friends will never forget him. At the Hall he appeared to be singularly modest, with an earnest piety and mature judgment quite beyond his years. Those who knew his excellent father were wont to say that the son owed much to paternal influence, and the remarkable resemblance between father and son grew with years, At Synod and Presbytery they were always seen together. After his father's death, however, he took a more active interest in the business of the Presbytery, and expressed his opinion more freely on the subject under consideration. One of his most intimate companions at the Hall was Mr. David Inglis, son of the minister of Greenlaw. Mr. Inglis emigrated to Canada, and became a prominent and popular preacher there; he was afterwards theological professor, and at the time of his death he was pastor of a church in Brooklyn, New York. Dr. Inglis visited his early and much-esteemed friend last summer at Horndean, and his somewhat sudden death took place the day after Mr. Stark's. Nothing ever occurred to cause me to lower the high opinion I formed of Mr. Stark when a student, but everything' tended to confirm and heighten it. His life was a sermon which all men could read, and his high-toned spirituality in private life vastly augmented the influence of his public instructions. Some men unfortunately neutralize the effect of their pulpit ministrations by the inconsistencies of their private life; but with him there was a weight of character that prevailed more than words. His constant aim was to imitate the Master whom he served, in whose holy and devoted life every day was a Sabbath, every scene a sanctuary, and every journey an occasion of usefulness. Amiability was the most prominent feature of his character, and it was so marked as to draw all hearts towards him. He was for many years associated with the late Rev. James Anderson of Norham, his nearest neighbour in the ministry,a noble pair of brothers, singularly alike in almost every respect, both of them possessed of such warm and loving hearts that any coldness or misunderstanding between them was absolutely impossible. Both appreciated the affection in the other, which in reality was mutual; and either might have said of the other, as David said of Jonathan, Thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women.' It was one of the greatest privileges of my ministerial life to be intimately associated with both as near neighbours, and to observe the strength of their mutual affection, which seemed so warm and cordial that other men could only imitate where it appeared impossible to equal. Every visit to them was a lesson in Christian love. Mr. Stark was in failing health for some years, and, like his dear friend, Dr. Inglis, whose feeble step I noticed last summer, he appeared to be getting prematurely old. He presided over the congregation at Horndean for rather more than twenty-eight years. This was a comparatively long period of ministerial service in a world such as ours, where life is so fleeting; but as he had not completed his fifty-third year at the time of his death, we might have hoped for many years_yet to come of faithful and efficient service in the vineyard of the Lord. As the Rev. D. Kerr remarked, in his touching address at the funeral: The spring-time and summer of youth had just softened into the mellow richness of autumn, when the full fruits of his ministry were about to display themselves in a lovely harvest, to the joy and comfort of his people. But just then, when their and our hopes were at their height, did it seem meet to his heavenly Master, in the exercise of His infinite and adorable wisdom, to call him away from the loved scene of his labour here to his rest and his reward, from the service of the Church below to the glory of the Church above, from his family and friends on earth to the more glorious company of the redeemed on high, in the house not made with hands.' His death came on all his friends as a painful surprise. On the last Sabbath on which he appeared in the pulpit his people saw that he was unwell, but he seemed only to have caught a severe cold, and no serious results were anticipated. He was unable to deliver the second of the two discourses which formed the double service. The former of these discourses has already been referred to, for the purpose of comparing his first with his last discourse in the Horndean pulpit. Faithful to duty, he was found at his post when the harbingers of death were hovering around him. Though seriously unwell during the previous week, he fully prepared two discourses for. what proved to be his last service in the pulpit. The text of his undelivered discourse is Romans i. 14, 'I am debtor both to the Greeks and to the Barbarians, both to the wise and to the unwise; ' and the general divisions are—(1) The debt which the apostle acknowledges; (2) The way he acknowledges himself a debtor; (3) The manner in which he became a debtor. The will was present but the deed was not performed. He probably hoped ere long to have the privilege of delivering to his people the message he had prepared for them; but, all unknown to