"Various Scriptures to encourage us to be merciful and charitable, and not covetous. First, Mercifulness. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father in heaven is merciful-give, and it shall be given to you, and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. Luke vi. 36. Prov. xi. 17. The ten He that The merciful man doth good to his own soul; but he that is cruel, troubleth his own flesh. der mercies of the wicked are cruel. hath mercy on the poor, happy is he. Prov. xiv. 21. stoppeth his cars at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard. Prov. xxi. 13. Whoso Second, Charitableness. There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty. The liberal soul shall be made fat; and he that watereth shall be watered also himself. Prov. xi. 24. He that sows (or gives) sparingly, shall reap (or receive) sparingly and he that sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully. Give not grudgingly or of necessity, for God loveth a cheerful giver. 2 Cor. x. 6. If thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted; then shall the Lord guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones; and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. Isaiah lviii. 10. He that oppresseth the poor, reproacheth his Maker. Prov. xiv. 31. He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blest; for he giveth of his bread to the poor. But he that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, shall surely come to want. Prov. 22. Blessed is he that considereth the poor; the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. Ps. xli. 1. Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the first fruits of all thine increase so shall thy barns be filled with plenty and thy presses shall burst out with new wine. Prov. iii. 9. Third, Not to be covetous. He that is greedy of gain, troubleth his own house. Prov. xv. 27. Wo unto them that join house to house, and that lay field to field, till there be no place. Isaiah v. 8. They that will be rich, pierce themselves through with many sorrows. 1 Tim. vi. 9. Thou shalt remember the Lord thy God; for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth. Deut. viii. 18. The blessings of the Lord, it maketh rich. Prov. x. 22. The little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked. Labour not to be rich. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings: they fly away. Prov. xxiii. 4. Better is a little with the fear of the Lord, than great treasure and trouble therewith. Prov. xv. 16. CONCLUSION. In bringing this memoir to a conclusion, it would be very appropriate to give an extended description of the character of the venerated and distinguished servant of Jesus who is the subject of it. This, however, is the less necessary, in consequence of the full and able analysis on this head embodied in the sermon of the Rev. Albert Barnes, on the death of our lamented friend, which forms a part of this volume. A very few remarks, therefore, in this connexion, in reference to this subject will be sufficient. In stature, Mr. Patterson was considerably above the ordinary height. He was tall, somewhat slender in form, though well proportioned; erect and dignified. His hair was dark-features rather long-eyes very black and piercing. His countenance strikingly bore the impress of the feelings of his soul; and his whole aspect was peculiarly becoming the sacred office he sustained. He seemed invested in his personal appearance with the solemn dignity of an ambassador of God. In his social intercourse with his people, he exhibited the character of the minister and the affectionate friend. The benignant smile, and the cordial shake of the hand, with which he always met them, inspired them with confidence, and prepared the way for the most unrestrained expression of their views and feelings. His whole deportment was so bland and condescending, that even the most timid and diffident felt no embarrassment in his presence. Always affable and kind, the younger part of his congregation approached him with the freedom and affection, that children manifest in approaching a father whom they love and respect. In conversation he was pleasing and instructive, and sometimes facetious; and few ever spent an hour with him who were not delighted and edified in consequence of the interview. His piety was deep, ardent, uniform, cheerful. It was active rather than contemplative. When confined to his room by sickness, we see in his diary, the workings of his benevolent mind, and his holy aspirations after God; but, in most instances, we are left to infer what were his religious feelings from his abundant labours in promoting the divine honour, and the spiritual good of his fellow-men. He lived religion. He was most felicitous in combining the meditations of the closet, with the zeal and perseverance of the Christian minister in the world. In communion with his Maker in secret, he sought and obtained those qualifications for the active duties of his calling which he possessed in an eminent degree, and which were developed in all his intercourse with men. He was a practical Christian. The religion of our revered friend was symmetrical. His zeal, being the offspring of love divine, burned with a pure and steady flame, and invested its possessor with a character which secured to him the respect of the wicked, and won the admiration of the righteous. "His Christian character was a beautiful whole. Not indeed absolutely perfect to this he made no pretensions-yet as near the fair proportions in which it is drawn in the word of God, as can almost ever be found in this imperfect state. And, in this respect, his example is worthy of imitation.” "It is indeed melancholy to observe how frequently the fair form of Christianity appears as a mere caricature-de formed, rickety, unsightly-in aspect so forbidding as rather to repel, than allure the multitude, who have no knowledge of her but what they derive from the spirit, conversation and conduct of her professed friends. As exhibited by some, she appears in the form of a cold and heartless orthodoxy ; with a head filled with notions, which have no influence in refining the affections or regulating the practice. In others, with an eye of fire, and a tongue sharpened with bitter words, ready to denounce all who are not actuated by the same burning zeal-a zeal unmitigated by the meekness of heavenly wisdom. In others, again, she appears all deformed with passion-all ecstasy in the religious assembly -all tenderness in the hour of excitement-but in the world, morose, censorious, proud, selfish and dogmatical." Such, however, was not the religion of Rev. James Patterson. "His faith worked by love, purified the heart, and overcame the world. His was the wisdom that comes from above, first pure, then peaceable, gentle and easy to be entreated; full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy; and ever brought forth the fruits of the Spirit, love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, fidelity, meekness, temperance."* As a student he was diligent and successful. Though he was fond of scientific and literary pursuits, he never allowed himself to engage in them merely for self-gratification, or from the love of fame; but as an auxiliary to his main design. He studied the languages and natural philosophy with a peculiar zest; but pored over the Bible and the book of Providence with superlative interest. Upon the treasures gathered from these sources, he mainly depended for his preparations for the pulpit. His sermons did not consist * Memoir of James B. Taylor, by John Holt Rice, D. D., and Benjamin Holt Rice, D. D. |