HIS CHILDHOOD AND EARLY HOME. 15 



respect tends toward the loss, or at least the weakness of 

 the sentiment itself. Reverence towards parents and oth 

 ers superior in age, position, or character, enables us the 

 more readily to manifest and feel reverence for our Creator 

 and Redeemer. As to my mother, in the course of long ex 

 perience I do not remember to have seen a finer example 

 of dignity and self-respect, combining a kind and winning 

 manner and a graceful courtesy with the charms of a cheer 

 ful temper and a cultivated mind, which made her society 

 acceptable in the most refined and polished circles. Her 

 delightful piety, adding the charm of sincerity and benevo 

 lence both to her action and conversation, attracted the wise 

 and the good, and won the thoughtless to consideration. It 

 is a great blessing to have had such a mother. I loved 

 and honored her in life, and her memory is precious. 



Of the circumstances connected with the death 

 of his father he retained a full recollection. 



About sunsetting, at the close of a bright and beautiful 

 summer's day, when all was brilliant without, our father, 

 sitting by the side of the bed in the old arm-chair, expe 

 rienced a strong rally of mind, a last effort, such as often 

 precedes death ; when, being close to the northern window, 

 he cast his eyes abroad upon the face of nature, as if to 

 bid the world farewell, and then, in a clear and distinct 

 voice, calling us around him, said to our mother, " My 

 dear, I am going the way of all the earth ; take good care 

 of our dear children." He repeated the hymn 



" Show pity, Lord, O Lord, forgive, 

 Let a repenting rebel live : 

 Are not thy mercies large and free; 

 May not a sinner trust in Thee? " 



I know not how many verses he repeated, but enough to 

 show the state of his mind. He also added, " I have that 

 peace of mind the world can neither give nor take away." 

 He repeated also several times, " The morning of the resur- 



