intonations of voice-a look of almost divine compassion from his expressive eye-a warm gush of tears on his manly face, and a countenance softened and subdued with an air of sorrowful benevolence, which will never be forgotten. The manifestation of such a spirit by Mr. Patterson, to the multitude of neglected outcasts from religious privileges, who attended his preaching on the commons, could not fail of reaching even their blunted sensibilities. They felt its power, and were often almost unconsciously led to weep with him when he wept. He forced on their minds the conviction that he "had great heaviness and continual sorrow in his heart," for their impenitent conditionthat it was disinterested love, and sincere weeping compassion for their lost souls, that prompted him to these unremunerated, self-denying, exhausting and persevering labours for their salvation. It was thus that he conciliated many who had previously been repelled from the ministers of religion, and from all sacred things. It was thus that he bound so many hearts by ties of respect and friendship to himself, that had heretofore been attached to those only who were congenial to them in depravity and crime. This was the sacred spell by which he held the multitude in attendance on his preaching during the years through which these services were protracted. And it was, doubtless, one means, under God, by which many were brought to the knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus.

summers.

Mr. Patterson commenced these labours on the commons in 1816, and continued them through the five following This involved an amount of labour that it seems incredible he should have so long sustained.

He thus preached four times on the Sabbath, for nearly half of each year, beside his weekly lectures, and all the crowded cares and labours of pastoral visitation and attention to the sick. True, he was then in the morning vigour

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of his days, and "as a strong man rejoicing to run a race,’ his noble spirit entered on this career of effort, and panted to fill a sphere of usefulness that would have tasked an angel's energies.

The good which he effected by his field preaching, and by the labours which were necessarily connected with it, none but God can compute. After the lapse of twenty years, and the changes which those years have brought with them, in the growth and prosperity of that part of the city which was the scene of his exertions, no one but he who has been a constant spectator, and who can contrast the past with the present condition of the population can appreciate the astonishing effects of Mr. Patterson's labours. An intelligent gentleman, not a professor of religion, and who spoke from his own personal observation, remarked to the writer, that the revolution produced by these efforts of Mr. Patterson, on the social and religious condition of the people was incredibly great. The population seemed to start into a new, social, intellectual and moral life. Habits of sobriety, industry, economy, peace and friendship, were formed, and the people exhibited in their dwellings and apparel, a neatness and taste; and many of them acquired a competency, and enjoyed domestic comforts to which they had once been entire strangers.

But the moral and spiritual effects of these labours cannot be embraced in the compass of human calculation. The redemption of one soul is an event involving interests, and holding relations both to time and to eternity, of a magnitude which mocks the finite measurement of man. If we could fathom the deeps of wo from which that soul is rescued—if we could compute the worth of the peace and joy it has in believing-if we could calculate the buoyancy and rapture of its celestial hopes-the calin and holy enjoyment it has in communion with its God, and in attending on his

ordinances-its protection from the complicated and gigantic evils of a world lying in wickedness-its sure support amidst all the trials and calamities of life-the astonishing influence it may exert on the cause of God in the present world-its victory and song of triumph over death and the grave; if we had a mighty balance by which to poise that "far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory," which awaits it in its future and immortal existence, and then could multiply the sublime aggregate thus obtained by the whole number of souls saved by the instrumentality of Mr. Patterson's field preaching, what an impression would it produce of the wonderful results of his labours in this department! It is a delightful thought, which it is, perhaps, lawful for us to indulge, that his own redeemed spirit, with the expansion and growth of its capacities in glory is better able to appreciate, and is occupied in contemplating these results, and will have an eternity in which to watch their developments, and to trace their mighty influence on the manifestations of redeeming grace and dying love, and on the increasing happiness of the universe of God!

CHAPTER IX.

In the autumn of 1828, Mr. Patterson visited the city of Alexandria, D. C., to aid in conducting a protracted meeting about to be held in the Second Presbyterian church of this place. The pastor of the church, Rev. Mr. Walton, invited our friend as a suitable person to assist him on this occasion; and, though he felt the pressure of his responsibility in engaging in this work, it being the first of the kind in which he ever laboured, he obeyed the call of duty, committing himself and the cause into the hands of his Lord and Master. At this time these services were a new thing, east of the Alleghany mountains; but the cir cumstance of their novelty did not deter him from testing their adaptedness to advance the cause of the Redeemer. He had heard of the success which followed these consecutive services in the west ;-that through their instrumentality, many of the thoughtless were awakened from their indifference to the subject of religion, to sue for mercy, through atoning blood, at the hands of their Maker: and the proba bility of so cheering a result from similar efforts in the east, encouraged him to enter upon this new field of labour. All his anticipations were more than realized. The services on this occasion being rendered effective, through the divine blessing, were the means of a most interesting work of grace. This revival led to the formation of a new church in the District, whose piety, activity and benevolence, have contributed much to the advancement of the kingdom of Christ.

The following notice of this protracted meeting we find recorded in his diary.

"October 1st.-Just returned from Alexandria. I went there to attend a four days' meeting,' at the urgent invitation of brother Walton. I preached every day and night while there, and administered the sacrament on the Sabbath. At the close of each service in the church, we invited any who were desirous to be conversed with about their souls' salvation, to remain behind, and we would converse with them. Sometimes the whole congregation would stay; and in order to know who wished to be conversed with, we were under the necessity of inviting them out to the front seats, that we might see them and converse with them. As many as thirty or forty came forward; about one hundred were convicted. Of these about forty or fifty indulged a hope that they had embraced the Saviour. It was a delightful time. Lawyers, doctors, merchants, mechanics, and all classes seemed to be taken hold of by the Spirit. The church was remarkably engaged in prayer. Several of the young converts, I trust, will study divinity. One lawyer, in conversing with me, said he did not feel as though he could return to the practice of the law."

In a letter, written a short time before his death, to the Rev. J. N. Danforth, his fellow-labourer during this protracted service, he speaks thus when alluding to this interesting season.

* *

"There were a number of cases of hopeful conversion, and the church was very considerably quickened and waked up, as you well recollect, dear brother; for if I remember right, you were there. And you recollect with what fear and prayer, and trembling we entered on the work * I had never seen a protracted meeting conducted. But I tried to look to God, as I believe we all did, for direction: and I believe the Master directed us. This thought occurred to me, and I announced it to the congregation: when I was impenitent, sometimes after hearing an awakening sermon,