A Last Appeal. 401 



to dedicate himself to God ; the Ahnighty, no doubt, 

 accepted the will for the deed. And many others 

 are before me, who have long, very long,, been the 

 subjects not alone of the prayers of their aged Pastor, 

 but of their wives, their children, their brothers, 

 their sisters, and friends. Come, beloved brethren, 

 hear my instructions and pleadings, let not my 

 words fall unheeded on your ears. He who has so 

 long esteemed you as friends, wdio has partaken so 

 often of your hospitality, who united you in the 

 holy bonds of marriage — who baptized your little 

 children — who participated in your joys, and 

 mourned with you in your sorrows, comes to you 

 now — in the last days of his life, with the earnest 

 entreaty, the fervent prayer, " Be ye recoyiciled to 

 Gociy You believe in the doctrine of the resurrec- 

 tion ; you desire that the tender associations com- 

 menced in life, may be perpetuated in heaven. Come, 

 take one step more, and God w411 do the rest. Make 

 a profession of religion, come with all your imper- 

 fections to a throne of grace and mercy, and He who 

 said to the penitent of old, '' Thy sins are forgiven 

 thee, go and sin no more,'^ will take you under His 

 paternal protection and training, and fit you for 

 that kingdom which is eternal in the heavens. At 

 our next Communion at Easter, we hope and pray 

 tliat you will be among the many who will dedicate 

 themselves to the service of the living God. ! 

 delay not, delay not, my sun of life is rapidly going 

 down, and the hands that now invite you, and are 

 now ready to bless you, are trembling with four- 

 score years. Oh ! what joy, what thankfulness w^ill 

 be created in my aged heart, if those to whose fore- 

 fathers I have ministered, and for whose descend- 

 ants I am now spending my latest breath, should 

 with one accord bring the offerings of their hearts 

 to the altar of the living God. 



