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enly sweetness to all the outward organs of his inward feelings. He spoke of God's perfections as one that had seen the Invisible, and held an intercourse with heaven. His knowledge of the universal and individual Providence of God had implanted in his heart that unshaken confidence in him, which he preserved to the end. As long as he could walk, he visited his friends, to whom he manifested a steady and warm attachment, and unparalleled faithfulness. Though he was in a high degree the blessed partaker of Christian perfection, he considered the use of the means as his duty and privilege, and steadily drew out of them waters of salvation. Whilst on his death-bed, where he lay for the space of about four weeks, he was wonderfully supported by the comforts of God's Holy Spirit; and though I very frequently visited him, I never discovered the smallest symptom of impatience or murmuring.His resignation to the will of God was unfeigned. He was fully persuaded, in the most extensive and exalted sense of the word, that God doeth all things well. O what an abundant encouragement for us more fully and more unreservedly to commit all our concerns to him, who is a sure refuge and help in all times of trouble. He never neglected the opportunity of recommending to others that Saviour who had rescued him from deep misery and wretchedness, and procured him even in this last and trying affliction, that peace of mind which so eminently appeared on every feature of his beatified countenance; and I am persuaded he did not speak without effect. Indeed I have read two letters of one that is exalted in rank, wherein he declares, the blessed impressions made upon his mind, and acknowledges the Divine interposition in this blessed young man's case. Nature alone could not,' says he, produce the wonderful work which I now witness; in it I see the hand of God."

"In proportion as the mortal frame decayed, the inward man grew in strength, by growing in faith; and though the powers of darkness frequently assaulted him, he looked to Jesus, and all his enemies were put to flight. One morning, being asked the state of his soul, he lifted up his eyes and hands, and said, God is my strength, and the light of my countenance. O that I could love him more! Lord come and take possession, full possession of my heart! I know it would be far better for me to depart and be with Christ, but the will of the Lord be done." One day, after a gentle sleep, he addressed his mother thus, I think I shall not die yet, the Lord has something for me to do, for these words have been applied to me with peculiar power, Return to thy father's house, and tell every one the great things which the Lord has done for thee.' This impression was soon realized; and our young brother Newman hath been a successful missionary in this place, not only with the English who had

any intercourse with him, but also with the inhabitants at whose house he had his quarters.

"The day preceding his death I found him very weak; with great difficulties and agonies of body he was gasping for breath, and with the most pathetic and ardent tone exclaimed, 'O that all the world would gasp after Jesus Christ as I do for breath!" After a short but solemn pause, (the presence of God filled the room) he said, 'The Lord has done great things for me. Pray that I may answer his gracious designs; pray that I may endure to the end.' After prayer I shook hands with him, and bid him farewel. It was the last time I saw him.

"The morning following, (Monday 13,) a short time before he expired, his mother having in some way or other expressed her concern for the great agonies he laboured under, with a heavenly smile upon his countenance he said, Jesus is mine, Jesus is mine; and into Jesus' hands he delivered his soul, and breathed his last between eleven and twelve.

"On Wednesday evening the 15th we committed his mortal parts to its native dust. We sang a hymn; and after addressing a few words to those present, on the solemn occasion, I prayed. We then accompanied the tender and pious mother to her abode, and then commended her to the gracious sup port of our heavenly Father.

"In this trying circumstance she has been favoured with much Christian fortitude. May she, when life shall be at an end, join her dear son in eternal glory! Some time previous to his death, the young man expressed a wish that you should have his hymn-book, in remembrance of him; we shall embrace the first opportunity of sending it to you. Pray for us, my dear brother, we are but a few sheep surrounded by ravenous wolves. I am, though a perfect stranger to you in the flesh, your affectionate brother, A. DE KERPEZDRON."

Miscellaneous..

For the Methodist Magazine.

CONSISTENCY OF CHARACTER.

AMONG the many imperfections exemplified in the conduct. of human beings, is that of inconsistency. How prone are we to perceive and approve of that which is good, and yet practice that which is evil. "Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth." So spoke the great apostle to the gentiles. But this happiness is not the portion of

all men. Hence arises that disgusting inconsistency of character, which manifests itself in those who make pompous professions of what they will do, and what ought to be done, while they themselves will never "put forth their finger" to carry their professions into execution. So it is said of the celebrated Grecian orator, Demosthenes, though he could contrive plans for the public good, and sway the minds of his auditors by the powers of his oratory, yet when he attempted to carry his plans into execution, he failed for want of practical skill and perse

verance.

So it is with Vocabulum. Mighty in words while in council with his associates, one would imagine that nothing, but what is absolutely impossible, would stand before him. Matters, indeed, of least moment, receive from his lofty and expanded mind such marked attention, that if he presumes to speak, he assumes an air of as much importance, and commences his harangue in as formal a manner, as if he were about to address the representatives of a vast empire, on a subject which involved the destiny of millions! His verbose and florid speeches, abounding in allegory and metaphor, fill the mind with wonder and admiration; though those who are acquainted with him feel a painful sensation, arising from a peculiar kind of inconsist ency, which manifests itself in the vast disproportion between the magnitude of the speech and the insignificance of the subject of his discourse. Penetratio, on hearing Vocabulum in one of his lucid moments, shrugged his shoulders, and said very shrewdly, Hic labor est-for the production of nothing!

