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At Washington, on the 30th ult. the Hon. JOHN SMILIE, Esq lately, and for many years past, a member of the House of Representatives in Congress from Pennsylvania, aged 75.

In S. C. the Hon WILLIAM LAUGHTON SMITH, Esq. formerly member of H. R. in Congress, from that state, and embassador from U.S. to the court of Lisbon.

In Poland of wounds received in the battle of Volontina, the French Ceneral, Count GUDIN.

At Needham, (Mass.) on the 3d. inst. Col. WILLIAM M' INTOSH, an officer in the revolutionary war, aged 91.

In Orange Co. (N. Y.) Gen. JAMES CLINTON, an officer in the revolutionary war, brother of the late Vice President Clinton, and father of the Hon. De Witt Clinton, aged 76. At New Haven, (Con.) during the last year the deaths were 91.

At Morristown, (N. J.) during the last year, the deaths were 55, of which 7 were caused by intemper

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At Charlestown during the same period, the deaths were 93.

In S. C. Mr. ROBE RT JAMIESON, aged 104. His eye-sight, which had failed for some years, returned before his death.

At Wilbraham, (Mass) Mr. JoNATHAN ELV, aged 99. He had lived 62 years with the wife of his youth, and left 123 descendants.

At Roxbury, the Hon JOHN READ, aged 83.

At Pownal, (Vt.) Hon. WILLIAM ToWNER, Esq. of Williamstown, Berkshire (Mass.) Senator from county in the Legislature of Massa

chusetts.

In England, EDWARD JERNING. HAM, Esq the poet.

Also, MARIANNE MOORE, aged 103. At the age of 50, she had 3 fine children at a birth.

In Virginia, Hon. JOHN TYLER, Esq. Judge of the district court for that district.

At Bozrah, (Con.) the Rev. JONATHAN MURDOCK.

At Newington, (Con.) Mrs. J. HIXON. aged 105.

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

The communications of S. S. B. are not any of them fit for insertion. He neglect. ad to pay the postage of his very heavy letter

The obituary notice of the Rev JOHN NILES is received, and will be inserted; as will also, a like notice of Capt. ABIJAH PERKINS.

The communication of E. S. was intended to have been earlier inserted; but the press of other matter prevented.

The paper on The Assurance of Hope has been long under consideration. It is sensible and judicious; but is not, perhaps, necessary at the present time

The letter from an Uncle to his Niece will be inserted soon; possibly in our next umber.

The Hymn mentioned in our last is necessarily deferred.

ERRATA.

P. 293, col. 1, line 5, from top, expunge of. p. 295, col. 2, 1. 22, from top, for eight read their. 1. 19, from bottom, for in read on. 1.22, expunge and.

p. 303, col 1. We are happy to correct an error in our obituary notice, in the number for Oct. p. 248. WILLIAM M. SMITH, Esq. was given over by his physicians, whence a report of his death originated. He has, however, been perfectly restored to health.

THE

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THE subject of this memoir was born, at Colchester in Connecticut, on the last day of December, 1775. His father dying when he was but six years old, his parental education was wholly committed to his pious moth er. His bodily constitution was naturally infirm; but he early manifested proofs of a strong, ingenious, and inquisitive mind. He was naturally of a serious disposition; and having been early instructed in the principles of the Christian religion, and train ́ed to the exercise of every moral and religious duty, by the precepts and examples of his mother, it might justly be said of him, as of Timothy, that from a child he had known the Holy Scriptures.

As the estate, which he inherited from his father, was very inconsiderable, he experienced many embarrassments in obtaining a liberal education; but by perseverance and diligence, aided by the economy of his mother, he at length surmounted every obstacle, and was graduated at Yale College, in 1797. He VOL. V. New Series.

was considered as among the first in his class, in regard to lit erary attainments. During the whole courseof his collegiate studies, he had in contemplation the work of the Gospel ministry; and, with that view, directed his studies, and made uncommon proficiency in moral and theological science.

Whilst he was

at College, he made a public profession of that religion, which was the future guide and sup, port of his life.

His theological studies were prosecuted under the direction of the Rev. Timothy Dwight, D. D. President of Yale College; and he was licensed, and com. menced preaching the Gospel, in about a year after he was graduated. As the spiritual welfare of mankind, and the honor of the divine law, lay near his heart; so his mind was eminent. ly prepared by human science, and theological knowledge, for his holy calling. His first reception in the ministry was very favorable. In the course of a few months, he was invited to preach, as a candidate, in several of the most respectable societies in Connecticut. About this time, he was invited to take the

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pastoral charge of a congregation in Durham, then vacant by the recent death of the Rev. Dr. Goodrich. But by the advice and recommendation of the President of Yale College, and other respectable friends, after a prayerful consideration of the subject, he was induced to decline the invitation, and to take the charge of Hamilton Oneida Academy, in Paris, State of NewYork. He took charge of that seminary in its entire infancy, at the close of the year 1798, and continued to discharge the duties of that station, for several years, with great faithfulness, and ability; and, at the same time, generally preached on the Sabbath, in the neighboring destitute settlements. His health at length becoming impaired, by so close an application to his academical employment, together with his ministerial labors, he returned with his family to Connecticut, in hopes to regain his health.

He continued, nevertheless, after his arrival there, to be much afflicted with ill health; yet he continued to preach, as a candidate, for the most part of the time, in various parts of Connecticut and Massachusetts, during the whole of his last residence there. But his health not yet returning in a degree competent to the discharge of ministerial duties, he began to despair of being able to prosecute the work of the ministry. However, his anxiety for the welfare of immortal souls, and his zeal for the advancement of the Redeemer's kingdom, would not permit him to rest, till he had made ev ery exertion to subserve the interests of his divine Master.

