"But O God! permit me, before I immerge into the busi ness of the day, to find thee near. When I consider thy past favours, I bow with gratitude; with thankfulness my heart overflows. I have found thee not only at hand to support, but near to supply. How often hath the kindness of thy grace cheered me when drooping-kept me from wandering and encouraged me when ready to halt. Recollection brings to my mind past morning visits, when thou hast prepared me for those occurrences, which in the day I had to pass through, though I knew it not. How often hast thou given me a portion from thy treasury, which hath been as a staff, a shield and a buckler, when I could not tell for why I had it! but such is thy condescension, such thy compassion, such thy friendship, O thou all-knowing, all-seeing, all-wise Jehovah! and hast thou not one blessing more, dear Father? Are thy store-houses empty, thou spiritual Joseph ? or am I not known to thee? Begone my unbelief-vanishmy doubts! Though for a moment he departs, I dwell for ever near his heart, "Is it so, dear Jesus! Oh! why should I so grieve thee, as to doubt thy faithfulness? why should I thus sin to wound thee? Lord, every sin's a dart! And every trespass lets a javlin fly, And pardon, that wonted pardon with a kiss. "Be with me this day, with thy gracious-let every mountain of difficulty become a plain-let me, though cumbered like Martha, experience Mary's comforts, and may my soul be kept unspotted from the world. And unto thee praise be given, my God, my Redeemer. Amen. Hallelujah! • When nature fails and day and night Divide thy works no more, My ever grateful heart, O Lord, Thy mercics shall adore.' "Hudson, June 13th, 1801." BENJAMIN ALLEN, Jr. The following unfinished prayer is in the same connexion "Most gracious Lord God, my merciful Father, my Creator, my Redeemer, and my Comforter. Thou, O Lord, soundest and searchest the secrets of all hearts; thou acknowledgest the upright in heart, thou judgest the hypocrite; thou ponderest means, thoughts, and doings, as in a balance; thou measurest their intentions as with a line; vanity and crooked ways cannot be hid from thee!" Some interesting lines which he notes as written by the Rev. John Davis on the birth of a son, were copied by my brother, and dated December 16th, 1801. Two other manuscripts are also before me, evidently transcripts, made by him. The first is on the "General Resurrection," dated December 25th, 1801. The second is a Prayer Book, containing a number of prayers for morning and evening, designed to be used by individuals, and in families and Sunday schools. These exercises of his mind, and these breathings of his heart after God, are truly remarkable in a boy of 11 and 12 years of age. His whole soul was evidently in this work. For, the mere outlines of his movements which are handed down to us at this day, display an amount of labour which must have nearly occupied all that portion of leisure time which, in ordinary cases, is given to childish amusement. Oh! is not this the consequence of the Holy Spirit's operations, who was then trans forming his nature, and preparing him for extensive usefulness, and for heaven? Our parent closed his mercantile concerns, and we find my brother, December 13th, 1802, entering the store of Marchal Jenkins & Son, in the capacity of clerk. The circumstance of his receiving for these services, his board and two dollars per month, shows in what light he was estimated by his employers, both as to character and ability, he being at that time about 13 years of age. He continued in this, and a similar employ, for a number of years, giving, as far as we know and believe, general satisfaction, and his compensation increased to fifteen dollars per month. Under the date of February, 1805, I find "Extracts from a letter," &c. giving "Directions in what manner to spend our time with a view to God's glory, and becoming a sincere Christian." It thus proceeds "The directions you will expect from me on this occasion, naturally divide themselves into three heads. How we are to regard God-in the beginning-the progress— and the close of the day. 1st. In the beginning of the day: It should certainly be our care to lift up our hearts to God, as soon as we wake, and while we are rising; and then, to sit ourselves seriously and immediately to the secret devotion of the morning." He enlarges to considerable length on this head, and the work is not finished. The above is written on paper folded so small, as evidently designed to be carried in his pocket. Thus we have to rejoice that his attention is still directed to the salvation of his soul, in a manner peculiarly interesting. From the above mentioned period, to 1807, a space of near two years, there is a chasm in his history; nothing is left as a guide to our inquiries. Early in 1807, however, he is displayed to us under those peculiar circumstances of mental vigor and acquirement, which make it evident that he was not idle. Besides attending to the active duties of his station, he must have laboured with unwearied devotion in the acquisition of knowledge. In April, 1807, we find him ardently engaged in a Juvenile Debating Society. We have his answers in full to a variety of questions in connexion with morals, science, &c. In these, and the writings of this year, he displays a clearness of perception, a soundness of judgment, an acquaintance with science and history, not to be looked for in a youth of 17 or 18 years, whose chief time must have been necessarily given to the hurry and bustle of a mercantile life. His Christian principles and feelings, although not so prominent in these writings, yet they are not lost sight of. In his arguments in favour of civilization, he assigns to the truths of the Christian religion, the entire agency of turning the balance of happiness against the savage, and in favour of the civilized state. He also observes on this subject—“We see the savage wandering in the mazes of error, as to that essential point of happiness, religion. How much real happiness do we experience from the knowledge of the Christian religion! Upon this depends all our true enjoyment: this is the firm bond which connects man to man by the indissoluble cords of love and friendship: it teaches us to restrain our passions and evil propensities, and to pursue that course of conduct which is the most beneficial to our welfare and happiness here, at the same time that it holds out to our view the comforting assurance of a blessed immortality in a future state. It dispels the clouds of darkness and error with which the mind was before enveloped, and causes that light and joy to break in upon our souls, which enables us to rejoice under the most severe trials, and turns our darkest prospects into means of good." In order to give some view of his political feelings at that period, we notice one of the subjects which was argued before his society-On the utility of a war with Great Britain. After this he examines the subject more accurately, and writes a dissertation of considerable length, which was published December 29th, 1807, in the Balance, a paper published in Hudson, by Harry Croswell, Esq. His object is to show the inexpediency of engaging in a war at that time, from the unpreparedness of the nation. But we will permit him to speak for himself: "Let those who say this is a favourable season for America to go to war with Great Britain, bring home their wandering eyes from the bloody fields of Europe, and fix them on the situa tion of their own country. Look at our harbours, at our shipping, at the dreadful situation of our frontier inhabitants, surrounded by cruel and bloody savages; examine the situation of America throughout, and compare it with its probable situation after a few years' war! and let such restrain their ardour, at least until we are placed in some situation to defend ourselves. "Notwithstanding all the evils ready to fall upon them; notwithstanding the fearful odds we have to encounter, the citizens of the United States, animated by that spirit which led their forefathers to assert their rights and claim independence, evince by their zeal and patriotism, that they are prepared to encounter all, and to hazard all, rather than submit to aggression. And though death has deprived us of the wisdom and bravery of a Washington! and though an untimely grave holds the remains of a departed Hamilton, and many other heroes of the Revolution! Liberty can still find heroes to lead her sons to victory or death." He also wrote an obituary notice of the death of one of his associates, Daniel Bingham, jr., a part of which was published in the Balance. In this his imagination takes some lofty flights indeed. We wish, however, to present some few extracts, as additional testimony to his religious views and feelings. Speaking of death in connexion with his fellow, he observes-" Terrific death-terrific!-not to |