But the most unpardonable inconsistency in the character of this gentleman, is, that when subjects of real magnitude and importance demand his attention-and this is only known to those previously acquainted with the subjects themselves, for all, on which he speaks, appear equally momentous from his manner of discussing them-though he expresses his high estimation of them, and seems to exhaust all the powers of his eloquence in their recommendation, no sooner does his lips close, than his apparent zeal cools, and his energy expires. Plans of public utility receive his warmest approbation, but were they to receive support, in respect to their practical effect, from none but those like himself, they would inevitably dwindle into insignificance. But were this all, his conduct would not be so intolerable. For it not unfrequently happens, that his subsequent proceedings militate against the execution of those very plans which he had recommended with so much zeal,-so much indeed, that one would have thought his soul was perseveringly bent on their ultimate success.

Does he then discard practice? No indeed! In his public and private harangues-for he seldom talks but in a set dis

course-he will tell you-if you wait for the closing sentence of his fine-spun argument-that practice is the most essential, as well as the most difficult part of a man's duty. He will, indeed, in order to make this point obvious, enter into an elaborate discussion of first and second causes-though he will, perhaps, inform you that all these causes lie too deep for human research-and lead your mind through such a labyrinth of metaphysical distinctions, that one would conclude he was about to adduce proofs of the existence of the great First Cause of all things, by arguments a priori; but after winding you up to the highest pitch of expectation, so that your breath is almost stopped from the intenseness of your thoughts, you are suddenly let down by the terminating sentence, which is as self-evident as that two triangles are equal to one right angle, that a man must do as well as teach, in order to be consistent. After all, he is a most perfect hater of metaphysics. And to prove it, he will entertain you for half an hour, with a most ingenuous display of intellectual acuteness, on the bare possibility, and mere impossibility of being imposed upon by the nice distinctions of philosophers and logicians, respecting the occult essences of substances, whether material or immaterial; and conclude the whole with a sylogistical proof that two halfs of any given immaterial substance is equal to the whole of that self-same identical substance! This he adduces as a proof that he hates abstract reasoning. To prove that he loves simplicity, he will, as far as any finite power is capable of it, ransack the whole field of moral argument, and physical demonstration, and conclude by reminding you, which is the thing he attempted to demonstrate, that material substances possess not only tangible properties, but are also visible; and therefore we need no other proof of their existence than what they contain in themselves.

Once upon an occasion, Penetratio was in company with Vocabulum, and some others, when a very plain question was asked by one of the company, which was answered with perfect unanimity by all present except Vocabulum. After a few moments pause, he began by reminding the inquirer that it was a subject he had long made his study and deep research; and the result of his labour was, that it was even so as the others had said. I do not pretend to quote him verbatim, because it would swell this little fragment too much; for he went into as learned and laboured a discourse to establish a point which no one doubted, as if he had been called to disprove Hume's theory of ideas, impressions, &c. Penetratio, on this occasion, manifested a little of his characteristic impatience, at being compelled to listen for half an hour, and hear arguments a priori and a posteriori, besides a number of a mixed character, to prove what every body believed. But he checked the VOL. IV.

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risings of irritability, from a regard to consistency of character, which he felt himself bound to maintain; for he professed himself a disciple of him who has said, bear one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

Another inconsistency exemplified in Vocabulum is, that he always seeks to be in opposition to every one else. Whether this be owing to some constitutional infirmity, or is the result of choice, I cannot tell. But so it is-If he himself proposes any thing new, and others fall in with it, it is a wonder if he does not turn against it, or at least withdraw his support from it; for he seems to act under the influence of a belief, that nothing is right which meets with a warm reception from others. If, therefore, you wish to know his sentiments,-except in some happy moments when he seems to forget himself, and acts, without designing it, according to the dictates of common sense,--you must look for him on the opposite side. I would not, however, insinuate, that he is destitute of that desire so common to men, a desire to please; for he has a certain circle of acquaintance, to please whom seems to be the object of his most strenuous efforts but it must be recollected that they are such as have previously pleased him, by lending their influence to promote his designs, and therefore are perfectly quiescent to his will. Indeed, they seem to admire him most for his inconsistencies. These, they think, are his chief excellencies.

Nevertheless, Vocabulum is quite a popular character. The ignorant multitude, who only know him by sight, as we sometimes say, and by report, and those who estimate a man by what he says, and not by what he does, think him a mighty man of renown. He will entertain them with such high sounding words, which none of them understand, that their minds are half distracted with admiration at the profoundness of his wisdom.

No one need to think him a solitary character. Were it not for his perfect hatred of associates, he might surround himself with many as much like himself as he is consistent with himself. Penetratio himself does not think meanly of his gifts.He observed to me one day, that he thought Vocabulum capable of being both good and wise; and that, if he would condescend to study a little propriety of conduct, as well as loftiness of demeanour, and singularity of sentiment, he might become, at least, tolerable in his intercourse with mankind. But, added Penetratio, I now make it my principal study, when in conversation, to select the plainest words I can, avoiding vulgar phra ses, to convey my ideas, lest I should be suspected of coining new phrases like Vocabulum, or of borrowing my style and manner from him. Besides, continued he, I have conceived such a perfect disgust against that affected stiffness of demean

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