in college about the same time among the most uncompromising young men, was a means of changing the views of some of his brethren; and I have reason to believe that some of them learned a lesson on that occasion which will ever be useful, viz. that if the bull bellows, it may be because he is held by the horns; and that if nothing is said or done to him that savors of the spirit of the world, which tends directly to relieve his conscience, we may be encouraged to hope for his repentance.

So changed were the views of the religious young men in college in regard to the character and worth of their brother M'Dowall, that the young man who had sent him the uncourteous letter before mentioned, confessed to M'Dowall that he wrote it, and humbly wished forgiveness; and further said, that it had given him much trouble ever since it was written; and further, that it was dictated more by a worldly spirit than from a real concern for the honor of religion. Only a few weeks elapsed before the young man before mentioned, who had said that some good might be done in college if brother M'Dowall was not so imprudent, told me he believed there might be an extensive work of grace in college if they had more M'Dowalls. He and others regretted exceedingly that any thing had been done to lessen his influence. (This is so meek a man, that although he is now in the ministry, I should have no fear of giving him offence by calling him by name, if it would subserve the cause of truth.) The peculiar sufferings of young M'Dowall for a few weeks (at least,) especially in his being in a great measure set at naught by his brothers, can be fully known only to him who hears the sighs of the mourner. He was wont to call on me and relate something of his trials, and not unfrequently with tears. He would say that he felt at times as though he should sink, but found relief only in prayer; prayer, he said, would brace him up. young man at his time of life, and among strangers, single

That a

handed, and against the wishes of those he held most dear, should by such means lose, and, for aught he knew, for ever, the esteem of those whose friendship he highly valued, was to me a good evidence of disinterestedness, and of the value he set upon the honor that cometh from God only. I have often remarked before, what I now declare as my deliberate opinion, that, in point of moral courage and disinterestedness, John R. M'Dowall was unrivalled among all my acquaintances. The transaction before alluded to, I think, was in the early part of the summer of 1826; and as there had commenced among us in Schenectady an interesting work of grace, I asked and obtained Mr. M' Dowall's consent to spend the eight weeks' vacation in my family, and devote his time to visiting, &c. This was especially desirable, as our minister left us that summer, having accepted a call in New-York. The pastor of the Dutch church was on a tour in Europe for his health. Just before the term in college closed, he showed me a letter from his honored father, who advised him to come home and spend the vacation, which to him amounted to a command. But he said, if I would join him in a letter to his father, informing him of the state of things with us, he had no doubt he would consent to his remaining. I complied, and we soon had a letter from his father, stating that if his Master had need of him at Schenectady, he and his family were willing to forego the pleasure of a visit. During this vacation his labors were almost incessant. He usually started out after breakfast with a bundle of Tracts under his arm, and did not return till noon and then frequently so exhausted that he found it necessary to throw himself on a bed.

After an hour or two's rest, he sallied forth again, and returned at evening. As many as four evenings in a week he attended little meetings for prayer and praise and pointed conversation. He used to say that his Tracts were very useful as a means of introducing religious conversa

tion, and gave him ready access to the family on whom he called. His visits were generally among the poor, and there are numbers who now, and will doubtless continue to all eternity, to bless God for the visits and faithful exhortations of J. R. M'Dowall.

If any thing is to be known of the workman from his works, there are now living epistles which may be known and read of all men. When he returned to college at the commencement of the September term, I am sorry to say that he was so much worn down, that it was with difficulty he could pursue his studies. But it was gratifying to see the interest his brethren took in his welfare. One of them called on me and invited me to take a walk with him, and during our interview related a transaction which I well remember caused us both to weep freely. Said he, we had a prayer-meeting in college among the brethren last evening, and brother M'Dowall, while leading in prayer, suddenly fainted, and stopped speaking; and after a short pause they went to him and supposed at first he was dead, and they took his head from the chair and laid him prostrate on the floor, and he soon began to breathe, and revived again. When they took off his coat it was found that his under-clothes were ragged, and his shirt-collar partly torn off. His clothes were all nearly worn out, and more or less tattered. Suspicions were immediately excited that he might be in want of all things, and as soon as he was able to converse they began to interrogate him. He was at first reluctant to let them know his situation, but finally said that he had heired some property, which would have been sufficient to have paid his expenses through college, but which (if my memory serves) consisted in a mortgage, but that an older mortgage had swept the whole. That it had troubled him a while, but that he had got over it, and had determined to pursue his studies and trust Provi

dence.* His friends in college, he told me, were much affected when they learned his situation, especially when they reflected that he had "labored more abundantly than they all." His delicacy in not making known his situa tion will not be so surprising, because it is a well known characteristic of the Scotch to despise beggary.

I need hardly add that provision was immediately made for a suit of clothes; and I do not believe he suffered for any of the comforts of life thereafter while he remained in college. A number of little incidents, which go to make up the real worth of the man, I might mention, but which others, I have no doubt, have furnished.

I leave these reflections, to be used as may be for the with my earnest prayer that God may give all needed

best,

wisdom.

His anxiety respecting where to study theology was terminated by going to Princeton, in 1828, under the patronage of the Presbyterian Society.

In May, 1828, he went to Providence as an agent for the American Tract Society. The following letters and journal refer to his labors in that place.

CHAPTER XIII.

Letter from Mr. Richmond-Letter of Mr. Hallock-Doings of the Board at Providence--Mr. M'Dowall's labors-Extracts from his Journal-Testimonials of his friends-Labors in different parts—I'll health-Influence and energy of ladies-Letter to Mr. Hallock.

DEAR FRIEND,—I have learned with great satisfaction that you are about publishing a memoir of that devoted

* Here is another specimen of his modesty. This destitution of clothes was the result of benevolence rather than poverty. Though his apology was true respecting the mortgage, yet his mother had been careful to supply him with all that necessary clothing of which

and self-denying friend of suffering humanity, and our dear christian brother, Rev. J. R. M'Dowall, who, though he be dead, yet liveth in the affections of multitudes, redeemed, disenthralled, and saved from lowest depths of degradation and misery, and in the hearts of others, who sympathized in his sufferings, tears, and labors, and have poured out their prayers with strong cries and tears that the God of purity would sustain and carry him on in his work. As some of the most interesting incidents in his history have occurred in this State, and are perhaps not generally known to the christian public, I have taken the liberty of mentioning some of these, which, if you deem proper for publication, and have not already obtained the facts, you may use as you think proper.

I have before me the records of the Providence Tract Society, which contain the first information respecting him in this State. He was sent here by the American Tract Society, as their agent, in May, 1828. He continued his labors until March, 1829. For an account of these labors, with their results, I refer you to the Fourth Annual Report of the Providence Tract Society. For the manner in which these duties were discharged, I refer you to a letter addressed to Wm. A. Hallock, Corresponding Secretary American Tract Society, March, 1829, by our board of managers, in which the most perfect satisfaction is expressed. I find also on the records of this Society, a vote of thanks to Mr. J. R. M'Dowall, for his faithful services in the Tract cause during the past year.

In the summer of 1829 the Rhode Island Sunday School Union, contemplating efforts for the establishment of Sunday Schools throughout the State, turned their attention to Mr. M'Dowall, and appointed a committee to secure his

be was then destitute, but his generosity had bestowed it where he found it was needed, and he was ever mindful of the injunction of the Savior: "He that hath two coats, impart to him that hath none."