He In agriculture, trained him to habits of industry. In these habits he possessed that which was worth far more than the wealth of a kingdom. His advantages for education were not great; but having a disposition to improve by those which he enjoyed, he acquired a respectable common education. The residence of the family was not far from Providence. Thus they were within convenient distance of the religious privileges enjoyed in that place; but he was not led to feel the value of these opportunities. was consequently prepared to drink the poisonous draught which might be put to his lips. His associates presented to him the cup of infidelity, and of this deadly cup he early and deeply drank. With them his father often conversed, and disapproved of their infidel principles in the presence of his children; but he did not impress on them the importance of religion by instructing them, praying with them, and leading them to the house of God. Parents who neglect the religious instruction of their children, and who neglect the worship of God in their families, and in the house of prayer, cannot estimate the evil they are doing to their offspring, to themselves, and to society. In the present instance, the son became at twenty-one, a confirmed infidel. In the autumn of 1807, the Lord visited him with a violent fever which brought him to the brink of the grave. While thus exposed to death, he reflected on the dangerous sentiments which he had imbibed. In view of eternity, he became convinced that he had a soul, and that he must give an account of himself to God the final Judge. such circumstances, and with such views, he felt deeply impressed, and earnestly besought the Lord to spare his life, promising that he would devote himself and all he had to him forever. was pleased to regard his cry; but when his health was restored, he forgot his promises, and again pursued the world with eagerness. He could not, however, again imbibe those fallacious doctrines which had before intoxicated his mind and brought him near to ruin. In all his pleasures he was ill at ease. Conscience often disturbed his repose. He also sustained losses in his temporal concerns, which forcibly brought his sin to remembrance. Though he forsook God, yet God did not give him up to his chosen ruin. In his disregard of the promises made on a bed of sickness, we see what is often seen. Multitudes are alarmed in view of death, and promise that they will mend their lives; but alas, how few that are healed return to give glory to God! Death-bed repentance is always suspicious. God may convert and save at the eleventh hour; but from the many cases of those who after their recovery are found to have deceived themselves, we have little hope respecting many of those who die. Let those who have health employ it in securing the one thing needful. For more than a year, Mr Angell continued a contest with his convictions, pursuing the world and neglecting his soul. At length, as he was preparing for a party of pleasure, a thought passed his mind, like an electric shock, that he must now perform his vows to God, or that God would say of him as of Ephraim, He "is joined to idols, let him alone." "From this memorable moment," says Mr Angell, “I viewed God C A to A m myself on the verge of eternity, and my anguish of soul was not unlike that of Job when he exclaimed, "I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye seeth thee; wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes." I can truly say, that for four weeks, "The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me; I found trouble and sorrow." My sense of my sins and the consequent anguish of my soul brought me into a state of almost total despair. I never can forget the evening when I left my parents and retired, supposing that I should soon plunge into the gulf of interminable wo. In this state of mind, I could not but say, Should sudden vengeance seize my breath, I must pronounce thee just in death; Thy righteous law approves it well. As I approached my bed, I fell upon my knees, and endeavored to surrender my all to the mercy of God, possessing an unshaken determination to die a humble suppliant before his gracious throne. As I closed my prayer, I threw myself upon the bed in a state almost of insensibility, till at length every power of my soul awoke, and my sins appeared like a huge mountain, intervening between me and the Deity. At that dreadful moment, it appeared utterly impossible for me to be saved. This prospect filled me with such insupportable anguish, that I drew the clothes over my face, in hope to hide my accumulated guilt, and obliterate my condemnation, which was exhibited to my mind as plainly as the writing which Belshazzar saw upon the plaster of the wall in his palace. While musing in this state of awful suspense, these words occurred to me, Adam, where art thou?" Immediately, I threw the covering from my face, and cried, "God, be merciful to me a sinner.” "Lord, save, or I perish." I repeated the cry, till at length, by the eye of faith, I beheld the Saviour coming to my relief with all the compassion of a God. My soul welcomed him with inexpressible delight, while I exclaimed in the language of Thomas, "My