From amidst this home, these spheres of usefulness, our friend departed suddenly, in the gloomy days, when northern zones are most darkened by the earth's shadow. With the returning sun of Christmas, let us trust that he entered on brighter mansions, and more loving society, in communion with the Light of Life.

The half of a man's existence is in the impression that he makes on others; and from the following tributes of affectionate reverence, called out by his death, some image may be formed of James H. Perkins.

"Our readers are all aware of the sudden death of Rev. James H. Perkins, pastor of the First Congregational Church of Cincinnati, by drowning from the Jamestown ferry-boat, on Friday evening last, December 14th.

"We recollect no previous occurrence which cast so deep and general a gloom over this community as that in which it has been wrapped by the death of this estimable man. Mr. Perkins had so endeared himself to the poor by his comprehensive benevolence and unceasing charities; had been for so long a time the light and life of intellectual and social circles; had so ingrained himself into the common heart, and won the universal sympathy by his brilliant mental endowments, and the untiring devotion of his time and means and health to whatever would give relief to the sick, or add a grace to the whole, to whatever would in his estimation promote the best and truest interests of society, that all classes were his friends. If any knew him except to love him, or named him except to praise, they are of those who are themselves unknown and unloved. To all, therefore, the announcement of his untimely death came with a shock, and to every heart brought a most poignant sorrow. It is not transcending the truth to say, that not one of the hundred thousand souls comprising our population could have

been taken away, who would have been so generally missed or so deeply mourned.

"For a period of between fifteen and twenty years, during which time we have known Mr. Perkins well, he has been subject to a sudden rush of blood to the head, which has produced distressing vertigo, at times greatly impaired his sight, and often thrown him into deep despondency. Within the past five or six years he has suffered intensely from palpitation of the heart, often being incapacitated by his distressing affection for the discharge of his pastoral and other duties. On Friday last, a paroxysm of this kind was produced by the agitation he suffered in consequence of the supposed loss of his two children. In the morning of that day one of his little boys aged nine years, and another aged seven, rode to the city from Mr. Perkins's residence, on Walnut Hills, with a neighbour, and were to return home in the omnibus, at the stand of which their father, who was to come in by another conveyance, was to meet them. Not finding them there at the appointed time, Mr. Perkins feared that they had lost themselves, and commenced searching for them. Being unsuccessful, he became more and more agitated the farther he went, and finally employed the crier, who met with no better success. The search was at length abandoned, and in despair, and fatigued as he was, Mr. Perkins walked home, a distance of nearly four miles, whither his children had preceded him.

"He reached his residence about one o'clock in the afternoon, utterly exhausted; but, after lying down for a time, rose and dined. He could not, however, overcome the excitement into which he had been thrown, although the children were with him and well. He was restless and nervous to a degree never before witnessed by his family; and so continuing, about five o'clock he told his wife that he would take a walk to calm his nerves, but not be gone long, — that he wished to try and allay the excitement, but would be

back before tea-time. He went out thus, but did not return, and nothing was seen of him afterwards by his family or friends.

Early on Saturday morning a report was spread from the Jamestown Crossing of the Ohio, that on the previous evening a man had drowned himself from the ferry-boat at that point, leaving behind him several articles of clothing, among them an overcoat, in one of the pockets of which was found a memorandum-book, with initials in several places. A gentleman of the city, who happened to have business on the boat, asked to see the book, and upon opening it saw the letters J. H. P.,' with which he was familiar. He immediately rode to the residence of Mr. Perkins's family with the information.

"Upon subsequent inquiry, it was ascertained that not quite half an hour elapsed between leaving his home and reaching the ferry, which is distant from a half to three fourths of a mile. With his arms folded and eyes bent upon the ground, he walked hastily on board, and crossed to the outer side of the boat, standing on the very edge, and looking into the water. There being no carriages, the bar was not up. The ferryman said, loudly enough for him to hear, 'That man will be overboard if he does not take care.' Mr. Perkins looked round, but did not speak. He, however, changed his position. This was the last that was seen of him. After a while the collector discovered an overcoat, in which was found the memorandum-book referred to, a wrapper, a vest, a cap, and a pair of spectacles, all of which have been identified as belonging to Mr. Perkins.

"The supposition among those well acquainted with the peculiar mental constitution of the deceased, and his severe physical sufferings, is, that his walk, instead of allaying his excitement, still further increased it, till reason was temporarily dethroned. In a wandering mood, not knowing whither he went, he had doubtless reached the Jamestown Ferry,

and in a paroxysm of mental aberration had thrown himself into the stream.

"The unusual fatigue and excitement of Friday morning had brought on a more violent palpitation of the heart than Mr. Perkins had ever before experienced. In lighter attacks his friends have frequently thought his brain temporarily affected by his sufferings; and although nothing of the kind. was observed by those who assisted him in the search for his children on Friday morning, or by his family when he left the house for the walk on Friday evening, it probably soon came on, producing the melancholy termination recorded of his beautiful and useful life.

"The waters closed over his body still and dark; but so shall not human forgetfulness close over his good deeds. These were many and long continued, and will live and grow brighter and brighter in thousands of hearts, till they, too, cease to beat, and pass away and unite with his again in the great hereafter.” — WILLIAM D. GALLAGher, Cincinnati Gazette.

"The profound sorrow into which our city was thrown on Saturday last, by the sudden and melancholy death of this good man, and the tone of the numerous notices of the event and remarks on his character that have since been made in the newspapers, show the extent and force of his hold on the respect and affections of the community. If there is one heart that does not share in the general grief for his loss, if there is one tongue that does not join in the common tribute to his virtues, if there is one soul that does not unite in the seemingly universal homage paid to his active goodness, we do not know it. Persons of all ages and all classes express the highest reverence for his elevated Christian character, and the deepest regret at the time and manner of his departure from the sphere of his earthly loves and labors. And of this sorrow and this respect, profound

and all-pervading as they are, it is no exaggeration to say, he was eminently worthy. Years ago he devoted his life to the service of God, the glory of Christ, and the good of his fellow-men; and humbly, patiently, and laboriously, amid many hardships and many discouragements, through sorrows and sufferings of his own that would have daunted a less resolute heart, he gave it, day after day, season after season, year after year.” Cincinnati Columbian.

"Cincinnati, December 20th, 1849. Mr. Perkins in the common affairs of life was a man of a sensible, well-balanced mind. He was eminently practical, devoting his time, energy, and means to the relief of the poor and suffering of every class. He was President of the City Relief Union, of which he was the main originator, an institution which has for some time been doing more than any other for the poor. For some days before his decease his mornings were spent in its rooms, in listening to the tales of the suffering, and giving orders for their relief. His comprehensive plans for the diminution of suffering and crime, his increasing charities, his fine social qualities, his mental endowments, indeed, his whole character was such as to endear him to all who knew him, personally or by reputation."- Correspondence of the National Era.

"In him the poor have lost a friend, the youth a faithful counsellor and guide, and the good feel as if a link that bound them to the world of unsullied purity was snapped asunder. Mr. Perkins was a man of the highest integrity to the world, and honesty to himself. He was an earnest seeker after truth, and bold in its avowal. He possessed a fine analytical mind, a copious diction, and the eloquence of his discourse was that which wells up spontaneously from a full soul, and an acute sense of the great responsibility of his position. If any could criticize the consistency of his