During the former part of his illness, before it had assumed a dangerous aspect, I conversed with him respecting the importance of not leaving the concerns of religion to a moment when disease unfits the mind for reflection, and congratulated him on the fact of his having been enabled, through grace, to prepare in health for the solemnities of eternity. He devoutly acknowledged the mercy which, in this respect, he had received; but neither then, nor on the following day, when our respected independent brother, with whom he had long been on terms of closest intimacy, prayed with him, did he appear to have the conviction that his "sickness was unto death." About a week before this period, having occasion to consult him respecting some important business connected with the church, our conversation assumed a more than commonly serious tone. I was led to ask him several questions respecting his own experience in religion, and the motives by which he had been actuated in his singular devotedness to this particular interest; and such were his replies, and in so affecting a manner were they given, that I left him with the deepest conviction that he was eminently a man of God: and since his departure, I have considered the statements which he then made as an anticipatory dying testimony to the genuineness and vigour of his personal piety.
There were public as well as private circumstances of a somewhat similar nature, which are now cherished in the memories of his friends. At the last monthly prayer-meeting at which he was permitted to attend, he manifested a most solemn and intense devotional spirit. When praying for the prosperity of the church, he was so greatly affected as to be scarcely able, for several minutes, to proceed, while sympathy made the exercise one of general weeping as well as of supplication. At the last Sunday-school Union prayer-meeting also, many of the teachers remarked at the time, how very earnestly he wrestled on their behalf; and since that period, they have very naturally dwelt much on the fact, that he concluded the engagement by giving out and setting the tune to the following expressive lines:--
"Come, Christian brethren! ere we part, Join every voice and every heart," &c.