the community to which he belonged: and the services which he rendered to that little flock of which he was a member and an officer, will never be duly appreciated by those of them who survive him, until the coming of the great day, "for which all other days were made." As a ruling elder, he magnified his office. When duty required and circumstances permitted it, he never failed to attend the judicatories of the church; and as a member of the session, or a representative of a portion of the church in the higher ecclesiastical courts, he promptly contributed his aid to the correction of whatever he considered amiss, whether in doctrine or discipline. He loved the Catholic church, but the congregation with which he was more immediately connected, was most dear to him. For the church in Snowhill, he laboured indefatigably and prayed frequently and fervently. From the death of the Rev. Mr. Williamson in 1814, until 1818, the church had no pastor, and was favoured with only occasional and unfrequent supplies. During that period, the church was regularly opened for public worship, and the services (prayer, praise, and the reading of a sermon,) were conducted by the session. Unless unavoidably prevented, Mr. Duffield always appeared in the desk on those occasions. Many profitable sermons, and many fervent prayers have I heard from his lips, although he was no preacher; and in the discharge of this duty to the church, he continued faithful until the end of his life. I have seen him in very feeble health, his breast so much diseased, that he could not sing the praises of his Maker, in which he took great pleasure-go into the desk and perform all the services. He said those services were "inexpressibly sweet" to him. In prayer-meetings he greatly delighted. For many years his house was regularly opened to all who chose to attend a meeting for social prayer; he generally conducted the exercises, and in a most acceptable manner. This was the case at the time of his death. The last time the congregation which had selected him for an overseer, heard his voice, was at a prayer-meeting at the house of a member of the church, Thursday evening, the 14th of October, 1830. He had directed the meeting; had called upon such of his brethren as he chose to select for that purpose to lead in prayer; had read the sixth chapter of Matthew; and exhorted the christians present to avail themselves of their christian privileges; to spend more time in prayer and communion with God, because with him the prayers of christians were prevalent and could effect wonders, even the building up of believers in their most holy faith, and the conversion of sinners. After he had announced that the services would be concluded with the singing of the 84th hymn of Dr. Watts' second book, his respiration became so much embarrassed, that he was unable to read the hymn; he handed the book to a friend, left the room, and never again appeared in a worshipping assembly. The disease which caused Mr. Duffield's death was gout. It had preyed upon him for many years, and had assailed his whole body; its attacks were agonizing, and towards the end of his life became quite frequent. In the month of August, 1830, when his recovery from the attack which preceded his last sickness, had just commenced, he was visited by a christian brother. It was the Sabbath, and he seemed in the spirit on the Lord's day. The love of God, the salvation of souls, and the prosperity of the church constituted the burden of his thoughts, and the subject of his conversation. His attention was called to a piece of soothing poetry; he read it attentively, and when he had finished it, remarked with swimming eyes, "it has gratified me much." He proceeded to exhort his visiter to be more faithful to the church than he had been; he said he had endeavoured to serve the church, but at that time, when he was aware that he had nearly done with the church on earth, he felt that he had not done all his duty, and that he could then only repent of his bar renness. The mind of Mr. Duffield was of a superior order, and he was unusually fond of books. The Bible he read diligently, and Scott's Commentary was a favourite work with him. To the inquiry of a friend, as to his seasons of devotion, his answer was, that he was an early riser, and spent an hour in the morning reading the scriptures, in self-examination and prayer, and employed an hour in the evening in the same manner. He was a happy man! The summer before his death, whilst making some arrangements as to his property, in anticipation of that event, he was asked abruptly: "Are you afraid to die?" "Not at all," was his answer. He proceeded to say, he did not know how fearfully he might be assaulted when engaged in the last conflict, but no fears of it disturbed him he was kept in peace. Such was the state of his mind for many years, indeed almost throughout his christian life. Gloomy or rapturous seasons were not frequent with him-superior spiritual enjoyment he would call "a sweet season," or characterize it by some similar term. I believe that in most cases, just in proportion as a christian is careful not only to forsake every known sin, but also to discharge every known duty, however mortifying to the flesh, just in that proportion will his life and death be peaceful and happy. Such was the case with the subject of this memoir. His death-bed resembled his life: both were peaceful. After his confinement few were permitted to see him, for talking increased his sufferings, and he was urged by his medical attendants to converse as little as possible. To one of them he said, "my sufferings have been very great, but I trust I have not murmured, and hope I shall not be permitted to murmur. Jesus is all my hope-in him with all my imperfections, I shall be received. I have not a doubt or fear as to my acceptance with God." His sufferings were not prolonged; on the morning of Sunday, October the 24th, 1830, he "breathed his life out," and left a world of sin and sorrow for "a better country, even a heavenly." On the afternoon of Monday, an appropriate sermon was preached to a mourning con |