I want,' said she, to have more of this experience in my heart; and I wish you to pray that my patience may increase, so that I may cheerfully wait till it pleases my God and Father to receive me to his heavenly presence above.' In reply, I spoke to her of the conflict between nature and grace; the opposition between the flesh and the renewed spirit of the Christian; and remarked that it arises from the love of God shed abroad in the heart by the Holy Ghost given unto us; and that it was her duty to plead with her heavenly Father, to grant her more abundance of his Spirit, having this encouraging promise-' He giveth his Holy Spirit to them that ask him.' She replied, This is true: I want more of the influence of this blessed Spirit; I cannot pray with out it; and he is my Comforter.' As she had often expressed to me her anxiety for more patience under the pressure of her pains, I conti nued my address by explaining to her, that the kind of patience which proceeds from past experience of God's love, is very different from that which arises from the mere consideration that our distresses are not so great as they might have been; or so great as many others endure. Jesus said unto his disciples In your patience possess ye your souls.' This virtue comes from God, who is the God of all patience; not only that he has patience under our sinful murmur ings and sins, but that he gives us patience under all our afflictions; so that in some degree we can say, Father, not my will, but thine be done. Christ himself is our great example for the exercise of this patience under all our sufferings. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter; and as a sheep is dumb before her shearers, so opened he not his mouth. Yes,' said she,

this is true patience; when I meditate on the sufferings of the Saviour for my sins, why should I complain? Yet I must tell you, that I need more patience, that I may not be

permitted to repine, but hold out to the last. And now I wish you to kneel down by my bed, and pray that God may be with me, and grant me more of this blessed experience and more patience.'

"On my next visit, Mrs. Hoffman appeared to be more rapidly hastening towards her final close. Although she frequently expressed to me the ground of her hope for future felicity, on this visit, I felt a solicitude to receive from her dying lips, whatever might be interesting upon so important a subject; for it is death that tries human souls, and a dying testimony, connected with a holy life, is always highly valuable to survivors. I therefore again proposed the question, and received for answer: My soul is fixed alone upon the infinite merit of Jesus, my blessed Redeemer. It is on his blood and righteousness I rest for the pardon of my sins, and the acceptance of my person, with my God and Father. And it is his promise, that he will never leave me nor forsake me, which encourages me that I shall be kept steadfast unto the end. I cannot say that I am always comfortable, or that I am free from temptation; but my whole desire and prayer to the Lord is for his grace and consolation.' Before I retired, she said, When you offer your supplications for me, I wish you always to conclude by repeating the Lord's prayer, for that has always been delightful to me."

During the last few days of this pious lady's illness, she was continually uttering expressions of gratitude, not only to her God and Saviour, but to her children and friends who surrounded her. She could receive nothing to refresh her, but a little iced water; yet, not a drop passed her lips, without her acknowledging her thankfulness. As she approached nearer to the last scene, every doubt and fear vanished; and she happily reposed herself in the bosom of her Lord. She was never heard to allude to

any of her good deeds, but constantly attributed all her mercies in life to the grace and goodness of her heavenly Father, resting her soul on the all-sufficiency of Christ her Saviour, and thus waiting the messenger death to call her to the scenes of immortality.

Saturday morning, July 30, her articulation had become almost unintelligible; but still, in broken accents, she endeavoured to glorify her God while breath remained. Looking at Mrs. B. the daughter of her still dear Mrs. Graham, she said, "My colleague has gone before; I am following fast." Then, after a short pause, she resumed her speech: "Tell them," meaning the Board of the Orphan Asylum; "tell them all, there is a crown of glory in reserve for me." These were nearly her last words, except now and then an endearing expression to her children and grandchildren. An oppressive slumber seized her spirits; and about nine o'clock in the evening, she gently fell asleep in Jesus, without a struggle or a sigh, aged 79 years. Thus she received an answer to her constant prayers, that when she should pass through the valley of the shadow of death, she might fear no evil; and certain it was, that her Shepherd and Redeemer was evidently with her; and his rod and staff supported and comforted her spirit while passing away to the mansions of eternal blessedness and glory?

