I fear to go, and am yet doubtful. Whatever good reasons I may find for going elsewhere, you and the children, to say nothing of others, constitute three strong reasons for taking the shortest road to Rhinebeck. I shall, Deo volente, be in Poultney in a few days, and there I shall expect a letter from you. Tell me if Henry is a good boy and wants to see me. Kiss him and dear little Lynch, whom may God preserve and bless. I feel more and more the need of your society, and the company of the children. How much I should enjoy home and irresponsible retirement. Not that I would shun work or crosses, if able to meet and bear them. faith in God to such a broken reed.

How needful is

CXCVIII. TO THE REV. DR. M'CLINTOCK

(On his return from Europe).

Middletown, Sept. 19th, 1850.

I learned last night that you arrived in the Canada. I congratulate you most sincerely on your safe return to your country, and not less on the improved health which is also reported of you. With many of your friends, and of the friends of the Church, which is interested that you should live long, I have often prayed for your preservation and your restoration to health. I now offer thanksgiving to God, our Savior, that he has shown to you and to us his great mercy in the good providence which has kept you in your wanderings, and brought you back to us refreshed, and, I trust, commissioned anew for a long, long campaign in the holy warfare to which you are pledged.

You will not write to me, I, of course, presume, till you have a fight with the accumulation of matter and care that welcome you at No. 200. When you do write, be mindful that, in addition to every thing your kindness may prompt you to say of yourself and your own welfare, the topic of chief interest to me, I shall wish to hear what you think of the difficulties among our Wesleyan brethren. Is it subsiding or

increasing in violence? To what does it tend? The statements we get in the papers are all rankly partisan. You may have got nearer to the truth. How is Dr. Bunting? Is he likely to remain for some time, or soon to depart? I have a feeling toward him quite peculiar, such as no other man in England awakened. How are Drs. Beaumont and Dickson likely to come out of this business?—crippled and without influence, the real leaders of the movement party, or still strong in the confidence, or love, or both of the "Body?"

Allow me to say that I am glad you gave up your intention to remain abroad. In such health as you carried with you, I must think a German university, with its temptations to you irresistible, would have been about the last place on earth where you could safely take up your quarters. If, on the contrary, you have such health as would justify a winter's campaign upon the Rhine or the Neckar, then we could not spare you. The Church needs you at home. I think you may, at some future time, go again to Germany with less likelihood of damaging home interests. May God so mend you that you will never again need journey or voyage on account of your health. I will flatter myself that you have passed your crises, and will now proceed on quietly a saved, sane working man.

CXCIX. TO THE SAME.

Middletown, October 2d, 1850. I am much pleased with the prospect of becoming acquainted with Mr. through you. I have wished to know him, as most men like to know men of distinction. I have been much interested in his career since he came from the West, as an able, bold, unconventional man-qualities for which we should forgive some radicalism and recklessness, trusting that age will in these respects give wisdom. I beg you say to Mr. that I shall be highly gratified by a visit from him with you, if he can come then-at any other time,

should fail you,

if not then. Let me add, that, if Mr. I am one of many, including Mrs. Olin, who would like much to see our old friend and pastor (beloved), Dr. Floy, if he will oblige us and you by bearing you company. Again, if both should fail you, think what advantages for conversation on the thousand and one reserved topics your coming alone would give. I am anxious, you see, to remove all excuses, and to insure your coming soon.

It is an unspeakable comfort to me to believe most religiously that not only the great body of preachers, and people, and Conferences, on both sides of this sad controversy, but, for the most part, the leaders-it may be, I think, all of them—are or have been perfectly honest in the matter. They have not always been scrupulous in their measures. Too many good men err in this. They passionately and practically "do evil that good may come," not perceiving their error in the superabundance and the blindness of their zeal. I know many, I think most of my friends, deem this facile charity of mine weak and unwise-some call it artful and designing. God knoweth; and I find in this position a convenient margin for the exercise of Christian love and confidence, while, with all my heart, I disapprove a great deal said and done by both sides. It allows me to hold on upon my friends, if they will let me, of either party.

I hope you are better and better in health, and that God has many days and much work for

you.

CC. TO MR. J. V. BRADSHAW

(On the death of his son).

Middletown, October 7th, 1850. Your communication by telegraph did not reach me till yesterday (Sunday) afternoon. It was misdirected, and only found me by accident. The address, intended, I suppose, to be Dr. Olin, was D. Rollin, Esq., and the note was carried on Saturday to the store of Mr. Trench, who has a son-in-law

of the name of Rollins, not residing here. It was handed to me after the sacrament in the church yesterday.

I was not wholly unprepared for the sad intelligence conveyed in your message. The Rev. Mr. Hitchcock spoke very discouragingly when I passed through your town a few weeks since. You seemed to hope more favorably, but I dreaded the result. Few persons will be able to sympathize more deeply with you in this deep trial than the Faculty of the college, to whom your son always endeared himself by his excellent conduct. I do not remember that I ever had occasion to feel dissatisfied with him on any occasion during the entire period of his connection with this institution. He was uniformly upright, gentlemanly, and affectionate. I think that he had never an enemy here, while I am confident that few young men made so many friends. Every one expresses deep sorrow at his early removal, and gives utterance to some pleasant recollection of his amiable, winning deportment while a student here. Your son's religious character was remarkable for its consistency and unobtrusiveness. He was a very humble Christian. He thought unfavorably of himself, but was yet steadfast, relying on God's goodness with great assurance, while he spoke very disparagingly of his own attainments and faithfulness. I doubt not he has found an end of all his doubts and fears in the blessed light of heaven. I should be glad to hear something in regard to his last days, and to his experiences in view of eternity, and under the chastenings to which he was subjected.

I pray, as many here will, that you may be supported under this great affliction by the Almighty hand, which has taken from your domestic circle one so lovely and so dear.

CCI. TO MRS. DWINNELL

(On the death of her husband).

Middletown, October 21st, 1850.

I learned through Mrs. Smith, who had just received a letter from her friends in Cazenovia, that Mr. Dwinnell has at length yielded to the pressure of his protracted infirmities, and has been removed from this world of care and sorrows. In the absence of any more precise information, I was happy to see it intimated in your village newspaper that his last days were cheered with the consolations of religion. It gives me the highest satisfaction that I could feel, in writing to you on such a subject, to know that your sorrow is alleviated by such an infusion of mercy. To mourn with hope is no doubt deeply afflictive, but we have an antidote from overwhelming sorrow, in the vista opened before us into a better world, by the passage thither of one who has been to us an object of tender regard here. The feeling that such a friend is not lost to us, but that our pleasant intercourse is only suspended -a feeling that comes to our relief precisely when it is most needed. that is, when all earthly resources fail us - is, it seems to me, one of the most precious of the boons which the Gospel offers us in this world.

We hear of the death of a friend who departs in the hope of immortal life. We know that the chief sufferers have access to the rich consolations offered in such a hope. I feel in every such case that nothing remains to be desired. God has done all that is needful. He has taken a soul to himself, and he has prepared the survivors for the shock by the richest consolations known to his grace. In this view it is that I look upon your bereavement. I know that you will bear it as a visitation from your heavenly Father, and this filial, trustful spirit will surely sanctify the dispensation to the promotion of your highest interests. May it be attended with a great increase of gracious manifestation to you. May it be made