she sent for a friend to consult him. She stated her intention to bequeath what she possessed for the continuance of the school upon the intellectual and religious principles on which it had hitherto been conducted. Her friend suggested the propriety of bequeathing it to a near relative, urging that her last act would be scrutinized by the world, and that she should not allow the enemy to speak reproachfully. She replied that her property was not her own-that all she had was the furniture of the house and school apparatus-that it had been preserved to her only by the generosity of the Lord's servant in England-that God had thus redeemed it for himself-that he had thrown in her way a suitable person for continuing the establishment-and that, therefore, all she had must be devoted to his service. Her will was consequently made, bequeathing all she possessed for the support and continuance of the establishment in which, for six years, she had faithfully laboured. How few such wills as this are made! Their property men consider to be their own. As for God the giver, he is not thought of; and what has been often doubtfully heaped together, is bequeathed for selfish ends. It would be only to be lamented, indeed, if any such wealth should be cast into the treasury of God. Let men beware how they amass wealth, and how they dispose of it, for God will call them to a strict account.

During her life, our friend was greatly blessed with good health. The first appearance of delicacy was in March, 1830. It is thus noticed by herself, " I have been spitting a little blood these two days. I am so strong and healthy that I do not feel alarmed for immediate consequences, yet I receive it as the first warning I have had, the first symptom of disease I have ever had, and hail it with gladness, as a messenger from

such

God to prepare for his final summons. If this pass away at the present without any bad consequences, I hope I may not forget the warning--if it continue, if it appear to be the commencement of consumption, I am happy in the anticipatition of being taken out of the world before earthly ties have bound me more closely to it." What firmness is given to the mind by Christian principle. This is the true source of fortitude. These symptoms passed away, and she prosecuted her work laboriously. In May, 1833, however, we find the following notice in her journal, "I have a most anxious desire to depart and be with Christ; many circumstances make me think my work is done. The way is ready for others. Lord Jesus, come quickly, and glorify thyself in my death, as in my life. I have been a trophy of the power of the cross, the efficacy of the blood of Jesus; it cleanseth from all sin; then mine is pardoned; I know whom I believe, and commit my soul to him for life or death; I know he is able to keep it till that day, and present it before God without spot or wrinkle, or any thing. Hallelujah! worthy! worthy! is the Lamb." Who would not be a Christian since these are his consolations. From this period there seemed to be a slow but certain progress of disease in her constitution. In April, 1834, she writes, "I have been spitting a little blood-very littlebut it is a sweet fore-runner of the complete breaking down of this clay tabernacle, and my redeemed spirit will soon animate a purer frame with life that cannot die. My heart is fixed-it is in heaven whence I expect Jesus will soon come, who shall change this vile body, and make it like unto his own glorious body." Her illness now assumed the form of a decided case of consumption, but as it grew her spirituality increased. Her journal contains many sweet exercises which, it is to be hoped, the public may yet be permitted to read. For although laid aside from labour she suffered little pain, and was able to think and read, and converse, and write. On th ecommencement of the new year of 1835, a friend went into her apartment to congratulate her. The probability of being separated in that year, was alluded to, and her friend was affected, upon which she said, "don't grieve for me-I desire to depart. The sting of death is taken away, and the grave shall have no victory. Thanks be to God who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." In the month of February, she became very weak, and a friend obtained permission to sleep near her, who thus writes, " many a sweet moment was passed during the intervals of sleep.

Miss McCord would cite the precious promises of Scripture, and unfold and apply them in the most touching manner: and when she was too weak to raise her voice, I went to her to fulfil her own request, 'talk to me of Jesus, for he is my strength in weakness.' Above a fortnight before her death, her physician used some expressions from which she gathered that he thought her end was near, upon which she said, "that is pleasant news. I thought I might live till the end of the month, but if the Lord is pleased to come sooner, al is well." Her sufferings from this forward were extreme. Under their pressure, her only fear was, that she might be tempted to impatience and dishonour her Lord. But he proved himself to her to be the God of patience, not only in his forbearance towards her, but as the fountain of patience to her soul. She lived upon the words, "I will glory in my infirmity, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. These words she would repeat when her afflictions seemed almost beyond enduring. About midnight, on Tuesday, the 21st of April, she said, "his chariot wheels are at handLord Jesus, come quickly," and begged her friends to pray she might have patience to wait for his coming. About seven o'clock in the morning she said, " turn me and I will go to sleep in Jesus." The kind office was done by the faithful attendants that hung around her bed, who had never left her, and whom God will bless with a friend in need for their love to his servant. It was the last they had to render. For in a few moments, almost imperceptibly and without a struggle, her happy spirit was emancipated from the diseased tabernacle of clay. She died in her 28th year, and the inscription on her tomb should be-" after she had served her generation, she fell asleep.'

Obituary.