The mortal remains of this mother in Israel were deposited in the burial-yard of Trinity Church. The corpse was followed by many of her relations and surviving friends in carriages, and by a walking procession of one hundred of the Orphan Children, who had been the objects of her affectionate care, and a long train of respectable citizens, anxious to give their last testimony to her worth. The full burial service of

the church was performed by the Right Reverend Bishop Hobart.

Such was the late Mrs. Hoffman; a humble, active, spiritually-minded

Christian, whose example deserves perhaps the better to be exhibited for the very reason that her life was not, like that of her friend Mrs. Graham, a scene of great vicissitude and incident, but the everyday sphere in which thousands of her sex are privileged to move, and in which they may greatly be nefit themselves and the world, and glorify their Father which is in heaven, by transcribing in their conduct her exalted but simple and imitable virtues. I will not trespass on the patience of your readers, by summing up the various features of her character; but I cannot re-. frain from remarking for a moment on her candid and conciliating spirit; her unwearied attention to the wants and comforts of the poor and afflicted, without distinction of sect or nation; and her unreserved renunciation of a worldly temper and conduct.

The first of these has been strongly evinced in the course of the above narrative, and is also strikingly displayed by the high esteem in which she was held by Christians of various denominations, at the same time that she stood firm to her principles, and was looked up to with veneration by the members of her own church. Episcopacy in the United States of America is what Episcopacy was in the early church before the days of Constantine. Not being the religion of the state, it has to look for its public acceptance only from its intrinsic character and the scriptural lives of its supporters, and such a life as that of Mrs. Hoffman was eminently calculated to promote its interests, Two prevailing faults often charged upon Episcopalians have been, formality among themselves and bigotry towards the members of other persuasions*.

It is not intended in this observation

to convey any thing like a general censure. The sermons of Bishop Dehon, for example, may suffice to shew, that spiritual-mindedness is not unknown among American Episcopalians; and it has even

From both these faults Mrs. Hoffman was remarkably free. She had drunk deeply into the excellent spirit inculcated in the following passage from an address of the bishop of the diocese of Virginia (Dr. Richard Channing Moore) to his clergy at the convention at Winchester, in 1818.

"Brethren," said he, "we have much to encourage us in the prosecution of the important object in which we are jointly engaged Many of the laity of this diocese discover an ardour in the cause of religion and the church, which is calculated to inspire the minds of the clergy with the greatest energy and hope. While we perceive in them an animation so laudable, the clergy cannot despair of success. United in love, we will advance in a solid column, fighting under the banner of the Lord Jesus Christ. The powers of sin and darkness, I trust, will be vanquished, the glory of God be promoted, our dilapidated churches be rebuilt, and Zion rear her drooping head. To promote the cause of genuine re ligion is our only object; and, as that object is legitimate, it must succeed. We know of no enemies but the enemies of our exalted Redeemer: we stretch forth the right hand of fellowship to all who in sincerity call upon the Lord Jesus' Christ; we expect to meet in heaven with all who are true Chris

been made a charge against them, that in many instances they are not suffici ently strict in keeping up the barrier

between their own members and other

churches. The venerable and amiable Bishop of New York, the late Dr. Benjamin Moore, was never once absent from Mrs. Graham's school examinations; and it is by no means unusual for Episcopal clergyman, and even for bi shops in their Episcopal tours, to preach in the Methodist, Presbyterian, and other churches. The chief contest of the Episcopalian body in the United States of America, much to its honour, has been with Socinianism, against which it has made a firm and successful stand.

tians, whatever their denomination; and while we labour in our department, we wish prosperity to all the friends of the Saviour. Yes, brethren, in heaven distinctions will be done away; we shall then be embodied under one name, the spirits of the just made perfect;' and in joyful union we shall unite with them and angels, in singing unto Him who loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, unto Jesus, our exalted, our gracious Saviour, be all honour and glory ascribed, for ever and ever. Amen."

