ments were enhanced, by affording this aid, they still neglected those frequent opportunities of private admonition, and without any previous charge, or suggestion of wrong, came forth and pronounced a public censure? Reader, judge for yourself.Yet permit the inquiry, Are these the rewards of, perhaps, an almost unexampled series of benevolent acts? But I forbear. Possibly some developement of this mystery is but just before us.

But a few days had elapsed after my dismission, before the Rev. Timothy Stone, of Cornwell, called at my house, and informed me he had made a journey expressly to see me; and could no longer remain at rest until he had unburdened his mind."Do you know, brother Parker," said he, "the cause of the sting contained in your dismission?" I replied it was probable I did not know the extent of individual proceedings; yet many things were apparently obvious respecting some of the members. He observed, "brother Perry and brother Harvey were determined to get you silenced." I inquired of him, on what grounds; as I had never known of any complaint, or suggestion of improprieties against me. He replied," They urged, you were plunged into the cares of the world!" I remarked to him, I thought it very singular that Mr. Perry should urge this, when he had expressly pressed my engaging in a school; and intimated, as I had understood him, that he would render me every assistance possible; and that he had also repeatedly called on me to be helped to a loan in money; and that after I had advanced much expense to accommodate my school, he had instituted schools, evidently calculated to diminish my number of pupils, which must necessarily plunge me into much pecuniary embarrassment; that, of all men, he must assuredly be the last, to suggest the complaint of my being plunged into worldly concerns, as no individual had probably contributed so extensively to entangle me with them.

I observed, in respect to Mr. Harvey, who had been connected with us but a short time, and with whom I had but little acquaintance, I could not divine the origin of his motives, unless they had arisen from his apparent hostility to a young gentleman, whom I was then assisting in his education; for which apparent hostility I could in no manner account. Mr. Stone then observed, "they did every thing in their power to get you silenced; but as they could not succeed in that, they would consent to nothing short of the sting contained in the result of the council. To this, therefore, we were obliged to yield, as they would not on any consideration, descend any farther. I could not remain quiet any longer," said Mr. Stone, "without communicating to you their hostility, and causing you to know they were your enemies, that you might be on your watch and guard respecting them." Such was the faithfulness of Mr. Stone to me on this occasion; and his apparent feeling and frankness on the subject, clearly implied, that he deemed it important that I should possess this information for my own safety. I presume he will still acknowledge, as he has before done, the facts on this subject, and that this is a faithful narrative.

The connexion having been dissolved between myself and the church and society of Ellsworth, as they had made no arrangement to supply the desk, and being unwilling to have them remain destitute of a preached gospel, I went forward and supplied them on the following Sabbath. They immediately proposed to hire me, by the six months, or year, and to continue their nominal salary as before. To this I objected, for the same reasons for which I had asked for a dismission. I informed them, I was anxious they should speedily obtain a resettlement of the gospel ministry among them, and I would cheerfully unite with them in the accomplishment and maintenance of this important object. As no efforts were made to obtain any candidate, al

though I frequently urged it, I continued to supply them gratuitously for nearly five months. Finding they would procure no other supply, in the month of April following, I engaged one myself, viz. Mr. Orange Lyman, with whom for some time I had formed a personal acquaintance, and whom I had selected as a suitable person to take the pastoral charge of that church and people. He began his supply the last Sabbath in April. His performances were very acceptable to the congregation. I felt it to be my duty, to procure his settlement, if possible, immediately, as he had pressing applications in some other places, by which we were liable to be deprived of him; and because delays, in obtaining a settlement, are usually attended with increasing obstacles in a parish.

During this time, the society's committee had come to an examination of their accounts with me, and found a balance in my favour, of several hundred dollars, with a probable deficiency for wood, for six or seven years. This appeared to excite an alarm, lest they should be unable to cancel my claim, and still furnish an immediate supply for the desk. To remove these apprehensions, and encourage them to press forward without delay, to obtain a settlement of the gospel ministry, I relinquished almost the whole of my demand. I was well aware, at that time, that without great and persevering efforts, on my part, nothing could be effected. I accordingly requested a meeting of the members of the society, on a given day, for the purpose of entering into some measures, which might accomplish the object so necessary to us. I had projected the plan of raising an additional fund of 2500 dollars, to be vested in bank, the interest of which, together with the interest of the old fund, could that also be vested in bank, would probably afford a comfortable support for a clergyman; and which, if effected, would be calculated to render the society equally permanent with the permanence of its funds. At

the proposed meeting, I made known my plan, which met with approbation generally; but two or three influential men did not appear to give it much countenance, and pronounced it impracticable. I had prepared an instrument for subscription, for the purpose of raising the proposed fund, in which it was conditioned, if the amount was not subscribed within two weeks, the subscribers would not become holden; but if filled within that time, the subscribers were to be holden for their respective sums. It devolved on myself, almost exclusively, to procure the subscribers; and the two weeks were faithfully devoted by me to its accomplishment. As an encouragement to stimulate to greater liberality, I induced several to subscribe liberally, who would not otherwise have subscribed at all,, by assuring them that I would advance the half, or whole of their subscriptions, as I particularly stipulated with them, and which I afterwards fulfilled. Thus, by unwearied exertions, and subscribing myself between four and five hundred dollars, the amount was obtained in due time.

Very shortly after, the church and society united in giving Mr. Lyman a call to settle among them, and he was accordingly ordained in the month of August, 1813. In the accomplishment of these objects, and it will readily be acknowledged they were attributed wholly to my efforts, it appeared that I had incurred the displeasure of those individuals, who had not discovered a lively interest in the establishment of the new fund; and their displeasure has been severe. But this was trifling in comparison with the importance of the objects sought to be obtained, viz.-the building up of the society, and its establishment on a permanent basis. Thus the expenses, which accrued to me for the benefit of the society, within the first year after obtaining my dismission, as nearly as I could then estimate, amounted to about 900 dollars. I have been more explicit in giving these particulars, on

account of the bearings they may have in the sequel.

Immediately subsequent to my dismission, I endeavoured to devise a plan which would be the most successful, in liberating me from the cares and burdens of my school, without a total sacrifice of all the many thousands of dollars which I had already advanced for its accommodation; and by extricating myself from which, I felt that I should be enabled shortly to become disengaged from my other secular concerns, and thus speedily resettle in the ministry. As the school had already become very extensive, and I trust no one would then have called it arrogance to say, very celebrated; it appeared to me to be suitable and proper, to have every convenience made for a permanent establishment. I therefore adopted the following plan: As the legislature of the state claimed to be the patrons of science, I proposed to make application to them for assistance, in order to enlarge the accommodations, and also for some remuneration for my past expenses, and I would cheerfully place the whole establishment at the disposal and direction of the state. Could this object be accomplished, it was my intention then to withdraw from the charge of the institution, and have the state appoint some able successor to manage its concerns, and thus continue the usefulness of the school.

Accordingly I applied to the legislature, in the May session of 1813, and conversed, relative to my contemplated plan, with many members of both houses, with whom I had a personal acquaintance, and who had known the efforts which I had made for my establishment, and its success. The very uniform reply made to me was, "that of all men, I ought to receive assistance, as probably no ten men in the state had ever done as much for a literary institution. They informed me, the expenses of the state were then greatly enhanced, by reason of the war in which the nation was engaged; but as

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