his death he had been a religious man for nearly eighty years. He thus feared God from his youth; he feared him above many, and he feared him for a far longer space of time than most men live on earth. He had large experience, therefore, in youth, in manhood, and in old age; in sorrow and in joy, in health and in sickness, of what Christianity can do for a man, of its worth when it is most wanted, and when it is put to the test. His judgment on this point, therefore, is valuable, and it ought to influence

yours.

When he was old and feeble, what did he think of the Gospel? What estimate did he form of the real value of religion as a practical principle? Did he regret that he had devoted nearly the whole of his long life to God? and that he had not indulged in the pleasures of sin? No, no. His only regret was that he had not lived nearer to God, and that he had not devoted himself more entirely to the Redeemer's service. Did you ever know any man at the close of life regret that he had lived the life of a Christian? Did you ever hear of any such case? No. And the legitimate inference from this fact is, that if you now dedicate yourselves to the Redeemer you will not regret it if you should live to old age. Your only regret then will be, that you did not seek the Lord earlier in life, and that you did not give yourselves more cordially and earnestly to his service. And if it should please God to spare you to old age, may you then have such blessed recollections of early piety, and such bright prospects of heavenly glory, as those which gladdened his heart. Oh, believe what your heavenly Father says to you, "They that seek me early shall find me;

""Them that honour

me, I will honour."

And there is one lesson which this dispensation teaches all of us. It is that death is inevitable. Our departed friend lived to a good old age, but at last he died.. Yes, and we shall die too. We do not know when or where, but this we do know, that the event is sure. But how shall we die? How would you like to die? Would you like to die as the fool dieth, muttering, "There is no God?" Would you like to die as the sceptic dies, doubting whether there be a future life, and whether your soul will live when your

body is dead? Would you like to die as the worldling dies, without Christ and without hope? Would you like to die as the slothful and lukewarm professor dies, filled with bitter regrets for the past, and with gloomy forebodings for the future? Or would you like to die as our friend died, calmly resting on Christ, clinging to the cross, with no doubt as to your final safety; possessing that perfect love which casteth out fear, and saying, as you close your eyes on earth, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."

If, then, you would die the Christian's death, live the Christian's life. Let your robes be washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb. "Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his."

WILLIAM WILSON HYDE.

THE name of William Wilson Hyde has been familiar in Hull during the last forty years, in connection with efforts of philanthropy and religion, and his memory will be fragrant for years to come. Early brought to a knowledge of the truth, he was one of a number of interesting young men, with whom he associated who "made haste and delayed not" to avow themselves "on the Lord's side" by publicly giving themselves to Christ and to his people, according to the will of God.

The case of Mr. Hyde strikingly illustrates the importance of a wise selection of companions, who for good or evil must exert an influence upon the character and history of every young man; and it also exhibits the unspeakable advantages of early deci sion for Christ, in preservation from the numerous temptations to which youth are exposed, and in rendering the best periods of life holy, useful, and happy. How many remember their early associates with deepest anguish as those who were the instruments of Satan in keeping them out of the ways of piety, and prompting them to make a mock at sin, and are compelled to weep tears of bitterness as they think of the best periods of their lives worse than wasted, and find by sad experience, as they inherit the fruits of sin, that the way of transgressors is hard!

During the long period of nearly fifty years, in which Mr. Hyde was privileged to profess the Gospel, he thanked God

fervently and frequently that in early life he had been led "to choose the better part." He was deeply indebted, as he often acknowledged, to the instructions and example of a pious mother, whose affectionate and earnest efforts were greatly blessed in prompting him to consecrate his heart to Jesus. Much did he love, and greatly did he honour, his mother. He ever referred to her in a way that indicated the preciousness of her memory, and the greatness of his obligations to her. Pious mothers have rich encouragement to toil and pray for the spiritual welfare of their children, in the numerous instances of devoted affection and remarkable success with which such labours have been identified. The active and earnest disposition of Mr. Hyde was soon manifested in his profession of religion.

