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day, with the following resolves in respect to the ordination."

The first resolution relates to abstinence.

"2. Resolved to meditate on answers to the questions, which I suppose will be asked, and to spend what time I can get in prayer.

"3. Resolved to endeavor to use my friends well and to pray for them.

"4. Resolved, above all, to trust in God, and accept of him as my only hope, and to submit all the affairs of the approaching day into his hands.

"Oct. 25. O forever blessed be the Lord, that I have had more freedom of late than formerly in prayer. This afternoon, the Council met to assist in my ordination. They formed about seven o'clock this evening, and finished my examination about ten o'clock. All voted for my ordination except one.

-I have reason to fear, because my soul cries no more to God for his gracious presence.

"Oct. 26, 1785. Now the solemn day is come, when I expect to be set apart to the sacred work of the ministry. -Spent a little while very early in private prayer. Prayed in the family where I lodged -then joined in prayer, and also prayed with my dear brother Hitchcock in private-then repaired to the Council, where I met with my dear father and kind brother. Between "he hours of eleven and one, the solemn services were performed., Rev. Mr. Gillett made the first prayer. Rev. Mr. Mills preached from Matthew v. 9. 'Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.' Rev. Mr. Marsh made the consecrating pray

er.

The charge was given by Rev. Mr. Robbins, and the right-hand of fellowship by Rev. Mr. Hawley. The concluding prayer was offered by Rev. Mr. Knapp. The ministers and the congregation manifested great solemnity. No opposition appeared in the parish-love and unity seemed to reign. In the time of laying on hands, I endeavored to think of the ordination, mentioned in Acts xiii. 2, 3; but I have reason to mourn my deadness.-Bless the Lord, O my soul, for all his mercies temporal and spiritual, and be not ungrateful to let his mercies die in unthankfulness. O, that I may ever make progress, and never rest, this side the skies; but like a field of precious wheat, or like a fruitful tree by gentle streams, that never withers, may I bear fruit more and more, even an hundred fold. And may I fulfil my part, and move in my proper place and station, and flourish in the Christian and ministerial life, and be always active, and bring out of the treasures of God's word things new and old; that my latter end may be like burthened boughs, pressed down with yellow fruit for Christ's sake. Glory be to the Father, Son, and Spirit. Amen and Amen."

The mental conflict now past, Mr. Hallock found the new relation at once giving birth to a new affection for the people, who were before very dear to his heart. Reluctant as he had been to form the connexion, it is no sooner formed, than pastoral love swells his soul, and prompts to a cheerful entrance upon his arduous work. This fact, the first record of his pen puts in our possession.

"Oct. 27. Had but little time this day for medi

tation and prayer; yet had satisfaction in reviewing the transactions of yesterday; felt my heart knit to the people; felt willing to spend and be spent for them, and that I had done my duty in staying with them. O, that God would go up with us-O, that we might lean on him, and not on our own understanding."

In commencing his pastoral labors, the Sabbath after ordination, he preached in the morning from 2 Timothy ii. 15. "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” In the afternoon, his sermon was founded on 1 Thessalonians v. 12, 13. "And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace among yourselves." In the former discourse, his design was to point out "a minister's duty to God, to himself, and to his people;" in the latter, to show "the duty of a church and people to God, themselves, and their minister."

CHAPTER VIII.

Mr. Hallock's first motto after ordination.--Entire devotion to his work.-Marriage.--Resolution in view of increasing cares.-Private fast. Dedication of his dwelling-house to God.-General view of his family.-Liberality.-Income.-Economy.-Character of his wife.

As Mr. Hallock's life, up to this era, has been little remarkable for striking incident, so the remaining part, in which he had one settled home for more than forty years, will be found chiefly valuable for its noiseless uniformity, in that laborious round of weekly duty, which a quiet country parish furnishes its devoted and beloved minister. Soon after his ordination, he adopted for his motto, "WHAT CAN I DO FOR GOD?" And, from his subsequent life, we may suppose him to have repeated this question, every morning, in his closet. Throughout his ministry, he had frequent seasons of bodily indisposition, yet he rarely omitted, for a single week, the appointment of religious conferences and prayer-meetings, and very seldom failed to attend them. An impression was early made on the minds of his people, which ceased not to deepen till the day of his death, that he was ready to go to the full extent of his strength, and often beyond the limits which a wakeful solicitude for personal health and life might have deemed safe, to promote in different ways their own highest interest and the dear cause of his Redeemer. Some extracts from his diary, for several successive days, may here be in

troduced as a fair specimen of his ordinary parochial labors.

"Dec. 2. 1785, Friday. Rose early this morning -had some satisfaction in study and prayer-spent the day in making preparation for the Sabbath-had a comfortable time in visiting a sick person in the evening.

"Dec. 3. Spent the day in preparing for the Sabbath. As usual in prayer, morning, noon and evening. Find it hard work to keep my own body in subjection.

"Dec. 4, Sabbath. Rose about 4 o'clock. Some freedom in prayer, in repeating my sermons, and in meditation on the love of God. I would now arrange the duties of the day in the following order: 1. Pray.-2. Repeat my forenoon sermon-then spend what time I can get before meeting in ejaculation and reading;—then spend as much as possible of the intermission, in some profitable thoughts and conversation.-3. Watch over my heart, after meeting; mortify my inordinate affections; reflect on the duties of the day, and examine myself for a better world.-4. Labor to be prepared for the conference, both by prayer and meditation. And O that I may not go to meeting this day, in my own strength.

Felt shut up in the forenoon. It was stormy and but few people attended. This afternoon more freedom. After meeting was uncommonly free from dejection-had some freedom in conversationcaught a few minutes for meditation and prayer before the conference-some freedom in conversation at the conference. O how sweet were the hymns

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