of their health, and some on account of the scantiness of their support, to be engaged to some extent in manual labor, or teaching, or some other literary or scientific pursuit. It was a maxim with him that every man ought to study himself and his circumstances, or, in other words, the movements of Divine Providence with respect to him, and shape his course of action accordingly. But while he was thus candid in regard to others, who think it their duty to give their attention in some degree to secular concerns, he felt himself sacredly bound to give his whole time and strength to the ministry. The consecration which he at first made of himself to this work was unreserved; and he retained through life a fixed and unwavering purpose that no other should engage his attention or his heart.

The industry with which he pursued his sacred calling was in proportion to the ardor of feeling with which he had devoted himself to it. While he separated himself from every other pursuit, and called off his attention from every other subject, it is natural to suppose that his industry in his appropriate work would be unceasing. This was the fact. He was never idle. Nor was he slow and inefficient in his action. His movements both of mind and body were unusually rapid and energetic. He was always in his place; he was always engaged in his appropriate business; and whatever his hand found to do he did with all his might. A single fact, which it may not be improper here to name, will show what were the impressions of people in respect to his industry, and especially in respect to his habits of study. A Mr. Brown, who had been a student of his and a boarder in his family, shortly after he began to preach, became deranged, and fancied himself to be, as he said, "in the other world." Though perfectly beside himself in respect to this point, yet he would reason with great composure and strength upon other subjects, and in conversation with his friends would often attempt to reason on this also. While on a visit at the Doctor's, sitting one day with the family in the parlor, he introduced his all absorbing subject, and began to name one fact after another, to prove that he was "in the other world." Some of those present queried with him on this subject. This led to a pleasant, but very animated debate, in which he defended his position with great ingenuity and earnestness. In the midst of the conversation, Dr. Emmons, having been out some time, came in, and, perceiving the object of the debate, sat down and listened to Brown's argument. As soon as Brown saw him seated with the family, he turned with an air of triumph to his opponents, and, pointing to the Doctor, exclaimed, "See, there is demonstration that this is the other world. Dr. Emmons is out of his study, and is now sitting here with the

family; and you all know that no such thing ever happened in the old world."

Though it is not true that Dr. Emmons never sat with his family, yet so uniformly was he in his study when at home, and so well known were his habits in this respect, that the wit of the maniac had a peculiar point; and, while it produced a general burst of laughter, put an end to the debate.

In the entire consecration of himself to the work of the ministry, and in the extraordinary industry with which he pursued his work, we have, it is apprehended, the great secret of his success in his attempts to elucidate and defend the doctrines of the gospel. Though his talents were unquestionably of a superior order, and the cast of his mind just such as was suited to the work which he undertook; yet, without the efforts which he made to keep himself disentangled from the cares of the world, and the unexampled industry with which he pursued his employment, the present result of his labors would have been an impossibility. Perhaps it may in truth be said, that in nothing has he shown his wisdom in a higher degree, than in the adoption of the very means which were suited to the accomplishment of the great end he had in view; and perhaps his decision and firmness are in nothing more manifest than in his perseverance, through all the temptations of life, in the course in which alone his object could be attained.

A better illustration of the entire devotion of Dr. Emmons to his work, and his untiring industry in it, cannot be given than by a list of his publications. Besides those included in the present edition of his works, the following are from his pen:

Besides the preceding publications of Dr. Emmons, there are others in the Christian Visitor, Evangelical Magazine, National Preacher and New England Telegraph.

• Also in Hopkinsian Mag.

CHAPTER III.

HIS CHARACTER AS A WRITER.

AS A PREACHER. AS A PASTOR.

AS A CITIZEN.

In a memoir prefixed to his works, there seems to be little necessity of saying any thing of him as an author. The contents of the accompanying volumes will exhibit his character in this respect more perfectly than it can be described; but still it may not be improper here just to glance at some of the qualities by which his writings are distinguished. There is some variety in his style; but all this variety may be expressed by what Dr. Blair would term plainness, neatness, and elegance. For the most part, his style may be said to be plain, or neat. In many passages it is elegant. But whether it be clothed with a greater or less degree of ornament, it is always eminently perspicuous. Perspicuity is its distinguishing characteristic. It is read without effort. So perfectly naked are his thoughts, that his reasoning upon the most profound subjects in theology is read with less effort of the mind than a common paragraph in a newspaper. A feeble minister was a short time since heard to say that he could read Emmons's sermons on the Sabbath, after being so exhausted by the labor of the day, that he could not endure conversation, nor even read a religious periodical.

