INTRODUCTORY.March 7, 1879.SIXTY-FIVE years ago this seventh day of March began the life, whose gentle current bore blessings to all who came within its influence. A beloved sister said of it, " I used to tell dear John that he was the only good thing that this blustering March ever brought." And surely it was a good and gracious gift to this rough world-a life that brought the very calm of heaven into the storms of earth, the sweetness of a divine charity into human strifes ; that possessed itself in patience amid perplexities and vexing cares,-disturbed in its calm poise only by the injustice or meanness which it scorned, intolerant only of intolerance; a life that, traced to its most secret springs, was clear as crystal, pure from the mingling of worldly aim or passion ; a life which has become, to use the word of one who honored it, an "ideal" to hundreds who felt its quiet power, and owned the debt of inspiration and of guidance.No day in all the year brings back so viviTable of Contents CHAPTER I Introductory-;___ n; Retrospect of Birthdays-Birthday Letters in 1874, 1873, 1870, 1869, 1866, 1852; CHAPTER II An Autobiographical Sketch 32; 1814-Boyish Days-Birth in New York-Summers on Long Island Sound, and in Norwalk, Conn-School Life-Entering Columbia College-College Life-Instructors-Disorderly Conduct among Students-Expulsion-Entering Union College- Graduation-Law-reading in New York-Religious Experience- A Winter in New Haven-Dr Leonard Bacon-Prof Hitchcock-The Reasonableness of Religion-Conversion; CHAPTER III Hamilton Days^_ 6a; 1834-New Aims-Entering Hamilton Baptist Theological Seminary-Missionary Projects-Revival Preaching in New Brunswick, N J-Professorship at Hamilton-Calls to Albany and Philadelphia-Decision to remain-Absorbing Nature of his Duties-Teaching, preparing Courses and Subjects for Study, Preaching, etc-Friends-Social Pleasures-Love of Nature-"Fanny For