top of the mountain which had separated him from them, to witness his arrival and to bid him welcome with tears of grateful joy.

It was during the latter part of his residence in the Ban de la Roche, that M. Stouber's ministerial labours were so peculiarly successful, and that, under the blessing of God, a general improvement appeared to take place.

He had resided altogether more than fourteen years in this spot, actively engaged in promoting the welfare of his flock, when he had the affliction of losing a wife to whom he was tenderly attached, and who, animated by the same spirit as her husband, had warmly participated in all his labours of love. Three years after this melancholy event Stouber was called to the occupation of another field of usefulness, and his flock at the Ban de la Roche was left without a pastor.

Oberlin perceived the emergency of the case; to his benevolent mind the charge of such a people was rendered more interesting by the misery and moral degradation which had to be remedied; and, leaving a place where the brilliancy of his mental powers might have commanded universal homage, at the call of Providence, he chose to succeed M. Stouber in this desolate and retired spot.

2

CHAPTER II.

Oberlin's birth and childhood-Instances of his early benevolence-His act of self-dedication-Influence over others-Arrival at the Ban de la Roche.

JOHN FREDERIC OBERLIN was born at Strasburg, on the thirty-first of August, 1740. His father was a man of considerable attainments and much respectability in that place, and devoted his hours of leisure to the instruction of his nine children, all of whom he tenderly loved. They in return were devotedly attached to him; it was their pleasure to anticipate his wishes, and promote his happiness by every means in their power. Though his income was very limited, he was in the habit of dividing among his children a small sum of money every Saturday, to spend as pocket-money; and the following pleasing anecdote in allusion to this circumstance is related, as an early trait of the little Frederic's character:-His father was in the habit of paying off his tradesmen's accounts, with great exactness and punctuality, every Saturday evening. On these occasions little Frederic used to watch the countenance of his father, and if it wore a melancholy expression, imagining that he was at a loss to meet the demands made upon his purse, he would run to his savings-box, and return joyfully to empty his little store into the hands of his beloved parent.

But this was only one among the thousand instances of generosity and benevolence for which he was, even from his earliest infancy, so peculiarly distinguished. Self-denial ever seemed his ruling principle; and he was never so happy as when an opportunity of relieving the oppressed or distressed presented itself to his notice. I shall mention some more anecdotes of a similar description, because it is interesting to trace the germ of those dispositions which, when ripened into maturity, brought forth such remarkable fruits.

As he was one day crossing the marketplace, when his little box of savings was nearly full, he saw some rude boys knock down a basket of eggs which a country woman was carrying upon her head. The woman was in great trouble, when Frederic not only rebuked the boys with much spirit, but ran home, fetched his box, and presented her with all its contents. Another day, he was passing in Strasburg market by the stall of an old clothes' vender. A poor infirm woman was endeavouring, without success, to procure an abatement in the price of some article she appeared to be particularly desirous of purchasing. She wanted two pence to complete the sum demanded, and was on the point of leaving the stall from her inability to give them. Frederic, pretending to be engaged with something else, only waited for her retiring, when he slipped the two pence into the dealer's hand, and whispered to him to call back the poor woman and

let her have the gown; and then, without stopping for her thanks, instantly ran away.

He, another time, saw a beadle ill-using an invalid beggar in the street; and following the impulse of the moment, totally regardless of consequences, he placed himself in a spirited manner between what he thought the oppressor and the oppressed, reproving the former in strong terms for his inhumanity. The beadle, indignant at such an interruption, wished to arrest the little fellow; but the neighbours, who knew and loved the boy, came running out of their shops to his assistance, and compelled the man to desist. A few days afterward he happened to be walking in a narrow lane, when he saw the same person at a distance. "Shall I run away?" thought he to himself. "No: God is with me. I relieved the poor man, and why should I fear?" With these reflections he proceeded on his way; and the beadle, smiling at him, allowed him to pass unmolested.

The horror of injustice felt by this little boy he owed to the kind care and pious instruction of his parents. His mother was an admirable woman; and to her judicious training and virtuous example he often said he owed his love for the things that are excellent, and his desire to render himself useful. She endeavoured to bring her children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord; and would assemble them every evening, and while they copied the pictures their father had prepared for them, she read aloud some instructive book, for their

benefit. When the hour of separation came, the children generally begged for one beautiful hymn from dear mamma; prayer followed, and thus their infant steps were guided to Him who said, "Suffer little children to come unto me."

By way of relaxation, Oberlin's father used to take the children every Thursday evening during the summer months to his family estate in the country, where, having tied a drum about his waist, he would place his six blooming boys in a line, and, preceding them in the capacity of a drummer, he would make them go through all the military evolutions. To these pastimes, perhaps, little Frederic owed his extreme partiality for military exercises. While quite a lad, his knowledge of sieges and battles attracted the notice of the officers, and he was permitted to mingle with the soldiers, and join in their exercises. His father, however, having destined him for a learned profession, at length interfered, telling the young soldier that it was time to renounce this child's play for study and serious labour; and Frederic, though of an ardent and lively temperament, readily coinciding with his father's views, entered upon his studies with enthusiasm, and soon recovered the time which he had lost.

From his very infancy Oberlin seems to have been the subject of divine influence. In one of his papers he says, "During my infancy and my youth God often vouchsafed to touch my heart, and to draw me to himself. He bore with me, in my repeated backslidings, with a