only because the barbarous track of man did not lead directly across it-and devouring time found yet more precious relics to consume.

OBITUARY

Of the Rev. George Morrison.

Died at his residence Long Green, Baltimore County, (Md.) on Wednesday, April 19th, the REV. GEORGE MORRISON, aged 40 years, 3 months and 4 days.

The deceased was born near Whitely Creek, Delaware, Jan. 15th, 1797. He pursued his classical studies under the direction of the Rev. Mr. Russel of New-Ark, (Del.)-studied theology with Dr. Martin of Chanceford, York Co. Penn., and was licensed to preach by the Presbytery of New Castle in the year 1822. A short time after this, he was called to take charge of the Academy at Bel-Air, Harford Co. (Md) as Principal and Teacher. In this situation he continued until the fall of 1824; when in the discharge of his duties as a teacher and guardian of the youth committed to him, he offended a vicious youth that had been sent to his school from Baltimore. This youth determined on revenge, armed himself with a pistol, and one day as Mr. M. returning from the school room to his house had passed, he fired upon him, the ball entering the back above the hip joint, passing through the body, lodged on the opposite side within the skin. From this wound he was confined for a number of months, during part of which time, all hope of his recovery was given up, by himself and his physicians. To the surprise of all he recovered, and removed to Baltimore, where he commenced a classical school; here he continued for 5 years, and at the end of that period removed to Long Green, where for the last six years he was engaged in teaching, and at which place he died.

While at Bel Air, he was called to preach one half of his time to the Presbyterian church at Bethel, Harford co. Having accepted of their call he was ordained over them, and continued to preach to them until the beginning of his last illness. (In 1824, he was transferred from the Presbytery of New Castle to that of Baltimore, by order of synod.) The distance of this congregation, was 12 miles from Bel Air-24 from Baltimore and nine from his residence at Long Green. We may judge of his labors as a Minister and Teacher, when we remember that he had to travel to and from them, always between the intermission of his school on Saturday and its opening on Monday morning. He usually preached twice on the Sabbath. On the alternate Sabbaths and during the week, he preached extensively through Baltimore and Harford counties. These labours were blessed of his Lord and Master; during this time he collected a congregation, and suc ceeded in erecting a house of worship at Wisesburgh, on the turnpike road to York.-At his residence at Long Green for the last six years he preached almost every Sabbath and often once in the week; the congregation here increasing, he enlarged and fitted up his School Room, for their accommodation. The object which ho had chiefly in view at the latter place, was to enable the children

boarding with him, regularly to hear the gospel preached. In all these attempts his labours were blessed, not only in the gathering of a people, but we have cause to believe in the bringing of sinners to the Saviour.

It was in the midst of these labours, and prospects of usefulness, that he was compelled to stop, and lay himself upon a bed of suffering protracted through 20 months. From the time of his recovery from the wound of the ball, until about 20 months back, he was enabled by the pressure of his finger to discover it. At that time it removed from its former position and from being perceived by the touch of the finger, and about the same time he began to suffer most violent pain in his bowels. Not conscious of the ball affecting them, and most of the Physicians whom he had consulted pronouncing with great confidence that it could not in any way injure him, he attributed it to another cause, and with several eminent physicians concluded that it was a case of violent dyspepsia. Five or six months he was troubled with it, and with all his precaution it continued to increase, until from the intense suffering and debility of his system he was compelled to take his bed. To it he was confined for five months, the greater part of which time, suffering most acute pain. In August last he began to improve, and for a few weeks bid fair to recover. He rode out several times short distances, and on September 18, 1836-which was the Communion Sabbath at Bethel, he rode up in his carriage, and the next week came to Baltimore, the distance of 16 miles. On his return home he was again seized with the pain, was compelled to take to his bed, where he lay for the last seven months suffering much as before mentioned. All this time the efforts to remove it, and relieve him, proved only temporary, the disease bidding defiance to the skill of the Physicians, and confounding their counsellors. He died under it on Wednesday April 19th 1837.

At his own request the Physicians proceeded to a post mortem examination, which resulted in a satisfactory solution of the cause of the disease and the violence of the pain. It appeared that the ball had remained for the period of 11 years in the fleshy part of the abdomen (at which he felt it), until the time at which he missed it, (20 months since) that then it had from some unknown cause escaped, and fallen among the lower bowels; in which situation it had become fixed by the formation of a thin membranous covering which fastened to one of the lower folds of the bowels. Its posi tion, with its action on the other bowels from the motion of the body irritated and inflamed the adjoining bowels, and produced the violent pains which he so long and so severely suffered.