Mrs. Hoffman's unwearied attention to the wants and comforts of the poor and afflicted, without distinction of sect or nation, is also abundantly proved by the preceding narrative. She lived for others; she went about, in imitation of her Divine Master, doing good; and she did it without partiality and without hypocrisy." In her favourite Orphan Asylum, no limitation was laid down, except that the objects of the Society's bounty should be orphans in a state of want, and the offspring of married parents— a restriction which the interests of religion, morality, and the public welfare rendered indispensable. She felt it no degradation, indeed she accounted it her honour and privi. lege, almost to live, for their temporal and spiritual welfare, among the indigent, the unfortunate, and the degraded. She seemed to have imbibed the spirit of the excellent Bishop Dehon, of whom the writer of his funeral sermon remarks; " If in his visits he made any distinction, it was in favour of families in humble life. He was a most patient instructor of the illiterate Africans. He had them at his house frequently, while they were preparing for baptism, and his success in this office, so entirely new to him, was truly surprising." Or

See the funeral sermon for Bishop Dehon, by the Rev. Christ. Gadsden, Rector of St. Philip's Church, Charleston, South Carolina. A copy of this very interesting discourse was sent over

rather she had imbibed much of the spirit of Him who was her great example; who frequented the society of publicans and sinners, of the outcast and the dejected, of the sick and miserable, to heal their bodies and save their souls; to bring them to repentance for their sins,

to England, to the venerable Secretary of the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge, in reply to his inquiries respecting Bishop Dehon, and has been appended by him to the second volume of the Bishop's Sermons. Many of the Episcopal Clergy of the United States bave diligently exerted themselves for the instruction of slaves. The following passage, on the duty of so doing, is copied from a sermon preached at the opening of the Virginia Convention of 1818, by the Rev. W. Meade. It was printed at the particular desire of the members of the Convention.

"There are differences of colour, and disparity of station among men, but the value of the soul is the same in all, for in the duration of eternity there are no degrees. Should we not, therefore, in all our domestic intercourses, impress this duty, and regard all the immortal souls in each family as united in the sight of God, and equally the objects of our care. Think not, my brethren, that I speak this in the spirit and with the air of a censor, but rather, as God knows, in the spirit of self-condemnation, for having done so much less in this way than I might and ought, and less perhaps than some of you may have supposed. If there be any who object to this recommendation, and apprehend evil from the observance of it, to such we would answer,-This spiritual intercourse between their owner and these unfortunate beings is not likely to produce insubordination-is not that familiarity which breeds contempt. It, on the contrary, promotes order and every virtue, by promoting the fear and love of God. Does the Almighty lessen his authority among men by entering into their hearts and freely conversing with them? Did the Saviour become little and contemptible in the eyes of his disciples by those Divine instructions which he daily communicated to them? Does the minister sink in the esteem of his parishioners by embracing all reasonable opportu nities of conveying religious instrucCHRIST. OBSERV. No. 250.

to faith in their Saviour, and to newness and obedience of life.

Of her renunciation of the world,' I will only remark, that she carefully avoided, not merely all disreputable practices, but whatever had a tendency to deteriorate her tenderness of conscience, and to draw her from her duties and

tion to their minds? Do Christians become lawless, insolent, and rebellious by hearing those Divine lessons of love, faith, humility and contentment which the word of God continually enjoins? These questions find an answer in the breast of every pious and rational person; and that answer is a sufficient refutation of the idea that our slaves can be in any manner injured by religious instruction. In the performance of this duty, masters and mistresses, and ministers of religion, will find much assistance from calling in the aid of those institutions already mentioned; namely, Bible Societies, Tract Societies, and Sunday-schools. These should be employed in their behalf,-and made to bless and enlighten, not only the cottages of the poor, but the cabins of the slave; should make each plantation a little village, with its school-house and its temple, its pupils and worshippers," its teachers and domestic priests. But' even here, in this dark vale of sorrow, we have some cause for rejoicing. The spiritual as well as temporal condition of this class of our fellow-creatures is considerably ameliorated. The light of the Sun of Righteousness shines benignly in many of the once darkened souls of the sable sons of Africa: a' communion of soul often takes place between the master and his slave; and they both look forward with joy to the time when soul shall meet soul in the still freer, sweeter, intercourse of hea

ven.