himself, the service of earth was ended, and the song of heaven was soon to begin. On the following Sabbath his place was supplied by another, and it was known that he was seriously ill. He suffered from a complicated bronchial attack from which he partially recovered, but disease of the heart prevented his full recovery, and was the proximate cause of his death. From the time he left the pulpit he was confined to bed, and was able to speak but little. On Friday the 14th of December, his son, at his dictation, wrote a letter to the clerk of the presbytery requesting him to make arrangements for the supply of his pulpit by the presbytery. With his usual amiability and consideration for others, he added that he was sorry to trouble the presbytery about supply when there was already one pulpit to provide for (referring to Eyemouth); but in the state in which he then was he felt that it could not be avoided. He added that he was prepared to acquiesce in a proposal made at the previous meeting of presbytery. His mind was thus occupied with the affairs of the Church militant up to the hour when his Lord suddenly called him away to the Church triumphant. In the afternoon of that Friday his breathing became very oppressive; a fatal issue was then for the first time anticipated by himself and his family, and about half-past nine o'clock his spirit passed peacefully away to its home in heaven. 'The voice near midnight came, He started up to hear; A mortal arrow pierced his frame, The pains of death are past, Labour and sorrow cease; Soldier of Christ, well done! The parting scene is too sacred for description; and the change came too suddenly at last to allow many parting words to be spoken. But there was time to take an affectionate farewell of his partner in life, and the two members of his family, who were present to witness the closing scene; after which he was too weak to say much of his younger sons, who were from home at school, and he could only utter the request, 'Send them my love.' The word love was the last on his lips, as it had been deep in his heart during all his life on earth; and, after uttering it, he passed away to his home above, where all is love, and joy, and peace, where there is no more parting, and no more tears. It is profoundly saddening to think of the irreparable loss which his death has brought to the home, which was so lately blessed with the presence of such a husband and father. But the God of the widow and the fatherless will be with them. May the God of all consolation comfort their sorrowing hearts! His eldest son completes his course of study for the ministry with the present session of the Hall. May his father's mantle fall on him, and then the father will live again and speak in the ministry of his son. 'He sleeps a holy sleep; say not that good men die.' It is reasonable to entertain high hopes of a family that have received the precious heritage of the example and prayers of so excellent a father. In the acts of his public life Mr. Stark commanded the respect of all who knew him. His great modesty prevented his taking a prominent part in public meetings, but he felt much interest in public questions, and his accurate information on public matters was freely communicated in his intercourse with his people and the public generally. He was not much of a party man, but he had the courage of his convictions; and he not only held them firmly, but also expressed them freely, yet he did so with a soundness of judgment and candid considera tion of the views and feelings of others which secured the respect even of his opponents. He was strenuously opposed to the introduction of political matters into Church Courts, even when these matters had an ecclesiastical bearing; and when his brethren in Synod or Presbytery occasionally introduced such questions, and thus took a different course from that which he approved, he satisfied his conscientious convictions by recording his dissent in the minutes. His amiability was not allowed to relax the firmness with which he followed what he believed to be the path of duty. He regarded the franchise as a sacred trust, and he therefore faithfully recorded his vote on every election of a member of Parliament for his county. The profound respect in which he was held by the public was manifest in the unusually large attendance at his funeral. Devout men carried' him to his tomb, and made great lamentation over him.' As a member of Presbytery he was much esteemed by all his brethren. He attended the meetings with great regularity, and took an active and intelligent interest in all the deliberations. We were accustomed to listen with much deference to his remarks, without perhaps considering how much we were indebted to him but strangers invariably noticed the wisdom of his counsels. For a number of years he discharged the duties of treasurer of the Presbytery, and, after the death of the late Rev. John Peden of Berwick, he was proposed among others for the vacant office of the clerkship, the duties of which had been most efficiently discharged by Mr. Peden; but his name was withdrawn at his own urgent