judgment. Christian was diligent, and every morning found him at work like an ant in Summer. He gathered in the sweet nourishment of his mind like a bee its honey, and was as cheerful at his work as a bird in the grove. First, it is true, some of his fellow scholars smiled at his somewhat awkward efforts; but in a few years matters looked differently; and many a one who had before made merry at his expense, now came to seek counsel and aid from him in difficult studies.

After the labors of the week it was refreshment to him to visit the humble home of Hans Ehrlich and the church of Pastor Wahrmuth. Both of these assisted him according to their means; and, to these, other benefactors were soon added; for industry and good behavior will always and everywhere secure friends. Then, too, that blessing on

which all at last depends will not be wanting.

The time came at length when Christian, encouraged and rewarded with the best of testimonials, and as a strong, promising and well trained youth, made his way to the Seminary, to prepare himself for the office of the holy ministry, desiring ardently to become a Pastor after the type of the revered Wahrmuth. It was easy to see how the heart of our good Hans Ehrlich swelled with joy that he was able to say: "My son, the Student !"

The life of a student, when it is of the right kind, is commonly very simple. It is turned mostly upon the inward; the more quiet and meditative the more improving and useful. There is therefore not much to be said of Christrian's life during this period; we may soon close his little history with as much simplicity as we began it; and we are glad of this for his sake. For the happiest and most peaceful men are always those in whose life there are not many changes or remarkable surprises of incident.

Six years have passed since Christian entered the high-school; and after he had long left it he did not abate his diligence in preparing himself for his future solemn and responsible station. He retained his great love for natural sience. In a strange land, where he had been appointed for a time as family Tutor, and later still when he accompanied his private pupils in long journeys, he found opportunity to increase his stock of knowledge in that department, in which it is so highly important that he should be well at home who expects some day to preach on the words: "O Lord, how manifold are thy works; in wisdom hast thou made them all."

In the little village, where his benefactors, Ehrlich and Wahrmuth lived, not many changes had in the meantime taken place; only both felt that they were silently growing older. Alas! this experience was the more sensibly felt by Hans Ehrlich on account of a particular circumstance. He had some time ago suffered a fracture in his arm, received accidentally while felling trees, the consequences of which at first seemed unimportant, but which gradually became a great hindrance to him in his work. Though the good man in many respects still felt ready and expert, he had nevertheless now to cease from many kinds of labor which formerly he had dispatched with ease. Thus it was that often he was found sitting before his door, leaning his whitening head upon his hands, and sighing: "Alas! if only my Christian were with me!'

One evening as he sat buried in such thought, he had grown some

what sad in consequence; for since many months he had not heard a word of his foster-child, because he was just at that time on a distant journey. Just then a carriage rolled down the mountain, and suddenly halted not far from Hans Ehrlich's door. He supposed that the honorable gentlemen intended to inquire for a hotel, and he went forth to give them the necessary information. But the carriage door opened and a fine looking elderly man came toward him reaching him his hand in a very friendly manner; and before he had time to ask the man's name, a young man that had followed him out of the carriage, fell upon his neck and embraced him. It was-Christian!

The strange gentleman was the owner of the estate including the garden which Christian used to visit to receive instruction from the gardener in regard to the names and nature of plants. At such times the wealthy man had often observed him with pleasure, and sometimes also talked with the lively and sensible youth. Afterwards—as it often happens with such wealthy men of the world-the youth passed out of his recollection. It happened however that they met again in their travels; and a great service which the young man had rendered him in the snowy Alps, by which he saved his life, filled his heart with gratitude towards him. Now it happened that just about this time the pastorate in the village was vacant; and Christian seemed in every respect to be suited for the place. It was not long till this wealthy man had arranged the matter with the authorities, and his young friend was appointed to that station; and now for the first time he made it known to him. What a happy return home was this to the young Pastor; and what unspeakable joy was awakened in the heart of Hans Ehrlich, when the gentleman heartily shook his head and said:

"Thanks to you, most excellent man! you have raised a noble son, to whom I owe my life. He shall henceforth be my friend and Pastor. You shall live with him and with me, and shall be well cared for in your honorable old age.”

It was a long time before Hans Ehrlich could utter a word, overcome with emotions of joy and gratitude. But as soon as he could speak his first words were]: "O, if only soon all this could be told to our dear Pastor Wahrmuth!" Even while he spoke Christian was already on the way walking fleetly up church hill towards the dwelling of the good Wahrmuth. The venerable man soon returned with him; and now only was the cup of joy full in the humble dwelling of Hans Ehrlich, for it was now consecrated and sanctified by the blessing of the Pastor.

Thus these excellent men now lived together in blessed peace, and active usefulness. Hans Ehrlich took such oversight on the estate of his wealthy friend as was pleasant to him; the owner himself withdrew from the noise and bustle of the great world, and devoted himself to the highest interests of his dependents; the young minister, beloved of all, preached to his dear people the God of wisdom, power, and love in Christ Jesus, with humility of heart; and became, after some years, the father of a happy family. The aged Wahrmuth was often brought over in the carriage of Christian's wealthy friend to share in the joys of the company, and to make their social intercourse more profitable by his words of long experience and sound sense.

