His proficiency in the Hebrew language was shown in his preparation of the English-Hebrew portion of Roy's Hebrew Lexicon. His memory was exceedingly retentive, and was stored with treasures culled from the richest sources. It was said of him that he was a living concordance, gazetteer, Bible dictionary, etc. His general style of preaching was extempore and incisive. He was a fluent speaker, forcible, convincing, eloquent, and at times terrible in his denunciations of the giant evils and iniquities of this era. Multitudes thronged to hear him wherever he was announced to speak upon these topics. Rev. Dr. W. C. Brownlee was wont to say, "There were two men to whose preaching he always listened with delight-Rev. Dr. Alexander and George Bourne." Among the books of which he was the author are the following, in addition to those referred to: "Picture of Quebec," "Old Friends," "The Reformers," "Lorette, the History of a Canadian Nun;" also, his masterly analysis of the history, doctrines, and practices of the Church of Rome, published under the title of "American TextBook of Popery," and "Illustrations of Popery." This was pronounced by Rev. Dr. Dowling, compiler of the "Pictorial History of Romanism," the best compendium on Popism, especially for ministers and students, that has ever appeared. It was the result of forty years of study and thorough acquaintance with every phase of the controversy. It is the concentrated information derived from over seven hundred volumes of writings of the most noted doctors, bishops, deans, cardinals, saints, and popes of the Romish Antichurch, and of the Greek, Oriental, and English Churches, and of the "Fathers" and historians of the first four centuries. It is a picture of Romanism drawn from its own records, chapter and verse being given for every quotation. It contains also a chronological table of the date of every corruption and innovation upon the apostolic simplicity and primitive usages of the Churches of Christ. The argument from history which he has thus presented is a very strong one against the pretensions of the Papal hierarchy to be "the Church of Christ founded by the Apostle Peter." He has therein demonstrated it to be the mystical Babylon, begun in apostasy from the faith, amplified by succeeding teachers of errors during centuries of increasing corruption, and fully displayed as the Antichrist by the Council of Trent. Mr. Bourne possessed a cheerful disposition, and the fruits of pure and active religion were manifested in his daily walk and conversation. His faith was ardent; no doubts of the sovereignty of God or of the final accomplishment of his designs ever entered into his mind. His discriminating eye beheld in the events of the passing period the glimmering of the dawn which precedes the rising of the millennial day. He recognized the approach of the Sun of Righteousness who will dispel the moral darkness of pagan and papal superstitions, and believed that the predictions of the Divine oracles in regard to the " Mystery of Iniquity" are in process of fulfillment; and in the expositions of those prophecies he constantly delighted. Religion was the medium through which he viewed all sublunary things, and to which all his labors were made subservient. His love of the truth was so strong, and his zeal in its defense so great, that sometimes he appeared to transcend the limits of gentleness in his controversial writings. This was partly the result of an ardent temperament, and partly because of his own keen perception of the truth; owing to this he did not so well realize the position of some of those in mental darkness, who, from wrong education, powerful discipline, evil habits, innate proclivities, and selfish bias, were impervious to the light, and yet might be better approached by gentle arguments than by open denunciation. Some have supposed that, at times, more of the suaviter in modo, combined with his fortiter in re, would have rendered his labors still more extensively useful in the conversion of the devotees of Rome and of slavery; but no one doubted his whole-souled devotedness and sincerity in his lifework of the destruction of those evil systems. With regard to other matters, and in the social relations of life, Mr. Bourne manifested cheerfulness, kindly interest, and sympathy toward all. In personal appearance he was agreeable and prepossessing; of a vigorous frame and robust constitution; affable in manner, ready in conversation, and beloved by those who knew him best. He seemed to be in most respects eminently qualified to be the leader in developing one of those momentous changes in society which mark the onward progress of the race. In all the great movements in human affairs and events which have changed the current of history, or of reforms which have turned human activities into new channels, one in dividual has been usually selected or permitted by Divine Providence to "blow the trumpet," to "sound the alarm," and marshal the forces to the conflict. The cause and the individual at the outset are almost identical, and the "trumpeter," usually also the standard-bearer, has frequently had to advance to moral battle-fields almost alone, depending upon the aid of an Almighty arm, (invisible to others.) While thus beginning to attack the strongholds of error, responsive minds and sympathetic hearts gather round the messenger; the cause is extended by agitation and strengthened by accessions, until, after much conflict, often "vi et armis," the victory is accomplished. It was thus with the originator of the "Antislavery conflict." Believing that all other preceding modes and plans of opposing slavery were futile and incompetent for the mighty task, he felt called upon to institute a new form-that of IMMEDIATE AND UNCONDITIONAL