might have done!' It would be an unspeakably awful occurrence, to have one so loving and beloved brought forward to witness against us in the day of final judgment. May God in mercy avert such a catastrophe!

"2.-He speaks to us in the examples of his blameless deportment. It was once said by a faithful minister of Christ, 'My people observe me all the week, to see what I mean on Sunday. The evil effects of any discrepancy between precept and practice on the part of a preacher of the gospel are incalculable. And no person seemed to understand and feel this truth more than this youthful minister. We may boldly challenge any person to arise and point out the instance in which he deviated in action or word from what he enjoined on others. How truly was he 'a pattern to believers, in doctrine, showing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity. How justly might he have adopted the language of the apostle-yea, methinks I hear him uttering it from the skies, 'Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly, and unblameably, we behaved ourselves among you.' Considering his youth and inexperience-yes, leaving them entirely out of the accountwho ever saw a person more discreet and circumspect, uniting so much affability and pleasantness with so much dignity? He has bequeathed us his excellent example; and calls upon us to 'follow him, as he followed Christ.' "We are also spoken to,—

"3.-By the incident of his remarkable career. All who knew him must confess, that he was an extraordinary person, a real prodigy. Only think of an individual exercising acceptably in pulpit ministrations, among the best informed in the mother country, at the early age of fourteen. Then think of the stores of information, and the fires of genius displayed by him, during his sojourn among us a year ago. Reflecting on the ripeness of his judgment,

and the fineness of taste, joined to the splendour of his pulpit talents, we may well exclaim, 'Take him all for all, we ne'er shall look upon his like again.' What then is the lesson we learn from the contemplation of such astonishing mental precocity, but to adore the power of that God whose workmanship he was? We also learn, that the highest developments of mind can co-exist with the most humble piety. place. Is it not also a most future state of existence? capabilities so vast became extinct at the end of eighteen short years? Who can believe it? Is not the extraordinary development of the mental faculties manifested in this case a faint specimen of the inconceivable expansion which the human mind is destined to undergo in the heavenly world, and through the countless ages of eternity? Doubtless it is; and no question the powers of our departed brother will find entertainment and expanding exercises in the endless variety of the celestial state of existence. But as his greatness was the result partially of early and judicious training, as well as the inspirations of genius, the mental phenomenon before us goes in part to show the mighty results of well directed parental guidance upon the infant and childish mind. May all fathers and mothers be induced to listen to the voice which his history speaks to them! How much greater reason have the parents of this departed youth to rejoice in the career of such a son, early as was his removal from this stage of action, than the parents of a conquering ALEXANDER, a TAMERLANE, or a NAPOLEON. But we are perhaps anticipating, in some measure, the following head.

But more of this in another irrefragable argument for a Can it be, that powers and

"He speaks to us,—

“4.—In the circumstances of his early and lamented death.-I will not presume to say, that possibly his death

may speak to the authorities of the church, in the way of
caution, against the impolicy and cruelty of dragging a
youth, physically immature, into the hardships and ex-
posures of our itinerant work, however the exigencies of
that work may seem to urge its necessity; nor will I
venture to affirm, that this is the voice of admonition to
those on whose hospitalities the hapless itinerant is cast,
against consigning him, reeking with perspiration from
recent exertion, to some open and cheerless sleeping
apartment, and to the deadly tendencies of a damp bed:
but it plainly speaks of the certainty of death to all, and its
possible occurrence to the young as well. If there were
any exceptions made, surely his youth, and talent, and
loveliness might have pleaded the exemption. But none
of them availed: 'Death loves a shining mark;' and the
'insatiate archer' levelled his dart but too successfully at
the fair and youthful form of our engaging friend, and laid
him low beneath the clods of the valley. Oh, what a
lesson to the young and the giddy, the ardent and the as-
piring, to prepare to meet their God. Yet while his death
thus chastens and admonishes us, the circumstances of that
calm, peaceful, lamb-like, triumphant departure, illustrates
the power of the christian religion, and the sufficiency of
the grace of God to support and cheer in nature's last
extremity. Oh, who would not die like ALEXANDER
BYRNE? Then emulate his example! Seek the same sup-
plies of
grace which he possessed! Live and walk like him;
watch and pray like him; mortify the flesh and wrestle
like him; and then your dying chamber, like his, will be—

'Privileged beyond the common walks of virtuous life,
Quite in the verge of heaven.'"'

With the above extract, the author closes his brief sketch of the life and character of the subject of this memoir.

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ADVERTISEMENT TO THE REMAINS.

We have furnished the reader with selections from the Sermons and Sketches of Mr. BYRNE. They are mostly of the latter description, mere skeletons, although headed "Sermons," by their author. The Editor has given them in the order in which they were set down in Mr. B.'s manuscripts, with the time and place of their composition, or re-cast, as given by himself. We say "re-cast," for some of the outlines here given were drawn up before the period mentioned at the bottom, as appears from evidence among his papers; but we have endeavoured to give the latest modification of every subject. Each sermon was composed or re-cast immediately on the eve of its being preached. From the dates, it will be seen, that several were often composed in a day. The Editor has taken liberty with nothing scarcely in any of them, excepting the points, which were not in all instances complete. And he has even left the exordium at the end of a discourse, when he found so. The reader, therefore, has these productions verbatim et literatim as their author left them. It was thought this course would be more satisfactory to the curious and intelligent reader, who would be anxious to see the man and his mind, with its habits of thought and modes of expression, as undisguised as possible.

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