if it were demanded by the cause of the Redeemer; but that he thought the objects of foreign missions could be better effected at present upon other heathen ground. With his characteristic modesty he requested that his own name should in no way be connected with the inquiry. It is believed that the letter was shown but once, and then upon a known intimacy with its author. Dr. Montgomery, as may be supposed by all who knew him, was enthusiastic in his encomiums upon the character and spirit of the letter; but was too soon after prostrated upon his dying bed, ever to give it a reply.

"In the spring, Mr. Lyde was afflicted with a cold and a slight bilious attack, which to an extent reduced his strength, and seemed to render it necessary for him to suspend his studies for a while, and absent himself from the Seminary. On his way to Philadelphia he joined the company of a clergyman and a layman, with whose persons, and with whose active interest and efficiency in all important matters of the Church, he was well acquainted. As the special object of their visit to Philadelphia was to attend the meeting of the Board of Directors of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society, his favorite theme was presented to their attention, and his own views and feelings most fully expressed. Through their instrumentality in bringing forward and advocating the question, the Board established the China mission, with instructions to the Executive Committee to carry the object into effect so soon as the men and means could be provided. Mr. Lyde afterward remarked, in conversation on the subject, that it had required a great sacrifice of natural feeling for him to decide upon leaving the society of friends and the attractions of country for a home in a strange and distant land, but that his mind was decided upon the course, and that it would require another great sacrifice of feeling, should he be disappointed in his hopes.

"But his hopes have been disappointed, though in a manner which he then but little anticipated. Notwithstanding

he carefully pursued the course advised by his physician for the restoration of his health, it remained to all appearance stationary till the time of his graduation, the last week in June. He graduated with his class, and the following Sunday was ordained by Bishop Brownell, in St. Thomas's Church, New York, in company with several of his classmates. The remainder of the summer was spent in New England, where he was advised to make a voyage to the West Indies, encouraged that he might return with renovated strength in the spring. On reaching New York, the last of September, his case was more closely examined: and, at his request to be honestly dealt with, his physician gave his opinion that his lungs were diseased beyond hope of recovery; and that, for the sake of a more congenial climate, he had better leave for Philadelphia, than put himself entirely beyond the reach of his friends. He sustained the stroke like a Christian philosopher,* repeated the opinion that had been given of his condition, on arriving at Philadelphia, without the least apparent emotion, and expressed

*Lest this expression should be misunderstood by any, it is proper to state, that, at the time when a consultation of physicians was held upon his case, Lyde was expecting their decision in another room. The physician, who regularly attended him, and to whom he was much attached, was appointed to communicate with him. As he entered the room, and for a moment was silent, Lyde said to him, with great decision, "Doctor, tell me plainly the exact truth; I am prepared for any result." So soon as his physician had informed him of the result of the consultation, Lyde burst into tears, and for a few minutes paced the room in strong emotion, and then exclaimed, "Can it be so? Shall I never be allowed to preach the Gospel in China? Yet I am not worthy of such a service! But I will labor for her sake while I live." The scene was most affecting and solemnizing. And he did labor for China after this; and his influence upon his brethren in the Seminary was not without effect, as one of the Missionaries now in China will testify. - EDITOR.

his happiness that he had been apprized of the prospect before him, that he might be led the more earnestly to seek the grace necessary for his departure. He however asked further medical advice; and, as, at his request, the worst was told him, he remained unmoved as before. Leaving his physician, he began to devise such arrangements as were necessary to enable him to spend as comfortably as possible the remnant of his days, and to die. His disease remained nearly stationary for four or five weeks, which induced the belief of his friends, that he might survive the winter. But nine days before his death he attended church, and was on horseback the following Tuesday. He began to fail more rapidly after this, and left his room for the last time on Sunday. He was confined to his bed but one day, and expired at nine o'clock on Wednesday morning, the 19th instant.

