two previously published, the "Hope of Glory," which he heard at the time as the first sermon delivered by Mr. Adams in Syracuse, and the last two sermons, one on "The Christian's Victory," and the other on "The Christian's Crown," are worth, to every lover of holy sentiments, expressed in a pure and beautiful style, more than the cost of the whole.

Great pains have been taken to render the mechanical execution of the book tasteful. The engraving, by an artist who was familiar with the countenance of the author, and who copied from an admirable portrait of Dr. Adams, now in possession of his family, is judged to be a very perfect likeness of the original.

In conclusion, the editor would express his grateful acknowledgments to the people of Syracuse, and those generous friends that have enabled him to execute his task without the embarrassing apprehension of pecuniary loss, and in a style of publication of which none will have reason to be ashamed. May that gracious Spirit, whose gospel is set forth in these discourses, augment and prolong the influence which they exercised when they fell from those lips which have ceased to move.

Philadelphia, March 7, 1851.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.

THE biography of a good man, like his actual life, is both agreeable and useful; but when the life has been marked by a modest and retiring disposition, and few have known the charm which it has spread through a limited sphere, it is scarcely to be expected that very ample materials should be found for a written memoir.

The subject of the following sketch, JOHN WATSON ADAMS, was born December 6th, 1796, in the town of Simsbury, Hartford County, Connecticut. He had a twin brother named Erastus Homer. They were very unlike each other in their appearance, temperament, and mental peculiarities; yet there were strong points of resemblance in their character. Both were affectionate in their dispositions, and possessed of lively sensibilities and genial tastes.

John Watson had a greater amount of self-control, and his calm judgment, and the disposition of his brother to look to him for counsel, made him seem to be several years the senior of his coeval yoke-fellow.

Their father, the Rev. Roger Adams, had dedicated them to God in their childhood, and before he ceased to perform the active duties of the ministry, they both entered upon the responsibilities of the sacred office.

Among the papers of my esteemed brother-in-law, I can only find the most meagre reminiscences of his childhood.

From the introduction to a brief diary kept by him, and which was commenced November 5th, 1823, at New York, it appears that when he was five or six years of age, his father removed with his family from Simsbury to Granville, Massachusetts. After a residence in Granville of about three years, he removed to Sherburne, Chenango County, New York, in 1805. Here they remained five years, and then removed to Lenox, Madison County, in 1810. Thence the family removed, the year following, to Sullivan, near the Oneida Lake. Here they remained till after Mr. Adams became the pastor of the church in Syracuse. Being thus near to his paternal home, he was allowed to minister, with filial piety, to the comfort of his parents during the infirmities of declining years, and to close their dying eyes.

It does not appear, from the brief memoranda referred to, at what time he made an open profession of religion. He says, that he "obtained hope in the mercy of God, in April, 1816." It is probable, that he was united to the church, in due form, soon after, as we find that he commenced his classical studies, at Paris Hill, in May of the following year. It does not certainly appear, from any documentary testimony in my possession, that he commenced study with the purpose of serving God in the sacred office. But, it is to be presumed, from several circumstances, that this was his object. We find no evidence of his ever agitating the subject of selecting a profession subsequently. He did not commence his classical studies till he had nearly attained his majority, and as this was soon after his becoming decidedly religious, it is probable that he was induced to enter thus late upon his course, in the hope of qualifying himself to preach Christ to lost

men.

It is one of the beautiful incidental influences of the