chusetts, and many of the buildings were not only deficient in paint, but more or less of them were in a tumbling down condition. However, in this said ancient town there was a good church, and over this church Mr. Tompkinson presided some four years, with mutual satisfaction to himself and the people, with increasing popularity, and with a good measure of success in the work of his Master. The reason of his leaving arose from the introduction of the anti-slavery question into the church. Declining to take an active stand, either for or against the abolitionists, he found himself in a similar situation to that of a man who should be sitting on a fence, while the people on both sides were pelting him because he would sit there. The abolitionists pelted him because he would not join with them, and the anti-abolitionists pelted him equally severely because he would not declare for them. Finally he became so sorely bruised with this continual pelting, that he preached his farewell sermon, and removed to the town of still in the bor

ders of Massachusetts.

Here he hoped and prayed that he might spend the remainder of his days in quietness

and peace. He found a thriving church in this place, an affectionate and interesting people; and he began his labors under very pleasant and prosperous circumstances; and he soon had the satisfaction of seeing that God was blessing those labors, not only to the edification of the church, but to the conversion of sinners. Here he continued, happy and useful, beloved by his people, and increasing in favor among the other denominations of the town, till some of his church members became Millerites. Mr. Tompkinson, believing that their views were erroneous and fanatical, felt it his duty, as a faithful watchman, to warn the people against them. These Millerites were of the more furious kind; and thinking that their pastor stood very much in the way of the advancement of their doctrine, they were exceedingly severe upon him.

Everything was said against him which these deluded men could say. he was in the way of the

They alleged "that conversion of souls,

that he was doing more harm than he had ever done good, that he was a poor hypocrite, an incorrigible sinner, an unfaithful watchman; that there was no salvation for him, and that he must go to hell.

Mr. Tompkinson, not relishing the idea of being disposed of for eternity in this summary sort of manner, was as severe upon the Millerites as they were upon him. The trouble finally came before the church; and Mr. Tompkinson, finding that the church, as a body, (with some noble exceptions) were afraid of the Millerites, and would not come up to their duty, as laid down in the gospel, concerning those who make divisions and trouble in the church of God, declined serving them any longer as pastor, and requested his dismission.

As we have thus accompanied Mr. Tompkinson through these eleven churches, which brings us down nearly to the present time, we will close this prolonged narrative, by stating that he is still living, that he is fifty-seven years of age, that he is laboring as a minister in the great Western Valley, and that he says, "I have seen ENOUGH of New England, and desire to spend the residue of my years where less ISMS abound, and where the people are more FAITHFUL to stand by their minister through THICK AND THIN, when he labors for the BENEFIT of their souls."

CONCLUSION.

And now, reader, it is time to bring this volume to a close. We intended to have written five or six chapters more, illustrative of some things in the religious world, that might interest, and perhaps profit, but we have already so far exceeded our proposed limits, that we think it prudent to hasten to the finis.

Are you a minister? I will not ask you what you think of my book, for that is none of my business. I shall, however, ask one favor

of you, and if you are a good minister of the gospel, I know you will grant it. I desire that you would pray that this volume may be blessed to the good of all to whom it is in any wise applicable. This you can conscientiously do, whether you regard it as a judicious, or injudicious publication.

Are you a professed Christian, a member of the Redeemer's visible church? You have found two classes of Christians described in this book. One class make trouble in the

churches, and are inconsistent in their lives. The other class do not make trouble in the churches, and are consistent in their lives. To which class do you belong? You may easily decide this question if you have found anything in this volume applicable to yourself; and the probabilities are, that you have found something here that comes athwart your track. If you are ruffled in your feelings, and with an unkind. spirit murmur to yourself, "That's too bad, I am afraid the writer knows me, and had me in mind; THERE, he means me again, I declare ; I wish the writer of this book was in Guinea," You belong to the former class. If in the spirit of kindness you say, "THERE, I have been guilty of that very thing, myself, and I am glad my attention is thus called to it, for I will strive to overcome it now, and pray for strength to gain the victory," you belong to the latter class.

Christian reader, whatever your course hitherto may have been, it is "my heart's desire and my prayer to God," that henceforth you may walk only in the "path of the just, which, as the dawning light, shineth more and more unto the perfect day."