Once, as they sat together in the garden which Christian had visited

in his childhood, and saw how the "Two Brothers" ascended along the heavens, and how the "Latin W" shone so brilliantly, they were all moved with deep and strong emotion. They felt that to the pious even this earth is already a kind of heaven. Especially did Hans Ehrlich feel from the depths of his honest heart, the great blessing which God had so kindly bestowed upon him. Then he said, smiling: "It is true Hans Ehrlich cannot now do without his Christian; but there was also a time when Christian could not get along without Hans Ehrlich." And as the young Pastor was about to break forth in words of gratitude toward his foster-father, the wealthy gentleman, his voice trembling with the emotions of his heart, said: "Only let every one stand in his place, and do the work to which he is called with faithfulness, then he can meet the future with comfort: his reward will come of itself. None of us all who are here together could have gotten along without the other; and, O that every member in our village church would ever so speak to the other. We are members one of another."

The venerable Pastor, Wahrmuth, was more quiet this evening than at other times; for he believed, from many signs, that the time of his departure was near at hand! A tear stole over his mild cheek while he listened to his three friends speaking with one another of the past and the future. As one transfigured, he looked up to the glorious starry heavens, took off his black velvet cap, and with solemn reverence and devotion, as if he stood before the altar, said:

"To God alone be all the glory!"

NAME IN THE SAND.

BY GEO. D. PRENTICE.

ALONE I walked on the ocean strand,
A pearly shell was in my hand,
I stopped and wrote upon the sand
My name, the year and day;
As onward from the spot I passed,
One lingering look behind I cast,
A wave came rolling high and fast,
And washed my line away.

And so, methought, 't will quickly be
With every mark on earth from me!
A wave of dark oblivion's sea,

Will sweep across the place
Where I have trod the sandy shore
Of time, and be to me no more;
Of me, my day, the name I bore,
To leave no track or trace.

And yet with him who counts the sands,
And holds the waters in his hands,
I know a lasting record stands,

Inscribed against my name

Of all this mortal part has wrought,
Of all this thinking soul has thought,
And from these fleeting moments caught,
For glory and for shame.

REV. JOHN JACOB HOCHREITNER.*

BY THE EDITOR.

[SOURCES.-Hall. Nach. p. 82.

Evan. Zeit. der Deutschen Ref. Kirche, vol. 1 no. 11, Nov., 1831. Minutes of Synod, 1817.]

BETWEEN 1746 and 1748, the congregation at Lancaster had been vacant. In this condition they applied to Rev. Mr. Slatter, requesting him to send a call for a minister to Holland, which was done.

In July, 1748, Mr. Slatter received information from Rev. De Bois of New York, that the synod of Holland was sending two ministers in answer to the call, and that they were already on their way to this country. As early as the 13th of August, Mr. Slatter had the pleasure of welcoming them to his house in Philadelphia. The one was Rev. John Jacob Hochreitner, and the other Rev. Dominicus Bartholomaus, who was intended for the congregation at Tulpehocken. We are incidentally informed in the Hallische Nachrichten, that Mr. Hochreitner was a Swiss, and that he was sent in from Switzerland, although, as already noticed, he came in under the auspices of the synod of Holland. After these two newly arrived ministers had rested and refreshed themselves from their sea voyage, for a few days at the house of Mr. Slatter, he accompanied them to various parts of the country to visit vacant charges.

Mr. Hochreitner preached at Lancaster, and some other places with much acceptance, and was immediately called to become their stated pastor, to which he consented, and at the synod in September the call was approved and confirmed. In October, when all the arrangements for his removal had been made, an elder from Lancaster was sent to fetch him from the house of Mr. Slatter in Philadelphia, to his destined home and field of labor. The elder with a horse for him to ride was already at the door in readiness to take him away, but how mysterious are the ways of Providence! He never saw the place which had been assigned him as his field of labor. He had brought with him from Europe a gun, which he had loaded on board the ship under the impression, it seems, that he was about to enter a wild country where he must be prepared for his defense in sudden and dangerous emergencies. Having found from a short residence in the country, and especially from his late visit to Lancaster and other settlements in the country, that his fears were only imaginary, he attempted, before starting with the elder for Lancaster, to extract the load from his gun, when it exploded in his hands, and suddenly laid him low in death!

The written sermon which he intended to preach as his introductory in Lancaster, was found in his pocket, after his sad and sudden death, which, upon the solicitations of many friends, was afterwards printed. Though we have diligently searched and inquired we have not yet been

From a work in course of preparation by the Editor on the "Lives of the Old Deceased Members of the German Reformed Church in America."

able to obtain a copy. Alas, has time buried the interesting relic; and has this, perhaps the only fruit of his mind and heart which seemed to receive permanent form, met the doom of his own mortal remains: "Earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust!"

Mr. Hochreitner's pilgrimage in the New World was but short. The joy of the congregation which awaited him as their pastor was turned into mourning; and the messenger who was to bring him, only brought the sad intelligence that he had fallen asleep, and had "no more any portion forever in anything that is done under the sun!" Thus are the ways of God hidden. His footsteps are in the deep.

His ashes no doubt repose in Philadelphia, beneath the green sod of Franklin Square. Mr. Slatter speaks in high terms of his work and piety. Rest in peace until the resurrection morning shall dawn, and bring with it the eternal deliverance of the just from death and the grave.

Should any of our readers be in possession of farther information in regard to the subject of this notice, they will confer a favor by communicating it. The sermon referred to is no doubt still extant among the neglected papers of some old families. How interesting it would be to have it brought to light.