case, which he did, with true Christian concern; and he urged it on others, as a subject that should awaken their sympathies, and engage their earnest prayers. Having for a long time carefully studied cases of conscience, he was qualified to administer counsel and consolation to such as were walking in darkness. Many can bear testimony to the brotherly kindness which he manifested towards them, under the circumstances that have been mentioned. In the time of affliction Fisk was found a brother indeed. It was his practice to call on some of his most intimate associates, and say,-"brother *** is laboring under distress of mind, or is suffering some painful visitation of providence; now he needs our prayers, and I wish you to meet me at my room for the purpose of holding a prayer meeting on his account."-If any were absent in consequence of some afflictive dispensation, his prayers would be frequent and fervent, and the expression of his affectionate heart would follow them. particular instance of such attention the writer well remembers. A class-mate was summoned home unexpectedly to bury a dear friend. During his absence, as he afterwards learnt, his case deeply affected the feelings of Mr. Fisk, who on this occasion invited a few persons to unite with him in seasons of special prayer for him who was absent and in affliction, and to whom he soon forwarded the following letter.

A

"Dear Brother.-Though we could not feel all that you felt, when you left us, yet you will easily believe that our hearts were not wholly insensible. I am sure we did then, and do still bear a part in that burden which a righteous Providence has laid upon you. I often experience a melancholy pleas

in sitting down, and recollecting the very pleasant seasons we have enjoyed together, and then dire cting my thoughts to your present situation. Sometimes I imagine you have returned, and

we are conversing together on the mournful scenes. into which you have been called. I begin to inquire respecting the support you have realized, and the effect which the afflictive event has produced on your surviving friends;—and I enjoy the momentary pleasure of thinking, that you and they have been supported, comforted, and benefitted, in this season of deep distress. Yes, I trust the Lord does sustain your sinking spirits, and comfort your aching hearts. Can we not see in this event evidence that your heavenly Father is faithful? You have longed, and prayed, that he would make you humble, wean you from the world, increase your piety, and fit you to be a good minister of Jesus Christ. Is not this the method, the wisest and kindest, effectually to show you what is in your heart-to teach you the uncertain nature of all earthly enjoyments-to lead you to more zeal and diligence in cultivating your Christian graces-to prepare you to sympathize with the afflicted, and administer to them counsel and consolation-and, in short, to fit your own soul for the enjoyments of that purer world, where sin and sorrow cannot enter? O my brother, I do rejoice to think that such are the gracious designs of Heaven towards you. May you have grace so to improve, and submit to this dispensation, as to gain finally all these precious advantages. And if we are permitted to live together again, may we both experience the salutary effects of this visitation.

"Your bereaved parents, I trust, are supported by that religion they have so long professed, and are resigned to the painful chastisement It is God's design to prepare his children for heaven. But, O how much must be done to accomplish this end! How many mercies, how many afflictions! How many idols must be torn away-how many sins subdued—how many sufferings endured! God is a kind and faithful Father to his children. He will. supply their wants, or leave them destitute; gratify,

or disappoint their wishes; smile, or frown, as may be most conducive to the final good of his great family. He will take care to carry them through such a course of discipline, as shall at last prepare them to enjoy him in heaven. It is our part to learn to view every thing that concerns us, as a part of that system of means by which, if we are faithful to ourselves, our heavenly Father is purifying our souls from sin, and fitting us for seats at his right hand. So may you, and your mourning parents, view your present trials, and share all the benefits of sanctified affliction. Yours sincerely, P. FISK.”

of exercise.

Expecting to spend his life in arduous labor on missionary ground, he was careful to subject himself to such a degree of bodily exercise, as would prevent that languor and debility which so often result from sedentary habits. Walking was a frequent mode But his were emphatically "walks of usefulness." Those intervals of relaxation he improved to valuable purposes. He always aimed to have some object in view, that the time required for exercise might not be lost; and usually this object was a free conversation with some one of his brethren, respecting their own hearts-or some truth of religion-some Christian duty-some plan of usefulness or the moral condition of the world-the claims of missions, &c. Perhaps he would have in view a short visit to some family, a prayer meeting, a religious conference. Many will long remember the precious and profitable interviews which they enjoyed with him during some of those seasons.

One, who is now a missionary to the heathen, has said, "I well remember those interviews, which I had with Mr. Fisk, while walking for exercise; for it was during one of them that myself, if I feel any thing of a missionary spirit, was led to feel. At those times his soul rose on high. He was far before us

in holy living. He would come to my room and propose a walk, "But where shall we go? and what shall we talk about?" would be his first inquiries. Once when I went with him, he led me to the house of an aged negro. The old man appeared gratified, and like a Christian. Mr. Fisk viewing him and his aged companion as standing on the brink of the grave, introduced the subject of death, requesting me to state, what constituted a preparation for death. After a few remarks were made, he resumed the subject, and pursued it. We prayed and then returned. When returning, after having visited a family for the purpose of religious conversation with the members, he would say; "The next time we pray for ourselves, we must pray for these persons." When on the way to attend a religious meeting he would inquire; "On what subject shall we discourse?" Perhaps he would mention one, give a brief view of it, divide it, and then say to me; "You may speak on which part you please, and I will take the other; and you may begin or conclude the subject, as shall best suit your feelings." Once as we were returning from one of these excursions, during which he had conversed much about the heathen, he remarked; "How little we feel, that probably now there are 500,000,000 of people entirely ignorant of the Saviour!" The thought came home to my soul. At another time in view of the rapid and mighty operations of the present day he said; "We must hasten forward, or we shall not be able to do any thing. It seems to me much as it did, when I went to 'a raising' while a boy. Several men would grasp a beam at once, and I had to hasten, or it would soon be out of my reach, and then I could help none; so it seems to me now, and we must hasten forward."

An intimate friend of Mr. Fisk, speaking of their mutual intercourse, has said; "I rarely knew of an occasion, when it was necessary to give him any

thing like a reproof. But once when sitting in my room with the door open, I heard him, as he came from the lecture room, talking quite earnestly and saying, "I was provoked with brother **** because he continued to speak, after the Professor had given his opinion." I called to him by name, he replied, "What do you want?" I said, "The sun will go down by and by." He answered, "Very well." In about fifteen minutes he came into my room with an honest and affectionate smile, took me by the hand, and said, "I am ready now to have the sun go down." This instance serves to show, with what a spirit he received a reproof, and how readily he profited by it. There was no kindness which he so gratefully received from a fellow student, as a reproving hint. And he enjoined it upon all his intimate associates, as a pledge of Christian friendship, that they should frankly tell him of every fault, and every impropriety of deportment, which they at any time should detect in him. The same kind service he was careful to perform, as a matter of duty, as well as Christian faithfulness.

From the observations which have been made respecting the religious intercourse of Mr. Fisk, with the members of the Seminary, it must not be inferred, that there was about him any thing which savored of religious austerity, or of that excessive reserve which repels familiarity. On the contrary he was remarkably affable and familiar. The merest child might feel free to approach him, and would be sure to meet from him the unaffected expression of kindness. During intervals of relaxation from the engagements of the study and the closet, he was always cheerful, occasionally humorous, and indulged an agreeable "flow of soul," which rendered him a very pleasant companion. It was a source of regret to him, that he did not exhibit an example of more gravity; though it was seldom that any thing appeared in him inconsistent with the deportment