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advocate of truth and rectitude, an unsparing denouncer of error and vice. He had ability, and when occasion required, he relied upon this rather than his courage. His temperament was calm-dispassionate philosophic. In fine he was a devout man and 'in wisdom,' as has been truly said of him, 'he was early old.'-Such was the character of the deceased. In his death the profession to which he belonged has sustained a severe loss. To his companions at the University, and to those who were prepared with,him by the discipline of several years, for the ministry of the Gospel, this event must speak in tones solemn, affecting, saddening. An extended family circle mourns his unhappy fate and the disappointment of dear hopes. But the consolation which religious faith affords to all who lament the early and sad termination of his mortal career, is that, though gone from them, he is not lost, 'Blessed are the dead, which die in the Lord.-They rest from their labors and their works do follow them.'

MEMOIR

us

OF

REV. ZABDIEL ADAMS.

'Let us now praise famous men and our fathers that begat - such as did bear rule in their kingdoms,men renowned for their powerleaders of the people by their counsels, and by their knowledge of learning meet for the people, wise and eloquent in their instructions.' SON OF SIRACH.

MR. ADAMS was born in that part of Braintree, now called Quincy, Nov. 5th, 1739. His father, Capt. Ebenezer Adams, was brother to the father of John Adams, and his mother, whose maiden name was Ann Boylston, was sister to the mother of the President. Hence John Adams and himself were a sort of double cousins. They were educated in the closest intimacy with each other, and in after life kept up a cordial correspondence. The President was strongly attached to his cousin, as apyears from the following observation which he made after his decease, 'When I lost him, I lost bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh.'

Mr. Adams was graduated at Cambridge in 1759. He was inclined to the study of law. But his father opposed this inclination, and was earnestly desirous he should enter the ministry. He consulted the wishes of his father, and said on his death-bed he was rejoiced he had done so.

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Sept. 5th, 1764 he was ordained as Pastor of the church in Lunenburg.

In 1774 he discovered acuteness, though he did not meet with success, in the management of a controversy on the question, whether the Pastor has a negative voice on the proceedings of the church. He maintained that he has, in the same manner as the Governor of Massachusetts has a negative voice on the acts of the General Court.

The character of Mr. Adams is best illustrated by a selection from the various anecdotes that are related of him. Some that are connected with his name are probably untrue. The following, obtained from the most authentic sources, may be relied upon.

When Mr. Adams had chosen his partner for life, which was about the time of his settlement, he said to her in order to ascertain whether she loved him as well as he did her. I am just through my studies, Miss Boylston, and $400 in debt, and think it advisable to put off marriage for about one year. What do you think?' 'O,' said she, whatever may be agreeable to you. If you wish to defer it, I am willing.'Are you?' said he, springing from his chair, Well, I am not, Worlds would not tempt me.'

He was very fond of his wife, but tried to make people believe he was not. Indeed if she was out, I have heard it said, he would go down to the gate in front fo his house and stand there looking up and

down the road to get a glimpse of her. When she came in sight, he would return to his study,surround himself with open books, and appear to be much absorbed when she came in. Well, wife,' he would say, throwing his arms back, 'you have been out it seems,' as if he did not know it before. • What did you hear?' &c.

The singing choir of the parish desired the support of a school for improvement in music. Through the influence of a certain individual, who was a man of note in the town, the request was not granted. The consequence was that on the next Sabbath there was nobody in the singing seats. Mr. Adams took occasion to make some remarks to his people on the importance of music as a part of public worship and then told them that unless they furnished music, he should not furnish preaching. He informed the scattered members of the choir that if they had been wronged, he would endeavor to see their wrongs redressed, and on the following Sabbath preached a sermon from this text, of which he made an almost pointed application, 'It must needs be that offences come, but woe unto that man by whom the offence cometh.' The parish soon reconsidered and reversed their former vote, and the seats afterwards were well filled with singers.

A certain individual of his parish called on him one day and told him he could not in conscience go

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to meeting while the violin and base viol, instruments used at parties and balls were permitted to be in the singing seats. Says MrAdams, 'Captain --, 'calling him by name, 'I had no hand in introducing them into the seats and I shall have no hand in turning them out. All is, if you can come to meeting, very well; if not, we can get along very well without you.' The Captain, it is said was found in his pew as regular as ever.

He had attended a funeral one afternoon and was following the corpse, in the rear of the procession, to the grave yard. All of a sudden the procession came to a stand. After a considerable pause, Mr. Adams got impatient and walked to the bier to know the cause thereof. The Pall-bearers informed him that a sheriff from Leominster had attached the body for debt. This practice was legal at this period. 'Attached the body?' exclaimed Mr. A. thumping his cane down with vehemence. 'Move on,' said he and bury the man. I have made a prayer at a funeral and somebody shall be buried. If the Sheriff objects, take him up and bury him.' The bier was raised without delay, the procession moved on and the Sheriff thought best to molest them no further or in vulgar parlance, made himself scarce.—A Parishioner brought a child to him to be baptised. The old parson leaned forward and asked him the name. 'Ichabod,' says he. Now Mr. A. had a strong prejudice against this name. 'Poh, poh,' says he. John, you mean. John, I baptise thee in the name, &c.