Thus closed the life of a man, whose disease, from its violence, and the length of its continuance, has excited the attention of mul titudes, besides friends and Physicians. Had the ball been extracted at the time of its entering, it would have saved the suffering, but while ever it remained where it was,-pain, disease-and eventually death must have followed from it.

So far we have given the particulars in his life, his labours, his sufferings. We shall now say a few words of the manner in

which he bore them, and the temper exhibited under them.-No one could have sat by his bed-side, and heard his conversations for this last year, without seeing that the Lord had blessed it to him,-without perceiving that he was learning in the school of affliction. Those that have not been afflicted; neither know what it is to feel for others, nor what it is to bear patiently under their affliction.— Many are furious, in labour and zeal, who are a shame to Christianity when called upon to suffer. It was not so with this departed brother. While he would speak of his pain, its violence, its constancy, he would close by saying, "How much less than we deserve!" "How trifling compared with the sufferings of Jesus!" On a Sabbath morning, about two months before he died, he requested a friend that was to preach for his people, to ask them to pray for him. Tell them said he, "I can say that I am a man that have seen affliction," "I have labored for them, prayed for them" "I have loved them."-"I have not laboured for their money," "though unworthy, I can say with the apostle, I have not coveted their silver nor gold, but with these hands I have labored to preach the gospel unto them."- -"Ask them to pray for me, and when they pray, tell them, to use the language of Jesus," "Father if it be possicle, let this cup pass from me, but if not, THY will be done.”.

At this moment one of his children coming into the room, and to his bed-side, he said, "For the sake of these children it is, that I cling with such tenacity to life,-with too much I know, I desire to train them by the grace of God for his service-"-"But that grace can work with or without means,"-"and that grace can do without me,"—" into his hands I would commend them."-These are a few words recollected by the writer which may serve to shew the state of his mind, and the manner in which he bore up under his affliction, and in the prospect of death. Every one that witnessed him during the period of his affliction noticed the meekness and patience with which he endured, even to the end. In the last gasps of life, when recovering from one spasm and another, he would say, "Oh life! Why didst thou return!" and quietly fell

asleep in death.

Thus ended the days of a servant of Jesus Christ; one who had been tried in the furnace, whose dross had been gradually consuming, his gold refining, and he preparing for a dwelling place with the "Blessed who die in the Lord." His bereaved widow, and five fatherless children, mourn his loss, their loss; for it was gain to him. The whole neighborhood in which he lived-mourn his loss. Beloved by all that knew him, he was not a common loss. Nota man in Baltimore county will be as much missed, said many, at his funeral-and all that knew the respect entertained for him by the community around will assent to it. He was a public loss! A loss as a teacher-as a minister of the gospel-as a friend-a husband -a father. But that which is loss to us, is gain to him. He is released from his pain,-delivered from sin,-and at home with his Saviour

REVOCATION OF THE EDICT OF NANTZ.

The word Revocation, is only known in the papacy, in the sense of with holding, withdrawing, reversing, repealing, taking away, all the privilege which they may have been induced, by policy or compulsion, to give to those who dissent, from the supremacy of the Pope in temporal as well as spiritual matters. The end justifies the means--that which will accomplish the end is therefore right. On this principle, every reader of history is aware how the pope and his servants the priests,have acted. If not by fair means, foul means will become fair from the necessity of the case This is a policy which is ground into the very existence of the Roman system, under the dominion of the Roman pontiff. To meet such principles, when carried out by cunning and skilfully trained Jesuits, is next to impossible. If they bind themselves, it will afterwards prove, when they desire a release from the obligation, that there was a mistake in the manner of doing it, that they had no authority to act, or the Pope disapproves it, which will without any thing more, render it entirely null and void. This abominable principle which originated with the father of lies, and is continued by those who are led captive by him at his will, is one from which every honest man flees, and can scarce bring himself to believe that there are men capable of such iniquity. The very idea of it in this country is considered horrible. When it is brought up before those who have maintained it, and acted upon it, they deny, and resort to their own-old principles, to get rid of it. It is only necessary to call the reader's attention to the discussions which have taken place in this country on the doctrines and practices of papists, to see where it lies with all its force. Equivocation, arti fice, and denial, has marked their whole course. While they deny that they maintain the doctrine that it is no sin to break faith with those differing from them, you will find on examination that wherever one of their shocking doctrines are exposed, they act upon it.

