men, and devising plans of benevolent effort for every part of his native land and of the world.

"I regret however, that I am now able to lay my hand on a few only of the numerous letters with which I was favored by my lamented friend. Of those which I find I forward three, which seem to me most likely to be desirable to you. They do but partially exhibit the deep interest he took in home missions, education, and all our benevolent objects. Since my first intimacy with him in relation to these objects, and since my constant residence here, (constant with the exception of near two years that I was in Europe,) all our benevolent societies, and most of our theological and kindred institutions have been constituted; and I can bear witness that, in respect to most of them, his wisdom, zeal, and personal exertion and influence were beneficially and effectively employed. In the origin and in surmounting the early difficulties of some of the most important, his was the master spirit. By the maturity, superiority, and energy of his character, by the guilelessness of his spirit, the sweetness of his temper, the amiableness of his manners, and above all, by the stability of his religious principles, the constancy of his affections, and the steadiness and warmth of his piety, he inspired confidence, reconciled opinions, stimulated zeal, encouraged hope, and promoted faith, prayer, effort, and success. He was alike extensively known and beloved, and I trust that your Memoir of him will enlarge, and greatly prolong the influence of his inestimable character.

"I am Sir, very respectfully,

"Your ob't serv't,

"E. LORD."

CHAPTER XVIII.

PUBLICATIONS.

Sermons-Preacher's Manual-Analysis of Rhetorical DeliveryRhetorical Reader-Lectures-Owen on Spiritual MindednessDo. on cxxx. Psalm-Miscellaneous writings.

DURING his ministry, and mostly after his removal to Andover, Dr. Porter published sixteen sermons, besides several in connection with his Lectures on Preaching. The former were chiefly occasional sermons, and were published at the request of those to whom they were addressed. Their titles are subjoined.

1. Love to Christ, from John xxi. 17. This discourse was incorporated into a volume of original sermons, published in 1808, and entitled the Columbian Preacher.

2. A Sermon from Matt. vi. 10-preached at Hartford, May 1810; at the request of the Trustees of the Connecticut Missionary Society.

3. The Fatal Effects of Ardent Spirits, from Isa. v. 11. This sermon was first preached in the winter of 1805, to the author's pastoral charge; and was occasioned by the death of a transient person in Washington, who was found frozen, with a bottle of spirits at his side. Though it was not given to the public till several years after it was written, it was, so far as was known to Dr. Porter, the first sermon

on the subject ever published in this country. Its appearance was joyfully greeted by many whose hearts were pained by the increasing desolations of intemperance. It was afterwards adopted as a tract, by the American Tract Society, and exerted an extensive influence in preparing the way for the reformation in the use of ardent spirits, which distinguishes the present generation.

4. Great Effects result from Little Causes; from James iii. 5. This sermon was also written at Washington; and its history happily illustrates the truth contained in its title. It originated as follows:-Dr. Porter had on a certain occasion made an engagement of some importance which he was expected to fulfil at a specified time, soon after dinner. A slight incident at the table delayed the meal a few moments, and thus deranged his plans, and disappointed the expectations of those he was to meet. As he rode towards the place of his appointment, the words were suggested to him, "how great a matter a little fire kindleth;" and at once the train of thought embraced in this sermon flashed upon his mind. This was Friday. He could find no time to write, however, till the afternoon of the day following. He then addressed himself to the execution of his plan, and by bed time, the discourse was completed. He valued it but little at the time, and first preached it as an address to the youth of his parish. He afterwards preached it in 1815, before the Moral Society of Andover, and at their urgent request, consented to its publication. This discourse somewhat abridged, was also adopted and published by the American Tract Society. Subsequently it was translated into French, and reprinted in France. When a copy of it in French was presented to Dr. Porter, he remarked with a smile, "that would never have been translated into French, if I had not omitted the allusions to Napoleon which it contained when it was first preached." An edition of this sermon was pub

lished, as original, at Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1824, with many additions, and mutilations of its style and sentiments.

5. The Magnitude of the Preacher's Work, from 2 Cor. ii. 16. This discourse was preached at the ordination of Rev. Israel W. Putnam, and Rev. Alfred Mitchell, and published in 1815.

6. Character of Nehemiah, or Jerusalem built up, from Neh. ii. 17. This sermon was preached on the State Fast in 1816, in the chapel of the theological seminary.

7. Sermon from Psalm cxxvii. 1-preached in 1818, at the dedication of the chapel erected for the use of the seminary, by the munificence of William Bartlet, Esq.

8. Sermon from Hebrews v. 12-preached in 1819, at the ordination of Rev. Thomas J. Murdock.

9. Sermon from Mark xvi. 15-preached in Boston, October 1820, at the Anniversary of the American Education Society.

10. Signs of the Times, from Matthew xvi. 3-preached in the chapel of the seminary, on the Public Fast in 1823, and published by the Society of Inquiry in the institution.

11. Unity of Ministerial Influence, from 1 Cor. iii. 9— preached in Boston, May 1827, before the Pastoral Association of Massachusetts.

12. The Duty of Christians to Pray for the Missionary Cause, from Colossians iv. 3-preached in Boston, November 1827, before the Society for Propagating the Gospel among the Indians and others in North America.

13. The Presumption of skeptical men, and careless contemners of Religion, from 2 Peter iii. 4-preached November 1828, in the South Parish of Andover.

14. The Immortality of God, from Exodus iii. 14— published April 1829, in the American National Preacher. 15. The Duty of Praying for Rulers, from 1 Tim. ii. 1, 2-preached on the State Fast, April 1831, in the chapel of the seminary.

16. Sermon second, on the same subject.

These ser

mons appeared both in a neat pamphlet form, and in the National Preacher.

Dr. Porter's sermons published in connection with his Lectures on Preaching, were designed chiefly to illustrate the principles there advanced. Contemplated as models, the selection does credit to his judgment. But aside from their merit as models, they are pervaded by a spirit of piety, which rendered them highly useful during the life of their author, and entitles them to a rank among his best compositions. They are five in number.

The first, from Matthew xxii. 37, 38, on Love to God, was introduced to illustrate the author's views of the proper structure of a doctrinal discourse.

The second, denominated doctrino-practical, is a continuation of the same subject.

The third, entitled Foresight of Futurity, from Jeremiah viii. 7, is denominated ethical.

The fourth, on Religious Decision, from Daniel vi. 10, is intended as a specimen of historical preaching.

The fifth, entitled The Careless Sinner Warned, from Isaiah i. 18, illustrates its author's views of the proper structure of a hortatory sermon.

Dr. Porter published several works, selected and original, which grew out of his official labors. Though there were books before the community designed to aid in the formation of ministerial character, there were none which discussed the great principles of preaching, in a manner and to an extent, adapted to the wants of his pupils. His duties, rendered more laborious and exhausting by bodily infirmity, forbade on his part the expectation of supplying the deficiency, from his own resources. With the hope of doing it in some measure, he resorted to a compilation which embodied those treatises on the subject whose precepts are most worthy of regard. This compi