for the gospel ministry, to receive him under their patronage. The board of trustees who were duly authorised by the constitution, received him under their care and direction, and afforded him some assistance. They also gave him to understand, that he might expect reasonable assistance from them, during the period of his collegiate studies, and gave him directions in relation to his procedure in his studies. At the annual meeting of the society, in September following, I received the appointment of one of the board of trustees, doubtless in reference to the care of this recipient, although I still continued to defray some portion of his expenses. When the board of trustees were together, the succeeding spring, it was agreed, and given to me in charge, if on examination, at the approaching commencement, I should find Mr. Stone was qualified to unite with the sophomore class of Yale college, that I should present him for admission. This I accordingly did, and he was received. It became necessary, in order to his membership in college, that bonds should be entered for the payment of his quarter bills. As he had no relatives who were willing to grant him this favour, in view of the assurances made him from the charitable society, I entered my own bonds, not as a trustee, but an individual. At the next meeting of the society, immediately succeeding his admission into college, viz. September, 1812, I reported to the society what I had done in compliance with the directions of the trustees, and also of the entry of my bonds. It was soon observed, by one of the members present, that" if I had given my own bonds to secure the payment of Mr. Stone's expenses, he was sufficiently provided for, and they need not advance any more funds." I at first supposed the remark merely romantic, and treated it as such; but the result proved it to be in earnest. In appointing trustees for the coming year, I was liberated from the bur 3 1 preceding quarter, when, according to Mr. H's declaration, he had received the aforementioned information from one of their number. I subjoin the certificate to which the faculty subscribed. "Yale College, Nov. 30th, 1813. "These may certify, that Randolph Stone, of the "Junior Class, has sustained, while here, an irre*<6 proachable moral character, and has uniformly "behaved with propriety towards the faculty of this College. MATTHEW R. DUTTON, Tutor." "The above representation is, in my opinion, correct. "T. DWIGHT, President. "JOSIAH W. GIBBS, "CHAUNCEY A. GOODRICH." On my return from New-Haven, it so happened, that I rode several miles in company with Deacon Tanner. I inquired of him respecting the representation of Mr. H. before the charitable society, at their late meeting. He related to me Mr. H's statement, which appeared to me to comport entirely with the accounts given by the Rev. Messrs. Starr and Lyman. Deacon Tanner added, that in consequence of Mr. H's statement, he felt that they were bestowing charity on an unworthy object, and made the motion himself for the purpose of cutting off farther supplies. I then exhibited to him the above certificate, on the reading of which, he appeared astonished! and if my memory serves me, he remarked, he could not have indulged such an idea of Mr. H. I observed, I did not hear Mr. H's statement, but if I had received correct information respecting it, the proceeding was unaccounta ble. I added, for him to plunge me into grea pecuniary embarrassment, by having occasioned a delinquency on the part of the society, I considered to be far the least evil which had resulted from his efforts. Indeed, I could not esteem it any thing in comparison with his aspersing the reputation of a young man, who sustained an irreproachable cha racter, which was all his dependance. Deacon Tanner replied, that such an attempt, he presumed, I should not suffer to pass unnoticed. The Rev. Mr. Starr also read the certificate. If I have not strangely forgotten, the remarks of Mr. Starr were similar to those of his late delegate, Deacon Tanner. Mr. Starr subjoined, that he hoped the subject would be fairly adjusted by Mr. H. without the necessity of proceeding to public measures. What could have induced Mr. H. in these cases to have adopted the measures he had pursued against Mr. Stone, is best known to himself. Yet anany people entertained the impression, that he indulged the expectation, if Mr. Stone could be removed from the patronage of the charitable society, he should be enabled to introduce a young man from his own parish, to fill the vacancy and receive the privileges. It was, I believe, in February following, that I first saw Mr. H. after this transaction. I took an opportunity to converse with him alone on the subject; but could not obtain the least satisfaction. He justified his proceeding, by saying that he had received his information from one of the faculty of Yale College the preceding summer. I then informed him, I had lately obtained a certificate from the faculty, none of whom had been changed from the summer term, which appeared to give an entirely different complexion to the subject. I believe Mr. H. will yet acknowledge that, at receiving this information, a tremor shook his frame, and paleness brooded upon his countenance. He however still den. This at once indicated, that I was to have no controling influence over their funds, to apply to the relief of my bonds given. I had already ascertained the amount of his arrearage bills, the portion of which it devolved on him, or them, to pay. I proposed to the society, if they would advance funds to meet this demand, together with a small sum to furnish his room in college with necessary articles of use, I would defray the residue of his expenses the coming year. This was not granted. They, however, appropriated one half of the proposed sum, which was insufficient to meet the arrearage claims; and thus he remained destitute of even one farthing of their aid in college. I soon perceived there was among them a report, injurious to the character of that young man, calculated to destroy the reputation of an amiable and excellent youth, whose piety and correct deportment had been fully manifest. This appeared to have been propagated, or advocated, by Mr. Harvey. I was enabled, on the spot, to repel the mischief, by stating to the society the origin and falsity of the report, and referring them to ample testimony in proof of what I had advanced. I was shocked at such a procedure, directly calculated to destroy or mar the reputation of one, whose piety and correct deportment were his only recommendations, and which had been amiably maintained. As no assistance had been rendered by the society, to meet any future demand, nor, indeed, sufficient to satisfy the old claims, it became necessary for me to furnish funds to defray every charge. This I accomplished. As it was inconvenient for me to attend at the next annual meeting, in September, 1813, I requested the Rev. Mr. Lyman to ask the society to afford some assistance for Mr. Stone, as I had defrayed all his expenses the preceding year. As I afterwards understood Mr. Lyman, he made the application, agreeably to my request, and Mr. Harvey immediately opposed it. Mr. Lyman re plied to Mr. Harvey's remonstrances, again and again, but to no effect. Mr. H. stated to the society things greatly prejudicial to the character and deportment of Mr. Stone, and assured the society, that he felt authorised to make this statement to them, as he had received it from one of the faculty of Yale college the preceding term; and it was due to them to have this information, that they might no longer bestow their funds on an unworthy object; and that in consequence of this statement, a motion was immediately introduced before the society, by Deacon Tanner, of Warren, having previously calculated on the precise amount which Mr. Stone had received from them, that no person should receive appropriations from the board of trustees, over this specific amount, without a special resolve of the society. At this information I was amazed! Not long after, I was at the Rev. Mr. Starr's, and made inquiry of him relative to this transaction. I derived from him the same idea, as I had from Mr. Lyman. In November following, I was at New-Haven, and called on the tutor of Mr. Stone's class, and informed him, I had heard an unfavourable account of Mr. Stone. The tutor, not knowing the relation in which I stood to him, as benefactor, as he afterwards informed me, assured me that the information was entirely unfounded; and proceeded, without delay, to speak more in commendation of Mr. Stone, than I had ever before heard any of the faculty speak of a member of college. I inquired of him, whether he would be willing to put it in writing; to which he cordially assented, as a just tribute, to repel so gross an attack. He accordingly drew up a certificate, and signed it; after which, it was presented to the President, and the rest of the faculty, who as cheerfully subscribed to the same. It is evident, from examining the triennial college catalogue, that there had not been even in a single instance any change in the college officers since the |