request, though we all knew that he would have made a most efficient clerk had he been appointed to the office. His father had held that office at a former period, and he was equal to his father in soundness of judgment, and even superior to him in suavity of manner. At the meeting immediately preceding his death, he was appointed to represent the Presbytery for four years in the Mission Board of the Synod; and, a few weeks before, he had been selected, along with the father of the Presbytery, to visit a congregation in the south; as these two brethren were considered the most suitable men to manage a business there which required very delicate handling. The correspondence in this case was most judiciously conducted by Mr. Stark; and when the report of the deputation was sent to the Home Mission Committee, the committee expressed' their satisfaction with the careful and thorough manner in which the deputation from the Presbytery of Berwick had fulfilled their commission.' The difficult task was performed to the entire satisfaction of both the Presbytery and the Mission Board. When the Presbytery proceeded to appoint others to supply the places his death had left vacant in committees and otherwise, they became more fully sensible how much they were indebted to him. It was a great satisfaction to me to be associated in the same Presbytery with him and several other fellowstudents, who, however, are all away from it now, with one exception. While I mourn his loss, I cherish the sweet remembrance of an unbroken friendship, which death has only interrupted for a time, to be renewed, I trust, in the sanctuary above. I had engaged before his illness to preach for him on the 18th of December at Whitsome, where a monthly service was kept up by him in cordial co-operation with the Free Church minister of Allanton, both during the ministry of the late Rev. Mr. Fairbairn and that of the Rev. Mr. Maclean, the present minister. He was to accompany me to Whitsome, but his illness intervened after he had made all the necessary arrangements, and his death had taken place ere the evening of the meeting arrived. I conducted the service alone, and endeavoured to improve the sad event by preaching from the text, 'The memory of the just is blessed.' During the service I observed that the people were much affected by the thought that they should see his face and hear his voice no more. It is evident that he was much loved, not only by his own people, but by all who were in the habit of attending these and other meetings within the bounds of his congregation. Those who enjoyed the benefit of his pastoral labours are better qualified to speak of them than I am, but I know from the testimony of others that he faithfully taught the people publicly and from house to house,' declaring 'the whole counsel of God,' and 'rightly dividing the word of truth.' This entirely agrees with my own experience in occasionally hearing him. His preaching was eminently biblical and practical. He was ever ready to preach at villages or farms, for the purpose of reaching those who were unable or unwilling to attend the sanctuary. All that remains to his people now is the remembrance of precious instruction and a holy example. I have thus referred to Mr. Stark in his various relations,-private, public, presbyterial, and pastoral. His sudden and unexpected death was noticed in many pulpits in the neighbourhood, and tributes were paid to his loved memory. The following just tribute is from a private letter by the Rev. Dr. Cairns :-'I share the universal regret and sorrow caused by the removal of our dear and beloved friend. I had known him from his boyhood, and ever shared his confidence. He was one of the purest, most unselfish, and genuine characters I have ever known, and his integrity and straightforwardness were as admirable as his kindness and affection. In all the relations of life he was most exemplary, and I can understand what a terrible blank his removal will be to his own loving family. I had many opportunities of seeing how faithful he was as a minister, and how fully his people returned his affection. In the Presbytery, you know how thoroughly honest he was, and how much we all relied on his judgment. He had great public spirit, and was as stedfast in his attendance on public duties as if he had not lived so much, in one sense, out of the world. The root of all his noble qualities was his genuine religion, his faith in his Saviour, and love to His cause, which were the same as far as I can go back in remembering him. Indeed, he had the excellences both of his father and of his mother-the strength of the one and the gentleness of the other. May God comfort, as He alone can, his bereaved family and flock, and give us all with right feeling to say, "Mark the perfect, and behold the upright; for the end of that man is peace." The death of Mr. Stark in the very midst of his activity and usefulness has a loud voice to all preachers of the gospel, as well as hearers. The period of service on the one hand, and of privilege on the other, is short. The death of others admonishes us to watch, and work, and wait