Thus: "New-year's day, January 1st, 1826. I have begun the year with a sincere resolution, in the strength of Divine grace, to devote myself wholly and entirely to God: but, knowing my extreme weakness and corruption, I dare place no dependence whatever on my own resolutions. I have, on many occasions, found them unstable as water. I can only cast myself on the mercy of my God, and cry, with the Psalmist, Hold Thou me up, and I shall be safe.' Thou most holy and merciful Lord God, I beseech Thee to take up thine abode in my heart, and shape me entirely anew. Amen. Amen." Again, on his birth-day, 1828. "This day I commence my 64th [65th] year. What reason have I to look with shame and humiliation on so long a tract of years spent to so little purpose! Alas! I am ashamed of my barrenness and unprofitableness. Assist me, O Lord, by Thy grace, that I may spend the short residue of my days in a more entire devotion to Thy service. It is my purpose, in the strength of Divine grace, to take a more minute inspection into the state of my heart, and the tenor of my actions, and to make such observations and memorandums as circumstances may suggest. But to Thee, O Lord, do I look for all spiritual strength, to keep Thy way, and do Thy will." Mr. Hall still evinced a peculiar solicitude for the welfare of the poorer members of his flock, and greatly lamented his incapacity, from the loss of locomotive energy, to seek them out in their own habitations, and associate with them frequently, as he had done with the poor at Cambridge and Leicester. He publicly expressed his concern that some plan was not arranged for his meeting them in small parties at specified times, and assured them of the cordial readiness with which his part of such a plan should be executed. This, I believe, was not accomplished. The indications of infirm age now rapidly exhibited themselves, but happily were unaccompanied by a decaying mind or a querulous spirit. The language of his conduct and of his heart corresponded with that of the pious ancient, "Lord, give me patience now, and ease hereafter!" If tempests come they will not last long, but soon will be hushed into an eternal calm. His inability to take exercise, on account of the gradual increase of his complaint, gave rise, about six years before his death, to another disorder, formidable in its nature and fatal in its issue. The indications of a plethoric habit became more and more apparent. "Thus," adopting the language of Mr. Addington, "the system of the blood-vessels had a laborious duty to perform in circulating their fluid, which, for want of the full aid of muscular exertion, could not be equally distributed. The smaller ones on the surface of the body, and in the extremities, never appeared to derive a sufficient quantity of blood to furnish the usual proportion of animal heat, while the large trunks in the interior became overloaded. The natural consequence was, that the heart, on whose power the propulsion of the blood to the extremities depends, being over stimulated and oppressed by the condition of the large vessels, became weakened; and, occasionally failing in the regular and equable transmission of the blood, would produce a sensation of distress in the region of the chest." The malady, thus produced, becoming more and more severe, Mr. Hall, when in London in 1828, was persuaded by his friends to take the advice of an eminent physician: from which, however, no permanent good resulted. By the summer of 1830, the disorder had increased so seriously that his medical friends at Bristol recommended a suspension of his pastoral duties for a few weeks, that he might try the effect of a total change of air and scene, He therefore spent some time at Coleford, in the forest of Dean, in the society of his old and valued friend the Rev. Isaiah Birt. He also spent a few weeks at Cheltenham. At both these places he preach.co with his accustomed talent; and his general appearance, too clearly indicating that the close of his ministerial labours was at hand, gave a deeper impression to his instructions and exhortations. When absent from home he was in the habit of writing to his children. My narrow limits have prevented my giving extracts from any of those letters; but I am induced to insert part of one, written at this time to his son, who had been placed with a respectable chymist and druggist at Bristol, in the hope that it may be useful to other youths in similar circumstances. "MY DEAR ROBERT, “15th October, 1830. "I have long designed to write to you, that I might communicate to you some hints of advice, which I could convey more easily, and, perhaps, more effectually, than by speaking. "I need not tell you, my dear boy, how solicitous I am for your welfare in both worlds, and how often I have borne you on my heart in my secret addresses to that Father which is in heaven. But, alas! the prayers of parents for their children will avail nothing, if they are not induced to pray for themselves, for every one must give an account of himself to God.' I hope, my dear child, you do not live in the entire neglect of this most important duty: let me entreat you to attend to it constantly, and never to begin or end a day without it. Daily entreat the pardon of your sins, for the sake of the Redeemer, and earnestly implore the assistance of his grace, to enable you to resist temptation, and to live in such a manner as shall prepare you for a blessed immortality. Pray do not neglect, at the same time, to read a portion, longer or shorter, of the Word of God. Wherewith shall a young man cleanse his ways, but by taking heed thereto according to thy Word?' "I hope, my dear Robert, you will continue in your present situation. On the supposition of your doing so (and I can do nothing better for you), let me entreat you to make it your constant care to conciliate the esteem of Mr. C—, which you will certainly do, if you cheerfully comply with his orders, and make his interest your own. Nothing injures the character of a young man more than restlessness and fickleness; nothing, on the contrary, secures his credit and comfort like a steady and persevering attention to the duties of his station. Every situation has its inconveniences and its difficulties; but time and perseverance will surmount the one, and make you almost insensible of the