And say, ye thoughtless! 'midst your scenes of These are the souls who on those precious days, bliss,

OBITUARY.

Errata.-Owing to an error, arising out of circumstances which need not now be explained, the item of Religious Intelligence respecting an ordination in p. 383 of vol. i. was also inserted by the Printer in p. 387.

In p. 384, vol. i. in the 5th line of the 4th stanza of Amanda's poetry, read 'In dust are laid.' In p. 16, vol. ii. first column, strike out at the same moment.

Page 21, vol. ii. second column, line 34th from the top, for see read smell.

▲ MEMOIR OF THE REV. ARCHIBALD | advantage; and from which he gives LAIDLIE, D. D. LATE ONE OF THE abstracts and skeletons,) that distinPASTORS OF THE COLLEGIATE RE-guished and most faithful minor of

FORMED PROT. DUTCH CHURCH IN

NEW-YORK.

Christ was intended. It is evident that under the ministry of Mr. W. and a certain Mr. A, he reaped much Christian knowledge, and insight into the human heart, and cha

racter.

Dr. Laidlie was a native of Kelso, (in Scotland,) an ancient town of Roxburgh county, situate on the north side of the river Tweed, opposite the views of the Christian which Dr. The experiences and practical mouth of the Tevoit; and about 41 Laidlie has recorded of himself, in a miles south-east of Edinburgh. He Diary begun by him before he was was born on the 4th of December, twenty-two years of age, are remark1727.* He received his Academi-able and truly interesting. There is cal education in his native town; and not much display of science; there is afterwards passed the usual course not a laboured exhibition of polemiof studies for the holy ministry in the cal knowledge; there is not a fine University of Edinburgh. polished style, or a flowery diction; there is no affectation of grandeur, nor declamation, the striking characteristics of the youthful students, and young preachers of our day. Dr. Laidlie has evidently taken a very different view of the subject. In entering on the study of Theology, he did not view it as a theory to be learned by an effort merely of the intellectual powers, as a youth would a code of civil law-a theory with which the mind is to be richly stored, that it may merely be in a favourable condition to attack and defend a favourite scheme with advantage and honour to itself; to overthrow an antagonist; or to flourish as the popular preacher of a year or two. Dr. Laidlie evidently felt that in the doctrines of the gospel he had the deep

Little is known of his early life. The first Diary which is found in his hand writing, begins in the winter of 1749. And I conjecture that he must have attended the ministry of the Rev. Mr. Walker, of Edinburgh; at least I conjecture that by Mr. W, (from whose discourses he reaped so much

*The Rev. Mr. Richard Varick Dey, Pastor of the Church of Greenfield Hill, (Con.) in his pathetic discourse, delivered in the Middle Church, June 12, 1825, on the death of Mrs. Laidlie, his grandmother, has, by a mistake, probably of the Printer, made Dr. Laidlie seven years older. He dates his birth in A.D. 1720, (p. 25,) instead of A.D. 1727. Dr. Laidlie, in his early Diary, under date of Dec. 4, 1749, says, "This day, I am twenty-two years of age." VOL. II.-5.

He establishes his point; he marks out extremes; he exhibits errors, he cautions, reproves, advises, comforts. And, as is evident from the long and pungent sorrows of his own mind, be