for the coming of the Lord to call us away. We must work diligently while it is day, 'for the night cometh when no man can work.' P. M. THE GLASGOW UNITED PRESBYTERIAN ELDERS' ASSOCIATION.' As showing an example to the elders of our Church in the energetic and able manner in which they are conducting their meetings, there have been printed in these pages papers which have been read before this Association on subjects interesting and instructive to all who fill the honourable office of a 'ruling elder.' It has long been an acknowledged want that there was a lack of union among the elders of our Church, no united co-operation on matters connected with their office, whereby they might be stimulated to a clearer and more efficient knowledge of their duties. By the interchange of brotherly greetings a chosen bond of union might be encouraged and stimulated, so that their weight and power might be more felt in the courts of our Church. We have no desire to underestimate the influence of our elders in our higher Church Courts, yet we must admit that they do not attend so faithfully to their duty in this respect as they might do; and such associations are valuable in encouraging the elders to a more general attendance on our higher courts than hitherto a more energetic and active interest in all that pertains to the welfare of the United Presbyterian Church. Might there not be among the eldership of our Church an association representative in its character, having its headquarters in Glasgow or Edinburgh, where representatives from all the sessions or presbyteries might meet at stated intervals and discuss those subjects which are more immediately interesting to the elders, and where they might originate matters whereby the efficiency and influence of the elders might be greatly increased? With this end in view, the Glasgow United Presbyterian Elders' Association have remodelled their Constitution, and during the session of 1876 and 1877 they have discussed such subjects as the following: The elder in relation to discipline and church courts. The principles of the United Presby- The elder in relation to his district. ment of our Church. And during this present winter their attention has been directed to Elders' associations, and how may elders best co-operate in securing efficiency in Church government. Representation of elders in higher Church Courts. The elders' influence in disseminating the distinctive principles of our How may spiritual life be most pro- We call the attention of the elders throughout our Church to this Association, and the good work they are doing in Glasgow; and feel satisfied that help or advice required for the formation of kindred associations throughout the country will be readily given by communicating with the president or secretary in Glasgow. The Gleaner. A KIND WORD: WHAT IT MAY DO. In one of the excursions which Dr. Judson made while in Burmah, he stopped in a village on the river Solwyn. As he stepped on shore, he noticed a tall, fine-looking woman standing near the place of landing. He approached her, offering his hand and inquiring for her health. 'Well, my lord,' she replied. He had time for but a few words more when he was called back to the boat, and left her with his blessing. The woman gazed after him in_mute_amazement. Never before had she received such courtesy from any man. Though a princess, such was the degradation of woman in her country, she had been treated as a slave. Soon her brothers came, and she said to them, 'I have seen one of the sons of God.' 'Did he speak?' 'Yes, and he gave me his hand.' 'Did you take the hand of a foreigner?' 'Yes, for he looked like an angel.' The brothers took her home to her husband, who was the chief of the province. He was very angry with her, and beat her. That night she was called to attend a heathen ceremony, but she said, 'No, no. Ever since I was a child I have served Satan and Guabama, and they have never prevented my husband from beating me. This man spoke to me kindly, and gave me his hand. His God must be the God. Hereafter I worship Him.' True to her purpose, she began that night to pray to the unknown God of the white foreigner. Her prayer was this: - 'Mighty Judge, Father God, Lord God, Honourable God, the Righteous One! In the heavens, in the earth, in the mountains, in the seas, in the north, in the east, in the west, pity me, I pray. Show me Thy glory, that I may know Thee who Thou art.' This prayer she offered for five years, never again making offerings to idols or demons. At length a missionary came to that benighted village. She ran to him,' the narrative says, 'and sat at his feet for nine days.' What days those were to her! She had been groping in darkness, and now light beamed upon her. She was hungering and thirsting, and now bread from heaven and the water of life were offered to her. She had laboured and was heavy laden, and now she could come to Christ and find rest. She did come, and oh how gladly! The Saviour revealed to her was just the Saviour she needed. He was infinite in compassion, and had power to save to the uttermost. She cast herself at the foot |