history. The more prominent events are as follow:Born at Nine-Partners, Dutchess Co., New-York, on the 28th of June, A. D. 1764. Left an orphan in his fourth year, he went to live with his mother's parents. His grand-father's name was Payne. He was a relative of the Thomas Payne, so celebrated for his patriotism and notorious as an infidel. Fortunately for Mr. Covell, this Mr. Payne and his wife were both pious. Schools were then scarce in our country, and his grand-mother learned him the rudiments of language herself, that he might be able to read in the Psalter. He remained with his grand-parents, until he was fourteen, and in the course of that time, was sent to school six weeks. He was now apprenticed to a blacksmith, and while an apprentice, was indulged with eleven evenings' attendance at a school "to learn to cipher." This completed his scholastic course. But the God of nature had given him investigating powers of mind, and an aptitude to avail himself of all possible opportunities for improvement. It has been said by some writer, Mrs. Phelps, I believe, that no one can be a good reader without genius. If so, Mr. Covell was a genius of the first order. He possessed a vividness of perception, that enabled him to transfer the spirit of the writer to his own bosom; and whatever author or subject he read, he appeared like one pronouneing his own sentiments. He wrote with great rapidity, yet perfectly intelligible, and became unusually ready and accurate, in the science of Arithmetic. He studied no grammar, yet his language was ever correct. An innate sense of propriety enabled him to detect inaccuracy and avoid it.

On attaining his majority, he commenced business as a blacksmith in company with a Mr. Denio, in Shaftsbury, Bennington Co. Vermont. Here we begin to learn something of his moral character. It had one, one only shade, but that was a shade, one too that he bitterly

mourned over in after time, an addictedness to the use of profane language. He soon became endeared to the young, by a scarcely ever ceasing flow of good humor and sportiveness, and beloved and respected by all, for his obliging disposition, his uprightness in deal, and his punctuality in business. As might be expected from a mind of his organization, he was quick in everything, of course hasty in his temper; but readily appeased, showing himself as willing to be cooled as to be irritated.He never treasured up wrath, hoarded malice, or sought revenge. At that period the religious community was mostly Presbyterian. Baptists were comparatively few, and the more zealous among them were called New Lights. A man at his shop one day dropped a word about his profanity and excessive gaiety. "O, well, said he, I shall leave it off by and by, and turn preacher. I mean to be a great Presbyterian minister yet--not one of these New Lights."

He remained in Shaftsbury about two years. We next find him with Mr. Simeon Covell, a brother of his father, in Lower Canada. While there, he experienced "a change of heart," but made no open profession of religion. About the year 1789, he came to Galway, Saratoga Co. New-York. That was the residence of all the own brother and sister he had. While there, he became acquainted with Miss Clarissa Mather, descendant of the celebrated Dr. Cotton Mather of Boston.They married, and thought of returning to Canada to live. "But it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps." With reference to his determination of settling in Canada, he carried Mrs. Covell to Suffield, Connecticut, and leaving her there in the bosom of her mother's friends, commenced his return to his uncle, with a view to make arrangements for removing and establishing himself with him.

It was winter, and the country thinly peopled, especially in the western part of New-York. Few indeed were "the lodging places of the wilderness," and the way-faring man" must travel hours to go over all the intervening distance. He journeyed on foot, and while traversing the wilds of Oswegatchie, his sufferings from the severe cold were intense. While passing from one habitation to the next, a distance of many miles, his feet became frozen, and he was confined at the house where he put up, eleven weeks. Whether this circumstance changed his mind with respect to settling in that region, is not known. He however accomplished the small remnant of his journey, adjusted his concerns in Canada, with something of a sacrifice of property, and eventually returned with his wife to Galway. There he commenced housekeeping, and there his mind became excited to confess Christ before men. It is matter of regret, that we find no written account of the work of Divine grace upon his heart, as it is ever interesting and profitable to compare notes with those who have been redeemed from the power and dominion of sin-to contemplate "the diversity of operations," and to behold in all "the same spirit." We have a precious relic in his own hand writing, of his early history as a herald of salvation.-We transcribe it verbatim.

"Memorandum of preaching, &c.

My first attempt to preach, was at Galway on the evening of the 21st of February, 1792. I was then a member of the Third Baptist church in Galway. Since that time, a town has been set off from Galway, by the name of Providence, which has occasioned the said church to assume the name of the First Baptist church in Providence. I was at that time laboring under many doubts and trials in my mind, with respect to the duty of preaching the gospel. Those trials prevented my at

tempting the work, except in very few instances, till about the beginning of October, 1792. From that time forward, I continued to preach statedly, one-half of the time with the church where I lived, and the other half in a new settlement, about four miles from our usual place of meeting. Toward the latter part of the year 1793, the church gave me a letter of license to preach, wherever I thought it to be my duty. I then agreed to preach steadily with the people in the settlement abovementioned, which was then a part of Galway. About the middle of August, 1794, a very great awakening took place; a number were hopefully converted; and on the last of December, the same year, a church was established in that place, by the name of the Fourth Baptist church in Galway, which was afterwards called, the Second in Providence. I removed my residence and membership to the newly established church, and in the year 1796, was by them regularly called to take upon me the work of the Gospel ministry, by being publicly ordained to that purpose. With great reluctance I consented to accept their call, and was ordained on the 11th of May of that year."

The manuscript proceeds with the minutia of the doings of the council, and ceremonies of the ordination, but as the following certificate presents us the summary, we omit the details.

"At the same time I received the following certificate: This may certify to all whom it may concern, that Lemuel Covell is a member of the Second Baptist church in Providence, being a wholesome member and in good standing. Said church called on him to take the lead of them as a preacher, and after satisfaction of his call to the ministry, they called on several churches of the same faith and order to sit in council to ordain him.— Said council convened on the 10th of May for that pur

pose, and after a strict and critical examination, by a number of ministers and substantial brethren, he was ordained on the 11th of May 1796, by us as a presbytery.

JOSEPH CORNELL,

SAMUEL ROGERS, Elders.
JONATHAN FINCH,

Providence, May 11, 1796."

Mr. Covell then continues:

"Not long after, I began to preach in a stated way. I began to keep a journal of the times and places of preaching, and of texts of Scripture I preached from. I continued to keep said journal, regularly, about a year, during which time I often had very serious reflections on the matter, and many queries presented, whether it was right. On the one hand, there appeared to me some advantage, or at least convenience, connected with such a practice. On the other hand, I often viewed it as carrying too much the appearance of a mechanic's book of accounts. At length, the latter had so much effect on my feelings, that I came to a resolution to proceed no farther in the practice. I committed my journal to the flames, and while it was dissolving to smoke and ashes, I felt a kind of enthusiastic satisfaction, which I then looked upon as good evidence that Heaven approved the act, but which I now believe was the effect of superstition and ignorance, of which I then possessed a pretty large share, though I did not at that time perceive or believe it. I have often thought since, that it would be matter of real pleasure to me, if I could despatch that act, and many others at that stage of my life, to everlasting oblivion, with the same ease I did my little innocent scrap of a journal. Several other small scraps of memorandums, which might have been of some use to me, shared a similar fate. Viewing these as acts of religious heroism, and being a little elated with the tho'ts