He and some other young men, who had recently united themselves with the church at Fish-street Chapel, became regular and constant in their attendance at the early Sabbath morning prayer meeting; a meeting which was rendered a great blessing to themselves, in affording scope for the exercise of their gifts in prayer, in uniting them more closely to each other, and also in bringing down showers of blessings on the church and congregation with which they were connected. The history of the early Sabbath morning prayer meetings, in connection with our congregations, would be most interesting and instructive, and the early prayer meetings in connection with Fish-street Chapel would furnish materials of the most stirring kind, and supply motives, especially to the young, to say in reference to these gatherings, My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up." With a heart beating with love to Christ, Mr. Hyde felt, as a necessary consequence, love to man; hence in association with his young companions, he began works of faith, and labours of love for the souls that were without. It was not enough for him to have received the grace of Christ; he was anxious that others should be partakers with him of like precious faith. This desire prompted him with a few others to originate the Sabbath-schools in connection with Fish-street Chapel, and from the opening of the schools he continued for upwards of thirty years to labour with untiring energy and unabated love,

occupying successively the positions of teacher, secretary, and superintendent; and all who witnessed his self-denying efforts, and looked upon his sunny countenance from Sabbath to Sabbath, felt that his labour was his delight.

Whoever might grow weary in the work, he never flagged-whatever changes might take place, he remained unchanged. Every Sabbath, and twice on the Sabbath, was he found in the school from year to year. And often was his heart cheered, during the later years of his life, in meeting with those who had been trained in the schools, and were occupying positions of respectability and importance, who acknowledged the advantage they had derived from his counsels and his care. A lover of good men and a decided friend of union, Mr. Hyde was one of the foremost in originating the Hull Sunday-school Union. And many will remember his cheerful countenance, earnest efforts, largehearted liberality, and manifest delight on the Easter Monday gatherings of children and teachers at the festivals of the Union. It would have been felt to be a positive loss had he been absent on these memorable occasions. But he was always there; the first to be present and the last to leave. His love to Sunday-schools, and his earnest efforts to promote them, suggest a lesson to not a few. He espoused them when they were not so popular as they are now, and he devoted not only his youthful, but maturer years to their advancement. Well would it be if a larger number of the members of our churches, of standing and mature age, would co-operate, after the example of Mr. Hyde, with the younger members in the Sabbath-schools.

But earnest and continuous as were the efforts of Mr. Hyde for the Sundayschool, and the promotion of the cause of God generally, he was not unmindful of his own family. The testimonies of the members of his own family are most decided as to his anxiety and effort for their spiritual advantagewhat letters he wrote-what conversations he held-what instructions he gave-what prayers he offered for their salvation. And with what gratitude and delight did he witness all of them decide for Christ! A large-hearted liberality to the cause of God distinguished Mr. Hyde, so that to his means, and even beyond his means, he was

ready to contribute for the support and extension of the Gospel. Missions, Tract and Bible Societies, found in him a willing and generous supporter. He was a cheerful giver.

The leading attributes of Mr. Hyde's character were humility, simplicity, benevolence, cheerfulness, activity, and prayerfulness. His end was peace. Though somewhat sudden, it was not unexpected. He seems to have had a presentiment of his speedy departure. He set his house in order, and was waiting for his Master's call.

The state of his mind was indicated by his favourite and oft-repeated hymn, "Who is a pardoning God like thee?" Frequently, when near the close of his life, did he pray, "Thy kingdom come.” And when lovingly taking leave of his family he asked, "Are you all in Christ Jesus? Is he in you all the hope of glory?" Many precious words, says a member of his family, were uttered by him, showing the calm and spiritual state of his mind.

On some of the family entering the room after a short absence, he inquired, "Where have you been?" "I have been with Christ, and he is with me now."

