from almost every pulpit in Cambridge. His church was crowded with young students." And every mark of respect was paid to him by the vice-chancellor, heads of houses, and doctors, and his sermons, of the most evangelical character, were heard with deep and respectful attention, by audiences embracing the most important members of the university. The reasons of this remarkable change bishop Wilson gives at length, a brief abstract of which is all that our limited space will permit us to insert. As these, however, furnish a fair outline of the whole character of Mr. Simeon, delineated by one who perfectly knew him, and was well qualified to judge, they deserve the special attention of the reader, and especially of the young clergyman and all candidates for the ministry.

1. The first reason assigned for the success of this eminent servant of God, in the latter part of his ministry, is, "His occupying diligently with his appropriate talents." He seems to have applied himself to make the most of the particular opportunities afforded him. He wished for no change of station; he was deterred by no difficulties; he was seduced by no offers of a more easy or more congenial post. But where he was placed by a good Providence, there he determined to labour for his Master's glory. After he discovered the immense capabilities of his position in the university, he strove to acquire the knowledge and experience necessary for the best discharge of his duties. With this principle he began; and fifty-four years only added more and more to his faculties of usefulness. His talents multiplied beyond his own expectations and those of his friends. A STEADY MINISCHANGES RARELY

TRY IS LIKELY TO BE A SUCCESSFUL ONE.
ANSWER.

2. Consistency and decision of character, may next be mentioned. Confidence is generated by degrees. When once a character for sincerity, spirituality, consistency, boldness in the gospel is established, influence is rapidly acquired. Petty errors are overlooked-peculiarities, failures of temper, defects in judgment-all are lost after a number of years, in the general, and well known excellency of the life. Reports are no longer believed, prejudices are softened, accusations of enthusiasm and party spirit are examined before they are credited. No man upon earth was more open to misrepresentations than Mr. Simeon: but after a course of years almost every one estimated them at

their true value. He lived for more than half a century in the eye of the same university. He was the companion and instructor of fourteen generations of young students.

He saw the disciples of his early days, the governors and professors of the university, in his latter. He was known never to have but one object; never to have preached but one doctrine.

3. "Moderation on doubtful and contested points of theology, contributed to his ultimate success. Not moderation as implying uniformity to the world's judgment of Christian doctrine-but the true scriptural moderation arising from a sense of man's profound ignorance, and of the danger of attempting to proceed one step beyond the fair and obvious import of Divine Revelation. In this sense, he was moderate. A reverential adherence to the letter of inspired truth was characteristic of his preaching. He never ventured to push conclusions from scripture into metaphysical refinement. Unless the conclusions themselves as well as the promises were clearly revealed, he was fearful and cautious in the extreme. He did not consider it his duty to attempt to reconcile all the apparent difficulties in St. Paul, but to preach every part of that great apostle's doctrine, in its place and bearing, and for the ends for which each part was evidently employed by its inspired author.

4. "His eminently devotional spirit must be next mentioned. No man, perhaps, in these latter ages, has been more a man of prayer than Mr. Simeon. It is believed that not unfrequently he spent whole nights in prayer to God. This spirit of prayer counteracted the natural roughness of his temper, reconciled those who had taken offence, gave a certain charm to his conversation, moderated contentions, led to continual self-knowledge and growth in grace, and laid a foundation of wide influence. In his afflictions prayer was his refuge. There was an intenseness of desire, a prostration of soul, a brokenness of heart before God, a holy, filial breathing after spiritual blessings, which can scarcely be conceived by those who only saw him occasionally. This habit of mind not only contributed to his general success by bringing down the grace of the Holy Spirit, but also by giving a certain softened tone to his whole character, which generated confidence, and which being joined with the occupation of his appropriate talent, his consistency and moderation in doubtful matters, shed a sort of unction over his conversation and ministry,

which in spiritual things is the secret of real influence over others.

5. "The labour bestowed on the preparation of his sermons must by all means be noticed. Few cost him less than twelve hours of study-many twice that time, and some several days. He once told the writer, that he had re-composed the plan of one discourse more than thirty times. He gave the utmost attention to the rules for the composition of discourses. His chief source of thought was the Holy Bible itself; on which it may truly be said, that he meditated day and night. When he had fixed on his text he endeavoured to ascertain the simple, and obvious meaning of the words, which he frequently reduced to a categorical proposition. He then aimed at catching the spirit of the passage, whether consolatory, alarming, cautionary, or instructive. After this his object was to give full scope to the truth before him: making it, of course, really harmonious with the analogy of faith, but not over studious to display a systematic agreement.