est interest himself. He is evidently | tical, and heart-searching preachers of as anxious to have his heart imbued his day. And in looking over a large and leavened thoroughly with the sa- collection of his sermons, and skeleving influence of the gospel, as he is tons of sermons, put into my hand in anxious to have his mind schooled the most courteous manner by his down under the pure and perfect doc honoured relative, this struck me as His trines of the Cross. Every portion his prominent characteristic. of these doctrines which are set be- taste led him to no profound discusfore his vigorous mind, with their sions. His amiable disposition kept evidence and argument, he is, anxious him away from angry polemicks. He to feel in their heavenly and purifying brings forward the pure doctrines of efficacy in his heart. When he pur-Christ with evidence brief and clear. sues an argument which has convinced his judgment, he is anxious to feel it in his conscience. His youthful mind had assumed the fact as of vital importance to his comfort, that theory and argument must be duly blend-fore he found sweet peace and permaed with their practice; that to make nent rest on the stable Rock of Eternian argument or a persuasive address, ty, the Lord Jesus Christ—and, as is whatever be the doctrine of the gos- evident from his own habit of close pel to which it is directed-to tell on and long-continued examination of his the heart of his audience, it must own heart, on all the different exercome from a heart warmed with a cises of the Christian life and deportsight and a feeling of the loveliness ment, he must have possessed a miand inestimable worth of the truths of nute and very extensive knowledge the gospel; that to convince others, of human nature, and of the Christyou must yourself have felt the over- ian's trials and joys. So, it is also bearing force of conviction; that to very evident from what I have heard lead men to Christ by the exposition of him; and from what I see of him of doctrine, and the offers of the in his sermons, that he brought forth gospel, you must show, in your ear-each Sabbath, this wonderful stock nestness, and deep emotions, that you of pastoral science and Christian exhave seen Christ, and loved him, and perience; and made it bear with have come to him yourself; that to be wonderful effect on sinners, weary an able steward in the mysteries of and heavy laden; and also on droopthe kingdom, you must have learned ing and disconsolate Christians. long at the feet of Christ, and have drunk deep of the spirit and transfor-"Trust in HIM at all times, ye peoming power of his grace; that to be ple; pour out your hearts before him; faithful to Christ, and honest to men's God is a refuge for us," must have souls, you must yourself be all that been an interesting specimen of this. you call on your hearers to be, in the Unfortunately, I find only a skeleton name of Christ; you must be in your of them among his manuscripts.— views, in your motives, and emotions, But in what remains of them before and godliness, and prayerfulness, an us, there is a clearness and force; a honest, humble, and faithful Christian, richness of Christian experience ;before your Lord. Hence, it is evi- a warmth of pious feeling, and a padent, from the very temper and spirit- thos and divine unction in the whole, ual frame of his mind, even from the which must have made them, under the commencement of his Theological agency of the Spirit, unusually instudies, that Dr. Laidlie must have structive and touching. And it apbeen one of the most spiritual, prac- pears, in fact, that they had been so

His two sermons on Psalm lxii. 8:

blessed to his audience. I find the
following words endorsed, in the hand
writing of Dr. Laidlie, on the back
of the Discourses:-
:-"These were
preached in the North Church, Feb.
25, 1770. N. B. The Lord was
pleased to bless these two sermons
to many of God's people. Thanks
to his divine goodness! He leaves
us not without a witness."

what HE knows I stand in need of, to my being an instrument, in his hand, of turning many from darkness to light; and from the power of Satan to God, in that city where God has cast my lot." I have before me a regular Diary which he kept from this time until he was received by his affectionate people in New-York; and I intend to give extracts from it, if not all of it. It exhibits throughout a truly pious mind; and the heart of a most devoted Christian pastor; who prayed without ceasing, and whose whole soul and heart were fired with an enlightened zeal, and who longed to be forward, and to be on the field, to win souls for Christ. I have fre

And

I shall exhibit, occasionally, some specimens of his early piety, from his Diary, and perhaps from his sermons. In the month of September, or October, A. D. 1759, Dr. Laidlie was ordained to the gospel ministry, and installed pastor of the English Church in Flushing, a sea-port town in the island of Walcheren, in the Nether-quently heard some of our aged memlands. He had for a colleague in this bers speak of the pious praying club of church, the Rev. Mr. Bertling. Here the Protestant Reformed D. C. of he laboured with zeal and fidelity, un- New York, who, in their weekly til he received a call to the Collegiate meetings, wrestled with the Lord JeDutch Church in New-York. After sus, the King and Head of the having been pastor of the church in Church, that he would send them a Flushing for four years and a few devoted minister of the Lord; who weeks, he preached his farewell ser- should be "like Barnabas, a good man, mon in Flushing, on Nov. 13, 1763; and full of the Holy Ghost, and of and on the 25th of the same month, faith, that much people might be adhe sailed for Amsterdam. He went ded to the Lord;" and that the rising by the way of Rotterdam, Leyden, church in this city might be built up and Haerlem. In five days he arri- in sound minds and true piety. ved in Amsterdam, and was kindly indeed the fervent prayers, breathed welcomed by his friend, the Rev. Mr. out by these devout characters, was Blinshall; who read to him copies of heard. And God was sending them the letters to, and from New-York, a truly good man, and full of the Horelative to his call. On the 5th of ly Ghost, and much given to prayer. Dec. he was formally admitted MIN- These people could soon appreciate ISTER of the Protestant Reformed his value. After having heard him Dutch Church of New-York, by the repeatedly deliver the messages of Dominies, the Deputies of the Clas- his Master; and particularly after hasis of Amsterdam ad res erleras ;ving heard him address the throne of together with a few other Dominies, grace in their prayer meetings, the added to them from a Classis contrac-aged members then present, gathered tata, for this solemn business. In his around Dr. Laidlie, and thus addressDiary of that day, Dr. Laidlie makes these pious reflections:-"O how unfit for so important, and how unworthy of so honourable an office!Oh that God would be graciously pleased, for the glory of his great name, and for the sake of his Son Jesus Christ, to do in me and for me

