Addressing a Sabbath school in one of the churches of New York City

An incident somewhat in contrast with the above occurred about the same time, as he was addressing a Sabbath school in one of the churches of New York City. With his venerable form and snow-white beard, and with his kindly beaming face, he seemed the very impersonation of good-will to the children to whom he was speaking words of loving instruction. A little girl in the school was so much struck with his appearance that she turned and whispered eagerly to her teacher, “ Is that Santa Claus? ” the resemblance perhaps being heightened in her estimation by the black velvet cap, with the Arabic inscription, which he always wore in public.

At various places in Western New York he preached and addressed congregations on the Sabbath and during the week.

He spent several days most delightfully at Palmyra, with the liev. Dr. Eaton and family, whose church was a school and a home for missionaries, several of its members having been trained up for service in the East. At this place he spent an afternoon with the family of Mr. Beckwith, with whom he had sojourned forty-six years before, when he visited Canandaigua as an agent for the Board, just after leaving the Theological Seminary.

Into New England

From New York he went into New England, to comply with numerous invitations he had received. He was several days with missionary friends at Sturbridge, Mass., where he preached on Sabbath morning, and made an address on missions in the evening. Early on Monday morning he left Sturbridge to attend the Commencement exercises at Andover Theological Seminary.

He enjoyed a festival in meeting with beloved friends at Andover, a place made sacred by the scenes of his early life and of his consecration to the service of Christ. Of this, and many similar occasions in his summer’s journeyings and so-journings, he remarked that he met with so many good people, and had with them so much sweet communion, it seemed to him like a foretaste of the society of heaven. He made one more pilgrimage to his native town, and sought out once more “ the old place where my father prayed and gave us all to God; ” and after visiting Amherst, where he addressed the students of the college, he was privileged to attend another meeting of the American Board at Pittsfield, the last that was held while he was an inhabitant of earth.