6. " Mr. Simeon's admirable care in conciliating the affections and aiding the studies of the young men in the University: had a large share in the remarkable success which attended him. In every part of the kingdom, he had, as it were, children in the gospel, who had derived benefit from his unwearied labours during a long life. Multitudes had first been led to serious religion under his energetic ministry, or had been awakened to greater earnestness. These recommended him to others. In various ways did he labour for the highest welfare of all who were thus brought under his influence. His public ministry was directed very much to their edification. An evening party was known to be open to any who wished for his counsel. And he delivered twice a year a course of lectures on preaching to such as had passed the earlier division of their college course. Thus he drew around him a constant succession of pious youth, whose minds he imbued with his own sound and laborious views of ministerial diligence. The last day alone will reveal the aggregate of good he thus accomplished. If we take only four or five cases now before the world, David Brown, Henry Martyn, John Sargent, Thomas Thomason and bishop Corrie, we may judge by them as by a specimen, of the hundreds of somewhat similar ones, which occurred during the fifty-four years of his

labours. There was an energy and sincerity in his manner, which, as he himself advanced in life, gave him a more than fatherly authority over the young men as they came up year after year.

7. "A different source, but a most copious one, of legitimate influence, was the interest which he took in the great religious societies for diffusing the knowledge of the gospel.

To the society for the conversion of the Jews, Mr. Simeon was prominently attached. In truth, he was, almost from the commencement, the chief stay of that great cause. The simple but affecting address which he dictated on his dying bed on this subject is before the world. Some of the finest sermons in his Hora are on subjects connected with their wonderful history.

8. His enlightened but firm attachment to our Protestant Episcopal Church. [We may pass over what is said on this subject, as not applicable to this country; except so far as stability of character is concerned.]

9. "Another point may here be noticed-His manner of learning opposition as it arose, and his victories over himself throughout life contributed not a little to that remarkable success and authority which he at length acquired. Two thirds of his ministry were passed under very considerable discouragement. Had he complained loudly, had he resisted peevishly, had he deserted his post of duty rashly, the church and the world could have been comparatively very little benefitted by his labours. But he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. He mildly bore for Christ's sake the cross enforced upon him. He returned good for evil. He subdued the old man within him. He looked above creatures and instruments to the hand which sent them. He endeavoured to follow apostles, and apostles in the road of suffering, and in the spirit which they manifested.

10. "And the result, be it observed, was, that by these and similar causes that is, the mere force of evangelical truth and holiness, thus exhibited during fifty or sixty years, and not by great talents, or extraordinary powers of judgment, or particular attainments in academical learning, God gave him this wide and blessed influence over the age in which he lived. So far from being the man whom we should at first have abstractly selected for the delicate and difficult post of a university, we should perhaps have considered him peculiarly unfitted for it.

We should have thought him too energetic, too fervent, too peculiar in his habits, too bold, too uncautious: and we should have preferred some refined, and elegant, and accomplished scholar; some person of mathematical fame, some ardent student of philosophical discovery. And yet, behold how God honours. simplicity and devotedness of heart in his servants. Behold how a man of no extraordinary endowments, yet occupying with his talents, consistent, moderate, with a spirit of prayer, laborious, consulting the good of the young, joining in all pious designs. attached firmly to the church, and learning in the school of painful discipline, rises above obstacles, is stretched beyond his apparent capabilities, adapts himself to a situation of extreme difficulty, acquires the faculty of meeting its demands, and ends by compassing infinitely greater good, than a less energetic and decisive character, however talented, could have accomplished.

To have been free from a thousand peculiarities, and petty faults, (which no man pretends to conceal in the case of Mr. Simeon) were easy, but to rise to his height of love to Christ, to feel his compassion for souls, to stand courageously and boldly forward in the face of difficulty, to bear down misapprehensions, to be a burning and a shining light in his generation, to lift up a standard of truth when the enemy had come in like a flood-this was the difficult task, and for this we glorify God in our departed friend.

"The mind, indeed, is astonished at the amount of this remarkable man's ultimate usefulness. As a preacher, he was unquestionably one of the first of the age-as a divine, one of the most truly scriptural-as a resident in the university, the most useful person beyond all doubt, which these latter times. have known. As a writer, he began early in life, and accomplished, after forty years persevering labour, a most extensive and valuable set of Discourses, on every part of scripture, for the guidance of divinity scholars."

ART. II.—History of the Presbyterian Church in Kentucky. with a Preliminary Sketch of the Churches in the Valley of Virginia. By the Rev. Robert Davidson, D. D. New York. Robert Carter: 1847. Svo. pp. 371.