other. The consciousness of having overcome difficulties, and combated trials successfully, will afford you, in the issue, a far higher satisfaction than you can ever hope to obtain by recoiling from them. "Combat idleness in all its forms; nothing is so destructive as idle habits, nothing so useful as habits of industry. "Never demean yourself by contending about trifles; yield in things of small moment to the inclinations and humours of your companions. In a word, my dear boy, make yourself amiable. "Fear God and love your fellow-creatures, and be assured you will find 'Wisdom's ways, ways of pleasantness, and her paths, paths of peace.' "To say all in one word, 'If you are wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine.' "I am "Your affectionate father, On Mr. Hall's return to Bristol towards the end of October, hopes were entertained that his health was improved, and his strength recruited; but they were only of short duration. The spasmodic affection of the chest occurred with increasing frequency, and in a more The youth to whom this letter was addressed went abroad soon after the decease of his father, and intelligence of his death has been received since these sheets were prepared for the press ning character. In one instance, on the 1st of January, 1831, attack was so severe as to threaten immediate dissolution. It sed off, however, as former attacks had done, on taking blood m the arm; and soon afterward he returned to spend the remainder the evening with the friends whom he had left when the parysm came on; and in his usual cheerful and happy spirit took his dinary share, and evinced an undiminished interest, in the convertion. The morning of that day had been signalized by the extraordinary athos which he imparted to the religious services, at a prayer-meeting, eld, according to annual custom, in the vestry at Broadmead. The ntensity of his devotional feelings, and the fervour of his supplications in behalf of the assembled congregation, as well as the glowing affection and deep solemnity with which he addressed them, as he reviewed the past dispensations of Providence, and anticipated some of the probable events of the year now opening upon them, both in relation to them and himself, excited the strongest emotion, and, in connexion with the events that immediately followed, made an indelible impression upon their minds nearly all his subsequent addresses, whether on the Sunday or the week-day evening services, partook, more or less, of the same pathetic and solemnly anticipatory character. One of the most impressive of these, of which many of the congregation retain a vivid recollection, was delivered on the morning of Sunday, January 16th. The text from which he preached was, Deuteronomy xxxiii. 25: "Thy shoes shall be iron and brass; and as thy days, so shall thy strength be." In this discourse he seemed to be preparing his people and himself for that event by which they were to be deprived of their invaluable pastor, and he to be freed from anguish and sorrow: when his soul, liberated from its chain, and clothed in the Redeemer's righteousness, was to go forth, "first into liberty, then into glory." A highly valued correspondent, whose communications greatly enrich this volume, enables me to present the following summary of Mr. Hall's application or improvement; which, from its occasion, as well as its excellence, cannot but be read with lively interest. "Improvement. 1. Take no thought, no anxious, distressing, harassing thought for the morrow; suffer not your minds to be torn asunder by doubt or apprehension. Consider, rather, what is the present will of God, and rest satisfied and content; without anticipating evils which may never arrive. "Do not heighten your present sorrows by a morbid imagination. You know not what a day may bring forth. The future is likely to be better than you expect, as well as worse. The real victory of Christians arises from attention to present duty. This carries them from strength to strength. "Some are alarmed at the thought of death; they say, How shall I meet the agonies of dissolution? But when you are called to die, you will, if among God's children, receive dying consolation. Be satisfied if you have the strength to live to God, and God will support you when you come to die. Some fear persecution, lest, at such a season, they should make shipwreck of faith and of a good conscience: As thy day is, such shall thy strength be.' "2. Consider to what it is we owe our success. If we are nearer our salvation than when we believed, let us not ascribe it to ourselves, to our own arm, but to the grace of God: Not I, but the grace of God with me,' enabling me to sustain, and to conquer. If we continue, it is because we have obtained help of God: we are kept by his mighty power unto salvation.' In all our sufferings, if Christians, we are perpetually indebted to Divine succour. * The Rev. Thomas Grinfield, A.M., of Clifton, near Bristel. "3. Let us habitually look up to God, in the exercise of faith and prayer. Instead of yielding ourselves to dejection, let us plead the promises, and flee to the Divine Word. He has been accustomed to sustain the faithful and He is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever.' He is never weary: look to Him: they that wait on him shall mount up with eagles' wings; run, and not be weary; walk, and not faint.' Go to Him in prayer, cling to His strength,-lay hold on His arm. You have a powerful Redeemer: be strong in the power of His might! Draw down the succours of His grace, which will enable you to go on, from strength to strength,' until you appear before God in Zion." The last service at Broadmead in which Mr. Hall took any part was the church meeting (when only the members of the church are assembled) on Wednesday the 9th of February. His closing prayer on that occasion is spoken of as most spiritual and elevated, exhibiting in its highest manifestation the peculiar union of humility, benevolence, and fervour, by which his devotional exercises had very long been characterized. On the next evening, Thursday, the usual monthly sermon preparatory to the administration of the Lord's Supper was to have been delivered; but Mr. Hall's discharge of this duty was prevented by a severe attack of the complaint in his chest, which came on just after