Time would fail to enumerate the lamentations, the mournings, excited by this unlooked for, this dark, mysterious, humbling Providence. Suffice it to say they were co-extensive with his acquaintance. But the estimation in which he was held, was not manifested by grief alone. For his sake many, very many, delighted to show kindness to his mourning widow and fatherless children. The dear people in Cheshire, came in with their freewill offerings, making ample provisions for the approaching winter. Elder Leland had loved his brother Covell, and mourned his loss, but did not let his kindness descend into the grave, and moulder with the dead. He too came with testimonials of love to the living, and in common with the other members of the church and society, remained a friend to the family.

It is written, "the liberal deviseth liberal things, and by liberal things shall he stand." Mr. Covell was one among many illustrative of this truth. His soul devised liberal things from the greatest to the smallest of his concerns, and as I do not recollect to have mentioned in the course of this history, that he was not unfrequently called to accept the liberality of others, with gratitude to our heavenly father I record it now. And the same fountains of good-will flowed out to the assistance of his family after his decease. Neither do I recollect to have mentioned one trait of character, which deserves a notice from its rarity.

He possessed a vividness of perception that enabled him to comprehend at a flash, as it were, the ideas of others, and almost to run in advance of an author or speaker, and thus while listening to another, he could at the same time be pursuing a different train of thought in his own mind, without losing the connection, or becoming confused in either. An instance in point, that may perhaps be recollected by some who may read these

pages.

Returning from the Association at Troy, in company with other brethren, he called at a friend's in Lansingburgh. One says, "brother Covell, I was sorry to have you lose brother Gano's sermon last evening." "I lose it," said he, "and why should you think I lost it?" "Because I saw you was engaged in writing the answer to the Tuscarora talk, and that that occupied you till about the close of the discourse." "True," said Mr. Covell, "but I can show you, nevertheless, that I heard the sermon." He then repeated the text, Heb. xii, 1, 2, noticing particularly Mr. Gano's expression of the sin which doth so easily beset us, as evidently meaning from the context preceding, the sin of unbelief, and not as was generally supposed, something we were severally prone to, or easily beset by. He proceeded to repeat the divisions and leading ideas of the subject.

In view of results exceeding all ordinary bounds of expectation, with propriety we exclaim, see "what hath God wrought." And this is the feeling which involuntarily arises in reviewing the history of those events in which Mr. Covell shared so conspicuous a part. And to contemplate him, as he stood in the midst of his denomination, in frequent councils, on varied and trying occasions, at ordinations, at associations, at conventions, at devotional meetings of almost every form,-to behold him occasionally confronted with powerful adversaries to the truth, some of them impostors, some open infidels, and some erroneous teachers, ever obtaining the victory by the skilful application of a "thus it is written "-to see him ever wielding the pen of the ready writer, generally the chosen scribe of public occasions, and the draftsman of public documents-often the selected preacher at associations and other public occasions, to behold on all occasions, his enlargedness of thought, the unpremeditated copiousness and pertinence of his remarks, the

occasional loftiness of his style, the grammatical correctness of his language, the inquiry naturally rises, can we expect to look upon his like again? Probably not; as it is not probable that circumstances will require such another. The great and glorious Head of the Church, is as glorious in economy as in grace, and fashions the instruments of his holy purposes, according to the service they will be required to perform; and on this principle, may we not expect, and do we not behold, in every age and generation, some few master spirits, who will not only be adapted to the circumstances of the society and times in which they live, but will be as it were "advance couriers" to those who shall succeed? And here springs up a consolation in the remembrance that both "they that went before and they that followed after, cried hosannah, to the son of David, blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord."

CHAPTER VII.

Session of 1807; Visit of Elder Irish; Extracts from the Minutes; Interesting Note of Dr. Baldwin; Elegiac Poem; Grave.

The next session of the Association was held with the bereaved church in Cheshire. A full and interesting representation attended, with distinguished brethren from other Associations, and among them Elder Irish. Trying indeed was his errand of love. He had come to visit that interesting body of men, whose hearts had so warmed toward their less privileged fellow-men at the west-to mingle his sorrows with those who had so of ten sat in council with their mutually dear brother Covell, to tell them in his behalf, of his faithfulness unto the end, and of his final release from toil and suffering, and to go to his dear brother's family, and carry them the clothing and personal effects of that friend they were no more to behold while dwellers on the earth. He was deeply conscious that the sight of those well-remembered garments, and the tokens of love from the dear people where their precious friend had breathed his last, would cause their hearts to bleed afresh. All his labor of love in attending to his friend's concerns, and coming the long journey with his things, had been though mournful, a pleasure. But now he had come to that which taxed his sensibilities to the utmost, and on arriving at the house of his dear brother Covell's widow, he was obliged to pause some considerable time at a short distance, before he could summon sufficient fortitude and resolution to enter and peform his mournful errand. But why again dwelling on this painful theme? Well I know that re

calling those agonizing scenes, will not recall my dear father to our embraces. But pardon me, dear reader; a wound that can never be thoroughly healed, will still flow out whenever re-opened.

Returning to our narrative, we commence with article 6, of the Minutes of this session.

6. The following report was received from the Missionary Committee:

"Your Committee, charged with Missionary affairs, beg leave to report, that during the last year, we have received $139,67, which, added to $59,44%, the surplus remaining in the Treasury at our last meeting, amounts to $199,113. That we have employed brother Jonathan Finch, three months, as a missionary, for which services we have paid him $50, and $3,50 for pamphlets he distributed on his mission. That we have employed brother Lemuel Covell, three months, as a missionary, for which we have paid him $50. That a ten dollar bill, the Treasurer paid brother Covell, being counterfeit, we have directed him to pay ten dollars out of the Treasury to his widow-amounting, in the whole, to $138,50; leaving a surplus in the Treasury of $60,613, as appears per Treasurer's report.

"That brother Finch has made a very acceptable report to this Committee, of his mission through part of Vermont and New-York, on the west side of Lake Champlain. We are deeply impressed that his labors have not been in vain in the Lord, but rendered peculiarly beneficial to perishing souls. We feel an increasing conviction, that we ought to continue our exertions to send the joyful tidings of salvation into that country.

"That the report of brother Covell's mission through the western settlements of New-York, on to the Tuscarora Nation of Indians, and into the Province of Upper Canada, we shall not have from himself, until we hear