Lord, and my God!" I now felt what is expressed in that prophecy, 66 For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace; the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands." Being now satisfied that I felt love for the Saviour, and possessed an interest in the Redeemer, I felt it my duty to confess him before the world. I first gave myself to the Lord; and then stated the dealings of God with my soul to the First Baptist Church in Providence, proposing to become a member with them. I was cordially received, and was baptized the first Lord's-day in May, 1809." From this time he lost all relish for the pleasures in which he had previously indulged, and different objects excited his attention. That this change was wrought by the Spirit of God, and was radical, we have the fullest evidence from the whole of his subsequent life. Soon after he had found the pearl of great price himself, he became deeply solicitous for those, who, as he had been, were pleasing themselves with worthless dust. And while he was feeding on the bread of life, he was moved with pity for those who fed greedily on husks. From the estimation in which he now held his own soul, he was enabled in some adequate measure to value the souls of others. These views and estimates induced him to think of the gospel ministry, as the great means of bringing men to Christ. Thus it was early suggested to his mind, that it might become his duty to enter on the work of winning souls. But as he considered himself altogether deficient in the qualifications necessary for this great work, he thought he must be influenced by a false spirit. His impressions, however, on this subject, gave a direction in some measure to his course of pursuit. His want of confirmed health, together with his impressions, induced him to devote a year and a half to study. He thus became prepared to teach an English school, and acquired a slight acquaintance with some of the higher branches of literature. While pursuing study, he was placed in circumstances which inclined him to exercise his gift in meetings for conference. In doing this he often found great satisfaction. These services were made a blessing to the people, and several were brought to a knowledge of the gospel. Soon after, he engaged in the instruction of a school in a place where there were no religious privileges. In order to remove this obstacle to his religious improvement, he established a meeting for prayer and exhortation. As this served to collect the people, it furnished him with an opportunity of speaking in public, so that although he was not a preacher in name, he was in fact. In order to carry on these meetings, he was obliged to devote much time to the study of the Scriptures. What he had prepared with prayer and toil, he communicated with much freedom of mind. While performing these duties, he was led to question whether he ought not openly to stand in defence of the gospel. About this time, Nov. 11th, 1810, he was married to Miss Lydia Farnum, daughter of Mr Noah Farnum, and grand daughter of Rev. Samuel Windsor, formerly pastor of the First Baptist Church in Providence. His mind now became more impressed with the conviction that it was his duty to devote himself to the ministry of the word. His trials which had hitherto been kept to himself, became so great that they could no longer be concealed from others. He considered himself wholly incompetent for the great work ; still the thought pursued him, by night and by day, that he had promised to devote himself and all he possessed to God; and that he ought to do whatever God required of him. "Thus," he says, "I continued through the season, weeping and praying, resisting and obeying, till I became so impaired in my health as almost to terminate my life." The church in Providence having heard of his feelings, requested him to state the exercises of his mind in relation to the ministry. After much prayer to God, and with many misgivings in himself, he complied with their request; and after preaching twice before them, they gave him, March 7th, 1812, their full approbation to preach the gospel. During the summer of this year, he continued to instruct a school, preaching occasionally, and improving himself for the work on which he had entered. In the autumn he dismissed his school, and journeyed into Connecticut; on his return, he engaged to supply the Second Baptist Church in Woodstock half of the time during the ensuing winter. Having fulfilled his engagement to the satisfaction of this people, by their request he removed to that place in the spring of 1813, and took charge of the church. Finding the church somewhat scattered, he set himself, like a good shepherd, to gather and regulate the flock. Having much of the kindness and skill of the shepherd, he happily succeeded, and was set over them in the Lord by ordination, August 28th, 1813. He continued with this church about three years in harmony and love. His labors were not in vain; for although there was no special excitement, yet thirty-five were added to the church by baptism. Feeling the need of more literary and theological knowledge, he gave himself to study, early and late, so that he made no small improvement in