In his departure there was

No earthward clinging, no lingering gaze, No strife at parting, no sore amaze; But sweetly, gently he passed away, From the world's dim twilight into day. And thus he awoke to everlasting life, in the morning of February 19, 1855, aged seventy-five. "Being dead, he yet speaketh."

Let us be followers of them who through faith and patience now inherit the promises. J. W. R.

THE LATE REV. MR. HARRISON,

OF WHITSTABLE.

THE late extraordinary press of matter has of necessity kept back many things of interest and importance, and among them a notice we had ready some weeks ago, of the late Mr. Harrison, whose case excited not a little emotion in many a heart. We had the pleasure of preparing his way in the metropolis to collect for his chapel, which has been consumed by fire. Grateful for the small service we had rendered, he came and made a commencement; and in the midst of his labours he was summoned to his eternal rest. The case is peculiar; we

have never known or heard of a like Occurrence. From his excellent brother we received the following account of the main facts of the case:

66

He came here on Monday, April 16th, doubtless at that time labouring under inflammation of the chest. He remained with me until Saturday, amid much suffering, but still intent on his work. He left me on the Saturday, and on the Sabbath preached to his own people. He said to me that he had not prepared, but his people affirm that it was a high day." I have learned to-day that, on Monday morning, April 24th, before leaving home, he told his son where his lifepolicy for £100 was, so that if he should never return it might be found. He arrived here more cheerful than usual-indeed, under the cheerfulness of disease. On the Tuesday he called upon Dr. Conquest, who gave him a prescription, and told him he was labouring under bronchitis, and ought not to remain in London another hour. On the Wednesday I advised him not to go out, but he said he must, having several appointments. Oh that I had known the development of his complaint! On the Thursday he arose before me, and told me that the prescription had brought on relaxation, which had continued two nights and one day. I at once gave him medicine which stopped it. But I found as the day advanced that his memory, and, in fact, his mind, was deranged; and I called in my physician, Dr. Chepmell. He at once pronounced the case dangerous inflammation of the lungs, with unusual debility. I sent for Mrs. Harrison. The whole of Thursday afternoon and Friday he was delirious. In the night a change took place, and on Saturday he was more conscious, but paralyzed and speechless. I asked him what he thought of heaven then, and whether he could trust his eternal all in Christ? He nodded his head in token of assent, and tried to say all's well. On Saturday night I quoted many passages of Scripture bearing on the Christian's confidence in death:

There is a land of pure delight, etc., and then prayed with him. He evidently enjoyed the whole; I then left for the night. On the following morning, Sunday, I was called. I hastened to dress, and found friends around wondering whether he had gone; but had to apply a mirror, to see if there was breath on it, before I could ascertain whether the spirit had departed, so peacefully did he fall asleep in Jesus.

Excuse this paper-I have not had time to get other. I am obliged for your advocacy of the Whitstable cause-good service to a sterling cause. If you had seen the windows half closed, and the harbour-master's flag half mast high, as I saw them to-day at Whitstable, you would have felt that seed has been sown there which must produce a large crop. The Almighty Head direct the people to a successor who shall water the ground.

On May 3rd Mr. Harrison wrote again, in reply to another communication from us, as follows:

Again your favour reaches me after my

thanks for the service he has here rendered to mankind. So much do we admire the book and so desirous are we to extend the beneficial effects of the Author's labours, and to introduce him to the circle of the readers of the CHRISTIAN WITNESs, that we shall set forth a few of the closing pages of this most masterly disquisition:

Having thus drawn a parallel between the historic circumstances of France and Britain, and pointed out the exact periods at which France lost the great battle of Protestantism and Freedom, thereby entailing on herself the fearful strife between her Romanist institutions and the unenlightened and sceptical reason of her insurged people-we may conclude our essay by directing attention to one or two particulars which exhibit the very different results flowing from the success of the various systems.