EMANCIPATION. He looked upon slavery not merely as an evil, but as a sin, and consequently his message was "to stop sinning!" "For that there is no excuse or allowance." Other plans had regarded slavery as an evil to be mitigated or removed by pliant means and remedial measures; his method viewed slave-holding as the giant sin of the country, to be destroyed root and branch without remedy. With that view of the subject he entered into the moral conflict, with nothing but the sling of argument, and the smooth stones of God's word, at a time when the leaders of the American "Israel" were either quiescent or terrified by the "giant" of slavery. The testimony of John Wesley against slavery as "the sum of all villainies" was already hateful to Southern Methodists, and Northern Methodists were learning to whisper the adage with bated breath, for fear of offending "their Southern brethren," and the testimony of the Book of Discipline against the system was practically ignored. George Bourne arraigned not only the Presbyterian Churches for their complicity with the system, but notably the Southern Methodist and Baptist Churches as well. By his "Picture of Slavery," and by his labors among the Methodist Churches, North, he aroused many of the Northern preachers to that enthusiasm for liberty which culminated in the division of the M. E. Church. The Southern Churches regarded George Bourne as an "agitator," a "firebrand," a "disturber of their peace," and the Northern proslavery ministers and presses opposed and calumniated him with much vigor. Religious newspapers, which then bespattered him with reproaches and ridicule, have, since the edict of Emancipation, been loud in praise of those who carried out his plans and methods. Some have had the candor to admit that his estimate of slavery and his prescience far excelled their own. The limits of this sketch will permit no further extended notice of his busy life. Toward its close he gave his principal attention to the contest against the papal hierarchy, leaving that against slavery to the abolitionists under Mr. Garrison, and the antislavery men under their various names and leaders. He was for some years acting editor of the "Christian Intelligencer," the organ of the Reformed Dutch Church, in whose office, then situated in Fulton-street, the present site of the Fulton-street Union Prayer-Meeting, he received the heavenly message to "come up higher." On the afternoon of November 20, 1845, while seated in his usual place reading his letters, he was seized with an attack resembling apoplexy. Physicians were sent for, but in less than forty minutes, and before their arrival, he had calmly breathed his life away. The attack was pronounced one of heart disease. So far as mortal judgment can decide, he was ready for the glorious change, and "made meet to be partaker of the inheritance of the saints in light," having long enjoyed "the peace of God, which passeth understanding," through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Thus ended, in the sixty-sixth year of his age, the life of the intrepid pioneer of antislavery. The funeral services were held in the Middle Dutch Church, corner of Lafayette Place and Fourthstreet, on the Sabbath following, the 23d of November. Rev. Thomas De Witt, in the course of his remarks, said of him, that, like as was said of John Knox, the Scottish Reformer, "There lies one who never feared the face of man." To use the language of another, who ardently loved him-Lewis Tappan : Thus has fallen an intrepid advocate of human rights, with his harness on, in a vigorous old age, after a life of singular health, activity, and usefulness. His death is a severe loss to the Anti slavery cause, the cause of Protestant Christianity, and the Republic of Letters. Throughout his whole life he was an example of laborious efforts for the intellectual, moral, and physical good of his race. He was the vindicator of oppressed humanity, and labored incessantly for the deliverance of men from political, ecclesiastical, and physical bondage. He was as bold and uncompromising as John Knox, and dealt hard blows, but not with an unamiable temper, upon the foes of truth, freedom, and Christianity. He was a man of wit, keen in his invectives, and terrible in his rebukes. He was honest, sincere, frank, intrepid, self-denying, laborious, "fearing neither wicked men nor the devil." This concise and eloquent analysis of his character and labors was from one of his coadjutors, who knew him long and intimately, and rendered him much aid in doing his life-work. His opponents, who received the hard blows which he dealt at the false systems which he attacked, perceived only the sterner side of his character, and supposed him to be severe and harsh in temper, but he was only so against systems and those who supported error knowingly; to others he was affable, genial, and tender, always ready to sympathize and side with the oppressed of every nation. It would appear, as has been said, as if he were "conscious of a mission," and could not rest while the American Churches tolerated slavery. Like the ancient prophet, applying the words to our American Israel, he could say, with burdened feeling: "For Zion's sake I will not hold my peace, And for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, Until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, ART. VI.-THE METHODIST ECUMENICAL CON FERENCE. Now that the Methodist Ecumenical Conference, which was held in City Road Chapel, London, September 7-20, 1881, has become an accomplished fact, and has entered into history, it may be proper to inquire whether the results realized, and likely to be realized, justify the toil, time, and expenditure involved in the holding of such a Church Council. What were |