Be it our effort to promote this blessed work to the utmost of our power, beloved brethren, or we shall be greatly

deficient in our duty. Nor, while attending to this duty of preparing their souls for heaven, should we be unmindfal of their condition on earth; but if there be a land of promise to them; if there be another Canaan, flowing with peace and plenty, let us kindly hasten their departure; otherwise God may, with an out-stretched arm, appear to lead them away and afflict us with than Egyptian plagues." 4 M

worse

from God. Her inclination, and her habitual spiritual-mindedness, even more than her assiduous attention to her active labours of love, prevented her falling into the snares of temptation, or "in dulging in those worldly pleasures, which may tend to withdraw the affections from spiritual things *."

See the proceedings of the late General Episcopal Convention at New York. Some European readers may perhaps need to be informed, that the American Episcopal Church is regulated by annual or biennial conventions of each diocese, and the triennial convention of all the several dioceses. On both these occasions, lay as well as clerical delegates are present. At the diocesan convention the bishop presides; and at the general convention the bishops form an upper house, in which the senior bishop presides, and the lay. and clerical delegates a lower house. The resolutions or canons passed at the general convention, bind the whole of the United States Protestant Episcopal Church; those of a diocesan convention the diocese in which they are made. The passage alluded to in the text is from the minutes of a late general convention in New York, when the "House of Bishops" passed a solemn resolution, or canon, impressing upon the clergy the duty of earnestly warning the people of their cures against “indulging in those worldly pleasures which may tend to withdraw the affections from spiritual things." Corresponding resolutions have from time to time been adopted in individual dioceses. At the general convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church of Virginia in 1818, a resolution, on the subject of conformity to worldly customs and amusements, was brought forward, which some individuals thought too strong; and it was accordingly proposed that the more general resolution of the House of Bishops should be substituted in its place. This proposal being negatived, an attempt was further made to substitute another amendment of a very singular nature, declaring, that "whereas differences of opinion have at all times existed in Christian communities, as to the criminal tendency of certain customs or amusements, springing from affections of the heart, which, innocent in themselves, lose that character

And after all the reasonings of Christian or unchristian casuists,

through excessive indulgence," &c. &c. The amendment proceeded to assert the impropriety of the Convention's giving its opinion on such topics; and much more of "denouncing and repelling, by its canons, from the bosom of the church those who, to its regret, may sometimes appear to countenance those dangerous scenes of pleasure" which were the subject of discussion; particularly" gaming," "the fascinating amusement of the stage," and "dancing, a natural exercise among all nations, blended sometimes, as its sister art music has often been, in their religious ceremo nies, and capable of being always innocently and usefully conducted, as none will question but those whose entire inexperience of the world has left them in ignorance of its effects on the heart and manners." This singular amendment being negatived, the original motion passed; all the clergy voting for it, and seventeen out of twenty-six of the lay-members. The resolution thus strongly approved and carried, I transcribe for the sake of my fellow-episcopalians, lay and clerical, on both sides of the Atlantic.

"Whereas differences of opinion prevail as to certain fashionable amusements; and it appears desirable to many, that the sense of the Convention should be expressed concerning them; the Convention does hereby declare its opinion, that gaming, attending on theatres, public balls, and horse-racing, should be relinquished by all communicants of this church, as having the bad effects of staining the purity of the Christian character, of giving offence to their pions brethren, and of endangering their own salvation, by their rushing voluntarily into those temptations against which they implore the protection of their Heavenly Father; and this Convention cherishes the hope that this expression of its opinion will be sufficient to produce conformity of conduct, and unanimity of opinion, among all the members of our communion."

Connected with the details in this note, it may be useful to the reader to have before him the following recent estimate.

The number of clergymen of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States is 346, who are distributed as follows: Maine 2, New Hampshire. 4, Massachusets 16, Vermont 7, Rhode