he had retired to his study to prepare for that service. This was the commencement of the series of paroxysms which terminated in his dissolution. "Early on the Sunday morning (I again quote one of the letters of my esteemed friend Mr. Addington) being requested to see him, I found him in a condition of extreme suffering and distress. The pain in his back had been uncommonly severe during the whole night, and compelled him to multiply, at very short intervals, the doses of his anodyne, until he had taken no less than 125 grains of solid opium, equal to more than 3,000 drops, or nearly four ounces, of laudanum !! This was the only instance in which I had ever seen him at all overcome by the soporific quality of the medicine; and it was, even then, hard to determine whether the effect was owing so much to the quantity administered as to the unusual cir cumstance of its not having proved, even for a short time, an effectual antago nist to the pain it was expected to relieve. "Inured as he was to the endurance of pain, and unaccustomed to any strong expression of complaint, he was forced to confess that his present, agony was unparalleled by any thing in his former experience. The opium having failed to assuage his pain, he was compelled to remain in the horizontal posture; but while in this situation, a violent attack in his chest took place, which in its turn rendered an upright position of the body no less indispensable. The struggle that ensued between these opposing and alike urgent demands became most appalling, and it was difficult to imagine that he could survive it; especially, as from the extreme prostration of vital energy, the remedy by which the latter of those affections had often been mitigated, viz. bleeding, could not be resorted to. Powerful stimulants, such as brandy, opium, ether, and ammonia, were the only resources; and, in about an hour from my arrival, we had the satisfaction of finding him greatly relieved and expressing his lively gratitude to God. "The whole of his demeanour throughout this agonizing crisis, as well as during the remainder of the day, a day of much suffering, exhibited, in a striking degree, the efficacy of Christian faith and hope, in supporting and tranquillizing the mind of their possessor, in a season of extreme and torturing affliction. His language abounded with expressions at once of the deepest humility and of thankfulness to God for his unspeakable mercies,'-together with affectionate acknowledgments of the care and assiduities of his family and the friends around him." From this time the paroxysms increased rapidly both in frequency and severity; and Mr. Hall, in the intervals between their occurrence, was usually so weak and exhausted as seldom to be able to converse with those around him. His expressions, however, insulated and broken as they often were, proved that he was able fully to exercise that trust in God which is the grand principle of religion, and that thus trusting in him, his soul was kept in peace. No murmuring, no language of irritability escaped from his lips. It is not my intention to dwell upon the melancholy detail of the ten days previous to his death. I will only record a few such expressions as serve to show that, acute as were his sufferings, God left him not without support. Thus, when he first announced his apprehension that he should never again minister among his people, he immediately added. But I am in God's hands, and I rejoice that I am. I am God's creature, at his disposal, for life or death; and that is a great mercy.” Again, "I have not one anxious thought, either for life or death. What I dread most are dark days. But I have had none yet: and I hope I shall not have any." Again, "I fear pain more than death. If I could die easily, I think I would rather go than stay; for I have seen enough of the world, and I have an humble hope." On another occasion, a friend having said to him, 'This God will be our God,' he replied, "Yes, he will, he will be our guide even unto death." On recovering from one of his severe paroxysms, he adverted to the affectionate attentions of his beloved wife and daughters, as well as his numerous comforts, and exclaimed, "What a mercy it is to have so many alleviations! I might have been deprived of all these comforts; -I might have been in poverty; I might have been the most abject wretch on the face of the earth." During one night, in which the attacks were a little mitigated in number and severity, he frequently expressed the most lively gratitude to God, as well as his simple, unshaken reliance on his Saviour; and repeated nearly the whole of Robinson's beautiful hymn. “Come, thou Fount of every blessing! Streams of mercy never ceasing Call for songs of endless praise!" &c. The same night, under one of the paroxysms, he said to the friend who was with him, "Why should a living man complain a man for the punishment of his sins? I have not complained, have I, sir !—and I won't complain.” When Dr. Prichard was invited to join Mr. Chandler and Mr. Addington in consultation, on his arrival Mr. Hall arose and received him so much in his wonted cordial, courteous manner, as, at the first moment, almost to check the apprehension of danger. On the evening of the same day, he expatiated on the mercy of God in bringing him to close his life at Bristol. His prevailing kindness was evinced throughout, in his solicitude for the comfort of those who sat up with him at night, or who remained in the house to be called to his assistance if necessary. He also exhorted the members of his family, and others occasionally present, to make religion the chief, the incessant concern; urging especially upon some of the young among his friends the duty of openly professing their attachment to Christ and his cause. When he was a little recovered from one of his severe paroxysms, “I asked him," says Mr. Chandler, “whether he felt much pain. He replied that his sufferings were great but what,' he added, are my sufferings to the sufferings of Christ? his sufferings were infinitely greater: his sufferings were complicated: God has been very merciful to me-very merciful: I am a poor creature-an unworthy creature; but God has been very kind-very merciful.' He then alluded to the character of the sufferings of crucifixion, remarking how intense and insufferable |