With this view, and in hopes of regaining a better state of health, he was induced to return with his family, to his former place of residence, in Paris, with the intention of removing into the county of Steuben, in the wcstern part of the State of NewYork. He had taken a journey into that new country, several years before, and from the knowledge then obtained, he conceiv ed, that a door would there be open for him to become more extensively useful to mankind. He had early imbibed a missionary spirit, and ever expressed a strong desire of diffusing the knowledge of the Gospel, amongst the heathen, and in destitute settlements.

That part of the county to which he at first removed, and which now goes by the name of Prattsburgh Society, was then a wilderness, with but one family residing in it. It was in the fall of 1803, that he came thither with his family. They, with the addition of a few families who followed the winter after from the neighborhood of his late residence at Hamilton Academy, constituted the first settlement of that place. Possessing but little property, at that time, he supported his family, for several years, principally with the produce of his new farm. After his arrival in that place, he im. mediately set up the public wor ship of God, and exerted him. self, in every possible way, to induce serious people to settle there. The happiness he derived, from anticipating the future enlargement of Christ's kingdom, in that wilderness, contin ually animated and supported him, under all the trials and em

barrassments incident to a residence in a new settlement.

The fact that the standard of the Gospel was so early displayed in that infant settlement, together with the reputation it obtained, on account of its religious privileges, caused it to advance in population with uncommon rapidity, and the settlers were mostly professors of religion, and others who were disposed to support divine worship. In about eight months, from the time of his removal into that place, a church was constituted there consisting of fourteen members. At this time, there was no regular Gospel minister residing in that county, nor in the adjoining county of Allegany; and, in general, throughout that whole extent of country, the Sabbath was regard. ed little better, than as a day of carnal amusement and recreation.

A few months after his removal, he was requested to preach, a part of the time, at Bath, the seat of justice for Steuben county. He continued to preach alternately there, and in Prattsburgh Society, till a few months before he was installed. Previous to this, no public wor ship was maintained at Bath; the Sabbath was disregarded; few godly persons were to be found there; and vice and immorality bore almost undisturbed sway. Those, who manifested a regard to the institutions of the Gospel, had been accustomed to such different modes of church government and discipline, as rendered it very difficult to constitute a church, on a true Gospel plan. His various labors for the reformation of the people in

morals and religion, were scon attended with very considerable success; a number were hopefully converted to the Gospel; more were disposed to attend public worship; the Sabbath was better observed; and, in January, 1808, he established a church there.

In July following, he was installed pastor of the church and congregation in Bath, and removed thither with his family. As his field of usefulness became now much enlarged, his diligence and zeal, in his Master's service, were proportionally increased. His time was now wholly devoted to ministerial duties. He neglected no means, nor spared any pains, to furnish his mind with all that knowledge, which might enable him to be most useful to the cause of religion. His exertions for the good of others were not confined to his own society, but he eagerly embraced every oppor. tunity to promote the cause of virtue and religion, in destitute settlements. He made it his meat, and drink, to do his Pather's will: neither did he count his life dear unto himself, that he might finish his course with joy, and the ministry, which he had received of the Lord Jesus. Neither the dread of reproach, nor the allurements of applause, nor any selfish consideration, could ever prevent him from preaching the truths of the Gospel in their fullest extent. He was one of the first promoters of the Genesee Missionary Society. The missionary cause never had a more zealous advocate; and to the end of his life be labored incessantly to promote it. He evidently made rapid growth

in grace, during the last years of his life, and his exertions to promote and extend the cause of religion, were redoubled. His time became so wholly engrossed with his theological stu dies, and ministerial labors, as to injure his health. And even the last year of his life, his mind was so carried away, and transported with his Master's work, as almost wholly to withdraw his attention from temporal concerns. His mind was deeply impressed, with a growing sense of the responsibility of Gospel ministers, and he fully realized the importance of their knowing nothing, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. He saw much for ministers to do, with but lit tle time for its performance.

Before he was removed from his spiritual labors, he saw with joy the work of the Lord prosper, in this part of the country. There continued to be additions to his church, from the time of its first formation; and its members gradually advanced in Christian graces, and in the knowledge of divine things. A short time before his death, he constituted three churches: one in the vicinity of Bath: and the other two, in the adjoining county of Allegany; over which pastors were ordained.

It was

at one of these ordinations, at Angelica in the county of Allegany, that he was seized with the fever of which he died. He had been appointed to preach the ordination sermon: but his sickness prevented. He was confined to his bed from the time of his return, with the nervous putrid fever, of which he died in about three weeks. The violence of the disease so affected

his nervous system, as to render him incapable of conversing much with his friends, during his illness. In the former part of it, at a time when he was in full possession of his reason, being asked by a Christian friend to express his views of eternal things, he replied, that, al though his mind was weak, yet he was fully established in the be lief of the reality of that Gospel, which he had preached; that he viewed the road to Heaven to be that straight and narrow path pointed out in Scripture; and that he had some interesting views of that glorious covenant, in which there was enough. Throughout his whole sickness, whenever he had the exercise of reason, he gave the strongest testimony, that the religion of Jesus, which he had professed, was still his support and happiness. During the last days of his illness, when his body was too weak for conversation, his mind was wholly absorbed in devotional exercises. In his last moments, he manifested entire composure and resignation, and said, he still enjoyed divine support, and found Christ sufficient for him. On Sunday the 13th of September, 1812, this eminent servant of the Lord rested from his labors, and fell asleep in Jesus.

In his ordinary deportment, he was serious, and reserved; but when called to attend to things of a spiritual, and relig ious nature, prompt, sociable,and zealous; at the same time, he maintained a gravity, becoming the importance of eternal things. From childhood, he was remarkable for his benevolent and charitable disposition, which increas

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