REV. S. S. MITCHELL. 19 



of the Old and New Testaments, in that he regarded these as a 

 revelation from God. 



These moral qualities to which I have alluded were not in him 

 so much natural amiability, nor were they the product of so much 

 culture. They were the inspiration of a Christian faith. They 

 were moral ends aimed at, principles chosen for life's guidance, 

 by one who believed in God, and in Jesus Christ whom He has 

 sent. But Sunday last, with mind as clear as ever, his conversation 

 hindered only by his rapidly-shortening breath, he said to me : "I 

 have not given much attention to the minutiae of theology ; possibly 

 not so much as I ought; but as to the Christian scheme in its main 

 outlines that there is one God, an infinite Spirit; that man is 

 made up of body and soul ; that there is an immortal life for man 

 reaching out beyond the present world ; that the power and love 

 of God are brought into relation with the weakness and sinfulness 

 of man in the Lord Jesus Christ of these great truths, I have no 

 doubt. I regard the system which teaches them as rational beyond 

 any of the opposing theories which have come under my view. 

 Upon Jesus Christ [and here his eyes filled with tears and his 

 voice broke as he repeated the words] upon Jesus Christ, as the 

 One who, for God, affiliates himself with man upon Him I rest 

 my faith and my hope." This was all the strength of the dying 

 man allowed him to utter ; but that it was not a casual or spasmodic 

 utterance, but the drift of his life-long thought and the faith of his 

 calmest moments, is beautifully shown in the last formal letter he 

 ever wrote, and which is now, happily, given to the world.* 



So our friend and brother lived and thought; so he reasoned 

 upon the mystery of the universe; and so he came to rest his hope 

 of a blessed immortality upon the heaven-sent One, who came to 

 seek and to save the lost of earth. And this faith, which was the 

 product of his ripest thought and calmest days, was his support 



* See page 23. 