DIED, on the 12th instant, at his house, Capel-street, Dublin, after a short but severe illness, in the 42d year of his age, Mr. JAMES BURNSIDE, and who was during the last 17 years a Ruling Elder in the Scots' Church, Usher's Quay. His character was too well established, and held in too high esteem, to have anything to hope from praise, or to fear from censure. His mild and gentle spirit rendered it nearly impossible for him to have any enemies. The innocence and sanctity of his behaviour, the sensibility of his heart, the fidelity with which he discharged the duties of life, and the equanimity with which he bore its rebukes and sufferings, will leave a lasting impression on the minds of all his friends and acquaint

ances.

He had humbling views of himself, and exalted ones of the Saviour, and of his grace. Christ Jesus was his only foundation, his only hope, and death was to him without a sting. A daily perusal of the Word of God, and the duties of the closet, the domestic altar, and the sanctuary were conscientiously observed; and he looked through ordinances to Him who is their substance, their glory and their end. As he lived, so he died in the faith and hope of the Gospel. A few days before his departure, he said to his pastor, (Mr. S,) that he had no fears as to his acceptance with God, and his future happiness.

Such being his end, who can forbear to join in the ardent wish, "Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his."

May He who was his God be ours for ever and ever-our guide in all this gloomy vale-our friend amidst its sorrows-our light in darkness -and our life in death. And, "when heart and flesh fail, (and soon, it may be, they will fail,) may He be the strength of our hearts and our portion for ever."

NOTICE OF BOOKS.

SIX DISCOURSES on the NATURE and INFLUENCE of FAITH. By the Rev. W. BURGH, A. B., Dublin. W. CURRY, Jun., & Co., Dublin. P. p. 173. 1835.

We have read these Discourses with mingled feelings of pleasure and pain. It gives us pleasure to find a man of Mr. Burgh's talents and piety occupying the station he does; but we regret to notice some im portant errors in his theology. In his first discourse, which proposes to state the doctrine of justification, he excludes the active obedience of Christ as necessary to the acceptance of the sinner, contending that the fact of his suffering merely, is sufficient for all the purposes of his salvation. In reply, it is enough to remind the reader of the position which Adam occupied at first, and of what was required of him, and whieh, sinee he fell, is now demanded of the sinner's surety. He was threatened, “in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die," and his surety must bear death in his room. He was promised, "do this and thou shalt live," and his surety must obey the law in his stead. The good old way, therefore, of stating the doctrine of justification, is still the best. It includes pardon and acceptance-pardon in virtue of Christ's sufferings, and acceptance for the sake of his righteousness imputed. The second discourse, meeting the objection commonly urged from James ii. 14, is clear and satisfactory. The third, on Rom. iii. 31, is good so far as it goes, but the statement and exposition of the subject are defective. The fourth, on the connexion between repentance and faith, is very just, and calculated to be useful. The fifth, upon the walk of faith, is full of fancy and folly respecting the second advent of the Messiah. How different from Andrew Fuller's sermon on the same subject. And the last, "faith a divine operation," contains some good observations, but is not at all satisfactory. We take the liberty of suggesting to the respected author of these discourses, that a little more acquaintance with the theology of the Puritans, would render his views more consistent with Scripture and with themselves.

THE

ORTHODOX PRESBYTERIAN.

No. LXIX.

JUNE, 1835.

VOL. VI.

PRESBYTERIANISM.

Some months ago we favoured our readers with a letter of the Rev. Mr. Miller, of America, on doing good as a church. And we have now the satisfaction of submitting another to them upon

ADHERENCE TO PRESBYTERIAL ORDER.

CHRISTIAN BRETHREN,—I am aware that when adherence to Presbyterial Order is urged, it is considered by many as a plea in favour of a cold and chilling formality, at the expense of the more spiritual interests of the church. On this account, there is not only a prejudice against exhortation on this subject, but a prejudice against the thing itself, as one which, in proportion to the extent to which it is regarded, is much more likely to hinder than to promote the reign of genuine piety. That this is a prejudice, and not a wise judgment, the experience of forty years, as well as the judgment of all ages, has fully convinced me. And it is the design of this letter most respectfully to impart a few thoughts on this subject, which, if they fail to convince those who have hitherto adopted different opinions, will at least serve to explain why he who now addresses you in common with many of his brethren, attaches no small importance to the principles which he would humbly recommend.

It is well known that the fundamental principles of the Presbyterian Church Government are three :-the parity of ministers;-the government of individual churches by a bench of Elders, instead of the whole body of the communicants ;and the union of a number of single churches under representative bodies of review and control. In the first of these principles we agree with our congregational brethren. In the second and third we differ from them. And I am one of the many ministers of our body who do sincerly believe that a faithful adherence, both to the spirit and the letter of our form of government, in reference to both these points, is more nearly connected with our union, our peace, our purity, and our best