grief, yet will he have compassion according to the mul titude of his mercies." And sin itself shall finally be subservient to his great control. It shall answer the end and object of his will, and although it may be the cause of much sorrow and affliction in this world, yet it shall be destroyed, and its effects removed from every son and daughter of Adam's race. For sorrow and sighing shall flee away; tears shall be wiped from off every face, and there shall be no more death.

Not until then, shall we be able to comprehend fully the cause, why we are so often called to drink of the cup of affliction, and why our earthly joys are so often mingled with the cup of sorrow, and our present prospects of life, and the many joys attending it, so often blasted. We shall then be enabled to see why the rose is so often nipped in the bud; rising health and beauty so often blasted in its prime; and middle age, arising as it were in its meridian splendor, gladdened with the voice of the bride and the prattling innocence of babes, sweeter than voices of the most melodious, we shall then see why such, standing in their strength, are swept away prematurely to the tomb. Then, and not until then, shall we be able fully to say, it was good that we were afflicted. For we shall then be enabled more fully to behold the purposes of that Being who is good unto all, and his tender mercies are over all his works. Let us then endeavor, while we are permitted to tread this vale of tears, to be reconciled to the will of heaven. It is the duty of every one, under unavoidable circumstances and events of providence, to say in this humble and submissive language of the Redeemer, "O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me except I drink it, thy will be done."

To the bereaved widow of the deceased.-May I be permitted to mention your affliction with respect? The purest sourse of consolation is yours; but in the midst

of your sorrow, I must remind you of your duty, which you owe to your Creator and preserver. I am truly sensible that it is much easier to ask you to be reconciled to this solemn event, than it is to perform the duty. Yet your religion, your faith and confidence in God as your preserver and unchangeable friend, will teach you submission to his will. It will teach you that this cup of sorrow has not been prepared for you to drink, from any pleasure in the administering of it. For God is not such a being as to derive any pleasure from such a source. He never afflicts but for some good end, and altho it may be extremely difficult for you to see the end and object of his divine providence, in this cup of sorrow, yet you may be assured of his parental goodness, which will never leave nor forsake you.

You have the satisfaction of looking back upon the connexion which you have sustained, with satisfaction to yourself and others. Your best exertions have been employed for the good of your departed husband, in health, in sickness, and in death. Your joys and your sorrows have been mingled together in life, and sweet have been your counsels together; and your best exertion was for the good of your family. You will not now forget him, but you will embalm his memory with the character which he has sustained in life. And may heaven, in mercy, grant you its choice blessings.

May divine Providence, in rich mercy, attend those little ones, who are now deprived of that earthly arm, which has ever been extended for their support. But they will still receive the support, love, and tender care of a mother. I entreat you to be kind to her; obey her commands with affection, and use your utmost endeavors to alleviate her cares. And O never, never let the voice of discord disturb that love which she will naturally expect of you.

You who have sustained the character of brethren and

sisters, will also be extremely sensible of your loss. For there is a natural charm existing between such, that cannot be tasted by those who have not sustained this character. The remembrance of what you have been while living together under the same parental roof, must naturally present itself to view; your days of juvenile vivacity, which you spent in innocent amusements and youthful glee, must awaken in your minds a sensation of sorrow, when you think of this last farewell. When you remember that not only your youthful days are past, but all the joys which you have taken together in more mature years are also past and gone, it will not fail to raise a sigh in your breast, and a tear to flow from your eyes. All acts of kindness and brotherly affection must cease until the last trumpet's joyful sound shall bid the dead arise. But you will all remember, that although your brother is now dead and gone, yet it is in your power to impart acts of kindness to one who was as dear to him as his own life. And nothing which you can do in this world will appear so heavenly, so angelic as the performance of this duty. Do, I entreat you, be kind and affectionate to her; give her all the counsel and advice which may tend in any way to her interest, welfare and comfort, and heaven will heap upon you ample reward.

It will not, I presume, be considered improper now, if I offer a few words to all the mourners and friends of the deceased; you who were best acquainted with him, will no doubt bear me witness, that he was a friend and a neighbor; that you entertained for him a strong regard, and that his name cannot be reproached with slander; that he ever did maintain a good reputation, and has left behind him a good name. 'The time that I had the pleasure of his acquaintance was short; it was only a few months, it was soon before his confinement to the bed of sickness. I can witness his patience and

submission, he had a hope of life and immortality, and about the last words that I recollect, he said that the lamp of life was fast wasting away; that he was still growing weaker; but, said he, my weakness will soon be made strong.

Respecting the particular faith of the deceased; he was an unwavering believer in the unlimited goodness of God to all his creatures. He unhesitatingly believed that the seed of the woman would bruise the serpent's head, and that sin, with all its attending evils, would be destroyed. He believed that mankind would ultimately answer the great and glorious object for which they were made, to glorify God and to enjoy him forever. He trusted in the merits of a crucified Savior for himself and the rest of Adam's sinful race. This was his hope, his consolation and his refuge, not only in health, but in sickness and death.

For the Repository.

A SUCCINOT HISTORY OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH, FROM THE BIRTH OF CHRIST DOWN TO THE PRESENT TIME. DIVIDED INTO SIX PERIODS.

Period I..... From the birth of Christ to the reign of the first Christian emperor, A. D. 313.

History is the source from which a great part of human wisdom is drawn. It introduces us into the society of men in former ages, and makes us acquainted with what has gone before us. But there is no history more important or instructive, than that of the Christian Church. Believing that some of the readers of the Repository may be interested with a short sketch of Church History, I propose in these communications to mention some of the most important events which have transpired in the church. It is hardly necessary to observe here, that I shall use great brevity.

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The miraculous conception and birth of Christ are taught in the scriptures. After his circumcision on the eighth day, we hear no more of Jesus, till at the age of twelve years, we find him at Jerusalem with his mother, disputing with the doctors, and confounding them with his wisdom. From this time until his baptism by John, a period of about 18 years, Jesus remained in obscurity, probably following the occupation of Joseph, his reputed father. Being baptized by John, at the age of thirty years, and proclaimed the Son of God by a voice from heaven, he immediately entered upon the duties of his mission. He selected twelve disciples to be his constant companions. With these he spent about three years of his life, in going from place to place to instruct the people, and relieve their distresses. To evince his own benevolence and the divinity of his mission, he healed the sick, cast out demons, gave sight to the blind, and raised the dead to life.

At length the Jewish authority, whose hypocrisy Jesus had exposed, laid violent hands upon him, and delivered him over to the Roman governor, by whose authority he was put to death on the cross, a punishment common at that time among the Romans. After expiring upon the cross, he was taken down, and his body was deposited in a sepulchre. But on the third day he arose from the dead, and appeared to his disciples, giving them every opportunity to satisfy themselves as to the identity of his person. These interviews with his disciples were continued for the space of forty days, when he ascended to heaven, and a cloud received him out of their sight.

Ten days after the ascension, the disciples being still at Jerusalem, and assembled in one room, the holy Spirit was poured out upon them in such copious effusions, that they were all enabled to speak intelligibly languages they had never learned. This signal miracle, together