of the recent departure. Twice afterward, he went to the organ, and sang and played the same thing. The sentiment was a helpful one in his condition, and he enjoyed it. Since his boyhood he had frequently practised the composition of music, and was in the habit of cutting from papers bits of poetry that especially pleased him, and adapting them to song. Dr. Warren's "Homeward Bound" was thus brought into use. He wrote the music while teaching at Sanbornton Bridge, and sang it often in social meetings. One of his pupils asked for a copy of it, which he wrote for her. During vacation she attended camp-meeting, and sang it. It was quickly caught up by the musical brother Dadmun, and soon came out in a volume of his, but with such change in arrangement that the author never afterward enjoyed singing it, except alone.

"The Lord will provide" was another written in the same way; and in his last diary were left several little stray poems, awaiting his leisure to put them to music. Many songs he sang at funerals were in music that had never been written, but lived only in his own soul of melody.

CHAPTER XIII.

FAILING PHYSICAL AND INCREASING SPIRITUAL STRENGTH.

-"BORDER-LAND."

FRIENDS.

PREACHING. HEART-SEARCHINGS.

FOSS.-DAY OF PRAYER.-NIGHT-EXPERIENCES.

NE more entry in Mr. Harrington's diary, which

ONE

he had kept with scarcely an omission of a day, except in sickness, for nearly a third of a century, and the last he ever wrote, was made on Aug. 31: "So ends the month, and the summer. What a change it has brought to many! For me, the slow decline, and nearing steps of death. Yet the Lord is in it all. I will praise him." During that week there had come a sudden failing of strength, that was very marked. He thought the end was rapidly approaching, and with this belief came a great uplifting of spirit. On Sunday, at the hour for church service, I read to him, as was my custom, portions of Scripture, and other religious works of his own selection. "Read me, to-day," said he, "the fourteenth chapter of John." As I read, he continually interrupted me with comments and praises, and tears of joy. When I reached the twenty-seventh verse, he said, "Oh, stop there! I can't bear any more. That verse fills me full, full. Glory to God!" For an hour he continued in an ecstasy of joy; and for days thereafter he was full of joyous anticipations, thinking himself greatly favored to be so near the beautiful home above. One morning

he exclaimed, “I will praise the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth." Then added, "I have no dread of death, but a calm rest in the Lord. I do not think it is stupor, but it is what Dr. Ladd used to call it, great peace; a wonderful comfort. I have no doubts, no fears, no dreads. I am in my Father's hands. I have such a wonderful victory over the temptations that all my life have been a curse to me. It seems to me now, if I could go back, it would be so easy to put them all under my feet."

Some one mentioned to him the little poem he had written entitled "The Border-Land." He answered, "The best thing about that is, it is all my own present experience."

On the solemn border standing

Of the land unseen, unknown,

'Neath Death's shadow, hushed I listen
For the hymns around the throne.
Doubts and fears around me thronging
Swell the load of daily care:
Who shall satisfy my longing?
Who my burdens help to bear?

Jesus comes; his gentle finger

Lifts the load, and it is gone;
Jesus comes; where shadows linger,
Lo! the purpling of the morn;
And when trembling fear comes o'er me,
When 'mid doubts I scarce can pray,

If the Master stand before me,

Doubts and fears all melt away.

When my guilty soul sinks under
All the crushing weight of sin,
Jesus comes; O joy and wonder!

Strength and hope are back again.

He gives victory in my conflict;

He from sorrow sends release;
When the gathering storm is darkest,
Jesus lifts the bow of peace.

One of the alumni came to call on his former teacher; and in reply to questions, Professor Harrington answered, My body is pretty weak, but it is well with my soul. Cooper, I am just as happy as I can be." He was not only happy in his religion now, but he was happy in every thing, entering into all the topics of the day with pleasure.

During the months of September and October he received visits from his eldest sister, his brother's wife, and from a nephew who bore his name, and possessed very nearly his own voice for singing. With great delight, Mr. Harrington would lie on the lounge, selecting song after song of his favorites, and listen to their rendering. Kindred ties were especially sacred to him. In a letter dictated to his sister, after her departure, he says, "May the Lord bless your soul and body, and give you health and peace; and every member of your family be included! There is nothing I desire more for my kindred, whom I love, than that they be kept in the love of God, and have an abiding hope of eternal life. Next to that, I wish them such worldly prosperity as will make them comfortable in this life, and able to do good as they have opportunity. My thoughts run to you and to your interests very often. I desire the health especially of the household, and look in upon you in imagination, and follow you in your daily life. I carry along in my thoughts, and frequently recur with gratitude to, the loving attentions and kindness that you have so often shown us, and hope the Lord may reward you."

In another letter, after speaking of the pleasure the visits had given him, he said, "So all the blessings of life show the exceeding mercies of God to make affliction light, and the burden of sickness less heavy to bear. And mightier than all, for help and support, are the everlasting arms that hold me constantly in their loving embrace. God lets me have a clear light and a confident trust. I cannot give you the details of my experience beyond this. My health does not vary, that is, apparently, from day to day. What the invisible progress of the disease is working, time only will tell; and that I await without fear or anxiety."

One Sunday he asked to hear Dr. Spear's article on "The Heavenly Home," found in the "Independent " of Oct. 1, 1885.

After we had expressed our mutual adoption of its sentiments, he said, "I am so glad that this is the faith of us both, that we can rest in the Bible-promises, and that they are so real to us. It is not God's plan to let husband and wife go over the river of death together, but we can go together to its edge; and I can't help believing that there will be some little link that will hold when we are in the two worlds. And the separation will be short, oh, so short!" Then, after a little, he added, "I do hope I shall not get impatient. I hope I shall be willing to wait all God's time. Whether it is only a week, or I have to suffer on for months, it is all right, all right. And I do hope I may be able to make God's will my will, to wait patiently." I said, "Would you really rather go now, than to wait any longer?” "If it were God's will, —yes, oh, yes!" he answered. Then, looking up, he said, "Only for the separations, I would