They not only looked up to him with veneration as their pastor, but with the confidence and affection of children.

He was indefatigable in visiting the sick; and as his congregation was scattered through almost every part of London, this duty was most laborious. "His first inquiry on a Sabbath evening," says one of his daughters, " if he had not been preaching in his own chapel, was,- Has any body been prayed for?'Yes, such a person.' I'll see him in the morning, poor good man,' he would reply. And no distance, so long as he was able to undergo fatigue, could detain him from this labour of love, which he was wont to perform with the wisdom, tenderness of affection, and sympathy, that so eminently distinguished him."

A young clergyman of the church of England, who was brought up in early life under his ministry, thus writes to one of the family:-" The late Rev. R. Cecil, in his last illness, is known to have acknowledged that his mind was more sensibly benefitted by the approaches of your father to the Throne of Grace with him and for him, than by the prayers of any of his other numerous and excellent clerical friends."

The preceding details will have enabled the reader to form a competent judgment as to the success of his ministry in Wells Street, and his habitual mode of strengthening the effect of his ordinary pulpit discourses by means of communion and other special addresses, by pastoral visitation, and by personal intercourse with all classes of his hearers. We need not, therefore, farther expatiate upon the general prosperity of that congregation whilst under his charge,-on the Christian peace and unity for which they were so long and happily distinguished,—on their liberality to their brethren and to their minister,-nor on the mutual regard which had grown up between them, and ripened into that devoted attachment which death only could interrupt. On all these, and other kindred topics, the facts and documents given in the course of this chapter may, without farther comment, be left to speak for themselves.

There is, however, one feature in his conduct, to which, we

G

think, may be fairly traced much of the good-will and affectionate sympathy that ever existed between him and his people. We refer to the fact, the statement of which is imperiously demanded by justice to his character, that never did a minister of Christ keep himself more apart from all interference in the secular concerns of a congregation than did Dr Waugh. The high estimate he had formed of the office of the Christian ministry, and the naturally high-toned inde-pendence of his mind,—these were never more prominently manifested than whenever he was tempted to connect himself in any degree with those purely secular matters of his congregation, from which the Christian minister, will, of all classes of men, find it most difficult to extricate himself with his influence unimpaired and his honour untarnished. But though we see not Dr Waugh "sitting at the receipt of custom," it is due to the managers of his congregation to state, that, under their sole directions, his people ever did more for the promotion of his temporal prosperity than probably they would have been inclined to do, had the amount of their exertions in this respect been at all under his control.

"Though by education, choice, and relative connexion," says one of his Independent brethren, "he ranked as a Presbyterian, and never once in private gave the lie to his firm and conscientious belief; yet he was a sincere lover of all good men, and did the utmost in his power to induce them to love one another with a pure heart fervently; believing as he firmly did, that true Christians are much more essentially united than they can by possibility be divided from each other."

"While he remained," says another of his brethren of the same communion, "attached to the peculiarities of the religious body of which he was a member, he held his principles as a Presbyterian without a particle of bigotry. The liberality of his sentiments, and the excellence of his spirit, gave him an influence among those who differed from him on minor points, equal to that which he enjoyed in the churches of his own denomination."

These sentiments are equally honourable to the persons by whom they are expressed, as to him who is the subject of them. Thus, while he cordially loved his brethren, though of a different communion, as faithful servants of the same Master, and "fellow-heirs of the grace of life," so they loved him in return, “not in tongue, neither in word, but in deed and in truth."

It is due alike to that very respectable body of Christians, the Independents of England, and to the subject of this memoir, not to omit in our review of Dr Waugh's public duties, the active and heartfelt interest which he ever evinced in the success of the Evangelical Magazine, to which he was one of the earliest contributors, and the great satisfaction afforded him by the liberal principles which regulate the application of its funds. "To him was confided, in a great degree," says the late worthy conductor of the Evangelical Magazine, "the duty of attending to the memorials of the widows of Scotch ministers;" and how modestly, yet how warmly and successfully he pleaded their cause, the very handsome portion of the funds awarded in Scotch cases abundantly proves. It is the testimony borne by his family, that on going into his study when he was occupied in folding up and directing these several benefactions, they have seen him wipe hastily from his eye the tear that told how sincere were his grateful acknowledgments to "these good men;" and have heard him declare, in tones of joy and humility, that the hours so occupied in the cause of "his poor widows" were among the happiest of his long life.

He often lamented that his brethren in the North did not contribute their literary aid as freely as he wished; nor duly considered, as he thought, the valuable assistance which the Scotch widows derived from the profits of this work,-an assistance most liberally disproportioned to their claims. In palliation, however, we must state, that while the ministers of the Secession have been blameable in not duly contributing to the support of this magazine, they are not insensible to the kindness shown to their widows in the ministration of its

funds. Many of them feel deep gratitude to their Independent brethren for such honourable and distinguished liberality.

In concluding this chapter, the compiler of these papers feels it alike his privilege as his duty to record his personal obligations to several excellent ministers of the Independent communion, who, in evidence of the sincerity of that respect and love which they professed to the subject of this memoir while he lived, have strenuously laboured, by their valuable communications, to embalm his memory when he is no more. Amidst the mournful bereavements of revered relatives and beloved friends, with whom we took sweet counsel and went to the house of God in company, let us look upward to the abodes of everlasting light, and purity, and love, into which they have entered; and let us cherish the heart-gladdening anticipation, that we too, through the blood of the Lamb, shall make our escape from all the ills and sorrows of this chequered life, and ascend to the presence of their Father and our Father, of their God and our God.

"Sad pilgrim of Zion, though chastened awhile

Through this dark vale of tears, Hope still bids thee smile :
Far spent is the night,-see approaching the day
That calls thee from sorrow and sighing away.

"No tear of repentance, nor wave of the storm,

Not a cloud shall e'er darken the light of that morn,
When thy sun sets no more, but for ever shall shine
Unsullied in beauty, in glory divine."

CHAPTER III.

DR WAUGH'S CONNEXION WITH PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS.

Remarks on associations for the spread of the Gospel. Dr Bogue's appeal. Co-operation of Dr Waugh in establishing the London Missionary Society. His sermon on the second anniversary of that institution. Notices of its proceedings, from his correspondence. Journal of his tour to Paris in 1802. Missionary tours to various parts of England and Ireland; letters. Interview with the Synod of Ulster. Letters from Rev. Dr Baird. Tours in Scotland in 1815 and 1819; letters. Circular letter to brethren in Scotland. Addresses to Missionaries. Sketch of his character as a director and associate labourer of the Missionary Society. Connexion with the British and Foreign Bible Society. Speech at the formation of an auxiliary association. His support of the Scottish Hospital, and of other philanthropic and charitable institutions. Anecdotes.

IT has been justly observed by Mr Douglas, on voluntary associations of good men for advancing the kingdom of Christ, "That there is no object to which this power cannot adapt itself, no resources which it may not ultimately command; and that a few individuals, if the public mind be gradually prepared to favour them, can lay the foundations of undertakings which would have baffled the might of those who reared the Pyramids." "The times" of the subject of this memoir are intimately connected with the great transactions of the last forty years,―a period in which the power of voluntary associations for promoting the kingdom of Christ has been remarkably exemplified, and carried to a higher pitch, and applied to more important objects, than had ever been contemplated at any former period. This power has produced effects which, while they astonish the mind, prepare it for greater things to come.