In all his discourses he has an object at which he aims. This is always one of great interest and importance. His plan for the attainment of his object is often so natural and so plain, that it seems to be the only one that could with propriety be adopted; and yet it is often one which nobody ever thought of before.

The following description of the style and sermons of Dr. Emmons, by the author of the Triangle, is so graphic and just, that no reader will be displeased with its insertion in this place.

"I SHALL not pronounce on the peculiar opinions of Emmons. Whether they are correct or not, I leave to the decisions of that day which shall rectify every error, and bring truth to light. But they are surely not of a nature which ought to interfere with Christian fellowship and communion. But Emmons, regarded as a sermonizer, is surpassed by few writers of that class, either living or dead; and few sermons, considered in all respects, are superior to his. His subjects, generally important, are judiciously selected, and skilfully raised out of an appropriate text. His sermons are read with ease and pleasure; with pleasure, because his object is perfectly obvious, his conceptions clear, and his arrangement natural and luminous; and with ease, because short and always rapidly progressing. Semper festinat ad

eventum.' Emmons is an original of the noblest class, and certainly one of the most decided character. No candid reader who reads for instruction, is disappointed, or rises from the perusal of one of his sermons without some benefit. His sermons generally indicate extensive knowledge and acuteness of judgment. His style is neat, appropriate, pure, and correct, though less elegant and splendid than that of Hall, and less easy and graceful perhaps than that of Jay. In fervency and pathos, we may have some in our own country who excel him; and his sermons are, perhaps too didactic-too much the essay, and not sufficiently the popular address, to answer, in the best manner, all the ends of preaching. With less of the flowers of May, or fruits of October than some others, his sermons may be compared to the meridian hour of a clear day in June, when the Sun puts forth his strength, the Summer displays her maturity, and Vegetation all her

energy.

"The reader of Emmons's sermons is like one passing over an extensive and well-cultivated farm; the fences are substantial and erect; the fields are verdant, square, and regular, not triangular; the meadows are separated from the woodlands, and the pastures from the tillage; the mansion house is not lofty, but neat and spacious, and speaks itself the seat of wealth, but not of dissipation of happiness, but not of ambition. The prospects are diversified with hills and valleys, and enriched with springs and rivulets.

"The audiences who heard Emmons have heard more truth, and are better instructed, waiving all peculiar and discriminating points, than those who heard Davies or Witherspoon; and trusting that time will cure prejudices, and assured that selfishness will soon yield the ground to a benevolence purely disinterested, I frankly declare, that I would as lief be thought the writer of the sermons of Emmons as of Watts or Baxter, Hall or Fuller, Sherlock or Tillotson, Saurin or Claude, Bossuet or Bourdaloue.

"After the critic has screwed up his nose, scowled, hissed, snuffed, tossed, and pronounced a few such phrases as "ignorance! - no taste!-impudence!" and the like; I would request him to read a sermon of Davies, of Saurin, of Baxter, of Sherlock, of Massilon, and of Emmons; and then ask himself which of them conveys the most important truth, with fewest words, most simplicity and force, least affectation and labor, and greatest clearness. I must caution him, however, to break fairly through the blinding halo that surrounds great names; to be on his guard against the splendor of the great assemblies of London and Paris, where nobles and monarchs worship; to fortify his auditory nerves against the titillation of pompous phrases, and majestic circumlocution, which add little to the force, beauty, or impression of truth.

"A sermon is, or ought to be, a portion of the gospel of Christ, adapted to the attention of a public audience. Its style and manner may be compared to the vessels on which a public feast is served up. Important truth is the food itself. Now, the service of dishes may be of gold, silver, porcelain, or common earthen-ware, pewter, or even