AS A CHRISTIAN-it is impossible to contemplate the character of Dr. Stanford, without emotions of respect and pleasure. His early religious experience was as deep and pungent, as his matured principles were eminently regulated by the standard of evangelical purity; and while he daily evinced a growing dissatisfaction with himself, he struggled manfully towards the attainment of universal holiness; and clung to the cross of Jesus Christ as the only hope of the condemned sinner. Though many have shone more brilliantly, and others have acquired greater celebrity from their eminence in the Christian graces, yet few men have loved and practised the duties of private devotion, more than Dr. Stanford. With him the motto of the immortal Luther-"Bene orasse est bene studuisse," was a practical maxim. The closet was his home, and devout meditation upon the sacred page the constant employment of his life.

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Prayer all his business, all his pleasure praise.”

This is no undistinguishing panegyric, but an unvarnished statement of well authenticated fact. No man could set a higher value upon orthodoxy, but yet he regarded personal religion and daily communion with God, as being of paramount importance. From this source of improvement and happiness, no other engagement could divert him. His whole conduct in this respect seemed to be a commentary upon the saying that if the twelve apostles lived in the same street with a Christian, he would be injured by

their visits, if they interrupted his private communion with God. His devotional exercises, spiritual and constant, were animated by a spirit kindled from above, and inextinguishable as the fire on the Jewish altar.

In the progress of his Christian experience Dr. Stanford cultivated an intimate acquaintance with his own heart, and habituated himself to the duty of bringing his actions and their motives to the test of Christian principles; it is therefore not surprising, that in his diary we find so many passages devoted to selfcondemnation.

The habitual state of his mind was indeed calm, and we generally find him "strong in the faith, giving glory to God," yet at times he was cast down, and deeply lamented the hidings of God's countenance; but the distressing doubts which assailed him under these trials, though the invention of an enemy, did but drive him to the throne of grace, that there, as a penitent sinner, he might obtain pardon and eternal life through the blood of the Lamb.

His life was a path chequered with alternate joys and sorrows, of toils and cares; it was a scene of blended light and shade. Few Christians have suffered, laboured, or enjoyed more; but under all the vicissitudes which marked his career, he pursued the undeviating tenour of his way, and in an extraordinary degree, accomplished the purposes of human existence.

Whatever were his own circumstances, he continued

to the end of life, to evince the utmost concern for the welfare of others. His prayers to the throne of mercy were offered not merely for his friends, but even his enemies had an interest in his supplications. From the baneful passions of envy and anger, he was delivered in no ordinary degree; and it is worthy of particular remark, that he was seldom heard to utter a word to the disadvantage of those who had injured him. Although his diary abounds with lamentations for his own sins, yet there is not one word of resentment against his enemies; but over the faults of others he spread the mantle of Christian charity, which "covers a multitude of sins." It is probable that there have been but few instances of a more rigid exemplification, of the divine rule, "love your enemies, bless them that curse you, and do good to them that hate you, and pray for those who despitefully use and persecute you."

AS THE MINISTER OF CHRIST-his appearance in the pulpit commanded universal respect. Dr. Stanford was a man of middle stature. His mien was dignified, and his countenance expressive of energy, intelligence, and benevolence. His voice, which was one of great compass and clearness, not only filled our most spacious churches, but, like the spiritstirring trumpet, it could at once command and sustain the eager attention of an auditory. Like the voice of the Baptist crying in the wilderness," pre pare ye the way of the Lord," he seemed to penetrate

the heart of every hearer; and produced an impres→ sion, deeper and more salutary than the thunders of Demosthenes, or the splendid declamation of Cicero. While uttering the terrors of the holy law, his deep tones would often startle the impenitent; but, when announcing the message of mercy, his accents were mild and persuasive.

His chief preparation for the pulpit was earnest and persevering prayer, although he made it an almost invariable rule to compose a new sermon for each occasion. He was as far removed from scholastic pedantry on the one hand, as from inattention to classical propriety of diction on the other; with him the maxim of Dr. Johnson was paramount :-" Words ought to be laboured, when they are intended to stand for things," and he therefore" sought to find out acceptable words." While engaged in preaching, he would frequently seize upon some prominent topic or incident, and urge it upon the attention of his congregation with a pathos, and energy of language which few could hear unmoved. His sermons were always evangelical, and replete with the treasures of the sacred volume, to a degree which demonstrated his personal conviction of its paramount importance as a guide in duty, and the only immutable foundation of hope.

"Here is firm footing-all is sea besides."

In point of native intellect, Dr. S. is to be regarded as occupying an exalted rank, although a want of

early culture, and his active employment in the immediate duties of life, prevented him from attaining that literary fame which his great industry and strong mind would, under different circumstances, have enabled him to acquire. With a retentive memory he possessed a fertile imagination, and both were sanctified to the noble purpose of giving force to his public instructions, and aiding the devotion of his hearers. From the deep fountains of a pure theology, Dr. S. brought forth the truth, and not unfrequently enforced it with some striking illustration, borrowed from the familiar incidents of life, and produced an impression upon the minds of his hearers, to which the most elaborate argument would have proved unequal. His figures were always natural, scriptural, and generally felicitous, and it is therefore not surprising that their effect was happy and permanent.* The writer cannot forget passages of this description, from sermons preached twenty years since; and thousands who heard Dr. S. before the writer was born, remember, with pleasure, his pertinent and pious remarks.

As a preacher, Dr. S. is to be contemplated in the light of a man, declaring to others, truths, the unspeakable importance of which he deeply realized. His preaching was something more than studied declamation; and in the flowing stream of his thoughts,

For a beautiful illustration of his peculiarly happy use of a figurative style, the reader is referred to the interesting letter from the Rev. Spencer H. Cone, with which this memoir closes.