ed him :-"Ah Dominie, we offered up many an earnest prayer in Dutch for your coming among us; and truly the Lord has heard us-in English, and has sent you to us."

He sailed in the English packet from Falmouth, on February 17th, 1764, and arrived at N. York, on the

And

29th of March. He was the first minis- was his eminent characteristic. ter of the Dutch Church in America, it is breathed through every part of who officiated in the English lan- his Diary, and through every one of guage. He preached his first sermon his sermons, and meditations. As a in English, to an immensely crowded preacher, he was evangelical, popular audience, on April 15th, 1764. The and powerful. He was wise and text was 2 Cor. v. 11. "Knowing the successful in no ordinary degree, in terrors of the Lord, we persuade men." winning souls to Christ. His manIt was delivered with great force, and ner in the pulpit was plain, easy and by the blessing of God, it produced affectionate. His style, like his manmuch salutary effect on the people's ner, was simple, unadorned; full of mind. It was said to have been only the unction of Scripture phrases, and two hours in length! The sermon is happy Scripture allusions. As a pasnow before me. The Dr. has be- tor, he was faithful and honest; very stowed unusual pains in the composi- humble and grave; bold, persevering, tion. He had first written out with patient of injuries and reproaches; incredible pains, the skeleton, and indefatigable, full of charity, and coureach leading thought, and had sketch-teous feeling. He had many seals ed the ideas in the address to his col- of his ministry during the brief space leagues, and the Consistory, and the of his ministerial services in the Colpeople. Then he wrote out the dis-legiate Church. Under his faithful course at full length, with the exordium remotum, and the exordium proximum, and the address. The last deserves our special commendation.We shall probably exhibit this, and a specimen of the sermon, in some future Number.

and laborious services, the Dutch Church flourished greatly in this city. Some of our aged and venerable members speak of him with delight. And when asked to describe his preaching, and manner of praying, they could not do it without shedding tears. It is thus that the memory of the faithful pastor is cherished with tears of joy and regret, and embalmed in the tenderest remembrance of the saints of God.

In the year 1766, Dr. Laidlie was married to Miss Mary Hoffman, daughter of Martin Hoffman and Catharine Rutgers. They lived only twelve years together; but it was a peculiarly happy union. His widow This pious affection for the memsurvived him forty-six years! The ory of their venerable pastor, Doctor died of a consumption, at Red has often reminded me of the tribute Hook, in A.D. 1778, while an exile of praise, paid by my late venerable from his flock, and from the city; friend, the Rev. Mr. Oliver, of Linhaving been driven away by the vio-lithgow, when he pronounced a funelence of the British, during the war ral sermon after the death of that of the Revolution. And his widow, faithful servant of God, the Rev. old and full of days, and ripe in the Mr. Adam Gibb, of Edinburgh, in Christian graces, died in the summer the church of the deceased. of 1825.

Dr. Laidlie was a man of distinguished talents, and an able Theologian. He was strictly attached to the pure and Scriptural doctrines of the Old School. His learning was respectable, and his piety truly eminent. He was plain, simple, and unassuming in his manners; and, above all, he was a man of prayer! This

When he had finished the sermon, he was proceeding to pronounce his character and eulogy. He made a long pause. He attempted to speak what he had prepared; but the venerable gray-haired pastor was unable to utter a word. He covered his face with his hands, and wept with the weeping audience. He dried up his tears, and once more raised himself