HIS CHILDREN FEAR THE LORD.

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gates of death, and assisted me to bring up my four young children, two sons and two daughters.

"Although in the beginning of this year, (1824) I was deprived of my son William, by death, in the West-Indies, when in the thirty-first year of his age, my other children yet live, and are settled in circumstances of comfort and respectability; and, what is still more gratifying to me, they all fear the Lord my God.

"Like many others in domestic life, I have known what it means to be in straits; my ways have sometimes been hedged up as with thorns, yet my table has never wanted bread, and I have witnessed many wonderful interpositions of Providence for my supply, from quarters least expected. Thus, the Lord hath dealt well with me, fed me all my life long, and now, in my old age, I have all things and abound;' so that I may say with David, when he went in and sat before the Lord- Who am I, O Lord God? And what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto!

'I

IV. By calling me to the ministry of the gospel so early in life, and continuing me in his service for so very many years, my Lord hath surely dealt well with me,' his most unworthy servant. For a number of years I have sustained the pastoral office over three several churches, and superintended an extensive academy.

"In the year 1813 new scenes and duties demanded my attention, being called, in the providence of God, to take the ministerial charge of the various humane and criminal institutions in the city of NewYork, in which duty I continue to this day-let all the honour and the glory be ascribed to his most adored and ever-blessed name!

"V. I am now seriously disposed to contrast my divine Master's conduct with my own, and to ex bibit the bright jewels of his mercies to me, on the dark ground of my own sinfulness, and extreme un

206 CHRIST THE ONLY REFUGE FOR THE SOUL.

worthiness. With David, in the 103d Psalm, I may certainly confess that, "He hath not dealt with me after my sins, nor rewarded me according to my iniquities. Not only my temper, zeal, activity, devotion, spirituality, all these have been wofully defective, but too much of my time and talents have been misapplied and misimproved. But, O my vile heart! that is the worst; seldom right with God, and ever has it been prone to neglect and wander far away from the Lord and Master whom it was my duty and interest both to love and serve. This is not all; my heart has been, and still is, too much like a nest of unclean birds; an host of evils lodge within, corrupt in their nature, and violent in their operation, frequently rendering me a burden to myself. I once thought that these hidden evils of the heart would certainly weaken with my declining years, and allow me more ease in worshipping and serving the Lord; but, however it may be with others, in this I was mistaken. Like Paul's body of sin and death,' my heart continues chained to the new man; and perhaps the longer I exist, it will become more offensive and disgusting, until I finally depart in death. My only resource for present strength to mortify the deeds of the body, and my hope for final victory, is, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Here I rest; and were it not for this immutable Rock, I should inevitably sink in despair!

་

"In concluding this short testimony of the goodness of my Heavenly Father to me, what shall I say more, than that my soul doth pray for greater faith, love, and patience. With Job, I can say, All the days of my appointed time will I wait till my change come therefore, with David I will venture to add:Into thine hand I commit my spirit, thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.' Amen."

CHAPTER XV.

MR. STANFORD'S LABOURS IN THE ORPHAN-ASYLUM BLESSED —HIS PORTRAIT-DEATH OF THE REV. JOHN WILLIAMS, REV. DR. FURMAN, AND THE REV. DR. BALDWIN HIS EXERTIONS LEAD TO THE FORMATION OF THE HOUSE OF REFUGE COMPOSES A NEW TRACT, ENTITLED THE PRISONER'S COMPANION-MEMORIAL..

AMONGST the orphans at the Asylum, Mr. Stanford spent some of his happiest hours. They were the frequent subjects of his impassioned conversation. As a father, he felt for their helpless condition; and as a minister of Christ, he laboured and prayed for their spiritual advantage. When they were sick, his sympathies were excited; and when any of them sunk into the arms of death, he wept over them. But not unfrequently was he permitted to enjoy the consolation of knowing, that his labours of love had not been in vain in the Lord.

On the 22d of March, 1825, he remarks:-"I rode to the Orphan-Asylum, and delivered a discourse at the funeral of Joseph Foster, aged eleven years. It is believed he died happy in the Lord."

"REV. AND DEAR SIR,

"New-York, March 3d, 1825.

"It is with unfeigned pleasure I inform you, that the Common Council, at their last meeting, passed a resolution, requesting you to sit for your portrait, and authorized the committee on public offices, to attend to the execution of it. In behalf of that committee, I respectfully solicit your consent to their wishes. I need not say, and I am quite sure I need not tell

268

MR. STANFORD'S PORTRAIT.

you, how gratifying your acquiesence will be to every member of the Common Council, but it cannot be more so to any than to

"Your obedient friend and servant,

"E. W. KING."

"P. S. In case of your acceptance, will you do me the favour to name the artist whom you prefer to execute the work."

The portrait of Mr. Stanford' was executed by that finished artist, Samuel F. B. Morse, Esq. and is deposited in the dining-room at Bellevue. As a likeness, and in style of execution, it is not surpassed by any thing of the kind in our city.

May 24th, Mr. Stanford delivered a discourse on the death of the Rev. John Williams, the beloved and universally lamented pastor of the church in Oliverstreet. A brief memoir of this venerable servant of Christ, may be found in the Appendix to this volume.

Saturday, June 4th. Mr. S. says-" Yesterday. between five and six o'clock in the afternoon, I was visited with a shock, bordering on apoplexy. It lasted about twenty minutes, and affected my whole frame in an indescribable manner. The physicians attending could give me no aid. Thanks be to the Lord, my mind was calm, and he enabled me to exclaim, Say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.' O how necessary to be ready for the last change!"

6

Tuesday, September 6th. Mr. S. says-" This day heard of the death of my intimate and excellent friends, the Rev. Dr. Furman, of Charleston, SouthCarolina; and the Rev. Dr. Baldwin, of Boston, both about my own age. O Lord, by thy grace, prepare

me to follow them."

Brief memoirs of those eminent servants of Christ, written by the Rev. Dr. Wayland, president of Brown University, and the Rev. Dr. Brantly, of Philadelphia, will be found in the Appendix to this volume.

THE MURDERER OF CAPT. WEST.

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Monday, October 3d. In the afternoon Mr. S. by invitation, rode to Fourth-street, and laid the cornerstone of the Third Congregational Church, and delivered an address.

Tuesday, 4th. In the morning he went to the Bridewell, to see James Reynolds, about twenty-two years of age, who was condemned to death for the murder of Captain West. Contrary to his expectations, he found the prisoner very attentive to the concerns of his soul.

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Thursday, October 20th. After giving a discourse in the Bridewell, I visited the condemned, in company with the Rev. Mr. Sommers."

"This day," says Mr. Stanford, "I entered into my seventy-second year-a mercy beyond what I could have anticipated. How great has been the patience and forbearance of the Lord, notwithstanding my great unworthiness and numberless sins! Except two weeks in June, when I had a fit, approaching to apoplexy, I have been indulged with a great degree of strength, and assisted to perform all my public services in preaching, and in visiting the various institutions committed to my care. Nor has my pen been altogether unemployed. The Lord has graciously assisted me during the year to compose several pieces on theology, and to write much with reference to the public institutions; all of which, I devoutly acknowledge, were performed by the special aids of my Lord, without which my public usefulness must have ceased long ere this; therefore, I this day lay the whole of my year's services, with any benefits which may have attended them, at the feet of my Lord and Saviour, ascribing all the honour and praise to his adorable name.

"In the estimate of human life, made by Moses in the 90th Psalm, he assures us, that beyond the years of seventy, the years of man are but labour and sorrow.' This is true; for so I already begin