We have said thus much preparatory to an exhibition of this principle, which will remain, while history can preserve the records of the past. France, through the indefatigable zeal, and pious labours of the reformers, bad become during the sixteenth century, the residence of very many who embracing the doctrines of the Bible, had protested against the corruption and idolatry of the papacy. These men were among the most noble and worthy of that nation. They were in every respect deserving the attention of the powers that rule: instead however of being respected, or noticed except to be destroyed, they were misrepresented, scandalized, persecuted and put to death. This did not destroy their zeal, and faithful adherence to the revealed will of God as contained in his holy word. Their numbers increased and the fury and zeal of their popish neighbours was kindled with the desire and determination to extirpate them.

The history of France for many years is a history of the outrages of the papists under the pretence of religion to exterminate them from the earth. From this bondage to the papal system, they were seldom relieved even for a period, and never by the approbation of the heads of the empire until the edict of Nantz, given by Henry the iv. called the Great. This edict dated at Nantz April 30th 1598, and signed Henry, contains ninety two, articles. To this he added an additional edict, dated May 2nd 1598. In this the reformed, have granted to them the exercise of the liberty of conscience,-privilege of preaching to their own people, and deliverance from paying for the support of the popish churches, and by the 6th article they are not compelled to do any thing in matters of religion against their consciences,-by the xvIII, they have their children preserved to them, and all papists are forbidden to take them away to baptize or confirm them in the Roman religion-they were permitted to inherit and dispose of their property, as the popish subjects, &c.

This edict, thus given as we doubt not in good faith by the king; cost him his life,at the hands of Francis Ravaillaic, an assassin who had been prepared for the horrid deed by the Jesuits. It is probably the first treaty that was ever made, with good faith towards protestants. Before this, as after, they were made only to surprize and murder the whole of those that did protest. This treatment lead the protestants to prepare themselves for defence, by taking up arms, but it does not belong particularly to the point in hand, and may serve for another occasion. This famous edict," (says the author of Free Thoughts on the toleration of popery,) “it will be said, is a clear proof that Romanists can both tolerate heretics, and keep faith with them. Indeed that they can sometimes do both when they cannot do otherwise, no body doubts: but never was there an edict which afforded a clearer proof of Catholic tolerance and perfidy. Never was an edict, law, or treaty, more deliberately made, more solemnly ratified, more irrevocably established, more repeatedly confirmed, nor one whereof policy, duty or gratitude, could have more insured the execution; yet never was one more scandalously and absolutely violated. It was the result of three years' negociation between the commissioners of the king and the deputies of the Protestants, was the termination of forty years war, and troubles, was merited by the highest services, sealed by the highest authority, registered in all the parliaments, and courts of Henry the Great, was declared in the preamble, to be perpetual and irrevocable; confirmed by the queen-mother in 1610, by Lewis XIII, in 1614, twice in 1615, again in 1616;-by the edict of Nismes in 1629; and by repeated promises and edicts in the reign of Lewis XIV, as in 1643, 1652, etc. Yet all the while the design of overturning it, when it might conveniently be done, was kept in view, and gradually advancing. When the edict was first projected, some zealots were ready, to set on foot a new league, and begin a new war to prevent its taking effect. Henry, indeed, seems to have had so much of the remaining taint of heretical pravity as really to desire, intend, and, in some measure, enforce its observation. But for this he was hated, libel led, incessantly persecuted and at last murdered by the Jesuits: and, even in his time, it was, in many instances, infringed, of which complaints were made in two national synods of the Protestants. But after his death there was nothing but breach upon breach, and a series of encroachments on the rights and liberties of that people. During both the subsequent reigns, especially the latter, a thousand devices were fallen upon to defeat the intent of that salutary law, and render it useless;-a thousand acts of oppression and robbery in opposition to it, were connived at, or authorized: their privileges were taken piece by piece, until all were snatched away at once by the edict of Revocation in 1685. All which may be found at length in the histoir de l'edit du Nants: in the introduction to Quick's Synodicon; in the account of the persecutions and oppressions of Protestants in France, published in 1686, and many others. In the whole of these scandalous proceedings, the clergy took still a leading part, and were restless till the work was accomplished. The severe mandates, which were ever issuing from the court, were procured or fabricated by them. The Richelius, the Mazarins, the Talliers thought it a work worthy to engage their political heads; and the Bossuets, the Pelisons, &c. travailed heartily in it. The old Chancelor Tellier, the Jesuit, in signing the edict, which annulled the faith of treaties, and put an end to all security among men, cried out, full of joy, Nunc dimittis servum tuum, Domine quia viderunt oculi mei salutare tuum. "He knew not," says Voltaire," that he signed one of the great misfortunes of France." It proved indeed the last act of his life, for immediately he sickened and died."

This edict which from its length we cannot transfer to our pages, will be found in the 5th vol. Laval's, Hist: of Ref: in France, from page 196 to 274.

The privileges granted are annulled in the revocation; and as it will be