"Owing to a natural reservedness in the expression of his feelings, and to a settled aversion to every thing like noisy cant in matters of religion, Mr. Lyde said little, quite too little, to his visiting friends, about dying, and about his prospects for eternity. Occasionally, however, he spoke of both, to the near friends that were with him, with calmness, and indeed with delight. He said, that it seemed for him far better to die this winter than to live longer; that, if he entered upon his professional duties, an awful responsibility would attend him through life; that souls might be lost through his lack of faithfulness; that, if his Heavenly Father willed, he should be resigned to stay on earth, but that he preferred going to do his Master's work in another and a better world. The day before his death he said, that, in the early part of his sickness, his views had not been so clear, nor his peace so perfect, as he desired; but,' he proceeded, his eye enlivened with an unearthly brightness, my prospect has become perfectly glorious: the great secret of happy dying is a simple reliance on the strength of CHRIST; it is

sweet to die in full assurance of reposing in the bosom of my Saviour.' He became so elated with his theme as to forget his weakness, till checked and requested to be silent. At evening he asked Dr. Delancey to administer the communion to him the following day. But it proved too late. The Doctor reached his dwelling just after he expired. His last hours were peaceful and happy, and attended with but little bodily suffering.* When past speaking, he would rivet his piercing eye upon those weeping by his bedside, and with smiles of heavenly joy seemed to rebuke their weakness for lamenting his departure. He sunk down without a struggle or a gasp, and found an apparently easy passage through the valley of the shadow of death.' His body is laid in St. Peter's Churchyard, † there to repose till aroused from its long slumber by the archangel's trump on the morning of the resurrection. His spirit, though never privileged to exercise its powers in the ministrations of God's sanctuary on earth, has been called away -(may we not add?) for the express purpose of an employment in the ser

*I am allowed to transcribe from a letter written at the time of Lyde's decease, the following passage: "Before he retired for the night (Tuesday night), his aunt said to him, that, as he was unable to read his Bible (which was his constant study), she would read to him; and she inquired, if there were any particular chapters which he wished to hear. He named the fortieth of Isaiah. When she had concluded it, he remarked, that he wished to meditate a little upon it; and after a time he requested her to read the forty-third chapter of the same book." - EDITOR.

From the letter quoted in a former note, we subjoin another brief extract. "On Friday afternoon his funeral took place. He was carried into St. Peter's Church. Bishop White, Dr. Abercrombie, and thirteen other clergymen attended. Bishop Onderdonk read the funeral service. The Church was crowded, the hymn commencing 'Vital spark of heavenly flame' was sung, solemn." EDITOR.

the music was very

vices of that better temple, not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

"An event, however, like this, is a mystery too deep to be fathomed by the plummet of human reason. It is an event which the friends of our departed brother and the friends of the Church must of necessity mourn, though one which cannot fail to bend a submissive heart most humbly to the will of God. The sun of his earthly existence rose with amazing rapidity and brightness, but it has suddenly sunk into the midnight of the grave. No unsanctified reasoning can solve the question, why a young man, with faculties so naturally powerful and so matured, should be taken from the world when just prepared to enter it with honor and preeminent usefulness. But there is to be found in faith a philosophy, which, if truly possessed, will hush at once every secret murmuring, and will readily reconcile the event to our minds, by a living dependence upon the wisdom and the goodness of the providence of GOD."

In "The Missionary" (published at Burlington) of November 29th, a week before the article just quoted appeared, there was a short but very interesting notice of the author of these Remains, which it will be well to preserve. It is here quoted entire.

"The Rev. AUGUSTUS FOSTER LYDE, deacon, who departed this life on the 19th instant in the city of Philadelphia, was a young man of no ordinary promise; and his decease, at the moment when he seemed just fitted for usefulness in the cause of CHRIST and of souls, to which he had given himself up, enforces fearfully the sentence of Holy Scripture, 'Be still, and know that I am GOD!' Mr. Lyde was a graduate of Washington College, where it was the privilege of the present writer to watch the first opening of his clear, vigorous, and manly intellect. He had not quite completed the three