BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE OF WILLIAM NEVINS, D. D. WILLIAM NEVINS was born in Norwich, Connecticut, October 13th, 1797. His parents had twelve children, of whom he was the youngest. His father, David Nevins, who was an officer in that tedious war which established our national independence, still lives, having attained to nearly ninety years of age. His mother, whose maiden name was Mary Hubbard, was an estimable woman, and very attentive to the religious instruction of her children, teaching them, besides other things, that excellent summary of christian doctrine, the Westminster Assembly's Catechism. The benefits of this instruction were with thoughtfulness acknowledged by her youngest son, during all his public life. This lady died in the year 1820. Twelve years after her death, he says, "The year 1820 is mournful in the retrospect. Our dear mother left us that year. But it was according to the course of nature, that our mother should go before us to eternity, and she sank to the grave by a gradual decline and full of years, having served her generation by the will of God." His parents were not professors of religion when he first embraced the gospel. His solicitude for them was great, yet always marked with high respect and unfeigned filial affection. And it is a matter of interest and encouragement, that his conversation and correspondence were not without their effect on at least one of his parents; the other being led by other means to a knowledge of the truth. About the age of fourteen years, William came to New York, and entered a counting room. But though he was manifestly not indolent, yet it was soon apparent that his heart was not there. The fire of the love of knowledge was shut up in his bones. He remained, however, for one year. At the expiration of that time, his parents, convinced of the permanency and fervency of his desire to obtain a liberal education, yielded to his requests and the advice of friends, and consented to his returning home. He immediately commenced preparatory studies, and in due time entered Yale College, where he distinguished himself as a scholar. Up to this time, there had been nothing encouraging in his history on the subject of chief importance. Having great natural gayety of temper, and possessing rather unusual powers of wit, he had devoted himself, in his hours of leisure, rather to amusement, than to religious duties. But it pleased God, in his great love, to pour out his Holy Spirit on many hearts in this college, and, in the exercise of his adorable sovereignty and distinguishing love, to awaken our young friend to a sense of the importance of eternal things. It is to be peculiarly regretted that no record of his views, feelings and purposes at this time, can be found. The letters which he wrote to his friends on these subjects, have been irrecoverably lost. Some judicious persons, however, to whom he revealed the state of his mind, thought his exercises deep, solemn, and scriptural; and his subsequent course proved them to be thorough. He completed his course at Yale, and graduated at the commencement in 1816. He did not communicate with many persons respecting the course he should pursue after leaving college. The few survivors, to whom he did speak, remember with what solemn and cautious deliberation he came to the determination to study theology, preparatory to the work of the gospel ministry. He accordingly entered the Theological Seminary at Princeton, in the autumn of 1816. Here he remained three years, completing the whole course prescribed in the plan of the institution, About the time of his leaving the seminary, the rising republics of South America attracted his special attention; and, for many months, he thought frequently and inquired earnestly, as to the duty of devoting his life to the spread of the gospel in some one of these young states. While his mind was undecided, his way was directed to Virginia. He visited Norfolk, Petersburg and Richmond; generally preaching with acceptance. At the last mentioned place, he also labored for a short time among the unhappy inmates of the penitentiary. In Richmond, also, he formed an acquaintance with the family of that distinguished friend of man, the Rev. Dr. John H. Rice. This acquaintance grew into a matured and close friendship, which was |