that this man, though he has been a diligent ght school and Sabbath school, can scarcely read cament correctly. It is questionable whether he read well. Like most of God's children who t for piety, he has been a great sufferer. Several more than one hundred lashes. His wife told me ese times, when he was unbound, she saw him heap." At one time to avoid intolerably cruel a whole year in the woods. At another time to he was shot and severely wounded. Four of his lifferent times, sold in the market, and are lost to e treatment he received, no doubt, has had its ntal faculties. Meantime his faith has grown exlife has become a beautiful exemplification of the ze, and be ye saved."

ON, D. C.

J. M. ARMOUR.

7-REV. JAMES M. WILLSON, D. D.

eny City, Pa., August 31st, 1866, Rev. JAMES D. D., Professor in the Theological Seminary of sbyterian Church, in the fifty-seventh year of his

on was the second son of the late Rev. James R. r many years Professor in the same Seminary as one of the most learned, able, and eloquent , as well as for his uncompromising attachment principles of the Reformed Presbyterian Church. sister of the late Rev. W. L. Roberts, D. D., well able and eloquent preacher, and a zealous Covenily has been for some three generations, perhaps t and distinguished family in the Reformed Presn this country, so that the name has become a

f Philadelphia, where he received the first rudiments education, afterward prosecuted at Newburgh, N. Y., ed at Union College, Schenectady, where he graduated nors in the year 1829, before he had completed his ar. During boyhood and youth he was ever active, emost in all youthful sports, yet he was mercifully prethose follies and snares that so often lead the young to childhood he was apt in the acquisition of learning, in his studies; and so thorough had been his previous so advanced his scholarship, that on entering colhigh rank at once in the senior class. After leaving pent some years in teaching, first in an academy at ryland, then at the village of Schodack, near Albany, astly in the city of Troy, N. Y., in the latter place as the High School.

is employed at Schodack, he became acquainted with a Burt, of Schenectady, to whom he was married April nd by whom he had eleven children, seven of whom, two ve daughters, survive him-one having died in early hree in infancy. This faithful and devoted wife, partjoys and sorrows for nearly twenty-seven years, was death in 1860. She was a woman of superior intellixemplary piety, and was beloved by all who knew her. Willson made a profession of religion in the year 1831, regation of Albany, of which his esteemed father was -. Having thus dedicated himself to the service of t once entered upon a course of Theological studies, rosecuted with diligence until May, 1834, when he was preach the everlasting gospel by the then Southern During the summer months of that year, he traveleastern section of the church as a probationer, and in ived two calls, one from the congregation of Conocod the other from Philadelphia, the latter of which he nd was ordained to the office of the holy ministry, and the pastoral charge of that congregation, November t year. There he labored with great acceptance, and erable success, until the fall of 1862, a period of twenty

ear 1859 he was appointed by Synod to a professore Theological Seminary, located in Allegheny City, a which he was eminently qualified, and which he filled industry and zeal for three successive sessions, while

his predecessors.

ith his labors as pastor and professor, he pert of other work equal to the whole power of a man For more than seventeen years he was sole ediinter, an ably conducted and efficient monthly, 1 Dr. Sproull for four years more, after its union ed Presbyterian Besides his editorial writings utions to the periodical press, he was the author orks. The first of these, issued about the year 1840, → Deacon," in which the nature and duties of the in the Christian church are fully and ably discessity of the restoration of that officer to his place onvincingly vindicated. Although this office, e of both the teaching and ruling elder, is essenPresbyterian order, yet for some generations it is it had fallen into disuse in most Presbyterian der to remedy this defect, an attempt was made fter the New Light defection, to have the office ttempt met with opposition-mild indeed at first. very distinctly at the meeting of Synod in 1838, of the overture on church government, &c., sent nod of 1836. The subject of this sketch took n favor of the full restoration or restitution of the oposite sentiments at that time found favor in the Ovenanters, a formidable party in opposition to the full power of the deacon was soon formed in the to the preparation and publication of the work uestion. A long struggle ensued, but the final formal opposition to that office has long since e are comparatively only a few congregations -h where this officer is wanting..

- the publication of "The Deacon," he issued a ed "Bible Magistracy," and after a brief interval, Civil Government." Both of these, as their titles The same general subject. The latter is a critical mans 13:1-7, and is really a masterpiece on the Some years later he published à most excel

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1, has ever been made to answer it, and it is not likely a attempt ever will be made. In fact, it is unanswerae-publication of these two last works, so that they t into the hands of every professing Christian in the ld be an invaluable, as well as eminently seasonable e cause of Christ. Had the author's life been spared, tention to revise and re-publish his work on "The t is believed, however, that no such necessity exists at Es re-publication as for that of the other two.

a to all these varied labors, he spent some two or three n the instruction of youth. This was chiefly during ears of his ministry, and was with him a matter of order to eke out his meagre salary. This statement ed to cast any reflection on his congregation. It was me weak in numbers and weaker in resources; yet it according to the prevalent ideas of liberality among in those days. Notwithstanding this, however, it is y, that had the congregation then been as liberal in o its ability, as it was during the last years of his would not have been compelled to overtax his strength lar occupation. In this connection it is proper to fault lay chiefly in the financial system in vogue in The pew-renting contrivance was then the great iberality-a system calculated to crush the spirit of t of any people. Happily, a more scriptural, and by a more excellent way has since been learned, and was his cordial approbation. He was always punctual in ce on church courts, and he was no idle spectator

It is believed he, was never absent from his bytery or Synod, in a single instance during his whole ess through sickness, and he always took a leading upied a prominent place in all the discussions that d agitated the church. Among these might be e deacon controversy, the temperance question in its es, the slavery question, the question of voluntary and during the last few years, the war question. ions, into which he entered with heart and soul, required t both of physical and mental effort. Such a multiors, most of them sedentary, and requiring intense O study, with little leisure for recreation, induced at constitution elastic indeed but never vigorous, that ning of the brain) which terminated in his death.

Professor Will

diligent kind and faithful

ng in numbers and in piety, but he always disf any special inducements to increase its memd not do this himself, and he always discouraged nothing," he would say,-" for that end that you ean if done by your neighbors." He was peron this point, and there is little doubt that by ce to this policy, some honest Covenanters, ts, were permitted to be misled by the New to the ongregation and the church, when a little ve prevented it. His success as a pastor may › fact that at least two congregations, outgrowths were organized during his ministry, and the original congregation when the pastoral relation nearly double what it was at the time of his cases parallel to this will be found in the history "resbyterian Church. True, the organization of egations was the result in part, at least, of feelings vere a severe trial of his faith and patience, but ly sustained, and by this very discipline was for greater usefulness in his future life. He ence that it "is good for a man to bear the yoke in pleasing, however, to be able to state that almost se unkind feelings has long since disappeared of the principal actors in that matter, who still believed that such was the case likewise with one before him. Truly "when a man's ways he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with

, the writer feels deeply his inadequacy to do racter. He was plain, clear, logical, and emiin all his pulpit exercises. As a sermonizer he and his presentation of divine truth, whether as cher, was always perspicuous and forcible. His ty were earnest and cogent. His reproofs of sin ul. He was constantin his studies, so that during ministry in which he was engaged in teaching, is sermons in the streets while passing to and