"Chambersburg, Saturday evening, 26th August, 1815.

"MY DEAREST SARAH:

6

"Yesterday I got your letter at Strasburg. It did my heart good, short as it was. I looked at the mountains of Strasburg,' but have not rode on them, though I have, I trust, collected health from every breeze,-whilst I honestly wished dear you' was along. I never have, whilst at my father's, experienced such a void in my happiness as I do this time. I feel I want a friend, my dear Sarah, who is not here. I believe that separation for a while tightens the bonds of friendship, but it is a painful way of tightening

them.

"I shall early next week clear out. The religion of this country, I think, is getting weaker and weaker, and colder and colder. Rev. John McKnight has received an invitation to go and be a colleague with Dr. Muir, of Alexandria.

"I suspect I'll not succeed well here; a jealousy sticks in the minds of many, because the school was not located here.

"It appears that the people of this place drew up and signed a bond of $10,000, and sent it to the General Assembly, offering to collect so much, provided the school was located here; and it appears from the representation of the people here, that some person in the General Assembly asserted that the people of Chambersburg were not able to pay that much, and it has given great offence to the high-fliers here to be reckoned so cheap; and I expect I shall get little to-morrow. I'll try them, however.

Monday morning. The session (I believe with a view to thwart it) overruled my laying a subscription on the table, and taking money in that way, and thought that to publish that, on the ensuing Lord's day, a collection would be taken up, would be best. I had to yield. I preached in the Methodist church in the evening, and a collection was taken up there for us amounting to $11.25. To-morrow morning I take the stage to Baltimore. Hope deferred maketh the heart sad. I am sick, in the midst of health; and alone, in the midst of friends. I painfully long to be with my family. How often! how often I think of that little hand of William, putting before his face when I used to scold him. I think of

dear little Whitefield,—but most of all, my dear Sarah, I think of you. No consideration will separate me so long from my family again. My mind becomes light and vain travelling, and every thing in this country contributes to it. There is nothing here but rise early and work; and lie down late from work. God appears not to be in all their thoughts, save a few sanctimonious looks on the Sabbath. Often I think of those lines of Colonel Gardiner, rising up without the thoughts of God. The birds, says he,

from their temperate sleep awake, and pay
Their thankful anthems for the new-born day :
But man, more void of gratitude, awakes,
And gives no thanks for the sweet rest he takes;
Looks on the glorious sun's new-kindled flame,
Without one thought of Him from whom it came.

The wretch unhallowed does the day begin,
Shakes off his sleep, but shakes not off his sin.

*

"I expect to spend one day in Baltimore-arrive there to-morrow evening, and on Wednesday evening take the steamboat for Philadelphia, and in the beginning of the following week, the good Lord willing, I hope to see you.

"My dearest Sarah, let us not forget each other at the throne of grace; and when there, may we use a holy boldness for our dear little children. Adieu, my love.

"Increasingly yours,

P."

While on this agency, he spent a Sabbath with the Presbyterian Church near Shippensburg, in the presbytery of Carlisle. In the morning he preached on the subject of his agency, and, as usual with him, presented a subscription paper during the interval of worship for contributions. An individual, a member of the church, of considerable wealth, but of known penuriousness and opposition to all the calls of benevolence, presented him with a $3 bank note, with the remark, "I don't know whether this note is good or bad; but as you have told us, Mr. Patterson, that you are the Lord's treasurer, I suppose you can tell what will pass with him." The remark was made in a tone of insult; but not

a word or look of resentment was returned by Mr. Patterson. His short reply was, "I will take it, and thank you for it in so far as it has worth!" The man appeared disappointed that his design of enkindling the agent's wrath had been frustrated, and with no small degree of tartness added, "You have given us a begging sermon this morning, I hope you will give us a gospel sermon this afternoon." "I will," was the response. The text which he took in the afternoon was John viii. 44, "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do." It was acknowledged by all who heard it, to be a most pungent dealing with the consciences of his hearers.

He alludes in his letter of August 26th, to a difficulty in obtaining funds in Chambersburg, Pa., for the Princeton Theological Seminary. The cause of that difficulty was this. Very liberal proposals of a beautiful lot, with $10,000, was made by some wealthy gentlemen in that place to the Assembly, to induce them to locate the school in that region. Certain doctors in the church, however, had determined that Princeton should be the place of location; for when the proposals, which had been sent out, came before the Assembly, some insinuated the inability of the subscribers to meet their engagements; and some threw out the supposition that when the theological students had finished their course of study, they would find employment in the mills of the town. and vicinity of which mention was made in the proposals, &c. A member of the Assembly, an elder, indignant at such insinuations, arose and said, that if doubt existed on the mind of any member as to the validity of the subscriptions, he was ready to give his check for the $10,000, on the acceptance of the proposals. This declaration, it is needless to say, silenced the objectors. The Assembly, however, was hurried to the decision of the case, and as every thing had been previously arranged, Princeton was fixed

on as the location of the proposed seminary. These circumstances, it is probable, Mr. Patterson did not know, or he would not have ventured to solicit contributions in this

region.

He

Some time after this, when on a visit to that part of the country, he spent a night with the family of a ministerial brother. While reading a chapter at evening worship, he paused, and turning to a white servant in the family who was near to him, inquired, "What is your name?" The reply was, "Mary." "Well, Mary," said he, "if you was to die to-night, do you think you would go to heaven?" "I think not," said the girl. "Well, do you think you would go to hell?" "I think not," was the answer. straightened himself, put on one of those solemn countenances for which he was well known, and looking directly in her face, said, "Well, is not this very strange? Heaven and hell are the only two places to which you can go when you die, and yet you don't think you would go to either. Is it not very strange, Mary?" He went on; finished the chapter; and in prayer spread out the case of this girl in particular. She has been for some time a professor of religion, and dates her first religious impressions to that appeal

made to her.

This was his fort. He accomplished more by ruch plain dealing in private, than by his preaching, much as the latter was blessed.

CHAPTER III.

MR. PATTERSON had been settled in Philadelphia about two years before he commenced his diary; and owing to his frequent absence from home to labour in protracted meetings, and in obedience to other calls of duty, this record was interrupted, sometimes for successive weeks and months. Though we cannot but regret this omission, it will not interfere materially, with the design of this work. His journal, defective as it is, together with communications received from ministers and others who knew him, affords ample materials for laying before our readers a full and faithful history of his labours and success in the ministry. This record will furnish the best means of learning the character of the subject of this biography.

In the beginning of the year 1816, his church was favoured with a copious outpouring of the Spirit. This was the most powerful, extensive and glorious revival that had been witnessed in this city for many years before. As on the day of Pentecost, so during this effusion of the Holy Spirit, some mocked, some opposed, and some inquired what they must do to be saved. This work was preceded by the appointment of a prayer-meeting, held on Monday evenings, for the purpose of supplicating the reviving influences of the Spirit of God. In Mr. Patterson's own language, these meetings "vastly increased in attendance and solemnity." These indications rendered it important to have religious service every evening, so as to satisfy the cravings of those who hungered for the bread of life; and so deep