The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1844-01-01
Moral and Religious.
A Story for Old and Young.
EIIAL RECOLLECTIONs

Yrha ColloyyinR Letter was written by Rev. w.
Goodel. missionary to Constantnope, to his broth
ar on the occasion OIL Fathers death,-a pre-
cous letter of consolation and encouragement to poor
Christians who wish to educate their children well,
md Of edmonton to all. We copy il from tho Ohio
Observer:
CoNsTANTINoPLE,A Aug ID, ls43.
NM dear brother Joiham,-The intelligence con-
rained in your letter of the 9th u was not unexpect
cd. Our father had attained to great age, lacking
only five DAYS Of being SO years old. He was full Of
DAYS; but still more full of faith and of the Holy
Ghost How long he had "borne the image oil the
earthly" before he was renewed in the spirit ofhis
mind, know not; but know he has long borne "the
image of The heaveny.''--Nor have l any idea when
1t was; or by what means 1t was, that his religion
assumed SO decidedly pairarcha character, but as
long ago as l can remember, he always appeared to
maintain much Of that constant intercourse with
heaven which in his latter years we can hardly sup
pose was ever interrupted in his waking hours for
Is minutes ut a time Though can look back some
40 or more years. yet cannot look back to the year,
when he was not living life OF faith and prayer and
pec-deniaI of deafness to tho world and of close
walk with God His privileges were few; prayer
meetings were unknown; the sum sotal or about the
cum total of his library WINS the Family Bible, ono
COPY of Watts Psalms and Hymns, Doddriges Rise
and Progress, Pixies Cases of Conscience, second
vol of Fox's book of Martyrs, and last but not least
the Assembly's Catechsm But though his means of
grace were limited, yet, meditatng day and night in
Gods law, his roots struck deep; and he was like
tree planted by the rivers water whose leafs always
green and whose fruit is always abundant Whoev-
OF saw him riding on horseback, would if he kept
himself concealed, be always sure him engag-
ed in PRAYER Whoever should work with him in
seed time or harvest would find his thoughts ms &C
lively employed above, as his hands were below
His employments all holy, and the implements
of husbandry he used all consecraled to Christ
Whoever of the Lords people met with him by day
or by night, at home abroad, alone or in company,
would always End him ready to sit right down with
them in heavenly places, in order to comprehend
what is the length and breadth, depth and height" of
the love Of Christ.
Being the youngest Of the family, you can have but
an indstinct recollection of the small house on the
side of the hill, continuing two small rooms and gar
ret Aoored with loose aud rough boards, where IL
of US bon and Of the small cump ofapple trees
before the door where your elder brothers and sisters
played in the days of their thoughtless childhood
There with no lock or bolt to any door, and no key
TO any trunk, drawer cupboard as am
told, nothing now remains but an old cellar hole,
which may even itselflon before this have been
filled up,-there, godly father prayed for us,
''with prayer and suppication in the spirit; there,
.on every Sabbath eve he asked those solemn, i'm
portant and all comprehensive questions from that
blessed Catechism ofthe Assembly OF Divines; and
there with eyes and heart raised heaven, used to
,sing to the tune Of Old Rochester,
''God, my supporter and my hope,
My help forevernear;
THINE of mercy held me up,
When sinking in Despair
And there, too, mother of precious memory
though, az she died when you but six months
old, you remember her not,-there she lived life
Of poverty. patience, meekness and faith. There
she used to sit and card her wool by the light Of
pine knot, and sing to US those sweet words,
=. ''Hov'ring among the leaves, there stands
The sweet celestial Dove
And Jesus on the branches hangs
The banner of his love.'
And there, too, almost 81 years ago, we assembled
carly one morning in her little bedroom to see her
die Her peace like river; she was full of
triumph; and she able to address to us words of
heavenly consolaton, Till she nad actually crossed
over into the shallow within one minute oc the
banks Of the Jordan-heaven and all its glories full
IN view. Precious woman! though no man knoweth
the place of thy sepuchre, and the children have not
been able to find the spot in order to erect a humble
inscription to thy memory; yet thy Savior who loved
thee with an everlasting love, and in whom thy
darkest hours thou dds have such sweet confidence,
will watch over thy dust, and thou shalt be recognize
cd at the resurrection Of the just. "Wore my chill
dren but pous thou didst often say in thy last long
sickness, show cheerfuily could leave them and 20
away % But, what thine eyes were lnot permitted
10 see have not the angels long sincetoid thee, viz
chat the eight children thou didst leave behind with
all or all but Of their partners, parakers of
that blessed gospel, which all thy salvation and
all thy desire, and that three of thy were engag
cd in proclaiming it to otherss
But, before close, must say something of
the character Of venerable father The little
farm he once possessed, if it were not all ploughed
over, was, am confident, almost every foot of it
prayed over. And some dried apples from it, which
subsequent owner sent few years since, were
10 me "as the smell ofa field which the Lord hath