ORDINATION OF THE REV. DANIEL HALL. 73

peared to be breaking, and this was accompanied with an almost entire prostration of the physical energies, but in no case did this relapse prove fatal. It was, however, the opinion of Mr. Stanford's physicians, that a pulmonary consumption would be the result. Upon this point he remarks:-"I was assisted to look unto the Lord, remember his former lovingkindness, and earnestly to pray, that Christ might be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death."

Hoping that a journey might contribute to his restoration, he left home on the 22d of May, for Peekskill and Clinton-Town. At Peekskill he assisted in the ordination of the Rev. Daniel Hall, as pastor of the church in that place. The sermon which he preached on that occasion, was from 2 Corinthians ii. 16" To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other, the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?" This, to Mr. Stanford, must have been an event of great interest, as Mr. Hall had been one of his divinity students.

On the 28th he arrived at Clinton-Town, and met a number of ministers at their annual Association, by whose request he preached a sermon, from 1 Kings xx. 11—“ And the king of Israel answered and said, Tell him, Let not him that girdeth on his harness boast himself as he that putteth it off." "Here," says the good man, "I sensibly felt my infirmities of body and mind. I was very kindly entertained by a family who were of the people called Friends, but had to lament that owing to indisposition, I was entirely disqualified from ministering to their edification in private conversation. Nevertheless, the Lord was kind in granting me aid in the public services, and bearing me through the long and tedious journey."

In July he became so much debilitated, that his physicians advised him to remove into the country. About this time," he says, "I received several in vitations to take charge of public seminaries; one in

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THE MOVING OF THE CLOUT

this state, and another in Pennsylvania." This was made a subject of much serious reflection and prayer. But obstacles of various kinds occurred, and at no time could he perceive that it was his duty to

remove.

At this time a minister in New-Jersey, who was under peculiar embarrassment in regard to the path of duty, wrote to him for advice, on his contemplated removal to a distant state. To this Mr. Stanford replied, by referring him to the case of the Israelites in their journey through the wilderness. If they moved before the cloud ascended, they had no assurance of protection from their enemies; and if they abode in the camp when the cloud moved, they were equally in danger of being consumed. Just so is the providence of God towards his people, upon which, therefore, it well becomes them to fix the eye of faith, and with humble prayer for direction, always to wait for the moving of the cloud. Upon this point fatal errors are daily committed, as well in the moral as in the natural world. Some, with a precipitous selfconfidence, leap forward unbidden by the voice of Providence, and become the victims of their own folly, while others procrastinate beyond the time for action, and

"All the voyage of their life

Is bound in shallows and in miseries."

It is said concerning the Roman Fabius, that he al ways delayed until the proper moment came, but hể never delayed until it was past. The advice which Mr. Stanford gave to his friend was not without benefit to himself, and produced a conviction in his own breast, that whereas God had manifestly "pitched his tent" in the city of New-York, duty required him, notwithstanding his ill health and other embarrassments, to remain, and be obedient to the will of heaven, whatever might be the issue. This humble and submissive

RE-APPEARANCE OF YELLOW FEVER.

75

disposition was not permitted to pass unregarded. Was he willing here to abide, and labour to promote the kingdom of God? Here, God determined amply to reward his faithful servant, by crowning his labours with success, and his life with the blessings of many

years.

In the month of August, a house in Greenwichstreet was hired, into which he removed with his family, and where it was hoped a more free circulation of air would contribute to the recovery of his health; but scarcely had a single month elapsed, before the yellow fever again made its appearance in the city, and once more, the inhabitants were scattered like sheep upon the mountains. As by this event, his place of worship was almost entirely deserted, and receiving an invitation from Mount-Pleasant to bring his family to that place for a few weeks, he accord-' ingly removed from New-York on the 18th of August, and was affectionately received beneath the hospitable roof of Elijah Hunter, Esq. where he remained until the 21st of October, and enjoyed not only a favourable opportunity for study, but an ample field of usefulness. He preached in the church at Mount-Pleasant on the Sabbath morning and evening, but lectured in the neighbouring places during the week; these services it is believed were not in vain in the Lord.

On his return to New-York, he was importuned to commence a series of Wednesday evening lectures, in a room in Greenwich-street, which was hired for that purpose. Concerning these lectures, the writer has heard intelligent Christians speak in no ordinary terms of commendation. To the souls of many now in heaven, they seem to have been refreshing, as was the stream that gushed from Horeb's rock, to the suffering Israelites at Rephidim.

On the first Lord's day in December, he preached twice, and administered the Lord s supper to the

76

FEARS DISSIPATED.

church, with more than usual gratitude and spiritual engagedness. In the evening he received a letter from Mount-Pleasant, containing the cheering intelligence, that in his late visit to that place, the Lord had been pleased to accompany his efforts in preaching the gospel, with the power of the Holy Spirit, and that several persons had been converted to God through the instrumentality of his labours, and many others were inquiring what they must do to be saved. "This," he remarks, was to me in my weakness and various trials, as a refreshing cordial. It served also to clothe me with humility, and to excite my gratitude and praise to the God of all grace."

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On the 24th of December, this being the season of vacation, he took a journey by land to Mount-Pleasant, in company with a friend. Several disasters. occurred on the road, so that they did not arrive till eleven at night; nevertheless, he was enabled next day to preach with some satisfaction to himself and the congregation. During this visit, a circumstance occurred which verifies the common adage :-That anticipated afflictions produce a greater effect on the mind than those which are actually experienced. Very early in the morning, a person came into his chamber and informed him, that "one of his family had fallen into a painful calamity." The suddenness of the information, the abrupt manner in which it was communicated, and the debilitated condition of his person, combined to make an overwhelming impression upon his mind. Nevertheless, the Lord sustained him; and when he arrived at home, he found to his great surprise and joy, that the report which had so much alarmed and distressed him, was without foundation. Thus vanished in a moment this imaginary cloud, the threatening aspect of which had inspired so much unnecessary terror.

An examination of his journal for the year 1800, has furnished but few items of special public interest,

AMIABLE TRAIT OF CHARACTER.

77

although, as a Christian and a minister, the Lord appears to have favoured him, in the discharge of his various duties, with lively exercises of faith, love, and gratitude. In the early part of this year, the church at Mount-Pleasant gave him another invitation to settle in that place as their pastor. As one means of ascertaining the will of Providence, he referred the subject to the judgment of his congregation. The result was, that they expressed a unanimous wish that their pastor should remain with them; of course his resolution to continue in the city was more than ever confirmed. About two months after this he received another very urgent invitation to remove to a church in New-Jersey, which he also thought it his duty to decline.

In the month of October he took a journey to Philadelphia, for the purpose of meeting a number of ministers and representatives of churches. By particular request, he preached the second sermon to the assembly, on "The duty of praying for the ministers of the gospel." The business of this mecting appears to have been conducted with great harmony, a circumstance which in no inconsiderable degree contributed to the happiness experienced by Mr. Stanford, for he was pre-eminently a friend of peace, and a promoter of brotherly love. It was an amiable trait in the character of this good man, that, however calumniated or injured by others, he always did honour to himself, and to the religion which he professed, by exemplifying the apostolic maxim, "Speak evil of no man." Like the excellent John Brown, of Haddington, when reviled and persecuted, he seemed to consider himself so much the more bound by the principles of Christian love, to promote the temporal and spiritual welfare of his enemies, and to pray for their "redemption through the blood of Christ," that they might obtain "the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace." In the same spirit, John Bunyan used to