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not so much the priest and religious guide of a parish as the founder and patriarch of a community.

Solicitous to increase the resources of the district, as the best means of raising it out of its pauperism, he resolved on the introduction of orchard-planting. But knowing that an agricultural population would listen with suspicion, and, perhaps, contempt, to any teaching of his on a subject which they would regard as peculiarly their own, he proceeded with much ingenuity to influence them by example. The parsonage-grounds were crossed by public footpaths, and therefore lay open to constant inspection. With the aid of his servant, he trenched them carefully, and planted, four or five feet deep, such fruit-trees-apples, pears, plums, cherries, and walnuts—as he thought best fitted to the soil and climate. In due time these grew and flourished, and with their crops of mature fruit presented a striking contrast to the nakedness around. The peasants at once applied to him for advice and assistance; young plants were readily furnished, lessons in the art of grafting found eager listeners; and before long almost every cottage was surrounded by its smiling garden-ground, and the district, previously so bare and desolate, assumed an aspect of fertility and plenty.

The indigenous plants of the Ban de la Roche were not neglected, and Oberlin, who was a good botanist, took much trouble to make his people acquainted with their excellent properties. Here is a list of the most useful :—

The usefulness of some of these is not well understood even in rural England.

Oberlin taught his pupils to mix the corn-cockle seeds with corn in making their black bread; to obtain bread from beech-nuts; and—a more doubtful good-to distil a kind of wine, called piquette, from the wild berry, the dog-rose, or the juniper. also introduced the cultivation of flax and Dutch clover.

He

In 1778 he made a further step in advance by establishing an Agricultural Association, composed of the more intelligent farmers and the better-informed inhabitants. The pastors of the adjacent towns and some of his friends became members; and he then connected it with that of Strasburg, in order to secure the communication of periodical works, and assistance in the distribution of prizes. The Strasburg Society, with the view of encouraging its interesting auxiliary, placed at its disposal a sum of two hundred francs, to be divided among such peasants as should most distinguish themselves in the planting of nursery grounds and the grafting of fruit-trees.

While thus vigorously endeavouring to improve the material condition of his people, Oberlin did not neglect their spiritual; and the earnestness and zeal which he threw into the discharge of his pastoral duties may be seen from the following New Year's address to his parishioners, issued in 1779:

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Through the grace of God we have entered upon a New Year. Oh that it may be new with respect to our sins, our sufferings, and the temptations with which we may have to combat!

"As to sins, may their number diminish daily, and may we be more constantly animated and governed by the spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ. As to sufferings and tribulations, may they produce the effect which God designs in sending them, namely, that of detaching our affections from this transitory world, and of rendering us attentive to His Will and Word. May they quicken us to prayer; and induce us to strive more earnestly to enter in at 'the strait gate,' and to 'press toward the mark for the prize of our high calling.' And as to the temptations which may be placed in our way, may we live entirely to Jesus Christ, and maintain constant communion with Him, in order that we may receive, from time to time, fresh supplies of grace and strength to resist them, and be enabled to bring forth fruits of righteousness, to the

OBERLIN'S PASTORAL ADDRESS.

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glory of God and to the honour of His holy gospel. O Lord, be Thou pleased, with the renewal of the year, to renew our strength ! O Lord Jesus Christ, Thou hast said, 'I make all things new '-0 make our faith new also!

May this year be marked by a more lively, more deep, and more serious repentance; by greater fervour in supplicating the influences of God's Holy Spirit; by renewed earnestness in devoting ourselves to Him and to His service. May we look to Him, and employ all our mental and bodily powers, our time, and our property, to His glory, and to the purpose for which Jesus quitted His throne, namely, the conversion and happiness of mankind. O may we, this year, apply ourselves, with renewed faithfulness, to obey all His commandments and all His precepts.

"May this year be distinguished by an increase of the number of the children of God, and of the followers of Jesus Christ; by the weakening of the kingdom of Satan within us, and by the coming of the kingdom of God.

"May we, not only during the present, but, also, during each succeeding year which God shall grant us in this probationary world, become more and more prepared for a blessed eternity, abound more in prayers of intercession and supplication, shed more tears of penitence, contrition, love, and pity, and perform more good works, in order that we may reap an abundant harvest on that day when God, through Jesus Christ, shall make all things new.'

Into no branch of his work did Oberlin throw himself with greater fervour than into the educational. The instruction of the young occupied his thoughts from the moment that he began his beneficial career in the Ban de la Roche. At that time the only regular school-house in the five villages which composed his charge was a hut belonging to his predecessor, which having been constructed of unseasoned wood, was in a ruinous and wretched condition. We are told, however, that his parishioners received very unfavourably his proposition to build a more commodious one. The better education of their children was as nothing compared with the increased expense which they found he intended to bring upon them. And he did not succeed in overcoming their opposition until he entered into a formal engagement with the overseers of the Commune, that neither the

expense