his ability to discharge the duties of his office. Feeling his own deficiencies, it was his settled opinion that no church ought to approve of a young man's becoming a preacher, until he had devoted some time to the acquisition of useful knowledge. In this field of his labor, he laid the foundation for his future useful ness. In the spring of 1816, he found some difficulty in procuring a tenement, and it appeared not very easy to raise the sum necessary for his support; he therefore made only a partial contract for the coming year. About this time, Southbridge, Mass. was incorporated into a town; and as a majority of the people wished to be formed into a Baptist society, Mr Angell was requested to assist them in their organization. He complied with their request, and, in the end, was solicited to become their preacher. Not being bound to the society in Woodstock, he thought it his duty to comply with the solicitation. Although there was no church in Southbridge, and but few Christians, yet he thought it presented a field for cultivation which ought not to be neglected. In June, 1816, he commenced his labors with this people. Four weeks afterwards, God was pleased to visit him with affliction, in the death of his only child, a son, in the fifth year of his age. Not long after the death of his little son, he was blessed with a daughter; but in about two years from his removal to this town, the mother and the daughter followed the son to the grave. He felt that the hand of God was upon him, and he applied to himself the words of the prophet, "I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath; he hath led me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light; he turneth his hand against me all the day. My flesh and my skin hath he made old, he hath broken my bones; and when I cry, he shutteth out my prayer." These afflictions operated on him as they ought on all; they weaned him from the world, humbled him before God, and made him submissively say, Thy will be done. At the same time they tested his friends, and gave him an increased confidence in them. Thus the Lord fitted him for greater usefulness. The tenderness which was produced in his soul prepared him to sympathize with the afflicted. From his own experience he could teach the deceptive nature of worldly good, and the value of religion in adversity. No doubt these trials were sent in mercy not only to our dear departed brother, but to the people of Southbridge. When he commenced his residence in this town there was no church connected with his congregation; and as there were comparatively few who felt the value of religion, he found himself without much religious society. This in his circumstances, and with his feelings, must have been a great privation. How sweet to have an ear into which we can pour our sorrows, and a heart that can feel them! He gathered the few friends of God, and with deep solicitude for the cause of the Redeemer, and the souls committed to his care, he excited them to action and to prayer. His efforts were successful. We inspire those with whom we are connected with such feelings as we ourselves possess; prayer was made and heard, so that twenty were anxious to be formed into a church to maintain the ordinances of the house of God. In February, 1817, a Baptist church was constituted consisting of twenty-seven members. The vine now planted he tenderly cultivated; ind while he found a pleasure in the very labor which he performed, he found a greater pleasure still in the growth and fruit of the vine. These labors were performed with many tears; but on this very account, they were the more successful. The more we are disengged from the world, and the more closely we are driven to the cr oss, the more good we shall do for the souls of men. While he was anxious to promote the temporal interests of the society, he was more anxious for the welfare of their souls. During the year 18:18, the Lord blessed his labors to the conversion of ten persons who were added to the church. Bereft as he was of all his family, this was to him a year of great solitude; and in addition to his other affliction, he was himself brought near the grave. In such circ umstances, he needed other consolation than what this world can afford. And blessed be God, while he was afflicted in his temporal concerns, he was comforted by the prosperity of the church and society. As God has graciously set prosperity over against adversi ty, the next year was to him a year of much enjoyment. He formed a matrimonial connexion with Miss Rebekah Thorndike, daug hter of Mr Paul Thorndike, of Dunstable, Mass. in whom he found a companion meet for him. In her he ever found one anxious to lessen his toils and his sorrows, while she did what she could to aid him in the work of Christ. The Lord was also pleased again to visit his people with the gentle dews of heaven, so that ten were received into the church by baptism, and four by letter. In 1820, he was called to pass through many trials, in consequence of spiritual declensions and evil surmisings in the church. But by a prud lent course of discipline, and the establishment of a weekly meetir ig for prayer, the dark clouds passed over, and a better state |