364 THE FRENCH BLOOD IN AMERICA 



and those who come after you will be stedfast in the pro- 

 fession of that pure reformed religion for which they en- 

 dured, with unshaken constancy, the most scA-ere trials. 

 You cannot fail to notice, in the course of their lives, the 

 watchful hand of God's Providence, supporting and pre- 

 serving them thro hardship and suffering. 



''For my own part, I trust that, while recording the past 

 mercies of God for the benefit of my descendants, I 

 may derive personal advantage from the review. The 

 frailties and sins of the different periods of my life, thus 

 brought to mind, ought to cause me to humble myself be- 

 fore the throne of grace, and tremblingly implore pardon 

 for the past, through the mediation of my blessed 

 Saviour ; and the assistance of the Holy Spirit to make 

 me watchful and circumspect for the time to come. 

 When I look back ui3on the numberless, uncommon, and 

 unmerited mercies bestowed upon me during the whole 

 course of my life, I hope that my gratitude will be in- 



Gratitude and crcascd towards my Almighty Benefactor, and my con- 

 fidence in Him so strengthened that I may be enabled 

 for the future to cast all my care upon Him. Great as is 

 my debt of gratitude for the things of this life, its mani- 

 fold comforts and conveniences, how incalculably greater 

 is it for the mercy to my immortal soul, in God having 

 shed the blood of His only begotten Son to redeem it ! 

 Oh, my God ! I entreat Thee to continue Thy fatherly 

 protection to me during the few days I have yet to live, 

 and, at last, to receive my soul into Thine everlasting 

 arms. Amen." 



Soul Window This is like looking through an opened window into 

 the soul of the good man and seeing his beautiful charac- 

 ter. The following synopsis of the story is given because 

 it discloses both the Huguenot character and the suffer- 

 ings for faith's sake, at the same time proving the care of 



God for His children. 



II 



^ De la Fontaine was the original name, as on record in 



