in regard to my perfectionism, and both were satisfied that there was no foundation for the stories they had heard. At the suggestion of brother E., I preached on the subject, and sent a request to brothers E. and B. to give notice in their pulpits, which they did. The house was full, and, so far as I could learn, the sermon was satisfactory to all, though brother H. did not fully agree with me on some points. In the afternoon, we had a deeply interesting communion service, and afterwards I made my request for a dismission. This was granted without opposition, as they were satisfied that I was doing right; but there never was a time when they seemed to love me so strongly, or when I was doing so much good.

Brother H. proposed, that the church should meet and pass a resolution expressing their confidence and attachment, and refuting the rumor, that our separation was caused by doctrinal differences. My heart was also greatly comforted by the kind feelings manifested by my ministerial brethren in the city, last week.

While on his journey, he writes thus:

My heart panteth after God, as the hart panteth for the water brooks. To-day, while travelling, my soul seemed constantly to go forth to the Saviour,

and the thought of his love filled my eyes with tears. I do long after a full and perfect consecration to him, and I hope, more than ever before, that I shall attain to the fulness of the stature of a perfect man in Christ Jesus.

THE following is from a member of the church to which he ministered at Rochester, who was aware that an impartial statement was desired by those who sought information from him on the queries presented.

"Mr. Beecher commenced his labors as a pastor of this church, in March, 1838, was installed the 28th of the June following, and continued his ministry till the 6th of October, 1840. During his ministry, the church was increased by the addition of eighty-one members upon certificate, and one hundred and one by profession. Before he assumed the pastoral care of the church, we had been somewhat accustomed to preaching, distinguished rather for its strong and vivid appeals to feelings and passions, than for solid instruction; and some of us felt that the state of the church, with respect to the ministrations of the pulpit, was somewhat vitiated, and that it was desirable to create a relish for preaching of a more instructive character. Mr. Beecher seemed peculiarly quali

fied for the post assigned him. He was active and ardent, and capable of addressing himself with ef fect to the sympathies of his audience, while, at the same time, he was able to instruct them in the simple and profound truths of revelation. Though not always equally happy in his efforts, he was never uninteresting, and sometimes, in my judgment, he was surpassingly powerful.

"He was guileless and affectionate in his intercourse with his people, and was truly an honest man in all his ways. Sometimes, owing to abstraction of thought, he fell under the suspicion of being inattentive to those around him; but his chief defect was precipitancy. His ardent feelings led him to fall at once into every proposition that seemed to promise good to the great cause in which he was engaged. He left many warm friends here, who still remember him with great affection. You probably are aware of the action of this church, on hearing of his death, when our present pastor preached on the occasion to a crowded house. In regard to the plan inquired about, it was adopted just as Mr. Beecher. left us, and has been continued ever since with complete He was not the originator of the plan, but was very efficient in securing its adoption. It was this: Every member of the church and congregation, who was willing to do so, was called upon to pledge himself to pay a certain sum, such as he thought proper, weekly, for the purpose of

success.

sustaining the Gospel. The names of the contributors were entered in a book provided for the purpose, and the sums contributed were deposited from Sabbath to Sabbath, with an envelope, on which was written the contributor's name. This was placed in a little box at the doors of the church. The payments are entered the following Monday. If the contributors become a little lax, they are quickened by a printed note from the one who has charge of the book. Occasionally, we have to stop the church, and give them a little talk on the subject. We have not owed a dollar since the plan was adopted. Our pastor has his one hundred dollars at the commencement of every month, and the other expenses are all punctually met."

AFTER it became known that it was his design to leave Rochester, the church in Chillicothe, which had been formed from a portion of the church where he had labored some years previous, invited him to become their pastor, and he was, a short time after, established there. He kept no regular journal, after this time, and wrote but few letters, so that there are very limited records of

his

own, in reference to his ministry and private history, the last three years of his life.

On April 3, 1842, he made the following entry in his journal:

"Since I removed to Ohio I have been greatly blessed in my labors to build up a church, and have enjoyed a continual revival, during both winters I have spent here. This past winter, about forty have been added to my church, which now numbers ninety-three. And now by the help of Christ I again dedicate myself wholly to him."

A letter was addressed to a member of his church, asking for information in regard to his labors there. The following are extracts from the reply:

Chillicothe, June, 1844.

I NEED not tell you how gratifying it is to the members of his church, that they are to possess a tangible memorial of the character and labors of their late beloved pastor. You know not with what enthusiasm they speak of him, and as the year has rolled around, and brought us nearly to the season when his tragical death occurred, we seem again to feel all the sorrow of that awful pe

riod.

It would be far from telling the whole story of the good done by Mr. Beecher, merely to recount the numbers added to his church, for he exerted much influence upon the whole community. His popular talents and unequalled zeal in every good