that the time of their departure is at hand, and will dedicate a portion of their last hours to the salvation of those with whom they wish to live for ever. How melting are the counsels of a dying parent, when the eye of love is fixing for the last time on its object, and when things eternal open with a power and grandeur on the mind, to a degree never felt before!

He asked for

His spirits now rapidly sank. his sons, and said, "Send for them; they are good lads, and I cannot die in peace without seeing them." On being assured that they were sent for, he replied, "God bless you, my child! God bless you!"

Mrs. Waugh left the apartment to prepare some restorative; and his daughter remained behind the curtains, where he did not see her. In a few minutes he commenced prayer, and prayed most earnestly for his dear wife and family, closing with these words: Amen, amen. So grant it, Lord Jesus!" It is most soothing to a good man to leave with God those to whose welfare he can no longer minister; and most pleasing to the Redeemer are prayers which are the last expression of human affection, and are honourable to his guardian care.

He next prayed for his congregation, and for the preachers of the Gospel who had come to London to assist him in his labours, closing with the same words as the foregoing. Every Sabbath his people heard his earnest pleadings with God for their spiritual and eternal welfare; and it must affect them very deeply when they know that

their salvation had a large share in the last solicitude of their pastor's heart, and that he could not die till he had committed them to the Good Shepherd and Bishop of souls.

He prayed also for the London Missionary Society, and closed his supplication with the same words. How like was this conduct to that of David, who began his last prayer with supplication for Solomon, but whose heart rose as he advanced to Messiah's reign and triumphs, and closed it with the wish, "Let the whole earth be filled with his glory! Amen and amen."

He then prayed for all the good men with whom he had been associated in the exercises of piety and beneficence, and ended in the same manner. Last of all he prayed for himself: "O God, enable me to bear with patience and resignation whatever it is thy will to impose, and do not suffer me to bring discredit on my profession by unsuitable feelings or language. If it be thy pleasure, grant me this night refreshing sleep." He did not finish his last prayer audibly, but stopped, and remained quiet for some time. How remarkable is such a series of prayers! He was peculiarly distinguished in his life and ministry by his prayers; and it is a beautiful circumstance, that on him, in his last hour, the spirit of grace and supplication rested in such a

measure.

Two of his sons reached his house a little after eleven; but a few minutes before their arrival, he was seized with apoplexy and partial paralysis. The best medical assistance was instantly pro

cured, and the surgeon bled him copiously from the temporal artery. By this time his kind friend Dr. Darling had arrived, who continued with him till about two, when the convulsions had ceased. In a short time he recognised Mrs. Waugh, held out his hand to her, and muttered, "Wipe my face, my life; I am better now, my dears." Extreme thirst came on, and his requests for soda-water were incessant. He looked up at one time to his daughter, and said, "Pity me, pity me! for I perish for thirst: O for a draught of the water of the well of Bethlehem!" How beautifully does this expression exhibit the piety and the spirituality of his mind! Domestic love ministers in its kindest form, and never was there a heart to which its tones were more soothing, or its hand more sweet; but there was a voice still more soft, to which his ear was open, and a hand still more tender, for which his heart sighed.

At an early hour of the morning all of his family who were in London had assembled at his house. Often had they come to be directed by his counsel and cheered by his smile; now they came to testify their sympathy and their love, and to receive his last blessing.

In reference to the subsequent account of his parting hours, it may be here noticed, that although Dr. Waugh's family were present in his bed-room almost every minute during the three following days of his life, yet such was the nature of his illness, both as affecting his body and his mind, such the restlessness it brought upon the one, and the alternating periods of darkness and

light, of wandering and composure, upon the other, that every individual relative was constantly engaged in some necessary work of ministration during the whole period. So incessantly, indeed, were their minds occupied and excited, that they were precluded, as it were, from thoroughly realising to themselves the true nature of the visitation, until they gazed upon the pale face of their dead parent. The The very circumstances that heightened the interest of the scene while it was passing, and the extreme anxiety of his family to preserve entire every sentiment and expression that he uttered, tended to unfit them for the subsequent task of furnishing a minute and methodical account. It was like the changeful and evanescent brilliancy of a beautiful sunset -a scene to raise the soul and absorb the faculties of the beholder, but which even the hand of genius must fail to portray to others with the impressive truth and delicacy of nature. Suffice it to say, that in the following simple narrative are preserved a few of the most interesting scenes and sayings that gave character and moral dignity to the death-bed of this servant of Christ,-being such as were committed to paper on the day after his decease by different members of the family, and of which the fidelity was ascertained by mutual collation.

His mind from this period began to wander; though on every topic on which he spoke, his language was suitable, and the spirit of his conversation the same holy and kind one that had so long hallowed it. All his thoughts were bent

towards works of benevolence and mercy; and much of what he said was evidently directed to the reconciling of differences that existed betwixt good men, who had referred their matters of dispute to his judgment and prudence. Although thus stretched upon the bed of mortal sickness, so that the voice of his admonition could no more reach their ears, the ear of that God who has the hearts and the tempers of all men under his merciful and powerful control, was still open to the voice of that generous and humble prayer, which, in his closet and on his bended knees, had often been presented in behalf of the weak and the erring.

When Dr. Darling again called, he ordered ice to be applied to his head, and requested his family to read to him as much as possible, in order to allay the exercise of his own thoughts, and keep him from too much speaking. While reading to him, he often interrupted the reader to make his own remarks on the passages. The portions read were chiefly from works of sacred poetry, which he had been accustomed to admire for their sublimity and beauty; and he shewed that he was as much alive as ever to their merit and to their power. So entire (although thus morbidly excited) was his mind, and so nice was his ear, that again and again he corrected an improper emphasis of the reader.

During the whole of Tuesday he was restless. He was often lifted at his own request out of bed by his sons, and his thirst continued very distressing. His cough was very violent; and he said,

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