Funeral Oration.

to those Avho entrusted him with their concerns ; courteous to those who were brought in opposition in his professional engagements ; upright and lionourable in his whole character ; society in which he Avas knoAvn will for some time mourn his loss .

Should a thought be entertained , or a strict ¦ opinion venture itself in reflections on his being called aAvay at so early an age—in the midst of business and the pleasures of a happy life , Avithout scarcely a brief period to consider his Avays and

make his peace Avith God , we may well ask who implanted such capacities for happiness in our nature , and for Avhat purpose were they intended ? but that being happy ourselves , Ave may endeavour to communicate that happiness to others . We

have indeed a Avell-grounded hope of his favourable acceptance at the throne of the Most High . At his first reception into the Christian fold , the prayer of faith was heard at the throne of grace in his behalf , the hand of Divine mercy was stretched forth and took him into the ark of God ' s

everlasting love , and being " steadfast in faith , " he was preserved amidst the turgid and tempestuous "" waves of a troublesome Avorld . " At the first creation man Avas formed perfect . and upright , for it Avas God ' s workmanship . He

was placed in the Garden of Eden to till ifc and dress it for his amusement and pleasure ; the fruit of the trees Avere ordained as pleasant and agreeable food to his taste ; the Divine Beingcondescended to visit him and commune AA'ith him ;

traces of the Divine goodness may be seen in the life of many even at the present day ; but man fell from his original righteousness ; and Avhere the broAV is darkened by the Avorking of the mind in selfishness , hatred , malice , and revenge , Avliere

pride , aA'arice , ambition , and the insatiable desires of power disturb the beneficient arrangements of the human heart , these all are the bruises and wounds of the fall of man ; they are among the thorns and thistles Avhich occupy the ground

where the good seed should spring up ; they continually impede the progress of truth , and render abortive any attempt to restore lost man to the favour of his God . On the other hand there are

many to be found inhuman society amiable , goodtempered , can raise the jocund laugh , and , to all outward appearance , pleasant characters , and yet no trace of the Divine goodness discovers itself , "because they acknowledge not the Divine hand from Avhence they came , and are regardless of

future existence ; they live Avithout hope and Avithout God in the Avorld ; but the brother for Avhom Ave now drop the tear of remembrance , cultivated unostentatiously a true and genuine faith , and is now , Ave may hope , in the enjoyment

of its rewards in that paradise of God , once lost , but noAv the habitation ofthe souls of the righteous . He has left behind him a memorial of his

faithof Stirling Avorth and truth far more enduring than house and lands , or riches and honour . A tower itself above his sacred ashes , like a polished column towards heaven , or like a golden vessel of perfume , costly and precious , prepared by his OAVU hand and preserved to pour forth over him at his burial . I will now give you an extract or two : —¦

Judge not that God is harsh with man , Though fault but one , His kindled wrath was just , K " or was sweet mercy in the heavenly breast Suppressed : He looked down Upon him fallen ; saw , pitied , forgave . Death came By One—bOne life anew . Rejoice

y sprung AA'ith grateful love , despairing , sunken man ¦ When man with trumpet sound , o'er melodied By angels' tongues , melodiously sweet Re-enter shall the glorious , the once Lost paradise , a sinner saved , a saint Regenerate—washed clean by blood ; Here see , behove fulness

Of prayer to , and faith in Him who shed That salving stream ; though sins be scarlet dye , His blood shall white them all , white to redeem ; Therefore

ye—A soul AA-ith mind and thought so profound , so rich in faith , firm in hope , when the last solemn hour ai * rives , as he is quietly Availing to be undressed for immortality , assuredly listens with earnest and affectionate longing to catch the first

note of thafc gracious and merciful invitation , " Come ye blessed of my Father , inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world . "

Let us consider further , AA'hat must have been the effect Avhen the announcement Avas made to him that no hope of life remained , and but a few short hours before him ; a crowd of thoughts at once rushing upon his mind at being thus suddenly

summoned to surrender life just scarcely begun , the comfort , happiness , and pleasures of his earthly home , and all that was dear to him , the numerous arrangements necessary for the Avelfare of those he AA'as so soon to leave behind him , with

an intensity of pain from suffering Avhich caused a dissolution of nature ; and then the dark and cold grave to Avhich he Avas hastening , and the unknoAvn state of existence beyond it , must all have been sufficient to Aveigh him down in the deepest