HIS DEATH-BED TESTIMONY. 317 at times the most excruciating torture, yet he bore all with the patience and calm resignation of a Christian martyr. Two days before his death, in an interval of pain, he spoke at length of the value of the Bible, declared what he believed to be its essential doctrines, concluding his remarks with, "These things I have preached to others, and these things I believe as fully as that the Bible is the word of God, and this I believe as fully as that the Son of God was made manifest in the flesh, and this I believe as fully as that God governs the world, and this I believe as fully as I believe in my own present existence and approaching dissolution. Lord, help mine unbelief." He spoke but little after this, and on the morning of the 27th of November, 1806, in the seventy-sixth year of his age, peacefully and without a struggle sunk to rest. He had six children, one of whom, John Cotton, has borne a prominent part in the history of the nation. CHAPTER XXXII. JUDAH CHAMPION. JUDAH CHAMPION, THE PASTOR OF LITCHFIELD, CONNECTICUT.-HIS PRAYERS FOR IIIS COUNTRY.-EXTRAORDINARY SCENE IN CHURCH ON THE ARRIVAL OF NEWS FROM THE ARMY.-WOMEN WORKING ON THE SABBATH TO PREPARre Garments FOR THE SOLDIERS.-THE Pastor on the Field of Battle. JUDAH CHAMPION was born in Haddam, Connecticut, May 21, 1724. From his youth he was distinguished for his integrity, truthfulness and scrupulous performance of duty. During his college course at Yale, he missed morning prayers but once, and then his delinquency was occasioned by a senior, who purposely imposed on him a duty that he could not perform without being absent from chapel exercises. When he made his explanation to the professor, the latter said, "Champion, you never need give any excuse for absence from prayers again." He was ordained pastor of the Congregational Church of Litchfield, Connecticut, July 4, 1753, when that parish comprised Northfield, South Farms and Milton. Short, erect, with an elastic step and dignified gait; he had a frank and open countenance, and a clear, straightforward look, that bespoke both his sincerity and fearlessness. Earnest and eloquent, he exercised unbounded influence over his parish, and was looked up to with love and reverence by young and old. His power in prayer was so remarkable that PRAYER FOR VICTORY. 319 whenever any one within his extensive parish felt it necessary to send for a physician, he sent also for the pastor to pray with the sick, having an almost superstitious belief in the efficacy of his "fervent prayer." A thorough scholar, many distinguished men fitted for college under him, among whom may be mentioned Gov. Oliver Wolcott and Hon. Frederick Wolcott. Ardent in his feelings, and hating every form of oppression, he lent the weight of his personal character and his eloquent tongue to the cause of the Colonies. His prayers for their success in the conflict on which they had entered, were so fervent and thrilling as at times completely to electrify his congregation. On one occasion Major Tallmadge was passing through Litchfield with a regiment of cavalry. Reaching the village Saturday night, they remained over the Sabbath and attended Mr. Champion's church. The presence of the armed troopers in the house, brought before the patriotic pastor more vividly than ever the struggle that was wasting the land, and the more terrible conflicts awaiting it when the veteran hosts reported to be on their way to conquer them should arrive. In his morning prayer he referred to the prospective hostile invasion, the overwhelming numbers that composed it, the cruel purpose for which it was set on foot, and the haughty, scornful spirit of those who carried it on. He spoke of their enmity to the American church, and the ruin to religion which their success would accomplish; of congregations scattered, churches burned to the ground, and the Lord's people made a hissing and a by-word among their foes, till his own feelings and those of his hearers were roused into intense excitement in view of the great wrongs and sufferings designed for them and the Church of God, and he burst forth : "O Lord, we view with terror and dismay the enemies of our holy religion; wilt thou send storm and tempest to toss them upon the sea, to overwhelm them in the mighty deep, or scatter them to the utmost parts of the earth. But, peradventure, should they escape thy vengeance, collect them together again, O Lord, as in the hollow of thy hand, and let thy lightnings play upon them. We beseech thee, moreover, that thou do gird up the loins of these thy servants, who are going forth to fight thy battles. Make them strong men, that one shall chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight. Hold before them the shield with which thou wast wont in the old time to protect thy chosen people. Give them swift feet, that they may pursue their enemies, and swords terrible as that of thy destroying angel, that they may cleave them down. Preserve these servants of thine, Almighty God, and bring them once more to their homes and friends, if thou canst do it consistently with thy high purpose. If, on the other hand, thou hast decreed they shall die in battle, let thy spirit be present with them that they may go up as a sweet sacrifice into the courts of thy temple, where are habitations prepared for them from the foundation of the world." In these days of peace and security one is apt to look on such a prayer with profound surprise, if not EAGERNESS FOR NEWS. 321 with condemnation; but the patriotic clergy of the revolution never practised self-deception; they did not wish for one thing in their hearts and pray for another with their lips. When they wanted the destruction of their foes, they did not pray about something else, and wait to see if their desires might not be accomplished through the agency of wicked men, or chance, or the devil. They came boldly to the very Holy of Holies, and asked for it. Their enemies were the enemies of God; their foes those of the Church, who were coming to lay waste and destroy God's heritage, and they wished their overthrow, and honestly, and with strong crying and tears, prayed for it. Like Cromwell's Ironsides, who first invoked God's right arm to strike with them, and then with the fearful war-cry "Religion" on their lips swept like a thundercloud to battle; like the Covenanters, who prayed that their swords might be like that of Gideon, that turned not back from the slaughter, and then fell in fury on their pursuers; like David, praying for the overthrow of his enemies, and Moses, and Joshua, and the prophets, whose earnest supplications swelled the heaps of the slain; so these puritan divines, without rancor or vindictive hate, prayed in this fashion, and with an honest, earnest purpose, "Thy kingdom come." At this remote period it is impossible to imagine the state of excitement in which the country was thrown by the opening scenes of the revolution. Important news traveled at that time by couriers, and eyes were constantly turned up and down the streets |