Romanism-Popery-the Papal system of spurious Christianity-the Antichrist of the world, and the prophetic installation of error into the place of truth-is not merely a system of doctrine. We greatly err when we imagine that Romanism can be treated as a mere error of creed, or a mere longing after fanciful or artistic peculiarities in the form of religious worship. Romanism may appear as sleek and as subtle as a serpent-sliding noiselessly hither and thither, and, apparently, a harmless and inoffensive sort of creature that seeks to hide itself in holes and out-ofthe-way places, avoiding contact with the open world of manhood. But Romanism has a deadly sting; an incurable poison lurks in her malignant fang; she bites once, and straightway the issues of a nation's life seem to be smitten with corruption; death circulates through all the channels that carry the venom of her abominations. She palsies and kills the noblest; the mean she reduces to beggary; and every nation that has accepted her rule has fallen into dissolution and decay, or otherwise has quenched in blood the hideous hypocrisies which Antichrist has substituted for the fair and loving truths of God's eternal Gospel.

Romanism is not merely a creed or summary of false doctrine. If it were, it might safely be left to the theologian, who would combat its errors in the same manner that he combats the crude negations of Scepticism, the false spiritualism of Pantheism, or the hero-worshipping of the bastard Socinianism, which would allow us to worship God our Saviour, if we would only admit the Messiah to be a human person endowed with genius.

Romanism, on the contrary, is, in this world, a political and practical system, that strangles liberty as certainly as the boa strangles the victim round which it entwines. It subjugates and destroys all those very liberties for which the forefathers of British men maintained their trying but heroic contest. It organizes itself infallibly into a system of despotic power, whose whole energies are bent on the abolition of liberty. It becomes a power in the State, and where triumphant the only power in the State. It strikes down liberty of thought, free speech, and the free

publication of opinion. It strikes down a free press. No Romanist country, in the whole history of the world, can be pointed out that has had a free press. A free press is impossible in a Romanist country; yet a free press is one of the very first essentials of that freedom which, under God's blessing, will yet carry the Divine truth into every corner of the globe-will let every mortal man existing on the face of the earth hear the glad tidings of great joy-and will make every man a freeman in that high sense which the Roman system has never understood, nor ever can understand, since Romanism makes man accountable to the priest, and not to the Almighty. Romanism, simulating, as it does, the essential truths of Divine revelation, is the death-warrant of liberty.

We return, however, to history. Scotland is now an integral part of the United Kingdom, and she has no reason to be ashamed of the part she plays in the destinies of the empire. She bore, in former times, much the same relation to England that Albigesium bore to the kingdom of France, with the single exception, that Scotland succeeded in working out her Protestant Reformation, while the South of France fell before the oppressive tyranny of the northern kingdom. Scotland achieved her own national freedom; the South of France did not achieve its national freedom. Scotland maintained her national liberty, and chose her own form of ecclesiastical construction; the South of France-which would have become Protestant, and which again, to this very day, would become Protestant, if let alone and duly instructed-fell into the condition of a country which accepts a form of faith and an order of clergy, forced on it by the power of the sword, or insidiously extended to it by the power of policy. Scotland united freely with England, and both countries have reason to acknowledge the advantages; the South of France did not unite, but was conquered, and thereby lost the opportunity of framing a faith or of founding a nation. Scotland became part of Britain, with her free rights secured to her; the South of France became incorporated in such a manner that all the Protestant aspirations of France were obliterated, and from not being Protestant, she became Rationalistic, and had to pass through the stupendous horrors of the great Revolution.

But if we turn to Romanist France, we find altogether a different story, notwithstanding her many revolutions, and all her unhappy bloodshed. Even in our own day we have heard patriotic songs in honour of Charles X. sung on his birth-day in the theatres; we have seen him in exile, and a new dynasty established by force of arms;-we have seen Louis Philippe king of the French, and again Louis Philippe a refugee in England; we have seen a Republic established by force of arms, amid the universal acclamations of the nation, and again the same Republic abolished by the musketry of the President, who is voted Emperor for a time by millions of the same Republicans;—we have seen the illustrious Arago, who was a member of the Provisional Government, deprived of the position which the whole civilized